[00:00:01]
GET STARTED.[2:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
COUNSEL, PLEASE COME TO ORDER.CHAIRS CAN RECOGNIZE THE ER PROTEIN PACK TO PRESIDE, PLEASE,
[Additional Item]
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FOR A PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE NATIONAL ENS STATE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.VICE MAYOR PROAM, IF I COULD HAVE PARIS WOODS AND I DON'T, WHOEVER ELSE YOU WANT TO COME UP HARRIS WANT JAKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TODAY? TALKING
HOW ARE YOU? SO MARIN, UH, COLLEAGUES, UH, TODAY, UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO CELEBRATE AND HIGHLIGHT NATIONAL ENS SIGN AWARENESS DAY, WHICH IS EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.
AND FOR THOSE THAT, UM, HAVE HEARD, I KNOW AROUND THE HORSESHOE FROM THE EAST END SIDE OF TOWN, WE HAVE SEVERAL, UH, RAILROAD TRACKS THAT CROSS ZIGZAG THROUGH THE EAST END, ULTIMATELY FUNNELING TO THE PORT OF HOUSTON.
IT'S A HUGE ECONOMIC DRIVER, BUT ALSO IT DOES PRESENT SOME CHALLENGES AT TIMES.
AND SO TO HAVE PARTNERS LIKE UNION PACIFIC, LIKE THE GULF COAST RAIL DISTRICT, UH, TO HELP, UH, EN ENSURE THAT, UH, WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE, UM, OF THE, THE USE OF BLUE AND WHITE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS LOCATED AT THE RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
THESE SIGNS PROVIDE CRITICAL INFORMATION THAT ALLOWS RESIDENTS AND FIRST RESPONDERS TO QUICKLY REPORT EMERGENCIES, HAZARDS, AND SAFETY CONCERNS DIRECTLY TO THE RAILROAD.
IT IS IMPORTANT, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT HOUSTONIANS UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THESE SIGNS AND KNOW WHERE TO FIND THIS INFORMATION WHEN SECONDS MATTER.
I'M EXCITED TO PROCLAIM THIS DAY AND HELP EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT RAILROAD CROSSING SAFETY AND LIFESAVING ROLE OF ENS SIGNS.
AND SO, WHEREAS NATIONAL ENS SIGN AWARENESS DAY OBSERVED EVERY JUNE 24TH, IS DEDICATED TO HELPING THE PUBLIC AND FIRST RESPONDERS RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND THE VITAL ROLE OF BLUE AND WHITE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM SIGNS POSTED AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
AND WHEREAS IN RECOGNITION OF THIS OBSERVANCE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON CALLS ON ALL HOUSTONIANS TO OBSERVE ENS SIGN AWARENESS DAY.
LEARN ABOUT THE, THESE BLUE AND WHITE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.
SIGNS MEAN WHAT THEY MEAN AND UNDERSTAND HOW THE INFORMATION THEY PROVIDE CAN HELP PROTECT LIVES AND PROMOTE SAFETY AROUND RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
SO THANK YOU COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ FOR BRINGING THIS AWARENESS TO ALL OF US.
UH, WE ALL KNOW WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
UH, TRAINS IN SUCH A DENSE POPULATION HAVE BECOME A REAL ISSUE.
SAFETY, CONVENIENCE, MOBILITY, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE OUR CITY FLAGS RIGHT OVER THERE.
SO IT'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN A PART OF HOUSTON'S LEGACY, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO BE WISE, REASONABLE, AND SAFE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE NOTIFICATION.
IT'S NOT ONLY THE DENSE, UH, TRACKS OF EAST END, BUT SIXTH WARD.
I GOT A CALL ABOUT THE SAN PHILIPPI CROSSING THE OTHER DAY.
SO IT IS A PART OF HOUSTON'S, UH, EXPERIENCE, BUT WE THANK EACH OF YOU, THE STAKEHOLDERS, THE PUBLIC PRIVATE SECTOR FOR TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER MAYOR, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 24TH, 2026 AS ENS SIGN AWARENESS DATE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO HAVE, UH, PARIS COME UP AND SHARE SOME WORDS.
PARIS, UH, SHE WORKS WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT RAILROADS ARE REGULATED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WITH THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, BUT IT DOES TAKE, UH, LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS, STATE PARTNERSHIP, WHERE RECENTLY HAD HAD, UH, GROUNDBREAKING FOR A, UH, UM, A PEDESTRIAN, UH, OVER, UH, OVERPASS AT MILBY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO, UH, IT DOES TAKE, AGAIN, A COORDINATION, A COORDINATED, UH, EFFORT BETWEEN ALL, UH, PARTIES, LOCAL, ALL THE WAY TO FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND SO ON BEHALF OF PUBLIC WORKS, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND BEHALF OF THE CITY PARISH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO OR IS INVOLVED WITH PROMOTING RAIL SAFETY.
WE HAVE JESSICA WITH OPERATION LIFESAVER.
JESSICA, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLEASE COME UP AND SAY SOMETHING ON BEHALF OF TEXAS OPERATION LIFESAVER, I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR RECOGNIZING REAL
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SAFETY WEEK AND ENS SIGN DAY WITH THIS IMPORTANT PROCLAMATION.THIS YEAR IS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL AS WE CELEBRATE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF REAL SAFETY WEEK, A DECADE DEDICATED TO REMINDING COMMUNITIES ACROSS TEXAS AND THE NATION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SAFE DECISIONS AROUND RAILROAD TRACKS AND CROSSINGS.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR USING ITS VOICE TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS LIFESAVING INFORMATION.
HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
RICHARD ZINEX, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS WITH UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
UH, I JUST ALSO WANT TO ECHO MY THANKS, UH, TO THE MAYOR, TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER, TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE, UH, AS WELL FOR BEING OUR PARTNERS ON RAILROAD SAFETY EDUCATION AS WELL AS OUTREACH.
UH, I'M JOINED BY MY TWO COLLEAGUES, UH, BUCK RUSSELL AND DAVID WELCH, WHO ARE ALSO WITH UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
UM, WE ARE OUT THERE SHARING THE RAILROAD SAFETY MESSAGE, UH, PARTICULARLY THIS WEEK.
THE, UH, SEA TRACKS THINK TRAIN WEEK.
UH, APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE HIGHLIGHTING AND THE RECOGNITION BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.
HI, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS FOR A PROCLAMATION TO CELEBRATE PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNIVERSITY'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY.
DON'T START OUT UHUH, SOMEBODY LOOKING SHARP IN THEIR PURPLE TIE TODAY.
Y'ALL, UH, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COLLEAGUES, AND FOR EVERYONE, OH, DR.
LARE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, AND EVERYONE WHO'S JOINING US IN CHAMBERS AND WATCHING US ONLINE.
I'M SO EXCITED TO PRESENT, UM, PRAYER VIEW A AND M BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UM, I WISH THAT MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBER, EVAN SHABAZZ, WAS HERE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SHE WOULD INTERJECT AND AND TALK ABOUT HOW, UM, HER GRANDFATHER WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE BELOVED INSTITUTION.
AND THROUGHOUT, UM, THE HALLS AND DEPARTMENTS OF OUR CITY FROM PUBLIC WORKS TO FINANCE TO GENERAL SERVICES, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND EVEN THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE PROUD PRAIRIE VIEW GRADUATES.
AND SO, WHEREAS 150 YEARS PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNIVERSITY HAS CONTINUED ITS LEGACY OF COMMITMENT TO TEACHING, RESEARCH, SERVICE AND OUTREACH THAT IMPROVES LIVES AND STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR 254 COUNTIES IN TEXAS AND BEYOND.
AND WHEREAS DESIGNATED AS AN INSTITUTION OF THE FIRST CLASS IN THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, PRAIRIE VIEW IS THE SECOND OLDEST PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN OUR STATE.
A CARNEGIE CLASSIFIED R TWO HIGH RESEARCH UNIVERSITY, AND A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.
IT HAS AN ENROLLMENT EXCEEDING 10,000 STUDENTS AND MORE THAN 85,000 GRADUATES.
AND WHEREAS PRAIRIE VIEW'S MOTTO OF PRAIRIE VIEW PRODUCES PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE IS REFLECTED IN THE INTEGRITY, THE LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE DEMONSTRATED BY OUR PRODUCTIVE PANTHERS, LED BY OUR PRESIDENT, DR.
AS WE EXPERIENCE OUR HUNDRED AND 50 CELEBRATION, OUR YEAR LEGACY, IT'S DURING OUR C ENTIN ANNIVERSARY.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON HONORS AND CONGRATULATES, THE PRAIRIE VIEW FAMILY FROM ITS STUDENTS, ITS FACULTY, ITS STAFF, OUR VENDORS, AND ITS LEADERSHIP.
AND OUR BOARD OF, UH, REGENTS PRAIRIE VIEW, A AND M'S 150 YEAR LEGACY IS ROOTED IN RESILIENCE AND WILL CONTINUE TO RISE IN EMINENCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER AND MADAM PRESIDENT.
YOU HAVE A STRONG UNIVERSITY AND IT'S GETTING STRONGER EACH AND EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT OF PEOPLE LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, MYSELF.
BUT WOULD I HAVE WORN IT TODAY?
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I DON'T KNOW.IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH LIGHTING THERE WAS IN THE KNOW, BUT I SET IT OUT LAST NIGHT.
BUT THAT'S HOW THINGS GET DONE.
AND THAT'S THE LEGACY OF PRAIRIE VIEW.
AND IT'S ONLY APPROPRIATE TO MENTION IT'S, IT'S HISTORY, IT'S LEGACY.
IT WAS CERTAINLY CREATED IN DAYS OF SEGREGATION.
SO Y'ALL LED THE WAY FOR SO MANY COMMUNITIES, CERTAINLY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, YOU COME INTO HOUSTON AND AND DO A NURSING SCHOOL.
I'VE SPOKEN AT THE ROYCE WEST JUVENILE CENTER, WHICH MOST FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND, PARTLY FUNDED BY OUR MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM TICKETING.
SO YOU REALLY ARE PART OF OUR EXPERIENCE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, KEVIN, UH, IT'S JUST GIVEN EVERYONE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.
AND THAT'S READING THE CITY OF HOUSTON THROUGH ITS, UH, LEADERSHIP IS SO PROUD TO PARTNER WITH YOU.
YOU KEEP HIRING COMPETENT, PASSIONATE, PURPLE ORIENTED AND PROFESSORS AND, AND THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
NOT TO MENTION YOUR ATHLETICS.
KIND OF ROUGH ON SOME OF MY BROTHERS, YOU KNOW,
IT'S PROCLAIM YOU SAID PROCLAIM THE DAY.
THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM AUGUST 14TH, 2026 IS PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNIVERSITY'S HUNDRED 50 ANNIVERSARY DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
MAYOR, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY COUNCILMAN, GUEST AND FRIENDS ON BEHALF OF PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNIVERSITY, OUR NEARLY 10,200 STUDENTS, OUR 1500 FACULTY AND STAFF, AND OVER 87,000 ALUMNI.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
AS YOU MENTIONED, 150 YEARS IS MORE THAN A MILESTONE.
AND SINCE OUR FOUNDING, WE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE OFTENTIMES BEEN OVERLOOKED.
BUT OUR UNIVERSITY HAS EDUCATED GENERATIONS OF LEADERS, INNOVATORS, EDUCATORS, ENGINEERS, ENTREPRENEURS, PUBLIC SERVANTS AND PROFESSIONALS WHOSE INFLUENCE CAN BE FELT ALL ACROSS TEXAS AND THROUGHOUT THIS NATION.
BUT I MUST SAY THERE IS NOWHERE THAT THAT IMPACT IS MORE VISIBLE THAN RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON.
OUR UNIVERSITY AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON ARE DEEPLY CONNECTED BECAUSE ONE THIRD OF OUR ALUMS LEAD IN THIS CITY, SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, HOSPITALS, NEIGHBORHOODS AND MORE.
AND OUR STUDENTS COME HERE TO LEARN, WORK AND SERVE AND BUILD THEIR FUTURES.
AND SO WE ARE PLEASED TO BE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND AS THIS GREAT CITY CONTINUES TO GROW, INNOVATE, AND LEAVE, KNOW THAT PRAIRIE VIEW WILL STAND ALONGSIDE YOU, PREPARING THE TALENT NEEDED AND PRODUCING THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE LEADERS OF THE FUTURE.
IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO BE A PART OF THIS GREAT COMMUNITY, AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL JUST BE AS, BE AS JUST AS PROUD OF US TODAY AS YOU READ THE NEWS AND REALIZE THAT THE US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT JUST RELEASED THIS NEW RANKING IN PRAIRIE VIEW, RANKED TO BE THE NUMBER 13 INSTITUTION, HBCU IN THE NATION, RISING FIVE SPOTS FROM LAST YEAR.
AND SO, AS COUNCILWOMAN TIFFANY THOMAS MENTIONED, OUR THEME THIS YEAR IS ROOTED IN RESILIENCE.
IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO OUR CAMPUS LIKE THE MIGHTY OAK TREES THAT HAVE DEEP ROOTS, OUR INSTITUTIONS DO AS WELL.
BUT JUST LIKE THOSE BRANCHES THAT ARE REACHING TO THE SKY, OUR UNIVERSITY IS RISING IN EMINENCE, AND WE'RE GLAD TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
BEFORE WE TAKE PHOTOS, UM, WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE.
GIRL, Y'ALL TRIED TO, TRIED TO LEAVE ME OUT.
I GOT TAGGED LAST NIGHT ON FACEBOOK.
BUT CERTAINLY IT IS MY HONOR AND MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
UH, WE WERE HONORED AT SOMETHING TOGETHER AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE ONLINE, YOU'D BE THE TALLEST
UH, AND I THINK I'M TALL, RIGHT? BUT HERE YOU COME.
BUT CERTAINLY I WANNA SAY THAT I, I HAVE SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME IN MY LIFE IN PRAIRIE VIEW.
MY GRANDFATHER WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF PRAIRIE VIEW A AND M UNIVERSITY, DR. EDWARD B. EVANS.
AND SO JUST ABOUT EVERY SUNDAY I WAS DOWN THERE IN THAT RED CLAY RUNNING AND RACING AROUND.
WHAT WAS A HUGE, WE THOUGHT WAS A HUGE PLACE.
THE PRESIDENTIAL HOUSE WAS ON THAT CORNER OF SANDRA BLAND, AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE BIGGEST HOUSE WE HAD EVER SEEN IN OUR ENTIRE LIVES.
BUT CERTAINLY I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO DOWN NEAR THE PRAIRIE VIEW.
AND WHOEVER SAID THAT PRAIRIE VIEW PRODUCES PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE, THEY NEED TO STILL BE GETTING, UH, RESIDUALS BECAUSE IT IS, FIRST OF ALL, IT IS SO VERY,
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VERY TRUE.BOTH OF MY PARENTS WERE PRAIRIE VIEW GRADS AND MY SISTER WAS A PRAIRIE VIEW GRAD.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, TIFFANY, DEEP THOMAS, BUT CERTAINLY THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH MAYOR FOR THIS HONOR.
PRAIRIE VIEW HONORS US AND THEIR PRESENCE, AND I AM SO VERY THANKFUL TO BE HERE.
I WAS RUNNING, I HAD A DENTIST APPOINTMENT, Y'ALL, AND I SAID, OH NO, Y'ALL GOTTA DO THIS FAST.
BUT CERTAINLY THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
AND, UH, WELCOME PRAIRIE VIEW.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, UH, TO EVERYONE.
UH, COMING FROM PRAIRIE VIEW, IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL AND BE WITH YOU ALL AGAIN.
JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS WITH YOU ALL IN THE PRESIDENTIAL SUITE.
I WAS THINKING, SHOULD I EVEN MAKE THESE REMARKS TODAY? 'CAUSE I'M STILL A LITTLE SALTY
AT THE LABOR DAY CLASSIC, Y'ALL, Y'ALL, Y'ALL BEAT DOWN ON, ON MY TSU TIGERS.
BUT IT'S ALL LOVE AND ALL HBCU, UM, APPRECIATION.
BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT 150 YEARS, I THINK ABOUT 150 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP, YOU DON'T MAKE IT TO 150 YEARS WITHOUT STRONG LEADERSHIP.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO THIS UNIVERSITY.
YOU AND YOUR FACULTY AND YOUR STAFF THAT ARE WITH YOU.
UM, THE SACRIFICES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY MANY, THE STRONG HISTORY AND THE LEGACY OF THE INSTITUTION, UH, AND ALL OF THE ACCOLADES AND ALL OF THE GREAT TIMES THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US.
BUT WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING IS WHAT'S COMING NEXT.
AND THAT IS UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO CELEBRATE YOU AND SUPPORT THE UNIVERSITY.
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THIS IS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN FOR A PROCLAMATION TO JOY HOEK BROWN TO HONOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE AT NEW HOPE HOUSING.YOU WANNA READ? YOU WANNA AND I'LL I'LL DO THE FIRST ONE, LAST TWO.
AND TIFFANY'S GONNA HELP US OUT TOO.
OKAY, COLLEAGUES, THIS IS A GREAT DAY BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF US KNOW THE GREAT WORK OF JOY HORT BROWN AND NEW HOPE HOUSING.
NEW HOPE HOUSING IS KIND OF THE GOLD STANDARD OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, JUST PROVIDING SO MANY PEOPLE WITH HOME.
SO I'VE INVITED OUR HOUSING CHAIR TO JOIN ME IN THIS PROCLAMATION.
JOY HORT BROWN, FOUNDING PRESIDENT AND CEO OF NEW HOPE HOUSING HAS DEDICATED MORE THAN THREE DECADES TO HELPING EXPAND ACCESS TO PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR HOUSTONIANS.
WITH LIMITED INCOMES UNDER JOY'S LEADERSHIP, NEW HOPE HOUSING HAS GROWN FROM ITS MODEST BEGINNINGS INTO A RESPECTED HOUSTON INSTITUTION, RECOGNIZED FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN NEED, AND HAS SERVED MORE THAN 18,000 INDIVIDUALS, HELPING HOUSTON FAMILIES AND SENIORS BUILD NEW CHAPTERS OF HOPE AND STABILITY.
JOY HAS GUIDED THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH SIGNIFICANT GROWTH FROM ITS FIRST SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY COMMUNITY OF 40 STUDIO EFFICIENCY APARTMENTS TO AN ORGANIZATION OF 150 EMPLOYEES OPERATING 15 COMMUNITIES AND 2,115 APARTMENT HOMES ACROSS OUR CITY.
CONTINUING HER LEADERSHIP AND RESPONDING TO THE CITY'S GROWING NEED FOR QUALITY, AFFORDABLE APARTMENT HOUSING.
NEW HOPE HOUSING CURRENTLY HAS 327 ADDITIONAL APARTMENTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT, ACROSS THREE COMMUNITIES.
JOY'S WORK HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER A COMMUNITY OF DONORS, PARTNERS, AND FRIENDS WHO SHARE HER BELIEF THAT EVERYONE DESERVES A HOME AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A HOPEFUL FUTURE.
HER DEDICATION CAN BE SEEN ACROSS HOUSTON IN THE COMMUNITIES AND APARTMENT HOMES THAT WILL CONTINUE SERVING HOUSTONIANS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME WHILE HER COMMITMENT TO HOPE CONTINUES THROUGH ONE KEY, ONE HOME AND ONE PERSON AT A TIME AS SHE RETIRES.
SADLY, FROM HER POSITION, THE CITY OF HOUSTON EXTENDS ITS APPRECIATION TO JOY HORWICK BROWN, AND COMMENCE HER LEADERSHIP, SERVICE, AND COMMITMENT TO CREATING A RESILIENT HOUSTON WHERE MORE RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS A SAFE, STABLE, AND AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE, ALONG WITH SERVICES THAT HELP THEM ADVANCE THEIR LIVES.
MAYOR, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, AND PARTICULARLY THANK YOU TO JOY AND YOUR SUPPORT.
UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, SAID IT ALL YOUR INCLUSION, YOU ARE THE ROLE MODEL THAT EVERYONE'S TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE YOU'RE RETIRING.
UH, BUT REALLY THANK YOU FOR, FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN HELPING MAKE THIS A GREAT CITY.
AND WE DO KNOW HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND CERTAINLY EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IS, IS YOUR BRAND AND WHAT AN OUTSTANDING BRAND NEW HOPE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH YOU.
AND THANK YOU GENTLEMEN VERY MUCH.
I MIGHT SAY A WORD OR TWO, PLEASE DO PRO THE DAY.
WELL LET 'EM PROCLAIM THE DAY.
OH, YOU'RE PROCLAIMING THE DAY PRO.
OH, YOU HAVE TO PROCLAIM THE DAY.
CONGRATULATING ONE OF THE THEREFORE, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIMED SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2026 AS JOY HART BROWN DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I'M HERE TOGETHER WITH MAC FOWLER NEW HOPE'S, VERY LONG TIME BOARD CHAIR.
HE STEPPED AWAY FROM THAT AS I'LL BE STEPPING AWAY FROM MY ROLE THE END OF, UH, OF MARCH.
BUT MACK WAS BOARD CHAIR FOR ALMOST 19 YEARS.
AND SO THE PROPERTIES IN YOUR DISTRICTS THAT NEW HOPE HOUSING BUILT, WE BUILT THOSE TOGETHER.
AND TODAY I'M GOING TO CONCENTRATE FOR JUST A MOMENT ON WHAT WE'VE DONE UNDER YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
BUT I DON'T WANT COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN
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SHABAZZ TO THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN REED OR COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD TO THINK THAT WE'VE FORGOTTEN DALE CARNEGIE OR SAVOY, OR COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ TO THINK, BECAUSE I'M NOT MENTIONING ENNIS.SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE GOT, BECAUSE UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, FIVE NEW HOPE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN FUNDED.
YOU TAKE YOUR TIME
I HAVE ALL THE MINUTES I WANT.
AND SO RIGHT NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION IS THE JHB AT AKERS HOMES.
THOSE ARE MY INITIALS YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED.
AND SOON TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION ALSO.
THIS WOULD BE, UM, IN, UH, IN, UH, WELL, WE'RE, DO, DO I SEE OUR COUNCIL MEMBER HERE, TARSA JACKSON'S DISTRICT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THE JHB AT ACRES HOMES AND ALSO LITTLE YORK IN HER DISTRICT THAT WILL BREAK GROUND THE END OF MARCH CANAL, WHERE WE REALLY BEGAN, WHICH IS IN, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S DISTRICT.
BUT WE'LL THANK HIM INDIVIDUALLY.
THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE BEGAN WITH SUPPORT FROM.
NOW, COMMISSIONER, UM, WE, WE HAD A COMMISSIONER AND A AND WE ALSO HAD A SHERIFF SUPPORTING US.
DO YOU WANNA HELP ME OUT? HAVE A LITTLE BIT TO SAY YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE'VE HAD LOTS OF SUPPORT IN THAT DISTRICT.
AND BEFORE THE YEAR FINISHES OUT, WE'LL BE, BE BREAKING GROUND AT THE BOYD AT WESTOVER NEAR HOBBY AIRPORT IN COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ'S DISTRICT.
AND WE JUST OPENED AND WE HOPE YOU'LL COME AND VISIT AVENUE C SERVING SENIORS DEEP IN MAGNOLIA PARK WHERE THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THREE DECADES.
AND THIS IS ALL UNDER YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
IT'S REALLY, I HOPE YOU ARE PROUD AND, UM, WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROUD OF WHAT YOU'RE HELPING US DO.
HOUSING PLUS SERVICES FOR THOSE VITAL SERVICES THAT PEOPLE NEED TO REMAIN HOUSED.
AND, AND CANAL, BY THE WAY, IF YOU, LET'S REMEMBER, IS, IS, IS REALLY STUDIO EFFICIENCY APARTMENTS FOR THE FORMERLY UNHOUSED AND THOSE AT RISK.
SO WE HAVE FAMILIES, WE HAVE SENIORS, AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU.
THANK YOU GANG COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, BEFORE WE DO PHOTOS, UM, FIRST UP IS COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
COUNCILOR ALCORN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
THANK Y'ALL, UH, MAYOR, UM, AS YOU HEARD JOY, UH, AND, AND HER NAME, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE GO OUT TO RIBBON CUTTINGS AND WORKING ON THESE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, SHE'S BROUGHT A LOT OF JOY TO SEVERAL FOLKS.
ONE OF 'EM ACTUALLY BEING MY MOTHER WHO LIVES IN AVENUE C.
SO WHENEVER YOU'RE READY TO GO OUT, LET ME KNOW.
UH, TODAY I HAD TO GO BACK OUT THERE.
UH, SHE, THEY'RE HAVING A BINGO FOR THE SENIORS, AND SHE ASKED ME TO DROP OFF A, A FRUIT TRAY AND, UH, CHEESE AND CRACKERS.
SO I WENT TO GO DO THAT BEFORE HERE.
UM, BUT, BUT IN, IN ALL HONESTY THOUGH, IT'S, UM, THIS IS GREAT WORK.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE APART THE APARTMENT ORDINANCE THAT WE HAD TO PASS IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MORE OF THESE NEW HOPE HOUSING PROJECTS.
UM, AND WHEN JOY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FIVE PROJECTS THAT HAPPENED UNDER YOUR ADMINISTRATION, MAYOR, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LIFT THAT UP EVEN MORE BECAUSE AS WE WORK TOWARDS, UM, ENSURING THAT SOME OF THESE BAD SLUM LORDS REALLY GO OUTTA BUSINESS, IT'S, IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO INVEST IN PROJECTS LIKE, UH, NEW HOPE HOUSING AVENUE C IN THE MAGNOLIA PARK AREA WHERE SHE MENTIONED WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY HOUSING THERE IN OVER THREE DECADES.
UM, AND THE MORE WE CONTINUE TO DO THIS ACROSS THE CITY, I THINK QUITE FRANKLY, WE'LL JUST BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, LIFT UP SO MANY MORE FAMILIES.
UH, MY MOM, WHO'S NOW ALONE, UM, IS EMPOWERED TO BE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, STILL BE ABLE TO LIVE, UH, INDEPENDENTLY, BUT THEN ALSO HAS A COMMUNITY WHERE SHE'S PLAYING BINGO WITH RIGHT NOW, UH, BECAUSE OF NEW HOPE HOUSING.
AND SO, AGAIN, JUST WANNA SAY JOY, THANK YOU FOR 30 YEARS OF SERVING HOUSTONIANS, UH, FOR, UH, JUST QUITE FRANKLY MAKING SURE THAT THIS SHIP IS, IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, UH, BECAUSE HOUSING IS IMPORTANT IN HOUSTON RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND MAC, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO HOLDING ALL OF US ACCOUNTABLE AS WE, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, HOLDING, MAKE, MAKING SURE THAT HOUSING DEVELOPERS ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL.
AND I KNOW YOU TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THE WORK THAT YOU HOPE HOUSING IS DOING.
COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, THANK YOU.
VICE MAYOR, PRO TIM AND MAYOR, THANK YOU.
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ALCORN AND THOMAS, UH, TO JOY AND TO MAC, BUT
[00:30:01]
TO JOY.UH, CONGRATULATIONS, UH, WELL DESERVED.
I RECALL WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED TO COUNCIL, YOU WERE ONE OF MY FIRST MEETINGS AND WE WERE DISCUSSING THE SAVOY.
AND I RECALL THAT, UH, I HAD A LOT OF PRESSING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UH, YOU AND I HAD, UM, SOME REALLY MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION AND THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT NOT ONLY THE NEED, BUT HOW WE WERE GOING TO ENSURE THAT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE OVERALL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THAT AREA STILL STAYED INTACT AND WERE A GOOD PLACE AND SPACE FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE WORKED TOGETHER ON ENSURING THAT, UM, THE THINGS THAT I THOUGHT WERE IMPORTANT THAT YOU INCORPORATED IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPENNESS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION, YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UH, THOSE PROPERTIES HAVE PROVEN TO BE A TESTAMENT AND A BENEFIT TO THE AREA.
UM, AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS A REALLY, UH, DIFFICULT THING TO ACHIEVE IN THE MARKETPLACE.
I TELL PEOPLE THAT IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT AND TO HAVE AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND SUBSIDIES, UH, TO BE ABLE TO FILL THAT GAP.
AND NEW HOPE HOUSING UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS MAC, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND UTILIZE THE RULES AND THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO YOU TO BE ABLE TO MAKE TRUE IMPACT, UH, CITYWIDE.
SO, UH, THIS IS WELL DESERVED AND CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
AND I REMEMBER AFTER OUR MEETING, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T SEE THINGS QUITE, I WAS LIKE, THE WHY? AND YOU WERE LIKE, THE WHY, WHAT ARE WE BOTH DOING? AND I WALKED OUT THE, OUT OF THE OFFICE AND I SAID TO JIM CRANE, I SAID, WHY? AND HE SAID, FIGURE IT OUT.
AND FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS, WE DID A LOT OF GOOD STUFF TOGETHER.
AND I SOON LEARNED THAT THE WHY WAS BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
AND FAST FORWARD, WHEN I, UH, WAS ELECTED AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT HOMELESS, YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE I REACHED OUT TO FOR A 30 MINUTE MEETING.
AND WE SAT AND TALKED FOR A COUPLE HOURS.
AND, UH, YOU ARE, UH, I'M, I'M GONNA TAG THIS ONE ON YOU, BUT YOU ARE, UH, A, UH, YOU ARE IN PART RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION BECAUSE AS I DESCRIBED WHAT WE NEEDED TO GET FOLKS INTO A PLACE LIKE NEW HOPE, YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THE PATH IN WHICH I WAS DESCRIBING, WHICH WE ALL HAVE COLLECTIVE VISION, WAS NOT FAR OFF.
AND I'VE, I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT YOU HAD SAID TO ME THAT DAY, YOU ARE NOT WRONG.
AND YOUR STAMP OF APPROVAL MEANT SO MUCH TO ME IN THAT THE PATH THAT THE CITY WOULD SOON TAKE WOULD BE WHAT WAS NEEDED.
AND SO, I, YOU ARE SO WELL RESPECTED IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, BEAUTIFUL PROPERTIES.
AND IT'S EXCITING EVERY TIME A NEW ONE IS COMPLETED.
AND SO, HATS OFF, YOU KNOW, AS THE MAYOR SAID, I'M NOT REALLY SURE YOU'RE RETIRING.
AND IF YOU ARE, I'VE GOT YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND I'LL BE CALLING 'CAUSE THERE ARE LOTS OF QUESTIONS, LOTS OF QUESTIONS, LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION.
AND MATT, WE GO BACK A LONG WAYS.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE, UH, WITH NEW HOPE.
AND IT'S JUST TO BE ADMIRED AND IT IS A MODEL FOR OUR NATION.
AND LIKE I SAID, YOU'RE NOT RETIRING, YOU, YOU, YOU GOTTA MOVE ON TO A DIFFERENT DIFF LITTLE DIFFERENT.
BUT THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO, VICE MAYOR PROAM.
CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ARE BORN, SOMETIMES THE PARENTS HAVE THE VISION AND YOUR NAME IS JOY FOR A REASON.
AND YOU HAVE BROUGHT SUCH JOY TO SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE IN NEED.
AND CERTAINLY, I DON'T KNOW WHO WAS, YOU DID SAY WHO WAS FIRST, BUT WE HAVE BEEN THE BENEFICIARY OF THREE PROJECTS AND DISTRICT DI THINK IT'S THE GRAY, THE THE PERRY AND THE REED.
AND SO I AM JUST, JUST, I'M JUST IN AWE WHEN I FIRST MET YOU, I SAID, LOOK AT THIS LITTLE LADY.
SHE IS REALLY MOVING AROUND, BUT WE COULD SEE YOUR HEART.
I COULD SEE YOUR HEART AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU TOUCHED.
AND SO, AND YOU KNOW, JUST WANNA SAY TO YOU, AND I ALWAYS GIVE THIS ADVICE AND EVERYBODY KINDA LOOKS AT ME WITH A SIDE EYE, BUT YOU ARE RETIRING, BUT I WANT YOU TO STAY BUSY.
'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T STAY BUSY, YOU COULD WAKE UP DEAD.
AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO
I MEAN, AM I RIGHT OR WRONG? YOU RIGHT.
BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S MY PERSONAL ADVICE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT PROBABLY ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN, IT'S BEEN MY HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU
[00:35:01]
AND, AND WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO MY CONSTITUENTS IS IMMEASURABLE.UH, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT THAT HAVE BEEN ABUSED ARE, ARE IN BATTERED, UH, SITUATIONS.
AND SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
AND UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU MAYOR AND THOSE THAT BROUGHT THIS TO YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE HONORED US.
HUH? SHE GONNA WAKE UP AND BE A DIRECTOR AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
OKAY, MAYOR, I GUESS MY PARENTS SHOULD NAMED ME TROUBLE.
ALRIGHT, IT'S BEEN MY PRIVILEGE.
YEAH, ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US? DO THE SMALL PLEASE COME UP QUICKLY, UMBRELLA FOR A PROCLAMATION TO OVERCOME FOR OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS.
CAN I ASK, UH, RUNCIE SIN TO PLEASE COME UP WITH OVERCOME? HEY, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I'M HERE TODAY WITH A PROCLAMATION FOR OVERCOME.
OVERCOME WAS FOUNDED IN 2010 BY RUNCIE SIN IN HONOR OF HER MOTHER ATHI, WHO SADLY PASSED AWAY FROM OVARIAN CANCER.
OVERCOME WAS FOUNDED WITH A SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL GOAL TO CREATE A LOVING COMMUNITY WITHOUT SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL, AND GEOGRAPHICAL BORDERS.
SINCE ITS FOUNDING, OVERCOME, HAS GROWN INTO A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE FOR OVARIAN CANCER PATIENTS, SURVIVORS CAREGIVERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES.
WITH OVER 550 HOSPITAL PARTNERS, 3.4 MILLION REACHED VIA AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS OVERCOME, HAS INVESTED $1.5 MILLION IN OVER CARE GRANT PROGRAMS. THE DISTRICT C OFFICE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTING, OVERCOME, AND ITS WORK TODAY ACTUALLY MARKS THE 10TH TEAL TALK PROCLAMATION FROM THE DISTRICT C OFFICE, WHICH I THINK HIGHLIGHTS NOT JUST 10 YEARS OF AMAZING SERVICE FROM OVERCOME, BUT ALSO 10 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND DISTRICT C, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
SO NOW, WHEREAS OVERCOME IS AN OVARIAN CANCER
[00:40:01]
FOUNDATION WITH THE MISSION TO RAISE GLOBAL AWARENESS, FUND RESEARCH IN SEARCH OF A CURE, AND PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO UNDERSERVED OVARIAN CANCER PATIENTS.AND WHEREAS OVERCOME WAS FOUNDED BY ANCY SIN IN 2012 IN MEMORY OF HER MOTHER, THOUSANDS OF WOMEN AND FAMILIES HAVE ACROSS THE NATION HAVE BENEFITED FROM INFORMATION EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT PROVIDED BY OVERCOME AND RAISING AWARENESS ON THIS DEADLY DISEASE.
AND WHEREAS SEVERAL WOMEN HAVE ALSO BEEN BENEFICIARIES OF THE OVER CARE PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT OFFERS LIFESTYLE PACKAGES AND GRANTS TO OVARIAN CANCER PATIENTS IN NEED.
AND WHEREAS ON SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2026 OVERCOME WILL HOST TEAL TALK DAY TO HONOR ALL WOMEN DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN CANCER.
DURING OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, TEAL TALK DAY WAS CREATED TO ENGAGE A LARGER AUDIENCE IN COMING TOGETHER TO RAISE AWARENESS BY TALKING TO THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMENDS OVERCOME AND ALL OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE EFFORT TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT OVARIAN CANCER AND EXTENDS BEST WISHES FOR SUCCESSFUL OBSERVANCE OF OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
MAYOR, I'M GONNA PASS OVER TO YOU.
WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY THAT YOU'VE DEMONSTRATED TO HONOR YOUR MOTHER'S COURAGE.
SO IT'S A SPECIAL MOMENT, AND THEREFORE, I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2026 IS MANUEL TAL DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO ON DECEMBER, UM, 25TH, 1809, THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL REMOVAL OF OVARIAN TUMOR WAS PERFORMED.
BUT SINCE THEN, EVEN IN WITH THE GIGANTIC ADVANCES THAT HAS HAPPENED IN SCIENCE, THERE ARE FEW QUESTIONS THAT STILL REMAIN WHEN IT COMES TO OVARIAN CANCER.
WHY ISN'T THERE AN EARLY DETECTION OR EARLY SCREENING TEST FOR OVARIAN CANCER YET WHY DO MOST WOMEN, 75% OF WOMEN GET DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN CANCER AT SUPER LATE STAGES? AND WHY AREN'T WE STILL TALKING LOUD ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH AND WHY ARE WOMEN GETTING DISMISSED WHEN THEY GO FOR THEIR ANNUAL CHECKUPS? AND, UM, THERE'S NO ANSWER GIVEN TO THEM UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE.
AND I'M TALKING SYMPTOMATIC WOMEN AT OVERCOME.
WE ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THIS EQUATION AND EMPOWER WOMEN AND FAMILIES WORLDWIDE BY EMPOWERING THEM TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO LEARN THE SYMPTOMS, AND TO DEMAND BETTER CARE.
SEPTEMBER IS OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
AND ON BEHALF OF OVERCOME AND ALL OUR OVERCOMERS WORLDWIDE, I INVITE YOU TO MAKE WAVES FOR HER.
HOW WOULD YOU MAKE WAVES FOR HER? BY SHARING THE BEACH SYMPTOMS OF OVARIAN CANCER.
THESE ARE THE FIVE KEY SYMPTOMS OF OVARIAN CANCER THAT WE HAVE.
COME UP WITH AN ACRONYM, WHICH IS CALLED THE BEACH.
AND ENCOURAGE THE WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE TO WEAR THAT OXYGEN MASK FIRST AND GO TALK TO THEIR OWN DOCTORS AND SELF-ADVOCATE FOR THEIR HEALTH.
AND YOU PLEASE HELP US GIVE A STRONG VOICE TO VARIANT CANCER, WHICH IS CALLED A SO-CALLED SILENT DISEASE.
WE MAY HAVE, WE MAY NOT ACTUALLY HAVE ANSWERS TO ALL OUR QUESTIONS, BUT WE DO HAVE A RESOUNDING ANSWER FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JOE ELLA, ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, MAYOR WHITMEYER, AND ALSO OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, WHOM I MET LAST NIGHT FOR GIVING US YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND TO OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS TO WOMEN'S HEALTH.
AND FOR PROCLAIMING TEAL TALK DAY FOR THE 10TH MILESTONE YEAR THIS YEAR.
WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS RECOGNITION TO OUR CAUSE AND TO WOMEN'S HEALTH, AND EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE WITH YOU.
AND I WOULD TAKE JUST ONE MOMENT TO GET YOUR ATTENTION TO TEMPEST IN THE BACK.
SHE'S A THREE YEARS OVERCOMING.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, SHE WAS ONE OF THE WOMEN WHO KEPT GOING TO HER PHYSICIAN AND GOT DISMISSED UNTIL SHE GOT DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN CANCER.
SO WE NEED YOUR HELP TO GET THIS STORY OUT, TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE AND MAKE WAVES FOR HER.
[00:45:55]
COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER FOR THE INVOCATION.I'D LIKE TO WELCOME FATHER PAUL.
UH, FATHER PAUL IS GOING TO BE ALLOWING US TO USE ST.
AUGUSTINE CATHOLIC CHURCH HERE FOR OUR TOWN HALL COMING UP IN THE MEADOW CREEK AREA.
SO FATHER PAUL, IF YOU WANNA COME FORWARD AND LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION.
FATHER PAUL, LET US PRAY ALMIGHTY, ETERNAL GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ABIDING PRESENCE AND YOU ALL THINGS HAVE THEIR BEGINNING CONTINUATION AND THEIR END THROUGHOUT OUR CITY'S HISTORY.
YOU SHARED OUR JOYS AND OUR SUCCESSES.
YOU ARE WITH US TO BLESS US AND SUPPORT US DURING OUR STRUGGLES.
BE WITH OUR CITY'S OFFICIALS TODAY.
GUIDE THEM FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL WHO CALL HOUSTON HOME.
BE WITH THEM IN DELIBERATIONS.
GIFT THEM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CITY'S NEEDS.
WISDOM TO DISCERN WHAT IS BEST FOR ALL AND FORTITUDE TO EXERCISE RIGHT JUDGMENT.
WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO REMAIN WITH ALL THE CITY'S LEADERS, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, EMPLOYEES, AND CITIZENS.
SO THEY MAY LIVE MORE FULLY IN UNITY, PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
GRACE ALL YOUR PEOPLE WITH YOUR SAVING PRESENCE.
SUPPORT THEM WITH YOUR CONSTANT HELP AND LET THEM GLORIFY YOU NOW AND FOREVER.
FATHER, PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND WHICH NATION LIBERTY?
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING ]
SECRETARY OF THE ROLL CALL PLEASE.PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER P HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS HERE AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 15TH AND 16TH.
PROCEDURAL COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO ADD RUTHIE NATAL TO THE TOP OF THE ONE MINUTE NON AGENDA AND ESAD ESPINOZA TO THE TOP OF THE TWO MINUTE NON AGENDA.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO MOVE CARLA PERDUE UP TO THE TOP OF THE THREE MINUTE NON AGENDA LIST.
ANYONE ELSE? FIRST, UH, SPEAKER ITEM, ITEM 26 HAS BEEN PULLED, AND I KNOW WE HAVE ABOUT 10 SPEAKERS AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME, BUT THERE'S BEEN SOME MISREPRESENTATION BY ONE OF OUR FRIENDS.
NOT A COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT A FRIEND IN THE MEDIA TOOK CREDIT FOR US PULLING IT LAST WEEK THAT WAS ONLY DOING ALL OF OUR DUE DILIGENCE, COMMUNICATING WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, CERTAINLY OUR FOUNDATIONS.
LET ME PUT IT IN THE RIGHT CONTEXT.
WE DO HUNDREDS OF GRANTS EACH YEAR.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT GETS ABOUT 80% OF ITS FUNDING FROM STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS.
THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS SOLELY INDEPENDENTLY, UH, FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS.
AND I GO TO GO THROUGH, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY.
[00:50:01]
I COULD GO THROUGH HOUSING GRANTS AS A PART OF OUR BUSINESS.WHEN WE WERE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK HOMELESS FUNDING, THE FOUNDATIONS WERE VERY CONCERNED THAT WE WERE NOT SEEKING OTHER SOURCES.
SO TO REASSURE THEM, AND THERE WILL BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT, WE REALLY WANNA DO IT TOMORROW, BUT IT'LL BE NEXT WEEK.
THE FOUNDATIONS SWA, AS YOU KNOW, ARE GONNA BRING UPWARDS OF $40 MILLION TO OUR HOMELESS INITIATIVE TO REASSURE THEM THAT WE WERE DOING OUR PART IN SEEKING THIRD PARTY FUNDING.
UH, WE PUT THE MODEL CITY'S APPLICATION ON THE AGENDA.
IT WAS A MESSAGE OF OUR COMMITMENT TO THE HOMELESS.
WE'VE DONE SIGNIFICANT THINGS WITH THE HOMELESS.
WE'VE GOT OUR SITES ON A LOCATION THAT MIGHT ALLOW PEOPLE LEAVING THE, THE, THE INDIGENT LEAVING THE EMERGENCY ROOM WOULD HAVE A PLACE TO GO BECAUSE IT'S A REVOLVING DOOR.
SALLY, YOU UNDERSTAND? THEY GO THE EMERGENCY ROOM TO GET STABILIZED, THEY LEAVE AND TWO TO THREE DAYS THEY'RE BACK.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
I'M STILL FRUSTRATED THAT WE LEAVE OUT IN THE EVENING AND THERE'LL BE MAYBE 200 PEOPLE BEING FED AT THE LIBRARY.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
THIS WAS A HOMELESS INITIATIVE.
WE HAVE CONVINCED ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO WE DON'T NEED ANY KIND OF AFFIRMATION ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
SO THANK EVERYONE THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED.
WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT GUIDES US, SO IT WAS SUPERFLUOUS, UNNECESSARY EMPHASIS ON THE WRONG TOPIC.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT THAT GOT FIRED UP.
I I WE'RE ALL FIRED UP WITH YOUR CONCERNS, BUT THEY'VE BEEN ADDRESSED.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA ECHO AND, AND THANK YOUR ADMINISTRATION FOR WORKING WITH US ON THIS INITIATIVE.
UM, I I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO QUESTION OR STAND IN THE WAY OF MORE FUNDING TO FIGHT THE UNHOUSED CRISIS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY.
I THINK THE CONCERN THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE, AND I'M GRATEFUL YOUR ADMINISTRATION WAS RECEPTIVE TO IS THAT IN THE FAQS FOR THIS MODEL CITY GRANT, UH, THERE'S A STRONG INDICATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IF WE ACCEPT THE MONEY, WE WOULD BE COMPELLED TO PARTICIPATE IN ICE OPERATIONS.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE POSED OUR QUESTIONS TO YOUR ADMINISTRATION AND YOU ALL HAVE PASSED THOSE ALONG TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND ARE AWAITING A RESPONSE.
UM, ASSUMING THEY CONFIRM THAT THIS WOULD REQUIRE US TO PARTICIPATE IN ICE OPERATIONS, I WILL BE VOTING NO.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE CONCERN OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I I TAKE IT THAT YOU HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS AND I APPRECIATE YOU WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THE ADMINISTRATION ON WHAT THEIR RESPONSES ARE.
UM, BUT I THINK THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO GET THE ANSWERS BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION.
UM, BUT I, I DO SHARE THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS THAT I UNDERSTAND THE CITY NEEDS MONEY, BUT THE QUESTION IS AT WHAT COST AND AT WHAT VALUES.
THERE WILL NOT BE $1 OF ANY GRANT USED FOR ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE WE DON'T ENFORCE, WE CARRY OUT STATE LAWS AND CITY ORDINANCES.
SO WRONG TOPIC, WRONG APPLICATION, AND, UH, WE'RE MONITORING VERY CLOSELY.
AND IT MADE OURSELF ABUNDANTLY CLEAR TO ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.
AND THIS IS REALLY TO REINFORCE OUR RESIDENTS, UH, AND CERTAINLY OUR WITNESSES THAT CAME FORWARD TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION, THE COOPERATION OF THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE ON TOP OF OUR GAME.
AND, UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DEPART FROM WHAT OUR AGREEMENT WAS IN THE ORDINANCE UNTIL FUTURE TIME THAT THIS BODY WILL ADDRESS IT.
AND LIKE I SAID, EVERYONE'S WELCOME, BUT THAT'S THE TRUTH OF SOME MISREPRESENTATION, UH, BY NOT COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT SOMEONE THAT TAKES CREDIT IN THEIR WRITINGS ABOUT WE GOT 'EM TO, TO DELAY IT.
WE WERE DOING OUR JOB THE PROPER WAY AND IT'S BEEN ADDRESSED.
[2:00 P.M. – PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
FIRST SPEAKER CALL, CALL OUR FIRST SPEAKER LISA HUNT TO BE FOLLOWED BY MO MO CORTEZ.MY NAME'S LISA HUNT AND I'M A RETIRED CLERGY MEMBER OF THE MIGRATION WITH DIGNITY.
I WANNA THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, WHITMEYER FOR WITHDRAWING FROM TOMORROW'S COUNCIL AGENDA.
THE APPROVAL OF THE MODEL CITY'S GRANT APPLICATION, WHICH WAS OFFERED BY THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
I THINK I AM NOT ALONE IN VOICING, UM, SKEPTICISM OF THE FIDELITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO DO FAITHFUL EXECUTION OF THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
THESE GRANTS, ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN WEBSITE,
[00:55:01]
UM, DON'T SUPPORT THE VALUES OF HOUSTONIANS.ALTHOUGH I CAN APPRECIATE THAT THE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY THAT THEY OFFER ARE APPEALING AT A TIME OF BUDGET DEFICITS.
AND I KNOW MY OWN COMMUNITY HAS BENEFITED FROM FOUR 19 EMANCIPATION AND THAT WE HAVE DEEP PROBLEMS IN THE AREA OF HOMELESSNESS.
IT DOES APPEAR ON THE WEBSITE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT THIS GRANT OPENS UP THE CITY TO NEGOTIATIONS AROUND COOPERATION WITH ICE AT GREATER LEVELS, WITH INCREASED SURVEILLANCE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ON OUR STREETS.
THESE MEASURES WILL FURTHER TERRORIZE OUR COMMUNITIES AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE SEEKING JUSTICE FOR LORENZO SOGA, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
AN INNOCENT NEIGHBOR, I URGE YOU NOT TO SEEK THESE FUNDS.
AND YOU DO KNOW WE GET THE LAST SAY AND I JUST MADE A PUBLIC COMMITMENT WITH COUNCILMAN SALINAS AND MY COLLEAGUES.
WE DON'T GO THERE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE BUSINESS WE'RE IN.
YOU'VE PLAYED A, A, A VITAL ROLE, BUT, UH, WE'RE TOGETHER.
MS. HUNT COUNCIL, COUNCIL SLINGS, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS COUNCIL, THANK YOU.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK, ALL THE FOLKS THAT CAME TO SPEAK, AND I JUST WANNA ECHO, I SHARE YOUR CONCERNS.
I READ THE FAQS THE EXACT SAME WAY YOU'RE READING IT, AND AS, AS I'VE SAID, AND I THINK HOPE MANY COLLEAGUES WILL SAY IS THAT IF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CONFIRMS OUR INTERPRETATION TO BE CORRECT, THAT THE CITY WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD ON APPLYING FOR THE GRANT.
COUNCIL MEMBER MO CORTEZ, MA LUCAS, MONTY HILL, AND SARAH TERRELL.
NEIL AQUINO TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ SINCE WE REFERENCED ST.
AUGUSTINE SAID, LORD, I WANT TO BELIEVE, BUT HELP THINE UNBELIEF.
SO I'M GOING TO PROCEED WITH, UH, WITH MY REMARKS ABOUT NUMBER 26.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON FOR PROVIDING THIS FORUM.
MY NAME'S NEIL AQUINO AND I LIVE IN HOUSTON.
I'M HERE ABOUT ITEM 26 AT THE MOMENT.
THE FRAMEWORK OF THE DOJ MODEL CITIES PROGRAM MANDATES THE CITY WORK WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
SUBMITTING THE GRANT APPLICATION WOULD BE YET FURTHER CONFIRMATION THAT THE CITY WORKS WITH ICE.
THE EXPLANATORY DOCUMENT HOLDS UP MEMPHIS AND WASHINGTON HAS MODELS OF GOOD POLICING.
BOTH CITIES HAVE NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENTS.
IS THIS WHAT WE WANT? IT SAYS THAT WE MUST PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF AMERICAN CHILDREN AND PRIORITIZE AMERICAN VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING OVER OTHERS.
IS THAT YOUR CONCEPTION OF SEX TRAFFICKING ENFORCEMENT, MS. CARTER? THAT'S AN ACCEPTABLE HBD POLICY.
THE DOCUMENT ADDRESSES URBAN LOITERING.
IT ADDRESSES URBAN SQUATTING AND URBAN CAMPING, BUT URBAN LOITERING EVEN THAT'S THE LANGUAGE USED WHO WILL BE POLICING OUR LOITERERS, OUR MILITARIZED TRANSIT SYSTEM.
WITH SO MANY COPS NOW IN REDUCED BUS SERVICE, OUR $305,000 A YEAR CONSTABLES, THE POLITICALLY CONNECTED PAID AGITATORS AT THE POLICE UNION, ALWAYS WHINING ABOUT SOMETHING DPS THAT MAY WELL HAVE CALLED ICE ABOUT SALGADO, HBD UNDER THE AUSPICES OF A WHITE SUPREMACIST DOJ NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS.
WHY DON'T WE RUN PLEAS IN ACTUAL CITY HERE RATHER THAN A FORT OR AN OCCUPIED ZONE? YOU TELL US OVER AND OVER, YOU CAN'T CONTROL WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES, SO YOU INVITE THEM RIGHT INTO OUR CITY.
WHAT ASSURANCE WILL ANY OPT OUT OR AGREEMENT HAVE WHEN YOU'VE TOLD US A ZILLION TIMES THAT YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THEM? TWO TOP THREATS TO OUR CITY ARE THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
LET ME SUGGEST WHERE I'LL SKIP SOME OF THIS OVER.
MAYOR WHITMEYER SAYS THAT THERE ARE UNLIMITED HBD OVERTIME FUNDS TO POLICE WHAT HE CALLS POP-UP PROTESTS.
THOSE FOLKS AT NO KING RALLIES ARE ON SIDEWALKS AND HIGHWAY OVER PALACES.
PASSES ARE OVERWHELMINGLY RANK AND FILE DEMOCRATS AND DEMOCRACY ADVOCATES WHO DON'T WANT DONALD TRUMP DEFINING HOW WE ARE POLICED THE POLICE.
THE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS ARE FAR MORE MEASURED AND SIGNIFICANTLY LESS DANGEROUS THAN A KEN PAXTON SUPPORTER.
YOU DON'T NEED UNLIMITED RESOURCES TO WATCH YOUR OWN CONSTITUENTS TAKE PART IN PROTESTS THAT YOU OUGHT TO BE JOINING.
JOINING, AND I WAS, I WAS AT OUR WEEKLY CORN IN PROTEST, UH, CHARCOAL ROLLED FOR A 34TH TIME.
IF YOU WANNA KNOW THE NATURE OF, OF, OF OUR REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION AND THE FOLKS ON THE STREET, A BUNCH OF 70 YEAR OLDS ON A HUNDRED DEGREE CORNER
[01:00:01]
TO WANT SIMPLE DEMOCRACY.IF YOU HAD TOLD ME IN MY TWENTIES THAT 30 YEARS LATER I'D BE HERE FOR JUST SIMPLE DEMOCRACY AND VOTING, AND IF YOU LISTEN TO THE FOLKS ON THE STREET, ALL THEY WANT IS A FREE SOCIETY.
I WATCH EVERY SESSION OF COUNCIL AND UNDERSTAND THAT HOUSTON NEEDS THE MONEY, BUT THERE IS NO FISCAL NEED FOR MORE ICE THUGS, NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS OR HELPING CASH PATEL OR WHOEVER MONITOR LOITERING NEXT.
ACTUALLY, THE RESPONSE IS, THANK YOU, SIR.
IT'S SIGNIFICANT EFFORT TO COME DOWN.
AND AND THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS.
I JUST WANNA SAY OUR OFFICE IS LOOKING AT THIS VERY CRITICALLY AND TAKING THIS GRANT VERY SERIOUSLY.
I HAVE PERSONALLY HEARD FROM MANY RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT DISTRICT C THAT VOICE THE SAME CURRENT CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE THAT MAY NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT ARE TAKING THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE AND EXPRESS THOSE CONCERNS.
UM, I'LL ECHO WHAT OUR, MY, MY COLLEAGUE HERE SAID AS WELL.
IF THERE ARE ANY STRINGS ATTACHED TO THIS GRANT, UH, I WILL BE VOTING NO ON IT.
SO WE'LL BE TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
NEXT, ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ, AMAL SHARIF, DYLAN FORBES, DOLL ROBBINS, STEPHANIE PADILLA, RUTH NADAL TO BE FOLLOWED BY CESAR ESPINOSA.
ALL RIGHT, SO I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT BY SOME NEWS OUTLET, WE'RE CONSIDERED THE CITY OF SIEGE BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE, OUR COMMUNITY KEEPS GETTING VICTIMIZED BY ICE.
UM, IT'S HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND FAMILY, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR LOVED ONES ARE STILL BEING VICTIMIZED BY ICE IN HOUSTON.
THIS TIME, THIS HAPPENED IN AUSTIN, A MAN WAS SHOT IN THE BACK DELIVERING AN UBER EATS ORDER.
PLEASE TELL ME HOW ANYONE DESERVES TO BE SHOT IN THE BACK.
THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN LORENZO EXCEPT FOR THAT HE DIDN'T DIE.
THIS MAN PROBABLY STILL HAS THE BULLET IN HIS BACK RIGHT NOW.
HAS HE HAD MEDICAL CARE? NO, THIS KEEPS HAPPENING.
I TOLD YOU GUYS TWO WEEKS AGO OR HOWEVER, WHEN YOU KICKED ME OUT, Y'ALL GOTTA STOP DELIVERING US TO OUR SLAVES.
I'M GONNA STOP DELIVERING TO THEM.
YOU GUYS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT AND SO ARE THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.
AND ALL THEY DID WAS HELP HIDE HIM FROM HIS ATTORNEY AND HIS WIFE.
THEY STILL, THEY KEEP MOVING HIM FROM THE HOSPITAL BACK TO THE DETENTION CENTER.
AND IT JUST SHOULD NOT BE THIS WAY.
ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT AND SERVE AND BRING US BACK TO HEALTH.
UM, WE HAVE A, LIKE, WE HELP OUT WITH THE RAPID RESPONSE LINE.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES WE HEAR PEOPLE CRYING TRYING TO FIND THEIR LOVED ONE OR MOST OF THESE CALLS.
SOME OF THEM START WITH BEING PULLED OVER BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO STOP DELIVERING TO SLAVERS, PLEASE.
WE NEED TRANSPARENCY STILL FOR LORENZO.
YOU SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AUSTIN, IT'S GONNA KEEP GETTING WORSE.
AND IF YOU KEEP DOING, IF YOU LOOK INTO THIS MODEL SLAVE THING, JUST READ ABOUT IT.
IT'S GONNA BE THE SAME THING, BUT WORSE.
THEY'RE GONNA BRING MORE PEOPLE HERE TO VICTIMIZE OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE NOT LIVING THEIR LIFE.
AGAIN, IT'S HISPANIC HERITAGE BUNCH.
WE WERE JUST AT THE PARADE THE OTHER DAY.
WHY? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SCARED.
WE WENT OUT THERE FOR A REASON TO LIKE MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFER.
AND IT'S SAD AND YOU SHOULD BE SAD.
AND I THINK YOU'RE RETIRING, RIGHT? SO YOU PROBABLY DON'T CARE AFTER THIS, BUT WE HAVE TO LIVE HERE.
WE LIVE HERE, WE GREW UP HERE, AND ALL OF US ARE SEEING OUR COMMUNITIES SUFFER AND WE NEED JUSTICE.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT'S BEEN VICTIMIZED BY ICE NEEDS JUSTICE IN THIS.
BORDER PATROL NEEDS TO BE AT THE BORDER.
THEY'RE GONNA BE NOWHERE NEAR HERE AND YOU GUYS NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA KEEP DYING AND GETTING HURT.
NEXT CAESAR ESPOSA TO BE FOLLOWED BY CARLA PERDU ON JULY 7TH IN THE MORNING, LORENZO SJO WAS MURDERED ON CANAL STREET.
THERE WAS MANY TALKS OF CHANGE.
THERE WAS MANY TALKS OF, OF DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
AND WE KEEP PUSHING ON SO THAT ONE DAY WE MAY GET A CHANGE.
ONE DAY WE MAY DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
[01:05:01]
IN THE STREETS OF AUSTIN, WE SAW A MAN GETTING SHOT IN THE BACK WHILE DELIVERING DOORDASH.UH, NOT A TARGET AGAIN, NOT A JUST ANOTHER MAN WORKING.
SO WE'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT SEEING CHANGE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
WE'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT SEEING CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WHO ARE WE TO RELY ON NOW? CAN WE RELY ON THE CITY? CAN WE RELY ON THE COUNTY? BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, CAN WE RELY ON YOU TO KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? TO PUT MORE THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE, ONE OF THE EXAMPLES I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT IS THE RESPONSE OF THE MAYOR OF AUSTIN AND HOW HE WITHIN HOURS GAVE COMFORT TO HIS COMMUNITY ABOUT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION AND TO ICE OFFICIALS ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE GONNA DO TO PROTECT ONE OF THEIR OWN.
HE DIDN'T CALL 'EM A LEGAL IMMIGRANT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND, AND, AND, AND WHERE AND AND WHERE WERE YOU EVEN FIVE HOURS AFTERWARDS, YOU INTERRUPTED ME.
SO NOW I GET TO QUESTION YOU AND, AND WHAT, AND THEN IT IS ACCURATE BECAUSE YOU, WE CAN GO BACK ON THE RECORDS AND SEE THAT YOU WERE NOWHERE TO BE SEEN UNTIL THE NEXT DAY WHEN YOU SAID YOU WANT TO GO THERE.
WHEN YOU SAID WE WERE NOT GONNA LAUNCH AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION, WAS IT BECAUSE YOU HAD ALREADY OUTDONE THE POLICY? WHERE, WHERE YOU ARE NOT GONNA INVESTIGATE FEDERAL AGENCIES WHITMEYER OR WHI LIAR.
WAS THAT, WAS THAT, WHAT WAS THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING? SO NO, YOU WANT, YOU WANNA SPAR? WE CAN TALK TRUTH BECAUSE OFTENTIMES YOU'VE, YOU LIE A LOT AND IT, AND IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE DOCUMENT, THE ONE THAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, THE ONE YOU WERE TRYING TO DISMAY SAYING THAT YOU TABLED, THAT YOU TABLED THAT DOCUMENT ON THE FIRST PRIORITY OF THE DOJ, IT SAYS, WE'LL COMPLY WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
DO WE NEED TO PRINT IT OUT AND, AND DELIVER A COPY TO YOUR OFFICER? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO TELL YOU THAT THINGS ARE NOT CHANGING? WHAT MORE DO WE NEED TO SEE TO SEE THAT THINGS ARE NOT CHANGING? AND WHAT MORE DO WE NEED TO DO TO, FOR YOU TO SHOW REAL LEADERSHIP AND TO STAND UP FOR THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY HERE IN HOUSTON, AND TO STAND UP AND REALLY SHOW TRUE LEADERSHIP TO PROTECT OUR VERY OWN HOUSTONIANS WHO ARE WORKING TO PAVE YOUR STREETS, TO BUILD YOUR HOMES AND TO FEED YOU YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, UH,
UM, APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU CONTINUE TO DO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT ON THIS ITEM AS WELL.
UM, I, I DON'T WANT ANY, ANY EXTRA LEVEL OF COOPERATION THAT IS UNNECESSARY.
AND SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU AS WE HAVE BEEN, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SAFE.
UM, ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAFE AND WE FOCUS ON, AGAIN, WHAT IS, WHAT DOES TRUST LOOK LIKE? UM, AND YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT, UH, SINCE I HAD TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION.
UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE VERY GOOD.
WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS HERE IN TERMS OF WHO WE CAN TRUST AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO CITY HALL AND CITY HALL HASN'T BEEN AS READY AS WE WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE.
NEXT THANK YOU CARLA PURDUE TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAN ISSA BEKO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS CARLA GRACE PARDUE AND I'M REPRESENTING RESIDENTS OF MEMORIAL PLAZA NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON'S WEST SIDE.
FIRST, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE THAT HOMELESSNESS IS A COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING ISSUE, AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK ALREADY UNDERWAY WITH WAM AND THE CITY'S BROADER EFFORTS TO CONNECT INDIVIDUALS WITH HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
AT THE SAME TIME, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE REAL IMPACTS ALONG THE WEST I 10 AND BELTWAY CORRIDOR, PARTICULARLY WITH PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS, INCLUDING DEBRIS, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, VANDALISM ATTEMPTS TO ACCESS OUR HOUSES.
WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT DRUG USE.
WE WALK BY NEEDLES ON OUR SIDEWALKS WHILE WITH OUR CHILDREN.
THE OTHER DAY, A HOMELESS MAN WAS BATHING HIMSELF WITH ONE OF MY NEIGHBOR'S WATER HOSES IN THEIR FRONT YARD.
AND ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I WAS AT A BUSINESS ON MEMORIAL, UH, NEAR THE BELTWAY.
AND A HOMELESS MAN WAS YELLING AND BANGING ON THE DOORS FOR US TO LET HIM IN, AND WE HAD TO LOCK THE DOORS AND CALL THE POLICE.
[01:10:01]
DID NOT EXIST WHEN I MOVED TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOUR YEARS AGO.THIS IS ESPECIALLY CONCERNING BECAUSE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS HOME TO RUMMEL CREEK ELEMENTARY AND WE HAVE ENCAMPMENTS JUST BLOCKS FROM THE SCHOOL AND FAMILIES AND CHILDREN REGULARLY ENCOUNTER THIS IMPACTS.
WE'RE NOT HERE SIMPLY TO ASK THAT PEOPLE ARE MOVED FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER.
WE'RE ASKING FOR A MORE PERMANENT AND COORDINATED SOLUTION, ONE THAT CONNECTS PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH SERVICES AND ALSO PREVENTING LO THESE LOCATIONS FROM BECOMING PERMANENT ENCAMPMENTS.
WE WOULD ASK THE CITY TO WORK CLOSELY WITH TXDOT AND OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS TO ADDRESS THE ENCAMPMENTS UNDER THE OVERPASSES AND BEHIND THE HOUSTON GARDEN CENTER, AND TO IDENTIFY SUSTAINABLE MEASURES TO DETER THESE AREAS FROM BEING REESTABLISHED WHEN, WHEN THEY ARE CLEARED.
WE ALSO RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR DEDICATED RESOURCES FOR HPD WEST SIDE DIVISION, PARTICULARLY AROUND THESE AREAS.
INCREASED VISIBILITY, COORDINATION ENFORCEMENT COULD MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE.
WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S NO ONE OVERNIGHT SOLUTION, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THE RESIDENTS OF OUR AREA SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE BECOME BETWEEN COMPASSION FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND THE SAFETY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE ARE ASKING FOR A PARTNERSHIP AND A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON THE C ISSUE.
AND THANK YOU MS. PURDUE FOR COMING DOWN HERE.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE MAYOR ON.
I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR HAS CONTACTED TDOT TO, UM, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOME OF THESE AREAS AND HELP WITH THE PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED TO CITY COUNCIL, THIS, THIS WASN'T REALLY A PROBLEM.
AND NOW IT'S ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENT CALLS THAT MY OFFICE GETS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE DEDICATED, UM, RESOURCES, MY COUNCIL DISTRICT SERVICE FUNDS, UH, PROVIDED OVERTIME FOR HPD, THE WEST SIDE DIVISION, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS IT GETS CLEANED UP AND CLEARED OUT, THEN THEY'RE IMMEDIATELY BACK IN THE SAME SITUATION.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND REPRESENTING NOT JUST PLAZA OAKS, BUT ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, ON THE NORTH SIDE AROUND THIS AREA.
I KNOW THAT, UM, ONE OF THE GUYS FROM THE HOMELESS AREA, HE WALKED DOWN TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HE WAS URINATING IN FRONT OF THE KIDS AS THE KIDS WERE GOING INTO SCHOOL, UM, WHEN HPD WENT OUT THERE, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN WANTED FELONS, UM, IN THE AREA, YOU KNOW, STAYING NEAR THOSE ENCAMPMENTS.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS.
I KNOW THIS ISSUE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE MAYOR AND MAYOR.
ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO, ANY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OR ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN GIVE US, WE'D APPRECIATE.
WELL, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU.
WHERE DO YOU TAKE 'EM? I REGULARLY AT MONTROSE AND WALL YESTERDAY MORNING, GENTLEMAN, PARTIALLY DRESSED.
AND IN THE CONTEXT OF TODAY'S DISCUSSIONS, THIS WAS THE INTENT OF THE GRANT.
IF YOU CAN IGNORE ALL THE MISINFORMATION AND BRINGING UP OTHER CITIES WHO ARE DOING IT EXACTLY THE WAY WE DID IT IN OUR TRAGEDY.
BUT THE PURPOSE IN THE GRANT COUNCIL MEMBER ELLA, IS TO GET MORE HOUSING, YOU HAVE TO LOCATE THESE INDIVIDUALS.
YES, TXDOT IS OUR PARTNER AND THEY WILL RELOCATE PEOPLE.
BUT EVEN, WHERE DOES HPD TAKE FOLKS? SO THAT'S THE FRUSTRATING PART.
WE'RE NOT INTO ENFORCEMENT OF IMMIGRATION.
THE WOMEN'S CENTER WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST INSTITUTION THAT ENCOURAGED US TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT.
WE DON'T ACCEPT IF SOMEONE HAS TERMS THAT ARE UNACCEPTABLE AND AGAINST OUR CITY ORDINANCE.
SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THOSE WHO WOULD SAY THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP RESIDENTS ARE ONLY SPREADING FEAR.
THIS IS A REAL ISSUE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, AND THANK YOU.
WE ALL REPRESENT THE SAME PEOPLE.
IT'S A MATTER OF WHERE DO YOU LOCATE THESE PEOPLE? HUGE MENTAL HEALTH.
THE STATES GOT INVOLVED BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE COMING THROUGH REENTRY FROM OUR PRISON SYSTEM.
EMANCIPATION DOING ITS PART, IT'S, IT'S A MODEL, BUT WE NEED SEVERAL TIMES EMANCIPATION.
SO WE HEAR YOU AND WE'RE ON IT, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA BE DIVERTED BY MISINFORMATION WHEN WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
I GET SO TO BE FOLLOWED BY EARL BROWNLOW.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WHITMEYER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
[01:15:01]
UH, MY NAME IS JAN ISBE AND I WILL CHAIN OF PACE.UH, I'M A SENIOR MACHINE LEARNING ENGINEER HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND FIRST I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASSIAS TEAM FOR REVIEWING MY ANALYSIS AND QUICK RESPONSE.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CITY STAFF WHO REACHED OUT AFTER I REGISTERED TO SPEAK TODAY.
AND I RECENTLY TOOK A DEEP LOOK AT HOUSTON'S PUBLIC 3 1 1 AND SOLID WASTE DATA.
AND I ANALYZED MORE THAN 46,000 REQUESTS FILED IN THIS YEAR, 2026.
AND I'M NOT HERE TO SAY THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG OR I UNDERSTAND THE OPERATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC DATA, BUT WHAT I CAN SEE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A BETTER USE OF THE INFORMATION THAT THE CITY ALREADY COLLECTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, NEARLY HALF OF THE GARBAGE COMPLAINTS IN THE DATA ARE FILED ON THE SCHEDULED COLLECTION DAY, AND MORE THAN 77% ARE FILED EITHER THAT DAY OR THE NEXT DAY.
UM, SO FROM THE PUBLIC DATA ALONE, I CANNOT TELL WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
WAS THE ROUTE STILL RUNNING? WAS IT DELAYED? DID THE TRUCK ALREADY PASS THE ADDRESS? AND WAS THERE A SERVICE EXCEPTION? AND THE IMPORTANT PART IS THAT THE INFORMATION IS ALREADY IN THE CITY'S SYSTEMS. AND THAT'S BASICALLY MY POINT.
THE DATA SHOULDN'T BE TELLING US WHAT HAPPENS SIX MONTHS LATER.
IT SHOULD HELP CITY EMPLOYEES MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.
TODAY, HAVING ACCESS TO INFORMATION IS NOT THE SAME AS HAVING IT AVAILABLE WHEN YOU NEED IT.
A THREE ONE, ONE EMPLOYEE ANSWERING THE CALL SHOULDN'T BE MANUALLY FIGURING OUT WHAT HAPPENED WHILE THE RESIDENT IS WAITING ON THE PHONE.
THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE BACKGROUND.
THE SYSTEM CAN BRING THE RELEVANT INFORMATION TOGETHER AND GIVE THE EMPLOYEE A CLEAR ANSWER WHETHER THE ROUTE IS STILL RUNNING OR SERVICE IS DELAYED, OR THE TRACK PAST THE ADDRESS OR THE SERVICE EXCEPTION RECORDED.
AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY EXISTS.
I'M NOT PROPOSING ANOTHER LARGE SYSTEM OR ANY KIND OF LONG CONSULTING STUDY WITH A PRESENTATION.
A LOT OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE TESTED FAIRLY QUICKLY USING THE SYSTEMS AND THE DATA THAT THE CITY ALREADY HAS.
AND MY FIRST REQUEST WOULD BE TO HAVE A WORKING SESSION WITH THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT 3 1 1, AND THE TECHNOLOGY AND DATA TEAMS, TAKE A SMALL SAMPLE, BRING THE EXISTING INFORMATION TOGETHER, AUTOMATE THE MANUAL STEPS, AND MEASURE THE RESULTS.
IF IT WORKS, WE CAN EXPAND IT.
IF IT DOES NOT, WE CAN QUICKLY KNOW THAT AND MOVE ON.
AND THIS IS LIKE ONE OF THE ONLY EXAMPLES THAT I'VE MENTIONED, BUT EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT PRODUCES OPERATIONAL DATA.
IN MANY CASES, THOSE CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE DAILY WORK OF EMPLOYEES AND SERVICES FOR THE RESIDENTS.
SO THE IDEA IS START SMALL, USE THE DATA WE ALREADY HAVE AND BUILD SOMETHING USEFUL.
AND AFTER THAT MEASURE WHETHER IT WORKS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I THINK THAT WAS MAYBE ONE OF MY STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAD HAD REACHED OUT.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR CALLING AND, UH, USING YOUR EXPERTISE TO LOOK AT A VERY, UH, CRITICAL CITY PROBLEM.
I THINK ONE THING IS WITH SOLID WASTE, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS RIGHT NOW WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SOLID WASTE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS.
THERE'S ALSO BEEN A CHANGE IN THE HEAVY TRASH PICKUP SYSTEM.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT COMMUNICATION WILL CONTINUE TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING ON A PROBLEM LIKE THIS AND USING YOUR YOUR SPECIFIC SKILLSET, I'D BE HAPPY TO PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH MY TEAM AND MAYBE WE CAN COLLABORATE A LITTLE BIT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, TAKING THE TIME, UH, TO LOOK IN AND RESEARCH WHAT YOU FOUND WITHIN 3 1 1, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO SOLID WASTE.
I, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THAT I LOOK AT THE CITY AS A SERVICES CORPORATION AND YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ARE THE SHAREHOLDERS AS THE TAXPAYERS, AND WE ARE TO PROVIDE SERVICES BASED ON THE DOLLARS THAT YOU PAY.
AND THOSE SERVICES SHOULD BE DERIVED BASED ON THE DATA.
AND THEN THE DATA SHOULD DRIVE THE LOGISTICS OF THEN HOW TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE.
AND SO, UH, THE SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, I THINK ARE ON POINT.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, UH, DIVING A LITTLE DEEPER WITH YOU ON, UH, SOME OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND YOUR FINDINGS.
AND SO, UH, IF YOU COULD REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE AS WELL, UH, WE'D LOVE TO STAY IN CONTACT.
NEXT, EARL BROWNLOW TARA, THE STORY TO BE FOLLOWED BY RAYFIELD.
A VICTIM OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, PRO SE WOMAN'S VOICE FOR WOMEN'S RIGHT IN THE HARRIS COUNTY FAMILY COURTS TO THE HONORABLE MAYOR OF HOUSTON AND THE HONORABLE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
I'M A WOMAN PROTECTED PERSON UNDER A FAMILY VIOLENCE PROTECTIVE ORDER, AND A
[01:20:01]
JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT.I ENTERED MY MARRIAGE IN GOOD FAITH TO BUILD A FAMILY.
HE ENTERED THE LIES AND DECEPTION.
TODAY, THE FAMILY COURT IS BEING USED TO FINISH WHAT HIS DECEPTION BEGAN AGAINST ME.
INSTEAD OF RAISING THE CHILD I DREAMED OF, I STAND IN FAMILY COURTS FACING MY HUSBAND'S CRIMINAL OFFENSE ATTORNEY MATTHEW HOAK.
IN FIVE MONTHS, MR. HOAK HAS DRAWN MORE THAN $43,000 OUT OF COMMUNITY FUNDS.
MONEY THAT COULD HAVE BUILT A FAMILY IS BEING SPENT TO BREAK THE WOMAN WHO WANTED THE FAMILY.
ON SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2025, MY CRIMINAL FAMILY VIOLENCE CLASS, A MISDEMEANOR CASE AGAINST HIM WAS DISMISSED.
I HAD BEEN TOLD NOT TO SHOW UP.
THE PERSON WHO TOLD ME IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS A DISTRICT ATTORNEY ON THE CASE.
HE HAD NOT EVEN PASSED THE BAR.
THAT IS HOW THE CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST MY ABUSER WAS QUIETLY MADE TO DISAPPEAR UNDER THE COUNCIL OF HIS CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY.
MY HUSBAND CUT OFF MY ELECTRICITY.
HE STOPPED PAYING THE MORTGAGE AND LEFT AND LET OUR HOME FALL UNDER INTO FORECLOSURE DANGER.
I BORROWED MONEY FROM MY FAMILY AND CURED A MORTGAGE MYSELF.
THEIR ANSWER WAS TO WALK INTO COURT AND ASK FOR A RECEIVER OVER THE VERY HOME A PROTECTED PERSON HAD JUST SAVED.
IF I HAD NO RESOURCES, I WOULD BE A HOME DESK.
TODAY, THREE OF MY PROTECTIVE AND TEMPORARY HEARINGS HAVE BEEN STOPPED ON THE SAME NO NOTICE GAME.
MY DOCUMENTED SERVICE IS DISMISSED.
MY PLEADINGS ARE OFF ON THE BENCH.
AFTER MY HEARING IS OVER, MY PROTECTIVE ORDER WAS TARGETED.
WHEN IT WAS EXTENDED IN MY FAVOR, MR. HORAK SEND ME A DOCUSIGN DOCUMENT FALSELY CLAIMING IT HAD BEEN VACATED.
I REFUSE TO SIGN THE TWO 80TH.
DISTRICT COURT HAS CONFIRMED THAT DOCUMENT IS NULLITY.
WALKING OUT OF MY LAST HEARING, MR. HOEK TOLD ME IN THE COURTHOUSE HALLWAY, I AM KICKING YOUR ASS.
THEY HAVE NOW SET ANOTHER HEARING ON MY PROTECTIVE ORDER FOR OCTOBER 22ND, 2026, ADDING ONE MORE PAINT TO A SOUL, ALREADY CARRYING TOO MUCH.
THE FAMILY COURT IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT GOOD FATE AND ABUSED WOMAN.
I HAVE BEEN DENIED THE PROTECTION.
THIS IS A WOMAN'S RIGHTS ISSUE.
ACCESS TO A FAIR HEARING IS A WOMAN'S RIGHT.
PROTECTION FROM EXTREME LITIGATION IS A WOMAN'S RIGHT.
STANDING IN COURT WITHOUT BEING LECTURED, SILENCE OR BAIL OUT IS A WOMAN'S RIGHT.
WHAT IS BEING DONE TO ME IS BEING DONE TO THE BODY, TO THE SOUL, AND THE DREAM OF A WOMAN.
WHAT I'M ASKING FOR, I'M NOT ASKING RETALIATION, I'M ASKING PROTECTION.
I HAVE A HEARING PENDING ON MY MOTION TO DISQUALIFY MR. AK FOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
I'M ASKING FOR HELP THROUGH EVERY CHANNEL AVAILABLE TO THIS CITY AND THIS COUNTY.
SUPERVISION OF MY CHASE SAFEGUARDING MY DUE PROCESS AS A PROCESS WOMAN AND PROTECTED PERSON.
EXHIBITION OF THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND REMOVE ALL OF MR. HOAK FROM THIS CASE.
I'M ASKING YOUR COURT TO CONDEMN WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO ME AND TO ENABLE SAFE AND FAIR JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I'M STANDING TODAY, FOR EVERY WOMAN WHO COMES FROM AFTER ME.
BELIEVE IN PER SE, WOMAN BELIEVE IN WOMAN DIGNITY.
NEXT RAYFIELD, KENDRICK OR KEN DEREK GREER.
TO BE FOLLOWED BY NICHOLAS TAYLOR.
UH, LADIES THAT, THAT I DON'T REALLY KNOW.
I'VE BEEN SEEING YOUR NAME FOR A WHILE IN TARSA JACKSON.
UM, MR. LEMON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE LONG TERM.
UH, JOAQUIN, SALLY, UH, NEW MS. SALINAS.
MS. CARTER SENDS OUT A LETTER REGULAR MS. SHABAZZ, WE SEE OVER AT, UH, THIRD WARD WITH, UH, ED'S GROUP, AND THEN OUR CITY ATTORNEY REPRESENTATIVE OVER THERE, AND THEN JOHN WHITMORE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I AM HERE TO ADDRESS AN HR PROBLEM OR ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, UH, THAT PROBABLY AREN'T DUE TO THIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT LONG TERM OVER THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, LONG TERM, I LOOKED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS MERELY AS ONE MAN, JACK VALINSKI.
[01:25:01]
WAS MY CONTACT, AND THAT'S WHAT I KNEW.UH, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES SINCE THEN.
THERE WERE CHANGES COMING AT THAT TIME.
BUT APPARENTLY THE, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM BY MY, BY MY OWN DESIRES AND, AND WHAT I LIKE TO SEE, UH, BASICALLY I LIKE TO SEE THE GARBAGE PICKED UP IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AS THE MAN WAS TALKING ABOUT.
BUT, UH, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A, UH, A NUMBER FOR, IT'S BEEN OVER 10 YEARS SINCE OUR BYLAWS FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 51 IN THE NEAR NORTH SIDE HAVE BEEN UPDATED, OR APPROXIMATELY 10 YEARS.
2017, I SUBMITTED THE LAST ONES TO JACK AND HE PUT THEM ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING UNDER THOSE BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME PUT FORWARD IN 25 AND THEY'RE LABELED AS 25, BUT THEY SOMEHOW DID NOT GET THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND THEY WERE LOST SOMEHOW IN THAT ADMINISTRATIVE SHUFFLE OR HR SHUFFLE.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
UH, HAD SOME CON CONCERNING, UH, WE AS SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD DELEGATES WERE SITTING IN OUR MEETING IN JULY AND A MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE EMPLOYEE WHO HAS BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME AND IS, AS FAR AS I KNOW, A GOOD EMPLOYEE, UH, MAY HAVE SOME, UH, BASIC THINGS TO BE TALKED TO ABOUT THOUGH AND OTHERS IN THE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
BUT, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE PROBABLY BETTER ADDRESSED IN A CLOSED MEETING.
BUT I JUST HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYONE WITHIN THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANCE OFFICE OR WITHIN OTHER OFFICES TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS.
WE WERE DRESSED DOWN, UH, AND TOLD THAT WE WERE NOT TO MESS WITH A PERSON WHO IS SORT OF NOT A RELATIVE, BUT A RELATIVE.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT ALL OF IT WAS ABOUT.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GET WITH YOUR COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, AND ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.
HE'S NOT HERE TODAY, BUT THANK YOU.
I'M, THERE'S A, THERE'S A NOTE IN MY BOOK THAT HE'S INVOLVED, RIGHT? I, I, I ADDRESSED HIS OFFICE AS WELL.
AND JUST WANTED TO, UM, LET YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, COUNCILMAN MC STEEL'S NOT HERE, BUT AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU IN, UM, IN YOUR CONCERNS.
I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU AS WELL.
THANK YOU NICHOLAS TAYLOR TO BE FOLLOWED BY DAVID FOR LUKES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS NICHOLAS TAYLOR, AND MY WIFE AND I OPERATE A LOCAL RETAIL BUSINESS RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF HOUSTON AVENUE AND DART STREET.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SHED LIGHT ON THE CRITICAL ISSUES WITH THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THERE AND HOPEFULLY BE HEARD BY THIS COUNCIL REGARDING A SEVERE PUBLIC SAFETY VIOLATION, GROSS NEGLIGENCE BY A CITY PROJECT MANAGER AND DELIBERATE BAIT AND SWITCH THAT HAS ENTIRELY CUT OFF OUR RETAIL BUSINESS.
FIRST ZERO NOTICE WAS GIVEN TO US OR OUR NEIGHBORS ABOUT THIS PROJECT ON THE DAYS THEY HAVE WORKED, SPECIFICALLY THE 10TH, 15TH, 16TH, 17TH, AND ESPECIALLY MONDAY, THE 21ST.
THEY COMPLETELY BLOCKED OUR SINGLE ENTRANCE DURING PEAK DAYTIME BUSINESS HOURS WITH NO CLEAR MARKERS OR DISCRETION, I MEAN, DIRECTION SIGNS.
SECOND, THE CONSTRUCTION CREW CREATED A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD SO SEVERE, IT STOPPED TRAFFIC.
THE COMPLETE BLOCKAGE BEGAN THIS PAST MONDAY MORNING AT 9:00 AM AND AT 10:12 AM THE DISTRICT EIGHT FIRE CHIEF WAS DRIVING BY, SAW THE HAZARDOUS SITUATION STOPPED TO ADDRESS IT BECAUSE DART STREET, OUR ENTRANCE, EDWARD STREET AND TWO OTHER STREETS, WHICH ARE THE ONLY WAYS OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WERE COMPLETELY CLOSED DOWN.
WHILE THE CREW PREPARED TO LAY ASPHALT, THE FIRE CHIEF IMMEDIATELY VOICED HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY VIOLATION.
HE DEMANDED TO SEE A SUPERVISOR ON SITE RIGHT AWAY.
THIRD, THE CITY'S PROJECT MANAGER TEAM.
OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM COMPLETELY IGNORED EMERGENCY SERVICES FOR OVER TWO HOURS WHILE THE CREW SCRAMBLED 30 MINUTES AFTER THE CHIEF'S INTERVENTION TO OPEN DART STREET WITH THE FLAGGER, OUR ENTRANCE AND THE OTHER TWO STREETS REMAINED CLOSED.
NO CITY SUPERVISOR SHOWED UP UNTIL 12:30 PM FOURTH, I WAS INTENTIONALLY DECEIVED BY THE CITY'S OWN PROJECT MANAGER.
WHEN HE ARRIVED AT 12:30 PM THE CREW WAS PREPARED TO POUR THE ASPHALT IN FRONT OF OUR BUSINESS.
WHEN I CONFRONTED HIM ABOUT BLOCKING OUR ONLY ENTRANCE, HE REFUSED TO ADMIT THEY WERE VIOLATING CHAPTER 40 CITY CODE.
INSTEAD, HE DISMISSIVELY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE, QUOTE, JUST TRYING TO GET THE JOB DONE.
[01:30:01]
AGREED TO POUR HALF OF OUR ENTRANCE AND LET IT CURE, AND THEN KEEP THE OTHER SIDE OPEN SO WE COULD DO BUSINESS.HE SAID THIS JUST TO GAIN MY TRUST, BUT IT WAS A COMPLETE TRAP.
THE PROJECT MANAGER INTENTIONALLY CALLED ME AWAY TO THE SIDE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION PM TO DISTRACT ME SO THEY COULD THEN, SO I COULDN'T SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON WHILE MY BACK WAS TURNED.
THEY DID A TOTAL BAIT AND SWITCH POURING ASPHALT ACROSS OUR ENTIRE STOREFRONT ENTRANCE AND COMPLETELY LAND LOCKING US FOR 30 MINUTES.
I SUPPORT OUR CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT A CITY PROJECT MANAGER PRIORITIZING A TIMELINE OVER PUBLIC SAFETY, IGNORING A FIRE CHIEF WHO PULLED OVER TO VOICE SAFETY VIOLATIONS.
TALKING DOWN TO TAXPAYER CITIZENS AND RUNNING A BAIT AND SWITCH ON A LOCAL BUSINESS IS A TOTAL FAILURE OF CITY OVERSIGHT.
I'M ASKING THIS COUNSEL FOR AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION INTO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE HOUSTON AVENUE RE PAVEMENT PROJECT AND A DIRECTIVE TO PUBLIC WORKS LEADERSHIP TODAY TO HOLD THIS SPECIFIC MANAGER ACCOUNTABLE.
SORRY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE, AND WE'LL TALK TO 'EM.
I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT A REPORT IN MY HAND AND THERE'S VARIATIONS OF IT, BUT WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET IN TOUCH WITH 'EM.
NEXT, DAVID LUC TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHARLES MOORE.
GREETINGS TO THE COUNCIL AND PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
IN 2020 5TH OF SEPTEMBER, I TRAVELED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
COMING FROM A SMALL TOWN LOCATED IN FIELDS BUREAU, NEW JERSEY.
I SPENT ONE YEAR IN MULTIPLE HOMELESS SHELTERS IN, IN THE STREETS OF AMERICA.
IN THAT TIME, I HAVE HEARD THE VOICES OF THE HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL IN POVERTY AND ARE STILL STRUGGLING 24 7 TO HAVE SHELTER AND SUCCESS IN THIS NATION AND EVEN IN THIS CITY.
THESE ARE THE LIST OF STATES AND CITIES I HAVE VISITED BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ORLANDO, FLORIDA, BRANDON, FLORIDA, COLORADO SPRINGS, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, KANSAS CITY, AND NOW HOUSTON, TEXAS.
I WITNESSED A MAN NAMED MIKE DIE RIGHT NEXT TO ME.
A WOMAN BEING HARASSED BY TWO MEN, SCREAMING.
SOMEONE IS TRYING TO RAPE HER, A MAN EATING FOOD OUT OF A DUMPSTER WITH HIS PANTS PULLED DOWN AT A GAS STATION, A MOTHER AND AN 8-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER BEGGING FOR FOOD AND MONEY.
AND ANOTHER MAN PASSED OUT ON MCDONALD'S AT THE MCDONALD'S DRIVEWAY.
THIS IS JUST 1% OF WHAT I'VE WITNESSED.
HERE ARE THE WORDS I'VE HEARD.
WHEN THE TOPIC OF HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE DISCUSSED ACROSS THE NATION, GET A JOB, IT'S THEIR OWN FAULT.
THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN THOSE DRUGS.
EVERYONE WANTS A HANDOUT, STOP BEGGING AND DO BETTER.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE MONEY TO THEM.
AND NOW I WILL TESTIFY THE STORY OF THE HOMELESS PEOPLE.
MR. MIKE WAS TRYING TO GET A HOUSE THAT WAS APPROVED.
TWO DAYS AFTER THE WOMAN WHO WAS ASSAULTED TRIED MOVING TO ANOTHER STATE FOR A BETTER LIFE.
THE MOTHER AND THE DAUGHTER TRIED TO FIND A HOME IN OKLAHOMA AND NEEDED GAS MONEY.
THE MAN EATING AT THE DUMPSTER WAS SIMPLY HUNGRY AND WANTED, ACTUALLY, HE WAS CHASTISED BY THE POLICE A FEW MINUTES AFTER.
AND THE OTHER MEN AT MCDONALD'S WAS SIMPLY THIRSTY.
AGAIN, THIS IS ONLY 1% OF THE VOICES OF THE HOMELESS.
I REQUESTED A MEETING WITH BOTH THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SHARE THE TESTIMONIES OF THE 99%.
I BELIEVE THERE MUST BE MORE POLICIES AND LAWMAKING TO HELP OUT ONE PER, NOT JUST 1%, BUT ALL CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS JOB WILL NOT BE EASY.
I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU, I DO NOT KNOW IF I WILL RECEIVE A DIRECT ANSWER FROM POLITICAL LEADERS OR EVEN THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON.
NOT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THEY'RE ALL, THAT ALL POLITICIANS ARE CRUEL AND THAT AMERICANS ARE FILLED WITH PRIDE AND DISCRIMINATION.
BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE THE BIGGEST WAY TO HAVE A CARE IS TO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS YOURSELF AND LAY YOUR HEAD ON A CONCRETE, ON A CONCRETE FLOOR, OR SLEEP OUTSIDE.
AND THIN ICE AND ICE STORMS ALL WINTER LONG.
THE GREATEST WEAPON ON EARTH IS NOT A GUN.
AN ARMY JETS NUKES OR MONEY, OR ONE FILLING OR 1 MILLION FOLLOWERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THE GREATEST WEAPON ON EARTH IS THE PEN.
THE GREATEST WEAPON ON EARTH IS THE PEN.
I DESIRE TO SPEAK TO, I DESIRE TO SPEAK TO MORE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT BETTER HOUSING, ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY, FOOD AND WATER, AND TRANSPORTATION
[01:35:01]
FOR ALL CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.I WORK WITH, SO, UH, FREIGHT AND JUNK REMOVAL.
I HELP WITH TRANSPORTATION AND I'M A VOICE OF THE HOMELESS AND HOPELESS FOR HOURS THAT MAN AT ONE POINT IN MY LIFE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU ALL AGAIN.
AND I TOO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.
UH, THAT WAS A PRETTY POWERFUL TESTIMONY.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT JUST SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF YOURSELF, BUT MANY THAT YOU'VE ENCOUNTERED.
UH, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU HAD MEN, YOU HAD REACHED OUT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.
IF YOU WOULD REACH BACK OUT SPECIFICALLY TO MY OFFICE, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO SET UP A MEETING TO TALK FURTHER WITH YOU.
NEXT, CHARLES MOORE TO BE FOLLOWED BY RODNEY UNDERWOOD.
UM, HOW YOU DOING? MY NAME'S CHARLES MOORE.
AND, UH, I HAVE A IDEA THAT COULD PROBABLY HELP OUT WITH THE GOVERNMENT SYSTEM.
UH, I'M, I'M NOT EXPERT IN GOVERNMENT.
I'M NOT EXPERT IN EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT I DO KNOW HOW TO WORK.
SO THE THING IS, I LIKE TO PUT OUT THE IDEA THAT WE SHOULD WORK ON, UH, CURRENCY.
I THINK CURRENCY THAT WE MAKE IS GOOD, BUT IT COULD GET BETTER WITH A, A BETTER EFFICIENT IDEA.
UM, I THINK THE NEW IDEA THAT WE SHOULD RELY ON NOW IS DIGITAL MONEY.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO IT BACK AND FORTH EVERY NOW AND THEN.
I HEARD A FEW PEOPLE TRIED IT OUT, BUT I THINK DIGITAL MONEY COULD BE A GOOD ASSET TO SOLVE.
PROBLEM WITH, UH, HOMELESSNESS, JOB PAYS, CAREERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I'M GONNA EXPLAIN IT TO YOU THE BEST WAY I CAN BECAUSE I ONLY GOT THREE MINUTES.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GONNA LAST AS LONG.
UM, WE NEED TO RELY ON DIGITAL MONEY AS OUR NEW CURRENCY WITH THE CHECKS, WITH THE DEBIT CARDS, AND WITH PHYSICAL MONEY.
DIGITAL CURRENCY CAN BE DEALT WITH JOB PAYS AND HOMELESSNESS IN AMERICA.
IT PREVENT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS.
IT PERMIT DRASTIC INCREASE OF EVERYONE'S TAXES.
CITIZENS CAN'T GET PAID CHECKS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THEY COULD GAIN THESE CHECKS THROUGH OUR AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE EARN TO GET THOSE CHECKS AND INCREASE IT EVERY 20 MONTHS OUTTA THE YEAR.
THEY'RE JUST THE IDEA I'M WORKING ON.
ALSO HAVING A DEBIT CARD, A WITH RECEIVING THE DIGITAL MONEY CHECKS AND, UH, HAVE DIGITAL CHECKS AT A GOVERNMENT OFFICE THAT COULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THEM THINGS.
UH, IT ALSO GRANT PEOPLE WITH NEW FORM OF MEDICAID AND, UH, THEY'D BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT DIGITALLY AS WELL.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT IDEA OF USING DIGITAL MONEY COULD BE ABLE TO SOLVE A LOT OF ISSUES.
IF SOMEONE WANTED TO, TO SUPPORT THE MILITARY AND HAVE MORE PEOPLE WHO JOIN THE MILITARY, MAYBE THEY COULD BE ABLE TO GET MORE, PAY MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET, MORE DOCTORS, MORE OF THEM GETTING PAID BETTER THAN NORMALLY.
I THINK DIGITAL PAY COULD BE ABLE TO COVER THAT.
AND WE CAN RELY ON THE PHYSICAL MONEY THAT HAVE IT TOO.
THE DIGITAL MONEY COULD BE ABLE TO COVER A LOT OF ISSUES.
I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T WANNA BELIEVE EVERYTHING IT CAN, BUT I BELIEVE IT COULD.
I, I HAVE A GOOD FEELING IF Y'ALL TRY TO RELY ON TECHNOLOGY JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, MAYBE WE'LL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN AMERICA.
RODNEY UNDERWOOD TO BE FOLLOWED BY DIANE HOBSON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I STILL SPEAK ABOUT MY BUSINESS UPLIFT DEVELOPMENT THAT'S IN THE THIRD WARD AREA.
WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBLEMS HERE THAT I SEE THAT GOT ONLY FOR AGAINST SENIORS, THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO TAKE THEIR POSSESSION OF THEIR PROPERTIES BY DOING ALL KIND OF DEVIOUS THINGS THAT'S GOING ON.
AND WE'RE PART OF, UH, TRYING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION BY THE INSPECTION PROGRAM THAT'S GOING ON TO IMPROVE PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE HERE THAT'S GOING TO, UH, HAVE LEAD INSPECTION AND LEAD REMOVAL AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.
OUR AREA IS REALLY GETTING, IMPROVING AND GETTING THERE.
WE WANT TO HAVE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OR WANNA BE CLOSELY WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL FOR THE PEOPLE THAT'S COMING IN.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, SOME VETERANS THAT'S WORKING WITH US THAT NEED, UH, EMPLOYMENT
[01:40:01]
SERVICES AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO.I'M A MASTER PLUMBER BY TRADE AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OVER THERE THAT NEEDS TO HAVE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AND BE PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN OUR COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE IT BETTER FOR ALL THAT'S INVOLVED.
OH, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHAT, UH, PLACES LIKE A COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS MAKE A RIPLEY AND A FEW OTHER AGENCIES IS DEALING WITH US IN A KIND OF WAY OF, WE'RE TRYING TO SET UP EVERYTHING WE CAN AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ASSISTANCE AND CONTACT PEOPLE SO WE CAN WORK BETTER.
WAS THAT A FLYER THAT YOU HAD IN YOUR HAND? A FLYER OF AN EVENT OR SOMETHING RIGHT THERE? COULD YOU GIVE THAT TO THE LADY BACK THERE? UM, MS. INGRAM, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT IT OUT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND SHARE IT WITH, UH, THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL.
YOU, YOU, WE WERE TRYING, I WAS MOVING.
YOU WERE TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN THE COPY STOP.
BUT I'M GLAD THAT YOU DID COME DOWN SO THAT WE COULD TRY TO MOVE THAT BUSINESS ALONG FOR YOU.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME.
THANK YOU TO ALWAYS TAKE FIVE MINUTES TO TELL ME HOW FAST CAN YOU GET OUTTA MY FACE? 'CAUSE I'M BUSY,
I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE HEARD.
FIRST I GIVE PRAISE AND HONOR TO GOD THIS AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR WOODIER AND DISTINGUISHED CITY, UH, MAYOR PROTI AND ALL OF THE CITY COUNSELORS.
AND OF COURSE, I DON'T WANNA LEAVE OUT THE PEOPLE SITTING BEHIND ME BECAUSE THIS INVOLVES YOU AS WELL.
MY NAME IS PASTOR DIANE CAROL HOBSON.
I AM THE NATIONAL COORDINATOR FOR SENIORS AND FAMILIES.
HAVE ANY OF YOU HEARD OF THE NATIONAL FOOD DAY? HMM.
I AM HERE TO ASK THE MAYOR AND THIS DISTINGUISHED BODY FOR A PROCLAMATION TO HONOR THE NATIONAL FOOD DAY, UH, TO CELEBRATE A ANNUALLY ON OCTOBER 24TH FOR TWO MAJOR REASONS.
NATIONAL FOOD DAY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1975 BY THE CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN PUBLIC INTEREST.
IN, IN THE ATTEMPT TO CREATE AN EVENT SIMILAR TO EARTH DAY, FOOD DAY IN THE US WAS CREATED TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE INCREASING INDUSTRIALIZATION OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE, RISING FOOD PRICES, HUNGER, THE AMERICAN DIET AND HEALTH CRISIS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE 2020, UH, THE 2020 CENSUS SAID THAT WE ARE STILL GOING STRONG WITH FOOD THAT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE PERSONS IN THE STATE OF AMERICA, IN THE COUNTRY, IN THE NATION OF AMERICA.
IT STATES THAT THE CENSUS SAYS 14 MILLION CHILDREN GO TO BED EVERY NIGHT WITHOUT ANY FOOD.
THAT SHOULD BE UNHEARD OF IN THIS NATION, SINCE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SUPERPOWER, AS THAT'S BEEN ON THE NEWS CONTINUOUSLY.
SO WE WANT TO REESTABLISH THE NATIONAL ORGANIC FOOD BECAUSE THE CHILDREN WITH CANCER IS RISING ENORMOUSLY.
CHILDREN WHO ARE, UH, SUFFERING FROM EATING, OVEREATING, OBESITY, THAT NUMBER IS RISING.
WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN CAN CATCH CANCER BY TOUCHING SOMEONE.
SO WE KNOW THAT IT OBVIOUSLY HAS TO INVOLVE SOMETHING IN THE FOOD.
SO WE ARE ASKING EACH OF YOU TO PARTICIPATE, AND WE ARE RE WE ARE RELAUNCHING THIS, THIS IS A NATIONAL, THE FIRST TIME IT'S BEEN DONE IN AMERICA, THE NATIONAL ORGANIC FOOD DRIVE.
THERE'S BEEN MANY FOOD DRIVES, BUT THERE'S NEVER BEEN A NATIONAL ORGANIC FOOD DRIVE.
SO THIS IS, UH, ON BEHALF OF GLOBAL EXCHANGE, CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND GAR RESOURCES.
[01:45:01]
SO THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING, AND WE'VE TRAVELED TO OTHER STATES AS WELL, AND THEY'RE ALL INVOLVED.SO THIS IS, I'M PLACING THAT IN YOUR HAND.
UH, THIS IS SOME VERY GOOD INFORMATION.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU WERE, YOU WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE, UH, NATIONAL ORGANIC FOOD DAY.
AND SO IF YOU COULD SEE THE LADY, WHERE'D SHE GO? OH, I DON'T.
ANYWAY, WE WANNA GET YOUR INFORMATION AND SEE OKAY.
IF WE CAN FACILITATE THAT FOR YOU.
NEXT, IF YOU COULD SEE THE GENTLEMAN RIGHT THERE, HE CAN GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION, HOW TO REACH THE OFFICE.
JACOB CLEAGE TO BE FOLLOWED BY AIE CHILDRY.
I'M TALKING TO Y'ALL TODAY ABOUT MORAL MOR MORALITY AND IN MORAL MORALE DOING THE BAD THING.
OKAY, NOW IT IS DOING THE GOOD THING TO, TO VOTE BECAUSE YOU GOT THE VOTE TO RIGHT TO VOTE.
NOW, IT'S BAD NOT TO TO VOTE, BUT, BUT, UH, NOT KNOW WHAT THE AS YOU R SO AT ANY RATE, UM, I'M TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THIS HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE CANDIDATES FORUM AT 5 6 0 1 BRIDGEWOOD.
THERE'S GONNA BE A, UH, A TALK BETWEEN, UH, THE LAIA PLUMBER AND, UH, OFFICER, UM, SANCHEZ, ORLANDO SANCHEZ.
NOW, UM, USUALLY IF YOU HAVE TIME, IS AT 7:00 PM ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 29TH.
NOW I WANT TO SPEAK WITH 12 O CARTER.
AND THEN THIS THING INVOLVES UCEA HOR, AND I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU TO JOE ELLA.
NOW TO TWILA CARTER, I SAY THIS IN THE BULLETIN OF THE CHURCH I GO TO, WE HAD AN ANNUNCIATION.
UM, THE, UM, ALSO CHRIS ALL ADVERTISES IN THAT BOWL OF THEM, SO I COULD APPOINT TO GO TO THEIR THAT, UH, RESTAURANT, UH, EVERY DAY.
AND YOU KNOW, JIM CRANE'S OFFICE.
WHAT? NO, IAGE DOESN'T GOOD BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ONE.
A STEVE SHRI TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINE VO.
NEXT CHRISTINE VO TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANTHONY HUBBARD.
UM, IT'S BEEN 77 DAYS SINCE LORENZO SALGADO ARAJO WAS MURDERED BY ICE AGENTS RUNNING AROUND RECKLESSLY IN OUR STREETS.
AND IT'S BEEN 77 DAYS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS CHOSEN TO DO NOTHING.
IN LIGHT OF THIS TRAGEDY, THE CLOCK IS TICKING, AND THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE MORE THIS COUNCIL LOSES THE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE.
AND DESPITE HUNDREDS OF HOUSTONIANS, INCLUDING THE SONS OF THE MURDER VICTIMS, COMING TO CITY HALL AND DEMANDING THIS COUNCIL TO END HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE, TO STAND UP TO GREG ABBOTT AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, IT'S GREAT THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT YOUR PHONES.
UM, THIS COUNCIL IS INSTEAD DEBATING OVER APPLYING FOR FUNDING, WHICH ACCORDING TO THE GRANTS FINE PRINT CITIES MUST ALIGN WITH THE DOJS PRIORITIES OF DIRECTLY SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS INCLUDING IMMIGRATION, LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR IN YOUR WORDS, UH, MAYOR WHITMAR, CARRYING OUT STATE ORDERS.
UH, WE DON'T NEED MORE FUNDING FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
WE DON'T NEED HOPES AND PRAYERS.
WE NEED ACTION, AND WE NEED ICE OUT OF HOUSTON.
NEXT, ANTHONY HUBBARD, CORE OF FORTUNE.
SO I KNOW SOMEONE SAID IT EARLIER, BUT I'LL SAY IT AGAIN THIS WEEKEND, I SHOT ANOTHER MAN IN COLD BLOOD, AND I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN AUSTIN, 150 MILES AWAY.
BUT WE KNOW THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY ONE OF US, WHETHER IT'S WILBUR OR LORENZO OR RUBEN, IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY ONE OF US.
AND THAT MEANS THAT HERE IN HOUSTON, WE KNOW THAT AN ATTACK ON ONE OF US IS AN ATTACK ON ALL OF US.
AND SO WE ARE GONNA KEEP SHOWING UP FOR OUR NEIGHBORS UNTIL ICE TERROR IS GONE FOR GOOD.
[01:50:01]
THIS COUNCIL FORGET THAT.LAST TIME I WAS HERE, MAYOR WHITMEYER SAID THAT HE WISHED THAT NO ONE HAD EVER STARTED SAYING ICE OUT OF HOUSTON.
BUT WE ARE GONNA KEEP SAYING IT BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY WANT.
WE WANT A CITY THAT STANDS UP AND DELIVERS JUSTICE FOR LORENZO AND HIS FAMILY.
WE WANT A CITY FREE OF FLOCK CAMERAS AND ALL SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS.
WE WANT AN END TO THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HPD AND ICE.
WE WANT ALL OF THESE DETENTION CENTERS TO CLOSE, AND WE WANT ICE OUT OF HOUSTON.
NEXT, THIS COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
[5:00 P.M. – RECESS ]
TO NINE IN THE MORNING DRIVING.WE MOSTLY EXPERIENCE IS THAT KIND OF DRIVING AND IT'S A LOT LESS PLEASANT THAN THE, UH,
[READING OF THE CONSENT AGENDA]
WEST COTTAGE STREET BETWEEN STU WOOD STREET AND NOR HILL BOULEVARD WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A SPECIAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 42 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, ITEM 30 ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES OF THE 4000 4400 BLOCK OF MCKINNEY STREET BETWEEN FASHION STREET AND EASTWOOD STREET WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A SPECIAL MINIMUM BUILDING LINE BLOCK PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 42 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, ITEM 31 ORDINANCE RENEWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORTH SIDE OF THE 4,400 BLOCK OF MCKINNEY STREET BETWEEN FASHION STREET AND EASTWOOD STREET WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS HAS A SPECIAL, SPECIAL, MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK PURSUANT TO CAP CHAPTER 42 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.ITEM 32, ORDINANCE FINDING IN DETERMINING THAT PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY NO LONGER REQUIRE THE CONTINUED USE OF A 12 FOOT WIDE ALLEY FROM EAST 29TH STREET NORTH TO THE INTERSTATE SIX 10 LOOP FEEDER ROAD.
ITEM 33 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING JOINT PARTICIPATION IN A LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
ITEM 34, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $93,516 AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH PARSONS WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE INC.
ITEM 35, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $735,000 AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION RELATED TO CONTRACT WITH ARADONDO, ZAPETA AND BRONZE LLC ITEM 36, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,441,360 AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION RELATED TO CONTRACT WITH AVA LLC ITEM 37, ORDINANCE APPROPRI $6,327,112 93 CENTS AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION RELATED TO CONTRACT WITH JFT CONSTRUCTION INC.
ITEM 38, ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 18 DASH 1 0 4 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATING TO THE FAILURE TO TIMELY FILE A CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT.
AND THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTION OF THE AGENDA OF SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2026.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL SESSION TWO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM AND WITH THAT HAPPY WEDNESDAY HAPPY HUNT DAY TO EVERYONE.
[RECONVENE]
MAYOR.UH, COUNCIL, COME TO ORDER AND I'LL FOLLOW AND I'LL FOLLOW
FIRST MEMBERS, I'M PLEASED THAT THINGS ARE CERTAINLY GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, SO THERE'S NO REASON TODAY TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE, CERTAINLY AT THE HORSESHOE.
BUT, UM, OUR DIRECTORS AND OUR RANK AND FILE EMPLOYEES, OUR PROGRAMS, ARE WE, ARE WE COMPLETE IN OUR MISSION? NO, BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT WE'RE NOT GETTING THE SOLID WASTE CALLS WE WERE GETTING JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
I MONITOR THE CALLS TO THE CITY AND I'M IN CONTACT WITH Y'ALL.
SO, LIKE I SAY, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO, BUT, UM, THERE WAS NO NEED TO BRING A DIRECTOR IN HERE TODAY.
WE COULD FOR GOOD REPORTS, BUT THEY'RE OUT WORKING WHERE WE WANT THEM.
UH, I DO WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE TO RECEPTION AT FOUR O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON IN THE, UH, LEGACY ROOM.
I DON'T WANNA STEAL THE ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT OUR COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR, MARY BENTON, HAS BEEN GIVEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND IF Y'ALL WILL HONOR HER SERVICE, UH, AT THE CITY, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT SHE MADE A TOUGH DECISION, I COULD LEAK IT.
I SEE Y'ALL KIND OF WONDERING WHERE
[01:55:01]
THEIR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.SHE, SHE'S GONNA HAVE A, SHE'S VERY HAPPY.
I WOULD'VE HAD HER HERE THIS MORNING AND I JUST CONTRADICTED MYSELF.
I WANTED EVERYBODY TO HAVE TO SHOW UP.
BUT MAYBE THAT WILL EVEN ENTICE YOU TO SHOW UP AND SEE, UH, THE EXCITEMENT AROUND, UH, US NOT LOSING MARY, BUT ALLOWING HER TO NETWORK, UH, WITH OUR COLLABORATION.
UM, I CAN'T KEEP FROM THINKING.
I, I'VE WATCHED SENATOR ELLIS FOR YEARS, EVEN AS A COMMISSIONER, PUT HIS TEAM PLAYERS IN OTHER AGENCIES FOR PURPOSES OF COLLABORATION.
THIS WAS NOT PART OF THAT GRAND SCHEME OF, OF THAT MODEL, BUT IT SURE WILL BE A BENEFIT FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND LET'S SEE, ANGEL BACK THERE SHAKING HIS HEAD.
MARY WAS HEAVILY RECRUITED, UH, BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE IN OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, AND CERTAINLY AS IT COLLABORATES WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I WOULD INVITE EVERYONE TO BE THERE AT FOUR.
I KNOW MARY WOULD APPRECIATE IT, AND IT'LL BE A JOYFUL TIME WITH THAT MR. SECRETARY.
[CONSENT AGENDA – NUMBERS 1 through 37 ]
GET TO THE CONSENT COUNTY UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY.NEED A MOTION I MOVE MARTINEZ.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS CATEGORY.
ITEM 10 HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED, UH, NEED A VOTE? ITEM NINE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORY.
ITEM 26 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
ITEMS 20 AND 21 HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT WILL BE CONSIDERED IF THEY'RE RECEIVED BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ITEMS 12, 13, 15, 33 AND 34.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 12, 13, 15, 33, AND 34.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
THOSE OPPOSED NAMED MOTION PASSES.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
UM, THIS IS PART OF, UH, ONE OF THE PROJECTS IN DISTRICT G.
IT'S A CROSSING NEXT TO TERRY HERSHEY PARK.
AND I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS PRECINCT FOR PLACES FOR PEOPLE INITIATIVE.
UM, COMMISSIONER BRIANIS HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER, AND NOT ONLY ARE WE WORKING ON THIS ONE TOGETHER, UM, ANOTHER PROJECT IN DISTRICT G WAS, UM, IS ACTUALLY IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH PRECINCT FOUR AND LOVE THIS PROGRAM.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, COUNCILOR THOMAS.
I DITTO THE REMARKS OF COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, AND JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS.
A LONG TIME COMING, UH, STREETS, UH, SIGNALS ARE EXPENSIVE,
SO WE CAN GET THIS, THESE TYPES OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ON THE GROUND.
I KNOW THEY'VE APPROVED A SERIES OF, OF THESE TYPES OF SIGNAL PROJECTS IN THE DISTRICT, AND SO HAPPY TO GET THIS, UM, MOVING DOWN THE LINE FOR SAFETY.
I TOO WANT TO GIVE MY APPRECIATION THE PRECINCT FOR, UH, FOR THIS COLLABORATION AND FOR THESE PROJECTS.
THOSE OPPOSED NAMED MOTION PASSES.
NEED A VOTE? OH, YOU OUTTA ORDER? YEAH.
YOU ON, YOU, YOUR TITLE TAG WAS FOR 13.
TAG ON 13, BUT WE'RE ON ITEM 12.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD AND ENSURING THE FUNDING OF CRITICAL SERVICES FOR THOSE IN NEED.
[02:00:01]
LOT OF TIMES WE TALK ABOUT HOW HOMELESSNESS IS A, UH, HOUSING ISSUE AND NOT A CRIMINAL ISSUE.AND THIS IS AN ORDINANCE THAT IS HOPING TO SOLVE JUST THAT.
AND SO THIS IS GONNA FUND, UH, 24 7 34 ADDITIONAL BEDS, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
AND, AND, UH, JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT.
NEXT, JUST NEED A VOTE ON ITEM 12.
ALCORN TAG COUNCILMAN ALCORN TAX.
JUST A REMINDER, UM, THAT WE ANNOUNCED THIS PROJECT JANUARY OF 26.
WE DID A RIBBON CUTTING AT THE OLD A LEAF LIBRARY ANNOUNCING THIS.
THIS IS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, AND SO COUNCIL JUST APPROVED THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS FROM HARRIS COUNTY TO SUPPORT A DRAINAGE ACTIVITY, CATALINA SQUARE AND THOSE, UH, SUPPORTING, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE WITHIN THE 500 BLOOD PLAIN.
SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT MOVING FORWARD, LONG TIME COMING AS WE'VE CONTINUE TO
[PROPOSITION A COUNCIL MEMBER ITEM – NUMBER 38 ]
PRIORITIZE DRAINAGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ON THE WEST SIDE.NEXT, MR. ITEM, ITEM 38 IS AN ORDINANCE.
AND HERE'S COUNCILLOR RAMIREZ'S TABLE AMENDMENT.
COUNCILLOR RAMIREZ, RECOGNIZED ON THE TABLE AMENDMENT.
UM, SHOULD I SPEAK TO THE MAIN ITEM OR THE AMENDMENT? FIRST AMENDMENT? WELL, LET ME, IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU'LL YIELD TO COUNCILOR MARTINEZ.
IT'S MAIN ITEM, FIRST MAIN ITEM, AND THEN TO CAN DO, AND THEN HOW YOU'RE IMPROVING IT ALL.
UM, SO THE MEASURE SEEKS TO INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY IN CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, CURRENTLY, UH, THE STATE MANDATES DEADLINES FOR REPORTING CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND THESE, THESE LAWS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY LET THE PUBLIC KNOW IN THE VOTING PUBLIC KNOW WHO FINANCES OUR POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS, AND THEY ALSO, UH, HELP THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHO CAN KNOW THE RULES AND FOLLOW THE RULES.
UM, AND, UM, EVENTS HAVE SHOWN THAT OFTENTIMES TOO OFTEN, UH, CANDIDATES DON'T FOLLOW THE, DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES, BUT THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE STATE HAS A PROCESS, UM, FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS.
UH, OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN THE POSITION THAT AT THIS TIME WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING, UH, OF A CRIMINAL NATURE.
AND THE STATE ALSO HAS A, A PROCESS FOR CIVIL VIOLATIONS.
HOWEVER, UM, IT IS NOT EASY FOR THE PUBLIC TO DETERMINE WHEN, UH, THESE REPORTS ARE NOT FILED, UH, PROPERLY UNDER THE LAW.
AND SO WHAT THIS MEASURE SEEKS IS TO HAVE OUR CITY SECRETARY, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR RECEIVING, UH, CAMPAIGN TREASURER DESIGNATIONS, AND ALSO, UM, CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS.
AND, AND WE, WE WILL HAVE KNOWLEDGE IN ALMOST EVERY INSTANCE OF WHO NEEDS TO FILE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS.
WE'LL GIVE THE CITY SECRETARY THE TASK OF LETTING THE ETHICS STATE ETHICS COMMISSION KNOW WHEN, UH, A CANDIDATE WHO'S REQUIRED TO FILE DOES NOT FILE, SO THAT THE ETHICS COMMISSION CAN THEN CONDUCT THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD ASSESS CIVIL, CIVIL PENALTIES.
UM, I KNOW FROM THE LAST CAMPAIGN IN 2023, UM, THE CHRONICLE DID AN ARTICLE AT THAT TIME IN JULY OF 23 THAT REVEALED THAT FOR THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD, UH, IN OTHER WORDS, THOSE REPORTS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FILED IN JANUARY OF 2310 OUT OF THE 41 CANDIDATES DID NOT EVEN FILE A REPORT AND HADN'T FILED A REPORT, UH, IN THE INTERVENING SIX MONTHS.
UM, AND, AND THIS SORT OF, UH, CONDUCT IS NOT, NOT ACCEPTABLE, UH, IN MY VIEW.
AND I THINK WE CAN TAKE AN ACTION TO INCREASE TRUST IN THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE PROCESS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS MEASURE SEEKS TO DO.
IT WOULD HAVE THE CITY SECRETARY WITHIN FIVE DAYS REPORT TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION WHEN SOMEBODY WHO IS
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REQUIRED TO FILE FAILS TO FILE.IT WOULD ALSO HAVE THE CITY SECRETARY POST ON THEIR WEBSITE A LIST OF, UH, CANDIDATES WHO, UH, ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE FILED FAIL TO FILE WITHIN 24 HOURS.
NOW, THAT'S THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL.
IT WAS SUBMITTED TO LEGAL FOR A LAWFULNESS REVIEW.
THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS LAWFUL, BUT RAISED SOME LEGITIMATE LOGISTICAL CONCERNS THAT THE AMENDMENT SEEKS TO ADDRESS.
SO THE AMENDMENT WOULD ADD SUBSECTION C.
AND, UH, THE LANGUAGE IN SUBSECTION C WAS BASICALLY SUGGESTED BY CITY LEGAL.
SO IT HAS THEIR STAMP OF APPROVAL AND ADDRESSES THE LOGISTICAL CONCERNS THAT THEY RAISED.
THE, THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE WOULD GIVE OUR CITY SECRETARY SOME ADDITIONAL TIME WHEN IT'S NECESSARY TO REVIEW THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES AND ENSURE THAT A PERSON ACTUALLY IS REQUIRED TO FILE BUT HAS FAILED TO FILE.
UM, IN MOST INSTANCES, THAT WILL BE APPARENT BECAUSE ONCE A CANDIDATE FILES A TREASURY DESIGNATION, THEN THAT TRIGGERS THEIR, UM, UH, REPORTING REQUIREMENTS IN THE FUTURE.
SO, UH, THIS ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE WILL GIVE THE CITY SECRETARY SOME LEEWAY WHEN NECESSARY TO, UH, DO A LITTLE BIT OF INVESTIGATING AND TO ENSURE THAT IN FACT, UH, A PERSON WAS REQUIRED TO FILE AND DIDN'T FILE.
SO THAT'S THE GIST OF THE AMENDMENT, WHICH HAS LEGAL'S APPROVAL.
AND, UH, I WOULD OFFER THE ITEM AND THE AMENDMENT FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION.
I JUST WANNA, UH, THANK COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ ON HIS WORK WITH THIS ITEM.
UM, FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ATTENDING THE ETHICS COMMISSION, UH, ETHICS COMMITTEE, UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I STRESS IT ALL THE TIME BECAUSE, UM, FOR A LONG TIME IT WAS NOT MEETING OVER 10 YEARS.
AND WHAT WE WERE FOCUSED ON WAS CHAPTER 18 ITEMS OF, ALONG WITH MAKING SURE THAT OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, WERE AWARE OF, OF, OF WHAT, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO.
NOT JUST OUR COLLEAGUES, BUT OF COURSE STAFF AND THEN OF, AND CITY EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
UH, OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING TRANSPARENT AND BUILDING TRUST BACK WITH COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, OUR POSITIONS.
AND SO THIS, THIS ITEM, UH, AND, UH, COUNCILOR RAMIREZ BROUGHT IT TO THE COMMITTEE AS WELL, UM, WAS DISCUSSED AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, UH, WITH, UH, THOSE THAT ATTENDED, UH, STAFF THAT ATTENDED AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM AND LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, UH, BUILD THAT TRUST BACK.
EVEN IF YOU'RE A CANDIDATE, UM, YOU, THERE ARE CERTAIN ITEMS THAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING, UM, AS A CANDIDATE.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, UM, WHEN WE BREAK THAT TRUST IN FOLKS WHEN WE'RE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, THEN, THEN WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT, THAT SAME, UM, SAME TYPE OF, UM, UH, UH, TRUST THAT WE SHOULD BE HAVING WHEN WE'RE MAKING OTHER DECISIONS AS WELL.
SO, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR RAMIREZ FOR THIS ITEM.
AND AGAIN, I, ONE OF THE SIGNATURES ON, ON THIS, UH, PROP AS WELL, OR AMENDMENT.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, UH, PUT ON THE RECORD THAT I'M NEVER LATE ON MY FILINGS, BUT, UM, WHAT WE'RE CREATING HERE, UM, I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT, UH, BUT DO WANT TO HAVE SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, WHAT WE'RE ASKING A CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE TO DO IN THEORY, COULDN'T A, UH, REGULAR COMPLAINANT INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN ALSO BE ABLE TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION IF THEY WERE TO SEE THAT A REPORT WAS NOT FILED, THAT THEY WERE LOOKING UP? BECAUSE IN OUR SYSTEM RIGHT NOW, IF SOMEONE WAS TO WANT TO LOOK UP AN INDIVIDUALIZED REPORT, THEY JUST TYPE IN THE NAME.
IF THE REPORT IS NOT THERE, THEY CAN, THEY COULD REACH OUT TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S LEGIT.
AND IF IT IS, THEY CAN JUST MAKE THEIR OWN COMPLAINT TO THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE ONUS ON THE CITY TO DO IT.
AND IF THAT IS TRUE, ARE WE JUST CREATING A REDUNDANCY THAT OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE NOW HAS TO DO THIS ADDITIONAL WORK WHEN WHOEVER'S LOOKING FOR THE REPORT COULD DO IT THEMSELVES? AND ARE WE CREATING ANY PENALTIES WITHIN THIS, UH, PROPOSED ORDINANCE? AND I ASK THAT BECAUSE WE'RE ALL INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND YOU KNOW, REALLY THE SCRUTINY COMES FROM THE VOTERS
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ON WHAT THEIR ISSUES WITH US ARE.MY ONLY ISSUE WITH THIS IS CREATING SOME TYPE OF FRAMEWORK TO WHERE WE'RE POLICING EACH OTHER, UM, AND WE'RE PUTTING SOME TYPE OF AUTHORITY FRAMEWORK TO WHERE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HELICOPTERING EACH OTHER'S, UH, ACTIONS AND FILINGS WHEN THERE IS A MECHANISM AND A AVENUE FOR ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT THROUGH THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION ALREADY.
AND SO WANTED TO KIND OF HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT AND TO KIND OF CLARIFY WHAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE AND WHAT WE'RE CREATING FOR THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO REPLY? UH, I WOULD.
I THINK YOU'RE BEING TOO LOGICAL FOR THE PROBLEM,
'CAUSE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE DUPLICATION AND CERTAINLY OVERBURDENING OUR CITY SECRETARY WHEN AS COUNCILMAN POLLARD SAID, ARE WE ESTABLISHING SOME, UH, DUPLICATION, BUT WE ALSO ALL JOIN YOU AND KNOWING THAT THE REPORTING AND THE ETHICS NEEDS TO IMPROVE BECAUSE IT MATTERS.
SO WHY DON'T YOU STATE YOUR POSITION AND ANSWER COUNCILMAN POLLARD? SURE.
UNDER ETHICS COMMISSION RULES, ANY PERSON WHO HAS, UH, INFORMATION AND BELIEVES THAT SOMEBODY'S VIOLATED A CAMPAIGN FILING REQUIREMENT CAN FILE A COMPLAINT.
UH, HOWEVER, UM, IT'S NOT REDUNDANT BECAUSE IT IS NOT EASY FOR A PERSON TO DO THAT.
UM, AS I SAID EARLIER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TRIGGERS THE, THE REPORTING REQUIREMENT IS THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY'S FILED A, A TREASURER DESIGNATION, RIGHT? SO THE CITY SECRETARY RECEIVES ALL OF THOSE AND KEEPS 'EM ON FILE.
UH, AND SO IT'S EASIER FOR THE SECRETARY TO DETERMINE WHEN A REPORT HASN'T BEEN FILED BY SOMEONE WHO'S ALREADY FILED A TREASURER DESIGNATION.
UM, A A A PERSON, A REGULAR, UM, RESIDENT OF THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO DO THE RESEARCH AND, UH, FIGURE OUT WHETHER SOMEONE HAS FILED A TREASURER DESIGNATION, AND THEN LOOK TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THEY FILED A, UH, A FINANCE REPORT BY THE DEADLINE.
AND, UM, THIS IS DONE ELECTRONICALLY NOW.
UM, AND THE POSSIBILITY REMAINS THAT A REPORT WAS ELECTRONICALLY FILED, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON HAS NOT HIT THE WEBSITE.
SO OUR CITY SECRETARY IS IN THE, THE PERFECT POSITION TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT A REPORT HAS BEEN FILED, UH, PROPERLY.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S REDUNDANT AND THE SECRETARY IS IN THE BEST POSITION TO DO THIS.
UM, AND IT'S NOT, LET LET ME ASK BEFORE YOU LEAVE IT, WHAT WOULD BE THE CONSEQUENCES IN YOUR PROPOSAL FOR SOMEONE? IT'S NOT, I THINK COUNCILMAN POLLARD MADE EXCELLENT, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S REALLY BETWEEN US AND THE VOTERS AT THAT POINT.
SO ARE YOU JUST PROVIDING THE OPPONENTS OF THIS INDIVIDUAL TALKING POINTS, OR WHAT'S THE CONSEQUENCES THAT YOU'RE SEEKING? YEAH, THE, THE WHOLE POINT OF, OF THESE REQUIREMENTS IS, UM, TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WHO'S FINANCING THE CAMPAIGNS.
AND, AND I THINK THE DUAL PURPOSE IS TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WHO CAN FOLLOW THE RULES.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S NOT ABOUT ONE CANDIDATE TRYING TO GET AN ADVANTAGE OVER ANOTHER.
AND THE, THE, THE BEAUTY OF HAVING THE CITY SECRETARY DO IT IS THAT A CANDIDATE IN THE RACE DOESN'T HAVE TO, UH, DO IT.
AND INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE NOT POLICING EACH OTHER.
UH, YOU PUT IT IN THE HANDS OF SOMEBODY WHO HAS NO, UH, AX TO GRIND NO HORSE IN THE RACE, AND, UM, AND, AND THEY DO IT, THEY'RE IN THE BEST POSITION TO DO IT NOW.
SO, AS I SAID, SOME, SOME CONCERNS WERE RAISED ABOUT, UM, MAKING SURE THE CITY SECRETARY HAS ADEQUATE TIME AND RESOURCES TO ACCOMPLISH THIS.
SO THE AMENDMENT ADDRESSES THAT AND, AND GIVES THE CITY SECRETARY REASONABLE, UM, AMOUNT OF TIME IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS VERY MUCH COUNCILMAN POTTER.
YOU HAD ALSO MENTIONED THAT IN THE LAST ELECTION CYCLE THAT THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE DID A REPORT THAT 10 OUT OF THE 41, UH, CANDIDATES DID NOT FILE A REPORT.
SO THE PRESS ACTUALLY DID LOOK IT UP.
THEY DID GIVE THE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, THEY WERE ABLE TO REPORT IT,
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PEOPLE WERE AWARE, AND IF THEY HAD AN ISSUE, THEY CAN DO A FURTHER INQUIRY WITH THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION IF THEY WANT IT BASED ON THE REPORTING.SO THE, THE INFORMATION IS WIDELY ALREADY SPREAD.
IF IT WENT THROUGH OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER, SOMEBODY IS ALREADY CHECKING.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS WOULD BE, UH, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ALSO, DO WE, WE WANT TO ALSO JUST PUT OUR OWN REPORTING OUT THERE ALONG WITH THE CHRONICLE.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S GREAT THAT THE, UH, CHRONICLE REPORTS ON THIS, BUT THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT A NEWSPAPER CAN REPORT ON.
AND, YOU KNOW, AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THEY CAN DECIDE, WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA WORK ON SOMETHING ELSE.
THEY NOT NEVER, NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT ALTHOUGH THE CHRONICLE HAS WIDE DISTRIBUTION, IT DOESN'T REACH EVERYBODY.
IT DOESN'T REACH THE ENTIRE VOTING PUBLIC.
UH, THERE ARE SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT, THAT DON'T READ IT, CHOOSE NOT TO READ IT.
SO, SO IT, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA GET, UH, DISTRIBUTED TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I APPLAUD THE CHRONICLE FOR, FOR DOING THE STORIES, BUT, UM, UM, I THINK THEY TEND TO DO 'EM ABOUT ONCE A YEAR.
AND IN, DURING ELECTION SEASON, CANDIDATES HAVE TO FILE THESE REPORTS MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR, RIGHT? SO IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE A CANDIDATE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE, YOU'VE GOT THE SEMI-ANNUAL, UH, REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, BUT THEN YOU'VE GOTTA DO THE 30 DAY REPORT, THE EIGHT DAY REPORT, IF YOU GET INTO THE RUNOFF, THERE ARE, ARE ADDITIONAL REPORTING, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
UH, AND SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, I I DON'T THINK THEY COVER EVERY, EVERY DEADLINE.
COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER? I'M, I'M JUST SITTING HERE THINKING BEFORE I FORGET IT.
BUT YOU KNOW, THE ETHICS COMMISSION ACTUALLY FINDS SITTING LEGISLATORS FOR BEING OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
THEY FINE THEM AND THEY CONTINUE TO FILE FOR OFFICE AND BE ELECTED.
SO I THINK IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THIS SUBJECT, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.
UH, BUT MOST OF IT'S CONTROLLED BY THE STATE.
BUT I, I SEE YOUR EFFORTS LOCALLY.
I'M, I GUESS I'M CURIOUS, SO THE 10 YOU SAID DIDN'T COMPLY, DID ANY OF 'EM GET ELECTED? I'D, I'D HAVE TO REVIEW, UH, THE ARTICLE AGAIN.
YEAH, IT'S JUST INTERESTING OBSERVATION.
UM, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S DUPLICATIVE BECAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE HAS THE ABILITY TO DO IT, AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE DOING IT.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY THEIR ABILITY TO DO IT, SO IT'S NOT REALLY REDUNDANT.
UM, I ALSO THINK IT'S NECESSARY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET THESE MEDIA REPORTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OR CANDIDATES THAT HAVEN'T FOLLOWED THE RULES AND HAVEN'T DONE WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, IT KIND OF PAINTS A BROAD BRUSH FOR ALL OF US.
UM, AND IN FACT, I'D, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT IS, AND ALTHOUGH WE'RE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO REQUIRE IT AND WE CAN'T ENFORCE IT, I, I THINK WE OUGHT TO ASK FOR THE CANDIDATE'S VOTER REGISTRATION TO SEE WHERE THEY LIVED, TO MAKE SURE THEY MEET THE RESIDENCY.
AND IF THEY DON'T WANNA PROVIDE IT, THEN FINE, DON'T PROVIDE IT.
BUT WE CAN PUBLISH A LIST OF WHO DIDN'T PROVIDE IT OR A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
WE ASKED THE VOTERS FOR A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
I MEAN, IS IT REALLY TOO MUCH TO ASK TO ASK THE CANDIDATES FOR ONE? UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD AN ISSUE UP HERE TOO.
UM, WE HAVE A PAST COUNCIL MEMBER WHO COME TO FIND OUT IS TURNED IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THEIR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT WHERE THEY LISTED TELLER AS THE PERSON THEY'RE PAYING.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOTTA LIST OUT WHO WE PAY WHEN WE PAY 'EM, WHAT WE PAID THEM FOR.
AND THEY'RE PUTTING DOWN TELLER, I MEAN, WHEN THEY WENT AND MADE CASH WITHDRAWALS BASICALLY OUTTA THEIR CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT.
UH, AND THAT REFLECTS BADLY ON ALL OF US, UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN IF WE'RE NOT THE ONES TO, TO DO THIS BEHAVIOR.
SO I APPLAUD THIS EFFORT AND I, I THINK WE NEED TO GO FURTHER WITH IT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, FOR TAKING THIS UP.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE ETHICS COMMITTEE, LIKE, UM, CHAIR MARTINEZ HAS TALKED ABOUT IS THAT OUR ETHICS COMMISSION, UM,
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MANY OF THE DUTIES FROM THAT COMMISSION HAVE SHIFTED BACK TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.AND SO IF WE HAVE THAT OVERSIGHT NOW THAT THE COMMISSION ONCE HAD, THEN WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SET THOSE PARAMETERS.
AND SO I THINK THIS, UM, ORDINANCE GOES TOWARDS SETTING THOSE PARAMETERS OF WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, SINCE THE ETHICS COMMISSION NO LONGER HAS THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT HAVING THE CITY SECRETARY OVERSEE THIS PROCESS REALLY TAKES THE POLITICS OUT OF IT.
IF SOMEONE DOESN'T FILE, NO MATTER WHO IT IS, THEY'RE SENDING THAT INFORMATION TO THE STATE.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO DO WHAT WE'VE UPGRADED OUR CAMPAIGN FINANCE SYSTEM WITH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
SO EVERYTHING YOU KNOW, IS, IS UPDATED NOW AND READY TO GO ON THAT END.
AND I THINK THAT THIS GOES A LONG WAY TO RESTORING TRUST WHEN IT COMES TO CAMPAIGNS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
COUNCILMAN POLLARD THOMAS, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN THOMAS.
MY QUESTIONS MORE SO FOR CITY LEGAL, UH, ATTORNEY MICHELLE, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION, AND I'M WILLING TO BE WRONG, THAT OUR ORDINANCES COULD NOT DIRECT EMPLOYEES OR TO DO IN THEIR WORK.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT AGAIN, YOU CANNOT, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT OUR ORDINANCES LIMITED US FROM DIRECTING EMPLOYEES ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY.
SO WHAT WHAT'S PRESENTED IS WE ARE DIRECTING THE CITY'S SECRETARY'S FUNCTION.
SO, I MEAN, I, I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT OF IT, BUT I'M JUST MM-HMM
I'M UNCLEAR THAT THAT IS GENERALLY TRUE, ALTHOUGH THERE'S A, THERE'S A LINE THAT'S NOT DEFINITE WHERE WE HAVE SOME OF OUR PROP A ORDINANCES DIRECT EMPLOYEES TO TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS.
AND SO WE FELT IN THIS INSTANCE, IT WAS NOT AN ONEROUS ACTION, PARTICULARLY WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TIME.
BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU TAKE IN OR EXPEND LESS THAN $500 DURING A PERIOD, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FILE.
AND THAT'S NOT READILY APPARENT.
SO, UH, MR. LEMON SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO INVESTIGATE THAT.
AT WHAT, WHAT'S OUR THRESHOLD THAT ALLOWS US TO DRAFT ORDINANCES TO DIRECT, TO HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY THROUGH OUR ORDINANCE FOR PRECEDENT'S SAKE.
WE, I, I CAN COLLECT SOME OF THOSE THAT WE, WE HAVE DONE WHERE THE, THE EMPLOYEE'S BEING DIRECTED TO DO SOMETHING UNDER A PROP A.
I GUESS WHEN I'M ASKED TO SIGN ON A PROP A I'M LOOKING AT HOW THAT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY.
I PERSONALLY DON'T FEEL INCLINED TO FIND OUT WHETHER ANYBODY FILED THEIR REPORT ON TIME UNLESS IT'S POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AND IT'S AN I GOTCHA.
I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE THINGS IN PLACE.
UM, AND I, I'M JUST TRYING TO GRASP HERE WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE AVERAGE CITIZEN DOES NOT CARE.
THEY WANNA KNOW IF THEIR TRASH IS PICKED UP, WHETHER THEY HAVE AIR CONDITIONING AND, AND OTHER THINGS THAT HELP THEM IN THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIFE.
AND SO, I THINK, AND I'M LOOKING AT, AT THE CITY SECRETARY'S FACE, HE'S LOOKING, HIS EYES HAVE GOTTEN THIS WIDE.
'CAUSE I'M SURE HIS PLATE IS ALREADY FULL.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, I DON'T WANNA PUT HIM IN A POSITION WHERE HE HAS TO DO AN I GOTCHA.
BUT AS FAR AS THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE, I HAVE NOT REPO, UH, REPORTED LATE.
AND I'M TRYING NOT TO BE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE STORY.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT MY CONCERN IS, AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND KEEPING MY INTEGRITY IN PLACE.
AND SO, AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS DEALING WITH ETHICS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, PUT IN PLACE.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S IN OUR, UH, WHEELHOUSE TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
'CAUSE I PERSONALLY LIKE TO KNOW THAT YOU LIVE WHERE YOU SAY YOU LIVE, AND THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE THAT WHEN YOU WALK OUT THE DOOR, THEY'RE THE SAME ONES.
AND SO THAT'S MORE OF WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN BECAUSE I THINK THAT BEING IN A COMMUNITY WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE, THAT FIRST PART IS YOU'RE BREAKING THE RULES.
UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I WOULD START RIGHT THERE, WHETHER YOU SHOULD EVEN BE IN THAT SEAT.
AND SO THIS, I'M, I'M NOT EVEN, I MEAN, I STARTED NOT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT IT WAS KIND OF BITING AT ME THAT, YOU KNOW, MY COMMON SENSE IS THIS IS NOT THAT RELEVANT, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT THAT RELEVANT TO THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT.
YOU WANT ME TO SUGGEST HOW YOU OUGHT TO VOTE
BUT I THINK I'LL KNOW THE OUTCOME BECAUSE THE, THE CONCEPT OF THE STATEMENT IS STRONG, THAT WE'RE FOR ETHICS.
I WANT TO THANK THE CHAIRMAN OF ETHICS COMMISSION FOR HOLDING THE MEETING THE FIRST IN, IN 10 YEARS.
I THINK YOU OUGHT TO SUBMIT YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO
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THE COMMITTEE, AND MAYBE THIS WILL, UH, MOVE US IN THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVEN JUST FINANCIAL, UH, REPORTS AND HOLDINGS, UH, ARE TOO DIFFICULT TO GET AHOLD OF, OF CANDIDATES.LAST I SAW, IT'S AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST, SO IT OUGHT TO BE ONLINE.
OUR, UH, PERSONAL HOLDINGS FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO I'M GIVING COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ IDEAS.
UH, WE GET BUSY, BUT WE DO KNOW OF OUR CONCERNS AND THE PUBLIC'S CONCERNS, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THEM UP.
CERTAINLY RESIDENTS, I'VE SEEN SOME MIRACLE RESIDENTS LOCATIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT RUN IN, IN DISTRICTS.
AND IT'S NOT JUST COUNCIL, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THROUGHOUT THE POLITICAL PROCESS.
CERTAINLY SENT THE STATE SENATE AND CONGRESSIONAL.
ALTHOUGH CONGRESSIONAL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHAT'S INTERESTING TOO.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS FOR RAISING THAT IMPORTANT QUESTION.
I JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARIFICATION FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY.
CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THE FRAMEWORK YOU ARE APPLYING TO DETERMINE WHEN COUNSEL IS ALLOWED TO PASS PROP A TO DIRECT ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION? AND WHEN THEY ARE NOT? UH, IT, WE, WE TRY TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER IT FALLS WITHIN THE OVERALL GOVERNANCE.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE, UM, WITH THE ICE PROP, A, WE FELT THAT FELL WITHIN THE OVERALL GOVERNANCE, AND IT WAS A PERMISSIBLE, UM, ACTION FOR COUNSEL TO ADOPT.
UH, AS I SAID BEFORE, IT'S NOT A BRIGHT LINE.
SO WE, OUR GOAL IS THIS IS AN ACTION OF COUNSEL.
WE TRY TO SEE IF IT CAN BE SUPPORTED.
IT'S ONLY IN THOSE INSTANCES WHERE WE THINK IT DOESN'T FALL WITHIN OVERALL GOVERNANCE, AND WE MAKE THE DETERMINATION IT MAY BE UNLAWFUL.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY OVERALL GOVERNANCE? UH, BY OVERALL GOVERNANCE, IT'S REALLY A STANDARD WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO, UH, TO, FOR GENERALLY REALLY MORE FOR THE PUBLIC WELFARE, THE PUBLIC GOOD.
UH, RATHER THAN USURPING A DIRECTOR'S ABILITY TO COMMAND, UH, HIS OR HER EMPLOYEES.
UM, I WON'T BORE THE REST OF COUNCIL, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY AUTHORITY YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT THAT BRIGHT LINE THAT YOU'RE DRAWING.
COUNCIL MEMBER THANK YOU ARGUMENT, COUNCILOR RAMIREZ, THE CL THE CLOSE.
I DO APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION AND, AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MARTINEZ, PECK AND ALCORN FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS.
IT WAS DISCUSSED IN ETHICS AND GOVERNANCE AND GATHERED, GATHERED, SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS, UM, AT THAT MEETING.
I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER WAS THERE AS WELL.
UM, AND, UM, I, I RESPECT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ'S COMMENTS, ALTHOUGH I DO DISAGREE WITH THEM.
I DO THINK HOUSTONIANS CARE ABOUT WHO FOLLOWS THE RULES AND, AND WHO DOESN'T.
I DO THINK THEY'RE INTERESTED IN WHO FUNDS CAMPAIGNS, AND, UH, FOR THAT REASON, I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MEASURE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE SHOULD BE DOING IS TRYING TO INCREASE TRUST IN CITY GOVERNMENT.
UM, MAYBE IF SOME PEOPLE DON'T CARE, IT'S BECAUSE THEY SORT OF CHECKED OUT AND THEY DON'T TRUST CITY GOVERNMENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT VOTER PARTICIPATION, THE LAST COUPLE ELECTIONS, SPECIAL ELECTIONS BE THAT AS IT MAY, IT, IT WAS PRETTY LOW.
AND SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO INCREASE TRUST IN THE PROCESS, I THINK WILL ALSO INCREASE, UH, CIVIC PARTICIPATION.
SO I WOULD REQUEST, UM, UM, SUPPORT FOR THIS.
EVAN SHABA, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABA.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND JUST WANT TO, FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, I'M NOT SAYING THAT I DON'T BELIEVE PEOPLE SHOULD FOLLOW THE RULES, AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT IN THE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DON'T THINK THE BUCKET LIST FOR THE PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT, UH, MEANS THEY NEED TO KNOW WHO FILED THEIR REPORT ON TIME.
BUT WE CERTAINLY ALL WANT AND NEED TO FOLLOW.
HOPEFULLY WE ALL WANT AND NEED TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
SO, FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, I'M NOT THROWING OUT THE RULES, I'M JUST THROWING OUT THE RATIONALE.
AND SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UH, VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT MEMBERS.
WILL WE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT? OH, YES.
WE DON'T HAVE A ROLL CALL FOR SURE.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS THEIR NAME.
IT WOULD BE VERY EFFICIENT TO, TO, TO DO A VOICE VOTE.
BUT THE HECK WITH THIS EFFICIENCY, EVERYBODY PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
38 IS AMENDED ON THE AMENDMENT.
[02:30:01]
ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY.I DON'T THINK THERE WAS AS AMENDED.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER? YES.
I DON'T LIKE IT, BUT I'M GONNA VOTE FOR ONLY 'CAUSE IT SAYS PRECEDENT FOR ME TO COME BACK WITH AN ORDINANCE TO DIRECT WITH ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL.
YOU SURE? SO THAT I DON'T END UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THIS AND, AND BE THE ONLY NO VOTE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOTE FOR IT? UNANIMOUS? YES.
I DON'T WANNA BE IN THE PAPER SAYING I DON'T WANNA FOLLOW THE RULES.
BEFORE I ANNOUNCE IT, WE UNDERSTAND.
AND THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE NOW.
EVERYBODY GO PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE.
I'VE GOTTA RUN TO A PET SET CONFERENCE OR I WOULD BE HERE.
IN FACT, I WOULD WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO PET SET.
[MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS]
COUNCILMAN EVAN SHABBATI FIGURE IF SOME OF THESE CANDIDATES CAN CHANGE THEIR MIND.
SO CAN I
NONE OF THEM WILL DEAL WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
UM, HOUSTON HISTORY LAUNCH JACK GATES HIGH SCHOOL AT 100 PANEL DISCUSSION TODAY FROM FIVE 30 TO SEVEN 30, THERE WILL BE A RECEPTION AT FIVE 30 AND THE PANEL BEGINS AT SIX.
I AM A PARTICIPANT AND I'M VERY HONORED TO DO THAT.
IT'S AT DUDLEY RECITAL HALL, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON FINE ARTS BUILDING 41 88 ELGIN STREET, ROOM 1 32.
AND I'M HONORED TO PARTICIPATE AS A PANELIST AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS A PROUD GRADUATE OF THE JACK GATES HIGH SCHOOL.
AS WE CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF JACK GATES AND THE LAUNCH OF HOUSTON HISTORY MAGAZINE'S SPECIAL ISSUE COMMEMORATING THIS REMARKABLE MILESTONE FOR GENERATIONS.
JACK GATES HAS BEEN MORE THAN A SCHOOL.
IT HAS BEEN AN INSTITUTION IN THIRD WARD, EDUCATING GENERATION OF HOUSTONIANS PRODUCING LEADERS, AND CREATING A LEGACY THAT REACHES FAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF THE SCHOOL.
THURMAN ROBBINS, PRINCIPAL STEPHANIE SQUARE, WHO'S PHENOMENAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.
APRIL RASMUS AL AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CENTER FOR PUBLIC HISTORY.
BUT WHAT I KNOW WILL BE A WONDERFUL CON CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE JACK GATES HAS BEEN, WHAT IT HAS MEANT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS LEGACY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
ALSO TONIGHT, SO I'LL BE RUNNING VERY HARD.
THERE'S A SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY MEETING, PARKS, PROJECTS AND OPERATIONS TODAY FROM SIX TO EIGHT.
ALSO, THIS EVENING, OUR RESIDENTS IN SUNNYSIDE ARE INVITED TO AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY MEETING, FOCUS ON THE SUNNYSIDE PARK PROJECTS AND OPERATIONS.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG AWAITED MEETING, AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM OUR CITY, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AND TOURS, REPRESENTATIVES, ASK QUESTIONS, AND HAVE A VOICE.
IN THE FUTURE OF ONE OF ONE OF SUNNYSIDE'S MOST IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ASSETS, I ENCOURAGE OUR SUNNYSIDE RESIDENTS TO COME OUT AND GET INFORMED AND STAY ENGAGED ON TOMORROW.
THE JOHNSON NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY FAMILY PLACE RIBBON CUTTING WILL BE FROM ONE TO TWO 30 AT THE JOHNSON NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY, 35 17 REED ROAD.
AND TOMORROW WE WILL CELEBRATE ANOTHER EXCITING INVESTMENT IN OUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN AND THE FAMILY PLACE RIBBON CUTTING.
AT JOHNSON NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARIES ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN BUILDINGS WITH BOOKS, THERE ARE PLACES WHERE OUR CHILDREN LEARN, FAMILIES, CONNECT RESIDENTS GAIN ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES, AND COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER.
[02:35:01]
JOIN THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AND OUR COMMUNITY AS WE CELEBRATE THIS NEW RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES IN SUNNYSIDE AND DISTRICT D.AND THEN I WANNA SAY A SPECIAL WORD FOR MARY BENTON.
UH, BEFORE I CLOSE, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE WHO HAS MEANT A GREAT DEAL TO THE CITY AND TO SO MANY OF US WHO HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING ALONGSIDE HER.
MARY, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HOLD POSITIONS AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LEAVE AN IMPRINT ON THE INSTITUTION ITSELF.
FOR YEARS, YOU HAVE HELPED TELL HOUSTON'S STORY, BUT BEYOND THE PRESS RELEASES, THE CAMERAS, THE INTERVIEWS, THE DIFFICULT DAYS, AND GOOD ONES, YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
YOU HAVE TAKEN CARE OF PEOPLE, YOU HAVE BEEN A STEADY PRESENCE, A TRUSTED VOICE, A PROBLEM SOLVER, AND VERY OFTEN THE PERSON BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING SURE EVERYONE ELSE COULD SUCCEED.
YOU HAVE CARRIED ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITY WITH PROFESSIONALISM, GRACE, HONOR, AND A HEART FOR PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE WHO SPEND THEIR CAREERS MAKING SURE EVERYBODY ELSE IS SEEN, DOESN'T ALL DON'T ALWAYS HEAR ENOUGH ABOUT HOW MUCH WE SEE THEM.
WE APPRECIATE YOU, AND THE CITY IS BETTER BECAUSE YOU GAVE IT YOUR TIME, YOUR TALENT, YOUR VOICE, AND SO MUCH OF YOURSELF.
A NEW TITLE OR A NEW CHAPTER MAY CHANGE WHERE YOU SIT, BUT IT WILL NEVER CHANGE THE IMPACT YOU HAVE MADE ON THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU HAVE.
CERTAINLY, I KNOW HOW MUCH MARY HAS MEANT TO THIS ADMINISTRATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING YOU THIS AFTERNOON TO CELEBRATE HER.
AND I WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO MARY.
YOU HAVE CERTAINLY EARNED THIS MOMENT.
AND THANK YOU, MAYOR, IN YOUR ABSENCE AND MY COLLEAGUES, UH, THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
UH, LAST NIGHT WE HAD OUR FIRST OF THE THREE TOWN HALLS.
WE DO, UM, WE HAVE TO DO IN THREE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS SO MY CONSTITUENTS DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE 50 MILES TO COME SEE IT.
UH, WE HAD IT IN KINGWOOD, AND I WANT TO THANK STEP STATE REPRESENTATIVE CUNNINGHAM, ALONG WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CARTER RAMIR AND ALCORN, WHO ATTENDED, UH, GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
UH, HAD, UH, QUITE A FEW COMMUNITY PARTNERS OUT THERE AS WELL, ALONG WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND I THINK THE, UH, CONSTITUENTS GOT TO LEARN QUITE A BIT.
OUR NEXT ONE IS GONNA BE DOWN IN CLEAR LAKE AT THE SOUTH END OF THE DISTRICT ON OCTOBER 8TH AT SPACE CENTER HOUSTON.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, WE CAN HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE OUT THERE AS WELL.
ON MONDAY, I ATTENDED THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR ELI LILLY'S, UH, NEW $6.5 BILLION PLANT.
UH, IT'S, UH, I'M NOT SURE THE GROUNDBREAKING WAS THE APPROPRIATE WORD.
THERE'D BEEN A LOT OF GROUND ALREADY BROKEN.
UH, THEY ARE REALLY ON THEIR WAY TO BUILDING THAT.
IN FACT, UH, THEY SAID THE PROJECT IS ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET.
UH, IT'S GOING TO EMPLOY 4,000 WORKERS DURING CONSTRUCTION AND THEN ANOTHER 600 PERMANENT JOBS.
UH, IN FACT, THEY'VE ALREADY HIRED A NUMBER OF THE PERMANENT EMPLOYEES THAT WERE THERE AT THE GROUNDBREAKING AS WELL.
UH, THE GOVERNOR WAS THERE, UH, COUNTY COMMISSIONER ELLIS WAS THERE.
UH, IT, IT WAS, UH, REALLY A GOOD THING.
UH, ON TOP OF THAT, UH, SAME CENTRAL COLLEGE, UH, THAT'S LOCATED IN GENERATION PARK, WHICH IS IN OUR ETJ.
UM, THEY HAVE A BIOLIFE SCIENCES PROGRAM THERE THAT'S BEEN PART OF THIS.
UH, AND, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY VERY HELPFUL IN, IN GETTING LILLY, UH, TO COME INTO THAT AREA.
UH, THEY ANNOUNCED A $12.5 MILLION WORKFORCE TRAINING FOR SAN JACINTO COLLEGE.
SO, UH, MORE GOOD STUFF WITH THAT.
UM, ON A MUCH, UH, SADDER NOTE, UH, THIS WEEKEND, UH, MONICA HICKS WAS DRIVING HOME WITH HER FIVE CHILDREN.
UH, THERE WAS A PERSON WHO FIRED FIVE SHOTS, FOUR OF 'EM HITTING THE CAR.
ONE OF 'EM ACTUALLY STRIKING IN, IN KILLING ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE CHILDREN, THE 5-YEAR-OLD.
UM, THEY ONLY HAD A VEHICLE DESCRIPTION TO GO ON.
IT WAS COMPLETELY RANDOM, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY SHE KNEW AND HAD AN ALTERCATION WITH OR ANYTHING.
I ONLY HAD A VEHICLE DESCRIPTION.
WITHIN 24 HOURS, THEY WERE ABLE TO ARREST THE SUSPECT BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO USE THE FLOCK CAMERAS TO FIND THAT DATA AND FIND OUT WHO IT WAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT FLOCK AND A LOT OF PEOPLE UPSET, AND IT SEEMS LIKE KIND OF BOTH ENDS OF THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT ARE UPSET ABOUT IT.
UM, I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THE ISSUES.
I MEAN, WE HAVE HAD, UH, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD NEARLY THE ISSUES IN HPD, BUT OTHER AGENCIES, UH, ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE OFFICERS HAVE ABUSED IT.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN ANYBODY IS GIVEN AUTHORITY, THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO ABUSE IT.
UH, I THINK KIND OF OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT ETHICS IS, YOU KNOW, DOVETAILS INTO THAT.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO HAVE GOOD GUARDRAILS UP IN PLACE TO KEEP THE ABUSES TO AN
[02:40:01]
ABSOLUTE MINIMUM.UH, WHEN WE DO FIND ABUSES, THERE NEEDS TO BE CONSEQUENCES FOR THOSE ABUSES.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT IS THIS LOSS OF PRIVACY.
AND THOSE CONCERNS ARE COMPLETELY LEGITIMATE.
I, I UNDERSTAND IT, I GET IT, BUT I THINK THAT SHIP SAILED A LONG TIME AGO.
I MEAN, WE LOOK AT OUR SMARTPHONES, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'RE TALKING WITH YOUR WIFE ABOUT, UH, SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANNA BUY.
AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, ON FACEBOOK, THERE'S THE AD.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, UH, TOLL TAGS.
IT SAYS EIGHT MINUTES TO BELTWAY EIGHT.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL MOTORS JUST SETTLED A LAWSUIT.
I THINK IT WAS $15 MILLION, WHERE PEOPLE WHO WERE PAYING FOR ONSTAR, THEY WERE SELLING THE ONSTAR DATA.
I MEAN, UNFORTUNATELY, OUR LIVES HAVE GOTTEN TO WHERE WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE PRIVACY THAT WE HAD 20, 30, 40 YEARS AGO.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S AN EFFORT TO MADE TO WANT TO TAKE THAT BACK, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
BUT LET'S NOT START WITH SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY SOLVING CRIMES AND HELPING TO PUT THE BAD GUYS AWAY.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO START SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO, AGAIN, I'M THRILLED, UH, THAT WE'VE GOT THE FLOCK CAMERAS, AND I KNOW I'M GONNA UPSET SOME CONSTITUENTS.
I HAD A COUPLE PEOPLE SUBMIT QUESTIONS FOR OUR TOWN HALL THAT WERE UNHAPPY WITH THE FLOCK CAMERAS, BUT I, I STILL THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND, AND I'M ABSOLUTELY GONNA SUPPORT 'EM IN THE FUTURE, ALONG WITH THE GUARDRAILS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
UH, THE, A FINAL NICE NOTE IN MY MIND.
ANYWAY, UH, THE SUSPECT THAT WAS CHARGED WAS DENIED BOND.
HE'S NOT OUT ON OUR STREETS TERRORIZING ANYBODY ELSE? SO, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ELLA.
UM, I JUST WANNA GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE DISTRICT SEA STAFF THAT PUT ON A REALLY AMAZING A HUNDRED DAYS TOWN HALL ON SATURDAY AT THE WEST CREAM MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
I ALSO WANNA GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE A HUNDRED PLUS DISTRICT C RESIDENTS THAT, THAT CAME TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TOWN HALL, AS WELL AS EVERY SINGLE CITY DEPARTMENT THAT TOOK TIME OUTTA THEIR DAY ON A SATURDAY MORNING TO COME AND HELP WITH OUR, WITH OUR TOWN HALL.
SO THAT WAS REALLY A GREAT SUCCESS AND REALLY EXCITED FOR MANY MORE TOWN HALLS TO COME.
WE HAVE OUR NEXT UPCOMING EVENTS THIS WEEKEND, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH.
WE ARE HOSTING A ERE RECYCLING EVENT AT THE WEST GREEN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
AGAIN, FROM 8:00 AM TO, I WANNA SAY 12:00 PM AND THEN LATER THAT DAY AT THE WEST END MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, WE WILL BE HOSTING A VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE WITH THE OFFICE OF ANNETTE RAMIREZ IN OUR COUNTY TAX ASSESSORS COLLECTOR OFFICE.
UH, FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM GET REGISTERED, PLEASE GO VOTE.
AND SO SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S TIMELY, UH, I DO THINK COUNCIL MEMBER SALINA'S RAISED, UH, AN IMPORTANT POINT ABOUT, UM, WHAT IS ADMINISTRATIVE AND WHAT'S NOT, UH, IN PREPARING THE PROP A THAT WE JUST VOTED ON, I DID A LOT OF THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS ADMINISTRATIVE AND, AND WHAT IS NOT.
AND, UH, THE CHARTER OF COURSE SPEAKS TO THAT.
IT'S NOT EXACTLY A MODEL OF CLARITY.
UH, IT SAYS BASICALLY, COUNCIL HAS NO ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY AND CANNOT DIRECT CITY EMPLOYEE.
HOWEVER, IT DOES ALSO SAY THAT COUNSEL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ENACT GENERAL POLICIES AND GUIDELINES, ET CETERA.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME SORT OF A DIALOGUE BETWEEN LEGAL AND COUNSEL MEMBERS TO KIND OF FLESH OUT SOME OF THESE, UM, IDEAS SO THAT IN THE FUTURE AS WE PREPARE OUR PROP, AS WE HAVE, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE IDEA OF WHAT, UH, LEGAL IS GOING TO BELIEVE IS LAWFUL AND, AND IS NOT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW THE POINT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS RAISED, I KNOW I CAN'T CALL PUBLIC WORKS AND TELL 'EM TO FILL A POTHOLE ON MY STREET.
I CAN'T CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TELL 'EM TO INCREASE PATROLS IN THIS PARTICULAR BEAT.
UM, THOSE WOULD BE CLEARLY ADMINISTRATIVE AND I HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
HOWEVER, UM, THERE IS ROOM FOR COUNSEL TO PASS GENERAL GUIDELINES AND POLICIES THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.
AND SO, UH, I THINK DIALOGUE WOULD BE HELPFUL ON THIS POINT, UH, MR. CITY ATTORNEY AND I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT.
UM, ON FRIDAY IN OUR NEWSLETTER AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I SHARED A SERIES OF ARTICLES AND ISSUES RAISED, UM, IN DISTRICT F FROM VARIOUS NEW SOURCES
[02:45:01]
RELATED TO HOUSING AND QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS.UM, STARTING WITH THE IMD TRAIL, UM, THAT SHOULD BE ON NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA.
CHANNEL TWO RAISED THE POINT ABOUT EMINENT DOMAIN.
I EXPLICITLY LAID OUT THAT THE FIVE PARCELS IN QUESTION, UM, ARE NOT RELATED TO PRIVATE HOMES, BUT, UM, ACTUALLY LAND THAT IS OWNED BY, UM, LLCS IN BETWEEN THE INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BECAUSE I WANTED TO PUT TO, UH, REST THE IDEA THAT THE CITY WOULD IMMINENT DOMAIN, UM, PORTIONS OF YOUR PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THAT ITEM COMING UP NEXT WEEK IN ADDITION TO SQUATTING ISSUES IN CROWN COLONY.
UM, AND, UH, WE HAD FIRE DAMAGE AT WEST HOLLOW APARTMENTS, AND THEN WE EVEN HAD A DEATH OF A SENIOR CITIZEN AT ONE ORLEANS PLACE OFF OF CROSSVIEW IN JEANETTA AND UNAUTHORIZED GROUP HOMES, WHICH IS A WHOLE NOTHER ISSUE.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN OUR OFFICE WAS INVESTIGATING AND TALKING TO MEDIA AND WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS, WE HAD LIMITED 3 1 1 REPORTING.
SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN REAL TIME IN COMMUNITY, THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT CONSTITUENTS ARE DEALING WITH.
AND WE ARE HERE TO PARTNER WITH YOU AND, AND WALK WITH YOU AND THE DEPARTMENT FOR ENFORCEMENT IDENTIFYING THESE ISSUES.
SO WE CAN START WAVING THE FLAG AND THEN PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION TO MEDIA OUTLETS SO THEY CAN PROVIDE THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UM, WITH THAT INFORMATION.
AND ALSO NEXT STEPS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT MY OFFICE IMMEDIATELY, UM, WENT INTO RESPONSE ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
I WANT TO THANK THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR VERY DETAILED REPORTING OF THE WEST HOLLOW APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UM, WE'VE INITIATED, UM, WITH OUR HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE SQUATTING ISSUE, BUT WE WANT TO EN ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE SO WE CAN, UM, CO-CREATE YOUR RESOLUTION ALSO, UM, ALSO, AND THEN LASTLY AROUND THAT IT ALLOWS A PAPER TRAIL SO WE CAN ARTICULATE TO THE PUBLIC ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THE TYPE OF RESOURCES IT TAKES TO RESOLVE THESE THINGS BECAUSE SOME OF THIS STUFF IS TIED TO STATE LEGISLATION, UM, OR ADDITIONAL FUNDING OR LIMITED PERSONNEL.
UM, I WANNA THANK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, UM, ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY THAT WENT TO THE WEST SIDE LAST NIGHT TO CELEBRATE AT THE FOURTH ANNUAL PRE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT AT THE A LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
UM, THIS EVENT, UM, HAS BEEN HOSTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE SUP, A LEAF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
UM, ALSO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ALWAYS IS A NIGHT OF FUN.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND HANGING OUT.
UM, THE DISTRICT F TEAM WAS THERE PRESENT AS WELL.
WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS FOR THE OFFICIAL NATIONAL NIGHT OUT ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6TH, AND WE PROMISE TO MAKE AS MANY LOCATIONS AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT WE ARE ALREADY FULL TO THE BRIM, BUT WE WANT YOU TO REGISTER SO WE CAN SHARE WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS WHAT IS GOING ON SO YOU CAN, UM, MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS, ENGAGE IN, UM, WHATEVER PROGRAMMING.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY TOOL.
UM, AS WE, UH, KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAFER.
SO I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE A PRIORITY TO CELEBRATE AND PARTICIPATE FOR OCTOBER 6TH FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
UH, THE THIRD ANNUAL FAITH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUMMIT IS ON, UM, IS LIVE.
AND WE'RE JUST TWO WEEKS AWAY.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE SURE TO REGISTER FOR THAT.
WE'RE ENCOURAGING REGISTRATION BY OCTOBER 2ND.
UM, THIS YEAR WE ARE MAKING THIS, UH, SUMMIT MORE INTERACTIVE, PUTTING YOU IN THE FACE OF BUILDERS, BANKERS, NONPROFIT PARTNERS, PROFESSIONALS IN THE INDUSTRY TO HELP YOU MEET YOUR, UH, MEET THE MISSION.
UM, WITH SOME OF OUR LIMITED MONEY.
WE EVEN HAVE A, A FIRESIDE CHAT FROM TOP STAFF FROM THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN HARRIS COUNTY ON HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY FROM MULTIFAMILY SINGLE FAMILY, AND OUR HOMELESSNESS WORK TO OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, SUBMITTED 125, I WANNA SAY ROUGHLY 52 WERE ADOPTED AND APPROVED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
UM, WE SHOULD SEE OPPORTUNITY ZONES 2.0 EFFECTIVE IN 2027.
SO THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND IF YOUR DEVELOPMENT IS WITHIN THAT CENSUS TRACK, UM, FOR ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES.
AND WE HAVE PARTNERS SUCH AS ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, FIFTH THIRD BANK, HUNTINGTON UNITY BANK, UM, RICE KINDER INSTITUTE, HARRIS COUNTY, AND A WHOLE LOT MORE.
WE HAVE LIMITED REGISTRATION ON SITE.
I ALSO WANNA THANK MARY BENTON FOR HER WORK TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M WORKING FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND, UM, YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEAD COMMUNICATIONS, UM, FOR TWO MAYORAL ADMINISTRATIONS THROUGH NATURAL DISASTERS, CELEBRATIONS, FIFA, SUPER BOWLS, YOU NAME IT.
UM, YOU DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN, UM, A TRUSTED PARTNER IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCURATE COMMUNICATION, UM, TO COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE COVID CRISIS, UH, IN 2020 AND 2021.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR NEW SEASON.
[02:50:01]
UM, JOB WELL DONE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.UM, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR CORRESPONDENCE FROM DISTRICT F.
WE ARE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE CREATE, UM, TO BETTER INFORM YOU ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR DISTRICT, BUT ALSO WHAT'S HAPPENING BROADLY IN THE CITY.
UM, SO YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF A PART OF THOSE SOLUTIONS.
REACH OUT AT DISTRICT F@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR PRO TAM.
TOMORROW THE DISTRICT I OFFICE IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DISTRICT K OFFICE, WILL HOST ITS SECOND ANNUAL BUSINESS CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP.
THIS EVENT IS PART OF DISTRICT'S I I THRIVE INITIATIVE CREATED TO EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY, MAKE GOVERNMENT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND MEET MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
I WANNA THANK, UH, MAYOR PRO TAM CA, MARTHA, CASSIE TATUM, FOR PARTNERING WITH US THIS YEAR TO EXPAND OUR REACH AND ENSURE MORE LOCAL BUSINESSES, LEARN ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY AND TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO BECOME CERTIFIED.
A BIG, UH, THANK YOU TO OBO, DIRECTOR OF SAN HORDE AND HER TEAM FOR SUPPORTING THIS EVENT AND FACILITATING THE WORKSHOPS.
UH, THIS, THIS EVENT COULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU, DIRECTOR, THE WORKSHOP WILL, WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW, SEPTEMBER 24TH FROM TWO TO FOUR AT SIR JOBS, LOCATED AT 1960 TO LEPTON STREET, HOUSTON, TEXAS, 7 7 0 2 3.
IF YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS AND INTERESTED IN LEARNING ON HOW TO BE CERTIFIED, BRING YOUR LAPTOP AND JOIN US TOMORROW.
I WANNA ADD TO THE CHORUS OF KUDOS FOR MARY BENTON.
UM, MARY BENTON'S JUST BEEN AWESOME TO WORK WITH AND YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER HER FROM HER REPORTING DAYS AT CHANNEL TWO.
SHE'S A FELLOW TEXAS LONGHORN FAN.
SHE IS A GREAT COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND, AND LIKE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS SAID TO MAYORAL ADMINISTRATIONS, UH, THAT'S TOUGH.
AND SHE'S BEEN THERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING WITH HER TODAY AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, PANZA AND FLICKINGER FOR TWO GREAT TOWN HALLS.
UH, DISTRICT C ON ON SATURDAY AND DISTRICT, UH, E LAST NIGHT.
UH, BOTH WERE GREAT, VERY WELL ATTENDED, AND LOTS OF ENGAGED RESIDENTS.
UM, I WANNA THANK MY STAFF AND THE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER C AND COUNCIL MEMBER A FOR HELPING OUT AT THE FALLS PREVENTION EVENT THAT I HOSTED YESTERDAY IN KERS HOMES THAT ALSO VERY WELL ATTENDED AND, AND LEARNED A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION ON HOW NOT TO FALL ON THE FIRST DAY OF FALL.
UH, SO AS WE ARE CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, LIKE WE DID, UH, FOR PRIOR, UH, MONTHS, WE HAVE BEEN SEEKING OUT AND WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE UNSUNG HEROES OF CITY HALL AND ACROSS THE CITY THAT DO THE GREAT WORK TO KEEP US GOING.
AND SO TODAY I HAVE THE INCREDIBLE PLEASURE OF RECOGNIZING SENIOR POLICE OFFICER RE RENEE MESSA JR.
UM, OFFICER MESSA, UH, GREW UP IN HOUSTON'S EAST END AND HAS DEMONSTRATED A LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO SERVICE.
HE HONORABLY SERVED HIS NATION AS A US MARINE AND WAS A COMBAT VETERAN IN IRAQ.
UM, HE HAS SERVED THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS, AND AS MANY OF US KNOW, HE KEEPS US SAFE EACH AND EVERY DAY HERE AT CITY HALL.
HE'S A RESPECTED MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HE HAS MORE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT I COULD LIST IN THIS BRIEF TIME THAT WE'RE TOGETHER, UM, AND WE'RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR HIS SERVICE AND WANNA RECOGNIZE HIM FOR THIS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
THANK YOU OFFICER MESSA FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND I WILL WRAP THINGS UP, UP BY REMINDING EVERYONE TO JOIN US TONIGHT AT OUR, UM, MATT NEXT MEETING TONIGHT AT TRINITY MINDEN HALL AT 6:30 PM THIS IS THE FEMA PROPOSED FLOODPLAIN MAP.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THE MAPS AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR YOUR PROPERTY AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT, IF YOU'RE IN A NEW FLOOD ZONE THAT YOU WEREN'T IN BEFORE, JOIN US AT THAT MEETING.
HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION AND ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT IS TONIGHT AT 6:30 PM AT TRINITY MINDEN HALL.