[00:00:05]
[Opening Prayer]
THANK YOU, JUDGE. TODAY PASSED THE SAMUEL J.GILBERT WILL GIVE US THE PRAYER.
DR. GILBERT THE SECOND HAS PASSED TO THE MT.
SINAI BAPTIST CHURCH AND HOUSTON AFFECTIONATELY CALLED THE MOUNTAIN CHURCH.
DR. GILBERT'S MINISTRY IS TOUCHING LIVES AND CHANGING HEARTS WITH ONE MESSAGE AT A TIME.
DR. GILBERT IS A GRADUATE OF BISHOP COLLEGE, VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY AND HOWARD UNIVERSITY.
HE'S PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN BAPTIST MINISTERS.
SINAI BAPTIST CHURCH AND PAST EMERITUS OF HOUSTON METROPOLITAN BAPTIST MEMPHIS CONFERENCE.
HIS SON IS SAM THE THIRD, AND HE IS A GRADUATE OF GEORGETOWN COLLEGE IN KENTUCKY.
SO I THINK HE'S HERE WITH US VIRTUALLY.
TO THE. COMMISSIONERS ELLIS GARCIA, RAMSEY KAGAN, JUDGE AND DONGO AND ALL GATHERED.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE A WORD OF PRAYER WITH YOU TODAY.
LET US PRAY. OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHO RULED US THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.
WE COME THIS AFTERNOON IN THE MOST GRACIOUS FORM.
THANKING YOU FOR ALLOWING OUR GOLDEN MOMENTS TO ROLL ON JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
WE THANK YOU FOR OUR JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS WHO CARRY THE MANTLE OF LEADERSHIP OVER OUR COUNTY.
WE NOW GO AND INVITE YOUR PRESENCE IN THIS PLACE TODAY.
WE ASK THE LORD THAT YOU WILL TAKE OVER THIS MEETING.
LORD, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
BLESSED. NOW, THESE LEADERS TODAY.
STRENGTHEN THEM WITH WISDOM AND GRACE FOR THE HEAVY BURDENS THEY CARRY.
MAY THEY MANAGE THEIR TEAMS AND PROJECTS WITH LOVE.
KEEP THEIR HEARTS PURE IN THEIR EYES.
TURN TOWARDS YOUR FACE AS THEY WORK IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF THEIR CALL TO SERVE.
SURROUND THEM WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND MANY BACKGROUNDS.
BRING TO THEM PEOPLE OF HIGH MORAL CHARACTER AND SPIRITUAL MATURITY.
THE AMONG THE MANY VOICES WHICH CRY OUT TO THEM EVERY DAY.
MAY THEY HEAR YOUR VOICE ABOVE ALL OTHERS IN YOUR LORD, AS WE LOOK TO THEM FOR ASSURANCES AND GUIDANCE, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES OF CRISIS.
INSPIRE THEM AND SPEAK THROUGH THEM BY THE POWER OF YOUR HOLY SPIRIT.
SO WE ARE HERE TODAY, LORD AS PAUL FIRST INSTRUCTIONS PROTECTED TIMOTHY TO PRAY FOR KINGS AND ALL THOSE IN AUTHORITY THAT WE MAY LIVE PEACEFUL AND QUIET LIVES AND ALL GODLINESS AND HOLINESS.
LORD, WE BELIEVE THAT OUR PRAYER CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS.
SO MOVE NOW, LORD, BY YOUR SPIRIT.
AND LORD, WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOODNESS, GRACE, MERCY AND PEACE.
AND LORD, WE ASK YOU TO HAVE GONE AWAY IN THIS PLACE HAS GONE ON WAY FOR YOU ARE THE POTTER, AND WE ARE THE CLAY IN THE MARVELOUS, MIGHTY MEXICAN NAME OF JESUS.
YOU MENTIONED YOUR PASTOR AND AMEN.
THANK YOU, PASTOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
GOD BLESS YOU. HAVE A BLESSED DAY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES AND TO THE REPUBLICAN STANDS WHEN WE ARE INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
[Appearances before court]
I RECOMMEND WE TAKE UP ALL THE SPEAKERS BEFORE MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEMS AND ALSO WILL GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COLLEAGUES TO ARRIVE.TIFFANY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL UP THE SPEAKERS.
GOOD MORNING, GEORGE. THIS IS LUCINDA.
[00:05:02]
OH, LUCINDA. GOOD MORNING.FIRST SPEAKER IS GLADYS HOWELL SPEAKING VIRTUALLY WITH FREEDMAN'S TOWN.
HE SAID, EVERYONE I'M SPEAKING ON FIRST ON AGENDA ITEM 22, DASH FIVE, THREE, TWO, FOUR AND I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND THEN I LIKE TO REQUEST A MEETING WITH YOU, JOE TEODORO, REGARDING CONCERNS AND FREEDMAN'S TOWN.
AND MY QUESTION IS NOW, OR DOES THIS FUNDING $750 MILLION, DOES IT ADDRESS DISASTER HOUSING OR NOT? YES, MA'AM. DO YOU GUYS KNOW? I THINK THIS IS INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING, MA'AM.
SO I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT IT WILL GO TO I THINK CLARIFICATION.
OKAY. SO IT'S NO DISASTER HOUSING.
OKAY. THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS CONTRACT COMPLIANCE OFFICERS ARE SERIOUSLY NEEDED WHENEVER THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE IS INVOLVED IN OUR TAX DOLLARS.
AND WHILE IT'S GOOD THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO RECEIVE OF THIS FLOOD CONTROL INFRASTRUCTURE AND MITIGATION, I'M CONCERNED THAT MY PEOPLE, MOST AMERICANS ARE, AS YOU KNOW, MISLABELED AS BLACKS ARE NOT GIVEN EQUAL CONSIDERATION OR CONTRACTS.
SO IT GOES TO MY THIRD QUESTION WHAT PLAN OF ACTION DOES YOUR BODY, THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT, HAS SPECIFICALLY IN APPLYING THESE FUNDS? TO BE FAIR, AND TO HAVE A LIKE AN OMBUDSMAN OR CONTRACT COMPLIANCE OFFICER AGAIN, TO MONITOR OR TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS THAT WILL SURFACE REGARDING THE WHOLE CONTRACTING PROCESS, ANY EVENT OF WHICH AMERICAN CONTRACTOR IS MIRACULOUSLY GIVEN A CONTRACT OF THE $750 MILLION, IF THEY RUN INTO SOME UNJUST ISSUES, IF THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO A CONTRACT COMPLIANCE OFFICER, WHO WILL THAT CONTRACT COMPLIANCE COMPLIANCE OFFICER OR OFFICERS? B AND LASTLY, I AM REAL CONCERN THAT THE ISSUES OF FREEDOM TO STAND WILL CONTINUE TO BE IGNORED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT.
AND THAT IS WHY WE WOULD LIKE TO A MEETING WITH YOU TO SHARE OUR CONCERNS, BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT DEAL OF DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES AND POLICIES ONGOING AGAINST OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE'RE HAVING TO BUILD DOCUMENTED AND WE'D LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU AND PRESENT IT.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION IN, THE COUNTY, ATTORNEY WILL STEP IN IF I'M WRONG.
SO WE'LL BE FOLLOWING WHAT THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE.
AS FAR AS MEETING, I'LL MAKE SURE MY STAFF FOLLOWS UP.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING IN.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS IN PERSON.
CAN WASHINGTON SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER ONE? YOU HAVE 3 MINUTES.
MORNING, JUDGE. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
CONSIDERING WE WERE TRYING TO FIGHT THIS HOUSING PROJECT AND THE MONEY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN COMING FROM HUMBLE ISD, THAT COULD HAVE HELPED SUPPORT THE COUNTY SPECIFICALLY HOUSING AUTHORITY. I SAW THIS INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND BECAME CONCERNED BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE CDBG FUNDS $750 MILLION.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, JUST LIKE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEY WERE ASKING FOR AN EXTENSION OF THESE FUNDS THAT NO ONE CAN IDENTIFY UNTIL EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE USED.
I ASKED, THEN, HOW CAN WE ARE NOT AUDITING THIS MONEY TO IDENTIFY WITH THIS MONEY? PREVIOUSLY IT WAS USED.
AND HOW IS IT ACTUALLY BEING USED TO SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY? $750 MILLION? IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IN 2018 WE VOTED IN THE FLOOD BOND, $2.5 BILLION, $2.5 BILLION THAT SPECIFICALLY SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE LEVERAGED, OTHER COUNTY ENTITIES TO HELP BRING BILLIONS TO THE COUNTY.
WHAT WHERE IS THAT? BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO COME FROM 2018, A VOTING MEASURE.
AND NOW WE'RE AT 20, 20, 22 AND WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY.
HAS ANYONE IDENTIFIED WHERE THAT MONEY HAS BEEN USED, HOW IT'S BEING USED, AND IF IT'S BRINGING IN BILLIONS WHILE WE ASK FOR IT TO BE PUT ON A BOND TO BE VOTED ON HERE IN THE FALL? $1.2 BILLION.
A LOT OF MONEY THAT'S NOT ACCOUNTED FOR FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
[00:10:02]
THIS MONEY BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE FROM HARRIS COUNTY WHO ARE WORKING HARD IN THIS COUNTY, WHO'VE COME THROUGH OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD TO HAVE THIS MONEY SPENT AND NO ONE BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT.WHEN YOU STATE IN THERE, THAT'S GOING TO BE USED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT? LIEUTENANT BARTON WAS HERE FROM THE DEPARTMENT, FROM HARRIS COUNTY HOUSING, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND STATED THAT THE PAY INCREASE 2%, 2.2.
AND WHERE IS THAT MONEY AT? ALSO STATED PREVIOUSLY IN THE PREVIOUS COUPLE OF MONTHS, THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, WELL, THE CONSTABLES OFFICE IN HARRIS COUNTY, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER COUNTY HERE IN THE STATE, THEY HELP SUPPORT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND PATROL IN RURAL COUNTY.
EVERYONE KNOWS THAT IN HARRIS COUNTY THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY THAT ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THOSE AGENCIES ARE RELIED UPON TO PATROL OUT THERE THE CONSTABLES OFFICE.
SO WHEN THESE RESIDENTS TALK TO ME AND THEY SEND ME EMAILS BECAUSE THEY SEE ME UP HERE SPEAKING JUST LIKE THE RESIDENTS WHERE I LIVE OFF OF WEST LAKE HOUSTON, TO ASK THEM, WHY ARE WE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY THAT WE CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR TO HELP SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS OUT HERE IN THE COUNTY? WHY ARE YOU ASKING FOR THIS MONEY? THAT'S WHAT MOST RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NEXT, WE HAVE BENJAMIN BROADWAY IN PERSON WITH NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE.
GOOD MORNING, JUDGE HIDALGO AND MR. RODNEY ELLIS. WHEN THE VOTERS APPROVED THE 2018 FLOOD BOND, THEY WERE PROMISED SOME THINGS WHEN THEY WERE PROMISED EQUALITY AND FUNDING.
AND THE EQUALITY IS WHEN YOU HELP.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE SUPPORT IN THEIR HIGH VULNERABLE.
BETWEEN HALLS AND GREENS BAYOU.
THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN VALUES THAT ARE NOT FULLY FUNDED.
AND OUT OF THOSE TWO HALLS BY YOU IS THE ONE THAT NEEDS THE MOST MONEY.
IT HAS THE BIGGEST GAP CAUSED BY YOU HAS A WATERSHED.
AND EVERY TIME IT RAINS, I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO FLOOD.
NOW. THE COUNCIL ASKED FOR THE MONEY.
FEDERAL MONEY'S BEING DELIVERED.
WELL, WHAT IS THE COUNCIL GOING TO DO WITH THAT? BECAUSE. AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE OR WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS TYPE OF MONEY.
SO IF I CAN SEE THIS, CAN'T YOU? THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.
THE NEXT STEP IS TO DETERMINE THE CRITERIA THAT DETERMINE WHERE THE FUNDS GO.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE NEED THE CITY TO GET THE MONEY FOR AS WELL.
BUT LOOK, WE ARE MARCHING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND AND WE'RE VERY, VERY FOCUSED ON THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THE PROJECT AND HUNTING BY YOU OVER IN THAT DETENTION BASIN, OBVIOUSLY THE KASHMERE GARDEN AREA PROJECT AND WE ARE VERY, VERY FOCUSED ON THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING HALLS AND GREEN.
THANK YOU. THIS IS RODNEY HOSTING.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND I'M GLAD YOU ALL ARE ACTIVE OUT THERE.
I KNOW YOU GO ON TO CITY HALL AS WELL.
IT'S A LITTLE HARDER, BUT MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR VOICES HEARD AT THE STATE AS WELL.
I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR IT NOW.
WE'RE STILL $250 MILLION SHORT AND THE CITY IS STILL $1,000,000,000 SHORT.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE EQUITY GUIDELINES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS COURT, YOU GET MORE EQUITY OUT THERE THAN YOU EVER HAD IN THE PAST. BUT I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS I WAS HERE.
I DIDN'T GET US AS MUCH ATTENTION, BUT WE'RE GETTING IT NOW.
[00:15:02]
SO. BUT THANKS FOR COMING.MAKE SURE YOU GO TO CITY HALL AS WELL.
BUT MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD IN AUSTIN.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALTHOUGH THIS IS FEDERAL MONEY, FOR THE MOST PART, THEY GIVE IT TO THE STATE AND THEN WE HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE STATE TO TRY AND GET YOUR SHARE.
HALF OF THAT GAP FELL WITHIN HALLS AND GREENS BAYOU.
THE HOUSE BODY RUNS STRAIGHT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO LIKE MY COLLEAGUE BEN JUST SAID, YOU'RE CONSTANTLY WORRIED THEN ABOUT THE NEXT BIG STORM.
I'M HERE TO ASK THE COUNTY THAT THE $750 MILLION MIT MONEY TO BE EARMARKED TO FILL IN ALL OF THOSE GAPS IN THE FUNDING FOR HOLES IN INCREASED BY.
THOSE PROJECTS HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST SVI SCORES.
THESE AREAS WILL BE THE MOST IMPACTED DURING A FLOOD, BUT ALSO IN ITS RECOVERY.
I'M HELPING SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS FIVE YEARS LATER.
THIS LACK OF EQUITY ATTENTION AND AND PROTECTION NON NEIGHBORHOODS TO ME IS UNACCEPTABLE.
WE NEED YOU TO FILL THAT PROMISE, NOT LET US DOWN AGAIN.
OUR PROMISE OF EQUITY THAT YOU WAVERED ON WITH THE BOND.
NOW WE NEED TO EARMARK THOSE FUNDS TO COVER THE FUNDING GAPS IN THE HALLS AND GREENS BY.
WHEN MSE CAME LAST YEAR, WE WERE TOLD TO TALK TO THE STATE.
WE LISTEN? AND THIS THIS LED THAT TO THE TITLE SIX COMPLAINT TO HUD, WHICH UPHELD OUR CLAIM THAT THE GLO WAS RACIST IN ITS ACTIONS AND NOT GIVING YOU OR HARRIS COUNTY ITS MONEY.
AND YOU NEED TO USE IT TO CLOSE THE GAP IN THE PLACES WHERE RECOVERY IS THE HARDEST.
REMEMBER, THIS IS THE PROMISE YOU HAVE MADE REPEATEDLY TO US AND TO THE PRESS AND THE STATE.
SO I'M ASKING TO PLEASE KEEP YOUR WORD SHOWS THAT YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT FLOOD CONTROL AND EQUITY.
YES. COMMISSIONER GARCIA, DAVID, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND SPEAKING.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR REMARKS.
I WISH THAT THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY WOULD ALLOW THINGS TO HAPPEN MUCH FASTER, MUCH QUICKER.
REGRETFULLY, IT'S NOT, BUT WE'RE NOT SHY OF ADVOCATING FOR A MORE EXPEDIENT RESULT FOR YOUR FOR ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT YOURS IN PARTICULAR.
I DID WANT TO JUST KIND OF TELL YOU WHERE WHERE I'M AT.
I'M ACTUALLY NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE 750 MILLION BECAUSE THAT WASN'T THE PROMISE MADE TO HARRIS COUNTY.
AND NOW WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TURN 750 MILLION INTO A BILLION, WHICH IS WHAT OTHER CITIES, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS WELL, WAS WAS ASKING FOR.
AND SO THIS IS JUST CREATED AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, A BIT OF A OF A HUNGER GAMES KIND OF SITUATION WHERE WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER OVER.
WE'LL FUND THIS PROJECT, FUND THIS CITY, FUND THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FUND THAT.
AND ANGELO REMAINS THE ENTITY TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THE GOVERNOR ALSO HAS A LOT TO SAY, IF NOT THE MOST TO SAY ABOUT HOW THIS FUNDING IS DISPERSED.
SO I REMAIN VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTED IN OUR STATE LEADERSHIP OVER WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
AND AND ALTHOUGH WE NEED EVERY PENNY WE CAN GET.
IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT HOW THEY'VE GONE ABOUT THIS.
[00:20:01]
THIS IS FROM A FROM A CONSTITUENT STANDPOINT.AND AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND OUR STATE THAT YOU LIVE IN TEXAS, TOO, AND YOU SHOULD BE TREATED FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY AS WELL.
BUT WE'LL WE'LL REMAIN FIGHTING ALONGSIDE YOU, DAVID, AND YOUR NEIGHBORS.
AND SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND LENDING YOUR VOICE TO THIS ISSUE.
BUT I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU WHERE I'M AT.
VERY DISAPPOINTED IN OUR STATE.
AND THIS 750 IS GOING TO COME WITH A LOT OF HEADACHES BECAUSE OF WHAT I JUST DESCRIBED.
DAVID, I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THAT TITLE SIX COMPLAIN WAS JUST SO SIGNIFICANT AND IT HAS GOTTEN ATTENTION OF OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES OF OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THAT WAS A REALLY BIG DEAL AND IT WILL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I THINK THEY GAVE THE STATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NEGOTIATE A SETTLEMENT.
SO I THINK THE NEXT STEP IS, IF I'M CORRECT, I THINK THEY REFER IT TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT WHEN ITEM COMES UP TO THE EXTENT WE CAN. GOOD WORK.
GOOD MORNING. CONDITION OF CAREER.
JUDGE, I LIKE TO ASK YOU GUYS FAVOR.
I'M HERE. I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THE FIFTH WARD AREA FOR OVER 20 SOME YEARS.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S MULTIPLE FUNDING WITH VARIOUS RULES AND TIMELINES.
BUT IN THE END, WHAT WE ALL CARE ABOUT IS OUR COMMUNITY AND FAMILY ARE BEING PROTECTED FROM THE FLOOD THAT WE ARE ONGOING. AND IT'S GETTING WORSE.
AND ALONG WITH THE FLOOD CONTROL HAS DONE DONE THAT.
THE LAST THE LAST WE HEARD THAT THE FUNDING GAP LEFT BY THE FLOOD BOARD IN THE BIPOC AND LMI POPULATION, WATERSHEDS OF HOLLAND GREEN BAYOUS ARE THE BIGGEST AREAS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED.
YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THERE'S A GAP OF $7 MILLION.
THERE'S A GAP OF $1,000,000,000 THAT YOU NEED.
AND OUR QUESTION TO YOU IS, HOW DO WE HELP? HOW CAN WE HELP YOU GUYS GET THAT BUILD? WHO DO WE NEED TO TALK TO TO GET THAT BUILD? LIKE MY COLLEAGUE STATED EARLIER, WHEN OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS LIKE MYSELF HAVE BROUGHT THIS POINT UP, THE FLOOD CONTROL AND THE COURT HAVE MADE PROMISES THAT WE WILL SPEND FEDERAL MONEY THAT CAME THAT COMES IN ON THESE COMMUNITIES AND THESE WATERSHEDS THAT THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
WE NEED ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GIVE US IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
WHEN WHEN WE HEAR OF THESE FLOODS.
AND ANY WAY WE CAN HELP YOU GUYS TO GET THAT MONEY, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
THANK YOU. RODNEY TUNG, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE NEED THE OTHER 250 MILLION FOR US.
AND I WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT ALL THE PROJECTS ARE ON SCHEDULE RIGHT NOW.
THEY DIDN'T COUNT FOR INCREASED MAINTENANCE COSTS.
SO WE'RE HAVING TO FIGURE OUT WE PUT IN SOME OF OUR OUR TRANSPORTATION MONEY TOWARD THIS.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE ALL ON SCHEDULE AND THEY'VE ALL BEEN STARTED.
BUT THE MONEY THAT WE NEED TO COME IS MORE MONEY FROM THE STATE.
YEAH, THIS IS. THIS IS RODNEY ELLIS.
I'M GOING TO CALL YOU. I HAVE A I HAVE A FEW BRIGHT IDEAS.
I'M GOING TO CALL YOU, SO YOU ANSWER IT.
YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THE NUMBER, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO ANSWER IT.
BUT THESE STORMS COME IN LOOKING AT WHAT'S HAPPENING OVER IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.
THANK YOU. DON'T YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE ON THE ROOFS.
GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.
[00:25:03]
MY NAME IS CAROLYN RIVERA.HOWEVER, WE DO REMEMBER FOUR YEARS PASSED.
WE HAVE HEARD BEAUTIFUL WORDS.
WE HAVE RECEIVED WONDERFUL PROMISES.
WE ARE AT THE POINT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AND WATCHING FOR ACTIONS, NOT JUST WORDS.
MANY OF MY TEAMS FROM NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN ON ISSUES THAT I AM ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ON.
I HAVE LIVED IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON CITY GAS FOR 43 YEARS.
WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE MULTIPLE FUNDING STREAMS WITH VARIOUS RULES AND TIMELINES, BUT IN THE END, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND FAMILIES ARE NOT PROTECTED FROM FLOODING BECAUSE OF THE EXCUSES.
INCOMPLETE WORK, NO ROUTINE MAINTENANCE TO DRAINAGE OR GUTTERS WERE TOLD STANDING WATER WHICH WHEN IT RAINS, THIS WATER OVERFLOWS INTO OUR COMMUNITY WHERE CHILDREN, OLDER PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE ON MANY NATIONALITIES HAVE TO GET OUT IN AND TRY TO GET TO SAFETY.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE CREATION OF THE TOLL ROAD TRUST FUND AND THE RECENT DRAWDOWN.
BUT THE QUESTION IS WHO WILL TRULY BENEFIT? SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE ON IT BASED ON YOUR WORDS TODAY.
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO EXPECT THE COURT AND THE COMMISSIONERS TO LEAD WITH ENSURING THAT THE PROMISE OF EQUITY AND FAIRNESS IS HONORED.
NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER SEVEN, JULIA OR DONA WITH TEXAS.
HAUSER'S SPEAKING VIRTUALLY ON ITEM NUMBER ONE.
MY NAME IS JULIA ADONIA, SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR TEXAS HOUSER'S IN JUNE 2021.
TEXAS HOUSER'S, ALONGSIDE THE NORTHEAST ACTION COLLECTIVE, FILED A TITLE SIX COMPLAINT AGAINST THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE AND THEIR DISCRIMINATORY ACTIONS, LEADING AFTER LEARNING THAT MANY AREAS MOST IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HARVEY FIVE YEARS AGO RECEIVED ZERO MITIGATION FUNDS, INCLUDING HARRIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHILE THE GLOSS ADMINISTRATION WRONGFULLY CONTINUED TO SHUFFLE THE REMAINING MITIGATION FUNDS AROUND THE STATE.
WE CANNOT ARGUE THAT THIS FUNDING IS NECESSARY AND RIGHTFULLY BELONGS IN HARRIS COUNTY.
HOWEVER, THE COUNTY HAS PROVEN ITS OWN TRACK RECORD OF LACKING ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE SAW THIS FIRSTHAND IN THE 2018 FLOOD BOND PROJECT, WHERE PROJECTS WERE PRIORITIZED.
BUT WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO FUNDING OF SELECTED PROJECTS, THIS RUBRIC WENT OUT THE WINDOW.
AS WE HAVE SEEN NOW, THE COUNTY'S ACTIONS LEFT GREEN'S HALLS AND SAN JACINTO BAYOUS WITH A DEFICIENCY OF $678 MILLION. LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE WAITING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF FEDERAL FUNDS, WHICH WE HAVE EXPERIENCED OURSELVES IS NEVER A GUARANTEE. HARRIS COUNTY'S ILLUSION TO RECEIVE $1.8 BILLION OUT OF THE 2.2 BILLION OF THE HARVEY MITIGATION FUNDS AVAILABLE.
IS JUST THAT AN ILLUSION? WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE COAST? WE NEED TO PLAN REALISTICALLY.
FEDERAL DOLLARS SHOULD BE USED TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL DOLLARS WHEN THEY FALL SHORT.
FOR ALL OF THOSE HIGH COST BENEFIT PROJECTS THAT KEEP GETTING DELAYED BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO EXPENSIVE, AND AS INVESTMENTS CONTINUE TO BE DIVERTED TO OTHER AREAS WHOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE LESS SEVERE.
AS WE CONTINUE FORWARD IN THIS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND BEYOND FOR ANY FUTURE MITIGATION FUNDS IN HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS, HOUSES AND THE ENTIRE FLOODED COMMUNITY OF FORGOTTEN SURVIVORS WILL BE WATCHING.
[00:30:06]
NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER EIGHT, ELIZABETH ROSSI.SPEAKING VIRTUALLY ON ITEM NUMBER THREE.
I HAD TO SAY GOOD MORNING TO MY ELIZABETH ROSSI.
I AM SPEAKING TODAY TO URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THE CONTRACT TO TRANSFER HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE FROM HARRIS COUNTY TO A FOR PROFIT JAIL, APPARENTLY 8 HOURS AWAY. SUCH A MOVE WOULD BE HEARTLESS, EXPENSIVE, IRRESPONSIBLE, AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY.
THERE IS TRULY A CRISIS IN THE JAIL, AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE HEARING NUMEROUS STORIES EVERY DAY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING FOR DAYS IN THE PROCESSING CENTER, WHO ARE NOT GETTING MEDICATION WHILE THEY'RE THERE, WHO AREN'T GETTING TO COURT FOUR DAYS A WEEK OR LONGER, WHO AREN'T GETTING COUNSEL DURING THAT TIME, AND, OF COURSE, ARE SEPARATED FROM THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION.
BUT THE SOLUTION THAT WILL SAVE THE COUNTY MONEY AND MAKE THE COUNTY MORE SAFE IS NOT ALLOWING THE JAIL POPULATION TO CONTINUE TO RISE AND ACCOMMODATING THAT RISE WITH TRANSFERS. THE BEST SOLUTION AT THIS POINT IS FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO STOP MAKING UNNECESSARY LOW LEVEL OFFENSES, ARRESTS FOR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, TO STOP PROSECUTING PEOPLE FOR THOSE OFFENSES AND FOR THE DA'S OFFICE TO DISMISS OLD CASES.
THE COUNTY CANNOT TRANSFER ITS WAY OUT OF THE JAIL CRISIS AND WILL INDEED EXACERBATE ONGOING PROBLEMS PROVIDING PEOPLE IN CUSTODY WITH ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE COUNSEL AND TIMELY RESOLUTION OF THEIR CASES.
INSTEAD OF APPROVING THE CONTRACT, I URGE THE COMMISSIONERS INSTEAD TO RIGOROUSLY SCRUTINIZE THE ARREST AND PROSECUTION POLICIES OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO WITHHOLD ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THOSE AGENCIES AND INVEST THAT MONEY INSTEAD, AND MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS TO THE RAMPANT MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND HOUSING CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY FACE, WHICH ARE THE TRUE DRIVERS OF THE JAIL POPULATION.
AGAIN, I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS CONTRACT.
AND JUST I KNOW THE SPEAKERS HAVE MENTIONED HOW MUCH IN PARTNERSHIP FUNDING WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED.
AND SO JUST A HEADS UP FOR TINA.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW AS WELL AS YOU GUYS CAN PULL THAT FOR LATER.
AND WE'LL TAKE THE NEXT SPEAKER LISTEN TO.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONER.
MY NAME IS GABRIELLA AND I WORK WITH TEXAS JAIL PROJECT SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM THREE, WHICH WOULD WASTE MORE THAN $25 MILLION TO OUTSOURCE PRETRIAL, LEGALLY INNOCENT DEFENDANTS 8 HOURS AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS.
THE PROBLEM BEFORE US IS NOT A FACILITY CRISIS.
IT IS NOT A RESOURCE CRISIS, AND IT'S NOT EVEN A BACKLOG CRISIS.
WHEN TJP WAS A DOZEN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY GATHERED, COMMUNITY MEMBERS JOINED TOGETHER TO DRAFT AND SEND A LETTER OPPOSING THE LASALLE TRANSFERS LAST DECEMBER. WE HIGHLIGHTED THE NUMEROUS WAYS IN WHICH THE COUNTY COULD SAFELY ADDRESS OVERCROWDING.
WE WARNED OF THE RISKS OF TRANSPORTING DEFENDANTS HOURS AWAY.
THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, THE RISK OF DEFENDANTS MISSING COURT DATES.
THE RISK OF REDUCED CONTACT WITH THEIR ATTORNEYS.
AND AFTER SEVEN MONTHS OF MONITORING THESE TRANSFERS, EVERY WARNING AND EVERY FEAR HAS COME TRUE.
DEFENDANTS WHO HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO THEIR ATTORNEY SINCE THEY WERE TRANSFERRED.
WE'RE NO CLOSER TO KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.
WITH THIS TRACK RECORD, WITH A DEATH ON OUR HANDS, FOR WHICH WE HAVE NO ANSWERS.
JUST LAST WEEK, THE FIRST MONKEYPOX CASE WAS REPORTED IN HARRIS COUNTY JAIL.
TODAY, HARRIS COUNTY JAIL POPULATION IS THE HIGHEST IT HAS BEEN IN OVER A DECADE.
CONSIDER THAT FOR A MOMENT AND CONSIDER IT IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT YOU WANT YOUR LEGACY TO SAY.
THE HIGHEST INCARCERATION IN HARRIS COUNTY IN DECADES.
85% OF PEOPLE IN THE JAIL HAVE NOT BEEN CONVICTED AND ARE LEGALLY INNOCENT.
[00:35:01]
WHEN I PREPARED MY STATEMENT THIS MORNING, 18 PEOPLE, NOT INCLUDING BILLY, HAD DIED IN THE JAIL THIS YEAR.BUT I HAD TO UPDATE MY STATEMENT BECAUSE JUST THIS MORNING, ANOTHER PERSON DIED IN THE JAIL.
NEARLY 500 PEOPLE ARE IN THE JAIL RIGHT NOW FOR A MISDEMEANOR.
22 CHILDREN SLEEPING IN HARRIS COUNTY JAIL CAGE TONIGHT.
NEARLY A THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE THERE JUST FOR SUBSTANCE USE.
THE SHERIFF COULD RESUME SENDING LISTS OF PEOPLE RECOMMENDED FOR PR RELEASE TO THE D.A.
THIS COURT COULD CHOOSE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
IT COULD CHOOSE TO STOP WRITING A CHECK TO COVER THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO THIS TO MEET THE JAIL STANDARDS.
BUT I HAVE BEEN ASKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE DOING? WE CAN'T MAKE THEM DO ANYTHING, BUT WE CAN WE CAN SEE HOW TO PRIORITIZE FUNDS GOING FORWARD AND SUPPORTING FURTHER DECREASE OF THE BACKLOG.
SO WE'RE EXPECTING A PRESENTATION ON THE 13TH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. JUDGE HIDALGO I THINK A NO VOTE OR A DELAYED VOTE WOULD SEND A MESSAGE TO COUNTY STAKEHOLDERS THAT THIS COURT IS NOT WILLING TO WRITE A CHECK TO COVER IN ACTION. I UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS ARE LIMITED, BUT THE OPTION IS BEFORE YOU TODAY.
AND I DEEPLY URGE A VOTE NO OR A DELAY.
THANK YOU. NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER TEN, DOROTHY LEWINSKY SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE SCARED TO COME AND SPEAK ON ISSUES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND THEY DID THAT RECENTLY TO PASTOR ED YOUNG, WHO, THANK GOD, SPOKE UP.
WE HAVE SURPASSED CHICAGO AND OUR OWN MAYOR WHO WANTS TO SAY, OH, NO, NO, OF COURSE NOT.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ABOUT THE CRIME IN THIS CITY? WHERE IS OUR MONEY GOING? AND NOW YOU ARE DEFENDING THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN OUR CITY.
AND YOU DID IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT TO THE PEOPLE? THIS CITY IS NO LONGER A CITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
IT'S A CITY FOR THE POLITICIANS THAT GET PAYOFFS AND BRIBES.
AND WE'RE TIRED OF IT AND WE SEE IT.
WE'RE VERY CLEAR WHAT YOUR AGENDA IS.
NOW, WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THIS SITUATION? THAT'S COMING UP RIGHT NOW WITH THE CONTROLLER.
WHAT HAPPENED? WASN'T THERE A LAW THAT THAT GREG ABBOTT.
SAID THAT YOU CANNOT DEFUND THE POLICE, BUT YET YOU DID IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
YOU ALWAYS HAVE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THEM.
AND THEN YOU YOU KEEP IT, YOU KNOW, YOU KEEP DELAYING IT.
DO YOU HEAR ME? WE'VE HAD ENOUGH.
WE LOVE THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE TIRED OF OUR CHILDREN BEING RAPED OR PEOPLE BEING MURDERED.
DO YOU REALIZE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHOSE HOMES ARE BEING BROKEN INTO? I SPOKE TO POLICE ON MY OWN STREET.
THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS SPEAKER NUMBER 11, ALEXI SWIRSKY SPEAKING IN PERSON
[00:40:04]
ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HERE AT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT SPEAKING AND TELLING YOU HOW THEIR AGENCIES HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DO THEIR JOB AS NEEDED DUE TO CUTS TO THEIR BUDGETS AND MONEY SEIZED FROM THEIR ACCOUNTS.
IT'S NOT POLITICAL PARTIZANSHIP.
NO ONE WANTS THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS MURDERED NO MATTER WHAT PARTY THEY ARE.
IN FACT, A LOT MORE MONEY THAN BEFORE NEEDS TO GO TO LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PAY FOR MORE POLICE, AS THEY HAVE TO KEEP ARRESTING THE SAME CRIMINALS OVER AND OVER AFTER THEY ARE RELEASED ON BOND DUE TO THE ACTIONS OF UNWISE JUDGES.
THAT TAKES MONEY TO PAY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
THE CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY PAY FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN HARRIS COUNTY.
THE COUNTY IS NOT PAYING FOR PRIVATE SECURITY FOR THEM AS IT IS FOR YOU, JUDGE HIDALGO.
I GUESS WHEN YOU HAVE PRIVATE SECURITY, YOU CAN LIVE IN A COUNTY WITH UNDERFUNDED LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THE DEPUTIES AND THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICES.
THEY ARE NOT THE ONES WITH THE TRUTH PROBLEM HERE.
THERE ARE OVER 600 MURDERS IN HARRIS COUNTY LAST YEAR.
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES NEED MORE MONEY, NOT LESS.
IN FEBRUARY OF 2022, DAVID SARVIS, HARRIS COUNTY DEPUTIES ORGANIZATION PRESIDENT, SAID HARRIS COUNTY HAS BECOME A SAFE HAVEN FOR ROBBERS, RAPISTS AND KILLERS. AND UNDER LENA HIDALGO'S LEADERSHIP, SHE HAS SOLD OUT AT CITIZENRY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR IGNORING LAW ENFORCEMENT'S BUDGET INCREASE.
DON'T DECREASE THE MONEY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THERE ARE OVER 600 HARRIS COUNTY HOMICIDE VICTIMS IN 2021 AND THEIR FAMILIES DESERVE THAT ACTION.
SUING THE STATE OF TEXAS OVER THIS MATTER.
SPEAKER NUMBER 13, APRIL AGUIRRE, SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
FIRST OFF, I WANT TO SAY THAT WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? MAYBE I'M THE ONE WHO'S WRONG.
DOES IT TAKE THE STATE COMING IN AND SAYING, HEY, THAT WASN'T RIGHT AND WE'RE GOING TO SANCTION THE CITY FOR IT? OR DO WE SAY, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, I'M NOT WRONG.
A COLD NIGHT IN DECEMBER 2017, I CALLED 911 BECAUSE MY TWO YEAR OLD SON STOPPED BREATHING.
DO YOU KNOW WHO MADE IT FIRST TO MY HOUSE BEFORE THE AMBULANCE OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? IT WAS PRECINCT FOUR.
MY SON HAD A SEIZURE AND STOPPED BREATHING.
HEALTHY BOY. ONE OF THE SCARIEST DAYS.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE TAKE THEIR SAVINGS FROM? WHO ELSE BESIDES THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE LOST THEIR SAVINGS? IT WASN'T YOU. YOU KEPT YOURS.
SO WHO ELSE LOST? THAT'S A QUESTION THAT I'M GOING TO NEED SOMEBODY TO GET BACK TO ME ON.
WHICH OTHER DEPARTMENTS BESIDES THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE LOST THEIR SAVINGS ROLLOVER ACCOUNTS? HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE WILLING TO SPEND TO FIGHT THIS? WELL, IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AGAINST THE STATE.
WE'RE GOING TO TELL THE STATE THAT THEY'RE WRONG.
[00:45:03]
THIS IS RIDICULOUS.THE MORE I SEE, IT'S JUST IT'S JUST AWFUL.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE THAT HAVEN'T LISTENED TO THE AUDIO OF WHAT MY CONSTITUENT WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN THE JUDGE SAID THAT SHE WOULDN'T TAKE ANYBODY'S SAVINGS, LET'S PLAY IT. YOU HATE TO PUNISH THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SAVING AS OPPOSED TO FORCING THEMSELVES TO SPEND DOWN AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO I WOULD FUNDAMENTALLY WANT TO PRESERVE THAT, NOT PUNISH FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SAVINGS.
SO WHY ARE WE PUNISHING OUR CONSTABLES? CAN WE STOP? CAN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND REALIZE THAT WE'RE IN A CRISIS? A PRECINCT THREE OFFICER JUST LOST HIS LIFE AGAINST THE SAME TYPE OF VIOLENCE THAT ARLENE, MY NIECE, FACED.
PEOPLE SHOOTING INTO VEHICLES.
POLICE OFFICERS CANNOT PRESERVE THEIR SAFETY, AND NEITHER CAN WE.
THE MORE I SEE, THE MORE I AM IN DISBELIEF.
BUT I GOT WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND SURE ENOUGH THAT THIS ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WILL NOT RECEIVE ONE PENNY OF THE $7.5 MILLION THAT WAS THAT SHE HAD TO SIT HERE AND FIGHT FOR IN APRIL UNTIL 2024.
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.
YEAH. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE.
I AM THE AUNT OF ARLENE ALVAREZ.
AND I'M SICK OF THIS CITY AND WHAT IT HAS TURNED INTO.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE COUNTY COURT.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT CLIP, IT'S A TINY CLIP TAKEN VERY MUCH OUT OF CONTEXT.
SO I ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO LISTEN TO THE FULL CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU DON'T AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID.
YOU TAKE IT BACK. I SAID WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? YES, MA'AM. SPEAKER NUMBER 14, RICHARD WELCH SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE.
SO I SAT HERE ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO AND I HEARD THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ASKED FOR $30 MILLION TO STAY WITHIN COMPLIANCE OF CAUSED BY THE ENORMOUS BACKLOG THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTY.
WELL, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE DA'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW IS WORKING ON A DEFICIT BECAUSE LESS THAN ONE SEVENTH OF THE MONEY PROMISED TO THEM HAS ACTUALLY BEEN DISPERSED.
YOU CAN'T PROSECUTE THE PEOPLE.
THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR TIME AND TRIAL.
SO THE COMPTROLLER SAYS YOU'RE DEFUNDING THE POLICE.
WE ARE. THE DA'S OFFICE IS PART OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING THEIR MONEY THAT'S ALLOTTED TO THEM, THAT'S DEFUNDING.
YOU'RE TAKING MONEY FROM THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.
YOU'RE NOT GIVING MONEY TO THE SHERIFF THAT HE'S ASKING FOR.
AND THEN YOU WANT TO USE MY DOLLARS? THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS TO GO AND TRY AND FIGHT SOMETHING AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT YOU'RE GUILTY OF.
I MEAN, THAT'S A MISAPPROPRIATION OF COUNTY DOLLARS IF I'VE EVER SEEN IT.
THEY'RE SANCTIONED IN THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO WAY TO RUN AND HIDE FROM THIS.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE JUSTIFICATION THAT YOU WANT TO TRY AND GET MONEY, GET MORE MONEY FROM THE TAXPAYERS TO GO AND FIGHT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE BLATANTLY AND OBVIOUSLY GUILTY OF.
NOBODY'S DENYING IT EXCEPT FOR YOU YOURSELF.
NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER 15, MARY SHEA SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY STATEMENT ALSO IN THAT RECORD.
I QUESTION THE PRIORITIES OF THIS COURT AND SUPPORT THE COMPTROLLERS DECISION.
[00:50:05]
I HOPE THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF DAY WILL SOON BE SHINED ON HOW THIS COURT IS SPENDING TAXPAYERS HARD EARNED DOLLARS.IT CERTAINLY HASN'T BEEN ON LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PROTECT THOSE TAXPAYERS, AND INSTEAD LAW ENFORCEMENT DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SHAVED INTO EXPENSIVE PIE IN THE SKY.
LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN DEFUNDED.
A WARTHOG IS STILL A WARTHOG, EVEN IF YOU PUT LIPSTICK ON IT.
AND DEFUNDING IS STILL DEFUNDING.
JUDGE. THOSE WERE ALL THE SPEAKERS WE COULD REACH.
YOU'RE WELCOME. SO LET'S GET GOING WITH THE COURT.
QUICKLY. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY IS NOT HERE TODAY.
I DID VISIT WITH THEM BRIEFLY.
HE HAD PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED, MONTHS AND MONTHS AGO, QUALITY TIME TO BE WITH HIS BRIDE.
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY HONEYMOON.
AND HIS LOVELY BRIDE OF 50 YEARS WERE NOT GOING TO INTERRUPT THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY SLASH HONEYMOON, NO MATTER HOW SERIOUS OUR IMMEDIATE BUSINESS WAS AND WANTED TO.
HIS PRIORITIES FOR THE COUNTRY ARE HIGH, BUT HIS PRIORITIES AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHY HE'S BEEN MARRIED FOR 50 YEARS TO HIS WIFE, WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN PLANNING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, WERE HIGHER. AND SO I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD TELL THE PUBLIC AND EVERYONE THAT HE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO BE HERE.
BUT SHE WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
[County Attorney]
SO THIS FIRST ITEM IS IS IMPORTANT.IT'S BASICALLY THE CONTRACT WITH THE GLOBE IN ORDER TO ACCEPT THE $750 MILLION.
AND I WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYONE WHO HAS WORKED HARD ON THIS.
SO MANY COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, OBVIOUSLY, THE GLO AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THE ADMINISTRATION SECRETARY, MARCIA FUDGE, WHOM COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND I MET WITH, I KNOW THAT SHE'S STEPPED IN AND HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
WE RECEIVED VERY DISAPPOINTING NEWS IN 2021 THAT WE WOULD BE RECEIVING $0.
AND SINCE THEN, WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE WE GET THOSE FUNDS.
AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A START, BUT A VERY IMPORTANT STEP.
WE NEED STILL $2 BILLION FOR THE CITY.
IT DIDN'T ACCOUNT FOR INCREASES IN MAINTENANCE COSTS.
SO WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN COMPLETE EVERYTHING.
BUT THIS IS A REALLY BIG STEP AND IT'LL WORK IN A IN A REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS.
BUT WE'RE HOPING FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND AND IT'S DEFINITELY GOOD NEWS, IF NOT ENOUGH GOOD NEWS.
YES. COMMISSIONER ELLIS CHESHIRE, THANK YOU.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AND I SAID IT EARLIER, IT IS A DOWN PAYMENT.
TO SOME EXTENT, HOW WE FUND IT PROJECTS WAS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE WOULD GET THAT BILLION AND THE CITY WOULD GET ITS BILLION.
I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION STEPPED UP.
IT SHOWS THAT CONSEQUENCES TO ELECTIONS BECAUSE IT IS FEDERAL MICROMANAGE POLICE RECORD IT IS FEDERAL MONEY AND THAT AND THAT IS THAT IS IMPORTANT.
THAT WAS STRONG BIPARTISAN OPPOSITION.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE DECISION WAS MADE ON THE STATE LEVEL NOT TO GIVE US MONEY.
AND AS MUCH AS WE GET TO POINT THE FINGER AT THE GLOBE, ALL OF US KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHERE IT GOES.
BACK TO THAT TITLE SIX COMPLAINT WAS SIGNIFICANT.
IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT THOSE CITIZENS WHO WOULD GET TOGETHER AND THE LAWYERS WHO WORKED ON IT.
[00:55:11]
ACCUSED OF DOING THE SAME THING THAT THE GLO WAS DOING FOR FAR TOO LONG IN THIS COUNTY.THEY DID JUST TAKE LOCAL MONEY AND CHASE FEDERAL MONEY.
AND ALTHOUGH MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID HOW THAT COST BENEFIT RATIO IS A PROBLEM.
VERY LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THE MONEY WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 2.5 BILLION, WE PUT UP AN ADDITIONAL MONEY IF IT COMES FORWARD THAT WE GO IN AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE INEQUITIES IN THE PAST.
AND LOOK, I THINK THE CITY, WE OUGHT TO DO ALL WE CAN TO HELP THEM.
I DO GET IT. AND I SEE THAT CONCERN, NOT WANT TO PUT US IN A POSITION WHERE THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ARE PITTED AGAINST ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE OUR JOB IS TO GET TO WATER ONCE IT'S IN THE BAYOUS.
WE'RE DOING A LOT TO TRY AND HELP THE CITY GET IT TO THE BAYOUS.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE EQUALLY AS VIGILANT ABOUT FIGHTING FOR THEM IN A REAL TRAGEDY IS HERE WE ARE FIGHTING OVER A BILLION, 250 MILLION WHEN THE HOLE THE PROBLEM THE DEFICIT IS A LOT GREATER THAN THAT.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, IT IS MONEY.
A LOT OF IT DOES HAVE LMY COMPONENT TO IT.
THIS MONEY WAS ON THESE PROJECTS.
AND SO WE DIDN'T DO AS MUCH AS WE COULD HAVE DONE IN ANTICIPATION OF IT.
SO NOW THAT THIS MONEY IS COMING, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE AT THE TABLE IF THERE'S A SCRAMBLE, WE REMEMBER THOSE PROJECTS THAT WERE DELAYED A BIT IN ANTICIPATION OF THAT FEDERAL MONEY. BUT LOOK, IT IS GOOD NEWS.
JUDGE, YOU HELPED A LOT ON IT.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY GOING UP, MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY MEANT A LOT.
I DON'T THINK WE ALL JUST SIT ON THE SIDELINES AS THIS MATTER WITH THE OTHER BILLION, 250 MILLION GOES, I GUESS, TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, FEDERAL ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, FOR THEM TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WOULD DO, WHAT TITLE SIX COMPLAINT, ALL WOULD BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND IT WILL BE A LESSON FOR ALL OF US TO LEARN FROM.
I HOPE IT'S A SHOT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I KNOW WHEN WE WERE AT NACO PEOPLE WOULD ASK ABOUT IT AND IT WAS RATHER STARTLING.
BUT IT'S A GOOD DAY. THANKS, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
QUESTION ON RECEIVING THIS MONEY, DOES THIS CLOSE THE DOOR FOR US TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT WITH THE STATE FOR MORE RESOURCES OR OR OUR FAIR ALLOCATION TO THE BILLION THAT IS NOT COMING TO THE CITY? AND A FEW HUNDRED MILLION MORE THAT WE HAD APPLIED FOR OR HAD BEEN TOLD WE WOULD BE GETTING.
DOES THIS CLOSE THE DOOR? IT DOESN'T, COMMISSIONER.
SO THIS WAS THE PRODUCT OF SOME SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATING, BUT THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE.
PETERSON IS ON THE ON THE CALL THIS EVENING.
DR. NEIL SARKAR COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
DR. PETERSON THERE IS A LOT OF.
WONDERING WHETHER WE WILL HAVE A QUORUM AT THIS BOARD TO SET THE TAX RATE AT THIS COMMISSION.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE 750 MILLION? IF IF WE DON'T SET THE WE HAVE TO REVERT TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
750 I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING AT TWO PARTICULAR STRATEGIES.
ONE, ASSUMING WE WE SET A VOTER APPROVED RATE AND ONE THAT WE END UP WITH A NO NEW REVENUE RACE.
SO, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS, THE QUESTION THAT YOU RAISE IS A VERY GOOD ONE.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
TINA PETERSON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
SO THE APPROPRIATE QUESTION FOR ITEM ONE THAT'S BEEN NOTICED TO THE PUBLIC.
[01:00:07]
PRETTY RIGOROUSLY. CAN YOU KIND OF RESTATE THE QUESTION IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU WANT? YEAH, I'M ASKING THAT AS WE WORK TO RECEIVE THE 750 MILLION.WHETHER WE WILL BE ABLE TO UTILIZE OR WHETHER IT CHANGES OUR ABILITY TO UTILIZE THAT 750 MILLION.
BASED ON THE TWO POTENTIAL TAX RATE SCENARIOS, SURE.
I THINK HOW WE CAN USE IT OR NOT OR THE ABILITY TO USE IT, AND THAT'S FINE.
ONE IS CERTAINLY IS JUDGE HIDALGO NOTED WE HAVE INCREASING INFLATION, INCREASING CHALLENGES.
THE BOND PROGRAM INCLUDES BOTH MAINTENANCE AS WELL AS CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO PUT THE MONEY TO GOOD USE, ABSOLUTELY.
IN TERMS OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT IS FACING, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS INCREASING INFLATION AND CERTAINLY A DEFERRED BACKLOG OF MAINTENANCE.
AND SOME OF THAT MAINTENANCE IS BEING ADDRESSED THROUGH THE BOND PROGRAM.
SO THERE THERE ARE CHALLENGES OUT THERE.
AND WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE BACKLOG THAT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAS IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE AND WORK THROUGH HOW THAT GETS FUNDED. GOOD DEAL.
AND IN GENERAL, IN TERMS OF COMMISSIONER.
DO YOU MIND IF I JUMP IN HERE? SURE. I THINK ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT DR.
PETERSON AND I SHARE, DANIEL RAMOS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OMB, IS WE'RE BUILDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF NEW INFRASTRUCTURE AND IT COSTS MONEY TO MAINTAIN IT.
AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE UNDER EITHER THE GLO, THE GLOW OR THE BOND PROGRAM THAT IS REALLY ON THE ON THE TAX RATE. SO I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK TO CATEGORIZE THAT AND SCALE HOW MUCH MAINTENANCE THAT IS NEEDED.
BUT YES, I THINK THAT'S A SERIOUS CONCERN.
ARE WE BUILDING MORE THAN WE COULD POSSIBLY MAINTAIN? LOOK LIKE BUYING A NEW CAR WITHOUT ANY GAS OR OIL FOR IT.
SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.
IF I MIGHT, DEAR, WOULD WE DECIDE WE SHOULDN'T JUST BUILD STUFF WE CAN'T MAINTAIN? WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE HAVE, IS THE QUESTION.
I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE.
YEAH. AND SO JAY NEAL, IN TERMS OF.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS TO DEAL WITH THE STATE AND IN TRYING TO GET THE THE ALLOCATIONS THAT WE WERE PROMISED TO GET.
AND I DON'T REALLY SEE ANY STEPS BEYOND THIS COURT DOING WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE STATE.
AND, AS MICHELLE SAID, CONTINUING TO FIGHT FOR THE MONEY OWED TO HARRIS COUNTY.
PETERSON, TO YOU ONCE AGAIN, HOW DO WE HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALREADY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE THE SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES ALREADY ASKING FOR THEIR THEIR CUT OUT OF THE 715.
HOW WHAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO BE YOUR APPROACH AT DIVIDING THIS MONEY UP WITH OUR OUR COUNTERPARTS? COMMISSIONER, I WOULD REFER THAT QUESTION TO TODAY OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
OUR COUNTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
GOOD MORNING. THIS IS DAVID BARRY.
I APOLOGIZE THAT I'VE LOST MY VOICE, BUT CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, COMMISSIONER, I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OPTIONS HERE.
ONE IS THAT WE COULD CREATE A PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM WITH PART OF THE FUNDS.
THE OTHER IS THAT WE COULD SET SOME CRITERIA THAT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF BENEFICIARIES COME FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON OR OTHER SMALL CITIES, AND SOMETHING WILL WORK THROUGH THROUGH THE PROCESS.
[01:05:11]
GOOD DEAL. I WON'T.I WANT TO ASK YOU, I GOT SOME OTHER FOLLOW UPS, BUT I WON'T DO IT TO YOU, DAVE.
HOT TEA AND IN LEMON AND HONEY.
I'M SURE. I'M SURE EVERYBODY'S SAFE.
BUT WHEN I CALL, PEOPLE START RUNNING.
LOOK, I DO WANT TO MAKE THE POINT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND, MR. BERRY, THAT. WE WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE HUNGER GAMES, AS YOU REFERRED TO THEM, AND THE LMI COMPONENT, AND NOT END UP IN A POSITION WHERE OFTENTIMES THE COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE A MATCH ARE THE ONES WHO HISTORICALLY HAVE GOTTEN THE SHORT END OF THE STICK.
SO WE WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THAT.
AND, MR. BERRY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER.
FIRST WAS ASKING ABOUT HOUSING, BUT SO.
SO WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT STRINGS COME WITH THE MONEY FROM GLO.
HOLLOWAY CAN PROBABLY ANSWER THAT.
AND I DO KNOW THE GLO WILL HAVE TARGETS BECAUSE THE WAY A CLAWBACK WORKS, IF SOMETHING'S NOT DONE PROPERLY, I ASSUME THE FEDS WOULD CLAW IT FROM THE STATE AND THE STATE WOULD BE AT A LOSS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CLAW IT FROM US.
I'M ASSUMING, NEAL, THEY COME WITH THE MONEY.
I'M JUST NOT SURE HOW THEY HOW THEY WORK, BUT.
WELL, WHAT IS WHAT'S ELIGIBLE FOR THIS 750 WE THOUGHT WOULD BE A BIGGER.
DR. PETERSON SAID ALL OF YOUR SHOP, DR.
HOLLOWAY, KIND OF. WHERE IS IT? HI, THIS IS ADRIAN HOLLOWAY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT IS BASICALLY THE ALLOCATION PLAN THAT WE SET FORTH IN HOW THE MONEY WILL BE DISBURSED BASED ON CRITERIA AND GUIDANCE PROVIDED TO US BY THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
IT INCLUDES FLOOD CONTROL AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, OTHER TYPES OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS SEWER FACILITIES, STREETS, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL, COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS BROADBAND, THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC FACILITIES.
ALSO, IT CAN INCLUDE AN ACQUISITION AND BUYOUT PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO THAT COULD BE WORKFORCE, THAT COULD BE HEALTH SERVICES.
BUT ALL AGAIN, IN LINE WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE MITIGATION FUNDS, WHICH IS THIS FORWARD VIEW LENS OF HOW TO PREVENT IMPACT FROM FUTURE DISASTERS BASED ON THE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE HARDENED, SOLIDIFIED INFRASTRUCTURE BASIS.
PETERSON, I'M RELYING ON MY MEMORY.
I'M SURE I COULD GO BACK AND FIND SOME COURT DISCUSSIONS, BUT I SEEM TO RECALL THAT WHEN YOUR PREDECESSOR WAS MAKING A PRESENTATION ONCE THAT THE ASSUMPTION WAS HOWLS AND GREENS KEEP COMING IN MY MIND.
AND A LOT OF THIS WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE $1,000,000,000.
THE ASSUMPTION WAS IF I'M RIGHT, I'M JUST GOING OFF MEMORY.
A LOT OF THAT WAS FOR HOLES AND GREENS.
AND THEN I'M WONDERING, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS WHAT COST GOING UP? WE SET UP A RESILIENCY TRUSS WHEN THE GLO FIRST PUT THE ZERO BESIDE US.
WHAT DOES THAT CHANGE IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS LIKE AND ALTHOUGH PLANS DO CHANGE, BUT WAS THERE AN ASSUMPTION, AM I IMAGINING THIS, THAT THAT WAS A RELUCTANCE TO GO AND FUND HOLES AND GREENS BECAUSE THE ASSUMPTION WAS THOSE TWO IN PARTICULAR, MAYBE I'M WRONG, MAYBE HUNTING, I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER. BUT SOMETHING OVER IN THAT NORTHEAST AREA WAS GOING TO WE WERE GOING TO USE THIS MONEY.
AND SO WHAT WE USE IN OTHER MONEY FOR OTHER THINGS, I CAN JUST REMEMBER WHEN DISCUSSIONS HAVE COME UP ABOUT ONE PROJECT IN PARTICULAR OUTSIDE THE COUNTY, WHICH IS SORT OF UNPRECEDENTED, AND I WOULD USE THAT TO MAKE MY POINT.
SO COMMISSIONER, HUD DOES REQUIRE THAT THERE IS AN ALLOCATION OF THE DOLLARS FOR THE CDBG PROGRAM TOWARDS LOW TO MODERATE INCOME PROJECTS.
[01:10:02]
AND SO A LOT OF THE AREAS WHERE WE SEE THAT TYPE OF LOW TO MODERATE INCOME IS IN THE AREAS AND HALLS AND GREENS BAYOU. SO YOU ARE CORRECT THAT THOSE WERE THE THOSE AREAS WERE PRIMARILY TARGETED FOR THESE TYPE OF FUNDS BECAUSE THEY HONESTLY ARE VERY WELL SUITED.THOSE PROJECTS IN THOSE WATERSHEDS ARE VERY WELL SUITED TO LEVERAGE THESE KIND OF DOLLARS.
WELL, I KNOW WE'LL HAVE TO SORT THAT OUT BETWEEN US AND THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE THEN WHAT COMES TO MY MIND IS WHAT DID WE DO WHEN WHEN I KEPT PUSHING ONE AND TWO OR PUSHING FOR THOSE TWO COMMUNITIES IN PARTICULAR, AND THE ASSUMPTION WAS WE'D GET 2 BILLION.
I CAN RECALL SOME CONVERSATION WHERE WE ASKED, WHERE IS IT IN WRITING? THAT WAS SOME MEETING WAS SOMETHING WAS SAID, OH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A HANDSHAKE.
AND SO OTHER PROJECTS WERE FUNDED WAITING ON THIS BEAT.
THEN THE BILLION DIDN'T MATERIALIZE.
MAYBE IT CAME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL GO TRACE THAT DOWN.
OR MY STAFF IS LISTING TO GO AND FIND IT, BUT I DON'T WANT.
THAT WAS PART OF WHAT MAYOR TURNER WAS WORRIED ABOUT.
AND I REMEMBER SAYING, BECAUSE IF THE SHOE WAS ON THE OTHER FOOT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THEY WOULD THEY WOULD WANT THE 750 AND THEN FIGHT TO HELP US GET OUR BILLION AND THERE TO 250 MILLION.
NOW WE'RE IN THAT POSITION, BUT I DON'T WANT HUNGER GAMES TO BEGIN.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, HEY, THIS CREW IS THE CREW THAT WAS RAISING THE EQUITY ISSUE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS HERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND NOT MANY PEOPLE CAME DOWN HERE SAYING EQUITY.
YOU KNOW, I WAS SORT OF LIKE A BROKEN RECORD ON IT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY FROM HOLLOWAY? JUST ANY HOOPS, WHAT YOU HEAR ABOUT FROM GLO FROM YOUR SIDE.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW THEY'RE VERY STRICT TARGETS ON PROJECTS THAT THEY DO FROM TIME TO TIME.
I WOULD SAY WE'VE STARTED THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AS WE WERE WAITING FOR THE GRANT AGREEMENT TO BE DEVELOPED, WHICH IS BEING PRESENTED TODAY AT COURT FOR APPROVAL TO RECEIVE THE GRANT AGREEMENT.
AND THEN IT'S JUST REALLY THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOD.
SO SUPPLIES, HUMAN RESOURCES THAT ARE BECOMING A BIT MORE CHALLENGING TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND DEPLOY THAT, THAT MAY AFFECT TIMELINES WE ARE IN, I GUESS, YEAR TWO OF THE 12 YEAR GRANT THAT WAS ALLOCATED TO THE STATE.
SO WE DO NEED TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE IN THE SPEND DOWN OF THESE FUNDS TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN BE COMPLETED ON TIME. SO THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY STRICT TIME FRAME IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LEAVE ANY FUNDS ON THE TABLE.
AND THE PROJECTS WILL NEED TO ADHERE TO THAT TIME FRAME.
ONE WOULD, JACK, FROM BOTH OF YOU, SINCE I WANT TO LET MR. BERRY'S VOICE APPEAL, WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS OF SOMETHING COMING OUT OF PAYCHECK? HOW MUCH DID THEY GET AGAIN? AND THEN WHAT'S THE LIKELIHOOD OF ANYTHING COMING OUT OF THAT? I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I WANT TO ASK GET IT ON THE RECORD.
DR. PETERSEN? I'M NOT I CAN'T OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD HOW MUCH AGE GAP RECEIVED AS PART OF THEIR COG DISTRIBUTION, BUT THEY DID SUBMIT THEIR MOD TO THE DLO FOR APPROVAL, AND IN THEIR MOD THERE WERE NO DOLLARS THAT WERE ALLOCATED TO THE COUNTY.
TO HARRIS COUNTY, THERE WERE ABOUT $9.3 MILLION ALLOCATED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THEN THE SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE PART OF THE COG ALSO RECEIVED AN ALLOCATION.
AND I WOULD NOTE PARDON ME, COMMISSIONER, I WAS JUST GOING TO NOTE THAT IT WAS $488 MILLION IN 85, ROUGHLY 500 MILLION. OKAY. ANYTHING FROM YOUR SIDE? ARE YOU HEARING ANYTHING LIKE WHAT WE GET ANYTHING.
AND AT LEAST SOME OF OUR OTHER JURISDICTIONS COULD GO TO THEM.
IF THEY WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOD.
SO IT WOULD BE ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOD.
AGAIN, THE MOD IS THE ALLOCATION PLAN.
IT'S IN DRAFT FORM, SO THE GLOBE WILL STILL HAVE TO REVIEW AND APPROVE IT.
SO IT'S NOT A FINAL DETERMINATION JUST YET.
[01:15:01]
SO THAT WAS A DRAFT.AND THAT DRAFT DID INCLUDE 9.3 MILLION OF THE OVER ALMOST 500 MILLION THAT THE COC RECEIVED.
SO THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WERE ALSO AWARDED FUNDS FROM THAT ALLOCATION.
MY LAST POINT IS THAT I AND I HOPE WE ARE AS COMMITTED TO HELPING THE CITY.
GET THAT BILLION FROM THAT HANDSHAKE MEETING.
YOU KNOW, MY STAFF MIGHT REMEMBER.
CALL IT RUSS PAPI, BECAUSE I REMEMBER ASKING AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS LEFT, BUT PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE ROOM WHEN AN UNDERSTANDING WAS THERE, THEY USED TO GO TO THE CITY AND A BILLION WOULD GO TO US.
AND I KNOW WE'RE HELPING WITH THAT.
AND OUR OTHER 250, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT NUMBER, IT WAS LIKE WE WERE GOING BY, WE WERE LIVING.
I MEAN, I WAS CLEARLY I WAS SAID TO MANY TIMES, WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT THIS MONEY.
I'M PRETTY SURE IN PUBLIC, I DON'T THINK I'M PRETTY SURE IT WAS NOT JUST IN AUGUST.
I THINK IT WAS IN PUBLIC THAT THAT WAS SAID AND WHEN IT DID MATERIALIZE, I THINK THAT ADDED TO THE ANGER IN A BIPARTISAN WAY WHEN WE DIDN'T GET IT AND THE CITY GETTING THAT MONEY BECAUSE IT'S A BIG PROBLEM.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER CAHILL.
IN A RARE SHOW OF BIPARTISANSHIP.
WE NEED TO HELP OUR SAY TO GET THEIR BILLION.
AND WE WERE ALL FIVE UNIFIED ON THAT ISSUE.
AND I HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, MR. RAMOS. DID YOU GUYS WERE YOU ABLE TO PULL THE NUMBERS ON HOW MUCH OF THE PARTNERSHIP FUNDING WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DRAW DOWN SO FAR? SO THE ORIGINAL PLAN CALLED FOR A LITTLE SHORT OF 2.4 BILLION, INCLUDING THE 750 FROM GLOW THAT WHAT WE HAVE RECEIVED IS AROUND 2 BILLION, INCLUDING THE 750.
CORRECT. WOULD BE 1.25 WITHOUT THE 750.
SO THAT TO POINT THAT 2.4 INCLUDED THE BILLION.
SO WE'VE ACTUALLY GONE BEYOND.
YEAH. SO WE'RE STILL $250 MILLION OF THAT GAP IS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 250.
AND THEN SO THAT LEAVES US WITH ANOTHER 1.150.
CAN WE TAKE, GIVE OR TAKE? OKAY. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.
AGAIN, WE SHOULD STRESS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO ALLOCATE THESE FUNDS.
WE'LL NEED A DATA DRIVEN APPROACH THAT GOES THROUGH GLO AND HUD.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE OUT LEAVE OUT OTHERS IN THAT PROCESS.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, WHICH IS.
ON THE ON THE PROJECTS BEING SEARCHED.
PETERSON, THAT THAT ALL THE PROJECTS ARE ON SCHEDULE AND THAT THEY'VE ALL BEEN STARTED.
OVERALL, HOLISTICALLY, THE PROGRAM IS ON SCHEDULE.
THERE ARE LIKELY INDIVIDUAL STAGES OF PROJECTS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE COMPLETELY ON SCHEDULE.
BUT OVERALL, THE PROJECTS AND THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS MOVING FORWARD AS EXPECTED.
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE GOING TO BE PROJECTS THAT ARE ON TRACK AND NOT ON TRACK, AND WE WORK VERY HARD TO ADJUST AND GET THOSE PROJECTS WHEN THEY FALL BEHIND, GET THEM BACK ON SCHEDULE. YEAH.
NOW WITH THE GUIDANCE, IF I REMEMBER THE GUIDANCE FROM COURT AS WELL, WE SECURE THE FUNDS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS SYSTEMATICALLY BEHIND.
OUR INITIAL GOAL WAS TO BRING BACK EVERY SIX MONTHS.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE THE FLOOD RESILIENCE TRUST THAT IS ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE TO FUND THOSE PROJECTS AND NOT ALLOW THEM TO GET DELAYED DUE TO LACK OF PARTNERSHIP FUNDING. OKAY.
[01:20:07]
TO FILL UP THE THE BOND PROJECTS THAT WERE PROMISED.AND I KNOW A LOT OF THE BOND PROJECTS HAVE THAT ARE UNDERFUNDED.
THEY'VE GOT ALMOST 50% OF THE IMPACT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE WORKING THROUGH THAT AND THEN AND THEN PRESENT IT TO GLO.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, JUDGE. I THINK WE HAVE CLEAR GUIDANCE THAT WHATEVER IS PROPOSED SHOULD BENEFIT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OTHER SMALL CITIES.
AND AS I DESCRIBED A MOMENT AGO, THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS WE COULD DO THAT.
BUT THAT PRINCIPLE, I THINK THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, IS OUR MARCHING ORDERS.
OKAY. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT? I. WONDERFUL.
SO THERE IS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS TO APPROVE THIS GRANT AGREEMENT AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA ALL IN FAVOR I AND HE OPPOSED.
I'M IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES 4 TO 0.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO WORKED SO HARD ON THIS.
THANK YOU. AND THAT INCLUDES SO MANY ELECTED LEADERS AND SO MANY FOLKS AT THE COUNTY.
SO LET'S SKIP OVER TO THE ITEMS RELATED TO.
THE COMPTROLLER, BECAUSE I'M TOLD THE COUNTY ATTORNEY STAFF MAY NEED TO LEAVE SOON.
AND THEY ASKED IF WE COULD PLEASE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FIRST AND ADDRESS THOSE ITEMS. SO THAT WOULD BE ITEM FOUR AND ITEM.
FOUR AND FIVE RELATED TO SPECIAL COUNSEL AND LITIGATION AROUND THE THE STATE COMPTROLLER'S OPINION.
SO WE'LL GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[Executive Session]
1131 WE'RE GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS LITIGATION.OKAY. IT'S 1158 AND COMMISSIONERS COURT IS BACK IN SESSION, BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[County Judge]
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM FOUR AS PRESENTED? THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA AUTHORIZING OUTSIDE COUNSEL.I ANY OPPOSE THE ARGUMENT? NO, I'M IN FAVOR.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS AGREEMENT BETWEEN HARRIS COUNTY AND THE LAW FIRM? SO MOVE FOR LEGAL ACTION.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
ALL RIGHT. ANY OPPOSE? NO, I'M IN FAVOR.
AND THAT'S AS PRESENTED. AS PRESENTED.
[Auditor]
JENKINS. THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE HAD LEFT TO ADDRESS.THAT IS A ROUTINE REQUEST FOR PAYMENT FOR APPROVAL OF PAYMENT OF AUDIT EXPENSES.
I'LL EITHER MOVE IT OR SECONDED.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS TAKEN BY COMMISSIONER CAGLE.
ALL IN FAVOR. ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES FORWARD AT ZERO.
[Purchasing]
AND MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE.IS THERE A MOTION, SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
ALL IN FAVOR. ANY OF POST MOTION CARRIES 4 TO 0.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I'M MISSING FROM OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BUDGET, MR. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR? WE'VE HEARD FROM ALL THE SPEAKERS, SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
COMMISSIONERS COURT IS NOW ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.