situation and bring you the
latest throughout the show
right here on KPRC 2. Plus
every Tuesday morning during
KPRC 2. Plus, now we dive deep
into the world of local
politics with KPRC, 2
investigator Mario Diaz.
We call the conversation pop
off politics. The sole purpose
of this dialogue is to look out
for you. Our residents. Mario
joins us now with what we’re
looking at this week. I should
say what you’re examining this
week. I was looking at.
>> You know, I will tell you
that we have seen some very
large agenda up off. That’s
right. This week is kind of
short, only 225 pages and the
agenda item. We’re going to
be examining is number 15.
I want to read it. He okay.
Item 15 Pacific Star
Corporation for approval of
spending authority for
emergency purchase of
laboratory testing supplies
required for testing services
for monkeypox COVID-19.
Think about that. Monkeypox a
COVID-19 and other highly
infectious diseases for the
Houston Health Department.
out OK for this emergency
purchase orders. $838,000 and
some change. And it comes from
the general. The general fund,
the Grant fund as well as other
finance. This is fascinating.
I know right now the federal
Publicans and Democrats are
trying to hammer out a deal to
raise the debt ceiling. And
one thing that got brought up
was the money in the COVID
funds that have not been spent.
Something like 30 billion
dollars. There’s a lot of money
is estimating to see this also,
you know, the local well.
But there’s a little bit of a
story behind this, OK, because
obviously I asked them about
>> this agenda and the reason
for this and why are they doing
this to the pandemic is
officially over in the show.
Monkeypox really high and
surged as we have currently.
Well, the reason, according
to the Houston Health
Department is because in August
of last year, the chief
procurement officer for the
city issued an emergency
purchase order since the
department at the time did not
have more spending authority.
So a new award is expected to
be presented to the council and
next 60 days. And the city says
that the funding is to fill
a void because without it the
Houston Health Department will
be unable to replicate this
kind of testing and
surveillance and isolation that
we saw with COVID, which is
why they are hiring Pacific
Star Corporation. And I’m
knowing you, I’m sure you’ll
push back on this. And I did.
And I specifically asked why is
this an emergency, OK? This
was from last August, which
is what they admitted to me.
And if you look at it, they
said the following during a
period when the department was
in a higher to m-pox in COVID
and the E as which is the
emergency purchase order are
known as it was signed by the
head of the city’s procurement
as well as the director of the
Houston Health Department here
to make this happen. And again.
Why are they asking for all
of the supplies if the pandemic
is over done the admitted to
the fact there that this is
during a different state.
While the department really
provide much insight there
except this was an order placed
in August of last year. Once
again and they are just now
addressing it. The also added
the purchase consist a variety
of things. So let’s take a look
at what this breakdown of
things includes consumable
supplies such as needles,
gloves rest for Taylor’s
respirators. Part of me
laboratory testing reagents
microscope slides centrifuge
tubes and other safety
products. Again, a lot of that
stuff we saw during COVID.
Yeah, which again, Zach is over
right and monkeypox again, has
it really surge that I had that
initial thing in back in
February about 3 months ago?
Yeah, they did. They mention
any other highly infectious
diseases. I did ask the city
of Houston this because they
mentioned it in the agenda
item. Remember the very
beginning we saw that and they
told me that they’re going to
get back to me. I’m checking
my emails. I haven’t seen
anything back from them on
that. Mario, we end every week
with how many millions of
dollars the city is evaluating.
>> How much we talk about this
week. So this week, the big
number is just over. We have
the graphic boom right there,
too.
>> 18 million dollars. Not as
much as what we’ve seen
already. Right? Yeah.
18 million on the books is what
they’re going to be evaluating
and with regards to this issue
here, I wouldn’t be surprised
if you see a lot of questions.
They’re going to be asked by
city council members are a
couple of them or if you see
this as we talked about the
tagging process, we’ve seen
this happen a couple times,
the tagging where that’s
basically kicking the can down
the road.
>> I know you are. You’re
saying that you see rain in
here to the studio, but I in
the newsroom on your desk was
the actual agenda. It was a
little
shorter than yeah. Previous
week’s 100 in a 20 by 5 pages
say 125 page to which means are
going to get through this one
really fast. Yeah.
>> Well, we appreciated.
All right. As you know, he
needs no introduction. KPRC,
2 investigator, Mario Diaz.