Houston City Council voted 14-1, with Helena Brown opposed, to approve an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Houston and Harris County to provide for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a joint radio maintenance facility at 2318 Greens Road; and a lease agreement with the county for property at 4719 North Shepherd Drive for use during the duration of the construction of the joint radio maintenance facility.  Listen

“Harris County (Commissioners Court) did pass this item yesterday,” noted Mayor Annise Parker.  “It’s another great example of our cooperation with Harris County.”

“It’s extraordinarily complex, both from equipment, software, vendors, towers, new leases for towers, fighting with property owners,” said Council Member Michael Sullivan praising Tom Sorley, deputy director of the Information Technology Department, and his team for their work on the project.

Brown said she congratulates the mayor on her increased cooperation with the county, but that she could not support the item.

“We’re talking about $2.7 million dollars in radio operations,” Brown said.  “We cannot afford that.  We are talking about a city that is seriously, financially, in debt, billions of dollars in debt; and we are continuing to find new ways of spending millions of dollars.”

Larry Green tagged a proposed memorandum of understanding with Houston Forensic Science LGC, Inc. relating to establishment of a new crime lab.  Listen

Prior to the tag, Jack Christie said he would vote against it, because it was a step away from a joint crime lab with Harris County.

“For the benefit of the taxpayers we have to work with the county to get a regional crime lab that is second to none in the nation,” Christie said.  “We can save the taxpayers millions of dollars.”

The city council voted unanimously to confirm the mayor’s appointment of Bill C. Littlejohn to the Board of Public Trusts.

The city council voted unanimously to confirm the mayor’s appointment of Marvin J. Hamilton to the Independent Police Oversight Board.

The city council voted unanimously to confirm the mayor’s appointment of David A. Hamilton, John Rickel and Bob Tucker to the Reinvestment Zone Number 17 (Memorial City) Board of Directors; and her reappointment of Ann Thomas Givens, Zachary R. Hodges, Bradley R. Freels and Glenn E. Airola to the board.

The city council voted unanimously to refer a proposed lease agreement with 7100 North Loop East, Inc. for the storage of city documents back to the administration for additional review.

The city council voted 14-1, with Brown opposed, to approve an application to the Texas Water Development Board for a low interest rate loan under the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Tier III Equivalency program to improve the city’s wastewater system.

The city council voted 14-1, with Brown opposed, to authorize a $5,431,753 contract with the Department of State Health Services for the Women, Infants and Children Program.

The city council voted 14-1, with Brown opposed, to approve a $70,000 contract with the Salvation Army for the provision of Homeless Services in connection with the Texas Homeless Housing and Services Program.

The city council held a public hearing on proposals for the city to enter into separate strategic partnership agreements with several special utility districts in Harris County, Fort Bend County and Montgomery County.  Nicole Smothers of the Department of Planning and Development reviewed the history of the development of Strategic Partnership Agreements in lieu of annexation, but no members of the public spoke at the hearing. Listen

Sullivan used the tag rule to defer action on the City of Houston’s legislative principles for the 83rd Session of the Texas Legislature until next week’s meeting.

A proposed ordinance appropriating $10 million out of the Airports Improvement Fund as an additional appropriation for contract a between the City of Houston and Houston Airports Program Management Team for professional program management consulting services for the Houston Airport System did not arrive at the city council table in time for consideration and thus will be considered for action next week.

All other agenda items were approved unanimously with Wanda Adams absent and Melissa Noriega arriving after all items were decided.