Houston City Council Notes, prepared by Emily J Hynds

Agenda

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

Monthly Financial Report

After reports from Controller Hollins and Finance Director Dubowski, CM Alcorn asked follow up questions to both today’s reports and Monday’s Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee meeting.

• The total expense for the derecho and Beryl combined is $211M. The federal government is expected to reimburse 75%, leaving the local share at ~$53M. $39M of that $53M is expected to come from the general fund.
• Houston is in the process of setting the new property tax rate. CM Alcorn asked Director Dubowski to explain emergency-related exemptions to the revenue caps. The local and state property tax caps can go above the normal rate in the case of a State or Federally declared disaster. The City has used these exemptions in the past to recover from the Memorial Day flood, the tax day flood and Tropical Storm Imelda.
• CM Alcorn asked her colleagues to seriously consider using these allowances to raise the tax rate this year, which could solve the City’s budget shortfalls. She said, “I have been sitting here in this chamber as a council member and as a staffer, year after year after year, and the same structural deficits prevail.” Raising the tax rate is an opportunity to close the budget gap and solve immediate needs. She said that everyone wants better city services but not higher taxes and you just can’t have it both ways.

• Mayor Whitmire explained a bit about audits currently underway. He said the HISD bond and the County drainage bond complicate the political landscape. He is seeking resources (funding) from the State. He doesn’t think that raising taxes should be the first or the only avenue explored, but seemed supportive of a higher rate at this time. Both Alcorn and Whitmire explained that Houston is not competitive with other cities, in part because of our lower tax rate and substandard city services.
• CM Castex-Tatum asked about average numbers under certain tax rate scenarios. Director Dubowski said that if the City raises property tax rate from 51 cents to 56 cents, that would increase the average homeowner’s expense (a $320K value home) by $144 per year. Castex-Tatum also advocated for collaborating with other tax entities, like the Harris County Appraisal District, to reduce the burden on taxpayers by, for instance, regulating appraisals of properties as well as the tax rate.
• CM Kamin asked that *if* the City raises the tax rate using the disaster clause, what *exactly* could that money be used for? No answer was given. She also criticized spending money on redundant studies, especially during considering budget constraints.
• CM Alcorn asked if it was possible to have the public hearing on the tax rate proposal at a time more convenient for the public. It is always at the start of the Wednesday council session at 9am. City Attorney Michel said that’s no problem, legally.
• Mayor Whitmire said, “We’re agreeing not to kick the can down the road any longer. It’s just the size of the can.”

The Mayor’s Report…

… was super short today. Mayor Whitmire just plugged a 9/11 remembrance ceremony after the council session today at 11:30.

Agenda Items, Selected Works

• Item 5 approved final payment of $8.3M for a road repavement project spanning Districts A, C, H, I and K. CM Martinez praised the District I section of Polk Street from Cullen to Lockwood as a good example of bike lanes done right.
• Item 6 approved the final payment of $3.7M for road repavement in District A. CM Peck complained that if one more intersection had been included the project would be complete, but it wasn’t included due to cost. CM Alcorn criticized the long payment process, saying the City normally aims to close out work like this within five months but this time it took 11 months.
• Item 8 approved $128K for Paratech Air Bag and accessories for HFD. These are used for “situations that require the lifting, stabilization, or displacement of heavy objects.”
• Item 10 approved $132K for helicopter pilot and maintenance training services for HPD.
• Item 11 approved $379K for fire hydrants.
• Item 15 approved $1M for port-o-potties.
• Item 16 approved a Civility Ordinance for Museum Park. The Civility Ordinance prohibits lying down, sitting, or the keeping of personal items on sidewalks from 7am-11pm.
• Item 17 approved $2.3M for the continued operation of housing for people with HIV/AIDS and related services. CM Carter asked if the County ever collaborates with the City on stuff like this. Mayor Whitmire said, “I’m not familiar with the county’s efforts. Historically, they haven’t been as aggressive.”
• Items 18, 19, and 20 approved funding for ongoing homeless diversion and housing programs.
• Item 29 approved $2.3M for stretcher maintenance for HFD.
• Item 32 approved an interlocal agreement with the Gulfgate Redevelopment Authority for improvements to Charlton Park in District I. The City will contribute $1.5M ($1.25M from a grant), and TIRZ 8 will contribute $1M.
• Item 33 appropriated $1.5M from the Parks Construction Fund for MacGregor Park in District D.
• Item 41 would have appropriated $1.7M out of the Dedicated Drainage and Street Renewal Capital Fund (DDSRF) for a study on the repaving of Antoine Drive in Districts A and C, but CMs Kamin and Peck tagged it. Both expressed concern that A) residents have already been surveyed and do NOT want the road expanded from four to six lanes, and B) a study has already been done so this one is unnecessary. CM Peck stressed that this is a residential street. Mayor Whitmire said the City must appreciate the needs of people passing through the area, not just the people that live there.
  • CM Kamin called out Mayor Whitmire for a statement he made yesterday about communicating with her office regarding the Westscott/Blossom intersection when he was still a Senator. She told hime he misrepresented the interaction and the work her office has done to improve the intersection. They argued for a bit, interrupting each other and raising voices. Nothing was resolved.
• Item 47 consented to the creation of Multiple Utility District 589 in District B, which will support a new development of 1K homes, some of which are supposed to be affordable. This item was tagged by CM Jackson two weeks ago. Today, she said she is satisfied with conversations she had with the community and the developer about engagement and affordability. CM Kamin voted no, the item still passed.
• Item 47 would have approved a new sidewalk ordinance, but CM Pollard tagged it and did not allow for discussion.

Item 31, The Great Holiday Decoration Debate

• Item 31 would have approved $182K for holiday decorations at Houston’s airports.
• CM Carter criticized the expense.
• CM Peck suggested a compromise by decorating only public-facing areas.
• CM Alcorn suggested that one of the locations included in the contract will actually be closed during the upcoming holiday season.
• CM Huffman said that holiday decorations are a luxury and pointed out that not one menorah is included.
• CM Pollard encouraged the same level of criticism and engagement on items with larger price tags. He pointed out this expense comes from an enterprise fund for the airport, not the City’s general fund.
• CM Flickinger said that cutting this expense would be a good signal that the City is serious about saving money.
• CM Castex-Tatum referred this item back to the administration for further review. My condolences to Always In Season Decorating Services, who probably thought they had this one in the bag.

Council Member Pop-Off

Many Council Members shared 9/11 remembrances and reflections.

• CM Huffman thanked Harris County Commissioner Briones for their help with mosquito abatement. She plugged a sports-themed movie night at Nottingham Park this Friday 9/13. They’re showing Airbud.
• CM Ramirez advocated for shrinking city government.
• CM Castex-Tatum called for volunteers to help plant trees on some land getting turned into flood retention near Anderson Elementary on Friday (she said 9/9 but that can’t be right). She plugged National Night out on 10/10.
• CM Martinez pointed out that things like new HPD cadet classes grow the government, which seemed like a response to CM Ramirez. He lamented that he was unable to vote no on the sidewalk ordinance today because Pollard tagged it. He advocated for “building capacity” for tier one and two construction companies. Fiesta Patrias is coming up.
• CM Alcorn said “I think I’ve said quite enough today,” and passed.
• CM Castillo said that the community was not engaged enough on the sidewalk ordinance.
• CM Kamin shared that the River Oaks Theater is reopening soon. The Families with Pride event has been rescheduled to 10/1. She shared that the turtles in Turkey Gully have been put back … apparently someone caught them and was going to make soup??? But now they’re back?! Would love to know more about this drama, tbh.

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

My name is Emily Hynds and I am a writer, 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://houwatch.com
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-man-kidnapped-turtles-from-a-houston-bar-and-threatened-to-make-turtle-soup-here-s-what-happened/ar-AA1q8ENF?ocid=BingNewsSerp

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

Thank you to the volunteers who proofread these notes.
My Patreon is patreon.com/emilytakesnotes.