Notes on the Houston City Council Meeting on August 20, 2025

Agenda

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

The Mayor’s Report

Mayor Whitmire began his report by saying, “[Solid Waste Director] Hassan should get a phone call from each one of you telling him what a great job he’s doing.” He praised Director Hassan’s “can-do attitude.” He accused former Solid Waste Director Wilfaulks of manipulation to increase overtime and purposefully obscuring new garbage truck availability. Whitmire said the city has purchased 50 new garbage trucks, nine of which have already rolled out. He said that Solid Waste “has had hiring for these trucks.” On July 16, Director Hassan said they were unable to hire people to replace employees who took the incentivized retirement plan because of budget constraints.

Whitmire said they saved $3K per truck by not painting them, so be on the lookout for white garbage trucks and ye shall know that this is they. He said the previous Solid Waste director had conflicts of interest and was doing “funny math.”

Regarding a potential revenue stream for Solid Waste, like a garbage fee, Whitmire said, “You don’t throw money at a bad model.” The changes Director Hassan has implemented will make the model better, reducing the need for more revenue. Whitmire said “the disgruntled individuals that came before council” (on July 15) were benefitting from a system that manipulated overtime rules and allowed at least one of them to receive $63K more a year.

Unrelated to the Solid Waste remarks, CM Pollard said that some people who took the incentivized retirement package have not received their payments yet.

• Mayor Whitmire said the pension fund is independent from the city by design and has a board of elected retirees and active members. He praised the city’s HR department for unclear reasons. Whitmire said they “admonished” the pension board to be prepared for the influx and that the pension program is successful. He said former Houston Mayor Annise Parker fired 1700 people during her administration, and “we were more compassionate.”
• Whitmire did admit there are a couple of people with special circumstances who are struggling with the pension system due to disagreements on years of service, etc. “300 people will get their checks today, another couple hundred next week. And with the exception of one or two that have some technicality, red tape, or disagreement about the number of years of service, it will be complete.” When CM Pollard questioned him again, Whitmire reiterated, “It’s not our business to run the pension.”

Agenda Items, Selected Works

• Item 2 approved $2.3M for 35 electric vehicles and vans for the Houston Airport System. CM Kamin thanked the airport system for replacing traditional vehicles with electric and remarked on the unique infrastructure at airports that allows for the change.
• Items 4 and 5 gave approval for the four apartment complexes from last week’s public hearing to apply for the state’s 4% housing tax credit program.
• Item 7 approved a $700K grant over two years to Healthcare for the Homeless, which provides wraparound services for unhoused people living in encampments.
• Item 8 approved $200K for Covenant House to continue operating a program for unhoused youths.
• Item 9 approved $575K through November 2025 to Bread of Life for a housing program for people with HIV/AIDS.
• The city has been in a legal battle since 2022 with a company called Houston Waterworks Team (HWT), the design/builder of the Northeast Water Purification Plant expansion project. HWT is seeking “significant funds” beyond the amount in the original contract. Item 16 approved increasing funding for the legal firm representing Houston in this case from $7.1M → to $8.6M. The original contract with the legal firm back in 2022 was $3.1M.
• Item 17 approved $482K over three years for conversational language testing services for the police department, the fire department, and human resources. “The purpose of the conversational language testing services is to ensure that City of Houston employees can communicate effectively in various languages with citizens to provide them with the best service and assistance possible.” This exact same item was passed last week on 8/13.
• Item 18 approved $523K over three years for the disposal of used oil, oily water, oil filters, absorbents, oil/water interceptors (OWI), and antifreeze.
• Item 24 would have authorized the county to take over the operation and maintenance of seven parks in Districts C, F, G, and J, but it was tagged by CMs Pollard, Kamin, and Huffman. There was no discussion. This item will be back next week.

Council Member Pop-Off

Many CMs wished a happy retirement to Houston Health Department Director Steven Williams.

• CM Plummer gave an update on apartment inspection reform, using deplorable conditions at Cullen Park apartments as an example. The Apartment Standards Exectuive Committee (ASEC) is working to “roll this out the right way because we don’t want to create homelessness or we don’t want to create displacement of people.”
• CM Carter asked for prayers for her Chief of Staff, Hugo, who is going through a health crisis.
• CM Evans-Shabazz wished a happy birthday to Clarice Freeman, turning 105. Evans-Shabazz complained about no zoning allowing a container yard to be built next to homes. She also made remarks on Cullen Park apartments and said, “Let every slumlord know that we are coming for you.”
• CM Castillo encouraged volunteering at food banks, which have been hit hard by reduction in federal funding. Next Tuesday 8/26 is the first evening public comment session; registration ends at 3pm on Monday and comments begin at 6pm on Tuesday.
• CM Flickinger remarked on a recent tour of the city’s recycling center. He suggested a public education campaign will reduce contamination and save the city money.
• CM Kamin encouraged people to give testimony protesting the EPA’s repeal of the endangerment finding. She thanked Public Works for helping get a safe crosswalk at Bell Park. She plugged a walking history tour on the 24th infantry on Saturday 8/23 at Memorial Park. She wished her husband Matt a happy birthday.
• CM Huffman raised awareness about a dangerous crosswalk near Lamar High School on Westheimer where a student was hit by a car yesterday and is in critical condition. Mayor Whitmire pledged support.
• CM Ramirez plugged two upcoming committee meetings: Ethics and Governance on Thursday 8/21 and Budget and Fiscal Affairs / Economic Development next Tuesday 8/26.
• CM Castex-Tatum plugged Battle of the Bands on Saturday 8/23 at NRG. There is a HPD Southwest PIP (Positive Interaction with Police) meeting next Tuesday 8/26 at 7pm (this is the reason she was so against evening public comment sessions). The UNCF 5K walk/run/bike is 9/13 at Tom Bass Park.
• CM Peck plugged a Vogel Creek ice cream social on Thursday 8/21.
• CM Martinez thanked the mayor for progress with Solid Waste, advocated for on-demand heavy trash pick up, and encouraged the implementation of a garbage fee. He remarked on the reconstruction of Telephone Road. He talked about ‘train watch,’ a rail safety tool on the city website that he hopes will be on Transtar, and therefore our map apps, soon.
• CM Pollard encouraged donations to public media outlets following the federal government reduction in funding; his office has donated $50K to Houston Public Media and KTSU each.
• CM Alcorn advocated for regulation of food truck parks, which often have noise complaints, health code violations, and other neighborhood concerns.

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.