December 31, 2003

Houston City Council

Houston City Council voted to expand a proposed pedestrian area in the Museum District on Tuesday.  Council Member Carroll Robinson made the motion to expand the area during discussion of a $140,000 contract with SLA Studio Land, Inc. for streetscape design for Bissonnet and Binz Streets from Bayard to Crawford.

"My hope is that if we do for the other streets, what we intend to do for Binz, make them walkable to use the light rail system, we ought to do it in this entire area," Robinson explained.  

Robinson's amendment was unanimously approved, but the SLA contract was tabled for one week on a motion by Council Member Bert Keller.

Mayor Pro Tem Gordon Quan tagged* a proposed $165,000 contract with Winstead, Sechrest & Minick PC to "render expunction legal services" for individuals arrested outside a Kmart, a Sonic Drive-In and a James Coney Island on the weekend of August 17, to remove their arrest records from the books.  Quan questioned the efficiency of the proposal and asked whether it could be done by city staff.

There was little discussion of the issue at the city council meeting, but at a news conference following the meeting, Mayor Lee Brown asked City Attorney Anthony Hall to explain why the city must contract with an outside attorney. 

The city council named Addie Wiseman and Bruce Tatro as its representatives on the Houston-Galveston Area Council, and Gabriel Vasquez and Bruce Tatro as alternates.

The city council voted to delay, for one week, action on a $509,191 contract with John Kirksey Associates, for architectural services related to the renovation of Root Memorial Square, on a motion by Bert Keller. 

The city council voted to delay, for one week, action on a $112,943 contract with the Arts Council of the Houston/Harris County Region,  on a motion by Council Member Shelley Sekula-Gibbs.

Several items were tagged:
  An ad valorem tax exemption for the historic Scanlan Building at 405 Main Street, by Council Member Carol Alvarado;
  A $50,000 contract with Sam Houston State University for evaluation of a cultural diversity training program for the Houston Police Department, by Council Member Anise Parker;
  An ordinance appropriating $28,826,986 for the purchase of equipment for various departments, by Council Members Bruce Tatro, Keller, and others.

All other agenda items were approved.

Ella Monroe complained to the city council about a vicious dog that attacked her pet in her yard at 3330 Beran Drive. 

Council Member Keller praised members of the Houston Fire Department who recently saved the life of a baby.  “The child is alive today because of these Houston firefighters, no doubt about it." 

Council Member Sekula-Gibbs noted that the extension of time to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the San Jacinto Rail Project has been extended and urged the administration to meet the new deadline. 

Council Member Wiseman brought party favors to the city council meeting in observance of New Years Eve.  

* Under Houston City Council rules, any member of the city council may "tag" or delay action on any item appearing on the agenda for final action, unless the delay kills the issue.