Jun 12, 2025 Commissioners Court

[00:00:08]

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE , IT IS 10:02, WE WILL GET STARTED , A QUORUM IS PRESENT. AND I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ITEMS 278 , THE CONTRACT AND LIVING WAGE OUT OF ORDER.

AFTER THE SPEAKERS, OUT OF ORDER. APPRECIATE TWO REQUESTS,

POINT OF PRIVILEGE. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, I WOULD LIKE TO EXERCISE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN THE MEMORY OF SERGEANT MANWELL EDWARDS , WHO LOST HIS LIFE. HE WAS OFF-DUTY . BUT NONETHELESS, HE WAS ONE OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS HERE. I WOULD APPRECIATE IF EVERYONE WOULD RECOGNIZE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

>>

[Reverend Heather Tolleson of First Christian Church Katy introduced by the Commissioner of Precinct 4.]

>> COMMISSIONER BRIONES ? PLEASE INTRODUCE THE PASTOR OF THE DAY.

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. IT IS MY HONOR TO HAVE ONE OF MY KATIE PARTNERS WITH US , IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE REVEREND HEATHER TOLLESON, A FAITH LEADER WHOSE ADVOCACY IS ROOTED IN PRECINCT 4, AND SHE IS A GRADUATE OF CYPRESS FALLS HIGH SCHOOL AND TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY. REVEREND HEATHER TOLLESON EARNED HER MASTER OF DIVINITY FROM BRIGHTON DIVINITY SCHOOL AND IS CONCLUDING HER DOCTORAL STUDIES. SHE HAS SERVED SEVERAL CONGREGATIONS ACROSS THE NATION AND NOW, PASTORS , OUR FIRST LT BG - AFFIRMING PASTOR IN KATY, TEXAS. KAGAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING WITH US TODAY. REVEREND SERVES, AND FEEL FREE TO COME UP WITH YOUR MOM, OUR REVEREND SERVES AS VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVOCACY AND REVEREND HEATHER TOLLESON IS A DEDICATED COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AND WAS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR BY KATY ISD , 2022. DURING PRIDE MONTH , AND ALWAYS, WE ARE PROUD TO WELCOME BRUNNER TOUT -- REVEREND HEATHER TOLLESON AND KEEGAN. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> LET US PRAY. THE ONE WHOM WE CALL IT HOLY , THAT WE HAVE COME TO KNOW AS GIVER OF LIGHT AND LIFE, WE GATHER IN THIS PLACE KNOWING THAT WE DO OUR WORK WHERE WE CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR RICH COMMUNITY. FOR IT IS THE VALUES OF GENEROSITY AND DIFFERENCES THAT MAKE US SO STRONG IN HARRIS COUNTY. IN THIS MONTH, IN OUR WORLD, WHERE WE CELEBRATE MANY THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW, MAY WE BE REMINDED OF THE PEOPLE IN WHICH WE SERVE.

THAT WE LIFT UP EACH AND EVERY BELOVED , NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE , WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, WHAT THEY BELIEVE, OR WHERE THEY COME FROM, OR WHO THEY LOVE. FOR ME, REPRESENT ALL OF YOUR DIVINE CREATIONS. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY, AMEN

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, KEEGAN , PRETTY COOL THAT SHE DID THAT IN FRONT OF US.

>> KEEGAN , WOULD YOU SHARE, IN ADDITION TO BECOMING PRESIDENT, WOULD YOU SHARE YOUR OTHER DREAM ?

>> IF MY PRESIDENT IDEA DOES NOT WORK OUT, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT A

FLAG ON THE MOON. >> WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU.

>> WE WILL HAVE THE TEXAS PLEDGE, AFTER THE U.S. PLEDGE,

PLEASE. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND

JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE

AND INDIVISIBLE. >> SOMETIMES I GET THEM

[Executive Session (Part 1 of 2)]

[00:05:01]

CONFUSED. >> COLLEAGUES , WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT I WANT US TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO TAKE ON NOW . ITEMS THAT I HAVE, WITH ITEM 340. ANY REASON TO GO BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THAT ONE? YEAH. WHAT ABOUT 341? WE DO.

THAT IS THE RESOURCE AND TALENT EXECUTIVE SEARCH. ANY REASON TO

GO BACK, COUNTY ATTORNEY? >> YES. ON 41, YES , COMMISSIONER. I'M SORRY, 342, YES, COMMISSIONER.

>> 343? IS THAT IT? ANYTHING ELSE? JUST THOSE TWO? WHAT ABOUT

THE ONE ITEM ? >> ON ITEM 13 , YOU WANT IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

>> IT

>> IT IS NOW 10:32, COMMISSIONERS COURT IS NOW BACK

[Appearances before court (Part 1 of 2)]

THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE FOR THE COUNTY MINIMUM WAGE POLICY FOR CONTRACT WORKERS, ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION WE WANTED TO SHARE A BRIEF NOTE AS CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE ABOUT THE NEW MINIMUM WAGE POLICY. ACA SUPPORTS MOVING , OCTOBER 1ST, 2025, TO BETTER ALIGN WITH THE FISCAL YEAR AND WE WELCOME ANY OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

ABOUT HOW THIS WILL PLAY OUT IN PRACTICE. WE HOPE BETWEEN NOW AND OCTOBER THERE WILL BE MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLE EXEMPTIONS OR CHANGES , ESPECIALLY FOR LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, THOSE MANAGED BY FLOOD CONTROL, AS WE SHARE BEFORE OUR MEMBERS WE HAVE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THIS POLICY, HOW THIS POLICY WILL AFFECT SMALL CONTRACTORS WHO ALREADY FACE TIGHT MARGINS WHILE DELAYING IMPLEMENTATION. IT WILL PROVIDE MORE TIME TO PREPARE AND ADJUST. WE ARE ALWAYS HOPING TO WORK WITH HARRIS COUNTY TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T PUT TOO MUCH STRAIN ON CONTRACTORS' ABILITY. JUST IN CASE IT HAS ANY IMPACT ON SPEAKERS WHO ARE GOING TO SPEAK ON VARIOUS ISSUES. OKAY, WE WILL LET YOU START CALLING UP THE SPEAKERS.

>> ANGELA HAWKINS, ITEM 13, KAYLA, ITEMS 216 AND 217, AND ANDREW MARTINEZ, YOU EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> GOOD MORNING, I AM A 60-YEAR-OLD PRECINCT 1 HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENT AND THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE. I AM FACING EVICTION. I WORK, I PAID TAXES, GOT LAID OFF, EXHAUSTED MY UNEMPLOYMENT AND NOW I HAVE NO INCOME. I AM AWAITING A DISABILITY HEARING THIS SEPTEMBER AFTER TWO DENIALS. I NEED SUPPORT UNTIL THEN , BECAUSE MOST AGENCIES ARE OUT OF FUNDING. YOUR COMMUNITY PROSPERITY PROGRAM CAN PREVENT PEOPLE LIKE ME FROM LOSING HOUSING, WHILE HELPING OTHERS MAKE REPAIRS AFTER MAJOR WEATHER EVENTS. EVERY DELAY PUSHES MORE OF US TOWARD EVICTION, BECAUSE STRICT RULES AND REDTAPE ARE SHUTTING PEOPLE OUT , WHEN WE NEED HELP THE MOST. YOUR PLAN PROMISES TO KEEP RESIDENTS ' EFFECTIVE EVICTION HEALTHY AND

RESILIENT . >> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> THANK YOU. >> YES, SIR.

>> GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS CHATEAU WATERED, I STAND BEFORE YOU , TODAY I SPEAK FROM THE

[00:10:04]

>> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP. >> THANK YOU.

>> MY NAME IS ANDY MARTINEZ, I AM A PROUD PLUMBER, A UNION MEMBER IN HARRIS COUNTY FOR OVER 13 YEARS, I WORK HARD, I SHOW UP EVERY DAY, AND, LIKE SO MANY OTHER TRADES , I TAKE PRIDE IN MY WORK. I DO IT TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY RUNNING. YOU KNOW, JUST EVERY DAY, FROM SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, HOMES, JOBSITES, UNDER THE NEWLY ADOPTED MINIMUM WAGE POLICY, ALL MINIMUM WAGE -- EMPLOYEES WILL EARN AT LEAST $20, THOSE LISTED AFTER JULY 1ST WILL BE PAID AT LEAST $21.65 AND WE SUPPORT THIS POLICY BECAUSE IT SETS A STANDARD OF FAIRNESS FOR EVERYONE PERFORMING WORK ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC. UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO EXEMPT CIVIL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, AS WELL AS THOSE OVERSEEN BY THE ROAD AUTHORITY AND THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, EXEMPTING THE SECTORS WOULD UNDERMINE THE POLICY, AND INTENT, AND LEAVE THOUSANDS OF WORKING FAMILIES BEHIND.

>> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. >> LINDA MORALES, JOSE GARCIA, BRIAN GRANGER, SPEAKING ON ITEMS 216 AND 278. YOU EACH HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

LINDA MORALES WITH THE GULF COAST AREA LABOR FEDERATION. WE REPRESENT 92 AFFILIATED UNIONS ACROSS OUR REGION, WHICH INCLUDES THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL.

FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES ON THEIR PAY BUMP TO $20 PER HOUR. ANY ATTEMPT, I HEARD YOUR LETTER, I APPRECIATE YOU READING THAT. BUT WE SUPPORT THE LIVING WAGE POLICY, AS IT WAS VOTED AND PASSED ON. THE MESSAGE IS SIMPLE. THE POLICY, AS PASSED, UPLIFTS ALL WORKERS EXACTLY AS IT SHOULD, HONORING THE COMMITMENT AND FAIRNESS AND DIGNITY FOR EVERY WORKER IN HARRIS COUNTY. THANK YOU MUCH.

>> LINDA, YOU DO SUCH A GOOD JOB, YOU GOT IT RIGHT THERE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. I WAS HOPING THIS LETTER WOULD SAY WHAT WAS DISCUSSED WHEN I MET WITH CASEY AND HER GROUP. YOU DID NOT QUITE SAY THAT. I WAS GOING TO LET HER READ IT. I DO NOT FAVOR ANY CARVEOUTS . AND I DON'T MIND SAYING THAT. THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS JOSE GARCIA, I AM A PLUMBING CONTRACTOR AND OWNER OF PLUMBING SERVICES IN HARRIS COUNTY. I AM HERE FOR THE WORKERS THAT BUILD OUR ROADS, SCHOOLS, AND PIPELINES BUT CANNOT AFFORD FOOD OR HOUSING FOR THEIR FAMILIES. I ASK THAT YOU KEEP THE $21.65 FOR CONTRACT WORKERS WITH NO CARVEOUTS. AS A CONTRACTOR , I KNOW QUALITY WORK STARTS WITH TREATING WORKERS RIGHT, RENT, GROCERIES, AND GAS IS EXPENSIVE. IT IS WHAT WORKERS NEED TO SURVIVE, THERE ARE TOUGH AND DANGEROUS JOBS. MANY WORKERS COME FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THEY DESERVE FAIR PAY FOR HARD WORK. SOME SAY THIS WAY IS TOO HIGH OR DOES NOT MATCH OLD FEDERAL RATES. THAT IS JUST AN EXCUSE. IT HELPS US HIGHER THE BEST. AND STAY SAFE AND DO BETTER WORK. DO NOT TAKE A STEP BACKWARDS. NO CARVEOUTS. KEEP THE $21.65 FOR EVERYONE.

LET'S SHOW WORKERS THEY ARE SEEN, RESPECTED, AND VALUED.

>> THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, THANKS FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK ON THIS TODAY. MY NAME IS BRIAN GRANGER, I AM A BUSINESS AGENT WITH LOCAL 268 IN THE GULF COAST AREA. I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS LIVING WAGE STANDARD . I MEAN, IT IS HARD FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE A LIVING AS IT IS RIGHT NOW. BUT

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YOU. >> STEPHEN GONZALEZ, JENNIFER HERNANDEZ , CYNTHIA CALL, FOR ITEMS 16 AND 278. YOU EACH HAVE

ONE MINUTE. >> GOOD MORNING. I AM STEPHEN GONZALEZ, BUSINESS MANAGER, LOCAL , REPRESENTING THOUSANDS OF HARD-WORKING ELECTRICIANS ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY. I AM HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE LIVING WAGE POLICY. THAT IS A POLICY ROOTED IN FAIRNESS, DIGNITY, AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE. LIVING WAGE IS NOT A LUXURY, IT IS A NECESSITY. IT ALLOWS WORKERS TO LIVE WITH STABILITY AND SELF-RESPECT WITHOUT RELYING ON MULTIPLE JOBS AND PUBLIC AID. WE STRONGLY OF -- OPPOSE ANY CARVEOUTS , ESPECIALLY THOSE IN CIVIL INSTRUCTION. THEY DESERVE THE FULL PROTECTION OF THIS POLICY. THESE WORKERS BUILD OUR ROADS, DRAINAGE, INFRASTRUCTURE AND EXCLUDING THEM WOULD BE A MORAL FAILURE. THIS POLICY BOOSTS OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND RAISES STANDARDS FOR CONTRACTORS. IT IS GOOD FOR WORKERS AND FAMILIES IN HARRIS COUNTY. I URGE YOU, STAND FIRM. NO CARVEOUTS, KEEP YOUR PROMISE TO WORKING PEOPLE. LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH DIGNITY

FOR ALL. >> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. I AM JENNIFER UNITAS, WITH A PAINTERS UNION, THANK YOU FOR PASSING THIS POLICY. TODAY, AS YOU HEARD, WE ARE HERE TO ENCOURAGE THAT THIS POLICY STAYS AS IS WITH NO CARVEOUTS, AND NO EXEMPTIONS. AS THE THIRD -MOST POPULOUS COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH A GROWING ECONOMY AND RISING COST OF LIVING, A LIVING WAGE IS NOT A LUXURY IT IS A FLEXION OF OUR ECONOMY AND REALITY. A LIVING WAGE KEEPS PACE WITH REALITY. IT REFLECTS THEIR VALUE, NOT JUST THEIR JOB TITLES. SOME MAY ARGUE THAT THIS POLICY BURDENS CONTRACTORS.

LET'S BE HONEST. RESPONSIBLE BUSINESSES AND CONTRACTORS CAN, AND DO, ADAPT. CONTRACTORS HAVE ASKED WORKERS TO DO WITH LOW WAGES. IT IS TIME TO ADJUST. IT DOES NOT PREVENT THEM FROM PERFORMING QUALITY WORK. IT ENSURES THAT PUBLIC DOLLARS DO NOT SUPPORT POVERTY WAGES. THIS POLICY LETS WORKERS --

>> YOUR TIME IS UP. >> WE GET THE DRIFT, GOOD JOB.

>> THANKS. >> GOOD MORNING, SYMPHONY COLE, LOCAL DIRECTOR, THANK YOU FOR PASSING THIS TYPE OF A LIVING WAGE. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIVING WAGE AND COMFORTABLE. THIS IS NECESSARY. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET RICH ON $21, YOU ARE NOT TO GET RICH ON $20, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO MISS NO BUSINESS, BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUY AN EXTRA LOAF OF BREAD. I VOTED, IN MY LETTER, I SAY STAND STRONG, KEEP YOUR PROMISE, AND FOCUS ON THE FUTURE. I LIKE JUICE , BUT I DON'T DO HAIL RATE.

>> JOSEPH ON ITEMS 16 AND 278 , PAUL WILLIAMS ON ITEM 80, AND ANDY YOUNG ON ITEM 80 , YOU EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE .

>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NO-NAME -- NAME IS JOSEPH , FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS. AS A SMALL, MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS, I SUPPORT THE UNION . I AM A UNION MEMBER MYSELF. I CAME UP AS A UNION CRANE OPERATOR. AND BEING A CRANE OPERATOR, I KNEW THAT IT WAS A BENEFIT IN BEING IN THE UNION AND I SUPPORT THIS BILL

AND MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. >> THANK YOU .

>> THANK YOU. >> TODAY, COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS ANDY YOUNG AND I AM A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 3, FORMERLY PRECINCT 4, I STARTED IN HOUSTON IN 1990 DESIGNING THE PARK AND GOLF COURSE, COFOUNDED THE HOUSTON DISC SOCIETY, ORGANIZED A FUNDRAISER IN 1995, FOUR BASKETS DONATED TO HOUSTON PARTS

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I AM A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE WORLD DISC GOLF HALL OF FAME. THIS GOLF WENT BOOM IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. TODAY, AGNES MOFFAT IS THE MOST POPULAR BEGINNER AND USER-FRIENDLY COURSE WE HAVE, FOSTERING THE GROWTH OF THE FOURTH GENERATION OF DISC GOLF ENTHUSIASTS AND FUTURE CHAMPIONS. OVER THE YEARS, THE DISC GOLF TEAM IN HOUSTON HAS SUPPORTED PROTECTED AND CONTINUED THE UPKEEP OF THE COURSES VOLUNTARILY.

>> YOU DID A GOOD JOB, THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS PAUL WILLIAMS, I AM A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN. I AM HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 80, THE $600,000 AGREEMENT WITH THE ASSOCIATES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STUDY TO PUT BASEBALL FIELDS IN AGNES MOFFAT , IF THIS IS TO GO THROUGH, THE COST OF THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION IS $4 MILLION. HOUSTON HAS A HISTORY OF REMOVING EXISTING DISC GOLF COURSES OUT RIGHT OR FORCING THE NUMBER OF HOLES TO BE REDUCED, CAN -- CONTINUING IT TO BE ALTERED. WE IS THAT MASON, DODSON, CLINTON, LISA HAVE BOMBAST, INGLEWOOD, I KNOW THESE HAVE BEEN ALTERED. JESTER HAS BEEN ALTERED. DISC GOLF IS NEVER A PRIORITY IN ANYBODY'S -- WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT IT . WE BELIEVE THIS PROJECT SHOULD NOT

GO THROUGH. >> YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> JUAN AND SEAN ON ITEMS 16 AND 278. DENNIS ON ITEM 80 , YOU

EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS , I AM A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT 1 AND AN ORGANIZER AT THE WORKERS DEFENSE PROJECT. I AM HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THEIR LIVING WAGE ORDINANCE AS PASSED IT WAS AN ASSURANCE OF GROWTH, STABILITY, AND DIGNITY TO THE WORKERS THAT ENSURE OUR COUNTY CONTINUES AS AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE. IT IS A LIFELINE THAT ASSURES WORKERS HAVE STABILITY AND DIGNITY AS THE COST OF HOUSING, FOOD, AND HEALTHCARE CONTINUES ITS DECLINE. I SPEAK NOT ONLY ON BEHALF OF MYSELF BUT THE IMMIGRANT WORKERS THAT WE ORGANIZE. WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT INFLATION AND THE RAPIDLY-RISING COST OF LIVING. WE BELIEVE THAT THE LIVING WAGE ORDINANCE SHOULD BE APPLAUDED FOR THE FORESIGHT IT SHOWS FOR REGULAR READJUSTMENTS.

WE WANT TO MAKE CLEAR, WE STAND FIRMLY BEHIND ANY POLICY THAT PRIORITIZES THE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY OVER PROFIT.

HARRIS COUNTY SETS A POWERFUL PRECEDENT FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

TOGETHER, WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR COUNTY REMAINS A PLACE WHERE HARDWARE CONTINUES TO BE REWARDED.

>> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP. >> I MIGHT'VE GOTTEN OUT OF ORDER, I AM A RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER, I USE DISC GOLF FOR PHYSICAL RECREATION SINCE I WAS A YOUNG FATHER AND NOW I PLAY AS AN ALMOST SENIOR CITIZEN. I AM AGAINST THE $600,000 STUDY, IT IS THE FIRST STEP IN ELIMINATING ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR DISC GOLF COURSES IN TOWN, WHO PLAYS DISC GOLF? WOMEN'S GROUPS, MEN'S GROUPS, THERE IS A GERIATRIC GROUP, THERE IS A GROUP OF SEASONED DISC GOLFERS TEACH YOUNG PEOPLE THE GAME, PEOPLE FROM BLUE-COLLAR AND WHITE-COLLAR LIVES PLAY THE GAME. THERE HAS BEEN A BENEFIT FOR THE FOOD BANK FOR THE PAST 34 YEARS RAISING $92,000 AND IN THE PAST SIX YEARS I HAVE HAD TWO KNEE REPLACEMENTS HAD TWO HIP REPLACEMENTS. THIS PORT IS ONE IN WHICH PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES CAN PARTICIPATE AND REHABILITATE. DISC GOLF CAN EXIST WITH NATURE, AND THE PARK IN QUESTION IS A REMNANT OF A

WETLAND. IT WOULD ELIMINATE -- >> YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> HELLO, MY NAME IS SEAN LEADER, AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON THE WAGE BILL, $20 PER HOUR IS THE -- ONLY $40,000, BARELY LIVABLE IN THE CITY. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE MASS TRANSIT, MAKING SURE THAT

[00:25:01]

INCOME. >> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> THANK YOU. >> DANIEL ON ITEM 80, ALSOP FLOREZ, ITEM 163, AND AMY ON ITEM 278. YOU EACH HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> MY NAME IS DANIEL, I AM HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE STUDY BROUGHT UP IN 980, THERE ARE STRONG ARGUMENTS, BUT MAINTAINING THE CURRENT STATE OF AGNES MOFFAT PART, THE FOSTER YIELD WATERING ALONE TOWARDS THE COST. IT IS FREQUENTLY USED FOR TOURNAMENTS SUCH AS THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK, AND THE FIREMAN'S TOY DRIVE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

THIS CLUB IS A PATRIOTIC, EGALITARIAN SPORT. THERE ARE NO RESERVED TEETIMES , COURSE FEES, AND A STARTER SET IS LESS THAN $20 AT ANY SPORTING GOODS STORE. IT IS EQUALLY CHALLENGING TO SKILL LEVELS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU ARE PLANNING TO BEAT YOURSELF, YOU ARE PLAYING TO BETTER YOURSELF. THE ELEMENTAL CORE OF AMERICAN VALUES ARE INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-RELIANCE, FOR MOST. OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BENEFIT THEIR MEDICAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH , IT IS EASY, CHEAP, AND ACCESSIBLE. DISPLACING AT THIS MOFFAT WOULD

IMPEDE OUR CITIZENS -- >> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> I AM THE PRESIDENT OF CI YOU PRACTICE, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME, TWO MONTHS AGO, I WAS HERE AND EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE POLICY. TAKING THE STEP OF RAISING WAGES FOR THE LOWEST-PAID WORKERS WHO ARE OFTEN FORGOTTEN TO THIS LIVING WAGE. I AM NOT GOING TO REPEAT A LOT, I AM GOING TO REMIND SOME OF THE REASONS WHY I SUPPORTED IT, IT REFLECTS THE VALUES OF THIS COUNTY, IT HELPS WITH WORKER RETENTION, AND THIRD , IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR THE ECONOMY, ALL OF THE MONEY THAT THE WORKERS MAKE IS GOING TO COME RIGHT BACK TO THIS ECONOMY. I COMMEND THE HARRIS COUNTY BOARD, LIFTING UP THE LOWEST I CAN PAID WORKERS WERE OFTEN FORGOTTEN IS JUST NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO. BUT IT IS THE SMART THING TO DO FOR WORKERS AND THE ECONOMY , THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR COMING IN, THAN YOU FOR PASSING IT , IT MAKES THE CASE TO HAVE SO MANY OF THE WORKERS, IT REALLY DOESN'T

MATTER >> I AM AMY, WE DO RESEARCH , 93% OF COMPANIES PAY LIVING WAGES, WITH REPORTING DIRECT BENEFITS TO THEIR BENEFITS. THESE ARE NOT THEORETICAL, THEY ARE MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENTS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT THE BOTTOM LINE, REPLACING A LOW-WAGE WORKER COSTS 15% OF THE ANNUAL PAY AND RECRUITMENT, AND THAT IS NEARLY $5000 IN REPLACEMENT COST. WHEN CONTRACTORS PAY LIVING WAGES, THEY SEE DRAMATIC TURNOVERS.

HIGHER WAGES ATTRACT BETTER WORKERS AND OVER HALF OF LIVING WAGE REPORT BETTER QUALITY APPLICANTS. IT IS A SKILLED WORKFORCE THAT OTHERS CANNOT FIND, THE BOOSTED PRODUCTIVITY DOES NOT STOP THERE. HIGHER WAGES MOTIVATED HIGHER WORK, PREVENT ABSENTEEISM, AND ALSO LABOR REPRESENTS JUST 25% OF CONSTRUCTION COSTS , EVEN A 10% WAGE INCREASE IMPACT IT BY LESS THAN 2.5%. THE SHORTSIGHTED THINKING UNDERMINES --

>> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP. >> NEXT, JOHN MARTINEZ, ON ITEM 278. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

>> WE CAN TRY HIM AGAIN LATER. >> WE WILL COME BACK TO HIM.

[00:30:03]

>> I AM HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE USE OF CONSUMER FIREWORKS IN HARRIS COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY IN CELEBRATION OF THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT. I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN GRANTING THIS , SO THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE IT AND SHARE THE MESSAGE OF LIFE AND HARMONY WITH THE BROADER COMMUNITY AND WORK MOSTLY WITH THE FIRE MARSHALS SO THAT WE ARE ALL SAFE, AND SO THAT WE ARE ALL SAFE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME HERE, I APPRECIATE BRINGING THIS ON THE

TABLE. THANK YOU. >> HELLO, COMMISSIONERS, I AM THE CEO OF MASALA RADIO AND HOUSTON MELODY STEWART, THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT, I WAS HERE LAST YEAR I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PASSING THE SALE OF THE DIWALI FIREWORKS, WE SOUGHT THOUSANDS OF VIDEOS OF PEOPLE ALL OVER HARRIS COUNTY CELEBRATING BECAUSE THEY COULD BUY THE FIREWORKS FRESH. AND THERE WERE NO REPORTED INCIDENCES IN ANY COUNTY, OF ANY SAFETY FAILURES, NO FIRES, NO INJURIES, I AM A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THIS MUCH FIREWORKS IN HOUSTON IN MANY YEARS. SO, I WANT TO THANK YOU, I HOPE THAT YOU DO PASS THOSE FOR FIVE YEARS SO THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO KEEP COMING HERE. FIREWORKS HAS BEEN PART OF DIWALI IN INDIA SINCE THE 1400S, WELL BEFORE CHRISTMAS -- CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS SAILED TO THE U.S. AND WE STARTED CELEBRATING THE FOURTH OF JULY.

THIS IS AN ANCIENT TRADITION IN OUR CULTURE AND WE ARE SO HAPPY.

THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR HEARING US ONCE AGAIN. MY NAME IS GEORGE MORRISON. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER BRIONES FOR SPEARHEADING THIS AND BEING A CHAMPION OF THIS. LAST YEAR WAS APPROVED FOR ONE YEAR, VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL, THE INDIAN COMMUNITY DID A GREAT JOB SUPPORTING IT, I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR A LOT FROM THEM, TALKING ABOUT THEIR SERVICES. HOPEFULLY, WE CAN DO THIS FOR FIVE YEARS. IF NOT, WE WILL BE BACK WITH MORE NEXT YEAR. ALL

RIGHT, THANK YOU. YOU BET. >> WE ARE GOING TO TRY JOHN MARTINEZ, SPEAKING VIRTUALLY ON ITEM 278.

>> YES, THIS IS JOHN MARTINEZ WITH THE REGIONAL HISPANIC CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION. WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE MINIMUM WAGE POLICY. IT ADDRESSES A LONG-STANDING EQUITY ISSUE.

HISPANIC WORKERS ARE OVERREPRESENTED IN LOW-WAGE JOBS, ACCORDING TO THE U.S. BUREAU OF LABOUR STATISTICS A WAGE FLOOR THAT REFLECTS THE COST OF LIVING ENSURES THAT THESE WORKERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE ESSENTIAL TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONTRACT WORK AND SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AND STAY IN THE TRADE.

ENSURING A LIVING WAGE CAN BENEFIT SMALL CONSTRUCTION FIRMS. MANY LARGE MEMBER FIRMS PAY A COMPETITIVE WAGE, BUT THEY OFTEN FACE PRESSURE FROM LOWER CONTRACTORS THAT UNDERBID BY UNDERPAYING, AS DOCUMENTED IN THE REPORTS FROM THE UC BERKELEY LABOR, THIS DOES NOT JUST RAISE STANDARDS FOR WORKERS, IT PROTECTS HIM -- AND PROTECTS THE EMPLOYEE OF PUBLIC CONTRACTING.

THANK YOU. >> JOHN, INC. YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS PATEL , THEN --, SPEAKING ON ITEMS 289. YOU EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>>

>> I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER BRIONES FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA, AS YOU KNOW LAST YEAR WE DID THESE FIREWORKS AND THEY HAD NO ISSUES, IT WAS A LOT OF FUN FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES AND KIDS, AND WE REQUEST TO EXTEND THIS FOR WHATEVER NUMBER

[00:35:02]

>> I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THESE FIRECRACKER SALES, THIS IS AN EVENT, A FUNCTION IN WHICH WE CELEBRATE OUR RETURN TO THIS KINGDOM, AND THAT HAS BEEN THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO, THE FIRECRACKERS, THE LIGHTS AND THE SPARKLERS, WE NEED TO KNOW HOW WE CELEBRATE, IT ALSO UNITES FAMILIES. IT BRINGS THE FAMILIES TO UNITE, NOT WITH THE ANXIETY AND PRESSURE THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE FUTURE. SO EVERYBODY IS WELCOME TO JOIN US AND CELEBRATE THE EVENT AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR THAT, THANK

YOU. >> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, MY NAME IS MONSUK, THAT MEANS HAPPY MAN, HAPPY MIND, SO I WOULD BE HAPPY IF YOU PASS A RESOLUTION AND I'M 78 YEARS OLD, I HAVE LIVED IN HOUSTON FOR 44 YEARS AND AT MY AGE, USUALLY YOU CAN GO BACK TO YOUR CHILDHOOD AND YOU REMEMBER THE RALLY AND THE FIREWORKS, SO IF YOU PASS THIS RESOLUTION FOR IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THEN NOT ONLY YOU WILL MAKE ME HAPPY BUT YOU GUYS ALSO WILL BE HAPPY BECAUSE YOU DID THE RIGHT THING, THANK YOU.

>> ITEM 289, HE RECHECKED -- YOU EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS BILL, I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE VALLEY EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT IS AND WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR SO I'M REPRESENTING, ALLOWING LEADING MANUFACTURERS AND SUPPLIERS OF ASIAN FOODS AND I'M PRESENTING MY COMMUNITY, MY FAMILY AND THE CHILDREN AND EVERYBODY WHO CELEBRATES AND WHY FIREWORKS ARE IMPORTANT, SO I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST WITH MY HEARTFELT -- FOR OUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THE CULTURE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FIREWORKS, HOW IT IS RELATED TO THE CELEBRATION, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR FUTURE CHILDREN TO KNOW THE CULTURE AND IT WILL HELP OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE OUR FESTIVAL WITH ENLIGHTENMENT. AND FROM WHEN I WAS SMALL AND I USED TO CELEBRATE IN INDIA, I REMEMBER THAT I MISSING THAT, I'M LIVING IN THE U.S. --

>> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP. >> HELLO, GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE HINDU COMMUNITY LIVING IN ELLIS COUNTY AND THE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, AS YOU KNOW THE VALLEY IS THE KEY FESTIVAL FOR THE HINDU COMMUNITY, IT CELEBRATES GOOD OVER EVIL AND THAT EVEN GOES BEYOND INTO COMMUNITY. USING THE FIREWORKS AND LIGHT IS A KEY PART OF THE FESTIVITIES SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST IS THE USE OF FIREWORKS BE ALLOWED IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND IN THE PAST, THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN CELEBRATED WITH YOUR PERMISSION, WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS SAFELY. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE DONE IN A SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WILL BE THANKFUL TO THE COMMISSION OR BOARD FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. PLEASE PASS THIS FOR A LONGER PERIOD SO THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT HAVE TO COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

[00:40:01]

>> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. TAKE YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK HERE, I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY -- I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE REGULATIONS, WE AIM TO CELEBRATE THE VALLEY RESPECTFULLY, SAFELY AND IN A WAY THAT HONORS BOTH OF OUR TRADITIONS IN THE LIVES OF THOSE IN THE COUNTRY. FROM THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR, WE WANT THIS TO GO

FORWARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> ITEM 289, YOU EACH HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> I BOWED TO THE DIVINE IN EVERY ONE OF YOU, AND YES I'M VERY HAPPY TO WEAR THIS T-SHIRT TODAY, I REPRESENT AN ORGANIZATION, I DO VALLEY EVENTS IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA WHICH ATTRACTS MORE THAN 4000 AND 10,000 IN THE STADIUM, THE KEY PART OF IT, THAT BEING SAID LAST YEAR THANK YOU FOR THE APPROVAL AND WE REALLY ENJOYED THE VALLEY. IT BROUGHT OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY TOGETHER, NEIGHBORS TOGETHER, I'M A PART OF THE BOARD REPRESENTING THE BOARD MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY AS WELL. IT WAS A TRUE FESTIVAL OF DIVERSITY, FOR 10 YEARS WE DIDN'T SEE EACH OTHER, EVEN THE NEIGHBORS, BUT WHEN WE USED FIREWORKS, ALL OF THE FAITHS WERE THERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY ALL CAME TOGETHER, THANK

YOU. >> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE PERMISSION TO INCLUDE TRADITIONAL FIREWORKS AND DISPLAY IN THE DIWALI 'S ELEVATION, IT SYMBOLIZES THE VICTORY OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS, FAMILIES DECORATE HOMES WHILE FIREWORKS MARKED THE SUCCESS OF THE LIGHT AND THE START OF OUR NEW YEAR'S. WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO HOSTING A SAFE, WELL-MANAGED EVENT. OUR ORGANIZATION IS READY TO COMPLY WITH THE COUNTY REGULATIONS THAT WE NEED WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND RESPECT FOR THE COMMUNITY. YOUR SUPPORT WOULD PRESERVE OUR VALUES, TRADITIONS AND REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT TO CULTURE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THOUGHT FOR CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, I'M SERVING HOUSTON AS AN ENGINEER AND HELPING THE COMMUNITY AND THE YOUTH TO KEEP THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN THE COMMUNITY, THE ONLY THING I WANT TO SAY, LAST TIME I CELEBRATED WITH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND ALL THE COMMUNITY, MY KIDS WERE ASKING ME, WHEN IS THE NEXT DIWALI ? IT IS NOW UP TO YOU TO PASS THIS AND TO CELEBRATE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, THANK YOU AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE WORKING TOGETHER, TO MAKE HOUSTON BETTER

AGAIN AND THANK YOU EVERYONE. >> [INDISCERNIBLE] ITEM 289, YOU

EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE. >> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.

I'M A 37-YEAR-OLD, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP LAST YEAR, I ACTUALLY GOT TO ENJOY THE DIWALI THE PROPER WAY WITH NOT JUST MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND ALSO MY NEWBORN GRANDDAUGHTER, FOR THE FIRST TIME. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. QUITE A BIT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THE ASPECTS OF ALL THE SAFETY AND ALL THAT. I JUST WANTED TO THROW SOME LIGHT ON THE ECONOMIC ASPECTS. I TRIED BUT I COULDN'T FIND THE HARRIS COUNTY STATUS BUT APPARENTLY, THE ANNUAL SALE

[00:45:08]

YOU VERY MUCH. >> THINK YOU VERY MUCH, YOUR

TIME IS UP. >> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE INDIAN COMMUNITY TOWARDS INCLUDING THIS, INCREASING THE FIREWORKS SALE WINDOW DURING THE PERIOD OF DIWALI. JUST LET ME SHARE A PERSONAL STORY HERE , I GREW UP IN INDIA AND I CAME HERE AS AN IMMIGRANT TO STUDY. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS NOW BUT I STILL GO BACK TO THAT TIME WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE DIWALI WITH FAMILY . WITH THE FOOD, MEETING WITH COUSINS AND OF COURSE THE FIREWORKS, SO I WANT SOME OF THAT EXPERIENCE TO BE EXTENDED TO MY KIDS HERE, TOO. AND IN LIGHT OF THAT, I WOULD REQUEST YOU TO ALLOW THE SALE OF FIREWORKS DURING THAT TIME SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BUY THEM EARLIER DURING THE YEAR AND STORE THEM IN OUR HOMES WHICH OF COURSE MANY HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE IS A FIRE HAZARD. WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US HERE, APPRECIATE IT.

>> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, I DON'T REPRESENT ANY ORGANIZATION BUT I REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. DIWALI IS A SPECIAL OCCASION FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS WE CELEBRATE, LIKE WE DO ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, AND WE REALLY WANT TO DO IT WITH FIREWORKS HERE, TOO. I FLEW FROM INDIA TO CELEBRATE DIWALI WITH THE FIREWORKS BUT IF YOU DO AWAY WITH IT, I WILL NOT FLY BACK EVERY TIME, BUT I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GRANT THE PERMISSION TO DO THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> ITEM 289, AND LAUREN HODGE ON ITEMS 296 AND 297.

>> COMMISSIONERS AND AUDIENCE, I AM CHOSEN TO BE HERE FOR 50 YEARS IN HOUSTON, AND MY HOME IS IN HOUSTON, AND MY COMMUNITY, I HAVE BEEN INTERACTING WITH THEM AND I THINK AS EVERYBODY KNOWS DIWALI IS A VERY AUSPICIOUS OCCASION FOR US AND WE CELEBRATE JUST LIKE THE FOURTH OF JULY AND FIREWORKS IS A PART OF THIS TOWN. I HAVE BEEN THERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND I THINK LAST YEAR WE WERE HERE, TOO. AND I THINK YOU GRACEFULLY GRANTED US TO HAVE SALES AND CELEBRATE. AND I THINK I WANTED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE AND CAREFUL AND EVEN DURING THAT TIME LAST YEAR, THERE WAS NO INSTANCE AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY RESPONSIBLE. I HOPE YOU EXTEND THIS TIME AGAIN AS MUCH AS

POSSIBLE, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> I REPRESENT INDIAN SENIOR CITIES AND ASSOCIATION GROUP, WE HAVE OVER 1000 MEMBERS AND I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER BRIONES TO BRINGING THE DIWALI FIREWORKS TO LIGHT, DIWALI IS CELEBRATED ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH OUR LOVED ONES AND OF COURSE THE FIREWORKS. WITHOUT THE FIREWORKS, THE CELEBRATION IS NOT COMPLETE. YOUR HONOR, THEIR SAFETY IS VERY IMPORTANT AND SAFETY HAS IMPROVED , WE HAD ZERO REPORTED INCIDENTS FOR THE DIWALI FIREWORKS LAST YEAR. SO I WOULD URGE THE PANEL TO GRANT PERMANENT APPROVAL TO THE DIWALI FIREWORKS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP COMING EVERY YEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS LAUREN HODGE, I'M

[00:50:04]

>> THANK YOU. TIFFANY AND COMMISSIONER ELLIS, IF I MAY, I KNOW THERE'S TWO AGENDA SPEAKERS, THERE WAS SOME MISCOMMUNICATION AND THEY ARE NOT ON THE LIST, PATRICK WHO IS FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MINORITY CONTRACTORS AND FROM THE REGIONAL HISPANIC CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION ARE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ITEM 278, MAY THEY PLEASE BE GRANTED?

>> SURE, JUST YOUR NAME WHEN YOU COME UP AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE

EACH. >> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, I REPRESENT THE REGIONAL HISPANIC CONTRACT ASSOCIATION OF HOUSTON AND WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE MINIMUM WAGE POLICY FOR HARRIS COUNTY. AS THE ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE 2023 NOTES, RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE IS A JUSTICE ISSUE, HISPANIC WORKERS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED IN LOW-WAGE OCCUPATIONS AND STAND TO GAIN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM WAGE INCREASES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN CONSTRUCTION WHERE JOB QUALITY ARE TIGHTLY LINKED TO SAFETY, WORKFORCE, RETENTION AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC MOBILITY. OUR HCA SUPPORTS HARRIS COUNTY LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE AND URGES THE ADOPTION OF A COMPETITIVE LOCAL CONSTRUCTION

ECONOMY. THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS PATRICK CASTILLO , I'M THE PRESIDENT OF CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION, FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER BRIONES FOR CHAMPIONING THIS, WE DEFINITELY NEED THIS. I PAY MY EMPLOYEES ANYWHERE BETWEEN $18 TO $30 PER HOUR AND THIS WOULD DEFINITELY KEEP GOOD CREWS ON OUR PROJECTS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS WILL CREATE MORE CAPACITY WHICH IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST YEAR AND I THINK MOST OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US ON THAT. AND THIS WOULD KEEP ELIGIBLE WORKERS IN OUR INDUSTRY BUT MORE SO EVEN BRING NEW WORKERS INTO OUR INDUSTRY WHICH WE MOST DEARLY

NEED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU, I LIKE THOSE

GLASSES YOU HAVE, TOO. >> NEXT, SPEAKERS ELISE MARANO AND SHANE PRICE, YOU EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> COME ON UP AND JUST SAY YOUR NAME.

>> HELLO COMMISSIONERS, COURT, I'M HERE TO MAKE SURE [INDISCERNIBLE] THEY PUT ME IN THE BACK OF A POLICE CAR AND IN HANDCUFFS, I REALLY WANT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CUTS IN ALL THEIR BUDGETS, TO BE CUT DOWN, I DON'T AGREE BASED UPON WHAT THEY DID, I'M THINKING ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HARMED FROM THEM CIVILLY AND I REALLY WANT TO REACH OUT A SETTLEMENT WITH SOMEBODY IMMEDIATELY. SO, I WANT TO ASK SOMEBODY TO HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER. I NEED SOMEBODY'S HELP IMMEDIATELY WITH THIS SITUATION.

>> WE HAVE SOMEBODY FOLLOWING THIS.

>> THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS SAVANNAH AND I RESIDE IN VILLAGE ONE AND PRECINCT TWO, MY COMMISSIONER IS COMMISSIONER GARCIA, I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE DAMAGE, WHAT THEY DID TO MY VEHICLE FROM THE CONSTRUCTION SITE, THEY ARE VERY LARGE HAZARDS, AND I HAVE BEEN HERE ONCE BEFORE, I THINK LAST MONTH TO PRESENT THIS AND I SUBMITTED ALL THE DOCUMENTS THEY REQUESTED AND TO KEEP REACHING OUT AND I

[00:55:01]

GARCIA. >> IF WE CAN GET THEM OVER HERE.

THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN. I WAS TOLD THAT PAPERWORK HAD NOT YET BEEN RECEIVED BUT IF YOU ARE SAYING IT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED, WE

WILL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. >> YES, SIR. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I SENT A CERTIFIED LETTER.

>> WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT IT, THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS SHANE PRICE, I'M HERE WITH A HEARTFELT REQUEST FOR INTERVENTION FROM THE COMMISSIONERS ON MY BEHALF. I'VE BEEN HOMELESS SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2024 AND IN DECEMBER I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH MELANOMA, I MATT HARRIS HEALTH GOLD CARD RECIPIENT AN ACTIVE HOMELESS GRANT, I WAS REFERRED TO DR. AMY SHEPLER BY THE HARRIS OPHTHALMOLOGY ONCOLOGY DEPARTMENT, AN OUTSIDE PROVIDER, HER OFFICE WAS TOLD THAT MY PRIVATE ENTRANCE WAS BLOCKING MY HOMELESS GRANT AND I WOULD NEED TO CANCEL THAT INSURANCE SO HARRIS HEALTH COULD FUND THAT PROCEDURE. I HAVE FOLLOWED THAT IN GOOD FAITH AND LOST MY COVERAGE WHICH WOULD HAVE PAID FOR A PROCEDURE AT AN IN NETWORK PROVIDER, I HAVE LEARNED HARRIS HEALTH NO LONGER HONORS SINGLE CASE AGREEMENTS AND DOESN'T CONTRACT WITH DR. SCHEFFLER OR BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE WHERE THE PROCEDURE WAS SCHEDULED. THANK YOU.

>> LISA JENKINS, ALICIA PATEL AND ALEXI, YOU EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I'M ALICIA PATEL, REPRESENTING HIS TEMPLE AND THE INDIAN COMMUNITY, I MOVED TO THE U.S. ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO AND IN THE PAST I HAVE LIVED IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND INDIANA WHERE I NEVER HAD A PRIVILEGE TO CELEBRATE DIWALI THE WAY WE DO BACK IN INDIA. SO, THE CELEBRATION INCLUDES FIREWORKS AND AS A CHILD I ALWAYS LOOKED FORWARD TO EVENINGS TO THE FIREWORKS, SO THE DIWALI FOR SO MANY YEARS WAS DEAD WITHOUT THE FIREWORKS. I MOVED TO HOUSTON AND I FEEL THAT I'M BACK HOME CELEBRATING EXACTLY THE WAY WE USED TO CELEBRATE MUSCLE FIREWORKS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE FESTIVAL BECAUSE IT IS THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS SO IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE CAN GET THIS PAST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS LISA JENKINS, CEMETERY PRESERVATIONIST, I HAVE BEEN DOING IT 20+ YEARS AND THIS IS JUNETEENTH MONTH, THE CELEBRATION OF OUR ANCESTORS, I COME HERE ASKING THAT YOU CONTINUE TO HELP US IN CLEANING THE HISTORIC EVERGREEN CEMETERY. THANK YOU MS. ELLIS, YOU HAVE HELPED US OVER THE YEARS AND I WANT YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, ALSO THIS IS A PLACE THAT IS RICH IN CULTURAL HERITAGE, WE NEED TO SUPPORT AS WE CONTINUE TO PRESERVE THIS HISTORIC PIECE OF PROPERTY. WE ARE ALSO PLANNING A BIG CELEBRATION TO RE-ENTER THE REMAINS THAT ARE LEFT IN THE MEDIUM, WE HAVE A PROBLEM AND WE NEED YOUR HELP. WE WANT TO MAKE THIS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN VISIT AND UNDERSTAND OUR RICH HISTORY THAT LIES IN THESE CEMETERIES. WE ARE HERE TO TELL THE STORY. I'M THE LAST FOUNDING MEMBER OF PROJECT RESPECT.

>> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP. >> THANK YOU, YOU DO A GREAT JOB AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE OLDER I GET, THE MORE I WORRY ABOUT THESE CEMETERIES SO WE ARE GOING TO KEEP WORKING ON THEM.

>> THANK YOU. >> I WAS SPEAKING WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY CONSTABLE A FEW DAYS AGO AND HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING EXPERIENCED OFFICERS IN THE POLICE FORCE BECAUSE THE PAY WOULD BE A BIG INCREASE. I SAID I DIDN'T THINK THAT WOULD HAPPEN BECAUSE THE COMMISSIONERS VOTED TO MASK THE PAY, IT WAS LOOKING IN AREAS WHERE THE BUDGET COULD BE CUT, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY TOOK PLACE. I IMPLORE EACH OF YOU TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT DECREASING MONEY PAYING FOR UNNECESSARY PROGRAMS AND FUNDING DECENT PAY FOR

[01:00:06]

>> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP. THINK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.

>> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS AND EVERYONE. I'M HERE TO REQUEST TO ALLOW THE FIREWORKS EVERY YEAR SO WE CAN ENJOY WITH OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[Departments (Part 1 of 4)]

>> THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS. >> OKAY, THANK YOU ALL. AND COMMISSIONER BRIONES, WHY DON'T WE TAKE YOUR ITEM FIRST, THAT IS

ITEM 289 ON PAGE 36. >> YES, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPEAKERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CHIEF LORI CHRISTENSEN WHO IS HERE TODAY AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU CHIEF CHRISTIANSEN WHEN YOU HAVE A MOMENT. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT LAST YEAR WE WERE PROUD TO PASS THE ABILITY TO SELL AND BUY FIREWORKS IN THE DIWALI SEASON AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE THEY PASSED LEGISLATION MAKING THIS POSSIBLE BUT IT WAS UP TO EACH COUNTY TO VOTE TO ALLOW IT OR DISALLOW. SO THANK YOU TO THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR REACHING OUT AND I'M SO HONORED TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY DISTRICT AND I'M HONORED TO REPRESENT ONE OF THE LARGEST CONCENTRATIONS OF HINDUS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE UNITED STATES AND TO ME, GIVEN THE ESSENCE OF DIWALI , GOOD OVER EVIL, LIGHT OVER DARKNESS, THE FIREWORKS ARE AN INHERENT PIECE AS WE HEARD. SO WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE FIRE COMMUNITY. WE PASSED IT FOR A YEAR SO THAT WE COULD GATHER DATA TOGETHER AND I'M PROUD TO REPORT THAT THERE WERE NO INCIDENTS. SO TODAY I WILL BE ASKING FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT TO EXTEND THIS FOR A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD . AND THE FIRE MARSHAL WILL DO AN ANNUAL REVIEW AND WE WILL SEEK THE ONGOING COLLABORATIONS SO WE HAVE DATA ON THE SALES, USAGE AND GOD FOR BID ANY INCIDENTS. BUT I APPRECIATE THAT IT WAS SUCCESSFUL, IT WAS SAFE, AND TO ME LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THIS WAS A GOOD DAY IN HARRIS COUNTY AND I KNOW TODAY WILL BE ANOTHER GOOD DAY BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE NOT ONLY ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE PLACES BUT ONE OF THE MOST INCLUSIVE. THIS IS ABOUT RESPECT, INCLUSION, CELEBRATION, AND IT IS ABOUT PRESERVING ALL OF OUR RICH CULTURES AND MAKING SURE THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE ABLE TO CELEBRATE. I'M HONORED TO BRING THIS ITEM TO COURT TODAY BUT BEFORE COMMISSIONER ELLIS CALLS THE VOTE, CHIEF CHRISTIANSEN , YOU HAVE BEEN THE MVP AND WORKING WITH VENDORS, COMMUNITY, ALL OF OUR FIRE CHIEFS ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY.

WOULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE A BRIEF REPORT?

>> YES, MA'AM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS, EST FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS. THEY REALLY APPRECIATE BEING A PART OF THIS AND HELPING WITH THE MESSAGING AS WELL AS THIS YEAR WE HAVE ENGAGED WITH THE HOUSTON AREA POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS THAT OUR POLICE CHIEFS THAT WORK IN THE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS ALSO NEED TO BE ENGAGED AND WE ALL WANT TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE. LAST YEAR DURING DIWALI WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY INCIDENTS. THIS YEAR, WE ARE GOING TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM, THE MAIN THING WE WANT TO STRESS IS NOT TO STORE FIREWORKS DURING JULY 4TH WHICH IS WHAT WE DO BELIEVE IT WAS HAPPENING. AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO SEE INCIDENTS WITH FIREWORKS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT BUT IT IS ABOUT HOW THEY ARE USED AND ABOUT THE EDUCATION AND TEACHING PEOPLE THAT HOW YOU DISPOSE OF THEM, FOLLOWING THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS. WE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE VENDORS AND THE GROUP AND WE DO THIS EVEN DURING JULY 4TH AND DURING

[01:05:01]

>> CHIEF CHRISTIANSEN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, YOUR COLLABORATION AND HOW YOU WORK WITH VENDORS AND ALL LEVELS OF FIRST RESPONDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND ON THE VENDOR PIECE, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THEM FOR HOW PROACTIVE THEY HAVE BEEN WITH EDUCATION AND TO ONE OF THE POINTS THAT OUR SPEAKERS MADE, I WANT TO KEEP ECONOMIC IMPACT HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO FORT BEND, I WANT IT TO BE HERE AND TO YOUR POINT, THE REASON WE ARE DOING THIS EARLIER IS SO THAT FOLKS ARE NOT STORING FIREWORKS, AND KEEPING THEM IN THEIR GARAGE OR HOMES, THAT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. MY SECOND QUESTION AND I KNOW THERE'S OTHER SPEAKERS, I KNOW OUR TEAMS HAVE WORKED CLOSELY TOGETHER BUT FOR PURPOSES OF THE RECORD AND ALL WHO ARE HERE AND LISTENING, I WILL BE PROPOSING A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD AGAIN WITH ANNUAL REVIEW FROM THE FIRE MARSHALS, TRACKING THE DATA BUT THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, COULD YOU PLEASE SHARE YOUR SENTIMENTS WHETHER YOU ARE IN AGREEMENT OR NOT?

>> YES, MA'AM. AGAIN, WE HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH YOUR OFFICE AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE COMMUNITY. THERE WAS A CONCERN AT FIRST THAT FIVE YEARS SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME BUT HERE'S THE REALITY, IF WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK EVERY YEAR BECAUSE WE KNOW IT FALLS ON DIFFERENT TIMES, WE CAN PREPARE, WE CAN BEGIN THE MESSAGING EARLY, WE KNOW WHAT IS COMING.

WE CAN WORK CLOSER WITH THE VENDORS. WHAT I WILL SAY IS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, THEY ARE VERY ENGAGED IN COLLECTING DATA FOR US. SO THEY ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH US ON DATA. I KNOW I HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CHIEF DIAZ, BECAUSE THERE'S CONCERNS AS WELL. WE ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY, I DO BELIEVE THAT FIVE YEARS IS A GOOD IDEA JUST SO WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK BUT WE WILL ENSURE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE DATA THAT YOU NEED IN CASE YOU NEED TO MAKE A DECISION OTHERWISE.

>> YES, THANK YOU CHIEF CHRISTIANSEN FOR BEING THE MVP AND THE GLUE WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT PARTNERS AND AGENCIES AND THANK YOU FOR CONFIRMING THE FIVE YEARS AS A GOOD IDEA AND GOD FOR BID IF THINGS GO AWRY OR WE STEP -- STOP HAVING THE EFFORTS FOR SAFETY, WE WILL RECONVENE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS POINT JUST A QUICK, I LOOK FORWARD TO SECONDING THIS MOTION, THIS IS A GOOD STEP. I LIKE THE FIVE-YEAR BECAUSE IT ALLOWS ALL THE NECESSARY AGENCIES TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY, NOT WONDERING WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING THIS YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. AS ALSO, THE COMMISSIONER THAT HAS THE MOST UNINCORPORATED AREA, WHICH THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, SO JUST A POINT OF CELEBRATION, THIS IS HARRIS COUNTY, NOT THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO PEOPLE SAY WELL, I'M JUST GLAD TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE. YOU ARE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING IN HARRIS COUNTY, NOT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE THEY DON'T ALLOW FOR OTHER REASONS. I'M ASSUMING SUGAR LAND DOESN'T ALLOW IT, I'M ASSUMING FORT BEND COUNTY DOES ALLOW IT, UNINCORPORATED, OR ALL THE COUNTIES THAT TOUCH HARRIS COUNTY, DO THEY ALL ALLOW IT? I'M SEEING SOME HEAD SHAKING

BACK THERE. >> YES, SIR. I WILL SAY THAT UNINCORPORATED COUNTIES ALLOW FOR FIREWORKS SEASON, NOT EACH ONE HAS ADOPTED DIWALI BECAUSE IT WAS NEW LAST YEAR AND I KNOW A LOT OF THEM WERE LOOKING TO US TO BE THE STANDARD BUT I WILL SAY YES, ALL UNINCORPORATED POINT NOW THAT WE PUT THAT MARKER IN THE GROUND, OBVIOUSLY WE LACK THE SALES REVENUE HERE IN THE COUNTY AND IF THE OTHER COUNTIES DON'T CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE, WE WILL DO THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE THAT NOT ONLY TO APPROVE THIS CELEBRATION OF DIWALI , THAT THEY ALSO APPROVE, I JUST HAVE TO MAKE THE POINT, COMMISSIONER BRIONES SAYS THIS IS A BONUS, IF THEY WOULD GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE FLOOD CONTROL MITIGATION REQUIREMENTS AS WELL , DIWALI APPROVED THAT .

BUT I'M PLEASED TO SECOND THIS MOTION BECAUSE IT IS AN

[01:10:07]

BE HAPPY TO SEE THAT. >> THANK YOU, AND YOU ARE THE BEST FIRE MARSHAL ON THE PLANET AND OUR NEIGHBORS IN FORT BEND COUNTY AND WALLER COUNTY BASED ON MY WONDERFUL TEAMS RECORDS, THOSE ARE THE NEIGHBORS BUT I WOULD LOVE ALL OUR NEIGHBORS TO FOLLOW OUR MITIGATION STANDARDS AND ALL THE AMAZING THINGS WE ARE DOING HERE. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A COMMENT FOR I READ THE

MOTION? >> THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK YOU HAVE DONE, I'M JUST CURIOUS FOR MY COLLEAGUES SPENDING ALL OF THIS MONDAY, HOW MUCH MONEY WILL COME INTO THE COUNTY FOR

THIS? >> I DON'T BELIEVE THE COUNTY DIRECTLY BENEFITS BECAUSE IT IS A SALES TAX.

>> OKAY, SO THE SALES TAXES GO TO THE STATE AND THE CITY GETS A

LITTLE. >> CORRECT. THERE WILL BE SOME

JOBS. >> MAYBE THEY SHOULD GO TO THE CITIES THEN, THEY CAN MAKE THE CASE AS WELL.

>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR COMING DOWN AND ADVOCATING FOR THIS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY WITH OUR RICH DIVERSITY, IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND I WANT TO APPLAUD COMMISSIONER BRIONES FOR RECOGNIZING THIS AND BEING THE CHAMPION OF IT, JUST EXCITED THAT WE SUPPORTED IT. I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A PLEASANT OUTCOME TODAY, THANK YOU CHIEF.

>> THANK YOU CHIEF CHRISTIANSEN, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES, IF I MAY PLEASE READ THE MOTION LANGUAGE, THREE PARTS. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE RELEVANT HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO ISSUE AN ANNUAL PERMIT FOR THE SALE OF FIREWORKS TO QUALIFIED VENDORS DURING THE STATUTORY DIWALI PERIOD PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SECTION 352- 051, DEPARTMENTAL AUTHORIZATION EXPIRES DECEMBER 30TH, 2030, AND IS SUBJECT TO AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF CONDITIONS BY THE HARRIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE. SECOND PRONG, REQUEST THAT THE HARRIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE AND VENDORS WORK COLLABORATIVELY AND ENGAGE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO CONTINUE ENSURING EFFECTIVE DATA SHARING, EDUCATION, MESSAGING AND AWARENESS REGARDING SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND THAT ANY RELEVANT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS BE PRESENTED TO COMMISSIONERS COURT AT THE TIME OF THE NEXT AUTHORIZATION AND THE THIRD PRONG, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT RESOLVES -- PARDON ME, COMMISSIONERS COURT RESERVES THE AUTHORITY TO MODIFY OR REVOKE AUTHORIZATION BASED ON SAFETY OR OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.

>> SECOND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?

>> AYE . >> THE MOTION PASSES.

>> THANK YOU COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THE NEXT ITEM, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, YOUR ITEM ON PAGE 35, ITEM 278, THE HARRIS COUNTY MINIMUM WAGE POLICY FOR CONTRACT

WORKERS. >> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ELLIS.

I PUT THIS ON HERE FOR A COUPLE REASONS, I KNOW COMMISSIONER BRIONES HAS A MOTION RELATED TO THIS AND I WILL LET HER SPEAK TO THAT IN A MOMENT BUT, THE REASON I PUT THIS ON HERE, AND I APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE THAT COME AND SPOKE TODAY RELATED TO THIS MINIMUM WAGE POLICY. AND I HAVE HAD THE GOOD EXPERIENCE OF WORKING IN CONSTRUCTION, IN THIS AREA FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, I HAVE REALIZED WHAT IT MEANS BECAUSE I HAVE DONE IT, TO BE SETTING REBAR AND CONSTRUCTION ON CONCRETE AND A HOT DAY AND GETTING PAID LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE, I GET IT. BUT ANYTIME WE DO A POLICY, IT SHOULD BE DONE WITH UNDERSTANDING, IT SHOULD BE DONE WITH PREPARATION. SO I DO SUPPORT PROVIDING THAT WE DO LEAD IN AN AREA OF WAGES BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT ALSO THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS. THE THREE ISSUES THAT I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT EMMA WE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES DALLAS AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THEY STRUGGLE EVEN TELLING US WHAT THEY ARE DOING. SO THERE IS CONFUSION IN TERMS OF WHAT IS AND IS NOT

[01:15:08]

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS DELAYED UNTIL OUR FISCAL YEAR STARTS ON OCTOBER 1ST, I THINK COMMISSIONER BRIONES IS GOING TO SPEAK TO THAT IN A MOMENT AND I'M GOING TO YIELD TO HER ON MAKING THAT MOTION. BUT, I DO THINK WE DO NEED TIME, SIMPLY STATED, IN ORDER FOR PURCHASING, IN ORDER FOR US TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, TO UNDERSTAND ALL THAT SO THAT WHEN WE IMPLEMENT ON THAT CERTAIN DAY, THAT WE KNOW AND UNDERSTAND CLEARLY WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE AND THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. THAT IS REALLY THE SUMMARY, COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU.

>> YES, THANK YOU, INFLATION AND TARIFFS ARE ALREADY HAVING AN IMPACT ON HARRIS COUNTY, THE RFPS HAVE NOT COME BACK WITH ZERO SUPPORT OR PARTICIPATION, OR INTEREST, BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN OF INCREASED COST RELATED TO MATERIALS. I DO NOT WANT BIDS TO COME BACK SAYING I CANNOT FIND EMPLOYEES TO DO THE WORK. THAT IS WHY THE BUSINESS OF HARRIS COUNTY IS ABSOLUTELY A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE AND THAT IS WHY OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES COMPETE SO HARD TO GET THIS WORK. THEY KNOW IT IS A PRIVILEGE, THEY KNOW IT IS IMPORTANT WORK. HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO GET THIS WORK DONE, WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO DO THE WORK SAFELY, WHO ARE GOING TO BE PROUD TO SHOW UP EVERY SINGLE DAY, SO PROVIDING A LIVABLE WAGE WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE WORKERS ON THESE JOBS THAT CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD TO LIVE IN HARRIS COUNTY.

SO THAT IS WHY I THINK THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL ITEM TO SUPPORT AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ADVOCATED ON THIS BECAUSE LOOK, SINCE COVID, WE HAVE HAD AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT ON MANY THINGS. SPECIFICALLY, THE COST OF PROVIDING FOR ONE'S

[01:20:04]

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BRIONES ?

>> YES, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE SPEAKERS TODAY AND EVERYONE WHO SUBMITTED LETTERS AND THERE WERE MANY. LET ME BE CLEAR, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE VOTE WE TOOK IN MARCH, THAT WAS AN AMAZING DAY IN HARRIS COUNTY. A DAY WHERE WE WERE LEADING, WE WILL NOT , AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, ROLLBACK THIS POLICY, CREATE EXEMPTIONS, WATER IT DOWN, UNDERMINE IT.

HARD PASS. BECAUSE, AS SOMEBODY GREW UP CHECK TO CHECK, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE WORKERS WHO ARE WORKING ON HARRIS COUNTY PROJECTS HAVE TO WORK MULTIPLE JOBS TO PAY RENT, BUY GROCERIES AND SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT ARE PAYING FOR THESE COUNTY PROJECTS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VERY SAME TAXPAYERS ARE BEING ABLE TO LIVE HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY WITHOUT UNDUE BURDENS. WE WANT TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THE TALENT TO WORK ON OUR PROJECTS SO THAT WE HAVE THE BEST CREWS WORKING IN THE SAFEST CONDITIONS AS POSSIBLE, SO WE WANT THAT RETENTION PIECE, WE WANT TO RECRUIT THE BEST WORKERS IN THIS REGION TO WORK ON HARRIS COUNTY PROJECTS AND WE WANT TO HONOR THEIR WORK, RESPECT THEIR WORK AND GIVE THEM THE DIGNITY THEY DESERVE. SO WE WILL NOT BE ROLLING THIS BACK FOR PURPOSES OF CLARITY. TO PIVOT, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR INCREDIBLE WORKERS ON THE FRONT LINES, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION WHO HAVE BEEN VOCAL AND WHO ARE HERE TODAY SUPPORTING THE POLICY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MINORITY CONTRACTORS AND THE HISPANIC CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND RECOGNIZING THE RETENTION AND THE WIN-WIN THIS WILL PROVIDE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE HOUSTON CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION WHO REACHED OUT TO US WITH THEIR CONCERNS AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH US TO MAKE SURE WE IMPLEMENT THIS FOR SUCCESS. THE MOTION I WILL BE READING TODAY, TO ADJUST THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPLETE CONTRACTOR MINIMUM WAGE POLICY TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 IS FOR THIS ONGOING COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION AND IF WE ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THIS, IT MUST BE WITH THE UTMOST SUCCESS. I WANT IT TO BE AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE, I WANT EVERY EMPLOYEE IN OUR COUNTY ENGINEERS OFFICE, IN THE FLOOD CONTROL, IN OUR PRECINCTS, EVERYBODY WHO WILL BE AFFECTED, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WHEN WE IMPLEMENT IT AND ALIGN IT WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR, OCTOBER 1ST, 2025, THIS WILL BE NOT ONLY A MODEL POLICY BUT MODEL IMPLEMENTATION. THIS WILL GIVE US A RUNWAY TO OVER COMMUNICATE, OVER COLLABORATE SO THAT WE CAN AGAIN, EXECUTE WITH EXCELLENCE.

THAT IS THE MOTIVE BEHIND THAT AND AGAIN IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS, CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATIONS, COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DOUBLE DOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE DEFINE WHAT IS HARRIS COUNTY. WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HAPPY TO READ THE EXACT MOTION BUT COMMISSIONER ELLIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEENS PARTNERSHIP ON THIS. AND I'M JUST PROUD TO LIVE IN HARRIS COUNTY TODAY AND ALWAYS.

>> THANK YOU, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORK YOU ALL PUT INTO THIS AND ANY COMMENTS YOU WANT TO ADD, I WANT TO LET YOU DO THAT.

>> NOTHING IN PARTICULAR, COMMISSIONER, I THINK WE HAVE HEARD THE RATIONALE AND I DON'T SEE ANY LEGAL CONCERNS WITH DELAYING INTIMIDATION BY FOUR MONTHS AND I GUESS I WILL JUST EMPHASIZE HEARING COMMISSIONER RAMSEY AS WELL, THE DEPARTMENT CHAIRS COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNICATION HAPPENS AND

THAT WE ARE READY ON DAY ONE. >> JUST A FEW COMMENTS, THANK YOU TO ALL THE FOLKS WHO CAME, THE LABOR LEADERS IN PARTICULAR WHO WORKED ON THIS ISSUE, I APPRECIATE THE MEETING THAT THE HOUSTON CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION HAD YESTERDAY, I KNOW COMMISSIONER BRIONES, THEY MET WITH YOU. I SAW IN THE LETTER THEY PUT OUT, I MUST ADMIT, IT TOOK A FEW DAYS TO GET TO ME, SO

[01:25:05]

BUT I THINK IN THIS COUNTRY, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, ALSO SOME OF THOSE ISSUES GOING ON WITH THE IMMIGRATION RATES AND EVEN PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY WHO DON'T EVEN HAVE THOSE ISSUES ARE AFRAID TO SHOW UP TO WORK. AND IF YOU ARE PAYING PEOPLE A BETTER WAGE, A LIVABLE WAGE, IT MIGHT ENCOURAGE SOMEBODY TO TAKE THAT RISK. AND I GET IT, IT IS A REAL RISK.

BUT, WE TALK A LOT FROM TIME TO TIME, THIS REALLY HITS THEM. FOR SOME FOLKS TO SAY WE PAY THEM OVERTIME, WELL WHO WANTS TO WORK 70 HOURS PER WEEK SO YOU CAN GET WHAT YOU CONSIDER A LIVABLE WAGE, I JUST THINK THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE HAVE SUFFERED FOR SO LONG. I MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND MY TIME.

>> SECOND. >> THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE HAVE SUFFERED SO LONG, THOUGHT SO HARD, AND THEY HAVE WAITED SUCH A LONG TIME FOR A POLICY LIKE THIS, IT IS PRE-MUCH IN LINE, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, WITH WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES. AND THEY DID IT A DECADE AGO. BUT IF AT SOME POINT WE COME BACK AND FIND OUT IT IS NOT WORKING AS WELL AS WE THOUGHT, WE WILL MAKE THOSE JUDGMENT CALLS THEN. BUT I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT THE MOTION, AS THE MOTION ON THE TABLE, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY YOU

SECONDED IT ? >> I HAVEN'T READ IT, TECHNICALLY, BUT I THINK HE WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING AND I

HAVE SOME COMMENTS AT THE END. >> JUST A QUICK COMMENT. I KNOW WE REFERENCED DALLAS AND I KNOW WE REFERENCED AUSTIN, I THINK IN AUSTIN THERE HAS BEEN LAWSUITS INVOLVED. DALLAS, JUST CONFUSION, WHO IS APPRISED WITH THAT? DALLAS IS THE CENTER OF CONFUSION. I'M TRYING TO AVOID ALL THAT BY BUYING A LITTLE TIME, THE LAWSUITS AND THE CONFUSION BECAUSE THAT IS IN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT I HEARD, COMMISSIONER BRIONES SPEAK TO.

SO I DO WANT TO MOVE THAT WE DELAY IT UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST, SO WE CAN WORK OUT ALL OF THE DETAILS. THIS IS A HUGE IMPACT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND HAS BEEN SAID, WE WANT TO GET IT RIGHT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CROSS OUR T'S AND DOT OUR I'S.

[01:30:04]

>> THANK YOU, AND ON THIS TOPIC OF LITIGATION, YES, AND I KNOW ON CERTAIN TERMS IN MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, IT WAS VERY CLEAR WE WANT COMMITMENT FOR COLLABORATION FOR A SMOOTH SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION. WE ARE NOT GOING TO THE COURTS, SO THERE WAS A VERY CLEAR COMMITMENT AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE HOUSTON CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT, IF THERE IS MORE TIME TO FLESH THIS OUT, LET'S EDUCATE AND BE CLEAR SO WE CAN DO THIS COLLABORATIVELY, NOT IN THE COURTROOM AND I'M SPEAKING OF COURTROOMS, WE HAVE LITERALLY SOMEBODY WHO LEFT ONE OF THE BEST FIRMS IN THE NATION TO JOIN HARRIS COUNTY. THANK YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN THE MVP ON THIS, WORKING WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT PARTNERS AND PARTIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT ONLY LEGALLY SOUND BUT ALSO JUST VERY THOUGHTFULLY DONE AND I APPRECIATE YOU NEIL AND COUNTY ATTORNEY AND ALL THE TEAM. WITH THAT, THE MOTION IS VERY SIMPLE AND SHORT BUT IT SAYS THE MOTION TO ADJUST THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPLETE CONTRACTOR MINIMUM WAGE POLICY TO OCTOBER 1ST,

2025. >> SECOND.

>> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE .

>> THE ITEM PASSES. I WANT TO STATE FOR THE RECORD, COMMISSIONER, YOU TOLD ME YOU AND I COULD TALK BECAUSE WE WORKED ON IT, COMMISSIONER BRIONES. I ASKED THAT THEY PUT IN WRITING, I JUST LEARNED, UNLIKE RONALD REAGAN, I WANT TO TRUST AND VERIFY, I WANT IT IN THE LETTER THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE A PART OF ANY LITIGATION AND I WAS HOPING THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO READ AND WE HAD LESS SPEAKERS BECAUSE I DID TELL SUPPORTERS AT THAT POINT, BUT THEY DIDN'T SAY IT TO ME IN THE MEETING AND THEY SAID IT TO YOU.

>> THE LETTER IS DIFFERENT. THE ORAL CONFIRMATION, BUT ALAS, I TAKE PEOPLE THAT ARE OPERATING IN GOOD FAITH AND I AM AN OPTIMIST AND I LOOK FORWARD TO EXECUTING THIS WITH EXCELLENCE AND MAKING SURE ALL BOATS ARE RISING IN HARRIS COUNTY.

>> AND I JUST THINK ON SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, THEY SENT THE LETTER WITH A LITTLE PS ON THEIR PART, AND THE COMMISSIONER SAID TO ME, IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO ME. ONE THING I DON'T DO IS, IF I CHANGE MY MIND, I WON'T TELL YOU AND SOMETIMES YOU DO CHANGE YOUR MIND BUT, THE CHAIR, THE FORMER CHAIR AND THE CEO WHOM I HAVE KNOWN FOR A VERY LONG TIME FROM MY PREVIOUS JOB IN AUSTIN AND THAT WAS SAID IN THE MEETING.

>> I THINK HIM NOT BEING HERE TODAY IS A GOOD INDICATOR OF FAITH, IF THEY WANT TO GET IT RIGHT GOING FORWARD IN THE NEXT

FOUR MONTHS. >> OKAY, GOOD, THANK YOU. SO, NO PUBLIC HEARINGS, BEFORE WE CAN DO THE CONSENT AGENDA, DO YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH THE CORRECTIONS?

>> SURE, COMMISSIONER. WE HAVE SEVERAL CHANGES ON PAGE 14, ITEM 119, REPLACE PRECINCT FOUR WITH PRECINCT 3, ON PAGE 15, ITEM 122, NO ACTION IS NEEDED ON THIS DISCUSSION ITEM, PAGE 19, ITEM 165 AD, BEFORE THE SHERIFFS CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION BETWEEN THOSE IN VARIOUS COUNTY AND DISTRICT COURTS, PAGE 24, ITEM 186, AT THE END OF IT IT SHOULD SAY SUBJECT TO REVIEW OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. PAGE 32, ITEM 251, PURCHASING HAS REQUESTED NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM. PAGE 33, ITEM 258, PURCHASING HARRIS REQUESTED NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM. PAGE 44, ITEM 344, ADDED AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE, AND APPROVAL FOR THE COUNTY TREASURER TO OPEN NEW BANK ACCOUNTS FOR THE SERVICES.

ITEM 358, PURCHASING AS REQUESTED NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM. PAGE 44, ITEM 364, CHANGE 420,975 TO 424,535.

>>

WANT TO PULL 1, 2, 5, 6. >> HOLD ON. 1, 2, 5, 6.

>> 5, 6, 9, AND 11. MOST OF THOSE ARE TO VOTE.

[01:35:01]

>> WE ASK JUST MOVE 1, 2, 5, 6, AND 11?

>> COMMISSIONER, THOSE ARE RESOLUTION ITEMS. SO THOSE NEED TO BE TAKEN AFTER THE SPEAKERS ON ANY VOTE.

>> WE CAN DO THAT AT THE END. >> OKAY.

>> ANYBODY ELSE -- ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO CHANGE ANYTHING?

>> YOU'RE RIGHT. >> MOTION SUPPORT OF CONSENT

AGENDA. >> MOVED.

>> AS CHANGED. >> NO, NO, COMMISSIONER, I THINK I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH THE LIST FOR THE CLERK'S OFFICE.

HERE'S THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON THE DISCUSSION LIST AS OF NOW. ITEM 13, ITEM 15, ITEM 17, ITEM 29, ITEM 122, ITEM 163, BOTH ITEMS 278 AND 289 HAVE BEEN VOTED UPON. ITEM 292. ITEM 293, ITEM 299. ITEM 300, 314, 345, 356, 358, 365, 366, 375. THE RESOLUTION ITEMS, ITEMS 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 AND 11, WILL NOT BE VOTED ON WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO, COMMISSIONER, AT THIS TIME, A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL ITEMS, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT HAVE NOT

BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION -- >> SO MOVED.

>> ANY RESOLUTION -- >> SO WE'RE NOT VOTING ON ANY

RESOLUTIONS? >> NO RESOLUTIONS AT THIS TIME.

>> MOTIONED BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> I HAVE SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS. IT'S GOING TO

INCLUDE ALL RESOLUTIONS -- >> NO RESOLUTIONS.

>> NO RESOLUTIONS, 1 THROUGH 12 AND 370 AND 371.

>> AND THOSE ARE RESOLUTIONS -- >> NO, NO. THOSE ARE THE ONLY ITEMS THAT ARE RESOLUTIONS ON THIS AGENDA.

>> OKAY. THAT IS ALL THE RESOLUTIONS WE'RE HOLDING.

>> WANT TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS YOU WENT ON. 341, AND 342.

>> NO ACTION ON 3. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO -- THAT WILL COME BACK TO US LATER. THAT WILL COME BACK TO US HOPEFULLY TODAY. NO ACTION FOR NOW. MAYBE LATER WE'LL HAVE SOME ACTION. AND ON --

>> YEAH. NO ACTIONS ON THOSE ITEMS, COMMISSIONER.

>> NO ACTIONS. >> OKAY. AND I'M GOING TO SHOW, ALSO, THE APPOINTMENTS, 340, 343. THEY WERE APPROVED ON CONSENT. THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS ITEM 18 ITEMS 18 AND 19. ARE THEY APPROVED AS PRESENTED?

>> 18 AND 19, WILL NEED A MOTION. THERE WILL NEED TO BE A

MOTION. >> 18 WAS NOT PULLED. SO YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ON THE DISCUSSION?

>> I'M SORRY. I WAS REFERRING TO 17. SO 18 AND 19 APPROVED AS

PRESENTED. YES. >> SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER

RAMSEY. 4-0. UNANIMOUS. >> THIS TRAIN IS MOVING. YOU

NOTICE THAT? >> CAN I SAY FOR THE RECORD --

>> YES. >> THAT'S A RECORD. USUALLY, WE TAKE 40 MINUTES TO GO THROUGH THIS. WELL DONE, JAY AND

COMMISSIONER ELLIS. >> HOW ABOUT WE TAKE SIX MINUTES FOR

>> OKAY. IT IS -- I DIDN'T ANNOUNCE THAT WE TOOK THE BREAK.

I DIDN'T GIVE YOU THE TIME. >> YOU DIDN'T NEED TO. I DID. I

DID. >> I WAS IN A HURRY. THIS COURT IS BACK IN ORDER. I THINK THE FIRST WE HAD IS 13, IS THAT RIGHT? ON THE LIST? COMMISSIONER RAMSEY YOU PULLED IT.

>> YEAH, THE ITEM CALLS FOR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO CLOSE OUT THE COMMUNITY. INCLUDING ALL ACTIVE CONTRACTS AND REALLOCATE REMAINING FUNDS TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE, HOMELESSNESS AND NUTRITION. I AGREE, IT MAY BE TIME TO END THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE DOLLARS, WHICH I THINK IS $14 MILLION, APPLIED TO -- AND I'LL BE VERY FLEXIBLE HERE. ANYTHING RELATED TO HELP REDUCE THE DEFICIT. SO THERE IS MANY THINGS THE COUNTY IS DOING

[01:40:03]

THAT WOULD BE MY MOTION. >> IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY. LET ME JUST MAKE A -- A COMMENT. AND THEN I KNOW THAT OFFICE OF CAN HAVE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. COMMISSIONER BRIONES, YOU WANT

TO MAKE MOTIONS. >> TWO MOTIONS. DIRECT HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY PROGRAM AND WORK WITH VENDORS TO CLOSE OUT ACTIVITIES. AND START THE REALLOCATION OF ALL

REMAINING FUNDS TO FOCUS TEAMS. >> I'LL MAKE BOTH OF THOSE MOTIONS, BUT LET ME JUST MAKE A COMMENT. I'M VERY PROUD. THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, AND FOR STICKING WITH IT WHEN THERE WAS A LOT TO IT. I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF JANAY WHO TOOK THE LEAD.

BRANDON MADDOX, FROM THE HARRIS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AMONG OTHERS. CHRISTIAN MENIFEE, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IN PARTICULAR.

PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS, IN THE COURTS. THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT ANYBODY CAN THINK OF THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING, AND THE LEADER OF THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT, SCHOOL OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM AGREED ON. IT WAS A GREAT QUOTE OF KING THAT I LOVE. "THE SOLUTION OF POVERTY IS TO ABOLISH IT DIRECTLY BY A WIDELY-DISCUSSED MEASURE, GUARANTEED INCOME." BUT 150 PILOT PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I KNOW I'VE SAID IT AD NAUSEAM. WE HAVE FOUGHT IT AS LONG AS WE COULD. WE DID AS MUCH AS WE COULD TO KEEP A BILL FROM PASSING INTO LEGISLATURE, WHICH WAS EXTREMELY INSENSITIVE. BUT I THINK WE JUST REACHED A POINT WHERE SOME PEOPLE THIS GOVERNMENT ARE MORE INTERESTED IN TAX BREAKS FOR BILLIONAIRES OR WHATEVER THEY CAN DO TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY OWN THE BUSES, SO TO SPEAK, THAN THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO GET ON THE BUSES. BUT I DO FEEL VERY STRONGLY, NOW THAT WE HAVE TO END THE PROGRAM, BECAUSE THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT HAS NOT RULED. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THEY WILL RULE. WE ARE SPENDING $15,000, $20,000 A MONTH TO ADMINISTER A PROGRAM THEY CAN'T DO. BUT BECAUSE THIS WAS MONEY OF THE POOREST OF THE POOR. I THINK THEY CAME UP WITH THE 10 POOREST ZIP CODES IN HARRIS COUNTY TO DISTRIBUTE THIS MONEY.

AND NEARLY A THIRD OF HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE CONSIDERED WORKING POOR BY THE UNITED WAY. THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS GO IN AND SPEND THIS MONEY THAT WAS IN THIS COUNTY. AND I THINK ARPA STEERING GROUP CAME UP WITH THESE MOTIONS. THAT'S WHY I'M DOING THIS. IN SOME WAYS, MAYBE IT'S GOOD TO AT LEAST MOOCH THE LAWSUIT, BECAUSE AT LEAST IT DOESN'T SHUT DOWN PROGRAMS IN

AUSTIN, I THINK SAN ANTONIO -- >> COMMISSIONER BRIONES IF YOU

WANT TO MAKE A MOTION. >> YES. AND I WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, JESSE. AND I WANTED TO THANK ALL OF THE ARPA STEERING COMMITTEE IN ALL OF OUR FIVE OFFICES, WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES IS UNFORTUNATE. BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ALL FIVE OF OUR OFFICES, IT WAS NANC TWICE TO REALLOCATE THESE FUNDS. AND IT WAS ALL FIVE OF OUR OFFICES, REALLOCATE THESE FUNDS TO HOMELESSNESS, TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND NUTRITION. OUR STEERING COMMITTEE, THEY HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS THROUGHOUT THIS ARPA PERIOD. AND I SECOND

THE MOTION. >> AND JESSE, YOU MAKE SURE WE LET THOSE PEOPLE WHO APPLIED KNOW THAT IT IS OFFICIALLY ENDED

-- >> YES.

>> AND IT IS LEGAL TO LET US KNOW WHOEVER REPRESENTS THEM, IF THAT'S LEGAL, AT LEAST THE ONES IN MY PRECINCT. I MAY WANT TO WRITE THEM MYSELF AND TELL THEM THAT THERE IS A SOLUTION.

[01:45:03]

DECISIONS THEN. >> WE'LL LOOK AT THAT. I KNOW THAT PUBLIC HEALTH HAS COMMUNICATION READY TO GO OUT.

>> THEY SHOULD PUT IT OUGHT. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THREE AYES AND ONE NO. THE ITEM DOES PASS.

>> I'LL SHOW THAT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ELLIS.

>> NEXT IS ITEM 15. >> THIS STATES REQUEST PROPOSED CHANGES. TO PROCEDURE OF CONDUCT. AT COMMISSIONERS COURT AT HARRIS COUNTY. I KNOW THAT OUR INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WANTS TO MAKE CHANGES. MY COMMENTARY ON THE CHANGES YOU WANT TO MAKE, TURNS YOUR OFFICE INTO A FILTER OF THINGS THAT SHOULD BE COMING, I THINK, DIRECTLY TO COMMISSIONERS COURT.

I THINK ITS FIRST COUSIN TO RUNNING COUNTY BY COMMITTEE.

MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO GET ON THE AGENDA, WHETHER IT'S PURCHASING, AND SOME OF THESE PLACES, THEY NEED MORE TIME TO GET THROUGH THAT, AND TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER BUREAUCRATIC STEP, I THINK DOESN'T -- DOES NOT SERVE A -- A GOOD PURPOSE. I THINK PEOPLE WOULD BEGIN TO THINK THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE TRANSPARENCY THAT WE WOULD NEED, IN TERMS OF WHAT GOES ON THE AGENDA. IT FIRST MUST GO THROUGH YOUR FILTER. I'LL -- I'LL NOT BE VOTING FOR ANYTHING THAT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT THE DETAILS LATER. SO I DON'T THINK YOU'VE GOT ALL THE DETAILS HERE, AND I WOULD NOT BE -- I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF DOING ANYTHING AT THIS POINT, PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING YOUR INTERIM STATUS, PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING THE CONCERNS THAT SOME OF US SHARE WITH THE BUREAUCRACY THAT WE HAVE. SO I WOULD BE NOT SUPPORTING THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE.

>> COMMISSIONER -- >> YEAH, COMMISSIONER GARCIA,

I'M SORRY. DID YOU -- >> YEAH. THANK YOU. JUST -- I'D LIKE TO HEAR SOME THOUGHTS BECAUSE I, TOO, AM A LITTLE RELUCTANT TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM. AND SO I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FORESEE THIS PROCESS. DIRECTORS ARE ALREADY COMPLAINING ABOUT DELAY, AND THEIR ABILITY TO GET WORK TO THIS TABLE, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO MY CONSTITUENTS BEING -- WAITING LONGER THAN NECESSARY, TO GET JOBS DONE. SO BEFORE WE CAST THE VOTE, AND BEFORE I MAKE A DECISION, I'D LIKE TO HEAR

FROM YOU. >> SURE. THANKS, COMMISSIONER.

THIS WORK AND THIS -- THIS REVISION, REALLY WAS REQUESTED AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN ACTION, FROM LAST DECEMBER. SO OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE WITH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE. AND WORK HAS BEEN DONE TO MAKE SURE WORK IS DONE BEFORE THE ITEMS COME THROUGH. WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT EXCEPTION. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO CREATE BUREAUCRACY TO SLOW THINGS DOWN. BUT WHAT HAD BEEN REQUESTED IN THIS PROCESS WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS DON'T SLIP THROUGH. THERE'S A LOT OF ITEMS ON HERE. THERE'S A DECISION ANALYSIS MATRIX THAT -- THAT WILL GET FILLED OUT BY THE DEPARTMENTS. WE THINK THAT WITH THESE MAJOR ITEMS THAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON, THAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. I -- I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A BURDEN THERE. WE HAVE PUSHED IT OUT UNTIL OCTOBER 1, SO THAT WE HAVE A LOT. TIME TO TEST-RUN, TO TRAIN. TO -- TO GET MORE FEEDBACK. AND THEN TO COME BACK. IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES NEEDED.

SO WE'RE VERY -- WE'RE NOT TRYING TO JUMP THIS ON DEPARTMENTS OR ON THE COURT. WE FELT LIKE WE WERE ASKED TO BRING, YOU KNOW, A REVISION LIKE THIS THAT HELPED US MAKE SURE THAT ITEMS WERE REALLY THE BEST THEY COULD BE BEFORE THEY GOT TO

YOUR TABLE. >> SO , JESS, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT FOUR MONTHS' DELAY IN CONTRAST TO WHAT WAS THE CASE PRIOR TO THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME TYPE OF REPORT THAT TRACKS -- UM, I GOTTA THINK THROUGH THIS. BUT I WANT TO SEE SOME TYPE OF REPORT THAT ADDRESSES THE DELAY OR PROCESS

[01:50:09]

AND THEN THERE'S A DEBATE ON THE INVESTMENT MEMO, AND THEN THERE'S A DEBATE ON THE PROJECT. THEN THERE'S A DEBATE ON THE RESPONSE TO THE DEBATE ON THE PROJECT. UM, THAT'S THE STUFF I HEAR GOING ON QUITE A BIT. AND SO, I -- I GO BACK TO THE POINT THAT OUR DIRECTORS ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. AND THEY DO NOT NEED SOMEONE OVERTHINKING THEIR WORK. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING. AND I DON'T THINK I'M READY TO VOTE ON THIS ITEM, UNTIL I CAN THINK THROUGH HOW -- WHAT THAT REPORT

WILL LOOK LIKE. >> COMMISSIONER, I THINK -- TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION TO YOUR OFFICES, AS -- AS POSSIBLE.

AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND JUST TRYING TO CREATE SOME KIND OF A STANDARD OF WHAT CONSTITUTES ENOUGH INFORMATION SO YOU GUYS HAVE AS MUCH -- AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE BEFORE YOU GO TO VOTE. BUT HAPPY -- HAPPY TO BRING ANYTHING BACK AT A LATER DAY.

>> MAY I PLEASE MAKE A FEW QUICK COMMENTS? I, TOO, WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND I'M NOT READY ON THE REALITY MATRIX BECAUSE OF INTERIM AND BECAUSE OF FRANKLY, THE URGENCY OF NOW.

I WOULD WANT TO LEARN MORE. BUT THE PARTS, IF THERE'S ENOUGH APPETITE TODAY, THAT I FEEL WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE, IS RECORDING MEMBER VOTES WHEN A MEMBER IS ABSENT, SO WE CAN STREAMLINE THAT, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO BE RELITIGATING AND SPENDING ADDITIONAL TIME. AND THEN THE OTHER IS THE PARLIAMENTARIAN. NAMELY, ABOUT PROACTIVE GUIDANCE TO THE COURT, TO ENSURE THE DISCUSSION FOLLOWS THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT. I THINK THOSE ARE TWO AREAS THAT FOR ME ARE HUGE. AND WOULD BE

VERY HELPFUL. >> SO I AM HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE

OTHER ITEMS. >> I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.

>> I AGREE. AND LOOKING AT JAY. SERVING AS A PARLIAMENTARIAN.

THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. THAT KEEPS THE MEETINGS MOVING. NO MATTER WHO IS INVOLVED OR WHO GETS -- ALL OF US NEED REMINDERS. MANY TIMES ON OUR -- ON OUR PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES. SO I JUST WENT THROUGH FOUR DAYS AT A CONVENTION WITH 15,000 PEOPLE IN IT. AND VOTING ON ISSUES, IT GETS COMPLICATED, BUT THEY HAD TWO PARLIAMENTARIANS. AND YOU COULD VOTE ON SOMETHING IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND COUNT IT IN ABOUT 15 SO I THINK WHAT WE EXPERIENCED TODAY, GOING THROUGH THE CONSENT AGENDA WAS AN EXAMPLE. THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD POINT TO BE MADE GOING FORWARD.

>> SO -- AND I WOULD SUGGEST, IF I MIGHT. EITHER YOU BE THE PARLIAMENTARIAN, OR SOMEBODY OUT OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. I

WOULDN'T CREATE -- >> NO, I WOULD AGREE. IT'S

COUNTY TERM. >> WERE YOU TRYING TO SAY

SOMETHING, COMMISSIONER? >> THE ITEM DOES SPECIFY THAT THE PARLIAMENTARIAN COME FROM THE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S

OFFICE. >> I THINK COMMISSIONER BRIONES WAS ALLUDING TO IT. THE ONE ITEM THAT APPEARS TO BE CONSENSUS IS THE IDEA THAT WAS -- WAS -- I'M SORRY, IT'S FOR F3. THE CLERK WILL RECORD ON ALL ITEMS IN A MEMBER'S ABSENCE. IF THEY MOVE TO A VOTE, THE CLERK WILL ANNOUNCE WHETHER IT CHANGES THE VOTE ON ANY ITEM. THIS WILL ALLOW, COLLECTIVELY SO, IF A MEMBER IS -- IS MOMENTARILY ABSENT FROM A PORTION OF THE MEETING, WHEN THEY COME BACK, IF THEY WANT THEIR VOTE COUNTED, THEY WOULD THEN ASK. AND OUR OFFICE CAN PROVIDE A TEMPLATE FOR THAT MOTION TO MAKE IT EVEN EASIER. MOVE THAT MY VOTE IS -- SHOWS YES ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. NO ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. SO IT WOULD BE A SINGLE MOTION, IF THERE'S FIVE OR SIX THINGS SO YOU DON'T SLOW THE COURT DOWN.

>> USUALLY, YOU JUST WALK IN AND SAY, I ASK FOR UNANIMOUS CONSENT. ITEMS SIX THROUGH EIGHT.

>> SAME THING. >> AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT CHANGE

[01:55:01]

THE VOTE. BAM. AND IS OVER WITH. >> NOW, IN SOME CASES, IT'S MUCH EASIER WITH A FIVE-MEMBER ENTITY, CAN BE A LITTLE BIT -- CAN BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE SAY, TO RECORD THE VOTE IN THE EVENT THE CLERK COULD SHOW WHAT IT COULD BE. BECAUSE OFTENTIMES, JUST CANDIDLY, IF HE DOES CHANGE THE VOTE, OR CHANGES THE DIRECTION, ONE OF THE OTHER MEMBERS MAY DECIDE, HEY, I WANT -- I KNOW I VOTED ABSTAIN, I WANT TO VOTE NO ON THIS OR I VOTED YES, I WANT TO ABSTAIN, ET

CETERA. >> SO THIS WOULD, ALLOW THAT FLEXIBILITY, AND BE DONE IN A SINGLE MOTION, QUICKLY.

>> QUICKLY. >> AND ALSO, YOU MOVED YOUR

RESOLUTIONS ON THE AGENDA LATER. >> YES. 4:00 P.M. THAT PART,

TOO. >> YES. ORGANIZATIONALLY ON THAT, TOO, I'VE SPOKEN TO LUCINDA IN OCA. THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM. SO THE RESOLUTIONS, SINCE THEY ARE NOW TAKEN AT THE END OF THE MEETING, WILL BE LISTED AFTER THE BULK.

OF THE AGENDA. AND OUR OFFICE IS WORKING ON LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE THE OFFICE IS NOTIFIED AND AWARE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE TAKING THIS THING UP UNTIL AT LEAST 4:00. OR AT THE LATEST

4:00. >> OR WHEN WE ADJOURN.

>> OR WHEN WE ADJOURN. >> I SENT A NOTE TO JESSE SAYING, I THINK SOMETIMES, WE WANT TO KNOW WHICH PRECINCT SPLN IS IN, ON WHAT THEY'RE SPEAKING ON. SO WE'RE NOT RUNNING THROUGH THE LIST, LOOKING FOR THE NAME. SO IF YOU SAY SPEAKER NUMBER 95, PRECINCT 3, YOU KNOW, THEN THAT PERSON KNOWS. THAT'S THEIRS. I'M LOOKING THROUGH IT, TRYING TO SEE WHERE THEIR NAME

IS. >> SO JUST -- JUST TO RECONFIRM.

SO EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE, MR. AYER. ONE, IT HAS TO BE THE

SAME DAY OF THAT MEETING. >> CORRECT.

>> TWO, THAT I HAVE TO COME BACK. LET'S SAY WE HAVE A PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE. I SAY, MOTION TO ACCEPT MY VOTE.

YES ON ITEMS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. NO ON WHATEVER, PERIOD.

>> CORRECT. >> AND THEN IF --

>> IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE VOTE IN AUSTIN --

>> AND THAT WAS THE NEXT PART. THAT WAS THE NEXT PART. HOWEVER, LET'S JUST SAY, IF MY VOTE WOULD CHANGE THE VOTE, THEN WE GO BACK, I ALWAYS USE THE WORD "RELITIGATE "--

>> BUT ONLY IN THOSE INSTANCES. >> YEAH. THAT RELITIGATE PART

MAKES ME NERVOUS. >> HOW ABOUT WE SAY, REDISCUSS

IT. >> MY WHOLE THING -- AND I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND DRAMATIC. BUT NOW, LET'S SAY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ITEM 15. NOW 16, MONOLOGUE ON THAT. THERE'S NO -- IT'S LITERALLY, HEAR MY VOTES --

>> YES. >> -- AND WE ONLY GO BACK TO DISCUSS IF THE VOTE WOULD CHANGE THE VOTE; CORRECT?

>> CORRECT. >> LEVEL SETS.

>> I THINK I HEARD COMMISSIONER SAY, IF THE PART IS PULLED OUT,

HE IS COMFORTABLE VOTING TODAY. >> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> I HEARD COMMISSIONER GARCIA SAY HE'S COMFORTABLE ON VOTING ON THIS ITEM TODAY IF THE ITEM IS PULLED OUT AND THAT HAS TO COME BACK AT SOME POINT. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE?

>> I AM -- >> SAY IT AGAIN.

>> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THE DECISION -- AND I DON'T WANT TO MISQUOTE THE SECTION NUMBERS. SO I THINK OUR TEAMS ARE WORKING ON, LIKE, THE EXACT SECTION NUMBERS. SO JAY, BASICALLY, EVERYTHING OTHER THAN THAT STRATEGIC ANALYSIS PLAN MATRIX, HOLDING THE OTHER PARTS. BUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS, 4:00

P.M., VOTES. >> ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH

THAT? >> YEAH, COMMISSIONER. IF WE COULD JUST HOLD THIS ITEM TO THE END FOR A NEW DRAFT?

>> YES. HOLD THIS ITEM. >> AND THANK YOU, PARLIAMENTARIAN. I APPRECIATE YOU.

>> ITEM 17 -- >> NO. SHOULD BE BACK ON THE

AGENDA. >> I'LL SECOND IT. ALL IN

FAVOR, EYES. >> WHAT IS THE MOTION?

>> COMMISSIONER ELLIS WHAT AM I MAKING THE MOTION --

>> SO MOVED. >> AND I'LL SECOND IT. MOTION MADE BY GARCIA, SECOND BY ELLIS, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. MOTION PASSES. HUMAN RESOURCES TALENT.

>> SO INTERIM DIRECTOR DOUG LIST AND GALLAGHER CONSULTANT PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE, THANK YOU. COULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE AN UPDATE? MY END GAME IS I WANT THIS TO HAVE THE MOST SOUND, ACCURATE, SOLID METHODOLOGY AND MAKE SURE WE'RE MEETING ALL THE TIMETABLES, AND SPECIFICALLY TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PAY, MAKING SURE THAT THE COMPS WE ARE USING NOW REFLECT THE NEW CHANGES TO HPD

[02:00:02]

>> I GUESS MY QUESTION HAD TO DO WITH SOME ACTIVITIES BY ANOTHER CONSULTANT, KORN FERRY. AND RELATED TO, I'LL SAY, SENIOR LEVEL PAY. THERE ARE SOME ISSUES CONCERNS WITH THAT GOING FORWARD. I THINK AS WE ADDRESS PAY EQUITY, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND REVISIT THAT. AT LEAST THAT SEEMS THE SENSE OF IT. SO THERE IS THAT PART OF IT. AND -- AND RECOGNIZING -- AND I THINK WE'VE SAID THIS BEFORE. BUT WE GAVE A FLAT INCREASE TO EVERYONE MAKING LESS THAN 75,000 -- THAT IS RIGHT, DIRECTOR?

>> YES. >> SO THAT'S NEARLY 70% IN HARRIS COUNTY. JUST AS A POINT. YOU'VE GOT THAT IN YOUR

ANALYSIS AT THIS POINT. >> CORRECT.

>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO

COMMISSIONER BRIONES? >> YES. COMMISSIONER BRIONESANCY

QUESTIONS. >> SO UPDATE ON PROGRESS. JUST MAKING SURE METHODOLOGY IS SOUND AND ROBUST. AND SPECIFICALLY I'M COMMITTED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PAY EQUITY. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE DATA YOU'RE USING REFLECTS THE MOST RECENT CHANGES TO HSPD. AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, SURROUNDING COUNTIES. I WANT YOU TO FLESH THAT OUT. AND LASTLY, ON

SCHEDULE, THAT WE'RE ON TRACK. >> YES, COMMISSIONER. I HAVE SOME SLIDES, I THINK. THOSE CAN BE PULLED UP? OR NO? I CAN JUST TALK THROUGH IT, IF NOT. IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE -- WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THERE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

>> AND ONE MORE. SO WE CAN GET TO THE HEART OF COMMISSIONER

BRIONES' CONCERNS. >> CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK UP?

>> YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? >> YEAH. JUST CAN'T READ THE

SLICED. >> ALSO TO REITERATE, TRIANGULATE. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A PAY EQUITY FOR ALL, APPROXIMATELY $25,000. AND $2500. SO ALL EMPLOYEES ARE

BEING PAID EQUITABLY. >> IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE, IN THE TIMELINE AND STATUS. WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY WRAPPED UP PHASE 1, WHICH IS THE CLASS IFNTIONZ STUDY. WHICH IS LOOKING AT THE TITLES, THE FRAMEWORK AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE POSITION. WE HAVE DONE THAT THROUGH A SERIES OF JOB SITE SHADOWINGS, REVIEW OF JOB DECISION DESCRIPTIONS. MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD INFORMATION FOR ALL EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE COUNT COUNTY. WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF PHASE 2 RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS THE COMPENSATION STUDY COMPONENT. SO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SURVEY. THAT SURVEY IS OUT. WE ARE COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION NOW. THERE IS A SECONDARY CUSTOM SURVEY THAT IS GOING OUT, MID- TO LATE JUNE, THAT INCLUDES THE GENERAL WORKFORCE, BUT ALSO THOSE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE GOOD AND ACCURATE INFORMATION WITH THAT SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, WHERE IS THE MARKET AT? THE MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES THAT WERE APPROVED AT THE SAME MEETING FOR OUR LAST QUARTERLY UPDATE, ET CETERA. SO WE CAN TIE ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT ACTIONS THAT THE COURT HAS TAKEN, AND A PROACTIVE FASHION IN THAT STUDY. WHEN WE GET TO THE END ITSELF, IT'S ALL PART OF THAT PIECE. ALL PART OF THE STUDY. AND ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PAY EQUITY STUDY. AND THE PAY EQUITY STUDY IS BEGINNING IN EARNEST, THIS JULY, THAT PHASE OF IT. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, AGAIN, MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE CLASSIFICATION PIECE NEXT. LOOKING AT THE RIGHT ROLES, POSITIONS. MAKING SURE WE HAVE GOOD INFORMATION FROM THE MARKET, FROM A COMPENSATION PERSPECTIVE. SO WE CAN PULL THAT DATA THROUGH. IT'S REALLY AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF WHERE IS PAY, EXTERNALLY. AND LOOK AT IT ROLE TO ROLE. IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE COMPLETED TO DATE, AS I SAID, WE HAVE COMPLETED THE CLASSIFICATION STUDY. WE'VE COMPLETED THE INITIAL JOB SHADOWING. WE'VE HAD OCCUPATIONAL PANELS, OR EMPLOYEE FOCUS GROUPS FOR LACK OF BETTER TERM. JUST TO MAKE SURE AGAIN, WE HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IN A CLEAR WAY. AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE MARKET ASSESSMENT NOW, THE FIRST PART OF THAT IS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SURVEY. THAT SURVEY IS OUT. THE DATA, WE SHOULD HAVE THAT HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THAT. AND AS WE LOOK

[02:05:01]

WE'RE MOVING TOWARD THE GENERAL WORKFORCE AND SUPPLEMENTAL TO THE PREVIOUS STUDY DONE BY OTHERS, REGARDING THOSE LEADERSHIP ROLES. WE'LL HAVE THAT DATA AS PART OF THAT SURVEY STUDY. WITHIN THAT, WE'RE LOOKING AT INCENTIVES, ALLOWANCES, OTHER BENEFITS. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FULL AND COMPLETE PACKAGE WITH THAT. WE'RE LOOKING AT A COMPRESSION ANALYSIS, INTERNAL EQUITY, WHICH SORT PREDATES. THEN WE'RE LOOKING INTO FULL EQUITY STUDY. AND FROM THAT, WE THEN WILL BUILD OUT PAY STRUCTURES. WE WILL MAP THE ROLES TO THOSE PAY STRUCTURES. THE EMPLOYEES IN THOSE ROLES TO THAT PAY STRUCTURE. SO WE'LL HAVE THAT ANALYSIS AT THE TITLE LEVEL, AS WELL AS DOWN TO THE PERSON LEVEL FOR THE COURT TO UNDERSTAND, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE OVERALL, FROM BOTH A STRUCTURAL PERSPECTIVE, A CROSSWALKING PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO A CROSS-WALKING PERSPECTIVE. WITH THAT, WE SHOULD HAVE A FULL AND ROBUST, SORT OF AT THE FINISH LINE OR NEAR THE FINISH LINE FOR THE COURT, AT THE SEPTEMBER MEETING. BECAUSE WE SHOULD BE VERY CLOSE TO BEING DONE WITH THE STUDY AND HAVE THOSE FINAL RESULTS READY FOR COMMISSIONERS AND YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THOSE

RECOMMENDATIONS OVERALL. >> COULD YOU GIVE US A COUPLE OF

MORE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE. >> FOR INSTANCE. ENGINEERS, WHO WORK AT OUR COUNTY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OR FLOOD CONTROL. HOW ARE YOU DEFINING "MARKET" FOR ENGINEER? AND I.T.. HOW ARE YOU DEFINING MARKET? WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE RECRUITING AND TRAINING.

IS OTHER MARKET SIMILARLY SITUATED, VERSUS THE PRIVATE

SECTOR MARKET? >> YEAH. SO AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CUSTOM FOR THE GENERAL WORKFORCES. LOOKING AT THE 10 LARGEST CITIES, LARGEST COUNTIES IN THE COUNTRY. AS PART OF THAT LARGER, BROADER DATA SET, LOOKING AT YOUR HISTORICAL PEER LIST. WE'RE CAPTURING THAT. WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE TITLES. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TITLES YOU HAVE HERE AT THE COUNTY. BUT WE'RE WORKING TO UNDERSTAND IN THE CLASSIFICATION STUDY, WHAT EXACTLY ARE THOSE ROLES PERFORMING? SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ESSENTIALLY, APPLES-TO-APPLES COMPARISON. WE DON'T WANT TO COMPARE A ROBUST ROLE WITH SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT IS MAYBE LESS COMPLICATED. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DUTIES BEING PERFORMED. THAT'S WHY WE'RE LEVERAGING THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND THE PDQ, ALSO OF THOSE THINGS TO MATCH THOSE JOBS ON POINT WITH THE OTHER PLACES. SO PART OF THE CUSTOM SURVEY PROCESS IS EDUCATING THOSE PEERS. THIS IS PART OF WHAT WE DO AT HARRIS COUNTY. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE THAT DOES THE SAME OR SIMILAR WORK? WE CALL THIS ENGINEER. THEY MAY CALL IT ENGINEER. THEY MAY NOT BE THE SAME THING EXACTLY. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S SPECIFIC AND ON POINT. THEN WE'RE SEPARATING THAT DATA FROM OUR LIBRARY, FROM PUBLISHED DATA, TO RECOGNIZE THAT MANY OF THE ROLES, DEPENDING ON THE COUNTY AND HOW THEY'RE SITUATED COULD BE FOUND AND TO SUPPORT THE BROADER WORK.

>> SO YOU'RE SUPPLEMENTING IT BASED ON STUDIES.

>> BY APPROPRIATE ROLES. >> NOT BROADLY.

>> SO FOR EXAMPLE -- SORRY. DIRECTOR HERE AND DR. RA MON.

BUT THEY ARE HERE. BUT EDUCATION, FOR INSTANCE. I'M JUST CURIOUS, AS TO WEIGHTS PUT THROUGH THE PRIVATE SECTOR? AND IS IT ONLY PUT THROUGH PUBLIC STUDIES? OR ARE THERE PEER ENTITIES IN HARRIS COUNTY, THAT FOR INSTANCE, WE MAY BE HEMORRHAGING ENGINEERS. I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE WEIGHTS BEING PUT TO THE MARKET COMPS.

>> SURE. THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF DATA IS THE PUBLIC DATA SET. AND SO THOSE OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES. SECONDARY TO THAT, WE'RE USING THE PRIVATE DATA. AND THE WAY THAT WE'VE BROKEN THAT DOWN IS NOT SPECIFICALLY THIS FIRM. BUT WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT, AND SAY, IN THE BROADER, METROPOLITAN STATISTIC AREA.

WHAT ARE ENGINEERING FIRMS PAYING ENGINEERS? AND SO WE WOULD SUPPLEMENT WITH THAT. WITH DATA.

>> AND BY SUPPLEMENT, DO YOU MEAN -- IT'S A WEIGHTED METHODOLOGY. SO WE HAVE PUBLIC -- I'M MAKING IT UP. 80% OF THE CALCULUS -- SORRY. I'M AN ENGLISH MAJOR LAWYER. BUT --

>> WE GO, HERE'S WHAT THIS PUBLIC DATA LOOKS LIKE. HERE'S

[02:10:04]

BUT NOT OVERINFLATING THAT DRIVER TO DRIVE A NUMBER THAT

MAY OR MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE. >> SO TELL BE A BLEND THAT

GALLAGHER -- >> CORRECT.

>> ULTIMATELY, GOING TO MAKE A DECISION ON EACH OF THOSE C CLASSIFICATIONS. SO IT MAY BE THAT WE WANT TO BE LIKE 110%

LEAD ON PUBLIC -- >> RIGHT.

>> ESPECIALLY WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE PRIVATE SECTOR COMPS ?

RIGHT. >> I THINK THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB PUTTING THE DATA TOGETHER WITH POOR OPTIONS. THEY WILL

HAVE THOSE ATTACHED TO THEM. >> IT WILL BE VERY A TICULATED?

>> YES. >> PUBLIC, PRIVATE. THEN WE MAKE

THE DECISION. >> CORRECT.

>> COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. ARE YOU -- ARE YOU -- GO AHEAD.

>> TO WHAT EXTENT, DO YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BENEFITS AS WELL?

>> WE INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THE BROADER DATA COLLECTION IN THE ANALYSIS. AND SPECIFICALLY WITH THE CUSTOM SURVEY, WE ARE PULLING IN THE BENEFITS. AND THAT PERK IN THERE. WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY, IF IT MAKES SENSE, RELATIVE TO THE STUDY TO PULL IN BROADER BENEFITS, INFORMATION FROM BOTH PREVALENCE AND CERTAIN COSTING PIECES. IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST BENEFITS IN THE COUNTRY.

AND WE HAVE REALLY STRONG PARTICIPATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WITH THAT SURVEY. AND WE CAN PULL IN ADDITIONAL -- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO SUPPORT YOUR DECISION, OVERALL.

TO TALK ABOUT HERE'S WHAT THE PAY LOOKS LIKE. FROM THAT BENEFITS PERSPECTIVE. BUT HERE'S WHAT WE ALSO KNOW FROM BOTH THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. OR IN THE BROADER AREA. IF THAT IS PRACTICAL AND USEFUL.

>> WHAT OTHER TANGIBLES DO YOU TAKE IN? WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS.

IT'S HELPING THE GOVERNMENT COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

I ASSUME IT'S A BIT MORE. ANY OBJECTION? OKAY. WE'LL CONTINUE. I'M ASSUMING THAT IT'S HARD TO COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN SOME WAYS. BUT ONE TENDS TO HAVE A BIT MORE SECURITY ON THE GOVERNMENT. TAKE DR. RAMON. YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IN AND GET THE WORK DONE.

>> RIGHT. >> WHEREAS OVER HERE, YOU ALSO HAVE TO GET THE WORK DONE. BUT THIS BOARD DECIDES, IF WE NEED THE MONEY, WE GOTTA GO TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I WAS MAKING 600,000, AND SOMETIMES I FIGURED I WAS BETTER GOING OFF WITH THE VOTERS. I HAVE A LITTLE MORE SWAY WITH THE VOTERS THAN WITH THAT GENERAL PARTNER. HOW DO YOU TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT?

>> THAT'S A GREAT POINT, COMMISSIONER ELLIS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHY DO EMPLOYEES WORK SOMEWHERE AND STAY SOMEWHERE? AND WE HAVE RESEARCH THAT SHOWS THAT THE BIGGEST DRIVER IS AFFILIATION. TO WORK SOMEWHERE THAT IS DOING GOOD THINGS THAT HAS A PURPOSE, HAS A MISSION, MUCH LIKE THE COUNTY IS DOING HERE. AND THAT IS THE KEY DRIVER. AND OTHERS BECOME SECONDARY TO THAT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OVERALL, BOTH YOUR PAY, WHAT IS THE PREVALENCE FROM A BENEFITS PERSPECTIVE. HAVE A CAREER AT THE COUNTY FOR REASONS THAT GO JUST BEYOND THAT. SO WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT AS PART OF THE BROADER WORK AND PART OF OUR REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THAT AS WELL. HAVING WORKED IN THE PUBLIC SPACE FOR 20 YEARS BEFORE MOVING INTO CONSULTING. I

CAN APPRECIATE THAT -- >> YOU GOT YOUR RETIREMENT

BEFORE YOU LEFT, I BET. >> I MAY HAVE.

>> I REMEMBER THE NUMBER VAGUELY. BUT WHAT WAS THE NUMBER WHETHER WE FIRST ASKED TO DO THIS PAY EQUITY STUDY. ON HOW MUCH YOU THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO COST.

>> WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING NORTH OF 100 MILLION. I THINK THAT HAS GONE UP AS WE GOT MORE DATA, BUT IT'S AROUND 120.

>> 120. >> IT WILL ULTIMATELY DEPEND ON WHAT COURTS VOTE ON DIFFERENT GROUPS. THERE MAY BE SOME GROUPS WHERE WE GET TO 70% MARKET, WHICH IS PRIVATE. THERE MAY BE GROUPS THAT ARE LEANING ON THE PUBLIC SALARY. BUT THAT WAS THE OVERMAGNITUDE THAT WE WERE WORKING BEHIND.

>> YEAH. I JUST WANT TO STRESS TO MY COLLEAGUES. REMEMBER, WHEN THIS STARTED -- WE TALK ABOUT PAY EQUITY YEARS AGO. WHEN I PUT

[02:15:05]

>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> WAS IT LIKE 700,000, 800,000?

A MILLION? >> 1.2.

>> OKAY. >> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

>> JUST TO PIVOT OFF A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP. SO CLEARLY, IT'S NOT JUST BASED ON PAY. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT AN EMPLOYEE AND THEIR POSITIONS, THEY DON'T MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, BASED ON PAY. SO THE PAY EQUITY STUDY ISN'T JUST ABOUT LOOKING AT WHAT SOMEBODY MAKES IN L.A. COUNTY. AND I'D HATE TO KNOW I WAS BUYING A HOUSE IN L.A. COUNTY AND TRYING TO WORK. YOU'VE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, I GUESS THE COST OF LISTENING IN L.A. COUNTY, VERSUS HARRIS COUNTY.

>> YES. PART OF WHAT WE DO TO THE DATA WE COLLECT IS APPLY COST OF LIVING DIFFERENTIALS. THE COST OF LIVING IN L.A.

COUNTY IS GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT. SO WE PLOICH THAT.

AND I'M MAKING UP A NUMBER. IF 100,000 IS EQUAL TO 80,000 IN HARRIS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO WE'RE LOOKING DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, IN A SENSE THAT IT IS NOT OVERINFLATED OR UNDERREPRESENTED BASED ON HARRIS.

>> WHEN PEOPLE MAKE THE DECISION WHETHER TO WORK HERE OR NOT.

PART OF THE DECISION IS BASED ON WHAT THEY MAKE. BUT I KNOW IN MY CAREER, THAT WAS HALF OF IT, BUT NOT EVEN ALL OF IT. SO PEOPLE I HAVE KNOWN FOR 40 YEARS THAT HAVE WORKED IN HARRIS COUNTY, BE THEY ENGINEERS OR OTHERS, THEY JUST LIKE THE WORK. THEY LIKE THE WORK. THEY WANT TO BE PAID FAIRLY. I THINK OVER TIME, THEY LOOKED AT IT AND THOUGHT THEY WERE. SO AS WE FACTOR IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, I THINK, WHAT WAS REFERENCED EARLIER, IN TERMS OF A PRIVATE SECTOR JOB, VERSUS A COUNTY. THOSE ARE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. ONE IS NOT EASIER THAN THE OTHER ONE. ONE IS NOT HARDER THAN THE OTHER, THEY'RE JUST DIFFERENT.

>> RIGHT. >> SO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE EXTREME DISCERNMENT. AND YOU COMING UP WITH A FINAL NUMBER, BASED ON ALL OF THESE OTHER FACTORS. WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH KORN FERRY. I KEEP BRINGING THEM UP. BECAUSE WE FINALLY ASKED AND SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REAL COMPLICATED.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO PUT ALL OF THIS BACK TOGETHER? AND IT'S BASED ON THIS, AND DOING THE RESPONSIBILITIES. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY COULDN'T EXPLAIN IT. SO WHEN WE GET THE REPORT, THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS RELATED TO, WELL, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS NUMBER OR THAT NUMBER? IN THIS AREA, OR THAT AREA? BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO BE MORE THAN "IT'S COMPLICATED" AND "I'M NOT SURE WE CAN FULLY EXPLAIN IT." SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE NUMBERS WILL BE. I THINK THIS IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO COMPARE POSITIONS IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES, IN DIFFERENT -- DIFFERENT AREAS. OBVIOUSLY, THOSE COUNTIES, THOSE CITIES, THOSE AREAS, WITHIN 100 MILES OF HERE. THAT MATTERS MORE THAN 10 STATES AWAY. IT'S INTERESTING TO KNOW WHAT SOMEBODY IN NEW YORK COUNTY MAKES. BUT IT'S MORE WHAT MAKES IN DALLAS COUNTY OR TRAVIS COUNTY. AND WE SHOULD GIVE DUE -- DUE WEIGHT TO THAT. BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE ARE GOING. I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE OUT OF

STATE, MOST CASES. >> THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA. >> THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. AND I -- I APPRECIATE ALL THE POINTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE MAKING. I WANT TO ADD ONE THING. YOU KNOW, WHEN I BECAME SHERIFF. AND I WENT THROUGH MY SHERIFF'S SCHOOL, I WAS MEETING MY COUNTERPARTS AROUND THE STATE. AND ONE GUY WALKS UP TO ME AND GOES, ARE YOU THE SHERIFF OF HARRIS COUNTY? AND I GO "YES, SIR." HE GOES," DAMN, MAN, I WOULDN'T WANT YOUR JOB. I HAVE THREE DEPUTIES AND ONE PATROL CAR.

>> I HAD 5,000 EMPLOYEES, 12,000 SOULS IN THE COUNTY JAIL. SO MY PAY IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM SOMEONE IN, YOU KNOW, PORTER COUNTY. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SCOPE

[02:20:05]

>> YOU'VE GOT MS. MEMON OVER HERE. NOT ONLY IS SHE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING US FROM CYBER ATTACKS BUT ALSO MAKING SURE OUR CARS GET ON THE ROAD, MAKING SURE THEY ARE DECKED OUT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE TRANSITIONS BETWEEN THE TWO. AND YOU HAVE DR. RAYMOND RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER, MOSTLY 400 ENGINEERS. SO HOW DOES ONE BECOME A CEO FOR AN OVER-400 STAFF ENGINEERING FIRM, BASICALLY? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT SCOPE IS ACCOUNTED FOR AS WELL. BECAUSE THE -- THE COUNTY ENGINEER IN BEXAR COUNTY PROBABLY DOESN'T HAVE NEAR THE HEADACHES THAT THESE GUYS HAVE. PROBABLY BECAUSE OF TOPOGRAPHY AND -- AND SCOPE OF WORK. OUR FLOOD CONTROL DIRECTOR HAS ALMOST NO COMPARABLE COLLEAGUE AROUND THIS AREA. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT -- THAT SCOPE OF WORK

IS -- IS WELL ACCOUNTED FOR. >> UNDERSTOOD.

>> THANK YOU. >> AND HAZARDOUS DUTY PAY FOR HAVING TO DEAL WITH US. YOU GET A LITTLE EXTRA FOR THAT. THANK

YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> ANY MOTIONS ON THIS ITEM? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

>> SHOWN AS NO ACTION. >> THANK YOU.

>> IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS? >> YES.

>> YES, SIR, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. >> TAMMY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN. I PULLED THIS ITEM, UH, MAINLY TO SAY "THANK YOU." YOU AND YOUR TEAM. YOU KNOW, I WAS TELLING MY STAFF. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT. YOU'RE IN AUSTIN ONE DAY.

YOU'RE IN D.C. THE NEXT. THEN YOU'RE BACK THIS AUSTIN, THEN BACK IN HOUSTON. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW YOU GUYS DO IT, OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT, SORT OF LIKE THE CONVERSATION WE'RE JUST HAVING, BEING THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THIS COUNTY IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN BEING THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR COBB COUNTY OR SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO I JUST REALLY WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING. YOU HELPED US ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY, YOUR STRATEGIC APPROACH HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY UNCOMPARABLE TO ANYONE ELSE. I THINK THE FOLKS WE PAY MONEY TO, TO HELP US WITH THIS WORK, NEED TO LEARN FROM YOU GUYS ON HOW TO APPROACH IT. THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, TOO, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE -- GOING BACK TO THE FIFA CONVERSATION. YOU KNOW, I -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT. YOU'RE GOING TO BE COMMUNICATING WITH ALL OF THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS, KEEPING EVERYBODY INFORMED AND COORDINATED AND -- AND ABREAST OF ALL THE THINGS HAPPENING DURING THE WORLD CUP. YOU HAD TO DO THAT. DURING THE SESSION YOU HAVE TO DO THAT FROM WHERE WE'RE ADDRESSING ISSUES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. AND YOU KEEP, NOT ONLY THE DETAILS OF LEGISLATION, BUT THE STRATEGIC APPROACH TO PERSONALITIES AND APPROACH AND CONVERSATION AND MESSAGE DELIVERY. YOU -- YOU -- YOU CALCULATE WHEN OUR INFORMATION NEEDS TO GO OUT, WHEN WE NEED TO BE AT CERTAIN PLACES. IT IS JUST PHENOMENAL. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM. AND I KNOW WE OFTEN KID ABOUT, NOW, FRAM LEE. BUT MY HAT GOES OFTEN TO FRANCIS NUGENT, AS WELL AS MY TEAM MEMBER, KRISTEN LEE. BUT I SIMPLY WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST SESSIONS THAT I WAS VERY, VERY ENGAGED IN. AND I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER BRIONES WAS ALMOST LIVING IN AUSTIN, BUT STILL LIVERING HERE, TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, YOUR -- YOUR DEDICATION TO YOUR CRAFT. IT'S JUST IMPRESSIVE TO SEE. SO THAT'S ALL I WANT TO DO. THANK YOU.

[02:25:05]

>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY? AND THEN COMMISSIONER

BRIONES. >> YEAH. IT'S ALWAYS GREAT, WHEN EVERYBODY IS LOSING THEIR MIND, AND THERE'S ONE PERSON NOT.

IT'S IN AUSTIN, OR WHETHER IT'S HERE. MAINTAINING THAT CALM DEMEANOR, THAT -- BE ABLE TO TAKE IN INFORMATION, GIVE INFORMATION. LET OTHERS PARTICIPATE IN THE DECISION. YOU DO THAT VERY WELL. THOSE ARE DIFFICULT THINGS. I WOULD SAY A STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION -- WHAT DO YOU THINK? THAT'S EQUAL

TO ABOUT TWO FIFA EVENTS? >> AND SUPER BOWL.

>> SO I DO LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT YOU WILL DO, GOING FORWARD. JUST KEEP UP THE GOOD

WORK. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER BRIONES?

>> I ECHO COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S STATEMENTS. WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE YOU DIRECTOR OF ADVICE, LEADING HARRIS COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM, FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT, FOR WORKING TIRELESSLY, AND BASICALLY NEVER SLEEPING FOR MONTHS. AND I REALLY LOVE THAT CALMNESS AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE TOUGH AS NAILS. IT'S THE, LIKE, MOST BOO WONDERFUL COMBINATION. AND I LOVED LEARNING FROM YOU THIS SESSION. I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING FROM YOU MANY MORE SESSIONS. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION AMONGST OUR COLLEAGUES IN A BIPARTISANSHIP WAY. IT WAS MOVING TO ME. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU, TAMMY, AND ALL OF OUR LEADERS. BECAUSE I'M ENERGIZED AND SO GRATEFUL FOR THE $130 MILLION IN LEGISLATIVE RIDERS.

SO THANK YOU TO THE STATE BUT ALSO THANK YOU TO YOU, BECAUSE I KNOW IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT YOU. GETTING IT TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK, WHETHER IT'S CONCRETE, PROTECTION OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION FOR PUBLIC DEFENDERS. THE 50,000 TO 100,000 THRESHOLD, WHICH MAKES ME HAPPY BECAUSE, WELL, IT JUST MAKES ME VERY HAPPY. IMPROVED MANAGEMENT UNDER THE DESIGN PROGRAM. I MEAN, THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH ALL FIVE OF OUR TEAMS. AND THANK YOU, AGAIN, FOR JUST BEING SO GRACEFUL IN NAVIGATING THIS SESSION AND ALL THE SESSIONS YOU'VE BEEN LEADING. SO -- AND I ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEXAS CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTIES. AND THEY'RE FANTASTIC. WHAT YOU DID HELPED NOT ONLY OUR COUNTY BUT OTHER COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE. SO I APPRECIATE YOU MORE THAN I CAN EXPRESS. THANK YOU.

>> TAMMY, THANK YOU FOR THE JOB YOU DID. AND JUST IN MY EXPERIENCE IN 26 YEARS, YOU KNOW YOUR THINKING PEOPLE. A LOT OF MEMBERS IN LEGISLATION WOULD FEEL LIKE THE LOBBYISTS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS WELL. SO FROM MY EXPERIENCE. I KNOW YOU'RE CALLING THEM, YOU'RE STAYING IN TOUCH,AND I HAVE A FEELING YOU'LL BE BACK UP THERE IN A MONTH. SO GET SOME REST. SO DON'T -- YOU WOULD LET ME KNOW, AND SO WOULD MY PERSON, DENISE DAVIS, REAL GOOD IN LETTING ME KNOW. DON'T GO IN THE BUILDING.

YOU JUST CALL PEOPLE. BECAUSE IF YOU THINK YOU'RE STRUTTING AROUND, AS I TELL MY COLLEAGUES, TAKING A VICTORY LAP. THEN THAT LEGISLATION GETS EVEN MADDER. BECAUSE WHATEVER THEY HAD BEFORE, IT COMES BACK. BUT YOU GOT A GREAT DEMEANOR AND GET -- GET SOME REST. BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE GOING BACK. WE MAY SEE SOME OF THOSE BILLS AGAIN. SO MY COLLEAGUES, DON'T JUST PUT YOUR SLIPPERS ON YET. YOU MAY NEED TO RUN WITH SHOES ON AGAIN. BUT THANK YOU. YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING?

>> YES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. I TRULY APPRECIATE THE KIND W0RDS ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY TEAM.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA ASKED HOW WE DO IT. IT IS A TEAM EFFORT, EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON MY TEAM. BUT YOURSELF, THE STAFF, DEPARTMENT HEADS. THANK YOU FOR THE REORGANIZATION THAT YOU APPROVED TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO. THAT IS WHAT MADE THAT POSSIBLE. BUT AGAIN, THE TRUST AND LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE THAT WE RECEIVED FROM ALL OF YOU AND YOUR STAFF. I CAN'T PUT A PRICE TO THAT. BUT ALSO, IT IS WHY WE WERE SO SUCCESSFUL. AND IF WE LOOK AT THE BILLS AND APPROPRIATIONS, WHERE AND WHERE WE WERE MOST SUCCESSFUL, IT WAS ALSO THE WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THEIR STATUTE. AND I CAN'T REALLY

[02:30:05]

EVERYONE AROUND THE COUNTY. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> YEAH, GO GET SOME REST.

>> GET SOME REST. >> I WILL. ONE LAST THING, I WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOUR OFFICES, AND WE WILL DO A DEBRIEF WITH EACH OFFICE. WE'RE WAITING ON THE VETO PERIOD.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR.

>> COUNCIL, 17 ITEMS. YOU WANT TO KEEP GOING OR GO EAT.

>> 17 IS NO

[Appearances before court (Part 2 of 2)]

>>> COMMISSIONERS COURT IS BACK IN ORDER FOR THE PRIMARY PURPOSE

OF LETTING JACOB SPEAK. >> I WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS, SOMETHING I'M PROUD OF AND THAT IS A LESLIE BRIONES SHIRT AND SHE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO AUTOGRAPH IT FOR ME, TO JACOB, THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE . SHE IS A GOOD COMMISSIONER, A GREAT COMMISSIONER LIKE MR. RAMSEY.

AND ABOUT DAVID WELCH, . YEAH, I AM TALKING ABOUT HIM AT THE CITY COUNCIL SO WE WERE AT CITY COUNCIL SO I THANK YOU AGAIN COMMISSIONER BRIONES AND GO TO A RESTAURANT CALLED CLARK SEAFOOD OYSTER BAR IN ALABAMA AND MONTREUX'S. I INVITE YOU AND

YOUR FAMILY. YOUR HUSBAND AND >> SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

>> JACOB . >> OKAY THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM,

[Departments (Part 2 of 4)]

THAT ONE. PAGE 15. >> THIS IS AN ITEM THAT I THINK SHOULD BE IN THE HARRIS HEALTH BUDGET, NOT OUR BUDGET. THE MAYOR REMINDS ME OF THE JAIL. WE ARE ASKING FOR THEM TO PROVIDE SOME HELP AND SUPPORT, I DON'T THINK THIS IS AN ITEM WE SHOULD BE PAYING FOR. I WOULD THINK THIS IS AN AMENDMENT RELATED TO PAYING HARRIS HEALTH AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 118,000. WHY WOULDN'T WE PUT THAT OVER WITH HARRIS HEALTH?

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA . >> ALSO I GUESS, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF WHERE WE ARE AT WITH ACCESS HARRIS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE AT BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY INVESTED QUITE A BIT. THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THERE SO I AM JUST CURIOUS WHERE WE ARE AT WITH RECONSTITUTING THAT.

>> A BIT OF HISTORY ON THIS FIRST ROLE AND FOR THE RECORD THIS IS LEAH BARTON WITH HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH . THIS ROLE WAS ESTABLISHED AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL ACCESS SET UP, ORIGINALLY THERE WERE FIVE PARTNERS, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE PARTNERS AND STREAMLINED THEM TO THREE SO NOW WE HAVE STAFF ASSIGNED TO THE PROGRAM FROM HARRIS HEALTH, THE HARRIS CENTER AND J PD AND THIS IS A NURSE CARE MANAGER ROLE THAT REALLY HELPS EXPEDITE MEDICAL SERVICES FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM,

[02:35:01]

NONMEDICAL DRIVERS OF HEALTH. WE ARE MEETING ACTIVELY WITH HARRIS HEALTH AND THE HARRIS CENTER TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF FOCUSING ON THE PRIORITY POPULATIONS WE IDENTIFIED TOGETHER. FOLKS EXPERIENCING CHRONIC DISEASE OR TRENDING TO CHRONIC DISEASE IN THE AREA AROUND LBJ, FOLKS IN THE MULTI-VISIT PATIENT FREQUENT ER VISITORS AND FOLKS IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP STATE OUT OF JAIL, SO THE TEAMS ARE MEETING AND WE HOPE TO HAVE A PLAN TO

BRING BACK TO YOU SOON. >> YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH IT, I WISH WE HAD MORE RESOURCES BUT WHAT WE ARE IS

MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE. >> COULD HARRIS HEALTH PAY FOR

IT? >> THAT'S A QUESTION FOR HARRIS

HEALTH. >> IT IS A HARRIS HEALTH EMPLOYEE. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD PAY THAT.

>> ANYBODY FROM HARRIS HEALTH ONLINE?

>> I CAN REACH OUT TO THE FISCAL FOLKS AND MAYBE COORDINATE A

MEETING. >> DOES ANY DELAY IMPACT SERVICES? IF WE DO APPROVE TODAY?

>> WE CAN WAIT. >> MAKE THAT CONTACT SEE IF THEY CAN'T PAY IT. THANK YOU, NEXT ITEM IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY ITEM 163 COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. THAT'S NEXT.

>> THAT'S CORRECT. ITEM 163. >> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. I WILL SECOND MOTION MADE COMMISSIONER GARCIA ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE ITEM PASSES, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY VOTING NO.

NEXT ITEM WE DID THAT ONE. NEXT ITEM IS COMMISSIONER OKAY WE DID

THAT ONE I NEED MY NEW LIST. >> 289 HAS BEEN DONE. NEXT IS

292. >> YES, THANK YOU. SOME COMMENTS TO MAKE BUT FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO PLEASE ASK DR.

UPDATE US ON THE VISION GENERAL PLAN AND WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE SO WE CAN LEVEL SET AND TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS,

THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON COUNTY ENGINEER, SO I WILL GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR, THE ACTION PLAN WAS ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER IN SEPTEMBER 2022.

SINCE THE ADOPTION OF VISION ZERO, THIS COURT HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT TOWARD VISION ZERO. TO START WITH, BUT BEFORE I GO ON THE PROGRAMS, THE VISION ZERO ACTION PLAN, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 33 HIGH COURT DOORS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF FATALITIES, SERIOUS INJURY THAT INCLUDES FATALITIES AS WELL. IN NOVEMBER 22, VOTERS APPROVED THE BOND PROPOSITION AND IN THE PROPOSITION AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, $50 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED FOR VISION ZERO IMPROVEMENT AND ALL PRECINCTS STARTED SOME PROJECTS

[02:40:01]

A LONG WAY TO GO AS WELL. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE AND THE PROGRESS YOU HAVE LED AND COMPLETED FOR THE COUNTY. WE APPRECIATE IT AND I KNOW WE HAVE A FIRM AND DEEP COMMITMENT. I LOVE THE BOLDNESS OF VISION ZERO TEENS ALL FATALITIES AND SERIOUS INJURIES BY 2030. I LOVE THE BOLDNESS AND FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO ACHIEVE THAT. SO MY ASK AND THIS COMES BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF CONSTITUENT CALLS THAT WE GET ABOUT ROAD SAFETY ISSUES , GIVEN THE MASSIVE GROWTH WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IN WESTERN HARRIS COUNTY AND IT IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING AREAS IN THE NATION AND I BELIEVE 60% OF THE PERMITS WERE FROM THE ONE PRECINCT AND WE ALL HAVE GROWTH AND DIFFERENT SORTS OF CHALLENGES, BUT THIS WEIGHS ON ME AS A MOM, TREMENDOUSLY. SO MY ASK AND I KNOW OUR TEAMS HAVE WORKED TOGETHER ALONG WITH PRECINCT 2 AND I HAVE EMOTION.

ANOTHER TWO TALK MORE AND SHARE IDEAS BUT JUST SO EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE THE DATA AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE UPDATING THE DATA BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS INITIAL VISION ZERO ACTION PLAN

[02:45:03]

REQUESTED UPDATE. >> MOTION MADE . COMMISSIONER

RAMSEY ANY COMMENTS? >> JUST IN GENERAL I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE MEASURE. AS WE KNOW WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE HIGH INCIDENT CORRIDORS AND YOU LISTED A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT SHOULD HELP , THEY WERE NOT NECESSARILY DONE WITH VISION ZERO THERE ARE PROBABLY DONE, MANY JUST TO ADDRESS MOBILITY ISSUES AND OTHER ISSUES. ONE AREA THAT I KNOW IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE SHARE A LOT OF THE SAME TYPE OF CORRIDOR'S AS WORLD HARRIS COUNTY IS ONE THING I HAVE KNOWN IN MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER IS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF DEATH ON THE ROADS IS SPEED. WE HAVE TO SLOW THESE PEOPLE DOWN, YET, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THERE IS LESS ENFORCEMENT GOING ON, ON THE ROADWAYS TODAY THAN THERE WAS 30 YEARS AGO. FROM ENGINEERING STANDPOINT YOU CAN DESIGN THE HECK OUT OF THE ROADWAYS BUT UNLESS WE START PULLING OVER PEOPLE THAT HAVE PASSED ME GOING 100 MILES PER HOUR AND RIGHT NOW THEY GET IGNORED. THERE IS NO CONSEQUENCES FOR PEOPLE DRIVING REAL FAST AND REAL RECKLESS. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME PART OF THAT. FROM ENGINEERING STANDPOINT BUT WE NEED TO MAKE THE POINT THAT WE NEED OUR AGENCIES IN THE COUNTY INCLUDING DPS TO RAMP IT UP . WE ARE THE LARGEST METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE COUNTY , IN THE STATE. WE HAVE MORE ACCIDENTS, MORE DEATHS HERE AND AGAIN BETWEEN DISTRACTED DRIVING, DRINKING, SPEED IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST SO I KNOW THERE'S TRAFFIC CALMING AND OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT, BUT UNLESS WE DEAL WITH THE SPEED ISSUE I WOULD LIKE THAT ADDRESSED IN THE UPDATE WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THOSE FACTORS WITH SPEED WE NEED TO AT LEAST ADDRESS HOW WE CAN

DEAL WITH IT. >> 100% AGREE WITH YOU. AS PART OF VISION ZERO WE CAN ENFORCEMENT AND DRIVER BEHAVIOR AND ALL ASPECTS OF VISION ZERO WILL BE PART OF IT. I FORGOT TO THANK DR.

OUR EFFORT. AS A MATTER OF FACT WE DECLARED A VISION ZERO STEERING COMMITTEE WITH A STAFF MEMBER FROM ALL OF YOUR OFFICES.

SO IN THE STEERING COMMITTEE WE WILL SPEEDBALL A LOT OF THIS IDEA IN COORDINATION IN TERMS OF HOW WE REDUCE THE DEATH.

INCLUDING WIDENING THE ROAD OR PUTTING A ROUNDABOUT WILL INCLUDE A LOT OF ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATION AND ALL THESE

COMPONENTS. >> ONE OTHER THING I'VE DONE, WHAT IS TXDOT DOING IN HARRIS COUNTY , IN THEIR COURT ORDERS? THEY ARE THE GREATEST SOURCE OF TRAFFIC , GREATEST SOURCE OF ACCIDENTS I CAN THINK OF. WHAT ARE THEY DOING TOWARD THIS

VISION ZERO? >> COMMISSIONER WE PLAN TO HAVE A LOT OF INTELLIGENCE AND MEETING AS PART OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND THIS SHOULD BE A REGIONAL SOLUTION. THE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION WE OPERATE ARE MULTI AGENCY. WE CANNOT JUST DRIVE ON HARRIS COUNTY ROAD AND GO TO WORK WE ARE DRIVING A CITY ROAD, A TXDOT ROAD SO ALL OF US NEED TO BE TOGETHER.

>> WE HAD BID AND WHAT WE HAD DONE. I GUESS I'M NOT INTERESTED IN A

[02:50:03]

>> ABSOLUTELY. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, PATRICK AS WELL ALL YOU DO TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS LOCALLY. ON THE VISION ZERO WITH THE NEW POINTS COMMISSIONER BRIONES IS ADDING, IS THERE ANY CONFLICT? WE'VE APPLIED FOR VISION ZERO DOLLARS. IS THERE ANY CONFLICT THESE DATA POINTS CHANGE OUR ABILITY TO APPLY AS THE FUNDING

ENTITY DETERMINES THE DATA? >> I DO NOT SEE ANY DIRECT CORRELATION. MATTER-OF-FACT IF WE CAN EXPAND THE CORRIDOR AND WHAT HAS THE ABILITY TO APPLY FOR MORE GRANTS.

>> GOOD AND IT WOULD TAKE COMMISSIONER BRIONES RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGEST TO THE FUNDING ENTITIES WHETHER HVAC OR OTHERS THAT THEY MAY WANT TO ADOPT THESE, AS WELL.

THESE ARE GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS. YOU KNOW IN PRECINCT YOU KNOW IN PRECINCT 2 , WE HAVE A NUMBER OF HIGH INJURY NETWORKS. GOLF BANK COMES TO MIND AND ALREADY I AM HEARING FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE SEEN , PEOPLE ARE USING THE SIDEWALKS WHERE THEY USED TO HAVE TO TRAVERSE THE STREETS WITH TRAFFIC AND THEN HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY USING IT AND THEY ARE SO APPRECIATIVE THAT WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THEIR SAFETY AS WE HAVE DONE THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH, PATRICK AS WELL KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

>> COMMISSIONER BRIONES ANY QUESTIONS?

>> A COUPLE QUICK THINGS FIRST ON THE MOTION LANGUAGE I WANT TO SAY IF I CAN CERTAINLY AMEND MY LANGUAGE TO WORK WITH COURT OFFICE STAFF RATHER THAN PRECINCT STAFF SO ALL FIVE OF US AND WE GET TO HANG OUT AT THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY COUNCIL OFTEN AND I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE PUSHING THIS AS A REGIONAL EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO BE AS PROACTIVE AND TRYING TO GET AS MUCH GRANT FUNDING AS WE KNOW THE NEED IS TREMENDOUS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND I APPRECIATE YOURS AND

LEADERSHIP ON THIS. >> A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS. WHO IN OUR REGION HAS ADOPTED VISION ZERO? THE CITY DID BUT HAVE A

BACKED OFF? >> COMMISSIONER AGAIN I KNOW THE CITY HAS DONE IT BUT AGAIN MANY AGENCIES AROUND THE NATION, YOU HEAR THEY HAVE ADOPTED VISION ZERO BUT THERE IS NOT INVESTMENT TOWARD IT. A LOT OF THEM ARE SOFT TALK YOU KNOW SOME PARTS OF VISION ZERO IS LESS EXPENSIVE I WON'T SAY LESS IMPACTFUL BUT THAT COMMITMENT IS THERE. NATIONALLY WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS WE ARE MORE COMMITTED THAN ANY OTHER ENTITY IN TERMS OF

INVESTING HARD DOLLARS. >> BUT IN THE REGION I'M CURIOUS HAVE ANY OTHER COUNTIES OR CITIES? I THINK I PUT IT ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE I SAW HOUSTON GOT A LOT OF PRESS BUT I DID NOT KNOW IF THEY ADOPTED VISION ZERO.

>> COMMISSIONER I KNOW SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN HAVE ADOPTED VISION ZERO. DON'T REALLY KNOW IN SMALLER CITIES WHO HAVE AND

WHO HAVE NOT . >> ON A FEDERAL LEVEL THINGS HAVE CHANGED THERE WERE GRANTS AVAILABLE TO A BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL , BUT HAVE A BACKED OFF WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION OFF OF VISION ZERO?

>> NOT THAT I KNOW. >> I WOULD SAY TO MY COLLEAGUES , I AM TAKING A POSITION WHERE I WILL DO PROJECTS INCLUDING THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IF THEY ARE NOT VISION ZERO FRIENDLY I'M NOT PUTTING MONEY IN THEM. SO WE CAN ASK BUT THEY WILL DO ZERO MOST PEOPLE DO AND I DON'T KNOW TXDOT, BY THE WAY.

>> I THINK THAT WOULD APPLY TO ADJACENT COUNTIES AND OTHERS.

[02:55:03]

>> AT SOME POINT WE MAY THINK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE DO IT IS A POLICY. WE DID IN TERMS OF FLOOD CONTROL ISSUES BUT SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. I WANT TO POP IT UP NOW. THANK YOU.

ANYTHING ELSE? MOTION MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE THE

ITEM PESTS. >> BEFORE YOU GO TO THE NEXT ITEM I WANT TO EXERCISE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. I HAVE NAME ] WHO RUNS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND SHE IS JOINED BY INTERNS THAT ARE WORKING IN THE PRECINCT 2 OFFICE. GUYS STAND UP SO WE CAN APPLAUD YOU GUYS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

>> OKAY NEXT ITEM SO I DON'T MISS ANYTHING OUT UP?

>> ITEM 293. >> 293 THAT'S MINE, 293, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL THE ALL IN FOR KATY EAST PRECINCT 4 COMMUNITY PLAN, SO GRATEFUL TO THE KATY COMMUNITY FOR PARTNERING WITH US AND GRATEFUL TO MY PRECINCT FOR THE TEAM LEAD THIS EFFORT. THIS IS THE FIRST IN ITS KIND FOR THE UNINCORPORATED PORTION OF KATY. 16 MONTHS IN THE MAKING I'M SORRY PARDON ME 9000 NEARLY 9000 DATA POINTS FROM COMMUNITY MEETINGS, COMMUNITY SURVEYS , WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT, PARTNERING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO SEE HOW THEY PRIORITIZE SO SAFETY IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THIS TO OUR LAST CONVERSATION HOW WOULD THEY PRIORITIZE STRATEGIC INVESTMENT TIMBER STRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY BUT IT ALSO HAS HEALTH AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMPONENT.

SO I AM VERY THANKFUL AND AGAIN YOU KNOW ME I HAD REPORTS FOR THE SAKE OF REPORTS, HOWEVER GOING TO PUT THIS INTO ACTION? SO I AM REALLY EXCITED SPEAKING OF TXDOT WE AND I PRAY WE GET IT BUT WE JUST APPLIED, ONE RECOMMENDATION IN THE PLAN IS REALLY TO CONTINUE THE WORK ON CLAY ROAD GIVEN THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF GROWTH AND GIVEN THE INTERSECTION NEAR KATY ISD AND NAME ] ISD SCHOOLS. I AM PRAYING WE'VE GOT THE FUNDS TO CONTINUE THE WORK BUT WE HAVE DOZENS OF PROJECTS IN THE AREA. AND HAVE COMPLETED 50 MILES OF SIDEWALK, MANY IN THE AREA PARTNERING WITH KATY ISD, PLAN BECAUSE FUNDAMENTALLY WE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE SO WE NEED TO BE LISTENING LEARNING COLLECTING THE DATA AND MAKING DATA DRIVEN INVESTMENTS. IN SAFETY AND HAVE A STRUCTURE.

EVERYTHING FOR. SOTO TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR GETTING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER FOR ALL THE INPUT AS WE DEVELOP THE

ACCOMMODATION. >> THANK YOU. SO MANY OF MY TEAM MEMBERS I COULD THANK YOU FOR THE NEXT 15 MINUTES BUT I ADORE YOU ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HIGHER STANDARDS AND WITH THAT I

MOVE ITEM 293 AS PRESENTED. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE.

THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES, SECOND BY GARCIA. NEXT IS ITEM 293 , I MEAN 299, GARCIA.

>> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IT IS TO REQUEST A TEFRA HEARING FOR 2025 THE FAMILY REVENUE BOND SUPPORTING THE BAY POINT APARTMENTS, THIS HEARING IS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW AND ALLOWS PRIVATE TAX-EXEMPT FINANCING TO MOVE FORWARD. WITHOUT ANY COUNTY FINANCIAL OBLIGATION. THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD DEAL. BAYPOINTE BRINGS 236 AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS WITH BRENT STARTING AROUND 321. PER MONTH OFFERING REAL RELIEF COMPARED TO MARKET RENT IN THE CATEGORY OF 1000 OR $2000. THIS PROJECT REFLECTS THE MODEL WE HAVE USED BEFORE AND SHOULD INCREASINGLY BE USED AS A TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX. COMBINING HC HFC ISSUED BONDS AND LI HTC , LAND OWNERSHIP AT NO COST TO THE TAXPAYERS WITH FULL AFFORDABILITY AND MODERN AMENITIES. BAYPOINTE DELIVERS STABILITY TO WORKING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS ON FIXED INCOMES. SO I WANT TO CHALLENGE OURSELVES ALONGSIDE WITH THE

[03:00:03]

>> SECOND. >> MOTION BY GARCIA SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. THE ITEM PASSES. NEXT IS TRANSMITTAL COMMISSIONER RAMSEY THIS IS CURRENT LEVEL SERVICES, JUST A TRANSMITTAL. 300.

>> I WILL ALWAYS PULL WHEN I SEE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE AND BE SURE WE REMEMBER THAT HIS CURRENT LEVEL OF SPENDING. I SAY THAT WITH TONGUE IN CHEEK A LITTLE BIT , BUT IT IS PRETTY ACCURATE BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SPENDING IS. WE KNOW WE DON'T ADDRESS SOMETHING WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY GOING INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SPENDING UPDATE, THIS IS AN UPDATE. ANYTHING NOTEWORTHY IN THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SPENDING?

>> WE JUST UPDATED TO REFLECT THE LAST COURT FOR THE 142 MILLION LAW ENFORCEMENT INCREASE. THERE WILL BE A SUBSEQUENT UPDATE IN THE JULY COURT. WE DO ANALYSIS FOR SOME OF THE BIG COST DRIVERS TO SEE IN DEFENSE, ELECTRICITY, WATER, SEWER, JUST TO ENSURE WE HAVE THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION.

THE FURTHER WE GO ALONG THE MORE WE KNOW. AT THE NEXT COURT YOU

WILL SEE ANOTHER UPDATE. >> MORE DETAIL AT THE NEXT

COURT. >> CORRECT SORRY IN JULY I APOLOGIZE THE JULY COURT. AND WE ARE SCHEDULING MEETINGS WITH ALL THE COURT OFFICES TO START PROVIDING THE INITIAL FINDINGS AND THE INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO BRIDGE THE GAP.

>> I KNOW RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE KIND OF TAKEN A BROADBRUSH

APPROACH. EVERYBODY CUT 10%? >> WE ASKED FOR 10% OPTIONS FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS, WHEN ALL SAID AND DONE IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE WEIGHTED EQUALLY, THERE ARE SOME CUT YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE, PRETRIAL SERVICES , IF WE CUT THOSE WE WILL SEE MORE PEOPLE IN THE JAIL WHICH MOODS WE WON'T REDUCE OUTSOURCING WHICH MEANS MORE MONEY SO WE ARE NOT TAKING ONE SIZE FITS ALL.

THAT'S THE EASIER WAY SITTING IN MY SEAT BUT WE ARE DOING THE HARD WORK TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT EACH ONE OF WHAT THE DEPARTMENT SUBMITTED AND SAVINGS OPTIONS. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED INTERNALLY AND AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PLAN, WE WILL LOOK AT THE SERVICES THAT ARE LOWEST SCORED AND DO A SECONDARY PROCESS WITH THEM TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY TO EITHER REDUCE SERVICE, OUTSOURCE THE SERVICE OR ELIMINATE THE SERVICE. IN

SOME CASES. >> WITH AN EYE TO STATUTORY, THE TRIAL AND THE COURTS ARE STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT?

>> COMMISSIONER, I AM A INSTRUMENT OF THE COURT. IF WE

WANT TO FOCUS ON THOSE. >> YOU SHOULD AT LEAST LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE DOING, PROVIDE THE DATA, THE COURT WILL MAKE DECISIONS ON PRIORITIES WHAT WE DO CLEARLY BUT WITHOUT DATA

[03:05:06]

GUITAR TO MAKE DECISIONS. >> ABSOLUTELY AND THE PREBUDGET BOOK, ALL THE INFORMATION WE HAVE TO DATE, THE CLS ITEMS, SERVICE DESCRIPTIONS, AS WELL AS ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS AND SERVICE CUTS WILL ALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COURT OFFICES TOMORROW.

WE TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO PACKAGE IN , IN A WAY THAT IS FUNCTIONAL. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR STAFF READING ALL 3000 PAGES OF THE BOOK. THERE WILL BE A POP QUIZ. WE WILL HAVE THE INFORMATION AND AGAIN WE STARTED WORKING ON THE BIGGER ITEMS WHERE WE MAY NEED COURT DIRECTION SOONER AND THAT WILL

BE AT THE NEXT COURT. >> ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN THE BUDGET BOOK IS 10% CUTS FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT, THERE MAY BE SOME WE HAVE TO GO DEEPER AND WE ARE AWARE OF THAT. WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE 10% FROM EVERYWHERE. MAY HAVE TO LOWER ON DEPARTMENTS.

>> THERE IS DISCRETIONARY SPENDING AND THEN STATUTORY SO THAT WAS MY ONLY POINT BETWEEN THOSE TWO.

>> SO THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT TAKE 10% YOU HAVE TO DIG DEEPER SOMEWHERE ELSE. WILL ACCEPT TRANSMITTAL THAT SAYS WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> ONE QUICK QUESTION PLEASE. ONE THING THAT CONTINUES TO CONCERN ME IS THE COST OF INDIGENT DEFENSE FEES. TO BE CLEAR I BELIEVE DEEPLY IN INDIGENT DEFENSE, QUALITY INDIGENT DEFENSE, I STRUGGLE WITH PRIVATE APPOINTMENT OF COUNCIL WITH THE FEES CONTINUING TO ESCALATE AND THERE'S NO CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE TO PAY THE BILL WHEN WE GET THE BILL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO POTENTIAL LEGISLATIVE CHANGES IN THE FUTURE THAT WE CAN THINK THROUGH STRATEGICALLY AND I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE TO GET TO AT LEAST 50%. I KNOW WE HAVE A MULTITUDE OF THINGS IN THE WORK, BUT IN THE MEANTIME WE'RE STUCK WITH THIS EVER ESCALATING BILL SO CAN YOU STATE WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES NOW AND WE THINK THE NUMBER WILL BE BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER?

>> WE DID $57 MILLION BASELINE INCREASE TO THE TOTAL AMOUNT SO WE LOOK AT ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER. DISTRICT COURT APPOINTED, COUNTY COURT APPOINTMENTS AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER. WE HAVE SEEN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER WHILE THEY ARE GROWING AND STEPPING UP ABSORBING MORE CASES THERE IS A SURPLUS THERE WHICH HAD BEEN MORE THAN WIPED OUT BY THE COST OF PRIVATE APPOINTMENTS. LIKE I SAID BEFORE THE NUMBER HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED DURING MY TIME HERE. WHEN WE HAVE SEEN IS A DOUBLE WHAMMY OF AS THE COURT BACKLOG GREW , WE HAD , TYPICALLY THE ATTORNEYS ARE NOT BILLING US UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR OR IN MOST CASES WHEN THE CASE GETS DEPOSED. SO EITHER THERE WAS A PLEA OR A VERDICT SO WHAT HAPPENED OVER MANY YEARS BECAUSE THE COURT BACKLOG HAD GOTTEN SO BAD WE WERE CARRYING A GIANT ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE THAT'S NOWHERE ON THE BOOKS. WE DO NOT SEE IT BECAUSE THE PRIVATE ATTORNEYS ARE NOT SUBMITTING INVOICES ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE DON'T SEE IT BECAUSE TYPICALLY THE ATTORNEY GOES DIRECTLY TO THE JUDGE FOR THE DISTRICT COURTS , SIGN OFF ON THE VOUCHER THEN TO THE AUDIT SO WE ONLY SEE IT WHEN IT'S READY TO BE PAID SO WE HAVE BUILT UP A HUGE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE WHICH WAS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT WE CHANGED OR THE JUDGES CHANGED THE METHODOLOGY FOR REPAYMENT.

SO BEFORE THERE WAS A PER CASE COST AS WELL AND THEN PER DIEM MY UNDERSTANDING WAS POLICY CHANGE WAS MADE TO ENSURE ATTORNEYS WERE SPENDING TIME WITH CLIENTS OUTSIDE OF THE COURTROOM BUT WHAT THAT HAS MEANT IS THERE BILLING US FOR EVERY TRANSACTION THAT THEY ARE DOING WHETHER VISITING CLIENTS OR WRITING MOTIONS, MEETING WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. SO THAT HAS DRAMATICALLY INCREASED THE AMOUNT. SO THE CASE BACKLOG IS CATCHING UP , THAT BILL IS COMING ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE HAVE SUCH AN AGGRESSIVE DISTRICT ATTORNEY GETTING CASES THROUGH THE SYSTEM DISPOSITION AND ALSO THE RATE HAS GONE UP SO WE HAVE SEEN THE COST PER CASE LAST YEAR 10% INCREASE, THIS YEAR CLOSER

TO 25 OR 30% PER CASE INCREASE. >> SO EVERYONE IS CLEAR THE

JUDGES SET THE RATE PER HOUR. >> THE SINGLE MOST FRUSTRATING

ITEM. >> AS I HAVE ASKED , I ASK FOR THE CRIMINAL JUDGES COLLABORATION COMING UP WITH INTERNAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SO WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

[03:10:04]

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE OTHER THING IS THAT AS WE GO INTO THIS FISCAL YEAR, I THINK WE SHOULD NOT DO IT IN A VACUUM, ORGANIZING YOUR HAVING THE WORLD CUP COME HERE. AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS. AS I SEE MEDICATION, CYBER SECURITY EFFORTS, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

SO PLEASE DO NOT WALK INTO THE PROCESS IN A VACUUM OF REALLY SIGNIFICANT EVENTS THAT WE ARE UP AGAINST AND NEED TO BE READY

FOR. >> 100% AND I WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF AND THE FIRE MARSHAL . THEY HAVE GIVEN VERY DETAILED BUDGETS FOR WHAT THEY EXPECT. WE HAVE WORKED WITH THEM WHEN WE FIRST GOT THE BUDGET THEY'RE TRYING TO LIVING ON STRAIGHT TIME, YOU AND I KNOW THAT IS AN UNREASONABLE SITUATION FOR HOW BIG GIVEN THE SECONDARY IMPLEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE. WE HAVE MEMORY DOING IT AT THE OVERTIME RATE BUT TAMMY AND I HAVE BEEN ATTACHED AT THE HIP ON THIS ONE AND WE ARE COORDINATING WITH PARTNERS, THERE'S A BIG MEETING THE FRIDAY AFTER COURT TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE DETAILS AND WE'RE LOOKING AT SECONDARY OPTIONS, WE TALKED WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. ONE IDEAS TO COME BRING A VISITING JUDGE SO THE CASES FOR OUT-OF-TOWNERS CAN GET TO THE DISPOSITION REALLY QUICKLY. WHILE LOOKING AT MEDICATIONS. WE HAVE A DETAILED BUDGET WE WILL PRESENT TO COURT WHEN IT IS READY. LUCKILY FOR US IT IS NOT A HOT FUND ELIGIBLE EXPENSE SO WE MAY NEED TO DIP IN TO FUND THAT ABOVE WHAT WE THINK PARTNERS WILL COME WITH IN TERMS

OF FUNDING. >> GOOD DEAL. YOU MADE ME THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE. WHICH I WOULD ASK BOTH JESSE AND YOU TO THINK ABOUT. HURRICANE HARVEY CAUGHT US BY SURPRISE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO REDUNDANCY OR CONTINGENCY PLAN . NO COURTHOUSE, NO DISTRICT ATTORNEY OFFICE, NO JOURNEY ATTACHMENT JURY ASSEMBLY ROOM AND IN THE PANDEMIC HIT US AND WE HAD INCREDIBLE BACKLOG WITH ALL THE OTHER ISSUES. I REALLY THINK SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE SPENDING TIME THINKING ABOUT THAT, THAT MAY NEED TO BE BAKED

INTO THE BUDGET AS WELL. >> OKAY TRANSMITTAL WE WILL ACCEPT. NEXT ITEM COMMISSIONER RAMSEY ANOTHER TRANSMITTAL 314

SUBDIVISION DRAINAGE? >> UPDATE OF SWORDS AND THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE UPDATE LIKE YOU COMMITTED TO. I WILL NOT GET TOO MUCH INTO THE WEEDS, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS. THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE KNOW WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING. I KNOW IN 22 THREE PRECINCT 3 TOOK A MASSIVE FUNDING CUT TO OUR PROGRAM CURRENTLY PAID AT 180 MILLION. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE FOUND OTHER WAYS TO GET THAT FUNDED. WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE IN MANY CASES WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I KNOW BACK IN 2023 WE HAD 23 PROJECTS LISTED ON WHAT YOU CALL TABLE 1 AND TABLE 3, FOR FOLKS THAT MEANS SOME ARE PUT ON HOLD, SOME ARE IDENTIFIED FOR OTHER CONSIDERATION. NOW THE 23 PROJECTS OR SO LISTED ON TABLE 1 AND THREE , WE CONCURRED WITH 13 BEING PLACED ON HOLD. THERE COULD'VE BEEN RIGHT-OF-WAY ISSUES, OTHER PARTNERSHIP ISSUES, SO THAT PART OF IT, THERE'S 10 AND THE OTHER SIX ARE IN CONSTRUCTION, THAT'S PROGRESS AND FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE HEARING ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS WE ARE NOT SITTING ON OUR HANDS,

[03:15:02]

>> COMMISSIONER WE HAVE AN UPDATE, I KNOW DEPENDING ON

GRANTS. >> ALL THREE OF THOSE ARE GRANT PROJECTS, TWO FEMA AND ONE IS EPA. WHERE THEY ARE IN THE REPORT WE ONLY CONFIRM FUNDING WHEN WE RECEIVE THE COMMITMENT, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED COMMITMENT FOR ANY OF THOSE FUNDS. WE ARE IN A CONSTANT WEEKLY OR BIWEEKLY MEETINGS WITH AGENCIES TO REVIEW AND SOLIDIFY. CURRENTLY IT LOOKS LIKE BEAR CREEK WILL BE POTENTIALLY IN THE SEPTEMBER COURT, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TOLD, THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED BY OCTOBER 1.

DORCHESTER THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US A COMMITMENT WHICH GRANT BECAUSE REMEMBER A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WE APPLIED FOR SECONDARY GRANT AND THAT IS LOOKING LIKELY SO INSTEAD OF THE $1.9 MILLION GRANT, IT WOULD BE A $9 MILLION GRANT A DECISION THAT WOULD GIVE US IN SEPTEMBER AS WELL AND THE THIRD ONE WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE EPA GRANT, THEY SAY IT IS EARMARKED MONEY SO IT'S ALMOST GUARANTEED, BUT NOT QUITE . THE WAY THAT WORKS , THEY SAID VERBALLY BUT WILL NOT GIVE WRITTEN DOCUMENT SAYING WE CAN START USING GRANT ACTIVITIES LIKE PROCUREMENT BUT THEY WON'T GIVE IT TO US IN WRITING. I'M TRYING TO GET IT IN WRITING TO GET THE PROJECT MOVING. THAT'S WHERE THOSE THREE PROJECTS ARE.

>> APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS, LET US KNOW IF OUR OFFICE CAN HELP

YOU IN ANY WAY ON THOSE. >> THANK YOU, ALL THE OFFICES HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN WORKING TOWARD COMING UP WITH A SOLUTION. MANY OF THESE PROJECTS, PHASING OUT, PLAYING FOR MORE GRANTS . APPRECIATE YOUR OFFICE COMMISSIONER.

[Emergency/Supplemental items (Part 1 of 2)]

>> WE WILL ACCEPT TRANSMITTAL. NEXT ITEM IS 345 COMMISSIONER RAMSEY PULLED THAT ONE, GUIDEHOUSE. JUST NEED A VOTE?

>> SO MOVED. >> I WILL SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY VOTES NO THE ITEM PASSES.

NEXT ITEM 356 . >> JUST NEED A VOTE.

>> SOME OF. >> MOTION AND SECOND , ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. OPPOSED, VOTE NO. PURCHASING AGENT AWARD 358 INFOTECH RESEARCH GROUP JUST NEED A VOTE.

>> YES. >> REAL QUICK. I HAD A NOTE IT WAS PUT ON AS NO ACTION. IS THAT ACCURATE?

>> THAT'S CORRECT IT IS NO ACTION.

>> SORRY, 365 COMMISSIONER RAMSEY ON PAGE 44. PUSH BIRTH

PARTNERS. >> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND. >> MOTION MADE AND SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. OPPOSED, VOTE NO.

>> NO. >> THREE AYE, ONE NAY IT PASSES.

NEXT ITEM COMMISSIONER RAMSEY 366, WELLNESS TO WRITE.

>> JUST NEED TO BOW. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE.

OPPOSED, VOTE NO. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY IS NO, IT PASSES. NEXT ITEM COMMISSIONER GARCIA PAGE 45, 375 DISCUSSION ON JOE

GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE. >> YES, I WANT TO THANK MISS MILLS FOR HER WORK ON THIS AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALL ALIGNED AND ALL CONNECTED. SO I'VE GOT A IF YOU MOTIONS, BUT FIRST I WANT TO REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW WE GET TO WHERE WE THINK WE ARE GOING OR NOT. BUT WE HAVE TO BE WELL COORDINATED. OVER ONE YEAR AGO I HAD MADE IT CLEAR THE PREVIOUS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NEEDED TO

[03:20:04]

>> SECOND. >> OKAY, SECOND MOTION IS TO DIRECT THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ENGINEER TO PROVIDE A QUARTERLY PROGRESS UPDATE TO THE JAIL GOVERNANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONCERNING THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS IN THE

CURRENT JAIL FACILITY. >> SECOND.

>> MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. OPPOSED, VOTE NO., THE ITEM PASSES AS AMENDED. ANYTHING ELSE?

>> COMMISSIONER GOING BACK TO ITEM 15, WE CIRCULATED REVISIONS BASED UPON THE COURT AND ALL THE OFFICES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. >> COLLEAGUES WE ARE GOOD? I WILL MAKE IT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE , OPPOSED, VOTE NO. THE

[Executive Session (Part 2 of 2)]

HOPE. >> ITEM 341.

>>> NO 3:11, COMMISSIONERS COURT IS BACK IN SESSION. DO YOU HAVE

[Departments (Part 3 of 4)]

>> I KNOW COMMISSIONER RAMSEY HAD PULLED ITEMS ONE, TWO, FIVE, SIX, NINE AND 11 STARTING WITH NUMBER ONE.

>> I HAD ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE I DISTRIBUTED THAT. IF NOT WE NEED

TO VOTE ON IT. ITEM 1. >> WHAT IS YOUR ALTERNATIVE

LANGUAGE? >> THE LAST PARAGRAPH WHEREAS HARRIS COUNTY EMBRACES ALL IMMIGRANTS, EMBRACES LEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND YOU GO , IRRESPECTIVE OF BACKGROUNDS OR ARRIVAL METHODS I ELIMINATED ARRIVAL METHODS.

>> I THINK WE SHOULD JUST VOTE. >> SOMEBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION AND I WILL SECOND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE.

OPPOSED, VOTE NO. THE ITEM PASSES. THAT WAS RESOLUTION

NUMBER TWO. >> ONE.

>> I ASSUME THERE WERE NO SPEAKERS ON IT. NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM 1. AND THEN NUMBER TWO COUNTY JUDGES RESOLUTION AND THERE ARE SOME SPEAKERS ON GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.

>> YES OR. ANDREA ALEXANDER AND RUSSELL

>> GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS HEALTH POLICY PREVENTION DIVISION WE COME IN SUPPORT OF RECOGNITION RECOGNIZING JUNE AS GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, WE HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE MARCH 2022 WITH ALTERNATIVE 911 RESPONSE MODEL, THE RESPONSE TEAM AS WELL AS RISE PROGRAM RELENTLESS INTERRUPTERS SERVING EVERYONE. COMMUNITY AND HOSPITAL-BASED PROGRAM. WE HAVE THE RISE APARTMENT CENTER IN THE CYPRUS STATION AREA. WE LOOK FORWARD TO OPENING UP FIRST SUBSTATION INCREASING FOUR SINCE PROGRAMS LAUNCHED IN 2022 WE HAVE HELD NUMEROUS AND COUNTLESS RESIDENTS IN HARRIS COUNTY AND TODAY WE RECEIVED FIRST RESPONDER ORGANIZATION LICENSE FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS OUR TEAM ALONG WITH OUR TEAM MEMBER TODAY

[03:25:06]

WE STAND UNITED IN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT DOING OUR PART TO HELP REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE. TO HELP REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE AND HARM IN HARRIS COUNTY BY HELPING THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON MY NAME IS ANDREA ALEXANDER FOR THE HARRIS COUNTY RISE TEAM, I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY NOT JUST AS A PUBLIC WORKER BUT A MOTHER, SISTER, WOMAN OF FAITH AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATE. I HAVE THE HONOR STANDING IN THE GAP FOR PEOPLE DOING SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE MOMENTS OF THEIR LIFE WHETHER RECOVERING IN THE HOSPITAL AFTER TRAUMA OR NAVIGATING THROUGH HARDSHIP. YESTERDAY AT HCA I RECOGNIZED A WOMAN FROM THE COMMUNITY CRYING AND SCREAMING GOING CRAZY, HER SON HAD BEEN SHOT AND NO ONE TO HELP AND I WENT IN, WAS ABLE TO TALK TO THE DOCTOR TO GET HER TO SPEAK TO HER SON SO THAT GIVES ME MORE POWER TO DO THE WORK I DO WHEN I DO IT AND WHY. SO I ASK YOU GUYS TO KEEP CONTINUING SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM AND ALLOWING US TO BE ADVOCATES FOR THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT HELP THEMSELVES AND BEING A VOICE ALL THE TIME.

>> KIND OF HARD TO FOLLOW THAT, GOOD AFTERNOON MY NAME IS ] RISE TEAM SUPERVISOR HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH SERVING SUNNYSIDE, SOUTHPARK AND GREAT AREAS 77021, 77033 AND 77051.

ALTHOUGH THESE ARE THE ZIP CODES WE SERVE ON THE SOUTH SIDE, WE HAVE A TEAM ON THE NORTH SIDE IN THE CYPRUS STATION AREA. RISE AS HE HEARD THE DIRECTOR SAY IS RELENTLESS INTERRUPTERS SERVING EVERYONE. ALTHOUGH SIGNIFICANTLY SMALL IN NUMBER I BELIEVE MANY PEOPLE WILL ALSO AGREE BY THE STANDARD OF MANY OF THOSE WE SERVE IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WE HAVE MADE A BIG IMPACT.

QUANTITATIVE STATS ARE ONE THING. BUT WE HAVE SOME QUALITATIVE STATS AND STORIES THAT WON'T SHOW UP IN THE BOOKS. AS YOU SEE WE REPRESENT THE ORANGE TODAY, JUNE IS GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. I HAVE AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT , FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED US AND ASK THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR TO GET TO KNOW THE RISE TEAM AND WHAT WE ARE DOING. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU ALL, GREAT WORK YOU ARE DOING.

>> AGAIN I WANT TO COMPLEMENT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL. YOU ARE ALL IN THE TRENCHES AND LISTEN , WE'VE GOT SOME OPPORTUNITIES THIS WEEKEND FOR PEOPLE TO EXERT THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO SPEAK ON MATTERS BUT IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE DO NOT WALK INTO A TRAP. ASKING FOLKS GO EXPRESS YOURSELF, GREAT, BUT KEEP A LEVEL HEAD AND KNOW WHEN TO DISENGAGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR

WORK. >> THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR COMING. DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THIS ONE? ALL AT THE SAME TIME?

>> YOU CAN VOTE SEPARATELY. MOTION MADE AND SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, VOTE NO. GARCIA MADE THE MOTION, SECONDED AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY VOTED NO.

THE NEXT ONE IS , MY ITEM AND THIS IS JUNETEENTH. I WON'T READ AT ALL I JUST REMIND US THIS IS THE 160TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISTORIC JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY INFORMING THE LAST ENSLAVED AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE U.S. THAT THEY WERE FREE ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS 182,000 PEOPLE COMPRISING OF THE POPULATION OF TEXAS MY ANCESTORS GOT THEIR FREEDOM TO AN F YEARS AFTER THE REST OF THE COUNTRY BUT WE ARE STILL GLAD TO HAVE IT, APPRECIATE YOU WORKING WITH ME ON THIS ITEM.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON THIS AND ON JUNETEENTH AND ALWAYS I HOPE WE REMEMBER THE COST AND SACRIFICES MADE AND PROGRESS MADE WITH THE WORK YET TO BE DONE FOR TRUE

[03:30:03]

>> APPRECIATE OF OUR CONGRESSWOMAN , LATE CONGRESSWOMAN WHO PASSED THE BILL. CELEBRATIONS ALL ACROSS TEXAS INCLUDING IN ALL OF OUR PRECINCTS. IT WILL BE A GREAT WEEKEND. I WILL MOVE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. THE ITEM

PASSES, COMMISSIONER GARCIA. >> THANK YOU. WORLD ELDER AWARENESS ABUSE DAY AND I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME SOME GUESTS TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE CASES OF ABUSE, NEGLECT AND EXPLOITATION OF OLDER ADULTS OR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN HARRIS COUNTY, DEDICATED TO WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. I WILL SIMPLY SAY, NO ONE, NO ONE, NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE I GUESS QUALIFIED TO BE ABUSED, NEGLECTED OR EXPLOITED. NOBODY, BUT I JUST HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE ELDERLY AND THE YOUNG , VERY YOUNG ARE VICTIMS OF SUCH ACTIONS AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO TO KEEP THOSE WHO HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL FOR US AND OPENED SO MANY DOORS FOR US, I AM SO GRATEFUL, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

THE FLOOR IS YOURS MISS OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND SHE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY OUR GUIDE, JOE LEVINE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS.

>> THANK YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM OPERATIONS SPECIALIST WITH ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON DISTRICT DIRECTOR COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR RECOGNIZING WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT , WE WORK EVERY DAY TO PARTAKE VULNERABLE OLDER ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES FROM ABUSE, NEGLECT AND FINANCIAL EXPORTATION AND WE CANNOT DO WITHOUT OUR STRONG PARTNERSHIPS. TOGETHER WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, SENIOR JUSTICE ASSESSMENT CENTER, AREA AGENCY ON AGING AND THE HARRIS CENTER WE HAVE HELPED SAVE HOMES, SECURE JUSTICE, PROVIDE VITAL SERVICES AND FIND APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT FOR THOSE IN NEED.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US RAISE AWARENESS AND STRENGTHEN PROTECTION WITH PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING TO ENSURE OUR CLIENTS LIVE WITH DIGNITY AND THRIVE IN

A SAFE SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. >> WONDERFUL, THANK YOU.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON MEMBERS OF THE COURT. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT IS GROWING MORE URGENT EACH YEAR , PROTECTING OLDER ADULTS FROM ABUSE , NEGLECT AND EXPORTATION. I AM JOE LEVINE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HARRIS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. FIRST I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA FOR THE RESOLUTION THAT RECOGNIZES JUNE 15 AS WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY. WE ARE STANDING AT THE EDGE OF A MAJOR DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT. BY THE YEAR 2034, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN UNITED STATES HISTORY THERE WILL BE MORE PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 65 THAN CHILDREN UNDER 18. THIS CHANGE DRIVEN BY THE AGING OF THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION IS RESHAPING NEEDS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOCIETY. AT HARRIS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WE ARE NOT STANDING BY, WE ARE TAKING ACTION, WE PROVIDE DEDICATED SERVICES TO VULNERABLE ADULTS AND SENIOR VICTIMS OF ABUSE THROUGH TWO KEY PROGRAMS. OUR GUARDIANSHIP PROGRAM, THE THIRD-LARGEST PUBLIC PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION SERVING ADULTS WHO CAN NO LONGER CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND HAVE NO ONE ELSE WILLING OR ABLE TO HELP. WE ENSURE THEY ARE SAFE, PROTECTED AND TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND SENIOR JUSTICE ASSESSMENT CENTER IS THE ONLY CENTER IN TEXAS THAT BRINGS TOGETHER A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF EXPERTS FROM LAW-ENFORCEMENT SOCIAL SERVICES , MEDICINE AND

[03:35:01]

>> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO ALL OF YOUR WORK IS CRITICAL, BUT THIS IS SPECIAL ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A MOM THAT'S 101, SO

THANK YOU. >> UNTESTED, THANK YOU. WE DID NOT SPEAK -- SKIP ANY SPEAKERS DID WE? MAKE A MOTION

>> MOVE ON THE RESOLUTION. >> SECOND.

>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE ITEM PASSES. NEXT

ONE IS YOURS AS WELL. >> I HAVE TWO MORE AND STILL WAITING FOR GUESTS TO ARRIVE. ON THIS ONE I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED AND HAPPEN TO BE AT THE JAMES DRIVER INCLUSIVE PARK BUT WORKING IN THE DEPUTY MET SOME PHENOMENAL ENTREPRENEURS. AND I WANT TO ORGANIZE THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM EMPOWERING THOSE WHO WANT TO STEP INTO THE FRAY AS ENTREPRENEURS AND THAT IS NOT EASY. SO OFTEN IT IS SAID THAT SMALL BUSINESSES TEND TO FAIL SOONER RATHER THAN LATER AND REPEATEDLY, SO MY GOAL IS TO ELIMINATE THAT AND SO MY OFFICE HAS CONSTRUCTED TO EMPOWER THE SMALL BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM. AND THIS ONE WAS CREATED TO DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR BUSINESSES LOCATED IN PRECINCT 2 TO BE POSITIONED TO CAPITALIZE ON CURRENT AND UPCOMING CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN HARRIS COUNTY AND HOUSTON MUNICIPALITIES. IT IS OFTEN SAID PEOPLE ALWAYS WANT A GOVERNMENT CONTRACT AND SOMETIMES YOU ARE LUCKY AND GET ONE, BUT WHEN YOU GET IT, SOMETIMES IT BECOMES THE WORST HEADACHE YOU HAVE EVER HAD. AND A FEW BUSINESSES HAVE SET A GOVERNMENT CONTRACT HAS PUT THEM OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT. ALL OF THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE INVOICING AND THE BILLING, ALL THE RECEIPTS PROVIDED, ALL OF THE VARIOUS PROCESSES THAT ONE MUST GO THROUGH, SO IN LOOKING AT THAT, EFFECTIVE PROGRAM THERE WORKING WITH A YOUNG MAN BY THE NAME OF IRV I MEAN PEOPLE ADOPT THIS GUY AS THEIR UNCLE OR DAD , HE IS JUST INCREDIBLE. HOWEVER, BASED ON BASED ON THE EVENTS OF THE YEAR I AM PROUD WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE GREATER HOUSTON LGBTQ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR THE 2025 CLASS.

THIS EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT INNOVATION AND SUCCESS, THEY EMPOWER SMALL BUSINESS ACCELERATOR SERIES FOR SMALL BUSINESS TEACHES SKILLS AT NO COST TO THE CONTRACTOR. THE COURSE IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE TRANSACTIONAL LEVEL HANDS-ON MANAGEMENT TRAINING TO HELP BUSINESSES LEARN HOW TO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES TO OVERCOME SYSTEMIC BARRIERS. SINCE WE STARTED THE PROGRAM, 91 BUSINESSES HAVE COMPLETED THE COURSE OR COURSES AND HAVE CREATED A TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF $10.2 MILLION IN NEW CONTRACTS THAT THEY HAVE WON AND CAPITAL THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL. SO, INCREDIBLE PARTNER IN THE OFFICE, HER EARLIER THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALONGSIDE NAME ] , THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE GREATER HOUSTON LGBTQ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY STACY RICHARDSON WITH ] WASTE DID I GET THAT RIGHT? A CHAMBER MEMBER AND A GRADUATING CLASS PARTICIPANT. SO, GET US GOING VICTORIA. TELL US ABOUT

[03:40:06]

BUSINESS TO EMPOWER. >> THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THE PROGRAM.

EIGHT WEEK COURSE, IT IS TWO WEEKS OVER THE COURSE, TWO HOURS OVER THE COURSE OF EIGHT WEEKS. SO WE KNOW THAT SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY WHILE SOME ARE SCALING BACK WE ARE SCALING UP AND THIS YEAR WE NOT ONLY EXPANDED TO PARTNER WITH LGBTQ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUT ON APRIL 1 WE OPENED BIZ TO EMPOWER SMALL INCUBATOR SPACE SO NOW THEY HAVE A HOME WHERE THEY CAN WORK OUT OF, THIS CLASS WAS VERY SPECIAL BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO BRING RESOURCES TO BUSINESSES THAT WE KNOW NEED THEM THE MOST AND WE WERE ABLE TO COME ACROSS SEVERAL BUSINESSES AND SOME OF THEM ARE IN THE AUDIENCE. IF YOU GUYS CAN STAND UP SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS ARE HERE. AND THROUGH THIS PROGRAM WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER COACHING AND MENTORSHIP AND ABLE TO COME ACROSS A WONDERFUL BUSINESS LIKE WASTE AND IT IS MY HONOR AND PLEASURE TO BE WITH THESE BUSINESSES DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND THE INCUBATOR WILL EMPOWER US TO DO MORE SO THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I WANT TO NOTE THIS IS THE FIRST HARRIS COUNTY PROGRAM THAT PARTNERS WITH THE LGBTQ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SO THAT GIVES ME MORE PRIDE TO SHARE THAT WITH ALL THE RESIDENTS OF HARRIS

COUNTY. >> GOOD DEAL, THANK YOU

VICTORIA. STEPHEN. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US AND FOR THE RESOLUTION. TAMMY WALLACE CEO WISHES SHE COULD JOIN TODAY. WE ARE THE LGBTQ CHAMBER, THE SECOND-LARGEST DIVERS CHAMBER AND THIS SPEAKS TO THE MISSION OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO ADVANCE BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE REGION AND IN THE COMMUNITY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN TAKE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND MODEL IT. YOU BEEN A LONG-STANDING CHAMPION FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND A PARTNER OF OUR ORGANIZATION SO WE ARE GRATEFUL AND THRILLED TO HAVE A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER TO SPEAK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE BUT JUST FROM ALL OF US, THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMISSIONER.

>> LIKEWISE, HAPPY PRIDE MONTH. >> I AM STACY RICHARDSON FOUNDER AND CEO OF MOBI WASTE. WHEN TAMMY SENT ME A TEXT AND SAID I THINK THIS WILL BE A GAME CHANGER FOR YOU, YOU NEED TO APPLY, GAME CHANGER WAS NOT THE RIGHT WORD. UNCLE IRV NOT ONLY TEACHES YOU HOW TO GO AFTER GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS, TO SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS, BUT WHEN HE REVAMPS YOUR FINANCIALS SHOWS YOU WHERE YOU HAVE MISSED HALF 1 MILLION IN ASSETS, SHOWS YOU HOW TO INVEST WISELY TO SPEND OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY WHEN YOU ARE GETTING MONEY FROM INVESTORS. WHEN I SAY GAME CHANGER I MEAN I AM AT THE TABLE WITH THE ENERGY DEPARTMENT OF AMAZON. API, BAKER HUGHES, NOT JUST ONE, BUT TWO CRUISE LINES. THANK YOU FOR THE CLASS AND PUTTING US THROUGH ITS, I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

>> CONGRATULATIONS. GIVE THESE FOLKS A NICE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

AND LOOK, BEING THE HUSBAND OF A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, BEING THE SON OF A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I KNOW THAT ANYBODY WHO BECOMES A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WANTS TO STAY A SMALL BUSINESS, RIGHT? YOU WANT TO GROW , YOU WANT TO GROW. OFTENTIMES THERE IS NO PAIN FORWARD AND SO I AM SO PROUD OF VICTORIA AND EVERYONE WHO DOWNLOADED THESE STEPS THAT ARE CRITICAL FOR BUSINESSES TO SUCCEED , MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. AND THE GROWTH YOU'RE GOING TO EXPERIENCE, TO ME, ALL THE PAIN FORWARD IS REALLY EASY BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO HIRE PEOPLE AS YOU GROW. YOU ARE SELLING GOODS AND SERVICES SO THERE IS RESIDUAL TO GOVERNMENT.

YOU MAY ULTIMATELY END UP BUILDING A BUILDING, THERE IS RESIDUAL TO GOVERNMENT. YOU'RE GOING TO BRING ATTENTION TO COMMUNITY, THERE IS RESIDUAL TO GOVERNMENT. I AM SO PROUD OF HOW THE PROGRAM HAS WORKED AND TO SEE ALL THE FOLKS WHO HAVE JUST GIVEN TESTIMONY. TEXAS KITCHEN BOOTS THAT I GET THAT RIGHT? TEXAS BOOTS KITCHEN IS AN EXAMPLE. INCREDIBLE FOOD AND BUT EVERY TIME I AM WITH SOMEONE IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS. THEY SAY OH MY GOD I DIDN'T KNOW. THIS HAS BEEN SO HELPFUL. NOW HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GROW. NOW WE HAVING OTHER CONVERSATIONS. I AM SO

[03:45:01]

>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, VOTE NO. 3-1

, THE ITEM PASSES. >> CONGRATULATIONS, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. >> I HAVE ONE MORE RESOLUTION BUT I WILL DELAY BECAUSE WE'RE HOPING SOME GUESTS WILL JOIN US.

>> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY , HIGH SCHOOL.

>> ALWAYS GOOD WHEN YOU HAVE THE STATE PLAYOFFS AND IN OUR CASE THE KLEIN CANE HIGH SCHOOL AND HERE IS LAUREN MARTY PRINCIPAL , JAMES CLANCY THE KLEIN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR. AND BRANDON BARKER THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR. SO, KLEIN WINS A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. I WILL GIVE THE DETAILS IN THE RESOLUTION, BUT PART OF THE DETAIL IS THE KLEIN CAIN HIGH SCHOOL HURRICANES CAPTURED THE 2025 68 DIVISION I BOYS SOCCER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. IT WENT INTO OVERTIME. IT WAS A 1-0 VICTORY. THEY PLAYED OUR PARTNERS AND FRIENDS IN PRECINCT 4. THERE IS A LOT OF THAT GOING ON BETWEEN HARRIS COUNTY. TO DO ANYTHING STATEWIDE IS INCREDIBLE. HURRICANES UNDER THE DIRECTION OF FIRST YEAR, FIRST SEASON HEAD COACH RECORD. INCLUDING 18 SHUTOUT SEASON, 22 MATCH UNBEATEN STREAK. IN A YEAR WE HAVE THE WORLD CUP COMING HERE. WE NEED TO GET THE FOLKS READY, JUNIOR FORWARD PARKER GLENN SCORING THE TEMPERATURE WINNING GOAL EARNING MVP HONORS. SENIOR NAMED DISTRICT MVP, COACH JOB WELL DONE REPRESENTING US STATEWIDE LIKE THAT PARTICULARLY BOTH TEAMS BEING FROM HARRIS COUNTY, HAD TO GO TO GEORGETOWN TO PLAY THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP , BUT THAT'S OKAY, WELL DONE IF YOU'VE GOT A MINUTE TO SHARE WITH US.

>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. AS YOU CAN SEE WE DON'T HAVE ELIGIBILITY LEFT BUT WE ARE HERE REPRESENTING THE TEAM. HE REALLY UNBELIEVABLY GREAT GROUP OF KIDS, THEY ARE ALL, IT IS A BIG SOCCER WEEKEND SO THEY ARE PLAYING IN A BIG SOCCER TOURNAMENT SO THEY DID NOT HAVE MANY PEOPLE AVAILABLE BUT WE WANTED TO COME SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE RECOGNIZED. WE APPRECIATE IT AND HERE AGAIN WITH LAUREN MARTY THE PRINCIPAL OF KLEIN CAIN HIGH SCHOOL AND THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR THEY PROVIDE GREAT SUPPORT FOR THE CAMPUS AND THE SOCCER TEAMS, WE APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DO AS WELL.

>> WELL DONE, THANK YOU. >> CONGRATULATIONS.

>> CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR A THE RECORD?

>> BRANDED BAKER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ATHLETIC AND STUDENT

SERVICES. THANK YOU. >> CONGRATULATIONS . MOTION?

>> MAKE A MOTION. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THE ITEM PASSES. NEXT ONE IS COMMISSIONER BRIONES .

>> I HAD ONE IF I CAN TAKE OUT OF ORDER AND I WILL BE DONE. I THOUGHT IT WAS NINE. IT IS, AS JOYFUL AS THAT ONE WAS, THIS ONE IS VERY SAD. OUR FRIEND DAVE WELCH QUITE UNEXPECTEDLY ON A SUNDAY PASSED AWAY AND DAVE IS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN HERE MANY TIMES. HE HAS WORKED WITH A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AND HIS FUNERAL WAS TODAY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND WHEREAS RECOGNIZING THE LATE REVEREND DAVE WELCH FOR DECADES OF FAITHFUL SERVICE TO HIS COMMUNITY, FAMILY AND KINGDOM OF GOD WHEREAS OVER 30 YEARS REVEREND WELCH HAS HELD LEADERSHIP POSITION IN VARIOUS FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE PASTOR COUNCIL, TEXAS PASTOR COUNCIL AND BUILDING INCREDIBLE RELATIONSHIPS STATEWIDE REVEREND WELCH FELT THE LORD'S CALL MINISTRY AT A EARLY AGE WHERE HE

[03:50:05]

>> IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY COMMISSIONER DO THAT ONE FROM THE OFFICE. THANK YOU. NEXT IS COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

>> NO ACTION. >> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. IT GIVES ME TREMENDOUS PRIDE, I WOULD PLEASE LIKE TO INVITE UP AUSTIN RECENT THE PRESIDENT OF OUR HOUSTON LGBTQ POLITICAL CAUCUS AND ALL OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS TO COME UP, PLEASE. CONGRATULATIONS ON IT WILL SAY OUR BECAUSE I'M A PROUD LIFELONG LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE CAUCUS AND I'M EXTRA PROUD BECAUSE AUSTIN REESE HELPS LEAD THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM FOR PRECINCT 4 AND I LOVE YOU DEARLY AUSTIN AND I LOVE ALL OF THE CAUCUS FAMILY DEARLY. CONGRATULATIONS ON HALF A CENTURY OF ADVOCACY, HALF A CENTURY BEING ON THE RIGHT SET OF JUSTICE AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY, HALF A CENTURY OF STANDING UP FOR ALL PEOPLE. FOR EMBODYING INCLUSION , EMBODYING THE LOVE , FOR EMBODYING THE JUSTICE THAT I BELIEVE IS THE BEST OF HARRIS COUNTY. CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING THE OLDEST LGBTQ CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION IN THE SOUTH. AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR BEING THE TURNING POINT FOR OUR LGBTQ MOVEMENT HERE IN HOUSTON AND LEADING HOUSTON'S FIRST PRIDE WEEK HISTORIC TOWN MEETING NUMBER ONE CREATING THE MONTREUX CENTER AND NOW THE LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE, OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT I KNOW YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO FOR DECADES TO COME. I AM A PROUD ALLY, PROUD ACCOMPLICE AND I'M A PROUD LIFETIME MEMBER OF OUR CAUCUS. AS WE CELEBRATE, I CELEBRATE WITH SOME SADNESS AND PAIN IN MY HEART AS A PROUD NATIVE TEXAN THE FACT WITH MORE ANTI-LGBTQ BILLS FILED THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE NATION, LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO DEFEAT MOST OF THEM BUT THIS IS NOT THE TEXAS I WANT TO RAISE MY KIDS IN. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHERE WE TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS NOT JUST TRUCKS, BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT JUSTICE BIGGER IN TEXAS, RIGHTS ARE BIGGER IN TEXAS, LIBERTY IS BIGGER IN TEXAS BECAUSE WE SHOULD ALL BE ABLE TO BE OUR FULL AND AUTHENTIC SELVES AND I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR THE HALF A CENTURY OF ADVOCACY AND FIGHT YOU ALL HAVE LED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE DECADES OF BEING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY TOGETHER AND CONTINUING TO FIGHT FOR THE INHERENT EQUALITY, DIGNITY THAT EVERYONE POSSESSES , ESPECIALLY EVERY PERSON OR LGBTQ COMMUNITY. HAPPY PRIDE BUT THIS SHOULD BE PRIDE 365. I KNOW HAVE ANOTHER JOINT RESOLUTION AND A SECOND ABOUT PRIDE IN JUNE GENERALLY BUT I LOVE OUR CAUCUS AND CONGRATS ON THE FIRST 50 YEARS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE LEADERSHIP OVER DECADES MORE TO COME. AND EVERYONE HERE IS A DEAR FRIEND TO ME AND I LOVE YOU ALL AND I RESPECT YOU ALL , I PARTICULARLY LOVE AUSTIN BECAUSE I GET TO WORK WITH HIM EVERY DAY AND I LEARNED FROM HIM EVERY DAY. HE IS TRUE EMBODIMENT OF LEADERSHIP. SO WITH THAT OUR PRESIDENT AUSTIN REESE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER. MY NAME IS AUSTIN DAVIS REESE PROUD TO BE THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON LGBTQ POLITICAL CAUCUS , I'M TIED FOR THE YOUNGEST PRESIDENT

[03:55:03]

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR YOUR ALLYSHIP, COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND COMMISSIONER ELLIS THANK YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH ALL THREE OF YOU AS WE CONTINUE TO DRIVE PROGRESS

FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU. >>

>> AGAIN, COMMISSIONER BRIONES, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD AND EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH YOU ON ANOTHER RESOLUTION BUT I WANT TO SAY TO ALL OF YOU, MARIA, YOUR HONOR, CHRIS , JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO BECAUSE IT IS REAL WORK AND IT IS WORK IMPACTING LIVES, NOT JUST ANOTHER VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION. YOUR IMPACTING LIVES AND LEGISLATION, YOUR IMPACTING LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOUR IMPACTING HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, IT IS ACROSS THE BOARD. SO I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALL YOU DO, ALL THE WORK YOU DO, I KNOW YOU DO IT FOR THE MONEY RIGHT? BUT AGAIN, I JUST CANNOT BE MORE GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND YOU ALL ARE ALL SERVING ALL OF US REALLY SERVING ALL OF US SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE AND ALL YOU ARE DOING AND ALL YOU ARE GOING TO DO, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BRIONES AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

IT'S IMPRESSIVE YOU GET SO MANY FORMER HEADS OF THE ORGANIZATION OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS TO SHOW UP , BUT GREAT WORK AND OUR HEART GOES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU HAVE PARTICULARLY AT THIS POINT IN OUR HISTORY. IS THERE EMOTION?

>> SO MOVED. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED, VOTE NO. 3-1 THE ITEM PASSES CONGRATULATIONS.

>> CONGRATULATIONS. >> WE WILL TAKE PICTURES AFTERWARDS. THE NEXT ONE IS COMMISSIONER BRIONES .

>> ITEM NUMBER 12. THIS IS COMMENDING THE 2025 YOUTH CONFERENCE IF YOU CAN PLEASE COME UP. THIS RESOLUTION MAKES ME INCREDIBLY HAPPY FOR SEVERAL REASONS. ONE, I LOVE ALIEF, ALIEF IS ONE OF THE MOST VIBRANT, DIVERSE, INTERNATIONAL PLACES NOT ONLY IN HARRIS COUNTY, BUT IN TEXAS AND THE UNITED STATES AND I ADORE ALIEF. IS A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING IN TERMS OF ALIEF VOTES, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP, THE ACTIVISM YOU ARE IGNITING ACROSS ALIEF IS ENERGIZING. I HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DAUGHTER I HAVE TOLD YOU MANY TIMES WHEN WE'RE PLANTING TREES AND DOING OTHER THINGS TOGETHER I WAS LIKE HONEY YOU NEED TO SEE WHAT ALIEF VOTES IS DOING, ALL YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO BE ENGAGED AND PASSIONATE BECAUSE THE FUTURE IS YOURS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP MEANING IN.

I'M SO PROUD OF SO IN 2022 TOMMY -- OTHER ALIEF STUDENTS STARTED ALIEF VOTES AND IT HAS GROWN TO A FOREST FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT. INTEGRATED FELLOWSHIPS, LAUNCHED AMBASSADOR PROGRAMS AND HAVE LED YEAR-ROUND YOUTH DRIVEN CIVIC EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY AND THIS SATURDAY IF YOU'RE FREE PLEASE JOIN THEM. HOSTING THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE AT THE ALIEF YOUTH CENTER AND I'M SO PROUD I WILL NOT BE THERE BUT IT WILL BE THERE IN SPIRIT MY CHIEF OF STAFF ALICE LEE WHO WENT TO ALIEF CLASS OF 1983 REPRESENTING HERE WILL BE JOINING HOUSTON CITY COUNCILMEMBER TIFFANY THOMAS ONE OF MY PARTNERS COUNTY

[04:00:04]

WOULD YOU PLEASE BEGIN? >> THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMISSIONER BRIONES MY NAME IS OF ALIEF AND THE DIRECTOR OF EVENTS AT ALIEF VOTES SO THINK IS A MUCH. THE STORY OF ALIEF VOTES , WE STARTED WITH AND A COUPLE STUDENTS AND I WAS PART OF THE STUDENTS WHEN THERE WAS FIVE OF US SO TO GIVE CREDIT TO ALIEF VOTES IS SOMETHING SO LITTLE BUT IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE GREATLY. I STARTED OFF AS A SOPHOMORE GOING TO THE COLLEGE AND HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO DO IN THE FUTURE AND ALIEF VOTES AND PART ME TO FIGURE OUT MY CAREER PATH AND BE ABLE TO CHANGE A LOT OF THINGS I SAW IN MY COMMUNITY. ALIEF IS FULL OF DIVERSE PEOPLE , MARGINALIZED PEOPLE , SO BEING ABLE TO ACTIVELY CHALLENGE A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES GOING ON IN ALIEF, HAVING THE POWER AS A STUDENT TO CREATE CHANGE IS SOMETHING I'M THANKFUL FOR ALIEF VOTES AND I WANT TO THANK THE YOUTH CONFERENCE THIS JOURNEY WITH ME AS A PLAN TO USE CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY.

>> THANK YOU AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU.

>> MY NAME IS VOTES AND INCOMING JUNIOR AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. AND I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY THIS RESOLUTION FOR ALIEF VOTES SO IF YOU'RE FREE JOIN US ON SATURDAY. AND I WANT TO SAY WE REPORT OUR HEARTS INTO EVERY DETAIL OF PLANNING THE CONFERENCE SO THANK YOU TO THE EVENTS TEAM FOR HELPING US MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU TO THE FUNDER RESILIENCE NETWORK FOR HELPING US GET THE CONFERENCE STARTED AND HELPING US TO BUILD GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND ALIEF AND THANK YOU FOR COMMISSIONER BRIONES FOR INVESTING IN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN PRECINCT 4 AS WELL AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE AND YOUR SUPPORT REMINDS US THAT WHAT WE DO MATTERS AND YOUTH IS NOT JUST THE FUTURE, WHERE THE PRESENT AS WELL, THANK YOU. WE LOVE YOU. WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF YOU. HAD ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP? THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE , ARE DOING AND WILL DO TWO ALIEF AND HARRIS COUNTY AND TEXAS A BETTER

PLACE SO THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> CAN I MOVE NUMBER 12 AS PRESENTED?

>> MOTION MADE AND SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, VOTE NO. THE ITEM PASSES.

>> CAN WE GO BACK TO 10? I'M NOT GOING TO BREAK THE RULE OF RESOLUTIONS BUT CAN WE VOTE ON THAT? FOR US TO SIGN TO RECOGNIZE THE HONORABLE JUDGE BELINDA HILL MAY I PLEASE MOVE

AS PRESENTED? >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE.

[Emergency/Supplemental items (Part 2 of 2)]

COMMISSIONER GARCIA WHICH ONE? >> THIS IS ITEM 371. EARLIER THIS MORNING AS WE STARTED OUR WORK HERE, WE PAUSED BEFORE WE GOT INTO THE DEPTH OF OUR WORK TO RECOGNIZE THE LIFE OF SOMEONE WE LOST THAT WAS PART OF THE HARRIS COUNTY FAMILY. THAT PERSON WAS SERGEANT EMMANUEL EDWARDS. THE FAMILY HAS JOINED US AND I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. AND I DO WANT TO RESPECT THE PAIN YOU MUST BE GOING THROUGH. AND JUST LET YOU KNOW THIS IS BEING DONE BECAUSE ALL OF US HERE ARE GRIEVING WITH YOU AND TO LET YOU KNOW WHEN THESE

[04:05:04]

HE JOINED THE PRECINCT 2 CONSTABLE OFFICE IN 2021 JOINING PRECINCT 2 CONSTABLE JERRY GARCIA. JERRY GARCIA SAID SERGEANT EDWARDS WAS ALWAYS KNOWN AS A BIG GUY WITH A HUGE JOYFUL PERSONALITY AROUND THE OFFICE. AND ALWAYS HAD AN INFECTIOUS SMILE ON HIS FACE. THE CONSTABLE WENT ON TO SAY IN A FACEBOOK POST , HE WAS THE EPITOME OF A FAMILY MAN ALWAYS TAKING PRIDE IN HIS CHILDREN AND HIS WIFE. FREQUENTLY TALKING ABOUT THEM. SERGEANT EDWARDS PREVIOUSLY SERVED WITH THE PRECINCT 5 CONSTABLE'S OFFICE AND WAS KNOWN FOR HIS WORK IN THE TOLLROAD DIVISION. AND DOING SOME VERY IMPORTANT WORK IN THE DRIVING UNDER INFLUENCE ENFORCEMENT UNIT. HE RECEIVED PUBLIC ATTENTION IN 2016 WHEN HE HELPED TO SAVE A CHOKING BABY DURING A TRAFFIC STOP. FORMING A LASTING BOND WITH THAT CHILD'S FAMILY. HIS DEATH MARKS A TRAGIC LOSS FOR ALL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. SERGEANT MANUAL EDWARDS LEAVES BEHIND A LIFELONG LEGACY OF COMMITMENT TO SERVING AND PROTECTING AREA RESIDENTS, THE VALUES HE EMBODIED, INTEGRITY, BRAVERY AND COMPASSION WILL CONTINUE TO INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. AND TO THE EDWARDS FAMILY, GOD BLESS YOU, GOD LOVE YOU AND GOD BE WITH YOU BUT TO LET YOU KNOW HARRIS COUNTY TODAY RECOGNIZES THIS DAY AS SERGEANT MANUAL EDWARDS DAY. GOD BLESS YOU. I MOVE ON ITEM PRESENTED.

>> SECOND. >> MOTION AND SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. , ALL THOSE OPPOSED, VOTE NO. THANK YOU THE

ITEM PASSES. >> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GARCIA. WE ARE EXTREMELY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS, EDWARDS FAMILY AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING HIM WITH HARRIS COUNTY.

>> OKAY SO THE OTHER RESOLUTIONS WE HAVE WE CAN VOTE ON THEM. I

[Departments (Part 4 of 4)]

>> THREE, SIX, SEVEN. >> THREE, SIX AND SEVEN. I WILL READ IT. I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE OTHER THREE RESOLUTIONS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE. , ALL THOSE OPPOSED, VOTE NO. NEXT, ONE OTHER ITEM BEFORE WE TAKE PICTURES. I WANT TO BRING UP, ITEM 341. WE HAVE WORKED LONG AND HARD TO CONTINUE THE GREAT WORK AND ACHIEVE NEW MILESTONES FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE, COMMISSIONER BRIONES, YOU AND I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY ON THE ISSUE TRYING TO GET TO 50% BY THE END OF THE YEAR. I KNOW THAT'S NOT QUITE ACHIEVABLE BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS. I WANT TO COMMEND ALL DEPARTMENTS WHO WORKED ON FINDING THE IDEAL CANDIDATE. I HAPPEN TO KNOW THE CANDIDATE VERY WELL AND WE HAD EXECUTIVE SESSION ON IT EARLIER THIS MORNING. I REMEMBER WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY CAME UP TO PUT SOMEONE ON THE BENCH AND HER NAME CAME TO MIND VERY QUICKLY. IN PART BECAUSE SHE WAS A FORMER

[04:10:03]

HONOR OF MAKING THE MOTION. >> TODAY , THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON THIS AND TO MY COLLEAGUES AND FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AS WELL. TODAY IS A GREAT DAY IN HARRIS COUNTY.

FIRST I WILL MAKE THE MOTION AND THEN I WILL SHARE SOME WORDS. IT GIVES ME TREMENDOUS PRIDE TWO THESE MOTIONS, MOTION TO APPOINT THE HONORABLE JUDGE GENESIS DRAPER OF HARRIS COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT AT LAW NUMBER 12 AS OUR CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER WITH EFFECTIVE START DATE NO LATER THAN JULY 14, NO LATER THAN JULY 14, 2025. MOTION TO DIRECT.

THERE ARE A FEW COMPONENTS I WILL SHARE AFTER JUDGE DRAPER SPEAKS. I WANT TO SAY JUDGE DRAPER, I MET HER AT THE ROBE SEAMSTRESS PLACE. WE WERE APPOINTED TO THE BENCH AROUND THE SAME TIME. WE IMMEDIATELY BONDED. YOU ARE A WARRIOR FOR JUSTICE, YOU ARE A WARRIOR FOR CHANGE, YOU ARE A PERSON OF DEEP INTEGRITY, DEEP AUTHENTICITY AND YOU HAVE THE DEEP EXPERIENCE BEING A FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, A CRIMINAL COURT AT LAW JUDGE.

AND THE CONVICTION THAT WE NEED TO TAKE OUR PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE TO THE NEXT LEVEL SO THAT WE CAN TAKE AT LEAST 50% OF THE CASES AND ALSO DO IT WITH THE TREMENDOUS EXCELLENCE THAT I KNOW YOU HAVE AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO AND JUSTICE IS IN YOUR VEINS. HAVE NOTHING BUT LOVE AND RESPECT FOR YOU AND THIS IS A WONDERFUL DAY IN HARRIS COUNTY.

>> BEFORE YOU SPEAK JUDGE I WILL SECOND THE MOTION WITH A MINOR AMENDMENT. EFFECTIVE DATE JULY JULY 7 CORRECT GUESS

>> JULY 7, 2025. >> MOTION TO MAKE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THE ITEM PASSES. I THOUGHT OF THAT BECAUSE -- JUDGE I KNOW A GUY THAT TALKED HIMSELF INTO THE EARL WARREN LEGAL TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO GO TO THE UT LAW SCHOOL AND AGAIN WAS TOLD IF YOU TALK ANOTHER 10 MINUTES YOU WOULD'VE LOST IT. I THINK WE OUGHT TO VOTE ON YOUR FIRST AND HAPPY TO

HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY? >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, LET ME FIRST START, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BRIONES AND ELLIS FOR SECONDING IT AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HERE FOR YOUR TRUST IN ME, I APPRECIATE IT, I ENJOYED YOUR COLLABORATION OVER THE YEARS SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED COLLABORATION. LET ME THANK THE FOUNDING CHIEF OF THE OFFICE FOR THE WORK HE HAS DONE, I AM HONORED TO BUILD UPON THE LEGACY SO I APPRECIATE HIS SERVICE. I WILL BE STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE AFTER 13 YEARS AS A PUBLIC DEFENDER NOW SIX YEARS AS A JUDGE, THE YEARS HAVE DEEPENED MY BELIEF THAT JUSTICE DEPENDS ON NOT JUST THE LAW BUT PEOPLE WILLING TO DEFEND IT AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. WE ARE LIVING THROUGH A DEFINING MOMENT WHERE PRINCIPLES OF DUE PROCESS AND EQUAL PROTECTION ARE BEING TESTED SO I AM HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO JOIN THIS FIGHT. I AM EXCITED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE INCREDIBLE TEAM AT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TRUST.

>> THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.

>> CONGRATULATIONS. >> JUDGE, I KNOW YOU WANT TO GET BACK TO THE BENCH BUT YOU WILL BE THE FIRST PICTURE WE TAKE. I TELL PEOPLE TAKE A PICTURE ON THE FIRST DAY. NEVER GETS ANY BETTER BUT IT WILL BE BETTER EVERY DAY FOR YOUR.

>> MAY PLEASE READ OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE MOTION? CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN JUDGE DRAPER. TODAY IS AN AMAZING DAY IN HARRIS COUNTY. THE SECOND PART OF THE MOTION IS A MOTION TO DIRECT HUMAN RESOURCES AND TALENT TO CONFIRM THE EFFECTIVE START DATE WITH JUDGE DRAPER AND PUBLIC DEFENDER BOARD AND TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO BEST SUPPORT TRANSITION AND ON BOARDING . THE THIRD PARTIES REQUEST THE PUBLIC DEFENDER BOARD , FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THIS ELECTION AND UPON THE PROCESS PROVIDE APPROPRIATE FEEDBACK TO CANDIDATES NOT SELECTED AND THE FOURTH COMPONENT. DIRECT OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION TO WORK WITH COMMISSIONERS COURT OFFICES, HRT AND OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY A REPLACEMENT FOR JUDGE DRAPER'S

[04:15:01]

26, 2025. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, VOTE AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED, VOTE NO. MOTION PASSES. COLLEAGUES I THINK WE CAN TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND THEN TAKE PHOTOS. LET'S TAKE A PICTURE WITH

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.