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TO ORDER.[5:00 P.M. - INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
COUNCIL MEMBER PANZA FOR THE INVOCATION.UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK PASTOR ELMO JOHNSON TO COME TO THE DEUS.
HE IS, UH, THE FORMER HEAD PASTOR OF THE ROSE OF SHARON BAPTIST CHURCH IN, UH, FREEMAN'S TOWN.
I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE TO KNOW PASTOR JOHNSON FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW.
HE HELPED, UH, FOUND AND REACTIVATE THE FREEMAN'S TOWN SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE HOSTED OUR INAUGURAL MEETINGS.
UM, HE'S A LONGTIME CIVIC AND SPIRITUAL LEADER THROUGHOUT HOUSTON, AND I LOVE TO PASS YOU THE MIC.
I SAW SOME GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE HEART OF OUR MAYOR, THE YOUNG LADY CAR THAT WAS DESTROYED, AND I JUST THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, LOOKING OUT FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
OH LORD, OUR LORD, HOW EXCELLENT IS YOUR NAME IN ALL THE EARTH WHO HAS SET YOUR GLORY ABOVE THE HEAVENS? THANK YOU LORD FOR THIS CITY COUNCIL, THIS MAYOR, AND ALL OF THESE CITY COUNCIL THAT REPRESENT DISTRICTS AND THOSE THAT ARE AT LARGE THAT REPRESENT SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE ASK FOR WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, AND UNDERSTANDING.
AND LORD, JUST LEAD THE CITY COUNCIL AS THEY LEAD HOUSTON.
THANK YOU FATHER, FOR THEIR STRONG PARTICIPATION, FOR THEIR GOING OUT TO SEE ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE BROTHER WILLIE DAVIS AND OTHERS.
THANK YOU THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US JUSTICE AND COUNCIL AND OH GOD, WE NEED COUNCIL.
BLESS EVERYBODY THAT COMES THROUGH THIS BUILDING.
BLESS HOUSTON LORD, A GREAT CITY THAT SITS ON THE HILL.
LET US BE AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER CITIES AROUND THESE UNITED STATES.
THE LOVE AND CARE THAT WE HAVE FOR PEOPLE.
PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING.
AND THIS CITY COUNCIL AND THIS MAYOR HAVE SHOWN THAT.
WE BLESS YOUR HOLY NAME, WE HONOR YOU.
UH, PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE.
[ROLL CALL AND ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING]
ROLL CALL PLEASE.COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS WILL BE ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM WILL BE ABSENT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN HERE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 22ND AND 23RD P MOVE CONTINUE.
THOSE OPPOSED ANY MOTION PASSES? PROCEDURAL MOTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY.
[5:00 P.M. – PUBLIC SPEAKERS]
FIRST SPEAKER PLEASE.REEM TARIQ TO BE FOLLOWED BY KATIE THIBO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? EXCELLENT.
UM, MY NAME IS REEM TARIK AND I'M WITH AIR ALLIANCE HOUSTON, THE VALERO HOUSTON REFINERY ON MANCHESTER STREET IN DISTRICT.
I IS UP FOR ITS FEDERAL AIR PERMIT.
THE REFINERY IS PERMITTED TO EMIT OVER 8,000 TONS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS A YEAR SINCE 2019, IT HAS RELEASED MORE THAN 46 TONS OF UNAUTHORIZED POLLUTION, MOST OF WHICH WAS BENZENE.
10 SCHOOLS AND 12 PARKS SIT WITHIN THE TWO MILE RADIUS OF THIS FACILITY.
THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IS HOSTING A PUBLIC MEETING ON OCTOBER 1ST, UH, FOR THE VALERO PERMIT, UM, AT THE HARTMAN PARK COMMUNITY CENTER.
WE URGE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN, ESPECIALLY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUSTAINED SUPPORT AND WE INVITE YOUR OFFICE, UM, TO JOIN US TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO URGE TCEQ TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO STRENGTHEN THE PERMIT.
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INVITE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JULIAN RAMIREZ.UH, WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL, AND, UM, INVITE YOU TO JOIN US AT THE MEETING, UM, AND, UM, OFFER YOUR SUPPORT.
NEXT, KATIE THIBO TO BE FOLLOWED BY GRIFFIN WALKER.
GOOD AFTERNOON, HOUSTONIANS AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
I'M WITH THE HOUSTON YOUNG MONARCHS.
YOU MAY REMEMBER ME, MR. WHITMEYER.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I AM THE FUTURE.
I'M HERE ACTUALLY TODAY FOR HOUSTON AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE FLOCK CAMERAS COLLECT LICENSE PLATE INFORMATION AND CAN TRACK DOWN WHERE YOUR VEHICLES ARE.
TRAFFIC LANE, RIGHT? OR IS IT YOUR PRIVATE INFORMATION? OKAY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP SOLVE CRIMES THAT ARE PERSONAL MOTIVE BY A WHITE SUPREMACIST MAN RUNNING THIS GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, IN TEXAS, FLOCK CAMERAS CAN HELP POLICE TRACK DOWN A WOMAN THAT HAS BEEN HAD ABORTION, BUT NOT TENS OF THOUSANDS CHILDREN REPORTING MISSING.
AND I ALSO BELIEVE LOCAL POLICE SHOULD FOCUS ON KEEPING CUSTODIANS SAFE NO MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM, HOW WE SPEAK, OR A STUPID PIECE OF PAPER.
MICHAEL ZAINO, WHY DO YOU THANK YOU.
YOU DON'T LIKE BEING TAKEN A PICTURE OF.
THAT'S WHAT MY PREVIOUS RONALDO SALGADO, JUAN RUBIO, DYLAN FORBES US TO BE FOLLOWED BY HALEY ROGERS.
UM, SO GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE POLICY COORDINATOR AT WORKERS' DEFENSE ACTION FUND.
WE'RE A MEMBER LED ORGANIZATION FIGHTING FOR LATINO IMMIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
FOR MONTHS NOW, HOUSTONIANS HAVE BEEN DEMANDING THAT OUR CITY PRODUCE ITS ENTITLEMENT WITH ICE AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES FROM FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY THE CITY'S CONSIDERATION OF THE MODEL CITY'S INITIATIVE IS SO DEEPLY CONCERNING TO US AND OUR MEMBERSHIP.
MODEL THREE SIMPLY DOES NOT SIMPLY PROVIDE MONEY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
ITS REQUIREMENTS EXPLICITLY ADDRESSED IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT AND REQUIRES APPLICANTS TO ALIGN WITH FEDERAL PRIORITIES THAT INCLUDE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS.
SO THIS ISN'T SIMPLY A QUESTION OF WHETHER THE GRANT ITSELF PAYS FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
IT'S A QUESTION OF WHAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS AGREEING TO WHEN IT ASKS FOR SAD MONEY.
MAYOR, YOU CANNOT TELL HOUSTONIANS THAT THE CITY'S HANDS ARE TIED WHEN THE CITY IS VOLUNTARILY CONSIDERING ENTERING A FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT COULD DEEPEN HOUSTON'S ENTANGLEMENT WITH ICE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THIS IS ALSO A QUESTION OF WHETHER YOU ARE LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ASKING YOU FOR MONTHS TO MOVE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
WE DO NOT WANT GREATER SURVEILLANCE OR DEEPER COOPERATION BETWEEN LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
HOUSTON NEEDS PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT THAT SHOULD NOT REQUIRE THREATENING OUR ABILITY TO DETERMINE HOW OUR OWN CITY, CITY INTERACTS WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENTS.
NEXT, DYLAN FORBIS HALEY ROGERS, TIA DORO ALU.
JESUS SANCHEZ SANCHEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY KURT BERGER.
UM, MAYOR WHITMEYER, YOU SAID YOUR PRIVACY IS VIOLATED WHEN PEOPLE PROTEST OUTSIDE YOUR HOME.
SO HOW DOES IT FEEL? HOW DO YOU THINK HOUSTON FEELS? HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE FLOCK? CAMERAS WATCHING US EVERY SINGLE DAY? OUR MOVEMENTS TRACKED, OUR PRIVACY INVADED AND OUR LIVES EXPOSED.
AND INSTEAD OF PUTTING $7 MILLION TOWARDS REAL CARE AND REAL SERVICE, WE'RE BEING TRACKED AND WATCH, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN HOW MANY OF THESE SYSTEMS CAN BE ABUSED.
POLICE HAVE YOU FLOCKED TO TRACK THEIR EX-GIRLFRIENDS? THINK ABOUT THAT ASSISTANT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT PEOPLE WAS BEING USED TO STALK PEOPLE.
ICE AND BORDER PATROL HAVE ACCESS FLOCK NETWORKS TO
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TRACK VEHICLES AND SEARCH LICENSE PLATES, ESPECIALLY HERE IN TEXAS.LOOK AT WIL PEREZ ICE FOUND HIM THROUGH A LICENSE PLATE READER.
HE WAS PULLED OVER, SHOT IN THE BACK, AND TAKEN INTO ICE CUSTODY WITH THE BULLET LODGE NEAR HIS SPINE.
WHERE WAS THE CARE? WHERE WAS THE HELP? WHERE WAS THIS JUSTICE? AND ALL WE GOT WAS A CAMERA LOG AND A BULLET.
DO WE WANT THIS? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
NOT IN HOUSTON OR AUSTIN, NOT IN CHICAGO, NOT IN MINNEAPOLIS, NOT IN ANYWHERE.
INDICT ARRESTS CONVICT GREGORY FEATHERS.
JUSTICE FOR WILBUR JUSTICE FOR EVERYONE TERRORIZED BY ICE.
WE'LL NOT ACCEPT THIS AND WE'LL NOT NORMALIZE THIS.
DANI ELISA ELISSA DONOVAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHERRY BROWNING, EITHER ONE.
HI THERE, I'M ELISA MASIA DONOVAN.
I'M WITH THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY.
THE CONSERVANCY HAS BEEN WORKING FOR OVER 30 YEARS TO PROTECT LAND ON THE KATY PRAIRIE.
WITH SUPPORT FROM LOCAL PHILANTHROPISTS, PUBLIC FUNDERS, AND MANY INDIVIDUALS, UH, IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
WE APPRECIATE CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN THAT RESPECT THE KATY PRAIRIE PRESERVE LANDS THAT ARE CONSERVED FOR WILDLIFE AND FOR PEOPLE CONTRIBUTING TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS.
THE UNINTERRUPTED LANDSCAPE ON THE KATY PRAIRIE IS A REGIONAL TREASURE, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN CITY PLANNING HARRIS COUNTY, WALLER COUNTY, TO ENSURE THAT THESE LANDS ARE NOT DEGRADED, WHILE ALSO PLANNING FOR FUTURE MOBILITY NEEDS.
THE FOUNDERS OF THE CONSERVANCY HAD THE FORESIGHT TO CONSERVE THESE LANDS OVER 30 YEARS AGO.
TODAY WE PROTECT ALMOST 20,000, UH, CONTIGUOUS ACRES AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP IN PART IN CONSERVING THESE LANDS AS WELL.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY AND AND THANKS FOR MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD ON THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PLAN.
I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THESE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE THAT THESE LANDOWNERS HAVE GIVEN TO THE KATY PRAIRIE, SO I'M GLAD THAT'S ALL GONNA BE PROTECTED.
ALSO JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND SOME NATIVE GRASS PLANTINGS, UH, THANKS TO Y'ALL'S ORGANIZATION.
YOU DO REALLY AMAZING WORK AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOU ALL IN THE FUTURE.
NEXT, SHERRY BROWNING, MICHELLE D BELLIN TO BE FOLLOWED BY SYBIL PLUMA SIGNS.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE DELIN AND MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HOUSTON IS A CITY BUILT ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MANY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, AND FILIPINO AMERICANS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT STORY.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO HOUSTON'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
FILIPINO NURSES AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ARE A VITAL PART OF THE WORKFORCE.
AND OVER 45% OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY WORKS IN HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES, BUT OUR CONTRIBUTIONS EXTEND FAR BEYOND HEALTHCARE.
WE ARE EDUCATORS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, ARTISTS, PUBLIC SERVANTS, CAREGIVERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS.
AND YET, DESPITE THE SIZE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY, FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE CAN BE LARGELY INVISIBLE IN OUR LOCAL INSTITUTIONS AND PUBLIC SPACES.
SO TODAY, I HOPE WE CAN THINK BEYOND SIMPLY RECOGNIZING FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH RATHER THAN JUST ONCE A YEAR.
I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE CREATING MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE REPRESENTED IN OUR CITY'S PROGRAMMING, CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, PUBLIC SPACES, AND CIVIC LIFE.
FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY IS HOUSTON HISTORY AND
NEXT SYBIL NESS, SIGNS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANTHONY GUEVARA, I, HONORABLE MAYOR AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS SYBIL JOY POLY SIGNS AND I AM THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S 32ND CHAPTER HERE IN HOUSTON.
[00:15:01]
YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE FOURTH LARGEST ASIAN AMERICAN SUBGROUP IN METRO HOUSTON TO SPEAK ABOUT FILIPINO-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH OBSERVED IN OCTOBER.THE MOVEMENT FOR FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH BEGAN IN 1991 WHEN FAS FOUNDERS DR.
DOROTHY CORDOVA PASSED A NATIONAL BOARD RESOLUTION, ESTABLISHING OCTOBER AS A MONTH OF HISTORICAL EDUCATION AND REFLECTION.
CELEBRATED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1992, AND OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED BY THE US CONGRESS IN 2009 OCTOBER.
COMMEMORATES WHEN THE FIRST RECORDED FILIPINOS KNOWN THEN AS LU INDIOS LANDED ON THE SHORES OF MORRO BAY, CALIFORNIA ABOARD THE NO TRO DEZA ON OCTOBER 18TH, 1587 AND LABOR LEADER LARRY LIT I'S BIRTHDAY, WHO CO-LED THE DELANO GRAPE STRIKE ALONGSIDE DOLORES HUERTA AND CESAR CHAVEZ.
THIS MONTH IS DEDICATED TO OBSERVING FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY, NOT HERITAGE.
WHILE HERITAGE CELEBRATES CULTURE, FOOD, AND TRADITIONS, HISTORY DEMANDS THAT WE HONOR THE LABOR, THE STRUGGLES, THE SYSTEMIC IMPACTS, AND THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF FILIPINO AMERICANS WHO HELPED BUILD THE NATION'S FOUNDATION.
THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL THEME IS BEYOND THE MARGINS CENTERING INTERSECTIONAL FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORIES.
IT CHALLENGES US TO LOOK PAST SURFACE NARRATIVES AND CENTERED THOSE WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN PUSHED TO THE FRINGES, SUCH AS FILIPINO WOMEN PIONEERS, LGBTQ PLUS TRAILBLAZERS AND DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATES LIKE WORLD WAR II, HEROIN, JOSEFINA GUERRERO.
HERE IN HOUSTON, THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN AMERICA.
FILIPINO AMERICANS ARE WOVEN INTO EVERY SECTOR FROM THE NURSES AND DOCTORS SERVING IN THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER TO ENGINEERS, EDUCATORS, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
OUR STORY IS INSEPARABLE FROM HOUSTON'S STORY HISTORY.
HOWEVER, CANNOT RELY SOLELY ON MEMORIES, IT REQUIRES OFFICIAL RECOGNITION.
THEREFORE, ON BEHALF OF FONS HOUSTON, I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU ALL TO ENACT A FORMAL ORDINANCE DESIGNATING OCTOBER AS FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH ANNUALLY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BY RECOGNIZING THIS MONTH IN PERPETUITY, HOUSTON WILL SEND POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FILIPINO AMERICANS WON'T BE PUSHED TO THE MARGINS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO ALL HOUSTONIANS.
THANK YOU NICK ANTHONY GUEVARA TO BE FOLLOWED BY MELANIE JOHNSON.
UH, HONORABLE MAYOR AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF, UH, HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL.
UH, TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU TO HONOR, RECOGNIZE, AND CELEBRATE THE RICH HISTORY OF FILIPINO AMERICANS IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN OUR CITY OF HOUSTON.
AS A PROUD HOUSTON NATIVE, BORN AND RAISED AND OFF OF REGION PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FILIPINO AMERICAN ASSOCIATIONS.
I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN THE SOUTHWEST, UH, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER IN HOUSTON'S MAYOR PRO TE MARTHA, K UH, K SIX TATUMS, DISTRICT K, BORN AND RAISED, AND STILL THERE.
UH, MY PARENTS, FRANK AND ROSE GAVAR ARE PIONEERS OF THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
THEY'VE MIGRATED HERE IN 1967, BRINGING ALL THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND SELLING AND CHOOSING OUR LOVELY CITY HOUSTON.
UH, MY ROOTS ARE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE OCTOBER AS FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, UH, COMMEMORATING AND RECOGNIZING THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED BUILD AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CITY.
UH, WE CELEBRATE OCTOBER NOT ONLY TO COMMEMORATE THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST FILIPINOS IN AMERICA IN IN 1587, BUT ALSO TO HONOR THE DEEP ROOTS AND LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS OF FILIPINO AMERICANS.
HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS IS HOME TO ONE OF THE NATION'S FASTEST GROWING FILIPINO POPULATIONS.
AND RIGHT HERE IN THE GREATER METRO HOUSTON AREA, OUR COMMUNITY HAS GROWN TO AN ESTIMATED 80,000 STRONG FILIPINOS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN ALL INDUSTRIES.
PHILIPPIANS ARE PROMINENT, UH, IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY IN THE WORLD RENOWNED TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER AND OUR METRO AREA, WHERE THOUSANDS OF FILIPINO NURSES, DOCTORS, AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONALS SERVE AS A COMPASSIONATE BACKBONE OF EACH HOSPITAL.
YOU'LL FIND AT LEAST ONE FILIPINO NURSE IN EVERY HOSPITAL IN OUR CITY WILLING TO SERVE YOU WITH CARE AND PROBABLY ALSO SERVE YOU WITH SOME FOOD.
RIGHT? SO IF YOU KNOW US, UH, FILIPINO ESTONIANS ALSO HELP DRIVE OUR ECONOMY AS BUSINESS OWNERS,
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ENGINEERS, EDUCATORS AND CREATIVES, UH, FILIPINOS HAVE CONTRIBUTED NOT TO ONLY HEALTHCARE, BUT ALSO TO THE ARCHITECTURE OF, UH, OUR BELOVED CITY.SUCH AS THE ARCH BRIDGES OF 59, UH, DOWNTOWN AND SEVERAL OTHER RECOGNIZABLE BUILDINGS IN OUR CITY.
OUR CREATIVITY HAS ALSO BROUGHT ACCOLADES TO OUR CITY, INCLUDING MURALS JAMES BEARD AWARDS.
ADDITIONALLY, OUR DJS HAVE HELPED DEVELOP HOUSTON SOUND BY PLAYING A BIG PART IN HOUSTON'S RADIO HISTORY.
ANOTHER GREAT FILIPINO AMERICAN TALENT THAT CURRENTLY CALLS HOUSTON HOME IS AMERICA'S GOT TALENT WINNER JESSICA SANCHEZ.
BEYOND FILIPINO CONTRIBUTIONS, THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO EMBODY THE CORE VALUES OF HOUSTON RESILIENCE, FAITH, HARD WORK, AND A DEEP SEATED COMMITMENT TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.
THROUGH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CULTURAL FESTIVALS OR NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP, FILIPINO AMERICANS CONSISTENTLY STEP UP TO MAKE USIN A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE.
LET US USE, UH, THIS MONTH TO EDUCATE USIN ABOUT THE RICH HISTORY OF FILIPINO AMERICAN PIONEERS WHO'VE HELPED SHAPE OUR CITY AND NATION TO DIS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIVERSITY OF OUR NATION'S MOST DIVERSE CITY MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AND FOR FOSTERING HOUSTON AS THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN AMERICA.
AS WE REFLECT ON OUR OUR HISTORY, WE ALSO LOOK, UH, TOWARD THE FUTURE.
OKAY, I WAS JUST GONNA FINISH UP, BUT, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH YOU FOR, UH, TO MAKE HOUSTON EVEN BETTER.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO, UH, INVITE ALL OF YOU GUYS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FESTIVALS.
ONE IS AT THE POST OCTOBER 11, UH, ONE'S AT SUGAR LAND OCTOBER 17TH AS WELL.
AND ALSO, UH, HOUSTON ROCKETS, FILIPINO HERITAGE NIGHT, OCTOBER 26TH.
MELANIE JOHNSON, DIANA PENN ALITO JACKSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARIA GYO.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MEYER AND, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS SERGEANT MAJOR PASQUALE JACKSON.
AS OUR CITY PREPARES TO CELEBRATE THE, UH, FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH THIS OCTOBER, I WANT TO BRING OUR HISTORY TO LIFE THROUGH A MILITARY LENS SHOWING THAT THE FILIPINO EXPERIENCE IS DEEPLY WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF AMERICAN FREEDOM ACROSS EVERY SINGLE BRANCH OF OUR ARMED FORCES.
TO UNDERSTAND THIS LEGACY, WE MUST DESTROY THE MYTH THAT FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY BEGAN AT PEARL HARBOR.
DRIVEN BY THE GLOBAL SPANISH GALLIAN TRADE, UH, SPANNING FROM 1565 TO 1815, BRAVE FILIPINO SEAFARERS RECORDED THE FIRST DOCUMENTED LANDING ON THE NORTH AMERICAN SOIL, AS SAID EARLIER ON OCTOBER 18TH, 1587 ON MOR AT MORROW BAY, CALIFORNIA.
BECAUSE OUR ANCESTORS SCREWED THOSE GLOBAL SPANISH SHIPS FOR CENTURIES, IT IS EASILY KNOWN THAT WE TRAVELED AND SET FOOT ON THIS LAND EVEN EARLIER, TRAVELED AND SET FOOT ON THIS LAND EVEN EARLIER, MOVING SILENTLY THROUGH THE HIDDEN MARGINS OF THE EARLY AMERICAS.
THIS VERY SOIL SHARES OUR NAME.
IN THE EARLY 17 HUNDREDS, SPANISH COLONIAL INSTRUCTIONS OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED THIS TERRITORY NORTH OF THE MEDINA RIVER AS EVAS FILIPINOS, THE NEW KINGDOM OF THE PHILIPPINES ANCHORING AN UNBREAKABLE HISTORICAL ECHO RIGHT HERE IN THE LONE STAR STATE.
BY 1815, INDEPENDENT MARITIME MANILA MEN FOUGHT ALONGSIDE MAJOR GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON AT THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS, BECOMING THE FIRST ASIAN AMERICANS IN HISTORY TO TAKE UP ARMS IN DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES FLAG.
WHEN WORLD WAR I ARRIVED PRIVATE, GOT CLAUDIO, BECAME THE FIRST FILIPINO WAR CASUALTY FIGHTING IN THE US ARMY ON EUROPEAN BATTLEFIELDS.
YET OUR MILITARY HISTORY ISN'T JUST A HISTORY OF HONORS, IT IS A HISTORY OF OVERCOMING SYSTEMIC BARRIERS.
BY WORLD WAR II, OUR PEOPLE FACED PROFOUND RACIAL PARADOX CLASSIFIED AS NATIONALS.
THEY WERE LEGALLY BARRED FROM VOTING OR OWNING LAND, YET THEY STEPPED UP BY THE THOUSANDS TO FORM THE HISTORIC FIRST AND SECOND FILIPINO INFANTRY REGIMENTS.
SOLDIERS LIKE CAPTAIN LUCAS EARNED THE MEDAL OF
[00:25:01]
HONOR AT BATAN, YET THE MARGINS FOLLOWED THEM HOME.WHEN THE INFAMOUS RECESSION ACT OF 1946, STRIPPED PROMISED WARTIME BENEFITS FROM OVER 200,000 FILIPINO FORCES, WHICH IS A BETRAYAL OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE FOUGHT FOR DECADES DESPITE, OH, WELL GO AHEAD AND FINISH.
DESPITE THIS HARDSHIPS, WE TRANSFORMED THE MILITARY.
FROM THE INSIDE OUT IS SMASHING THROUGH THE BAMBOO CEILING.
WE PAIRED WESTERN OPERATIONAL KNOWLEDGE WITH BAYAN HAN OUR DEEP CULTURAL UNITY OF COMMUNAL UNITY.
WE PAVED THE WAY FOR MAJOR GENERAL, AN ANTONIO TAGUBA WHO CHAMPIONED MILITARY INTEGRITY ON THE GLOBAL STAGE.
REAR ADMIRAL CONNIE MARIANO, THE FIRST FEMALE WHITE HOUSE PHYSICIAN, VICE ADMIRAL BONO DIRECTING THE DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY, CAPTAIN REVELO, THE FIRST FILIPINO AMERICAN TO COMMAND A NUCLEAR AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND AGAIN, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL HONOR THE COMPLEX, RESILIENT, AND DEEPLY PATRIOTIC COMMUNITY, WHICH IS THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY HERE IN HOUSTON.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR, OH, I, I, I APPRECIATE YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND YOUR HISTORY IN, IN THIS COUNTRY, YOUR COUNTRY MATTERS.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY TO SHARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I IT'S, IT'S A DEEP ROOTED RESPECT THAT I HAVE, CERTAINLY FOR THE MILITARY, BUT FOR ALL OF YOU.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THIS COUNTRY AND FOR OUR CITY.
I, I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND EXPRESSING AND GIVING US THAT EDUCATIONAL, UH, PIECE OF HISTORY AS IF WE CELEBRATE, UH, FILIPINO HISTORY.
I I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS A FELLOW VETERAN.
YOU, UH, FOR THAT GREAT HISTORY LESSON TO MANY OF US.
ALSO, I WAS GOING TO WAIT TILL THE LAST PERSON, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT HEAR FROM
UH, I HAVE YOU BEEN THERE SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE? I WAS THERE FOR A LONG TIME AND WORKED IN MINISTRY THERE AND I LOVED IT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND EXPRESSING, UH, THIS ISSUE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL.
RONALDO SALGADO TO BE FOLLOWED BY LOVELY EDWARDS.
THERE'S AN IPAD HERE, I DON'T KNOW, SO I KEEP IT HERE.
ALRIGHT, WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
I AM RONALDO SALGADO, THE PROUD SON OF LORENZO SALGADO RACO, A DAD WHO WAS JUST TRYING TO GO TO WORK AND WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY ICE OFFICERS.
SINCE THEN, WE HAVE PRAYED AND HOPE FOR ANSWERS.
WE FINALLY GOT THE NAME OF SOMEONE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY DAD'S DEATH.
BUT I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT MY DAD, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, AND IT BREAKS MY HEART TO SAY THIS, APART FROM JUSTICE, THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE FOR MY DAD.
HE'S NO LONGER HERE, BUT A LOT CAN BE DONE FOR THE THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANT FAMILIES THAT ARE STILL LIVING IN FEAR TODAY.
I COME HERE TO URGE Y'ALL NOT TO APPLY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE MODEL CITY'S INITIATIVE.
GRANT, IT WILL NOT MAKE THE CITY SAFER AND WILL PUT REAL LIVES AT RISK.
THIS IS NOT SIMPLY $150 MILLION IN FREE MONEY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
DOJS OWN GUIDELINES EXPLICITLY STATE THAT ANY CITY WHO APPLIES AND ACCEPT THIS GRANT MONEY MUST DIRECTLY SUPPORT FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT.
HONOR DHS REQUEST AND MUST GIVE DHS AGENTS ACCESS THAT RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS FOR HOUSTON.
IF ICE ASKED HPD TO ASSIST WITH A RAID, PROVIDE PERIMETER SUPPORT, OR SHARE INFORMATION, OR PARTICIPATE AN OPERATION JUST LIKE THE ONE THAT KILLED MY DAD, CAN THE CITY REFUSE WITHOUT RISKING THIS FUNDING? AND WHAT WOULD THIS MEAN FOR THE THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE ALREADY AFRAID TO CALL THE POLICE FOR HELP? IN A TIME WHERE TRUST IN THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW, WE ARE AT LEAST SUPPOSED TO TRUST OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO HELP RESTORE THE TRUST BETWEEN THE POLICE AND
[00:30:01]
THE PEOPLE THEY'RE SWORN TO PROTECT.ACCEPTING THIS MONEY WITH THOSE CONDITIONS ATTACHED DOES NOT HELP WITH THAT GOAL.
AND IF YOU DO APPLY, IF YOU DO APPLY AND ACCEPT THIS MONEY, YOU ARE RISKING SENDING HARDWORKING AND PEACEFUL PEOPLE TO DETENTION CENTERS WHERE WE HAVE SEEN, AGAIN AND AGAIN, ARE NOT SUITED TO RENDER ADEQUATE HEALTHCARE TO THOSE THAT ARE SICK OR EVEN HAVE A BULLET LODGED IN THEIR BODIES.
AND YOU MIGHT THINK THESE ARE HYPOTHETICALS, BUT SINCE 25TH, 2025, THERE HAVE BEEN 57 PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED IN DETENTION CENTERS.
AND IF THIS GOES THROUGH AND INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE DETAINED AND DIE, THEIR FAMILIES WON'T HAVE TO WONDER WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DEATHS.
ALL THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO IS LOOK FOR THE SIGNATURES AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT GRANT APPLICATION.
IN 2024, VOTERS DENIED $9 BILLION IN BOND MONEY FROM HIZ BECAUSE WE DID NOT TRUST THE LEADERSHIP AT THE TIME.
SO THERE'S PRECEDENT FOR TURNING DOWN MONEY EXCEPT THIS TIME YOU GUYS HAVE THE POWER TO DENY THIS APPLICATION.
AND IF YOU GO AGAINST THE PEOPLE'S WISHES, THEN WE, THE PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER TO VOTE Y'ALL OUT FOR NOT PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE TO THESE TERRIBLE IMMIGRATION POLICIES.
MR. SALGADO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO SPEAK.
YOUR WORDS ARE VERY POWERFUL ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, I'VE SPOKEN PUBLICLY ON THIS.
THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS WORTH SELLING, UM, THE RIGHTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
I HOPE TO GOD THAT THE ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T BRING THE S BACK, AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL DO THE SAME.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR VOICE ON THIS ISSUE.
NEXT LOVELY EDWARDS, GEORGE LA BLANCHE COUNCILOR EVAN SHABA.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO GET SHERRY BROWNING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
SHE MISSED HER NAME AND I WANTED TO GIVE HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP.
YEAH, WE'LL JUST CALL HER NAME.
AND MY FAVORITE MAYOR AND MR.
I'M TRYING TO GET MY LITTLE PAPERS.
THEY GAVE ME MY, MY NAME IS SHERRY BROWNING.
I USED TO WORK HERE FOR MAYOR LEE P BROWN AND ALSO WITH CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
UH, I WENT TO SOCIAL SECURITY.
UH, THE PART THAT REALLY HURT ME TO SEE OUR VETERANS AND THEY HAD NO LEGS AND THEY SCOOTED THEM OUT, AND THEN THEY TOOK THEIR MONEY AND LOWERED THEIR, THEIR PAYCHECKS.
LORD KNOWS WE NEED, THEY NEED THEIR MONEY.
AND I, I WAS JUST SO APPALLED TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENING WHEN EVERYTHING IS SO EXPENSIVE NOW, AND IT JUST HURT MY HEART.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, ANY OF YOU ALL EVER KNEW ABOUT THIS TAKING PLACE THAT THAT HAPPENED AT THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE.
AND IT'S JUST A BAD THING TO, TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW FOR THEM OR ANYONE.
SO THEY PUT US IN ANOTHER PROGRAM, WHICH THEY SAID THAT IT TAKES A WHILE.
OKAY, I DON'T MIND THAT, BUT COULD WE HAVE OUR MONEY WHILE Y'ALL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GONNA BE BROKE, YOU KNOW, AND WON'T BE ABLE TO FEED OURSELVES OR OUR FAMILIES.
BUT THAT WAS THE, IT WAS JUST A SAD THING.
AND SO WE, WE DON'T, THEY LEFT ME WITH $300.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, I, I WORKED FOR THAT MONEY.
THOSE VETERANS, THEY EARNED THAT MONEY.
SO IT TURNED OUT TO BE A FIST FIGHT AT THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE.
PEOPLE WERE MAD BECAUSE THEIR MONEY WAS GONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO SHARE.
COUNCILOR EVAN SHABA, DID YOU WANT TO, DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT OR REDIRECT THAT SHE WAS JUST IN THERE FROM BEFORE? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MA'AM.
I HOPE SOMEONE HERE CAN HELP US OUT WITH THIS SITUATION BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS THEIR MONEY THAT THEY'VE BEEN ALWAYS USING TO PAY FOR THEMSELVES AND THEY, THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO BE ON, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO HELP 'EM OR ANYTHING.
AND CERTAINLY IF YOU WOULD SEE INGRAM RIGHT THERE, WE CAN TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN
[00:35:01]
GIVE YOU SOME ASSISTANCE.TAMIKA LOMAS, JAIME PEREZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY SANDRA EVANS.
AND, UH, THE SUBJECT I WAS GONNA SPEAK ABOUT IS, UH, CRIME ON JENSEN.
LIKE, I COULD STAY HERE ALL NIGHT TALKING ABOUT CRIME ON JENSEN, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT SINCE ADRIAN GARCIA WAS, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT H AND, UH, THE CANTINAS ON JENSEN AND THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, THE DRUG USE, IT STILL CONTINUES.
AND I WANT TO KNOW WHY IS IT THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL ALLOWED, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST CHANGE NAMES.
WELL, SO WHY ARE THEY ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE? AND, UH, THE ONLY THING THAT'S CHANGED IS THAT THEY BECOME MORE, IT'S BECOME MORE CHAOTIC.
AND RIGHT NOW, THE PARKING LOT OVER THERE LOOKS LIKE, LIKE A FIESTA PARKING LOT.
AND, UH, THEY JUST BECOME MORE AND MORE STUPID.
AND, UH, I THINK I'M HEARING MORE ABOUT THE RESPONSE BECAUSE NOT JUST ABOUT CRIME ON JENSEN, BUT EVEN A 3 1 1 CALL.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST, I'VE BEEN WAITING ON FIVE YEARS TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT SOME TRASH ON PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES, UH, BROKEN DOWN CARS.
AND, UH, EVEN I HAD SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUBMIT A COMPLAINT AND THEY STILL IS STILL THERE.
SO I THINK I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF RESPONSE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I USED TO WALK ACROSS BERRY BRIDGE TO GO TO BURBANK MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND UH, I LOOK AT IT NOW AND IT LOOKED LIKE A JUNGLE.
EVERYTHING AT EACH BRIDGE, THERE'S TREES GROWING OUT THE SIDE OF IT.
SO WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT? AND SO WHY HAS IT BEEN ALLOWED TO GET TO THE CONDITION THAT IT'S AT? SO IF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ELECTED SHOW NO PRIDE IN THAT AREA, THEN THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE ARE JUST, IT'S GONNA BECOME NORMAL TO THEM.
AND, UH, SO WHAT IS IT GONNA TAKE TO GET A RESPONSE AND, UH, SOME ACTION? AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COMPLAIN.
WHEN DOES IT COME TO A POINT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING UP HERE AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TASKED TO PATROL THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COPS, BUT, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT, WHATEVER, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND COMPLAIN.
IF THEY SEE IT, THEN THERE'S A PROBLEM.
AND, UH, I STOPPED COMING BECAUSE, UH, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE.
AND THEY ALWAYS TOLD ME, BRING MORE PEOPLE.
WELL, THE PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA COME BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA DO WHAT THEY WANT TO ANYWAY.
THEY DON'T CARE WHAT, LIKE, WHAT I THINK BECAUSE IT'S LIKE THIS FOR A REASON, BECAUSE WE'RE JUST BEING NEGLECTED.
YOU KNOW? SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE WHO DO GO TO WORK EVERY DAY AND WHO WANNA DO RIGHT.
BUT THEY HAVE TO BE DODGING IDIOTS THERE THAT DON'T CARE.
AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAS TO GET DONE.
I MEAN, WHO DO I HAVE TO TALK TO AGAIN? COUNCIL MC CASTILLO.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN HERE TO SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATIONS.
AND YOU LISTED A NUMBER OF THINGS THERE.
UM, I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT MY STAFF IS WORKING WITH YOU DIRECTLY ON SPECIFICALLY THE, THE SAFETY ISSUES AND THE LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS THAT YOU'RE GETTING WHEN THREE ONE ONES ARE FILED, WHEN SOME OF THESE COMPLAINTS ARE BEING LOGGED.
I KNOW THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
AND 3, 1 1 DOESN'T ALWAYS DO, DO THE BEST JOB OF LETTING CONSTITUENTS KNOW WHY A CASE MAY, MAY OR NOT HAVE BEEN CLOSED.
AND SO WE CAN HELP GIVE SOME LIGHT TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE ONES YOU'RE FILING, AND ALSO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE GETTING FOLLOW UP ON THE DEPARTMENT SIDE, UM, AND JUST CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU ON THE THINGS YOU'RE SEEING.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HPD AROUND THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ISSUE, UM, ON JENSEN AND AROUND JENSEN, UH, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE HOTELS.
UM, THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE CAN, UM, MAKE YOU AWARE OF AND SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING.
BUT, UH, THIS IS A PART OF MY DISTRICT AND I, I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT ME AND MY OFFICE ARE HERE TO HELP AND ASSIST.
IT'S NOT JUST MY DIRECTOR OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES IS GONNA, IS GONNA COME UP AND VISIT WITH YOU, UH, WHEN YOU'RE DONE HERE.
SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK ON THESE THINGS.
OKAY? AND ONE MORE THING IS THAT, UH, IT'S NOT JUST THE HOTELS 'CAUSE THOSE AREN'T PLAIN SIGHT, BUT IT'S ON THE, THE CORNER OF JENSEN AND LAURA COPY, THERE WAS ONE LATINAS CABARET AND THEN AROUND THE CORNER FROM THAT, I THINK IT'S CALLED LA ESA.
AND THEY'RE JUST OUT THERE AT ALL HOURS OF NIGHT WITH NO REGARD TO WHATEVER.
AND SO, AND THEN IT ENDANGERS SOME OF THE YOUNGSTERS, LIKE MY NEPHEW GOT ROBBED THE OTHER DAY AT GUNPOINT.
AND HE WAS JUST SITTING IN HIS TRUCK AND, UH, DOING NOTHING.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST BECOME MORE ENABLED.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT EMPOWERED BY THE, BY EVERYTHING.
[00:40:01]
SO I HEAR YOU ON THAT.UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO WILLING TO WORK WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS.
SO IF YOU TALK ABOUT THE BARS AND THE CANTINAS, I KNOW THERE WERE EFFORTS, UH, YEARS AGO TO WORK WITH THE STATE ON LICENSING ISSUES FOR THEIR LIQUOR LICENSE TO TRY AND GET SOME OF THOSE SHUT DOWN.
UM, WE CAN LOOK AT CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE HAVE NUISANCES AND CRIMES AND ISSUES, BUT AGAIN, ME AND MY TEAM WILL, WILL BE HERE TO, TO TALK TO YOU AND, AND TO TALK TO YOU AND WORK WITH YOU ON IT.
NEXT, SANDRA EVANS, NIA COLBERT, JOSEPH ED HENLEY TO BE FOLLOWED BY A SIMS. THANK YOU MAYOR.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ONCE AGAIN.
UH, I'M HERE REPRESENTING OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, HE HAS DECLARED AN OIL EMBARGO IN THE LAND AND HE HAS MADE PROVISION FOR US THROUGH THIS OIL RESERVE LOCATED AT THE 3,300 BLOCK OF MONTROSE.
AND THAT THE OIL WILL BE USED FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.
HE SAID NO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
HE SAID, EXCEPT THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE, THY LABOR IN VAIN.
UM, UH, RECENTLY, UH, HE HAS MADE KNOWN TO ME, UH, THE WORD TITANIUM.
TITANIUM IS A NATURAL RESOURCE OF TWO MINERALS WHEN PROCESSED PRODUCES TITANIUM.
AND HE REQUESTS THAT AN OIL DISPENSING STATION BE ENGINEERED TO DISPENSE THE OIL.
HE WILL CAUSE THE OIL TO FLOW.
HE WILL CAUSE THE OIL TO FLOW.
HE SAID PRELIMINARY, PRELIMINARY, PREPARE BEFOREHAND, BEFORE THE OIL EMBARGO GOES INTO EFFECT.
AND THE, UH, HANDOUT, UH, THE PICTURE DEPICTS, UH, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF HOW HE, UH, REQUEST THE, UH, OIL DISPENSING STATION TO RESEMBLE.
AND THE MATERIAL, UH, TO BE USED IS TITANIUM.
TITANIUM IS A NATURAL RESOURCE.
THESE ARE SIGNS, SIGNS THAT IT IS OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SPEAKING AS SURE AS WE KNOW THAT THAT OIL RESERVE IS THERE.
IT IS OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SPEAKING.
JUST LIKE IN BIBLE DAYS, JUST LIKE IN BIBLE DAYS, JOSEPH, JOSEPH, KING, PHARAOH, EGYPT, ALL THEY HAD WAS THE WORD OF GOD.
JOSEPH INTERPRETATION OF THE KING'S DREAM.
AND TODAY WE HAVE THE OIL RESERVE, WHICH INDICATES THAT IT IS OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SPEAKING, YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
OBEY, BUT WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
TO BE FOLLOWED BY TRAVIS SMITH.
[00:45:22]
GOOD EVENING COUNCIL.HI MAYOR WITH MY, HOW ARE YOU TODAY, SIR? YOU DOING WELL? AWESOME.
WELL, I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT MY SON NATHAN EMMANUEL ALLEN.
AND I FIRST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE ESCORT YOU GAVE ME ON JULY THE 22ND, 2025 TO GO AND VISIT HIM.
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I SAW MY SON.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN CAN I PICK MY SON UP FROM BEING KIDNAPPED AND HOUSED IN THAT BURGLAR BAR HOUSE OVER THERE WHERE THE HPD OFFICERS ESCORTED ME TO.
I COURTED A WHOLE VIDEO IN MY PHONE.
I ALSO WANT TO KNOW WHEN CAN I SEE HIM.
I HAVE NOT SEEN MY SON SINCE JULY THE 22ND, 2025.
MIND YOU, THE LAST TIME I CAME WAS FEBRUARY THE THIRD, 2026.
AND I ASKED YOU THEN NO ONE, LET ME SEE MY SON.
SO I NEED TO KNOW FROM YOU, SIR, AS THE MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHEN CAN I SEE MY SON? IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANT TO, UH, LET YOU KNOW THIS WILL HELP YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
A SERMON TITLE BY BISHOP DARYL BRONNER WHEN POISONING BECOMES MEDICINE.
OKAY? AND HIS, HIS, HIS, HIS, HIS TOPIC WAS THE DEATH ANGEL MUST ALWAYS RESPECT THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.
SO I ADVISE YOU TO GO ON HIS SITE AT WORD OF FAITH, BISHOP DELL C BRUNER, AND LISTEN TO THAT SERMON.
IT WILL HELP YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, JUST LIKE Y'ALL COME IN, ALL THESE THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES HERE IN HOUSTON AND ASK FOR US TO VOTE FOR YOU.
I'M GOING TO SAY VOTE FOR ORLANDO SANCHEZ.
HE WAS MY CUSTOMER WHEN I WORKED AT CVS ON WEST GRAY.
HE WAS CITY COUNCILMAN WHEN HE, WHEN I WORKED AT CVS ON WEST GRAY.
SHE WAS MY CUSTOMER JUDGE HILLARY GREEN.
SHE WAS MY CUSTOMER AS WELL WHEN I WORKED AT CVS ON WEST GRAY.
BUT I WAS JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT HE IS THE MAN FOR THE JOB.
AND I WANNA KNOW WHEN CAN I VISIT MY SON AND WHEN CAN I PICK HIM UP AND BRING HIM HOME.
HE'S PROBABLY WONDERING WHERE MAMA IS.
I BURIED MY HUSBAND LAST YEAR, FEBRUARY THE 28TH, 2025.
NATHAN HAS A MOTHER AND A FATHER AND A BIG SISTER.
THERE IS NO REASON WHY HE SHOULD BE OVER THERE AT THAT HOUSE BEHIND BURGLAR BARS.
NOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M GONNA SAY IF THEM BURGLAR BARS WASN'T UP THERE, MY SON IS A FAST RUNNER.
HE WOULD'VE BEEN AN ESCAPED OUTTA THERE.
BUT BECAUSE THEY GOT HIM HOUSED IN THERE, I WOULD LIKE FOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN CAN I PICK MY SON UP AND BRING HIM HOME? 'CAUSE MAMA IS STILL ALIVE.
THAT IS MY CHILD I GAVE BIRTH TO.
I CARRIED NINE MONTHS IN, IN MY STOMACH.
SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHEN CAN I PICK MY SON UP AND WHEN CAN I SEE MY SON? I NEED TO SEE MY SON.
I HAVE NOT SEEN MY SON MARY WITH MY YOU OKAY? YOU A FATHER.
AND YOU HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL, LOVELY DAUGHTERS.
I KNOW YOU WOULDN'T WANT NONE OF THIS BE HAPPENING TO YOUR KIDS.
WE BACKCHECKING AND YOU TALK TO MS. WILLIAMS. YOU TALKED TO MS. WILLIAMS RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW WE, WE GOTTA SEE WHAT HIS SCHEDULE IS.
ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT BEEN DETAINED BY ICE, I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE NEWS.
I'M GONNA JUST SAY, YOU'RE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB HERE.
I LIKE YOU AS A MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
OKAY? SO LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
YOU RELEASED ALL OF THEM THAT WERE DETAINED IN ICE AND YOU GAVE THEM BACK TO THEIR PARENTS.
I'M A UNITED STATES CITIZEN OF AMERICA HERE, BORN HERE IN HOUSTON AND MY SON, WHY YOU CANNOT RELEASE MY SON FROM BEING KIDNAPPED.
YOU RELEASED ALL THOSE KIDS FROM ICE WHAT MAKE THE ICE KIDS SPECIAL AND THEY CAN GO BACK TO THEIR PARENTS AND MY SON.
AND WE ARE BORN HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
YOU CAN'T RELEASE HIM FROM THAT HOUSE OVER THERE.
AND REMEMBER I GOT THE VIDEO IN MY PHONE, OKAY? I RECORDED MY WHOLE ESCORT.
TALK TO MS. WILLIAMS AND WE'LL GET SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
WHEN CAN I HEAR BACK FROM YOU, SIR? WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO TALK TO MS. WILLIAMS
[00:50:01]
ABOUT.OKAY, I'M GONNA TALK TO MRS. WILLIAMS, OKAY? OKAY.
ORLANDO SANCHEZ FOR COUNTY JUDGE.
HE'S THE MAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER CANALES PAL.
IT HAS BEEN ALMOST THREE MONTHS SINCE ICE AGENT GREGORY FEATHERS KILLED LORENZO SALGADO ARAJO.
SINCE THERE THEN THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF SENSELESSLY VIOLENT ICE ARRESTS, INCLUDING IN SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN.
IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT THE CITY WOULD EVEN CONSIDER THIS SO-CALLED MODEL CITIES.
GRANT MAYOR WHITMEYER, YOU HAVE REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE THIS BRUTAL KILLING, CLAIMING THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE UNABLE TO DO SO DESPITE LEGAL SCHOLARS SAYING THAT YOU CAN.
UH, IT IS JUST UNCOMMON AND DIFFICULT TO DO THIS SINCE WHEN ARE TEXANS AFRAID OF HARD WORK, US SENT A CLEAR MESSAGE TO ICE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS IN OUR CITY.
SO I WILL ASK YOU ONE SIMPLE QUESTION THAT I HOPE YOU CAN ANSWER TO EVERYONE'S SATISFACTION IN THIS ROOM.
WHAT IS STOPPING THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN? CONTINUE.
I, I'VE ASKED YOU A QUESTION, PLEASE.
WHAT IS STOPPING THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN IN OUR CITY? YOU HAVE RESPONDED TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN AND YOU WON'T RESPOND TO THIS.
WHAT IS STOPPING ICE FROM KILLING ANOTHER HOUSTONIAN? I'M, I'M WAITING FOR AN ANSWER.
IT IS SHAMEFUL THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO MAKE COMMENT ON PEOPLE'S ACTIVISM FOR SO MANY OTHER ISSUES.
YOU WON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK UP ABOUT ICE SAYING THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACTIVISM.
THERE ARE PEOPLE OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE PROTESTING THIS.
WE'VE BEEN PROTESTING FOR A VERY LONG TIME SINCE BEFORE LORENZO WAS MURDERED.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR YOU TO DO YOUR JOBS TO PROTECT YOU? ESTONIANS, THANK YOU.
JENNIFER CANALES PAL TO BE FOLLOWED BY A GARCIA.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER CANALES PELA AND I'M A SENIOR POLICY ATTORNEY AND STRATEGIST WITH THE IMMIGRANT LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER, BUT I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT B AND I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY DEEP CONCERN AND OPPOSITION TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S ATTEMPT TO APPLY TO THE MODEL CITY'S GRANT INITIATIVE PROGRAM.
WHILE THE ITEM IS NOT CURRENTLY ON THE AGENDA, MY IMPRESSION BASED ON MAYOR'S REMARKS FROM LAST WEEK IS THAT IT WILL EVENTUALLY BE ON THE AGENDA ONCE AGAIN AS HE FEELS THERE WAS A MISREPRESENTATION IN THE MEDIA AND THAT THE INTENT OF THE GRANT IS FOR TO BRING HOUSING TO HOUSTON.
AND WHILE I CAN AGREE THAT BRINGING HOUSING AND FUNDING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS IMPORTANT, IT SHOULD NOT BE DONE WHILE SACRIFICING OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IT SHOULD ALSO NOT IGNORE THE HUNDREDS OF HOUSTONIANS WHO HAVE BEEN COMING TO CITY HALL SINCE BEFORE MR. RAJO WAS KILLED.
AND AFTER DEMANDING TO GET ISSET OF HOUSTON IN READING THE APPLICATION ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENT, THE FAQ, THE SLIDES, UH, OF THE WEBINAR ON, ON MCII AM LEFT WITH DEEP CONCERNS BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE IS CLEAR TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR MCI MONEY, THE MAYOR, SHERIFF, DA, AND OTHER CITY LEADERSHIP MUST CERTIFY THAT THEY WILL NOT PROTECT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
ADDITIONALLY, IN ORDER TO ADVANCE PUBLIC SAFETY APPLICATIONS MUST ENSURE THAT THEIR INITIATIVES ALIGNED WITH DOJ PRIORITIES, INCLUDING DIRECTLY SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS INCLUDING LAW, IMMIGRATION, LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS.
FURTHERMORE, DESPITE THE MAYOR'S REMARKS ON TUESDAY, UH, REGARDING, UH, HOUSTON HAVING A FINAL SAY, HOUSTON WILL NOT HAVE A FINAL SAY IN THESE INITIATIVES FUNDED UNDER MCI AS QUOTE, THE DOJ EXPECTS TO MAKE AWARDS UNDER THIS PROGRAM, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, WHICH ALLOWS THE DOJ TO HAVE SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT IN CARRYING OUT THE PROJECT.
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AREN'T THE ONLY ONES AT RISK.
BLACK POOR HOUSES COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ALSO GOING TO FACE CRIMINALIZATION UNDER THIS GRANT.
IT IS UNDENIABLE THAT OUR BLACK COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE FACED HEAVY LEVELS OF POLICING AND VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY FOR YEARS IN MODEL CITY WILL ONLY MAKE IT WORSE IS AS IT INVITES A NEW ERA OF POLICING BY EXPANDING POLICING INTO PUBLIC SPACES.
LAST WEEK, THE MAYOR CLAIMED THAT MODEL CITIES WILL HELP FUND INITIATIVES TO BETTER THE LIVES OF OUR UNHOUSED.
HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN DEEP CONCERN CONCERNS RAISED IN OTHER CITIES OVER THE CRIMINALIZATION REQUIRED UNDER MODEL CITIES THAT IS COUNTERED TO WHAT AIMS TO ADDRESS ROOT CAUSES OF HOUSELESSNESS.
HOUSTON SHOULD FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF OTHER CITIES LIKE NEW ORLEANS, CHARLOTTE, SAN BERNARDINO AND BILLINGS WHO HAS SAID NO AND THESE CITIES DID SO, AND THESE CITIES DID SO BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT MODEL CITIES WAS A TROJAN HORSE OF A GRANT PROGRAM.
SO NOT ALL MONEY IS GOOD MONEY.
SO WITH THIS IN MIND, I ASK YOU TO VOTE
[00:55:01]
NO WHENEVER MODEL CITIES COMES BACK ON THE AGENDA MODEL CITIES IS NOT THE ANSWER TO OUR FINANCIAL PROBLEMS AND WE MUST FIND ANOTHER WAY.AND I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS MORE IN DEPTH.
I HAVE ARTICLES THAT ALSO SUPPORT WHAT I HAVE JUST SAID, SO I'M HAPPY TO SET UP ANY MEETINGS WITH ANY OF Y'ALL.
NEXT ARACELI GARCIA TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING HOUSTON LEEDS COALITION.
VERY COOL TO HEAR ABOUT THE, UH, FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH.
IT'S ALSO LATINA HERITAGE MONTH, UM, UNTIL OCTOBER 15TH.
AND I CAN THINK OF SEVERAL THINGS.
LATINA PEOPLE, FILIPINOS, OTHER PACIFIC IS ISLANDER FOLKS.
WE HAVE A LARGE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY, WEST AFRICAN.
WE HAVE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL, DIVERSE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES, AND I CAN THINK OF SOMETHING WE ALL WOULDN'T BENEFIT FROM IN THIS GREAT CITY.
IS THAT, AND THAT IS ANY FURTHER COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
THAT'S WHY I'M URGING Y'ALL NOT TO APPLY FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S MODEL CITY GRANT INITIATIVE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A NICE CHUNK OF MONEY, BUT IT COMES AT THE COST OF PUTTING OUR UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY IN DANGER.
IT COMES AT THE COST OF CITY AUTONOMY OVER THE FUNDS THEMSELVES.
ARE Y'ALL READY TO BE HELD AT THE MERCY OF OUR LOVELY PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION? LAST WEEK, MAYOR WHITMEYER ON TUESDAY STATED DURING THE PUBLIC CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT THE MODEL CITIES GRANT DOES NOT FUND ICE ENFORCEMENT.
HE SAYS THAT THERE'S MISINFORMATION BEING SPREAD ABOUT THE MODEL CITIES.
I'D BE HAPPY TO EMAIL YOU THE LINK OR MY COLLEAGUE JEN, UM, TO THE DOJ PACKET ON ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS THAT SEVERAL COLLEAGUES HAVE DIRECTLY QUOTED TO YOU.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE A CITY THAT OPERATES UNDER THE STATE THAT FALLS UNDER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS IN CHARGE OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, BUT THERE'S NO NEED, NO REQUIREMENT TO OBEY IN ADVANCE.
THERE IS NO NEED FOR HPD OFFICERS TO TAKE 1, 2, 3 HOURS WAITING AROUND FOR ICE TO PICK SOMEONE UP THAT THEY STOPPED FOR A BROKEN TAILLIGHT.
THERE'S NO NEED FOR HPD TO BE UBERING FOR ICE AND DRIVING PEOPLE TO THEIR DETENTION AND DEPORTATION WITH THEY, THEY HAVE DONE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
BUT I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH ALL THAT.
APPLYING FOR THIS GRANT WILL NOT JUST BE OBEYING IN ADVANCE.
IT'D BE HANDING OVER THE KEYS TO THE CITY TO ICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND HOUSTON DOESN'T BELONG TO THEM.
I URGE YOU TO ASSURE US THAT THE CITY WON'T BE APPLYING FOR THIS GRANT.
DON'T EVEN PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, JUST LET US KNOW.
ALFRED ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ MAX, EMILIANO DIAZ.
HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M HAPPY TO JOIN YOU ON TODAY.
UM, IT IT REALLY IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO, TO KEEP COMING UP HERE AND, AND TALK ABOUT THIS MOSTLY BECAUSE I, I WISH IN MANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE WATCHED TRAGEDY HAPPEN IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT WAS THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, WHETHER IT WAS THE, UM, MANY KILLINGS THAT LED UP TO THE, THE, UH, GEORGE FLOYD UPRISINGS IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, THE CITY THAT WHERE THEY HAPPENED, PEOPLE TOOK THEM SERIOUSLY, RIGHT? IT WASN'T ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, UH, WHEN SOMEONE IS STILL, THEIR FAMILY SHOULD STILL BE GRIEVING.
THEIR SON HAS TO COME UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT AND SHOW UP, NOT JUST HERE, BUT AT HARRIS COUNTY TO CONTINUALLY AND TO, TO RONNIE WHO I KNOW IS IN THE STANDS.
UH, UH, UH, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR ACTIVISM AND, AND I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT AND THE MOVEMENT IS BETTER FOR IT.
BUT IT HURTS ME DEEPLY TO HAVE TO WATCH SOMEBODY WHO SHOULD BE GRIEVING, WHO SHOULD BE WITH THEIR FAMILY, TO HAVE TO COME UP HERE BECAUSE NOT ANYTHING THAT THE ACTIVISTS DID, RIGHT? WE DIDN'T ASK THE CITY TO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT.
THE MAYOR ASKED THE CITY TO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT BRINGING IUP TO HPD.
WE'RE NOT BRINGING IUP TO THE CITY COUNCIL, RIGHT? WE'RE HERE RESPONDING ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE INSTEAD OF TAKING ACTION, INSTEAD OF CHANGING ANY OF THE MATERIAL CONDITIONS THAT LED TO THE DEATH OF LORENZO IN OUR STREETS, THE CITY IS INSTEAD ASKING FOR MORE COLLABORATION WITH ICE.
THE CITY IS INSTEAD ASKING THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT IS GOING TO THE POLICING BODIES THAT HAVE ALLOWED THIS COLLABORATION TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
RIGHT? AND THE QUESTION THAT, THAT NO ONE CAN BE ANSWER, RIGHT? WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE LORENZO WAS KILLED? WHAT, WHAT HAS MATERIALLY IS DIFFERENT? HAS ANY POLICY CHANGED AT HPD LEVEL? HAS ANY POLICY CHANGED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT MAKES US THINK THAT ANY MORE COLLABORATION WON'T LEAD TO MORE PEOPLE DEAD IN OUR STREETS? THE ANSWER IS NO.
AND, AND THE REALITY IS THAT WE'RE SIGNING OVER OUR AUTONOMY AS A CITY, RIGHT? WE PAY THE, THE SALARY OF EVERY SINGLE POLICE OFFICER, OF EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER TAXPAYERS DO.
RIGHT? WE ARE NOT SIGNING UP FOR ICE IN OUR CITIES.
WE'RE NOT SIGNING UP FOR US TO GET HUMONGOUS GRANTS THAT MANDATE COOPERATION WITH ICE.
BUT YOU STILL CHOOSE TO DO IT.
AND I, AND I JUST WANT TO ADD NO, AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO THINK TO MYSELF WHY? BECAUSE I, HONESTLY, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER.
[01:00:03]
NORMA GONZALEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAY BUSTOS.MY NAME IS NORMA GONZALEZ AND I'M HERE WITH URI JUNTOS IN THE HOUSTON LEADS COALITION.
I'M ASKING YOU ONCE AGAIN, MY COUNCIL MEMBER, MARIO AND ALL OF CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE NO ON THE MODEL CITIES AND TO CONTINUE TO PUSH AGAINST COOPERATING WITH ICE.
WE KNOW THAT HOUSTON IS BEING OFFERED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BUT THAT MONEY IS A BRIBE TO HARM ALL OF US.
THAT MONEY COMES AT THE COST OF OUR SAFETY, OF OUR LIVELIHOOD.
AND WHAT HOUSTON IS BEING ASKED TO AGREE TO SHOULD ALARM EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS CITY.
THIS IS NOT SIMPLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HANDING HOUSTON A CHECK AND WALKING AWAY.
THERE ARE COOPERATED AGREEMENTS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN WHICH THE FEDERAL PRIORITIES ATTACHED TO THIS PROGRAM IS MORE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENTS, MORE COOPERATION WITH ICE.
WE HAVE BEEN ASKING YOU FOR MONTHS FOR THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
WE HAVE BEEN ASKING YOU TO STOP COOPERATING WITH ICE.
WE'VE ASKED YOU TO PROTECT INSTEAD, THE IMMIGRANT FAMILIES FROM AN AGENCY THAT HAS BEEN TERRORIZING OUR COMMUNITIES.
FAMILIES ARE BEING TORN APART, PEOPLE ARE BEING SHOT, FATHERS ARE BEING MURDERED.
AND NOW OUR HOME, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IS CONSIDERING VOLUNTARILY ENTERING INTO A FEDERAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT THAT COMES WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT CONDITIONS.
MAY I REMIND US ALL THAT WE DO NOT COOPERATE WITH TERRORISTS.
WE DO NOT TAKE THEIR MONEY AT THE EXPENSE OF MINE AND OUR NEIGHBOR'S SAFETY.
AND WE WILL NOT PRETEND THAT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WILL MAKE ANY OF THIS ACCEPTABLE.
IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE ALARMED.
MODEL CITIES PUSHES CITIES TOWARDS POLICING AND INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES TO HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE THAT IS NOT ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES, THAT IS BEING REACTIVE INSTEAD OF PROACTIVE AND CRIMINALIZING PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING.
PEOPLE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS CURRENTLY FAILING TO HELP.
HOUSTON NEEDS INVESTMENT DEFINITELY, BUT WE NEED HOUSING.
WE NEED TREATMENTS, UTILITY ASSISTANCE AND PROGRAMS THAT WILL KEEP OUR FAMILIES TOGETHER, MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER AND MAKE HOUSTON MORE AFFORDABLE TO LIVE IN.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT BE FOR SALE.
OUR FAMILIES AREN'T FOR SALE, OUR NEIGHBORS AREN'T FOR SALE, AND NONE OF OUR COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN OFFER YOU ALL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BUT IT CAN'T MAKE YOU TAKE THEM.
EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER SITTING UP HERE HAS A CHOICE.
AND IF THE TIME COMES, I HOPE YOU ALL REMEMBER TO VOTE NO TO MODEL CITIES.
NEXT, JAY BUSTOS TO BE FOLLOWED BY NORMA MATU.
YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSTONIAN, THE ACT OF DOING SOMETHING SELFISHLY FOR MONEY WITHOUT CONSIDERING PRINCIPLES OR DAMAGES TO OTHERS.
THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A SELLOUT WITHIN THE CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY.
THIS SEEMS TO WELL DESCRIBE THE SITUATION WE ARE IN AS WELL AS THE POSSIBLE FUTURE, UH, SITUATION.
THE MODEL INITIATIVE, UH, GRANT, REALLY, THIS REALLY SHOULD BE A NO BRAINER, BUT YOU REALLY WANNA SELL HOUSTON OUT FOR THIRD PARTY FUNDING FROM THE CURRENT DOJ FOR ONE MONEY.
NO MATTER WHAT YOU WANT TO USE THE FUNDING FOR, THERE ARE STRINGS TO IT.
AND THESE STRINGS ARE, WHICH ENTAILS YOU ARE SELLING HOUSTON, HOUSTON AND YOURSELF OUT FOR IT.
TWO, THE QUICKNESS TO THE HIGHLIGHT JUST FOR THE MONEY SOLELY, THAT IS NOT CONSIDERING THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND IT BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE AND CAN SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE BEHIND IT.
THREE, THE REQUIREMENTS TO THIS INITIATIVE WOULDN'T ENTAIL CONTINUOUS AND MORE DAMAGE TO THE COMMUNITIES IN THIS CITY.
DID YOU FORGET THE DAMAGES THAT ICE ABBOTT TRUMP AND ALL HIS CRONIES HAVE DONE TO THIS COMMUNITY, TO THE COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY? DID YOU ALREADY FORGET WHAT HE HAS DONE TO LORENZO? IT WOULD APPEAR THAT HAVE JUST LAID OUT THE CAMBRIDGE DEFINITION RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
YOU HAVE HAD PEOPLE COME MONTH AFTER MONTH TO REPEAT THIS TO YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE STILL NOT SEEN ANY ACTION TAKEN.
THOUGH WE WON'T, WILL WE? YOU WANT TO HIDE BEHIND ASSERTING YOUR FIFTH AMENDMENT PRIVILEGES TO AVOID SELF-INCRIMINATION.
[01:05:01]
DOWNPLAY THE SEVERITY OF THESE ISSUES THAT IS SLAPPING EVERY CITY IN THE FACE.THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DEMANDING FROM THE CITY AND FROM FOR HPD TO HAVE NO TIES WITH ICE.
BUT YOU WANT TO CONTINUE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, WITH THE DOJ ALL FOR WHAT? A GRANT.
YEAH, WE UNDERSTAND IT TAKES MONEY TO MAKE THINGS RUN IN THIS WORLD, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE THINGS WORTH MORE THAN MONEY.
LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP THE CITY, THE ONES THAT ARE WILLING TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.
BUT THERE ARE ALSO OTHER PATHWAYS TO GET FUNDING, IF YOU ACTUALLY PROBABLY DISCUSSED IT WITH THE CITIZENS, THE RESIDENTS WHO'VE BEEN COMING UP HERE TO TRY AND, YOU KNOW, LAY OUT OTHER PATHWAYS, OTHER OPTIONS FOR Y'ALL.
THE CITY'S WANTING TO MAKE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR TO ABBOTT, TRUMP AND ALL HIS FOLLOWERS AND, YOU KNOW, SO FORTH.
THE CITY DOES NOT STAND WITH HATE.
THIS, NOR DO WE STAND TO SUPPORT THOSE THAT, UH, FIND IT OKAY TO PUT PEOPLE IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS.
THE THE DEMANDS ARE SIMPLE AND NON-SAFETY.
TRAFFIC STOPS CUT, CUT TIES WITH FLOCK, AND NOW DON'T DO DEALINGS WITH THE DOJ.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S MORE, BUT LET'S SEE IF YOU START TO LISTEN TO THE PAIN THAT'S COMING FROM THE CITY.
ANISA ANISA REON TO BE FOLLOWED BY SUSANNA DURAN.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME TODAY.
UH, I'M NOT A NATIVE BORN HOUSTONIAN, BUT I'M A HOUSTONIAN NONETHELESS.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR YEARS AND IT'S ONE OF THE BEST CITIES THAT I'VE EVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO CALL HOME.
WHY IS THIS CITY SO GREAT? BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE? IT'S A MELTING POT.
IT'S A CITY OF IMMIGRANTS IN DIFFERENT CULTURES AND COMMUNITIES THAT COME TOGETHER AND THRIVE.
I'VE LIVED IN MANY PLACES AND CITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT I'VE NOT SEEN A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND BELONGING AND PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER LIKE I HAVE IN THIS CITY.
SADLY, ICE IS TRYING TO TEAR DOWN WHAT IS SO GREAT ABOUT OUR CITY, AND IT'S BEING ALLOWED.
I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL OF THESE SESSIONS IN THE AUDIENCE AND SOMETHING THAT I'VE OBSERVED OVER THESE SESSIONS.
YOU CLAIM TO DEMAND RESPECT FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT I'VE SEEN MANY OF YOU LOOK AT YOUR PHONE, ROLL YOUR EYES AND NOT DIRECTLY LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU, THE PEOPLE WHO YOU, WHO YOU REPRESENT, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO DON'T LOOK LIKE ME.
NO ONE IS BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR EXPERIENCES AND CONCERNS TO THEIR CITY OFFICIALS.
YOU'RE ASKING FOR CIVILITY, BUT CIVILITY IS NOT HAPPENING IN OUR CITY.
YES, THERE'S A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY IN ANSWERS.
IT'S BEEN ALMOST THREE MONTHS SINCE LORENZO SALGADO ORAL'S MURDER, AND WE JUST FOUND OUT WHO THE ICE AGENT WAS, BUT STILL NO ARREST.
THERE WAS ANOTHER ICE KILLING DAYS AFTER LORENZO'S MURDER IN MASSACHUSETTS.
AND LAST WEEK THERE WAS ANOTHER BRUTAL ICE KILLING IN AUSTIN IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, OR EXCUSE ME, SHOOTING AMONGST MANY OTHER INCIDENTS ACROSS THE US AND ACROSS TEXAS, AND STILL MINIMAL TO NO CHANGE.
THE ONLY REASON ANY CHANGE IS HAPPENING IS BECAUSE WE KEEP SHOWING UP.
WHY ARE THE CRIMINALS BEING PROTECTED? IT WAS KNOWN THE DAY OF WHO SHOT AND KILLED MR. RAJO THAT DAY.
IN ANY OTHER MURDER CASE, THE KILLER WOULD'VE BEEN ARRESTED AND SENT TO JAIL.
I GUARANTEE THAT WHATEVER IS PREVENTING YOU FROM DOING THE RIGHT THING, IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
IT MAY NOT DIRECTLY AFFECT YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WILL.
AND IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW, BY, BY THE TIME IT DIRECTLY AFFECTS ME, YOUR TIME
[01:10:01]
HAS EXPIRED, IT'LL BE TOO LATE.WE'RE LITERALLY WATCHING HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF, AND WE KNOW IT'S HAPPENING.
SO PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.
ARREST MR. O, WHO'S KILLER NOW.
SAY NO TO THE MODEL CITY'S GRANT AND ABOLISH ICE FOR OUR CITY.
NEXT, SUSAN, SUSAN SUSANNA DURAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY CAROLINA MARTINEZ.
I'M THE CAMPAIGNS MANAGER AT THE, UH, WORKERS' DEFENSE ACTION FUND.
UM, A MEMBERSHIP LED ORGANIZATION THAT FIGHTS ALONGSIDE LATIN IMMIGRANT WORKERS IN TEXAS.
WHO DO YOU WORK FOR? THE RACIST DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OR FOR US, $150 MILLION FOR THE MODEL CITY'S INITIATIVE COMMITS US PER THEIR TERMS IN CONDITIONS TO DJ COLLABORATION, TO IMMIGRATION INFORMATION ASSURANCES TO THE DOJ RUNNING AND PLANNING THE FUNDED PROGRAMS. REGARDLESS OF WHERE Y'ALL DECIDE TO ALLOCATE THEM, WE CANNOT DECLINE THAT PARTICIPATION.
IT'S IN THE GRANTS CONDITIONS.
AND LAST YEAR WHEN A RAILROAD TYCOON CRIED TO PRESIDENT TRUMP ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF UNION PACIFIC, HE OBEDIENTLY ORDERED A TASK FORCE COMPRISED OF THOUSANDS OF FEDERAL AGENTS TO DESCEND UPON AND OCCUPY MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
FOUR MEN HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED SINCE MAY.
TYREN JOHNSON, ALFONSO IVY, JONAH NEIL, AND DARREN GRAM.
THAT'S THE SAME RAILROAD COMPANY THAT'S SET TO MERGE WITH NORFOLK SOUTHERN HERE IN HOUSTON.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT MEGA MONOPOLY CRIES TO TRUMP HERE? HUH? THAT IS THE MODEL, THE ONE IN MEMPHIS.
THAT IS THE MODEL FOR THE MODEL CITIES INITIATIVE.
THE MAYOR HAS ALREADY SHOWN US THAT HE GONNA STAND UP TO GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ, BECAUSE THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS ALREADY COWERED BEFORE GOVERNOR ABBOTT FOR $115 MILLION EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN HE THREATENED IT OVER THE HPD ICE ORDINANCE THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS POLLARD, SALINA AND CAYMAN LED.
AND THOSE WERE THE ONLY THREE.
I DEFENDED IT AND DEFENDED US UNTIL THE VERY END.
SO WILL YOU ALSO DO THE SAME BECAUSE WHATEVER HAPPENED TO TEXAS TOUGH, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO COME AND TAKE IT.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO FIGHTING AGAINST FEDERAL OVERREACH? AND THAT WAS ALL FOR $115 MILLION.
WHAT ABOUT 150 MILLION? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REMAINS RENAMED OPERATION METRO SURGE IN MINNEAPOLIS TO OPERATION H DOWN SURGE? AND ONCE AGAIN, HE ORDERS THOUSANDS OF FEDERAL AGENTS TO REIGN TERROR, TORMENT, AND DEATH.
DON'T TURN OVER BODIES OF DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO FIX A BUDGET DEFICIT THAT Y'ALL PROVOKED CAR, CAROLINA MARTINEZ, TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAKE KUSHNER.
HI, MY NAME IS SCOTTO AND I'M A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT H COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT THIS BEFORE I CAME TO YOU PRIVATELY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS MATTERED.
I TOLD YOU WHAT I WAS HEARING FROM MY NEIGHBORS, WHAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WERE AFRAID OF, AND YOU SEEMINGLY LISTENED.
AND WHEN I WENT TO YOUR PUBLIC TOWN HALL EARLIER THIS YEAR, I STOOD IN FRONT OF CHIEF DIAZ AND RAISED THOSE SAME CONCERNS RIGHT AFTER THE MURDER OF RENEE NICOLE GOODE.
AND AT THAT TIME, BEFORE THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE REPORTED ON HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE, I WAS TOLD BY THE POLICE CHIEF HIMSELF THAT WHAT I WAS SAYING WAS A HOAX AND FAKE NEWS IN MY FACE, IN YOUR PUBLIC MEETING.
AND THEN THE ARTICLE CAME OUT, IT DOCUMENTED HP'S COLLABORATION WITH ICE AND CONFIRMED WHAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN SAYING IN A PRIVATE CONVERSATION.
AGAIN, YOU EXPRESSED CONCERN WITH HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE AFTER THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE REPORTING.
SO I LEFT THOSE CONVERSATIONS BELIEVING SOMETHING WOULD CHANGE.
[01:15:01]
COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE INTENDED TO LIMIT HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE.BUT WHEN GRE GREG GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT THREATENED HOUSTON'S PUBLIC FUNDING, THE HOUSTON COUNCIL CHANGED COURSE.
THE COUNCIL VOTED 13 TO FOUR TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, YOU FLIPPED.
THAT WAS THE MOMENT I REALIZED PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS DON'T DO ANYTHING.
THEY DON'T PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORS PROMISES DON'T PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY'S ACTIONS DO.
AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN ARE NOT ACTIONS.
FROM APRIL THROUGH JUNE, HPD REPORTED 103 ENCOUNTERS INVOLVING PEOPLE WITH CIVIL IMMIGRATION WARRANTS.
19 PEOPLE WERE TRANSFERRED TO ICE.
THE AVERAGE REPORTED DETENTION WAS 39 MINUTES.
THOSE AREN'T RUMORS, THOSE AREN'T FAKE NEWS.
THOSE ARE NUMBERS COMING DIRECTLY FROM HPD.
AND WHILE THIS IS ALL HAPPENING, PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE LIVING WITH CONSEQUENCES AND FEAR.
FAMILIES ARE AFRAID TO CALL THE POLICE.
AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE ORGANIZED VOLUNTEER PATROLS BECAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN WAITING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO RESPOND TO SAVE US.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO STAND HERE AND TELL YOU THAT YOU REPRESENT THIS DISTRICT.
YOU HAVE HEARD THESE CONCERNS.
SO I'M DONE MEASURING MY ELECTED OFFICIALS BY WHAT THEY TELL ME PRIVATELY.
I'M GOING TO MEASURE THEM BY WHAT THEY DO PUBLICLY.
AND WHAT BRING, AND THIS BRINGS ME TO THE MODEL CITY INITIATIVE.
IF THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY MEANT SOMETHING, IF YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT HPDS COLLABORATION WITH ICE WERE MORE THAN JUST WORDS, THEN SHOW YOUR COMMUNITY WHERE YOU STAND.
VOTE NO ON THE MODEL CITY INITIATIVE.
DON'T TELL US YOU'RE PROTECTING US.
SHOW US BECAUSE MY NEIGHBORS AND I ARE ALREADY PROTECTING EACH OTHER.
WE'RE WATCHING OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER.
WE'RE DOCUMENTING WHAT WE SEE.
WE'RE SHOWING UP WHEN OUR NEIGHBORS NEED HELP.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, SHOW US YOU'RE WITH US.
VOTE NO ON THE MODEL CITY INITIATIVE.
NEXT, JAKE, JAKE KUSHNER TO BE FOLLOWED BY JACOB CLEMENT, THE TWO JAKES.
UM, MY NAME IS JAKE CHRISTNER.
I'M A RETIRED PHYSICIAN SCIENTIST.
I SPOKE HERE ONE MONTH AGO ABOUT FLOCK CAMERA SEARCHES PERFORMED BY HPD.
AND I BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT A, THAT THERE WERE 1.9 MILLION SEARCHES CARRIED OUT BY HPD ON THE NATIONAL FLOCK NETWORK.
I HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT'S BEING DISTRIBUTED TO YOU NOW.
AT THE TIME, I HAD SOME WEAK EVIDENCE THAT THERE WERE SOME IMMIGRATION RELATED INQUIRIES IN THESE FLOCK SEARCHES.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS ASKED ME, DID I HAVE ANY DIRECT EVIDENCE OF COLLABORATION IN BETWEEN HPD AND POTENTIALLY FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SUCH AS ICE AROUND THESE IMMIGRATION SEARCHES.
AT THE TIME, ALL I HAD WAS SOME VERY WEAK EVIDENCE.
I COULDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
SO ON PAGE TWO OF THE HANDOUT DESCRIBES THE RESULTS OF MY SEARCH, AND IT DESCRIBES 108 SEARCHES ON THE FLOCK NETWORK THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DOCUMENT.
AND THERE IN TWO DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES.
ONE IS IN WEBER COUNTY, UTAH, AND ANOTHER IS IN THE DEKALB COUNTY OF GEORGIA.
THE 108 SEARCHES WERE CARRIED OUT IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, STARTING ON JANUARY 23RD, 2025, AND EXTENDING THROUGH EARLY MARCH.
WE KNOW THAT EACH OF THESE SEARCHES INVOLVED 3,700 NETWORKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT UTAH OR GEORGIA.
IT'S NATIONAL NETWORKS CARRIED OUT BY HPD WITH THE EXPLICIT JUSTIFICATION FOR THOSE SEARCHES AS IMMIGRATION.
THESE ARE ALL IN THE APPENDIX FOR THE REPORT I'M PROVIDING TO YOU.
WHY WERE THESE SEARCHES PERFORMED? WE HAVE NO IDEA THAT THAT CLEARLY OUR, OUR CITY IS NOT INVOLVED IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
MAYOR WHITMEYER HAS STATED THAT QUITE CLEARLY.
HE'S, HE SAID, WE DON'T COLLABORATE WITH ICE, WE DON'T INTERACT WITH ICE.
AND HE ALSO HAS SAID, WE DON'T ENFORCE IMMIGRATION.
AND YET THESE SEARCHES WERE CARRIED OUT IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
SO OBVIOUSLY THE, THE BIG QUESTION IS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT? A MONTH AGO, I ASKED FOR AN INTERNAL, UH, FOR, FOR, FOR A CLEAR OBJECTIVE INDEPENDENT REVIEW.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED THE VERY NEXT MORNING WAS HPD ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE AN INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION OF ANY POTENTIAL, UM, UM, ADVERSE BEHAVIOR BY INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS.
NO INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION WILL NEVER KNOW WHY THESE SEARCHES HAPPEN.
WHY DO I CARE ABOUT 108 SEARCHES? IT'S NOT ABOUT THOSE 108 SEARCHES.
OF COURSE, THEY ONLY HAPPENED FOR A FEW WEEKS.
WHAT WE REALLY WANNA KNOW IS WERE
[01:20:01]
THESE TEST SEARCHES BEING CARRIED OUT ON BEHALF OF ICE OR FEDERAL AUTHORITIES? AND DID THEY CONTINUE IN THE MONTHS SINCE? I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE 1.9 MILLION SEARCHES CARRIED UP AID BY HPD, AND MORE THAN HALF OF THEM HAVE NO ATTRIBUTED CAUSE.THAT'S WHY AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN WHEN I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT MY TIME IN AUSTIN, BEL AIR AND WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY PLACE, AND I CAN BE QUITE FRANK THAT I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT HARRIS COUNTY AND HOUSTON TO THOSE CITIES.
NOW I'M GONNA SPEAK DIRECTLY TO SALLY ALCO AND COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
BECAUSE OCTOBER IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH FOR HIS HOLINESS LIA, THE 14TH AS DESIGNATED OCTOBER, 2026 AS THE TIME FOR ALL CATHOLICS TO JOIN HIM IN PRAYER FOR HIS MONTHLY INTENTION THAT MENTAL HEALTH MINISTRY BE ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH, HELPING TO OVERCOME THE STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION OF THE, OF PERSON'S WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
AND SO YOU AGGIE JOKE, HURRY UP JACOB.
YOU WANT AN AGGIE JOKES? OKAY.
AND DO YOU KNOW WHY THE AGGIE DECIDED TO GO INTO MON AFTER GRADUATING FROM A AND M? WELL, HE HAD AN, UH, A LIMB PROBLEM THAT IS IRON DEFICIENCY DEFICIENCY.
AND SO HE WANTED TO MON IRON ORE.
RUTHIE NADAL, CESAR ESPINOSA, CHRISTINE VO.
I'M HERE TO DEMAND THAT YOU TERMINATE THE FLOCK CONTRACT AND NEVER REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM.
SURVEILLANCE IN AMERICA WAS NEVER DESIGNED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY OR JUSTICE.
IT WAS BUILT TO CONTROL BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.
STARTING IN 1712, THE LANTERN LAWS REQUIRED BLACK PEOPLE TO CARRY LANTERNS AT NIGHT UNLESS ESCORTED BY A WHITE PERSON.
THE OVER SURVEILLANCE OF BLACK AMERICANS IS NOT A POLICY FAILURE.
BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE FOUR TIMES AS MANY FLOCK CAMERAS AS WHITE ONES.
LOOK AT THE MAP THAT'S BEING SHARED WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.
ONE SQUARE MILE OF RIVER OAKS HAS ZERO FLOCK CAMERAS.
ONE SQUARE MILE OF THIRD WARD HAS 11.
THE SIX BLACK COUNCIL MEMBERS, JACKSON, EVAN SHABAZZ, THOMAS POLLARD, CASTEX, AND DAVIS, YOU ARE COMPLICIT IN THE OVER POLICING OF BLACK HOUSTONIANS.
BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT MONITORED MORE THAN OTHERS BY ACCIDENT.
YOU CHOSE TO END THOSE FLOCK CAMERAS AT THEM TIME HAS EXPIRED.
ARE YOU ON THE SIDE OF YOUR BLACK BROTHERS AND SISTERS OR ARE YOU AGAINST THEM? US ASSUMES BLACK GUILT FIRST AND BLACK PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO PROVE THEIR INNOCENCE JUST TO EXIST IN PUBLIC.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE THIS? THANK YOU.
WOULD ANY OF THE SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS I MENTIONED RESPOND TO MY QUESTION? THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN POLLARD IN THE QUEUE.
FIRST, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY ON THIS ISSUE.
I THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT WE DISCUSSED AS A CITY.
UM, THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHEN I WAS A STRONG PROPONENT OF FLOCK.
I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST COUNCIL MEMBERS TO IMPLEMENT THEM IN MY DISTRICT.
UM, OVER TIME I HAVE BEEN, UM, DISAPPOINTED IN SOME OF THE RESPONSE THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM FLOCK WHEN IT COMES TO WHERE THE DATA IS GOING, HOW THE DATA IS CAPTURED, WHAT ALL IS CAPTURED, WHAT IS IT USED FOR, HOW IS IT USED, X, Y, Z.
[01:25:01]
ONE OF THE FIRST COUNCIL MEMBERS TO START TO TAKE DOWN THOSE FLOCK CAMERAS.UM, AND I'M DOING THAT BASED ON NOT ONLY THE DISAPPOINTMENT FROM FLOCK, BUT ALSO FROM MY CONSTITUENTS, WHICH I REPRESENT.
AND THEY HAVE STARTED TO EXPRESS CONCERN REGARDING THESE CAMERAS AS WELL.
UM, YOU WILL SEE IN MY RECORD THAT I DID SUPPORT THOSE AT ONE TIME.
AND, UM, I DO THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO THESE CAMERAS AND ALL TECHNOLOGY.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE A CITY THAT PROMOTES TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, BUT WE SHOULD NOT DO IT AT THE EXPENSE OF RESIDENTS NOT FEELING SAFE AND RESIDENTS HAVING CONCERNS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING FORWARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT WE NEED TECHNOLOGY, BUT TECHNOLOGY MUST NOT COME AT THE COST OF DISPARATE IMPACT ON MINORITY COMMUNITIES LIKE BLACK, BROWN, ASIAN, HISPANIC, AND IMMIGRANT AND LATINO COMMUNITIES IN HOUSTON AND HOUSTONIANS, UH, DESERVE BETTER.
WE DO NOT WANT, UH, MINORITY COMMUNITIES TO BE SUBJECTED TO OVER-POLICING AND OVER SURVEILLANCE.
COUNCILMAN JACKSON? THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOUR ADVOCACY AND COMING IN AND BRINGING UP YOUR CONCERNS REGARDING FLOCK.
UM, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE, I DID SUPPORT FLOCK BECAUSE MY CONSTITUENTS, THEY ASKED FOR IT, UM, BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT IT WAS GONNA MAKE THEM SAFER, UM, BECAUSE OF THE CRIME.
AND SO OF COURSE, JUST LIKE MY COLLEAGUE, UM, FLOCK WAS NOT PROVIDING US WITH THE INFORMATION WHERE THE DATA WAS GOING.
AND SO I PULLED MY SUPPORT FOR FLOCK PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK WE DO NEED, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY TO, UM, MONITOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DATA IS GOING, THEN IT'S NOT THAT I WOULDN'T SUPPORT ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO FOR THE RECORD, UM, I DID SUPPORT IT, BUT NO LONGER SUPPORT IT.
I HOPE WHEN IT COMES UP FOR VOTE AGAIN NEXT SUMMER, YOU'LL VOTE AGAINST, UH, THE THE FLOCK CONTRACT BEING RENEWED.
[8:00 P.M. – RECESS]
STAND, WE STAND RECESS TO NINE O'CLOCK.[READING OF THE CONSENT AGENDA]
TODAY'S AGENDA.ITEM ONE, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OR REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE HOUSTON COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
ITEM TWO, REQUEST FROM MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE REAPPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE HOUSTON ZOO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
ITEM THREE, REQUEST FOR MAYOR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS AS MUNICIPAL COURT ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE 2026 MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN AND AUTHORIZED PUBLICATION OF THE 2026 MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN IN MAP FORM.
ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DEPOSIT IN TO THE, TO DEPOSIT THE AMOUNT OF THE AWARD OF SPECIAL COMMISSIONERS INTO THE REGISTRY OF THE COURT TO PAY ALL COSTS OF COURT IN CONNECTION WITH IMMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS STYLE, CITY OF HOUSTON VERSUS 9 0 8 WEST MEDICAL LLC.
ITEM SIX, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DECLINING THE ACCEPTANCE OF REJECTING AND REFUSING THE DEDICATION OF PLUS MINUS 6,647 SQUARE FEET OF NORTH BOROUGH DRIVE, PLUS MINUS 23,585 SQUARE FEET OF PAGE PAST COURT PLUS MINUS 11,197 SQUARE FEET OF ROCK STEADY WAY PLUS MINUS 40,694 SQUARE FEET OF RICHARDS GROVE WAY PLUS MINUS 14,035 SQUARE FEET OF HARIN BASIN DRIVE PLUS MINUS 54,138 SQUARE FEET OF JUNE ORCHID WAY PLUS MINUS 14,352 SQUARE FEET OF ILLINOIS VILLA DRIVE AND 14,100 SQUARE 131 SQUARE FEET OF SAMUEL GREEN DRIVE, ALL LOCATED IN THE VILLA GREEN SUBDIVISION.
ITEM SEVEN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $6,878,752 86 CENTS TO CONTRACT WITH MGT IMPACT SOLUTIONS.
LLC ITEM EIGHT APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF WIFI EXPANSION SERVICES AWARDED TO MGT IMPACT SOLUTIONS.
THIS ITEM SHALL ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER THE PASSAGE OF ITEM SEVEN.
ITEM NINE, TEXAN WASTE EQUIPMENT, INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS HOW OF TEXAS FOR PURCHASE OF GENUINE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER.
HOW REPLACEMENT PARTS ITEM 10 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF SCREW CONVEYOR AWARDED TO CB THREE CONSULTANTS.
[01:30:01]
LLC ITEM 11, APPROVED SPINNING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF PLUMBING SUPPLIES AND RELATED MATERIALS AWARDED TO CITY SUPPLY COMPANY INC.ITEM 12, AMEND MOTION 2026 DASH 3 98 TO INCREASE SPINNING AUTHORITY AWARDED TO COBB FINDLAY AND ASSOCIATES, INC.
ITEM 13, LIONS FIRST RESPONDER.
FOR PURCHASE OF SOCK STYLE FIREFIGHTING HOODS.
ITEM 14, APPROVED SPINNING AUTHORITY FOR SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF ANALYZERS AWARDED TO M FOUR NICK, LLC.
ITEM 15 MOBILE TRUCKS, LLC FOR REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OF BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEMS. ITEM 16 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF RETURN ACTIVATED SLUDGE PUMP MOTORS AWARDED TO SMITH PUMP COMPANY, INC.
ITEM 17 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF ANNUAL ASSET MANAGEMENT AND OPTIMIZATION LICENSE SERVICE AWARDED TO SPECIFIC ENERGY INC.
ITEM 18 APPROVED SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF FLOW METERS AND VALVES AWARDED TO VECTOR CONTROLS LLC ITEM 19 RESCIND MOTION 2026 DASH 4 63 AND APPROVED.
SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR EMERGENCY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL REMOVAL SERVICES AWARDED TO HAZMAT SPECIAL SERVICES LLC ITEM 20 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING SEVENTH AMENDMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
ITEM 21 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING CITY OF HOUSTON ELECTION PRECINCTS AND DESIGNATING POLLING PLACES FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON CHARTER AMENDMENT ELECTION TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2026.
ITEM 22 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1 MILLION FOR 27 0 7 DALTON ELEVATOR MODERNIZATION.
ITEM 23, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH VALUED RELATIONSHIPS INC.
ITEM 24, ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH MED SCRIPTS GROUP CORPORATION, DOING BUSINESS AS MED SCRIPTS PHARMACY CORPORATION.
ITEM 25, ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH INTERFAITH CARE PARTNERS INC.
ITEM 26, ORDINANCE APPRO APPRO AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH CHARTWELL COMMUNITY SERVICES, INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS ELARA CARING HOUSEHOLD AND HOME CARE INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS SYNERGY HOME CARE OF KATY HOUSTON, HOME CARE LLC, DOING BUSINESS AS HOME INSTEAD.
DOING BUSINESS AS SYNERGY HOME CARE OF CONROE, SLJ VENTURES, LLC, DOING BUSINESS AS SYNERGY HOME CARE, NORTHEAST HOUSTON AND SPACE CITY.
SPACE CITY SENIOR CARE LLLC, DOING BUSINESS AS HOME INSTEAD FOR IN-HOME RESPITE CARE SERVICES.
ITEM 27, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH PER FOODS LLC, DOING BUSINESS AS MOM'S MEALS.
ITEM 28, ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH ALWAYS IN SEASON DECORATING SERVICES INC.
ITEM 29 ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACTS WITH DELL MARKETING, LP HP INC.
AND SUMMERS IN INDUSTRIES, INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS SUMMERS TECHNOLOGIES.
ITEM 30 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 10.026 ACRES OF LANTER BRIDGESTONE MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT.
ITEM 31 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 43.7711 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 4 1 0 ITEM 32.
ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 13.236 ACRES OF LAND TO HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 96 ITEM 33, ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 31.91 ACRES OF LAND TO NORTHWEST PARK MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT.
ITEM 34 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 11.3102 ACRES OF LAND TO SUNBELT FRESH WATER SUPPLY DISTRICT.
ITEM 35 ORDINANCE CONSENTING TO THE ADDITION OF 2.559 ACRES OF LAND TO TIMBER LANE UTILITY DISTRICT.
ITEM 36 ORDINANCE APPRO AND AUTHORIZING WATER SUPPLY SUPPLEMENT WITH SEQUOIA IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
ITEM 37 ORDINANCE FINDING AND DETERMINING PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY FOR ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY.
INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT KNOWN AS IMD BIKE WAVES FROM DAIRY ASHFORD ROAD TO ARTHUR STORY PARK PROJECT ITEM 38, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $783,617 52 CENTS APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH METRO CITY LLC.
ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,050,000 APPROVING AN AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH HDR ENGINEERING INC.
ITEM 40 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $5,027,273 18 CENTS AND $4,624,553 78 CENTS APPROVING AN CENT APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING CONTRACT WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ALLIES INC.
ITEM 41 ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $15,936,287 60 CENTS APPROVED AND AUTHORIZING A CONTRACT WITH VNS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LLC
[01:35:02]
ITEM 42.ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $4,520,000 AS AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION RELATED TO CONTRACT WITH VORTEX SERVICES.
LLC ITEM 43 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF THE HOUSTON HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AND WAS ITEM 13 ON THE AGENDA OF SEPTEMBER 23RD.
ITEM 44, ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $400,000.
HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY'S ADMINISTRATION OF ADULT LITERACY SERVICES FOR FY 27.
AND THIS ITEM WAS TAGGED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND WAS ITEM 15 ON THE AGENDA OF SEPTEMBER 23RD.
THIS COMPLETES THE READING OF THE CAPTIONS FOR TODAY'S AGENDA.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL SESSION TO BEGIN AT 9:00 AM THANK YOU COUNCIL, PLEASE
[RECONVENE]
COME TO ORDER.[CONSENT AGENDA – NUMBERS 1 through 42]
TAKE UP OUR APPOINTMENTS IN ITEM NUMBER ONE, COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES? ITEM ONE NEEDS A MOTION.SECOND MOTION BEEN MADE AND SECONDED TO APPOINT KAITLYN CONNOR ILLA WONDERLICH.
AND BEFORE I CALL A VOTE, IF THEY'RE PRESENT, WE'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.
AND, UH, WE, WE, WE, WE HONOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON DISABILITY LED BY ANGEL PON.
ANGEL, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO BE A TRAILBLAZER WITH THOSE, FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND, UH, WE'VE COME A LONG WAYS, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AS WE ALL ACKNOWLEDGE.
THANK YOU TO THESE PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT ARE WITH US TODAY.
NEXT, AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR MUNICIPAL COURTS.
MR. SECRETARY, WOULD YOU, UH, TAKE APPOINTMENTS? UH, NUMBER THREE, UH, MUNICIPAL COURTS.
SECOND COUNCILOR SALINAS IS IN THE QUEUE.
UM, THIS, THIS MAY NOT BE OUR NORMAL PROCEDURE, BUT I, I KNOW SOME OF THE FOLKS ON DISABILITY COMMITTEE, THEY ARE SO EXCITED TO BE REAPPOINTED.
UM, AND WOULD LOVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A QUICK PHOTO WITH YOU, SIR.
UM, IF YOU WOULD GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
I WOULD LOVE TO, UH, LET ME GET, LEMME GO AHEAD.
SO OUR OTHER GUEST CAN, UH, YEAH.
GET NOMINATED AND VOTED ON, THEN WE'LL TAKE PICTURES.
MAYBE TAKE PICTURES WITH OUR NEW JUDGES.
UH, BEFORE AS MEMBERS, RUTH MENDEZ, CHAD PEACE, AND JERRY BOONE, THREE OUTSTANDING ATTORNEYS THAT ARE WILLING TO BE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
OUR PRESIDING JUDGE CONTINUES TO SHOW SUCH STRONG LEADERSHIP AT THE COURTS, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING YOU A BETTER BUILDING, WHICH HAS HAD BOARDED UP COURTS SINCE HARVEY.
ONE OF THE REASONS I RAN FOR OFFICE TO FIX
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES.
WHY DON'T WE ASK OUR JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS, PLEASE STAND.
UH, ALSO JUDGE SANTOS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, ATTORNEY MENDEZ, PEACE AND ATTORNEY BOONE.
UH, PUBLIC SERVICE IS NOT LIMITED TO ELECTED SERVICE, IT'S ALSO APPOINTED SERVICE.
UM, ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, ASHLEY OUT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
UM, IT IS A VERY RIGOROUS PROCESS TO BE APPOINTED, NOT TO JUST SEE ANY REGULAR CITY BOARD OF COMMISSION, BUT TO AN ASSOCIATE JUDGE OR A JUDGE POSITION, UM, IN OUR MUNICIPAL COURTS.
[01:40:01]
IT'S A CRITICAL ASSET IN VAIN IN OUR CITY.SO I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE, UM, AND WHAT YOU'RE BEING ABLE TO DO.
UH, JUDGE SANTOS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN, UM, NAVIGATING THE CANDIDATES THROUGH THE PROCESS SO THEY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THEIR OBLIGATION IS, UM, SO THEY CAN MEET THE BIG VISION THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT, UM, FOR YOUR ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
SO, UM, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
LET'S, UH, LET'S PAUSE FOR A MOMENT FOR, UH, PHOTOS IF Y'ALL FAMILY OF RUTH MENDEZ TO STAND TO RECOGNIZE YOUR FAMILY.
THAT'S HERE AND FRIENDS, THE FAMILY OF CHAD, PEACE AND THE FA FAMILY OF JERRY BOONE IV.
THANK YOU FAMILIES FOR BEING HERE.
MR. SECRETARY, LET'S MOVE TO THE AGENDA, UH, UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY.
ITEM FOUR HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR, FOR, FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM TWO P, MOVE MARTINEZ.
NEXT, UNDER THE PROPERTY CATEGORY, NEED A MOTION FOR ITEMS FIVE AND SIX? HECK MOVE.
MOTION PASSES UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY ITEM SEVEN HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
IT IS AN ORDINANCE, JUST ME TO VOTE.
ITEMS 12, 15, AND 19 UNDER THE PURCHASING AND TABULATION OF BIDS CATEGORY HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
I'M SORRY, THAT WAS INCORRECT.
NEED A MOTION? THAT FINE? EIGHT.
MOTION MADE AND SECONDED ON THOSE ITEMS. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YES.
UNDER THE ORDINANCES CATEGORIES, SINCE YOUR LIST HAVE BEEN, HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED, ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ARE 20, 23, 24, 28, 37, 38 AND 40.
AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 20, 23, 24, 28, 37, 38 AND 40.
NEED A VOTE ON THE BALANCE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
NAME, MOTION PASSES, ITEMS REMOVED
[CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.ITEM FOUR NEEDS A MOTION MOVE OR SECOND.
ALL FAVOR SAY MOTION MAIDEN AND SEGMENT.
UH, I JUST WANNA GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY.
THEIR WORK PRESERVING NATIVE WETLANDS IS CRITICAL IN THIS REGION, AND THIS IS AN AMENDMENT THAT WILL HELP FOR THEM TO PROTECT THAT LAND LONG TERM.
I ALSO WANNA GIVE A, A PERSONAL SHOUT OUT TO MARYANNE PIETE, THE PRESIDENT, CVO, CEO OF COASTAL PRE CONSERVANCY.
SHE REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE PERSONALLY AND WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT, SO KUDOS TO THEM.
I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THIS ITEM, UH, SUPPORTING THIS ITEM.
FOR SOME OF Y'ALL THAT ARE AWARE AT NAVIGATION, UNDERPASS COMING INTO DOWNTOWN, IT, IT'S A CONSTANT FLOODING, UH, THAT HAPPENS.
AND SO THIS IS, UH, AN INCREASE TO, UH, ALREADY IN PLACE, UH, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EAST WESTS CONNECTIVITY.
THIS ASSISTS US WITH MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL, UH, OR A CONTINUOUS ROUTE INTO DOWNTOWN AND EXITING DOWNTOWN.
SO JUST WANT TO RAISE THAT, UH, THAT FLAG UP TO YOU ALL AND THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL SUPPORT.
NEXT ITEM 15 NEEDS A MOTION PACK.
[01:45:02]
ITEM 20 IS AN ORDINANCE.COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, AFTER, UH, ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES.
TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE COLLEAGUES.
WE JUST APPROVED A REALLOCATION OF $600,000 THAT WILL GO DIRECTLY TO A, UM, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, UM, PROGRAM TO THOSE THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE, UM, UP TO $125,000.
AND SO, UH, GREAT JOB THAT Y'ALL ARE CONTINUING THIS WORK.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY YES TO OPPOSED NAY.
JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS ONE AGAIN.
UH, I HAD ALL KINDS OF RESIDENTS REACH OUT ABOUT THESE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON WALL DRY AND ON WALL DRIVE, AND WE WERE REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I CAMPAIGNED ON WAS SAFER STREETS AND THIS PROJECT PROJECT ADDS MUCH NEEDED SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS TO WALL DRIVE AND SOUTH HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
SO REALLY EXCITED TO FOLLOW THE MONITOR TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW AND MONITOR THIS PROJECT AND SEE IT COME TO COMPLETION.
I JUST WANNA, UH, ALSO JUST, UH, HIGHLIGHT THIS, THIS ITEM.
THIS IS PART OF A, A LARGER DRAINAGE PROJECT THAT STARTED A FEW YEARS BACK, SO SOUTH OF HARRISBURG.
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR, FAMILIAR WITH MAGNOLIA PARK, WE'VE ADDRESSED DRAINAGE, UM, IN TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
THIS IS, UH, PROJECT, UM, TWO A AND THIS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT TWO.
UH, I WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED $15 MILLION TOWARDS THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS THE SEWER, UH, SANITARY LINE THAT ULTIMATELY WILL ADDRESS ALSO DRAINAGE.
WE ARE HAVING A, UM, A GROUNDBREAKING ON NOVEMBER 2ND, UH, MAYOR, AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE AS WELL.
UH, I WANT TO THANK THE DIRECTOR FOR WORKING CLOSELY WITH COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S OFFICE, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THIS PROJECT IS TIMELY.
UM, AGAIN, ADDRESSING DRAINAGE IN MAGNOLIA PARK HAS BEEN A PRIORITY, UH, SINCE TAKING OFFICE.
AND SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS ITEM PASSED.
[MATTERS HELD]
ITEM 43 IS AN, IS AN RESOLUTION.THIS COMPLETES THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA VERY WELL.
[ADMINISTRATION REPORT ]
TIME, UH, I'LL MOVE TO THE MAYOR'S REPORT AND RECOGNIZE FORMER CONTROLLERS.HELLO MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH DIRECTLY.
I HOLD A FINANCE DEGREE FROM TCU AN MBA IN FINANCE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
I SERVED AS DEPUTY CONTROLLER FOR SIX YEARS AND THEN WAS ELECTED CONTROLLER FOR TWO TERMS EIGHT YEARS BEFORE JOINING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AS A SENIOR ADVISOR FOR FINANCIAL INTEGRITY IN JANUARY, 2024.
OVER MY 30 YEARS IN FINANCE, IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ROLES, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF LEADING CHANGES THAT MADE MEASURABLE DIFFERENCE FOR THIS CITY.
THE 2017 PENSION REFORM, SOMETHING I WORKED ON PERSONALLY FOR 15 YEARS, WHICH ADDRESSED AN ESTIMATED $8.2 BILLION UNFUNDED LIABILITY.
[01:50:01]
THAT TODAY NOW STANDS AT $1.7 BILLION.I ALSO CHAMPIONED THE OPEP REFORM, SAVING THE CITY CLOSE TO $1 BILLION.
I BELIEVE THERE'LL BE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT TODAY.
AND THE CHECKBOOK OPEN FINANCE TRANSPARENCY INITIATIVE, WHICH PUT ALL OF THE CITY EXPENDITURES ONLINE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME I SPENT MY CAREER WORKING TOWARDS A STRUCTURALLY BALANCED BUDGET FOR HOUSTON.
AND THAT WORK CONTINUES TODAY.
WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE, ONE OF MY FIRST ACTION ITEMS WAS BLOCKING THE MICKEY LELAND INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
SOME OF YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT I HELD MY GROUND.
THE PROJECT WAS ULTIMATELY SENT BACK TO HAS AND RETOOLED WHEN IT RETURNED TO COUNCIL.
THE PRICE HAD DROPPED FROM 1.7 BILLION TO 1.2 BILLION, NETTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAX SAVINGS FOR TAXPAYERS.
I ALSO BLOCKED AN $8 MILLION TAX INCREASE ON PROPERTY OWNERS WHOSE HOMES HAD JUST FLOODED DURING HURRICANE HARVEY.
THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WATCHDOG FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
SO I'D LIKE TO SHARE TWO THINGS WITH THE COUNCIL TODAY AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME, UH, SOMETHING TO SHARE.
SO FIRST, UH, THIS IS A CERTIFICATE PRESENTED TO ME ON APRIL 16TH, 2025, SIGNED BY THE CONTROLLER, HOLLINS HIMSELF, RECOGNIZING MY TENURE AS CONTROLLER FOR, IN HIS WORDS, TRAILBLAZING LEADERSHIP THAT CREATED A MODEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HE HUNG MY PORTRAIT IN THE ROTUNDA AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
THE SECOND IS A LETTER FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR FOLLOWING THE HOUSTON INVESTOR CONFERENCE.
AGAIN, SIGNED BY CONTROLLER HOLLANDS, ALONG WITH CITY TREASURER OF VERNON LEWIS.
THANKING ME FOR MY PARTICIPATION LEADING THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PUBLIC CREDIT PANEL AS MODERATOR.
NOW, I DID THIS FOR MANY YEARS.
THAT'S THE PANEL THAT EVERYONE WAITS AROUND TO WATCH BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, ALL THE CITY CREDITS AND TELLING ME THAT MY PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERIENCE ADDED REAL VALUE TO THE CONVERSATION.
I SHARE THESE NOT TO EMBARRASS ANYONE, BUT BECAUSE THEY REFLECT WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE HONEST, CONSISTENT RECORD RECOGNIZED IN WRITING BY THE VERY OFFICE.
MY CURRENT ROLE IS REMOTE AND DIRECTIVE BASED.
I PERFORM WORK ASSIGNED TO ME AND APPEAR WHEN ASKED AS I HAVE TODAY.
MANY OF YOU AROUND THIS TABLE HAVE ASKED ME TO COME MEET WITH YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, EVERY YEAR FOR THE BUDGET.
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO APOLOGIZE TO THIS COUNCIL FOR THE CONTINUED DISCUSSION OF MY EMPLOYMENT.
HOUSTON FACES REAL SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL CHALLENGES.
I BELIEVE OUR TIME AND ENERGY ARE BETTER SPENT SOLVING THOSE PROBLEMS THAN RE-LITIGATING MY ROLE.
SO BEFORE I GO FURTHER, I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THE SPIRIT IN WHICH I RAISED THIS NEXT POINT.
WHEN I WAS CONTROLLER, WE OPERATED ON A SIMPLE PRINCIPLE CALLED BALLS AND STRIKES AND STAY IMPARTIAL ABOUT IT.
THAT'S THE STANDARD I HELD MYSELF TO.
THEN THAT'S THE STANDARD I HOLD MYSELF TO.
NOW, CONTROLLER HOLLINS HAS QUESTIONED MY VALUE TO THIS CITY, MY ROLE, MY ATTENDANCE, MY OUTPUT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S UNFAIR TO ASK, BUT I'D NOTE I'VE SHOWED UP.
I'VE MET WITH MEMBERS OF THIS STAFF OVER THE YEARS, UH, I'M SORRY, OF MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF.
AN IMPORTANT POINT, MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF OVER THE YEARS.
BUT DESPITE REQUESTING MEETINGS TO DISCUSS A PATH FORWARD ON THE FY 2027 BUDGET, THAT MEETING NEVER TOOK PLACE.
AND DESPITE REPEATED REQUESTS, I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SECURE A MEETING WITH HIM DIRECTLY TO DISCUSS COST SAVINGS INITIATIVES AND BUDGET STRATEGIES.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO BE CRITICIZED FOR NOT SHOWING UP WHEN THE PERSON RAISING THE CRITICISM HAS NOT MADE HIMSELF AVAILABLE.
BUT IF ATTENDANCE AND OUTPUT OR THE STANDARD IT IS SHOULD APPLY EQUALLY TO THE OFFICE ASKING THE QUESTION.
SO I'D LIKE TO APPLY THE SAME LENS TO THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE THAT HAS BEEN APPLIED TO ME.
HOW MANY AUDITS HAS THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE COMPLETED SINCE TAKING OFFICE? HOW MANY CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND RENEGOTIATED TO GET A BETTER DEAL FOR THE TAXPAYER? HOW MUCH CITY DEBT HAS BEEN REFINANCED AND WHAT HAS THAT SAVED? WHAT MAJOR INITIATIVES BEYOND INQUIRIES INTO MY ROLE HAS THE OFFICE ADVANCED ON BEHALF OF HOUSTONIANS? I RAISE THESE QUESTIONS NOT TO ATTACK ANYONE PERSONALLY, BUT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE PUBLIC IS ENTITLED TO THE SAME SCRUTINY OF THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE
[01:55:01]
THAT HAS BEEN APPLIED TO ME.IF WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, IT SHOULD GO BOTH WAYS.
MAYOR TURNER USED TO SAY, DON'T JUST COME UP AND CRITICIZE.
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY SOLUTIONS FROM CONTROLLER HOLLANDS.
I'D LIKE TO TURN TO SOMETHING MORE FORWARD-LOOKING BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS IS WHERE OUR ENERGY SHOULD BE GOING.
WHEN I WAS CONTROLLER, I CHAMPIONED A VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT PROGRAM THAT DREW APPLICANTS FROM 1200 EMPLOYEES.
AT THAT TIME, THE PROGRAM WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED, THAT ADMINISTRATION CHOSE NOT TO DO IT.
UM, BUT THANKFULLY MAYOR WHITMEYER TOOK THAT.
AND I KNOW OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, I THINK YOU WERE ONE OF THE ONES THAT HAD A A BUDGET AMENDMENT.
THEY RECOGNIZED THE VALUE IN THIS.
AND OVER A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES HAVE VOLUNTARILY RETIRED.
AND THAT'S MEANINGFUL BUDGET COST REDUCTIONS.
BUT VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT ALONE ISN'T THE FULL ANSWER.
BACKFILLING THOSE POSITIONS CAN QUIETLY EAT AWAY AT THE SAVINGS AND NOT BACKFILLING AT ALL RISKS SERVICE DELIVERY TO OUR RESIDENTS.
SO I BELIEVE, AND AS WE'VE DISCUSSED MAYOR, THE KEY IS TO COMBINE SMART SELECTIVE BACKFILLING WITH AI AND ROBOTICS FOR THE REPETITIVE HIGH VOLUME TASKS THAT DON'T REQUIRE A PERSON BEHIND THEM.
SO I'VE PUT A PLAN TOGETHER TO DO EXACTLY THAT.
I'VE DISCUSSED IT WITH MEMBERS OF THE MAYOR'S STAFF, WITH THE MAYOR HIMSELF.
I'VE ALSO SENT CONTROLLER HOLLANDS THE DRONES AND ROBOTICS PRESENTATION THAT YOU GUYS ALL HAVE IN FRONT OF Y'ALL TODAY.
UH, AND SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED A MEETING TO WALK THROUGH IT.
THIS IS IN FACT ANOTHER MEETING THAT I REFERENCED THAT I WAS NEVER GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE.
SO I THINK PROPERLY EXECUTED OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, I BELIEVE THIS APPROACH.
BUT I SPENT 15 YEARS PUSHING FOR THE PENSION REFORM.
SO THINGS TAKE A WHILE AT THE CITY.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, I BELIEVE THIS APPROACH DOESN'T JUST CLOSE OUR STRUCTURAL DEFICIT.
I THINK IT COULD ACTUALLY PRODUCE A SURPLUS WHILE INCREASING SERVICE DELIVERY TO HOUSTONIANS RATHER THAN CUTTING THEM.
SO IMAGINE A HOUSTON WITH A BUDGET SURPLUS AND BETTER SERVICES.
THIS CONCEPT, I BELIEVE DESERVES REAL DISCUSSION AND I HOPE COUNCIL WILL ENGAGE WITH IT.
SO I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE AUDIT QUESTION I RAISED A MOMENT AGO BECAUSE IT DESERVES A CLOSER LOOK WITH REAL NUMBERS, NOT JUST IMPRESSIONS.
THE CITY'S ATTORNEY OFFICE HAS SAID THAT THE CONTROLLER'S PROPER ROLE IS REVIEWING WHETHER TAXPAYER FUNDS WERE PROPERLY AUTHORIZED AND WHETHER THE CITY RECEIVED VALUE FOR THE MONEY SPENT.
I'D ASK THIS COUNCIL APPLY THAT SAME TEST TO THE CONTROLLER'S OWN AUDIT DIVISION.
WHEN I LEFT OFFICE, AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, I ADVOCATED FOR EIGHT YEARS TO GET AN INCREASE IN MY AUDIT BUDGET.
I NEVER RECEIVED IT WHEN I LEFT OFFICE.
THE AUDIT DIVISION'S ANNUAL BUDGET WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.2 MILLION WITH ROUGHLY NINE AUDITORS ON STAFF.
TODAY, THAT BUDGET HAS GROWN TO AS MUCH AS 2.9 MILLION A YEAR.
AND THE DIVISION HAS 16 BUDGETED POSITIONS, NEARLY DOUBLE THE STAFF.
AND IN SOME YEARS WELL OVER DOUBLE THE SPENDING.
WHAT DID THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY BUY? ANYONE OVER A COMPARABLE 33 MONTH STRETCH EARLY IN EACH OF OUR TENURES.
SO THE SAME TIME MY FIRST TO HIS FIRST TERM, MY OFFICE COMPLETED 27 AUDITS.
HIS OFFICE HAS COMPLETED 16, NOT AN INCREASE, A DECLINE OF ONE THIRD EVEN WITH SUBSTANTIALLY MORE PEOPLE AND MONEY BEHIND IT PUT IN TERMS OF PRODUCTIVITY WITH FEWER AUDITORS AND A SMALLER BUDGET.
MY OFFICE AVERAGED THREE COMPLETED AUDITS PER AUDITOR TODAY WITH NEARLY DOUBLE THE STAFF AND MORE THAN DOUBLE THE MONEY IN SOME YEARS, THAT OFFICE AVERAGES ABOUT ONE AUDIT PER AUDITOR.
SO TO SUMMARIZE IT PLAINLY, THE BUDGET FOR THIS DIVISION HAS GROWN SUBSTANTIALLY.
STAFFING HAS GROWN SUBSTANTIALLY, AND THE NUMBERS OF COMPLETED AUDITS HAVE GONE DOWN.
THAT EXTRA MONEY DID NOT BUY MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HOUSTON'S BY THE NUMBER IT BOUGHT LESS.
I RAISED THIS NOT TO ATTACK ANYONE PERSONALLY, BUT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE PUBLIC IS ENTITLED TO THE SAME SCRUTINY OF THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE THAT HAS BEEN APPLIED TO ME.
IF WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND VALUE FOR THE TAXPAYER, I ASK THAT THIS OFFICE BE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD THAT'S APPLIED TO ME.
IN CLOSING, I ENCOURAGE, UH, ENCOURAGE CONTROLLER HOLLANDS TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE MAYOR AND THIS COUNCIL ON FINDING SOLUTIONS TO HOUSTON'S FINANCIAL CHALLENGES.
[02:00:01]
KNOW STANDS READY TO ENGAGE.IF I CAN HELP FACILITATE THAT WORK, I WILL.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU, UH, CONTROLLER BROWN FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, COUNCILMAN SALINAS, MR. BROWN.
I AM FRANKLY SHOCKED BY THE PRESENTATION YOU JUST MADE.
UM, YOU SAID THAT, UH, CONTROLLERS SHOULDN'T BE EMBARRASSED, BUT SIR, FRANKLY, YOU SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED.
THE REASON WHY YOUR NAME HAS COME UP FOR PUBLIC SCRUTINY IS BECAUSE YOU ARE MAKING $127,000 A YEAR AND HAVE REPORTED TO WORK FOR 13 DAYS AND SENT 12 EMAILS.
THE FACT THAT YOU WOULD COME UP HERE AND NOT ADDRESS A SINGLE ONE OF THOSE ACCUSATIONS, BUT JUST ACCUSED YOU CONTROLLER OF ISSUES, I THINK IS A, A HUGE RED FLAG.
AND SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, SIR, IS HOW MANY HOURS ARE YOU WORKING EVERY WEEK TO EARN $127,000 FROM THE CITY? ABSOLUTELY FAIR QUESTION.
UM, I WANNA SAY FIRST THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 36 ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS FILED ON TOP OF THE INITIAL ONES.
I THINK IF YOU GET THAT INFORMATION YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT PROJECTS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT NUMBER UP UNTIL TODAY, PROBABLY 19 DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
UM, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION QUITE PLAINLY, UH, HOW MANY HOURS? IT VARIES.
HOW MANY HOURS PER WEEK ARE YOU WORKING TO EARN? THIS WEEK IT'S GONNA BE PROBABLY 60 LAST WEEK.
I'M NOT WEEK ASKING ABOUT THIS WEEK.
I'M ASKING SIR, BEFORE, BEFORE THE HU THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE REPORTED MM-HMM
THAT YOU WERE MAKING $127,000 A YEAR, HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU WORKING PER WEEK? I WOULD SAY ON AVERAGE AROUND 15 HOURS A WEEK.
SO YOU WERE WORKING 15 HOURS A WEEK.
EVERYONE ON THIS HORSESHOE MAKES LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT YOU MAKE.
YOU MAKE FAR MORE THAN ALMOST EVERY SINGLE CITY COUNCIL STAFFER WHO WORKS FAR MORE TIME.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S A JUST COMPENSATION GIVEN HOW LITTLE YOU ARE WORKING FOR THE CITY? I ABSOLUTELY DO.
AND LET ME UH, COME BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT MY EMPLOYMENT, I WAS ACTUALLY OFFERED A DIFFERENT POSITION, BUT I SAID, QUITE FRANKLY, MAYOR, YOU RECALL THIS, THIS IS THE SALARY THAT IT WOULD BASICALLY COST TO EMPLOY ME.
I HAVE AN MBAA DEGREE IN FINANCE, 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
I WAS AN INVESTOR IN A NATURAL GAS HEDGE FUND.
I'VE BEEN IN THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE FOR 14 YEARS.
I WAS FORMALLY THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS LIAISON FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER.
I HAVE A LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE AND NO OFFENSE TO ANYBODY HERE THAT IS UNCOMPARABLE.
THE MAYOR, MY EMPLOYER KNOWS MY VALUE.
I TOOK A $40,000 PAY CUT, ACTUALLY 37,650 SOME ODD DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY.
'CAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, BEING HERE TODAY, I DON'T LIKE THIS STUFF.
I TOLD THE MAYOR, I WANNA HELP THE CITY.
I WANT TO DRIVE THINGS FORWARD.
I DON'T WANNA BE INVOLVED IN THIS KIND OF STUFF DAY TO DAY.
AND THE MAYOR AND HIS STAFF CAME UP WITH AN IDEA ABOUT HOW I COULD SERVE THE CITY IN A CONTINUAL BASIS THAT MET MY NEEDS AND DELIVER GREAT VALUE FOR THE CITY.
I'VE POINTED OUT TODAY $3 MILLION OF WASTED TAXPAYER MONEY.
NOW LET ME ASK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, WOULD YOU SPEND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO GET $3 MILLION IN SAVINGS? MR. BROWN, I HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS TRUE AND ACCURATE.
SO I CANNOT YOUR HYPOTHETICALS, YOU'RE NOT SAYING YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO PLAY POLITICS.
LISTEN, THIS IS THE, SIR, I HAVE QUESTION TELL YOU GUYS THIS.
I WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY THIS.
I HAVE SAT AROUND THIS HORSESHOE FOR LONGER THAN ANYBODY ELSE HERE, MAYBE MARTA NOW ACTUALLY EVEN LONGER THAN MARTA.
WE GOTTA STOP PLAYING POLITICS.
PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE IN THE CITY.
WE REDUCED THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIT.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I HELPED MAYOR, YOU RECOGNIZED ME AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
I WORKED WITH DIRECTOR DEBOWSKI.
WE TRIED TO BRING THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE INTO THE DISCUSSION.
HE PUT A BENCH OUT IN FRONT OR A BOOTH OUT IN FRONT OF CITY HALL AND WAS INTERVIEWING PEOPLE.
WE PASSED THAT BUDGET UNANIMOUSLY.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT? THE RATING AGENCIES UNANIMOUSLY RAISED OUR CREDIT RATING.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME IT'S HAPPENED IN 12 YEARS.
I TRIED FOR YEARS TO GET THAT DONE AS CONTROLLER, WE GOT IT DONE.
SO LET ME ASK YOU NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR $127,000, WOULD YOU WANT A CREDIT UPGRADE FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON? EVERY SINGLE PERSON WOULD SAY, YES
[02:05:01]
SIR.RESPECTFULLY, I I DON'T THINK YOU GET TO TAKE SOLE CREDIT FOR THE BUDGET.
I THINK THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF FOLKS.
THERE WAS A TEAM TO MAKE PENSION, SIR.
THE TEAM HELPED PASS THE PENSION.
THE TEAM HELPED PASS THE OPEP.
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU, SIR.
YOU'VE REPRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC JUST NOW THAT YOU WERE WORKING 15 HOURS PER WEEK PRIOR TO THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE ARTICLE.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT REFLECTED IN THE EMAILS YOU SENT, AND THAT'S NOT REFLECTED IN THE HOUR, THE DAYS THAT YOU SWIPED INTO THE OFFICE.
WELL, WHAT EVIDENCE, EXCUSE ME, LEMME ASK MY QUESTION.
THE BOTTOM OF LINE, LET ME INTERJECT.
LET ME JUST ASK MY QUESTION THERE.
I DON'T ARE, HE'S NOT AN HOURLY WAGE EARNER.
LET ME FOR THE RECORD, ESTABLISH IF THAT HELPS YOUR QUESTION.
MAYOR, IF I MAY ASK MY QUESTION.
WE DIDN'T HIRE HIM BY THE HOUR.
WE HIRED HIM FOR HIS EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE LIKE YOU'RE SO FAMILIAR WITH IN A LAW FIRM.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION, SIR.
NOT, HE'S NOT DOING BILLABLE HOURS.
HE'S HIRED FOR HIS EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE AND ADVICE AND COUNSEL.
AND SO I KNOW YOU WANT TO SAY 15 HOURS A WEEK, SOME WEEKS, MANY, MANY MORE.
HE'S DOING WHAT HE WAS HIRED TO DO.
AND AS HE POINTED OUT, IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THE 36 QUESTIONS ON OPEN RECORDS PRESENTED TO THE CITY BY THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, ALL YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED IN DETAIL.
AND I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION I'D LIKE TO ASK THE QUESTION YOU JUST STATED TO THE PUBLIC JUST NOW THAT YOU WORKED 15 HOURS A WEEK, IT'S LET ASK MY QUESTION.
I YOU, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU'RE TRYING TO, YOU'RE TRYING TO PIN HIM DOWN.
I'M NOT TO A MAXIMUM 15 HOURS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT HIM DOWN.
THAT IS NOT WHAT THE GENTLEMAN SAID.
MAYOR, IF YOU LET ME ASK MY QUESTION, I WILL LET YOU, YOU ANSWER.
BUT I'M NOT GONNA LET HIM BE DEPOSED OR CROSS-EXAMINED WITH MISLEADING QUESTIONS.
SHE'S TRYING TO FIX YOU TO A 15 HOUR WORK WEEK.
AND YOU AND I KNOW, AND ANYONE WITH ANY COMMON SENSE KNOWS THAT WAS NOT WHAT YOU WERE HIRED FOR.
FOR I TRIED TO PRESENT AN AVERAGE.
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU'VE DELIVERED.
I TRIED TO PRESENT AN AVERAGE.
WELL, I DON'T WANT THIS ARGUMENTATIVE ASK IN CROSS EXAMINATION.
THAT IS A POLITICAL DISCUSSION THAT DOES NOT NEED TO TAKE PLACE.
MAYOR, I'M NOT RUNNING AGAINST YOU.
I'M NOT RUNNING AGAINST THE CONTROLLER.
I'M NOT RUNNING, I I HAVE NO POLITICS TO PLAY HERE.
THE MY QUESTION TO YOU, SIR, IS YOU STATED THAT YOU WORKED 15 HOURS A WEEK.
CAN CAN I ASK MY QUESTION, MARY? OKAY, LET'S LET, LET HOURS, LET, LET'S, LET'S CHANGE THAT FOR YOU.
LET'S SAY NO, LET ME ASK MY QUESTION, SIR.
LET, CAN I FINISH MY QUESTION? I'M NOT INTERRUPTING YOU SIR.
YOU REPRESENTED MM-HMM
THAT IS NOT GONNA BE REFLECTED IN THE NUMBER OF EMAILS YOU SENT AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE REFLECTED IN THE SWIPES INTO THE CITY.
RIGHT? SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHAT EVIDENCE ARE YOU GONNA PUT FORWARD TO BACK THAT REPRESENTATION YOU JUST MADE TO THE PUBLIC THAT YOU WERE WORKING 15 HOURS A WEEK TO JUSTIFY THE $127,000 THAT THE TAXPAYERS WERE PAYING YOU? WELL, AGAIN, I THINK THE MAYOR REINFORCED THE POINT THIS EMPLOYMENT IS NOT AN HOURLY EMPLOYMENT, IT'S PROJECT AND OUTPUT BASED.
I TRIED TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER THAT WAS AN ESTIMATE AND THAT WAS HONESTLY PROBABLY MORE WEIGHTED RECENTLY BECAUSE THIS PAST YEAR, ALL I'VE BEEN A MAJORITY OF WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING IS DEALING WITH THIS MEDIA INQUIRIES, PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS, PULLING EMAILS.
I SPENT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY TWO OR 300 HOURS JUST DEALING WITH THIS PARTICULAR EVENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST, I SERVED ON THE GHP FI FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
I'VE DONE OTHER WORK OUTSIDE OF HERE.
IS THAT REFLECTED IN MY EMAILS? NO.
IS THAT REFLECTED IN MY BOT BADGE SWIPES? DID I ATTEND EVENTS AND YOU KNOW, TALK ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR? YES.
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.
SO I APPRECIATE, I THINK YOU HAVE A LEGAL BACKGROUND.
I THINK PART OF THIS IS A POLITICAL ATTACK.
I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS YOU GUYS NEED TO GO BACK TO DOING THE IMPORTANT BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE FIXATING ON, YOU KNOW, MY SALARY AND MY HOURS AND ALL THESE KIND OF THINGS.
BUT THE REALITY IS I WAS HIRED FOR PROJECT BASED OUTPUT.
SO DELIVERING AND I'M HERE TODAY.
SIR, IF WE WERE IN A DEPOSITION, I WOULD SAY THAT YOUR ANSWER WAS NON-RESPONSIVE.
UM, I CAN'T FORCE YOU TO ANSWER MY QUESTION.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE YOU'RE UNWILLING TO PRODUCE THE EVIDENCE, BUT I WILL PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUES.
I'M SURE THEY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU AS WELL.
COUNSEL TURE, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.
UM, AND I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO WHO'S PLAYING POLITICS AND WHO'S NOT, BUT WE SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME PLAYING POLITICS RATHER THAN ACTUALLY DEALING WITH THE ISSUES THE CITY HAS.
I WISH WE WOULD FOCUS A LITTLE MORE ON
[02:10:01]
THE CITY'S ISSUES.YOU AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, YOU'VE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN ME AND MARTA
AND YOU WERE A LEADER IN THAT OPEP REFORM, THE OPEP TRUST.
YOU BEAT YOUR HEAD AGAINST THE THE WALL ON THAT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A STRUCTURAL STRUCTURALLY BALANCED BUDGET FROM THE GET GO.
I ALWAYS RESPECTED YOUR OPINION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO READING, UM, THIS PROPOSAL BEFORE US TODAY.
AND I'M SORRY YOU'RE STILL UNDER ATTACK UNNECESSARILY.
YOU'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS BEFORE.
BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS CONDUCT THE CITY'S BUSINESS.
AND I'VE BEEN AT THIS LONG ENOUGH TO WATCH QUESTIONING THAT'S GONNA BE FRAMED BY 15 HOURS A WEEK.
YOU WERE OFFERED A FULL-TIME POSITION OVER 300,000 BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE, COMPETENCY, EDUCATION, AND WORK VALUE.
THE YOU AND CHRIS NEWPORT NEGOTIATED THAT WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW YOU TO DELIVER A VALUE TO THE CITY AT A REASONABLE AMOUNT BASED ON YOUR QUALIFICATION.
NO DIFFERENCE THAN WHEN YOU GO AND HIRE OTHER PROFESSIONALS, CERTAINLY ATTORNEYS, AT A FIXED AMOUNT BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS.
SO I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT YOU DO MUCH MORE THAN ANY 15 HOURS, BUT YOU WERE NEVER HIRED AS A HOURLY WAGE EARNER.
AND IT'S QUITE FRANKLY, MISREPRESENTING YOUR TOTAL VALUE.
AND I WANNA PUBLICLY THANK YOU FOR HELPING WITH THE TWO BALANCED BUDGETS THAT WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY PASSED.
UH, AND IT'S JUST AMAZING THAT YOUR CRITICS ARE ACTUALLY USING YOUR EXPERTISE.
AND UH, REALLY FINE JOB AND WE'LL TALK LATER.
NEXT WE WILL GO TO THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
WHERE'S MELISSA? SHE'S IN THE BACK THERE.
WHY DON'T YOU WAIT FOR, UH, MELISSA TO JOIN YOU PLEASE.
AND I'M GONNA ASK Y'ALL TO FOLLOW THE CITY ORDINANCE OF A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES FOR THIS FINANCIAL REPORT.
AND IF YOU DEPART FROM THE FINANCIAL REPORT, I'LL RULE YOU OUT OF ORDER.
UH, MR. CONTROLLER, THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONS REPORT FOR AUGUST, 2026.
THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $294 MILLION OR 11.2% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027.
THIS $45.5 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THE DIFFERENCE IS DUE TO A LOWER REVENUE PROJECTION THAN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $97.5 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET, UPHOLDING 7.5% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO AND RESERVE THE FFY 2027 BEGINNING FUND BALANCE IS $47.4 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE FY 2026 ENDING FUND BALANCE REPORTED IN THE JUNE, 2026 REPORT.
THE INCREASE IS DUE TO YEAR END ADJUSTMENTS TO REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES THAT WILL NOT BE FINAL UNTIL THE FY 2026 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT IS PUBLISHED.
OUR REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES, UH, PROJECTIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED FROM THE JULY REPORT.
THE FY 2027 GENERAL FUND PROJECTION ASSUMES APPROXIMATELY $104 MILLION IN REVENUE ASSOCIATED WITH A PROPOSED RIGHT OF WAY FEE.
BECAUSE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FEE REMAINS UNCERTAIN, THIS REVENUE REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT RISK TO THE PROJECTED ENDING FUND BALANCE.
[02:15:01]
WAY FEE IS NOT IMPLEMENTED OR THE ANTICIPATED REVENUE IS NOT REALIZED, THE PROJECTED ENDING FUND BALANCE WOULD BE REDUCED TO APPROXIMATELY $190 MILLION OR 7.3% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO.THIS WOULD PLACE THE GENERAL FUND BELOW THE CITY'S 7.5% RESERVE TARGET, REQUIRING THE CITY TO IDENTIFY AN ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCE OR REDUCE THE FY 2027 EXPENDITURE BUDGET TO RESTORE RESERVES NOW TO OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE PROJECTING NO CHANGES FROM THE ADOPTED BUDGET AMOUNTS IN THE AVIATION COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT, STORM WATER, OR DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUNDS FOR OUR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS.
THE CITY'S PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF DEBT IN A VARIABLE RATE STRUCTURE.
AS OF AUGUST 31ST, 2026, THE RATIO OF UNHEDGED VARIABLE RATE DEBT FOR EACH TYPE OF OUTSTANDING DEBT REMAIN WELL BELOW THE 20% THRESHOLD.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, UH, AT OUR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION, UH, WE HONORED COMMUNITY HEROES AND WE RECOGNIZED THE FAMILY OF LORENZO SALGADO OR ROJO, WHOSE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE AFTER THEIR MOTHER.
UH, PARDON ME, AFTER THEIR FATHER, HUSBAND, AND BROTHER, UH, CONTINUES.
ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, OUR OFFICE WILL HOST RE PRESENTE A CONVERSATION WITH LORENZO'S SON, RONALDO, ABOUT HIS FATHER'S LEGACY AND HOW OUR COMMUNITY CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IN THE MIDST OF ONGOING HARDSHIP.
UH, THE LEGACY ROOM HAS NOT BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO US FOR THAT EVENT, SO WE'LL FOLLOW UP SOON WITH THE LOCATION OF THE EVENT, BUT WE INVITE YOU, YOUR STAFFS, AND ALL HOUSTONIANS TO JOIN US FOR THAT IMPORTANT THANK YOU.
UH, LATER THAT SAME EVENING ON OCTOBER 15TH, OUR OFFICE WILL CLOSE OUT SPENDING HERITAGE MONTH AT THE TEJANO CENTER WHERE WE WILL BE CO-HOSTING A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS EVENT.
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF HURRICANE SEASON AND ALTHOUGH WE HOPE FOR THE BEST, WE KNOW THAT FAMILIES WHO ARE MOST PREPARED ARE THE ONES WHO CAN WITHSTAND THE STORM AND RECOVER FASTEST.
WE'LL BE SHARING IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO ALL WHO ATTEND, AND WE'LL BE GIVING AWAY FREE DISASTER KIDS TO THE FIRST 100 FAMILIES WHO ARE IN NEED.
UH, YESTERDAY IT CAME TO LIGHT THAT THE $5 FEE PRESENTED DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR GARBAGE PICKUP DID NOT ACTUALLY TRANSLATE INTO $5 OF REVENUE TO SUPPORT SOLID WASTE.
OPERATIONS COUNCIL WAS TOLD THAT A $5 MONTHLY GARBAGE FEE WOULD GENERATE APPROXIMATELY $24 MILLION ANNUALLY, AND THAT THAT REVENUE WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS FY 2027 BUDGET.
HOWEVER, UH, WHAT WAS REVEALED YESTERDAY WAS THAT BECAUSE SALES TAX WASN'T ACCOUNTED FOR AND BECAUSE OF DELAYS IN IMPLEMENTATION, WE'RE GOING TO BE SHORT, NEARLY $4 MILLION IN REVENUE, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY HAVE TO RESULT IN INCREASED FEES TO COVER THAT GAP.
THE SALES TAX COMPONENT WAS NOT CLEARLY DISCLOSED TO COUNCIL BEFORE YOU VOTED ON THE BUDGET, AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, WHETHER IT'S THE GARBAGE FEE, PROPERTY TAX, OR PHANTOM SAVINGS.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE USE REAL NUMBERS IN BUDGETING BECAUSE THESE NUMBERS HAVE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE CITY AND OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CRITICAL SERVICES TO HOUSTONIANS.
PREPARING FOR THE NEXT STORM IS ALSO ABOUT HOW THIS CITY SPENDS TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE INTENDED TO ADDRESS FLOODING.
LAST WEEK, I SENT YOU ALL A MEMO RELATED TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 20.
ON LAST WEEK'S AGENDA, THAT ITEM SOUGHT TO APPROPRIATE $2.6 MILLION FOR CAR WASH SERVICES FOR THE CITY'S VEHICLE FLEET.
NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS OF THAT, ABOUT 37% WAS TO COME FROM FUNDS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DEDICATED TO DRAINAGE AND OUR WATER SYSTEM.
$150,000 FROM THE STORM WATER FUND, NEARLY $300,000 FROM THE DEDICATED DRAINAGE AND STREET RENEWAL FUND, AND OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM OPERATING FUND.
I HAVE A, A VALID QUESTION, PLEASE.
WOULD IT BE, WOULD IT BE PROPER NOW FOR HER TO SHOW WHERE YOU APPROVE THE SAME EXPENDITURE FROM THE SAME FUND WITH YOUR SIGNATURE IN JULY? LEMME FINISH.
SO AS YOU PRESENT THAT FINISH, I WOULD LIKE FINISH, MELISSA TO GIVE, FINISH AN ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF THAT FUND AND YOUR APPROVAL IN JULY.
THE STORMWATER FUND IS A RESTRICTED FUND.
IT EXISTS TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM, DITCHES, PIPES, CULVERTS, AND DETENTION BASINS.
IT IS NOT THERE TO WASH CITY CARS.
THIS CONTRACT COVERS AUTOMATED EXTERIOR WASHES, VACUUMING, AND INTERIOR AND WINDOW CLEANING AT COMMERCIAL CAR WASHES ACROSS THE METRO AREA.
THE ITEM DIDN'T EVEN ATTEMPT TO CLAIM A LINK TO ANY DRAINAGE FACILITY OR SYSTEM.
IF CAR WASHES CAN BE CHARGED TO THE STORM WATER FUND,
[02:20:01]
THEN ALMOST ANYTHING CAN THAT PUTS EVERY DEDICATED FUND THE CITY MANAGES AT RISK, AND WE HAVE ALREADY PAID A HEAVY PRICE IN THE JONES AND WATSON LITIGATION FOR SHORT CHANGING A DEDICATED DRAINAGE FUND MEMBERS SHOULD BE HANDED STORM WATER.LET MEMBERS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A DOCUMENT WHERE THE CONTROLLER APPROVED WITH HIS SIGNATURE, THE SAME IDENTICAL THING THAT HE HELD UP LAST WEEK IN JULY.
HE APPROVED FROM THE DRAINAGE FUND FOR CAR MAINTENANCE AND WASHING EXACTLY WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT NOW.
SO EVERY HOUR, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A FINANCE REPORT AND IT BECOMES, BECOMES POLITICAL, LIKE YOU'RE BEGINNING AND I'M FIXING RAISE POINT ORDER.
YOU HAVE TO NOT MISLEAD THIS COUNSEL ANY LONGER.
SO MAY WE FINISH? HERE'S A DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS HE APPROVED IT IN JULY, THE SAME DRAINAGE FUND THAT HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.
EVERY DOLLAR SPENT FROM OUR STORM WATER AND DRAINAGE FUNDS OUTSIDE THE FUND'S PURPOSE IS A DOLLAR NOT SPENT REDUCING FLOOD RISK IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT VIOLATES THE PUBLIC TRUST AND IT CREATES LEGAL EXPOSURE FOR THE CITY.
MY OFFICE HAS ASKED THAT THESE ALLOCATIONS BE REMOVED FROM THE ITEM AND REPLACED WITH FUNDING FROM LAWFUL SOURCES.
THIS CAN BE FIXED WITHOUT DELAYING THE CONTRACT.
THE FLEETS WILL STILL GET WASHED AND THE DRAINAGE DOLLARS WILL STAY, OR HOUSTONIANS WERE PROMISED THAT THEY WOULD GO.
UH, NOW I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THE CHRIS BROWN INVESTIGATION.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, MR. MR. CONTROLLER, I GONNA TELL YOU REPORTER BY THE HOUSTON, YOU'VE GOTTA PAUSE MY, I KNOW YOU WANT ME TO INTERRUPT YOU.
INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS CHRIS BROWN'S EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY FOR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS.
THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS RESISTED OUR EFFORTS TO GET THOSE FACTS A MONTH AGO AT THE SAME PODIUM.
I TOLD YOU ALL THAT BECAUSE OUR REQUESTS WERE NOT BEING MET, WE WERE FORCED TO RESORT TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT.
I STILL FIND THAT PREPOSTEROUS, AND YOU SHOULD TOO.
ONE CITY OFFICE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FILE A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST TO GET BASIC INFORMATION FROM ANOTHER CITY OFFICE, BUT POINT OF ORDER, THE ADMINISTRATION REFUSED.
POINT OF REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION.
MAYOR ON THE, ON THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT, DIRECT, UM, CONTROLLER HOLLAND, RESPECT FOR YOU, BUT I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING INTO LIKE, BELIEVE ME, I CARE ABOUT THE FINANCES OF THIS CITY.
I WOULD STACK UP AGAINST ANYBODY.
I THINK THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WANNA SEE US UP HERE WORKING ON PROBLEMS TO IMPACT OUR BUDGET AND OUR FUTURE.
I THINK THEY WANNA SEE US WORKING TOGETHER, NOT, NOT CAUSING FIGHTS, NOT BICKERING AMONGST EACH OTHER.
UH, PEOPLE ARE SO SICK OF THAT.
LET'S JUST GET BACK TO THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE'VE STILL GOT A DEFICIT.
WE HAVEN'T SOLVED ALL OUR PROBLEMS. WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.
BUT I THINK WE JUST WANNA GET BACK TO THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF, OF HOUSTON.
AND SO, MELISSA, WOULD YOU PLEASE SPEAK? MR. MR. CONTROLLER, YOU RULE OUT A ORDER AND PLEASE LET US CONTINUE THE FINANCE REPORT WITHOUT INTERRUPTION.
IF YOU WANT A CAMPAIGN, YOU WOULD SUPPORT CANADA HOLLANDS.
WOULD YOU PLEASE GO AHEAD, MELISSA, TALK OVER OFFICE INVESTIGATION.
THE ADMINISTRATION REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION.
THIS IS THE TWO PLUS 10 FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 2026.
CHRIS, YOU'RE REALLY BEING RIDICULOUS.
YOU KNOW IT, I'VE BEEN SO GENEROUS FOR SIX MONTHS LETTING YOU CAMPAIGN AND HAVE PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AND IT'S GOTTA COME TO A HALT.
IT REQUIRES US TO BE THROUGH IN 30 MINUTES.
YOU'VE DONE A, YOUR FINANCIAL REPORT.
I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO LET MELISSA DO HERS.
MAYOR, PLEASE GO AHEAD, MELISSA.
SO WE FILED A REQUEST COVERING THE 36 ITEMS, THE EXACT SAME 36 ITEMS THAT WE REQUESTED IN JUNE.
LATE YESTERDAY, THE ADMINISTRATION FINALLY BEGAN TO PRODUCE SOME DOCUMENTS.
WE RECEIVED RECORDS RELATED TO ROUGHLY HALF OF OUR REQUESTS.
MY OFFICE HAS NOT YET REVIEWED THOSE DOCUMENTS, SO I'M NOT GOING TO CHARACTERIZE WHAT THEY SAY.
BUT ROUGHLY HALF OF OUR REQUESTS REMAIN OUTSTANDING.
SOME HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE AT ALL, AND FOR 10 OF THEM, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS GONE TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SEEKING PERMISSION TO WITHHOLD THE INFORMATION.
NOW, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
EMAILS SENT AND RECEIVED BY A CITY EMPLOYEE, HIS WORK PRODUCT AND DELIVERABLES, HIS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, RECORDS SHOWING THE WORK ASSIGNED TO HIM BY HIS SUPERVISORS, THE TOTAL COST OF HIS EMPLOYMENT TO TAXPAYERS, INCLUDING SALARY, BENEFITS AND CITY RESOURCES, AND WHETHER HE HAD AN APPROVED TELEWORK OR FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENT.
THESE ARE BASIC RECORDS ABOUT A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PAID WITH PUBLIC DOLLARS.
AT THE CLOWN SHOW THAT Y'ALL JUST WITNESSED A FEW MINUTES AGO.
WE HEARD TESTIMONY ABOUT THE WORK BEING DONE AND SO ON.
WE'RE REQUESTING THAT SAME BASIC INFORMATION AND WE REQUESTED IT OVER THREE MONTHS AGO THROUGH PRIVATE CHANNELS.
[02:25:01]
THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOW OFFERING A LEGAL ARGUMENT TO WITHHOLD THAT INFORMATION FROM OUR OFFICE.BUT AFTER MORE THAN THREE MONTHS, I HAVE YET TO HEAR A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR WHY INFORMATION THAT IS, THAT IS SO BASIC IS BEING KEPT FROM THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE OR THE PUBLIC.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP PUSHING AND I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING.
MY OFFICE HAS REACHED NO CONCLUSIONS ABOUT MR. BROWN'S EMPLOYMENT.
THE FACTS WILL LEAD US TO THE CONCLUSIONS, BUT FIRST, WE NEED THE FACTS AND WE'RE NOW MORE THAN 100 DAYS INTO THE ADMINISTRATION RESISTING OUR EFFORTS TO GET THEM.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF THIS THAT COUNSEL NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT.
JUST DAYS AFTER WE FILED THESE PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS, MY OFFICE BEGAN RECEIVING A BARRAGE OF RETALIATORY PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS FROM THE MAYOR'S POLITICAL CONSULTANTS.
AND SOME OF THESE REQUESTS ARE BIZARRE.
THEY WANT MY PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS WITH YOU AND WITH MEMBERS OF YOUR STAFF.
THEY WANT COMMUNICATIONS WITH MEMBERS OF MY OLD LEGAL TEAM AT A LAW PRACTICE THAT I SOLD FIVE YEARS AGO.
THEY EVEN ASKED FOR MY COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE CEO OF UNITED AIRLINES.
NOW, I HAVE NEVER MET THE CEO OF UNITED AIRLINES, AND I HAD TO GOOGLE HIS NAME TO DISCOVER THAT HE WAS IN FACT THE CEO OF UNITED AIRLINES.
NOW MY OFFICE BELIEVES IN TRANSPARENCY, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO THESE PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS AND WE'RE GONNA SHARE WHAT THEY PRODUCE.
BUT LET'S CALL THIS WHAT IT IS.
WE ASKED FOR THIS INFORMATION THROUGH OFFICIAL CHANNELS MORE THAN THREE MONTHS AGO.
THE ADMINISTRATION DID NOT PROVIDE IT.
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS SAT HERE AT THIS MEETING FOUR, THREE MONTHS, MAKING EXCUSES ABOUT FIRST SAYING THEY WOULD PROVIDE IT, THEN SAYING THAT THEY WOULDN'T FOR THESE REASONS.
WE FINALLY RESORTED TO THIS PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST AND WITHIN DAYS, THE MAYOR'S POLITICAL CONSULTANTS STARTED FIRING PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST.
COUNCILMAN DAVIS AT MY OFFICE.
THANK YOU MAYOR BROTHER CHRIS.
MAY I, CHRIS, YOU HAVE DECOR AND FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES.
BROTHER CHRIS, I RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, BROTHER CHRIS FROM OFFICE.
THEY'RE WELCOME TO BROTHER CONTROLLER.
YOU WON'T LET ME, YOU WON'T LET ME ON THE COUNCIL.
I'D LIKE YOU TO STAND BEHIND YOURS, BROTHER.
BROTHERS, YOU I PUT MY NAME ON MY REQUEST.
YOU EVERYONE HAS BEEN SO NICE TO YOU.
I, CHRIS, YOU'RE EMBARRASSING YOURSELF, BROTHER CONTROLLER, IF YOU LET ME FINISH.
NO, I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATE.
I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF MY REPORT AND NO, I AND THE GENTLEMAN MAY HAVE A A QUESTION.
SHE A GOVERNMENT BROTHER CONTROLLER.
YOU CAN'T COME IN HERE AND ABOUT HOW PUBLIC EMPLOYEES COUNTER FOR MEETING, IF YOU WOULD, AND HOW TAXPAYER, IF YOU WOULD GIVE ME A POINT OF ORDER TO SPEAK FOR MORE THAN 100 DAYS.
WE HAVE GOTTEN DELAY, RESISTANCE, AND NOW POLITICAL RETALIATION.
WE ARE GOING TO KEEP DOING OUR JOB.
WE ARE GOING TO KEEP ASKING THE QUESTIONS MEMBERS.
WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE FACTS WHERE THEY LEAVE DUE TO THE, AND EVENTUALLY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER OF COOPERATION AT CORRUM BY THE GYM.
THANK WE STAND IN RECESS FOR 10 MINUTES.
THE, UH, PENDING THE DEPARTURE OF OUR GUESTS.
MELISSA, WE'RE READY FOR YOUR REPORT.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE SALES TAX.
UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE.
I THINK YOUR NUMBERS SHOW THAT THERE IS A REDUCTION OF 1 MILLION MM-HMM
SO IT'S ABOUT, AND IT ALSO REFLECTS THERE'S BEEN A $10 MILLION SAVINGS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THAT NEW, UH, PROCESS.
SO ANYWAY, COVER THAT IF YOU WOULD.
SO, UM, IT, THE, THE AMOUNT THAT THE REVENUE IS PROJECTED, UM, TO GO TOWARDS SALES TAX IS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PECK OR, UM, VICE MAYOR PRO PECK.
UM, AND REALLY THAT'S OUT OF A OVERALL REVENUE BUDGET FOR THE UTILITY OF ALMOST $2 BILLION.
SO THE MILLION DOLLARS IS IMMATERIAL.
UM, BUT IN LOOKING AT IT, WE FELT LIKE SINCE THE PUBLIC AND THE CONSTITUENTS HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED TOO, THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE WAS GONNA BE $5, THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KEEP IT AT THAT $5 LEVEL INCLUSIVE OF THE SALES TAX.
THIS IS THE TWO PLUS 10 FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 2026.
FISCAL YEAR 27 PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON TWO MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND 10 MONTHS OF PROJECTIONS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
BOTH OUR REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED FROM THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND THE PRIOR MONTH FOR SALES TAX.
THE RECEIPTS FOR THE MONTH OF JULY WERE 80.5 MILLION.
WERE ABOUT 5.3% HIGHER THAN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, AND
[02:30:01]
ABOUT 2.3 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE BUDGET.SO AT THIS POINT, WE FEEL OUR BUDGET OF, UM, 942 MILLION IS CONSERVATIVE, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR, UM, THE PROJECTIONS ON A MONTHLY BASIS AS WE ALWAYS DO TO.
SO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO BE $339.5 MILLION, WHICH IS $66 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND REPRESENTS 13% OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES, NOT INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO.
THAT FUND BALANCE IS 143 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% IN THE ENTERPRISE SPECIAL REVENUE AND OTHER FUNDS WE'RE ONLY PROJECTING A CHANGE TO THE ASSET FORFEITURE FUND WHERE REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY 2.8 MILLION, MAINLY DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED CONFISCATIONS.
UM, SO TURNING TO THE PACKET THAT YOU ALL WERE DISTRIBUTED A FEW MINUTES AGO, UM, THE ATTACHMENT, AND THIS IS RELATED TO THE MR CAR WASH ITEM FROM THE AGENDA ITEM LAST WEEK.
THAT WAS, UM, NOT CERTIFIED BY THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
SO THE FIRST, UM, TABBED ITEM IS THE MEMO FROM THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, UM, WHERE HE STATES THAT THE STORMWATER FUND, UM, IS SPECIFICALLY RESTRICTED FOR USE IN MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
UM, HE SAYS THAT IT'S NOT INTENDED TO PAY FOR WASHING POLICE CARS AND FIRE TRUCKS AT MR. CAR WASH, WHICH OF COURSE WE AGREE FIRE TRUCKS DON'T EVEN FIT THROUGH THE WASH TUNNEL AT MR. CAR WASH.
UM, AND SO THE FIRE TRUCKS AREN'T PART OF THE, UM, PROPOSED SERVICE.
IT, UH, ALSO APPLIES TO ALL CHANGES AND THE GENERAL MAINTENANCE OF THOSE VEHICLES.
SO THE, UM, FUNDING OF THESE DIFFERENT FUNDS IS USED TO MAINTAIN THE VEHICLES THAT ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THOSE ASSETS.
SO THE STORM WATER FUND PURCHASES VEHICLES SO THAT STORM WATER EMPLOYEES CAN GO OUT INTO THE FIELD AND DO THEIR WORK.
THE SAME THING WITH DRAINAGE FUNDS.
THE SAME THING WITH UTILITY FUNDS.
AND IF YOU GO TO, UM, THE SECOND TAB DETACHMENT, THIS IS THE COVER SHEET.
UM, IF YOU GO TO THE BACK OF THE COVER SHEET, YOU CAN SEE FOR EACH DEPARTMENT WHICH FUND IS SET TO USE THOSE FUNDS.
AND YOU CAN SEE FOR POLICE AND FIRE THAT WILL BE COMING OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND.
PUBLIC WORKS IS WHERE THE BUILDING INSPECTION FUND STORMWATER, D-D-S-R-F AND THE WATER AND SEWER FUNDS WILL BE, UM, SO ON AND SO FORTH SO THAT EACH FUND IS APPROPRIATELY AND LAWFULLY USED FOR THE STATED PURPOSE.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE TAB NUMBER THREE, THIS IS THE, UH, WHAT THE MAYOR MENTIONED.
THIS IS THE SERVICE RELEASE ORDER FOR OUR EXISTING CONTRACT WITH MR. CAR WASH.
UM, AND THIS, YOU KNOW, MR. CAR WASH WE'VE CONTRACTED.
THEN THIS GOES BACK MANY YEARS.
WE HAVE AN EXISTING CONTRACT WITH THEM.
THE ONE THAT WAS PROPOSED LAST WEEK IS TO, YOU KNOW, UH, COME TO A NEW CONTRACT SINCE WE'RE RUNNING OUTTA MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNT.
UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE ON THIS ITEM, THIS, UM, SERVICE RELEASE ORDER WAS APPROVED IN JULY, JUST ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO FOR MR. CARWASH.
YOU SEE THE FUND, 2302 IS THE STORMWATER FUND AND THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE AUTHORIZED THIS SERVICE RELEASE ORDER, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE BACK OF THE DOCUMENT.
AND THEN JUST GOING OVER AGAIN, WHAT THESE FUNDS ARE USED FOR.
UM, AGAIN, THESE ARE THE SAME TYPES OF FUNDS THAT ARE MAINTAINING THESE ASSETS THAT ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THESE VEHICLES.
SO THE PURCHASE ORDER, YOU SEE, ITEM NUMBER FOUR GIVES YOU AN EXAMPLE OF DIFFERENT VEHICLES THAT WE PURCHASED AT THE CITY THAT ARE PURCHASED WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, STORMWATER FUNDS, DRAINAGE FUNDS.
OF COURSE, WE USE ALL THESE DIFFERENT FUNDS AS LAID OUT IN THE CIP AND THE BUDGET THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
VEHICLE PURCHASES THAT ARE USED TO MAINTAIN THOSE TYPE OF STORMWATER ASSETS, DRAINAGE ASSETS, AND UTILITY ASSETS.
AND THIS IS, I'M TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT HIS LETTER ADDRESSED, BUT THIS HAPPENS WITH THE AIRPORT SYSTEM AS WELL.
AND SO THEIR ENTERPRISE FUNDS HAVE TO BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
UM, AND THEN MOVING TO THE, UM, THE FIFTH TAB DETACHMENT.
THIS IS A, UH, DOWNLOAD OF THE OPEN CHECKBOOK, WHICH IS PART OF OUR OPEN FINANCE PORTAL.
UM, SO ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, UM, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT, UM, MR. BROWN CHAMPIONED WHEN HE WAS IN THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, YOU REMEMBER ALL THE TALK ABOUT THE OPEN CHECKBOOK.
UM, SO WE WORKED, UM, TOWARDS THE END OF THE LAST ADMINISTRATION AND THE BEGINNING OF THIS ADMINISTRATION TO ROLL OUT THE OPEN CHECKBOOK.
UM, SO THE, THE PRINTOUT YOU HAVE IS JUST AN EXCERPT RELATED TO MR. CAR WASH IN PARTICULAR.
UM, THE VENDOR NAME THEY GO BY IS, UH, CAR WASH PARTNERS INC.
UH, WHICH IS, IS WHAT THEIR REGISTERED VENDOR NAME IS IN OUR SYSTEM.
AND YOU CAN SEE THIS IS SORTED BY DEPARTMENTS.
SO YOU CAN SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN 26, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT USED THE CONTRACT, THE GENERAL FUND PAID FOR IT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT USED IT, THE GENERAL FUND PAID FOR IT, PUBLIC WORKS USED IT UNDER THE DEPARTMENT NAME.
AND THAT'S WHERE D-D-S-R-F IS THE FUNDING SOURCE.
AND THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE, NOT JUST THIS YEAR, NOT JUST LAST YEAR.
I INCLUDED, UM, TOWARDS THE END OF THE PACKET.
THE FIRST YEAR IN THE OPEN CHECKBOOK IS,
[02:35:01]
UM, FY 22.SO YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, THE SAME, YOU KNOW, THE SAME VENDOR, THE SAME FUNDING SOURCES FOR THE SAME PURPOSES.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR HISTORICAL PRACTICE TO MAINTAIN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE ASSETS OF THOSE FUNDS.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA TAKE A, A BRIEF MOMENT TO KIND OF SHOW YOU, UM, A TUTORIAL OF THE OPEN FINANCE PLATFORM.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PROUD OF AND, UM, WE WORKED ON, AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, UM, STARTING, STARTING SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND WE CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN.
UH, SO LET ME SHARE MY SCREEN SO YOU CAN GET TO THE OPEN FINANCE, UM, PLATFORM BY GOING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S, UM, WEBSITE.
AND THEN GOING DOWN, UH, TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WEBSITE.
YOU SEE RIGHT HERE, OPEN FINANCE PORTAL.
YOU CLICK HERE, IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE OPEN FINANCE.
THEN ONCE YOU'RE HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE TRADITIONAL FINANCES AREA.
THIS IS WHERE WE COLLABORATE WITH THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE ON THE TRANSPARENCY STAR, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM FROM THE TEXAS STATE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.
SO THIS IS REALLY LIKE A ONE STOP SHOP TO SEE EVERYTHING YOU NEED.
WE HAVE THE OPEN BUDGET PORTAL, UH, WHICH IS WHERE YOU CAN DO VISUALIZATIONS RELATED TO THE BUDGET.
OPEN PAYROLL, OPEN CHECKBOOK IS WHERE THESE EXTRACTS COME FROM.
SO I'LL, UM, DO A LITTLE DEMO OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE.
SO ONCE YOU'RE IN THE OPEN CHECKBOOK, UM, YOU CAN, UH, FILTER, UM, BY FISCAL YEAR, LIKE I MENTIONED, IT GOES BACK TO FISCAL YEAR 22.
UM, SO YOU CAN FILTER BY YEAR.
SO WE'LL JUST LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 26.
AND YOU CAN SEE, UH, RIGHT HERE, YOU CAN DROP DOWN, YOU CAN LOOK AT WHATEVER VENDOR YOU WANNA LOOK FOR.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO SEARCH BY, UM, DEPARTMENT, UM, FUND NUMBER, DIFFERENT WAYS TO SLICE AND DICE THE DATA.
UM, AND SO HERE YOU WOULD JUST SELECT WHAT WHATEVER VENDORS YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SEEING, AND THEN THAT WILL PULL THIS UP AND YOU CAN SORT BY DEPARTMENT.
YOU CAN SORT BY FUND, UM, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE DATA SET, WHICH IS WHAT I DO.
SO I CAN LOOK AT THE SPREADSHEETS.
UM, AND THIS IS INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, UM, FOR AT LEAST SINCE UH, 2023.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO, THE VISUALIZATIONS ONLY GO BACK TO 22, BUT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE DATA SET ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2018, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN, UM, LOOK AT HISTORICALS AS WELL.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME GIVE THAT LITTLE DEMO.
I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TALK ABOUT WITH THE TRANSPARENCY AND, UM, I CAN SHARE THE LINK AGAIN WITH EVERYONE SO THAT THEY CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE AND, AND BE ABLE TO LOOK ALL THIS, UM, LOOK ALL THIS UP.
UM, WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ABOUT THE SALES TAXES RELATED TO THE SALT WASTE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE.
UM, FIRST MAYOR, I DO APPRECIATE THAT THE SALES TAX IS WITHIN THE $5 AND NOT ON TOP OF THE $5.
I THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION TO MAKE THERE.
UM, AND I REALIZE THAT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF MONEY IN THE CONTEXT OF $24 MILLION, BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT WHEN, OR IF THE FEE GOES UP TO $25 PER MONTH, THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY $9.6 MILLION IN SALES TAXES, WHICH DOES BECOME A VERY SIGNIFICANT, UM, AMOUNT OF MONEY.
SO WHEN I ASKED YESTERDAY ABOUT WHY THE STATE IS REQUIRING, UH, TAX ON THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE, THE ANSWER FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS THAT IT INVOLVES GARBAGE COLLECTION, WHICH IS TAXABLE.
AND I AGREE GARBAGE COLLECTION IS TAXABLE, BUT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NOT A TRASH FEE, BUT AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE TO RUN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO IT STANDS FOR REASON THAT IF WE USE THIS MONEY FOR SALARIES AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT AS INDICATED, WE COULD HAVE AN ADDITIONAL OVER $1.8 MILLION IN THE COMBINED UTILITY SYSTEM YEARLY.
SO I DO THINK, MAYOR, THAT WE SHOULD RE-LOOK AT THIS AND SEE IF THERE'S A WAY TO TAKE THIS, THIS TYPE OF MONEY JUST FOR THAT ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION RATHER THAN, WELL, FIR FIRST, LET ME LET YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T ANTICIPATE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, IT WON'T BE IN YOUR TERM GOING TO $25, UH, RIGHT, WE WERE SEEING SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS, UH, IN FACT I'LL HAVE THE SERIOUS AND, AND RANDY COMING A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SURELY Y'ALL NOTICED THE REDUCTION IN CALLS.
UH, WE MONITORED THEM VERY CAREFULLY.
UM, I SAW A COUPLE NUMBERS THIS WEEK.
IT'S JUST REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
THE DIFFERENCES MADE NOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, IMPROVED THE GARBAGE PROCESS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROCESS THAT WE REPLACED DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A SIGNED ROUTE SOME DAYS.
AND OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW, AS I'VE MENTIONED, WEDNESDAYS WERE AN OFFICIAL DAY OFF SO PEOPLE COULD
[02:40:01]
GET OVERTIME.SO I THINK WE CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THE $5 PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE.
AND, UH, THE, THE PLAN IS IN TALKING TO PROVIDERS THAT MAYBE THOSE COSTS CAN BE, UH, SAFEGUARDED.
SO IT'S, IT'S ALL RIGHT TO SPECULATE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN DOWN THE ROAD, BUT DEALING WITH TODAY'S FACTS, UH, WE HEARD FROM THE STATE CONTROLLER WE'RE IN DISCUSSION, BUT WE KEPT A COMMITMENT TO $5.
AND IT'S NOT 4 MILLION, IT'S 1 MILLION.
SO, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION WITH LEGAL AND IN THE STATE CONTROLLER, BUT IT IS $5 AND IT'S ALREADY SHOWING SIGNIFICANT RETURNS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, JUST SHARE SOME NUMBERS.
AND I, I APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING STRATEGIC WITH THIS MONEY.
WE'RE, UM, I ALSO HAD ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SALES TAXES, THE CONTAINER LEASE FEE, UM, YOU KNOW, SALES TAXES ARE LEVIED ON OTHER LEASES, SO I ASKED ABOUT WHY WE'RE NOT, UM, CHARGING A SALES TAX ON THAT.
UM, AND I'M NOT ADVOCATING THAT WE ADD A SALES TAX TO IT IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM.
IN FACT, I CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE THAT WE GET RID OF THE S FEE ALTOGETHER, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT LATER DOWN THE ROAD WE DON'T GET HIT WITH THE BILL FROM THE STATE IF WE WERE SUPPOSED TO PAY A SALES TAX THIS SOLE TIME.
SO SINCE THE FEE WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2021, FISCAL YEAR 21, UM, THE CITY HAS COLLECTED ROUGHLY $35 MILLION FROM THIS FEE.
SO, UM, THAT'S ROUGHLY $2.8 MILLION IN SALES TAXES.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS.
I KNOW THAT THE ORDINANCE WAS CHANGED IN 2023, BUT IT'S STILL LISTED AS, UM, A LEASE IN THE CITY'S FEE SCHEDULE.
AND IT'S, THE ORDINANCE STILL SAYS THAT IT'S FOR THE USE OF CONTAINERS, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A LEASE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT LEGAL IS LOOKING AT THIS SO WE DON'T GET HIT WITH A BILL LATER ON.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER TO SHARE THE NUMBERS HERE.
UM, SO AGAIN, THERE WAS $24 MILLION BUDGETED IN REVENUE FOR, UH, THE GARBAGE FEE.
ONCE THE SALES TAX IS SORT OF BACKED OUT OF THAT $5 YOU GET TO 4 62.
AND WHEN YOU DO THAT MATH, YOU COME UP SHORT ABOUT $1.8 MILLION.
UM, NOW THE NEXT STEP IN THAT PROCESS IS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FEE DID NOT BEGIN IN JULY.
AND SO THAT THE LATE IMPLEMENTATION WAS ANOTHER $1.9 MILLION COMING OUT OF REVENUE.
AND THE TOTAL FOR THAT IS $3.7 MILLION.
UM, YOUR, UH, YOUR MATH JIVES WITH OURS.
IF YOU LOOK FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE ON A $25 MILLION, PARDON, ON A $25 FEE, IT'D BE ABOUT 9 MILLION COMING OUT NOW.
THE ENTIRE OPERATION FOR SOLID WASTE RIGHT NOW IS IN THE $130 MILLION RANGE.
AND SO $9 MILLION COMING OUT OF THAT IS, IS MEANINGFUL.
UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE MADE UP AND FIGURED OUT, BUT IT'S, BUT IT'S A REAL NUMBER.
YEAH, I WANNA THANK THE VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM FOR, FOR HIGHLIGHTING THIS.
'CAUSE UH, WE, WE DID NOT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A SALES TAX, SO I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT, THAT WE WOULD CHARGE A SALES TAX AND EVERY OTHER CITY'S CHARGED A SALES TAX ON A GARBAGE FEE.
UM, ON THE STORMWATER FUND CONTROLLER, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR DILIGENCE IN LOOKING AT THE STORMWATER FUND.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE CARE ABOUT THOSE DOLLARS.
WE CARE ABOUT, UM, UH, THE CUS AND THE MONEY THAT'S COMING TO STORMWATER FUND.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S GOING TO DRAINAGE.
I AM SATISFIED THAT THIS IS PART OF A VEHICLE MAINTENANCE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY WE WANT ALL THE MONEY GOING JUST TRY TO PROJECTS, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH INVOLVED IN A PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE EQUIPMENT, THERE'S THE STAFF, THERE'S THE, THE DESIGN, THERE'S, THERE'S SO MUCH THAT GOES INTO IT.
THAT WAS ALWAYS KIND OF OUR LITMUS TEST WHEN, WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH COSTELLO.
LIKE, DOES IT, IS IT SOMEHOW RELATED TO THAT, THAT ACTIVITY OF STORM, YOU KNOW, MAINTENANCE AND I, I'M SATISFIED THAT THEM, AND WE DO HAVE TO MAINTAIN AND GET THE OIL CHANGE AND KEEP 'EM CLEAN AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF TO, TO BE ABLE TO ADEQUATELY PERFORM THE SERVICE.
BUT, BUT THANKS FOR LOOKING AT IT AND, AND WE CARE ABOUT THESE FUNDS, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE LAWSUIT, IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH WITH THE, WITH THE D-D-S-R-F.
SO, UM, UM, UM, DIRECTOR DEBOSKY, I APPRECIATE THE BACKUP TOO AND, AND THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND LOOK AT IT, BUT I'M SATISFIED THAT, THAT GET, THAT MEETS THE, THAT MEETS THE STANDARD.
WE HAVE THE SAME COUNCIL MEMBER.
DO YOU WANNA MOVE TO ACCEPT THE REPORT COUNCIL MEMBER? JUST A QUICK RESPONSE THERE.
UH, WE HAVE THE SAME, UH, APPROACH.
UM, SOMETHING THAT WAS ON YOUR AGENDA LAST WEEK THAT INCLUDED STORMWATER FUND WAS ABOUT COMPUTERS, RIGHT? AND IT'S CLEAR THAT PEOPLE WHO DO THE WORK IN THE STORMWATER NEED COMPUTERS.
UH, AND IT WAS SOME, YOU KNOW, ON A, DON'T QUOTE ME EXACTLY HERE, BUT I THINK IT WAS LIKE A 70, $70 MILLION
[02:45:01]
CONTRACT WITH A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND COMING FROM STORMWATER.AND, AND THAT CLEARED OUR THRESHOLD.
UH, THE BACKUP THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU TODAY, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT, BUT WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AS WELL AND, AND, AND CONSIDER, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR
IT'S IN SAP, THE BACKUP IS AVAILABLE IN SAP, THE SYSTEM OF RECORD.
OKAY, I MOVED TO ACCEPT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT DATED AUGUST 31ST, 2026.
SECOND CASTILLO, MOTION MADE, AND SECOND.
[MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER]
POPOFF, COUNCIL CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.I WANT TO START BY REMINDING FOLKS THAT WE ARE IN THE FINAL DAYS FOR VOTER REGISTRATION FOR THE UPCOMING NOVEMBER 3RD ELECTION.
OCTOBER THE FIFTH IS THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE HERE IN TEXAS, AND ALSO UPDATE YOUR REGISTRATION STATUS IF YOU HAVE MOVED, OR IF YOUR, UH, STATUS ISN'T ACTIVE, YOU CAN CHECK, UM, YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S AM I REGISTERED TOOL, AND THE ELECTION WILL BE ON NOVEMBER 3RD.
EARLY VOTING STARTS MID-OCTOBER, JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AWAY.
UM, THIS COMING SATURDAY FROM 10:00 AM TO 12 AT THE PLANT WE'LL BE HOSTING PARKING DAY, WHICH WILL BE AT 34 0 1 HARRISBURG.
SO THIS IS A CREATIVE WAY TO RETHINK HOW MUCH OF OUR CITY IS DESIGNED AROUND PARKING AS OPPOSED TO PEOPLE.
UM, SO FOR A FEW HOURS FROM 10 TO TWO, THE PARKING LOT WILL BECOME A PUBLIC SPACE.
UH, THERE WILL BE FOOD GAMES, EDUCATIONAL, UM, ACTIVITIES, LOCAL VENDORS, AND EVEN A SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKING LOT.
I'M GONNA MAKE SURE TO STOP BY, UM, AND HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS.
AND JUST AGAIN, THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARE DESIGNING OUR CITY.
HOW MUCH OF IT IS DESIGNED AROUND PARKING, AND HOW MUCH CAN BE REDESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE.
LAST WEEK, I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE ON A PANEL ALONG WITH DOWNTOWN HOUSTON PLUS AND THE CITY OF PHOENIX AROUND WHAT CITIES ARE DOING TO RESPOND TO EXTREME HEAT AND WEATHER EVENTS.
UH, THIS WAS PART OF THE SMART CITIES CONNECT FALL EXPO, AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, THEM FOR HOSTING US.
UM, I WAS ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE EFFORTS BEING DONE THROUGH RESILIENT H WITH OUR, UH, COOL CORRIDOR PILOTS, OUR TREE CANOPY HOME WEATHERIZATION EFFORTS, AND OUR, UH, PARK RESILIENCE IMPROVEMENTS.
THEY REALLY LEAD THE WAY ACROSS THE NATION WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING AROUND EXTREME HEAT.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A OFFICE OF HEAT MITIGATION WITHIN THEIR, THEIR CITY DEPARTMENT, UM, AND THEY'RE DOING SOME VERY INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT HOUSTON CAN LEARN FROM.
SO WE'RE NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL HERE AS WE ARE DEALING WITH MORE DAYS OF EXTREME HEAT AND HIGHER TEMPERATURES.
UM, AND FINALLY, UH, DO WANT TO REMIND FOLKS TO BE AWARE OF THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND.
WE ARE EXPECTING A LOT OF RAIN, SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE PREPARED FOR THAT.
BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, LET ME, UH, IT'S SO SAD THAT I HAVE TO MENTION DR.
WE WERE AT HIS RETIREMENT SIX WEEKS, TWO MONTHS AGO, HUGE CELEBRATION OF 29 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE, AND HE HAD A ACCIDENT THAT TOOK HIS LIFE AND I GOT NOTIFIED THIS WEEK.
AND SO KEEP, UH, I MEAN, HE WAS AN OUTSTANDING HEALTHCARE PROVIDER, EMERGENCY AND EXPERT FOR 29 YEARS AS OUR CITY'S HEALTH POSITION DIRECTOR.
AND, UH, LET'S KEEP HIS WIFE, BEVERLY AND DAUGHTERS, COURTNEY AND CARRIE IN OUR PRAYERS.
IT'S JUST SHOWS YOU HOW FRAGILE LIFE IS AND EVERYBODY NEEDS TO TELL THEIR LOVED ONES.
AND EACH DAY YOU LOVE THEM BECAUSE HE WAS ACTUALLY ON VACATION AND WAS IN THE WATER AND, UH, HIS HEAD HIT THE GROUND AND SUFFERED, SUFFERED, UH, SPINAL DAMAGE AND WOW.
ANYWAY, I'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP EVERYONE AWARE OF, UH, OF THE SERVICES WHEN THEY'RE SCHEDULED, SO KEEP 'EM IN YOUR PRAYER.
AND, UH, WE WILL KEEP THE FAMILY IN PRAYER.
UM, LAST SUNDAY HAD THE, UH, I DON'T KNOW, SAY PLEASURE OR WHAT OF ATTENDING, UH, THE NATIONAL
[02:50:01]
NIGHT OF REMEMBRANCE OUT AT CRIME SHOPPERS, UH, WAS JOINED BY A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CARTER DAVIS, ELLA RAMIREZ, PECK AND SALINAS WERE ALL THERE.UM, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE MOST, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS THEY'D EVER HAD.
UH, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOOD TO SHOW THAT PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO SUPPORT THEM.
I MEAN, I THINK, UH, OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY SHOULD BE TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS FROM PEOPLE THAT WANNA HARM 'EM.
SO I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR US TO SHOW UP.
AND, UH, THEY ALSO HAVE A, UH, AN EVENT EVERY MONTH THAT IS THE SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH.
UH, AND THAT IS FOR THE, THE PARENTS OF MURDERED CHILDREN.
UM, IN FACT, UH, MAYOR, UM, I'VE GOT AN IDEA I WANTED TO GET WITH YOU ON AT SOME POINT IN TIME THAT I THINK CAN MAYBE IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE THOSE PEOPLE HAVE A LITTLE BIT WITH DEALING WITH THE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT END OF IT.
I THINK ALSO HELP HPD OUT AS WELL.
UH, ALSO, WE'LL BE HAVING OUR NEXT TOWN HALL IN CLEAR LAKE, THAT WAY THE, THE RESIDENTS OUT IN CLEAR LAKE DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE 50 MILES TO GO OUT TO KINGWOOD.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE OUT AT THE, UH, ST OR, SORRY, CLEAR LAKE SPACE CENTER.
THAT'S GONNA BE THURSDAY, OCTOBER THE EIGHTH.
UH, WE'VE INVITED A NUMBER OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, COMMUNITY SPEAKERS, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL HAVE INFORMATIONAL TABLES OUT, UH, AT THE CHURCH TO, UH, BE ABLE TO INFORM THE RESIDENTS OF, UH, DIFFERENT ITEMS GOING ON.
SO IT'LL, THE DOORS ARE OPEN AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
UH, PLEASE, UH, COME OUT AND JOIN US.
THEN WE'VE GOT, UH, ELECTRONIC RECYCLING UP IN KINGWOOD SATURDAY, OCTOBER THE THIRD, STARTING AT NINE O'CLOCK.
UH, THEY'LL GO UNTIL THE TRUCKS FILL UP.
AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, WANT TO WISH, WISH MY DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF A HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY.
IT WAS, UH, LAST FRIDAY, BUT, UH, DAMARI PEREZ IS HER 25TH, AND I CAN REMEMBER MY 25TH, ALTHOUGH IT WAS A LONG, LONG TIME AGO.
YESTERDAY WE OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THE RETURN AND INSTALLATION OF PRIDE BANNERS ALONG WESTHEIMER.
UH, WE WERE WELCOMED BY MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CUSTOMER SALINAS, AS WELL AS COUNTY ATTORNEY, COUNTY ATTORNEY ABBY CAYMAN, COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS, US REP, LIZZIE FLETCHER, STATE REP ANN JOHNSON, CONSTABLE ALAN ROSEN.
AND, UH, JUST A LOT OF CIVIC LEADERS.
SO THAT WAS A REALLY EXCITING, UH, EVENT.
WHILE IT DID POUR ON US AND RAIN QUITE A BIT, IT JUST HELPED TO, YOU KNOW, UPLIFT THE AMBIANCE OF, OF THE CELEBRATION.
I WANNA THANK PRIDE 365 JACK VALINSKI FOR REALLY BRINGING THIS FORWARD COUNTY ATTORNEY ABBY CAYMAN, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR WHO, WHO SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY IN BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
AND THIS IS REALLY A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT FOR, UH, DISTRICT C AND THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY CITYWIDE.
I ALSO WANNA SHOUT OUT PARKING DAY.
I WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE WITH CUSTOMER CASTILLO.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3RD, THE PLANT FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM JUST WANNA GIVE A QUICK STAT.
DOWNTOWN IS 26% SURFACE PARKING LOT.
JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
AND HOPEFULLY, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO BRING COMMUNITY LEADERS INTO THIS CONVERSATION, UH, WE CAN GET CREATIVE ON, ON WHAT THAT SPACE COULD BE USED FOR.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE WILL BE SERVING MEXICAN CORN ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1ST AT 12:00 PM UH, AT THE GROUND FLOOR OF CITY HALL ANNEX.
THIS IS OUR CMC KICKOFF RAISING FUNDS FOR THE GRACE PLACE.
THIS WAS DONATED GRACIOUSLY BY OTTE BRAVOS.
SO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL Y'ALL ON THE FIRST THANK YOU, COUNCILOR RAMIREZ.
UM, EARLIER THIS WEEK, UH, MONDAY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON A PANEL AFTER THE SCREENING OF A POLITICAL, POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY CALLED THE LIFE OF THE PARTY, WHICH WAS CO-DIRECTED BY HOUSTONIAN FILMMAKERS, MEG GRIFFITHS AND SCOTT FERRIS.
AND THE PANEL WAS MODERATED BY, UH, CHRONICLE EDITOR LISA FALKENBERG AND, AND ALSO HAD, UM, REPRESENTATIVES OF LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
AND, UH, I GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE BRIDGE WORK THAT I HAVE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH MY CHIEF OF STAFF, LEAH WOLF, TAL.
WE'VE HAD THREE EVENTS PREVIOUSLY WHERE WE BRING PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS IN, IN A CIVIL MANNER OVER A MEAL OR A COFFEE AND PASTRIES.
AND WHAT WE FOUND UNIVERSALLY IN THOSE EVENTS IS THAT WE HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN, UH, WE DISAGREE ON.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WORK, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME HERE IN HOUSTON.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER EVENT OF THAT NATURE IN NOVEMBER IN CONJUNCTION WITH COMPASSION WEEK, WHICH IS ORGANIZED BY COMPASSIONATE HOUSTON.
AND SO LOOK FOR THAT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
UH, BUT THAT WAS A GREAT PANEL DISCUSSION ON MONDAY NIGHT.
ALSO, WANT TO INTRODUCE THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR STAFF.
UM, I DIDN'T WARN HIM ABOUT THIS, BUT REYES, WOULD YOU STAND? REYES RAMIREZ IS OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS.
HE ALSO HAPPENS TO BE HOUSTON'S POET LAUREATE
AND SO, UH, HE HAS MANY TALENTS, BUT HE'LL BE SHARING THEM WITH US TO BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
HE PREVIOUSLY WORKED IN THE CITY'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT
[02:55:01]
AS WELL, SO WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE HIM ON STAFF.I FEEL LIKE I NEED A DRINK AFTER COUNCIL AT 10:00 AM I FEEL LIKE WE JUST NEED A MOMENT TO GET OURSELVES TOGETHER.
UH, I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE THIRD ANNUAL FAITH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUMMIT IS SATURDAY OCTOBER 10TH.
WE WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO REGISTER BECAUSE WE HAVE LIMITED ONSITE REGISTRATION.
UH, FIFTH THIRD, HUNTINGTON UNITY BANK, UH, GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS, THE HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE, LOTS OF PARTNERS WITH US.
WE'RE PROVIDING DIRECT INFORMATION AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT, UM, SO YOU CAN HELP US MEET YOUR VISION AROUND AFFORDABILITY AND THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO AFFORDABILITY AROUND HOUSING.
UM, THE REGISTRATION LINK IS ON OUR DISTRICT F WEBSITE AND ALL THROUGHOUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6TH IS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE AROUND 11 NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE OFFICIALLY, UM, IDENTIFIED THAT THEY'RE HOSTING EVENTS FROM MULTI-FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL THE WAY TO OUR SINGLE FAMILY, UH, SUBDIVISIONS.
I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO.
WE'RE GONNA TRY OUR BEST TO GET OUT THERE.
JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ENGAGEMENT TOOL.
UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAFER.
PLEASE GET OUT THERE AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN AND WHERE I AM POPPING UP.
UM, I ALSO WANNA JUST HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU AN UPDATE AROUND THE WATER BILLS AND THE DISCONNECTION NOTICES, UH, THAT HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS ANNOUNCED ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
IN DISTRICT F, WE HAVE ROUGHLY 940, UM, H HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO DISCONNECTION.
WE HAVE IMPLORED YOU TO REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE SO WE CAN FACILITATE A PAYMENT PLAN, WALK YOU THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW PROCESS WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE HAD A A $32,000 WATER BILL THAT WAS CORRECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF A CONSTITUENT, REACHED OUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, AND IT TOOK MONTHS.
THEY HAD BEEN BELABORING THIS OVER AND OVER.
REACHED OUT TO MY OFFICE AROUND MY TEAM BIRD DOG, THIS WITH THE HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR LIAISON, AND WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE THIS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK HOLLOW THAT HAD BEEN DEALING WITH UTILITY ISSUES, AND THEY WERE REFUNDED UPWARDS OF $11,000, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY SAVING THEIR HOA AND THEIR FUND.
SO I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT THERE IS, UH, WE ARE OFFERING RESULTS AND THERE'S RESOLUTION TO YOUR ISSUE.
GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
REACH OUT TO DISTRICT F AT HOUSTON, TX GVI ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE A HABITABILITY CONCERN AROUND HOT WATER, UM, AT APARTMENT COMPLEX IN WEST CHASE.
SINCE SEPTEMBER 18TH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, THE HABITABILITY TEAM, IN ADDITION TO THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION AND THE TENANTS.
AND SO WE'VE, UH, WE ARE WAITING ON AN UPDATE.
THERE'S BEEN AN INVESTIGATION A AROUND THAT.
BUT IF YOU ARE A TENANT, UM, EXPERIENCING THOSE HABITABILITY CONCERNS, PLEASE REACH OUT, PUNCH IT WITH 3 1 1, REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICE, AND SO WE CAN CROSS EXAMINE, MAKING SURE THAT AS WE BUILD OUT THIS ASEC, UM, DASHBOARD AROUND OUR TOP 25 DANGEROUS PROPERTIES, THAT THAT PROPERTY IS NOT ALSO ON THE LIST.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
OCTOBER 5TH IS YOUR DEADLINE, UH, TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
IF YOU HAVE MOVED LOCATIONS AND YOUR, UH, VOTER REGISTRATION HAS BEEN SUSPENDED OR SUSPENSE, IF YOU HAVE BEEN PURGED FROM THE VOTER TOLLS, UH, DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, LOOK UP YOUR ADDRESS, LOOK UP YOUR NAME, VERIFY THE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS ACCURATE, YOUR, UM, YOUR ADDRESS AND ALL OF THAT, THAT PERTINENT DETAILS, BECAUSE IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS WE GO THROUGH EARLY VOTING, UM, IN THE SEASON.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A, A CIVICALLY ENGAGED COMMUNITY.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE.
IF ANYTHING ELSE, IF MY OFFICE CAN BE OF SERVICE, PLEASE GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO AT DISTRICT F@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
UM, WE RECENTLY HEARD ABOUT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN DISTRICT A THAT DID NOT HAVE ELECTRICITY FOR OVER A WEEK.
AND MAYOR, I JUST WANNA THANK YOUR OFFICE AND OEM FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
UM, THEY IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO ACTION AND I'VE SEEN A HUGE IMPROVEMENT WHEN WE'VE HAD ISSUES LIKE THIS IN THE PAST, UM, TO TODAY WHERE THEY JUST, EVERYONE WAS ON BOARD.
YOUR OFFICE DID AN AMAZING JOB.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK JOSH IN YOUR OFFICE.
UM, MEL BARTIS, ROBERT FOWLER, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, HPD, AND THEN OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS, MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES, AND THE YMCA FOR REALLY STEPPING UP AND HELPING.
SO, JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS AND CENTER POINT AS WELL.
THEY, UM, WERE ON STANDBY FOR, THE ISSUE WAS ON THE APARTMENT SIDE, BUT THEY WERE ON STANDBY TO TURN THE ELECTRICITY BACK ON WHEN THE REPAIRS WERE MADE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.
[03:00:01]
MARTINEZ.UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, CELEBRATING THE 2026 HPD HISPANIC OFFICER OF THE YEAR.
UH, TODAY THEY'RE HAVING THEIR LUNCHEON.
UM, I WANT TO THANK LENORE FOR HER ADVOCACY AS WELL.
UH, MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, AND HPD EAST SIDE DIVISION FOR RESPONDING TO 3,700 BLOCK OF BROADWAY SATURDAY MORNING.
UH, IT'S AN, IT WAS A AFTER HOURS CLUB, THAT SPECIFIC AREA, UH, WHICH IS PARK PLACE.
UH, WE'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL CALLS ALONG THE 45 CORRIDOR.
AND SO TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THESE TYPES OF, UH, UM, ILLICIT ACTIVITY, IT'S HELPFUL.
IT HELPS KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE AS WELL.
UH, I WANT TO THANK, UH, BY YO CIVIC CLUB FOR ALLOWING ME TO ATTEND, UH, THEIR CIVIC CLUB AGAIN.
UH, I USUALLY ATTEND EVERY CIVIC CLUB TWICE A YEAR.
SO I'M IN MY SECOND ROUND OF CIVIC CLUB TOUR, UM, WAS ABLE TO ENJOY SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS, TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER, LIKE THE FINANCES, CORE SERVICES, AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO I WANNA THANK MR. NAS FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AT BAYOU OAKS, WHO'S A CIVIC CLUB PRESIDENT FOR WELCOMING ME AND MY TEAM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UH, WE HAVE TWO EVENTS THIS SATURDAY.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF RAIN, BUT DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS, UH, ARE AWARE OF IT.
THE FIRST ONE IS VIA THE GOLF.
IT'S OUR ANNUAL EVENT TO ENSURE THAT YOUNG KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO GOLF, UH, SPECIFICALLY AT, IT'LL BE AT FM LAW PARK.
UH, BUT THE HOUSTON GOLF ASSOCIATION DOES A GREAT JOB WITH THE FIRST TEE PROGRAM.
UH, THEY EMPOWER YOUNG KIDS, UH, 17 TO 18 YEAR OLDS TO PLAY GOLF.
UH, THE THE OTHER GOLF IS A FREE FAMILY EVENT AT FM LAW PARK, AND IT'LL BE FROM, UH, 11 TO NOON.
UM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL THERE.
UH, THE OTHER EVENT IS HOBBY FEST.
UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOBBY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
THIS IS OUR SECOND ANNUAL HOBBY FEST AT DOW PARK IN THE HOBBY AIRPORT AREA.
IT'S, UH, FROM 11 TO FOUR, THERE'S GONNA BE LIVE MUSIC, FOOD ACTIVITIES, UH, AND SEVERAL, SEVERAL ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS.
I ALSO WANNA JOIN THE COURSE OF, UM, EXCITEMENT FOR PARKING DAY.
AND, UH, I'M ALL ABOUT SOME PARKING REFORM MAYOR IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, WE HAVE SOME REALLY OLD RULES ON PARKING, A LOT OF BIG STANDARDS.
IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN, IN THE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE HAD, UH, YOU KNOW, LIMITED OR GOT DONE AWAY WITH OUR RESTRICTIONS.
SO, UM, EXPANDING THAT TO SOME DIFFERENT AREAS, I THINK IS A, IS WORTHWHILE, UM, LOOKING INTO.
UM, SO PARKING DAY JUST WILL TAKE, UH, A REGULAR PARKING LOT AND MAKING IT TO SOMETHING BETTER THAN A PARKING LOT.
UM, I KNOW WE'RE A CAR-CENTRIC CITY, BUT I THINK THE MARKET WILL BEAR OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT PARKING WE NEED AND WE NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THAT.
ALSO EXCITED ABOUT, UH, UH, IN, UM, UNTITLED ART FAIR.
IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, ART BASEL IN MIAMI NOW.
WE'RE HAVING IT AGAIN THIS YEAR, FRIDAY AT THE GRB FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FROM 11 TO SEVEN AND SUNDAY FROM 11 TO FIVE.
AND I WENT TO THE WELCOME PARTY RECEPTION LAST NIGHT.
UM, A LOT OF GREAT ARTISTS ARE GONNA BE REPRESENTED AND IT'S, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD TIME.
I WANNA ECHO THE EXCITEMENT ABOUT PARK DAY.
UM, BUT I WOULD MOST LIKE TO TAKE MY REMARKS TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE A TRAGIC LOSS OF A YOUNG STUDENT OF OUR COMMUNITY LAST WEEK TO GUN VIOLENCE.
WHO WAS JUST 17, A SENIOR AT WESTBURY HIGH SCHOOL, AND STANDOUT FOOTBALL PLAYER AND BASKETBALL PLAYER WAS SHOT AND KILLED THE DAY BEFORE, WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN HIS HOMECOMING WEEKEND.
MY HEART, I KNOW THE FAR HEART OF ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE WITH HIS FAMILY, CLASSMATES AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND WE ARE YET AGAIN REMINDED THAT WE MUST NOT ACCEPT THIS AS NORMAL AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PUSH FOR SENSIBLE GUN POLICY RECORDER.
UM, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
I'LL BE HOSTING AN EVENT NEXT WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER, THE, UH, SEVENTH AT CRIME STOPPERS, UH, HOSTING A PANEL DISCUSSION WITH, UH, THE DA, UH, SHERIFF GONZALEZ, UH, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY AND A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, AT STARTING AT, UH, 11:00 AM AND PANEL DISCUSSION, AND THEN A ROUND TABLE.
UM, ALSO TOO MAYOR, UM, JUST HIGHLIGHTING TODAY'S EVENTS WITH THE CONTROLLER.
UM, AS WE'RE SITTING AROUND DOING POP-OFF, I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WOULD BE, UM, JUST AN IDEA THAT PERHAPS WE COULD ENCOURAGE THE CONTROLLER TO STAY FOR POPOFF ON HIS DAYS THAT HE'S HERE AND HE COULD SUBMIT HIS POPOFF WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING IN THE COMMUNITY ALONG WITH THE REST OF COUNCIL.
UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ MENTIONED, WE HAVE A, THE HOUSTON HISPANIC OFFICER'S LUNCHEON TODAY, AND IT SEEMS LIKE ON, ON DAYS WHEN WE RECEIVE A FINANCIAL REPORT, SOMETIMES IT BECOMES QUITE LENGTHY AND
[03:05:01]
AS YOU KNOW, YOUR TIME IS VALUABLE, BUT, BUT SO IS OURS.SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, MORE OF, OF THE CONVERSATION SEEMS TO BE MORE POP OFF AND WHAT HE'S HOSTING, WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING AND THAT.
AND SO CERTAINLY I WOULD YIELD MY TIME, UH, DURING POPOFF TO HIM ANY DAY THAT HE WOULD LIKE THAT.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECAP A FEW IMPORTANT EVENTS FROM LAST WEEK IN DISTRICT D, THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, AND HIGHLIGHT AN EXCITING EVENT COMING UP.
UH, JACK GATES HIGH SCHOOL AT 100 HOUSTON HISTORY PANEL.
LAST WEDNESDAY, I HAD THE HONOR OF JOINING THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CENTER FOR PUBLIC HISTORY FOR A VERY SPECIAL CONVERSATION, CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF THE JACK GATES HIGH SCHOOL.
IT WAS WONDERFUL TO REFLECT ON WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, CELEBRATE THOSE WHO BUILT THAT LEGACY AND TALK ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CARRY IT FORWARD FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
ALSO, ON THAT SAME NIGHT I WAS RUNNING, UH, SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY MEETING, PARKS, PROJECTS AND OPERATIONS.
UH, OUR OFFICE JOINED THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, SUNNYSIDE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 71, AND OUR SUNNYSIDE RESIDENTS FOR A COMMUNITY MEETING AT THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY CENTER.
I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT, ASKED QUESTIONS AND SHARED THEIR CONCERNS AND IDEAS ABOUT SUNNYSIDE PARK AND THE RECREATIONAL RESOURCES SERVING THEIR COMMUNITY.
OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THESE MEETINGS GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, BUT TO LISTEN AND MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY REMAINS PART OF THE PROCESS.
I WANNA THANK DIRECTOR ALLEN AND ALL OF THOSE THAT CAME OUT TO GIVE THE INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN LONG COMING.
UM, IN REGARDS TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THAT PARK, UM, JOHNSON NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY FAMILY PLACE, RIBBON CUTTING, UH, WHICH WAS ON THURSDAY, WAS CELEBRATED.
AND OUR LIBRARIES ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT NEIGHBORHOOD INSTITUTIONS WE HAVE.
THEY SUPPORT LITERACY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT, PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS, CONNECT RESIDENTS TO TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION, AND CREATE A SAFE PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO LEARN AND TO GROW.
CERTAINLY WANNA THANK THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, UM, THE BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION AND ALL OF THE LITTLE CHILDREN THAT CAME AS WELL TO HAVE A GREAT TIME WHILE WE WERE DOING THE RIBBON CUTTING ON.
TOMORROW WE HAVE THE MCGREGOR PARK, UH, PARK RENOVATION GROUNDBREAKING, UH, START OF THE CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WILL BE TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM AT THE MCGREGOR PARK BASKETBALL PAVILION.
UM, I WON'T TAKE A FEW SHOTS THAT DAY.
I'LL JUST BE THERE FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING.
MY DAD WAS A BASKETBALL COACH THOUGH, BY THE WAY.
UH, TOMORROW MORNING I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO JOINING YOU, MAYOR, UH, THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD, UM, THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY LEADERS, RESIDENTS AND PARTNERS TO CELEBRATE THE OFFICIAL START OF CONSTRUCTION ON A MAJOR RENOVATION OF MCGREGOR PARK.
UM, MCGREGOR PARK PARK HAS SERVED GENERATIONS OF HOUSTONIANS.
I USED TO RUN THROUGH MCGREGOR PARK WHEN I HAD A BETTER FIGURE AND, UH, AT THE SWIMMING POOL.
AND, UH, THE PROJECT INCLUDES IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HOME OF FORD TENNIS TENNIS CENTER, THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
PLAZA, UH, EXPANDED WALKING TRAILS, A NEW CENTRAL PROMENADE AND NATURAL AMPHITHEATER AND ALL INCLUSIVE, A DA ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.
PICKLEBALL COURTS, ADDITIONAL SHADE TREES, AND STRONGER CONNECTION TO BRAISE BAYOU GREENWAY.
THIS PROJECT HAS ALSO BEEN SHAPED BY EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND THE HOUSTON PARK BOARD PARKS BOARD REPORTS THOUSANDS OF INTERACTIONS WITH RESIDENTS DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD THAT THIS HISTORIC INVESTMENT IS HAPPENING RIGHT HERE, DISTRICT D, THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE IN THE MORNING.
MAYOR, I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME CERTAINLY TO AGAIN, REMEMBER GARNET COLEMAN, OUR HONORABLE STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
AND I WANT, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS LOSS OUR CITY AND PARTICULARLY OUR THIRD WARD COMMUNITY, EXPERIENCED LAST WEEK WITH THE PASSING OF FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE GARNET COLEMAN GARNET WAS THIRD WARD, NOT SIMPLY BECAUSE HE CAME FROM THERE REPRESENTATIVE, BUT BECAUSE HE CARRIED THAT COMMUNITY WITH HIM WHEREVER HE WENT.
FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES IN THE TEXAS HOUSE, HE REPRESENTED CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST HOUSTON AND WORKED ON ISSUES THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTED PEOPLE'S EVERYDAY LIVES, HEALTHCARE, MENTAL HEALTH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND OPPORTUNITY.
HE HELPED ESTABLISH CHILDREN'S MEDICAID AND CHIP IN TEXAS.
AUTHORED DES SANDRA BLAND ACT, ADVOCATED FOR TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS,
[03:10:01]
AND WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN EFFORTS TO PRESERVE AND INVEST IN THIRD WARD.BUT LEGISLATION ALONE DOES NOT TELL THE STORY OF A PERSON'S LIFE.
GARNERED UNDERSTOOD THAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT PEOPLE.
HE UNDERSTOOD THE NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THIRD WARD SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LOSE THEIR IDENTITY IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE PROGRESS.
HE UNDERSTOOD THAT PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR HEALTH OR MENTAL HEALTH DESERVE DIGNITY AND ACCESS TO CARE.
AND THROUGH HIS OWN WILLINGNESS TO SPEAK PUBLICLY ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES, HE REMINDED PEOPLE THAT STRENGTH DOES NOT REQUIRE, PRETENDING THAT LIFE HAS ALWAYS BEEN EASY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SERVICE ENDS WHEN THEY LEAVE OFFICE, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHOSE FINGERPRINTS AND FOOTPRINTS REMAIN ON COMMUNITY AS LONG AFTER THE TITLE IS GONE.
GARNER'S FINGERPRINTS ARE ALL OVER.
HE FOUGHT FOR THE POLICIES, HE'S HELPED SHAPE THE NEIGHBORHOODS HE WORKED TO PROTECT.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IN THE COUNTLESS PEOPLE HE ENCOURAGED, MENTORED, AND HELPED ALONG THE WAY TO HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND EVERYONE WHO LOVED HIM.
WE EXTEND OUR SINCEREST CONDOLENCES AND TO GARN IT, WE SIMPLY SAY, THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING, THANK YOU FOR SERVING, THANK YOU FOR LOVING THIRD WARD AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THANK YOU FOR LEAVING HOUSTON BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT.
AND CERTAINLY I ALSO WANT TO CONVEY MY CONDOLENCES TO THIS, TO THE FAMILIES OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT LOST THEIR LIVES.
WE HAVE AT SOME POINT, WE MUST TAKE CONTROL OF THIS, THIS GUN VIOLENCE, UH, BECAUSE IT IS ENDING OUR YOUNG LIVES FAR TOO SOON, SENSELESSLY.
AND SO CERTAINLY, UH, WE HAVE TO DO MORE THAN OFFER CONDOLENCES.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO STOP THIS VIOLENCE, GIVE PEOPLE A BETTER SELF-ESTEEM, LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO RESOLVE CONFLICT THAT DO NOT RESULT IN THE LOSS OF LIVES OR THE LOSS OF THEIR OWN LIVES INCARCERATED.
I AM ENCOURAGED BECAUSE WE ARE PEOPLE THAT CAN MAKE CHANGE AND THAT CAN HELP EACH OTHER.
AND THAT CONCLUDES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
SORRY, I DON'T MEAN TO PROLONG THIS, BUT, UM, I APPRECIATE THE, I WAS GONNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE COLEMAN AND, AND THANK YOU.
I CAN SAY IT ANY BETTER THAN YOU DID.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ AND ALSO IN HONOR OF COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ.
I MEANT TO SAY THIS EARLIER, THERE WAS AN EXHIBIT LAST NIGHT, PART OF PHOTO FEST AT SILVER STREET AND DONE BY THE STUDENTS OF GUESS WHERE, JY FOR LIFE, JACK YATES HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEY HAD A PHOTO EXHIBIT OF, UM, SOME JUST WONDERFUL SPOTS AROUND HOUSTON, ALONG WITH LIKE LITTLE LOVE LETTERS TO HOUSTON.
AND I WANNA READ ONE OF 'EM IN HONOR OF YOU.
THERE WERE ALSO SOME FROM DEBAKEY, BUT LET'S JUST SAY THIS ONE'S FROM SOMEBODY FROM JACKIE YATES
HU HOUSTON ISN'T PERFECT, BUT IT'S MINE.
IT'S THE PLACE WHERE THE HEAT HITS YOU, THE SECOND YOU STEP OUTSIDE WHERE PEOPLE WILL CHAT WITH YOU IN LINE LIKE YOU'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR YEARS.
IT'S BIG, LOUD, AND A LITTLE CHAOTIC, BUT IT STILL FEELS FAMILIAR.
I ALWAYS END UP AT THE SAME STRETCH OF FREEWAY WHERE TRAFFIC NEVER MOVES.
I THINK ABOUT THE FOOD, THE MIX OF PEOPLE, THE WAY EVERYONE SHOWS UP WHEN THINGS GET HARD.
HOUSTON FRUSTRATES ME, SURPRISES ME, AND KEEPS PULLING ME BACK IN ANYWAY.
WE, UH, WE ADJOURN IN HONOR OF DR.
PER AND, UM, GARNET COLEMAN SAYING ADJOURNED.