Remarks by Ernest Sumrall
141 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 3 of 6
- Play at 3:40:43
“So using predictive analytics to give you a forewarning of potential asset failure and shortfalls in revenue.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 3:41:00
“So the current contract that we just approved that's going into effect, that has digital That has data that's already coming to us to let us know, like, if someone thinks they're only using 150 gallons a day, but then they're actually pumping 300 somewhere. We already have that, right?”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 3:41:29
“Don't sell yourself short. You're a dozen-man team.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 3:42:14
“All right. And if I go to... Waterworth software, I can probably see examples of, and these are tailored to our city, right, would it be?”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 3:42:26
“Is it clearly out of the box or do we have our own?”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 3:42:50
“I'm not opposed to this. You said one thing that got my interest to just, it makes your job easier. Yeah. And you do a lot of work, and I appreciate that. So I'm just curious.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 3:43:17
“So you have already identified, in your spreadsheet, you've already identified the things that you need versus the things that you want to receive after. So if you input data, you've already identified what you can input and what you want after.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 3:57:22
“Is it unreasonable to wonder if there are other vendors? It seems like a large amount to just go straight with. I know we have a relationship with them, and I appreciate that. Do you have any idea what other vendors might charge for the same?”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 3:58:31
“Did Ricotta, did they bid? their own project to you, so you have a breakdown of what's going to happen, what it's going to cost, what it's going to cover?”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 3:59:04
“You said we've already decided on the concept. Have we already paid for it? I'm asking this because I don't know. If this is the one in the cloud, I mean, there are tons of cloud servers. And I'm not trying to get into your business, please understand. But this feels like a capital expenditure to me from the business side of things. I would love to see two other quotes.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 3:59:34
“No, but there are plenty of cloud providers and plenty of companies that have their own cloud. And they should. And they should be also ISO 27001. We should be their minimum of their security. This is typical in a signature standard. Sure. It's a big purchase. And we're pinching pennies because we have a little bit of a, and we're talking about altering our reserve policies because we have a little bit of a challenge with our budget even if even if somebody else was 10 different that's 24 grand that could i don't know go somewhere i'm not saying i'm not saying we shouldn't use these guys i…”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:00:39
“Well, if we continue using their portal at $3,000 a year. If the greater project is $240,000, I'm not particularly personally worried about $3,000. I'm saying there are other security options, I think. In a city like Houston, there must be.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:01:39
“Sure, and so we have... You were aware that they went through... So are we contractually obligated to them for... Oh, no, no.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:02:30
“It sounds like we're buying a whole other system already.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:02:41
“So we're adding cameras at a quarter million dollars to the existing service of three grand a year to servers that already exist to a company that we're comfortable with and already using.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:03:52
“But we're gonna upgrade all those sites, not just here.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:04:03
“We're gonna put Verkada cameras in this building. Now I understand. So the other sites already have the latest and greatest cameras? Yes, sir. And we're not upgrading any of those? No, sir. Different conversation, thank you very much. Correct.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:04:55
“I believe cameras are effective. I believe they're important. I believe $240,000 is a lot of money. Even if we had two separate services and it saved us 50 grand, I would be interested. I mostly would just like to hear, and this is the reason, a lot of companies get very complacent and very comfortable working with municipalities. and and they're very comfortable and happy to just do whatever with their prices i'm not saying this these guys are i'm not please understand no i understand um but just to keep them honest not that they're being dishonest hell i would just love to see another quote…”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:06:29
“Well, you're describing sounds a little unethical. not on your part well it's just it's the way some of these vendors work and i totally understand because i get it and because of the way these vendors work i just would like to see it sure the only thing i could do is go to another vendor that deals in verkata and ask them to re-quote it but i would get the exact same quote it's okay to it's okay to even consider a completely different system the fact is you could have two homes right next to each other with a completely different security system and still get alerts from either one i'm not…”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:07:28
“Where, okay, where are they made? Who's the, where are they manufactured besides China? Verkada makes their own cameras. Besides China, where are they located?”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:07:36
“Okay, I'm good. I just, I'm going to, I'll support this. I just. I love seeing various quotes. It makes me a little nervous and scared when we have such a good relationship with a vendor that we don't even bother getting quotes.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:08:47
“So even if a quote supported and showed how amazing the prices were, wouldn't you feel better? Hey, man, we saved 50 grand going with these guys. Absolutely. So would it cost anything to get another quote?”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:09:25
“I'm 100% sure council's got your back me personally I just love to see quotes, but understood we are where we are. Okay”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:11:26
“No, no hard feelings, man I come from a business world and and I would be scared to death to go to my boss with a cost of like that without other clothes Understood. Just just just as plain as that.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026
- Play at 4:11:43
“But I'm sure they're good. You guys are very confident, which I'm sure they're good.”
City Council · Aug 5, 2026