Recognizes Councilmember Jackson for a proclamation to Alex Stapleton in recognition of her stellar career as a film director.

Councilmember Jackson Pro Tim, colleagues, how you all doing.

It is my honor to recognize and of course we in Women's Month recognize Alex Stapleton for her amazing work in film that she's been doing capturing stories.

Capturing stories of people from Houston, capturing stories from people across this country.

And so this is us recognizing her for what she's done.

You can come on up.

Whereas on March 24, 2026, the city of Houston joins District B in celebrating award-winning filmmaker and Houston native Alex Stapleton for her outstanding contributions to film and television during Women's Month.

Whereas Alex has deep roots in the region, tracing her ancestry to enslaved individuals brought to Galveston to Texas, maybe brought to Galveston, Texans, seven generations ago.

Seeking better opportunities, her family moved to Galveston, to Houston, moved to Galveston to Houston in the 1920s and settled in Fifth Ward.

In the 1940s, her great-grandparent parents became one of the first families to move to Pleasantville in District B, a master plan community, and one of the first in Houston where African Americans could own their own homes.

Growing up, Alex spent much of her time in Pleasantville and in Fifth Ward with her great grandmother, grandmother, and extended family and upbringing that would later deeply influence her work.

Whereas as a child, Alex lived near the Minim Collections in Montrose and attended Annunciation on the Docs Cathedral School in the neighborhood.

She then continued her education at Deechens Academy.

Duchess.

Duchess, thank you, of the sacred heart for middle and high school.

Whereas Alex pursued higher education at Case University in New York City.

After spending two decades living in New York and Los Angeles, she returned to Houston with her son Beaumont.

Now back in her beloved hometown, Alex treasures being close to her family and cherish the city whose stories impact impact her work, inspire her work.

Whereas, as a documentary filmmaker, Alex has had remarkable opportunity to create films that highlight Houston as its noble residence.

In 2024, she directed the Price of All, part of the trilogy series, God Save Texas for HBO.

The film examined how oil and gas industries impact their family in Pleasantville, while also exploring aspects of black history in Texas, often absent from traditional history books.

In 2023, she directed a documentary about MLB, a major league baseball player, Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, chronicling his move to Houston to work for Jim Crane and the Houston Astros.

Whereas in January 2026, Alex filmed The Brittany Griner Story on ESPN premiered at Sundance.

The documentary traced the life of the Houston-born WNBA star who endured 10 months of wrongful detention in Russia.

Later this year, Alex will debut debuted her film for the next NFL Hall of Famer, Terrence Terrell Owens, a current Houston resident.

She also recently executively produced Sean Combs, The Reckoning, alongside another Houstonian, 50 Cent.

The series is the second most watched documentary series in Netflix history.

Whereas during this month celebrating women and their often unrecognized incredible work, the city of Houston, alongside District B, is proud to recognize one of our own.

In recognition of her exceptional storytelling, artistic excellence and achievements, the city of Houston proudly honors Alex Stapleton for her dedication to sharing her story, her family's history, and the countless stories of Houstonians, celebrating the enduring spirit of our beloved city of Houston.

Therefore, therefore, I, Martha Castex Tatum, Mayor Pro Tim of the City of Houston, on behalf of John Whitmire, mayor of the city of Houston, hereby proclaimed March 24th, 2026 as Alex Stapleton Day in Houston, Texas.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Tarsha Jackson does so much more for this community and is also my cousin.

We share the same history and ancestors, and I know that our ancestors are looking down on us right now.

And in crying.

Thank you guys so much.

Thank you, Mary.

Thank you.

I'm gonna keep it short.

I know you guys have real work to do.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, hold on.

Thank you.

Councilmember, we do have a councilmore in the queue.

Councilmember Evan Chavaz.

Thank you, uh Vicemair Pro Tim.

Certainly, I'm looking at you, and you are so beautiful.

You need to be in front of the camera.

But in the meantime, I am uh termed out, so if you need somebody, okay, I can even do it part-time now.

Certainly, I do have aspirations.

But this is such a wonderful US.

Don't hate, don't you appreciate it?

And I am a resident of Third Ward.

Say no more.

Say no more.

But certainly, we are so very proud of you, especially now that I know you're from the tray.

Living in District D.

Well, living in the tray and district D.

And so thank you, Councilmember Jackson, for honoring your neighbor.

Yes, and certainly uh Mayor Pro Tim.

Thank you so very much.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

And before we go, I also want to recognize Alex brought her family with her.

We have Pleasantville community, um, as well as her mom, her dad.

I'm so sorry.

Yes, this is my whole family.

And these are all Pleasantville natives, too.

And they do so much for this city, and I just really want to thank them.

Yeah, wonder about my family to come up.

The chair recognizes Councilmember Martinez for the invitation.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem.

If I can have Rhonda Spurrida come up, um, just a little bit about uh Rhonda.

Um Rhonda has been a dear friend, a district guy resident, uh, somebody that's been super involved in the community.

Uh but one thing that I uh hold very dear is uh the the work that she does with Catholic Charities.

Um for several years, she's been advocating for communities um not just in the East End, but quite frankly across the diocese.

Um and and I wanted to bring somebody today that represented community, somebody that has strong faith that me and my team lean into um quite frankly throughout my term so far.

And so um I'm gonna welcome Rhonda uh today to offer a prayer for us.

Can you step in front of one of the mics?

Either one.

Thank you, Martha.

Good afternoon, Mayor Pro Tem, esteemed council member, friends, and fellow Houstonians.

Let us begin with prayer.

Today, as we enter the People's Hall, we bring your holy presence with us.

May we speak and reflect your peace, your love, and your mercy in this honored forum.

We acknowledge your power over all that will be spoken, thought, decided, and done within these walls.

Lord, we are grateful for the gifts you have blessed us with.

We commit to using them responsibly in your honor for all the people who call Houston home.

Anoint our projects, our ideas, and our energy so that even our smallest accomplishments may bring you glory.

Lord, when we are confused, guide us.

When we are burned out, infuse us with the light of thy spirit.

May the work we do and the way that we do it bring faith, joy, and smiles to all we come in contact with today.

Lord our God, you desire great things from us.

You call us out of ourselves to do your work and serve your people.

And let us never forget that the people are the city.

We pray this is in all things in your name.

Amen.

Amen.

Please rise for the pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which you stand.

One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Mayor Whitmeyer, Councilmember Pink.

Here.

Councilmember Jackson.

Councilmember Kamen.

President.

Councilmember Eva Shabaz.

Councilmember Flickinger.

Councilmember Thomas will be absent.

Councilmember Hookman.

Present.

Councilmember Castillo?

Here.

Councilmember Martinez?

Here.

Councilmember Pollard.

Councilmember Castax Tatum?

Here.

Council Member Ramirez?

Here.

Councilmember Davis.

Councilmember Carter.

Councilmember Salinas and Councilmember Alcorn.

Need a motion to adopt a minutes of March 17th and 18th.

Martina second.

It's been moved and second.

Any discussion?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

Item carries.

Any procedural motions?

If not, Mr.

Secretary.

Oh, Councilmember Davis, do you have a procedural?

Yes.

Go ahead.

I'd like to move in the room to add very right to the uh please.

Um agenda.

Two minutes, non-agenda.

It's been moved and second.

All in favor, any opposed, item carries.

Any other procedural motions?

If not, Mr.

Secretary, if you'll call the first speaker.

Joseph Panzarello.

Joseph Panzarella.

To be followed by Jack Balinski.

Either one.

Either one?

This one has a light on.

Good afternoon.

Okay.

Thank you so much for having me here today.

I have some uh a written-out statement here, and I'll just read it and I'll be out of here soon.

My name is Joe Panzerola, and I'm a longtime district C resident who cares about the future of Montrose.

I want to start by thanking Councilmember Cayman for her leadership and transparency on this issue.

I'm here to talk about the Montrose Tours budget, specifically the West Alabama project.

We need these drainage improvements.

That's not in question.

But the current plan for West Alabama widens car lanes in a way that puts both pedestrians and drivers at risk.

I'm asking the tours and the city council to revisit the current plan and align it with the original 2022 plan, fix the drainage, keep the streets safe, and protect our trees.

We can do all three.

I applaud the city council and Mayor Whitmars Investment here.

That's why I'm asking, let's make this a bigger win.

I look forward to working towards a design that my entire community can endorse.

Thank you.

Thank you for being here.

Next speaker.

Jack Velinski.

Jack Valinski.

Can be followed by Alexander Spike.

Hello, Jack.

Hello, Council members.

Thank you for the opportunity.

As always, it's always grateful to be here.

If this room is really magic.

I want to ask that item 32 be pulled and sent back to the administration, the church budget for Montrose.

We have been at these meetings years, it's 10 years now.

I know when the board was set up, how nervous they were about serving the community.

But this new board doesn't seem to be able to do that because every project that goes up to the administration gets chopped up or used with the with a sharpie and changed.

We do not seem to have any input on changing the project or making the project in the way that Montrose wants it.

It is just not fair that one person gets to make all these decisions.

Please send back item 32 back to the administration until we have an open and honest and input for the projects.

Thank you.

Councilmember Km.

Jack, I want to thank you.

I know we have several speakers on uh the Montrose Tours budget, but you are the President of Mir Town.

Yes.

Uh so uh as the super neighborhood president representing that area, um, can you speak a little to what engagement has or has not happened at the TURS and what is it specifically pertaining the issue to West Alabama, which I know there has been a lot of community uh outcry about, or is it also other projects within the budget?

So I have probably been to the majority of these meetings, formerly as a city employee and for and now as a resident president in your town.

We now the way the meetings are set up, a presentation will be given, and then there is just community community input, but it is not taken seriously.

But we used to be able to have these projects put out at a table where we can write up little, oh, we like this, we don't like this.

That's no longer there.

We don't have an input.

On the original Montrose project, the premier project in this neighborhood that we wanted and we worked on, and we waited forever to get it, uh it is it was changed, and it cost a million dollars more, and it was delayed a year.

On the all the and everywhere you turn in Montrose, roads are being worked on.

But they are not being really worked on, they are just being repaid that will only last a couple of years.

We are not getting the really projects of getting things rebuilt so that they last 30 years.

That is the real problem.

In five years, all these projects are going to be need to be redone, which is not very practical.

Thank you.

And again, we are in conversations and trying to lift up the voices of the community.

Um there particulars within the West, and if you can't speak to that, I don't want to put you on the spot right now.

But are there particulars with the West Alabama corridor project?

Because that has been the main item that has come up multiple times.

Let me ask it this way.

With all the feedback being provided to the Montrose TURS, has the TURS in turn made any additional modifications to the design based on feedback from the community to your knowledge?

My understanding is no.

My understanding, and I can't speak for them, but from my feedback from them, is that they are at the mercy of what the administration wants.

They are not able to ask for anything, change anything, make anything in particular, and you know us who live in Montrose are very vocal.

I would say y'all are very engaged in paying attention.

Thank you.

Councilmember Ellen.

Councilmember Elcorn.

Thank you, Mayor Parteman.

Thank you, Jack and Joe and anyone else who is coming to speak on it.

I did ask several questions on this budget.

Um item is an increase in public engagement expenses.

So I asked about that, and they said because of these projects, Montrose, West Alabama, safe routes to school, um, they have got a PR firm, my heart is on board to help with the messaging and to support written communications about the projects and supporting press communications.

There has been progress communications for Montrose Boulevard and a public meeting on West Alabama, including exhibits and staff attendance to answer questions.

I also asked about specifics on the West Alabama project and understand it is still in design and there are recommendations being incorporated in.

So I guess my question is is there still a way to communicate what you want on West Alabama?

I guess not on Montrose.

That is kind of so on Montrose, on phase two Montrose and on West Alabama.

Is there a way to get your your do you feel like there is a way?

I mean, I feel like if we're spending money on communications firms and stuff to make sure that the community is involved, I want to make sure that the community feels like there's a way to get involved and to make comments and to all of that.

So just my experience as running the Pride Parade in Montrose, I knew what public engagement was.

It was being able to listen to what the people want.

We may be able to talk, but none of that information seems to get to the administration.

Number two, it's not just spending money.

It is actually listening and engaging.

We don't seem to have this engagement anymore.

And it's really sad.

Like I woke up one morning and all of a sudden there was construction at Fairview in Montrose.

And thank you for your office for responding, but we didn't get any notice on it.

And I'm not even sure that construction in Montrose is going to have to then be replaced with the TURS eventual doing of Montrose.

Is it short-sighted?

I think it is.

I don't know if you saw that the Yeah, I've seen the article and all that.

I I guess I guess my concern is, and if we are spending money on public engagement, I I want to make sure that those those funds are doing what they are supposed to do.

So it's listening and engaging is our concern.

Got it.

Thank you.

And Councilmember Kramer.

Thank you.

And I'll just add to that, you know, and I appreciate you Councilmember looking at this as well, because I do need, you know, our support from our at large is Montrose Phase Two.

We did not get that we are spending money on communications and notification.

No notice went to the neighborhood.

Our office did not receive notice until two days after construction on Montrose Boulevard phase two started.

So we may be spending the money, but the notices I would say to council offices, and I am not the only district office that this is happening with.

We are not being provided that information, but two, more importantly, the neighborhoods are not getting that information.

And when projects are being changed from the scope as presented, the neighborhood not only needs to be made aware, but allowed an that opportunity to provide input that is to the best of their ability incorporated.

And we can say the same thing about on-demand heavy trash.

No communications.

When it's going to start, if it will start, we don't know.

But to this and specifically, we would really like to be in engaging with the administration, be able to have a two-way talk, to be able to ask for things.

And understandably, we won't get everything, but it just seems it's we don't have anything that they communicate with us.

Thank you.

Thank you for being here.

Next speaker.

Alexander Spike.

Alexander Spike.

Walter Vidal.

Walter Vidal.

Next speaker.

Fayez Ameyed.

To be followed by Mary and Wright.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, honorable members of the Houston City Council.

Thank you for taking time to hear me out.

I've been a resident of Houston for over 40 years, and I'm proud to call this city my home.

I'm honored to stand here to speak in support of the Islamophobic Awareness Day resolution.

I believe this day will serve as an important reminder of addressing and combating Islamophobia in our community.

It's a call to action to promote understanding, acceptance, and inclusivity.

And by acknowledging the challenges they face, we can work together to create a more welcoming environment for the 200,000 Muslims that call the city home.

Islamophobia doesn't affect just individuals, but entire families and communities can manifest in various forms from hate speech to discriminatory policies.

And by recognizing these issues, we can take steps to prevent them.

There have been many incidents of Islamophobia in Houston recently with the Muslim students having their hijabs whooped off at Pornhue Middle School, Quran's being burned in front of Muslim students putting a University of Houston, vandalism at Masjids, selective enforcement of religious neutrality in Spring Branch ISD, and general Islamophobic fear-mongering.

I think we should stand together and unite against this hatred and bigotry and promote a community where everyone can feel valued, respected, and safe.

And we can achieve this through education dialogue and empathy and celebrate our differences and work towards a brighter future for all Houstonians.

Awareness about Islamophobia.

I believe this Islamophobia awareness and resolution will do.

Thanks.

Thank you for much so much for being here.

Just a second.

Councilmember Ramirez.

I just want to thank you for being here and for your message.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Oh, Evan.

Procedural motion.

Just procedural motion.

Okay.

Can you wait until the next speaker?

Okay.

Thank you.

Hi.

Thank you all for having me.

So I'm here because I went last night to a meeting and it was a council, I mean a civics club meeting.

And I was very disappointed to hear that one of the ex-council members got up and actually asked everyone to support something that they hadn't even read.

When I turned around and I said, can you please tell me why you are fostering support of this?

What does it say?

Have you read it?

And they hadn't.

But yet they're going around asking council members to go ahead and support an ordinance that was written by Ms.

Salinas.

This is about process.

I'm not for or against the ordinance because I haven't seen it.

And frankly, you know, neither has anyone else.

My understanding is that it's in legal still, and we don't even know what it says completely.

But yet, one of the council members that sat here that's no longer here, turned around and was asking everyone to please support this.

I've got the letter that was sent out.

They um listed six council members that they're targeting.

Um Councilmember Ramirez, Councilmember Martinez, Councilmember Castillo, Councilmember Willie Davis, Councilmember Carter, and Councilmember Sally Alhorn.

I think it's really sad when you're going to turn around and try to foster support and tell community members to call and support something when you don't even know what it is that's being presented.

I I appreciate the fact that you hit the floor running as Councilmember came and said, and that you have something that might be a good thing.

I don't know if it's good, I don't know if it's bad.

I don't know what it is.

But asking people to support something, what about the process?

What about how we do this?

You know, like that's not how this has ever been done before.

We need community engagement.

We need people to find out what's going on.

But you don't ask and push council members to try and pigeonhole them to guarantee that they are going to support something.

Your time has decided out.

Councilmember Salinas.

Thank you for coming to council.

I think a productive conversation on this can only benefit us all.

Um you are incorrect that the ordinance is not available.

If you go to my City Council website and go to a link about the ordinance, the ordinance is publicly available for anybody to read.

And if you would like to discuss it, I am available for office hours tomorrow from 4 to 7 p.m.

Please sign up for a time.

I'm more than happy to have a conversation with you or anybody else who would like to discuss the bill.

But it is false that it is not publicly available.

It has been publicly available on my website since last week.

Happy to provide it and happy to discuss it with anyone who is interested.

Councilmember Kimmer.

Thank you.

Um just for the record, Ms.

Wright.

You are speaking about somebody that does not currently sit on this council that has the opportunity to speak at meetings.

There is nobody on this council that has either not read it or is having conversations on it.

You're talking, because again, just I want to make sure for the public that is listening, you're not referring to somebody on this council.

You're referring to a public member of the community that you didn't like what they had to say in terms of how to do that.

I just don't understand how groups and individuals and everyone else is going out pushing and pressuring the council members to support something without them being able to even do their due diligence.

I know, but it was really well, you weren't at the meeting.

I understand that.

No, we I just for the record want to make sure you are not addressing or referring to anyone on council that is speaking in support or opposition of an ordinance that is being discussed thoroughly at council.

Thank you.

That's correct.

Councilmember Ramirez.

Uh thank you, Madam Chair.

Mary and thank you for coming.

Uh your comments hit at something that council members uh have to be concerned about that maybe the public isn't widely aware of, but we operate under pretty strict quorum rules.

So if any one of us has a proposal we want to put forth, we cannot go behind the scenes and engage with the other council members the way a State Legislature might do or a member of Congress, because we are guided by the open uh meetings law of the State.

All our deliberations in a quorum have to be out in the public view.

So we can't we have to be careful not to form a quorum outside of this room.

Otherwise, we will be in violation of state law.

That's just uh part of the the uh the Yes.

It wasn't a council member that is currently sitting.

No, and I said that I believe when I came up, but it was a council member that was no, it wasn't a council member.

So that wasn't done.

You you mentioned uh engagement, and so we have to be very careful about engaging with other members of council about a matter that is going to come before the council.

And so obviously members of the public are not included in that, and individual council members in their engagement with the community are not included with that either.

So thank you.

Okay, Councilmember Carter.

Thank you.

Uh, do you have a copy of the letter you're referencing?

Absolutely.

Thank you.

I'll pass it out to everyone.

Council Davis.

Councilmember Davis.

Thank you, uh, Mayor Pro Tim.

Let me have to go to the United States.

Thank you, Marion, for being here and addressing this.

And let me just say to the for the record, I was at the meeting, and um the subject matter came up in regarding to it, and I basically said the same thing, and I said to this ex-councilmember that it was not the business of us to um reveal or say which way we are going to go because there are quorums and settings for this particular action.

It is not for us to announce where we gonna go as council members.

And I tried my best to try to correct the council member as you well well know, and I said to them that you you know better uh than that, no matter how you promote it, and of course I refuse to um to engage in the ad sitting there and I tried to clarify to them it's not proper to call people names, you know, in the list of that.

I I I I can understand the emotions and all that you and you'll support.

I'm not stating to you whether I'm with for it or against it, but to he tried to get me, well, tell me what you're going to do.

And I listen, that's not for us to do, and I regret that experience.

It wasn't tell me what you're gonna do.

It's tell me if you're with the mayor or with the community, is how it was phrased.

Thank you.

Uh Councilmember Salinas, did you have another comment?

Uh again, I think as other council members have said, it sounds like you have an issue with someone who is not currently on this council.

And I just want to make the record clear for those of us who did put the ordinance forward.

We are encouraging community to have a thoughtful and robust discussion and to come to council and share their views, which I think we can all agree is a part of a good democratic process.

Um that is the messaging coming out of my office.

That's the messaging coming out of Councilmember Cayman and the other council members.

Um, but know that that is all we are condoning is a robust conversation about encouraging people to share their views, always in a respectful and thoughtful way.

If you saw our press conference, you saw we there was no name calling, there was no criticism.

It was just sharing the facts, sharing our views on what the policy should be, and we hope all this discussion comes from a place of positivity.

We may have disagreement on positions, but always respect and thoughtfulness.

Thank you.

That's it.

It's just city engagement.

And in a tiers meeting, thank you, Ms.

Rice.

Ms.

Wright, when you see the tiers meeting in this letter.

I'm sorry?

Where did this come from?

This came from the ex-council member.

Okay.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Oh, we have a procedural motion from Councilmember Evan Shabazz.

Thank you, Mayor for Tim.

I would like to suspend the rules to add Joe Von Tyler to whoever is the last uh speaker at the top for the three-minute um non-agenda.

But I say the last speaker, the last one that was approved by council.

That's what I mean.

So top of the three next speaker.

Yes.

To be the next speaker.

Is there a second?

It's been moved and second.

All in favor, any opposed, item passes.

To be followed by Benjamin Broadway.

Thank you very much, Councilmembers.

Mayor Pro Tim.

Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

said the time is always right to do what is right.

This council is going to have that chance.

My name is Joe Von Tyler.

I'm a Houstonian, born and raised on Kaplan Street in Cashmere Gardens, and a multi-generational household that taught me everything that I know about this city and what it means at its best.

I'm here as a neighbor, a family member, and someone who carries this issue with him every single day.

Not fear of crime, but fear of a system that was supposed to protect them.

If something happens to them tonight, a break in, a medical emergency, they will not be calling 911.

Not because they don't want the help, but they don't know if that call is going to protect them or if it's going to destroy the life that they've built.

When a mother in my own family cannot call for help because she fears it may be a trap, this city has failed her.

Joe Vaughn, good to see you.

Would you like to wrap up your statement?

Yes, I would.

He said the time is always right to do right.

When this ordinance comes up, I'm asking this council to do the right thing.

Thank you very much.

Councilmember Cayman.

Thank you.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Benjamin Broadway.

Benjamin Broadway.

To be followed by Zoala Gordinez.

Hello, Mr.

Broadway.

Hello.

Good afternoon, City Council, Mayor.

My name is Benjamin Broadway.

I'm with the Northeast Action Collective.

And today I come to speak about the 2026 City of Houston budget.

Man, I ask for y'all to lift the hiring freeze for public works due to the fact that we have SWAT projects, LDP projects, and CIP projects that are decades behind.

We need to go on ahead and lift that.

If we can sit up here and find money for the police, for the firemen, and for a one hundred and twenty-eight million dollar facility for the Houston Texans, I'm quite sure we can find money to lift up the hiring freeze for public works.

We're decades behind in CIP projects.

Where's the work on the flood act?

Is it uh oh, he took 38 hundred men thirty-eight million of federal dollars to destroy buildings.

No, when do we put it towards the six excavators that he was supposed to purchase when he got into office?

Or what about coming out to communities and working on the opening ditches, or working with the community, which we've reached out to him time and time again to use state revolving funds to improve the city.

So yeah, if we could do that, that would be great.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next OELO Godine is councilman Kaman.

I have a procedural motion.

Procedural motion.

Uh, I move to suspend the rules to move Jim Tucker to follow Maidan Lewis.

Okay.

Motion made and second.

All in favor say yes, those opposed name.

Motion passes.

Okay.

Next.

Zaila Godinez.

Mayor Tala Tristan.

To be followed by Lee Mercer.

Buenas tardes.

I'll be interpreting.

My name is Mirtala Tristan.

Soy una member del Noroeste Action Collective que sigue luchando forne.

Soy resident of the Noroeste.

Hello, Council.

Um I am a member of the Northeast Action Collective who has been fighting for the last eight years.

One of our first demands is over flooding.

I'm a resident of the Northeast, and I've been affected terribly by hurricanes like Hurricane Harvey.

I want you to know when it rains, we enter into a state of panic.

The reason being is because even though we clean the streets, or when we clean the streets, we notice that there's ditches that are dirty and full of tall grass.

Because in the Northeast we need those 45 million to fix our drainage.

And because we have a vision to have a better quality of life and without suffering.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Next.

Lee Mercer.

To be followed by Maidine Lewis.

Good afternoon.

My name is Lee Mercer, and I'm here before you all to talk to the City Council of Houston, Texas, and Mayor John Whitmire.

The topic is Mercy for President, Government Platform, Front Porch, Presidential Campaign.

Our subtopics are Merciful President is Leo Mercy Jr., that's me.

A black candidate, a president in 2028, coming to Houston, Texas.

I'm bringing a black prisoner to campaign to Houston, Texas.

This is a government campaign, that's why it has it before.

Government platform.

The United States government is going to do a president campaign.

The president's campaigns are suffering, and the President Campaigns are proven to be incompetent.

So therefore we're doing a campaign.

The government's going to do a campaign.

This is a platform.

Since platform is what the government's going to be doing, and look it up in the books.

This is from a college from the United States Army and Military Channels Academy, Campbell San Antonio, Texas.

This is a master's and doc degree and general business and a master and doctor degree in theology, religion.

So this here is going to turn out to be a police preacher.

Now third thing I have here is uh it says government platform, a new patent, second government.

Now we've invented and I've invented a second government.

Second government is a management system with the United States of America, which is going to take care of the United States government.

You need help.

So therefore, it has to stay here in Houston, Texas.

That's what I'm coming for you.

I'll let you know that we're going to be doing a president campaign in Houston, Texas.

And this is, as I have here, a present front porch present campaign, invented police lawyers, corrected America, crime solving, college projects.

It's all going to boil down to crime solving.

And we're going to work problems with crime solving.

So no matter what you do, if you walk outside there, you get upset, you don't know what happened.

You can say, well, a crime happened.

Maybe it did happen.

Maybe it did.

Maybe it was a call of nature.

So the schematic track of this uh invisions I have will find what's wrong.

If if the error is wrong, something's wrong, you sick, whatever.

We've invented things to make sure that people live.

So if you turn turn the page over to the front, there says a U.S.

Army Save America program, Save America program.

So we're saving America.

It's a program that we've invented to save America.

All these wars and things like that, always been denotated, all those things there are reproduction and competence.

The next thing.

Thank you, sir.

All right, Sir Thurkill.

Next, Maidine Lewis.

Jim Tucker.

To be followed by Joshua Buller.

Mayor and Council, good afternoon.

Six years ago next month, the council adopted Houston's climate action plan.

The scorecard for us is on page 20 of that plan, and the outcome envelope started at 2014, over a decade ago.

We need to put some data on that chart to see how well we're progressing.

I watched local environmental things pretty closely, but if progress numbers have been publicized and I missed it, I apologize.

On a positive note, it was reported last year that Houston Parks would be mowed less often for financial reasons.

This is actually good for grass turf health as it allows deeper roots to develop, improving drainage and water retention.

I hope we keep it up.

However, it is unfortunate that one of the legacies of this council will be the phase one of the Montrose Boulevard redevelopment, taking a flawed plan and making it no better.

I hope we take this lesson far more thoughtful and effective solutions in the future.

On the subject of utility resilience, before the recent cold snap, we heard statements from Center Point about all the new utility poor polls and tree trimming they had done.

This points out that the problem is wires on poles.

The problem is wires on polls.

Until the electric service is buried as much as possible between the high voltage service lines and local substations and out to the residences, these outages and problems will persist.

Much of the electric service will need to be upgraded anyway once many cars are charged in single and multifamily residences.

If Center Point is going to continue to have a license to operate here, they need to have a plan to get wires off of polls.

And the plan needs to have measurable milestones.

It may take 20 or 30 years, but the compelling need is obvious.

Thank you, and ever onward for better Houston.

Councilmember Kamen.

Thank you, Mayor.

Welcome.

Jim, it is so nice to see you at Council.

It's been a little bit of time, and um I always appreciate your expertise when it comes to resiliency sustainability and the recommendations and suggestions that you put forward with diligence and rigor.

I know you have participated in many committee meetings where you have come on the climate action plan, the resilient Houston plan, but also and just run of the mill things that aren't so run-of-the-mill, but can have an impact.

What I hear one of your asks being is for an update on the climate action plan.

Is that correct?

Essentially how we're doing.

Okay.

So we will absolutely take that ask and see if we can have an update at a committee.

Uh, but I do want to again recognize the work that you do, your expertise, and your commitment to uh climate resiliency and sustainability.

Really, thank you.

And I 100% agree we need to bury as many utility lines as possible.

Some places it's not possible, but wherever we can, we must.

Uh so thank you.

Thank you.

How's it junior?

And thank you for wearing your I voted sticker.

Uh we appreciate it.

There is an election going on.

District C has an embarrassment of riches.

All the candidates uh are really uh going to be good contributors somewhere.

Thank you.

Next Joshua Bullet to be followed by Jasim Jacob.

Uh Council, we're gonna be uh we're gonna be working uh by memory today.

City Secretary, if you'll put in the minute minutes at my council member District D, Dr.

Carolyn Evan Shabazz is here, president, ready to work.

So let's begin.

Um Cree Global Media had a contract that came in uh 924 of 2024, which was for a hundred and thirty-nine thousand dollars, and that was brought up by HTV, put that contract up.

And the contract was a no-bid, no competitive contract.

So, and what I've noticed as a pattern with Cree Global Media contracts out of HTV is that that's not the only contract, there's numerous contracts with them, even dating back to the previous administration, and there are always no competition, no bid.

Just they just walk right in.

The problem with using a third-party system that citizens are not using is it costs us a fortune.

So, like we can see now that we're live streaming now on HTV.

Who's gonna go to a third-party app to watch this live stream?

They're just gonna go to HTV and watch it.

You're not gonna go through a third-party app to watch YouTube, you're just gonna go straight to YouTube.

The total cost in buying bandwidth and up to four channels.

It was agenda item number 11, September 24th, 2024.

I can't imagine how HTV would not have bid this contract out.

I've talked with three other women that own media companies here in Houston, and they're shocked.

They didn't even get an opportunity to participate.

They had no opportunity to access.

And there's another contract with HTV called CGM TV app, which is Cree Global Media TV app.

That's it, that's another hundred, two hundred thousand dollars out the door.

And let me say this, Councilmember, Dr.

Calen Edmond Shabazz, let me tell you what's really concerning.

Is that free global media only makes one political contribution to one politician?

Five thousand dollars, five thousand dollars, double triple platinum sponsorship for the last six years.

And that's Councilmember Edward Pollard.

And it's coincidental that any time I ever come to City Hall, he's never here.

He always makes sure he's absent.

Now, Central Reed Cree Global Media, it's not like Councilmember Edward Pollard and her are best friends, or they knew each other in the past.

They never knew each other because I'm the one that introduced them.

Your time has expired.

Thank you.

Next.

I am Jasim Jacob and my church pastor, Father Abram here.

Can you do it here?

Or about six seven months back, we came to you with a request for a crypt mausoleum to be built in our property for the use of our Patricia Nations and Parish Community.

And after that meeting, uh Mr.

Samora was very kind to contact us and informed you had to come up with a new ordinance for this purpose.

And he took the information and everything, but after that, we have no idea where we are standing on this matter.

And we have a lot of elderly and sick people in the community, and many of them cannot afford a traditional expensive burial.

So this is their only hope to have a less expensive system.

And it's not this project is not going to affect anybody anyway, not even environment.

This is 100 percent cornered concealed uh structure above ground.

So we request you again, please consider this request and help us on this matter.

Mayor Jim.

Mayor Perkham.

So are you saying you can't get a permit for the Crip mausoleum because we don't have an ordinance in place for you to erect a mausoleum on private property?

That's what we are told that there is an ordinance.

We don't they don't know where to apply for such a head.

So you can't get the permit to build the mausoleum.

Uh Randy, do you have an update for him?

I know that you were working with them on the other.

Yeah, we spoke to him.

So this is uh it was a change in the law a few years ago.

Um so in order for them to uh when they apply, um City Council has to pass an ordinance that explains what information the city wants in order for them to apply, and then once that happens, the City Council has to then also pass an ordinance where uh they determine that the new cemetery or mausoleum will not be a health violation.

So we have finalized the ordinance.

I think we finalized we had a lot of back and forth with health because we have never done this before.

Um, and um we're gonna kick it up to see if we can get finalization for my boss.

So do you know what kind of timeline they would be looking at as their organization is um planning their moves forward?

Well, assuming that we have the uh ordinance in its final version, and I hope that we do, um, as soon as in theory we could get it on City Council, but but this is a brand new process, never been done before.

So council would have to approve essentially the uh the information that that you're gonna need and then later approve it a second time.

The actual do you have any renderings of the mausoleum?

Um no, we don't have it because we contacted the architect and they said without the city uh any plan or anything why we should waste the money that was that question.

Okay.

No.

We can give you one.

Uh we can get it.

And I can speak to you afterwards a little more in depth, Councilmember.

I'm sorry.

I can speak to you a little more in depth afterwards and explain the process better.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

We'll follow up with you on that.

I know it's it's a frustrating process, but if we don't have an ordinance in place, um, we'll work with the city legal to see how we can um help you to move this forward.

Thank you, Osama.

Thank you for the time.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

Next.

Rosalind Blake.

Bonnie Austin Whitley.

To be followed by Anita Guevara.

I'm certainly.

Uh my name is Bonnie Austin Whitley.

I w live at 8015 Burnt Orchard Drive.

Um, I'm here to speak about the flood instrument funding.

With that funding, it will be able to dig ditches, not have any floodings, not have water up to the ceilings.

And I've been told that that is happening, and I hope it is.

But whenever I drive from work, reed road to over where I live, I have to sit on the freeway or sit on the side of the freeway so the water can go down so I can get to where I live.

As well as the trash that's not being picked up, I've seen that there's uh cameras.

I've seen that there has been some work, but it's continuous.

And uh I also heard about the monies that we lost, 51 million dollars.

And I'm thinking that if that money could be used to hire in city employees that have been fired and not been hired.

Maybe if we could get someone to look at the cameras and see the license place numbers, we might be able to prosecute, and maybe that'll slow it down.

Trash uh uh build-up, periodically clean those cottages, and or the trees, they're falling down everywhere, the lines are falling down everywhere, there's dead dead cock carcasses.

So uh that also could be a job that could be filled.

Um I just know that each one of you are here because you care about Houston, you care about the people, you have to be prioritized, and I understand that, but I think that if we don't stand up and say something, my mama used to say you gotta say something so something can happen.

So that's why I'm here today.

For the flooding, for the elderly people that years ago I had to float out on a pool, little baby pool, and it's still happening.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next Anita Guevara.

To be followed by Alice Liu.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council members.

My name is Anita Guevara.

I am 85 years old.

I have lived in Lake Forest Subdivision since 1978.

CIPCO 77078.

I am here to stress the need for additional funding for drainage infrastructure.

Specifically, the ditch re-establishment program must be fully funded with 45 million dollars in the upcoming budgets.

We have flooded twice since tropical storm Ellison in 2001.

And in 2017, uh Hurricane Harvey.

People in the back of her neighborhood have had it worse.

They have flooded several times before and after Ellison.

The drainage in our neighborhood is still poor, even after the city has done some improvements.

There are still many streets that need better drainage.

Even after a small rainfall, there's standing water on the streets for days, if not weeks.

And I hope and pray that we never have another Harvey type hurricane, because I lost my sister, her husband, and poor of their great-grandchildren in Harvey Ploodwaters.

Thank you for listening to me.

Thank you.

Next Alice Liu.

To be followed by Brody Washington.

Hi everyone, my name is Alice Liu.

I'm here with the Northeast Action Collective.

I've been living in Houston for um 10 years now.

Just last summer, Texas was a national headlines for the Central Texas flooding.

The loss of life, 135 deaths, and the extent of local and state government neglect was for many people around the country completely shocking.

But for those of us who have been living in Houston, who have lived through Allison, Harvey, Winterstorm Uri, and just two years ago that Durachou and Hurricane Peril.

It unfortunately was not shocking.

It was just a continuation of the state of affairs which we are forced to live through year after year, in which our governments have abandoned us to increasing climate change, increasing risk of flooding, increasing economic precarity with very little effort to change the course of things.

So that's why I am here once again with the Northeast Action Collective to share two of our demands for the city budget in 2026.

First, it is to fully fund the ditch re-establishment program with 45 million dollars.

Why 45 million dollars?

This is the number that public works has said is necessary to have the staffing and the contracts to deliver on its original five-year timeline to re-establish all necessary ditches in Houston since the creation of this program in 2023.

And why do we continuously advocate for the ditch re-establishment program?

It's because it's one of the most significant steps that the city has taken to address the racial inequities in flood infrastructure in the city.

It is an incredible win that the movement and our city councillor in District B, Councilmember Jackson, has delivered for the people of not just District B, but District J, District H, and folks in complete communities across the city.

And we have seen over the past three years, hearing from our the hundreds of residents that we are in contact with, that this program is really working.

People are saying that this is the first time that they have seen city trucks, city staff in their neighborhoods on their streets actually clearing out these decades, uh actually clearing out these ditches that may have been clogged up for decades.

Um but we can't stop here.

We are making progress.

The funding is translating to boots on the crown, and we need to make sure that for the fourth year of this program, it is it continues to be completely funded with 45 million dollars.

We also wanted to bring attention to the um understaffing of public works, which is an ongoing problem for years, but was made significantly worse with last year's early retirement buyouts.

Over 200 public work staff were let go in those buyouts, and we have heard from our contacts in public works that this has resulted in their inability to spend existing drainage.

Thank you.

Richard Schweiger Schwager Samiha Rizvi to be followed by Imran Ghani.

Can I go ahead and okay?

Um good afternoon, Council members, mayor.

My name is Simiha Rizvi, and I'm here on behalf of Care Action in support of the Islamophobia Awareness Day resolution that was just presented on the steps of City Hall by Councilmember Ramirez.

On March 15th, 2019, an anti-Muslim terrorist entered the Christ Mosque Christ Church Mosque in New Zealand and murdered 51 Muslim worshippers.

In the wake of that tragedy, the United Nations declared March 15th, the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, a recognition of the hatred of those lives that were taken, and to encourage governments across the globe to combat anti-Muslim hate.

Unfortunately, years later, that hate has not faded.

It has grown.

Islamophobia today is not subtle, it is loud, it is emboldened.

It shows up in the resurgence of anti-Sharia fear mongering, amplified by elected officials and met by silence by those who refuse to condemn it.

It lives in rhetoric that paints Muslims as dangerous.

It is embedded in policies and public discourse that treat our very existence as a threat.

But it doesn't stop there.

It shows up in those whose voices are punished.

Across the country, Muslims and allies are being targeted, harassed, and silenced simply for speaking out against the genocides in Palestine and Sudan.

Speaking about human rights should never come with consequences, but for many of us it does.

And for our communities, this is not political, it is painfully personal.

We are grieving the loss of Palestinian lives at the hands of U.S.

taxpayer dollars, the destructions of mosques, homes, and entire families.

Yet, even in our grief, some are afraid to speak, protest, or even say their loved ones' names for fear of backlash, surveillance, or being kidnapped and illegally detained by ICE.

That is Islamophobia today.

Therefore, if you truly care about protecting not just the Muslim community, but all Houstonians from discrimination and hate, then this is the moment to act.

If you are committed to protecting the civil and human rights of all Houstonians and ensuring that those targeted on the basis of race or religion can turn to the government without fear or recrimination, as the resolution promises, then your support must be more than words.

It must be action.

Supporting the resolution and the immigration ordinance proposed by Councilmember Salinas is how you demonstrate that commitment is real.

Our communities are watching.

History will remember what you chose to do in this moment.

Thank you.

Next Imran Ghani.

To be followed by Bunia Latif of Maleir, good afternoon, and Asalaamu alaikum rahdullah.

May God's peace and blessings be upon you all.

My name is Imran Ghani.

I'm the director for the Council on American Islamic relations.

And I wanted to appreciate Councilmember Ramirez and those council members who signed today's anti-Islamophobia resolution.

Day to day at CARE, we get calls every day from Muslims who face discrimination in the workplace, in schools, uh while traveling, and encounters with law enforcement.

And while we appreciate this resolution, it is an important symbolic gesture for the city's solidarity for Muslims and our contributions to the city.

But the resolution leaves with a clue on how to act on this symbolic gesture, and it reads as follows.

We hereby recognize International Day to combat Islamophobia in the city of Houston and affirm our commitment to building a future for Houston that protects civil and human rights and ensures that those targeted on the basis of race or religion can turn to government without fear of recrimination.

My ask to you all, Council members and Mr.

Mayor, is that this ordinance that has been introduced by Councilmember Salinas, please vote yes.

On Eve Day on Friday, a crying mother called me from Pakistan stating that one day that her son, who's a student here, was pulled over for a speeding ticket, and the next day ICE agents were at his home.

Our ask to you, and the power that you have is to limit ICE's abilities to act within our cities and to limit Houston police department's cooperation and collaboration with this rogue wonton agency.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next Brunilla Latif from Bay Air.

To be followed by Sanaya Rahim, hello.

Thank you so much for allowing this space and opportunity.

I wanted to say thank you so much for hosting the Islamophobia Awareness Day today that we were able to attend earlier.

Um it's so meaningful as a Muslim American.

Um grew up in California but live in Texas now to see Houston take a stand against discrimination and acknowledge the Muslim American family experience.

Um I had a whole script prepared over here, but in light of what everyone else is saying, I did want to ask if you guys could take this ordinance to the next level and actually uh recognize Islamic Heritage Month uh in January.

It's a broader national effort that's being done around the country.

And the reason for that is, you know, I have three daughters in public school.

When they sit and they see Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, there's not a space for the Muslim American experience to be showcased.

Um we have to either go with South Asian culture or Arab culture.

But as you guys know, Islam isn't just a religion, it's a culture, right?

It dictates what we eat, it dictates how we dress, it dictates how we speak.

Um, and it would be when we approach the schools to ask for that, they say, well, does the city of Houston recognize this as a celebration?

Is it a statewide celebration?

If not, unfortunately, there's nothing that we can do.

So I would love to see this ordinance go into motion, but I would hope that this goes further and um we can recognize Islamic Heritage Month in the month of January.

So thank you for that.

Next Sania Rahim.

To be followed by Aisha Amin of Friends Wood.

Thank you all so much for hearing us today.

And that Islam is that we are really the enemies at the gates.

Randy Fine, a congressman, sitting congressman, said that there's not enough Islamophobia.

We need more.

We need more Islamophobia because fear of Islam is rational.

Even people who claim to represent civil rights, like the ADL, the Anti-Defamation League, compared student protesters to ISIS, and said that they are very similar to Al-Qaeda and prove a real threat to Jews.

Here at home in Texas, Governor Abbott designated care, our largest civil rights organization, as a terrorist organization.

And why is this happening?

As you know, fear of the other is a distraction used to distract from the very real problems the Texans face.

Recently, the CNBC ranks Texas as second worst quality of life.

But what is Dan Patrick's legislative priorities for this upcoming session?

He named four.

One of them is one of them is actually banning Sharia law.

Okay.

Nothing addressing any of the cost of living issues, nothing, the climate issues that all Texans face.

And we can't allow these distractions to persist.

We, including all of our elected officials, need to stand up and protect uh Muslim Americans and all Americans by saying in response to every negative statement, statements from all of our city council members affirming the rights and the presence and the importance of our Muslim citizens here in town.

When you hear these statements, we need to have more of what Councilmember Julian Ramirez is doing, which is standing up for all constituents, we which we deeply appreciate.

And I'm just gonna requote Martin Luther King as just recently requoted by our controller, Chris Hollins.

Um in the end, we'll not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

It's deeply important, even though it seems like just words are just words.

We need your words to stand up for us today.

Um and we also need your actions to protect free speech and um the presence of America of us here.

Uh, for example, the anti-BDS law, which prevents us from advocating in free speech, just like any other group.

If you have an issue with Congo, you can advocate to your constituencies to not buy things from Congo.

If you have an issue with the Netherlands, you can advocate for constituencies not to buy things from the Netherlands.

We can't, as an organization, advocate for our commit constituents not to buy things from the state of Israel, otherwise we can lose city and state grants.

So we demand to have our same freedom of speech as any other constituency in the city and the state, and we hope that you remove any any paperwork that's associated with anti-BDS clause from any grant paperwork.

Thank you.

Aisha Amin of Friendswood to be followed by Imran Kamar of Katie.

Good afternoon, City Council members.

Thank you for allowing me to speak today.

And um I just wanted to start with um saying thank you for everybody for allowing me to um here to the United States.

I came here 25 years ago, and this country provided me with a platform to flourish in my degrees, my education, my work, my um wealth, and also of course my age and weight.

But since um last 25 years here, I have had to remind um multiple times many people and more so now more recently that um Islam is a faith of love and not hate.

It teaches us to embrace all creation of God, all the books, all the prophets, and um, but like all religions, unfortunately, there are not all of us are the best example of the faith.

And um we have um uh uh differences everywhere.

When every day, and I I thank God with my patients when they are better, I cry out to God with them when they are sicker.

And I hope that one day all of us here can accept that our our interests in this life and the future life is all the same.

And if we work together to towards these interests, we will achieve a lot more than working against each other.

That's all I have to say today.

Thank you.

Next Mron Kamark.

Nila Far Hafizi of Katie.

Regina Sofus.

To be followed by Ethan Gains.

Okay.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Uh my name is Regina Sofas.

And I'm here in reference to citizen rights.

Excuse me, ma'am.

Pull the mic a little closer to you.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Um I'm here for my rights as a citizen.

I have ventured out to citizens of title.

And I was laid off because of my pay.

They wanted to deduct my pay, and I refused it.

So I was laid off.

So now I I'm drawing unemployment, and it's like they're prolonging it.

And I haven't paid my rent.

And I venture out to other consumers of my lights.

NAMS.

My lights were still turned off.

Daddy uploaded my documents, but they told me they couldn't they couldn't pay it.

So I venture out to other consumers for my rent.

Now all of a sudden it's about the zip code.

The zip code wasn't included at first.

So I've been a CNA nursing assistants for 17 years.

And I would like us to address the seniority of nursing.

We're not being paid like we should.

I've been with them for twelve years.

So I just want to address my rights as a citizens.

And I have a bone disease from the hips down, and my physician refused me because I'm not a part of PPO.

So he preferred me to be a part of uh PPO instead of HMO.

So I just wanted to address my citizens' rights.

And I have ventured out to Miss Savanya Thompson.

I haven't heard a thing from her.

She's my state representative.

I venture out to my city councilman.

She's accurate.

Thank you so much.

And Ryan Ethan, she have helped me tremendously of 2021.

That's the last time I came here.

And she did a dynamic job with me.

I appreciate her.

Okay, and at the end, I was just like someone to address citizens of title to proceed with assisting the Houston citizens of being accommodatable of what they are part of.

Housing, I haven't heard anything from housing.

Breast you off.

They haven't addressed the matter in reference to the topic.

So it's like a lot of citizens now like to brush you off.

You know, I'm oh sorry.

Your time has expired.

Okay.

Thank you all.

Ethan Gains.

Petra Cervantes.

To be followed by Laura Gallier.

Hola, muy buenas tardes.

My name is Petra Cervantes.

Soy member del North Acción Collectivo y vivo in el vecindario de Chatwood in the North de Houston.

Yo he visto que desde que entró este presidente, mucho para la gente más pobre, especialmente para los immigrantes.

Good afternoon.

I'm Petra Cervantes.

I'm a member of the Northeast Action Collective, and I live in the neighborhood of Chatwood in the Northeast of Houston.

Ever since this president came in, um the lives of the people have gotten worse, especially for immigrants.

Many of my neighbors are immigrants and they're respectful and hard working people.

And instead of stopping immigrants to deport them, it's better we should investigate where the people have said the crime is happening.

And it's better use of the money to employ more people to fix the sidewalks so for people on in wheelchairs to fix the drainage and the streets in our neighborhoods.

And we also need we also need protection against flooding that gets worse year after year.

And then you should invest more in the infrastructure that absorbs water when it rains.

Thank you for your time, and I hope you all believe in justice.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next Laura Gallier.

David Espinoza.

To be followed by Benny Freeman.

I just want to take you time for giving us the time to speak today.

We have homes that have not been adapted to high flood waters.

Which means that if the home is flooded, they have to find a new home during that whole process of uh during the crisis.

And these are the type of people I consider when we think of public safety.

And these aren't hypotheticals or made-up scenarios.

I met these people, these are real people I've talked to.

We people I worked with, some of them are right here.

That we've helped and people we had to help because all forms of government have failed to do so in an adequate time frame.

And these are elderly veterans, mothers and fathers, people in school still going through school, people who are handicapped, people who are struggled to during these times to go through the process of re rebuilding their lives.

So what I'm gonna ask of you today is the full the fully funded ditch reestablishment program to invest more in public works.

And I just wanted to say the FBI does not have internal policy to enforce any federal or national classification against civilians.

And what's coming out about this structure is not only the consequences associated with inclusion and systems such as the National Crime Information Center, including entries within public safety files, like the violent gang terrorist organization file and the alerts and coordinating measures that follow.

But also the behavior by police within this classification as a subsequent to the operation of a category or the legal authority and statutory basis for it remains unclear.

Actions that I had to formally report, which are the documents that you're currently seeing handed out.

Mayor, these concerns have been serious enough for me to formally report and have raised real concerns for me.

And I'm asking for your office to refer this matter over to the appropriate parties, including congressional oversight.

Yes.

Any questions?

No.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

Did you guys get the document?

Sworn appidavit.

Awesome.

Nillifar Hafizi.

From Katie.

To be followed by Felix Kapoor.

Uh good afternoon, uh, Mr.

Mayor and uh honorable council members.

My name is Neil Farrafisi, and I'm here on behalf of the nonprofit MG Texas, which advocates and civically engages Muslim Americans across Texas, including in Greater Houston.

I'm here to uh thank uh Councilmember Ramirez and all the other council members who have supported the resolution for Islamophobia Awareness Day, especially at this time in our political environment when it seems that attacking Muslim Americans simply for being who we are is the way to move forward in politics.

I really appreciate the sentiment.

And also wanted to speak uh on path of some community members who couldn't be here today.

As an organization that stays in touch with the grassroots, uh, one of the things we do at MG is we do check-in calls with uh those who have been with our organization just to see what issues are top of mind for them.

And there's a lot I could say here today, but I want to let you know of a really saddening conversation I had just two weeks ago.

Muslim Americans across Texas and the U.S.

are all feeling the rise in Islamophobia.

They're all fearing for the safety of their families.

They feel the targeting in Texas of uh Islamic schools that are have had to bring a lawsuit just to be treated like any other school applying for the voucher program.

They are feeling the rhetoric around how Muslims are not welcome in Texas and how we are characterized as somehow being un-American and pushing Sharia law into others despite the falseness of those allegations.

For a community members who are newer here especially, this is concerning, but recently I had the opportunity to speak to a gentleman who has been here for over 35 years, and he told me that he has resigned to this, that he's resigned to Islamophobia rising and falling as wars happen abroad and as other things happen that make it politically expedient for Muslim Americans to be targeted.

He should not have to be okay with this.

No one should have to resign themselves to being targeted, especially by political leaders because of because of their faith as a matter of course.

And I want to thank again the council members who have spearheaded this resolution and stood up for our community.

We hope to see elected officials continue to do so.

And uh we also wanted to say, as one of the largest Muslim American communities in the U.S.

can be found in Texas, that we can be Muslim and American at the same time.

Thank you.

Felix Kapoor.

To be followed by Jacob Klementich.

Real quick, I had signed up for three minutes, but on the list it had me at one minute.

Um could I get that change?

Because I called yesterday and they said, Do you want one, two, or three?

And I definitely said three.

And she said, Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Cool.

Um I have some pictures that I wanted to pass out to council.

Um, Council.

My name is Felix Kapoor.

I'm with the Northeast Action Collective.

Um, here to present uh our demands and talk about our city's continued need for flood protection.

Um the pictures that you're seeing right now is from our annual cleanup day of people uh in our community inside of ditches, cleaning out those ditches, as well as trash that exists within ditches that has not been picked up as that was kind of beyond our capacity.

Um last year, even though a shady backroom deal, even through a shady backroom deal, we thought there was progress on the advalorum drainage tax diversion.

We thought there would be historic investment into drainage infrastructure across the city.

However, this was a sham.

The mayor's office pushed out over 400 employees from public works.

How are we supposed to spend increased funds when so much of the workforce is gone and not replaced?

In addition to this, nine council members who sit in this room weekly voted to reroute 30 million dollars of dedicated drainage funding to tear down abandoned buildings in the name of drainage infrastructure.

One of those demolitions will now get a police station and fire station on it, which I do not understand how building a concrete structure will help alleviate flooding in the area.

We appreciate offices like District J, who have prioritized um flood infrastructure funding appropriately using their own council funding to protect their constituents and protect their infrastructure.

So I wanted to present our demands for this year's budget.

One, we want to fully fund the ditch re-establishment program, as my colleagues have said, uh, up to 45 million dollars, and hopefully that impacts other parts of the city, but definitely district B is one of the most impacted housing, the most drainage uh infrastructure like ditch infrastructure in the city.

Um, we want the city to hire workers that were fired in public works and replace that staff.

There's no way this money can get spent unless there's staff to do it.

We disagree with the advalorum settlement.

We want the full transfer to happen this year.

Right now, there's only a portion that is supposed to be transferred, and we want the full transfer to happen this year uh for the fiscal year coming up, and then we don't want any budget cuts as we've seen in previous years.

We don't want any cuts to a central services such as solid waste, um, such as libraries, such as parks.

That's not what we want to see in this year's budget.

We've done what we can as an organization, as you see through the photos, as you three see through our civil rights complaint um that HUD had picked up against the GLO, uh, also with advocating here uh with the voices in the community wanting better flood protection from the city.

I'll end this by reading a direct quote from a Houston Chronicle piece from December 23 regarding John Whitmeyer's stance on the advalorum drainage tax.

It reads the city needs to follow the will of the voters and use the funds for the purpose for which they were intended.

We will spend the money on streets and drainage.

I close with a question to you, Mr.

Whitmeyer.

The diversion was continued, has continued to happen in both the years of your administration, including the 30 million dedicated to abandoned structure um uh demolition.

So when is the time we get an apology from the mayor's office for not sticking to the purpose of the funds for which they were intended, and how do we correct that mistake for this upcoming fiscal year?

Thank you.

Next speaker.

And uh District B, thank you for the help during the cleanup day.

And welcome back, Tarzan.

Jacob Clementic.

To be followed by Joseph Amori.

God, we need some yet.

Okay, I got three uh I'm uh haven't gotten any information from three districts, can the nation is this Joe, this is Patrick, and this hell yar.

I think I'm gonna vote for Nick Hellyar because he's got the most enjoyments.

And then when uh I'm not gonna be here even though it was a Tuesday, is because it's my birthday, and I'm one year older than you, Martha Birthday.

Yeah, and then no, um uh uh yeah, um I'm gonna see this um politician running with controller from the state of Texas.

So I'm gonna bother him with some questions.

Now it's I joke time.

They know why I prefer to wear glasses than put on contact lenses.

It's because they get the ear better.

Thank you, Jacob.

We stand around.

Joseph Amari.

I don't know what's going on in the United States of America.

But we're going to pretend this is the scene from the TV show scandal.

Any motion transfer the power administration order of the United States of America to any of the government or United States soldiers that is treason general.

Any motion to transfer the wealth of the United States of America to any government of nation that is treason, Congressman.

Any motion transfer the management of administration of the wealth of the United States of America, any of the government or nation that is treason, Senator.

Any motion transfer of the administration of the United States, social and human service program to any of the government in the other nation, that's treason, Congressman.

Any motion to transfer the pillarlock economic power of the United States Murder to Government, nation, religious organization, religious managed government according to the First Amendment that grant us freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of rigid, the separation of state to state, separation church of state, and give us the right to petition of government agreement.

It denied this right is not only unconstitutional, Senator, that's to treason.

Any motion search for the power of the United States of America's free breakfast of the government are time has expired.

That is treason.

Of course, that never happened.

For the FY27, Internet Crimes Against Children Grant Program.

Item 34 ordinance approving and authorizing submission of electronic application for grant assistance through the Houston Galveston Area Council for FY 2627.

Solid waste grant program.

Item 35 ordinance consenting to the addition of 416.93 acres of land to Harris County Municipal Utility District number 492.

Item 36, ordinance consenting to the addition of 8.908 acres of land to Newport Municipal Utility District.

Item 37, ordinance to amend ordinance number 2026-63.

Municipal setting designation ordinance prohibiting the use of designated groundwater beneath a tract of land containing 3.1271 acres, commonly known as 6505 Foster Street and Zero Foster Street.

Item 38, ordinance approving and authorizing First Amendment to contract with Harris County Municipal Utility District No.

118.

Item 39, ordinance approving and authorizing sanitary resource service agreement with the city of Bel Air, Texas.

Item 40.

Item 41, ordinance approving and authorizing interlocal agreement with Houston Freemanstown Conservancy and Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.

Item 42, ordinance appropriating $7,345.

And $234,689.8 cent.

Approving and authorizing interlocal agreement with near Northwest Management District.

Item 43 ordinance granting to Triple Action Septic Service LLC.

The right privilege and franchise to collect haul and transport solid waste and industrial waste from commercial properties located within the city of Houston, Texas.

And this is the second reading.

The right privilege and franchise to collect haul and transport solid waste and industrial waste from commercial properties located within the city of Houston, Texas.

This is the second reading.

Item 45 ordinance granting to Masters Advanced Remediation Services, LLC, the right, privilege, and franchise to collect haul and transport solid waste and live solid waste and industrial waste from commercial properties located within the city of Houston.

Second reading, item 46, ordinance granting to Red Zone Robotics, Inc.

The right privilege and franchise to collect haul and transport solid waste and industrial waste from commercial properties located within the city of Houston, Texas.

Second reading, item 47, ordinance granting to refresh threads cleaners, LLC, the right privilege and franchise to collect, haul and transport solid waste and industrial waste on commercial properties located within the city of Houston, Texas.

Second reading.

Item 48, ordinance granting to SESCO, LLC, the right, privilege, and franchise to collect haul and transport solid waste and industrial waste on commercial properties located within the city of Houston, Texas.

Second reading.

Item 49, ordinance granting to Texas mint commercial washing LLC.

The right privilege and franchise to collect haul and transport solid waste and industrial waste from commercial properties located within the city of Houston, Texas.

Second reading.

Item 50, request for mayor for confirmation of the appointment or reappointment.

This item was tagged by Councilmember Huffman and with item three on the agenda of March 18th.

Item 51, request for mayor for confirmation of the appointment or reappointment of the following individuals to the Memorial City.

Redevelopment Authority Board of Directors.

This item was tagged by Councilmember Huffman and was item 4 on the agenda of March 18th.

Item 52, ordinance approving and authorizing submission of electronic application for grant assistance to the Office of the Governor to the Grant Assistance to the Office of the Governor for FY 27, Northeast and West Side Houston Violent Gang Crime Suppression Grant.

This item was tagged by Councilmember Pollard and was Item 30 on the agenda of March 18th.

This completes the reading of the captions of the agenda for March 25th, 2026.

Stay tuned for the next City Council session to begin at 9 a.m.

And with that, I wish everyone a blessed and happy hump day.

Council, please come to order.

Visitor economy.

Sally.

Because if you look at last week, you look at this week, the month of March, we use more hotel rooms revenue from related uh visitors than ever.

Best month ever.

Houston first.

Started out with 70,000 cheerleaders the first weekend.

Then we went into the World Baseball Classic.

We had a couple of business conventions.

If you haven't been to SIRA week, you should.

I was there yesterday.

It is impressive and growing.

The organizers are excited about the expansion of George Brown, looking at future years, but uh it's something you need a credentials to get in.

But uh I would encourage everyone to see the excitement and uh of course world events are making it even more essential that industry comes together and uh reinforces our energy capital of the world perception.

But uh also spring break.

Evan Shabazz, Councilmember uh your district got a little special attention over the weekend because of spring breakers.

Uh you contacted me Sunday afternoon and we're on it.

Um I think we've actually started getting recognized for enforcing city ordinances in uh areas that uh become part of the um and it's not just spring breaks, but I can remember when I got to council that Councilman Alcorn Cayman, every week we're talking about the Washington Quarter, people operating without permits.

It's no longer allowed.

In fact, I get calls on Saturday night from establishments and their representatives at the health department is enforcing their permitting.

Uh so we're on top of things as we continue to grow and have events that are drawing large numbers, and the nice weather obviously contributes to that.

But emancipation, the sound ordinances being enforced.

HPD does a very uh reasonable job there.

Also, a real exciting uh notice this week.

We had the uh deputy director of HUD with us last Friday for a tour of the 419 emancipation site.

It'll hold 220 people.

We also got uh approval for our recovery funding, 314 million uh councilman Thomas, uh hundred million for home repairs, fifty million for single family, fifty million for multifamily, hundred million for generators, and forty-one million for emancipation, which funds it for the next three years, and uh something that they're excited about that could be a model for the nation.

We also got approved by the Federal Government, Homeland Security, the $64 million for FIFA security.

So I'm just here to let you know that collaboration and communication is working at the state level.

We got our funding approved for Fleet Week.

Fleet week is April 15th to the 22nd.

So things are not letting up after this busy week leading into Fleet Week and then we go right into FIFA.

This week as you well know SEER is going on and then Thursday Sweet 16 starts.

Everyone certainly us cougars are excited about the opportunity for U of H to be on the national scene as one of the final best teams going into Sweet 16 and I fully expect them to continue going forward.

Astros kick off at 3 o'clock tomorrow anxious to see what kind of team that they successfully put together Texas Children's Golf at Memorial Park.

So friends can't say enough about the direction of the city.

We're a strong city and we're getting stronger we have challenges Central Houston was going to pay 85 blocks downtown we heard last week Chris says now it's 220 he assures us that it will be completed by FIFA.

So we're preparing for FIFA but we're also working in our neighborhoods with security and infrastructure improvements.

So you know we raised Cain and I'm on the phone practically hourly with the airport director what can we do where as supportive of the travelers as possible with water safety traffic control but hopefully our local delegation will speak out and our two U.S.

Senators to try to resolve the conflicts in Washington so we can get back to normal airport operations but I can't say enough for the staff at the airport they are working long hours.

Also before I get on to the agenda Sandra Polk is with us that's Alvin Bird's widow that I've known for years and she's here Councilmember Jackson to see that one of Alvin's dreams of Tuffy Park be changed in name to James Robert Hall Park.

So thank you and and we do honor uh Alvin for his many years of community engagement and forever will be seeing the impact that he made on Houston and certainly a close friend of mine.

With that members uh I don't think I've skipped anything except our uh planning director Von Tran is being honored tonight by Woman magazine is one of 50 influential Houstonians so that's um a nice recognition for one of our directors who I think is doing an outstanding job.

So with that uh let's continue our work and uh start with the uh consent councilmember cabinet mayor thank you and thank you for recognizing um all of our airport workers uh I know we're all getting texts and comments about lines and inquiries about wait times and just to convey how hard our airport system is working and the staff there while this is not an issue that the City of Houston or the airports themselves created.

I'm so glad you talked about CERA week.

I had the opportunity to be there yesterday Sarah Week is probably my favorite conference that comes to Houston because it brings everybody from the energy sector from throughout the world right here to the energy capital of the world the conversations that are happening and the momentum in the energy transition the technology that's being presented all of the innovation that is happening right here during CIRA week really deserves that spotlight when I was talking with different people throughout the conference every single person commented on how well it is run, how incredible the hotel staff is that it's probably the most professional conference that all of these executives have ever attended and I think that speaks to just the caliber of what CERA week is and what it means to the City of Houston.

And at the same time with the PGA, I just have to spotlight with the Astros Foundation and Texas Children's.

Um, the course looks incredible.

The investment that we as a city made in the new driving range that we had approved that's going to help generate additional revenue for our parks.

But the course looks amazing.

Uh the staff in the parks department is doing an incredible job.

Uh but I want to thank also your Office of Special Events for working with us in the neighborhood.

Uh Mayor, I know you live around there, and in years past there's been challenges with parking.

And we come in uh with Moes and with HPD and do an entire parking program now uh with permitting.

So I want to encourage residents as you are seeking to come to Memorial Park, please use the designated parking locations in the shuttle service or a ride share uh so that we can keep the area clear.

Uh but as you pointed out, there's so many events that are going on right now.

It's an amazing time in Houston.

Uh it's one of the best months of the year because of everything that we have going on.

But Sarah Week is a home run.

Thank you.

Thank you for your for your comments.

Uh when I was here yesterday, I couldn't keep from thinking about United here.

And the strike in the fall, and thank the Lord that our labor negotiations work and those employees are making it happen.

And you're right, they have a great morale at this point.

I meant to give a shout out when we were talking about better conditions and some of the entertainment uh venues.

Uh the neighborhood alliance met last week, and we got shout-outs from Stacy Fairchild, who was always uh monitoring things and probably monitoring wherever she is right now, and then tomorrow bail too.

So when you got uh that broad base of uh recognition that things are working, but we have a lot more to do is something to uh appreciate.

Uh Councilmember, and thank you for your comments.

Particularly, I probably didn't spend enough time on the golf.

And you're talking about signage when I got home yesterday.

I thought something's happening neighborhood because it has only emergency parking.

So I thought I'd done something wrong.

Uh or the protesters were back.

I I just did not know.

But uh we're going to accommodate the crowd.

Uh a lot of shuttle shuttle buses.

Uh Councilmember Evan Shabazz.

No, Mayor for Temcast.

I'm sorry.

I was just seeing if you had anything you wanted to say.

What's going on?

When you called me, when you called me on Sunday afternoon, it means in particular the ASAP.

Well, thank you, Mayor.

And certainly I did send out a shout.

Please help uh because I did get a video from a constituent, and it was on and popping over there.

Spring break.

And certainly I reached out to you, HPD, and precinct seven.

We were prepared for a response from from all of you, and I certainly appreciate it because you know when spring comes, you know, it it you know, people want everybody wants to pop that fan, and that right, Councilmember Thomas over there.

Oh goodness.

You have to popped it like that.

You know, we don't mind people coming to the district of destination and popping the fan and shaking it fast, but it was out of control.

And so I really do it's really out of control.

So thank you so very much for your quick response uh from both you, uh Constable Smokey Phillips and Commander Win.

Thank you so very much.

Thank you, ma'am.

Mayor Pro Tim.

Thank you, Mayor.

I just wanted to take a point of personal privilege to welcome um Sharon with the Levitt Pavilion to uh Houston.

Uh Jay is here and Nina is here.

Um if y'all are not aware, the music festival will be happening at the Willow Water Hole uh on this weekend on Saturday, and so everyone is invited to come out to the music festival Saturday from 11 to 8.

There will be lots of professional bands there.

Um we have an opportunity to celebrate with our school bands and just a great family event, lots of fun.

Um but I hope that people know about Levitt Pavilion.

Um Levitt is a national network of outdoor music venues across the um U.S.

And the fact that we are working diligently to have one in um District K in the City of Houston is extraordinary.

Um it is going to be a fundraising lift, um, but we are up for the task, and um we look forward to more opportunities to celebrate uh music and have families come out and if you have not been to the Willow Waterhole, let this be your invitation and opportunity to visit this 200 acres of dual use detention and entertainment.

And if you have not been to the Willow Waterhole, let this be your invitation and opportunity to visit this 200 acres of dual use detention and entertainment.

You'll be blown away.

You won't even realize that you're in the city of Houston when you are on the property there.

But lots of fun and festivities this weekend.

Sharon, welcome to Houston, and we look forward to continuing to work with the entire team.

We certainly appreciate it.

And the location has unlimited potential.

I think if we would network better with the State of Texas, get Parks and Wildlife, we have the Chairman.

Mr.

Hildebrand is a Houstonian.

Certainly the Kinder Foundation.

It's just it is neat and current because of its green space.

It's really been pretty much undisturbed, with the exception now.

We're going forward with the pavilion.

But uh the entertainment, the water uh activities could be uh really a destination place.

So thank you for your leadership.

With that said, let's uh move to the consent calendar, Mr.

Secretary.

Under the miscellaneous category item two has been removed removed for separate consideration.

Need a motion for item one.

Cast extator move.

Motion made and second.

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

Under these accept work category, item three needs a motion.

Cas dictator move.

All in favor say yes, those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Under the purchasing and tabulation of bids category.

Items four, five, and six need a motion.

Cast sex tater move.

Motion made and second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passing.

Under the resolutions category, item seven needs a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Under the ordinances category, item 23 has been pulled and will not be considered.

Item 8 has not been received, but will be considered.

If it is received before the end of the meeting, items removed for separate consideration.

Items 15, 16, 30, 31, 32, 39, and 41.

Again, those numbers are 15, 16, 30, 31, 32, 39, and 41.

Need a vote on the balance.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed name.

Motion passes.

Items removed for separate consideration.

Item 2 needs a motion.

Cast ectomes.

Motion made and second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I'm sorry.

This is the renaming of Tufley Park.

As you guys know, Alvin Bird, our close friend, um, colleague, community leader.

Um, was working on this for quite some time.

And so um finally we're happy that it's finally at the table and we finally passed it.

Um his widow is in the office in in the um audience, um, Sandra, and so I want to take a um point of personal privilege to see if you wanted to state something.

Um, but I also wanted to read Alvin's um recommendation because I think it's important to know um why we're changing.

Thank you.

Uh pause momentary.

You'd like to come up.

Yep.

Let us recognize you personally.

Thank you for being here, Ms.

Pope.

Thank you.

Mayor your mic.

Coming up, but uh thank you.

I said I didn't really prepare anything to say or anything because I didn't know I was going to be here, but you all know that I always stayed in the background.

Everything he did.

I was always supportive of what he was doing, but I kind of just supported him and inspired him, but I always kind of stayed.

But this is women's month.

So welcome to your city hall.

Yeah, I just wanted to thank everyone, and I wanted to make sure that everybody had a copy of the letter that he had uh the support letter that he did, only because it reached deeper, because he was actually there.

You know, he that was one of his teachers.

I mean, and if you're gonna read the letter, then you can see where it can it touches a lot of different areas that no one else would have even known about.

But he said that this was his last project, and you know he supposedly had retired.

But I kept hearing that over and over, and he told me one night he said, Baby, I'm gonna really cut back.

I'm gonna we're gonna travel, we're gonna do this or whatever.

And he sat there about 21, 15 minutes later, and he said, You know I'm not gonna stop, right?

And I said, Yeah, I know, and I had tears rolling down my eyes.

That was like a week before he passed.

But anyway, I just wanted to thank you all for just considering this and just letting this dream that he had come true.

Well, it speaks volumes of his love uh for Houstonians, and certainly in this instance, he didn't want something named after him.

No.

He was doing it on behalf of another uh iconic figure.

So thank you for being here.

We honor him today.

Okay.

Uh Councilman Jackson.

Thank you.

Um and this is the letter from Alvin Berg.

Um, the Prince Square Civic Association is fully supportive of the remaining of now Tufley Park to James Hall Park.

We fully support Miss Janet Paulis, president of French Town Civic Association in its effort to honor Mr.

Hall, who, as I recall, as a young growing as a young man growing up in our neighborhood, was a teacher, a mentor, and most importantly, a constant presence for us children, especially us boys.

Our area of Houston already had negative reputation, and Mr.

Hall taught us that we can change that one youth, we can change one youth as at a time.

My name is Mr.

Alvin Byrd, president of Prince Square Civic Association that abducted up to Frenchtown.

Mr.

Hall was my elementary school teacher at Dogen Elementary in 1964.

He was also our little league baseball team coach at Tufley Park from 1964 until 1978.

Mr.

Hall was at every practice, never missed a game.

He would come straight from Dogen Elementary, which is actually five blocks from Tuckley Tufley Park, take off his tie and begin hitting ground balls with us boys.

James Halles was also a father figure to most of the boys who fathers were not present at the time.

James Hall knew his significance because he grew up in our neighborhood.

He attended the schools in Fifth Ward, Bruce Elementary School, E.O.

Smith Junior High School, and he graduated the Illustrates from the um Phyllis Wheatley High School.

Mr.

Hall went to play baseball at Prairie AM University, where he was selected team captain and was selected All Southwest Conference player in 1961.

From 1961 to 1964, James Hall played for the Pittsburgh Pirates Forum Club as a highly regarded switch hitter due to a life-changing knee injury sustained from sliding into second base, just like Mr.

Hall's dream of becoming a pro baseball player was over.

But Mr.

Hall went back to Prairie University, graduated in 1964 with his bachelor's degree in physical education, and a minor in education, elementary education.

He also furthered his education by going back to Prayer View in 1972 to get his master's in counseling and guidance.

Mr.

Hall always found a way to teach the importance of education in between balls and strikes.

During his time at Tuffley Park, Mr.

James has made sure that no young man who wanted to play baseball or football for the Tufley Park coach would ever have to pay any money for anything.

But what we did have to do was community service.

We cut the grass, community cleanups, team fundraisers, and lots and lots of field trips out of town, little league baseball tournaments, some sponsored by the Model City directors, Palmer Browser Jr., who helped the Colts get a Kermit, Texas, to play in the tournament where Tufley Park Colts finished in second place, ending a season of 34-0 until that loss.

Mr.

Hall installed pride in us, not just for sports activities, but for community overall.

He went door to door soliciting donations for our teams, recruiting volunteers for park activities and participation in civic engagement.

He worked alongside of one of our most respectful and loved advocates for Tufley Park, that's Miss Nellie Joyce Punch, who I've loved dearly.

Mr.

Hall protected Tufley Park.

He loved Tufley Park and does in these days, women, I'm in Dove's days, oh, in those days, parks were everything.

We did everything at our parks.

Now it's time to revitalize our parks in our Bruce in our area, in our neighborhood.

We see we are headed to in the right direction from what we did with Bruce the Park recently.

Fantastic job.

We must keep moving forward and not backwards.

It's a new day.

It's a time for change.

Change, James Hall Park.

Alvin Burke, President of Prince Square Civic Association.

May he rest in the first time.

Thank you.

Wonderful letter.

Councilor Evan Shabans.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I just want to point out, you know, the other day I got a message from Miss Sandra.

And she said, you probably don't know me.

And then she went on, you know, to talk about uh Alvin and what he wanted to happen.

But I told a girl, I remember you.

I know you.

She was the light.

You were the light of his life.

And certainly it's another example of a great woman behind a great man.

Great man.

And I'm just as a little sidebar.

When I got up here to council and I had a conversation with Alvin Byrd, I said, I remember you from back in the day.

You know, we used to party.

He even remembered me.

So I felt some kind of way.

But certainly I am so very glad that you are here, and certainly to carry on his great legacy.

And I think that there's some things in store for you as well publicly and professionally.

And so I pray blessings on you and thank you so much for sharing him with us.

Thank you.

Councilman Martinez.

One last thing.

I just wanted to recognize we have Kathy Blue for Daniel and Joe Bollard, who was also supporting this.

Thank you.

Councilman Martinez.

Thank you, Mayor.

Councilmember Jackson, thank you for finishing this work.

And Ms.

Pope for sharing Alvin with us.

Many of the folks around here know that I was a staffer for 10 years.

And Alvin would always come up to the first floor in the attics.

And he was he was really would walk that floor and just always try to find younger folks to mentor.

And so I I know you don't know me, but I just wanted to share that the work that Alvin did like this.

But then the more the the other work, which is just sitting down and talking to folks.

He told me probably second year as a staffer saying, hey, you're gonna be the next council member.

And he kept pushing me and pushing me, of course, as well.

And so uh just wanted to just say thank you for sharing him with us.

Um his legacy definitely lives on even today, you know, as we're doing this work that he started.

Um and just you know, know that um the love that we have for him, we have it for you as well.

Thank you.

Okay, to uh Ms.

Polk and Alvin and Mr.

Tuffy.

We appreciate you very good.

Vice Mayor Pro Tem from Procedural Motion.

Vice Mayor Pro Tim.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move to take items 50 and 51 out of order.

Huffman seconds.

Motion made in second.

All in favor, say yes.

Those opposed name.

Motion passes.

Item 50.

Item 50 needs a motion.

Cast X t move.

Motion made in a second.

All in favor, say yes.

Those no.

Motion passes.

I move to 251 as well.

51, please.

Item 51 needs a motion.

Cast X t move.

Pact second.

Motion made and second.

All in favor, say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Uh the border.

On the reinvestment uh zone number 17.

Ms.

Marlon Turhill is present.

I understand.

You want to stand up and thank you for your health care work in Spring Branch and thank you for serving on this redevelopment board.

And Vice Mayor Pro Temus in the in the queue.

Vice Mayor Pro Tim.

Thank you, Mayor.

And thank you, Marlon, for being here today and your willingness to serve.

Um, did you want to say a few words?

Thank you for the appointment.

And uh Councilmember Hoffman also, thank you so much.

Um, just the Memorial Spring Branch area is growing, so I appreciate um being appointed, and I will certainly serve.

Thank you.

We also have Nina here from Hawes Hill.

Thank you so much for being here.

Um I'm excited for this new board.

Um we have so many great things going on in Tur 17 with the public safety complex and drainage in District A, and of course, the big drainage project in District G as well.

So I'm very excited for all this work to move forward.

Thank you, Mayor.

Councilmember Huffman.

Thank you.

And yes, uh, we definitely want to welcome the our the new members to the Tours, but I also want to recognize uh some of the members that were rolling off, you know, John Rickel, Brad Frells, David Durham.

Um they're concluding their service, and I just want them to know how grateful I am for their vision, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the tours.

Their tenure has been marked by transformation, infrastructure improvements that will continue to benefit the community for years to come.

Through their foresight, diligence, and a willingness to take on complex challenges, they have helped lay a stronger foundation for the future.

Their contributions aren't just visible in what's been built, but the lasting standards that have been set in terms of transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility.

I know that the members that are being reappointed and the members that are currently on the board are going to continue that mission.

And so welcome to TUR 17.

We have some important projects that we need to get done, and I look forward to working with you.

Thank you.

Very good.

Thank you.

Ms.

Secretary, next.

Item 15 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor, say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Item 16 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

All in favor, say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Item 30 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

In favor, say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Mayor Pro Town.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, colleagues, for the support of item 30.

Many of you may have witnessed the event that we held last week, the unveiling of the Charlotte Baldwin statue.

It was a wonderful project by the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce.

The artist Laurie Bitts.

She also did the Allen Brothers statue.

She was the artist that was commissioned for the Charlotte Baldwin statue.

Women's History Month was a great time for us to unveil this statue.

As many of you may know, Charlotte Baldwin was the wife of one of the Allen brothers, and it was her $5,000 that was used to purchase the land for the City of Houston.

And so Charlotte has a rightful place at the library.

If you have not seen the statue, I would encourage you to go to the library right across the street, and you can see the statue that was unveiled last week.

But this statue now is a part of the City of Houston's art collection.

And we look forward to more people learning about her contribution to the City of Houston.

It was great to be in a room filled with women from across all sectors celebrating women's history month.

And you know, when we think about you know women getting access to their own credit card in 1975 and women not being able to buy property back in the day and to where we are now.

We still have a lot of work to do for equal pay and access for women, but um we'll keep doing this work and making sure that we continue to fight for equality and justice for us all.

But congratulations to the women's chamber of commerce, to Susan Dyson, and everyone who worked on this project to get it done.

Mayor, we appreciate your support and making sure that this uh project was amplified during Women's History Month.

And thank you for your leadership with Shepherd and really facilitating the process.

It was a fun event.

Uh Councilman Cayman.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I too wanted to thank the uh Greater Houston Women's Chamber um for their leadership, but I also wanted to give a lot of credit to Mayor Pro Tem Cassex Tatum.

Um you have been talking about this for quite some time, and I know you have been working behind the scenes to see this through and to lift up women in local history.

Uh you were the right woman for that job.

And I am just grateful uh that we now have this, because you taught me a lot about this history, and I can't imagine how many more people throughout Houston and throughout Texas, and hopefully the country can learn about this part of our history that Houston was created based on the potential that we see is because of a woman.

Uh so again, Mayor, thank you for facilitating, but I really want to give you kudos, Mayor Pro Tem, uh, because you have been working on this, and we see you and we appreciate it.

Thank you.

Ambassador Mayor Pro Tim.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I also want to thank you, Mayor Pro Tem for facilitating this.

Um former District A Councilmember Tony Lawrence has been pushing this for probably over 10 years now, and you said, oh no, we are getting this done.

It is happening.

So thank you so much for your work on this and to the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce.

It was a very exciting event.

So thank you so much.

Very well.

Next.

Item 31 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

Councilmember.

Councilmember Maris.

Thank you, Mayor.

Just a comment.

This item uh pertains to the midtown tours and redevelopment authority uh budget, and it's for fiscal year 25.

Uh we are more than two-thirds of the way through fiscal year 26.

And no changes have been made there.

Thank you for that, Mayor, and look forward to that tourists performing at a much higher level.

But I just want to put a plug-in for tourist transparency as well.

Some of the TURS is have wonderful transparency and operate very efficiently.

Others have room for improvement.

And I have spoken to Director Tillotson about transparency and establishing standards across the board that will serve the public.

The problems from Midtown were brought to light by the efforts of residents of Houston, including folks like Ed Pettett, who thanks to him, we are seeing some of the progress that we are in in Midtown.

So I will I will support this but look forward to the time when all the tours is operate with greater transparency and we get these budgets sooner in the process.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

And we can expect great things, Alan Douglas.

Thank you for your leadership.

That was one of the challenges that we we list that is being addressed.

You know, just a little sample.

There's 400 lots in Midtown that had been accumulated with very little transparency or maintenance, so in an office building using affordable housing funds for a few beds, which is primarily an office building.

So good news is change in leadership, accountability.

Thank you for your bringing it to our attention.

And it is going to be it's going to be a process, but it's going to be fun to watch the improvement in what the city does for those 400 lines.

Thank you.

Next.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, no.

Motion passes.

Item 32 is an ordinance.

Does need a vote.

Councilmember Kamen.

Councilmember Kamen.

Thank you, Mayor.

I am going to respectfully tag this item.

We still have some outstanding questions and concerns.

We are getting a lot of requests from residents actually to refer this back to the administration, but I would like to try and work some of this out so we don't delay it further.

So we're happy to meet with your team on this.

Thank you.

Marlene and Vaughn and Randy have spent many, many hours on it.

As you know, it involves three tours, so it is a challenge.

But we have taken everyone's consider uh concerns in consideration.

But anyway, I respect your right to tag.

Thank you.

Next.

Item 39 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Councilman Cayman.

Thank you, Mayor.

This item I just want to spotlight uh because of the historic nature.

Uh is you all will recall we previously approved a strategic land exchange with the City of Bel Air, um, taking a very rare opportunity to secure additional flood protection uh as part of this agreement.

Us as a city committed to treat Bel Air's wastewater for the next hundred years.

So this purchase agreement approved the conveyance of Bel Air's Rafino Hills tract in exchange for additional tracks that are owned by the city.

Uh an approval for the city to treat Bel Air's wastewater is a component of that.

So I just want to recognize the partnership and the transformation that is happening in an area that is one of the most repetitively flooded areas, uh, not just in the city but in the region.

So our appreciation to the City of Bel Air for their partnership, but also the historic nature of this item and the improvements that are coming.

We're not only taking Bel Air's wastewater, but we're going to be improving our own facilities as well.

Okay, next.

Item 41 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Nay.

Motion passes.

Councilmember Kamen.

Councilmember Kamen.

Thank you.

Uh last one.

Uh.

We have had a lot of conversation.

We have seen a lot of headlines around the bricks in uh fourth ward Freedmanstown.

And the uh illegal removal of those historic bricks when contractors are coming in and not following the designated and laid-out process to protect those bricks.

And what has happened is over time, those bricks that have been removed.

The City of Houston has actually been storing.

So we have an archaeological archaeological expert come in, tag them.

We have residents from the area that are supervising the storage and placement of them, and they're all cataloged.

But right now they're sitting uh basically in a public works kind of warehouse, like a makeshift storage facility.

And what this agreement does is allows the Freedmanstown Conservancy and the Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston to actually take custody of these bricks to continue to safeguard and protect them.

That's their rightful home.

And I just want to spotlight not only the importance of continuing to protect uh the brick streets in Freedmanstown and make sure that we're holding people accountable to following the process laid out to protect those streets, but for the bricks that we do have.

Now we have them going to their rightful place, which is with in within the custody of the Freedmanstown Conservancy with the help of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.

So the work is continuing, but I do want to lift up the community's engagement on this and the willingness of the Conservancy to step up to protect what is just this precious uh history that is still living history in the city of Houston.

Next, please.

Item 52 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

Council Thomas.

Uh tag about it.

Councilman Thomas.

This completes the items on the agenda.

Thank you, Mayor.

Good morning, colleagues.

Uh my pop-off is pretty lengthy, but it's worth it, full of value.

Uh last week I joined Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church for their church anniversary.

I want to thank uh Pastor Damon Wilkins and the entire congregation for a very lively service.

I also want to uh mention that on the same morning I was at Greater Mount Missionary Baptist Greater Mount Pilgrims Missionary Baptist Church to address long-standing issues around uh inoperable cars, stray dogs at the mechanic shops.

I want to shout out Park Houston and ARA for their diligence.

We have seen massive improvement in that area, and I also want to shout out Sarai on my team for her excellence in getting this to the finish line.

Um, as you all know, that we are on the road to our special called committee meeting, uh co-chaired by the economic development committee and the housing committee for our impartment inspection ordinance.

I want to ask all of you to join us on Monday, March 30th at 2 p.m.

here in chambers.

You can be in person and also watch live on my YouTube page.

I want to uh remind residents uh to uh make sure that they save two dates on Tuesday, March 31st.

The housing and community development department will be hosting their first in-person spring community meeting.

The City of Houston receives $50 million in community development block grant dollars to address housing and community development activities, everything from homelessness, down payment assistance, multifamily, single family, you name it.

However, we need your feedback before this item and application comes to council and before it is sent to Hood.

Um, they are coming to the West Side on Tuesday, March 31st at 6 p.m.

at A Leaf Neighborhood Center for the in-person, and then online April 7th from 3 to 5 p.m.

And then if you're unable to make any of those meetings, they're receiving public comment.

Um the deadline is April 8th, 2026.

So this is incredibly important.

This is your opportunity to inform the department and the city how we direct those funds.

Also on Easter weekend um on the West Side, uh, we are hosting a West Side Mobile Care Day of shower services and support following the momentum from the January freeze in response to visiting the 17 loc uh 17 encampments on the West Side.

My office is uh created a homeless strike force.

So we're hosting our inaugural West Side Mobile Care Centers on Saturday, April 4th, Easter weekend.

So we are not just celebrating resurrection um in our faith, but we're also uh working with the unhoused to resurrect their lives.

We'll be at the church without walls at Eldridge from 9 a.m.

to 1 p.m.

Uh, we will have uh health resources, ID information, recovery support, benefits, social services, job information, haircuts, and most importantly, we'll have showers and other resources for them.

Really excited about this.

And so all of our partners that are standing up this opportunity.

Volunteer opportunities will be shared in the newsletter.

Continue to sign up and follow us for more information.

Looking forward to a transformational weekend.

Speaking of the homelessness um issue, uh the old Wells Fargo, and I mentioned this uh in January, the old Wells Fargo on Hillcroft between West Timer and Richmond.

It's for the last couple of years, it's been an encampment.

We've identified 10 to 15 individuals there.

In January, there was a homicide that took place at that location.

Um ABC 13 covered that story and several other news outlets.

I've been in contact with the mother.

Um that location, although has been secured, still has about 10 to 15 individuals there.

Um I immediately called Houston Public Works to see what we can do.

The public sign on the location states that it's going to be a gas station.

However, there are no active permits for any uh gas station or uh or any um activity.

However, there is a demolition application in the process.

Public works HPD, we all have our hands on this on this property.

Um it abuts the Briar Meadow neighborhood right there off of uh Richmond and Hillcroft, and it is definitely a problem, but it also speaks to the fact that individuals are willing to um put themselves in a uh unsound structure environment, a structural facility um for housing.

So it speaks to that, but I want the residents to know, and this was uh notated in the newsletter that we are addressing this problem a problem.

The family um are in contact with uh HPD and Crime Stoppers.

We're gonna stand with them to support the victims uh around making sure that we keep this case active and that they solve the case as well.

Lastly, I want to shout out my girl Barbara Quattro.

Barbara Quattro uh is is still making moves on the West Side in her spirit.

And today there will be a Barbara Quattro exhibit um honoring her at the A-Leaf Neighborhood Center.

I want to encourage you as we conclude uh women's month and then celebrate Earth Month.

And if you know anything about BQ, she was the tree lady um in the city of Houston, and so we have some of her items and artifacts displayed throughout the neighborhood center.

So we want to invite you to join us.

We'll send information out.

Um but the exhibit features items loaned from the Quattro family, including personal photos, milestone documents, and more, her city proclamation.

So I also want to thank the Houston Public Library for their partnership in this.

Um these are one of the this is one of the things that I talked to Barbara about before she transitioned.

So happy to honor her, happy to have the support of the department and the individuals who knew her personally as they work with her to make sure that we um could have and enjoy the A Leaf Neighborhood Center.

Um several things are happening on the West Side.

Follow us on all of our social media platforms and reach out to our office at District F at Houston TX.gov.

Thank you.

Very good.

Thank you.

Members item eight arrive.

So if I can get you to Justin Clinton.

Bring up eight.

Item eight is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

Councilman Alcorn.

Thank you, Mayor.

I'm really glad this came in because I was so excited about it.

This is the after hours for Office of City Engineer.

These are the services that haven't been able to get the customer paid overtime.

Great job, Mayor, getting this back.

This is traffic and storm and water and uh often the things we hear about that are being held up and permitting.

So great job permitting.

I think this uh the development community is certainly going to be very happy about this and a great way to streamline and get permits out the door faster.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Just want to second that.

Um we've had so many complaints from the development community and and just from regular Houstonians who are frustrated with how long it takes to get things done in Houston.

So this is a step forward.

So I applaud the administration for getting this done and bringing it forward.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Councilman Thomas.

Thank you.

I want to um add my name to the celebration of this.

Really excited to get this through.

Uh, as someone who's you know highly focused on housing, a lot of the you know, risk of feedback we receive is that they want to move forward with housing, but some of the barriers often is permitting and delay.

Um and so um any uh step to uh advance um some innovative opportunities for this to move forward is a step in the right direction.

So really excited to support this item.

Thank you.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, no motion passed.

Thank you, sir.

Uh Mayor Protein.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, colleagues, I have a couple of quick announcements.

Um very excited about two projects that are moving forward in District K.

Um, the first one is the new project alert at Brays Bayou Greenway.

Um the Braze Bayou uh uh Greenway through the Houston Parks Board is beginning the new construction on a segment of Brays Bayou Greenway and Stella Link at South Rice Avenue.

Um Councilmember Cayman, I know you're familiar with this area.

Residents have complained about fast moving traffic where they enter the trail at the 610 feeder road.

Um so this project will address that safety risk.

Um we are creating a dedicated trail connection between the 610 West Loop.

Um, so that will allow users to travel there safely.

Um this project um is expected to conclude in late 2026.

So um thank you to everyone who has expressed these concerns.

The um Greenway is definitely hearing you and looking forward to completing this project.

The next one is one that we hear from our residents.

So our residents in Briargate and Ridgegate community want to let you know that there will be street improvements on West Fuke Way from Basil Brook Drive to Independence Boulevard.

And that street will receive an asphalt overlay.

And that construction is expected to begin this month and should be completed in May of 2026.

So we look forward to that improved mobility throughout those neighborhoods.

And then reiterating our music festival this weekend, Saturday from 11 to 8.

Don't miss the fun.

Many of you may remember Reverend Washington passed away, and that super neighborhood went dormant for a while.

We have revitalized it.

It was exciting to see the energy in the room last night with lots of uh new leaders stepping up.

And we look forward to working alongside them as they uh protect their communities and neighborhoods.

Want to give a big shout out to Rhonda and Coco in the Department of Neighborhoods for their assistance, and then a special shout out to Justice, our deputy chief of staff for shepherding this entire process of revitalizing the Super Neighborhood 40 in District K.

Um and finally I want to um say happy birthday to my executive assistant Joe Gatson.

Today is his birthday.

If you see him in the hallway or in the office, give him a um a special happy birthday uh as we celebrate him and appreciate all the great work that he does in our office and continue um blessings to him as um we move forward.

Thank you, Councilmember Thomas, for mentioning the special call meeting, colleagues, March the 30th, Monday at 2 p.m.

We'll we'll be talking about the apartment inspection ordinance and how we move forward as a city.

Um y'all be kind to each other and make it a great day.

Thank you.

Uh Vashmair Protein.

Thank you, Mayor.

First, I want to um thank everyone who came out to our Battle of the Branch event last weekend.

It was a great event.

We had so many members of the community come.

Um HPD won this year, so um congratulations to their team.

Um it was a great way to get um students from Spring Spirit um or after school nonprofit to play softball with HPD and HFD.

So that was an exciting event.

I want to thank our sponsors again, the Spring Branch Management District, Memorial Management District, Spring Branch Community Health Center, Spring Ranch Community Development Center, and um Spring Spirit as well.

So thank you to everyone who came to that.

Also, thank you to Alan Roman in our office for not only um setting everything up and putting on a great event, but also singing the national anthem at the event.

So thank you, Alan.

Um next tonight, our um district A super neighborhood and civic club meeting.

Um this is an informational meeting if you want to learn how to start up your civic club meetings again or start up um super neighborhoods again.

We have a few that haven't met in a while, so we're trying to revitalize those.

So please join us tonight at 6 30 p.m.

Um at the Faith Center Church um 8009 Long Point Road.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Martin.

Thank you, Mary.

There's a uh few events that are happening today.

We're having the Hobby District open house.

It's gonna be at 8201 Broadway from 4 to 8.

Uh the Hobby District is uh covers pretty much most of the Hobby Airport, encompasses Hobby, uh the Hobby Airport as well.

Um really what we're trying to do is make sure that uh local families, neighborhoods are supporting local businesses in the hobby area.

Uh the other one is we are having a coffee with the council member this Saturday.

Uh it's going to be at pitch 25 at 9 a.m.

and we're talking all things World Cup and FIFA.

Uh uh we we're gonna have uh folks on the FIFA host committee.

Uh I know Ryan was here earlier, so I want to thank him for his support.

Brian Mason uh we'll be sharing uh latest updates um on what's happening for this summer.

It's a great opportunity for community members to come out as well to plan uh around FanFest.

Uh for those that don't know, it's gonna that's what it's gonna be in East Downtown, nothing but FanFest.

And so we want to make sure folks are uh ready uh for what's to come, averaging you know it's between 10 to 15,000 folks a day for 39 days.

Uh the last event is uh we're hosting a Easter egg hunt with the University of Houston chapter of Sigma Lana Beta, which is my fraternity as well.

Uh this Sunday, March 29th from 11 to 3, and we're inviting families um to Hidalago Park uh for a fun day in the park.

Um and then uh lastly, uh I want to share something a bit more personal.

Um someone that identifies as a Chicano, uh, for those that might not know.

Um as someone that identifies as a Chicano, uh for those that might not know, uh those uh there's a lot of young individuals in the late uh early 70s, late 60s that were really trying to identify their their space during the civil rights movement and during the civil rights movement.

A lot of in uh uh folks, even in the in the um you know, South Texas, yet La Rasa Unidad Party that was created, uh leaned into uh those that in the black community to identify figure out ways where we can find space.

Um and ultimately, as someone that you know grew up in the East 10, I trying to find my identity as well.

It did it is disheartening to hear some of the more recent news about Cesar Chavez.

Um it's one of those things where as a young Chicano, you try to figure out where do you belong, um, and do you belong.

And when you start finding folks that you lean into as leaders to to really um find that confidence, that space.

Um, you know, i it's uh it's tough to hear when these leaders are now um, you know, history is is is really bringing out uh a lot of more information.

So I want to as a father and uh and uh um uh uh and a husband, I want to make sure that we re recognize uh women first and foremost uh for their strength, their power for standing up, for their voices, and want to recognize those that um that have been more so recently sharing their story about what they've experienced with Cesar Chavez and that disappointment.

Um the community uh ultimately is now finding ourselves in a in a space where uh where do we go from here?

Um again, uh I think it's important to first and foremost recognize that uh those that are in domestic violence, sexual abuse, that we lift up those voices first and foremost.

And so uh Mayor, um I've been talking to your team, and I and I want to make sure that we continue to talking uh directly about what does it look like.

Cesar Chavez Street is in District I in Magnolia Park.

Uh there have been conversations about what does a name change look like.

Um there's a process that does definitely uh take it's lengthy, it's cumbersome.

Uh but I'd like to make sure that we work with you and your team, continue to work with you and your team to see something change uh sooner than later.

Um with that uh uh I I definitely just want to make sure that we recognize that the sexual abuse is not good in any way, shape, or form.

Uh women need to be heard and we need to make sure that we always right our wrongs whenever possible.

Uh so uh with that, Mayor, I just I just want to let you know that I'm ready and willing to work with you and your team to continue to see uh something positive.

Thank you.

Thank you for bringing that up.

The planning director uh Trant has already started the process.

So I look forward to your participation in the community engagement, but um she is expert out of it, and you'll see some results quickly.

So thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I'll just close with this.

Uh the movement it definitely is larger than one person.

Um the farm workers, those you spoke about unite here.

Uh labor, the labor movement is bigger than one person.

I have conversation with SCIU pretty regularly as well.

And we need to make sure that that we recognize those movements more than any one individual.

And they were very active in the legislature during my tenure.

In fact, 78.

Uh Deborah Danberg represented primarily district C the Montreal's area.

Uh passed legislation that you could not have a hoe shorter than 32 inches.

At the same time I was passing legislation brought to me about farm workers.

This is in 78.

Uh that you could not let the workers in the field until after 24 hours.

Unfortunately, the growers were having farm workers in the field.

Uh they got chemicals on their clothing that go home and hug their children, and the children suffered from the chemicals.

So they have a long uh distinguished career.

Uh you're correct.

No one person should get the credit, but the movement really is what overtook the uh state legislature in the 70s.

And it was very controversial as was as was bilingual education.

You can't imagine that was one of the knockdown drag outs.

Uh the leadership was Carlos Truon out of corpus, but back in 76 when we passed it, you would have thought uh that we were doing something wrong.

You can't imagine represented Oak Forest, Northwest Houston, and I got my share of calls about we didn't send you down there for that type of legislation.

So the good news is we all survived.

We know what we need to do.

And we will be stronger.

So thank you for that.

And I know all of us want to write the wrong in your mentioning of the abuse of women is zero tolerance in the City of Houston.

Thank you.

With that said, uh Councilman Alcorn.

Thank you, Councilmember Martinez, for those words, especially during Women's History Month.

This is obviously a problem that's gone on for a very long time and been gone unrecognized, and I appreciate your words today.

Next Tuesday, March 31st at 10, we'll have BFA.

We're going to get an update from the fire department and also on the multifamily recycling program.

We'll have an update on that, Councilmember Kamen.

Multifamily Recycling at VFA on Tuesday.

And colleagues, you should have gotten an email from me yesterday, kind of compiling all the information I have gotten from the Parks Department on Fund 4305, the Parks Dedication Fund, the hundred million dollars and kind of where it's been spent through the years on from the open space ordinance.

So look for that.

Thank you.

I'd like to begin on a sombre note.

I Councilmember Martinez, and I'm sure the other Latino Councilmember and all of us share the sense of confusion and pain with the announcements we have heard.

I was inspired by Cisha Chavez many years ago to begin my work in politics and organizing around immigration.

And I I am so grateful to hear that you and the mayor and others are committed to listening to community, to engaging community on this issue, to figure out how best to rename Cesar Chavez Street.

And I look forward to all of us being a part of those conversations and to lift up the voices of the women leaders in the movement, Dolores Juta and others, and using this opportunity to lift up those voices as best as we can.

On a more hopeful and positive note, I want to continue our recognition of outstanding women for Women's History Month.

And today I have the incredible honor of recognizing Officer Sherelle Wood.

You can please stand.

Many of you all may know Officer Wood.

She is the esteemed president of the Afro-American Police Officers League, representing nearly a thousand officers, and works tirelessly to lead efforts to support officers, strengthening community relationships and advancing opportunities within law enforcement.

Through her leadership, APOL has secured more than a hundred thousand dollars in grant funding to support community outreach and safety initiatives for Houston communities.

She also serves as a differential response team in South Central, addressing quality of life issues and working closely with residents and community leaders.

Outside of her incredibly busy work uh with the Houston Police Department, she is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, and she is also pursuing a doctorate of public administration at Liberty University.

Please join me in recognizing Officer Sherelle Wood for her contributions to the City of Houston.

Very well done.

Conclude your remarks.

Thank you, Officer.

Yes, thank you, Mayor.

For everything.

Councilman Carter.

Thank you, Mayor.

Well, I was going to uh pass and give time to my neighbor over here, but I've changed my mind.

Sorry.

Um Mayor Pro Tem after you, as you were talking about the uh statue for Charlotte Allen being the mother of Houston, I was thinking about the past week and the events that I have been attending really that the daughters of the of Houston are leading.

And uh last week the Tejano Center, of course, led by Dr.

Adriana Tomez, and then got a had a meeting last week with uh Director Gall from the public library to update on the progress and and all the unique ways that they're coming up with to get you know to gain more participation and uh grow their numbers over there, and then of course, uh Monday was over at Houston Children's Charity with Laura Ward.

They gave away 98 accessible vans for handicapped children, you know, in wheelchairs and with special needs.

And to see the work that the leaders in this city are doing, it just it continues to just be heartwarming to know that there's such strength in numbers and the and the power behind the women around the city that really do good work.

Um yesterday the state of the uh district, uh HISD Foundation District Luncheon, um, Dr.

Janica Garcia.

You know, and then you just look at these individuals, and it's just uh again heartwarming to see the work that's behind our city, and there's so many people doing such great things.

And lastly, just please continue to remember our troops who are serving our country at home and abroad and keep them in your prayers, and certainly the family members of those serving.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well said.

Councilor Evans Shabazz.

Thank you, Mayor.

And again, I want to thank you, Mayor.

It means a great deal to to me and my district to get such a quick response.

It was really off the chain, and so I really appreciate your response as well as HPD and off the chain.

I don't know what that means.

Oh, okay.

Well, we will I'll I'll I'll I'll tell y'all about that later.

Anyway.

Anyway, uh, I want to thank you again, as well as HPD and Precinct Uh 7 who did a very quick response.

I also uh want to thank you, Mayor Pro Tem, uh Perdita, uh Justice Rhonda, and Kamiko for hosting an excellent Super Neighborhood 40 meeting.

Uh we truly appreciate the opportunity to partner with you in reactivating this important super neighborhood, and the months of planning, coordination, and dedication you all invested were evident, and we are grateful to have been a part of such meaningful work.

Uh this past weekend I had the honor of joining residents, community leaders, and partners for the ER and Ann Taylor Park reopening and ribbon cutting in District D.

This was a meaningful moment for the neighborhood and a continued investment in public spaces that support health, connectivity, and quality of life.

I want to thank uh Houston Parks and Recreation Department and particularly recognize Director Kenneth Allen and Natural Resource Manager Kelly O'Dronith for their leadership.

And I also want to acknowledge Dr.

Beverly Stevenson, uh, who is the wife of the deceased uh the widow of uh Major Stevenson.

Now, and also she is the sister-in-law of Molly Stevenson.

Molly also, well, she's Molly Stevenson Jr., which I thought that was really unique.

Her mom and um and she were uh actually inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum of Hall of Fame.

And they currently, she currently has a cowboy museum right there on Almeida, uh, something that you really want to go by and see if you get an opportunity.

And her husband, who is deceased, Major Stevenson actually was a professional football player with the Kansas City Chiefs.

So they are a great and and renowned family that I have known for many, many years, and certainly to rededicate and reactivate that park was uh special especially meaningful for me.

And I also want to uh thank Christy Rangel of the Whitney's Witness Series for helping honor the legacy and significance of the space.

On uh tomorrow, we will have an arts and culture committee meeting here in Chambers at 2 p.m.

And we invite all council members to attend.

And on Saturday, uh we will have the fifth annual Third Ward on Tap Festival.

No, it's not beer.

It's it's it's a commemoration of the TAP and the what's going on.

Um with the significant work of Ed Pettit and uh Ken Rogers and those that are really, really maintaining that wonderful space where people can ride their bicycles and enjoy themselves.

That uh festival is on Saturday from 10 a.m.

to 2 p.m.

And it's right there on the TAP and Holman Street, uh Will they say 3615 Sawyer?

But certainly if you get an opportunity to come out and support the vendors there and the community, uh we encourage the community to come out and support all these businesses, the culture, and the vibrant spirit of Third Ward.

And uh we're just having a great time in District D, and we're gonna keep it rolling, and we're gonna try to get it as clean as we can.

We do we know that there are challenges, but we're we are meeting them, and we're like on a wheel running as fast as we can.

And so certainly I appreciate all that uh public works and solid waste do in District D, and that concludes what's going on in the district of destination.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Councilman Christie.

Thank you, Mayor.

This week, item 24 on the agenda we passed uh is reimpro improvements to the Independence Heights Park Community Center.

The neighborhood is been eagerly anticipating this coming to council.

And I'm excited to report that it's gonna revamp the interior of the community center, include HVAC improvements, uh plumbing, new restrooms, interior uh reconfiguration.

This does mean uh the community center will be closing, scheduled uh April the 13th, and there will be a sixth month uh construction timeline with a anticipated reopening date of October the 19th of this year.

Um so I want to make sure that they uh folks know about that, but it it's a sign of good things to come uh because this is a a long anticipated project.

Um so I appreciate all the support on the item.

This past weekend, uh I want to give a shout out to HPD Public Works and ARA.

We had uh at the White Oak Music Hall, they held their three-day heavy metal uh concert festival, Hell's Heroes.

This is an annual event.

Um it's caused a lot of issues for the neighborhood, from parking to loud noise, uh parking on lots that are minimum lot size protected that are just pop-up parking spots, you name it.

Um but HPD, ARA and public works were out there all weekend, responding to the calls, doing the park uh park Houston checks, and also checking on the lots to ensure they weren't being uh used inappropriately.

Um so I I want to thank them for that.

I know the neighborhood appreciated it.

Um this is something that happens every year.

Uh and this is this it was a one opportunity one we wanted to to take to ensure that those impacts were were minimized.

Um so I want to thank them for that.

I was also um able to participate this past weekend.

Hog Middle School celebrated its 100th year anniversary.

Um I went down there to present a proclamation.

They they had a really really great uh crowd.

They also had alumni from a number of decades there that uh signed this big banner, they were gonna hang in the school.

And they had folks there from from some of the 1940s uh graduating, and uh they were they were there to celebrate their alma mater.

Um but I want to congratulate the principal, the PTA, um, they did a fantastic job organizing their 100th year celebration.

Also, this past Saturday, uh final Saturday of the rodeo, I was able to present a proclamation uh representing you, Mayor to out at the rodeo.

Uh this is a event, this is their tenth year um that they've existed.

They do this the last Saturday of the rodeo.

Um they create a inviting, welcoming space for the LGBTQ plus community to go and enjoy the rodeo.

Um they were really excited uh to receive the recognition, and I want to congratulate them on the work that it took to get this far.

Um I know that some for some um they might not feel like they're they're welcomed there, but they absolutely are, and they want to make sure that that is known and that is uh dedicated and and celebrated.

And so congratulations to them on their proclamation and all the hard work it took them to get there.

Um last week I was at a conference uh where I was able to speak on a panel about how city councils are governing and working with AI.

And one of the clearest uh takeaways from large cities, small cities, mid-sized cities was that city councils really need to be involved in setting the guidance and the policy for how their cities are working with AI.

It's here.

Uh people are using it, whether you think they are or not, or whether you want them to or not.

Um and so if you're not creating the guardrails or creating and setting the policy for your city, uh you're gonna put yourself in a precarious situation with security risks, with information being shared that you don't want shared.

So I want to just reiterate that here and keep that top of mind as we continue to move forward with uh new technologies coming on board, new large language models, Claude is now uh a thing that folks are using so that we don't forget to uh lead the way here for Houston.

This coming weekend, uh number of things going on.

I'll be hosting my final in-person town hall.

This one will be at HPD Central, the new station, uh 10 a.m.

start time, running to 11:30.

Come on out.

Also, one o'clock on Saturday at NINFAS, we will be unveiling uh the FIFA mural that will be uh at the warehouse right behind NIMFA's.

It's gonna be um over at uh the the warehouse behind NIFA's.

It's the only FIFA licensed mural that we're we're getting in the city.

Um we'll be kicking off the programming at one o'clock.

Uh come on out, we'll have a a big celebration for that.

Also, the trash bash is going on Saturday.

There will be at Moody Park, the 8 a.m.

If you want to get out and help beautify the neighborhood, there will be multiple sites that that one's being run by friends of Moody Park.

Um want to encourage folks to to get out and get active.

And then on Sunday, Shepherd Park Plaza Civic Club's hosting their annual barbecue cook-off.

Um I'm gonna be one of the judges.

I'm really excited.

I'm gonna show up hungry.

That's at 2 p.m.

Uh 1055 candlelight in the cul-de-sac.

Uh it hopefully the weather's great.

But every year they do this, and it's uh it's a really fun fundraiser for the Civic Club if you want to come out and support Shepherd Park Plaza and enjoy some great barbecue.

Uh and finally, I do want to comment on the Cesar Chavez streets.

Um, you know, I know that this has impacted a number of us in uh in a significant way as we in school learned about uh the efforts of Cesar Chavez Dolores Huerta.

We wrote papers on them uh as we studied our history.

And it's it's been uh tough to process, you know, and I also think about the burden that Dolores Huerta carried all of those years, uh, keeping that information secret for the sake of the movement.

You know, for the sake of I'm gonna hold this so that the work we've done isn't impacted.

And that's that's very, very heavy.

Um and it makes you wonder how many other cases like that out there uh because you think of Dolores Huerta, she's this icon and she did that for for the movement.

Who else is out there doing that for their own smaller movements?

Um I support um you know Councilmember Martinez, the street is in your district.

Our communities that we represent are very similar, you know.

Um the engagement I think with the community is is gonna be key to really uh not just react but to do something that's meaningful and intentional uh and appropriate.

And so um Mayor, I appreciate your willingness uh to be a part of that and know that I'm also here to uh to help and support however I can't.

Thank you.

Good job.

Councilmember Davis.

Uh Councilman Frick and Jew.

Thank you, Mayor.

First of all, I'd like to recognize HPD Officer Donald Leitner.

For more than 30 years of dedicated service with HPD, his commitment to public safety and exemplary professionalism have made a lasting impact on the city of Houston.

We extend our sincere gratitude and the best wishes for a well-deserved retirement.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Matt.

Uh also we'll be hosting our BOPA uh at Clear Lake on Saturday, March 28th.

Starts at 9 o'clock and goes until 1 or until the trucks are finished or full.

Um and then lastly, um myself and my staff will be attending the aviator run down at Ellington Field.

We actually it's on the runways at Ellington Air Force Base, so it's uh kind of a neat event.

If uh y'all get a chance, come down there and uh have a good time.

Okay, I catch from Kamen.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um in addition to PJ Houston Open uh in District C.

We also have Run the Grove this weekend.

It's the ninth annual run hosted by the Timbergove Manor Neighborhood Association.

Um it will start and end at Lorraine Cherry Nature Preserve.

Um, but want to make sure residents are aware of road closures, so you can go to TMNA Online.org for detail and appreciate all the support uh that the community does coming together for such a special event.

Uh as a reminder, we have our annual district C rain barrel sale.

Uh each year we partner with Public Works and we sponsor rain barrels that normally cost 100 to 150 dollars.

Residents in District C only pay $10, and we team up with trees for Houston.

Residents can also get a free tree.

Uh so registration is already underway.

There's just a few spots left, so please sign up.

Uh you can visit our website for more details on that.

Mayor, I want to thank uh your team, both parking and public works.

I raised uh several issues at council last week.

Uh we have they have jumped on it.

They've addressed those both 21st Street and between Durham and Shepherd, the log jam that was happening.

So we thank parking for going out with our team as well as uh Public Works for committing to putting back that barrier uh in the south side of the district near the medical center to uh protect the neighborhood.

Uh so things are moving there very quickly, and we are very grateful for that.

I also want to thank uh the Councilmember Alcorn uh and remind folks she already said it, but we will have an update on the multifamily recycling pilot program that we had launched with grant funding that will be presented at BFA next week uh at 10 a.m.

So please, please tune in for that.

Again, as a reminder, nearly half of all Houstonians uh live in multifamily apartments but do not have access to recycling services.

And that is not only a disservice to them, it is actually a burden on taxpayers when all of that waste is going to our landfills.

Uh so there's also a fiscal uh responsibility component to this as well.

Uh I will close uh one by recognizing and thanking um Councilmember Martinez, Councilmember Salinas, and Councilmember Castillo for your for your comments.

Um again, is so many people are grappling with uh the news.

Uh the response is something that I want to lift up.

That there has not been a single person I know of that has defended uh such atrocious actions and lifting up the voice of the survivors, the strength of leaders like Dolores Huerta and other women.

That is the type of standard that we should hold ourselves up to.

And believing in women and believing in looking at the imperfections and grappling with that uh by recognizing the importance and significance of uh civil rights movements while also recognizing the imperfections of people and holding that accountable and to a standard uh that we know that we should be holding people to.

And again, that women like Dolores Huerta can be lifted up for their strength, can be focused on not only for their sacrifice, a sacrifice that no woman should ever have to make.

And I want to make that very, very clear.

Um, but those are the opportunities we have to really lift up women and survivors.

And the response in terms of condemnation uh we should be seeing across the board when it comes to individuals that have committed vile acts of abuse and sexual assault.

And it was not just Chavez.

And it was not just in that one circumstance.

We are seeing across the nation other instances that we know of despicable acts, horrific acts of sexual abuse.

And that same level of count of of accountability is not taking place.

So I want to lift up all survivors of sexual assault and abuse and make sure that we are holding everyone to the same standard uh as we move forward together in healing, but also in accountability.

Thank you.

Um Councilman Abman.

Thank you, Mayor.

Yeah, we've talked a lot today about you know how you cleaned up the Washington corridor and how you assisted with District G, I mean, District D and how um the noise ordinance was being enforced out there, but we are having problems in District G.

We have uh club along Westheimer named Camp that has been wreaking havoc on the neighbors um for a couple of years now, and we need reinforcement.

I've spoken with the new commander out of Midwest, and he's aware of the situation.

And it's not necessarily, you know, last weekend they had another, you know, had one big party.

It's just it's a party all the time.

And so if we could get help with you know sound control and things like that at that club, that would be incredible.

Also, I want to mention that on March 30th, District G will be holding coffee with the community at Tim Hortons off of Highway 6.

That's going to be from 9.30 to 11 on March 30th.

HPD West Side Division will be joining us.

So come out and hang out.

Thank you, Mayor.

In regards to the name change, I want to lend my support to that effort and say that I've had the opportunity to read the New York Times article and to read about all the young girls who were groomed and victimized and the adult women, including uh Ms.

Wedita is truly heartbreaking.

And uh that street should not bear his name.

And I will uh support the effort to rename it.

Uh I encourage as much community input as possible, and uh am happy to support that.

Uh second, there will be a service delivery committee meeting this afternoon at 2.

The presentation will focus on the Coastal Water Authority's Trinity River Water Conveyance System, which uh is not nearly does not sound nearly as important as it really is without uh the efforts of the Coastal Water Authority and what they do and and the city funding it uh we would not have water uh quite quite simply.

So hugely important.

I encourage uh everyone to come and uh or watch that.

And finally, Mayor, you were talking about how many things exciting things are going on in the city this time of year uh from the Sweet 16 tournament to the World Baseball Classic and everything else going on.

Uh for people of faith, this is a very important and uh exciting time as well.

I know I will be in church on Sunday morning to observe Palm Sunday.

If you're Christian, this begins what we call our holy week and culminates in Easter Sunday, which is the holiest day of our religious calendar.

Um other faiths, including two major Abrahamic faiths are uh celebrating at this time as well.

Um as an at-large council member who represents all of Houston and all communities.

I've had the opportunity to attend a few iftars this year.

Um if you don't know, that is um the evening meal during Ramadan, which is a month-long period of fasting, and I don't know how Muslims fast for a month from sun up to sundown, but somehow they managed to accomplish that.

And the evening meal is an iftar.

And it culminates in Eid, which is a festival at the end of Ramadar.

I attended one on Friday uh with the prayer in a festival on Sunday.

Um our Jewish friends uh are also uh observing the Passover at this time, which commemorates the exodus from Egypt and the bondage in in which the uh Jewish folks uh were under.

So it's a very holy time.

I had the opportunity to attend a Seder earlier this week, which is a ceremony, ceremonial meal that commemorates just that.

And I think sadly, too often we focus on our differences when these three uh great Abrahamic religions have a lot in common uh if you look at it.

And I just want to say I'm grateful to live in the United States, a country where we were founded on the principle of religious liberty.

It is in our foundational documents, the Declaration of Independence talks about the pursuit of happiness and how that is an unalienable right that's given not by government but by God.

And uh this country works because we allow others to enjoy the same freedoms that we do, and if we don't, then uh we run into problems.

Uh and so I am happy to support uh whatever religious belief that you have and your right to observe that without being intimidated or threatened or attacked.

And so I wish everyone at this time um uh peace and and hope that you get to enjoy your religious faiths as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's it.

Anyone else?

Uh we stand adjourned.