Apr 25, 2023 Commissioners Court

[00:00:03]

ALL RIGHT. AS COMMISSIONER GARCIA ON THE ZOOM.

YES. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

IT IS 1006 AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS APRIL 25TH, 2023, MEETING OF THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR ORDER TO ORDER.

I AM FEELING A LITTLE BIT UNDER THE WEATHER, AS FOLKS CAN PROBABLY TELL FROM MY MASK.

I WAS AT THE DOCTOR THIS MORNING.

THEY THINK I HAVE STREP THROAT, BUT WHICH THEY SAID IS NOT CONTAGIOUS IF I WEAR A MASK.

SO BUT MY THROAT HURTS A LOT.

SO I'M GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER ELLIS TO PRESIDE OVER THE COURT SO I DON'T LOSE MY VOICE AND I'VE T AND EVERYTHING.

UM, SO I WANT TO BE REALLY CAUTIOUS.

I'M GOING TO WEAR THIS AND I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO PUSH MYSELF TOO HARD.

SO IF I START NOT FEELING WELL, I MIGHT JUST BOUNCE.

UM, SO THAT'S ALL.

COMMISSIONER, I THINK OUR STAFFS HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH WITH EVERYONE TO SEE SORT OF WHAT ARE THE, THE KEY ITEMS. BUT HOPEFULLY IT SHOULD BE A QUICK, UM, A QUICK COURT ANYWAY.

YEAH, IT'S NOT FUN, BUT IT'S OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. UH, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. CHEERS.

I HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER. SO, UH, IT IS NOW 1007, AND I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER, UH, THE APRIL 25TH, 2023 MEETING OF HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ORDER. UH, I DON'T THINK WE NEED A MOTION FOR THE JUDGE TO HAVE ME PRESIDE, DO WE? UH, SHE HAD ALSO OPENED THE COURT.

AM I GOING TO GO WITH YOUR VOTE? I'LL GO WITH HER. WITH HERS.

BUT FROM LEGAL SHE AT 1006 TO HAVE ME PRESIDE.

SHE CAN JUST PASS IT. DO WE NEED A MOTION, MR. FONEBONE? AND WE DON'T.

OKAY, SO NOW WE HAVE THE PRAYER AND THE PRAYER THAT TODAY WILL BE BY GABRIEL.

[Gabriel Ianculovici, Worship Pastor of Village Community Church in Houston.]

OKAY. MR WE ARE.

WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE, UH, GABRIEL YANKELEVICH.

YES. UH, HE'S GOT AN AMAZING STORY.

AND IF WE HAD AN HOUR, WE COULD PROBABLY GET GET INTO IT, BUT, UH, HE'S MARRIED WITH THREE GIRLS AND, UH, BORN IN ROMANIA.

LIVED IN COMMUNISM UNDER NICOLE NICOLAE CEAUSESCU.

CEAUSESCU. ANYWAY, THAT WAS A HORROR.

AND THIS MAN CAN GIVE GREAT TESTIMONY WHAT IT'S LIKE TO COME OUT OF A OF A GOVERNMENT THAT'S OPPRESSIVE.

HE GRADUATED FROM ROMANIA FROM BAPTIST HIGH SCHOOL IN 1995.

HE ATTENDED LAMAR UNIVERSITY.

HE GRADUATED FROM SOUTHWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, WHERE MY FATHER GRADUATED A FEW YEARS EARLIER, AND HE'S CURRENTLY WORSHIP MINISTER AT THE VILLAGE COMMUNITY CHURCH.

THAT'S IN THE MOODY BUILDING RIGHT THERE.

I ALWAYS GET EVERY RESTAURANT, EVERY CHURCH THAT I KNOW OF.

I TRY TO GIVE A RESTAURANT NEAR THERE THAT'S NEAR TREEBEARD'S, RIGHT? YES. UH, AND MEMORIAL AREA.

PASTOR, WHY DON'T YOU OPEN US UP? THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD MORNING. AND, JUDGE, WE'RE PRAYING FOR YOU THIS MORNING THAT YOU GET BETTER.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GRANTING ME THE PRIVILEGE TO PRAY THIS MORNING.

GROWING UP IN COMMUNISM, I NEVER THOUGHT I'LL SEE THE DAY TO BE HERE IN PUBLICLY PRAY WITH YOU ALL.

UM. AS OUR LEADER MONDAY NIGHT PRAYER THAT ORG.

I'M REMINDED OF THE NEED OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE IN OUR CITY AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

YOU'RE SERVING ALMOST 5 MILLION PEOPLE IN IN OUR JUST GREAT STATE OF TEXAS HERE.

AND JUST WANT TO PRAY THIS MORNING, THE WORDS OF DANIEL AND DANIEL PRAYERS BEGINS WITH THIS WORDS, OH, MY GOD, INCLINE YOUR EAR AND HEAR OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE OUR DESOLATIONS AND THE CITY THAT IS CALLED BY YOUR NAME.

FOR WE DO NOT PRESENT OUR PLEAS BEFORE YOU BECAUSE OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT BECAUSE OF YOUR GREAT MERCY. OH, LORD.

OH, LORD, FORGIVE.

O LORD, PAY ATTENTION AND ACT.

DELAY. NOT FOR YOUR OWN SAKE.

OH, MY GOD.

BECAUSE YOUR CITY AND YOUR PEOPLE ARE CALLED BY YOUR NAME.

LET US PRAY.

GRACIOUS AND ALMIGHTY GOD.

WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO LIFT UP OUR COUNTY JUDGE AND OUR COMMISSIONERS.

WE THANK YOU FOR PLACING THEM IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY AND ASK THAT YOU GUIDE THEM TO GOVERN WITH WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT. LORD, AS YOUR WORD SAYS IN DEUTERONOMY 16, HELP OUR LEADERS TO BE FAIR, JUDGES AND OFFICIALS WHO WILL UPHOLD THE PRINCIPLE OF JUSTICE AND IMPARTIALITY.

MAY THEY BE GUIDED BY YOUR DIVINE WISDOM TO RESIST CORRUPTION AND THE TEMPTATION OF IT.

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FATHER, WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL INSTILL IN OUR COUNTY JUDGE AND OUR COMMISSIONER A HEART OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND COMMITMENT TO TRUTH. EMPOWER THEM TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT PRODUCE LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF CONTROL.

MAY THEY BE GUIDED BY YOUR LOVE AND COMPASSION AS THEY SERVE THE PEOPLE SEEKING TO CREATE A SOCIETY THAT REFLECTS YOUR WILL AND DIVINE PLAN? WE ASK THAT YOU PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN OUR LEADERS, GIVING THEM THE COURAGE TO STAND UP AGAINST INJUSTICE AND WORK TOWARDS THE BETTERMENT OF OUR NATION.

PLEASE SURROUND THEM WITH WISE COUNSELOR AND ADVISER WHO WILL SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR MISSIONS TO GOVERN WITH FAIRNESS AND INTEGRITY.

YOUR WORD SAYS IN SECOND CHRONICLES 714 THAT IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SINS AND HEAR THEIR LAND.

LORD. WE HUMBLE OURSELVES.

WE PRAY AND SEEK YOUR FACE.

WE TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS.

HEAR US FROM GOD.

FORGIVE US OUR SIN.

LORD JESUS.

AND HEAR OUR LORD OUR LAND.

PRECIOUS HOLY SPIRIT.

WE ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR SAVIOR AND REDEEMER.

AMEN. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, PASTOR. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

NOW WE'LL RECITE THE US PLEDGE.

TEXAS PLEDGE. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME COLOR. STORM WAS JUST TOO STRONG.

SO BE THE BIGGEST.

THANK YOU. AND NOW WE WILL GO TO.

[Departments]

I THINK I HAVE THE FIRST ONE.

IT IS ITEM THREE.

AND JUDGE, READ IT FOR YOU.

OKAY. UH, AND THIS IS A RESOLUTION, UH, FOR, UH, MRS OCAMPO FOR HER SERVICE TO HARRIS COUNTY AND IS IT IS WELL DESERVED.

WHEREAS SYLVIA OCAMPO, MANAGER OF COUNTY CLERK TRAINING, QUALITY CONTROL AND COMPLIANCE AND CASE MANAGEMENT ANALYST DIVISIONS, RETIRED FROM HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE, FEBRUARY 28TH, 2023, AFTER 45 YEARS OF SERVICE.

WHEREAS SYLVIA BEGAN HER DISTINGUISHED CAREER WITH THE DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE IN 1977 AS THE CENTRAL BONDING CLERK AND WENT ON TO WEAR MANY HATS.

SHE SERVED AS FELONY DATA CONTROL CLERK, CIVIL DATA PROCESSING CLERK, CRIMINAL COURT CLERK, AND FOR EIGHT YEARS AS A DATA CONTROL ANALYST. AND. WHEREAS, IN ZERO EIGHT, SYLVIA SERVED AS EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO DISTRICT CLERK LAUREN JACKSON AND IN 2011 BECAME EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO CHIEF DEPUTY KEVIN MASSEY AND UNDER DISTRICT CLERK CHRIS DANIEL.

IN 2019 UNDER DISTRICT CLERK MARILYN BURGESS SELECTED SYLVIA TO BE MANAGER OF DATA CONTROL, THE CALL CENTER, THE CLERK, THE COURT CLERK TRAINING DEPARTMENT. SHE ALSO CHAIRED DCA'S SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE AND RAISED FUNDS TO HOST THE ANNUAL DCO HOLIDAY PARTY AND OFFERED MANY TEAM BUILDING EVENTS.

FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, SYLVIA'S HARD WORK AND DEDICATION HAVE ESTABLISHED HER AS AN ASSET TO THE DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE, WHEREAS DURING HER TENURE AS DEPUTY DISTRICT CLERK, SYLVIA COLLABORATED WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, MOST NOTABLY THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AFIS DIVISION, TO ENSURE THE VIRTUAL CRIMINAL DATA WAS PROVIDED TO TEXAS DPS ACCURATELY AND IN A TIMELY MANNER.

WHEREAS UNDER SYLVIA'S LEADERSHIP, CRIMINAL AND CIVIL DATA CONTROL WAS RECONSTRUCTED INTO A SINGLE HYBRID DEPARTMENT IN WHICH ALL TEAM MEMBERS WERE COMPLETELY CROSS TRAINED AND PROCESSES WERE STREAMLINED, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO THE EXPUNCTION OF RECORDS.

WHEREAS SYLVIA ACQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT THAT ALLOWED THE CALL CENTER STAFF TO WORK FROM HOME, AFFORDING THEM THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC

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SYLVIA ALSO PROPOSED THE SATURDAY PASSPORT FAIR, ONE OF THE DISTRICT CLERK'S MOST SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY OUTREACH ENDEAVORS.

WHEREAS DURING SYLVIA'S 45 YEARS WITH HARRIS COUNTY, SHE SERVED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SEVEN DISTRICT CLERKS INCLUDING RAY HARDY, KATHERINE TYRER, CHARLES BACCHARIS, THERESA CHANG, LAUREN JACKSON, CHRIS DANIEL, AND FINALLY, MARYLAND BURGESS.

AND. WHEREAS, SYLVIA DEMONSTRATED COURAGE, LEADERSHIP AND DEVOTION TO HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE, NOT ONLY THROUGH HER KNOWLEDGE OF THE OFFICE, BUT THROUGH HER VISION FOR WHAT IT CAN ULTIMATELY BE.

HER COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE RESPECT SHE SHOWED ALL EMPLOYEES MADE HER.

ONE OF THE DISTRICT CLERK'S MOST VALUABLE AND BELOVED FIGURES.

AND WHEREAS, WE GO ON TO RECOGNIZE SYLVIA BRACAMONTES.

DID I GET THAT RIGHT? I HOPE I DID.

OCAMPO FOR 45 YEARS OF SERVICE.

UH, CONGRATULATIONS.

UH, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, CAN I.

YES, SIR. COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I'D WANTED TO ADD A FEW WORDS TO THIS OCCASION.

UH, SYLVIA COMES FROM A GREAT FAMILY.

UH, BUT BEFORE I GET INTO THAT, LET ME JUST SAY THAT SHE HAS A LOT OF FRIENDS, A LOT OF FANS THAT ARE YET BECAUSE SYLVIA, UH, IS RECOGNIZED, ACCORDING TO JUDGE JOANNE DELGADO, UH, FOR OPENING THE DOORS TO MANY HISPANIC BILINGUAL CLERKS. UH, SO THAT NOT ONLY THAT THE DOOR WAS OPEN, BUT THAT THEY ALSO HAD OPPORTUNITY TO UPWARD MOBILITY.

AND AND THEN TO THE POINT OF HER FAMILY, I HAD THE HONOR AND THE PLEASURE OF LOOKING UP TO HER DADDY, UH, WHO WAS KNOWN AS ROCKY.

UH, BECAUSE OF THE NAME ROCKY.

ROCA MONTES.

AND BUT HE RETIRED FROM HPD AS ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, UH, EARLY ON, AND THEN WENT ON TO RETIRE AS A DA INVESTIGATOR AS WELL.

UH, BEFORE HIS, UH, HIS PASSING.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, UH, TO SYLVIA THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SEEN YOU AND YOUR FAMILY DO SO MUCH FOR SO MANY.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO OFFER MY PERSONAL CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, MY PERSONAL GRATITUDE FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE.

BUT ALSO TO SAY THAT, UH, THE FRUIT DOESN'T FAR FALL FAR FROM THE TREE.

UH, BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DADDY.

AND SO WE CONTINUE TO KEEP THEM IN OUR PRAYERS.

I KNOW HE'S LOOKING DOWN, SMILING TODAY AND SAYING, THAT'S MY BABY.

UH, AND.

AND HE IS IMMENSELY PROUD OF YOU.

SO CONGRATULATIONS, SYLVIA, AND ALL THE BLESSINGS TO YOU ON YOUR ON YOUR NEXT CHAPTER OF YOUR LIFE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND SYLVIA.

THE JUDGE WOULD SPEAK, BUT SHE TOLD ME TO READ EVERY WORD IN THAT RESOLUTION.

AND SYLVIA IS HERE.

YOU HEAR? SYLVIA? YOU WANT TO COME UP AND SPEAK? COME ON UP. WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

JULIA OCAMPO.

ONE. RIGOR MORTIS.

THANK BRACAMONTES.

I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. SAY IT ONE MORE TIME.

ADRIAN ROCHA.

MONTES MONTES AND ADRIAN.

I WILL ALSO LET YOU KNOW.

I KNOW JUDGE DELGADO SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT MY DAD, BUT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A FEW CONFUSION.

FACTS, CONFUSING FACTS.

MY UNCLE, MY DAD'S OLDER BROTHER, TONY BRACAMONTES, RETIRED FROM HPD AND WENT ON TO BE A FEDERAL MARSHAL.

DEPUTY FEDERAL MARSHAL FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT.

MY DAD, WHO WAS A VETERAN OF THE AIR FORCE FOR 24 YEARS AND RETIRED VERY YOUNG BECAUSE HE JOINED WHEN HE WAS 17, CAME BACK HOME TO HOUSTON, WENT TO WORK FOR JACK, HEARD, BECAME A DETECTIVE, TRANSFERRED UNDER JOHNNY KLEVEN HAGEN, AND THEN WENT TO WORK FOR JOHNNY HOLMES AS A DEA INVESTIGATOR BEFORE HE RETIRED IN THE 90S.

BUT YES, I DO HAVE A FEW WORDS PREPARED.

I'LL TRY TO TALK VERY FAST BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A TIME LIMIT.

UM, FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AND ACKNOWLEDGE MY PARENTS, AL AND ROSIE BRACAMONTES, WHO WERE ALSO DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS.

THEY TAUGHT ME THE VALUE OF HARD WORK AND PERSEVERANCE.

ALTHOUGH NO LONGER WITH US, THEY REMAINED HAVE TIME AFTER 45 YEARS WILL WAIT WITHOUT.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.

WITHOUT THEIR GUIDANCE, LOVE AND SUPPORT, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.

TO MY SONS, NICHOLAS AND MATTHEW, I AM SO VERY PROUD OF YOU AND ALL THAT Y'ALL HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.

THEY ARE BOTH UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON GRADUATE HONOR GRADUATES, AND I LOVE YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.

[00:15:02]

I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO HAVE KNOWN AND WORKED WITH SO MANY PROFESSIONALS FROM DIFFERENT AGENCIES THROUGHOUT MY CAREER.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE INVALUABLE KNOWLEDGE THAT I GAINED.

JUDGE HIDALGO, AN HONORABLE, HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS, I WANT TO JUST BRING ONE THING TO YOUR ATTENTION, AND MAYBE YOU'LL GIVE IT SOME CONSIDERATION.

COUNTY EMPLOYEES DESPERATELY NEED A DOWNTOWN COUNTY PARKING GARAGE.

PARKING COSTS HAVE RISEN ASTRONOMICALLY, 10 TO $15 A DAY.

AND WHEN OUR BELOVED ASTROS ARE IN TOWN PLAYING, THOSE COSTS RISE TO 40 AND $50 A DAY.

THERE ARE NO PARKING LOTS WHICH ARE REASONABLY PRICED, SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE TO OUR DOWNTOWN JUSTICE COMPLEX.

THERE IS, HOWEVER, AN ABANDONED GARAGE SITTING ON THE CORNER OF FRANKLIN AND FANNIN FOR THE PAST, I THINK, TWO YEARS.

PERHAPS IT COULD BE REBUILT INTO A NEW GARAGE FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES.

THEY DESERVE A SAFE PLACE TO PARK AND THE PUBLIC WOULD PROBABLY APPRECIATE IT TOO.

IN CONCLUSION, THANK YOU HARRIS COUNTY, FOR ALL THE MEMORIES, LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS THAT I STILL HAVE TO THIS DAY.

I WILL ALWAYS CHERISH.

THANK YOU FOR THIS. THANK YOU.

SILVIO, CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, SYLVIA. AND I NOTICED THE BUDGET DIRECTOR WAS TAKING NOTES.

HE WAS PLUGGING IN AN ADDRESS.

YOU PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO IT, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THE NEXT RESOLUTION IS ONE.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR, AND THIS IS JUDGE HIDALGOS AS WELL.

WHEREAS BABY DAY IS A STATEWIDE CELEBRATION FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF LIFE THAT CELEBRATES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THE PERIOD OF BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH IN YOUNG CHILDREN. TEXAS COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION FIRST THREE YEARS.

THE DRIVER BEHIND BABY DAY HAS FOR OVER 49 YEARS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ADVANCING AWARENESS MOVEMENTS AROUND THE STATE TO PROMOTE HEALTHY INFANT TODDLER DEVELOPMENT.

AND. WHEREAS, BABY DAY IS INSPIRED BY THE UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERYDAY INTERACTIONS AND PLAY ALONG WITH RESPONSIVE MATURING CARE BUILDS HEALTHY BRAINS AND PROVIDES A STRONG START FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN.

WHEREAS THIS 2018 BABY DAY HAS HIGHLIGHTED OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS TO PLAY, LEARN BOND AND TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE, ENGAGING AND EDUCATING THEIR CHILDREN.

AND. WHEREAS, CONTINUING TO SUPPORT AND GUIDE PARENTS AS THEY SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN'S GROWTH, THE CHILD'S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND CRITICAL AS RESEARCH SHOWS THAT FAMILY ENGAGEMENT DURING THE FIRST YEARS OF LIFE SUPPORTS A CHILD'S READINESS FOR SCHOOL AND ONGOING ACADEMIC AND LIFELONG SUCCESS.

WHEREAS IN 2023, BABY DAY IS EXPECTED TO HAVE OVER 5000 CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN ATTENDANCE AT EVENTS ACROSS TEXAS, AND VIRTUALLY BABY DAY PROVIDES VERY YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENT CAREGIVERS A WEEKEND FULL OF ACTIVITIES THAT ENCOURAGE BONDING AND DELIGHT WHILE SUPPORTING LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY RECOGNIZES APRIL 28TH, 2023, AS BABY DAY IN HARRIS COUNTY.

AND THANK YOU.

AND DO WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? YES. HI, MY NAME IS CARLY BENNIS AND I'M THE CEO OF FIRST THREE YEARS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PROCLAMATION.

TODAY WE ARE HONORED TO BE A PART OF YOUR EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVES AND ARE EAGER TO LEAD BABY DAY FOR 2023.

HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY AND ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS, WE ARE EAGER TO BRING PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, THEIR INFANTS AND TODDLERS, TOGETHER IN AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE BONDING AND DELIGHT, AS WELL AS THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE FIRST THREE YEARS OF LIFE AND NURTURING OUR CHILDREN DURING THAT TIME TO ALSO INCREASE BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

SO THIS FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, WE ENCOURAGE ALL CONSTITUENTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND BEYOND TO JOIN US FOR BABY DAY.

FRIDAY AND SUNDAY, WE WILL BE HOSTING BABY DAY VIRTUALLY.

SO IF YOU CAN'T JOIN US IN PERSON, PLEASE JOIN US ONLINE FOR PROFESSIONAL AND PARENT EDUCATION COURSES.

AND THEN ON SATURDAY, IN PERSON AT THE HOUSTON HEALTH MUSEUM, WHERE INFANTS, TODDLERS AND THEIR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS CAN PARTAKE IN ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE BONDING AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THAT'S A GREAT MUSEUM.

COMMISSIONER. WE HAVE A FEW MORE SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.

WE HAVE A FEW MORE. JAKE JACOB GNAGE SPEAKING ON ITEMS FOUR, SEVEN AND TEN.

YOU GET TWO MINUTES.

HE THEN AFTER JACOB ISD THREE OTHERS ON THIS ITEM, I THINK TWO OTHERS.

[00:20:01]

I'LL BEGIN WITH THE LAST.

THE ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS WERE RECOMMENDED BY LET'S BE HONEST, AS COMMISSIONER BILL LESLIE IS A GREAT ONE BECAUSE MY AUNT WHO MARRIED MY UNCLE ROBERT WAS A JAPANESE AMERICAN DURING WORLD WAR TWO.

NOW, THE AUTISM WHEN I WAS AT THE WORKING AT THE TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT, UM, THIS ONE LADY ASKED ME, DO YOU HAVE AUTISM? AND I HAD TO REPLY, NO, I HAD BRAIN DAMAGE.

BUT AT ANY RATE, SHE SAID HE HAS A COUSIN WITH AUTISM AND HIS NAME IS JACOB TOO.

AND ANYWAY, ONE OF MY COWORKERS AND, UM, AND MY PARK, UM, HE HAS AUTISM AND HE'S A WALKER THAT WILL KNEW WHAT HIS COWORKERS ASK HIM TO DO AND HOW.

AND MAYBE, UM.

AND IT'S REAL GOOD TO HONOR THE BABY DAYS BECAUSE, WELL, BABIES MAKE UP THE WORLD.

ALL OF US WERE ONCE BABIES WERE STILL BABIES TO OUR PARENTS.

AND NOW, ANYWAY, I NOW WANT TO READ A QUESTION THAT COMES FROM MARCUS MAC.

AND THIS IS FOR ALL OF YOU COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY JUDGE WELL, HE SAYS IS EMPHATICALLY WHY DOESN'T HARRIS COUNTY RELEASE 2022 ELECTION INFORMATION AS REQUIRED BY TEXAS OPEN RECORDS LAW? AND HE SAYS THAT EMPHATICALLY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE 20 SECONDS LEFT.

YEAH, I WAS VERY GOOD, MAN.

MAC ALSO HELD A CELEBRATION AT HIS STORY CELEBRATING AUTISM AWARENESS.

AND SO I SAID, WHY? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHERS. ALEXI SWIRSKI SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR AND THREE.

60. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE? HAPPY TO SEE THE PRECIOUS BABIES IN HARRIS COUNTY BEING CELEBRATED.

BOTH BORN AND UNBORN BABIES ARE VALUABLE HUMAN BEINGS.

HARRIS COUNTY SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ASSISTING IN THE MURDER OF BORN OR UNBORN BABIES.

I HOPE THE IDEA TO TRANSPORT WOMEN OUT OF STATE TO GET AN ABORTION PAID FOR BY HARRIS COUNTY TAXPAYERS DID NOT COME TO FRUITION.

A BABY'S HEARTBEAT CAN BE DETECTED 5 TO 6 WEEKS AFTER CONCEPTION.

STOPPING A HEART FROM BEATING IS MURDER.

EACH BABY HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE DNA FROM CONCEPTION ON, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF IDENTICAL TWINS IN ITS OWN UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE TO THE WORLD.

HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS.

THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD ARE WORSE OFF WHEN PREBORN BABIES ARE MURDERED.

GOD DESIGNED EACH HUMAN BEING TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD THE WELL-BEING OF OTHERS IN THE WORLD.

WE NEED EVERY CHILD THAT IS CONCEIVED.

HE MAY GROW UP TO RESCUE SOMEONE FROM A FIRE OR TEACH CHILDREN CURE CANCER.

EVERY PERSON IS VALUABLE AND IS NOT WITHIN OUR RIGHTS TO KILL THEM BEFORE OR AFTER THEY ARE BORN.

ADOPTION IS THE OPTION, NOT ABORTION.

THERE ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH FAMILIES WANTING TO ADOPT BABIES BABIES TO MEET THE NEED.

AND WE EVEN HAVE SUCH AN ADOPTED CHILD IN MY OWN FAMILY.

ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ONE IS KENMORE.

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GENUINE GRATITUDE FOR THIS.

THIS RESOLUTION, I THINK, IS VERY APPROPRIATE.

I AM VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF IT.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO IT, THOUGH.

THOSE MOTHERS WHO BRING THEIR BABIES TO TERM AND WHO RAISE THEM, OR THOSE WHO OUT OF LOVE, OUT OF LOVE, GIVE THEM UP FOR ADOPTION TO FAMILIES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO RAISE THEM AND GIVE THEM A GOOD HOME.

I THINK YOU SHOULD INCLUDE IN THIS THOSE FATHERS AND THE UNCLES AND THE GRANDMOTHERS AND GRANDFATHERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR UPBRINGING AND THOSE THAT TEACH THEM THE VALUES AND SHOW THEM HOW TO BE ADULTS.

VERY GOOD RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

AND NEXT, WE HAVE, UH, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE TO IF SOMEONE'S BEING HONEST, OBVIOUSLY WE TRY TO APPLAUD FOR THEM, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE SO THEY CAN SPEAK NEXT.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA, I THINK YOU HAVE A RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ELLIS.

AND THIS RESOLUTION IS TO RECOGNIZE APRIL AS AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH.

AND I SEE THAT WE HAVE MS..

ANDRESSA SANTOS SILVA, WHO IS THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF AUTISM MOMS OF HOUSTON, IN THAT WILL SHARE A FEW WORDS, ALONG WITH

[00:25:06]

UM, BUT I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT ATTACHED TO THIS RESOLUTION IS THE RECOGNITION OF PROJECT LIFESAVER THAT WAS STARTED IN 2019 BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS A PILOT PROGRAM AND WENT LIVE IN OCTOBER OF 2020.

THIS IS A PROGRAM OF PROACTIVE INVOLVEMENT AND SPECIALIZED OPERATIONS THAT RESPOND TO INCIDENCES OF VICTIMS OF AUTISM, ALZHEIMER'S, DOWN SYNDROME AND RELATED DISORDERS THAT HAVE HAD THEM WANDER FROM A SAFE LOCATION AND AND WHO CANNOT FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO SAFETY. THERE ARE MANY.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 60 PRONE INDIVIDUALS ACTIVE IN THE PROGRAM AND, UM, AND WITH COUNTLESS CALLS FOR SERVICE ASSISTING THEM.

ENROLLMENT NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GROW EACH MONTH.

AND THEN SECONDARILY IS PROJECT GUARDIAN, WHICH ALSO BEGAN IN OCTOBER OF 2020.

IT IS A FREE, VOLUNTARY AND CONFIDENTIAL DATABASE OFFERED, MANAGED AND MAINTAINED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

FOR HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF THE COUNTY PATROLLED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

THE PROGRAM CONVEYS VITAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE CAREGIVER TO HELP DEPUTIES RESPOND SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY.

THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CURRENTLY HAS OVER 250 REGISTERED INDIVIDUALS AND CONTINUES TO GROW EACH MONTH.

EACH PROGRAM HAS A SIMILAR BUT HOWEVER, A VERY DIFFERENT PURPOSE.

AND SO TO THAT END, I'M VERY HONORED.

I, UM. THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT MY OFFICE HAS DONE WITH, UM, WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ISSUES AND IN PARTICULAR WITH JAMES DRIVER PARK.

AND SO THIS AUTISM READS, I MEAN, THIS, UH, THIS RESOLUTION FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, UH, OR THIS RESOLUTION FOR AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH READS THAT AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IS A DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER CHARACTERIZED BY BEHAVIORAL AND COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATIONAL AFFECTIONS THAT IMPACT A PERSON'S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND CAUSES REPETITIVE AND RESTRICTIVE BEHAVIOR.

AND ASD IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE COMMON AMONG BOYS THAN GIRLS, BUT CAN AFFECT ANYONE REGARDLESS OF RACE, ETHNICITY OR SOCIOECONOMIC GROUP.

THE CONDITION TYPICALLY STARTS DURING CHILDHOOD AND CONTINUES INTO ADULTHOOD, AND ON DECEMBER THE 18TH, 2007, THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTED A RESOLUTION DECLARING WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT, ENCOURAGING THE UNITED NATIONS MEMBERS TO ENCOURAGE UNITED NATIONS MEMBER TO STATE AND MEMBER STATES TO TAKE MEASURES TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT AUTISM DISORDERS THROUGHOUT SOCIETY AND TO PROMOTE EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND EARLY BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION.

AND THE AIM OF WORLD AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH IS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS OF AUTISM DISORDERS, STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND EARLY INTERVENTION, AND CELEBRATE THE UNIQUE TALENTS AND QUALITIES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM DISORDERS.

AND APRIL IS RECOGNIZED AS AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH TO INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT AUTISM SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS AND PROMOTE ACCEPTANCE. ACCEPTANCE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM, CELEBRATE DIFFERENCES AND BUILD AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM TO LIVE FULLY THROUGH CONNECTION AND ACCEPTANCE.

AND SO, UM, AGAIN, I AM, UH, UH, GRATEFUL THAT, UH, UH, ANDREZZA SANTOS SILVA IS HERE AND UH, FOUNDER AGAIN OF, UH, AND CEO OF AUTISM MOMS, AUTISM MOMS OF HOUSTON TO SHARE A FEW WORDS ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF MOMS, UH, THAT VOLUNTEER FOR HER. SO.

ANDRESSA. THANK YOU.

COMMISSION. THEY'LL COME UP IN THAT ORDER, I THINK, UH, MISS SANTO SILVA AND THEN, UH, CAROL LOPEZ AND, UH, MISS NIMRI.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE.

GOOD MORNING. ALL THE COMMISSION AND AND EVERYONE WATCHING AND PARTICIPATING ON THIS IS EXTREMELY HARD TO.

BRETTON WOODS. HOW SPECIAL IS THIS MOMENT? AS A LEADER IN MY COMMUNITY, AS THE FOUNDER OF AUTISM MOMS OF HOUSTON AND AS A MOTHER OF A 21 YEARS OLD SON, SEVERELY AUTISTIC, BLIND AND NONVERBAL, IT MEANS THE WORLD FOR US.

[00:30:03]

UM, COMMISSIONER.

ADRIAN GARCIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EXPLAINING, FOR PUT IT SO WELL WHAT IT IS, UH, FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAS AUTISM.

UM, I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.

UM, AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE IS THE KEY FOR A BETTER LIFE FOR INDIVIDUALS ON THE SPECTRUM AS WELL, THEIR FAMILIES.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S AN HONOR. THANK YOU.

JUST SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, BY THE WAY, MISS.

SO JUST SAY YOUR NAME AND THE MIC FOR THE RECORD.

ANDRE. ANDRE SILVA.

THANK YOU. AND NEXT WE HAVE MISS CAROL LOPEZ AND THEN MISS LANA NIMRI.

I THINK. I DON'T THINK THAT THEY MADE IT.

OR DID THEY? WHAT DID THEY DO? COMMISSIONER? BOTH OF THEM. THEY'RE BOTH HERE.

THANK YOU. GREAT. OH, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.

YES. HI. GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONER AND EVERYONE HERE TODAY.

I JUST WANT TO SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

I'M SORRY. IT'S CAROL LOPEZ AND I'M A MOTHER OF TWINS THAT HAVE AUTISM.

AND I FEEL THAT AUTISM MONTH AWARENESS IS POWERFUL.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT IN OUR SOCIETY BECAUSE THE TYPE OF HEALTH THAT MY CHILDREN RECEIVE, BECAUSE OF THE AWARENESS, UM, HAS CHANGED OUR LIVES FOR THE BETTER.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET HELP AND, AND ABLE TO GET SERVICES AT A YOUNG AGE.

AND NOW MY TWINS ARE DOING INCREDIBLY WELL.

WE HAVE A CHANCE AT A NORMAL LIFE BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF PEOPLE LIKE ANDREZZA, UM, THAT GIVE THEIR, THEIR SOUL AND THEIR AND THEIR TIME TO, TO SERVE AND, AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR, FOR ALL OF US OUT THERE WHO ARE IN NEED OF, OF MORE RESOURCES.

THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING.

THANK YOU, MISS.

AND JUST SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD WHEN YOU COME UP.

JUST IT'LL BE IN A RECORD LINE.

AND MY SON ALSO HAS MAJOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY ALONG WITH BEING ON THE SPECTRUM.

SO I ADVOCATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN ASPECT IN OUR LIVES.

IT AFFECTS HOW WE THINK WE FEEL.

WE ACT EVERY DAY.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S STILL A STIGMA ATTACHED TO MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND WHICH PREVENTS PEOPLE FROM SEEKING HELP AND CAN LEAD TO DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES LIKE SUICIDE AND ALL THESE THINGS.

SO RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND ACKNOWLEDGING APRIL AS A MONTH OF AUTISM CAN HELP US ALL RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH.

AND WE AS MOMS WANT TO SPREAD AWARENESS BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO SUFFER IN SILENCE.

WE WANT TO GET HELP AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

AND BY SPREADING ALL THIS AWARENESS, EVEN IF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD JUST PUT A SMILE ON THEIR FACE WHEN THEY SEE OUR KIDS AND NOT GIVE US THOSE LOOKS, THAT CAN ALSO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR DAY AND OUR LIVES.

SO WHEN THEY KNOW WHAT WE SUFFER OR WHAT WE GO THROUGH AND THAT THOSE KIDS DID NOT CHOOSE THE WAY THEY ARE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. COMMISSIONER GARCIA. WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE WITH THEM SHORTLY.

NEXT, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

YES, THERE IS A ORGANIZATION IN HARRIS COUNTY THAT GIVES A LOT OF A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THINGS, BUT THEN THERE ARE SOME ACTION GROUPS OUT THERE. SO I'M GOING TO CUT RIGHT TO IT IN TERMS OF THE RESOLUTION.

WHEREAS THE HOUSTON PET SET RECOGNIZES THAT THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, THOUSANDS OF PETS HAVE BEEN ABANDONED THROUGHOUT HARRIS COUNTY.

THESE ARE DOGS AND CATS THAT COULD BRING JOY TO THE LIVES OF FAMILIES THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND. WHEREAS, HOUSTON PET SET BEGAN ITS MISSION TO END THE HOMELESSNESS AND SUFFERING OF COMPANION ANIMALS.

HELP US HELP THEM.

IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.

HOUSTON PET SET HAS BECOME ONE OF THE PREMIER ANIMAL ADVOCACY GROUPS.

AND. WHEREAS, HOUSTON PET SET HAS SIX IMPACT AREAS.

THESE ARE SPAY AND NEUTER RESCUE, ADOPT TRANSPORT, COMMUNITY SERVICE, EDUCATION, CRUELTY PREVENTION, RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY.

THESE IMPACT AREAS SERVE AS THE ORGANIZATIONS MULTIFACETED FRAMEWORK AND APPROACH THROUGHOUT THE ANIMAL WELFARE COMMUNITY.

AND. WHEREAS, HOUSTON PET SET IS A LEADER IN RESEARCHING STRAY PET CONSENSUS CENSUS COVID 19 IMPACTS ON ANIMAL WELFARE AND HOW THE STRAY ANIMAL PROBLEM HAS IMPACTED THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN HARRIS COUNTY.

AND. WHEREAS, HOUSTON PET SET IS DEDICATED TO CONTINUING ITS MISSION OF ADVOCATING FOR A BETTER OUTCOME FOR OUR PETS, STRAY ANIMALS, WHICH IN TURN

[00:35:03]

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED.

HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND THANKS HOUSTON PET SET AND THANK WE HAVE THE LEADERS OF THAT.

WE HAVE TINA AND TAMMY HERE THIS MORNING.

SO WOULD WOULD YOU JOIN US? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

TAMAR LUNDQUIST, CO-PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON PET SET, ONE OF THE TALLER ONES HERE.

HOUSTON PET SET HAS BEEN FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF ANIMALS IN HOUSTON FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS.

AND WE'RE ENCOURAGED BECAUSE IN MANY WAYS WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS.

WHEN WE LOOK AT LOOK BACK AT WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED WITH MORE THAN $4 MILLION WE'VE GRANTED TO ANIMAL RESCUES AND WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS, WE KNOW WE'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR ALL OF THOSE GROUPS.

WHEN WE REMEMBER THE THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS WE'VE TRANSPORTED FROM LOCAL HOUSTON SHELTERS AND RESCUES TO BE ADOPTED INTO LOVING HOMES, WE KNOW WE'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR THOSE PETS. AND WHEN WE CONSIDER THE THOUSANDS OF OWNED PETS, WE'VE SPAYED, NEUTERED, MICROCHIPPED AND VACCINATED FOR FREE, WE KNOW THAT THE DIFFERENCE WE'VE MADE FOR THOSE PETS AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL HAVE LASTING IMPACT.

FOR MANY GENERATIONS.

WHEN WE DOMESTICATED THESE ANIMALS, WE MADE THEM A PROMISE AND WE HAVE A MORAL AND ETHICAL OBLIGATION TO THEM.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HARRIS.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU, LINDA AND ROSE, WHO BROUGHT US TOGETHER.

AND THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL TEAM WHO WORKS IN THE TRENCHES EVERY DAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO LOSE THIS. YES, WE ARE IDENTICAL TWINS WORKING TOGETHER EVERY DAY.

I'M TINA LUNDQUIST, FOUST, CO PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON PET SET.

COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, JUDGE HIDALGO AND HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS RECOGNITION TODAY.

YOUR ATTENTION TO ANIMAL WELFARE MEANS SO MUCH TO HOUSTON.

PET SET INTO THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS WORKING HARD EVERY DAY TO CARE FOR AND RESCUE HARRIS COUNTY SHELTER, PETS AND STREET ANIMALS.

THIS IS A CRISIS WE FACE TOGETHER.

IT IMPACTS THE QUALITY OF LIFE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY OF NOT JUST ANIMALS, BUT PEOPLE.

ANIMALS ON THE STREETS SUFFER GREATLY.

THEY FACE HUNGER, FEAR, AGITATION, AND EVENTUALLY BECOME A RISK TO PEOPLE.

THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS ON OUR STREETS AND SHELTERS IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH, WHICH IS WHY THE RECOGNITION OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IN ATTENTION TO ANIMAL WELFARE ARE SO CRITICAL.

WE THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU TO HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM THAT WE KNOW IS SOLVABLE.

UM, WE HAVE LEARNED MUCH FROM VISITING OTHER CITIES AND REVIEWING OTHER OTHER MODELS, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY TIME IS UP.

PLEASE ASK THIS. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CAUSE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT CAUSES HERE TODAY, AND IT'S NOT A EITHER OR PROPOSITION ANIMALS AFFECT AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE.

AND WE NEED IT'S A SITUATION THAT WE'RE READY TO ADDRESS.

WE'RE POISED TO ADDRESS AND WORK TOGETHER WITH ALL OF YOU ON IT.

A SHOUT OUT TO OUR TEAM THAT'S HERE ALSO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE OF THE SISTERS I SAW AT THE AIRPORT THE OTHER DAY, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON THIS ON THIS ISSUE, AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A HAND HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY TO GET THIS RIGHT.

SO, SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AND GLAD YOU'RE STILL IN THE FIGHT.

THANK YOU. WHAT'S THAT? SPEAKERS ON THAT ITEM.

WITH ANY OTHERS. TIFFANY.

THAT'S ALL FOR THAT ITEM, SIR.

OKAY. UH, NEXT, UH, COMMISSIONER BRIONES, I THINK YOU HAVE TWO RESOLUTIONS.

YES, I HAVE. TWO RESOLUTIONS.

THE FIRST IS FOR SPARK PARK, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS HERE.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND JOIN US, THE HONORABLE, OUR COUNTY TREASURER, DR.

CARLA WYATT, WHO IS THE SPARK PARK BOARD MEMBER.

WE HAVE KATHLEEN OWNBY, THE SPARK PARK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND DAUGHTER OF THE LATE ELEANOR TINSLEY.

IN AN SON WHO IS ON THE PRECINCT FOUR TEAM.

SHE'S A SPARK PARK BOARD MEMBER.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK.

I KNOW EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND WATCHING TODAY HAS BEEN TO A SPARK PARK AND SEES THE IMPACT IT HAS ON OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, AND I'M PROUD TO READ THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION IN HONORING OF YOUR ANNIVERSARY.

WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY TREASURE KNOWN AS THE SPARK PARK PROGRAM, RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING 152 PARKS IN HARRIS COUNTY, IS CELEBRATING ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY.

AND. WHEREAS, SPARK SCHOOL PARK PROGRAM IS A UNIQUE PROGRAM COOPERATING WITH OVER 240 SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY PARKS ON PUBLIC SCHOOL GROUNDS, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AFTER SCHOOL, DURING WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS.

AND. WHEREAS, THE SPARK SCHOOL PARK PROGRAM, IN COOPERATION WITH OVER 240 SCHOOLS, TEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND FOUR CHARTER SCHOOLS, CREATES UNIQUE PARKS WITH PUBLIC ART COMPONENTS FEATURING THE DESIGN, INSPIRATION, IDEAS, AND NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.

[00:40:08]

AND NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY RESPECTFULLY CELEBRATES SPARK SCHOOL PARK PROGRAM'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY, AND WE EXPRESS OUR DEEP APPRECIATION FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY AND THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN HARRIS COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

I KNOW I'VE TAKEN MY THREE LITTLE GIRLS MANY A TIME.

SO AS A MOM AND ON BEHALF OF HARRIS COUNTY, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS. KATHLEEN, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

ADRIENNE, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

SO MY NAME IS KATHLEEN OWNBY.

I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SPARK SCHOOL PARK PROGRAM.

AND THANK YOU FOR HELPING US CELEBRATE 40 YEARS AND THE COOPERATION OF THIS COURT FOR MANY YEARS.

I CAN REMEMBER WHEN EL FRANCO LEE HELPED MY MOTHER, ELEANOR TINSLEY, WITH WITH PROJECTS AND PRECINCT ONE, JIM FONTENEAU COMMISSIONER.

PRECINCT TWO AT THAT POINT WAS VERY HELPFUL IN PROJECTS AND PRECINCT TWO, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION WITH YOU ALL.

WE HAVE EIGHT SPARK DEDICATIONS COMING UP IN MAY.

TWO ARE IN PRECINCT ONE, THREE ARE IN PRECINCT TWO, ONE IS IN PRECINCT THREE AND TWO ARE IN PRECINCT FOUR.

AND SO I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT IN MAY AT SOME OF THE DEDICATIONS.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS OF TIME AND STAFF FOR THESE PROJECTS.

WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A PARK DESERT PHASE THREE PROGRAM.

YOUR TIME IS UP. GO AHEAD, CATHERINE.

AND WE'RE RAISING $10 MILLION FROM FOUNDATIONS TO WORK ON PARK DESERT SCHOOLS.

THIS MEANS THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A CITY, COUNTY OR ANOTHER SPARK PARK WITHIN A TEN MINUTE WALK.

AND SO WE WILL BE CONTACTING EVERYONE TO HELP WITH THAT PROJECT.

THANK YOU, KATHLEEN. THANK YOU, KATHLEEN, FOR THE WORK YOU DO.

YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, YOUR MOM'S NAME IS ON MY HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.

I'M OVER 50 YEARS AGO.

THEN ABOUT 11 YEARS LATER, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING WITH HER ON CITY COUNCIL FOR SIX YEARS.

BUT WHAT A DELIGHT.

SHE'D BE SO PROUD. BOTH YOUR PARENTS, DR.

TINSLEY, AS WELL, THAT YOU KEPT THIS GOING.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SO, UM, AND SUNG IS HERE.

SHE'S ON OUR BOARD.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF DR.

WYATT IS HERE.

SHE'S THE NEW PRESIDENT.

NOT HERE. BUT SHE DID. SHE.

SHE DID. TEXT ME. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S GOING TO MAKE IT OVER OR NOT, BUT.

OKAY, GOOD. THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY.

AND MY FINAL RESOLUTION.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE SAFIYA SHEIKH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HERE.

YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN ME? PROUD TO BE HONORING THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION.

AND HERE IS THE RESOLUTION.

WHEREAS INITIALLY ESTABLISHED IN HOUSTON IN 1992 TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER CULTURES, THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION WILL GATHER ON MAY 12TH, 2023, TO CELEBRATE THEIR 31ST ANNIVERSARY.

WHEREAS, ORIGINALLY CREATED IN MAY 1977, THE WEEK LONG ANNUAL OBSERVANCE KNOWN AS ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE WEEK WAS EXTENDED TO A MONTH LONG RECOGNITION IN MAY 1990 BY PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICANS OF ASIAN DESCENT TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN CULTURE, ITS DIVERSITY AND MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND. WHEREAS, AMERICANS OF ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER DESCENT ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE MULTICULTURAL HERITAGE OF HARRIS COUNTY.

AND I'M PARTICULARLY PROUD TO REPRESENT THE LARGEST AAPI COMMUNITY IN PRECINCT FOUR, FROM GOVERNMENT SERVICE TO PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, EDUCATION, MEDICINE AND BEYOND.

THE ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY HAS MADE COUNTLESS CONTRIBUTIONS IN NUMEROUS FIELDS, BETTERING THEIR COMMUNITIES AND CONTRIBUTING TO HARRIS COUNTY'S DIVERSE CULTURE.

AND. WHEREAS, THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION'S COMMITMENT TO MAKING A STRONG, POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION IN OUR COMMUNITY, COLLABORATING

[00:45:02]

THANK YOU. AND THAT IS TRULY COMMENDABLE.

AND NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY RESPECTFULLY CELEBRATES ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH 2023 AND WISHES THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION A TRULY MEMORABLE 31ST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.

AND WE WISH YOU TREMENDOUS CONTINUED SUCCESS.

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? AND BEFORE SHE STARTS, I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY CHIEF OF STAFF, ALICE LEE, WHO IS HERE.

SHE IS TWICE SERVED AS BOARD CHAIR OF THE ORGANIZATION IN THE 1990S AND IN THE LATE 2000.

SO THANK YOU, ALICE LEE, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

DEAR COMMISSIONERS COURT AND THANK YOU LESLIE BRENNAN BRIONES AND MISS ALICE LEE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE AAPI HERITAGE MONTH RESOLUTION.

THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY IS A DIVERSE AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY WITH DEEP ROOTS IN AMERICAN CULTURE.

AAPI COMMUNITIES HAVE MADE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY, ECONOMY AND CULTURAL FABRIC.

APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS IN RECOGNIZING THE CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AAPI COMMUNITY AND ITS IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.

YOUR DEDICATION TO CELEBRATING DIVERSITY AND FOSTERING A MORE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY IS INSPIRING AND APPRECIATED.

ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND PRESENTING THIS RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

YES, THAT'S OUR LAST QUESTION.

COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WHAT WE DO HERE ON THE TABLE.

BUT YOU GOING TO BE WE KEEP COMMISSIONERS ARE MICHAEL.

YEAH WE'RE GOING TO SIGN RESOLUTIONS HERE AT THE TABLE BUT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE IT TODAY BECAUSE THE CLERK WHO MAY STILL BE HERE, BUT SHE HAS OFFICIALLY SIGNED THEM AS WELL.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE PICTURES WITH YOU.

THEN I'LL COME BACK AND ANNOUNCE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ON THE AGENDA.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL TAKE PICTURES.

THANK YOU.

SO WELL. SO, COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAVE TO BREAK IN ONE FOR LUNCH BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY IT'S POSTED.

SO HERE'S WHAT I WANT TO SUGGEST.

THIS IS A RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE.

A NUMBER OF REQUESTS HAVE COME IN FOR ITEMS OUT OF ORDER.

SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TAKE THESE ITEMS UP OUT OF ORDER.

IN THIS ORDER.

UM, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

EVEN IF WE DON'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO, IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE OUGHT TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION, START THAT, DO THAT ITEM FIRST, AND THEN GO TO THE WEB ITEM AND THEN THE BUDGET ITEMS. THAT'S PAGE FOUR, ITEM 22 AND 2327 301.

UH, AND NEXT, WE HAVE A REQUEST TO TAKE UP ITEM 348.

THAT'LL BE THE FIRST ONE WE DO.

SO WHEN WE TAKE OUR BREAK, GO DO THAT AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND GO TO THE REST OF THE AGENDA.

BUT WE HAVE TO STOP AT ONE BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY WE POSTED IT.

IS THAT OKAY? YES, SIR.

SO, COMMISSIONER, SO WE GO STRAIGHT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

YES. SO AND I NEED TO ANNOUNCE IT SO AS SOON AS WE COME BACK.

SO WE WILL TAKE A BREAK NOW.

AND THAT'S WHY AND I WILL ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT.

1120. IS THAT OKAY? IS THAT ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER? YES. SO I HAVE TO ANNOUNCE AT 1120 WE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THAT'S RIGHT. DO I NEED TO MENTION ITEM? NO, YOU'RE FINE. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. UM, WE DO NEED THEM FOR US TO KNOW, FOR THE RECORD, WHAT ITEMS ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO EXECUTIVE SESSION JUST YET.

OKAY, WE'LL GO BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON 348, AND WE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 1120.

AND WHAT TIME IS 1109? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND WE'RE BACK IN SESSION.

EXECUTIVE SESSION HAS ENDED.

AND WHAT I WANT TO DO IS BRING UP ITEM WHERE I KNOW A NUMBER OF, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE HERE TO TESTIFY.

IT IS THE J-WEB.

UH, ITEM PAGE 38, ITEM 297 COMMISSION.

I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE MOTION FOR ITEM 348 THAT YOU ALL WANT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

NO MOTION. NO ACTION.

NO. NO ACTION. WE'LL GO.

[00:50:02]

YEAH. UM, AND SO IT IS PAGE 38, ITEM TO 97 ON THE MISCELLANEOUS.

AND, UH, I GUESS WE SHOULD JUST GO TO SPEAKERS BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN WAITING A WHILE.

SAID OKAY, REMEMBER, SHE KNOW WHAT THE ITEM IS.

THAT'S THE WEB ITEM.

IT WILL BRING UP THE SPEAKERS WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON IT.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE COURT.

I AM MARILYN BURGESS, HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT CLERK.

I KNOW REDUCING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE BACKLOG IN HARRIS COUNTY IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR EACH OF YOU, JUST AS IT IS FOR ME AND FOR ALL CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY AS IT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

THE DELAY OF IT PROJECTS RELATED TO OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM HINDERS THE REDUCTION OF OUR BACKLOG.

THAT'S WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR THE CREATION OF A NEW DEPARTMENT OF INTEGRATED JUSTICE, GOVERNED BY THE JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS TO MANAGE OUR WEB SYSTEM.

UNIVERSAL SERVICES HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED TO US THE USERS OF WEB, THEY LACK THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE WEB SYSTEM.

THIS CAUSES SIGNIFICANT DELAYS OF MANY IT SOLUTIONS.

OUR COUNTY NEEDS TO GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES.

UNIVERSAL SERVICES HAS A SEARCH AND ARREST WARRANT PROJECT THAT STARTED OVER TWO YEARS AGO.

AS OF TODAY, THEY ARE STILL GATHERING REQUIREMENTS AND HAVEN'T STARTED ANY DEVELOPMENT.

CONVERSELY, THE DCO INITIATED A PROJECT WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO CREATE.

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

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

CAN YOU PLEASE CAN YOU SAY A MOTION TO CONTINUE? MOTION TO CONTINUE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. THANK YOU.

MOTION PASSES.

CONVERSELY, THE DCO INITIATED A PROJECT WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO CREATE COURT ISSUED WARRANTS ELECTRONICALLY AND FROM INCEPTION TO IMPLEMENTATION TOOK ONE YEAR.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE CONCERNS THE CONVERSION OF TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE ORDERS TO ELECTRONIC.

A MAJOR PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.

THIS PROJECT WAS INITIATED IN AUGUST 2019 AND WAS IMPLEMENTED TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER.

EVEN THOUGH THE PROTECTIVE ORDER JUDGE AND MY OFFICE REPEATEDLY STRESSED THE URGENCY OF COMPLETING IT.

DELAYS SUCH AS THIS HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR ABILITY TO BEST SERVE OUR CITIZENS.

THE COUNTY ENGAGED THE SERVICES OF AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTING FIRM AT GREAT EXPENSE TO ASSESS J-WEB AND OUR FIRST MEETING I EXPLAINED MY OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENTERING 85% OF THE DATA INTO WEB.

THE GARTNER PROJECT MANAGER RESPONDED WITH, SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR YOUR IT TEAM TO MANAGE THE APPLICATION.

AFTER ADDITIONAL MEETINGS, IT'S MY OPINION THEY UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT OUR POSITION THAT THE GOVERNANCE OF WEB SHOULD BE WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS.

WHILE YOU MAY WANT TO WAIT FOR GARTNER TO COMPLETE THEIR STUDY, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S NECESSARY FOR MOVING FORWARD.

I URGE YOU TODAY TO AUTHORIZE THE CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT TO MANAGE WEB AND INTEGRATED JUSTICE AND TO FUND AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORTING TO THE CO-CHAIRS TO PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION AS OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2023.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNTY JUDGE HIDALGO AND ALL COMMISSIONERS. I AM JUDGE TORIA FINCH, THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE FOR THE HARRIS COUNTY COURTS AT LAW.

THAT INCLUDES OR INCLUDES THE CRIMINAL AND THE CIVIL COURTS.

20 JUDICIAL ELECTED OFFICIALS.

I STAND IN AGREEMENT WITH OUR CO-CHAIRS THIS AFTERNOON.

A LOT OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY IS WRITTEN ON THIS PAPER, BUT WAS SAID BY OUR DISTRICT CLERK.

LET ME JUST BE QUITE FRANK WITH YOU.

WHEN WE HAVE THE CATASTROPHE THAT WE HAD BACK IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR, WE PLACED THE SAFETY OF HARRIS COUNTY AT THE FOREFRONT.

WHEN J-WEB IS NOT FUNCTIONING.

WHEN THINGS BREAK DOWN, YOU'RE LITERALLY CRIPPLING THE COURTS.

AND WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD.

WE CANNOT LIVE IN A COUNTY WHERE THE COURTS CANNOT MOVE FORWARD, PROCESS JUSTICE, AND EVEN MAKE SURE THAT OUR CASES ARE PROPERLY FILED AND SUBPOENAS ARE ISSUED.

WHAT I'M ASKING TODAY, IN SUMMARY, IS THAT YOU ACCEPT AND ADOPT THE PLAN THAT ALLOWS US TO MOVE THIS MODEL TO A MORE EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE MODEL TO WHERE WE AS THE ACTUAL OWNERS OF THE DATA WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTUALLY PREPARING IT.

MOTION TO CONTINUE.

THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I THINK WE GET THE DRIFT.

BUT IS THERE A MOTION? IS THERE A SECOND? THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? HI. ANYBODY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. I'LL BE BRIEF.

IN SUMMARY, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PASS UP THIS MOMENT.

TODAY, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE PRIORITIES OR PROJECTS THAT AFFECT OUR DAY TO DAY BASIS.

WE HAVE TO ASK A SEPARATE ENTITY THAT IS NOT DIRECTLY IMPACTED LIKE WE ARE TO ACCESS DATA THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND THAT WE CONTROL, THAT WE COLLECT.

THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

WHEN WE OBTAIN INFORMATION, THEN WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE.

[00:55:03]

SO WHAT I'M ASKING SPECIFICALLY IS THAT YOU ADOPT OUR SUGGESTION AND PROPOSAL, WHICH IS TO SUPPORT A TRANSITION TO A NEW GOVERNANCE MODEL, CREATION OF A NEW DEPARTMENT OF INTEGRATED JUSTICE SYSTEM MANAGEMENT AND CREATION OF AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED JUSTICE SYSTEMS. OUR PROPOSAL WILL NOT ONLY MOVE THE COUNTY FORWARD, BUT WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR COURTS ARE MOVING AT THE MOST EFFICIENT LEVEL POSSIBLE AND THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAFE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

YES, CHURCH.

EITHER WAY. GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS CAROLINE DOZIER AND I'VE BEEN A PROSECUTOR WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SINCE 1993.

I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE HARRIS COUNTY JUSTICE COMMITTEE AND THEIR REQUEST FOR A CHANGE IN THE GOVERNANCE OF J.

WEB. SO THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM CAN AFFECT TIMELY AND CRITICAL CHANGES IN THE PROCESS.

ONE EXAMPLE THAT COMES TO MIND IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SEARCH AND ARREST WARRANT SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE TIME AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO OBTAIN WARRANTS IN URGENT SITUATIONS.

SPEED CAN PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN PREVENTING HARM AND SAVING LIVES.

YEARS AGO, I HANDLED A CASE WHERE A SUSPECT COMMITTED A SERIOUS FELONY OFFENSE.

THAT SUSPECT WAS ABLE TO EVADE ARREST AND RETURN TO HONDURAS BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY HIM AND OBTAIN A WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST WHILE HE WAS IN HONDURAS AND BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE HIS ARREST, HE RETURNED TO THE HOME OF HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AND KILLED HER PARENTS ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND PUT AN AX IN THE HEAD OF HIS WIFE'S EIGHT YEAR OLD BROTHER. IF WE HAD A SEARCH AND ARREST WARRANT AND SYSTEM IN PLACE, THEN MAYBE WE COULD HAVE OBTAINED AN ARREST WARRANT QUICKLY ENOUGH TO PREVENT THIS TRAGEDY.

WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THE SEARCH AND ARREST PROCESS THROUGH J WEB SINCE 2018, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN A PRIORITY, AND WE'RE STILL IN THIS CRITICAL SERVICE.

MAY I FINISH ONE SENTENCE SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANYBODY OPPOSED? PASSES WITH THIS REQUESTED CHANGE IN THE GOVERNANCE OF J.

WEB AND ITS INTEGRATED PROGRAMS. THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM CAN DETERMINE THE PRIORITIES SURROUNDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND UPKEEP OF J WEB AND THEREBY SAFEGUARD THE CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE LIVES OF MANY OTHERS OUTSIDE OUR COUNTY, STATE AND COUNTRY.

THANK YOU. YES, JUDGE.

SO THE ONLY REASON I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS, WE DO HAVE RULES.

AND OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK.

AND WHEN WE EXTEND FOR ONE, THE PRESSURE'S ON TO EXTEND FOR EVERYONE.

BUT WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I WAS GOING TO AT THE BEGINNING SAY, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND EXTEND SINCE MY COLLEAGUES ARE EXTENDED, THE THE COURTESY.

BUT I UNDERSTAND THE RULES.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M LATASHA LEWIS PAYNE.

I'M THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE FOR ALL OF THE 61 STATE DISTRICT COURTS HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY.

UM, I PROUDLY SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE URGE EVERY OTHER WORD OF EMPLOYMENT THAT I COULD USE YOU TO VOTE TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION, CREATING THIS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THIS SEPARATE DEPARTMENT OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN I TOOK ON THIS JOB, DATA WAS AN ISSUE.

IT WAS AN ISSUE FOR THE JUDGES AND THEIR ABILITIES TO ISSUE ORDERS.

IT WAS AN ISSUE FOR THE JUDGES IN THEIR IN THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE THE CASES OF WHICH THEY ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY AND STATUTORILY OBLIGATED TO DO. UH, DATA IS CRITICAL IN THIS WORLD.

WE RELY UPON IT IN ORDER TO ISSUE ARREST WARRANT.

WE RELY UPON IT IN ORDER TO MOVE CASES TO DISPOSITION.

THERE ARE EXAMPLES BEFORE I TOOK THIS BENCH, THIS THIS POSITION AND DURING THIS LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WHICH HAVE A MOTION TO EXTEND TIME, THAT'S A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? ANYBODY OPPOSED? NO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE PROCESSES.

UM, THERE ARE EXAMPLES THAT HAVE OCCURRED.

YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE ISSUES IN THE PROTECTIVE ORDER COURT.

YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENED MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, WHICH STRANGLED THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS AND PROMPTED THE RELEASE OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN RELEASED LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AGO.

THERE WAS A SHUTDOWN THAT PREVENTED A CRIMINAL COURTS FROM GETTING JURIES.

THE ISSUE OF WHICH MANY IN THE PUBLIC AND THE JUDGES THEMSELVES WANT TO BE ABLE TO TRY CASES.

LESS THAN TWO DAYS AGO, A CIVIL COURT JUDGE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO ISSUE A CAPIAS IN HER IN IN A CASE BECAUSE IT WAS CODED IMPROPERLY.

IT THAT A CIVIL STATE JUDGE IS NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE HER ORDERS ENFORCED AND EXECUTED BECAUSE OF A CODING ISSUE.

THIS ISSUE IS BROADER THAN JUST THE CRIMINAL SYSTEM.

IT IS THE ENTIRE HARRIS COUNTY SYSTEM.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO LIVE UP TO OUR STATUTORY DUTIES.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALLOW THE JUDGES IN THE COURTS TO DELIVER FAIR AND EFFICIENT JUSTICE TO THE HARRIS COUNTY CITIZENS.

IF YOU DO NOT VOTE FOR THIS RESOLUTION TO CREATE THIS SEPARATE DEPARTMENT, WE WILL CONTINUE TO TO HAVE THE ISSUES THAT OF THE EXAMPLES THAT I'VE

[01:00:08]

THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE FOR THE CITIZENS THAT COME THROUGH THE STATE COURTS.

AND SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION CREATING THIS SEPARATE DEPARTMENT.

UM, AS ALWAYS, I'M HERE AS A RESOURCE AND INFORMATION, AND I HOPE YOU VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT, AND I URGE YOU TO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. I THINK MR. WELLS WILL BE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKERS? OKAY. I'M FREEZING.

YEAH, GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

SO. THANK YOU, JUDGES.

AND TO THE ADA WHO SPOKE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THANK YOU, MR. WELLS, FOR BEING HERE.

I ONLY SPENT ABOUT THREE YEARS ON THE BENCH, BUT AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ISSUE OF DEEP IMPORTANCE TO ME BECAUSE I KNOW HOW IMPERATIVE IT IS TO HAVE THE BUSINESS USERS DRIVING THE SYSTEMS WE'RE USING TO ADMINISTER JUSTICE IN YOUR CASE.

MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW WE INVESTED IN THIS GARTNER STUDY.

WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE THE FINAL REPORT TO COME OUT? MAYBE WE SHOULD ASK MR. NORIEGA. WOULD HE KNOW? OR THE MANAGEMENT OFFICE.

MAJOR-GENERAL. HELLO, MAJOR GENERAL.

YES, MA'AM. WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE? I KNOW WE'VE INVESTED TIME AND MONEY IN THIS GARTNER STUDY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY THAT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS. WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE THE FINAL REPORT, SIR? I WOULD TELL YOU IN THE COMING.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY, JUDGE? YES, COMMISSIONER.

UH, IN THE COMING WEEKS, SINDHU, YOU MAY SPEAK TO DATE SPECIFIC IF YOU'D LIKE.

SO COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

GOOD MORNING TO ALL.

SINDHU AND CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER.

THE STUDY WITH GARTNER WAS INITIATED IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, AND WE HAD THE KICKOFF IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.

THE PHASE ONE OF THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE, AS IN THEY HAVE THE PHASE ONE TALKED ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPORTS THAT ASSESSMENT IS COMPLETE.

AND THEY HAVE WALKED AS US, AS IN UNIVERSAL SERVICES OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS AND THE JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH THEIR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION.

THE PHASE TWO TALKS ABOUT THE PROCESSES AND THE GOVERNANCE THAT RUN THE WEB ENVIRONMENT THAT IT IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETE IN LATE MAY, EARLY JUNE TIME FRAME.

OKAY. AND JUST SORRY, JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP, JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR.

THIS PHASE ONE ENCOMPASSES WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE PHASES? THE PHASE ONE BASICALLY WAS TO LOOK AT THE ARCHITECTURE THAT SUPPORTS AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS AT THE BACKBONE OF THE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION.

IT AND OTHER QUESTIONS.

BUT YES.

MAJOR GENERAL NO, COMMISSIONER, I WAS JUST GOING TO SHARE TO TO BE ABLE TO SEPARATE APPLES AND ORANGES OF THE OPERATIONAL ASPECT OF J-WEB AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF J-WEB, WHICH NOW GARTNER, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS, HAS IDENTIFIED THAT WE OPERATE THIS PARTICULAR TOOL.

IT'S A HOUSE OF CARDS.

SO THE MORE WE CONTINUE WITHOUT A A LOOK AT REDOING THE ARCHITECTURE OF J-WEB, AS WE ADD TO IT, WE TAMPER WITH IT, WE MODIFY IT.

THE MORE WE RISK AS A COUNTY FOR BREAKAGE OUTAGES AND SECURITY ISSUES.

THAT IS PRIMARILY THE THE THE DECISIVE POINT IN A LOT OF THIS CONVERSATION.

WE COMPLETELY, AS AN ORGANIZATION ARE EMPATHETIC WITH THE EFFECTS OF OUTAGES AS THE COURT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE HAD THIS UH, SEVERE INFRASTRUCTURE OUTAGE IT LASTED 14 DAYS.

THE COURT ASKED US TO CONDUCT A ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS, WHICH WE DID, AND WE TRANSMITTED TO THE COURT IN A MONTH BY OURSELVES AND A THIRD PARTY, MICROSOFT.

THEY ASKED US TO REMEDIATE FLAWS IN THE SYSTEM.

AND OVER THE PAST YEAR, UNDER SINDHU'S LEADERSHIP AND HER TEAM, WE'VE SHORTENED OUTAGES FROM 14 DAYS TO FOUR MINUTES.

AND THE AND DEPARTMENTS WERE ASKED TO WRITE AND REHEARSE CONTINUITY OF OPERATION PLANS IN THE EVENT OF AN OUTAGE.

AND OUR DEPARTMENT HAS WRITTEN AND REHEARSED IT AS REQUIRED BY THE COURT.

UH, THE OTHER ITEM WAS THIS J-WEB LOOK INTO THE FUTURE.

UH, AND GARTNER IS A WORLD LEADER, AS YOU'RE AWARE, IN TECHNOLOGY AND BEST PRACTICES LED THAT EFFORT AND THEY HAVE CONDUCTED COUNTLESS HOURS WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS

[01:05:05]

AND AS SINDHU HAS JUST MENTIONED, UM, NOW THAT WE'VE FINISHED THE TECHNOLOGY ASPECT OF IT AND COLLECTIVELY UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE OPERATING WITH THIS ARCHITECTURE, THAT'S A HOUSE OF CARDS.

NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE BEST GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE.

WE CONCUR WITH A LOT OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE MENTIONED BY DISTRICT CLERK BURGESS AND OTHER JUDGES IN TERMS OF THE OPERATION AND USE OF OF THE APPLICATION ITSELF AND AND THEN MANAGING IT AND EVERYTHING ELSE, NOT OUR LANE.

THEY'RE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.

WE ABSOLUTELY CONCUR WITH THAT.

OTHER ISSUES DEALING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND SECURITY, UH, ARE CENTRALLY LOCATED BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT ANYBODY TOUCHES AFFECTS THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND NOT JUST THE JUSTICE COMMUNITY.

UH, EXCLUSIVELY.

I WOULD SAY TOO, THAT THE JUSTICE COMMUNITY BRINGS TO US AND WE'RE PARTICIPANTS OF AND ARE TASKED WITH WHAT THE PRIORITY OF EFFORT IS ON PROJECTS.

WE DON'T JUST KIND OF PULL THESE THINGS OUT OF THE SKY.

THEY TELL US WHAT TO DO AND WHAT THEIR PRIORITY OF EFFORT IS.

AND THEN OUR TEAM GOES TO WORK TO COMPLETE AND GIVES A ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE AND TIMEFRAMES, ETCETERA, ETCETERA.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A MORE BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS EFFORT BECAUSE IT'S SIGNIFICANT OBVIOUSLY, TO COUNTY OPERATIONS CENTER.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP THE COMMISSIONER'S TIME.

SO I THINK YOU COVERED IT, GENERAL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH.

ONE QUICK QUESTION AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER RAMSEY HAS SOME.

HOW MANY FTES DO WE HAVE DEDICATED IN UNIVERSAL SERVICES TO JOB? GO AHEAD, CINDY. YOU LIKE COMMISSIONER BRIONES? THAT'S A THAT IS A DIFFICULT QUESTION.

THE REASON I SAY THAT IT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION IS BECAUSE SOME OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE WEB ARCHITECTURE, ARCHITECTURE IS DIVIDED INTO VARIOUS LAYERS AND WEB ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE DEDICATED APPLICATION SUPPORT STAFF THAT WRITES THE CODE, GOES THROUGH THE END TO END LIFE CYCLE FOR WEB IN TERMS OF CODING.

HOWEVER, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR SECURITY AND OUR DATABASE, ALL OF THESE PERSONNEL ARE SHARED RESOURCES PRIMARILY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, UM, THEY'RE NOT AS TIED UP WITH JUST KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON.

THERE ARE OTHER INITIATIVES WHERE WE COULD USE THEM.

SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE HAVE SHARED RESOURCES IN THOSE DOMAINS WHICH ARE COMMON.

AND THEN OUR INFRA I MENTIONED ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, THE BUSINESS AREA WHERE YOU HAVE PROJECT MANAGERS AND THE PRODUCT OWNERS, WE HAVE SPECIFIC PRODUCT OWNERS WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO THE WEB SO THAT THEY CAN INTERFACE MORE WITH THE CUSTOMERS AND GET THEIR REQUIREMENTS LINED UP AS WELL AS THE UM, THE NEEDS FROM THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. THE PROJECT MANAGERS AGAIN, IS A SHARED RESOURCE.

HOWEVER, MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME IS SPENT.

THE PROJECT MANAGER WHO IS ASSIGNED TO WEB MAJORITY OF THE TIME IS SPENT ON WEB, AND THAT'S BOTH ON CIVIL, WHICH IS A SEPARATE PERSONNEL AND CRIMINAL. THAT'S CORRECT, CINDY.

THAT'S CORRECT, GENERAL.

ALL RIGHT. ONE QUICK FINAL QUESTION.

EVEN THOUGH I HAVE MANY, ARE WE CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL GET THIS FINAL REPORT IN LATE MAY, EARLY JUNE? YES, WE ARE CONFIDENT.

THANK YOU. I'LL HOLD MY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR NOW.

THANK YOU BOTH.

MR. RAMSEY. COMMENT OR TWO.

THERE'S A QUESTION GOING IN THERE SOMEWHERE.

ONE THANK.

WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF, THE DISTRICT CLERK, DISTRICT JUDGES, COURT ADMINISTRATORS, 16 JUDGES 24 CRIMINAL I'VE. IT'S A LONG LIST.

YOU ALL, IN FACT, ARE THE END USERS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

SO WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION A YEAR AGO.

THERE WILL BE A REPORT.

THERE WILL BE A REPORT ISSUED, UH, SOMETIME.

SOUNDS LIKE IN MAY.

I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY BASED.

I THINK THAT THAT REPORT IS GOING TO COMPLEMENT, I THINK WHAT YOU ALL ARE ADVOCATING.

YOU'RE YOU'VE GIVEN US A GOVERNANCE SOLUTION.

SO I THINK WE DON'T NEED TO HESITATE.

WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT.

WE'VE GOT THE SOLUTION IN TERMS OF GOVERNANCE.

I DO THINK, AS GENERAL NORIEGA HAS REFERENCED, THEY'RE WORKING HARD ON A SOLUTION, BUT RARELY HAVE I SEEN A MORE BIPARTISAN EFFORT THAN WHAT Y'ALL HAVE PUT FORTH IN COMING UP WITH A GOVERNANCE SOLUTION.

YOU'VE HANDED IT TO US, I WON'T SAY ON A SILVER PLATTER, BUT IT IS THERE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DO.

[01:10:05]

UH, BUT AS YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS WAS, AND CERTAINLY THAT WOULD BE A JOB THAT A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD DO IS FACILITATE A SOLUTION.

DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THE SOLUTION THAT'S BEEN FACILITATED AT THIS POINT? MY COMMENT AND RECOMMENDATION ON THIS WOULD BE TO WAIT AND SEE THE FULL REPORT.

I THINK THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED THAT PEOPLE AGREE ON, WHETHER IT'S UNIVERSAL SERVICES OR MY OFFICE OR THE USERS, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE BUSINESS UNIT USERS DRIVING THE FUNCTIONALITY AND PRIORITIES.

BUT THERE ARE MANY PIECES TO WEB.

IT'S NOT ALL OR NOTHING, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO UNPACK THAT THROUGH A REPORT.

AND I DO THINK HAVING AN OPEN MIND TO THE RIGHT GOVERNANCE DOES MAKE SENSE.

BUT IN MY VIEW IT'D BE BEST TO DO THAT WITH ALL THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE.

BUT WHAT I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT A YEAR AGO WAS MUCH OF WHAT ABOUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY? AND MY FEAR IS THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY DISCUSSION COMING UP IN MAY, NOT MUCH GOVERNANCE DISCUSSION. AND AND FROM MY CHAIR, I WANT TO LISTEN TO THE BIPARTISAN INPUT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE COMING UP WITH. IT'S VERY CLEAR TO ME THE LINE IS DRAWN IN TERMS OF WHAT THE COUNTY DOES IS PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT FOR WHAT OUR JUSTICE COMMITTEE IS, IS TRYING TO DO.

SO I'M READY TO ACT TODAY IN TERMS OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.

I THINK TO WAIT WOULD BE A JUST PUTTING ANOTHER COUPLE OF MONTHS.

AND EVEN WHEN WE GET TO THAT NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, THERE MIGHT BE A REASON THAT WE DELAY.

SO I'M I'M READY TO MAKE A DECISION THAT I JUST YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A VERY BRIEF COMMENT IS I HEAR YOU AND HAVE VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING, I KNOW, WITH, UM, DISTRICT CLERK BURGESS AND WE'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE.

I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS ISN'T FULLY FLESHED OUT ON THE ONE HAND.

ON THE OTHER HAND, WITH ADMINISTRATIVE BIERI LEAVING.

I DON'T WANT THIS TO GET LOST IN TRANSLATION.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S ALREADY MAY.

OKAY. SO PRETTY MUCH IT'S APRIL 25TH.

SO I THINK I'M OKAY WITH WAITING ONE MONTH.

HOWEVER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DECIDE NOW AND MR BARRY, MAYBE THERE'S SOMEONE YOU CAN RECOMMEND WHO IS, YOU KNOW, WORKS WORKS FOR YOU THAT WHO'S WE CAN AGREE TODAY WILL SHEPHERD THIS THROUGH IRRESPECTIVE OF THE FACT THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE HERE WHEN THIS COMES BACK IN MAY.

UM, BUT I THINK THAT TO COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S POINT, WHAT COMES BACK WITH THE GARDNER REPORT NEEDS TO BE ACCOMPANIED WITH THE THE GOVERNANCE SIDE OF THINGS.

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS THE JOB DESCRIPTION OF THIS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR? HOW MUCH EXACTLY DOES IT CROSS? ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET OFFICE, YOU KNOW, THESE STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO SIT IN THE SAME ROOM WITH MR RAMA.

MR BIERI APPOINTS AND SINDHU AND PERHAPS THE GENERAL.

AND THEN YOU ALL NEED TO COME ON WHATEVER DATE.

SO NOT WHATEVER DATE IN A MONTH.

UM, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD BE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH.

AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN TOO LONG AND YOU KNOW, IT IS AN OLD PROCESS.

IT'S A COMPLICATED THING.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING.

SO I THINK A FEW WEEKS AND GET IT GETTING IT DONE RIGHT, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT IT TO GET LOST.

CAN I SPEAK TO THAT JUST FOR A SECOND, COMMISSIONER BRIONES WELL, I'D LOVE TO HEAR A DISTRICT CLERK.

BURGESS IF YOU WANT TO SAY. BUT THE AND THEN I'LL COMPLIMENT.

I AGREE VERY MUCH. BUT, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK GENERAL NORIEGA.

IT WOULD BE A CONTINUING PARTNERSHIP FOR SURE AS FAR AS CYBERSECURITY, NETWORK CONNECTIVITY, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD STAY WITH UNIVERSAL SERVICES.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT.

WE'RE NOT TRYING TO END THE GARTNER STUDY.

THE GARTNER STUDY IS GOING TO COME BACK WITH WITH BEST APPROACH TO MODERNIZING J-WEB.

WE WANT THAT INPUT.

WE WELCOME THAT INPUT.

WE JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE THE GROUP THAT SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS THEY BRING.

AND THERE ARE OVER 80 INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAVE SIGNED ON TO SUPPORT THIS GOVERNANCE MODEL THAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND ANYTHING THAT DELAYS MEAN.

IT. NOTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN THE DAY AFTER THEY MAKE THE REPORT.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AND TO GET US POSITIONED AND STRATEGIZE, TO BRING THIS PERSON IN, TO LET THEM START BUILDING THAT BUSINESS PLAN AND PUTTING TOGETHER A BUDGET FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR WITH THE IDEA OF IMPLEMENTING AND KICKING THAT OFF WITH THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.

WE NEED THE TIME NOW TO GET THAT IN PLACE BEFORE THE BUDGET PROCESS STARTS.

AND SO I'M ASKING YOU TO AUTHORIZE THE CREATION OF THE DEPARTMENT AND THE FUNDING FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NOW SO WE CAN IMPLEMENT GARDNER STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN THEY COME

[01:15:01]

YES, TWO POINTS.

RELATEDLY, ONE IS WE'VE INVESTED SO MUCH OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY IN IN THIS STUDY AND WE'RE WEEKS AWAY.

SO I THINK IT WOULD INFORM HOPEFULLY IT SHOULD INFORM THE PATH FORWARD TO THE APPROVAL OF THIS POSITION.

WHAT IS THE BUDGET NOTE? I DIDN'T SEE ONE, SO I DO HAVE A JOB DESCRIPTION THAT HR HAS CREATED WITH THE BUDGET RANGE ON IT.

IS THIS FROM YOU? FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE? MR. RAMOS I HAVE NOT SEEN IT JUST CAME FROM HR.

YESTERDAY. I DID WAS CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, COUNTY ATTORNEY OFFICE REPRESENTATIVES, BUT IN OUR LATEST RULES, DIDN'T WE PASS THAT? IF THERE IS GOING TO BE A FISCAL NOTE, WE HAVE TO HAVE IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A BUDGETARY IMPACT, WE NEED THE FISCAL NOTE FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE.

LET ME PULL UP THE EXACT RULE.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE, WHILE HE'S LOOKING AT THAT, I SHARE YOUR SENSE OF URGENCY AND THE NEED FOR THE BUSINESS USERS, BUSINESS USERS TO BE DRIVING THE NEEDS.

THE DATA HAVE ACCESS TO ONGOING PROJECTS.

THERE NEEDS TO BE ENHANCED TRANSPARENCY AND URGENCY WITH REGARD.

SO I SHARE THE CONCERNS.

I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT THE REPORT AND I WOULD ASK PLEASE, GENERAL NORIEGA AND SINDHU, TO WORK EVEN MORE CLOSELY BECAUSE THERE SHOULD BE CLARITY HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE DEVOTED TO HELPING J-WEB AND WHAT THAT INTERSECTION SHOULD BE THERE WE CAN DO BETTER AND WE NEED TO DO BETTER.

SO IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, I THOUGHT UNDER THE RULES BEFORE ITEM GOT ON THE AGENDA, WE WOULD KNOW THE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS OF IT.

SO THIS ITEM, WE DON'T KNOW THAT.

WE CAN'T TAKE IT FROM WHOEVER'S PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA.

BUT I WANT TO GET SOME FEEDBACK.

THERE'S THERE'S A FISCAL NOTE THAT WAS NOT DERIVED OR VETTED BY OMB.

IN TERMS OF YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER BRIAN, AS WE DID SPEAK WITH DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY ESSER, THIS DID NOT NECESSARILY QUALIFY UNDER THAT.

IT'S WHEN WE REQUEST THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND THE THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION.

AND HIS INTERPRETATION WAS THAT THIS WAS A POLICY QUESTION WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD, THE CREATION OF A DEPARTMENT, AND THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH THE SWAGIT.

IT ALL COMES TOGETHER, WHICH IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

SOMEONE FROM DAVE SHOP NEEDS TO SHEPHERD THIS ALONG THE VARIOUS STEPS, WHICH IS BUDGET, COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND IT I MEAN, WE WE KNOW SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE.

SO WHO, WHO FROM YOUR OFFICE CAN SHEPHERD THESE FOLKS THROUGH THE PROCESS SO THAT WHATEVER COMES NEXT TIME IS THE WHOLE PACKAGE.

THEY'RE THEY'RE DOING THEIR BEST, BRINGING THINGS, BUT IT'S JUST NOT COMPLETE.

WELL, I WOULD SAY SO.

I THINK MR. TURNER IN MY OFFICE IS A NATURAL PERSON TO BE THE POINT PERSON.

I'LL WORK TO ASSIGN SOMEONE TO GO BY HIS SIDE TO MAKE SURE HE'S GOT THE RESOURCES HE NEEDS.

AND I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, AND I THINK OVERALL WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENTS HERE, BUT IT DOES TAKE A COMMITMENT FOR EVERYONE IF WE WANT TO HAVE A JOINT PROPOSAL RIGHT, TO WORK THROUGH A COMMON FISCAL NOTE, TO LOOK AT AN ORG CHART.

AND IT MAY BE WE COME AND SAY WE DON'T DISAGREE, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE EVERYONE BEING COMMITTED TO THAT FOR IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF MR. TURNER OR WHOMEVER SAYING, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO SHEPHERD THIS.

AND SO MAYBE THE GARDENER REPORT HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST LAY OUT WHAT PEOPLE AGREE ON AND WHAT THEY DISAGREE ON, AND THEN COURT CAN MAKE THE DECISION.

JUST SO WE HAVE THE TIMETABLE ON THIS GARDENER REPORT, WILL IT BE THE END OF MAY OR WILL IT BE JUNE SIDHU? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. EARLY JUNE WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE IN COMMUNICATING.

SO JUST AT LEAST THAT WE KNOW IT AND IF IT IS EARLY JUNE, AT LEAST WE GET ALL OF THE CARDS ON THE TABLE AND THEN MAYBE THROUGH A BIERI TURNER THAT COULD BE SOME MEETING.

I KNOW IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO COME HERE AND BE WITH US.

WE GOT A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS THAT WANT TO TESTIFY AS WELL.

SO I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE OTHER SPEAKERS THAT WE'RE NOT ALL FREIGHTED WITH THE JUNE 27TH COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING, BE ENOUGH TIME TO GET THE GARDNER STUDY BACK, BE WORK ON A JOINT, HOPEFULLY JOINT, ALTHOUGH THERE'S DIFFERENCES, PLEASE FLAG THOSE PLAN FOR THE GO FORWARD.

AND THE JUST TO CLARIFY IT, WELLS COURT MANAGER FROM COUNTY COURTS AND SINDHU OR GENERAL NORIEGA CAN PROBABLY ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

BUT AS A PART OF THAT REPORT FROM GARTNER, HOW MUCH OF THAT IS GOING TO BE ABOUT GOVERNANCE OF INTEGRATED JUSTICE VERSUS SIMPLY MODERNIZATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY FOR WEB? BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL FOCUS OF THE REPORT.

AND I KNOW WE'VE AT THE BEHEST OF THE JUSTICE COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE WAS ADDED TO THAT AS A CONSIDERATION, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN CLEAR ARE THEY GOING TO COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION ON GOVERNANCE AS A PART OF THAT REPORT, OR ARE WE LEFT TO DO THAT FOR OURSELVES HERE LOCALLY? HARRIS COUNTY, BECAUSE THAT WASN'T CLEAR.

WELL, I'LL JUST SAY, MR. WELLS, THAT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH US AFTER VISITING WITH YOURSELVES AND WHAT THE PRIORITY OF EFFORTS ARE AND SO FORTH, AND BEING ABLE TO BRING FORWARD

[01:20:03]

AND I DO WANT TO UNDERSCORE WHAT MR. BIERI MENTIONED AND MEAN IN TERMS OF EVERYBODY COMING TO THE TABLE WITH AN OPEN MIND BECAUSE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE COMMISSIONER BRIONES IN SHORT ORDER THE PERCENTAGES OF TIME THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE MULTITASK ON INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, PEOPLE THAT ARE MULTITASK ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND TIME ALLOTTED ON TASK. WE ALSO NEED THAT INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY TOO, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PERSONS THAT HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED IN THE PAST AS SHADOW IT, THAT MAY HAVE SKILL SETS THAT ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW, COULD HELP SIGNIFICANTLY AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S THE LABOR ASPECT STRUCTURE REQUIRED FOR SUSTAINMENT OF OF THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF THE COUNTY TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM.

I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT AND AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO TO GET THIS JOB DONE.

OKAY. YES OR NO? I'M SORRY. SO GOVERNANCE WILL BE INCLUDED OR WILL NOT? GOOD QUESTION. I'M SORRY. I WAS UNCLEAR.

PARDON ME. I'M NOT AN IT PERSON, SO I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED THE ANSWER.

YES, MA'AM, IT IS.

OKAY. THANK YOU. MY QUICK COMMENT, COMMISSIONER, IS WE HAVE HAD A VERY TRANSPARENT AND EXCELLENT INPUT ON GOVERNANCE. WHAT I WOULD HOPE THAT WHOEVER'S DOING THIS STUDY WOULD WRITE DOWN IN DETAIL WHAT THESE GOOD PEOPLE HAVE PUT ON THE TABLE BECAUSE THEY PROVIDED THE SOLUTION.

SO I HOPE THAT THEY DON'T COME BACK AND TELL US ABOUT SOME GREAT THING GOING ON IN SAN FRANCISCO OR CHICAGO.

I DON'T REALLY CARE.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OUR END USERS ARE GOING TO NEED.

SO I THINK, GENERAL, WE ARE GOING TO SAVE OURSELVES A LOT OF TIME AND IT WILL TAKE THEIR INPUT, GIVE IT TO THE PLANNERS SO THAT WHEN WE MEET AGAIN, AT LEAST THERE'LL BE SOME COMMON GROUND.

WE ALREADY KNOW IT'S BIPARTISAN.

SO IF YOU ADDRESS THE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER CRONUS, IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT I HEARD WAS MORE TECHNOLOGY.

AND WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS GREAT INPUT ON THE GOVERNANCE.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE GOT A SOLUTION AT HAND.

I HOPE THAT I'M THINKING THAT WHENEVER WE MEET, IF IT'S IN JUNE, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A SOLUTION BUDGET THE WHOLE NINE YARDS AND NOT ANY.

WELL, MAYBE THIS AND MAYBE THAT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE IF JUNE IS A DEADLINE, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE AGREEING ON THAT, THAT'S GREAT.

I'M IN. LET'S DO IT.

WE'VE GOT THE GOVERNANCE FIGURED OUT.

YOU NEED TO FIGURE OUT THE TECHNOLOGY AND IF MAY BE RECOGNIZED, JUDGE, I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL AS A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COURT TO ACTUALLY SPELL OUT AT A HIGH LEVEL WHAT IT'S LOOKING FOR IN IN JUNE.

AND WHAT I'VE HEARD IS A FISCAL NOTE THAT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, VETTED BETWEEN THE STAKEHOLDERS AND AND DANIEL'S OFFICE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE GARTNER REPORT AND SPELLING OUT WHAT OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS OR OTHERS ARE AGREED ON OR WHAT ARE STILL POINTS OF DIFFERENCE AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE.

BUT I THINK SOME STRUCTURE TO THAT, SOME GUIDANCE FROM YOU WOULD BE WOULD BE HELPFUL.

QUESTION MAYBE WHEN WE GET TO THE ITEM, I WANT TO HEAR FROM SOME SPEAKERS BEFORE WE STOP THAT COLD STOP AT 1:00, MAYBE.

COMMISSIONER BRIONES IF YOU JUST WORK UP SOME LANGUAGE AND I'LL WORK AT LANGUAGE AND WE'LL VOTE ON THAT.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS I VERY MUCH SHARE COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S STATEMENT AND I'LL TRY TO ARTICULATE IT IN AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE AS POSSIBLE.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS WORK TOGETHER ON A VERY CLEAR PROPOSAL IN TERMS OF GOVERNANCE, TECHNOLOGY UPDATES, PERSONNEL BUDGET BY THE JUNE 27TH MEETING WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND DRIVERS, REALLY DRIVING THE GOVERNANCE AND THE NEEDS AND ALSO COMING UP WITH THAT TRANSPARENCY AS TO HOW THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT IS GOING AND JUST INSIGHT INTO EACH OTHER'S WORLDS SO THAT WE HAVE A SOLUTION THAT BETTER WORKS.

BUT WE'LL WORK ON THE EXACT LANGUAGE.

AND THANK YOU FOR SO ALL OF YOU ALL BEING HERE.

[01:25:01]

AND I ONLY WANT TO GET TO SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENTS HERE AS WELL.

BUT CAN I SAY 20 SECONDS STATEMENT? YES, YOUR HONOR. I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO GET LOST THAT THERE ARE JUDGES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED NOT ONLY BY SHUTDOWNS, BUT BY THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE WITH THE CODING AND THE BACKGROUND THAT AFFECT THEIR ABILITY TO ISSUE ORDERS, THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE THE CASE, THEIR ABILITY TO CONDUCT HEARINGS.

HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THOUSANDS OF CASES.

SO I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE LOST THAT THERE ARE, UM, THERE IS UM, REAL, UM, PROBLEMS WITH THE 60 ONE ELECTED JUDGES THAT AREN'T ABLE TO PERFORM THEIR JOB BECAUSE OF THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE IN THE BACKGROUND AND NOT, NOT ANY, YOU KNOW, JUST UNKNOWINGLY BEING DONE IN THE BACKGROUND, RIGHT? SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.

JUDGE PAYNE. THANK. AND MR. GARCIA, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? YEAH. UM, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT HAVING BEEN A USER OF BOTH GEMS AND WEB, HAVING EXPERIENCED THE SHUTDOWNS MYSELF WHEN I WAS IN THE ROLE OF SHERIFF, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND IN PART WHAT GOT US HERE.

SO WHEN WE I DON'T THINK THERE'S A NECESSARILY AN ISSUE WITH GOVERNANCE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE HAS TO BE A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT GIVEN TO SECURING THE SYSTEM AND ENSURING THAT THE MANY THINGS THAT WE FOUND AS AS SOME OF THE UNDERLYING ISSUES TO THE MUNICIPAL SHUTDOWN THAT EVERYBODY IS SPEAKING TO, THE 14 HOUR ONE OR MULTIPLE DAY ONE IS, IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL THOSE DETAILS ARE.

FIRST AND FOREMOST IN THE GOVERNANCE.

WE CANNOT HAVE A GOOD JUSTICE SYSTEM IF IT'S IF THE DATA IS NOT SECURE, IF THE SYSTEM IS NOT SECURE.

AND. YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COME TO REALIZATION IS THAT THE ARCHITECTURE THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE SPEAKING TO.

JAY AS IT IS TODAY.

IS A VERY, VERY ARCHAIC SYSTEM AND IT'S PRONE TO A LOT OF PROBLEMS. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE WORK AND COMMIT TO MOVING FORWARD, I WANT I WANT TO BE ALL ABOUT MOVING FORWARD, UH, THAT WHEN WE SPEAK OF GOVERNANCE, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN WE GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS OF DOING THINGS.

UH, IF DATA SECURITY, IF CYBER SECURITY, IF SYSTEM SECURITY NEEDS TO BE ONE OF THE MAIN CATALYST OF WHERE WE GET TO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE WORK AS WELL.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

UH, I SHARE YOUR SENTIMENT, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, VERY MUCH.

AND I HOPE THAT IN PARTNERSHIP, THE JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS IN UNIVERSAL SERVICES CAN DESIGN A BEST IN CLASS SYSTEM BECAUSE THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, AS WE KNOW.

A JUSTICE ISSUE.

SO AND BY THE WAY, IN MY PROPOSED LANGUAGE THAT I WILL CIRCULATE THIS AFTERNOON, I'LL ALSO ADD A LINE AND I PLEASE ASK UNIVERSAL SERVICES THAT WHEN REQUESTS IN THIS INTERIM PERIOD BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE 27TH AND AS THE WORK CONTINUES, THAT YOU PLEASE PRIORITIZE AND EXPEDITE TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE THE JOB RELATED ISSUES.

BECAUSE I KNOW AS IF YOU CAN'T HAVE AN ORDER AS A JUDGE, I MEAN, THAT JUST STIFLES THE COURT.

SO I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THAT IS EXPEDITED IN THE INTERIM.

SO CAN I GIVE A QUICK POLICY PROMISE TO BE 20 SECONDS? RESPECTFULLY, I JUST NEED EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE COURT SYSTEM CANNOT WAIT IN LINE FOR OTHER COUNTY BUSINESS.

IF THE COURT SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK, THE COUNTY DOESN'T WORK.

IT HAS TO HAVE ITS OWN FOCUS ENTITY THAT HAS EXPERT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS THAT DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WE CANNOT PRIORITIZE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

AND SO I'M JUST HOPING THAT WE WILL TAKE THIS AS A SERIOUS TASK.

WE DON'T HAVE TO COMPROMISE SECURITY.

IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, CARE ABOUT THE SECURITY OF THE DATA.

BUT WE NEED A SYSTEM THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE PART IN AND MANAGE AND ENSURE THAT THE SYSTEM DOESN'T FAIL AND IT DOESN'T MEAN SECURITY IS COMPROMISED.

BUT I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL IN JUNE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS NOW.

WE HAVE TO STOP AT 1:00.

MS.. VAN BOB, DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? NO. TAKEN CARE OF.

I WAS GOING TO REMIND THE COURT OF THE TEN MINUTE LIMIT, WHICH WE HAVEN'T BEEN TAKING CARE OF, BUT WE WILL FOR THE NEXT ITEM.

THANK YOU. OKAY, SO LET'S GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.

BUT AT 1:00 WE WILL HAVE TO STOP AND WE'LL COME BACK FOR ITEM 287.

COMMISSIONER. UH, YEAH, WE'LL COME BACK TO 97 LATER AND AFTER WE COME BACK FROM LUNCH.

[01:30:03]

CAN I NOW SIT NOW? UNLESS WHEN WE TAKE A BREAK.

YES, YOU CAN. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THEN.

COMMISSIONER BURNS, DID YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE YOU WERE TRYING TO BRING UP FIRST OR DOES IT MATTER? WE'VE GOT ABOUT 14 MINUTES TO GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.

I'LL JUST JUST GO AHEAD AND CALL PUBLIC SPEAKERS UP.

I GOT A NOTE FROM YOUR STAFF SAYING SOME PEOPLE HAD TO LEAVE.

ONE SPEAKER WAS ONE SPEAKER FROM A LEAF IF THEY HAVE TO LEAVE.

MR KOREAN.

BECAME A TRAY HAND ON THE LIST.

I DON'T THINK WE MISS TRAHAN.

ARE YOU ONLINE? COMMISSIONER. WE HAVEN'T BEEN CONTACTED HER YET.

DO YOU WANT US TO GET HER ON THE LINE? LET'S GO TO A SPEAKER, AND THEN IF YOU GET HER, WE'LL TRY TO GET HER TO YOU.

BUT SHE'S VIRTUAL.

THANK SHE IS.

YES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. AND THANK YOU, MISS WILLIAMS. YOU'RE WELCOME. FIRST IS MARISSA HANSEN SPEAKING ON ITEMS 20 AND THREE 60.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. YOU HAVE A YOU HAVE A TENNESSEE RESOLUTION THAT REFERENCES DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND COINCIDENT CONFIDENCE IN ELECTIONS. IF THERE WERE IF THERE REALLY WERE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, YOU WOULDN'T BE FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL TO ADD AMENDMENTS TO OUR FOIA REQUEST FOR OUR RIGHT TO VOTE.

AND THEN ON THE COURT BACKLOG, UM, THREE MONTHS, TWO MONTHS AGO, MY JIMMY WAS MURDERED.

THEY SHOT HIM IN THE FACE THREE TIMES, TORTURED HIM, BOUND HIM BY HIS HANDS AND HIS FEET.

HE HAD THREE YEAR OLD SON.

IT'S HIS BODY.

SAT IN A VEHICLE IN AN IMPOUND LOT FOR FIVE DAYS.

FIVE DAYS.

AND THE MAN WHO MURDERED HIM, HE HAD A CW, AND THE GUNS WERE GIVEN BACK TO HIM BECAUSE THE COURTS DROPPED THE CHARGES. BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE DESTROYED OUR CRIMINAL COURTS.

YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN SOMETHING THAT I LOVED.

THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.

YOUR TIME IS UP, MA'AM.

NICK. NICK. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.

ERIC BATTEN SPEAKING ON ITEM 22.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE? HI, ERIC BATTEN. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HARRIS COUNTY DEPUTIES ORGANIZATION.

WE APPRECIATE BEING CONSIDERED DURING THIS QUARTER BUDGET PROJECTIONS, AS WELL AS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR A MODEST 4% COLA INCREASE.

WE FEEL THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN A PROCESS THAT SHOULD INCLUDE SEVERAL STEPS.

IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO PUT US ON THE ROAD TO BEING COMPETITIVE WITH COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, BOTH IN OUR IMMEDIATE REGION AND WITHIN THE STATE.

ACCORDING TO THE US CONGRESS JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE, THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD IN THIS REGION IS SPENDING AN ADDITIONAL $435 PER MONTH, OR $5,220 MORE PER YEAR DUE TO TWO DUE TO A 4.4.

8% INCREASE IN HOUSING, A 7.3% INCREASE IN FOOD.

A 28.8% INCREASE IN ENERGY AND 22.9% INCREASE IN TRANSPORTATION.

DUE TO THIS INCREASED COST OF LIVING IN THE SOCIAL SECURITY, DUE TO THIS INCREASE IN COST OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION HAS GIVEN THE COLA INCREASES IN THE AMOUNT OF 5.9% IN 2022 AND 8.7% FOR 2023.

THE CURRENT 8.5 INFLATION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IS UP.

THANKS FOR COMING. THANK YOU.

WE'RE BEING PAID 17% LESS THAN EVERYONE ELSE.

NEXT SPEAKER. UM, NEXT WE HAVE REBECCA TRAHAN ON THE LINE.

SHE'S SPEAKING VIRTUALLY, AND SHE'S NON-AGENDA RELATED.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

MS. REBECCA TRAHAN I'M IN LESLIE BRIONES DISTRICT.

I'M COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SUPPORT OF KATY ISD POLICE CHIEF GORE AND RESIDENTS ASKING THAT YOU TAKE THE NO PARKING SIGNS THAT ARE ALREADY ON EACH SIDE OF RAINTREE VILLAGE, MOVE THEM BACK TO BLUE BEACH.

HAVING CARS PARKED ON OUR STREET IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE FOR OUR SCHOOL BUSSES.

THEY'RE HAVING TO GO INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC DUE TO CARS PARKED ON THE STREET.

AMBULANCES CANNOT COME THROUGH SAFELY AND WE JUST NEED TO ALREADY THE SIGNS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE JUST TO BE MOVED BACK FROM FRANZ TO RAINTREE VILLAGE AND BLUE BEACH.

I LIVE ACROSS FROM MORTON RANCH HIGH SCHOOL AND FRANZ ELEMENTARY, AND IT IS A DANGER AND A SECURITY THREAT TO OUR KIDS AND TO OUR FAMILIES AND PARENTS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS AGENDA.

SPEAKER NUMBER 15 MICHAEL STEMBRIDGE SPEAKING IN PERSON ON ITEM 136.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI, MICHAEL STONEBRIDGE.

ITEM 136 IS A IT'S A RAIN STUDY, BASICALLY, TO PUT IT IN LAYMAN'S, THE SAN JACINTO REGIONAL FLOOD PLAN.

I SUPPORT IT BECAUSE IT CAN BRING MONEY TO THE COUNTY FOR MORE PROJECTS.

[01:35:04]

THE BAYOU WIDENING PROJECT HAS BEEN DELAYED SINCE 2017 OR 2018.

I THINK IT GOT FUNDING IN 2017 WHEN MYSELF AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE FROM JERSEY VILLAGE WERE HERE AND IT PASSED.

AND THEN FROM 2018 ON, EVERY YEAR IT'S BEEN SOME KIND OF EXCUSE.

LIKE THEY READ THE FLOOD DISTRICT BUMPS IT TO THE NEXT YEAR OR THE NEXT YEAR OR THE NEXT YEAR.

I FEEL THAT FLOOD DISTRICT IS CORRUPT AT THIS POINT.

UM, I LIKE THEM.

THEY'RE NICE GUYS, BUT I DON'T.

I DON'T BELIEVE A WORD THEY SAY ANYMORE.

THIS PROJECT JUST KEEPS ON GETTING BUMPED.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POLITICAL GAMES YOU'RE PLAYING WITH.

MY COMMISSIONER IS THE LONE REPUBLICAN COMMISSIONER, AND YOU'RE POLITICALLY DELAYING THIS PROJECT.

BUT IT'S REALLY GOT ME MAD THAT NOW IT'S GOING FROM 1960 TO TAHOE.

WE LIVE BELOW TAHOE.

OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE SECOND.

THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP.

OKAY. FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS AGENDA. SPEAKER 14 HELEN LEWIS SPEAKING VIRTUALLY ON ITEMS 34 AND 240.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS HELEN LEWIS AND GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS HELEN LEWIS AND I'M A RESIDENT OF PINE TRAIL SUBDIVISION.

I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 34 AND 240.

THE PINE TRAILS DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.

THIS HUGE DRAINAGE PROJECT FOR PINE TRAILS WILL AFFECT OVER 1800 HOMES, AND OUR COMMUNITY IS BOUNDED BY GREENSBORO ON THE WEST, BIG GULLY GULCH ON THE EAST AND NEWLY CONSTRUCTED WAREHOUSES WITH LARGE CONCRETE PARKING LOTS ALONG HIGHWAY 90 ON THE NORTH.

THE BRICK DRAINAGE PROJECT IS GREATLY NEEDED FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WILL TAKE US OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SAFETY AND SECURITY.

I'D LIKE TO THANK COMMISSIONER GARCIA FOR THE WORK HE DOES FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND ASK NOT ONLY FOR COMMISSIONER GARCIA TO SUPPORT THIS DRAINAGE PROJECT, BUT THE COUNTY JUDGE AND ALL THREE OTHER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.

I APPRECIATE YOU. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING IT DONE.

THANK YOU. MHM.

NEXT IS SPEAKER NUMBER 17, DR.

VICTOR KEYS SPEAKING VIRTUALLY ON ITEM 275.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

SO. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

THIS IS DR. KEYES. IT'S SO GOOD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AGAIN.

AS THEY SAY ON THE FIFTH, IT'S BEEN A WHILE AND IT'S BEEN A MINUTE.

BUT I AM SO PROUD OF BOOKER T WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THERE.

MIDDLE SCHOOL THERE.

HIGH SCHOOL THERE. I WAS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR SIX YEARS AND THE PRINCIPAL FOR ONE YEAR.

AND THAT IS THE GREATEST SCHOOL IN THE HISTORY OF SCHOOLS.

IT IS THE BEST SCHOOL IN THE WORLD.

AND RECENTLY, THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR ALONE, OUR FOOTBALL TEAM WENT BY DISTRICT AND OUR BASKETBALL TEAM WENT TO THE STATE PLAYOFFS AND THEY DID REALLY WELL.

ACADEMICS ARE JUST SO GREAT AND WONDERFUL.

THE COMMUNITY IS GREAT.

I'M JUST SO PROUD THAT YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF THAT.

AND THEN WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR BOOKER T WASHINGTON TO BE AROUND FOR 100 AND ANOTHER HUNDRED AND 25 YEARS, LET'S DO IT.

YOUR CASE. THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN.

IT'S SO GOOD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AS WELL.

AND I'M GLAD YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED YOUR NUMBER.

WE WERE WORKING HARD TO GET A HOLD OF YOU, BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AT BOOKER T WASHINGTON AND IN THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AS AN EDUCATOR OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND I JUST WANTED TO HAVE YOU ONLINE BECAUSE WE WILL BE POSTING THE WASHINGTON CLASS REUNION OF CLASS.

WELL, REMEMBER WHAT CLASS? BUT IT'S 50 YEAR REUNION.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

AND AS SOON AS I, I KNEW WE WERE HAVING THIS BOOK, I SAID, MAN, WE GOTTA WE GOTTA TRY TO FIND DOCTOR KEYS, HAVE HIM CALL IN AND SHARE SOME THOUGHTS.

SO GOD BLESS YOU.

GOOD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AND AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.

THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU GUYS AS WELL.

COMMISSIONERS BY. NEXT IS.

SPEAKER 18 MELISSA RODGERS SPEAKING ON ITEM 288.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MELISSA ROGERS AND I'M SPEAKING FOR THE COMMUNITY OF ALIEF ON A PROJECT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CONSIDER LATER FOR A TREE PLANTING EFFORT.

IN OUR AREA, WE ARE CALLED THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, AND RIGHTLY SO.

WE'RE PROUD OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE PROUD OF OUR NEIGHBORS.

WE ALSO APPRECIATE SOME RECENT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AREA, INCLUDING THE ALIEF COMMUNITY CENTER AND A PROPOSED PROGRAM TO IMPROVE SAFETY ON INTERSECTIONS.

THIS TREE PLANTING PROJECT WILL DO MORE THAN JUST BEAUTIFY ALIEF.

IT WILL AMPLIFY THE PROJECTS THAT I JUST MENTIONED.

IT WILL IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.

IT WILL REDUCE FLOODING, INCREASE SHADE AND REMOVE POLLUTANTS FROM THE AIR.

ALIEF IS A YOUNG AREA, MEDIAN AGE ABOUT 33.

SO A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORS DON'T ARE NOT HOMEOWNERS YET, AND THEY LIVE IN SOME VERY DENSELY POPULATED MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS THAT ARE SURROUNDED BY CONCRETE.

[01:40:01]

THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS WALTER PROTHEROE, NON-AGENDA.

SPEAKER NUMBER ONE. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

THANK YOU. MY NAME IS WALTER PROTHRO.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO INTRODUCE THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF HARRIS COUNTY ON WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN USING HARRIS HEALTH FACILITIES FROM EXPERIENCED.

THE FOLLOWING IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FILE A COMPLAINT WITH EVIDENCE.

AS I'VE SPOKEN BEFORE, ABOUT HOW DR.

STEPHEN CHEN, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND HIS STAFF, INCLUDING DR.

KEATON SHAW AT BEN TAUB GENERAL HOSPITAL, RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT.

THE RESIDENT. DR.

KEATON SHAW WAS NOT SUPERVISED AT ANY TIME THAT I HAD CONTACT WITH HIM.

HE VIOLATED MULTIPLE PROCEDURES AND SET FORTH BY HARRIS HEALTH, INCLUDING DOING A PROCEDURE THAT WAS TOTALLY UNNECESSARY, WHICH WAS FOR OSTEOPOROSIS. I HAVE NEVER HAD OR BEEN DIAGNOSED BY ANY PHYSICIAN PHYSICALLY EXAM ME FOR OSTEOPOROSIS DURING THIS PROCEDURE THAT ENSUED.

HE FAILED TO DO IT CORRECTLY AND CAUSED PERMANENT DAMAGE TO DATE.

HARRIS HEALTH NOR THANK YOU.

YOUR TIME IS UP. NEXT IS NON-AGENDA.

SPEAKER TWO CHERYL GRAVES.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS CHERYL GRAVES.

I'M THE 30 YEAR HOMEOWNER ON MESA DRIVE.

I AM STILL SEEKING A RESOLUTION FOR THE DUST NOISE AND TRAFFIC ON MESA DRIVE.

THE HANDOUT IS IN REFERENCE TO A CASE I WANT IN AUGUST 2004 AT T-C-E-Q, WHEN WHAT WAS CALLED SMILEY HIGH SCHOOL, NORTH FOREST AND MYSELF.

I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH FISCUS NOVEMBER 22ND AT LBJ HOSPITAL, WHICH IS KNOWN AS NOSEBLEED, WHICH IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE IS DRY AIR.

HERE I AM 19 YEARS LATER.

THE SAME BATTLE.

EVERY 11TH MARCH, THE 55TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSAGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT.

THE CENTERPIECE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF 1968.

RIGHT NOW DO NOT HAVE A SAFE, STABLE PLACE.

YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU.

AND I'LL HAVE SOMEBODY FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.

NEXT IS NON-AGENDA.

SPEAKER NUMBER FIVE, SARAH ANN BROWNING.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE? I AM A 12 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT CRIMINAL COURT.

NUMBER ONE. JUDGE ALEX SALGADO'S COURT IS FAILING TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.

MY SON WAS VIOLENTLY ATTACKED, AN UNPROVOKED ATTACK ON NOVEMBER 19TH.

HIS NOSE WAS FRACTURED, HIS TEETH WERE BROKEN, AND HE HAS A PERMANENT SCAR ON HIS FACE.

THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT DID AN EXCELLENT JOB COLLECTING EVIDENCE, VIDEO, CREDIBLE WITNESS STATEMENTS, MAJOR ASSAULTS TOOK A CONFESSION.

ALEX SALGADO, CRIMINAL COURT ONE WAS ASSIGNED THE CASE ON DECEMBER 8TH, AND A VERY YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED DA MARIE DUFRESNE WAS ASSIGNED THE CASE ON MARCH 22ND.

THE CASE WAS DISMISSED AGAINST THE MAN THAT ATTACKED MY SON WITHOUT EVEN CONTACTING MY SON.

THE DISTRICT.

THE DA DID COLLECT THE MEDICAL AND DENTAL EXPENSE INFORMATION FOR MY SON, BUT FAILED TO TAKE TO ASK FOR RESTITUTION.

NO APOLOGY WAS GIVEN TO MY SON, AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS BROKEN COURT.

CRIMINAL COURT ONE. THANK YOU.

YOUR TIME IS UP. ATTORNEYS THANK YOU.

THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR BEING SO PATIENT.

SO WHEN WE COME BACK AFTER LUNCH, WE WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

2 P.M.. IT'S FINE.

IS THAT ALL RIGHT? YOU ALL WENT OUT FOR LUNCH LESS.

YOU ALL RIGHT, JUDGE? OKAY, SO AT 2:00, WE WILL COME BACK AND GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THE COURT WILL NOW RECESS.

THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY.

TIME. THE COURT WILL NOW RECESS AT 12:59 P.M..

THANK YOU. IT'S.

IT'S 221 AND WE'RE BACK IN SESSION.

AND WE WANT TO GO BACK TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ITEM ON PAGE 43.

ITEM 348.

I THINK, COMMISSIONER, FIRST I WANT TO SAY MR BIERI HOW PLEASED WE ARE WITH THE JOB YOU HAVE DONE FIRST COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY.

I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED 20 OR 30 YEARS AGO.

[01:45:02]

SO WE APPRECIATE YOU AND I KNOW THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND WE ALL WISH YOU THE BEST.

AND I THINK.

COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

YES, THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION AND THERE WILL BE THREE DIFFERENT MOTIONS UNDER ITEM 348.

ONE WILL BE A MOTION FOR PROCESS FOR A PERMANENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

SECOND, A MOTION FOR APPOINTMENT OF AN INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

AND THIRD WILL BE A MOTION FOR PROCESS FOR INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND I TO.

OH AND I TO MR BIERI.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND BEING IN OUR INAUGURAL COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND WE CAN BUILD ON YOUR EXCELLENT WORK.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

SO THE FIRST MOTION MOTION FOR PROCESS FOR PERMANENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

I MOVE TO DIRECT HIM TO NUMBER ONE, WORK WITH OCA AND A HIRING COMMITTEE MADE UP OF ONE STAFF MEMBER PER COMMISSIONER'S COURT OFFICE TO SELECT AND APPROVE AN EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT FIRM ALREADY UNDER CONTRACT WITH HARRIS COUNTY TO PROVIDE A HIRING PLAN THAT INCLUDES THE JOB DESCRIPTION, TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND HIRING TIMELINE.

AT THE MAY 16TH, 2023 COMMISSIONER COURT FOR APPROVAL.

AND THREE PROVIDE UPDATES ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO COMMISSIONERS COURT ON THE STATUS OF THE HIRING PROCESS.

OKAY. AND I SAID MOTION TO DIRECT.

OKAY. AND TO WORK WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT GOAL AREA COMMITTEE CREATED BY COURT ON APRIL 4TH, 2023, TO CREATE AN UPDATE ON THE ANNUAL PROCESS AND TIMELINE FOR EVALUATING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ON A GO FORWARD BASIS, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE COUNTY GOALS AND PRIORITY OUTCOMES AND RETURN TO THIS COURT ON JUNE 26TH, 2023, WITH THE PROPOSAL FOR ADOPTION.

SO THAT'S MOTION NUMBER ONE.

OH, OKAY. THEN SECOND.

THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE PROPERLY A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE.

AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NO. MOTION PASSES.

VOTE 4 TO 1.

OKAY. THE SECOND MOTION UNDER ITEM 348 IS A MOTION FOR APPOINTMENT OF AN INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

I MOVE TO A THE ANA RAMIREZ AS THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR EFFECTIVE NO LATER THAN MAY 1ST, 2023, CONTINGENT UPON HER ACCEPTANCE OF THIS APPOINTMENT.

I MOVE TO APPOINT DIANNA RAMIREZ AS THE COUNTY BUDGET OFFICER, EFFECTIVE NO LATER THAN MAY 1ST, 2023, CONTINGENT UPON HER ACCEPTANCE OF THIS APPOINTMENT.

I MOVE TO APPOINT DIANNA RAMIREZ AS THE FLOOD CONTROL MANAGER, EFFECTIVE NO LATER THAN MAY 1ST, 2023, CONTINGENT UPON HER ACCEPTANCE OF THIS APPOINTMENT AND MOTION TO AUTHORIZE HR TO NEGOTIATE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS FOR DIANNA RAMIREZ WITH A SALARY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERIM DIRECTOR POLICY APPROVED BY COMMISSIONERS COURT ON APRIL 4TH, 2023.

THAT'S THE END OF THAT SECOND MOTION.

MOTION HAS BEEN MADE IMPROPERLY.

SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? NO. THE MOTION PASSES FOUR EYES AND ONE.

NO. AND THE THIRD AND FINAL MOTION UNDER ITEM 348 IS A MOTION FOR PROCESS FOR THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

I MOVED TO DIRECT OUR CURRENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, DAVE BARRY, TO ONBOARD DIANNA RAMIREZ UPON ACCEPTANCE OF THE APPOINTMENT THROUGH HIS LAST DAY OF EMPLOYMENT, WHICH IS MAY 19TH, 2023.

AND I MOVED TO DIRECT DIANNA RAMIREZ TO RETURN TO THE JUNE 6TH, 2023 COMMISSIONERS COURT WITH AN UPDATE ON HER VISION FOR THE PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONS FOR THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND PROPERLY SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE? AYE.

I VOTE AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED? NO NO'S. THE MOTION PASSES FIVE ALL.

CONGRATULATIONS. DIANA RAMIREZ.

ARE YOU PRESENT? MR RAMIREZ.

YES, I AM. THANK YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO SERVE YOU AND HELP SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF HARRIS COUNTY.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO EARN YOUR TRUST.

THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS.

AND WE ARE SO PROUD. LUIS RAMIREZ, THANK YOU.

YOU HAVE JUST A ABSOLUTELY SPOTLESS RESUME AND HAVE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING DURING YOUR TIME AT THE COUNTY.

AND I.

I KNOW SO MANY OF US AND I CERTAINLY I'M THRILLED TO HEAR THAT THAT OR TO TO NAME YOU AS THE INTERIM COUNTY

[01:50:07]

BUT, UH, IT'S EXCITING.

YOU'RE MORE THAN QUALIFIED.

AND I KNOW WE'VE ONLY HAD A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT AS COMMISSIONER ELLIS SAID, THERE WAS SORT OF A PSEUDO LEADER BEFORE THAT AND CERTAINLY IT'S NEVER BEEN A WOMAN.

AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE TO NOTE THAT IT'S A IT'S MEANINGFUL TO HAVE THAT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, BUT YOU ARE MORE THAN QUALIFIED.

SO CONGRATULATIONS AND MR BARRY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU, BUT YOUR NEW EMPLOYER WILL BE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES. CONGRATULATIONS.

NEXT. YOU MAKE US PROUD.

AND I'M GLAD WE'RE TOGETHER MAKING HISTORY TO HAVE OUR FIRST FEMALE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

BUT MORE THAN THAT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR 30 PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE TO GOVERNMENT AND ACROSS TEXAS.

AND WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND WE'RE FORTUNATE AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU DO IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE COURT OFFICES AS THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

SO CONGRATULATIONS. DID YOU WANT TO.

SORRY, COMMISSIONER. YEAH.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA. YES. I JUST WANTED TO ADD DIANA, THANK YOU FOR THE QUICK CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD.

UM, BUT IN THAT CONVERSATION, I FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT YOU, UH, ASSUMING THE.

KNOW WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU AND THAT NOTHING WILL CATCH YOU BY SURPRISE.

BUT JUST AS WE SPOKE, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PARTNER WITH YOU AND, UM, AND AND JUST WANT TO BE ENGAGED IN THE WORK THAT'S IN FRONT OF US ALL.

AND THAT AS AND AS I'VE, YOU KNOW, UM, THE, UH, THE ISSUES TO MY PRECINCT ARE VERY PASSIONATE TO ME, AND THAT'S WHY I FIGHT FOR THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY I GET.

AND SO, AS I MENTIONED, ONE OF THOSE ISSUES IN PARTICULAR, I WILL ASK YOU TO PLEASE KEEP THAT ON THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR MIND.

IT HAS BEEN VERY IMPATIENT ABOUT IT.

UH, BUT AGAIN, I, I'M JUST I'M EXCITED THAT YOU'RE UP FOR THE TASK.

AND SO CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK COMMISSIONER AND MR. MRS. THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.

I WANTED TO SAY HARRIS COUNTY.

I MEAN, THERE'S ANOTHER MOMENT OF PRIDE, IF I MAY SHARE.

MISS RAMIREZ. SHE'S THE DAUGHTER OF A MIGRANT FARMER AND TALK ABOUT AN AMERICAN DREAM STORY.

DAUGHTER OF A MIGRANT FARMER.

FAST FORWARD, GRADUATE OF UT, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY.

DECADES OF ACCLAIM, GOVERNMENT SERVICE, AND NOW YOU WILL BE HELPING TO MANAGE THE THIRD LARGEST COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

TALK ABOUT AN AMERICAN DREAM STORY, AND THAT PERSPECTIVE WILL BE INVALUABLE.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN. AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS, MS..

RAMIREZ? UM.

WELL, THANK YOU. UH, COMMISSIONERS, JUDGE, UM, FOR THE KIND WORDS AND AND JUST FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD A LOT OF HELP ALONG THE WAY, AND.

AND THAT'S. THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES.

UM, AND THAT'S WHY I DO THIS.

AND THAT'S WHY I'VE STAYED IN PUBLIC SERVICE BECAUSE IT'S NEEDED.

AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU HELP OTHERS REACH THE POTENTIAL, THEN IT ALWAYS COMES BACK AND PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN.

I TRULY APPRECIATE IT AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH ONE OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND THEN AS A COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR POLICY INITIATIVES ARE ALL IMPLEMENTED AND ARE SUCCESSFUL.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

VIRTUALLY. YEAH.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

AS WE DISCUSSED JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO, UH, UH, PARTICULARLY YOU TAKING A FRESH LOOK AT WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT, BRINGING YOUR DECADES OF EXPERIENCE, UH, SHINE A LIGHT ON A FEW THINGS, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.

SO, UH, DEANNA, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AGAIN AS WELL.

AND I'M SO GLAD YOU WERE PERSISTENT.

I KNOW THAT YOU APPLIED FOR A NUMBER OF POSITIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY.

YOU RETIRED FROM TRAVIS COUNTY.

YOU WANT TO COME TO HOUSTON BECAUSE YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND RETIRED AND YOU LOVE THE ASTROS.

AND SO NOW YOU YOU HAVE EVEN MORE TIME TO DO IT.

BUT LOOK, IT IS, AS COMMISSIONER BRUNO SAID, A GREAT, UH, AMERICAN STORY, BY THE WAY, BECAUSE ALL OF US ARE HERE, UH, BECAUSE WE EMIGRATED FROM SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN OUR NATIVE AMERICANS WHO UNFORTUNATELY HAVE VERY FEW OF THEM LEFT.

BUT IT'S A GREAT STORY.

I TOLD MR. BIERI AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THIS SAY IT PUBLICLY.

I ALWAYS SAY TAKE A PICTURE ON THE FIRST DAY BECAUSE THERE'S USUALLY NEVER ANY BETTER THAN THAT FIRST DAY.

BUT YOU DO A A GREAT JOB.

[01:55:02]

OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN INTERIM POSITION AND THERE'LL BE A PROCESS FOR WHOEVER THE PERMANENT, UH, PERSON IS.

AND MR BIERI.

I WANT TO SAY TO YOU THE FACT THAT WE ENDED UP CHOOSING SOMEONE THAT YOU BROUGHT IN SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOU AS WELL.

YOU DID PUT SOME STRONG PEOPLE AROUND YOU.

YOU WERE THE FIRST.

UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL NEVER BE THE LAST, BECAUSE NOR WILL YOU, MISS RAMIREZ, THAT WILL KEEP THIS PROCESS IN PLACE.

BUT WE'LL SAVE ALL THAT DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER DAY.

BUT TRAVIS COUNTY DOES HAVE A RICH TRADITION OF HAVING A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

SO I THINK THERE'LL BE A LOT THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THAT.

I KNOW HER BUDGET BACKGROUND WILL COME IN HANDY AS YOUR BUDGET BACKGROUND CAME IN HANDY.

AND WE ALWAYS HAD A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

WE JUST DIDN'T CALL THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS THE COUNTY ENGINEER OR THE BUDGET PERSON, SOMEBODY WAS ALWAYS SERVING IN THAT FUNCTION.

SO THANK YOU, MR. BARRY, FOR YOUR SERVICE.

OKAY. WE'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER ELLIS.

IF IF I COULD ADD, I DO WANT TO GIVE MY THANKS TO THE ONE OTHER PERSON THAT I DID REACH OUT TO AND WAS JUST IMPRESSED WITH THE DISCUSSION THAT DIRECTOR AND THE FACT THAT HAVE A DEEP BENCH OF DIRECTORS AROUND YOU NOW.

MS. INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR.

AND IT'S TO LEVERAGE THAT TALENT AND THAT EXPERTISE THAT'S AROUND AND AND LISTEN TO THEM BECAUSE THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AND INTEREST IN MOVING THE COUNTY FORWARD.

MR.. BARRY, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL.

UH, YOU, YOU TOOK ON A, A BIG ROLE AND, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HANDLED IT WELL.

AND SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO, TO STEP IN AND, AND JUST WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR, THE NEW CHAPTER OF YOUR LIFE.

AND, UH, AND I THINK THAT BECAUSE YOU'LL BE STEPPING INTO THAT PARTICULAR SECTOR, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF HARRIS COUNTY WORKING TOGETHER AGAIN.

SO I WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ALL THE BEST.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU, MISS BEER.

DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? YOU'LL SAY THAT FOR LATER.

UM, MY GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU.

UM, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.

MY GRATITUDE TO THE TEAM AT COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, SOME OF WHOM ARE HERE AND SOME OF WHOM WE BROUGHT IN AT THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT.

A TEAM STARTED HELPING BUILD.

AND MR. RAMOS HAS CONTINUED TO BUILD.

AND AS SEVERAL OF YOU MENTIONED, SOME OF THE TALENTED DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT WERE HERE AND THAT I ALSO HELPED TO BRING IN.

UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, MISS MARIA RAMIREZ, AND YOU'LL HAVE A GREAT TEAM SUPPORTING YOU.

I'LL OBVIOUSLY DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO ASSIST YOU AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE.

THANK YOU, MR. RAMOS. YOU ASKED THAT WE BRING UP ITEMS 22, 23, 27 AND 301 AT 2 P.M.

IS A LITTLE LATER. BUT I KNOW WE WANT TO TRY AND ACCOMMODATE DR.

PIERCE'S SCHEDULE, SO WE'LL BRING UP THAT THOSE ITEMS IN THAT ORDER, IF THAT'S OKAY.

AND JUDGE, WE'LL CALL YOU IF WE NEED YOU.

HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER.

AND THANK YOU FOR IMPOSING ON YOUR HEALTH TO COME.

SO THAT'S ITEMS 22, 23, 27 AND 301 AT THIS TIME.

ACTIVITY. SIMILARLY, IF YOU COULD BRING UP THE POWERPOINT, PLEASE.

I'VE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

UM, I'M GOING TO BE DOING TWO PRESENTATIONS TODAY.

THE FIRST ONE IS ON WHERE WE THE QUARTERLY PROJECTION IN FISCAL YEAR 23.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO TRANSITION OVER TO THE OUTLOOK FOR FISCAL YEAR 24.

I WILL SHOW THE SUMMARY SLIDES FOR HARRIS HEALTH, BUT AT THE END OF OF OUR DISCUSSION, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DR.

PORSA AND HIS TEAM WHO WILL BE PRESENTING ON THEIRS DIRECTLY.

NEXT SLIDE. TIFFANY OR TWO DOWN.

SO TO CUT TO THE CHASE, WE ARE PROJECTING A $7.4 MILLION SURPLUS IN THE IN THE GENERAL FUND.

AND I'LL BREAK DOWN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED FROM LAST QUARTER FOR FLOOD CONTROL.

THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND JUST ABOUT EVERY DOLLAR THAT THEY HAVE EITHER IN THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR.

AND THEN HARRIS HEALTH IS PROJECTING A SURPLUS OF $32 MILLION.

AND AGAIN, THEY WILL GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON THERE AT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ACTUALLY.

TWO DOWN, PLEASE. TERMS OF NON-TAX REVENUE OR THE VARIANCES FROM QUARTER ONE OR QUARTER TWO TO WHAT WE ADOPTED. THE FIRST ONE IS THE COUNTY CLERK FEES OF OFFICE.

THIS IS A CATCH ALL FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FEES THAT THEY CHARGE.

[02:00:01]

UM, BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO TRY TO GET A MORE GRANULAR AND THE COUNTY AUDITOR TO GET A MORE GRANULAR VIEW.

UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING A $7 MILLION SURPLUS OR $7 MILLION FOR THE JEWEL SETTLEMENT THAT WAS NOT IN OUR PROJECTIONS.

UM, ALSO WITH THAT, WE'RE EXPECTING 4.7 MILLION FOR THE OPIOID THE TEXAS OPIOID SETTLEMENT.

I WANT TO FLAG FOR COURT.

IF WE DIDN'T, THESE WERE TOTALLY UNEXPECTED OR WE WERE SUING THEM.

SO WE WE DID EXPECT TO WIN.

BUT IF NOT FOR GETTING THESE PAYMENTS IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE WOULD BE SHOWING A DEFICIT AND THERE ARE FUTURE PAYMENTS.

BUT AGAIN, THEY ARE TIME LIMITED.

THEY ARE NOT RECURRING REVENUE THAT WE CAN COUNT ON.

UM, FOR THE INVESTMENT INTEREST.

AS THE FED RAISES INTEREST RATES, THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE WE GET FROM OUR CASH INVESTMENTS GOES UP.

AND THEN FOR VEHICLE SALES TAX, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS BOTH THE VOLUME AND THE PRICE PER TRANSACTION, UH, STAY HIGH.

WE DO EXPECT AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT IN THE FISCAL YEAR 24 FORECAST, WE EXPECT PRICES TO COME BACK TO EARTH AS SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES GET IMPROVED.

BUT WE DO EXPECT AS WE'RE GROWING JURISDICTION, WE HAVE VERY STRONG EMPLOYMENT.

WE DO EXPECT THE TRANSACTIONS TO STAY HIGH.

UH, TWO SLIDES DOWN.

TIFFANY. SO WE ARE PROJECTING A $27 MILLION DEFICIT ON THE DISTRICT COURT APPOINTED FEES AND AN $8 MILLION DEFICIT IN THE COUNTY COURT APPOINTED FEES.

OUR HOPE IS THAT THIS IS A SIGN THAT CASES ARE MOVING.

YOU KNOW, OUR HOPE IS, YOU KNOW, AS CASES CONTINUE TO MOVE, WE WILL START TO SEE MORE INROADS ON THE BACKLOG.

AND, YOU KNOW, MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL, AT LEAST FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, OUR JAIL POPULATION START TO GO DOWN SO WE CAN STOP THE OUTSOURCING OF INMATES.

AND THEN FOR UTILITIES, THAT'S ALMOST ENTIRELY DRIVEN BY THE HIGHER COST OF ELECTRICITY.

NEXT SLIDE. SO TO MOVE ON TO ITEM 23, WE ARE RECOMMENDING SUPPLEMENTALS FOR A $28 MILLION FOR THE DISTRICT COURT APPOINTED FEE AND $9 MILLION FOR COUNTY COURTS.

I DO WANT TO FLAG, UM, THOSE ARE BALANCE SHEET ACCOUNTS.

SO THEY WILL CONTINUE TO TO GO INTO DEFICIT WITHOUT COURT ACTION.

UM, SO THE BILLS WILL CONTINUE TO GET PAID REGARDLESS OF COURT ACTION TODAY.

SO IF ITEM THAT ITEM, LET ME ASK.

I KNOW WE HAVE TO PAY IT BY STATUTE.

UH. I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW IF YOU'VE DONE ANY ANALYSIS ON WHY IT WENT UP BY SO MUCH.

NO, WE DID RAISE THE FEES FOR THE COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS.

AND I'M WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT IF WE WERE TO EXPAND THE PD'S OFFICE OR HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, WOULD WE HAVE BETTER REPRESENTATION FOR PEOPLE FOR THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING? AND SO WE FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, I'LL STAY OUT OF THE POLICY DISCUSSION OF BETTER REPRESENTATION, BUT FROM A FROM A FINANCIAL, WE VIEW THEM IN THE SAME BUCKET. SO TO YOU KNOW, AND WHEN WE GET INTO THE 24 FORECAST, WE DO HAVE A BUILD IN FOR THE FIRST ROUND OR FIRST PHASE OF THE EXPANSION.

WE, YOU KNOW, WE VIEW THEM AS INTERCHANGEABLE.

IF THE IF THE PD CAN'T TAKE THE CASE AND WE'RE HAVING TO PAY FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND VICE VERSA.

SO IS THERE A REASON WHY WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON THAT PART TODAY? NO. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK THE COURT IS THAT AT LEAST MAYBE, UM, UM.

RETURN THE SHOP PUBLIC DEFENDER.

WE SHOULD LOOK INTO WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

I KNOW WE HAVE TO PAY IT, BUT IF IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT GOING FORWARD BEFORE THAT BILL GOES UP ANOTHER $27 MILLION, WOULD IT BE A WAY TO MAKE SURE THE MONEY IS USED MORE EFFECTIVELY? AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

AND I THINK IF THE DISTRICT COURT, THE DISTRICT COURT HAS SENT US, SENT US DATA, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, MY STAFF IS NOT TRAINED IN COURT OPERATIONS.

SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HEAR MORE AND HEAR FROM THEIR THEIR PERSPECTIVE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AGAIN, OUR HOPE IS THAT THE CASES ARE MOVING.

THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE FEE IN BOTH THE FEE AND THE FEE STRUCTURE.

SO WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT IS PLAYING INTO IT AS WELL.

YEAH. NOW, WHEN THIS WHEN WE GET TO THIS ITEM, YOU GIVING US AN UPDATE ON WILL THERE BE A MOTION ON IT? THERE IS A MOTION TO MOVE ITEM 23 IF IF COURT WERE TO DECIDE.

SO WHEN WE DO THE MOTION, CAN YOU FIGURE OUT HOW WE HOLD THAT PART OUT IN TERMS OF APPROPRIATING? THOSE WERE THE ONLY TWO SUPPLEMENTALS.

SO YOU CAN JUST HOLD ITEM 23.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT WITH YOU ALL, I'D LIKE TO HOLD ITEM 23.

IN YOUR REACTION.

IS THAT ALL RIGHT? SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S NO, NO, NO IMPACT BY GET THE PART THAT WE HAVE TO PAY THE BILL.

[02:05:03]

THIS IS DIFFERENT. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO TO PAY REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE DO THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION.

I'M RECOMMENDING THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY, WE SHOULD BE TRANSFERRING THE AUTHORITY TO SPEND THE MONEY. BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS IS SEE WHY.

ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHY.

THAT'S CORRECT. MAKES SENSE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

AND IF I CAN JUST BUILD ON THE ON MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS, I KNOW WE IN OUR HOLISTIC JUSTICE AND SAFETY PACKAGE THAT WE PASSED SEVERAL COURTS AGO, ONE WORKING ON THE PLAN TO GET THE PD'S OFFICE TO 50%, WHICH I KNOW I SEE IN THE PROJECTIONS, BUT TWO IN THE COURT'S BEST PRACTICES THAT WE WERE GOING TO USE ARPA MONEY TO INCENTIVIZE BEST PRACTICES, LOOKING REALLY TAKING A DEEP DIVE ON THOSE COSTS, ESPECIALLY COST PER COURT AND THEIR USAGE OF THE PD'S OFFICE VERSUS THESE PRIVATE ATTORNEYS. I'D BE VERY INTERESTED IN THE DATA BECAUSE TO BRING THE BUDGET TO THE POLICY A I THINK IT'LL OFFSET ITSELF AND WE HAVE A MORE ROBUST PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, NUMBER ONE FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE, BUT THEN A QUALITY OF JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE.

I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS NUMBER AND I'M VERY CURIOUS WHAT IT'LL CONTINUE BEING BETWEEN NOW AND OCTOBER 1ST BEFORE OUR NEXT BUDGET.

THERE HAS TO BE SOME.

YEAH. AND JUST BECAUSE THIS IS AN ANNUALIZED PROJECTION, SO THIS IS 20 WE'RE PROJECTING OVERALL, I THINK THE BUDGET WAS 60 MILLION.

WE'RE PROJECTING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSE TO 95 MILLION OVERALL FOR THE FOR THE.

YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S THE END OF THE YEAR, CORRECT? THAT'S A PROJECTION FOR THE END OF THE YEAR.

NUMBER ON ATTORNEY'S FEES ONLY? THAT'S CORRECT. AND MR MR RAMOS, UM, OR RATHER COUNTY ATTORNEY IS, IS A QUESTION ABOUT. WHY OR WHAT THOUGHTS THE BUDGET DIRECTOR HAS ON WHAT HAS MADE THESE THIS COST UNCONTROLLABLE OR UNPREDICTABLE? IS THAT IS THAT WITHIN THIS ITEM? YEAH, THAT'S APPROPRIATE.

SO. SO, COMMISSIONER.

SO. SO, COMMISSIONER, WHAT WE CAN SEE THE DISTRICT COURT AND COUNTY COURTS WERE GOOD ENOUGH TO SEND OVER DATA.

MY, MY STAFF IS DOING THEIR BEST TO ANALYZE IT ALONG WITH OUR OTHER JUSTICE PARTNERS.

BUT WE'RE JUST SEEING AN INCREASE IN VOLUME.

WHAT I'M NOT SURE IF YOU REMEMBER, BUT WHEN I PRESENTED ON THE FIRST QUARTER PROJECTIONS, OUR HOPE WAS THAT THE FIRST QUARTER IT WAS BECAUSE THE FIRST QUARTER OF OUR FISCAL YEAR IS THE LAST QUARTER OF THE TAX YEAR.

OUR HOPE IS THAT FOLKS WERE JUST TRYING TO GET THEIR BILLS IN BEFORE THE END, BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.

THAT IS JUST NOT THE CASE. WE THE VOLUME HAS JUST STAYED INCREDIBLY HIGH.

WE ARE SEEING OTHER THINGS THAT THAT TELL ME AT LEAST THAT CASES ARE MOVING THE COURT OR THE NUMBER OF PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS AT THE COURTS IS INCREASING.

THE THE AMOUNT OF INTERPRETER, INTERPRETER, THE UTILIZATION OF INTERPRETERS HAS GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY AND SO HAS THE COST.

SO THESE ARE TELLING US THAT WE'RE MOVING CASES.

THE MISSING PIECE, AT LEAST FOR ME, JAIL POPULATION IS THE JAIL POPULATION.

WE HAVE NOT SEEN, YOU KNOW, THE SAME LEVEL OF THE SAME DECREASE IN JAIL POPULATION THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT WITH THE DECREASE IN THE COURT BACKLOG. GOOD.

GOOD QUESTION, SIR.

YEAH. COMMISSIONER BROWN.

SHE HAD ANOTHER THOUGHT.

AND MR. RAMOS, THANK YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE QUARTERLY PROJECTIONS.

I KNOW THAT THAT'S A BEST PRACTICE YOU HELPED TO IMPLEMENT.

I APPRECIATE IT SO VERY MUCH.

AND I RECOGNIZE YOU'RE WORKING WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS.

IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE A DEEPER DIVE IN THESE ATTORNEY COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS FEES AND THEN SEEING THE IMPACT WITH REGARD TO THE BACKLOG AND THEN WHY THERE'S NOT THE CORRESPONDING DECREASE IN THE JAIL POPULATION, WHICH I KNOW IS BEYOND THE PURVIEW OF THE BUDGET OFFICE, BUT IT'S SO DIRECTLY IMPACTS IT.

IF YOU COULD PLEASE ENGAGE THE STAKEHOLDERS, WE'LL ENGAGE.

YOU KNOW, WE'LL ENGAGE.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING AND WE DON'T HAVE DIRECT CONTROL OVER.

RIGHT. BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE WE DO NEED TO TO AT LEAST UNDERSTAND TO BE ABLE TO PROJECT FOR FOR NEXT YEAR.

AND HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT THE RIGHT SET OF INCENTIVES TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET THIS COST UNDER CONTROL? AND IS IT APPROPRIATE TO ASK MR. BUNYAN TO WEIGH IN ON HIS THOUGHTS ON THIS? SURE, MR. BUNIN. ALEX BUNIN IF YOU'RE THERE.

ADMINISTRATORS TO.

YEAH. I SUPPORT EVERYTHING MR. RAMOS IS SAYING. WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH HIM.

AND I DO THINK, AS HE POINTED OUT, THERE IS A COST SAVINGS TO BE HAD BY THE INCREASE IN OUR OFFICE.

[02:10:06]

AND I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING.

WE ARE AT THE TEN MINUTE MARK.

THANK YOU. WE NEED A MOTION MOTION TO.

SO MOVED. SECOND.

ANY OBJECTION? WE'LL KEEP GOING.

THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES.

THANK YOU. SO, MR. BRENNAN, I WANTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON, UM.

THE. IT IS JUSTICE HAPPENING.

WITH THE FACT THAT.

OR GUESS WHAT? WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BROKEN PIECE IN IN THE IN THE SYSTEM BETWEEN SEEING ALL OF THESE FEES GO OUT WHICH MEANS THAT ATTORNEYS ARE REPRESENTING THEIR CLIENTS.

UM, BUT NOT SEEING THE JAIL POPULATION DECREASE.

UH, AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY PROPORTIONATELY, BUT TO SOME DEGREE PROPORTIONATELY.

WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BROKEN PIECE IN THIS SYSTEM? WELL, I WOULD HAVE TO SEPARATE THOSE TWO.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S REALLY A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE INCREASE IN FEES AND AND THE FAILURE TO TO REDUCE THE JAIL POPULATION.

UM, SO I WOULD TAKE THEM EACH SEPARATELY.

THE INCREASE IN FEES IS A, YOU KNOW, JUDGES HAVE BEEN PAYING LAWYERS BETTER AS WELL.

THEY HAD DESERVED TO BE PAID BETTER, BUT IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PROCESS.

UM. AND WE COMPARE IN TERMS OF COST BETTER THAN THAT.

AS FAR AS THE JAIL POPULATION, ONE, THE BACKLOG IS REALLY JUST STARTING TO DECREASE.

BUT THERE'S REALLY BEEN NO CHANGE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT POLICIES.

WE SEE A LOT OF CASES THAT WERE NOT BEING PURSUED BACK DURING COVID.

SO THERE WAS A DEFINITELY LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS IGNORING SOME OF THE SMALLER QUALITY OF LIFE CRIMES, TRESPASSING, THINGS LIKE THAT.

NOW WE'RE SEEING THAT'S ALL BACK UP TO FULL, UH, YOU KNOW, PROSECUTION.

AND WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS COMING THROUGH THE JAIL, TAKING UP SPACE, MAYBE NOT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT PEOPLE SIT IN THE JPC MANY HOURS BEFORE THEY'RE EVEN CHARGED. UM, AND SO A LOT OF THAT BACKS UP THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

MR. RAMOS SAID, YOU HAVE COME IN.

I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER, AND THIS IS THE FISCAL YEAR 24 DISCUSSION.

PROBABLY BE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE FOR FOR OMB TO WORK WITH WITH OCA, THE PTO AND ALL THE TO PUT AN ITEM AT THE NEXT COURT AND MAKE A PRESENTATION ON WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AT THAT POINT? I THINK THAT'D BE A GOOD IDEA.

YES, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN JUST SO IT WILL BE NO ACTION ON ITEM 23 AND THEN WE'LL NEED TO AMEND ITEM 27 SLIGHTLY.

OKAY. WHEN THAT COMES UP.

RIGHT. UM, SO, TIFFANY, IF YOU COULD GO DOWN TO THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE NEXT PRESENTATION.

SO NOW I'M SWITCHING GEARS AND MOVING ON TO FISCAL YEAR 24.

WE INTRODUCED THIS PROCESS LAST YEAR AND IT'S CALLED THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE FORECAST.

AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT MY OFFICE IS TRYING TO DO, WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS IS FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST TO RUN THE COUNTY THE EXACT SAME WAY NEXT YEAR.

YOU KNOW, FACTORING IN THINGS LIKE INFLATION BENEFIT RATES, COLAS, ANY, CHANGES TO STATE OR FEDERAL LAW THAT THAT HAVE A FISCAL IMPACT.

AND SO THE WAY I LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IT IS JUST IT'S A SUMMATION OF ALL OF COMMISSIONERS COURT'S DECISIONS TO DATE AND HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST.

SO WHEN YOU, UM, WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT FUNDS, TWO SCENARIOS, NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND THE VOTER APPROVED RATE. THESE ARE PROJECTIONS.

WE DO NOT HAVE THE ASSESSMENT DATA.

AND I WILL BE FRANK, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT OF RATES BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T KNOW THE ASSESSMENT DATA.

BUT WE DO KNOW KIND OF WITHIN A FEW MILLION.

UM, HOW MUCH REVENUE WE CAN DERIVE FROM PROPERTY TAXES.

UM, WE'RE INCLUDING A 4% TOTAL COLA IN FISCAL YEAR 24 AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.

BUT OUR RECOMMENDATION IS FOR A 2%.

OCTOBER 1ST AND THEN A 2% ON APRIL 1ST.

UM, AND ONE THING I WANT TO FLAG IS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THE OVERALL COSTS ARE UP ABOUT 258 MILLION.

THAT'S ABOUT 10% HIGHER.

WHEN YOU WHEN YOU EXCLUDE THE COLA, THAT'S ABOUT 10%, WHICH IS THE LEVEL OF CPI THAT OUR REGION HAS HAS EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST YEAR.

NEXT SLIDE. SO I'VE GOTTEN THIS QUESTION A FEW TIMES.

[02:15:01]

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CAN SEE IS FOR CIVILIANS A 2.2 INCREASE OVER THE LAST 30 MONTHS AND THEN A 5.2% INCREASE FOR DEPUTIES.

THERE ARE MANY JURISDICTIONS.

YOU CAN SEE IS THE COMPARISON WITH SOME OF THE OTHER BIG TEXAS COUNTIES THAT DID DID THAT IN IN ONE FISCAL YEAR.

SO I JUST FEEL LIKE OUR I FEEL PASSIONATELY THAT OUR FOLKS HAVE JUST FALLEN BEHIND.

I FEEL LIKE THIS JUST GETS THEM BACK TO SQUARE ONE WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN AND THAT WE NEED TO PLAN AROUND THAT AND PRIORITIZE THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE AND NOT, YOU KNOW, HAVE VACANT POSITIONS OR ANY, YOU KNOW, SUPERFLUOUS PROGRAMING WHILE NEGLECTING OUR OUR EMPLOYEES.

AND I'LL ASK FOR COURT FEEDBACK ON THAT AT THE AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.

UM, FOR THE, FOR THE SUMMARY ON THE GENERAL FUND.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE PRESENTING THOSE TWO SCENARIOS AND AN AR AND VR.

UM, WE, YOU KNOW, SHOULD WE DEFAULT? NEXT SLIDE. I'M SORRY, TIFFANY.

SO AT THAT ARE WE ARE WE WOULD BE FACING ABOUT $181 MILLION DEFICIT.

AND THEN AT THE BAR AT $20 MILLION DEFICIT.

I'LL PAUSE THERE. AND PLEASE, IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, I'LL TAKE THEM AS THEY GO ALONG.

SO YOU YOU YOU'RE TELLING US, ASSUMING WE MAKE THIS DECISION TO GIVE A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT INCREASE, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE PAY FOR IT. THAT'S CORRECT.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.

SOMETIMES WE'LL BE QUICK TO VOTE FOR IT, BUT THEN NOT AS QUICK TO REALIZE WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.

YEP. AND THEN JUST JUST IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, EACH COLA IS A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN $12 MILLION.

UM, ANNUAL. UM, NEXT SLIDE.

SO ON THE REVENUE SUMMARY, I KNOW I'VE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE, BUT JUST THE BASICS ON HOW DO WE GET TO THOSE NUMBERS FOR PROPERTY TAXES.

SB TWO ALLOWS YOUR YOUR REVENUE TO GO UP 3.5% ON EXISTING PROPERTIES AND THEN THE FULL VALUE OF NEW CONSTRUCTIONS.

ONE THING THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT BEFORE IS WHAT'S CALLED THE UNUSED INCREMENT.

IF IN ANY GIVEN YEAR YOU ADOPT A TAX RATE THAT IS LOWER THAN YOUR VOTER APPROVED RATE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO CARRY THAT INTO YOUR INTO YOUR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

SO LET'S SAY YOU HAD THE AUTHORITY TO RAISE TAXES TO 1.1 BILLION.

YOU ONLY YOU ADOPTED A TAX RATE THAT GOT A BILLION THAT 100 MILLION.

YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TO RECOUP IN THE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

SO GO AHEAD, EITHER ONE OF YOU.

COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. SO WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES DID CAN'T YOU GO TO 8%? UH, OVER IN THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.

AND THEN, I BELIEVE THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.

FLOOD CONTROL CAN GO TO EIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. AND I'LL COVER THEM AS WELL.

OKAY. SO YOU DON'T COVER THAT, BUT YOU'RE YOU'RE REFERENCING HERE A 3.5%.

THAT'S THE. SORRY, THAT'S SPECIFIC TO THE GENERAL FUND.

OKAY. IT WOULD IT'S EIGHT FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.

AND THERE'S SOME THERE'S SOME NUANCES TO IT.

IF INDIGENT DEFENSE LIKE LIKELY OUR VAR IS GOING TO GO UP BECAUSE THE COST OF INDIGENT DEFENSE WENT UP.

RIGHT. FOR THE FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT, THEY'RE UNCOMPENSATED.

UNCOMPENSATED CARE IS HIGHER, SO THEIR VAR IS GOING TO BE HIGHER.

BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE VAR, IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE THAT UNUSED INCREMENT THAT IS LIKE THE VERY HIGH, THE MOST AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT THIS BODY CAN VOTE TO TO GET FROM PROPERTIES.

COMMISSIONER BROWN, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS? I DID THANK YOU FOR THE UNUSED INCREMENT.

HOW MANY YEARS CAN WE CARRY THAT OVER FOR? I WANT TO SAY IT'S THREE, BUT I WILL CONFIRM.

THANK YOU. YEP. SO NOW I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET THIS RIGHT.

SO IF WE MAKE THE DECISION WE WANT TO GIVE COST OF LIVING INCREASE, A RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO WOULD BE TO KNOW THAT WE HAD TO PAY FOR IT OR PROBABLY SAY NOW BEFORE VOTING FOR IT, SOMETHING YOU WANT TO CUT.

WE'RE TO HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS SOME MORE.

BUT WE'RE TO ME, LIKE I THINK WE JUST NEED TO PLAN AROUND SOMETHING HIGHER TO GET FOLKS TO BASICS AND WHAT WE HAVE TO KNOW.

WE YEAH. SO WHAT'S THE CARRYOVER FROM LAST YEAR? YOU MAY HAVE SAID IT, BUT JUST BE SURE I UNDERSTAND IT.

IT'S ABOUT 90 MILLION, SO IT'S ABOUT 90 MILLION CARRYOVER THAT COULD DO THAT.

WE COULD DO. THAT'S CORRECT.

UH, IF YOU CAN GO DOWN ONE SLIDE, TIFFANY.

SO THIS IS THE ONLY TIME I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT RATES.

THIS, UH, TO SHOW KIND OF THAT THE TAX RATES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

YOU CAN SEE TAX YEAR 20 IS WHEN SB TWO TOOK EFFECT.

AND THAT'S WE USED TO BE ABLE TO DO 8% ACROSS ALL FUNDS.

AND THEN FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THAT WENT DOWN TO 3.5%.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO JUST FLAG FOR FOR THE GROUP IS IN PRIOR TO TWO DEFAULTING TO THE LAST YEAR, OUR

[02:20:07]

SO YOU KNOW, 3.5% INCREASE ON REVENUE, BUT ASSESSMENTS WERE GOING UP 21%.

THERE WAS A NATURAL KIND OF DECLINE OF THE TAX RATE THAT HAPPENED ORGANICALLY JUST BECAUSE THE DENOMINATOR GOT SO MUCH BIGGER THAN THE NUMERATOR.

THAT IS LIKELY NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE BECAUSE WE THE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PROPOSED RATES LAST YEAR AND THE AND THE LNWR THAT WE ADOPTED IS ABOUT $0.03. SO JUST WANT TO FLAG FOR THEM.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT TEN MINUTES AGAIN.

SO NOW PLEASE MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND DISCUSSION.

SECOND. MOTION TO APPROVE AND CONTINUE.

SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE CHESTER SHOW AND THE NON-TAX REVENUE.

SOME OF THE CHANGES TO THE FISCAL 23 ADOPTED 7 MILLION CONTRACT PATROL.

THAT'S NEUTRAL. WE PLAN FOR THE EXPENSE ON THE ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, WE'RE GOING TO SHOW THE REVENUE.

THIS IS JUST THE CHANGE IN RATE THAT COURT ADOPTED EARLIER THIS YEAR, PLUS ANY NEW CONTRACTS ADOPTED IN THE CURRENT YEAR PROJECTED INFLATION.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE GROWING JURISDICTION OVER, YOU KNOW, YEAR TO YEAR.

WE SEE A SMALL INCREASE IN JUST GENERAL THINGS COLLECTED.

WE'RE GETTING THE SECOND PAYMENT FOR THE TEXAS OPIOID 4.7 MILLION.

AGAIN, OUR INTEREST EARNINGS, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FED'S GOING TO DO, BUT WE KNOW WE'RE ALMOST WE'RE CERTAIN THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO BACK TO THE RATES IN FISCAL YEAR 22.

AND THEN THE STATE MIXED BEVERAGE TAX FOLKS IN HOUSTON ARE DRINKING AND THEY'RE DRINKING A LOT.

AND WE GET A SMALL PORTION OF THAT FROM FROM THE STATE.

AND THEN AGAIN, ON THE VOTER, THE MOTOR VEHICLE TAX, AGAIN, WE EXPECT THE VOLUME TO STAY HIGH JUST BECAUSE OF THE THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN HARRIS COUNTY THAT WERE GROWING.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY WE THINK THAT THE, UM, THE PRICE IS GOING TO GO DOWN.

AND SO IF YOU CAN SKIP TWO SLIDES, TIFFANY.

SO THE ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, ON THE GENERAL FUND, WE'RE PROJECTING AN INCREASE OF 258 MILLION.

IT BREAKS DOWN TO 79 MILLION FOR RECURRING TRANSFERS, 95 MILLION FOR INCREASES TO THE COST OF DEPARTMENTS, 20 MILLION IN INFLATION, AND THEN 64 MILLION IN INCREASES TO BENEFITS.

NEXT SLIDE. SO THE THE 79 MILLION BREAKS DOWN AS SUCH.

THESE ARE ALL THINGS COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS APPROVED AT VARIOUS POINTS DURING THE YEAR.

THE LARGEST OF WHICH IS THE $20 MILLION FOR DETENTION.

IF YOU REMEMBER GOING BACK TO THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE, WE AS WHEN WE DEFAULTED, WHEN WE KNEW WE WERE DEFAULTING TO OUR WE CUT THE BUDGET AND THEN WE TURNED AROUND IMMEDIATELY AND RESTORED THE FUNDING FOR THE JAIL.

UM, WE KNEW THAT WE COULD EITHER RAISE THE BUDGET OR NOW OR WE COULD RAISE IT.

WHEN THE STATE CAME TO TELL US WE NEEDED TO INVEST MORE.

UM, IN HOUSE COLLECTIONS.

SO THAT'S THE $12 MILLION TOTAL THAT WAS APPROPRIATED EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE CARRYING INTO NEXT YEAR.

AND THEN FOR THE SHERIFF, THE DA AND THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, THOSE ARE ALL ONES WHERE WE RESTORED, UH, RESTORED THE FUNDING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 23 PROPOSED LEVELS.

UM. AND THEN NEXT SLIDE.

SO WE ARE PROJECTING 95 MILLION IN IN DEPARTMENT BUILT INS.

SO THE LARGEST CATEGORY IS JUSTICE, 17.2 MILLION FOR THE INCREASED COST OF STAFFING THE SIX NEW DISTRICT COURTS.

IF WE WERE TO FIND OUT THAT THEY STAGGERED THE INTRODUCTION, AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD THIS NUMBER WOULD CHANGE.

WE'RE INCLUDING 14 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL COURT APPOINTED FEES.

I'M SORRY. COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY FEES.

WE'RE ALSO PROJECTING BUILDING IN 7.4 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS AT THE FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF THE EXPANSION.

I'M GOING TO GENERAL GOVERNMENT.

THE LION'S SHARE OF THAT IS ACTUALLY INCREASES TO THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE ELECTIONS IN FISCAL YEAR 24 THAN THEY DO IN 23.

AND THEN 7.4 MILLION FOR FOR NEW SOFTWARE THAT'S BEEN PROCURED IN THE LAST YEAR.

FOR THE SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

A LARGE CHUNK OF THAT IS ACTUALLY THE BODY WORN CAMERAS.

WE HAD BUILT IN THE FUNDING IN THE 23 PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WENT AWAY WHEN WE DEFAULTED TO THE PNR.

SO WE'RE BUILDING IT BACK IN.

AND THEN REALLY QUICKLY, THE ENGINEERING.

THIS IS THE COST OF FACILITY MAINTENANCE THAT WE'RE MOVING FROM THE CIP OVER INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

[02:25:02]

THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF THAT IS THE COST OF BOOKS.

BOTH DIGITAL AND PRINT HAS GONE UP.

NEXT SLIDE. I'M GOING TO ASK FOR SOME FEEDBACK ON GRANTS THAT ARE GOING AWAY AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.

BUT I DO WANT TO JUST FLAG ABOUT 3.6 MILLION IN GRANTS THAT WE KNOW ARE NOT GOING TO BE RENEWED IN THE NEXT YEAR.

UM. THIS NUMBER WILL LIKELY GET BIGGER, BUT BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, FOR INFLATION.

ABOUT HALF OF THAT IS JUST ENERGY.

THE COST OF ENERGY, YOU KNOW, BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, HAS GONE UP.

WE'RE NOT IMMUNE TO IT.

AND SO IT'S, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE BEARING A BIG INCREASE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

NEXT SLIDE. ON COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS.

UM, ONE THING I WANT TO FLAG IS WHILE WE'RE EXPERIENCING THIS FISCAL TIGHTENING AND PRESSURE, WE'RE DOING IT WHEN PENSION AND WORKER'S COMP ARE FLAT YEAR TO YEAR.

THAT IS NOT TYPICAL IN JURISDICTIONS.

USUALLY FOLKS SEE A 3 TO 7% INCREASE, SO THE SCENARIO COULD GET A LOT WORSE.

IS, IS WHAT I'M SAYING FOR HEALTH CARE.

I KNOW I PRESENTED AT THIS BODY BEFORE THE COST IS HAS INCREASING FOR THE GENERAL FUND PORTION WOULD BE ABOUT 26 MILLION YEAR TO YEAR.

AND THEN ON COMPENSATION, THIS INCLUDES THE 4% COLA WE'RE BUILDING IN AND THEN AS WELL AS THE $500 BASE INCREASE THAT COURT APPROVED IN MARCH. IF YOU COULD SKIP DOWN TO.

UM, DR. PETERSON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR SLIDES OR HAPPY TO DO IT BEFORE.

DR. PETERSON IS JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, HOW OFTEN DO WE RENEGOTIATE OUR CONTRACT WITH OUR PROVIDER? TYPICALLY, OUR DIRECTOR CAROUSEL IS ON.

I KNOW THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY UP FOR BID.

IS IT A YEARLY THING EVERY THREE YEARS? IT'S USUALLY BETWEEN 2 AND 3 YEARS.

IS BEST PRACTICE.

WHAT ABOUT ENERGY PROVIDER? I WOULD. WE JUST RENEGOTIATED THOSE.

I THINK IT'S A THREE YEAR CONTRACT.

2 OR 3 YEAR CONTRACT.

BUT WE DO SAY WE TRY FOR THESE FIXED COSTS.

WE DO TRY TO STAY ON TOP OF AND WE MONITOR VERY CLOSELY WHAT A PERCENTAGE IT.

WHAT PERCENTAGE THEY MAKE UP OF THE OVERALL GENERAL FUND.

THANK YOU. SO, DR.

PETERSON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN HERE OR HAPPY TO TAKE IT.

YES. WELL, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR RAMOS.

I CAN SPEAK AT A HIGH LEVEL TO THIS SLIDE AND BASICALLY SHARE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SAME INFORMATION THAT YOU PRESENTED PREVIOUSLY IS APPLICABLE HERE IN TERMS OF IF WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR NO NEW REVENUE RATE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A DEFICIT IN WHAT EXPENDITURES WE DO ANTICIPATE, BUT WE DO HAVE A VOTER APPROVED RATE THAT IS THAT IS MORE SIGNIFICANT.

AND IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS SLIDE REALLY LAYS OUT THE SPECIFICS AROUND THE DETAILS OF BOTH THE THE REVENUE AS WELL AS THE EXPENDITURES. SO IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT GOING INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE DO SEE AN INCREASE IN INFLATIONARY COSTS OF UP TO $4.1 MILLION, NOT COUNTING THE ADDITIONAL COSTS RELATED TO COST OF LIVING, PENSIONS AND HEALTH CARE.

THE DIRECTOR, RAMOS, HAS ALREADY WALKED US THROUGH THE OTHER THING THAT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT IS BECAUSE OF THE DEFAULT TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WE DID SEEK FUNDING FROM THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT RESERVES TO SUPPORT EROSION REPAIRS AS WELL AS VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING A SPRING MOWING CYCLE IN ORDER TO MEET COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS AROUND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

THE FINAL THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS WHILE THE EXPENDITURES THAT WERE SHOWN IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE ENCOMPASS THESE COSTS, WHAT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ARE THE ADDRESSING THE SIGNIFICANT BACKLOG IN MAINTENANCE AT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAS.

IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND STAFF AUGMENTATION NEEDS THAT WE ANTICIPATE NEEDING IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAMS. WE DO ANTICIPATE HAVING THE ABILITY TO CHARGE SOME OF THOSE COSTS BACK TO THE GRANT, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE AMOUNT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FROM THOSE GRANTS WILL WILL OUR NEED WILL EXCEED WHAT THE GRANT CAN PROVIDE.

AND SO REALLY THE THE THE TAKEAWAY IS, YOU KNOW, THE EXPENDITURES THAT ARE PROJECTED ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE.

WE WILL BE FALLING EVEN FURTHER BEHIND ON OUR MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS AND IT WILL NOT BE WHAT IS MEETING OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS. DR.

PETERSON AND DIRECTOR RAMOS.

DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF THE MAINTENANCE COSTS RELATED TO THE BACKLOG AND AN ESTIMATE OF THE MAINTENANCE COSTS FOR THE FUTURE

[02:30:09]

SO. SO, COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

DIRECTOR RAMOS, IF I CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION, THE THE ANSWER TO THE ONCOMING UPCOMING FACILITIES IS YES, WE DO HAVE VISIBILITY AS TO WHAT WE EXPECT IN TERMS OF UPCOMING COSTS, AND WE INCLUDE THOSE IN OUR PROJECTIONS WHEN WE HAVE VISIBILITY ON THAT.

THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR, WE ANTICIPATE ACCEPTING SOME FEDERAL FACILITIES AS WELL AS PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING ONLINE AS A RESULT OF THE BOND PROGRAM.

SO THAT WILL BE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE ACCEPTING INTO OUR MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.

IN TERMS OF THE THE BIG PICTURE OF THE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, WE HAVE AN ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT IS CURRENTLY CHURNING THROUGH DATA, LOOKING AT NUMBERS TO ANSWER THAT VERY QUESTION, WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT A PILOT OF THREE DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS RIGHT NOW THAT WE HOPE WILL GIVE US SOME INFORMATION THAT WILL INFORM OUR UNDERSTANDING AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK AND GET AT THIS, BECAUSE IT'S A IT'S A VERY COMPLEX PROBLEM AND IT TAKES TIME TO WORK THROUGH THE DATA TO PROVIDE THAT THAT ANSWER.

EXCUSE ME FOR THE INTERRUPTION.

WE'RE AT TEN MINUTES AGAIN.

WE NEED MORE TIME. OKAY.

IT'S A MOTION TO EXTEND THE TIME AS A SECOND.

IT'LL BE EXTENDED. THANK YOU, DR.

PETERSON. WE'RE GOING TO TRY.

EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE WHEN THIS COURT BEGINS THE CONVERSATION ABOUT ADOPTING A TAX RATE, BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S THAT IMPORTANT.

DOCTOR PETERSON, ONE QUICK QUESTION.

I KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE GLO.

I KNOW THERE'S ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT IS IDENTIFIED THERE.

MUCH OF THAT, IF NOT MOST OF THAT, IS GOING TO CD.

I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING VERY WELL WITH CD AND THANK YOU.

BUT BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND YOUR NEEDS AND THE FLOOD CONTROL, IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER SOME OF THOSE FUNDS AND HELP PROVIDE PART PLUG A HOLE OVER AND FLOOD CONTROL.

HOPEFULLY YOU AND CD AND BUDGET CAN FIGURE OUT THAT WHAT THAT MIGHT BE.

COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. YES, I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH INDICATING THAT THERE IS SUPPORT FOR SOME OF THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS TO BE OR I GUESS THE DOLLARS, I SHOULD SAY, SOME OF THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE DOLLARS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.

AND THAT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL.

THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM THAT'S BEING ADMINISTERED BY IS, YOU KNOW, GOING TO BE A MULTI YEAR PROGRAM.

AND SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS COME TO THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

SO BEFORE WE BEFORE I START ASKING FOR FEEDBACK, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING THAT I'VE PRESENTED THUS FAR? NO QUESTIONS. MY OFFICE CIRCULATED FOUR MOTIONS.

I'M GOING TO ASK FOR FEEDBACK ON FOUR DIFFERENT PIECES OF THIS.

THE FIRST OF WHICH IS THE COLA.

YOU KNOW, I WANT TO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR COURT TO AGREE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THAT INTO THE TO THE BASE FORECAST.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN SIGNAL TO OUR EMPLOYEES THAT THIS IS COMING AND OR THAT HELP IS ON THE WAY.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO PLAN AROUND IT IN TERMS OF EITHER NEEDING TO TO TAKE FINE CUTS IN OTHER PLACES AND OR OR ADOPTING A HIGHER TAX RATE.

SO I DID REMOVE.

YEAH. I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS.

SO WHEN WE DID COLAS BEFORE, WE DID IT FOR SOME EMPLOYEES, BUT NOT ALL IF WE WERE TO.

I'M FOR THIS. BUT AFTER THIS PASSES, WHAT WOULD IT COST US TO MAKE SURE FOR EMPLOYEES THAT DID NOT GET A COLA PREVIOUSLY? UM, SO I BELIEVE AND SHANE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

PRIOR TO THE SHORT FISCAL YEAR, WHAT COURT TYPICALLY DID I THINK THERE WERE SOME YEARS WHERE THEY DIDN'T DO IT WAS TO GIVE A 2% EQUIVALENT TO DEPARTMENT BUDGETS AND TO RAISE THE BUDGET MAXES 2%, AND THEN ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT HEAD TO DECIDE HOW THAT COLA WAS DISTRIBUTED, YOU KNOW, BY INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE.

BUT SINCE WE CHANGED IT BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING.

RECENTLY IT'S BEEN JUST GIVEN ACROSS THE BOARD COLA INCREASE.

THAT'S THAT'S CORRECT. FOR THE LAST WE'VE DONE IT IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.

WE DID IT FOR EVERYONE.

AND THE SHORT FISCAL YEAR LAST YEAR WE HAD PROPOSED ONES THAT DID NOT MAKE IT THROUGH THE FINAL BUDGET PASSAGE.

SO ABOUT HOW MUCH WOULD THAT COST? THAT'S ABOUT 2%, RIGHT? THAT THEY DIDN'T. SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS THE DELTA BETWEEN THE FOLKS THAT GOT THE DEPUTY INVESTIGATOR RAISE AND WHAT OTHER OTHER EMPLOYEES RECEIVED.

IT'S ABOUT 3%.

AND I THINK IT WOULD COST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 24 AND 30 MILLION TO.

SO I DON'T WANT TO DELAY THIS ITEM OR JUXTAPOSE THE TWO AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, BUT AT LEAST FOR ME, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE YOU COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE CARE OF

[02:35:09]

UNDERSTOOD. UH, COMMISSIONER? YES? I'M SORRY. CAN I GET SOME CLARIFICATION? JUST FOR THE RECORD ON THE ITEMS? JUST WANT TO VERIFY FOR ITEM 22.

WAS THAT CONSIDERED A NO ACTION? NO. 23.

2023 WAS NO ACTION.

YEAH, NO ACTION.

WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ACTION.

THANK YOU. MADE A MOTION, RIGHT? MR GARCIA. I WOULD SECOND THAT MOTION.

THAT'S CORRECT. ON THIS ITEM.

SO WE'RE ON 22 NOW, AND THAT'S WHAT I NEED CLARIFICATION BECAUSE HE WAS HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ITEM 301.

AND NOW WE'RE MAKING A MOTION ON 22, WHICH IS WHY I WANTED CLARIFICATION.

THEY ALL INTERRELATED. BUT THE 22 IS THE ONE THAT THESE FOUR MOTIONS WOULD APPLY TO FOR 22.

OKAY. SURE.

THAT MOTION IS. BUT WHILE WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, I KNOW YOU SENT PROPOSED MOTION LANGUAGE.

I'M LOOKING AT THE FOURTH ONE BUDGET HEARINGS AND THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE WAS MOVED TO DIRECT OMB TO SCHEDULE AND HOLD BUDGET HEARINGS FOR COMMISSIONERS COURT STAFF TO ATTEND THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 4TH.

SEPTEMBER 4TH JUMPED OUT AT ME.

IT SOUNDS QUITE LATE.

WHY? WHAT'S THE RATIONALE? UM, OUR INTENTION WAS TO INTRODUCE THE BUDGET ON THE 29TH COURT.

WE CAN. WE CAN MOVE THAT UP THERE.

JUST THAT'S THE AS THE CURRENT CALENDAR FALLS.

AND SO IT WOULD BE THE WEEK IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BUDGET IS INTRODUCED.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR TEAMS HAVE ENOUGH OF A RUNWAY TO WORK WITH YOU AND THE DEPARTMENTS TO GET TO A PLACE THAT'S VERY AS THOUGHTFUL AND PURPOSEFUL AS POSSIBLE AND NOT RUSH. AND WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO AND CAN PROBABLY BE FOR THIS.

MAYBE WE CAN GO.

TIFFANY, IF YOU COULD PUT THE POWERPOINT BACK UP AND GO TO THE SECOND TO LAST SLIDE, THEN I'LL READ THE MOTION.

THEY'LL BE ON ITEM 22.

I'LL READ IT AND SOMEONE ELSE WILL MAKE IT.

BUT WE'RE JUST GETTING CLARIFICATION BECAUSE IT'S A DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION ONLY FOR ITEM 22.

OH, IS IT? OH, OKAY.

SO WE CAN'T DO MOTIONS ON 22.

OH, OKAY. YEAH.

I THINK IT WOULD STILL BE HELPFUL IF I GOT FEEDBACK AND IF FOLKS WANTED ME TO COME BACK, I CAN BRING THEM UP TO CATCH.

SO WHAT? I THINK MAYBE THE FEEDBACK IS THIS.

I'M ASSUMING THE FEEDBACK YOU'RE GETTING IS THAT YOU OUGHT TO.

OMB SHOULD FINALIZE THE FISCAL YEAR 24 CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE FORECAST THAT INCLUDES A 4% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES EXCEPT THOSE WITH SALARIES, EXCEPT THOSE WHOSE SALARIES MUST BE SET BY COURT ORDER THAT THEIR.

THINK THERE WAS A SMALL AMENDMENT BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.

BY COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONERS COURT.

IS THAT CLEAR? THAT. YEP.

AND AND THE OTHER ONE.

I THINK THAT YOU WANT A LITTLE FEEDBACK ON.

YOU ALL TELL ME IF I'M OUT OF LINE WOULD BE THAT WE DIRECT THE OMB TO CREATE A BUDGET PROCESS THAT REQUIRES COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS FOR 98% OF THEIR CURRENT LEVEL SERVICE LEVEL SERVICE FUNDING LEVELS CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAWS.

IT'S NOT A MOTION, BUT IF YOU WANT FEEDBACK, THAT'S WHAT.

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE HOPING TO GET A MOTION ON.

BUT AS LONG AS I GET HEADS NODDING YES.

IF THAT WERE A MOTION, I WOULD SECOND IT BECAUSE I FEEL STRONGLY AS YOU DO, THAT WE NEED TO KEEP AND VALUE THE EMPLOYEES WE DO HAVE CURRENTLY.

SO I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF A 4% COLA.

I ALSO AGREE AND WOULD LIKE THE DEPARTMENTS TO GO THROUGH THE 98% CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE.

AND I HAVE THOUGHTS ON THE GRANT PORTION THAT YOU ASKED FOR IN THE BUDGET HEARINGS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE MAXIMUM IT WAS GOING TO BE THAT I THINK I CAN'T THINK OF MR. GARCIA HE'S WRITING.

BUT I THINK THAT IF WE COULD MAKE A MOTION, IT WOULD BE TO DIRECT OMB TO INCLUDE ANY GRANT FUNDING THAT IS NOT BEING RENEWED IN FISCAL YEAR 24, IN THE FISCAL YEAR 24 CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE FORECASTS.

AND MY REASONING BEHIND THAT IS IT IS A SERVICE IN MANY CASES.

THESE ARE REAL SERVICE GUYS.

THESE ARE FOLKS THAT WE EMPLOY THAT PROVIDE A SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS.

TO ME, THE DIRECTORS SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHETHER THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE MORE OR LESS IMPORTANT THAN THINGS THAT ARE DOING WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.

SO MY OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO INCLUDE IT IN THAT AND IT IS INCLUDED CURRENTLY.

WE WOULD REMOVE IT IF CAUGHT.

HE FEELS. COMMISSIONER GORSKI, YOU ALL, YOU ALL RIGHT WITH THAT? I'M READING THE MOTION. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE RULES ALLOW US TO MAKE A MOTION, IF IT'S JUST DISCUSSION.

SO WE CAN'T MAKE A MOTION.

SO JUST GIVE IT HIM SOME.

SOME FEEDBACK, SOME DIRECTION.

YEAH, GET SOME DIRECTION.

I WOULD SUPPORT THAT. WHICH COMMISSIONER BRIONES WAS ALLUDING TO WAS COME BACK OMB, COME BACK WITH A SCHEDULE AND HOLD BUDGET HEARINGS.

SO COMMISSIONERS, COURT STAFF TO ATTEND THE WEEK OF THE 4TH SEPTEMBER.

BUT YOU CHANGE IT EARLIER, PLEASE.

WHAT WOULD THAT BE? SO WE CAN WE CAN MOVE UP THE IF SO, I CAN GO THROUGH KIND OF THE TENTATIVE THE THE PROPOSED CALENDAR AND THEN I CAN GET FEEDBACK IF.

[02:40:01]

YOU WANT TO DO IT NOW. SO RIGHT NOW THE.

I'M PRESENTING TODAY.

OUR OUR THOUGHT WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD KICK OFF THE BUDGET PROCESS MAY 22ND.

I CAN COME BACK MAY 16TH AND AND FORMALIZE SOME OF THIS, IF THAT'S EASIER.

UM, WE WOULD WE WOULD ASK DEPARTMENTS TO FILL OUT THAT 98% BUDGET.

I DO FEEL STRONGLY THAT COURT SHOULD AND WE CAN DRAFT THIS COURT SOME SORT OF POLICY THAT IF DEPARTMENTS DON'T PARTICIPATE, THAT COURT WILL AUTOMATICALLY MOVE THEM BACK TO SOME LOWER, LOWER BUDGET YEAR TO YEAR.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS PARTICIPATE, REGARDLESS OF THE.

I'D BE SHOCKED IF WE ASK THEM IF THEY DIDN'T PARTICIPATE AND IF THEY DON'T, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE'D HAVE THAT OPTION OF ROLLING IT BACK.

BUT I DO THINK IT A FORMAL POLICY WOULD BE HELPFUL AND THAT CAN HELP.

I CAN DRAFT AND PRESENT TO COURT ON THE 16TH.

OKAY. UM, JUST GIVE AWAY.

FILL IT OUT. YEAH.

AS LONG AS YOU'RE PLAYING TIME.

YEP. SO WE KICK OFF ON THE 22ND AND THEN WE WOULD ASK IT.

ASK FOR THE INFORMATION BACK ON THE 12TH.

UM, MY STAFF DURING THE THE MONTH OF JUNE AND EARLY JULY WOULD BE VETTING THAT INFORMATION, MEETING WITH DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT YOU, YOU ALL WILL RECEIVE.

AND YOUR STAFF'S IS A RANKED LIST FROM US SAYING HERE'S HERE'S THE INITIATIVE.

BOTH THE YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT THEY HOW THEY WOULD TAKE DOWN FROM THAT 100% DOWN TO 98% OF CLS.

UM WHAT THE WHAT THE IMPACT IS AND THEN AS WELL AS ANY ENHANCEMENTS THAT WILL HAVE A SEPARATE PROCESS FOR FOR FOLKS WHO WANT TO START NEW PROGRAMS OR WANT TO EXPAND AN EXISTING PROGRAM.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THE MORE PROGRAMING WE WANT TO HAVE, THE, THE MORE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO CUT SOMEWHERE ELSE OR THE HIGHER THE TAX RATE.

SO YOU HAVE TO ASK ONE IS WHAT, WHAT DO, WHAT CAN THEY STOP DOING CORRECT.

IN A SAVINGS CATEGORY? AND THEN WHAT DO THEY NEED TO START WITH? THAT'S BECAUSE USUALLY THEY JUST TELL YOU HOW MUCH MONEY THEY WANT.

THAT IS 100% MY EXPERIENCE AND THE THE TIMES.

THE THE QUESTION AGAIN, I SHARE COMMISSIONER BRIAN'S CONCERN ON THE SCHEDULE AND WHAT REALLY THREW A MONKEY WRENCH IN OUR EFFORTS LAST YEAR WAS HCD DID NOT GET THEIR NUMBERS TO US IN TIME.

WHAT WHAT WHAT ABILITY DO WE HAVE TO MOTIVATE THEM TO GET THEIR NUMBER OVER HERE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH WITH THE COUNTY'S BOARD MEMBER, OUR BOARD REPRESENTATIVE ON TRYING TO GET THE INFORMATION, BUT THAT UNTIL WE GET THE CERTIFIED ROLL, WE OR SORRY, THE CERTIFIED ESTIMATE, WE ACTUALLY CAN'T SET IT WAS LIKE FOUR WEEKS LATE LAST YEAR AND THAT THE PART OF IT IN CASE YOU KNOW MR BIERI UH, ONE THING TO CONSIDER AND MISTER RAMOS COULD TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IS EVEN JUST SENDING THEM A LETTER ASKING THEM TO DO IT BY A CERTAIN DATE.

YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE WATCHING AND YOU NEED THEIR COOPERATION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN MANDATE THEM TO, BUT WE CAN.

I THINK WE SHOULD.

DID THEY GIVE A REASON WHY IT WAS SO LATE LAST? WELL, THEY'RE SAYING THEY DIDN'T HAVE THIS INFORMATION OR THAT INFORMATION, BUT, UH, PARDON ME.

MUCH OF WHAT THEY DO IS A BIG GUESS ANYWAY, BASED ON SOME LOGARITHM.

SO, UH, THAT'S STATUTORY IN TERMS OF THOSE DATES.

AND WHEN YOU DON'T MAKE A DATE THAT THROWS OUR OUR WHOLE SYSTEM.

WHAT I AND I KNOW WE'RE THE LARGEST COUNTY AND PROBABLY THE MOST COMPLICATED COUNTY, BUT MOST COUNTIES ARE ABLE TO KEEP ADOPT A TAX RATE UH, BEFORE OCTOBER 1ST, CERTAINLY IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.

AND THAT'S FULLY OUR, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE IT DONE BY MID SEPTEMBER SO THAT WE CAN GET THE TAX BILLS OUT ON TIME SO THAT WE CAN UPLOAD THE BUDGETS INTO THE INTO PEOPLESOFT AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO INTERRUPTION OF OPERATIONS.

OKAY. AND THEN TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER, I CAN COME BACK ON THE ON THE MAIN COURT AND MAKE A PROPOSAL, JUST AS COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. WE'RE KIND OF IN THE DARK UNTIL JULY 25TH.

AND EVEN THEN IT'S IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO.

IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR US TO TURN AROUND THE DATA TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT RATES.

THANK YOU. SO IF YOU COULD COME WITH THAT PROPOSED POLICY ON THE 98% LEVEL OF SERVICE, AS WELL AS AN UPDATED MORE SPECIFIC TIMELINE, JUST TO GIVE OUR TEAMS, ALL OF THE COURT TEAMS AND YOU AND THE DEPARTMENTS A BIT MORE TIME TO TRY TO WORK ON IT BEFORE IT'S PASSED.

AND THEN I VERY MUCH DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT MOVING, YOU KNOW, HAVING OMB INCLUDE ANY OF THE GRANT FUNDING THAT'S NOT BEING RENEWED IN FISCAL YEAR 24 INTO THE FISCAL 24 CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE.

MANY DEPARTMENTS ARE TURNING IN BUDGETS TO.

I WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, 88 DEPARTMENTS, ABOUT 70 OF THEM ARE AT PEOPLE AND CFOS AND OUR TRUST

[02:45:09]

I THINK IT'D BE VERY GOOD IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY AND UH, UH, COMMUNICATING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE A DEADLINE.

AND ON THE COURT FOLLOWING THAT DEADLINE, YOU GIVE US A CLEAR LIST OF THOSE THAT TURNED IN AND THOSE THAT DID NOT TURN IN.

ABSOLUTELY. THAT'D BE SUPER HELPFUL FOR FOR OUR OFFICE.

THE SPIRIT. ANYTHING ELSE? DID WE FINISH ALL ITEMS? ANY? I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S IT.

I WILL WORK ON A REVISED CALENDAR.

AND IS THERE ANY OTHER DIRECTION THAT YOU NEED FROM US? NO, SIR. BUT YOU'LL TAKE CARE OF THE LETTER TO KAT.

WE WILL WORK WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO GET IT DRAFTED AND PRESENT IT TO COURT.

PERFECT. AND MAYBE 1 OR 2 OF US.

MAYBE I'LL GO MEET WITH H.

WE'LL DELIVER THE LETTER.

THAT'S RIGHT. RIGHT.

HE DID HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH, SINCE YOU MENTIONED THE DECLINE IN GRANTS.

THESE ARE THESE WERE LEGACY GRANTS.

I GUESS WE'VE BEEN USING THEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.

THE FUNDING SOURCE IS TELLING US WE'RE NO LONGER GETTING THEM.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND COMMISSIONERS, WHERE IS THAT MOTION? SECOND. SECOND.

I THINK WE'LL BE HERE A WHILE.

WHO'S SECOND? BRIANA. SECONDED. RAMSEY AND BRIONES.

YEAH. IT'S TIME.

MR. SO.

MR. THANK YOU.

SO, MR RAMOS ON THE GRANTS.

UM. THE.

HALF OF THAT MONEY THAT IS GOING AWAY FROM GRANTS.

THE DEPARTMENTS ARE IDENTIFYING THAT THERE ARE NO THERE'S NO OTHER FUNDING SOURCE THAT CAN TAKE THE PLACE OF THOSE GRANTS. THAT THAT'S CORRECT.

AND, UM, THANK YOU, COURT, FOR APPROVING THE PHILANTHROPY LIAISON.

WE ARE IN MY OFFICE HOPING TO ARE GOING TO BE REVAMPING OUR GRANT PROCESS TO HAVE MORE OVERSIGHT.

YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN THESE INSTANCES, YOU KNOW, FOR THE CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER.

THEY HAVE ONE OF THESE GRANTS FOR NEARLY 800,000.

IT'S ACTUALLY A PARTNER.

IT'S NOT THEY DON'T RECEIVE THE GRANTS.

THEY HAVE A PARTNER THAT PROVIDES CHILD ADVOCATES THROUGH THE THROUGH THE LIFE OF THE CHILD'S EXPERIENCE AND THE COURT SYSTEM THAT GRANT WENT AWAY.

THAT NONPROFIT WILL NO LONGER BE PROVIDING THAT SERVICE.

AND SO THE CHILDREN ASSESSMENT CENTER WAS KIND OF FORCED TO TO BRING THAT IN-HOUSE AND USE GENERAL FUNDS.

IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST CALL SHOULD BE TO THE LOCAL PHILANTHROPY TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.

THE COUNTY IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THIS SERVICE.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AT LEAST GET A BRIDGE BRIDGE TO SO THAT THERE AREN'T THESE BIG, YOU KNOW, CHANGES IN SERVICE YEAR TO YEAR? SO WE WE HAVE POSTED THAT POSITION.

WE WILL START INTERVIEWING ONCE WE GET A CRITICAL MASS OF CANDIDATES.

I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO YOUR OFFICES.

I DO NEED SOME HELP RECRUITING BECAUSE OUR HOPE WOULD BE THAT IT'D BE SOMEBODY THAT HAS CONNECTIONS WITH THE WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, MY APOLOGIES.

JUST ONE AGAIN. SO FOR ITEM 22, THEN I WILL CONSIDER IT AS A NO ACTION FOR THE RECORD.

CORRECT? CORRECT. AND THEN ITEM 301 IS A TRANSMITTAL, SO JUST BE ACCEPTED.

RIGHT. AND ITEM 27.

27 WE NEED TO REMOVE LINES TEN AND 11 PRIOR TO ADOPTION.

COMMISSIONER BROWN MAKES THAT MOTION.

COMMISSIONER RAMSEY SECONDS HIS OBJECTION, HEARING NONE.

IT'S DONE. AND THEN COMMISSIONER BROWN MOVES THAT.

WE ADOPT THAT ITEM.

I'M SORRY. MY APOLOGIES.

YOU SAID COMMISSIONER RAMSEY MOVES TO MOVE THOSE LINES.

YES. AND WHO SECONDED BRIONES? AND IT WAS A4040 VOTE.

AND THEN WE WOULD NEED TO ADOPT THE REST OF THOSE.

AND NOW COMMISSIONER BRIONES MOVES THAT WE MOVE ITEMS 2720.

MOVE. ITEM 27G.

IS THAT ALL RIGHT? OKAY. YES.

SO, MR. RAMSEY, SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE I.

IT PASSES FOUR ZERO.

AND NOW YOU GET TO DO THIS ALL OVER AGAIN, BUT JUST HERSELF.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR COMING.

AND FOR HARRIS HEALTH.

I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK HERE HERSELF.

DR. FAUCI, ARE YOU THERE? GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONER. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR. I HAVE ACTUALLY MISSED VICTORIA, NIKITA AND OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WHO'S GOING TO GO OVER THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR.

PORSA. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

AS YOU HAVE JUST HEARD FROM DANIELLE, WE PROVIDED TO HIM OUR PROJECTIONS.

[02:50:05]

SO OUR YEAR END PROJECTION IS GOING TO BE, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN WE HAVE ANTICIPATED, MOSTLY DUE TO SOME OF THE UNEXPECTED REVENUE CATEGORIES THAT HAVE POSTED UNANTICIPATED POSITIVE GAINS FOR US. THE IF WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE.

THE ONE THAT IS WORTH MENTIONING IS OUR INTEREST INCOME.

AGAIN, THE FEDERAL RAISING OF THE RATES HAS CONTRIBUTED GREATER GREATLY TO THAT.

IT'S IT'S TRENDING POSITIVELY AND ALSO AN EXCELLENT WORK FROM YOUR COUNTY INVESTMENT TEAM ALSO HAS IMPROVED OUR INVESTMENT RETURNS.

WE ALSO HAVE RECEIVED SOME DONATIONS THAT WE DID NOT PLAN NOR WERE AWARE OF, AND THAT IS GOING TO CARRY US INTO THE POSITIVE TERRITORY.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE PLANNED OUR BUDGET.

AND JUST A CAVEAT HERE THAT EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE EXCLUDES CORRECTIONAL HEALTH.

SO JUST BEAR THAT IN MIND.

SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE ANTICIPATED IN TERMS OF OUR EXPENSES, WHICH SHOULD BE OUR NEXT SLIDE.

WE'RE TRACKING CLOSE TO WHAT WE HAVE PROJECTED.

OUR SALARIES AND BENEFITS ARE GOING TO BE MOST LIKELY COMING VERY CLOSE TO WHAT WE HAVE PROJECTED.

WE'RE CONTINUING WITH VERY HEAVY INVESTMENT IN OUR CLINICAL AND SUPPORT TEAM, GIVEN THE MARKET SITUATION THAT HAS EXISTED DURING AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC, OUR SUPPLIES ARE TRACKING HIGHER THAN PROJECTED.

AND THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME OFFSETS TO THAT.

SO PHYSICIAN SERVICES ARE CLOSE TO WHAT WE ANTICIPATED.

BUT ON THE PURCHASE SERVICES, WE'RE EXPECTING A DECREASE IN THE MEDICAL INSURANCE SUBSIDIES.

WE ARE PAYING FOR A POPULATION THAT IS OUR PATIENT POPULATION TO SUBSIDIZE THEM, TO TAKE PART IN THE ACA MARKETPLACE AND DUE TO A MUCH BETTER PRICE THAT CAME IN EFFECTIVE IN CALENDAR YEAR 2023, THERE IS GOING TO BE THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, WHICH WE'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE.

THERE IS GOING TO BE SAVINGS FROM THAT ENROLLMENT PERIOD AND THAT WE COMMUNICATED IN NOVEMBER OF 2022.

SO THIS WAS AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE BUDGET.

SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN.

THANK YOU. SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS WHAT WE EXPECT OUR EXPENSES TO LOOK LIKE AND THEN IF WE CAN KEEP MOVING FORWARD.

SO THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE YEAR END PROJECTION.

AGAIN, THIS INCLUDES BOTH OF THE COMPONENTS OF REVENUE AND EXPENSE AND A SLIGHT PROJECTION IN THE TOTAL MARGIN.

AT THIS POINT, IT LOOKS POSITIVE.

I WILL SAY, THOUGH, THAT OUR LARGEST SOURCES OF REVENUE THAT ARE NOT TAX REVENUES THAT WE HAVE MOSTLY COLLECTED ALREADY, THE LARGEST SOURCES OF REVENUE THAT ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT TO US AS OUR TAX REVENUE, WHICH IS MEDICAID.

SUPPLEMENTAL REVENUES ARE MOSTLY COMING DUE IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR.

SO THERE MAY BE CHANGES RELATED TO THAT THAT WE ARE NOT YET AWARE OF AND ARE ABLE TO INCLUDE IN THIS PROJECTION. SO JUST A NOTE ON THAT AND THEN IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, PLEASE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO OUR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES OF 28 MILLION THAT WE HAD TO CARVE OUT FROM THE BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY BALANCE THE BUDGET TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WE ARE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO START IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THEM THIS YEAR BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS, BASED ON THE REFINED COST ESTIMATES FOR THESE PROJECTS. AND ALONG THE LINE WITH THOSE, WE'RE DOING ALSO A LOOK BACK AND REVIEW OF ALL THE STRATEGIC PROJECTS THAT

[02:55:10]

THIS INFORMATION WILL BE COMING TO OUR BOARD IN AUGUST OF 2023 WHEN WE DO OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP WITH OUR TRUSTEES.

AND THIS WILL BE FULLY INCORPORATED IN THE DRAFT BUDGET THAT THE COMMISSIONERS WILL SEE THEREAFTER.

AND AGAIN, ALL THE TIMELINE THAT DANIEL SHOWED AND EXPLAINED, WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT TIMELINE AS WELL WITH YOUR BUDGET OFFICE.

AND IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, PLEASE.

HERE YOU HAVE A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT OUR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT ARE RELATED TO THE ARPA PROPOSED ARPA FUNDING INCLUDE.

THESE ARE ALL CLINICAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE CONTRACT LABOR.

THAT IS FOR OUR NURSING AND CLINICAL PROFESSIONALS.

THIS IS MOVING THROUGH THE PROCESS AS WE SPEAK.

WE'RE HAVING VERY MEANINGFUL DIALOG WITH YOUR RELATED OFFICES THAT ARE VETTING THESE INITIATIVES AND ARE HOPING FOR PASSAGE OF THOSE INITIATIVES AND SOME NOT THAT DISTANT FUTURE.

THEN ON SLIDE 11, IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF OUR VERY LARGE CAPITAL EXPENSE PROGRAM.

YOU CAN SEE IT'S OVER $200 MILLION, OF WHICH 45 MILLION IS FUNDED BY GRANTS.

AND THE REST OF IT IS JUST OUR ROUTINE CAPITAL.

IT'S A VERY AGGRESSIVE PROGRAM.

WE HAVE ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR OVER 80% OF THESE FUNDS, WITH ONLY 17 MILLION REMAINING TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN INVESTING LIKE SUMS OF MONEY INTO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, AS YOU HAVE HEARD PREVIOUSLY, AILING INFRASTRUCTURE, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND SO THAT HAS BEEN A PURPOSEFUL EFFORT ON OUR PART.

AND THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT THAT.

AND THEN IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, I BELIEVE MY LAST SLIDE.

YES. SO THE LAST SLIDE IS JUST A VERY HIGH LEVEL DIRECTIONAL PROJECTION OF FISCAL 2024. I WILL SAY HERE THAT PLEASE DON'T TAKE THAT TO THE BANK OR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT REALLY READY TO HAVE A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

YOU JUST HEARD THAT YOUR TEAM STARTED YOUR BUDGET PROCESS OR IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

WE'RE IN THE SAME PLACE.

WE'RE BEGINNING OUR BUDGET PROCESS, SO A LOT IS YET TO BE DISCOVERED, DISCUSSED AND NEGOTIATED WITH OUR OWN DEPARTMENTS INTERNALLY PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT A DRAFT OF OUR BUDGET THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE COURT.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCORPORATE HERE IS THANK YOU TO THE BUDGET OFFICE FOR THEIR PROJECTIONS.

AGAIN, HIGH LEVEL PROJECTIONS OF THE NEW REVENUE AND THE VOTER APPROVED RATE, AS WELL AS THE VOTER APPROVED RATE, PLUS THAT UNUSED INCREMENT.

YOU CAN SEE AT THE VERY BOTTOM LINE THAT WE KIND OF START IN THE RED WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE AND THEN THE VOTER APPROVED TAX RATE AND THEN WE MOVE THROUGH THE UNUSED INCREMENTAL TAX SUPPORT TO GET TO THE POSITIVE BOTTOM LINE.

ALL OF THESE INCLUDE OUR STRATEGIC PROJECTS.

OUR STRATEGIC PROJECTS ARE PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

20 2125.

WE HAVE BARELY STARTED IMPLEMENTING THEM, MOSTLY DUE TO THE FUNDING SITUATION.

BUT WE REALLY NEED TO ACCELERATE THAT AND NOT TRY TO PUT OFF OR DELAY THESE PROJECTS ANY FURTHER IF WE WANT TO ACTUALLY STAY WITHIN THE REASONABLE TIMELINES.

SO THIS CONCLUDES A SHORT PRESENTATION.

DR. FAUCI AND I ARE HERE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS? MEMBERS COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO. JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, UH, DR.

PORSA, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, UM, THE, UH.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING AND DEALING WITH, AND, UM, IS THERE, YOU KNOW, OUT OF OUT OF YOUR ENTIRE PRESENTATION.

DO YOU WANT US TO.

[03:00:02]

THINK. THINK IT. CUT OUT COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

I THINK WE LOST YOU. YEAH.

OUT OF YOUR PRESENTATION. YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, YES, YES.

OUT OF YOUR PRESENTATION.

WHAT? IT'S ALL.

IT'S ALL IMPORTANT. IT'S ALL SIGNIFICANT.

BUT WHAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT OF IT? DO YOU WANT US TO, UH.

DO YOU WANT IT TO BE A TAKEAWAY? I THINK. THANK YOU FOR THAT, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

AND I WANT TO THANK VICTORIA FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UH, AS ALWAYS, MASTERFUL.

A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE, I THINK VICTORIA EMPHASIZED THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENTAL SUBSIDIES THAT AFTER TAXES ARE LARGE, VERY LARGE PART OF OUR REVENUE, ARE VERY UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO END UP.

THE STATE RIGHT NOW IS TRYING TO MODEL THAT OUT.

YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE A HUGE SWING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

SO WE'RE HOLDING OUR BREATH TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT.

AND TO AND I THINK YOU HEARD THAT THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.

BUT THE, UH, MR. RAMOS UH, THE, THE, THE INTRICACIES OF THE, THE TAX RATE FOR NEXT YEAR, UH, AND HOW THAT MIGHT IMPACT US.

YOU KNOW, AS YOU SAW, I THINK IN THE LAST SLIDE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ANTICIPATED THAT AT LEAST $90 MILLION WORTH OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT WE PUT ALL OF IT ON HOLD.

WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO AT LEAST HALF OF IT THROUGH THE ARPA MONEY, UH, FUNDING THAT IS COMING FROM THE COUNTY.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT.

UH, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN UH, PUT THE REST OF THEM ALSO UH, INTO ACTION IN THE COMING YEAR.

A LOT OF THAT AGAIN JUST REMAINS UNFORTUNATE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY.

UH, BUT I JUST WANT TO VOICE MY APPRECIATION OF THE WORK THAT ALL OF YOU ARE DOING AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM.

COMMISSIONER RAMSEY OF VICTORIA, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THIS IS HELPFUL AS WE GO INTO THE BUDGET CYCLE.

I KNOW THAT THERE MIGHT BE A BOND ISSUE IN OUR FUTURE.

YES, SIR. AND I GUESS THERE IS ONE BUDGET WITH, UH, ASSUMING THE BOND ISSUE PASSES, THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER BUDGET ASSUMING THE BOND ISSUE DOESN'T PASS. AND THAT'S IN THE CATEGORY OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.

THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE MAY BE IMPACTED BY A BOND BEING THERE, A BOND NOT BEING THERE.

ARE YOU GOING TO ANTICIPATE THAT IN YOUR BUDGETING PROCESS? I'M GOING TO ALLOW VICTORIA TO ANSWER THIS AND I'LL AND I'LL ANSWER SOMETHING DIFFERENT AS WELL.

VICTORIA, WE WE WE HAVE TO ANTICIPATE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.

UH, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

UM, I THINK THE CLOSER THAT WE GET TO OUR OWN BOARD OF TRUSTEES PRESENTATION AS WELL AS COMING TO THIS COURT IN THE AUGUST TIME FRAME, UM, AND HOPEFULLY OUR EFFORTS WILL PAY OFF, UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME FRAME, WHAT WILL BE COMING TO YOU WITH A BOND REFERENDUM? UM, REQUEST.

A LOT WILL BE MORE CLEAR THAN IT IS NOW, BUT DEFINITELY WE HAVE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS IN ANTICIPATION OF, OF HOW LIFE MIGHT TURN.

AND COMMISSIONER. I SAID WHAT I WANTED TO SAY AND THANK YOU FOR FOR MENTIONING THE BOND REFERENDUM.

AND THIS IS THIS IS THE COMMENT TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSIONERS COURT.

UM, AND.

WAITING FOR AN INVITATION TO TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA TO COME TO YOU, UH, FOR FURTHER CONVERSATION AND DELIBERATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICTORIA.

AND THANK YOU, DR. FAUCI AS WELL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

MR, RIGHT? YEAH.

MS.. RAMOS, I JUST WANT TO THANK DR.

FAUCI AND VICTORIA IN THE LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY THAT THEY'VE THEY'VE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.

WE REVIEWED WITH THEM ALL OF THEIR FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND WAS ABLE TO VET IT AND UNDERSTAND IT AND FEEL COMFORTABLE STANDING BESIDE THEM ON IT.

GOOD, GOOD. AND NO NEED FOR THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE.

NO NEED FOR ACTION ON THIS.

RIGHT. RIGHT. OKAY.

THANK YOU, DR. PAULSON AND VICTORIA.

THANK YOU. LET'S GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

AS OF RIGHT THERE, NO MORE SPEAKERS.

NO MORE SPEAKERS. LET'S GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THERE ARE SOME CORRECTIONS.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET THEM HERE.

UH. PAGE FOUR, ITEM 25, A CORRECTION IS CHANGED.

OFFICE OF COUNTY ENGINEER TO OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

SO THAT IT READS.

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF COMMERCIAL PAPER FUNDING FOR OFFICE OF COUNTY.

ADMINISTRATION FOR THE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE PILOT PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000.

PAGE SEVEN, ITEM 40, COMMISSION COMMISSIONER.

REAL QUICK. YES, SIR. IS IT APPROPRIATE TO ASK, UH.

UH, MR.

[03:05:02]

I'VE JUST DONE A CORRECTION NOW, BUT WE CAN.

I KNOW, BUT I'M JUST.

JUST ASK. OH, LET ME FIND OUT.

I'LL GET RIGHT RIGHT BACK TO YOU.

WE CAN PUT ON THE DISCUSSION AGENDA, BUT WE HAVE THE CORRECTION EITHER WAY.

OKAY. AND IF WE GOT A HOLD IT, WE'LL HOLD IT.

OKAY. PAGE SEVEN, ITEM 42.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS REQUESTED NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM.

PAGE 19.

COMMISSIONER. THERE'S NO ISSUE WITH HAVING IT HELD.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. SO YOU WANT TO HOLD THAT ONE? WE'LL JUST MAKE NOTE OF IT. OKAY.

SO NO ACTION FOR ACTION 25, BUT MAKE A CHANGE.

BUT NO ACTION ON ITEM 25.

WHERE WAS I? PAGE 19.

ITEM 150.

DID YOU SAY SOMETHING, COMMISSIONER? NO, SIR. I WAS JUST ON PAGE 19 159.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS REQUESTED NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM.

PAGE 19 ITEM ONE 60 DEPARTMENT HAS REQUESTED NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM.

PAGE 36, ITEM 270 CORRECTION AND PLATFORM AND AFTER LEGISLATIVE SO THAT IT READS REQUEST FOR APPROVAL TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO CONSTITUENTS REGARDING THE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM AND AGENDA OF COMMISSIONERS COURT AND HARRIS COUNTY'S PUBLIC POSITION ON VARIOUS BILLS BEING CONSIDERED IN THE REGULAR REGULAR SESSION OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE. CAN I ASK A QUESTION ON THAT ONE, COMMISSIONER? WHY WERE THERE? YES.

UM, I SEE IT'S BEEN MOVED OFF OF THE DISCUSSION AND ONTO THE CONSENT.

IS IT? SO MY QUICK QUESTION IS, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR PRECINCTS BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION TO OUR CONSTITUENTS ON LEGISLATIVE ISSUES.

UH, I'M LOOKING AT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND WE CAN DO THAT.

YEP, THAT'S FINE. OKAY.

OKAY. PAGE 36, ITEM 273.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS REQUESTED NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM.

PAGE ONE. PAGE 41.

ITEM 3 TO 7.

CORRECTION CHANGE WESTFIELD TO WEST.

SO THE ITEM READS TRANSMITTAL BY THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING AGENT OF A PROJECT SCHEDULED FOR ADVERTISEMENT FOR REHABILITATION OF ASPHALT AND CONCRETE PAVEMENT ALONG VARIOUS STREETS IN THE ALDINE WEST AREA.

FOR BETTER STREETS TO NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITY PROGRAM FOR PRECINCT TWO.

AND THEN I HAVE IN PARENTHESES.

23014. OH.

UH, LET ME SEE.

IN THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO BE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION, NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

PAGE TWO.

ITEM 11 COVID 19 REQUEST FOR REQUEST BY THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION FOR APPROVAL TO ACCEPT FROM US DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY GRANT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 3,310,000 $903,310,998.71 WITH NO REQUIRED MATCH FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ERA SUPPLEMENTAL.

YEAH, I'D PULL THAT.

AND MY ONLY QUESTION ON THAT ONE, DAVID, THAT'S ITEM 11 IS, UH, UH.

THIS IS FOR TEN YEARS ONLY.

RIGHT? THIS ISN'T A 99 YEAR DEAL.

ANYONE 11, PAGE 11.

I'M SORRY. I DON'T. I DON'T.

UM. SO THIS IS EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT WOULD GO TO HELP RENTERS PAY CURRENT YEAR, CURRENT YEAR.

SO THIS ISN'T AN EXTENDED DEAL? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.

IT CAN STAY ON CONSENT.

PUT THAT BACK ON CONSENT.

AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, THIS IS NOW $26 MILLION THE COUNTY'S GOTTEN OF EXTRA RENTAL ASSISTANCE BECAUSE WE'VE ADMINISTERED THE PROGRAM WHERE OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO.

SO MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM.

SO. SO ROCKET FOUND MONEY.

YEAH. OKAY, COMMISSIONER, THE ITEM SIX WE JUST NEED TO VOTE ON.

UM, I BELIEVE I'LL MOVE IT.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA, SECONDS.

IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? ONE OBJECTION.

ONE. UH. UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? VOTE I. HI.

IT'LL BE THREE HOURS IN ONE NIGHT.

ONE DAY. I'M FOR IT.

UH, COMMISSIONER? LET'S SEE. PAGE THREE, ITEM 13.

UH, UH, REQUEST BY HUMAN RESOURCES AND RISK MANAGEMENT FOR APPROVAL TO SUSPEND COVID 19 CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT TASK FORCE.

WANT TO PULL THAT ITEM? YOU JUST WANT TO VOTE ON. I THINK THAT WAS THE JUDGE'S ITEM.

WAS THE JUDGE'S ITEM? YEAH.

OKAY. SO I GUESS MY ONLY QUESTION, I GUESS MOVE THE CONSENT.

[03:10:05]

SO SOME.

WELL, THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS DON'T.

THERE ARE CERTAIN COVID 19 POLICIES THAT STILL APPLY, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY GENERAL AND BIGGER THAN JUST LIKE THERE WAS LIKE 80 HOURS OF CALM TIME THAT YOU CAN GO OVER SOME OF THAT.

THAT'S A COVID DRIVEN DEAL.

WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT.

OKAY. AND THEN PAGE FOR ITEM 20.

I THINK THE JUDGE IS THAT ONE JUDGE WANTED TO PULL.

UM, THAT'S MINE.

OKAY. YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ONE, PLEASE? SO, 13, IS THAT CONSIDERED A NO ACTION OR BACK TO CONSENT? CONSENT. CONSENT.

CONSENT. AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, YOU WANT TO PULL ITEM 20 ON PAGE FOUR? RIGHT. NO ACTION.

COMMISSIONER? NO, WE'LL PULL IT.

YOU WANT TO DISCUSS? WE'LL DISCUSS IT.

OH. PAGE FOUR, ITEM 22.

WE DID THAT COLLECTION.

AND WE DID 23.

I'M JUST FOLLOWING. WE DID.

WE DID SOMETHING ON 23.

NO ACTION, BUT WE JUST KIND OF GAVE YOU DIRECTION.

UM, PAGE SIX, ITEM 34.

PRECINCT TWO. COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ONE? YES. OKAY, WE'LL PULL THAT ONE.

PAGE SIX. ITEM 34, PAGE SIX, ITEM 40.

YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ONE? COMMISSIONER GARCIA? YEP. PULL IT.

PAGE 17, ITEM 139.

MR. GARCIA. BACK TO BACK.

BACK TO CONSENT. PUT THAT BACK ON CONSENT, WOULD THAT BE? THAT'S A DISCUSSION.

NO ACTION. THANK YOU. YEAH.

PAGE 17, ITEM 139.

UH, PAGE 17.

ITEM 140.

UM, I'M ON. I'M ON TOUR.

I'M. I DON'T NEED TO PULL IT OFF.

YOU NEED TO PULL IT OFF.

COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. WHICH ONE? THAT IS THE TAX ABATEMENT POLICY.

YOU WANT TO DISCUSS IT? 140.

YEAH. SORRY.

140. UM.

NO, THAT'S FINE. OKAY, WE'LL PUT ITEM 140 BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WHAT DO YOU WANT? UNIVERSAL SERVICES PRECINCT TWO, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ONE? UH, LET'S SEE.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO COLLABORATE, COORDINATE, PRIORITIZE.

DIGITAL EQUITY INVESTMENTS.

UH, NO.

PUT IT BACK ON. PERCENT. 141 GOES BACK ON CONSENT.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

ITEM 172 APPROVAL OF AN ORDER AUTHORIZING HARRIS COUNTY TO FILE COMMENTS ON EPA REGARDING.

OKAY. YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ITEM, WE'LL PULL 172.

UM, 193 IS BEING PULLED.

PRECINCT THREE. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ONE? SHERIFF'S OFFICE APPROVAL TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR DOJ.

GRANT 91.

92. COMMISSIONER 192.

YEAH. YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ONE? PULLED 172.

I DIDN'T PULL NO ONE. I'M LOOKING AROUND.

ONE 172. YOU PULLED 172, RIGHT.

SO WE'LL PULL 172 WITH THE REQUEST.

OF COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AND THEN 192.

ONE OF TWO.

IT WAS WITH MY RESOLUTION EARLIER, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DISCUSS IT, PUT IT BACK ON CONSENT.

PUT IT BACK ON CONSENT.

AND THEN, UH, ITEM UH, 197 REQUEST PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE FOR APPROVAL TO ACCEPT.

JUST VOTE. OKAY.

UH, SECOND AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA, SECONDS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE? AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED VOTE NO.

NO. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.

WHO WAS MADE THE FIRST MOTION? OH, I THINK I DID. I WAS JUST ALLISON AND.

BRIONES ONE.

NO RIYAZ WON.

NO COMMISSIONER MS VOTED NO.

NEXT ONE WAS ON ONE 197 $160,000 GRANT FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE.

COMMISSIONER 198 THERE IS A PAYMENT TO PFM.

WE NEED TO MAKE TWO MOTIONS ON.

OKAY. COMMISSIONER BRIONES, CAN YOU MOVE THAT ONE? COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES IT.

COMMISSIONER BRIAN A SECOND SAID ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE I THAT'S TO APPROVE ALL DISBURSEMENTS EXCEPT PFM.

OKAY. RIGHT. THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE ALL DISBURSEMENTS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PFM.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE YOU FOR EXCEPT PFM.

YEAH. OKAY. SO FOUR EYES AND NO NAYS.

NOW, COMMISSIONER BRIONES MAKES A MOTION TO PAY PFM, AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA WILL SECOND IT ALL.

THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NO.

THERE BEING THREE EYES AND ONE NO.

COMMISSIONER RAMSEY VOTES NO.

WHAT DOES THAT LEAVE US? UH, 240. I'D ASK YOU ONE.

PAGE 32, ITEM 240.

[03:15:02]

GOT AN AWARD ON THE BASIS OF LOW BID TO OUR CONSTRUCTION CIVIL LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF 19 MILLION FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.

YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ONE? OKAY.

AND THE NEXT ONE IS 242.

UH, YES. MR. GARCIA PULLS ITEM 242.

UH, ITEM. 272.

UH, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOU PULLING THAT ONE? THIS IS THE HISTORICAL MARKERS GOING INTO FAMILY LAW CENTER.

YES. OKAY.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA PULLS 272 ITEM TO 273.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA. YOU PULL IN THAT ONE.

YES. NO, THAT'S A THAT'S A NO ACTION TO 73 IS A NO ACTION TO 73.

NO ACTION.

SO WE'RE PULLING IT OFF THE AGENDA.

RIGHT? JUST DELETE IT.

OKAY. AND ITEM TO 75 COMMISSIONER GARCIA BOOKER T WASHINGTON, DISCUSS THAT EARLIER WITH DOCTOR KEYES.

PUT IT BACK ON CONSENT.

OKAY. ON CONSENT, COMMISSIONER GARCIA TO 77.

THAT'S ME. UM.

OKAY. ARE YOU GOOD? NO, WE NEED TO. WE NEED TO.

OKAY. COMMISSIONER BARRIOS, CAN YOU.

YOU WANT TO PULL IT TO DISCUSS? DISCUSS IT? OKAY. YOU WANT TO DISCUSS IT TO 77 TO 88? YES. I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS THAT, PLEASE.

OKAY. UH, ITEM TO 97.

THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED, COMMISSIONER.

OKAY. THAT ONE.

THERE WAS NO MOTION MADE.

IT WAS GOING TO COME BACK TO COURT.

RIGHT. SO WE DID. SO NO ACTION.

YEAH. ACTION.

I WAS GOING TO DO IT. I'M WAITING ON THE UPDATED LANGUAGE, WHICH I SHOULD GET MOMENTARILY.

SO IF WE COULD DISCUSS THAT AND I'LL PRESENT THE MOTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

OKAY. SHOULD GET IT TO YOUR OFFICES AS WELL.

I'LL LEAVE IT ON THE LIST.

AND THEN DID WE DO ITEM THREE, THREE, FOUR.

COMMISSIONER. REGISTRATION NEIGHBORHOODS.

DID YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ONE, COMMISSIONER GARCIA? YES, THAT'S GOING TO BE WITH 327 AS WELL.

OKAY. 327 AND 334 ARE TOGETHER.

OKAY. AND THREE 327 WAS NOT ON OUR LIST.

OKAY. DON'T DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

I'LL DISCUSS ACTUALLY MY NOTICE TO DISCUSS 334 AND MENTIONED 327 THANK YOU.

OKAY, SO COMMISSIONER GARCIA PULLS ITEM 334.

UH, ITEM 348.

THAT WAS THE WE DID IT INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

OKAY. ITEM THREE 60 MAY DISCUSS.

YOU WANT TO PULL IT? AND ITEM.

AND NO, THAT'S JUST A THAT'S A QUICK CONVERSATION.

OKAY. YOU WANT TO DISCUSS 363 61.

PRECINCT THREE. DISCUSS IT.

OKAY, WE'LL PULL THREE 60 ONE, COMMISSIONER.

I'D RECOMMEND THAT ONE BE TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

OKAY, WE'LL DO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

OKAY. ITEM THREE 60 THREE.

THEY DISCUSS. OKAY, WE'LL HOLD THAT ONE.

UM, PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ON THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AS APPROVED.

I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO CALL THEM OUT.

NO, NO. YEAH.

THE MOVE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS APPROVED.

DID YOU SAY SOMETHING? WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO REPEAT ONE MORE TIME JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, ALL THE DISCUSSION ITEMS BEFORE YOU VOTE ON THE CONSENT.

GOOD LUCK. IF YOU WANT TO CALL THEM UP, YOU CAN.

BUT I CERTAINLY DID NOT MARK THEM.

YOU WANT TO CALL THEM UP? EVERYBODY'S WONDERING. I CAN DO IT.

I HAVE A GOOD RECORD.

OKAY. I WAS TRACKING, SO I'LL LET YOU KNOW.

YOU CAN HAVE IT. NO, GO FOR IT.

AND I'LL. I'LL CHECK YOUR WORD.

COUNCILOR. I BELIEVE IT'S 20, 34, 41, 72, 242, 42, 272, 277, 288, 297 334 WITH A MENTION OF 327.

THREE 60.

THREE 60 ONE BUT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

363 THAT MATCHES MINE 100%.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE. ALSO JUST WANT TO LET YOU CALL IT OUT, NOT ME.

YES, I JUST LIKE CLARIFICATION TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

COMMISSIONER ON A SECOND SAID ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

ALL RIGHT. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ITEMS MARKED FOR DISCUSSION, EXCEPTION OF THE ITEMS CALLED OUT MARKED TO BE VOTED ON, ARE THERE ANY OTHER EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS? ARE THERE ANY OTHER EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS? LET ME PULL UP THE I JUST SAW THREE 60 ONE THAT NEEDED IT.

YOU GOOD? OKAY, WE'RE GOOD.

MAY WE PLEASE TAKE A BATHROOM BREAK FOR 5 OR 10 AFTER THIS VOTE AND THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WAS ALSO ON THE AGENDA.

[03:20:05]

OH, NO, YOU GOT TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING.

YOU GOT TO CALL. YOU GOT TO ANNOUNCE IT AND OPEN IT, HOLD IT AND THEN CLOSE IT.

WE'LL HOLD THAT AFTER DINNER.

DINNER? WHAT'S THE. OKAY.

SO THE MOTION WAS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ITEMS PULLED.

YES. COMMISSIONER DIANA RAMIREZ WITH DEO.

UM, I'M SORRY, BUT THE PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR THE AGENDA ITEM ON THE TAX ABATEMENT POLICY.

AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION ON ITEM 140 SO WE CAN PULL ITEM 140 AND THEN DO WHEN YOU GET BACK, WE'LL DO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN THAT ITEM.

SO AD 142 THE ITEMS WE PULLED.

OKAY, SO THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA MADE IT ALL OF THE ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A ONE POINT.

POINT OF ORDER, COMMISSIONER ELLIS.

YES, I JUST WANT TO CHECK IF 140 WAS ALREADY ON THE PULL LIST OR NOT.

NO. COMMISSIONER GARCIA IT HAD BEEN TAKEN OFF, BUT IT WAS ON THE LIST OF ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE PUTTING IT BACK ON FOR DISCUSSION ALONG WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THEM.

OKAY, VERY GOOD. OKAY, SO I'LL SECOND THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. ARE YOU GOOD? UM.

YOU INCLUDE 299 AND 142.

THE LIST. YES, 299 AND 142.

THE LIST OF DISCUSSION ITEMS. OKAY. SO MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE. HI.

HI. HI. HI. HI. IT PASSES.

OH, OKAY.

IT IS NOW 358.

WE'LL TAKE A 15 MINUTE BREAK.

15 MINUTE BREAK. WE'LL COME BACK AT, UH, 415.

17 MINUTE BREAK.

THANK YOU. IS 419 AND COMMISSIONERS COURT IS BACK IN ORDER.

LET'S DO THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST.

THAT IS ITEM.

UM. 146.

CORRECT. PUBLIC HEARINGS.

142. 99 TO 99.

AND GUESS WHAT I DO IS.

PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN IS THAT YOU WOULD OPEN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, OPEN PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 299 AT 419.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? THAT THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS IN PUBLIC HEARINGS NOW CLOSED AT 419 AND NOW WE CAN MOVE TO ITEM 140.

IS IS THERE AN ACTION? IS THERE NO ACTION? IS IT WELL, DO I NEED A WELL? I'LL TAKE THE ACTION ON 299 OR 140.

NO, 299.

YOU'RE CLOSE. YOU'RE GOOD.

PUBLIC HEARINGS CLOSED ON ITEM 299.

AND NOW THE ACTION WILL BE ON 140.

OKAY. I STILL NEED A MOTION OR SOMETHING ON THE RECORD FOR ITEM 299.

NO ACTION. NO ACTION.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES THAT WE APPROVE.

ITEM 140. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. COMMISSIONER BRIAN SECONDS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, WELL, THESE, UH, THESE ABATEMENTS.

AND THAT'S REALLY MY QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW. IS THIS GOING TO PUSH BEYOND TEN YEARS? I'M COMMISSIONER RAMSAY.

THIS IS DIANA RAMIREZ WITH.

NO, SIR. THE. THEY'RE ACTUALLY SET AT TEN YEARS MAXIMUM BY STATUTE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

YOU DID A GOOD JOB ON IT, MISS RAMIREZ.

UH, VERY THOUGHTFUL, BUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT.

WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM PUT INTO IT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE. AYE.

AYE, AYE.

VOTE FOR PASSING ON THESE TWO ITEMS PASSED.

AND NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO ITEM 20.

THIS IS A REQUEST BY THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING AGENT THAT THE COUNTY JUDGE EXECUTE AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHWESTERN CORRECTIONAL LLC.

THE SALE. MEMBERS.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEAH. THE.

UH, THE ONLY COMMENT HERE, AND I GUESS, DAVID, AS YOU WALK OUT THE DOOR, YOU'VE WORKED MOST CLOSELY WITH THE SHERIFF, AND, UM, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT, UH, EXPENSES.

I WON'T SAY IT'S AN UNKNOWN EXPENSE, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE THAT KIND OF HITS US.

IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT WE WOULD AT LEAST BE PURSUING, UH, ALTERNATIVES AS IN GO TO.

UH, I THINK WE DO HAVE A VACANT LOT OR TWO DOWNTOWN OR WE HAVE AN EMPTY BUILDING OR TWO DOWNTOWN THAT MIGHT, UH, MIGHT SERVE AS A JAIL.

UH, I GUESS MY IF YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE'RE SPENDING PER YEAR, IF THAT WAS PUT INTO A JAIL AND CREATING AN UP TO DATE, UH,

[03:25:03]

SO I'D. I'M NOT ASKING FOR AN ACTION.

I WOULD JUST SIMPLY THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE THAT THERE WOULD BE A PLAN BE, UH, UH, PURSUED IN TERMS OF IS THERE OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO OTHER THAN SHIP, UH, UH, THESE, THESE FOLKS IN LOUISIANA OR WEST TEXAS.

TWO QUICK POINTS. AS I THINK WE BRIEFED ALL OF YOU, THERE IS AN ONGOING FACILITIES REVIEW THAT DR.

AMON HAS BEEN LEADING AND WORKING WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

HE COULD ANSWER ANY SPECIFICS ON THAT.

AND ALSO, I DO KNOW THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND OTHERS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTY HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT OTHER OUTSOURCING OPTIONS JUST IN CASE THOSE EITHER ARE BETTER QUALITY OR BETTER COST.

1301 FRANKLIN IS EMPTY.

IT'S CLOSED. IT'S IT'S AN EMPTY BUILDING.

SO EITHER COULD TEAR IT DOWN, BUILD A NEW FACILITY.

I KNOW THAT WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF THREE YEARS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES MAY BE GONE BY THEN IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS.

BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF OF OUR JAIL IN TERMS NOT ONLY JAIL STANDARDS, BUT WHAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THERE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE, THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, A PLUS.

COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

YES, I SHARE COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S SENTIMENT.

AND MY QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE, WHEN IS THIS STUDY GOING TO BE COMPLETED? BUT DR. AMON, WEIGH IN IF HE'S AVAILABLE.

I THINK HE PROBABLY HAS THE LATEST.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

UH. THE STUDY IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE NEXT TEN WEEKS.

AT LEAST WE'LL HAVE A DRAFT IN HAND, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH THE COMMISSIONERS DAUGHTER AND DR.

ROMAN. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.

JUST SO THAT WE'RE CLEAR AND KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT IN APPROXIMATELY TEN WEEKS, WOULD YOU PLEASE REMIND US EXACTLY WHAT THE SCOPE WILL BE IN TERMS OF THE ASSESSMENT THAT IS BEING DONE? YES, COMMISSIONER.

SO THE BROADER SCOPE IS TO ONE.

WHAT WORK WE NEED TO DO FOR THE IMPROVING THE EXISTING DETENTION FACILITIES.

THAT'S PART ONE.

AND WHEN THE SECOND PART IS IF WE HAVE TO BUILD A NEW FACILITIES OR COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVES OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF WHETHER WE BUILD A NEW FACILITY, WE IMPROVE THE EXISTING FACILITIES AND HOW WE WORK AT THE WHOLE DETENTION COMPLEX.

SO THAT IS THE TWO OUTCOME WE'RE LOOKING FOR AS A HIGH LEVEL RECOMMENDATION.

AND THE THIRD ONE IS EVEN IF WE BUILD A NEW FACILITY ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION, OF COURSE, ONE THAT WE STILL HAVE TO KEEP THE EXISTING FACILITY RUNNING.

SO WHAT ARE THE CRITICAL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS? THAT'S WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO BUILD A NEW ONE.

THANK YOU, DR. RAMON. MR. GARCIA, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? UH, NO. I JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT I HOPE WHEN THE STUDY COMES BACK IN TEN WEEKS.

WE'LL HAVE A BROADER DISCUSSION.

IN NEW YORK CITY, THEY DID MAKE A DECISION TO CLOSE RIKERS ISLAND AND THEY BUILT MADE A DECISION TO BUILD SEVERAL SMALLER FACILITIES, MORE MODERN FACILITIES.

AND I DO THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO TO LOOK AT THAT MODEL.

THEY ALSO HAD A HOST OF REFORMS. I KNOW THAT I'VE TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE ON THE SHERIFF STAFF ABOUT A BROADER APPROACH IN ADDITION TO DETENTION, TRYING TO DO SOMETHING SO PEOPLE GET SOME OF THE SERVICES AND DON'T END UP BEING REPEAT OFFENDERS.

AND TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX WHEN WE DO IT.

AND WE'LL HAVE TO BE WILLING TO ADMIT THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME MONEY TO DO IT.

I DO UNDERSTAND WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTERS.

MR. MAYOR, DO YOU KNOW THAT IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT THAT GOES TO THE VOTERS, BUT IT WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL.

I MEAN, THE COST IS A ROUGH IDEA.

IF WE BUILT ANYONE AND WHATEVER ELSE COMES WITH IT, WHAT WOULD IT COST? BUT YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE SUNLIGHT.

JUST TO CLARIFY, WE WE CAN USE KOS, WHICH IS A FORM OF UNVOTED DEBT FOR MOST, IF NOT ALL, PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES, A JAIL BEING BEING AN EXAMPLE. IN TERMS OF THE RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES, I DEFERRED TO DR.

RAHMAN. I MEAN, I THINK THAT THAT THE NUMBER, THE NUMBER I HAD, UH, FOUND WAS FOR ABOUT A THOUSAND.

AND THIS IS IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, COMMISSIONER, TO DO A THOUSAND INMATE FACILITY WOULD BE ABOUT $100 MILLION.

THAT GIVES YOU A BALLPARK.

I THOUGHT IT WAS MORE. I DON'T KNOW WHY MILTON FIGURE I THOUGHT WAS 100,000 A BED.

[03:30:07]

THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING. BUT I COULD BE WRONG, COMMISSIONER.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CAPITAL COST.

THEY ADMIT THE CAPITAL COST TO BUILD A NEW FACILITY.

KNOWING WE GOT TO PATCH UP THE ONE WE HAVE, WE'LL KNOW WHEN TO STUDY TO PATCH UP.

YOU GOT TO PATCH THAT ONE UP.

IT TAKES FIVE YEARS.

I THINK. I WAS TOLD MY CONVERSATIONS WAS ONCE WITH THE SHERIFF, ONCE WITH MIKE LEE.

IF YOU WERE TO TAKE A THOUSAND PEOPLE OUT OF THE CURRENT JAIL AND ABLE TO HOUSE THEM IN AN UP TO DATE WONDERFUL FACILITY AND THAT THEY THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROBABLY DO BOTH, BUILD A NEW ONE AND THEN THAT GIVES YOU A TO GO AND THEN START PATCHING IT FLOOR BY FLOOR.

YEAH, YEAH.

COMMISSIONER, JUST TO ADD, SO THE INITIAL PLAN THAT WE WERE TALKING LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IT WAS A SEVEN YEAR PLAN TO TAKE FLOOR BY FLOOR AND DO THE CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATE THE EXISTING FACILITIES.

THE LATEST BUDGET WE HAD THERE WAS, OF COURSE THE PANDEMIC ABOUT HALF $1 BILLION.

SO FOR SOME REASON, YEAH, SO HE'S DOING THE WHOLE THING.

HALF A BILLION. I'M SAYING 100 MILLION FOR A THOUSAND BEDS, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT HE OKAY.

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT COMMISSIONER, BECAUSE WE HAD ABOUT ALMOST 33 TO 40% COST ESCALATION SINCE PANDEMIC.

SO YOUR ESTIMATE IS FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE HEAR.

GOOD. AND ONLY BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT IT UP.

I WON'T BELABOR IT, BUT WHAT WOULD IT COST TO TEAR DOWN THAT OLD ONE? AND I TOO SHARE YOUR SENTIMENT ABOUT THIS IS ONE PIECE OF A VERY MULTI DIMENSIONAL EFFORT.

AND THEN I'D BE INTERESTED IN THE COST OFFSETS IF WE'RE NOT OUTSOURCING TO THESE PRISONS.

AND ANYWAY, IN SOME I LOOK FORWARD TO REVIEWING, IT'D BE A GOOD DISCUSSION AND WE'LL PUT ALL THE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. I WANT TO ADD ONE MORE THING.

SO PART OF OUR STUDY ALSO INCLUDES POPULATION PROJECTION.

SO IT WILL PROBABLY GIVE YOU ALL THE TOOL TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF SHIPPING OUT INMATES SOMEWHERE ELSE.

IF WE DON'T BUILD A NEW FACILITY OR THE EXISTING FACILITY WE RENOVATE.

OKAY. AND WAS THAT A MOTION TO APPROVE A MOTION? UH, COMMISSIONER, WHICH WAS IT? 20, 20? 2020.

COMMISSIONER RAMSEY MOVES TO APPROVE IT.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA. SECONDS.

THAT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE? ALL THOSE OPPOSED VOTE NO. THE ITEM PASSES FOUR ZERO.

NEXT IS ITEM 34.

TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH COBB FINDLAY ASSOCIATES, AN AMOUNT OF $298,074 FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES TO CONSTRUCT AND BUY DRAINAGE PROJECTS.

GIVE ME ONE SECOND. LET ME GET OVER TO MY BRIEF ABSENCE.

PROBE. THE HERE.

34. UM.

THANK YOU. UH, YEAH, PINE TRAILS.

AND, UM, IT'S.

IT'S ANTICIPATED TO START, UH, COMING IN JUNE, AND THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE UPGRADING THE EXISTING AND CLOSED, UH, STORM SEWER SYSTEM AND CONCRETE ROADWAY WITHIN THE SUBDIVISION LOCATED SOUTHEAST OF US 90 AND NORTH OF WALLACEVILLE ROAD.

ACTUALLY, I THINK THIS IS A AREA THAT I TOOK ON FROM YOU, COMMISSIONER ELLIS.

UH, THE PROJECT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED IN THREE PHASES, DISCHARGING TO TWO DIFFERENT CHANNELS AND REQUIRING THREE DETENTION PONDS TO THE WEST AND EAST OF THE SUBDIVISION.

AND THE TOTAL PROJECT WILL BE AN INVESTMENT OF OVER $59 MILLION.

UH, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF REVIVED TO THRIVE, AND IT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE MAKING STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN THESE UNDERSERVED AREAS WITHOUT LETTING GENTRIFICATION BE THE SOLE CONTRIBUTOR TO IT.

THIS PROJECT, THE REASON I'M EXCITED FOR IT IS, IS BECAUSE IT WILL BENEFIT NEARLY 1200 STRUCTURES WHEN THEN WHEN COMPLETED WITH ALL THREE PHASES BY MAY OF 2025.

I JUST WANT TO THANK MY TEAM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE HAVE HEARD THEIR CONCERNS AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MITIGATE FLOODING. BUT A PARTICULAR SHOUT OUT TO MY CHIEF ENGINEER AND HIS TEAM.

FAUSTINO BENAVIDES AND BYRON ACEVEDO.

I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY, UH, ADAMANT ABOUT DOING MORE REVIVED THRIVE COMMUNITIES.

AND THIS IS JUST ONE ELEMENT OF REVIVED TO THRIVE BUT EXCITED THAT IT'S COMING.

59.2 MILLION IN THIS PINE TRAIL SUBDIVISION AREA.

[03:35:03]

SECOND. COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES ITEM.

UH, THAT GO.

YEAH. AND THAT GOES THAT.

THAT GOES WITH 240.

OKAY. COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES ITEMS 34 AND 40.

COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. SECONDS.

BOTH. IT'S 240 4240 COMMISSION.

SO IT'S 34 AND 240.

34 AND 240.

YES. AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, SECONDS.

IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? HEARING NONE. BOTH ITEMS ARE APPROVED.

FOUR ZERO. COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

ITEM 40. ITEM 40.

THIS IS ANOTHER SIMILAR PROJECT.

UM, THAT IS THE CEDAR BAYOU WEST.

UM. OOPS.

ZBA BY YOU SUBDIVISION DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.

WE'RE CLOSE TO STARTING CONSTRUCTION ON OUR CEDAR BAYOU SUBDIVISION DRAINAGE PROJECT IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, AND THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AREA.

THIS PROJECT IS DIVIDED BY THE RAILROAD BETWEEN EAST, THE EAST SIDE OF THE PROJECT AND THE WEST SIDE AND CEDAR BAYOU WEST INCLUDES A SIPHON AND UNDERGROUND PIPING BENEATH THE RAILWAY THAT TAKES THE FLOWS OF THE WATER FLOW FROM THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROJECT TO THE DETENTION BASIN LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE. THIS IS NEARLY A $21 MILLION INVESTMENT AND THIS PROJECT, ANOTHER REVIVED TO THRIVE INITIATIVE AND IT WILL BENEFIT 158 STRUCTURES AND WILL BE COMPLETED BY 2024.

AND I AGAIN CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT MY ENGINEERING TEAM, BUT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN COMPLAINING FOR QUITE SOME TIME ABOUT THAT RAIL LINE BECAUSE IT IT JUST CREATES A NATURAL DAM WITH THE WITH THE RAIL SYSTEM THERE.

BUT NOW WITH THE SIPHON SYSTEM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING SOME RELIEF TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

I MOVE ON THE ITEM AS PRESENTED.

SECOND, COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES ITEM 40 COMMISSIONER RAMSEY SECONDS IT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE.

MOTION PASSES FOUR ZERO.

ITEM 172, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

EPA REGARDING ITS FINDINGS OF SUBSTANTIAL INADEQUACY.

THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE, AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND IT.

BUT, UH, LET'S, LET'S VOTE, BECAUSE I.

I CAN'T AGREE TO IT UNLESS I SEE IT.

OKAY. COMMISSIONER, MY OFFICE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO BRUCE.

HI AGAIN WITH DETAILS ON THE COMMENTS.

WE GOT NO RESPONSE.

OKAY, BUT DO WE HAVE THE LETTER? WE'RE STILL DRAFTING IT, BUT THE SUBSTANTIVE SUBSTANCE OF THE COMMENTS WAS PROVIDED TO BRUCE HIGHWAY.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES IT AND COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

IS THAT ALL RIGHT? SECONDED.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE.

I'VE GOT THREE EYES.

NO AND ONE NO.

ITEM PASSES. COMMISSIONER RAMSAY VOTES NO.

NEXT ONE IS ITEM 242, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

THAT'S THE ECM CONSTRUCTION ALONG BOTH SIDES OF FREEPORT STREET.

FROM I-10 TO NORTH ALDERSON.

TO THAT ONE. THAT'S ON PAGE 32.

YEAH, FREEPORT. THIS IS THE FREEPORT COMMUNITY, AND I'M EXCITED.

AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M NEVER SHY ABOUT, UH, PROMOTING THESE PROJECTS, BUT WE ARE, UH, WE ARE SO CLOSE TO STARTING CONSTRUCTION ON OUR FREEPORT SIDEWALK PROJECT.

THIS PROJECT WILL INCLUDE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILES OF EIGHT FOOT SIDEWALKS, BUS PADS, LANDSCAPING AND PEDESTRIAN SCALE LIGHTING AND AGAIN REVIVED TO THRIVE.

AND UH, IN FREEPORT IN PARTICULAR, IT IS ON THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK AND THE SIDEWALKS WILL ABSOLUTELY MAKE IT SAFER FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY WALKING.

BUT NOW THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT WALKING SAFELY.

THIS PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES LANDSCAPING AND LIGHTING, UH, TO THE AREA TO ADD MORE SAFETY ELEMENTS TO IT.

UH, BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY TO THE, UH, TO THE UH, FREEPORT COMMUNITY, UH, IN CLOVERLEAF, THEY HAVE BEEN, UH, JUST VERY, VERY ADAMANT ABOUT SEEING THESE ELEMENTS JORGE BUSTAMANTE AND MR MARSHALL.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR OR MISS MARSHALL.

I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM ALL FOR THEIR WORK, UH, AND SEEING THIS PROJECT, UH, GET TO THIS POINT AND I MOVE ON THE ITEM AS PRESENTED.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA MOVES ITEM TO 42.

SECOND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

[03:40:01]

HEARING ON ITEM TO 42 IS PASSED.

FOR ITEM TO 72.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA. THIS IS THE ITEM OF THE LYNCHING MEMORIAL AND THE FAMILY LAW CENTER TO PLACE THOSE MARKERS.

OH, YEAH. SO, YEAH, SO I JUST.

I JUST WANTED FIRST.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, FOR WORKING ON THIS.

AND I HAD HAD A BRIEF ON THIS, UH, IF YOU RECALL BACK IN 2019, UH, SINCE ONE OF THE BUILDINGS IS IN PRECINCT TWO, I'D LIKE TO GET CAUGHT UP TO SEE WHERE THINGS ARE AT AND WOULD LIKE TO GIVE SOME INPUT ON THE PROJECT AS IT TAKES PLACE ON THE PRECINCT TWO SIDE OF THE LINE.

I'D BE GLAD TO.

AND COMMISSIONER, THESE THESE MARKERS WERE DONATED FROM THE LYNCHING MEMORIAL IN MONTGOMERY.

AND SO I KNOW YOU MENTIONED JOE CAMPOS TORRES.

AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO YOU KNOW, I'M NOT PAYING FOR THEM, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PUT SOME DISPLAY UP ABOUT HIS LIFE, HIS TRAGIC DEATH, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CASE AS ONE REASON WHY I CHOSE TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL.

SO TO GET THE PHD, I'D EVEN SUGGEST YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT IT IN ONE OF THE OTHER BUILDINGS.

THAT'S A BIT MORE TRAFFIC, BUT THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, AND WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO BRIEF YOU.

I WILL TELL YOU, ON PHASE ONE OF THE PARK FOR ALL OF YOU, UH, PRECINCT ONE IS GOING TO SPEND ABOUT 15 MILLION.

PHASE TWO. I HOPE IT'S NOT ANOTHER 15 MILLION, BUT MAYBE WE COULD FIND SOMETHING THAT COMPLEMENTS.

BUT I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY FOR YOU TO TAKE THE LEAD AND THE FINANCING.

I HAVE SOME IDEAS.

IT'S AN OVERHANG.

IT MAY COST ABOUT 3 TO 5 MILLION IF I'M GONNA TAKE OVER THE THE FINANCING.

DON'T GIVE ME NO IDEAS.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT.

1 OR 2. BUT NO.

AND OBVIOUSLY, WE WANT TO FIND SOMETHING THAT GOT ME ALL THE IDEAS WITH YOU.

YEAH, THAT BOTH COMPLIMENT.

WE GOT THE SAME IDEA, SO I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHOW YOU THE DESIGN THEY CAME UP WITH.

I JUST WANT TO GET CAUGHT UP ON THIS.

SINCE I HADN'T SPOKEN TO ANYBODY SINCE 2019 WOULD DO IT.

I MIGHT. EVEN BEFORE YOU GET BACK, I MIGHT POP YOU ON THE ZOOM AND EVERYTHING'S OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

SO I'LL MOVE THAT ITEM SECOND AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA SECONDS.

IT IS OUR OBJECTION.

HEARING NONE FOR YOU PASS.

THIS NEXT ONE IS ITEM 277.

I HOPE I DIDN'T SKIP ONE.

DID WE DID. BOOKER T, WASHINGTON 277 COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

THAT'S IT. I HAD THE PLEASURE AND OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR OUR ANIMAL SHELTER WITH DOCTOR OUR OR OUR DIRECTOR.

ROBINSON. UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THAT GOOD, GOOD DAY.

UH, SHE'S GOT AN EXCELLENT TEAM OUT THERE.

THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.

APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THE EFFORT.

AND I THINK, AS INDICATED BY PET SET, WHO WAS HERE EARLIER, THEY TOLD ME A NUMBER THAT I WANT TO TAP INTO.

THERE'S OVER $70 MILLION OUT THERE OF NONPROFIT, UH, DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST AND HELP THE COUNTY IN ADDRESSING OUR ANIMAL, UH, OPPORTUNITIES.

SO, UH, MY MOTION HERE IS AT PRECINCT THREE WILL DESIGNATE AN EMPLOYEE TO WORK AS LIAISON BETWEEN VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH AND THAT WORKING GROUPS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES AT THE SHELTER AND BETTER INVOLVE OUR NONPROFIT AND VOLUNTEER PARTNERS.

MY OBJECTIVE, MY OBJECTIVE IN PAYING FOR IT IS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO BRING IN MORE NONPROFIT DOLLARS INTO THERE.

WORKING CLOSELY WITH DOCTOR WITH DIRECTOR ROBINSON AND HER TEAM.

BUT IT WAS BE A FOCUS OF GETTING, UH, WITHIN THE HARRIS COUNTY AREA NONPROFITS ON BOARD TO SUPPORT US AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT MOTION WOULD ASK, IS THIS JUST FOR YOUR PRECINCT OR FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY? THIS IS NO, THIS IS FOR THIS IS FOR US TO PROVIDE AN EMPLOYEE.

I'M PUTTING MY MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS.

SO WE WOULD PAY TO FACILITATE WORK WITH NONPROFITS AND BRING FROM THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

IT WOULD BE WORKING THROUGH, UH, WORKING THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

COMMISSIONER BROWN'S COMMISSIONER RAMSEY I LOVE THIS IDEA.

DIRECTOR ROBINSON.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS AND I TOO WOULD LOVE TO TOUR.

I'M AN ANIMAL LOVER MYSELF, SO JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS.

I'D LOVE THE IDEA AND TRYING TO BRING IN MORE FOCUSED RESOURCES.

BE CAREFUL. SHE'LL. SHE'LL.

SHE'LL PUT ONE IN YOUR CAR WHEN YOU'RE NOT LOOKING.

YES, I WOULD LOVE IT.

MY HUSBAND MAY NOT, BUT I'M AN ANIMAL LOVER.

I'D HAVE TEN IF I COULD.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, COUNTY ATTORNEY BARBIE ROBINSON.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH.

I SECOND THAT.

WE HAD A GREAT VISIT WITH COMMISSIONER RAMSEY OVER AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER, AND I'M ALWAYS PROMOTING GEOGRAPHIC EQUITY ACROSS THE COUNTY THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME QUALITY SERVICES, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTY, WHERE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR THE

[03:45:08]

I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP OF COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

I THINK WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, ALSO BE SERVED BY BOLSTERING THAT UP WITH OTHER REPRESENTATION ACROSS OTHER PRECINCTS.

AS I YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY IS PUTTING HIS MONEY WHERE HIS MOUTH IS.

BUT AS WE'RE DESIGNING PROGRAMS THAT IMPACT THE ENTIRE COUNTY, I WANT TO BE FAIR AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS TO ALSO HAVE THAT INPUT AS WELL, BECAUSE IT ALSO HELPS PROMOTE AND SUPPORT OUR PROGRAMING THAT IS SO DESPERATELY NEEDED ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

I MIGHT ASK JUST HOW MUCH MONEY, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, ARE YOU PUTTING UP? WELL, THAT POSITION AND THAT IT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE A IN A LESS THAN 100,000 WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD BE THINKING.

OKAY. SO IN THIS MOTION YOU PUT UP 100,000 PAY FOR THE POSITION, RIGHT? WELL, I WOULDN'T TURN THAT DOWN. I'M SUCKING YOUR MOTION.

CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT THE MOTION ONE MORE TIME, COMMISSIONER? PRECINCT THREE WOULD DESIGNATE AN EMPLOYEE TO WORK AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE VETERINARY, PUBLIC HEALTH AND NETWORKING GROUPS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES AT THE SHELTER AND BETTER INVOLVE OUR NONPROFIT AND VOLUNTEER PARTNERS UP TO $100,000.

:44. A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.

UM, I THINK THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS IN TERMS OF THAT PARTICULAR ROLE.

I SHARED SOME INFORMATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE STRONG PARTNERSHIPS.

THEY CAN ALWAYS BE STRONGER IN TERMS OF THE NONPROFITS THAT WE WORK WITH.

WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE A LIVE RELEASE RATE THAT'S HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND LOW EUTHANASIA RATES IF WE DIDN'T HAVE STRONG NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIPS RIGHT NOW.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S CONTINUED ALIGNMENT WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE STRATEGIES AND DIRECTIONS THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE WITH RESPECT TO HAVING A SPECIFIC STAFF PERSON COMING FROM ONE PRECINCTS OFFICE, JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT ROLE IS VIS A VIS THE ROLE THEY WOULD HAVE.

YES. YEAH, SO THEY WOULD.

SO YOU PUT 100,000 OVER THERE.

THEY HIRED A PERSON WOULD WORK.

AND I WANT TO WORK WITH DIRECTOR ROBINSON ON ON WHERE THAT PERSON IS AND WHERE THEY WOULD SIT AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO.

SO I'M BRINGING 100,000 TO THE TABLE.

I WILL WORK WITH DR.

ROBINSON ON WHERE I MEAN, DIRECTOR ROBINSON, ON WHERE THAT PERSON SITS AND WHAT THEY DO.

SO HERE'S JUST A SUGGESTION.

WHY DON'T YOU ALL STRUCTURE AN AGREEMENT, LEAVE IT BROAD ENOUGH? BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF US, IF I DECIDED TO TO PUT UP $100,000 TO PUT SOMEBODY IN FLOOD CONTROL, TO WORK ON PARTNERSHIPS FOR, YOU KNOW, IT COULD GET SENSITIVE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

THERE MIGHT BE A BENEFIT TO HAVE THE PERSON PURSUING PARTNERSHIPS CLOSER TO WHERE THE PARTNERSHIPS ARE.

SO IF I PUT IT AT TRINI MENDENHALL AND I HAD AN OFFICE AND I PROVIDE THE OFFICE AND I PAY FOR THE PERSON AND WE WERE ABLE TO FACILITATE PARTNERSHIPS, AGAIN, TO BRING MONEY TO THE TABLE, BRING VOLUNTEERS TO THE TABLE.

SO IT WOULD BE BOTH.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE OF YOUR CENTERS, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY.

SO, LOOK, I'M ALL FOR IT, BUT I'D SAY, WHY DON'T Y'ALL STRUCTURE IT SO WE KIND OF KNOW WHAT WHAT MAKES IT? I WORK WITH DIRECTOR ROBINSON.

WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT. SO IF Y'ALL DO, WE NEED A MOTION ON IT OR YOU DIRECT IT AND YOU ALL COME BACK WITH SOMETHING WHEN YOU WANT TO TRANSFER THE MONEY? WELL, AGAIN, THIS IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT INITIATIVE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING I'M OKAY WITH.

YEAH. AND I WOULD WORK IT OUT.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER THE PERSON IS, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY EMBEDDED IN OUR SHOP OR NOT.

RIGHT. AND WE DO THAT.

IF I WAS PUTTING THEM ANYWHERE.

ANYBODY'S PUTTING SOMEONE.

OKAY, I'LL SECOND.

OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER VRIONIS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE.

AYE. ANYBODY OPPOSED? PASSES FOR. UH, 288.

COMMISSIONER BRIONES. THAT'S YOUR FLEX PROJECT OUT THERE.

I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THIS INVESTMENT IN ALIF.

IT IS A $2 MILLION INVESTMENT FROM THE CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN, AND IT'S TO PLANT 1200 TREES.

THE REASON I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED IS 77% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN ALIF LIVE IN POVERTY.

ALIF. ON AVERAGE IS TEN DEGREES HOTTER THAN OTHER PARTS OF HOUSTON IN ALIEF.

WE HAVE AN 11% TREE CANOPY AS OPPOSED TO THE AVERAGE IN HOUSTON OF 33%.

SO THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

ON THE DAY BEFORE EARTH DAY, WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THIS BECAUSE IT WILL ADDRESS THE HEAT ISLAND AND EQUALLY IMPORTANT, THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF MY CONSTITUENTS AND ALIEF.

WHETHER THAT'S HELPING TO REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE AND HELP WITH DEHYDRATION, HEAT EXHAUSTION, HEAT STROKE, BUT ALSO CREATING MORE TREES TO HAVE A CLEANER AIR AND THEN JUST TO BEAUTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT MORE FOLKS ARE OUT WALKING.

SO I THANK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PRESIDENT BIDEN AND OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION FOR THE ARPA INVESTMENT.

[03:50:06]

AND I WANT TO THANK MY TEAM AND ALL OF THE ARPA COMMITTEE AS WELL FOR ALL OF YOUR EXCELLENT WORK.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER BRIONES MOVES.

I MOVE ITEM TWO EIGHT. I WANT TO SECOND THAT AND MAKE THE NOTE THAT HAVING HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING THE COMMISSIONER THERE FOR FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, I RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR TREES.

THIS IS A TREE INITIATIVE, IN MY OPINION.

IT'S MY OPINION, NOT A CRIME INITIATIVE.

THIS IS MORE OF A TREE INITIATIVE.

SO I'M SUPPORTING THIS IN TERMS OF, I THINK, DOING THOSE KINDS OF THINGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WE HEARD EARLIER FROM THE FOLKS IN ALIEF AND MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE. BUT I DO SUPPORT IT IN TERMS OF TREES AND AN ADDED BENEFIT JUST ON ON COSTS WAS I'VE BEEN LEARNING THAT THE MORE TREES WE PLANT, THE LESS WE HAVE TO PAY IN MOWING COSTS. SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT EVERY DOLLAR WE SAVE AND CAN REINVEST IN ANOTHER TREE TO MAKE OUR AIR CLEANER IS A VICTORY.

SO I MAKE THE MOTION.

THANK YOU FOR THE SECOND.

MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY COMMISSIONER BRYAN, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RAMSAY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE? OPPOSED. IT PASSES FOUR ZERO.

ITEM TWO. LET'S GO TO THAT ONE.

THREE 334.

AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

THIS IS ONE THAT THAT YOU PULLED.

IT IS A TRANSMITTAL BY OFFICER PURCHASING AGENT OF A PROJECT SCHEDULED FOR ADVERTISEMENT FOR REPAIR OF VARIOUS ROADS IN THE EAST ALDINE NORTHEAST.

YES. AND SO.

YES, SO.

SO, UH, GIVE ME ONE SECOND.

UH, 341 THE 334.

YEAH. ON PAGE 41.

SO THIS IS A REVIVED TO THRIVE BSN PROJECT FOR ALDINE WEST AND THE NORTHEAST.

THIS WILL BE A MILL AND OVERLAY AND STREET STREET REPAIRS OF VARIOUS STREETS.

AND THESE PROJECTS ARE PART OF A TWO STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM THAT WILL RESTORE APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES OF ROADWAY.

AND AND IT'S AND IT'S ALSO BRINGING A DEDICATED A DEDICATED RATHER TO PRESERVING THE ASPHALT ROADWAYS THROUGHOUT THE PRECINCT. THE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE RESTORING THE BASE OVERLAYING IT WITH NEW ASPHALT FOR A BRAND NEW SMOOTH RIDING SURFACE.

THE PROGRAM ALLOWS US TO BE EFFICIENT ON HOW WE MAINTAIN AND REPAIR OUR STREETS, AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING STARTING THESE ROAD REPAIRS IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR AND COMPLETE BY DECEMBER THIS OF THIS YEAR, WITH A INVESTMENT OF APPROXIMATELY $10 MILLION.

BUT THESE TWO ITEMS ARE VERY EXCITING BECAUSE I THINK YOU ALL HAVE GOTTEN CALLS ABOUT POTHOLES AND ROAD CONDITIONS.

AND SO I'M EXCITED THAT THIS REVIVES THE THRIVE BSN PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD.

MOVE ON TO ITEM AS PRESENTED.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA MAKES A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 41.

COMMISSIONER BREONNA'S SECOND.

I'M SORRY, THIS IS A TRANSMITTAL TRANSMITTAL.

THIS IS A TRANSMITTAL. SO IT JUST BE ACCEPTED.

WE'LL ACCEPT IT. JUST ACCEPT IT.

MAY WE PLEASE GO BACK TO TO 97 THE MOTION.

ARE YOU READY NOW WITH REGARD TO J-WEB, PLEASE? OKAY. ITEM 297.

COMMISSIONER BROWN. I'M MAKING THIS MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE INTEGRATED JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEMS GOVERNANCE, INCLUDING WEB.

SO THE MOTION FOR 297 WOULD READ AS FOLLOWS.

MOTION TO NUMBER ONE DIRECT OCA AND UNIVERSAL SERVICES TO REQUEST THAT THE GARTNER ANALYSIS OF J-WEB AND INTEGRATED JUSTICE SYSTEMS INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GOVERNANCE, ENSURING THE BUSINESS NEEDS OF USERS ARE MET AND TRANSPARENT AND EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT. NUMBER TWO, DIRECT OCA AND UNIVERSAL SERVICES TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS TO BRING A JOINT PROPOSAL FOR J-WEB AND INTEGRATED JUSTICE SYSTEMS, GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS TO THE JUNE 27TH 2023 COMMISSIONERS COURT.

THREE. PARDON ME.

OKAY, I APOLOGIZE. LET ME JUST START FROM THE BEGINNING.

SO ITEM 297, MOTION TO NUMBER ONE DIRECT OCA AND UNIVERSAL SERVICES TO REQUEST THAT THE GARTNER ANALYSIS OF J-WEB AND INTEGRATED JUSTICE SYSTEMS INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GOVERNANCE, ENSURING THE BUSINESS NEEDS OF USERS ARE MET AND TRANSPARENT AND EFFECTIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT.

NUMBER TWO, DIRECT OCA AND UNIVERSAL SERVICES AND REQUEST JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO BRING A JOINT PROPOSAL HIGHLIGHTING POINTS OF AGREEMENT AND PRESENTING OPTIONS FOR J-WEB AND INTEGRATED JUSTICE SYSTEMS, GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS TO THE JUNE 27TH 2023

[03:55:08]

AND LASTLY, NUMBER FOUR, DIRECT UNIVERSAL SERVICES TO EXPEDITE ALL J-WEB RELATED REQUESTS IN THE INTERIM.

SECOND, I GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, IF I'M IF I MAY.

GO AHEAD. IF I MIGHT JUST WANT TO ASK ONE.

I WANT TO MR BUNNING I KNOW WE HAD THE DISCUSSION EARLIER.

MR. BUNIN, ARE YOU THERE? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE SYSTEM WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTROLLED THE DATA.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. ARE THERE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THAT, MR. BUNIN, FROM YOUR VANTAGE POINT? WELL, I MEAN, BACK IN 2021, I WROTE A REQUEST TO WHAT IS NOW DATA GOVERNANCE, ASKING TO BE RESTORED, ACCESS TO JOBS, GREENS.

AND I WAS TOLD.

IF WE COULD ONLY HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO PUBLIC.

SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY AND OVERSIGHT OF THE WHOLE DATA GOVERNANCE SYSTEM.

NOW, I KNOW WHEN IT COMES BACK, WE'LL CROSS THAT BRIDGE.

BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW COMMISSIONER RAMSEY WAS SAYING, UH, BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A MENTALITY IN OUR IN OUR COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME OF KIND OF HIDING THE BALL ON SO MANY THINGS.

AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN IT COMES BACK, THAT'LL BE A ISSUE THAT I'M SENSITIVE TO AND I'M GOING TO BE RAISING IT.

BECAUSE REMEMBER, MR. BUNDY, WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO GET THAT DATA ON, UH, RACIAL DISPARITIES, RACIAL DISPARITIES IN THE SYSTEM, WAS THIS THE SAME COMMITTEE BACK WHEN I WAS, UH, A LONE VOICE ON THOSE ISSUES? WAS IT THIS SAME COMMITTEE THAT WOULDN'T GIVE UP THE DATA? YEAH, IT HAD A DIFFERENT IT HAD A DIFFERENT NAME, BUT YES.

OKAY. AND AS I RECALL, IT WAS LIKE THIS WAS SOME SECRET COMMITTEE WHEN I RAISED THE ISSUE.

AND MY COLLEAGUES BACK THEN WERE KIND OF IGNORE ME.

IT WAS AS THOUGH I WAS OUT OF PLACE TO EVEN ASK, WELL, WHO ARE THEY AND WHEN DO THEY MEET AND WHEN CAN I GO SEE THEM? THAT'S THE COMMITTEE THAT THAT WAS CONTROLLING BACK THEN.

IT'S A DIFFERENT COMMITTEE, BUT THAT'S WHO WAS CONTROLLING IT, RIGHT? I BELIEVE SO. NOT A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I RAISE THAT ISSUE.

YES, MA'AM. AND THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT.

AND JUST SO EVERYONE'S CRYSTAL CLEAR WHEN I USE THE WORD COLLABORATIVELY, I PLEASE EXPECT ALL ACTORS TO WORK IN GOOD FAITH, EVERY SINGLE ACTOR THAT IS INVOLVED.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY STAKEHOLDERS, BUT TRANSPARENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY IS ABSOLUTELY KEY IN MAKING SURE THE BUSINESS NEEDS ARE MET.

AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT EVERYONE TRULY WILL WORK COLLABORATIVELY, BECAUSE I KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ALL TRYING TO BEST SERVE HARRIS COUNTY AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE HERE TO SERVE. SO FOR YOU, MR. BUNTON, WITH WHAT YOU DO, IF YOU HAD A CHALLENGE AND YOU HAD A PUBLIC DEFENDER, I CAN IMAGINE WHAT COURT APPOINTED LAWYERS RAN INTO WHO OFTENTIMES DIDN'T DON'T EVEN SEE THEIR CLIENTS THAT OFTEN.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE SENSITIVE TO THAT ISSUE.

COMMISSIONER, I JUST WANT TO LAY IT ON THE TABLE AND LAY IT.

THEY'RE VERY SENSITIVE.

SO WHEN YOU ALL COME BACK IN JUNE, IF THERE ARE POINTS OF AGREEMENT IN THIS PROPOSED PLAN BASED ON THE GARTNER STUDY AND ALL OF THESE MEETINGS, LET'S HEAR THE POINTS OF AGREEMENT.

BUT IF THERE'S POINTS OF CONTENTION AND THE WHY AND THE AND THE PLAN, I HOPE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

IT'S A JOINT PLAN THAT THE STAKEHOLDERS CAN AGREE ON.

BUT TO THE EXTENT IT'S NOT THAT, THAT WILL BE THE TIME.

SO I REALLY DO HOPE THE NEXT TWO MONTHS EVERYONE THAT'S INVOLVED MAXIMIZES THE UTILITY OF THE TIME TOGETHER TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HARRIS COUNTY AND JUSTICE AND AND.

COMMISSIONER. YEAH.

COMMISSIONER BRIONES, IF I COULD, I'D LIKE TO ADD A MOTION TO YOUR MOTIONS WHICH WOULD READ MOVE TO DIRECT THE CEO TO WORK WITH THE OCA AND UNIVERSAL SERVICES TO DEFINE GOVERNANCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF JUSTICE RELATED TECHNOLOGY.

I THINK WE WE NEED TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE UNDERSTAND THIS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DEFINITION OF THAT IS SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND, UH, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. SO THAT'S A FIVE.

AND DID YOU GET IT? DID YOU HEAR IT? OKAY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

I WAS STILL SECOND. OKAY, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? MR DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WERE TRYING TO SAY? UH, UH BRICK.

MR UH, COMMISSIONER, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, COMMISSIONER BRIONES FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

AND IT'S TIGHTLY WORDED TO, UH, IT ALLOWS US IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME TO SEPARATE THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF AND BRING SOMETHING TO THE COURT

[04:00:08]

FIRST, ON THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE SO THINGS DON'T BREAK AND THAT SOMETHING'S GOT TO BE DONE AND IT'S NOT CONFLATED WITH THE ISSUES OF GOVERNANCE AND WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COUNTY FOR OPERATIONAL PURPOSES AND TRANSPARENCY AND SO FORTH.

SO I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, THE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AND EVERYONE FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

AND JUST BE ASSURED, COMMISSIONER BRIONES, WE WILL TIGHTLY LOG FOR THE PURPOSES OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT, EVERY COMMUNICATION WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS. WE ALREADY KNOW MY STAFF IS REACHING OUT TO EACH OF YOUR STAFFS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING EVERYBODY UP TO ABREAST OF WHAT GARTNER HAS ALREADY PRESENTED, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND AND THE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY STARTING TO SEPARATE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IN FULL AGREEMENT AND THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO WORK THROUGH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP VOTE.

I JUST LIKE TO ASK THAT IF YOU ALL COULD, IN ADDITION TO TRACKING THE COMMUNICATIONS, JUST EVERYBODY GET IN A ROOM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOK AT US.

SO IF I COULD, UH, UH, DIRECTOR NORIEGA THAT I MADE, IS THAT IS THAT A HELPFUL MOTION, DO YOU THINK? ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE USING TERMS OFTENTIMES LOOSELY AND TO HAVE A REFERENCE OF TERMS SO THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHEN THEY USE THE TERMS, WE'RE ALL MEANING THE SAME THING, WITHOUT QUESTION.

OKAY. THANK YOU. DID YOU GET IT? YOU CALL THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.

YES. YES.

AND IT'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

AND FOR PURPOSES OF ROSENBERG'S RULES, I ACCEPT COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S FRIENDLY AMENDMENT INTO THE ORIGINAL MOTION AND STAND BY IT.

THANK YOU. SECONDED.

OKAY. OKAY.

THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE PROPERLY.

SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED VOTE NO PASSES.

FOUR ZERO. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

UH. ITEM THREE.

TOM, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE IS QUICKEST TO GET.

WHAT DO WE DO? THREE 60.

THREE FIRST. THAT'S JUST A REQUEST.

ITEM 363 BY COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

REQUEST FOR.

THIS IS GOING TO TAKE THIS IS GOING TO TAKE THIS IS GOING TO BE REAL SHORT.

OKAY. UH, I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T TERM IT THIS WAY, BUT I AM ANYWAY.

LEAH BARNES IS A ROCK STAR.

I MEAN, YOU ASK FOR SOMETHING, SHE SENDS YOU A LIST.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE NOW KNOW THE ARPA FUNDED POSITIONS, SO I KNOW THAT'S A FREQUENT EXPERIENCE WITH.

WITH LEAH. GOOD JOB.

SO SHE SENT THAT TO THE WHOLE COURT.

AND THE REASON I ASKED FOR THIS, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO MONITOR THOSE POSITIONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE POTENTIAL TO BE IN A FUNDING SITUATION IN TWO YEARS WHEN THE ARPA MONEY RUNS OUT.

BUT AT LEAST WE'RE LOOKING AT IT TWO YEARS IN ADVANCE.

SO I'LL JUST SIMPLY SAY THANK YOU, LEAH, FOR THE GOOD SUMMARY, BUT NO ACTION ON THAT ONE.

SHE SENT IT TO ME. OKAY.

YOU HAVE ONE OTHER ONE, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

UH, AND THEN WE HAVE ITEM THREE 60 DISCUSSION ON WHAT INFORMATION REGARDING 2020 2ND NOVEMBER ELECTION.

AND I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY IT'S LIMITED FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

UM, BUT ANY INFORMATION EARLY VOTING BEGAN YESTERDAY AND I DID VOTE YESTERDAY IN MY LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD.

SO EARLY VOTING BEGAN YESTERDAY.

ANY INFORMATION WE CAN PROVIDE GOING FORWARD IN TERMS OF KNOWING, ONE, WHAT HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR AND TWO, WHAT WE'VE DONE ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT.

AND I KNOW THERE'S ALL KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS IN TERMS OF WE CAN'T DO THIS AND CAN'T DO THAT.

ATTORNEY GENERAL'S INVOLVED CHANNEL, ELEVEN'S INVOLVED.

CHANNEL 13 IS INVOLVED.

SO IT'S A FULL BLOWN, UH, UH, MESS IN TERMS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT THE SOONER WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED, I THINK THE BETTER.

AND THE SOONER WE CAN COMMUNICATE TO FOLKS THE DETAILS OF IT.

AND THIS IS JUST A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT IN TERMS OF WE SHOULD BE SHARING INFORMATION THAT WE CAN SHARE IN ORDER TO, AGAIN, ASSURE PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING.

BECAUSE I PROMISE YOU, THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD JUSTIFIABLY QUESTION IN TERMS OF OF A MAJOR ELECTION.

WE GOT THE BIG, BIGGER ELECTION COMING UP IN 2023 WITH THE CITY ELECTIONS, CITY OF HOUSTON.

THEN WE'LL, OF COURSE, BE BACK IN THE CYCLE IN 2024.

SO JUST BEING SURE, WE'RE WORKING TOWARD KNOWING THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE ISSUES AND WE'RE DEALING WITH THE ISSUES.

[04:05:01]

WE SHOULD. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

BEFORE WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION, IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS? DID I SKIP ANYTHING? I DON'T THINK SO. COMMISSIONER.

ANYTHING ON YOUR MIND? COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON YOUR ITEM THREE? 60. IT'S JUST A QUICK QUESTION.

WE CAN ASK IT BACK THERE.

OKAY. SO IT IS NOW 502.

WE WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON ITEM THREE 60 ONE.

IS 509.

WE ENDED EXECUTIVE SESSION COMMISSIONERS.

COURT IS BACK IN ORDER.

IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION? OH, GO AHEAD.

YES, I NEED A MOTION OR A NO ACTION FOR THREE 60 ONE.

NO ACTION ON ITEM THREE 60 ONE.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY MAKES A MOTION.

WE ADJOURN. IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER, BRING ON A SECOND. IS THERE OBJECTION? I OBJECT. NO.

OH, THANK YOU.

HAVE A GOOD EVENING. GOOD.

AND WHAT TIME ARE WE CLOSING, COMMISSIONER? FIVE. JAN THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. BYE. COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.