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I WILL REPEAT MYSELF. IT IS 10:00 AND IT IS TIME FOR US TO START THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OR TODAY. FOR HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. ON THE AGENDA TODAY ARE TWO ITEMS TO REQUEST APPROVAL OF PAYMENT OF AUDITED CLAIMS AND WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. AND ALSO THE RATIFICATION OF THE NEW REVENUE
[Opening Prayer]
RATE. WE WILL BEGIN WITH A PRAYER. AND SO, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY WOULD YOU INTRODUCE OUR PASTOR?>> COMMISSIONER: IT IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE PASTOR MARIA TAYLOR. LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PASTOR.
THERE WAS AN ECHO. THERE COULD BE SOME HEAVY RESPONSE THERE.
PASTOR TAYLOR WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN AREA AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN THE PENTAGON, NAVY AND RELOCATED TO THE HOUSTON AREA IN 1996 WITH HER HUSBAND OF 34 YEARS WITH TWO BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, A SON-IN-LAW AND A GRANDDAUGHTER. SHE CURRENTLY WORKS FULL-TIME AT KIRKSEY ARCHITECTS ONE OF THE FINEST FIRMS I THINK I HAVE EVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH AND DO PROJECTS WITH. PASTOR TAYLOR HAS RECEIVED HER BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ACCOUNTING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX AND CURRENTLY PURSUING CPA CERTIFICATION. SHE HAS THIS ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT. SHE IS A BUSINESS OWNER OF MNA SERVICES BOOKING AND PAYROLL COMPANY FOR 12 YEARS. THAT IS GOOD. KEEPING A SENSE OF NOT ONLY WHAT IS GOING ON WITHIN THE KINGDOM BUT ALSO OUT THERE WITH THE BUSINESS GROUP.
PASTOR TAYLOR WAS LICENSED AND ORDAINED AS A PASTOR BY BISHOP TD JAKES WHICH IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. POTTER'S HOUSE IN DALLAS TEXAS IN 2002. PASTOR'S COVENANTS WORSHIP CENTER IN CYPRESS TEXAS IS HER CURRENT HOME. PASTORR MARIA TAYLOR HAS BEEN ASSISTING VARIOUS MINISTRIES IN THE LIKE IN THE HOUSTON AREA AND I'M GOING TO CALL YOU UP NOW AND LET YOU LEAD US IN PRAYER BEING MY FATHER WAS A PASTOR FOR 60 YEARS AND JUST LOOKING AT ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE THE BOOKS THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN, THE ENCOURAGEMENTS NOT ONLY SPIRITUALLY BUT JUST IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THANK YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND JUST TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT GOD HAS CALLED ME TO DO. IT IS SOME ABOUT WHEN YOU SEEK HIM FIRST AND YOU ALLOW HIM TO COME IN AND WE WELCOME HIM IN. I THINK GOD THAT THIS TIME WE ARE WELCOMING YOU INTO THE BUSINESS MEETING AND WHEN YOU WELCOME HIM IN HE IS GOING TO CONDUCT EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONDUCTED AND GIVE FAVOR. THAT IS WHY I AM HERE TODAY SO LET US PRAY AND BOW OUR HEADS. FATHER IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE JUST THANK YOU, O GOD, TO THIS DAY. THIS IS A DAY YOU HAVE MADE AND WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT. FATHER YOU SAID EARLIER WILL I SEEK THE O GOD? FATHER I AM JUST PRAYING RIGHT NOW THAT YOU WILL TOUCH THIS MEETING. GOD, I THANK YOU FOR COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY. GOD THAT YOU WILL GIVE THEM STRENGTH, WISDOM AND FATHER I AM THANKING YOU FOR I EVERY OFFICER THAT IS UNDER THIS COMMISSION. AM THANKING YOU RIGHT NOW GOD FOR EVERY PERSON LORD, EVERY DECISION-MAKER. FATHER I ASK THAT YOU WILL HELP THEM TO GIVE THEM A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF E WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS NEEDING O GOD. FATHER, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR DIVINE PROTECTION. WATCHING OVER US AND KEEPING US AS WE CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU CALL FOR US TO DO.
GOD, I AM ASKING THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN THE AFFAIRS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, DISTRICT 30 GOD. WE THANK YOU O GOD THAT YOU ARE OPENING UP DOORS WHEN YOU OPEN UP A DOOR NO MAN CAN SHUT IT.
WHEN YOU SHUT IT NO MAN CAN OPEN IT. WE ARE PRAYING O GOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE PRAYING THAT YOU WOULD TOUCH OUR COMMUNITY TODAY. GOD, THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON O GOD IN OUR COMMUNITY OH LORD. WE ARE ASKING GOD THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO PROTECT US, CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER US, O GOD. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOODNESS, YOUR MERCY, YOUR LOVE AND KINDNESS THAT YOU SHARE TOWARDS US. GOD THAT WITHOUT YOU WE CAN DO NOTHING BUT WITH YOU WE CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES US STRENGTH. SO GOD, I PRAY IT BLESSING UPON THIS MEETING THEY WILL GIVE THEM WHAT IS NEEDING, OH GOD, TO BE SUCCESSFUL. WE THANK YOU, WE LOVE YOU, WE
[00:05:10]
THANK YOU O GOD BECAUSE WE KNOW LORD GOD, THERE IS NO ONE ELSE THAT WE CAN CALL ON TO HELP US IN A TIME OF NEED. GOD, YOU HAVE BLESSED US AND HELPED US TO COME OVER THIS PANDEMIC, O GOD. WE THANK YOU THAT WE ARE IN A PLACE OF RECOVERY O GOD.GOD, WE ARE IN A PLACE WHERE WE ARE REBUILDING. I AM PRAYING FOR EVERY BUSINESS, I AM PRAYING FOR EVERY BUSINESS OWNER GOD THAT YOU WOULD HELP US, IN THE NAME OF THE JESUS TO BUILD UP HOUSTON AND EVERY SURROUNDING AREA. FATHER I AM PRAYING FOR FAMILIES TODAY. FAMILIES WHO ARE GOING THROUGH TODAY OH GOD. OH GOD I AM PRAYING THAT YOU GIVE THEM WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. FATHER WE THANK YOU TODAY AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING FOR US AND LORD, WE GIVE YOU THE PRAISE, THE GLORY AND THE HONOR O GOD WE THANK YOU FOR EVERY PERSON UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE. GOD, YOU KNOW THEIR SECRET PETITIONS. HELP THEM OH GOD. STRENGTHENED THEN O GOD, STRENGTHEN THEIR FAMILIES. FATHER WE PRAY A BLESSING UPON THEM IN THE NAME OF JESUS, GOD, WE GIVE YOU THE PRAISE, WE GIVE YOU THE GLORY AND WE GIVE YOU ALL THE HONOR,
IN JESUS'S NAME, AMEN. >> JUDGE: THANK YOU PASTOR. WE WILL DO OUR PLEDGES AT THIS TIME. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. TO THE TEXAS FLAG. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG LET US LEAD TEXAS ONE STATE, [INDISCERNABLE] UND
>> JUDGE: I DO WANT TO CONFIRM I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT JUDGE HIDALGO WOULD NOT BE JOINING US TODAY AND AS THE DEAN I HAVE BEGUN THE PROCEEDINGS. I WANT TO CONFIRM FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY THAT YOU HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING OTHERWISE?
>> SPEAKER: THAT IS CORRECT. WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE SPECIAL MEETING ON OCTOBER 28, 2022, FOR NOVEMBER 2, 2022 AT 10 AM THERE ARE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF AUDITED CLAIMS. THE SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS IS NOTICED AS THE RATIFICATION OF
[Appearances before court]
THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE FOR HARRIS COUNTY, THE HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, DBA HARRIS HEALTH AND HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT AND THE PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY. WE HAVE SPEAKERS BEFORE WE GO INTO THE AGENDA ITEMS. DO WE HAVEOUR SPEAKERS PRESENT? >> SPEAKER: THEY ARE HERE
COMMISSIONER. >> DEAN: THEY ARE HERE IF YOU WILL CALL THE FIRST ONE MS. N TIFFANY.
>> SPEAKER: FIRST IS MR. HARRISON OITEM NUMBER 2. YOU
HAVE 2 MINUTES. >> PUBLIC SPEAKER: HELLO. I WAS INFORMED BY THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR THAT THE COUNT IS NOT GOING TO BE FINISHED ON TIME. HARRIS COUNTY SELECTION DEPARTMENT RUNS ON A $30 MILLION BUDGET AND THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR THEM TO ONLY HAVE TWO COUNTERS. THEY ONLY COST $3000-$6000. I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REASON IS FOR THEM TO SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO FINISH THE COUNT ON TIME WHEN THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT RUNS ON OVER A $30 MILLION BUDGET. NOT TO MENTION THE $2 MILLION THAT THEY TOOK OUT FOR THE FUNDS, THE 798,000 THAT THEY TOOK OUT. ANOTHER 4 MILLION, ANOTHER 5 MILLION, THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT NOT TO BE FINISHING THE COUNT ON TIME. I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE JUST TRYING TO BUY MORE TIME TO CHEAT. IT IS UNREAL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY JUDGE HIDALGO HAS THOSE TWEETS ON TWITTER CLAIMING THAT OUR CRIME RATES ARE GOING DOWN WHEN WE KNOW THAT DAVID BARRY WISE TO THE PUBLIC PUT OUT FALSE DATA. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTY IS UNREAL. THE PEOPLE DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS.
HOPEFULLY BY NOVEMBER 8 WE WILL GET THE DEMOCRATS OUT AND FINALLY GET SOME LAW AND ORDER AND SOME JUSTICE. PEOPLE ARE DYING IN THIS COUNTY AND THEY ARE MOSTLY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE UNDER THE GUISE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LYING TO THE PUBLIC. THE STUFF I'M FINDING OUT ABOUT HARRIS HEALTH IS UNREAL. THE COMMISSIONER SEATS IN THE JUDGE SEATS ARE NUMBERED. I ASSURE YOU THAT.
THANK YOU. >> DEAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
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OUR NEXT COLLAR I BELIEVE IS MR. WASHINGTON?>> SPEAKER: YES SIR. >> DEAN: JUST OF THE PUBLIC IS AWARE WHEN WE HAVE MORE THAN 25 SPEAKERS EVERY SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO ONE MINUTE. WHEN YOU HAVE UNDER 25 SPEAKERS EACH SPEAKER IS ALLOWED 3 MINUTES. MR. WASHINGTON?
>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU. >> PUBLIC SPEAKER: WE ARE HERE AGAIN REGARDING THE ISSUES RELATING TO FUNDING THE TAX RATE OF THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT AS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS WITH MYSELF AND RESIDENTS AROUND THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY. WE ARE ASKING THE SAME QUESTION. WHY ARE WE APPLYING TAXPAYER APPROVED FUNDS TO RANDOM PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTY? YOU CANNOT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS HOW THEY ARE BEING USED. IN 2018 THE TAXPAYERS APPROVED A $2.5 BILLION MEASURE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO IMPROVE THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOODPLAIN BE APPLIED TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND DORELATED PROJECTS AS WELL AS BRING BILLIONS OF LLARS TO THE HARRIS COUNTY FOR THE BOND MEASURE. YOU ARE ASKING FOR ANOTHER 1.2 1.5 BILLION TO BE VOTED ON NEXT WEEK BY TAXPAYERS WITHOUT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING HOW THESE FUNDS WILL BE IS ALLOCATED OR DIRECTED IN THE COUNTY AND THAT A CONCERN. I PERSONALLY HAVE GREAT CONCERNS FOR MY HARD EARNED MONEY. THE HOUSE BEING USED TO RANDOM PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTY. YOU CANNOT PROPERLY ACCOUNT FOR FUNDS. AND YOU ARE BEING TRUSTED WITH TAXPAYER MONEY AND THAT'S A CONCERN. THE MORE THE RESIDENCE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ALLOCATED FUNDS BEING USED BY THE COUNTY TO REIGNITE PROJECTS SUCH AS THE VIEW AT LAKES HOUSTON. OF COURSE THAT IS A PROJECT WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING SINCE LAST FALL AND WE DO NOT WANT TO SOMEHOW FIND A WAY INTO PROJECTS LIKE THAT TO BE DEVELOPED ESPECIALLY SINCE WE OPPOSED IT. COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I
APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> DEAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS, IS THAT CORRECT
[Auditor]
>> DEAN: WITH THAT WE WILL MOVE INTO THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY WHICH IS THE REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF PAYMENT OF AUDITED CLAIMS. IS THERE A MOTION?
>> COMMISSIONER: MOVED. >> DEAN: IS THERE A SECOND?
>> COMMISSIONER: THERE ARE SOME ITEMS ON THERE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PULL OUT FOR A SEPARATE VOTE. ELMORE PUBLIC RELATIONS, 44,006 THE FIRST FEW YEARS FOR 14,159, KGB TEXAS COMMUNICATIONS, 109,800 7612 THAT IS IT. THOSE THREE.
>> DEAN: THE FIRST ITEM WAS ELMORE PUBLIC RELATIONS.
>> SPEAKER: COMMISSIONER GAGLE THE WAY THAT WE STRUCTURED THE BUSINESS QUARTER IS AN ITEM THAT ANY MEMBER HAD AN ISSUE WITH WOULD BE IMMEDIATELY FORWARDED TO THE MAIN MEETING AND THE ONLY ITEMS THAT WE TYWOULD BE REVIEWING WERE ONES THAT THERE WAS UNANIMI ON. IT IS ESSENTIALLY A TAG TO THE
NEXT COURT. THAT IS THE WAY. >> COMMISSIONER: WE TAG IT TO
THE NEXT COURT? >> SPEAKER: YES SIR.
>> COMMISSIONER: THE RECORD IS CLEAR THE FIRST ONE IS ELMORE
PUBLIC RELATIONS. WHAT IS A SECOND ITEM? >>
COMMISSIONER: FIRST FEW YEARS. >> DEAN: AND THEN THE THIRD ITEM IS KGB TEXAS COMMUNICATIONS PIER TO OUR CLERKS ITEMOFFICE TO HAVE THOSE ITEMS?
>> SPEAKER: IS THERE NO ACTION ON THOSE?
>> SPEAKER: NO ACTION ON THOSE THEY WILL DEFAULT FROM THE
MEETING. >> DEAN: DOES A MOTION NEED TO BE CHANGED TO SAY WE WILL REVIEW THE REMAINING ITEMS?
>> SPEAKER: CORRECT. >> COMMISSIONER: SO MOVED.
>> DEAN: WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE REMAINING ITEMS BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. ALL OPPOSED? IT PASSES 4-0. WE
[Tax Rates]
WILL NOW TAKE UP THE SECOND ITEM WHICH IS THE TAX RATE RATIFICATION. RATIFICATION OF THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE FOR HARRIS COUNTY THE HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT DBA HARRIS HEALTH, HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, AND THE PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY. I ASKED THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IF THERE WAS A NEED TO GO THROUGH AND READ THE INDIVIDUAL TAX RATES AS WE NORMALLY DO IN A PUBLIC HEARING BUT MY UNDERSTANDING[00:15:04]
FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS IT IS NOT NECESSARY SINCE WE ARE JUST RATIFYING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS THATCORRECT? >> SPEAKER: THAT IS CORRECT
COMMISSIONER. >> COMMISSIONER: I WOULD MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF THE RATIFICATION OF THE NO NEW TAX RATE HARRIS COUNTY, THE HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT DOING BUSINESS AS HARRIS HEALTH, HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, AND THE PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY.
>> DEAN: IS THERE A SECOND? >> COMMISSIONER: SECOND.
>> DEAN: COUNTING A MOTION AND A SECOND IS THERE DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED? IT PASSES 4-0. THAT CONCLUDES THE BUSINESS OF THIS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.