* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [INVOCATION & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] [00:00:04] COUNCIL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR THE INVOCATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES. GOOD MORNING. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME DR. ARI DAVIS TO THE PODIUM FOR OUR INVOCATION. DR. DAVIS IS A NATIVE OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND PRESENTLY SERVES AS A SENIOR PASTOR OF BELLA VISTA MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS. HE POSSESSES A DISTINCT HISTORY OF COMMUNITY, CHURCH AND ACADEMIC HISTORY AT PROUD GRADUATE OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, OBTAINING A DEGREE IN HUMAN SERVICES AND CONSUMER SERVICES, UH, WITH AN EMPHASIS IN CHILD AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT. HE ALSO EARNED A MASTER OF DIVINITY FROM HOUSTON GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND HIS DOCTOR OF MINISTRY FROM THE HISTORIC PAIN, THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ACTIVE AND VOCAL LEADER WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR HIS SERVICE AND PASTORAL LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY INCORPORATED. PASTOR DAVIS, WELCOME PASTOR, EITHER ONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE MAYOR WHITMEYER, UH, TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. TO ALL OF YOU, THESE DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVANTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, GUESTS AND CITIZENS GATHERED HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU FOR THIS PRIVILEGE OF SHARING IN THIS MOMENT. IT'S AN HONOR TO, WITH THOSE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED THE WEIGHTED RESPONSIBILITY OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND INVOKE GOD'S PRESENCE AND WISDOM AS YOU UNDERTAKE THE WORK ENTRUSTED TO YOUR HANDS. WILL YOU JOIN ME IN A WORD OF PRAYER? GRACIOUS AND ETERNAL GOD, WE PAUSE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SESSION TO ACKNOWLEDGE AT BEYOND OUR PLANS AND POLICIES AND POSITIONS AND OUR OWN POWER, WE STILL NEED WISDOM GREATER THAN OUR OWN. SO, LORD, GRANT, WISDOM TO THOSE WHO LEAD. GIVE THEM CLARITY WHEN THE ISSUES ARE COMPLICATED. COURAGE WHEN THE DECISIONS ARE DIFFICULT, AND COMPASSION, WHEN NUMBERS ON THE PAGE REPRESENT NAMES, FAMILIES, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND LIVES KEEP BEFORE US. THE NEEDS OF THE VULNERABLE, THE VOICES OF THE OVERLOOKED CONCERNS OF OUR SENIORS, THE HOPES OF OUR CHILDREN, THE STRUGGLES OF WORKING FAMILIES IN THIS CITY, AND THE DREAMS OF EVERY COMMUNITY REPRESENTED HERE. WE PRAY THAT WHERE THERE'S PROGRESS TO BE MADE, GIVE US THE COURAGE, NOT MERELY TO CELEBRATE HOW FAR WE HAVE COME, BUT TO HONESTLY CONFRONT HOW FAR WE STILL HAVE TO GO. MAY EVERY DECISION MADE IN THIS CHAMBER BE MEASURED NOT SIMPLY BY WHAT IS EXPEDIENT, BUT BY WHAT IS EQUITABLE, NOT MERELY BY WHAT IS POPULAR, BUT BY WHAT SERVES THE COMMON GOOD. AND WHEN THIS SESSION HAS ENDED, MAY THIS CITY BE STRONGER BECAUSE ITS LEADERS. LISTEN CAREFULLY SERVED, FAITHFULLY, ACTED JUSTLY. AND REMEMBER THAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT SERVING THE PUBLIC. BLESS OUR MAYOR, BLESS EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL. BLESS THOSE WHO LABOR ALONGSIDE THEM AND BLESS THE CITIZENS AND COMMUNITIES THEY HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO SERVE. THIS IS OUR PRAYER OFFERED WITH HUMILITY, GRATITUDE, AND HOPE. AMEN. THANK YOU, SIR. PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, NATION IN LIBERTY. [ROLL CALL & MINUTES] SECRETARY ROLL, MAYOR WHITMEYER, PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. COUNCIL MEMBER PANZA. COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER. COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS HERE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 1ST AND SECOND, CASTEX TATUM, MOVE I SECOND. MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAME. MOTION PASSES. MEMBERS, TODAY YOU SEE A, A NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS PRESENT. WE WELCOME THEM. A COUPLE OF OUTSTANDING ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY BY OUR CHIEF, BUT BEFORE WE GO TO THE RECOGNITION OF THE [00:05:01] APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE BY CHIEF, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER 9 11 20 FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THAT TRAGIC DAY. I DON'T THINK OUR LIVES WILL EVER BE THE SAME. CERTAINLY OUR NATION. THIS FRIDAY AT 10 O'CLOCK MARKET SQUARE, THE KATUSI FAMILY WILL BE REMEMBERING THEIR DAUGHTER. I'LL BE THERE. EVERYONE IS CERTAINLY WELCOME TO REMEMBER A HOUSTONIAN THAT WAS ON A FLIGHT THAT LOST HER LIFE. UM, SO WE'LL HAVE THE OCCASION TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE THAT WAS TAKEN ON THIS TRAGIC DAY. OUR PRAYERS CONTINUE TO GO OUT TO THE KATUSI FAMILY AND ALL THAT. LOST LOVED ONES ON NINE 11. AND CERTAINLY THAT BRINGS US TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS. I DON'T KNOW OF ANOTHER GROUP OF PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT ARE HELD IN SUCH HIGH REGARD. MEMBERS. I HAVE SEEN A RECENT POLL, CITYWIDE POLL. IT SHOWS THAT HOUSTONIANS LOVE THEIR FIREFIGHTERS. I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY A REFLECTION OF EVERY COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES. CERTAINLY THE LOSS THEY SUFFERED ON NINE 11 IS JUST WORDS CAN'T DESCRIBE. BUT WHEN PEOPLE WERE LEAVING THE WORLD TRADE BUILDING, THEY WERE GOING INTO HARM'S WAY. AND THEY DO THAT LOCALLY ON A REGULAR BASIS. WHEN THE WORST CALLS I'VE GOTTEN AS MAYOR, A TWO O'CLOCK CALL THAT WE HAD LOST OUR FIREFIGHTER, THERE'S NO EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING PREPARES YOU TO GO TO THAT FIREFIGHTER'S MOTHER'S HOUSE AND, AND LET HER KNOW. SO WE APPRECIATE OUR FIREFIGHTERS. [Additional Item] CHIEF MOZ, IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD WITH YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT AND YOUR APPOINTEES, I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU, CHIEF, YOU'RE DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB. THE MORALE'S NEVER BEEN HIGHER. YOU'VE GOT A TOUGH JOB. WE GOT A STRONG UNION. I UNDERSTAND THE DAILY CHALLENGES THAT, THAT HAVE PRESENTED YOU, BUT AFTER YEARS OF NEGLECT, NOT ONLY IN BENEFITS, BUT JUST WORKING CONDITIONS AND THROUGH YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS COUNCIL, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF COUPLE OF NEW STATIONS CO-LOCATED WITH OTHER OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANTS. OUR POLICE OFFICERS, ONE ON GESNER THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH, WE WERE FIXING TO BUILD A SEPARATE FIRE AND POLICE STATION. AND THE TEAM GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, WHY NOT TOGETHER, DOING THE SAME THING IN KINGWOOD, LONG OVERDUE. SO YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ON A ROLL. YOUR LEADERSHIP IS APPRECIATED. YOUR, YOUR, I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH. THANK YOU, SIR. EXCEPT TO RECOGNIZE YOU PUBLICLY. THANK YOU. WE'VE ADDED ADDITIONAL 800 FIREFIGHTERS SINCE MY ADMINISTRATION WAS SWORN IN. I KNOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH OVERTIME AND A LOT OF THE CRITICISM IS THE OLD WAY OF DOING BUSINESS. SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT YOUR DEPARTMENT. AND THEN YOU BROUGHT ME TWO OUTSTANDING APPOINTMENTS THAT I'M GONNA LET YOU INTRODUCE TO THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC, UH, NEW EXECUTIVE CHIEF, WHICH IS RIGHT BELOW THE CHIEF IN TERMS OF RESPONSIBILITY AND THEN A FIRE MARSHAL THAT HAS SUCH A IMPORTANT JOBS. SO I YIELD TO YOU AT THIS TIME, AND FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. TELL US, TELL US WHAT, WHY YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT GOING TO WORK EACH DAY. WELL, I'M EXCITED TO GOING TO WORK. UM, FIRST IS GREAT CITY. THE SUPPORT FROM YOU, OBVIOUSLY, MAYOR WHITMEYER COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GOT THIS POSITION, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF GROWING THAT WE HAD TO DO. UM, WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD TAKE, WE HAD AN ATTRITION RATE OF NEGATIVE FOUR 40. UM, WE [00:10:01] WERE TOLD TO TAKE ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO EVEN BREAK THAT. WE DID IT IN TWO, WE'RE POSITIVE 2 52 NOW. SO WE'RE GETTING BETTER ON THE ATTRITION. AND OBVIOUSLY WE, WE, UH, THE EXPERTS THAT TOLD US WOULD TAKE FOUR TO FIVE YEARS. WE'VE DONE IT IN TWO. BUT THAT'S THANKS TO THE COMMAND STAFF THAT'S BEHIND ME ALL, EVERY FIREFIGHTER, ESPECIALLY ALL THE SUPPORT YOU'VE GIVEN US, UH, COUNCILS. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE OTHER IS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TOLD THE, THE OVERTIME'S ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE. GLAD YOU'RE HERE. NOW THAT WE'RE SEEING A DOWNTREND. WE HAVE NOT HAD A BROWNOUT SINCE JULY 1ST. UH, THE PREVIOUS YEARS WE WERE AVERAGING 983 WHEN WE FIRST GOT HERE, AND WE'VE ALREADY REDUCED THAT BY 94%. AND IT'S GETTING BETTER. LIKE I SAID, THE LAST TIME, WE HAD ONE APPARATUS OUTTA SERVICE WITH JULY 1ST. BUT THE BETTER NEWS, WE'RE SEEING A DOWNTREND IN THE OVERTIME. WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT HAVING MORE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS HAS GIVEN US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT PEOPLE INTO SEATS THAT DON'T REQUIRE THE OVERTIME. BUT IT'S ALSO GIVEN US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW THE PARAMEDIC PROGRAM, WHICH HAVE BEEN PRETTY MUCH, UM, DORMANT TO SAY THE LEAST 25. WE WERE GRADUATING A YEAR, NOW WE'RE GRADUATING 200, WHICH IS GONNA DO THAT, AND IT'S BETTER SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY. BUT THAT'S ALL THE TESTAMENT TO THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE. OUR COMMAND STAFF, OUR FIREFIGHTERS DOING AN AMAZING JOB. YOU MENTIONED NINE 11 MAYOR, AND IT'S A SOMBERING MOMENT. WE REMEMBER WHAT WE DO, WHY WE GET UP EVERY MORNING, YOU KNOW, IN NEW YORK, LOSING 943 AS A REMINDER, UM, OF WHAT OUR LIVES CONSIST OF. BUT IT'S ALSO A REMINDER WINNING THE FIRE SERVICE IN THE COUNTRY. AND THE WORLD SAW IN OUR KNEES. IT WAS JUST US PRAYING TO GET STRENGTH AND WE GOT BETTER. THAT'S WHO WE ARE. BUT WHEN I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE THIS POSITION THERE, I SAW THE REFLECTION OF HOUSTON, WHAT IT IS, WHICH IS, I'M EXCITED AND PROUD TO ANNOUNCE CHIEF MARION SPAN. JUST TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF ON HER AMAZING CAREER, SHE SERVED 32 YEARS, WAS THE FIRST, UH, BLACK WOMAN IS, UH, IN OUR HISTORY TO SERVE AS AN ENGINEER OPERATOR. THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN IS AN INSPECTOR, SENIOR INSPECTOR, AND THEN THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO SERVE AS A FIRE MARSHAL. SO NOW, UM, SHE'LL BE THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO SERVE AS AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO, THANK YOU. UM, SHE DOES HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM PUBLIC SERVICE FROM UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, AND THEN A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FROM TSU. BUT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE, UM, MORE IMPORTANTLY, MARY, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE CHIEF ASSISTANT CHIEF NOW, BUT A GREAT CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORT CONTINUOUSLY WITH THAT. SHE BRINGS NEW, INNOVATIVE THINKING, BRINGS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR US, AND, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, SHE BRINGS, UH, A GREAT, GREAT PERSONALITY. WHEN WE HAVE TOUGH JOBS IN THE OFFICE, A LOT OF PEOPLE, I MAKE FUN OF HER. SHE LIKES GOING TO THE US OPEN IN TENNIS. I'VE NEVER, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE WANNA DO THIS ALL DAY, BUT SHE DOES IT. BUT, AND SHE LOVES, UM, SHE'S JUST A GREAT INDIVIDUAL. BUT WITH THAT SAID, TOO, MAYOR FARM MARSHALL'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT JOB. VERY IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOKED AND SEE WHAT THE CITY NEEDS, VERY, VERY, A LOT OF VERY QUALIFIED INSPECTORS. BUT I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT BYRON ROBINSON FILLS THAT NEED. HE HAS SERVED 21 YEARS AS A, AS AN INSPECTOR RISING UP THE RANKS TO CHIEF INSPECTOR. HE'S BEEN OVER THE APARTMENTS. HE'S BEEN OVER HIGH RISES. AND, AND I THINK THAT'S A CALL FOR YOU. BUT, UH, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAYOR, HE'S BEEN THERE, RIGHT? HE GREW UP IN HOUSTON. HE KNOWS THE DEMOGRAPHICS. I MENTIONED APARTMENT COMPLEXES. WE WERE, WE WERE HAVING OUR MEETING ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THE ISSUES WE WANNA ADDRESS. HIGH RISES. UH, HE HAS, YOU KNOW, IT IS A REQUIREMENT FOR HAVE FIRE WARDENS IN HIGH RISES. HE'S TRAINED OVER 20,000 PEOPLE IN THAT. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, DURING COVID TALK ABOUT INNOVATION, UH, HE IS A WEB DESIGNER AND HE CREATED A WEB SYSTEM THAT ALLOWED PEOPLE TO STILL CONTINUE THE TRAINING THAT'S REQUIRED. AND THAT'S ON HIS OWN TIME. THAT'S A DEDICATION WE HAVE. BUT GREAT INDIVIDUAL, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE TOLD HIM THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE. [00:15:01] WE HAVE A VERY SUPPORTIVE MAYOR, ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE LIVES BETTER. SO THIS IS THE INDIVIDUAL THAT NOW IS GONNA BE THE FIRE MARSHAL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. BUT AT THIS TIME, MAYOR, I WANNA YIELD TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE, ASSISTANT CHIEF SPAN AND SAY SOME WORDS, PLEASE. THANK YOU, CHIEF SPAN. YOU'RE WELCOME. UM, WE'RE SO FORTUNATE WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOUSTON AND THE HUGE RESPONSIBILITY THAT HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS. SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE SO PLEASED. AND, UH, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR, UH, YOUR THOUGHTS AT THIS TIME. WELL, NUMBER ONE, IT'S RED IS ON , RED IS ON RED MEANS STOP AND TAKE YOUR TIME. AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT NERVOUS. ANYONE THAT'S COME THROUGH THE RANKS, YOU HAVE JUST, JUST A LITTLE BIT. I CAN'T, I CANNOT IMAGINE THIS DEPARTMENT'S NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE DEPARTMENT IT IS TODAY. THAT'S TRUE. AND HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT? 32 YEARS. WELL OVER COFFEE SOMETIME. IT WILL BE VERY, YOU CAN MEET ENLIGHT ME. BE VERY, UM, IMPORTANT TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE. YES, SIR. BECAUSE YOU, YOU'VE OBVIOUSLY A TRAILBLAZER, AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN TIMES IT WAS NOT EASY BECAUSE I GREW UP IN HOUSTON, BEEN WORKING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OVER 50 YEARS, AND I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM THAT YOU BLEW RIGHT BY. AND EVEN IN THIS POSITION, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, AND I KNOW, DON'T TAKE NO BULL CORN . YES, SIR. NO NONSENSE. I LET HIM KNOW I HAVE YOUR ENDORSEMENT. YES, MA'AM. SO, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. I'M TRULY HONORED AND HUMBLED TO ACCEPT THIS PROMOTION TO EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. AFTER 32 YEARS OF SERVING THIS DEPARTMENT, THIS MOMENT MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO ME AND MY FAMILY. SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED, CHALLENGED, AND TAUGHT ME THROUGHOUT MY CAREER. NO ONE REACHES A MOMENT LIKE THIS ALONE. SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS, THE OFFICERS, THE MENTORS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF MY JOURNEY. I'M ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE CONFIDENCE AND THE TRUST THAT COMES WITH THIS RESPONSIBILITY. I UNDERSTAND THAT LEADERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT A TITLE. IT'S ABOUT SERVICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND MAKING SURE WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ANSWER THE CALL EVERY DAY. THIS POSITION AFFORDS ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO JUST THAT, TO BETTER SERVE THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT SO THAT THEY CAN BETTER SERVE THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK THE HONORABLE MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, CHIEF TOM MUNOZ, FOR THIS HONOR. AND THE TRUST BESTOWED UPON ME. I DO NOT TAKE THIS RESPONSIBILITY LIGHTLY. TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO THE COMMAND STAFF. THANK YOU FOR BEING AVAILABLE WHEN I HAD QUESTIONS, AND SOME OF YOU MORE THAN OTHERS KNOW I GOT QUESTIONS. UH, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY RIDE OR DIE. MY GREATEST SUPPORTER, MY GREATEST CHEERLEADER, RETIRED SENIOR CAPTAIN LARRY SPAN. HE SERVED 40 HOW MANY YEARS? HOW MANY 40 42. HE TELLS EVERYONE 42, BUT IT WAS REALLY 41 . SO AGAIN, I SAY THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU ALL, AND GOD BLESS THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. OKAY. A LITTLE MATH ON OH, DON'T DO IT. DON'T GONNA BE DOING, THANK YOU FOR PASSING. OKAY. I'LL LEAVE IT IN THERE FOR A WHILE. ROBINSON. UH, I'M MOST PROUD OF THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, ALL OF OUR DIRECTORS AND THEIR POSITIONS, UH, OF LEADERSHIP. AND SO YOU, YOU HAVE OFFICIALLY JOINED OUR TEAM TODAY WHEN YOU BECOME THE EXECUTIVE CHIEF AND NOW THE FARM MARSHAL. WE YIELD TO YOU, SIR. OH, WOW. HOW DID I GO BEHIND? I UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM. . [00:20:02] WELL, FIRST OF ALL, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS ALSO. THANK YOU CHIEF MUNOZ. I APPRECIATE IT. I, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, UH, AS I'VE BEEN DOING, BUT JUST IN THE NEW ROLE AT THIS TIME. UH, I'M REALLY NOT A BIG SPEAKER. I'M A TALKER. I CAN TALK TO ALL Y'ALL, BUT SPEAKING WISE, THAT AIN'T MY BIG KEY RIGHT NOW. BUT I'M GONNA GET BETTER. UH, I ALSO WANT TO, UM, THINK MY FAMILY. MY WIFE COULDN'T BE HERE, BUT I HAVE MY SON HERE, AND I HAVE AN IDENTICAL TWIN BROTHER WHO'S A CAPTAIN IN FIRE DEPARTMENT. HE'S HERE AS WELL. UH, MY SON'S OVER HERE ANYWAY. OKAY. UH, I WANT TO THANK MY WIFE, BUT SHE'S NOT HERE. AND I REALLY WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK MY MOM WHO GOT ME HERE AND MY SIBLINGS, BUT THAT'S MY RIDE OR DIE BACK THERE. AS YOU CAN SEE. UM, CAN'T FOLLOW BEHIND CHIEF'S PANTS. SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO THANK HER FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT SHE GAVE ME BY HER MOVING UP . SO I LIKE TO EXPECT, EXTEND A SPECIAL THANKS TO CHIEF SPAIN. I, HOW IT WORKS OUT HERE. I WOULDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW. AND, UH, I'M A 30 YEAR, I'VE BEEN IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT 30 YEARS. I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN, GREW UP IN DISTRICT B, WENT TO PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M, UH, GOT A, UH, DEGREE IN ENGINEERING. I TRY TO BE ON THE CUSP OF EVERYTHING INNOVATIVE. LIKE RIGHT NOW, I'M DEALING WITH A LITTLE AI AND OTHER THINGS TO HELP MOVE THE CITY FORWARD, AS IN, UH, OUR FIRE MARSHAL FIRE TRAINING. UM, I JUST REALLY JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT I HAVE. AND I PROMISE THAT EVERY DAY I WILL TRY MY BEST TO SERVE WITH INTEGRITY, FAIRNESS, AND COMMITMENT, UH, TO THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. LET'S DO WHAT THEY SAY. MAY GOD BLESS THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS AND UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK BOTH OF YOU, TOM, THE SECOND THANK YOU. AND, AND, AND IN MY NOTES, I LEFT OUT THANKING YOU FOR Y'ALL'S GREAT WORK DURING FIFA. Y'ALL PLAYED SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THAT SUCCESS ALSO. UH, COUNCILMAN POLLARD, THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. CHIEF, GOOD SEEING YOU. JUST WANT TO, UH, EXPRESS MY CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU, UH, TO EXECUTIVE CHIEF SPAN. I WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR, YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOUR PROFESSIONALISM, UH, HOW RESPONSIVE YOU ARE. AND THIS IS TRULY DESERVING. UM, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, UM, THIS IS NOT THE DEPARTMENT OF OLD. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY AND THE HISTORY OF THIS DEPARTMENT, THIS IS A, UM, A VERY HISTORIC DAY. AND TO MARSHALL ROBINSON, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU, UH, WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU. UH, THIS ENTIRE DEPARTMENT IS TREMENDOUS, AND I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL, UH, FOR YOUR SERVICE. UM, BUT I THINK THE MAYOR, UH, SAID THE RIGHT WORD, UH, A TRAILBLAZER. THAT'S WHAT BOTH OF YOU ALL ARE. THIS IS WHAT THE CITY, UH, IS ABLE TO OFFER. AND FOR THERE TO BE, UH, A PV GRAD AND A, UH, UH, TSU GRAD, UH, IN THIS POSITION, UH, SPEAKS TO THE TESTAMENT OF, OF YOU ALL'S BACKGROUND, WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS. AND SO, CHIEF TO YOU AND THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE, THE DAYS AHEAD WITH YOU ALL. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU. UH, THIS, THIS IS CERTAINLY A HISTORICAL DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IT REALLY IS. AND, UH, LET ME JUST SAY, UH, FOR ONE THAT I'M HAPPY TO HAVE LIVED TO WITNESS THIS AND TO BE A PART OF THIS. I WANNA CERTAINLY TO, UH, EXECUTIVE CHIEF SPAN. UH, SHE AND I HAVE TALKED ON MANY OCCASIONS AT THE FIREFIGHTERS GRADUATIONS. I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND CHIEF MUNOZ FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND PICKING THE PEOPLE AND, AND JUST LET IT BE KNOWN. OFTENTIMES, UM, WE DON'T, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, RECOGNIZE HOW GREAT [00:25:01] THIS OPPORTUNITY IS BECAUSE IT SENDS A MESSAGE TO THE, TO MANY OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT ARE CONSIDERING BEING FIREFIGHTERS, THAT YOU CAN GO TO HIGHER DEPTHS IN THIS DEPARTMENT. I THANK GOD FOR THE DIRECTION I SEE THIS GOING, IS THIS IS A SIGN OF SHOWING THE REST OF THE WORLD AND EVERYONE THAT HOUSTON IS GOING IN A GOOD DIRECTION. UM, AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES, I GREW UP HERE. I WAS BORN HERE IN HOUSTON, IN THIRD WARD, AND, UM, NO SLIGHT AGAINST POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP IN THIS CITY, THE HEROES IN OUR COMMUNITY WERE FIREFIGHTERS. AND MOST OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE, CHILDREN WERE DREW TO IT, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE RED TRUCK, BUT MOSTLY BECAUSE WE SAW FIREFIGHTERS AND WE HELD THEM UP IN A, IN A VERY HIGH STANDARD, BECAUSE THEY WAS ALWAYS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY WAS RIGHT THERE. ONE OF MY GREATEST FRIENDS GROWING UP WAS LIKE A BROTHER WHO WAS A FI A FIREFIGHTER, ELMO DALLAS BORE, WHO I WILL ALWAYS, UH, REMEMBER BECAUSE WE ATE AT EACH OTHER'S HOME AND TABLES. AND, UH, HIS FAMILY GAVE, YOU KNOW, MUCH TO IT. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH, AND, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU CHIEF MUNOZ, AND THANK BOTH OF YOU IN YOUR NEW ENDEAVORS. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, EXECUTIVE CHIEF VAN AND, AND FIRE MARSHALL. UH, ROBINSON, JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU ALL, UH, EXECUTIVE CHIEF VAN. UH, WHEN WE HEAR THE FIRST, ESPECIALLY NOW, WE STILL SOMETIMES CAN'T BELIEVE IT. UH, BUT I DO DEFINITELY WANNA LIFT YOU UP AND JUST SAY THAT THANK YOU FOR BEING A ROLE MODEL FOR A LOT OF YOUNG, A LOT OF YOUNG GIRLS, UH, THAT MIGHT NOT THINK THAT THEY COULD BE A FIREFIGHTER AS WELL. UH, BUT THEN TO BE IN THIS LEADERSHIP ROLE. UH, SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO HOUSTONIANS FIRE MARSHAL, UH, ROBINSON. SAME. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PUBLIC SERVANTS, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY THINK AROUND FOLKS AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, BUT I KNOW THE MAYORS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SAYS THIS A LOT. YOU KNOW, EACH, EACH ONE OF Y'ALL EVERY DAY WAKE UP AND SERVE CITIZENS OF HOUSTONIANS DAY IN, DAY OUT. UM, AND, AND FOR THAT, I REALLY WANNA JUST SAY THANK YOU. PRAISE YOU BOTH, UH, KNOWING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES IN THE A IN, IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, BREWING FOR, FOR SOME TIME. UM, I, I'M JUST THANKFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LEADERSHIP CHIEF MUNOZ, THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS WELL. SO, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WHOLE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH YOU ALL. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR EVANS SHABA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND JUST TO REITERATE, EVERYONE LOVES A FIREFIGHTER. AND I HAVE SEEN UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL HOW YOU ALL HAVE COME IN AND SAVED LIVES BEFORE PEOPLE CAN GET TO A HOSPITAL. I'VE SEEN HOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SO INTENSE IN HELPING TO PRESERVE LIFE. I, UH, CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK YOU, CHIEF MUNOZ AND THE MAYOR FOR THIS, UM, FOR BOTH OF THESE APPOINTMENTS. UM, BUT, BUT I'M TRYING TO SIT WITH SOMETHING JUST HONESTLY, 32 YEARS. YOU'VE BEEN A FIRST IN A LOT OF PLACES, BUT 32 YEARS IS A LONG TIME FOR YOU ALL TO RECOGNIZE WHO RUNS THE WORLD. I MEAN, LOOK AT THIS COUNCIL, BUT CERTAINLY I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE BROKEN THE GLASS CEILING BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE QUALIFIED WOMEN BEHIND YOU. AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, MY, I ALWAYS THINK OF FIRE MARSHAL, FIRE MARSHAL, BILL, YOU KNOW, . BUT CERTAINLY I COMMEND YOU BOTH, UH, FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO. BUT CERTAINLY THE ROLE MODELS THAT YOU ARE SERVING, UH, TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE TO KNOW. I, I MEAN, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT Y'ALL STAYED AT THE FRY STATION TOO LONG, AND, AND I WOULD HAVE TO MAYBE COME DOWN THAT POLE. I MAY HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AT ONE TIME, BUT CERTAINLY I DID IT IN, IN, IN, WHEN I WAS AT TSU, UH, UH, NURSERY SCHOOL. THEY ACTUALLY LET US GO DOWN THE POLE. I GUESS I KNEW THAT WAS NOT THE JOB FOR ME AT THAT POINT. BUT CERTAINLY, I'M, I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU BOTH HERE, AND CERTAINLY, UM, I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU. THANK, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM CASTING TATUM. I JUST HAVE TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH AFTER ALL THAT . WELL, AT LEAST IT WAS A FIRE POLE, RIGHT? THAT, THAT, THOSE ARE GREAT COMMENTS. CHIEF MUNOZ, THANK YOU FOR THESE, UH, APPOINTMENTS. I AM, UH, ECSTATIC TO SEE THE EXECUTIVE CHIEF SPAN, UH, STANDING BEFORE US. NOT ONLY BECAUSE THIS IS A HISTORIC TIME, BUT I CAN THINK BACK TO 1994. SO WHEN YOU PROB WHEN YOU STARTED AT THE FIRE STATION, THINGS WERE VERY DIFFERENT IN 1994. SO TO HAVE YOU STANDING HERE AS THE EXECUTIVE CHIEF TODAY, UM, I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR RESILIENCE. I COMMEND YOU FOR THE FORTITUDE THAT [00:30:01] I KNOW YOU HAD TO HAVE. UH, AND I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR STEADFASTNESS. UH, AND I KNOW YOU DIDN'T DO IT ALONE, UM, BUT YOU DID IT. AND SO TODAY I SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. UM, AND I, I REMEMBER, UM, HEARING, UH, KAMALA HARRIS, AND SHE SAID HER MOM TOLD HER, YOU MAY BE THE FIRST, BUT JUST MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT THE LAST. AND SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL, UM, USE YOUR POSITION NOT ONLY TO IN YOUR LEADERSHIP CAPACITY, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING OTHER WOMEN UP THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND TO FIRE MARSHAL ROBINSON. BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. MY SON ALSO GRADUATED FROM PV, SO I KNOW YOU, YOU, YOU GOT A GREAT EDUCATION THERE AT, AT PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M. UM, BUT 30 YEARS IS COMMENDABLE. UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALSO HAD TO TRAVERSE TOUGH TIMES, UM, SINCE 1996 AT THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO I KNOW YOUR SMILE IS GENUINE 'CAUSE YOU ARE STANDING HERE AS THE FIRE MARSHAL OF THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY. UM, IT'S TO BE COMMENDABLE. SO I WISH YOU BOTH THE VERY BEST AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU AND THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU WILL DO IN YOUR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WITH THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU CHIEF MUNOZ FOR RECOGNIZING THIS TALENT. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST, UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH. IT'S A GREAT DAY FOR WOMEN. THANK YOU CHIEF SPAN. UM, IT'S BEEN A JOY TO WORK WITH YOU THROUGH THE YEARS AND FIRE MARSHAL ROBINSON. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. I'M REALLY A BIG FAN OF THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE. THEY SURE WERE A BIG HELP. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, AT THAT APARTMENT BUILDING, UH, A CO FEW WEEKS AGO, UM, GETTING THE, GETTING EVERYTHING INSPECTED SO WE COULD GET THE ELECTRICITY BACK ON AT THAT PLACE. SO Y'ALL, Y'ALL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE, BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH. AND CONGRATS, CHIEF, YOU'VE GOT A GREAT TEAM. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU. UH, WHAT AN, WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT. AND, UM, YOU CERTAINLY BOTH ENJOYED LONG CAREERS OF SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I ALSO WANT TO BRING IT BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID AT THE OUTSET, MAYOR, COMING UP ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF NINE 11. AND, UH, WE CAN'T FORGET THE RISKS THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS TAKE AS THEY GO ABOUT, UH, THEIR WORK. I'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO SEE A NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS LOSE THEIR LIVES AND POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL. AND SO, UM, TODAY, LET'S, LET'S HONOR ALL OF YOU FOLKS WHO SERVE AS FIRST RESPONDERS AND, AND ASSUME THOSE RISKS FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MEMBERS, IT'S A GREAT DAY FOR HOUSTON. COUNCIL JACKSON? YES, COUNCILOR JACKSON. THANK YOU. UM, I COULD NOT, NOT SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH, UM, BUT, UM, MARSHALL ROBINSON ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT B, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE BEST. WE ARE PROUD OF YOU. THANK YOU. AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AROUND THE DISTRICT. BE BLESSED. THANK YOU EVERYONE. WE STAY IN RECESS FOR 10 MINUTES, UH, PENDING THE DEPARTURE OF OUR GUESTS. AND I'M GONNA RUN OUT THERE AND, UH, SHAKE YOUR HAND AND I WELCOME ANYONE TO JOIN ME. [00:35:33] WOW. [00:43:28] EDWARD SAID HE CAME HERE TO WORK. LET GET HIM UP. GO TO WORK. GO TO WORK. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THOSE INDIVIDUAL ONE, THEIR RETIREMENT IT DROP, UM, WHAT'S THE DEAL WOULD BE ASK? YEAH, WE CAN, THANK YOU. LET'S DO OUR PUBLIC HEARING. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. LET'S JUST DO 1, 1, 2, 3. READY? YES. COUNSEL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER. [PUBLIC COMMENT] MR. SECRETARY, LET'S MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS HEARING. SO DO YOU WANT [00:45:01] PUBLIC HEARINGS? WHICH DO YOU WANT? WHAT DIFFERENCE? LET'S KNOCK OUT THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS. YOU WANNA DO PUBLIC SESSION? YEAH. YES. PUBLIC SESSION. LET'S GO. KEVIN PAINTER. HAMBURGER. 40%. I DID HAMBURGER SCHWAN ANA SMITH TO BE FOLLOWED BY ELIZABETH MARQUEZ. HELLO. GOOD MORNING. I FIRST WANT TO THANK, UM, MAYOR FOR WHAT YOU SAID WAS AWESOME ABOUT NOT STAYING IN THE PAST, MOVING FORWARD. UM, ALSO, I WANT TO REMEMBER MR. MUNOZ, WHO WENT FROM 44 AND WHAT HE SAID. THEY SAID IT WOULD TAKE HIM 45 YEARS TO MAKE A CHANGE IN THAT DEPARTMENT. I WANT US ALL TO REFLECT ON A FEW THINGS. NUMBER ONE, MARTIN LUTHER KING SAID, I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DAY THAT THEY WOULD JUDGE US BY OUR CHARACTER AND NOT THE COLOR OF OUR SKIN. WE ALSO HAVE EVERY WOMAN IN HERE, BLACK OR WHITE, WHO HAS A POSITION BECAUSE OF ONE LADY WHO SAT ON THE BUS AND SAID, I REFUSE TO GO TO THE BACK AND MAKE A CHANGE. NOW, I STAND HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME CONTRACT VIOLATIONS. NOBODY WANT TO HEAR THE NEGATIVE PART OF A SITUATION I HAVE RIGHT HERE, CITY OF HOUSTON. THIS IS AN ENVELOPE WHERE I RECEIVED A PROCEED CHECK. THAT MEANS THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS CUTTING PROCEED CHECKS. MY DEED IS HERE. MY COMMUNITY DEED IS HERE, AND I LIVE OUT IN HARRIS COUNTY. WE HAVE FIRST RESPONDERS. AND YOU SAY WE LOVE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS SO MUCH. I DO LOVE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. I LOVE OUR FIRE CHIEFS. I LOVE OUR, UH, POLICE OFFICERS WHEN WE HAVE DISASTERS. NONE OF US WOULD BE HERE. NONE OF OUR FAMILIES WOULD BE HERE WITHOUT THEM. BUT THE PROBLEM WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, IT'S OUR WHISTLEBLOWERS. OUR WHISTLEBLOWERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY. WE CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING UNTIL WE FACE WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND WHAT I SAID, THESE CONTRACTS, AND WHAT I MEAN ABOUT FAVORITISM ON CONTRACTS, WE HAD CONTRACTS THAT WERE GIVEN BY SEEMS, ED EDMOND, ANISE PARKER, RODNEY ELLIS. AND, UM, JUDGE, UH, HIDA GOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS. SHE SUPPRESSED EVIDENCE OUT IN PRECINCT FIVE. AND WE WENT, THEY CITY OF HOUSTON WENT THROUGH THE COURTS. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I'M SORRY, WHAT'D YOU SAY? GO AHEAD AND FINISH. OKAY. THE CITY OF HOUSTON WENT THROUGH THE STATE COURT, SUED ALL THESE PEOPLE, WOULD COME TO FIND OUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THEY SUED HIM AS UNDER A POTENT, A PRETENTIOUS ATTORNEY WHO HAD BEEN GIVEN THE CONTRACT THROUGH PAUL VENT COURT. ONCE THE CONTRACT WAS GIVEN THROUGH PAUL BEN COURT, NOBODY KNEW THEY SENT CONSTABLES TO EXCHANGE DEEDS. AND I SPOKE TO HIDA YESTERDAY TO SAY, WHERE'S THE MONEY? NOBODY KNOWS WHERE THE MONEY WENT. YOU NEED TO WRAP IT UP, MS. SMITH. OKAY. AND I ASKED HER ABOUT HER CONTRACT. SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I'M ASKING THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO TAKE AN INVESTIGATION ON WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT'S GOING ON. AND I WILL PUT THAT IN WRITING TO YOU, MR. WHITNER. OKAY. THANK YOU, MA'AM. MM-HMM . NEXT. ELIZABETH MARQUEZ, JACK VALINSKI TO BE FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY WILLIAMS. MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF A CONSERVATIVE, AND I'M CERTAINLY NOT AN ACCOUNTANT, BUT I WAS TROUBLED WHEN I SAW THIS NEWS STORY FROM KTRK THIS PAST WEEK ABOUT S AND P GIVES HOUSTON UTILITY FUND NEGATIVE OUTLOOK. ALL DURING THE BUDGET SESSION, WE WERE TOLD THAT TAKING $200 MILLION OUT OF THE BUDGET OF THE UTILITY WOULD NOT HURT OUR OUTLOOK. YET THIS IS WHAT WE SEE. I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SOMEBODY EXPLAIN TO ME THAT THIS STORY IS WRONG AND OUR, OUR FUND IS STILL IN GOOD SHAPE, BUT I DON'T SEE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JACK. NEXT, KIMBERLY WILLIAMS, MAY, YOU MAY WANT TO BOBBY HASKET. MM-HMM . GEORGE LA BLANCHE KASEEM KAHAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRODY, [00:50:01] WASHINGTON. MR. MIKE, PRETTY GOOD. YOU LOOKING GOOD? THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL WITH GOD'S NAME, MOST GRACIOUS GREETINGS, RESPECTED MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CITY COUNCIL. THE LAST TIME I APPEARED AND SPOKE TO YOU, I ARTICULATED MY QUEST AND MISSION TO DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO ADVOCATE MY VISION FOR AN ATMOSPHERE OF PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY AND BEYOND. I'M ACUTELY AWARE THAT GIVEN THE STATE OF THIS WORLD, PEACE IS A TALL ORDER TO FILL. IN ORDER IS SO TALL, IN FACT, THAT MOST WOULD PERCEIVE THIS VISION AS IMPOSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE MULTIPLE WARS, CRIME, GENOCIDE, FAMINE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, POLITICAL UNREST, INJUSTICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT HAS BEEN CONTAMINATED WITH CORRUPTED OFFICERS. AND NOT TO MENTION THE SEEMINGLY OUT OF CONTROL, ICE AGENTS RAVAGING THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY, LIKE A GANG OF OUTTA CONTROL THUGS. I'M ALSO VERY SURE THAT EACH OF YOU ARE AWARE OF THE ANTI-ISLAM RHETORIC THAT SATURATES THE VARIOUS NEWS OUTLETS, RHETORIC SUCH AS CALLING ME AND MUSLIMS LIKE ME, WHO ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT, CRIMINALS AND TERRORISTS RHETORIC THAT I STRUGGLE TO IGNORE, MAINLY BECAUSE I HAVE BIGGER FISH TO FRY. I'M ON A MISSION FOR PEACE, AND I CHOOSE TO RESIST BEING DISTRACTED. HOWEVER, I'M APPEARING HERE TODAY AT THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL NOT TO HARP ON THE NEGATIVITIES, BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO SEEK THE SUPPORT OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR MY MODEST EFFORT TO ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVES IN OUR ENVIRONMENT. I'M REQUESTING THAT YOU STAND WITH ME TO SET ASIDE ONE DAY AS LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY. I HAVE DISTRIBUTED TO YOU FLYERS AND REQUESTS FOR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT AND CITYWIDE PROCLAMATIONS, AND ANY SPECIAL EVENTS YOU DEEM FEASIBLE DESIGNATING SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, 2026, AS LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY ON THAT DAY, OCTOBER 25TH AT MASS AT TAHI, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT B. I'M HOSTING A SPECIAL EVENT SALUTING SEVERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, AND FORT BEND COUNTY, AND THEIR RESPECTED DEPARTMENTS. IT IS MY HOPE THAT THIS EVENT AND ANY ADDITIONAL SUBSEQUENT EFFORTS WOULD SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR CHANGE, ADVOCATE FOR AND INFLUENCE AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING, COOPERATION, COLLABORATION, AND APPRECIATION WITH ALL LEVELS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. MAYBE WE CAN'T SAVE HOUSTON, LET ALONE THE WORLD, BUT THERE'S NO HARM IN TRYING. IF YOU'RE TOO BUSY AND WITH MUCH ALREADY ON YOUR PLATE, THE SPEARHEAD ANY SPECIAL ACTIVITY, THEN AT LEAST CONSIDER THIS INVITATION TO ATTEND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION, APPRECIATION DAY EVENT AT MASSIVE TAHI. ENJOY THE EVENT. ALLOW US TO INTRODUCE YOU AND LISTEN TO WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU AMAN, FOR BEING HERE. COUNCIL JACKSON, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. UM, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, UM, BROTHER CONN FOR ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, JUST DOING WHAT YOU CAN TO SPREAD UNITY AND, UM, TO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, OUR LEADERS, THE CITY LEADERSHIP, AND JUST EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR DISTRICT B, CREATING JOBS AND FEEDING FOLKS, AND JUST BEING A GREAT LEADER. AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, YOUR UPCOMING EVENT. THANK YOU, MILLER. I BLESS YOU. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. NEXT BRODY, WASHINGTON, KENOSHA STREAM TO BE FOLLOWED BY LAURA GALLAGHER. HELLO. HELLO EVERYBODY. YES, MA'AM. YES MA'AM. HELLO EVERYBODY. IT'S AN HONOR, TRULY, TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE, UH, UH, STANDING BEFORE YOU GUYS. UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY SAYING, UH, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO FOR THE CITY. UM, I'M ORIGINALLY FROM MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, BUT UH, I'VE BEEN HERE PROBABLY ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OVER 20 YEARS. AND I WATCHED THE CITY GROW TO BE JUST AN AWESOME, AWESOME CITY. A LOT OF THINGS THAT'S HERE NOW, WASN'T HERE WHEN I FIRST CAME, SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND Y'ALL AND THANK Y'ALL FOR ALL THE GREATNESS THAT Y'ALL DONE HERE IN THE CITY. AND ALSO, UM, OKAY. SO A REASON FOR BEING HERE. UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS KENOSHA STRAIN, UM, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY GRANDSON, PERSISTENT BARRY KENZIE. UM, HE'S UNDER CPS CUSTODY. AND, UM, MAYBE LIKE ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, [00:55:01] MY DAUGHTER'S RIGHTS WERE TERMINATED, UM, UM, BY THE COURTS AFTER A LONG BATTLE, I THINK MAYBE ABOUT THREE YEAR BATTLE OF HER TRYING TO GET CUSTODY BACK WITH HIM. AND, UM, SURPRISINGLY, IT WAS KINDA LIKE A SURPRISE TO ME. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE HER RIGHTS TERMINATED. SO I DIDN'T, I WASN'T AWARE UNTIL AFTERWARDS. SO, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I, ONCE I REALIZED I CONTACT, UM, CPSI CONTACT MY DAUGHTER'S LAWYER THAT WAS REPRESENTING HER CASE. I ALSO TRIED TO VISIT THE COURTHOUSE, THE FAMILY COURT, AND WHICH, UM, EVERYTHING TOOK PLACE AND I WASN'T ABLE TO GET ANY HELP. I WAS TOLD THAT MY RIGHTS AS A BLOOD RELATIVE WERE ALSO TERMINATED. SO I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THIS IS, LIKE, IT'S CRAZY TO ME. IT'S CRAZY TO ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO SEE MY GRANDSON. HE JUST RECENTLY, A WEEK AGO TURNED SIX, HE'S STILL VERY, VERY YOUNG. AND TODAY ALSO REPRESENTS THE DAY THAT MY SON, WHO WOULD'VE BEEN 34, HE WOULD'VE HAD A BIRTHDAY TODAY. HE PASSED AWAY WHEN HE WAS A BABY OF SIDS AND ELIZABETH , AND I HAVE IT PERSISTENT HERE. IT'S ALMOST LIKE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF. SO, UM, A REASON FOR BEING HERE IS TO ASK, UM, THE CITY IF THEY CAN DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME TO, UM, MAYBE HAVE MY RIGHTS REINSTATED TO WHERE I CAN AT LEAST VISIT OR EVEN MAYBE ADOPT MY GRANDSON. UM, BACK INTO THE FAMILY. MA'AM, WE'RE, WE'RE SORRY ABOUT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE. I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO TALK TO REBECCA WILLIAMS AND SHE WILL, UH, VISIT WITH YOU AND SEE IF THERE'S SERVICES THAT WE COULD PROVIDE OR HELP YOU NETWORK BACK TO SOME OF THE FAMILY LAWS. YES. YES, SIR. AGENTS, REBECCA, WILL YOU MEET WITH? OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING. NO, MA'AM. YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY. BE SAFE. NEXT. LAURA GALLAGHER, MARK RODRIGUEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACOB CLEMENT, MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW I'M ME. I'M COMMUNITY LEADER, WHATEVER. THANK YOU MAYOR FOR, UH, DOING THE JOB. YOU DO SOME OF Y'ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. WELL, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A PART-TIME JOB, BUT WHEN Y'ALL SIGN, PUT YOUR NAME ON THE BALLOT. YOU KNEW THE EXPECTATIONS FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WHAT WE'RE GONNA EXPECT OF YOU. I KNOW OUR MAYOR WORKS REAL HARD. I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT STEVE JOE PAELLA. I MADE ONE PHONE CALL TO HIS OFFICE ABOUT A SCHOOL ZONE PROBLEM THAT WE HAD AT AT MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL. WHARTON DUAL LANGUAGE, HPD IN THE CENTRAL DIVISION HAS BEEN ON IT. THE PRINCIPAL. THANK YOU. THE PARENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. METRO. UM, PD STARTED A PROGRAM WHERE THEY MAKE EVERY LIEUTENANT SERGEANT AND OFFICER RIDE ON THE METRO BUS OR TRAIN FOUR HOURS A WEEK. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THE BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP BACK, BACK, BACK UP WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT'S BROKEN APART. I ALMOST SEND MY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO DAILY PICTURES OF OUR HIKING BIKE TRAIL PEOPLE USING THE RESTROOM. WHEN REAL QUICK, CAN I CLOSE UP WITHOUT CLOTHES ON AT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON WITH KIDS RIDE WALKING ON THAT TRAIL. AND I REALLY THINK THE SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB. AND I ENCOURAGE ANY OF Y'ALL TO PLEASE VISIT OUR BIKE TRAIL WITHOUT A POLICE ESCORT TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT. GOOD. I'M GOING TO AUSTIN TOMORROW. YOU KNOW WHY I'M GOING TO PROMOTE THE DYNAMO AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE THEY HAVE A ZERO MAYOR, THIS KIRK, AND, WELL, I THINK HIS NAME IS KIRK, WASN'T, AND HE USED TO BE A STATE SENATOR WHEN OUR MAYOR WAS A DEAN OF THE STATE SENATE. AND NOW, UM, RODNEY ELLIS, HE'S ALSO A, WAS A STATE SENATOR, BUT NOW HE'S A COMMISSIONER AND HE VOTED TO INCREASE YOUR TAXES. YEAH. ALSO, I HAVE A COMPLAINT. UH, LAST [01:00:01] PUBLIC MEETING WE WERE AT, UH, I, UH, FINISHED TALKING WITH Y'ALL HERE AT THE PUBLIC SESSION AND WELL, WHEN I WENT TO THE BUS STOP, THERE WAS A HOMELESS MAN SLEEPING ON THE BUS STOP, UM, THE BUS BENCH. AND SO I GOT A LITTLE BIT ON THE THING, BUT NO AGGIE JOKE. YOU BETTER BE QUICK. WHAT IS THE FAVORITE MAJOR OF, UH, A AND M PEOPLE? THE CANINE WAY TO GO NOW. WHY? THEIR, THEIR MASCOT IS CALLED REVEAL AND THERE'S A DOG AND OTHER WORDS, A CANINE. OKAY, BE SAFE. COME BACK AND SEE US. ANYONE ELSE THAT WAS CALLED THAT MIGHT HAVE JUST ARRIVED? [2. PUBLIC HEARING on Fourth Amendment to existing Strategic Partnership Agreement between City of Houston, Texas and SPRING CREEK UTILITY DISTRICT to Annex for Limited Purposes, certain territory located within and in the vicinity of such district in Montgomery County, Texas – DISTRICT B – JACKSON] IF NOT, LET'S GO TO PUBLIC PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FOURTH AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND SPRING CREEK UTILITY DISTRICT. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. UM, MY NAME IS RUPE KHI AND I'M A SENIOR STAFF ANALYST IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. UM, THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE TWO REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT ROUND, ALSO KNOWN AS THE SPAS. THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 16TH FOLLOWING THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING. THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WILL BE SEEKING COUNCIL APPROVAL FOR THE SPA AND THE ASSOCIATE LIMITED PURPOSE AND ATION OF ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2026. IF APPROVED, SALES TAX COLLECTIONS WILL BEGIN ON APRIL 1ST, 2027. THE PROPOSED SPA AND LIMITED PURPOSE ANNEXATION FOR OCTOBER, 2026 ARE AS FOLLOWS, IS FOR SPRING CREEK UTILITY DISTRICT, WHERE THE CITY WILL AMEND THE EXISTING SPA AND ANNEX ADDITIONAL TERRITORY FOR LIMITED PURPOSES FOR THIS DISTRICT. THE CITY WILL LEVY A ONE PERSON SALES TAX, WHICH WILL BE DIVIDED EVENLY WITH THE DISTRICT. THERE ARE AT NO RESIDENCE IN THE AREAS TO BE ANNEXED FOR LIMITER PURPOSES. ALSO, THE CITY IS NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ANY SERVICES AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 43.075 1D OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT. CODE. NOTICES OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER, ON AUGUST 23RD AND 28TH, 2026, AND CONTAINED A STATEMENT OF THE PURPOSE OF THE HEARINGS, THE DATE, TIME, AND THE PLACE OF HEARINGS, THE LOCATION WHERE THE COPIES OF THE PROPOSED SPAS MAY BE OBTAINED PRIOR TO THE HEARINGS. UH, THAT COMPLETES MY REPORT AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. VERY GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? SEEING NO ONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING CAST TO MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING. NEXT SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND TO CLOSE THE HEARING. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. SECOND [1. PUBLIC HEARING regarding Resolution of No Objection for Reserve at Ella seeking 4% Housing Tax Credits (HTCs) - DISTRICT B - JACKSON] PUBLIC HEARING, PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR RESERVE AT ELLA, SEEKING 4% HOUSING TAX CREDITS. GOOD MORNING MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT RESERVE AT ELLA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS COUNCIL APPROVAL, A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR THE 4% HOUSING TAX CREDIT TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF RESERVE AT ELLA. AS BACKGROUND UNDER T-D-A-C-A REQUIREMENTS, ANY DEVELOPER APPLYING FOR 4% TAX CREDITS MUST OBTAIN A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FROM THE GOVERNING BODY OF JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE DEVELOPMENT IS LOCATED. UH, A LITTLE BIT ON PROJECT OVERVIEW, DEVELOP A DEVELOPER FOR THIS PROJECT IS STREAMLINED ADVISORY PARTNERS, LLC. UH, THE RESERVE AT ELLA IS NEW CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL BRING 344 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE AREA TARGETING FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS. THE PROJECT WILL LOCATE IN DISTRICT B, UH, WITHIN T NUMBER 11, UH, THE GREATER GREENS POINT AREA, SOUTHWEST CORNER OF ELLA BOULEVARD AND RUSH CREEK DRIVE. UH, TURNING TO FINANCIALS, THE TOTAL ESTIMATE PROJECT COST IS APPROXIMATELY 78 MILLION. UH, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES ZERO FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CITY. UH, DONE ON THE TIMELINE. UH, THE MOTION TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM WAS PRESENTED ON [01:05:01] COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, AND TODAY'S SEPTEMBER 9TH MARKS THE PUBLIC HEARING. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? C. NO ONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING? CASTEX STATE A MOVE TO CLOSE THE HEARING. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. [4. REQUEST from Mayor for confirmation of the appointment or reappointment of the following individuals to the HOUSTON MUSIC ADVISORY BOARD:] YEAH. LET'S DO ITEM FOUR. OUT OF ORDER PLEASE. THE MUSIC ADVISORY BOARD. JUST A MOTION FOR THAT. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE TO TAKE ITEM FOUR. NEXT. NEXT SECOND. THANK YOU. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NA. ITEM FOUR BEFORE US. ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION. CASTEX TATUM, MOVE. SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AF. ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED MOTION PASSES. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS FIR. FIRST, LET ME ASK THE APPOINTEES TO PLEASE STAND AND LET US RECOGNIZE YOU. APPRECIATE Y'ALL. APPRECIATE YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. UH, HOUSTON'S MUSIC SCENE IS SOLIDIFIED. UH, MANY OF Y'ALL HAVE YOUR HAND IN THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, TO THE POINT THAT U OF H IS NOW OPENING THEIR FOOTBALLS, UH, SEASON WITH A SLAB, UH, AND RIGHT. AND SO, UH, HOUSTON, Y'ALL WERE, UM, INSTRUMENTAL AND YOU ARE INSTRUMENTAL TO THE CULTURE IN THE CITY. SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION BEFORE WE BECAME A, A NATIONAL, A NATIONAL TREND IN YOUR HAND, IN THE WORK AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT THE, UH, CITY LEVEL AND ENGAGING, UH, LOCAL ARTISTS, CREATING THE CONVERSATIONS AND MOVING THAT CONVERSATION FORWARD. AND OF COURSE, I JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT MY COLLEGE CLASSMATE POSITION ONE, JASON WOODS, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING, UH, YOUR DJ'S FAVORITE DJ. UM, AND, BUT JUST THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND HOWEVER WE CAN ADVANCE, UM, OUR MUSIC INDUSTRY A ALLOW US TO PARTNER WITH YOU IN CO-CREATION. AND SHOUT OUT TO GRACIE AS WELL. THANK YOU. POLL COUNCILOR POLLARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I TOO, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE. UM, YOU ALL TRULY BRING, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A PLATFORM TO MANY OF THE ARTISTS AROUND OUR CITY. UH, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU ENGAGE WITH OUR OFFICES TO HELP US STAY IN TUNE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE MUSIC SCENE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK, UM, PLEASE RECOGNIZE MS. CHAVEZ, REINHART, LORITA, DEION, ERICA, MARISSA SIGNS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. UH, THANK YOU FOR WILLING TO SERVE AND, UH, LET'S GO TO WORK. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK Y'ALL. MM-HMM . THANK Y'ALL. Y'ALL THROUGH . I SAID GO TO WORK. . UH, [CONSENT AGENDA – NUMBERS 3 through 21] MR. SECRETARY, LET'S GO. THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALRIGHT. SINCE YOUR LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED, ALL ITEMS ARE NOW IN UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY. ITEM FIVE HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE, CAST TO MOVE SECOND. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PUR PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY. NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM SIX THROUGH NINE? CAST TATUM. MOVE. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY. ITEMS 10 AND 19 HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NA. MOTION PASSES. ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. ITEM FIVE NEEDS A MOTION CAST. STATE A MOVE. MOTION MADE. AND SECOND. AND ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED THE NAME THOMAS. A MOTION PASSES. COUNCILMAN THOMAS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY APPOINTEES IN THE ROOM? NO. WELL, JUST ON, NO, WELL, JUST ON THE RECORD. UM, I JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT THE WESTCHASE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UM, AND THEIR LEADERSHIP. WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST PARKS ON THE WEST SIDE BECAUSE OF OUR AGREEMENT. UH, CAMDEN PARK WOOD CHASE. UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING. UM, UM, Y'ALL ARE OUR ECONOMIC ENGINE ON THE WEST SIDE, AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND, UH, APPRECIATE [01:10:01] THE REAPPOINTMENTS AND THE NEW APPOINTMENTS FOR YOUR, UH, COMMITMENT TO SERVE US IN THIS ROLE. VERY GOOD. NEXT ITEM 10 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE AFTER THE VOTE. AFTER THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES. THOSE POSTS. MOTION PASSES. UH, MR. ELLA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS ORDINANCE REAL QUICK. THIS IS OVER $1.7 MILLION IN HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS GRANT FUNDING FOR THE MONTROSE CENTER. THIS IS NOT JUST RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE FOR HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES, BUT ALSO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND OTHER WRAPAROUND SERVICES. I WANNA GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO AVERY AND HER TEAM AT THE MONTROSE CENTER, DIRECTOR NICHOLS AND THE ENTIRE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR THEIR HARD WORK TO GET THESE DOLLARS IN THE HANDS OF ORGANIZATIONS DOING REALLY CRITICAL HOUSING WORK. SO THANKS EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THEY DO OUTSTANDING WORK. MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY. NEXT, NEXT. ITEM 19 IS AN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE TAG. TAG OF COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. TAG BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS. [MATTERS HELD] NEXT. ITEM 22 IS IN ORDINANCE. JUST NEED A VOTE. COUNCIL MAYOR, PRO IMPACT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK PUBLIC WORKS FOR, UM, GOING THROUGH THIS ITEM WITH ME. THIS IS THE MUD ANNEXATION THAT LAST WEEK I HAD CONCERNS ABOUT USING, UM, PRE ATLAS 14 NUMBERS. UM, THEY SHOWED ME THAT THE, UM, PRE ATLAS 14, 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN IS GOING TO BE THE POST ATLAS 14, 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN. AND THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS WITHIN, GOING TO BE WITHIN THAT 100 YEAR. SO, UM, I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THAT INFORMATION NOW AND JUST WANTED TO THANK PUBLIC WORKS FOR VERY GOOD. THAT FOR ME. ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES. THOSE OPPOSED NAY. MOTION PASSES. THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. VERY GOOD. [MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS] NOW, POPOFF, UH, COUNCILMAN SALINAS PASS, COUNCILOR CARTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE WORK OVER AT FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION. UM, AS YOU KNOW, MAYOR, I'M OVER THERE EVERY WEDNESDAY AT THREE, UH, PROVIDING TOURS FOR SOME OF THE CORPORATE CONNECTIONS THAT I HAVE. AND LAST, UH, WEEK, I HAD MY FRIENDS FROM CHEVRON OVER THERE, AND WE HAPPENED UPON A CERT GRADUATION, UH, FOR THEIR TRAINING. AND I, I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU, MAYOR, BECAUSE AT OUT AT, UH, CASHMERE, IN A REENTRY GRADUATION, AT ONE POINT YOU SAID, THIS IS LIKELY THE FIRST THING THAT ANY OF THESE FOLKS HAVE EVER COMPLETED. AND THAT RESONATED WITH ME. AND THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR EMANCIPATION AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE BEING GIVEN OVER THERE, WHETHER IT'S CERT TRAINING, WHETHER IT'S FINANCIAL LITERACY, YOU KNOW, I'VE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME OVER THERE. AND SO I SEE THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE. AND I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE HARRIS CENTER. THAT WORK IS NOT EASY, BUT I'M SO PROUD OF THE, OF THE PROGRESS AND, YOU KNOW, EACH ONE, THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL THAT COMES THROUGH AND GETS CONNECTION AND CREATES A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY AND FEELS THAT PEOPLE CARE. THAT'S A WIN. AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED MANY MORE JUST LIKE THAT CENTER. BUT I'M SO PROUD OF THE WORK AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, CONTINUED SUPPORT ON IT, AND WE'LL KEEP PLUGGING ALONG. WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING UP, UH, FROM THE CORPORATE COMMUNITY ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENTS TO SUPPORT. UM, AND SO WE'LL, WE'LL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. BUT, BUT THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT. IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN, IN TAKING A LOOK AT IT AND SEEING IT IN ACTION, IT'S ONE THING TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT TO SEE IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT, WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME. SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EVANS SHABA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING EVERYONE WHO, UH, ATTENDED THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE OPEN HOUSE. IT WAS TRULY A, A FULL HOUSE. I WAS NOT AVAILABLE, BUT I WAS SO EXCITED TO HEAR HOW SUCCESSFUL IT WAS. A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE AND CEO, TAYLOR JACKSON, MICHELLE AL, THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND ALL OF THE ARTISTS ART ORGANIZATIONS, UH, CULTURAL LEADERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND RESIDENTS WHO CAME OUT AND HELPED MAKE THE EVENINGS SUCH A SUCCESS. ALWAYS THANKFUL FOR MY COACH HERE FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE, UH, AND HIS HIGHLIGHTS AND PARTICIPATION, UH, AND, AND JUST HIS FOCUS THAT HE BRINGS TO THIS, UH, COMMITTEE. UH, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW UPCOMING EVENTS IN DISTRICT D TONIGHT. THE MUSEUM PARK SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL QUARTERLY MEETING. WE'LL BE AT 5:30 PM AT ST. PAUL'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, JONES BUILDING ROOM J 2 0 4. [01:15:01] IT'S 5,400 FANON STREET. THE JONES BUILDING IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE SANCTUARY AND PROSPECT STREET. ALSO THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS FACILITY. GROUNDBREAKING WILL TAKE PLACE, UH, ON TOMORROW AT 8:00 AM UM, , UH, AT THE CENTRAL LAWN ADJACENT TO THE BARBARA JORDAN, MICKEY LELAND SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. AND CERTAINLY I'M EXCITED TO CELEBRATE ANOTHER IMPORTANT INVESTMENT IN TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, THIRD WARD, AND THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OUR COMMUNITY. UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 68 MEETING WILL ALSO BE TOMORROW AT 6:00 PM AT THE OFFICE OF CONSTABLE JAMES. SMOKEY PHILLIPS, THE BEST LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSON IN THE, UH, THESE UNITED STATES, UH, IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM. THAT'S PRETTY BIG, HUH? 59. 20 . 59, EXCUSE ME. 52 90 GRIGGS ROAD. MY OPINION, HOUSTON, TEXAS. AND CERTAINLY I ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO COME OUT, STAY INFORMED AND CONTINUE BEING ENGAGED IN THE WORK OF HAPPENING THAT IS HAPPENING THROUGH OUR DISTRICT. D THANK YOU MAYOR. ALSO, LAST NIGHT FOR ATTENDING THE, UH, GOSPEL AT MOUNT ZION CHURCH. WAS, WAS VERY INSPIRATIONAL, AND WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE GREETINGS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. AND CERTAINLY WE, WE PRAY BLESSINGS OVER THEIR CONVENTION, THE BAPTIST CONVENTION THAT IS TAKING PLACE. THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION. AND THANK YOU TO PASTOR L, PASTOR DR. L DAVID PUNCH, WHO IS PASTOR OF MOUNT ZION FOR HOSTING THAT EVENT. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CASTILLO. THANK YOU MAYOR. I WANNA START BY ANNOUNCING DISTRICT H WILL HOST A INFANT FORMULA DROP OFF LOCATION FOR HUNGER ACTION MONTH. UH, THANKS TO MAYOR PRO TEM FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON BRINGING THAT, UH, TO OUR ATTENTION. THE MD ANDERSON, YMCA 7 0 5 CAVALCADE WILL SERVE AS A DROP OFF LOCATION FOR FORMULA THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. UM, AND THAT IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LIFE HOUSTON SUPPORTING INFANT ACTION MONTH IN INFANT HUNGER ACTION MONTH WITH MOST NEEDED FORMULA BEING THE, UM, INFAMIL REGU LINE AND THE INFAMIL ADDED RICE STARCH. SO MD ANDERSON, YMCA DURING THEIR OPERATING HOURS. YOU CAN DROP THOSE OFF FOR THE FORMULA DRIVE. I DO WANNA THANK THE A-F-L-C-I-O FOR HOSTING A GREAT, UH, LABOR DAY BARBECUE THIS PAST SATURDAY OUT IN CROSBY, IT DID GET, UM, A LITTLE WET WITH ALL THE RAIN, BUT THE FOOD WAS FANTASTIC AND IT WAS GREAT TO VISIT, UM, WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE UNIONS OUT THERE CELEBRATING LABOR DAY. ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE LINDE PARK CIVIC CLUB ON A SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL PARADE. UM, THEY USUALLY DO IT ON 4TH OF JULY. THAT WAS DELAYED A LITTLE BIT WITH FIFA THIS YEAR. SO WE DID IT, UH, OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND. A NUMBER OF, UH, OF COLLEAGUES WERE IN ATTENDANCE. MAYOR, YOU WERE ONE OF THE GRAND MARSHALS. I KNOW THEY REALLY APPRECIATED YOU BEING OUT THERE WALKING, UH, WALKING IRVINGTON WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND CELEBRATING, UH, A SUCCESSFUL 25TH ANNUAL PARADE FOR THE LINDELL PARK COMMUNITY. AND FINALLY, THIS SATURDAY, UH, FROM NINE TO 11, I'LL BE HOSTING THE ANNUAL DISTRICT H HEALTH FAIR AT THE MELROSE COMMUNITY CENTER. UM, THIS IS A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, VISIT WITH DIFFERENT, UH, ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES THAT ARE GONNA PROVIDE SCREENINGS AND OTHER SERVICES. UH, FLU SHOTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE ON HAND, THE FOOD BANK, WALGREENS, SAN JOSE CLINIC, AND MANY OTHERS. UH, THERE'S NO COST. THIS IS TOTALLY, UH, AVAILABLE TO FOLKS, UH, TO SHOW UP. AND, UH, THAT'LL BE AT MELROSE PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, SEPTEMBER THE 12TH, NINE TO 11. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DAVIS. COUNCILMAN FLICKING? YES, MAYOR, UH, WANNA INVITE EVERYBODY. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH, CRIME STOPPERS IS HAVING THEIR NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE. UH, COUNCILWOMAN ALCORN, I BELIEVE INVITED ME TO THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND I'VE ATTENDED. IT'S, UH, NOT A VERY FUN EVENT, BUT I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY WORTHWHILE, UH, FOR US TO PARTICIPATE IN, UH, YOU KNOW, REMEMBERING THE, THE MURDER VICTIMS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. AND THAT'LL START AT, UH, 6:00 PM ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH. SO IF ANYBODY WOULD, UH, LOVE TO JOIN, I KNOW ALL THE PEOPLE OUT THERE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE OUR ATTENDANCE. COUNCIL MEMBER PENN. THANK YOU MAYOR. AS WE ENTER THE FALL, OUR SUMMER INTERIM TEAM HAS TRANSITIONED [01:20:01] OUT AND WE'RE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE EFFORT THEY GAVE TO THE DISTRICT C OFFICE, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO WELCOME SOME NEW STAFF. SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. UH, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF FOLKS TO INTRODUCE. SO IF OUR THREE NEW STAFF MEMBERS COULD STAND UP. I'LL, I'LL QUICKLY INTRODUCE Y'ALL. WE HAVE INGRES PERRERA, OUR NEW OPERATIONS COORDINATOR SLASH SCHEDULER. UH, SHE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH A BACHELOR'S IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND GLOBAL STUDIES. SHE'S PREVIOUSLY WORKED DIRECTLY WITH HER COMMUNITY FROM SERVING AS A PROGRAM ASSISTANT WITH BAKER RIPLEY TO HER WORK, HELPING RESIDENTS NAVIGATE RESOURCES WITH THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK. SHE'LL BE OUR OFFICE'S SCHEDULER EVENT PLANNER, AND WILL HELP WITH CONSTITUENT SERVICES. WE HAVE ZOHO QUADRI HERE, OUR NEW CONSTITUENT SERVICES MANAGER WITH A BACHELOR'S FROM A AND M, AND HER MASTER'S FROM UT AUSTIN. ZOHO COMES WITH A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE TO BRING TO DISTRICT C. SHE PREVIOUSLY INTERNED IN CONGRESSIONAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE OFFICES, AND SHE'LL BE OVERSEEING OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES OPERATIONS, HELPING SERVE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT DISTRICT C. AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A VERY ENGAGED DISTRICT OFFICE. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE KAYLEE GADO, OUR NEW EXTERNAL AFFAIRS COORDINATOR, GRADUATED FROM, UH, WITH HER BACHELOR'S IN PUBLIC POLICY AND JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED THE AFFAIRS FELLOWSHIP WITH, UH, SHE HAS BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH HER COMMUNITY, EVEN SERVED AS AN INTERN WITH OUR OWN MAYOR, PRO TIM CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE, AND IS EXCITED TO SERVE DISTRICT C RESIDENTS. I WILL SAY, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED. SHE KEEPS BRINGING UP THAT THIS IS NOT HOW THEY DID IT AT DISTRICT K, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA WORK IT OUT. SHE'S OUR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS COORDINATOR, WORKING ON POLICY ANALYSIS, HELPING ON OUR DISTRICT SERVICE DOLLARS PROJECTS AND SO MUCH MORE. SO CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS FOR JOINING THE TEAM, Y'ALL. THANK YOU. ONE MORE ANNOUNCEMENT. GO FOR IT. I'LL ALSO JUST SAY OUR CDSF SURVEY CLOSED ON MONDAY. WE HAD OVER 1100 RESPONDENTS, WHICH WAS REALLY AWESOME. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT SO MANY RESIDENTS WERE EXCITED TO PITCH IN THEIR OWN IDEAS AND CONCERNS TO HOW WE SHOULD SPEND OUR CDSF DOLLARS. WE WILL BE ANNOUNCING THE RESULTS OF THAT SURVEY, SURVEY AT OUR A HUNDRED DAYS TOWN HALL ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH AT 10:00 AM AT THE WEST GRAY MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. WE WILL HAVE CITY DEPARTMENTS, AGENCIES, AND COUNTY PARTNERS IN ATTENDANCE. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, SO TOMORROW WE WILL BE CELEBRATING FOUR YEARS OF BE SUCCESSFUL. UM, BE SUCCESSFUL, OF COURSE IS A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING POVERTY, UM, IN DISTRICT B. AND WE TAKE ON FIVE CHALLENGES, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND SO, UM, TO CELEBRATE, WE'LL BE HAVING OUR JOB FAIR TOMORROW BETWEEN 10 AND 10:00 AM 1:00 PM AT THE CARL WALKER JUNIOR MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 4,300 NOBLE STREET. AND THEN THAT EVENING WE'LL BE HAVING HOSTING A RECEPTION, UM, FOR OUR CREDIBLE MESSENGERS. INVITED YOU OUT, GUYS OUT. AND WE ALSO BE HONORING OUR MAYOR, UM, FOR HIS SUPPORT, UM, FOR OUR, UM, BE SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVE. SO IF YOU KNOW PEOPLE THAT'S LOOKING FOR JOBS, WE HAVE OVER FOUR, UM, 50 EMPLOYEES THERE, EMPLOYERS THERE, READY TO HIRE ON THE SPOT. NOT ALL OF 'EM HIRING ON THE SPOT, BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE EMPLOYERS THAT'S HIRING ON THE SPOT. SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT, COME ON OUT TO THE BE SUCCESSFUL JOB FAIR TOMORROW AT CAR WALKER CENTER. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, THANK YOU. ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, DISTRICT G WILL BE HOSTING A COFFEE WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT'S GONNA BE AT LITTLE RAY AT 2345 MID LANE FROM 9:30 AM TO 11. SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, OR JUST WANNA COME OUT AND SPEND TIME WITH, UH, PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, WE WILL, WE WILL BE THERE. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK IT'S REALLY, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT NINE 11 HAPPENED 25 YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, 25 YEARS. UM, AND WE STILL REMEMBER, UM, THE TRAGEDY OF THAT DAY. UM, BUT I THINK WE ALSO REMEMBER THE UNITY AND THE STRENGTH THAT FOLLOWED, AND THAT EVEN IN OUR DARKEST MOMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAME TOGETHER AS AMERICANS AND, UH, WE ARE RESILIENT. SO NINE 11, WE WILL NEVER FORGET. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, JUST TO REHASH A FEW OF THE EVENTS I, UH, ATTENDED IN THE LAST WEEK. UM, WEDNESDAY NIGHT I WAS AT THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OPEN HOUSE FOR THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE AND SAW STAFF FROM DISTRICT D THERE, UM, MICHELLE AL WITH THE CITY'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS. AND, UM, TAYLOR WAS THERE AS WELL. SO JUST TO SALUTE TO ALL THOSE IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY WHO, WHO WORK HARD, UM, TO HELP, UM, INSPIRE AND ENTERTAIN, UH, ALL OF OUR HOUSTON RESIDENTS. AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR, FOR WHAT THEY DO. SATURDAY, I WAS AT THE LYNDALE PARK, UH, PARADE PUT ON BY THE CIVIC CLUB OUT THERE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO REFERRED TO. THIS WAS THEIR 25TH ANNIVERSARY PARADE. TYPICALLY IT'S ON JULY THE FOURTH, BUT BECAUSE OF A WORLD CUP MATCH, [01:25:01] THEY POSTPONED IT TO LABOR DAY, WHICH WAS A GREAT IDEA. UH, WONDERFUL TURNOUT, A LOT OF FAMILIES OUT. UM, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER WAS THERE, AS WELL AS A FEW OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS. AND JUST A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE. THIS IS THE FOURTH OR FIFTH OPPORTUNITY I'VE HAD TO, UH, BE A PART OF THAT PARADE. AND LAST NIGHT I WAS, UM, AT AN OPEN HOUSE REGARDING A, UM, RUMORED, UH, DATA CENTER IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON. UM, NOT TOO MANY DETAILS ON, UH, THAT PARTICULAR, UH, PROJECT. WE ARE GONNA KEEP MONITORING IT, UM, AND, UH, KEEP THE RESIDENTS APPRISED OF, UH, ANYTHING THAT DEVELOPS THERE. AND THAT WAS, UH, SPONSORED IN PART BY THE, UH, SHADY T TIDWELL TIMBERS, UH, COMMUNITY GROUP. SO THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT WEEK. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. AND TO YES, UH, HEADS UP TO DISTRICT F RESIDENTS. NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY, AND, UM, MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES OUR TIME IS IN HIGH DEMAND. WE, UM, ARE HOSTING THE A LEAF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY HOST AN ANNUAL PRE NATIONAL NIGHT EVENT. WE'LL BE AT THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND WITH A BUNCH OF RESOURCES. A BUNCH OF PARTNERS IS A GOOD TIME OUT TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS. UH, JOIN US THERE. UH, SECONDLY, I WANNA BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS HOSTING. UM, ALI, ISD AS THEY, UH, LOOK AT AND ADDRESS DECLINING ENROLLMENT, THEY ARE EVALUATING WAYS TO OPTIMIZE SCHOOL AND FACILITY USAGE. SO THIS, THESE MEETINGS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. UM, THEY ARE ASKING FOR YOU TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE WITH THEM TO CO-CREATE A VISION ON WHERE YOU HAVE A HAND IN, IN, IN, UH, WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING AROUND THESE FACILITIES. THEY'RE HOSTING, UH, MEETINGS EVERY THURSDAY, STARTING OCTOBER 15TH THROUGH THE 19TH. UM, I WILL ATTEND THE ONE AT ALI MIDDLE SCHOOL. UM, PLEASE REVIEW THE SCHEDULE AND GET THERE AND MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO BRING A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WITH YOU SO YOU CAN CREATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, THAT YOU WANT. UM, ALSO CALLING YOUR ATTENTION. THIS WAS IN OUR NEWSLETTER ON FRIDAY. ONE OF THE FINAL INITIATIVES CHAMPIONED BY THE LATE BARBARA CUATRO, LONG SERVING PRESIDENT OF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD. 25 WAS THE CREATION OF THE WALOO PARK POCKET PARK OFF OF BEL AIR AND WILCREST. UH, WE HAVE, UM, UH, RECEIVED THE GREEN LIGHT TO HONOR HER LEGACY, UM, THROUGH A NAME CHANGE PETITION. WE NEED 300. WE ARE ASKING FOR YOU TO COMPLETE THAT BY OCTOBER 31ST. UM, AND WE'VE SECURED, WE HAVE A PENDING SECURE OF, UM, THREE LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THIS INITIATIVE. SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU THERE FOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 17. I WILL BE WITH YOU PROBABLY IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER. WE HAVE GOOD NEWS ANNOUNCING, UH, THE RECONSTRUCTION OF RICHMOND WEST OF THE BELTWAY. AMEN. SO IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN ON RICHMOND, UH, PAST KIRKWOOD, AND WE ARE ABOUT TO GET THIS DONE FINALLY YEARS. UM, SO STAY TUNED. UM, THIS IS A TOTAL OF A $6 MILLION PROJECT. AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, GETTING BEFORE YOU WITH MAPS AND DETAILS AND THEN YOUR OBLIGATION AS WE GO THROUGH CONSTRUCTION. UM, AND THEN I WANNA HIGHLIGHT AN UPDATE FROM OUR ANNOUNCEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ENERGY CORRIDOR AND WEST HOUSTON ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES BECAUSE OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND OWNER, UH, A MANAGER AT THE COMFORT IN SUITES SAW THE NEWS CYCLE, UH, UM, IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS SOMEONE INTERESTED IN, UM, UM, ALLOWING US TO USE THOSE ROOMS FOR RAPID REHOUSING FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. MY TEAM, UM, MET WITH THEM AND HAD A SITE VISIT AND ARE WORKING OUT THE DETAILS. WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED. UH, THE MANAGER AND THE OWNERSHIP TEAM FLEW IN FOR THE MEETING, UH, AND THEY DEMONSTRATED SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR IN DALLAS, AND THEY'RE TOTALLY WILLING, UH, TO, UM, UH, PILOT THAT IN DISTRICT DEV. SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK TO YOU, UM, WITH MORE SOLUTIONS AND MORE RESOLUTIONS IS AS WE, UH, BUILT THIS INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE WEST SIDE, UM, AN UPDATE ON RASMUS PARK ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE DISTRICT IN THE PINEY POINT COMMUNITY. JUST A REMINDER THAT THE DESIGN OF THE HERITAGE HOUSE IS COMPLETE. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A, UM, GROUNDBREAKING SPRING 2027. UM, THIS ITEM CAME TO COUNCIL PROBABLY LAST SUMMER, THIS SUMMER, UH, OF LAST YEAR, EXCUSE ME, WHERE WE, UM, AUTHORIZED $500,000 APPROPRIATION BETWEEN THE PARKS RECREATION DEDICATION FUND, AND OUR CAPITAL PROJECT FUND. UH, SO IT'LL BE A NEW 1700 SQUARE FOOT HERITAGE HOUSE RIGHT AT THE PARK IN HONOR OF THE LATE WALTER RASMUS, UM, ONE OF THE DESCENDANTS OF THE FOUNDERS OF THAT FREEDMAN'S TOWN. SO [01:30:01] HAPPY TO BE THERE, AND I'M, I'M SURE COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD WILL BE THERE, UM, AS THIS WAS IN DISTRICT JAY PRIOR TO REDISTRICTING. UM, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO STANDING THIS UP AND CELEBRATING WITH YOU ALL. UM, PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE AND STAY CONNECTED BY EMAILING US AT DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON TX GOV. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS HAPPENING IN DISTRICT K. THE WESTBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH COMMUNITY FUND DAY WILL BE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 12TH FROM NINE TO ONE AT 5,200 WILLOW BEND BOULEVARD AT WEST BELFORT AVENUE. SO JOIN THE FUND THERE. UM, ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO SAVE THE DATE FOR OCTOBER THE THIRD. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY ON, UH, THE GRAND OPENING OF THE TECH LINK AT VINCENT BRANCH LIBRARY, UM, ON WEST FUQUA AT THE HIAM CLARK MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. SO THAT IS FINALLY HAPPENING ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER THE THIRD FROM 10 TO 12. WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, OPENING THE TECH LINK AND WELCOMING RESIDENTS TO UTILIZE THAT FACILITY. AND THEN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS TUESDAY, OCTOBER THE SIXTH. WE ARE DEFINITELY KICKING THIS OFF WITH A CELEBRATION IN DISTRICT K AT THE WEST ARM, Y-Y-M-C-A FROM SIX TO EIGHT, ASKING RESIDENTS TO BRING THEIR FAMILIES OUT FOR FUN, MUSIC, COMMUNITY CONNECTION, AND OF COURSE PUBLIC SAFETY ENGAGEMENT. AND THEN ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR, UH, HOA CIVIC CLUBS SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS. IF YOU ARE HOSTING A NATIONAL NIGHT EVENT, A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT IN THE DISTRICT TO LET US KNOW, YOU CAN CONTACT JOE GATSON IN THE DISTRICT, A OFFICE WITH YOUR EVENT DETAILS, UM, SO THAT THE DISTRICT A TEAM CAN STOP BY AND ENJOY NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WITH EACH OF YOU. THEN FINALLY, WANT TO JUST THANK OUR COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE, UM, INFANT HUNGER MONTH, OUR FOOD DRIVE. WE'VE GOTTEN SOME GREAT SUPPORT SO FAR. IT WILL LAST THROUGH THE ENTIRE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. UM, AND YOU CAN, UM, CONTINUE TO PURCHASE THAT INFAMIL VIA THE AMAZON LINK OR BRING THOSE SUPPLIES TO THE COUNCIL FLOOR. WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR PROTE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, A COUPLE OF UPCOMING EVENTS IN DISTRICT DAY. TONIGHT IS THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING TO DISCUSS PHASE FOUR OF THE SPRING BRANCH TRAIL. SO IF ANYONE LIKE, WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT, YOU CAN GO TO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, UM, WEBSITE NEXT, UM, TOMORROW, WE'RE HOPING EVERYONE CAN JOIN US FOR THE COFFEE WITH THE COPS AND COUNCIL MEMBER. WE WILL HAVE OUR HPD NORTHWEST DIVISION CAPTAIN THERE. UM, IT WILL BE TOMORROW AT 10:00 AM AT TRINITY MINDEN HALL, WHICH IS 1 4 1 4 WORK ROAD. UM, SO PLEASE JOIN US FOR THAT FOR ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND THEN FINALLY, UM, THERE IS A, THE HOUSTON LIBRARY FOUNDATION IS HAVING THEIR BOOK SALE. UM, SO THEY START THAT EVERY FALL. AND SO THEIR FIRST ONE FOR THIS SEASON STARTS THIS SATURDAY, UM, SEPTEMBER 12TH AT 10:00 AM THEY HAVE PAPERBACK BOOKS FOR $2, HARDBACK BOOKS FOR $3, AND ALL CHILDREN'S BOOKS ARE $1. SO, UM, ALL THAT MONEY GOES TO SUPPORT THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY. THAT, UM, EVENT IS HAPPENING AT THE, UM, HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY WAREHOUSE IN DISTRICT A AT 6 5 1 0 WEST LILY YORK ROAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PALM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, OVER THE PAST WEEK OR TWO, WE HAVE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF, UM, CORRESPONDENCE REGARDING GRIMES PARK, AND WE ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT HISD, UM, OWNING THAT LAND AND WANTING THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY BACK SO THAT THEY CAN DEVELOP A TRADE SCHOOL. THE ISSUE, UM, HAS BEEN, OF COURSE, NOTICED TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO, HOW IS IT THAT HISD WAS ABLE TO GET THAT PROPERTY BACK LIKE THAT? SO I WAS DIGGING BECAUSE I WAS JUST INTERESTED AND I SAW THE LEASE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAD WITH, UM, HISD. AND THE THING THAT WAS CONCERNING FOR ME, AND I SPOKE TO, UH, ATTORNEY MICHELLE ABOUT THIS, IS THAT THERE'S A CLAUSE IN OUR AGREEMENT, UH, WITH HISD FOR AN EARLY TERMINATION. AND IT BASICALLY GIVES ANY EITHER PARTY, UM, 60 DAYS NOTICE FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER TO TERMINATE THE LEASE. AND WHY I THINK THAT IS DANGEROUS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OTHER PARKS WE HAVE UNDER THIS TYPE OF LEASE AGREEMENT. AND AS I'VE BEEN MENTIONING [01:35:01] SINCE I KIND OF GOT ON COUNCIL ALMOST SEVEN YEARS AGO, THAT OUR CONTRACTS HAVE TO BE WRITTEN IN A WAY THAT I THINK IS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE CITY. UM, THERE ARE LANGUAGE, I THINK, WITHIN, UH, SOME OF THE CONTRACTS WE HAVE EVEN FOR PROCUREMENT FOR SERVICES THAT PUTS US AT A DISADVANTAGE. THESE, THE LANGUAGE IN THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, WHICH I SPOKE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT, I THINK WE HAVE TO REVIEW THESE CONTRACTS THAT WE ARE IN WITH, WITH OTHER PARTIES AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE AREN'T CLAUSES OR PROVISIONS THERE. THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE LEVERAGE. AND SO FOR US TO HAVE A PARK THAT WE'VE INVESTED THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN, THAT WE'RE UNDER A CURRENT LEASE AGREEMENT, THAT CAN JUST BE TERMINATED WITH 60 DAYS WRITTEN NOTICE FOR ANY REASON, NOT JUST FOR CAUSE, BUT JUST FOR ANY REASON, MAYOR, I THINK THAT THAT PUTS THE CITY AT A DISADVANTAGE. AND SO AS THE CITY WHEN WE GO INTO THESE AGREEMENTS, UM, WE REALLY HAVE TO BE SECURE THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT WE PUT FORTH, UM, IS ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US. AND IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, I DON'T THINK IT IS, AND I'M ASKING FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO HAVE A RE-REVIEW OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WE UTILIZE BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE ARE STANDARD CONTRACTS, UH, WITH A LOT OF BOILERPLATE LANGUAGE. BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE PROVISIONS THAT ARE WITHIN THESE CONTRACTS DON'T, DON'T PUT US, UM, AT A DISADVANTAGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I TOTALLY AGREE. AND, UM, KENNETH ALLEN IS DONE EVERYTHING HE CAN. WE'VE REACHED OUT TO HISD. YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS HID HAS NO ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ON THEIR BOARD, AND THE LEADERSHIP OVER THERE DOES NOT TAKE INPUT VERY WELL. AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT THE COMMUNITY IS BEING PROVIDED FOR BY PARKS. WE'VE HAD PEOPLE FROM MY ADMINISTRATION THERE, UH, THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE HAS BEEN RELOCATED. UH, THE COST TO THE CITY IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN SAVED. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WE OUGHT TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT AGREEMENTS SUCH AS THIS. UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S VERY MANY CONTRACTS WITH HISD OR OTHER THIRD PARTIES, BUT THEY DESERVE BEING REVIEWED. AND, UH, CERTAINLY THE CONTRACT WAS IN PLACE WHEN I GOT HERE. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT, UH, IT'S BEEN, BEEN THE CONTRACT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU THE CONFIDENCE I HAVE IN KENNETH ALLEN. HE TREATS PARKS LIKE CHILDREN. UH, THE PROGRAMMING IN PARTICULARLY, SO THIS IS A BAD EXAMPLE OF LACK OF COLLABORATION WITH HISD, BUT WE'VE BEEN ON TOP OF IT SINCE WE FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT. BUT IT'S JUST DIFFICULT TO NEGOTIATE WITH SOMEONE THAT WON'T COME TO THE TABLE. SO IT IS UNFORTUNATE. AND THANK YOU FOR ASKING FOR A LEGAL REVIEW OF EXISTING CONTRACTS ACROSS THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. TOMORROW I'LL BE JOINING COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER OUT AT THE SPACEPORT FOR THE VERY EXCITING VENUS AEROSPACE TEST STAND THING. I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND IT ALL, BUT THIS TEST STAND'S LIKE A HUGE BIG DEAL. THEY HAVE A NEW KIND OF ENGINE. IT'S A, IT'S A ROTATING DETONATION ROCKET ENGINE. AND THIS, THIS TEST STAND WILL LET IT LIKE, RUN THE ENGINE WITHOUT, BEFORE IT GOES INTO SPACE. ANYWAY, IT'S A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT, A BIG DEAL. I, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING GOING ON OUT AT THE SPACEPORT. UM, THE FACT THAT WE'RE MAKING STUFF AND MANUFACTURING STUFF THAT'S GONNA REALLY LEAD US INTO THE NEXT CENTURY, IT'S, IT'S VERY, VERY COOL. SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND ALSO WANT TO, I WON'T MAKE YOU STAND UP KATIE, BUT JUST, JUST WAVE KATIE SHELTON, WHO EVERYBODY KNOWS. SHE'S BEEN AT CITY HALL FOR 10 YEARS. SHE'S HEARING THE TIKTOK, TIKTOK OF MY TERM LIMIT COMING UP. SO SHE HAS, UH, FOUND ANOTHER GREAT OPPORTUNITY. SHE'S A REALLY SMART PERSON IN TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND HAS DONE ALL OF MY HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNCIL WORK. SHE, UH, SHE'S DONE ALL MY SCHEDULING AND CONSTITUENT SERVICES AND LOTS OF POLICY WORK. SHE'S THE MASTER OF THE POWERPOINT, CANVA, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME I MAKE A PRESENTATION TALKING POINTS, SHE'S REALLY A JACK OF ALL TRADES IN OUR OFFICE AND WORKED, I MET HER, BEEN WORKING AT THE DISTRICT G OFFICE, AND SHE SPENT SOME TIME DISTRICT G SHE'S BEEN WITH ME FOR [01:40:01] THE LAST FOUR YEARS. AND I JUST, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT ONLY JUST AN OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE, BUT YOU'RE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD FRIEND. AND I'M GONNA MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY. UM, SHE'S GOING TO WORK AT GOOD, THE GOODMAN CORP, WHO A LOT OF YOU GUYS KNOW, THEY ARE REALLY GOOD AT GETTING MONEY FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS ALL OVER THE CITY. SO SHE'S PURSUING THIS, UH, REAL, HER REAL, UH, TRUE LOVE OF TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, NOT TONS OF WOMEN IN THAT FIELD. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR HOW SHE'S GONNA GROW IN THAT. SO, UM, CAN WE GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR 10 YEARS OF KATIE SHOW COUNCILMAN EVANS ABOUT CERTAINLY. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND IF YOU ALL WILL INDULGE ME FOR A MINUTE, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD LOOKING INTO THAT. AND HE SAID GRIMES PARK, AND CERTAINLY HIS FOCUS IS NOT NECESSARILY GRIMES PARK, BUT THE CONTRACTS THAT WE ARE NEGOTIATING. AND SO CERTAINLY JUST WANNA LET EVERYBODY KNOW, BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE FOR THE DISCUSSION, THAT WHEN IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION, I IMMEDIATELY REACHED OUT, REACHED OUT TO DIRECTOR ALLEN, WHO IMMEDIATELY STARTED PROVIDING ME OTHER OPTIONS AS TO WHERE THE FOOTBALL TEAM IN PARTICULAR COULD PRACTICE. AND HE GAVE ME SEVERAL CHOICES AND THEN FOUND OUT THAT SOME OF THEM DIDN'T HAVE LIGHTS. SO I SAID, NO, THEY NEED LIGHTS BECAUSE THEY ARE PRACTICING IN THE EVENING. AND THEN ULTIMATELY HE WAS ABLE TO FIND A PARK THAT WAS, UM, ACCEPTABLE, UH, TO THE USE OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM. I ALSO REACHED OUT TO HISD AND ASKED THEM IF THEY COULD PRESERVE THE, UH, EQUIPMENT THERE, UH, SO THAT WE COULD PERHAPS MOVE THAT PARK TO ANOTHER CLOSE LOCATION. AND THEY SAID THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE LOOKING INTO. AND SO CERTAINLY THE IMPORTANT THING HERE IS WE CANNOT INVEST IN A PARK THAT WE CAN HAVE TAKEN AWAY FROM US. SO JUST IN 60 DAYS. AND SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY DILIGENT ABOUT HOW WE CHOOSE OUR LOCATIONS AND OUR SITES. I CERTAINLY SAW SOMEBODY'S COMMENT BECAUSE I DO READ THE COMMENTS, UH, ABOUT EMINENT DOMAIN, AND CERTAINLY I DID, UH, TALK TO THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT THAT. AND HE SAYS THAT THERE HAS TO BE A PARAMOUNT PUBLIC USE IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD FOR IMMINENT DOMAIN. AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD WEIGH WITH A, UH, SCHOOL COMING UP THAT'S GOING TO CERTAINLY SERVE, UH, THE CONSTITUENTS AND HELP THEM TO BE CLOSE TO WHERE THEY CAN, UH, GET SKILLS AND TRADES AND, AND A PARK OF COURSE, WHICH IS SO NEEDED FOR OUR GREEN SPACE FOR OUR FAMILIES. BUT I, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WILL BE PURSUED, BUT I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU MAKE COMMENTS TO ME, I DO LISTEN. UH, I DON'T HAVE TO BE THE SMARTEST ONE IN THE ROOM. I HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD FOR THAT AND, UM, MY MOREHOUSE BROTHER ANYWAY. AND, BUT I DO THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T MAKE THESE MAJOR INVESTMENTS AND SOMEBODY CAN JUST COME PULL THE RUG FROM UNDER US. AND SO JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO, TO SPEND MONEY, UH, OF THE TAXPAYER MONEY. LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE FIND TO BE APPROPRIATE. BUT THIS WAS NOT A GOOD THING FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THEM TO TAKE THAT PARK AWAY. UH, BUT WE WILL BE MORE, UH, DILIGENT ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.