February 12, 2003

Houston City Council
by Scott Nowell

Houston City Council Member Carroll Robinson presented a plan to “Fix Houston City Government” at Wednesday's meeting of the city council.

Robinson called for combining several departments, initiating a four-day work week with a reduced salary for civilian employees, and the creation of a regional transportation authority. 

“My hope is that Houstonians, and the media, will see these ideas for what they are; long-term thinking and not short term politics since my name will not be on this year’s city election ballot,” Robinson said.

The city budget was a major topic at the meeting.

Council Member Annise Parker, chair of the city council's Budget Committee, reported that sales tax revenues for December were down more than 10 percent from last year. The committee will hear from city department heads to discuss next year’s budget, which is now projected to be over twenty million dollars in the red.

Robinson said he wants to see “specific numbers” on programs and services from the department heads so that the city council can better decide what cuts are needed. 

Mayor Lee Brown addressed the city’s budget problems at his weekly press conference, and reiterated that no city employees will be laid off this fiscal year. 

Brown also spoke about Houston’s preparedness for a potential terrorist attack. Listen

A public hearing on the sale of a part of Herman Park, scheduled for Wednesday's city council meeting, was cancelled because the Texas Department of Transportation decided the land is not needed for improvements to U.S. Highway 90.

An ordinance appropriating $3,000,000 for emergency repair by Insituform Technologies, Inc. of a cave-in at 5500 Braeswood was tagged by Burt Keller and Mark Goldberg. 

“That area was repaired just last year,” said Keller.  He questioned why the cost was so high and said that he will visit the site this week and report back to council next week.

Several items were tagged or delayed by individual council members:

An ordinance consenting to the assignment of the Tax Abatement Agreement between the city, Lamons Metal Gasket Company and Catellus Development Corporation to Kojaian MD Tri-State, L.L.C. was tagged by Mark Ellis.

A $1,900,540 contract with Solutions Safety Services, Inc. for cleaning and repair of fire fighting equipment was tagged by Carolyn Alvarado, Gabriel Vasquez and Keller.

Two motions to appropriate funds for city vehicles were tagged by Robinson and Keller. The contracts are with: Phillpott Motors, LTD for $520,752; Lawrence Marshall Chevrolet II, L.P. for $230,585; Philpott Motors, LTD for $1,119,072; Classic Chevrolet Hummer, Inc. for $1,185,286; Lawrence Marshall Chrysler, L.P. for $40,837; Lawrence Marshall Chevrolet II, L.P. for $1,197,530 and; Lawrence Marshall Ford-Mercury, L.P. for $975,066. 

Two mayoral requests for appointments to the East Downtown Redevelopment Zone Board of Directors were delayed for one week on a motion by Bruce Tatro.

A $642,000 contract with Ice Construction, Inc., and a resolution approving the action of the City of Houston Higher Education Finance Corporation for Houston Student Housing, were removed from the agenda.

All other agenda items were approved.  Council Member Addie Wiseman was absent.