AND I'M GLAD TO SEE EVERYONE WELL AND HEALTHY.
[00:00:05]
I SEE THE MEMBERS PRESENT, AND LET'S PLEASE ANNOUNCE NAME AND TITLE, AND I WILL GET STARTED, MS. BENNETT, AND THEN GO WITH THE FOLKS IN PERSON. LINA HIDALGO, HARRIS COUNTYJUDGE. >> [INAUDIBLE] TAX ASSESSOR,
VOTER REGISTRAR. >> CINDY SEGAL, HARRIS COUNTY
REPUBLICAN CHAIR. >> TANISHA, HARRIS COUNTY CLERK.
>> OTIS, CHAIR OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
>> LINA HIDALGO: GREAT. DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS TODAY?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> LINA HIDALGO: OKAY.
>> ALLEN VERA, VOLUNTEER CHAIRMAN FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BALLOT COMMITTEE SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEMS 1 AND 3.
THE COMMISSION IS CLOSE TO COMPLETING ITS WORK TO FIND A NEW EU. THE AGENDA SAYS YOU WILL BE SPEAKING WITH AND MAKING A DECISION TODAY.
WE WANT TO URGE THE COMMISSION TO PLEASE PLACE A HIGH VALUE ON ACTUAL HANDS ON EXPERIENCE RUNNING ELECTIONS.
SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCE SERVING ON ELECTION COMMISSIONS OR OTHER COMMITTEES WITH GENERAL OVERSIGHT.
BUT THEY HAVE NO PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE DETAILED WORK INVOLVED IN ACTUALLY ADMINISTERING AN ELECTION.
ALL FIVE OF YOU CAN NOW PUT THE ELECTION COMMISSION ON YOUR RESUMES, BUT ONLY ONE OF YOU ACTUALLY HAS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, HANDS ON EXPERIENCE, RUNNING AN ELECTION.
THE FACT IS THAT WHEN IT COMES TO DELIVERING ACCURATELY-RUN, TIMELY-REPORTED ELECTIONS, THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS, AND IT'S BEEN FAILURE IN THE DETAILS THAT HAVE PLAGUED OUR RECENT ELECTIONS. DETAILS ARE FLAWLESS CHAIN OF CUSTODY SO WE ARE NOT SITTING AROUND AT 3:30 IN THE MORNING WONDERING WHERE THE 13 MISSING BAGS OF BALLOTS ARE.
DETAILS INCLUDE PROPER MAINTENANCE AND CALIBRATION OF OUR ELECTION EQUIPMENT. SO WE DON'T SADDLE CENTRAL ACCOUNT WITH DUPLICATING A THOUSAND BALLOTS THAT WOULDN'T SCAN AT THE POLLING PLACE. I HAVE GIVEN YOU SOME SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOUR INTERVIEWS TODAY WITH THE CANDIDATES.
THEY ARE INTENDED TO HELP YOU PROBE FOR EXPERIENCE WITH THE IMPORTANT DETAILS IN RUNNING AN ELECTION.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ACTUALLY USE THESE QUESTIONS AND ACTUALLY ASK THEM OUT LOUD, JUST KEEP THEM IN FRONT OF YOU AND ASK YOURSELF, GEE, I WONDER IF THIS CANDIDATE COULD ANSWER THIS QUESTION. LOOKING TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 3, THIS REPORT IS INCOMPLETE, PERIOD.
WHAT IS NOT IN THE REPORT IS AN ACCOUNT OF THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY THE EARLY VOTING BALLOT BOARD AND SIGNATURE COMMITTEES WITH MAIL AND OPERATION -- PRO VISIONAL BALLOTS. MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT IS MISSING IS ANY DISCUSSION OF THE SEVERE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN THE CENTRAL ACCOUNTING OPERATION. BY ADDRESSING THE POLLING PLACES, THE REPORT ONLY COVERS HALF OF THE ELECTION PROCESS.
YOU NEED TO DIG DEEPER. AND FOR THE RECORD, THE REPORT CLAIMS THAT THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR WENT TO DISTRICT COURT TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE. THE ACTION WAS FILED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY TO ENSURE THAT ALL BALLOTS, REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT OF THE PRIMARY ELECTION WERE PROPERLY COUNTED. I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND I THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. VERA. >> THANK YOU.
>> LINA HIDALGO: FOLKS, I WILL -- [INAUDIBLE] WITH MY CAT.
SO IF YOU HEAR A CAT, THAT'S WHAT THAT IS.
WE'LL GO WITH THE NEXT SPEAKER. >> JACOB CLEMENTAGE.
I HAVE A LOT TO SAY SO I WILL BEGIN WITH THIS.
I AM WITH [INAUDIBLE] MENTAL AND I AM A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN IN JAIL BEFORE. [INAUDIBLE] THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. ANYWAY, WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THIS. I'M ELIGIBLE TO INVOLVE AND THAT IS GOOD BECAUSE I VOTE FOR CONSERVATIVES BECAUSE THEY ARE THE PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT. NOT THE PEOPLE ON THE LEFT.
LIBERALS ARE OKAY, BUT PEOPLE ON THE LEFT ARE A LITTLE WACKO.
[INAUDIBLE] AND HE IS A REAL SMART MAN.
WHAT I HAVE RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF ME IS A LETTER FROM PRECINCT 1 OF COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS, AND IN THIS LETTER HE TALKS ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE AND RACIAL EQUALITY AND ALL THAT, BUT HE
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DOESN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT MAKING SURE OUR ELECTIONS ARE SAFE AND SECURE. YOU CAN ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS AND YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ME. I WILL LEAVE IT WITH YOU ALL.OH, AND GO ASTROS. THAT JORDAN ALVAREZ, MAN, HE
WALKED THAT BALL. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THOSE WERE ALL THE SPEAKERS, JUDGE.
>> LINA HIDALGO: OKAY. IN TERMS OF AGENDA ITEMS, WE
[1. Request for an Executive Session to conduct panel interviews with finalists for the Elections Administrator role pursuant to §551.071 and §551.074 of the Texas Government Code.]
HAVE FOUR. I SUGGEST WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ITEM 1 TO CONDUCT A PANEL INTERVIEW.[2. Request for an Executive Session as well as discussion and possible action to name an Elections Administrator whose appointment will be voted on at a subsequent meeting to be held upon the selected candidate becoming a qualified voter as defined in the Texas Election Code, and to authorize the Office of County Administration and Human Resources & Risk Management to negotiate salary and benefits for the selected candidate in accordance with the range approved by Commissioners Court.]
AND WE WILL DISCUSS ITEM TWO AS WELL IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.SO WE WILL START WITH THOSE AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BOTH OF THE FINALISTS HAVE ASKED THEY BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THEIR EMPLOYER BEFORE WE NAME WHOEVER IS SELECTED.
THE THINKING IS WE WILL GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND MAKE A DECISION AND INFORM THE PERSON SELECTED.
THEN THAT PERSON WILL GO AND INFORM THEIR EMPLOYER WHILE WE DISCUSS ITEMS THREE AND FOUR AND THEN WE WILL NAME THEM PUBLICLY.
DOES THAT SOUND GOOD TO THE COMMISSION?
>> YES. >> I THINK THERE MAY BE A DELAY.
>> LINA HIDALGO: THANK YOU. WE WILL GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONDUCT INTERVIEWS FOR THE FINALISTS.
ITEM 2 IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO NAME AN ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR WHOSE APPOINTMENT WILL BE NAMED SUB SKWEPTLY -- SUBSEQUENTLY. THESE ARE TWO SKAOUT SEUF SESSION -- EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS RELATED TO PERSONNEL.
DOES EVERYONE HAVE THE LINK? MS. BENNETT YOU HAVE THE WEBEX LINK FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION? IT IS 2:43 AND WE ARE GOING TO
SKAOUT SEUF SESSION O >> LINA HIDALGO: IT IS 6:25 P.M.
AND WE ARE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY? ONE MOMENT.
I AM GETTING A CALL FROM A CONSULTANT.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO NAME CLIFFORD TATUM AS ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR TO BE APPOINTED AT A LATER MEETING ON MR. TATUM BEING A REGISTERED VOTER IN TEXAS AND A MEMBER OF THE STATE.
IT MAKES HIM QUALIFIED TO BE THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR IN TEXAS.
THE MOTION IS ALSO TO AUTHORIZE THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES AND RISK MANAGEMENT TO NEGOTIATE A SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR THERE TATUM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RANGE UH -- APPROVED BY COMMISSIONERS' COURT.
ALL IS CONTINGENT ON PASSING A BACKGROUND CHECK AND CONFIRMATION OF HIS ELIGIBILITY TO BE APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION. WILL SOMEONE MAKE THAT MOTION?
>> SECOND. >> LINA HIDALGO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR?
>> I. >> LINA HIDALGO: ANY OPPOSED? I'M IN FAVOR. THAT MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND I WANT TO SAY WE HAD TWO FANTASTIC FINALISTS, GREAT CANDIDATES. A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSION FOR SUCH COLLABORATIVE WORK AND ESPECIALLY WITH MS. HUDSB BBOUTH WITH AN ACCIDENT, NO FAULT OF HER OWN AND FOLKS WERE SICK. THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT WORK, Y'ALL. VERY PROUD OF THIS CANDIDATE AND VERY PROUD OF OUR WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, JUDGE. >> THANK YOU, JUDGE.
[3. Request for a status update from the Fors Marsh Group regarding their evaluation of the Harris County March 2022 Primary Election.]
>> WE DO HAVE TWO MORE ITEMS. WE DECIDED TO TAKE THOSE UP AT A LATER MEETING. SO WE WILL TAKE NO ACTION ON
[4. Request for discussion and possible action regarding potential personnel decisions by the interim Elections Administrator.]
ITEM 3 AND WE WILL TAKE NO ACTION ON ITEM 4.[00:10:02]
COUNTY ATTORNEY OR ANYONE ELSE, ANYTHING TO ADD BEFORE WEADJOURN? >> NOTHING FROM US, JUDGE.
>> LINA HIDALGO: NOTHING ELSE FROM MY COLLEAGUES?
>> NO. >> LINA HIDALGO: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. IT IS 6:27 AND THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.