Houston city council notes, prepared by Emily J Hynds.

Agenda

1. Mayor’s Report
2. Consent Agenda (items that require a vote, like purchases, resolutions, ordinances, etc)
3. Council Member Pop-Off

Mayor’s Report

• Mayor Turner remarked that the state legislature is “unfortunately” still in session, which made some people laugh. He highlighted HB 2127, which is likely to pass the House and move on to the Senate. Turner called HB 2127 a “super pre-emption bill” that would limit local control over things like noise, insurance, labor, and more. He encouraged Council Members who have ties with legislators to reach out to them and encourage them to vote no, or at least soften this bill and others like it. Turner also said it’s a legally ambiguous bill and that it will turn into “a feeding frenzy for lawyers” if passed.
• Earth Day is this Saturday 4/22 and there is a lot going on to celebrate. There was a speaker series at the Julia Ideson Library on Monday and Tuesday. Today (Wednesday) there is a festival at City Hall and the Library featuring lots of exhibits and interactive stuff.
• In a statewide contest, Houston’s East Water Purification Plant won best tasting water, and we love to see it. Love to taste it? Love to live it.
• Taylor Swift has three sold out shows this weekend at NRG Stadium. Mayor Turner remarked on the power and resolve of “Swifties” and said, of Swift, “She’s incredible.”
• CM Kubosh asked what’s up with the Pappas lawsuit over the concessions contract. Mayor Turner said their request for a restraining order was denied and the next step is a hearing at the end of the month. Kubosh asked what will happen if Pappas refuses to leave the airports, and Mayor Turner said, “Oh, they’re gonna leave the airport … They need to start packing now.” Turner also admitted he doesn’t know exactly how this will play out because in his 40 years of lawyering, he has never seen a procurement issue go into mediation. Exciting! For us, dear readers, probably not for the Pappas people. Or the city. But I’m on the edge of my seat.
• Condolences were given for two Houston employees who passed recently, firefighter Willie C. Nelson and park ranger David Lewis. RIP.

Agenda Items, Selected Works

• Item 4 approved $284K for eleven ambulance cots and twenty stair chairs for HFD. The supporting document mentioned “increased use in response to COVID-19.”
• Item 6 approved $56K to renew investigative software for HPD.
• Item 8 approved $154K on marketing for two upcoming Houston Public Works (HPW) campaigns: 1) Protect Our Pipes and 2) Give Water A Break. CM Peck asked to see some data on the efficacy of this marketing campaign and questioned whether we should be pursuing new and different ways to market, which … sure. BUT. What I really want to talk about is that I have seen some of the designs for the Give Water a Break Campaign because I get CM Alcorn’s newsletter (Sign up for it! It’s good!) and y’allll I love them. I can’t wait to share them. I’ll try to find them and share them in my stories when these notes are posted.
• Item 10 approved $36K for something called “tapping saddles” and Item 11 approved $4K for “pump packing materials,” and both were giving very big NSFW vibes.
• Item 12 approved $403K for the purchase of 14 electric sedans for the city’s fleet of vehicles.
• Item 13 approved up to $1.1M to Access Care of Coastal Texas for housing and related services for people living with HIV/AIDS.
• Item 15 deals with some CenterPoint stuff. CenterPoint is trying to raise rates, which needs to be approved by the City. Today, Council voted to deny their rate appraisal, not necessarily because they oppose it, but because they want more time to review. Denying the rate hike today will give them more wiggle room to fully assess. This is a good thing to keep an eye on in general.
• Item 26 approved an ordinance that extended contracts with a bunch of companies that do the towing for HPD.

Council Member Pop-Off

• CM Kamin cheered Earth Week and plugged an event at the Arboretum on Saturday from 10-2, featuring conservation professionals like park rangers, wildland firefighters, rehabilitators … and SMOKEY THE BEAR. She also plugged the Public Safety and Homeland Security committee meeting on Thursday which will include:
  • Updates on Alert Houston system
  • The Hazard Mitigation plan
  • A bunch of grants HPD is planning to apply for
• CM Pollard shared info about an Earth Day plant swap this Saturday from 9-11 at the Lansdale Community Center on Roos Road.
• CM Evans-Shabazz shared an Earth Day event this Saturday from 9-12 at the Blue Triangle Community Center on McGowen.
• CM Martin said, “I am a Swiftie, and I will be at the concert.” Then he made a speech trying to reference every song in the set list, but I don’t think he quite made it.
• CM Thomas plugged the Turnaround Job Fair on 4/27 and a Deed Restrictions Workshop on 4/29. She called out Comm’s Systems, who has been illegally dumping at a defunct Long John Silver’s in District F. A resident caught them and reported them to Crimestoppers and 311. Thomas said, “You play dumb games, you get stupid prizes.”
• CM Alcorn called out Texas Junk Removal for their bandit signs all over the city. She talked about being a judge in the aforementioned water tasting contest and it legit sounded like fun! Do I have Stockholm Syndrome? Also her daughter is getting married this weekend, so congrats to them.
• CM Plummer wished Eid Mubarak (Happy Eid!) to the Muslim community. She shared a Cancer Cluster Summit taking place from 4/24 – 4/27 to address the Kashmere Gardens and Fifth Ward issues.
• CM Peck plugged a food distribution on Saturday at 10am at Cora Johnson Community Center.

Who took these notes? And what resources did they use?

My name is Emily Hynds and I am a small business owner, producer of the monthly storytelling series Grown-up Storytime, and lifelong Houstonian. I am not a journalist or government official. I am a local government enthusiast who believes meaningful change starts at home. These notes are presented from my point of view and with my framing, and are not comprehensive. Your notes will certainly be different, and I would love to read them if you attend.

While compiling these notes I used the following sources:
https://houston.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/
https://houstonarboretum.org/event/earth-day-celebration/
https://www.houstontx.gov/turnaround/

You can find your City Council Member and their contact info at: http://www.houstontx.gov/council/whoismycm.html

Thank you to Houston In Action and ACLU TX for supporting these notes.
My Patreon is patreon.com/emilytakesnotes.