Councilmember Huffman for the invocation.

Thank you, Mayor, and may you bow your heads.

Heavenly Father, thank you for this day.

Thank you for the amazing city in which we live and for this incredible group of people and for the leadership of the mayor.

We humbly come before you asking that this meeting be productive, edifying, and united.

Thank you that we can come together with one vision to make the city of Houston a better place.

Your word says that you appoint an established leaders.

We're grateful for where you have placed us for such a time as this.

May we honor you and the citizens of Houston with our meeting today.

Amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the Republic.

Roll call, please.

Mayor Whitmeyer, present.

Councilmember Peck.

Here.

Councilmember Jackson will be absent.

Councilmember Kaman.

Councilmember Evan Shabazz.

Here.

Councilmember Flickinger?

Councilmember Thomas?

Present.

Councilmember Huffman.

Present.

Council Member Castillo?

Here.

Councilmember Martinez?

Here.

Councilmember Pollard?

Here.

Councilmember Castex Tatum.

Here.

Councilmember Ramirez?

Here.

Councilmember Davis.

Councilmember Carter.

Council.

Councilmember Salinas.

Present.

And Councilmember Alcorn.

Yes.

Need a motion to adopt the minutes of February 10th and 11th.

Cast next statement move.

Motion is made and seconded.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Mr.

Secretary, if you move to the consent agenda.

Under the miscellaneous category, is there a motion for items 1, 2, 3, and 4?

Cassate a move.

Hex second.

Motion is made and seconded.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Okay.

Mayor approach him.

Thank you, Mayor.

I do see that we have uh members from the Office of Business.

I mean from the Advisory Board for the Office of Business Opportunity in the audience today.

Wanted to amplify that and uh ask them to stand so we can recognize them.

Um my leadership, Houston classmate Victor Lee is here.

Uh Raquel Oliver is here.

Umson uh Tracy Prince, thank you for serving.

Um Abraham Palace, Nasrula Khan, Tamika Dickerson is here, uh, Marlon Mitchell, Michelle Wright, and Yusuf Burgess.

Um if there are any other members here, uh thank you all for being here and thank you for your service to this advisory board.

And then of course I want to um give a shout out to the director of OBO, who is the um fierce champion of the work that we continue to fight for in the city of Houston.

So we appreciate all of you being here and we appreciate you giving of your time and service to the city of Houston to make sure that our small businesses have the opportunities to participate in our economic ecosystem in the city of Houston.

Very good.

Councilmember Martinez.

Thank you, Mayor, and I just want to echo a bit of what uh Mayor Pro Tem has mentioned.

Also recognize that uh Gonzalez with the Commandant Presarios and uh although he's not here, Ed uh Milton, he's a district guy resident.

And just want to say thank you all uh for working together to ensure that small businesses see opportunities at the city of Houston.

Uh thank you, Director, for your leadership as well.

Thank you.

Thank you for your public service and director.

You know how much I appreciate you on behalf of council.

Thank you for the job you're doing in the advisory group.

We'll uh make sure that all of Houston's represented in your fine work.

Thank you all.

Under the accept work category is there a motion for item five.

Cat second move.

Hex second.

Motion is made and second.

All in favor say yes, those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Under the property category, is there a motion for item six?

Castate a move.

Hex second.

Motion is made and seconded.

All in favor say yes, those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Under the purchase and and tabulation of bids category, is there a motion for items seven and eight?

Cat secitum move.

Next second.

Motion made and second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Under the resolutions category, item 10 has been removed for separate consideration.

Is there a vote for item nine?

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Under the ordinances category.

The following items have not been received but will be considered if they are received before the end of the meeting.

Items 12, 13, 14, 16, 24, 25, 27, 30, and 31.

Again, items not received, but will be considered before the end of the meeting.

12, 13, 16, 24, 25, 27, 30, and 31.

Items removed for separate consideration.

Items 21 and 23.

Just need a vote on the balance.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Items removed for separate consideration.

Items removed for separate consideration.

Item 10 is a resolution.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion.

So Ms.

Councilmember Ameris, a no.

Did you want to be recognized?

Represent uh councilmember.

No, just voted no.

Showed no by Flickinger.

And remember.

And Ramirez.

Item passes.

Item passes.

Item 21 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Councilmember Ramaris.

After the vote.

After all vote, sir.

All in favor on 21 say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Councilmember Ramares.

Yes, just want to uh express thanks for our governmental partners at the state and federal level for $15 million to help with FIFA security later this year.

This is gonna allow us to counter uh drones that could be used uh to threaten public safety for our visitors and for our residents, and so just grateful for uh the funding from our partners on this.

Thank you.

Next item 23 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor say councilmember flickinger.

Okay.

On item 23, all in favor say yes, those opposed, nay.

Motion pass it.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Flickinger.

Just wanted to highlight the work of uh State Rep Mary and Press on this, uh getting this money and along with our government relations team.

Uh Meadow Creek is kind of a forgotten area in in the city.

Uh and uh this money for this park will really go a long ways in helping these folks out.

Very good.

Thank you for your remarks.

Next item 32 is a motion to receive nominations for the appointment to position two of the Port of Houston Authority of Harris County.

Chair recognized Councilmember Alcorn.

I wish to nominate Thomas Jones for position two on the Port of Houston Authority.

Cast excitem second.

Motion made and second.

Is there any other nominations?

If not.

Cast excited move to close the nominations.

Next second.

Motion made and second to close nominations.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, no.

Next week.

We have to post it.

We'll vote on him next week.

Oh, I told him we'd do it today.

Okay.

Next week.

Thank you.

Next.

Um, call up 33 and we have some public speakers.

Item 33.

Is a resolution?

Just need a vote.

So you want to call the public speakers on it?

So we have Ben St.

Martin.

Mr.

Mark, Mr.

Martin.

Would you like to speak on this item?

It's Ben St.

Martin.

Not present.

Next.

Park.

Mr.

Park.

Either one.

Okay.

You were listed as a public speaker, but we're going to take this up and ask those direct comments.

Yes, sir.

Good morning, Mr.

Mayor and Council members.

My name is Sean Parik.

I live in the Lakes of Parkway neighborhood directly adjacent to the proposed uh nine percent uh housing development off of Highway 6.

Uh I respectfully ask the council withhold or at least defer support on this tax credit application until uh critical infrastructure and safety concerns are resolved.

This is not opposition to affordable housing.

This is whether the specific site in question is ready for this uh said development.

I have a couple of items I'd like to go over.

Uh first, drainage validation has not been uh provided.

Our local MUD, MUD 355 has already required updated engineering and draining analysis, which they have not received.

This area has documented runoff and elevation concerns.

Required drainage data has not been delivered to the community, and there's still no clarity regarding detention capacity uh or outfall location.

Uh let's see.

Approving uh support before drainage validation shifts risk to existing homeowners and ultimately to the city.

Um public safety and traffic constraints.

Access relies on highway six, requiring vehicles to cross multiple lanes without signalized intersection or a dedicated turn lane.

The quarter serves West uh Westside High School, uh, Westbride Middle School, Barbara Bush Elementary, Fire Station 86, all of which have significant congestion uh with the current uh uh population density that's already there.

Adding density without mobility improvements raise the concerns about emergency response and daily safety traffic, traffic safety rather.

Uh next infrastructure has not grown or kept pace with growth.

Residents are ex uh experiencing significant increased traffic congestion and utility constraints and power reliability as well.

Uh service delays, lack of pedestrian uh connectivity.

Um next, site does not align with transportation assumptions.

Tax credit developments are most successful when residents can access transit and schools safely.

This current site has no connected sidewalks to the metro area.

Students within three miles do not have qual uh do not qualify for HISD bus transportation.

The development will function as fully car dependent and already constrained corridor.

Uh this is a planning mismatch.

Community position is last week.

Uh Super Neighborhood 17, which represents our local area, did have a majority vote against supporting this development, as well as some other proposed projects, I think, within the vicinity.

Um this reflects broad concern from the community about infrastructure readiness, cumulative impact, not opposition to affordable housing.

In closing, we respectfully ask council to vote no or at least defer support to drainage, traffic mitigation, and infrastructure capacity are fully demonstrated.

Responsible growth requires sequencing development with infrastructure, not asking communities to absorb unverified risk.

Thank you all for your time.

I really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Councilmember Huffman.

Thank you.

And thank you for for coming forward today.

We've heard from a lot of the residents in that area, and I've received over a hundred letters from residents around there.

We do understand that the MUDs requirement of the developer to submit an um a current um engineered drainage plan is still open and pending at this time.

So we'll take all of that into consideration.

Thank you.

And lastly, there was a petition that was sent as of this morning 533 signatures from our local residents.

Thank you.

Thank you, everybody.

Thank you.

And then she does have the procedural motion to add two people.

Let's hear from uh Mr.

Martin.

Sure.

Mr.

Martin.

Apologies, uh, Mr.

Mayor, I didn't didn't hear you call my name back there.

Hello, Council.

Uh, my name is Ben St.

Martin with Canterbury Development.

We're uh housing developers based here in Houston.

We've submitted an application for a resolution of support for our proposed senior property, Oasis Gardens, a uh affordable senior housing community in A-Leaf.

Um we've been in contact with Councilmember Thomas's office as well as the super neighborhood, but I just wanted to make myself available to you if you all have any concerns or comments about our proposed development uh before the vote today.

We've sent out the proper notifications to everyone's office, but I just want to make myself available and say hello.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Huffman.

Thank you, sir.

Do you have a question?

Uh, this is a procedural motion.

Okay, let me release this gentleman.

Thank you for your testimony.

Councilmember Huffman.

I would like to make a procedural motion to add James Husser and Patricia Redman to the bottom of the three-minute agenda list.

Very good motion made in a second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed.

No.

Motion passes.

Councilmember Thomas for a motion.

No.

After this, after those two speakers.

Go for it.

Okay.

Your first speaker.

James Qur.

To be followed by Patricia Randman.

Oh, right here.

Right here.

Okay.

Honorable Mayor Whitmeyer and members of the City Council.

My name is James Cosier.

I am here today to discuss a unique economic frontier for Houston.

The commercialization of drone to ship delivery services along our shorelines.

Currently, thousands of international crew crew members on march on missiles at the port of Houston represent a significant missed economic opportunity.

These individuals have purchasing power but limited access to a local economy.

By establishing a drone corridor from the shoreline to these vessels, we can capture these foreign dollars, injecting them directly into Houston's local businesses.

Imagine a network of vending hubs or automated dispatch points along the ports perimeter.

These would serve as relay stations with local goods from essential supplies to Houston made retail can be delivered to ships in minutes.

We are seeing 2026 as the year of drones in Houston with residential deliveries already taking flight in the suburbs.

However, the maritime application is even more advantageous.

Floods overwater are often less complex to permit than floods over dense residential neighborhoods.

Yet the business potential here is worth millions in UMTAP trade.

I am seeking the Council's guns on three specific areas to make this reality.

Land use and zoning.

What is the city's current stance on drone dispatch hubs or vending nodes on city adjacent land?

Infrastructure synergies, how can we align with the port's ongoing $365 million capital improvement projects to ensure we are building drone delivery infrastructure?

And then regulatory framework.

While the FAA government the sky, I am looking to clarity on local ordinances regarding shoreline launch points, and the city can advocate for the specific maritime use case.

Houston is already has always been a city of logistics and airspace by supporting more time more time drone commercialization.

We aren't just adopting UTEC.

We are coming reclaiming a lost market and positioning the port of Houston as the most technologically advanced port in the world.

I welcome any guidance in the proper departments engaged with to move forward on this.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Mr.

Coozer.

Kaiser, you are released.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

James Cuser.

Yes.

Different person, different person.

Different person.

Similar names.

Thank you.

James Cuser?

I think y'all are using the same person, Miss Bellinick.

Sir, was you Kaiser or Couzer?

Okay.

Supposedly we got a COUSER.

Is there a James Coozer here that has signed up to speak?

That was that was just added by Councilmember Huffman.

Ms.

Trav Patricia Redman.

Okay.

Mr.

Redman, you were added by Councilmember Hubbard.

Thank you for having me back.

The one is fine.

Okay.

Um Tricia Redman from Lakesa Parkway representing HOA Board of Directors and Lakeshill Parkway Safety Committee on behalf of 870 homeowners.

I will not reiterate what you have already heard from one of the residents.

MUD 355 requirement is still an open item.

SN 17 voted uh non-support for the project.

Uh Lakesha Parkway Board of Directors submitted a request to withhold support of the project due to the adverse impact on Lakes and Parkway residents, specifically with the drainage.

They also made a request to uh retain the two-mile same year rule restriction for developers regarding adjoining property development.

Um Lakesha Parkway residents do have an ongoing petition against the project, which is constantly growing while we've been here.

It has increased almost another 50 um signatures.

Um I just wanted to focus a few minutes on the Lakes of Parkway Safety Committee uh study uh report on high density housing and traffic.

Um it is nine-tenths of a mile from Lakes of Parkway's main entry on Briar Forest to the Highway 6 intersection, which is the closest intersection to this project.

Within this distance on Briar Forest, there are 1,478 high density housing units that have primary, if not sole, entry exit onto Briar Forest.

Within an additional mile from Lake the Parkway going north via Highway 6, there exists in an additional 1,343 housing units, of which 924 have been added in the most recent three years or less.

These owners advertise participation in a recognized uh essential housing program, which offers sliding scale rent based on economic uh income of the households.

So there are some low-income projects already established in the area.

Collectively, within a 1.8 mile distance from the front gate of Lakesha Parkway, there exists a high density population of 2,0821 housing units.

There have been no known updates to surrounding infrastructure, roadways, utilities, and services.

Additional traffic reference was traffic generated by Westside High School with its 2,0825 student capacity, um, data from 2024.

Westside has a high number of student driver vehicles.

HISD does not provide bus transportation if student resides within three miles of the school district, which would include the proposed project.

And there are an additional 1,200 plus daily vendor visitor vehicles that enter and exit Lakesville Parkway onto Briar Forest.

So I just wanted to bring that additional traffic and density information to Council's attention.

Um is my understanding that all of this data has been submitted through the various council offices.

Thank you.

Ma'am.

Ms.

Redman.

Councillor Romerish.

Sorry to make you keep going back and forth.

Uh Patricia, I just want to say thank you for being here for your advocacy.

You were here last week, you are here again, and I saw you last uh last week at a community meeting.

So appreciate your your input.

Well, we want to have a great community collectively.

Thank you, ma'am.

And now Mr.

Keiser is here.

He just walked in.

Mr.

Keisher.

Somebody was using your name a moment ago.

Come on in.

Name for the record.

James Keyser.

Perfect.

Speak into the mic.

Mayor Whitmeyer, distinguished members of council.

Uh my name is James Kieser.

I am here to uh express my opposition to the uh 9 percent tax uh tax credit development project along Highway 6 in West Houston.

Um my focus here is principally on compliance with drainage and flood requirements for new developments.

I am a chemical engineer.

I have many years of drainage and flood control study, and I I attend our Harris County MUD meetings, MUD 355.

The City of Houston ordinance, Chapter 19 dictates that stormwater design and detention requirements for new developments be based upon a two-year rainfall standard and a 100-year rainfall event standard to mitigate structural flooding.

The proposed development sits on a three-acre field where drainage and flood control is currently managed by on-site soil absorption and some runover to MUD 355 for event-related stormwater.

This development proposes to cover the absorptive soil with non-permeable materials, concrete and asphalt.

The resulting impact, a two-year rainfall event that we talked about under Chapter 19 of the City Ordnant, would represent for this size property of 487,000 gallons of stormwater runoff for a single uh two-year rainfall event.

And with regard to the structural flooding requirement, which is a 100-year rainfall standard, it rises to 1.5 million gallons of runwall runoff once we cover that soil with non-permeable materials.

MUD 355 has already informed the developer that it does not have the capacity and can take no further runoff from this property.

When three acres of soil is covered by impermeable cover, stormwater runoff will occur and it must go somewhere.

The runoff cannot be directed towards neighboring properties.

It can't be sent out towards Highway 6.

The water must be either self-contained or absorbed by the local mud.

And the MUD has already informed the developer that it has no capacity to take any further runoff from this property.

We presented this issue to the developer at the recent super neighborhood meeting.

The developer indicated that they did not yet have a solution to the problem.

Note that a similar failed development was proposed on this same property, a 9 percent tax credit proposal approximately two years ago, again without a valid drainage and flood control plan.

We find it not only inappropriate, but if I dare say irresponsible to be moving forward on a project that does not have a drainage and flood control plan, especially in the event that the MUD cannot handle any more uh any more runoff uh from the property.

I attend those MUD meetings, and I'm very familiar with the where they're at.

So my concern is is strictly related to drainage and flood control on this property.

Thank you, sir.

At this time, uh Councilmember Thomas.

No, we have one more.

Ms.

Cizak.

Good morning, Councilmembers.

I'm Janine Sisak, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of DMA Development Company, where the developer proposing the Sunstone on SH6 in District Council G.

Quickly to I spoke last week to talk about community engagement in addition to meeting with the MUD and the Lakes of Parkway HOA.

I did meet with Super Neighborhood 17 while they voted last week to formally oppose the project.

I would like to say that two of the delegates voted in support.

One was neutral and five were in opposition.

If I was able to change minds, I think it's because DMA agreed to live limit the development to 65 units and a two-story structure.

And we offered a 30-foot boundary to address the privacy concerns of the three single-family homes adjacent to our site.

We believe we've met the community engagement requirement of the tax credit policy.

We ask you to support our development under item 33 and 36.

I want to note finally that um District G has a senior uh tax credit proposal also proposed, but because we're not pro excuse me, we're not proposing age restricted.

Um we request a waiver of the two-mile rule because we're serving different populations.

Thank you for all of your time and your service to the City of Houston.

I appreciate you.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Available for questions.

We're fine, thank you.

Councilmember we're we're finished.

Councilmember Thomas for procedural.

Thank you, Mayor.

And Council uh one, I want to thank uh the Housing and Community Development Department for getting these applications to us.

Really appreciate your effort.

And to all of you, my colleagues and your staff that have been engaged in this entire process and working with uh developers to get them in front of the right people.

Um, yesterday I was with the national builders and we were talking about the affordability crisis, and you know, nine percent tax credits help us get to the goal, particularly in Houston.

Um and with that, community engagement is uh non-negotiable step uh uh in that process.

And from what I've heard from several of you is that that has not happened in the way that we have created um a rhythm around at the city.

And so this can't be treated as a checkbox, and it's a critical component that determines whether projects move forward as you see.

Developers must ensure that those who will potentially benefit from these projects, uh, these developments who live, work, and play in the community are heard and involved at the start.

Uh letters of support should reflect genuine on-the-ground engagement with super neighborhoods, civic clubs, and not just top-down outreach.

Um so with that, I move to separate and refer back the following items.

Application number 26019 to the administration.

Application 26164, back to the administration.

Application 26, 238, back to the administration.

Application 260112 back to the administration.

I need a second.

Do you want a motion to the separate and to refer back?

So was it four of them?

It's four.

Uh second.

Application 2619, District A.

Application 26164, District F.

Application 26238, District G.

Application 260112, District K to separate the item and refer back to the administration.

I need a second.

Huffman seconds.

Motion is made in second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Discussion on the separation?

Items at the second rate of back.

What's your request?

It was a separate and referred back.

Correct.

So I can expect that.

Sure.

Sure.

Okay.

We were in the middle of taking a vote, so you want to discuss it before we finish the vote.

Yes, I would like discussion.

Okay, members will set aside the beginning of the vote and recognize Councilmember Cayman.

Thank you.

Uh Chair Thomas, I want to thank you for your leadership and making sure that neighborhoods are included in this process.

That is something we have put a very strong emphasis on throughout the history of us doing these programs.

One question I have in terms of timeline.

Does referring them back, what are the implications in terms of our timeline to or deadline to get these to the state for the application process?

The items that will move forward once this item will separate, um, we will uh they will have the opportunity to meet the deadline from the state.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, anyone else would like to comment?

If not, uh motion by Thomas has been segregated.

All in favor say yes, those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Now vote on the main item.

Any discussion.

All in favor, say yes, those opposed, nay, motion passes.

And we already did do, so now we go on to third.

Item 34.

Item 34 is a resolution, just need a vote.

In favor, say yes, those opposed, nay, motion passes.

Item 35 is a resolution, just need a vote.

All in favor say yes, those opposed, nay, motion passes.

Item 36 is a resolution.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes, those opposed, nay, motion passes.

Item 37 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

Councilmember.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, this pertains to the budget for TURS 18, which uh is located in the fifth ward.

And um I want to say that uh I won't be supporting this budget.

Not that the economic development needs of the fifth ward aren't great, they are.

They also need a great board.

And uh we had the same discussion a year ago.

Um I won't rehash the entire discussion, but when the item came up, it was tagged by three council members.

Then the following week there was a motion to refer back that was an eight-to-eight vote, uh almost passed but failed.

And the main points made back then were it's a board with conflicts of interest.

Um it's a board that never seems to accomplish very much in terms of capital improvements.

I understand the increment is not great relative to some of our other TURS.

However, if over the years you add up the increment, since in the last two ten years, they they have accumulated more than $15 million.

Very little of that has gone to any real capital improvement.

A lot of it has gone to uh overhead and consultant fees.

And that's not what the residents of the Fifth Ward TURS deserve.

They deserve a better board.

I thought about moving to refer this back.

However, I've spoken with our district council member, uh Tarsha Jackson, who is out on medical leave, and she does not want that.

She's fearful that projects won't go forward if this budget is referred back.

And so out of deference to her, I will not be moving to refer this back.

I'll just be voting no.

The good news is that this morning I had a fruitful conversation, Mayor, with your chief of staff, Dr.

Wilson, and uh we'll we'll be meeting regularly with Councilmember Jackson in uh getting some board uh appointments changed out.

More than a year ago in January, I interviewed several uh candidates who would do well on that board.

Councilmember Jackson did as well, and uh we submitted those names to the administration.

So hopefully going forward, uh we'll we'll make some changes.

Thank you.

All in favor say yes, those opposed nay.

Remember, Romares is a no motion pass.

We have 12 and 30 in if you want to do those real quick, and then we'll take number 12 is just arrived, Mr.

Secretary.

Item 12 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor say yes, those opposed, nay, motion passes.

Item 30.

Item 30 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor say yes, those opposed, nay, motion passes.

Members, let's move to public session now.

Uh Mr.

Secretary, we call our speakers.

Magdie Hannah.

Geneva Colbert.

Antonio Henderson.

Ovail Johnson.

Paul Roberson.

To be followed by Emily Ardwan.

Emily Ordon.

Hi.

Hello.

Good morning, Mayor Whitmeyer and members of City Council.

My name is Emily Ardwent, and I'm representing Preservation Houston, a local nonprofit that uh is dedicated to protecting the cultural and architectural heritage of our great city.

I want to talk about the Garden Oaks Theater this morning.

Uh 1947 movie theater on North Shepherd.

The property was recently purchased for redevelopment, including plans to demolish and replace the building.

Opening almost 80 years ago and designed by the same architect as the River Oaks Theater, the Garden Oaks was built to anchor its neighborhood.

It gave the community a landmark, a gathering place, and a shared sense of identity.

When thoughtfully rehabilitated, buildings of this scale can continue serving that role within larger redevelopment efforts.

We have several great examples of this in Houston.

The River Oaks, Heights, Tower, and Deluxe Theaters, which retained their entertainment use, but also the Alabama, which now serves a completely different purpose as a grocery store.

While we do have a handful of successes, we've lost far more of these neighborhood theaters.

Just in the last year, the Granada Theater on Jensen and its twin, the Capitan in Pasadena, were demolished.

In contrast to these two theaters, which had been vacant for a long time, the Garden Oaks is in good, very usable condition and was in continuous use up to its recent sale.

It still retains its Art Deco interior with beautiful patterned terrazzo floors, along with lots of other features that deserve to be enjoyed, not added to a landfill.

While we don't know the developers' exact plans yet, we've heard it will likely be a shopping center.

The Garden Oaks is a shopping center.

It includes spaces that originally housed a pharmacy and other retail tenants, so it would be especially well suited for renovation for this use.

We're asking for help facilitating a conversation between the property developer, the preservation community, and most importantly, Garden Oaks neighbors.

We hope they'll be willing to explore whether there's a path that meets their needs and keeps this landmark standing.

Last year, just up the street, uh the developers of the former Sears site on North Shepherd did sit down with community members and ended up choosing to keep the distinctive concrete pylon and bus shelter on the property along with the mature tree next to it.

This kind of collaboration turns a typical commercial development into a community-supported project that benefits its neighborhood in multiple ways.

It also opens up opportunities for preservation incentives, including state and federal historic tax credits, which combined are worth 45% of the qualifying rehab costs, including architect fees and contractor overhead.

The River Oaks Theater and St.

Elizabeth Hospital both recently took advantage of these uh tax credits in their rehab projects.

We're all for seeing this property redeveloped, but we believe it can be done profitably and successfully while honoring both the history and current desires of Garden Oaks.

A couple years ago, we lost a really unique uh distinctive mid-century bank building on Washington and Yale for a standard Chick-fil-A.

Just a couple months ago in Sherman Oaks, California, a new Chick-fil-A opened inside a fully restored mid-century modern diner.

We don't have to lose these buildings uh in order to progress.

Thank you for your yes.

Thank you, ma'am.

Councilmember Cayman.

Thank you.

Um I'll defer first to Councilmember Castillo and then I'll speak after.

Sure, Councilmember Castillo.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Thank you for being here today.

I know uh both you and Maureen are here to talk about the theater.

Uh and I'm glad you mentioned the Shepherd or the uh Sears project on Shepherd, because that is a very recent example just down the street of the developer and the community coming together, working together, and finding a way to honor history and preserve part of that development.

Uh and I think that's a great example that highlights the willingness of the neighborhood to uh work with uh redevelopment and honor the history of the structures.

Um I will say I have heard from the new owner uh as of this morning.

He is he is willing to meet with the community.

We are working on getting that uh set up so that there is that opportunity to have a dialogue, uh, and I'll continue to be in communication um with the neighbors on that.

Wonderful.

Thank you so much for your help.

Thank you, Councilman Cayman.

Thank you.

Uh first Emily, thank you so much for your leadership in everything that Preservation Houston does.

Uh, we're very grateful, and I appreciate the engagement.

I know we have uh some other residents here to speak on this, but I do want to thank Councilmember Castillo.

Again, this isn't his district, and I want to be respectful of that.

And at the same time, a lot of the residents that are impacted by this also reside in District C.

Uh so I'm in communication with Councilmember Castillo.

He's taking the lead, he's doing a terrific job.

Um, and we would appreciate the support of the city behind us in finding a solution uh to preserve this while making it uh from a business sense economically viable and profitable because that benefits the entire community.

Absolutely.

Um thank you for your time and again uh thank you, Councilmember Castillo, for your leadership on this.

All right, thank you everyone very much for your support.

Thank you.

Next, Maureen McNamara.

To be followed by Paul Roberson Seemed good.

Okay.

Good morning, Mayor Whitmeyer, Honorable Mayor Whitmeyer, and City Council.

Thank you so much for allowing me to speak this morning.

Um my name is Maureen McNamara, and I am one of the co-founders and directors of Friends of River Oaks Theater, which now does business as Art House Houston.

Art House Houston has expanded uh our role or um attempt to assist with other historic theaters uh after the huge success that the city, the community, the business community, all of us had at the River Oaks Theater.

There are um big concerns by both the uh community and uh our organizations about the possible loss of the Garden Oaks Theater.

It's been as we all know, it's been a third space for the community for uh almost 80 years.

Um as a church, as a theater.

It's had several lives, but it uh it really has always been a place of community for multiple districts.

Um I wanted to uh specifically ask council to uh and Mayor Whitmeyer to help support uh finding a way that the theater can continue to exist and be part of the fabric of our city.

I think it can be a win-win win-win where the city, the community, the neighboring businesses and investors in all of the surrounding residential and commercial properties can work together as they did with the River Oaks Theater.

Major cities around the country have saved their historic movie theaters as community arts and film centers.

They're now protected and thriving jewels for their cities.

Michigan uh has the Michigan and State Theaters, the Tampa Theater in Tampa, the Fox in Atlanta, the music box in Chicago, New York, LA, Boston, San Francisco just reopened the Castro.

And Austin Theater Alliance, a 501c3 nonprofit has raised millions for a full restoration of both the Paramount Theater in Austin and the State Theater.

Like these theaters, the Garden Oaks is a special space.

It's as Emily pointed out, it's designed by the same architect as the River Oaks Theater.

And importantly, they did not sale.

Go ahead.

Days ago, we learned that the new owners have the intention not to save the historic theater.

And there's a green tag on the building that says reads demo okay.

We need to win over the new owners, help show them the benefits of saving the theater.

We believe that there is still hope.

Very well.

Council Castillo.

Thank you, Mayor Maureen.

Thank you for for being here.

I know you have been very engaged around this lately.

Um, and I appreciate uh your communication and and giving me a lot of background and history and the work that you've done in this space across the city.

You do have my support and my commitment, and I will be uh in communication with you around this uh this meeting that we're we're working on getting set up.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Councilor.

And Maureen, it's so good to see you at Council, though I'm sorry it's under these circumstances.

Uh for those that don't know some of the background, uh, Friends of River Oaks Theater, which Maureen and others really spearheaded.

I mean, when the theater shut down and it was at risk of being torn down, uh, they would have community theater nights projecting on the wall.

They were engaged every single step, not antagonistically, but in celebrating and lifting up the history and how much this theater means to Houston.

Uh so to see you engaged on this, uh, it warms my heart because again, I know y'all are coming from a place not of um again hostility, but solutions-oriented.

And the way in which we were able to save River Oaks Theater was in large part because of the community groundswell of support for this and the administration's support and the work behind the scenes to find developers.

Everyone came together to find a solution that now, lo and behold, I mean, can you imagine?

I could not have imagined how much better River Oaks Theater is now than what it was.

So thank you to all your work.

And I say this because uh we've had two experts that are so involved in the community coming before us, and I'm excited to see what happens next.

And Councilmember Castillo, again, we're in close communication.

Um I'll continue to support in any way that I can and have full confidence in uh his engagement on this right now.

Thank you, Councilman uh Abby Kamen.

Um I just wanted to say that there are almost two thousand signatures on a petition that just went up with comments, public comments from the community that I hope you guys will all take to heart.

And we need the support of the entire council.

Thank you very much, uh, Councilwoman at large.

Thank you as well.

Okay.

Uh Mr.

Robertson.

Robertson.

And there's a procedural problem.

We can do her procedural real quick while we're waiting for him.

No.

Good morning.

As uh protocol has already been established.

I rose to talk about the issue that I'm having with the Boy Scouts of America.

Uh Class A lawsuit that's been brought uh and the survivors are governed to the state in which this uh uh the incident occurred.

Well, my major problem is that the law firm has altered the penal code that uh structure what assault uh abuse is.

Now it's listed in the questionnaire, but it's wrong.

It left out the section that says Texas recognizes certain incidents within a child abuse case that moves it from abuse to assault.

And the statute of limitation with this uh revise revisment does not run out.

But they want they want this cle this this uh statement within the uh within the questionnaire makes it where the the amount of money that comes to the survivor is uh is less than half.

And that money will be used and utilized by Texans in this economy, and they're taking it out of our economy and using it for the the law firm's good, and they're gonna be going to be profiting from the and it's is it's not it's not right, and it says clearly that anything that's that's untrue that's put in this document is a uh is penalty under perjury.

So I I I would hope that that applies to them as well, because it's clearly stated.

And I had I did the research myself to see what the what the penal code says.

But it but right where the uh the the um the section is where it tells is omitted.

It has section one, and it has A, B, C and D.

It tells what's the the number section is two point something, and then after that, they leave off A or B or C, which one?

They leave it off.

And then when we go back to them and challenge them on it, it's a problem, and it's uh they're full of uh uh uh denial, and they don't want you to challenge them on what's true.

So I don't and I went to I went to the state of Texas uh the gener uh attorney general office, no help.

I went to uh Dan uh uh Crenshaw, no help.

I went to uh Crackett, no help.

I mean, no answer either.

So I didn't know what else to do, but come to the council and appeal because the taking the money from the survivors that we're gonna use in the State of Texas, I know I'm gonna use mine in the city of Houston, but then that's we won't even get it.

The amount that they offer is so much less than it would be if they followed the penal code and what they say they're gonna govern their decisions on.

Mr.

Robinson, I uh sorry about your your difficulty.

I would advise you to listen to your attorney.

The city has no jurisdiction over that legal matter, so please listen.

I mean, I I just had a chance because the attorney working for the best pathway is listening to your attorney.

He's they are for themselves.

I mean, I can listen to him, but he's saying that he wants to take the money that's due me and the other survivors of Texas and use it for their the their own good.

Okay.

Sir?

Sir, Ms.

Robertson.

Councilman.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Mr.

Roberson, uh I appreciate your comments.

And you You do have an attorney, is that right?

Yes.

Okay.

Um I'll sit down with you after the meeting if you can wait around.

Um but the penal code and the code under which the class action lawsuit would be brought or different.

So I'm not completely understanding what you're saying.

I know it's very difficult for me to explain it because it's legal terms that I've been trying to.

But I'll I'll sit down with you if you wait to do that.

I appreciate that, sir.

Thank you.

There's Councilmember Hookman on procedural.

Thank you.

I'd like to make a procedural motion to add a Gloria Nino to the bottom of the three-minute non-agenda list.

Okay, motion made and second.

Second.

All in favor, say yes.

Those opposed a motion passed.

Thank you.

Michelle Bouchard.

To be followed by Barbara Denson.

Hello, Mayor.

Hello, Council members.

Um, I'm in Councilman Kmans District C, and I'm here to ask you, please support HPD and its interactions with ICE.

Local law enforcement officers are the backbone of public safety in our city, and they are the front lines to catching hardened repeat offenders.

Sometimes sometimes catching those violent offenders starts with a single routine traffic stop, where a broken tail light leads to the discovery of a warrant for serious unspeakable crimes.

Law enforcement officers are telling us that any ordinance to completely redefine how they police the streets will hurt them.

Do we really want to weaken our city's public safety?

Especially at a time when we see other cities around the country up in flames.

You've heard a great deal from the other point of view.

I am here to voice the views of thousands of Estonians who you have not yet heard from.

Houston has not yet seen the dangerous interactions involved with apprehending illegal aliens in the community, nor the violence and the rioting that other cities have seen.

The process of removing illegal aliens has largely gone unnoticed, in spite of the fact that the local ICE office has removed as many aliens here as any other office in the country.

If it's not broken, don't try to fix it.

There have been 15,000 deportations originating from Houston ICE office.

This office includes Harris County and the surrounding counties.

Of those 15,000, two-thirds have originated from the jails where the person was already in jail on another offense.

And when HPD enters a name into the computer, if a warrant appears, that agency is contacted, whether that's another state, county, city, or federal government.

HPD had 160 ICE warrants appear in 2025, and ICE was subsequently contacted for each of those.

ICE advised HPD to release 90 of those, and the other 70 were picked up by ICE.

Therefore, of the 15,000 deportations, only 0.47 percent of the total was initiated by HPD.

So now you see the scale, which is small.

We do not know what crimes were committed by the 70.

It could have been merely immigration violation or a violent crime.

HPD is simply treating ICE warrants in the same manner they treat any other warrant.

The City of Houston does not need the attention other municipalities are receiving after confronting ICE.

So I beg you, please do not upend the ability of our local law enforcement agency to interact with other low other law enforcement agency because it would cripple our officers' abilities to police the streets.

So thank you so much.

Councilman Davis.

Thank you.

Thank you, Michelle.

Oh, okay.

Thank you for coming, Michelle, and thank you, Mayor.

Um your numbers that you recorded, does your numbers include other law enforcements other than HPD?

Uh I don't know.

I'm sorry, I did not look at that.

I apologize.

Okay.

But your point is that you are not in support of the fact that there are some people who may be stopped of violations by HPD and those numbers that relatively could be considered not very heinous or high crimes, but your concern is, if I understand it correctly, is that you are not, you don't feel as though we're right to appeed HPD's process.

Correct.

Right.

Correct.

Okay.

And the court.

To impede the process and and and not allow them to contact ICE, right?

Okay.

Because that's been proposed at various times, I think.

Right.

And so with that, good.

So I just wanted to address the fact that in doing that, HPD is following the very same procedure as the Sheriff Department and constables and others.

Yes, they're following their protocol as I understand it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next.

Thanks.

Barbara Denson.

Good morning.

I'm Barbara Denson.

Only in government do we look at something that isn't broken and decide the best course of action is to fix it.

Houston has not experienced the dangerous confrontations, riots, or high-profile clashes with ICE that other cities have seen.

We haven't had the chaos, the headlines, or the lawsuits.

Why?

Because the process here has been quiet, orderly, and frankly, quite boring.

Boring is great when it comes to public safety.

Our local ICE office has removed 15,000 individuals, placing Houston among the highest performing offices in the country.

And yet most Houstonians couldn't tell you a single story about it.

That's how smoothly the system works for now.

Here's the part that really matters.

Two-thirds of those 15,000 removals came straight from the jails.

People who are already arrested for other offenses.

These aren't random street encounters.

These were individuals already in custody for breaking laws in our community.

What about HPD?

Of those 15,000 removals, less than one-tenth of one percent were initiated by HPD officers in the field.

Seventy cases out of 15,000.

And even then, HPD didn't go hunting for anyone.

Officers simply entered a name into the system, and when a warrant popped up, they did what they always do.

They notified the agency that issued it.

In 2025, HPD encountered 160 ICE warrants.

ICE itself told HPD to release 90 of these individuals.

The remaining 70 were picked up by ICE.

We don't know whether those warrants were for immigration violations or violent crimes.

And frankly, neither do the officers on the street.

That's why warrants exist to let law enforcement know that someone somewhere has unfinished business with the law.

HPD is not doing anything unusual or extreme.

They're treating ICE warrants exactly the same way they treat every other warrant.

That's consistency.

That's professionalism.

And it's one of the reasons Houston has avoided the horrific national spotlight that other cities have stumbled into.

Now let's talk about consequences.

Houston and Harris County have received half a billion dollars in federal and state funding.

That money supports the very services we rely on public safety, disaster response, infrastructure, and more.

Picking a fight with the federal government over a process that's working smoothly would be not real smart.

Houston has a system that works.

It's calm, it's orderly, it's effective, and it keeps us out of the headlines for all the right reasons.

Before we rush to fix something, let's make sure it's actually broken.

In this case, it isn't.

So let's not fix it.

Thank you.

Next.

Hugo Shavario.

Rebecca Broom.

Yes.

Good morning, Mr.

Mayor, and all the members of the City Council.

Thank you for sharing your time with us this morning.

Okay.

Good morning, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you, all members of the City Council, for sharing your time with us this morning.

It's long been known that when humans are trafficked across the southern border, the women are frequently raped.

Anywhere, I've heard estimates from 30% to 100%.

When that happens, their clothing is thrown up into a tree sometimes.

That tree is called a rape tree.

Not very long ago, I was driving through my neighborhood at the intersection of Renwick and Holly, three blocks from my house.

There were two dress, there was a dress hanging there the first day.

I noticed there was another dress down close to the intersection of Gulfton and Renwick.

And I thought about it for a day or so, and then I went back, pulled in, and I took those dresses down.

Those were rape tree dresses.

Then two days later, there were two more dresses hanging at Holly and Rinwick.

These are the dresses that we're talking about.

I got the second set of dresses also.

Each time I picked up these dresses, I put them through my washing machine and my dryer, and I hung them respectfully in my closet because these direct dresses belong to young women who were raped, in my opinion.

I called HPD non-emergency number.

I called three two or three different uh substations before we ascertained who is the who had jurisdiction.

I called sex crimes, I called Vice, I called Harris County, I called uh the Bel Air Police Department, which is about 35 feet away in terms of jurisdiction from where these dresses were hung.

Um not in any of those, uh not in any one of those uh did I find anybody that actually knew what a rape tree was among the people who answered the phone.

So I also talked to the man who was elected our uh constable.

He didn't know what one was.

I talked to one of the other candidates who is not elected for sheriff, and he didn't know what one was.

So what we have here is a real absence of any way in HPD to deal with this thing that is in front of us, and it's going to grow worse.

What I want us to do is not to make HPD ICE.

I want a cooperation between HPD and ICE.

And if we do that, there's some specific benefits that will arise.

So and I'm sure you can guess what those are.

Thank you very much for your time.

No question.

Thank you, Nick.

Oh, this is for you, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you.

How can I give it to Louis?

That gentleman in the blue suit right there.

Gilda.

By Jaegan.

Louis.

I don't need it right now.

Thank you.

To be followed by James Shriver.

Hello, Mr.

Mayor.

Hello, Mary Nan Huffman, our council G uh District G councilwoman.

Counsel.

My name is Gilda Bygon.

I am a precinct chair and I'm on the Civic Association of West Lane Place.

I'm a precinct chair in 178.

I'm one person here, but we're about 2,000 people in the groups that I represent, and they cannot be here today because they're working.

I'm here because we have heard a terrible rumor at this point that you're considering interfering with Houston police department when they try to contact ICE because they have apprehended someone with a warrant.

And I want you to know we're horrified.

Everyone in my district is horrified.

Not one person supports this idea.

We need more police.

We need them to be able to do their jobs.

I don't can't I cannot understand the reasoning behind this idea.

I mean, are you trying to turn Houston into Minneapolis?

Can we not see what happens when we don't cooperate with Federal Government?

When we don't try to bring criminals in, they prey on the rest of us.

What are you guys thinking about?

So I'm here to urge you, please do not go down this path.

Do not take us to the road to Minneapolis, please.

Houston does not want to do this.

Again, I'm one person, but there are two thousand people who I represent.

None of us want you to do this.

Mr.

Mayor, I have this for you too.

It's unrelated.

Thank you.

Any questions?

Anybody?

Yes, Councilman Salinas.

Thank you so much for coming to speak to council.

Um if I may ask you a question and respond to a statement you made.

Sure.

Um what is the rumor that you're hearing and who are you hearing it from?

Well, I can't say exactly where it originated because a lot of people are talking about it.

But we've heard the City Council is contemplating interfering with HPD notifying ICE when they stop someone with a warrant from ICE.

And also we've heard that you're contemplating not allowing HPD to stop cars for non-moving violations like a tail light out.

And and from what we understand, that's one of the ways that HPD, one of the tools they use to find the criminals that they need to bring in.

Well, I certainly can't speak for all of my colleagues, but your first uh rumor is not prohibited by state law.

SB4 says we cannot prevent an officer from calling ICE.

We all we can't under state law.

So I'm not aware of it.

I don't I can't speak for my colleagues, but I don't think there's any merit to that rumor because under state law, we are prohibited from telling an officer they cannot call ICE.

So I hope you can help me in addressing that misinformation, because it's simply not true.

And what about the tail light, the not being able to stop for a non-moving violation?

Is that also a an unfounded rumor?

Well, as you and everyone in this chamber knows, there was um there's a lot of public support in organizations and an ordinance has been suggested to council.

Um I'm sure that is being considered by folks, but all of the legal concerns I think are being given serious and thoughtful merit.

But we all understand that we have to follow the rule of law and make sure that we comply with in all respect.

And I'm sure myself, and I don't mean to speak for my colleagues, we'll do everything in our power to follow the law in that respect as well.

Well, I'm delighted to hear it was an unfounded rumor that we wouldn't cooperate with ICE, but I would remind everyone here from of the uh demonstration I'm aware that was here recently, people who became very heated in their position about not stopping for non-moving violations, but I'm reminding you I'm here representing 2,000 people who are busy at work who cannot come but they vote, and they do not want this to go into effect.

I appreciate you coming and taking the time, but please can you help me uh address that misinformation?

Yes, I will tell everyone who asks me and those who don't.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mayor, this is a good question.

Councilor Carter.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you for coming down, Gilda.

Uh certainly um you you all do represent an unheard voice.

And thank you for coming and addressing us in a respectful way and not cursing and screaming and carrying on and and it trying to get your point across.

As far as you know, as far as rumors and such, we all know that HPOU has had a concern with the fact that this council would attempt to police police, police law enforcement in requesting that we that they may not stop non-uh public safety related violators.

I spent uh about an hour with some individuals in human trafficking as well as leadership from the airport system yesterday.

And you know, HPD, I'm sure can verify it for you.

But certainly uh human trafficking, uh, the lady who spoke before you talked about the rape trees and that, certainly on the human trafficking side.

Um, there is evidence that shows that individuals are found by traffic stops, and you know, people who are being trafficked, traffickers.

So, you know, for this body to consider and and impact uh HPD's ability to do their job is exactly what you have heard, and that is something that has been considered to just open for discussion.

And as you know, uh people have come before us to speak against against HPD stopping for non-safety related uh violations.

But I guess how do you define public safety and how do you define what exactly in your eyes versus HPD's eyes, because they're actually the trained professional and we're not what is public safety related and what isn't.

So therein lies the problem.

Councilwoman, I would say that we need more HPDIs out there.

And I would remind council that the group that came with me represents the West U area represents the energy corridor represents my area around Afton Oaks, River Oaks area represents um Chimney Rock and sh and what is that what is your the town over there?

Sharpstown.

So I mean we are a big group of people, and we all want the police to be able to do their jobs.

We don't want you to interfere with that, please.

Please.

Councilmember Kamen.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I want to thank the you mentioned the group that came today.

Is it a do you all represent an official group?

I understand you represent different neighborhoods, and I really want to thank you all for the dialogue, the respect, the conversation.

But I first question do y'all represent an official group?

No.

Okay.

We are all grassroot people who just represent our constituents in our areas.

Absolutely.

And again, I appreciate the dialogue around public service because one of my positions, which I've made very clear, is law enforcement needs to do the law of local law enforcement, which is preventing and solving crime, not acting as federal immigration agents, which is the job of federal immigration agents.

We don't have, as you said, we need more officers.

We do not have the resources to be doing the job of somebody else right now.

But at the same time, I want to caution us.

And tying that to immigration enforcement and human trafficking and sex trafficking, absolutely, but those individuals are victims and survivors, not the criminals, and to assume or to infer that all rapists are immigrants that that's the problem.

Well, let's look at the crime statistics in terms of uh rapists, abusers, domestic violence, et cetera.

At the same time, when we say that law enforcement what's happening right now with the tension that we are seeing, not just throughout this country, but here in Houston is domestic violence survivors are afraid to go and testify.

Witnesses to crimes are afraid to go and testify.

We cannot hold criminals accountable when others are being forced into the shadows, and I'm sorry, but an 18-year-old high school student about to graduate who plays soccer in a school, who has been detained by ICE for months, or thousands of children, thousands, that are not showing up to school because they and their families are afraid, and they can't get the education that they need.

There is a deeper issue here that we have to talk about in terms of protecting residents.

So again, I support HPD.

I think they have been put in a terrible position.

When we talk about warrants, we need to have a much more nuanced conversation about the distinction between administrative warrants and criminal warrants.

They're very different.

And the mother that is just trying to get by to support her children is not where our resources, again, when we're talking about fighting violent crime and crime in general and protecting our neighborhoods.

So I want to make sure, again, this is a very complex issue.

Our immigration system is broken.

But it is not our children and our students who are being victimized by this that should be the targets of this right now.

And I want to make sure that that's also brought into the conversation because I think it is important as we talk about you all represent so importantly your neighborhoods.

And residents that I speak to every day, I have District C residents here, and I appreciate you coming and spending your time.

And we have a lot of other residents too that are being impacted by this in other ways.

And I want to make sure that we're representing all of those perspectives as we try to find a way forward, because there are people that are hurting.

Thank you.

May I respond?

Absolutely.

I believe you're talking about Rebecca Brun, who had the dresses that she brought up here.

And I know Rebecca because we've done things in the past, we're not a formal group, but I know her.

And she didn't have time to complete her story because her three minutes was up.

But she is not conflating immigrants with crime.

That happened, that incident happened to be in an area as I understand it that was gang.

It was a gang.

And it was not Americans, it was un-American gangs.

So she is not inventing criminality for immigrants.

And uh as far as HPD keeping their business local, if there's a warrant out there for someone that they've apprehended, I think it's part of their business to keep that person out off the streets.

If they have a warrant, we don't know what it's for, they don't know what it's for.

That's part of their local business.

I don't want to, again, I'm listening right now.

But I do want us to be very careful when we talk about warrants, because we do know the distinction between certain types of warrants.

And again, when you talk about administrative warrants, that's a very different category that HPD does know.

And again, I'm not I look, you can ask pretty much any one of us around this horseshoe how frequently we are on the phone with HPD and the leaders of HPD talking through this issue, how can we be more supportive of the department?

What resources do they need, and how do we work through this together?

So it's not coming from a place of antagonism, but there are these are highly complex issues and there are people suffering because of it.

But if I is if I understand correctly, HPD can't even distinguish what kind of warrant it is.

It's just a warrant, right?

They can distinguish between certain types of the council member.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you so much for coming down.

This is a very complex issue.

But I want to ask you do you see how people are being treated by ICE?

Do you see that people are being murdered and uh just being terribly mistreated?

I have seen news.

Of course, like everyone, I don't see everybody in here has seen it.

I've seen the news.

I would say that it wasn't that the reason those people in Minneapolis got shot was the local leadership of Minneapolis doing the kinds of things that, from what I understood, you guys were trying to start here, which is stirring up the populace to create confrontations.

Okay.

Certainly, we do not want to put our citizenship in danger.

And but I think if if we were assured that ICE would treat people humanely and they wouldn't murder them, we may have a different outlook.

But certainly it it it gives me pause, and I don't have the answer.

But non safety traffic stops was something that was actually started to stop some of these interactions with African Americans.

It was not just about ICE.

And so cooperating is one thing, but sending people into situations that are destroying their families, may end up in being murdered, killed, put in these in inhumane situations really disturbs me.

And so I I guess I'm I'm kind of thinking, you know, with all the things we have going on in the city of Houston, I would think our police officers would really rather not be put in a position to be enforcement offers officers for immigration.

And so I I just it it just disturbs me that we are here trying to determine how to handle this humanely.

And we are in a tough position here because we don't want any human being, regardless of where they come from or why they ended up here, to end up in a situation that could lead to them being killed, murdered, or put in close confines where they are treated inhumanely.

Now that that's just my position.

I'm not speaking for everybody up here, but but it just kind of gives me pause, you know, when people come and and they well, we don't want we don't want them here either.

And we don't want to stir the pot, as they say.

But I also don't want to see people treated like worse than animals, because you know, we come out to talk about bark and animals.

Let's help these dogs, let's help these cats.

And I love animals, so don't get me wrong.

But what about the people, the human beings that are here, that some of them are running from situations where their lives are in danger.

What do we do about that?

Councilwoman, I in my life have been stopped for a tail light that's out, and I've never been mistaken for being an African American.

So I cannot agree with you that that law was directed toward African Americans or any particular group.

It's a tool police use, maybe like I assume in my case to let me know my tail light wasn't working.

And maybe if when they stopped me, if they had discovered something they needed to investigate, maybe it would have led to more.

I could almost assure you that if you got stuff for a tail light, they didn't tell you to get out of your car, put your hands on the car, and treat you like a criminal.

I'm just I could be wrong because I wasn't there.

No, I have to show my I had to show my I don't know if they would do that to me.

Okay, and I'm not asking a matter of life, but I do know that it happens.

I do know that it happens.

I don't think it happens, we are in a very complex position here to make a determination as to how we want human beings to be treated.

We want them to be treated better than animals.

And animals are treated.

We will come out in droves about animals.

I I'm gonna be there too.

I love animals, but I love people as well, and and we're in a tough space here.

And I I just can't say that we shouldn't do anything just because they may show up anyway.

The way this is going may decide we have a democratic city and a democratic mayor, and we're just gonna come down here.

And they outnumber HPD when they come.

So we're gonna we're just gonna agree to disagree because we're gonna just move on.

But we pray for us, because we have a hard decision up here.

It's it's just not what is that what do I always say?

Heavy is the hair that wears the crown.

It's very difficult to determine that we're okay with people being turned over and put into somewhat concentration camps and mistreated.

Have there been any people in ICE custody to die in Houston?

I'm unaware.

But we don't have to wait on a statistic for someone to be killed to determine whether there's a problem.

We we are seeing it on TV daily.

And some of them look like you that are being murdered.

Okay.

But let's not forget that as well.

Next, uh Councilmember Hopman.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Bagon, for coming forward today.

Um I think a lot of people agree with you that you know, public safety is extremely important.

And I know that not all law enforcement agencies are created equal, but I have seen firsthand um the training that HPD goes through, they police with compassion.

We have a great department, and I pledge to do whatever I can to support HPD.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Clickens.

Thank you for coming down here.

Um kind of just wanted to confirm what I think the gist of what y'all are saying is, and this kind of goes uh to Councilman Shabazz's point.

Uh certainly there has been two people killed up in Minneapolis by ICE, and we saw that.

And I think y'all's point is that with the fact that uh ICE is apprehending the people while they're in the jails, already in custody, that that is two-thirds, according to the Chronicle and the New York Times, two-thirds of the people that have been deported, that that's an orderly way to do it and doesn't put people in danger, whether it be the people that are here illegally or whether it's any other public.

Is that what y'all are trying to say?

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Council Kamen.

No, I just I I wanted to add it's been more than two people shot and killed in this country because of ICE right now.

And there are civil liberties and civil rights that are being violated.

And that is not, again, HPD.

That is not a reflection of HPD.

That is a reflection of untrained immigration enforcement.

That's why we have such high standards with HPD when it comes to their training, when it comes to their interaction with the people of Houston.

But Councilmember Ivan Schwaz, I appreciate your comments.

And I just want to say that I see you, the experience of black Americans, black mothers having to have the talk with their children.

Now we have Hispanic and Latino families that have to have the talk with their children.

And we have a lot and it's not just Hispanic and Latino.

We have people that have served our military and supported our military in Afghanistan who are here that are now either being sent back or their families are being sent back.

But when we talk about the involvement with ICE, I want to be very clear, it's not just the interaction with law enforcement, it is the detention centers.

People are dying in the detention centers.

People, children have worms in their food.

This is being reported.

This is factual.

Women are being put into diapers because they are not able to use the restroom.

The conditions are inhumane.

So we do have an obligation to continue this conversation.

And we do, again, I want to thank our residents because you all are speaking through a lens of public safety that is important in terms of local law enforcement.

But this is an issue far beyond just that.

And it calls upon each and every one of us to speak from our humanity and our conscience and our ethics as Americans and what we stand for in this country as well.

Councilmember Pollard.

Thank you, Mayor.

It has been insightful to hear from the public as well as my colleagues on your thoughts on this issue.

I think what we all want to see here in Houston, which is the most diverse city in America, and that diversity is built on the immigrant community that we have here.

One out of four people in Houston are foreign-born is to ensure that the conversation stays on what it was intended to be about when it comes to Federal agents in cities, and that is to focus on dangerous violent criminals.

Okay.

And I think all of us on this horseshoe and everyone in the public would agree with going after dangerous violent criminals is something that we would support.

Whether you are here legally or illegally, law enforcement should be focused on dangerous violent criminals.

Now, you you said and others that HPD is spread thin.

We need more officers.

Anything else, HPD has so many other local needs to address that there's no reason to do anything to aid ICE in their own investigations or their own actions.

HPD should be focused on the local laws and the things that affect Houstonians on the day-to-day.

When you come forward and you say that, you know, HPD is only doing less than one percent of the calls to ICE on issues regarding interactions with the public.

That may be well and said, but people are still very fearful in my community, which is Southwest Houston, of ICE being prevalent throughout the city.

And so what we want to do is bring some calm to them and some and and and to lessen their apprehension by saying that we should only be focused on the dangerous violent criminals.

That's what the White House said initially.

That's what everyone anticipated when they were seeing that ICE was coming into cities.

But what we're seeing around the country, and even sometimes here in Houston, is that there are very dangerous and inhumane type of interactions between ICE and the community.

And many times it is with people who don't have a violent criminal history.

And when people are being engaged or they're having to go through these interactions with ICE and they have no violent criminal history, that's when people start to have issues.

And we have to find that balance of how are we able to keep communities safe and ensure that HPD has all the tools that they need to keep people safe, but at the same time not tearing up communities by focusing on people who have not done anything to bring harm to our society or to the city of Houston, but are productive contributing residents.

And I think if we focus on the dangerous violent criminals and not put uh any focus on those who are not bringing harm to our community, you will see much more calm uh not only in this city but in cities all over the country.

And I think that is the uh the goal that we should be aiming for.

Councilman, I appreciate your comment, and I would like to add somehow in the post discussion, it's we're being um kind of drawn as people who are anti-immigrants, and that is not the case.

I happen to be married to an immigrant.

This is not about people who object to having newcomers in our community, it's about public safety, and we don't want to do anything that prevents HPD from protecting the community.

And would you would you agree that the focus should be on the dangerous violent criminals that should be a uh law enforcement's focus?

No, I don't think HPD should have to discriminate if they come across someone with a warrant that's an outstanding warrant, they should just respond to the warrant and not have to decide if it's a warrant they should respond to or not.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Council Carter.

Just what one last comment.

You know, we've gone around, everybody's weighed in, or many have weighed in on comments and such, and we've all agreed that HPD is a uh a stellar law enforcement unit, and but we yet we keep comparing to what's going on in other cities and around the nation.

We're in Houston, and we're talking about HPD.

And so if we respect that HPD is doing a good job in working with other law enforcement agencies, that is the entire point.

We we let them do their jobs.

And you know, we we talk back and forth, but you know, uh, you know, yes, I it's it's unfortunate that people have died, but not in this city.

Right.

Not we're not comparing ourselves.

Why do we need to compare Houston to other cities?

And part of the problem and part of the fear factor out there is because it keeps coming back.

Well, what happened in Minneapolis?

You know, you see on the news, they're showing Minneapolis and talking about Houston.

And so we have a safe city.

The mayor's, you know, focus on public safety.

Everyone around this horseshoe is focused on public safety.

So why not let Houston stand alone as a stellar example of what we can do when we work together and not work against each other and against other law enforcement agencies and quit comparing ourselves to cities where, oh, this happened over here.

Well, I'm sorry that that happened, but that's not my city.

Let's keep our city safe.

And that's that's the stance I I too will support HPD.

Thank you.

Councilmember Evan Shabash.

Thank you, Mayor.

And uh just for the record, I fully support HPD.

I fully support.

But this is not what we're talking about here.

Now you say you have a group of two thousand.

And I'm sure that not with me today.

No.

Well, I kind of gotta figure that.

And thank you for that, right?

Because I hate for two thousand people to get up and speak.

But certainly, I'm sure that there are groups that believe just as you do in other cities.

So why is it you all don't get that group together and go to DC and talk to the person in the White House or whatever, to tell them to be humane with people, to um tell them to take those masks off.

Do you have a group ready to do that?

Because I'll take that ride.

It's not HPD, it's the persons that are coming as masked men, women, maybe, and they are I mean, because normally you see somebody in the mask, and it's not COVID, they come in the to uh rob or do some harm.

And so have you taken that stance to go where the real impetus of this problem is?

Councilwoman, if it were my group, I would not be asking the ICE agents to shake off their masks because they're wearing them to protect their identities from harm because their families have been threatened, they've been followed, they've been harassed in their private lives, they have to wear those masks in order to live in the community.

HPD officers sometimes face those same problems, and they don't come to you with a mask.

Well, I would submit that we don't have national media down the necks of HPD.

But we have HPD officers, we have officers in every city, ma'am.

Thank you.

Council Pollard.

Thank you, Mayor.

I I just want to end with this.

Um I represent a district with a lot of these issues that are taking place, and a lot of times it's not on the media and it's not in your face.

Uh but one incident that did happen right here in Houston.

Um, there was a man taking his son to school one morning.

He was a resident of my district.

He's been in the city of Houston for almost 30 years.

He has two daughters, both for college graduates here.

He has a son that uh attends a high school in the A-leaf area.

He was taking his son to school, and from what the reports have shown and the videos have shown, unmarked ICE agents, uh not in uniform, um, converged on his car with his young son.

Uh they were fearful, and uh because of the circumstances of being scared, they ran.

The son is a U.S.

citizen, the father is not.

They get um caught at a local store.

ICE agents from what the video has shown uh tackles them, body slams them, beats them up, the father is, I believe, deported maybe that day or the next day, very soon after.

The mother, his wife, still resides in my district.

The two daughters with the college degrees that reside in my district, the son, the high school student, the U.S.

citizen, resides in my district.

Their father is gone.

Um I was told that he had a DWI ten years ago, but nothing else on his criminal history.

That story impacted me because I thought that the intent was to go after the dangerous violent criminals.

They have a home in a neighborhood.

Um, he worked in construction, they were uh maybe undocumented, but they were American family.

Their family is now torn apart.

The breadwinner is gone, the wife has no uh income, the the this the family, the the children are now trying to find a way to keep everything going.

That family did not really do anything by all accounts to bring harm or danger to our city.

They were contributing residents of the city in a and when that family gets torn apart because of status, I think it weakens our city.

Um, and so the balance that we have to find here and why some people are fearful and why some people are apprehensive is how do we protect those who've been in the city for a long time, who've contributed to the city, who aren't bringing harm to the city, who have family in the city, um, and put the focus on those who are creating harm and danger and fear.

And that is what Houston is all about.

You can't be the most diverse city in America and be the most welcoming city in America and not be able to differentiate between the two.

Okay?

And I think that's the balance that HPD is trying to figure out.

And I too, like my colleagues support HPD and their efforts in keeping our city safe.

But we do have a different dynamic here in Houston that we have to recognize and appreciate that.

Some people have been here for a long time, and they have contributed in a major way, and they have families and they have lives.

And we don't want to tear those families up if it's proven that they're not bringing any harm to our city.

And I think when we spend resources and time to do that, or to aid in any way with the Federal agents in doing that, that too weakens our city.

And so we have to find a way to address that.

And your concerns are valid and your perspective is valid, and you want to have a very safe city and a safe community, as do I.

And so that is our charge and our challenge.

And I think that we have to find that balance.

And I think HPD and the city has done well in that balance, but there are still instances as the one that I have brought up that directly impacts my community that I represent that I think we have to do a better job at as well.

Thank you.

May I respond to that?

No, thank you.

I cannot respond.

Thank you.

I mentioned I'm married to an immigrant.

My husband came here legally.

He was a student when he when his hours dropped one hour below what was full-time student status.

Immigration came and questioned him why.

And before he became a citizen, he had to study our system.

He had to swear he had never been a communist, and he had to take the oath to this country and relinquish his uh allegiance to any other government.

And so he is a functioning immigrant who has contributed a lot.

And for the your constituent who was arrested, I would say that's a very sad story.

I'm sorry he didn't go through that process himself and become a fully legal citizen.

But we're not here as a referendum on r on ice, as I understand it.

We're here to discuss what how we can tell HPD to do its job.

And my I am here and my constituents just want you not to interfere with HPD, let them do their jobs.

Next.

Thank you.

Okay, we're finished.

Can I go back to the case?

Okay, thank you.

James Shriver.

Eduardo Duran.

Steve Williams.

Gloria Nino.

To be followed by Ely Montoya Reeves.

Good morning, everyone.

I want to address the City Council here.

And uh but crime has just gone out of control.

And I do work in Houston, and I feel that common sense, just common sense, has just been thrown out the window, and I implore on everybody on the City Council to do a better job in that regard.

You know, when laws are broken, they're broken, period.

End of story.

People should not have to go through hoops to say, well, how illegal are you, and are you illegal, and are you a criminal, and are you uh whatever, or do you have a warrant for your arrest or whatever?

Uh I do I strongly believe that stopping somebody for a tail light that's out does help address people that do have warrants for their arrest.

Something so simple like that.

Why shouldn't they be stopped?

It's illegal, right?

It's illegal to be driving around without tail lights or without lights on or a paper illegal license plate, only for people to commit crime, because those licensed plates have been bought on Amazon or wherever the hell they buy them, and then they commit crime, and then you can't track them.

So if they're doing that, they should be stopped.

And unfortunately for West University residents and Bel Air residents and all the other municipalities around the city, those criminals are brought into the city jail, and then nothing happens.

And yet it's done openly.

It just amazes me that this can continue and continue and continue.

And now to pro to possibly uh prevent HPD, who I so respect what they do, they have a they have a tough job.

But to handcuff them in not stopping people with a broken tail light or paper plates that are not legal or whatever, they should be stopped.

And then if there's if they're criminals, they should be arrested, and then the process should continue.

Common sense.

Joseph Amari.

Of course, I want the best to have a deposit of 10% if you will to pay for it.

I would like to get it your nonprofit organization, a poor population that tell you a deal.

A black electorate for the North was or you two's problem that we don't need black history, but because we elected Barack Obama president, and white people oppose it.

I disagree with him called Black History, but only educate educate us about black history, it also have a tremendous economic impact throughout America because all the stuff we buy or sell the bits we go.

Black history month, uh maybe that's what one of the reasons that the new black and black American underground party opposed us, they don't like us making money.

Carter Woolse engaged with Black History Month in 1924, 1928, before we had any black elected official actually in WCP.

Even the more racist segregated South, the white people did not mind Black History Month or Black History.

Your time has expired.

A black history month.

Thank you for being here, Mr.

Mark.

But the black history month is always needed.

Well, we don't need political leadership that opposed black.

Thank you for being here, Mr.

Amara.

We appreciate you.

Thank you.

Colleagues, we do have some items that are in uh that we are going to go back to the Item 14 is an ordinance just before the whole thing.

Hold on, give us a minute.

All right.

Item 14 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

Do we do 14 already?

No.

It wasn't.

No.

Okay.

Item 14, everybody ready?

Item 14.

Is that it?

No.

Item 14.

Members item 14 is uh arrived.

Any discussion any discussion?

If not, all in favor say yes, those opposed.

No motion passes.

Item 16 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed.

During okay.

Councilmember King.

Councilmember Ken.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, this is for the another extension related to the RMS system, uh, which I support.

Uh we need to continue to keep this system moving while we work to implement the new RMS system.

Uh I'm very glad that IT within the City of Houston has taken over the implementation.

However, uh it would be very helpful, Mayor.

Again, I we continue to see additional extensions put on uh for large sums of money, so a projection of how much longer we think this is going to take and how many more extensions will this cost.

We're happy to submit that question.

Again, I will support this item.

But both Chairwoman Peck and I have been working on this for quite some time.

I understand the reasons for the extension, but the cost continues to grow.

So just having a full picture of what we are looking at would be very helpful in the timeline on that.

Thank you.

I understand the extension is to get us through the world of the timing is essential.

Yes, sir.

And we've we support that.

We don't have an issue with that.

We have had other extensions for this amount and more where it was to get us through to FIFA.

So we continue to see these items say it's to get us through FIFA, but again, it's more and more money.

So we would just like an accurate projection of how much that is.

Very good.

Thank you.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Next.

Item 24 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passed.

Item 25 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

All in favor, say yes.

Those opposed, no.

Motion passed.

Item 27 is an ordinance just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, no.

Motion passes.

And item 31 is an ordinance just need a vote.

All in favor.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed to no motion passes.

Councilmember Castillo.

Thank you, Mayor and colleagues for the support.

I want to highlight this item, which is going to bring significant investments in drainage and flood risk reduction to the near north side area.

This will include full rebuilds of concrete paving storm sewers, curbs, sidewalks, and underground utilities.

It is an area in the near north side surrounded by local schools, high school, middle school, elementary school.

A lot of students who walk, a lot of families, pedestrian activity.

This will make those commutes to and from the school safer.

And it's being done in partnership with Commissioner Garcia Precinct 2.

I want to thank him for his financial support for this project as well as Houston Public Works for working on that partnership and facilitating this.

Thank you.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed no motion passes.

This completes the items on the agenda.

Thank you.

Councilmember Cayman, start pop off.

Thank you.

As a reminder, District C, our annual report is out.

You can get it on our website.

Last week, a developer, private developer, did not follow the protocols put in place by the City of Houston when they pulled a permit to do some work in Freedmanstown and removed over 120 bricks.

The developer knew better because just a few weeks ago they had done additional work, had met with the Conservancy, we had inspectors on site, we had a historian on site.

So I want to I confirmed with the Department that our proceeds were put in place.

The developer did not follow the process and protocols.

So I have asked the Department to issue a citation on the developer to hold them accountable to the extent that we are able, because again, I cannot begin to express the level of disrespect that this shows to the community.

Councilmember Thomas just said, again, in the middle of Black History Month, but it doesn't matter what week, what month, it's the bricks that need to be respected and preserved and protected.

So thank you to Public Works and thank you to the community members uh for working with us.

We were immediately on site to stop any further work, but developers need to pay attention.

They knew the rules, they didn't follow them.

Two other items, uh, just so that Council understands uh there the Montrose Tours had a meeting on Monday regarding the West Alabama corridor improvements.

How this work came about, West Alabama, Councilmember Alcorn, you'll recall was sitting on the CIP for over a decade, not moving because of how expensive it was.

And we worked out a deal, my office to move West Alabama Corridor Project to the Montrose Tours with the understanding that it would be improved.

And in addition to that, since we removed it from the CIP, then we could move forward with the lower West Timer Corridor.

So there was a whole plan put in place that took several years.

I've been getting a lot of feedback from the community that they are very upset because West Alabama was pretty much designed.

We paid for that design and now it's being completely redesigned again.

I don't know how much that is costing, but I'm hoping that we can find a way with the TURS to come to a compromise to incorporate the pedestrian safety elements that were so intrinsic to this project that again has been years and years in the making and that actually ended up saving the city money the way that we we had worked this agreement.

So I would ask for sensitivity and attention and the help of our at-large council members because resident input matters here.

Uh and it's a very critical corridor.

We want traffic to move safely, but we also want all of our pedestrians who walk to school, who walk to church, who go to HEB, all of the above, to be able to use this corridor safely and reduce crashes as well.

I want to uh we didn't touch on it because again it got more national headlines, but it has such an impact on Houston.

Um the EPA recently uh rolled back uh its willingness to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

Uh it's called the endangerment finding, and it eliminates years of precedent under climate change, and basically the EPA and the Trump administration has said we are no longer going to regulate this.

And I testified before the EPA uh when they were doing the hearings on this.

Every single person pretty much that testified was opposed to the rollback.

Um I speak because of the natural disasters that we have all gone through.

Uh the unsound break with long-standing legal precedent under the Clean Air Act.

Houston is already seeing the impacts of climate change, and during too many supposed to be once-in-a-lifetime climate events.

Remember, we had nine federally declared disasters in 11 years.

During Harvey alone, climate change increased rainfall, 40 percent, costing over 125 billion in damages.

We're having longer, hotter summers, more air quality alert days that put our children and seniors and outdoor workers at risk.

And we continue as Houston to rank among the worst for air quality and pollution.

Greenhouse gases, including vehicle emissions, are undeniably worsening ground level ozone and overall air quality.

More asthma attacks, ER visits, chronic illness in communities that we represent, if polluters are allowed to operate unchecked, and the endangerment finding is grounded in decades of rigorous science showing greenhouse gases threaten public health, are the root cause of climate change and create economic instability when not regulated.

Climate change is unquestionably tied to greenhouse gas emissions.

And the repeal goes beyond political posturing.

It's removing a critical tool that allows us as lawmakers to protect our residents.

We're the energy capital of the world.

But nothing stands in place of guardrails of federal standards, and without them, cities like ours that are on the front lines are left to face the impacts of increasing extreme weather and pollution that costs American and Houston lives, nearly $800 billion a year in health care expenses alone, which is 5% of our national GDP.

The endangerment finding has been repealed, so we will continue to experience worsening floods, heat waves, and more exposure to pollution.

So I ask that we continue to all remain engaged because again, what's happening at the federal level does have a local impact on each and every one of our lives.

With that, I conclude, but I do want to recognize uh the loss of Reverend Jesse Jackson.

I'm sure many of us will be speaking about that.

I hope we can adjourn in his honor today.

When I was 13 on a trip to DC, uh I had convinced our teachers, rather than going to the Houstonian, to go to the Supreme Court as Bush v.

Gore was being heard and the protests outside of the courtroom.

And Jesse Jackson marched down the street in front of the Supreme Court and gave a speech that literally inspired me to get involved in government.

Uh so I know he has had a profound impact on our nation in so many different ways and on all of us as individuals, but I do want to lift up his legacy and his memory uh as we conclude counsel today.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Uh Councilmember Hoffman.

I'll pass.

Councilmember Ramirez.

I'll pass.

Councilmember Thomas.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

I just want to remind colleagues and those that are listening that we have the first of the two community meetings for the apartment inspection ordinance Thursday, February 19th at the A-Leaf Neighborhood Center from 6 to 8 p.m.

We're inviting districts A, F, G, J, and K, but it's not exclusive.

You if you can join us, please be there.

We our offices, Mayor Pro Tim in my office.

We've been doing an extensive amount of outreach.

We've shared this with all of the council offices.

So we we we are inviting you to join us in that outreach so we can listen to our leaseholders, property owners, property management in the format of the meeting so we can really get down uh to business to make sure that once this item is presented that it's well balanced.

Well, Mayor Pro Tim will lead the discussion with uh property owners and operators, and then I'll lead the discussion with leaseholders and community stakeholders in another room.

And then we have representatives from each department that influences this item and that it that's responsible for habitability concerns.

So want to encourage you to join us in addition to that.

HTV will broadcast this live, and we do have Spanish, Chinese, Urdu, and Vietnamese translation.

Um and we have subsequent ongoing engagement and reach out to your councilmember if you're unable to make it and provide their offices with your feedback.

Uh and I want to remind you of the second one, which is Thursday, March 5th, in District H at 6300 Irvington at the Harris County Department of Education.

Uh I also want to just remind folks about lunar new year.

2026 got off to a bumpy start.

So yesterday we got to do it again for the uh lunar new year.

So everyone who joined on the West side to celebrate, thank you.

And I'll be with the Vietnamese at the Vietnamese Community Center on Saturday, supporting them in their efforts.

I also want to acknowledge the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson, um, an icon in America, not just the black community.

And I remember at the dinner table my parents talking about his presidential run.

I remember watching his DNC speech and how that inspired me uh uh to be so bold and so clear about the hope of America.

I later had the privilege of meeting him at a National Urban League Conference in 2007 in Orlando with the uh then Democratic nominee Barack Obama spoke to the uh national conference.

Uh I later had another opportunity to meet him in Houston while he was sunsetting in his in his services public service.

But I will I tell you the spirit of Jesse Jackson continues to live on in many of us, and um uh condolences to his family and all the all who knew him.

Uh rest well, that good and faithful servant.

I also want to acknowledge the passing of Norman C.

Francis, the longtime president of Xavier University in New Orleans.

He is he was the first black and lay president of a Catholic university and the second black uh president of a Catholic university nationwide.

Uh he is a leader in New Orleans and uh we're definitely losing our civil right icons, but he definitely influenced uh my family and my community that's still there and all of those who have an affection for that campus and for that city.

So uh reach out to my office at District F at Houston TX.gov if we can be of any assistance.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Vice Mayor Pro Tempeck.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem.

Um we have item three.

I recently met with constituents in the Timber Oaks neighborhood.

Um this is the neighborhood adjacent to Agnes Moffitt Park.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the park, it's um about 40 acres at the Beltway and Hammerley.

Um the neighbors expressed some concerns about some crime issues and um some people have started putting up tents in the park to live there.

So HPD is working on it.

We just wanted to let our constituents know that they are on top of it and thank HPD for um working on this concern.

Um also wanted to advocate again for the park improvements at this um park with the bond money that we passed a few years ago.

So anything we could do to move up that process um to get that park revitalized would be very helpful.

Um and finally, I want to wish a very happy birthday to Sarah Singleton in my office.

Her birthday was last week, and um she does such an amazing job in our office.

I can't thank her enough for her service to District A.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Councilmembers, we're gonna pivot back to the agenda item 13 has arrived.

So, Mr.

Secretary, if you'll call item 13.

Item 13 is an ordinance just maybe.

Hang on one second.

Let me everybody ready.

Okay.

Mr.

Secretary.

Item 13 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

Vice Mayor Pro Tempek before or after.

Um before it's fine.

Okay.

Go ahead.

Thank you, Mayor Pritham.

I um initially had some concerns with this item because of the amount of money we're spending on the not the pool itself.

This is in Councilmember Jackson's district, but just the heating element of, you know, why are we spending all this money on um heating a pool when we have so many other constraints in our budget?

I did talk to Councilmember Jackson, and she um gave me the whole history of you know getting to this point and expressed that she um would use service funds to help supplement some of this uh maintenance on the pool, and also that she would be supportive of aligned groups to rent out the pool to kind of recoup some of those costs of of heating the pool.

So just wanted to let everyone know um how important this is to her community and her district and that she's um putting in those efforts to recoup some of that money.

Thank you.

Councilmember Thomas.

Okay.

Uh any other discussion?

If not, all in favor?

Any opposed?

Item 13 passes.

Councilmember Thomas.

Thank you.

Councilmember Jackson did uh share with us a statement, and just on record in her absence, I just want to share uh um uh a brief comment of that.

Uh Mayor Whitmeyer and colleagues, thank you for your strong support of Item 13.

It secures 14.6 million dollars to bring the Tidwell Park Aquatic Facility to life.

This is a transform transformative investment in our community.

Nearly all of this funding comes from the State of Texas, thanks to the leadership and advocacy of State Representative Symphonia Thompson.

This is not just a neighborhood amenity, it's our city's only year-round pool available to every Houstonian for swim lessons, water safety programs, and recreational activities throughout the year.

It also positions our city to host income-producing swim meets, tournaments, and competitions that can generate revenue and bring positive attention to our community.

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers as I recuperate from spinal surgery.

I can't wait till I rejoin you as we can work to move our city forward.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Couple of announcements.

Uh today we will host our economic development committee meeting at 2 p.m.

Uh this afternoon here in Chambers.

We'll have a presentation from the Office of Economic Development on a tax abatement proposal and downtown Houston Plus on the Main Street Promenade outdoor dining dining design guidelines.

I know everybody was super excited about that.

Um so we will have that discussion in economic development committee meeting today.

And then I want to invite the residents in District K to the South Gestner PIP meeting for presentation from HPD's Forensic Artist Unit.

That meeting will be held at 6 30 p.m.

at the South Gessner Station.

Uh the forensic artist unit will discuss the use of composite sketches and other practices that they use to support investigation.

So if you are interested in that, the PIP meeting is the place to be.

Uh Councilmember Thomas has already made the announcement about the apartment inspection ordinance.

Um just a reminder that is this Thursday at 6 p.m.

at the A-Lif Community Center.

Um colleagues, I would also encourage you to continue to send that information out.

Um we did a PSA, it's received lots of views.

Um so we have done a very comprehensive uh marketing effort to get everyone involved in this ordinance.

So when it comes to council, um, hopefully we have heard from all of the stakeholders and anyone that wants to participate in getting their voice heard about the apartment inspection ordinance.

So uh that meeting will be Thursday, and then we will have another one on March the 5th at the Harris County Department of Education.

So any help that you can give us with your spheres and your communities to make sure that everyone knows about those meetings is definitely helpful.

Again, HTV will live stream.

Uh we will have uh monitors of those comments so that anyone and everyone that wants to participate will have an opportunity to have their voices heard.

And then also want to um let residents know that we're hosting our last shred day this Saturday at 9 a.m.

to 12 p.m.

in partnership with New Faith Church on West Vuque Way, and in addition to shredding, there will be some other services and resources at the church.

So we look forward to seeing you there.

Uh also want to um share my condolences on the passing of uh Jesse Jackson.

Um I I did um pin um a post about it.

Uh I remember when uh Reverend Jesse Jackson ran for president, I was 14 years old.

Um, and then again when I was 18 years old, and the thing that stood out to me yesterday when I watched all the tributes was I remember how many people were praying that he didn't get shot.

And it reminded me of the heaviness of those times when he was bold and courageous to recite the litany that I am somebody.

I may be poor, but I am somebody, and all of the things that he encouraged uh black Americans to be proud of.

And when he passed, that came back to my mind.

I remember all of the people at church and and my parents and how we all were saying, oh my goodness, I hope he doesn't get shot.

And um I just thought it was good to reflect on how bold he was and how courageous he was in a time when um that leadership was not common.

Um but uh look look at us now.

Uh and I want to encourage uh my colleagues to continue to lift lift up the family of Reverend Jesse Jackson, who was a lion who we lost, um, a courageous leader in our community, and um you know his legacy will live on.

So, mayor, I know we had a couple of requests to adjourn today in honor of uh Reverend Jesse Jackson, so I will join that request as well.

Sure.

Don't be kind to somebody, everybody, and make it a great day.

Thank you for your remarks, and I want everyone to know if uh a community prayer read drill to honor Reverend Jackson will be tonight at the Community of Faith, King's Dome, 1024 Pine Mont Drive, Reverend Bishop uh James Dixon will be uh the event is also hosted by Commissioner Ellis.

It'll be uh 7 p.m.

tonight at the uh faith Kingdom Cathedral in Pine Month, Vice Mayor Pro Jim Peck.

Thank you, Mary.

Just a few things.

Uh first I want to wish uh the constituency a happy lunar new year uh for those that celebrate, wishing everyone a prosperous 2026 uh year of the horse as well.

Want to recognize uh the start of Lent season today uh during this Lent season.

Um looking forward to reflecting um and really uh practicing patience, kindness, and uh gratitude as well.

Um reminder of early voting.

Uh it's it began yesterday.

Uh make a plan uh and make sure where where your voting poll is at, and if you don't know, you can go to Harrisvotes.com uh and you can identify where uh where your nearest voting location is.

And then lastly, um this Saturday, uh my office along with uh Councilmember uh Castillo, uh Councilman Ramides, and Councilmember Mercalinas are hosting a community conversation.

Uh in light of some of the conversations that we have had today as well.

Um, you know, we're we're hosting this to uh ensure that HPD uh has an opportunity to have conversations and build back trust with the community.

Uh it's this Saturday, February 21st at 9 a.m.

Uh at the Howell Center for Community Concerns located at 2950 Broadway in the southeast part of Houston.

If you have if you need more or you have questions or additional information that you are needing, uh please contact me at 832-393-3011.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Councilman Pollard.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh first, I too want to wish everyone a happy lunar new year who celebrate.

Uh I also want to recognize uh our chip intern who is in the audience.

Uh Nyla Heard, could you please stand?

Uh she goes to University of Houston and will be with us for the semester in the J City office.

So thank you for being here.

Um sent your office a letter yesterday that was addressed to the issues that community is facing as it relates to the 12 schools that uh have been um chosen to close um in HISD.

And the letter uh was to request that you consider having uh the Superintendent Miles come before this body uh so that we may address him on expectation, some of the questions that community has regarding data and uh reasons why uh this decision was made, as you know, based on the takeover.

Um, although there are elected trustees, they do not serve in an authoritative uh manner, and so the constituents do not have an elected member that they can really go to to address these concerns.

So our office uh receives many calls and inquiries uh regarding the school closures.

We don't have all the answers, um, but it would be good for us to have the superintendent come before us like he has done before uh so that we may ask questions on be on behalf of our constituents.

And so um I would hope that you would address the letter and and give us some feedback on that.

Lastly, I too uh want to give my condolences to the the family and the and the loved ones of Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Um I put out a post yesterday on my Facebook that my my grandfather, uh Reverend T.

J.

Jimison, who I have mentioned to you all many times, who uh organized the first first bus boycott in Baton Rouge in 1953 was a friend of uh Reverend Jesse Jackson.

And in 1992, uh when my grandfather was the president of the National Baptist Convention, um I remember Jesse Jackson being in the hotel room uh next to my grandfather, and uh we were rushing to get to the convention hall, and I didn't know how to tie a tie at the time.

Um and Reverend Jesse Jackson taught me how to tie a tie.

And um through my Suits for Success program, one of the classes uh is how to tie a tie.

And I have helped, you know, countless young men learn how to properly tie a necktie.

And I always think back to uh Reverend Jesse Jackson being the one who taught me uh that skill.

Um I'm reminded that Reverend Jesse Jackson was just a few feet away from Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

when he was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel.

And you can only imagine not only seeing your dear friend get shot and killed, but to be that close under those circumstances in that time.

And to say, you know what, I'm still going forward.

I'm not going to allow this to deter me to bring so much fear that I stop.

Uh there's too much at stake.

Uh there's too much uh progress that needs to be made uh for us to stop now.

And you have to be one bold, courageous individual uh to go through that experience and still push forward.

And so he was uh a champion for equal rights.

I too last night went back and went on YouTube and saw uh his convention speech.

And uh it those words still ring true today.

Um he will be missed, and I think it's important that we all not only remember him, but what he stood for and continue to push that legacy forward.

So thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh colleagues, I want to let you know about something I'm doing with Scenic Houston and the Parks Department on our adopt and esplanade program.

We have over 7,000 Esplanades that you know Parks is in charge of.

They get adopted out by some neighborhoods and things, which saves us about $3 million a year.

But I've been I've been approached by like people that own strip centers and stuff, and they want to get involved.

So we're bringing more corporate, uh, we're trying to market it to more corporate people.

Anyone can come to this.

I'll send you the information.

It's going to be Mark March 17th, St.

Patrick's Day at 11 a.m.

Um, it was actually Josh Sanders' idea of Mayor uh Mayor to get Scenic Houston involved in this, and they're going to take on a lot of the marketing of the program.

Hopefully, we can get a lot more of these Esplanades adopted and save the city some money.

So March 17th at 11 a.m.

we we don't want to just be corporate people.

It's going to be all Scenic Houston's um list served, but also, you know, your neighborhoods and and we're we're working, Scenic Houston is also working on simplifying the guide that would needs to be updated and making the process a little more um you know streamlined so it will be easier to adopt and everybody can get out there and adopt their Esplanade.

I appreciate your story very much about tying the tie.

That was very poignant.

I remember I'm old enough to remember those speeches at the DNC.

Um incredible.

And George and I, my my youngest daughter went to All Miss, so we'd often find ourselves in Memphis.

So one time when we were there, we went to the National Civil Rights Museum.

And he was there.

He was there.

Like we were like, oh my God.

It wasn't like for a speech or anything.

He was just there touring it.

I was like, I think that's Jesse Jackson.

George is like, yeah, we went.

He had a bunch of people around him, so we didn't bother him.

But I have a great memory of thinking this how fitting that I'm seeing him at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

Um great day.

Thanks for the tributes.

Councilmer Salinas.

I would say what time the meeting was on March 17th.

11 a.m.

It's going to be on uh vi uh uh virtual 11 a.m.

You'll get all the details.

We want to adopt a whole bunch.

We have like 7,000 meetings.

If we can adopt some more, we'll save some more money.

I'd like to start by wishing a happy lunar new year and a happy Ramadan to all those who celebrate.

Um also just a reminder, we are hosting our first office hour office uh office hours tomorrow from 3 to 7 p.m.

We still have a few slots available.

So if anyone in the community would like to meet about anything with myself, uh please sign up on our website to do so.

Um last, I just want to also extend condolences to the Jackson family and all those who were inspired by him.

We would not have President Barack Obama but for Jesse Jackson and Shirley Chisholm and so many others that stood up.

And his strength and bravery is a reminder to all of us that we have to hold strong and continue to fight for what's right today.

Thank you, Councilmember Carter.

Thank you, Mayor.

Just wanted to highlight that uh yes uh lunar new year um celebration at uh the Chinese Community Center Saturday.

Councilmember Alcorn was there, and you know, they had a great turnout.

The weather came in a little bit uh earlier than thought, but great turnout.

And just to say that the community center there, they do such fantastic work in the Asian community, and it's very inclusive, and I just it's always a lot of fun.

Great food in J City down there, is that right?

And great food and great fun.

But also, too, just uh note um the ethics and governance committee meeting is at 10 a.m.

on Thursday.

Um hope to see you all there.

Thank you.

Councilman Aaron Shabazz.

Thank you, Mayor and my colleagues.

I want to briefly recap two important community engagements.

Last week I attended the State of the NAACP Houston branch at the Ensemble Theater.

The branch outlined its priorities around civil rights, voter engagement, economic equity, and community empowerment.

I am honored to be the second vice president of the branch and a part of the work and that they do.

And the work continues, and the partnership between advocacy and local government remains critical.

And we were honored to have our president and CEO Derek Johnson join us.

My staff attended the Riverside Hospital Renovation and Expansion Community Meeting, hosted by Commissioner Rodney Ellis at the historic El Dorado Ballroom.

Harris County Public Health provided updates on the project and next steps, and residents had the opportunity to engage directly on health care access and infrastructure improvements for the community.

We are so looking forward to providing health care to a population that has no health insurance.

Looking at ahead today, I will attend the Colored Carnegie performance at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts with a group of fifth graders.

Uh 800 Bagby, 1145 today, so I'm going to leave immediately.

Uh, this powerful multidisciplinary performance honors Houston's Colored Carnegie Library, the city's first public library for African Americans, highlighting Black resilience literacy and civic investment during Black History Month.

Tomorrow I will attend the NHIP Community Empowerment Workshop, Financial Readiness, Tackling Barriers to Home Ownership at the Blue Triangle Community Center, 3005 McGowan Street, Suite 300 from 5 to 7 p.m.

This workshop focuses on financial literacy and pathways to sustainable home ownership and for our residents.

And on Thursday, February the 19th at 6.30 p.m., we will host the McGregor Super Neighborhood Community Meeting.

This meeting will address concerns related to non-permitted structures and short-term rental activity.

City departments invited include legal, municipal courts, department of neighborhoods, code enforcement, and solid waste management.

Mayor, I respectfully ask for your assistance in ensuring that solid that the Solid Waste Department leadership is present.

The community has specific concerns that require direct engagement and accountability.

There will be a follow-up meeting at the Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church at 3015 North McGregor Way from 6 to 8 p.m.

on Friday night.

We are trying to prevent a proposed fuel depot being constructed and operated at Live Oak and South Moor.

We have four gas stations in less than a half a mile.

We have residences which can be impacted by environmental issues such as soil contamination and another opportunities for parties to take place at our gas stations and other issues that sometimes come with convenience stores.

Finally, in regards to the exchange today, I have the same concerns about ICE converging on Houston.

But I have to reflect back on slavery and how the black people were not freed purely because of our own efforts.

It was in fact brave white people who took risks to their lives and families who helped us to be free.

I commend the boldness and passion of the speakers.

But I need you to keep that same energy.

An organization, particularly of brave white women united could change the face of these horrific engagements with masked, violent, untrained men.

How powerful, compassionate, and impactful that would be.

Let's make America humane again.

In the words of Jesse Jackson, keep hope alive.

May Reverend Jesse Jackson rest in peace with the ancestors.

I have pictures with him that I will cherish forever.

District D remains committed to transparency, responsiveness, and partnership with our residents.

Please subscribe to our newsletter at District D at Houston TX.gov.

And please go out and make an informed vote.

This concludes.

This concludes what's going on in the district of destination.

Are you sure?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council Castellan.

Thank you, Mayor.

I want to start by thanking everyone who came out to the Moody Park Town Hall last night to learn about the future of Moody Park with uh the partnership with the county, the enhancements that will be coming, how it's impacting uh programming and current uh sport leagues that are there.

Uh we had a packed house um and uh I one I know there are people had a lot of questions, and if you still do, don't hesitate to reach out to my office.

We are uh still engaged and involved, and we'll make sure that the transition uh to precinct two is smooth and seamless.

While we were there, a number of folks um actually went and voted beforehand because Moody Park is in the early vote location.

So I want to remind folks um you can utilize Metro for a free ride to the polls.

Uh this includes the bus, the rail, curb to curb, the community connector, and metro lift, all throughout early voting, which runs through the 27th of February and also on election day to get to the polls and cast your vote.

There are two more opportunities for District H residents to utilize low-cost fate neuters through our partnership with Petset, February 20th and 22nd.

The Petset Mobile Spade Neuter Clinic will be at Zumi's on Canal Street.

You can go to Petset.org to book your appointment.

I went out and visited this uh clinic when it was at Wabash.

It's uh fantastic brand new mobile units, and uh they are very excited to get this throughout different parts of the city to perform the spay neuter services.

Thank you.

Council Davis.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, just wanted to begin by highlighting the uh inviting everyone to uh visit our booth uh to explore the city services program of Houston's choice resource fair uh set up by Texas Department of Transportation.

Uh with designed to really help, I'm proud to support that housing focused initiative because it expands access uh to essential resources and brings together home buyers, renters, builders, lenders, developers, and trusts did community um uh partners at working uh towards stronger, more stable communities, as we know our city is growing and expanding in so many different ways, and I'm happy to be a part of that.

Most of you uh can go to our website and see it by uniting these stakeholders.

Uh each fair helps inform and strengthen, empower the neighborhoods most impacted by the I 45 North Highway Improvement.

Uh so the dates uh are going to be today, February the 18th, uh from 5 to 7 p.m.

at the Fifth Ward Multi-Service Center in the Fifth Ward community.

Uh Thursday, February the 19th, from 5 to 7 p.m.

at the Blue Triangle Community Center in Third Ward.

Uh Saturday, February 21st, 9 to 11 a.m.

at the Moody Community Center near North Side and Independence Heights community.

So we certainly invite all to come out and get some very needed information.

And last but not least, I do want to um close by giving my condolences to the family of Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Um I had the privilege during my four-year tenure in Chicago to work with Reverend Jackson on two particular things that many may not know, the person that's really been labeled as the leader uh first the sacrifice for the civil rights movement was given to the honor of uh Emmett Teal, uh, the 14-year-old teenager who was killed.

And so that was a disruption of his grave in Chicago and uh Reverend Jesse Jackson got all of us, pastors and ministers and faith leads in the community that we came out to speak against this horrific thing to the Emmett Till family.

Secondly, I worked with Reverend Jackson uh after working here in Houston in 2005 with the Katrina Storm initiative that Houston took under uh under Mayor Bill White and many of our other faith leaders, which was a very heavy lift.

So when I was moved to Chicago to pastor and lead a church, uh Reverend Jackson knew of the work that we did and asked me to join with him in helping in the preparation with the state of Illinois in their uh program for recovery and preparation of storm.

So I was really, really um certainly uh moved by the fact his son and I, Jonathan, we work very close together with some of the local things.

So I certainly want to give my condolences to the Jackson family uh in the loss of a great leader in our community, and uh I pray that um his family and they will get through this.

And uh other than that, God bless all.

Thank you.

Council Mayor Flickling here.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, my next door neighbor here is asked me to urge everybody to get out and vote.

Uh, early voting has already started and runs through the 27th.

With election day being March 3rd for questions about uh polling locations or hours, you can go to Harrisvotes.com.

Uh also we are having the 40th annual Arbor J Tree Planning at Greenwood Park on Saturday.

Uh those of you not familiar with Greenwood Park, it's over in the North Shore area, and yes, that's in my district too.

Uh but we're having that at 10 a.m.

Come out and join us.

Houston Parks and Recreation will be out there.

Uh we're partnering with our Apache Corporation Tree Life Farms and Texas AM Forest Service.

So thank you very much.

Councilman Kaman.

Uh, really quickly, in addition to wishing everyone a Ramadan Mubarak and a happy lunar new year.

We forgot to wish Councilmember Castillo a happy birthday on Monday.

So, Councilmember Castillo, happy birthday.

Happy birthday.

Next meeting.

Anything else as we express our condolences to Jesse Jackson's family.

I'm gonna yield gavel to the mayor.

Pro Tim to have the honor of adjourning in his recognition.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh colleagues, today we will adjourn our meeting in honor of a tireless champion for justice, the Reverend Jesse Jackson.

We stand adjourned.

Thank you.