Oct 28, 2021 Special Commissioners Court

[Opening Prayer]

[00:00:04]

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: GOOD AFTERNOON.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: IT'S 12:44.

I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE OCTOBER 28TH, 2021 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ORDER. COMMISSIONER

CAGLE. >> WE HAVE PASTOR GOLDSMITH WITH JOURNEY OF FAITH METHODIST CHURCH WHO IS GOING TO GIVE US OUR INVOCATION TODAY. THE PASTOR IS ORIGINALLY FROM CHICAGO WHO NOW RESIDES IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, HOME OF THE ASTROS. HE RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR OF AUDIO OF ACOUSTICS FROM COLUMBIA IN CHICAGO. HE CREDITS HIS PARENTS FOR ESTABLISHING THE FOUNDATION OF THE GOLDSMITH AND NURTURING HIS MINISTRY. HE'S GOT A MASTERS OF DIVINITY. AND HE WAS COMMISSIONED BY BISHOP SCOTT JONES APPOINTED AS LEAD PASTOR OF JOURNEY OF FAITH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. FORMER BAND WORSHIP LEADER AND UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN HOUSTON AND WORKED FOR GRAMMY, STELLAR GOSPEL ARTISTS. SO JUDGE, WE'RE ASKING HIM TO DO OUR INVOCATION. HE DOESN'T HAVE TO SING IT. BUT HE WILL LEAD IT. (LAUGHTER)

>> COMMISSIONER CAGLE: PASTOR GOLDSMITH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THIS INVOCATION ON THIS MORNING. LET US PRAY. O, LORD MY GOD, YOU ARE AN AWESOME WONDER. CONSIDER ALL THE WORLD THY HAND HAS MADE. I'VE SEEN THE STARS. I HEAR THE ROLLING THUNDER. THE POWER THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE DISPLAYED. MY SOUL, MY SAVIOUR GOD TO BE, HOW GREAT THOU ARE. THEN, MY SOUL, MY SAVIOUR GOD, HOW GREAT THOU ART, HOW GREAT THOU ART. GOD, WE THANK YOU THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES TO COME BEFORE YOU WITH THANKSGIVING. WE THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE ALMIGHTY, NEVER CHANGING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE, GOD WITH US. BECAUSE OF YOU, EVEN NOW AS WE ENGAGE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS AROUND REDISTRICTING OF THE HARRIS COUNTY MAP, ASKING YOU WOULD ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO LEAD OUR CONGREGATION. THAT YOU, GOD, WILL GUIDE OUR CONVERSATION. THAT YOU, GOD, WILL HELP US TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT IS BEST FOR THE OVERALL. WE THANK YOU, GOD, THAT YOU WILL GUIDE US. AND THAT, FATHER WE MAY NOT AGREE ON EVERY DECISION BUT THAT, GOD, WE SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE HERE. GOD, THAT EVERY DECISION MADE IN THIS PROPOSAL FOR THE REDISTRICTING OF THE HARRIS COUNTY MAPPING, THAT, GOD, THAT EVERY DECISION WILL BE MADE AND THAT EVERY DECISION IS MADE THAT GOD, YOU HAVE GUIDED. WE THANK YOU, LORD, THAT EVERY PROGRAM IN THE HARRIS COUNTY WOULD LINE UP WITH THIS DECISION. NOBODY WILL GO WITHOUT. EVERY ROAD AND BRIDGE WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF EVEN IN THE MIDST OF HURRICANE, DEVASTATION, THAT GOD, WE WILL BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND UNITE AS ONE COUNTY. THAT EVERY PRECINCT WILL UNITE AND LINE UP FOR THE GREATER WORK AHEAD OF US. WE THANK YOU RIGHT NOW.

LORD, THAT EVERY LEADER, THAT IS ON THIS MEETING, THAT EVERY LEADER IS LEADED AND EVERY LEADER IS GUIDED BY YOUR HAND AND BY YOUR DECISION. AND THAT, GOD, YOU WILL BRING PEACE TO OUR DECISION MADE HERE AND NOW. WE THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE THE GOD WITH US. AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO WALK WITH YOU AND BELIEVE YOU AND TRUST THAT YOU KNOW BEST. IN JESUS'S NAME WE PRAY. AMEN.

>> COMMISSIONER CAGLE: AMEN. THANK YOU, PASTOR.

>> MY SAVIOUR GOD TO THEE, HOW GREAT YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: CITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. THANK

[00:05:02]

YOU. >> 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 FLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD... (INAUDIBLE)

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS HERE. I THINK WE SHOULD START BY LISTEN TO GO ALL OF THE SPEAKERS. UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO ADD.

>> JUDGE, YES IF I COULD. THIS WOULD BE FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. JAY, I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'LL BE MAKING A DECISION TODAY, AND IF WE ARE, THE MOTION THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, AT WHATEVER POINT WE STARTED TO THOSE DELIBERATIONS, WHAT DOES

THAT MOTION SOUND LIKE? >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA, I'VE EMAILED OUT A MODEL OF THAT MOTION TO ALL OF THE OFFICES.

EFFECTIVELY, IT'S A MOTION THAT WOULD APPROVE -- EXACT, TO APPROVE AND ADOPT HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT MAPS. AND IT WOULD BE -- YOU HAVE TO CALL OUT THE SPECIFIC MAP OR VARIATION OF A MAP. THIS WOULD APPLY TO HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT LINES, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH PART OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE 2020 CENSUS REQUIREMENTS. AND SO THAT LANGUAGE I THINK HAS BEEN

DISTRIBUTED AROUND. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: MORE FOR APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT MAP AS PLAN PROPOSAL X DEMONSTRATION MAP WHICH ESTABLISHES THE BORDERS OF ALL COMMISSIONERS COURT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE 2020 CENSUS. THAT SHOULD WHAT FOLKS HAVE IN THE OFFICE.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: IS IT THE END OF THAT WE SAY WHAT

VERSION OF THE MAP? >> CORRECT. YOU WANT TO BE AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE AND IDENTIFY THE VERSION OF THE MAP THAT YOU ARE MOVING FOR APPROVAL AND ADOPTION.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: GOTCHA. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS. TO REMIND EVERYBODY, WE HAVE TO DO REDISTRICTING EVERY TEN YEARS BECAUSE OF POPULATION SHIFTS. WE NEED THE PRECINCT BOUNDARIES TO CONTAIN ROUGHLY THE SAME POPULATION UNDER LAW. WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD TO TRY TO MAKE THIS A PARTICIPATORY PROCESS AND APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO SPEAK AND TAKING THE TIME NOW TO SPEAK. I CAN ASSURE YOU EVERY COMMENT, EVERY SUBMISSION, EVERY MAP CERTAINLY I AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL HAVE GIVEN CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO. YES,

COMMISSIONER ELLIS. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: JUDGE, BECAUSE OF ISSUES INVOLVING THE CENSUS, THE PROCESS IS MORE RUSHED THIS YEAR FOR EVERYONE, FOR US, FOR THE STATES.

EVERYBODY. BECAUSE OF THOSE ISSUES INVOLVING THE CENSUS THIS

YEAR. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: YES,

COMMISSIONER CAGLE. >> COMMISSIONER CAGLE: JUDGE, I VISITED WITH OUR COUNSEL MR. DUNN EARLIER AND WE MAY WANT TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE DATE PUT ON THIS. AND WE MAY WANT TO SAY WITH THE TRANSITION TO THE COMPLETED OVER AND SPECIFY A NUMBER OF MONTHS WHICH THE TRANSITION OF FACILITIES WOULD OCCUR. AND I THINK MR. DUNN IS FAMILIAR WITH BOTH OF THOSE ASPECTS AND COULD SUGGEST SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT WE COULD ADD TO OUR ORDER AT THE CONCLUSION OF TODAY. I THINK THAT IT IS IN PART IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THAT THE DATE FOR CERTAIN BE BEFORE NOVEMBER -- WHATEVER THE 5TH IS, WHENEVER IT IS THAT IS THE FILING DEADLINE, IN TERMS OF THE NEXT UPCOMING ELECTION. AND SO WE PROBABLY NEED TO ADD THOSE TWO EXTRA THINGS. THE OLD JUDGE MAY HAVE HAD ASK THE LEGAL QUESTIONS OF THE WHENS, WHY, AND HOWS. I THINK MR. DUNN MAY BE ABLE TO TWEAK THE PROPOSED ORDERS TO THE ADDITIONS SO IT'S CLEAR WHO IS RUNNING, WHEN AND WHERE IN THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: YES. GO AHEAD.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: I HOPE YOU LET US SEE IT. OF IT'S TWEAKED, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT, JUDGE.

>> COMMISSIONER CAGLE: I'VE NOT SEEN IT MYSELF. IT'S

CONVERSATION. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: IT'S A

GOOD POINT. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: ONCE THE BOUNDARIES TAKE EFFECT, THE CANDIDATES RUN. THAT'S THE GOAL, HAVE THIS SETTLED TO HAVE THE CANDIDATES START IN A WEEK,

[00:10:04]

>> COMMISSIONER CAGLE: IN 2011 I BEGAN SERVING IN OCTOBER. THE MAPS HAD BEEN APPROVED AUGUST 15TH. AND THE TRANSITION HAD ALREADY TAKEN PLACE BY THE TIME I BEGAN SERVING ON OCTOBER 3RD.

SO THE ACTUAL TRANSITION OF COMMUNITY CENTERS AND ROAD CAMPS HAD ALREADY HAPPENED IN THE PERIOD OF TIME BETWEEN AUGUST

15TH AND OCTOBER 3RD. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: YEAH.

I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR -- >> COMMISSIONER CAGLE: JUST FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES, THAT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE UP TO US TO DETERMINE HOW LONG WE WANT TO TAKE AND HOW SMOOTH WE WANT TO BE WITH REGARD TO A TRANSITION. IT COULD BE SHORT, AS IT WAS IN 2011. AS I SAY, WHEN I CAME IN. AND THEN, WE HAD THE INTERIM ORDER OF JUDGE GILMORE, AND THE LINES CHANGED. WE MOVED BACK, WHICH HAD BEEN IN PRECINCT 4 AND THEN BACK IN 2 AND BACK IN PRECINCT 4. AND THEN, WHEN THE LITIGATION WAS RESOLVED, WENT BACK TO PRECINCT 2. AND SO WE HAD A WHOLE LOT OF FUN IN TERMS OF MOVING BACK AND FORTH AND IN

AND OUT OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: I WOULD HOPE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE MOVED TO A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SYSTEM THAT REASONABLE AND LOGICAL MINDS CAN AVAIL ON ALL OF US TO FIND A WAY, WHETHER IT'S INTER-PRECINCT, INTERDEPARTMENTAL. OBVIOUSLY, NOBODY'S SERVICE SHOULD BE DISRUPTED. WE'RE REQUIRED ONCE A DECADE TO DO THIS AND IT'S HAPPENED FOR A COUPLE OF HUNDRED YEARS.

>> COMMISSIONER CAGLE: IT WAS DIFFICULT, JUDGE, BUT EVERYBODY WORKED WELL TOGETHER. THE BIGGEST GRUMBLING FROM 2011, MR. WERE TWO POPCORN MACHINES IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND PRECINCT 4 WHEN THEY MOVED OUT TOOK THE BIGGER ONE AND LEFT THE SMALLER ONE. THAT LEFT A DISTASTE IN PRECINCT 2. THEY FELT LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD THE BIGGER POPCORN MACHINE INSTEAD OF APPROXIMATE THE SMALLER ONE. OTHER THAN THAT, MOST OF THE TRANSITIONS WENT SMOOTH.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: I'LL GIVE YOU FLAVORED POPCORN.

LOOK, I SUGGEST HOWEVER THIS SORTS OUT, WE HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT COURT. IT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE. THERE ARE A HOST OF ISSUES THAT I'VE ALWAYS SHOUT OUGHT TO BE SORTED OUT. I DON'T WANT TO FIGURE IT OUT IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS. TO BE HONEST, I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE ITEM ON THE AGENDA AND GET SOMEBODY WHO HAS DONE IT BEFORE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE TALK ABOUT BROADER ISSUES ON SHARED SERVICES, CENTRALIZING SOME ECONOMIES TO SCALE. BUDGET ISSUES ARE GOING TO DRIVE US TO

DO SOME OF THOSE THINGS ANYWAY. >> I THINK THE OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND, COMMISSIONER AS YOU ALLUDED TO, THE PEOPLE ARE BEING SERVED TODAY. THE EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW THEY'RE BEING TAKEN CARE OF. IT'S NOT THE COUNTY'S ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT ANYTHING. WE HAVE A PLAN GOING FORWARD. THIS IS ENCOURAGING AS WE GO INTO THIS AT SOME POINT FOLKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING TAKEN CARE, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. AND WE WILL WORK THROUGH A TRANSITION THAT IS PROPER. SO THAT'S GOOD.

[Appearances before court]

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: ALL RIGHT. LET'S TAKE THE SPEAKERS. GO

AHEAD. >> FIRST WE HAVE STATE REP LU.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. >> COMMISSIONERS, JUDGE, THANK YOU. I THOUGHT THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE AHEAD OF ME. CAN YOU

HEAR ME? >> YES, SIR.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: GO AHEAD, GENE.

>> THANK YOU FORGIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT REDISTRICTING MAPS. A FEW CONCERNS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION FROM OUR COMMUNITY. ONE IS TO HAVE CONSIDERATION, ESPECIALLY SINCE I REPRESENT SHARKS TOWN. ONE OF THE LARGEST PLANNED COMMUNITIES. IT'S A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST.

DEFINITELY A PRE-SHADE ANY MAPS. AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A BUNCH

[00:15:02]

THE THIS HAS BECOME A MINORITY COMMUNITY OF GREAT DIVERSITY.

AND A COMMUNITY THAT IS COMING BACK INTO ITS OWN POWER. AND THE SECOND THING IS I WOULD ASK THAT CONSIDERATION TAKEN --

(BEEP) >> THANK YOU. SIR. YOUR TIME

IS UP. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: REPRESENTATIVE, WRAP UP YOUR REMARKS, PLEASE.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK ANY MAPS NOT SPLIT UP THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THE SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR. THAT GOING FROM THE FAR WEST PART OF HARRIS COUNTY, WHICH IS UP IN HAD SPRING BRANCH AREA WHICH IS KOREAN. TO THE (INAUDIBLE) AREA WHICH IS SOUTH ASIAN. AND ON FURTHER DOWN A LITTLE SOUTH IS MORE CHINESE.

THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT SPENT A LOT OF TIME BUILDING UP ITS POLITICAL POWER AND BUILDING UP ITS COMMUNITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE WOULD ASK THAT IT BE HELD TOGETHER AS MUCH

AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK

YOU. >> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY: THIS IS TOM RAMSEY. THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.

>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER THREE, GINA COLANI. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> HI. I'M GINA, A FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 132, WESTERN PART OF HARRIS COUNTY. I WANT TO SPEAK TODAY IN SUPPORT OF COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MAP. WE NEED EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES WHERE AREAS ARE DRAWN TOGETHER. IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A MAP DRAWN SO VOTERS CAN CHOOSE THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS INSTEAD OF ELECTED OFFICIALS CHOOSING VOTERS. I STRONGLY SUPPORT COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MAP. THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE. THIS IS

RODNEY ELLIS. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU,

REPRESENTATIVE. >> THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER FOUR, ROBERT GALEGOS OF HOUSTON CITY

COUNCIL. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE, AND COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I'M ROBERT, HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT 9.

I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT OF THE REDISTRICTING PROPOSAL OF COMMISSIONER ELLIS. I BELIEVE THE PROPOSAL IS FAIR, AND ACCOUNTS FOR POPULATION GROWTH AND DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS. IT KEEPS COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER AND REUNITES AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN SPLIT FOR YEARS. AREAS LIKE THE NORTHEAST AND SOUTH SIDE OF MY COUNCIL DISTRICT, WHICH HAVE BEEN SPLIT BETWEEN TWO PRECINCTS. AS WE WORK ON HOLISTIC SOLUTIONS TO FLOODING, INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, WE MUST HE UNITE THESE COMMUNITIES, AND THIS PROPOSAL ACHIEVES THAT. THIS IS SOMETHING I URGE THE COURT TO DO, AND WILL LOOK TO DO MYSELF WHEN WE AT THE CITY BEGIN YOUR REDISTRICTING CONVERSATION NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON AND AGAIN I URGE YOU ALL TO SUPPORT THE REDISTRICTING PROPOSAL SUBMITTED BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THIS IS COMMISSIONER MEMBER GARCIA.

THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THIS

WEEKEND. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: COUNCILMAN, THIS IS RODNEY. I MISSED YOU THIS MORNING. I'M WILLING TO GIVE YOU ADVICE FROM SEVERAL DECADES AGO ON COUNCIL ISSUES WHEN YOU ALL WERE DRAWING LINES. THANK YOU FOR CALLING.

>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 5, EDWARD POLAR OF THE HOUSTON CITY

COUNCIL DISTRICT J. ONE MINUTE. >> HELLO, JUDGE HIDALGO AND COMMISSIONERS OF THIS COURT. JUDGE, IT WAS A PLEASURE BEING WITH YOU THIS PAST WEEKEND AND ACC AWARDS. TODAY, I'M CALLING AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT PRIZE ITSELF ON THE VALUE OF WORKING TO THE, REGARDLESS OF PARTY OR BACKGROUND. THE PRACTICE OF GERRYMANDERING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE IN PARTY POLITICS FOR A LONG TIME. I'M SURE WE KNOW THE REASONS AND MOTIVES BEHIND DRAWING LINES A CERTAIN WAY. MY REQUEST TODAY IS TO THE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS OF THIS COURT TO BE LEADERS BY SETTING AN EXAMPLE. THAT WOULD SET A PRECEDENT OF BALANCE AND BIPARTISANSHIP IN THIS PROCESS. I REPRESENT DISTRICT J ON HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL, ARGUABLY THE MOST DIVERSE PART OF THE COUNTRY. HAVING SUCH A DIVERSE DISTRICT WITH DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES, IDEOLOGIES AND FAITHS AND PARTY AFFILIATIONS HAS GIVEN THE BENEFIT OF RESPECTFUL COMMUNICATION AND WORK WITH THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT OR THINK DIFFERENTLY.

[00:20:02]

) >> IF YOU WANT TO WRAP UP, WE'D

BE GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU. >> I WANT TO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY BEING OPEN-MINDED AND WORKING WITH MY OFFICE. I WANT TO STRESS POLITICAL GERRYMANDERING HAS CAUSED DIVISION, STAGNATION, IMBALANCE AND DISRUPTED COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TIME AFTER TIME. A BALANCE INCLUSIONARY MAP WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST FOR ALL IN HARRIS COUNTY ENSURE ALL PEOPLE HAVE TRUE REPRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.

>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 6, CHRISTINA MORALES, TEXAS STATE REPRESENTATIVE. YOU HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS CHRISTINA MORALES, THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 145. I WILL HAVE NORTH SIDE AND THE HEIGHTS WITH THE NEW REDISTRICTING PLAN. THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I JUST WENT THROUGH REDISTRICTING IN THE LEGISLATOR. I KNOW REDISTRICTING IS A DIFFICULT PROCESS. WE MUST ACCOUNT FOR UNEVEN POPULATION GROWTH AND CHANGES IN OUR DISTRICTS. IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS IN THE LEGISLATION, THERE WAS INTENTIONAL MOVING OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES BY THE MAJORITY REPUBLICAN LEADERS IN BOTH TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 3 AND THE SENATE. I KNOW COMMISSIONER ELLIS, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS. ADDITIONALLY, AN UNDERCOUNT IN THE LATINO POPULATION THROUGH THE 2020 CENSUS RESULTED IN CONTINUED UNDERREPRESENTATION OF THE LATINO VOICE. I'M DISAPPOINTED THE MINORITY VOTE HAS BEEN DILUTED ONCE AGAIN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AS FOR YOUR HARRIS COUNTY MAPS AND THE PROCESS, I APPLAUD YOU FOR YOUR TRANSPARENCY. (BEEP)

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: GO AHEAD AND FINISH WITH YOUR

REMARKS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WERE GIVEN THREE DAYS -- ACTUALLY, FIVE DAYS TO REVIEW OUR MAPS AND TESTIMONIALS WERE JUST GIVEN ONE DAY. SO THIS COURT HAS GIVEN MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSTITUENTS TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND YOU HAVE HEARD MANY TIMES THAT THE ELECTORATE IN HAD HARRIS COUNTY HAVE CHANGED. THE FACT THAT WE ARE A BLUE COUNTY, JUDGE HIDALGO AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA BEING ELECTED ARE EXAMPLES. I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MAP. IT'S WELL THOUGHT OUT AND KEEPS COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER. I WISH I COULD SAY THE SAME FOR THE TEXAS LEGISLATOR. THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK

YOU. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER EIGHT, MEG SETH. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> HELLO. MY NAME IS MEG SETH. I'M THE -- I'M OPPOSED TO ELLIS'S REDISTRICTING MAP AND THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY FROM THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. YOU DO EVERYTHING IN SECRET.

$65 MILLION -- (INAUDIBLE) $6.5 MILLION TO (INAUDIBLE) OWNED BY HIDALGO'S CLOSE FRIEND. REFUNDING THE -- (INAUDIBLE) ILLEGAL DRIVE-BY VOTING AND 24-HOUR VOTING AND NEW ADMINISTRATOR PAYING HER 90 THOUSANDS. WE COULD NO LONGER VOTE FOR COMMISSIONERS, WHICH LEADS TO UNFAIR REDISTRICT. WE HAVE AMERICA. WE HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO VOTE.

WE SHOULD HAVE THE (INAUDIBLE) WHERE WE CAN WATCH COMMISSIONERS COURT. WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? TRANSPARENCY IS OUR RIGHT. YOU WORK FOR US. IT'S NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK

YOU. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER NINE, JEANETTE PINEL. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, MA'AM. GO AHEAD.

>> I REPRESENT MYSELF. MY NAME IS JANET. I LIVE IN PRECINCT 4. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I COULD SAY ANYTHING BETTER SAID THAN WHAT THE LADY PREVIOUS TO ME HAS SAID. SHE ECHOED EXACTLY EVERYTHING THAT I FEEL AND THINK AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE THAT WAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DO OPPOSE ELLIS'S MAP. AND I WILL BE LOOKING VERY, VERY MUCH FORWARD TO BECOMING INVOLVED IN HAD THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN MY COMMUNITY NOW BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS AND SHENANIGANS THAT HAVE GONE ON WITH THE 2020 ELECTION AND PUSHING FOR FORENSIC TEXAS AUDITS, NOT ONLY NATIONAL LECHES BUT LOCAL LEVEL ELECTIONS AS

WELL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

[00:25:04]

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER TEN, WILLIAM NOER. YOU HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> YES, I'M A VOLUNTEER AT THE HOUSTON AREA LIFE STEAMERS EXHIBIT PARK. I'M CALLING JUST TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION TO THE ELLIS PLAN AND THE SUPPORT FOR THE RAMSEY-CAGLE PLAN. THAT'S ALL I HAVE AT THIS POINT IN

TIME. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 13 HE'S IN-PERSON, JUAN CARDOZA

AQINDO. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: DO FOLKS HAVE THE SYSTEM FIGURED OUT? WHO IS LEADING THE SPEAKER ORDERING

THIS MORNING -- THIS AFTERNOON? >> IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE FIRE MARSHAL OR THE CONSTABLES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE KEEPING THE SPEAKERS ON THE NINTH FLOOR UNTIL THEY SPEAK OR BRINGING

THEM UP FROM THE FIFTH FLOOR. >> WHILE WE'RE WAITING WE'LL MOVE TO SPEAKER NUMBER 6 REBECCA.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. >> I'M REBECCA, A FORMER COMMISSIONER. I'M A VERY PROUD MINORITY LIVING IN UNINCORPORATED PRECINCT 3 IMPLORING YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT CAGLE'S PLAN AND RAMSEY'S PLAN. JUST BECAUSE HE'S NOT A MINORITY, DOES NOT MEAN THAT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY DOES NOT REPRESENT MINORITIES. HE REPRESENTS EVERYONE. WHEN I CALL HIS OFFICE, HIS STAFF DOESN'T ASK MY RACE OR SEX.

THEY JUST HELP ME REGARDLESS. AND THEY GET THE JOB DONE. WE WANT TO KEEP HIM IN OUR AREA. AND WE IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE MOVE FORWARD WITH CAGLE AND RAMSEY'S PLAN. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT. THAT'S WHAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 14, PETE GREENE OF HOUSTON AREA LIVE

STEAMERS. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. >> THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THE PRECINCT ORGANIZATION AS IT STANDS. AND I SUPPORT THE CAGLE-RAMSEY PLAN AND AGAINST THE ELLIS PLAN.

THAT'S IT FOR ME. >> STATE YOUR NUMBER.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: 14. THANK YOU.

>> HAVE ANY OF THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS MADE IT TO THE

COURTROOM YET? >> JUDGE HIDALGO: YOU GUYS REALLY SHOULD HAVE THIS FIGURED OUT AHEAD OF COMMISSIONERS COURT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THIS AND WHAT HAPPENED THERE. BECAUSE IT'S THE SECOND TIME.

>> OKAY. WE'LL MOVE -- >> JUDGE HIDALGO: WHY DON'T YOU FIND THE RELEVANT PERSON FROM THE FIRE MARSHAL SO THEY CAN COME EXPLAIN. OKAY. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. WE HAVE THE SPEAKER

YOU CALLED UP. GO AHEAD. >> OKAY.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: TURN YOUR MICROPHONE ON, PLEASE.

>> GOOD MORNING. I'M JUAN CARDOZA, THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY.

THE MAP IS TOTAL 43 COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WITH LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. THEY'VE HELD DOZENS OF ONE-ON-ONE AND GROUP MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND GATHER PRIORITIES THAT THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR COMMISSIONERS COURT WORK ON. INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY DEFINED WHERE THEIR COMMUNITIES ARE, THEIR MUTUAL INTERESTS AND WHAT IS VALUABLE TO THEM. SO PROPOSING THIS MAP, THEY'RE ADVOCATING FOR A COMMISSIONERS COURT THAT REFLECTS AND UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUES THAT MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES ARE FACING. THAT INCLUDES ISSUES OF WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, FLOODING AND DRAINAGE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ET CETERA.

IN TERMS OF THE MAP PROPOSALS, ELLIS REFLECTS MORE CLOSELY OUR

[00:30:02]

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

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE REMARKS YOU

WANT TO WRAP UP QUICKLY. >> YES. IN TERMS OF OUR PRIORITY IS TO KEEP COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WHOLE AND GROUP SIMILAR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. IN THE ELLIS 2 PROPOSAL WE HAVE A LEAF CONNECTED TO SOUTHWEST HOUSTON AND BOLTON IN DISTRICT 3. WE HAVE THE AREA WEST OF ALDEAN AND EAST OF ALDEAN WHICH IDENTIFIES MUTUALLY. WE HAVE ALL THE GROUP IN PRECINCT 2.

THAT MATCHES THE COMMUNITY OF INTEREST MAPPING THAT WE DID.

>> THANK YOU. SOME OF OUR MEMBERS MET WITH YOU YESTERDAY.

>> YES. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT.

IT'S WELL THOUGHT OUT. MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THAT.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. >> GREAT. THANK YOU ALL. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR CREATING THESE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND STRIVING FOR TRAN PAIR WREN S

-- TRANSPARENCY. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: YOU PUT A LOT OF TIME IN IT AND IT'S NEVER EASY. IT'S IMPACTFUL THAT COMMUNITY FOLKS WOULD PUT THIS KIND OF TIME INTO DRAWING MAPS.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> LET ME JUST CALL THE NEXT FEW IN-PERSON SPEAKERS SO THEY CAN BE MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE NINTH FLOOR IF THEY'RE NOT THERE ALREADY. IN-PERSON NEXT WILL BE VICTOR RAMIREZ, AJDURANY, JOHN INWRIGHT AND GARZA. THE NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS TOM SANDOVAL.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: MR. RAMIREZ IS HERE. GO AHEAD, SIR.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

MY NAME IS VICTOR. I'M A VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE WITH VFW POST 8790. I SERVE ON THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON DISTRICT AND STATE LEVELS. DURING MY TIME IN SERVICE, I WAS A COMBAT INFANTRYMAN AND DEPLOYED TO SAUDI ARABIA AND IRAQ IN 1990 AND 1991. COMMISSIONER CAGLE, I LIVE IN YOUR PRECINCT AND YOU'RE IN OUR POST. I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOU AND I GO BACK TO THE MID-90S WHEN YOU WERE HPD. SERVING AT THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE. AND I WAS THE PROMOTIONS RELATION DIRECTOR FOR RADIO. WE COORDINATED TO DO EVENTS, CONCERTS WITH SECURITY.

YOU ALL MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT I WAS HERE ON TUESDAY --

>> THANK YOU. TIME IS UP. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: GO

AHEAD. >> WEARING A SHIRT AND THIS COVER. I WAS HERE ON A RECON MISSION. I WANT TODAY SEE HOW BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED AT COUNTY LEVEL, EDUCATE MYSELF. I SAW AND HEARD SOME VERY LIVELY DISCUSSION AND DEBATE ABOUT VERY DIFFERENT TOPICS. WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS REDISTRICTING.

YOU WENT BACK AND FORTH WHO HAS A MILLION CITIZENS POPULATION AND WHO HAS 100,000. OR HOW THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CLEAN UP THE PARKS? OR HOW MANY COUNTY EMPLOYEES MAY LOSE THEIR JOBS. THAT'S A CONCERN TO BE SURE, RIGHT. BUT YOU GUYS NEVER MENTIONED ABOUT HOW THE VETERAN COMMUNITY MAY BE AFFECTED. POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY. OKAY.

HARRIS COUNTY HAS THE SECOND LARGEST VETERAN COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY. STATISTICALLY, ONLY LA IS LARGER. BUT WE HAVE THE BEST VETERAN COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY. SO WE ARE 290,000 STRONG. RANGING FROM WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM, DESERT STORM IRAQI AND ENDURING FREEDOM. THE I AM HERE TO REMIND YOU WHEN YOU MAKE DECISIONS THAT CONCERNS THE COUNTY, YOU KEEP US IN MIND.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: ABSOLUTELY.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. >> REMEMBER, WE ARE CITIZENS.

WE ARE RESIDENTS. WE ARE TAXPAYERS. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE ALSO VOTERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> SEE YOU, SIR. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: WHO IS THE

NEXT SPEAKER AFTER MR. RAMIREZ? >> NEXT IS SPEAKER 15, THOMAS

SANDOVAL. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. >> ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME?

[00:35:06]

>> YES. >> GREAT. I'M JUST CALLING IN TO EXPRESS THANK YOU FOR ALAYING US TO SPEAK AND VOICE OUR OPINIONS AND COMMENTS. AND THANK YOU FOR THE OTHER GENTLEMAN FOR HIS SERVICE. IT'S MOVING AND TOUCHING AND WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE HIM IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WANTED TO CALL IN AND SAY THAT I'VE BEEN ATTENDING THE PARK AND THE GREAT THINGS THAT HAPPEN THERE. I'M REALLY, REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AFFECT THAT REDISTRICTING MIGHT AFFECT FOR THE WHOLE PARK AND THE COMMUNITY. SO UNFORTUNATELY, I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE CAGLE-RAMSEY PLAN FOR REDISTRICTING PURPOSES. AND I AM AGAINST THE ELLIS PLAN. I KNOW EVERYBODY IS AFFECTED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. 18 YEARS ATTENDING THE PARK AND COMMUNITY EVENTS, I DON'T SEE A POSITIVE RESULT IF THE DISTRICTING PLAN WENT FORWARD WITH THE ELLIS PLAN. THAT'S THE ONLY COMMENT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT. WE'RE SUPPORTING THE CAGLE-RAMSEY PLAN. THANK YOU. (BEEP)

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS IN-PERSON SPEAKER

NUMBER 22, AJ DURANI. >> JUDGE HIDALGO, COMMISSIONERS, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M REPRESENTING ENGAGE, ONE OF THE TEN MEMBERS OF THE EMPOWERING COMMUNITY INITIATIVE PART OF THE HOUSTON IN ACTION COLLABORATIVE. WE'VE COME TOGETHER WITH NONPARTISAN COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP THE UNITY MAP. WE FEEL THE MAP REFERRED TO AS ELLIS 2 COMES CLOSEST TO THE UNITY MAP. I LIVE IN PRECINCT 3 AND FEEL WITH RELATIVELY SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE OTHER TWO MAPS, THE MAP WOULD REPRESENT OUR OBJECTIVES. WE WANT TO DRAW THE ATTENTION TO YOUR OPINION IS ENSURE THE COMMUNITY IN THE BEL AIR AREA BE KEPT WITH PRECINCT 3 AS IT IS NOW AND THE FULLERTON AREA IN THAT BUSINESS HAVE SIMILAR INTERESTS AND VALUES AS PARTS OF PRECINCT 3. NO OTHER EVENT IN OUR AREA COMPARE TO THE DEVASTATION OF THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY DISASTER THAT DEFINED HURRICANE HARVEY. KEEPING IN MIND THE RESERVOIRS

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

UP. >> GIVING THE AREA OF THE WATERSHED AND RESERVOIRS IN PRECINCT 3 YOU WOULD ALLOW A SINGLE COMMISSIONER TO DEAL WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO TAKE ACTION (INAUDIBLE) AN EFFECTIVE FLOOD CONTROL. THANK YOU FORGIVING ME TIME TO SPEAK.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 23, DANIEL HOROWITZ. TYOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. GLAD TO HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK.

IN A PERFECT WORLD, ALL REDISTRICTING WOULD BE DONE IN A NONPARTISAN FASHION AS THE "CHRONICLE" RECOMMENDED TODAY.

IN THE MEANTIME, I SUPPORT THE PROPOSED PLAN OF COMMISSIONER ELLIS. AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, THE WORD TRANSLATED AS NERVE, I HAVE A NEW DEFINITION. REPUBLICANS COMPLAINING ABOUT GERRYMANDERING. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, RABBI.

THIS IS CAGLE. >> THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: BLESS YOU, RABBI. THIS IS RODNEY.

>> NEXT IS IN-PERSON SPEAKER NUMBER 26, JOHN ENWRIGHT OF

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JOHN.

I'M REPRESENTING THE LELEAGUE O WOMEN VOTERS. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I HOPE I CAN HEED THE WORDS OF JOHN WOODEN WHEN HE SAID WE SHOULD BE QUICK BUT NOT HURRY. SEVERAL MAPS ON THE WEBSITE IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. AND I KNOW THIS COURT WOULD LIKE TO DECIDE TODAY. I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY OR THE BEST IDEA.

THERE ARE TIME CONSTRAINTS. WE HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT. THE MAPS AFFECT OVER 4 MILLION PEOPLE AND DO SO OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

OBVIOUSLY, A LONG TIME. SO I HOPE YOU CAN GET IT RIGHT. I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THEM. I THINK COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S SECOND MAP LOOKS GOOD AS FAR AS KEEPING COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER SUCH AS AFRICAN AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOODS, PRECINCT 1, COAST, ALDEAN 2, API IN 3 AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS IN 4 NOT HAVING A TWO-KRISTINA PARTSINEVELOS LIKE THE ELLIS

MAP. >> THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: EXACTLY. THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER 25. THE BENJAMIN CHOW. THE YOU HAVE ONE

[00:40:06]

MINUTE. >> THANK YOU. I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE HOUSTON IN ACTION UNITY MAP, SIMILAR TO ELLIS MAP 2. BUT IT ADDS THE CITY OF BEL AIR AND MEDICAL CENTER IN PRECINCT 3. THE ELLIS MAP 2 UNFORTUNATELY IGNORES ASIAN AMERICANS. WE WERE THE FASTEST-GROWING GROUP YET THIS MAP IS NO BETTER THAN THE CURRENT MAP KEEPING US AT 13.5% IN HAD PRECINCT 3. IN THE CURRENT MAP, BEL AIR IS IN PRECINCT 3. THE FIX WOULD BE RETURN BEL AIR TO 3 AND MOVE THE MEDICAL CENTER FROM PRECINCT 1 TO 3. THE CHANGES WILL REFLECT POPULATION GROWTH AND INCREASE THE AAPI VOTING AGE POPULATION TO 14.2%. THESE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS BELONG IN 3 BECAUSE THEY SHARE COMMONALITIES, SUCH BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL AND THE ONLY AREA IN THE ZONING SCHOOL DISTRICT NOT IN PRECINCT 3. BOTH OF PART OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT 5, THE MAJORITY IN PRECINCT 3. THEY'RE DIVERSE AND HAVE POPULATIONS THAT SPEAK NEAR ENGLISH --

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

>> THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK

YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO

MUCH. >> NEXT IS IN-PERSON SPEAKER

NUMBER 27, BALDO GARZA. >> HOWDY. I'M FROM THE LULAC REDISTRICTING TASK FORCE. WE BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MORE DISTRICTS IN HARRIS COUNTY SO WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE TO BE ABLE TO BE BETTER REPRESENTED. SO WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON THOSE WITH YOU. AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR DEDICATION. AND SHORT AND SWEET. Y'ALL HAVE

A GOOD DAY. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER TODAY. THAT WAS TIMELY. AND I ACTUALLY PUT A MAP OUT THERE EARLY TODAY THAT WILL COMPLEMENT A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE LETTER. THANK YOU FOR ENGAGING.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 29, BRENDA FRANK. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> HI. I'M CALLING AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN. I AM IN OPPOSITION TO COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S REDISTRICTING MAP. I BELIEVE IT'S UNFAIR TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN CERTAIN AREAS. THEY COULD LOSE THEIR VOICE ON MATTERS THAT CONCERN THEM THE MOST. SERVICES I BELIEVE WOULD BE CUT.

INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD NOT BE MAINTAINED BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDING. THIS WOULD AFFECT OVER 5,000 PEOPLE -- 500,000 PEOPLE.

I AM FOR COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AND COMMISSIONER CAGLE'S MAPS WHICH ARE EXTREMELY SIMILAR. I THINK THIS WOULD BE THE MOST FAIR FOR ALL PEOPLE. PEOPLE WOULD HAVE A VOICE THAT CONCERN AND AFFECT THEM THE MOST. I'M FOR COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AND COMMISSIONER CAGLE'S MAPS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 31 REAGAN FLOWERS OF HCC DISTRICT 4 TRUSTEE. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> HI. THIS IS DR. REGGIE FLOWERS TRUST SEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. I'M IN SUPPORT OF COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MAP. IT MEETS STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTION AND VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND KEEPS OUR COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER AND ALLOWS VOICES OF GREATER NUMBER IN HARRIS COUNTY TO BE REPRESENTED PARTICULARLY THE DIVERSE IMMIGRANT POPULATION. I SUPPORT THIS MAP AS THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION FOR HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS. THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK YOU, DOCTOR.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 33, BELINDA CASTRO, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> AS AN ACTIVIST IN THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 30 YEARS, I REPRESENT HARRIS COUNTY TEJANO DEMOCRATS WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION WHICH IS THE LATINO POPULATION MAKING SURE WE'RE REPRESENTED. I TOO SUPPORT COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S REDISTRICTING MAP THAT HE IS SUGGESTING. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. I LIVE IN KADY. WE MUST KEEP A MAP THAT IS FAIR AND BLENDED, WORKING WELL WITH EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY. AND ALSO MAINTAINING SINCE THE LATINO POPULATION IS THE LARGEST IN HOUSTON, I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU SUPPORTING COMMISSIONER

ELLIS'S SUGGESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

[00:45:04]

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 34 IN-PERSON AMATULA CONTCONTRACTO ENGAGE. SHE'S REQUESTED A VISUAL AID.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M THE DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ENGAGE TEXAS. I'M TESTIFYING IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITY MAP DEVELOPED BY HOUSTON IN ACTION ENGAGE OC GREATER HOUSTON. OUR UNITY MAP IS A PRODUCT OF -- SO SORRY. I LOST MY SPOT. PRODUCT OF COMMUNITY STORY TELLING AND ENSURES PEOPLE HAVE A STAY WHAT THEIR DISTRICT SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEY'RE FAIRLY REPRESENTED AND NEEDS MET. WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S SEVERAL PROPOSALS ON THE TABLE AND WE ASK THAT THE COURT TO CONSIDER OUR MAP AS WELL. OUR UNITY MAP SHARES SIMILARITIES TO ELLIS'S MAP PROPOSAL 2. WE PROPOSAL THE PROPOSAL AS BEL AIR AND MEDICAL CENTER TO PRECINCT 3. AN EASY FIX, RETURN BEL AIR TO 3 AND MOVE THE MEDICAL CENTER FROM 1 TO 3. THE CHANGES WOULD REFLECT POPULATION GROWTH AND INCREASE THE VOTING AGE

POPULATION FROM 13.5% TO 14.2%. >> THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 35, ADRIAN OZUNA. THE YOU HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ADRIAN, A RESIDENT OF SOUTHWEST HOUSTON AND PRECINCT 3. OF THE HARRIS COUNTY IS BOTH MAJORITY MINORITY SINCE 2000 AND DEMOCRATIC. GENERAL ELECTION SINCE 2016 CONFIRMED THE LATTER.

HOWEVER, COMMISSIONERS COURT DID NOT REFLECT THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTY IN PARTISAN OR DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP UNTIL 2019.

I'M IN FAVOR OF THE FIRST ELLIS DEMONSTRATION MAP. IT KEEPS COMMUNITIES WHOLE, GROUPS LIKE-MINDED COMMUNITIES TOGETHER AND INCREASES OPPORTUNITY FOR MINORITY REPRESENTATION CREATING A DIVERSE PRECINCT 3. THERE IS A PARTISAN LEAN BUT IT REFLECTS THE OVERALL MAKEUP OF THE COUNTY, UNLIKE SOME OF WHAT HAS COME OUT OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATOR THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MAP. IT REFLECTS THE

COUNTY. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS IN-PERSON SPEAKER NUMBER 36 MARISSA HANSON.

(INAUDIBLE) >> GARCIA AND JUDGE HIDALGO...

CAN YOU HAND THAT TO JUDGE HIDALGO? MY NAME IS MARISSA. AND I AM AGAINST THE REDISTRICTING BECAUSE OF CRIME ONCE AGAIN. SINCE YOU'VE BEEN IN OFFICE, CRIME HAS GONE UP 91% COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND JUDGE HIDALGO. THIS MONDAY, A CHILD BY THE AGE OF 8 WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MORE CHILDREN NEED TO BE KILLED BEFORE YOU GUYS CHANGE SB-21 THAT YOU VOTED FOR. MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING AFFECTED ARE MINORITIES. SO YOU CLAIM THAT THIS IS SOCIAL JUSTICE BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DYING AND BEING MURDERED ARE LATINOS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS. SO PLEASE TELL ME, WHAT -- HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE YOU GUYS CHANGE THESE LAWS THAT YOU VOTED FOR? IT'S NOT THE BAIL

BONDSMEN -- >> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> SB-21 MURDERING -- >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR TIME

IS UP. >> YOU NEED TO CHANGE THIS.

HOW MANY MORE KIDS HAVE TO DIE? BRUTALLY MURDERED.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 39, STACEY FAIRCHILD. YOU HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> THANK YOU, JUDGE, AND COMMISSIONERS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK BEFORE THE COURT TODAY.

MY NAME IS STACEY. I AM A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 4 AND I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON SUSUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE WHICH REPRESENTS HALF OF HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS. AS WE KNOW, THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS IS A PLANNED ONE EVERY TEN YEARS AS OTHERS HAVE SHARED. THE ALLIANCE MEETINGS ARE HELD MONTHLY. AND YOU ALL HAVE PRECINCT REPRESENTATIVES WHO ATTEND. NOT ONE TIME HAS THE TOPIC OF REDISTRICTING COME UP IN MEETINGS. I ASK YOU GOING FORWARD TO DO THE PROPER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND AS PART OF THAT INCLUDE THE ALLIANCE EARLY ON IN

[00:50:04]

SO IF YOU DECIDE TODAY THAT MORE MEETINGS ARE NEEDED OUTSIDE OF THE COURT PLEASE ENGAGE US. YOU CAN DO BETTER, AND THE HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS DESERVE BETTER. THANK YOU.

(BEEP) >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER 41, ABLE GARZA, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT ALL THESE FOLKS WANT TO ALLOW FOR MINORITY COMMUNITIES (INAUDIBLE) LAST YEAR

(INAUDIBLE) >> JUDGE HIDALGO: SIR, YOU SOUND FAR AWAY. CAN YOU GET CLOSER TO YOUR MICROPHONE? (INAUDIBLE)

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: SIR, WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE CALL YOU BACK. WHY DON'T YOU CALL HIM BACK. THE SOUND IS NOT COMING THROUGH.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 43, JESSE RODRIGUEZ. YOU HAVE ONE

MINUTE, SIR. GO AHEAD. >> MY NAME IS JESSE. I'M A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 2 UNDER ADRIAN GARCIA. AND I WISH THAT WE FOLLOW THE NEW REDISTRICTING PLAN BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS.

HE'S DONE THE HOMEWORK AND THE RESEARCH AND LONG RESIDENT OF HOUSTON. HE KNOWS WHAT WE NEED. I'M THINKING HE'S LOOKING FOR THE PROPER INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY. SO I THINK WE SHOULD GO WITH THE NEW PLAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU CALLING IN.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU FOR CALLING.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 46. HE'S IN-PERSON. BRIAN MUKY.

>> THANK YOU. HI, I'M BRIAN. I'M HERE SPEAKING ON REDISTRICTING TO REQUEST JURISD JURISDICTIONAL CONTINUITY FOR SPRING BRANCH. OPERATING OUT OF 50 EDUCATIONAL LOCATIONS AND 35,000 STUDENTS AND STAFF. THE REASON IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT MAINTAINS INJURE DICTIONAL CONTINUITY, FIRST, OPERATIONAL CONTINUITY. THAT DISTRICT THROUGH THE BOND PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE INVESTING OVER $1 BILLION OVER THE NEXT DECADE. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THAT INVESTMENT. AND IMPORTANTLY FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE. AS WE SAW DURING HURRICANE HARVEY, THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON, THE BUFFALO BAYOU WATERSHED AND THE DISTRICT RELIED ON THEIR LOCAL OFFICIALS AT THE CITY AND COUNTY LEVELS TO BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THAT

DISTRICT REMAINTAIN -- >> THANK YOU, SIR. YOUR TIME IS

UP. >> THANK YOU.

>> WE WERE ABLE TO GET SPEAKER 41 ABLE GARZA CONNECTED AGAIN.

SIR, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. >> YES. APOLOGIES. I WORK IN THE LEGISLATOR FROM 2000-2011 FOR REDISTRICTING. I FIND IT INTERESTING NOW THAT BACK THEN WE WORKED HARD TO GET EQUAL REPRESENTATION FOR MINORITY COMMUNITIES. BUT NOW, WHERE WE HAVE THAT ABILITY TO DO IT YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT OR THERE'S FORCES AGAINST THAT, CLAIMING THAT OTHER FOLKS ARE NOT BEING REPRESENTED. THAT'S BEEN OUR ARGUMENT ALL ALONG. SO HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT? AND WHERE WERE THESE VOICES SPEAKING AT THE STATE LEVEL? WHY WEREN'T THEY SPEAKING ABOUT THE REDISTRICTING PLAN AT THE STATE LEVEL? IT'S INTERESTING.

THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 49 IN-PERSON OF ENGAGE.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: IS SHE HERE? THEY'RE CALLING HER UP. WE HAVE SOME IN THE 40S THAT YOU HAVEN'T CALLED YET.

>> OKAY. DO YOU WANT TO START EARLIER? I SEE SEVERAL SPEAKERS, AT LEAST NUMBER 40. THE OH, WAIT. THE

>> YES, MA'AM. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: IF YOU COULD GO TO THE EARLIER NUMBERS. BECAUSE WE HAVE AT LEAST NUMBER 40 AND PERHAPS SOME OTHER EARLIER NUMBERS.

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

>> GO AHEAD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE HIDALGO AND COMMISSIONERS. I'M A COORDINATOR FOR ECI FORUM POORING COMMUNITIES. I'M TESTIFYING IN SUPPORT OF THE

[00:55:02]

>> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 40, TAMAR BELLE IN-PERSON.

>> I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PROPOSED MAP BY RODNEY ELLIS. PRECINCT 4 FORMER COMMISSIONER LEE FOR TWO DECADES FOUGHT AGAINST THIS DURING THE REDISTRICTING IN 2000 AND 2010.

THEY'RE TRYING TO PUSH INTO THE WEST, TRIED TO PUT IN BEL AIR.

HE SAID NO. THE HE DID NOT WANT TO LOSE THE BLACK VOTE AND THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE DISTRICT THAT IS PRECINCT 1. OF HE DID NOT WANT THIS. THIS IS PUBLIC RECORD. YOU CAN LOOK THIS UP.

I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED WHEN HE IS NO LONGER IN THE SEAT, IS THIS GOING TO ELIMINATE WHAT THE DISTRICT WAS MADE FOR? WE SHOULD NOT DILUTE THE VOTES. TALK ABOUT BLACK AND HISPANIC.

THESE PEOPLE VOTE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ONE COMPLEX. WHO ARE YOU REPRESENTING? WHAT IS THIS ABOUT? YOU DID NO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. I'VE APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE GIVEN ME. YOU'RE WORKING ON THIS FOR MONTHS AND SAID NOTHING. IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING OF CONCERN. BECAUSE AS STACEY SAID BEFORE ME, YOU SENT WONDERFUL REPRESENTATIVES TO THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD --

>> YOUR TIME IS UP. >> DO YOU HAVE MORE?

>> I DO. THIS IS NOT HOW YOU DO THIS. YOU'RE NOT REDISTRICTING FOR YOUR FUTURE POLITICAL CAREER. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE REDISTRICTING FOR THOSE WHO REPRESENT THOSE COMMUNITIES. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

WHAT YOU'RE DOING, ADRIAN, THAT MAKES NO SENSE. I'VE KNOWN YOU SINCE YOU ARE A ROOKIE COP. I CAN'T BELIEVE. ARE YOU DOING THAT TO THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE BLACK? THE WAY YOU TREAT EAGLETON, IT'S UNEXCUSABLE. GIRL, YOU'RE TRYING TO KILL EVERY BLACK IN YOUR OFFICE. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU. IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY. YOU WORK FOR US.

WE DON'T WORK FOR YOU. I VOLUNTEER MORE THAN YOU SIT ON THAT HORSESHOE. AND YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN. THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU, MA'AM.

>> ALL RIGHT. JUDGE, THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS BEFORE HER, WE WERE TOLD THEY WEREN'T THERE. BUT IT'S NUMBER 30, DANTE PEREZ.

NUMBER 32 CAESAR ESPINOZA. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IS HAVE A CONTACT HERE WHO CAN BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU ABOUT WHO IS AND ISN'T THERE. CAN YOU TAKE CARE OF THAT?

>> YES, MA'AM. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: ALL RIGHT.

GO AHEAD. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU, SIR. >> GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE HIDALGO AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE COURT. MY NAME IS DANTE. I'M 22 YEARS OLD. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE COME TO COMMISSIONERS COURT. I WANTED TO COME TO SUPPORT COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S REDISTRICTING PLAN. I KNOW REDISTRICTING IS VERY TOUCHY SUBJECT AND DUE TO GERRYMANDERING. IT'S POLITICIZED. I WANT TO COME BY AND SAY THAT I BELIEVE THE COMMIS COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S IS MORE FAIR. AND GIVEN THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY WITH THE POLITICAL DEBATES IT'S MUCH SUITED TO BE REPRESENTED EQUALLY. THE I WANT TO SAY THAT DURING THE 2010 REDISTRICTING I'M SURE REPUBLICANS DIDN'T EXPECT FOR ONE MY COMMISSIONER GARCIA OR COUNTY JUDGE LINA HIDALGO TO WIN. WE MAKE HISTORY BY SMALL CHANGES. I HOPE THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE COURT WILL BE MORE INCLUSIVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SOME PARTS OF ELLIS'S PLAN AND SO WE CAN BE TOGETHER MORE UNIFIED AND HAVE A

BETTER VOICE. >> THANK YOU, SIR.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU

COMING DOWN. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: YOU DID WELL FOR YOUR FIRST TIME. BE SEEING YOU AGAIN.

>> YES, SIR. >> THE NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER

IS CAESAR ESPINOZA. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: HE'S NOT

HERE. >> OKAY. THE NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS NUMBER 37, DOLORES LOZANO.

[01:00:06]

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: WHY IS SHE CALLING THEM IF THEY'RE NOT

HERE? >> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS NUMBER 45, DOUGLAS DILL OF UNITED 6480. HE'S VIRTUAL. YOU HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> MY NAME IS DOUG. I'M PRESIDENT OF GREEN TRAILS -- LOCATED IN HAD PRECINCT 3, SOUTHWEST CORNER OF HARRIS COUNTY. I'M HERE TO OPPOSE COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S REDISTRICTING PLAN AND SUPPORT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PLAN. I WANT TO DIRECT MY COMMENTS TO JUDGE HIDALGO. JUDGE, YOU HAVE THE DECIDING VOTE. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SET POLITICS ASIDE AND USE GOOD JUDGMENT AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT.

COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MOMENT THAT HIS PROPOSED GERRYMANDERING IN PRECINCT 4 MAKES SENSE IS RATIONALIZATION. PROVIDING SERVICES TO THAT HORSESHOE SHAPED DISTRICT FROM KADY TO BAY TOWN WOULD BE INEFFICIENT, EXPENSIVE AND SUFFER FROM RESPONSE TIMES GREATLY REDUCED. THE COST OF REASSIGNING DISTRICT PERSONNEL AND FAMILIARIZING THEM WITH GEOGRAPHY WILL BE A WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS. IT'S NOT NECESSARY. JUDGE, DO THE RIGHT THING. SET POLITICS ASIDE AND SUPPORT THE RAMSEY PLAN. THANK

YOU. >> WHAT NUMBER WAS THAT, JUDGE?

>> 45. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER 50, HAROLD, OF GREATER HOUSTON BLACK CHAMBER. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE. OKAY. MOVING ON. NEXT IS SPEAKER 52.

CAROL MURRAY. ONE MINUTE. GO AHEAD.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY -- THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. MY NAME IS -- I'M HERE TO ASK AND URGE THE COURT TO PASS COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MAP, A MAP THAT ADEQUATELY REFLECTS THE DYNAMIC POPULATION CHANGE IN HARRIS COUNTY THE LAST DECADE AS WELL AS THE POLITICAL CHANGE THAT'S OCCURRED. I FEEL THE BALANCE IS POPULATION AND WILL REPRESENT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST IN A FAIR AND DIRECT MANNER AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNITY. I URGE THE COURT

TO PASS THIS MAP. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: GIVE YOUR POP OUR BEST.

>> WE WERE ABLE TO GET SPEAKER 50 BACK CONNECTED. CAROL OF GREATER HOUSTON BLACK CHAMBER. ONE MINUTE, MA'AM. GO AHEAD.

>> THANK YOU FORGIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TODAY. OUR CONCERN AS THE LEADING BLACK ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION FOR THE BUSINESSES IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY AREA IS THAT WHATEVER REDISTRICTING PLAN IS ACCEPTED, IS FAIR AND EQUITABLE WITH REGARD TO SERVICES AND REPRESENTATION. SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND ALSO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AS WRITTEN. AS A BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WE DON'T WANT MORE NEGATIVE PRESS WITH REGARD TO ISSUES COMING OUT OF TEXAS. WE KNOW IT'S BAD FOR BUSINESS. WE HOPE WHATEVER PLAN IS PUT FORTH IS IN COMPLIANCE AND FURTHERMORE REPRESENTS THE CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY IN A VERY MEANINGFUL WAY SUCH THAT NO SERVICES ARE REDUCED AND THAT REPRESENTATION STAYS THE SAME.

THANK YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO

MUCH. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER 51, HANI

KHALIL, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. >> HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS GULF COAST LABOR FED INDICATION. AS UNIONS WE FIGHT FOR A FAIR SHOT FOR WORKING FAMILIES. AS HARRIS COUNTY HAS GROWN AND BECOME MORE DIVERSE, THE FACT IS DEMOCRATS HAVE THE MAJORITY OF SEATS. IF THE MAJORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY VOTERS WANT TO CONTINUE ELECTING DEMOCRATS, WE BELIEVE THAT THE WILL OF VOTERS SHOULD BE RESPECTED. AND A MAP SHOULD BE DRAWN THAT ALLOWS THAT. NEW DISTRICT BOUNDARIES SHOULD REFLECT THE VIEWS OF OUR COMMUNITIES. WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ATTEMPTS TO FORCE THE ADOPTION OF DISTRICT BOUNDARIES THAT FAVOR INCUMBENTS, NOT THE MAJORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS. JUST AS REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR AND GOVERNOR ABBOTT FOR CONGRESSIONAL STATE SEATS IN A NAKED ATTEMPT TO HOLD ONTO POWER. HARRIS COUNTY HAS CHANGED. AND HISTORY WILL NOT BE STOPPED BY OLD-SCHOOL GERRYMANDERING SHENANIGANS. IT'S TIME TO GET USED TO THE NEW HARRIS COUNTY. (BEEP)

>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK

YOU. >> NEXT, SPEAKER 47, TOM JINXES, THE MAYOR HEAD WOOD VILLAGE. SIR, YOU HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> TOM JENKS. I WANT TO MAKE

[01:05:06]

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK

YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU, MAYER MAYOR FOR CALLING IN.

>> NEXT IS IN-PERSON SPEAKER CYNTHIA SIEGEL.

>> MY NAME IS CINDY. I'VE BEEN A MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR 14 YEARS WITH BEL AIR, SERVED ON THE METRO BOARD FOR 8 YEARS AND CPA FOR 40 YEARS. I'M IN HAD HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE CAGLE-RAMSEY PLAN AND OPPOSED TO THE ELLIS PLAN. WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN SUBSERVICE THE LAST 22ERS USE, THE BIGGER THE GOVERNMENT, THE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR WASTE, THE MORE SLOWLY IT MOVEMENTS AND THERE'S NO MORE PLACE WHERE THAT IS SEEN AS WHERE OUR ELECTIONS ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. OUR JUDGES ARE NOT BEING TRAINED. THEY'RE NOT RECEIVING CONFIRMATION LETTERS. ELECTION WORKERS ARE NOT BEING TRAINED. YOU ASK US TO TRUST YOU'LL DO THE RIGHT THING IF YOU GO WITH THE ELLIS PLAN WHICH HAS THE MOST DISRUPTION TERMS OF HOW THE COUNTIES CHANGE. WHERE YOU'RE STILL DEALING WITH 25% SPLIT.

YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED HOW YOU CAN DELIVER SERVICES IN AN EFFICIENT WAY AND EFFECTIVE WAY AND COST WAY. I URGE YOU, COMMISSIONER

GARCIA -- >> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> YOU KEEP ASKING WHERE IS THE STUDY? VOTE FOR THE CAGLE.

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

>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE THROUGH WEBEX. CONGRESSWOMAN.

>> YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: YES, MA'AM, WE CAN.

>> HELLO. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: YES WE CAN. THANK YOU. WE CAN HEAR YOU AND SEE YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANKS FOR THE MONEY YOU'VE BEEN SENDING.

>> WE'RE IN THE MIDST NOW OF A VERY ENGAGING DEBATE. THANK YOU. AND LET ME EMPHASIZE THE WORDS THAT I'VE HEARD OF THE LAST WITNESS, WE WANT SERVICES, SERVICES, SERVICES. AND WE WANT WHAT I'VE SEEN THIS COMMISSION WORK ON TIME AFTER TIME WHEN YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, GOOD SERVICES AND GOOD BUSINESS AND GOOD RESULTS TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND VOTERS. I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO THE PRINCIPALS OF THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT, WHICH I'VE BEEN LIVING IN. I VOTED IN THE COMMISSIONERS COURT. I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT SOMETIMES THERE ARE PAINFUL BUT RIGHT CHANGES. THIS WONDERFUL COUNTY HAS GROWN INCREASINGLY DIVERSE. WE MUST RESPECT ALL OF THAT DIVERSITY.

IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THAT DIVERSITY IS ONLY PEOPLE OF COLOR. IT IS ALL OF US. BUT IT DOES NOT NEGATE THE PRINCIPAL COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST BEING ABLE TO VOTE FOR A PERSON OF THEIR CHOOSING. (BEEP)

>> YOUR TIME IS UP. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: YOU CAN CONTINUE, CONGRESSWOMAN, THAT WAS MY ALARM CLOCK. I'M SORRY.

>> THAT DOES NOT NEGATE THE WORK FOR THE STATE. BE REMINDED THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO INCLUDE IN THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR -- TO BE INCLUDED WHICH INCREASED MORE PEOPLE VOTE, YOUNG PEOPLE, SENIORS, DISABLED VOTE. THAT'S WHAT DIVERSITY IS. I'M HERE TO GIVE SUPPORT FOR THE UNDERLYING PLAN BEFORE YOU BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT IT DOES COMPLY WITH OUR INTERESTS IN THE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. AND I THINK IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THOSE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. AND AGAIN, ENSURE THAT THOSE COMMUNITIES WILL HAVE A VOICE.

WE WANT TO KEEP PRECINCTS TOGETHER THAT ALLOW THE COMMISSIONERS COURT (INAUDIBLE)

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: CONGRESSWOMAN, YOUR SOUND --

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: YOU MIGHT HAVE HIT THAT MUTE BUTTON, CONGRESSWOMAN. I'M NOT SURE. CONGRESSWOMAN, I THINK YOU HIT THE MUTE BUTTON. (INAUDIBLE)

[01:10:04]

>> WE CAN TRY TO GET HER RECONNECTED.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: WHY DON'T YOU TRY HER BACK IF SHE STILL HAS

COMMENTS TO ADD. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. WE'LL DO THAT. NEXT IS SPEAKER 55, RICHARD CANTY OF HCED TRUSTEE. YOU HAVE ONE

MINUTE. GO AHEAD. >> YES, GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS RICHARD CANTU, A TRUSTEE WITH THE -- (INAUDIBLE)

>> CONGRESSWOMAN, WE LOST YOU FOR A SECOND. YOU HAVE A CONGRESSWOMAN ON THE LINE. IF YOU COULD WAIT FOR A SECOND, MR. CANTU. WE CAN HEAR YOU.

>> GO AHEAD, CONGRESSWOMAN. >> I'VE SEEN HOW BARBARA DARN WORKED TO REPRESENT US IN THE VOTING RIGHTS. SHE WORKED FOR THE COUNTY AND HAD GREAT RESPECT FOR THE COUNTY. I THINK THE LINES PRESENTLY OFFERED PUTS PRECINCTS FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR A PERSON OF THEIR CHOOSING AND GUARANTEES THE INTENSE SERVICES NEEDED AND WE KNOW THE GREATNESS OF THE COUNTY. WE HAVE SEEN YOUR WORK. SO I WANT TO BE ON RECORD FOR SAYING THAT IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER, THESE LINES THAT ARE PRESENTLY OFFERED, THIS PRESENT PLAN, CAN BE REFLECTIVE OF THIS WIDELY DIVERSE COUNTY REPRESENTING ALL PEOPLE. I THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE TIME. I'M SORRY I MAY HAVE GONE OVER THE TIME. I HOPE I'M STILL RI VISUAL. I'M LOOKING AT A BLANK

PAGE. >> CONGRESSWOMAN, WE LOST A LITTLE OF YOU. I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ELLIS

PLAN? >> YES, I AM.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE PRESIDENT, SO WE DON'T WANT TO HOLD YOU. WE APPRECIATE AND

LOVE YOU, CONGRESSWOMAN. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: YES, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, CONGRESSWOMAN.

>> THANK YOU. WHEN WE VOTE ON FEDERAL FUNDS, WE CAN BRING IT

TO EVERYBODY. >> COMMISSIONER CAGLE: I'M THE ONE THAT INVOKED YOUR NAME AND QUOTES WITH WHAT WENT ON IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATOR. I THOUGHT THEY WERE IMPORTANT. NOBODY WORKS HARDER THAN YOU. I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO IN OUR AREA. ONE OF MY DISAPPOINTMENTS OF THE PROPOSED PLAN, OUR BORDERS WON'T BE AS OVERLAPPING ANYMORE. AND I WON'T HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH YOU MUCH.

>> COMMISSIONER, YOU ARE A GOOD FRIEND. WE'LL FIND A WAY. WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. YOU BRING RESOURCES AND I BRING RESOURCES AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS BRING RESOURCES. WE'RE GOING MAKE THAT HAPPEN. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU, CONGRESSWOMAN FOR THE TIME AND

YOUR WORK. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK YOU. MR. CANTU, THIS IS RODNEY. THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT.

SHE'S WORKING SO HARD FOR ALL OF US.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: EXACTLY.

>> UNDERSTOOD. NO PROBLEM. I WANTED TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MANY OF THE CALLERS AND SPEAKERS IN SUPPORT OF THE ELLIS MAP. IT DOES WONDERS FOR BRINGING OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

ESPECIALLY ON THE NORTH SIDE AND THE ALDEAN AREA. WE ENJOY WORKING WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS ELLIS AND GARCIA. BUT BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE FOCUS FROM ONE COMMISSIONER JUST REALLY MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. SO WE SUPPORT THE ELLIS MAP AND WE

APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU, RICHARD. TRUSTEE, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU CALLING.

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

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER 57, JIM HOLKUM OF HPC. ONE MINUTE.

>> THIS IS JIM. I'M A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 3, AND A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER. I HAVE TO SAY THIS, LISTEN TO GO THE LAST ONE MINUTE. THE I AM NOT IN HAD FAVOR OF THE ELLIS PLAN. I AM IN FAVOR OF JACK CAGLE'S PLAN THAT HE ROLLED OUT.

THIS IS TOTAL NONSENSE, WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING. AND I'VE SEEN THE CONSOLIDATION OF MANY AREAS IN THAT CAGLE'S SO-CALLED NEW PRECINCT THAT ELLIS PROPOSALS. THEY SAID IT TAKES FIVE HOURS, FIVE HOURS TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO DRIVE FROM THE ONE SIDE TO ANOTHER. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED. I REALLY WISH THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD FORCE THEMSELVES TO TAKE A LOOK AT THINGS LIKE THE CRIME SITUATION THAT WE HAVE IN HARRIS COUNTY AND GET OFF OF THIS ILLEGITIMATE MAP. I THINK RAMSEY CALLED IT CORRUPT.

(BEEP) >> THANK YOU, SIR. YOUR TIME IS

UP. >> HOW COME YOU GAVE EVERYBODY

ELSE MORE TIME. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: IF YOU WANT TO WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS QUICKLY, SIR. THIS IS RODNEY ELLIS. I'LL EXTEND THAT COURTESY TO YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU FOR CALLING.

[01:15:02]

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 60, PAULEY TURNER. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GO AHEAD. POLLY TURNER.

>> YES, UH-HUH. JUST ONE SECOND. JUST ONE SECOND. OH, WOW. I CAN'T FIND MY CHALK. I HAD IT HERE A MINUTE AGO. OH,

MY GOD. >> MAY WE CALL YOU BACK, MISS

TURNER? >> CAN YOU CALL SOMEBODY ELSE

AND COME BACK TO ME? >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: WE AIM

TO PLEASE. YES, MA'AM. >> OKAY.

>> ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 61 IN-PERSON SPEAKER

MARLA LOPEZ. >> ALL RIGHTY. GOOD AFTERNOON, Y'ALL. MY NAME IS MARLA LOPEZ PART OF THE HOUSTON IN ACTION COALITION. EACH OF US IN THE COALITION REPRESENTS COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT AREN'T HERE TODAY BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING, GOING TO SCHOOL, THEY'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE FOR FAMILIES AND FUTURES. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY AND REPRESENT THEM.

OUR COALITION REPRESENTS ALL OF THESE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY AND PRESENTLY BEEN THE AFTER THOUGHT OF MANY PUBLIC DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR EVERY DAY LIVES. AND THE OUTCOMES. DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN AT THE EXPENSE OF ETHNIC AND WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES SPECIFICALLY. THAT'S BEEN THE STATUS QUO. IT'S THE UNFORTUNATE TRADITION. FOR ALL COMMUNITIES. BUT TODAY WE HOPE OUR COLLECTIVE WORK DISRUPTS THIS AND DISRUPTS IT IN A WAY WHERE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE ABOUT PEOPLE AREN'T MADE WITHOUT THEM. THAT THESE FOLKS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE INCLUDED FAIRLY AND HAVE A HAND IN SHAPING THE NEXT TEN YEARS OF THEIR LIVES. THANK YOU FOR

HAVING THIS HEARING TODAY. >> MARIA, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

>> MARLA. >> WELL DONE.

>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE, WE'RE GOING TRY SPEAKER NUMBER 60 ONE MORE TIME.

POLLY TURNER, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> OKAY. RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON REGARDING THE REDISTRICTING PLAN. FOR TOO LONG, THIS COUNTY HAS BEEN DIVIDED BY PRECINCT BOUNDARIES THAT DENY PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ELECT REPRESENTATION THAT REFLECTS THE VIEWS OF THE MAJORITY OF ITS COMMUNITY. FAIR REPRESENTATION IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR DEMOCRACY. EVERY TEN YEARS, CITY, STATES, AND COUNTIES ENGAGE IN REDISTRICTING. THIS PROCESS MUST BE TRANSPARENT. IT SHOULD ACCOUNT FOR CHANGES IN POPULATION. IT SHOULD ACCOUNT FOR HISTORIC COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. AND IT SHOULD REFLECT THE PHILOSOPHY THAT MAKES UP THE COUNTY. FOR THE LAST SIX WEEKS, HARRIS COUNTY HAS HELD PUBLIC MEETINGS ACROSS THE COUNTY TO HEAR OUR THOUGHTS BASED ON WHAT WE LEARNED AND IN COMPLIANCE (BEEP)

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

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU, MISS TURNER.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER 62 JEREMY HENDRICKS, ONE MINUTE. GO

AHEAD. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE HIDALGO. AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JEREMY WITH THE LABOR INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH.

WE'RE A CONSTRUCTION SERVICE UNION. WE FIGHT EVERY DAY TO PRO PROTECT WORKERS. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S REDISTRICTING PLAN.

IT'S NO SECRET THAT HARRIS COUNTY'S POPULATION HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED AND GROWN AND INCREASINGLY DEMOCRATIC.

AND SINCE VOTERS HAVE A GOOD SENSE TO ELECT JUDGE HIDALGO AND COMMISSIONERS ELLIS AND GARCIA, THEY HAVE BENEFITED FROM A COURT THAT ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT THEM. THIS COURT NOTABLY WITHOUT THE HELP OF TWO REPUBLICAN MEMBERS, HAVE PASSED A $15 MINIMUM WAGE AND SAFETY TRAINING FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, PROVIDED HOUSING AND OTHER FINANCIAL RELIEF TO WORKERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS DURING THE PANDEMIC. AND PASSED SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR COVID. SO HARRIS COUNTY CAN'T LET THE VOICES OF MINORITIES BE SILENCED BY PRECINCTS THAT DON'T REPRESENT THE WILL OF VOTERS. PLEASE DON'T TAKE AWAY THE POWER OF THE HARRIS COUNTY VOTERS AND SUPPORT COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S PROPOSAL.

>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 66 ANTHONY ROBINSON, SPEAKING IN-PERSON.

>> FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO JUDGE HIDALGO AND

[01:20:02]

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND ANYONE THAT HEARS MY VOICE, I'M NOT IN OPPOSITION TO ANYONE ELSE'S PLAN. I AM CHOOSING AND VOICING MY SUPPORT FOR ANOTHER PLAN.

THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: JUDGE, I'M SORRY. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE MR. ROBINSON DID MENTION IT'S SUCH A GREAT HUMAN BEING. HE'S NOT JUST A LAWYER. HE IS A'S THE FIRST PERSON IN AMERICA WRONGLY CONVICTED TO GET A LAW DEGREE. SINCE THAT, SEVERAL OTHERS FOLLOWED. SUCH A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE. HE PASSED THE LEGISLATION FOR PEOPLE BEING WRONGLY CONVICTED. HE RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL. I TRIED TALKING HIM OUT OF IT. JUST WHAT A DECENT HUMAN BEING. THIS ISSUE ASIDE, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING

AN EXAMPLE. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: MR. ROBINSON, THANK YOU FOR COMING BY AND SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND WORDS. I PAID VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S WORK ON YOUR BEHALF. AND SO I'M HONORED TO HAVE YOU

HERE TODAY. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 67.

SORRY. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 67, SERGIO LIRA.

>> GOOD DAY, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS DR. SERGIO LIRA. I'M HERE IN SOLIDARITY TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED MAPS FROM COMMISSIONER ELLIS. HOWEVER, MY MAIN PURPOSE IS COLLABORATE WITH ALL OF YOU IN THE CREATION OF NEW HISPANIC OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS IN HARRIS COUNTY. THIS INCLUDES A NEW COMMISSIONER SEAT, NEW JUSTICE OF THE PEACE SEAT AND ALSO A NEW CONSTABLE POSITION THAT REFLECTS EQUITY AND FAIRNESS AND REPRESENTATION BASED ON THE GROWTH OF THE LATINO POPULATION IN HARRIS COUNTY. WE NEED EQUITABLE, DIVERSE REPRESENTATION ON THIS BOARD TO IMPROVE REPRESENTATION FOR THE NEXT DECADE. FINALLY, IF THIS HAPPENS, OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE RESPECTED AND HEARD.

FURTHERMORE, I HAVE BEEN AN EDUCATOR FOR 30 YEARS IN HARRIS COUNTY. I'M A LIFELONG HOU HOUSTONIAN. THE MAP THAT COMMISSIONER ELLIS IS PROPOSING IS THE FAIR MINIMUM --

>> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU. DOCTOR, DO YOU HAVE A FEW MORE WORDS?

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GARCIA. KEEP IN HAD MIND, THE GROWTH IN HARRIS COUNTY IS DUE TO THE GROWTH IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY IN HARRIS COUNTY. IN FACT MORE SO THAN THE WHOLE STATE. WE HAVE $78 BILLION ECONOMIC SPENDING THAT WE PURCHASE HERE. WE PAY A LOT OF TAXES. THEREFORE, IT'S FAIR AND REASONABLE TO ASK FOR NEW OPPORTUNITY DISTRICTS IN HARRIS COUNTY. IT'S LONG OVERDUE. WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. I KNOW WE CAN. LET ME SAY ONE THING. THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY'S SECURITY AND HAPPINESS RESTS IN YOU AND I WORKING TOGETHER.

THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> COMMISSIONER: I TAKE YOUR WORDS TO HEART. AND WE DID POST SOMETHING TODAY. I THINK YOU'LL

BE SUPPORTIVE OF. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK YOU, SIR. I APPRECIATE IT. I KNOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. AND

FOR COMING DOWN. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU YOUR BRIDE AS WELL.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS IN-PERSON SPEAKER MARIA LIRA. SHE'S REQUESTED A SPANISH INTERPRETER.

INTERPRETER, I'M MUTING YOU NOW. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: PLEASE REPEAT

THE NUMBER. >> SHE'S NOT ON THE LIST. SHE SIGNED UP BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: OKAY. GO AHEAD.

[01:25:26]

INTERPRETER GOT DISCONNECTED. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: OKAY. TELL THE INTERPRETER SHE'S ON THE LINE. ARE YOU THERE?

>> I DO APOLOGIZE. I WAS DISCONNECTED BRIEFLY AND WAS ABLE TO RECONNECT AGAIN. I APOLOGIZE.

HIDALGO AND MEMBERS OF THE CHAIR, I'M HERE AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF LULAK AND COMMUNITY LEADER FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

>> I'M NOT ONLY HERE AS COMMUNITY LEADER, I'M ALSO HERE AS A MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER.

>> AND I AM HERE NOT ONLY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, NOT ONLY AS A LEADER, BUT ALSO FOR THE SPANISH COMMUNITY. I FEEL LIKE WE NEED MORE REPRESENTATION IN SPANISH AND OF THOSE BILINGUAL MEMBERS.

>> AS A LEADER, I NOTED THERE'S INEQUALITY WHEN IT COMES TO LIVING SITUATIONS AND EDUCATION AS WELL.

TO FOR INSTANCE RESOURCES VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO PAY FOR YOUR HOME, FOR YOUR ELECTRICITY AND FOODS.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO ASK AND REQUEST THAT YOU ALL PLEASE CONSIDER WHEN DOING THE RE-MAPPING THAT YOU ALLOW FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.

TAXES.

>> WE ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY BEING THAT WE ARE ALSO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

>> AND WE ALSO VOTE.

>> WE NEED REPRESENTATION WHEN IT COMES TO OUR LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SPEAK ON OUR BEHALF AND ABLE TO SHARE WITH US THOSE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR US AND ALSO HELPING US APPLYING FOR RESOURCES.

NATURAL DISASTERS.

>> BECAUSE I SAW MYSELF A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS UNFORTUNATELY BEING SPANISH SPEAKING A LOT OF THEM ARE CITIZENS, BUT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO GET RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

>> AND I ACTUALLY HAD EVEN SPOKE TO MY GRANDKIDS IN THIS REGARD AND GONE AS FAR AS ASKING THEM -- THEY'VE MOVED. AND I ASKED HOW ARE THINGS IN YOUR DISTRICT THERE? THEIR RESPONSE TO ME WAS MACARONI TASTES LIKE CHEESE AND JUICES AND MILKS ARE

[01:30:04]

>> BECAUSE IT'S A SHAME TO ME I AM A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND LEADER OF THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE BEEN FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND SO HEAR THAT FROM MY GRANDCHILDREN.

SUFFERING. AND WE DON'T NEED ONLY JUST YOUR TIME BUT WE NEED

YOUR HELP. THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 69, MICHAEL ADAMS OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. THE YOU HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> HELLO, EVERYONE. HONOR ONLY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. I'M MICHAEL ADAMS, A POLITICAL SCIENTISTS. I'VE BEEN DOING REDISTRICTING RESEARCH FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE ELLIS MAP. I THINK IT'S A FAIR MAP. IT'S NOT A RACE-BASED MAP. I LIKE WHAT WE SAW IN 2010. IT DOES NOT PACK AND CRACK THE M MINORITY COMMUNITY TO GET UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. WE HEARD FROM THE DISTRICT THAT IS A REPUBLICAN OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT IN TERMS OF 60 MILES. I THINK THAT DISTRICT SPEAKS TO A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST. AND I THINK ALL RESIDENTS NEED TO HAVE REPRESENTATION THAT SPEAKS ON THEIR BEHALF. AND I THINK THE ELLIS MAP MEETS ALL THE METRICS IN TERMS OF COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE CHANGE IN DEMOGRAPHIC IN OUR COUNTY. THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 70, PATSY GILHEM. (INAUDIBLE)

>> OKAY. WE'LL COME BACK TO HER. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 71, BARBARA PFEIFFER, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> HI. THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CALL. I WANT TO SAY I'M SPEAKING FOR ALL RACES, GENDERS. WE WANT ACCOUNTABILITY, INTEGRITY, HONOR REPRESENTING US, NOT DIVISIVENESS, SUBTERFUGE AND ILLEGALITIES. WHAT WE HAVE REPRESENTING US, WE WANT TO PAY IT FORWARD TO OUR CHILDREN, GRANDS, OUR GREATS, ON AND BEYOND BY THE GRACE OF GOD. AND THANK YOU ALL. BECAUSE YOU HAVE STARTED ON THE RIGHT ROAD. YOU ARE HELPING THE SENIORS, WHICH I AM ONE NOW. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALLOWING

ME TO SPEAK. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU FOR

CALLING IN. >> NOW, WE'RE GOING GO BACK TO SPEAKER NUMBER 48. WE WERE ABLE TO GET HER CONNECTED. ELLEN WEISS OF BEL AIR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> HI. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THE MY NAME IS ELLEN OF BEL AIR, TEXAS. I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON FOR 40 YEARS.

I'VE WATCHED IT BLOOM AND BLOSSOM. THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT AS MANY OTHERS HAVE SPOKEN TO, IS THAT HOUSTON IS POCKETS AND POCKETS AND POCKETS OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES, DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS AND DIFFERENT DESIRES. AND THE MAP, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A MAP CAN GO ALL THE WAY FROM CYPRUS TO BAYTOWN, WHICH IS MILES AND MILES TO DRIVE. OF THE DIVERSITY OF THIS CITY IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS THAT WE HAVE. ENHANCING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, YOU KNOW, WHITE, BLACK, SPANISH, PURPLE, ANYTHING WOULD BE AN ENHANCEMENT --

(BEEP) >> THANK YOU. MA'AM. YOUR TIME

IS UP. >> DID YOU HEAR ME?

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> NEXT, WE'RE GOING BACK TO SPEAKER 70, PATSY GILHEM.

>> THANK YOU. PATSY, PRECINCT 3, CYPRUS, TEXAS. I'M IN FAVOR OF THE UNITY MAP FIRST OF ALL. SECOND OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT THE (INAUDIBLE) WHO TAKES CARE OF ALL THE PARKS IN PRECINCT 3. THEY DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB. I'M IN FAVOR OF THE UNITY MAP, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE BEST, IN

[01:35:04]

[BEEP] >> THANK YOU. MA'AM. YOUR TIME

IS UP. >> THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 63, LETICIA OF HOUSTON, YOU HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> HI. I'M CALLING ON BEHALF OF AAIR ALLIANCE HOUSTON. HELL? (SOUND OF MUSIC)

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: WE CAN HEAR YOU FINE. GO AHEAD.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THAT IS FOR YOUR COMFORT.

>> HELLO? (SOUND OF MUSIC)

>> I'M SORRY. DO I KEEP SPEAKING?

>> IF YOU COULD CONCENTRATE, YES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

>> OKAY. I'M SORRY. SO I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF AAIR ALLIANCE HOUSTON AND MYSELF AND MY COMMUNITY. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE REPRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES. IT'S EMPERTIVE WE KEEP OUR COLLECTIVE VOICES TOGETHER. WE STAND WITH HOUSTON ACTION AND HAVE DONE WORK WITH THE COMMUNITIES TO GET HOW THE MAPS SHOULD BE TRANSLATED INTO. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. IT IS ALSO IMPERATIVE THE COMMUNITY HAS A STAKE AT THE TABLE. THERE'S OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. AS I MENTIONED HOUSTON IN ACTION THAT HAVE DONE THAT WORK. WE STAND BEHIND THOSE WHO HAVE DONE THE REAL WORK TO HAVE COMMUNITY VOICES HEARD.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU.

>> SORRY. I COULD BARELY GET MYSELF TO THINK WITH THE MUSIC.

BUT THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU. THE MUSIC MADE YOUR COMMENTS EVEN MORE POWERFUL.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: IT WAS WONDERFUL.

>> OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER ELLIS: THANK

YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU FOR

YOUR COMMENTS. >> I'M SORRY. THAT WAS MY FAULT. I LOST POWER FOR A FEW MINUTES. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 72, BRIDGETTE WADE CITIZEN CANDIDATE FOR HISD. YOU HAVE

ONE MINUTE. >> I'M BRIDGETTE. THANK YOU, C COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR ACCEPTING OUR PHONE CALL. I AM A HOUSTONIAN. I'M OPPOSED TO THE ELLIS PLAN. I WANT TO CONSIDER HOW THIS WILL IMPACT OUR SCHOOLS AND CHILDREN. WILL THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE AND PLANNING WORK FOUR OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN HAVE BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH DISPLACEMENT. IF THE DISTRICT IS TOO LARGE AND VAST A TERRITORY, WE CANNOT ACT EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY ON OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN'S BEHALF. WILL THANK YOU.

GOD BLESS. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS IN-PERSON SPEAKER NUMBER 74, JACOB CLEMATAGE.

(INAUDIBLE) >> I'M GOING TO READ WHAT I WROTE ON HERE AND THEY REPEATED SO PEOPLE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING. OKAY. IF YOU CAN GIVE THAT.

SORRY. DO WE GIVE SOMEBODY TWO MINUTES FOR SOMEBODY USING AN

INTERPRETER OR ONE? >> JUDGE HIDALGO: SOMEBODY WITH

AN INTERPRETER -- >> OKAY. IT'S HARD TO

UNDERSTAND ME SO I NEED HELP. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: IT LOOKS LIKE LUCINDA IS HELPING THE SPEAKER, SO WE CAN MOVE ONTO THE NEXT SPEAKER AND THEN COME BACK, TIFFANY.

>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS NUMBER 75 IN-PERSON AS WELL DEBRA CHIN.

[01:40:12]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. JUDGE HIDALGO AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS DEBRA. I'M WITH OCA GREATER HOUSTON. I'M PART OF THE HOUSTON IN ACTION UNITY MAP COALITION. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THAT. IT'S SIMILAR TO THE ELLIS MAP NUMBER 2. WE JUST REQUEST THAT CONSIDERATION BE MADE FOR BEL AIR TO REMAIN IN PRECINCT 3 AS IT IS CURRENTLY, AND TO INCLUDE THE MEDICAL CENTER INTO PRECINCT 3. ASIAN AMERICANS WERE THE FASTEST-GROWING GROUP THE LAST DECADE. THESE CHANGES WOULD REFLECT OUR POPULATION GROWTH AND INCREASE THE ADPI AGE VOTING POPULATION TO 14.2%. SOME OF THE ISSUES OF COMMONALITIES THAT ARE SHARED BY THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS TO BE PUT BACK INTO 3, INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.

BOTH HAVE HIGHLY EDUCATED POPULATIONS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF COLLEGE DEGREES SIMILAR TO MEMORIAL VILLAGES, RIVER OAKS --

(BEEP) >> THANK YOU. MA'AM. YOUR TIME

IS UP. >> THANK YOU FOR THE TRANSPARENT PROCESS. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, ESPECIALLY THE JUDGE FOR THIS OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS. BECAUSE TRUST ME, IT'S NOT BEEN LIKE THAT WITH THE OTHER ENTITIES IN THIS STATE.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK YOU.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOOD TO GO HERE. GO

AHEAD. >> THANK YOU. DEAR HONORABLE POLITICIANS, OXYMORON IF I EVER HEARD. THIS IS AS DEAF AS -- I AM FOR -- PARTICIPATING IN THE 40 DAYS FOR LIFE. IT'S LIKE COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S GOD GIVEN RIGHT WAS TAKEN AWAY, REGULARLY BEING TAKEN AWAY, AND THAT'S NO GOOD -- I HAVE -- SORRY. IT LOOKS LIKE I'M -- OHM THEY WOULD HAVE ADMISSIBLE TO SEEING EYE DOG. -- YEAH, WELL, I WANTED TO GO ONTO ANOTHER THING THAT I HAVE. PEOPLE HAVE HELPED ME WITH GOODS. PEOPLE IN ALL SORTS OF PHILOSOPHIES. CONGRATULATIONS TO AL GREENE FOR BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR RECOGNIZING AND FEDERAL SUPPORT IN THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ALSO, STATE REP WU INFORMING PEOPLE OF HELP NEEDED BY OUR AFRICAN ALLIES. AND WHILE A GOOD SAMARITAN TO PEOPLE CLOSE TO HIM, PASTOR MARTIN A PERSON NOT TOO CLOSE TO HIM HELPED HIM. HE WASN'T ASKING FOR HELP. BUT THE AFRICAN ALLIES WERE ASKING FOR OUR HELP.

AND I COMPLIED. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU SO

MUCH. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA: THANK

YOU. >> NEXT --

>> I FORGOT TO MENTION, HRC'S ON DISTRICT 5 AND DISTRICT 7.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> ALSO, PROPOSITION 2 VOTE FOR

IT PLEASE. >> JUDGE HIDALGO: HAD GOT IT.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 73, SUMOLE. GO AHEAD.

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 73, SUMOLE, ARE YOU THERE? OKAY. WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.

>> JUDGE HIDALGO: THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER NUMBER 78, KEITH

NYSTROM. ONE MINUTE, SIR. >> THIS IS KEITH FROM CYPRUS,

[01:45:06]

WHILE I KNOW IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT YOU WOULD ADOPT SUCH AN EQUAL DIVISION, I DO BELIEVE EACH OF YOU OWE THE PUBLIC AN EXPLANATION WHY YOU WOULDN'T I WENT TO ASK THE CONSULTANT TO DRAFT THIS APPROACH HE WOULD ONLY DRAFT TO PURGE THE COURT HAD ASKED. I ASKED THE COURT TO TAKE THE TIME IT REQUIRES TO GET IT RIGHT AND DO IT AND DO WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU AND SERVE HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS IN A UNANIMOUS BODY DECISION.

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

>> THANK YOU, THERE WERE SEVERAL SUBMISSIONS ALONG THOSE LINES AND CERTAINLY THEY WERE CONSIDERED THE CONCERN IS FOR ME, ANYWAYS, THE SPLITTING THINGS UP IN THAT WAY DOESN'T KEEP COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER. SO THAT IS LITERALLY THE CHALLENGE I THOUGHT JUST WAIT THE COUNTY HAS GROWN. BUT IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

>> NEXT IS A SPEAKER NUMBER 76, CANDY VIAL. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> MY NAME IS KITTY FILE AS A NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN I'M A STRONG BELIEVER IN FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY. HERE TODAY TO RAISE MY VOICE REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF FAIR REDISTRICTING. IT IS PARAMOUNT TO ME, MY CHILDREN AND A DEMOCRACY.

I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR REFORM WHICH INCLUDES INDEPENDENT SUBMISSIONS TO REVIEW AND UPDATE MAPS THAT ARE FAIRLY STRONG REGARDLESS OF RACIAL, LEGAL OR SOCIOECONOMIC REASONS.

I'M HERE TODAY TO THINK HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER RONNIE ELLIS FOR STEADFAST REPORT FOR HIS REPARTEE STATION THAT REFLECT THE VIEWS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND PUSHING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ENGAGEMENT AS PART OF THE REDUCING PROCESS. I'M HERE TODAY TO REQUEST AN INCREASE IN STATE FUNDING FOR FUTURE CENSUS COUNT EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE TEXAS COMMITTEES ARE ACCURATELY AND OVERREPRESENTED. HERE TODAY TO PLAINLY STATE THAT VOTERS HAVE THE SAME RIGHT TO VOTE AND WE SHOULD BE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO REMOVE ANY OBSTACLES THAT MAY LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO VOTE. VOTING IS A RIGHT MUST BE EASY.

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

>> THANK YOU, THIS IS RODNEY ELLIS, WE APPRECIATE YOU.

>> WE ARE GONNA TRY IT SPEAKER 73 WHEN WERE TIME. SIMONE.

SORRY IF I MISS OF YOUR LAST NAME, GIVE IT ONE MINUTE.

>> REPRESENTATION THAT REFLECTIVE USE OUR COMMUNITY.

>> SIMONE? OKAY, WE WILL MOVE ON AGAIN. SPEAKER NUMBER 82, JERRY LIEUTENANT. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GO AHEAD.

>> MR. MAYOR, IS A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF DEER PARK AND PRESENTS TO, I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF PRECINCT 2 AND THE TRANSVERSELY OF HOW COMMISSIONERS ARE GOING TO AFFECT HER RESIDENCE. THERE WERE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING MAPS FROM COMMISSIONER ELLIS IS CLEARLY DRIVEN BY CLINICAL GAIN. IT'S PAST THE NEW LINES WILL SEVERELY SHIFT THE MAKEUP OF THE COURT VIRTUALLY ENSURING EVERYONE VOTE IN SUPPORT OF DEMOCRATS. PLEASE DO NOT THINK PROPOSED PLANS ARE BASED ON ANYTHING ELSE. THIS WILL SEVERELY DISENFRANCHISE THOUSANDS OF VOTERS IN EXISTING PRECINCT 2 AND THREE. I URGE COMMISSIONERS GARCIA AND ELLIS TO PLEASE CONSIDER THE STATUS QUO MAP THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA LAST WEEK. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR FOR COMING IN.

>> NEXT TO SPEAK A NUMBER 80 MICHAEL WATSON OF WCJ, IF ONE MINUTE, GO AHEAD PLEASE.

>> THIS IS MIKE WATSON, I WANT TO THANK OUR JUDGE AND OUR COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. I AM CALLING IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER ANALYSIS MAP NUMBER TWO AS WELL AS TWEAKS ON THE UNITY MAP. I WAS QUITE INTRIGUED BY THAT.

MATT AS WELL. I BELIEVE IN KEEPING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR OF INTEREST RATHER COMING TOGETHER. I'M A LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE NAACP, THE LIFETIME MEMBER OF MS. BARBARA JONES ORGANIZATION PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY AS WELL AS TEXAS AGAINST GERRYMANDERING. I'M CALLING IT STRONG SUPPORT OF CHANGES MAPS AND HE DID HIS HOMEWORK FIRST, HE WAS ALL PREPARED LAST WEEK.

SOME OF THESE MAPS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED BUT WE LOOK FOR FORWARD TO SEEING YOU GUYS

[01:50:04]

>> THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS BIG NUMBER 85, JULIA, OF TEXAS HOUSES. GIVE ONE MINUTE, GO AHEAD PLEASE.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE HIDALGO AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JULIA SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR TEXAS HOUSES. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE REDISTRICTING SOLUTION PRESENTED IN THE UNITY MAP. DEVELOPED WITH AND BY UNITY MEMBERS. AND HIS BOUNDARIES CONSCIOUSLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE NEEDS AND CONVERSATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CURRENT MAP DIVIDES PROMINENT MINORITY COMMUNITIES IN VARIOUS PRECINCTS THEREFORE DIVIDING THEIR ATTENTION AND OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN PUBLIC POLICY IN A UNITED WAY. THE UNITY MAP MAKES PLURALITY INTO THE CONSIDERATION TO CREATE HEALTHY DIVISION AND OF THE PROACTIVELY THE MOST DEMOCRACY. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY ON THIS MATTER.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. TIFFANY, HOW MANY MORE SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE?

>> WE CURRENTLY HAVE A FEW THAT ARE ALREADY QUEUED UP BUT THE LIST, WE CALLED EVERYONE ON THE LIST.

>> I AM TRYING TO DECIDE WHEN WE TAKE A BREAK, HOW MANY ARE LEFT TO SPEAK WHETHER GIVE THEM QUEUED UP OR NOT?

>> TOTAL, THERE IS ABOUT MAYBE 13.

>> ALL RIGHT, SHOULD WE CALL THEM AND THEN BREAK? OKAY, ALL RIGHT, WHY DON'T WE BREAK NOW THEN. LET'S TAKE A 10 AND A BREAK AND WE WILL RETURN

>> WE ARE READY FOR THE SPEAKERS WHEN YOU HAVE THEM ON THE LINE.

>> NEXT IS A SPEAKER NUMBER 79, ANNIE WILLIAMS. YOU'RE ONE MINUTE.

>> HI, THIS IS ANNIE WILLIAMS, RESIDENT OF HOUSTON. I MOVED HERE SIX YEARS AGO.

VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE DIVERSITY OF THIS CITY AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SUPPORTS THAT IS THAT THERE IS PROSPERITY. PROSPERITY COMES FROM THE FORWARD THINKING OF THOSE THAT FOUNDED THE CITY, THEY FOUNDED AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS INSUPPORTABLE THIS PLANET WE HAVE BEFORE US IS ONE THAT WOULD MAKE SUPPORTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT AND COSTLY WHICH IS NEGATIVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE MINORITIES AND SEEKING TO MOVE UP FROM AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE.

ALSO, WE NEED TO KEEP SCHOOL DISTRICTS SUCH AS SPRING BRANCH TOGETHER.

WE NEED TO KEEP THAT MEMORIAL VILLAGES TOGETHER. AND OVERALL, I AM TOTALLY AGAINST COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S PLAN BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON WELL. I THINK WE NEED TO STICK WITH COMMISSIONER CAGLE'S PLAN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> NEXT SPEAKER NUMBER 81, ERIC FRYER. IN ONE MINUTE, GO AHEAD.

>> YES, ERIC FRYER, BUSINESS MANAGER FOR HOUSTON TEXAS. I AGREE WITH THE PERSON WHO SPOKE PREVIOUSLY. REDISTRICTING CAN GO EITHER WAY.

BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION NOW WHERE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DRAW LINES WITH EQUAL REPRESENTATION ACROSS THE RELATION OF HOUSTON.I KNOW ONE OF THE WORST OFFENDERS IF YOU LOOK AT A MAP YOU CAN TELL WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO WITH IT.

I THINK WITH THE PLAN TO DO NOW ALONG WITH THE RECENT RESTRICTIONS ON VOTING AND EARLY VOTING AND MAILING BALLOTS IT SERVES A PURPOSE. I THINK THIS WOULD TRY AND FURTHER THEIR RESTRICTIONS ON PEOPLE GETTING REPRESENTATION IN OUR GOVERNMENT.

THAT'S IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 84, MARQUIS OF THE HOUSTON URBAN LEAGUE.

>> HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGES AND COMMISSIONERS I MET MRS. BARDO I'M CALLING ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON URBAN LEAGUE. I YOU TODAY BECAUSE I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEW CONVENTIONAL DISTRICT THAT NOT ONLY APPEARED TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL BUT THEY WERE PASSED WITH NO REGARD FOR THE MILLIONS OF RESIDENTS OF THE STATE. DESPITE BEING A CHANGE IN I'M SORRY.

I'M PROUD TO BE A HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENT AND BRIDE-TO-BE RESIDENT RECENT ONE.

TODAY REQUESTING THIS COURT IMPLEMENT A PLAN PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS SO THAT THIS COURT CAN BE RECITATIVE OF THE DIVERSITY AND SOLIDARITY THAT IN ITSELF IS IN ITS GREAT

[01:55:05]

>> NEXT WE ARE GOING TO TRY SPEAKER NUMBER 73 AGAIN. SIMONE.

>> MUCH FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE. TODAY, I CALLED TO UPHOLD COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S PLAN FOR REDISTRICTING PRECINCT 3. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WANT TO PUT IN PRISON FOR AN CONCERN ABOUT IS HOW MUCH IT WOULD IMPACT THE SERVICE AND SO FAR I HAVE THE WAY YOU ARE REDISTRICTING BASED ON THE POLITICAL POWER YOU SHOULD LOOK AT HOW MUCH , HOW YOU CAN SERVE THE RESIDENT . PLEASE DON'T THINK ABOUT RESIDENT DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS REPUBLICANS AND SO ON.

PLEASE CONSIDER THE UNITY.

>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.

>> NEXT IS A NUMBER 89 RONALD CHAPMAN OF HC 222. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> YES, MA'AM. I FEEL LIKE IT IS UNFAIR AND INEQUITABLE MERGING PARTS OF PRECINCT 3 AND FOUR AND PRESENT ONE THAT IS A GERRYMANDERING, IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RESIDENTS. IT'S DILUTING OUR VOTING AND I AM OPPOSED TO IT THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A POLITICAL PLOY. I THINK IT IS SHAMEFUL TO EVEN CONSIDER IT. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER NUMBER 64, DANIELLE YOUNG.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> HI, MY NAME IS DANIELLE YOUNG. I'M A RESIDENT OF HARRIS COUNTY AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S PLAN FOR REDISTRICTING.HANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> NEXT IS NUMBER 83, MARLIN PRINTING OF ONE MINUTE.

>> HI I AM MARLON WILLIFORD A 23 YEAR BUSINESSMAN AND RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 3. HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE INTO BUSINESS AND IN OUR TIME HERE WE HAVE COLLABORATED AND WORKED ON PROJECTS FROM THE AIRPORT AND 1/3 WARD AND THE RESERVOIRS.

WE SEE THAT HARRIS COUNTY IS RECOGNIZED THE STATE AND NATION FOR ITS LEADERSHIP, PROSPERITY AND GROWTH AND THEY ARE WATCHING IS NOW. JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS I URGE YOU TO SET POLITICAL AGENDAS ASIDE AND ESTABLISH REDISTRICTING PLAN AND MAP THE EVIDENCES BIPARTISANSHIP AND BUILD COOPERATION, NOT DIVISION.

DO NOT MAKE DRASTIC CHANGES TO PRECINCT BOUNDARIES, SUPPORTING SUBSTANCE OF THE COMMISSIONER CAGLE AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY MAPS FORWARD TOWARD UNITY AND PUBLISHING.

THE LEGACY LEADERSHIP OF THIS COURT WILL BE EVIDENCED AND EVALUATED CRITICAL DECISIONS OF WHICH IS HAS FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS AND LONG-TERM RAMIFICATIONS.

>> THANK YOU, SIR.

>> BE WISE AND BE FAIR, PLEASE. THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 93, JOHN OGLETREE. GO AHEAD PLEASE.

>> YES, I AM JOHN OGLETREE AND I AM FOR A FAIR PLAN THAT REPRESENTS THE GROWTH OF OUR COUNTY. WHICH IS PRIMARILY BLACK AND BROWN.

I THINK THAT IT IS ONLY FAIR TO HONOR A REDRAWING OF THESE COMMISSIONER PRECINCTS THAT REFLECT THAT WE NEED TO STOP THE GERRYMANDERING WHERE PEOPLE ARE DISENFRANCHISED.

[02:00:01]

AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME FOR THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO MAKE A STATEMENT AND THAT YOU WILL HONOR EACH AND EVERY VOTER OF ALL THE AREAS OF OUR COUNTY AND ALL ETHNICITIES AND GROUPS.

>> THIS IS RODNEY ELLIS, THINGS ARE GOING IN.

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

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER NUMBER 54 EVA LAREDO, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> HELLO I AM EVENT LAREDO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND I AM A RECIPIENT OF THE WAY THAT LINES WERE DRAWN 10 YEARS AGO AND IT IS JUST VERY IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH OUT TO ALL OF MY CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE I GO EAST TO WEST LIKE A RIVER SO IF YOU DRAW THEM WHERE YOU TAKE THE PRECINCT INTO CONSIDERATION AND COAT SERVE THAT WE CAN SERVE THEM BETTER.

EVEN THOUGH I LOVE ALL MY CONSTITUENTS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT SO PLEASE THINK ABOUT US AS YOU REDRAW THESE LINES TO MAKE IT WORKABLE AND MAKE US MORE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR ALL YOU DO.

>> TRUSTEE, THIS IS COMMISSIONER GARCIA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN YOUR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. FOR CALLING IT AND SHARING YOUR VOICE ON THIS MATTER.

>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 91, CHIP TELL OF THE CITY OF HUNTERS CREEK VILLAGE. YOU'REONE MINUTE.

>> COMMISSIONERS , THINK YOU HAVE GIVEN ME TIME TO EXPRESS MY VIEWS AND THE VIEWS OF A NUMBER OF THE RESIDENTS OF HARRIS COUNTY.THERE'S NO BIGGER ISSUE THAN WHAT HARVEY DID TO US. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE BUFFALO BAYOU WATERSHED IS NOW BEING EXPLAINED INTO TWO PRECINCTS. AT LEAST BY ONE OF THE PROPOSED MAPS. I URGE YOU TO KEEP ALL OF THE BUFFALO BAYOU WATERSHED IN PRECINCT 3 SO THAT THERE IS CONSISTENT MEANS OF ADDRESSING THE ENORMOUS FLOOD.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME TIME TO SPEAK.

>> THANK YOU. NEXT IS NUMBER 88 JOCELYN, GO AHEAD PLEASE.

>> THANK YOU THIS IS JOCELYN I'M WITH THAT COMMUNITY INVESTIGATION AND PRESENT CORPORATE I SPOKE LAST TUESDAY OR THE 21ST SO LAST THURSDAY AND I APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK AGAIN. I DID LISTEN TO ALL OF THE MEETING FROM LAST THURSDAY AND I WAS ACTUALLY DISHEARTENED TO HEAR SO MANY PEOPLE WANT TO DRAW MAPS THAT SEGREGATE.

WE ARE A MELTING POT AND I FEEL LIKE MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS A PRIME EXAMPLE THAT WE SHOULD BE PULLING TOGETHER. COMMISSIONER ELLIS I WAS THANKFUL I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT YOU THOUGHT THE BENEFITS OF YOUR PLAN WORK. BUT ONE OF THE ENHANCEMENTS YOU MENTIONED WAS TO MAKE RECENT STREET MORE COMPACT. BUT YOU DID THAT AT THE EXPENSE OF MAKING PRECINCT FOR UNMANAGEABLE HE SPREAD OUT. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN JUSTIFY OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE UNITY MAP. I THINK PEOPLE VOTE WITH THEIR HEART I THINK PRECINCT 3 AND FOUR ARE GETTING THE MOST

>> THANK YOU .

>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING HIM.

>> NEXT WE WILL JUMP BACK TO SEASON 32, CAESAR ESPINOZA, WE CONTACTED HIM VIRTUALLY.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.MY NAME IS CAESAR ESPINOZA.

WE ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE TRANSIT MAP BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT'S DOING WHAT WE INTEND TO DO. WE WANT REDISTRICTING TO DO WHICH IS TO GIVE COMMUNITIES MORE TWICE JUST TO GIVE COMMUNITIES FAIR REPRESENTATION AND WE BELIEVE THIS IS A GOOD COMPROMISE, A GOOD STEP, IN THE DIRECTION WE ARE GOING. I WAS THERE YESTERDAY AND SPOKE ABOUT THE FACT THAT REDISTRICTING IS GIVING PEOPLE MORE POWER NOT TO TAKE MORE POWER FROM THEM. IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS WHEN I TALKED TO MY FRIENDS I AM REALLY BAFFLED AT SOME OF THE MESSAGING THAT'S GOING OUT TO SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES TRYING TO PUT FEAR INTO PEOPLE, TRYING TO PUT PEOPLE, THIS IS NOT WHAT THEY SHOULD BE ABOUT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY HELP WITH THE PRESENTATION BUT WITH

[02:05:03]

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

>> CAESAR THIS IS RODNEY, THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE LINE.

>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.

>> JUDGE, WE NEED A FEW MORE MINUTES WE ARE TRYING TO REACH SOME OF THE SPEAKERS WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MORE LEFT.

>> ALL RIGHT, WE WILL GIVE YOU A FEW MINUTES. DO YOU WANT TO BREAK TILL 3:15 PM? IS THAT ENOUGH?

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> OKAY, WE WILL DO THAT

>> ALL RIGHT IT IS 3:17 PM. COMMISSIONERS COURT IS BACK IN SESSION.

OTHER SPEAKERS, TIFFANY?

>> YES MA'AM WE HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER 92 EVELYN PARESH, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON I AM EVELYN PRECINCT 1 AND I SUPPORT THE ELLIS MAP I'VE EXPERIENCED DISPARITY FIRSTHAND WHEN I LIVED SOUTH OF RIVER OAKS THE CITY RESPONDED ALMOST NEATLY REPLACING A DRAINAGE PIPES WITH LARGER ONES. THEN I LEARNED ABOUT AN INNER-CITY AFRICAN-AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS WERE NOT PAVED, SCHOOL BUSES DO NOT READ IT DURING FLOODING, CHILDREN WALKED BAREFOOT TO SCHOOL. THERE SHE WAS.

THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT AS I'M SURE EVERYONE AGREES.

I LIVE NOW IN MONTROSE.

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

>> RODNEY ELLIS, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR POINT QUICKLY.

>> I NOTE LIVE IN MONTROSE OUR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT HAS BEEN GERRYMANDERED WITH THE SO-CALLED CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES. SOME WOULD ARGUE WHOSE POLICIES I GENERALLYDON'T AGREE WITH THE BASE TO MAKE USE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE .

I WANT TO REACH OUT TO MY REP AND CERTAINLY HE DOESN'T REPRESENT ME OR MOST OF MONTROSE. I THINK ALL REDISTRICTING SHOULD BE FAIR AND I TRUST RODNEY ELLIS'S EFFORTS TO EVEN BE MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF COMMUNITIES THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO EXPRESS OUR VIEWS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING.

>> NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 94 SANDRA PUENTE. IF ONE MINUTE, GO AHEAD.

>> HI THERE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I WAS A PLAINTIFF 10 YEARS AGO IN A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE COUNTY AND COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR THE UNFAIR REDISTRICTING OF IT PRECINCT 2. I SUPPORT THE RESTORATION OF PRECINCT TO TWO RESPECTIVELY TO EFFECTIVELY REPRESENT US WITH THE CANDIDATE OF OUR CHOICE. I SUPPORT THE RESTORATION OF PRECINCT 1 AND THE EFFECTIVE REDISTRICTING OF PRECINCT 3 AND FOUR THAT ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE POPULATION GROWTH OF LATINO IN HARRIS COUNTY. THAT'S THE END OF MY REMARKS.

>> THIS IS RODNEY ELLIS, THANK YOU, MAKE NOTE OF THE LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN SYLVIA GARCIA.

>> NEXT TO SPEAK NUMBER 87, FORMER COMMISSIONER STEVE REDDICK.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> HELLO, THANK YOU. THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT REDISTRICTING THAT TOOK PLACE IN 1991, 2001 AND 2011. I WORK WITH 10 DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT INCLUDING THE HONORABLE FRANCO LEE. NEXT ANYONE WAS A GERRYMANDERED MAP TODAY THE ELLIS MAP IS SET OF REDISTRICTING 300,000 COUNTY RESIDENTS ACTUALLY REMOVES ONE HALF MILLION RESIDENTS. THAT IS ONE THIRD OF THE POPULATION OF HARRIS COUNTY.

THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE IS WHITE, OBVIOUSLY. THERE'S A HECK OF A LOT OF ILLEGAL GERRYMANDERING AND DISCRIMINATION GOING ON. IT'S 2021, DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY. IQ.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. >> JUDGE, THE LAST SPEAKER IS SPEAKER NUMBER 86 CARLA BRALEY OF THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, MA'AM.

>> HELLO COMMISSIONERS, HELLO JUDGE, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO FOR COUNTY.

THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY I'M ALSO AN EQUALITY SCHOLAR OF SOCIOLOGY AT THE TEXAS

[02:10:05]

IN IT BARBARA JORDAN'S WORDS IN ALL THINGS WE DO WE MUST DO IT IN THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ETHICS AND EQUITY TO EMPOWER ALL PEOPLE TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO EXPERIENCE THE AMERICAN DREAM. I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF OUR EFFORTS TO MOVE FORWARD IN CREATING A FAIR AND WHAT REP IS EDITED PLACE FOR ALL CONSTITUENTS.

>> THANK YOU DOCTOR BRALEY.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THAT'S ALL, JUDGE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE DISCUSSION THEN.

[Commissioner, Precinct 1]

>> I WILL JUMP IN UNLESS SOMEONE WAS TO WALK TO THEIR MAPS FIRST.

I KNOW WE TALKED EXTENSIVELY ON MINE UNLESS YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO GO FIRST.

>> I HAVE A PRELIMINARY COMMENT IINCORPORATED IN TODAY'S RECORD COMMENTS I MADE LAST THURSDAY AND NOW I'M READY TO LISTEN . I THINK I GAVE MOST OF MY CONCERNS AGAIN I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR LETTING ME TALK FOR 20 MINUTES UNINTERRUPTED.

I THINK THAT'S A RECORD. AND I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT AND SO I DON'T NEED TO REEMERGE THAT SPEECH AT THIS TIME. I AM READY TO LISTEN AND THEN AFTER HAVING LISTENED I WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

>> JUDGE, IF I MIGHT THE RECORD FROM LAST WEEK IS INCLUDED, RIGHT? OKAY, IT WAS A PART OF THIS. I WANT TO WALK THROUGH A COUPLE OF THE MAPS THAT I PUT UP.

I WILL NOT GO THROUGH, I WILL TRY NOT TO GO THROUGH THE COMMENTS I MADE PREVIOUSLY.

I WILL STATE THAT THE SAME PRINCIPLES THAT I WENT THROUGH ON THE OTHER MAPS I ATTEMPTED TO DO BY CONSTRUCTING THESE NEW MAPS. I DID TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN PUBLIC HEARINGS AND THE NEW ONES I PUT TOGETHER.

SO ESSENTIAL, HERE IS WHAT IS AND WHAT I WOULD CALL THE ELLIS MAP.

I MENTIONED ELLIS MAP ONCE AND I WILL SKIP THERE AND GO TO ELLIS TO GUIDED BY THE SAME CORE PRINCIPLES THE PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC HEARINGS HISTORICAL COMMITTEES OF INTEREST AND BRING IT TOGETHER AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN SPLIT APART FOR YEARS A DESIRE TO REMEDY WHAT I CONSIDER UNJUST CURRENT MAPS. I DESIGNED TO PRESENT THAT ALLOW COMMISSIONERS COURT RIVERS ADDITION TO REFLECT THE PHILOSOPHICAL MAKEUP OF THE COUNTY. HAVE THREE PRECINCTS PRIMARILY MADE UP OF MORE ESTABLISHED AND DEVELOPED NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMITTEES OF INTEREST AND WHEN PRECINCT IS PRIMARILY COMPRISED OF A MORE RECENT DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COMMITTEES OF INTEREST.

I MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON THE COMMUNITY INPUT THAT WE HEARD SPECIFICALLY.

I TRIED TO UNITE WATERSHEDS AS A COMMITTEES OF INTEREST, UNITED SPRING BRANCH, HATE LEAF, SHARPS TOWN AND GHOLSTON. I EXPANDED UNIFICATION OF THE COMMUNITY TO THE WEST.

AND IT ALSO UNITES FATE TOWN, HUMBLE AND ON WHAT IS DUBBED AS ELLIS MAP THREE.

I HEARD SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES INSERT RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH OF IT PRECINCT 4 AND A SERVICE DELIVERY CONCERNS IN MY FIRST DRAFT.

TO BE CLEAR, I DON'T THINK THAT THE FIRST MAP WOULD IN ANY WAY AFFECT SERVICE DELIVERY BUT I HEARD THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY THE PUBLIC IN HERE TODAY.

SO I ASKED THE MAPMAKER TO DRAW UP AN ALTERNATIVE MAP THAT ADDRESSES THOSE ISSUES WHILE HONORING THE CORE PRINCIPLES I SOUGHT TO ACHIEVE IN THIS PROCESS.

AGAIN, THE CORE PRINCIPLES I WANT TO STATE THEM AGAIN SO YOU HAVE THEM.

COUNTY REGISTERS AND CRITERIA PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS, HISTORIC COMMITTEES OF INTEREST AND BRINGING TOGETHER AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN SPLIT APART FOR YEARS BY DESIGN

[02:15:04]

>> IS THIS ELLIS THREE? >> YES THIS IS A ELLIS THREE.

ELLIS THREE RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS ASKING TO UNITE ALL DEAN IS A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST. IN A SINGLE PRECINCT AND TO ACCOMPLISH THAT I MOVE COMMITTEES OF INTEREST IN THE NORTHEAST PORTION OF CURRENT PRECINCT TO BOUNDARIES THAT ARE MORE REPUBLICAN TO PRECINCT 4. I ADDED COMMUNITIES FROM THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THAT PRECINCT. I ADDED COMMUNITIES FROM THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF PRECINCT , THE PRESENT I REPRESENT TO THE PROPOSED PRECINCT? IN ORDER TO ADD POPULATION TO MAKE IT MORE DEMOCRATIC. I UNITE ALL DEAN AND PRECINCT TO TO ADD POPULATION AND TO MAKE IT MORE DEMOCRATIC.N THE FAR WEST SIDE THIS IS STIL , CURRENT PRECINCT 3 IT WOULD BE PROPOSED PRECINCT 4, I TRIED TO ADDRESS THE GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH ISSUES THIS WAY I EXTENDED NORTHWEST FROM INITIAL NET AND MAP NUMBER TWO TO ADDRESS THE GEOGRAPHIC BREADTH OF PRECINCT 4. TO ADDRESS SERVICE ISSUES I MOVE PRECINCT STREET NORTHWEST TO TAKE IN MORE OF UNINCORPORATED HARRIS COUNTY. AND ELLIS MAP THREE WE SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SERVICE DELIVERY AND UNACCREDITED HARRIS COUNTY ACROSS PRECINCTS THREE AND FOUR. ANNA TO ADDRESS OTHER RAISED BY THE COMMISSIONER COURTS AND THE NUMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY I KEEP KATY ISD TOGETHER. THE UNITES SHARPS TOWN AND GHOLSTON. IT COMBINES WATERSHEDS IN THE AREAS.

ON THE NORTH SIDE OF PRECINCT CURRENT PRECINCT FOR TWO PROPOSED PRECINCT 3 I KEEP THE VILLAGES AND ONE PRECINCT. I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE VILLAGES FROM THE NORTHERN AREAS BECAUSE OF SHEER POLITICAL VIEWS. THIS IS ON THE MAP THREE.

ELLIS THREE.

>> THE VILLAGES ARE TOGETHER AND YOUR AND PRECINCT?

>> I UNITE HUMBLE AND TAX SEATED. THE PUBLISHING CHANGES ON THE EASTERN AND WESTERN ENDS OF THE COUNTIES. THE AREAS WITH THE MOST CHANGE SHOULD, IN MY JUDGMENT, GET THATREPRESENTED HIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE .

RESIDENTS IN EAST PRECINCT 2 GET TO DECIDE WHO THEY WANT RIGHT AWAY.

RESIDENTS IN THE WEST PROPOSED PRECINCT 4 SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO DECIDE WHO THEY GET RIGHT AWAY. PROPOSED PRECINCT 3 WILL MAINTAIN A REPRESENTATIVE THAT REFLECTS THEIR POLITICAL AND OFFICIAL PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWS. THEN WE GO TO ELLIS MAP FOUR.

IS HE BACK THERE? I WANT TO MAKE SURE HE IS LISTENING BECAUSE I WANT HIM TO WALK THROUGH THIS IN CASE I MISSED SOMETHING. ON THE ELLIS METAPHOR THIS METHOD PUBLISHES MANY OF THE SAME THINGS OF ELLIS MAP THREE DOES IN THE PRIMARY DOWNSIDE IS THAT IS SPLITS THE VILLAGES. IN CONCLUSION, I WANT TO SAY THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS I'VE LAID OUT TO ACHIEVE THE CORE PRINCIPLES, I FEEL THAT WE NEED TO ADVANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW THE REDISTRICTING CRITERIA WE'VE ADOPTED. THE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST UNDER THEM TO THE BEST OF OUR CAPABILITIES. AND PROVIDE THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY THEIR VOICES, LET THEM BE HEARD AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ELECT REPRESENTATION THAT RESENTS THE PHILOSOPHICAL MAKEUP OF THE COUNTY.

AND IF THE MAPMAKER IS AROUND IF YOU WILL COME IN HERE JUST IN CASE I SKIPPED SOMETHING.

IF HE IS NEARBY, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME. JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR,

[02:20:05]

I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THERE IS A CONSENSUS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WALKS THROUGH THIS WITH ME AGAIN. I WILL BE THEN PREPARED TO SECOND A MOTION IF ANYONE MAKES WHEN AND IF NO ONE MAKES MONTH I GUESS WE GO SIT IN HERE AND PULL THE PENCILS OUT AND KEEP TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE HE WALKS THROUGH IT IF YOU NEARBY AND KEY SITE SKIPPED SOMETHING.

>> WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT ELLIS FOR?

>> IT DOES NOT KEEP THE VILLAGES INTACT SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH A VERSION OF ELLIS THREE BUT THE BIGGEST DOWNSIDE WOULD BE THAT IT SPLITS UP, IT SPLITS THE VILLAGES.

I HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IF THEY GO IF THEY YOU WOULD, I DO KNOW IF YOU HEARD MY DISSERTATION IN HERE BUT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY I WILL WALK THERE WHAT I DID WITH THESE MAPS. I WANTED TO BLOW THEM UP BUT MY STAFF CANNOT HERE QUICK ENOUGH.

IF YOU WOULD JUST WALK THROUGH ELLIS 2 AND THREE AND A 4, I DON'T WANT TO WORK THERE ONE AGAIN.

>> LET ME START WITH ELLIS 2. IT ATTEMPTS TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HEARD THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO AS YOU EXPRESSED TO ME. SO ON THE TRADITIONAL AND HISTORIC COMMITTEES IN A DISTRICT 2 ARE HELD TOGETHER WITH THE PARTICULAR THE CITY OF ALL DEAN UNITED AND THEN IT KEPT TOGETHER WITH THE TRADITIONAL AREAS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF DISTRICT 2. SO SOUTH HOUSTON AND THEY ARE REALLY BEING RE-EMPOWERED IN A WAY TO THE HEAD OF AN AS RESULT OF THE MAP AND 2011. BY THAT DISTRICT RETRACTING BELOW I 10. NOT ONLY DID THIS COMMITTEES UNITED BUT THERE ALSO EMPOWERED TO BE THE STARKEST VOICE IN THE DISTRICT. AND THEN, IN DISTRICT 1, THAT COMMUNITY IS THERE, THEY ARE HELD TOGETHER IN TERMS OF HOMES BECOME AWARD, DOWNTOWN AREA AND SUNNYSIDE IN CERTAIN AREAS THEY ARE HELD TOGETHER. AND THEN ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE COUNTY IN RESPONSE TO A LOT OF WHAT HAS BEEN HEARD TO DATE THERE'S AN EFFORT TO HOLD AS MUCH AS THE EIGHT LEAF SCHOOL DISTRICT TOGETHER AND GULFPORT AND THE AREAS THERE THAT REALLY BECOME AN EFFECTIVE COALITION IN A FAIRLY COMPACT DISTRICT THERE.

AND THEN, PRESERVES FOR DISTRICT 4 THE AREAS THAT ARE MOSTLY OUTSIDE OF THE LOOP FROM THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE COUNTY. THROUGH THE NORTH OVER TO THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE COUNTY.

AGAIN, WITH A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST WITH THEM OR DEVELOPING AREAS AND STILL GROWING AREAS OF THE COUNTY VERSUS THE AREAS THAT ARE DEVELOPING AND A TRANSITION.

IT WOULD LIKELY RESULT IN A THREE DEMOCRATS AND TWO REPUBLICANS ALTHOUGH DISTRICT 3 UNDER THAT MAP WOULD BE SOMEWHAT COMPETITIVE. THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A GOOD CANDIDATE RUNNING A STRONG CAMPAIGN IT'S NOT ENTIRELY PREDICTABLE IS WHAT THE RESULTS WOULD BE. IN ELLIS THREE, THAT'S AN EFFORT TO REALLY RESPOND TO A COUPLE OF THINGS, WHEN, TO TRY AND DO A BETTER JOB ON THE WESTERN SIDE TO HOLD TOGETHER THE EMERGING NEIGHBORHOODS THERE THAT ARE STARTING TO EXPRESS THEIR POLITICAL STRENGTH. AND IT HAS ALL OF THE KATY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, ALL OF A LEAF, GULFPORT, SHARP TOWN, MOST OF THE WATER SHOULD AREAS ARE IN THE DISTRICT, FOR THE TOGETHER AND IT REALLY IT WOULD BE THE ENGINE THAT WOULD DRIVE MOST OF THE DECISIONS AND THAT DISTRICT GOING FORWARD. IN RESPONSE TO THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SERVICE AREAS AND THE WORRY THAT IT'S SIMPLY TOO MUCH TO ASK ONE COMMISSIONER TO SERVE THE ENTIRE AREA FROM THE EAST TO THE WEST ACROSS THE TOP THEN THE DISTRICT DOES EXTENT UP ON THE WESTERN BORDER OF THE COUNTY AND LEAVES SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS TO THE WEST AND DISTRICT 4. THAT DISTRICT IS A DISTRICT 4 UNDER ELLIS THREE, THE DISTRICT TO

[02:25:01]

SO UNDER THAT MAP , DISTRICT 3 WOULD BE A DISTRICT THAT WOULD BE MORE HEAVILY REPUBLICAN WELL DISTRICT ONE, 2 AND 4 TWO OF THEM A VERY STRONG DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS AND ONE OF THEM CLEARLY A MARGINALLY DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT WITH AN EVEN YOU'RE MORE LIKELY A DEMOCRAT WOULD WIN IT THAN A REPUBLICAN. ELLIS 4, HAS MUCH OF THE SAME CONFIGURATION AS ELLIS THREE WITH A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BEING THAT THE NUMBER FOR DISTRICT 3 OR FOUR THE WESTERN DISTRICT WOULD BE THREE WOULD REMAIN AS THREE. IT WOULD RETAIN COMMISSIONER RAMSES HOME AND DISTRICT FOR WOULD BE THE DISTRICT THAT EXTENDS UP FROM OF THE VILLAGES AREA UP INTO THE NORTH AND TO THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY. THAT WOULD REMAIN WITH COMMISSIONER CAGLE'S RESIDENT WITHIN IT AND THAT WOULD BE COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 4.

>> THE REASON I WANT HIM TO GO THROUGH THIS IS I DID NOT GO GET ON A RED APPLE, PEOPLE STILL USE RED APPLE?

>> WE DO NOT DRAW THIS ON RED APPLE, WE DO IT ON A THING CALLED APTITUDE.

>> WE CAN DRAW MAPS ALL DAY UNTIL YOU FALL ASLEEP WHAT I DID WAS LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS OF PEOPLE THAT CALLED UP AND SAID HERE'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE. I THINK ALL OF THE MAPS THAT ASKED FOR OUR POSTED, AM I RIGHT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT. NEXT IN TOTAL, HOW MANY MAPS HAVE BEEN LISTED ONLINE?

>> I THINK THERE ABOUT A DOZEN LISTED ONLINE. THERE ARE MORE THAT'S BEEN CONFIGURED THAT LISTED BECAUSE THEY ARE LISTED ON THE REQUEST OF THE PERSON THAT DREW THEM.

>> I NOTICED THE DISCOVERY AND ALL OF THEM WILL COME OUT BUT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR ME TO ASK HOW MANY MAPS HAVE BEEN DRAWN UP BY THE MAPMAKERS THAT ARE NOT PUBLIC YET, WOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE? ALRIGHT, OKAY. I HAVE TRIED.

DID I ASK FOR THE OTHER ONE, OR 70 AUSTIN?

>> THAT WAS COMMISSIONER GARCI .

>> ALL FOR THAT AS FOR, ALL OF THE DATA AND EVERYTHING WAS TRANSPARENT AND ALL OF THEM I ASKED TO DRAW ALL THE PRECINCTS. SO IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS DELAYED THEIR THERE'S OUT IF THEY WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT, I AM NOT CRAZY ABOUT 4 BUT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH ONE, TWO, THREE. IF SOMEONE MAKES A MOTION FOR ONE OF THOSE THREE I WAS SECONDED.

>> JUDGE, MR. INGLES AND WHILE YOU ARE THERE. OF ALL THE MAPS THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED, DO ALL OF THEM MEET THE CRITERIA THAT WE ADOPTED MONTHS BACK?

>> NO.

>> YOU WILL HAVE TO TELL ME WHICH ONES. A PROXIMALLY HOW MANY DO HAVE A

DON'T 2 >> MOST OF THEM DO, A COUPLE OF THEM DON'T. SOME OF THEM WERE PURELY DEMONSTRATION MAPS.

ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT CRITERIA WAS HOLDING TOGETHER FOR COMMITTEES OF INTEREST.

TRADITIONAL COMMITTEES OF INTEREST. NOT EVERY MAP DOES THAT.

THE MOST RECENT THE MAP THAT WAS A DEMONSTRATION THAT DIVIDED THE COUNTY FOR WASTE AS EVENLY AS POSSIBLE. THERE WAS NOT ANY INTENTION TO HOLD TOGETHER COMMUNITIES IT WAS A DEMONSTRATION MAP SO THAT BE AN EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT DOESN'T.

>> I THINK THIS IS A NEW ONE, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, THIS WAS RAMSEY THREE? IS THAT ANYONE?

>> YEAH, THAT'S A NEW ONE.

>> DID YOU DRAW THIS ONE AS WELL?

>> I DID NOT DRAW RAMSEY THREE.

>> HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK?

>> A BRIEF LOOK AT IT, I STOPPED FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS MORNING AND JUST VERY RECENTLY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE DATA BEHIND IT.

>> DOES THIS ONE MEET OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES?

>> IN MY OPINION, NO. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ACCEPTED PRINTABLE'S ACROSS THE BOARD IS THAT WE WOULD KEEP A LEAF TOGETHER WITH RELATED COMMUNITIES TO THE SOUTH AND THE PASADENA AREA AND THE SECOND WARD THOSE AREAS. AND THEN OF COURSE IT SEPARATES ACRES HOMES AND THE FIFTH WARD FROM A SUNNYSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL AREAS TO THE SOUTH.

[02:30:04]

>> GOTCHA, THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER CAGLE.

>> I HAVE A MOTION. IF WE LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY.

SORRY ABOUT THAT MY MICROPHONE WAS NOT TURNED ON. PRECINCTS THREE AND 4 REALLY IN ESSENCE FLIP THEIR TRADITIONAL BOUNDARIES FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.

MAYBE LONGER. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THOSE BOUNDARIES GO BACK SO THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR COMMISSIONER RAMSEY IN THE PRESENT 32 YEARS AGO WILL HAVE TO HAVE A NEW ELECTION WITHIN TWO YEARS AND BE VOTING ON WHOEVER IT IS THAT THE COMMISSIONER WOULD BE IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR. THOSE WERE IN PRECINCT 4 WHO HAD AN ELECTION 4 YEARS AGO HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER TWO YEARS TO VOTE ON WHOEVER IT IS THAT WOULD BE IN THAT ZONE. BECAUSE BASICALLY WE CROSS MIGRATED THE POPULATIONS OF THE TWO PRECINCTS. HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE IF WE MAKE THREE NOW THAT PART OF THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY THAT WOULD BE UPLAND AND CROSBY AND BARRETT THOSE FOLKS WHO HAD ANTICIPATED HAVING AN ELECTION IN TWO YEARS WOULD BE DELAYED ANOTHER TWO YEARS BEFORE THEY WOULD HAVE A SAY WITH REGARDS THEIR ELECTIONS.

THAT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION PROBABLY COMING CLOSE TO, NOT QUITE, BUT AT LEAST MOST OF HALF OF THE POPULATION OF THE COUNTY THAT WOULD EITHER HAVE TO HAVE BACK-TO-BACK ELECTIONS OR BE DELAYED AN EXTRA TWO YEARS FOR THEIR VOTES.

AM I CORRECT IN LOOKING AT THAT?

>> THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT OVERLAP.THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.BUT IN ANY REDRAW WHEN YOU HAVE STAGGERED FOR YOUR TERMS THERE WILL BE SOME PEOPLE WHO WILL WAIT TO HAVE AN ELECTION AND SOME PEOPLE WILL HAVE AN ELECTION AGAIN. THAT WILL BE TRUE ON ANY OF THE MAPS.

>> THIS BEING APPLICABLE MAP, I CANNOT HELP BUT NOTICE THAT THIS IS BARELY IN THE NEW PRECINCTS 4 AND IF THAT LINE HAD BEEN DRAWN BACK JUST TO TOUCH WHERE I LIVE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE TRADITIONAL PRESENT 4 WOULD BE WITHIN THE LINES.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU DIDN'T QUITE DRAW THE COMMISSIONER OUT OF THE DISTRICT YOU JUST MOVED IT OVER. I AM NOT ASKED COMMISSIONER RAMSEY ABOUT THAT BUT I THINK HE IS NOW IN THE NEW PRESENT 4 WITH THAT BE CORRECT OR BARELY?

>> AND THE NEW PRESENT 4? NO, HE'S IN PRECINCT 3.

>> UNDER THE ELLIS THREE? >> YES.

>> I THINK IT JUST NEEDS A POINT OUT THEY GOING TO BE MAKING A LOT OF PEOPLE WAIT TWO YEARS TO VOTE WHO WOULD'VE HAD A CHANCE TO VOTE ON SOMEONE AND OTHERS WILL HAVE BACK-TO-BACK ELECTIONS, I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR FOR THOSE CITIZENS TO HAVE THEIR VOTE DENIED OR DELAYED OR REPEATED IF THEY HAD ALREADY EXPRESSED. I WILL ADD THAT AS A COMMENT ON THE ELLIS THREE AND I WILL WAIT TO HEAR THE OTHERS BEFORE MAKE OTHER COMMENTS BUT I FELT LIKE ELLIS THREE FELT LIKE A MESSAGE NOT RECEIVED, THANK YOU.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT?

>> I WILL ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OTHERWISE I'M FINE.

>> OBVIOUSLY, WE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT IN EACH OF THE MAPS I ASKED FOR WHERE COMMISSIONERS LIVE. AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS THINK ABOUT ME BEING YOUR BUT I'M ON THE EDGE OF MY PRECINCTS.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT FOR A SECOND WHEN I WAS RUNNING THAT I DID NOT LIVE IN IT BUT IT WAS JUST A RED APPLE FOR A DIFFERENT REASON.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING BUT I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY HAS NOT PRESENTED HIS MAP SO I WILL WAIT. NEXT I LOOKED AT ALL OF THEM CLOSELY

>> I LOOKED AT ALL THEM CLOSELY AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND YES WHERE YOU WOULD'VE COME FROM I

[02:35:02]

>> MY RATIONALE WAS TRYING TO ADDRESS COMMISSIONER CAGLE'S CONCERN.

HE BROUGHT THAT UP IN TERMS OF ITS SERVICE AREAS. I HEARD THE CONCERN ABOUT THE VILLAGES. AND I WENT IN TRYING TO CONNECT AS MANY HISTORIC COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AS POSSIBLE. YOU CANNOT, IN THIS PROCESS, CONNECT TO THEM ALL.

A DECADE AGO, OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS NOT A BIG CONCERN BECAUSE THERE WERE COMMITTEES OF INTEREST THAT WERE BUSTED UP. SO I DID AS MUCH AS I COULD, OBVIOUSLY THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHAPPY. HAT I DID IS AS MUCH AS I DID TO GO IN HERE AND UNITE AREAS WHERE I COULD AND NOT SPLIT AREAS UNNECESSARILY. BUT AGAIN, TRYING TO MAKE SURE I WAS LETTING THE VOICES OF PEOPLE BE HEARD BASED ON HOW THEY VOTED.

AS I SAID BEFORE, IS NOT THE ONLY EDUCATION BUT IS ONE. MOST OF THE GROWTH I THINK HAS BEEN IN THEIR TWO PRECINCTS. OBVIOUSLY, THAT POPULATION SHIFTS AS PEOPLE START TO MOVE BACK IN AS OPPOSED TO MOST OF THE GROWTH IN AREAS. SO THAT WAS NOT A DOMINANT CONCERN AND EDGE OF THE COVERAGE THAT WOULD UNDER THE MAT.

NEXT >> YOU DO KEEP TOGETHER A LOT OF COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. THE SPEAKERS ALL MENTIONED THE LAYER, WHAT'S THE REASON FOR BEL AIR SHIFTING?

>> BEL AIR, COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S DISTRICT WAS CLOSE TO DEVIATION SO WHEN DISTRICT 2 WAS SHIFTED TO THE WEST TAKEN IN A LOT OF THE AREA THAT IS TO THE EAST OF THE GULF FREEWAY THAT IT MEANT THAT COMMISSIONER OF THE DISTRICTWENT HAD TO PICK UP POPULATION .

IT MADE SENSE TO PICK IT UP AND JUST MOVE IT TO THE WEST AND THAT BEL AIR AREA WAS THE AREA THAT WAS ADDED.

>> OKAY, YES, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

>> LET ME CONTACT LET ME COMMENT ON COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S MAP.

AND THEN I WILL ROLL UP MIND. I AM LOOKING FOR COMMON GROUND. AND CHECKING BOXES.

IT APPEARS TO ME THAT ON PRESENT 2 AND PRESENT ONE THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME ON ALL FOUR MAPS. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN ONE AND TWO.

AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, YOU LOOK AT THE RAMSEY 2 AND THE GARCIA I THINK IT'S ONE, THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD THINGS ABOUT GARCIA ONE. IT HAS PRECINCT 2, PRECINCT 1, IT ADDRESSES WHAT I CONSIDER A LOT OF THE COMMON INTEREST HERE IN TERMS OF MY WORDS.

I WANT TO FOCUS ON GARCIA ONE, THE RAMSEY 2.

>> GARCIA ONE, THAT IS THE STATUS QUO.

>> I'M SORRY, GOOD POINT, THANK YOU.

>> GARCIA 2. >> I MEANT GARCIA 2. I ALSO LISTENED AS PEOPLE CAME IN AND WENT MAP THAT CAME UP TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND IN FACT IT CAME UP SO MUCH THAT CONRAD JOE BEHIND ME AND MY STAFF ARE SITTING OVER TO MEET WITH THE FOLKS THAT WORKED ON THE UNITY MAP. I'M GOING TO USE THE TERM UNITY MAP. IT'S BEEN CALLED SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS BUT LISTENING TO THAT AND FINDING, TRYING TO FIND COMMON GROUND WITH SOME OF WHAT I AM PROPOSING OR SOME OF WHAT I PUT OUT THERE. BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE RAMSEY 2 AND THEN IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE UNITY MAP WHICH IT WAS REFERRED TO A NUMBER OF TIMES, THERE IS TWO OR THREE

[02:40:03]

THE KATY ISD THE UNITY MAPS TAKES PRECINCT 3 ALL THE WAY TO KATIE.

SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD POINT THAT WE OUGHT NOT LOSE. THEY SAW THAT COMMON INTEREST AND THE OTHER THING THE PARKER AND NX RESERVOIRS THAT COME UP MORE THAN ONCE AND ALLOWING ME TO CONTINUE I THINK THE GOOD WORK WE HAVE GOING THERE. I THINK THE DRAINAGE AREAS THAT A LOT OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS OF INTEREST FLOW INTO IT WOULD ALLOW ME TO DO THAT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE RAMSEY 2, IT ACCOMPLISHES THAT. THERE MAY BE SOME CONCERN, FRANKLY POLITICAL HE, WHEN YOU SEE THAT BIG GREEN THING MY BOUNDARY GOING ALL THE WAY TO 290. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT MANY PEOPLE.

THIS BOUNDARY HERE, JUDGE, FROM KATIE UP TO 290, THAT AREA THAT IS NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE.

BUT IT'S A LOT OF FACILITIES. SO IT TAKES PRESSURE OFF OF ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF CHANGING HOW FACILITIES ARE MAINTAINED. RAMSEY 2. RAMSEY 2. BECAUSE I THINK THE RAMSEY 2 TAKES INTO ACCOUNT SOME OF WHAT COMMISSIONER ELLIS WAS REFERRING TO IN HIS ELLIS 2. MY ONLY CONCERN WITH THE ELLIS 2 AS IT DOES NOT GET ME TO KATIE.

IT DOES, COMMISSIONER, GET THE ANNEX AND BARKER BACK INTO PRECINCT 3 WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT. BUT IT DOESN'T GET GET EDUCATED.

I THINK THAT'S NOT A HARD STRETCH TO GET THERE. I THINK THE UNITY MAP RECOGNIZES HOW IMPORTANT MAYBE DOES COMMITTEES OF INTEREST AR .

SO THE SIMPLE ASK WOULD BE IF YOU LOOK AT THE ELLIS 2 AND IT'S NOT A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE RAMSEY 2 EXCEPT MINE DOES GO TO KATIE. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE BEL AIR AND WEST YOU ALL THOSE THOSE ARE COMMITTEES OF INTEREST AND WE'VE HEARD THAT REFERENCED TODAY. BUT THE KEY TAKE AWAY IN TERMS OF WHICH MAPS WOULD MAKE THE MOST SENSE IN TERMS OF IT PRECINCT 3 AND COMMITTEES OF INTEREST AND IS TAKING CARE OF WHAT WE THINK IN TERMS OF THE FOLKS OUT THERE. YOU MENTIONED THE ENERGY CORRIDOR, THE ANNEX BARKER, THE CITY OF KATIE, THE VILLAGES SPRING BRANCH ISD, KATY ISD AND IT RIGHT NOW TODAY SPRING BRANCH ISD SPLIT. COMMISSIONER CAGLE AS A GOOD PORTION OF IT AND I HAVE A GOOD PORTION OF IT. I THINK ANY MAP WOULD DO.

WE OUGHT TO BRING SPRING BRANCH BACK TOGETHER. UNDER A COMMISSIONER AND OF COURSE I WOULD ADD ADVOCATE KEEPING THE VILLAGES TOGETHER AND THE MEMORIAL VILLAGES TOGETHER. MR. ELLIS DID THAT ON ONE AND IT WAS NOT ON ANOTHER.

>> I DID THAT ON A THREE. >> SO I AM LOOKING AT YOUR ELLIS 2 AND I THINK IT HAS MERIT. I THINK IT ADDRESSES SOME OF WHAT THE UNITY FOLKS ARE SAYIN . THE ONLY DIFFERENCE THERE, COMMISSIONER, IS GETTING THAT TO KATIE IF YOU GOT THAT TO KATIE YOU'RE GOING TO CHECK A BOX THAT THE UNITY MAP FOLKS SAID AND AS CONRAD JOE MET WITH HIM YESTERDAY AND TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP GROUPS AND COMMITTEES OF INTEREST IN PRECINCT 3 TODAY IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE IF NOT THE MOST DIVERSE AND THAT IS THE CENTER OF IT, JUDGE, THAT AREA RIGHT THERE THAT COMMISSIONER ELLIS POINTED OUT ON THE ELLIS 2. I WOULD ADVOCATE A RAMSEY 2. IT'S NOT A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE ELLIS 2. BUT IT SURE CLEANS UP A FEW THINGS AND PRECINCT 3 IN TERMS OF ALLOWING US TO SERVE AS I THINK THE UNITY MAP HAS POINTED OUT. SO RAMSEY 2 I THINK ACCOMPLISHES MUCH OF WHAT THE

[02:45:03]

>> I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO GET YOUR ANALYSIS BETWEEN THE TWO.

>> THERE ARE SIMILAR IS BUT A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IS AN ELLIS 2 THE COMMITTEES THAT MR. RAMSEY WAS REFERRING TO AS AN ELITE OR SHARP TOWN THEY ARE VOTING STRENGTH IS CONSIDERABLY STRENGTHENED AND ELLIS 2 AND IT CONTINUES TO BE SOMEWHAT UNDERMINED AND RAMSEY 2 BECAUSE THE CHANGES THAT ARE MADE FROM THE TOP AND THEY COME DOWN AND REMOVE PRECINCTS THAT ARE NOT OFFSET POLITICALLY BY WHAT IS ADDED TO THE WEST. IN TERMS OF OVERALL VOTING STRENGTH THE COMMUNITIES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BEING REALLY EMPOWERED POLITICALLY ARE EMPOWERED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE AND ELLIS 2.

>> SO RAMSEY 2 WOULD BE THE ONE I WOULD PUT FORTH THROUGH SOME ACCOMMODATION IF THAT COULD BE REACHED. I LIKE TO PASS OUT THE OTHER WHEN THAT I POSTED.

FRANKLY, I HAVE BEEN BEEN PRETTY WE ALL HAVE.

>> BEFORE WE MOVE ON WE HAVE RAMSEY 2 AND ELLIS 2 CAN I ASK.

>> I NEED TO CLARIFY SOMETHING ABOUT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S MAP THAT WERE GOING TO LEAH.

WE GOT IT TODAY LOADED IT.

>> BEFORE WE MOVE ON I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OTHER ONE.

>> THIS IS THE RAMSEY 2 AND THE ELLIS 2. JUDGE, WHILE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT I WANT TO MAKE IT MORE MUDDY . WE HAVE AN AUSTIN MAP THAT WAS LOADED IN THIS MORNING THAT IS TAKING PRETTY MUCH THIS A DISCUSSION THAT WE ARE HEARING NOW, THE ELLIS 2 AND THE RAMSEY 2, WITH A SLIGHT ADDITION OF MARGINALLY IMPROVING PRECINCT 2'S POLITICAL STATUS.

IF I CAN SAY THAT CORRECTLY WITH THE EXCEPTION THERE IS ONE COMMUNITY THAT THERE IS ENOUGH HEADSPACE IN THAT MAP THAT COULD ASSIST. I WAS VERY CAREFUL NOT TO MAP OTHER THAT HAD MY NAME ASSOCIATED SO WOULD NOT LOOK LIKE I WAS IN FAVOR OF SOMETHING THAT I JUST WANTED TO DISCUSS. AND THE AUSTIN MAP WAS VERY CLOSE TO SOMETHING THAT I'VE ASKED MR. ENGEL TO PREPARE WITH SLIGHT TWEAKS TO IT.

THAT WAS VERY CLOSE AND IS VERY MUCH AN AMALGAMATION OF THE ELLIS TRANSLATE 2 2 THE GARCIA ONE IN THE RAMSEY. THE AUSTIN MAP IS VERY CLOSE TO TRYING TO INCORPORATE ALL THOSE BORDERS WITH THE COMMENTS MADE IN OUR DISCUSSION. ISN'T THAT A FAIR WAY OF PUTTING IT?

>> THAT'S A FAIR TO SCRIPTURE.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT CERTAIN AREAS HAVING THE VOTING STRENGTH THE DILUTED.

ANNA RAMSEY 2 AS A. COMPARED TO ELLIS 2 WHICH ONE OF THOSE AGAIN?

>> IN RAMSEY 2 THE POPULATION THAT IS ADDED TO THE LIST IS SIGNIFICANTLY REPUBLICAN.

AND THE POPULATION THAT IS REMOVED IN THE NORTH IS MORE OF A MIX WITH SOME SIGNIFICANT DEMOCRATIC PRECINCTS THAT REMOVED. IN THAT EXCHANGE YOU WEAKEN THE OVERALL VOTING STRENGTH OF THE CORE COMMUNITIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN SOUTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY.

>> WHEN YOU COMPARE RAMSEY 2 AND ELLIS THREE, SAME COMMUNITIES? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

>> AND ELLIS THREE JUST THE OPPOSITE HAPPENS. AS ELLIS THREE GOES WEST AND

[02:50:03]

IN THAT EXCHANGE WE WOULD FURTHER EMPOWER THE VOTERS THAT ARE IN THE COURT NEIGHBORHOODS AND SOUTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY.

>> OKAY, THAT EXPLAINS IT, THANK YOU.

>> I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW COMMISSIONER RAMSEY I SEE OTHER HAND UP, SOMEHOW IT WILL BE SENT YOUR MAP TO THE TEXAS ALLEGEDLY OF COUNSEL THE FILE WE GOT BACK WAS NOT RIGHT SO IF YOU PRINTED THAT DATA YOU HAVE THE WRONG DATA BUT IT'S NOT CORRECT IN THE WEBSITE SO AS YOU DISCUSS YOUR MAP IF YOU WANT TO PUT UP ON THE WEBSITE THOSE OF THE ACCURATE ONES.

>> THEY CAN PULL IT UP ON THIS.

>> CAN YOU PUT ON THIS ONE?

>> I WOULD TALK ABOUT RAMSEY 2 OR RAMSEY THREE?

>> THREE.

>> THIS IS RAMSEY THREE.

>> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY HAS ONE FOR YOU.

>> THE UPDATED VERSION IS ONLINE IS WHAT THEY ARE SAYING.

>> SO THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND COMMISSIONER ELLIS REPEATED THOSE A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT I AGREE THAT THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE PURSUING.

BUT THIS MAP WAS PUT TOGETHER STRICTLY RELATED TO HISPANIC VOTERS AS A DEMONSTRATION MAP.

THE BOUNDARIES MAY NOT MAKE AS MUCH COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST SINCE BUT IT'S MEANT TO CIVILLY POINT OUT WHAT COULD BE DONE. AND SO I GET IT RIGHT I CAN HAVE A SUMMARY HERE I THINK IS CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON WE SAID THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS IMPORTANT.

TEXAS UNITED STATES CONSTITUTIONS MUST BE SATISFIED IN ORDER FOR ANY PLAN THAT ACCORD PASSES MAY BE IMPLEMENTED IN TIME FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF ELECTIONS.

OUR TEAM, HERE PRECINCT 3, OUR FOLKS HAVE BEEN EVALUATING THE VARIOUS CLANS IT IS NOW COME UP TO REALIZE THAT A POTENTIAL SECTION 2 SECTION HAS RISEN. MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE NOW REALIZE IT'S POSSIBLE TO DRAW BOTH PRECINCTS ONE IS YOU SEE HERE AND PRECINCT 2 THAT'S CALLED D1 AND D2, AS MAJORITY, MINORITY DISTRICTS TO PREVENT HISPANIC VOTERS TO SELECT CANDIDATES OF THEIR CHOICE. BECAUSE OF THIS DISCOVERY WE MUST ADDRESS I THINK YOU MIGHT WANT TO PAUSE A BIT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DO AND EVALUATE OUR FINDINGS BEFORE THE COURT CAN PROPERLY CONSIDER WHAT WE DO GOING FORWARD. I DON'T THINK A MAP PASSING TODAY WOULD BE PRUDENT. BUT THAT IS MY OPINION, PROBABLY I AM IN THE MINORITY.

WE ARE HAPPY TO SHARE OUR FINDINGS SO YOU CAN EVALUATE THEM WITH THE LESSING SHOULD DO IS PASS A PLAN THAT VIOLATES THE LAW AND THE CURRENT PLANS UNDER CONSIDERATION SUFFER FROM POTENTIAL TALENTS. SO THE SECTION TO ISSUE THAT MAYBE THERE IN TERMS OF PRECINCTS ONE AND 2 AS MAJORITY AND MINORITY DISTRICTS TO PREVENT HISPANIC VOTERS SO IN ESSENCE IN LAYMAN'S TERMS D1 AND D2 WOULD BE HISPANIC MAJORITY PRECINCTS THAT COULD BE SET UP. I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER TOO LATE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. LET'S BE SURE WE GET THIS RIGHT.

WE DON'T WANT ANY CHALLENGES AFTER THE FACT. THIS IS PUT OUT AS A DEMONSTRATION MAP. IT'S AS MANY THINGS AS YOU CAN THINK OF IN TERMS OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT ACCOUNTING. I THOUGHT WE WOULD AT LEAST IDENTIFY POTENTIAL MAP THAT WOULD ADDRESS THAT AND I FOUND IT JUST QUITE INTERESTING THAT THEY SENT THIS OUT TODAY.

I'M GOING TO QUOTE FROM BLUE LIGHT. FAR TOO LONG WE PATIENTLY WAITED FOR REPRESENTATION OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT UNDERSTAND OUR COMMITTEE, SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE, BRINGING TO THE TABLE THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.WE ARE NO LONGER

[02:55:09]

THAT IS PUT OUT THERE FOR INFORMATION.

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND THEN COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> CAN RACE BE A FACTOR IN THIS PROCESS?

>> RACE CANNOT BE A PREDOMINANT FACTOR IN THE DRAWING OF COMMISSIONER DISTRICT LINES AND LESS AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 2 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WHICH IS A VERY PARTICULAR PARAMETERS. UNDER THIS TEST CALLED THE JINGLES TEST WHICH INVOLVES DRAWING A DEVASTATION MAP AND ANALYZING RACIALIZED VOTING IN THE COUNTY AND THEN ALSO ANALYZING A NUMBER OF FACTORS THE ZIMMERMAN FACTORS. WE CAN'T GET INTO A LEGAL ADVICE HERE IN OPEN COURT OTHERWISE ARE BE CLAIMED LATER THAT WE WAY TO SOME KIND OF PRIVILEGE. WHAT I CAN STATE OUR FACTS AND THE FACTS ARE THAT FIVE OR SO YEARS AGO THE FIFTH CIRCUIT AND ANALYZING THE COMMISSIONERS BOARD MAP RULED THAT THE FACTS WERE INSUFFICIENT AND IS COUNTING TO DRAW ONE LATINO OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT.

AND THEREFORE THAT IS WHY COMMISSIONER GARCIAS DISTRICT CONTINUE TO HOLD KINGWOOD AS POPULATION THAT THE COURT SAID THAT THE JINGLES TEST HAD NOT BEEN MET WITH RESPECT TO ONE DISTRICT AND SO A CAREFUL ANALYSIS WOULD BE NECESSARY TO PROVE THAT NOW FIVE YEARS LATER COULD BE JUSTIFIED UNDER SECTION 2.

>> CAN I ASK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO GET SOME LEGAL ADVICE? IF THE MEMBERS FEEL DISCOMFORT WE WANT TO BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T STEP ON A LEGAL LANDMINE.

>> I AM FINE WITH THAT IF WE NEED ADVICE FROM THE ATTORNEYS, IS THAT PRUDENT?

>> JUDGE, YES THE COURT CAN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA DID YOU HAVE COMMENTS BEFORE OR AFTER?

>> I HAVE A QUESTION COUPLE OF QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, WE HEARD FROM YOUR COLLEAGUE, OUR COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER CAGLE THAT THE SERVICE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF CONSERVATION ABOUT ONE OF THE MAPS ABOUT THE SERVICE DELIVERY AND YOUR RAMSEY THREE DEMONSTRATION MAP REALLY EXPANDS ON THAT. SO HOW DO WE, HOW DOES THAT WORK OUT IF WE WERE TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE SERVICE DELIVERY WHICH I THINK COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S THREE THAT IS REALLY LOOKED AT. HOW DOES THIS, HOW DO YOU QUALIFY THIS?

>> I DON'T NECESSARILY DISAGREE IS JUST LIKE THE ELLIS ONE IS HARD LOOK AT THAT MAP AND MAKE A CASE FOR SERVICE. THIS IS PRIMARILY DEVELOPED, COULD YOU CREATE TO HISPANIC PRECINCTS IN HARRIS COUNTY AND THIS MAP WOULD DEMONSTRATE, YOU COULD.

WHETHER THAT'S AGAINST THE LAW, WE WILL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> THANK YOU, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

>> COMMISSIONER CAGLE. JUST TO BE CLEAR, OUR JOB HERE IS TO COME UP WITH MAPS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE POLITICAL TRENDS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH PHILOSOPHICAL AGREEMENTS AND OBVIOUSLY THIS MAKEUP OF THIS COURT POLITICALLY HAS CHANGED SO THERE'S AN INTEREST ON THE VOTERS TO SEE POLICIES BASED ON THEIR VOTING TRENDS.

IS IT THAT THE JOB OF US ON THESE MAPS TODAY?

>> AS I INTERPRET THE CRITERIA THAT WAS EXCITING TO ME THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS

[03:00:13]

>> OKAY.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR LEGAL GUIDANCE.

IS THE TEAM SET UP TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN?

>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE STAY THE COURSE WITH REGARD TO LEGAL ADVICE.

AND WE DON'T GET INTO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT GOING TO DISCUSS AND TO ANY ANYTHING OTHER THAN HEARING FROM THE ATTORNEY.

>> ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, WE CAN ONLY BE DEALING WITH THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT COMMISSIONER ELLIS IT LAID OUT AND QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND THE IMPLICATION.

SO YOU CANNOT HAVE ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE OF THAT. SPECIFICALLY A CONSULTATION WITH THE LEGAL TEAM AS RELATES TO POTENTIAL LITIGATION AND ILLEGAL APPLICATIONS.

>> I WOULD HATE TO CREATE, OBVIOUSLY THE LAWYERS CAN BE THERE CONFIRMING THAT WE WERE DOING IS HEARING LEGAL ADVICE BUT I WOULD THINK WE WOULD CREATE THE IMPRESSION THAT NOTHING ELSE WAS DISCUSSED.

>> I KNOW THE ANSWER BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL KNOW. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE.

>> MAYBE WHAT WE CAN DO IT'S TIME FOR A BREAK IN AT 20 MINUTES OR 15 MINUTES SO THE ATTORNEYS COULD UPDATE EACH MEMBER. I JUST FEEL A LITTLE DISCOMFOR .

>> I GET IT, I WITHDRAW MY REQUEST. I THINK I MADE MY POINT.

>> THAT IS FINE, JUDGE. WE DON'T NEED IT THEN.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE ON SOME THOUGHTS HERE. I REALLY WAS APPRECIATING THE DISCUSSION BACK AND FORTH AND LOOKING AT THE VARIOUS DEMONSTRATION MAPS.

I HAVE BEEN VERY CONSISTENT TO ASK THE MAPS, WHAT MAPS WERE LOOKING AT WHETHER THEY WERE BASED ON AND FOLLOWING OUR GUIDING PHYSICALS THAT WE ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY AS A COURT.

AND THE LATEST ONE, THE RAMSEY THREE MAP, YOUR THOUGHTS ARE INITIALLY THAT IT DOES NOT MEET THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YES, THAT'S CORRECT. WE JUST SAW THIS MORNING'S WAS NOT FULLY ANALYZED.

MR. RAMSEY IS ALSO SAID THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT THEY DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE TRADITIONAL COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WITH IN HARRIS COUNTY AND THAT SEPARATES ALMOST EVERYONE THAT'S TYPICALLY BEEN COUNTED UPON.

>> I WOULD ASK FOR STATUS QUO MAP BUT THE STATUS QUO ALSO DOESN'T FOLLOW THE PURPOSES OF IT REDISTRICTING. IT DOESN'T FOLLOW THE POLITICAL TRENDS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN PLACE IN THIS COUNTY. AND SO, THE ELLIS THREE, COMMISSIONER, I THINK IT DOES A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET GETTING BACK TO THE SERVICE ISSUES, GETTING BACK TO FOLLOWING THE POLITICAL TRENDS AND A SMOOTHING OUT THE POPULATION GROWTH AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ALL EQUAL. AND, AS I HEARD IT FROM A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS AND I HEARD IT FROM COMMISSIONER RAMSEY BUT KEEPING THE COMMUNITIES CONNECTED AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CITIES ARE ALIGNED AND INTACT. WE HAVE DONE THAT WITH BAYTOWN AND ELLIS THREE. ENTER THAT WITHHOLDING AND ELLIS THREE.

SO THIS, THE ELLIS THREE DOESN'T REFLECT EVERYTHING THAT I THINK WE ARE AFTER THAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS EVERY 10 YEARS. IT SPLITS UP UNMANAGEABLE TERRITORIES INTO MORE MANAGEABLE SIZES. WHICH I THINK BACK TO THE SERVICE DELIVERY ASPECT AND CONCERN WHICH I THINK IS LEGIT. I HAVE BEEN GOING FROM HOFFMAN TO WEBSTER FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND ALTHOUGH I ENJOYED THE DRIVE IS NICE, IT CAN KILL YOUR DAY. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS ABOUT KEEPING INDUSTRY

[03:05:14]

>> THERE ARE A LOT MORE THOUGHTS.

>> AT WHAT POINT DO WE MAKE A MOTION?

>> IT IS A POINT THAT MOTIONS BE MADE AND I HAVE THE PERSPECTIVE BUT I REALLY THINK YOU GUYS ARE THE MOST AFFECTED. I AM LOATH TO MAKE ONE.

>> YES JUDGE, I WILL BE CANDID. I THOUGHT ELLIS THREE WAS A JOKE.

IN ESSENCE, YOU ARE TAKING EVERYBODY THAT WAS IN PRECINCT 4 AND YOU CRAM THEM INTO PRECINCT 3 AND YOU TAKE EVERYONE THAT WAS IN PRECINCT 3 AND YOU CRAM THEM INTO FOUR.

IT'S THE STRANGER MAP. YOUR PEOPLE OF SERVICE WILL BE SERVED BY STRANGERS IN TERMS OF FLIPPING ALL THE RESOURCES, ALL OF THE LOCATIONS, YOUR PARKS THAT WERE RUN BY PRECINCT 4 WILL NOW BE READ BY THREE. THE PARTS THAT WERE RUN BY FOR WILL NOW BE RUN, VICE VERSA.

NOW, IF WE GO WITH THE CONCEPT THAT IT MEETS A LOT OF THE OTHER CRITERIA, THE ELLIS THREE COULD BE VERY EASILY FIXED. IF YOU JUST TAKE AND MAKE THREE INTO FOUR UNDER THE ELLIS THREE. AND THEN YOU MAKE 4 ENTERED INTO THREE UNDER THE ELLIS THREE THEN AT THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SERVED BY PRECINCT 3 STATE AND THREE AND THOSE OF BEEN SERVED BY 4 WILL STAY IN 4. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS MOVE OVER A LITTLE BIT THE MARGINALLY POPULATED AREA UP THERE IN THE NORTHERN CORNER OF 4, MOVE THAT OVER TO THE CURRENT BOUNDARY LINE AND THEN DOWN ON THE SOUTH SIDE YOU MOVE THAT BOUNDARY JUST A TOUCH AND THEN YOU FLIP THE NUMBERS AND WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT IN THIS MAP BUT IT WON'T BE THE MASS MIGRATION OF IT MAKING EVERYBODY BEAT STRANGERS TO THEIR PRECINCTS. IT WILL NOT BE FLIPPING THE POPULATION.

>> MR. RAMSEY, I'M SORRY MR. CAGLE, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BUT I THINK IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE YOU AND MR. ELLIS WORKED THROUGH THAT, THE CURRENTS I HAVE FOR MY PRECINCT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED. AND SO, LET ME JUST SET THE STAGE FOR US TO WORK THROUGH THAT. LET ME GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION SO I MOVE FOR APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT MAP IDENTIFIED AS PLAN PROPOSAL ELLIS THREE DEMONSTRATION MAP WHICH ESTABLISHES THE BORDERS OF ALL OF HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER COURT PRECINCTS AND IS CONSISTENT WITH REVISIONS REQUIRED FOLLOWING THE 2020 CENSUS. HIS THAT MOTION PROPER?

>> YES, COMMISSIONER.

>> SO, I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION.

>> JUDGE, I WENT TO SECOND THE MOTION AND MAKE A COMMENT. I LAID OUT THE FIRST MAP AND THE OTHER MAPS THAT I PUT UP ALL POSTED WERE ALL COMPLETE. AS WE STARTED TO DATE I WENT THROUGH EACH OF THE MAPS WITH EXCEPTIONS OF THE ONES I WENT TO EARLIER IN THE WEEK.

AND I STATED THAT ONE, TWO OR THREE, I COULD LIVE WITH. AND IT DEPENDING ON WHO MADE A MOTION I WOULD SECOND IT AND I'VE SECONDED THAT MOTION.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY?

[03:10:03]

>> OF THE ELLIS MAPS, 2 WOULD BE THE MOST CONSISTENT, JUDGE, WITH WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM

NUMEROUS UNITY MAP PEOPLE. >> I REFERRED TO ELLIS 2?

>> YES, ELLIS 2. MY ONLY COMMENT ON THE ELLIS 2 IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO SERVE THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY OF INTEREST BUT WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE UNITY THERE IS NO OTHER GROUP HAD MORE COMMENTS, PUT MORE EFFORT, DID MORE LEGWORK, AS I SAID, ASKED CONRAD JOE I SAID THESE PEOPLE HAVE PUT THE EFFORT IN, THEY PUT THE WORK AND WE HAVE COMPLEMENT TO THEM AND EVERYONE WHEN THEY COME UP HERE, JUDGE, SO THAT IS PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT THEY BEEN ASKING FOR. I'M TALKING ABOUT ELLIS 2.

>> WITH MODIFICATIONS I WANT TO POINT THAT OUT.

>> WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS ON THE EAST SIDE AND ON THE WEST SIDE BUT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY OF ALL THE THINGS IF WERE GOING TO GIVE MERIT CONSIDERATION TO THE MAP I THINK IT COMES CLOSEST TO THAT. IF I MISUNDERSTANDING SOMETHING, SOMEONE JUMP IN HER . ELLIS 2 IS CLOSE TO THE UNITY MAP IF YOU LOOK AT THE UNITED UNITY MAP.

>> I THINK RIGHT NOW THE POINT IS WITH THE MAP THAT IS BEING PROPOSED SO IF YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN ELLIS 2 AND ELLIS THREE WHAT IS YOUR FIRST?

>> ELLIS 2. >> AS PRESENTED.

>> AS PRESENTED. IF NOTHING ELSE CHANGES YOU'RE GONNA TAKE ELLIS 2 OR ELLIS THREE.

>> YOU SHOULD MAKE THAT MOTION.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION ABOUT COMMISSIONER CAGLE IT BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE DATE AND WANT TO GET WITH THE AUTHORITIES ON THAT. LET'S TAKE A BREAK SO I CAN JUST PROCESS THIS. LET'S BREAK FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES.

WE WILL BREAK UNTIL 4:40 PM. LET'S BREAK TILL 4:40 PM, THANK YOU.

>> SO WERE ALL CLEAR OUT THE EFFECTIVE DATE WORKS. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT THE CONSENSUS SEEMS TO BE THAT WE DON'T LIST AN EFFECTIVE DATE, COMMISSIONER CAGLE TO ANSWER QUESTION, AND HERE IS WHY. THE COMMISSIONER PRECINCT BOUNDARIES FOR THE PURPOSES OF ELECTIONS SO THAT WHICHEVER CANDIDATES KNOW WHAT THEIR BOUNDARIES ARE GOING TO BE, THOSE BOUNDARIES BECOME EFFECTIVE AS SOON AS I SIGNED THE ORDER THAT THE COURT WOULD VOTE ON. I ALWAYS SIGN THINGS AFTER COURT SO AS SOON AS I SIGN IT WILL GET DONE. THEN THERE IS THE PRACTICALITIES TO THE EXTENT THAT THE MAPS ADOPTED SHIFT SOME POPULATION, SOME IN COMMUNITY CENTERS OR WHATEVER THIS FROM A WINDOW PRESENTED TO THE OTHER, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING WHEN WOULD THAT TAKE PLACE? WE WOULD HAVE UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2023, THAT IS UNTIL THE COMMISSIONERS TAKE OFFICE FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE. AND I WOULD JUST SAY WHATEVER IS PASSED I THINK IS PRUDENT FOR MR. BARRY TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE EMPLOYEES MAKING IT CLEAR THAT NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE. AND I THINK WHAT COMMISSIONER ELLIS BROUGHT UP IS PRUDENT AT THE NEXT AGENDA PERHAPS MR. BARRY CAN BEGIN EXPLAIN HOW HE WOULD CONCEPTUALIZE ANY TYPE OF TRANSITIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE DONE. I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR BECAUSE I KNOW FOLKS WHO ARE OFFERING EMOTIONS THAT THE MOTION IS SIMPLY WHAT THEY HAD READ EARLIER THIS MORNING AND NOTHING NEEDS TO BE LISTED ABOUT THE TRANSITION PERIOD.

>> THANK YOU. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF US IN HEAT OF DISCUSSION

[03:15:04]

IT REALLY BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE FINE, IT ALWAYS WORKS OUT.

NEXT I HAVE TOLD OUR FOLKS >> I TOLD HER FOLKS THAT WE ARE NO MONDAY WE ARE DOING NEXT WEEK WILL BE DOING THE NEXT WEEK.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DETAILS TO WORK OUT. BUT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING. WE HAVE PLENTY OF WORK TO DO.

WE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SORT IT ALL OUT. SO THAT'S A PRETTY COMMON MESSAGE WITH WHAT WE HAVE GOING.

>> AND I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR. INGLE WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE, JUDGE.

MR. INGLE, I AM LOOKING AT ELLIS THREE AND I'M LOOKING AT ELLIS 4.

AND ELLIS THREE AND ELLIS 4 ARE SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME EXCEPT FOR THE ONE FEATURE OF MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN PRECINCT 3 WILL BE SWITCHED WITH FOUR UNDER THE ELLIS THREE. EXCEPT IN THAT ONE LITTLE SMALL QUARTER OVER THERE AND DOWN ON THE SOUTH SIDE, IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT?

>> YES.

>> SO THREE AND FOUR ARE PRETTY MUCH IDENTICAL BUT WERE NOT SWITCHING ENTIRE POPULATIONS WHO WILL NOW, IF YOU WERE IN PRECINCT 3 HAVE BACK-TO-BACK ELECTIONS ON THEIR COMMISSIONER AND IF YOU ARE IN FOR YOU TO WAIT SIX YEARS TO HAVE AN ELECTION.

JUDGE, I LOOK AT THESE MAPS, HERE WHERE IT'SGOING , I'M IN THE MINORITY.

I FEEL LIKE I'M ON THE RECEIVING END OF A VERY POLITICALLY INCORRECT MOVIE CONAN THE BARBARIAN TO WHERE CONAN DECRIED AT THE END OF THAT THEY NEED TO CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES AND HERE THE LIMITATION OF THE WOMEN. I THINK THAT THREE WOULD BE THE CONAN THE BARBARIAN RESULT GIVEN AT THE HORNS OF THE DILEMMA I WOULD MOVE ON ELLIS'S MAP 4. WHICH IS IDENTICAL TO THREE WITH MINOR TWEAKS WITHOUT THE CRUSHING OF THE OPPOSITION AND IT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE SERVED, MEET SOME OF OUR CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH REGARD TO AREAS OF SERVIC , IT IS NOT A MAP I AM 100 PERCENT HAPPY WITH, JUDGE, BUT WHEN YOU'RE ON THE TWO SIDE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE SCRAPS THAT ARE TOSSED IN YOUR DIRECTION.

>> I THINK I'M NOT HEARING THE NUMBERS, SOME KITCHEN PRETTY QUICK I'M GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION HERE. THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.

I HAVE A PERSPECTIVE ON THIS AND I THINK WHICHEVER MAP.

>> WE HAVE A SECOND TO HIS MOTION.

>> IF I MIGHT I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT IN TERMS OF, I HAVE A PRETTY THICK SKIN, I'M NOT A BARBARIAN, I DON'T DO THOSE THINGS WOMEN BUT I WANT TO CALL THE QUESTION ON AN ITEM THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.

>> SO HERE IS MY PERSPECTIVE. A LOT HAS CHANGED, OBVIOUSLY, IN THE COUNTY.

1/4 OF A MILLION OF PEOPLE HAVE MOVED INTO THE AREA IN THE PAST 10 YEARS.

NOTE MAP WILL PLEASE EVERYONE SO I'M GOING TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.

I HAVE BEEN HUNG UP ON ELLIS THREE AND ELLIS 4 AND I THINK THEY SHARE SOMETHING A LOT OF POSITIVES CHARACTERISTICS. SO LET ME TALK ABOUT ELLIS THREE.

IT GIVES A VOICE TO THE VOICES THAT HAVE BEEN DILUTED. WE TALKED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD BE A UNITED AND ALSO WOULD BE EMPOWERED TO THE DISCUSSION WE ARE HAVING EARLIER, IT DOESN'T MAKE SO MUCH A DIFFERENCE TO UNITE A COMMITTEE OF INTEREST IF YOU'RE

[03:20:02]

IT KEEPS, MAKING SURE THAT KATY ISD AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED ARE TOGETHER. KEEPS THE VILLAGES TOGETHER. CONNECTS MORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND ADDISON BARKER WHICH MAY BE ADVOCATING PRESUMABLY ON THE ISSUES IMPACTING THEM. IT ALLEVIATES THE CONCERN SOMEHOW BROUGHT UP ABOUT STRETCHING WHEN PRESENT TOO FAR GEOGRAPHICALLY ALTHOUGH I HAVE A PERSPECTIVE ON THAT AS WELL.

IT MAKES SURE THAT THE AREAS AND I ASKED FOR A REPRESENTATION OF THE AREAS OF THE COUNTY THAT GROWN THE FASTEST TRYING TO GET AT WHERE THIS WAS COMING FROM AND I DID SEE THE AREAS IN THE NORTHWEST ARE THE FASTEST-GROWING AND DOES AND THAT AREAS IN THE PAST ELECTIONS TO COMMISSIONER KINKO'S POINT LIKE DID THEY JUST HAVE AN ELECTION, THEIR VOICES WERE DILUTED BECAUSE THEY WERE TOGETHER WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELLIS THREE AND ELLIS 4, THIS IS WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO FOR ME.

I AM NOT GOING TO PRETEND LIKE I DON'T SEE WHAT YOU THINK COMMISSIONER CAGLE IS VERY CLEAR WITH THE DIFFERENCE IS. AND I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS A LOT.

I HAVE BEEN VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE COURT SINCE WE HAD OUR LATEST VOTE ON THE TAPESTRY BECAUSE WE ALL APPROVED BUDGET THAT COULD BE FUNDED BY A TAX CUT.

COULD BE FUNDED BY A TAX CUT. INSTEAD, I KNOW SOME FOLKS SEE THAT DISCUSSION WHERE WE LANDED AS A COMPROMISE BUT I DON'T. I FEEL THAT MY HAND WAS FORCED BECAUSE IT'S NOT LOGICAL TO ME WHY THERE HAD TO BE AN EVEN GREATER TAX CUT FOR CHOOSING BETWEEN A TAX CUT AND UNDERFUNDING THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT BY $17 MILLION IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

I NEVER FOUND AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT OTHER THAN PANDERING. IT WAS ALREADY A TAX CUT.

I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT IN FUTURE YEARS IT'S A RACE TO THE BOTTOM AND I SAID IT THEN, EVERYBODY LIKES TO SAY WE ARE CUTTING TAXES AND WE DID WE HAD A TAX CUT AND ENDED UP WITH ANOTHER ONE THAT UNDERFUNDED THAT DEFUNDED THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT BY $17 MILLION.

IF WE DO THAT EVERY SINGLE YEA , WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE LITERALLY LIFE SAVING SERVICES. NOTHING MORE LIFE SAVING THAN FUNDING THE HOSPITALS.

I LOOKED AT THE ELECTION RETURNS IF SOMEONE WERE TO RUN AND ELLIS THREE IF WE GO BACK TO ELLIS THREE AND AT THAT PRECINCT 4, IF WE WERE TO PUT THE 2018 RACE IN PRECINCT 4 AS A STRONG THE DEMOCRAT WOULD WIN BY NOT EVEN ONE POINT. SO IT'S NOT A SOLID DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS. YOU WOULD BE A FORMIDABLE CANDIDATE IN THE DISTRICT, STILL. BUT I THINK DESPITE YOUR CONCERNS THAT ELLIS THREE IS THE BETTER MAP BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED THAT YOUR PARTY IS ON A RACE TO THE BOTTOM TO LITERALLY NOT BE ABLE TO PAY FOR LIFESAVING SERVICES WHEN YOU'RE REJECTING TAX CUT, CUT, SO THAT YOU CAN DEFUNDED THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT BY $17 MILLION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC, I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN. I THOROUGHLY SUPPORT TO L3, I THINK IT'S A GOOD METHOD, IT KEEPS COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, IT DOESN'T DILUTE THE VOTE. I WOULD ASK MY COMMISSIONERS ELLIS AND GARCIA I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AT THE NEXT WITH DAVE BARRY'S ON NOTES ON TRANSITION.I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF CONSOLIDATION OF SOME SERVICES. EVEN IF IT'S OVER THE YEARS BUT THERE, HOWEVER YOU SLICE AND DICE THESE MAPS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME THAT HAVE MORE ROAD MILES OTHERS THAT HAVE HEAVY INDUSTRY AND I DON'T THINK IT'S PRUDENT FOR US TO CONTINUE DOING 25, 25, 25.

SO COMMISSIONER ELLIS BROKE THE ICE ON THAT ONE AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

I WOULD ASK THAT YOU GUYS HELP ME DO THAT.

[03:25:01]

>> I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE AND I THINK THAT THE PROCESS TO DO THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING I CAN DO WHAT WE DID ON CREATING THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE.

AND A HOST OF OTHER THINGS WE HAVE DONE. LOOK, I AM HONORED TO BE HERE BUT I DO NOT RUN FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER TO JUST BUILD ROADS.

I RAN BECAUSE I WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE BUILD A ROAD TO BETTER FUTURE.

AND THAT ROAD INCLUDES A LOT OF THINGS INCLUDING HEALTHCARE, PUBLIC SAFETY, GOOD ENVIRONMEN , FLOODING ISSUES. I THINK IS APPROPRIATE AND THAT WOULD BE A VOTE AND WE TO BRING THE PUBLIC ALONG. ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IS THAT EVEN IF I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT SOMETHING SOMETIMES I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO BE A BULL IN A CHINA CABINET I HAVE TO BRING THE PUBLIC IN MY CONSTITUENTS ALONG WITH ME. I THINK IT WOULD RESONATE EVERY COUNTY IN THE COUNTRY HAVE DONE IT I DON'T THINK IT IS DELUDING MY POWER OR THE POWER OF ANYONE AS COMMISSIONER. BUT I THINK A DISCUSSION, I THINK I HINTED AT IT EARLIER THIS WEEK, I THINK, I CANNOT REMEMBER, SOMETIMES I TALK SO MUCH I CAN'T MEMBER EVERYTHING I SAY.

>> YES, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

>> I CERTAINLY AGREE, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, THIS IS NOT ABOUT TOM RAMSEY, THIS IS NOT ABOUT ANYTHING RELATED TO WHAT I PERSONALLY MAY PREFER OR PERSONALLY MAY NOT PREFER.

I DO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF WHAT WOULD MAKE SENSE FROM A SERVICE STANDPOINT.

IF YOU WANT TO DRAW THE LINES THAT HAS BEEN INDICATED BASED ON THE SIX CRITERIA THAT YOU CLEARLY MEDICINE OF THE WE CAN DO THAT. BUT SOME SENSE OF PURPOSE AND DIRECTION THAT THE JUDGE MENTIONED THE BUDGET AND ALL THOSE CONSIDERATIONS WE CERTAINLY WOULD BE THE MOST DISRUPTIVE OF THE MAPS AND CAN WE FIGURE THAT OUT? SURE, WE ARE FIVE PRETTY SMART FOLKS WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT. BUT WHEN YOU DISRUPT IN TERMS OF WHO IS RESPONSIBLE NEARLY 2 MILLION PEOPLE, THAT'S GOING TO BE THAT MUCH MORE.

BUT IF THE OBJECTIVE IS TO HAVE A SINGLE PARKS DIRECTOR OR SINGLE ROADS IF THERE IS OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED I CAN SEE WAY BEWARE THAT WOULD BE HEADED.

I HAVE SAID THIS, MAYBE I DID NOT SAY WELL, MAYBE I COULD'VE SAID IT BUT THERE IS MERIT TO NOT DISRUPTING AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND AT THE SAME TIME ACCOMPLISHING A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE HEARD HERE OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR WEEKS. WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW THE DETAILS, I THINK WE ALL COULD PROBABLY WRITE EACH OTHER'S TALKING POINTS ON THE ISSUE.

SO I JUST MAKE THAT ONE LAST COMMENT.

>> COMMISSIONER CAGLE.

>> JUDGE, YOU HAD A NUMBER OF WORDS YOU SAID. I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING, BUT I COULD BE WRONG, THAT YOU ARE INCLINED TO VOTE FOR THE ELLIS THREE BECAUSE YOU VIEW THAT VOTE AS A REFERENDUM TO THE PUBLIC IN ESSENCE ON TAXES. AND THAT YOU FEEL THAT BECAUSE OF OUR TRUST AGREEMENT ON TAXES THAT YOU NEED TO MOVE ME INTO A PRECINCT THAT I HAVE NOT SERVED TO LET ME FACE THE PUBLIC ON IT THAT REFERENDUM OF THE TAX ISSUE.

AM I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY?

>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT MAP THAT BRINGS TOGETHER ALL DEAN, THAT BRINGS TOGETHER THE COMMUNITIES OF THE SOUTHWEST, THAT KEEPS ADDICTS AND BARKER COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T KEEP HAVING FOLKS THAT REJECT A TAX CUT, I NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE REASON OTHER THAN A RACE TO THE BOTTOM. I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE MAKE RESPONSIBLE POLICY DECISIONS. I WAS PRETTY CLEAR ABOUT IT BUT I THINK THE FUNDAMENTAL REASON

[03:30:08]

>> I HEAR THAT BUT YOU ALSO HEARD FROM OUR CONSULTANT THAT THE REAL ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR IS THAT WE FLIPPED THE PRECINCTS.

>> CORRECT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT COMMISSIONER GARCIA IS TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE NEXT COURT?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION OF DAVID BARRY ON THE TRANSITION AND ELECTIVE A DISCUSSION ON THE CONSOLIDATION OF SERVICES.

>> COMMISSIONER, YOUR MICROPHONE.

>> I WILL KEEP AN OPEN MIND. I RAN IT TO ADVOCATE, I RAN TO FIGHT FOR MY PRECINCT, I RAN INTO MAKE SURE THINGS GET DONE AND IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE KITCHEN. SO I WILL KEEP AN OPEN MIND, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION BUT I WILL JUST LEAVE YOU WITH THAT.

I WILL KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE ESPECIALLY HERE I'VE BEEN LOOKING A LOT AT THE ROAD MILE . IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE QUITE DIFFERENT IN A THREE AND FOUR THEY HAVE GOT A LOT OF STRINGS, A LOT OF CHALLENGES, SOMEWHAT OF A DISPARITY IN THE ROAD MILES. THE QUESTION IS THERE IS NOT SERVICE.

EVERYONE KNOWS AMBULANCES HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE COMMISSIONER PRESENT VALUE PRECINCT, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO DISCUSS THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF REDISTRICTING.

>> SO JUDGE, I WOULD HOPE THAT MY HABIT OF DISCUSSION I DON'T SEE THAT 2 IS A QUID PRO QUO BUT I THINK IT MOVES THE BALL FORWARD TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WE MADE SOME A WORKING GROUP IF THAT'S LEGAL, MAYBE TO PULL SOME MEETINGS OF THIS COMMISSION ON WHETHER WE DO IN YOUR. LOOK, I THINK MOVING THE BALL FORWARD IN A BIG WAY TO HAVE A PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE PUBLIC FEELS ABOUT IT.

I THINK THEY WOULD AGREE. IN A LOT OF WAYS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AUSTIN AND A HOST OF AREAS, NO MONEY FROM JELL-O, UNTIL THERE WAS AN UPROAR, STILL NOT ENOUGH MONEY.

WE HAVE TO GO FIND ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO FUND THOSE PROJECTS AND IS STILL NOT ENOUGH.

HEALTHCARE ISSUES, WE ARE PUSHING HARRIS TO TAKE ON JILL HEALTHCARE, A VERY CROWDED JAIL. WE GET WILL GET SUED IF PEOPLE KEEP DYING OVER THERE.

YET TO DO A CAPITAL PROGRAM TO BUILD ANOTHER ONE. BUT WE HAVE TO FIND MORE EFFICIENT WAYS BUT WE GOTTA FIND A MORE EFFICIENT WAY WITH WHAT WE DO.

AND THERE MUST BE SOME BALANCE BETWEEN PEOPLE FEELING LIKE THEY GIVE UP SOME POWER OR DISCRETION IN BEING ABLE TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY. LIKE FIVE HR DEPARTMENTS CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED. CLEARLY, AREAS IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT WHERE PEOPLE KNEW THAT WE HAD FIVE OF THOSE.

>> HOW TO BE DETERMINED, THERE IS GOING TO BE TO DEMOCRATIC PRECINCTS, ONE THAT YOU COULD GO EITHER WAY THAT LEADS DEMOCRATIC AND ONE SOLIDLY REPUBLICAN PRECINCT.

I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. SO WE CAN KEEP REACHING A GRIDLOCK THAT ENDS UP IN 25 AND 25. WE WILL NOT MOVE PAST THAT CONVERSATION UNTIL THERE 70 IS LOOKING AT THE WHOLE PICTURE BEYOND THESE KIND OF PAROCHIAL DIVISIONS IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE AND SAME OKAY OBJECTIVELY SPEAKING THIS IS

HOW IT SHOULD BE DIVIDED UP. >> MOST URBAN COUNTIES HAVE DONE IT. MOST URBAN COUNTIES. THE WHOLE TRADITION DIVIDED UP IT WAS UNDER THE HEAVEN EVERY COUNTY AND STATE. MOST OF THE URBAN ONES OTHER THAN TERRENCE HAVE DONE THAT. AND HARRIS, I WAS A GREAT THING BUT HAVING THE DISCUSSION I WOULD SUGGEST SOMEONE LIKE A PFM TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT. I KNEW YOU CANCELED OVERNIGHT

[03:35:06]

>> I THINK A FEW THINGS ABOUT THIS DISCUSSION, DAVE, I AM NOT SEEN ANYTHING COME I THINK THE DISCUSSION. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE EVEN FOR ME TO HAVE THIS ONE WITHOUT AT LEAST BRINGING THIS UP. SO THAT'S WHY I BRING IT UP.

>> I SECOND.

>> CATCHES MOTION?

>> FOR CLARITY IF YOU DON'T MIND REPEATING IT.

>> THE MOTION IS MOVE FOR APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRECINCT MAP IDENTIFIED AS PLAN PROPOSAL ELLIS THREE DEMONSTRATION MAP.

WHICH ESTABLISHES THE BORDERS OF ALL HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT PRECINCTS AND IS CONSISTENT WITH REVISIONS REQUIRED FOLLOWING THE 2020 CENSUS.

>> SECOND.

>> LEGAL, TO BE SAY CORRECTLY?

>> MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA SECONDED BY ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

>> AYE.

>> OPPOSED SAY NUMBER NO >> NO.

>> MOTION CARRIES. WANT TO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION.

IT'S 5:15 PM, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.