Oct 21, 2021 Special Commissioners Court

[Call to Order]

[00:00:08]

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: GOOD AFTERNOON. IT IS 4:08. AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THE OCTOBER 21, 2021 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ORDER.

>> THANK YOU, JUDGE. TODAY, OUR OPENING INVOCATION WILL BE BY REVEREND LONDON THE ASSISTANT PASTOR OF THE CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS. I'VE HAD A LONG AFFILIATION WITH THEM FROM MY YOUNGER DAYS WHEN I WAS PRACTICING LAW. THEY WERE ACTUALLY MEETING IN I THINK IT WAS A HOLLIDAY INN OR RAMADA INN. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH FACILITY. THE REVEREND IS ON THE LINE AND READY TO DO OUR INVOCATION TODAY. THE CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS HAS SEVERAL LOCATIONS BUT THE PRIMARY ONE IS IN BEAUTIFUL PRECINCT 4. REVEREND.

>> GOOD DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER CAGLE. MY BELOVED COMMISSIONER FROM PRECINCT 4. I BRING GREETINGS TO YOU FROM (INDISCERNIBLE) CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS FAMILY.

JUDGE, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND RESIDENTS PRESENTED TO, LET US PRAY. PRECIOUS AND ETERNAL FATHER, WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL YOU WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN TOGETHER TODAY IN UNITY AS WE SEEK THE BEARMENT FOR OUR ENTIRE CITY AND OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES. FATHER GOD, WE PRAY THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE, THE RESIDENTS ARE NOT ONLY HEARD, BUT GOD, THAT THEY ARE RECEIVED AND GIVEN CONSIDERATION. WE PRAY, LORD, FOR THE WISDOM OF OUR LEADERS TO MAKE THE ABSOLUTE BEST DECISION FOR OUR PEOPLE. NOT FOR SELFISH AMBITION OR GAIN BUT, GOD, FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. GOD, WE PRAY FOR A FAIR AND EQUITABLE PROCESS. WE PRAY FOR FAIR AND EQUITABLE REDISTRICTING. WE PRAY, DEAR LORD FOR FAIR AND EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION. WE PRAY DEAR LORD, OUR COMMUNITIES WILL STAY UNIFIED AND WHOLE AND THAT ALL THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE THEM BETTER WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THEM. WE PRAY THAT THEY ARE NOT AIMLESSLY DIVIDED BUT, GOD, THAT YOU SEEK TO CREATE BETTERMENT FOR MANKIND. WE PRAY FOR EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION FOR RESOURCES AND SERVICES. GOD, WE PRAY THAT MEN AND WOMEN COME TOGETHER, GOD, TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS. GOD, WE PRAY THERE IS GREAT LOVE AND RESPECT WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF ENSURING THAT EVERY VOICE IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, AND GOD, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE POWER TO USE THEIR VOICE ON BEHALF OF OTHERS. AND EVEN NOW, AS THESE MEETINGS BEGIN, GOD, WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BE IN CONTROL. THAT YOU WOULD BE A GUIDANCE. THAT WE WILL HEEL TO YOUR VOICE. THAT WE HAVE EARS TO HEAR AND HEARTS TO RECEIVE AND, GOD, WILL TO OBEY. THESE ARE THE BLESSINGS WE PRAY IN THE PRECIOUS AND HOLY NAME OF JESUS, AMEN.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: AMEN. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL RECITE THE

PLEDGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND

JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS FLAG ONE STATE UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE. EVERY TEN YEARS THE CENSUS DATA IS

[County Attorney (Part 1 of 2)]

[00:05:02]

WE HAD A MEETING WHERE WE ALLOWED THE PUBLIC TO PRESENT THEIR INITIAL IDEAS. AND TODAY, WE'RE HAVING YET ANOTHER MEETING. THIS IS THE SEVENTH OR EIGHTH. THE MOST INTERESTINGLY -- I'M PROUD OF THIS. OF THE WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO SUBMIT ONLINE TO SUBMIT COMMENTS ONLINE. WE HAVE THE WEBSITE THAT'S BEEN UP THERE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. SO I'M EAGER TO HEAR WHAT FOLKS HAVE TO SAY TODAY. I WILL SAY FOR MY PART, I HAD NOT UNTIL TODAY, TAKEN THE TIME TO REALLY DIG INTO THESE MAPS, BECAUSE I WANT TO HEAR ALL OF THESE COMMENTS, ALL OF THESE PERSPECTIVES. I'VE GOT SPOKEN TO ANY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT THESE MAPS. I'M VERY EAGER TO LISTEN. THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT MY ROLE IS GOING TO BE. SO WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, THANK YOU.

YEAH, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO SUBMITTED ANY MAPS. WE'RE GOING TO HEART FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HERE IN A MINUTE, AND WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. I KNOW COMMISSIONERS, YOU SPEAK AFTER THE COUNTY ATTORNEY? YES, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU, JUDGE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S REMARKS WILL BE. ONE THING I WOULD ASK WOULD BE FOR HIM TO RECITE, GO OVER THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE PASSED. JUST TO PUT US IN THE FRAME OF MIND OF WHAT THIS COURT UNANIMOUSLY VOTED ONTO BE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THIS REDISTRICTING PROCESS. SO MR. COUNTY ATTORNEY, JAY, IF YOU CAN MAKE SURE TO COVER THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE? >> JUDGE HIDALGO: YES.

>> I'M ASSUMING YOU ALL WILL GIVE US SOME SENSE OF THE TIMETABLE AS WELL. SO THE PUBLIC HAS SOME SENSE.

(INAUDIBLE) >> IF YOU CAN PLEASE TURN THE

MIC ON. >> LUCINDA, CAN YOU HEAR ME?

>> YES, SIR. THANK YOU. >> I'M ON THE COMPUTER IF I CAN

SHARE. >> YES, SIR. YOU SHOULD BE A

PRESENTER NOW. >> LUCINDA, CAN YOU SEE THE

COUNTY ATTORNEY WEBPAGE? >> YES, SIR.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. WHAT I'M BRIEFLY GOING TO DO NOW IS I WILL WALK EVERYONE THROUGH OUR WEBSITE TO JUST SHOW HOW WE TOOK THIS PUBLIC INPUT AND HOW THE MANY FOLKS WE HAVE HERE TODAY CAN GIVE FUTURE INPUT. AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOU SAID WHILE I DO THAT, I'M HAPPY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE PRINCIPLES, TOO, ON OUR WEBSITE. SO FOLKS CAN START BY GOING TO THE HARRIS COUNTY WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE REDISTRICTING ICON WHICH TAKES THEM TO THE REDISTRICTING PAGE.

LET ME START BY THE SIDE PANEL HERE, THE NAVIGATION PANEL, WHERE PEOPLE CAN WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH THE SITE. THIS IS ONE PIECE OF FEEDBACK WE GOT ABOUT ADDING LANGUAGES. SO WE DID THAT. WE HAD SOMETHING LIKE 80 PLUS LANGUAGES THAT FOLKS CAN TRANSLATE INTO WHATEVER THEY WOULD LIKE. AND THEN, IT POPS UP. AND YOU CAN GO BACK TO ENGLISH HERE. THIS IS SORT OF THE INTRO PAGE. AND JUDGE HIDALGO SAID, THE PRECINCTS ARE CURRENTLY OUT OF DEVIATION, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE. WHICH IS TO SAY THE GAP BETWEEN THE BIGGEST AND SMALLEST PRECINCT IS MORE THAN 10%. SO THE EXERCISE WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS BRING IT BACK WITHIN THAT. SO TO START HERE, YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE --

(INAUDIBLE) >> WITHIN 10%.

(INAUDIBLE) >> SORRY. IT'S WITHIN 10%.

>> SORRY. SIR, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THE MEETING.

>> JUDGE, JUDGE -- >> JUDGE HIDALGO: WE'LL HAVE --

>> I'M SORRY, JUDGE. WE CAN'T HEAR THE CONSTITUENT.

>> WE KNOW IT'S 10%. THAT'S THE CONSTITUTION. I WANT TO

[00:10:04]

10%. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: ALL RIGHT.

SIR, YOU NEED -- NEIL, GIVE ME A MINUTE. WE HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS TODAY. AND THE THING IS, SIR, FOR THE FOLKS ONLINE TO HEAR, YOU NEED TO BE BY THE MICROPHONE. WE CAN'T ACCEPT COMMENTS FROM THE BENCHES. TO CLARIFY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THERE'S AN AVERAGE TAKEN OF ALL THE POPULATION OF THE PRECINCTS. SO THE POPULATIONS DIVIDED BY FOUR.

EACH PRECINCT HAS TO BE PLUS OR MINUS FIVE. IT'S A PLUS OR MINUS DEVIATION OF THE AVERAGE, CORRECT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT, JUDGE. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: WE WON'T BE TAKING COMMENTS FROM THE SEATING. WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE SPEAKERS. OTHERWISE, WE'LL HAVE EVERYBODY YELLING OUT.

>> PROFESSOR? PROFESSOR? H HAD -- IF YOU WOULD LIKE, I'LL PUT YOU IN A ROOM YOU CAN SIT IN AND PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER SO YOU CAN HEAR IT. HE'S AN OLD TIME LAWYER. AND I DON'T WANT HIM SUING ME. I'LL GET SOMEBODY FROM MY STAFF, PROFESSOR, I'LL

HAVE SOMEONE WALK YOU DOWN. >> IF I CAN MAKE A POINT. IT COULD BE PLUS EIGHT AND MINUS TWO.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: CORRECT. >> THEN, WE LISTED ITEMS THAT WE HEARD FROM FOLKS THAT WE THOUGHT MIGHT BE HELPFUL. AS FOLKS KNOW, THE TEXAS LEGISLATOR WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF REDRAWING MAPS. WE LINKED TO THE WEBSITE OF THE NEW STATE SENATE, STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL MAPS. WE'VE INCLUDED KEY PRESENTATIONS. WE WALKED PEOPLE THROUGH. AS WE'VE DONE PUBLIC INPUT AND OTHER SORT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS. TO COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S POINT, HE ASKED ABOUT THE CRITERIA. THE LET ME POP THAT UP. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS. THIS WAS ADOPTED BY THE COURT AT THE JULY 20TH MEETING. IT INCLUDES -- AND I CAN BRIEFLY TAKE EACH ONE. THE FIRST ONE WITH THE 10% DEVIATION POINT THAT WE'VE JUST BEEN DISCUSSING, THIS IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WHICH REMAINS THE LAW. THAT'S ONE OF THE GOALS WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. THE THIRTY PRINCIPLE, WE SHOULD RESPECT POPULATION GROWTH AND SHIFTS THROUGHOUT THE DECADE THAT HAVE HAPPENED. NUMBER FOUR, WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ELECTION RESULTS HELD AT ELECTIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY. AND NUMBER FIVE, TO COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. WHETHER THAT BE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, SHARED PUBLIC POLICY CONCERNS. FOR EXAMPLE, FLOODING IS A BIG ONE HERE. SO JUST WAYS -- THIS IS A LOT OF WHAT OUR PUBLIC INPUT PORTAL IS ABOUT. AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO TELL US ABOUT THEMSELVES AND WHAT THEIR COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE SO WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THEM. NUMBER SIX, IS NOT TO SPLIT VTDS, WHICH ARE VOTING PRECINCTS. WE WANT TO STRIVE NOT TO SPLIT THOSE.

SEVEN, COMMISSIONER PRECINCTS SHOULD BE COMPROMISED OF CONTIGUOUS TERRITORY. THAT MEANS THERE CAN'T BE SPACES -- EVERY PIECE OF THE DISTRICT MUST CONNECT WITH SOME OTHER PIECE OF THE DISTRICT. FINALLY, PROPOSED PLANS SHOULD BE DRAWN PURSUANT TO THE CRITERIA AND CONTAIN THE BOUNDARIES OF ALL PRECINCTS.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS ULTIMATELY, THIS COURT WILL BE VOTING ON FULL PLANS AND NOT PARTIAL PLANS.

DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER?

(INAUDIBLE) >> THE SECOND PAGE FROM OUR NAVIGATION MAP, THIS IS OUR SUBMIT YOUR MAP IDEAS PORTAL.

AND SO WHAT WE DO HERE, THIS IS WHAT JUDGE HIDALGO WAS TALKING ABOUT AT THE OUTSET. THIS IS A WAY FOR FOLKS TO TELL US ABOUT THEMSELVES. IF THEY REPRESENT AN ORGANIZATION, YOU CAN SAY YES AND DESCRIBE THAT. YOU CAN LIST YOUR PRECINCT. THIS IS THE MAIN PROVIDER YOUR INPUT PIECE. SO THERE ARE TWO WAYS FOR THE PUBLIC TO GIVE INPUT. ONE, THEY COULD DRAW THEIR MEANT ON THIS MAP HERE. THAT'S THE WAY TO DO THAT, MARK THIS. AND THEN, JUST WRITE INTO A TEXT BOX. HOWEVER YOU WOULD LIKE. AND THEN -- OOPS, I'M SORRY. THERE IS ANOTHER OPTION TO GIVE PUBLIC INPUT. WHAT FOLKS CAN DO IS DOWNLOAD A PDF MAP.

WRITE, MARKUP THE MAP AS YOU SEE FIT. UPLOAD IT. WE'LL GET COMMENTS THAT WAY. AND LET ME SAY THAT. THE LAST PIECE OF THIS IS THERE'S A COMMENTS BUBBLE. AND SO WHAT I'VE BEEN TELLING FOLKS AT ALL OF OUR PUBLIC INPUT MEETINGS, ONE, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT REDISTRICTING PUT IT HERE. I'LL LAY EYES ON EVERY COMMENT PUT HERE. IF YOU RUN

[00:15:02]

THE COURT HAS MADE CLEAR THEY WANT THIS INPUT. WE'LL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO GET THIS INPUT FROM YOU.

THIRD, SO THE JOIN THE DISCUSSION PAGE, THIS IS THE CALENDAR OF THE MEETINGS THAT THE JUDGE REFERRED TO AT THE BEGINNING. THIS HAS BEEN UP SINCE THE BEGINNING. YOU CAN SEE AUGUST 31ST IS WHEN WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING. THIS IS EACH MEETING THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE THEN. WE'VE INCLUDED VIDEOS TO THE MEETINGS. IF YOU COME HERE, YOU CAN CLICK ON IT, AND IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE VIDEO AND YOU CAN WATCH. WE HAVE THE OCTOBER 21ST MEETING. AS FAR AS SCHEDULING GOES, COMMISSIONER, I KNOW YOU HAVE A QUESTION. ULTIMATELY, IT WILL BE UP TO THE COURT AND WHEN YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO NOTICE THE NEXT MEETING.

AS SOON AS YOU KNOW WHEN THAT IS.

>> WHAT I REALLY MEANT IS AS SOME TIMETABLE IN TERMS OF US NEEDING TO BE -- TO MAKE A DECISION. BECAUSE NOTICE -- OPENS UP, LOOKS LIKE THE STATE --

>> NOVEMBER 13TH. >> WHAT IS REASONABLE? IS THERE A STANDARD OF REASONABLENESS?

>> THERE'S NOTHING -- LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY. TI KNOW THE FILING DEADLINE OPENS NOVEMBER 13TH. IDEALLY TO GIVE FOLKS OPPORTUNITY AND MAKE SURE THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR CAN DO THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE, AND WE CAN IMPLEMENT THIS ELECTION IN SORT OF A SENSIBLE WAY, WHAT WE'VE HEARD THAT AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE. AND BECAUSE THE STATE HAS ALREADY ADOPTED ITS MAP AS OF THE 20TH, AND THEY'RE FULLY DONE, THERE'S SORT OF NOTHING FOR US TO POINT THAT THAT WE'RE WAITING ON. AT THIS POINT, WE'RE JUST IN THE SOONER THE BETTER PURSUANT TO WHAT THIS COURT WOULD LIKE TO DO.

>> ANY GUIDANCE FOR US? SOMETIMES IF YOU TELL US 11/13,

IT MIGHT BE 11 -- >> I THINK THAT LAST WEEK WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GET EVERYTHING IN THE WORKS. EVEN THEN, FOLKS HAVE ONE MONTH TO MAKE THAT DECISION, WHICH, YOU KNOW -- I THINK WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE IS TO HAVE MORE TIME THAN THAT. SO I THINK WEB THE NEXT WEEK -- SOME TIME FRAME LIKE THAT. I THINK THE WEEK OF THAT WEEK WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GET EVERYTHING READY AT THE TIME. THE OTHER PIECE IS FOR NOW, BASED ON THE CURRENT HE HAD ASK, THE ELECTION IS SET TO GO FORWARD ON ITS NORMAL SCHEDULE. SO THERE WILL BE NO DELAY.

THAT'S WHAT THE PRIMARY, THAT MARCH 1ST OF NEXT YEAR. WE'RE

WORKING OFF THAT CALENDAR. >> HERE'S A SUGGESTION. MAYBE SEE WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME OR TWO. I KNOW THE CENSUS CAME IN LATE THIS GO-AROUND, SO THERE WERE ISSUES. AT LEAST IF WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED 20 OR TEN YEARS AGO, HOWEVER THEY ADOPTED IT, KNOWING THE CENSUS CAME IN LATE. I JUST WANT US TO HAVE SOME SENSE SO WE DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST WEEK, TWO WEEKS,

WHATEVER IT IS. >> GOT IT, COMMISSIONER. WE'LL LOOK INTO IT AND GET BACK TO THE WHOLE COURT.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THEY HAVE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE ELECTION

DATES ARE GOING TO CHANGE? >> WHAT THE LAW THAT WAS PASSED -- I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. THE NEW MAPS NEEDED TO GET ADOPTED BEFORE NOVEMBER 15TH. AND IF THEY DID THAT, WE WERE GOING TO BE ON THE ORIGINAL CALENDAR. IF THEY WERE ADOPTED AFTER NOVEMBER, THERE IS ANOTHER SET OF DATES. THAT MIGHT HAVE MOVED. I THINK THERE STILL MIGHT BE DISCRETION, WHICH IS WHY I NEED TO LOOK BACK AT THE LAW. ON ITS FACE, THE WAY THE LAW WAS WRITTEN IS IF THE MAPS ARE ADOPTED BY NOVEMBER

15TH... >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THEY WERE.

>> THEY WERE. PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY SPECIAL SESSIONS WAS REQUIRED, WHICH THEY WERE, WE'RE ON TRACK FOR NORMAL

ELECTION SCHEDULE. >> HAS THE GOVERNOR SIGNED IT?

>> I DON'T KNOW. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: ANYTHING ELSE

YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH? >> LET ME BE BRIEF JUST FOR IN CASE FOLKS ARE SEEING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE HAVE A LEARN MORE ABOUT REDISTRICTING PAGE. THIS IS A RESOURCE LIBRARY, WHERE PEOPLE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT REDISTRICTING. TWO MORE ITEMS. PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS, ITEMS THAT CAME IN THROUGH THE PORTAL, WE'VE HEARD HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE INVOLVED TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON, SO THIS WAY, THE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME ITEMS THAT EVERYONE ON COMMISSIONERS COURT DOES. ANYTHING THAT CAME IN THROUGH THE PORTAL -- ONE SMALL CAVEAT, IF IT CAME IN TODAY OR YESTERDAY, IT MIGHT NOT BE UP YET. WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO GET IT UP IN DUE TIME. FINALLY, ON THE PLAN PROPOSALS, AS IT WAS SAID, WE AFFORDED THE COMMISSIONERS TO MEET WITH OUR MAPPING CONSULTANT TO DRAW PLANS. PLANS HAVE BEEN COMING IN TO THE EXTENT PEOPLE GAVE US SUFFICIENT GUIDANCE TO TURN

[00:20:02]

THE AND THE COMMISSIONERS WILL BE INTRODUCING THEIR OWN PLAN.

SO WHAT WE HAVE ON THIS PAGE IS A -- THIS IS THE CURRENT MAP.

IF YOU CLICK ON THAT FIRST LINK. THE SECOND WHAT IS CALLED A SHAPE FILE. ONE THING WE HEARD AT SEVERAL MEETINGS WAS MANY FOLKS HAVE SOPHISTICATED MAPPING SOFTWARE. IF YOU DO WANT A SHAPE FILE TO POP IT INTO THAT PROGRAM, I'VE HEARD IT SEVERAL TIMES. SO WE DECIDED TO OFFER A SHAPEFILE OF THE CURRENT MAP.

FOR EVERY PROPOSAL, WE'LL BE PUTTING UP A SHAPEFILE. IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE PDF, YOU CAN CLICK ON ONE OF THE PROPOSALS.

IF YOU WANT TO USE MAPPING SOFTWARE, YOU'LL HAVE A SHAPEFILE. FINALLY, WE'VE ALSO WANTED TO PUT PROPOSALS UP IN-PERSON BECAUSE SOME SUGGESTED PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT IT IN-PERSON. SO WE ASKED EACH PRECINCT TO PROVIDE AT LEAST ONE LOCATION. THEY CAN PROVIDE MORE, BUT WE ASKED FOR AT LEAST ONE. YOU CAN SEE THE LIST HERE. I'LL UPDATE IT AS I GET MORE.

IT WILL GO UP. OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF COVID, WE'VE HAD TO CHANGE AROUND THESE -- YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE. FORGIVE US, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE PLACE SO FOLKS CAN GO AND KIND OF GET THEIR HANDS IN THE MAPS AND SORT OF SEE WHAT IS GOING ON. SO WITH THAT, UNLESS ANYONE HAS FURTHER QUESTIONS, I THINK IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. THE TEAM OF RESEARCH THEY'VE DONE. THIS IS THE MOST TRANSPARENT PROCESS, CERTAINLY THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF OR HIGH UP THERE. SO TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY MENEFFEE AND NEIL, THANK YOU FOR MAKING ALL OF THIS AVAILABLE.

>> THANK YOU, JUDGE. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: ALL RIGHT.

WE WILL -- >> TAKE COMMENTS.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: TAKE COMMENTS. GO AHEAD, LUCINDA.

I'M NOT SURE WHO IS CALLING SPEAKERS TODAY.

>> IT'S ME. IT'S LUCINDA. THE >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

GO AHEAD. >> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: SORRY. EVERYBODY SHOULD BE CLEAR. WE HAVE ONE MINUTE PER SPEAKER. SINCE THERE'S OVER 25 SPEAKERS.

(INAUDIBLE) >> JUDGE HIDALGO: SIR, WE'RE TAKING THE SPEAKERS IN ORDER. (INAUDIBLE)

>> I'M NOT ABLE TO HEAR HIM, JUDGE.

(INAUDIBLE) >> JUDGE, IF I MIGHT, PROFESSOR, BECAUSE OF COVID, WE HAVE TO LIMIT HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN COME IN. AND SO LET ME SUGGEST THIS, I'LL GET SOMEONE TO LET YOU SIT IN MY OFFICE SO YOU GET COMFORTABLE.

>> NO. (INAUDIBLE)

>> THEY CAN HEAR US ONLINE. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THERE'S ONE THING THAT I THINK IS NOT CLEAR. THE SPEAKERS, THERE'S ALL -- THERE'S -- LET ME TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW MANY SPEAKERS. SO EVERYBODY KNOWS. THERE'S 100 SPEAKERS SIGNED UP. NOW, THEY MAY NOT ALL BE HERE IN-PERSON BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT COMFORTABLE COMING IN-PERSON. SO THEY'RE CALLING IN. SO WE'LL GO IN-PERSON NOW. WE'LL GO IN HAD ORDER. OKAY. OF THE CALLS.

IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT WITH EVERYBODY. THE OTHER THING, THE GENTLEMAN SOUNDS LIKE HE REALLY WANTS TO MAKE COMMENTS, SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN OBJECTION, WE CAN TAKE HIM FIRST SO HE CAN

[Appearances before court]

>> YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET RID OF ME.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. WE'LL START WITH SPEAKERS.

LUCINDA. GO AHEAD. >> YES, MA'AM. JUDGE, JUST SO YOU ARE AWARE, THERE WERE ALSO SPEAKERS THAT DID SHOW UP IN-PERSON AND WE'RE STILL PROS SEGGING THEM EVEN THOUGH THE

MEETING DID START. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: IT'S OKAY.

>> THERE ARE WELL OVER 100. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: OKAY. THANK

YOU. >> THIS IS SPEAKER NUMBER ONE.

AMY PECK. COUNCIL MEMBER. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE, AND COMMISSIONERS.

PARDON MY VOICE. BUT THIS IS JUST TOO IMPORTANT. AND I SO WANTED TO SPEAK TODAY ANYWAY. MY NAME IS AMY, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT 5, WHICH INCLUDES 288,000 PEOPLE. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TO REPRESENT MY CONSTITUENTS.

RIGHT NOW, MY DISTRICT IS SPLIT TWAIN COMMISSIONERS CAGLE, RAMSEY AND ELLIS. I'M PROUD OF THE PARTNERSHIPS I HAVE WITH THEM, ESPECIALLY FOR FLOODING MITIGATION PROJECTS. I'M CONCERNED WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PROJECTS IF THE PRECINCT LINES ARE CHANGED SO DRASTICALLY. THE CHAOS OF THE REDISTRICTING

[00:25:04]

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR CALLING IN

AND FOR YOUR WORK. >> THANK YOU.

>> THE NEXT PERSON IS BOB KELLY. FORMER MAYOR WEST UNIVERSITY IS

SPEAKING IN-PERSON. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: IS MAYOR KELLY HERE? HE'S NOT HERE, LUCINDA.

JUDGE, TO NOTE, COURT MEMBERS, WE'VE HAD TO MOVE OVERFLOW BECAUSE OF THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN-PERSON. WE HAVE HAD TO MOVE THEM NO THE FIFTH FLOOR. SO THEY MIGHT COME

UP LATER AND SHOW UP UP THERE. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: DO YOU GUYS HAVE THE SYSTEM SO THE FOLKS THAT YOU KNOW ARE COMING UP NEXT ARE BEING ESCORTED UP SO THAT THEY CAN BE HERE?

>> YES. WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THAT. AND THEY ARE BEING ESCORTED UP. BUT THAT MAY TAKE THEM AWHILE TO GET UP THROUGH THE ELEVATOR. I'LL CIRCLE BACK TO THOSE THAT WE MIGHT MISS.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: ALL RIGHT. HANG ON. YES, GO AHEAD.

(INAUDIBLE) >> CAN'T HEAR.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: CAN YOU TURN ON THE MIC.

>> JUDGE, WHAT WE COULD DO TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T ORGANIZE PEOPLE 1-100, WE COULD START HAVING PEOPLE HERE PRESENT IN THE ROOM TO SPEAK. WHEN THEY'RE DONE SPEAKING, THEY CAN THEN LEAVE AND WE CAN BRING IN 25. THAT MIGHT MAKE THINGS WORK MORE SMOOTHER IF THAT'S SOMETHING THE

COURT WANTS TO TRY. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: I WOULD BE CONCERNED FOLKS THAT ARRIVE FIRST BEING TAKEN UP FIRST.

NORMALLY, BEFORE COVID, YOU COULD SEE WHERE THE LIST WAS AND COULD BEGIN CALLING, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER AND BRINGING THEM UPSTAIRS. IS THAT -- CAN THAT NOT BE DONE RIGHT NOW?

>> ACTUALLY, NO. I'VE GOT FIVE PEOPLE ON THE LINE RIGHT NOW CALLING SPEAKERS THAT ARE VIRTUAL. AND I'VE ONLY GOT ONE OR TWO PEOPLE THERE IN-PERSON THAT ARE ASSISTING THOSE

IN-PERSON. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: IF WE CAN GET MORE PEOPLE HERE IN-PERSON TO ASSIST. ALEX, WE'LL SEND YOU

SOME STUFF FROM MY OFFICE. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: GIVE ME A MINUTE WITH US, JAY, AND IF NOT, WE'LL TAKE YOUR APPROACH. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE SPEAKERS IN WHICH THEY SHOW UP. GO AHEAD, LUCINDA. THE

>> YES, MA'AM. DOUGLAS DIEHL IS IN-PERSON AS WELL.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: MR. DIEHL. LUCINDA, YOU SAID YOU HAVE FIVE

PEOPLE ON THE LINE. >> DO WE KNOW --

>> I DO. (SIMULTANEOUS SPEAKING)

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: LUCINDA, IT'S AN IMPORTANT HEARING AND IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR YOU GUYS TO NOT HAVE THE SYSTEM WORKED OUT TO BRING UP THE SPEAKERS. I PROPOSAL WE BREAK FOR TEN MINUTES. IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU'RE UNDERSTAFFED, YOU NEED TO

REACH OUT. IT'S 4:36. L >> JUDGE HIDALGO: 4:51. THE SPECIAL MEETING WITH COMMISSIONERS COURT IS BACK IN SESSION. WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE GOING TO BE ESCORTING SPEAKERS UP BEFORE THEY'RE CALLED. AND THEN, OBVIOUSLY, THE ONLINE SPEAKERS, THAT SYSTEM IS WORKING ALREADY. IF I CALL SOMEONE WHO IS NOT HERE, IT'S SORT OF TOUGH LUCK. AND IF THEY SHOW UP, WE'LL CALL THEM BACK UP. IT SOUNDS LIKE LUCINDA, YOU NEED TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER SYSTEM. LET'S CONTINUE,

LUCINDA. THANK YOU. >> YES, MA'AM. DOUGLAS DIEHL SHOULD BE IN-PERSON. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> HE'S IN THE HALL. >> JUDGE, CAN YOU ASK WHO THE

PERSON IS AFTER? >> JUDGE HIDALGO: HERE HE IS.

(INAUDIBLE) >> JUDGE HIDALGO: IN THEORY, THEY SHOULD BE DOING THAT, YEAH. (INAUDIBLE)

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: OH, THE NEXT PERSON IS ON THE PHONE.

>> START ONE OF THESE BUTTONS? >> JUDGE HIDALGO: NO, SIR. YOU JUST SPEAK. STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.

>> MY NAME IS DOUG DIEHL. I'M PRESIDENT OF GREEN TRAILS MUD HELD THAT OFFICE SINCE 1984. I WORK CLOSELY WITH PRECINCT 3 DURING MUCH OF THAT TIME ON BIKE TRAILS, PARKS AND COMMUNITY

[00:30:06]

>> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. >> ARE THERE QUESTIONS?

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER COMMENTS, YOU CAN SUBMIT THEM. IT'S BEEN NOTED. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SPEAKER NUMBER 5, MARISSA HANSON, IN-PERSON. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> MY NAME IS MARISSA HANSON. I SAW THE MAPS THAT YOU PROPOSED COMMISSIONER ELLIS. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS CRIME RIGHT NOW.

BECAUSE YOU GUYS DEFUNDED OUR POLICE BY $20 MILLION. AND THIS NEW MAP WARRANTS A 60-MILE CALL OUT FOR THE NEW RESIDENTS IF YOU MISPLACE THEM. THAT'S 500,000 PEOPLE. SO 60 MILES IF THERE'S A NATURAL DISASTER OR SOMEONE IS BEING HELD-UP AT GUN POINT IN THEIR HOUSE AND THEY CALL THE COPS AND SOMEONE -- AND THERE'S NO COPS TO COME BECAUSE THERE'S A 60-MILE RADIUS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO HELP? IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO HELP.

IT'S ONLY SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO HELP YOU. IS THAT CORRECT? COMMISSIONER ELLIS, I'M SPEAKING TO YOU. DO YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL TO THE CONSTITUENTS, A 60-MILE RADIUS FOR CALL-OUTS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS?

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> YES OR NO, DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY AND SAFE?

>> YOUR TIME IS UP. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: WE NEED TO

RESPECT THE TIME LIMITS. >> YOU GUYS DON'T RESPECT US.

YOU SHOULD BE PUBLIC SERVANTS. IT FEELS LIKE IT'S THE OTHER WAY

AROUND NOW. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS NUMBER EIGHT, CYNTHIA SEGAL IN-PERSON.

OR I MIGHT IS MISPRONOUNCED. SIEGEL.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.

>> CAN YOU HEAR ME >> JUDGE HIDALGO: YES.

>> MY NAME IS CINDY SIEGEL, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HARRIS COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY AND 40-YEAR RESIDENTS OF HARRIS COUNTY. I'M ALSO THE FORMER MAYOR BELLE SAYRE, WHO LED THROUGH HURRICANES RITA AND IKE. I LIVED THROUGH THE DEVASTATION HURRICANE HARVEY BROUGHT TO BEL AIR. THE I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE OUR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES. I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S PROPOSED MAPS REMOVING BEL AIR AND 500,000 PEOPLE FROM PRECINCT 3 IS NOT LOGICAL. IT DOES NOTHING TO HELP OUR COUNTY SERVICES AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A BLATANT ATTEMPT TO PACK THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. PURSUANT TO YOUR GUIDELINES THIS PAST JULY, PRECINCTS SHOULD BE DRAWN IN A MANNER THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNTS ELECTIONS OVER THE LAST DECADE. PLEASE NOTE THAT BEL AIR AND OUR SISTER CITIES HAVE OVER THE LAST DECADE VOTED FOR REPUBLICAN PRECINCT 3 COMMISSIONER STEVE --

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO

MUCH. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 9, THOMAS

BIZAN IN-PERSON. >> THOMAS BIZAN, PRECINCT 661.

I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF MR. RAMSEY'S MAP AND OPPOSED TO COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MAP. THE ELLIS MAP IS MUCH MORE DISRUPTIVE TO PRECINCT 4. THE AND THAT OUR PRECINCT WAS SQUATTY LINES PRECINCT FOR THE LAST 80 YEARS. AND THAT IT WILL BE SEVERING THESE COMMUNITIES IN THE JERSEY VILLAGE AREA THAT GO TO THE CHURCHES ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE TOLLWAY AND WE VOTED FOR COMMISSIONER CAGLE. AND WE'RE GOING TO END UP IN PROPOSED 3.

[00:35:02]

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. >> I'M IN THE MIDDLE --

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 12, ANDREA (INAUDIBLE) GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

MA'AM. >> HI, MY NAME IS ANDREA -- YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME?

>> YES, MA'AM. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> OKAY. MY NAME IS ANDREA GLAZEBURG, I AM A G.O.P.

CHAIRPERSON FOR DISTRICT 0340. I FEEL THIS WOULD BE DISRUPTIVE TO THE COMMUNITY WHICH YOU GUYS ARE DESIGNING THIS FOR. I'VE SEEN THE GUIDELINES. I'VE SEEN WHAT IT'S GOING TO DISRUPT AS WELL AS WHAT OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID IN AN EMERGENCY. AND DISRUPT THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE BEEN DISTRICTED TO A CERTAIN AREA. I'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN WHEN YOU GUYS TOOK (INAUDIBLE) AND PUT IT INTO HARRIS COUNTY, HOW WE'RE NOT GETTING EFFECTIVE RESULTS EVEN THOUGH WE ARE BASICALLY ALL UP IN HAD ONE AREA. SO I FEEL THAT YOU GUYS ARE JUST TRYING TO DO WHAT YOU DID TO KING LET AS I SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO THIS DISTRICT. IT'S UNFAIR TO THE COMMUNITY WHICH IS BEING REPRESENTED. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 13, PROFESSOR ALVIN O.

>> LET ME SAY I COME WITH A HEAVY HEART. RODNEY IS MY FRIEND FOR A LONG TIME. I SUPPORT MR. RAMSEY'S MAP. MY CONCERN IS BERRY LAND COMMUNITY CENTER.

IF SOME KIND OF WAY IT COULD BE WORKED OUT -- LOST MY WIFE A YEAR AGO. I'M DOWN TO 230. IT'S A GREAT CENTER. AND THE WORD I GET THE SERVICE IS GOING TO BE DISRUPTED. I CAN GO WITH CRITERIA. I CAN GO WITH THE (INAUDIBLE) AND ALL. I KNOW THE LAW. BUT THAT AIN'T IT. I'M LOOKING AT THESE OLD PEOPLE.

THEY COMING EVERY DAY. IN THE MEDIA, LET ME SAY, THE MEDIA IS DOING A DISSERVICE! I NEVER IN MY LIFE. I'M 70 YEARS OLD --

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> MY POINT IS, I'M ENDING. >> THANK YOU, SIR. YOUR TIME

IS UP. >> PROFESSOR, YOU'RE LOOKING

GREAT. THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO

MUCH. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 16, LUCK

CAMPBELL. GO AHEAD, PLEASE. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. I'M A REUSS DEPARTMENT OF -- RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 3. THIS REDISTRICTING WILL IMPACT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES THAT MAY BE DISPLACED OR LOSE THEIR JOBS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROGRAMS FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTERS, SENIOR PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS OUR ROADS AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM. SO I'LL JUST ASK THAT HOWEVER IT IS REDESIGNED THAT WE KEEP THOSE THINGS IN MIND.

THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO

MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

>> DAVE WELSH, WITH HOUSTON AREA PASTOR COUNCIL IS IN-PERSON. SPEAKER NUMBER 15, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DAVE WELSH, THE HOUSTON AREA PASTOR COUNCIL REPRESENTING PASTORS OF EVERY COLOR AND CORNER. LET ME STATE IF THIS MAP IS AN EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THE STANDARDS MENTIONED BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY EARLIER, THEN EQUAL AND FAIR AND BALANCED REPRESENTATION IS A FAIL BY EVERY CAPACITY AND MEASURE. WE OPPOSE THIS MAP. WE SUPPORT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S MAP. THIS IS ABOUT EQUAL, FAIR COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION. THE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WHEN YOU'RE SPREADING FROM KADY, BAY TOWN TO HUMBLE'S PLACE, THIS IS NOT COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION. THIS NEEDS TO BE PUT IN THE SHREDDER AND THE ADEQUATE LEGITIMATE BALANCED REPRESENTATION ASSURING THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED BY THE PEOPLE, BY THE COUNTY ARE DESIGNED AND TAE TORED TO THOSE COMMUNITIES BY THE REPRESENTATION WE CURRENT HAVE AND THESE LINES ARE

[00:40:02]

COUNTY TO THE OTHER. THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE, THE NEXT ONE IS ALLEN NASH IN-PERSON. I'M NOT SURE IF

HE'S CHECKED IN. OF >> JUDGE HIDALGO: LOOKS LIKE HE MIGHT BE. HE IS. HE'S HERE, LUCINDA.

>> THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.

>> MY NAME IS ALLEN NASH. WILL I HAVE NO AFFILIATION BUT I'M A SECOND GENERATION HOUSTONIAN. I'M A RETIRED ATTORNEY AND PRINCIPAL AT A SOFTWARE COMPANY. WE HAD A CONTRACT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO TO COMPUTERIZE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THIS HARRIS COUNTY. WE WERE TOTALLY UNSUCCESSFUL BECAUSE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE COURTS AND THE DISTRICT CLERK AT THE TIME. ALL POLITICS. IT'S DIFFERENT POLITICS. BUT I'M OPPOSED TO DOING THINGS BASED ON POLITICS. WE HAVE POLITICS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL CENTRALIZING POWER. AND NOW, IT'S COMING HERE. AND THIS PLAN DOES THAT. AND IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE. I SUPPORT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PLAN, WHICH MAKES SENSE. IT'S MORE EFFICIENT. WE'VE HAD HURRICANES, WHATEVER. THIS --

>> THANK YOU. SIR, YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> I SAID MY PIECE. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO

MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 17, IS IN-PERSON. JENNIFER SLESINGER.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THEY'RE CHECKING IF SHE'S IN THE

HALLWAY. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: LET'S GO TO THE NEXT ONE. IF SHE SHOWS UP,

WE'LL CALL HER UP. >> THANK YOU. RYAN FREEZE WITH TRUE BLUE ROOFING LLC. SPEAKER NUMBER 19 IS ALSO IN-PERSON.

I DO HAVE A VIRTUAL SPEAKER LINED UP IF WE CAN MOVE ON.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: LET'S TAKE THE VIRTUAL SPEAKER FOR NOW.

>> ALL RIGHTY. SPEAKER NUMBER 20, GARY STEWART. TGO AHEAD.

>> MY NAME IS GARY STEWART, RESIDENTS OF HIGHLANDS, TEXAS.

I'M POSED TO COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S PLAN. IT DOESN'T MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE TO HAVE ALL THE WAY FROM KADY. WE'RE IN A FINANCIAL CRUNCH IN THE COUNTY. IT WILL BE A BIND ON OUR COUNTY

AS IT IS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN MANLOVE IN-PERSON, NUMBER 22. I HAVE ANOTHER VIRTUAL SPEAKER LINED UP IF THAT PERSON IS NOT COMING UP TO THE PODIUM, JUDGE.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: NO. I'M NOT GETTING -- IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE

HE'S IN THE HALLWAY. ALL RIGHT. >> THANK YOU. ROBERT DIXON, GO

AHEAD, PLEASE. >> HI. THIS IS PAPASTOR ROBER DIXON WITH THE NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP OF FAITH CHURCH. I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE REDISTRICTING THAT WE'VE SEEN AS OF TODAY. I WORK WITH JUDGE LINA HIDALGO, SHEILA JACKSON LEE, GARCIA, AND OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AS TEXAS LAWMAKERS RELEASE THIS TO PROTECT -- WHILE REDUCING THE DISTRICT THE BLACK OR HISPANIC RESIDENTS O'ER COMMUNITIES FOR ELIGIBLE VOTERS.

WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THE MAPS HAVE GONE FROM -- 22 TO 25 A DISTRICTS. WHICH FAVOR THOSE THAT WILL BE REPUBLICAN VOTERS.

AND SO, IT'S A DISADVANTAGE FOR PEOPLE LIKE SYLVIA GARCIA, RUNNING AGAINST DAN CRENSHAW. WITH THAT SAID, THE DEMOCRATS

WHO HAVE BEEN OUT OF POWER >> THANK YOU, SIR. YOUR TIME

IS UP. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.

THIS IS COMMISSIONER GARCIA. >> YES, SIR. GOD BLESS, SIR.

>> GOD BLESS. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 27. RICK

LORD, GO AHEAD, PLEASE. >> YES, MY NAME IS RICH LORD, A

[00:45:04]

ON IT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, RICK.

>> THANK YOU. >> THE NEXT PERSON I HAVE IS SPEAKER NUMBER 29, THELMA JOHNSON. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> THIS IS THELMA JOHNSON. I'M WITH MACNIA COMMUNITY CENTER.

THE MY QUESTION IS WHY IS IT THAT MACNIA, BARRETT AND CROSBY, ALL THE BLACK COMMUNITIES WAS TAKEN AWAY AND HE TURNED AROUND AND GOT PASADENA? ALSO, HE HAD MEETINGS WITH US FROM PROMISING US TO DO THIS AND THIS AND THIS. AND WHY HE WASN'T AWARE OF THIS MEETING WITH US. AND IN ADDITION, WHAT CAN PRECINCT 4 DO FOR US WHEN THEY ARE OUR WAY. AND SOME LADY SAID -- IF THERE'S A SOMETHING IN OUR HOUSE, WHO IS COMING OUR WAY? IS THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> VIRTUAL SPEAKER NUMBER 30,

DORINDA DODDLE GO AHEAD. >> I'VE LIVED IN HARRIS COUNTY ALMOST 40 YEARS. I WANT TO SAY THE COST TO REDISTRICT HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCTS WOULD BE A MESS AND SERVES ONLY ONE PERSON. BUT YOU DON'T CARE, DO YOU? YOU SPEND OUR MONEY LIKE RECKLESS SAILORS AND YOUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO DO SO UNTIL THE COUNTY IS BANKRUPT. THE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING WILL TAKE MANY PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR PRECINCTS AND PLACE THEM AT PRESP PRECINCTS THEY DID NOT VOTE FOR OR WOULD VOTE FOR. WE KNOW WHY YOU WANT TO CRAM REDISTRICTING DOWN OUR THROATS. WE CAN MOVE OUR HOMES AND BUSINESSES TO SURROUNDING COUNTIES AND TAKE OUR TAX DOLLARS WITH US. ASK THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA HOW MASS EXODUS IS WORKING FOR THEM. BY THE WAY, LET'S GO --

(INAUDIBLE) >> GOOD-BYE.

>> THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 31 IS IN-PERSON, LORI GAS.

>> I'M LORI GOSS. I'M A PARTICIPATE AT BAY LAN COMMUNITY CENTER. THERE ARE 5,000 OF US EVERY WEEK IN CLASSES AND ENRICHMENT AND MEDICAL CARE. AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE SENIOR COMMUNITY TO HAVE THIS AVAILABLE. NOT HAVE OUR SERVICES CUT. WE DO VOTE.

SENIORS VOTE. IF YOU CUT US OFF BY CUTTING OUT BAYLAN AND 20 DIFFERENT PARKS AND REC CENTERS, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE OUR VOTES.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. NEXT IS A VIRTUAL SPEAKER, NUMBER 32, JAY MALONE WITH THE TEXAS GULF COAST AREA LABOR. GO AHEAD.

>> MY NAME IS JAY MALONE WITH THE TEXAS GULF COAST LABOR FEDERATION. OF THE JUST HERE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE PLAN SUBMITTED BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS. WE BELIEVE THAT WITH THE POPULATION CHANGES THAT HAPPENED IN HARRIS COUNTY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE CHANGES TO RECOGNIZE THOSE POPULATIONS HAVE SHIFTED. AND THAT GOES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO KEEP COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. WE BELIEVE THESE MAPS DO A GREAT JOB OF KEEPING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMISSIONERS TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF HARRIS COUNTY IS REPRESENTED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 33 IS IN-PERSON. ANDREW GOSS, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ANDREW GOSS, PRESIDENT OF THE

[00:50:08]

THERE'S AN IMPORTANT REASON TO HAVE THEM OPEN. ONE IS ECONOMIC VALUE. TWO IS PUBLIC SAFETY. ON THE ECONOMIC VALUE, IT'S BEEN SHOWN THAT PARKS IMPROVE LOCAL TAX BASE. AND INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT HIGHER VALUES MEANS INCREASE IN TAXES. WHICH WILL HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE COUNTY.

THE SECOND REASON I'M HERE IS SAFETY. IT'S BEEN SHOWN THROUGH RESEARCH BY THE PROJECT ON HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT OPEN PARKS AND OPEN CENTERS --

>> THANK YOU, SIR. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> LOWER LEVELS OF CRIME AND VANDALISM.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> THIS DAY, WE NEED TO LOWER THE CRIME RATE SINCE IT'S GOING UP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE, I'VE BEEN INFORMED THE IN-PERSON SPEAKER NUMBER 6

IS IN-PERSON. >> MY NAME IS (INAUDIBLE) I'M A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 3. I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE ELLIS PROPOSAL AND FOR THE RAMSEY PROPOSAL. IF YOU CHANGE THINGS IN A PRECINCT, REORGANIZATIONING COSTS MONEY. OKAY. NOT ONLY THIS, THERE NEEDS TO BE REASON FOR CHANGE. PRECINCT IS SERVING WELL, BOTH THE PARKS AND INCORPORATED AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS. SHIFTING HUGE GEOGRAPHY FROM PRECINCT 3 TO 4 WILL OVERBOUND PRECINCT 4 AS IT DOESN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SERVE ITS CONSTITCH WENTS.

PRECINCT 4 WILL BE TOO BIG TO RESPOND IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY.

PRECINCT 4 IS SET UP TO FAIL. AND THAT CAN ONLY BE A POLITICAL REASON WHY TO DO THIS. OKAY. THE REASON TO ALIGN DISTRICTS AND PRECINCTS IS TO SERVE THE CONSTITUENTS, THE TAXPAYER.

THIS PLAN THAT ELLIS IS PROPOSING IS DEFINITELY NOT SERVING THE CONSTITUENTS. WE NEED TO CONSIDER COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PROPOSAL AND KEEP IT AS IT IS. HE'S DOING A FINE JOB.

THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 34, DANIEL

COHN, GO AHEAD. >> THANKS. I'M IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED MAP FOR PRECINCT 1, WHICH IS MORE EXACT AND REUNITES NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY WERE SPLIT FOR GERERY MAN DERING IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE CURRENT MAP IS SET UP FOR THE REASON RAMSEY IS EXCUSING THE CURRENT MAP IS BROUGHT, CONTROL. THIS WHOLE THING OF GERRY MANDERING IN THE FIRST PLACE. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM (INAUDIBLE)

>> I'M -- WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOTES TO THE SOUTH OF ME. MY NEIGHBORHOOD GETS NO REPRESENTATION AT ANY OTHER LEVEL. MY COMMISSIONER CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO SHOW UP TO DISCUSS THAT. (INAUDIBLE) TO RAISE A RUCKUS TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THERE'S UNEVENNESS GOING ON. TOO BAD, MY FRIENDS. IT'S TOO BAD. I'M IN FAVOR OF THE MAP. YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS. ALL OF THIS TALK ABOUT HOW THIS IS DONE AND YOU'RE THE VICTIM OF POLITICS? WHEN YOU'RE POLITICKING LEFT AND RIGHT IS A JOKE. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED AND HANG IT UP.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 36 IS

IN-PERSON. TINO COLACO. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THEY'RE CHECKING THE HALLWAY. ONE MOMENT.

>> THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: SHE'S WALKING

UP. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: GO AHEAD, MA'AM. TO THE DAIS. STATE YOUR

NAME AND AFFILIATION. >> MY NAME IS TINA. THE I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING BAY LAND FOR OVER TEN YEARS. IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN. IT'S BECOME A SECOND HOME FOR ME AND SO MANY OF THE OTHERS. I UNDERSTAND BASED ON THE CENSUS, WE HAVE TODY VEST OURSELVES OF PRECINCT 3 OF 85,000 PEOPLE. REPRESENTATIVE RAMSEY HAS GOT A PLAN THAT WILL DO THAT AND TAKE CARE OF IT AND NOT DISTURB 500,000 OTHER CONSTITUENTS! IF I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS EARLIER, WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN ORDER TO CONTEST

[00:55:01]

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER 37 IS ALSO IN-PERSON. NANCY DEAN.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: SHE'S WALKING UP, LUCINDA.

>> THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: RIGHT THERE

TO THE PODIUM. STATE YOUR NAME. >> MY NAME IS NNANCY DEAN. I'E BEEN A LOYAL MEMBER OF BAY LAND COMMUNITY CENTER FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS. I CONSIDER THIS A POWER GRAB THAT'S GOING ON NOW. SET UP IN THE NEWLY GERRYMANDERED MAP. THE FACT THAT THE EMPLOYEES WILL LOSE THEIR JOB IS A TRAGEDY. RODNEY ELLIS COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE NOT OPEN YESTERDAY 19 MONTHS AFTER COVID.

WHEREAS, BAY LAND REOPENED ABOUT SIX WEEKS. AS SOON AS ABBOTT SAID IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DO SO. SO THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT UNDER -- WITH THIS CENSUS WE HAVE TO GIVE UP 85,000 MEMBERS OF OUR CONSTITUENCY. WITH ELLIS, IT WOULD BE 500,000? WE

DON'T NEED TO GIVE UP 500,000. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. TIME IS

UP. >> THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER 38, ADRIAN OZUNA VIRTUAL.

>> I'M ADRIAN OZUNA, RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 3. THERE ARE THEE THINGS I LOOK FOR, ARE COMMUNITIES WHOLE, ARE LIKE MINDED COMMUNITIES GRIPPED TOGETHER FOR COMMON CAUSE, AND WOULD THE NEW DISTRICT BE A MINORITY OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT TO INCREASE MINORITY REPRESENTATION? HARRIS COUNTY IS 43% HISPANIC. 25% WHITE. 18.5% BLACK AND 7% ASIAN.

LOOKING AT THE PROPOSAL, THE CAGLE MAPS CUT A SHARP CHUNK OUT OF PRECINCT 3, BREAKING UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG WITH REMOVING A NUMBER OF MINORITY VOTERS. THIS DECREASES OPPORTUNITY. THE ELLIS PROPOSAL FOCUSES ON COMMUNITIES. RESTORING COMMONALITIES ACROSS THE COUNTY AND CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITY REPRESENTATION. I URGE THE ADOPTION OF THE RODNEY ELLIS

PROPOSED MAP. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER 39 IS IN-PERSON, NANCY SCOTT.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: JUST ONE SECOND. THE SPEAKER MADE ME THINK OF SOMETHING. COMMISSIONER CAGLE'S PROPOSED MAP IS A FULL PICTURE. BECAUSE IT TAKES WERE SOME PLACES AND PUTS THEM IN OTHER PLACES. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PROPOSAL AS I HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME IS ONLY A PORTION. IT STILL DOESN'T DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT THERE'S --

>> JUDGE -- >> JUDGE HIDALGO: AM I LOOKING

AT THE WRONG PROPOSAL? >> NO. THE RAMSEY MAP IS INCORPORATED IN THE CAGLE MAP. SO THAT PORTION THAT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY HAD MOVED FROM PRE-PRECINCT 3 INTO PRECINCT 1 IS THE SAME ON HIS MAP AND ON WHAT I'M CALLING THE STATUS QUO MAP. AND THEN, THE SECTION --

>> I'M SORRY, WHAT MAP? >> ON THE PROPOSED CAGLE MAP,

STATUS QUO MAP. >> OKAY.

>> THE MAP I SUBMITTED, WHICH WE GOT IN THIS MORNING, BECAUSE WE WERE NEEDING TO MAKE SURE IT WAS TWEAKED AND EVERYTHING CLOSED, INCLUDES WHAT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY HAD SUGGESTED ON HIS MAP. AND THEN, MINE INCLUDES THAT AREA OF PRECINCT 4 THAT WE HAD TEMPORARILY LOST TEN YEARS AGO IN THAT FIRST ROUND OF REDISTRICTING. IN FACT, WHEN COMMISSIONER ELLIS FIRST CAME TO OFFICE, I WALKED HIM AROUND AND SHOWED HIM THAT AREA. AND HAD DISCUSSED THAT WITH HIM. SO THAT AREA IS WHAT IN THE STATUS QUO MAP, WE'RE REMOVING NOW.

AND ON THE CAGLE MAP. THE AREA IN THE ELLIS MAP BETWEEN PRECINCT 2 AND PRECINCT 1 IS THE SAME. THAT SUGGESTION SO THAT YOU HAVE THAT POPULATION THAT IS BETWEEN THOSE TWO PRECINCTS WILL BE IN ESSENCE THE SAME DOWN OFF OF I-45 CORRIDOR.

>> JUDGE, I KNOW WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. I DID SUBMIT A PLAN. I WORKED WITH THE MAP DRAWERS THAT WE HIRED TO

[01:00:02]

JUMP IN. >> I'M NOT GOING THROUGH THE

DETAILS -- >> JUDGE HIDALGO: I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M LOOKING AT THE RIGHT MAPS. FOLKS ARE SPEAKING ABOUT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S MAP, BUT I ONLY SEE A PORTION.

(SIMULTANEOUS SPEAKING) >> YOU HAVEN'T SEEN MY MAP BECAUSE IT WASN'T POSTED UNTIL THIS MORNING.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CONTINUE. SORRY ABOUT THAT. STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.

>> NANCY SCOTT. I LIVE IN DISTRICT 3. REDISTRICTING MOST OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS IN ONE PRECINCT WILL CAUSE AN UNIMAGINABLE NIGHTMARE DURING A CRISIS. SEPARATING THE MANAGEMENT OF BARKERS AND DAMS WILL PREVENT COORDINATION OF ENGINEERING PROJECTS. MY HOME IS FLOODED BY THE RELEASE OF BARKERS DAM. VOTERS FOR COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AS AN ENGINEER TO ADDRESS FLOOD PROJECTS -- THE COURT TAKING -- CONTINUES PROBLEMS WITH THE CITY AS THE MAJOR WATER COMES FROM THE NORTH AND WEST. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL NO LONGER BE HARRIS HEALTH COMMISSIONERS COURT BUT INSTEAD THE CITY OF HOUSTON COMMISSIONERS COURT. I SUPPORT THE REDISTRICTING MAP AS PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

AND OPPOSE THE MAP PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS. OF THANK

YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> THE NEXT SPEAKER, SPEAKER

NUMBER 40 IN-PERSON WAYNE BRENT. >> NOT HERE.

>> I HAVE A VIRTUAL SPEAKER, IF I CAN MOVE ON.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: YEAH, JUST A MOMENT. NO. OKAY. GO AHEAD,

LUCINDA. >> YES, MA'AM.

(INAUDIBLE) WITH SOUTH TONED ELLINGTON LEADER. SPEAKER

NUMBER 41. MISS FLICKENGER. . >> CAN YOU HEAR ME?

>> YES, MA'AM. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> OKAY. YES. THIS IS MARIE WITH THE SOUTH BELL LEADER. I'M PART OF THE COMMUNITY. I TOO WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED ON THE MAP FROM RAMSEY, BECAUSE I ONLY HAD A PARTIAL MAP. OUR COMMUNITY WAS NOT PICTURED ON THE MAP THAT WAS ABLE TO GET EVEN THIS MORNING. SO I'M NOT SURE -- AND I WON'T COMMENT ON WHICH OF THE PROPOSALS I RECOMMEND. BUT I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT OUR COMMUNITY WHICH HAS BEEN A STRONG COMMUNITY, EVEN BEFORE WE STARTED OUR NEWSPAPER 46 YEARS AGO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ABLE TO STAY INTACT. WE'RE GOOD WORKING COMMUNITY THAT TAKES CARE OF EACH OTHER. AND WORKS HARD FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THIS IS RODNEY. WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET THE MAPS. I'LL HAVE SOMEONE SEND THEM TO YOU.

I'LL ALWAYS REPRESENT YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE.

(SIMULTANEOUS SPEAKING) >> JUDGE HIDALGO: WHICH

COMMUNITY DO YOU REPRESENT? >> SOUTH BELL AREA.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> THE SOUTH BELL LEADER, JUDGE >> SPEAKER NUMBER 42, GO AHEAD.

>> I LIVE IN THE MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY (INAU (INAUDIBLE) SUPPORT FEMININE LEADERSHIP. I BELIEVE WOMEN WOULD BE FAIRER AND MORE EQUAL MAN MEN HOPEFULLY. ONE OF THE BIG ISSUE IS GERRYMANDERING, THE TYPE THE DEMOCRATS OPPOSE IN THE STATE LEGISLATOR AND EVERYWHERE.

IT LEAVES A BAD TASTE IN EVERYONE'S MOUTH. JUDGE HIDALGO IS A COUNTY-WIDE YOU ELECTED PERSON. COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. MY COMMUNITY INTERESTS ARE DIFFERENT THAN THOSE OF BAY TOWN, A CITY, PORT, AND AN AREA THAT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY. WE HAVE SIMILAR INTERESTS. AND I DON'T THINK YOU LOOK AT RACE OR SEX OR

[01:05:02]

>> YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU, MA'AM, YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK

YOU. WE MUTED HER, JUDGE. >> THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME. ABLE GARZA, SPEAKER NUMBER 43.

. >> ABLE GARZA.

(INAUDIBLE) I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY IN THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 25 YEARS. AND THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHEN WE WERE REPRESENTED BY THREE COMMISSIONERS. THREE WAS A POINT WHEN NO ONE WANTED A PART OF ALDEAN. WE WELCOME ANY MAP WE CAN WORK WITH ONE COMMISSIONER INSTEAD OF THREE.

AND WE JUST LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. THAT WAY, WE KNOW WHO TO CONTACT AND WHO YELL AT IF THINGS ARE NOT GETTING DONE.

THANK YOU. >> ABLE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SPEAKER

NUMBER 44, BOB IS IN-PERSON. >> THANK YOU, MY NAME IS BOB SIMICZEK, A RETIRED NAVY VET. I AM A RARITY. I'M A NATIVE HOUSTONONIAN. I'M A RETIRED TEACHER AND BUSINESSMAN. FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN ADAMANT ABOUT PLEASING VOTERS. VOTERS OVER THE YEARS HAVE MOVED AS PEOPLE DO FROM PLACE TO PLACE. THEY USUALLY MOVE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MOVE TO A PLACE THAT'S MORE CONDUCIVE TO THE FAMILY AND LIFESTYLES THAT THEY LIKE. THAT'S WHAT I CALL WHEN YOU CHANGE THINGS LIKE THIS, IS VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT. YOU GUYS SAY THAT A LOT. SO PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID AS THE VOTES FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THEY WON'T LIKE IT. IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME IT'S A REPRISAL FROM THE EARLY CONGRESSIONAL MAPS THAT ARE DRAWN.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> HAVE A NICE EVENING. THANK

YOU. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 46,

RC MUNTER, GO AHEAD. >> THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC. IT'S NOT EASY. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOURSELF. NO MATTER WHAT -- WHETHER YOU'RE DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BUT AS I LOOKED AT THE PROPOSAL AS TO THE WAY THEY WANT TO REDRAW THE PRECINCTS, IT'S KIND OF EMBARRASSING, BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUS GERRYMANDERING. I'M DISAPPOINTED IT'S DONE THIS WAY.

I'M EMBARRASSED ABOUT IT. EVEN THE WAY IT'S DRAWN NOW. IF THERE WAS SOME WAY THAT REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS COULD WORK TOGETHER, SO THAT IT'S MORE FAIRLY DISTRIBUTED, THAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME. I'M DONE. I'LL GIVE YOU THE 30 SECONDS

LEFT. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. WE JUST HAD A SPEAKER WALK IN.

HAD SHE BEEN CALLED BEFORE? GO AHEAD, MA'AM. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.

>> YES, THANK YOU. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS TONYA BROOKS. I'M HERE TO OPPOSE THE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING PLAN BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS. ANYTHING ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING THAT CAUSES AMBULANCE SERVICE AND POLICE SERVICE TO TAKE A LONGER TIME AND PUT PEOPLE'S LIVES AT RISK -- I'M A MIDWIFE AND RESEARCH SCIENTIST. WHEN YOU'RE IN AN EMERGENCY, MINUTES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND THIS IS A COMMISSION THAT HAS DEFUNDED POLICE, WHICH HAS DECREASED SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE. ESPECIALLY HIT ARE THE AREAS WHERE I SERVE WHERE PEOPLE ARE -- HAVE VERY LOW INCOME AND VERY LITTLE RESOURCES. THE MINUTE WE DO THIS WE PUSH THIS PLAN TO MAKE AN ALL DEMOCRATIC CITY COUNCIL, WE SAY WE'RE FOR

[01:10:03]

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GETTING.

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> VIRTUAL SPEAKER NUMBER 48, LARRY ROSE GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> MY NAME IS LARRY ROSE. I KNOW ALL THE COMMISSIONERS ON A FIRST NAME BASIS. NICE TO SEE THEM. REDISTRICTING FOR POLITICAL MEANS AND NOT GEOGRAPHIC NEEDS IS BAD FOR THE RESIDENT OF HARRIS COUNTY. THE PROPOSAL TO MOVE KING WOOD FROM PRECINCT 2 AND MOVE CYPRESS AND KADY FROM PRECINCT 3 MAY HINDER EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND DISENFRANCHISE THE VOTERS OF THOSE AREAS. PRESENTLY COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS TWO DEMOCRATS, TWO REPUBLICANS AND A JUDGE. THE PROBLEM WITH REDISTRICTING MAY COME INTO EFFECT IN FUTURE ELECTIONS BECAUSE A BALANCE MAY CEASE AND RESULTS MAY NOT BE REPRESENTATION OF HARRIS COUNTY AS A WHOLE. MANY RESIDENTS ARE NOT AWARE OF THE POWER THE COMMISSIONERS. YOU CAN DO SO MUCH GOOD FOR SO MANY. AND PROCEEDING WITH THE ELLIS PLAN IS NOT GOOD FOR RESIDENTS. POLITICIANS WANT TO BE REELECTED. PLEASE GET REELECTED PERFORMING FOR THE VOTERS AND NOT MOVING GEOGRAPHIC AREAS AS IF ON A GAME BOARD. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME. IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, I'LL RESPOND.

>> MR. ROSE, THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.

THIS IS COMMISSIONER GARCIA, GOOD TO HEAR YOU.

>> GOOD TO TALK TO YOU AND GLAD -- I SEE YOU'RE WEARING A MASK. I'M GLAD YOU'RE DOING WELL. I'LL TELL 'YA, I THINK THEY COULD USE OUR HELP TRYING TO TAMP DOWN THIS STREET RACING.

IT'S SO BAD. IT'S COME UP. I THINK YOU NEED TO GET THE CREDIT WHAT WE DID IN 2004 TO STAMP IT OUT. I DON'T THINK YOU GOT THE CREDIT FOR HOW WELL YOU WORKED WITH ALL OF THE CITY PEOPLE TO GET THAT TAMPED DOWN. WE NEED YOUR LEADERSHIP AGAIN. I THINK WE NEED YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS REDISTRICTING, TOO. GOOD TO TALK TO YOU. TELL MONICA HELLO FOR ME.

>> APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. LIKEWISE.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALL.

>> SURE. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: HAVE YOU BEEN

CALLED, SIR? >> I HAVE.

(INAUDIBLE) >> JUDGE HIDALGO: ALL RIGHT.

GO AHEAD, LUCINDA. >> YES, MA'AM. SPEAKER NUMBER 49, ANDREW BRIDGES WITH SCI FAIR YOUTH SOCCER CLUB.

>> ANDREW BRIDGES. WE'RE A UNIQUE ORGANIZATION. WE HAVE SOCCER COMPLEXES IN PRECINCT 3 AND PRECINCT 4. SO WE'VE SEEN THE DIFFERENCES THERE. WE'VE BEEN IN PRECINCT 4 AT THE PARK FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND DAIS PARK FOR OVER 35 YEARS. BOTH PRECINCTS DO AN ABSOLUTELY GREAT JOB. WE'RE REALLY PART OF THE PRECINCT 3 FAMILY AND WOULD LIKE TO STAY THAT WAY. WE SUPPORT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PROPOSAL FOR REDISTRICTING. THAT IS ALL.

HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 50, ROBERT

DANGLEMEYER. GO AHEAD. >> HI. I OPPOSE THE REDISTRICTING. I'VE LIVED IN HARRIS COUNTY FOR 20 YEARS. I LOVE IT. OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. I'D HATE TO SCREW THINGS UP DIVIDING THINGS UP INTO TWO DISTRICTS. MY MOTTO IS, IF IT'S NOT BROKEN, DON'T

FIX IT. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU FOR

YOUR COMMENT. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: LUCINDA, WE HAVE --

>> NEXT SPEAKER. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: HERE IN

PERSON. >> YES, JUDGE. THE NEXT ONE IS

IN-PERSON. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: YEAH.

>> ARE YOU READY FOR ME? >> JUDGE HIDALGO: LET ME CALL THESE FOLKS UP LINED UP, OKAY. GO AHEAD.

>> YES, MA'AM. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.

>> I'M KEITH OF CYPRESS, TEXAS. REDISTRICTING -- THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS FOR ALL YOU DO. REDISTRICTING IS AN ACT YOU DO FOR YOURSELF, NOT THE PEOPLE. FOR IF YOU HAD GOOD IDEAS AND INTENTIONS, YOU COULD PERSUADE THE VOTERS. THE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING IS A MOVE AGAINST THE PEOPLE AND ACT FOR YOURSELF AND AGAINST THE VOTERS YOU REPRESENT. THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT IS THE GUARANTEED POWER THAT THEY HAVE.

IF YOU TAKE THAT AWAY, WHAT RECOURSE DO THEY HAVE? I ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU NOT TO REDISTRICT UNLESS YOU ARE PROPOSING FOUR SIMILAR SHAPES WITH VERTICAL AND HORIZON LINE THAT YOU CAN ADJUST EQUALLY TO BALANCE RESOURCES AND POPULATIONS REPRESENTED. I AM HERE FOR THE -- I AM NOT HERE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOR REPUBLICAN AGENDA. I'M HERE FOR

[01:15:03]

REPRESENT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> I HAVE SPEAKER 53, DAN ALLEN

IN-PERSON. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS HERE, LUCINDA. LET ME JUST CALL THEM UP. THEY'RE LINED UP INSIDE THE COURTROOM. AND I'LL HAND IT BACK TO YOU.

GO AHEAD, MA'AM. STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE

RECORD. >> MY NAME IS (INAUDIBLE) I AM REPRESENTING HOUSTON ACACTION EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE AND ENGAGE. THE I CANNOT AGREE WITH THE MAPS BECAUSE IT FRACTIONS COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. I WOULD INSTEAD LIKE TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION AND ADVOCATE FOR THE UNITY MAPS WE HAVE DEVELOPED. THEY'RE PRODUCT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND OPEN CONVERSATIONS (INAUDIBLE) AND HOW OUR COMMISSIONERS CAN ESTABLISH THEMSELVES AS A RESOURCE FOR CONSTITUENTS. THE INTENTION OF REDISTRICTING IS ENSURE EQUITY AND ACCESS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THIS MEANS DRAWING BOUNDARIES BY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE SHARED INTEREST. APPROACHING REDRAWING IT GIVES COMMISSIONERS A CLEAR LIST OF ISSUES FOR THEIR CONSTITUENCY THAT THEY'RE LIKELY TO AGREE ON. FACTORS INCLUDE POPULATION SIZE, LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE. IN THE PAST TEN YEARS, THERE'S BEEN INCREASE OF POPULATION AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. FOR EXAMPLE, (INAUDIBLE) ACCORDING TO COMMISSIONARY ELLIS'S PROPOSAL THEY WOULD MAKE UP --

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. TIME IS UP.

>> I ASK YOU TO LOOK AT UNITY MAPS AND REPRESENT YOUR

COMMUNITIES PROPERLY. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: GO AHEAD, MA'AM. SHE WAS 64.

>> 66. >> 64.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: GO AHEAD. >> I'M A REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE. I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY TO OPPOSE THE RECOMMENDED REDISTRICTING PLAN WHICH WOULD DISLODGE 25% OF THE COUNTY, DISPLACING RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH PITS A MAJORITY OF THE UNINCORPORATED HARRIS COUNTY FROM KADY, WALLER, KING WOOD TO BAY TOWN IN A SINGLE PRECINCT FOR THE PURPOSE OF POLITICAL POWER. NOT ONLY IS IT WRONG, MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WILL CAN DANGEROUS DURING THE NEXT COUNTY-WIDE DISASTER. IT'S OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND STAFFS THAT LEAD FROM THE FRONTLINES, COORDINATING AND COMMUNICATING WITH RESIDENTS AND OFFERING SHELTER AND EVACUATIONS. IF THIS MAP IS PASSED, A MAJORITY OF THIS COURT WILL HAVE VOTED TO ABANDON THE MAJORITY OF UNINCORPORATED HARRIS COUNTY. THE RECOMMENDED MAP WON'T STOP THE CURRENT CRIME WAVE. IT WON'T GET TRAFFIC MOVING. AND IT WON'T KEEP THE WATER OUT OF OUR HOMES. IT WILL ONLY ENSURE THAT THESE PROBLEMS WILL PERSIST. THANK YOU. I RECOMMEND THAT WE GO WITH COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PLAN.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO A SPIRITED CONTEST. ALL RIGHT. LUCINDA, GO AHEAD.

>> YES, MA'AM. SPEAKER NUMBER 56, JANE JALISCO. GO AHEAD.

>> THIS IS JANE, A 20 YEAR RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 4. I JUST WANT TO COME OUT AND STATE THAT I'VE LOOKED AT THESE PLANS. I BELIEVE THAT COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S PROPOSAL IS TOO DRASTIC.

IT'S TOO MUCH TOO FAST. AND I THINK WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IF WE GO WITH THAT FOR CRIME, FLOODING, COMMUNITY, ET CETERA. IT'S NOT GOOD GOVERNMENT. SO I AM ON THE RECORD TO SUPPORT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PLAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 57, FRED BARRETT, CAN YOU TURN DOWN YOUR AUDIO. OF (INAUDIBLE)

>> YES, UH-HUH. >> CAN YOU TURN DOWN YOUR AUDIO

IN THE BACKGROUND. >> I GOT IT.

>> THANK YOU. >> OKAY.

>> GO AHEAD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS FRED BARRETT. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME. I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT. SEVERAL OF YOU IF NOT ALL, ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR HISTORICALLY BLACK TOWN. AS AN EXECUTIVE OF EX EXXON MOBILE, I HAD THE COMMUNITY TO TRAVEL THE WORLD AND THERE'S NOWHERE BETTER TO LIVE. WE'VE SEEN PROGRESS IN OUR TOWN. WE CREDIT MOST OF THAT TO THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE BUILT WITH THE COUNTY. WE SEE OURSELF NOW HAVING A SEAT AT THE TABLE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.

WITH OUR TOWN BEING -- BECAUSE WE ARE LOCATED IN HARRIS COUNTY, WE VIEW OUR AREA AS THE NEW FRONTIER OF THE GROWTH AREA WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH PRECINCT 2 AND THE LEADERS OF OUR TOWN, THERE ARE GREAT PROJECTS BEING PROGRESSED.

WE'RE CERTAIN CHANGES BY REDISTRICTING AT THIS TIME WOULD

[01:20:02]

>> THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO

MUCH. >> FRED, THIS IS COMMISSIONER GARCIA. THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MAN. WE LOVE YOU, TOO.

>> THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 59, STEPHANIE

GAIN. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE. I'M A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF THE CROSBY BARRETT COMMUNITY, ALONG WITH MY FAMILY MEMBERS, RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.

FIRST, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW THE REASONING BEHIND THE PROPOSAL TO CHANGE THE COMMUNITY'S PRECINCTS. I'VE SEEN THE PROGRESS AND MOMENTUM EXISTING UNDER PRECINCT 2'S LEADERSHIP.

MY CONCERN WOULD BE THE INTERREPR INTERRUPTION OF THE MASTER PLAN AND POSITIVE PROGRESS GAINED FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT IS OVERLOOKED AND UNDERVALUED. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT ANY NOBLE EFFORT TO CONTINUE FOCUSING ON THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR VIABLE FUTURE. I'M UNABLE TO SUPPORT ANY OF THE PRESENT PROPOSALS AS CURRENTLY RECOMMENDED. BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EFFORT. THANK YOU

FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. >> THANK YOU, STEPHANIE. THIS IS COMMISSIONER GARCIA. THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.

>> THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 60, MARINA

FLORES SOUK. THE GO AHEAD. >> I'M FROM THE ALDEAN COMMUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. ALDEAN HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME. RIGHT NOW, THREE COMMISSIONERS SERVE ALDEAN. WE LIVE TOGETHER. OUR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL TOGETHER. IT'S TIME WE

RECEIVED EQUAL REPRESENTATION. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 63, VERONICA

SANCHEZ. >> HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS VERONICA SANCHEZ. I LIVE IN HIGH MEADOWS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR THE POSSIBILITY FOR ALL OF ALDEAN TO BE REPRESENTED BY ONE COUNTY COMMISSIONER. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY VOICE TO BE HEARD IN ONE VOICE. FOR THE SAKE OF THE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY MY FAMILY, AND THE ELDERLY, LIKE MY MOM, WHO CALL ALDEAN HOME. LET US FINALLY SPEAK IN ONE VOICE. UNITE ALDEAN UNDER ONE COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT. THANK

YOU FOR YOUR TIME TO LISTEN. >> THANK YOU, VERONICA.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> JUDGE, THE NEXT ONE I SHOW IS NUMBER 69, LINDA DOUGAL IS IN-PERSON.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: YES, SHE'S HERE. GO AHEAD, MA'AM.

>> THANK YOU. >> HI. I'M LINDA DOUGAL. A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 4 FOR OVER 32 YEARS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPOSED ELLIS MAP. IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IT LOOKS LUDICROUS.

>> I'M HERE TO REQUEST THAT WE KEEP THE BAY LON COMMUNITY CENTER AND OTHER PARKS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS GOING. TO KEEP THE GREEN SPACE FOR THE AIR WE BREATHE. PLAYING SPACE,

[01:25:04]

WHEN I WAS A PROFESSOR AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, WE DID STUDIES TO SEE THE IMPACT OF ONE PHONE CALL TO INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS YOURSELF. AND IT WAS 1,000 PEOPLE SPEAKING WITH THAT ONE PHONE CALL. I HAVE A HANDWRITTEN LETTER THAT REPRESENTED 10,000 PEOPLE. SOMEONE SPEAKING BEFORE YOU, REPRESENTS 25,000 PEOPLE. THEREFORE, OF THE 25 PEOPLE HERE TODAY, YOU ARE BEING REPRESENTED 625,000 PEOPLE. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, PLEASE DON'T UNDO THE GOOD YOU'VE DONE AND OTHERS HAVE DONE SO MANY TIMES BEFORE. AND PLEASE SUPPORT --

>> THANK YOU, SIR. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, SIR.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 72, ROSE POOL

GO AHEAD, PLEASE. >> HELLO, MY NAME IS ROSE. I LIVE IN PRECINCT 3. THE I'VE NOTICED THAT THE MAP THAT IS PROPOSED FOR MR. ELLIS MOVES A LOT OF PRECINCT 3 TO BAY TOWN.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S KIND OF A FAR STRETCH AND A LOT OF GERRYMANDERING TO GET PRECINCT 3 TO GO FROM NORTH CYPRESS OFF OF 290 TO ALSO INCLUDE BAY TOWN. I HOPE YOU KEEP IT IN THE AREA CLOSE TO WHERE IT IS ALREADY. NOT TRY TO INCLUDE OTHER PEOPLE IN OTHER AREAS THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS AREA. IT MAKES IT HARD FOR SERVICES TO BE RENDERED WHEN YOU'VE GOT CONSTABLES TRYING TO GET TO BAY TOWN AND CONSTABLES TRYING TO GET TO NORTH CYPRUS AND DIVIDING SUCH A BIG GEE GRAPHICAL AREA.

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WOULD BE CLOSING PARKS, COMMUNITY CENTERS AND THOUSANDS OF MILES OF BIKE TRAILS, WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THE

AREA PAY TAXES FOR AND ENJOY. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 78, JERRY VANDER LYNN, GO AHEAD.

>> YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, MA'AM.

>> CAN YOU HEAR ME. OKAY. MY NAME IS JERRY VANDER LYNN, I LIVE IN AN INDEPENDENT LIVING FACILITY ON WEST DORUM, BETWEEN WINDSOR VILLAGE (INAUDIBLE) AND SOUTHWEST (INAUDIBLE). AND I'M GLAD TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE NO RACISM IN THESE COMMUNITIES. WE'RE ALL A BUNCH OF VARIOUS MULTIRACIAL GROUPS, HISPANICS, BLACKS, WHITES, ASIANS. WE'RE GETTING ALONG JUST FINE. WHAT WE HAVE TROUBLE WITH IS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. MR. ELLIS TRIED TO GET RID OF OUR CONSTABLE PROGRAM. AND OUR TAXES ARE PAYING FOR HPD, THAT DOESN'T COME. WE WERE MAKING DUE WITH SPENDING MORE MONEY FOR THE CONSTABLES. AND THAT WAS AT RISK. HIDALGO DEFUNDED --

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> I HAVE AN IN-PERSON SPEAKER, JUDGE.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: YEAH. >> NUMBER 76, GARY STRUSICK.

>> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. OF THE GARY, I'VE LIVED IN PRECINCT 3 OVER 40 YEARS. I'M A RETIRED FLOOD SPECIALIST. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU? I UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE MAPS SHOULD BE DOING, AND THEY DON'T DO IT. YOU HIRE CONSULTANTS TO PREPARE THESE MAPS? AND THE MAPS THAT ARE PREPARED DON'T COME CLOSE TO THE CRITERIA ORIGINALLY OUTLINED. I'VE PREPARED -- (INAUDIBLE) EXHIBITS ALL THE TIME. WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED BY THE ELLIS MAP DIDN'T COME CLOSE TO THE CRITERIA YOU ALL HAVE DEVELOPED YOURSELF. SO THEY DON'T MATCH AT ALL. WHY MOVE THE CITIES? THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. IT'S ALL ABOUT SERVICE.

THESE NEW MAPS ARE NOT ABOUT SERVICE. HOAS NEED MORE TIME TO REVIEW THESE MAPS AND PROVIDE YOU ALL INPUT. THEY ONLY MEET ONCE A MONTH, MUCH LIKE YOU DO SOMETIMES. AND GIVE THEM TIME.

THESE ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES. PEOPLE HAVE COME DOWN HERE TO YOU TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO THEM. THEY ARE INVESTING A LOT OF TIME IN THIS EFFORT. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I SUPPORT THE RAMSEY MAP. THANK YOU.

>> VIRTUAL SPEAKER NUMBER 73, DIANE MORRIS. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> HI. THIS IS DIANE MORRIS. I'VE LIVED IN THE SOUTH BELL

[01:30:02]

GOOD IDEA. THANKS SO MUCH. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> ONE SECOND. JUDGE. I'M SORRY. I'M GOING TO JUMP TO SPEAKER NUMBER 92. DONNA CASEY, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> YES, HI. I LIVE IN PRECINCT 3. I LIVE IN THE CYPRUS AREA.

I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST 30 YEARS. I AGREE WITH THE SPEAKER BEFORE ME. THE ELLIS MAP IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY. IT MAKES NO SENSE OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO EXPAND AN AREA FROM CYPRUS ALL THE WAY TO SAN JACINTO RIVER AND BEYOND. I ASK THAT YOU ALL CHECK YOUR MOTIVE FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE IN THIS ELECTED POSITION THAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY ELECTED YOU FOR. AND I JUST THINK THERE'S SOME UNDERLYING MOTIVES GOING ON HERE. AND I DON'T APPRECIATE IT. I'M AN UPSTANDING CITIZEN. I PAY MY TAXES. I DO EVERYTHING THAT I NEED TO DO TO KEEP THIS CITY GREAT. AND I JUST ASK THAT YOU DO THE SAME, AND PUT SOME COMMON SENSE BACK INTO THINKING.

AND WE ALL, YOU KNOW -- THIS ALL --

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> MY HUSBAND -- >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. TIME IS

UP. >> MY HUSBAND IS INVOLVED IN

READING -- >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU,

MA'AM. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 97, VIRTUAL SPEAKER, LORI BASK. GO AHEAD.

>> HI. I'VE LIVED IN PRECINCT 3 SINCE THE '80S. AND BACK WHEN MY LAND LINE WAS THE CONNECTION TO THE COUNTY, I WOULD CALL ABOUT NEED FOR ROAD MAINTENANCE AND PERHAPS TREE TRIMMING. NOW THAT I'VE GOT AN APP ON MY PHONE, I CAN CONTACT PRECINCT 3 TO REPAIR A STOP SIGN, A SCHOOL ZONE SIGN OR STREET SIGNS DOWN, AND IT'S DONE QUICKLY. IF I SWITCH TO ANOTHER PRECINCT, WILL I HAVE JUST AS FAST RESPONSE ONE DAY OR TWO DAYS TO GET THESE SIGNS REPAIRED? THAT'S MY QUESTION. I'M DONE.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO MUCH. ONE MOMENT, LUCINDA. WE

HAVE TWO FOLKS HERE LINED UP. >> YES, SIR.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: 97. SIR, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND

AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. >> SURE. HELLO, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS GENE WALKER FROM PRECINCT 3, LONG TIME RESIDENT.

I'M A RETIRED BUSINESS OWNER. I'M SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THE NEW REDISTRICTING PLAN THAT WOULD CHANGE PRECINCT 3 FROM A REPUBLICAN PRECINCT TO A SWING PRECINCT. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A BLATANT ATTEMPT TO KEEP HARRIS COUNTY IN THE HANDS OF DEMOCRATS. IT'S ONLY ONE REPUBLICAN PRECINCT. I BELIEVE THIS MAP IS A POWER PLAY BY RODNEY ELLIS AND LINA HIDALGO TO RAISE THE TAXES OF THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY. I STRONGLY SUPPORT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PLAN. THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. GO AHEAD.

(INAUDIBLE) >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> HELLO. MY NAME IS JOCELYN. THE I AM WITH CYPRUS FOREST LAKES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATE IN PRECINCT 4. I'M HERE TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MAP. I DON'T HAVE AN ADVANCED DEGREE LIKE YOU, SIR, BUT I HAVE A DEGREE OF COMMON SENSE AND HAVE A LONG EXPERIENCE IN HAD THE FIELD OF LOGISTICS. WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS A LOGISTICS NIGHTMARE. JUDGE HIDALGO, YOU MAY WELL BE THE TIE-BREAKING VOTE HERE. AND I REALLY STRONGLY CONSIDER YOU TO THINK OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF HARRIS COUNTY AND WHAT IS GOOD FOR US. THIS IS NOT. THANK

[01:35:04]

YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> GO ASTROS! >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THAT'S RIGHT.

(CHUCKLING) >> JUDGE HIDALGO: WE HAVE ONE MORE HERE, LUCINDA. GO AHEAD, SIR.

>> YES, MA'AM. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.

>> MY NAME IS DAVID DOUGAL. I LIVE IN THE FM-1960 AREA IN PRECINCT 4. THE I REVIEWED COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S REDISTRICTING MAP AND I STRENUOUSLY OBJECT. THE WORD GERRYMANDERING IS CLEARLY AN EXERCISE OF PURE POLITICAL POWER. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT IT IS DONE BY BOTH SIDES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. THAT DOES NOT MAKE IT RIGHT.

IN THE CASE OF THE PROPOSED HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT REPUBLICAN CITIZENS ARE BEING CORRALLED INTO A SINGLE TERRITORY SO WE'LL BE REPRESENTED BY ONE COMMISSIONER. I PRESUME THAT OUR DEMOCRAT COMMISSIONERS WILL THEN ENJOY A SUPER MAJORITY IN THE PROCESS WHEN THE FOURTH PRECINCT WILL BE DISENFRANCHISED OF OUR VOTE AND ROBBED OF OUR BUDGET AND SERVICES SPREAD OVER A BROAD AREA. IN A STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH NONE OTHER THAN THAT FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAID WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM TO REFLECT OUR BETTER SELVES.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. (INAUDIBLE)

>> WE HAVE A SPEAKER HERE WITH EXHIBITS.

THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: GO AHEAD.

STATE YOUR NAME. >> MY NAME IS MARLA LOPEZ, THE HOUSTON COORDINATOR OF . I'M HERE TO ASK THAT THE COURT CENTER COMMUNITY ISSUES IN THE PROCESS OF DRAWING OUR MAPS.

IS PART OF THE UNITY MAP COALITION THAT CONSTRUCTED THE MAP YOU'VE BEEN PROVIDED WITH. IT FOCUSES ON COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST MARGINALIZED, DIVIDED AND DILUTED IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS. MAPS THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR THE LAST DECADE OR SO.

THIS MAP KEEPS THESE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WHOLE AND CAPTURES A MORE ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE HARRIS COUNTY DEMOGRAPHIC GROWTH AND SHIFTS IN THE ASIAN, BLACK, AND LATINX COMMUNITIES. THIS MAPS KEEPS COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WHOLE AND NOT BASED ON PARTISAN ISSUES OR RACE. IT IS A PRIME EXAMPLE THE WAY THE COUNTY COURT MUST REDRAW OUR MAPS. THE WAYS THE PRECINCTS HAVE BEEN DRAWN, SPECIFICALLY 1 AND 2, SHOW HOW THE ISSUES OF BLACK AND LATINX COMMUNITIES ARE KEPT WHOLE. THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THE EXHIBIT A LITTLE BIT IN PARTICULAR WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY IT KEEPS THE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. AND GO OVER THE GROUPS -- YOU SAID THIS

IS A COALITION. >> YES.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: I'M CURIOUS, WHAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT WAS DONE TO PUT THIS TOGETHER. AND THEN, THE DETAILS AS TO THE PROPOSAL.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THIS.

>> YES. AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE, YOU SEE THE LOGOS OF EACH ORGANIZATION THAT'S PART OF THIS COALITION. THIS IS A COALITION LED BY HOUSTON IN ACTION, A BIGGER COALITION. AND EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS MET WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, EXPERTS, IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST, WORKING CLASS, ALL THAT STUFF, FOLKS EXPERIENCING FLOODING, ALL THAT STUFF. AND WE ASKED THEM TO NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, PUT ON THE MAP WHERE THEY LIVE AND WHERE THEIR COMMUNITIES ARE, BUT WHAT THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE EXPERIENCING. WHAT ARE THE ISSUES? SO FOR EXAMPLE, WITH PRECINCT 2, ON THE VISUAL THAT YOU HAVE THERE, THE COMMUNITIES IN THE ALDEAN AREA, FUNNEL LOOKING AREA IN THE MIDDLE, IT CAPTURED THAT COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY LATINO. BUT IT ALSO CAPTURES THE LATINO COMMUNITIES SHIFTING INTO THE NORTHWEST. AND THAT'S IN THAT LITTLE LOOKING BLUE ELLIS DISTRICT. ON THE FAR SOUTHEAST AREA OF PRECINCT 2 IN THIS DRAFT, YOU CAN SEE HOW PASADENA AND THE AREAS WITH INDUSTRIAL PLANTS HAVE ALSO BEEN KEPT WHOLE. THESE AREAS ARE AGAIN LATINO, BUT THEY'RE ALSO EXPERIENCING HAVE I SPECIFIC ISSUES IN HAD TERMS OF AIR POLLUTION, INFRASTRUCTURE, SCHOOLS, FUNDING AND THE LIKE.

AND I CAN GO ON. DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: YES. I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE PRECINCTS 3 AND 4. WHAT IS BEHIND THE PROPOSAL? WHICH COMMUNITIES ARE

[01:40:06]

TRYING TO KEEP TOGETHER? >> I DID NOT DRAFT THIS ON MY OWN. WE DRAFTED IT TOGETHER BASED ON ALL OF THESE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST, THE STORIES REALLY FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING. SO WE PUT

THAT ALL TOGETHER. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: HAS THIS BEEN

SUBMITTED? >> IT HAS BEEN.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: UNDER WHICH NAME?

>> I DON'T KNOW. BUT I CAN ASK FOR YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: OKAY. >> JUDGE, IT WAS JUST SUBMITTED. SO IT'S NOT YET UP ON THE WEBSITE.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: HE SAID IT WAS SUBMITTED 30 YEARS AGO, SO IT'S NOT ON THE WEBSITE. NO WONDER. I PULLED THEM UP AS I WAS COMING HERE. SO OKAY. GO AHEAD. BECAUSE THIS LOOKS LIKE IT'S -- WELL, THERE'S DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS AND THE OTHER MAPS THAT EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT. BUT ONE THING THAT IS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR IS THERE'S A PROPOSED DISTRICT THAT COVERS A LOT OF THE SUBURBAN AREAS. AND THEN, THERE'S A DISTRICT THAT HAS SORT OF THE ENERGY CORRIDOR AND GOES ALL THE WAY OUT WEST TOWARD -- WHAT IS THE THINKING THERE?

>> SO FOR THE WAY THAT WE DRAFTED PRECINCT 3, WE KEPT IN MIND THE SOCIOECONOMIC AND IMMIGRATION MIXED STATUSES OF THE COMMUNITIES OUT THERE, WHETHER THEY'RE BLACK, LATINO, ASIAN AND EUROPEAN AND THE LIKE. SO WE ININ PRECINCT 3 WANTED TO KEEP THAT WHOLE. THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES DIFFER SOCIOECONOMICALLY FROM THOSE IN THE NORTHWEST WITH CYPRUS. SO YOU CAN THINK MORE LIKE CYPRUS LIKE SUBURBAN. MEANWHILE, RICHMOND, SHARPS TOWN AREA, GULFTON, YOU SEE IMMIGRANTS, MANY RENTERS, FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE OVERPOLICING AND OTHER VARIOUS ISSUES. AGAIN, I DO NOT HAVE EVERY CONVERSATION WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I HAD SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: YEAH. AND THEN, PRECINCT 1 --

>> YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT PRECINCT 3. PRECINCT 3 KEEPS BOTH BAYOUS TOGETHER. THE ATTICS AND THE BUFFALO BAYOU. RIGHT NOW,

THEY'RE DIVIDED. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: SO WHAT I'M

HEARING IS IT'S A SOCIOECONOMIC? >> YES. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE DRAFTED FOUR AND THREE THE WAY THAT WE DID. BUT MY COLLEAGUES AND THE PARTNERS THAT ARE DISPLAYED ON THIS MAP COULD TELL YOU MORE ABOUT SOME OF THOSE VERY SPECIFIC AREAS AND

SOME OF THE TRENDS THAT WE SAW. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSAL WHEN YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO SUBMIT ONLINE PERHAPS WITH SOME EXPLANATIONS.

>> YES. WE HOPE TO HAVE SOME RATIONAL.

AND IN MY TESTIMONY, I MENTIONED THAT THIS IS JUST ONE VERY, VERY PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW THE COURT CAN DO THIS.

WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU ALL SUBMIT YOUR OWN RATIONAL. WE'LL DO IT.

YOU CAN DO IT. AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT MANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE HAVE EVEN MORE TIES, MAYBE TIES THAT US AS ORGANIZATIONS DON'T HAVE, TO EVERY SINGLE COMMUNITY IN THOSE DIFFERENT POCKETS. THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE DONE.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> JUDGE, MAY I CALL A VIRTUAL

SPEAKER? >> JUDGE HIDALGO: YEAH, GO

AHEAD. >> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 58, PAM NORMAN, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M PAMELA NORMAN FROM THE COMMUNITY OF -- SERVED BY PRECINCT 2. I'M SPEAKING AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE -- WE OPPOSE ANY RESTRUCTURING THAT REMOVED BARRETT FROM PRECINCT 2. WE ARE IN A CRITICAL POINT OF TIME OF PRESERVATION AND ENSURE OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT THAT COMES TO THE AREA, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CORRIDOR FROM I-10 TO GRANT PARKWAY CUTTING RIGHT THROUGH BARRETT. OUR COMMUNITIES WORK CLOSELY WITH PRECINCT 2 TO CREATE A COMMUNITY PLAN APPROVED BY COMMISSIONERS COURT IN APRIL. IMPLEMENTATION IS GAPING MOMENTUM. WE CANNOT AFFORD THE WORK TO BE SIDE TRACKED OR RUN THE RISK THE SOCIAL SERVICES NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE CUT BECAUSE OF VALUES NOT APPRECIATED BY A NEW PRECINCT.

THAT -- THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS A DUTY OF DOING NO HARM.

REMOVING BARRETT FROM PRECINCT 2 INCREASES THE RISK OF HARM TO OUR COMMUNITY. MY TWO CENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

GUYS WE'RE AT TWO HOURS. SO I PROPOSAL WE TAKE A 15-MINUTE BREAK. BECAUSE WE HAVE QUITE A FEW SPEAKERS. ALL RIGHT. SO IT'S BEEN -- LET'S ROUNDUP -- WE WILL BE BACK AT 6:25. FOLKS CAN GET A BITE, TOO. (RECESS)

[01:45:18]

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: LUCINDA, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY MORE SPEAKERS

MORE? >> 40 I THINK.

>> THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT, JUDGE. I DO HAVE SOME THAT WERE IN-PERSON, SO I DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL TOTAL. BUS I JUST

PRINTED THEM OUT. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: SO MAYBE

AROUND 50ISH MORE I WOULD GUESS? >> THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.

I'M GOING TO COUNT THEM NOW AND LET YOU KNOW.

JUDGE, AROUND 38. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO SOME OTHERS. LET'S CONTINUE.

6:28. COMMISSIONERS COURT IS BACK IN SESSION.

>> YES, MA'AM. VIRTUAL SPEAKER NUMBER 81, RYAN GILBERT WILSON,

GO AHEAD, PLEASE. >> HI. I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE ELLIS MATTER. IT'S BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS. ORIGINALLY, I LOOKED AT IT, AND SAW -- THE MORE I LOOKED AT THE MAP, I WAS EXPECTING TO DISLIKE IT. BUT THE MORE I LOOKED AT IT, IT SEEMED LIKE A VERY REASONABLE MAP. I LIKED THAT IT REUNITED COMMUNITIES OF AREA AND BREAKED UP THE (INAUDIBLE) LIKE PREVIOUSLY. AND REUNITED COMMUNITIES WEST OF HOUSTON AS WELL. I WASN'T -- I'M NOT A FAN OF COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S POLITICS. BUT IT'S A GOOD MAP. AND I'M EXCITED THAT BEING IN THE WEST UNIVERSITY AREA, HE'S GOING TO BE OUR COMMISSIONER. AS I SAID, I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH HIM BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BICYCLE INVESTMENTS IN THE AREA.

GIVEN HIS TRACK RECORD IN THAT AREA. SO I WAS THINKING I WAS

GOING TO DISLIKE THE >> THANK YOU SIR.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SAY THAT MUCH TODAY.

>> VIRTUAL SPEAKER NUMBER 89 RHONDA HURLEY.

>> THIS SURPRISE MEETING YOU CALLED WITH ONLY A THREE DAY NOTICE AND TO BE HELD DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IS IN MY OPINION REP REHENCEABLE. THE MAP WILL ELIMINATE PUBLIC SERVICES TO COMMUNITIES WHO NEED THEM.

I HAVE A SISTER LIVING IN HOME AND HER SERVICES WILL BE CUT IN HALF. EFFICIENT PUBLIC SERVICE NEED TO BE CLOSE TO COMMUNITIES BEING SERVED, YOU ARE DOING A GREAT DISSERVICE TO MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND I FOR ONE CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN MY COMMUNITY.

I FEEL THERE IS A SHAMEFUL ABUSE OF POWER.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 91 IS IN PERSON, AL BROOKS.

>> GOOD EVENING, I LIVE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, AND I COME TO YOU AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS CONCERNED OR CONFUSED. I RECEIVED VERY LITTLE INFORMATION, THE MAP I SAW WAS CONFUSING, MY QUESTION IS, WHEN YOU ARE ADDRESS, THE FIVE YOU ARE ADDRESSING SOMETHING AS CRITICAL AS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY WHERE MILLIONS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE EXCHANGED, I ASK YOU WHAT ARE YOUR OBJECTIVES IN THIS CHANGE. ONE, IS IT JUST TO DO A CHANGE? TWO IS IT A POLITICAL CORRECT CHANGE?

[01:50:02]

>> THANK YOU SIR, YOUR TIME UP IS UP.

>> THE NEXT SPEAKER ALSO IN PERSON, SPEAKER NUMBER 93, LYNN WALKER.

>> RESIDENT OF PRECINCT THREE, I OBJECT TO RODNEY ELLIS'S PLAN.

PROPER AND TIMELY NOTICE WAS NOT GIVEN, SECOND THIS PROPOSAL OFFERS NO BENEFIT TO PRECINCT 3 AND 4 RESIDENTS BOTH BASIC AND EMERGENCY SERVICES WOULD BE SEVERELY DEGRADED AND CRITICAL RESPONSE TIMES WOULD BE DRASTICICALLY INCREASED AND REPUBLICAN RESIDENTS WOULD BE MARGINALIZED AND SILENCED.

THIS IS A POLITICAL STUNT TO GAME TOTAL DEMOCRATIC CONTROL OF HARRIS COUNTY IN ORDER TO ENACT AND ENFORCE LIBERAL AGENDAS AND RAISE TAKES. WE ARE AWARE OF YOUR SCHEMES AND RE RE REMAIN RESOLUTE IN FIGHTING YOUR CORRUPTION.

>> EVERYONE ONE OF ON COMMISSIONERS COURT, WERE ELECTED WITH THE PRESENT BOUNDARIES.

THERE ARE MANY LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM HONOR -- HE CARED DEEPLY ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ALL PEOPLE.

HE SUPPORTED FAIRNESS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

HE NEVER ATTEMPTED TO GERRYMANDER THE PRECINCTS.

STOP PUTTING POLITICS BEFORE PEOPLE, WORK INSTEAD FOR THE GOOD OF OUR LAW ABIDING CITIZENS IN HARRIS COUNTY.

THANK YOU.

>>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING IN. AND ALWAYS FOR YOUR SERVICE

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, PLEASE LOOK AT THE

MAPS. >> YES.

>> NEXT IS VIRTUAL SPEAKER NUMBER 94.

MARSHA. >> YES, I LIVE IN THE -- ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN AND WE HAVE ENOUGH TROUBLE GETTING SERVICES OUT HERE AS IT IS. I DON'T HAVE MUCH IN COMMON WITH MY NEIGHBORS BUT I DO HAVE THE LOCATION IN COMMON AND THAT'S WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT OUR GHEE GRAPHY IS PROBLEM.

. WE HAVE FLOOD CONTROL, ELECTRICITY, ALL OF THOSE UTILITIES WE DEAL WITH, STREETS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, I DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE REDRAWN IN ANY WAY. I DON'T THINK IT IS POLITICAL OR ANYTHING ELSE, I JUST DON'T THINK IS MAKES MUCH SENSE, THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> VIRTUAL SPEAKER NOBODY 95 MICHELLE HINES.

>> CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES.

>> SURE, I'M JUST CONCERNED FIRST OF ALL BECAUSE -- THAT THE ELLIS' PLAN IS WELL AWARE THAT THE REDISTRICTING PLAN IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HEARING COUNTY.

CONSIDERING THE HEARING WAS SCHEDULED TWO DAYS AGO.

VOTER DEMOGRAPHIC IS UNFAIRLY REPRESENTED.

IT WILL DISRUPT 25%. VOTES OF INFLUENCE OF BARRETTE

[01:55:10]

THIS APPEARS TO BE A POWER GRAB THAT WILL DESTROY HARRIS COUNTY AND DESIGNED TO HELP ONE VERY WEAK COMMISSIONER BEING REELECTED. I RESPECTFULLY BEG YOU TO GIVE

US MORE TIME. >> MA'AM, YOUR TIME IS UP, THANK

YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 96. >> HI, I JUST FOUND OUT TODAY THAT THIS CAME UP, GO TO SEVERAL OF THE COMMUNITY CENTERS IN PRECINCT THREE WEEKLY. THERE'S A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS THAT USE THIS AND I JUST FOUND OUT THAT A MAJORITY OF THE CLASSES ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN AND THAT'S JUST SO UNFAIR, THESE ELDERLY PEOPLE, I'M ONE THE YOUNGEST ONE, THEY ARE JUST GOING TO SIT AT HOME AND ROD. THESE PEOPLE ARE MAKING THESE THINGS, I HOPE THAT THEIR PARENTS AND THEM THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN, IT IS JUST, I FEEL IT IS WRONG.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, IT IS WRONG AND I HOPE YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE PUP --

>> THANK YOU. >> VIRTUAL SPEAKER NUMBER 98

CHRIS DANIEL. >> I WANT TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED LINE FROM MY FRIEND RODNEY ELLIS AND POLITICS ASIDE, UNDERSTAND WE WANT TO TRY TO HOLD ON TO CERTAIN POSITIONS, THESE ARE LINES THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE BECAUSE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S IN PLACE, WHETHER IT IS ROAD AND BRIDGE CREW OR MEETING PLACES, THESE CANNOT BE MOVED UNLINE STATE REP LINES OR CONGRESSIONAL LINES. IF THE GOAL IS TO TILT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, JUST GO TO THE 2008 LINES, PRE 2010 CENSUS AND USE THOSE INSTEAD. BECAUSE SILVIA WAS DOING QUITE WELL. MY GOAL IS NOT TO SAY THESE LINES ARE TERRIBLE, BUT TO FOCUS ON WHERE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS

AND NOT PLAY GAMES. >> THANK YOU SIR YOUR TIME IS

UP. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN. >> THANK YOU.

>> VIRTUAL SPEAKER NUMBER 99 GO AHEAD PLEASE.

>> THIS ELLIS PROPOSAL IT TAKING THE POLITICAL GERRYMANDERING TO A NEW LOW. IT WOULD HAVE BY FAR THE LARGEST SHARE OF RESIDENTS LIVING IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS WHILE BEING SPREAD OUT IN WAYS THAT WOULD MAKE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE SERVICES IMPOSSIBLE, IT IS CLEAR THE GOAL OF ELLIS PLAN IS A POWER GRAB TO CEMENT COMPLETE CONTROL.

MANY IN THE COMMUNITY ALSO BELIEVE THE HARRIS COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS NOT FUNCTIONING WELL, LOOK AT HOW DYSFUNCTIONAL OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS, YOU SHOULD NOT MAKE IT WORSE

ADOPTING THE ELLIS PLAN. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 100 IS IN

PERSON. >> I LIVE IN PRECINCT FOUR.

I'M AN ATTORNEY, BUSINESSMAN, HUSBAND, FATHER AND RESIDENT OF HARRIS COUNTY FOR 46 YEARS. UNDER THIS PLAN PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS, BY ANY AANALYSIS, INCLUDING UNDER THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT, YOUR STATED POLICY IN ARTICLE ONE OF THE REDISTRICTING POLICY AND BY THE WAY, UNDER THE U.S.

CONSTITUTION UNDER THE PRINCIPLE OF ONE VOTE, ONE VOTE RULE, YOUR MAP NOT SUSTAINABLE FROM A VOTER REPRESENTATION POINT OF VIEW OR CONSTITUENT SERVICE WHICH SHOULD BE YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE.

[02:00:04]

THIS REDISTRICTING MAP SEEKED TO POLITICAL IMPAIR WHITE SEGMENTS THE REST WEST SIDE THE COUNTY WITHOUT REGARD OF WHAT YOUR JOB IS IN FIRST PLACE, WHICH IS TO SERVE CONSTITUENT WITH --

>> THANK YOU SIR YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> LUCINDA, WE HAVE A COUPLE FOLKS WALK IN IN PERSON.

>> I HAVE TWO THAT ARE ONLINE THEN WE CAN DO THE IN PERSONS.

>> WE WILL DO THAT. THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 90 GO AHEAD PLEASE.

>> MY CATHERINE, I'M A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF PRECINCT THREE, WE RAISED OUR CHILDREN, WE HAVE THREE GRANDCHILDREN LIVING IN THE PRECINCT AS WELL. I'M SEEKING SUPPORT OF COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PLAN TO KEEP OUR AREA IN THE SAME COMMISSIONER'S PRECINCT AS IT HAS BEEN.

WE VALUE THE SAFETY AND GOOD COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR REGION WHICH HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY GOOD LEADERSHIP, THE ELLIS PLAN DRASTICALLY CHANGES OUR REPRESENTATION AND WOULD NOT BE EFFICIENT FOR COUNTY SERVICE.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> I HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER 65, GO AHEAD LEASE.

>> I REPRESENT MYSELF TO ADVOCATE FOR A MAP SIMILAR TO THE UNIT MAP MENTIONED EARLIER BUT ONE THAT UNIFIES ASIAN NEIGHBORHOODS. I HAVE SLIDES TODAY BUT I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE THEM, THE POINT IS, THE CURRENT MAP WE HAVE FROM 2010 SPLITS ASIAN NEIGHBORHOODS INTO THREE PRECINCTS.

THE ONE BENEFIT CURRENT MAP IS THAT IT HAS ASIANS IN PRECINCT THREE AT 13.5%, THAT SHOULD BE A BASE LINE FOR FUTURE MAPS.

COMMISSIONER ELLIS, YOUR MAP IS GREAT BUT IT ALSO SPLITS ASIAN AMERICAN. WE CAN APPROVE ON THE MAP.

IF WE UNITE ALL FOUR OF THEM, IT ACTUALLY INCREASED ASIANS FROM

13.5 TO 14.6%. >> THANK YOU SIR, YOUR TIME IS

UP. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE, I CAN'T HEAR YOU. >> IF YOU LET HIM CONTINUE WALKING THROUGH HIS EXHIBITS, HE HAD SUBMITTED A MAP.

YEAH, CAN WE GO BACK TO THE SLIDES PLEASE.

THERE WAS SOME SLIDES UP THAT HE WAS WALKING THROUGH.

>> YES, MA'AM. IT IS CURRENTLY ON SLIDE NUMBER

TEN. >> MR. CHOW, YOU WERE SAYING UNITING THOSE FOUR AREAS OF TOWN.

>> WE HAVE FOUR AREAS CIRCLED IN PURPLE.

YOU SEE THOSE ARE THE FOUR MOST DENSEST ASIAN NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE CAN UNIFY THEM IN ONE PRECINCT, IF YOU GO ON THE NEXT SLIDE UPS THE ASIAN PERCENTAGE FROM 13.5% TO 14.6%.

DOING SO, NOT ONLY MAKES IT SO WE HAVE A LARGER ASIAN POPULATION THAT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ELECT A CANDIDATE FOR OUR CHOICE, YOU GO ON TO SLIDE 14, IT ALSO CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A LARGE ERBLACK PLURAL TO IN PRECINCT ONE. THAT WILL GO TO 36, 37%.

AND THEN IF YOU GO ON TO SLIDE 17, YOU CAN ALSO CREATE A LARGER HISPANIC MAJORITY IN PRECINCT TW -- TWO.

>> IS THERE A SLIDE WITH THE COMPLETE MAP?

>> YES, THAT SHOULD BE, I THINK ON SLIDE SEVEN.

OR SLIDE EIGHT ACTUALLY. GO TO SLIDE EIGHT.

>> SO BASICALLY, YOU ARE SAYING IT LOOKS LIKE PRECINCT TWO -- IS

[02:05:12]

IN ACTION. >> CORRECT YOUR HONOR, IT IS

SIMILAR. >> IT TAKES ALDEAN AND CONNECTS WITH PASEDNA SOUTHEAST. WHAT'S IN PRECINCT ONE?

>> PRECINCT ONE IS A PLURALTY BLACK POPULATION, IF YOU GO TO SLIDE 13, YOU WILL SEE THAT I CIRCLED THE LARGE HISTORICALLY BLACK PRECINCTS AND THAT'S SUNNY SIDE, THIRD WARD IN THE BOTTOM.

>> I READ THAT ON YOUR SLIDE. AND THAT'S YOUR LOGIC FOR PRECINCTS 3 AND 4? C CREATE A UNITY MAP FOR THE ASIAN POPULATION AND A LOT OF NATURAL GEOGRAPHIC THINGS LIKE THE RESERVOIRS, THEY ARE COMMON TO THAT PRECINCT. ALSO, A MENTION THE LARGE IMMIGRANT POPULATION, THIS IS THE MOST DIVERSE PRECINCT, A LARGE IMMIGRANT POPULATION BUT ALSO HAS A LARGE POPULATION OF MIDDLE CLASS, I COULD SAY ANGLO-AMERICANS IN THIS PRECINCT, PEOPLE WHO WOULD TYPICALLY, TEND TO BE ABLE TO VOTE IN COALITION WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR.

AND SO THESE ARE THE COMMUNITIES THAT FROM MY BELIEF WOULD ACTUALLY BE IN A MORE COHESIVE DISTRICT COMPARED TO PRECINCT FOUR, YOU HAVE MOST OF NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY AND --

>> THE SLIDE ISN'T ON THE MAP ANY MORE.

CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE CAN COMPLETE MAP.

>> WHAT SLIDE IS THAT? >> SLIDE EIGHT.

SCREW THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT PRECINCT FOUR, WHAT'S YOUR LOGIC BEHIND THAT?

>> SURE, IN PRECINCT FOUR, IF YOU LOOK AT THOUSANDS NEIGHBORHOODS, TOM BALL SPRINGS, CYPRUS, THEY SIMILAR, SUB URBAN, MIDDLE CLASS, AND YOU CONNECTING THING TO KINGWOOD IN THE NORTHEAST, THOSE AREAS ARE VERY SIMILAR IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHICS. COMBINING THEM INTO ONE AREA MEANS THAT YOU ACTUALLY GET MORE EQUAL REPRESENTATION, I WOULD SAY THE BEST PART OF THIS TYPE OF MAP THAT'S SIMILAR TO THE UNITY MAP, IT ACTUALLY INCREASES THE MINORITY REPRESENTATION.

YOU HAVE SIMILAR TYPES OF PEOPLE BEING REPRESENTED IN ONE TYPE OF

DISTRICT. >> AND WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR MAP AND WHAT WE ARE CALLING THE UNITY MAP THAT USE

TON IN ACTION PRESENTED? >> THERE IS VERY SLIGHT DIFFERENCES. THE UNITY MAP HAS A FEW SPLIT PRECINCTS, YOU USED DAVE'S REDISTRICTING APP, YOU FOLLOW CURRENTLY EXISTING PRECINCTS, I BELIEVE THEY USED DISTRICT R, AND AS A RESULT, JUST THE WAY IT CONSTRUCTS DISTRICTS, SPLITS A LOT OF PRECINCTS, IT IS NOT AS USER FRIENDLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOVICE LEVEL AT DRAWING DISTRICTS LIKE MYSELF.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU FOR WALKING UP THROUGH THE PROPOSEAL.

>> THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU ARE DOING DURING THESE MEETINGS.

>> THE NEXT SPEAKER, SPEAKER NUMBER 28 IS IN PERSON, ALSO A

SLIDE TO SHARE. >> WHAT NUMBER WAS THAT LUCINDA?

>> I'M SORRY, NUMBER 28. >> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD EVENING. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC POLICY AT HOUSTON IN ACTION. OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS WE FACILITATED A COMMUNITY MAPPING PROCESS AND THAT HAS CULMINATED IN THE UNIT MAP PROPOSAL. OUR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS MAPPED THE TOTAL OF 43 COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WHICH LEADERS

[02:10:02]

WE PRESERVE HISTORIC BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS, IS PRESERVES PRECINCT TWO AND MAKES IT AN EVEN MORE STRONGLY HISPANIC DISTRICT. PRECINCT FOUR GROUPS X URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN HARRIS COUNTY.

>> THANK YOU SIR, YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO COVER FROM YOUR EXHIBIT?

>> NO, THAT SUM IT IS UP, THIS WAS BASED ON INTERVIEWS AND GROUP MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNT IT IS ROOTED IN ISSUES THAT REGULAR RESIDENTS IDENTIFY.

>> YOUR MAP IS IN THE SAME. >> YOUR MIC PLEASE SIR.

>> I'M SORRY, I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT THE MAP THAT -- IT

WAS THE UNITY MAN. >> YOU HEARD SOME OF SPEAKERS, THE UNITY MAP IS SOME WHAT SIMILAR TO THE OBVIOUSLY MR. CHOW'S MAP, AND SOME WHAT SIMILAR TO THE ELLIS MAP AS WELL. IT'S DIFFERENT OUT WEST BUT THEY'VE GOT SOME SIMILARITIES BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT PRECINCT FOUR IS SOME WHAT SIMILAR, YOU HEAR FOLKS COMMENTS ABOUT PRECINCT FOUR, WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT IS RELEVANT TO THE COMMENTS FOLKS ARE MAKING.

HOW TO SQUARE THE COMMENTS WE ARE HEARING VERSUS THE COMMENTS YOU GUYS HEARD IN YOUR ENGAGEMENT PROCESS?

>> WE DESIGNED PRECINCT FOUR TO INCLUDE THE COUNTIES WITH RURAL COMMUNITIES. THESE ARE AREAS THAT THINK SHARE A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES, SAME KIND OF COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE THIS AREA. WE MADE SURE TO INCLUDE IN PRECINCT THREE THE COMMUNITIES WHICH HEAVY AAPI POPULATIONS.

WHERE IN THE CURRENT MAP IT IS SPLIT BETWEEN 3 AND 1 IN OUR MAP IT IS ENTIRELY WITHIN THREE, SPRING BRANCH IS WITHIN THREE.

I WOULD SAY ANOTHER DIFFERENCE IS THAT SINCE PRECINCT TWO, SINCE WE NEED TO ADD POPULATION TO PRECINCT TWO, WE DECIDED TO INCLUDE PART OF SHELDON. IT IDENTIFIES WITH THE REST OF EASTERN HARRIS COUNTY.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> THE NEXT SPEAKER, SPEAKER NUMBER 35, ALSO A VISUAL AID.

>> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.

>> GOOD EVENING, I'M THE DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF M GAGE.

>> JUST PULL IT TOWARD YOU SO WE CAN HEAR.

I'M ON BEHALF OF EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE AND HOUSTON IN ACTION, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE A MAP WHICH WE REFER TO AS THE UNITY MAP THAT WOULD REFLECT THE GROWTH IN HARRIS COUNTY. IT HAS BEEN WORKED ON BY THREE ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AT FACIL FACILITATED BY HOUSTON IN ACTION.

WE HAVE CENTERED IMPACTED VOICES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE MAPS. THEY ASKED OPENED ENDED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THEIR COMMUNITIES LIKE LOOK I SOME DESCRIBE THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH SHARED CULTURE, LANGUAGES, OR JUST THERE THEIR GENERATIONAL TIES TO THE

[02:15:06]

COMMISSIONER ELLIS -- >> THANK YOU MA'AM YOUR TIME IS

UP. >> IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO

COVER AS FAR AS THE EXHIBIT. >> I WANTED TO FOCUS AND A PARTICULAR ISSUE, IN OUR MAP WITH PRECINCT THREE, WE INCLUDED RESERVOIRS IN PRECINCT SO THOSE WHAT WERE IMPACTED BY FLOODING, THEY WOULD HAVE ONE POINT OF CONTACT.

FOLKS USUALLY, ESPECIALLY RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW WHO TO GO TO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHO TO REACH IN ORDER TO

GET ADEQUATE FUNDING IN TIME. >> IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU

HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY? >> ONE THE MOST STARK DIFFERENCES I THINK THAT YOU MENTIONED, IT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT BEN CHOW PRESENTED. I HAVE CONCERNED THAT THE ASIAN COMMUNITY IS BEING CRACKED IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, THERE ARE A LOT OF SHARED INTERESTS IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO MAINTAIN THE COMMUNITY. WHEN WE ARE CRACKED ACROSS SO MANY DIFFERENT PRECINCTS IS MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE HEARD ESPECIALLY HEN WE HAVE SHARED INTERESTS.

>> I'M SORRY, CAN YOU MENTION THAT LAST PIECE AGAIN.

>> SO WHEN OUR COMMUNITIES ARE CRACKED, ESPECIALLY THE ASIAN COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PRIMARILY MARGINALIZED, THE ASIAN COMMUNITY IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON IS AT 13%, THIS MAP WOULD FURTHER CRACK IT TO BE ABOUT 12%.

WE KIND OF WANT TO ACTUALLY HAVE THESE MAP REFLECT THEIR GROWTH, OUR ESTIMATE SHOULD BE THESE MAPS SHOULD BE ABOUT THE SAME OR AT LEAST BE 14% IN POSSIBLE. WE DIDN'T JUST USE RACE AS AN EXAMPLE, WE ALSO TIED THESE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER TO SHARED CULTURES, BUSINESSES AND SOCIO ECONOMIC STATUS.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE, NEXT FEW SPEAKERS ARE ALL SIGNED UP IN PERSON BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY ARE STILL THERE, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THE 5TH FLOOR OVERFLOW ROOM HAS BEEN

CLEAR. >> WE HAVE TWO FOLKS HERE, YOU GUYS HAVE NOT SPOKEN? LET ME CALL THEM UP, THEY WALKED UP ABOUT TEN MINUTES AGO, GO AHEAD MA'AM.

>> THANK YOU, MY NAME IS LAURA KATES, I'M A 43 YEAR RESIDENT OF HARASS -- HARRIS, COUNTY, TAXPAYERS RESPECT, RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

THE TIME WE HAD TO REVIEW THE MAPS WAS TOO SHORT ABOUT THE THE PROPOSED ELLIS MAPPED LACKS ANY BASIS OF STRONG REASONING AND I STRONGLY OPPOSE IT. IT IS NOT BASED ON ANY CONSTITUENT CONCERNS, IT IS NOT BASED ON FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, IT IS NOT BASED ON OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES, IT IS NOT BASED ON MAXIMIZING COUNTY RESOURCES, IT IS NOT BASED ON OPTIMIZING COMMUNITY SERVICES NOR COMMUNITY SAFETY.

AND IT IS DEFINITELY NOT BASED ON LOGIC AND COMMON SENSE.

ALL THE COMMENTS I'M HEARING ARE UNIFIED IN STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE RAMSEY PLAN. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> COULD I ASK YOU A QUESTION, YOU KNOW YOU ARE ACTIVE AND INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> YES. >> SO WHEN THEY SEE THINGS LIKE REMOVAL OF 29 PARKS, OUT OF PRECINCT THREE, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE GENERAL THOUGHT IN TERMS OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND

EVERYTHING ELSE. >> WELL, ALL THE THINGS THAT I'M HEARING IS PRECINCT THREE THUS FAR HAS BEEN VERY WELL RUN, WE'VE HAD THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A VERY WELL RUN OPERATION THERE AND CONCERN IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE ARE NOT OF CONCERN AND SO THEY ARE AFTER PRECINCT THREE TO TAKE ALL THESE THINGS WAY FROM US, AND PUT THEM SOME WHERE ELSE BUT NONE OF IT MAKES ANY SENSE, MOST OF THE PEOPLE I KNOW, THEY A 5TH GRADER COULD FIGURE OUT THIS IS NOT LOGICAL. AND THEY ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED.

[02:20:04]

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE, WE HAVE THE NEXT GENTLEMEN.

>> YES, SIR, SORRY.

>> GOOD MY NAME IS CURT KATES. WE HEARD THE OVERWHELMING OPPOSITION TO THE ELLIS PLAN TONIGHT, AND I'M HERE TO STRONGLY OPPOSE THAT PLAN. I THINK IT IS OBVIOUS IT IS INEFFICIENT, AS MANY AS COMPLAINED, RESULTS IN SILLY GEOGRAPHIC ISSUES AND FINANCIAL CHALLENGES.

IN FACT, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYONE TALK ABOUT HOW WE WOULD EVER KNOW THE FINANCIAL COST TO REEXAMINE OR RESTAFF ALL THE OTHER PRECINCTS. NO SUFFICIENT NOTICE TO LOOK AT THIS, I THINK THAT SMELLS LIKE A POLITICAL STUNT I'M HERE TO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE RAMSEY PLAN, THANK YOU,

>> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE, I UNDERSTAND, THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS.

>> WE DO HAVE TWO FOLKS HERE IN PERSON.

LET ME TAKE THEM UP, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ON LINE.

>> I DO NOT THANK YOU. >> GO AHEAD, SIR.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND A AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.

>> I'M THE PRESIDENT OF HARRIS COUNTY SENIOR SOFTBALL LEAGUE.

CLAY ROAD IS NAMED AFTER MY GREAT, GREAT GRANDFATHER.

I KNOW HOW IT IS TO BE DISENFRANCHISED, CONSERVATIVE VOTER. DURING THE THREE MONTH DELAY BECAUSE OF COVID WE STARTED PLAYING THERE AFTER, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNT CAME BECAUSE WE WERE THE ONLY PRECINCT THAT WAS PLAYING SOFTBALL AND NOT ONCE SINGLE CASE OF COVID WAS SPREAD AT THE FIELD. I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE NEGLECTED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HOW DURING HARVEY WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAJUN NAVY COME IN AND SAFE OUR PEOPLE.

>> THANK YOU SIR, YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MA'AM, ARE YOU SPEAKING AS

WELL? >> GO AHEAD.

>> HELLO, I'M A RESIDENT OF FLEETWOOD VILLAGE, I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT THREE, I'M THE RECORDING SECRETARY OF THE MEMORIAL SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 16. I BASICALLY LIKE TO REITERATE THAT I AGREE WITH SO MANY OF MY FELLOW CONSTITUENTS IN SAYING I BELIEVE THE ELLIS MAP IS WASTEFUL, DESTRUCTIVE AND AN EXAMPLE OF PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING.

IT IS RIPPING NEIGHBORHOODS APART THAT HAVE BEEN COHESIVE FOR DECADES. FOR EXAMPLE EVEN THE MEMORIAL SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH AGREED TO INTERFACE RESIDENTS WITH CITY GOVERNMENT IT WOULD BE RIPPED IN TWO, I BELIEVE IT IS AN INEFFICIENT SPLITTING OF MAINTENANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

OF IMPORTANT ENTITIES -- >> THANK YOU YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> WHAT WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT WAS MENTIONED?

>> CHERRY HERSHEY PARK, BUFFALO BAYOU.

MOST OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WERE FLOODED AND, SO THIS IS VERY

IMPORTANT TO US, >> THANK YOU.

>> ANY OTHER SPEAKERS HERE IN PERSON?

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PROPOSED MAP. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE NOTICE GIVEN FOR THIS HEARING, WHY IS THIS PROCESS BEING RUSHED TO THE

[02:25:04]

IT IS A VERY RUSHED PROCESS, WITH VERY LITTLE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE CHANGES. AND OR ANY DATA OF JUSTIFICATION REGARDING WHY THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE A BENEFIT TO THE CONSTITUENT OF HARRIS COUNTY. THERE IS A PURE LACK OF INFORMATION REGARDING WHY THE MAPS ARE DRAWN THE WAY COMMISSIONER ELLIS MAPS ARE PROPOSED WITH SUCH WHOLESALE CHANCES THAT WILL DISENFRANCHISE VOTERS.

WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO REGARDING REDISTRICTING IN

HARRIS COUNTY. >> THANK YOU SIR, YOUR TIME IS

UP, >> MAYOR, YOU KNOW YOU ARE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE, WHAT DO YOU HEAR FROM THE OTHER LEADERS, I KNOW YOU HAVE A VERY ACTIVE MAYOR COUNCIL, WHAT

ARE THEIR COMMENTS? >> A LOT OF THIS WE JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT AT THE END OF LAST WEEK.

WE KNEW THERE WERE GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S OFFICE WAS TOUTED IT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN PRECINCT TWO THAT THEY WERE CHANGING IT TO ENSURE A REPUBLICAN COULDN'T GET ELECTED IN PRECINCT TWO. WE HAVE BEEN ONE THE MORE DIVERSE PRECINCTS IN REGARDS TO ELECTED BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD SIGN, SO THERE'S NO JUSTIFICATION ON WHY WHOLESALE CHANGES NEED TO OCCUR.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> WE JUST HAD ANOTHER SPEAKER WALK IN, A COUPLE MORE, ALL

RIGHT, GO AHEAD. >> I'M HERE TO OPPOSED PROPOSED MAP BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS, I HAVE THREE POINTS.

THE NEW MAP PROPOSAL EFFECTS THE COUNTS PUTTING UNEQUAL LOAD AND TROUBLE IN DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICES.

THIS WOULD IMPACT NUMBER TWO IS SO MANY PEOPLE THEIR JOBS, COMMUNITIES AND VOTING. WOULD GIVE DEMOCRATS MORE POWER.

I DIDN'T HEAR THIS UNTIL YESTERDAY.

NUMBER THREE, THIS WILL GIVE A GREAT MAJORITY TO THE DEMOCRATS AND THEIR PROPOSALS, I STRONGLY OBJECT TO IT, AND I WOULD L--

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> MY NAME IS SUSAN, I'M PRECINCT THREE.

I JUST FOUND ABOUT THIS 48 HOURS AGO FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IT IS NOT VERY PUBLIC. AND THAT'S UP SETTING.

THIS IS JUST A POWER GRAB TO REDRAW THE PRECINCT LINES AND PUT ALL THE REPUBLICAN VOTERS IN ONE PRECINCT AND PUT THE MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS IN REMAINING THREE PRECINCTS.

YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES, THIS IS RIDICULOUS

AND I WANT RAMSEY'S MAPS, >> THANK YOU.

>> I'M A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT THREE, I SUPPORT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PLAN AND THANK HIM FOR HIS EFFORT TO LET THE VOTERS OF HARRIS COUNTY KNOW ABOUT THE CORRUPTION THAT IS OCCURRING AT ALL LEVELS THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S PLAN IS ONE IN A LONG LINE OF PROPOSALS THAT ARE BLATANTLY POLITICAL AND NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF VOTERS IN HARRIS COUNTY. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. GO AHEAD.

ARE YOU HERE TO SPEAK? ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN PERSON?

>> YEAH. ROBERT, WERE YOU LISTED TO

SPEAK? >> I'M NOT SURE WHERE I AM.

>> THEY CALLED YOUR NAME.

>> MY NAME IS ROBERT, I'M A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT ONE, I SUBMITTED THE MAP THAT IS THERE, THIS MAP DEMONSTRATES THAT BY LOOKING PRIMARILY AT PARTISANSHIP, YOU CAN USE THE GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION OF HARRIS COUNTY' DEMOCRATIC VOTE TO DRAW A MAP WHERE DEMOCRATS HAVE A CHANCE OF WINNING ALL

[02:30:04]

WHILE PARTISAN ADVANTAGE IS A KEY FACTOR IN REDISTRICTING, WHETHER IT IS SAID PUBLICLY OR NOT, I RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL LOOK AT OTHER FACTORS.

THE COURT WILL WEIGH ADDITIONAL POLICY OBJECTS AND MUST ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACTS, BUT THIS MAPS DEMONSTRATES HOW BY LOOKING PRIMARILY AT PARTISANSHIP YOU

CAN MOVE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS. >>> YOU DO POST YOUR MOP RIGHT?

>> YES. >> WHEN WAS THAT?

>> I POSTED IT LAST WEEK, I TESTIFIED AT TSU AND THEN POSTED

IT AFTER. >> HOW LONG, I KNOW YOU RUN NUMBERS ALL THE TIME, HOW LONG HAS THE COUNTY BE PRETTY MUCH

DEMOCRATIC? >> IT SHIFTED IN BASICALLY FOUR

-- TWO CYCLES AGO. >> THANK YOU.

>> I DO HAVE YOUR MAP IN FRONT OF ME, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT IT TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE BOUNDARIES?

>> NO, JUST LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT PARTISANSHIP, THAT YOU CAN DRAW THIS MAP WHERE DEMOCRATS WOULD HAVE A FAIR CHANCE TO BE ELECTED IN ALL FOUR PRECINCTS.

>> THANK YOU FOR COMING BY, AND YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE GUIDING PRINCIPALS THAT WE PASS AT THIS COURT?

>> I LOOK AT THEM, YES. >> DID YOU FOLLOW THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPALS AS YOU PUT THIS MAP TOGETHER.

>> NO I WAS LOOKING PRIMARILY AT PARTISANSHIP, THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL HAVE TO WEIGH OTHER POLICY OBJECTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE

VOTING RIGHTS ACT. >> VERY GOOD.

>> BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL TEST AND DEEP THOUGHT WITH ESPECIALLY GETTING YOUR ATTORNEYS TO GIVE YOU ADVICE

WOULD BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. >> GOOD DEAL, THANK YOU.

>> THIS DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT IS TRYING TO KEEP COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

>> NO. PARTISANSHIP WAS THE GUIDING FACTOR, BUT IT STARTS WITH COMMUNITIES AS LAID OUT IN THE PLAN AND TRYING TO -- AS I TOOK THE PARTISANSHIP, IT OFTEN LEADS

TO COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. >> RIGHT, THAT MAKES SENSE,

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU ROBERT.

>> ANY OR SPEAKERS? GO AHEAD.

>> I KNOW YOU E-MAILED ME AND MR. --

>> STATE YOUR NAME. >> JOHN ENRIGHT WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. I'M ADVOCATING FOR MY COMMISSIONER MAP PROPOSAL WHICH CAN BE FOUND.

I WAS INSPIRED TO CREATE THIS MAP PROPOSAL AFTER KNOWING HOW THE CURRENT PRECINCTS WERE SHAPED.

A MAP SHOWED THE STRONG CORRELATION BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC VOTING BLOCKS AND PRECINCT ONE. SEVERAL SPEAKERS AT COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MEETING, MANY FELT AS IF THEIR VOTE WAS BEING DILUTED, UNFORTUNATELY THEY ARE CORRECT, IT IS TIME NOT TO MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS, BUT TO RETHINK HOW OUR PRECINCTS SHOULD BE DIVIDED.

>> THANK YOU FOR SUBMITTING YOUR MAP.

I HAVE IT PULLED UP HERE AND I'M LOOKING AT IT, CAN YOU WALK THROUGH IT? AND IT IS INTERESTING THERE'S COMMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD, ANY WAY, JUST WALK THERE THE PR

PROPOSAL. >> I KIND OF FOLLOWED WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID IN THEIR SUBMISSIONS, THEY THOUGHT PRECINCT ONE WAS WEIRD SHAPED AND THEY WANTED FOUR CORNERS OF THE PIE AS ONE PERSON PUT IT. I WANT TO PUT THAT IDEA THAT WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE POPULATION REQUIREMENTS, THE SECOND MAP TAKES THE NEW STATE HOUSE LINES IN CONSIDERATION.

THERE'S A LITTLE NORTH OF I-TEN IN SPRING VALLEY VILLAGE, SO

[02:35:08]

THEN SOME OF THE EASTERN SIDE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 142, MOVED SOME OF LINES BETWEEN 2 AND 4, THE LINE GOING EASTBOUND FROM

DOWNTOWN UP. >> I'M JUST CURIOUS, WHEN DID YOU SUBMIT YOUR MAP? WHEN DID YOU PUT IT ONLINE?

>> THE SECOND MAP I BELIEVE WAS UPLOADED YESTERDAY, THERE'S ONE A SUBMITTED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THE FIRST ONE, JUST WITH THE STATE HOUSE MAP, OBVIOUSLY THAT JUST GOT PASSED.

>> HOW ARE YOU KEEPING COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER? WHAT WAS YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPAL?

>> THE SHAPE, OF COURSE IS THE MAIN THING, I DID TAKE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST IN CONSIDERATION.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST SUBMITTED THROUGHOUT THE STATE, ANYTHING WITHIN HARRIS COMMUNITY INTO CONSIDERATION MOST PARTS OF CADY, CLOSER TO I-TEN, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WHERE IT WAS ON LINE, MADE SURE TO KEEP THAT.

>> I'M JUST CURIOUS, I KNOW YOU ACT WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, WHAT IS THAT AFFILIATION THAT PROMPTED YOU TO DO A MAP.

>> I ACTUALLY GOT INVOLVED FAIRLY RECENTLY, THEY HAVE THE RISING STARS PROGRAM, THEY HAVE ABOUT 20 PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE CITY THAT COME TOGETHER. THERE ASA LOT OF HOMELESS OUTREACH TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY CAN VOTE AND OF COURSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE EVERY TEN YEARS, AND OBVIOUSLY IT IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVERY VOTE, WE DON'T WANT POLITICIANS PICKING THEIR OWN VOTERS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED ME AND THE STATE LEVEL GETS A LOT OF ATTENTION, THERE ARE PEOPLE WAITING ALL DAY WAITING TO SPEAK, SO THAT GETS A LOT OF ATTENTION BUT I THINK ESPECIALLY THIS ONE, THIS HASN'T GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION FOR THE MOST PART SOME OF THE REPUBLICANS WERE E-MAILING LAST MINUTE.

>> IT IS EASY TO THROW STONES, IT IS A LOT MORE EFFORT TO PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE. I THINK YOU PUT SOMETHING UP BEFORE EVEN I ASKED DID SOMETHING GO UP.

THANK YOU, >> THANK YOU.

>> ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? >> ONE THE CRITERIA THAT WE HAVE IS THAT FOLKS WE RESPECT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ELECTED I'M LOOKING AT YOUR MAP, PRECINCT FOUR IS GOING TO BE UNDER YOUR MAP IN THE SOUTHEAST AREA OF TOWN, AND I'VE NOT LIVED THERE FOR 30 YEARS. I NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY IS NOT LIVING IN PRECINCT THREE AS IS DRAWN, COMMISSIONER ELLIS MAY LIVE IN PRECINCT ONE, DOWN IN THE CORNER.

>> I CAN CHECK ON THAT. I KNOW IT HAD MY HOUSE ON IT.

>> PRECINCT TWO, I DON'T THINK COMMISSIONER GARCIA LIVES THERE, BUT NONE OF THE FOLKS ARE IN THOSE PRECINCTS, THAT BY DESIGN

OR THE WAY IT CAME OUT. >> THIS WAS JUST THE WAY IT CAME OUT. IF YOU WANT TO FLIP THE NUMBERS

AROUND. >> YOU STATED EARLIER YOU WERE WORKING ON YOU DRAWING THE MAPS INSTEAD OF US DRAWING THE MAPS, YOU WEREN'T CHECKING WHERE WE LIVE.

>> CORRECT. >> YOU SAID YOU ARE TRYING TO DO

FOUR SLICES OF A PIE? >> YES, SOME SUBMITTED IT AS THEY DIDN'T COMING OUT AT OFFICIAL PLANNED PROPOSAL, ON WEBSITE THERE WAS THE PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS TAB.

JUST WANT TO KIND OF THAT THAT VERSION BY THE SAME LOGIC THAT IT COULD BE MORE BETTER SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND LOGICAL IN GENERAL BUT ALSO COMPLY ANT WITH THE RULES.

>> DO YOU KNOW WHICH PRECINCT YOU LIVE?

>>> CURRENTLY I LIVE IN PRECINCT FOUR.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> ABSOLUTE PLEA.

>> ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN PERSON? >> DO YOU ANYBODY ELSE ON LINE?

[02:40:06]

>> THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE, TRULY AND PARTICULARLY THE FOLKS WHO SUBMITTED THEIR MAPS, IT IS CLEAR A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN PUT INTO EACH OF THE SUBMISSIONS, I FOR ONE AM SURE MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME IN SAYING WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS

[County Attorney (Part 2 of 2)]

>> THANK YOU JUDGE, MY COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE MUCH ON THE PROCESS SINCE WE BEGAN THIS, MY CONSISTENT INPUT AND EVERYTHING WE TALKED ABOUT IN MY MEETINGS AND EVERYTHING WE TALKED ABOUT AT LEAST HERE HAS BEEN TRYING TO MAINTAIN LINES TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY CLOSE TO WHERE THEY ARE NOW.

WHY WOULD I DO THAT? I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FROM BEING ABLE TO SERVE CONSTITUENTS.

SO I THINK THE PROCESS, AT THIS POINT, IS CORRUPT, CORRUPT IN THE SENSE THAT THERE'S A MAP THAT'S BEEN GENERATED, REFERRED TO AS COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MAP, A WEEK AGO, CLEARLY, CLEARLY IT IS OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE THAT'S THE MAP PREFERRED BY THE MAJORITY ON THE COURT. AND TO HAVE ONE WEEK TO RESPOND TO SUCH A DRASTIC CHANGE, I THINK THAT'S A CONSISTENT COMMENT FROM THE FOLKS HERE. WHEN YOU SAY, WHEN I SAY I THINK THE PROCESS IS CORRUPT, I'M SAYING THAT WE HAVEN'T GIVEN PEOPLE ENOUGH TIME TO LOOK AT THIS, IT IS APPARENT THAT THERE IS A PLAN TO BLOW UP THE CURRENT PRECINCTS, PARTICULARLY MINE, IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER PRECINCTS THEY HAVE BEEN ENHANCED, EXCEPT FOR MINE, ENHANCED IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS BETTER, I HAVE 60 SOMETHING PARKS IN MY PRECINCTS, YOU ARE GOING TO REMOVE 29 OF THEM.

WE HAVE A SYSTEM OF TAKING CARE OF CONSTITUENTS THROUGH PARKS, THIS IS ABOUT SERVING CONSTITUENTS, SO I WOULD -- THE OTHER WORD I WOULD USE BESIDE CORRUPT, I WOULD SAY CHAOS.

THIS APPROACH IN PARTICULARLY COMMISSIONER ELLIS' PLAN WHICH IS CLEARLY WHAT'S GOING TO BE PUSHED, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THAT WOULD CREATE IN MY PRECINCT ALONE, FOLKS, THAT'S 500,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING NOT JUST SOME WHAT SERVED, BUT EXCEPTIONALLY SERVED BY FOLKS IN PRECINCT THREE.

THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY THOUGHT, WELL HOW WE GOING TO DO THAT? WE ARE GOING TO TRANSFER 29 PARKS, WE ARE GOING TO TRANSFER, FIVE COMMUNITY CENTERS, WE ARE GOING TO TRANSFER TAKING CARE OF TO THOUSAND MILES OF ROAD, WE ARE JUST GOING TO DO OVERNIGHT, ONE DAY IT IS IN PRECINCT THREE, NEXT DAY IT IS IN PRECINCT FOUR, WHAT ARE ALL THE EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO BE DOING, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE CONSTITUENTS THEY'VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF FOR 30 YEARS. HOW'S THAT GOING TO WORK WITH COMMISSIONER INHERITING 29 PARKS.

CHAOS WOULD BE A WORD, SO CORRUPT, CHAOS, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY IT IS ABOUT CONTROL. BECAUSE WHAT WE ALL KNOW THIS IS FOLKS, THIS IS ABOUT GETTING THAT 4TH VOTE ON COMMISSIONERS COURT. BY ELIMINATING ONE REPUBLICAN GUARANTEED, WORK ON THAT, ELIMINATE ONE REPUBLICAN, THAT WILL GUARANTEE YOU THAT TAXES WILL BE INCREASED EVERY YEAR, ONLY REASON TAXES HAVE NOT BEEN INCREASED THE LAST THREE YEARS IS YOU HAD THAT OPTION OF THE 4TH VOTE HAVING NOT BEING HERE.

SO I WOULD SAY, MAN, THIS IS A MATTER OF -- IT IS A CORRUPT, IT IS ONE THAT CREATES CHAOS, ITS A MATTER OF CONTROL AND THOSE AREN'T GOOD REASONS, WHAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUS ON IS TAKING CARE OF CONSTITUENTS. RESPONDING TO CONSTITUENTS' NEEDS AND TRANSFERRING, TRANSFERRING LIKE THAT, SUPPORT AND TAKING CARE OF 500,000 PEOPLE OVER NIGHT, I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE HEARING. YOU ARE NOT HEARING A BUNCH OF POLITICS, WHAT YOU ARE HEARING IS SOMEONE TAKING CARE OF THE

[02:45:02]

IT IS EASY TO MODIFY OR CHANGE A STATE REP, BUT THE COMMISSIONERS PRECINCTS ARE DIFFERENT, WE'VE GOT REAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND WHEN YOU JUST IGNORE THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES, WHEN YOU SACRIFICE THOSE THINGS ON ALTAR, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING OTHER TO SAY THAN IT IS CORRUPT, IT IS CHAOTIC AND IT IS ABOUT CONTROL AND I WILL STOP WITH THIS. I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE THREE COURTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.

ONE, IT IS COMMISSIONERS COURT, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION, JUDGE, LIKE WE DID ON THE TAX RIGHT AND GET IN A ROOM AND TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT WHAT WOULD WORK, WHAT WOULD BE SOME OPTION OTHER THAN BLOWING UP ONE PARTICULAR PRECINCT TO ENHANCE THE REST.

I WOULD HOPE WE COULD COME TOGETHER AS A COURT THEN WE HAD THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION. I THINK YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE COURT, YOU HAD NOT HEARD HALF OF WHAT THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION IS REALLY THINKING WHEN YOU START REMOVING 500,000, NOW LET ME REMIND YOU, THERE'S PROBABLY OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE CHANGE IN THAT THEY ARE GOING TO REPORTING TO OTHER, DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE SWAPPING AND GOING ON. THEN THE THIRD COURT, WHICH IS MY HOPE, I WOULD THINK WE WOULD ALL HOPE TO STAY OUT OF THAT THIRD COURT, THE LEGAL COURT, I WOULD THINK WE WOULD WANT TO GET SOMETHING DONE QUICKLY, SO WE STAY OUT OF THAT.

I THINK THIS IS HORRIBLE, I THINK IT IS DISRESPECTFUL TO THE CITIZENS IN PRECINCT THREE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAP I PUT OUT THERE, THAT'S THE LEAST DISRUPTIVE TO PRECINCT THREE AND THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE WITHIN THERE, WHEN YOU HEAR THEM REFER TO I REALLY SUPPORT THE RAMSEY MAP, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR SIX MONTHS, IS YOU KNOW BEST APPROACH IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO LIMIT THE IMPACT TO PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY AS WE TRY TO SERVE PEOPLE, SO WHEN THEY SAY THAT'S THE RAMSEY PLAN, THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. I WOULD FROM A GENERAL STANDPOINT SAY THAT THE PLAN FROM A COUNTY WIDE STANDPOINT,

MY WAS RELATED TO MY PRECINCT. >> THANK YOU JUDGE AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, I WOULD BE PRETTY CAREFUL WHEN YOU USE WORDS LIKE CORRUPT BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE POINTING THE FINGER, NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE POINTING THEM TO, THERE ARE THREE

POINTING BACK AT YOU. >> YOUR MIC COMMISSIONER.

>> I USED ON PURPOSE, THAT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT.

I WILL USE IT AGAIN. >> I KNOW IT WASN'T, AND YOUR IGNORANCE FOR USING IT IS APPARENT.

>> LET ME JUST SAY THAT THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, ANOTHER WORD TO USE IT DUMB. DUMB TO THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE THEIR MINDS MADE UP. I HAVEN'T SUBMITTED NO MAP BECAUSE I WANTED TO HEAR WHAT THE CONVERSATION WAS.

I WANTED TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE. >> JUDGE, I'M FLEXIBLE, I ASSUME I WILL LAY OUT THE PLAN I SUBMITTED IS IT APPROPRIATE TO DO THAT NOW? JUST A COUPLE GENERAL COMMENTS.

ONE POINT WAS I KNEW TIME WAS PASSING.

OBVIOUSLY I MENTIONED EARLIER THE CENSUS WAS DELAID, WE HAVE TO DO THIS ONCE A DECADE. AND I HAVE DONE IT SINCE I WAS AN INTERN AROUND THE CAPITOL, I WATCHED IT HAPPENED SINCE 1975, THE FIRST ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN 1981 AS JUST AN INTERN, BUT I WATCHED IT. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT A NUMBER OF TIMES. IT IS NEVER EASY TO DO, I WANT TO SAY TO YOU COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, IT IS NOT PERSONAL ON MY

[02:50:04]

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON ON IT, BUT I KNOW HOW IT WORKS.

I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT BEFORE I GO THROUGH THE PREPARED COMMENTS, IT WOULD BEING INTERESTING TO LOOK AT THE MAP FROM 2000. YOU ALL JUST GO PULL.

I'VE NOT TALKED TO ANYBODY ON COMMISSIONERS COURT, BUT YOU GO FROM 2000 TO 2010, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, THIS SECTION THAT WAS ADDED UP HIGHER, THAT WAS KINGWOOD, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW MANY MOVED TO GO FROM THIS TO THIS.

AND GO THROUGH OTHER MAPS. AND WHAT IS CALLED ELLIS MAP, I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE THIRD ONE. UNLIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, I HAD HAD TO PUT SOMETHING OUT, YOU GOT TO START DISCUSSING SOME WHERE AT SOME POINT OR WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO IT.

HERE'S WHAT I DID, I LISTENED TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY, NOT JUST AT THE MEETING, I HELD, BUT I HAD MY STAFF LISTEN TO WHAT WAS HELD IN YOURS. YOU KNOW WHO SHOWS UP, WHO THE POLITICIANS GET TO SHOW UP. SOME OF THEM ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY WERE ASKED TO BE, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT SOME OF THEM.

IT HAS TENDED TO UNFORTUNATELY MAINLY INDEEDER BALL, JUDGE I ENCOURAGE TO CREATE A PROCESS TO CREATE MORE INVOLVEMENT.

I APPRECIATE THE MAN FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

I LOOKED AT THE PUBLIC MAPS, I WAS HOPING THAT I WOULD LOOK AT SOME COURT MEMBER MAPS BUT NONE WENT UP.

SO, AT LEAST BECAUSE I TAKE THEIR'S AND FIGURE OUT WHAT I WOULD DO BUT NONE WENT UP. THEN I LOOK ADD THE SENIOR TO OF MEMBERS OF THE COURT. MAYBE IT IS OLD SCHOOL BUT THAT MEN MEANT A LITTLE SOMETHING, I REMEMBER WHEN I WENT ON CITY COUNCIL AND I WAS THE NEWEST ONE, I DON'T KNOW WHY THE -- THEY WERE DRAWING THE LINES IN THE MID-80S.

I WAS THE PERFECT SIZE. THE PLANNING DIRECTOR CAME IN AND SAID, YOU NEED TO GIVE UP SOME PRECINCTS AND TAKE IN SOME PRECINCTS. I JUST SAID I LIKE TO HAVE ASTRODOME. THEN HE SAID, THAT'S ON THE EDGE, HE SAID WHAT DO YOU WANT TO GIVE UP.

I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME, THE FIRST TIME I DID IT AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, SENIOR TO MEANT SOMETHING.

YOU COMMISSIONER, HAPPENED TO THE SENIOR TITY -- A LOT OF THE STUFF WE TALKED ABOUT HERE TODAY WAS NOT IN THE CRITERIA AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE NOBODY BROUGHT IT UP.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT I MENTIONED, HISTORIC COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST, A DESIRE TO HAVE PRECINCTS THAT WOULD ALLOW

[02:55:02]

SOME PEOPLE WON'T ADMIT WHAT THEY WERE DOING IN THE MAPS THEY SUBMITTED, I JUST DID. THE SO CALLED MAP THAT MY COLLEAGUE COMMISSIONER KAGLE HAS THAT I SAW DESCRIBED AT THE STATUS QUO, THREE SOLID REPUBLICAN PRECINCT, I'M NOT KNOCKING IT, WHEN I GOT HERE I WAS BY MYSELF.

THAT WAS BY DESIGN THAT ALL OF THOSE FOLKS OF THE PHILOSOPHY PERSUASION WHO HAPPENED TO VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS WERE STUCK.

TH THREE PRECINCTS PRIMARILY MADE UP OF ESTABLISHED COMMUNITIES. JUST WALKING THROUGH WHAT WAS IN

MY PROCESS. >> CAN YOU REPEAT THAT?

>> THE LAST ONE WAS A DESIRE TO HAVE THREE PRECINCTS PRIMARILY MADE UP OF MORE ESTABLISHED AND DEVELOPED NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND ONE PRECINCT THAT'S PRIMARILY COMPRISED OF MORE REPEATLY DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING

COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. >> I TEND TO THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE ARE BETTER AT WHAT THEY FOCUS ON, YOU HEAR THAT FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER, I HAD IT ALL MY LIFE, HAVE TO REALLY WORK IT STAY FOCUSED.

BUT MOST PEOPLE TEND TO BE BETTER AT WHAT THEY FOCUS ON.

IF AN ADJUSTMENTS NEED TO BE MADE TO POLICIES, PROCEDURES, JUDGMENT, I'M FLEXIBLE, I'M NOT THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE WORLD BUT GOVERNMENT IS ALL I'VE DONE. SINCE HE WAS A KID.

SPECIFIC CONVERSATIONS, KEEP HISTORIC COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER AND REFLECT THE PARTISAN AND PHILOSOPHICAL LEANINGS. MAKE UP THE 10% POPULATION DEAFATION. AND MAKE PRECINCT TWO MORE DEMOCRATIC BASED ON THE PHILOSOPHY TENDENCIES OF HOW PEOPLE ARE VOTING, IT IS NOT THE ONLY INDICATION OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE. IT WAS A RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENT CALLING FOR UNITING THAT COMMUNITY INTO A SINGLE PRECINCT. ALL THE GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, AND TO ACCOMPLISH THAT I MOVED COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST THE NORTHEAST PORTION OF CURRENT PRECINCT TWO THAT ARE MORE REPUBLICAN TO PRECINCT FOUR.

ADDED COMMUNITIES FROM SOUTHEAST PORTION OF CURRENT PRECINCT ONE TO PROPOSED PRECINCT TWO IN ORDER TO ADD POPULATION AND MAKE IT MORE DEMOCRATIC. UNITE ALL PRECINCT TWO, AT POPULATION AND MAKE IT MORE DEMOCRATIC.

PRECINCT FOUR, NORTHEAST PORTION OF PRECINCT TWO WAS ADDED TO PRECINCT FOUR, SO PRECINCT FOUR WAS SHIFTED OVER TO TAKE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. IN ORDER TO HAVE PRECINCT FOUR BECOME PRIMARILY COMPRISED OF MORE DEVELOPED NEIGHBORHOODS, THE BOUNDARIES WERE SHIFTED TO THE NEW PROPOSED PRECINCT 3 AND 1. THE NEW PROPOSED PRECINCT FOUR TAKES IN MORE NEWLY DEVELOPED AREAS IN NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY. THE SHIFT CREATED A NATURAL AND MORE COMPACT WHOLE FOR NEW BOUND AREAS OF PRECINCT THREE.

PRECINCT THREE WAS CONFIGURED IN A MANNER THAT ENSURED ALL CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES WERE KEPT TOGETHER AND BASED ON PHILOSOPHICAL VOTING PREFERENCES TO MAKE IT MORE COMPACT.

AND THEN WHAT I DID, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WENT TO THE NUMBER CRUNCHERS AND SAID HEY, YOU FIGURE IT OUT, I'M GIVING IT TO YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STILL USE RED APPLE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE IN THERE FOR 2 OR 3 DAYS. HERE'S BROAD CONSIDERATION THAT I HAVE. IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN HERE THAT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE LAW, AND I'VE' SEEN THE LAW CHANGE

[03:00:06]

MAYBE THAT'S THE ONE THAT I SHOULD HAVE BUILT ON, BUT I DIDN'T. .

THANK YOU. >> IF YOU COULD, JUDGE, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IT FROM OUR DRAWER I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR HIM.

>> I HAVE PREPARED COMMENTS WHEN THE APPROPRIATE TIME IS JUDGE, I DON'T WANT TO INTERFERE WITH THE QUESTIONING PROCESS.

>> ACTUALLY, COMMISSIONER, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF.

>> I HAVE BEEN CONTRACTED WITH THE COUNT TO HELP THE COMMISSIONERS COURT CONFIGURE MAPS.

>> A COUPLE THINGS, ONE BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL, HOW DO WE COMPARE TO OUR, I GUESS ADHERENCE TO KEEPING VOTING DISTRICTS INTACT IN COMPARISON TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN AT THE STATE.

>> CERTAINLY, AS YOU KNOW, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, THE RATIONAL WAS TO DRAW THEM PARTISANLY AND TO HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF DESTRUCTS BEYOND WHAT THE STATEWIDE NUMBERS WERE JUSTIFY. THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.

CLEARLY IT IS FAVORING REPUBLICANS, ALSO THEY ARE NOT PARTICULARLY COMPACT A STATE SENATE DISTRICT IS SMALLER THAN ONE THE COMMISSIONER DISTRICTS HERE, ONE OF THE DISTRICTS IN FORT WORTH THAT HAD BEEN WITHIN THE COUNTY NOW HAS COUNTIES WHAT

ARE OVER A HUNDRED MILES AWAY. >> THE STATUS QUO MAP THAT THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED EARLIER, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT APPLYING THE

GUIDING PRINCIPLES? >> I PRETTY MUCH FOLLOWED THE OUTLINE THE COMMISSIONER ELLIS LAID OUT.

IT WAS HIS MAP. --.

>> I DIDN'T DRAW THAT MAP. >> I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE

OFFICIAL DRAWER. >> I DID ASSIST COMMISSIONER KAGLE ON SOME MAP, WE DID PROVIDE SOME DATA, I THINK WE WERE RESPONSIVE AND PROVIDED YOU EVERYTHING YOU ASKED FOR BUT THAT MAP THAT WAS POSTED WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD SEEN THAT.

>> OKAY. SO YOU DIDN'T DRAW THIS

PARTICULAR MAP? >> I DID NOT.

>> HOW -- WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT MAP, I GUESS YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE

TO DIGEST IT. >> A LITTLE BIT, I'VE LOOKED AT.

>> WHAT'S YOUR IMMEDIATE ARE ACTION?

>> WELL IT IS NOT A STATUS QUO MAP IT IS A STEP BACK MAP.

THAT MAP KEEPS DISTRICT TWO VERY, VERY VULNERABLE, IT DOESN'T ENHANCE IT AT ALL, BUT IT DOES ENHANCE DISTRICT THREE.

IF YOU DEFINE STATUS QUO AS TWO DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS AND TWO REPUBLICAN DISTRICTS THAT'S NOT A STATUS QUO MAP.

>> THIS IS THE FIRST I'M I HAVE EVER BEEN THROUGH THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS WHEN I WAS SHERIFF WAS THE LAST TIME IS DIRECTLY IMPACTED ME WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL IT ALREADY HAPPENED.

THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED A STATUS QUO MAP?

>> CERTAINLY COULD DRAW A MAP THAT HAS TWO DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS AND TWO REPUBLICAN DISTRICTS.

>> WELL THEN, I HAVEN'T SUBMITTED ANYTHING, I WAS WAITING SEE HOW TONIGHT WOULD MATERIALIZE.

I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED A MOTION, I

[03:05:01]

HOW YOU JUST DEFINED IT. >> I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.

>> AND THEN, YOU KNOW THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS IS THAT -- I WOULD ASSUME THAT WHEN YOU DO DRAW THAT, THAT WILL BE BASED ON OUR

GUIDING PRINCIPLES, >> YES, YES, I WOULD PAY ATTENTION AND ABIDE BY THE PRINCIPLES THEY ARE LAID OUT.

>> TODAY WASN'T THE ONLY DAY TO SUBMIT MAPS?

>> I JUST KIND OF KNEW THE CLOCK WAS TICKING.

>> I KNOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER MEETING POTENTIALLY NEXT WEEK, SO, MAKE SURE THAT I GET THAT, I HATE TO PUT THAT ON, IF YOU CAN GET THAT TO ME AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING WHEN EVER THAT MAY BE.

I'M ASSUMING WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NEXT WEEK SOMETIME, IF YOU WILL JUST GET THAT TO ME REAL QUICK.

AND THEN, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT MAP?

>> I HAVE. >> HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE

IT? >> IT IS A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD DEMOCRATIC MAP. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN A CAMPAIGN BUT ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, I WOULD EXPECT DEMOCRATS

WOULD WIN. >> DOES IT FOLLOW OUR PRINCIPLES? SHOULD YOU DRAW A FOUR

DEMOCRATIC MAP. >> YOU COULD DO THAT.

YOU CERTAINLY COULD DRAW FOR DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT MAP MAP AND MORE OR LESS ABIDE BY THE PRINCIPLES.

>> HE SAID HIS DIDN'T FOLLOW THE PRINCIPLES.

>> WELL, YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO LOOK EXACTLY LIKE HIS DOES, AND IT WOULD CERTAINLY THE LINES WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE ERRATIC THAN SOME OTHER MAPS.

MOST OF THE MAPS WE SAW THAT MADE THE DISTRICTS A LITTLE MORE COMPACT THAN THEY ARE NOW, THEY MIGHT NOT BE, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT IT, NO INSTRUCTED ME TO LOOK AT THE FOUR DEMOCRATIC

MAP. >> I DON'T WANT TO DELAY US.

>> AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AND REAL QUICKLY, BEFORE I FORGET, IF YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAP AND RUN THE NUMBERS, AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN VISIT ON WHAT THAT DATA LOOKS LIKE TO

YOU. >> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANALYZE THAT CLOSELY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU JUDGE. >> THANK YOU JUDGE, COLLEAGUES.

COMMISSIONER ELLIS, IT IS RARE FOR ME TO DO A THANK YOU BUT I AM GOING TO DO A THANK YOU TO YOU, BECAUSE YOU DID THROW FIRST MAP OUT AND I PREACHED THAT. I WAS HOPING THE FIRST MAP MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE ONE THAT IS QUESTIONED BY -- PERHAPS I WAS IN ERROR BUT THE ASSUMPTION WAS THAT WHEN I SAW THE MAP THAT BASICALLY SPREAD PRECINCT FOUR'S DUTIES OF SERVICE OUT THINLY, AND CHANGED THE STATUTE -- STATUS THAT THE GAME WAS ON, WE BEGAN TO DRAFT OUR OWN MAP IN A WAY THAT WOULD PROTECT THE CONSTITUENTS THAT I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.

THERE WAS A QUOTE IN THE EARLIER STAGES OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE TEXAS SENATE. ON OCTOBER THE 7TH, SHE MADE THE COMMENT THAT IT NEEDED A LITTLE SURGERY, YET WE LEFT A SURGICAL MESS DOMINATED BY ONE PARTY THAT IS NOT DEMOCRACY.

TEN DAYS LATER, 11 DAYS LATER SHE MADE A FOLLOWUP QUOTE, AND HER FOLLOWUP WAS THAT SHE WAS VERY GLAD THEY LISTENED TO THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLED SHOWED UP.

A LOT OF FOLKS WERE NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY THAT HER DISTRICT

[03:10:04]

I HOPE THAT PERHAPS THAT WE EMPLOY SOME OF THE SAME TYPE OF CONSIDERATION HERE THAT WAS EXTENDED WITH REGARD TO THAT CONGRESSIONAL SET OF MAPS TO WHERE -- WE DID NOT PIT THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER. WE DO NOT NEED MAJOR SURGERY, WE DON'T NEED TO REORGANIZED OUR ORGANS WITH REGARD TO THE LOCATIONS AND THE MIGRATIONS OF WHERE PEOPLE GO.

WE CAN DO THIS WITH MINOR TWEAKS AND CONTINUE TO DO THE SERVICE THAT WE HAVE BEEN RENDERING TO OUR COMMUNITIES FOR THE LAST 10, 20 YEARS. WE ARE CORRECT BUT THE JUST TWO

YEARS AGO, AM I SAYING IT RIGHT? >> YES, SIR.

THE CLAIMS OF THE EXCESSIVE PARTISAN SHIP ARE BEYOND THE CAPACITY OF THE COURTS TO RESOLVE.

BUT WE CAN RESOLVE PARTISANSHIP ISSUES.

THE MAP THAT I HAVE PROPOSED IS ONE THAT I THINK GIVES A LITTLE SURGERY, NOT MAJOR REORGANIZATION OF ORGANS.

AND AS WE GO THROUGH OUR CRITERIA WHICH WE VOTED ON ON JULY 20TH, 2021, THE MAP THAT I REFERRED TO AS THE STATUS QUO MAP, MOVES THE OVERALL DELTA FROM AN 18% DELTA TO A 17% DELTA. THAT IT UNDER SECTION -- THAT'S SECTION ONE, UNDER SECTION TWO OF THE CRITERIA WITH REGARD TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, PART OF IT IS WE DON'T CHANGE THE DEMOGRAPHICS, BUT I DO THINK WE CHANGE OUR DEMOGRAPHICS ESPECIALLY IN PRECINCT FOUR, I WILL ADDRESS THAT FURTHER IN THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS. NUMBER THREE, I FEEL THAT THE -- THIS MAP THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED DOES NOT MAKE MAJOR CHANGING IN OUR DEMOGRAPHICS BETWEEN PRECINCTS.

NUMBER THREE, IT RESPECTS THE POPULATION CHANGES.

WITH REGARD TO THE AREA THAT AND I CANDIDLY TOOK THE DATA FROM PRECINCT THREE AND INCORPORATED THAT INTO THE PRECINCTS THAT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY THAT ARE PUTTING INTO ONE.

THE POPULATION AND THESE ARE TREASURED RESIDENTS OF PRECINCT FOUR AND WE HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER IN THIS AREA THAT IS THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD STUFF THAT GOES IN THERE BUT THERE IS AN AREA IN TEN YEARS AGO ORIGINALLY HAD BEEN DRAWN OUT BY THE FEDERAL JUDGE FROM PRECINCT FOUR.

AND OUR ATTORNEYS GOING TO GET THOSE MAPS, BUT WE LOST THE TC OFFICES. WE ACTUALLY HAD TO GO BACK TO COURT AND BEG THE JUDGE, JUDGE, DON'T TAKE WAY FROM PRECINCT FOUR THE ABILITY TO SERVE PEOPLE, SHE AGREED AND THAT LITTLE SECTION WAS PUT BACK INTO PRECINCT FOUR.

THAT IS THE GROUP OF PEOPLE THE INITIAL ORDER MOVED IT OUT OF THE PRECINCT THEN IT WAS PUT BACK, FOR THE NEED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. WE NEEDED A BASE, AN ADMINISTRATION OFFICE AND A PLACE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE.

IT WAS CLEAR THAT WE NEEDED TO FIND A NEW LOCATION TO DO YOU THE OPERATIONS OF PRECINCT FOUR BEFORE WE CAME UP FOR REDISTRICTS AGAIN, THAT'S WHEN WE SOUGHT AND RECEIVED THE TOM BALL SERVICE CENTER AREA WE HAVE DEVELOPED AND ARE MAINTAINING THE BULK OF OUR OPERATIONS OUT OF BECAUSE OF WHAT OCCURRED TEN YEARS AGO IN PREPARATION FOR THIS DATE.

THAT'S THE POPULATION JUDGE THAT I MOVED FROM PRECINCT FOUR IN OUR PROPOSED MAP INTO PRECINCT ONE.

THE POPULATION THAT I MOVED FROM PRECINCT ONE INTO PRECINCT TWO WAS WHAT COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND I MAY HAVE MADE A FALSE

[03:15:04]

AND THAT IS THE POPULATION THAT AT OUR PROPOSAL WE MOVED FROM 1 TO 2. SO COMMISSIONER LOCAL -- ELLIS, SAYS THIS MEET THE NEEDS OF FOLKS, THE POPULATION THAT MOVERS FROM PRECINCT FOUR TO PRECINCT ONE, IN TERMS OF CONSIST OF WAS AN AREA THAT IS ALREADY ONE THAT HAD BEEN UP FOR DISCUSSION FOR OVER A DECADE WITH REGARD TO THAT, AND THEN THE PORTION ON THE SOUTH SIDE IN TERMS OF MOVEMENT WAS ONE.

MY UNDERSTANDING, AND MAYBE MY NUMBERS ARE WRONG IS THAT ACTUALLY IMPROVED THE POSITION PRECINCT TWO BY 1.5 OR 2 PERCENTAGE POINTS. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT IN OUR RAW CALCULATIONS IT LOOKS LIKE IT IMPROVED PRECINCT TWO'S POSITION. NOT GREATLY BUT MARGINAL.

JUDGE, THE MAP WE PROPOSED KEEPS THE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER AS THEY HAVE BEEN SERVED TOGETHER FOR TEN AND SOMETIMES 20, SOME INSTANCES 30 YEAR, WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN PRECINCT FOUR OF THE SERVICE THAT I RENDER.

THESE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK HARD TO WITH REGARD TO OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, WITH REGARD TO OUR SERVICES OFF THE ROADS, WITH REGARD TO THE MAINTENANCE, JUDGE, I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THEM AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THESE PEOPLE AND THEY DON'T ALL VOTE FOR ME, I IS A VERY DIVERSE PRECINCT.

JUDGE, WE HAVE CITIES THAT THE PROPOSED ELLIS MAP, THE CITIES UNDER THIS MAP DON'T GET SPLIT ANY MORE THAT WHAT THEY HAVE ALREADY HAD FOR LAST 10 TO 20 YEARS.

WE DON'T DIVIDE CITIES, WE KEEP THOSE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER WHO HAVE BEEN THERE AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THEM THE WAY THAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE ADEQUATE VOTING LOCATIONS, THIS IS CRITERIA NUMBER SIX IN PRECINCT FOUR, UNDER OUR PROPOSED CLOSE TO STATUS QUO MAP. AND JUDGE, THE GEOGRAPHICAL OUTLAY OF OUR PROPOSED MAP STAYS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME, WE ARE NOT MOVING PEOPLE TO WHERE WE HAVE TO -- GRANTED THERE IS A, IN THE ELLIS MAP, IT IS TECHNICALLY CONTINUOUS BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SERVE AN AREA THAT IS LIKE THAT.

THE MAP IS MAP WHERE WE HAVE BEEN RENDERING SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROUD OF AND WANT TO CONTINUE TO RENDER.

I WILL TALK ABOUT THE ELLIS PLAN, NOT -- I WANT TO SAY AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING SOMETHING OUT THERE TO START THE DISCUSSION. HAD WE STARTED THE DISCUSSION WITH WHAT I HEARD MAYBE COMING FROM COMMISSIONER GARCIA, MY MAP MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. BUT I'M RESPONDING TO WHAT WAS LAID OUT THERE FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES.

I MAY APPRECIATE THAT IT IS OUT THERE, I DISAGREE WITH IT.

I DISAGREE WITH IT VEHEMENTLY, THAT'S FANCY FOR REAL STRONG.

I DON'T LIKE IT. IT CHANGES THE DEMOGRAPHICS IN PRECINCT FOUR, WHICH VIOLATES OUR SECOND PRINCIPLE.

WE BRAG, RIGHTFULLY SO, AT THE GREAT DIVERSITY THAT THIS COUNTY HAS. IT IS A WONDERFUL FEATURE OF THIS COUNTY BUT THE PROPOSED ELLIS MAP MAKING PRECINCT FOUR NO LONGER ABLE TO SHARE AS MUCH INTO THAT GREAT BRAGGING RIGHTS.

YOU WILL HAVE OTHER DIVERSE PRECINCT BUT PRECINCT FOUR WON'T

[03:20:06]

WITH REGARD TO COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND TRYING TO DO SERVICE. PRECINCT FOUR ALREADY HAS 2,700 MILES OF ROADS THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN, 300 BRIDGES.

MY UNDERSTANDING FOR THIS, WE ARE GOING TO GET AN ADDITIONAL 2,000 MILE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ADDED TO THAT 29 PARKS, WE WILL BE MOVING IN PRECINCT FOUR UNDER THIS PLAN, 450,000 PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY BEING SERVED BY PRECINCT FOUR, THEN OVER ON THE EAST SIDE WE ARE GOING TO MOVE 220,000 PEOPLE IF I UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS WITH REGARD TO THE AMOUNTS, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD BALLPARK, ROUGHLY 220,000 PEOPLE ARE BEING MOVED FROM PRECINCT TWO, PLUS, SEVERAL ROAD CAMPS, PLUS A LOT OF ROADS TO GO ALONG WITH THAT AND A NUMBER OF PARKS.

BUT WE HAVE FOR A LONG TIME ESTABLISHED IN THIS COURT THAT THE SCIENCE IS, WHETHER YOU HAVE ONE KID OR 20 KIDS, THAT 25% IS THE BUDGET YOU GET. WHAT THIS IS GOING TO DO IS PUT EVERYONE WHO IS IN UNINCORPORATED HARRIS COUNTY THAT RELY ON US TO GIVE THEM THERE SERVICE, WHERE THERE IS NO CITY TO HELP THEM, WILL BE DEPENDANT UPON ONE COMMISSIONER AND WE WILL NOT BE SPREADING OUT AMONG THE COMMISSIONERS THE SERVICE RESPONSIBILITY TO PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE SERVED.

WHEN ALL OF OF THE RESPONSIBILITY IT PACKED INTO ONE COMMISSIONER'S PRECINCT AND THERE'S NO PLAN TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO GO ALONG WITH IT. YOU ARE DENY SERVICE TO THOSE WHO HAVE NO OTHER PLACE. JUDGE, YOU HEARD A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN CONCERNED AND I AM CONCERNED TOO, ABOUT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THERE'S SERVICE IN A CRISIS.

IT IS YOUR JOB TO STAND DOWN THERE AND TELL THE PEOPLE WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT IT IS MY JOB TO BE OUT THERE IN STREETS GETTING PEOPLE OUT THE WATER.

I CALLED YOU AT TWO IN THE MORNING WHEN WE WERE STANDING BRIDGES, WE WORKED TOGETHER IN THEY ZONE, AND IT IS DIFFICULT WITH THE SIZE OF OF THE PRECINCT AS IT IS NOW TO BE ON TOP OF IT ALL, AND IMAGINE, I HAD 1 OF MY ROAD AND BRIDGE GUYS DO IT, THEY DROVE FROM THE CINCO RANCH AREA AND DROVE TO THE OTHER SIDE THE COUNTY IN BAY TOWN, IT TOOK THEM FIVE HOURS TO GET THERE.

IS THE QUICKEST WAY WALLED BE TO GO AND GET MY PASSPORT AND CROSS STRAIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTY. JUDGE, SERVING PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE THAT DIFFICULT. WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE, CAMPS IN PLACE TO SERVE PEOPLE IN THE LINES THAT WE HAVE.

THIS PLAN DOES WHAT CONGRESS PERSON SHEILA JACKSON LEE SAID, THEY MADE A SURGICAL MESS, INSTEAD OF DOING A LITTLE SURGERY TO FIX THE POPULATION ISSUE.

THIS PLAN SPLITS ON BOTH, AND WE HAVE A LETTER ON FILE FROM THE CITY OF HUMBOLT ASKING US TO NOT SPLIT THEM.

WE HAVE A MELDING TOGETHER OF THE INTERESTS OF CADY AND BAY TOWN. THOSE ARE VERY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MILES APART THAT WILL HAVE TO BE ORGANIZED AND TREATED WITH AND WHEN THERE IS THE TIME OF RENDERING SERVICE AND CRISES IT IS GOING TO BE MORE DIFFICULT, WHO GETS THE

[03:25:02]

NONE OF THESE PEOPLE WILL KNOW US, TRUST US, HAVE THOSE DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS WE'VE ESTABLISHED.

I WILL DO MY BEST TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE FOLKS, BUT IT IS A LOT EASIER TO WORK WITH FOLKS WHO YOU ALREADY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH. JUDGE WITH REGARD TO VOTING LOCATIONS, THERE WILL BE FEWER VOTING LOCATIONS IN THE RIM OF OF THE COUNT THAN THERE ARE IF WE KEEP THE PRECINCTS THE WAY THEY ARE. THAT VIOLATES OUR 6TH PRINCIPLE WITH REGARD TO OUR CRITERIA, WHEN YOU SPREAD PRECINCT FOUR OUT, YOU REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VOTING LOCATIONS AVAILABLE.

>> THERE JUST AREN'T ENOUGH FACILITIES THAT MEET THE

CRITERIA? >> I PULLED THE NUMBERS OF WHERE THE VOTING LOCATIONS ARE, I HAVE THE DATA RIGHT HERE.

PULLING THAT UP A LITTLE BIT UP EARLIER.

HERE WE GO. WE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VOTING PRECINCT NUMBERS FROM 224 TO 205.

192, PARDON ME. >> VOTING PRECINCTS.

>> I THINK IT REDUCES THE VOTING LOCATIONS, AND THEY ALSO REDUCE, I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT, THIS IS ONE OF OUR VOTING CRITERIA. WE DON'T REDUCE THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE TO VOTE. SEVEN GEOGRAPHICALLY CONTINUOUS TERRITORIES. TECHNICALLY THIS IS, BECAUSE YOU CAN DRIVE UP AROUND THE OUTER LIMIT OF THE COUNTY, BUT PRACTICALLY SPEAKING IT IS NOT. AS MUCH AS I AM GRATEFUL FOR COMMISSIONER ELLIS FOR LAYING OUT THE PLAN.

I'M INTERESTED IN EXPLORING WHAT MR. GARCIA SAID, WE CONTINUE TO SERVE IN A WAY THAT WE CAN ALL DO THIS TOGETHER AND NOT RESORT TO LITIGATION. ONE LAST WRAP UP.

REFERRING TO THE STATUS QUO PLAN JUDGE, I WILL BE QUIET AFTER THIS, IS A PLAN TO WHERE BASICALLY WE MOVE A FEW FOLKS OUT OF PRECINCT FOUR INTO ONE, AND AS HE SAID EARLIER, COMMISSIONER ELLIS WAS THE MIDDLE ONE, AND THEN FROM THE MIDDLE, THAT POPULATION GOT MOVED OVER TO PRECINCT TWO.

THAT, JUDGE, IS ME APPEAL. IT WE DO NOT ADOPTED PLAN THAT WE DO ADOPT SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS US TO COMPLY WITH OUR CRITERIA AND AMONGST, THAT IS THE ABILITY TO SEE THE EVERYBODY. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STATE REP WHOSE JOB IT IS TO GO DOWN TO AUSTIN AND VOTE ON THINGS AND JOB OF US WHEN WE ARE ACTUALLY OUT THERE IN THE FIELDS, MOWING GRASS, FIXING POTHOLES, TAKING CONSTITUENT CALLS, AND WHEN IT IS ICING, DOING THE ROADS, OR WHEN IT IS RAINING, USING OUR TRUCKS TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE WATER.

WE SERVE THE PEOPLE REAL-TIME. WE ARE NOT JUST, AND WE HAVE POLICY ISSUES, WE ARE NOT JUST POLICY DECIDERS.

AND THAT'S WHY APPEAL JUDGE, THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS, IF I COULD REAL QUICKLY.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE MR. ENGLE DRAW YOUR MAP, WHO DID DRAW YOUR MAP?

>> MY OFFICE. >> WE DID IT INTERNALLY IF I COULD BE BLUNT WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE THE SHOT ACROSS THE BOW WE

[03:30:08]

>> WHEN DID YOU SUBMIT IT? >> WE SUBMITTED IT THIS MORNING.

>> GOT, THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS?

>> TAKE A BOW, I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS ON DEBATE TEAM, WE WOULD GIVE YOU A STANDING OVATION FOR THAT PERFORMANCE.

YOU KNOW I WAS THINKING WHEN YOU QUOTED SHEILA JACKSON LEE, WHO AS KNOW, OPPOSED IN FEDERAL COURT THE PLAN YOU VOTED ON THAT CREATED THREE SOLID REPUBLICAN PRECINCTS ON COMMISSIONERS COURT A DECADE AGO. THE BIG PART OF IT WAS KINGWOOD, I KNOW YOU IS A CONCERN ABOUT GOING FROM THE EAST TO THE WEST, BUT COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOUR PRECINCT WENT FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH. IT JUST REMINDS OF PEOPLE WHO TAKE MARTIN LUTHER KING'S WORDS AND USE THEM TO ARGUE AGAINST THE VERY THINGS THAT HE FOUGHT AND DIED FOR, BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, HAVING SERVED ALL THESE YEARS, I ENJOY THE GAME, THE ONE THING I DID LIKE ABOUT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY ABOUT YOUR PREDECESSOR, WE WERE VERY MUCH ALIKE.

I LAY IT OUT CLEAR AND THERE'S NO PRETENSE.

WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DID IN THEIR REDISTRICTING, DID NOT REFLECT THE PHILOSOPHICAL VOTING PATTERNS OF THE PEOPLE IN TEXAS.

WHAT I LAID OUT AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHAT OTHERS LAID OUT, DOES REFLECT THE PHILOSOPHICAL AND PARTISAN VOTING TRENDS IN HARRIS COUNTY. SO,, AT THE END OF THE DAY IT IS WHATEVER THE COURT DECIDES. OFTEN TIMES THREE, COULD TURN INTO FIVE, SOMETIMES IT WON'T. BUT WHAT I LAID OUT ASKING OUR EXPERTS TO DO IT WAS A REFLECTION OF WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY ARE SAYING. HOW WE VOTE IS NOT A COMPLETE REFLECTION AND HOW WE FEEL. BUT IT IS THE BEST DARN GUESS WE CAN COME UP WITH. I WANT TO ASK MR. ENGLE, CAN THE KAGLE PLAN THE STATUS QUO? JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING ENOUGH TIMES AND POUND ON THE TABLE DOESN'T MAKE IS IT

TRUE. >> IF YOU DEFINE STATUS QUO AS TWO REPUBLICAN DISTRICTS AND TWO DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS, THAT IS

NOT STATUS QUO. >> IT WOULD BE A THROW BACK, WOULD IT BE WHAT HAPPENED, AFTER, SINCE WE ARE QUOTING OUR CONGRESSIONAL FRIENDS, WHEN SHE LEVEL AND THEY DREW LINES, THAN WHEN RODNEY SHOWED UP, HE WOULD BE BY HIMSELF,

>> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING BASED ON WAY IT WAS CONSTRUCTED THEN, BY EXTENDING DISTRICT UP TO THE NORTH, IT IS CLEARLY MADE IT MORE REPUBLICAN, MADE IT SO A REPUBLICAN WHO JUST WON IT COULD BE ABLE TO HOLD IT THROUGH THE DECADE AND HE DID HOLD IT THROUGH MOST OF THE DECADE. THE SLIGHT CHANGES ARE THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE IN THE MAP WOULD LEAVE DISTRICT TWO HIGHLY VULNERABLE, NOT A SAFE DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT AT ALL, WHILE IT DOES SHORE UP DISTRICT THREE, IT WOULD MAKE IT LIKELY IN MY VIEW MORE LIKELY FOR THE COUNTY TO TAKE A STEP BACK TO A 13 MAP THAN IT IS TO HOLD AT A 2, 2 MAP.

>> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, >> YEAH, ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT COMMISSIONER GARCIA WAS REFERRING TO, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING IT SEE WHAT A TRUE STATUS QUO, IN WORDS THAT WE AR CALLING SAFE, REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT.

WHAT WOULD TWO VERY SAFE DEMOCRATIC PRECINCTS LOOK LIKE AND REPUBLICAN PRECINCTS LOOK LIKE.

THERE MAY NOT BE APPETITE ON THIS COURT FOR THAT, BUT I THINK

[03:35:02]

PEOPLE'S TIME. >> SO, I APPRECIATE THE TWO MEMBERS THAT SUBMITTED MAP, AND YOU SUBMITTED A PORTION.

>> I WAS COMMUNICATING WHAT IN TERMS OF MY PRECINCT, AND BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT I'M SERVING, WHAT WOULD BE AN OPTION, AND I GAVE AN OPTION, IN TERMS OF PRECINCT, I DIDN'T GET INTO WHAT I THINK PRECINCT 2 OR 3 SHOULD LOOK

LIKE. >> I DO THINK IT IS A VALID POINT THAT WE NEED A STARTING POINT AND IT HAS ALLOWED US TO

GET STARTED. >> ONE SENTENCE JUDGE.

>> YES. >> I BEGAN SERVING OCTOBER 3RD, 2011, PRIOR MAP WAS OCTOBER 15TH, 2001, 1SHGS I REMEMBER BECAUSE MY HOUSE WAS DRAWN OUT OF IT.

>> THANK YOU JUDGE, JUST MY POINT, TO RESPONSIBLE TO COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT A STATUS QUO LOOKS

LIKE I'M ASKING FOR A MAP. >> I WILL CONFIGURE ONE.

>> SO, IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, IT IS NOT THAT -- THE DEADLINE IS NOT UNTIL NOVEMBER BUT AS WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR, THE SOONER THE BETTER SO WE CAN GIVE CANDIDATES PLENTY OF NOTICE. IT IS CERTAINLY A LOT TO CHEW ON, INCREDIBLY USEFUL INPUT FROM EVERYBODY.

I'M SURE FOLKS WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOUR TEAM FOR ADDITIONAL MAPS. IF WE COULD DISCUSS THIS NEXT WEEK WE CAN GET SOMETHING POSTED.

>> I KNOW HOW EVERYBODY WANTS AS MUCH PARTICIPATION AS POSSIBLE, FROM EXPERIENCE THIS DRAGS ON THE CLOCK IS TICKING.

I PLAN TO POST SOMETHING FOR NEXT TUESDAY, IN PEOPLE WANT TO WRITE STATEMENTS LET THEM DO IT. WHEN I WAS THE ONLY COMMISSIONER THAT WENT AHEAD AND SAID PUT SOMETHING UP, I'M GOING TO POST ITEM SO THAT WE COME BACK AND ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO TALK CAN COME IN AND COMPLAIN BUT FOR NEXT TUESDAY IN ADDITION TO THAT MEETING BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET THIS OVER WITH IT IS ONLY FAIR TO PEOPLE TO NOT SPRING THIS ON THEM.

IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO RUN AGAIN WHOEVER, THEY NEED TO KNOW AND I'M PREPARED AND I'M -- EVEN IF WE NEED A COUPLE OF TIMES NEXT WEEK, I SAW ALL THE TIME, I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT MY POSITIONS, I DON'T DUCK, I DON'T PLAY GAMES.

IF PEOPLE DISAGREE, ALSO ALL RIGHT.

I JUST THINK WE NEED FOCUS ON IT AND PUT THIS BABY TO BED.

>> SO THE OBJECTIVE IT PUT THE BABY TO BED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

IS THAT TUESDAY? ARE WE THINKING TUESDAY?

>> IF WE DO IT TUESDAY, FINE I'M GOING TO POST IT.

>> IT COULD BE DONE TUESDAY. >> MAYBE THURSDAY OR FRIDAY.

>> NOW WE ARE MAYBE WE CAN HAVE THE MAP DONE, THE COMMISSIONER GARCIA HAS REQUESTED, I THOUGHT THAT WOULD GIVE INPUT, MAYBE THEY COULD, MAYBE THEY COULDN'T BUT THERE'S ALSO THE POINT OF HAVING PEOPLE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.

>> I WANT -- LOOK IF YOU WANT TO LINE THEM UP.

>> YOU KEEP SAYING THAT, HERE'S ALL I DID, I LET PEOPLE KNOW

[03:40:04]

DID I HAVE AN OPINION, I SURE DID, THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP BECAUSE TOM RAMSEY TOLD THEM TO. THEY SHOWED UP BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED COMMISSIONER. I DIDN'T PAY THEM ANYTHING, I DIDN'T PAY THEM A DIME. THEY CAME BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERN. I NEED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW IF YOU WANT TO PUT THIS BABY TO BED, AS YOU SAY, NEXT TUESDAY, I NEED TO LET THEM KNOW THAT. THAT'S ONLY FAIR.

>> I DON'T THINK THAT WILL BE THE DECISION OF ONE MEMBER OF

COURT. >> I'M SAYING FOCUS ON IT, I'M

GOING TO POST IT FOR TUESDAY. >> WE WILL HOST ADDITIONALAL MEETING IF NEED BE. WE NEED TO SEE WHAT ELSE IS DRAWN UP AND WE WILL GO FROM THERE IT IS A WINDY PROCESS, IS SIMPLY IS, IT FALLS ON US AND WE WILL ALL DO OUR BEST, IT HAS BEEN A VERY PRODUCTIVE DAY DAY. ANYTHING ELSE?

>> IS THERE ANY ACTION ON THIS ITEM?

>> NO MA'AM. NO ACTION.

>> IT IS 8

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.