The City of Houston Announces Public Participation Guidelines as City Council Moves to Virtual Meetings Beginning Tuesday, May 19

Consistent with Governor Greg Abbott’s suspension of various provisions of the Open Meetings Act, effective the May 19, 2020 meeting and until further notice, to reduce the chance of COVID-19 transmission, Houston City Council Meetings will be held virtually using Microsoft Teams. Public comment will be allowed via teleconference; no one will be allowed to appear in person in the Council Chamber. The meeting with also be broadcast on HTV, the City of Houston’s municipal channel, and streamed on the City’s website at https://www.houstontx.gov/htv/index.html and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pg/HoustonTelevision/videos/.

To speak remotely at the May 19, 2020 Council Meeting:

  •  All speakers must register in advance (Monday, May 18, 2020 by 5 p.m.). 

All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting starting at 2 p.m.

  • To sign up to speak, please call the City Secretary’s Office at 832-393-1100. 

 If you need translation services, please notify staff when registering. 

  • You will need to call in prior to the start of the meeting. The number to call is: (936) 755-1521; Conference ID# 839 659 132#.
  • Please note that you must remain on mute until the Mayor recognizes you to speak. When your name is called, press *6 to unmute yourself, and again, to mute yourself after your timed comments are heard. You will then have 1, 2, or 3, minutes to speak and then the bell will ring.
  • If you speak out of turn, the meeting administration may mute you. If you speak again out of turn, you may be removed from the meeting. If you did not register in advance, you will not be recognized to speak.
  • Speakers who are late or do not speak up when their name is called will not be able to speak.
  • Please hang up or disconnect to leave the meeting. 
  • Please note that phone numbers of public speakers may show during the broadcast and recording of the Council Meeting. The recording of a public meeting subject to the Open Meetings Act is public information under the Texas Public Information Act.

Solid Waste Container Lease Fee Passes

On Wednesday, May 13th, the Houston City Council voted 8-6, with three members absent, to pass the monthly lease fee. The $1.14 fee (.57 for each container) will be on your monthly water bill starting July 1st.
 
If you have any questions pertaining to the container lease fee, please do not hesitate to contact us. Again, I appreciate all of the residents who sent in their comments prior to the vote this week.