>> IPAD. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET
[00:00:01]
STARTED OF OUR ANGLETON CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING DATED FEBRUARY THE 23RD,[DECLARATION OF A QUORUM AND CALL TO ORDER]
2021 AT 06:00 P.M. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL US TO ORDER, SIX O'CLOCK.COUNCILMAN THOMPSON WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE.
COUNCILMAN BOOTH WILL LEAD US IN PRAYERS.
>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
>> WOULD YOU BOW WITH ME, PLEASE.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE DAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WATCH CARE OVER US.
ABOVE ALL, GOD, WE LOOK BACK OVER THE PAST WEEK AND ALL THE INCIDENCES THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH EACH OTHER BUT YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN EACH ONE OF OUR LIVES.
WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US THROUGH THAT.
WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH BROKEN PIPES AND MESSED UP HOUSES AND LOSS OF FOOD AND STUFF, FATHER.
JUST GIVE US YOUR WISDOM TONIGHT.
FATHER, HELP US CONTINUE TO SERVE YOU.
GIVE US YOUR PEACE FATHER IN CHRIST'S NAME. AMEN.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELCOME, GUESTS. WELCOME, STAFF.
TONIGHT WE DECIDED TO HAVE A MEETING MORE GEARED TOWARDS THE FREEZE EVENT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 100 PEOPLE SHOW UP, 200 PEOPLE SHOW UP BUT FIVE OR SIX.
WE CONDENSED OUR AGENDA, LOOKED AND SAW THAT IT'S IN OUR BEST INTERESTS TO ADDRESS THIS TONIGHT, AND THEN WE'LL PICK UP WITH ALL THE CITY BUSINESS THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO PUSH OVER FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
WE APPRECIATE THOSE THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT AND OUR STAFF TO TALK US THROUGH THE EVENTS THAT UNFOLDED OVER THE LAST WEEK.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
WE DO HAVE CITIZENS WISHING TO ADDRESS COUNCIL, WHICH WE DO HAVE TWO THAT WANT TO TALK ON ITEM TWO, SO WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT WE'LL LET YOU GUYS COME UP, ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO OUR DISCUSSIONS.
ITEM NUMBER ONE IS DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON RESOLUTION NUMBER 20210223-001,
[1. Discussion and possible action on Resolution No. 20210223-001 ratifying the disaster declaration signed by the Mayor on February 15, 2021 and consenting to its continuation through March 15, 2021; repealing conflicting ordinances and resolutions; including a severability clause; and establishing an effective date.]
RATIFYING THE DISASTER DECLARATION SIGNED BY THE MAYOR ON FEBRUARY 15TH, 2021, AND CONSENTING TO ITS CONTINUATION THROUGH MARCH THE 15TH, 2021, REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS, INCLUDING A SEPARABILITY CLAUSE AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. COUNCIL.>> I THINK WE WANT TO CONTINUE ON ONLY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME THINGS THAT ARE STILL GOING ON.
SINCE THERE IS A DECLARATION THROUGH THE NATIONAL SIDE AND ON THE FEDERAL SIDE, AND THE STATE SIDE, NOW WE JUST THOUGHT IT'D BE GOOD TO CONTINUE ON UNTIL AT LEAST THE 15TH BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME ONGOING ITEMS GOING ON IN THE CITY WITH OUR RESIDENTS IN SOME OF OUR CITY INFRASTRUCTURES.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOME GUIDANCE FROM ME TO YOUR MOTION DO CONTINUE ON. [LAUGHTER]
>> HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN THOMPSON, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BOOTH.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. SAME SIGN.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO,
[2. Discussion on the 2021 Winter Storm, ERCOT, the lack of power and water, and impact on the City of Angleton and how to proceed with City business in the future. (Part 1 of 2)]
DISCUSSION ON 2021 WINTER STORM OR CUT THE LACK OF POWER AND WATER AND THE IMPACT ON THE CITY OF ANGLETON AND HOW TO PROCEED WITH CITY BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE.WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL START OFF WITH SOME OPENING COMMENTS, THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHRIS WHO WILL DISCUSS OUR FORMAT FOR TONIGHT.
AFTER THAT, WE'LL LET THE CITIZENS SPEAK, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO YOUR FORMAT AS WELL.
WHAT WE'LL DO IS SAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO STAFF THERE IN THE ROOM.
WE HAD A MOST DIFFICULT TIME STARTING THE DAY AFTER VALENTINE'S DAY, THE 15TH.
I THINK THE CITY UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND WHAT WE WERE DEALT, [NOISE] WE MADE IT THROUGH.
WE HAVE FOUND SOME WAYS TO IMPROVE AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT WITH THE SENIOR STAFF HERE AT THE CITY.
THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM TO IMPROVE, NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, WE'RE NOT PERFECT.
BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN TO STAFF, OUR RESIDENTS WHO WERE PATIENT.
I KNOW SOME OF US SUFFERED, WE ALL DID.
ALL OF US, I BELIEVE AT SOME POINT WITHOUT WATER AND POWER FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
I MYSELF, I KNOW PEOPLE MAY HAVE SAID, THE MAYOR HAD POWER AND WE DIDN'T.
THE MAYOR HAD POWER FOR THREE MODEST DAYS, NO POWER FOR THREE DAYS.
JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, I ENDURED AS WELL,
[00:05:01]
AND IT WAS DIFFICULT, AND I KNOW IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE.COUNCIL, I KNOW WE ALL AT SOME POINT WERE AFFECTED AS WELL, WE CHECKED ON EACH OTHER, MADE SURE WE WERE OKAY.
THROUGH SOME OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND THROUGH THE MAYOR PRO-TEAM SUGGESTIONS, AND GO INTO STAFF, WE FAIRED WELL, I THINK WE FAIRED REALLY WELL.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THAT WE HAD A BUNCH OF HICCUPS AND WE ADDRESS THEM AS THEY CAME, ALL OF THE CURVEBALLS, THE SLOW PITCHES, THE FAST PITCHES, BUT I WANT THE RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT STAFF ADDRESSED EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE ADDRESSED WITH AND THEY TOOK IT BY THE HORNS AND DID THE BEST THEY COULD DO.
LET ME TELL YOU, IT WAS FLUID, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WATER DISTRIBUTION, IT WAS, HERE COMES THE WATER AND IT WAS A SHORT-TERM NOTICE, AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO ASSEMBLE, CREATE THE POD, START PASSING THE WATER OUT.
OUR STAFF, PUBLIC WORKS, WE CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS.
THEY WERE OUT IN THE ELEMENT, IN THE COLD, THE RAIN.
I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE COMPLIMENTS I RECEIVE ABOUT OUR PUBLIC WORKS.
THOSE GUYS WERE REALLY COMMITTED, GUYS AND GIRLS.
WHO DID EVER THOUGHT THEY'D BE AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TURNING WATER OFF? NOT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PAY A BILL, IS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE'S HOUSES WERE GETTING FLOODED, MAYBE A WAY TO TURN THE WATER OFF.
OUR PD WAS DOING ALL KINDS OF CHECKS ON RESIDENTS.
PEOPLE WERE CALLING YOU WHEN THEY HAD CELL SERVICE OR PHONE SERVICE, CHECK ON THEIR LOVED ONE. PD OUTSTANDING JOB.
THAT WAS ABOVE AND BEYOND, CHECKING ON OUR RESIDENTS.
THEN THERE'S MANY OF STORIES I COULD SAY, BUT I JUST WANT THE RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT THEIR CITY STAFF WORKED TIRELESSLY, LONG HOURS, NEVER SAID NO, NO MATTER WHAT OBJECTIVE WE THREW AT THEM, THEY TOOK IT ON AND THEY TOOK CARE OF IT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID FROM MYSELF AND THE COUNCIL, AND I'M SURE LATER ON THEY'LL SAY IT AS WELL, BUT THANK YOU.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
I WISH I CAN OPEN UP A CHECKBOOK AND GIVE YOU ALL A FAT SOMETHING, BUT I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO CHRIS, HE'S WILL GIVE US A FORMAT, THEN I WANT TO LET THE CITIZENS LISTENING TO ADDRESS, LET THOSE TO SPEAK AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE REST OF IT.
>> SO I WANT TO ECHO THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS, PHENOMENAL WORK BY ALL THE STAFF.
WE DID THINGS THAT WE HADN'T DONE BEFORE, TRY TO OPEN A RECOVERY SUCH WARMING CENTER.
WE DID SOME GREAT 211 DELIVERIES.
STAFF WAS VERY FLEXIBLE, THEY WORKED LONG HOURS, THEY WORKED DOUBLE HOURS, THEY VOLUNTEERED, IT WAS GREAT.
AGAIN, PEOPLE SAID, ''HEY, I'LL DO THAT, LET'S DO THAT,'' AND THEY GOT IT DONE.
I CALLED [INAUDIBLE] YESTERDAY WITH THE STAFF.
MY FORMAT WITH THEM WAS TO TALK ABOUT ONE GOOD THING, SOMEONE ELSE DID, NOT IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
TALK ABOUT UP TO THREE CITY ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AS A CITY, AND THEN TALK ABOUT IF YOU HAVE DEPARTMENTAL ISSUES OR THINGS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON INTERNALLY.
THAT WAS THE FORMAT. MY PLAN IS NOT TO BRING EVERYONE UP, BUT WE CAN BRING UP THE MAJOR PLAYERS, YOU CAN ENGAGE THEM.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS YOU AND I KNOW, THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TELL YOU, SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SAY, ''HEY, I HEARD THIS,'' AND ASK THEM THAT.
THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE TO RUN IT TONIGHT.
AGAIN, I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BRING UP FOUR OR FIVE FOLKS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, AND ASK THEM TO START THAT WAY TO JUST FACILITATE THE CONVERSATION WITH YOU ALL.
THINGS ARE HAPPENING FROM WHAT WE LEARNED, WE HAD A GENERATOR ROLLING IN TODAY FOR THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT WENT DOWN.
WE'RE DOING THINGS TO FIX SOME OF THE PROBLEMS AND WE NEED TO GROW AND FIGURE OUT CONTINGENCIES SO THAT WE'VE GOT BOTTLED WATER ON HAND.
WE'VE GOT SOME ISSUES AFTER AN EVENT WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE STATE OR THE COUNTY OR SOMEONE ELSE TO GET RESOURCES FOR US.
WE GOT A FLATBED TRAILER THAT WAS ONE OF OUR DEFICIENCIES.
WE'VE TAKEN ACTION ON GETTING THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THE FUTURE.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN BACK TO YOU.
>> WE'LL DO CITIZENS TO ADDRESS.
[CITIZENS WISHING TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL]
JUST IN CASE WE GET LONG AND THE WAY WE PUT THEM AT THE BACK END, WE'LL PUT YOU IN THE FRONT END, AND IF YOU'RE STILL HERE WHEN WE'RE STILL HERE, NO TELLING WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE, I JUST WANT TO GET THEM TAKEN CARE OF.ALWAYS LET LADY FIRST, SO MS. SCHAFFER, THE PODIUM IS YOURS.
>> YOU ALL MAY HAVE ADDRESSED THIS, BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WHAT I WAS SEEING IS WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITY HALL, I GOT NONE BECAUSE I HAD NO CELL PHONE AND I HAVE AN AT&T,
[00:10:06]
A T-MOBILE, AND VERIZON PHONE.MY HOME PHONE DIDN'T WORK, MY INTERNET DIDN'T WORK, MY HOTSPOT DIDN'T WORK, NOTHING WORKED.
WE WERE GETTING NO COMMUNICATIONS.
IT WOULD HELP, MAYBE, IF THE POLICE CARS COULD GO AROUND TO SAY WE'RE ON A BOIL WATER NOTICE, JUST TO ANNOUNCE IT, BECAUSE I DIDN'T FIND OUT UNTIL PROBABLY 12 HOURS LATER WHEN EVERYTHING CAME BACK UP FOR ME.
I WAS DRINKING THE WATER AND IT WAS LIKE, ''OH MY GOD, WHAT AM I GOING TO GET NOW?'' THINGS LIKE THAT MAY HELP.
YOUR FACEBOOK AND YOUR INTERNET WAS GREAT FOR THOSE THAT HAD IT.
BUT FOR THOSE THAT DIDN'T, WE HAD NO COMMUNICATIONS.
I WAS VERY CONCERNED AFTER THE FACT WHEN I STARTED TALKING TO SOME OF MY SENIOR COMMISSION PEOPLE.
POOR LITTLE SARAH MCDANIEL WAS OUT IN THE LURCH TWO, AND UNTIL SOMEBODY CAME BY AND GOT HER.
THEY HAD WATER PIPES BREAKING I MEAN BILLS 97.
HE COULDN'T GO OUT IN THAT AND WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO CONTACT THE SENIORS.
I KNOW 211 HAS A LIST, BUT I DON'T THINK ALL THE SENIORS ARE ON THAT LIST.
SO THAT'S THE SENIOR COMMISSION RESPONSIBILITY AND WE'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT IN OUR OUTREACH.
WE WANT TO GET A LIST SO THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO CONTACT AND SPLIT THE LIST BETWEEN PEOPLE AND WE CAN MAKE PHONE CALLS WHEN THE PHONES ARE UP.
TELLING PEOPLE THAT THERE'S A BOTTLED WATER NOTICE WHEN WE HAVE NO ELECTRICITY AND NO WATER IS KIND OF FEUDAL.
I KNOW I COMPLAIN TO YOU A BUNCH ABOUT BOTTLED WATER. WHERE IS IT? LIKE CHRIS SAID, HAVE A CASE HERE OR HAVE A PELLET HERE.
I'M GLAD PEOPLE ARE STEPPING UP, STEPPED UP DURING ALL THAT.
I MEAN, ALL THE STUFF THAT PEOPLE STEPPED UP, IT WAS GREAT, BUT AS A SENIOR CITIZEN I WAS SCARED.
>>THANK YOU MS. JAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU DIDN'T SAY A THING THAT WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED OR WE ARE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT SOLUTIONS.
>>THANK YOU. YES. SHE'S ALREADY ADDRESSED SOME OF IT ALL LOOPS, CELL PHONES, DOWNTOWN IN THIS AREA WE'RE DOWN FROM OUR TOWER AND FROM THE T-MOBILE TOWER DUE TO THE AT&T SWITCHING CENTER ACROSS THE STREET.
APPARENTLY, THEY EITHER DIDN'T HAVE GOOD BACKUP POWER, OR GOOD BATTERIES, OR ANYTHING.
I HAVE REACHED OUT TO AT&T CORPORATE WITH NO REPLIES YET.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD ANY LUCK MR. [INAUDIBLE] , BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME WORK ON THAT BECAUSE WHEN THAT SWITCHING CENTER GOES DOWN, NOT ONLY DO THE TELEPHONES GO DOWN, BUT THE INTERNET GOES DOWN, AND THEN THE CELL PHONES GO DOWN.
AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE SITTING HERE TWIDDLING, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S UP.
APPARENTLY, WE USED TO SUBMIT OUR ENTRIES FROM AT&T ON WHAT TO DO.
IF I GET SOME BETTER ANSWERS I'LL COMMUNICATE AND IF I DON'T, I HOPE YOU GUYS DO.
ALSO THERE'S NO TRINATIONAL RECYCLE PICK UP, MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND I'M WONDERING WHY WE'RE PAYING FOR SERVICES WE DIDN'T GET.
I DID CALL [INAUDIBLE] FOUR TIMES AND THEY DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE AGAIN AS USUAL, BUT THE MAIN THING IS NOWADAYS IS NOT ONLY TELEPHONE BUT IT'S INTERNET, BUT THEY'RE ALL CONNECTED TO THAT BUILDING, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT NOW. THANK YOU.
THAT IS ON THE LIST AS COMMUNICATION.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT AND GIVEN US SOME SHEDS OF LIGHT ON THAT AREA OVER THERE.
[2. Discussion on the 2021 Winter Storm, ERCOT, the lack of power and water, and impact on the City of Angleton and how to proceed with City business in the future. (Part 2 of 2)]
WHICH FIRST DEPARTMENT HEAD YOU WANT TO CALL UP?>> I'M GOING TO ASK ERRAN TO COME ON UP TO END UP TO GIVE CARGO THROUGH THE FORMAT AND YOUR LAST QUESTIONS, OR MAY COMMENTS [INAUDIBLE]
>>GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE IS BASICALLY TO ARTICULATE OUR DEPARTMENT'S SPECIFIC ROLE IN THIS EVENT.
I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE HAD GREAT LEADERSHIP.
PEOPLE WERE FINDING NEEDS AND MEETING THEM WITHOUT HAVING TO BE ASKED IN A LOT OF CASES.
[00:15:03]
I THINK YOU SHOULD BE REALLY PROUD OF THE STAFF IN THIS VERY UNUSUAL, COMPLEX, RAPIDLY EVOLVING AND CHANGING, UNEXPECTED SCENARIO.WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS LET YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT OF THE IMPACTS THAT WERE HAPPENING THROUGH, ESPECIALLY OUR COMMUNICATION CENTER IN THE PD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IN MY OPINION THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, THE DISPATCHERS WHICH I MAY REFER TO AS TCO, TELECOMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS, THEY ENDED UP HANDLING 1,935 CALLS FOR SERVICE AND THEN THE TIME-FRAME OF THE EMERGENCY.
THAT CAME FROM EVERYTHING FROM 911 TO ADMIN LINE CALLS, OFFICERS CALLING IN, PUBLIC WORKS CALLING IN FOR AND THEN AT ONE POINT THE REGIONAL 911 HUB.
SO 911 IS SET UP TO WHERE IT REVOLVE, IT GOES TO THE NEXT AGENCY, AND THEN THE NEXT AGENCY, AND THE AGENCY.
OUR DISPATCHERS TOOK 911 CALLS FOR 12 HOURS FROM FORBIDDEN COUNTY, MISSOURI CITY, GAUSSIAN COUNTY, JAMAICA BEACH, GALVESTON, TEXAS CITY, WEST COLOMBIA, BRAZORIA COUNTY FOR A PERIOD, WE ACTUALLY HAD TO MOVE A BRAZORIA COUNTY TELECOMMUNICATIONS OPERATOR INTO OUR CENTER TO STREAMLINE, THOSE GIRLS WORKED HARD AND IT WAS A LONG, LONG DAY AND THEN WE LOST POWER, AND LOST INTERNET SERVICE FOR ABOUT 15 HOURS AND SO IT GAVE THAT BREAK.
BUT WHEN THE SYSTEM WENT DOWN, THERE WERE STILL STUFF COMING IN, PEOPLE WALKING INTO THE PD, REQUESTING SERVICES.
ONCE WE REALIZED THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE THE NORMAL CELLULAR COMMUNICATION, WE WENT TO THE P25 SYSTEM AND UNTIL THE RADIOS.
LAST YEAR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS GRANTED 10 RADIOS AND THANK GOODNESS WE WERE BECAUSE THAT WAS OUR LIFELINE TO PUBLIC WORKS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE OPERATING.
THEY ENDED UP MONITORING THOSE CHANNELS.
I THINK ONE OF OUR ACTION ITEMS IS TO ACTUALLY INCREASE THAT NUMBER OF RADIOS AND THE MAYOR HAD A GREAT IDEA ABOUT AN EMERGENCY CONTINGENCY WITH SOME OLD RADIOS THAT WE COULD UTILIZE AS WELL.
SO THAT'S THE COMMUNICATIONS PIECE.
THE ONLY THING THAT COULD HAVE MADE THIS DISASTER MORE DIFFICULT AND PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF THE P25 SYSTEM, BEING OUR SIMULCAST RADIO SYSTEM WOULD HAVE GONE DOWN AS WELL AS THE CELLULAR.
THEN WE WOULD HAVE BEEN OLD-SCHOOL RUNNING BACK AND FORTH WITH PAPER, THAT STUFF.
I REALLY WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS FROM ANGLETON.
THEY ALL WORKED HARD, TIRELESSLY, NOT A COMPLAIN, FLEXIBLE, ADAPTABLE, WORKING OVER, TOOK A LOT OF CALLS, HAD TO FIGURE OUT A LOT OF COMPLEX NARRATIVES THAT HAVE NEVER HAPPENED HERE BEFORE, TRYING TO IDENTIFY, "WHERE ARE YOU CALLING FROM FORBIDDEN COUNTY." THEN JUST ADDRESSING THE SITUATION AND THESE WERE DESPERATE CALLS FOR SERVICE, TRUE EMERGENCIES.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I'M ONLY NOT REPORTING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM THE COMMUNICATION SIDE.
THEY ENDED UP RUNNING 36 CALLS FOR SERVICE, SIX OF THOSE RESTRUCTURE FIRES.
ONE OF THEM WAS OBVIOUSLY A VERY BIG STRUCTURE FIRE THAT AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX AT ONE ON ONE IS A HOSPITAL.
THERE'S A PD ELEMENT TO THAT TOO BECAUSE OFFICERS WEREN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EVACUATION PROCESS AND HAD TO DEAL WITH ABOUT 40 RESIDENTS.
THEY HAD TO MOVE OUT WHILE THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE TRYING TO ESTABLISH CONSTANT WATER, WHICH IS A VERY BIG STRUGGLE.
ME AND CRAWL GINGRICH, WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES OF FIGHTING A FIRE IN ONE OF WHETHER WHEN YOUR REGULATORS FREEZING UP AND YOU GET EYES ARE CLOSED FROM THE WATER THAT'S ON YOU AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
MY TRUE SINCERE COMPLIMENTS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR ABILITIES, THEY NEEDED SEVERAL OTHER THINGS, STILL DOING FIRE ALARMS, MAJOR ACCIDENTS, AND GAS LEAK, POWER LINES DOWN, LANDING ZONES, MUTUAL AIDS.
THEY ACTUALLY ON TOP OF THAT, STILL HELPED OUT THREE OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES.
SO KUDOS TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, CHIEF MYERS, CHIEF NELLY MORTON ENDED UP BECOMING REALLY BIG PLAYER IN THE WATER SIDE OF ACQUIRING WATER.
THE EMERGENCY MEDICALS CALL, THEY RAN 155 CALLS AND THEN THERE WAS A VARIETY OF CALLS, NOT REALLY EXPOSURE CALLS.
[00:20:01]
BUT WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THEY DID THAT WAS REALLY CRITICAL, WAS ONCE WE STARTED IDENTIFYING NEEDS OF THE SENIORS THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.THOSE AMBULANCES WHEN THEY WEREN'T ON CALLS WHERE IT GO TO THERE AND ALSO DO WELFARE CHECKS FOR SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, TAKE THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE, MAKE SURE THEIR OXYGEN WAS RUNNING.
I WANT TO THANK LUCILLE AND JAMIE PRES LEICA, THE LEADERSHIP OVER THERE FOR STEPPING UP AND MEETING THE NEED. THEY JUST MET THE NEED.
NOW, GETTING INTO ACTUAL POLICE, WE RAN ABOUT 1,525 CALLS FOR SERVICE.
LIKE HEY, LET'S GO INTO THIS AREA, WE KNOW PEOPLE LIVE HERE ABOUT 587 OF THOSE.
NOW, WE ALSO RECEIVED 39 FROM PEOPLE FROM OUT OF STATE OR WHATEVER WORRIED ABOUT THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE DOWNTIME.
OFFICERS ALSO DID A 107 WATER SHUT OFFS ON TOP OF POOR PUBLIC WORKS.
PROBABLY DID LIKE 400-500, BUT THEY ALSO NEST WITH 10 SEWER CALLS AND ACTUALLY DEALT WITH A COUPLE OF POWER LINES DOWN AS WELL.
WE ESTABLISHED A FUEL STORAGE SYSTEM AT THE PD FOR UNLEADED FUEL, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'VE NEVER DONE THERE BEFORE.
THERE'S A 2,000 GALLON TANK THERE NOW FILLED UP.
I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO HELP US LONG-TERM.
I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR INTO THAT, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE ON THE FLY.
IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE.
WE MADE A NEW CONTACT WITH ANOTHER PLACE.
THE PD WAS PRETTY INSTRUMENTAL IN ACQUIRING BOTTLE WATER.
WE GOT MANY AND MARTHA, I DON'T WANT TO STILL HURT THUNDER BUT MANY DONATIONS WHENEVER WE WERE STILL WAITING ON THE LOGISTICAL ELEMENTS TO PLAY OUT FROM THE STATE AND THE COUNTY AREAS.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT OUR RESPONSE WAS TIP OF THE SPEAR.
IT WAS AS GOOD AS IT COULD BE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND I JUST CAN'T EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH.
WITH WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY ABOUT THE STAFFS ADAPTABILITY.
CHRIS HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD THAT FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY, PUBLIC WORKS AND PDF WORKED CLOSELY TOGETHER.
CRYSTAL ROSTRUM, ONE OF OUR LIEUTENANTS, A SUPPORT GUY, FORMER MECHANIC, WAS INSTRUMENTAL FOR THE GENERATORS THAT CONSTANTLY WE'RE GOING DOWN.
WE HAD TO SEIZE SOME ANIMALS, ONLY TWO.
BUT THAT WAS PEOPLE THAT LEFT THEIR ANIMALS OUTSIDE DURING THE FREEZING WEATHER, SO THE ANIMAL CONTROL IS OUT THERE AS WELL, WORKING AND DOING THEIR JOB.
OF COURSE THEY WERE IN THERE AND IN THE SHELTER MAKING SURE THOSE ANIMALS ARE TAKEN CARE OF WHENEVER THEY WERE OUT OF POWER, AND VERY COLD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEN I THINK I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THE EVACUATION OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THERE ARE OTHER A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS I WANT TO COMMEND SYSTEM CHIEF, LOOPY VALDEZ, LIEUTENANT DOLL ROSTRUM, THE T-CO DISPATCHER, SUPERVISOR, RHONDA BARTON.
ALL OF THEM STEPPED UP, MANY OTHER PEOPLE DID TOO, BUT AND THEN HAROLD (PHONETIC) ANOTHER THING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID ARE UNUSUAL ROLE FOR US WAS WE PROCURED, FOUND GOT DONATED FOOD AND DRINKS FOR ALL OF THE CITY, AND FEDERAL THE CITY LUNCH AND DINNER FOR PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR THE SEVEN DAYS.
AND USUALLY THAT'S THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES AND THEY JUST WEREN'T EQUIPPED FOR IT THIS TIME.
I SEE IT YOU ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF US, LET US TAKE CARE YOU THIS TIME.
THAT'S THE GENERAL SYNOPSIS, I COULD GO ON AND ON.
VERY, VERY, VERY PROUD OF MY DEPARTMENT, BUT ESPECIALLY THE CITY, PROUD OF ITS RESIDENTS FOR THE RESILIENCY, PROUD OF THE VOLUNTEERS.
I WANT MY SHOUT OUT, GO TO ALL THE PUBLIC SAFETY MINISTRY ALLIANCE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY METHODIST FIRST PRESS, MIKE AND JOEL.
THERE ARE PEOPLE, THE ROTARY CLUB.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT JUST ANSWERED THE CALL AND SO VERY INSPIRATIONAL.
IT'S ALWAYS HARDER TO GO THROUGH A DISASTER, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO REFLECT ON THE HUMANITY AND PEOPLE'S COMPASSION AND THEIR RESPONSE TO WHENEVER THERE'S A NEED SEEING A NEED AND WANTING TO MEET IT.
SO IF I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, I'M DONE. YES SIR.
>> CAN YOU TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE TWO ONE ONE AND THE SHELTER WAY AHEAD, THE ENGAGEMENT. RIGHT.
>> SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, I SAY WE, I THINK THIS WAS MORE OF A MEGAN AND CHRIS AND THE MAYOR KIND OF THING.
IT WAS FIRST PRESBYTERIAN AND JOEL MCKINNON THE FIRST METHOD IS WE'RE ABLE TO FORM, FORM A WARMING CENTER AND EVEN FIRST PRESBYTERIAN DID SOME COOKING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IS THROUGH THE PUBLIC SAFETY MINISTRY ALLIANCE,
[00:25:05]
ONE OF OUR GREATEST ASSETS FOR AN EMERGENCY IS THEIR FACILITIES.SO THE MATTER OF FACT, THIS NEXT MEETING THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE, THIS MONTH THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE NEXT MONTH NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS WITH THEM HOW ONE, THEY CAN UTILIZE THEIR FACILITIES FOR SHELTERS AND STRATEGIC GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS AND MORE SOUTH CENTRAL EAST, WEST AND WHO CAN PARTNER WITH US ON THAT.
CHRIS IS ALSO TALKING ABOUT WAYS MAYBE TO EVEN GO INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE SUPPLY SOME BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THEIR FACILITY AND THEY'LL COMMIT TO UTILIZE FACILITIES.
THE SECOND THING IS OUR 211 EVACUATION PROGRAM, WHICH I DON'T WANT TO STILL GLENN STANDARD, BY GETTING THEM TO HELP SPONSOR US.
SO A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE IN THEIR CHURCHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND SPONSORING.
SO WE'RE NOT DOING REDUNDANT WORK, NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT THE CITY TO BE ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE SAYING, "HEY, ARE YOU OKAY?" BUT SOMETIMES WE CAN'T ALWAYS GET TO THAT IN THE HEART OF THE MATTER.
SO GETTING THOSE CHURCHES AND THOSE 501 C3S AND THOSE NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WILLING TO SPONSOR THESE PEOPLE, WILL GET US EVEN MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY FIND THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT CONTINUAL CONTINUITY OF SERVICE AND A COMFORT AND COMPASSION AND WHAT NEEDS YOU HAVE THROUGH THE ENTIRE EVENT.
SO THAT'S A GOAL OF OURS TO THE PSMA.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED ME TO COVER? MAINLY. ANYTHING ELSE I CAN ANSWER FOR YOU GUYS?
>> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY AS PEOPLE THAT MAY BE LISTENING ONLINE OR ANYBODY IN THE ODDS, 2-1-1 IS A REGISTRY THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS IMPLEMENTED FOR HURRICANE SEASON.
SO WHEN THERE WAS A PENDING STORM, PEOPLE REGISTERED WHO NEEDED ASSISTANCE ON EITHER EVACUATING AND GETTING OUT.
SO WE'VE NOW EXPANDED ON THAT LIST AND WE'RE USING THAT LIST TO CONTACT THOSE RESIDENTS, NOT JUST FOR HURRICANE, THIS WAS BECAUSE OF THE EVENT, THAT'S FIRST THING THEY DID WAS GRAB THAT 2-1-1 LIST BECAUSE THAT IS A VEIN HOMES ON THAT LIST.
>> OKAY, ALMOST A 100 RESIDENTS ARE ON THAT LIST.
SO THE STAFF MERELY WITH TO 21 1 STARTED CONTACTING THESE PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED GETTING PEOPLE WHO NEEDED ASSISTANCE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THE BASE WORK IS THERE WHICH IS NOT EXPAND ON IT.
HOW DO WE REACH EVEN MORE PEOPLE? BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT 211, THEY'RE SENIOR CITIZENS LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE SELF-SUFFICIENT, BUT THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH THEM AND SAY, "HELLO, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU OR ARE YOU OKAY." SO THAT JUST WANT TO RESIST KNOW THAT'S WHAT STAFF IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IS IN THE FUTURE.
WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT 211 LIST AND HOW WE CAN SERVE THOSE PEOPLE BETTER OFF.
SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO SAY.
>> FOR THE POET'S VERSE AND I ENCOURAGED THEM TO, TO REACH OUT AND SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED 2-1-1,IT'S JUST A SIMPLE NUMBER, YOU'LL TALK TO YOU A, AN OPERATOR USUALLY SPONSORED BY A LOCAL UNITED WAY.
YOU'LL BE TALKING TO SOMEBODY, THEY'LL TAKE DOWN YOUR INFORMATION.
THERE'S A LEVEL OF PRIVACY THAT'S EXPECTED, SO WE CAN'T REALLY SHARE THE LIST WITH A LOT OF FOLKS PER WEEK.
WE CAN HELP OUT AS BEST WE CAN.
THEY STARTED IT YEAH, BACK ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO FOR HURRICANES AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE MASTER OF FIRE, THAT WE MAY HAVE TO MOVE PEOPLE FOR MORE THAN JUST HURRICANE, SO THEY MADE IT STATEWIDE.
SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM, I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY LISTENING OR IF YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS THIS NEEDS HELP GETTING OUT, NEED SOME HELP GETTING BY WHEN THERE'S A DISASTER, SIGN UP ON 211 OR YOU CAN GO ONLINE, YOU CAN SEARCH FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE REQUEST AND SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE YOU'RE AT, SO WE HELP FIND YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU.
>> GLENN YOU'RE GOING TO COVER AHEAD A LITTLE BIT WHENEVER YOU COME UP? OKAY. I'M NOT GOING TO TOUCH ON THAT THEN.
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT OUR EFFORTS ON OUR ALERTING SYSTEM AND ALL.
BUT I'LL LET GLENN HAVE THAT ONE.
SO ANYTHING ELSE I CAN ANSWER FOR ANYBODY?
>> I WANT TO THANK YOUR OFFICERS THAT SHOWED UP OFF-DUTY TO HELP DISTRIBUTE SECURE AND I SAW THEM THERE.
THOSE ARE THE FEW I CAN THINK OF OFF THE TOP MY HEAD, BUT IT MEANS A LOT WHEN OUR OFFICERS, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE NOT IN UNIFORM, ARE STILL PARTICIPATING IN HELPING THE CITIZENS AND THAT WAS NICE TO SEE YOU APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT RECOGNITION.
THERE WERE OTHERS AS WELL ON THE SUNDAY TOO, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT RECOGNITION BECAUSE THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY.
>> IS THAT IT? ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION FOR CHIEF?
>> I'M SURE SOME WILL COME UP LATER.
IF IT'S NOT, WE CAN COME BACK TO HIM LATER.
IF YOU POP UP WITH SOMETHING JOT IT DOWN AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THE PARKING LOT.
>> IF I MAY SAY ONE LAST THING.
>> I REALLY WANT TO GIVE A PUBLIC WORKS JEFF AND HIS LEADERSHIP AND HIS TEAM PROPS FOR A VERY DIFFICULT RESPONSE, LOT OF HURDLES THAT THEY RAN THROUGH.
MEGAN INTO A DISTRIBUTION, A WARMING CENTER.
HER STAFF WAS ADAPTABLE AND FANTASTIC.
WHEN WE'RE NEEDING WATER AND FOOD, COLLEEN WENT TO VAUDEVILLE AND GOT IT FOR US, BROUGHT IT DOWN.
LINDSAY JUMPED IN THE ROLE AND THE 214 FORMS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
THERE'S OTHERS AND OTHERS AND MARTHA, THE PIO SYSTEM WAS FANTASTIC.
[00:30:01]
REALLY THINK THAT WE SET A BAR HERE.SO I JUST TO SAY, I WANTED TO COME IN, THOSE PEOPLE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
>> [OVERLAPPING] HOW BIG IS THAT STORAGE UNIT FOR GAS?
SO WE THINK WE CAN MAYBE EVEN SAVE MONEY BY THE, WE'RE NEGOTIATING WITH THEM ON THE AMOUNT TO DO THIS ROUTINELY AND STILL HAVE THE SKID FOR FREE WITH THEIR MAINTENANCE ON-SITE.
SO WE MIGHT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO HAVE THE STORAGE THERE TO BE FILLED FOR DISASTER, WHICH WE WOULD DO ON THE FRONT END NOW.
BUT WE MAY ALSO BE ABLE TO FIND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF COST SAVINGS IN THE LONG TERM.
CHRIS AND I, WE'RE WORKING ON A LOOP, HE IS ACTUALLY NEGOTIATING THAT.
CHRIS AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR LAST COUPLE DAYS.
>> I'VE GOT SOME FOR YOU REAL QUICK.
>> I THINK IT'S YOU CHIME IN SOMEBODY ELSE ON STAFF.
WHO DECIDED TO GO PUT THE ALERT BILLBOARD UP AT WILKINS AND 274? [OVERLAPPING]
>>WAS IT YOU MARTHA? LIKE A GROUP?
>> THAT WAS GREAT. I MEAN, I GOT A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS ON THAT.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO LOSE SELF SERVICE LIKE MOST OF US DID, I DID, YOU DRIVE BY THAT AND YOU SAW THAT, AND THAT I GOT CITIZENS TELLING ME THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT OUT THERE, SO WE KNEW IN CASE SELF-SERVICE WENT DOWN AGAIN OR SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED.
THE PAPER COULDN'T PRINT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE POWER.
SO THERE WAS NO FORMAL COMMUNICATIONS AND THE BEST WAY IS VISUAL RIGHT THERE, SO [OVERLAPPING]
>> I GOT TO GIVE CHRIS ONE PROPS BECAUSE THE IRONY OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE DIDN'T HAVE CELL AND THAT'S HOW YOU PROGRAM THE THING.
SO HE HAD TO GO IN MANUALLY AND PROGRAM IT, WHICH NONE OF US KNEW HOW TO DO.
SO CHRIS WAS THERE TO THE RESCUE AND SO ANOTHER ANOTHER KUDOS TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT IT.
>> IT MAKES ME THINK THAT MAYBE WE NEED ANOTHER ONE OR MAYBE TWO.
>> THOSE THINGS HAVE COME IN SUPER HANDY.
WE HAVE LOANED THEM TO UT AND B LIKE JACKSON, I THINK ANOTHER COUPLE WOULD BE GOOD.
WE CAN SEARCH OUT FUNDING AND GRANTS.
THAT'S HOW WE GOT THOSE. THERE WERE 38000 FOR BOTH.
THEY HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL FEATURES SO WE CAN LOOK AT SOME MORE GRANTS AND WE'VE GOT THE SAME IDEA.
>> BUT TO THIS POINT, I MEAN, WE WE WENT OLD SCHOOL WITH THE RESTAURANTS FOR THE BOIL WATER NOTICE, AND SO LINDSAY AND HER TEAM CAME IN AFTER THE 2:30 PHONE CALL AND PUT OUT A 110 OR SO FLIERS, I MEAN, STUCK TO THE DOOR WITH A BOIL WATER NOTICE.
>> THEY WENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TOO, RIGHT?
>> SO THAT WAS AT FOUR IN THE MORNING SO WE COULD HIT THEM BEFORE THEY POTENTIALLY OPENED UP.
>> I DON'T THINK ANYBODY COULD HAVE SAID AT THE RESTAURANT LEVEL THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW.
[LAUGHTER] SO GREAT JOB TO CODE ENFORCEMENT OF ALL.
ARE YOU PUTTING DOLLARS TO ALL THIS ALREADY?
>> HE'S BEEN BOUNCING NUMBERS AT ME. [LAUGHTER]
>> YES. AGAIN, WE BOUGHT A GENERATOR, WE'VE ACQUIRED WATER.
THERE HAVE BEEN ALL KINDS OF EXPENSES THAT WE'VE HAD TO DO AND THEN PART OF IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE MITIGATION PIECE.
CONTAINERS, SO WE PUT BOTTLED WATER IN IT, SO WE'RE READY FOR THE NEXT TIME.
WE GOT FOUR DAYS SUPPLY AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
>> I THINK WE MOVED QUICKLY FROM GETTING READY FOR JUST COLD WEATHER IN PIPES AND PLANTS AND PEOPLE TO A BOIL WATER NOTICE.
CHRIS SAID, HE CALLED US OUT AT 2 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
EVEN OUR COMMUNICATIONS WENT DOWN, WE PUT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OUT.
WE WERE ON THE INTERNET, WE WERE ON FACEBOOK.
WE WERE TALKING OF ANGLETON, EVERYWHERE WE COULD ANSWER A QUESTION, WE WERE TRYING TO.
I WANT TO ECHO WHAT THE CHIEF WAS SAYING, PUBLIC WORKS, AMAZING.
THEY DID A GREAT JOB, SO MANY PEOPLE DID A GREAT JOB.
WHAT I'D WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU IS WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE WE DIDN'T DO, WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO BETTER FROM A COMMUNICATION STANDPOINT.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT.
>> WELL, I CAN SAY THANK YOU, MS MARTHA.
CAUSE SHE WAS GETTING TEXTS FROM ME, ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT, ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT BECAUSE PROBABLY LIKE YOU GUYS DIDN'T SLEEP MUCH WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SLEEPING.
I THINK UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF WHAT WE HAD, AND WHEN WE JUST LOST POWER, WE LOST INTERNET, WE JUST DIDN'T THE WATER.
WE RECALL SOME IDEAS, MORE MESSAGE BOARDS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, MR JOHN.
BUT I THINK YOU KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK.
FROM WHAT I HEARD FROM JUST MY NETWORK OF FACEBOOK'S WORLD WAS WE
[00:35:03]
WERE PUTTING MORE STUFF OUT THERE THAN MAYBE SOME OF OUR SISTER CITIES.THEY WERE SAYING WE WERE LEADING THE PACK WHEN IT COMES TO INFORMATION.
WE WERE PUTTING OUT A LOT MORE THAN THEY WERE.
THEY THOUGHT WE WERE VERY TRANSPARENT.
ALSO, I LIKE YOU GUYS, ALL YOU GUYS WERE POSTING STUFF, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK I COMMEND MARTHA AND HER ONLY WITH A LITTLE BIT HELP WITH PART OF THE STAFF, BUT SHE WAS PUTTING OUT GRAPHICS OUT THERE AND MAKING FLASH, IT WAS EYE-CATCHING, WHERE PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY READ IT AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS PLEASE, WE JOKED A LITTLE EARLIER ABOUT HAVING HOMING PIGEONS AND WE'LL USE THOSE FOR COMMUNICATION DEVICES.
THAT'S ABOUT AS WELL WE COULD GET UNLESS WE GET THE PAPER.
HOPE IT DOESN'T EVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
BUT I THINK WE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AS FAR AS COMMUNICATING AS WHAT WE COULD UNDER THE TOOLS WE HAD AVAILABLE. GO AHEAD, CHRIS.
>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED IS WE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT POSTCODES OUT.
WE HAD WAYS OF CONNECTIONS, POST AND WE HAD A POST ABOUT THIS OR WHATEVER.
WE ENDED UP CRAFTING A CONSOLIDATED POST ABOUT CITY SERVICES AND CITY FUNCTIONS.
TRASH SERVICE WENT FROM SPORADIC OR NOTHING TO SPORADIC TO FULL SERVICE.
WE COULD PROVIDE THOSE UPDATES IN ONE FORMAT.
MY FRUSTRATION WITH FACEBOOK IN THOSE VENUES ARE IF YOU POST SOMETHING AND THEN THAT'S OLD NEWS.
IT'S SO FAR DOWN THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LATEST IS.
SO I THINK IT'S ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS.
IT WAS ROUGH SO WE COULDN'T STAND UP TO THE DOC BECAUSE WE HAD NO WATER HERE.
SO HOW CAN WE BRING IN EMPLOYEES WHEN WE HAVE NO WAY TO SUSTAIN THEM? INFORMATION FLOW WAS DIFFICULT.
BETWEEN SOME OF THE GROUP TEXTS AND AGAIN, WE MET DAILY TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE, AND THEN WE PUT THAT INFORMATION OUT BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY.
I THINK THAT HELPED US AS A GROUP TO ALL KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING LATERALLY AND WHAT THE STATUS OF THE CITY WAS. WE CHANGED IT.
>>YEAH. AFTER THE FIRST DAY, CHRIS HAD THE RECOMMENDATION TO GO TO A BRIEF.
WE'VE BEEN IN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS IN THE PAST AND WE ACTUALLY DID STAIN UP THE DOC.
YOU HAD A REGULAR TIME THAT YOU COULD LOOK FOR THAT. THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
YOU SAW THE BRIEF, WE ALWAYS PINNED IT TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE.
IF WE COULD, WE PUT IT ON THE WEB AT THE SAME TIME, EVERY WAY THAT WE COULD.
WE WERE TRYING TO GET THAT CONSOLIDATED INFORMATION OUT SO THAT YOU KNEW ABOUT ALL THE THINGS IN ONE PLACE.
>> HOW MANY SOCIAL MEDIA ARE YOU AS A CITY A PART OF?
>>THEN WE HAVE THE PDS OR YOU COUNTED THAT AS THE SIX?
>> SO THE PARKS AND THE PD AND THEN THE CITY HALL.
BUT THAT'S JUST ON FACEBOOK OR YOU HAVE INSTAGRAM?
>> WE DO INSTAGRAM AND THEN IT DEPENDS ON THE POST BUT WE OFTEN SHARE ON TWITTER AS WELL.
>> YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT CODERED AND HOW IT'S A SIGN-UP ONLY AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND FIX THAT.
>> YEAH, RIGHT NOW, WE WERE WITH BLACKBOARD CONNECT FOR MANY YEARS, WE DID AN ASSESSMENT SEVERAL TIMES IN MY TENURE, BUT THIS LAST YEAR WE SAVE MONEY AND WENT TO THE CODERED SYSTEM.
I'M SURE GLINT (PHONETIC) IS GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS, BUT IT IS OUR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM NOW.
CHRIS HAS TEST ALL STAFF TO LOOK AT WAYS FOR US TO GET THE WORD OUT.
YOU NOTICE THAT EVERY TIME I'VE PUT OUT INSIDE OF ANGLETON, WE DO A FEATURE AND THEY'RE ABOUT OUR NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.
IT'S ON THE FEATURE BUTTON ON OUR FRONT PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE, IN TWO PLACES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN [NOISE] EXCUSE ME, POTENTIALLY POPULATE THAT WITH MORE PHONE NUMBERS AND BOTH LANDLINES, SO IN BUSINESS.
TO BE ABLE TO REACH MORE CITIZENS BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THIS CITY IS BEING ABLE TO GET [OVERLAPPING]
>> I WANT TO CLARIFY THOUGH, WHEN WE HAVE A HURRICANE AND IT'S A LIFE OR DEATH, IT NOTIFIES EVERYONE IN THE AREA.
SO BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION, WE CAN ONLY NOTIFY THOSE THAT OPTED IN.
>>WHICH I THINK GLINT CAN GIVE YOU THE STATS FROM THE START.
IT'S PROBABLY LESS THAN WHAT PERCENTAGE?
[00:40:01]
[BACKGROUND]>>ROUGHLY ABOUT TWENTY PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION I THINK WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT'S GROWN A LITTLE, ITS SPREAD ABOUT 4,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE SUBSCRIBING TO IT.
WHEN THIS WAS GOING ON, IT WAS ABOUT 2400- 3000 PEOPLE, AND WHEN THE CALL GOES OUT AUTOMATICALLY, THERE'S A COUPLE OF BUSY SIGNALS AND NO ANSWERS THAT MAKES UP ABOUT 17 PERCENT.
I THINK ABOUT 48 PERCENT PICKED UP THE CALL AND LISTEN AND THE REST OF IT, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING LIKE 40 PERCENT WENT TO VOICEMAIL.
SO THEY LISTENED TO THAT VOICEMAIL.
THERE ARE SOME KEY THINGS HERE, I'LL GO OVER THAT YOU CAN DO ON YOUR PHONE SO THAT YOU DON'T MISS THESE CALLS AND TO HELP GET YOURSELF SIGNED UP ON IT.
>> QUICK QUESTION FOR EITHER CHRIS OR MARTHA.
YOU SAID IT WAS NOT A LIFE OR DEATH, WHO IS DETERMINING OF THAT?
>> THIS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
>> THAT'S FINE, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW. [OVERLAPPING] SO YEAH, IT'S ONLY HAVE NO SAY.
>> NO, IT'S AN OUTGROWTH OF THE EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM.
>> TO ME WE HAVING NO WATER IS LIFE OR DEATH.
>> I'M JUST SAYING, I WANT TO BE CLEAR HERE THAT IT'S NOT AN ARBITRARY OBJECTIVE DECISION MADE BY YOUR SUBJECTIVE MAKE DECISION MADE BY YOU.
>> YEAH. WE EVEN TRIED BECAUSE THE COUNTY HAS THE SAME RESOURCE AND WE THOUGHT, WE CAN'T GET IT TO ON OURS MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S COUNTY LAWS THERE.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A CITY.
SO MAYBE [INAUDIBLE] THAT DIDN'T HAVE A BOIL WATER NOTICE AT SOME POINT DURING THIS EVENT, BERLIN HAD ONE MONTH DISTRICTS WENT DOWN, ALVIN, AND ALL THE BROWSER BAR AREA, OF COURSE SO, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE GONE AT COUNTYWIDE.
AGAIN, THEY WERE OVERRULED THAT THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT QUALIFIED.
>> YEAH, WE HAVE A DISASTER DECLARATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND IT'S NOT LIFE OR DEATH.
>> WHAT WE'LL DO SOME MORE DIGGING IN AND MAYBE THEY WILL CHANGE THEIR MIND.
DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DIRECTED TOWARDS GLAND OR MARTHA.
CODERED, OBVIOUSLY, I'VE HAD CITIZENS ASKED ME THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT WHEN DID WE MAKE THE CHANGE TO COVER IT?
>> YEAH, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, NOVEMBER 1ST.
>> I'M JUST TRYING TO GET MY MIND AROUND THIS.
DID WE SEND OUT NOTICE IN WATER BILLS FOR A CODERED CHANGE?
>> THE CODERED CHANGE, ANYBODY THAT WAS IN THE BLACKBOARD SYSTEM IS IN THE CODERED SYSTEM?
>> I DON'T BELIEVE SO. I WAS IN THE BLACKBOARD SYSTEM AND I DIDN'T GET ONE CALL FROM THE CODERED SYSTEM.
>> I'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO SAY THE SAME THING SO I'M TRYING TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> IF THIS IS A SHORT CALL BUT I'M GLAD THIS HAPPENED, BUT THIS IS A WAY TO IDENTIFY IT.
WE GOT THE DOWNLOAD OF SYSTEM FROM THE BLACKBOARD CONNECT FOLKS, AND WE SENT IT TO THE CODERED PEOPLE AND OF COURSE THIS IS NOT TECHNICAL MUMBO JUMBO.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE IT, AND WE SENT IT.
NOW WE'RE FINDING THAT WASN'T COMPLETE.
MAYBE WE WERE GETTING BAD PRODUCT FROM BLACKBOARD CONNECT, MAYBE THERE'S JUST THAT DISCONNECT BETWEEN SHARING THE TWO.
>> I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT I ALWAYS GOT A CITY CALL AND AN EMAIL AND I GOT NOTHING FROM CODERED.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT CODERED IS A BAD THING, BUT IT FAILED THIS TIME.
>> SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT GETS SEND?
>> [OVERLAPPING] I HAVE HEARD YOUR VOICE WAS THAT A CODERED?
>> WE'VE BEEN USING EXCLUSIVELY.
>> IT'S AVAILABLE FOR AUTOGRAPH AFTERWARDS.
>> BUT IT ALSO FAILED US INTERNALLY, SO WE HAD IT SET UP FOR NOTIFICATIONS, CITY EMPLOYEES JUST FOR THAT REPORT TO WORK, WE NEED VOLUNTEERS OR WE NEED THIS SECTION COME IN AND IMPORTANT IT WAS THE INTERNET BEING DOWN AND SO IT DIDN'T GO UP.
YOU GOT STUCK IN THE QUEUE AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
>> I GUESS I WANT TO MOVE ON. IF WE'VE IDENTIFIED THIS AS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM, WHAT IS OUR SOLUTION? WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP TO CORRECT THIS?
>> WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH OUR SALESPEOPLE FROM CODERED, THAT'S ALL JUST THIS AND SAY THIS IS YOUR SHORTCOMING IS WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE FIXED, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT GONE.
>> WOULD IT BE WISE FOR US AS A CITY TO NOT ONLY, WHAT I'M ASKING IS MAYBE WE GET A PAPER COPY OUT THERE AND SEND IT WITH A FLIER IN A WATER BILLS.
IF WE HAVE TO PAY THE COST, WHATEVER IT IS TO SEND OUT AN ACTUAL NOTICE, IF MAYBE SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE WATER BILL, SOMETHING ELSE TO ACCESS THOSE BECAUSE IT APPEARS TO ME, AS WE'VE MOVED FORWARD IN OUR LIVES, WE'VE ADVANCED TO TECHNOLOGY HAS BECOME A MAJOR PLAYER,
[00:45:03]
BUT THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE NOT TO OR DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT OF SOCIETY OR CANNOT FINANCIALLY AFFORD TO DO SO FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE MAYBE A WHOLE I HEAR FROM THIS DISCUSSION SO FAR, NOT THAT JOEL IDENTIFY THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT AND I DEFINITELY THINK SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN ADDITIONALLY MELLOW OUT MORE.NOTICE ABOUT CODERED BY MORE PEOPLE TO BE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING SAME THING WITH A TWO OR ONE PROGRAM.
I THINK WE COULD PUT THAT ON ONE PIECE OF PAPER AND THEN SOME OF THEM SHOULD COME UP WITH A WAY TO BEST COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ACTIVELY INVOLVED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
>> ITS EASIER TO RAISE QUESTIONS, INTRODUCE OUR ANSWERS.
>> THAT'S WHY WE WENT OLD SCHOOL WITH THE SANDWICH BOARDS SO WE COULD TELL PEOPLE WE HAD WATER, DIDN'T HAVE WATER BECAUSE WE COULDN'T THE FLASH TO BANG OF TELLING PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK AND [INAUDIBLE] AND WHATEVER AND THEN WE'D BE OUT OF WATER OR NOW WE HAVE WATER.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S GREAT POINT BECAUSE OF LOSING INTERNET ACCESS OR SELF-SERVICE THEN YOU REALLY ARE, EVEN IF YOU ARE ACTIVE IN THIS REVOLUTION OF TECHNOLOGY, DOESN'T MATTER.
>> BUT LIKE DO YOU PUT IN THE BOWL WATER NOTICE ON THE SIGNS? I MEAN, THAT WAS A HUGE WAY HIGHER THE TROPICAL AREA TO GET THE WATER OUT, SO YOU WENT OUT.
>> I'M NOT TRYING TO THIS IS NOT ME.
>> SO SINCE WE CAME BY THESE DEFICIENCIES WITH THIS SYSTEM, SOON AS WE IDENTIFY THEM, WE BEGAN TALKING ABOUT IT IN OUR 02:00 PM MEETING.
SINCE THAT STARTED, THESE FLIERS HAD BEEN CREATED WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU.
THE FLIERS HAD BEEN DISSEMINATED AND POSTED IN TAPED ON ALL OF THE CITY FACILITIES THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT PEOPLE GO TO.
WE ARE GOING TO PUT OUT THERE NOW THAT THE BOWL WATER NOTICE IS OVER ON THE MESSAGE BOARDS, WE'RE GOING TO PUT OUT SIGN-UP FOR CODERED, OR SOME WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE TEXT NUMBER ON THERE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY DRIVING AND TEXTING TO GET THE LINKS INTO THEM NECESSARILY, BUT WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THE FACT THAT ANYTIME THAT WE'RE IN AN EVENT OR WE'RE GOING TO BE HANDS ON WITH THE PUBLIC, LET'S SAY THAT WE SET UP A 10 OR WHATEVER THERE'S MARKET DAYS ARE BACKED UP, THERE WILL BE AN OPT IN AND AN ASSERTIVE PUSH FOR THAT.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
>> SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PLANNED ON.
>> I CAN COMMIT TONIGHT TO PUT THESE FLIERS IN EACH AND EVERY WATER BILL THAT GOES OUT.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHO DOESN'T GET A PIPE OR WATER BILL, BUT YOU JUST HEARD TONIGHT.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE ACTUALLY GET THESE ELECTRONICALLY.
>> WHATEVER REMAINS THAT YOU GET YOUR WATER BILL, SEND A PDF FOR I-PADS, BUT I WON'T AS BEST WE POSSIBLY KANSAS CITY, TO NOT BE STANDING WITH SHAME FOR NOT GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC AS BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN.
I'VE MENTIONED IT IN CHURCH AFTER THE AMOEBA SKIER.
I MENTIONED IT IN CHURCH AND I HAD A LOT OF BLANKS.
I'M GOING TO DO IT AGAIN AND I HOPE THAT EVERYONE TO HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO TELL WHATEVER SOCIAL GROUPS YOU'RE IN, LET'S GET THE WORD OUT AS BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN THEN WHEN SOMEONE IS WHY I DIDN'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE WE TRY.
>> JUST TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW YESTERDAY THERE WAS [INAUDIBLE] MEETING AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE DIRECTIONS I GAVE HIM WAS, I WANT TO SEE A VERY ROBUST, AGGRESSIVE CODERED CAMPAIGN.
WHETHER IT'S A COUNCILMAN GOES AND SITS IN FRONT OF CONGRESS FOR THREE HOURS UNDER IT.
WE JUST DO IT OURSELVES AND IT'S VERY EASY. I MEAN, I SAID I'D DO IT.
I'D SIT IN FRONT OR CO-WORKERS OR GO TO YOUR CHURCH LIKE WE JUST HAD A DISCUSSION THAT GO TO YOUR CHURCH.
WE ALL GO TO DIFFERENT CHURCHES AS THE PASTOR GIVE YOU FIVE MINUTES AND EVERY SERVICE, TALK ABOUT IT AND HAVE A FLIER STANDING AT THE BACK OF THE DOOR WHEN THEY EXIT OR SIT THERE AND I HOPE YOU SIGN UP FOR IT, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE NEED TO DO THAT ALSO, TO YOUR POINT COUNTS TOWNSMEN, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THE CITIZENS WHO ARE NOT IN THIS TECHNOLOGY WORLD.
I'M ASSUMING THROUGH MARTHA'S NETWORK OF PIOS, THIS QUESTION IS GOING TO COME UP BECAUSE IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN HERE.
[00:50:03]
IT HAPPENED EVERYWHERE ELSE IN TEXAS.THERE'S PROBABLY WILL BE SOME CREATIVE WAYS TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT HAVE TECHNOLOGY SO, THEY'RE TASKED WITH IT.
IF THEY COME UP WITH A REALLY ROBUST PLAN AND I'M BEHIND IT, I WILL SIT AT KROGER, WALMART, HEB ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND PASS OUT FLIERS BECAUSE I JUST SHOW THAT SEE THE IMPORTANCE TO IT AND IT WILL SEND DO WITH IF IT'S A SENIOR, I'LL SEE ON THEIR PHONE TO DO WITH THEM, WE FIND SOME VOLUNTEERS WILL DO WITH IT, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THIS APPROACH BECAUSE THAT'S FOR A WHILE.
THIS WAS THE ONLY WAY WE COULD TALK TO PEOPLE THE ONLY WAY.
>> IS THE CITY ITSELF WHEN IT COMES TO NEW RESIDENTS, ARE WE GIVING THIS INFORMATION TO A NEW RESIDENT AS THEY COME.
>> I THINK WE WERE TOLD WHEN THEY SIGN UP FOR THEIR WATER BILL THEY GET IT.
>> IT'S JUST A PIECE OF PAPER THEY GIVEN OR ARE THEY ACTUALLY TOLD ABOUT IT THOUGH? BECAUSE THAT'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH SIGNING UP FOR SOMETHING, YOU'RE JUST GOING THROUGH BUT IF SOMEBODY STANDS THERE AND SAYS, THIS IS IMPORTANT, SIGN UP FOR THIS. THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
>> WE HAVE A VERY LONG LIST OF ITEMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT ALL OF THOSE STOP GAPS, THAT IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE TOUCH POINTS BECAUSE WHEN THEY COME INTO SIGN-UP FOR WATER.
>> I EXPECT TRAVELS THAT WHEN YOU GO IN THE GYM IN THE MORNING AND YOU SCAN YOUR LITTLE BOOT, SOMEONE'S GOING TO SAY, HAVE YOU SIGN UP FOR CODERED AND FINALLY, YOU'LL GET TIRED OF IT.
IT'S ALREADY TOLD YOU I SIGNED UP AND I'M GOOD.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE WAY WE WANT TO BE.
>> ALL I'M TRYING TO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALL HAVE DONE THIS AS A TEAM ALREADY.
IT'S JUST EXPRESS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS LIKE I SAID, THAT'S EASY TO DO.
I THINK IT'S COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS THAT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT HARDER.
I JUST WANT US TO MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S ALL I'M NOT SPEAKING ON, THANK YOU KEPT ON A FANTASTIC JOB.
I HOPE YOU DON'T TAKE IT THAT WAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT. I THINK THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THOSE THINGS, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE A VERY LONG LIST OF ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRIEF ON TOMORROW ACTUALLY, AND START EXECUTING.
>> I JUST WANT TO SPEAK FOR A SECOND.
TO THE TECHNICAL ISSUES WITH THE ASSEMBLY CODE RED.
ONE THING THAT PEOPLE PROBABLY ARE NOT AWARE OF IS, IF YOU CHANGE CELL PROVIDERS, THEN YOU NEED TO ALSO GO IN AND UPDATE YOUR CELL PROVIDER ON CODE RED, AND THAT COULD ALSO BE IN INSTANCE WHERE WE HAD YOU IN THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM AND SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY YOU CHANGED CELL PROVIDER AND WE IMPORTED YOU INTO THE NEW SYSTEM AND YOU STILL DIDN'T GET IT, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THE ISSUE.
>> THE ISSUE MAY BE THERE EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE SAME TELEPHONE NUMBER?
>> EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE SAME TELEPHONE NUMBER AND YOU SWITCH CARRIERS BECAUSE THOSE SERVICES HAVE TO PAY BIG BUCKS TO EACH PROVIDER TO BE ABLE TO TRANSMIT THAT DATA ON THEIR NETWORK, AND SO THEY NEED TO KNOW WHICH PROVIDE SO THEY DON'T CHARGE BY ROUTING IT THROUGH ANOTHER PROVIDER BACK TO YOU.
>> THERE ARE MANY OF US THAT HAVE NO CLUE TO THAT.
>>OUR PHONE NUMBER DIDN'T CHANGE, THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.
>> IT WAS ALSO LESS TRANSPARENT IF YOU'RE WITH SOME OF THE SMALLER PROVIDERS, THEY PAY YOU BACK OFF OF AT&T, T-MOBILE, VERIZON, AND IF THEY SWITCH AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IT, IT COULD MESS UP YOUR RECEPTION.
>> TECHNOLOGY ALWAYS SEEMS TO OUTSMART US WHEN WE THINK WE'VE GOT IT.
>> SAME PROVIDER FOR 23 YEARS, SAME PHONE NUMBER FOR 23 YEARS. LOST IT.
>> I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING OUR TIME ON THE PHONES.
I JUST REALLY WANT TO QUICKLY GO BACK.
I ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE WE MOVED OVER AND I WAS TOLD WE WOULD STILL HAVE ALL THE SAME FUNCTIONALITY.
WE'D ALREADY STARTED GOING INTO THE E-MAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES, STARTING TO UTILIZE THAT TECHNOLOGY WITH TTY.
WE STOPPED. WHY DID WE STOP? WE CAN'T JUST MAKE A PHONE CALL, BECAUSE IF THEY MISS THE CALL, THE PHONE WAS OFF OR SOMETHING, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING ANOTHER AVENUE.
EMAIL THEM, TEXT MESSAGE. IS THAT FUNCTIONAL?
>> WHEN WE SENT OUT THE MESSAGE, IT WENT TEXT AND VOICE, AND TO THOSE THAT PROVIDED AN E-MAIL ADDRESS, WHICH ACTUALLY WAS NOT MANY, WE SENT AN EMAIL, SO IT IS AN OPTION.
>> ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMUNICATION'S PIECE?
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ASSISTED WITH LOCAL WARMING STATIONS UNTIL WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN ONE AT THE RECREATION CENTER.
[00:55:02]
WHEN OUR ELECTRICITY CAME BACK ON, WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN A WARMING STATION AND INCLUDED USE OF SHOWERS, RESTROOMS, BULK WATER FROM OUR POOL, AND ALSO WARMTH CHARGING STATIONS AND SO ON.WE ALSO COORDINATED THE NEEDS OF THE 211 LIST.
ALL OF OUR STAFF HELPED TO CALL THOSE 89 OR SO PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THAT LIST, ASSESS WHAT THOSE NEEDS WERE, AND OUT OF THOSE 89 PEOPLE, ABOUT 21 PEOPLE NEEDED SOME ASSISTANCE.
WE HELPED THEM ON, I THINK WE ACTUALLY EXTENDED IT TO A THIRD DAY WITH AN ADDITIONAL WATER DISTRIBUTION.
WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE THOSE FOLKS WITH WATER, HOT MEALS, NON-PERISHABLES, AND AGAIN, SOME ADDITIONAL WATER CASES.
WE ALSO HELPED COORDINATE THE WATER STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION EACH OF THE DAYS THAT WE HAD THE FACILITY OPEN WITH TREMENDOUS HELP OF VOLUNTEERS, STAFF, AND I JUST ECHO EVERYTHING THAT CHIEF AND MARTHA HAD ALREADY SAID.
WE HAD A FANTASTIC GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, CITY STAFF WORKED AS A TEAM AND WE HAD GREAT LEADERSHIP AND JUST ABOUT EVERY DEPARTMENT.
WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH SHOWERS, THAT'S WHAT WE SAW MOSTLY EVEN WHEN WE HAD OUR LOCAL WARMING STATIONS THAT WERE OPEN THAT INCLUDED HOT MEALS AT THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TOO MANY VISITORS, BUT WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A NEED FOR SHOWERS AND BULK WATER.
WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN WE SHUT DOWN BULK WATER FROM OUR POOL AREA, WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO SERVE FOLKS OUTSIDE WITH TANKS OF WATER THAT WE HAD ON-SITE IN THE PARKING LOT.
WE HELPED PROBABLY I THINK THE FIRST DAY WE HAD ABOUT 50 PEOPLE COME IN AND TAKE SHOWERS AT OUR FACILITY.
SO WE DEFINITELY HAD A NEED THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE REGARDING 211, WATER DISTRIBUTION, AND SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDED AT THE RECREATION CENTER.
>> IF I CAN JUST ADD, JUST TO LET THE RESIDENTS KNOW THAT THEY ARE ONLINE AND FOR PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE THINK ROUGHLY WE PASSED OUT 25 PALLETS OF WATER, WHICH SOME PALLETS HAD 60, SOME HAD 64, SOME HAD 72 AND JUST AVERAGING IT OUT, IT WAS PROBABLY CLOSE TO 1900 CASES OF WATER THAT WE PASSED OUT, AND FROM WHAT I ALSO GATHER, OUR CITY WAS THE FIRST ONE TO ACTUALLY START PASSING WATER OUT THAN ANY OF THE OTHER CITIES AROUND US.
WE'RE TO BE COMMENDED ON THOSE THAT FOUND THE WATER, GOT THE WATER, FOUND THE VOLUNTEERS, FOUND THE EQUIPMENT TO OFFLOAD ALL THOSE PALLETS.
YOU WERE ALREADY COMMITTED BECAUSE WE WERE THE FIRST ONE IN.
I THINK LIKE I SAID IN MY OPENING REMARKS WHEN I BECAME THE MAYOR, I WANT IT TO BE THE CITY THAT'S LEADING THE FOREFRONT.
THE TOP OF THE SPHERE, LIKE CHIEF, SAID, THAT PEOPLE LOOK TO US AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE DO THINGS, AND I MIGHT THINK, YOU ALL SHOWED THAT DURING THIS EVENT IS WE WERE THE FIRST.
>> I DO HAVE TO SAY ON THAT NOTE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD ALREADY MENTIONED THAT, WELL, WE HAD A FANTASTIC CITY STAFF.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE VOLUNTEERS AND RESOURCES THAT WE HAD.
JUST TO MENTION A COUPLE OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BUT THEN ALSO JOSE VAZQUEZ WITH WALMART AND ST. THOMAS CENTER WAS WORKING WITH HOUSTON FOOD BANK.
THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH 20 BOXES OF A NON-PERISHABLE AS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
I MADE A CALL, THEY SAID, WHEN DO YOU NEED IT? THEY SAID WE HAVE IT READY FOR YOU NOW.
WE HAD SOME GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS THAT MADE IT ALMOST EASY FOR STAFF TO CARRY OUT AND EXECUTE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE AWARE OF.
>>THANK YOU. THERE WERE SO MANY GROUPS THAT CAME OUT, ROTARY, BOY SCOUTS, CHURCHES, FRIENDS THEY BROUGHT THEIR NEPHEWS AND NIECES AND SAY, COME ON, YOU'RE GOING TO GO VOLUNTEER.
IT'S JUST AMAZING. SHORT NOTICE, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, SOME OF THAT WATER DISTRIBUTION WAS A QUICK TURNAROUND.
WE KNEW WATER WAS COMING IN A COUPLE OF HOURS, THE PEOPLE STEP UP.
>> THANK YOU TO RECREATION STAFF.
I THINK I GOT A CALL FROM CHRIS IN THE MORNING AND SAID, "HEY, CAN WE MEET AT 10 O'CLOCK ACTIVATE WARMING STATION BY 12 O'CLOCK".
WE MADE IT HAPPEN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEKEND.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARKS AND REC STAFF AND AGAIN, VOLUNTEERS AND EVERYONE THAT ASSISTED US.
>> ALSO, FINALLY GOING BACK TO MY TECHNOLOGY, WHAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING WAS THE CHARGING STATIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEEDED FOR LACK OF POWER.
AGAIN, WE'RE LARGELY DEPENDENT UPON OUR PHONES AND YOU DO HAVE OUTSIDE FAMILY.
SO THEY CAN'T COMMUNICATE REGULARLY, I'M SURE THAT PD HAD TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE.
TRYING TO FIND AND COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR LOVED ONES.
I THINK IT WAS SMART WISE, THAT'S WHAT I'D CALL IT.
IT'S ALSO PROBABLY ALMOST A PUBLIC UTILITY THESE DAYS TO HAVE ACCESS TO AT LEAST MAKE PHONE CALLS ON YOUR PHONE.
[01:00:01]
I WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO YOU ALL FOR THINKING THROUGH THAT SITUATION BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT.>> THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS SHE MENTIONED BEFORE AS WE HAVE A DEFICIENCY IN SHELTERS.
FOR EXAMPLE, NURSING HOME WITH 120 RESIDENTS AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO GO.
BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL RELATIVELY ON THE SAME POWER GRID, AND SO IF THEIR POWER GOES OUT, OUR POWER'S GOING OUT TOO.
HOW DO WE TRANSITION THAT TO EITHER, IN THIS CASE FOR A WHILE IT WAS A WARMING CENTER, NOW IT'S PROBABLY A COOLING CENTER, BUT REALLY, I GUESS THE BETTER WORD FOR IT IS RECOVERY CENTER, WHICH HAS GOT SHOWERS, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO THOSE THAT COULDN'T GET WATER BACK ON.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID, WE GOT A COMPANY TO DONATE A UV TREATMENT THING.
NOW WE CAN PRODUCE BULK IN SMALL QUANTITIES, BOTH POTABLE WATER AND DRINKABLE WATER.
THAT HOOKS UP TO A FAUCET, IT UVS ALL THE BACTERIA AND NOW WE CAN TELL PEOPLE COME IN WITH A CONTAINER.
WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR BOTTLED WATER, WE STILL CAN PROVIDE THAT SERVICE AND WE CAN DO THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE REC CENTER OR A HOSE OUT FRONT THAT WE COULD LINK OUT TO THE CURB INTO PEOPLE CAN DRIVE UP JUST LIKE WE DID WITH THE NON-POTABLE WATER.
BUT AGAIN, POWER GENERATION AND WATER WERE OUR TWO HINDRANCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND SO WE'RE FIGURING OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I MENTIONED WAS TRAILERS.
WE HAD DIFFICULTY IN TRANSPORTING WATER BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE COMPATIBLE TRAILERS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE FUNCTIONAL TRAILERS IN THE BACK OF TRUCKS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF TRAILER YOU HAD JASON GOING OUT AND GETTING THAT WATER, BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MANAGE ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO HOW ARE WE RESOURCES THE CITY AND THEN DO WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH LOCAL FORKLIFT COMPANIES OR BUSINESSES THAT HAVE FORKLIFTS THAT WE CAN RELY ON.
WE SAY, "HEY, IN FOUR HOURS WHEN WE GET SOME BOTTLED WATER, CAN WE RENT BORROW YOUR FORKLIFTS SO WE CAN DO THIS TRANSPORT?" WE TOOK A LOT OF LESSONS OUT OF THIS, AGAIN, THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR HURRICANE SEASON AND OTHER POTENTIAL.
>> IN A PIGGYBACK ON WHAT CHRIS SUGGESTED IN THE SALT MEETING, WE ALL REALIZE AND WE REALIZED IN PAST EVENTS, HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET ASSETS AND RESOURCES HERE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
THE FLOW, JUST AS THE RESIDENTS KNOW THE FLOW IS...
THEY CONTACT THE COUNTY AND THEN THE COUNTY SAYS EITHER WE CAN FULFILL THAT NEED.
IF NOT, THEN THEY GO TO THE STATE OF TEXAS TO REQUEST THAT.
THAT COULD TAKE 24, 36, 48 HOURS BEFORE YOU SEE THE FIRST ASSET HERE.
WHAT I TOLD STAFF THAT I WANTED TO SEE US DO, AND HE'S ALLUDED TO A LITTLE BIT, I THINK WE NEED TO BE MORE PREPARED FOR MORE SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN THE UPCOMING.
SHOULD ANYTHING ELSE HAPPEN DOWN THE ROAD, WE NEED TO BE MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT, NOT RELY SO MUCH ON THE COUNTY AND THE STATE IN THOSE FIRST INITIAL HOURS OF WHATEVER IS GOING TO HAPPEN, SO I TASK CHRIS TO LET'S START GOING OUT.
STATE TEXAS GETS THEIR OWN CONTRACTS. I'M SURE THE COUNTY DOES IT.
WHY DON'T WE GET OUR OWN? WHETHER IT BE FOR FORKLIFTS, WHETHER IT BE FOR POWER GENERATION.
THEN WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE PULL THE TRIGGER WHEN A STORM OR ANOTHER I-STORM OR HURRICANE, WE CAN CALL THEM AND SAY, "HEY, WE WANT OUR STUFF.
WE HAVE IT ON CONTRACT, WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR ANYBODY.
IT'S ON ITS WAY, IT'S COMING IN." THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT TO SEE HOW DO WE DO SOME OF THESE ITEMS ON MY CONTRACT CONTRACTUAL BASIS JUST TO SO WE CAN SELF-SUFFICIENT OUR STAFF, WE'RE GOING TO WORK IT AND THEY START MOVING INTO THE PUBLIC, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT, HOW WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE BECAUSE THERE WAS THAT WINDOW OF TIME WHEN WE WERE WORRIED WHEN'S THAT FIRST PALATE OF WATER GOING TO GET HERE BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE IN NEED, WHETHER IT'S THE NURSING HOME, WHETHER IT'S THE SENIOR CITIZEN COMPLEX OR RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE MORE PREPARED AND HAVE A CASH EITHER THROUGH CONTRACTUAL OR SITTING IN A CONTAINER SOMEWHERE JUST BECAUSE CHRIS SAID TO ME EARLIER, TWO WATER SCARES SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE, TWO STORMS SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE.
HE'S BEEN HERE A YEAR. [OVERLAPPING]
>> YEAH. [LAUGHTER] I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT WITH THOSE INITIAL STARTUPS AND THEN AS THE ESTATE ASSETS GET HERE BECAUSE NOW WE SAW THE WATER COMING IN, BUT IT WAS DAY 5, DAY 4 WHEN WATER WAS GETTING HERE FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
>> LOCUSTS WILL BE HERE IN MAY.
>>THE ROBINS HAVE BEEN EATING THE LOCUSTS.
>> OKAY WE'RE GOOD. [LAUGHTER] ONCE AGAIN, RESIDENTS, THOSE LISTENING, YOUR CITY WAS WORKING SO HARD.
I COULD WISH I COULD JUST THE STORIES THAT I COULD SIT AND TALK ABOUT IT BUT THOSE GUYS MADE IT HAPPEN.
I'M SURE OUR GROUP TEXTS THAT WE HAD WITH THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP,
[01:05:01]
WERE PROBABLY 300, 400, OR 500 OVER THAT FOUR, FIVE-DAY WINDOW.THEY WERE CONSTANTLY COMMUNICATING, FINDING THE PROBLEM, FINDING A SOLUTION. THANK YOU.
>> MEGAN, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU FELT YOU NEEDED BUT LACKED?
>>EQUIPMENT JUST AS CHRIS HAS ALLUDED TO.
WE COULD HAVE HAD A FORKLIFT ONSITE AT THE RECREATION CENTER.
WE NEEDED OUR BACKUP GENERATOR IN PLACE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVING A GAS POWER NATURAL GAS GENERATOR INSTALLED SO THAT WE HAVE NO DOWNTIME.
THERE'S THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN WORKING ON.
MIKEY MENTIONED THE UV SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED MONDAY, SO THAT IS THERE AND READY TO GO.
WE'RE WORKING ON A REVERSE OSMOSIS FOR A KITCHEN AT THE SITE AS WELL.
THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT THINGS.
>> IS THERE A KITCHEN ON SCENE AT THE REC CENTER?
>> THERE IS. IT'S NOT A FULL COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, BUT IT'S A WARMING KITCHEN IF YOU WILL.
LINDSAY DID A GREAT JOB HAVING OR SUPPLYING US WITH SOME RESOURCES FOR THE CHARGING STATIONS, WHICH WILL NOW JUST BECOME PART OF OUR EOC, STORAGE ALONG WITH OUR COSTS AND STORED WATER AND WHATEVER OTHER RESOURCES WE FINALLY NEED.
WE DID HAVE SOME DONATIONS FROM EMS AS WELL, WHICH INCLUDED BRAND NEW BLANKETS, WHICH WE CAN ALSO STORE.
THOSE ARE JUST THINGS THAT WE HAD, WE WERE PREPARED FOR, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO USE, BUT IT WAS NICE TO HAVE, THE EQUIPMENT WAS THE BIGGEST THING.
>> PUBLIC WORKS CAME THROUGH AND THEY MADE A WAY TO MAKE A FORKLIFT OUT OF A FRONT-END LOADER.
>> [OVERLAPPING] JACOB ALSO WAS ONE OF OUR HELPERS, THEY HAD EQUIPMENT ON-SITE IN PREPARATION FOR THE ROOF REPAIRS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THAT WEEK.
THEY SAID AS LONG AS YOU KNOW AND HAVE SOMEONE THAT KNOWS HOW TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO USE IT AND WE SURE DID.
>> STEWART CROUCH IS A WIZ-BANG ON THAT THING.
>> YES. [LAUGHTER] AND WAS THERE ANY TIME WE CALLED.
>> HE WAS SUPERVISED BY ROBIN SO HE DID WELL.
>> THE CRAZY THING ABOUT IT IS WHEN THEY SAID THE WATER WAS ON THE WAY, MYSELF, CHRIS AND MEGAN ALL LIVE LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE REC CENTER, SO WE WERE THERE WHEN THEY SAID IT'S PULLING UP NOW.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR PARKS? PARKS, REX, MEGAN, ONCE AGAIN MEGAN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
I KNOW YOU WERE THERE A LOT, AND I'D BE REMISS ALL YOU GUYS THAT HAD A FAMILY TOO BECAUSE YOU'RE DEALING WITH STUFF AT YOUR HOUSE.
YOU HAD TO LEAVE THEM AT HOME.
THANK THE FAMILIES FOR US BECAUSE, MY WIFE, I DIDN'T SEE HER VERY MUCH, BUT I'M SURE IT JUST LIKE YOU GUYS YOU ALL WERE AWAY FROM HOME.
THEY WERE DEALING WITH THE CALLED TO, BUT YOU ALL WERE WORKING.
WE SEE WHERE YOUR HEART IS, TRULY IS IN THE HEART OF ANGLETON.
>>FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK ALL MY GUYS IN PUBLIC WORKS.
THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, ALL 30 OF THEM.
I'D LIKE TO STEAL SOMETHING OFF JASON, WHAT HE SAID TODAY WAS, "WE JUST A PIECE OF THE PIE, AND EVERYBODY'S GOT TO BE IN THAT PIE TO MAKE IT WORK." PLEASE BARBARA HELP OUT WITH CHRIS DONE WITH GENERATORS.
EVERY DEPARTMENT HERE, THEY CAME IN THERE AS A GROUP AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT THROUGH THIS. THANKS EVERYBODY.
ON THE WATER SIDE, PROBABLY MONDAY NIGHT, ABOUT TWO OR THREE IN THE MORNING, I GOT A CALL WE LOST SOME COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE TOWERS.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE HAD SOME LINES FREEZE.
THESE ARE COPPER IONS AND RUNS TO THE TANKS AND IT GIVES ME MY PRESSURE AND FEEDS IT BACK TO THE SKATER SYSTEM.
ONCE THAT FREEZES, I LOSE COMMUNICATION.
THE PUMPS DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
WE STARTED TRYING TO UNTHAW SOME LINES OF SOUTH SIDE TOWER.
THAT LINE FROZE UP, SO WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY FEET WE HAD.
GENERATORS, I JUST HAD IT RUNNING ON THE 11TH.
I HAD IT PMD, SERVICED EVERYTHING.
GOT OUT THERE, IT WOULDN'T START.
THAT'S OKAY, JAMISON, WE STILL HAVE POWER OVER THERE, IT WILL DO FINE FOR A WHILE.
WE STARTED GOING OVER THERE AND TURNING PUMPS ON TRYING TO KEEP THE TOWERS FULL.
I MIGHT GET SOME OF THIS BACKERS BECAUSE IN THAT WEEK IT WAS BACK AND FORTH.
WE GOT IN, WE'D SAY I'M PRETTY GOOD, STEADY.
THEN BWA CALLED AND SAID, "HEY, WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE GENERATOR.
WE DON'T HAVE GENERATOR POWER.
LOOKS LIKE WE LOST A LOT UNFREEZE CALLING IN MECHANICS SHOULD BE BACK ON WITHIN AN HOUR."
[01:10:05]
I THINK I TEXTED CHRIS THAT NIGHT.I LOOKED AT THE SKATING SYSTEM AT THE WATER PLANT, WE GOT IT BACK UP.
IT SHOWED BWA COME BACK ONLINE, I SAID, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT, 30 MINUTES LATER WENT BACK OFFLINE, BWA CALLED THE PULLEYS WENT THROUGH TO RADIATOR, SO THERE WAS A GENERATOR DOWN.
I GOT WITH OPERATORS SAID, "WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE HERE.
WE GOT WELLS AND WE GOT TO GET THEM ALL." ALL THIS TIME WE ALL HAVEN'T BEEN RUNNING AND IT'S ONE AT THE PLANT.
WATER PLANT NUMBER TWO, THERE IS A GENERATOR THERE, WE WENT AND GOT IT RUNNING.
I HAD A MILLION GALLONS AT NARROWS.
LETS PUMP THE MILLION GALLONS IN THE SYSTEM.
ALL THIS TIME WE ARE LOSING, FREEZING, LOSING WATER, PUMPING.
THE PUMPS ARE SUPPOSED TO PUMP 650 GALLONS A MINUTE, THEY PUMPED IN 2500 GALLONS A MINUTE.
THEY WOULD JUST CAVITATE AND THEY OFF THE CURVE.
WE'VE GOT THAT GOING ON, I'VE GOT ANOTHER WELL GOING THAT ROUND OFF A GENERATOR.
WE HAD TWO WELLS, RUNNING OFF THE GENERATORS, TWO THAT LOST POWER.
THAT DON'T HAVE BACKUP GENERATOR.
WE HAD TO FIRE DRAIN OUR SYSTEM AGAIN. HERE WE GO.
WE HAVE TO START FROM GROUND LEVEL.
ALL THIS TIME I HAD GUYS OUT JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.
WE WAS CUTTING PEOPLE WATER OFF.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS HELPING US.
WE WERE DRIVING PEOPLE TO BUSINESS AT NIGHT AND WATER JUST RUN OUT THE FRONT DOORS.
WE PROBABLY CUT AT LEAST 400 PEOPLE OFF.
THE PEOPLE JUST RUN END UP CUTTING THE VALVES OFF THE NEIGHBORS COMING OUT, SEEING HOW FLOODED IT WAS.
IF YOU ALL RIDE AROUND TOWN RIGHT NOW AND SEE THIS SHEET ROCK AND CELL PHONES SIDE THE ROAD, IT'S BAD.
AFTER THAT BWA WE GOT TO ALL THE WHALE WATER WE'VE SENT TO WATER PLANT NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS ON DJANGO.
WE SAY WE CAN WHALE WATER PUMP THERE.
WE OWN GENERATOR, WE CAN AT LEAST, KEEP A SYSTEM PRESSURE UP A LITTLE BIT.
WE'VE NEVER TURNED THE PUMP OFF.
THE WHOLE TIME SOMETHING WAS PUMPING, IT MIGHT NOT COME OUT WITH FORCE , BUT IT WOULD ALMOST BE LOCOMOTIVE, NEVER REALLY LOST ALL THE PRESSURE ALL TOGETHER.
IF YOU DROP BELOW 20 PSI, THAT'S WHEN THE BOREHOLE WATER NOW COMES IN.
THAT'S TCQ RULES THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
WE'VE GOT TO SEND THAT OUT NO MATTER WHAT.
IF YOU'VE GOT TO BREAK, IT COULD BE CONTAMINATED BY LEAK OR SUCKED IN BY WATER BACK IN.
WE GOT THAT GOING AND WE'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE COMING UP.
ALL THIS TIME DURING THE DAY, THE GUYS ARE STILL RUNNING, CUTTING WATER OFF.
WE FINALLY SEEN WE GOT UP TO ABOUT 21 FEET.
IT STOPPED THERE THAT WE COULDN'T GET NO MORE HIGHER THAN THAT.
FINALLY, WHEN BWA GOT BACK ONLINE.
GAVE ME MORE WATER, SO I THREW SOME MORE PUMPS ON. HERE WE GO.
WE FINALLY GOT BACK UP THERE I THINK, IT WAS A THURSDAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE FINALLY GOT BACK UP, GOT SOME PRESSURE.
BUT ALL THAT TIME, OTHER STUFF HAPPENED.
THEN I GET UP AND GET A CALL I'VE GOT A HOLE ON THE WATER TOWER.
>> [LAUGHTER] EVERYBODY IN ANGLETON KNOWS ABOUT IT.
IT WAS FREEZING COMING OUT AND ALL THAT.
>> WHICH WILL BE REPAIRED TOMORROW?
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT.
>> ALSO RIGHT NOW I HAVE [OVERLAPPING] A GENERATOR SET IN WATER PLANT THREE BRAND NEW.
I JUST SET IT OFF THE CRANE NOT EVEN AN HOUR AGO.
WE WILL HAVE GENERATOR POWER BACK INTO THERE.
BUT WHAT WE HAD THERE WAS A BACKED UP UNIT.
IT WAS A WETTING IN THAT CONTAIN CASE OR NOT AND WE JUST SETTING OUT IN THE WEATHER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STARTER.
FROZE, EVERYTHING WE HAVE FROZE.
HE ALSO WAS WRAPPED THE WET AND COLD BUT YOU KNOW THE WET AND WRAP, BUT IT WAS COLD.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING.
GET MORE GENERATORS MAYBE AT THE WELLS, GET SOME SMALLER GENERATORS.
TALK TO CHRIS ABOUT ANOTHER PORTABLE.
IN CASE WE GOT ONE OUT, WE CAN JUST GO QUICK, CONNECT UP TO IT.
>> WHAT SIZE DO YOU NEED TO RUN ONE OF THOSE? JUST SO.
>> PROBABLY SOMETHING AROUND 100 KW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
RIGHT NOW MY BIG WATER PLANTS ABOUT 300 KW.
>> THE ONE WE JUST GOT WAS ABOUT 350 OR SOMETHING?
[01:15:02]
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME 380 OR SOMETHING FOR PORTABLE, BUT AT THE WELLS, I'M ONLY JUST RUNNING ONE WELL WITH 40 OR 50 HORSE MOTORS.
SOMEWHERE AROUND A 100 MIGHT DO.
>> I HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS I DON'T KNOW IF CHRIS WANTS TO GO FIRST.
>> I WANT TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY THE WELLS.
YOU SAID TWO OF THEM HAD A BACKUP GENERATOR AND TWO OF THEM DIDN'T.
CAN YOU BE SPECIFIC ON THE LOCATIONS OF THOSE WELLS, WHICH ONES DID AND WHICH ONES DIDN'T?
>> WELL 11 IS AT WATER PLANT THREE, SO THIS NEW GENERATOR WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT.
>> WHERE'S THAT AT THAT SPECIFICALLY? [INAUDIBLE].
>> THEN I HAVE ONE [INAUDIBLE] BY THE LAB CHURCH.
THAT DOES NOT HAVE A GENERATOR.
>> RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, RIGHT IN THAT LITTLE CORNER, THERE'S A LITTLE WELL. WELL NUMBER 9.
OVER BEHIND THE CABLE COMPANY, THE OLD CMA BUILDING, WE HAVE A WELL BACK THERE WHICH IS NUMBER 7.
THERE'S NO GENERATOR AND NOTHING BACK THERE.
THEN WE HAVE WELL NUMBER 10 WHICH IS BEHIND THE LIQUOR STORE.
[INAUDIBLE] BACK IN THE WOODS THERE.
ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO THE COUNTY HAD SOME GEO-WELL GRANTS THAT WE PUT TWO GENERATORS OUT AND ONE WAS AT WELL 10 AND ONE WAS AT WATER PLANT NUMBER 2.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING [NOISE] PROBLEMS WITH THE GENERATORS FOR YEARS.
CHRIS HAS BEEN WORKING ON THEM AND IT'S BEEN THE SAME PART EVERY TIME THAT'S MESSING UP.
NOW THE WARRANTY IS OUT, I LOVE IT, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM.
WE UNPLUGGED SOMETHING, PLUG IT BACK UP REAL QUICK AND IT RESETS IN SOMETHING, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT TO GET THEM GOING.
ONE OF THEM AT FINALLY JUMPED IT OFF AND GOT IT GOING.
THE ONE AT NUMBER 3 WATER PLANT ON [INAUDIBLE] WE WERE TRYING TO GET IT FOR HOURS.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE WERE TRYING TO GET THAT CHRIS WAS CALLING AROUND TRYING TO GET A GENERATOR.
ABOUT FOUR O'CLOCK MONDAY EVENING, WE GOT SUN BELT TO GIVE US A GENERATOR.
SOON AT CAL PAIN, WE HOOKED IT UP, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY WATER TO PUMP.
I MEAN, JUST OFFER THAT ONE WELL.
I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WELL, IT USED TO PUMP 150 GALLONS A MINUTE AND IT IS NOT PUMPING THAT NOW, SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK INTO AND WHY IT'S NOT PRODUCING WHAT IT USED TO.
>> WHY ARE ALL OF OUR WELL IN THAT ONE AREA TOWN?
>> IT'S PROBABLY AN AWKWARD WAY UP FOR RUNS HOW THEY DRILLED THE WELLS.
>> YEAH. THEY GOT TO BE SO FAR APART SO THEY DON'T GET THE COLON NO INFLUENCE WHERE THEY DON'T OVERLAP EACH OTHER AND ALL THAT.
>> WHAT WOULD A WELL, AT THE JAMESON SITE DO?
>> IT WOULD HELP. I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
SINCE WE GOT A GENERATOR, WE COULD FILL THAT TANK AND RUN.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE GETTING FREEDOM PART WILL GO ON, AND THAT HELPS US AND MAYBE A CERTAIN OTHER WELLS DOWN AT JAMESON SOMEWHERE.
>> RIGHT. JUST SAYING YOU HAD THOSE THINGS, YOU HAD THE ONE AT FREEDOM, YOU HAVE THE ONE THERE AND YOU HAVE THE NEW STORAGE ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
HOW MUCH BETTER OFF WOULD WE HAVE BEEN AT ALL? LET'S SAY THEY'RE ALL RUNNING.
WE HAD GENERATORS FOR ALL OF THEM, HOW MUCH BETTER DO YOU THINK WE WOULD HAVE BEEN?
>> I MEAN, THAT'S DOUBLE WHAT WE EASILY PUMP, JUST TO TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THE LEAKS.
>> MR. WRIGHT, THE GROSS NUMBER OF BROKEN PIPES, MEANS THAT YOU NEVER BOUGHT, WATER IS FLOWING WIDE OPEN.
>> IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO CATCH UP.
>> PLUS NOT BEFORE BY STARTED DRIP AND THEIR FOSSILS. THAT'S THE WORSE THING.
WE EXPERIENCE NOW, MIGHT MAKE YOUR PIPES NOT FREEZE BUT IT DRAIN AIR SYSTEM AND IF YOU NOTICE, SHE'S USED TO KNOWING OF A BEGUN, PLEASE DON'T I MEAN, IT TAKES A LOT OF WATER.
>> THAT'S THE MORE INFORMATION THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC COULD PROBABLY BE INFORMED OF THE DRIP YOU'RE FORCING.
IT SHOULD BE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A HAIR SPAGHETTI OR SOMETHING.
I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT POSSIBLY THINK THEY NEED TO TURN YOUR FAUCET ON, THAT'S A LOT OF WATER.
YOU JUST NEED A STRING ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE SPAGHETTI AND THAT'LL DO.
[01:20:06]
>> BUT WE HAD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS THAT SAID THAT THEY TURNED THE WATER OFF AND DRAIN THEM, WHICH MOST DIDN'T DRAIN ON BUT THE WATER STAYED UP IN THEIR ATTICS, AND LUSTER POP EVEN WHEN THE WATER SHUT OFF.
I MEAN, ONCE WE ALLOW SEVERAL SKATER SYSTEMS LIKE WE USED TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATION WITH THE RADIO, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH ANYBODY.
WE WERE TRYING TO RUN BACK AND FORTH ACROSS TOWN TO LOOK AT MANUAL GAUGES.
WE COULDN'T CALL OR ON THE CELL PHONES OR NOTHING DETAILS.
HERE WE ARE GRABBING BACK AND FORTH TO EACH OTHER.
WE WERE JUST TRYING TO GAIN AN INCH AT THE TIME TO KEEP GOING, IT WAS JUST INCH BY INCH.
IT WAS JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP.
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY WHERE WE TURN THE PUMPS OFF, NO, WE DIDN'T.
IN FACT, THE PUMPS WOULD RUN SO FAST.
I HAD A GATE VALVE TO TURN THE BRAIN PRESSURE BACK UP TO GET THE PUMP BACK UP ON THE CURVE.
BECAUSE THEY WOULD JUST CAVITATE AND RATTLER AND JUST IT WAS BAD.
WE MIGHT HAVE DAMAGED SOME PUMPS, I DON'T KNOW YET.
WE'LL GO AND CHECK THE MAR, CHECK THE FLOW OF ALL THE PUMPS, RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THE WATER THROUGH AS CHRIS SAYS, I TOOK SOUTHSIDE OUT OF OPERATIONS TODAY.
I'VE DRAINED IT AND I'VE GOT WELDERS COMING IN IN THE MORNING AND FIX THAT HOLE, SO WE'LL GET IT BACK ONLINE.
>> DO WE HAVE ENOUGH ELEVATED STORAGE?
>> PROBABLY DOWN THE ROAD HERE WE GET A LOT MORE DEVELOPMENT IN.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SOMETHING ON THE NORTHSIDE.
I THINK SOUTHSIDE IS PRETTY GOOD ON THE PRESSURE WIRES.
WE GOT NORTHSIDE TOWER, WHICH IS MID-TOWER NOW.
WE'LL PROBABLY NEED A LOOK AT SOME DOWN ON THE NORTHSIDE HERE WITHIN PROBABLY THREE TO FIVE YEARS TO KNOW HOW MUCH DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO COME IN AND HOW FAR WE REACH UP THERE.
BECAUSE I KNOW PRETTY SOON A COUNTY JAIL, THEY WANT WATER, MSR WANTS WATER OR SOME BIG SUBDIVISIONS GOING OUT ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT WATER.
YES, PROBABLY SOONER OR LATER WE'RE GOING TO NEED ELEVATED STORAGE.
>> I CAME BY YOUR OFFICE, I SAW YOUR NEW DIGS ON FRIDAY, BUT YOU WEREN'T IN THEIR [LAUGHTER] SO I CAN TEST.
>> THREE DAYS I HAVE HAD FIVE OF SLEEP.
>> I REALLY THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU ALL DID.
>> BUT ALSO EVEN THE TRANSFER LAND JOHN PAGERS AND NAM TALKED ABOUT THAT WOULD COME IN HANDY.
I'LL GET THE SAME WATER TRANSFERRED TO IT OVER WITHOUT MIXING IT WITH MY WELL WATER AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE GOT TO LOOK AT MORE GENERATORS, TRANSFER OF LAND.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT COMMUNICATION, HOW WE CAN BACK UP OUR SKATERS MORE SO WE DON'T LOSE THAT.
I MEAN, THAT RUNS THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
YES, YOU CAN DO IT MANUALLY, BUT IT'S PRETTY ROUGH THESE DAYS.
>> I WAS GOING TO MAKE A JOKE, BUT I'M SURE THAT THE REST OF THE STAFF BUT I WAS GOING TO SAY LOTS OF NEW GENERATORS, A NEW BUILDING. [LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND] I WILL SAY JOHN, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I HATE TO SAY THIS, ONE DAY YOU'RE GOING TO BE GONE.
I KNOW YOU ARE, YOU'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB FOR THE COMMUNITY.
HOPEFULLY NOT WITHIN NEXT THREE TO FIVE I'M P REFERENCING BY THAT BUT, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD SIT DOWN WITH YOUR STAFF OR SIT DOWN WITH SOMEBODY AND WRITE THIS STUFF DOWN.
COVER, PROCESSOR, OR PROCEDURE OR WHEN IT COMES TO THIS TYPE OF EVENT, X, X, AND X, I'M SURE YOU WERE TO GIVING ORDERS.
I WOULD HOPE THAT IT'S WRITTEN DOWN SOMEWHERE IN A PROCEDURE OR IN A WINTER SESSION PLAN THAT SAYS, IF THIS WAS TO HAPPEN, HEAVEN FORBID, SOMETHING HAPPENS TO JEFF, TO SOMEBODY CAN FILL THAT VOID BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO MUCH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND YOU KNOW ALL THIS.
I'M SURE YOU GOT SOME GUYS BELOW YOU, BUT YOU GOT TO HAVE WRITTEN DOWN BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF OUR CONTINGENCY PLAN IS THAT PUBLIC WORKS.
>> WE DO HAVE AN OPERATING MANUAL.
WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE NEED ADD TO IT.
>> YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AND SEE, DID IT HIT THE MARK ON THIS ONE? OR WHAT DO WE NEED TO ADD TO IT, BECAUSE THIS IS A FIRST FOR ALL OF US I THINK HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY, 16 DEGREE WEATHER FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH.
THANK YOU, I MEAN IF I CAN THROW YOU A HOT DOG LUNCH FOR THE GUYS, I'D DO IT TOMORROW AND THERE MAY BE SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT, OUR APPRECIATION.
>> FAJITAS, A FAJITA LUNCH FOR THE STAFF.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S WELL DESERVED.
IT'S A SMALL TOKEN OF APPRECIATION.
[01:25:01]
>> MR. MAYOR THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR STAFF THAT I'VE REQUESTED TO SPEAK.
WE'VE GOT ROW STUFFING ROOMS IF YOU WANT TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS AND WHATEVER.
BUT WHEN TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, WHAT DO YOU ALL WANT TO DO?
>> [INAUDIBLE] DOES THIS THING WORK?
>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S ONE OF US IN HERE THAT COULD STAY WITH THOSE GUYS VERY LONG, AND THE WORK THAT THEY DID IS KEEPING THIS WATER SYSTEM GOING.FOLKS, IT WASN'T JUST THE WATER SYSTEM THAT WAS DOWN, WE ALSO LOST POWER TO ALL LIFT STATIONS OUT THERE.
THAT'S THE OTHER PART OF THE EQUATION, IT WAS KIND OF TOUGH.
MOST OF YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW THIS IF YOU DON'T, I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT EVERY PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, OPERATES UNDER THE GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OR THE PLAN OPERATORS, JEFF AND HIS CREW, THERE AN AUDIENCE THAT ARE WAKING UP THE NEXT DAY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.
PLANTS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED, PUMPS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED, THEY RUN UNDER CERTAIN A CRITERIA AND IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, YOU'LL GET A BLACK MARK, YOU'LL GET FINED, YOU'LL GET ALL KIND OF STUFF.
THAT'S THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO.
BUT WHEN YOU HIT THE WEATHER THAT WE'VE HAD, THE LAST TIME I CAN REMEMBER IT HAPPENING WAS AT 89 OR SOMETHING.
WATER PLANT NUMBER THREE WAS BRAND NEW WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY IT WOULDN'T WORK, STUFF FROZE UP.
IT WAS HUMOROUS AFTER THAT WENT TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
THANK YOU AGAIN. I THINK YOU ALL ARE SOME OF THE LEAST APPRECIATED IN TOWN.
MAYBE AFTER THIS TIME YOU'LL UNDERSTAND.
>> [INAUDIBLE] IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTION WE HAVE OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE ROOM.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM.
>> I HAD A QUESTION BUT YOU GO.
>> ALL I WILL SAY IS I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COUNCIL FOR BOTH OF THE, I GUESS, UNIQUE EXPERIENCES WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST I DON'T KNOW, EIGHT MONTHS, AND AS AN OUTSIDER, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL WE ARE REALLY.
I HAVE TRULY BEEN IMPRESSED BY THE EFFORTS MADE AND THE LEADERSHIP WITHIN THIS CITY.
I THINK WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE STUCK WITH THIS CITY AND WORK FOR THE CITY AS WE'VE RAISED THROUGHOUT THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
I'M KIND OF AN OUTSIDER A LITTLE BIT ON CITY COUNCIL HERE HAVING LIVED HERE THE SHORTEST OF ANYBODY, BUT THERE IS A REASON I CHOSE TO MOVE TO HAMILTON, AND IT WAS FOR THIS INSTANCE RIGHT HERE.
I WORKED HERE, AND I COULD SEE WHAT THIS COMMUNITY WAS.
IT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE HELPING OTHER PEOPLE, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S CONTINUED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, AND AS MUCH AS THE WONDERFUL ASSETS WE HAVE WITHIN THE CITY GOVERNMENT AND ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO ACTIVELY VOLUNTEER.
WE REALLY ARE AS STRONG AS OUR COMMUNITY IS, AND THAT'S EVERYBODY CHIPPING IN.
SO WHILE WE HAVE OUR STAFF THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO DO IT JUST PURELY OUT OF LOVE FOR THEIR NEIGHBOR, AND SO IT'S A GOOD THING.
WE'RE BLESSED FOR THAT. SO I WANT US TO COMMEND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THIS ROOM RIGHT HERE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS FOR THIS CITY.
BUT I WANT TO COMMEND THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING TONIGHT OUT THERE.
I HOPE THEY ARE LISTENING ANYWAY. SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK.
>> YES. WE'VE STARTED A RECOGNITION PROGRAM AND WE'VE GOT CERTIFICATES THE MAYOR TO SIGN,
[01:30:04]
AND HE'S GOING TO GO OUT AND HAND DELIVER, AND THEN AT A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING, WE PLAN TO LIST ALL AGAIN, NOT INCLUSIVE.I MEAN, EVERYONE WE THINK WE KNOW THAT IF HELPED OUT LIKE BOY SCOUTS AND ROTARY, AND CHURCHES AND INDIVIDUALS AND WHATEVER, AND IT KIND OF LIST THAT FOR YOUR OWN BENEFIT.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHO IN THE COMMUNITY HAS STEPPED UP AND THAT'S NOT NAMING EVERY INDIVIDUAL PERSON THAT HAS OFFERED SOMETHING OR DONE SOMETHING IN SUPPORT OF THE CITY.
>> I KNOW IF YOU WENT TO LAKES OR ANY OF THE OTHER HARDWARE STORES, YOU SAW A LOT OF THE AI WIRES AS WELL AS PROFESSIONALS, AND THEY WEREN'T JUST WORKING FOR THEMSELVES.
I KNOW THEY WERE WORKING FOR OTHERS, SO THAT'S GOOD.
>> YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? YOU GOOD?
>> OKAY. SO JOHN, I WANT TO SAY, THEY MUST BE IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THIS CITY THAT WORKS WELL UNDER PRESSURE, AND THE ONE THING I CAN ALWAYS SAY IS ONE, WHEN IT COMES TO CATASTROPHIC SITUATIONS WHICH WE ARE GETTING REALLY GOOD AT, THIS CITY ALWAYS STEPS UP AND EGOS ASIDE.
YOU ALL DO A GREAT JOB OF SAYING, "COME ON IN, WHERE CAN WE HELP?" I LIKE HOW THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS CROSS.
YOU'VE GOT SOME SKILLS IN ONE DEPARTMENT AND THEY COME OVER AND HELP AND IT'S A TRUE TEAM EFFORT.
I WANT TO SAY REALLY ON THE COMMUNICATION.
THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION.
BUT AS THE MAYOR SAID, I SAW MORE COMMUNICATION COMING OUT OF THIS CITY THAN I SAW FROM ANY OF THE OTHER SURROUNDING CITIES.
WE'VE BEEN DOING I THINK THIS COUNCIL, CHRIS, AND YOU AS THE LEADERSHIP AND THE STAFF, WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE OF WE WANT TO PUSH MORE INFORMATION OUT TO CITIZENS.
THE BETTER INFORMED OUR CITIZENS ARE, THE BETTER OFF WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE.
I THINK YOU ALL OWN THAT AS WELL AS WE DO.
I THINK WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD LIKE TO CONSTRUCTIVELY SAY THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO IMPROVE ON IS, I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER PLANNED FOR, WE HAVE NO PAPER, WE HAVE NO ELECTRICITY, WE HAVE NO PHONES, NO INTERNET, NO NOTHING.
HOW DO WE GET THE WORD OUT AS OLD SCHOOL? MY ONLY ADVICE IS WE SHOULD HAVE A VOLUNTEER LIST.
I MEAN, I CAN SEND SCOUTS DOOR TO DOOR, NEIGHBORHOOD TO NEIGHBORHOOD, POSTING SIGNS, PUTTING OUT FLYERS, WHATEVER.
I WOULD TELL THE WHOLE STAFF HERE IS DON'T BE GREEDY WITH ALL THE WORK.
BECAUSE YOU ALL DO A GREAT JOB.
YOU ALL TAKE IT ON YOUR BACKS AND SHOULDERS AND SAY "LET'S GO AND MOVE THEM." THERE'S THE REST OF THIS COMMUNITY IS RIGHT BEHIND YOU, WE'LL SUPPORT YOU, WHATEVER YOU NEED, WE'RE THERE TO HELP.
BECAUSE I EVEN TOLD YOU CHRIS, ONE TIME I TEXT YOU, AND I SAID "JUST LET ME KNOW WHERE I CAN HELP." I WAS DYING TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, AND I WANT TO GO HELP.
I LIKE THE COLD WEATHER, SO HEY.
WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT ARE RIGHT THERE WITH ME THAT WOULD SAY, "JUST TELL ME WHERE YOU WANT ME." MAYBE WE GET A LIST OF PEOPLE WITH SKILLS THAT WE NEED AND WHERE WE CAN PUT THEM IN PLACE TO HELP.
THAT'S MY BIGGEST THING THAT I THINK COMING FROM THIS WOULD HELP.
>> SIR, I'VE JUST SORT OF MAKE COMMENTS TOWARDS THE END.
YESTERDAY, JASON, YOU WERE THERE, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE STAFF IS WE'RE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER.
WE KNOW WE DID THIS WELL, BUT WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
WE HAD A CHALLENGE, A FAIR WE HAVE WAS WE REALIZED WE'RE ISSUING ALL THE BOTTLED WATER, BUT WE DIDN'T DO CODERED SIGN-UPS.
WE MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY AS A CITY TO HELP THAT PROCESS GET BETTER.
WE'VE GOT OUR VOLUNTEER LIST AND WE'RE NOT DONE DEVELOPING OUR LIST OF THINGS WE NEED TO GET, PROCESS WE NEED TO PROVE, AND HOW WE CAN DO THINGS BETTER AND WE COMMUNICATE WELL.
IT WAS THE QUINTESSENTIAL MOMENT.
IT WAS ME, GLENN, AND SIR RICHARDS STANDING OUTSIDE CITY HALL SAYING, "HOW DO WE NOTIFY THE PD WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY?"
[01:35:02]
IT'S OLD SCHOOL.WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HOW DID WE DO THAT?
>> I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING A FOLLOW-UP.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO SET IT ALL THREE TO SIX MONTHS, BUT TO SEE WHAT PLAN OF ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AS A RESULT OF TODAY'S OR OF THESE EVENTS.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY FOR US TO SEE SOME FOLLOW-THROUGH.
SOME OF THE IDEAS HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD.
ESPECIALLY FOR US ON COUNCIL TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING YOU ALL THE ASSETS YOU NEED TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT'S MY OPINION ANYWAY. WE NEED TO TRY TO WORK WITH YOU ALL, OBVIOUSLY TO PUT YOU ALL ON THE BEST POSITION TO SUCCEED.
BUT ALSO, SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY'S IDENTIFIED SOME AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT I GUESS.
LET'S FOLLOW THROUGH AND ACTUALLY SEE WHERE WE ARE, THEN FROM PUT THIS BACK ON AGENDA ITEM IN THREE TO SIX MONTHS, AND HAVE A FOLLOW-UP ON WHAT STEPS HAD BEEN TAKEN WITHIN THE CITY.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HAVING THAT CONVERSATION. [OVERLAPPING]
>> PART OF THAT IS GOING TO COME NEAR A LOT SOONER.
I MEAN, WE GOT HURRICANE SEASON RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. [LAUGHTER].
>> THAT'S WHY I SAID THREE. IT'S UP TO YOU.
>> THE MAY TIME FRAME IS WE'RE GOING TO GET OUT IN TWO OR ONE LIST AND EXERCISE THAT, AND SEE IF IT'S STILL VALID.
WE'VE GOT TO BUY THE BOTTLE WATERS.
WE'RE GOING TO STICK IN THE CONTAINER.
HAPPY TO DO THAT AND COME BACK AND SAY, "HERE'S ALL THE THINGS WE LEARNED, STUFF WE NEED TO GET, HERE'S WHAT WE GOT, HERE'S WHAT WE NEED, HELP WITH, THEN COME BACK AND UPDATE YOU.".
>> BECAUSE IN FUTURE BECOMES BUDGET SEASON TOO.
>> WE CAN TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN BUDGET THINGS.
OBVIOUSLY, OUR LIST IS LONG, BUT WE CAN PRIORITIZE SOME CERTAIN THINGS.
>> YEAH. I WANT TO SAY TO ALL THE STAFF IS, THE ONE THING I KNOW YOU ALL ARE GOING TO DO, IS YOU'RE GOING TO NITPICK THIS THING APART.
EVERY TIME YOU ALL FIND SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT BETTER, I DON'T SEE THAT SAME PROBLEM AGAIN.
YOU'LL ALWAYS FIX WHATEVER YOU ALL NOTICE AS AN ISSUE AND YOU ALL HAVE ALWAYS GOTTEN BETTER.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
GREAT LEADERSHIP AND WE'RE VERY BLESSED IN THIS CITY, WE HAVE FORMER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
YOU WERE INVOLVED WHEN YOU WERE WITH THE AMBULANCE CREW.
YOU WERE ALREADY THERE, YOU HAVE THE CONTACTS, YOU HAVE PEOPLE.
WE HAVE CHIEF, WE HAVE A PLETHORA OF RESOURCES THAT WILL HELP THIS CITY.
I THINK THAT'S WHY WE WERE THE FIRST ONES WITH THE EQUIPMENT AND WHAT WE NEEDED BECAUSE YOU ALL MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS CITY AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SPECIAL.
THANK YOU. I DO WANT TO ADDRESS ONE COMMENT FROM MR. SCHAFFER.
MR. SCHAFFER, I'LL BEAT THE DRUM AND BANG THE DRUM AND WASTE CONNECTIONS EVERY DAY, ALL DAY ABOUT THEIR ISSUES.
BUT I WILL NOT FIGHT THEM FOR MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
I'M CHOCKING THE LAST WEEK UP.
I'M GOING TO GIVE HIM A PASS ON THAT AND I USUALLY DON'T, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE SITUATIONS THAT THEY WERE FACING AS WELL.
I'M NORMALLY RIGHT THERE WITH YOU BUT THAT WAS TOUGH FOR EVERYBODY AND I THINK THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS TOO.
>> IT WAS ALSO A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHICH NATIONAL HOLIDAYS HOW [INAUDIBLE] THEY TAKE.
BUT THAT WAS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
ALL COUNTY, CITY, AND STATE OFFICES WERE CLOSED THAT DAY.
I DIDN'T EXPECT THEM TO PICK MY GARBAGE.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY JOHN IS, AT THE PLANT WE HAD A LOT OF EMPLOYEES COULDN'T GET TO WORK, SO I EXPECTED IT FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS.
PEOPLE COULD NOT GET TO WORK OR THEY WERE DEALING WITH STUFF AT THEIR HOMES. [OVERLAPPING].
>> THEY DON'T HAVE POWER [OVERLAPPING] AT THE.
>> POWER, [NOISE] NO WATER. I GET IT.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP TO THE TABLE.
EXCUSE ME, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE WORD I WAS TRYING TO USE.
THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION AMONGST A LOT OF FOLKS HERE IN TOWN.
THEY THINK ALL THESE SIMILAR SOUNDING FACEBOOK PAGES ARE OFFICIAL.
THE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE CITY OF ANGLETON IS THE CITY OF ANGLETON CITY HALL FACEBOOK PAGE.
I DON'T WANT TO TALK DOWN AGAINST TALK OF ANGLETON, BUT THAT'S JUST A JAGUAR SPOT.
THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION THAT COMES OUT ON TALK OF ANGLETON.
[LAUGHTER] I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO STATE A COUPLE OF TIMES,
[01:40:07]
YOU NEED TO GO TO CODE RED OR YOU NEED TO GO TO THE CITY WEBSITE OR THE CITY FACEBOOK PAGE TO GET THE ACTUAL HONEST, TRUTHFUL INFORMATION, NOT WHAT SOMEBODY HAS PERCEIVED BY THEIR MISUNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE CITY OPERATES.WE CAN POLITELY MAKE THE COMMENT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
PLEASE USE THE OFFICIAL CITY STAFF FOR THE OFFICIAL INFORMATION.
>>THANK YOU. CECIL BOOTH? YES.
>> [INAUDIBLE] WE'VE WATCHED AND LISTENED TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING AND THEY'RE NOT INFORMED CORRECTLY.
>>THANK YOU, SIR. I THINK WE LEFT ONE PERSON OFF, [INAUDIBLE] MANAGEMENT.
GLEN, I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU OUT BECAUSE YOU'RE AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS PUZZLE AS WELL.
>> AS WE SAID, JEFF AND I ARE A PIECE OF THE PIE.
YOU'RE PART OF THAT PIECE OF THAT PIE.
>> STANDING ON THE BRINK OF LAST FRIDAY, WHEN THEY FORECAST ON THE METEOROLOGISTS, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS SPOT ON, THEY PREDICTED THAT THIS WAS COMING AND WE GOT EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAID WE WERE GOING TO GET.
LOOKING AT FRIDAY, WE'RE OKAY, WE'VE GOT AN ICE STORM COMING ON A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
SIGH OF RELIEF, THERE WON'T BE SO MANY CARS ON THE ROAD.
THERE WON'T BE BUSES ON THE ROAD TAKING KIDS TO SCHOOL, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT.
IT KIND OF SLID BACK AND THEN ABOUT SATURDAY OR SUNDAY [INAUDIBLE] STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE ROLLING BLACKOUTS.
THERE WAS A FREEZE THAT CAME THROUGH HERE.
WE HAVE THE ROLLING BLACKOUTS.
IT MAY ACTUALLY HAVE WORKED THE WAY THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO WORK.
WE HAD ABOUT AN HOUR WITHOUT AND THEN SEVERAL HOURS WITH AND WE THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE GOING TO GET, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE GOT.
YOU CAN SEE HOW QUICKLY TAKE AWAY ONE LITTLE ELEMENT, WE LOST ELECTRICITY, IT MESSED UP EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING ELSE THAT FAILED WAS LINKED TO THAT WHICH WAS ALSO LINKED TO THE COLD WEATHER.
WE JUST GOT TO FIND A WAY TO STAY ON TOP OF THE DISASTER, STAY AHEAD OF THE DISASTER, SEE ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE COMING, BACKING THEM UP AND WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE AGGRESSIVELY AUGMENTING OUR GENERATORS AND OUR ABILITIES TO MAINTAIN POWER, TO MAINTAIN WATER PRESSURE, TO KEEP THINGS GOING SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE IN THE CITY CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES, CAN STAY LIVING THEIR STANDARD OF LIFE, AND TO STAY INFORMED.
THE OTHER THING WAS IF I MADE A PAGE FOR CODE RED? AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, IF WE'VE GOT FOLKS OUT THERE, IT'S AS SIMPLE AS GETTING ON YOUR CELL PHONE AND TEXTING ANGLETONTX, ALL ONE WORD.
A TERM YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, ANGLETONTX TO 99411.I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN, NINE NINE FOUR ONE ONE AND IT WILL BRING YOU RIGHT TO THEIR WEB-BASED PAGE AND YOU CAN SIGN UP RIGHT ON YOUR PHONE.
ALL YOU'VE GOT GIVE THEM IS YOUR PHONE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BE CONTACTED ON, WHETHER IT'S CELL PHONE OR WHATEVER, THE CARRIER FOR THE CELL PHONE, BUT THEY'LL ALSO WANT YOUR HOME PHONE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A CARRIER, EMAIL ADDRESS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE THE STUFF OVER E-MAIL.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED, BUT I RECOMMEND IT.
IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO GET STUFF THAT'S GOING TO SIT IN YOUR INBOX AND YOUR ADDRESS, BECAUSE WE CAN USE IT GEOGRAPHICALLY.
WE WANT TO TARGET JUST THE PEOPLE IN ANGLETON OR JUST THE PEOPLE IN A CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'LL MAP THOSE ADDRESSES SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE.
IF WE HAVE A DISASTER THAT ONLY AFFECTS THE NORTH SIDE, WE CAN NOTIFY ALL THE RESIDENTS IN THE NORTH SIDE.
WE CAN SEND YOU A PHONE CALL WITH THE VOICE OF ANGLETON TO KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED FOR TWO AND A HALF MINUTES, IS WHAT WE HAVE FOR A RECORDING.
IT'LL SEND YOU A TEXT, SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO LISTEN TO IT OR IT DIDN'T COME THROUGH, YOU'LL STILL GET THE TEXT SO YOU CAN READ IT.
THE OTHER THING TO BEAR IN MIND, ONCE YOU'RE SIGNED UP AND YOU GET IT, AND I KNOW I GET THIS A LOT AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES, UNKNOWN NUMBER.
YOU GET THIS 800 NUMBER, SOMEONE IS DOING TO TELL ME, MY CAR WARRANTY IS OUT OF DATE AND WHAT I CAN DO TO CHECK MY [LAUGHTER] SOCIAL SECURITY.
THERE'S TWO NUMBERS THAT WERE ARE GOING TO USE AND THE MAIN NUMBER THEY KEPT GOING OUT WAS THIS, 8-664-195-000.
THAT WAS CONSISTENT BUT THERE'S ANOTHER NUMBER, YOU'LL SEE IT WHEN YOU REGISTER.
I'M NOT GOING TO TIRE UP EVERYBODY SAYING WRITE DOWN THOSE NUMBERS.
TAKE THAT NUMBER, THE 8-664-195-000, MARK IT, IDENTIFY IT AS CODE RED IN YOUR PHONE.
WHEN YOU SEE THAT NUMBER COME UP, YOU DON'T JUST GO, I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT [LAUGHTER] TELEMARKETER.
IT'S CODE RED AND I'M GOING TO LISTEN.
IT'S A WAY TO STAY ON TOP OF THE CURVE BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS TO STAY ON TOP OF THE CURVE, NOT JUST THE CITY EMPLOYEES, THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY AND FOR THE CITY TO STAY ON TOP, WE NEED EVERYBODY TO STAY ON TOP.
THIS IS THE WAY WE WANT TO KEEP IN TOUCH AND WE WANT TO GET THE WORD OUT TO YOU.
AS SOON AS WE GET THE WORD WE'LL GET THE WORD OUT TO YOU.
WE DID HAVE A LOT OF HELP, ALL THE CITIZENS HELPING CITIZENS, THE PARTNERS THAT HELPED US AND WE PROBABLY BLEW UP FOUR MIKE JONES' PHONES WHO WAS OUR DISTRICT COORDINATOR FOR THE TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
WHEN NOBODY ELSE WOULD ANSWER THEIR PHONE, MIKE SEEMED TO ALWAYS ANSWER THE PHONE.
[01:45:02]
THE MAYOR AND I WERE BOTH CALLING HIM PROBABLY ON A REGULAR BASIS AND HE ALWAYS ANSWERED AND HE MADE SURE WE EITHER KNEW WHAT WE WERE GETTING, WHAT WAS COMING FOR US, WHAT WAS BEING EXPECTED OUT OF US FROM AUSTIN, WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE REST OF THE STATE AND WHEN THE STUFF WAS COMING, HOW SOON IT WOULD BE COMING AND WHAT WAS IMPACTING ITS DELIVERY.HE KEPT US INFORMED AND THE MOST INFORMATION, WE GET THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY AS WELL.
THAT WAS A GREAT PARTNER. I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAD.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR GLEN? HE'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THAT PIE.
>> [INAUDIBLE] YES, AND THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES ON THE RECEIVING END THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE YOUR MESSAGES IN SPANISH, SO THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG LANGUAGES FOR US, ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
I CAN'T THINK OF HOW MANY OTHERS WE WOULD HAVE IN THE CITY. THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG ONES.
>> WHAT I ALSO SUGGESTED WITH THIS CODE RED PROGRAM, EXCUSE ME, IS WE TEST IT ONCE HOW WE ROLL THIS OUT, BUT I WOULD LIKE US TO DO A ONCE A MONTH TEST, MAYBE THE FIRST MONDAY OF THE MONTH AT SIX IN THE EVENING SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT I'M MAKING SURE I'M GETTING THAT, SO WHEN IT DOES FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS, SOMEONE CAN CALL US AND GO, "HEY, DID YOU ALL TEST AND WHAT'S GOING ON?"
>> WE CAN MAKE THAT AS SIMPLE AS A TEXT BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO ANSWER THE PHONE ONCE A MONTH FOR SOMETHING THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE A TEST.
WE'RE SEND YOU THE TEXTS. IF MAY COMES AND GOES AND YOU DIDN'T GET YOUR TEXT, PLEASE TELL US, SO WE GET ON TOP OF THIS BEFORE WE GET INTO HURRICANE SEASON.
>>I MEAN, LOOK, WE DRILL WHEN WE ARE IN SCHOOL FOR FIRE DRILLS, YOU SHOULD DRILL AT HOME.
YOUR COMMUNICATIONS, I THINK WE DID THE SAME THING WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND BE VERY PROACTIVE, SO THEN THEY'RE USED TO GETTING THAT MESSAGE.
>>ANOTHER OLD-SCHOOL INVESTMENT WE'RE MAKING, WE'RE WORKING WITH A GRANT THROUGH THE GENERAL AND OTHERS TO GET SIRENS.
WARNING SIRENS.THIS IS LIKE THE '50S WITH THE DEFENSE SYSTEM, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WARNING SIRENS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF TOWN AND WE IDENTIFIED THREE PLACES IN TOWN THAT SHOULD GIVE US THE BEST COVERAGE.
ONCE THOSE INSTALLED, YOU'LL HEAR THIS LARGE ANNOYING SIREN AND THAT SHOULD NOT BE A CLUE TO ROLL OVER AND PUT THE PILLOW OVER YOUR HEAD, BUT TO CALL AROUND AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
GET OUT YOUR PHONES, TURN ON THE NEWS, CALL CITY HALL OR CALL THE POLICE DISPATCH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE LINE JUST TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
THIS IS A WAY TO GET YOUR ATTENTION AND THAT'S A GOOD OLD SCHOOL.
>> I'M WAY OUT OF THE LOOP HERE.
THE GRANT INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE BEEN GIVING US UPDATES ON FROM THE COVID RELIEF BILL, I GUESS.
DO WE HAVE ACCESS TO FUNDS THAT WOULD, COULD WE UTILIZE FOR, SAY, A GENERATOR OR GENERATORS?
>>WHAT, ARE YOU GOING TO ANSWER THAT?
>>SO, ONCE WE GET THE FUNDING APPROVED FOR THE CARRIERS.
THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS ELIGIBLE FOR USE FOR ANYTHING.
>>SO, ONCE WE'RE APPROVED, WE PLAN ON COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAYING, HERE'S THE DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED BACK TO US, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SPEND IT ON? WHETHER IT'S MERGED THE MANAGEMENT, WHETHER IT'S CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT'S WHATEVER, WE CAN.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE PERMISSIBLE. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEP.
>>WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF THAT AGAIN, WE'RE STILL AT STEP SIX OF SEVEN STEPS, AND IT'S BEEN AT STEP 6 FOR QUITE AWHILE.
IT'S A SLOW ROLL EVERYBODY IN THE STATE OF TAXES AND EVERYBODY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO GET TO THIS MONEY AND JUSTIFY IT.
EVENTUALLY, WE WILL HAVE OUR $ 1.13 MILLION THAT [INAUDIBLE] SAID, OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SIDE IS OURS.
IT'S NOT A GRANT. IT'S RELIEF FUNDS AND THEY MAKE A BIG MESS, IT'S NOT A GRANT.
EVEN THOUGH THE RULES ARE PRETTY SIMILAR, IT'S FUNDS. THANK YOU.
>>ANY LAST COMMENTS FOR MR.?OKAY.
ANY COUNSELING LAST CLOSING COMMENTS BEFORE I DO MY CLOSING COMMENT? ANYBODY?
>>I'M SURPRISED THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE, WE PROVIDED TO YOU THE CITY FOR FREE IN 2001 A FREQUENCY THAT WE BOUGHT FROM THE FCC AUCTION, WE PROVIDED THE BEAUMONT, WILLIS, HOUSTON, AND THIS CITY.
I DIDN'T HEAR A SINGLE WORD ON THE RADIO.
THE RADIO, WAS SITTING OVER THERE AT THE TOWER SITE, FREE, AND NOBODY'S ON.
CHIEF ASPIRIN WAS WELL AWARE OF IT AND TESTED IT OUT SEVERAL TIMES.
JOHN BASSOON AT THE TIME WAS A LIEUTENANT, I BELIEVE IT WAS,
[01:50:01]
AND HE TESTED IT AND YOU GOT A FREQUENCY HERE THAT'S FREE AND A TOWER AND A RADIO.SO, I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS THE FREQUENCY BECAUSE, WELL, WE ARE, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT IT.
>>WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT IN OUR SALT MEETING YESTERDAY, IS WE DO HAVE SOME BACKUP CHANNELS THAT WE HAVE SITTING OUT THERE THAT ARE EMS HAS THE CITY PUBLIC WORKS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT GOING TO A BACKUP RADIO SYSTEM THAT'S NOT SO HIGH-TECH OR LOW-TECH.
SO, CHEAPEN AND I'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY.
>>BUT JUST TO BE SURE, JUST TO BE CLEAR, OUR P25 RADIO SYSTEM WAS WORKED FINE.
WE USED A SINGLETON EVENT ONE.
THE RADIO SYSTEMS NEVER WORD DOWN TO GO TO THE SYSTEM THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE ARE AWARE OF IT AND APPRECIATED IT EXIST IN C, IT IS AN EMERGENCY NETWORK FOR CONTINGENCY, BUT IT WASN'T NECESSARY TO EVOLVE TO THAT LEVEL AT THAT POINT BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU POINTING IT OUT.
>>THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE].
THANK YOU, CHIEF. OKAY. GO AHEAD
>>YEAH. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DESERVE PRAISE THAT'S GONE AROUND, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT OUR BOOTS ARE ON THE GROUND, CITY SERVICES, PD, FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMS. EVERYONE, JUST PUT THEIR HEADS DOWN AND GOT THE WORK DONE, AND IT'S SO GREATLY APPRECIATED, AND THEY DESERVE ALL THE PRAISE IN THE WORLD.
BUT, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT, THEY WERE LED BY EXAMPLE.
THE DEPARTMENT HEADS DO LEAD BY EXAMPLE IN THE CITY, AND I JUST WANTED THAT TO BE NOTED. SO, THANK YOU.
>>THANK YOU SIR FOR THAT COMMENT.
>>I'LL JUST ECHO WHAT EVERYBODY SAID. OUTSTANDING JOB.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. WE APPRECIATE IT.
AND NOT SO MUCH JUST ME, BUT A LOT OF THESE DEPARTMENT HEADS WERE ALSO OUT THERE SLING AND WATER AND HELPING OUR RESIDENTS OUT, AND THAT SAYS A LOT.
THEY WERE OUT THERE LITTLE SWEAT EQUITY.
IT SHOWS THAT THEY LEAD FROM THE TOP. THEY REALLY DO.
OKAY. WITH NOTHING ELSE BEING SAID I DO HAVE A FEW CLOSING COMMENTS TO MY COUNCIL.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, I THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
I KNOW I COULDN'T COMMUNICATE WITH YOU ALL BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE RULES, BUT I DID COMMUNICATE WITH JOHN.
CHRIS, THANK YOU FOR PASSING ON ALL THE INFORMATION.
CHRIS THANK YOU, I MEAN, I KNOW YOU AND I WERE ATTACHED TO THE HIP AND GLAND AS WELL.
I THINK IT WAS AN UMBILICAL AT ONE TIME WITH ME AND CHRIS AND WE WERE SIDE-BY-SIDE AND SO CHRIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN WHAT YOU DID DURING THE EVENT AND TAKING MY PHONE CALLS AND WE'VE ENTERED BACK AND FORTH, AND I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME BE YOUR SOUNDING BOARD AND YOUR MY SOUNDING BOARD.
I DO WANT TO LET THE RESIDENCE KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY DAMAGES, SO PLEASE GO TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGES AND LINK THAT YOU CAN REGISTER YOUR DAMAGES.
WE WANT THEM TO KNOW SO WE CAN GET A GOOD NUMBER OF WHAT THE DAMAGES WAS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THEN TOMORROW AND FRIDAY, GUYS, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A CORE BUT I WANT TO GO DELIVER THESE CERTIFICATES TOMORROW JUST BECAUSE WHAT'S FRESH AND I WANT TO PERSONALLY GO IN HAND, THANK THESE PEOPLE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE WELL-DESERVED AND A PERSONAL TOUCH FROM THE STEADY.
SO, IF YOU WANT TO BE ABLE, WHO WANTS TO RIDE TOMORROW? IT'S GOING TO RIDE AROUND TOWN.
THERE'S SOME THERE LOCALLY, COUPLE OF THEM THAT AREN'T LOCAL, WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT, BUT I WANT TO DO WHILE IT'S FRESH AND DO THE CEREMONIAL THING AT A COUNCIL MEETING DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT WHILE IT'S FRESH, I WANT TO THANK THESE RESIDENTS, THESE CITIZENS AND THESE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE HELPED US IN THAT TIME OF NEED.
THEN ALSO, MY MUM AND DAD ALWAYS TOLD ME YOU ALWAYS TAKE A NEGATIVE, IT FIND A POSITIVE.
YOU ALWAYS WANT TO FIND A POSITIVE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIVES.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THE POSITIVE THAT IS FOR ME, IS NOW I HAVE ALEX [INAUDIBLE] CELL PHONE NUMBER [LAUGHTER] , AND SO HE'S A FRIEND OF MINE AND I CAN REACH OUT TO HIM AND THERE'S SOMETHING HE CAN HELP US WITH, SEE, DEFINITELY HE'S GOING TO BE THE PERSON I WILL CALL AT LEAST TO SAY, HEY, CAN YOU HELP? THEN I'LL JUST LEAVE US WITH THIS, I TOOK THIS AND WORKED AT THE HOSPITAL FROM 87 TO 2001 DAY, CAME UP WITH A TAGLINE FOR THE HOSPITAL AND IT WAS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS HELPING FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND WE DID THAT.
WE CHECKED THAT BOX AND KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK.
WITH THAT, I'LL ADD URANUS 755.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.