[00:00:05]
ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
DO WE HAVE A PRAYER? COMMISSIONER ELLIS? NO, JUDGE. WE DON'T HAVE ONE TODAY.
LET US BOW OUR HEAD IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR REVEREND ELLIS.
THANK YOU, LORD, AND MAY VOTE.
RIGHT. MAY I MAY I HAVE A PRAYER NOW? AMEN. AMEN.
THE GUIDANCE WILL COME THROUGH.
LET'S NOW STAND AND RECITE THE PLEDGE.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
I SEE AT LEAST TWO ELECTED OFFICIALS THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE.
SO, COLLEAGUES, HERE'S HERE'S THE THE OPTIONS.
ONE IS TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER.
THEN SAME WITH ITEM 16 AND THEN ANY OTHER SPEAKERS SIGN UP ON ANYTHING ELSE.
SO THE QUESTION IS DO WE WANT TO DO ALL THE SPEAKERS FIRST, OR DO WE WANT TO TAKE THE SPEAKERS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE AGENDA? I JUST I WOULD SUGGEST WE JUST TAKE THE SPEAKERS FIRST, TAKE THEM ALL.
THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE PLEASE.
OKAY. SO LET'S START WITH ITEM 15 AND LET ME PULL THE THE PUBLIC HEARING TEMPLATE HERE OKAY.
[Appearances before court]
SO.NEXT, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 15.
I NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A REQUEST BY THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPOSED 2024 TAX RATE OF 0.38530 FOR HARRIS COUNTY.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? AND THIS IS TERRY CHEN.
AND THIS IS ITEM 15 IN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON PAGE THREE.
NO RUSH. SORRY, I'M OUT OF BREATH.
OKAY. I'M TERRY CHEN, BUT I'LL BE READING TESTIMONY FROM BIANCA MABUTI.
LOUIS, A PRECINCT THREE CONSTITUENT AND SOCIOLOGIST AT RICE WHO CAN BE PRESENT.
I'M TESTIFYING ON AGENDA ITEM 15 ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.
I WANT RESOURCES TO GO TOWARDS ALTERNATIVES TO POLICING INSTEAD, SUCH AS HEART.
LAST MONTH, VICTORIA LEE, 26 YEAR OLD KOREAN AMERICAN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER, WAS HAVING A MEDICAL EPISODE WHEN HER BROTHER CALLED 911. FIVE OFFICERS ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, AND LEE APPARENTLY APPROACHED ONE OF THEM WITH A PLASTIC WATER JUG.
[00:05:07]
FORCE, LEADING TO FATAL CONSEQUENCES.DO YOU WANT TO JUST WRAP UP REAL QUICK? YES, PLEASE. THANK YOU.
POLICE SHOULD NOT BE RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH CALLS.
THIS IS WHY OUR TAXES NEED TO EXPAND PROGRAMS SUCH AS HEART.
ANY INCREASES IN TAXES SHOULD HELP EXPAND HEART AND SERVE ALL FIVE COUNTY PATROL DISTRICTS, REDUCING UNNECESSARY LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR NON-EMERGENT 911 CALLS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS. LEWIS, ACTOR.
MY NAME IS MOVIES ACTOR AND I'M A RESIDENT AND TAXPAYER OF HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT ONE.
SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM 15 AND 16.
WHAT I THINK MAKES OUR COMMUNITY SAFE IS GREATER INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE STAFF, I FEEL, KEEP US SAFE.
YESTERDAY, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ONCE AGAIN DECLARED MPOX A GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY.
IF THE NEW PROPERTY TAX INCREASES ARE ADOPTED.
I DO NOT WANT IT TO GO TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THAT'S ALL. JUDGE OH THANK YOU.
OKAY, I NOW CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
NEXT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM 16 AND THE PUBLIC HEARING SECTION ON PAGE THREE.
I NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED 2024 TAX RATE OF 0.04897 FOR THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? DO WE HAVE ANYONE LISTED TO SPEAK? TIFFANY. THEY HAVE NOT SHOWN UP.
OKAY. SO CAN WE TAKE THEM ONCE THEY DO SHOW UP OR HOW IT WORKS? SINCE IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING? MAYBE THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? SO WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PUBLIC HEARING RIGHT NOW.
SURE. ITEM 16 AND THE SPEAKER IS NOT HERE.
SO DO I. JUST CLOSE IT AND OPEN IT BACK UP IF THEY COME OR.
NO, THEY HAVE TO BE HERE WHEN? WHEN THE HEARING IS OPEN.
AND YOU CAN OPEN IT UP FOR ANYONE WHO'S HERE IN THE AUDIENCE IF THEY WANT TO SPEAK ON IT AS WELL.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 16? PUBLIC HEARING. WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER JUST ARRIVED, GUADALUPE FERNANDEZ.
SAFETY THROUGH A PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE IS LONG OVERDUE.
STEP TO REPAIR PAST COURT'S DISINVESTMENT IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY.
WE CANNOT SOLELY RELY ON THIS PROPERTY TAX AS IT IS NOT ENOUGH CONSIDERING THINGS LIKE MAINTENANCE.
TO MAXIMIZE IMPACT, WE MUST AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS.
WE ADVOCATE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH THAT INCLUDES GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE ADVOCATE FOR A FLOOD MANAGEMENT THAT REQUIRES A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
[00:10:01]
WE CALL ON THE COUNTY TO PARTNER WITH MUNICIPALITIES TO IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH.THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.
LOOKS LIKE HE'S MAKING HIS WAY.
GOOD MORNING, DEAR COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.
WHILE WE ACKNOWLEDGE HARRIS COUNTY'S FLOOD CONTROL NEEDS, WE URGE YOU TO OPTIMIZE FEDERAL AND STATE BASED FUNDING MECHANISMS THAT CAN FINANCE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS SOONER.
WE PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF STATE REVOLVING FUNDS, A PROGRAM ALREADY UTILIZED BY VARIOUS COUNTY MUDS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO IMPROVE WATER SYSTEMS. SRS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE LOAN TERMS THROUGH STRONG APPLICATIONS THAT INCORPORATE GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, ADDRESS CLIMATE RESILIENCE, AND PRIORITIZE DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES BY CITY.
WATERKEEPER IS WILLING TO WORK WITH YOUR OFFICES AND THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT TO BUILD STRONG APPLICATIONS FOR SRS BY IDENTIFYING SUITABLE ON THE GROUND PROJECTS THAT ALIGN WITH SRF CRITERIA.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THAT'S ALL FOR THE SPEAKERS WHO SIGNED UP, JUDGE.
SO I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY ELSE ON ON THAT ONE EITHER.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
SO THEN THOSE ARE THE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
YEAH. SURE. NO. COME ON UP ON EITHER ON ONE OF THESE TWO ITEMS. YES. OKAY.
AND WE'RE ABOUT TO CALL THE SPEAKERS THAT SIGN UP ON ANY OTHER ITEM.
OKAY, SO WE CAN JUST CALL THEM UP.
CORRECT? YES. WHY DON'T WE JUST OPEN OPEN IT UP TO THE SPEAKERS? YOU MEAN AS FAR AS THIS PARTICULAR HEARING IN LIFE? BECAUSE I ALREADY CLOSED IT, RIGHT? YOU HAVEN'T CLOSED THE SECOND HEARING.
I BELIEVE THE FLOOD CONTROL HEARING IS STILL OPEN.
SHE CLOSED IT. OH, YOU JUST CLOSED IT.
SPEAKING ON FLOOD CONTROL. OH, OKAY.
SO WE'RE CALLING ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT ARE NOT YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING FLOOD CONTROL OR THE GENERAL FUND TAX RATE? NO. OKAY. TAX RATE.
SORRY. YOU ARE SPEAKING TAX RATE.
WELL, EITHER WAY, THERE ARE SPEAKERS THAT DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR EITHER ONE OF THE HEARINGS.
WE ALREADY CLOSED BOTH HEARINGS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CALL UP ANY OTHER SPEAKERS.
REALLY QUICKLY. THERE ARE ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE ARE BOTH RELATED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THEY CAN CONTINUE TO SPEAK ON IT.
IT'S JUST THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
THEY'RE SPEAKING ON THE ITEM AT THIS POINT.
CORRECT. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TRYING.
YEAH. OKAY. I THINK WHERE I'M TYING MYSELF UP IN KNOTS IS DO WE.
YOU DON'T NEED TO OPEN ANYTHING BACK UP.
THEY CAN JUST GO THROUGH THE NORMAL IF YOU WANT TO CALL.
SO I GUESS LIKE FOR TIFFANY, WHAT ARE THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR TIFFANY? WELL, I THINK FOR, FOR FOUR AND FIVE, IF THEY HAVEN'T SIGNED UP, WE WOULDN'T WANT TO GO IN THE ORDER OF THE SPEAKER SIGNED UP.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THAT ORDER THAT ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM CAN SPEAK ON IT.
AND THEN AFTER YOU, WE'RE GOING TO GO IN THE ORDER IN WHICH PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
I TEACH WOMEN AND GENDER STUDIES AT U OF H.
AND TODAY, I'M ADVOCATING SUPPORT FOR HART, WHICH HAS IMPROVED COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY BY PROVIDING SAFE AND HOLISTIC RESPONSES TO HOMELESSNESS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND SOCIAL WELFARE CONCERNS.
LAW ENFORCEMENT IS FILLING THE JAILS WITH PEOPLE THAT NEED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS INSTEAD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHO CAN EXACERBATE THE SITUATION BY UNNECESSARY FORCE IN THE US. AN ESTIMATED 20% OF 911 CALLS, 911 CALLS RECEIVED ARE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISES AND OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND WHEN POLICE ARRIVE AT THOSE CALLS, PEOPLE WITH UNTREATED MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESSES ARE 16 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE SHOT BY THE POLICE, AND I AM ADVOCATING FOR THE INCREASE OF PROPERTY TAXES AND MY OWN TAXES.
AS LONG AS WE USE THAT MONEY TO FUND SOCIAL SERVICES SUCH AS HEART.
THANK YOU. JUST FOR THE RECORD.
JAKOB KLEMENCIC, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
[00:15:05]
LACK OF LACK OF TRANSPARENCY BY THE BIG ONE.AND IT'S COMPARABLE TO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
WE NEED TAXES TO SURVIVE, BUT HEY THEY NEED TO BE BUDGETED, AND Y'ALL ARE OUR REPRESENTATIVES.
WELL, AND ALSO I I'VE FORGOTTEN TO SAY.
I ALSO GOT AN AUTOGRAPH BY MAYOR JOHN WHITMIRE AND COUNCILMEMBER EDWARD POLLARD.
AND THEY HAVE NO TAXES, NEW TAXES THIS YEAR, NO FEES.
AND SO I THINK Y'ALL CAN DO THAT ALSO BECAUSE THAT IS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LOBES NAVARRO FOR ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS OBS AND WANBOROUGH.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THE STATE LEGISLATURE PREVENTS US FROM INCREASING REVENUE MORE THAN 3.5%.
I DON'T THINK THE STATE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE CONTROLLING HOW GOOD OF A COUNTY WE CAN BE.
IT'S NOT A PROBLEM THAT YOU GUYS CREATED, BUT IT IS ONE THAT WE NEED YOUR HELP IN SOLVING.
I THINK WE CAN BE AN AMAZING COUNTY.
WE ALREADY ARE. BUT THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND MAKE THAT CHOICE.
WALTER STENSLAND FOR ITEM FOUR.
GOOD MORNING, COURT, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AS WE ENTER BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, I URGE THE COURT TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL ISSUES OF PAY PARITY BETWEEN HARRIS COUNTY DEPUTIES AND THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN OUR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS. DESPITE WORKING UNDER STRENUOUS CONDITIONS, OUR DEPUTIES ARE PAID SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THEIR IN OUR THAN OUR OTHER REGIONAL PARTNERS.
JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, AND CONSEQUENTLY, IT NEGATIVELY NEGATIVELY IMPACTS THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ABILITY TO PROVIDE A LEVEL OF LAW AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS OF HARRIS COUNTY THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO.
YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
BUT I DO WANT TO REMIND FOLKS WE HAD 100.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO.
BUT THERE WAS THERE WAS TWO COLLEAGUES WHO WERE TRUANT IN THE MEETINGS, I'M AFRAID WE ALSO HAD A LOT OF DEPUTIES SAYING WE WERE TRYING TO DEFUND THE POLICE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT TRUE. WE WERE TRYING TO FUND THEM MORE, AND NOW WE'RE FACING A DEFICIT.
SO THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT IF WE'RE ABLE TO SET, GIVE THE TAXPAYERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT MORE FUNDING, THEN WE COULD HAVE FUNDING FOR THAT.
BUT IF WE DON'T, IT'S JUST NOT THERE.
WE'RE AT A DEFICIT, SO HOW CAN WE? AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF OF THESE INCREDIBLY DEDICATED WORKERS AND IT WOULD JUST COST AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT.
WE COULD HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT HAVING.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE CARE.
WE WANT TO HELP SO MUCH. SO WE PUT A PROPOSAL.
AND IN AN ELECTION YEAR, I PUT MYSELF OUT THERE SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN'T CUT TAXES BY AS MUCH.
LET'S LET'S CUT THEM BY A LITTLE BIT LESS.
AND THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN US A HIGHER HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SALARIES.
I JUST WANT TO REPEAT THAT AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING.
WHY DON'T YOU JOIN THE MIC? BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT WON'T BE IN THE RECORD AND FOLKS WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU.
[00:20:03]
THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THIS COURT DOES FOR US.WE'RE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AT THAT TABLE, NEGOTIATE, TALK AND TRY TO WORK THINGS OUT.
WE ARE NOT HERE TO BE A HINDRANCE.
WE'RE HERE TO BE A PARTNER IN A GOOD, GOOD YOU KNOW, A GOOD NEIGHBOR, SO TO SPEAK.
AND AGAIN, YOU GUYS DO AN AWESOME JOB.
YOU HAVE A BIG RESPONSIBILITY.
WE HAVE THAT SAME RESPONSIBILITY AND WE JUST NEED TO GET MORE EMPLOYEES.
WE'RE LOSING ROUGHLY 100 EMPLOYEES A MONTH FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHEN WE STARTED BPOC ACADEMY.
WE'RE ONLY HIRING 75 AT A TIME.
SO BEFORE WE CAN GET THEM TRAINED, IT TAKES ABOUT 13 MONTHS TOTAL.
WE'VE ALREADY LOST 1200 EMPLOYEES.
I'M WITH YOU AND YOU'RE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR.
I THINK IT'S PAYING PEOPLE BETTER.
AND SO I'M I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU AND AND I WILL DO THIS WITH YOU.
AND ANY CONSTITUENT I TALK TO IS BE REALLY STRAIGHT WITH YOU.
AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS WE'RE WE'RE FACING A DEFICIT, PERIOD.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE NOT IN THE NEGATIVES THIS YEAR.
AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE VOTERS AND SAY, HEY, DO YOU WANT US TO BE IN THE NEGATIVES EVERY YEAR AFTER THIS YEAR? OR DO YOU WANT US TO BE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE BLACK INSTEAD OF THE RED? AND IF VOTERS SAY, WE'LL PUT YOU IN THE BLACK, THEN WE WILL HAVE MONEY WITH WHICH TO CONSIDER SALARY INCREASES.
AND I WILL BE THERE BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS SAID AND THAT WAS MY MY MOTIVATION.
2022 IS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DEBATE ABOUT HOW MUCH MORE POLICE OR NOT WE NEED.
ONE THING I KNOW WE NEED IS BETTER SALARIES.
NOW ALL THE MONEY CAN'T GO TO THAT.
BUT, BUT, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT MONEY, IT CAN'T EVEN BE A CONVERSATION.
BECAUSE JUST THE SHEER AMOUNT OF MONEY.
WHERE WOULD WE TAKE IT FROM IF THERE IS NO MUCH.
WE HAVE TO CUT SOMETHING ELSE.
AND WE'RE ALREADY IN THE NEGATIVES.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT US DICTATING IT.
IT'S ABOUT US ASKING THE VOTERS WHETHER THEY'RE WILLING TO DO IT.
AND IF WE PUT IT OUT THERE, YOU CAN HELP US MAKE THE CASE.
HEY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD WE WOULD LIKE IN, IN LIKE I SAID, I'M HAPPY TO COMMIT TO TO TO PUTTING A PART OF IT IS TO SAY WE NEED TO PAY OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT MORE TO KEEP YOU SAFE, TO RECRUIT BETTER PEOPLE.
AND IF YOU VOTE FOR THIS, THERE WILL NOW BE MONEY TO DO THAT.
OTHERWISE OUR OUR POPULATION GOES LIKE THIS AND OUR BUDGET GOES LIKE THIS.
AND THERE'S JUST NOTHING TO PAY YOU GUYS MORE WITH.
I LOVE THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION.
WE'RE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND WORK WITH YOU.
LIKE I SAID, WE WANT TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
AND I APPLAUD YOU GUYS FOR FOR WHAT YOU DO AND JUST LET US KNOW WE'RE THERE.
IF YOU NEED SOMETHING FROM OUR ORGANIZATION, WE'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
THANK YOU. AND LIKEWISE AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE WORK YOU DO.
NORMA GONZALEZ SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. THIS WAY, THIS WAY.
HI THERE. MY NAME IS NORMA GONZALEZ AND I'M A RESIDENT OF COMMISSIONER PRECINCT TWO.
I WANTED TO COME HERE TO TALK ABOUT IMAGINING LOSING YOUR HOME OR YOUR ELECTRICITY.
AND IT'S A REALITY REGARDLESS OF PEOPLE FOR IMMIGRATION STATUS.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M ADVOCATING FOR EQUAL ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL SUPPORT FOR ALL RESIDENTS.
WE NEED TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY UTILITY ASSISTANCE TO PREVENT SERVICE DISRUPTIONS AND EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND EVICTION DEFENSE TO AVOID HOMELESSNESS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE CRUCIAL FOR PROMOTING STABILITY, WELL-BEING, AND COMMUNITY INCLUSION.
BY PROVIDING A SAFETY NET FOR EVERYONE, WE CAN FOSTER A MORE COMPASSIONATE AND EQUITABLE SOCIETY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHRISTOPHER JENKINS SPEAKING ON ITEM ONE.
[00:25:07]
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.I'M CHRISTOPHER JENKINS, OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM AGENDA NUMBER ONE WITH THE UPLIFT HARRIS AFFAIRS PROGRAM.
AND I JUST ASK THE QUESTION OF MYSELF, WHY WOULD THE ATTORNEY GENERAL STOP UPLIFT HARRIS? THIS COULD REALLY HELP PEOPLE BUY SUPPLIES, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY NEED EVERY DAY THAT THEY CAN'T AFFORD.
WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE JAIL IF THEY BUILD AND WHEN THEY DO BUILD A NEW JAIL, YOU DON'T WANT TO JUST CRAM THEM IN THERE BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE SUCH A BACKLOG. MAKE SURE THEY GET MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES REHABILITATION SERVICES AND TREATMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IS UP.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE. THANK YOU.
ROBERT HOLLEY SPEAKING ON ITEM ONE.
I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER LATER, AND I'M ALSO A RECIPIENT OF THE UPLIFT HARRIS PROGRAM.
THINGS ARE TOUGH, AND WITHOUT A DOUBT, I HOPE WE ALL CAN WORK TOGETHER.
THANK YOU. IT'S SO NICE TO MEET YOU.
THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN HERE.
AND SO SORRY FOR FOR THIS ROLLER COASTER YOU'VE BEEN ON.
SHELANDRA ROBINSON SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR.
I AM A CONCERNED COMMUNITY MEMBER AND A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT ONE.
I SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY SAFETY BUDGET.
ALL HUMANS NEED SAFETY AND CARE.
AS A SOCIAL WORKER, I UNDERSTAND THAT UNDERFUNDING SOCIAL SERVICES LIKE HARRIS HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, HOUSING AND EDUCATION PUTS RESIDENTS IN DANGER. I SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DAILY IN MY WORK.
I HAVE PROVIDED SUPPORT TO FAMILIES WHO ARE HOUSING INSECURE, BUT ARE UNABLE TO GET ASSISTANCE THEY NEED IN A TIMELY MANNER, SO THEY MOVE FROM PLACE TO PLACE, STAYING WITH VARIOUS RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.
SINCE THE STATE DOES NOT ALLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNDING TO DECREASE, IT IS EVEN MORE IMPERATIVE THAT WE FREEZE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUDGET, INCREASE SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDING, AND MAKE THE BUDGET PROCESS MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THANK YOU. NON-AGENDA SPEAKER NUMBER ONE.
AMY GARCIA, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
MAMIE. OH, SHE'S MAKING HER WAY.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
I WILL GET RIGHT TO THE POINT.
JUDGE HIDALGO, FROM ONE COMMUNITY LEADER TO ANOTHER.
I WANT TO ADDRESS CONCERNS LACKING THE LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM AND DECORUM NOT BEING DISPLACED DURING COMMISSIONER'S COURT. I DON'T NEED TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU ARE A DEMOCRATIC ELECTED OFFICIAL, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT.
WE ALL VOTED FOR YOU TO BE HERE.
AND THEREFORE, I URGE YOU TO PLEASE STOP MAKING A SPECTACLE OF THIS COURT AND PUT AN END TO YOUR PUBLIC DISPLAY OF ENTITLEMENT. COUNTY BUSINESS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN A MANNER BEFITTING THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT OF THIS COURT, AND ADHERENCE TO PROPER PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES.
IT IS CRUCIAL THAT ALL INTERACTIONS.
THANK YOU MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO FINISH? SURE.
[00:30:06]
YOUR PERSONAL ISSUES WITH THIS COMMISSIONERS SHOULD NEVER.SHOULD NEVER BE ADDRESSED DURING COMMISSIONERS COURT.
RACIAL BEHAVIOR, RADICAL BEHAVIOR.
TO YOU, COMMISSIONERS, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING SERVICE DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED, AND I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
AND I JUST WANT TO STATE I'M VERY PROUD OF WHO I AM.
I HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR.
I THINK WE'VE COME A LONG WAY AS WOMEN HOPEFULLY ABOUT TO ELECT OUR FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT.
AND WEARING BRIGHT SUMMER NAILS.
CERTAINLY I'M NOT. BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
ANYONE ELSE? NON-AGENDA SPEAKER NUMBER TWO.
HELLO. I LIVE IN ADRIAN GARCIA, COMMISSIONER ADRIAN GARCIA'S DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR ALL FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
BUT I CAME HERE TODAY TO THANK MISS COMMISSIONER LESLIE BRIONES FOR HELPING TO BRING UPLIFT HOUSTON, UPLIFT HARRIS COUNTY BACK INTO DISCUSSION AND TO BE FOR A VOTE, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
I DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THE ZIP CODES, BUT I CAME HERE TO SPEAK ON THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S HERE STANDS IN UNITY BEHIND A PROGRAM THAT COMMISSIONERS VOTED ON AND AGREED TO PASS, BUT THEN BECAME POLITICALLY ATTACKED.
NOW, IF WE ALLOW THESE ATTACKS TO CONTINUE AND AND JUST DETER US FROM DOING WHATEVER WE WISH TO DO HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY, THEN WHAT'S TO SAY THEY WON'T ATTACK EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO AND BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN CONTROL EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO.
I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD.
AND I DON'T SEE THAT HELP COMING FROM THE FROM THE CITY WHO IS REFUSING TO EVEN APPEAR IN PUBLIC WITH OUR, WITH OUR VERY IMPORTANT JUDGE AND OUR, YOU KNOW, IS NOT SPEAKING TO THE COUNTY.
IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION AND ALSO FOR THE STATE TO BE PREVENTING US FROM RECEIVING THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SO GENEROUSLY GRANTED TO US BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
NON-AGENDA SPEAKER NUMBER FIVE.
DEBORAH SMITH, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED OF HARRIS COUNTY JAIL.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO IN WITH THIS BUILDING NEW BUILDINGS WITH THE SAME ATTITUDE, THE SAME PROBLEMS. WE NEED A RESOLUTION TO ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY BROUGHT BEFORE YOU.
DUE TO THE LOSS OF MY DAUGHTER THAT WAS A DIABETIC.
I'VE ASKED, AND I'VE CONTINUED TO SAY THERE ARE SOLUTIONS FOR THE DIABETIC.
I MEAN, WE KNOW THE NUMBER OF DIABETES DIABETICS IN HOUSTON.
I'M ASKING THAT THE THEY HAVE DESIGNATED BEDS WITH GLUCOSE METERS.
THEY CAN HELP YOU SAVE THEIR LIFE AND EQUIPMENT TO USE THE GLUCOSE METER.
ALSO, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A NUTRITIOUS MEAL.
SOME OF THIS, SOME OF THESE THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH SMALL SOLUTIONS.
I'M ALSO ASKING THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE THANK YOU.
MA'AM. YOUR TIME IS UP. GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD. THE DETENTION OFFICERS ALSO HAVE A SWIPE, A SWIPE BADGE WHEN THEY THEY GO BY AND TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. THE TIMES THAT THEY SHOULD BE AT EACH CELL, NOT JUST THE HEARSAY, THEY WERE THERE.
ALSO, YOU CAN GO THROUGH AND SEE WHICH BADGE WAS SWIPED.
IF THE THE EMERGENCY BUTTON IS PUSHED, I DON'T WANT IT.
THE SECOND FLOOR TO SAY WE BE THERE IN A MINUTE.
I WANT SOMEONE TO HAVE TO GO INTO THE CELL, SWIPE YOUR BADGE.
[00:35:06]
YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THERE ARE SOME THAT THE ONES WHO DO THINGS THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING JUST TO BE PUSHING THE BUTTON.BUT WE NEED SOME ACCOUNTABILITY AND SOME SOLUTIONS.
AS I QUOTE A REVEREND GRIFFIN, YOU WOULDN'T WANT THIS TO LAND AT YOUR ADDRESS.
I CAN'T BRING IT BACK, BUT I WANT A SOLUTION.
I WANT TO HELP WITH A SOLUTION.
NON-AGENDA SPEAKER NUMBER NINE, NORM WIGGINTON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING.
IT'S BEEN 50 YEARS, BUT I THINK WE HAVE A REUNION COMING UP.
AND I'VE PARTICIPATED IN MANY PROJECTS.
I'VE PARTICIPATED IN CITY GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS HARRIS GOVERNMENT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARKS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH CARE.
BUT I SUSPECT THAT WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A FUTURE FOR THIS COUNTY AND NOT KEEP US BACK IN THE 20TH CENTURY, WHERE SOME OF US FEEL LIKE WE ARE STILL LINGERING.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR GENERATIONAL CHANGE.
NON-AGENDA SPEAKER NUMBER TEN.
COLLECTING MORE TAXES THAN IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
IT'S LEGALIZED ROBBERY, AS SAID BY OUR FORMER GREAT PRESIDENT, CALVIN COOLIDGE.
PLEASE CAREFULLY CONSIDER YOUR ACTIONS ON ITEMS THREE, FOUR, FIVE, 15, AND 16.
IN LIGHT OF WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TODAY.
WHAT IS THE NO NEW TAX RATE? HARRIS COUNTY COLLECTS AND SPENDS MORE THAN $2 BILLION A YEAR IN TAXES.
OVER $5 MILLION WERE SPENT ON CONSTRUCTING THIS ROOM ALONE, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
OTHER UNNECESSARY EXPENDITURES INCLUDE OPERATING DAYCARES, WHICH IS NOT A LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT FUNCTION, TRANSPORTING WOMEN OUT OF STATE FOR ABORTIONS, WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF TEXAS LAW. SENATE BILL 22 AND PAYING FOR ATTORNEYS FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS.
NOTHING IS EASIER THAN SPENDING PUBLIC MONEY.
IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BELONG TO ANYONE.
THE TEMPTATION IS OVERWHELMING TO BESTOW IT ON SOMEBODY.
AGAIN, AS SAID BY CALVIN COOLIDGE.
NON-AGENDA SPEAKER NUMBER 11, ISIDRO GARZA.
THANK YOU SIR. MY NAME IS ISIDRO GARZA, JUNIOR, CLASS OF 73, MECHANICAL ENGINEER.
I'M 73 YEARS OLD, AND I HAVE 50 OF THOSE YEARS IN LULAC.
HONORABLE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT.
BUT AFTER I MAKE MY COMMENTS, I HOPE THE FEELING WILL CONTINUE TO BE MUTUAL.
[00:40:02]
WE ALL LOSE WHEN THERE IS FIGHTING BETWEEN OUR OWN HISPANIC LEADERS.THE DOMINO EFFECT HAS STARTED ON OTHER ELECTIONS.
NOW THE ATTACK IS ON OUR COUNTY JUDGE, FOLLOWED BY POSSIBLY OUR COMMISSIONER, ADRIAN GARCIA.
TALK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY BACKWARDS.
TAKING OUR TALK ABOUT TAKING OUR COMMUNITY BACKWARDS.
AND ONCE WE BLOW, WE STAND TO LOSE WHAT IT HAS TAKEN YEARS TO BUILD.
EL DERECHO DEL RESPETO AJENO ES LA PAZ.
ONE CAN DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE.
NON-AGENDA SPEAKER NUMBER 12, JAMES HUDSON.
OH, YEAH. MY NAME IS JAMES HUDSON.
POLITICS, POWER PROMOTIONS OVER THE PEOPLE THAT YOU PROMISE TO PROTECT AND SERVE.
AND YET WE STILL, AS DEMOCRATS, WILL ASK PEOPLE IN NOVEMBER TO GO OUT AND VOTE FOR HIM.
IT IS A TRAGEDY THAT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER.
IN THE SONIA MASSEY CASE, THEY FIRED THE DEPUTY.
WHEN DOES THE BUCK STOP AT THE TOP? MISS HIDALGO I QUOTE THAT YOU HAD IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE THAT SAID THEY HAVE A PERSONAL VENDETTA TOWARDS ME, A PERSONAL VENDETTA.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW I KNOW WHAT A PERSONAL VENDETTA IS.
GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. WE MONITOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, MR. HUDSON. I HAVE OVER 40 YEARS.
I'VE GOT EVERY AWARD YOU CAN THINK OF IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR SERVING MY COMMUNITY.
COMMISSIONER ELKINS, I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME.
YOU REACHED OUT TO OUR FAMILY WHEN JOSHUA JOHNSON DIED.
YOU WERE ON VACATION WHEN YOU CALLED ME.
BUT THEY DIDN'T HELP US, BUT THEY DIRECTED US.
SO I WAS ABLE TO GET A CIVIL LAWSUIT FILED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOD BLESS YOU.
THANK YOU. NON-AGENDA SPEAKER NUMBER 13, REVEREND JOCELYN GRIFFIN.
AND TO EACH OF YOU COMMISSIONERS, I AM REVEREND JOCELYN GRIFFIN.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN CUSTODY HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY.
I. TODAY IT WOKE UP YESTERDAY TO RECEIVE A CALL FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS TO LOSE ANOTHER LIFE IN THE CUSTODY OF HARRIS COUNTY JAIL.
IT'S A RUDE AWAKENING TO MANY OF US.
BUT I COME HERE AGAIN TODAY, FACING 900 DAYS AND NOT HEARD FROM HARRIS COUNTY JAIL OR HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ CONCERNING THE DEATH OF MY SON, EVAN GRIFFIN LEE.
BUT I JUST STAND HERE AGAIN IN SOLIDARITY FOR SO MANY FAMILIES.
AND GOD FORBID TO EACH OF YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, THAT THIS SITUATION WILL NOT LAND ON YOUR LAP OR AT YOUR ADDRESS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN OR WHAT THE NEXT THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
WITH SO MUCH GOING ON AT THIS FACILITY AND NOT ONLY THE FACILITY, BUT THE LEADER OF THE FACILITY THAT IS NOT SPEAKING OUT, OR WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT'S WORKING HERE TO HELP THE SITUATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL, I'LL MAKE SURE SOMEONE VISITS WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T I CAN'T REALLY EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME.
I THOUGHT WE HAD AN EMERGENCY HEARING.
THERE YOU GO. OKAY. WELL, WE'LL BE WE'LL BE THERE.
NON-AGENDA SPEAKER NUMBER 14, ALBERTO GARCIA.
GOOD MORNING. WITH NEW LIFE MED-TRANS, LLC.
SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE FOLLOWING PRIVATE NONEMERGENCY COMPANIES.
[00:45:03]
PROPER TEAM EMS INC, MIRACLE EMS, LLC, NEW MILLENNIUM EMS AND MILLENNIUM AMBULANCE SERVICE.THESE WERE PRESENTED IN COURT ON JUNE 25TH, 2024, PER FIRE.
WE HAVE NOT HAD A RESPONSE SINCE JULY THE 5TH, AND I'M HERE TODAY REQUESTING THAT THESE COMPANIES BE AWARDED A LETTER OF APPROVAL TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICE.
THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS, JUDGE.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPEAKERS.
[Departments]
SO SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE ITEMS IN ORDER COLLEAGUES, UNLESS YOU HAVE AN OBJECTION.JUDGE HIDALGO, MAY WE PLEASE TAKE ITEM TEN HERE? I KNOW CLERK BURGESS AND CLERK HUDSPETH WOULD PLEASE APPRECIATE THAT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD THOUGHT.
ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S TAKE UP ITEM TEN FIRST.
DOES SOMEBODY NEED TO SPEAK ON IT? GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.
WE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY A AIR ARM AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATION THAT THERE HAS BEEN ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAVE SEEKED THE GRIEVANCE POLICY.
AND IN THAT GRIEVANCE POLICY, IT INCLUDES THE COUNTY CLERK THAT SHARES A ROLE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
AND THAT IS ALL THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY JUDGE.
THAT LIST HAS NOW BEEN RANDOMIZED, AND WE STAND READY TO SEND OUT NOTICES TO THESE PEOPLE TO SELECT THE TOP 45 TO WHO WILL ACCEPT TO SERVE, WITH NINE BEING ON THE COMMITTEE AND 36 ALTERNATES.
AS SOON AS THE SPECIFICS ARE SET AS FAR AS DATE, TIME AND PLACE, AND I HAVE A COPY OF THE LIST TO SUBMIT TO YOU FOR INCLUSION IN THE MINUTES OF THE LIST OF POTENTIAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
SO I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF MOTIONS FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
MAY I READ THEM, PLEASE, FOR MY COLLEAGUE'S CONSIDERATION.
SO WITH REGARD TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TEN, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RANDOMIZED LIST OF PERSONS AS DESCRIBED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 150 2.0 15 TO DIRECT THE COUNTY CLERK TO ENTER THE RANDOMIZED LIST INTO THE MINUTES OF THIS MEETING OF THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT AS AN ATTACHMENT TO THE ORDER FOR THIS ITEM, AND SELECT IN THE ORDER GENERATED BY THE RANDOMIZED LIST, THE FIRST NINE NAMES TO SERVE AS PUBLIC MEMBERS OF THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE, AND THE NEXT 36 NAMES TO SERVE AS ALTERNATES.
SECOND. AND THEN THERE'S A SECOND MOTION AS WELL.
LET ME READ FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, COLLEAGUES.
I MOVE TO DIRECT THE COUNTY CLERK, DISTRICT CLERK AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT OFFICES TO NOTIFY SELECTED PUBLIC MEMBERS AND ALTERNATES AS NEEDED TO ASSEMBLE THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE SET OUT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 152.
SECOND. OKAY, SO WE HAVE TWO MOTIONS AND SECONDS.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR COUNTY ATTORNEY.
HOW COME WE HAVEN'T HAD THIS BEFORE? WHAT WHAT WHAT? BECAUSE WE JUST GAVE THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
IN OTHER WORDS, AN INCREASE TO WHAT THEY HAD BEFORE.
IN OTHER WORDS, I'VE BEEN HERE SIX YEARS AND I DON'T REMEMBER EVER HAVING PARTICIPATED IN THIS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, I THINK 20 1616.
YEAH, 2016 WAS THE LAST TIME THIS HAS BEEN DONE.
SO THIS THIS PROCEDURE IS SET OUT BY STATUTE.
WHEN YOU SET ELECTED, IT'S NOT ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS BUT MOST COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS SALARIES.
SO YOU JUST HAVEN'T SEEN IT BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN DONE SINCE 2016.
AND SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT IS, THE PROCEDURE? YEAH. SO I THINK AT THE LAST MEETING THE COURT ADOPTED OR PROPOSED NEW SALARIES FOR THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND THEN THE STATUTE THAT LAYS ALL
[00:50:06]
THIS PROCEDURE OUT, NEW HIGHER SALARIES, HIGHER SALARIES.THAT'S RIGHT. THE STATUTE THAT LAYS THIS PROCEDURE OUT SAYS THAT THERE HAS TO BE A GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE ASSEMBLED WHERE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO DON'T LIKE THE NEW SALARIES CAN COME AND ESSENTIALLY MAKE THEIR CASE AS TO WHY THEY DESERVE A HIGHER SALARY.
THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS TO ASSEMBLE THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE.
SO WE JUST SELECTED THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE USING ONE OF THE METHODS.
IF 6 TO 8 MEMBERS OF THE NINE MEMBER GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE VOTE TO ADJUST THE SALARY, THEN COMMISSIONERS COURT MUST CONSIDER IT DURING THE BUDGET HEARINGS BUT DOESN'T HAVE TO ADOPT IT. AND IF IT'S LESS THAN SIX, THEN IT DOESN'T GO ON TO THE NEXT COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING.
SO THIS IS ALL JUST SET UP BY STATUTE.
BUT I'M ALSO HEARING THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED ANY TIME IN THE PAST.
IT JUST HASN'T. SO WHICH IS IT LIKE, WAS IT ESTABLISHED BEFORE TO WHERE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A GRIEVANCE FILED, OR WAS IT ONLY ESTABLISHED BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES IN SALARIES, IN WHICH CASE THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO FILE SOMETHING IN THE PAST BECAUSE THEIR SALARIES HAD NOT BEEN RAISED.
THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S THE LATTER.
OKAY. AND SO THOSE SALARIES HAVE NOT CHANGED, AT LEAST IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
ELECTED OFFICIAL SALARIES HAVE NOT CHANGED.
RIGHT. YEAH. AND SO IF WE CHANGE THOSE, I GUESS.
IT'S NOT ANY ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, COUNTY COURT AT LAW JUDGES ARE NOT.
CAN YOU. WHICH ONES ARE WHICH ONES ARE OR ARE NOT.
PULL THE LIST. WELL, AND I'M ASKING ALL THIS BECAUSE I FOUND OUT I'M SUPPOSED TO CHAIR THIS.
BUT IT'S ODD TO ME THAT THE GRIEVANCE IS RIGHT AFTER WE'VE GIVEN AN INCREASE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST THE PROCEDURE SET UP BY STATUTE, RIGHT? BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE, AGAIN, WHEN DOES IT END? RIGHT. LIKE IT ENDS AFTER THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE HAS MET.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SUBMITTED A GRIEVANCE, THAT'S SAID, THERE'S NO OTHER OPPORTUNITY TO CHALLENGE THE SALARY, BUT IF YOU SUBMIT YOUR GRIEVANCE AND THE COMMITTEE APPROVES IT, THEN YOU'LL GET YOUR HIGHER SALARY.
IF THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE DOES NOT APPROVE IT, YOU DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FILE SUIT.
SO THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE MEETS ON A PARTICULAR DAY, PERIOD, FULL STOP.
AND THEN HOWEVER MANY DAYS BEFOREHAND THEY NEED TO.
ANYBODY WHO HAS A GRIEVANCE NEEDS TO FILE IT.
I JUST IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU WOULD EXPLAIN IT SO I DON'T HAVE TO ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS KNOW HOW IT WORKS.
SO THOSE THAT RECEIVE THE INCREASE HAD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS.
I THINK IT'S TEN DAYS TO PROTEST AND FILE THE GRIEVANCE.
THAT WINDOW HAS NOW CLOSED SO NO ONE ELSE CAN FILE A GRIEVANCE.
OKAY. AND SO WE NEED TO GET THE SPECIFICS, DATES, TIMES, PLACES THAT IT'S GOING TO BE HELD SO WE CAN SEND OUT THE NOTICES TO THE PEOPLE ON THE LIST, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO AGREE TO SERVE.
IF THEY DON'T WANT TO SERVE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO SERVE IT.
AND THEY SEND BACK A WRITTEN ACCEPTANCE THAT THEY WILL SERVE.
AND WE WILL GET NINE ACCEPTANCES.
THEY WILL MAKE UP THE COMMITTEE, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE 36 ON THE LIST AS ALTERNATES.
IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE CAN'T WON'T AGREE TO SERVE OR DOESN'T SHOW UP.
AND DO THEY ARE THEY ASKING FOR A PARTICULAR SALARY OR HOW DOES IT WORK? I HAVE NOT SEEN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.
YEAH. THIS IS THIS IS SHANE CARUSO, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND RISK MANAGEMENT.
AS PART OF THE STATUTE, THEY HAVE TO PUT IN WHAT THEY ARE REQUESTING.
SO WE HAVE RECEIVED WHAT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE REQUESTING AS PART OF THEIR GRIEVANCE.
SO WHAT WERE THEY MAKING AND WHAT ARE THEY MAKING AND WHAT AND IF YOU ARE ALLOWED TO SAY, WHAT ARE THEY ASKING FOR? I DON'T HAVE WHAT THEY HAVE TO GIVE ME A MINUTE TO FIND, TO TO GIVE YOU WHAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR.
I CAN TELL YOU WHAT THEY'RE MAKING CURRENTLY.
YEAH. AND WHAT DID THEY USED TO MAKE BEFORE THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT? SO IN THIS CASE, IT WAS ALL OF THEM WERE CONSTABLES, AND THE THE CURRENT SALARY IS $133,598.
WITH THE 9.2% INCREASE PROPOSED FOR THE FY 25 BUDGET FORM, IT WAS $145,889.
OKAY. AND THAT AND SO THE GRIEVANCE WAS FILED BY EACH OF THE CONSTABLE ELECTED CONSTABLES.
[00:55:06]
IS THAT WHAT IT WAS? NOT NOT ALL OF THEM.OKAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IS, YEAH, SOME OF THOSE SPECIFICS ABOUT THE THE GRIEVANCE ITSELF OR WHO WHO FILED THEM? DO YOU GUYS HAVE THAT? SHANE.
YEAH. IT'S FINE AT THIS POINT.
YEAH. YEAH. IT WAS, IT WAS ALL THE CONSTABLES BESIDES CONSTABLE PRECINCT SEVEN.
SO. OKAY, SO THAT MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE.
MISS BURGESS, I KNOW YOU PREFER TO BE ADDRESSED THAT WAY.
SO. SO THEN ANY CHANGES TO ELECTED OFFICIAL SALARIES BASICALLY JUMP START THIS TEN DAY THING AND THEN WHOEVER FIVE DAY PERIOD TO SUBMIT A GRIEVANCE AND THEN TEN DAY PERIOD TO ASSEMBLE THE COMMITTEE.
THE MEETING AFTER AFTER IT'S BEEN CALLED.
BUT I CAN SEE HOW THIS EXISTS BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S WHAT WE HAD BEFORE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE JUDGES AND OTHERS WERE ASKING PLEASE, BUT THERE WASN'T A WAY FOR THEM TO, TO, TO.
BUT THE JUDGES ARE NOT PART OF THIS PROCESS.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, IT'S NOT ALL COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS, RIGHT? WHEN YOU GUYS DID THE THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, IT DID APPLY TO THE JUDGES, BUT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO SUBMIT A GRIEVANCE.
OKAY. WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS NEW TO ALL OF US.
SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND COMMISSIONER FOR POINTING OUT THAT THAT ITEM OKAY.
SO ITEM ONE IS THE THE UPLIFT 2.0 PROGRAM. AND SO I KNOW THAT THIS WENT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE AND THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? AND THE CONCLUSION IS IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME, BUT IT'S GOT AN ADDITIONAL AN ADDITIONAL FALLBACK THAT I THINK IS SMART. AND IT BASICALLY SAYS, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES WERE COUNTING ON THIS $500 MONTHLY PAYMENT AND BACK IN BACK IN APRIL, AND THEY WERE LEFT IN THE LURCH.
AND SO WHAT WE CAN DO TO TO GET PAST THE STATE'S LEGAL ARGUMENT, WHICH WE DO NOT BELIEVE IS MERITED, BUT MERITORIOUS, BUT EITHER WAY IS HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM.
UPLIFT HARRIS 2.0, WHICH HAS THE SAME FAMILIES BUT WOULD THEN THE FAMILIES WOULD RECEIVE CARDS, PRE-LOADED CARDS THAT WOULD HAVE CERTAIN CATEGORIES IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD BEEN SELECTED CAN SPEND THE FUNDS.
THAT'S NOT THE SPIRIT OF A GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAM.
THAT'S WHY THIS IS UPLIFT HARRIS 2.0, NOT UPLIFT HARRIS.
BUT IT IS A WAY FOR US TO KEEP OUR PROMISES TO THESE FAMILIES.
AND WE DO THINK IT WILL HAVE A BENEFIT AND SOMETHING THAT WE CAN STUDY.
HOWEVER, IF THE STATE GETS IN THE WAY OF THIS AND THE PROGRAM BECOMES STUCK IN COURT AGAIN, THEN THE FUNDS WOULD BE REALLOCATED TO TO PROGRAMS THAT ALREADY EXIST TO SUPPORT PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY.
SO SO IT'S NOT THE SAME PROGRAM.
OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
DID THE ARPA STEERING COMMITTEE APPROVE THIS CHANGE? IT DID. WHAT WAS THE VOTE? THREE. TWO. DOES THIS PROGRAM ADDRESS ANYTHING RELATED TO THE LEGAL STATUS OF INDIVIDUALS? IS IT JUST INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN SHOW LEGAL STATUS, OR CAN CAN THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE LEGAL STATUS IN THE COUNTRY, CAN THEY BE A PART OF THIS? IN GENERAL, THE WELFARE REFORM ACT OF 96 PROHIBITS US FROM GIVING CASH ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE WITHOUT WHO ARE NOT QUALIFIED ALIENS OR CITIZENS.
[01:00:09]
ORIGINAL? YES, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL SETUP REQUIRED.AND HOW MUCH IS THAT? APPROXIMATELY 400,000.
SO ROUGHLY $400,000 IN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OUT OF THE 20.5.
HOW MUCH IN LEGAL COST HAVE WE SPENT? JONATHAN, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER RIGHT HERE, BUT I CAN LOOK AND GET YOU A NUMBER.
I JUST THINK THIS MONEY COULD BE MUCH BETTER SPENT RELATED TO THE JAIL BASED COMPETENCY RESTORATION PROGRAM THAT THAT WILL COME OUT OF GENERAL JAIL ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP NUMEROUS TIMES AND FRANKLY, CLEARING DEAD TREES OUT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY.
IF WE CAN EVER GET TO THAT APPROVAL I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, I DO WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE WHO WERE SELECTED IS THIS IS A THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO TO HAVE A NEW PROGRAM AND BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
HOWEVER, I DON'T WANT TO GET ANYBODY'S HOPES UP.
THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WE DESIGNED IT.
WE ANNOUNCED IT BACK IN MAY OVER A YEAR AGO AT THIS POINT, AND THE STATE DIDN'T OBJECT UNTIL JUST BEFORE THOSE THOSE CHECKS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SENT OUT.
SO. SO, COMMISSIONER, WE WOULDN'T HAVE GONE INTO LITIGATION IF THE STATE HAD SPOKEN UP EARLIER.
AND SO THAT WHAT THAT TELLS ME AND I'M NOT IN NOT IN THE HEAD OF OF STATE LEADERS IS, IS THAT THEY'LL POSSIBLY WANT TO FIGHT IT AGAIN.
SO ANYWAY, IF THIS ENDS UP STUCK IN COURT AGAIN, WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT. I DON'T WANT THE FAMILIES TO HAVE SORT OF FALSE HOPE THAT THIS IS OVER.
WE'RE GOING TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS, BUT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
SO THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ELLIS, SECOND COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NO, I'M IN FAVOR.
AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AS WELL, EVEN IF WE DISAGREE.
AND I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST WE TAKE A TEN MINUTE BREAK.
AND IF NOT, I'LL BE TAKING ONE.
OKAY. IT IS 1128 AND COMMISSIONERS COURT IS BACK IN SESSION.
AND WE HAVE A REQUEST FROM THE BUDGET DIRECTOR TO TAKE TWO, FOUR AND FIVE TOGETHER.
THANK YOU JUDGE. AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
IF YOU COULD PULL UP THE PRESENTATION.
SO SO FIRST OFF, THANK YOU ALL.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
AS YOU KNOW, BUDGETING IS AN ALL YEAR THING.
I FEEL LIKE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO BUILD UP THE PROCESS, TO MAKE IT MORE DELIBERATIVE, MAKE IT MORE TRANSPARENT AND REALLY TO CONNECT IT TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN. AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST IN ME.
THE BUDGET PRESENTATION IS THE CULMINATION OF HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS OF WORK OF MY STAFF, WHICH MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE, AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME, AS WELL AS YOUR STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN PEPPERING ME WITH QUESTIONS SO THAT YOU ALL ARE PREPARED FOR THIS DISCUSSION TODAY.
TIFFANY, CAN YOU SWITCH IT TO THE OTHER PRESENTATION, PLEASE? THE ONE FOR FOR.
THERE ARE THERE ARE TWO PIECES OF ACTION ON TWO PIECES OF ACTION ONLY FOR THESE ITEMS. THEY ARE TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOU, AS A BODY, WANT TO GO TO THE VOTERS TO INCREASE THE REVENUE AND THE TAX RATE ABOVE THE VOTER APPROVED RATE. SO ITEM FOUR IS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
ITEM FIVE IS FOR THE TAX RATE.
THAT IS THE ONLY ACTION THAT IS REQUIRED.
WE WILL HAVE AN ITEM AGAIN AUGUST 20TH DISCUSSION ITEM.
WE'LL HAVE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 3RD.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE BUDGET AMENDMENT DAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, JUST AS IT HAPPENED LAST YEAR.
[01:05:03]
THERE IS NO ACTION REQUIRED TODAY.WITH THAT NEXT SLIDE, TIFFANY.
SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING A BUDGET OF 2.66 BILLION.
THAT IS AN 11% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.
SOME OF THE BIG HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE CAN GO MORE IN DEPTH IN THESE IS 51 MILLION.
THE SINGLE BIGGEST COST INCREASE THIS YEAR WAS FOR THE OUTSOURCING, 40 OF WHICH WAS COVERED BY ARPA LAST YEAR, 11 OF WHICH IS ADDITIONAL OUTSOURCING THAT WAS MANDATED BY THE STATE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
$50 MILLION TO IMPLEMENT THE PAY EQUITY STUDY.
AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH AND ALL DEPARTMENT STAFF TO GET TO AN AREA WHERE WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH WHAT FOLKS ARE DOING THEIR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE, THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, THEIR LICENSURES TO GET TO PAY THEM EQUITABLY WITH FOLKS IN THE REGION, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, AND I'LL SKIP THE REST BECAUSE WE'LL GET INTO IT IN MORE DETAIL IN A SECOND.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THE GENERAL FUND AGAIN, THE PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS THE DISASTER RATE, WHICH IS 8%. AGAIN, I'LL EXPLAIN IT QUICKLY.
IN MOST YEARS OUR REVENUE CAN ONLY GO UP 3.5% BECAUSE OF THE DISASTER DECLARATION BY THE GOVERNOR, OF WHICH WE'VE HAD THREE THIS YEAR, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO GO UP TO 8%.
IF WE WERE TO IN 2026, IT WILL REVERT BACK TO 3.5% FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 3.5% FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
NEXT SLIDE. ON FLOOD CONTROL, THE BUDGET REFLECTS COMMISSIONERS COURT ACTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A TO CONSIDER, I'M SORRY A AN ELECTION TO GO TO THE VOTERS FOR ADDITIONAL ABOUT $100 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO MOVE OUR REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE FOR ALMOST 300 YEARS, DOWN TO 67, AND BRING US IN LINE WITH NATIONAL STANDARDS.
NEXT SLIDE. ON HARRIS COUNTY TOLL ROAD.
AND I WANT TO THANK ROBERTO TREVINO.
HE'S REALLY DONE YEOMAN'S WORK AND TO CONTINUE TO BRING IN THE MONEY TO LOWER OUR COSTS PER TRANSACTION SO THAT WE WERE ABLE IF FOLKS REMEMBER, LAST YEAR, WE HAD SAID ABOUT $30 MILLION WORTH OF THE TRANSFERS LAST YEAR WERE PROBABLY NOT RECURRING.
THERE WAS EXTRA FUNDING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO SEE, AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT THIS YEAR.
A QUARTER OF WHICH IS FROM NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THESE ARE PROPERTIES THAT ARE HITTING THE THE ROLLS.
THERE WILL BE A POLICY BEING PROPOSED ON AUGUST 20TH 7TH OR SEPTEMBER 10TH THAT REFLECTS A TO REIMBURSE THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE TIME, EFFORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT THAT THE GENERAL FUND PROVIDES TO THESE SPECIAL FUNDS, PRIMARILY HECTOR CONTRACT PATROL.
OUR REVENUE GOES UP, BUT WE TURN AROUND AND WE GIVE THAT.
WE ALLOCATE THAT TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS.
WE SPEND EVERY EVERY NICKEL WE GET IN GOES TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS IN ADDITION TO OUR CONTRIBUTION.
THE FED HAS KEPT THEIR TAX RATE HIGH.
SO WE HAVE SO MUCH CASH ON HAND AT ANY GIVEN TIME THAT IT IS REAL MONEY FOR US.
AND THE LAST ONE THAT I'LL GO OVER QUICKLY IS ARPA INTERESTS.
WE REDID THE ARPA INTEREST PROJECTION AND THOUGHT WE WERE BEING A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE.
WE CAME UP WITH AN ADDITIONAL 9 MILLION THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING WE UTILIZE AS PART OF THIS BUDGET.
THE ONLY ONE I WANT TO THE LAST ONE I'LL COVER ON THIS SLIDE IS THE STATE OPIOID SETTLEMENT.
WE'VE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
THIS IS PART OF THIS IS WE KNEW THIS WAS HAPPENING.
WE GOT A BIG LUMP SUM LAST YEAR.
WE GOT ANOTHER LUMP SUM THIS YEAR.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO STAGE DOWN THROUGH THE LIFE OF THE SETTLEMENT.
IT'S A IT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
AND I DO WANT TO GO REALLY QUICKLY OVER SOME OF THE DRIVERS.
ALSO, WE ARE JUST INVESTING HEAVILY IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE HAVE ISSUED DEBT FOR, FOR BIG PROJECTS SUCH AS THE COURTHOUSE RENOVATION, RIVERSIDE NAVIGATION.
[01:10:05]
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO INVEST TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FACILITIES ARE ON PAR WITH WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE.NEXT SLIDE. I JUST WANT TO FLAG QUICKLY AND I CONTINUE TO FLAG THIS FOR THE COURT, BUT OUR COST BOTH PER EMPLOYEE AND OVERALL IN THE GENERAL FUND HAS GONE UP.
EIGHT FIGURES SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
NEXT SLIDE. JUST A QUICK BUDGET WALK.
SO GOING UP TO THE 8% IS 89 MILLION.
WE'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED $50 MILLION WORTH OF NEW REVENUE.
SOME OF THAT IS IS INCREASING FEES THAT WE CURRENTLY CHARGE FOR SERVICE.
WE. THE BUDGET REFLECTS A $23 MILLION TRANSFER OF JAIL MEDICAL COSTS OVER TO HARRIS HEALTH'S BUDGET, AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING $21 MILLION WORTH OF BUDGET CUTS FROM INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS AND THEN $53 MILLION IN SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS.
AND WE'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION NEXT SLIDE.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SUMMARY, AGAIN, 59% OF OUR BUDGET IS IS ALLOCATED IN THE IN THE GOAL OF A SAFER AND MORE JUST HARRIS COUNTY.
THAT IS OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS, THAT IS OUR COURTS, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKE UP OUR OVERALL OUR OVERALL JUSTICE SYSTEM, 65% OF THE DEPARTMENT SPENDING IS IS TIED IS IN THAT GOAL.
I DO WANT TO FLAG VERY QUICKLY THE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION.
SO PLEASE DON'T CUT MY OFFICE.
SO, AND AND WE CAN PROVIDE KIND OF THE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT MAKES THAT UP.
AND I ALSO WANT TO REFLECT THERE.
AND WE ARE ALSO REPLACING THE FUNDING FOR THE MAC.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THEIR WHOLE BUDGET.
THAT WAS A STEP DOWN GRANT FROM TIDC TO CREATE IT.
AND THIS THIS PAST YEAR WAS THE LAST YEAR OF THAT.
NEXT SLIDE. ON THE SAFETY SIDE, YOU ALL HAVE HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS AD NAUSEAM, BUT THE SINGLE MOST EXPENSIVE THING THAT WE DO AS A COUNTY IS IT OUTSOURCE INMATES.
SO THIS IS 51 MILLION, AGAIN, 40 OF WHICH IS OUR COST THAT WE USED TO HAVE IN THE OVER IN ARPA.
AND TEN OF IT IS THE ADDITIONAL OUTSOURCING MANDATED BY THE STATE.
WE'RE ALSO THE CONTRACT PATROL.
WE'RE ALSO INCREASING THE BUDGET FOR JAIL MEDICAL AS A BASELINE BY TEN.
1.5 INVESTMENT IN THE SHERIFF IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO TO REDUCE THEIR BACKLOG.
I BELIEVE THAT WHAT THEY'VE SHARED WITH ME IS THEY'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILD ABUSE CASES THAT HAVE THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE HOPPER LONGER THAN THEY WANTED IT TO. AND THEN 1.3 MILLION TO CREATE THAT SIX SHERIFFS DISTRICT, AS YOU GUYS REMEMBER, THAT PART OF THE THE BOND WE HAD INCLUDED THE PURCHASE OF LAND AND THE RENOVATION OR AND THE BUILDING OF A NEW SIXTH DISTRICT.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MUCH OF THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE HAD IS IN THAT NORTHWEST CORRIDOR.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN THE COUNTY.
NEXT SLIDE. SO WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.
WE ARE CONTINUING A SUPPLEMENTAL THAT THAT THIS COURT APPROVED LAST YEAR TO FOR COMPETENCY HEARING, CAPACITY FOR COMPETENCY HEARINGS.
I THINK HEARINGS IS THE WRONG WORD EVALUATIONS.
[01:15:09]
THESE WERE THE TOP THREE OF THEIR OF THEIR.WE MET WITH THEM. THESE WERE THE TOP THREE THAT THEY FELT WAS MOST IMPACTFUL TO THEIR OPERATIONS.
ON INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ARE MAINTAINING THAT THAT $287 MILLION WORTH OF TRANSFERS.
THESE ARE TRANSFERS THAT GO TO THE PRECINCTS TO FUND BOTH STAFF AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PROJECTS.
AND WE ARE ALSO CREATING, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY ENGINEER, A FACILITY FUND SO THAT WE CAN BETTER TRACK THE COSTS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL FACILITY SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE WANT TO KEEP, WHAT WE WANT TO MONETIZE WHAT WE NEED TO, TO INVEST IN.
NEXT SLIDE. I'M MAKING THE ECONOMY MORE INCLUSIVE.
ONE THING THAT TWO THINGS THAT I WANT TO FLAG.
AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING WITH MORE REGULAR UPDATES ON THE ON THE PROJECTS.
WE ARE ISSUING $60 MILLION WORTH OF DEBT TO REEQUIP, OUR POWER PLANT.
OUR SOUTH CENTRAL POWER PLANT HERE DOWNTOWN.
WE'VE INVESTED 650,000 INTO THE REVOLVING FUND SO THAT WE CAN, SO THAT THEY HAVE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO GO AND DO PROJECTS THAT REDUCE OUR EMISSIONS. THAT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, AT LEAST FOR IN MY SEAT, LOWER OVERALL ELECTRICAL BILLS.
AND ONE THING I WANT TO FLAG THAT OFFICE HAS DONE JUST INCREDIBLE WORK.
OUR ELECTRICAL, OUR UTILITY BILLS ARE LOWER THAN THEY WERE LAST YEAR.
AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE'VE PURCHASED TWO NEW MAJOR BUILDINGS, OUR COUNTY CONTINUES TO GROW.
I THINK IT'S JUST A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK THAT THAT OFFICE IS DOING.
THANK YOU GUYS. THAT'S AWESOME.
THE BUDGET ALSO REFLECTS THE TRANSFER OF RISK MANAGEMENT FROM OVER TO TO OMB.
NEXT SLIDE. ON THE THE GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION.
THE BIGGEST ONE OF THE BIGGER DRIVERS IS THE PAYMENTS INTO THE TERS.
WE JOIN TWO NEW ONES THIS YEAR.
WE SET A TAX RATE THAT REFLECTS THE PARTICIPATION IN THE TOURS.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING A $10 MILLION CONTRIBUTION INTO THE PIC.
THIS IS AN AREA WHERE IT MAY BE WORTH MAKING SOME ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE TAX RATE IS GOING TO IS GOING TO GO BACK TO THE 3.5% AFTER THIS YEAR. IT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO TO PUT ONE TIME MONEY AND SHORE UP OUR OVERALL FINANCIAL PLACE.
WE'RE ALSO INVESTING $3 MILLION IN A CENTRALIZED LAPTOP REPLACEMENT.
THAT WAS THE POLICY THAT WAS APPROVED LAST CAUGHT.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT KICKING THAT OFF AS WELL AS $2.5 MILLION.
IN IN CYBERSECURITY INVESTMENTS.
NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN ON FLOODING I MEAN THE BIGGEST STORY HERE IS THAT WE IF COURT WERE TO DECIDE TODAY TO GO TO THE VOTERS, IT'D BE $100 MILLION INVESTMENT FOR THEM TO MAINTAIN THEIR CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS THE $5 BILLION WORTH OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY BUILDING.
NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN REALLY QUICKLY, ON OUR CAPITAL BUDGET, WE'RE PROJECTED TO SPEND 2.4 BILLION.
[01:20:06]
I JUST WANT TO LET THAT NUMBER SINK IN.THAT IS LARGER THAN MOST STATES, EVEN LARGE STATES.
SO WITH THAT, THAT'S MY PRESENTATION.
I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR I CAN TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR PORSA.
ON THE SLIDE WHERE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT I THINK I GOT IT LATER ON THE CONTRACT DEPUTY PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S 12 MILLION THAT COMES IN, AND WE PUT IT BACK OUT.
AND THEN YOU MADE REFERENCE TO A 30 SOME ODD MILLION.
SO 37 MILLION IS OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROGRAM.
I BELIEVE THE PROGRAM IS RIGHT AROUND 110 MILLION.
THE THE CUSTOMERS PAY THE BALANCE.
AND THAT COMES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
YES, SIR. AND UNDER YOUR REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF SOME OF THOSE ITEMS ARE NOT APPROVED? WE WOULD NEED TO START CUTTING.
SO WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE WITH WITH SERVICE CUTS.
YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE THAT WE FLAG THAT BECAUSE UNDER THOSE REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS, THERE WAS AN ITEM AT OUR LAST MEETING, WHERE IT WOULD HAVE INCREASED HEALTH CARE BENEFITS FOR ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE.
WOULD THAT HAVE COME UNDER THIS CATEGORY? NO, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NO.
WE TOOK THAT OUT OF THE BUDGET AFTER THE COURT MADE ITS DECISION.
OKAY. AND JUST WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I KNOW ONE ONE REASON WHY WE HAD AN INCREASE FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS DEPARTMENT WAS WE BROUGHT THAT TAX COLLECTION IN-HOUSE BECAUSE IT WAS CONSIDERED THIS COURT UNANIMOUSLY, UNANIMOUSLY CONSIDERED THAT A PREDATORY PRACTICE.
I WANT TO I KNOW WE WANT TO RAISE THE FEES, BUT SOME SOMETIMES IN MY OLD JOB THEY CALL THEM FEES, BUT THEY WERE RATHER PREDATORY AND THEY GET PASSED ON TO SOMEBODY AT SOME POINT. SO. SO WE DON'T AND WE'VE REVIEWED SOME OF THESE AS PART OF THE FIVE YEAR PLAN.
THE LARGEST OF THIS IS CHARGING AN OVERHEAD RATE TO HECTOR.
THAT'S THAT'S A BIG CHUNK OF IT.
THE NEXT BIGGEST ONE ARE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER ONES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THERE IS THE PERMIT FEE AS WELL AS THE CONSTABLE FEES FOR EVICTIONS AND PROCESS SERVING, ETC..
DID WE MAKE SOME CHANGES ON THE CONTRACT? PATROL PROGRAM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT TENDS TO BENEFIT CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS MORE THAN OTHERS.
AND THAT $37 MILLION HIT THERE ABOUT 2.2 MILLION.
WE MADE SOME CHANGES, BUT ARE THERE OTHERS? YEAH, WE INCREASED THE REFLECT OUR COSTS, SO WE INCREASED IT BY 6.2%.
THAT'S CORRECT. BUT JUST ONE NOTE ON THAT BECAUSE WE SET BY PRACTICE, NOT NECESSARILY BY POLICY.
WE WE TYPICALLY SET THAT RATE IN THE FALL FOR THE VERY NEXT YEAR.
ON PAGE 16 FOR THE DISPARITY STUDY, I KNOW THAT BECAUSE WHEN I WAS ASKING FOR THEM, I JUST ASSUMED HARRIS COUNTY WASN'T.
I MEAN, HARRIS HILLS WAS INCLUDED, BUT IT WAS NOT.
HAVE WE LOOKED AT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO ONE IN ABOUT ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO ANYWAY? COULD SOMEHOW THE NEXT ONE THAT WE DO ROLL THEM IN AS WELL? WOULDN'T IT BE CHEAPER THAN US HAVING TO SPEND A MILLION? AND THEN THEY MAY HAVE, THEY MAY HAVE TO SPEND 500,000 AS WELL.
I WOULD DEFER TO DIRECTOR GONZALEZ.
IF SHE'S ON. IF NOT, THEN I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND I WON'T DELAY US NOW.
BUT JUST LOOK AT IT. I THINK SHE'S ON COMMISSIONER.
YEAH. DO YOU KNOW THE DESK STUDY COME A YEAR, OR WAS IT TWO YEARS LATER? BY THE TIME WE.
YEAH. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR THEY.
THEIRS WAS OUT, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO IT.
I KNOW DOCTOR FAUCI SAID JUST THINK ABOUT IT.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT WOULD BE ACCELERATING THEIRS.
BUT I KNOW WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE SMALLER ENTITIES WITH THAT DISPARITY STUDY FUND, IT JUST MADE MORE SENSE TO ROLL THEM INTO THIS ONE INSTEAD OF SPENDING ALL THAT MONEY FOR SEPARATE FOR SEPARATE STUDIES.
[01:25:01]
YOU KNOW, WE ALL PRETTY MUCH PURCHASING THE SAME THINGS TO SOME EXTENT.SO AND AND DANIEL, ALSO WHEN WE WHEN WE GO BACK, UNLESS UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE NEVER THREE DISASTERS THAT COME UP IN THE NEXT YEAR.
WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE TO GO BACK WITH THE GENERAL FUND TO THE 3.5%? SO SO WE'VE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS.
WHAT I WOULD EXPECT IS THE THE REVENUE NUMBER TO STAY RELATIVELY FLAT.
FOR EXAMPLE, INDIGENT DEFENSE HAS DOUBLED OVER THE LAST I BELIEVE, THREE YEARS.
SO IF THAT TREND CONTINUES, OBVIOUSLY THE PICTURE IS WAY WORSE.
BUT FROM THE REVENUE SIDE, MY SENSE IS THAT IT WOULD STAY RELATIVELY FLAT.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THOUGH, WE'D HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
BUT I WILL SAY MY RECOMMENDATION IS NOT GOING TO GO TO LAYER ON NEW PROGRAMING TO GET TO THE FULL 2.66 MILLION OR 1 BILLION, BECAUSE THEN WE'RE IN THE SAME BOAT NEXT YEAR.
WE CAN CREATE FOR OURSELVES A LITTLE BIT OF A BREATHING ROOM.
IF WE CAN USE THAT FUNDING FOR SOME ONE TIME, SHORE UP THE PIC, ETC..
COMMISSIONER BRIONES AND THEN COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
DIRECTOR RAMOS, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU.
YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC.
I KNOW YOU'VE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS BRIEFING MEMBERS OF THE COURT AND OUR TEAMS. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GOING INTO THE COMMUNITY, HAVING THESE COMMUNITY TOWN HALL WORKSHOPS ON THE BUDGET TO GET THE PUBLIC'S INPUT.
SO THANK YOU. MY QUESTION PERTAINS TO PAGE SLIDE 11.
WITH REGARD TO GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION, THE 647 MILLION.
COULD YOU UNPACK THAT WITH MORE DETAIL SO THAT THE COMMUNITY IS CLEAR WHAT ALL OF THAT ENTAILS.
SURE. THANK YOU. SO ROUGHLY 200 MILLION OF THAT IS NON-DEPARTMENTAL SPENDING.
SO WE HAVE A IN THE IT'S CALLED DEPARTMENT 202 GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.
IT'S ALSO THE PLACE WHERE WE PUT PLACEHOLDERS FOR THINGS THAT WE MAY ALLOCATE IN THE FUTURE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE 50 MILLION FOR TO IMPLEMENT THE PAY EQUITY STUDY IS IN THERE.
THE TERS PAYMENTS ARE IN THERE.
SOME OF OUR INSURANCE INSURANCE PREMIUMS. AGAIN, IT'S A WHOLE KIND OF SLATE OF THINGS, INCLUDING ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS LIKE MINE, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, BASICALLY EVERYBODY ON THIS TABLE.
LOOK FORWARD TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.
WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE USING OUR OUR RED PLACARDS AND OUR GREEN PLACARDS, AND WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON A LOT OF THESE ITEMS. THAT'LL BE FUN FOR SOME OF US.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO GO OVER THIS, I GUESS, TO THAT POINT THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SECURE INPUT FROM FOLKS NOW THAT WE HAVE A A PRINTED COPY OF WHAT THE BUDGET IS, AND WE'VE STILL GOT TO HEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENTS, WE STILL HAVE TO HEAR FROM A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS.
SO I GUESS THIS IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET SUBJECT TO CHANGE THAT THIS IS HOW DO I SAY THIS? YOU WE ALL CREATED AND YOU ALL APPROVED A, A PROCESS, A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR US TO MANAGE THE BUDGET.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
WE'VE MET WITH EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY.
WE'VE MET WITH YOUR STAFF COUNTLESS TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS TO SOLICIT INPUT.
THIS WAS OUR BEST GUESS AT HOW TO GET ONE TO GET TO BALANCE TWO.
WHERE WHERE THERE WAS SOME AGREEMENT ON ON STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS.
BUT THIS BUDGET IS MEANT TO BE AMENDED TO REFLECT YOUR PRIORITIES AS A BODY.
SO WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE HEARINGS, AND WE'LL HAVE CONVERSATIONS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER AND OTHER KEY ISSUES, AND WE'LL TAKE THAT INPUT AND MAKE DECISIONS. SO THIS IS THIS IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND WE'LL WE'LL TREAT IT THAT WAY GOING FORWARD.
I JUST WANT TO SEE IF COMMISSIONER GARCIA HAD ANY, AND THEN I'LL GO BACK TO YOU.
SO THE THE BUDGET CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD, THE NUMBER IS 21 MILLION.
[01:30:04]
21 MILLION. AND THAT'S TOTAL, RIGHT? SO HOW ARE YOU? HOW ARE YOU REACHING THAT AGAIN? WE IF YOU GIVE ME A SECOND, I CAN PULL UP THE LIST.MANY OF THEM ARE JUST MOVING GENERAL FUND EXPENSES OVER TO A SPECIAL FUND.
THERE ARE THINGS LIKE WE CURRENTLY PAY FOR OUR DEBT.
DEBT ISSUANCES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT'S A DEBT ELIGIBLE EXPENSE.
SO IT'S A HANDFUL OF THINGS THAT MADE UP.
I CAN SEND YOUR STAFF THE FULL LIST.
WE HAVE NOT, NOR WHILE I'M SITTING IN THIS SEAT DO ACROSS THE BOARD CUTS.
WE WE LOOKED FIRST AT WHAT ARE WHAT IS THE IMPACT.
SO MANY OF THE ONES THAT ARE EASY ARE HEY, I HAVE A SPECIAL FUND THAT CAN COVER THAT EXPENSE.
GREAT. PERFECT. WE SHOULD BE USING THE RIGHT FUNDING FOR THE RIGHT INITIATIVE.
YEAH. AND WE ALSO WE ALSO DID OUR BEST AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO REFINE THIS PROCESS.
HOW DO YOU WE ASKED THE QUESTION TO EACH DEPARTMENT.
HOW DO YOU ALIGN WITH THE NEW STRATEGIC PLAN.
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ALIGN WITH STRATEGIC PLAN? HOW DO YOU MEASURE WHETHER YOU ALIGN WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND THEN ON THE CUT, BOTH THE CUTS AND THE ENHANCEMENTS.
WE ASKED, HOW DOES HOW DOES IT ALIGN AND WHAT IS THE IMPACT.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE SORT OF BEEN TRYING TO DO FOR A WHILE.
AND I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THERE.
I THINK WE'RE STILL SCRATCHING THE SURFACE ON THAT.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A LOT WHEN WE GET THAT INITIATIVES LIST THAT COMES OUT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WE AND WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO GET A BILL FOR THEM, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK BACKWARDS ON HOW TO FUND THEM.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF THE BIG MOVEMENTS.
I CAN TELL YOU THERE ARE NO DRACONIAN CUTS IN HERE.
I GOT THAT QUESTION FROM THE MEDIA YESTERDAY.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO LAYOFFS IN HERE.
SO WE DID OUR BEST TO TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT.
AND WE'VE COMMUNICATED WITH THE DEPARTMENTS.
AND I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR MENON FOR THE THE WORK THAT SHE DID ON HER BUDGET.
HER BUDGET WAS UNRECOGNIZABLE.
AS OF TWO YEARS AGO, SHE CAME IN, WE DETAILED SOMEBODY OVER THERE, THEY GOT ADDITIONAL FISCAL STAFF, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND $4 MILLION WORTH OF SAVINGS FROM RENEGOTIATING THEIR POS, MANAGING THEIR SPENDING BETTER.
AND THAT GAVE US THE SPACE TO MAKE THAT INVESTMENT INTO CYBERSECURITY.
AND I'M GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT.
AND IF THE IF WE CONTINUE TO, TO FACE DEFICITS EACH YEAR, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE ON THE TABLE? IT COULD. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FOR IT TO BE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING.
LET'S GET RID OF THAT PROGRAM AND REALLOCATE IT TO SOMETHING THAT IS THAT DOES ALIGN AND IS WORKING.
SO YEAH, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THE MASKS.
MY MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT YOU GET RID OF THE GOOD WITH THE BAD.
AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO BE STRATEGIC.
YOU KNOW, AS OF TWO YEARS AGO, THIS COUNTY DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY POSITIONS IT HAD AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
IF YOU WERE TO ASK THE BUDGET OFFICE, HR AND THE DEPARTMENT, YOU'D GET A DIFFERENT ANSWER.
WE DIDN'T HAVE BUDGETS BY PROGRAM AND SERVICES.
WE DIDN'T HAVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO BE DONE.
AND I GOT CALLS FROM SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO WERE ASKING, WHY? WHY IS COURT STAFF ASKING ME HOW I SPEND MY MONEY? AND THAT'S THAT'S FIRMLY IN YOUR PURVIEW AS A AS A GOVERNING BODY.
WELL, I KNOW THAT THAT'S A BIG LIFT TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT.
LAST QUESTION BEFORE I PASS IT ON TO COMMISSIONER ELLISON.
SORT OF ALONG THE LINE OF WHAT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY WAS ASKING IN TERMS OF, OKAY, SO YOU HAVE THIS THIS PRELIMINARY BUDGET, SO TO SPEAK, THAT YOU SAID IS MEANT TO BE CHANGED. SO CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND? YOU KNOW, IS THIS BUDGET KIND OF LIKE AN INNER SCENARIO? AND SO IF WE WANT TO DO ANYTHING MORE THAN NR, WE'D HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, LIKE, LIKE WHAT ASSUMPTIONS DO YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF REVENUE AND EXPENSES IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS DRAFT BUDGET? THIS BUDGET REFLECTS THE THE VOTER APPROVED RATE AT THE DISASTER.
SO THE 8%. SO THE VERY HIGHEST WE CAN GO UNDER STATE LAW.
[01:35:03]
YEAH, IT DOES NOT REFLECT AN N AND R.IT ALSO REFLECTS EXPENSES THAT THAT MATCH THAT AMOUNT.
OKAY. GOT IT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ELLIS.
HOW MANY OF THE PRIORITIES THAT CAME FROM COURT OFFICERS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET? SO BECAUSE WE HAD THAT STAGGERED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE ONES THAT WERE THAT WERE ESSENTIALLY SPONSORED BY COURT OFFICES BUT WERE SUBMITTED BY DEPARTMENTS, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT $51 MILLION SERVICE ENHANCEMENT LINE, ONES THAT CAME THAT WERE NOT SUBMITTED BY DEPARTMENTS BUT JUST BY COURT MEMBERS ARE NOT REFLECTED IN HERE.
AND WE'LL WE'LL PACKAGE ALL OF THOSE, VET THE INFORMATION.
AS OF NOW AND AGAIN, THIS BUDGET IS A STARTING POINT, A STARTING START OF THE CONVERSATION.
NOT AT ALL MEANT TO BE THE THE FINAL.
THANK THANK YOU. AND IF IT IS THE STARTING CONVERSATION, WHAT'S LEFT? HOW MUCH IS LEFT? SO THAT COULD BE DISTRIBUTED.
SO WE INCLUDED $10 MILLION IN UNALLOCATED.
AND THEN WE ALSO CAN GET UP TO 35, $40 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL CUTS THAT WILL HAVE PREPARED.
IF YOU REMEMBER, COMMISSIONER AT LAST YEAR ON BUDGET AMENDMENT DAY, WE TOOK THE CUTS AND THE TAX RATES IN THE MORNING TO JUST GET TO HOW MUCH ARE WE FREEING UP? AND THEN WE DID THE BUDGET AMENDMENT PROCESS IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
AND TO WHAT EXTENT ARE YOU TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THIS FEDERAL MONEY IS GONE, WHEN ARPA MONEY IS GONE? ALL THOSE PROGRAMS. SO THERE'LL BE NO ROOM FOR ANY NEW PROGRAMS. ALL THOSE PROGRAMS WILL GO AWAY.
SO THAT'S UP TO COMMISSIONERS COURT.
SO WE DID INCLUDE ALL OF THE IN THOSE OR AS PART OF THE OF THE ENHANCEMENT PROCESS, WE ASKED DEPARTMENTS TO SUBMIT FOR THINGS THAT WERE GOING AWAY FROM ARPA.
THAT WAS MY DIRECTION. THAT'S THE DIRECTION I GOT FROM COURT A FEW YEARS AGO.
WE HAD SUBMITTED ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WERE ALL THE PROJECTS AND THE GRANTS THAT WERE GOING AWAY.
WE SAID WE ASKED, DO YOU WANT TO INCLUDE ANY OF ALL OF THEM? SOME OF THEM? NONE OF THEM.
COURT SETTLED AT AT NONE OF THEM.
SO SOME OF THEM ARE INCLUDED, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ARPA DATA FELLOWS.
SO WE HAD TO TRANSFER THAT INTO THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S MANDATED BY THE STATE.
BUT IT'S UP TO COURT IF THOSE PROJECTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN, THAN ONES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING, THEN WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY FUND THE ARPA PROGRAMS AND GET RID OF THE ONES THAT AREN'T THAT DON'T ALIGN.
AND OF COURSE, WHEN WE SET IT ALL COME DOWN TO MONEY, OBVIOUSLY.
I MEAN, WE'LL GET TO MOVE AROUND CHAIRS ON THE DECK, SO TO SPEAK.
THAT'S CORRECT. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S BASED ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE.
THAT'S CORRECT. I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT.
YOU SAID IT ONCE AND SOMEBODY DIDN'T CATCH IT.
THAT'S JUST A PERSONAL PREFERENCE, AND I'M WILLING TO LIVE WITH THAT.
OKAY. JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE THAT BOOK OF ARPA PROGRAMS. SO NONE OF THAT BOOK IS IN THE BUDGET OR WHAT OF THAT BOOK IS IN THE BUDGET.
SO SO THE ITEM I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO COVER THAT REALLY QUICKLY.
THERE ARE ITEMS AND THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED FROM IN 25 AND 26.
THOSE ARE THOSE ARE STILL IN THE BOOK AND THOSE ARE FUNDED.
THERE WAS A SUBSET JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
SOME OF THEM ARE INCLUDED IN THE BASE BUDGET.
SOME OF THEM WILL COME FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AS PART OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE VERY CLEAR WHAT PROGRAMS ARE, NOT WHAT ARPA PROGRAMS ARE NOT IN THE CURRENT DRAFT BUDGET. AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S A STARTING POINT.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT THAT DECISION.
BUT IT WOULD JUST BE REALLY GREAT TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
WHICH I CAN GET THAT TO YOU IN JUST ONE SECOND.
[01:40:02]
OH, AND THEN HANG ON, LET ME I HAVE I KNOW THAT THAT DOCTOR IS HERE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION, DOCTOR, BUT I JUST I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THIS KIND OF BROADER QUESTION.THE NEW COURTS IS THAT IS THAT IN THE BUDGET AND HOW MUCH IS THE COST FOR THAT? THE SO IT WAS SPLIT UP THREE AND THREE.
SO WE, WE CREATED THREE NEW COURTS LAST YEAR.
WE'RE MANDATED TO CREATE THREE NEW COURTS THIS YEAR.
THE TOTAL COST FOR THE THREE THIS YEAR IS 8.5.
AND I BELIEVE THE COST LAST YEAR WAS NINE BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME STARTUP COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO SO 8.5 FOR THREE OR FOR SIX, 8.5 FOR THREE.
AND I BELIEVE IT WAS $9 MILLION LAST YEAR FOR THREE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE MORE.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE 8.5 TIMES TWO.
I KNOW, I KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE TRYING TO GET YET MORE COURTS FROM THE LEGISLATURE.
THERE WAS A FIFTH PROBATE COURT, WHICH WAS FUNDED LAST YEAR.
OKAY. ANYTHING ABOVE THAT WOULD REQUIRE LEGISLATIVE ACTION BY THE BY THE STATE, RIGHT? YEAH. NO, BUT I'VE HEARD FROM FOLKS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT, AND THAT WOULD BE STAGGERED.
AND THEN USUALLY IT GOES INTO EFFECT SEPTEMBER 9TH 30.
YEAH. SO FROM 15 MILLION, 8.5 TO 17 MILLION.
IT'S GOOD. IT DOES NOT MEET THE NEED BY ANY MEANS.
YOU KNOW, JUST BASICALLY ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, HOW MUCH OF THAT IS IN THE BUDGET? ARE WE MEETING THE SAME PERCENTAGE IN COMPETENCY RESTORATION.
THE ACTUAL NEED NEITHER AND KIND OF GENERALLY SPEAKING, FOR JAIL BASED PERFORMANCE AND AND SAFETY FOR BOTH BOTH DETENTION OFFICERS AND AND THOSE INCARCERATED AS WELL AS ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTIONS.
SO THERE'S THERE'S 1 MILLION FOR THE EVALUATIONS.
AND WE WORKED WITH RICHARD WOODS AT THE DISTRICT COURTS AS WELL AS WAYNE YOUNG AT THE HARRIS CENTER.
THE VOLUME AND THE OF EVALUATIONS HAD HAD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED, AS DID THE COST PER EVALUATION.
650 OF THOSE WERE WERE WAITING FOR THEIR TRIAL, WERE IN JAIL, WAITING FOR THEIR TRIAL.
BASED ON THE EVALUATION WE ARE FUNDING.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER ITEM HERE.
THEY TO TO TO FUND JBR, JBR AT ITS CONTINUING RATE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
RIGHT. WE DIDN'T GET THE, THE ENHANCEMENT REQUEST UNTIL AFTER THE, THE PROCESS HAD CLOSED.
IT WAS ACTUALLY SUBMITTED. RIGHT. NO, NO I HAVE THAT.
BUT I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
I'VE SAID HERE, IF WE'RE TO PAY FOR IT SOMEWHERE AND IT'S GOING TO BE IN MORE OUTSOURCED.
OKAY. SO THAT SO THAT ONE IS IS THROUGH TO GET TO GET PAST THAT QUEUE.
YES. WE'LL PRESENT A MOTION FOR THAT TO BE FUNDED IN THE 25 BUDGET.
I THINK THAT'S THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW.
YES, MA'AM. GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE.
HEY THERE. PLEASURE TO BE HERE AGAIN.
I BROUGHT REINFORCEMENT WITH ME.
OUR CAPABLE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
I WILL COVER THE FIRST FEW SLIDES, AND THEN I'LL HAND IT OVER TO OUR MISS NIKITIN, OUR CFO.
IT REFLECTS THE MOST RECENT BASELINE FISCAL YEAR 24.
REVENUES AND EXPENSES, AND ALSO OUR BEST INFLATIONARY ASSUMPTIONS.
ALL RIGHT. OUR STRATEGIC FACILITIES PLAN.
[01:45:06]
AS I MENTIONED IN THE COURT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE PLAN ON COMING TO THE COURT TO DRAW DOWN THE FIRST TRANCHE OF THAT $2.5 BILLION.THE COST OF THAT WITHDRAWAL AND THE INTEREST THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PAYING ON THAT FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS ESTIMATED AT $18.2 MILLION. BUT THAT MONEY IS GOING TO COVER, OBVIOUSLY, IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HOSPITAL AND THE LBJ CAMPUS, WHICH WE BELIEVE WE CAN OPEN IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2029. OUR EXPANSION OF THE INTENSIVE CARE UNITS, OUR TELEMETRY CAPABILITIES AT BEN TAUB HOSPITAL, AND ALSO ADDING 120 ADDITIONAL MED SURGE BEDS ON THAT CAMPUS.
IMPROVING OUR AMBULATORY CARE PLATFORM AND REFRESH THE RADIOLOGY AND RADIATION THERAPY AT SMITH CLINIC AND OPENING OF THE PASADENA HEALTH CENTER, WHICH WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW.
AND AS I HAVE AGAIN PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED TO THE COURT, WE ARE STILL WORKING ON A FORMAL DEMAND FORECASTING TO PINPOINT WHERE THE FUTURE CLINICS ARE GOING TO BE ESTABLISHED.
AS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, GENERALLY IS GOING TO BE EAST HARRIS COUNTY.
NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY AND SOUTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY.
SOME OF THE CURRENTLY ONGOING STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT WE HOPE TO EXPAND UPON ARE LISTED HERE.
THAT INCLUDES OUR FOOD PHARMACY, THE HOSPITAL AT HOME.
I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT HARRIS HEALTH IS THE ONLY HOSPITAL SYSTEM IN HARRIS COUNTY.
CITY OF HOUSTON THAT CURRENTLY OFFERS THIS PROGRAM TO ITS PATIENTS.
EXPANSION OF A CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION LAB AT BEN TAUB HOSPITAL.
EXPANSION OF OUR ENDOSCOPY PROGRAM AT CONTAMINES.
IMPLEMENTATION OF EPIC ROVER AND UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS.
THIS IS JUST IMPROVING OUR COMMUNICATION AMONG OUR STAFF IN OUR HOSPITALS.
ALL IN ALL, THE EXPANSION OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY ESTIMATED AT $21.4 MILLION.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO IMPLEMENT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THE TOP ONE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART IS IMPROVING.
INCREASING OUR MINIMUM WAGE FROM $15 AN HOUR TO $16 AN HOUR.
ADDITIONAL PHLEBOTOMISTS IN OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS. CURRENTLY OUR NURSES ARE DRAWING BLOOD ON THE PATIENTS.
HEALTHY CONNECT REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING FOR BLOOD PRESSURE PROGRAM.
HOPEFULLY MOVING THE NEEDLE IN OUR MATERNAL MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY.
ALL IN ALL, WHEN YOU PUT ALL OF THIS TOGETHER, THE COST IS ESTIMATED AT $11.3 MILLION.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK THIS IS WHERE I TURN IT OVER TO OUR CFO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU I WILL WALK THROUGH.
PATIENT VOLUME, REVENUES EXPENSES AND CAPITAL PLAN AND THEN YIELD BACK TO DOCTOR PORSA.
ANY OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS? WE HAVE MR. LOUIS SMITH WHO IS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER.
HE IS GOING TO ASSIST IN TAKING THOSE QUESTIONS.
SO THE PATIENT VOLUME IS THE LEVEL OF ACTIVITY THAT WE BASE OUR BUDGET.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR PLATFORM IS VERY FULL.
OUR HOSPITALS ARE ALMOST 90 PLUS PERCENT FULL ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE NOT EXPECTING THAT CAPACITY TO IMPROVE IN THE COMING YEAR.
AND IT WILL BE IMPROVING ONCE THE NEW LBJ HOSPITAL BECOMES OPERATIONAL.
IF I MAY, PLEASE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND WE'LL BEGIN TALKING ABOUT THE REVENUE SOURCES.
[01:50:06]
AND ONE MORE.SO IF WE LOOK AT OUR REVENUES AND LOOK AT IT AT A PIE CHART, THERE ARE BIG SLICES OF THAT PIE CHART THAT ARE APPROXIMATELY EQUAL.
ONE THIRD, ONE THIRD AND ONE THIRD, ONE THIRD IS THE NET PATIENT REVENUE.
SO BECAUSE WE'RE SERVING INDIGENT PATIENTS IT IS ONLY ABOUT 30% OF THE ENTIRE REVENUE PIE.
WE ARE EXPECTING TO BRING ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REVENUE CYCLE.
BUT THESE ARE NOT GOING TO BE MATERIAL IN NATURE.
SO ABOUT 1.7% IMPROVEMENT FROM THE CURRENT STATE.
AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT PIECE OF THE PIE TO BE A LEVEL OF $755 MILLION.
NEXT SLIDE. OUR MEDICAID SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS ARE PAYMENTS THAT ARE FULLY SUPPORTED BY BOTH THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BY CENTERS OF MEDICARE AND MEDICAID, AND THEY SERVE THE PROGRAMS, AGAIN, THAT ARE BENEFITING THE PATIENT POPULATION THAT WE CURRENTLY SERVE.
SO MEDICAID, A LOW INCOME POPULATION.
THAT PIECE OF THE PIE IS CURRENTLY AROUND 28%.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING IT ACTUALLY GOING DOWN.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE PROJECTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY MODELED.
I DON'T HAVE THE FULL FLEDGED PROJECTION FROM THE STATE FOR FISCAL 2025.
THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE AND A DIFFERENT CALENDAR.
ONCE WE GET THOSE PROJECTIONS, IF SOME OF THESE FIGURES CHANGE, THEY WILL NOT BE MATERIAL CHANGES.
BUT AT THIS POINT, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING.
AND THEN LET US MOVE FORWARD PLEASE.
THANK YOU. SO THE AD VALOREM TAXES DANIEL RAMOS ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT.
SO THE TWO SETS OF NUMBERS HAVE BEEN SENT TO US FROM OMB.
ONE REFLECTING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, AND THE OTHER ONE REFLECTING THE VOTER APPROVED RATE.
WHEN WE PRESENT IT TO OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
WE DID NOT HAVE THOSE RATES ON THAT DAY, BUT THEY CAME VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
AND THESE ESTIMATES INCLUDE THE THE CURRENT 8.5 MILLION FOR DEBT SERVICE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO RESTATE THAT FOR THE COURT.
WE HAVE PRESENTED THE INFORMATION TO YOU ABOUT OUR PLANS WITH THAT FUND AND FOR THEM TO BRING AT LEAST 100 MILLION OVER TEN YEARS. SO WE ARE REFLECTING THEIR FIRST COMMITMENT AND THIS FIRST YEAR OF $10 MILLION.
I THINK THAT CONCLUDES THE REVENUE PIECE.
IF I CAN MOVE FORWARD, PLEASE, AND TALK ABOUT THE EXPENSES.
THIS IS THE SCHEDULE OF THE EXPENSES.
LET'S MOVE FORWARD TO DISCUSS CATEGORIES OF EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET.
SO THE OVERALL EXPENSE IS PROJECTED AT OVER $2.5 BILLION, WHICH IS 140 MILLION GREATER THAN WE ARE PLANNING TO FINISH FISCAL 2024.
THIS INCLUDES INFLATION OF ABOUT $90 MILLION AND THE ADDITIONAL STRATEGIC FUNDS AND THE MENTIONED INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE TALKED AT THE FRONT OF THIS PRESENTATION.
A POINT OF NOTE HERE IS THAT MR. RAMOS SPOKE ABOUT THE 11% INCREASE FOR HARRIS COUNTY BUDGET.
THIS PROPOSED INCREASE IS GOING TO BE IN THE 5.9%.
SALARIES AND BENEFITS ARE THE BIGGEST PIECE OF OUR BUDGET.
THE MARKET ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE PROPOSED IN THIS BUDGET ARE BASED ON A COMPREHENSIVE MARKET SURVEY DONE BY OUR HR COMPENSATION TEAM, AND THAT CAME BACK WITH 4.5% COMPARED TO THE INDUSTRY OF 4.9%.
SO I JUST WANTED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT.
AS FAR AS OUR POSITION IS AND THEN THE FOLLOWING SLIDE, IF I CAN, I CAN MOVE FORWARD PLEASE.
[01:55:07]
TALKS ABOUT OUR SUPPLIES, OUR PHYSICIAN SERVICES AGAIN.PRETTY STANDARD INFLATIONARY INCREASES IN BOTH CATEGORIES.
THE 4.5 FOR SUPPLIES, 4.8 FOR OUR PHYSICIAN CONTRACTED PHYSICIAN SERVICES.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE.
IT'S A SMALLER CATEGORY, BUT THE PERCENT LOOKS BIGGER HERE, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT DOCTOR PORSA SPOKE ABOUT AT THE FRONT OF THE PRESENTATION THAT ARE INCREASING THOSE COSTS.
THESE ARE CARRY FORWARD COSTS FROM THE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE STARTED IN FISCAL 2024, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE AND CULMINATE IN FISCAL 2025.
AND THEN FINALLY, OUR DEPRECIATION AND INTEREST IS GOING TO HOLD STEADY BASED ON OUR PROJECTION.
THIS BRINGS US FORWARD TO THE NEXT SLIDE THAT SPEAKS ABOUT THE PROPOSED MARGIN OF 2.5%.
AND THAT IS BASED, AS WE ALREADY SPOKE TO THE COURT, IS BASED ON THE PROPOSED VOTER APPROVED RATE.
I BELIEVE THAT TAKES US TO THE CAPITAL PIECE.
SO OUR PROPOSED CAPITAL BUDGET, WHICH IS ROUTINE BUDGET, WE'RE NOT INCLUDING BOND APPROVED PROJECTS.
AND HERE THAT IS A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT CATEGORY.
STANDS CURRENTLY AT ABOUT $159 MILLION.
THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE UNTIL WE GET TO THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE EITHER REPLACED OUR FACILITIES OR SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED OUR FACILITIES.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT THERE ARE SOME LBJ RELATED IT TECHNOLOGY GOVERNANCE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE AN INVESTMENT THAT WE HAVE NOT FULLY INVESTED IN BEFORE.
WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, EQUIPMENT REFRESHES.
CENTRAL CENTRAL PHARMACY, BEN TAUB OR REFRESHES GOING ON.
AND SO THAT'S ALL PART OF THE PROPOSED CAPITAL BUDGET.
THE FACILITIES, PROJECTS AND MEDICAL CAPITAL ARE THE LARGEST ONES.
AND THEN WE HAVE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER.
SO THAT CONCLUDES THE FINANCIAL PIECE OF THE PRESENTATION AND WE WILL TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS NOW.
COMMISSIONER BROWN AND THEN COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND GARCIA.
FIRST OF ALL, DOCTOR PORSA, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO ALL DAY, EVERY DAY TO PROVIDE SUCH EXCELLENT QUALITY OF CARE TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY.
WE HAVE PROFOUND RESPECT AND GRATITUDE.
SO THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, ESPECIALLY DOCTOR PIKE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND VISION.
SO I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET.
FIRST. IT SEEMS THAT WE HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO SHIFT SOME OF THE CAPITAL PLAN SPENDING TO NON VOTED DEBT, THEREBY FREEING UP ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
SO COMMISSIONER I MAY NOT BE GIVING YOU THE FULL ANSWER TODAY.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT WE ONLY HAD TWO INSTANCES OF NON VOTED DEBT ON OUR BOOKS.
AND THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY TO BRING BEN TAUB OPERATIONS ROOMS INTO CODE AND INTO EXPANSION, WHICH WE WERE HURTING AT THE TIME. SO THAT WAS THE ONLY INSTANCE IN HISTORY UP UNTIL THEN.
AND THEN IN 2020, WE TOOK OUT A VERY SMALL, NON-VOTING DEBT ISSUANCE AS WELL.
AND THAT WAS TO EXPAND CAPACITY FOR JAIL HEALTH AS WELL AS HARRIS CENTER.
SO THAT HAS BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE TO DATE.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE VAST EXPERIENCE TO SPEAK OF.
[02:00:06]
THANK YOU. SO THE WAY I SEE IT IS, WE NEED TO BE AVAILING OURSELVES OF THE DIFFERENT TOOLS AND LEVERS, FINANCING TOOLS AND STRUCTURES.AND THAT HAS HELPED US BE MORE STRATEGIC AS TO HOW WE STRUCTURE.
I HAVE A FEW OTHER QUICK QUESTIONS, AND I KNOW YOU WANT TO.
DO YOU WANT TO CHIME IN ON THE NONVOTING DEBT? YEAH. SO SO WE'RE WORKING WITH WITH THE HEALTH SYSTEM ON THAT AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS AND OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
WE THE SHORT ANSWER IS WE CAN DO IT.
THERE'S MORE THAT GOES INTO THAT DECISION.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW THAT 158 MILLION WE'RE SCRUBBING AND SAYING, HEY, IF YOU'RE USING IF YOU'RE REPLACING RUG OR PAINTING, YOU CAN'T USE CAPITAL FUNDS FOR IT. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE PROJECTS THAT THERE'S NO DOUBT.
SO WE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE IT WILL DO.
THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN JUST CAN WE DO IT.
EXCELLENT. I'M EXCITED ABOUT AVAILING OURSELVES OF THESE ADDITIONAL TOOLS, BECAUSE I LOVE THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND THE EXPANDED ONES THAT YOU'RE PLANNING, AND I'M DEEPLY ENERGIZED BY THE BOND WORK WE'RE DOING.
I HAVE A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT ULTIMATELY, IT ALL TIES INTO WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE SHARING WITH COMMISSIONERS COURT THE FULL BUDGET BOOK? BECAUSE THAT WOULD ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE.
AND SO ONCE THAT APPROVAL HAPPENS, THIS WILL BE AN EXPANSION OF THE PRESENTATION.
WE WERE ASKED TO DO A SHORT PRESENTATION.
AND THAT'S WHAT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE TODAY.
BUT THE BUDGET BOOK, WHICH IS THE NARRATIVE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER FOR THE BOARD WITH THE SCHEDULES AND GRAPHS THAT CAN TRAVEL TO THE TO THE COURT SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
OKAY. SO THEN REALLY TWO OTHER QUICK QUESTIONS THEN WHAT IS OUR CURRENT CASH BALANCE FOR HARRIS HEALTH? SO CURRENTLY WE'RE A LITTLE OVER $1 BILLION.
OUR CASH BALANCE IS MEASURED AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR FOR PURPOSES OF THE RATING AGENCIES.
AND LAST YEAR OUR CASH BALANCE WAS AROUND $1 BILLION.
AND WE WERE AT ABOUT 168, 68 DAYS CASH ON HAND WHICH WAS IN LINE ACTUALLY LOWER THAN OTHER PEER HOSPITALS IN TEXAS.
OKAY. AND THEN LAST QUESTION FOR NOW, BECAUSE I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SOME WITH REGARD TO THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 24, DO YOU ANTICIPATE HAVING A CASH BALANCE AND IS IT ABOVE THE PROJECTED 2.5 MARGIN, AND IF SO, WHY? IF NOT, WHY NOT? SO THE MARGIN THAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR NEXT YEAR IS 2.5.
THAT IS THE TARGET OR THE PLAN.
THE MARGIN THAT WE WILL END FISCAL 24 IS GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT NUMBER.
AND SO WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT EXACTLY.
SO WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT WHEN WHEN THERE IS A PLAN PUT IN PLACE, THE ORGANIZATION IS TRYING TO REACH THAT, THAT THAT TARGET, IT CAN BE LOWER OR HIGHER THAN THAT TARGET.
SO CURRENTLY WE ARE GOING TO BE ON PACE BARRING ANY EXTRAORDINARY ITEMS. AND AS I SAID IN FULL DISCLOSURE, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE STATE ON SOME OF THE ITEMS YET.
WE SHOULD BE ON PACE TO BE AT ABOUT FIVE PLUS PERCENT OF MARGIN.
SO, SO THAT THAT THERE IS THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PLAN AND THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE.
SO I JUST AGAIN WANT TO THANK YOU.
THE WAY I SEE IT IS, WE'RE ONE TEAM, AND WE'RE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE CRITICAL WORK YOU DO.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY DOCTOR PIKE.
WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONER ELLIS GARCIA AND THEN RAMSEY, IF I MAY.
JUST WANTED TO ADD, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
TO TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
[02:05:09]
CREATED A TIMELINE AND WE HAVE BOTH KEPT TO THAT TIMELINE.SO THERE IS A LOT MORE DETAIL THAT HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE WHAT VICTORIA SAID, THAT THE BUDGET BOOK, THE DETAILED BUDGET WILL COME TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ONCE OUR BOARD APPROVES THAT BUDGET, WHICH HAS BEEN OUR PRACTICE FOREVER.
OKAY, SO, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, THEN COMMISSIONER GARCIA, THEN COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR PAWSON AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT THAT YOU DO.
I'M CURIOUS ON YOUR ON YOUR ON A BUDGET ITEM.
WILL YOU BOOK THAT YOU WILL PRESENT TO YOUR BOARD? IT IS PUBLIC, ISN'T IT? COULD THE PUBLIC GET IT THE.
IS IT PUBLIC NOW? YES. NO, IT'S NOT PUBLIC NOW.
YOU COULD YOU COULD ONLY JUST IN TERMS OF TIMING FOR OUR TEAMS TO REVIEW IT.
YOU COULD GIVE US THAT, COULDN'T YOU? BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT APPROVE IT, BUT IT WOULD JUST SO WE CAN HAVE OUR STAFFS HAVE MORE TIME TO LOOK AT IT.
THIS WAS DONE AT THEIR REQUEST.
BUT THE DETAIL ONE, JUST SO THEY CAN LOOK AT IT, OUR TEAMS CAN DIG THROUGH IT.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT MANY TIMES IN THE PAST.
I'VE JUST FORGOTTEN. BUT HOW MUCH WOULD YOU BENEFIT WITH YOUR BUDGET IF TEXAS DREW DOWN THE MONEY FROM THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT THAT WE JUST. WE TALKED ABOUT SO LONG, I'D JUST FORGOTTEN.
BUT WHAT WOULD IT DO FOR YOUR BUDGET? YOU MEAN THE EXPANSION OF MEDICAID? YEAH. I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO BE IRRESPONSIBLE WITH MY RESPONSE HERE.
SO THE FIGURES FLUCTUATED OVER TIME, AND THEY ALL DEPENDED ON ASSUMPTIONS THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE.
I BELIEVE THAT IS AT LEAST TWICE LESS AT THAT POINT.
BUT I'M NOT PREPARED TO TO GIVE YOU NUMBERS AT THIS POINT.
IT WOULD HAVE A FINANCIAL IMPACT, OBVIOUSLY.
AND I WANT TO PREFACE THIS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, MEDICAID EXPANSION MAKES SENSE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY IT IN PUBLIC BECAUSE IT JUST MAKES ME FEEL BETTER.
BUT NUMBER TWO, THE THE RULES AROUND WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE MEDICAID INSTEAD OF TEXAS, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE SO STRICT THAT MEDICAID EXPANSION IN TEXAS DOESN'T MEAN MEDICAID EXPANSION IN SOME OF THE OTHER STATES, BUT IT WOULD STILL HAVE A POSITIVE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON US.
AND I KNOW SOMEBODY'S GOING TO ASK ME WHEN I TAKE THAT TOUR.
SO THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING YOU.
SO THE DETAINEES WHO ENTERED THE COOK COUNTY JAIL BEFORE THEY LEAVE THEIR JOINT PROCESSING CENTER, OUR ADMISSION AREA, THEY ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE ELIGIBILITY PROCESS FOR MEDICAID.
YES THEY HAVE IT SAVED THEIR COUNTY A LOT OF MONEY.
SO I WANT TO GET BACK TO JAIL CARE IN A MINUTE.
BUT YOU MADE REFERENCE TO LIVING WAGE FROM 15 TO $16 AN HOUR.
YOU HAVE A ROUGH IDEA OF WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES DON'T MAKE 16.
SO YOU'RE TRYING TO GO FROM A.
NOT I DON'T HAVE IT ON TOP OF MY HEAD.
I'D JUST BE CURIOUS IF THAT HAD MEANT THAT.
HAVE YOU ALL EVER DONE A PAY EQUITY STUDY? I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT HERE, BUT HAVE YOU ALL DONE ONE? WE HAVE DONE ONE JUST RECENTLY AND I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION, SO PLEASE DON'T ASK ME.
I KNOW WE'VE SET ASIDE A POT TO DO THAT.
[02:10:01]
YEAH, THE WAY WE DO THIS.COMMISSIONER AND VICTORIA ACTUALLY MENTIONED IT DURING HER PRESENTATION.
WE ACTUALLY DO A MARKET COMPARISON EVERY YEAR, JUST ABOUT EVERY POSITION THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE PAY FOLKS ACCORDING TO WHAT THE MARKET IS FORCING US IN JUST ABOUT EVERY LEVEL.
OKAY. IF I MAY IF I MAY ADD, WE ALSO PIONEERED A PROGRAM LAST YEAR FOR THE BENEFITS WHERE OUR LOWEST LEVEL EMPLOYEES PAY FAR LESS FOR BENEFITS, AND THAT MONEY IS SHIFTED TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO MAKE WHO MAKE MORE SO THAT IT'S MORE EQUAL OR EQUITABLE IS THE RIGHT WORD.
ON PAGE 13, YOU MADE REFERENCE TO I FORGOTTEN THE FIGURE.
WAS IT WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO GET TO THIS YEAR? HOW MUCH ARE YOU TRYING? DID YOU SAY TEN? WAS IT 13? TWO.
THIS IS A THIS IS ACTUALLY ON PAR.
$10 MILLION A YEAR IS A VERY HEALTHY NUMBER.
AND COMPARED TO WHAT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
IS THAT A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE? SIGNIFICANT. IT IS BETTER.
OKAY. MAYBE THIS ONE'S FOR MR. RAMOS. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE CAN GO UP TO 8% A YEAR UNDER THE STATE CAP.
THAT'S CORRECT. BUT 3.5 FOR EVERYONE ELSE FOR FOR THE GENERAL FUND FOR FLOOD CONTROL.
THEY CAN CURRENTLY GO UP BY 8%, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THEIR THEIR O&M TAX RATE FELL BELOW 0.25 IF THEY WERE TO EVER GO ABOVE 0.25. SUCH AS IF WE WERE SUCCESSFUL.
IF THE VOTERS ENDED UP APPROVING THE TAX RATE, THEY WOULD GO UP 3.5%.
YEAH. NOW, I ASKED THAT DOCTOR PAULSON, FROM THE CONTEXT OF MANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE STARTED HERE AT THE COUNTY, WERE THINGS THAT I THINK COULD HELP MORE OF OUR CITIZENS NOT END UP HAVING TO HAVE HEALTH CARE AND MORE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT WE FOCUSED ON.
AND, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
BUT AND UNDER THE CAPS THAT WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH, IT IS THE LAW.
IT PUTS US IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO, IF WE CHOOSE TO LET THE VOTERS DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO INVEST IN OTHER THINGS MORE STATE IMPOSED. THEY DON'T HAVE THAT CAP, BY THE WAY, ON THEMSELVES.
AND OF COURSE THAT MONEY COMES FROM SALES TAX.
SO TO THAT END, I'M ONE WHO'S LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN HAVE ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO DO MORE OF THE VERY HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMS THAT THIS COUNTY IN THE PAST JUST DIDN'T FOCUS ON.
BUT THIS COURT HAS TENDED TO FOCUS ON THEM, AND WE HAD FEDERAL MONEY TO DO IT.
BUT I DON'T KNOW. IT'S GOING AWAY.
I CAN COUNT AND I DON'T THINK THE SUPPORT, I KNOW THE SUPPORT WON'T BE HERE TO LET THE VOTERS MAKE A DECISION IF THEY WANT TO INVEST MORE IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WOULD FUND THESE PROGRAMS BEFORE PEOPLE GO TO TO THE QUALITY OF CARE, GREAT CARE THAT YOU PROVIDE.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR WAYS, I DO KNOW THAT WE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HARRIS HEALTH TAKING ON JAIL HEALTH CARE EVEN BEFORE MY CURRENT COLLEAGUES GOT HERE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS EVEN BEFORE YOU CAME.
I THINK THAT WAS PRETTY CLEAR SUPPORT FROM THE COURT TO GO AND DO IT.
AND THEN WHEN YOU CAME HERE, IT TOOK A WHILE.
YOU HAD A LOT OF A LOT OF THINGS.
YEAH, YOU HAD A LOT OF THINGS.
BUT FINALLY, WITH SOME NUDGING, I MEAN, IT CAME UP HERE A NUMBER OF TIMES AND THE DECISION WAS MADE.
I KNOW THAT I'M TOLD THAT ALL OF THE OTHER COUNTIES IN TEXAS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OUR FRIENDS IN EL PASO, THAT IS FUNDED OUT OF THE BUDGET OF WHATEVER THEIR INDIGENT CARE SYSTEM IS.
FISCAL YEAR 20 FOR MEDICAL SERVICES WENT OVER THE ALLOTTED AMOUNT BY 23 MILLION, WHICH WAS NECESSARY, I'M SURE, AS EVIDENCED BY SOME OF THE CURRENT CONCERNS THAT COME UP HERE AT THIS DAIS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
[02:15:08]
AND EVEN IF WE HAD TO GO TO THE VOTERS TO ASK FOR MORE MONEY IN YOUR BUDGET TO DO IT, I WOULD BE FOR THAT.AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN REMEMBER ON ONE OCCASION, BY THE WAY, IT WAS A DIFFERENT COURT.
BUT I WAS PREPARED AND NUDGING YOU TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU NEEDED INSTEAD OF THAT OLD SYSTEM WHERE YOU JUST KIND OF TOOK WHAT YOU GOT AND SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.
YOU REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION? I WAS A LITTLE BLINDSIDED BECAUSE I WAS READY TO WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE WE DIDN'T HAVE A CAP TO GO TO.
BUT IT PUTS ME IN A POSITION NOW WHERE, AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS, I THINK WE NEED MORE OF THESE QUALITY OF LIFE PROGRAMS THAT HISTORICALLY THIS COUNTY JUST DID NOT FOCUS ON.
IT FORCES ME TO BE AGGRESSIVE AND TRY TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE HARRIS HEALTH TAKES ON JAIL CARE. I APPRECIATE THE SHERIFF.
I KNOW IT WAS HIS ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY.
HE FAVORED IT. I THANK MY COLLEAGUE TO MY RIGHT, FAVORED IT BACK WHEN HE WAS SHERIFF AS WELL.
HE WOULD HAVE, I THINK, ADRIAN, YOU WOULD HAVE SIGNED OFF ON IT AS WELL.
BUT THAT WAS NOT THE SUPPORT HERE AT THIS TABLE TO GO AND DO IT.
BUT IT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND I'M SAYING TO YOU THAT I KNOW WE CHATTED BRIEFLY WHEN I'M SURE YOU WATCHED THE TAPE FROM THE LAST COURT MEETING, BUT I THINK IT OUGHT TO BE THERE, AND IT HELPS YOU TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OUGHT TO BE DONE AND KNOW THAT IT HAS TO BE PAID FOR, AND YOU WOULD STILL SPEND JUST AS MUCH.
BUT I JUST THINK THAT YOU'D BE EVEN YOU AND YOUR TEAM, GREAT TEAM, WOULD BE EVEN MORE PRUDENT IF YOU KNEW IT WAS COMING OUT OF YOUR BUDGET, INSTEAD OF JUST SENDING THE BILL OVER OVER HERE TO GO AND DO IT.
BUT MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO MOVE THE COST OF JAIL HEALTH CARE TO THE HARRIS CENTER.
AND IF I HAD HAD KNOWN THAT ALL OF THE OTHER COUNTIES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EL PASO, WERE ALREADY DOING THAT, I WOULD HAVE ARGUED IT'S TIME AGO A JUDGE.
APPARENTLY THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THE FEE.
IF WE CAN JUST PAUSE FOR FIVE MINUTES.
IS THAT GOING TO WORK? FIVE MINUTES.
GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU GUYS? HOW ABOUT TEN? LET'S DO TEN.
ALL RIGHT, SO IT'S 1245 AND WE'LL BREAK UNTIL 1255.
THANK. GOODNESS THIS ALREADY 1:00.
SO WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND THE BREAK.
YEAH. EXTEND THE BREAK UNTIL 145.
I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE ALL DAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE TRUTH IS? I HAVE TO LEAVE AT THREE. THAT'S THE TRUTH, BECAUSE I HAVE A COMMITMENT.
SO I MEAN, I CAN JUST JET AND THEN YOU CAN KEEP RUNNING IT.
BUT I MADE THAT COMMITMENT BEFORE WE HAD THIS DATE.
YEAH. SO DO WHAT? YEAH. YEAH. WE HAVE TO DO LUNCH.
OKAY. OKAY, LET'S DO LUNCH TILL 145.
ALL RIGHT. THANKS. YOU HAVE 45 MINUTES.
AND WE'RE CONTINUING WITH WITH OUR MEETING, AND WE WERE ON HARRIS HEALTH.
I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER ELLIS WAS ASKING SOME QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. I THINK YOU GET MY DRIFT.
YOU KNOW, MOVING HEALTH UPSTREAM SO THAT PEOPLE WON'T HAVE TO COME TO OUR HOSPITALS.
AS FAR AS YOUR YOUR PREFERENCE ABOUT HARRIS HEALTH TAKING ON THE THE EXPENSE OF THE CORRECTIONAL HEALTH, I JUST WANTED TO AGAIN STATE THAT CURRENTLY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS WORKING WITH HARRIS HEALTH LEGAL COUNSEL AND OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND
[02:20:07]
BUDGET TO CREATE THE FRAMEWORK UNDER WHICH HARRIS HEALTH CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY MEDICAL SERVICES INSIDE THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL.IF WE THE COUNTY IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE CUTS IN OTHER PLACES.
AND I KNOW THAT COMMENT, I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THE POINT.
WE WENT THROUGH IT BEFORE, BUT SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY'D DO IT QUICKLY.
I DON'T I HOPE THAT DIDN'T TAKE AS LONG AS IT TOOK US TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET HARRIS HEALTH TO HANDLE JAIL CARE, BECAUSE THAT JUST KIND OF WILL STAY IN THERE FOR A GOOD WHILE. BUT THANK YOU.
YES, SIR. COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND THEN COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.
THANK YOU. DOCTOR PORTION TO YOUR TEAM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE PRESENTATION.
AND DOCTOR PORSA, THANK YOU AND DANIEL FOR THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD THE OTHER DAY.
BUT I DO I DO WELCOME COMMISSIONER BOWDEN'S PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHERE THAT CONVERSATION GOES.
BUT I THINK THE MORE WE, WE YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THINGS, THE BETTER I THINK ALL OF US WILL BE AS WE, AS WE WORK THROUGH ALL THESE PROSPECTIVE CHALLENGES.
BUT TO THAT END, I AM VERY, VERY YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST THINKING WHEN I, BECAME SHERIFF, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I HAD TO CONTEND WITH WAS UTMB WALKING OUT ON THEIR CONTRACT.
YEAH, UT WALKING OUT ON THEIR CONTRACT AND AND HAVING ABOUT 2 OR 300 INMATES THAT WERE HAD APPOINTMENTS AND NO DOCTORS OR STAFF TO WORK WITH THEM AND AND THEN WORKING TO BRING THE DEATH RATE DOWN IN THE, IN THE JAIL, ALL THAT WORKING WITH THE MEDICAL SERVICES OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND AND I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAD EARLIER ABOUT THE PROCESS OF WHAT COOK COUNTY IS DOING TO GET FOLKS RE-ENROLLED OR TRANSITIONED BACK AS THEY LEAVE THEIR RESPECTIVE FACILITY.
AND SO THIS IS FOR ALL THOSE REASONS.
I THINK THIS IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM BE IN YOUR HANDS AND WITH ALL THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT YOU HAVE AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE IT. SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT WE'RE FINALLY HERE AFTER MANY, MANY, MANY MONTHS OF, OF CONVERSATION.
TO THAT END, YOU KNOW, IT'S MONEY IS REAL.
AND SO WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THOSE, THOSE CHALLENGES.
AND, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT AT SOME POINT WITH HOW YOU LAID OUT THE VISION OF PARKLAND, THAT ANY ONE OF US WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO GO TO BEN TAUB OR LBJ FOR OUR CHECKUP, CHECKUP AND TREATMENTS OR WHATEVER.
I WANT TO SEE THAT DAY. AND I THINK YOU'RE THE THE PERSON TO HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. THANK YOU.
I GET MY CARE AT LBJ HOSPITAL, SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO TO DO THE SAME.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BRANDIS.
EXCUSE ME. RAMSEY. THANK YOU, DOCTOR PORSA.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS WILLING TO DISCUSS WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE.
CLEARLY, THE UPDATE IN TERMS OF THE BOND ISSUE AND WHERE WE ARE, THE FOCUS IS CLEARLY NOW ON LBJ AND TRYING TO GET THAT UP AND UP AND GOING.
BUT FROM A FROM A 80 ZERO ZERO ZERO FOOT LOOK THERE'S, I THINK 400 MILLION TARGETED FOR BEN TAUB.
DO ARE WE ANY CLOSER TO KNOWING WHERE THAT WILL BE SPENT? BECAUSE YOU DESCRIBED SOME FAIRLY HORRIFIC THINGS HAPPENING.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SEWER AND THE OPERATING ROOMS AND OTHER THINGS.
HOW IS HOW IS THE EFFORT, THE $400 MILLION TARGETED FOR BEN TAUB? ARE WE ANY CLOSER TO KNOWING WHEN AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE? YES, IT'S ACTUALLY PART OF OUR DETAILED PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED PREVIOUSLY.
IT WOULD BE BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
[02:25:03]
BUT ALL ALONG THE WAY AND CONTINUING ON, WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING CAPITAL DOLLARS INSIDE THE BEN TAUB HOSPITAL TO REMEDY SOME OF THE CHRONIC ISSUES THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, A FEW OF THEM.AND THAT'S THAT'S THE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH DANIEL ON COMMERCIAL PAPER, MAYBE.
AND THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE INCLUDED.
HOW IS THE BECAUSE A PART OF THE PLAN WAS TO GO OUT AND RAISE 400 MILLION.
IF I REMEMBER AND AND, AND FOUNDATION SUPPORT OR OTHER SUPPORT.
HOW'S THAT GOING? SO IT'S NOT 400 MILLION, BUT LET ME WELL, IT WAS 2.2 BILLION FOR LBJ, 400 MILLION FOR BEN TAUB AND 500 MILLION YOU WERE GOING TO RAISE IN SOME MANNER, RIGHT? WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE THAN $500 MILLION.
SO OUR BORROWING CAPACITY WAS $2.5 BILLION, WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO GET PAST.
EVERYTHING INCLUDED WHAT WE PROMISED THE COUNTY VOTERS AND ALSO THE COURT AND OUR BOARD, IS THAT WE WILL RAISE $100 MILLION IN PHILANTHROPY OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.
WE WILL SPEND THROUGH OUR ROUTINE CAPITAL, $300 MILLION IN UPGRADING AND UPDATING ALL THE SYSTEMS, AND WE WILL REALIZE $300 MILLION IN OPERATIONAL COST SAVING OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, IN THE TUNE OF ABOUT $30 MILLION A YEAR.
LET ME JUST AFFIRM COMMISSIONER ELLIS'S QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE JAIL.
AND IF IF THE HOSPITAL, I'M GONNA CALL IT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
THEN I THINK IT MAKES SENSE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THE BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY.
I THINK COMMISSIONER BRIONES IS GOING TO HAVE A THOUGHT OR TWO ON ON WHEN WE BEGIN.
BUT MY TAKE ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS THAT TRANSITION SHOULD BEGIN THIS YEAR.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET ALL THE WAY THERE.
I KNOW YOU HAD ROUGHLY 120 MILLION IN SURPLUS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
I KNOW THAT THE OPERATING COST AT THE JAIL IS ROUGHLY 100 MILLION.
BUT I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO ADDRESS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER ON THE OPERATION AND THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY RELATED TO IT GOING FORWARD.
SO I WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT IN THE BUDGET WHEN Y'ALL GET THAT LINE ITEM BUDGET COMPLETED.
AND TO US, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT GOING FORWARD.
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT, COMMISSIONER.
YOU MADE A COUPLE OF POINTS. LET ME LET ME RESPOND TO THAT.
NUMBER ONE, LET ME JUST REITERATE WHAT I TOLD COMMISSIONER ELLIS AT THE BEGINNING THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL AND OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET TO CREATE THAT FRAMEWORK ABOUT HOW THIS MAY ALL, YOU KNOW, WORK OUT.
LET ME ALSO EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT WHAT I JUST MENTIONED, THAT $700 MILLION SHORTFALL THAT WE WERE GOING TO SATISFY THROUGH PHILANTHROPY, OPERATIONAL COST SAVINGS AND ROUTINE CAPITAL. THAT STARTS THIS YEAR.
HARRIS HEALTH HAS TO BE COGNIZANT.
I HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR FUTURES.
OPERATIONALLY, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE DOING AS WELL? AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED HERE, THE PART OF THE CORRECTIONAL HEALTH BUDGET AND STILL I EXPECT THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH THAT WE HAD OUTLINED LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF BUILDING NEW CLINICS, OPENING A NEW LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTER HOSPITAL AND THE LBJ CAMPUS.
ALL THAT COST MONEY, NOT JUST THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT THE OPERATIONS OF THOSE THINGS.
SO IF ALL OF A SUDDEN WE ARE LOOKING AT A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE TO TAKE ON.
YOU MENTIONED THE NUMBER $100 MILLION ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL COST THAT HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.
AND AS YOU HEARD EARLIER TODAY, EVEN AT THE VA RATE, THE MARGIN THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS $56
[02:30:01]
MILLION. THE DELTA BETWEEN THAT AND $100 MILLION IS $45 MILLION.SO THAT WOULD MEAN THAT WE WOULD START THE YEAR $45 MILLION IN THE HOLE TO GET TO THE ZERO MARGIN, WHICH WOULD BE DEVASTATING FOR HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT ON OUR CREDIT RATING AND IN TERMS OF OUR ABILITY TO SATISFY ALL THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT I JUST OUTLINED EARLIER TODAY.
YOU SHOULD PAY FOR IT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S I DON'T THINK THAT'S A WISE WAY OF LOOKING AT THIS.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WE ARE WORKING HERSELF.
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND HERSELF LEGAL COUNSEL, TRYING TO CREATE A FRAMEWORK WHERE THIS CAN WORK FOR EVERYBODY AND TO EVERYBODY'S BENEFIT.
SO YEAH. SO, DOCTOR PORSA QUESTION, QUESTION.
HOW EXACTLY WOULD WE GO ABOUT DOING THAT? THE SECOND QUESTION IS, AND I SEE YOU NODDING.
I THINK THAT THE WAY I'M KIND OF WONDERING IT MIGHT BE IS LIKE, IT'S LIKE FREE MONEY.
YOU KNOW, LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO INCREASE LAW ENFORCEMENT PAY, IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM, WE WANT TO CONTINUE VETERANS PROGRAM, WHATEVER ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE WE'RE TRYING, YOU KNOW, WE CHOP $21 MILLION.
WE'RE BARELY KEEPING AND WE'RE GOING TO THAT DEFICIT IS GOING TO CONTINUE.
THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK THE VOTERS WHAT THEY THINK.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR DOCTOR PORSA AND FOR MR. RAMOS IS CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN JUST AS CLEARLY AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN WHY THAT'S NOT THE CASE? BECAUSE I HAVE TO ADMIT, I DON'T.
SO, JUDGE, IF I COULD, I THINK I CAN PROBABLY PROVIDE SOME SOME CLARITY TO IT.
SO THE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM IS LIMITED IN WHAT IT CAN.
IT'S TAX CAN GO TO BE TO SUPPORT IT CAN SUPPORT MEDICAL SERVICES AND HOSPITAL SERVICES AND SO FORTH.
AND THOSE ARE SPECIFIC FOR THEIR FACILITIES.
THE CURRENT JAIL CLINIC IS NOT ONE OF THEIR FACILITIES.
IT IT CONTINUES TO BE A SHERIFF'S FACILITY.
SO IN ORDER TO FUND THAT, IT IS THROUGH A IT'S THROUGH THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED WITH BETWEEN WHO AND WHO BETWEEN HARRIS COUNTY AND AND HARRIS HEALTH.
THE MODEL THAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE REFERENCING IS A MODEL THAT EXISTS IN PARKLAND AND MOST OTHER AREAS WHERE THE FACILITY ITSELF BECOMES A HARRIS HEALTH CLINIC.
IT'S ULTIMATELY WILL BE THE DECISION OF THE HARRIS HEALTH BOARD AND THIS BODY IN THIS COURT.
COMMISSIONER ELLIS, SINCE YOU BROUGHT THIS UP TO TRY TO GET THIS THING DONE QUICKER.
THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO DEFRAY APPROXIMATELY 23 OR SO MILLION DOLLARS.
AND SO THAT'S THE STRUCTURE, SORT OF A TWO PART STRUCTURE.
IN THE SHORT TERM, SOME OF THE DOLLARS WILL BE EXPENDED OFF THEIR ROLES.
AND ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE, I'LL JUST TRY TO MAKE THIS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WOULD BE THEY WOULD MOVE $23 MILLION OF THEIR CAPITAL EXPENSES OVER ONTO THE INS RATE, AND WE WOULD SET A TAX RATE TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON A SECOND 23% OF THEIR CAPITAL EXPENSES.
23 MILLION. THAT'S OUR PROPOSAL.
THAT'S IN THE BUDGET BOOK. RIGHT.
AND MOVE IT TO. TO WHAT? AGAIN? TO THE TO THE TO THE DEBT, THE DEBT RATE THAT GETS ADOPTED.
AND THEY WOULD MOVE THAT COST OVER.
WE WOULD SET A TAX RATE TO SERVICE THAT DEBT RATE.
[02:35:04]
SO THAT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET THOUGH.THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING.
IT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED BY THEIR BOARD.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING. AND THAT'S HOW THE LOGISTICS WOULD WORK.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL AT, AT THAT DEFICIT FOR FUTURE YEARS AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GO TO THE 8%.
SO MY QUESTION IS IF IF YOU CAN EVENTUALLY MOVE THE JAIL TO BE A HARRIS HEALTH FACILITY CLINIC, WHATEVER YOU CALL IT AT THAT POINT, WOULD THAT KIND OF CANCEL OUT THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN APPROPRIATE TAX RATE OR THE SAME, THAT WE HAVE HAD A TAX RATE MUCH LOWER THAN WHAT IT WAS IN 2018, 2017, 2016, WE CAN COME BACK WITH DIFFERENT OPTIONS FROM ONE YEAR TO FIVE YEARS FOR COURT TO CONSIDER ON HOW THAT WOULD HOW THAT WOULD LOOK.
I MEAN, I HAVE THAT QUESTION BECAUSE MY PERSPECTIVE ON THE GENERAL FUND TAX RATE IS LIKE, WE CAN'T WE'RE JUST FOLKS BEFORE US CHOSE.
IT'S LIKE A PAY NOW OR PAY LATER AND THEY CHOSE PAY LATER.
AND HERE WE ARE PAYING LATER FOR FLOOD CONTROL INFRASTRUCTURE AND HAVING THE OPTION TO PAY NOW OR PAY LATER WHEN IT COMES TO THESE OTHER BASIC SERVICES. AND SO I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, LET'S ASK THE VOTERS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
IS IT IT'S A DECREASE IN THE TAX RATE COMPARED TO WHAT IT WAS FOR MANY YEARS UNDER REPUBLICAN COURTS AND WHAT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL WE'VE DONE IS DECREASE IT OR BUT OF COURSE, THE APPRAISALS HAVE GONE UP.
SO ARE YOU NOW YOU'RE IN THE TOUGH SITUATION.
SO DO I HAVE TO PUT THAT QUESTION TO THE VOTERS? DOES THAT QUESTION RELEVANT IF WE CAN DO THIS WITH HARRIS HEALTH, AND TO ME AT LEAST, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE ANSWER BEFORE WE GET TO THE GENERAL FUND DISCUSSION, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE PUBLIC IN THAT POSITION IF I DON'T HAVE TO.
I DON'T WANT TO JUST TOTALLY NEGATE THAT OPTION FOR THEM.
AND I'LL TRY TO. YEAH, PLEASE.
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT DIFFERENT PARTS THERE.
WE BALANCE OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR.
RIGHT. AND I WANT TO MAKE THAT EXTRAORDINARILY CARE.
YEAH I'VE RAISED THE THE RED ALARM.
WOULD IT BE EASIER IF WE WERE ABLE TO RESET THE BASELINE AT 8%? ABSOLUTELY.
WOULD IT BE EASIER IF WE MOVED THE ENTIRETY OF JAIL MEDICAL OVER? ABSOLUTELY. BUT ON THE ELECTION SIDE, THAT IS THAT IS VERY, VERY SQUARELY A COURT DECISION ON THE JAIL MEDICAL.
I THINK DOCTOR PAWSON AND I HAVE AGREED THAT THIS IS THIS IS THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO GO.
HOW FAST WE GET THERE WILL BE A DECISION FOR COURT BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT WE WE PUT OVER THERE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PLAN AROUND WHEN IT COMES TO THE LBJ EXPANSION, WHEN IT COMES TO OR THE NEW LBJ THE BEN TAUB EXPANSION.
AND SO WE IF YOU GIVE US THAT DIRECTION, DOCTOR FAUCI AND I CAN COME BACK AT THE NEXT COURT MEETING AND SAY, HERE, HERE ARE THE TRADE OFFS TO DOING IT OVER FIVE YEARS, DOING IT OVER THREE, DOING IT OVER TWO.
BUT DON'T YOU SEE THAT THOSE TWO THINGS ARE INTERRELATED? OR AM I MISSING SOMETHING? THEY ARE RELATED.
THE WHAT YOU CALLED THE ELECTION.
YOU KNOW, THE THE PROPOSAL, WHATEVER, WHATEVER WE WANT.
SO? SO LIKE THE REVENUE PER PERSON WAS LIKE THIS FOR A BUNCH OF YEARS.
AND THEN OR MAYBE LIKE THIS AND THEN 2022 IT WENT LIKE THAT.
AND THEN NOW IT MIGHT GO LIKE ME.
AND SO WITH THE IF WE DID THE 8%, IT WOULD START GOING LIKE THIS AGAIN.
BUT IF WE DID THE JAIL THING IT WOULDN'T, IT WOULD STILL BE LIKE THAT.
LIKE I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
OR ARE THEY BOTH THE SAME? OR IS THE JAIL THING SO GOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT BOTHER THE VOTERS WITH THIS QUESTION.
SO I THINK AGAIN IN DOCTOR, PLEASE CHIME IN HERE.
I THINK WE AGREE THAT TRANSFERRING SOME AMOUNT OVER TO JAIL MEDICAL IS THE IS THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I HEAR THAT HUNDRED PERCENT. AND THEN ON THE ON THE ELECTION, IT'S NOT JUST THIS YEAR.
THIS COURT CAN CALL FOR AN ELECTION AT ANY POINT AROUND THIS TIME EVERY YEAR.
SO BUT THE DEFAULT WOULD GO BACK TO THREE AND A HALF.
YES. THAT THAT'S IN STATE LAW, UNLESS WE WERE TO GO TO THE VOTERS EVERY YEAR.
[02:40:04]
RIGHT. IT'S ROUGHLY $90 MILLION A YEAR THAT WE WE COULD HAVE AGAIN, I THINK NEXT YEAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, REVENUE WILL BE FLAT AGAINST FISCAL YEAR 25. JUST WITH HOW THE MATH HAS WORKED OUT OVER THE THE LAST FEW YEARS.BUT ALSO, I JUST WANT TO ASSURE COURT WE'RE ATTACKING THIS FROM EVERY DIRECTION.
WE'RE WORKING WITH DOCTOR PORSA ON WHAT WE CAN DO ON JAIL MEDICAL.
WE DID A FIVE YEAR PLAN TO TO GET MORE REVENUE AND TO REDUCE OUR COSTS.
SO IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO ADD OR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT I'M KIND OF I THINK DANIEL HAS HAS EXPLAINED IT AS CLEARLY AS AS WE CAN.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING TO ADD.
OKAY. SO WITH DOCTOR PORSA, LET ME JUST CLARIFY THIS.
SO SO YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE OKAY TO TRANSFER FOR THE TO TRANSFER THAT FUNDING OR THAT COST ITEM LINE ITEM TO YOU GUYS, BUT JUST DON'T DO IT WITHOUT A PROCESS.
LET ME LET ME, BECAUSE YOU DID MENTION THAT $23 MILLION THAT DANIEL ALSO PRESENTED EARLIER TODAY, THAT IS ALREADY IN THE BOOKS, AND WE HAVE AGREED TO THAT PENDING APPROVAL BY OUR BOARD TO TAKE THAT ON FOR THIS YEAR.
YES, WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND YES YOU KNOW, THE COURT HAS A SAY INTO WHICH DIRECTION WE GO, BUT I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT HAS TO BE UNDER THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL.
I'M SAYING THAT I'M SURE THERE IS A WAY THERE IS A FRAMEWORK WHEN HARRIS HEALTH CAN BE HELPFUL AND HOW THE JAIL HEALTH OPERATIONS IS GOING TO BE PAID FOR.
I'M NOT READY TO SAY EXACTLY HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THAT FRAMEWORK YET.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE MR. AYER ARTICULATING THAT THE LIMITATIONS OF WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE HERSELF OPERATIONAL BUDGET.
OKAY. SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS LET'S NOT NECESSARILY COUNT ON THE 23 MILLION, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE.
NO, NO, NO, YOU CAN'T YOU CAN VERY STRONGLY COUNT ON THAT.
WE ARE TAKING THAT TO OUR BOARD, JUDGE.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND THEN COMMISSIONER BRIONES.
DIDN'T ADD ME BACK. AND THEN COMMISSIONER ELLIS.
I WOULD APPRECIATE AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR IT IN THIS CYCLE.
BUT IF THE ONE THING THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION IN YOUR PRESENTATION WAS YOUR IT LINE ITEM.
GIVEN ALL OF THE VULNERABILITIES THAT WE HAVE WITH CYBERSECURITY.
I WOULD APPRECIATE A CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTOR MEIMAN TO SEE WHERE THERE COULD BE SOME CONSOLIDATION OR OR OR COORDINATION WITH UNIVERSAL SERVICES.
YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN SUBJECT TO ONE VIRUS.
AND AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING THOUGHTFUL AS TO HOW WE CAN EITHER DO THAT FOR YOU AT A, AT A COST. BUT BUT I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT.
SO WE CAN IF I CAN ASK YOU TO, TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
AND, COMMISSIONER, WE ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT AS WELL.
THE THE AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
THE CHALLENGE IS, IS THAT THE DIRECTOR RIGHT NOW MAY NOT BE HAVING FULL OVERSIGHT.
AND SO THE QUESTION OF VETTING TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS AND SOFTWARE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THAT'S NOT JUST THE FACT THAT YOU'RE DOING A GOOD OPERATION, BUT THAT THERE'S COORDINATION ON HOW ON WHAT TECHNOLOGIES WE'RE ACQUIRING.
I'M SURE WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BRIONES AND THEN COMMISSIONER ELLIS.
YOU AND I HAVE TALKED MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR CLARITY AND SO THAT ALL CAN HEAR, I TOO, AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF TRANSITIONING THE JAIL MEDICAL CARE TO HARRIS HEALTH.
SO I THINK IT'S BEST PRACTICES.
IT CREATES ALIGNMENT OF GOALS AND JUST ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
[02:45:04]
IT REALLY CREATES ALIGNMENT IN A WAY THAT I THINK WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE FOR HARRIS COUNTY.SECOND, AND I APPRECIATED WHEN YOU TOOK THE TIME TO TAKE ME TO DALLAS.
I LOVED WHAT YOUR LEADERSHIP CREATED IN TERMS OF THE JAIL MEDICAL IN DALLAS AND HARRIS COUNTY.
WHILE I ALWAYS LIKE TO BE BEATING DALLAS, THAT IS ONE AREA.
HARRIS COUNTY IS NOT BEATING DALLAS.
AND SO I ALSO FEEL THAT CREATING THIS UNITY, FULL INTEGRATION OF JAIL MEDICAL INTO THE HARRIS HEALTH PURVIEW WOULD ALSO HELP CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE FOR ALL RESIDENTS IN HARRIS COUNTY, INCLUDING THOSE IN OUR JAILS.
SO I'M SUPPORTIVE AND I'M DEEPLY COMMITTED TO BEING FAIR AND DOING IT IN A PHASED WAY THAT IS BEST POSITIONING US FOR SUCCESS AND THAT IS OPERATIONAL. SO THE MOTION THAT I PROPOSE FOR MY COLLEAGUES CONSIDERATION IS A MOTION TO DIRECT THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, IN COLLABORATION WITH HARRIS HEALTH, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS, TO PROPOSE THREE OPTIONS FOR A PHASE TRANSITION OF THE COST OF JAIL MEDICAL SERVICES TO THE HARRIS HEALTH BUDGET, AND TO PRESENT THESE OPTIONS AT THE AUGUST 27TH COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BROWN.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BROWN, I'M FOR IT.
I DO WANT TO ASK A COUPLE OF POINTS.
BUT ON THE THE FRAMEWORK, I ASSUME, BECAUSE EVERY COUNTY IS DOING IT THIS WAY OTHER THAN EL PASO, IT'S NOT JUST CUT AND PASTE, BUT I'M SAYING I ASSUME WE CAN LOOK AND SEE WHAT THEY DID IN BEAR THERE IN TRAVIS IN DALLAS.
TARRANT IF THEY HAVE IT THAT WAY.
CORRECT. AND THAT'S THAT'S PRECISELY WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU HAVE SOME SENSE OF THE TIMETABLE? I MEAN, I AGAIN, THIS WAS A POLICY DECISION THAT WAS MADE BEFORE THIS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR GOT HERE.
AND SO THAT THAT'S WHY WE'RE WE HAVE AN ILA AND NOT A FULL TRANSFER.
THAT SAID, WE THINK WE CAN DO IT RELATIVELY QUICKLY BY AUGUST.
OKAY. AND MAYBE I THINK OCTOBER OR SO SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER MEETING.
WE CAN CERTAINLY DO IT BEFORE THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
AND THE REASON THAT I FEEL SOME SENSE OF URGENCY IS THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHEN THE PREVIOUS COURT WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, A DECISION WAS MADE THAT HARRIS HEALTH SHOULD TAKE ON JAIL HEALTH CARE.
AND THEN IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN, SORT OF LIKE WE DISCUSSED IT.
I ASSUMED THAT COURT HAD A VOTE ON IT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO MADE THE MOTION, BUT IT PASSED AND THEN IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN.
THEN WE HAD CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP, BUT IT JUST DID NOT MOVE.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT ONE REASON WHY THE TAX RATES ARE HIGHER IN THESE OTHER COUNTIES IS BECAUSE JAIL HEALTH CARE WAS INCLUDED.
AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK, I KNOW WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
AND IT'S A SIMPLE MATTER OF PART OF HOW THE RATING AGENCIES LOOK AT US IS WHAT WE'RE SPENDING AND WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO ASK FOR THE MONEY. THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT.
YOU DON'T TAKE THAT HEAT TO ASK FOR MORE MONEY.
I DO THINK, I DON'T KNOW, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT ANY DATA THAT TELLS ME IT'S THAT WAY.
IN SOME WAYS THERE MIGHT BE MORE COMMUNITY SUPPORT IF IT'S FOR HEALTH CARE, WHEREVER IT IS.
UNFORTUNATELY, AS OPPOSED TO FOR THE GENERAL FUND, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M JUST GUESSING THAT THAT MAY BE THE CASE.
AND BECAUSE OF THE STATE IMPOSED CAPS, THE CAP US 3.5%.
YOU'LL ALWAYS BE 8% FOR HARRIS HEALTH.
SO THAT'S WHY I FEEL SOME URGENCY.
AND YOU KNOW, DOCTOR PAULSON AND I GO GO THROUGH IT TODAY.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE MET LAST TUESDAY.
WE WERE HEADED THAT WAY ON THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL.
WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T DISCUSS IT ON YOURS.
BUT AT LEAST FOR ME, PART OF WHETHER OR NOT I WOULD BE WILLING TO SUPPORT THAT 8% ON AN ONGOING BASIS WOULD BE WHETHER OR NOT WE TAKING CARE OF IT.
I JUST I CAN THINK BACK WITH DIFFERENT POT OF MONEY, BUT I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I STARTED IN STATE GOVERNMENT, TWO STATE LEADERS DEALT WITH ADDICTION IN THEIR OWN LIVES.
SO WE INVESTED A MASSIVE AMOUNT THROUGH BONDS.
BUT FOR A WHILE, THE BEST PLACE IF YOU HAD AN ADDICTION TO GET HELP WAS TO GO TO JAIL.
[02:50:01]
BUT THAT FROM THAT EXPERIENCE, I JUST KNOW IF THERE IS MORE SUPPORT TO HANDLE THAT HEALTH CARE BECAUSE IT'S IN YOUR BUDGET AS OPPOSED TO THIS BUDGET, I'D HAVE TO CONDITION WHETHER OR NOT I SUPPORT YOU 8%.SO LOOK, I GET THAT, BUT YOU GOT TO PAY FOR IT SOMEWHERE.
THAT'S THAT OTHER QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE.
BUT YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE CHOICES.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WE WERE THERE LAST WEEK.
WE'RE NOT THERE THIS WEEK. SO AT LEAST FOR ME I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW JUST ONE VOTE.
AND I WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE THE HEAT, IF THERE IS ANY, LETTING THE VOTERS DECIDE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER.
LET ME AGAIN LET ME JUST SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.
YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE QUALITY OF CARE INSIDE THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL, I DON'T KNOW IF THE COURT KNOWS THIS, BUT THE STATE JAIL COMMISSION WAS ACTUALLY HERE THIS WEEK FOR A SURPRISE VISIT TO THE JAIL, AND THEY EXITED THIS MORNING.
NUMBER ONE, THAT THE PROGRAM IS GOLDEN.
AND NUMBER TWO, THE CORRECTIONAL HEALTH MINISTER OF THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL HAS NEVER BEEN THIS GOOD.
AND TO THE OTHER THING I JUST WANT, AGAIN EMPHASIZE THIS.
I'M NOT OPPOSING WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED HERE, BUT THERE IS A STATUTORY RESTRICTION OF WHERE THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT TAX MONEY CAN GO TOWARDS. AND I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT AND BRING IT UP AGAIN, SO THAT WHATEVER FRAMEWORK WE WORK OUT WITH IS GOING TO HAVE THAT OVERARCHING PRESSURE ON IT.
SO AGAIN, I'M MORE THAN WILLING TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND COME BACK WITH, YOU KNOW, THREE, FOUR, FIVE WHATEVER EVER DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THE COURT'S CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU. I JUST ENCOURAGE US TO DO IT WITH HASTE.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
COMMISSIONER BROWN HAS HAD THE MOTION.
WAS IT GARCIA OR ELLIS? GARCIA HAD THE SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU GUYS.
YEAH. TO YOUR BOARD AND EVERYONE.
THANK YOU. AND I'LL SHOW THAT FOR ITEM TWO.
NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE.
JUDGE DO YOU WANT TO FINISH OUT FOUR AND FIVE? FOUR. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY BEFORE I HAVE TO RUN.
OKAY. ITEM FOUR IS ON THE TAX RATE FOR HARRIS COUNTY.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD THERE, DIRECTOR RAMOS? I WOULD JUST TURN IT OVER TO JAY BECAUSE THERE IS VERY SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT WE NEED WRITTEN INTO THE RECORD.
OKAY. WELL, IN TERMS OF THE HARRIS COUNTY TAX RATE, IS THERE GOING TO BE A MOTION TO I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE ONE TODAY.
I MADE IT LAST WEEK, BUT I THINK THAT'S BEEN A FEW CHANGES OF HEART.
DO Y'ALL WANT TO HEAR MY SPEECH AGAIN? I'LL MAKE THE ONE TO THIS WEEK FOR YOU, COMMISSIONER.
SO WHICH ONE WAS IT? THE COUNTY TAX RATE.
ONE. SO THIS IS I MOVED THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.38530, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 9.53% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE JAIL AND KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL.
OH, DO I HAVE A SECOND? IS THAT ALL THE LANGUAGE? YEAH, I THINK SO. OKAY I'LL SECOND IT AND JUST TAKE ALL MY COMMENTS FROM LAST WEEK AND APPLY THEM.
SO I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT TODAY.
I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THE, THE THE THE YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN COMMISSIONER WHEN COMMISSIONER, WHEN DOCTOR PORSA SAID GOLDEN WE ALL KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT AS GOOD AS IT IS.
OR IT CAN BE. RELATIVELY SPEAKING, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE IN A JAIL IS NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
[02:55:02]
IS TRYING TO NAVIGATE.BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO.
YOU CAN'T BOTH TRY TO KEEP YOURSELF OUT OF A DEFICIT WHEN YOU'RE HEADING THERE AND AT THE SAME TIME MAINTAIN, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN PROGRAMS. AND SO SOME OF THE ONES THAT I DON'T SEE ELSEWHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS CONTINUATION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM, SOME VETERAN SERVICES PROGRAMS, OF COURSE, ADDITIONAL SALARIES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO A SUBSTANTIVE AMOUNT.
WE'D HAVE TO CUT REALLY BASIC SERVICES TO DO ANY OF THAT.
AND AND IN TERMS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE CONTINUING, THEY'RE VERY LIMITED IN SCOPE.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE GOING TO PAY NOW OR ARE WE GOING TO PAY LATER? THERE WAS A DECISION MADE MANY DECADES AGO AND ONGOING TO PAY LATER WHEN IT CAME TO FLOOD CONTROL INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTENANCE, AND SO WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT.
WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE, THE MAINTENANCE SIDE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ALLOWING THE VOTERS TO TO CONSIDER HELPING US OUT WITH THAT TODAY.
AND THERE WAS THE SAME DECISION WHEN IT CAME TO THE TAX RATE.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS THE SAME RATE FOR QUITE A LONG TIME BACK TO 2014.
AS FAR AS MY STAFF CAN CONFIRM, IT WAS ALWAYS 0.34, 0.34, 0.34.
AND THEN WHEN THAT WAS BEFORE ANY OF US WERE HERE IN 2018, 18.
WELL 2018 ACTUALLY WENT TO 0.35 THEN.
SO THESE ARE LIKE THIRD DECIMALS HERE.
THEN WE WERE AT 0.340.34 2021 0.33 2022.
AND THAT'S WHAT PUT US ON TREND TO FACE THESE DEFICITS YEAR AFTER YEAR OR NOT TO FACE THEM AND OVERCOME THEM, BUT AT A COST TO BASIC SERVICES FOR CONSTITUENTS. AND SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS RESTORE THE TAX RATE TO WHAT IT WAS BEFORE COVID, WHICH IS THAT POINT THREE.
THERE IT IS BEFORE COVID, 0.34 .35.
SO THAT WOULD BE IF WE IF WE GO TO VOTERS, WE CAN GO TO 0.38530.
AND WE WOULD GIVE THE VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER, DO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS IT NOW, OR DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD FOR ANOTHER GENERATION? AND IF VOTERS DON'T WANT TO DO IT NOW, BECAUSE SURE, THE TAX RATE IS IS NOT A MAJOR CHANGE.
BUT PROPERTY VALUES HAVE GONE UP AND FLOOD CONTROL IS ALSO COMING UP.
WELL, THEY CAN DECIDE TO VOTE NO.
BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH ASKING THE VOTERS.
CUTTING IT OFF AT OUR LEVEL IS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT.
AND AND THIS WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SEIZE IT TO WHERE THEY CAN VOTE TO DO WHAT OUR PREDECESSORS DIDN'T EVEN GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO DO.
AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO DO THE SAME THING THAT WAS DONE FOR SO LONG THAT WE END UP WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL BEING THE LARGEST MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY, AND THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAVING TO CATCH UP AFTER MULTIPLE FLOODS.
AM I MISSING ANYTHING, OR DID WE NOT SAY.
DID I SAY ANYTHING INAPPROPRIATE? INACCURATELY? NO.
JUST NEED TO TAKE ACTION OR TAKE THE VOTE.
YEAH. KAYLEE, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR ME? OKAY. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND THAT IS TO ASK THE TAXPAYERS WHETHER THEY WOULD LIKE TO HELP HARRIS COUNTY BE IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE POSITION TO CONTINUE WITH BASIC SERVICES, TO PROVIDE A LAW ENFORCEMENT PAY INCREASE, TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND VETERAN SERVICES THAT WERE INCREASED UNDER OUR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN CHILD CARE SERVICES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES, ETC..
THIS IS AN IDEA THAT WAS ADVANCED AT LEAST 4 TO 1 AT THE LAST COMMISSIONERS COURT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? IN FAVOR. ANY OPPOSED? NO. NO.
MAY I ASK MY COLLEAGUES THE REASON OF CHANGE OF HEART BETWEEN LAST COURT AND THIS COURT? I'LL BE DISCUSSING IT WHEN WE GET TO THE FLOOD CONTROL.
OKAY, WELL, THAT MOTION FAILS, SO IT'S 13.
EXCUSE ME. YOU JUST HAVE TO ANNOUNCE THE VOTE.
MOTION FAILS. 3 TO 2 AND 2 TO 3.
YEAH. OH, MY GOODNESS, YOU GUYS.
OKAY. DO I CALL THE VOTE OR DO OTHER PEOPLE CALL THE VOTE? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT THREW ME OFF.
SO TWO PEOPLE VOTED FOR IT? YES. THREE PEOPLE VOTED AGAINST IT.
I SHOW TWO YESES AND THREE NO'S.
[03:00:04]
WELL, OBVIOUSLY I'M DISAPPOINTED.AND I WISH WE WOULD DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN FOLKS IN THE PAST THAT KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
IS THERE ANOTHER MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
JUDGE, I THINK THERE'S A MOTION ON THE NEXT ITEM RELATED TO THE FLOOD CONTROL.
OKAY, SO THIS ONE WE DON'T HAVE TO WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.
NO. IF WE WANT TO JUST HAVE A RATE.
TO TO YOUR POINT, EARLIER RELATED TO THE THE QUESTIONS AROUND HOW TO TREAT THE BOTH THE HARRIS HEALTH RATE AND THE WAY WE TREAT INDIGENT CARE, WE WOULD LIKE TO TO TAKE OUT ALTOGETHER AT A LATER DATE.
SO TO MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR US.
THANK YOU. OKAY. SO RIGHT NOW NOTHING MORE ON THE NO OTHER FURTHER ACTION NEEDED.
THAT WAS ITEM FOR THE CORRESPONDING PUBLIC HEARING WE ALREADY TOOK EARLIER.
SO ITEM FIVE IS ON THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
AND THIS MOTION IS THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.40.04897, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 7.97% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
0.03774 FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, AND 0.01123 FOR DEBT SERVICE.
AND I'M EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS QUESTION TO THE VOTERS.
WOULD LIKE TO ASK THEM MULTIPLE QUESTIONS, BUT I SEE THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE.
AND I THINK DO I NEED TO ALSO READ THE THE, THE ONE ABOUT THE ELECTION ORDER, DESIGNATED POLLING PLACES, ETC.? YES, WE'LL DO THAT AFTER AFTER A VOTE ON THIS ONE.
OKAY. SO THAT'S THE FLOOD CONTROL ONE.
IS THERE A SECOND TO ASK THE VOTERS FOR FLOOD CONTROL? JUDGE, MAY I, DOCTOR PETERSON, DID YOU WANT TO PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? I KNOW YOU'RE HERE.
COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BRIONES.
I AM REALLY HERE AS A RESOURCE TODAY TO YOU.
IF YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
AT THE LAST COURT, I LAID OUT THE DETAILS OF SEVERAL OPTIONS, AND THERE IS ONE OPTION ON THE TABLE TODAY THAT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MAINTENANCE FOR THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
SO I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU DIRECTOR.
AND WE DO NORMALLY MAKE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND THERE'S DISCUSSION AFTER THAT.
SO THERE WAS NO INTENTION TO CUT YOU OFF OKAY.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR.
SO DIRECTOR PETERSON I KNOW LAST MEETING WE HAD A ROBUST DISCUSSION WHICH WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.
I'M SO PROUD THAT WE'RE DELIVERING NEW INFRASTRUCTURE, NEW PROTECTION.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE MAINTAINING OUR CURRENT ASSETS.
AND WE KNOW WE WENT THROUGH THE NINE GREATS, RIGHT? IT'S WE'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF IT FOR OUR NINE GREAT LEVELS OF GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.
AND INSTEAD OF 270 YEARS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE CYCLE WILL GET ALIGNED TO THE 67.
I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM WITH YOU THAT THAT THAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE AND RECOMMENDATION.
I JUST WANTED THERE TO BE 100% CLARITY ON THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT THE WESTERN PART OF HARRIS COUNTY.
AND TO ME, THIS IS A HUGE PRIORITY THAT WE MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME AND HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS READY AND AS PREPARED TO PROTECT OUR FAMILIES AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE NEED THE MAINTENANCE IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
AND SO I WILL BE PROUDLY SUPPORTING THE MOTION THAT HAS BEEN READ.
AND I JUST IN TERMS OF IF THIS PASSES IN NOVEMBER, THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO PUT THE MONEY TO WORK.
BECAUSE I ALSO WANTED TO REITERATE, AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED MANY, MANY TIMES, YOU HAVE AN INITIAL LIST OF MAINTENANCE PROJECTS AND YOU WILL BE GIVING US YOUR EXPERT RECOMMENDATIONS. SO WE WILL PUT THIS MONEY TO WORK FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE PEOPLE AS SOON AS IT HOPEFULLY PASSES IN NOVEMBER.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LONG LIST OF MAINTENANCE WORK TO DO THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CLEAR OUR CHANNELS, KEEP THEM OPEN AND FUNCTIONAL SO THAT WE ARE READY FOR THE NEXT STORM.
[03:05:04]
SERVICE TEAM PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN BE RESPONSIVE TO THE CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY IN THEIR NEEDS, AS WELL AS MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY.OVERALL, THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY CRITICAL AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
OKAY. PLUS THE 59 MILLION THE FLOOD CONTROL CURRENTLY OWES THE GENERAL FUND.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND THEN COMMISSIONER ELLIS.
DOCTOR PETERSON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, AND I, I WANT TO ADD TO COMMISSIONER BROWN'S COMMENTS THAT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT IS DOING SOME INCREDIBLE WORK.
AND I JUST HAVE TO REEMPHASIZE HOW DIFFERENT THIS HURRICANE BERYL WAS.
BUT THE VERY FEW THAT WERE DAMAGED THIS TIME AROUND, BUT THAT JUST ACCENTUATES THE POINT THAT THE WORK YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING IS WORKING. WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH TO TAKE US OUT OF THE NATIONAL HEADLINES, AS THE CITY THAT ALWAYS GOES UNDERWATER WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE THEIR FAUCETS ON.
YOUR WORK IS SHOWING BUSINESSES WHY THEY OUGHT TO COME TO HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY.
BECAUSE THEY CAN COUNT ON RESILIENCY.
THEY CAN COUNT ON NOT BEING FLOOD DAMAGED AND RAVAGED.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD TO SECOND THE MOTION AS WELL.
AND JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ELLIS.
COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I DO, OKAY.
DOCTOR PETERSON, WE'VE TALKED ON MANY OCCASIONS ON THIS.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST TALKED ABOUT ISSUE THAT I CAN REMEMBER IN MY ENTIRE ENGINEERING CAREER.
WE HAVE KNOWN FOR 30 PLUS YEARS THAT FLOOD CONTROL WAS UNDERFUNDED WHEN IT CAME TO MAINTENANCE.
IN FACT, IN 1998, PUT A LITTLE HISTORICAL CONTEXT TO WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DO.
WE CUT OR THE THE COURT AT THAT TIME CUT THE TAX RATE FROM $0.08 DOWN TO $0.03.
WE ARE TODAY SAYING THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
WE'RE SAYING TODAY THAT UNACCEPTABLE IS NOT MAINTAINING THE STRUCTURES AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS SO CRITICAL TO WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE HAVE ROUGHLY 1.5 BILLION OF UNSPENT HARVEY BONDS.
WE'VE GOT SEVERAL NEARLY PROBABLY A BILLION OF OTHER MONEY.
SOME OF THAT. MOST OF THAT IS GLOW MONEY.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO BE COMPLETED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF THREE YEARS.
THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WHAT WE HAVEN'T DONE AND WHAT WE WILL NOW BEGIN TO DO IF THIS PASSES IN NOVEMBER, IS HAVE A LEGITIMATE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. SO WHEN I VOTE ON THIS AND I SUPPORT THIS, I'M THINKING THIS IS TO SET UP FOR THE FIRST TIME A ROBUST MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
SO THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY FOR PROJECTS.
AND THE REASON I CAN BRING THIS UNASHAMEDLY TO THE VOTERS OF HARRIS COUNTY IS THAT IT IS FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE. IT IS FOR MAINTENANCE OF OUR FLOOD CONTROL.
WE'VE GOT 22 WATERSHEDS, OVER 2500 MILES OF OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN.
SO I AM VERY STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
THIS IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING THE VOTERS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO VOTE ON IN THE PAST.
NOT SOME GENERIC GOING TO PROMISE THIS, AND PROMISE THAT THIS IS A VERY SPECIFIC THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN OUR WATERSHEDS, AND IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE, A GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCE GOING FORWARD.
DO YOU KNOW JOE? MAYBE YOU KNOW DOCTOR PETERSON WILL BE.
WILL THIS BE THE FIRST TIME THAT A COUNTY HAS GONE TO THE VOTERS SINCE THIS NEW LAW WAS PUT IN PLACE BY THE STATE? COMMISSIONER, I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY SITUATIONS WHERE THIS HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE, BUT I WILL ADMIT I HAVE NOT DONE AN EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH.
IT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME ANYBODY BESIDES A SCHOOL DISTRICT, BESIDES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I I'LL LET ARGUMENTS THAT WE CAN MAKE FOR THIS ONE.
[03:10:05]
YOU COULD HAVE MADE FOR THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL.IF IT MAKES IT, I'M WILLING TO BET WE'LL SEE IF I'M WRONG, THAT A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE WHO END UP VOTING FOR IT WILL COME OUT OF PRECINCT ONE. THAT'S JUST MY GUESS.
AND MY CONCERN WOULD BE, EVEN IF I FOLLOWED MY INSTINCT BY SAYING I WOULDN'T BE FOR ONE UNLESS I WAS FOR BOTH OF THEM IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE SOMETHING ON ON THE TABLE.
I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT. I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR IT.
BUT IT IS WITH SOME HESITATION.
I KNOW, AND I MENTIONED TO YOU EARLIER TODAY, DOCTOR PETERSON, THAT AT HISTORICALLY MOST OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE FUNDED BY THE COUNTY, BECAUSE WE TRACKED THAT COST BENEFIT RATIO METHOD.
AND AS I STATED WHEN WE MET LAST WEEK, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO MAKE THE CASE BECAUSE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD HAVE SOME SKIN IN THIS AS WELL.
BUT IN THE NAME OF UNITY, HOPING THAT IT DOES PASS, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR IT.
OH, DID YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? SO THIS ONE THANK YOU DIRECTOR, I THINK I LOVE I LOVE THE, THE THINKING BIG.
OF COURSE, THIS IS MAINTAINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE'RE CURRENTLY.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE SLATED CORRECT THE CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED UNDER THE CDBG PROGRAM THAT WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE FLOOD BOND MONEY COMES UNDER THIS.
PARDON ME. YES. BOTH OF THOSE.
AND OF COURSE, I OH, WE CELEBRATE.
I DO THINK THIS IS A BIG DEAL TO PUT IT OUT.
OF COURSE, THE VOTERS HAVEN'T APPROVED IT, BUT I LOVE BEING ABLE TO ASK THEM FOR IT.
I LOVE US FOCUSING ON FLOOD CONTROL.
AND I'LL KEEP MY EYE OUT AND MY PRIORITY OUT THERE FOR FOR BUILDING MORE INFRASTRUCTURE ITSELF.
BUT I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'VE WORKED ON THIS.
ON THE POINT OF THE OF THE RATE BEING CUT.
SO I MADE A MISTAKE WHEN READING THE THE COUNTY RATE, IT WENT FROM 0.35 TO 0.330.
AND NOW WE'D BE PROPOSING 0.33.
SO ACTUALLY WOULD STILL BE LOWER THAN WHAT IT WAS UNDER MY PREDECESSOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THIS.
I'VE BEEN PUSHING PUSHING ON FLOOD CONTROL.
AND I THINK IT'S IT'S NECESSARY AND IT'S A GOOD IMPROVEMENT.
AND I'M GOING TO BE CERTAINLY ADVOCATING FOR IT.
BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT WHEN CONSTITUENTS COME ASKING FOR A PAY INCREASE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR WHEN THEY ASK FOR ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH OR WHATEVER IT IS, THANK YOU.
AND THAT WAS SUPPORTED ACTUALLY AT THE LAST COURT BY A 4 TO 1 VOTE.
SO IT IS IT IS A COMPLETE FLIP FLOP FROM LET'S GIVE CONSTITUENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE TO PAY FOR THESE BASIC SERVICES OR LET'S NOT.
AND I'M JUST ALWAYS ON THE SIDE OF ASKING.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO KEEP YOU THERE FOR THIS.
BUT ANYWAY SO, COLLEAGUES, I HAVE GOT TO RUN.
BUT I'LL LET COMMISSIONER ELLIS CONTINUE WITH THIS.
MISTER, CAN YOU PLEASE REREAD THE MOTION? YEAH, THERE'S ACTUALLY A MOTION.
DO YOU WANT TO JUST TAKE THE VOTE ON THE ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR BEFORE.
YEAH, BUT IT WASN'T THERE ANOTHER ONE THAT YOU.
COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ONE? THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I CAN REREAD THE FLOOD CONTROL ONE.
THAT'S FINE. SO THE MOTION IS STATED IS I MOVE THE PROPERTY TAX BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.04897, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 57.97% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
THIS RATE CONSISTS OF 0.03774 FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, AND A 0.01123 FOR DEBT SERVICE.
I THINK I MADE THE MOTION COMMISSIONER, AND SOMEBODY HAD SAID YOU HAD SECONDED IT.
[03:15:03]
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
I HAVE A NOTE HERE ABOUT SETTING THE VOTING.
YOU NEED TO CALL THE ELECTIONS.
YES. DO YOU HAVE THAT LANGUAGE? I DO, I JUST FOR SOME REASON, I HAVE HERE THAT COUNTY ATTORNEY NEEDS TO READ IT.
BUT LET ME. SO I LIKE READING IT.
OKAY, SO IT SAYS I MOVED TO APPROVE THE ORDER CALLING AN ELECTION FOR THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT TAX RATE ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024, DESIGNATING VOTER POLLING PLACES, PROVIDING FOR EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY VOTING, PROVIDING FOR PERFORMANCE OF REQUIRED ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES, PROVIDING FOR CONDUCT OF THE ELECTION AND FOR CONDUCT OF A JOINT ELECTION WITH VARIOUS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS, AND PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO SUCH ELECTION.
DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT? DO WE DO WE HAVE THAT MOTION? YEAH. OKAY.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BRYANT.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ANYTHING ELSE? YOU GUYS THAT YOU NEED MY VOTE ON? OKAY. OKAY.
THANK YOU GUYS. SO THE NEXT ONE I HAVE IS ITEM SIX.
AM I RIGHT? THAT'S THE ONLY ONE LEFT.
DANIEL, YOU WANT TO WALK US THROUGH IT? SURE. SO WE MADE TWO, TWO ADJUSTMENTS.
WE? ONE ALLOWED FOR COMMISSIONER PRECINCTS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR COSTS.
WE ALSO SET WE SET THE STANDARD AT FEMA REIMBURSABLE COSTS.
SO MY REQUEST TO YOU ALL IS IN ADVANCE OF OF YOU ALL SEEKING TO ISSUE POS, HAVE OVERTIME, ETC., YOU WOULD CHECK WITH US AND OUR AND OUR VENDOR TO TO GET THE GREEN LIGHT FOR IT BEING FEMA REIMBURSABLE.
WE ALSO SET A CAP OF $500,000 FOR EACH COUNTY EMERGENCY.
WE ALSO SET IT AT YOUR REQUEST.
COMMISSIONER ELLIS, WE SET A HARD CAP THAT WE WOULD REIMBURSE AT THE COUNTY RATE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I'M JUST GOING TO USE DEBRIS REMOVAL BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE SIMPLEST IF WE'RE PAYING, IF THE COUNTY WIDE RATE IS $12 A CUBIC YARD AND SOMEBODY ENTERS A CONTRACT FOR $36, THEY WOULD BE EATING THE $24.
THE PRECINCT WOULD BE EATING THE $24 DELTA.
SO TO TRY TO CREATE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY BETWEEN ALL THE PRECINCTS.
SO WE'RE NOT EACH PRECINCT ISN'T TRYING TO PAY MORE TO GET FASTER SERVICE.
COLLEAGUES? YEAH. COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
I THINK I'LL COME IN AFTER RAMSEY.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE ADOPTING A POLICY.
I LIKE POLICIES, I LIKE TO KNOW BEFORE THE EVENT WHAT THE ISSUES IS, THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE SETTING A POLICY IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS EVENT, THIS EVENT, AND WE CAN HAVE A NUMBERS CONVERSATION.
WE'VE SPENT OVER $5 MILLION ON THIS PARTICULAR STORM RESPONDING TO DEBRIS.
NOW, AGAIN, THIS IS OUR THIRD MAJOR EVENT.
SO TO CUT THIS OFF AT A PEAK LEVEL OF $1 MILLION, THEN I'M SALT AND PEPPER AND EATING $85 MILLION THAT I DID NOT HAVE BUDGETED THIS YEAR.
SO I THINK THIS IS RATHER ARBITRARY.
I THINK IT'S PUNITIVE, PARTICULARLY PRECINCT THREE.
TO ME. IF YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS IN TERMS OF A CAP, I WOULD BE THINKING IT'S 10% OF THE PICK IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT 5% OF THE PICK, IF 5% OF THE PICK WOULD BE ROUGHLY THERE'S 200 MILLION IN THERE NOW, THAT WOULD BE ROUGHLY $10 MILLION.
BUT TO CALL IT $1 MILLION, YOU'RE YOU ARE REALLY CREATING A MAJOR BUDGET CRISIS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE OTHER PRECINCTS HAVE ISSUES LIKE WE DO, BUT MY COUNTING IS THIS MILLION DOLLARS WON'T HARDLY MAKE US WHOLE FOR THIS YEAR.
IT'S A THE REASON WE HAVE A PIC IS FOR MAJOR STORM EVENTS.
AND TO HELP EACH PRECINCT AS WE MOBILIZE AND DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES IN EXTRAORDINARY WAY.
[03:20:03]
AND Y'ALL HAVE ALL HELPED ME.EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE HELPED ME RESPOND TO THIS, BUT I THINK THAT MILLION DOLLARS IS, IS CLEARLY MY OPINION NOT ENOUGH IN TERMS OF A CAP? SO, COMMISSIONER, I WAS THINKING THAT WHEN I SUGGESTED SOME GUARDRAILS, WHATEVER WE DO, FOR ONE, WE DO FOR EVERYONE IN THE PAST, DID WE EVER GO TO THE PIC FROM THE PRECINCTS? SO THERE WAS NO STRUCTURED PROCESS? THERE WAS NO THERE WAS NO PIC POLICY AS OF TWO YEARS AGO BEFORE I STARTED.
SHANE, IF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN AND KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS PRECINCTS WOULD SPEND MONEY AND THEN WHENEVER THEY REACHED A AN INFORMAL CAP WHERE THEIR BUDGET CAN NO LONGER SUSTAIN IT.
THEY WOULD COME BACK FOR TO ASK FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE PIC.
SO IN THE PAST, WHAT WAS THAT CAP? SO MY SENSE WOULD BE IF THERE WAS NO THERE WAS NO DOCUMENTED CAP, THERE WAS NO POLICY RELATED TO IT.
SO HOW MUCH WAS TAKEN OUT ON AVERAGE? THAT'S WELL BEYOND BEFORE MY TIME BECAUSE I WOULD SAY, WELL, COMMISSIONER, WHATEVER WE DID, IF THE NEXT ONE HITS COMMISSIONER BRIONES, IT HITS COMMISSIONER GARCIA MORE, I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION OF ME.
SO I JUST THINK IT OUGHT TO BE SOME CONSISTENT.
IF IT WAS 30 MILLION, IT'S ALL RIGHT.
I MEAN, EVEN WHEN WE HAD IT, I JUST NEVER, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD EAT IT.
NO, MAYBE, MAYBE WHEN I GOT IT, THEY JUST DIDN'T TELL ME TO PICK.
THE PIC WAS FOR THE ONES THAT ACTED NICE.
YOU WERE COMMISSIONER DURING HARVEY.
AND SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE THERE.
BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS A THAT WAS A BIT DIFFERENT STORM.
BUT THE THE EFFORTS THAT EACH PRECINCT PUT FORTH WAS SIGNIFICANT.
I'M JUST SAYING BUT I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT WHATEVER WE TOOK OUT WE ARE NOT ARGUING ABOUT A CAP.
I'M ARGUING THE NUMBER, THE MILLION DOLLARS.
JUST IT ON A $200 MILLION PICK AND YOU'RE GOING TO SET IT AT A MILLION, IT SEEMS LIKE, TO ME.
AND I WOULD HAVE TO SHOW YOU THAT THESE ARE, IN FACT COST ASSOCIATED WITH RESPONDING TO A DISASTER.
I'M NOT ARGUING THE POINT THAT WE NEED A CAP.
I'M JUST SAYING $1 MILLION SEEMS OUTRAGEOUS.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA. COMMISSIONER AND I.
I OBVIOUSLY, I SUPPORT ALL THE GUARDRAILS THAT WE WE HAVE THOUGHT THROUGH, BUT BUT AND I WAS KIND OF VETTING THIS WITH MY STAFF EARLIER THAT THIS IS FEMA REIMBURSABLE UP TO THE 70% GENERALLY.
AND SO BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, I'M ALSO THE ONE THAT URGED US TO HAVE GUARDRAILS AROUND THE PIC ITSELF BECAUSE I THINK WE WERE JUST PICKING AT THE PIC A WHOLE LOT BEFORE WE HAD WE HAD MANY RECURRING COSTS BUDGETED IN THERE, SO BUT I BUT BUT GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS IS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE REIMBURSABLE I DO SUPPORT MAYBE A HIGHER A HIGHER CAP MAYBE 4 MILLION SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THEORY FOR PRECINCTS THAT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN GIVEN THAT ALL OF THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESSES AND ALL THE VETTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COSTS ARE THERE.
I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE THE CAP ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT TOWARDS NEW VENDORS.
BUT I WOULD I WOULD SUPPORT SOME CONSIDERATION.
AND IF THERE'S A MOTION, I'LL SUPPORT IT THAT WE PROBABLY PROVIDE A HIGHER PICK AMOUNT SO LONG AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT IT BEING FEMA REIMBURSABLE.
I'M SORRY. YEAH, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER.
SO THE IDEA WAS THAT BECAUSE THIS IS NEW, THIS IS MEANT TO BE SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING ABOVE THE COUNTY WIDE PROGRAMS THAT WE WOULD HAVE KIND OF A RELEASE VALVE AND YOU GUYS HAD SOME SURETY THAT YOU COULD RESPOND AND NOT HAVE TO CANCEL ROAD PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS DOWN THE LINE, IF WE WANT TO MOVE IT UP.
JUST KEEP IN MIND IT'S NOT IF WE'RE GOING FROM 1 TO 4, IT'S NOT A $3 MILLION DIFFERENCE.
THAT'S A $12 MILLION DIFFERENCE WITH ACROSS ALL THE PRECINCTS.
I WILL SAY, THOUGH, THAT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST BUDGETED CONTRIBUTION TO THE PIC.
IF YOU WERE TO ACCEPT MY RECOMMENDATION, I WOULD AGGRESSIVELY SAY LET'S UP UP THAT BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING 16 MILLION PER RESPONSE, IT WILL ADD UP QUICKLY AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO FEED IT IF WE EXPECT IT TO BE THERE IN TIMES OF EMERGENCIES.
WHERE WOULD THAT MONEY COME FROM? I'M JUST CURIOUS. GENERAL FUND.
[03:25:03]
THAT'S WHERE THE PIC IS BEING FUNDED NOW.AND WHEN WE WHEN WE INSTITUTED THE POLICY, WE TOOK THE BALANCE.
WE TOOK ALL OF THESE, THESE LITTLE BALANCES AND CONTRIBUTED INTO THEM.
BUT IF THERE'S NO SURPLUS, THEN WE WHICH AGAIN, WE'RE ON A PRETTY TIGHT ROPE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE ONE.
COMMISSIONER BRIAN, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? DID YOU WANT TO FINISH YOUR STATEMENT? SO, SO I I'M I'M NOT GOING TO PICK PICK A NUMBER AT THIS POINT.
I THINK IT'S UP TO COMMISSIONERS.
BUT I WILL BE RECOMMENDING STRONGLY THAT WE WE UP THAT $10 MILLION PICK CONTRIBUTION TO HIRE.
COMMISSIONER BRIAN SO THANK YOU, DOCTOR RAMOS.
FIRST OF ALL, FOR US HAVING A POLICY TO FOR US, YOU KNOW, IMPROVING AS WE'RE LEARNING.
THREE I'M FULLY IN AGREEMENT THAT IT NEEDS TO BE FAIR AMONGST THE FOUR PRECINCTS BECAUSE WE ABSOLUTELY NEVER KNOW WHERE THE NEXT DISASTER WILL STRIKE. I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE WE NEED TO BE VERY COGNIZANT AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR THE COUNTY WIDE EXPENSES THAT ENGINEERING, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CREATING GUARDRAILS.
BUT I SHARE COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S SENTIMENT IN PRECINCT FOUR.
WE HAVE $5 MILLION OF COSTS FROM THAT HOME BARREL.
AND SO WITH US USING AND TRYING TO BE AS GOOD A FIDUCIARIES AS POSSIBLE, I GET THAT.
AND WE ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE CONTROLS.
IT MUST ONLY BE FEMA REIMBURSABLE.
RIGHT? IT'S A BOTH AND SO WE CAN BE GREAT.
AND OBVIOUSLY NONE OF US WANT FOR THESE DISASTERS.
HOPEFULLY NEXT SUMMER WE'LL HAVE ZERO AND THEN.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT IS WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE ENTRUSTED US TO DO.
AND SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A PERCENTAGE.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE AN EASIER WAY TO CREATE THE CONTROLS WITHOUT HAVING TO GUESS A NUMBER.
A COUPLE OF POINTS. ONE IS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS ALL MEANT FOR SUPPLEMENTAL ABOVE.
THE SECOND PIECE IS I MEAN I THINK 4 MILLION IS REASONABLE.
AND AGAIN, YOU ALL KNOW ME AS BUDGET DIRECTOR RAMOS.
I SPENT, YOU KNOW, A DECADE IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BEFORE THIS IN VARIOUS ROLES.
SO I NEVER AND HAVE ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS TALKED TO EACH OF YOU WHEN YOU'VE HAD WEATHER EVENTS OR INFRASTRUCTURE FAILURES IN YOUR PRECINCTS, LIKE, HEY, RESPOND, WE'LL WORK OUT THE FUNDING LATER.
SO I'M NOT MORALLY OPPOSED TO MOVING IT UP.
I'M RECOMMENDING 2025, WHATEVER IT ENDS UP BEING.
SO, COMMISSIONER BROWN, WILL YOU FINISH? AND THEN ONE PIECE OF CONTEXT, TOO.
WE STARTED THIS THIS SEASON AT A LITTLE OVER 200 MILLION.
AND WE ALL, I THINK, ARE VERY CLEAR ON THAT FACT.
SO THANK YOU. WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU BELIEVE THE COUNTY WIDE EXPENSES WILL BE FOR THE RATIO PLUS BARREL? I THINK WE'RE LOOKING BETWEEN 60 AND 80 MILLION.
WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 100 MILLION, SOME OF WHICH WON'T BE GOING BACK TO PICK.
AND THAT'S MOSTLY FROM AT THIS POINT, IT'S MOSTLY FROM COVID REIMBURSEMENTS.
SO TO BE CLEAR, WE HAVE 200 MILLION.
OKAY. BUT THAT'S THAT ALREADY TAKES INTO ACCOUNT A PORTION OF THE 60 TO 80 YOU JUST REFERENCED.
CORRECT. THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ALL OF IT.
FOR ALL OF IT. OKAY. SO WE HAVE 148.
WE'RE WAITING ON 100 MILLION OF REIMBURSEMENTS.
MEANWHILE, VARIOUS OF OUR PRECINCTS HAVE BILLS FOR DIRECT SERVICES, FEMA REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES.
[03:30:02]
AND SO I, I AGAIN, ALL ABOUT BEING A GOOD FIDUCIARY.SO I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE PERCENTAGE.
AND I WELCOME Y'ALL'S GUIDANCE.
MR. CARRIZAL AND MR. RAMOS. I THINK HAVING THE FLAT NUMBER IS GOING TO BE MUCH EASIER TO MANAGE.
SO I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THE $4 MILLION NUMBER THAT GOT THROWN OUT.
AGAIN. MY ONLY ASK IS THAT WHEN WE COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
I DO LOVE THE METAPHOR AND JUST ONE ONE COMMENT.
COMMISSIONER, BEFORE BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE PIC DIDN'T GET AS LOW AS IT IS NOW BECAUSE WE WERE RESPONDING TO DISASTERS.
THE 300 MILLION REALLY WENT DOWN LARGELY BECAUSE OF COVID.
WE WE CHARGED A TON OF THINGS, RESPONSES TO COVID AND ARE STILL WAITING ON THAT REIMBURSEMENT.
THAT IS THAT IS PENDING THE STATE AUDIT.
THAT'S CORRECT. WOULD THAT STILL STAND IF WE PUT THIS AT 4 MILLION? YES. OKAY.
I YOU KNOW, I'VE ASKED HAVE I ANSWERED THIS QUESTION A FEW TIMES? WE CAN'T PREDICT THE WEATHER.
I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW AT WHAT POINT DO WE END UP IN A POSITION WHERE, LIKE DEBRIS COLLECTION, WHERE EACH OF THE PRECINCTS ARE COMPETING WITH WHATEVER THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN THE LEAD ON DOING THIS IS DOING WELL.
WE ARE UNLIKELY TO GET REIMBURSED AT A HIGHER RATE THAN WHAT OUR COUNTYWIDE RATE IS.
EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE IN PRECINCT THREE, WE'VE TALKED TO TWO, WE'VE TALKED TO FOUR.
WE'VE WORKED WITH YOUR FOLKS, WE'VE TALKED TO THE COUNTY ENGINEER'S OFFICE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNICATION GOING ON.
IT WASN'T IN THE CONTEXT OF WE'LL GO OUT THERE AND SIGN UP ALL THESE FOLKS TO HAUL DEBRIS AND COMPETE COMPETITION WITH OTHERS. SO I THINK THE RULE OF OF YOU HAVING TO PAY FOR THAT DELTA, THE DELTA THAT, THAT THAT WOULD THAT'S A GOOD THAT'D BE A GOOD GOVERNOR.
THAT'S RIGHT. AND I AGREE FULLY WITH MAKING SURE THE FOUR PRECINCTS.
AND AS AN ASIDE, AS I KEEP BRINGING UP EVERY TIME, I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE MACRO COUNTY WIDE CONTRACT, WHENEVER IT'S UP FOR RENEWAL, FOR US TO RESTRUCTURE IT IN A MORE STRATEGIC WAY. BUT THAT'S SO, DAN, DO YOU WANT TO SUGGEST SOME LANGUAGE FOR THE AMENDMENT THAT COMMISSIONER IS GOING TO MAKE? WE'RE JUST GOING TO SUBSTITUTE THAT 1 MILLION FOR FOR THAT.
OKAY. AND WHAT ABOUT THE 500,000 FOR THE LOCAL ONE.
WE CAN GO BACK AND DO SOME RESEARCH OR YOU CAN AMEND IT TO ANOTHER CAP AT THIS POINT.
OKAY. SO THAT THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR THOUGH, IT'S ACTUALLY THE THE JUDGE ISSUED LIKE ON THE, ON THE FEDERAL AND STATE ONES, WE HAVE A LEVEL OF SECURITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET REIMBURSED FOR ELIGIBLE COSTS.
BUT I WANT YOU TO JUST THINK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE FOR THE AMENDMENT.
SO, COMMISSIONER, IF I MAY I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP THAT 500 CAP, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT REIMBURSABLE.
YES. CORRECT. IT'D BE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO BE REIMBURSABLE.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO KEEP THE $500,000 CAP.
IS THAT CONSENSUS ON THAT? SO THE MOTION IS TO CHANGE THE CAP TO 4 MILLION.
[03:35:01]
4 MILLION AT A MILLION PER PRECINCT? NO, IT'S 4 MILLION PER PRECINCT.PER INCIDENT. 4 MILLION PER PRECINCT.
GOTCHA. OKAY, AND THEN ONE NOTE.
WE'RE BACKDATING THE THIS POLICY TO THE RETRO.
WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH SHANE AT THIS POINT, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO UNTANGLE WHICH DEBRIS IS IS THE RETRO, WHICH IS THE BARREL. SO WE ARE BACKDATING IT TO THAT.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE FLOOD, THE FLOODING EVENT.
SO IS THAT FINE? DO YOU WANT ME TO TRY TO WORDSMITH IT? IF YOU COULD WORDSMITH IT? OKAY.
I THINK IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL PRECINCT.
CAN SPAN WOULD BE INITIALLY LIMITED TO 500 K FOR COUNTY DECLARED STATES OF EMERGENCY, AND $1 MILLION FOR STATE AND FEDERAL DECLARED $4 MILLION, 4 MILLION, 4 MILLION FOR PER PRECINCT.
DO WE NEED A MOTION TO AMEND THE POLICY? SO IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED.
SO MOVE. YEAH. IS THAT OKAY? SO MOVED. OKAY.
OKAY. AND SECOND MOTIONS MADE BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. AYE, AYE.
THE MOTION THE AMENDMENT PASSES NOW.
MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE POLICY AS SUBMITTED WITH THE AMENDMENT AS AMENDED.
AS AMENDED. SO MOVED. COMMISSIONER GARCIA MAKES A MOTION.
SECOND. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY SECONDS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. AYE, AYE.
SO WHAT'S BEEN WHAT'S THE MOTION FOR ITEM SIX? A TO APPROVE ALL OF EVERYTHING LEFT ON THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
AS PRESENTED. WE HADN'T PROPOSED.
THANK YOU. WE OUT OF HERE, BUDDY? ANY OTHER BUSINESS? THIS MOTION.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.