Houston City Council Notes, prepared by Emily J Hynds

Agenda

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

Public Hearing on the Budget

• The first public speaker, a wheelchair user, complained that the carpet in the council chamber causes difficulty for wheelchair users. He wants the city to revisit the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which was shot down by voters in 2015. He said, “It’s not about bathrooms” but instead to help people like him not be discriminated against. He wants to separate EMS from the fire department to reduce response time. He suggested a bond election for more ambulances.
  • Mayor Whitmire professed his agreement and support. He blamed the past administration for the issues raised by the speaker.
  • CM Kamin thanked this speaker. She remarked on reduced funding to general services in the proposed budget, which includes facility maintenance.
  • The mayor offered to do a walkthrough of city hall with this speaker to address accessibility concerns.
• The second public speaker is the president of the Neartown Montrose Super Neighborhood. He attended many of the budget workshops and praised the “terrific” department directors that have to make tough decisions. He criticized the reduction of funding for libraries, solid waste, the health department, and parks. He suggested a trash fee and revenue cap reform. “We are not a world class city if we can’t fund these areas other than police and fire. And I agree that police and fire need raises, but we’re taking it away from the other departments … Please do better on this budget to keep our other departments going.”
  • Mayor Whitmire pointed out the city’s plan to collaborate with the county health department, which could save costs and improve services. He does not plan to close any libraries despite a reduction in funding. Whitmire said the new Director of Solid Waste discovered many inefficiencies, like how the whole department apparently takes Wednesdays off and tailgates for 45 minutes at start of day.
  • When the speaker criticized the budget presentation from the Director of Solid Waste, Mayor Whitmire interrupted him to say, “He’s not been there a month, give him a break.” He then praised solid waste workers, even though he was literally just criticizing them and implying their laziness.

The Mayor’s Report
but really a bunch of talk on Item 36 aka the new police union contract 

The Mayor invited the Houston Police Officer’s Union president Doug Griffith and Chief of Police Noe Diaz to remark on the new police union contract, which was on the agenda for a vote today.

• HPOU President Doug Griffith said he was “available all last week” for questions. “So there should be no reason why there should be questions about the contract. It’s very easy to understand.” He had hoped that more CMs would reach out to him with comments, although he did concede that a few of them did. He said the document is “only” 114 pages. 97% of union members approve this contract. “They’re excited, they feel like they are appreciated.” Griffith remarked on historic understaffing at HPD but said this contract will make them more competitive. He said HPD has a low complaint record which he attributes to their body cameras.
• Police Chief Noe Diaz made vague and generally positive remarks about the contract, the budget, efficiency, equity, meeting the needs of the community, and more. Around this point, I wrote down in my notes: (“difficult to criticize the budget when the room is full of cops”).
  • Mayor Whitmire asked about lateral hiring. Chief Diaz wasn’t enthused about this in the past but has high hopes for the future.
  • Mayor Whitmire asked Diaz to report on collaborations with other agencies. Chief Diaz said, “Our partners at DPS aren’t sending their troopers to the border because, frankly, no one’s crossing anymore,” which he said makes the 75-80 troopers in the area available “at a moment’s notice” for collaborative surges (think night life hotspots).
  • Mayor Whitmire asked Griffith and Chief Diaz if they are willing to meet with other organizations and community groups, both said yes.

• CM Plummer asked about the reduction of community outreach funding. Chief Diaz said the reduction is miniscule and that community affairs officers will be out on patrol instead. He said, “Nothing says community like police engagement,” and, “They can answer a few calls, work a crash every now and then, but they can also be boots on the ground in the community, so they can engage and visit with the people who we serve holistically.” These officers will now use “their unique talents as community affairs and community engagement people” while they are on patrol in their respective districts.
  • Plummer advocated for the Blue Star Program, which establishes safety criteria for apartment complexes. Chief Diaz said they will always respond to calls made from apartment complexes and “saturate the area” when they notice a hotspot. He said, “It’s going to be one or two boys, a couple of runaway boys or girls, that are just causing all the problems. And if we can first provide assistance to that young person making bad decisions, that’s our goal. And then second, to engage with the apartment management team to show that we’re here to help them and not be a hindrance.”
• CM Carter approved of moving police “back office operations” to the city’s financial and HR departments. She said, “I wore my blue for you today, that was no accident.” She said the HPOU contract is “the most important piece of business we will deal with today and likely this year.”
• CM Evans-Shabazz said, “Love is an action word,” and expounded on how council was showing their love for HPD today by approving this contract. She also thanked the Chief for a noise ordinance task force.
• CM Jackson was glad to hear the Chief and Mr. Griffith say they will meet with community advocates. She said, “I’m happy that you’re going to have a fat paycheck. That means that you’re going to be happy when you’re in my neighborhood or in my district.”
• CM Pollard made supportive remarks on the importance of paying city employees well, whether they are working as police officers, in libraries, or in the city parks. He said it will be a challenge to figure out how to pay for it down the road, but not an unwelcome challenge. “I guess that’s why they pay us the big bucks to sit in these seats.”
  • Mayor Whitmire interjected to say, “Relationships matter,” (an old favorite of his) and shared an anecdote that he was on HPOU’s legal team back in the ‘90s.
• CM Kamin made supportive remarks and thanked the language division of HPD for being at the table. She thanked the Chief for coordinated efforts at problem areas, like Shady Acres. She was glad to hear the Chief and Mr. Griffith are willing to meet with community groups, especially immigrants’ rights groups. “Given what is happening right now in this country, we don’t want to lose the trust and the faith in law enforcement.”
  • Kamin asked about changes to the office of community affairs. Chief Diaz repeated what he said about putting desk officers back in the field. Kamin asked specifically about community liasons, firearm safety trainings, and other community outreach. Chief Diaz said, “They’ll still do all that.”
• CM Castex-Tatum praised PIP (positive interaction with police) meetings. She said, “While statistics show that crime is going down, perception is reality. If residents feel like they aren’t safe, that is going to be their reality.”
• City Council unanimously approved the new HPOU contract. They hardly discussed any actual details of the contract at the meeting so I recommend reading one of the articles various news outlets have put out if you’re interested in that.

Agenda Items, Selected Works

• Item 5 approved $109K for two cargo vans for the libraries. From the support doc: “The library makes 42 stops on daily routes and needs these vans for transport of library items, including books, technology, furniture, financial documents and mail. Houston Public Library also provides free events to the public and these vehicles will transport materials to support those events.”
• Item 6 approved $7.6M for 119 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Vehicles. CM Kamin voted no. There was no discussion.
• Items 23-25 authorized the Health Department to apply and accept funds for various grants. CM Kamin remarked on the importance of these due to the loss of funding and personnel at the federal level. She said these grants are life-saving and we need more.
• Items 27 and 28 approved architecture and construction contracts totaling $14.5M for a Hispanic History Research Center. CM Jackson attempted to tag item 27 but waited to allow discussion.
  • CMs Castillo, Ramirez, and Martinez remarked on the importance of this forthcoming archive and research center, housed under Houston’s Library system. They all talked about robust community engagement and excitement.
  • CMs Plummer and Kamin both supported and pointed to the Gregory School as an example.
  • CM Jackson ultimately removed her tag after hearing discussion. She said she was initially put off by the $13M price tag, especially as she has struggled to get a library in District B repaired for years at a much lower price tag. CM Martinez explained that this project has been in the pipeline for years.
  • Items 27 and 28 both passed today.
• Item 33 approved an additional $540K for a Health Department program that provides prescription medication support for seniors.
• Item 34 extended the contract with the company that chases debt for the municipal courts. There was no fiscal amount attached, so I’m assuming the company takes a percentage of the fees collected? Don’t quote me on that.
• Item 35 approved the closure of Main Street to vehicle traffic from Rusk to Commerce as part of the Main Street Promenade program. I documented the Main Street Promenade public hearing in my notes on the May 7 meeting. The only discussion today was from CM Martinez, who praised the program and said it’s going to be a “game changer for downtown.”
• Item 37 approved $2.5M for tasers for the police department.
• Items 44 and 45 approved contracts totalling $31.9M for water line repair in District B. These repairs are “necessary to maintain compliance with Houston’s wastewater consent decree with the EPA and TCEQ.”
• Item 49 approved $1.1M on 24 different types of vehicles for HPD. CM Kamin voted no because she wants the fleet to use more hybrid vehicles. She said that she heard maintenance is not equipped to repair hybrid vehicles and hopes that personnel will be trained appropriately.

Council Member Pop-Off

• CM Kamin is concerned the stabilization fund doesn’t have enough money, especially as hurricane season is here and federal funding is uncertain. She is hosting a disaster prep workshop on 6/14 from 9am-12pm at the West Gray Multi-Service Center. She commemorated the anniversaries of George Floyd’s murder and the Uvalde shooting.
• CM Jackson shared that the Lincoln Park Community Center is closed until 6/7. The Scenic Woods Regional Library is closed until Saturday 5/24.
• CM Thomas thanked HPW for providing an update after her complaint last week about delayed speed cushions.
• CM Castex-Tatum wished agenda director Marta Crinejo a happy birthday. She plugged the southwest PIP meeting on 5/27 at 7pm. The Westbury Community Garden is hosting a tomato tasting festival on 5/24 from 10am-12pm.
• CM Martinez plugged a Cliff Park clean up on 5/24 at 10am. He honored service members as he remarked on Memorial Day coming up.
• CM Pollard made general budget remarks, looking to the future and how the city will pay for expenses.
• CM Alcorn congratulated the administration on the completed police union contract. 70% of people who filled out her budget survey said they want more money spent on police. She said we need to “ask residents what kind of city do you want to live in and what kind of services do you need?”
• CM Carter said conservative feedback to the mayor has been positive.
• CM Castillo said there were 23 budget workshops and “it was a slog, but we did it.” The District H Horizons internship is accepting applications.

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

My name is Emily Hynds. I am a writer, 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.

I watched this City Council meeting via HTV: https://www.houstontx.gov/htv/

While compiling these notes I used the following sources:
https://houston.novusagenda.com/agendapublic
https://houwatch.com

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

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