Link

Social

Embed

Disable autoplay on embedded content?

Download

Download
Download Transcript
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

[00:00:02]

GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

IT IS 1107.

AND I JUST WAS MADE AWARE THAT AS THE SENIOR MEMBER OF COURT, AS THE DEAN, THAT I'LL BE PRESIDING.

IT'S KIND OF EXCITING.

AND SO WITH THAT, WE WE BEGIN WITH THE PRAYER.

[Opening Prayer ]

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT PRECINCT THREE HAS GOT OUR OUR PRAYER COVERED TODAY, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

WELL, IT'S A IT'S A GREAT DAY TO PAUSE AND REFLECT, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF THE AGENDA ITEM, BUT JUST THE SEASON AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT FAMILY TIME HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OR THREE DAYS.

SO JOIN ME, IF YOU WOULD.

SOVEREIGN FATHER, IT IS SO GOOD TO GATHER AGAIN IN YOUR PRESENCE.

MAY WE NEVER FORGET THAT WHAT WE DO HERE AFFECTS PEOPLE.

WHAT WE DO HERE.

WE SHOULD ALWAYS CONSIDER THE BEST IN TERMS OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.

PART OF WHAT HAPPENED 2000 YEARS AGO WAS EXTRAORDINARY.

IT ENDED UP STARTING AT A PRETTY ORDINARY EVENING IN A LITTLE TOWN CALLED BETHLEHEM.

BUT IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT OF THIS WORLD AND THE PEOPLE.

AND IT CONTINUES TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT GIFT YOU GAVE US 2000 YEARS AGO.

GIVE US A SENSE OF YOUR PURPOSE AND ALL THAT WE DO IN THESE THINGS.

WE'RE ASKING IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

AMEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOW WE'LL DO OUR PLEDGES.

I'VE BEEN WANTING TO SEE THIS FOR A WHILE.

THERE IS A SMALL BUT DISTINCT DIFFERENCE WITH REGARD TO THE TEXAS PLEDGE AND THE UNITED STATES PLEDGE, AND THAT IS THAT THERE IS A COMMA IN THE TEXAS PLEDGE.

AFTER UNDER GOD, PEOPLE WILL OFTEN PAUSE IN THE US PLEDGE ONE NATION UNDER GOD. BUT THE BUT THERE IS NO COMMA IN THE US PLEDGE.

SO WHEN THE TEXAS PLEDGE HAD THE UNDER GOD PHRASE THAT WAS PUT INTO IT, THEY PUT THE COMMA THAT EVERYONE WAS ALWAYS USING SO THAT WHEN IT WAS DONE, IT'D BE DONE ACCORDING TO THE GRAMMAR OF HOW IT WAS WRITTEN.

AND SO I JUST ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT'S THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF TIDBIT THAT YOU CAN GO BACK WITH AND TELL FOLKS AT YOUR PARTIES TONIGHT THAT THERE IS A COMMA IN THE TEXAS PLEDGE THAT DOES NOT EXIST IN THE US PLEDGE.

ALL RIGHT. DID YOU KNOW THAT? YES. BECAUSE YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN THE SENATE WHEN THAT WAS PUT IN.

WELL, NO, WASN'T THAT THAT LONG? BUT I WAS THERE WHEN THE STATUTE PASSED TO REQUIRE THAT TEXAS PLATES BE DONE AT SCHOOLS.

BECAUSE I THINK DEBBIE RIDDLE WAS THERE WHEN THE COMMA WAS PUT IN.

SO IT'S NOT THAT WELL, I GUESS I WAS THERE.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WHEN THE COMET WAS AT IT.

WHEN THE COMET WAS ADDED, IT WAS ADDED IN.

SO YOU MAY HAVE BEEN THERE BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T THERE THE WHOLE TIME BEFORE.

DEBBIE, UNLESS IT HAPPENED AFTER I LEFT.

NO, NO, I THINK IT WAS IT WAS BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

SO YOU MAY HAVE VOTED FOR THAT OR I DID.

I'M SURE I VOTED FOR IT.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE ONE AGENDA ITEM TODAY.

WE HAVE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE BEEN SIGNED UP.

[Appearances before court ]

WE HAVE MORE THAN 25 SPEAKERS.

AND ACCORDING TO OUR RULES, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK.

IF THERE ARE UNDER 25 SPEAKERS, THEN EACH SPEAKER GETS 3 MINUTES.

WHEN THERE ARE MORE THAN 25 SPEAKERS, THEN EACH SPEAKER GETS ONE MINUTE.

AND SO WE HAVE OUR TIMEKEEPER THAT WILL BE ONLINE, THE LIGHTS WILL BE HERE.

THAT WILL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A WARNING WHEN THERE'S JUST A FEW SECONDS THAT ARE LEFT AND THEN YOU'LL HEAR A BEEP AND THEN THAT'S WHEN IT'S IT'S TIME TO LET THE NEXT PERSON HAVE THEIR OPPORTUNITY.

SO IF YOU WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE PREPARED WITH YOUR COMMENTS, THAT YOU HAVE YOUR ONE MINUTE VERSION OF WHAT YOUR COMMENTS WERE GOING TO BE READY, WE'LL BE READY TO START TAKING THOSE. SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER THAT WE SEE HERE IS IN PERSON IS DEBBIE KAFKA.

I MEAN, YOUR YOUR MINUTE STARTS WHEN YOU COME.

OH, AND YOUR MINUTE STARTS WHEN YOU SAY YOUR NAME.

COME DOWN AND SAY YOUR NAME AND WHO YOU REPRESENT.

SO MY NAME IS DEBBIE KAFKA.

I AM HERE AS AN HOA BOARD MEMBER, BUT I'M ALSO REPRESENTING MYSELF, MY NEIGHBORS AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT HAS A PROBLEM WITH WHAT HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE OVER THE YEARS WITH TEX DOT OC.

[00:05:01]

SO WITH Y'ALL'S HELP.

I HAD YOUR ENGINEERS COME OUT AFTER I FOUND SOMETHING.

THEY FOUND WHAT I WAS SAYING.

TRUE. THEY SENT IT OVER TO TEXAS, THE HEAD ENGINEER OF 290, AND HE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, DEBBIE? OPEN RECORDS.

I SAID, NO, I GOT TO COMMIT.

I GOT SOMEONE TO COME SEE YOU.

THAT'S A FORENSICS ACCOUNTANT.

HE'S GOT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ALREADY IN HARRIS COUNTY.

HE'LL DO YOU GOOD.

THEN HE LEFT THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE THEY PIPED UNDERNEATH TO 90, NOT JUST ONCE, A COUPLE OF PLACES, AND THEY PUT IT IN OUR DRY RETENTION.

SO NOW OUR DRY RETENTION IS FIVE FOOT SHORTER THAN IT USED TO BE BECAUSE OF WHAT TEXAS DID.

BUT I'VE BEEN FIGHTING WITH THE ENGINEERS.

THEY FINALLY ALSO CAME OUT THIS LAST YEAR AND I SHOWED THEM WHERE IT HAPPENED.

THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND LET'S HAVE SOMEBODY FROM ENGINEERING FOLLOW UP WITH WITH MS..

AFCA. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO TAKE THOSE WHO ARE IN PERSON FIRST AND THEN WE WILL TAKE THOSE THAT ARE ONLINE.

OUR NEXT IN-PERSON PERSON THAT'S BEEN REGISTERED IS NUMBER FIVE, STEPHANIE VALDEZ.

ARE YOU HERE? STEPHANIE THAT SHE IS NOT COMMISSIONER.

OC OUR NEXT IN PERSON INDIVIDUAL IS MICHAEL MORITZ.

COMMISSIONER AS HE COMES UP.

I JUST WANT TO MENTION OUR WOMEN'S COMMISSION IS MEETING TODAY, THE ONE WE SET UP.

SO I'M GOING TO TIP TO MY OFFICE SINCE WE SET THIS UP JUST TO SAY HELLO ON ZOOM AND COME RIGHT BACK.

BUT I'LL BE. THANK YOU. I MULTITASK.

I WILL HEAR IT, BUT I'M A RUNNING MY OFFICE.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. MR. MORTS COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS MICHAEL MOORE.

IT'S A PRECINCT TWO RESIDENT.

I WENT BACK AND READ THE ORIGINAL LAWSUIT THAT HARRIS COUNTY FILED AGAINST TEXAS REGARDING THE I 45 EXPANSION.

IN THAT LAWSUIT, YOU OUTLINED DOZENS OF NEPA VIOLATIONS IN THE DIS AND FECES.

SO I'M TROUBLED TO SEE THAT IN THE MOU, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT FOR ANY SUPPLEMENTAL WORK.

NEPA IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS PEOPLE LIKE ME AND THE OTHER PEOPLE HERE TODAY TO HAVE A STAKE ON THE RECORD IN THE PROCESS.

WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE HURT OR NOT.

RIGHT. IT GETS US ON THE RECORD.

IT FORCES PUBLIC MEETINGS.

BUT BY NOT DOING THAT, YOU'VE LEFT US OUT YET AGAIN.

I GET ONE MINUTE TODAY TO TELL YOU HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS AFTER THE MANY, MANY CONVERSATIONS THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE HAD WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS.

RIGHT. BRING US BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION AND HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH US.

IT'S REALLY NOT THAT HARD TO HOST A PUBLIC MEETING.

PLEASE DO THAT AS YOU GO FORWARD WITH THESE DESIGN REVIEWS OUTLINED IN THE MOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER I SEE IS KENDRA LONDON, NUMBER EIGHT.

WHO'S COME AND STAY. TELL US YOUR NAME, WHO YOU ARE, WHO YOU ARE WITH.

AND YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE.

MY NAME IS KENDRA LONDON, AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF OUR AFRICAN FAMILY.

I'M ALSO A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF FIFTH WARD.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF TEXAS DIETS HOW HAS TEXTILES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CHANGED FROM THE SEVENTIES TO TODAY? YOU ALL HAVE DUG UP A BLACK OWNED GRAVEYARD TO MAKE SURE THAT LOCK WOULD FLOW THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY, THAT IS DISPLACEMENTS OF OUR ANCESTORS.

TODAY, YOU HAVE DISPLACED CLAYTON HOME RESIDENTS AS WELL AS KILLING VILLAGE RESIDENTS.

MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A RENTER.

WHEN YOU CAME IN THROUGH THE SEVENTIES.

SOMEONE TOOK THEIR HOME OFF OF I-10 WHEN YOU DID THE I-10 EXPANSION AND PUT IT IN HER BACKYARD, WHICH CONDENSED OUR BACKYARD.

TODAY, AS A HOME HOMEOWNER, SHE HAS BEEN UNSEEN AND UNHEARD ALSO.

SO SHE HAD NO CLUE OF WHAT YOU ALL WERE DOING TODAY.

SO YOU CONTINUE TO COME THROUGH WITH RACIAL INJUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE, AND WE LACK TO SIT AT THE TABLE WHEN YOU ALL HOLD THESE VITAL CONVERSATIONS.

SO WE ASK THAT YOU ALL FIND ANOTHER WAY TO SPEAK TO US.

THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THE NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER THAT I SHOW IS.

UH, NUMBER 16.

AMY. KIKI.

GOOD MORNING. I'M AMY STICKY AND ON BEHALF OF BAY AREA HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION PARTNERSHIP OR BAY TRAN, WE APPLAUD THE EFFORTS AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN COMMISSIONERS COURT, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TEXAS.

THIS MOU WILL DRASTICALLY IMPROVE REGIONAL MOBILITY, FLOOD MITIGATION, AND WILL SERVE AS A MAJOR STORM EVACUATION ROUTE FOR MANY CONSTITUENTS IN SOUTHERN HARRIS EXCUSE ME, AND NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

BAY TRAN APPRECIATES THE LEADERSHIP FROM THE COURT AND THANKS COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA FOR HIS CONTINUED ADVOCACY FOR OUR REGION.

THE NORTH NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IS A GREAT STEP FORWARD TO MAKING, TO MAKING INCREASING MOBILITY AND ENSURING SAFETY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

[00:10:03]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE NEXT PERSON, SPEAKER WE HAVE IS AARON ERIKSEN, IF YOU WILL COME.

STATE YOUR NAME AND WHO YOU REPRESENT.

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS AARON ERICKSON.

I'M A SOCIAL WORKER AND A MEMBER OF STOP TEXTING 45 THE LANGUAGE IN THE MOU OF BEST EFFORTS AND WHERE FEASIBLE IN REGARDS TO THE FOOTPRINT LACKS ENFORCEABILITY, OVERSIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY.

WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD TO MEASURE BEST EFFORTS OR WHERE FEASIBLE? THESE PHRASES COME OFF LIKE HALFHEARTED PINKY PROMISES AND NOT WHAT COULD BE MEASURED AND DATA DRIVEN SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE THE FREEWAY STAYS WITHIN ITS CURRENT FOOTPRINT.

I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO POINT OUT THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ASPECT OF THIS MOU IS MAINLY ONE WAY COMMUNICATION FROM TEXT TO THE PUBLIC.

THE ONLY OPTION IN THIS MOU THAT REFERENCES A WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH TEXT IS WHEN CONSTRUCTION IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.

THIS VOTE FEELS HURRIED, WHICH IS DISCONCERTING.

I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHY THE DEPARTURE OF ONE TEXT COMMISSIONER SEEMS TO BE A MAIN DRIVER OF WHY THIS IS HAPPENING NOW.

THAT IN ITSELF SEEMS PRECARIOUS.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND I ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR.

THANK YOU. UNITED AGAINST DISPLACEMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS JOSEPH HIGGS, NUMBER 20.

IF YOU'LL PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND WHO YOU ARE WITH.

AND YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS JOE HIGGS.

I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. I ASK THAT YOU DELAY THE VOTE ON THE MOU TO GIVE THE PUBLIC MORE TIME TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT IT AS WELL, AND ADDITIONALLY TO VOTE AGAINST ANY PROJECT WITHOUT ROBUST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

LAST MONTH I WAS DOOR KNOCKING AND I MET A MAN WHO HAD BOUGHT A HOUSE ALONG 45 AND HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT HIS HOUSE WAS GOING TO BE DISPLACED, WAS GOING TO BE TORN DOWN.

AND I THINK IT'S INDICATIVE OF HOW TEXAS DEALS WITH NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS.

MOST PEOPLE I TALKED TO IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THE EXPANSION IS HAPPENING, LET ALONE WHAT HVAC IS.

BUT THE CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY ARE GOING TO BE LIVING WITH THE DECISION FOR THE NEXT 70 YEARS.

COULDN'T SOME OF THAT $10 BILLION BE SPENT TO ENCOURAGE A COUNTYWIDE DISCUSSION ON OUR DESIRED TRANSPORTATION OUTCOMES? THEY USE REPRESENTS A TREND IN HOUSTON INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY, WHERE CITIZENS ARE MOSTLY LEFT OUT OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

SO PLEASE DELAY THE VOTE.

VOTE AGAINST PROJECTS UNTIL THE CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING IMPOSED UPON THEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS SHAWN LARKIN, NUMBER 23.

MY NAME IS SEAN LARKIN.

I'M REPRESENTING MYSELF.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE HARRIS COUNTY ON REACHING AN AGREEMENT ON A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.

HARRIS COUNTY'S LAWSUIT AGAINST THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ENSURES THAT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY HAS A SAY IN A LARGE PROJECT THAT WILL OCCUR IN OUR COUNTY DONE BY DECISIONS MADE IN A FAR AWAY CAPITAL WHO BELIEVES THEY CAN PLAN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BETTER THAN WE CAN PLAN THEM OURSELVES.

HARRIS COUNTY MADE A DECISION AS A COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANTED TO SAY AND HOW THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS WERE DESIGNED.

HARRIS COUNTY HAS SPENT 21 MONTHS NOW LITIGATING THIS PROJECT IN COURT, AND OUR COMMUNITY NOW BLOOMS FROM AN ERA OF DEBATE AND PLANNING TO A CHAPTER OF FUTURE CONSTRUCTION.

THE EFFORT WE HAVE MADE TO DELAY THIS PROJECT.

ENSURES THAT THIS HIGHWAY EXPANSION DESIGNED IN A MORE SMART, SCRUTINIZED, CONTEMPLATIVE MANNER.

THANK YOU, HARRIS COUNTY.

AND THANK YOU. HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN MENEFEE.

YOU HAVE MADE AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT YOUR COMMUNITY HAS A SAY IN STATE PROJECTS OCCURRING IN YOUR CITY AND COUNTY.

CONGRATULATIONS ON REACHING THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU. OH.

UN MOMENT SHOWS, I THINK, THE FIRST SPEAKER NUMBER.

NUMBER FIVE, STEPHANIE VALDEZ.

PLEASE COME ON DOWN. STATE YOUR NAME AND WHO WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS STEPHANIE WALLACE AND I'M REPRESENTING STOP TECH START I 45 AND I'M SORRY I'M LATE.

THERE WAS TRAFFIC ON 45 AND.

WELL, MR. COMMISSIONER GARCIA, WE MISSED YOU AT OUR EVENT WE HAD ON SUNDAY.

SO THANK YOU FOR SENDING SOMEBODY IN REPLACEMENT.

AND SHE ACTUALLY ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH.

BUT I REALLY WISH YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE WHAT WE HAD, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FIRSTHAND WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY BEING IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT.

[00:15:04]

AND WHAT WAS SO SPECIAL WAS HAVING A DIVERSE CROWD, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO TALK WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES.

THAT IT'S LIKE A CONSISTENT PATTERN IS THAT SPANISH COMMUNITIES ARE BEING LEFT OUT OF ALL OF THIS.

I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE MOU IS NOT IN SPANISH.

TEXTS, PAPERS ONLINE ARE NOT IN SPANISH.

THE COURTS ARE NOT AS.

IN SPANISH. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. JAMES, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP? YES, SIR. ALEXANDRA SMITHER.

ALEXANDER SMITH. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND WHO YOU REPRESENT.

YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE. HELLO, MY NAME IS ALEXANDRA SMITHER AND I'M WITH STOP TEXTING 45.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

ALTHOUGH I DISAGREE WITH THE CHOICE TO HAVE THIS VOTE TODAY, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER YESTERDAY.

IT WAS VERY GRACIOUS AND I HOPE TO SEE THOSE PROMISES OF DEEP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COME TO FRUITION WHILE STUDYING REMAINING IN THE FOOTPRINT FOR SEGMENTS ONE AND TWO COULD BE IS A POTENTIAL WIN IF WE FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL FOR IT TO BE ENFORCED AND REALIZED WITH COMMUNITY INPUT.

I WAS WONDERING WHY THERE ISN'T THE SAME LANGUAGE FOR SEGMENT THREE, WHICH HAS THE MOST DISPLACEMENT AND WHICH CUTS INTO BOTH OUR DOWNTOWN AND HISTORIC FIFTH WARD.

COMMISSIONER ELLIS, YOU SAID ON MONDAY TO FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU WANT AND TO TAKE WHAT YOU CAN GET.

I WE ARE GOING TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT WE KNOW IS TRUE, WHICH IS THAT WIDER FREEWAYS NOT ONLY DON'T WORK BUT KILL CITIES.

AND I HOPE THAT YOU ENFORCE THIS MOU MUCH MORE STRONGLY THAN WRITTEN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JAMES.

EARLIER, ANY MORE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS? ZACK HAMBURG.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE NIGHT.

I'M ZACH HEINBERG.

I'M WITH STOP TEXT. I'M 45.

ONE OF OUR MAJOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE I 45 PROJECT WAS THE LACK OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT.

AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS MOU IS LACKING.

CRAFTED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND SIGNED BEFORE FREEZING TEMPERATURES HIT AN ALREADY TRAUMATIZED CITY IN JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

THIS IS NOT WHAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE.

THIS NON BINDING AGREEMENT DOES NOT ACCOMPLISH THAT.

THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR, WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT I HAVE 45 IS UNSAFE AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.

BUT PURSUING VEHICLE SPEED AND THROUGHPUT IS NOT THE ANSWER.

WE NEED A PROJECT THAT DOESN'T DISPLACE ANYONE THAT MAKES AIR QUALITY BETTER, NOT WORSE.

INSTALLING AIR MONITORS IS NOT GOING TO CUT IT.

THE PROJECT THAT TIES COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, NOT APART.

THIS PROJECT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND REIMAGINE WITH PROPER COMMUNITY INPUT IN MIND.

ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT WITH US FOR A PROJECT THAT TRULY BENEFITS OUR CITY? OR ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE THE REINS TO TEXAS TO ONCE AGAIN PAVE OVER US? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IS NO USE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

JAMES, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER IN-PERSON SPEAKERS TO MORE? JONATHAN BROOKS.

MR. BROOKS. MORNING.

I'M JONATHAN BROOKES IN HOUSTON.

I'M A DIRECTOR OF POLICY PLANNING.

I ALSO LIVE IN NORTHSIDE MYSELF.

I ALSO WRITE METRO ROUTINELY WHEN I MENTION THAT I PARTICIPATED IN EVERY FACILITATION GROUP MEETING IN 2019.

I WAS ALSO HERE IN 2019 TO SUPPORT THE CORP RESOLUTION ABOUT MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WHEN IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY, MOUS WITH TEXAS DO TOO LITTLE TO CONCRETELY RESOLVE ISSUES WITHIN AHIP.

I THINK HOUSTON REMAINS CONCERNED ABOUT THE EQUITY IMPLICATIONS OF DISPLACING PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES AND THE SEVERE DISRUPTION WITH NO FIRM BENEFITS TO TO METRO.

THERE ARE SOME.

TENTATIVE COMMITMENTS TO LOOK AT THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT CONVINCED THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO MATERIALIZE IN A WAY THAT IS FUNCTIONAL FOR TRANSIT RIDERS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO REMAIN VIGILANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TECH STOCKS, FEW COMMITMENTS, ALSO DEVELOP MORE DOLLARS BEHIND THEM AND ARE REALIZED.

AND WHILE A PERFECT OPTION PROJECT DOES NOT EXIST, A BETTER ONE DOES.

I ALSO WANT TO KNOW FROM HECTOR HOW THE TOLL ROAD THE OF TOLL ROAD FITS INTO THIS.

THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND DID WE HAVE ONE MORE? I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE MORE.

BENJAMIN PETERS.

MR. PETERS. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND WHO WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE.

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS BEN PETERS.

I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH STOP TEXTING 45.

I'M ASKING TODAY FOR A DELAY ON THIS VOTE FOR THE MOU.

THIS IS AFTER MONTHS OF CLOSED DOOR DISCUSSION.

WE GOT A COUPLE OF DAYS TO LOOK AT IT.

I TALKED TO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE THEY'RE PREPPING FOR THE FREEZE AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR HOMES.

[00:20:02]

THE MOU, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HARRIS COUNTY WILL BE DROPPING ITS LAWSUIT AND THAT HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION WILL BE ENDING ITS TITLE SIX INVESTIGATION.

THE PROJECT WILL MOVE FORWARD.

THE MOU HAS THINGS IN IT.

THAT TEXT THAT WAS REALLY SUPPOSED TO ALREADY BEEN DOING, IT'S NOT I DIDN'T SEE SOMETHING IN THERE THAT'S THAT.

WE REALLY SHOULD BE CELEBRATING AS A HUGE WIN FOR US.

I THINK WE'RE HOLDING TEXAS SOMEWHAT ACCOUNTABLE, BUT SECTIONS ONE AND TWO, IF TEXT THAT'S USING THEIR SAME METHODOLOGY AND THEY USE THE SAME STUDIES THAT THAT THEY DEVELOPED IN THE OFFICE, THEY'RE GOING TO REACH THE SAME CONCLUSIONS.

SO DON'T COME AWAY WITH THIS THINKING THAT WE'RE FOR SURE GOING TO GET LESS RIGHT AWAY ON SECTIONS ONE AND TWO.

THEY'RE USING THE SAME STUDIES AND THE SAME METHODOLOGY.

I DON'T EXPECT A DIFFERENT RESULT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

WELL, NOW DO OUR VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.

THE FIRST VIRTUAL SPEAKER THAT WE HAVE LISTED IS DOUG E STEINBACH, SPEAKER NUMBER TWO.

LOOK, CAN YOU GIVE ME.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

SURE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? JUST TO DOUBLE CHECK. WE CAN HEAR YOU.

OKAY, PERFECT. ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS DOUGIE STEINBACH, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE NEWLY DRAWN DISTRICT FOUR AND A VOLUNTEER WITH STOP 45.

FIRST, I WANT TO SAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND EVERYONE ELSE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ALLOWING CALL IN PUBLIC COMMENTS.

I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO NOT SIGN OFF ON THIS NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

THIS BEHIND CLOSED DOOR DEAL MAKING DID NOT INVOLVE COMMUNITY INPUT AND IS BEING FORCED TO THE DOOR BEING FORCED TO THE DOOR IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

TEN DAYS BEFORE A NEW COURT ASSUMES OFFICE.

THIS FEELS LIKE A BAD FAITH MOVE TO AVOID PUBLIC SCRUTINY AND TO FINISH A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN A HEADACHE FOR TEXAS, HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY AND TEXAS MUST ENGAGE A COMMUNITY THAT WAS ALREADY PARTIALLY DESTROYED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF I-45 AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE DESTROYED.

ALL THESE YEARS LATER, THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT ENGAGED.

AND WHO IS AT HIGHWAY FOUR? OTHER THAN THE DEVELOPERS SEEKING TO MAKE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF TAXPAYERS MONEY.

MOREOVER, THIS MOU SHOULD NOT BE SIGNED BECAUSE THE NH AHIP IS NOT A GOOD PROJECT.

ALMOST 2023 HIGH FOR THE BEST.

OH, OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS ALEC ASHTON.

NUMBER THREE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

HI, THIS IS ALEC EINSTEIN, AND I'M WITH STARBUCKS AT I-45.

I ALSO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE MENU, SPECIFICALLY THAT IT IS STAYING INSIDE THE RECORD OF DECISION AND NOT REQUIRING SUPPLEMENTAL STUDY FROM TEXT.

I REALLY WANT TO POINT OUT SOME ECONOMIC CONCERNS AND CONCERNS THAT I THINK WE'LL JUST REPORT ABOUT TAX REVENUE FROM THE FEES BECAUSE WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT HOW TEXAS PROJECT IS SUPPOSED TO BE $7 FOR $1 OF SPENDING.

BUT THIS SPENDING IS NOT GOING TO BE IN HARRIS COUNTY FROM THE OFFICE WHERE THEY'RE IN 2019, THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE OVER $300 MILLION ANNUALLY IN TAX REVENUE FOR OUR SCHOOLS, OUR PARKS, OUR CITY AND THIS COUNTY.

AND KEEPING THIS IN THE ROAD WILL NOT ENCOURAGE FURTHER STUDY ABOUT HOW THIS IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE THEM CURRENT KIND OF TAX CONSTRAINTS.

THIS IS GOING TO LEAD TO LACK OF FUNDING, HIGHER TAXES FOR EVERYONE.

AND ALSO THIS MOU IS NOT GOING TO REALLY ADDRESS THESE KIND OF UNDERLYING ECONOMIC CONCERNS AND FORCED TAX TO ACTUALLY STUDY THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS.

WE'RE JUST RELYING ON THEM TO SAY THAT.

AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMEBODY DOES NOT HAVE YOU KNOW, IS DOING WHAT TEXAS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING FROM THE BEGINNING AND IS NOT REALLY ADDRESSING THE FULL ANALYSIS AND SCOPE.

AND I HEAR YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS JOSEPH PANZER, SPEAKER NUMBER FOUR.

YOU MAY PROCEED. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

COMMISSIONER, HE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS BENJAMIN PETERS.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

HE ALREADY SPOKE, COMMISSIONER.

HE SHOWED UP IN PERSON.

SPEAKER NUMBER NINE.

WE WERE NOT ABLE TO REACH HIM EITHER.

WE DO HAVE. SPEAKER NUMBER 11 ON THE LINE.

OKAY. SPEAKER NUMBER 11 NOW, YOUR PLUMBER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

GOOD MORNING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. HI.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS NAOMI SALOMON.

I AM A RESIDENT OF PRISON TWO AND I AM SPEAKING TODAY AS A CONCERNED COMMUNITY MEMBER.

I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF COMMUNITY INPUT AND TRANSPARENCY IN THE DRAFTING OF THE COUNTY'S MOU WITH TEXAS.

THE FACT THAT YOU ARE WILLINGLY DECIDED TO DO THIS AT A TIME WHERE YOU THOUGHT NO ONE WOULD SHOW UP IS VERY DISAPPOINTING.

WE KNOW THE COUNTY HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN A CHAMPION IN THIS FIGHT AND WE NEED YOU ALL TO CONTINUE TO HOLD TEXAS ACCOUNTABLE AND ENFORCE THE MOU WITH STRONGER LANGUAGE THAT WILL GUARANTEE NO DISPLACEMENT, NO PRESERVATION OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES, BUSINESSES, AND EFFECTIVE MITIGATION TO AIR QUALITY.

WE ALL KNOW THE LANGUAGE IN THIS MOU IS RESPECTFULLY INSUFFICIENT.

THE MOU MUST EXPLAIN EXACTLY HOW HARRIS COUNTY WILL ENFORCE TEXAS TO STAY WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT FOR SEGMENTS ONE AND TWO.

[00:25:02]

AND WHY DOES THE MOU NOT INCLUDE CONDITIONS FOR RESTUDY WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT IN SEGMENT THREE, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE DISPLACEMENT CAUSED BY THE FOOTPRINT PROJECT WILL OCCUR? INTENTION AND COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SHOULD ALWAYS BE YOUR PRIORITY.

WHY DO YOU ALL LEAVE THE PUBLIC ENTIRELY OUT OF THE PROCESS? AGAIN, WE ARE DEMANDING FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THE SPECIFIC ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS, SPECIFIC STANDARDS FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND TIMELINES FOR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WHO IS OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER? WE HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER TEN, RANDALL BAXLEY.

MR. BAXLEY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, PLEASE.

YOU MAY PROCEED. RANDALL BAXLEY, A VOLUNTEER, WAS STOPPED TEXT AND A RESIDENT IN THE PRECINCT TWO.

LOVE STANDING AT THE SOUTH END OF THE CASTILLO CENTER IN THE PARKING LOT, LOOKING SOUTH AT OUR DOWNTOWN. THAT WILL GO AWAY AS THEY SINK THE PYLONS AND BUILD A PLACE FOR CARS TO BUILD UP AGAINST THE PYLONS INTO THE BAYOU THAT WILL CREATE A DAM.

THAT DAM, WHEN THE HURRICANE COMES, WILL BACK UP INTO THE NORTH SIDE AND OBLITERATE ALL OF THE WONDERFUL AREA BETWEEN CASTILLO CENTER AND DOWNTOWN.

I THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.

I FEEL RIGHT NOW THAT IT'S HALFTIME AND I NEED TO GIVE YOU A SPEECH THAT SAYS GET BACK ON THE FIELD AND PLAY YOUR HEARTS OUT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WHO IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER? SPEAKER NUMBER 12.

MARY SCHULTZ.

MARY SCHULTZ, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU ARE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

I'M MARY SCHULTZ.

I LIVE IN THE HEIGHTS, ALMOST IN BETWEEN SECTIONS TWO AND SECTIONS THREE OF THE PROPOSED NATURE.

AND I THANK THE COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR ALLOWING SO MANY OF US TO SPEAK THIS MORNING.

I DON'T I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING VERY NEW TO SAY.

I REALLY ENDORSE A LOT OF PEOPLE'S OBJECTIONS TO THIS MOU.

AND IT SEEMS. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN I SAW IT ANNOUNCED ON THE NEWS THE OTHER NIGHT, I WAS REALLY AMAZED AND SURPRISED BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS KIND OF AN AGREEMENT WAS COMING UP.

I HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING WITH STOP TEXTING I-45, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS MOU LACKS ALL ENFORCEMENT AND SEEMS TO BE CAPITULATING COMPLETELY TO TEXT DOT.

ON THOSE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM TO CHANGE FOR THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS.

SO ALL I CAN SAY IS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT POSTPONE IT TO BOTH.

WHO IS OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER, PLEASE.

SPEAKER NUMBER 13.

HARRISON HUMPHREYS.

HARRISON HUMPHREYS.

YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, PLEASE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

GREAT. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER.

STAFF, MY NAME IS HARRISON HUMPHRIES, AND I WORK WITH AIRLINES HOUSTON.

I ONLY HAVE A MINUTE, SO I'M GOING HAVE TO SKIP THE NICE THINGS I'M GOING TO SAY AND GET RIGHT TO THE NITTY GRITTY.

OUR ORGANIZATION IS DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED BY THE CONTENTS OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE CLOSED DOOR MANNER IN WHICH IT WAS CREATED AND SIGNED, AND THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO READ AND RESPOND TO IT.

THERE ARE SOME GOOD PROVISIONS IN HERE, BUT OVERALL, THIS IS A REALLY WEAK DOCUMENT THAT DOES VERY LITTLE TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES FROM THE HARMFUL IMPACTS OF THIS PROJECT, SPECIFICALLY ON AIR QUALITY.

THIS DOES NOT IN ANY WAY ADDRESS AIR QUALITY CONCERNS, PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL AIR MONITORING ALONG THE CORRIDOR.

BUT THIS WILL DO NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE SOURCES OF THE POLLUTION.

IT WILL ONLY MAKE CLEAR HOW BAD AIR QUALITY WILL BE AFFECTED.

THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF PAYING FOR A RAIN GAUGE WHEN IT'S ALREADY FLOODED.

SEVERAL FREE TEXT IDEAS MERELY AGREED TO CONSIDER REDUCING THE RIGHT OF WAY WIDTH AND SEGMENTS ONE AND TWO, AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT IMPEDE OTHER PROJECT GOALS SUCH AS EXPANDING CAPACITY FOR ALL MODES.

THIS MAKES ANY ALTERNATIVE DESIGN THAT REDUCES THE RIGHT OF WAY WITH A NUMBER OF DISPLACED HOMES, BUSINESSES AND CHURCHES.

HIGHLY UNLIKELY INVEST THE ULTIMATE DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY WITH TEXT.

FINALLY, THE MOU HAS MADE CLEAR UPFRONT THAT SEGMENT THREE DESIGN SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. IS VICTORIA NELSON, OUR NEXT AVAILABLE VIRTUAL SPEAKER.

YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

MISS NELSON, YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS VICTORIA NELSON AND I'M A DISTRICT RESIDENT.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY.

I'M HERE TO EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT THE INADEQUACY OF THE MOU.

THIS MOU ADDRESSES AIR QUALITY MONITORING BUT NOT THE SOURCE OF THE INCREASED POLLUTION SEGMENT.

THREE OF THE THREE WAY EXPANSION WILL MOVE THE FREEWAY CLOSER TO SEVERAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THIRD WARD AND MUSEUM PARK, WHERE I LIVE, AND CUT EVEN DEEPER INTO OUR

[00:30:02]

COMMUNITIES. THIS WILL INCREASE AIR POLLUTION IN THESE AREAS.

THE HOUSTON ACADEMY FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN MIDTOWN AND THE YOUNG WOMEN'S COLLEGE PREP ACADEMY AND THIRD WARD ALREADY HAVE TEN TIMES AND SEVEN TIMES AS MUCH TRAFFIC POLLUTION RESPECTIVELY AS THE AVERAGE AGE HIKE CAMPUS.

WHAT EXACTLY IS AIR MONITORING GOING TO DO FOR THESE STUDENTS? THE AIR QUALITY WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE WHEN THE FREEWAY IS EXPANDED WITH AIR MONITORING, BUT NO MITIGATION.

THE COUNTY NEEDS TO DO RIGHT BY ITS STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES AND HOLD TECH STATE ACCOUNTABLE BY ENFORCING THE MOU MORE STRONGLY THAN IT IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WHO IS OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER? NUMBER 15, DAVID ESPINOSA.

MR. ESPINOSA, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU ARE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

YOU MAY BEGIN NOW.

YES. HI, MY NAME IS DAVID.

THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING, LETTING US SPEAK.

I WANT TO SAY HOW CONCERNED I AM WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY SORT OF CAVE INTO AN UNENFORCEABLE AGREEMENT WITH TEXAS.

KNOWING THAT THEY FULLY SUPPORT AN AGENDA FOR THE OIL, GAS AND AUTO INDUSTRY WITH THE TEXAS APPOINTED BOARD THAT IS FRANKLY VERY CONSERVATIVE IN THEIR.

THEY JUST DON'T OPERATE IN GOOD FAITH AND NEVER HAVE.

AND THE SPRING IS IN THIS DURING THE HOLIDAYS WITHOUT A CHANCE FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INPUT IS KIND OF TERRIBLE.

NOW, I DO AGREE ON COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S STATEMENT.

HE'S MY COMMISSIONER ON ROAD MAINTENANCE SO IT DOESN'T FALL APART.

NONE OF THESE ITEMS IN THE MOU WILL SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE THE POLLUTION AND THE DEATHS COST FROM SPEEDING VEHICLES FOR PEDESTRIANS AND PEOPLE IN CARS. THANK YOU, SIR.

YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IS NUMBER 18, OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER.

YES, SIR. MR..

MR.. HILL. GEIST.

I E. MR. TOMBA. YES, SIR.

THANK YOU. GOOD. TELL US YOUR NAME, WHO YOU REPRESENT, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

YES. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

GOOD. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

HONORABLE JUDGE HIDALGO AND HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CAGLE, RAMSEY, ELLIS AND GARCIA.

THIS IS BRUCE HILLEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER TOMBALL CHAMBER.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS MORNING.

THE TOMBALL CHAMBER HAS SOLIDLY STOOD FOR FAVORING THE THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR YEARS.

AND WE PRAISE THE EFFORTS OF TEX DOT AND THEN WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS AND ALSO WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS AND CITY OF HOUSTON OFFICIALS TO COME UP WITH A KIND OF A PREAPPROVAL THAT WE HEARD ABOUT EARLIER THIS WEEK, THAT BOTH HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY ARE ON THE GLOBAL STAGE.

ABSOLUTELY. AND THE WORLD IS WATCHING.

SO LET'S SHOW TODAY'S MODERN WORLD HOW IT'S DONE, WORKING TOGETHER FOR A COMMON GOOD, INCLUDING WHEN IT COMES TO THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT WHICH WILL UNEQUIVOCALLY DELIVER MUCH IMPROVED TRAFFIC SAFETY, MOBILITY, EFFICIENCY, FLOOD MITIGATION AND DISASTER EVACUATION MUST HAVES AND SO MUCH MORE, AS WELL AS ANSWER HOUSTON AND THE REGION'S POPULATION GROWTH NOW IN THE COMING YEARS.

LET'S GET HER DONE. THANK YOU, GUYS.

THANK YOU, BRUCE. DIVERSE.

ALL RIGHT. AUNT IS NUMBER 19, OUR NEXT AVAILABLE VIRTUAL SPEAKER.

YES, SIR. KATIE EMERGENCY.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, PLEASE.

STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU'RE WITH, AND KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO A MINUTE.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS KATIE MURTHA, AND I LIVE ON THE NEAR NORTH SIDE, RIGHT BY THE INTERSECTION OF I-45 AND TEN WHERE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STILL FEELS CONNECTED TO DOWNTOWN AND AS OF NOW HAS A VIEW OF IT, DESPITE THE SPAGHETTI OF DIFFERENT LANES FROM THE FREEWAYS.

I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING EVEN MORE HIGHWAY INTRUSION ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I RUN AND BIKE ON LIKE, OH, I KNEW THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT I FEEL SAFE FROM CARS NEAR MY HOUSE.

I LIVE WITH CHRONIC CONGESTION AND I ALREADY HAVE SOME TROUBLE BREATHING.

SO I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT INCREASED POLLUTION.

WHERE I'M EXERCISING AND LIVING, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE HAVING THIS VOTE NOW.

AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, IT'S VERY RUSHED AND DID NOT GIVE THE PUBLIC TIME TO REVIEW AND ANALYZE AND USE.

THIS WILL SET A PRECEDENT FOR TEXAS TO CONTINUE THINKING IT CAN MAKE VERY SMALL CONCESSIONS IN THE FACE OF STRONG PUBLIC OPPOSITION.

THE LANGUAGE IS NOT BINDING ENOUGH AND DOES NOT PROVIDE A METHOD OF ENFORCEMENT.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP.

THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IS SPEAKER 21 AVAILABLE?

[00:35:01]

YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

PERVEZ HAGLUND, YOU HAVE PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU REPRESENT, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, YOU MAY BEGIN.

HEY, GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

THIS IS PERVEZ OSBORNE.

I'M A DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRECINCT CHAIR HERE IN MONTREAUX.

I REPRESENT A COALITION OF PROGRESSIVES IN TOWN THAT DON'T WANT THIS HIGHWAY PROJECT TO GO FORWARD.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND ELLIS AND THEN COUNTY JUDGE HIDALGO.

YOU JUST GOT ELECTED.

THERE'S NO REASON FOR YOU TO TAKE THIS LAYING DOWN.

WHAT ARE WE DOING? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.

MORE POLLUTION, MORE CARS.

THIS DOES NOT LEAD TO BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR THOSE OF US LIVING IN THE CITY.

WHAT MAJOR CITY DO YOU KNOW HAS A MEGA HIGHWAY RUNNING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT? NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO RAM THROUGH THIS MOU, WHICH IS HIGHLY UNPOPULAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HOLIDAYS.

Y'ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES.

AND WE AS HOUSTONIANS DEMAND BETTER.

WE DO NOT WANT THIS HIGHWAY PROJECT AND WE DON'T WANT US TO BE PUSHED ON THIS MOU.

YOU SHOULD POSTPONE ANY AND ALL SORT OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT UNTIL AFTER THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED.

YOU JUST WON ELECTION.

LEVERAGE YOUR POWER.

IS SPEAKER NUMBER 20 TO OUR NEXT AVAILABLE SPEAKER.

YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

SPEAKER NUMBER TWO ALJUNIED GENEVA.

SCOTT DAVIS, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU ARE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. MY NAME IS ANITA SCOTT DAVIS, AND I AM REALLY VERY MUCH HAPPY ABOUT THE COMMISSIONER'S GETTING READY TO SUPPORT THE PATH FORWARD FOR THIS HIGHWAY.

FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY IMPACTED BY THIS PLAN.

THE FLOODWAYS AND THE DRIVE AND FLOODWAYS AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS ARE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS.

SEGMENT THREES PRIMARY DESIGN WITH LOWERING THE HIGHWAY IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM ETO.

NO COMMUNITY IS BEING DESTROYED AND THE MANNER THAT EJECTED MY FAMILY FROM THE HOUSE OF MY GRANDMOTHER AND GREAT GRANDMOTHER LIVED IN THE WAY THAT HAPPENED 50 YEARS AGO.

THE DESIGN OF THIS PROJECT TRULY BENEFITS THE CITY.

THIS IS THE MOST ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS HIGHWAYS IN AMERICA, AND WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO STICK OUR HEADS IN THE SAND AND ACT LIKE TRANSPORTATION DEMANDS OF 10,000 TRUCKS COMING FROM THE PORT, ALONG WITH THE LUXURY OF THE AMAZON DELIVERIES WILL NOT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.

YOU'RE BOTH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND DO WE THANK YOU.

SPEAKER NUMBER 24 ON THE LINE NOW.

YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING, TAYLOR.

LANDON, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, WHO YOU ARE WITH, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO ADDRESS THE COURT.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS TAYLOR LANDINI.

I'M CHIEF POLICY OFFICER AT THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP.

BOB HARVEY HAD SINCERELY HOPE TO BE WITH YOU TODAY, BUT HE HAD A RECENT DEATH IN HIS FAMILY AND WAS UNABLE TO BE THERE THIS MORNING.

I JUST SIMPLY WANTED TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE PARTNERSHIP'S BOARD AND OUR MEMBERS, WE WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITIES YOU SERVE.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS PROJECT BETTER.

YOUR WORK OVER THE LIFE OF THIS PROJECT HAS HAS UNQUESTIONABLY ENHANCED WHAT WILL BE BECOME A TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT FOR OUR REGION, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL.

SO THE PARTNERSHIP LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU IN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS TO ENSURE THE PROJECT MOVES FORWARD ACCORDING TO PLAN AND PARTNERING WITH YOU TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE PROJECT FOR HARRIS COUNTY AND FOR THE REGION.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED WORK TOGETHER.

THANK YOU. JAMES, DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS? I WILL DEFER TO LUCINDA.

I'LL DEFER TO LUCINDA.

LUCINDA, DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS? NO, SIR, WE DO NOT.

THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE.

DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS? NO, SIR. VERY GOOD.

THEN THAT CONCLUDES ALL PUBLIC COMMENT SECTIONS OF THIS.

WE HAVE A SINGLE ITEM ON THE AGENDA PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT TWO, WHICH IS A REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING RESOLUTION OF THE COUNTY'S

[Commissioner, Precinct 2 ]

LAWSUIT AGAINST TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND ENTRY INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO IMPROVE THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN PROPOSED AND HAS BEEN CIRCULATED AMONGST ALL THE MEMBERS OF COURT AND TO THE PUBLIC.

WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC.

IS THERE A MOTION ON THE ITEM AT THIS TIME? THERE'S A MOTION, BUT BEFORE I MAKE THAT MOTION, LET ME JUST SHARE A FEW WORDS.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT ARE HERE.

FOR THOSE WHO OPPOSE THIS ITEM AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT IT, FOR THOSE WHO OPPOSE IT, LET ME JUST BE REAL CLEAR.

NONE OF MY PARTICIPATION IN THIS WAS WITHOUT YOU IN MY HEAD.

[00:40:04]

EVERYTHING THAT I HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS WAS NOT MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PROJECT.

I DEALT WITH TEXT.

BOUGHT WITH TEXT.

SUPPORTED THE THE COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS TO BE HEARD BACK IN I CAN'T REMEMBER WAS 2004 2005 THERE ABOUT AND AND SO WE'RE NOW BACK AT THIS PLACE AT THIS POINT. OVER THE YEARS, I, 45, HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AS THE MOST DANGEROUS HIGHWAY ON IN NORTH AMERICA.

AND. SO FOR ME IN THIS NEW POINT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH TEXT, DOING NOTHING WAS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE.

I HAD TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD IN FRONT OF US, THAT WE COULD GET, THAT WE COULD MAKE THIS PROJECT AS BETTER AS POSSIBLE.

AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WE'RE THERE.

SECONDLY, THE.

AND I AND I DO SHARE CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE, BUT I DO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF FAITH IN OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AND HIS TEAM, WHO REALLY WORKED HARD TO MAKE THIS AS STRONG AS AN AGREEMENT AS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE PARAMETERS THAT WE HAD TO WORK WITH.

THE OTHER POINT IS THAT THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT COUNTY TODAY.

BY VIRTUE OF.

UH, OUR COUNTY ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP.

WITH WITH DR.

ROBIN BY VIRTUE OF ROBERTO TREVINO.

WHO CAME FROM METRO AND IS NOW LEADING THE HARRIS COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY AND WHO WAS AN INTEGRAL PIECE OF THE EQUATION IN THIS PROCESS.

SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS TRANSIT.

WHO'S LIVE TRANSIT THROUGH METRO.

WAS VERY VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE OF THE OF THE OF THIS PROCESS.

AND THEN BY VIRTUE OF DR.

PETERSON OVER AT THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.

YOU KNOW, IN 2004, IT WAS I 45 WAS A SINGULAR, ONE DIMENSIONAL ISSUE.

BUT IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH TEXT FROM THE FROM BEFORE I TOOK OFFICE.

UH, TO THE TIME THAT I'VE SAID IT, THIS DICE.

UM. THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF SYNCHRONICITY, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN METRO, BETWEEN THE TOLL ROAD, BETWEEN THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT MORE THAN I SAW IN YEARS PRIOR. AND I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE HISTORICAL SUPPORT THAT THIS COMMUNITY GOT FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

BY VIRTUE OF THIS LAWSUIT, WHICH I DIDN'T I DIDN'T I WASN'T EXCITED ABOUT.

BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO TO WORK THROUGH.

UM, WE, I THINK WE HAVE I ACTUALLY, I DON'T THINK I KNOW WE HAVE MADE TEXT DOT TAKE A STEP BACK AND REALIZE THAT.

UM. THERE ARE MORE LEVERS OF INFLUENCE AND LEVERAGE THAN WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE.

AND WE'VE USED THEM. WE USE EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF LEVERAGE AT OUR DISPOSAL.

AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS WHAT GIVES ME A GREAT DEAL OF CONFIDENCE THAT ALTHOUGH NO ONE GOT EVERYTHING THEY WANTED OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT.

TEXT I DIDN'T.

WE DIDN'T.

I DIDN'T. IT IS A MUCH DIFFERENT PROJECT THAN FROM WHERE WE STARTED.

SO SO I JUST WANT TO FIRST SAY THAT THE COMMENTS OF NO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, I YOU KNOW, I HEARD

[00:45:08]

YOU. I WAS THERE, I LISTENED.

IT WAS A BIG PART OF THE PROCESS AS I TALKED TO BOTH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, BOTH TO TEXT DOT AND TO INTO MY TEAM AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.

SO YOU WERE IN THE ROOM WHENEVER I WAS IN THE ROOM.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE SUPPORT.

ON THE FLIP SIDE OF ALL THAT.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT AT ALL COSTS.

THERE WAS EARLY PRESSURE JUST TO DO AWAY WITH THE LAWSUIT AND DO NOTHING AND JUST ACCEPT THE PROJECT FOR WHAT IT WAS.

THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE AS WELL.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY WHO WORKED THROUGH THIS AND FOR THOSE WHO SUPPORTED IT AND APPRECIATED WHAT AT LEAST I WAS WORKING THROUGH.

AND I THINK AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER ELLIS WAS AS WELL, THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT SOMETHING IN TEXT TEXAS PROCESS HAD TO CHANGE.

AND I THINK ABOVE ALL, THIS PROCESS HAS TAUGHT TECH'S DOT TO LISTEN AND ENGAGE BETTER. AND ON ON PROJECTS GOING FORWARD, THEY WILL UNDOUBTEDLY, AT LEAST IN THIS COMMUNITY, THEY WILL TAKE A VERY DIFFERENT APPROACH IN THE FUTURE.

SO WITH THAT, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS UP TO YOU, I WANT TO THANK A LOT OF PEOPLE, IN PARTICULAR THE ACTIVISTS.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU MAKE NOISE AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD IF THE NOISE HAD BEEN MADE A LONG TIME AGO.

BUT YOU LEARN THROUGH THE PROCESS.

I APPRECIATE THE FOLKS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISSUE AS WELL.

COMMISSIONER, AS YOU STATED, LOOK, ALL OF US ARE WELL AWARE OF THE HISTORY OF HIGHWAYS IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND BY AND LARGE, THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

BECAUSE THE LAND WAS CHEAPER AND YOU COULD DO IT.

BY AND LARGE, THE HIGHWAYS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO GET PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE SUBURBS.

BUT THEY WOULDN'T WANT TO GO TO OUR GREAT SUBURBS IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE CITIES.

AND WE LEARNED A LOT OVER THE YEARS.

WE CAN'T CHANGE IT ALL.

DETROIT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.

GOD, I HATE TO MENTION IN DETROIT, MY FRIENDS IN DETROIT ALWAYS, THEY HEAR IT ALL OF THE TIME.

YOU KNOW, THE GREAT AUTOMOBILE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AT SOME POINT WAS FOR A LONG TIME.

ALL OF THE FOLKS MOVED OUT OF THE QUARTER CITY AND THEY HAD FREE WAYS TO GO AND DO IT AND TORE UP.

AMENITIES TO DO THAT.

THAT'S HAPPENED HERE HISTORICALLY.

I CAN'T CHANGE ALL OF THAT.

WE MADE A LOT OF NOISE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE OUGHT TO BE THINK.

SOME MADE MORE NOISE THAN OTHERS.

I APPRECIATE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, CONGRESSWOMAN GARCIA AS WELL, BUT IN PARTICULAR, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE JUST LAID IT OUT BECAUSE SHE WAS USING HER LEVERAGE AS MUCH AS SHE COULD.

COUNTY ATTORNEY.

I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR TEAM.

I WANT TO SAY THIS.

I WAS FOR THE LAWSUIT.

I KNOW IT WAS BOLD.

AND EVEN IF WE GET CRITICIZED BY THE VERY FOLKS THAT WE WERE ADVOCATING FOR, IT WAS BOLD.

NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE IN HISTORY OF TEXAS.

I'M JUST NOT SURE IT EVER HAPPENED IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY.

I ASKED MR. MURPHY THAT DAY, I JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN ANSWER.

MAYBE SOME ADVOCACY GROUP HAS FILED ONE, BUT I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW AND WOULD CHALLENGE FOLKS ON BOTH SIDES TO GO AND LOOK AND SEE IF ANY GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY IN MICHIGAN, IN NEW YORK, OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.

FILED A LAWSUIT, WHICH WAS BOLD.

WE WOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S ADVICE.

THAT HE THOUGHT THAT AT LEAST THAT WAS SOME LEGAL RATIONALE THAT WE WOULD PURSUE.

BUT THE LAWSUIT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT LEVERAGE.

NOW, I HAPPEN TO HAVE A LAW DEGREE, BUT I'M NOT TRYING TO PLAY SOTOMAYOR OR GINSBURG OR THURGOOD MARSHALL.

BUT I USE MY LEGAL REASONING TO PASS BY 700 BILLS, AT LEAST HALF OF THEM PEOPLE DIDN'T EXPECT WOULD PASS.

IT WAS LEVERAGE. MY QUOTE TO THE ADVOCATES WAS, YOU ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT AND TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU COULD GET.

[00:50:07]

I STATED AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE THIS LAWSUIT HAD RUN ITS COURSE.

I APPRECIATE YOU, MR. MURPHY, AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE WORK YOU DID.

I APPRECIATE JUDGE HIDALGO.

I WENT TO AT LEAST TWO MEETINGS WITH HER IN WASHINGTON, D.C..

WITH MAYOR PETE, WITH SECRETARY CHECKS.

THAT WAS ONLY SO FAR IN WHICH HE COULD GO.

ONE MEETING IN PARTICULAR.

IT WAS COLD AS HECK.

HE HAD TO MEET OUTSIDE, TOOK THE MASK OFF.

BUT WE SITTING AT THIS COFFEE SHOP WITH HIS LAWYERS THERE.

SO IF WE WENT TOO FAR, WE DIDN'T CROSS THAT LINE.

BUT I APPRECIATE THE JUDGE'S LEADERSHIP AND ADDING SOME LEVERAGE TO THIS.

BUT WE PUSHED AS FAR AS DID WE GET EVERYTHING WE WANT? NO. CAN WE CONTROL IT, KNOW THAT WE ANGER SOME ALLIES AND SOME FOLKS WHO WEREN'T ALLIES, EVEN PARTNERS IN THE PROCESS ALONG THE WAY? YES. BUT I'M CONVINCED WE MADE A BIG PROJECT BETTER.

I DIDN'T SAY A GOOD PROJECT BETTER.

I SAID A BIG PROJECT BETTER.

AND I THINK THAT THAT LESSONS TO BE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.

WE OUGHT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MORE VIGILANT EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS.

GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES IN PARTICULAR.

I WAS NOT HERE.

I WAS NOT ON THE CITY COUNCIL.

I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE.

BUT THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT'S ATTITUDE HAS GENERALLY BEEN AT THAT FOCUS IS HIGHWAYS.

LEGISLATION OUGHT TO BE CHANGED SO THAT IT FOCUSES MORE ON TRANSPORTATION IN MORE THAN THE NAME GOING FROM THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

BUT WITH THAT SAID, I SUPPORT THIS COMPROMISE.

TODAY IS NOT EVERYTHING I WANTED, BUT IT DOES, IN CLOSING, MAKE A BIG PROJECT BETTER.

AND IF.

OUR PARTNERS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

WITH THE LEVERS THAT THEY HAVE CAN MAKE THIS BIG PROJECT EVEN BETTER.

AND WE WHAT WE HAVE GOT IN THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, I WELCOME IT AND I'LL CERTAINLY BE THE FIRST TO PUT OUT A TWEET OR PUT IT ON FACEBOOK OR DROP A PRESS RELEASE COMMENDING THEM IF THEY CAN DO MORE.

BY STATE PARTNERS.

I HOPE THAT THEY WILL LEVERAGE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR THESE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DISPLACED TO IMPROVE TEXT NUMBERS WITH SMALL AND MINORITY WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES.

THE NUMBERS ARE DEPLORABLE, AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE MADE A VALIANT EFFORT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS TO GET THAT INCLUDED IN THIS AGREEMENT. BUT THE CLOCK WAS TICKING AND WE COULD NOT AND I'M NO LONGER IN THE LEGISLATURE, BUT IT WAS ONE OF MY PET PEEVES WHEN I WAS THERE.

SO AT LEAST YOU CAN GO BACK AND EMPOWER SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES IN THOSE VERY COMMUNITIES THAT WILL BE IMPACTED.

BUT I'LL BE PLEASED TO VOTE FOR THIS ITEM.

SO. MR. CHAIR, THE MOTION WILL READ AS SUCH.

WE HAVEN'T HAD TO COME. OH, I'M SORRY.

OKAY. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MORE COMMENTS.

LET ME HAVE THAT ON. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

YEAH. I THINK JUST QUICKLY TO BE SURE, WE GET EVERYTHING I THINK SAID THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.

OBVIOUSLY, I DID NOT SUPPORT THE LAWSUIT WHEN IT HAPPENED, BUT LAWSUITS END UP TAKING AN INTERESTING TRAIL.

OR TO APPRECIATE MR. MINNIFIELD, NAVIGATION OF A TRAIL THAT YOU SOMETIMES DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF TURNS AND HILLS AND VALLEYS YOU TO GO THROUGH.

BUT IT WAS QUITE THE PROCESS.

I FRANKLY WASN'T OPTIMISTIC WHEN AT SOME POINT WE WERE IN THE PROCESS.

BECAUSE LET ME JUST SAY THIS.

I'M GOING TO SIMPLY STATE THAT TEXT OP VERY EASILY, COULD HAVE TAKEN THAT MONEY AND SPENT IT IN DALLAS, IN AUSTIN OR SAN ANTONIO.

THAT WAS NOT AN UNREALISTIC THING.

I'VE SEEN HIM DO IT BEFORE AND MAYBE IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN HERE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT THOSE KIND OF POKER GAMES, I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT, BUT I'M GLAD WE'RE TO THE POINT WE ARE NOW. I THINK I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP, MR. MURPHY. I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP, MR. GARCIA. AND BECAUSE MUCH OF THIS IS HAPPENING WITHIN YOUR PRECINCT, AND EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A REGIONAL, COUNTY WIDE IMPACTED PROJECT. THANK YOU.

I'M GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE, COMMISSIONER CAGLE.

I KNOW YOU HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMISSIONER RYAN, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I THINK MR. HILDEGARDE SAID IT BEST, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO REACH THAT COMMON GROUND, THE COMMON GOOD, WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD.

[00:55:06]

SO I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF EFFORT ON BY EVERYBODY, WHETHER IT'S COMMISSIONER RYAN, I WANT TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO DISTRICT TEXAS DISTRICT ENGINEER LIZA PAUL, WHO JUST STAYED FOCUSED ON THE FACTS.

I PROVIDE A PERSPECTIVE OF I'VE WATCHED OUR 45 FROM AN ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE DONE FOR 45 YEARS IN MY CAREER, AND THIS ONE WAS PROBABLY THE MOST TALKED ABOUT PROJECT IN THE ENGINEERING COMMUNITY FOR DECADES. AND FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS, THIS THING HAS BEEN IN VARIOUS STAGES OF CONCEPTUAL REVIEW, CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, GETTING, GETTING INPUT.

I KNOW THAT WHEN YOU DEAL WITH DOING A NEPA PROCESS, YOU HAVE TO DEFINE VERY EARLY THE PURPOSE IN NEED OF A PROJECT THAT WAS DEFINED AND THEN YOUR WHOLE NEPA PROCESS GOES THROUGH THAT, THAT PURPOSE AND NEED.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THAT WE HAD TO NAVIGATE TO BE SURE THAT THE AGREEMENT DID IN FACT MEET THE PURPOSE OF NEED.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE AGREEMENT, IF REFERENCE THAT REFERENCES THAT AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART.

BUT THE ONE THING THAT HADN'T CHANGED SINCE THIS PROJECT WAS ENVISIONED OVER 15 YEARS AGO BECAUSE, SAY CAPACITY HAS NOT BEEN ADDED TO HIGH 45 IN 30 YEARS CAPACITY, LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN HAS NOT BEEN ADDED TO I 45 IN 30 YEARS.

LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN OUR REGION 30 YEARS AGO.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH THAT WE'VE HAD AND TODAY WE HAVE THE FOURTH LARGEST PORT OR IT'S NOT THE FIRST LARGEST PORT BY MANY METRICS, AND IT DEPENDS ON OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TO MOVE GOODS.

$2.5 BILLION IS HOW MUCH IS GOING TO BE SPENT ON DRAINAGE.

2.5. I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AT THE CONFLUENCE OF WHITE OAK BAYOU AND BUFFALO BAYOU JUST BY IMPROVING THAT CONFLUENCE, YOU'RE GOING TO LOWER THE WATER SURFACE ELEVATION.

I THINK APPROACHING TWO FEET WITH TWO FEET HAVE MADE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN HARVEY.

IT MADE A HECK OF A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN HARVEY.

SO YOU LOOK AT THAT AND THEN YOU LOOK AT AN EVACUATION ROUTE FOR HARRIS COUNTY.

THINK OF ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE SOUTH OF US.

THINK OF ALL THE UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE SOUTH OF US THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO EVACUATE IN THE NEXT HURRICANE.

AND THERE WILL BE A HURRICANE.

AND I, 45, IS THE PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVACUATION ROUTE, AT LEAST IN THE STATE, IF NOT THE IF NOT THE COUNTRY.

SO I THINK AS WE LOOK AT THIS AGREEMENT, THERE'S SO MANY IMPORTANT ISSUES AND IT WAS REFERENCED EARLIER BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA ON THE SAFETY SIDE, THAT IS COMPELLING.

WE HAVE GOT TO BE SURE THAT WHEN OUR.

20 YEAR OLD CHILDREN GET ON THE ROAD AND THEY'RE DRIVING TO AN ASTROS GAME THAT WE DO.

THEY HAVE A SAFE WAY TO GET THERE AND GET BACK.

AND SAFETY HAS NOT BEEN SACRIFICED AT THE AT THE ALTAR.

SO THANK YOU TO A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WERE HERE.

THIS IS WHAT I THINK GOOD GOVERNMENT LOOKS LIKE, PEOPLE COMING TO A TABLE, PEOPLE PUTTING SOLUTIONS ON THE TABLE.

AND WE'RE WALKING AWAY TODAY WITH A SOLUTION.

AND FOR THAT, I'M THANKFUL.

AND I'LL GIVE COMMISSIONER CAGLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SECOND I'LL SECOND IT, BUT FOR MANY REASONS I'M GOING TO I STILL NEED TO MAKE THE MOTION. NOW, WHEN YOU MAKE THE MOTION AND I WILL ONLY RECOGNIZE MYSELF TO DO THE SECOND, JUST GIVE YOU A HEADS UP.

ALL RIGHT ONCE WE GET THERE. BUT I DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS.

PERFECTION HAS BEEN SAID TO BE THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD.

AND A COUPLE OF FOLKS HAVE COMMENTED ABOUT HOW THERE IS NO PERFECT PROJECT AND WE CAN TRY TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN.

BUT THERE ARE FIVE S'S THAT I WISH TO POINT OUT IN MY COMMENTS ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

AND I'VE SAID THESE BEFORE, I'VE TESTIFIED TO THEM AT THE BEFORE THE COMMISSION TEXT, AND I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO'VE SPOKEN HERE TODAY.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF YOU THAT I'M MISSING THAT I'VE SEEN BEFORE WHEN WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES.

THE FIRST IS SAFETY.

WE GIVE LIP SERVICE TO THIS THING CALLED VISION ZERO, AND WE GIVE LIP SERVICE TO HOW WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE WHERE WE HAVE NO ACCIDENTS.

AND YET WE HAVE IN OUR MIDST THIS ROAD CALLED EYE 45, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ROADS IN NORTH AMERICA.

[01:00:06]

THAT IS NOT APPROPRIATE.

LIVES ARE LOST, SAFETY IS IMPACTED.

AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT JUST GIVE THESE CONCEPTS OF PROTECTING OUR DRIVERS LIP SERVICE, BUT THAT WE FULFILL THAT TO THE SURF.

WE HAVE THIS THING IN THIS REGION CALLED HURRICANES.

AND THIS ROAD I 45, DOES NOT STOP HERE.

IT GOES TO GALVESTON.

AND EVERYBODY THAT IS SOUTH OF HARRIS COUNTY IS DEPENDENT UPON I 45 FOR THEIR SAFETY AND THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

THE DISADVANTAGE OF BEING MY AGE IS THAT I HAVE BEEN NOT ONLY THROUGH HARVEY, BUT I WENT THROUGH IKE AND OTHER EVENTS THAT OCCURRED BACK IN THE DAY.

ALICIA AND IF THERE WAS NOT THE ABILITY FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF OUR REGION AND TO HIGH GROUND, IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT US THAT LIVE HERE.

IT IS ABOUT THOSE THAT LIVE IN OUR REGION AND WE ARE OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER.

OR WE COULD KEEP THEM IN HARM'S WAY IF WE DID NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR ROADS.

THREE STOP AND GO TRAFFIC.

UM. THIS IS AN OLDER ROAD AND IT IS BEST FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO SPEND MORE TIME AT HOME THAN IT IS TO SPEND IN A CAR WAITING TO GET HOME.

IT IS BEST IF YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE A LIVELIHOOD THAT YOU HAVE COMMERCE THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO MAKE 2 TO 3 STOPS A DAY INSTEAD OF HAVING TO SIT IN TRAFFIC AND MAKE ONE STOP A DAY. AND SO FOR THE SAKE OF STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THE LONGER YOU SIT IN TRAFFIC, THE MORE WE HAVE POLLUTION, THE MORE WE HAVE SOUND, THE MORE THAT WE HAVE OTHER POLLUTANTS THAT COME INTO THE SYSTEM.

AND SO HAVING A BETTER DESIGNED, IMPROVED, SAFER ROAD THAT IS OFTO THE SAFETY NET FOR OUR FOLKS GETTING OUT OF THE WAY TO SURF.

IT IS ALSO GOOD FOR US LIVING AND GOOD FOR US IN OUR BUSINESSES.

FOURTHLY, THE SCALES OF FAIRNESS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PERFECT VERSUS THE GOOD IN THIS PROCESS, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME APPLICATIONS OF SCALES, SCALES OF FAIRNESS FOR ALL. EVERY NOW AND THEN, THESE BIG PROJECTS, WE GET NEIGHBORHOODS THAT GET LEFT BEHIND AND WE NEED TO GO BACK THROUGH AND FIX THOSE.

AND SO I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS GOING TO BE PERFECT.

AS IT GOES FORWARD, WE NEED TO BE VIGILANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS TAKEN CARE OF.

BUT IMPROVED DRAINAGE IN A REGION IS IMPORTANT.

PART OF THIS SCALE OF FAIRNESS PROCESS IS THAT THIS WILL BE LIKE THE BOY SCOUTS MOTTO, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT, THAT WHEN THIS PROJECT IS OVER WITH, THE DRAINAGE WILL BE BETTER THAN WHAT THE DRAINAGE IS.

NOW THAT IS A GOOD THING IN THE SCALES OF FAIRNESS.

THE IMPROVEMENTS WITH REGARD TO AIR QUALITY AND SOUND QUALITY THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT IN THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, THOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE PERFECT, ARE BETTER THAN WHERE THEY WERE. AND IN THAT OLD SCALE OF FAIRNESS, WE ARE GETTING MORE FOR OUR REGION THAN WHAT WE WERE GETTING AND WHAT WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN HAD WE NOT ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS.

THE FIFTH SCE SAFETY SERVE STOP AND GO SCALES OF FAIRNESS.

THE FIFTH ONE IS I WANT TO GIVE A FEW SALUTES.

I WANT TO SALUTE CHRISTIAN MENEFEE.

ALTHOUGH HIS HEART HAS BEEN WITH THOSE ON THE STOP THE PROJECT, HE HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT MEETS THOSE SCALES OF FAIRNESS TESTS TO GET THE MOST FOR EVERYBODY AND IS REPRESENTED A COURT THAT HAS BEEN DIVIDED MOSTLY THREE TWO ON THIS ISSUE ALONG THE WAY.

AND SO I COMMEND YOU FOR WORKING HARD AND WORKING HARD FOR THE GOOD OF EVERYONE, NOT JUST FOR HOW IT WOULD BE IF YOU DID IT YOURSELF.

AND I THANK YOU AND COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.

I WANT TO THANK TEXTILE, BECAUSE THEY COULD HAVE AND I COULD TELL YOU FROM MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM MANY TIMES I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A WHOLE LOT EASIER TO GIVE IN TO ALL THE VOICES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE THAT SAID, BRING US THAT PROJECT, BRING US THAT MONEY AND LET US WALK AWAY AND LET THOSE PEOPLE DROWN DOWN IN HARRIS COUNTY.

BUT IT WOULDN'T BE US JUST DROWNING.

IT WOULD BE THOSE THAT LIVE IN GALVESTON COUNTY AND THOSE THAT ARE SOUTH OF US AND BRAZORIA COUNTY DROWNING AS WELL, AND DYING ON OUR UNSAFE ROADS.

THEY HANG IN THERE WITH US.

LORNA RYAN, COMMISSIONER RYAN, ELIZA, PAUL, THANK YOU SPECIFICALLY FOR HANGING IN THERE AND NOT GIVING UP.

I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER TOM RAMSEY AS SOMEONE WHO ALSO WENT TO TEXAS TO SAY THERE ARE DIVERGENT VIEWS ON THIS PROCESS.

THERE IS A DEBATE AND A DISCUSSION.

LET US MOVE FORWARD AND FIND THE COMMON GROUND, THE SOLUTION.

AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES.

IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A WHOLE LOT OF THREE TWO VOTES AND THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF THREE TWO VOTES ON THIS ONE.

BUT TODAY, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A UNANIMOUS COURT.

WE'LL HAVE ONE MEMBER THAT'S ABSENT.

AND AS THE LAST VOTE THAT I WILL GET TO CAST AS A MEMBER OF THIS BODY.

I WILL BE PROUD TO SAY THAT IT WILL NOT BE A32 VOTE TODAY IF THE SPEECHES THAT I HEAR TRANSLATE INTO THE VOTES THAT I ANTICIPATE COMING.

[01:05:06]

AND SO WITH THAT.

MR. GARCIA, IF YOU WOULD READ THE FORMAL MOTION.

THE MOTION READS. THANK YOU.

THE MOTION READS.

I MOVED TO APPROVE THE COUNTY JUDGE'S SIGNATURE ON THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND TO INSTRUCT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO DISMISS THE COUNTY'S LAWSUIT AGAINST THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

I SECOND THAT MOTION.

ANY ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT COMMENT.

HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ALL RIGHT. ALL OPPOSED.

THERE BEING NONE. I AM AN I.

THAT IS A FOUR VOTE.

UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THAT.

BEING ALL OF THE BUSINESS THAT IS ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.

COMMISSIONERS COURT IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 1212 ON THIS BEAUTIFUL, IF NOT NIPPY DAY IN HARRIS COUNTY.

I GOT TO GO. RIGHT. WRAP SOME PIPES.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.