Emily Hynds, known locally as “she who takes notes,” has been independently covering Houston City Council meetings since June 2020. In her monthly Houstonia column, she shares all the juicy intel about what’s going on at city hall. Want to check the meetings out for yourself? Read this companion guide.

In this month’s dispatch: Budget season has arrived, the longtime city secretary retires, and more on the drainage lawsuit.

Budget season is upon us

Mayor John Whitmire released his proposed budget for the next fiscal year, which runs July 2026 through June 2027. Leading up to the budget approval vote in June, the city will host detailed budget workshops that go over every department, and one public hearing at the city council meeting on May 21. Councilmembers Sallie Alcorn and Mario Castillo, who head the Budget and Finance committee, organized two budget town halls; one will have already passed by the publishing of this piece, but there is a virtual one on May 22. Controller Chris Hollins is hosting a budget town hall on May 20 in Acres Homes. Councilmember Alcorn produces a survey every year to solicit feedback from the public on the budget. It takes just a few minutes to fill out and is especially important if you’re unable or don’t choose to engage with the budget process in other ways.

• All city-related budget information, including the workshop schedule, is here.
• Houston has a “strong mayor system,” which means that individual councilmembers don’t have much legislative power. There is an exception to this rule during budget season. Councilmembers can propose an amendment to the budget, and if it gets enough votes, it could pass even without the approval of the mayor. Last year, councilmember Letitia Plummer proposed an amendment to use $899,000 from the general fund to get a generator installed at the Kashmere Gardens Multi-Service Center. And it passed—even though it was criticized by both the mayor and other councilmembers.
• They have not discussed the budget at council meetings (much) (yet!) so I personally don’t have too much to report on (yet!!) but there’s plenty of articles floating around the internet if you want to go and get the gist for yourself.

The DDSRF, our old friend.

The drainage lawsuit is the gift that keeps on giving. At the May 7 meeting, Mayor Whitmire announced that plaintiffs Jones and Watson agreed to a $500,000 settlement to cover their legal fees in exchange for giving the city time to gradually increase its contribution to the Dedicated Drainage and Street Renewal Fund (DDSRF) over time, rather than all at once. I am no legal expert, but $500,000 seems paltry considering the size of other settlements for different cases and the length of this one.

No one made much fuss about this, but at the May 14 meeting, councilmember Abbie Kamin questioned why the settlement was not made public prior to their vote of approval. Mayor Whitmire was dismissive, tried to vote without answering her question, and then (lightheartedly I guess) deflected blame to agenda director Marta Crinejo. “Marta used her best judgment, and was in contact with [legal] for the finished product that we brought forward today,” he said. “And I think Marta’s one of the most valuable employees that we have. She does the very best she can, and she’s very transparent.”

He was definitely implying that Kamin was criticizing Crinejo, which Kamin was not doing. It was strange. Attorney Arturo Michel said this should be the last time council action is required for anything drainage lawsuit–related, but I’ll believe that when I see it.

Happy retirement, Pat Daniel

Longtime city secretary Pat Daniel took part in Mayor Whitmire’s voluntary retirement program that aims to trim spending. Her last council meeting was April 30. Daniel worked for the city for 41 years. Many councilmembers and colleagues shared heartfelt remarks and remembrances. Remarking on Daniel’s long tenure, councilmember Castex-Tatum said if she wrote a book, it would be a bestseller. “I’m going to miss you calling me shorty,” councilmember Edward Pollard said. (Pollard played basketball professionally). Councilmember Plummer applauded Daniel for keeping everyone at council aligned, likening it to herding cats. Councilmember Twila Carter congratulated her on “surviving the City of Houston for 41 years.” It is evident that Pat Daniel will be missed by many. To echo more of Castex-Tatum’s remarks, I, too, hope she’s able to enjoy a softer, slower life in retirement.

Upgrades to the West Gray Multi-Service Center

Councilmember Kamin consistently advocates for the West Gray Multi-Service Center, the only facility of its kind in the region that caters to people with disabilities. The building’s infrastructure is decaying and Kamin has been sounding the alarm for years. On April 30, council approved $3.9 million of Parks Department funding for emergency repairs to the lobby, restrooms, electrical and plumbing systems, the pool, and more. Also on April 30, council approved the TIRZ 27, a.k.a. the Montrose TIRZ budget, which includes $11.5 million for a masterplan redesign. Kamin highlighted the outsize impact this space has on the community, saying, “West Gray is critical for recreational, sport, and health-based services for our disability community and their families. It’s homebase for neighborhood groups and civic clubs. It’s a haven. It is one of the largest heating and cooling centers that the city has and it’s also the largest polling location in all of Harris County.”

Coming up

Budget season is often rife with disagreements as people push their own agendas that may not agree with the mayor’s. Controller Chris Hollins has already been clashing with the mayor and finance director Melissa Dubowski for over a month regarding dueling ending fund balance projections, the drainage lawsuit, and TIRZ management. As councilmembers (and the public, hopefully) scrutinize the mayor’s proposed budget, I expect to see more debate at council meetings over the coming month. The meetings during this time of year may be long, but they are usually lively and that counts for a lot. I will, of course, take notes on it all to share with you next month. Houston City Council meetings take place almost every week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 901 Bagby Street or online via HTV.