[00:00:02]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE JANUARY 10TH, 2023 MEETING OF THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ORDER.I'M RODNEY ELLIS AND I'M STANDING IN FOR JUDGE HIDALGO TODAY.
WE HOPE THAT HER FAMILY IS DOING WELL.
I CHATTED WITH HER BRIEFLY THIS MORNING.
SO WE HOPE THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL FOR HER.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE AND WELCOME THE NEWEST MEMBER TO THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT.
BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING GOING THE FORMER JUDGE IN ME, I'M LIKE, PLEASE BE SEATED.
I AM SO GRATEFUL AND THRILLED TO BE HERE.
I'M THANKFUL TO THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
I DEEPLY, DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING ALL AND WORKING WITH ALL THAT IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO ME. I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER CAGLE, WHO WAS MY COMMISSIONER FOR MANY YEARS AND FOR HIS DECADES OF SERVICE AND HIS GRACIOUSNESS THROUGHOUT THE TRANSITION.
IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.
AND SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CAGLE.
I'D ALSO LOVE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, FIRST JUDGE HIDALGO.
I WISH HER AND HER FAMILY ALL THE BEST AND HER GRANDPA FAMILIES, EVERYTHING TO ME.
SO I'M SENDING YOU MY REGARDS FROM AFAR.
JUDGE HIDALGO, I'D LIKE TO THANK COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS, COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA AND COMMISSIONER TOM RAMSEY FOR ALL OF YOUR ADVICE THROUGHOUT THE TRANSITION, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING WITH YOU FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE ENTIRE PRECINCT FOUR TEAM.
AND OUR CHIEF OF POLICY AND INNOVATION AND SUNG AS WELL.
EVERYONE WHO'S HERE TODAY IN PERSON AND ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING IT IS THIS LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT THAT ENERGIZES ME ABOUT HARRIS COUNTY BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE COMMUNITY LEADERS, THE COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS, THE CONCERNED CITIZENS WHO WERE HERE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER, TO UNITING, TO CONTINUING TO DRIVE HARRIS COUNTY FORWARD, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO MAKE HARRIS COUNTY A MODEL OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, GOOD GOVERNMENT, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE MAKING HARRIS COUNTY A MODEL FOR TEXAS, THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD.
I WELCOME COMMISSIONER BRIONES AND TO WANT TO SEND BEST WISHES IN REGARDS TO JUDGE HIDALGO FAMILY.
BUT IT'S EXCITING TO SEE YOU AT THE TABLE AND AND IT'S SORT OF IRONIC THAT, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER CAGLE HAD BEEN A JUDGE PRIOR, AND SO HAVE YOU.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO MISS A BEAT HERE, BUT WE'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE IT UP A NOTCH.
BUT I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU.
AGAIN, I'M NOT I'M NOT SPOTTING YOUR YOUR OTHER HALF.
IS YOUR FAMILY HERE? NO, THEY'RE NOT HERE TODAY.
WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S YOUR DAUGHTERS SHOULD BE VERY PROUD.
THANK YOU. AND I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A PROUD HUSBAND.
AND SO WE CONGRATULATE THE ENTIRE BEYOND HIS FAMILY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT WAS A FAMILY EFFORT.
SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, MR. BRIONES. IT'S PUBLICLY OUR STATE.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU AND THE TRANSITION.
I ECHO YOUR COMMENTS IN TERMS OF SERVING OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR COMMON OBJECTIVES WITHIN PRECINCT THREE AND PRECINCT FOUR. THOSE REMAIN THE SAME.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GOING FORWARD.
SO DO I. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
SO I KNOW SHE SENDS HER REGARDS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, I CALLED YOU THE OTHER DAY TO SEE IF YOU WANT TO DO THE.
AND THEY ARE BACK IN SCHOOL AFTER A TOUGH CAMPAIGN.
[00:05:01]
BUT WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU.YOU DID IT RIGHT. YOU'RE GOING TO SCHOOL.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THINKING OF THEM.
JUST I WANT TO MAKE SURE I WAS COMFORTABLE AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE GABBY GLASTRIS ON YOUR STAFF SIT BY ME JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S GOING OKAY.
AND BUT I WON'T KEEP YOU ALL DAY, BECAUSE SHE ALSO HANDLES CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES FOR THE JUDGE.
BUT AT LEAST UNTIL WE GET GOING UP.
[Imam Shaykh Kamal Elmekki of Clear Lake Islamic Center in Houston.]
ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE IMAM SHEIKH KAMEL EL MICKEY THAT I GET THAT ALMOST.
HE IS WITH THE CLEAR LAKE ISLAMIC CENTER.
AND IMAM KAMEL EL AMICHAI IS ONE OF THE THREE MOMS AT THE CLEAR LAKE ISLAMIC CENTER.
HE'S AN INSTRUCTOR WITH THE ALMA GROUP INSTITUTE AND IS MOSTLY KNOWN FOR HIS DUAL.
IT STARTED LOCALLY AND IT'S EXPANDED INTERNATIONALLY, AND IT WAS DEVELOPED AFTER 9/11.
SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOU ON THAT.
HE TALKS ABOUT HOW TO GET A SHAHADA IN 10 MINUTES AND HE HAS A BS DEGREE IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH A CONCENTRATION ON MEDIA PRODUCTION.
IMAM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND IF YOU'LL BLESS US TODAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MERCIFUL, THE COMPASSIONATE.
THE GOD OF MOSES AND THE GOD OF MOHAMMED.
THE ONE WHO KNOWS WHAT WE CONCEAL AND WHAT WE REVEAL.
THE ONE WHO KNOWS ALL WHAT LEAVES MAY FALL AND WHAT THE ANIMALS FEEL.
THE ONE WHO SENDS RAIN AND VEGETATION GROWS.
AND THROUGH OUR TRUST IN HIM, WE FIND REPOSE TO YOU ALL.
GOD BELONGS ALL SOVEREIGNTY AND PRAISE.
AND YOU ARE CAPABLE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD.
WE SEEK YOUR PROTECTION FROM MISTAKES COMMITTED, PURIFY US OF OUR ERRORS.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FAVORS UPON US AND UPON OUR NATION.
CONTINUE TO BLESS IT, ALLOW THEM TO CARE FOR US EQUALLY AS WE HAVE BEEN CREATED.
ALLOW THEM TO FULFILL THEIR VOW TO ENGAGE, EDUCATE AND EMPOWER IN A WAY THAT IS PLEASING TO YOU.
KEEP THEM FAR FROM WHAT DOES NOT BEHOOVE THEIR POSITION OF LEADERSHIP, KEEP THEIR INTENTIONS PURE AND GUIDE THEM AND THOSE BESIDES THEM IN TRUTH AND EXCELLENCE TO THAT WHICH IS JUST TO THAT.
WHICH IS PURE TO THAT WHICH IS RIGHTEOUS.
THANK YOU. YOUR MOM. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE YOU AND LOOKING FORWARD TO VISITING THE CENTER AGAIN.
AND NOW LET'S RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS FLAG AND THE US FLAG.
IT IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
SHE. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF RESOLUTIONS THAT I LIKE TO BRING UP OUT OF ORDER.
[Departments (Part 1 of 2)]
WE HAVE THREE. FIRST ONE IS US COMMISSION.AND WE ARE JOINED BY LARISSA JACOBS.
LARISSA, WHERE HAVE YOU OVER YOUR MIC PODIUM.
THIS RESOLUTION IS ONE THAT I.
OH, I'M SORRY. THIS RESOLUTION IS ONE THAT WE CAN ALL APPRECIATE.
IT IS A A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING WALK THE WALK 30 FITNESS CAMPAIGN.
JACOBS IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR TUCSON.
AND AND SHE IS JOINED, LET'S SEE, BY TWO OTHER HOUSTON VOLUNTEERS.
[00:10:07]
WE'RE WHERE ARE THEY AT? ALL RIGHT. AND AND THAT IS MS..IF IT'S HOUSTON AND THEN WE HAVE ELEVATOR VINO, FOUNDER OF THE CHAMPIONS CLUB AND BOARD MEMBER AND AND BOARD MEMBER OF HOUSTON. SO THIS RESOLUTION READS THAT WHEREAS ON JANUARY 20TH 2236, LOCAL LEADERS IN EDUCATION, HEALTH AND JUSTICE GATHERED TO EXAMINE EQUITY ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS AS THE HOUSTON 2036 EQUITY TASK FORCE, THEY ADDRESSED BARRIERS TO EQUITY.
PITCHING THEIR VISION FOR HOUSTON AS A MODEL OF EQUITY BY THE YEAR 2036.
AND TEAM FIT HOUSTON EMERGED FROM THE PROCESS.
WHEREAS THESE LEADERS CONSIDERED WHAT COULD IMPROVE DAILY LIFE FOR HOUSTONIANS TO STAVE OFF CHRONIC DISEASES SUCH AS DIABETES, HYPERTENSION AND CANCER, AND IMPROVE MENTAL WELL-BEING FOR RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES, IN ALL COMMUNITIES, THE ANSWER THEY REACHED IS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT IS FREE, AVAILABLE IN EVERY COMMUNITY AND DONE THROUGH A POSITIVE WELLNESS MOVEMENT.
AND. WHEREAS, HOUSTON, INC, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, PROMOTES FREE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ACROSS HOUSTON'S COMMUNITIES, THEY FIND THAT DAILY MOVEMENT IS THE PERFECT INGREDIENT FOR GOOD HEALTH AND IDENTIFIED THAT SOME NEIGHBORHOODS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO GYMS OR WELLNESS PROGRAMS. THE ORGANIZATION IS WORKING TOWARDS PLACE BASED INVESTMENT AND CULTURAL EMPATHY FOR A HEALTHIER HOUSTON IN 2036, WHEREAS WORKING WITH CLINICS AND SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS HELP COMMUNITIES ACHIEVE VIBRANT HEALTH.
UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, SUCH AS A LACK OF TRANSPORTATION TEAM FIT HOUSTON SUPPORTS RESIDENTS RESIDENTS TO BE ACTIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE AND SAFE.
BUT AS A COMMISSIONER WHO HAPPENS TO REPRESENT AN AREA THAT HAS AMONGST THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF HEALTH DISPARITIES, YOUR WORK IS VERY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED BY ME, BY MY STAFF.
BUT SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WALKING CAN CAN BRING SO MUCH IMPROVEMENT TO ONE'S HEALTH.
AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS? YES. WE'RE JUST SO HONORED TO BE HERE.
AND JUST HUGE THANKS TO ALL OF YOU.
WE ARE ALL ABOUT FREE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ACROSS HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY, AND WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR FREE OUTDOOR GYMS THAT WILL BE HEALTH HUBS GYM CALLED FIT LOT.
SO HASHTAG WALK 30, EVERYBODY, PLEASE WALK WITH US.
ALSO, I WANT TO FIRST INVITE YOU TO COME OVER TO JAMES DRIVER AND SOME PARK COME VISIT, BECAUSE WE HAVE WORKED TO MAKE A GREAT DEAL OF OF HEALTH AND AND PHYSICAL DEVICES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
WE JUST SHOWS UP AT THE PARK, SO I'D LIKE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
BUT YOUR BOARD MEMBERS, YOU WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOUR BOARD MEMBERS? YES. WE HAVE KARI SPRUNG WITH THE TEXAS HEART INSTITUTE AND ELVA TREVINO, WHO'S THE FOUNDER OF CHAMPIONS CLUB.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
MR. RAMSEY, YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? MS.. JACOBS, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WILL COME OUT OF THIS.
JUST KNOW THAT THERE'S 69 PARKS AND PRECINCT THREE.
CONSIDER THEM. YOUR PARKS HAVE TEN COMMUNITY CENTERS.
CONSIDER THEM YOUR COMMUNITY CENTERS.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, MAKING THESE THINGS AVAILABLE TO YOU.
[00:15:02]
SO, MR. JACOBS, WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL PEOPLE HAVE AGREED TO? WELL, THANK YOU. YES, I SHOULD SAY 30 MINUTES OF WALKING DAILY.I HAVE HAD SOME PEOPLE ASK ME IF IT WAS 30 MILES, AND I'LL HAVE TO SAY, NO, NOT YET.
THIS IS A VISUAL NUDGE TO REMIND US TO GET UP OFF THE ZOOM AND OFF OF THEIR DESKS.
I KNOW I ZOOMED A LOT YESTERDAY AND JUST WALK 30 MINUTES A DAY.
WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE LOVE IT.
IS THAT IS THERE SOME MEASURING FACTOR SO WE HAVE TO OR IS IT THE HONOR SYSTEM? WELL, I HAVE THIS WATCH BECAUSE COMMISSIONER GARCIA HAD ONE.
BUT I MUST ADMIT, I DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO WORK IT.
WE HAVE ENGAGED WITH AN APP COMPANY CALLED MOVE SPRING.
IF YOU VISIT US AT HOUSTON DOT ORG, YOU WILL HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONS TO DOWNLOAD.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A WATCH AND DON'T HAVE ACCESS.
I MEAN, I WANT YOU TO KNOW EVERYWHERE I'M WALKING, DO YOU KNOW WHERE I'M WALKING? DO I KNOW WHAT THE YOU KNOW, WHERE I'M WALKING? OH, WELL, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND YOU IF I TRY.
WELL, I'LL COMMIT TO THE PLACE.
NOW, LET ME ASK YOU THIS, AND I'M GOING TO CHALLENGE MY COLLEAGUES.
IF I CAN'T GET ALL 30 IN ONE DAY, CAN I MAKE UP TO OVER 32ND DAY? NO, NO, NO, NO.
HOW LONG DO YOU BELIEVE BY GOING TO BE.
I WAS GOING TO BE WELCOME TO COUNT ONE ON THE BIKE, RIGHT? EACH TIME I'M WALKING, I'VE RIDDEN BIKES WITH YOU AND I CAN'T KEEP UP, SO I'LL WORK ON THAT MYSELF.
IF YOU'LL WALK 30, I'LL TRY TO USE YOUR BIKE.
WHAT? COMMISSIONER GARCIA ONE TIME AND HE'S RUBBING IT IN ONE TIME.
I USE THE E BIKE WE DID 26 MILES THAT DAY.
I STILL REMEMBER ALEX, I'M COMMITTING.
I'LL TAKE A PLEDGE AND MYSELF.
THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE STEPS TO THE STAIRS, SO.
OKAY, THAT'S IN THE RESOLUTION.
YEAH. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL, SOMEBODY RATED US THE FATTEST CITY, HOUSTON.
AND WE DID A LITTLE CHALLENGE, SOME OF US ON THERE.
AND THEN WHEN I GAINED IT BACK, I CHEATED HIM TO THIN FAN ONE TIME BEFORE WE KNEW IT WAS DANGEROUS.
BUT I DID ASK FOR THE SIDE EFFECTS, LOSS OF HAIR, LOSS OF SLEEP, BAD ATTITUDE AND SOMETHING ELSE.
AND I SAID, YEAH, KIND OF LIKE, YEAH, BUT NO, I KNOW THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH.
AND I STRUGGLE WITH OBESITY ALL MY LIFE.
MY DAD, I PICKED UP £9 DURING THE HOLIDAYS, BUT I'M TRYING TO GET THEM BACK DOWN.
WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN. THE CODE IS FIT, HOUSTON.
IF YOU DOWNLOAD THE APP, IT IS FREE.
NOW, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HELP ME DOWNLOAD IT.
YEAH, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO NECESSARILY KNOW WHERE I'M WALKING.
MY THIRD. YEAH, I GET EXTRA CREDIT FOR 530 IN THE MORNING EARLY.
YEAH. IT'S A GREAT WAY TO START YOUR DAY.
IT WILL REALLY RESET AND MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER.
SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM, COMMISSIONER.
OKAY. THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND WE'LL TAKE PICTURES IN A SECOND.
YEAH. YEAH. YOU'RE NOT THE RESOLUTION.
OH, NO, PLEASE DON'T LOSE. I HAVE TO.
I WON'T READ IT ALL, BUT MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES IN US AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD.
AND INCREASINGLY AND RAPIDLY, THE MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY REVIEW COMMITTEE FOUND A 25% INCREASE IN SEVERE MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS BETWEEN 2018 AND 2020, INCREASING FROM 58.2 CASES TO 72.7 CASES OUT OF EVERY 10,000 BIRTHS.
[00:20:04]
DISPARITIES OF THOSE DEATHS ARE STAGGERING.BLACK WOMEN DIED DURING BIRTH RATE AT A RATE OF 2.3 TIMES HIGHER THAN WHITE WOMEN IN TEXAS, AND THE DISPARITIES ARE EVEN HIGHER WITHIN HARRIS COUNTY. THREE COUNTIES ALONE ACCOUNT FOR 9% OF ALL THE NATION'S BLACK INFANT MORTALITY RATES.
THOSE ARE WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, THE CHICAGO AND DETROIT, AND OUR OWN HARRIS COUNTY.
WE CAN'T AND WON'T STAND BY WATCHING THESE PERSISTENT DISPARITIES AND GROWING INEQUALITIES.
AND 2022, THIS COURT VOTED TO ALLOCATE 7.7 MILLION IN FEDERAL ARPA DOLLARS TO HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH FOR MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH PROGRAM TO HELP OVER 300 FAMILIES IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
BUT THE NUMBERS ARE JUST SO ALARMING FOR BLACK WOMEN.
I THINK THAT'S WHY THIS COURT DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD TO PUT THIS UP.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DIRECTOR ROBINSON AND HER TEAM, OUR MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, IN PARTICULAR, CONGRESSWOMAN LIZZIE FLETCHER, WHO ENSURED THAT OUR COUNTY'S BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH PROGRAM AND ACCESS ACCESS HARRIS WERE RECEIVED A COMBINED $2.4 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO HELP.
OBVIOUSLY, I MENTIONED THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HARRIS HEALTH, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON'S HEALTHY START PROGRAM, IN PARTICULAR REPRESENTATIVE SHARON THIRY FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND ALL OF OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO STATE LEVEL FOR PUTTING A SPOTLIGHT ON THIS ISSUE AND ALL THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL AND HEALTH CARE EXPERTS IN HARRIS COUNTY AND RESIDENTS.
AND I THINK I MIGHT HAVE A SPEAKER.
I'M NOT SURE IF SOMEONE WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AND NOT BARBIE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE THERE OR ANYONE ELSE WHO SIGNED UP.
YES, SIR. WE'LL NEED TO VOTE ON THAT ONE.
OKAY. I'LL MOVE ADOPTION OF IT NOW.
I KNOW SPEAKERS, RIGHT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, I SUPPOSE? NO. THREE EYES AND ONE.
AND THE NEXT ONE IS A RESOLUTION HONORING ANNA JOHNNY'S CAREER.
WE'RE GONNA CLAP IF YOU COME UP WITH SO PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR KID.
YOU DON'T GET TO SPEAK JUST YET.
MY STAFF PUT A LOT OF TIME INTO WRITING THIS, SO I AM GOING TO READ IT.
WHERE IS HARRIS COUNTY? HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT CONGRATULATES DR.
SHE WAS BORN IN MEXICO AND IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES WHEN SHE WAS TEN YEARS OLD.
DR. CORREA EARNED A BACHELOR'S OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, A MASTER'S OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND A DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY FROM UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN PUBLIC IN POLICY AND PLANNING AND EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION, FOCUSING A DISSERTATION ON THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE.
DR. CORREIA HAS SERVED AS POLICY DIRECTOR FOR THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS.
LOU LACK OF TEXAS AND IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS CRIMINAL JUSTICE COALITION.
AND SHE LAUNCHED THE TEXAS MODERN CRIME COALITION BEFORE JOINING HARRIS COUNTY IN 2018.
WHEREAS, DR. CORREA BEGAN HER CAREER IN HARRIS COUNTY WITH THE OFFICE OF PRECINCT ONE IN 2018, LEADING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND POLICY TEAMS. DR.
CORREIA CONSISTENTLY WORKED TO INTEGRATE A SENSE OF EQUITY AND JUSTICE AND REDUCE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES WITH AN EYE TOWARD BEST PRACTICES AND AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY INPUT AND DESIGN FROM THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY PAST AND FUTURE POLICIES.
WHEREAS DR. CORREA ACCOMPLISHED A GREAT DEAL DURING HER TENURE AT THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE AND SAFETY.
HER WORK INCLUDED PARTNERING WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION CONFERENCE AND HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PUBLIC SAFETY BY COORDINATING AND ORGANIZING LOCAL AND NATIONAL PRESENTERS, PROFESSIONALS, PRACTITIONERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH PUBLIC POLICY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, ACADEMIA, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC HEALTH BACKGROUNDS TO FOCUS ON THE NEED FOR CHANGE FROM PUNISHMENT TO MORE SOLUTIONS THAT HELP COMMUNITIES.
[00:25:01]
DR. CORREA ALSO PARTNERED WITH HARRIS COUNTY JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH AND MANAGE A YOUTH JUSTICE REINVESTMENT FUND, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN TEXAS, WHICH IS COMMUNITY LED MULTI MILLION DOLLAR FUND THAT RE ENVISIONS PUBLIC SAFETY FOR YOUTH IN HARRIS COUNTY, WHEREAS DR.CORREA HAS FOSTERED A CULTURE OF KINDNESS, RESPECT, EMPATHY, LOVE, POSITIVITY IN THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE AND SAFETY, ALL WHILE BUILDING A TEAM WHO GENUINELY DREAM OF AND PRACTICE MAKING OUR REGION A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY COMMENDS DR.
ANNA YANEZ CORREA FOR HER DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE IN HARRIS COUNTY.
WE ARE JUST SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE.
IS THIS WHY I DID NOT WEAR MASCARA? BECAUSE I KNEW AS SOON AS I STEPPED IN FRONT OF YOU I THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR THAT YOU BESTOWED UPON ME.
NOT JUST THIS RESOLUTION, BUT THE HONOR THAT YOU'VE GIVEN ME TO SERVE YOU.
I AM THRILLED ABOUT WHAT'S TO COME FOR HARRIS COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE COMPOSITION OF THIS COURT.
I BELIEVE IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
I BELIEVE IN ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR YOU.
IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE GETTING TO KNOW EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR STAFF.
IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE BEING SUPPORTED BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE HIDDEN JEWELS IN THIS COUNTY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR YEARS WHO TOOK ME UNDER THEIR WING AND TAUGHT ME AND SHOWED ME AND SUPPORTED ME AND ALL OF YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME WHO HAVE ASSISTED ME.
I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO THE TEAM AT O'JAYS.
THEY ARE. THEY ARE WONDERFUL PUBLIC SERVANTS.
AND I COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER BOSS IN MR. TURNER. HE HAS BEEN THERE FOR ME.
BUT I JUST. I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT, CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
THE PEOPLE IN HARRIS COUNTY ARE COUNTING ON YOU ALL TO COLLECTIVELY WORK FOR A BETTER VISION, FOR A BETTER COMMUNITY, AND TO CONTINUE THIS LEGACY BECAUSE HARRIS COUNTY IS AN INCREDIBLE PLACE TO BE THE DIVERSITY, THE CULTURE, THE COMMUNITIES.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM THE INCREDIBLE WORK, FROM ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENTS AND THE TEAMS ARE GOING TO CREATE.
I'M JUST HONORED. I'M HONORED.
AND I'M ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY.
YOU'RE NOT GETTING RID OF ME. THAT.
THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, DR. CROW.
DR. CORREA, YOU'RE NOT DONE YET.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. VERY BEAUTIFUL AND APPROPRIATE RESOLUTION.
WHEN. DR. CORREA, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK OVER THE YEARS.
YOU AND I MET WHEN I WAS SHERIFF, AND I REMEMBER MANY OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
YOU ACTUALLY HELPED TO MOVE ME ON POLICY ISSUES THAT I INITIALLY DID NOT AGREE WITH.
YET YOU ALWAYS DID IT WITH THAT SMILE.
AND AND YOU ALWAYS YOU ALWAYS CREATED PROGRESS NO MATTER WHAT.
I WILL NOT BE SHY TO SAY THAT I HATE TO SEE YOU LEAVE.
I'D LIKE TO DEBRIEF WITH YOU AND MR. TURNER TO UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT IS YET TO BE DONE SO I CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOUR LEGACY CONTINUES AS WELL.
BUT ALSO, I WANT TO JUST SAY THAT.
PART OF THE MOVEMENT THAT I MET MS..
AND PEOPLE JUST KIND OF TOOK IT AS WELL.
AND THEN WE FOUND ANOTHER CASE AND THEN YET ANOTHER CASE.
AND AND THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE ISSUES WHERE WE BEGAN TO RECOGNIZE THAT A.
BEING THE DEATH PENALTY CAPITAL OF THE NATION WAS, I GUESS, TO
[00:30:10]
SOME SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.NOW, WHEN YOU MAKE MISTAKES, YOU'VE GOT TO BE PERFECT IN THAT REGARD.
AND YOU WERE ONE OF THOSE EARLY PIONEERS THAT WAS SOUNDING THE ALARM, THAT WE WEREN'T PERFECT AND THERE WAS INNOCENT PEOPLE THAT THROUGH MISTAKES OR ZILLIONS OR JUST DOWNRIGHT MALFEASANCE WERE IN THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT YOU SHOULD BE PROUD THAT YOUR COLLECTIVE WORK YOU HAVE HELPED TO SAVE MANY LIVES THAT WERE IN JUSTLY INCARCERATED ON DEATH ROW.
BUT YOU HAVE ADVOCATES LIKE DR.
BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, TOO, IS THAT, LOOK, I.
CAME TO THIS COUNTY AS SHERIFF, AS THE FIRST HISPANIC SHERIFF.
AND. AND THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF MENTORS TO LOOK AROUND AND FIND AT THAT TIME. COMMISSIONER SYLVIA GARCIA WAS STILL HERE.
BUT INSIDE THE BUREAUCRACY, WE NEED TO ENSURE REPRESENTATION.
AND SO YOUR DEPARTURE LEAVES AN IMMENSE VOID AND AND REPRESENTATION AND CAPACITY AND CULTURAL COMPETENCY.
AND SO I'M ALSO DISAPPOINTED FOR THAT REASON THAT YOU'RE LEAVING, BECAUSE WE NEED TO SHOW YOUNG PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A PLACE IN OUR GOVERNMENT AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE THEM THAT ARE DOING IT, MAKING IT LOOK EASY.
AND SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND HATE TO SEE YOU GO, BUT YOU KNOW THAT.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT STOLEN THIS IS, BUT I GOT IT.
I'M SAD THAT MY FIRST MEETING IS FOR MICHAEL, AND I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.
AND YOU WERE A CHAMPION OF JUSTICE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CONTINUED POSITIVE IMPACT.
TIFFANY, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS? YES, SIR. FIRST IS AMANDA MARCELLO.
DIRECTOR PERRY. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS COURT.
CHOREO AND THANK HER FOR YEARS OF SERVICE.
SHE WAS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH.
AND SHE WILL DEFINITELY BE MISSED.
AND I JUST THINK THAT SHE POURED HER HEART OR SOUL OR PASSION INTO THIS POSITION AS SHE HAD.
SO THANK YOU, DR. KARIA, FOR YOUR SERVICE AS PERRY TURNER, BY THE WAY.
PERRY TURNER, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OF JUSTICE AND SAFETY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND I GOT TO AND I GOT TO MAKE SURE TO SAY, DR.
OKAY. WELL, AND SHE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD.
AND ANA, I THINK COMMISSIONER GARCIA SAID IT WONDERFULLY.
YOUR DEPARTURE DOES LEAVE A VOID.
[00:35:06]
AND OVER THE YEARS BEFORE THAT AT THE TEXAS CAPITOL WHEN YOU WERE AT THE TEXAS CRIMINAL JUSTICE COALITION.YOU'VE BEEN A MODEL FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, AND I KNOW THAT I SPEAK FOR EVERYONE AT OJ'S WHO'S NOT, WHO HASN'T GOTTEN UP TO SPEAK, BUT THEY FEEL THIS JUST AS MUCH AS I DO, THAT YOU WILL BE MISSED AND WE WILL BE TAKING YOU UP ON YOUR OFFER TO HAVE PHONE CALLS AND TO STAY IN TOUCH BECAUSE I WILL BE BUGGING YOU QUITE A BIT.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? I WANT TO SAVE MY COMMENTS UNTIL LAST.
ANY OTHERS? TIFFANY? NO, SIR. THAT'S ALL. ANNA.
I HAD TO ASK BRANDON, WHO CAME FIRST.
AND HE TOLD ME YOU WERE THERE FOR US.
THE MOMENT, I GUESS I GOT SERIOUS ABOUT INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING IN BILLS TRYING TO PASS CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS, AS A STATE LEGISLATOR, YOU WERE THERE ALWAYS WITH A SMILE.
YOUR JOB WAS TO GO IN THERE AND KIND OF CLEAN IT UP AFTER I KIND OF LOST IT IN PRIVATE, REALLY IN PUBLIC, BUT IN PRIVATE, SOMETIMES I'D KIND OF TELL PEOPLE WHAT I REALLY THOUGHT, AND THEN I'D HAVE YOU GO CLEAN IT UP.
YOU MORE THAN ME, YOU KIND OF TELL ME WHICH ONES I OUGHT TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH AND WHICH ONES NOT TO WASTE MY TIME WITH TO HELP MAKE THOSE BILLS THAT THAT I HAD A HAND IN.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I WANT TO STRESS THAT YOU LEFT AUSTIN, I THINK IN SOME WAYS BECAUSE YOU WERE JUST I THINK YOU WERE A BIT BURNED OUT ON IT AND IT WAS JUST GETTING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT AFTER SOME GREAT SUCCESSES.
ALL 50 HAVE IT NOW, BUT WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TEN OR 13 OR ONE STATE IS NOT.
OH, WE WOULD HAVE WENT OUT. SOME STATE HAD ONE.
WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SECOND. YOU WOULD KNOW BECAUSE YOU WERE ADVOCATE AS WELL.
I THOUGHT MASSACHUSETTS OR SOME LITTLE OLD STATE.
YEAH. WELL WE PUT IT IN STATUTE, WE'RE THE FIRST ONE TO DO IT.
I WANT TO STRESS THAT FOR YOU AND YOUR MOM IN PARTICULAR.
I THINK YOU WOULD IN SOME WAY OUTSIDE BALTIMORE ON THE MARYLAND AREA.
AND YOU SAID, HEY, WHAT ABOUT ME? AND YOU HAD TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION FROM ADVOCACY TO BEING ON THE INSIDE, WHICH WAS NOT THAT EASY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO DO.
BUT YOU DID A GREAT JOB AND YOU AND YOUR MOM.
YOUR OWN TRAGEDY IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SPACE WITH SOMEONE BEING KILLED WHO'S VERY CLOSE TO YOU.
BUT UNLIKE MANY, YOU DECIDED NOT TO TAKE THAT TRAGEDY AND LET IT MAKE YOU BITTER.
NOW, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE.
SHE WOULD DO A SHE WOULD DO A VOTE.
MAKE A MOTION. BOTH OF THESE YOURS AND MINE.
AND ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS GET IT RIGHT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY HEADACHES THERE FROM PATRICK.
TWO, THREE AND 331 WE WOULD WANT WHERE WE VOTED ON TO OC THREE, THREE AND 31.
OC SO COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOU'RE MAKING A MOTION TO APPROVE.
COMMISSIONER, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT WAS FOR ITEMS THREE AND THREE, 31, THREE AND 331.
YES. AND IT WAS UNANIMOUS VOTE ON BOTH.
I THINK YOU TOLD ME. I GOT ANNOUNCED.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE PHOTOS.
WE'RE GOING TO RECESS TO TAKE PHOTOS.
BUT I WANT TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES, IF YOU WOULD.
AND IF THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, ACCORDING TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
[00:40:02]
WE'LL GO THROUGH IT BRIEFLY AND WE'LL VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU ALL.AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF YOU JUST LOOK AT IT AND AND WE'LL MAKE A DECISION, THEN WE'LL VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO IT IS NOW 1057 AND COMMISSIONERS COURT IS RECESSING.
WE WILL TO TAKE PHOTOS AND THEN WE WILL RECONVENE AT GIVE YOU TIME TO LOOK AT IT.
WELL, COURT HAS RETURNED FROM RECESS AND WE ARE BACK IN SESSION.
I WANT TO GO THROUGH THE CORRECTIONS AND THEN MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS LOOKED AT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WOULD MAKE A FEW MINOR CHANGES TO IT.
MR. COUNTY ATTORNEY WILL VOTE ON THAT AS WELL.
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS NEED MINOR CHANGES DUE TO ERRORS OR NO ACTION.
THE CORRECTED ITEMS READ AS FOLLOWS.
PAGE 18 ITEM 27 REQUEST FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR APPROVAL TO NOMINATE GARY BEANS MC PEA AS AN ALTERNATIVE AS AN ALTERNATE TO TINA PETERSON, PHD P FOR REGION SIX SANCHEZ CENTRAL REGIONAL FLOOD PLANNING GROUP PAGE 39.
GRANT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 1,364,846 WITH A REQUIRED LOCAL CASH MATCH OF $12,283,623 FOR THE LAUDER STORMWATER DETENTION BASIN PROGRAM.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER CORRECTIONS? OKAY. AND THAT WILL MAKE NOTE OF THOSE CORRECTIONS.
JUST WANT TO VERIFY ON 308, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT WAS CHANGED TO 1,000,003 64 846. YES.
LOCAL MATCH. 12,000,283 623 YES, SIR.
THAT'S ALL THE CORRECTIONS I HAD.
OKAY. AND COLLEAGUES, WE WENT THROUGH.
YOU HAVE A LIST OF THE CONSENT ITEMS. IN THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN FLAGGED FOR DISCUSSION.
I'M JUST GOING TO RUN THROUGH THOSE BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE THE LIST.
IS THAT ALL RIGHT? COLLEAGUES, SURE YOU HAVE THE LIST.
THESE ARE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN FLAGGED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM TEN.
ITEM 26, SOMEONE ADDED 28 AND 35.
OF OF ITEM TO DISCUSS IN HIS BACK ON CONSENT.
YOU GOT THAT 145 IS BACK HOME.
152 HAS BEEN FLAGGED FOR DISCUSSION.
OH, YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION? WE'LL MAKE NOTE OF THAT.
EXEC. 170 HAS BEEN FLAGGED FOR DISCUSSION.
SOMEONE ADDED 187 WHILE DISCUSSION.
JUST VOTE. THAT'S A JUST VOTE.
OKAY, WELL, LET'S JUST VOTE ON.
MR. GARCIA. COMMISSIONER BROWN, IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT IT IS.
WELL, WE'LL NEED TO MAKE TWO MOTIONS, I THINK.
OH, I DID IT CLEAN. LET ME MAKE THEM.
BE OBVIOUS. WHAT? THE SECOND MOTION TO APPROVE ALL DISBURSEMENTS EXCEPT FOR THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP OF 1,000,493 $40.96. SO COMMISSIONER RAMSEY MAKES A SUBSTITUTE MOTION FOR ITEM 187.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT, I.
IT'S UNANIMOUS. IT PASSES FOUR ZERO.
OUR SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
[00:45:03]
OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM IS JUST FOR A VOTE ONLY.I'M TOLD THIS ITEM 201 WHAT THAT IS.
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR RENEWAL OPTION REDEEM A CONSULTING AND MANAGEMENT OF TEXAS FOR HOLISTIC ASSISTANCE RESPONSE TEAM SERVICES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IS OUR MOTION FOR ADOPTION.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES THAT WE ADOPT.
IT IS OUR SECOND. OUR SECOND IT.
I. THREE ASSHOLES OPPOSED NO ONE.
NO. ITEM 201 PASSES THE NEXT ITEM.
FLAG FOR DISCUSSION IS ITEM 207.
AND JUST JUST REITERATE SO WE KNOW 225 FOR DISCUSSION.
THREE ONE, FOUR, THREE, ONE FIVE AND 316.
AND 333 ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT MEMBERS CAN THINK OF THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA YOU'D LIKE TO PULL OFF? YES, SIR. IT'S 225.
RIGHT. AND I CAN RUN BACK THROUGH IT AGAIN.
OKAY. OKAY. COMMISSIONER, YOU JUST CHECK IN AND MAKE SURE WE GOT ALL THOSE YOU WANT TO PULL.
AND THREE, ONE FIVE AND 316 AND 322.
REMEMBER? SO YOU SAW THE CONSENT AGENDA.
JAMES, ARE YOU CLEAR? YES, SIR. DID YOU WANT TO GO OVER TO SEE WHAT OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS COULD BE ON THE CONSENT.
154. UH, THE OTHER EXECUTIVE ITEM SESSIONS ARE 127.
DO WE NEED TO GO BACK ON THAT? I WANT TO LOOK AT THAT 1 TO 7.
THESE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS ONLY ARE QUESTIONS ONLY IF THAT QUESTIONS.
302303304 IS ITEM 302 GOING TO BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED? YES. THANK YOU.
SO THE MOTION WILL BE TO APPROVE? YES, SIR. I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
ITEM 132. THAT'S THE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM AND AGENDA.
IS THAT GOING TO BE A NO ACTION? ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AS THEY GO INTO SESSION TODAY? YES, SIR. JUST ONE REPRESS.
JUST ONE REQUEST. MAY GOD BE WITH US.
I'LL SHOW THAT. THREE 132 IS NO ACTION.
NO ACTION. I GUESS I JUST GOT A QUESTION ON 132.
HAVE WE ADOPTED THE PLATFORM? NO, WE HAVE NOT. WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS THAT? I BELIEVE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS HAS A PRETTY ADVANCED DRAFT THAT YOU SHARED WITH COURT STAFF, AND I'LL CHECK THE DATE.
IT'S COMING FOR APPROVAL, BUT IT SHOULD BE SHORTLY KIND OF LATE IN APPROVAL.
I'M SORRY, KIND OF LATE. IT'S KIND OF LATE.
AND I KNOW IN THE PAST, THAT'S.
THAT'S ON YOU. I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF LATE.
YEAH. IT WOULD IT PROBABLY WORTHY OF WHEN WE MEET NEXT GO AROUND.
[00:50:04]
SO YOU ALL WORK UP WHAT YOU CAN IN THE INTERIM.THE OLD RULE USED TO BE BEFORE I GOT HERE, SOMETHING WAS ONLY.
WELL, LET'S VOTE ON CONSENT AGENDA.
PULL OUT ITEM 132 AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.
132 IS THAT OKAY? YEAH. WE'LL PULL 132.
SO, MEMBERS, YOU HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE MOTION WILL BE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT NO SPEAKERS ON THOSE ITEMS. SHOULD I MAKE IT A SEPARATE MOTION FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS AND TO APPROVE THOSE ITEMS THAT WERE LISTED AS A POSSIBILITY FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION, THEY WILL ALL GO BACK ON THE AGENDA.
THAT'S 127302 OR 303 THREE OR 435, THREE OR SIX.
MR. GARCIA MAKES A MOTION SECOND.
YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
I KNOW YOU GOT IT. DOES HE NEED SAY IT? NO, SIR. I GOT IT. IT'S OUR SECOND.
SECOND MOTION IS MADE BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF VOTE I ALL THOSE OPPOSED.
SO WE MAY DO THAT ONE BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
IF IF EVERYBODY AGREED, THEN FOR WHATEVER REASON I GOT HERE, I DISAGREE.
SO THEY CHANGED THE POLICY WHICH FORCED A VOTE ON EVERY ITEM IS IN THE AGENDA, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT UNWIELDY BECAUSE I GUESS TO KNOW WHAT WE ALL AGREE ON.
YOU GOT TO HAVE SOME VERY BROAD PRINCIPLES.
ALTHOUGH THE OTHER WAY IT WORKED WAS NOT.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THE CITY DOES IT, BUT WITH THAT SAID, THEY DO GO IN TODAY.
I KNOW THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IS THERE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK I MENTIONED TO A COUPLE OF YOU ALL THAT THE EVENT THEY DO FOR THE SENATORS ON THE MONDAY NIGHT BEFORE IS A NICE THING TO WALK AROUND AND KIND OF BE NICE AND ASK THEM TO BE GENTLE WITH US IN A BIPARTISAN WAY.
MY WIFE WENT, BUT I COULDN'T I COULDN'T GET UP THERE AND GET BACK TO BE HERE FOR TODAY.
BUT WE OUGHT TO TRY TO GO AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND I WOULD SAY FIND AS MANY ISSUES WHERE WE AGREE.
AND ONE I MENTIONED TO YOU AT THE PORT AUTHORITY MEETING YESTERDAY WAS IKE DIKE.
AND IF WE HAVE TO GO TO OUR VOTERS AND ASK FOR THAT LARGE OF A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, NOT ONLY WILL IT HAVE DIFFICULTY PASSING. IT'LL MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR US TO DO INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS DOWN THE ROAD.
AND OF COURSE, HARRIS COUNTY, BOTH FROM THE PORT AND FROM THE DIKE, THE THE THE LEVY THAT I'VE NOT EVEN HEARD, THAT BROUGHT UP PROBABLY TWO OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THINGS YOU COULD DO IN THE STATE WOULD BE RIGHT HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY.
I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PERSON TO RAISE THAT ISSUE THAN YOU, AND IT WAS NOT PLANNED.
COMMISSIONER BRYAN, CAN WE GET CONFIRMATION THAT BY NEXT COURT WE CAN HAVE A FULL BRIEF ON 132? SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AND VOTE WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.
AND I JUST CHECKED WITH THE TEAM.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA. ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH.
YEAH. YEAH. I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY.
AND I MENTIONED IT TO THE CHAIR.
WE PUT COMMISSIONER GARCIA TO REPRESENT US ON THAT.
ON THAT BOARD. I KNOW THE MWB ISSUE.
IN TERMS OF FULL DISCLOSURE, I'VE TALKED TO TWO OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS.
I'M GONNA PUT AS MUCH PRESSURE AS I CAN FROM THE FEDERAL MATCH.
THE STATE DOES HAVE A PROGRAM, BUT YOU'RE THE ONLY PERSON ON THAT.
IT WAS INTERESTING. I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE THERE.
I NOTICED WHEN I LOOKED AT THE BOARD, MANY OF THEM ARE FORMER OR CURRENT ELECTED OFFICIALS.
[00:55:03]
ON A DEEP AND WIDENING REPORT FROM CHAIRMAN CAMPOS YESTERDAY WAS WAS ENCOURAGING TO SAY AT LEAST.SO WE'VE GOT CREDIBILITY I THINK TO GO TO AUSTIN.
THEY ASKED FOR IT OUT AND WE'LL LAY BACK.
BUT YOU SHOULD WORK THAT FROM YOUR SIDE.
AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I THINK WE'LL WORK IT FROM OUTSIDE SIDE AND WE VOTE ON THAT AGENDA.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
[Appearances before court]
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS ASK MR. AYER TO WALK US THROUGH THE COURT DECORUM RULES, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD.AND I DO WANT TO STRESS THAT IF ANYONE IS VIOLATING THE RULES OF DECORUM, A MEMBER OF THIS COURT MAY ASK THE BAILIFF TO ESCORT THAT PERSON OUT OF THE COURTROOM, AND I'LL BE THE FIRST PERSON TO MAKE THAT REQUEST.
AND IN ADDRESSING THE COURT IN PART AND IN PARTICIPATING IN ANY PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS BEFORE THE COURT, THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK IN THE AUDIENCE IS WHEN YOU'RE IN FRONT OF THE LECTERN AS A PUBLIC SPEAKER.
THAT BEING SAID, ANY ANY ANY PROFANE, INSULTING, ANY THREATENING LANGUAGE, RACIAL, ETHNIC, GENDER OR EPITHETS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
ALL ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN AN ORDERLY FASHION AS POSSIBLE.
FIRST IS SPEAKER TWO, STEPHANIE VALDEZ SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEM TEN UNDER COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA. COMMISSIONER LESLIE, VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE.
MY NAME IS STEPHANIE VALDES, PART OF PRECINCT TWO, AND I'M REPRESENTING CYR.
WE ARE A COALITION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY AND RESILIENCE.
TODAY, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM 230225.
HARRIS COUNTY IS NOW HOME TO 4.68 MILLION PEOPLE, AND OUR POPULATION JUST KEEPS GROWING.
UNFORTUNATELY, STUDIES SHOW THAT HARRIS COUNTY HAS THE BIGGEST CARBON FOOTPRINT IN OUR COUNTRY.
IT IS VERY INSPIRING TO SEE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TAKE ACTION TO REDUCE ITS OWN EMISSIONS BY 40% BEFORE 2030 TO TRY AND PREVENT THE WORST OUTCOMES WITH CLIMATE DISORDERS, CLIMATE DISASTERS AND POLLUTION THAT WILL AFFECT ALL OF US IN THIS COURTROOM.
IT'S VERY INNOVATIVE AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL BE VERY EFFECTIVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.
TIFFANY. NEXT TO SPEAKER NUMBER THREE, ANDY ESCOBAR SPEAKING ON ITEM TEN IN PERSON.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS ANDY ESCOBAR, AND I'M HERE WITH SIR.
I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN PRECINCT ONE, BUT MY FAMILY LIVES IN UNINCORPORATED HARRIS COUNTY.
BOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE WORKING CLASS AND DISABLED.
FROM TROPICAL STORM ALLISON TO ALL OF THE HURRICANES, WE'VE BEEN OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. JEANETTE IS SPEAKER FOR MAXINE GOMEZ SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEM TEN.
[01:00:05]
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE COUNTY ON THIS PUSH FOR A CLEAN FUTURE.WE SUPPORT THE COUNTY IN THEIR EFFORTS TO REDUCE, REDUCE THEIR EMISSIONS AND PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOUR.
THANK YOU. NEXT IS TONI SAMPER.
I'M TONI SAMPER, PRESIDENT OF OF ACTING FACILITY MAINTENANCE.
I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO THANK COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR IMPLEMENTING THE MWB PROGRAM.
AND ESPECIALLY TO COMMISSIONERS ELLIS AND TO COMMISSIONERS GARCIA FOR APPOINTING SUCH QUALIFIED AND COMPASSIONATE INDIVIDUALS TO LEAVE THE MWB PROGRAM, SUCH AS JACK THOMAS AND MISS DIANA RODRIGUEZ RAMIREZ, AND HERE ALSO ON BEHALF OF THE LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS THE NBA MEMBERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MINORITY CONTRACTORS HOUSTON, TEXAS CHAPTER.
WE SUPPORT HARRIS COUNTY FUNDING THE 2023 MWB PROGRAM ITEM 316 OPTION TO BE AND RESPECTFULLY ASK HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO PLEASE CONSIDER FUNDING THIS MWB PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE IMMENSE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE.
THANK YOU, SIR. OUR TIME IS UP.
APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN AND SPEAKING ON IT.
NEXT IS SPEAKER FIVE JEREMY HENDRIX SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEM 322.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 322.
WHAT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER IS TEXAS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS STATE FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.
MORE PEOPLE DIE ON THE JOB WHERE PEOPLE ARE INJURED ON THE JOB.
AND IT IS UP TO HARRIS COUNTY TO MAKE A DENT IN THAT HORRIBLE NUMBER.
WE SHOULD NOT BE LEADING THE WAY IN THAT IN THE DEATHS OF WORKERS.
AND OSHA IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, EASY TO OBTAIN.
IT'S PROVEN TO REDUCE INJURIES AND DEATHS.
WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET HOME SAFELY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JEREMY.
NEXT IS SPEAKER SEVEN LINDA MORALES SPEAKING VIRTUALLY ON ITEM 322.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU. LINDA MORALES WITH THE TEXAS GULF COAST AREA LABOR FEDERATION.
DITTO TO WHAT ALL MY BROTHER JEREMY HENDRICKS SAID.
A FRIEND OF MINE JUST TEXTED ME.
SHE HAS NO IDEA THAT I WAS ON THIS CALL WAITING TO SPEAK ON CONTRACT OR SAFETY.
SAFETY POLICY. THREE, TWO, TWO.
WORKER ACROSS THE STREET, CUTTING CONCRETE BANDANA FOR A MASK.
APPRECIATE YOUR POSITIVE VOTE ON CONTRACT OR SAFETY POLICY.
ANY WAIT UNTIL WE HEAR FROM VERSUS SPEAKERS.
I DON'T WANT TO. THIS IS THE REST OF THE SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
AND IF WE DO THAT, HE WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE THE DISCUSSION.
HOW MANY MORE SPEAKERS. WHAT SPEAKERS? DO WE HAVE SOMETHING.
YEAH, WE HAVE. WELL, WE CAN LET THE ATTORNEY SPEAK.
I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE TO DOCK THE ITEM, BUT WE CAN.
AND I WANT TO STRESS, WE DO IT QUICKLY.
ARE FOLKS WHO MAY CALL THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
I'M GOING TO EXERCISE THE COURTESY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
SO WE WILL WE'LL PAUSE PUBLIC SPEAKERS RIGHT NOW AND GO TO ITEM 322.
IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY ON? YEAH, I'M ON. THERE YOU GO.
YES, SIR. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? YEP. OH, HEY. WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.
WE'RE INCREDIBLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK OF SAFETY POLICY.
[01:05:08]
SUPPORTED BY EVERYBODY, I THINK IT WAS UNANIMOUS, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, TO GO AND LOOK INTO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WORKPLACE SAFETY.SO THE POLICY THAT WE LANDED ON AS A RESULT OF OF THAT WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH LABOR, BUT ALSO OUR COUNTY BUSINESS PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS TO ENSURE THAT AS WE WERE PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WAS FLY BY NIGHT.
AND SO IN ORDER TO ENSURE LONGEVITY IN THE POLICY, WE WORKED WITH LABOR, WE WORKED WITH THE LARGE CONTRACTOR ASSOCIATIONS, WE WORKED WITH THE MINORITY CONTRACTOR ASSOCIATIONS, AND OF COURSE, WE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
AND SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF WHERE THIS IS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A CONTINUED CONVERSATION.
THE SHORT OF THE POLICY IS THAT IT REQUIRES OSHA TRAINING FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES AND MANAGERS WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS ON CERTAIN PROJECTS. AND THEN THERE'S KIND OF A SET OF OTHER RULES IN THE POLICY THAT TEMPORARILY PROHIBITS CERTAIN CONTRACTORS FROM BIDDING ON PROJECTS WITH THE COUNTY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY TRIED TO APPROACH THIS AND AND BE AS THOUGHTFUL AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT, ONE, WE'RE PROTECTING WORKER SAFETY, BUT TWO, THAT THE REQUIREMENTS AREN'T SO ONEROUS THAT IT RESULTS IN A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF BIDDERS.
AND I KNOW THAT THE CONTRACTOR ORGANIZATIONS WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO THAT DISCUSSION.
SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE POLICY AND WHERE IT IS NOW.
BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS JUST STEP ONE.
STEP TWO IS GOING TO BE THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE, AND THAT IS GOING TO ENTAIL CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, WITH THE CONTRACTOR ORGANIZATIONS. JUST RECENTLY, MY TEAM MET WITH THE MAJOR MINORITY CONTRACTOR ORGANIZATIONS TO TALK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN KIND OF HELP THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS, INCLUDING KIND OF IMPLEMENTED TRAINING ON FOR OSHA.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY CONSIDERING.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO NEIL.
SOCCER ON MY TEAM, ONE OF MY SPECIAL ASSISTANTS WHO REALLY KIND OF TOOK THIS BY THE HORNS AND WORKED CLOSELY WITH ALL THE THE OFFICES AT THE DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL AND FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR HIS WORK.
THANK YOU. IN A QUESTION OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO FINALLY MOVE ON IT.
I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE WORK TO IMPLEMENT THIS AND LET ME JUST TELL YOU, JEREMY AND OTHERS IN LABOR THAT IT IS SO PROFOUND TO SEE THE EMPTY WORK BOOTS WHEN YOU DO THE WORKERS MEMORIAL EVENT.
IT IS VERY PROFOUND TO SEE THOSE WORK BOOTS EMPTY THERE, REPRESENTING WORKERS FROM CONSTRUCTION SITES WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES. I REMEMBER AS A YOUNG POLICEMAN HAVING TO MAKE A SCENE WHERE PEOPLE WERE BEING PUT INTO CONCRETE, MIXING VATS TO CHIP AWAY AT DRIED CONCRETE WITH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE SCENE, THE REASON I WAS CALLED WAS BECAUSE THOSE BLADES DID SOME DAMAGE ON THAT PERSON.
AND SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY, VERY IMPRESSED UPON ME ABOUT HOW IT'S A TOUGH JOB.
WE RESPECT OUR WORKERS WHO ARE WILLING TO WORK AT THOSE CONSTRUCTION SITES, BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOME ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE DANGER BY US WHO SET RULES AND REGULATIONS.
BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING ALSO PRUDENT BY MAKING SURE AND I HOPE THAT I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT WOULD BE MR. MILLER SAID THAT WOULD BE TRACKING THIS.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET FEEDBACK FROM SMALL BUSINESSES IN PARTICULAR WHO MIGHT STRUGGLE WITH THE OSHA IMPLEMENTATIONS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THE EFFECTIVENESS, BUT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT INADVERTENTLY
[01:10:01]
CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.SPECIFICALLY. SO SO JEREMY, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO ENSURE THAT THIS ROLLS OUT, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO PAYING ATTENTION TO THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WE ALSO COUNT ON AS WELL.
AND AND MR. MURPHY, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS AND EVERYONE IN YOUR OFFICE HAD WORKED ON IT, NEAL IN PARTICULAR.
MR. MURPHY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
I HAVE MADE DIRECT OBSERVATIONS OF THIS PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 40 PLUS YEARS.
AND THE STORIES I COULD SIT HERE AND TELL YOU ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE ON THE CONSTRUCTION SITE FROM THE TIME I WAS AT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL MAKING VISITS TO THEIR CONSTRUCTION.
THEY DRILLED SHAFT BELL BOTTOM, PIERS.
I SAW THEM LOWER A GENTLEMAN IN THE SHAFT UNPROTECTED TO GET HIS HAT THAT HE DROPPED IN.
JUST TO THE POINT TO TELL YOU THE LEVEL OF INTEREST ENGINEERS HAVE IN THIS.
I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE JOB SUPERINTENDENT AND SAID, I'M SHUTTING THE JOB DOWN.
I'M THE ENGINEER FOR THE SITE.
I'M GOING TO REPORT YOU TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE REPORTED.
UNTIL WE DO MORE THAN HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE ON SITE HELPING OUR CONSTRUCTION FOLKS DO THIS. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO NOT HAVE AS MUCH AS WE ALL WOULD LIKE.
THE OTHER POINT, MR. MENIFEE, THAT I WOULD MAKE, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME.
THAT THIS WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATELY DONE TO ENGINEERING AND NOT THE.
I WOULD THINK THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO CONSTRUCTION JOB SITE SAFETY, YOU NEED TO INVOLVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR AT LEAST AS LONG AS IT'S BEEN CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN ENGINEERS.
SO I WOULD THINK THAT WE SHOULD PUT THIS UNDER OUR ENGINEERING GROUP TO BE MANAGED AND MONITORED AND TO BE SURE IT'S AS ROBUST THAT I THINK ENGINEERS HAVE A WAY OF LISTENING TO OUR CONSTRUCTION LEADERS.
THEY ALSO HAVE A WAY TO GET THINGS DONE.
AND DR. AMON, IF THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT, MR. MURPHY. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK, COMMISSIONER, AND SAYING YOU AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA WE WE DON'T HAVE ANY STRONG FEELINGS ON THAT.
WE KIND OF DEFER TO THE THE BODY, YOU KNOW, TO THE WILL OF COMMISSIONERS COURT ON THAT.
I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE BEING THOUGHTFUL IN OUR APPROACH AND KIND OF APPROACH THE COMMISSIONERS COURT OFFICES TO GET THAT FEEDBACK AND TO SEE WHERE IT MADE SENSE TO HOUSE IT. AND I KNOW THAT D.O.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE GOT THE IDEA TO PLACE IT IN THERE.
TO COME ON THE LINE WHEN WHEN YOUR TEAM PUTS US TOGETHER.
I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW IN OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE DONE IT.
WHERE HAVE THEY PLACED IT? I DO KNOW THE ISSUE CAME UP ON MWB AS AN EXAMPLE.
THERE WERE THOSE WHO WANTED THE MWB ISSUE TO BE IN EACH DEPARTMENT, BUT THE CONCERN WAS WHEN I GOT HERE, EVERYBODY SAID THE MWB NUMBERS AT THE COUNTY WERE BETTER THAN THEY WERE AT THE CITY.
PEOPLE SAID IT HERE IN PUBLIC AND THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
SO I'D JUST BE CURIOUS TO KNOW WHETHER, YOU KNOW, MR. MENIFEE OR MR. SARKIN IN OTHER PLACES.
IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE TO PUT IT IN PLACE ANYWAY.
BUT DO YOU KNOW, I THINK WE CAN GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE MEMBERS OF COURT AND THEN KIND OF GO BACK AND RUN IT DOWN? TWO THINGS THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT.
[01:15:05]
SO THAT'S POINT ONE.I'M SURE YOU'LL SEE A SMILE FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS IN LABOR WHO ARE IN THE ROOM, BUT THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF MODELS TO GO OFF OF AND THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE THIS IS KIND OF TURNING A NEW FRONTIER.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WAS IN ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, AND THAT INCLUDES WITH LABOR, WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND PARTICULARLY WITH THE CONTRACTORS, EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE THAT THAT WORKSITES NEEDS TO BE MORE SAFE AND THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN THAT PROCESS.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, YOU JUST WE DIDN'T SEE A BUNCH OF THESE TYPES OF POLICIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY COMMISSIONER ELLIS, WE WERE VERY MUCH TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT IT RIGHT.
RIGHT. BECAUSE THIS COULD BECOME THE EXAMPLE FOR OTHER JURISDICTIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
I BELIEVE THAT LIKE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, FOR EXAMPLE, IN TRAVIS COUNTY, THEY HAVE SOMETHING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAME UP EMPTY IN A LOT OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TAKE THIS FEEDBACK AND GO BACK AND AND TRY TO MODEL RE IMPLEMENTATION.
AND YOU PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO THIS.
THIS ITEM GOES BACK TO AUGUST 27TH, 2019, AND THERE WERE ABOUT EIGHT ITEMS LISTED ON THERE.
SO THIS POLICY TAKES INTO ACCOUNT TWO OF THEM, AND THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION FOR PURCHASING AGENT, COUNTY ENGINEER, COUNTY ATTORNEY TO ESTABLISH A VALUATION CRITERIA FOR CONTRACT SAFETY, RECORD CONSIDERATION FOR ALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND DEVELOP A POLICY RECOMMENDATION AND ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH SAID APPROVAL FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH POLICIES THAT WILL REQUIRE ALL PRIME AND SUBCONTRACTORS TO PROVIDE OSHA TEN TRAINING FOR ALL WORKERS IN OSHA, 30 TRAINING FOR SUPERVISORS WORKING ON CDBG AND CDBG FUNDED PROJECTS.
ABOUT EIGHT AND IT DID PASS UNANIMOUSLY.
BUT BE HONEST WITH YOU, I WANT TO GIVE YOU YOUR TEAM AND YOU KUDOS BECAUSE IT WAS STUCK IN LEGAL.
AND YOUR PREDECESSORS POSITION WAS THAT WE COULD NOT LEGALLY DO IT.
BUT I KNOW YOU ALL PULLED TOGETHER ALL OF THE FOLKS.
YOU DON'T. WHAT I FOUND FROM MY YEARS AS A POLICYMAKER IS THAT A LOT OF THINGS I DID, IF I HAD A CHANCE TO DO THEM OVER AGAIN, I'D GO CHANGE THEM. BUT KIND OF WANTS YOU TO DO THEM.
AND SO TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO JUST DECIDE IN A VACUUM IF IT WAS EASY TO DO.
WHEN THIS PASSED IN AUGUST 2019.
HAD BEEN DONE THEN. I HAVE A SUGGESTION.
WHEN WE DISCUSS IT THIS AFTERNOON, I WOULD PLEASE LIKE TO HEAR FROM DR.
RAMON AND DIO TO HEAR THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON HOW THIS POLICY FITS WITHIN THEIR WORK, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE IS A PROPOSED SOLUTION THAT WE CAN AGREE ON, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORKABILITY.
YEAH, AND, AND COMMISSIONER JONAS, I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
AND I WOULD JUST PROPOSE THE THE I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FUNCTIONALLY, OPERATIONALLY, ORGANIZATIONALLY I THINK IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE WE HAVE A COUNTY ENGINEER THAT SHARES THE VALUES OF THIS COURT AND HE RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS POLICY, BUT ALSO FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT HAVING WHEN I WAS A CHAIR OF THE CITIES AND TO BE COMMITTEE.
IT WAS JUST UNDER ONE OFFICE UNDER MR. LAWS AT THE TIME.
AND AND SO THE ORGANIZATIONS BACK THEN RESISTED INCLUSION OF THE THEN THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION OFFICE IN THEIR WORK.
BUT THAT'S WHEN TONY HINSHAW I WAS ABLE TO GET MAYOR WHITE TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BOTH THE PUBLIC WORKS AND TO BE OFFICE AND AVIATION.
AND IT WAS TRANSFORMATIVE BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP OF OF OH, PIER GOODWILL, GOODWILL PIER, GOODWILL AND GOODWILL.
GOODWILL PIER AND AND TONY HINSHAW.
AND IN THERE, CLOSER TO THE GROUND, THE ENGINEERING OFFICE ALREADY HAS INSPECTORS.
WE DO IT AT THE TABLE SOMETIMES WITHOUT AT LEAST KNOWING THE PROS AND CONS.
[01:20:01]
THE CITY'S PROGRAM ON MWB, BY THE WAY, GOES BACK TO 1984.IT WAS LEE ELLIOT BROWN, NOT LEE P.
AND AS EXAMPLE, THAT NUMBERS, BY THE WAY, MUST BE ALMOST THREE TIMES WHAT THEY ARE HERE.
WE'RE GOING TO KNOW IN FEBRUARY BECAUSE I WON'T PUT THEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO WE'LL GET AN UPDATE FROM FROM EVERYBODY, INCLUDING WHAT THEY DO, WHICH WOULD BE THE GRANDMOTHER.
BUT I THINK AS WE HEAR FROM DR..
YEAH. AND THEN I'M JUST SAYING, JUST MAKE SURE I'M SUGGESTING BEFORE WE JUST GO DO IT.
SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY AS OPPOSED TO JUST ADOPTING IT.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IF IT'S TWO WEEKS LATER, EVEN IF WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT THE REFORMS WHERE IT GOES? BECAUSE WHOEVER IT IS, I DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WANTED TO SEE IF WE HAD SOME OTHER COUNTY ATTORNEY BEFORE WE GO BACK.
COMMISSIONER BRYANT, IS THAT YOU HAVE ANY? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. MENIFEE. THANK YOU, COUNTY ATTORNEY MENEFEE, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS AND MISDEMEANOR FOR YOUR TEAM WHEN WE WHEN WE GET TO IT.
BIRNBAUM AND JIR, I'M SURE TO BE PREPARED.
I'M JUST READING FROM THE NOTES THAT THAT NEIL WROTE FOR ME ANYWAY, SO I'M SURE HE'LL BE FINE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. AND YOUR TEAM DID A GREAT JOB.
EVEN ENGINEERING. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASKED FOR.
OKAY, SO WE'LL PULL THIS ITEM DOWN AND GO BACK TO THE PUBLIC.
AND TIFFANY, WHERE WERE WE? NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER EIGHT, JACOB CLEMENTINE SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEM 333.
YOU HEARD OF UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED AND WE FALL.
WELL, I COME UP TOGETHER AND WE STAND TALKING NEGATIVELY ABOUT EACH OTHER, NOT AGREEING ON POLICY.
WE FALL. SO AND THAT'S JORDAN SWEET ON COMMERCIAL AND TOM RAMSEY IS A ONE ON THE SPOT ABOUT THERE NEEDING TO BE THEY TALK ABOUT THE TAX FIASCO I MEAN THAT TAX FIASCO ELECTION FIASCO THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY.
AND THEN WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS, MAN, JUST MAN GAVE ME GOOD WORKER ADVICE WHEN I'M WORKING THE RESTROOMS AT THE TEXANS TEXANS GAMES, I WANT US TO SAY WELCOME TO GAME DAY IN GULF TEXANS.
THIS WILL PLEASE THE FANS, THIS AND THAT AND THE TEXANS.
WELL, I WELCOME THE SPECTATORS WELCOME TO THE TAX ACT TEXAS MORE.
I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME AND A WHOLE LOT OF THE SPECTATORS IN FACT 110% THAT LIKE I GIVE MATHEMATICIAN WHERE YOU AGREE THAT THEY HAD A GOOD TIME AND THEN WENT MARISSA IS VERY INFLUENTIAL FOR ME AND INSPIRATIONAL FOR ME.
SO ONE SHOULD LISTEN TO HER BECAUSE SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.
WELL, THEN WHAT I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THIS.
I ASKED MY BANK FOR THAT WORKER ADVICE WHEN I WORKED IN THE ASSOCIATION, AND THIS WAS MY FIRST SEASON AND SO, WELL, I DID A GOOD JOB. AND COMMISSIONER.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING SPECIAL TO WELCOME YOU TO THE BOARD.
ACTUALLY, I WASN'T VOTING FOR JACK HAGEL, BUT.
WELL, I. AND THEN WHEN I ASKED COMMISSIONER BRATTON IF HE ENJOYED THAT KENYON ARTWORK OF THAT BACK THAT I GAVE HIM.
THANK YOU, SIR. YOUR TIME IS UP.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER TEN, MARISSA HANSEN SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEM 333.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS MARISSA HANSEN.
ARE THE RIGHTS EVEN THE MOST BASIC ARE ILLUSORY IF THE RIGHT TO VOTE IS UNDERMINED.
9307 MORE MAIL IN BALLOTS THAN REGISTERED VOTERS.
[01:25:01]
700 OF THOSE WERE NOT CHECKED FOR SIGNATURE VERIFICATION.IT'S THERE'S 22 LAWSUITS WHICH ARE FILED AND HOPE.
I HOPEFULLY WISH THAT YOU JOIN COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AND SUPPORTING AN ELECTION AUDIT BECAUSE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IS OUR CIVIC DUTY.
AND PEOPLE YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR TAXES, OUR SAFETY, OUR HEALTH.
THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP FOR THE COUNTY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ALEXI SWIRSKY SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEM 333.
I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RAMSEY THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON THE NOVEMBER 22 ELECTION HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY THAN WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED BY HARRIS COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR CLIFFORD TATUM.
IF HE MEANS THAT THE ELECTION WAS FAIR AND HONESTLY RUN TO KNOW IT WAS NOT A SUCCESS.
WITH AS MANY INCIDENTS OF VOTER SUPPRESSION EVEN BLAMING THE ASTROS, SIMILAR TO WHEN FORMER ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR ISABEL LONGORIA MADE USE OF THE MAY 22 ELECTION. ON THE ELECTION BEING CLOSE TO MOTHER'S DAY, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE DEMOCRAT COUNTY JUDGE AND THE DEMOCRAT COMMISSIONERS THINK THAT HIRING LACKEYS TO RUN FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS. THANK YOU, MA'AM.
YOUR TIME IS WHAT THEY CONSIDER A SUCCESS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS SPEAKER 12 KATHERINE TULLY SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEM 333.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS KATHERINE TULLY, AND I AM THE HARRIS COUNTY VOTER. I'M DISCUSSING AND ENCOURAGING THAT ASSESSMENT FROM MR. TATUM. ON DECEMBER 30TH, THE TEXAS TRIBUNE HEADLINE READ ALMOST TWO MONTHS AFTER ELECTION DAY, HARRIS COUNTY STILL DOESN'T KNOW IF POLLING SITE PROBLEMS KEPT PEOPLE FROM VOTING.
WE DO KNOW THAT THERE WERE PAPER SHORTAGES FOR BALLOTS.
DOORS WERE NOT UNLOCKED AND MACHINES WERE DOWN.
I WATCHED A VIDEO OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN SITTING IN HER CAR CRYING AND PLEADING TO HARRIS COUNTY OFFICIALS BECAUSE OF THE WITNESS SHE SAW OF PEOPLE DISENFRANCHIZED FROM PEOPLE VOTING NEAR BAKER RIPLEY.
THIS COUNTY SEARCH OFFICE, THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS CHANGED FROM WHERE WE HAD ELECTION OFFICIALS WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE TO VOTERS, TO SOMEONE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE TO NO ONE.
AND THAT WAS A TERRIBLE CHANGE.
AND AS A VOTER, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE VOTING ON THE ELECTION DAY.
I'D LIKE TO SEE VOTING WITH AN ID.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.
NEXT WE'RE MOVING TO NON AGENDA SPEAKERS.
FIRST IS NON AGENDA SPEAKER PHYLLIS MA SPEAKING VIRTUALLY.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GO AHEAD PLEASE.
YES, MY NAME IS PHYLLIS MOTH AND I'M SPEAKING ON THE PROPOSED BIKE LANES ON BLODGETT STREET.
THE BIKE LANES ON BLODGETT WILL ONLY INCREASE THE CURRENT ISSUES OF PARKING, TRAFFIC AND SPEEDING.
THE MONEY SPENT ON THIS PROJECT IS TAXPAYERS MONEY.
IT DOESN'T BELONG TO HARRIS COUNTY, NOR DOES IT BELONG TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND WE ARE PLEASED THAT THE TAXPAYERS MONEY IS BEING USED TO.
SO WE'LL TRY IT BACK A LITTLE LATER.
SPEAKER NUMBER THREE, CHERYL GRAVES SPEAKING IN PERSON.
GOOD MORNING. WORSE AFTERNOON.
I'M SORRY. I JUST GOT METRO LIVE ABOUT.
I AM A 64 YEAR OLD, DISABLED, TAXPAYING SYS CITIZEN THAT HAS RESIDED AT 111, TWO, TWO MASER DRIVE FOR 29 AND A HALF YEARS.
I AM SEEKING A RESOLUTION FOR THE DUST NOISE AND TRAFFIC ON MESA DRIVE.
[01:30:05]
I HAVE SEVERAL ILLNESSES AND THE LATEST I OBSERVED WAS.I HAD TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT LBJ ON NOVEMBER 7TH BECAUSE MY NOSE BLED FOR CONSECUTIVE DAYS FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY, THAT SATURDAY.
IT PLAYED THREE DAYS, THREE TIMES.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP.
NO, BUT I'LL HAVE SOMEONE OFF MY STAFF TO VISIT WITH YOU.
THEY'LL COME GRAB YOU FOR AN AUDIENCE.
PHYLLIS MOSS IS BACK ON THE LINE.
WE'LL LET HER FINISH HER COMMENTS.
THE BLODGETT STREET BICYCLE LANES SHOULD BE RELOCATED TO A STREET THAT PROVIDES DIRECT ACCESS TO THE METRO RAIL, THUS ALLOWING ACCESS TO TEXAS SOUTHERN AND UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
THE BIKE LANES ON BLIGE'S WILL ONLY INCREASE THE CURRENT ISSUE OF PARKING, TRAFFIC AND SPEEDING.
THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS.
PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH, LOCATED ON BUDGET, WAS NOT AWARE.
NEITHER WERE THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS RIVERSIDE TERRACE, CANFIELD, WASHINGTON TERRACE.
NONE OF THE ASSOCIATIONS WERE ADVISED OF THE PROPOSED BICYCLE LANES.
THE CURRENT DRAINAGE PROJECT IS NEEDED AND IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.
THE DRAINAGE PROJECT SHOULD NOT BE TIED TO THE BICYCLE LANES.
THERE ARE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT ENTITIES.
THE MONEY SPENT ON THESE PROJECTS IS TAXPAYERS MONEY.
IT DOESN'T BELONG TO THE COUNTY NOR TO THE CITY.
WE WOULD APPRECIATE A REVIEW OF THIS PROCESS AND CONSIDER MOVING THE BLODGETT BICYCLE LANES TO ELGIN OR ANOTHER STREET THAT WILL GIVE YOU ACCESS TO THE METRO LANES, ALLOWING ACCESS TO TSU U OF H.
YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU, MISS MOSS.
NEXT IS NON AGENDA. SPEAKER NUMBER SEVEN MARBELLA.
GLORY TO MY GOD, JESUS CHRIST.
I'M HERE TO HAVE THE PEOPLE SYSTEM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE MANDATORY HEAVY BAILOUT PROGRAM INVESTIGATED FOR THE VIOLATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS OF MY HOUSEHOLD AND ME. WHEN HAS GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION NOT EXISTED? AS LONG AS GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN RUN BY HUMANS, CORRUPTION HAS EXISTED BECAUSE HUMANS WITHOUT GOD ALMIGHTY ARE CORRUPT.
I ADDRESS THOSE TO WHOM THIS PERTAINS TO SET ASIDE ALL ULTERIOR MOTIVES, SUCH AS POLITICAL AFFILIATION, BIASES, PERSONAL MOODS, ETC., AND FOCUS ON THE LAW, WHICH, WHEN ESTABLISHED ON WHAT IS RIGHT, HAS THE OUTCOME DESIRED, WHICH IS JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THE ONLY OUTCOME IT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR WHICH, I REPEAT, IS JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALSO, RACISM I WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON THE RECORD.
IT CAN BE COME FROM ANY RACE, SO I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS THE WHITE MAN THAT CAN BE RACIST.
WE ALL NEED TO LOOK INTO EACH OTHER.
CAN YOU PUT IT ON COUNTY RECORD, PLEASE? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
SPEAKER NUMBER 11 RV HOWARD SPEAKING IN PERSON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
I AM ARBA HOWARD, AND FOR 71 YEARS I'VE LIVED LESS THAN 100 YARDS FROM TSU AND BLODGETT.
THE BLODGETT BIKEWAY PROJECT IMPEDES RATHER THAN IMPROVES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
CLAIMS OF IMPROVED SAFETY, EQUITY AND ACCESS DO NOT HOLD UP.
REDUCING BLODGETT LANES BY 50% CREATES DANGER, NOT SAFETY.
USING OUR TAX DOLLARS TO PAVE OUR STREETS AND TO PREVENT FLOODING IS WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
THAT WAS NOT AN ACT OF CHARITY.
IF CONSTITUENTS REALLY MATTER AND ARE VALUED, THIS PROJECT WILL BE REVISED TO FOCUS ON RESIDENTS AND OUR NEEDS AND WILL BE BASED ON INCLUSION AND INTEGRITY. PROJECT PARTNERS TSU AND BY CARLSON SHOULD SHARE IN THE COST OF THIS PROJECT.
AND I WOULD LIKE AT THIS TIME TO THANK TAKE A MOMENT OF PRIVILEGE TO THANK BRANDON DUDLEY.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING.
YOU'RE WELCOME. PRESIDENT NEXT IS NOT AGENDA.
IS THAT A CITY OF HOUSTON CALLED OUT?
[01:35:02]
NO, THAT'S PRECINCT ONE PROJECT.WE HAVE ONE MORE. SPEAKER NUMBER 12, MAYA FORD SPEAKING VIRTUALLY.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS MAYA FORD.
I'M A RESIDENT OF HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT ONE.
I HAVE FOUR CORE POINTS REGARDING THE CORRIDOR TSU FOR PHASE TWO.
THE FIRST IS THAT I WANT TO COMMEND RESIDENTS FOR GOING FROM NOT NO BIKE LANES IN MY YARD, NOT HERE TO WHAT'S THE QUALITY AND THE LEVEL OF CONNECTIVITY. THE SECOND IS TO REALLY IDENTIFY IF WE VALUE THE VOICE THAT'S ONLY LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR OWN INTERESTS IN THIS MOMENT.
EQUITY, CONNECTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND FEASIBILITY FOR OTHER OPTIONS IS WHAT THE FUTURE OF THIRD WARD AND NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THIRD WARD NEED.
AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO EDIT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET VOICES FROM MORE PERSONS THAT LOOK LIKE A CERTAIN TYPE OF DEMOGRAPHIC WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE THIRD IS THAT WE MUST HAVE A CLEAN FUTURE AND BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.
ANY OTHERS? THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS.
OKAY, MEMBERS, WHAT'S YOUR PREFERENCE? GO TO THE AGENDA OR YOU WANT LUNCH? IT'S UP TO YOU AND YOUR STAFFS.
YOU LOOK LIKE YOU. I'M ALL RIGHT.
BUT I WOULD SAY FOR OUR STAFF.
I WANT A BREAK. YOU WANT 30 MINUTES? YOU WANT AN HOUR? LET'S DO.
IS THAT ALL RIGHT, STAFF? I DON'T WANT YOU.
LOOK, WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT YOU TO WALK 30 MINUTES.
THAT'S RIGHT. I GOT TO. I GOT TO GO.
IT IS NOW. IT IS NOW 1227 COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL RECESS AND RECONVENE AT 1 P.M..
THANK YOU. IT IS NOW 113 COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS RETURNED FROM RECESS AND IS BACK IN SESSION.
MEMBERS, WE WILL START WITH ITEM.
[Departments (Part 2 of 2)]
TEN. IN THE FIRST ITEM FOR DISCUSSION IS ITEM TEN.AND THIS IS AN ITEM THAT THAT I FLAGGED.
YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES. WE CAN'T SEE YOU YET, BUT I THINK.
THERE YOU ARE. YES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS LISA LIN. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LETTING ME PRESENT TO YOU TODAY ON SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, ESPECIALLY AS TODAY IS ACTUALLY MY ONE YEAR WORK ANNIVERSARY AT THE COUNTY. SO CONGRATULATIONS.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT AND THE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH COUNTY DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER THIS COUNTY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IN A RELATIVELY QUICK MANNER.
NEXT SLIDE. I DON'T KNOW IF MY SLIDE PRESENTATION IS, BUT ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE.
THIS BEING THE COUNTY'S FIRST CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO BE VERY CLEAR IN THE OBJECTIVES THAT WE WANTED TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS PLAN.
SO NOT ONLY DO WE WANT TO REDUCE OUR EMISSIONS, BUT ALSO BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BY LOWERING OUR OPERATING EXPENSES AND GOING AFTER CLEAN ENERGY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES WHERE APPLICABLE, AND FURTHER BOLSTER OUR ADAPTIVE CAPACITY AND OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE IN RUNNING THE COUNTY.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS BEING THE FIRST OPERATIONAL YEAR OF THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD SOME CATCHING UP TO DO WITH SOME OF OUR PEER CITIES AND COUNTIES AND WHO'VE BEEN ACTUALLY WORKING ON THIS CLIMATE ACTION WORK FOR YEARS OR EVEN DECADES.
BUT BECAUSE OF THIS KIND OF KIND OF CATCHING UP KIND OF STANCE THAT WE'VE BEEN IN, WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT A ROBUST BODY OF WORK THAT EXISTS IN THIS SPACE AND USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THOSE BEST PRACTICES AND UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN POTENTIALLY LEAPFROG INTO BEING A LEADER IN THIS SPACE.
[01:40:02]
SO AS WE'VE REVIEWED OTHER CAPS, WE ALSO INTERVIEWED OTHER SUSTAINABLE DIRECTORS AND CITIES AND COUNTIES, BUT WE ALSO LOOKED AT SOME NON LOCAL GOVERNMENT CLIMATE ACTION PLANS LIKE THE US ARMY'S CLIMATE STRATEGY.SO THIS KIND OF DEPICTS SOME OF THE EXAMPLE CLIMATE ACTION PLANS THAT WE LOOKED AT.
NEXT SLIDE. SO IN AUGUST, IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, WE BROUGHT ON THE ADVANCED RESEARCH CENTER, OR HAQUE, TO BE OUR FACILITATOR AND CONSULTANT FOR THIS INTERNAL PLANNING STRATEGY.
SO WE HAD REALLY GREAT PARTICIPATION IN THROUGH THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
IF YOU LOOK ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THESE GOALS AND 2030 TARGETS.
AND WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO STRESS THAT THIS IS ALLOWING US THE ABILITY TO HAVE THIS KIND OF PATHWAY, BUT ALSO ALLOW US THE ABILITY TO RECALIBRATE AND BE FLEXIBLE AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THE 2030 GOALS THAT WE'VE SET.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF BE FLEXIBLE IN MOVING THIS FORWARD.
SO WE WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT AND DID MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THIS FINAL PLAN TO TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE IDEAS OF WHAT DOES THIS PLAN COST? AND WE WANT TO DEFINITELY EMPHASIZE THAT WE DON'T WANT TO OVERSPEND AS WE IMPLEMENT THESE ACTIONS, BUT WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT BY DOING THIS, WE'RE ACTUALLY CREATING VALUE FOR THE COUNTIES. SO A LOT OF THESE ACTIONS ACTUALLY BE CATEGORIZED AS LOW COST ACTIONS OR A REDIRECTION OF EXISTING FUNDING.
SO MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
HOW MUCH DO THESE KIND OF NEAR-TERM ACTIONS THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTING, HOW MUCH THOSE COST AND CREATING AN IMPLEMENTATION MEMO THAT THAT NOT ONLY KIND OF PROVIDES AN IDEA OF THE POTENTIAL COSTS, BUT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE OTHER BENEFITS OF THE ACTION.
SO ARE THERE WAYS TO HELP US ACHIEVE SUPPLIER DIVERSITY GOALS? WHAT'S THE AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITY COST SAVINGS, COMMUNITY BENEFITS, SUCH AS APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT MIGHT BE DESIGNED ALONGSIDE SOME OF THESE ACTIONS? THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT OUR IDEA ON THE SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATING COUNCIL.
AND SO THAT REALLY HELPS INSTITUTIONALIZE SUSTAINABILITY.
AND SO WITH THE SUSTAINABLY CORDONING COUNCIL OR WORKING GROUP, WHICH WILL BE MADE UP OF COUNTY DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES AND PRECINCT REPRESENTATIVES, THIS WILL REALLY HELP EXPEDITIOUSLY IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN FOR THE COUNTY.
NEXT SLIDE. AND THIS IS JUST TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THE TIMELINE OF PROGRESS AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY FORESEE IN TERMS OF 2023, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN TERMS OF THIS IMPLEMENTATION EFFORT.
SO THE LAST SLIDE OF THIS PRESENTATION BASICALLY KIND OF TALKS ABOUT PHASE TWO.
SO PHASE ONE WAS THIS INTERNAL EFFORT.
WE DID RECEIVE A MINI GRANT OF 20,000 FROM PARTNERS FOR PLACES BACK IN OCTOBER.
THIS ALLOWED US TO KIND OF PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION, COALITION FOR ENVIRONMENT EQUITY AND RESILIENCE OR HERE AND ARE A PLACE BASED FUNDER, WHICH IS THE HERSHEY FOUNDATION, AND WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD ON SOME PRE PLANNING WORK THAT WILL HELP US REALLY DEFINE AND PROCESS AND ORGANIZE AND FRAME WHAT THE CLIMATE JUSTICE PLAN FOR THE COUNTY, WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
AND SO THIS INITIAL FUNDING WILL HAS ALLOWED US TO BRING ON TWO FACILITATORS WHO ARE VERY EXPERIENCED IN THIS IN THIS ARENA AND HELP US HOST SOME INITIAL MEETINGS IN PRECINCTS ONE AND TWO, ESPECIALLY SINCE THOSE TWO PRECINCTS HAVE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF DISADVANTAGED OR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, ACCORDING TO THE JUSTICE 40 INITIATIVE.
AND THE CDC WILL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH YOUR STAFF TO IDENTIFY THE APPROPRIATE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY WITH THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT ALIGNS WITH YOUR PRECINCT PRIORITIES. AND IN ORDER TO ENGAGE MORE BROADLY ACROSS ALL THE PRECINCTS, WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDING FROM HERSHEY FOUNDATION, BUT ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR ADDITIONAL FOUNDATION FUNDING TO TO REACH MORE RESIDENTS FOR THIS INITIATIVE.
[01:45:03]
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.SURE. COMMISSIONER GARCIA, THANK YOU.
AND NUMBER ONE, ON YOUR ANNIVERSARY.
AND NUMBER TWO, FOR THIS FOR THIS PLAN, IT'S IT'S IT'S A GREAT WAY TO START A NEW YEAR. AND AND I'M PROUD OF THE EFFORTS TO MAKE HARRIS COUNTY MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE SUSTAINABLE TODAY AND FOR IN PARTICULAR, FOR THE FOR THE FUTURE.
AND AND SINCE, YOU KNOW, AS I OFTEN REMIND FOLKS THAT THIS KIND OF STARTED IN PART WITH THE COUNTY'S ROLE WITH THE PUBLIC POWER POOL AND AND HOW THAT JUST WASN'T A SMART WAY FOR US TO TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND AND IT LED US THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, AND SINCE WE'VE ADVANCED SEVERAL OTHER INITIATIVES THAT ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THIS PLAN PROVIDES THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ACTIONS TO REDUCE OUR IMPACT ON CLIMATE.
THIS IS EXCITING, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR FOCUS ON PHASE TWO ALREADY.
AND I'M LOOKING I'M LOOKING TO WORK WITH YOU AND AND, AND AND MOVE THAT FORWARD BECAUSE THAT ONE WILL HAVE SOME FOCUS ON FENCELINE COMMUNITIES OF WHICH I'VE GOT BIG, BIG NUMBER OF.
THE THIS PLAN DOES SET SOME AMBITIOUS, ALBEIT FLEXIBLE GOALS, BUT WE GOT TO SET THOSE GOALS TO SHOOT AT AND SHOOT FOR, AND OTHERWISE WE WON'T MOVE.
BUT WITHOUT A DOUBT, THIS IS POSITIONING HARRIS COUNTY AS A LEADER IN THIS REGARD, AND I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRESS BEING MADE.
THE THE NOW, AS WE LOOK INTO PHASE TWO, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M PUTTING A MARKER DOWN ON THE RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT HERE.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO EMPOWER THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS.
I THINK ENGINEERING IN PARTICULAR WITH THE RESOURCES THEY'LL NEED TO MAKE SURE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE TECHNOLOGIES AND THAT CAPACITY TO GIVE THIS PLAN ALL THE ALL THE RESOURCES OR ALL THE CAPACITY TO HAVE THE IMPACT THAT IT CAN HAVE.
SO, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND VERY PROUD OF YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, THEN COMMISSIONER BROWN IS THIS LAND.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND MAYBE THERE'S A LOT MORE INTRODUCTORY WE COULD DO ON ON YOU USE THE TERM CLIMATE CHANGE, AS I'VE BEEN WORKING IN THIS SCIENCE FOR 45 YEARS.
IN FACT, MY DEGREES IN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING.
AND WHEN I REFER TO THESE KINDS OF ISSUES, I CALL IT CLIMATE UNDERSTANDING.
1972. YOU GO TO PASADENA IN 1972.
IF YOU SAW HOW FOGGY IT WAS THIS MORNING.
THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD INDICATION OF WHAT IT WAS IN PASADENA.
IT WAS THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR EYES WATER.
SO I REMEMBER HOW IT WAS IN PASADENA AND EAST SIDE IN A LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES BACK IN 1972.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD JUST SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO START FROM SQUARE ONE.
NO, THAT WAS IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE.
I REMEMBER SAMPLING THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL IN 1972.
TODAY, IT'S TEEMING WITH FISH AND AND IT'S REVISED.
WHAT'S MY POINT? MY POINT IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE DEALING WITH CLIMATE UNDERSTANDING FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS.
SO I'M GOING TO USE AN ENGINEERING TERM.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THEY HAVE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY.
[01:50:02]
THOSE INDUSTRIES ALONG THERE.THEY'RE THE VERY LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
I DON'T THINK IT INDICATES ANY POTENTIAL COST OR DEFINED TIMELINES ASSOCIATED WITH THE OBJECTIVES.
I THINK WE'VE LOOKED AT IT, MISS LIND, BUT I THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE A COST OF TRANSITION.
I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT THAT ON THE FRONT LAND, FRONT END, WE DON'T KNOW REALLY HOW DOES IT IMPACT FLEET OPERATION MAINTENANCE? CAN THE SAME TYPE OF WORK BE COMPLETED BY HARRIS COUNTY FLEET OPERATIONS OR AS WELL AS OFFSITE VENDORS? WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF USING ELECTRONIC VEHICLES DURING WEATHER EVENTS? WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENTS IN THE AREA.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT? JUST TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WHEN WE DO IMPLEMENT A SUCCESSFUL PLAN, WE PRETTY MUCH ANTICIPATED THE THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN.
I THINK THE PLAN REFERENCES AN OLDER PLAN FROM AROUND 2009 THAT WASN'T EVER ADOPTED.
I'D BE INTERESTED TO LOOK AT THAT PLAN TO SEE WHY IT WASN'T ADOPTED.
GO ONE TALKS ABOUT THE CREATION OF A REVOLVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND THAT IN TERMS OF FOR THE NEWLY ELECTED, NEWLY CREATED INITIATIVES AND HIRED ANOTHER GROUP TO OPERATE IT.
I THINK THE REPORT HAS A LOT OF REFERENCES TO ENERGY AND INFORMATION FROM 2020 AND 2021.
WE KNOW THOSE WERE COVID YEARS.
SO THAT DATA, AS THE BUILDINGS WERE OPERATING AND OTHER THINGS WERE OPERATING, THAT WAS SKEWED.
I'M CURIOUS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS FROM JOE'S HOSPITALS IN R.G PARK VERSUS HARRIS COUNTY? THAT'S THERE'S SOME SPECIFICS IN TERMS OF THAT DATA, 67% COMING FROM COUNTY FACILITIES.
WHERE ARE THOSE? AGAIN, THE EYE IS WHERE CAN WE GET THE MOST BANG FOR OUR INVESTMENT DOLLAR IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND DOLLARS ON CLIMATE INITIATIVES, CLIMATE UNDERSTANDING INITIATIVES, THEN I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE AT LEAST PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE.
AND THEN WHEN THE FEDERAL MONEY GOES AWAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE LEFT TO OPERATE IT, I THINK ANTICIPATING THOSE THINGS THAT TRULY WILL PAY FOR THEMSELVES. SO I'VE SAID AFTER THE MOST RECENT ISSUES WE'RE SAVING, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT WITH THE GLO AND SOME OTHER THINGS IN TERMS OF MONEY.
I THINK THE OBJECTIVE IS WE NEED TO BE SURE WE GET THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM AND NOT JUST HAVE A PLAN THAT LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER, SITS UP ON THE SHELF AND IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT.
I'VE GOT WAY MORE QUESTIONS ON THE PLAN THAN I DO ANSWERS.
I THINK WE NEED TO GET THOSE BEFORE WE ADOPT A PLAN WE NEED TO GET.
BUT I'LL NOT BE SUPPORTING THE INITIATIVE TODAY, MAINLY BECAUSE THERE'S MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER AND COMMISSIONER BRYANT'S.
LIN, HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU IN PERSON AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PLAN AND I RECOGNIZE WE ALWAYS HAVE RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS.
THAT BEING SAID, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT PRECINCT FOUR LOOKS FORWARD TO LEANING IN AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT COMMISSIONER CAGLE AND HIS TEAM DID, OUR TOMBALL SERVICE CENTER, AND IT BEING A LEAD GOLD BUILDING, I THINK NEEDS TO BE A MODEL FOR THE COUNTY ON A GO FORWARD BASIS.
SO PLEASE, WE'D LIKE TO LEAN IN.
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT SHE HAS STUDIED AND FEELS VERY PASSIONATELY ABOUT.
SO ALL OF OUR TEAM IS READY TO REALLY DRILL IN AND SEE HOW WE CAN WORK ON THIS VERY PURPOSELY.
AND I HAVE THREE LITTLE GIRLS AND SO I OWE IT TO THEM AND ONE DAY MY FUTURE GRANDCHILDREN.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
[01:55:01]
AND AGAIN, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSION.
I THINK WE'LL BE THE SECOND COUNTY IN TEXAS.
IS THAT RIGHT? TO ADOPT A PLAN? IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK ONLY TRAVIS COUNTY.
I DID HEAR THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE THAT DALLAS COUNTY WAS WORKING ON ONE, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET.
SO I DID SPEAK WITH THEIR CONSULTANTS AT ONE POINT.
SO BUT YES, THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND ONE OFFICIAL, I BELIEVE IT WAS STATED.
AS WAS STATED, WE ARE THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
WE ALSO THE LARGEST AND BIGGEST POLLUTERS IN THE COUNTRY.
I'M PROUD THAT THE OFFICE WAS CREATED.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GIVING YOU THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED.
HOW BIG IS YOUR STAFF? IT'S JUST ME FOR NOW.
BUT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING AN ENERGY MANAGER, SO THAT JOB OPPORTUNITY IS POSTED.
YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY WE MAY BE THE SECOND OR THIRD IF DALLAS HAS DONE IT COUNTY IN TEXAS TO DO ONE TO HAVE A PLAN, BUT HOPEFULLY WE WON'T BE THE LAST.
MOST OF WHAT YOU ADOPT IN THIS PLAN, WHICH YOU RECOMMEND, IS STUFF THAT WE CAN CONTROL.
AND THERE'S ONLY A LIMITED AMOUNT OF IMPACT WE CAN HAVE IN TERMS OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
BUT WE TALKED A LITTLE EARLIER ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE YOUR EXPERTISE AND EXPERTISE AROUND THE TABLE.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER BROWN'S STAFF HAS SOME GOOD FOLKS, COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND MY TEAM AS WELL.
SO WE CAN USE YOUR VOICE IN AUSTIN AS WELL, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WILL COME DOWN THE PIPELINE IN AUSTIN THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT MAYBE ON EVEN OUR ABILITY, EVEN AFTER WE ADOPT THIS PLAN AND GOING BEYOND THAT ON THINGS THAT WE CAN IMPACT OTHER THAN JUST WHAT WE DO WITH COUNTY FACILITIES, BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE DO LOOK TO US.
BUT LOOK, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT SOME OF THAT ARPA MONEY COULD BE USED KNOWING WHEN IT'S GONE.
BUT IF IT GETS MUCH HOTTER ON OUR CASE NOW, MUCH COLDER IN THE WINTER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HOST OF OTHER ISSUES BECAUSE IT IS CLIMATE CHANGE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
I GUESS WE'VE HAD EVERYTHING IN OUR REGION OUT OTHER THAN AN EARTHQUAKE.
I FOUND THAT OUT. TARRANT COUNTY HAS.
BUT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE AGGRESSIVE.
AND I KNOW, MR. MANAGER, THE FOLKS REPORT TO YOU, BUT WHEN I CALL THEM ON MY STAFF, YOU REPORT TO ME.
SO WHEN WE CREATED THE BUDGET OFFICE, WHAT OUR GREAT NEW BUDGET DIRECTOR AND THE COUNTY MANAGER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T JUST GET MY INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY MANAGER. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR WHEN I CALL.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BASHFUL, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BE BASHFUL IN PUBLIC.
MAYBE IT COMES THROUGH THE MANAGER, BUT.
BUT NOT WHEN ANY COMMISSIONERS OFFICE CALLS.
BECAUSE I WANT US TO BE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT THIS.
I WANT TO HAVE I WANT HARRIS COUNTY AT THE TABLE, EVEN IF IT'S IN THE AUDIENCE HAVING SOMETHING TO SAY WHEN THE NEXT INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE SUMMIT COMES UP.
AND I KNOW SOME OF US WOULD HAVE GONE, BUT FOR THE FACT THAT IT WAS ELECTION TIME AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES NORMALLY DOES NOT SEND A DELEGATION, CITIES DO, BUT NACO DOES NOT.
AND WE'RE PUSHING TO GET THAT CHANGE.
AND WHAT COMMISSIONER BRYAN, IF YOU WILL, AND YOUR VOICE TO THAT NACO EFFORT AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AS WELL, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ADOPTION OF HARRIS COUNTY ACTION PLAN FOR INTERNAL OPERATIONS AND INTER-DEPARTMENTAL EMISSIONS REDUCTION STRATEGY? JAMES, IS THAT YES, THAT'S PRESENTED IN HIS SECOND SECONDED, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROBABLY SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE I I THOSE WHO ARE NAY NAY THERE BEING THREE EYES AND WHEN THEY THE MOTION PASSES THE NEXT ITEM.
[02:00:03]
I FIRST WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS AND.I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS AND SORT OF THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING WITH SOME GUESTS DURING OUR OUR BREAK IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR TEAM IN PRECINCT, YOU AND I KNOW IN ALL OF OUR OFFICES, WE.
AND THIS PARTICULAR POLICY IS IS SO CRITICAL BECAUSE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN WE THINK YOU WORK FOR A PLACE LIKE HARRIS COUNTY, YOU GOT AN INSURANCE.
YOU GOT ALL OF THESE RESOURCES.
BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A SERIOUS ILLNESS, YOU CANNOT HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES.
AND SO THIS PARTICULAR POLICY CAME TO OR THE NEED FOR IT CAME TO LIGHT WHEN I RECOGNIZED THAT SEVERAL OF MY PRECINCT TWO FAMILY HAD EXHAUSTED THEIR PAID BENEFITS AND EXHAUSTED THEIR FMLA AND AND IT WAS LEAVING THEM WITH VERY FEW OPTIONS.
ONE OF THEM WAS, IN SPITE OF THEIR HEALTH CONDITION, WAS THAT THEY'D HAVE TO COME BACK TO WORK.
JUST SO THAT THE CLOCK COULD RE-UP ON THEM OR GO TO A COBRA, WHICH IS VERY COSTLY.
AND NONE OF THOSE WERE ACCEPTABLE FOR ME.
SO THIS IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS FOR COLLEAGUES TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN COLLEAGUES.
AND THAT, TOO, I APPRECIATE BECAUSE SEVERAL OF MY TEAM MEMBERS HAVE SAID I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT, DIDN'T SEE THE VALUE IN IT THEN, BUT DO RECOGNIZE IT AS SUCH TODAY.
OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN HERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM.
AND SO I SEE THIS AS US BEING HERE FOR THEM WHEN WHEN THEY NEED US THE MOST.
THE SICK LEAVE POOL CURRENTLY HAS 52,000 DONATED HOURS, WITH OVER 600 AND OR ABOUT 648 EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE USED PAID PARENTAL LEAVE IN 2022 FOR A TOTAL OF 24,700 738 DAYS.
SO I AM I'M VERY EXCITED TO MOVE ON THIS ITEM.
HE HELPS TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES.
HE HELPS WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES, BUT HE ALSO HELPS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR TWO FAMILIES.
SO THANK YOU, PERNELL, FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS.
AND SO I'M HONORED TO MOVE ON TO THE ITEM THAT'S PRESENTED.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
YEAH, I WOULD I WOULD APPRECIATE SECONDING THIS.
I THINK IT, TOO, IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO FOR OUR FAMILIES.
THOSE FOLKS THAT THAT REALLY CONTRIBUTE THEIR LIFE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GREAT COUNTY.
BUT I AM GOING TO ASK THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO BE SURE THAT WE PROPERLY BUDGET FOR THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTED. AND I'M ASSUMING THAT WHEN SOMEONE CALLS YOU AND SAYS MY KEY PERSON IS GOING TO BE OUT FOR THREE MONTHS, IT COULD BE PARENTALLY, IT COULD BE SICK LEAVE OR WHATEVER. AND THEY NEED A BUDGET INCREASE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE SENSITIVE TO THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE LOCKED IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE WHEN WE DO UNFUNDED MANDATES. SO THIS IS A GOOD POLICY.
BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT WHEN YOU TAKE PEOPLE OUT OF A PARTICULAR CRITICAL JOB, ALL JOBS ARE CRITICAL.
BUT SOME JOBS IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO REPLACE.
AND YOU HAD TO PUT IT COULD BE A DEPUTY PATROL IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WHEN THAT DEPUTY IS GONE FOR THREE MONTHS AND YOU GOT TO GO HIRE ANOTHER ONE AND THEY'RE GOING TO CALL YOU AND SAY, I NEED TO INCREASE MY BUDGET.
SO I'M ASSUMING Y'ALL ARE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, THE COST WITH IMPLEMENTING THIS.
DO WE KNOW THE COST OF IMPLEMENTING THIS? WE DON'T HAVE AN EXACT FIGURE.
[02:05:02]
BUT TO DO THINGS AND NOT KNOW WHAT IT COST IS BORDERLINE IRRESPONSIBLE.SO WE NEED TO DO WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE DETAILS.
AND WHEN PEOPLE AND WE COULD BE A PRECINCT, IT COULD BE A DEPARTMENT, AND THEY CALL AND THEY SAY, I'VE GOT THREE PEOPLE OUT ON PARENTAL ISSUES FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS AND I'M GOING TO NEED I'M GOING TO NEED A BUDGET INCREASE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
THEN Y'ALL ARE GOING TO BE FIGURING OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES ITEM 26 BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, SECONDS AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
I VOTE I. BUT THE NEXT ITEM IS ONE 328 GARCIA, YOU PULL THAT ONE.
YES. YOU KNOW, AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE HOUSTON CHALLENGE, PRETTY SOON WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A 40 MILE LOOP TO TAKE ON THAT CHALLENGE.
I'M EXCITED TO START THE DESIGN ON THE FAIRMONT PARKWAY TRAIL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
AND AS THE TITLE IMPLIES, THERE IS A SECTION OF TRAIL ALONG FAIRMONT PARKWAY.
DO WE HAVE SIGNAGE UP THERE FOR? INCLUDING AN EXTENSION OF THE TRAIL TO SYLVAN BEACH, CLOSING GAPS, MAKING IT SAFER AND ADA COMPLIANT, PROVIDING FOR THOSE CROSSINGS AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, AND CONNECTING THE TRAIL TO NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES.
AND AND THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO MAKE AN ALREADY CHERISHED NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITY INTO A SAFER, ACCESSIBLE AND BETTER CONNECTED TRAIL.
THIS, ALTHOUGH WE'RE STILL A LITTLE WAYS AWAY FROM A COMPLETED LOOP WHERE STILL THIS RATHER THIS ITEM WILL HELP BRING THAT LOOP TO A 70% COMPLETION AFTER CONSTRUCTION IS FINISHED.
BUT I'M EXCITED TO MOVE ON THIS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS AND EXCITED TO MOVE ON THIS ITEM AS PRESENTED.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES THAT ITEM 28 BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. COMMISSIONER BRIONES IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT, THAT'D BE GOOD.
SECONDS AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF VOTE I, I ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NO, I JUST HAVE IT.
ITEM 28 IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOU PULLED ITEM 35.
A LITTLE BIT TO THE PREVIOUS REVISED.
TO THRIVE IS MY EFFORT TO PROVIDE REVITALIZATION AND PRECINCT TO NEIGHBORHOODS WITHOUT ALLOWING GENTRIFICATION TO BE THE SOLE CONTRIBUTOR TO IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT I'M EXCITED TO START DESIGN ON THESE SIDEWALK PROJECTS.
UVALDE ROAD FROM WELLSVILLE TO HOLLY PARK DRIVE.
AND AND AS I WAS MENTIONING TO WHO WAS IT FROM? WHO DO WE HAVE FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WE'RE JUST TALKING TO THAT THE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL GETTING INTO THIS PARTICULAR ROLE THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE TO PROVIDE SCHOOL BUSSES WHEN THERE IS A LACK OF SIDEWALKS CONNECTING THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT WAS AND IT WAS YOUR YOUR POLICY DIRECTOR.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT THAT THIS IS WHY SCHOOL DISTRICTS MUST HAVE SCHOOL BUSSES IN PART.
BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S SPECIAL WHEN YOUR SUPERINTENDENTS ALSO PAY ATTENTION.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO READ THIS MESSAGE FROM DR.
MOORE. HE IS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GALENA PARK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND HE WRITES ON BEHALF OF GALENA PARK ISD AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT MAKE UP THE DISTRICT. PLEASE ACCEPT OUR SINCERE THANKS FOR THE SIDEWALK PROJECTS BEING UNDERTAKEN BY HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT TWO.
[02:10:03]
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU IN EFFORTS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES FOR OUR EAST SIDE COMMUNITIES.AND IT IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ALMOST A.
SO 3 MILLION OVER JUST JUST UNDER 4 MILLION THAT WILL BE INVESTING INTO THESE SIDEWALKS.
SEE HOW MUCH DISTANCE THEY PUT THAT HERE? UM, I DON'T HAVE THE.
YOU KNOW WHAT? IT IS LESS THAN A MILLION A MILE, BUT ROAD BIKE? YEAH, I'VE BEEN HERE.
SO I MOVE ON THIS ITEM AS PRESENTED.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA, MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 35 COMMISSION.
HANG ON A SECOND. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE I ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NO, I JUST HAVE IT.
NEXT WE'RE GOING TO BRING TO THE OTHER ITEM.
133 SHOULD BE TAKEN UP WITH 315 AND 316 AND.
DIRECTOR, MAYBE WE OUGHT TO BRING YOU ON THE LINE FOR MERITS TO KIND OF WALK US THROUGH THE ISSUES PRESENTED IN 133, THREE, 15 AND 316. SO FAIR YOU'RE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
DEANNA RAMIREZ WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY.
YES. SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THESE ITEMS TOGETHER.
SO THE DECEMBER 13TH COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING, THE COURT HAD A REALLY BROAD RANGING DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CURRENT YEAR FUNDING FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, AGREEMENTS THAT ARE AUTHORIZED UNDER LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
ITEM 133 IS A DISCUSSION OF SOME OF THE OPTIONS FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR FUNDING OF SOME ALL OR NONE OF THE 11 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS WITH WHOM THE COUNTY HAD AGREEMENTS LAST FISCAL YEAR OR THE SHORT FISCAL YEAR 22.
ITEM 316 IS A DISCUSSION OF THE FUTURE OF THIS PROGRAM FOR FY 2024.
I'M ASKING FOR DIRECTION ON WHETHER TO END THE PROGRAM, CONTINUE IT AS IS WITH MINOR UPDATES OR REVISE THE PROGRAM AND OPEN IT UP TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO COMPETE FOR THE FUNDING.
THAT SETS US UP FOR SUCCESS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS.
DEO WILL RELY ON MR. RAMOS TO INFORM THE COURT WHETHER THERE IS ANY FUNDING, AVAILABILITY, AVAILABILITY, WHETHER IT'S ONGOING OR ONE TIME FUNDING AND ON THEIR PLANS FOR FUTURE BUT BUDGET DISCUSSIONS WITH COURT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? IF I MIGHT THINK WE CAN ALL JUMP IN ON THE 381 AGREEMENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, WHEN WHEN I GOT HERE, THERE WERE SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE GETTING THE BULK OF THE FUNDING AND I ASKED HOW COULD OTHERS BE INCLUDED? AND I GUESS NOW I'M THE OLD OLD MAN.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THE BAY AREA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN GETTING FUNDING FOR 25 YEARS.
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE WAS GIVING IT FOR 25 YEARS.
BAYTOWN WEST CHAMBERS 25 YEARS.
KATY AREA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL FOR 15 YEARS.
AND THEN WHEN I RAISED THE ISSUE, THEY DECIDED TO INCLUDE THE HISPANIC HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER.
THEY'VE BEEN IN FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
EMANCIPATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL FOR TWO YEARS.
FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT COUNCIL FOR TWO YEARS.
HOUSTON MINORITY SUPPLY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL FOR TWO YEARS.
HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE FOR TWO YEARS.
THE OTHER ONE ECONOMIC IMPACT WAS IN PRECINCT ONE, AND FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY WAS A PRECINCT ONE.
ALL OF THOSE WERE FAIRLY SMALL.
THE COUNTY DIDN'T REALLY COLLEAGUES HAVE SOME CRITERIA ON HOW THEY WERE DOING IT.
[02:15:02]
AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT ANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS WEREN'T DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT IT WAS JUST THERE WITH NO REAL METRICS.AND WHEN I WAS PUSHING TO CREATE DEANA RAMIREZ'S DEPARTMENT, IT WAS PRIMARILY BECAUSE I WANTED US TO HAVE A PLACE TO HAVE OUR MWB PROGRAM IF ONE CAME ABOUT.
AND THEN WE HIRED A FIRM THAT KIND OF STRUCTURED IT IN ALL FIVE OFFICES.
BUT WE REALLY AT SOME POINT OUGHT TO COME UP WITH SOME CRITERIA ON HOW WE DO THIS.
AND I SUGGESTED WHEN IT CAME UP BEFORE SO THAT NOBODY'S AT A DISADVANTAGE.
IT DOESN'T JUST SORT OF LOOK LIKE A POLITICAL FREE FOR ALL.
IF YOU JUST HAD TO DO IT, COME UP AND DIVIDE IT BETWEEN THE FIVE PRECINCTS, NOT GOING TO THE PRECINCTS, BUT IN EACH PRECINCT AND GIVE THE JUDGE, IF I WANT TO CHOOSE THAT, PROBABLY PICK SOMETHING IN EACH OF THE FOUR PRECINCTS IF WE WERE GOING TO DO THAT.
BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, REGARDLESS OF HOW WE DO IT, HOW TO BE SOME CRITERIA, I'M SENSITIVE TO GROUPS WHO'VE BEEN GETTING THE MONEY AND WANTING TO TO TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE UP FOR A HOLE IN THAT BUDGET.
THAT WOULD BE A HOLE THAT THEY HAD BEFORE TWO YEARS AGO FOR SOME 25 YEARS.
EVEN BEFORE COMMISSIONER GARCIA WAS HERE.
SYLVIA GARCIA IF I'M GETTING IT RIGHT 25 YEARS AGO, I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT WILL START.
I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING MR. RAMOS COMING OUT OF THE SHOP OF OUT OF THE BUDGET OFFICE, BY THE WAY.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF ARRANGEMENTS WERE BEING MADE WHEN IT WHEN IT DID COME UP.
AND I WAS RAISING CAIN ABOUT IT SIX YEARS AGO, AND THEN TWO YEARS LATER, FINALLY THEY DID ADD ONE YEAR LATER THE HISPANIC CHAMBER.
SOME OF THAT WAS JUST AS A POLITICAL CONCESSION.
I EVEN THOUGHT OF THE IDEA OF IF THERE'S SOME WAY TO GIVE PEOPLE NOTICE, IF THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH SOME METRICS AND USE ARPA MONEY, AT LEAST THEY KNOW THEY'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO GET IT.
SO THERE'S SOME ELEMENT OF COMPETITION.
SO COMMISSIONER, FIRST I'VE GOT THE BAY AREA HOUSTON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP HERE AND IN THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE HOUSTON PORT REGION.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM PUTTING KPIS ON THIS.
SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A CRITERIA FOR THEM TO WORK AT.
I THINK SOME OF THE OTHER GROUPS HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED.
THEY HAVE IN PARTICULAR VERY FOCUSED ON THE SPACEPORT AND HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT EXPANDING THAT CAPACITY THAT'S GOING TO DO NOTHING BUT CREATE MORE JOBS IN OUR REGION, BRING MORE TALENTED WORKFORCES, A MORE TALENTED WORKFORCE TO OUR REGION AS WELL.
AND SO HOW THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN DOING, I DON'T KNOW AND THEIR EXISTENCE.
THE I THINK IF FOR 25 YEARS, IF THEY HAD NOT PROVEN THEIR CAPACITY OR THEIR SUCCESS, I THINK IT'D BE A VERY DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. BUT THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVE SHOWN TO BE AT THE TABLE, BE TRANSPARENT WITH THEIR WORK.
SHOW CONNECTIVITY TO ENHANCEMENTS.
SO I'M SARB WOULD BE IN FAVOR.
I KNOW THAT. MR. RAMIREZ, YOU'VE GIVEN US THREE OPTIONS AND OPTION B, SCENARIO ONE IS THE ONE THAT I WOULD SUPPORT.
OPTION B, SCENARIO ONE SHOWS FUNDING AT 595,000 AND 125, AS WELL AS A 10% REDUCTION BASED ON EACH ORGANIZATION'S PREVIOUSLY APPROVED F Y 21 BUDGET.
[02:20:02]
AND SO IS THAT THE ONE THAT WOULD GIVE THE LION'S SHARE TO THOSE THREE? YEP. YEP.AND I JUST AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY WILL HAVE A VIEWPOINT ON IT.
BUT YOU KNOW THERE ARE MANY IN.
AS AN EXAMPLE, DOWNTOWN HAPPENS TO BE IN PRECINCT ONE, WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG DRIVER.
THE ENERGY CORRIDOR ISN'T ANOTHER ONE.
IF WE ARE GOING TO DO IT, THERE OUGHT TO BE SOME EQUITY IN HOW WE DO IT.
BUT WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT? COMMISSIONER BROWN IS COMMISSIONER RAMSEY EITHER ONE.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE YOU PUT YOUR HAND UP FIRST.
YEAH. AND JUST REAL QUICK, I WOULD ASK.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW EQUITY WOULD LOOK IN THIS? IS IT GETTING THEM TO SUB SUB CONTRACT OR IS IT LOOKING AT ECONOMIC EQUITY ISSUES OR I MEAN, WHAT'S WHAT'S I WOULD SAY A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
BY THE WAY, THIS COMES ABOUT 800.
DEPENDS ON WHICH SCENARIO YOU TAKE I THINK IS ABOUT $793,000.
ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ASKING THESE ENTITIES TO DO.
WE HAVE ALSO CHARGED THE DEPARTMENT WITH DOING IT.
IT WOULD NOT FUNDING THE DEPARTMENT.
SO MAYBE I'LL TURN THAT QUESTION TO DEANNA, IF I, IF I MIGHT STILL HAVE ME TRYING TO ANSWER IT.
DEANNA, WHAT WAS YOUR SENSE OF OF HOW TO ANSWER COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S QUESTION? WHAT DID BE THE QUESTION ABOUT THE EQUITY AND HOW TO HOW TO ENSURE EQUITY? YEAH. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN THIS HAS BEEN A TOUGH PROCESS FOR FOR ME IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, IN ALL THE WORK THAT WE DO, ESPECIALLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE MWB PROGRAM, CONTRACTOR COMPLIANCE RELATIONSHIPS ARE ARE CENTRAL OUR KEY.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR 25 YEARS AND WITH A COUNTY IN GENERAL.
SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS WAS TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT THAT WE COULD KEEP FOLKS GOING THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR A LITTLE BIT AND THEN GIVE THEM ENOUGH TIME TO ADJUST TO A NEW PROGRAM THAT'S MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON THE COUNTIES PRIORITY OUTCOMES, OF WHICH THE MWB PROGRAM, SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE AND DEVELOPMENT, DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ASSISTANCE AND DEVELOPMENT IS ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES THAT THE COURT HAS APPROVED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND IS IN PUBLISHED IN THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHY WE PUT THE THREE ITEMS TOGETHER.
I DIDN'T. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, ONE, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FURTHERING ECONOMIC EQUITY, WHICH IS OUR OUR MAIN PRIORITY IN D.O., THAT WE FURTHER THE THE COURTS PRIORITY OUTCOMES.
SO FOR US, HAVING SOME FUNDING, GO TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS, MAKE SENSE FOR NOW FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WOULD BE ONE TIME FUNDING FOR THIS YEAR AND THEN FOR NEXT YEAR WE CAN GET DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL ON A POLICY FOR REVISING THE PROGRAM SO THAT IT'S MUCH MORE FOCUSED.
AND THAT'S OUR OUR RECOMMENDATION IS OPTION TO BE IN ITEM THREE 5316 EXCUSE ME, AND THAT WOULD HELP US GET THERE FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND BE ABLE TO WORK WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, WHETHER THEY'RE CURRENT PARTNERS OR OTHER PARTNERS THAT WE'RE NOT FUNDING RIGHT NOW. AND SO, YES, GOOD.
MR. MERSCH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR YOUR THOUGHTS.
I THINK TO COMMISSIONER ALICE'S QUESTION OF OF HOW THIS HAS BEEN DONE OVER THE YEARS IS THAT AND AND WHAT YOUR ROLE IN THE COUNTY IS TODAY.
IS THAT I THINK YOU YOU PRETTY WELL HAVE DEFINED OR WE HAVE DEFINED THAT THE COUNTY DID NOT TAKE AN ACTIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ROLE. THEY LET OTHERS DO IT NOW.
NOW THERE IS DEO BUT INSTEAD OF.
AND THEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WHAT THE VISION AND FOCUS OF THAT IS.
[02:25:03]
YOU KNOW, THIS GROUP OF FOLKS, I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THEM.I KNOW MOST OF THE HOUSTON URBAN LEAGUE IS A IS A GOOD ONE.
I WOULD I WOULD I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO CONSIDER A ADVISORY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY SO THAT WE ALLOW THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTINUE TO DO THEIR WORK, HOWEVER, FUNDED BY US, THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE WORK, OUR VISION IS ALIGNED.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE CAPACITY BUILDING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
SO I DON'T I DON'T SEE THAT I DON'T SEE THIS AS A BREAK FROM SOME OF OUR PAST INITIATIVES.
AND SO I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THAT INSTEAD OF DECIDING WHO WINS AND LOSES ON THIS, IT'S REALLY TO BRING THEM CLOSER IN WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE SO THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE IS TRUE ALIGNMENT WITH THE WORK.
IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
HAS BEEN FOR MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES.
AND JUDGE HIDALGO, TO A GREAT EXTENT HAVE ADVOCATED FOR THAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO STRESS, I'M GOING TO MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT MAY BE A WIN WIN.
PARTICULAR WHEN I WAS HERE BY MYSELF AND I DIDN'T SEE.
MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT AREN'T HERE NOW BECAUSE IT WAS TOUGH TO COME IN AND SAY IT, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE LEADERSHIP HERE WAS SAYING THE NUMBERS HERE ARE BETTER THAN THEY ARE AT THE CITY. AND SOME OF THESE VERY ENTITIES, WHAT I CALL AN ART NAMES IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD.
SHOULD BE RAISING THE ISSUE OF SHOULD WE HAVE A PROGRAM FOR MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES.
THAT'S ONE REASON WHY I ADVOCATE VERY STRONGLY TO PUT YOU ON THAT GULF COAST DISTRICT.
SO I JUST WANT TO SUGGEST, NO.
ONE, THAT WE HAVE FUNDING ISSUES.
JEALOUSY. IS THAT POLITE? BY THIS BOARD. UM, WHICH IS WHY THIS OFFICE HAS NOT BEEN FUNDED.
AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE WANT TO HOPE THAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD TAKE THAT ON.
AND WE COULD BREAK THOSE ISSUES TO THE FOREFRONT.
BUT WILL I WANT THAT OFFICE FUNDED? BECAUSE MWB WHAT'S THE WEAKEST AREA IN YOUR SHOP, MR. RAMIREZ? RIGHT NOW IT'S THE MWB PROGRAM.
WE HAVE EIGHT FTES DOING ALL OF THAT WORK.
WE HAVE TWO VACANCIES BECAUSE WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HIRE FOLKS EVEN AFTER WE MAKE OFFERS BECAUSE OUR PAY ISN'T HIGH ENOUGH AND IT'S HARD TO DO. AND THAT WINDOW COULD CLOSE IF THE OTHER SIDE GETS ITS WAY.
AT THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, THEN WE'LL BE TRYING TO DO WHAT CALIFORNIA DOES.
THEY STILL DO IT. THEY JUST HAVE TO.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE NUMBERS ARE BETTER THAN OURS OR NOT, BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE FUNDED.
THE COUNTY'S NUMBERS, YOU REMEMBER.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE BLACK ONE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
ON THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SIDE, HISPANIC NUMBERS WEREN'T MUCH BETTER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MR. BARRY, I WANT TO STRESS, YOU KNOW, SINCE I KNOW YOU WANT TO KEEP EVERYBODY HAPPY, EVERYBODY WANTS TO KEEP EVERYBODY HAPPY, BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, TAKE SOMEBODY WILLING TO THROW SOME HOT BUTTONS.
YOU DO IT ON A REGULAR BASIS TO CHANGE THIS.
SO WITH WHATEVER OPTION WOULD COME UP WITH WITH AS THEM BEING FUNDED BY ARPA MONEY OR WHETHER IT'S THE DEPARTMENT BEING FUNDED BY ARPA MONEY, BECAUSE EACH ONE OF US COULD COME HERE AND PUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THAT ARE HOT POTATOES THAT IS TOUGH TO VOTE AGAINST.
IT'S TOUGH ON EVERY ONE OF THEM, BUT A LOT OF THEM HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYBODY AT THIS TABLE.
WE'RE LEFT OUT FOR A LONG TIME, AND THAT OUGHT TO CHANGE AT SOME POINT.
SO THAT'S MY THOUGHT. I'D JUST LET YOU KNOW THE DIRECTION I'M HEADING.
COMMISSIONER RAMSEY I'LL QUICKLY SAY I DO SUPPORT WHAT MR.
[02:30:06]
GARCIA HAD SAID. OPTION B SEEMS TO MAKE THE MOST SENSE TO ME TO IN NO WAY SHOULD WE DO 316 WE DO NOT NEED TO BE SETTING UP A PROGRAM TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GRANT GRANTS AND DO THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.WE DON'T NEED THAT BUREAUCRACY.
THAT IS NOT ANYTHING WE NEED TO BE A PART OF.
I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I SPENT A LOT OF TIME OVER THERE MEETING WITH THOSE PEOPLE.
FOR REGIONAL, IT IS A REGIONAL DEAL.
SO THE FACT IS THERE'S A LOT OF THESE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUPS THAT ARE IN FACT IN TOO ALONG THAT SHIP CHANNEL, WHICH WE ALL GOT A NICE BRIEFING ON THAT THIS WEEK IN TERMS OF HOW IMPORTANT TO JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT SHIP CHANNEL IS.
AND I WOULD RATHER AND YOU YOU PROBABLY COULD GIVE ME A LESSON OR TWO, MR. ELLIS, ON, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE PARTNERED UP WITH THEM, IF WE'RE PROVIDING SOME SUPPORT OF THEIR ACTIVITY, I THINK WE CAN INFLUENCE WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY DO IT. I THINK WHEN WE WALK IN, WE SAY, WE'D LIKE YOU TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE PRIORITY TO THIS ISSUE OR THAT IF WE CUT THEM ALL OFF AND BRING IT ALL IN HOUSE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY IMPACT ON ANYBODY.
AND SO I'D RATHER I'D RATHER SUPPORT THEM.
I'D RATHER GIVE THEM SOME GOOD DIRECTION AND ADVICE ON WHAT THEY COULD MODIFY.
I INCLUDE THE HOUSTON HISPANIC CHAMBER.
AND CERTAINLY THEORETICALLY, ONLY ONE OF THOSE QUOTE UNQUOTE, IS IN PRECINCT THREE.
BUT EVEN PRECINCT THREE LONESTAR COLLEGE, THAT AFFECTS A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT GROUPS OUT THERE.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT WHAT COMMISSIONER GARCIA SAID IN TERMS OF SCENARIO.
I DO NOT SUPPORT 316 AND WE CERTAINLY NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WE GET INTO.
BUT WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE CHANGE IN THIS COUNTY? AND I WOULD SAY WORKING THROUGH THESE CHAMBERS, MAYBE WE HAD BEEN SPECIFIC ENOUGH, MAYBE HE HAD BEEN CLEAR ENOUGH IN WORKING WITH THEM IN THE PAST.
WE CERTAINLY COULD DO THAT NAME ONLY.
I THINK A QUESTION TO ME, I WILL STRESS THAT.
FOR MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES WERE DISMAL.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN COLLECT THE DATA.
AND HAD THE TECHNOLOGY TO GO AND DO IT.
AND THERE'S A REASON WHY THE ISSUE WAS NEVER RAISED.
AND WE CREATED COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND A FUND TO DO DISPARITY STUDIES.
I'VE FORGOTTEN HOW MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AGREED OUT OF CLOSE TO 30.
AND AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE DOWN TO FOUR.
I BELIEVE IT'S FOUR. SO I JUST WANT TO STRESS, IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF THESE ISSUES ARE TOUGH, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, WHICH IS WHY I THINK MY COLLEAGUES HERE PREVIOUSLY WOULD SAY THE NUMBERS AT THE COUNTY WERE BETTER AND THEY KNEW THEY DIDN'T COLLECT THEM.
COMMISSIONER? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, MR. RAMIREZ, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR LEADING THE DEPARTMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ON THE 31ST WHEN MR. RAMOS PRESENTS THE UPDATES ON ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING AND I KNOW I'M THE NEW ONE HERE, IS THAT YOUR BUDGET WAS CUT OVER $1,000,000.
THESE AGREEMENTS ARE APPROXIMATELY $800,000.
THE AGREEMENTS EXPIRED SEPTEMBER OF THIS PAST YEAR, 2022.
SO THERE'S BEEN THIS PERIOD WAITING A FEW MORE WEEKS SO WE CAN SEE THE TOTALITY.
[02:35:01]
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF EXCELLENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON THIS LIST, AND MAYBE THEY ARE THE BEST PARTNERS ON A GO FORWARD BASIS.BUT OUTPUTS VERSUS OUTCOMES IS REALLY DIFFERENT AND I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO MORE OUTCOMES BASED.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE WITH YOUR TEAM AND THE PRECINCT FOUR TEAM SO THAT IN PREPARATION FOR MR. RAMOS PRESENTATION, I CAN MAKE A MORE INFORMED DECISION AND I WANT TO GO TALK TO MY CONSTITUENTS ON THIS LIST DIRECTLY ABOUT THE SERVICES THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT.
AND GIVEN THAT THE AGREEMENT EXPIRED IN SEPTEMBER, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN THAT WINDOW.
SO PRESUMABLY THE SUSTAINABILITY PIECE IS THERE.
COMMISSIONER BROWN, THANK YOU.
AND SO WHAT I'M GOING TO SUGGEST, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT.
HA HA. ALL THREE ITEMS COME BACK.
IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS OR IF IF WE HAD A STANDSTILL, YOU KIND OF GAUGE IT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S IN TWO WEEKS OR TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT.
AND I JUST THREW OUT AS A SUGGESTION.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T MAKE ANY PROGRESS.
BUT SO ONE OPTION IS FIGURING OUT.
HOW WE ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THIS DEPARTMENT, WHICH ARE LASER FOCUS, I THINK WHERE AT LEAST ALL FIVE OF US SAY WE ARE COMMITTED ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
YOU KNOW, SHE WAS OUT OF LINE ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, EQUITY IS JUST SIX LETTER WORD.
YOU GOT ME. BUT WE SHOULD BE ASKED, PLEASE.
NO. AND I JUST WOULD I WOULD LOVE TO BECAUSE TO ME, THE WAY I SEE LIFE IS EVERYTHING'S AN OPPORTUNITY COST, RIGHT? SO USING THIS MONEY FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS VERSUS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS VERSUS INVESTING THEM IN AND I'M NOT SAYING TAKING ALL THE WORK IN HOUSE, I BELIEVE DEEPLY IN LEVERAGING OUR PARTNERSHIPS, BUT WHAT IS THE OPPORTUNITY COST? SO IF WE CAN CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION, BUT I'D LOVE TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE IN IN WHAT THE TRADE OFF IS THAT WE CAN MAKE OUR DOLLAR STRETCH AND.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT.
I SUPPORT A LOOK AT THIS IN A LITTLE LATER, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T COME POLLUTE.
UM, THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE EEO.
I THINK THE EEO NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE.
WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THAT SEPARATE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE OFFICE ALREADY HAS 44 FTES AND.
YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE METRO COUNTERPART HAS NINE.
AND SO I WANT TO DO A DEEPER DIVE AS WELL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE OFFICE FUNCTIONS, THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, THE CHALLENGES TO WHY WE STILL HAVE WE HAVE VACANCIES.
SO I SO I'D LIKE TO DO A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF.
BUT, BUT I DO SUPPORT LOOKING AT THIS ISSUE, OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS SEPARATELY, AND I SUPPORT A GRANT PROCESS.
I SUPPORT MAKING SURE KPIS ARE INCLUDED.
NOW, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
BUT WHILE WE FIGURE THOSE THINGS OUT, I DO WANT TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION COMMISSIONER.
AND MY MOTION WOULD BE TO FUND THE BAY AREA HOUSTON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AND THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE HOUSTON PORT REGION OUT OF PRECINCT TWO GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND MOVE THAT PRECINCT TO BE REIMBURSED BY FISCAL YEAR 2023 GENERAL FUND SURPLUS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. ASSUMING WE COME UP WITH A POLICY AND ALL THAT KIND OF.
IN THE PAST, HAVE WE HAD A SURPLUS AT THE END OF THE YEAR HISTORICALLY? BUT ALSO KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'VE GONE TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
[02:40:02]
SUPPORTIVE OF HOW I WANT TO SPEND THE FUNDS, THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT I'M ENTRUSTED WITH.THAT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.
BUT EVERYBODY HERE AT THE DAIS, WHEN IT COMES TO TO TO MY PRECINCT AT LEAST.
BUT IN FULL DISCLOSURE, IF YOU SAY YOU GET REIMBURSED, THAT WILL PUT ME IN A POSITION WHERE I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE ITEMS IN MY PRECINCT. SO WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO IS YOU MAKE THE DECISION ONLY YOU WANT TO SPEND WHATEVER AMOUNT YOU WANT TO SPEND, BUT THE SURPLUS PART SO I DON'T END UP MAKING A DECIDING MOTION AND THEN WE END UP ALL COMPETING.
I MAY GO TO THE DEPARTMENT TO SAY, WHICH ONES DO I WANT TO PUT IN.
I APPRECIATE YOU HAS GOT SOME OTHER ITEMS, TOO.
MINE WERE REACHING OUT SAYING, WHERE'S OUR OTHER 100,000? SOME OF, YOU KNOW, THE MINORITY SUPPLY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AS AN EXAMPLE.
I'D COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS AND AT THAT OH, MINE, IF THAT'S OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
I'LL TAKE THOSE SURPLUS PORTION OUT.
BUT, BUT I DO WANT TO GO BACK AGAIN AND SAY THAT IF WE DO COME UP WITH A GRANT PROCESS, I THINK THAT IS THE BEST COMPETITIVE, BEST WAY. THAT WAY WE HAVE THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND I THINK WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT WHEN WE DO GO TO THAT PROCESS, THIS LIST IS GOING TO SHRINK.
IT MAY CHANGE DRAMATICALLY AND IT MAY AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT APPLY IF THEY KNOW.
COMMISSIONER YEAH. THE ONLY THING I WANT TO BE CAREFUL WITH ON A GRANT PROJECT PROCESS IS WE DON'T SPEND 800,000 INTERNALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND 800,000 EXTERNALLY.
SO BE CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T CREATE SUCH A BUREAUCRACY THAT WE CAN'T GET ANYTHING DONE AT THAT POINT.
AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO DO, I WANT TO SPLIT THOSE TWO WITH YOU.
OKAY? IF THAT'S FINE, I'D LOVE THAT BECAUSE THEY IMPACT MY PRECINCT.
MAYBE NOT AS DIRECTLY, BUT PRETTY DIRECT.
YEAH. YEAH. AND WHAT WOULD AMOUNTS AGAIN, JUST SO WE GET THEM.
LOOK. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SPLITTING IT IN HALF? YES. WHAT DOES IT TELL THEM OUT HERE? DO YOU KNOW THE TOTAL NUMBER? NO, SIR.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO SAY THE AMOUNTS ON THE AMOUNTS IN SCENARIO ONE.
THE FULL AMOUNT NOT WITH A WITH A CUT IS $131,250 FOR BEI HIP AND $84,375 FOR ECONOMIC ALLIANCE HOUSTON PORT REGION FOR A TOTAL OF $215,625.
DO YOU NEED A SPECIFIC MOTION? YOU WANT TO DIVIDE THAT AMOUNT? CAN I CAN A MOTION BE THAT THEY WOULD SPLIT DIVIDED EVENLY? RIGHT. SO. SO JUST JUST FOR CLARIFICATION FOR MINE AND JAMES.
SO IT'S A MOTION TO ALLOCATE $131,252.
I'M SORRY. I WAS GIVING HIM TWO EXTRA DOLLARS, 250 TO THE BAY AREA.
HOUSTON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP, HOUSTON, HOUSTON ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP, AND THEN ITS $84,375 TO THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE, CORRECT? YES. AND TO BE DIVIDED EVENLY BETWEEN PRECINCTS, THREE AND TWO.
AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO PAY ALL OF LOAN STORES.
YEAH. IF MERCEDES CAN SEND OUT AND CONTRACT IF YOU CAN SEND ME THE CASE.
SO ON THE FIRST MOTION COMMISSION, GARCIA MOVES AT 131 TO 50 AND 84 375.
BE SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS MAY WELL NO, NOT BE SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS.
ONE AMOUNT GOES TO ONE ORGANIZATION, ANOTHER AMOUNT GOES TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION.
BUT THAT BUT THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT BE SPLIT EVENLY BETWEEN PRECINCTS TWO AND THREE.
YOU GET IT. THEY'RE GOING TO EMAIL THE LEGAL EMAIL.
YES, SIR. AND YOU SAY WITH THAT JAMES HAS WORK AND YOU STILL GOOD.
AND THIS IS FOR ITEM 133 LEFT TO CALL CEO DINNER AND COMMISSIONER RANTS SECONDS THAT MOTION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR ALL RIGHT I SUPPOSE AM I AS HAVE IT AND THEN COMMISSIONER RAMSEY MOVES THAT WE ALLOCATE FROM HIS PRECINCT 93,007 50 $750 OF LONE STAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS THAT SECOND AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA SECONDS AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR I ALL RIGHT I'LL ALSO POST VOTE NO I'M FOR IT IT PASSES AND I'M ASKING THE
[02:45:10]
DEPARTMENT TO COME BACK.BY THE WAY, WE'LL JUST CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE GET TO IT.
YOU GOT SOME OF THAT MONEY BACK.
AND THEN JUST FOR CONTEXT, FOR THE FOR THE VIEWERS, THE ON THE 31ST, MY OFFICE IS CURRENTLY WORKING OR RIGHT NOW MY OFFICE IS WORKING ON PROJECTIONS FOR BOTH THE SPENDING AND THE REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 23.
AND WE WILL HAVE AN ITEM ON ON THE 31ST IN ORDER TO TO MAKE A PUBLIC PRESENTATION ABOUT IT.
AT THAT POINT, WE WILL ALSO HAVE AN ITEM, A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM IF THERE ARE DEPARTMENT IN PARTICULAR OR PROGRAMS THAT COMMISSIONERS COURT IS GOING TO WANT TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS TO.
AND WE SHOULD BE REACHING OUT THAT LAST WEEK OF JANUARY TO YOUR STAFFS TO GIVE YOU TO GIVE ALL OF YOU AN INDIVIDUAL SO THAT WILL HANDLE HER BUDGET CONCERNS IT THAT IS YEAH SO WE'LL HAVE AN ITEM ON IN ORDER TO TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
OKAY. IF I MIGHT, I JUST WANT TO MAKE THIS MOTION RELATED TO THESE ITEMS. I WANT TO MAKE MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT THE CEO TO DEVELOP A NEW 381 AGREEMENT PROCESS AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COURT AND PRESENT A REVISED POLICY AT THE NEXT COURT MEETING.
IS THAT SUFFICIENT OR YOU NEED MORE TIME? WE'D NEED MORE TIME.
I NEED TO TALK TO THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S LEGAL.
YOU KNOW HOW MUCH HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED? I'LL LEAVE IT OPEN. 90 DAYS.
90 DAYS WOULD BE IDEAL, COMMISSIONER.
I'LL LET YOU MAKE THIS. OKAY, I'LL.
I'LL MOVE ON. THE COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES TO DIRECT DEAL TO DEVELOP A NEW 381 AGREEMENT PROCESS AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COURT AND PRESENT A REVISED POLICY TO THE COURT MEETING IN 90 DAYS.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES.
I WAS KIND OF PULLING YOUR WORDS OUT.
THEY HELPED ME OVER HERE. YOU GOT THAT MOTION? YES, SIR. AND THAT'S ALSO FOR 133.
BUT THREE, 16, THREE, 16, THREE, 16.
I'LL ALSO IN FAVOR OF VOTE I, I, I ALL THOSE OPPOSE I VOTE I GET PASSES.
THE NEXT ITEM IS SO FOR BEFORE YOU MOVE ON.
NO ACTION. NO ACTION. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ITEM FOUR, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
YEAH. JUST A QUICK QUESTION HERE.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, THERE WAS AN AUDIT OF VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH COMPLETED ON NINE 1322, SHOWED THAT THE VPA WAS NOT RECEIVING MONEY THAT HAD BEEN DONATED TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
THE FUNDS WERE NOT PROPERLY AUTHORIZED BY PUBLIC HEALTH, RESULTED IN DONATIONS GOING INTO THE HARRIS COUNTY GENERAL DONATION FUND, NOT GOING TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER. SO THIS IS CLEARLY DONATIONS MEANT TO GO TO A SPECIFIC PLACE.
AND I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO GO TO THAT PLACE.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD A CASE LAST YEAR THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
WE CAN CONFIRM AND FOLLOW UP ONCE THE TRANSFER HAS BEEN EXECUTED.
OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND PROBABLY SECOND, I WAS IN FAVOR.
I WAS TOLD, NO, I VOTE, I PASS THIS AND THEN YOU CALL THE NUMBER OUT OF YOU.
THANK YOU. I KNOW JUDGE MIGHT BE WATCHING.
SHE TOLD ME SHE TALKED TO ME EARLIER IN THE MORNING, BUT GET OUT OF HERE.
COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, THAT YOU PULLED UP.
NOW. I'M JUST SAYING I'VE SPENT SOME TIME OVER IN THE CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER AND I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO SUPPORT THE CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTY THAN THROUGH THAT. THE CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER HELPS OUR YOUNGEST VICTIMS ABUSE CHILDREN.
THIS FUNDING WILL ALLOW CAC TO PROVIDE CLIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES SERVICES FREE OF CHARGE.
AND SOME OF THOSE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED BY THE IMPACTS OF WHAT'S HAPPENED.
THIS INCLUDES FAMILY ADVOCACY, FORENSIC INTERVIEWING, THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT.
I HAVE NOT SEEN A BETTER FUNCTIONING GROUP IN THE COUNTY THAN THAN THAN THAT PARTICULAR ONE.
JUST WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE DO THIS AND AND IF WE CAN DO MORE, WE SHOULD.
[02:50:02]
I WAS OPPOSED NO I JUST HAVE IT ITEM PASSES COMMISSIONER GARCIA YOU PULLED ITEM 154.YOU WANT THAT TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES. 150 4154 YES.
COMMISSIONER BRIONNA, SHE PULLED ITEM 170.
THIS IS DISCUSSION ON A JUDICIAL SALARY INCREASES.
AND I FIRST WANTED TO INVITE MR. EDWARDS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME UP AND BRIEF US.
ON THE REQUIREMENTS AND THE AMOUNTS, AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM MR. RAMOS, INVITE YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGETARY PIECE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
ED WELLS I'M COURT MANAGER FOR THE COUNTY COURT AND OFFICE OF COURT MANAGEMENT.
THIS ITEM PROVIDES APPROVAL FOR A SALARY INCREASE TO THE COUNTY COURTS OF LAW JUDGES.
AT TIMES WHEN A COLA OR OTHER INCREASE TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES HAS BEEN PROVIDED, THE STATE AUTHORIZED IN 2019 A NEW SALARY STRUCTURE FOR DISTRICT COURT JUDGES BASED ON YEARS OF SERVICE OR SERVICE LEVELS OF FOUR YEARS, EIGHT YEARS AND 12 YEARS ARE RECOGNIZED FOR AN INCREASE. DISTRICT COURT JUDGES WITH THOSE SERVICE LEVELS ARE RECEIVING THAT, I BELIEVE BEGINNING THE PAY PERIOD JANUARY 14TH.
THIS ITEM PROVIDES THAT FOR THE COUNTY COURT JUDGES AT THE SAME TIME.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
I THINK SHE ASKED ABOUT THE BUDGET.
I DON'T WANT TO GO THAT FAR BECAUSE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN STATUTES.
BUT I DO THINK HISTORICALLY THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE THAT COUNTY COURT JUDGES HAVE BEEN PAID AT A MINIMUM, THE SAME AS THE DISTRICT COURT, AND RAISES IT TAKEN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, DEPENDING ON THE TIMING OF THE INCREASE TO DISTRICT COURT JUDGES.
SO THIS IS AN IS IT FAIR TO SAY, A STATUTORILY AS A FORM OF LEGISLATIVE PERMITTED? CORRECT. ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU. I MAY HAVE ONE OTHER QUICK QUESTION SECOND.
MR. RAMOS, WOULD YOU PLEASE TALK US THROUGH THE BUDGETARY IMPACT? SURE. IT'S ROUGHLY 85,000 AND THE COUNTY COURTS ARE NOT ASKING FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET.
SO MY OFFICE HAS NO ISSUES WITH MOVING FORWARD PART OF THE BUDGET, CORRECT? OKAY. AND MR. WELLS, I KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE AN ONGOING, STRONG PARTNERSHIP.
I REMEMBER YOU FROM MY LAST CHAPTER OF SERVICE WITH THE COUNTY AS ONE OF THE CIVIL COURT OF LAW JUDGES, AND WE VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH OUR SEPARATE AND EQUAL GOVERNMENTAL BRANCH PARTNER TO CONTINUE TO LOOK SAFETY AND CLEAR THE BACKLOG, IMPROVE TECHNOLOGY AND JUST IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES OF THE COURTS OVERALL.
AND SO WE VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER.
AS I'M SURE I KNOW WE'LL HAVE AN ONGOING DIALOG, BUT ARE THERE ANY UPDATES OR ITEMS AT THIS POINT IN TIME? YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS AN UPDATE, THE COUNTY COURTS HAVE DONE VERY WELL WITH REGARD TO THE BACKLOG.
THE COUNTY CIVIL COURTS HAVE ENJOYED 100% CLEARANCE RATE PLUS DURING THAT TIME.
AND I THINK JUST PEOPLE STAYING FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND.
AND SO COURTS HAVE A BIG RESPONSIBILITY IN PROVIDING THAT AS THE THIRD BRANCH.
SO LOOKING FORWARD, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU NEW CAPACITY.
AND I KNOW ALL OF US WANT TO HEAR HOW WE CAN BE BETTER.
THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MAKE A MOTION? NO. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 1/72 AS A PRINT.
I MEAN COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER.
AS PRESENTED, I MAKE A MOTION TO PASS ITEM 117 AS PRESENTED.
ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE WHO OPPOSE VOTE NO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. RAMOS. WE VOTED ON 201207.
[02:55:03]
COMMISSIONER GARCIA.OF. BOTH FOR THEIR WORK ON ILL.
THIS IS PROVIDING IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES TO A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
BUT WITH WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, I AM EXCITED.
THIS IS THE SURVIVOR SERVICES AND IMMIGRATION LAW PROGRAM AND IT COMPLEMENTS THE IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES FUND, BUT IT IS SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON PROVIDING LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR WOMEN, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE SURVIVED CRIME.
THE TARA CENTER HAVE PROVIDED LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES ASSISTANCE TO NEARLY 350 INDIVIDUAL CASES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS SINCE JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.
THE THE THE REASON THAT THIS IS EXCITING EXCITING FOR ME IS BECAUSE.
IF YOU RECALL, WE PASSED A A MODEL POLICY FOR ALL OF THE HARRIS COUNTY AGENCIES TO FOLLOW BECAUSE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS HAD DIFFERENT POLICIES OF DOING IT.
WE STILL HAVE TO WORK ON HPD TO CHANGE THEIR POLICY BECAUSE HPD HAS AN EXAMPLE, HAS AN ARBITRARY WHAT THEY REFER TO A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR PEOPLE APPLYING FOR THEIR VISA.
AND THIS IS THE U. VISA IS FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME.
AND YOU MAY HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED, WHICH HAS A VERY LONG STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
BUT IF YOU DON'T APPLY TO HPD FOR YOUR CERTIFICATION LETTER WITHIN TWO YEARS.
THEN THEY WILL DENY YOU A CERTIFICATION LETTER.
AND SO THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE AT TRYING TO HELP THOSE VICTIMS OF CRIME, GETTING THEM THEIR CERTIFICATION LETTERS OUT OF.
BUT THE CASES ARE COMPLICATED.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT GO INTO IT.
BUT OUT OF THE 350 CASES THAT THEY'VE WORKED AND THIS NUMBER MAY NOT JUMP OUT AT US, BUT IT SHOULD THAT OUT OF THE CASES THAT HAVE THAT HAVE BEEN WORKED, 350 THAT ARE.
IT LOOKS LIKE APPROXIMATELY 77 HAVE EITHER BEEN A VERY SPECIFIC U VISA CASE OR AN ASYLUM CASE, WHICH IS WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT.
BUT JUST JUST THE SAME, I WANT TO THANK THOSE ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE WORK ON THIS.
THE. THE PEOPLE WHO PREY ON THESE TYPE OF FOLKS ARE HORRIBLE.
AND WHEN SOMEONE IS CAUGHT UP IN A SITUATION THAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND, I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT ON US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE APPROACHING THIS VERY, VERY CAREFULLY AND LEVERAGING THE RESOURCES THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS AVAILABLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT.
AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS CONTINUING AND THE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAVING.
SO I WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM AS PRESENTED.
IT'S THAT SECOND COMMISSIONER GARCIA MAKES A MOTION COACH TO BRING ON HIS SECONDS.
IT ALL IS IN FAVOR. VOTE. I LOST A PERSONAL NOTE.
I HAVE IT. ITEM HAS PASSED NEXUS 2929 TO 217.
YEAH. THIS IS A A INITIATIVE TO DO RENEWAL OPTION WITH HEART INNER CIVIC IT'S AN ELECTION EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE SYSTEM IT'S FOR IS TAKING A FOUR YEAR TO AN 11 YEAR WHICH MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.
TECHNOLOGY CHANGES RAPIDLY OVER TIME.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY WE WOULD WANT TO GO INTO AN 11 YEAR AGREEMENT ON THE SOFTWARE WITH THE FOLKS, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF SOME QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE RELATED TO ELECTIONS.
IT MAY BE THAT THIS ISN'T WHAT WE NEED.
SO I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH STAYING WITH THE FOUR.
[03:00:02]
I SEE NO NEED TO GO TO THE 11 AND I WOULD VOTE NO ON THIS PARTICULAR OPTION.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM TWO 17% COMMISSION GARCIA MAKES A MOTION COMMISSION BRIONI'S.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION. YES, YOU.
SO THE RENEWAL OPTION FROM ONE OF 4 TO 1 OF 11.
BASED ON WHAT YOU SAID, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, IT'S FROM FOUR YEARS TO 11 YEARS.
IS THERE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YOU IF YOU'D LIKE.
DO YOU HAVE MR. DOBBS, PLEASE? SO THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WAS FOR 11 YEAR RENEWAL OPTIONS.
WE DIDN'T GUARANTEE EACH YEAR, BUT WE DO HAVE IT IN THE ORIGINAL AWARD TO TWO YEARS AGO.
IT WAS INADVERTENTLY LISTED AS ONE OF FOUR INSTEAD OF ONE OF 11.
WE'RE ONLY FIXING THE TYPO FROM LAST YEAR'S RENEWAL.
THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT WE STAY WITH HART FOR 11 YEARS OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
IT'S IN THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT THAT WAS NEGOTIATED WHEN WE BOUGHT THE EQUIPMENT.
SO WE'RE JUST CORRECTING THAT ERROR FROM ONE FOUR, TWO, 1 TO 11.
IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT TO STAY FOR THE FULL 11.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THIS IS JUST THAT ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION.
SORRY, I SEE YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD.
RIGHT. BASICALLY FIXING THE TYCO COMMISSION.
GARCIA MAKES A MOTION AND I'LL SECOND IT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE I WAS OPPOSED FOR.
NEXT, THIS ITEM 225 IN PRECINCT THREE, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, THAT'S WHEN YOU HAIL.
OR EXPAND EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS THROUGH EARLY CHILDHOOD IMPACT FUND.
UH, COULD HAVE SOME BENEFIT IN TERMS OF A PILOT PROGRAM.
BUT I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE, RATHER THAN SPENDING $10 MILLION OF ARPA MONEY HERE ON A PILOT PROGRAM, I'D RATHER SEE THAT MONEY GO TO THE CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER WHERE THE NEED IS MORE THAN THE FUNDS.
AND I CAN'T IMAGINE MORE OF AN IMPACT TO CHILDREN THAN THAT.
SO THAT WOULD BE A MOTION THAT I THAT I WOULD MAKE ON THIS.
IS THAT SECOND? A SECOND IS THAT MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM AS PRESENTED.
SO MOVE. COMMISSIONER GARCIA MAKES A MOTION.
I'LL SECOND IT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE I BY THOSE OPPOSED.
I'D LIKE TO VISIT WITH THEM BECAUSE I HAVE NOT HAD AN UPDATE ON IT.
AND AND I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW RESOURCES ARE BEING DIRECTED OR AFFECTED IN PRECINCT TWO.
BUT PLEASE, LIKE SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR PRECINCT FOUR AS WELL.
THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO PRECINCT ONE, AND I'M SURE PRECINCT THREE WOULD LIKE IT AS WELL.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU SEPARATELY.
ITEM TWO, 25 PAST THE NEXT ONE IS ITEM 250.
IN THE INTEREST OF BREVITY, DR.
PETERSON, WHY DON'T I JUST HAVE YOU WALK THROUGH IT IF YOU'RE THERE.
HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
SURE. ABSOLUTELY. COMMISSIONER.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
SO THIS ITEM WAS ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER.
I KNOW WHEN REQUEST TO A REQUEST THAT YOU MADE IN NOVEMBER, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, TO APPLY THE PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK TO NEW FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT PROJECTS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON FLOOD RISK REDUCTION.
AND SO WHAT THIS ITEM IS DOING IS REALLY ENABLING THE COMMISSIONERS COURT AND OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE CLEAR, CONSISTENT AND AN EQUITABLE BASIS FOR UNDERSTANDING AND COMPARING THE PROJECTS THAT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT IS UNDERTAKING.
SO THE PROPOSAL IS TO UTILIZE THE 2022 PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK SCORES AND INCLUDE THOSE WHEN WE ARE
[03:05:06]
INITIATING NEW FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECTS.I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS ROLE THAT THE COMMUNITY FLOOD RESILIENCE TASK FORCE PLAYED IN GUIDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING INPUT ON THIS 2022 PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK.
AND SO THE PROPOSAL IS TO INCLUDE SCORES BASED ON QUARTILES THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN ANY ANY FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECT THAT'S BROUGHT BACK TO COURT FOR INITIATION.
YOU KNOW, THIS THIS REALLY REPRESENTS A CONTINUATION OF THE WORST FIRST PROCESS THAT WAS FIRST STARTED WITH THIS FRAMEWORK AND AGAIN ENSURES THAT THERE'S A CLEAR CONSISTENT BASIS FOR THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO COMPARE PROJECTS.
AND I WOULD JUST ADD, IT'S A TRANSPARENCY MEASURE.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
YEAH. CRITERIA AND FRAMEWORKS ARE NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING.
THE PROBLEMS I'VE GOT WITH THIS ONE IS ONE.
THUS, A MOBILE HOME COUNTS FOR AS MUCH AS A HOSPITAL OR A COLLEGE.
IT OMITS ACTUAL DAMAGE FROM CONSIDERATION.
I THINK THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING.
IT ELIMINATES CONSIDERATION OF PARTNERSHIP FUNDING.
IT GIVES 20% WHITE TO SOCIAL VULNERABILITY, BUT IGNORES THE SEVERITY OF FLOODING.
AND MAYBE THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
IT'S GOING TO END UP BEING A BIT OF A GUESS.
IT UNDERMINES EFFORTS TO PREVENT FLOODING AS OPPOSED TO CORRECTING IT AFTER PEOPLE ARE DAMAGED.
I THINK THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT'S FLOOD FRONTIER PROGRAM, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT TO PRECINCTS FOUR AND THREE, IS ALWAYS THAT'S A PREVENTIVE THING.
I THINK THAT YOU GET A LOT OF BANG FROM.
IF YOU CAN PREVENT FLOODING RATHER THAN DEALING WITH IT AFTER IT HAPPENED.
HAVING DONE A FEW PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORTS AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN REPORTS, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE COST ARE GOING INTO A PROJECT. SO TO AND IF YOU'RE FINE WITH THAT IN TERMS OF GIVING IT SOME KIND OF A GRADE GOING INTO IT, RECOGNIZE YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT WHEN YOU GET THROUGH WITH YOUR ANALYSIS.
I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY DO BETTER AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD SIT DOWN AND TRY TO GET A BETTER SENSE, BECAUSE IT'S DOESN'T HURT TO RANK A PROJECT OR IDENTIFY A PROJECT.
BUT I THINK IT OUGHT TO BE BASED ON MORE SPECIFIC CRITERIA THAN IT CURRENTLY DOES.
THANK YOU. DR. PETERSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND? COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, I THINK WE ALL CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS TOOL IS CREATED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, RIGHT? SO IT WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED TO HELP PRIORITIZE FUNDING FROM THE FLOOD RESILIENCE TRUST.
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS CREATING A TOOL THAT WILL HELP REALLY IMPLEMENT THE WORST FIRST PRIORITIES OF THE OF THE COURT. CERTAINLY, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
CERTAINLY WE LEARN MORE AS WE GO THROUGH A PROJECT LIFE CYCLE.
WE LEARN MORE AND MORE AND WE'VE RECENTLY INITIATED A STANDARDIZED BENEFIT PROCESS THAT WILL PROVIDE US THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT WE NEED ONCE WE GET TO THE END OF A YEAR, ONCE WE GET TO THE END OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY SO WE CAN BEGIN TO INCORPORATE THAT DATA AND REFINE THESE SCORES AS WE GO.
AND THE OTHER THING IS, I, I WOULD SAY THAT WHILE THIS TOOL IS IMPERFECT, IT REALLY IS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP AND THERE IS NO REASON THAT WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO WORK TO REFINE THIS TOOL.
[03:10:01]
WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS A FLOOD RESILIENCE PLAN.I EXPECT THAT THAT EFFORT WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND INFORMATION ON, AGAIN, HOW TO REFLECT COURT PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF WHAT PROJECTS GET PRIORITIZED BY THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE TODAY AT LEAST, IS A STARTING POINT.
AND I THINK WE CAN UTILIZE WHAT WE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO LOOK FORWARD FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO REFINE.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT DID YOU HAVE.
PETERSON. AND IS AND LOOK AND APPLYING THE FRAMEWORK.
HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY.
IMPLICATIONS OF EITHER TAKING IT LONGER TO DO A PROJECT OR AND AND OR IT INADVERTENTLY ENDS UP COSTING MORE TO DO A PARTICULAR PROJECT.
IS THERE IS THERE IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS FRAMEWORK? I MEAN, LOOK, I SUPPORT IT, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T WAITING LONGER THAN NECESSARY TO GET A PROJECT.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, IN THIS MARKET, ARE WE SUBJECT TO PAYING MORE AS A RESULT FOR A PROJECT THAN WE OTHERWISE WOULD BE? SO, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THE FRAMEWORK ITSELF SHOULD NOT CONTRIBUTE ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS, RIGHT? IT'S JUST EVALUATING THE PROJECT AS IT CURRENTLY IS.
WHAT WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL COSTS AND RESOURCES AND TAKE ADDITIONAL TIME AS IF WE WENT BACK AND RE RELOOKED AT ALL OF THE SCORES AND RESET THEM BASED ON WE DON'T GO BACK AND UPDATE ON A ON A REGULAR BASIS, WE WOULD BE IN A CONTINUAL LOOP WITH 180 PROJECTS MOVING THROUGH MULTIPLE STAGES PER YEAR.
WE'D BE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF UPDATING.
SO CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD, WE CAN CONTINUE TO USE OUR STANDARDIZED BENEFITS PROCESS ONCE IT'S FULLY IN PLACE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO UPDATES. BUT I WOULD CAUTION AGAINST TRYING TO GO BACKWARDS AT THIS TIME, JUST GIVEN LIMITED RESOURCES, IT WOULD BE CHALLENGING TO DO THAT.
AND YEAH, I'M NOT AN ADVOCATE FOR THAT, BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE GOING FORWARD THAT WE'RE NOT OUR PROJECTS AREN'T COSTING MORE AND TAKING LONGER RIGHT COMMISSION.
THEN I HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER QUICK.
SURE. SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT PROPOSING ANY CHANGES TO THE FRAMEWORK AND UNLESS COURT WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, WHAT WHAT I SEE AS AN OPPORTUNITY IS FOR US TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE AND LOOK FOR REFINEMENTS AS PART OF THE FLOOD RESILIENCE PLANNING EFFORT RATHER THAN LOOKING AT THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE LIST RIGHT NOW.
THE PRIMARY USE FOR THIS FRAMEWORK IS ONE A POINT OF COMPARISON.
AND TWO, IDENTIFYING WHAT PROJECTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FLOOD RESILIENCE TRUST.
DR. PETERSON, THE EXISTING CONDITIONS, 20% PIECE OF THE FRAMEWORK.
DOES THAT INCLUDE THE SEVERITY OF FLOODING? THAT PIECE OF THE FRAMEWORK IS REALLY FOCUSED ON THE CAPACITY OF THE CHANNEL WHERE THAT PROJECT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED.
SO THE SEVERITY AND THE IMPACTS ARE FOCUSED ON ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE THE NUMBER OF STRUCTURES AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED THAT WOULD FALL UNDER THE PROJECT EFFICIENCY, 45% SCORING PIECE.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP FUNDING OR ABILITY TO LEVERAGE OTHER DOLLARS? WHERE IS THAT FACTORED IN, IF AT ALL? IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS FRAMEWORK.
AND THE REASON THAT IT WAS EXCLUDED IS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THIS FRAMEWORK IS AGAIN, ITS SPECIFIC INITIAL PURPOSE WAS TO BE USED FOR THE FLOOD RESILIENCE TRUST.
[03:15:06]
WE KNOW THAT THESE PROJECTS COULD BE ELIGIBLE BUT HAVEN'T SO FAR BEEN ABLE TO GAIN PARTNERSHIP FUNDING.AND SO I BELIEVE THAT'S WHY THAT PARTICULAR ITEM WAS RECOMMENDED FOR REMOVAL.
THERE ARE SOME SOME OTHER REASONS, BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE TOP ONES.
OKAY. AND THEN I BELIEVE I'M CLEAR ON THE ANSWER, BUT JUST TO RECONFIRM THIS IS.
IT'LL BE THERE'LL BE THESE QUARTILES, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A THRESHOLD UP OR DOWN.
THIS FRAMEWORK, THE INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED TO COURT AND THAT INFORMATION WILL ALLOW EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO HAVE A CLEAR AND CONSISTENT BASIS TO COMPARE PROJECTS IN TERMS OF APPLICABILITY TO THE FLOOD RESILIENCE TRUST.
SO IT REALLY IS GOING TO KIND OF SERVE TWO PURPOSES AT THIS POINT.
IN CURRENTLY IN THE TRUST WE HAVE, HOW MUCH FUNDING WE HAVE.
I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO GET YOU THE NUMBER WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON SOME UPDATES ON THE TRUST.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU INITIALLY THE TOTAL NUMBER WAS ABOUT $834 MILLION IN THE TRUST.
OVERALL, LOOKING OUT THROUGH 2030 AND THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAS HAD TWO REQUESTS TO THE FLOOD RESILIENCE TRUST TO DATE.
AND THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN THE TRUST.
JUST A COUPLE, DOCTOR, PLEASE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DID ON THIS.
ALTHOUGH I KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO BACK, I THINK IT WILL BE HELPFUL TO US IF YOU JUST SUBMIT A LIST TO EACH OF US OF PROJECTS WE HAVE FUNDED OUT OF OUR $2.5 BILLION PROJECT THAT WOULD NOT THAT DID NOT FALL UNDER THIS FRAMEWORK.
JUST SO WE KNOW IN A COUPLE COME TO MY MIND, I REMEMBER RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT ONE ADJACENT TO COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S PRECINCT IN ANOTHER COUNTY. I'M JUST GUESSING, BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT DID NOT COME THROUGH THIS FRAMEWORK.
AND THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP FUNDING FOR VEGETATION PROJECT THAT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY DID, AND I THINK HIS PRECINCT AND A CORPS OF ENGINEERS MIGHT HAVE PUT UP THE MONEY, BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT WOULD NOT HAVE FALLEN UNDER THIS FRAMEWORK.
SO AT LEAST WE KNOW, EVEN IF WE OUGHT NOT TO DO IT, I THINK IT'LL BE GOOD TO TO KNOW.
AND I THINK THERE MAY BE COMPELLING REASONS TO DO A PROJECT AND YOU CAN GIVE IT A NUMBER.
AND IF THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE JUSTIFICATION.
I LIKE THE TERM THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD SHOVEL READY.
AND IF YOU GOT A SHOVEL READY PROJECT AND YOU CAN OR ARE YOU GOING TO SIT THERE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH RIGHT OF WAY OR SOME DESIGN OR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE? WELL, IT'S IT HAS A HIGHER SCORE.
SO WE'LL WAIT FOR YEARS OR YOU CAN BUILD THAT ONE THAT'S GOING TO DO SOME GOOD IMMEDIATELY.
THAT'S WHY THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME DISCERNMENT AND JUDGMENT WHEN WE END UP DOING THOSE TWO PROJECTS.
AND IT ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAS BEEN, BUT WE AT LEAST NEED TO KNOW.
THAT'S WHY I TOOK A COUPLE OF PROJECTS WHERE WE USED TO GIVE LIP SERVICE TO IT.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT HOLES AND GREENS IN PARTICULAR, WHICH IS WHY WE HELD BACK ON THOSE WHILE WE WERE CHASING FEDERAL MONEY THAT NEVER CAME THAT HER PREDECESSOR TOLD US WE WERE GOING TO GET.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT THE COURT DIRECT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT TO APPLY TO 2022 PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK TO ALL FLOOD CONTROL AND MITIGATION PROJECTS FUNDED THROUGH THE DISTRICT THAT PROVIDE ADDED CAPACITY FLOOD REDUCTION BENEFITS TO AREA RESIDENTS IN CASES WHERE ITS APPLICATION DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH APPLICABLE LAW.
SO THAT'S APPROPRIATE MOTION IS AS PRESENTED AS PRESENTED.
SO I MOVE THE ITEM AS PRESENTED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR BY I ALL THOSE OPPOSED.
I WOULD NIX THAT MOTION PASSED IT PASSES.
MOTION PASSES AS PRESENTED IS AS PRESENTED.
THE NEXT ONE IS ITEM TWO NINE FOR COMMISSIONER GARCIA AIRLINE DRIVE 251 250 1X10251.
[03:20:07]
I DIDN'T SEE A 251 AND THEN TO 94 ON 251.I JUST WANT TO THANK AGAIN MY MY STAFF, MATT, GARY AND TARA BUI, WHO WE'RE KEEPING IN OUR PRAYERS.
BUT THEIR WORK IS STILL TO BE APPRECIATED AND RESPECTED.
THIS AGREEMENT IS WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND IT WILL ALLOW FOR US TO ESTABLISH YET THE NEWEST PIECE TO OUR ACCESS TO HEALTH SMART PORT INITIATIVE.
IN ADDITION TO THE HARRIS CENTER, WHO IS ALREADY PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AT OUR NORTHEAST PARK, OR THE JAMES DRIVER INCLUSIVE PARK BY NORTHEAST SMART POD, WE WILL BE ADDING A CLINICIAN TO SERVE SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN.
THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES, IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR US TO PROVIDE TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS BECAUSE WE ARE AMID A NEW CRISIS AMONG YOUTH STRUGGLING WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH WORSENED BY THE PANDEMIC AND SOCIAL MEDIA, CHILDREN ARE REPORTING SHARP INCREASES IN ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION OVER RECENT YEARS.
AND TO COMBAT THIS PRESSING ISSUE, THE NEW CLINICIAN WILL BE OFFERING BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL SESSIONS FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN USING COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY AND PLAY THERAPY.
ALL SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE WILL BE FREE OR ON A SLIDING SCALE.
AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK CATHOLIC CHARITIES FOR THEIR WORK AND FOR RESPONDING TO THIS NEED AND PROVIDING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALIST TO OUR ACCESS TO HEALTH SMART IN IN PRECINCT TWO.
SO I AM PROUD OF THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
WE HAVE SO MANY ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND THE CHALLENGES THAT SO MANY OF US ARE FACING WITH THAT CHILDREN IN PARTICULAR. BUT I JUST GLAD THAT WE ARE BUILDING THAT CAPACITY.
AND I WANT TO THANK WAYNE YOUNG AND THE HARRIS CENTER AND HIS TEAM FOR THEIR ONGOING WORK.
BUT AGAIN, MUCH APPRECIATION TO MY STAFF FOR THEIR.
SO I MOVE ON THE ITEM AS PRESENTED.
COMMISSIONER, I THINK WE VOTED ON IT EARLIER.
YES, THAT WAS ON THE CONSENT. OH, IT'S ALREADY BEEN.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS. THANK YOU.
AND IT TURNED OUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IN MY PRECINCT.
ACTUALLY, I STARTED WORKING ON IT.
THEN I REALIZED I WAS IN PRECINCT ONE, AND SO I WENT AND WORK WITH YOU ON IT.
YOUR TEAM STARTED TO DO SOME WORK.
NOW WEST GULF BANK IS ACTUALLY IN PRECINCT TWO.
CAN I GET THE MONEY BACK? NO MORE OF IT.
BUT LET ME LET ME JUST SAY THAT I'M EXCITED BECAUSE THERE'S TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ON THIS SEGMENT OF GULF BANK, AND I HAVE HUMONGOUS DITCHES THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO.
YEAH. AND THEY HAVE TO NAVIGATE.
BUT THIS PARTICULAR AREA IS ON OUR IS ON THE WHAT'S WHAT'S THE TERM COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK.
AND THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL FATALITY CRASHES THERE INVOLVING CHILDREN, INVOLVING BICYCLISTS, INVOLVING PEDESTRIANS. AND SO I AM JUST VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS ITEM.
THIS IS JUST THE THE THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT.
BUT ULTIMATELY, THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO INCLUDE FOUR LANE, A FOUR LANE BOULEVARD SECTION WITH EIGHT FEET SIDEWALKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET, TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
THE PROJECT HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY THE ALDINE COMMUNITY FOR A LONG, LONG TIME AND AND AS I MENTIONED, WAS IDENTIFIED IN OUR ALDINE REGION COMPREHENSIVE STUDY AS A HIGH PRIORITY.
AND AND THEN JUST TO ADD TO IT THAT THERE IS A INCREDIBLE FAMILY BUSINESS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
[03:25:09]
IF YOU SAW MY COMMERCIALS DURING THE CAMPAIGN, THE AUTO SHOP THAT THAT I REFERENCED, WE ACTUALLY FILMED IT RIGHT OFF OF GULF BANK.MER, WHO YOU KNOW, AND WHO WHO'S YOU'LL YOU'LL FIND HIM AND BEN REYES TOGETHER EARLY AND OFTEN.
HIS SON'S FAMILY CLINIC IS RIGHT OFF OF GULF BANK.
MER BOULEVARD IF WE ALL WE CAN GET THERE.
BUT ANYWAYS, I MOVE ON THIS ITEM AND I WANT TO THANK MY ENGINEERS FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE.
IT'S A TRANSMITTAL, SO WE'LL JUST ACCEPT IT.
THE NEXT ONE IS 314 AND THAT'S ONE THAT I PULLED.
MR. TREVINO, IT JUST BRIEFLY, WALK US THROUGH WHAT I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR FOLKS BECAUSE WE WON'T BE TAKING CASH.
IF IT DOESN'T HAVE TOO MUCH OF A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT TO US, IS THERE ANY WAY YOU COULD COME BACK WITH A WAY TO REDUCE THE TOLLS, AT LEAST A MODEST AMOUNT IF YOU'RE THERE, MR. TREVINO.
I WAS GOING TO ASK THE SAME THING.
SEE, I BET HE DIDN'T THINK WE'D GET TO THIS AS QUICK.
SO LET'S GO. WE'LL GO BACK TO HIM.
THIS IS OUR WORKER PROTECTION POLICY.
OH, IS THAT RIGHT? I THOUGHT WE DID THIS ONE.
WE NO, WE DIDN'T VOTE ON IT, MR. SARKOZY. WE DIDN'T VOTE IT UNTIL.
IF WE GET MR. VIGNEAULT, WE'LL COME BACK TO HIM LATER.
YOU WANT TO DO THIS NOW? YOU HAVE TO WAIT.
OKAY. AND MR. SORKIN, I THINK WHERE WE WERE, YOU WERE LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSION.
AND THEN I JUST SAY YOUR NAME.
WE KNOW YOU, NEEL SARKAR, FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
SO THE THE OWNERSHIP, QUOTE UNQUOTE, IS BUILT IN THE POLICY.
AND THE WAY WE DECIDED TO DO IT WAS THAT BEFORE THE AWARD, THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE POLICY IS HANDLED BY PURCHASING, WHICH IS ACTUALLY AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS, BECAUSE THE WAY THE POLICY IS STRUCTURED, IT IS A BID CERTIFICATION SYSTEM.
AND THE OTHER REASON FOR THAT WOULD BE TO LIGHTEN THE ENFORCEMENT BURDEN ON THE COUNTY.
AND THEN AFTER THE CONTRACT IS AWARDED, IT WILL BE JOINTLY ADMINISTERED BY DEO AND THE DEPARTMENT, WHOSE CONTRACT IT IS, BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE AN ENGINEERING CONTRACT, IT MIGHT BE A FLOOD CONTROL CONTRACT, IT MIGHT BE A HECTOR CONTRACT.
SO WE THOUGHT IT MADE SENSE TO HAVE D.O.
IN THE IN THE MIDDLE OF THINGS JUST SO THEY COULD HAVE A VIEW TO STANDARDIZE IT ACROSS THOSE GROUPS.
BUT OF COURSE, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED THE HELP OF ENGINEERING OF COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
BUT THE COMPLAINTS ARE COMING TO D.O.
SO IT ALSO MADE SENSE TO HAVE THEM INVOLVED.
SO THERE WILL BE COMPLAINTS COMING IN AND THEN A CERTIFICATION SYSTEM.
AND THAT'S THAT'S HOW WE'LL EXPOSE IT.
THAT'S RIGHT. AND WE ALSO HAVE BUILT INTO THE POLICY THAT THAT D.O., IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, WILL CREATE RULES AND REGULATIONS AS NEEDED TO ALLOW FOR ORDERLY ADMINISTRATION OF THE POLICY.
AND THAT GIVES YOU ALL THE CHANCE, I HOPE, TO LOOK AT PLACES OUTSIDE TEXAS, ONLY ONE IN THE STATE, WHICH WILL BE TRAVIS COUNTY, WHICH YOU CAN LOOK AROUND JUST TO MAKE SURE WE BENEFIT FROM WHATEVER MISTAKES OTHERS HAVE HAD AND SEE WHAT WORKS BEST FOR US.
SO I THINK THAT'S ALSO AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF IT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD WAS IMPORTANT AND WE LISTENED.
WE'LL BE GETTING FEEDBACK OVER MONTHS AND YEARS EVEN SO.
GOOD DEAL. AND COMMISSIONERS, NEAL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS AND FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOUR YOUR CLARIFICATION BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IF THERE IS TOO MUCH CENTRALIZATION, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM DOWN THE LINE.
[03:30:02]
IMPLEMENTATION. THIS IS THE LESSON LEARNED THAT I HAD BACK FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.AND SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT IS A PART OF THE CLARIFICATION.
ABSOLUTELY. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY? WELL, THANK CASEY CHRISTMAN BACK THERE WITH HOUSTON CONTRACT ASSOCIATION AND JEFF NIELSEN WITH ABC.
YOU ALL WANT TO COME UP AND Y'ALL, Y'ALL HAVE SAT THERE THE WHOLE DAY AND YOU SHOULD GET CONTINUING EDUCATION OR MAYBE NOT, BUT MY ONLY COMMENT.
GOOD. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
CAN GATHER MUCH INFORMATION FROM WHAT IS ALREADY EXISTING THERE.
THEY SHOULD COMPLEMENT WHAT I THINK, WHETHER IT'S FLOOD CONTROL OR WHETHER IT'S WHETHER IT'S A COUNTY ENGINEER'S OFFICE OR WHICHEVER ENTITIES MEASURING IT, BUT USE AS MUCH OF THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE THAT ARE ALREADY ENGAGING WITH CONTRACTORS.
AND I THINK THE CONTRACTOR ASSOCIATIONS CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM TO BE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE ON THE JOB SITE, WHICH IS THAT'S THE OBJECTIVE IN ANY CASE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
LOOK, I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF IN PARTICULAR.
I RARELY DO THAT, BUT THEY PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS AND OF COURSE, THINK LEGAL OF PULLING IT OUT OF FILE 13 BECAUSE IT WAS LOST IN LEGAL FOR A LONG TIME FROM WHEN MY FOLKS PRESENTED IT. AND WITH THAT COMMISSIONER BRIONES WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEM AS PRESENTED? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT FIRST I WANTED TO THANK THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ESPECIALLY YOU, MR. SPEAKER, AND THANK YOU TO OUR CONTRACTING COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF THE ONGOING INPUT.
WE WOULD LOVE THE ONGOING FEEDBACK TO SEE HOW COMMISSIONERS.
OR IF WE CAN BE HELPFUL IN OFFERING ADDITIONAL OSHA TRAININGS OR WHATEVER, WE NEED TO MAKE THIS AS WORKABLE AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS VERY MUCH PRO-WORKER AND PRO-BUSINESS, AND WE'LL HAVE HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY, HIGHER QUALITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HARRIS COUNTY.
SO I AM THRILLED TO BE AT THE TABLE TODAY AND TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE PASSAGE OF ITEM 322 AS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED.
NOW, SECONDLY, I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS.
BUT THANK YOU ALL FOUR FOR YOUR INPUT.
LOOK. I THINK WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN THIS COMMUNITY OF FINDING WAYS TO HAVE BUSINESS AND POLICY COME TOGETHER.
THE CHANGE IS NOT ALWAYS ENTIRELY WELCOME BECAUSE IT CHANGES PROCESSES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE COLLABORATION AND THE INPUT THAT YOU PROVIDED.
I WOULD ALSO, AS COMMISSIONER, BE HONEST, ALLUDED TO YOU.
I WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KEEP US POSTED ON ON GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT MAYBE IMPROVEMENTS ON IMPLEMENTATION. AND SO IF YOU WILL KEEP US POSTED AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, PROBABLY NOT YOUR MEMBERS, BUT IF YOU CAN HELP US, BE SURE TO PAY ATTENTION TO SMALL BUSINESSES THAT MAY BE STRUGGLING.
I KNOW. I KNOW. THERE'S A BIT OF A.
HALF, IF YOU WILL, WHERE IT STARTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
BUT IF YOU CAN JUST MAKE SURE TO KEEP US POSTED IF THERE'S ANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THIS.
SURE. THAT IT IS DOING WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
AND THAT'S REALLY TO SAVE LIVES.
THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
I THINK EVERYBODY APPRECIATED THAT.
NOBODY WANTS TO GET INTO THE SITUATION.
NO ONE HAS TO LOOK AT THEIR FAMILY MEMBER AND TELL THEM THAT THEIR LOVED ONE ISN'T COMING HOME AFTER WORKING AT A PARTICULAR SITE. NO ONE WANTS TO HAVE A WORK SITE STOP BECAUSE OF ISSUES AND CHALLENGES THERE.
SO I THINK THIS BY AND BAR WILL HELP OUR ECONOMY MOVE FORWARD, MOVE FORWARD IN THE VERY EFFECTIVE WAY WHILE WE'RE RESPECTING THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT WE'RE ENTRUSTED TO WORK.
AND IF I CAN EXTEND INVITATION TO ALL THOSE WATCHING, ESPECIALLY OUR LABOR PARTNERS THAT I KNOW WORKED FOR YEARS WITH YOU ALL ON THIS, PLEASE KEEP THE FEEDBACK COMING BECAUSE WE WANT IT TO BE AS MEANINGFUL IN TERMS OF PROTECTING THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO PLEASE, IT'S AN OPEN INVITATION.
[03:35:02]
BECAUSE YOU ALL WERE ABLE TO GET BUY IN FROM LABOR AS WELL AS INDUSTRY.I HOPE THAT OUR FRIENDS AND INDUSTRY WILL HELP ENCOURAGE OUR STATE PARTNERS NOT TO PREEMPT WHAT WE DO IN THIS SPACE.
THAT'S ONE REASON WHY I THINK THERE'S BEEN A RELUCTANCE.
SO ON THE PART OF MANY LOCAL ENTITIES IN TEXAS TO DO SOMETHING, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT IT WORKS WELL.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HURT OUR SMALLER MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES, BUT WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE USE THEM AS AN EXCUSE BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WANT WORK THAT MUCH ABOUT THEM PREVIOUSLY AND THEN USE THEM AS A SHIELD TO NOT DO THINGS.
ADDING. RECRUITMENT SERVICES ARE.
YOU KNOW, MICHAEL, MAYBE I'M GETTING DEATH OLD HERE.
AND THEN WE HAVE A CHIEF TALENT OFFICER AND THEN WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE PURSUING THAT.
AND THIS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THAT.
SO I WOULD QUESTION THE NEED FOR THAT WHEN WE'VE REALLY JUST STOOD UP A GROUP WITHIN OUR COUNTY TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE.
AND I WOULDN'T I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION, AS I THINK WE HAVE JUST STOOD UP A PRETTY ROBUST GROUP TO DO THIS VERY SAME THING.
WELL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, FROM MY STANDPOINT, MOST PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO, IT'S A REAL PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE PANDEMIC, TO GET FOLKS TO COME IN AND IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, IN ENVIRONMENT, IN GOVERNMENT IN PARTICULAR.
SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MR. BARRY, YOU OR MR. RAMOS WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS, BUT MR. CARROLL MAY BE ON AS WELL.
BUT. THIS IS AN OPTION FOR DEPARTMENTS, FOR ELECTED OFFICES, FOR OTHERS TO USE.
DOESN'T COMMIT THEM TO ANYTHING.
THERE'S NO INCREMENTAL BUDGET.
IT WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF THE EXISTING BUDGET.
AND I'LL LET MR. CASTLE COMMENT, BUT COUNTY HAS ADDED SOME MORE RESOURCES THERE, BUT IT'S STILL A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE FOR A COUNTY WITH THEY CAN TELL ABOUT 17,000 EMPLOYEES. THIS CARES.
WELL. YEAH. COMMISSIONER ALSO THESE THESE SHOULD BE REALLY USED FOR KIND OF HARD TO BUILD POSITIONS KIND OF BUT MR. ELLIS WAS INDICATING AND OF COURSE WE DO TRY TO RECRUIT INTERNALLY BUT WE JUST THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS THAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES RESOURCE FOR US.
THIS IS WHAT THESE THESE WE COULD TAP INTO ONE OF THESE CONTRACTS TO HELP US WITH THE SEARCH.
BUT ELECTION WORKERS IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I RAN INTO AT RECEPTIONS AND EVENTS WAS SAYING OTHER COUNTY OFFICIALS WHO WERE THERE IN THE CITY, FOLKS, STATE FOLKS, IT'S A REAL PROBLEM OF GETTING TALENT IN ELECTION OFFICES IN PARTICULAR, AND THAT THAT IS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FOCUS IS HERE, BUT IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM AS PRESENTED? AND WHAT WE ITEMIZE IS OUR SECOND.
THAT'S THE SECOND. I WAS IN FAVOR OF WHAT I HIGH.
THAT SHIELD ELECTIONS OFFICE ITEM 333 ON PAGE 41.
YEAH, WE'VE ALL RECEIVED THE REPORT THAT ADMINISTRATOR TATUM ISSUED.
I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT HE LET MY OFFICE KNOW, LET ME KNOW ON DECEMBER 23RD, I THINK IT WAS HE ISSUED A REPORT ROUGHLY DECEMBER 27TH.
SO THE COMMUNICATION WAS APPRECIATED.
I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN THE RESPONSE FROM A LOT OF FOLKS.
I HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT WASN'T IN THE REPORT.
SO IT'S ABOUT THIS IS ABOUT DATA.
KHOU, FOR EXAMPLE, ON NOVEMBER THE NINTH SAYS THEY AS THEY INTERVIEWED DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
[03:40:01]
FIRST TIME I EVER RAN INTO A PROBLEM LIKE THAT, VOTING, THAT'S A QUOTE OF A VOTER WHO WAS TURNED AWAY FOR NOT HAVING ENOUGH BALLOT PAPER.AND THAT WAS A PRESIDING JUDGE, ANOTHER PRESIDING JUDGE.
I FELT LIKE I WAS A DISENFRANCHIZING VOTERS.
THE REPORT SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ISSUES.
I THINK THE REPORT TENDED TO STATE THE OBVIOUS.
SOME POLLS OPEN LATE, SOME POST A LATER PAPER BALLOT ISSUE, BUT IT REALLY DIDN'T GIVE US DATA.
IT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR HAS YET TO, I THINK, GO THROUGH THAT.
IT DIDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION OF HOW MANY VOTERS WERE TOLD TO GO TO OTHER LOCATIONS.
IT DIDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION OF HOW MANY OF THOSE VOTERS ACTUALLY DID GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
YOU DIDN'T ANSWER. HOW LONG WERE LOCATIONS TURNING VOTERS AWAY? WE DON'T KNOW.
I THINK THE REPORT ENDS WITH THE DEPARTMENT NEEDING MORE MONEY AND MORE STAFF.
AND I, FOR ONE WOULD WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEMS WERE BECAUSE NOTHING'S WORSE THAN TRYING TO SPEND MONEY ON SOMETHING. WE DON'T REALLY FULLY DEFINE THE PROBLEM.
YOU CAN'T START DEFINING SOLUTIONS UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
AND I DON'T THINK WE KNOW THAT.
I'LL I'LL END WITH THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE EDITORIAL BOARD ON JANUARY THE SIXTH SAID WE TOO, ARE FRUSTRATED WITH REPEATED MISHAPS IN HARRIS COUNTY ELECTIONS AND FRUSTRATED THAT ANSWERS OVER THE NOVEMBER'S BALLOT PAPER SNAFUS HAVEN'T BEEN FORTHCOMING.
THE CHRONICLE ALSO WENT ON TO SAY, WE STILL BELIEVE THAT COUNTY MUST RESPOND WITH URGENCY.
WE'RE IN JANUARY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE'RE IN JANUARY WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING IRREGULARITIES, AND THAT INCLUDES PRODUCING MORE DETAILED REPORT THAT COULD HELP DISPEL LINGERING DOUBT. SO IT'S ABOUT PROVIDING DATA, ABOUT PROVIDING INFORMATION OUT THERE.
SO I'M AGAIN ASKING, I KNOW ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR TITLE THEM IS NOT IN I DON'T THINK TODAY HE'S AT A FUNERAL. I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT HE'S OUT IN ATLANTA, BUT THE FUNERAL'S GOING ON NOW.
I DO THINK I DO THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR A MORE ROBUST REPORT THAT DOES ANSWER THE QUESTION, MUCH LIKE THE CHRONICLE INDICATE ON JANUARY 6TH.
AND FIRST, I WANT TO THANK MR. TATUM FOR HIS WORK.
HE HAS LITERALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND AND AND JUST APPRECIATE WHAT HE'S DONE.
I KNOW THAT HE'S BEEN GIVEN A LOT OF PRESSURE.
TO REPORT SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THE CHALLENGES AND ISSUES THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE ELECTION.
AND SO HE'S PROVIDED THIS REPORT, BUT IT CLEARLY ON PAGE ONE, ON PAGE ONE, HE SPEAKS THAT HE DOES NEED MORE TIME TO GET FULL INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LEVEL OF OF STAKEHOLDER INTEREST TO PROVIDE US A THOROUGH REPORT.
SO, MR. TATUM, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN PRESSURED TO GIVE A QUICK REPORT WHAT YOU DID, BUT YOU WERE VERY CLEAR IN SAYING I CAN'T GIVE A THOROUGH REPORT QUICKLY.
AND SO, SO THANK YOU FOR AT LEAST GIVING US THE REPORT AND AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IT DOES TAKE MORE TIME TO COME UP WITH A THOROUGH REPORT.
AND THEN ALSO ON THE ON THE ISSUE OF PAPER.
THE JUDGES GIVE CONFLICTING REPORTS ABOUT WHETHER PAPER NUMBER ONE WAS ACTUALLY NEEDED.
NUMBER TWO, WHETHER THEY RECEIVED ADDITIONAL PAPER OR NOT.
AND NUMBER THREE, WHETHER IF ANY VOTERS WERE ACTUALLY TURNED AWAY.
SO IN SPITE OF THIS BEING A QUICK REPORT, YOU WERE IN PART, THOROUGH AND PRECISE AND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED.
[03:45:08]
ON THE ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE.SO, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ELECTION OFFICE.
THEY HEARD THE WANT OF A REPORT AND WITH A LARGE WITH THE LARGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COME UP WITH A THOROUGH AND COMPLETE REPORT OVERNIGHT.
AND YET YOU DID PROVIDE A REPORT OVERNIGHT WITH THE INFORMATION YOU COULD ASSEMBLE, BUT YOU'RE VERY TRANSPARENT AND CLEAR THAT YOU NEED MORE TIME TO PROVIDE A COMPLETE REPORT.
I KNOW WE'RE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF LITIGATION, SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH SOME OF THAT.
BUT ALL THAT BEING SAID IS THAT IN YOUR REPORT, YOU DO SPEAK VERY ACCURATELY AND VERY PRECISELY TO A LOT OF THE ISSUES ON PAGES 23 AND 24 ON THE DISCREPANCIES OF THE COUNT AND THE RECONCILIATION FORM.
SO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AREN'T EVEN WITHIN OUR REALM TO ADDRESS.
SO, MR. TATUM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I HOPE THAT WE WILL ALLOW YOU THE SPACE TO WORK AND AND ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND THEN BRING US A COMPLETE AND THOROUGH REPORT.
THANK YOU. FIRST, I BASICALLY SAID MY CONDOLENCES.
MR. TATUM, IS THAT A FUNERAL? SECOND, IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHEN IS FEASIBLE TO GET MUCH MORE DETAILED INFORMATION BECAUSE WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM AND THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS WITH THE MAY ELECTION COMING AND THEN NOVEMBER.
I WANT HARRIS COUNTY TO BE BEST IN CLASS AND WE NEED TO REALLY MOVE FORWARD FROM THIS.
SO WORKING ON THAT REAL TIME THINKING OF.
SO WHAT IS BEING DONE TO ADDRESS THOSE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS? I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE WHAT THE TIMETABLE WILL BE, WHAT THE COST WILL BE.
AND SO WE NEED TO JUST BE WORKING AS AGGRESSIVELY AND AS PURPOSEFULLY AS POSSIBLE WITH THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE DO KNOW WE NEED AND THEN CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT AND THEN SEE WHAT IS. WHAT COMES NEXT.
I KNOW MR. TATUM WILL PROBABLY LOOK AT THE VIDEO LATER.
AND I AGREE HE DID HAVE A A TOUGH JOB AND HE JUST GOT HERE.
NOTHING COMPARES TO HARRIS COUNTY IN TERMS OF SIZE OF WHAT WE DO, A GEOGRAPHIC SIZE OF 1778 SQUARE MILES, OVER 2.5 MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE THE LONGEST BALLOT IN THE COUNTRY WHICH ADDS TO VOTING AND COUNTING TIME.
UNDER THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
A BALLOT IS TWICE AS LONG, MR. RAMOS AS L.A.
COUNTY, WHICH I KNOW YOU WERE BORN THERE AND GREW UP THERE, AT LEAST, WHICH HAD THE NEXT LONGEST BALLOT WITH ABOUT 40 CONTESTED RACES. SO IT IS A LOT.
IN FACT, WE WERE SO GOOD AT IT, IT PROMPTED THE STATE TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO VOTE THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE AND TO ADD MORE CHALLENGES FOR PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE, MR. BAER, WHEN WE HAVE THAT DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE GIVEN, THAT OFFICE, THE RESOURCES THAT THEY THINK THEY NEED, SO THAT IF AT SOME POINT A DECISION IS MADE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE UP TO THE TASK, THEY HAD THE RESOURCES THAT THEY THINK THEY NEED, YOU CAN COME STRAIGHT TO US AND WE DECIDE WE'RE GOING TO CUT IT.
[03:50:03]
VOTER REGISTRATION PROCESS IS IN THE COUNTRY.HOW NORTH GEORGIA RANKS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE OF WE, THE MOST RESTRICTIVE.
TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE AS SOON AS THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.
YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOU WERE HERE.
AND PART OF THE CONCERN I HAD, AT LEAST WITH THE PERSON WE APPOINTED ON AN INTERIM BASIS WHEN IT OPEN UP, WAS THAT THEY WILL GO AS FAR AS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WOULD SAY THEY COULD GO AND THE COUNTY WOULD DEFEND THEM ON ENCOURAGING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
ONE WAY TO SOLVE A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS WOULD HAVE BEEN IF IT WAS EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO DO MAIL IN BALLOTS, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE HAD AS MANY PEOPLE SHOWING UP TO GO AND VOTE IF THEY COULD DO THAT.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, I'M SURE YOU WATCHED THE TAPE AND WHEN HE CAN'T TALK, KNOWING THAT THERE ARE LITIGATION ISSUES OUT THERE AS WELL, WE'LL HEAR FROM HIM ABOUT WHATEVER HE CAN TALK ABOUT WITH THOSE ITEMS PENDING.
IF THAT'S THE MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, THERE'S NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM.
COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, IT IS 327 AND COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL NOW PROCEED TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
YOU WANTED TO GO BACK? ACTUALLY, COMMISSIONER, WE HAVE.
YEAH, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, I THINK WE HAVE MR. TREVINO. AND WHAT ITEM WAS THAT WAS 314 314.
MR. TREVINO, YOU READY? YES, SIR. MY APOLOGIES FOR THE TECHNICAL ISSUE, SIR.
WE THOUGHT SHE WANTED TO WAIT ANOTHER TWO WEEKS.
LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
YOU CAN COME IN ON IT BRIEFLY.
WE WERE TRYING TO SEE HOW QUICK WE GET OUT OF HERE, BUT.
NO, ACTUALLY, I'LL BE BRIEF, SIR.
COULD YOU LOWER THE TOLLS A BIT TO MAKE IT A BIT EASIER ON PEOPLE? I THINK, BY THE WAY, WHO HAS THE MOST TOLL ROADS NOW IS THAT COMMISSIONER GARCIA IS IN ME.
WHICH PRECINCT DID MOST OF THE TOLLS TOLL ON A MILEAGE BASIS, COMMISSIONER? PRECINCT ONE HAS THE MOST TOLL ROAD, MILES.
ALL RIGHT. BUT ANYTHING YOU WANT TO GIVE US ABOUT THE ITEM YOU CALLED ME AND BRIEF ME ON IT.
REALLY, I CALLED YOU ON IT, BUT.
AND THEN THE ISSUE, IF YOU CAN LOWER THE TOLLS, CORRECT? YES, SIR. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS IT WAS MORE HOUSEKEEPING.
THE POLICY HADN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2007.
THE PREVIOUS POLICY, THE BASIS OF ALL OTHER TOLL RATES WAS WAS THE CASH ON THE ROADWAY.
AND WHAT IS BEFORE THE COURT TODAY WAS A FLAT NO CHANGE TO ANY OF THE TOLL RATES AT ALL.
I WILL DO THAT. WE HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY DATA TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND WHAT IMPACT THAT MAY BE.
AND WE'LL CIRCLE BACK WITH COURT ON THE NEXT AGENDA TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I ASSUME YOU HAVE NO OBJECTION.
I ASSUME, ESPECIALLY IN THIS MARKET AND ECONOMIC CLIMATE, I THINK IT WOULD BE.
SO I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AS WELL.
ALL'S PRECINCTS COME AND WORK HERE THAT HAD THEM HEAD ON OUT TO YOUR PRECINCTS.
THAT'S RIGHT. COMMISSIONER RAMSTAD, I SEE THAT YOU.
MR. TREVINO, JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING MR. GARCIA MADE A POINT HE MADE.
AND IT WE DIDN'T REALLY SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THAT.
AND I KNOW THERE'S AN INCREASED FOCUS.
I THINK EACH ONE OF US I KNOW I PUT IN CAMERAS, I THINK YOU PUT IN CAMERAS.
AS YOU LOOK AT THAT, ONE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHER.
BUT LOWER THE LOWER ON THE TOES MAY BE ONE THING, BUT GETTING PEOPLE TO PAY THE TOLL, THEY CURRENTLY AREN'T PAYING THE TOLL BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT PAPER TAGS.
[03:55:01]
THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER BIG, BIG.AND SO AT LEAST HAVE THAT ON THE RADAR SCREEN.
MR. VIGNEAULT, AS YOU LOOK GOING FORWARD, PARTICULARLY IN THIS ISSUE RELATED REVENUE, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. YES, SIR. COMMISSIONER, WE'LL COME UP WITH A FACT SHEET ON WHAT WE'VE DONE TO COMBAT THE PAPER PLATE ISSUE.
SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY CHANGE IN IN THE FRAUDULENT PAPER PLATES, IF THERE'S ANY CHANGE IN THE IN THE THE WAY IT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY ADMINISTERED.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AS WELL.
CORRECT? YES. AND AND AT LEAST IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO KNOW HOW WE RANK ARE WE ON THE HIGH END WHEN IN THE MIDDLE? NOT THAT WHAT THEY DO IN TRAVIS COUNTY OR DALLAS COUNTY AFFECTS WHAT WE DO, BUT IT'D BE NICE TO KNOW ANYWAY WHAT THOSE RIGHTS ARE VERSUS OUR RIGHTS. CORRECT? YES, SIR. SO WHAT I ALWAYS SAY IS I WANT HARRIS IS KIND OF BE THE BEST.
SO WE'LL GET YOU THAT COMPARISON, COMMISSIONER.
AND COMPLIMENTS TO COURT FOR NOT RAISING THE TOLLS.
WE HAVEN'T RAISED THE TOLL SINCE 2015.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THAT THE COST OF GOODS, THE THE INFLATION HAS INCREASED SINCE THEN.
IF WE COULD FIND A CREATIVE WAY TO FURTHER REDUCE TOLLS, I THINK WOULD BE A GREAT THING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING HOW WE CAN REDUCE THE TOLLS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. AND WE NEED A MOTION ON THAT.
YES. TO APPROVE IT, AS IS COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
AS WE ADOPT ITEM AS PRESENTED.
SECOND, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, SECONDS THAT I WILL SAY BY I.
[Executive Session]
SESSION. ITEM 154.IT IS 345 AND THE COURT HAS RETURNED FROM HIS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND IT IS I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ITEM IS AT NUMBER 154 154 COMMISSIONER GARCIA YEAH, JUST FOR THE RECORD, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT THE ITEM THAT WAS HELD AT THE LAST COURT.
THIS IS AN INCREMENTAL PART TIME POSITION RATHER THAN A SWAP OF A SWORN DEPUTY POSITION FOR ONE AND A HALF ADDITIONAL CIVILIAN POSITIONS. THANK YOU. I'LL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT.
I MOVE ON. THE ITEM ITEM HAS BEEN MOVED PROPERLY.
SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE I.
IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS? IS OUR MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IS THAT SECOND? WE JUST ADJOURN.
WE'RE OUT OF HERE. WE'RE REALLY OUT OF HERE.
THIS MEETING IS NO LONGER BEING RECORDED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.