[00:00:05]
TO[5:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ]
ORDER, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ FOR THE INVOCATION.MINISTER CHRIS JOHNSON, IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD.
MINISTER CHRIS JOHNSON IS A RESPECTED HOUSTON FAITH LEADER, COMMUNITY ADVOCATE, AND MEDIA PERSONALITY WHOSE WORK HAS LONG CENTERED ON SERVICE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF HOUSTON'S BLACK COMMUNITY.
A PRODUCT OF HOUSTON'S HISTORIC THIRD WARD.
MINISTER JOHNSON GREW UP IN CUNY HOMES AND HAS REMAINED DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE PEOPLE AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HELPED SHAPE HIM.
TODAY HE SERVES AS THE DIRECTOR OF MISSIONS OF GOOD HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, WHERE HIS MINISTRY REACHES FAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF THE CHURCH THROUGH COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES, NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT, LEGAL AID AND SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVES, PRAYER MINISTRY, AND THE OUTREACH TO THOSE WHO ARE OFTEN UNDERSERVED.
MINISTER JOHNSON IS ALSO A FAMILIAR AND TRUSTED VOICE ON KTSU 90.9 FM, THE CHOICE WHERE HE HOSTS IMPACT HOUSTON LIVE ALONGSIDE DONNA FRANKLIN AND MARCUS SESSION.
THROUGH THAT PLATFORM, HE HELPS BRING IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOUSTON'S CULTURE, FAITH, PUBLIC POLICY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, BUSINESS, ENTERTAINMENT, AND COMMUNITY LIFE.
DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE MINISTER CHRIS JOHNSON REPRESENTS THE VERY BEST OF HOUSTON FAITH ROOTED IN ACTION, A COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY, AND AN UNWAVERING BELIEF THAT OUR HISTORY MUST BE REMEMBERED, SHARED, AND CARRIED FORWARD FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MAYOR JOHN.
WELCOME, WHITMEYER WELCOME AND, UH, THE ENTIRE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE LIFT UP THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ITS SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES TO YOU TODAY, LORD, TODAY WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR DIVINE PRESENCE, PROTECTION, AND PROSPERITY OVER ALL WHO CALL THIS VIBRANT CITY HOME.
LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD POUR OUT YOUR PEACE AND YOUR UNITY ACROSS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.
FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO ESTABLISH HOUSTON AS A BEACON OF HOPE AND RESILIENCE, AND ALSO GOD GRANT THIS CITY YOUR SPECIFIC PRESENCE IN THE AREA OF PROTECTION AND SAFETY, LEADERSHIP AND JUSTICE, PROSPERITY, AND COMMUNITY.
GOD, WE WANNA PRAY A SPECIAL PRAYER AND WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD GRANT WISDOM AND INTEGRITY TO MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALL CIVIC LEADERS AS THEY GOVERN.
LORD, WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD TOUCH THE HEARTS OF JUDICIAL LEADERS TO ACT FAIRLY AND ENSURE JUSTICE FLOWS THROUGH OUR LEGAL SYSTEM.
AND FATHER, FINALLY, WE WOULD ASK THAT COMPASSIONATE CARE WOULD RING FORTH THAT EQUALITY AND DIGNITY WOULD GUIDE THE STEPS OF THIS MAYOR AND THIS CITY COUNCIL.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR OUR TIME NOW, AND IT IS IN YOUR PERFECT MATCHLESS NAME WE PRAY.
WE PLEASE AND PLEASE GIVE OUR REGARDS TO PASTOR DZ COLEFIELD OF THE GOOD HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
JUST TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING ]
ROLL PLEASE, SIR.PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER P HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF AUGUST 18TH AND 19TH.
[5:00 P.M. – PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
PROCEDURAL COUNCIL RAMIREZ.MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND MOVE.
JACOB JACOB CLEMENTE FROM THE PREVIOUS ONE MINUTE TO THE VERY TOP OF THE SPEAKER'S LIST, HUFFMAN SECOND.
ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, UH, MS. SECRETARY CALLER, FIRST SPEAKER JACOB CLEMENT.
JACOB TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOSIAH RECTOR, CERTIFICATE OF SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO JACOB CLEAGE.
THAT'S ME ON THIS DAY OF AUGUST 12TH, 2026.
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ON BEHALF OF THE 29TH DISTRICT OF TEXAS, I OFFER MY MOST SINCERE AND MODERATION FOR YOUR UNWAVERING DEDICATION AND COLIN'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY WATCHING YOU CONTINUE SUCCESS AND MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.SYLVIA R GARCIA, MEMBER OF CONGRESS AS YOU, JOE SEAN.
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE, UM, THE SPANISH, UH, WORLD CUP PLAYER? DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE CALLED HIS ADOPTED DOG? NO, TITO.
AND, UM, WELL, DO YOU KNOW WHAT TYPE OF DOG HE WAS? IT WAS A COCKY SPANIEL SPANIEL.
AND HE BLEW IT IN THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
NEXT JOSIAH RECTOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY A CARMELO WALKER, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS STATE EMPLOYEES UNION LOCAL 6 1 8 6, WHICH REPRESENTS ROUGHLY 10,000 EMPLOYEES OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, INCLUDING EMPLOYEES OF THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES, STATE HOSPITALS AND PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES.
AS STATE WORKERS, WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH CITY WORKERS.
FOR THAT REASON, I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 44, ARTICLE FOUR OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES CONCERNING THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM THAT WOULD PUT HOUSTON UP TO SPEED WITH MINIMAL STANDARDS THAT HARRIS COUNTY AND OTHER TEXAS JURISDICTIONS, INCLUDING AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND SAN ANTONIO ALREADY UPHOLD REGARDING WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS FOR CITY WORKERS.
WE SHOULD NOT BE GIVING TAX ABATEMENTS TO APPLICANTS WHO FAIL TO PAY CITY WORKERS LIVING WAGES OR PROVIDE DECENT HEALTHCARE BENEFITS WHO ENGAGE IN WAGE THEFT OR WHO ENDANGER THEIR EMPLOYEES AND LOCAL RESIDENTS WITH RECKLESS AND UNSAFE PRODUCTION PRACTICES.
ANY APPLICANTS FOR TAX ABATEMENTS FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT THEY WILL PAY ALL EMPLOYEES ON THE PROPOSED PROJECT, NO LESS THAN THE MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE.
FOR HOUSTON'S MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, THEY SHOULD OFFER HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS TO ALL PERMANENT EMPLOYEES ON THE PROJECT AND THEIR DEPENDENTS.
THEY SHOULD NOT HIRE ANY CONTRACTORS OR SUBCONTRACTORS ON THE PROJECT WITH DOCUMENTED WAGE THAT AFTER OSHA SAFETY VIOLATIONS DURING THE PROCEEDING THREE YEARS, ALL CONSTRUCTION WORKERS EMPLOYED BY CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS OF THE APPLICANT SHOULD BE PAID THE CITY'S PREVAILING WAGE RATE OR THE MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE RATE REQUIRED UNDER THIS CODE.
AND APPLICANT SHOULD BE AUDITED TO ENSURE THEY'RE PROVIDING WORKERS' COMPENSATION, SAFETY TRAINING, AND HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS.
ALSO, VIOLATIONS OF STATE AND FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS SHOULD BE DISQUALIFYING FOR APPLICANTS.
THE EXISTING ORDINANCE REQUIRES APPLICANTS TO SUBMIT A COPY OF A VOLUNTARY CLEANUP AGREEMENT FOR ANY PROPOSED BROWNFIELD FACILITY OR CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION FOR THE PROPERTY ISSUED BY TCEQ FOR THE PROPOSED FACILITY.
I WOULD FURTHER SUGGEST THAT THE FOLLOWING SHOULD BE GROUNDS FOR REJECTING A TAX ABATEMENT APPLICATION IF THE APPLICANT IS A RECIPIENT OF ANY OUTSTANDING OR UNRESOLVED NOTICE OF VIOLATION OR NOTICE OF ENFORCEMENT FROM THE TCEQ OR EPA OR IF THE APPLICANT HAS COMMITTED DOCUMENTED VIOLATIONS OF A-T-C-E-Q PERMIT OR EPA REGULATIONS DURING THE PROCEEDING THREE YEARS.
AT A BARE MINIMUM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON SHOULD HOLD APPLICANTS TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS HARRIS COUNTY, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, AND DALLAS.
WE SHOULD GO FURTHER THAN THAT AND SHOW ACTUAL LEADERSHIP AND ENSURING THE SAFETY OF WORKERS IN COMMUNITY RESIDENTS IN THE CITY.
NEXT CARMELA WALKER, KENNETH SIMMONS.
TODD CORDEN, CORA FORTUNE TO BE FOLLOWED BY DIEGO MANNY CARTI.
MY NAME IS CORA AND I'M HERE ONCE AGAIN TO SPEAK TO THE TERROR THAT ICE AND HPD ARE WAGING ON OUR CITY ICE AND THE ENTIRE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM HAVE PLAGUED THE CITY FOR DECADES.
THE FACT THAT HOUSTON LEADS THE NATION AN IMMIGRATION ARREST IS SHAMEFUL.
AND THIS COUNCIL SHOULD FEEL THAT WEIGHT REST HEAVY ON Y'ALL SHOULDERS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND NOW ON YOUR WATCH, ICE AND HPD HAVE CREATED AN ATMOSPHERE OF VIOLENCE AND FEAR.
PEOPLE LIVE IN FEAR OF THE VERY AGENCIES THAT SAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT US.
WE SEE IT WHEN ICE MURDERS A MAN IN THE STREETS.
WE SEE IT WHEN FLOCK SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS TRACK OUR EVERY MOVE AND SEND IT STRAIGHT TO ICE.
WE SEE IT AS HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE GROWS AND THEY HAVE NO ANSWERS FOR US WHEN WE ASK THEM.
THESE THINGS DO NOT MAKE US SAFER.
THEY'RE A FAILURE OF THE CITY TO DO RIGHT BY THE PEOPLE.
IN FACT, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND I
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KNOW MANY MORE PEOPLE ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY, IMPEDE ANY REAL EFFORTS TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY.THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON DESERVE BETTER ICE OUT OF HOUSTON NOW.
ENRIQUE IGLESIAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINE VO.
I'M ORGANIZED WITH THE PSO AND I'M CURRENTLY A, A MEDICAL STUDENT HERE IN THE HOUSTON AREA NATIONALLY.
ICE OPERATIONS AND DETENTIONS PRESENT A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
OVER 90% OF THE NEARLY 70,000 PEOPLE TODAY ARE HELD IN PRIVATELY OPERATED DETENTION CENTERS.
AND SHAMEFULLY, HE'S FROM HIS HOME.
TWO ONE, RUN BY THE MASSIVE PRISON CORPORATION COURT.
CIVIC CORE CIVIC FACILITIES ARE RAMPANT WITH HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AGAINST ADULTS AND CHILDREN.
WE DOCUMENT REPORTS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE, OUTBREAKS, SEXUAL ASSAULTS, PROLONGS, SOLITARY CONFINEMENT ON SANITARY CONDITIONS, MEDICAL NEGLECT, SUICIDES, CHRONIC UNDER STAFFING, AND EVEN CONTAMINATED WATER.
TENTION CENTERS HAVE BECOME GROSSLY OVERCROWDED, LEADING TO ICE'S DEADLIEST YEARS AND DECADES.
ALL OF THESE ATTENTION CENTERS MUST BE CLOSED.
AND AS ELECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES OF HOUSTON, YOU CANNOT PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE.
WHEN TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MILLIONS HERE IN YOUR CITY ARE IN FEAR OF THEMSELVES BEING ABUSED, DETAINED, OR DEPORTED AS A GROWTH ARE MIXED OUT OF FAMILY MYSELF, I'LL SAY I OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON NOW.
NEXT GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINE VO AND I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH STANDUP HOUSTON.
AND I'M BACK HERE TONIGHT TO URGE YOU TO END HBDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
EARLIER THIS MORNING, WE WITNESSED A COMPLETE FARCE OF A PUBLIC SAFETY HEARING IN THIS VERY ROOM WHEN HBD CHIEF DIAZ NO-SHOWED AND SENT A STAFF MEMBER IN HIS PLACE WHO'S REPEATEDLY INSTRUCTED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO NOT RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING HP'S COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
I REALLY JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU, MAYOR WHITMEYER, WHAT ARE YOU AND HPD TRYING TO HIDE? IT'S, IT'S CLEAR THAT EVEN THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE AT THE TABLE AREN'T EVEN PRIVY TO WHAT'S GOING ON.
IF WHAT HPD IS DOING WITH ICE IS ABOVE BOARD, WHY GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO AVOID THE PUBLIC'S QUESTIONS? WHY USE A LAWSUIT AGAINST HPD TO HIDE FROM THE PUBLIC WHEN YOU HAVE LORENZO SALGADO'S MURDER ON YOUR HANDS? EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER HERE SHOULD BE ENRAGED BY THIS COMPLETE FORCE OF A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND BY WHIT MEYER'S LIES LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS WAS EARLIER TODAY.
THE PEOPLE HERE IN THIS ROOM ARE DOING OUR CIVIC DUTY AND USING THE POLITICAL CHANNELS THAT WE HAVE TO DEMAND ANSWERS TO DEMAND ACTION.
WHY AREN'T YOU? THE PRESSURE IS MOUNTING AND WE, THE PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA LET UP.
WE DEMAND TO KNOW HOW DEEP THIS COLLABORATION GOES.
WE DEMAND ANSWERS TO LORENZO'S MURDERS.
WE DEMAND THE RELEASE OF HIS MURDER'S NAMES.
WE DEMAND THE END TO HBD COLLABORATION WITH ICE ICE OUT OF HOUSTON ICE.
OUTTA NEXT ANDREW ANDREW PATTERSON.
MR. PATTERSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY KAREN JENNINGS OF MISSOURI CITY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR I I CAME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE RECENT, UH, STA THEY PUT INTO PLACE WITH REGARDS TO AIR CONDITIONING UNITS OR APARTMENTS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY.
NOW BASICALLY AN AVERAGE APARTMENT, UH, APARTMENT IN HOUSTON RUNS ABOUT 726 SQUARE FEET.
[00:15:01]
18,000 BTUS TO COOL IT, WHICH WOULD RUN ABOUT $150 A MONTH.ADDITIONAL TO THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY IN LIFE TRYING TO MEET INCOME OR HAVING A LIMITED INCOME OR WHATEVER IT MEANS.
IT MEANS, AND IF YOU HAVE A TWO BEDROOM, IT'LL PROBABLY RUN YOU ABOUT 250, MAYBE $300 TO PROVIDE YOU A DECENT COOLING SYSTEM FOR YOURSELF AND FOR YOUR FAMILY.
NOW, THERE ARE OTHER PROBLEMS TOO, WITH THE STATUTE BEING ADDRESSED THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND ABOUT THE IMPLICATION AS TO WHEN IT'S GONNA TAKE EFFECT.
IT'S GONNA BE FOUR MONTHS BEFORE THIS IS ACTUALLY PUT INTO PLACE.
WELL, FOUR MONTHS FROM NOW IS GONNA BE COLD AND HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE HEAT.
BUT WHAT MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD'VE BEEN TO PUT AC SLASH HEAT UNITS IN EACH APARTMENT THAT WAY THEY ARE ABLE TO HAVE A HEATER AS WELL, AS WELL AS AIR CONDITIONING.
IT'S A UNIT PRODUCT DONE BY THE HVAC INDUSTRY.
SO WHAT COMPLYING WITH THE STATE STATUTE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, I WOULD'VE LOVED THE SEEN IF THE CITY ATTORNEY WOULD'VE HAD THIS MOLDED OVER AND MADE A DECISION OF RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO THE MAYOR, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT HAPPEN.
I AM RETICENT TO SAY THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN THESE HOMES WITH, OH, IT'S WOULDN'T WANNA SAY SLUMLORDS, BUT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THESE UNITS WHO ARE NOT PUTTING MONEY BACK INTO IT FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR TENANTS.
AND ACTUALLY IMPLICATION AS TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THEM IF THEY FAILED TO PROVIDE FINES OR OTHER MEANS TO ENFORCE THE STATUTES THAT YOU PUT INTO PLACE.
NOW, THE THING HERE ABOUT ICE OUTTA HOUSTON AND ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S TRANSPIRING, IT'S A TERRIBLE THING.
AND I KNOW THE CITY IS TRYING TO DO ITS BEST AS WELL AS THE MAYOR, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN YOU REDUCE A CERTAIN SECTION OF OUR POPULATION, WHICH IS OUR, I GUESS YOU MIGHT SAY WITHOUT PAPERS OR WS, WAS THE TERM THEY USED BACK AT THE TIME WHEN THE ITALIANS WERE IN TOWN BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE PAPERS.
THESE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE PAPERS, BUT THEY'RE GONNA LEAVE AND THAT'S GONNA CAUSE AN ECONOMIC STRAIN ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR TAX REVENUE AS WELL BECAUSE THEY ARE PUTTING QUITE A BIT INTO IT.
AND THIS MONEY IS GONNA BE GONE AND VACANT.
SO THE CITY'S GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT OTHER MEANS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE UP FOR IT.
AND I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING TAXES RAISED, BUT WHEN YOU REMOVE THAT FROM A, THAT'S ALL THAT'S LEFT.
TAXES IS ALL WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE.
NEXT KAY JENNINGS TO BE FOLLOWED BY MATI RODRIGUEZ.
UH, FIRST I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE THANKS TO MAYOR WHITMEYER AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING ME TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY.
UH, I ALSO WANNA EXPRESS MY SPECIAL THANKS TO HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBER DR.
CAROLYN SHABA, OUR DISTRICT D REPRESENTATIVE IN HER DIRECTOR OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES, MS. INGRAM MITCHUM, FOR TRYING TO GET THIS MATTER RESOLVED FOR ME.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE APRIL.
UH, LIFE WAS ALMOST LOST AND A HOME WILL BE LOST IF THE HOUSTON DEPARTMENT OF CITY WORKS DOES NOT DEAL WITH THIS NOW, NOT FOUR MORE MONTHS LATER.
I'M A 71-YEAR-OLD RETIRED EDUCATOR WHO HAS OWNED A PROPERTY AT 1610 WHEELER STREET IN HOUSTON, 7 7 0 0 4 SINCE 2004.
ON THIS PROPERTY, I HAVE THREE VERY AFFORDABLE AND WELL-MAINTAINED RENTAL PROPERTIES, TWO ONE BEDROOM APARTMENTS AND ONE THREE BEDROOM HOUSE.
I KNOW THAT I'VE ALWAYS COMPLIED WITH ALL CITY RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING RENTAL PROPERTIES AND HAVE DILIGENTLY PAID ALL TAXES AND FEES REQUIRED BY THE CITY.
THE ISSUE I BRING BEFORE YOU TODAY INVOLVES A FAILURE AND REFUSAL OF THE HOUSTON DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A HOLE THAT IS THREATENING THE STABILITY OF THE RENTAL HOUSE IS THE RESULT OF AN IMPENDING COLLAPSE OF AN ANTIQUATED CITY OF HOUSTON.
MANHOLE, GRAHAM PLUMBING COMPANY OF SUGAR LAND THAT I HIRED, CONCLUDED THAT THIS IS INDEED AN OLD CITY MANHOLE.
I'VE ALSO CONDUCTED RESEARCH THAT SUPPORTS THE SAME CONCLUSION.
IT CAN'T BE SHODDY WORK OF ONLY DROPPING STABILIZING SAND IN A HOLE, WHICH THEY TOLD ME TO DO THAT WILL RECTIFY THIS.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE MORE THAN THAT.
GRAHAM PLUMBING HAS ALREADY TOLD ME WHAT HAS TO BE DONE BY THE HOUSTON CITY WORKS DEPARTMENT.
I BROUGHT COPIES FOR ALL OF YOU ABOUT
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WHAT I'VE DISCOVERED.I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN MY TENANT WAS MOWING THE YARD, AND I'M SURE YOU'VE HAD THIS, THIS SITUATION BEFORE WHERE YOU MOWED YOUR YARD, YOUR CHILDREN AND MOWED IT, YOU MAY HAVE MOWED IT, BUT THE GROUND GAVE WAY UNDER HIM AS HE WAS DOING THAT.
HE SAID, I HAVE TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING.
I HAVE TO GO TO A FUNERAL AT TRI UH, TRINITY.
I'M ONLY FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM YOU.
AFTER I COME BACK, I'LL COME AND SEE IT.
HE PULLED HIMSELF OUT 'CAUSE HE WAS ATHLETIC ENOUGH TO PULL HIMSELF UP OUT OF THAT HOLE.
HE UNCOVERED IT 'CAUSE HE PUT SOME WOOD OVER IT.
SO I LOOKED IN THE HOLE AND I SAID, OH LORD, I DIDN'T EXPECT TO SEE THIS.
HE CAME, HE SAID, MS. DENNIS, YOU NEED TO CALL 3 1 1.
HE EVEN TRIED TO TELL ME, OH, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS.
3 1 1 CAME AND SAID, OH, IT'S FIVE FEET FROM THE STREET THAT'S ON YOU.
AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A SINKHOLE.
I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU THE PACKETS.
I NEED THE OTHER PERSON THAT'S GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEALING WITH THIS ANTIQUATED 1926 SINKHOLE.
NOT SINKHOLE, BUT CITY OF HOUSTON MANHOLE.
SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH THE PACKETS THAT DESCRIBE THIS HOLE, THIS MANHOLE, CITY OF HOUSTON.
MAN, HOPE THESE ARE ALL YOURS.
AND AS A TEACHER, I ASK YOU TO WRITE ONE QUESTION IN YOUR PHONE.
ONE QUESTION, MS. MS. JENNINGS.
MS. JENNINGS, CALL 1610 WHEELER STREET.
I'M GONNA LET YOU MEET WITH REBECCA WILLIAMS. BUT OUR CURRENT REPORT BY PUBLIC WORKS MM-HMM
AND THE CITY'S REGULATORY COMPLIANCE GROUP THAT IT'S EITHER AN ABANDONED WELL OR I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT THE REPORT SAYS, AND I'M GONNA LET YOU SOMEONE MEDIATE IT OR AN ABANDONED CISTERN ON, ON YOUR PROPERTY.
AND I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A PRIVATE PLUMBER THAT HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION.
SO IF YOU'LL GET WITH MS. WILLIAMS, AND I PROMISE YOU I'LL GET INVOLVED, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THERE'S AN HONEST DISAGREEMENT ABOUT WHOSE PROPERTY IT'S ON, WHAT CAUSED IT, AND WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
NOW YOU TALKED TO MS. WILLIAMS AND WE SURE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO MOVE FROM MISSOURI INTO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND YOU GOT A PIECE OF PROPERTY? I HAVE BEEN.
LOOK, I LIVED IN THIS CITY MORE THAN I CAN TELL YOU.
I'VE BEEN A BOARD MEMBER AT PROJECT ROW HOUSES.
I KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU, SPERANZA.
I'M JUST, I WAS WITH KID CARE.
WE CARE ABOUT KIDS MEALS ON WHEELS FOR CHILDREN.
GIVE WITH MS. WILLIAMS. HOLD ON.
YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, IF YOU LIVED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M SORRY THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS.
CERTAINLY THE MAYOR HAS, UM, GIVEN YOU SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO.
CHRIS SANDOVAL, WHO IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
AND INGRAM WILL CERTAINLY BE YOUR ADVOCATE, UH, FROM DISTRICT D.
AND WE WANNA GET THIS RESOLVED.
AND CERTAINLY JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE THANK YOU FOR COMING.
YOU, YOU PUT IN A LOT OF HOMEWORK.
I I'M ABOUT TO HAVE YOU DO HOMEWORK
IT'S GONNA TAKE ME A MINUTE TO READ ALL OF THIS, BUT HAVE I EVER HAD A SEPTIC TANK OR WATER WELL ON THAT PROPERTY? AND IT WILL TELL YOU NO, NEVER.
WE, YOU, YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
AND WE CERTAINLY, UH, GONNA GO OUT THERE WITH YOU.
YOU VERY FAMILIAR WITH HER? THANK.
AND THEN CERTAINLY REBECCA WILLIAMS AND CHRIS SANDOVAL, THEY'RE ALL HERE AT YOUR DISPOSAL TO TRY TO GET A RESOLUTION.
WE'RE TRYING TO HELP YOU, DOCTOR.
MA, YOU I'M, I'M A FORMER EDUCATOR.
'CAUSE I KNOW THIS IS NOT EASY AND GOD LOVE YOU BECAUSE THE PEOPLE I'VE DEALT WITH, THEY
[00:25:01]
DIDN'T WANNA DO THEIR JOBS AND YOU CAN'T MAKE SOME PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO NEXT.I'M AN ICU NURSE WORKING WITHIN CLOSER.
I'M AN ICU NURSE WORKING WITH THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER.
I WAS ALSO PREVIOUSLY A MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH TEACHER WITH HISD.
AS PROFESSIONAL DISCLOSURE, I AM NOT HERE ON BEHALF OF ANY UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION OR MEDICAL ORGANIZATION.
I'M HERE TO ADDRESS A PENDING CONCERN THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED SINCE 2022.
UH, WE, THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT I, AS REPRESENTED BY MR. JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, ARE PETITIONING FOR THE RESOLUTION OF A SIDEWALK RESTORATION LOCATED AT 66TH STREET BETWEEN THE BLOCKS OF CANAL STREET AND AVENUE F HOUSTON, TEXAS 7 7 0 11 6.
AN INITIAL PETITION TO THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORK SIDEWALK PROGRAM WAS SUBMITTED WITH TRACKING NUMBER 10 30 71 WITH NO SUCCESSFUL RESULTS.
OCTOBER 3RD, 2023 AND APRIL 14TH, 2026 WERE TWO ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS WITH NO SUCCESSFUL RESULTS.
THE SIDEWALK IS LOCATED BETWEEN, WITHIN ONE BLOCKS OF FELIX DE HINA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RESIDENTS MUST UTILIZE THE ADJACENT STREET RISKING THEIR SAFETY TO TRAFFIC AS THERE IS NO OTHER ADJACENT SIDEWALK TO UTILIZE TO SUCCESSFULLY REACH THE SCHOOL.
PARENTS WITH CHILDREN ON STROLLERS AVOID THE SIDEWALK, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RAINS, THUS RISKING THEIR SAFETY.
AND THE AREA REQUIRING REPAIR IS LESS THAN 50 FEET IN LENGTH.
THIS SIDEWALK IN QUESTION IS A MAIN THOROUGHFARE, WHICH MEETS THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORK SIDEWALK.
PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS, AS THE SIDEWALK IS WITHIN FOUR BLOCKS OF THE SCHOOL, DOES NOT INCLUDE SIDEWALKS AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE SCHOOL.
AND THERE ARE NO OTHER SIDEWALKS TO USE ON NORTH 66TH STREET.
IT SHOULD FOLLOW THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
ARTICLE THREE SECTIONS 40 DASH THREE AND 84 FOR REPAIR.
BUT I HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY CONTACTED BY HOUSTON PUBLIC WORK SIDEWALK PROGRAM EMPLOYEES, AND THE RESPONSES IS THAT WE CAN'T MEET OR WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO AFFIX THIS SIDEWALK.
I HAVE FOLLOWED UP WITH MR. MARTINEZ ON, UH, JUNE 29, MOST RECENTLY LOOPING IN A MR. JUAN PABLO.
BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY FOLLOW UP WHATSOEVER.
ADDITIONAL ISSUES HAVE ARISEN SINCE THE REPAYMENT OF CANAL STREET, WHICH WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR.
BUT AT THE END OF THE SIDEWALK ON THE CORNER OF NOR OF 7 0 3 NORTH 66TH STREET, IT HAS BEEN OCCLUDED BY ASPHALT MATERIAL, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THOSE WITH VISUAL OR MOBILE DISABILITIES TO USE THE TEXTURED END OF THE SIDEWALK.
THIS PETITION IS WORTHWHILE TO ADDRESS THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AS DESIGNATED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO BETTER IMPROVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
THIS PETITION FOR CLEANUP AND RESTORATION ALSO QUALIFIES WITHIN THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY REVIEW PROGRAM, AS PER THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO PROVIDE SAFE TRAVEL TO CONSTITUENTS AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.
I CONCLUDE MY TIME BY SAYING THAT AS A RESULTS ORIENTED NURSE, I DON'T WANNA HEAR THE RESPONSE.
I WILL LOOK FURTHER INTO THE MATTER AS THIS MUDDLES COMMUNICATION.
AND IT IS NOT ENCLOSED LOOP FORM.
I WON'T RESPOND TO MY ATTENDINGS BY SAYING I WILL LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE I HAVE A PATIENT'S LIFE THAT I HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR.
SO PLEASE GET IN TIME AND GET IN CONTACT WITH THE RIGHT PERSONNEL SO I CAN GET A DIRECT AND CLEAR ANSWER BECAUSE WE ARE THE VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS IN THIS VERY MINUTE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, SO THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED, IT'S FUNDING, AND SO WE JUST WRAPPED, WE JUST JUMPED INTO OUR NEW FUNDING, UH, FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WAS JULY, UH, OF THIS YEAR.
SO, UH, GIMME AN OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THIS WEEK TO GIVE YOU AN, AN ANSWER OF WHEN WE CAN GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE MR. ROBERTO GALLEGOS.
I'LL FORWARD YOU ADDITIONAL IMAGING.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE ADDITIONAL SIGNATURES? BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LARGE POPULATION OF THOSE WHO ARE RETIRED WITH VISUAL DISABILITIES AND MOBILE DISABILITIES, AND IT'S A HUGE SAFETY RISK.
WE HAVE THE APPLICATION AND USUALLY, YOU KNOW, SOME SIDEWALKS, DEPENDING ON HOW, HOW LONG THE STRETCH CAN BE, COULD BE OVER $150,000.
AND SO, UM, BEFORE THE END OF THIS WEEK, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I GIVE YOU A CALL.
RICKY SHERMAN, LINDA MURRAY TO BE FOLLOWED BY RYAN SCHOENBERG.
THANK YOU FOR HOLDING, UH, THE THING THE, AT AN ALTERNATE TIME BESIDES TWO O'CLOCK.
THANK YOU FOR HOLDING IT AT AN ALTERNATE TIME BESIDES AT TWO O'CLOCK.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE TO GET HERE.
[00:30:01]
WHAT I'M HERE FOR, RELIANT CENTER POINT ENERGY, WHATEVER YOU WANNA SAY.HOW DOES A GRANT COME INTO THE, COME INTO OUR CITY AND THE COMPANY THAT'S COMING TO TELL ME ABOUT THE GRANT DOESN'T HAVE AN ADDRESS NOWHERE ON THEIR LITERATURE.
HOW YOU DOING? MY COUNCILWOMAN? DID YOU SAY HELLO? TO, TO, TO DR.
SO ONCE I GIVE THEM MY INFORMATION, THEY'RE GOING TO BRING ME A SUNROOF, WHICH HAVE AM AM I NEW AT THIS SUNROOFS AREN'T APPROVED.
HOW YOU DOING? UH, REVEREND DAVIS? YES.
UH, THEIR SUNROOFS AREN'T APPROVED.
YOU KNOW HOW CLUELESS THIS IS? I WENT TO THE MEETINGS CENTER POINT DURING THE DERECHO STORM.
WE HAD NO LIGHTS FOR TWO MONTHS.
I HAVE BEEN TO EVERY CENTER POINT MEETING.
I'M SELLING THEM FOR $5 EACH AND A PRO POWERBALL TICKET.
OKAY? BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT REPAID ME.
IT'S LIKE WHEN I WAS A GIRL, GIRLS, WE WERE MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN QUEENS, NEW YORK, AND THEY SAID, WE ARE MOVING.
WE SAID, WHY YOU MOVING? THEY SAID, NEGROES MOVING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND ME AND MY SISTER SAID, OOH, WE BETTER MOVE TOO CLUELESS.
YOU HAVE AN ANSWERING MACHINE ON THIS.
THERE'S NOTHING INTELLIGENT ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S, THIS IS A BEAT I GOT.
UH, UH, UH, UH, MY HU MY SON HAS TICKETS.
THERE AREN'T ENOUGH LAWYERS IN TEXAS THAT SOMEBODY SENDS ME A THING SAYING I HAVEN'T PAID A TICKET FOR $87 AND HE'S IN COLORADO.
YOU CAN'T OUTSOURCE THAT, THAT THING TO, TO SOMEBODY HERE IN TEXAS, IN HOUSTON.
AND YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR BROKE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO FIND THEM.
HOW WOULDN'T YOU LIKE $1,500? WHERE YOU GONNA LIVE FOR 1500 BUCKS? HOW YOU DOING? DOING MR. OLO? REMEMBER HV? OKAY.
IF YOU ALL WANNA MAKE A COPY, BECAUSE OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS SHUT DOWN.
I'M NOT LIKE A SISTER JENNINGS.
MAYBE SHE HAS HER OWN COPY MACHINE.
YOU WANNA MAKE A COPY? YOU NEED TO GET THIS FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR DISTRICT.
ALL UP AND DOWN OUR STREET, ALL HOMEOWNERS.
NEXT, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE JACKSON, UH, RYAN SCHOENBERG, AARON GIA TO BE FOLLOWED BY CAROLYN SHERLOCK.
HELLO, UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ERIN GIA AND I'M A SENIOR AT MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL.
I PUBLISHED A STUDY OF LANDFILL SIGHTING HERE, AND I'M ASKING THE CITY TO PUBLISH WHERE ITS GARBAGE GOES AND WHERE THE GARBAGE IN ITS LANDFILLS COMES FROM.
HOUSTON IS WHERE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BEGAN IN 1979.
ROBERT BULLARD FOUND EVERY CITY OWNED LANDFILL IN A BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE DEFINES THE HARM PRECISELY A COMMUNITY BEARING MORE THAN ITS FAIR SHARE.
SO WHO BEARS IT IS DOCUMENTED, BUT WHAT THEY BEAR IS NOT.
BLUE RIDGE SITS IN FORT BEND COUNTY AND THE CITY SENDS GARBAGE THERE, BUT HOW MUCH IT'S NOWHERE PUBLISHED.
MCCARTY ROAD SITS IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON AND TOOK ABOUT 1.1 MILLION TONS LAST YEAR FROM WHICH COUNTIES? THE STATE ITSELF SAYS THAT LANDFILLS MAY TAKE WASTE FROM OTHER COUNTIES, STATES, AND COUNTRIES, BUT IT PUBLISHES NO BREAKDOWN.
SO THE FAMILIES BESIDE MCCARTY ROAD CANNOT LEARN WHOSE GARBAGE THEY LIVE WITH OR WHETHER THEIR FAIR, THEIR SHARE IS FAIR.
AND THAT LEAVES A QUESTION THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN ACTUALLY ANSWER.
FEDERAL EQUITY REVIEW AT PERMITTING WAS RESCINDED IN JANUARY, 2025.
AND NOTHING NEW HAS BEEN PERMITTED HERE SINCE 1998.
THE QUESTION FOR HOUSTON IS NO LONGER WHERE LANDFILLS GO, IT IS WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS ALREADY CARRYING THEM ARE OWED.
AND THAT'S A RESILIENCE QUESTION.
SO MY REQUEST IN FULL IS TWO TABLES A YEAR, NOT CUMULATIVE TOTALS.
THE TONS THE CITY COLLECTED BY RECEIVING FACILITY.
AND THE CITY ALREADY HOLDS THAT TODAY BECAUSE IT'S
[00:35:01]
PAID DISPOSAL BY THE TON AND FOR THE LANDFILLS INSIDE THE CITY.I'M ASKING FOR TONS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY OF ORIGIN, WHICH THE CITY CAN REQUIRE IN ITS DISPOSAL CONTRACTS, BECAUSE I'VE LEARNED THAT YOU CANNOT EFFECTIVELY MANAGE WHAT YOU DO NOT MEASURE.
THE CITY NOW CHARGES $5 A MONTH FOR TRASH, BUT WHEN IT DECIDES WHERE MITIGATION SHOULD GO, IT'S ON WHAT BASIS THOSE TWO TABLES WOULD BECOME THE NEW BASIS, WHAT EACH NEIGHBORHOOD TAKES IN AND HOW MUCH OF IT THE CITY PUTS THERE.
THANK YOU MAYOR AARON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY AND, UM, FOR ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS, MY OFFICE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU JUST TO STEP FURTHER.
NEXT, CAROLYN SHELA TO BE FOLLOWED BY CASSIE AMADOR REYES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER.
I WANT TO THANK, UM, BROTHER, I MEAN MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR SOMETHING HE DONE FOR ME MONTHS AGO AT LEAST HE DID TRY TO HELP ME.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU PERSONALLY, MA WITH MY, ON JULY 21ST, I RODE THE METRO BUS.
MY BODY IS NOT AS LIKE, LIKE WHEN I WAS A YOUNGER WOMAN.
THE BUS DRIVER JERKED THE BUS, AND I FELL BACKWARDS AND HIT MY HEAD ON AN IRON POLE THAT'S ON THE BUS.
I WAS TAKEN TO HERMAN HOSPITAL, EMERGENCY ROOM, SOUTHWEST FREEWAY.
I WENT TO THEM ON YESTERDAY AND THEY TOLD ME I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO ANYONE IN PERSON.
I HAD TO CALL THEM THE CLAIM ADJUSTER.
SHE DENIED MY CLAIM BECAUSE SHE SAID IT WAS MY FAULT.
BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THIS EVENING I WASN'T DRIVING THE BUS.
I WAS A PASSENGER ON THE BUS, AND THE BUS DRIVER WAS GOING SO FAST THAT WHEN I STOOD UP TO MAKE SURE HE WOULDN'T PASS UP MY STOP, I GRABBED A POLE AND HE JERKED THE BUS.
AND WHEN HE JERKED THE BUS, I WENT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BACK DOOR OF THE BUS.
SO I'M ASKING YOU ALL, THIS MAY NOT HELP ME, BUT MAYBE IT'LL HELP SOMEONE ELSE.
A SENIOR CITIZEN, SOMEONE THAT IS OLD ENOUGH, I CALLED METRO.
THEY TALKED TO ME JUST LIKE I WASN'T NOBODY.
THE LADY TOLD ME THAT I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE OR I WAS, I WAS LIABLE.
AND NO MATTER WHAT THE DOCTOR SAID THAT HAPPENED TO ME THAT PARTICULAR DAY ON THAT BUS, THAT IT WAS MY FAULT.
I DID NOT WAKE UP ON THE 21ST OF JULY TO JUST GET ON THE BUS AND DELIBERATELY FALL.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT MONEY, THIS IS ABOUT THE TRUTH.
IF I AM AT FAULT, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE CAMERA AND THE VIDEO AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S AT METRO'S BUILDING.
BUT I JUST, JUST ASKING FOR A FAIR HEARING AND A FAIR JUDGMENT.
TALK TO REBECCA WILLIAMS AND WE'LL HAVE METRO REVIEW YOUR CONCERN.
YES, REBECCA, WILL YOU PLEASE GET HER INFO? NEXT.
OKAY, YOU AFTER MARIA AMADOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAMELA BUSBY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MEIER AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS MARIA AMADOR AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT H IN NOR HILL.
AND A FORMER COLLEGE BASKETBALL FULL SCHOLARSHIP ATHLETE WHO USED THE SPORT TO FUND
[00:40:01]
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF MY COLLEGE DEGREE.I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE THE CITY TO SUPPORT OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, NOR HILL NETS AND NEIGHBORS.
TO RESTORE THE BASKETBALL HOOPS AT PROCTOR PLAZA PARK.
THE HOUSTON COAT OF ORDINANCES MANDATES THAT THE CITY MUST MANAGE, GOVERN, AND CARE FOR ALL PUBLIC PARKS EQUITABLY.
BY MAKING A SMALL INVESTMENT TO ADD HOOPS AND RESURFACE AN EXISTING CONCRETE SLAB, THE CITY CAN UNLOCK A MASSIVE DAILY BENEFIT FOR LOCAL YOUTH WITH ZERO ONGOING OPERATIONAL COST.
WE WANT TO BUILD ON THE FORWARD THINKING MODEL.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO STARTED AT EAST SUNSET HEIGHTS PARK.
IN JUST FIVE DAYS, I'VE ACQUIRED 40 ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES.
THAT'S ABOUT 6% OF THE 450 HOMES WE WANT CHANGE.
FIRST, IF YOU VOTE AGAINST THIS PROJECT, YOU'RE NEGLECTING YOUR PUBLIC DUTY TO ENSURE ALL PUBLIC PARKS PROVIDE THE EXACT SAME LEVEL OF RECREATION AND CITY INVESTMENT.
CHOOSING TO LEAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE BROKEN DIRECTLY IMPACTS OUR LOCAL YOUTH AND ACTIVELY DISADVANTAGES A SECTION OF THE CITY.
BECAUSE OF THIS, THESE UNNECESSARY HURDLES, NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN ARE FORCED CURRENTLY TO PLAY BASKETBALL AND ACTIVE STREETS WITH PORTABLE HOOPS, WHICH POSES A REAL TRAFFIC SAFETY RISK.
SECOND, OPPOSING THESE HOOPS MEANS YOU ARE PLAYING INTO A RACIST AGENDA.
COMMENTS AND PLATFORMS LIKE NEXT DOOR AND CITIES THREE 11 SYSTEM HIGHLIGHT THIS AGENDA WITH RESIDENTS USING CODED LANGUAGE ABOUT CARLOADS OF PEOPLE ARRIVING OR STATING THAT NONE OF THE PLAYERS LOOK LIKE THEY EVEN REMOTELY LIVE IN THE HEIGHTS.
PROCTOR PLAZA PARK PROUDLY HOST A FUNCTIONING TENNIS COURT AND A BASEBALL FIELD, WHICH ARE WIDELY CELEBRATED.
HOWEVER, WHEN BASKETBALL IS INTRODUCED, IT FACES A LEVEL OF HYPER SCRUTINY AND A DOUBLE STANDARD THAT OTHER SPORTS DO NOT WORSE.
CLAIMING A BASKETBALL HOOP WILL COMPROMISE SAFETIES AND ADMISSION THAT THE POLICE ALLOW CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN A HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER PREMIUM PART OF HOUSTON.
OFFICIAL DATA FROM HPD DATA PORTAL COMPLETELY BUST THIS CRIME MYTH FROM 2020 TO 2020.
SIM SIX INCIDENT METRICS REMAIN STEADY ACROSS ALL LOCAL SPACES AND PARKS, COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT OF BASKETBALL INFRASTRUCTURE.
PROCTOR PLAZA PARK ZERO HOOPS HAS 33 INCIDENTS.
MEANWHILE, STUDIO PARK 25, WOODLAND 32, MONTY BEACH HAS 11 ALL WITH ACTIVE COURTS.
THE DATA PROVES IT'S FACTUALLY INCORRECT TO STATE THAT BASKETBALL BRINGS CRIME.
THIRD, THE RESPONSES RECEIVED SO FAR FROM THE PARK ADMINISTRATION UNFAIRLY REVERT THE PROBLEM SOLVING TO THE COMMUNITY.
MAINTAINING PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IS A CITY ISSUE, NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD CHORE.
FOR TOO LONG, NECESSARY ACTIONS AND COMMUNITY DECISIONS HAVE BEEN LEFT TO A SMALL VOCAL MINORITY THAT HAS BEEN THE LOUDEST IN THE PAST.
PUBLIC PARKS BELONG TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST A FEW ADJACENT HOMES, AND NOT JUST THE TODDLERS OR SENIOR CITIZENS.
WE URGE TO THE CITY TO LOOK PAST FEAR-BASED, OUTDATED ASSUMPTIONS AND CHOOSE INCLUSION.
LET'S MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER IN A NEW ERA OF SPORTS FOR RECREATION AT PROCTOR PLAZA PARK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU MAYOR MARIA, HOW ARE YOU DOING? I'M GREAT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING SUCH THOROUGH INFORMATION IN YOUR PROPOSAL, UM, THAT YOU SENT OVER TO ME.
AND YOU'VE DISTRIBUTED, YOU'VE CLEARLY DONE A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE AROUND THIS AND, UM, I'VE HAD A CHANCE.
UH, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT.
AND, AND THE COST ESTIMATE YOU INCLUDED, I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CLEARLY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.
AND JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND, I'M, I'M ORIGINALLY FROM ECUADOR, SOUTH AMERICA.
I CAME TO THE US $2,000, 19 YEARS OLD AND A DREAM TO PLAY COLLEGE BASKETBALL AT FIVE FOUR.
I DID IT
IT'S GIVEN ME JUST A COMPLETE DIFFERENT LIFE.
SO I I AND I, THE REASON WHY IT HAPPENED IS 'CAUSE I HAD ACCESS TO A PUBLIC BASKETBALL COURT.
SO, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE, UH, I'VE SENT SOME OF MY OWN QUESTIONS OVER TO PARKS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY HAS HAPPENED HERE, WHEN AND WHY WERE THE NETS REMOVED AND, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS AROUND, UH, WHAT YOU'VE SUBMITTED.
SO I AM WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM ON THAT.
UM, BUT WHEN I DO, YOU AND I WILL SIT DOWN AND GO OVER ALL OF THIS TOGETHER AND, UM, I, I DO THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET TO A RESOLUTION HERE.
WE JUST NEED TO GET SORT OF FACTS IN ORDER, GET A, GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WOULD A NEXT STEP BE AND, AND HOW THAT WOULD WORK OUT.
BUT I'M GONNA BE HERE WITH YOU ALONG THE WAY, AND THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN HERE AS WELL.
AND YOU PICKED, UH, AN EVENING SESSION TOO, SO THAT'S, YEAH, I ACTUALLY DO WORK AS WELL.
SO,
IT'S SO FOLKS LIKE YOU WHO DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AT TWO, CAN COME DOWN HERE AND ADDRESS US AND ADVOCATE FOR YOUR COMMUNITIES.
[00:45:01]
UM, I WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU ON THIS SOON.AND, UM, I WANNA JUST THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND YOUR, YOUR, YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND ON, ON WHAT YOU HANDED OUT TO US, THE STATS AND THE, UH, INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDED.
BASKETBALL DOES NOT CREATE CRIME.
AND WE SEE THAT FROM TIME TO TIME AROUND THE CITY THAT THERE ARE PARKS THAT EITHER TAKE DOWN THE BASKETBALL COURTS OR THEY DON'T PLAN TO PUT BASKETBALL COURTS BECAUSE THEY ASSUME THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THAT BASKETBALL WILL LEAD TO EITHER CRIME OR A CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC THAT THEY DON'T WANT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND YOUR STATS HAVE BROUGHT THAT OUT.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER IS RECEPTIVE TO THAT AND THAT HOPEFULLY YOU ALL CAN COME TO A RESOLUTION.
UM, BUT THAT MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE CARRIED FORWARD.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING.
THANK YOU, MAYOR MARIA, THANK, I APPRECIATE YOUR STORY AS WELL.
VERY COMPELLING, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL THANK YOU.
AND, UM, I MAY BE ABLE TO HELP AND I'LL, I'LL GET WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND, AND SEE HOW THIS PROGRESSES.
BUT THANKS, YOU, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
PAMELA BUSBY, ANDREW BURNS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALLISON BELL.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY PREPARE THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
MY NAME IS ANDREW BURNS AND I AM HERE TO OFFER A POSITIVE PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE GREAT CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THE TITLE OF IT IS HOUSTON.
I HAVE A SONG AND I HAVE A VIDEO.
AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN CATCH THE VIDEO ON THE BIG SCREEN, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO HEAR THE SONG.
FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, A LOT OF THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD, THESE LYRICS MAY ACTUALLY MEAN SOMETHING TO EVERYONE.
WE OWE OUR BEST TO YOU BY ONE OF YOUR SEAMEN RIVERS.
I SING THIS SONG ABOUT CUE HOUSTON, SO MANY, MANY THINGS TO DO.
ROCKETS, ASTROS, TEXAS, WHICH HERE Y'ALL ARE BUSTLING, HUSTLING, DRIVING, STRIVING.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES YOU STITCH STRONG.
K-G-R-K-K-B-R-C-K-H-O-U-K-R-I-B LOCAL TV.
BUT WHAT ELSE IS NEW IN THE WORLD TODAY, HOUSTON? YEAH, YOU GONNA BE OKAY? TURN THEY FROW UPSIDE DOWN.
GONNA BE A NEW DAY AS SOON AS WE LEARN HOW TO PRAY THE RIGHT WAY.
GOTTA START FROM WHERE MIGHT WELL BE HERE.
HOUSTON, WE WE'RE GOING TO RECREATE OUR ATMOSPHERE.
GONNA BE A NEW DAY AS SOON AS WE LEARN HOW TO PRAY THE RIGHT WAY.
GOTTA START SOME WHERE MIGHT WELL BE HERE.
HOUSTON, WE GONNA RECREATE OUR ATMOSPHERE.
HOUSTON, WE OWE OUR BEST TO YOU, HOUSTON, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, HOUSTON SPIRITUAL REVOLUTION.
HOUSTON, WE GONNA RECREATE OUR ATMOSPHERE.
[00:50:02]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.ALISON BELL TO BE FOLLOWED BY PATRICK COLLIER.
WELL, THAT'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THAT I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO INVITE Y'ALL TO COME OVER TO SEE CALLED SPAIN, SPANISH, TEXAS DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
AND IT HIGHLIGHTS WHAT TEXAS WAS, WHERE TEXAS WAS 250 YEARS AGO.
AND WITH ME TODAY IS THE CO-CURATOR OF THIS EXHIBITION.
GUSTAVO HINOJOSA, THE PRESIDENT OF THE MEXICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF TEXAS, WHO WILL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IT.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO HOUSTON.
OUR MUSEUM, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF TEXAS WAS FOUNDED FOUR YEARS AGO, AND IT IS THE ONLY MUSEUM THAT FOCUSES ON THE MEXICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, AND WE REPRESENT ALL REGIONS OF THE STATE.
WITH THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ANCESTORS VOICES WERE HEARD AS SPAIN WAS VERY MUCH PART OF THE INDEPENDENCE.
SPAIN, TEXAS AT THAT TIME WAS NEW SPAIN AND TEXAS PROVIDED CATTLE AS WELL AS MONEY.
SPAIN PROVIDED GUNPOWDER, BLANKETS, ARMS, AND SUPPORT.
GALVESTON, WHICH IS CLOSE BY, IS NAMED AFTER BERNARDO DE ALVES, WHICH PEOPLE, MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT, BUT HE WAS THE COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE FORCES THAT SUPPORTED AND PROTECTED THE GULF COAST AS WELL AS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS PART OF OUR EXHIBIT, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING THE HERITAGE SOCIETY.
AND WE ARE THRILLED THAT THE FIRST EXHIBIT, WHICH WILL TRAVEL THE STATE FOR EIGHT YEARS, IS HERE IN HOUSTON.
WE ARE TRYING TO FORGE VERY STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH CITIES ALL OVER TEXAS BECAUSE OUR MUSEUM IS ABOUT THE WHOLE STATE OF TEXAS.
I HAVE A SMALL GIFT FOR EVERYONE, WHICH IS THE, UM,
IT WAS THE SPANISH CURRENCY AND WAS ACTUAL LEGAL TENDER IN TEXAS UNTIL THE 1850S.
WE HAVE ORIGINAL EXAMPLES OF THIS AT THE EXHIBIT, BUT I HAVE REPRODUCTIONS FOR EVERYONE AS WELL AS A PEN, UM, FROM OUR MUSEUM.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR SUPPORTING, UM, THE HERITAGE, UM, SOCIETY, AND I'LL LET THANK, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN ALCORN IS RECOGNIZED.
GREAT TO SEE YOU, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS MUSEUM.
AND YOU HAD A, YOU HAD ANOTHER, UM, PRESENTATION ON SPAIN AND THE INVOLVEMENT.
REMEMBER THE THING ABOUT THE, UH, WAS THE SOCIETY AND IT WAS THE ALL ABOUT, UM, GALVEZ AND LIKE LEARNING MORE ABOUT IT.
REMEMBER THERE WAS THAT GROUP.
ANYWAY, YOU DO A GREAT JOB OF, UM, AND THIS IS JUST FURTHERING, YOU KNOW, UM, SPAIN'S INVOLVEMENT IN OUR TEXAS HISTORY.
AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS EXHIBIT AND I THINK WE'RE CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY THIS WEEKEND, THE CITY'S HUNDRED AND 90TH BIRTHDAY THIS WEEKEND.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THE HERITAGE SOCIETY DOES.
AND THANK YOU SIR FOR COMING AND, AND GETTING THIS DONE.
WE ARE THRILLED GETTING THIS EXHIBIT COIN.
SO HOW DO I GET THESE TO YOU? GIVE THAT GENTLEMAN RIGHT THERE.
I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW CHARLIE JONES TO SPEAK, UM, FOR THREE MINUTES.
HAVE YOU ALREADY CALLED PATRICK COLLIER? I DO AFTER PATRICK COLLIER.
PATRICK COLLIER TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHARLIE JONES.
[00:55:04]
LET'S GET THIS TOGETHER HERE.UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WI WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS PATRICK COLLIER, ALSO KNOWN AS MR. HEALTHCARE.
AND I'M THE FOUNDER AND OWNER OF PLACEMENT WITH CARE SENIOR SERVICE PLACEMENTS.
I STATED BEFORE YOU TO SPEAK ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS THOUSANDS OF HOUSTON FAMILIES EVERY YEAR.
FINDING THE RIGHT PLACE FOR OUR SENIORS AND VULNERABLE ADULTS WHEN LIVING AT HOME IS NO LONGER THE SAFEST OPTION.
MANY FAMILIES DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN WHEN THEIR LOVED ONE IS DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL REHAB OR SKILLED NURSING FACILITY.
SOMETIMES THEY ARE GIVEN A LIST AND TOLD, ESSENTIALLY GOOD LUCK.
THAT IS WHERE SENIOR PLACEMENT SERVICES UNIQUE CONCEPTS MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AS A SENIOR PLACEMENT PROFESSIONAL, I HELP FAMILIES NAVIGATE OPTIONS SUCH AS PERSONAL CARE HOMES, ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITIES, MEMORY CARE, INDEPENDENT LIVING, SKILLED NURSING, HOSPICE, HOME HEALTH, AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
THIS EVENING I'M GIVING YOU A REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPT.
PLACEMENTS ARE MORE THAN JUST FINDING AN AVAILABLE.
IT IS AB ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR LOVED ONES.
WE CONSIDER THE INDIVIDUAL'S MEDICAL NEEDS, MOBILITY, COGNITIVE CONDITION, LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL SITUATION, PREFERRED LOCATION, TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEIR DIGNITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
HOUSTON HAS AN INCREDIBLE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, BUT THERE CAN STILL BE A GAP BETWEEN THE HOSPITAL AND WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THEY DISCHARGE.
FAMILIES MAY BE OVERWHELMED, CASE MANAGERS MAY BE HANDLING MULTIPLE PATIENTS, AND SENIORS CAN SOMETIMES REMAIN IN HOSPITALS LONGER THAN NECESSARY, SIMPLY BECAUSE AN APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED.
SENIOR PLACEMENT PROFESSIONALS CAN HELP BRIDGE THAT GAP.
WE WORK ALONGSIDE HOSPITALS, SOCIAL WORKERS, CASE MANAGERS, PHYSICIANS, HOSPICE AGENCIES, AND HOME HEALTH COM COMPANIES.
PERSONAL CARE HOMES ASSIST IN LIVING COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES TO HELP CREATE SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENT TRANSITIONS OF CARE.
MY MESSAGE TO THE CITY OF YOUTH IS SIMPLE.
SENIOR PLACEMENT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE LARGER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HEALTHCARE, AGING HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
OUR SENIOR POPULATION DESERVES OPTIONS.
OUR FAMILIES DESERVE GUIDANCE.
OUR HOSPITALS DESERVE COMMUNITY PARTIES WHO ARE READY TO HELP.
THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE IS OUR SENIORS DESERVE TO KNOW THAT WHEN THEY NEED, WHEN THEIR NEEDS START TO CHANGE, THEY WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
I, MR. HEALTHCARE BELIEVES HEALTHCARE TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE, AND WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A STRONGER VILLAGE RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON.
PLACEMENT CARE CENTER SERVICE PLACEMENTS IS COMMITTED TO BEING PART OF THAT SOLUTION AND CONTINUE TO CONNECT HOUSTON FAMILIES AND CARE RESOURCES AND PLACEMENT OPTIONS WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED.
THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY AND FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF SENIOR AND FAMILIES THROUGHOUT HOUSTON.
MY MOTTO IS, AND WILL, WILL FOREVER BE HEALTHCARE TAKES A VILLAGE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, SIR.
TELL, TELL EVERYBODY YOUR WEBSITE SO THEY KNOW WHERE TO FIND YOU.
YEAH, BECAUSE I THINK YOU, YOU'RE ON THERE.
UH, SO YOU GUYS CAN LOOK OUT ON, ON FACEBOOK.
IT'S CALLED PATRICK D. COLLIER, MR. HEALTHCARE, MY TIKTOK IS REALLY WHERE EVERYTHING'S AT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO ON SAME THING WITH, UM, INSTAGRAM, MR HEALTHCARE
UM, IT'S, IT'S A BUILDING COMMUNITY YOU GUYS.
UM, I DO BELIEVE HEALTHCARE TAKES SOME MINISTRY, UM, IN ORDER TO DO, TO DO SO, BUT WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE SENIOR PLACEMENT IS GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO NOT BE ERASED.
UM, YOU HAVE A LOT OF, A LOT OF SENIORS AND FAMILIES WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO WE ARE SOMETIMES.
SO IT'S GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET ENGAGED MORE WITH HOSPITALS, SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES, THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, INSTEAD OF HAVING SENIORS LEAVING THE HOSPITALS AND GOING STRAIGHT TO, I HATE TO SAY IT TO SHELTERS.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING MOST OF MY REFERRALS FROM WHEN THEY COULD HAVE GOT HELP RIGHT THEN AND THEN THERE AND THEN THERE FOR SKILLED NURSING OR HOME HEALTH OR PERSONAL CARE HOMES BEFORE I HAVE TO GO FIND 'EM IN SHELTER, WHICH MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO PLACE THEM.
WELL JUST SEND US AN EMAIL WITH, UH, YOUR DIGITAL SO WE CAN PUT IN OUR NEWSLETTERS.
CAROL DOE PORTER TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAKE KUSHNER.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS CAROL DEL PORTER, MY LATE HUSBAND HERD AND I STARTED KIDCARE INC.
THE NATION'S FIRST MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN, WHICH DEVELOPED INTO AN INTERNATIONAL EXAMPLE.
[01:00:01]
THIS IS MY THIRD PRESENTATION.WITHIN LESS THAN A YEAR, I STAND BEFORE YOU WITH A VERY HEAVY HEART BECAUSE THE ISSUE IS STILL HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY IN ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST STATE, COUNTY AND CITY IN THESE UNITED STATES.
SIX MONTHS AGO, I USED, AS AN EXAMPLE, A SIX MONTH OLD BLACK BABY BOY WHO WEIGHED 10 POUNDS.
IN MY OPINION, AT THAT TIME, I BELIEVED HE WAS DYING.
WE RECENTLY CELEBRATED HIS FIRST BIRTHDAY AND HE IS A CHUNKY MONKEY.
WHAT WAS THE TRAJECTORY? AND STILL IS CABRETTA GOAT'S MILK.
84% OF PREEMIES NOT BEING NURSED ARE DYING.
ONE IN FOUR TEXAS CHILDREN EXPERIENCE HUNGER.
A HUNGRY CHILD IS A BRAIN DEAD CHILD.
OVER 35,000 TEENAGERS COMBINED AT WALTRIP CHALLENGE AND WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL FAILED THIS YEAR'S QUALIFICATIONS FOR FREE LUNCH.
IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, OVER 612,000 CHILDREN EXPERIENCE FOOD INSECURITY.
SENIORS ARE SHUT OUT OF THE FOOD BANKS.
NO FOOD SUPPLIES CEASE NO FUNDS.
1000 SENIORS ON THE MEALS ON WHEELS LISTING WAITING FOR A MEAL.
MAYOR WHITMEYER AND THE MINISTERIAL ADVISORY CAN BECOME CHAMPIONS TO REDUCE AND FINALLY ELIMINATE HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY.
NOW MAYOR, I CAN HEAR YOU IN MY EAR.
MRS. PORTER, WHERE'S THE MONEY COMING FROM? I PRAYED, AND THIS IS MY ANSWER, LOBBY FOR A KID CARE KNOCKOUT HUNGER TAX LEVIED AGAINST THE LOTTERY TICKETS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO HELP PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
IS THIS REALLY AMERICA? AND FINALLY, MAY WHITMEYER PLEASE ESCALATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR FOOD INSECURITY BOARD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN START IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS AND NOT JUST TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ENGAGE UPON DAILY.
MS. PORTER, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
WELL, LET ME JUST THANK YOU, FIRST OF ALL FOR COMING AND MAKING YOUR PRESENTATION, BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, YOU ARE A TRAILBLAZER.
THERE MAY BE MANY WHO KNOW YOU AND MAYBE EVEN MORE THAT MAY NOT KNOW YOU, BUT FEEDING KIDS HAS BEEN YOUR LIFE LEGACY.
UH, YOU WAS NOT ONLY KNOWN IN THE CITY, BUT YOU WAS NATIONALLY KNOWN BECAUSE YOU WERE THE PERSON THAT KICKED OFF FEEDING KIDS WHO HAD NO MEALS.
NOTHING THROUGHOUT THE DAY UNTIL YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND.
AND I'M JUST REMINDING US AND MYSELF OF WHAT YOU DID.
AND SOME MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN, BUT THERE ARE THOSE OF US WHO HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN.
SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU.
YOU AND I TALK QUITE OFTEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
UH, I HAVE ASKED DR. TRAN TO MEET WITH US TO HELP IN THE EFFORTS OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE THERE'S ANOTHER CRISIS, UH, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES CRISIS OR QUIETLY SPOKEN ABOUT UNTIL IT BLOWS UP.
AND SO, UH, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND SHARING, AND THEN ALSO FOR THE LEGACY THAT YOU CARRY.
YOUR NAME, YOUR NAME HAS A LOT OF, UM, CREDIT BEHIND IT.
UH, WE KNOW HOW YOU WERE MIS UM, REPRESENTED, I SHOULD SAY, BUT THROUGH IT ALL, YOU KNOW, YOU MADE IT THROUGH BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
SO, UH, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND LET YOU KNOW WE HEAR YOU AND THAT WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN TO HELP YOU IN THIS EFFORT.
JAY KUSHNER TO BE FOLLOWED BY, FOLLOWED BY CAROLINA BUSTOS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A RETIRED PHYSICIAN SCIENTIST.
I'M HERE TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO INVESTIGATE A SERIOUS ISSUE CONCERNING HPDS
[01:05:01]
USE OF FLOCK AUTOMATED PLATE READER DATA.THE UTAH CIVIC COMPACT HAS, REOR HAS REPORTED ON THE USE OF FLOCK A LPR DATA BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, INCLUDING HPD.
IT RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VOLUME AND THE NATURE OF THESE SEARCHES, INCLUDING SEARCHES THAT INVOLVE OTHER STATES.
HBD ACCOUNTS FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY VOLUME OF FLOCK SEARCHES.
APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION OF THE TOTAL FOUR AND A HALF MILLION SEARCHES THAT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED IN BETWEEN 2022 AND 2026.
A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THESE SEARCHES INVOLVE IMMIGRATION RELATED INVESTIGATIONS.
THIS IS NOT A FEW INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS CONDUCTING A FEW ISOLATED SEARCHES.
THE SCALE OF THIS SUGGESTS A PROCESS, AN INSTITUTIONAL PROCESS, AND SERIOUS INVOLVEMENT OF LEADERSHIP THAT RAISES SOME VERY BASIC QUESTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC DESERVES ANSWERS TO.
WHO AUTHORIZED HPD TO CONDUCT THESE SEARCHES? WHO ESTABLISHED OR CONFIGURED THE SYSTEM? WAS THERE AN AUTOMATED PROCESS? DID DHS ICE OR CVP OR ANOTHER FEDERAL AGENCY REQUEST OR RECEIVE THESE SEARCHES WHICH HBD SUPERVISORS OR COMMANDERS KNEW ABOUT THE ACTIVITY? AND DID THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE KNOW ABOUT IT OR PARTICIPATE IN IT? THE TIMELINE'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.
THE REPORTED ACTIVITY SPANS 2022 TO 2026.
THIS IS THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT MAYORAL, UM, ADMINISTRATIONS AS WELL AS A DISTRICT ATTORNEY TRANSITION.
THAT CONTINUITY SUGGESTS THAT THIS ACTIVITY WAS AN HPD INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICE OR PART OF AN ONGOING FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP RATHER THAN A PROGRAM INITIATED BY ONE OFFICIAL OR, AND THAT'S PRECISELY WHAT NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED HERE, RATHER THAN AN ASSUMPTION.
SO I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO TAKE FIVE IMMEDIATE STEPS.
FIRST, SUSPEND NON-EMERGENCY AUTOMATED BULK SEARCHES OF THE OUT-OF-STATE FLOCK DATA.
I'M NOT ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO DESTROY OR TERMINATE THE SYSTEM.
I'M ASKING THEM TO PRESERVE THE DATA AND THE RECORDS.
SECONDLY, ALL OTHER RECORDS SHOULD BE PRESERVED.
AND THAT MEANS FLOCK, AUDIT LOGS, SEARCH HISTORIES, APIS, SERVICE ACCOUNT RECORDS, SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS, CONTRACTS, EMAILS, POLICIES, ET CETERA.
THIRD, ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION.
HPD INTERNAL AFFAIRS CANNOT BE INVOLVED IF HPD PERSONNEL, SUPERVISORS OR COMMAND STAFF ESTABLISHED OR AUTHORIZED THIS DEPARTMENT WIDE PROCESS.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST THAT CAN'T BE ADJUDICATED.
SO THAT MEANS THAT, THAT ULTIMATELY YOU, THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO REQUEST THAT DISTRICT ATTORNEY SHATER DETERMINE IF HIS OFFICE HAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
BECAUSE IF THEY INITIATED THIS PROCESS, THEY CAN'T ADEQUATELY ULTIMATELY DETERMINE WHAT IT WAS.
SO ULTIMATELY THERE'S A REALLY SERIOUS QUESTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH IS WHETHER YOU ASK FOR AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION, THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST HERE.
COUNCILOR SALINAS, THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING TO COUNCIL.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
ARE YOU, DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR POSSESSION EVIDENCE THAT FLOCK WAS USED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS FOR, UH, ICE OPERATIONS? SO THERE'S AN INVESTIGATION THAT WAS CARRIED OUT BY AN ORGANIZATION.
IT'S CALLED THE UTAH CIVIC COMPACT, AND IT'S ON THE WEB.
AND WHAT IT DESCRIBES IS A FULL AND COMPLETE INVESTIGATION THAT WAS PERFORMED BY, UH, VARIOUS JOURNALISTS IN UTAH REGARDING THE WEBER COUNTY FLOCK SYSTEM.
AND WHAT THEY DISCOVERED WAS THERE WERE FOUR AND A HALF, UH, MILLION, UH, NATIONWIDE INVESTIGATIONS OF THE FLOCK SYSTEM.
AND OF THOSE 1.9 MILLION CAME FROM HPD.
BUT I GUESS, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT IS OR IS NOT CONCERNING, BUT I'M JUST, MY QUESTION IS, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY EVIDENCE THAT THAT ICE IS USED FLOCK WITHIN THE CITY OF LIMITS? I ASKED THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I OPPOSED SIMILAR QUESTIONS TO HPD AND THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY TOLD ME THAT THEY DO NOT ALLOW ICE TO ACCESS FLOCK CAMERAS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BUT IF YOU ARE AWARE OF EVIDENCE THAT SAYS OTHERWISE, I WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD SHARE WITH OUR OFFICE.
YOU, WE CAN POSE A QUESTION TO HPD.
THERE'S VERY EXTENSIVE DATA SHOWING, AGAIN, 40% OF NATIONAL SEARCHES MO FOR MOST OF THOSE SEARCHES.
THERE'S NO REASON GIVEN, BUT A FEW OF THEM HAVE METADATA THAT SAY THE CAUSE OF INVESTIGATION IS AN IMMIGRATION ISSUE AND 2 MILLION SEARCHES OVER FOUR YEARS IS AN AUTOMATED PROCESS.
SOMEBODY SET THIS UP AT THE REQUEST OF SOMEONE.
IT'S ALL THE DATA'S AVAILABLE.
AGAIN, UTAH CIVIC COMPACT HAS DONE A BEAUTIFUL JOB.
I CAN SHARE WITH YOU ALL THE INFORMATION.
[01:10:07]
CAROLINA BUSTOS, CAROLINA BUSTOS, AUBREY CONTRERAS, SARAH, SARAH BELL, EDWARDS, NO, LASHAY DICKERSON, SANDRA EVANS, CHRISTOPHER RIVERA TO BE FOLLOWED BY GEORGE LEBLANC.NOW I WAS HERE IN THE MORNING, SO NOW IT'S THE EVENING TIME.
MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER RIVERA.
I WORK WITH THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT AND ICE KILLING OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CANNOT BECOME BUSINESS AS USUAL IN TEXAS, ONE IN FOUR ICE ARRESTS HAPPEN HERE AND IN HOUSTON, ICE AGENTS LEAD THE NATION IN ARREST.
MR. LORENZO SALGADO SHOULD BE ALIVE TODAY, BUT BECAUSE OF ROGUE GOVERNMENT AGENTS WHO MAKE IT THEIR GOAL TO CRIMINALIZE OUR NEIGHBORS AND MURDER THEM IN COLD BLOOD, HE'S NO LONGER HERE.
LET US REMEMBER THAT HE WAS STOPPED MISTAKENLY FOR DURING A NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOP.
AND WE HAVE ADVISED YOU ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT FOR YEARS.
BUT THESE ARE THE CONSEQUENCES WE FACE WHEN LOCAL AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS ALLOW ICE TO RUN RAMPANT THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AID ICE DEPORTATION, SUPPLYING ICE WITH INFORMATION AND DAILY ROUTES USING FLOCK CAMERA DATABASES THAT SPY ON US.
BECAUSE IN TEXAS EVERYONE IS SUSPECT.
AND THAT MEANS WE ARE ALL UNDER SURVEILLANCE BY PRIVATE COMPANIES WHO CONTRACT WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, WHICH VOLUNTARILY HAND OVER PRIVATE INFORMATION LIKE WHERE OUR CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL, WHERE WE WORK, AND WHAT DAILY ROUTES WE TAKE TO GET HOME.
THESE REPERCUSSIONS FROM LOCAL AND FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS ARE DEVASTATING.
IT KILLS BELOVED FATHERS, SONS, MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS, AUNTS AND UNCLES.
HAVING ICE IN HOUSTON ENFORCES A DEHUMANIZATION THAT SUBJUGATES US ALL TO BE VIEWED AS CRIMINALS.
NO ONE IS SAFE WHEN OUR NEIGHBORS ARE KILLED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.
NO ONE IS SAFE WHEN COURT PRIVATE CORPORATIONS CAN SURVEIL US.
NO ONE IS SAFE WHEN OUR GO, OUR GOVERNMENT DEEMS MIGRANTS A CRIME AND THE WE NEED TO END HPDS ICE COLLABORATION.
WE NEED TO END NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS.
WE NEED TO CANCEL ALL THE FLOCK CONTRACTS, ALL AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE CONTRACTS, AND WE NEED TO BRING JUSTICE FOR LORENZO.
NEIL COLBERT, RONALDO SALGADO TO BE FOLLOWED BY GRIFFIN WALKER.
TOMORROW WILL BE 50 DAYS SINCE MY DAD, LORENZO SAL RACO WAS KILLED AT THE HANDS OF ICE.
MY FAMILY AND OUR COMMUNITY ARE PATIENTLY WAITING FOR SOME ANSWERS AND SOME CHANGES TO MAKE SURE THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.
AND HERE WE ARE NEARLY TWO MONTHS LATER AND NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED.
THIS COLLABORATION OF LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND EYES DOES NOT MAKE US SAFE.
LIKE WHAT IF AN IMMIGRANT EITHER WITNESSES OR IS A VICTIM OF A CRIME? WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THESE WHAT IFS ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAPPENED TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
JUST LIKE HOW WE SAW A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN JUAN FRANCISCO TORO, DESPITE HAVING NO CRIMINAL RECORD, REPORTED A CRIME AT A HOUSTON AREA HOME DEPOT AND ENDED UP GETTING DETAINED.
LET ME REMIND Y'ALL, THE WORLD IS WATCHING US.
I INVITED Y'ALL TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.
USE YOUR POWERS AS LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO STAND BY THE IMMIGRANTS IN YOUR DISTRICT.
IT IS YOUR DUTY TO PROTECT ALL GOOD STANDING KIND-HEARTED PEOPLE IN THE CITY OR HISTORY WILL NOT BE KIND TO YOU.
DEMAND OUR LOCAL POLICE LEADERS TO SHOW UP AND FACE THE NOISE.
IF YOU REALLY WANT A SAFER HOUSTON, THEN LOCAL POLICE NEED TO REESTABLISH TRUST WITH OUR IMMIGRANT RESIDENTS.
I AM CALLING ON THE CITY AND POLICE
[01:15:01]
TO REDUCE OR DO AWAY WITH THE TIME WAITING FOR ICE TO ARRIVE.MORE U VISAS NEED TO BE APPROVED AND MORE EFFORTS NEED TO GO TOWARDS GETTING THE REAL CRIMINALS, NOT HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE ON THEIR WAY TO WORK TO MAKE A LIVING IN THIS COUNTRY.
I WILL AGAIN URGE Y'ALL TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE FOR ALL YOUR PEOPLE AND NOT BE BEHOLDING TO THE GOVERNORS OR PRESIDENTS WHO THREATENED TO PULL FUNDING FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING OR DEMAND TO FULFILL IMPOSSIBLE QUOTAS THAT FORCE THE TARGETING OF IMMIGRANTS AND COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT DOES NOT MAKE HOUSTON SAFER.
IT IS YOUR JOB TO MAKE TO TO DO SO.
WHO? COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLAINTIFF COUNCIL MEMBER.
IF WE CAN TAKE A MOMENT TO LISTEN, WE CAN TAKE A MOMENT.
MR. SALGADO, IS HE STILL IN THE ROOM? I'M HERE.
I, IF I CAN YOU CAN COME BACK UP, SIR.
I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT, UH, TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
UH, MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE, UM, BUT WE WERE ALL EXPECTING THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO BE AT COUNCIL THIS MORNING TO EXPLAIN THE HPD TRANSPARENCY REPORT.
MR. SALGADO WAS HERE AND HE WAS, MANY OF THE COMMUNITY WERE READY TO HEAR FROM HPD AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT WAS SUCH A SHAME, UM, AND A DISAPPOINTMENT TO MANY OF US THAT THEY WERE A NO-SHOW AND THAT THEY REFUSED TO ANSWER MOST QUESTIONS.
AND SO I I SENT A LETTER TO YOUR OFFICE TODAY, SIR, ABOUT THAT.
AND I HOPE TO HONOR MR. SALGADO AND THOSE OF US THAT HAVE DE THOSE THAT HAVE DEMANDED TRANSPARENCY, THAT WE CAN MAKE A COMMITMENT NOW THAT THE CHIEF OF POLICE WILL COME TO COUNCIL AND EXPLAIN WHAT IS GOING ON WITH HPD AND ICE.
AND I READ YOUR LETTER AND I WAS OBSERVING THE ENTIRE SESSION AND I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THE CHIEF AND THE ADMINISTRATION WAS NOT HERE.
UH, THE DECISION WAS MADE BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ARTURO, WHO COULD NOT BE HERE BECAUSE OF A DEATH IN HIS FAMILY.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE CHIEF, AND CERTAINLY I WANTED HIM HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT CERTAINLY YOU AS AN ATTORNEY KNOW THAT YOU DO NOT COMPROMISE THE CASE BY TESTIFYING TO THE MERITS OR LACK OF MERITS.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK OUT FOR THE CITY'S LEGAL STANDING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHIEF VISITED WITH EACH AND EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER IN DETAIL.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT HE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AND TO THE PEOPLE, EXCUSE ME, AND NO ONE WANTED TO BE HERE MORE THAN THE CHIEF, I'VE SAID FROM THE, BUT WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED IN COURT.
WE UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF DE DEPOSING SOMEONE IN ARTURO WHO REPRESENTS THE CITY AND THIS COUNCIL.
AND WE ARE THE DEFENDANTS ADVISE THE CHIEF AND HIS STAFF NOT TO COMMENT.
HE ANXIOUSLY AWAITS THE DE THE DISPOSING OF THIS CASE SO HE CAN BE HERE AND ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DAY.
WE ARE BOTH ATTORNEYS AND I BELIEVE THAT BOTH OF US KNOW BOTH, BOTH OF US UNDERSTAND THAT SEVERAL OF THE ALLEGED ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE CALLS MADE THIS MORNING WERE WRONG, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE SIMPLE QUESTION OF WHERE THE CHIEF WAS.
SO I WILL STAND BY MY REQUEST AND I HOPE THE ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTINUE TO RECONSIDER.
I THINK IT IS IMPROPER TO REFUSE TO HAVE THE CHIEF COME.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC CASE, CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT HE CAN'T ANSWER.
AND AGAIN, OUT OF RESPECT FOR MR. SALGADO AND OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS DEMANDED ANSWERS, I WOULD ASK ALL THAT YOU WOULD RECONSIDER AND ASK, TELL THE CHIEF OF POLICE, HE MUST COME TO COUNSEL AND AT LEAST ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OTHER MATTERS ON THE REPORT OUTSIDE OF THE ONE THAT'S THE SUBJECT OF LITIGATION.
[01:20:03]
LIKE I SAID, NO ONE, NO ONE WANTS TO TELL THE FACTS MORE THAN CHIEF DIAZ.WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION AND HE WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
WE ONLY HAVE ONE CITY ATTORNEY.
HE HAS TO PREPARE US IN ANTICIPATION OF EITHER EVEN MORE LAWSUITS, MAYBE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.
SO THIS IS A LOT MORE COMPLEX.
I KNOW YOU'VE DISAGREED WITH THAT CITY ATTORNEY PRETTY MUCH SINCE YOU GOT HERE.
AND ATTORNEYS CAN DISAGREE ON EVERYTHING.
THE CHIEF IS LISTENING TO HIS ATTORNEY.
HIS ATTORNEY WILL BE BACK FROM HIS FAMILY BUSINESS AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU.
BUT THE CHIEF HAS A STORY AND FACTS TO REVEAL.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD A POLICY OF A MAXIMUM OF 30 MINUTES THAT WAS QUITE FRANKLY WORKING.
WE AS A BODY MOVED TO A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.
THE CLOCK STARTS RUNNING WHEN THE RED LIGHTS GO ON.
I THINK YOU WILL FIND OUT THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRED INTERVENTION OF PROTECTING THE FAMILY OR A CAR ACCIDENT, MULTIPLE PARTIES BEFORE ICE FOLLOWING SENATE BILL FOUR.
AND OUR POLICIES ARE EVEN CONTACTED.
SO THE REFLECTION OF TIME IS NOT AN INDICATION OF ANY INTERACTION OR COLLABORATION OR CONTACT WITH ICE.
THE CONTACT WITH ICE WAS VERY MINIMUM.
THE DISASTER, THE TRAGEDY AT THE HOME DEPOT DIDN'T INVOLVE HPD OTHER THAN OFFICERS RESPONDING TO A CALL, NO CONTACT WITH ICE WHATSOEVER.
SO IT DOESN'T HELP US, THE UNITY THAT WE'VE DISPLAYED TO USE MISINFORMATION OR INFLAME THE SITUATION.
WE WANT EVERYONE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
WE ONLY ENFORCE STATE AND CITY ORDINANCES, AND THAT'LL BE OUR POLICY GOING FORWARD.
I LOOK FORWARD FOR YOU TO VISIT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE POLICE CHIEF, HIS ADMINISTRATION ANSWERING ALL QUESTIONS.
HE'S ALREADY VISITED WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
IT'S JUST AT THE ADVICE OF COUNSEL.
HE CANNOT BE DEPOSED OR ASKED ABOUT POLICY OR CONSIDERATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR THE TRIAL.
AND THERE WILL BE OTHER TRIALS AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR THE CITY.
I WOULD LOVE TO SIT HERE MYSELF, NAME PEOPLE, PLACES, AND WHERE THE CONTACT WAS MADE.
YOU GO TO, HYPOTHETICALLY, HYPOTHETICALLY, TO A FAMILY VIOLENCE SITUATION.
AND YOU GET THERE AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE CHILDREN, IT TAKES TIME TO NOTIFY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS MM-HMM
TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY OF THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS.
NO CLOCK IS RUNNING AS A REAL REFLECTION OF THE CONTACT OF FOLLOWING SENATE BILL FOUR IN THE CITY ORDINANCE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF MISLEADING INFORMATION, SAID, EXCUSE ME, LIKE I SAID, EXCUSE ME.
LET'S, LET'S BE RESPECTFUL TO THE MAYOR.
WE'RE SORRY WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS SO FEDERAL MATTER TO THOSE THAT WOULD SUGGEST ICE OUTTA HOUSTON, NO ONE HAS A PLAN TO PULL THAT OFF.
I DON'T BELIEVE EVEN A COUNCIL MEMBERS, HOW YOU WOULD INSTRUCT A FEDERAL OFFICER OR ORGANIZATION TO LEAVE OUR COMMUNITY.
I WISH WE'D HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE WORD I SAID THAT TWO YEARS, BUT I ALSO SAID WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH IT TOGETHER.
AND MY COMPASSION GOES OUT TO ALL HOUSTON RESIDENTS.
WE EMPHASIZE REPEATEDLY, EVERYONE IS SERVED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, REGARDLESS OF YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS.
I KNOW FOR A FACT HPD WILL PULL SOMEONE OVER.
THEY GET A CITATION AND THEY'RE RELEASE, NO DISCUSSION, NO DISCUSSION ABOUT THEIR STATUS.
SO I WATCHED THE MORNING HEARING.
I THOUGHT VICE MAYOR PROTE PECK DID A VERY GOOD JOB IN A TOUGH SITUATION.
[01:25:01]
WE HAVE BEEN SUED AND THE RAMIFICATIONS ARE MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE CURRENT CASE.WE KNOW FOR A FACT, AND I HAVE STRONG BELIEF PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, FOR A FACT THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER LAWSUITS.
SO ANYTHING WE DO TODAY WILL BE AN ELEMENT OF THE NEXT LAWSUIT, INCLUDING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, WHICH WOULD EXPOSE THE CITY TO MANY, MANY LAWSUITS.
AND WE JUST, WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE ON.
MAYOR, YOU'RE A VERY EXCELLENT TRIAL LAWYER.
YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT YOUR PRACTICE.
WE ONLY, WE CAN ONLY HAVE ONE CITY ATTORNEY AT A TIME.
WE, WE OBVIOUSLY RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS YOU JUST SAID.
THERE'S NO POINT TO GO BACK INTO THAT DISAGREEMENT.
UM, I WILL JUST SAY THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT A WOMAN CALLED HPD TO REPORT HER HUSBAND TRYING TO KILL HER AND HPD CALLED ICE ON THAT WOMAN.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE ANY SAFER, BUT IT'S CITY POLICY THAT THAT CALL HAS TO MADE.
BUT I WANNA, I WANNA GIVE THE FLOOR BACK IF MR. SALGADO HAS ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
COUNCILOR POLLARD RENADO, SIR.
I, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE YOU IN THE AMOUNT OF COURAGE, UM, AND FORTITUDE IT MUST TAKE TO STAND UP THERE AND SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE.
IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS TRANSPIRED, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE DO HEAR YOU AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A PURPOSE AND THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON.
BUT I THINK THE WORDS THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN, THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE STOOD UP FOR, WHAT YOU ARE PUSHING FOR MATTERS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR YOU AND THAT WE ACT UPON THAT.
AND I WANT, I DON'T WANT YOU TO WALK AWAY THINKING THAT, UM, THIS IS THE END AND THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRY OUR BEST TO ENSURE THAT YOUR FATHER'S LEGACY, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT IS FORGOTTEN AND FOR YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY TO KNOW THAT THIS BODY CARES AND WE CARE ABOUT YOU, AND WE CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO NOT ONLY, UH, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, BUT THIS ENTIRE CITY.
SO, UH, I'LL COMMIT TO, UH, FINDING A WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU AND DOING WHAT I CAN TO PUT THE THINGS THAT YOU WANNA SEE PUT FORTH INTO TRUE ACTION.
NOTHING IS EVER GONNA BE A GUARANTEE AND POLITICS IS GONNA BE INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING.
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UH, MAN TO MAN.
I REALLY, UM, TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED COURAGE AND STRENGTH TO COME BEFORE THIS BODY AND ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF NOT ONLY YOUR FAMILY, BUT ALL HOUSTONIANS.
SO GOD BLESS YOU, APPRECIATE YOU, RENADO.
LET ME, UM, EMPHASIZE OUR RELATIONSHIP.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN CALL ME ANYTIME OR DAY OR NIGHT AND I WILL SHARE WHATEVER INFORMATION I HAVE.
I WILL TAKE YOUR MESSAGE, YOUR INQUIRIES TO ANYONE THAT YOU ASK ME TO TAKE TO, AS YOU WELL KNOW, I'VE SAID PUBLICLY, UH, THIS IS HORRIBLE FOR THE CITY AND OUR NATION TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
AND CERTAINLY YOUR FAMILY IS BARED SUCH A COST THAT WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO REPLACE.
BUT THE CITY STANDS WITH YOU AS I CROSS THIS CITY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT COMMUNITY I'M IN, YOUR FAMILY ARE IN THEIR PRAYERS.
AND I KNOW YOU HAVE TO GET FRUSTRATED BECAUSE YOU'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH A SYSTEM THAT WE DON'T CONTROL.
WE HAD A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING, NOW IT'S UP TO WASHINGTON TO CHANGE THE LAWS, THE FUNDING.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION IS COMING SOON TO A CLOSE THAT I HOPE WILL GIVE YOU SOME ACCOUNTABILITY TOWARD THE BAD ACTORS, THE MURDERERS.
BUT I WISH THERE WAS SOMETHING I COULD PUSH A BUTTON DO.
BUT HPD IS NOT COLLABORATING OR INTERACTING WITH ICE.
[01:30:01]
AND, UM, THANK THAT'S A LOT.THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY SAY MY MOM, WHO IS OBVIOUSLY STILL GRIEVING THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS PROCESS, SHE HAS SHOWN A COURAGE THAT I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE GETS THE, THE STRENGTH FROM, BUT SHE IS ALWAYS ALSO THINKING ABOUT OTHERS.
AND WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, APART FROM THE INVESTIGATION, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE DONE FOR MY DAD.
BUT SHE ALSO WANTS, SHE'S ALSO A VERY BIG PROPONENT ON THE MISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENS AGAIN.
SO I KNOW NOT MUCH CAN BE DONE FOR MY DAD ANYMORE, BUT I JUST REALLY WANNA REMIND YOU GUYS THAT THERE'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS SURE.
OF PEOPLE LIVING HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT ARE JUST LIKE MY DAD AND THEY NEED TO BE PROTECTED TOO, BECAUSE NOTHING CAN BE DONE FOR MY DAD.
BUT A LOT CAN BE DONE OR THE REST OF THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND I REALLY DON'T WANT ANYONE TO FORGET ABOUT THAT.
NICK G HONESTLY, HOW, HOW DARE Y'ALL SIT THERE AND TELL HIM YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR HIS FAMILY.
WHAT POWER DO YOU HAVE? THIS, THIS IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T CONTROL FEDERAL LAW, BUT THIS IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WHAT CAN YOU CONTROL? WHAT ARE WE ELECTING YOU TO DO? I, WE'RE ALL AT A LOSS.
WE'RE ALL AT A LOSS BY YOU SAYING THAT HPD AND ICE ARE NOT COLLABORATING.
WHEN WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE, WHEN IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THEY ARE, THAT THAT ICE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE SO QUIETLY, SO EASILY IN THIS CITY.
IF HPD WERE NOT THERE TO ASSIST THEM, YOU'RE LYING TO OUR FACES, YOU'RE LYING TO RONALD SALGADO SHAME THAT'S SO SHAMEFUL EVERY SINGLE MINUTE THAT YOU DON'T CALL FOR A CHANGE, THAT YOU DON'T DEMAND AN END TO THE, THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HPD AND ICE.
YOU ARE HELPING THEM TO FULFILL THEIR TERROR IN OUR STREETS.
THIS BRUTALITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN JUST SIT BY AND BE SILENT ABOUT AND SAY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY POWER TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
Y'ALL HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT BLAMING A SINGLE GROUP OF PEOPLE FOR FAILURES OF A SYSTEM IS ONE STEP DOWN THE ROAD TO GENOCIDE.
OKAY? YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE ALL LEARNED THAT IN SCHOOL.
AND THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU STAND IN HISTORY.
MER MER MERLIN RA MERLIN RAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAY BUSTOS.
AND, UH, WELL, HBD STILL NEVER CAME, BUT, UM, WE MISSED YOU THIS MORNING AND A LOT OF US HAD A LOT OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH YOU.
WE HAD A LOT OF IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK, BUT YOU WEREN'T HERE, WHICH IS SAD BECAUSE LORENZO WAS HERE THIS MORNING TOO, AND YOU WEREN'T HERE.
NEITHER WAS HPD AGAIN, NO ANSWERS, NO SORRYS, NO ANYTHING FROM ANYBODY.
JUST ONLY WHEN HE'S HERE, Y'ALL SAY SORRY TO HIM.
BUT IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST SAD TO ME.
AND I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU OF WHY ICE COLLABORATION IS A DETRIMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
BECAUSE EXPERT AFTER EXPERT HAS STATED THAT THESE TYPES OF ENFORCEMENTS ARE CHAOTIC AND OFTENTIMES DANGEROUS AND VIOLENT.
OUR COMMUNITIES ARE BEING DISMANTLED AND IN THE MOST CRUEL AND, AND UNUSUAL WAYS POSSIBLE.
BEING ARRESTED AND USING EXCESSIVE FORCE IN FRONT OF CHILDREN, KILLING FAMILY MEMBERS, DETAINING FAMILY MEMBERS, DETAINING, AND THEN SEPARATING FAMILY MEMBERS AND PUTTING 'EM TO DIFFERENT CENTERS AND MOVING THEM TO DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AMERICAN-BORN CHILDREN ARE ALSO BEING DETAINED AND DEPORTED WITH THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
NO, YOU'RE DRIVING FAMILIES INTO POVERTY AND SEPARATION.
[01:35:01]
A GENERATION OF TRAUMATIZED KIDS.LORENZO'S FAMILY DESERVES ANSWERS.
THEY DESERVES TO KNOW WHO KILLED THEIR DAD.
AND EVERY OTHER FAMILY ALSO LIKE ALEX PETTY NEEDS TO KNOW WHO KILLED THEM BECAUSE WE STILL DON'T KNOW.
JUST LIKE ALEX PETTY DOESN'T KNOW, HE SAYS NO.
AND IF IT TAKES AS LONG AS IT HAS FOR HIM AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T FOUND THEIR NAMES, HOW MANY, HOW MUCH LONGER IS IT GONNA TAKE FOR SOMEONE WHO'S BROWN? THANK YOU MA'AM.
HOW MANY MORE HAVE TO GET VICTIMIZED? HOW MANY MORE OF OUR PEOPLE HAVE TO BE VICTIMIZED, BASICALLY TORTURED.
BEFORE YOU STICK UP TO THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS AND SAY SOMETHING TO HIM, SAY SOMETHING TO HIM.
YOU DID AN INTERVIEW ON CN YOU DID AN INTERVIEW ON CNN AND YOU MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT YOU DIDN'T, AGAIN, YOU, I'M REPEATING TO YOU THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT THEM HERE.
THANK YOU THAT YOU DID A MORATORIUM.
DID THE MORATORIUM EVER COME? THANK YOU MA'AM.
SO WHEN ARE YOU GONNA STAND UP? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU GUYS ARE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY RIGHT NOW THAT YOU GUYS DON'T WANNA GET ELECTED AT ALL.
BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
AND WE DEMAND FOR TRANSPARENCY.
WE DEMAND ICE TO BE OUTTA HOUSTON.
HELLO EVERYONE, YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD, HOUSTONIAN.
IT'S ALMOST TWO MONTHS SINCE STILL NO PUBLIC ACTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO RESOLVE THIS MURDER OF LORENZO HOPES AND WISHES AND CONDOLENCES.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA KEEP OUR CITY AND THE RESIDENTS SAFE.
Y'ALL HAVE SAT THERE CLAIMING Y'ALL NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING, BUT HOUSTONIANS HAVE BEEN COMING UP HERE MONTH AFTER MONTH.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO'VE BEEN PUTTING IN AT LEAST WORK TO TRY AND HELP STAND UP FOR OUR, UH, RESIDENTS.
Y'ALL ARE SITTING THERE LYING TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, STATING, DEMONSTRATING YOUR INABILITY AND DESIRE TO NOT WANT TO FIGHT FOR HOUSTONIANS AND FOR THE PEOPLE AMONGST THE LAUNDRY LIST OF STUFF THAT Y'ALL COULD BE DOING.
TWO OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN MOSTLY BEEN SAID AT THE VERY MINIMUM AND NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS CUT, UH, FLOCK, CAMERAS GET RID OF 'EM, CAUGHT THE CONTRACT.
THERE'S OTHER COUNTIES, OTHER CITIES THAT'S BEING DISPLAYED ARE SHOWING ACTION ABOUT THIS.
Y'ALL CAN RAISE Y'ALL VOICES FOR THE PEOPLE HERE.
AND IT'S SAD TO SEE THAT Y'ALL GETTING MORE ANGRY ABOUT THE PEOPLE, UH, SPEAKING UP THAN ABOUT THE MURDER.
THANK YOU MALLORY TAYLOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY CLAIRE STALEY.
WHITMEYER, I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE JUST SOLIDIFIED YOUR ROLE AS A ONE-TERM MAYOR.
HOW DARE YOU LIE TO ALL OF THE HOUSTONIANS IN THIS ROOM.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT CAPABLE OF SITTING AND THINKING TO WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS SAY, BUT I'M GONNA READ YOU 10 STEPS AND I WANT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TO CONSIDER WHAT THESE 10 STEPS ARE FOR CLASSIFICATION, SYMBOLIZATION, DISCRIMINATION, DEHUMANIZATION, ORGANIZATION, POLARIZATION, PREPARATION, PERSECUTION, EXTERMINATION, AND THEN DENIAL.
DO YOU GUYS WANNA GUESS WHAT THESE STEPS ARE FOR? THESE ARE THE 10 STEPS TO A GENOCIDE.
HOUSTON HOUSTONIANS ARE TOO SCARED TO REPORT CRIMES AS WITNESSES OR AS VICTIMS. WHY ARE NON NECESSARY TRAFFIC STOPS STILL GOING ON? WHY HAVE YOU NOT PUNISHED OFFICERS WHO CALL ICE AND WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE THEY'RE NOT? TAKE ABBOTT TO COURT OVER ICE.
CALL AND WRITE TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE WHO WILL LISTEN TO YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY UNTIL ICE IS A BALLISH.
WHERE'S YOUR EMPATHY? YOUR TIME IS INSPIRED.
YOU'RE HUMAN UNLESS YOU HAVE EMPATHY.
WE LOOK BACK AT THE HOLOCAUST AND SAY, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? I'D SPEAK UP.
SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING.
IT HAPPENED BY PEOPLE SAYING, THAT'S ABOVE ME.
OR MAYBE THAT HAPPENS AT A STATE LEVEL OR FEDERAL LEVEL.
MAYOR WHITE MEYER, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND END THE COOPERATION BETWEEN HPD AND THE NEW KKK, WHICH IS ICE DISGRACEFUL.
[01:40:02]
CLAIRE STALEY, I ONCE AGAIN CALL ON THE COUNCIL TO END HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE.ON AUGUST 9TH, ONE, FRANCISCO MONROY ROY WAS DETAINED BY ICE FOR THE CRIME OF REPORTING A SHOOTING AT HOME DEPOT.
THE MAN ARRESTED BY HBD IN CONNECTION WITH THE SHOOTING HAS A LENGTHY CRIMINAL HISTORY.
SOMEHOW ICE WAS ABLE TO ARRIVE TO THAT SPECIFIC HOME DEPOT AND THE TIME IT TOOK FOR HBD TO CATCH THE SUSPECT.
SUPPOSEDLY HBD DID NOT CALL ICE.
HOW THEN DID THEY KNOW OF JUAN'S PRESENCE AT THAT SPECIFIC HOME DEPOT? WHETHER THEY DIRECTLY CALLED THEM OR NOT, THE ENTANGLEMENT OF ICE AND HBD IS PRECISELY THE PROBLEM.
HOUSTON IS HOME TO 1.7 MILLION IMMIGRANTS MAKING UP 24% OF THE POPULATION AND ALMOST A THIRD OF THE WORKFORCE.
IF ALMOST 2 MILLION PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK AND PAY TAXES IN OUR CITY ARE AFRAID TO CALL THE POLICE, HOW EXACTLY IS ICE AND HVD MAKING OUR CITY SAFER? ALMOST WHAT TIME HAS EXPIRED? 2 BILLION OF OUR TAX DOLLARS WILL BE SPENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WE WILL NOT SIT BY AND ALLOW YOU TO DO THE EXACT OPPOSITE WITH THAT MONEY ICE OUTTA CHU SAID NOW AND ANTONIO VENTURA, RY CHILDRY, UH, ARCO BARMAN, WHO WAS INADVERTENTLY LEFT OFF THE LIST.
ORKO BARMAN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF STATISTICS AT RICE UNIVERSITY.
I'M HERE ONCE AGAIN TO DEMAND THAT THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TERMINATE ITS CONTRACT WITH FLOCK.
MORE THAN 132 MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE US HAVE ALREADY CUT TIES WITH FLOCK.
THERE ARE 2200 FLOCK CAMERAS IN HOUSTON.
HOUSTON RANKS NUMBER ONE AMONG ALL US METROS IN TOTAL NUMBER OF FLOCK, CAMERAS AND CAMERA DENSITY.
WE ARE PAYING $6.4 MILLION IN OUR TAXPAYER MONEY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY THIS CITY COUNCIL FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF WHAT EXACTLY FOR US HOUSTONIANS TO LIVE IN A SURVEILLANCE STATE AND ALL OF THIS WITH ZERO TRANSPARENCY.
HPD OFFICERS HAVE AN ATROCIOUS RECORD OF MISUSING THE SYSTEM.
TWO THIRDS OF THEIR SEARCHES LIST NO JUSTIFICATION OR SIMPLY A JOKE LIKE DONUT OR STOLEN ELEPHANT.
OUR FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS ARE BEING BLATANTLY TRAMPLED WITH NO TRANSPARENCY OR ACCOUNTABILITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE SHARING THESE DATA WITH EYES, HELPING THEM ATTACK AND MURDER WHAT TIME HAS INSPIRED HELPING PEOPLE ON OUR STREETS? HPD CHIEF DID NOT APPEAR BEFORE THIS COUNCIL.
THEY ARE COLLABORATING WITH ICE.
HOUSTONIANS DESERVE AN IMMEDIATE INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF HOW HPD USES FLOCK AND HOW THEY SHARE DATA WITH ICE TO AID AND ABBE IN THE ATTACK AND MURDER OF HOUSTONIANS LIKE LORENZO SALGADO ARE
WHY SHOULD WE HOUSTONIANS BE SUBJECTED TO LIVING IN A SURVEILLANCE STATE PAID FOR WITH OUR OWN TAXPAYER DOLLARS? WHY SHOULD HPD HAVE FREE REIGN TO VIOLATE OUR FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS? IT IS NOT A HARD CHOICE.
ORDER A PUBLIC AUDIT OF HPDS USE OF FLOCK AND COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
TERMINATE THE CONTRACT WITH FLOCK, REDISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS TO OTHER EFFORTS THAT WILL ACTUALLY BENEFIT US HOUSTONIANS INSTEAD OF FORCING US TO LIVE IN A SURVEILLANCE STATE WHERE ICE CAN MURDER PEOPLE ON THE STREETS.
[READING OF THE CONSENT AGENDA]
CAPTIONS FROM TODAY'S AGENDA.ITEM ONE, PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING REAUTHORIZATION OF THE CITY'S TAX ABATEMENT ORDINANCE.
ITEM TWO, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL ACCEPT THE WORK AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT IF ANY OF THE CONTRACT WITH MARKEL INSURANCE COMPANY.
ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE
[01:45:01]
DIRECTOR OF GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL ACCEPT THE WORK AND AUTHORIZED FINAL PAYMENT, IF ANY ON CONTRACT WITH RESTON CORPORATION.ITEM FOUR, APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR THE PURCHASE OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS.
TESTING EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES AWARDED TO DIAL SORIN, INC.
ITEM FIVE, ORDINANCE READOPTING GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA GOVERNING TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENTS UNDER ARTICLE FOUR OF CHAPTER 44 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
ITEM SIX ORDINANCE DENYING THE APPLICATION OF PSCI ENERGY GAS LLC.
ITEM SEVEN, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THIRD AMENDMENT TO REGIONAL PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT WITH THE THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP.
ITEM EIGHT ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $500,000 AND AUTHORIZING APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH STRUCTURE TONE SOUTHWEST, LLC ITEM NINE, ORDINANCE DE APPROPRIATING $355,623 73 CENTS PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED UNDER ORDINANCE NUMBER 2020 DASH 7 81 APPROPRIATING $649,623 73 CENTS TO CONTRACT WITH DUNHILL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION LLC ITEM 10.
ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025 DASH 4 88 RELATED TO CONTRACT WITH HYDRO MAX U-S-A-L-L-C.
ITEM 11, ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH CLEAR GLASS MOBILE SERVICE INC.
ITEM 12 ORDINANCE APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH CCB THREE CONSULTANTS, LLC ITEM 13, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 4:00 PM 2.5 MICROMETERS AIR QUALITY MONITORING.
ITEM 14 HAS BEEN PULLED BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEM 15, ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING IN A LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRISBURG REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
ITEM 16 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING JOINT PARTICIPATION IN A LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH HARRIS COUNTY.
ITEM 17 ORDINANCE FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT KNOWN AS THE WATERLINE REHABILITATION IN CENTRAL PARK AND MAGNOLIA PARK SUBDIVISIONS ONE PROJECT ITEM 18 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,345,099 APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH HDR ENGINEERING INC.
ITEM 19 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $525,000 APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH GRADIENT GROUP LLC.
ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,250,000 APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND INSPECTION SERVICES.
CONTRACT WITH LLOYD SMITHA AND ASSOCIATES LLC ITEM 21.
ORDINANCE GRANTING TO DARLING INGREDIENTS INC.
A TEXAS CORPORATION, THE WRIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 22 ORDINANCE GRANTING TO GRANT MCCAIN COMPANY INC.
A TEXAS CORPORATION, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 23 ORDINANCE GRANTED TO METRO GREASE TRAP, LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY CORPORATE LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 24 ORDINANCE GRANTED TO PAY LESS WASTE SOLUTIONS INC.
A TEXAS CORPORATION, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
UH, THIS THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 25 ORDINANCE GRANTED INTO RENTALS TO GO OF TEXAS, LLCA, TEXAS LI LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT, HAUL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 26, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO SEWER SQUAD LLCA TEXAS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT CALL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 27, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO CENT GROVE OF TEXAS CDR INC.
A MARYLAND CORPORATION, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT CALL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
ITEM 28, ORDINANCE GRANTING TO WASTE MANAGEMENT OF TEXAS INC.
A TEXAS CORPORATION, THE RIGHT PRIVILEGE AND FRANCHISE TO COLLECT CALL AND TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
THIRD AND FINAL READING ITEM 29 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF TECHNOLOGY RELATED PRODUCTS, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.
THIS ITEM WAS DELAYED BY MOTION.
2026 DASH 4 66 AND WAS ITEM 25 ON THE AGENDA OF AUGUST 12.
ITEM 30, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $12 MILLION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO DESIGN
[01:50:01]
BILL CONTRACT WITH HENSEL PHELPS CO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD AND WAS ITEM 15 ON THE AGENDA OF AUGUST 18TH.
ITEM 31 ORDINANCE RELATING TO FISCAL AFFAIRS OF FOURTH WARD REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 14, THE FOURTH WARD ZONE APPROVING FISCAL YEAR 2027, OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE AUTHORITY AND FISCAL YEARS 2027 THROUGH 2031 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS BUDGET FOR THE ZONE.
THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND WAS ITEM 27 ON THE AGENDA OF AUGUST 18TH.
THIS COMPLETES CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE CAPTION FROM TODAY FOR TODAY'S AGENDA.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL'S SESSION TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WITH THAT, HAPPY WEDNESDAY EVERYONE.
[RECONVENE]
COUNCIL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER MEMBERS THIS MORNING.WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE OUR GREAT FRIENDS AT U OF H INSTITUTION, A UNIVERSITY THAT I GRADUATED FROM AND THAT HAS GIVEN SO MANY OF US AN OPPORTUNITY AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CHANCELLOR COUTURE CONTINUES TO CARRY THE UNIVERSITY FORWARD ACADEMICALLY, SPORTS MEDICAL SCHOOL, REALLY OUTSTANDING RECORD.
AND TODAY, ANOTHER STEP FORWARD BY THE UNIVERSITY.
AND I'D ASK THE CHANCELLOR AND CERTAINLY HER DEAN AND DR. KING AND COME FORWARD.
LET ME JUST, WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T I LET JOSH, WHERE'S JOSH? COME TEE IT UP.
IF YOU WOULD BRIEFLY
WE HAVE MIKE NICHOLS, CHIEF SATTERWHITE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE CERTAINLY WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK ON OUR REDUCED HOMELESS INITIATIVE, UH, BEFORE WE MOVE TO ANOTHER EFFORT, UH, THE EMANCIPATION SITE IS FULL.
AND SO WE'VE GOT A GREAT MODEL, WE'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
AND THIS ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY IS ONLY GOING TO IMPROVE OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP THE HOMELESS GET THE CARE AND THE JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY DESERVE AND ALSO GET THEM OFF THE STREETS.
JOSH, IF YOU'LL, IF YOU'LL JUST BRIEFLY TELL THE COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC, I KNOW DR. TRAN COULD NOT BE HERE THIS MORNING, BUT SHE CERTAINLY MAKES THIS INITIATIVE A HEALTH ISSUE.
SO I'LL YIELD TO YOU FOR A COMMENT ON HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO OUR OVERALL PROJECTS.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, HOMELESSNESS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES OF THIS ADMINISTRATION AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO BUILD DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AND PUT, UH, STRUCTURE IN PLACE TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WHEN THEY DO FALL INTO HOMELESSNESS, UH, THAT WE CAN GET THEM QUICKLY OUT OF IT.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY MOST PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF OUR EFFORTS WITH FOUR 19.
UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER EFFORTS THAT YOU'LL BE SEEING OVER THE NEXT YEAR WITH OTHER FACILITIES, UH, BUT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND THEM CREATING THE INSTITUTE FOR HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTHCARE.
UH, THOSE THREE ISSUES ARE REALLY, UM, THE, THE BIG THINGS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT ARE NEEDS FOR INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT PARTNERS HERE.
THE MAYOR MENTIONED OBVIOUSLY DIRECTOR NICHOLS, CHIEF SATTERWHITE, WE'VE GOT COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS HERE AS WELL, KELLY YOUNG AND HER TEAM.
UM, AND IT'S REALLY JUST BEEN AMAZING TO SEE THE BROADER HOUSTON COMMUNITY KIND OF RALLY AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, UH, WITH HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO HAVING HIGHER EDUCATION, HAVING, UH, THE WEIGHT OF A UNIVERSITY SYSTEM LIKE THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON TO HELP US IN THAT ENDEAVOR TO BE ABLE TO TAKE AN ACADEMIC LOOK AT THE PROGRAMS AND THE POLICIES THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE TO HELP US JUDGE AND MEASURE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS.
UH, I DON'T WANNA STEAL ALL THEIR THUNDER, BUT THE STUFF THAT THEY'RE DOING FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT TO HELP US TO BE ABLE TO CONGREGATE NOT ONLY DATA THAT'S IN HMIS, BUT ALSO AVAILABLE HEALTHCARE DATA AND INFORMATION.
UH, THESE ARE REALLY GONNA HELP US IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS AND, AND WHAT NEEDS THAT THEY SPECIFICALLY HAVE AND BE ABLE TO HELP THEM
[01:55:01]
WORK THROUGH THE SYSTEM TOWARDS A PATH OF INDEPENDENCE.I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU STEAL THEIR THUNDER, UH, COLORS.
YOU AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER FOR YEARS WITH SUCCESSFUL FUNDING AND, AND NEW INSTITUTES OUT AT U OF H THAT BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY AND THE STATE AS A WHOLE.
BUT NOW THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW YOUR MED SCHOOL AND YOUR OTHER, UH, PROFESSIONALS TO JOIN US IN ADDRESSING THE HOMELESS, WE ALL KNOW HOMELESSNESS AFFECTS ALL OF US.
AND SO NOW TO BRING THE PRESTIGE AND THE EXPERTISE OF, UH, U OF H TO CREATE THIS INSTITUTE, I THINK WILL BECOME A MODEL.
BUT, UH, I'M GOING TO YIELD TO YOU, BUT, UH, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
AND IT JUST SHOWS RELATIONSHIPS DO MATTER AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I LOOK SO FAR TO COME TO WORK EACH DAY THAT WE CAN MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT LIKE THIS.
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, UH, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING US HERE TODAY.
IT'S ACTUALLY VERY SPECIAL DAY FOR US BECAUSE WE ARE STANDING HERE AT THE EVE OF, UH, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CENTENNIAL AND NINE IN 1927 WHEN UNIVERSITY WAS LAUNCHED, IT WAS ONLY ONE MISSION AT THAT TIME, EVEN THOUGH AS A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY, THE MISSION WAS THAT UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON WAS THERE TO SERVE HOUSTON AND HOUSTONIANS TO FILL THE GAPS.
AND THAT'S WHAT IS IN OUR DNA.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.
I WON'T TALK MUCH ABOUT THE INITIATIVE, BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW HOW PROUD I AM AND HOW, HOW HUMBLED I AM TO ONCE AGAIN COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY.
CITY HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UH, SUPPORTER AND GUIDE, GUIDE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE WE ARE HERE IN THIS, UH, MEGA METRO, AND I REALLY THANK YOU ALL HERE.
BUT I WANTED YOU TO KNOW, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON IS A MAJOR COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY WITH LOTS OF INTERDISCIPLINARY, UM, FIELDS OF EXPERTISE.
AND WHAT GOOD IS IT IF WE CANNOT BRING IT TOGETHER TO REALLY HELP THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE.
AND MR. MAYOR, YES, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, UH, WHILE YOU ARE IN SENATE AND NOW AS MAYOR ALSO, WE ARE VERY PROUD.
WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN IT THAT YOU GRADUATED FROM US, AND IT SHOWS VERY WELL FOR THE UNIVERSITY FOR MANY PEOPLE HERE AS WELL.
RELATIONSHIPS DO MATTER AND YOUR LEADERSHIP MATTERS FOR THE CITY.
AND I'M GRATEFUL TO THE COUNCIL AS WELL.
AND I WILL JUST LET OUR DEAN, DEAN JOHN MCCULLERS, AND HE'S ALSO VICE PRESIDENT FOR YOUIT HELP, WHICH IS STARTED ONLY IN 2020 WHEN WE ENROLLED OUR F FIRST CLASS IN THE MEDICAL SCHOOL DURING COVID YEARS.
SO WE ARE BUILT REALLY IN HARD TIMES, BUT HERE WE ARE, WE ARE HERE WITH A SINGLE MISSION.
AND THAT MISSION OF SERVING HOUSTON CONTINUES.
SO WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU AGAIN.
AND I YEAR TWO, THANK, UH, DEAN JOHN MCCULLERS.
AND I'VE GOT TO REMIND EVERYONE, WHEN YOU WERE BEFORE SENATE FINANCE ASKING FOR A MED SCHOOL AND THE QUESTIONS WERE ASKED, WHY DOES U OF H NEED A MED SCHOOL? WHY DOES IT NEED ITS MED SCHOOL ON CAMPUS IN THIRD WARD, YOU MADE A COMMITMENT THAT YOU WERE GONNA DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY, THAT IT WOULD BE A MEDICAL SCHOOL, MEDICAL SCHOOL SERVING THE NEGLECTED AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN THIRD WARD.
SO AS SOMEONE THAT WORKED WITH SENATOR HUFFMAN AND CERTAINLY THE TITA FAMILY TO FUND IT, UH, YOU'RE SO KEEPING YOUR COMMITMENT TO HAVE THE MISSION AND THE COMMITMENT OF U OF H MEDICINE TO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S A GOOD INTRODUCTION FOR YOUR DEAN BECAUSE THIS IS JUST, UH, PROMISE KEPT ON BEHALF OF U OF H AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SO EFFECTIVE, CERTAINLY IN THE LEGISLATURE AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU, UH, THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL HOUSTONIANS.
YOUR, UH, I KNOW PART OF THE GROUP THAT CAME UP WITH THE CONCEPT OF HOW THE MED SCHOOL CAN ADDRESS, AND I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA YIELD TO YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, SPECIFICS OF HOW YOU CAN PARTNER AND HELP US HAVE A SUCCESSFUL REDUCTION IN HOMELESS.
GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF HEALTH FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, AND THE DEAN OF THE TILLMAN J FERTITA FAMILY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE.
[02:00:01]
A BUSY YEAR FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND FOR OUR HEALTH RELATED PROGRAMS. EARLY THIS SUMMER, WE LAUNCHED A NEW INITIATIVE, UH, HEALTH, WHICH THE PRESIDENT JUST MENTIONED.UH, HEALTH HOLDS TOGETHER, PROGRAMS ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY IN HEALTH EDUCATION, HEALTH RELATED RESEARCH, AND COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTHCARE UNDER ONE UMBRELLA.
BECAUSE THERE IS SOME ASPECT OF HEALTH IN EVERY COLLEGE AT, UH, THIS ALLOWS US BETTER COORDINATION BETWEEN THEIR HEALTH PROGRAMS AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE THE WHOLE GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE PARTS.
I'M NOW PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE LAUNCHING OUR FOURTH INSTITUTE UNDER, UH, HEALTH, A NEW EFFORT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND NUMEROUS NON-PROFIT AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES TO MAKE HOMELESSNESS WHEN IT OCCURS.
THE INSTITUTE FOR HOUSING HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTH HAS RECEIVED A FOUNDATIONAL GIFT OF $5 MILLION FROM AN ANONYMOUS DONOR TO MAKE THIS REALITY.
AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE TO THAT DONOR.
THE UNIVERSITY IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO PARTNER IN THIS MANNER.
GIVEN THE BREADTH OF OUR EXPERTISE ACROSS DOZENS OF DOMAINS IMPORTANT FOR TACKLING A CHALLENGE LIKE THIS.
WE CAN BRING EXPERTS AND RESEARCHERS IN HEALTHCARE POLICY, HEALTH LAW, BUSINESS, EDUCATION, SYSTEMS, ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN, AND MANY OTHER AREAS TO BEAR IN THIS UNIVERSITY-WIDE INSTITUTE.
THE INSTITUTE FOR HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTH, OR IH THREE, AS WE CALL IT, WILL SERVE AS A TRUSTED PARTNER IN MANAGING DATA SYSTEM WIDE AND IMPROVING PROCESSES THROUGH SYSTEMS LEVEL, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN POLICY RESEARCH, AND IN TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORKERS IN THE MANY FIELDS NEEDED FOR THIS IMPORTANT WORK.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH THE CITY AND OTHERS, AND I WILL NOW ASK DR.
BEN KING, THE LEADER OF IH THREE, TO FURTHER DESCRIBE THE WORK THAT WILL BE DONE.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, PRESIDENT COUTURE, DEAN MCCOLL'S, UM, COUNSEL, EVERYONE HERE TODAY, UH, INCLUDING MY COLLEAGUES IN THE AUDIENCE.
UH, I'M AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, UH, TILLMAN, J FERTITA FAMILY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE.
I'M IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SYSTEMS AND POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCES, AND NOW THE FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR HOUSING HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTH.
I WANT TO REFLECT WHAT THE DEAN JUST SAID, THAT THIS IS FAR BEYOND A COMMITMENT FROM ANY ONE COLLEGE.
THE UNIVERSITY IS REALLY, UH, ESPECIALLY PREPARED, I THINK, AND, AND PARTICULARLY WELL POSITIONED TO LEAN IN ON THIS ISSUE, GIVEN THE BREADTH AND THE INTERDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF, OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
UH, THE IDEA FOR IH THREE CAME, UH, FROM WORK, FROM WATCHING THE WORK ACTUALLY, AND PARTICIPATING IN THE WORK ALREADY HAPPENING IN HOUSTON, LISTENING TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS ABOUT WHAT WOULD HELP THEM TAKE THE NEXT STEP.
AND I WANNA REMIND US THAT HOUSTON IS ALREADY AHEAD OF MANY COMMUNITIES AND HOW ORGANIZATIONS COORDINATE, SHARE INFORMATION, AND WORK TOGETHER ACROSS HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, GOVERNMENT, PHILANTHROPY, NONPROFIT SERVICES.
THAT COLLABORATION HAS HELPED DRIVE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS OVER THE LAST DECADE AND A HALF IN PARTICULAR.
AND THE OPPORTUNITY NOW IS TO BUILD ON THAT SUCCESS.
HOMELESSNESS IS, OF COURSE, A COMPLEX SOCIAL FAILING, AND THE SOLUTIONS ARE EQUALLY TRANSDISCIPLINARY.
THEY INVOLVE HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, LAW, PUBLIC POLICY, DATA SCIENCE, SOCIAL WORK, EDUCATION, ARCHITECTURE, BUSINESS, AND MANY OTHER FIELDS.
THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO SUPPORT.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS BREADTH OF EXPERTISE ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, UH, INTERESTED IN USING THEIR SKILLS TO ADDRESS REAL CHALLENGES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT U UH, TRYING TO REPLACE ANYTHING THAT'S ALREADY WORKING.
THE U THE INSTITUTE WILL FOCUS ON THINGS THE UNIVERSITY'S ESPECIALLY WELL EQUIPPED TO DO.
BRING TOGETHER PEOPLE, STUDY COMPLEX PROBLEMS, CONNECT AND ANALYZE INFORMATION AS SOMEBODY MENTIONED, EVALUATE WHAT WORKS, TEST NEW IDEAS, AND TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF PE OF PROFESSIONALS WHO WILL GO ON TO WORK IN THESE SYSTEMS. WE HAVE ORGANIZED THAT WORK INTO FOUR AREAS THAT I WANNA TELL YOU ABOUT.
THE FIRST IS SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT, HELPING OUR PARTNERS UNDERSTAND WHERE PROCESSES CAN WORK BETTER AND WHERE PEOPLE MAY BE GETTING DELAYED IN THE, IN THE NAVIGATION OF THE SYSTEM.
AND SECOND IS REALLY THE ENGINE OR THE, THE SPECIAL INGREDIENT, THE DATA LAB FOR SYSTEMS INTEGRATION.
UH, HELPING BRING INFORMATION TOGETHER SO LEADERS CAN SEE A FULLER PICTURE AND MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.
THIRD IS PROGRAM EVALUATION OR WHAT WE CALL, UH, SUPPORT TO SCALE.
[02:05:01]
PROMISING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, TEST IDEAS THAT ARE OFTEN BEYOND THEIR FUNDING LIMITATIONS THAT TIE THEIR HANDS, UH, STRENGTHEN THEIR EVIDENCE AND EXPAND WHAT WORKS.AND FOURTH, OUR DEEPEST RESOURCE TALENT DEVELOPMENT USING UHS TEACHING MISSION TO CREATE CURRICULUM, APPRENTICESHIPS, FIELD EXPERIENCES, TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH STUDENTS, AGENCY STAFF, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WILL BE AN ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS IN OUR FIRST YEAR.
AND WE'VE DEDICATED A LOT OF THE, THE EFFORT AND THE, AND THE SCHEDULE AND THE, AND THE BUILD OUT, UH, FOR COMMUNITY STRATEGY.
UH, WE WANT TO LISTEN FIRST, BUILD TRUST, AND MAKE SURE THE INSTITUTE GROWS AROUND THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE ALREADY DOING THIS WORK.
AND WHILE UH, IS WELL POSITIONED TO SERVE IN THIS UNIQUE ROLE, WE CERTAINLY DON'T SEE THIS AS A, UH, ONLY EFFORT.
THERE IS A SEAT AT THE TABLE FOR OUR COLLEAGUES, OUR DEAR COLLEAGUES AT, AT, UH, INSTITUTIONS LIKE TSU, THE MEDICAL COLLEGES ACROSS HOUSTON, AND OF COURSE MY OWN ALMA MATER, THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, AS WELL AS OTHER ACADEMIC PARTNERS ACROSS THE REGION.
HOUSTON HAS ALREADY SHOWN THAT THE COUNTRY, UH, SHOWN THE COUNTRY WHAT STRONG COORDINATION CAN ACCOMPLISH.
OUR HOPE IS THAT A IH THREE CAN HELP BRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TOOLS, EXPERTISE, AND TALENT TO THAT WORK, UH, AND HELP HOUSTON ONCE AGAIN STAND OUT AS A NATIONAL LEADER IN ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABBAT.
UH, FULL DISCLOSURE, I AM NOT THE ANONYMOUS $5 MILLION DONOR
UH, AND I HAVE TO TELL THE CHANCELLOR, YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN STELLAR FROM DAY ONE.
UH, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, OF COURSE IS IN DISTRICT DI PAUSE THERE,
AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALL ADDRESSING.
AND I ALWAYS SAY THEREBY THE GRACE OF GOD GO, I, BUT UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, UH, BACK WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, MY MOTHER USED TO TAKE ME TO THE OPTOMETRY CLINIC THERE, AND THAT WAS BACK.
I BELIEVE THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE VISION PLANS.
AND SO GETTING EYE EXAMS WAS A LUXURY.
AND SO UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON HAS SERVED AND CONTINUES TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY.
AND SO YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE AN OUTREACH IN THIRD WARD, WHICH IS VERY, VERY SPECIAL TO ME.
AND THEN I FOUND OUT, UH, THAT YOU ONLY HAD TO TAKE ONE CLASS AT A SCHOOL TO BE CONSIDERED AN ALUMNI
AND I DID THAT
THAT WAS THE HARDEST CLASS I'VE EVER TAKEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
OF COURSE, I HAD TO FIGURE OUT THAT I COULDN'T BE OUT PARTYING AND SHAKING A TAIL FEATHER AND TAKING A CLASS IN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.
BUT CERTAINLY I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS.
CERTAINLY I WANT TO BE ENGAGED.
MY OFFICE WANTS TO BE ENGAGED IN ANY CAPACITY THAT WE CAN.
AND AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU PUBLICLY FOR WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, IN PARTICULAR YOU CHANCELLOR, UM, AND HOW YOU HAVE EMBRACED ME AS WELL.
AND I JUST ALSO WANT TO LIFT UP THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AS WELL FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO HOMELESSNESS.
UH, THANK THE, OF COURSE, OUR, OUR, ALL OF OUR PARTNERS HERE, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THIS WORK.
WE SEE IT DAY IN, DAY OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST IN THE DOWNTOWN EAST DOWNTOWN AREA.
IT'S ACTUALLY GOTTEN, UH, IT'S, IT IS MOVED OUT IN OUTSIDE OF THE SIX 10 AREA NOW.
AND SO THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE GONNA BE PROVIDING, THE, THE TRAINING, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THAT FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE IS, IS BEING TAUGHT, UH, TO THE STUDENTS IS IMPORTANT TO US.
COUTURE AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU BRING AS WELL, UH, TO JASON AND HIS TEAM.
UH, I DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE SHOUT OUT THE HEALTH CENTER THAT'S THERE.
UH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE, UH, ZIP CODE IN DISTRICT I THAT ATTEND THAT HEALTH CENTER AS WELL.
UH, BUT THEN ALSO, UH, THE JUDY COOK BUILDING THAT, THAT Y'ALL JUST RECENTLY OPENED UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE FRONT DOOR TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND WE'VE HAD RESIDENTS, UH, THAT HAVE UTILIZED THAT FROM DISTRICT I AS A SPACE TO BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD, I KNOW, UH, MY TEAM IS WORKING WITH SOME OF YOUR TEAM MEMBERS TO DO A TOUR WITH SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING JUST THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT PARTNERSHIP AS WELL.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK, UH, EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND YOU CAN GO TO WORK.
I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE START OF THE $5 MILLION CONTRIBUTION TO THIS INSTITUTE.
THAT'S, UH, PRETTY, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
[02:10:01]
YOUR TEAM.AND THANK YOU TO CHIEF SATTERWHITE, MIKE NICHOLS AND EVERYONE THAT'S COLLABORATING.
[HEARINGS - 9:00 A.M.]
NEXT MA UH, MEMBERS, WE WILL HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING, MR. SECRETARY ON THE RENEWAL OF THE CITY'S TAX ABATEMENT ORDINANCE.ITEM ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING REAUTHORIZATION OF THE CITY'S TAX ABATEMENT ORDINANCE.
UM, ANDREW BUSKER, I UNDERSTAND IS GOING TO, UH, DO HIS THING.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL WAIT FOR IT TO QUIET DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
I'M MAJOR BUSKER IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURSUANT TO CHAPTER THREE, 12.002 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE.
BEFORE CITY COUNCIL MAY ADOPT, AMEND, REPEAL OR REAUTHORIZED GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA FOR TAX ABATEMENT, CITY COUNCIL MUST HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING IN WHICH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.
NOTICE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS PUBLISHED IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE ON AUGUST 14TH, 2026.
SECTION THREE, 12.002 ALSO REQUIRES CITIES TO ADOPT TAX ABATEMENT GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA BEFORE ENTERING INTO TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENTS.
AND EACH APPROVED ABATEMENT AGREEMENT MUST MEET THOSE GUIDELINES.
STATE LAW ALSO REQUIRES TAX ABATEMENT, GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA TO SUNSET AFTER TWO YEARS.
CITY COUNCIL ES ADOPTED TAX AMENDMENT GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA BY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024 DASH 6 24 AS CODIFIED IN ARTICLE FOUR OF CHAPTER 44 OF THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AND THOSE GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA WILL EXPIRE AT 12:00 AM THIS FRIDAY, AUGUST 28TH, 2026.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDS THE CITY CONTINUES ITS ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN TAX ABATEMENTS BY READOPTING THE GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA AS THEY'RE CURRENTLY WRITTEN IN ARTICLE FOUR, CHAPTER 44 OF THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES.
THE CITY HAS A COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLBOX AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT USES THIS TOOLBOX TO ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT IN JOB CREATION IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, INCLUDING FACILITATING INTRODUCTIONS TO INDUSTRY NETWORKS, ASSISTING COMPANIES WITH THE PERMITTING PROCESS, AND SUPPORTING JOB CREATING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT PIPELINES.
THE CITY'S TAX EQUIPMENT PROGRAM IS ONE OF EIGHT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS IN OUR TOOLBOX ESTABLISHED IN 1988.
THE CITY'S TEXAS PROGRAM HAS BEEN AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR ATTRACTING PROJECTS ACROSS INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING INDUS, ENERGY, MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION, GROCERY STORES, AND MULTIFAMILY HOUSING.
THE CITY HAS HAD MANY SUCCESSES THROUGH THE TEXAS PROGRAM.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW RECENT PROJECTS.
IN 2021, OUR OFFICE RECOMMENDED A PROJECT SUPPORTING SUSTAINABILITY.
CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT WITH SKANSKA FOR A NEW OFFICE TOWER DOWNTOWN THAT WOULD BE A PINNACLE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
THE PROJECT WAS THE FIRST TO APPLY FOR OUR LEAD ABATEMENT TO TODAY THE NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT TOWER AT 1550 LAMAR STREET IN DISTRICT I IS A 28 STORY CLASS, A OFFICE AND RETAIL BUILDING THAT IS PROMOTED AS HOUSTON'S MOST FORWARD THINKING BUILDING.
IN 2024, OUR OFFICE RECOMMENDED A PROJECT THAT WILL REDEVELOP DECLINING PROPERTY INTO A RE, SORRY, REVITALIZED ECONOMIC DRIVER AND COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE.
CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE TAX ABATEMENT FOR WHAT WILL BECOME ASHFORD YARDS IN DISTRICT GA MIXED USE DINING, ENTERTAINMENT, AND RETAIL DEVELOPMENT AT THE CORNER OF BRIAR FOREST IN DAIRY ASHFORD.
THIS PROJECT WAS THE FIRST TO APPLY FOR BOTH OUR DETERIORATED SUCH DEMOLISHED PROPERTY ABATEMENT AND OUR GSI ABATEMENT.
THE COMBINATION OF DEMOLISHING VACANT BUILDINGS AND REPLACING THEM WITH LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT, NOT ONLY IMPROVES THE COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY OF THE AREA, BUT ALSO IMPROVED STORMWATER DRAINAGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE PROJECT BROKE GROUND IN MAY THIS YEAR ALSO IN 2024, OUR OFFICE RECOMMENDED A PROJECT THAT CONNECTED HOUSTON'S READY WORKFORCE TO QUALITY HIGH DEMAND JOBS.
CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A TAX ABATEMENT WITH PROLOGIS AND INTEGRA MISSION CRITICAL FOR A NEW MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN DISTRICT B.
WHILE THE COMPANY ORIGINALLY EXPECTED TO CREATE 291 JOBS BY THE END OF 2026, THEY NOW EMPLOY OVER 1000 FULL-TIME DIRECT JOBS.
INTEGRA MISSION CRITICAL IS CURRENTLY SEARCHING FOR PLACES TO EXPAND IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
IN 2025, OUR OFFICE RECOMMENDED A PROJECT THAT SUPPORTED INNOVATION AND THE RESHORING OF MANUFACTURING JOBS.
CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A TAX ABATEMENT WITH OWENS CORNING TO EXPAND THEIR FACILITY HERE IN DISTRICT B AND INTRODUCE A FIRST OF ITS KIND TECHNOLOGY TO THE UNITED STATES.
THE COMPANY'S, SORRY, THE CITY'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE
[02:15:01]
A TAX ABATEMENT AS THE LOCAL INCENTIVE MATCH FOR THIS PROJECT WAS INSTRUMENTAL TO THE PROJECT RECEIVING A TEXAS ENTERPRISE FUND AWARD FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.NO, NO AMENDMENTS TO THE TAX ABATEMENT GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA ARE BEING PROPOSED WITH THIS ADOPTION.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF THE EXISTING TAX PAYMENT GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA, AND WE PROPOSE AMENDMENTS AT A LATER DATE.
WE COMMIT TO INCLUDING THE COUNCIL OFFICES IN OUR PROCESS.
WE WELCOME YOUR PERSPECTIVES ON THE PROGRAM AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
ONCE WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR REVIEW OF THE PROGRAM'S CURRENT GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA, WE WILL PRESENT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
IN CONCLUSION, THE ORDINANCE TO READOPT THE TAX ABATEMENT GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA IS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS READOPTING THE TAX ABATEMENT, UH, GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA WHICH ARE CODIFIED IN ARTICLE 44 OF CHAPTER 44 OF THE CITY'S CODE OF ORDINANCES.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANYONE HERE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? I DO NOT HAVE ANY.
IS DOING OKAY TODAY? UH, MY NAME IS DOMINIC CHAON.
I'M WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED TEXAS CAMPAIGN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FOCUS ON IS THE ISSUE OF TAX ABATEMENTS.
UM, I KNOW THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS ARE IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WORKING.
BUT CURRENTLY, AS THE STANDARDS AND THE ORDINANCE THAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKING TO RENEW TODAY, UH, CREATES THESE ECONOMIC TOOLS MORE OF AS ECONOMIC KICKBACK AND TAX BREAK FOR CORPORATIONS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY NEED THEM.
IF THESE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS REALLY WORKED, WE WOULD NOT BE DEALING WITH BUDGET SHORTFALLS, RECORD LEVELS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
IF THESE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS WORK, WE'D BE SEEING, UH, TAX, UH, REVENUE THAT IS ADDITIONAL AND ABLE TO FUND FULLY, FULLY FUND PUBLIC WORKS, STREETS, ROADS, TRAFFIC, ET CETERA.
CURRENTLY, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU ALL HAVE DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR SUFFICIENT OVERSIGHT, DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR AUDITS TO BE HAPPENING ON A REGULAR BASIS AND DOES NOT OFFER A THOROUGH REVIEW PROCESS EVERY YEAR.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS SUPPOSED TO REPORT TO THE CAD, THE, UH, COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT ON EVERY SINGLE TAX ABATEMENT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAPPEN BEFORE WE RENEW OR REJECT OR AMEND THE ORDINANCE SO THAT YOU ALL HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION AS TO WHO IS NOT FOLLOWING THEIR TAX ABATEMENTS, HOW ARE THEY NOT FOLLOWING, AND WHAT COULD WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FULFILLING THEIR PROMISES? CURRENTLY, THE, THE CURRENT STANDARD FOR ORDINANCES IS ALMOST LIKE A, A PINKY PROMISE.
IT'S LIKE, YOU PROMISE YOU'RE GONNA BRING JOBS, RIGHT? PINKY PROMISE? NO, NO.
YOU PROMISE THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO, UH, DEVELOPMENT FOR THESE COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? PINKY PROMISE.
UM, AND THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE COULD BE DOING TO STRENGTHEN THESE, UH, POLICIES.
NUMBER ONE, WE NEED TO CLEAN UP THE LANGUAGE REGARDING JOBS.
WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT A LOT OF THE JOBS THAT ARE CITED ARE SHORT-TERM CONSTRUCTION JOBS.
AND NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH CONSTRUCTION, BUT IT'S HARD TO NAME TEMPORARY JOBS AS A LONG-TERM BENEFIT FOR COMMUNITY.
ANOTHER THING IS, IS INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT? UM, I, I'VE COME TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS BEFORE, AND THERE ARE THESE QUESTIONS OF HOW DO COMPANIES THAT ARE ALSO IN TSS AND GETTING TAX ABATEMENTS, HOW ARE THEY STILL PROVIDING THEIR FAIR SHARE FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES THAT THEY ALSO RELY ON? SO I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UH, THESE TAX ABATEMENTS ARE NOT COMING AT THE EXPENSE OF CRITICAL PUBLIC SERVICES, BUT ARE INSTEAD COMPLIMENTING AND UPLIFTING AND REASSURING THAT THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE CITY ARE FULLY FUNDED.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE ARE SEEING THAT I THINK REQUIRES STRICTER OVERSIGHT IS A CHALLENGING OF THE RUBBER STAMP PROCESS.
UH, LAST, LAST MEETING WITH MR. FLICKINGER, WE WERE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE NUANCED APPROACH THAT IS NEEDED FOR EACH, UH, TAX CODE.
BUT CURRENTLY WE HAVE A RUBBER STAMP PROCESS WHERE EVERYBODY WHO GETS TO APPLY GOES THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS.
THERE NEEDS TO BE STRICTER OVERSIGHT AS TO WHAT DOES A TURS PROCESS LOOK LIKE, AND HOW DOES THAT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE THREE TWELVES AND THE THREE EIGHTIES, AND NOW WE HAVE THE JETTY TAX.
UM, AND ALSO I ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO, UM, PUSH BACK ON THE IDEA THAT, UH, THE STATE GOVERNMENT GETS TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR HOUSTON.
CURRENTLY, THERE'S A, A TAX ABATEMENT FOR NRG, UH, THAT'S A ALREADY BREAKING THE ORDINANCE THAT THE CITY HAS ADOPTED, RIGHT? TO NOT BE GIVING
[02:20:01]
TAX ABATEMENTS FOR ENERGY, UH, PROJECTS.THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S THE STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FUND NOT US.
IF WE ARE GONNA BE FUNDING ENERGY PROJECTS, THEN SHOULDN'T THE, THE PEOPLE WHO FUND IT ALSO OWN IT AND REAP THE BENEFITS? UM, AND I ONLY SAY THAT TO, TO INDICATE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS TO BE HAD.
AND I ENCOURAGE COUNSEL TO, TO, UH, REALLY INVESTIGATE AND TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE CURRENTLY THERE IS NO OVERSIGHT AND WE'RE BASICALLY FACILITATING A, A ECONOMIC SYSTEM WHERE THE RICH GET RICHER AND THE POOR GET POORER.
UH, MAYOR PROTEAM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND, AND PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS TODAY.
I THINK THAT, UM, I'M GONNA PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID.
UM, BUT I DO LIKE THE IDEA THAT YOU LIKE MORE OVERSIGHT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE DEFINITELY TAKEN, UM, AN INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR POLICIES ARE STRENGTHENED.
UM, WHAT YOU'LL SEE TODAY IS WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE, UM, ARE LOOKING TO PUT FORTH, UM, MORE STRINGENT, UM, PARAMETERS AROUND WHAT WE SET FORTH AS OUR POLICIES FOR THE CITY.
SO I THINK EVIDENTLY THE WORK THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN DOING IS, IS WORKING, UH, BECAUSE I, MY COLLEAGUES ARE PUTTING FORTH SOME AMENDMENTS THAT, UM, WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT AS A, AS A BODY.
SO IT DOES MAKE SENSE FOR US TO, UM, CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
I I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE ON OUR BEST, AND IT TAKES THE PUSH AND PULL OF COMMUNITY AND OUR COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE THAT HOUSTON IS OFFERING THE BEST.
SO, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY, AND I THINK YOU'LL BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY SOME OF THE OFFERINGS THAT THE, UH, MY COLLEAGUES ARE LOOKING TO PUT FORTH AND WORK WITH OUR DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
BUT WE DO, WE DO HAVE OVERSIGHT, AND I WILL TELL YOU, THE VICE CHAIR OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE DIRECTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE REPORTINGS.
THE LAST, UH, TAX ABATEMENT THAT WE APPROVED, THE, THE JOBS OR $77,000 JOBS IN DISTRICT B.
UM, THOSE WE DO HAVE A CHECKS AND BALANCE SO THAT WHEN, UH, THE COMPANY, UM, RECEIVES THEIR TAX ABATEMENT, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A REVIEW.
AND IF THEY DID NOT DO WHAT THEY SAID, THEY DON'T GET THE MONEY.
SO THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE, UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO REVIEW THOSE WITH ANY CONSTITUENTS THAT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THOSE.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU, UM, BEING HERE TODAY AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE PUSHING AND PULLING TO MAKE HOUSTON BETTER.
AND YOU KNOW, I, I'M A LITTLE SKEPTICAL OF SOME OF THESE, UH, ABATEMENTS AS WELL.
UH, BUT I DID WANNA PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S NO OVERSIGHT, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HEARINGS AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM HAS BROUGHT TO US SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON CLAWBACKS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE 'CAUSE THEY DID NOT MEET THE JOBS TOTALS.
NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO DO SOME AMENDMENTS TO SEE ABOUT CHANGING OUR FOCUS FROM JOBS AS TO REVENUE THAT THE CITY GAINS OUT OF IT.
BUT, UH, EVEN WITH THAT, THERE'S, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY OVERSIGHT AND THERE THERE'S REPERCUSSIONS FOR NOT MEETING THE GOALS.
ANYONE ELSE PRESENT, LIKE TO TESTIFY? IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING? CASTEX TATUM, MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING.
MOTION MADE, AND SECOND TO CLOSE THE HEARING.
MAYOR, UH, LIKE TO MOVE TO CALL ITEM FIVE.
UH, COUNCIL SECRETARY MEMBER SALINA.
MR. MR. SECRETARY? MR. SECRETARY? YEAH.
ITEM FIVE IS AN ORDINANCE, JUST ME TO VOTE.
MAYOR, PRO TEM FOR THOSE WORDS.
UM, YES, AS YOU ALLUDED TO, UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF US THAT HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT ADDITIONAL MEASURES WE CAN TAKE.
I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT TAX ABATEMENTS CAN BE AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT FOR OVER A DECADE, UM, LABOR GROUPS AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN DEMANDING THAT THE CITY HOLD THESE COMPANIES THAT RECEIVE THESE ABATEMENTS TO ACCOUNT AND SET SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY MUST MEET IF THEY ARE GONNA BENEFIT FROM A LACK OF TAX PAYMENTS.
UM, BEFORE ALL OF YOU TODAY IS A FLOOR AMENDMENT THAT WE HAVE PUT FORWARD THAT HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE TEXAS A-F-L-C-I-O,
[02:25:01]
WHICH INCLUDES MORE THAN THEIR 60,000 MEMBERS AND 75 UNIONS.AND THESE ARE JUST COMMON SENSE MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT THE HOUSTON WORKFORCE IS GETTING AS MUCH AS THEY DESERVE OUT OF THESE TAX ABATEMENTS.
AND SO ONE IS ESTABLISHING A MINIMUM WAGE FLOOR TIED TO THE CITY'S OWN MUNICIPAL WAGE.
TWO, REQUIRING PREVAILING WAGES AND WORKER COMPENSATION FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.
THREE, REQUIRING HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES AND ELIGIBLE DEPENDENTS.
FOUR, REQUIRING AT LEAST 15% OF CONSTRUCTION LABOR HOURS ARE PERFORMED BY WORKERS IN REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. FIVE, PREVENTING PROJECTS FROM USING CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE SUBSTANTIATED WAGE THEFT OR OSHA SAFETY VIOLATION.
SIX, STRENGTHENING COMPLIANCE AND INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS.
AND SEVEN, ADDING CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE AS AN ELIGIBLE COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
NOW, NONE OF THIS IS RADICAL POLICYMAKING, AS YOU ALL CAN SEE IN THE TABLE THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED TO EACH OF YOU.
ALL OF THESE MEASURES HAVE BEEN PASSED BY A NUMBER OF TEXAS JURISDICTIONS, INCLUDING HARRIS COUNTY, AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND SAN ANTONIO.
AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, WHAT WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED IS A TABLE THAT SHOWS THE JOB CREATION THAT THOSE OTHER CITIES HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF SOME OF THESE REQUIREMENTS.
AND WHAT WE SEE IN THOSE NUMBERS IS NOT ONLY HAVE THEY BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE THE JOB CREATION THAT WE HAVE CREATED, THEY'VE ACTUALLY SURPASSED IT BY A SIGNIFICANT DEGREE WITH THESE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE.
AND SO, MAYOR, I KNOW YOU ARE A GOOD FRIEND OF LABOR.
YOU HAVE STOOD WITH THEM FOR DECADES.
PERHAPS NO ONE IS A BETTER FRIEND THAN YOU.
AND I HOPE, UH, THAT YOU WILL STAND WITH ME IN SUPPORT OF THIS AMENDMENT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROTECTING HOUSTON'S WORKFORCE JUST LIKE MANY OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE DONE BEFORE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, THANK YOU FOR THOSE AMENDMENTS.
I THINK THAT, UH, WE CAN ALL AGREE AGAIN, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THAT WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE ON OUR BEST.
I DO KNOW THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER AND COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ ALSO HAS SOME AMENDMENTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, PUT FORTH IN OUR ORDINANCE.
UM, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH DIRECTOR TILLSON.
SHE HAS REVIEWED THESE, UM, THIS MORNING, AND, UH, YESTERDAY SHE WAS OUT OF TOWN.
UM, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, OUR ATTORNEY HAS, UM, DEALT WITH DEATH IN HIS FAMILY AND HAD NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VET EVERYONE'S AMENDMENTS.
UM, SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST COLLEAGUES, UM, BASED ON, UH, WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY, WE'VE HAD OUR PUBLIC HEARING, IS THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, ACCEPTING THE ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT PRECLUDES US FROM COMING BACK WITH AN AMENDMENT.
UM, THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO TAX ABATEMENTS IN THE QUEUE.
THERE'S ONE TAX ABATEMENT IN THE QUEUE THAT'S ABOUT 45 DAYS OUT.
SO THERE'S A COMMITMENT THAT WE WILL COME BACK WITH EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER'S AMENDMENTS IN A FULL DOCUMENT.
WE CAN EITHER BRING THAT TO COUNCIL OR WE CAN BRING THAT TO COMMITTEE.
THE NEXT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING IS SEPTEMBER THE 16TH.
UH, AND THEN WE CAN BRING BACK AN AMENDMENT TO, UM, OUR ABATEMENT, ORDINANCE TO COUNCIL AND VOTE ON ONE WITH EVERYONE'S AMENDMENTS INCLUDED.
MAYOR PRO TEM AND, OH, I'M SORRY.
AND YES, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING, UH, THAT THIS WILL COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR A VOTE BEFORE THAT TAX ABATEMENT, UM, IS ENTERED INTO, I'M COMFORTABLE MOVING WITH THE MOVING THIS ITEM TWO COMMITTEE.
SO, SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THE DIRECTOR HAS ASKED US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REVIEWING, THE PASSING OF THE ABATEMENT ORDINANCE TODAY.
UH, WE WILL COME BACK WITH EVERY, SHE WILL WORK WITH EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT HAS AMENDMENTS.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED WITH DIRECTOR TILLSON WITH AMENDMENTS BEFORE.
SHE DEFINITELY, UM, DOES A GREAT JOB WITH THAT.
UH, WE CAN BRING THOSE A COMPREHENSIVE, UM, DOCUMENT BACK TO COMMITTEE ON THE 16TH, AND THEN WE CAN PUT THIS BACK ON THE AGENDA PRIOR TO VOTING ON THE NEXT TAX ABATEMENT.
YOU NEED A MOTION? WE NEED A MOTION.
AND I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, BEFORE WE REVIEWING.
UH, DO YOU WANNA BE RECOGNIZED? NO, UH, WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING, I'M COMFORTABLE MOVING THIS, UH, FOR A VOTE WITHIN 45 DAYS.
IS IT, IS IT A WITHDRAWAL OR A MOTION TO REFER TO CODE? SO DO YOU WANT TO WITHDRAW YOUR AMENDMENT OR DO YOU WANT TO REFER IT? UH, WITH
[02:30:01]
A MOTION TO COMMITTEE WITH I, I WOULD LIKE TO REFER IT TO COMMITTEE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING.WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITHIN 45 DAYS.
I THINK YOU'RE MAKING THE MOTION.
I'M MAKING THE, THE MOTION THAT WE GO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTE ON ITEM FIVE, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING AND THE COMMITMENT THAT WE WILL GO TO COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER THE 16TH, UH, WITH EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER WORKING WITH DIRECTOR TILLSON THROUGH THEIR AMENDMENTS.
YOU WANNA MOVE THAT THIS SALINAS AMENDMENT THOUGH, BE SENT TO ECONOMIC, CORRECT? YES.
AND YOU'RE SECONDING IT TIFFANY.
AND SECOND, TO SEND THE SALINAS COMMITTEE, UH, AMENDMENT TO THE ECONOMIC COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
SO THE MAIN ITEM FIVE IS BEFORE US, MR. SECRETARY, TO SEE THE VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ITEM FIVE, SAY YES.
[CONSENT AGENDA – NUMBERS 2 through 28]
AGENDA, PLEASE.UNDER THE ACCEPT WORK CATEGORY, ITEM TWO HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE, CASTEX T TO MOVE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION CASTEX T TO MOVE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
ITEM 14 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ARE 5, 7, 13, 15, 16, 17, AND 19.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 5, 7, 13, 15, 16, 17, AND 19.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
MOTION PASSES OR VOTE PASSES, ITEMS REMOVED
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.UH, DID YOU WANNA BE RIGHT? I WAS GONNA TAG THIS.
UH, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, WHAT A WIN-WIN THIS IS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
UM, THE LEGISLATURE HAS MADE IT A REQUIREMENT THAT THE, UH, COMMUNITY THAT IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR ANNEXATION HAS TO VOTE, WHICH, UH, MEANS THE WOODLANDS WOULD VOTE AGAINST ANY FUTURE ATTEMPT TO ANNEX, UH, THE WOODLANDS.
AND IN OH SEVEN, MAYOR WHITE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP THAT THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT HOUSTON WOULD NOT ANNEX THE WOODLANDS, AND THEY WOULD, UM, AGREED TO ONE 16TH OF THE SALES TAX FROM THE WOODLANDS WOULD BE USED FOR MUTUALLY AGREED TO PROJECTS.
UH, THROUGH THE YEARS, UM, THAT FUND HAS ACCUMULATED $22 MILLION, UH, SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT THAT'S JUST SITTING THERE THAT COULD BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS.
UH, THE WOODLANDS FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT IT.
THEY, MANY OF THEM WORK IN HOUSTON DAILY.
CERTAINLY COME TO OUR EVENTS, USE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR AIRPORTS MED CENTER, AND REALLY IT IS ONE OF THE METRO'S LARGEST RIDERSHIP IS, UH, SERVICE IN THE WOODLANDS AREA.
SO, UH, BRAD BAILEY'S WITH US TODAY, CHAIR OF THE WOODLAND TOWNSHIP, UH, AND OUR, UH, COLLABORATION FOR WHAT SERVES THE BEST INTEREST OF THE WOODLANDS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THIS PROPOSAL IS, UH, ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
I CERTAINLY RESPECT COUNCILMAN POLLARD'S, UH, RIGHT TO, UH, TAG, UH, BRAD, I WANT TO, I I'LL BE GLAD TO RECOGNIZE YOU.
I I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL BE BACK, UH, WHEN WE TAKE THIS UP IN A WEEK, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE PARTNERS.
[02:35:01]
UM, I CAN REMEMBER AS A YOUNG STATE REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE MITCHELL, THE FOUNDER OF THE WOODLANDS, INVITING THE HOUSTON LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO THE WOODLANDS IN 1974, AND SHOWED US HIS VISION.AND HE ACTUALLY PLANNED ON IT SOMEDAY.
BEING A PART OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, HE WAS INTERESTED IN A U OF H CAMPUS IN THE WOODLANDS, IS WHY HE HAD A GROUP OF YOUNG LEGISLATORS TO VISIT.
WHAT WAS PROPOSED AS THE WOODLANDS.
UH, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
OUR ISSUES, OUR FLOODING, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DOES NOT STOP AT OUR CITY LIMITS, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THE STRONG FEELINGS OF THE WOODLAND VILLAGE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR ARRIVING AT THIS AGREEMENT, UH, THAT WILL BENEFIT THE UNI, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THE WOODLANDS.
AND, UM, I'LL BE GLAD TO YIELD TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO, UM, GIVE US A PERSPECTIVE OF, OF YOUR VILLAGE.
MAYOR, PRETEND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR, FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGE, THE LEGISLATION CHANGE, UM, UH, THE EJS AND, UM, AND, AND ANNEXATION HAS CHANGED, UH, WHEN THIS ORIGINAL, UH, DOCUMENT WAS SET FORWARD.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF JOINT INTEREST, INCLUDING TWO ISSUES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
UM, EDUCATION, HOMELESSNESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WE'RE COMPETING EVERY DAY.
I LIKE FOR, FOR, FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVE IN THE WOODLANDS, BUT A LOT OF 'EM WORK HERE.
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF 'EM TAKE IN, UH, THE WOODLANDS EXPRESS INTO DOWNTOWN EVERY DAY TO WORK, OR THE ENERGY CORRIDOR OR THE, UM, MEDICAL CENTER AND, AND, AND ALL THE LIKE.
BUT, UM, THIS AGREEMENT WE HAVE IS A WIN-WIN.
IT, UH, IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR THE WOODLANDS.
UH, IT MEETS SOME SHORT TERM OBLIGATIONS FOR YOU GUYS IN, IN, IN THE SHORT TERM FOR FINANCIAL, UH, STAKES, BUT IT ALSO HELPS THE WOODLANDS IN THE LONG RUN.
UM, THE $22.6 MILLION THAT WE HAVE IN THAT ACCOUNT RIGHT NOW, UM, IS SOMETHING FOR JOINT MUTUAL PROJECTS.
THE LAST PROJECT WAS DONE IN 2018.
UH, THE REASON IS THERE HAS TO BE A MATCH DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR TAKEN OUT OF THAT ACCOUNT BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THE, FOR THE PROJECTS THAT THEY WANT TO, TO IDENTIFY.
SO, UM, IT'S KIND OF MET ITS MATCH.
WE'D LOOK AT HOW WE COULD MAYBE MOVE FORWARD AND, AND MOVE THAT, UH, THAT FUND INTO ALL THE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THEN PUT ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN BEHIND IT FOR A TOTAL OF $50 MILLION.
UH, AND THAT WOULD GIVE, UH, THAT WOULD GIVE THE CITY SOME SHORT TERM RELIEF ON, ON THEIR OBLIGATIONS.
BUT TO GIVE THE WOODLANDS THE ABILITY TO FINALLY PUT TO BED THE ANNEXATION THING THAT IS STATE LAW.
UH, BUT IT, THERE'S A LOT OF, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, IN IN POLITICS, THERE'S A LOT OF BOOGEYMAN OUT THERE CLAIMING THAT THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN AND THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT ALSO, UM, BEING ABLE TO HAVE OUR SALES TAXES STAY IN, STAY IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE GENERATE.
UH, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE, WE'RE PARTNERS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE, WE WE'RE GOING AGAINST DALLAS EVERY DAY NOW.
UH, WE, DALLAS IS DOING A GOOD JOB AT RECRUITING.
HOW, HOW CAN WE UP OUR GAME? AND, AND, AND WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH HOUSTON AND THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE IF WE ALL WIN TOGETHER BY WORKING TOGETHER, AND I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING, UM, THE MAYOR'S BEEN GREAT TO DEAL WITH.
UM, I THINK, UM, WE COULD LEARN A LOT FROM THIS AGREEMENT THAT THE MAYOR AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SIX, EIGHT MONTHS.
YOU GOT A DEMOCRAT AND YOU GOT A REPUBLICAN WORKING HAND IN HAND, PUTTING DOWN AXES, PUTTING DOWN GRINDS, AND WE'RE IN POLITICAL SEASON.
AND DOING SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD FOR BOTH OF THEIR COMMUNITIES, WE NEED A LOT MORE OF THAT.
SO I HOPE YOU'D RECONSIDER I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK.
UH, I UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS, BUT I SURE APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME AND, AND, AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR, FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, UH, CONTACT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU, SIR FOR COMING.
AND, UH, I SERVE ON THE TPC TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNCIL WITH SHELLY ULA GIBBS.
I DO THINK MAYOR, UM, WITH THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ARISEN AND, AND THE ADMINISTRATION'S BEEN GREAT ANSWERING, UM, THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE HAD ON THIS.
BUT, BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS I THINK SHOULD COME TO, TO THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IN THE FUTURE.
AN AGREEMENT LIKE THIS, I THINK IT, IT DESERVES A LOT OF SCRUTINY, BUT I MEAN, I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
I DO THINK IT'S, IT'S A WIN-WIN.
AND, UM, APPRECIATE YOUR COMING AND, AND REALLY GOT SOME MORE DETAILS FROM DR.
UM, ULA GIBBS, UM, FROM THE WOODLANDS PERSPECTIVE.
SO APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.
OKAY, ITEMS TAG BY COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
ITEM SEVEN, TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD.
UH, GO FORWARD, MR. SECRETARY.
UH, JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
UH, I WANT TO THANK, UH, YOUR ADMINISTRATION
[02:40:01]
AND, AND DIRECTOR AS WELL FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS.UH, YOU KNOW, WE WORKING WITH THEIR TEAM RIGHT NOW TO ADD ADDITIONAL AIR QUALITY MON UH, MONITORS WITHIN THE EAST END, SPECIFICALLY AFTER WE HAD THE RECYCLE RECYCLING FIRE ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF OR SO AGO, MARE.
UH, SO I JUST WANT TO, LIKE I SAID, JUST, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AWARE THAT, THAT THESE, THESE, UH, GRANTS, THESE GRANT DOLLARS ARE IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A, A SAFER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS, SPECIFICALLY IN THE EAST END, UH, AND IN THE MAGNOLIA PARK AREA.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND, AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONTINUE.
UH, THIS ONE I WANT TO LIFT UP.
UH, I WANNA THANK THE HARRISBURG TOUR FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP.
UM, BACK IN, UH, I WANNA SAY PROBABLY ABOUT 20, 21, 22, WE EXPANDED THE HARRISBURG TOUR TO INCLUDE MASON PARK.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE ARE GONNA BE, UH, CONTRIBUTING SOME OF THE DOLLARS FROM THEIR, THEIR BOND, UH, THAT THEY, THAT THEY HAD TAKEN OUT AROUND THAT TIME FOR MASON PARK.
UH, AS MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A TOP PRIORITY.
THE MASTER PLAN WAS DONE IN 2017, AND WE'VE KIND OF BEEN SITTING THERE WITH NO FUNDING.
UH, BUT SINCE TAKING OFFICE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO NOT ONLY MATCH WHAT THE TUR IS DOING, BUT BRING STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS ALONG WITH, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON CIP DOLLARS.
SO, UH, LOOK, LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS AT MASON PARK.
MAYOR, ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THET 23 HARRISBURG TUR FOR THIS.
THERE ARE, THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING IMPROVEMENTS TO EASTWOOD PARK AS WELL AS PART OF THIS INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT.
AND THIS COMES AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY'LL BE, UH, IN MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HARRISBURG HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, UH, WITH A TECH STOP FUNDING.
SO THEY'RE CONTINUING TO INVEST IN OUR PARKS AND GREEN SPACE IN THE EAST END AND SECOND WARD.
AND THEY'RE GREAT PARTNERS TO WORK WITH.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO NAY.
UM, I'M GONNA HAVE ONE MORE AFTER THIS, COLLEAGUES.
IT'S, IT'S A REALLY GOOD AGENDA FOR DISTRICT.
WELL, THIS ONE, IT, IT, IT SPEAKS TO THE EAST END TRIANGLE.
UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS COINED ACTUALLY BY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, UH, WHEN WE WERE STAFFERS, UH, UH, PROBABLY ABOUT A GOOD EIGHT YEARS AGO.
UH, THE EAST END IS SURROUNDED BY, YOU KNOW, THREE, THREE TRAIN TRACKS.
AND, UH, THIS PARTICULAR, UH, UH, CHALLENGE HAS, HAS BEEN INCREASING BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN A INCREASE OF RAIL CARS IN THE EAST END, UH, MOVING INTO THE PORT OF HOUSTON.
AND, UM, AND SO FOR THIS ONE, I, UH, THIS IS AN I A AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH, UH, HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER GARCIA FOR HIS PARTNERSHIP, BUT WE ARE GOING HALF AND HALF ON THIS FUNDING.
AND SO THIS IS, UH, THIS IS, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE TAKE OWNERSHIP IN, IN ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE WITH BLOCK CROSSINGS, UH, ULTIMATELY, AND SO THIS, THIS, UH, THIS, THIS RAIL, UH, OR THIS TRIANGLE, UM, UM, STUDY, IT'S GONNA ULTIMATELY, UH, BRING, UH, SOLUTIONS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS BLOCK CROSSING.
SO, THANK YOU, UH, COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
JUST YOU VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES.
UM, SO THIS IS A MAGNOLIA PARK WATERLINE REHAB.
UM, FOR MANY OF THOSE THAT, UH, THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MAGNOLIA PARK AREA, ONE OF THE OLDEST NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, WE'VE BEEN SEEING A LOT OF GOOD IMPROVEMENTS WITH, UH, MILL OVERLAYS AND BASE FAILURES, UH, OR FIXING BASE FAILURES OUT IN THAT AREA.
SO STREET IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN HAPPENING, UH, BUT ULTIMATELY THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERNEATH THE UNDERGROUND HAS BEEN NEEDING SOME, UH, ATTENTION.
AND SO THIS WATER WATERLINE REHABILITATION, WHICH IS CENTRAL PARK MAGNOLIA, SO IT'S NORTH OF HARRISBURG, UH, EAST OF TERMINAL AND WEST OF 75TH, WE'LL, WE'LL BEGIN, UH, DESIGN.
UH, THIS IS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS PROJECT COME, UH, SHOVEL IN THE GROUND IN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO.
UH, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS MAGNOLIA PARK KNOW THAT WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND APPRECIATE THE MAYOR AND, UH, COLLEAGUE SUPPORT VOTE.
AND, UM, OF COURSE, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF EVERY DOLLAR GOING TO, TO STREET AND DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE, SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS.
BUT THIS COLLEAGUES WAS, IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES THAT RECENT COURT RULING ON MWBE, UM, STARING YOU RIGHT IN THE FACE BECAUSE THIS WAS ADVERTISED BEFORE THAT.
[02:45:01]
NOW WHEN, AND IT'S NOT THE ONLY CONTRACT LIKE THIS THAT WAS ADVERTISED BEFORE, THAT RULING, WHICH WE'RE ENJOINED IN.SO NOW, UM, THESE, THESE CONTRACTORS HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER THEIR TEAMS AT GREAT EXPENSE, FIND THEIR, FIND THEIR MWBE PARTICIPATION, AND THEN IT COMES HERE AND THEY'RE LIKE, NO, NO, NO.
CAN'T THAT, THAT DOESN'T MEET IT ANYMORE.
ALL YOUR MWBE NOW JUST BE, MUST BE WS SO YOU BETTER HOPE YOUR M'S WERE WS OR YOU GOTTA GO, YOU HAVE TO GO SCRAMBLING.
UM, I, I DID TALK TO DIRECTOR HORDE.
THERE IS, UM, THERE, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, ACCEPTING GOOD FAITH EFFORTS OF TRYING TO, BUT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THIS IS A, THIS IS, UM, AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.
AND, BUT THIS IS, UH, GOING TO BE AN EXPENSE AND TIME ON PEOPLE THAT PUT A LOT OF WORK AND, YOU KNOW, PUT, PEOPLE PUT THESE PACKAGES TOGETHER SOMETIMES YEARS BEFORE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, LIKE, THE PRICES ARE ALREADY HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY PUT IT IN FOR.
SO NOW YOU'RE GOING TO AN ADDED EXPENSE WITH POTENTIALLY A DIFFERENT TEAM AND LONGER TIME PERIOD.
SO, UM, I'M JUST HIGHLIGHTING THIS 'CAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S THE FIRST ONE THAT WE'LL SEE, LIKE THAT IT'S NOT ANYTHING ON OUR END, BUT IT IS, UM, A DIRECT, UH, RESULT OF WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENED VERY WELL.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES AS OPPOSED TO NAY ITEM PASSES.
[MATTERS HELD – NUMBERS 29 through 31]
29 NEEDS A MOTION.UH, THIS IS AN ITEM I TAGGED LAST WEEK.
THIS IS THE FOURTH WARD TURS, UM, BUDGET.
AND, UH, I TAGGED IT TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE FOURTH WARD TURS WAS DOING ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE ENGAGEMENT SINCE THAT, UH, TAG.
LAST WEEK, I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FOURTH WARD TURS, VANESSA SAMPSON, AND SPEAK WITH, UM, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, UH, DIRECTOR TILSON, WHO IS HERE.
AND, UM, WHAT BECAME APPARENT TO ME IS THAT ALTHOUGH THE TURS, UH, OWNS SEVERAL PROPERTIES THAT IT INTENDS TO DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON AND, UH, PLANS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO SPEND AN ADDITIONAL 8.3 MILLION IN ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT DIDN'T SEEM TO ME THAT THEY HAD, UM, A REAL COHERENT, DETAILED PLAN ON HOW TO GO ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW ARTUR OPERATE.
WHEN AURS DOES AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, LIKE A ROTARY RECONSTRUCTION OR DRAINAGE, THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE TO GET APPROVAL, AND IT HAS TO BE DONE IN A CERTAIN WAY, AND IT HAS, HAS TO ENSURE THAT IT MEETS THE, THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
BUT WITH, WITH, WHEN AURS DOES AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THAT SAME REQUIREMENT IS NOT PRESENT.
AND, UM, IN TALKS WITH OUR HOUSING DIRECTOR NICHOLS, UH, I ALSO LEARNED THAT THIS PARTICULAR TOURS DOES NOT REALLY WORK WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT OR HAS NOT IN THE PAST ON ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLANS.
SO I'M OFFERING AN AMENDMENT WHICH EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER SHOULD HAVE THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE AUTHORITY WHEN IT DOES AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO WORK WITH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT WHAT THE TS DOES IS ALIGNED WITH OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S GOALS AND VISION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND, AND TO ENSURE THAT WHAT THEY DO SERVES THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
IT GOES FURTHER AND, UH, PROPOSES THAT, UH, WITH ANYTHING THEY DO BEFORE ACQUIRING NEW PROPERTIES OR DEVELOPING EXISTING PROPERTIES, THAT THEY GET THE ENDORSEMENT OF OUR HOUSING, UH, DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR NICHOLS.
AND IN THAT WAY WE CAN ENSURE THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UM, ALIGNS WITH WHAT OUR DEPARTMENT WOULD, WOULD, WOULD PREFER, AND THAT WHAT THEY DO SERVES THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
SO I OFFER THIS AMENDMENT FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COUNCIL.
UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, IF WE AMEND THEIR BUDGET, THEN THEIR BOARD WILL HAVE TO APPROVE THE AMENDED VERSION.
SO IF THAT'S YOUR DESIRE YES, RUN UP YOUR AMENDMENT.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION TO COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, YOUR AMENDMENT IS FOR US OR FOR THE TURS? IT IS FOR THE ITEM.
AND IF IT, IF IT CALLS FOR, UH, THE TURS TO DO SOMETHING, THEN I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO FOLLOW THROUGH TO, TO MAKE IT, MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S ON THE, UH, THE ITEM, SO IT GOES TO THEM THEN
[02:50:01]
US.SO IF, IF, IF WE AMEND IT FIRST, THEN WE'VE GOTTA SEND IT TO THE TS BOARD SO THEY CAN APPROVE TOO, I THINK.
UM, AND I KNOW DIRECTOR TILLERSON IS HERE, AND I WOULD ASK HER FOR CLARIFICATION.
UM, THE INTENT, UH, IS FOR EVERYT S THAT IS DOING ANYTHING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEY SHOULD BE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WOULD THIS JUST KIND OF CODIFY WHAT THEY SHOULD DO? I I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY DID OR THEY DIDN'T, BUT WOULD THIS CODIFY US WORKING WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO SEND THIS AMENDMENT TO THE TURS BOARD? RIGHT.
SO THE QUESTION IS EXACTLY HOW THE AMENDMENT WOULD IMPACT THE TURS BUDGET ITSELF, BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT THE COUNCIL IS VOTING ON IS THE BUDGET AND THE FIVE YEAR CIP.
UM, SO WE COULD ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, THE BUDGET BE APPROVED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WOULD WORK IN COOPERATION WITH, UH, THE, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, BUT IT WOULDN'T REQUIRE AN ACTION BY THE BOARD BECAUSE THERE'S NOT AN ACTION FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION.
IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD COMMIT TO DOING.
AND THEN YOU COULD HAVE IT ON THE RECORD.
SO, SO IN THE SAME WAY THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROCESS, IT'S AN INFORMAL PROCESS, BUT IT'S A PART OF OUR POLICY SO THAT WE GET A LETTER FROM THE, THE, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS BASICALLY SAYING THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
THAT IT'S, IT'S A COOPERATIVE AND COORDINATED EFFORT.
UH, AND WE USE THAT AS PART OF OUR PACKAGE, BUT IT DOESN'T COME TO COUNCIL, IT'S JUST A BACKUP DOCUMENT.
SO WE COULD DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.
SO DO WE NEED THE MOTION TO AMEND ITEM 31? YEAH, I DON'T THINK IT'S AN A MOTION, A MOTION TO AMEND THE BUDGET BECAUSE THE, THIS IS NOT PART OF THE BUDGET.
UM, THE QUESTION IS, COULD WE JUST DO SOMETHING AND HAVE IT ON THE RECORD THAT WE WOULD HAVE PROPER DOCUMENTATION CONFIRMING ENDORSEMENT BY THE HOUSING DIRECTOR? AND THAT'S, THAT'S A QUESTION, QUESTION FOR, UH, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
SO THIS AMENDMENT, IF ADOPTED WOULD AMEND THE BUDGET.
SO WE WOULD, UH, UH, HAVE TO AMEND THIS BUDGET EVERY YEAR WITH THIS AMENDMENT FOR THAT TO CONTINUE TO BE IN EFFECT.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT WOULD APPLY TO ONLY THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, WHICH APPLIES TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET GOING FORWARD.
AND, UM, IF WE WANTED TO MAKE IT APPLICABLE TO ALL THE TOURS AS WE'D HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATE ITEM, BUT THIS JUST WOULD AMEND ITEM 31.
SO FOURTH WARD TURS, JUST FOR THIS BUDGET.
AND, UH, FOR INFORMATION, UM, IN MY CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTOR NICHOLS LAST WEEK, HE INDICATED THAT THERE ARE ONLY THREE TURS THAT DON'T REALLY WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
THIS, THIS BEING ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE MIDTOWN TOURS NOW WORKS HAND IN HAND WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UM, ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ALL THE LOTS THAT THEY, THEY HAVE.
UH, AND SO, UH, UH, I THINK THE SAME SHOULD BE REQUIRED OF, OF THE FOURTH WARD TOURS TO WORK WITH OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT, BUT THIS WOULD JUST APPLY TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO TO MAKE IT PERMANENT, I THINK WOULD REQUIRE ANOTHER ITEM.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, YOU ARE CORRECT IN THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN A MORE PROACTIVE, UH, ROLE IN, UM, IDENTIFYING THE PRIORITIES FOR THE MIDTOWN TOURS, BUT THAT WAS NOT A BUDGET, IT DID NOT IMPACT THE BUDGET.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE INTERNALLY AS PART OF A POLICY.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT BECOMES A POLICY, THEN THE CIP AND WHAT'S BEING APPROVED TODAY IS REALLY THE SPENDING AUTHORITY, UM, VERSUS SORT OF A POLICY AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
SO HOWEVER, IT IS NECESSARY FOR US TO ACHIEVE WHAT YOU AND I AGREE THAT WE THINK IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT IT IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET SPECIFICALLY.
HOW ARE YOU, HOW ARE WE THE CONCERNS OF COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ? HOW ARE WE GONNA SEE THAT IT DOES BECOME THEIR INTERNAL POLICY? WE CAN WORK IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE WORKED WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WITH THE MIDTOWN TOURS.
WE COULD DO THE SAME THING AGAIN, MAKING A COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT AS PART OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET, WE GET AN ENDORSEMENT OR SOMETHING FROM THE HOUSING DIRECTOR SAYING THAT THEY HAVE NO OBJECTIONS OR THAT THEY SUPPORT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLANNED SPENDING FOR THAT CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
AND WHEN WOULD YOU SUBMIT THAT? WHEN WOULD THAT POLICY BE CONSIDERED? UM, WE WOULD DO THAT MORE IMMEDIATELY.
I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING IS JUST A MATTER OF JUST FORMALIZING IT.
[02:55:01]
COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ, YOU SAID THAT THERE WERE AREAS BY WHICH DIRECTOR NICHOLS, UH, HAD A PROBLEM WITH WITH THIS PARTICULAR TURS.WHAT, WHAT, I'M JUST KIND OF CONFUSED AS TO WHAT ARE THOSE ITEMS? IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT HE FELT THAT WASN'T WORKING, WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY? I, IF I MAY, UH, DIRECTOR NICHOLS DIDN'T EXPRESS CONCERN.
I, I RAISED A QUESTION WITH HIM.
DO THE T WORK WITH YOU GUYS WHEN THEY DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING? AND HE INDICATED THAT THEY ALL DO EXCEPT FOR THREE, THIS BEING ONE.
AND, UH, I THINK OUR TS IS WHEN THEY DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SHOULD WORK WITH OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
AND IF I COULD TOUCH ON THE, THE EARLIER QUESTION, UH, UH, UH, I GET THE POINT THAT WE'RE APPROVING THE BUDGET, HOWEVER, I VIEW ITEM 31 AND, AND, AND MAYBE OUR CITY ATTORNEY CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I VIEW ITEM 31 AS, AS, AS AN ORDINANCE AN ITEM, PART OF WHICH IS THE BUDGET.
AND WE CAN ATTACH A CONDITION, UH, TO, TO THAT ITEM, WHICH INCLUDES THE BUDGET, WHICH IS WHAT, WHAT, UH, I'M, I'M ENVISIONING HERE, BUT YOU CAN DO IT AND WE'LL LET ARTURO ANSWER, BUT IT'S JUST GONNA REQUIRE THEM TO GO BACK AND APPROVE THE AMENDED BUDGET BECAUSE THEY APPROVE WHAT'S FINE, WHAT INTENT? THE BUDGET IS JUST A, A SPENDING.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND THE TS AND WORKING MORE COLLABORATIVELY.
THAT IS NOT ANYTHING THAT IS REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET OR THE BUDGET LANGUAGE IS ALL I'M SAYING.
SO I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THE BOARD WOULD TAKE ACTION ON THE BUDGET ITSELF.
THE BUDGET ITSELF WON'T CHANGE NOR THE FIVE YEAR CIP SPENDING WON'T CHANGE.
IT WILL JUST MAKE A REQUIREMENT THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WOULD NEED TO APPROVE OR ENDORSE ANY PLAN SPENDING, BUT THE BUDGET ITSELF WOULD NOT CHANGE.
AND ALSO JUST TO, JUST TO CLARIFY IN TERMS OF THE T AND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THERE ARE ONLY A FEW T THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A SEPARATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM, MIDTOWN BEING ONE OF THEM.
AND THE FOURTH WARD RETAINS A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ONE THIRD SET ASIDE, THAT'S REQUIRED.
SO I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT IN SOME CASES, THE T THAT ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEY, UH, REMIT THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOLLARS TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS AND PLANS FOR THAT SPENDING.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO THAT ACTUALLY HAS SMALL, A SEPARATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM.
UM, FOURTH WARD BEING ONE OF THEM, MIDTOWN BEING THE OTHER.
AND IF I MAY, UH, COUNCIL MAYORS, YOU DEFERRED FROM THE QUESTION I ASKED.
YOU INDICATED THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DIRECTOR DID NOT ASK AFFORDABLE, DID NOT ASK, HAVE ANY CONCERNS.
YOUR WAS YOU HAD THE CONCERNS, CONCERN WITH HOW THE TERRORIST WAS APPROVING.
AND I WAS ASKING WHAT ARE THOSE PARTICULAR THINGS? IF HE DIDN'T ASK TO INITIATE IT, THEN? YEAH, A AS I SAID, UM, MY, WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM VISITING WITH, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAMPSON IS THAT, UM, THEY HAVE LOTS, THEY PLAN TO ACQUIRE MORE LOTS AND DEVELOP THEM, BUT THEY DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A, IN MY VIEW, A COHERENT PLAN.
AND, UM, USING HOW WE DO NORMAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN T AS AS A MODEL, THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR HOUSING, OR I'M SORRY, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AND SO I THINK THE SAME SHOULD BE TRUE WHEN THEY DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
THEY SHOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT SO THAT EVERYTHING ALIGNS AND SERVES THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
SO YOU WAS BASING THEM ON OTHERS AND WHAT THEY DO, OR JUST PARTICULARLY THIS ONE? I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN YOU WERE SAYING IF YOU ARE COMPARING THEM TO OTHERS, I THINK THERE WAS ONLY THREE YOU IN THE CASE YOU FOUND IS THE OTHER ONE WHERE THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS A MORE DIRECT ROLE IN PRIORITIZING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU SAID THEY HAVE, THEY, THAT THAT'S, UM, EARLIER LAST YEAR, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT STARTED TO ESTABLISH A MORE DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MIDTOWN TOURISM.
NOW THEY ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE TOURS, BUT THEY HAVE TO APPROVE ANY ACTION THAT'S TAKEN BY MIDTOWN.
AS IT RELATES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THAT'S NOT A BUDGET AMENDMENT, THAT WAS A INTERNAL POLICY.
IT WAS AN INTERNAL INITIATIVE THAT WE DETERMINED WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
AND SO YOUR AMENDMENT IS TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH THIS ONE.
AND, AND JUST FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES, I THINK DIRECTOR NICHOLS OF AND, AND HE'S HERE, AND SO IF I MISSTATE ANYTHING, JUST, YOU KNOW, LET ME KNOW.
[03:00:01]
THAT THREE DON'T WORK, UH, CLOSELY WITH THEM.ONE OF THE OTHERS WAS GULF GATE AND I FORGET WHAT THE, WHAT THE, UH, OTHER ONE WAS, BUT YEAH.
GULF GATE DOESN'T HAVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM.
SO THE OTHER, ANY OTHER THAN, UM, THIS TOUR AND MIDTOWN, ALL OF THE OTHER TOUR IS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO SET ASIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOLLARS REMIT THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDS TO FUND 24 0 9, WHICH IS MANAGED BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT, AND THAT'S SEPARATE.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT CONSIDERING THAT, BUT, BUT, BUT I, I AGREE WITH YOU AND UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT SOME OF THET IS KEEP MONEY AND DO AFFORD WELL, JUST THESE TWO.
AND SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT THIS AMENDMENT YES.
UM, I, I MEAN IN, IN, UM, I AGREE WITH THE INTENTION TO ALIGN.
UM, I WOULD OFFER, UM, IF IT'S NOT AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET, IS IT A RESOLUTION WE OFFER? SO WITH MIDTOWN, UH, THE DEPARTMENT, ONCE THE CONTRACT WAS UH, CANCELED, I THINK THAT DID COME TO COUNCIL, I BELIEVE THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO COME TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ROUTINELY ON THEIR COORDINATED EFFORTS.
I THINK THEY'RE COMING IN OCTOBER, UM, THE DEPARTMENT TO TALK ABOUT THEIR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS.
AND SO IF IT'S NOT AN ORDINANCE TO THE BUDGET, 'CAUSE THAT'S THE FUNDING TOOL.
AND IF YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE A FORMAL RELATIONSHIP WHERE THEY HAVE TO ALIGN MORE THAN HAPPY TO, TO, TO SUPPORT THAT.
BUT WITH MIDTOWN, THERE'S BEEN COLLABORATION.
WE'VE TAKEN THAT PORTION INTERNALLY TO MANAGE THOSE LOTS.
THEY'VE CREATED A DASHBOARD, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL GONNA OPERATE THEIR OWN.
MIDTOWN IS WITHIN THE CITY'S PURVIEW AT THIS POINT.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD, COULD WE CONSIDER AMENDING THE ORDINANCE AND NOT THEIR BUDGET? YEAH, I THINK I, I THINK I KNOW YOUR INTENT AND I THINK THERE'S RIGHT LARGE CONSENSUS THAT THEY NEED SOME DIRECTION, WHICH YOU'VE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, IF ARTURO BELIEVES THAT WOULD BE A PROPER LEGAL, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER PATH BECAUSE AGREE AFFECTING THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS NOT PART OF A BUDGET.
A NEW SECTION TO THE ORDINANCE.
ANOTHER SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND YOU COULD DO IT VERBALLY, SO, UH, WITH A MOTION MM-HMM
AND THAT WOULD GET YOU PROBABLY WHERE I BELIEVE THAT GETS YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE.
AND, AND WE ALL ARE GOING TO SUPPORT YOU.
SO I THINK THEY GET A PRETTY LOUD MESSAGE AND CERTAINLY GWEN'S IN CONTACT WITH 'EM.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL SEE THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.
SO, SO YOU'RE PROPOSING AN ORAL AMENDMENT AT THIS TIME TO, UH, AMEND THE ORDINANCES AND ORDINANCE YES, SIR.
SO I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT THEN.
MY, MY VIEW HAD BEEN THAT ITEM 31 IS ITSELF AN ORDINANCE.
I GET, I GET THAT A BUDGET IS A SET OF NUMBERS, RIGHT? SURE.
AND THIS DOESN'T CHANGE ANY OF THE NUMBERS, BUT, UH, I GUESS PUTS A CONDITION OR A GUIDELINE.
WELL JUST READ YOUR LANGUAGE IN AS A, AS A NEW SECTION.
SO I'LL I'LL OFFER THIS THEN THE LANGUAGE AS AN, AS AN ORAL AMENDMENT, UH, TO THE ORDINANCES BE ADDED AS A SECTION.
ANY QUESTIONS? GOOD? NO, YOUR HONOR.
MEMBERS, Y'ALL HAVE HEARD THE, UH, THE MOTION.
AND SECOND, YOU WANNA BE HEARD BEFORE WE VOTE? COUNCIL MEMBER PECK.
I JUST HAVE A PROCEDURAL QUESTION.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AMEND TODAY? SINCE THE TS ORDINANCE ISN'T ACTUALLY ON THE AGENDA? I KNOW IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE TRIED TO AMEND OTHER ORDINANCES THAT WEREN'T ON THE AGENDA, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO BECAUSE IT WAS A VIOLATION OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
NO, I THINK WE CAN DO IT BECAUSE IT'S OUR ORDINANCE.
THE JUROR MAY HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER ACTION TO SUPPORT IT.
ALL IN FAVOR OF COUNCILOR RAMIREZ'S LANGUAGE AS A SECTION TO THE ORDINANCE.
MOTION PASSES AND THEN THE MAIN ITEM AS A, OKAY.
[MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
POLLARD FOR PAPA.I JUST WANT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THIS SATURDAY, UM, I WILL BE JOINING MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, UH, FOR A FREE DIAPER DISTRIBUTION.
[03:05:01]
IT WILL BE NOT ONLY FOR CHILDREN, BUT WE WILL HAVE ADULT DEPENDS FOR SENIORS AS WELL.UH, THAT WILL BE AT 10:00 AM THIS SATURDAY AT THE SUNNYSIDE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AT 4 4 1 0 REED ROAD.
IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE IN NEED OF, UH, CHILDREN'S DIAPERS OR ADULT DEPENDS, UH, PLEASE HAVE THEM COME BY THE DISTRIBUTION.
UH, COUNCILOR ALCORN, COLLEAGUES, AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, WE DO HAVE A BFA MEETING BEFORE THIS ITEM COMES BACK.
SO, UH, WE WILL BE BRINGING THE WOODLANDS ITEM TO COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER 1ST AT 10:00 AM UH, I JUST WANNA REMIND FOLKS, THERE'S STILL A FEW DAYS LEFT TO APPLY.
AUGUST 31ST IS A DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR OUR FREE AC GIVEAWAY PROGRAM.
AND ALSO TODAY IS WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY.
IT IS A DAY THAT WOMEN GOT THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE IF YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE, TO GO OUT AND REGISTER SOMEBODY.
COUNCILOR SALINAS JUST TOLD ME IT WAS YOUR BIRTHDAY.
DO YOU? HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU BIRTHDAY.
YOU CAN TELL THERE WASN'T MUCH COLLABORATION ON THAT
IT'S EASY TO SAY YOUR AGE WHEN YOU'RE THAT AGE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, SEVERAL UPCOMING EVENTS IN AND AND AROUND DISTRICT D.
TODAY WE WILL CELEBRATE WITH CONSTABLE JAMES SMOKEY PHILLIPS, HIS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, WHICH WILL BE TODAY HOSTED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT SEVEN, UH, AT NOON TODAY, 53 30 GRIGGS ROAD.
AND CERTAINLY WE WILL CELEBRATE HIM IN, RECOGNIZE HIS LEADERSHIP.
HE'S BEEN A WONDERFUL PARTNER, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE AND CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT D COMMUNITY.
WE ARE CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR, UH, CONSTABLE PHILLIPS, HIS TEAM, AND THE WORK OF PRECINCT SEVEN TO SUPPORT SAFETY SERVICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACROSS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE PASTOR KENNETH ROSE ON HIS 37TH APPRECIATION BANQUET, WHICH WILL BE ON FRIDAY EVENING.
IT'S HOSTED BY MOUNT VERNON BAPTIST CHURCH, THE HOUSE OF HOPE AND HEALING, AND IT WILL BE FRIDAY EVENING AT 7:00 PM AT THE COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 1 2 4 0 1 SOUTH POST OAK ROAD.
AND CERTAINLY THE CELEBRATION HONORING PASTOR KENNETH K. ROSE JR.
FOR HIS YEARS OF MINISTRY LEADERSHIP, SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE CONGRATULATE PASTOR ROSE ON THE MILESTONE AND THANK HIM FOR HIS CONTINUED SERVICE, FAITH LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO UPLIFTING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.
AND I'M GONNA REITERATE, UH, WHICH WAS, UH, THAT, WHICH WAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED BY MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT J, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD, THE HUGS AND DIAPERS DIAPER DRIVE.
IT WILL BE A DRIVE UP SO YOU CAN DRIVE UP AND GET THE DIAPERS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN HELPING A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THROUGH THE DIAPER FOUNDATION, SO I KNOW THE CRITICAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST, UH, TODDLERS, BUT ADULTS AS WELL.
AND SO I THANK HIM FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AGAIN, THAT WILL BE 10:00 AM AND IT WILL BE UNTIL SUPPLIES, UH, AS LONG AS SUPPLIES LAST AT THE SUNNYSIDE HEALTH AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
DIAPERS, WIPES, ESSENTIAL BABY ITEMS, UH, FOR FAMILIES IN NEED.
AND IT'S ABOUT SUPPORTING FAMILIES, STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY, AND MAKING SURE PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS HAVE ACCESS TO THE BASIC ESSENTIALS THEY NEED FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
AND CERTAINLY FOR OUR ADULTS TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO, TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY, BECAUSE DIAPERS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE ON A FIXED INCOME.
AND SO CERTAINLY I'M IN, UH, GRATITUDE TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA SAY THAT DISTRICT D IS THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, AND WE WILL CONTINUE SHOWING UP FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR FAMILIES, OUR FAITH LEADERS, OUR CIVIC LEADERS, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS, AND THE RESIDENTS WHO MAKE THIS DISTRICT STRONG.
AND THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
UM, I WANNA START BY WISHING COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS A HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND HIGHLIGHTING A PROCLAMATION,
[03:10:02]
UH, THAT I GAVE THIS PAST SUNDAY TO NORTH MAINE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST.THEY CELEBRATED THEIR 100TH ANNIVERSARY, UH, A CHURCH OUT IN THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY AND, AND WANNA WISH, UM, PASTOR COLLINS AND FIRST LADY COLLINS.
WELL, THEY HAD A, A BEAUTIFUL CEREMONY, UH, A NUMBER OF, UH, GUESTS THERE AND CONGRATULATE THEM ON HITTING SUCH A HISTORIC MILESTONE AND ALL THE SERVICE THEY PROVIDE TO THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY.
I'LL BE HOSTING A SECOND ANNUAL HEALTH FAIR AT THE MELROSE COMMUNITY CENTER.
THIS IS GONNA BE SEPTEMBER THE 12TH.
AND IT WILL BE FEATURING, UH, HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK, SAN JOSE CLINIC.
A NUMBER OF OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, UH, WILL BE PROVIDING BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS, VACCINES, NUTRITION INFORMATION AND COUNSELING, AS WELL AS OTHER HEALTH AND WELLNESS RESOURCES.
UM, SO THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE SEPTEMBER THE 12TH AT THE MELROSE COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, DIRECTOR TRAN AND I WILL HOST A NOR HILL DESIGN GUIDELINE COMMUNITY MEETING, SEPTEMBER THE THIRD AT 6:00 PM AT PROCTOR PLAZA.
UH, THE COMMENT PERIOD HAS REOPENED ON SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT STILL NEED FURTHER CLARIFICATION THAT THE HISTORIC, UH, COMMISSION IS WORKING ON.
SO THOSE ITEMS ARE NOW OPEN FOR FURTHER COMMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE WILL GO OUT TO UPDATE THE FOLKS ON, ON WHAT THOSE ARE, THE, THE PROCESS AND TIMELINE AND SEEK FURTHER INPUT FROM THE RESIDENCE OF NOR HILL.
UM, AND THAT'S GONNA BE AT 6:00 PM SEPTEMBER THE THIRD AT THE PROCTOR PLAZA COMMUNITY CENTER.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO START, IT'S, UH, GONNA BE THE BIRTHDAY OF SLOAN SWEENEY WHO WORKS IN MY OFFICE THIS WEEK.
SO IF EVERYBODY CAN WISH HER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO SING IT.
WE'VE DONE POORLY ENOUGH ON THAT ONE.
UH, ALSO WE ARE HAVING, UH, AN EVENT IN, UH, ON SEPTEMBER 10TH ON HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY.
WE'RE HOLDING THAT AT BAAP IN CLEAR LAKE.
UH, SO ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO LEARN HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD COME OUT AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UH, ASSIST YOU WITH THAT.
UH, DIRECTOR HOARD'S GONNA BE OUT THERE, UH, AS WELL ALONG WITH, UH, FROM THE COUNTY, UH, DIRECTOR GUZMAN.
SO, UH, PLEASE DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND CONNECT WITH THAT.
UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS THIS WEEK, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE EFFORT TO BRING ABOUT THE IAC CONFERENCE THAT'S HAPPENING IN 2029.
UH, WE WERE AT THE GEORGE R. BROWN.
IN FACT, MAYOR, WE, WE WERE OUT THERE WITH YOU, THE GEORGE R. BROWN, FOR THE EVENT THEY HAD.
UH, YESTERDAY MY OFFICE WAS DOWN IN CLEAR LAKE, UH, AND THEY'RE WORKING HARD TO, TO BRING THE IAC EVENT HERE.
THE IAC EVENT WOULD HAVE 20,000 ATTENDEES, UH, SO THE INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL CONGRESS, IT WOULD BE A HUGE THING TO HAVE THAT OUT IN HOUSTON.
IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR THAT TO BE IN HOUSTON.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THE WIN.
UH, IN FACT, UH, WE'RE TALKING WITH, UH, MICHAEL AT THE EVENT ON MONDAY.
UH, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, UH, DALLAS APPARENTLY HAS DELAYED, PUSHED BACK TWO YEARS, THE OPENING OF THEIR, THEIR, UH, CENTER AFTER THE RECONSTRUCTION THEY'RE DOING, WHICH MEANS HOUSTON IS GONNA BE GETTING MORE BUSINESS 'CAUSE UH, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO GO TO SOME OF THESE OTHER VENUES.
AND, UH, HE WAS ALSO VERY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT, UH, CONSTRUCTION WAS ON BUDGET AND ON TIME.
HOPEFULLY WE CONTINUE WITH THAT.
UH, ON A BIT OF A, A SADDER NOTE, UH, THEY HAD A FUNDRAISER THIS WEEKEND FOR NAN LEE.
NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY REMEMBERS WHO THAT IS.
NAN LEE WAS ATTACKED BY A GENTLEMAN WITH A CROWBAR WHO, UH, IN FACT, JOSHUA MCDANIEL IS HIS NAME.
HE ATTACKED FOUR PEOPLE THAT DAY.
UH, THERE WAS NOT ANY INTERACTIONS WITH THEM.
IT WASN'T LIKE THERE WAS A DISPUTE OR ANYTHING.
HE JUST ATTACKED PEOPLE AT RANDOM.
AND JOSHUA WAS NOT NEW TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
IN FACT, HE'S HAD 15 CHARGES AGAINST HIM OVER THE YEARS, UH, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, UM, UH, ELDERLY ABUSE.
AND IN FACT, HE HAD BEEN IN JAIL UP UNTIL FEBRUARY 2ND FOR THAT ELDER ABUSE ISSUE.
HE WAS RELEASED FROM JAIL AND SENT TO, UH, THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION.
BUT THAT WAS VOLUNTARY AND APPARENTLY HE LEFT AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
UH, NAN LEE IS STILL, UH, ON LIFE SUPPORT ALONG WITH ONE OF THE OTHER VICTIMS, UH, THAT IS ON LIFE SUPPORT.
I, I MET, UH, HIS FAMILY HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AT AN EVENT.
[03:15:01]
UH, IT, IT'S REALLY SAD.AND I MEAN, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS TO BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE VICTIMS RATHER THAN THE PERPETRATORS.
AND A LITTLE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PREVENTING ADDITIONAL VICTIMS RATHER THAN HAVING SOME OF THESE PEOPLE OUT TO HURT OUR COMMUNITY AGAIN.
SO I I CERTAINLY HOPE WE DO A LITTLE BETTER JOB IN LOOKING AT THAT.
SO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
UM, AND GOOD MORNING, UM, COLLEAGUES.
UM, MAYOR, I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HEARD, UM, THIS PAST WEEKEND, UM, THERE WAS A FIRE, UM, IN ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT COMPLEXES IN FIFTH WARD, AN ELECTRICAL FIRE THAT LEFT, UM, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX WITHOUT ELECTRICITY.
AND SO, UM, I REACHED OUT TO, UM, I WAS GETTING CALLS FROM MS. JOTA SMITH, UM, SANDRA EDWARDS.
AND SO, AND OF COURSE I WAS OUT OF TOWN AT A FUNERAL.
UM, I REACHED OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND HER HUSBAND, UM, WENT TO THE SITE TO DO AN ASSESSMENT.
UM, AND EVENTUALLY, OF COURSE THEY WAS, YOU KNOW, THEY WAS WITHOUT POWER.
AND SO THE CITY, UM, SPRUNG INTO GEAR, YOU KNOW, UM, I WAS VERY PROUD OF, YOU KNOW, JUST ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WHO STEPPED UP TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX, THESE PEOPLE, UM, WAS TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, SO I WANNA JUST GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
UM, JOSH, UM, HE WAS JUST BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, ON THE, ON THE PHONE KEEPING ME UPDATED.
UM, WE HAD THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, DIRECTOR TREND.
UM, SHE WAS ON IT, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THEY, SHE ACTUALLY OPENED UP THE FIFTH WARD MULTI SERVICE CENTER AS A COOLING CENTER.
UM, YOU HAD THE FOOD BANK COME OUT, MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD FOOD ONCE THE POWER CAME ON.
UM, SO JUST SEEING EVERYBODY IN GEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, SPRING IT INTO GEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE, THE RESIDENTS WERE TAKEN CARE OF.
FIFTH WARD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE WALTER MALLETT, UM, MY STAFF.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, UM, WHO JUST STEPPED UP.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY IT'S AN EMERGENCY, A A, A NATURAL DISASTER, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE GONNA SHOW UP.
BUT JUST ONE APARTMENT COMPLEX, I DIDN'T EXPECT THEM TO SHOW UP LIKE THEY SHOWED UP.
AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP ON THIS PAST WEEKEND.
I, I WANNA PIGGYBACK ONTO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON WAS SAYING.
WE DID, WE DID HEAR ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, MY CHIEF OF STAFF, LEAH AL, MADE A FEW TRIPS OUT TO THE ROSE PLAZA APARTMENTS ON SUMTER.
AND I WAS OUT THERE EARLIER THIS WEEK AS WELL.
FORTUNATELY, THOSE RE MY UNDERSTANDING IS POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED, BUT YOU DID HAVE A BAD SITUATION WHERE, UM, A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WERE WITHOUT POWER HERE IN THE HOTTEST PART OF THE YEAR.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO DIRECTOR TRAN, WHO WAS ON TOP OF IT.
AND, UM, AND, AND HER DEPARTMENT DID, DID SOME GREAT THINGS TO, TO TRY TO HELP.
AND FORTUNATELY THAT THAT SITUATION HAS BEEN RESOLVED, I THINK.
UH, THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY WITH THE, UH, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, ESPECIALLY AS SOMEONE WHO'S AN ACADEMIC FULL-TIME, I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS A ROLE FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO HELP US SERVE, SOLVE ISSUES, AND REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONTRIBUTION OF IH THREE AND WHAT THAT DOES TO THE CITY WITH, UH, THE FOOTPRINT THAT ALREADY EXISTS WITH OUR NONPROFITS, OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO, KUDOS TO EVERYONE WHO'S TOUCHED THAT, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR IMPACT, UM, WITH THAT.
UM, LAST THURSDAY, MAYOR, UH, JOINED COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, UH, VICE MAYOR PRO TEM JOINED US ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER BRI ONUS FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT WITH THE ENERGY CORRIDOR WEST HOUSTON ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES AND HARRIS COUNTY, UH, CONSTABLE, UH, UH, PRECINCT FIVE FOR A PILOT, A PROGRAM AROUND HOMELESSNESS.
AND, UM, COLLECTIVELY WE HAVE COMMITTED $180,000.
THE ENERGY CORRIDOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS THERE PIONEERING LEADERSHIP.
THEY KNEW SOMETHING NEEDED TO HAPPEN, UM, ON, IN THAT PARTICULAR PART OF TOWN ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND, UH, I WANNA APPRECIATE THEM FOR, UM, CONTRIBUTING FINANCIALLY AND ALSO CHARGING, UH, THE TOP STAFF TO GET SOMETHING DONE.
SO THE COLLABORATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, CONTINUING EXALT, OH, EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER AS WELL.
UM, WAS THE, WAS THERE, AND WE'VE ALL FINANCIALLY CONTRIBUTED TO THAT.
I JUST WANNA ALSO HIGHLIGHT OUR ANCHOR PARTNERS THAT ARE CONSISTENTLY ON THE WEST SIDE WITH US, FROM OUR FAITH-BASED PARTNERS TO OUR NONPROFIT, UH, AND CHURCH WITH WITHOUT WALLS, UH, MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A $10,000 CONTRIBUTION TO CONTINUE THE OUTREACH ON THE WEST SIDE.
SO I WANT TO SHOUT OUT, UH, SENIOR PASTOR RALPH DOUGLAS WEST, UM, AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, UH, TO THAT.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY AT EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY FOCUSING ON, UH, ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO JUST REMIND HOUSTONIANS
[03:20:01]
THAT THIS WEEK, DR.24 APPLICATIONS ARE LIVE FOR HOME REPAIR.
UH, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF HURRICANE SEASON, AND SO THIS IS THE TIME.
IF YOUR HOME WAS IMPACTED BY EITHER DIRE OR BARREL, UH, YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF REPAIR REHABILITATION OR UP TO $300,000 FOR RECONSTRUCTION.
IF YOUR HOME WAS SIGNIFICANTLY D DAMAGED, UM, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS THE TEAM MEMBERS READILY AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU COMPLETE THAT APPLICATION.
THEY'LL DROP IT OFF, PICK IT UP, THEY HAVE OFFICE HOURS.
THE, UH, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, THE STORM HAS ENDED AND WE'VE GONE ON WITH OUR EVERY DAY, AND MANY OF YOU HAVE, UM, UM, ADDRESSED YOUR ISSUES OUT OF POCKET.
YOU'VE ADDRESSED YOUR ISSUES, OR YOU'VE MOVED ON, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR TAX DOLLAR THAT IS RETURNING BACK TO YOU.
UM, $50 MILLION IS NOT A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR US TO ADDRESS PRESERVATION OF YOUR LARGEST ASSET.
AND I JUST ALSO WANNA SHOUT OUT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AGAIN, AS MENTIONED, THEY WERE IN DENVER, HARVARD, THEY WERE IN DISTRICT H, AND THEY HOSTED THE HOUSTON DISASTER RECOVERY EXPO.
ABOUT 200 PEOPLE WERE THERE, UM, REMINDING THEMSELVES ON WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, REMAIN TO REMAIN RESILIENT IN THEIR HOME AND IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK THEM FOR THEIR EFFORT AND FOR EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED.
AND THEN I JUST WANNA REMIND, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE FALL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S HOT.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
SO ANY, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD AND DISTRICT F PLEASE REGISTER WITH OUR OFFICE.
SO WE CAN DO A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UH, WE CAN PROMOTE TO THE PUBLIC, UH, THE DETAILS OF YOUR EVENT, AND THEN WE CAN ALSO MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE TO CELEBRATE AND ENGAGE WITH YOU, WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, UM, AND ANY OF OUR CITY LEADERSHIP WHO CHOOSES TO JOIN.
UH, REALLY EXCITED TO DO THAT.
UH, LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO, UH, JOIN, UM, AT MY, MY NOTES TO THE FRUSTRATION AROUND THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING.
I, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, CHIEF DIAZ DID MEET WITH US INDIVIDUALLY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED HIM AND HIS TOP STAFF BRIEFING US ON THE IMMIGRATION REPORT.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF HOW, UM, DAMAGING ICE HAS BEEN IN OUR CITY, THAT WE RESTORE, UM, THE COMMUNITY, A RELATIONSHIP WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND I JUST WOULD HATE TO SEE OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, UM, UM, CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF UNRAVELING THE PUBLIC TRUST.
AND SO, I, I, I KNOW WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF LITIGATION AND I KNOW ALL OF THAT, UM, IS HAPPENING, BUT WE HAVE TO, UM, WE HAVE TO GET AHEAD OF THIS AND WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE OPENLY.
AND I KNOW, UM, JUST FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, LARGELY THE CONVERSATION HAS JUST BEEN CENTERED AROUND, UM, THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
BUT THERE'S AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THAT IS ALSO, UM, OVERWHELMED AND DEEPLY AFRAID OF WHAT'S HAPPENING FROM IMMIGRATION, FROM OUR, UH, VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY ALL THE WAY TO OUR AFRICAN COMMUNITY.
AND IT IS HAPPENING, UM, TO THEM AS WELL.
AND SO I JUST WANNA RAISE THEIR VOICES, OUR HAITIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I WANNA RAISE THEIR ANXIETY.
I WANNA RAISE THEIR, UM, UM, EXPERIENCE WITH THIS AS WELL.
AND SO WHATEVER, UM, WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO, I'LL CONTINUE TO DO IT.
BUT, UM, DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, GETTING, UM, UM, PUBLIC FACING INFORMATION AND, AND HEARING FROM THE CHIEF PUBLICLY AND, AND NOT JUST FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT THE PEOPLE WANNA HEAR FROM THEIR TOP COP AS WELL.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THE MEETING AND HOPE, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOME, UH, VERY GOOD THANK YOU.
SOMETHING FROM THAT IN THE FUTURE.
MAYOR PRO TEM, OH, WAIT A SECOND.
COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, MAYOR TIM FIRST.
A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS IN, UH, DISTRICT K ON SATURDAY AT 6:00 PM THE PARK OF MUSIC MAGNET WAS CELEBRATE ITS 50TH BIRTHDAY GALA AT THE EL DORADO BALLROOM.
UM, IF YOU ARE A FORMER PARKER STUDENT AND YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO DO SO.
THERE'LL BE A SILENT AUCTION, UH, AND WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ATTEND, UH, THAT 50TH YEAR CELEBRATION.
UM, AND THEN, UM, COLLEAGUES, DID Y'ALL KNOW WE HAD AN INFANT FOOD BANK IN HOUSTON? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
SO I THINK WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE BIG FOOD BANK, BUT THERE'S ALSO AN INFANT FOOD BANK, UM, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I'VE PARTNERED WITH LIFE HOUSTON FOR THEIR CITYWIDE FORMULA DRIVE.
UM, SO I AM GOING TO MAKE AN ASK, UH, AS SEPTEMBER IS, UH, INFANT HUNGER ACTION MONTH.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, IF THEY WOULD CONSIDER AT LEAST 20 CANS OF INFAMIL INFANT FORMULA, UM, FOR THE INFANT FORMULA DRIVE, UH, THAT WE WILL BE HOSTING.
UM, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS THAT CAN'T AFFORD INFANT, UM, MILK,
[03:25:01]
UH, OR INFAMIL.UH, THEY PROVIDE THAT FOR, UM, HOUSTONIANS AND JUST A PHENOMENAL PROGRAM.
AND THEIR SHELVES HAVE BEEN EMPTY.
AND SO THEY ARE HAVE A BIG PUSH FOR US TO COLLECT INFAMIL, AND THAT'S THE ONLY BRAND THEY ACCEPT.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE BRAND THEY CAN STAND BEHIND CONFIDENTLY.
UM, BUT IF WE CAN ALL PULL TOGETHER, WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION TO THE ORGANIZATION, UM, FOR INFANT HUNGER MONTH.
BUT I'D LIKE FOR US AS A, AS A COUNCIL TO REALLY SUPPORT THE INFANT, UH, FOOD BANK IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON DURING INFANT HUNGER ACTION MONTH.
UH, AND MORE INFORMATION WILL COME, UH, ON THAT.
AND THEN, UH, MAYOR, UM, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THIS, UM, THE, UH, BRENTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH IS GOING THROUGH A TRANSITION.
IT'S ONE OF THE, UH, BIG CHURCHES IN DISTRICT A AND IN OUR CITY.
UH, PASTOR JOE RATLIFF HAS BEEN THE PASTOR THERE FOR 46 YEARS.
HE IS RETIRING, AND DR. ALEXANDER JOHNSON IS THE PASTOR ELECT.
UM, HE'S COMING FROM WHEELER AVENUE AND GOING TO BRENTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH IN, UH, DISTRICT K.
AND OUR FAITH BAY BASE PARTNERS HAVE BEEN SO INSTRUMENTAL IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, BRENTWOOD CHURCH HAS BEEN A PILLAR, UM, OF SERVICE AND HELP FOR US IN DISTRICT K.
WE ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING DR. ALEXANDER JOHNSON.
HE CURRENTLY IS SERVING AS THE CHAIR OF OUR HPD OVERSIGHT BOARD, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM AS, UH, PASTOR ELECT AT BRENTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND THEN JUST FINALLY, UM, WE DO HAVE A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT COMING ON ONLINE.
UH, IT'S A MEAL AND OVERLAY ON FELDMAN STREET, UH, FROM ALAMEDA TO THAT DEAD END.
SO THE RESIDENTS IN CENTRAL SOUTHWEST SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD GO SLOW, BE CAREFUL, UM, AND WATCH OUT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
THE WORK WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER THE EIGHTH.
UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO A SMOOTHER RIDE ONCE THAT WORK IS COMPLETE, BUT WE DO ASK RESIDENTS TO SLOW DOWN DURING THAT CONSTRUCTION PERIOD.
Y'ALL BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY.
UM, HEAVY TRASH IS DELAYED AGAIN IN DISTRICT A AND I KNOW IN OTHER DISTRICTS AS WELL.
UM, THIS IS A BASIC CITY SERVICE AND WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO GET THIS RIGHT.
WE NEED TO EITHER START COLLECTING IT ON TIME OR GET OUT OF THE TRASH BUSINESS AND LET SOMEONE ELSE START COLLECTING IT, WHO CAN ACTUALLY PICK IT UP.
MY CONSTITUENTS ARE FRUSTRATED.
I KNOW YOU'RE FRUSTRATED TOO WITH IT.
UM, AND I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE IN DIRECTOR MACKEY TO GET THIS RIGHT, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY RIGHT NOW.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WILL BE ISSUES AS WE RESET AND CONTINUE MOVING THE DEPARTMENT OVER TO PUBLIC WORKS, BUT WE NEED BETTER COMMUNICATION.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A NEW DEPARTMENT, BUT WE HAVE THE SAME ISSUES THAT WE DID BEFORE WITH COMMUNICATION SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
THE DEPARTMENT CHANGED COLLECTIONS AND DIDN'T TELL ANYONE.
SO NOW, UM, THE, THE TREE WASTE IS NO LONGER BEING COLLECTED IN ODD MONTHS AND EVERYTHING IS BEING COLLECTED IN EVEN MONTHS, BUT NO ONE WAS NOTIFIED.
SO EVERYONE IS STILL PUTTING OUT TREE WASTE IN THE WRONG MONTHS.
AND THEN BECAUSE OF THE DELAYS, NO ONE KNOWS WHEN TO PUT OUT HEAVY TRASH ANYMORE.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COLLECTED APPARENTLY WITH HEAVY TRASH, AND THAT IS NOT HAPPENING AND PEOPLE ARE PUTTING IN THEIR TRASH CANS.
SO THERE JUST OVERALL NEEDS TO BE BETTER COMMUNICATION OF WHEN DO WE PUT OUT TRASH, WHEN IS IT EXPECTED TO, TO BE COLLECTED, AND HOW CAN WE GET THAT COLLECTION TO BE ON TIME? THANK YOU.
UM, I DEFINITELY JUST WANT TO, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LIFE HOUSTON, SINCE MAYOR PRO TIM IS, UH, HIGHLIGHTING THEM.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING HERE, UH, WITH THOSE EFFORTS.
UH, BUT, UH, THEY'RE, THEY ARE LOCATED IN DISTRICT I OFF OF, UH, WAYSIDE IN 45.
AND SO WANT TO, UH, THANK, UH, CHANTEL MCWILLIAMS IS THE NEW CEO.
SHE STARTED PROBABLY ABOUT A GOOD THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO.
AND THEN THE BOARD CHAIR, UH, IS HO UH, JORGE OLIVEA.
SO IF I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT LIFE, HOUSTON, THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, HE'D PROBABLY GET AFTER ME.
SO, UH, I'M GONNA BE JOINING, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, MAKING SURE THAT WE HELPING INCREASE THE NUMBER OF INFANT FORMULA, UH, FROM FROM CITY HALL.
UM, THEN I WANNA, UH, WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBER TO OUR TEAM.
IF I CAN HAVE GLORIA ALVAREZ RODRIGUEZ STAND UP, YOU KNOW, GLORIA'S GLORIA MAY BE NEW TO THE TEAM, UH, BUT SHE'S NOT NEW TO DISTRICT I OR THE DISTRICT I OFFICE.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH GLORIA IN THE DISTRICT EYE OFFICE BEFORE I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER, AND I KNOW SHE'S GONNA BE READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
UH, SO I JUST WANNA WELCOME HER TO THE TEAM AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE CONTRIBUTING AS AN EAST END RESIDENT AS WELL, HOBBY AREA RESIDENT NOW.
UH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO DO GOOD WORK TOGETHER.
UH, LASTLY, UM, I ALSO WANT TO JUST ECHO SOME OF, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, UH, SENTIMENTS, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT MAYOR, IT, IT WOULD'VE BEEN, WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT TO HAVE THE CHIEF OR COMMAND STAFF HERE UNDERSTANDING
[03:30:01]
THAT THERE'S LITIGATION.THERE ARE SOME ANSWERS THAT, OR QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BE ANSWERED, BUT I THINK WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON INCREASING THAT, UH, OR BUILDING BACK SOME TRUST.
AND SO IT, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THE, THE CHIEF, UH, OR SOMEBODY FROM HIS COMMAND STAFF ADDRESS SOME OF THE NON-LAW QUESTIONS.
UH, I THINK THAT TRANSPARENCY IS IMPORTANT.
UH, WHEN I'M OUT IN COMMUNITIES, THERE'S ANOTHER, UH, CIA THAT WE, WE'VE BEEN HAVING IN THE HOBBY AREA FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS.
UH, YOU ATTENDED THAT MEETING WITH ME A FEW MONTHS BACK, MAYOR.
UH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN.
AND, AND ULTIMATELY, UH, I THINK FOR ME, WHAT I'VE, IN, IN THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION WITH, WITH IMMIGRATION HERE IN HOUSTON AND, AND HPD, IT, IT, IT, WHEN IT BREAKS DOWN THAT TRUST, THOSE CALLS FOR SERVICES GO DOWN.
AND SO, UH, WE REALLY NEED TO BE, UH, MORE PROACTIVE OF, OF MAKING SURE THAT THE CHIEF, UH, AND HIS COMMAND STAFF ARE ANSWERING, UH, THE QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMUNITY'S LOOKING, LOOKING FOR OR, OR IS REQUESTING.
UM, AND THEN IT'LL CON CONTINUE TO BE FORWARD FACING OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL.
I WANNA MENTION BEFORE WE WRAP UP THIS SATURDAY, CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA GARCIA IS HOSTING A PASSPORT FAIR AT MOODY PARK FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM UM, THERE WILL BE PASSPORT AGENTS ON SITE TO ASSIST WITH APPLICATIONS.
PEOPLE ARE, ARE ENCOURAGED TO BRING A COMPLETED DS 11 APPLICATION, PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP, A PASSPORT PHOTO PAYMENT, AND A VALID, UH, PHOTO IDENTIFICATION.
THAT IS THIS SATURDAY, 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AT THE MOODY PARK COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND SINCE THIS HAS COME UP, UM, I DO WANNA ECHO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AND THOMAS HAVE, HAVE SAID, PARTICULARLY AROUND, UM, THE FACT THAT YES, WE DID GET MEETINGS WITH THE CHIEF, I HAD MY MEETING WITH THE CHIEF, UH, BUT WHEN I'VE BEEN OUT AT CIVIC CLUBS, I CAN SAY THIS INFORMATION, THEY WANT TO HEAR IT FROM THE LEADERSHIP, AND THAT WILL WILL GO FURTHER IN TRYING TO GET MORE FACTS AND CLARITY OUT THERE ON WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN'T HAPPENING AND BUILDING BACK THE TRUST, WHICH, WHICH WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO DO.
SO HOWEVER WE CAN FACILITATE THAT, UM, I'M ON BOARD TO HELP, BUT I, I DO THINK IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
I THOUGHT I HAD CONCLUDED WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
I WANTED TO SOLICIT YOUR HELP.
UH, THE MAGNOLIA PLACE, SENIOR APARTMENTS, THEY'RE ELEVATORS HAVE BEEN OUT.
THEY HAVE THREE, I THINK ONE IS OPERATING, AND YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THEY GOT ONE.
WELL, THESE ARE SENIORS AND THEY'RE VERY CHALLENGED WITH GETTING IN DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE BUILDING.
THIS HAS GONE ON FOR FAR TOO LONG.
THEY'VE BEEN, THEY WERE PROMISED JUNE 15TH THEY WERE GONNA BE REPAIRED.
THEN THEY SAID THEY WERE REPAIRED, BUT THEY NEEDED TO BE INSPECTED.
HOUSING OR WHO'S THE, UH, NO, THIS IS FOR SENIOR, SENIOR HOUSING AND IT'S ON WINDOW.
WHO OWNS IT? I CAN'T REMEMBER.
I HAVE CALLED THE CORPORATE OFFICE AND THEY DON'T RETURN.
SO IT'S YOUR CORPORATION PHONE CALLS.
YEAH, THEY DON'T RETURN THE PHONE CALLS NOW.
UM, I'LL GET IT TO LOUIE AND WE'LL GET HER.
AND IF I CAN GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION, REBECCA'S REAL GOOD.
I MEAN, AT SOME POINT MAYBE THEY NEED TO BE FINED OR SOMETHING, BUT THIS HAS NOT BEEN A PRIORITY.
UH, AND, UH, AND THIS HAS JUST GONE ON JUST FAR TOO LONG.
AND THEN I WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO INTRODUCE THE NEWEST MEMBER OF MY STAFF.
UH, SOME PEOPLE MAY ALREADY KNOW HIM.
MR. PRESTON MIDDLETON, UH, HE'S NOW MY DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND WE GOT A BARGAIN FOR WHAT PRESTON BRINGS TO THE TABLE.
UH, CERTAINLY THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES, BUT HE HAS SUCH A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
AND SO I WANNA THANK HIM FOR JOINING OUR STAFF.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HE'S GOING TO BRING TO THE TABLE TO HELP US TO BETTER SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS.
ANYONE ELSE? WE STAND, UH, ADJOURNED.