I don't see her.

Who are you looking for?

Thomas.

No, I'm doing it for her.

Oh, you're doing it for her?

Okay, Mayor Proton.

Mayor Pro Tim.

Thank you, Mayor.

On behalf of Councilmember Thomas, it is my honor to introduce today's guest for the invocation.

Bishop Ricky L.

White.

He's the senior pastor of Agape Christian Fellowship Church in Houston, of course, in District F.

Bishop White is a lifelong Houstonian whose ministry has spanned more than five decades.

He has faithfully served the people of our city through pastoral leadership, biblical teaching, community outreach, and compassionate service to those most in need.

Throughout his ministry, Bishop White has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to strengthening families, empowering youth, and uplifting communities.

Under his leadership, thousands of families and students have benefited from educational programs, food distribution efforts, youth sports initiatives, and support services for individuals experiencing hardship and homelessness.

Bishop White serves as the senior pastor of Agape Christian Fellowship Church alongside his wife, Pastor Deborah White, who is here with him today.

He continues to lead with integrity, passion, compassion, and a vision centered on service, unity, and faith.

Please join me, Council and Mayor in welcoming Bishop Ricky L.

White as he comes forward to deliver today's invocation.

Bishop White.

Thank you.

To the council members, and to all of our leaders.

I want to begin by saying thank you so much and for inviting me to Tiffany Thomas for inviting me to come and do this.

I consider this a privilege and an honor uh to be able to stand before you with that in mind.

Let's pray.

Almighty and everlasting Father, we come before you with grateful hearts, acknowledging the privilege and responsibility of public service.

We thank you for the city of Houston for its people, its neighborhoods, its diversity, and the opportunities to build stronger communities together.

We ask you for your wisdom and guidance upon our mayor, city council members, and our city leaders, and all who serve this great city of Houston.

Grant them discernment to make decisions with integrity, courage to address challenges, compassion to always remember the needs of the people they serve and represent.

May their conversations be marked by respect, their actions by justice, and their leadership by commitment to the common good.

Help us to seek solutions that bring hope, safety, opportunity, and unity throughout Houston.

Bless the residents of our city, protect our families, strengthen our communities, and inspire each of us who serve one another with humility and kindness.

May we always be reminded that true leadership is found not only in authority but in service in the name of Jesus.

Thank you, Pastor.

Please rise for the pledge.

Please call the roll.

Councilmember Jackson?

Here.

Councilmember Panzarello.

Here.

Councilmember Evan Shabazz.

Council Member Flickinger will be absent.

Councilmember Thomas will be absent.

Councilmember Huffman will be absent.

Councilmember Castillo will be absent.

Councilmember Martinez will be absent.

Councilmember Pollard, Councilmember Castax Tatum.

Here.

Councilmember Ramirez.

Here.

Councilmember Davis.

Councilmember Carter.

Councilmember Salinas.

And Councilmember Alcorn.

Here, we have no two four five, six, seven, we have no.

Need a motion to adopt the minutes of June 9th and 10th and June 16th and 17th.

Cast next to you to move.

Next second.

Motion's made in second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Councilmember Alcorn.

I move to suspend the rules to put uh Melanie Kanya, Julie Thobey, Joe Bailey, Kristen Schlemmer, Chris Valdez, and Tatiana Rapinsky at the top of the three-minute non-agenda list.

Motion made and seconded.

Any all in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Councilmember Davis.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move to suspend a rule to add tomorrow bill to the list on the non-agenda, the three-minute list on the names of the last person on the councilman of Sally Alco.

Okay.

Motion made in second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Anyone else?

If not.

Ms.

Secretary, you call the first speaker.

Kim Weller.

To be followed by Tim Traver from Spring.

Good evening.

Thank you.

This is my first time here.

I appreciate the opportunity.

Uh my name is Kim Weller.

I'm in district C, so welcome, Councilman Panzarella.

Uh I'm here with my neighbors.

We live on the 2000 block of Bernard.

We were part of the 72-inch water line that was installed for about two years, completing last year on August the 11th.

That was an interesting experience.

If there's anyone here from public works, I would love to speak to them afterwards.

We're still dealing with the ramifications of that.

I personally had a significant gushing water leak that took four cases by me, a plumber and um a sprinkler person to get the city to acknowledge it and then end to end three months to get it fixed.

My neighbor who is here is currently dealing with an identical situation.

It's been happening for two weeks while they've been out of town, flooding into the street, flooding into their yard.

We're here in Beam, and so they also have significant flooding underneath their home.

Um so that's been a bit challenging.

We're here just asking for help to resolve the continued issues from the very significant project by the city.

By the way, thank you for investing in the infrastructure.

We do appreciate that.

Uh the second part of what I wanted to share was just around the 311 experience.

It's a fantastic initial experience when you open a case, you can upload the media and you can provide your comments.

If you as a citizen are trying to give additional information after that about that case, potentially something that can help you as a city manage the quality of the contractor that you're dealing with.

It's very difficult.

You have to make a phone call or send an email to add any notes.

Currently, my neighbor has 12 cases open uh for the flood leak, um, not by them, by other people in the community today.

When I spoke to someone, uh, he asked me to mention Sal is on it.

So we do have communication as a result of me signing up to speak here.

Um it was unclear to him which of those 12 cases to go get information for me.

So uh I'm in IT.

I work on app development and web development.

If there's any kind of citizen like panel that can give you feedback on 311 and how it can be better, I would love to be on that, but I think that could make everyone's experience more positive and help us be informed as you're trying to solve these issues and for us to give you updates in an efficient way.

Thank you.

Very good.

Councilmember Panzarella.

Just wanted to say thank you for being here.

Uh, I understand the concern, and I know it's been uh difficult to get that uh work through, but I understand that it's being resolved, and I just want to say thank you for sharing your voice and for being here today.

Yeah, we appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next, Tim Traver of Spring, to be followed by Melanie Cania, okay.

He's passing things out.

Right, okay.

Is it on?

Okay.

My name is Tim Traver.

I'm an owner of 306 Cody Street.

I respectfully oppose the right-of-way variance request for 4210 foot Fulton Street, where the applicant proposes a mixed building use because for massage power and a restaurant right next to our property.

The variance requires a demonstrated hardship and a clear public benefit.

The property's been vacant since 2008.

It was taken from us by Metro.

It was part of our family who had owned that property since 1930.

Metro plotted it, and the variances were clearly stated.

It's been through two investors, and the last investor says, Oh, we want to build something, but we need variances.

And the approach on the variance is they have to demonstrate a hardship.

It's been that way since 1930.

I don't understand what has changed.

They made an investment, and if they can't fit it on the property, that's their problem.

Anyhow, a variance cannot be granted solely for economic gain, which they're trying to salvage their investment.

A lot could be developed as either a business or massage power or a restaurant, but in a 20-foot building, they're trying to put two things on it.

Um, I've got attachments, I'm probably gonna run out of time.

Granted, the variance provides no clear public benefit, it actually hurts us because the decrease in our property values is gonna be over 50 grand, and they only paid $90,000 for the land.

So why are you taking money out of our pocket and giving it to them when they haven't demonstrated any need at all that justifies a variance?

I know that's not the way Planning Commission works.

If you have something, you need something.

If we can accommodate you, we will time has expired.

Did you finish, sir?

No, that's fine.

You can go ahead.

Uh, I've given you the things, there's other points.

If you have questions, feel free.

Very good.

Thank you.

I want to uh follow you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, Melanie Cania.

To be followed by Julie Toby.

Hi, everyone.

Good evening.

Thank you for for the opportunity tonight.

This is also my first time here.

Uh my name is Melanie Kenya, and I serve as the first vice president and public affairs chair of the Old Six Ward Neighborhood Association.

And I'm here this evening alongside fellow residents to represent our community and respectfully request your support for the proposed 90-day administrative hold on permitting and construction of gas stations within 200 feet of residential lot lines.

Earlier this week, our association submitted a letter of support outlining this position.

Our community is requesting this because of the recent results from the Houston Health Department's uh preliminary pilot where benzene levels were elevated.

Given that benzene is a known carcinogen, these findings are understandably concerning for our neighborhood and for our communities across Houston.

While this issue first surfaced in our neighborhood, it has clearly resonated more broadly through continued engagement.

We've seen alignment and growing support across Super Neighborhood 22 and other community groups across Houston, all asking for the same thing.

The opportunity to better understand the risks and ensure the right safeguards are in place.

For me, this is also personal.

I have a two-year-old.

We spend a lot of time out in the neighborhood and in the community.

And I understandably care deeply about the environment our children grow up in.

As parents, we are concerned about the potential health risks associated with benzene exposure.

And to be clear, this is not about stopping development, it's about taking a targeted 90-day pause to gather the facts, evaluate the findings, and determine whether additional safeguards may be warranted.

We've also seen this kind of measured approach before, including in the fifth ward, where development was paused to allow for further health-related study.

Therefore, we feel a similar step is warranted here.

And before I close, I'd like to thank Council members Castillo, Alcorn, and Salinas, along with their staffs, for their continued engagement and support and partnership on this issue.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Very good.

Thank you, ma'am.

Julie Toby.

To be followed by Joe Bailey.

Hello, everyone.

I'm also from the old sixth ward.

And my name is Julie Toby.

I'm here to register my support for an administrative hold.

We understand there is a mechanism for that.

A hold on this gas station project at 1909 Washington.

And I thank the council members who initiated a health department study of emissions from gas station pumps.

The preliminary study showed that there were elevated benzene at the fence line.

It's a known car citin.

The temporary hold will give the city the time to study other gas islands to see if the benzene levels actually show elevation in other situations.

1909 Washington is on the edge of our neighborhoods.

There are three of us that live right behind where this will be.

So we will literally be about 25, I'll be maybe 35 feet from fueling of cars, vehicles, and also the loading of the fuel into the storage tank, which will be right beneath our behind our fences from the plants we have seen.

There are children that live next door to me.

One is four and a half, one is nine.

They play in their backyard.

Other concerns are um, well, can we even grill hamburgers safely in our backyard?

Fire concerns.

Um course after it's built, we would be dealing with things like light pollution and noise, which I also consider to be health hazards.

Um please, since there is a mechanism for a hold while the study is being done by the health department, I hope that you all will do what you need to do to put that in place.

And uh thank you all for your time and support.

It's something that we're concerned about not just for our neighborhood but for the city at large.

It has happened all over where people are trying to protect a quality of life that Houston has been known for, and we feel as though we're losing it.

So thank you so much.

Thank you, ma'am.

Joe Bailey.

To be followed by Kristen Schlimmer.

Oh, thank you, Mayor Whitmeyer, and thank you, council, especially members Alcorn, uh Castillo, uh Salinas, and staff who've encouraged our inquiry into these issues.

Uh I'm Joe Bailey.

I live in the old sixth ward.

Uh my neighbors live in protected historic landmark homes, four feet from a proposed 24-hour gas station.

I'm an attorney, and I co-directed a documentary on fire science.

Gasoline vapor is heavier than air.

It pools in low spaces, the open crawl spaces and historic cisterns beneath 1800's wood homes.

If vapor ever found a spark or fire started just feet away, radiant heat alone, without any direct flame, could ignite these wood walls and balloon frame houses burn very fast.

Uh, troubled by that adjacency, I turn my attention citywide and found a gap.

Most cities keep operations like this at a safe distance from homes through zoning.

Houston doesn't zone, so our fire code and the fire marshal's judgment are the only safeguard residents have.

The code already assigns her a plan review duty, but under our current process, she isn't brought into fuel operations review at the plan stage at all.

Only at the end when the choice is to condemn a finished station or approve one that should never have been built where it can't operate safely.

That isn't fair to anyone, not to residents, not to the first responders will call, and not even to the station owners who could build at real expense only to face an operation that can't lawfully run.

So we asked for a focused administrative hold on new fuel islands proposed within 200 feet of homes while the health department finishes its benzene study and the fire marshal and council build the process to apply a duty our code already requires.

Thank you.

I really appreciate your consideration.

Council Corner.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Joe for coming.

There's uh some more speakers on this issue, and it has been something I know Councilmember Castillo has been working on for some time.

We we met with the and Council Member Salinas too and myself.

Uh we met with the health department.

Mayor, as you know, they're doing this study.

Uh they they did fan find elevated benzene levels at the fence line.

Um we've gotten information that one fence line does not make a new ordinance.

They have to, of course, continue this at other places, other homes, and they're already in contact with homeowners that have a residence near a gas station, and those results won't be until October.

So we all the district council members know of this issue.

This is a tough issue.

We don't have zoning, and we have rules in place.

Like you said, the fire marshal doesn't come till the very end of everything.

Joe Joe has worked a lot on this.

He's done a ton of research, and I learned a lot about the fire code part of this too, not just the carcinogen.

Um very interesting stuff.

Definitely something we need to be taken a look at.

I, of course, would be in favor of uh holding on on this one on Washington.

Um I've been told by legal, and I'll let um Randy uh opine, um, you know, and I've run into this and other issues around the city.

Once somebody buys a property, get puts has their plat approved, gets their permits.

It's like you can't change the rules.

But I'll I'll let Randy, if you don't mind, mayor, if he can kind of explain that to um, sure.

And I've been in touch with Randy and Arturo and all the uh proper departments, and uh right now we're saying we're being told we just legally do not have a pathway to uh hold it up, but uh we're we're not giving up.

We're going to continue to citywide problem.

We know that.

I see our friends from third ward that we've researched and researched how to block that.

We've talked to the landowner, we've talked to developer, we thought about deterrents doing a retention pond, so we understand.

But as the council member mentioned, without zoning, uh we really have a wall of before us getting getting over.

Yes, sir.

So we'll continue.

Would you that's fine unless the city attorney wants to that?

I mean, mayor's absolutely correct.

We've looked at this, planning's looked at it, um, we have looked at it, and they are compliance with our code and all the other laws.

Uh there's just nothing at this point that we can find that would allow us to uh prohibit them moving forward with the construction.

Well, I'll I'll let you go, I'll let you talk, Joe, in a second.

But I mean, uh uh, obviously, this is a serious issue that that um, you know, we we we've got to find some relief for residents that are I mean, 25 feet or whatever.

I mean, that's that's crazy.

Um, go ahead, Joe.

Yeah, I think my concerns is that nobody's looked at the operations for the fuel transfer and whether those will actually be compliant with local, state, and federal law.

And in my view, you know, in what I've been able to determine, it's not clear to me that the applicant has demonstrated that that kind of proximity will allow for consistent operations that are in compliance with all of those code requirements.

Um and that has to do with the operations and the delivery as much as with this with the building of it.

Councilmember Davis.

Councilmember Davis.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh Mr.

Bailey, thank you for coming and expressing uh question for you.

Um, in regards to this issue around stations, this is not a new issue.

This issue has come up before in other communities just a few months ago, particularly in the neighborhood and uh rivers side where I live in.

There's someone else who's going to speak to that.

So this is really not nothing new, but along with that, uh, there are other issues pertaining to what comes in communities, whether it be private property, people bringing in junk, uh yards and all that kind of thing.

So diversity in terms of this problem is not just sitting on service stations, but also residents that undergo a lot of things in their community that should not be brought in.

So my question to you, is you bringing this up uh on this matter.

How do you feel about zoning?

Right.

Would you vote for zoning?

Would I personally?

Yeah.

Uh I don't know.

I'd have to look at it.

See, that's that's that's one of the that that's one of the issues right there in regard, as you just heard from the mayor, as well as the attorney, the zoning issue is a dilemma that all of Houston is at some point in a particular thing face.

So I just want to take a survey about the people dressing it, how do you feel about it?

I would definitely consider it.

I don't know.

Very good.

I'd have to listen to everybody.

Good deal.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Salinas.

Thank you so much for coming.

Um, if you haven't already, would you mind either now or sending to our office the specific local regulations that you think would be at issue for the transportation?

Because we'd love to explore together with legal if there's an alternative avenue to go.

Absolutely.

Um and then my my other just comment, I know we're discussing particularly the the gas station at Washington Avenue, but I know there's been a separate discussion about just a general moratorium on any gas stations that the studies undertaken.

I just want to say that issue is still something we're discussing internally.

I know I have a lot of questions, and you know, having a very collaborative dialogue with legal, so I think we're continuing to see obviously there's a question of can we stop this particular gas station?

That seems like a harder burden to overcome, but the bigger question of can we stop other gas stations that we have not yet approved is something I think we're still trying to figure out internally, but so grateful to you uh for all of your advocacy on this issue.

And if you have any creative ideas, please don't hesitate to give our office a call and share.

Uh thank you so much.

Uh Mayor Protein.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you very much for um raising this issue and to the council members that have been working on this.

Um a couple of years ago, we looked at if there was any opportunities for us to try to put a moratorium on some of these gas stations because I know in District K, almost every corner has a gas station.

When there's a vacant lot, guess what's coming?

A gas station.

Uh and the residents are very frustrated with having a gas station on every corner, and we tried to every avenue.

Um, Texas is such a strong property rights state, but I'm curious to know from you, Randy.

Um, when we talk about uh benzene um and the hazardous uh things that come from gas stations.

What we I feel like we should have some kind of legal standing to at least do the study.

Well, it's my understanding that uh the health department is looking into that right now.

I think they're already conducting a study.

So the study has been conducted.

If they are conducting the study, can we hold up the permit until we get the results of the study?

So it is my understanding that um without getting to specifics, we don't think we have enough yet to hold anything up.

They've only done a very, very small study, uh, and they feel like they m would probably have if I understand health care.

I'm speaking for health, but they think they'd have a better grasp on things closer to October.

They've only looked at as my understanding, one location, and that's it.

So and has there been a conversation with the owner to wait for the study.

Did we ask the owner can they wait for the study?

Of this of you about the location on Washington?

Yes.

I do not know that but I can find out.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you for being here we'll continue the council members will continue to work on it.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Kristen Schlimmer.

To be followed by Chris Valdez.

Good afternoon, Mayor Council.

I'm Kristen Schlemmer.

I'm an environmental attorney and old sixth board resident and a parent to a seven year old who was just trying to come up here with me.

You know today we're asking for an administrative hold on gas station permitting um for any permits that are being issued for residences within two or within 200 feet of residences.

I appreciate the discussion about the 1909 project in particular but that's you know that is what motivates me to be here but what we're asking for is for an administrative hold on all permitting if the permit is with for a gas station within 200 feet of a home.

And the reason we're asking for this is this has been a problem that has demanded a solution that's been really lacking we've been spending more than a year on this issue with respect to the 1909 Washington gas station and we've encountered so many dead ends at the local state and federal level so we've been really really appreciative of the council members who have met with us and have helped us come up with solutions that will benefit not just us we hope but also the city as a whole and the reason let me question so you've been meeting so looking for a solution and obviously I've met with the directors what are what is your concept of an administrative hope.

It would be that if legal says there's no pathway legally to do that it and certainly violates property rights so obviously I look to the legislature but what is the let's all make sure we use an understanding of the right term what what in your vision is administrative help.

I think to answer this question I want to clarify I did see analysis by the legal department around four o'clock today and to me that analysis was specific to the site on 1909 Washington but wasn't um directly answering this question of an administrative hold on other permits permits that have not been issued and so I think that you know my reading of the legal department's memo is that there is a basis for an administrative hold and I'm really interested it sounds like the legal department is still reviewing the question with regard to gas stations as a whole when they're in that 200 feet threshold and I look forward to hearing their answer on it.

Yeah.

Well we have you know as everyone knows this has been an issue for years we have a new very aggressive health department director.

And there's obviously new public works director and permitting so we're all putting our heads together but I would just see if you had a recommendation or a new concept that that hadn't been explored and what you'd think an administrative hope consist of no and in terms of the citywide administrative hold no I I think it would just be the city is not going to issue permits for new gas stations if they fall within this 200 foot threshold and the reason for that isn't just to have a hold it would be so that the city can then come up with those long-term solutions the reason the health department is doing the study is partly to evaluate whether there can be an ordinance solution to this.

And my understanding is the legal department has two draft ordinances before them that they're considering.

And this, you know, the completion of this study will show whether um adopting one of those ordinances would be, you know, have a legally sound basis.

Thus far, they they've advised us they haven't found one that they think is legal, but you know, we've got some good minds right around council, and we'll use your knowledge.

So uh just thank you for being here and we're working.

I want you to know that.

Thank you.

I really appreciate it.

Council remember mayors.

Uh thank you, uh Ms.

Schlimmer.

Question for you.

Are do you know of any other Texas cities that have a 200 foot distance requirement?

I know San Antonio has a more generous um foot requirement, but I don't know the number off the top of my head.

Um my uh neighbor, Tatiana Rapinsky is here and can probably answer that question.

And does San Antonio have a zoning ordinance?

They do.

Yeah, okay.

Um if anybody's aware of a Texas city that doesn't have a zoning ordinance where you've got a distance requirement, I'd be interested in hearing about that.

Just say, I'll let you come back up in a moment, but I don't think we can have any discussion from the pews.

Yes, ma'am.

So to answer your question, um, or not to answer your question, but just to address the zoning question.

Um San Antonio zoning didn't take care of this issue, they had to pass an ordinance that went beyond their zoning.

I think the way it's structured does relate back to their zoning, but I don't think that that's a barrier here.

I think actually our zoning means it's even more important.

Like, that is how this council can address the issue is to pass an ordinance because we don't have zoning.

It's a problem that there's we're already seeing a basis for it in this preliminary study, and this preliminary study that the health department is doing isn't just it it's based on sound science.

There's other studies that have been done nationwide that show that um gas stations emit benzene and that it's that's harmful to health, and what this uh health department study is doing is grounding that in Houston, like looking at what's happened in other places and making sure that it's true here.

Um, and so far it looks like what they're finding is what's happening in Houston is totally consistent with what these um studies of other places have have concluded already.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Very good.

Thank you, Joe.

Council Member Davis.

Sorry, just Council Member Davis.

Thank you, Mayor.

Just question again, do you support would you support?

Well, for this issue, I don't think it matters, but I think so.

I think I would support zoning.

I of course would want to like look at any proposal um that came before me as a voter, but if it protects the health of me and my neighbors, I'm here for it.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Joe, I know you're dying to say something, so I'm not I'm not gonna deny you.

Come on up.

No, I just uh Chris and uh wait till you get to the mic, okay.

So so Kristen was able to say exactly what I was about to say.

So basically, San Antonio, their zoning was patchwork, and so zoning didn't help, so they passed an ordinance.

So yeah, okay.

We're looking at all of our options.

Thank you for your work.

One more sorry, sir.

Counselor and Mayors.

Thank you, Mayor.

In the point of order, if Randy, do you know if um a city without zoning like Houston could pass a 200-foot uh distance requirement?

You know, off the top of my head I don't um uh presumably with enough intense studies showing, and this is this is me, uh we we do have some authority as a home municipality to pass our own ordinances, so we'll start there.

Presuming there is nothing that would in state law or federal law that would preempt us, and we could show a sound perhaps health reasoning behind it, uh possibly yes.

I can't say I can't say definitely I've never looked at this particular issue.

I know that we do have some other types of businesses that we regulate with distance, but many of those are based on a state statute.

So how close you can have alcohol sell alcohol, I think like related uh how close can be to a church.

Uh so I I can't think of any that we have done necessarily um related to health, but it's I I know we are looking at it.

We're working with health to try to find an avenue to to address this.

And do you know if we could rely on studies done by other cities that have enacted, you know, uh distance requirement like that.

That I can't say.

I I would I would think that the studies would have to relate to to your your local municipality to show the harm is in your local municipality, not generally speaking.

That would be the my off the top of my head.

Thank you.

Council Brown, thank you.

We have to go to the legislature, and is listed the exceptions to those property rights being alcohol, advocate entertainment.

So I don't know why we wouldn't get uh with the support that is demonstrated uh for an exception to gas stations near property lines, and certainly use new studies to support it.

Yes, sir.

Yeah, I just would point out as well the the police power of the city with regards to fire safety uh is a mechanism I think that would be pretty strong.

All right, next, Chris Valdez, to be followed by Tatiana Rapinski.

Good evening, everybody.

Uh first and foremost, I want to say happy birthday, Joe.

Um, who's taking his birthday time to be here with us today, so I appreciate that a lot.

Um second, I also want to acknowledge the contributions of Council Member Jackson who brought this subject up uh last year back in May, if I'm not mistaken on the dates, and through those efforts, we've been able to move uh into new exciting places and territory on this subject.

Uh I want to say that you've heard from a lot of folks from my neighborhood today.

Obviously, um you can see that's very important to our neighborhood.

But what I'd like to turn our attention to now is the packet that I passed out before, which is uh, as you all have said from your own experience, um, it it demonstrates that this issue is a citywide um issue, and something that people all across the city care about.

Um, that would be evidenced by the long list of supporters that we've been able to gather across super neighborhoods, civic associations, and neighborhood associations in just four to five short days.

So I will uh endeavor to make this brief, but I feel like it's important, and I told these people that I would acknowledge their support today at City Council.

And so in District B, we have super neighborhoods 48, 55, 49, Carver State Civic Club, Claremont Place, East Houston Civic Club, Groveland Terrace, Habitat Wood Glen, HOA, Northwood, Pleasantville with uh Axe with Miss Bridget Murray, uh, Progressive Fifth Ward, Rivers, Riverwood Estates, Barody Forest, Section One, White Oak Terrace Civic Club, District C.

We have they they came in, they rolled in today tons.

We had uh Super Neighborhood 22, which is our super neighborhood, super neighborhood 31, uh the super neighborhood 28 at University Place, uh we got Camp Logan, Crestwood, Cottage Grove, Linkwood, Magnolia Grove, Rice Military, University Place Association, Wham, which is personally my favorite civic association name, uh Westwood Grove, Civic Club, West End Civic Club, Woodcrust, all in support of an administrative hold on gas stations uh that fall within a 200 foot of the residential lot lines.

Uh I know Councilmember Avan Shabazz is not here, so I will not go into detail there, but uh suffice to say we have four super neighborhoods from district D that support this cause.

Uh in districts F and Huffman, I know Councilmember Thomas's Thomas and uh Councilmember Huffman are not here, but we have support from Super Neighborhood 17.

Then in District H, thank you, Councilmember Castillo, who has been very supportive across uh the months that we've been working on this.

Uh our super neighborhood, super neighborhood 2255, East Sunset Heights Association, First Ward Civic Club, Lyndale Park Civic Club, um, our own neighborhood association in sixth ward and Segundo Civic.

Um we have support in District I and in District J.

I know those council members are not here today.

In District K, Councilmember Cassax Tatum.

Uh, we have support from just in, Super Neighborhood 32.

Uh, that's Brayswood.

We appreciate their support and the support of Ms.

Cheryl O'Brien.

And the list goes on.

I s if I may, I I say I share all of this today to say that um your support of an administrative hold should uh come easily and come easily with the knowledge that people across this city are in support of a hold and probably further measures to protect our safety and our health.

So thank you, Councilman.

Panzerella.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you for being here today.

I have had some conversations with different residents in District C.

It's my understanding that there are four different gas stations in the works on Washington Avenue.

I think this is an opportunity when we talk about building a city with intention to recognize that this is a moment to do that and to uh um you know understand that maybe we don't want this many gas stations in the city and this many gas stations near residents.

So this is really important.

Uh I'm not sure what the legal mechanism is just yet, but uh I would be in support.

Thank you.

Thank you for your support.

Council mayor protain.

Thank you, Mayor.

I I think we all would um you know traditionally agreed that we don't want gas stations or any hazardous things, you know, near near people's homes.

My question is for Randy.

I know that we have land use authority in the city.

Um we've used that land use authority to kind of determine setbacks and those kind of things.

Could we not use that?

Well, we've already we've already looked at that in their compliance with all of our our code already.

Um when they made all the requests, they complied with everything.

My understanding is they've complied with everything they were required to comply with at the time.

Uh and and so that's that's the issue that we're facing that one.

They they did everything they were supposed to do on the front end correctly.

Okay, thank you for being here.

Thank you.

Tatiana Ripinski.

To be followed by Tomorrow Bale.

Hello, thank you, Tatiana Urpinski.

I'm also from the sixth ward.

Um, wanted to extend a thank you to Councilmember Castillo Alcorn and Salinas, uh, for your ongoing support.

Um, I did want to address two questions that came up.

Um, one is like what exactly is administrative hold?

Um, and what we saw is how it was applied in 2024 in the gas in the cancer cluster, the fifth ward is it was a pause on any new permit numbers.

So that was the specific mechanism, a pause on any new permit numbers um in that area um in 2024.

And so uh we're asking for uh a similar type of mechanism.

Um, ideally that could also apply to construction as well.

Um, but that is the mechanism that was used in 2024.

Um another question that uh came up was um has has Houston done something like this before, um, in terms of setting a number of feet.

Um and I think one example is uh sexually oriented businesses.

There's uh a set number of feet required um in in that particular type of business.

Um so the administrative hold we're asking for is a temporary measure.

Um, as I said, it's a mechanism that the city has deployed in the past in 2024 in some form.

Um and again, it gives the city time to hear from their own experts on matters that have to do with health and safety.

Um one wants to live next to a development that might make them sick or make their children sick.

And while the health department is only getting started with the study, the elevated levels of benzene that was recorded is concerning, and it should give us all pause.

Um it aligns with findings from peer-reviewed literature and actions other jurisdictions have taken, like San Antonio, regarding gas stations next to homes.

Um, and because again, the city of Houston did this administrative hold in 2024 in response to the cancer cluster.

We know the mechanism um as a temporary measure exists, and we urge you to find a path to apply it in this situation to protect residents and yeah, thank you.

Thank you for your time.

Councilman Alcorn.

Thank you, Mayor, and thanks for clarifying that because I think we all remember when we did the we did the hold, Mayor, uh in the cancer cluster um permitting.

So, what's the base?

What was the basis for this?

That hold as opposed to what we have now.

Just not enough study, not enough um, I mean, what what why what makes this difference the different than when we did do the the fifth ward administrative hold?

Well, it was my experience that when we were dealing with the cancer cluster, they were giving building permits in the exact area that we were asking people to move from.

And I made that an issue that made no sense for a city to be giving building permits at the same time we had a program of relocation.

Yeah, okay.

And uh so I don't recall it being.

In fact, I was wondering when you said it was used in some form.

I was I was gonna ask you.

Uh that was it.

I guess that's that's we're not familiar with the holding up the permits in some form in 24.

Well, that was that was it when we put the uh that was the situation, right?

When we were it was the buyout areas that we were letting people get permits, and you were like that doesn't make any sense, and so we didn't do permits at that, or did we?

I don't know.

Yeah, I think we were.

They were building them as we talked.

So there was not an official hold on that.

No, it was it was my expression of how nuts it was that you'd be having a program of relocation, and that's the reason that people were not willing to relocate.

They thought it was a land plate because not only were permits being issued, Metro was out resurfacing the streets and building trust uh bus stands, and it looked like a revitalization instead of a relocation.

So all I can say is, you know, I was at the East Side Fire this afternoon at three o'clock.

I left there wondering how in the world, in a metropolitan setting that we all live in, that you had a recycling location with thousands of tires, endangered the entire community.

Thank goodness for our first responders.

So I think we just have to have a discussion.

I do not believe that this is isolated um detriment to our health or our community.

My literally my eyes have been burning since I left the fire location.

They're running tests there, T E CQ, our health department, EPA.

So I've I think Councilman Davis has raised the question.

Several times.

I mean, a mint.

What is the big picture discussion about zoning and how we protect our neighborhoods?

It's a gas station now.

It'll be a recycling location next.

So I appreciate the the uh work that's gone into this, but I haven't heard yet other than administrative uh block of uh the the real solution.

I think it's in the legislature that you list the prohibition that we do uh alcohol at the circle there in Washington, uh someone tried to put a liquor store and we blocked it because it was in 250 feet of Memorial Elementary.

So we do know that neighborhoods are protected by legislative acts, and I just am kind of surprised, and the Lord knows I spent my whole adult life down there, but I've never seen the initiative that we're with witnessing today taken to our senators and state representatives because it's no doubt a a statewide problem as well as a citywide.

So I think we have a lot of work to do, but we certainly I think this is productive and yeah, thank you.

Appreciate you being here.

Appreciate uh your comments and I think there are many angles where solutions can come from, and I think we need to attack it from all those angles, including here at the city level.

And um appreciate all your time.

Thank you.

Councilman McCarter.

I just had a comment uh and thank you all for coming down today, and certainly I would be in support of of this measure, but you know, week after week, and and the whole time I've been here, we've listened to our friends out on uh the east side talking about the uh gold star medals on Dockle Road, and we finally got the air monitoring, um, uh Air Alliance put a monitor out there for us.

But you know, like again, this this organization is operating in a res, I mean, there are residents right across the street, and not only that, they don't have a certificate of occupancy.

We issue citations.

I went to court to see if they show up.

They don't show up, they pay the fine and keep moving, and they continue.

I mean, we hear them, and we've heard them for three years now.

And so, to council member Davis's question, you know, it is the big picture of zoning, and and as long as we don't have the zoning, this is the problem that we have.

And you know, with respect to the work going into it, there is so much work around, you know, gas stations recycling, you know, all these centers that are right in the communities in which we live.

So I think everybody around the horseshoe hears you loud and clear, all of you, and certainly agree.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Tomorrow, Bell.

To be followed by Melinda Glenghorn.

Good evening.

It's not my first time here, probably my last time coming at night, because I don't I was not ready for the traffic by any stretch of the imagination.

I was beyond unprepared.

Uh, but I want to applaud all the people who came before me who said this was their first time coming here.

I've been coming here for almost 30 years.

And one of the things that I'm hearing is that you all are looking at the air, but you're not looking at the water.

The city of Houston is under consent degree with the federal government who proved that we have been negligent for decades in older communities.

I can assure you, sixth ward is one of them.

Third ward is one of them, fifth war was one of them.

Before the Creoso surfaced to the top, they had videos of people who could take matches and put it up to their faucet and it was set on fire.

I can assure you these gas stations adjacent to resident community.

If somebody tested that underground water and saw those aged pipes, I promise you, that is a serious health issue.

It may be in there, but I promise you it's in the water.

So we need to be looking at the soils as well.

And you ain't gotta ask me about zoning.

I was one of the people battling Barry Klein, God rest his soul.

Back then when they didn't want to do zoning.

Because I told them, and it all I didn't want to be a prophet, but I told them if we didn't do zoning, we were gonna have cities build up all around us where people know they could go and a whole house and a liquor stove would not come next door.

And that's how you got the pearl lands and the sugar lands, and you got the wonderlands all around us because when you invest in your home, most people that's the biggest investment they make.

So if that they have value of it, you want it protected.

You want the city to protect it along with you.

So I'm absolutely somebody who will be for zoning, but you all have not looked at the water.

We are under consent decree.

I don't care what they do in Dallas, I don't care what they do in San Antonio.

We are an anomaly.

We have been proven by the federal government to have neglected our infrastructure for decades.

I can assure you, I don't drink the water at my house.

I live in McGregor, I don't drink the water there.

I do not.

My neighbors, not they all, if they don't have a filter system, the filter don't even work for me.

I buy water.

I absolutely buy water.

There is no way you all are gonna tell me that you all are doing this, and you have not done a water study around this.

I can assure you and think about it.

Why are they only putting it in brown and black communities because they know ain't nobody watching or give a damn?

So I promise you, you can do this, you can do this administrative whole while you're doing this health study.

Because I promise you, go over there at the corner of Southmore where we praise the Lord killed the one in Riverside Terrace where they already have three, and take a soil sample.

You see what you come up with.

Test the water over there.

You can look, I promise you.

This doesn't make any sense.

And that fire at that illegal recycling plant that was still existing, should have never happened.

Because you don't just give a red tag.

When somebody is operating illegal, we are a city that has a dangerous building ordinance.

We'll tear you down or shut you down.

They should have been shut down a long time ago.

You don't allow them to continue.

Yeah, they don't show up at court, they pay their fine and keep moving.

So you have got to protect us.

That's why we elected you all.

I could have ran for office a million years, but I ain't got enough bail money.

So I ain't gonna run.

Okay?

I just don't have it.

But that is why we have you all here.

You all have to protect us.

I'm not kidding.

Only the grace of God, and I mean that that wind didn't blow to the feet for uh fest.

I'm serious.

My son lives five blocks from there.

He lives in Edo.

That could have been a massive disaster.

So do not just tell these people all we can't do nothing.

We tried everything.

No, it's a lot.

You can Flint, Michigan didn't happen in a day.

It happened in decades.

Don't allow this.

You all need to continue and test those the water and the soil around these gas stations, and I promise you it exists.

Thank you.

Uh do we know if there has been any testing of the water?

I know they said about the benzene.

Do we have the health department?

I don't I don't think they well, only as part of the study, I think they're really looking at Benzing levels.

That's my understanding of it.

I don't think they looked at anything else.

Okay.

And then my other question, I was just kind of looking at um some other stuff.

How did we get the ordinance for livestock not to be within a hundred feet of a home?

To be candid with you, council member, I've never heard of that ordinance.

Uh so I'd have to look.

But it could be under health or it could be under state law.

Like, for example, the liquor store can only be with so many within so many feet of a church or school.

That's all under state law, sexual oriented business under a state law.

I can look, but I imagine it's either state law or perhaps many many years ago, we did some sort of study.

Okay.

Since we're looking at different ordinances, can we look at the um halfway house ordinance?

I know it's a halfway house ordinance to where you can't have a halfway house next to a park or a school.

And so looking at those different ordinances, I mean, we're talking gas stations, we should be really concerned.

That should be like high on our list, making sure the gas stations are next, not next to the neighborhood.

So if you can look at that, thank you.

The permit was approved.

Then planning and city of Houston planning requests Houston public works issues stop order for the property.

The planning department and legal departments are conducting a review of the permit application to ensure it complies with City of Houston codes and ordinances.

So it looks to me like it's being held up as we talk for for a review.

The legal department has communicated to us that they don't think they can hold up the Washington permit, and the only open question is whether or not we can put a moratorium on all future gas stations.

And that's why we're waiting for the health department.

Okay.

Sounds good.

Next.

Yes, ma'am.

No.

We're we're fine, Joe.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

I'm gonna start my cyber.

Good afternoon, Mayor Whitmeyer, uh, Mayor Pro Tem, uh, Councilmember staff, and congratulations to uh uh councilmember Panzrella for winning in our district.

We're super excited.

So I my name is Mo.

I'm here today to request that the Public Works department, in particular, planning permitting code enforcement, provide a plan to address the flooding in Oak Forest Section 16 and surrounding areas by the new thirty-eight acre development.

If we don't know where the ball was dropped on this project, it's gonna happen again, like it we see it happen every day in our neighborhood.

For over two years.

A group of approximately 100 residents have been working diligently to mitigate the safety environmental and potential flooding issues caused by the sale of a 38-acre green space.

The property was cleared, built up about 10 feet and completely covered in concrete.

We understand that in no zoning Houston, that's how the cookie crumbles.

That wildlife will die off and be replaced with the noise of tractor trailers and the smell of their fumes.

The kids walking home from school, brown and black children, of course, are going to be playing frogger with these trucks now.

Flooding was the only issue out of these that we were assured by the city and all parties involved that could be prevented barring a uh hard.

I can't say Harvey, it's traumatic.

Um hurricane Harvey like event.

Um last week certainly was not that.

However, in the first rain, first of all, I'll go back to last October, uh October 2025.

In one of our community meetings, we had about 10 members from public works.

At that meeting, we were assured and heard things like I've heard tonight, the permits are in place, all the engineers have looked at it, civil engineers, the city, the SW Triple P folks.

Everybody's looked at this, it's fine.

You guys just don't understand the math here.

Fast forward six months, first rainfall that we get and we flood.

It pours out of the retention pond, it pours off of the property.

Exactly what we spent two years in thousands of areas telling the city would happen.

So after that last meeting, never heard from the city again, they stopped responding to our emails the day after the meeting.

We learned yesterday that the builder, out of his own words, didn't intend to finish one of the detention ponds until after they uh complete um construction.

So if a city inspector had been by over the last six months, they would have clearly seen that the southeast detention pond was not hooked up to any drainage system.

Even if the water is miraculously kept on property, it goes into our already overwhelmed drainage system with the city that flows down to Mangum Manor and then floods Brick House Gully.

So the fact that this has happened is bad enough, but the fact that we were told again and again and again that you guys would take care of this, and here we are.

So your time I would appreciate a response from the city, and I do have to say I did start getting responses when I signed up to speak.

So better late than never, I guess.

Councilman Panzerell.

Thank you, Mayor.

Did you did you have more you wanted to say before I get some comments or um, yes, it's a pervasive issue in our neighborhood, it's not just this build.

Um, there are certain builders who repeatedly don't build two code, and then they go through this two years of trying to figure out who's on first and getting referred to 311 who we know cannot help.

The people from public works referring us to 311 know it's not the right place when they send us there.

So our homes are flooding, the neighborhoods flooding, and there seems to be no oversight and no recourse.

And I'll tell you what, today I I looked up for the first time, and Texas does have the largest dollar amount spent on campaign contributions by commercial construction in the entire country.

So I think it needs to open it discussion about what we're doing right here and permitting public works and how we're taking care of our neighborhoods.

Yeah, so the inspectors.

All I'm saying is we're on it and we're appealing even the inspector's decision.

But it's not like the city's not out there trying to hope people.

It came out on the 18th because I called them.

And had I not signed up to speak their decision, and I don't know if you've spoken to to I'm going by the notes.

I don't know if you've spoken uh to code enforcement, but um, it was gonna be closed on the 18th.

It was three days after the event, so obviously the waters have receded.

So that was gonna be the end of it, according to his own words to me, because he started out the conversation like oh, I was out there the 18th, nothing wrong.

And I said, We're not doing that.

We're not gonna do that.

So that's why I signed up to speak here today.

All right, thank you very much.

You're welcome.

I'll just add real quick.

Um, sorry to Councilman Panzerola.

Um, I just want to say thank you for coming.

Thank you for expressing your concerns here.

Um, I know my office has requested a site visit with public works, and so we're gonna be setting that up, and we'll be sure to reach out to schedule that soon.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, Justine Powell.

To be followed by Alexander Balderas of Cyprus.

Good afternoon, Mr.

Mayor and Council.

Thank you for letting me speak to you today.

I am a resident of Clear Lake and have lived there since 1989.

I'm a member of the Pine Brook Neighborhood HOA board, and also a member of the Association of Clear Lake Communities.

So I have a very large vested interest in our community.

Um a light at Hickory Knoll Drive on El Dorado Boulevard was requested via community input but was not installed due to traffic metrics not being met.

Instead, crosswalks were installed at Larkfield Drive, Hickory Knoll Drive, and Dunmore Drive.

Uh, the points I'm going to make um have some insight into the situation that may not have been addressed by the traffic study.

Sight lines are poor at the Hickory Knoll intersection due to lack of mowing, overgrown vegetation, and neighborhood entrance markers that hamper visibility.

Trying to cross four lanes of traffic is difficult as the esplanades are narrow along this stretch of El Dorado, making it extend possible to cross two lanes, wait in the median in an area, a clearing, and then cross the other two lanes.

Nighttime visibility is also hampered as there's not sufficient lighting.

We have temporary single lights only on the northbound side of the road.

The installation of the permanent lights is still pending.

I personally have contacted the city of Houston multiple times and have emails dating back to 2004 regarding lack of street lights and poor nighttime visibility.

Hickory Knoll is frequented by school buses and daycare vans, creating a dangerous situation for those vehicles, especially those making left turns.

Motorists do not abide by the posted speed limits and often drive at excessive speeds.

Crosswalks that they installed are not warranted as there is little to no foot traffic along the stretch of El Dorado, and daring to cross the street is dangerous considering the speeds of the vehicles traveling.

The signage at the crosswalks is also distracting, and it confuses things more.

Several of the signs block the um posted speed limit signs, and I printed some pictures, and you can see here, I'll pass them around if you want.

Here are all the signs at the crosswalks, you cannot see the speed limit sign.

Here's another picture here.

You can see here all the crosswalk signs.

You can't see any of the speed limit signs at um the intersection of Dunmore.

There are seven signs.

At Hickory Knoll, there are 13 signs.

And at Larkfield, there are 18 signs.

18 signs at the intersection, crossing signs, school zone signs, warning to stop in the middle of the intersection.

The installation of the crosswalks has caused damage to neighborhood HOA's irrigation systems at their entrances, and these crosswalks were installed as a band-aid and a feeble attempt to slow down traffic.

A light, as we requested at Hickory Knoll could protect motorists and slow down the traffic.

And occasionally they'll post an officer there, and when the officers there, people slow down, but our officers have better things to do.

Councilman Harcorn.

Thanks for coming and appreciate you detailing all that.

I'm going to grab that piece of paper from you.

Your council member Fleckinger's not here, but I know that.

I'm very disappointed.

I'll work with him.

I'm sure he's on city business or some kind of business, but but um I'm happy to work with him to get that would be awesome.

So I'll like I said, we've been going round and round for this over two years.

Okay, thank you.

Next, Alexander Baldeiras.

Of Cyprus.

To be followed by Marie Traver of Spring.

Thank you, City.

Council members, I'm uh very privileged and uh very honored to be here to speak in front of all of you today.

Uh as a student of the University of Houston, I use the metro system quite a lot as one of the ways to get to campus, and so I'm urging tonight uh not to talk about my own commute here, but I'm urging to talk about the uh investing and uh the expansion of metro services across the city of Houston and the greater Houston area to uh not only improve the system but improve the lives of many of uh the Houstonians who use the system, such as myself.

Uh as a uh I fear that you know that not a lack of funding may cause the uh service itself to degrade in quality, and as a major supporter, I hope that does not happen.

Uh last year I had the privilege of visiting the great city of uh Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and I was able to ride uh their public transportation system, uh SEPTA, the Southeast uh Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, and uh it really blew my mind how when a city does commit to funding its public transportation service, how easy and how great the uh lives of the uh of the members of the city can be improved by you know such things.

Uh I it does pain me that the city of Houston being the fourth largest city is not on that level just yet.

Uh but I I hope and I have confidence that in uh in this city and in its uh continued expansion of these services uh that it will grow, and I think although that we have services like uh bus rapid transit, I do believe that more rail infrastructure is what Houston desperately and uh I think critically needs.

Uh the red line and the purple line, as well as the green line, I think are all great additions to the University of Houston and to the Houston area itself.

Uh, but I'd love to see these uh I'd love to see these services expanded and uh funding for future rail projects uh secured, and that way we can have uh expansion of these services.

Uh one of the arguments that I'd like to make here tonight is that uh a lot of people find that expanding the services of public transportation, you know, comes at a you know a mute and very debated topic.

And uh I'd like to counter that point by saying a lot of people don't uh argue about the profitability of services like the USPS, they don't argue about the profitability of uh you know the fire department.

You've never heard someone say that uh I think that the postal service should be you know criticized for not making as much money as it does.

Imagine that if you uh were trying to get some critical mail, say like a new credit card or uh information about a you know a recent uh Memorial Herman visit, and the service was denied because the company deemed it as not profitable.

Uh so I think that uh the expansion of these services uh would be greatly beneficial to Houstonians for generations.

I think it would uh benefit a lot of uh just the general population.

As you know, the FIFA World Cup has been down here at the NRG Stadium, and the expansion of the services and the longer running of like the uh the park and ride services, I thought has been fantastic.

Councilman Banzarella.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you for being here, and and I appreciate the sentiment.

Uh and you hit it right there at the very end.

Uh, throughout the FIFA World Cup Metro has extended services, not just for the park and ride, but for the red line and for just the general bus system in general.

It's something that I'd love to see throughout the summer, and I'd like to see it expanded well after the World Cup as well.

So thank you for being here and speaking up.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Marie Traver.

Marie Traver.

To be followed by Jose Vega.

Good evening, Mayor.

My name is Maria Traver, and I respect respectfully oppose this various request for the vacant lot at 4210 Fulton Street.

I own three lots on Cody Street, adjacent to the subject property.

My family has owned this land since the 1930s.

The vacant lot under consideration was part of our property until Metro acquired it in 2008 for the rail project.

My concern is whether this particular project fits in with the surrounding neighborhood.

Applicant Belize of variance is necessary to make the lot developable.

I support efforts to put vacant lot into productive use.

However, the proposed two-story structure combines a commercial use on the first floor with a residential unit above, including a total eight-foot overhang.

This does not fit in with other developments in the neighborhood.

The overall design and scale of this project do not reflect the character of the surrounding areas.

I provided a copy of the project elevations.

It's a small building on the first floor with a larger building hanging out the sides of the top second floor.

This property is on a visibly high, high visibility corner.

Whatever is built there will become a prominent feature of the seascape and will influence how residents, visitors, and future investors view this part of the neighborhood.

Our neighborhood is currently experiencing positive reinforcement, reinvestment.

Within a couple of blocks, new homes are being built, and older homes are being renovated.

This trend is strengthening the neighborhood's character.

I provide a copy of two sample homes that have recently been renovated.

As the owner of the adjacent three properties, I must also consider the effect this project may have on the future development, potential, marketability, and value of my property.

We have been receiving quotes and bids on renovating that, but I may have to reconsider that now.

I hope that the interest of the neighboring property owners receive the same consideration as those of the applicants, since we all will have to deal with the after-effects of this development.

In conclusion, planning has indicated that denying the variants is not in the public interest.

I maintain that in granting the variants, it's not in the best interest of the neighborhood.

All neighbors have signed a petition against the variance and the building of this development.

Councilman Davis, other than gas stations, I think small massage partners are probably next in line.

There will be this is the third one on that street now.

Given that and what we have gone this gone through the last three weeks, figuring out what's going on with this project and how we're going to address the future value and stuff of our property.

I will certainly vote for Soning if that comes up.

Thank you for your consideration.

I request that you deny this variance, but I'm realistic, so thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you for being here.

Next speaker.

Jose Vago.

Jose.

He's not able to name this.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Robin Sanders of Spring.

Robin Sanders.

Next speaker.

Rashim Mohammed.

Are you right?

You're Robin.

Oh, Robin.

To be followed by Rashim Mohammed.

Um, good evening.

Um, Festival Faye's proposal is on five with controller Holland's office.

Um, here on a different subject.

We have a organized crime bring in the city.

What they do is they break into your home, they steal your identifying documents, lock you out of your account, steal your corporate documents.

You don't have access to work.

You don't have access to your e-mails.

I don't have access to my payment accounts.

They are hidden in plain sight.

I spoke with representative of the mayor's office last week.

Um, and I realized the call never came because they're blocking my all of my devices.

The only way that I was able to file a report was I've been going down to HBD for the last couple of months, but they don't do paper contracts.

I've met a guy there who was able to do a paper contract with, so I can get an incident number.

So I know there are others out here who are struggling through the same thing I'm going through.

So I just want to let them know what you do is you go down to HBT on Dallas and Travis, get an incident number, upload it to Facebook because they're not gonna let you email their incident number because you have to take a picture with your phone.

Get an incident number, upload it to Facebook, and then send an email to your office because they have completely blocked me out of moving forward through my companies.

And I have no recourse.

I have a call out to.

A federal agent in Minneapolis?

Agent, Donato.

Because I saw him on television, who um he organized.

Well, he was able to bring in and stop an organization like this in his area.

All I want is a contact at our local federal agent office, so of organized crime, so I could let him know what's going on.

Renee, can you help her get a contact to organize crime?

Rick Renee's gonna help you get a contact so you can get the assistance, and we do have an HPD officer in in the chamber today.

I spoke to him, but I realized that the call never came in.

I'm never they're not gonna let me get that call.

That's why I need a phone number to call someone directly.

Okay, can you can you talk to them and see if they can help you?

Yes.

And if they don't help you, let us know.

We'll try to find somebody else that can help you.

Okay, okay.

Best wishes to you.

Next speaker, Rashim Mohammed.

Rashim Mohammed.

To be followed by David Swanson.

Hello, Mr.

Mohammed.

Hello.

Hello again.

How is everyone doing this afternoon?

I'm Rasheed Mohammed, uh, the founder of EDS Tech.

Uh just want to say thank you to the mayor, Mayor Pro Tim, uh, Consumer Davis and Shabazz and others.

Uh we have been able to actually uh get an ecosystem together of partners to want to develop in the city, and we look to leverage the new market tax critics to do so.

And we would like to uh expand uh some conversations with any other city council members that may be interested in this.

We've reached out to Houston Food Bank, they're interested.

Uh we have sustainable energy partners and Hampton Ventures Rose that's gonna actually put up funding and opportunities for us to do this.

I just want to talk to a few of the council members to say, hey, yay or nay, is this a project good in your area or not?

And uh look forward to try to see how we could get that done uh in the near future.

So might I suggest that you um contact the individual council members' offices and try to set those those meetings up?

It would be it would be easier for you to set those up individually as opposed to kind of around the horseshoe.

Um if you go to the city's website, everybody's email address is on there.

Um and I know that there are some council members that would be interested in in a sit down and um conversation to explore.

Okay, I've done it already.

Oh, we didn't.

Did you email us?

Yes, you called me back.

Huh?

Yeah, they called me back.

Your office called back.

Did they set up a meeting?

Yeah, we had a meeting set for last week, but it was rescheduled.

I've got a rescheduled date on it yet.

So we we have a meeting set set up.

I haven't got a date yet.

Okay.

So I mean the board members and stuff are on board and ready to go.

I just need a date and time so I can actually get out the programs to speak with the individuals.

So might I suggest that you talk to Joe?

Because he sets the cal he sets my calendar and he'll he'll set a date for us to meet.

Yeah, yeah, I know Joe.

All right.

So I'll go back and uh get in contact with Joe.

Okay.

All right.

Councilmember Jackson.

Um, thank you.

Um, I'm curious what type of program are you offering?

It's the food distribution centers, uh, health care accessibility, uh housing, and workforce development uh through EV infrastructure.

We actually was uh awarded funding again, I was gonna tell the mayor, thank you.

We won the funding this year again for EV infrastructure for the city.

Okay.

So it's the workforce development.

And what neighborhood, what side of town are you, your organization locally?

We're making his home.

You represent us, yeah.

Okay, yeah.

So have you have you reached out to my office to the customer?

I have.

Okay.

We shot a couple times.

We met talk.

Most people who probably saw me, I've reached out and talked to you or talked to your staff.

Okay.

So I will tell you, I just got a text message from the office that said that you invited our office to your Zoom meeting, and Didi tried to attend but could not join because the link didn't work.

So maybe we can try again, and then we can try to get on and have that conversation.

Is it my fault?

Thank you.

No, I'm just it just didn't work.

Sir, okay, thank you.

Thank you so much.

Yes, I said, one more council.

Councilmember Davis.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

She thank you for coming and make your presentation.

We did have a conversation in regard to the program that you are um alluded to.

So I would do just as Mayor Pro Tim say just pursue all the council members and they'd be more than happy to have a should I do it individually or should I do it as a group?

No, you you you probably need to do it individually.

Got it.

Okay.

Thanks, Mayor Pro 10.

Thanks.

Thank you, Councilman.

All right.

Next speaker.

David Swanson.

David Swanson.

To be followed by Claudette Rochelle.

Hi, I appreciate the opportunity to speak.

Sometime in the last week, your day may have begun similar to mine.

At approximately 7 a.m., you begin you begin hearing a faint buzz in the distance, a buzz that quickly gets louder as more sources of the noise are added to the number.

Windows that were open for air or to avoid AC are closed to minimize dust and noise.

You bike, you bike or drive to work, and likewise seemed see teams producing that same buzz, clouds of dust, dust also being blown into the air.

Those in cars can be thankful, but not everyone is.

While the discussion could be had about the excesses of lawn care, here we focus on the lowest utility of lawn and park care equipment, leaf blowers.

A study in 2023 showed that lawn care pollution in this city is the highest nationally.

The concern with leaf blowers are threefold.

Noise pollution, emissions pollution, and dust pollution as particulate sand and mold on the ground are made airborne.

I'm here to highlight the influence of these concerns on human and occupational health, all occurring while accomplish accomplishing precisely nothing with the activity.

In a high proportion of leaf blower use cases, one of a few categories applies.

A, less than a few, if any leaves are even being blown.

See, street and sidewalks are cleared, which offer a superficial sense of order and cleanliness, only to return to disorder at the next breeze.

Because of growing anti-leaf blower sentiment, Texas passed a law in late 2023 effectively making city bans illegal.

To the extent bans are proposed across the nation, it usually is taking the form of band and gas-powered equipment in favor of electric with a focus on reducing greenhouse emissions.

I don't think that goes far enough and doesn't recognize the lack of utility of blowing and danger of and danger of dust in particular to worker and resident health.

I propose to the council that city use of leaf blowers on city property be ceased, and if used in a small subset of cases restricted to months where leaves actually fall.

The city worker was blowing up an enormous cloud of only dust, no leaves on a trail.

No doubt he'd been directed to blow the trail clean after lawn mowing, at least part of the problem.

However, was that the trail was already spotless.

Still more, he was additionally blowing off the grass leaves and clip and clippings.

God's slow release fertilizer, with which one can otherwise be much less reliant on synthetic alternatives.

Excuse me, one 30 more seconds.

He was wearing a scarf as a makeshift mask to protect himself from the dust.

As I passed, I pointed to the trail to him and how it was clean.

He smiled and shrugged his shoulders in good faith.

He was simply doing his job.

City Parks needs leadership that can distinguish between tasks worth doing and those not.

What we currently see is nothing more than humanity's reminder to itself that it can make noise, cause problems, and therefore exists.

I hope you agree.

Thank you very much for your comments.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Claudia Rochelle.

Claudette Rochelle.

To be followed by Geneva Colbert.

Good afternoon.

Would you speak right into the microphone?

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Mayor Pro Temp and City Council members.

I am Claudette Rochelle, and I am so very grateful to be here.

It's really a blessing to be truthful with you.

So I'm here to speak on the topic of the importance of youth mentorship programs for girls in the community.

So the community impact is what I wanted to speak about.

And the name of the mentorship is Determined to Be Pure, Youth Mentorship.

So determined to be pure is a program that's more than a school after school activity.

Okay, it's vital.

It's a vital intervention for youth girls in our communities.

And so by addressing character development, literacy, life and life skills, we're actively actively at this time trying to change the trajectory of our mentees' lives.

So currently in the zip code area of 77053, between Fort Bean County and Harris County, we're looking at the stark reality of girls ages 15 and 19, for example.

So we're looking at the regional disparities.

For example, in Harris County, the zip code, they face teen birth rate of 1.9% 95%, which is, according to the data, is three times higher than those in Fort Bay County.

Also, we're looking at the state level challenges.

And I won't go into the statistics, but there is proof that power, the power of mentorship, according to the national uh data, it shows that youth that uh receive uh mentorship are more likely to set higher goals and avoid these risky behaviors, and also maintain a positive vision of their future.

Now, in our program, we have five components to the curriculum.

There's reading and writing for a pure heart, as well as purity movement arts, and then also evangelism and life skills.

Um, I'm just gonna say a few things about life skills, which is very very dear to my heart.

Um, life skills uh where girls are having uh, you know, they're experiencing sexual and of course at an early age, and it's they're getting STD STDs.

Uh they're also getting pregnant and uh sex trafficking is another issue.

I'm sure we're all aware of that.

So we just want to uh address certain areas as well as uh you know prevent these type of risky behaviors, and then there's another part of the life skills program, which is projects that we use to uh we offer uh seniors, uh pin pin pals.

And where girls go to a nursing home, and one of our girls, she's already uh been adopted by one of the seniors, and they they ride each other back and forth.

Um, and then basically, um, we just want to make a difference.

Thank you so much, and I appreciate you guys' uh time.

Thank you, Ms.

Rochelle, for coming.

I know you're doing that great work in Fort Bend uh Houston, and um I did want to let you know that uh many of the council members um have after school programming funding through case for kids, uh so that may be an opportunity for you to look for partnerships um for after school programs um in the city of Houston.

Yes, thank you.

All right, best wishes to you.

Next speaker.

Geneva Colbert, Geneva Colbert, I don't see her, next speaker, Christopher Graham, Christopher Graham, Christopher Graham, next speaker, Jay Bustos, Jay Bustos, to be followed by Loretta Sampson Bates.

Hello, Jay.

Hello, somebody left the oh, okay.

Okay, all right.

Hello everyone, my name is Jay.

I'm your fellow neighborhood Houstonian.

Apologies for missing last month's uh meeting.

Uh overall, this city, uh, which entails that this council should be striving each day or progressing with each meeting on to the limitation of collaborations with ICE, trying to get around Abbott's immoral and corrupt alignment with ICE.

It comes to no surprise that ICE, as well as I supporters are plain bigots, un-American, as well, simply an immoral organization.

Not only are they immoral, they are also a group of essentially mercenaries committing illegal activities and disregarding human lives.

No cities or actual law enforcement should have associations with them, and it's kind of truly disgraceful to see you know Houston law enforcements such as our HBD union president trying to align themselves with them as well as any fellow councilman or woman uh as well trying to align with themselves with this truly terroristic organization.

I say it all this because this is not a state of opinion, this is a fact.

There are countless evidence of them committing illegal activities, as well as continues because simply we have leaders that are too scared to do uh right by Houstonians or right by humanity.

I mean, if not, if this is not correct, I mean simply try to prove Houstonians wrong.

We need the voices of our leaders.

I say it all this because obviously there's a rise of bigotry and hatred and racism in the city.

I mean, or nationwide, and even more than there already was.

Not to ignore what not to ignore the past.

Even with the most recent evidence of just this week alone of a unlicensed massage therapist out from Conroe that's been making social media news about confronting two Muslim women about going back to their country and stating that Islam is a terrorist organization.

Despite her getting fired, she's uh pertaining to her anti-Islamic rants.

She's getting funded by supporters, fundraisers giving her money for this.

But I state that just because this is just that week alone.

This is just a regular person, but that this bigotry is still seen in the local, state, and even national levels.

This is starting to feel like biggest have a safe space, especially in this era, especially during this administration.

But where are our leaders?

Our president, he laughs and enjoys this hatred, thinks is this some sort of reality show, takes enjoyment.

Your time has expired.

I say just you want to go ahead and wrap up.

Yeah.

Just one little statement that I would like to see the positive change in the city.

Love for us to just speak up, our leaders to speak up.

We can just start with just at least ending non-safety traffic stops.

At least we can start with one step.

Thank you.

Thank you for being here, Jay.

Next speaker.

Loretta Sampson Bates.

Loretta Sampson Bates.

I don't think she's here.

Next speaker.

Michelle Eigenbore.

To be followed by Nathaniel Leonard.

I would say thank you for giving me time to speak today.

Um, and I'm gonna repeat what I've been saying uh weeks before, but just give me more context through the legal extension of the definition of a terrorist through this private framework is what we have.

What is now being reported to be a black budget project being facilitated through the structure, and if that is found to be true, would be responsible for the intelligence findings being produced out of this framework, and not only the intelligence findings, but also the alleged victims, now women, with actions and coordinating measures to the reported illegal activity to their accounts that go far beyond inappropriate surveillance, and when all you have is the burden of the allegation from the victims to a structure operating without proper oversight, accountable checks, and legal authority, reliance on integrity to the backdrop of these allegations doesn't really hold.

It doesn't calm or substantiate concern or alarm, respectability to the contrast of the allegations coming out about an unaccountable structure, doesn't make you mark out the allegations, but rather to confirm substantiation by formalized parties by an investigation, which is why we're asking for congressional inquiry, and I didn't mention this before, but these reports are ranging from the access to private homes for the viewing outside of counterterrorism, summing it up voyeurism, um inappropriate behavior, and actions through intimidation to some of these reports that have gone even further than that.

Additionally, when I say that allegations and reports to this extent about an informal structure of enforcement against citizens deserves immediate attention and a formal review.

That's it.

Thank you so much for being here today.

Next speaker, Nathaniel Leonard.

Next speaker.

Oh, he's coming.

I see you there, Nathaniel.

I have to say again to Mayor Whitman, wow, a counselor justice.

I used to know what that meant because I was a part of one that was right of righteousness and right, education, justice, and uh hard work and education and people who cared.

So that's what y'all are now again.

I got some information.

Uh, mayor gave to me and stuff to be seeing uh Ben Crump about a situation of bigotry with the sheriff uh that did not happen, and uh I would like to get that clarified with the correct information and address, though Mr.

Crump does have other uh locations in other states.

I would just like to say all this information I got was nothing, so I'm asking to get that straightened out and get me to Ben Crump and my address, and also identify him and also verify that address.

Don't just give me something, look at him and also verify that address before I get there, and if I need to get there, help me get there if it is not in Houston, Texas.

But for now, it they've been saying that it is in Houston.

If it's not, get me there.

So that's what I have to say.

Thank you for coming today.

Okay, we appreciate you being here.

Last time the mayor did uh give me a counsel of someone to help me to take care of this.

So Renee's here, and Renee can help you give Mr.

Crump's address.

You gave it to her.

It's not this is not corre very welcome.

Thank you, Miss Woodman.

We're so cute.

Council, we stand in recess until tomorrow at nine AM.

And St.

George Place Redevelopment Authority.

Item 26 ordinance establishing the 2800 block of Robertson Street, east and west sides between Halpern Street and Luzon Street within the City of Houston, Texas, as a special minimum lot size block pursuant to Chapter 42 of the Code of Ordinances.

Item 27, ordinance consenting to the addition of 4.6462 acres of land to Harris County Water Control and Improvement District Number 110.

Item 28, ordinance approving and authorizing water supply contract with Harris County Municipal Utility District number one eighteen.

Item 29, ordinance approving and authorizing water supply contract with Harris County Municipal Utility District No.

612, item 30, ordinance making certain findings related to use of approximately 7,368 square feet of land out of Chimney Rock Park in connection with construction of 20 foot wide utility corridor for a 42-inch sanitary sewer line and related infrastructure.

Item 31 ordinance finding and determining that public convenience and necessity no longer require the continued use of 1,276 square feet of 30 foot wide Mac Alpine Street from bio, Parkview Drive North to its terminus out of the Samuel M.

Williams survey abstract number 87.

Vacating and abandoning the said 1,276 square feet of 30 foot wide Mac Alp Mac Alpine Street to Allen J.

Atkinson doing business as bio vista.

Item 32 ordinance approved and authorizing second amendment to agreement with Texas Water Development Board.

Item 33, ordinance approving and authorizing third amendment to agreement with Texas Water Development Board.

Item 34 ordinance approving and authorizing second amendment to agreement with Texas Water Development Board.

Item 35 motion to set a public hearing date to provide a resolution of no objection for applicants seeking 4% housing tax credits for the following multifamily family development, Winshire Apartments.

Item 36 consideration of proposed amendments submitted in writing on June 17, 2026 by council members.

Amendments will be considered in the order of a matrix prepared by the administration.

Item 37, recommendation from the Director of Finance Department to approve the fiscal year 2027 to 2031 capital improvement plan.

This item shall only be considered after review of the amendments in item 36 above.

This completes the reading of the captions for the agenda of June 24, 2026.

Stay tuned for the next city council session to begin at 9 a.m.

And with that, happy Wednesday, everyone.

Council, please come to order.

Members, there's so much to talk about.

You'd have to be at the uh Kellogg Street site to see what was allowed to accumulate there inside a residential community near Mason Park.

And I think all of us need to continue to look for tools that would prevent that.

A lot of it, of course, is governed by the state legislature.

But we can use our voices and every tool of the city to prevent it in the first place, but I know we're all committed to that.

There's no telling what's been allowed to accumulate there, just piles of metal, ice boxes, old fuel tanks, you name it, and then thousands of tires.

But these firefighters that some of our friends' credit size just don't know what they're talking about.

And over a hundred-degree weather, their protective gear, being what it is, it's just amazing.

They're wearing masks, finding shade, best they could, but they were going into the middle of the fire.

So I thank them on all of our behalf, and certainly Houstonians, at least 200 were there at one time with their equipment.

Yes, it was using overtime because many were not allowed to have their normal shift.

They actually had cadets there, making it a learning training process.

So thank you to Houston Fire Chief Menos, who's been on the job for two years.

The morale's at an all-time high.

Had he 30 cadets, and when you visit with them, they were just getting their certification from Houston Fire so they could go to work in other jurisdictions.

All that's changed.

But yesterday, I witnessed their commitment and exposure.

I truly believe my voice is a little, got a little scratch in it today from being there.

I know my eyes were hurting after I left there.

So just across the street, around the corner from residential, Houstonians, houses, parks.

Thank you to Kenneth Allen for shutting down Mason Park as quickly as possible.

HBD there was controlling security.

We've learned that the owner probably can't meet his obligation of cleanup, so we authorized this morning for finance to find the uh the funds for the fire department to contract with a cleanup crew, but it should have never been there in the first place, and that ought to be something that we don't forget anytime soon in charge, which brings us to our robust discussion yesterday in council.

Thank you to the speakers, thank you to the communities they represented.

I certainly kept the speakers' list and the list of civic clubs, which I'm not surprised that you could ask any Houstonian about is it reasonable or should it be acceptable to build a gas station just a few feet from a residence?

The location on Washington probably is going forward due to its current status in construction, but we've got the health department, legal and public works looking at all of our tools to I would say slow down, but I won't say slow down because some lawyer will quote me.

But we're asking them to use their due diligence and take all the opportunity to let the health department come up with some recommendations for a citywide regulatory issue.

So that's that's something that came out of that meeting, and and I know many of you, Councilman Castillo, and certainly his district and the at-large council members Salinas Alcorn, all of us.

Uh we're aware we've seen it in third ward months ago.

We did everything we could to the point of condemning the site and making it a detention upon working with the TURS.

So we're all hands on deck.

I know I'm speaking for all of us, and also if you haven't been to FANFES, let me strongly recommend Mexico plays tonight, Ches Chia.

Amazing how my world geography is getting better with the World Cup exhibits.

But that's quite an experience, and people are still raving about the city's cooperation with the Orange March last Saturday.

Yeah, it's it's unbelievable.

I know many Houstonians participated, but the march went through residential areas that were wrapping their yards and trees in orange and providing water, it was really remarkable.

So thank you to again our first responders, but thank you to the organizers, the host committee, Chris Kennedy.

You know, I've already told him after the World Cup, we got to find a mission for him because he's truly a city asset.

The sports authority are performing uh as we expected, uh Juan Garcia and Ron Walsh, and just all the stakeholders and the city servants are making it a really good experience, and people are people are still buzzing about it, and we're not there yet, but we're talking to FIFA, and we're very encouraged to attempt to get the women's world cup in 2031.

When I visit with Mr.

Giani and others uh in his office, they say our fanfest is the best.

We haven't broken it up into smaller venues like other cities.

We've held our costs down, and they encourage us to apply and seek the women's world cup for 31.

So I'm very optimistic about that, and we all should um let people know this is a positive experience for Houston.

Our hotel occupancy is up 11 percent, sales tax are up, the uh Houston brand name is has improved, and we're being encouraged to seek other uh sports and entertainment events, and of course, you know how strongly I feel about the doubling of the George Brown.

Um, it was released yesterday that we're the fifth uh favorite city for conventions and events in our nation.

So thank you to Michael Heckman and the Houston First Board and really just everyone involved.

I uh I watched Dr.

Tran yesterday deal with the hazardous air at uh Mammoth Recycling, so the Health Department Energy and I could go through all of our departments.

I'm just really pleased with the our city operations.

Can we do better?

Oh yes, and are we gonna do better?

Oh yes.

But right now, if you go through our departments, Miss Gow of the Library kind of quietly does such a great operation.

So thank you.

That's my mayor's report.

I look forward to coming to work today, and uh appreciate all of you.

I uh the partnership on council, probably never been better.

And uh I know we all have our base of support and constituencies, and I can also sense most of our bases are spread or widening and getting better, and that just comes from collaboration, kind of leaving the politics out in the hall.

With that said, Mr.

Secretary, thank you for the job you do.

I don't between you and Martha, I don't think we could operate without you.

So thank you.

You want to start with a consent.

Under the miscellaneous category, item three has been pulled, will now be considered.

Need a motion for items one and two.

Motion made in second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

I'm in the key for item one.

Councilmember Thomas.

Good morning, everyone.

Um, our Mayor Pro Tim is not with us this morning as she travels on behalf of the city, but I did want to acknowledge Mr.

Rashid and Mr.

Timer.

Are you here in chambers?

Can you stand, please?

She was she I'm following her instructions, and I want to make sure that as she watches that she knows just to extend her appreciation to your service.

Um, and what we always say is that public service is not limited to those who are on the ballot, it's also individuals like you who are willing to use your industry experience to advance our city.

So thank you.

She wanted to extend her support and appreciation for your service.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

I assured the mayor pro tem we had her covered.

She's uh representing the city, but we know she's still here.

Under the accept work category, item four has been pulled, will now be considered.

Need a motion for items five and six.

Moves, it's seconded.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passed.

Under the ordinances category, since your list was distributed, all items have been received.

Items removed for separate consideration.

Seven, eight, nine, ten, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-three, twenty-nine, and thirty-two.

Again, those numbers are seven, eight, nine, ten, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-three, twenty-nine, and thirty-two.

Need a vote on the balance.

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

Motion passes.

Councilman Panzarella.

Yeah, I know um I had squared eighteen, but I don't need to make any comments on that, so I just want to let that be none.

We'll do it.

The foundation, sure.

It's square.

It's square.

Yeah.

We got you covered.

Councillor Evan Shabazz.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, and I know that uh item 11 was not squared, but I just wanted to make a comment.

Um, I want to thank you, Mayor uh Chairman Tom, Chairwoman Thomas, Director Nichols and the Housing Community Development Department for bringing this item forward and for your continued work to preserve affordable housing in Houston.

The Mariposa at Reed Road is an important senior living community in district D, serving residents who deserve safe, stable, and affordable housing as they age with dignity.

And this action protects the city's original investment, allows the property to receive new financing for rehabilitation, and extends affordability for an additional 10 years beyond the current city avoidability period.

And I especially appreciate that no additional federal or city funds are being provided while the city's loan documents, liens, security interests, and affordability restrictions remain protected, and that is responsible stewardship, and it reflects the kind of housing policy that keeps residents in place while improving the quality of life and the quality of their homes that they rely on.

And this is a win for our seniors, which is always great, and a win for district D and a win for the city of Houston.

And I will so very and those opposed, colleagues, for supporting this item.

Great job.

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

Premier is tagged.

Councilmember Thomas.

Oh, he's on the tag.

Can we release your discussion.

I don't just phone.

You don't have to release it.

Okay.

Tagged by Council Member.

Councilmember Ramirez tags.

That'd be eight.

Next.

I'll tag nine as well since requires passage of eight.

Thank you, sir.

Tagged by Councilmember.

Nine.

Tag Member Mayor's 10.

Item 10 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

You all right, remember?

Number 10.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed, nay.

Motion passes.

Item 18 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor, say yes.

Those opposed nay.

Motion passes.

Item 19.

Item 19 is an ordinance.

Just need a vote.

Councilmore Salinas.

Uh I know you're going to recommend a substitute of a one-year period, which I think is good government.

And I yield I yield to you, or you want to just change the bill.

I just wanted to thank you, Mayor, for your assistance.

I complet I completely agree with you as folks know this contract and the next contract determines how much Houstonians will have to pay in legal fees if they are delinquent.

As many of us know that impacts more often than not those that have the least among us, and it's important that we evaluate these contracts, and I so appreciate your leadership and guidance, and I'm grateful for the amendment to a one-year contract.

So I just wanted to thank you, Mayor.

Very good.

Nothing wrong with accountability.

I think the three years was to collect additional data, but uh we'll just expect the data to be collected quicker and do some comparisons.

Very good.

Councilmember Alcorn.

Thank you, Mayor, and I appreciate the one year and and just want to say, you know, as as you recall, Mayor, we really dug into this, you know, right at the beginning of this term, and um really have enjoyed working with both vendors.

I think the competition is good.

Uh I do.

I have asked some specific questions about the data and how it is collected, time frames, and also on various other aspects of the contract.

And um, I want to thank Eric Wen and the legal department who's gotten back to me with some pretty thorough answers on those and look forward to to analyzing this again in a year.

Council Davis.

Thank you, Mayor.

Just wanted to make uh lift up the question concerning the reduced to one year contract.

Uh is that gonna be for both or endors.

We've already made them aware this morning, and we just truth is they didn't have much of a choice.

We we told them the consensus that was built around the one year, and uh they understood.

Yeah, there they are, all three have agreed and signed.

They have agreed.

Yep.

Next, so we just need a vote on 19.

All in favor of this substitute, say yes.

Those opposed naight motion passes.

Good job, and thank you.

Councilman Alcorn, you really led on this when we got additional uh vendors involved, which we thought made it more competitive, and how councilmember Salinas is saying let's move at the timetable up.

So it's a good move.

Next, item 20 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

Say yes, those opposed, nay, motion passes.

Item 23 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor, Councilman Evan Shabbos.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Mayor.

I want to thank you and Director Liao.

Uh the Houston Houston Arts Alliance, the arts community, and my colleagues on council for the thoughtful work that brought this agreement forward as chair of the arts and culture committee.

I believe this is a strong and meaningful step toward a more transparent, accountable, and inclusive arts ecosystem in Houston.

This agreement reflects real engagement with the arts community, careful work by the administration, and collaboration with council to produce an outcome that is responsible, fair, and beneficial for the entire city.

Houston's arts are not extra.

They are part of who we are.

They drive tourism, support jobs, strengthen neighborhoods, tell us stories, and help make Houston a world-class city.

This contract is a win for our artists, our cultural organizations, our residents, our visitors, our economy, and Houston taxpayers and Houston taxpayers.

And okay.

I especially want to thank Mayor Whitmaier and Director Liao for engaging directly with the Arts and Culture Committee, members of council, and the arts community to help shape an agreement that is a win for all parties.

And today we are not just supporting the arts, we are investing in Houston's identity, creativity, economy, and future.

So thank you so very much.

Totally agreed.

The grantees are excited, and this gives ample opportunity to involve everyone in Director Liao is uh doing an excellent job.

Thank you.

Councilor Alcorn.

I just also wanted to shout out this important contract.

Um I'm so excited we have an arts and culture committee, Mayor.

That was a great call and great leadership by Councilmember Evan Shabazz.

It's getting the attention, it's fun to come to the I'm on that committee.

It's fun to come to those committees, but it's packed house.

They all come.

All those arts districts come, they're all coming to see Carol.

No, every all the arts districts come.

Everybody really is making a big effort to make sure this stays at the forefront that you know it's the soul of our city, um, Mayor Turner used to say, and and uh arts are so important, and and Michelle um has just been an unbelievable choice.

She's she's just energized, and I know it was supposed to be on last week.

She had planned to be out this week, um, but she's really just elevated it in my eyes, and and really thankful for her leadership and for the arts alliance leadership, and and having a committee that really um is is taking a deep dive into you know the arts.

We energized the subject and sound like it's energized council member Evan Shabazz.

We just need to vote on 23.

This don't spread that energy around too much more.

Thank all of you.

Um just need a vote on 23.

All in favor say yes.

Uh those opposed, no motion passes.

Item 29 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

Premier is tagged.

Tagged by Councilmember.

Item 32 is an ordinance, just need a vote.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed night, motion passed.

Item 35 is a motion to set a public hearing date.

That can move to set the public hearing date um for say July 8th at 9 o'clock a.m.

Motion made and second.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed name, motion passed.

Item 36 is the CIP amendments.

Very good members for item.

36.

36.

We're going to use the CIP matrix and consider all the amendments in order, beginning with Councilmember Selena's on 4.01.

So once we get to the matrix, we'll call the main item, which is force 36.

Thank you, Mayor.

As I previewed last week, our amendment uh is to move up the spending from 20 2031 to 2027 uh for the acquisition of more trash trucks to help with heavy trash pickup.

I think we all agree and know this is a very important issue.

Very grateful to the administration for your support.

Uh there was a request to make uh some changes to the language to change it from rear loader to trash trucks to give solid waste a bit more flexibility.

Thought that was a great suggestion, and uh hope all the colleagues will support this important amendment.

Thank you again, Mayor, for the support.

Very good, and thank you for continuing to lead us in heavy trash, illegal dumping, and uh also want to emphasize we're not where we want to be or where we're gonna be, but the calls to the city on trash, uh, certainly recycling and heavy trash have uh the cost of complaints have dropped significantly.

We've monitoring them, and I think uh want to thank uh director Hassan and Public Works Randy and their team working together.

I know purchasing new equipment is part of their agenda, and they're certainly taking all uh models under consideration, and there's been significant improvement in the last two years, partly because of Mr.

Hassan, and I would encourage anyone that's never experienced going out there at six in the morning and watching them roll the equipment out.

And the first time I went there literally up the road, they were breaking down because the condition of the trucks, and that's no longer the case.

We purchase 50 new ones.

Uh, we'll go ahead and add we didn't paint on uh the city blue, we left them white to save three thousand dollars per truck.

But now with your amendment, uh they're gonna get even more additional resources and look to your recommendation to look at all models, which I've heard that discussion about going to rear loader trucks, and I think I think we'll see that element to your recommendation.

Anyone just need to vote on the vote on the substitute.

All in favor say yes, those opposed night.

Motion passes.

Thank you.

Next, 601 Councilmember Peck, 601.

Thank you, Mayor.

6.01 is um for the evaluation of a full reconstruction project of Gessner Road from Newens to Clay.

Several years ago, we did Gessner Road from I-10 to Newens and would like to extend the project all the way up to Clay Road.

I understand that Public Works is going to work on a design concept report for this project.

So, in light of that, I will withdraw this amendment.

And thank you, and I'm very familiar with the condition that starts north on at Clay Road.

Somebody didn't allow that memorial management district go farther enough over maybe the Hempston and get Carvedale in some of the areas that uh been neglected for years.

But I know your commitment, and this will go a long ways.

Next, 602, 6.02 is um for the allocation of funding for the Sherwood Oaks drainage and paving project.

This is for the our portion of the local match for this.

This has been going on many, many years.

This was when Commissioner Cagle was in office and he actually applied for this grant, and we were able to negotiate at the time that the city would pay for half of the local match, and the county would pay for the other half, and we are at that point now finally where it looks like it might happen this fiscal year that we need to allocate that funding.

So I just wanted to make sure that it's in the CIP and that the funding is there when we're ready to execute that contract.

Very good.

Administration support.

Next, mayor, do we need to take a vote on it or just a vote on six?

I was just seeing if you were paying.

All in favor say yes.

Those opposed to our motion pass.

Thank you, everyone.

Next 6.03 is a million dollars allocated for the Agnes Moffitt Park pool improvements.

Um this is not city funding, this is um state funding through Representative Lacey Hold that she was able to get us in this last legislative session.

This is for pool improvements.

Um, the pool at the park is very outdated, needs a lot of improvements, and we are also working with both HPD and HFD for the improvements at this pool for them to be able to use it for their water training in the off hours when the community isn't using the pool.

So we're very excited about that, and just wanted to make sure that it is moving forward this fiscal year.

Very well, and great collaboration with the representative.

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

Thank you, everyone.

6.04.

This is for the valuation for um a conservancy at Cullen Park.

In case you aren't aware, Cullen Park is actually the largest park in the city of Houston.

Um, it's over by I 10 and Barker Cyprus.

And there's so much that I think that we could be doing at this park that we're not currently doing.

A lot of it's for flooding mitigation, but there's other areas of the park that we we could be using.

So we'd just like to look at the feasibility of doing a conservancy at this park.

And I understand, Mayor, that you'd like to um refer this to the quality of life committee, and I'm happy to do that.

Please, I think we will get some results.

Great.

I will withdraw that amendment.

Thank you.

Six point zero five is for a comprehensive study of the assessment of the White Oak Conference Center to identify other ways of utilization.

So this is actually a city facility in the Inwood area.

We are doing the Inwood Forest Attention Basin project there.

Um it's a former golf course, and the city purchased this property, including the building in um 2010.

And so we right now the near Northwest Management District has been leasing that building, and we just want to see, you know, if there's other ways that maybe we can maximize the use for the community in partnership with the near Northwest Management District.

And Mary I understand that you would like this item withdraw and um for you know withdraw this item um to work in committee on this instead.

Yes, I think that would be beneficial and I'm very familiar.

Prior to the uh management district.

If you drive that area, go down Tidwell off of Antoine.

I mean, their pass and detention bonds and sidewalks are really impressive.

So yes, government operations will review it.

Next, yeah, six or six um six point zero six is um to facilitate moving um the Turkey Creek tributary to um Harris County Flood Control District.

This is something that has been in the works for a while.

Um, this is in the Sherwood Oaks neighborhood, and it's a tributary that we're only mowing once, maybe twice a fiscal year.

We've put in service funds to do additional maintenance on this, but as we are looking at open um ditches moving over to Harris County Flood Control District where they might have the availability to maintain it more often.

We'd just like for them to um to do all the necessary work that the county is asking for us to do to move that over for their maintenance, and I understand that mayor you support this and it's it's happening, so I will withdraw this item.

Okay, and we'll certainly look to the Harris County Flood Control District for collaboration.

Thank you.

Next, Councilmember Jackson with 701.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um 701 amendment is the reconstruction of Lakewood neighborhood library um to add that to the HPL Harvey restoration projects.

Um the Lakewood Library was still destroyed during Harvey.

Um the reason that I know you requested our withdrawal at the administration request the withdrawal because we don't have the funds to construct the new library, but this is not a new library.

Um this is a reconstruct, and so um I will withdraw, but this is something that the community has been asking for um since Harvey.

Um to have their library back.

So whatever the ministry can do, if we can look for additional resources outside of the city, that will be greatly appreciated.

But I will withdraw it.

Um, and seven zero two is the construction of the new regional library located at 3100 Victory Drive.

Um, this will be a full service library similar to what they have in a leaf, uh-huh.

And so we broke ground on it.

We're trying to get there, so hopefully, we're working with the we're working with you.

Yeah, the prairies, we can get you know catch up to what's happening on the um is it the west side.

Yeah, the best side, but the B is the best.

So we need to get something for B.

So with that being said, Mayor will um respectfully withdraw it, but uh thank you.

No, I know the priority of this, thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Next, she's perfectly agreed.

Yes, uh speaking for the mayor pro tem.

She's agreed to the substitute.

All in favor of the substitute.

On this one, Kevin.

On the Mayor Pro Tim's, yes.

Just on the record, I just she just wants y'all to know that she is fighting for Almeda Plaza.

Um for everyone in District K that is still on her list, and she's been um in direct conversation with our public works director, sure, and they have come to an agreement and a plan.

So folks in discrete district K, you should have some good news coming soon.

Very well said.

All in favor say yes, those opposed name.

Motion passed.

And then you want to Councilman Thomas, you want to announce that she's withdrawn the next one.

Representing the mayor pro tip.

She's agreed to withdraw 1601.

1602, she's withdrawing 1602.

No, 1602.

It's withdrawn as well.

Okay.

And that takes care of the amendments.

Now we're back to the main item.

Main item members uh all in favor say yes.

Those opposed nay, motion passed.

Thank y'all for your hard work.

Start with Jackson.

Oh, Councilmember Thomas is in the queue.

Yes, after the item.

After CIP, yes.

Right.

So I can wonderful.

Okay, so uh just for residents, our CIP items were in alignment with what we've been discussing.

We've been working with the public, Houston Public Works Department to make sure uh that the Bisonette safe streets, that 28 million dollar uh project that remains on track that is that includes three council districts, a seven-mile stretch.

Uh we are moving forward with that.

I believe we're looking for probably a fiscal late fiscal 27 28 construction around that.

Our Gessner uh project, which is shared between District G and F.

Uh, we have a fiscal year delay um based on the community input of the residents in district F on the uh lanes on Gessner, um, and so we are in the process of working with Tex Dot to make sure that we meet those uh deadlines, but that construction project is still moving forward.

Um, in addition to that, our Hackberry and Boone project, you should see a council action this fiscal year, excuse me, this um calendar year, fall 26th.

That's going to that's uh close to a 20 million dollar detention project at Hackberry and Boom Park.

I want to thank the parks department in Houston Public Works for diligently working um with us to get this across the line and the team with Engage Houston for hosting a series of uh community meetings um for the community.

So we are excited about our projects.

We are moving forward with our third-party partnerships, funding with Harris County Precinct 4, some federal funds.

Um, so please stay tuned to the newsletter, and so it was a win not just for um the city, but especially on the west side, our projects are moving forward.

Thank you.

Pop off, Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

One announcement um today we have our um public um I'm sorry, um, service delivery committee meeting at two p.m.

we have um public works discussing the dish re-establishment projects, and so come on out so that you can get your questions answered about this um the program.

We've had a lot of discussion doing budget about um but um the district establishment program, and so this is opportunity for us to get up to speed on um where they're at in the process, why the projects um you know how the projects are moving and what the calendar looks like in the future.

So join us at two p.m.

here in chambers.

Thanks.

Thanks, Councilman.

Thank you, Mayor.

So uh I think this is the last meeting before July the fourth, and uh this is kind of a special July 4th, I think.

Um this is our 250th anniversary of the declaration of independence, and um I can remember the bicentennial, the 200th anniversary.

I'm that old.

And uh I was I was a boy at that time, and a big deal was made about it.

The country really got behind it and um um I don't I don't sense that this time around, unfortunately, uh, because it is a milestone, and I I would encourage everyone to reflect on uh the freedoms that we enjoy in this country and the work that went into ensuring that we have those freedoms.

Uh the folks who signed the Declaration of Independence really went out on a limb, putting their lives at risk and their livelihoods at risk as well.

And uh it was an uncertain thing as to what what would happen and how it would turn out, and we know how it's turned out and how many lives have been lost uh to protect our freedoms, and I hope we take time uh during the holiday to appreciate all that uh has been done for us and hope we recommit ourselves to protecting the freedoms that that we all enjoy, including the freedom of religion.

But you know, we we work hard at our jobs here and do our best for our constituents.

And and I think everything we do here can be traced back to to that action and the actions that followed in writing a constitution and and so forth.

And so I would just encourage Houstonians to to reflect on uh this this occasion and recommit ourselves to uh to making this country great.

Thank you.

Councilman Jackson Thomas Thomas.

Calibrating.

Okay.

Um so although Councilmember Martinez, excuse me, uh Ramirez tagged um the item during June's home ownership month and hurricane season.

Um I want um Houstonians to pay attention to the $50 million allocation that should come before this council after July 4th.

This $50 million um is dedicated to single family home repairs.

Uh, many of you have been waiting since 2024.

If you were impacted by Derecho or Barrel to receive these funds, this program is in high demand, and just to give you context, DR21, which was our winter storm Uri $50 million allocation.

We have 1,200 applications in the queue, right?

So we are already on schedule to serve over a hundred thirty-five, forty Houstonians.

Um, with this particular program, you can qualify up to a hundred thousand dollars in rehab and up to a three hundred thousand in reconstruction.

Many of you came to chambers saying that you cannot wait.

Um, so you will wait two more weeks.

Um, but I want you to know that this is a good uh this is a good action on behalf of Houstonians.

Um we've already approved our multifamily 50 million dollars that NOFA closed a couple of weeks ago.

We should see those projects moving forward.

So this is one of the few um early allocations of the $314 million disaster recovery in term in response to barrel, and we're moving and getting this money to the street.

Looking forward to this item coming back um to uh council and to couple council member Ramirez's remarks about the 250.

Um a part of that has always been that American dream has always been home ownership, right?

Um and and which is almost out of reach for so many people in our country, especially in in Houston.

Um and I recall uh Mayor Whitmeyer's early comments during his inauguration where he talked about public safety and he also talked about how Houstonians are unable to afford and that they cannot wait afford a home and they cannot wait.

So this action when it comes back um is allows us to celebrate the 250 year and the American dream for so many Houstonians.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh my mind is you articulate your knowledge.

Uh I'm reminded by your chair of our housing committee.

So thank you for your leadership.

Vice Mayor Potier.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, first I'd like to announce that Hope City is doing their days of hope distribution in District A, where they will distribute food and supplies.

The first one will be July 11th.

It will be at Spring Spirit at 8526 Pitner Road, and that will be at 10 o'clock a.m.

And then their next event will be on July 18th at the Carverdale Community Center at 10 o'clock a.m.

So please join us for both of those distributions.

And if you know of anyone in need, um please send them to either of those events.

Um, and then why don't you wish everyone a happy fourth of July next week and to my constituents concerned about fireworks and celebratory gunfire to please continue to contact HPD if you hear anything in your neighborhood around July 4th.

Thank you.

Councilmember Thomas, I was in Pleasantville the other night and they were passing out a bunch of information about the recovery money, and people were excited.

Also in Pleasantville, um, Councilmember Jackson, you had a staff member there too.

There's a there's a street in Pleasantville, Burndale that the mail doesn't even get delivered because of the stray dogs.

I've got BART going out there.

There's a there's a big problem um in parts of Pleasantville with the stray dog, so we gotta pay attention to that.

Um I did do the orange parade.

Oh my gosh, it was so much fun.

I don't have you don't have any Dutch relatives or anything, but we we got on the orange, it was hot, but it was just so much fun, and we were around a bunch of Dutch people.

One guy walked in his wooden shoes the entire way.

I mean, they must have been really comfortable.

They did not look it.

Um, and it was so fun visiting with the the people from the Netherlands.

I mean, they just couldn't say enough about Houston.

They were uh it was a I don't know, stuff like that just gives me faith and in everything.

It's it's been a great world cup, the fan fest has been really fun.

It's it's just uh a great thing for our city and for the country, I think.

Totally agree, and Metro was proactive with four uh cooling buses along the route.

And while we're discussing and doing shout outs, I should mention uh Liz with Brock and the Metro team.

Uh the first game uh the heat became an issue as people in large numbers, thousands wanted on the trains, so they were proactive and and learned from that and put the the waiting lines inside NRG.

Of course, a little push back from FIFA because that wasn't their plan, but through some friendly persuasion, uh that system got worked out and uh water and waiting in NRG became a successful model.

So, you know, it's it's just you get frustrated in this and in our jobs when the critics just want to criticize and not get out there and witness firsthand the uh the joy and the benefits of uh FIFA.

It's been and uh can't say enough about the sports authority, Ron Walsh, Juan Garcia.

I mean they're just really doing a great job.

So thank you for your comments.

Councilmember Salinas.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I also want to echo what Councilman Ralcorn was saying yesterday.

I had the chance to go out to the fan fest for the first time, and we were interviewing people from around the world and asked them to describe Houston in one word, and the word they chose over and over again was friendly.

Friendly, yes, and I thought that was just absolutely wonderful and spoke to just what a great job the city has done and welcoming people from all over the world in the way we've always done.

So I just I hats off to all the organizers and the folks that have been doing the hard work behind the scenes.

And I'd like to just take a moment to recognize uh this summer's policy fellow Bianca, if you can stand up.

Bianca Ramos uh is my summer policy fellow, joins us from Rice University.

Uh, she's a Houston native first-generation college student, is doing an excellent job working very hard to write some legislation that we'll be bringing to you all in the coming weeks and months.

Um, but just want to commend her for her work, her dedication.

She's very passionate about the city, wants to pursue a career in public service, and hopefully, this is a good start to her bright future.

Thank you, Mayor.

And before we get too far away from the fanfest and FIFA, I've got to share with you all.

First, I met Freddie.

I didn't know who Freddie was.

And in fact, in fact, there was a scheduled meeting with Freddie who was traveling to U.S.

at 4 30 last Wednesday.

And I just didn't have time for for a casual visit with a guest named Freddie.

But I went to the ball gate that night in the middle of dinner, some Astro officials brought me Freddie.

I said, Freddie, what is so special about you that I needed to meet you this afternoon?

He said, I'm special because I'm not special.

Didn't want any photos.

Had a twin brother there.

We got to talk about what a great experience I've had visiting Germany.

And that was a delight of another individual that brought so much attention to Houston.

Then, fast forward, the next day, I'm at FanFest, and somebody had mentioned me.

Have I ever met I see Speed?

Well, y'all know I probably hadn't.

But I got to work and Googled him.

Not expecting to meet him that after that evening.

He was at the fan fest.

He was a he was more.

Everybody was supposed to be watching the video camera screens were watching Speed.

So someone took me over to meet Speed.

And he said, and you're the mayor of the city.

I said, Well, I think you are tonight.

So what an experience.

And I had done my research and I told him that I had learned that his grandfather was the first African American fire chief in Detroit.

And he was so impressed that I'd done my homework.

But uh he says he comes to Houston fairly often, so you know, on my thinking cap, we'll we'll attempt to get him down here because he showed a lot of interest in Houston.

But folks, um I'm sure you probably know, but since that experience and he got on social media, darn near everybody, including my grandsons, know who I see speed is.

He's got like five or six hundred million followers.

So anyway, yeah, that's a pretty I think I know how many zeros that is.

So I see speed and uh he's been out at the ball games, and so another another opportunity for Houston to be recognized by two folks who have millions of followers, great experience.

Councilman Carter.

We're all too old over here.

We're trying to figure out is it I see Speedy, I show Speedy.

I'm just showing you know what I'm just doing the best I can.

No, yeah, we don't we don't know over here either.

So we're everybody calls him speed.

And that's what I was doing.

I saw Freddy, but I didn't see speed.

Um I also want to give a shout out to Metro.

I actually rode the rail from Texas and Maine to the to uh the game, and uh, of course I'm hyper-focused on the homeless going through midtown, and um metro police was at every stop.

Uh, we did have a an individual get on our car, and of course we're packed in there like sardines, but in in the Houston way and spirit, you know, everybody just kind of stepped aside, no issue, you know.

And he it was a gentleman obviously homeless, and and rode for about four stops, and then off he got, and everything was fine, and certainly it it was a little wet that day I went, so we all were like drowned rats.

But um anyway, great experience, and hats off to Metro and Metro Police were stepping up to to help with that situation, and it's just a great experience.

Um additionally wanted to put a plug in for the Heritage Society, they have the Texas uh America 250 exhibit and uh just next door.

Uh family day is July the 1st.

It's free, so if you don't have anything to do on the first, hop over and see the exhibit.

The Heritage Society is that little well-kept secret in our city that's a wonderful park and wonderful asset, and they've got great exhibits and great going on.

Family friendly, so stop by and check it out.

Thanks.

And as you mentioned, the homeless uh circumstances.

Uh I should do a shout out for Mike Nichols and Sider White and Harris Health and Harris Center.

The emancipation site is doing exactly what we designed it to do.

They've had 250 people come through this morning, there's 220 with about 30 folks who have already been referred to a more permanent uh location.

So we're headed in the right direction there, and I know you've played such a lead role in that, so let me give you a shout out.

But Midtown, uh Montrose, and the adjoining uh central district communities are going to be next on our priority list.

Absolutely, we have a lot of work left to do.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I conversation with Larry on a regular basis, talked to him yesterday morning about midtown.

But um, and I'll be over at Emancipation this afternoon and working closely with the Harris Center Foundation, and we're bringing uh potential uh supporters in um on a weekly basis, and so I I'm looking forward to making good progress, continued good progress over there, and um have been excited to see what's actually happening and and getting the folks off the street and to the resources that they need.

So, thank you for your.

Well, we keep getting good reports out of Washington that HUD and others are gonna send us money, so there's a new fund model cities.

But I tell Josh and all of them when they come back from Washington, we don't want love, we want money.

And so uh hopefully.

They're hearing our call.

I know the HUD secretary will be here next week, so hopefully, with some uh good dialogue, we're gonna get some help.

Counselor Evan Shabon.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I want to take a moment to recap and recognize the many Juneteenth celebrations that took place across District D.

Juneteenth is not just a holiday, it is a sacred reminder of freedom, resilience, faith, and the strength of our people.

Across the district, we saw families, seniors, young people, artists, churches, civic leaders, and community partners come together to celebrate our history and our future.

That is what makes District D so special.

We are rooted in legacy, but we are also building forward.

I wanna thank you, Mayor, for coming out.

You were out there just all casual, and you're right, and that was good to see.

You let your hair down.

And uh Director Allen, I wanna thank him for his support and the continued commitment to making sure these important community celebrations are seen, supported, and valued.

I also want to thank Councilmember Willie Davis, who joined us on stage as we recognize this important moment.

His presence and partnership were appreciated, and it meant a great deal to the community.

Certainly want to acknowledge that we had Congressman um Christian Menifee, Congressman Al Green, we had the Harris County attorney, um Abby Kamen.

And and I wanna uh give a special shout out to the board chair of the Emancipation Park and Servancy, Ramon Manning, along with Geronica Horn, and they did a fantastic fantastic job.

And also the Yates family who joined us.

Uh Jacqueline Bostick stage was unveiled.

Well, there was a ribbon cutting, so that uh her name and the Jack Yates family will also always be a part of of the celebrations.

Certainly, gotta recognize C.

Anderson Davis uh from the NAACP, Al Green, excuse me, not Al Green, Al Edwards, and Sheila Jackson Lee for their efforts in making sure that this was a celebration that would be commemorated.

Uh I also want to acknowledge the celebration uh and the ribbon cutting at the Miller Outdoor Theater.

Um, and I'm not gonna pronounce the name, but they're the Chow Foundation Plaza.

Uh Miller Outdoor Theater is one of the Houston's most treasured cultural spaces, and it continues to be a place where families from every background can experience the arts, community, and joy together.

Certainly a thanks to Claudia Claude Claudia De Vasco, such a beautiful person for her leadership, her hospitality, and her continued dedication to making Miller Outdoor Theater a welcoming space and a beautiful space for all Houstonians.

Certainly we had uh entertainment that was stellar.

We had Shantae Moore and you know, I think I can sing a little bit, but I had to let her go with some of those notes.

Oh my god, the lady is phenomenal.

I had to just back up and make sure nobody was recording when we got to some of those notes that she sang, and certainly Mays featuring Christopher Walker.

Uh they were so fabulous.

And then we had the wonderful MCs, Funky Larry Jones and Donna Franklin, and certainly my shout out to Ernest Walker, who is the manager of KTSU.

And so it was a wonderful celebration, and as we reflect on Juneteenth, we are reminded that freedom must be celebrated, protected, and carried forward through service.

District D is proud to honor that legacy, not just in words, but in the work that we do every day for our communities.

Upcoming events, the Houston Area Urban League Advancing Opportunity Luncheon will be um on Friday, June the 26th from 11 30 a.m.

to 1 p.m.

at the Hilton Americas, and the EEDC Resilient Ready Resource Fair uh for emergency preparedness, Resilient and ready, uh, so that we'll be ready, because preparation is very important.

We'll be Saturday, June the 27th from 9 a.m.

to noon, and that will be at the resilience hub at 2805 Winburne Street.

The fair will provide free resources, health services, hurricane preparedness tools, emergency planning information, wellness screenings, housing and disaster recovery support, climbing resilience and weatherization tips, and family-friendly activities and giveaways.

And thank you so very much, Mayor, for bringing forward the 2027 CIP, and thank you to my colleagues for supporting the item and amendments.

And certainly I want to thank the uh chief of staff, Cynthia Wilson, Stephen David, Brandy Mockie, David Wardlaw, and the HPW CIP team and the finance team for their work, responsiveness, and continued partnership throughout the CIP process.

And finally, District D appreciates the collaboration and the continued commitment to moving critical infrastructure priorities forward for our residents to provide better quality of life, which is what this is all about.

So certainly hopefully you all will have a wonderful week.

Certainly, next week we will be out, and I just hate that, but I'll do the best I can, but certainly um just a wonderful week and a wonderful safe time for everyone, and that concludes what's going on in the district of destination.

Thank you.

Thank you for the shout out for the reunion at emancipation on Juneteenth.

Certainly it's it's a shout-out for Sheila Jackson Lee, Sylvester Turner, Al Edwards who served in the legislature and every year was able to get money in the budget for the emancipation celebration.

But let's not forget Opal Lee.

One of the real special people I got to meet on the Senate floor.

Her picture is there only the second African American woman after Barbara Jordan to have her photo hung in the Senate chamber.

So uh it was a real delight to get to meet this sweet lady that through determination and passion made it a national holiday.

And so there's so much to celebrate.

I was very honored to be the honorary chair of the event.

Thank you to Ramon Manning and the Turs and the CEO and really the community.

It was hot.

But we all put that aside and had a great uh reunion.

So thank you.

I always say we wish we had gotten the news in the winter.

Yeah.

But we got the news.

Yes, we we didn't we didn't get to pick the date.

It was handed to us.

Councilman Davis.

Thank you, Mayor.

I just want to uh take the moment and acknowledge the uh leadership of Councilmember Callisha Baz and her passion and compassion for Third War Texas as we both have held in that community emancipation, the Juneteenth at Emancipation Park was phenomenal.

It was an outstanding representation, but there's several reasons.

Uh what makes me proud in all of the celebration.

I went to the Jubilee celebration in the um Be United District B, attended most of the activity there as well as the Juneteenth parade.

So there's several reasons why it's so important to me because one Juneteenth is a national recognized uh holiday that has been um recognized by all across this country, and I'm proud not only to be a black American, but to know that Texas was the state that initiated this, and Mayor you spoke about State Representative Al Edwards, who attended my church congregation for many, many years at the St.

Paul Church.

So I followed it for a very, very long time.

And so it's just good and proud to be a Houstonian and a Texans that would recognize the contributions uh that our uh that our heritage represents.

Secondly, I do want to um acknowledge as others has echoed what has gone on doing fanfests and uh FIFA.

I want to first and thank you, Mayor, for your leadership in that, but I want to also thank HPD and the fire department for their service to this city and how they have well represented not only our visitors but those who are here in the city.

FIFA has been such a great success.

That was the doubters and people were uh people were addressing the fact about whether or not this was going to yield what it uh was supposed to yield, and it's proven to be just that.

Um I've had the chance to not only attend the FIFA game, but also in the FANFES.

I was there on last night, believe it or not, because it wasn't the fact that in my position, it wasn't just an offer, it was a command for me on last night to be at the fanfest because um Columbia was playing Congo, and um, so I was there it would really enjoyed the game.

Thank God Columbia won because I would have had a rough night at my house if they hadn't, but but they did.

And so it was great, people attended, it was uh well uh organized, people were very um kind and peaceful, so thank God for that.

But uh also in closing, I would hope that we do not uh leave the fact on what was talked about in council on yesterday regarding service stations uh that uh are being in our communities, uh presenting very unsafe conditions.

But I want to uh echo again that the service station is not the only thing that is put into our community that we need to circle the wagon on uh because what we need to do is look at all communities in this city and some of the things that are being put in our communities.

I think it's responsibilities at large people that we focus on all of the city and not just on a certain item.

So I'm great to hear the speakers who came, people who are pushing it, and I would hope that we take a very serious look at that and keep our minds upon it.

So other than that, uh we wish everybody have a safe and happy uh fourth of July.

And thank you, and certainly your shout out for HPD during these uh crowded conditions.

Uh I've witnessed HPD handing out water along the trail.

Uh I just think it's so unfortunate that we have critics of Houston Fire and Police when they demonstrate every day their commitment and the morale, the growth of the departments.

Two chiefs are outstanding menos in the house.

Now, are we requesting and demanding more efficiency?

Yes.

But our city's growing, both these chiefs have only been there two years, and they uh got some very challenging times when they took over, but the departments are some of the best trained and uh diverse, and it starts at the top.

So thank you to Chief Tia Minos.

This misinformation, the third ward, uh it's one of the more dangerous uh sections of the city.

When we went to the dedication ribbon cutting of Columbia Tap, one visual I have is just police officers were everywhere on bikes patrolling the cap, but it is a challenge as this public safety is a challenge across the city.

But uh I just don't understand the critics of our fire and police departments.

Uh but they're there, and uh they're being dealt with as we talk.

But the two departments uh are retaining the veterans that would have gone to other agencies in previous years, the recruitment's at an all-time high, the morale's at an all-time high, and we're still collaborating with other agencies.

The DPS has been a good partner in traffic enforcement, but we still have a lot to do uh with the crime rate, uh, response times at an all-time high, the department numbers at an all-time high, but we need to continue to use technology and uh collaboration and work with the leadership of both those partners.

And how can we go any further without giving Brian Mason a shout out out at the emergency center and his employees that bring their sleeping bags in?

Certainly when we uh open the center during the week before last challenge in rains.

Uh Brian Mason is just one dynamic leader.

So everywhere you look, Dr.

Trans out there, uh Energized at the Health Department, and I could go on Celanthia, making certain everyone has an opportunity, and I shouldn't start naming people because it really covers the entire city operation, solid waste, for instance.

Joe, welcome to uh to council.

Uh, I know you're working hard in the what's about three weeks now.

I think this is my fourth week today.

You remember how hard you worked to get here?

My gosh, yeah.

I'm I'm doing double time for sure.

I'll always say in the legislature, after serving many years, you really really only have that first door knocking campaign in you.

Now you have to do more as you get reelected, but I know I can look at Councilman Selena's heart, it's probably still fresh on her mind.

There's nothing harder, there's no more hard work than doing a campaign right, leading, and knocking those doors in this kind of heat.

So, congratulations again.

Thank you.

Appreciate y'all.

I yield to you.

Yeah, um, I want to thank you as well for your leadership.

Um, with the World Cup going on right now.

I want to give a shout out to Chris Kennetti and and the host committee.

Uh, it's not easy to host seven Super Bowls in one summer, so what y'all are accomplishing right now is is really quite remarkable.

Um, and I want to echo Cosmember Carter's sentiments towards Metro as well.

Their extended services have been a real boon and help for all of the guests coming into Houston, but also just regular Houstonians, and so I hope that we can um look at these extended services and and continue to have them year-round so that we continue to encourage the the growth of the great metro system.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Members, we don't want to councilman Evans Shabon's energized.

I'm sorry, Mayor.

I I just needed to say a couple of other things.

Uh I didn't give a shout out to Chili Bill, who is the DJ for the uh emancipation, and I mean he does such a phenomenal job to keep us shaking the tail feather, and I appreciate that, and certainly to MC 7, who does a wonderful, I mean, he's just an awesome young man.

I also want to um say that I Brian Courtney Wilson is my absolute favorite male gospel singer, and I did post a picture in Facebook, and everybody that's your new man.

Well, no, he's not my new man, but he's my spiritual uplift man, Brian Courtney Wilson.

Oh my god.

Anyway, and shout out to his wife, thank you.

And and so certainly I want to suddenly lift up the honorary mayor of Sunnyside, Sandra Hines.

She always does such a wonderful job, not just for the community, but for a wonderful celebration for our seniors, and so I want to give her a shout out as well, and I think that concludes what's going on in the district of destination.

Thank you.

Oh, I'm sorry, and and and happy heavenly birthday to my mother, Katherine Evans.

Um, her birthday would have been today, and we would have been celebrating, so and we are gonna celebrate just because of who she is.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Members are on July 4th, be safe.

There'll be parades all over the city.

Uh and there's a FIFA game at noon.

Uh FanFest will be open because at four o'clock, there's a FIFA game in Philadelphia, recognizing the country's 250 birthday, and then Freedom Fest should be outstanding this year.

Uh, we anticipate a lot of our guests to the FIFA events to pour over into Freedom over Texas.

So it's gonna be exciting before we meet again July 7th at 1 30.

So everyone be safe and enjoy the fourth.

Be safe.

We stand adjourned.