Sep 02, 2025 FY2026 Budget Hearings

[00:00:04]

GOOD MORNING, COURT OFFICES, AND WELCOME TO OUR FIRST DAY OF BUDGET HEARINGS FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.

I'M TRACY BERTRAM, I'M MANAGER OF OPERATIONS IN THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.

AND TODAY I WILL BE SUPPORTING AS YOUR TIMEKEEPER A FEW HOUSEKEEPING NOTES ON THE PROCESS BEFORE WE BEGIN.

SO EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR THEIR PRESENTATION, FOLLOWED BY FIVE MINUTES EACH FOR COURT OFFICES FOR QUESTIONS BEGINNING WITH ANY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT AND THEN FOLLOWING, ROTATING IN ORDER.

AND THOSE WILL BE STAGGERED FOR EACH PRESENTATION.

AND THEN NOW, IF ANY COURT OFFICE HAS ANY TIME REMAINING, WE WILL GO THROUGH FOR A SECOND PASS, AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE REMAINING. AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RESERVE THAT TIME OR RELEASE IT.

AND THEN ONCE QUESTIONS FROM COURT OFFICES ARE COMPLETE, THEN THE DEPARTMENT HEAD WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

AND WITH THAT, WE WELCOME OUR FIRST PRESENTER.

[Office of County Administration ]

HI. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. COURT OFFICES.

COMMISSIONER. GOOD MORNING. APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO WALK YOU GUYS THROUGH OUR BUDGET.

I JUST WANT TO START OFF OCA, IN MY VIEW, EXISTS.

WE HAVE THREE MAIN PURPOSES. THE FIRST IS TO IMPLEMENT AND MANAGE THE COUNTY STRATEGIC PLAN.

THE SECOND IS TO IMPROVE COUNTY WIDE SERVICES.

AND THE THIRD IS TO PROVIDE SOME OVERSIGHT FOR COUNTY WIDE DEPARTMENTS.

TO SUPPORT THESE OBJECTIVES, WE MAINTAIN SEVEN DIVISIONS.

THAT INCLUDES THE OPERATIONS TEAM THAT MANAGES THE COUNTY AGENDA.

THE THE TAP TEAM. THAT'S THE PRIMARY MANAGER OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE JUSTICE INNOVATION TEAM WHICH IS REALLY THE COUNTY WIDE COORDINATOR FOR THE JUSTICE COMMUNITY, THE RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS DIVISION, THE OFFICE OF CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS SUSTAINABILITY DIVISION, AND THE GRANTS AND PARTNERSHIPS TEAM THAT INCLUDES ARPA.

THESE DIVISIONS ARE ALL FOCUSED IN ONE OR MORE ASPECT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

OUTSIDE OF THESE DIVISIONS, WE DO A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS, INCLUDING SUPPORTING THE NRG PARK OTHER COUNTYWIDE INITIATIVES AS DIRECTED BY COMMISSIONER'S COURT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT THESE DIVISIONS WERE CREATED BY COURT.

NOT NOT AT THE BEHEST OF OCA, BUT TO COVER THESE SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS.

OUR OUR BUDGET OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU CAN SEE JUMPS AROUND AS OCA HAS OFTEN HOUSED A NUMBER OF OTHER COSTS, INCLUDING LANGUAGE ACCESS. IN THE PAST, THE SECURITY BUDGET HAS BEEN PART OF THE OCA.

HAS BEEN PART OF THE OCA BUDGET. I THINK THIS YEAR WE'RE FINALLY AT A PLACE WHERE THE ABOUT 13.8 MILLION.

IN FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES. STILL INCLUDES.

I THINK LANGUAGE ACCESS IN THAT NUMBER. THE NUMBER THAT WE WERE OFFERED TO BUDGET OFF OF WAS ABOUT 12, WAS ABOUT 12 MILLION. THAT'S ABOUT REALLY THE SIZE OF WHAT I'D CALL THE REAL OCA NUMBER.

DOESN'T COUNT. ARPA. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ARPA POSITIONS WITHIN WITHIN OCA.

SO I THINK WE'RE FINALLY AT A PLACE WHERE THIS IS ABOUT THE NUMBER THAT WE SHOULD SEE.

YOU KNOW, THE NEXT, THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE NOTE ON KIND OF EFFICIENCIES.

WE ARE MAKING A NUMBER OF EFFICIENCIES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED FOR, FOR THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF FULL TIME POSITIONS THAT WERE LETTING GO.

THOSE WERE PAINFUL CUTS FOR US VALUABLE TEAM MEMBERS THAT WE APPRECIATE WHO DO WHO DO GOOD WORK.

I DO ALSO WANT TO MAKE A POINT THAT FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT, OUR OPERATIONS TEAM, WHICH DOES PUBLISH THE COUNTY COUNTYWIDE AGENDA COVERS BOTH OCA AND OMB IN TERMS OF HR AND ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS.

I THINK THAT'S A REALLY STRONG MODEL. OTHER DEPARTMENTS SHOULD LOOK AT IT. SMALLER DEPARTMENTS WHERE WE HAVE A SLIGHTLY LARGER TEAM BUT COVERING FOR FOR FOR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS. WITH THAT, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS. NOW WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH QUESTIONS FROM COURT OFFICES BEGINNING WITH COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

GOOD MORNING. WE HAD QUITE A NUMBER OF MORE PEOPLE HERE THIS TIME LAST WEEK, MOST INTERESTED IN OUR BUDGET.

I GUESS THAT INTEREST HAS WANED OVER THE LAST WEEK.

BUT WE DO POST MEETINGS. THIS, I THINK, IS WHERE WE'LL ACTUALLY GET DOWN INTO GOOD, WONDERFUL DETAILS OF WHAT A BUDGET IS.

IT'S IT'S INTERESTING TO LOOK AT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUDGET.

AND I THINK JESSE, YOU YOU POINTED OUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT YOU DO.

I DON'T THINK I WOULD REALLY TERM IT THAT AS Y'ALL IMPLEMENTING.

[00:05:01]

I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COST, UNDERSTANDING THAT HAVING THE DEPARTMENTS DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT.

YOU'RE THERE JUST TO REMIND US AND AGAIN, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL HARP AGAIN ON THE NUMBER OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

I KNOW WHAT IT. I KNOW WHAT THAT IS BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN IT.

I THINK YOU HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY TWO TOO MANY MEETINGS.

I THINK YOU HAD ACCOMPLISHED A LOT MORE WITH FEWER MEETINGS.

SO THAT'S MY GENERAL STATEMENT. YOU'RE IMPACTING EVERY ONE OF OUR OFFICES WHEN YOU CALL FOR A MEETING.

WE, OF COURSE, WANT TO BE THERE. IF YOU CALL A MEETING.

BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO EXERCISE MORE DISCERNMENT GOING INTO 2026 ON THE NUMBERS OF MEETINGS THAT YOU HAVE.

I NOTICE YOU HAVE REDUCED THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S BUDGET FROM 24,000,000 IN 20 25 TO 13 MILLION 825,000 IN 2026. I'VE REFERENCED THIS 20 FOR ALMOST 25 MILLION FREQUENTLY THIS PAST YEAR AS EXCESSIVE.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH A LOT OF THE REDUCTION.

LOOKS LIKE MOST REDUCTIONS, JUST TRANSFERRING IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

WHERE DID THE SECURITY BUDGET MOVE TO? SO COMMISSIONER AGAIN, I THINK THAT AND I AND I'D ALWAYS PUSH BACK ON THE 25 MILLION AS NOT THE REAL NUMBER. THE SECURITY BUDGET YOU KNOW THREE WAS ESTABLISHED THREE YEARS AGO.

IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN OCA. PREVIOUSLY, IT WAS JUST INTERDEPARTMENTAL TRANSFERS THAT HAPPENED EVERY YEAR.

WE WE COURT ASKED US TO CREATE A SECURITY BUDGET THAT WOULD PUT THEM ALL INTO ONE PLACE SO WE COULD AT LEAST HAVE SOME MORE TRANSPARENCY ABOUT ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

I THINK WE'RE JUST MOVING THAT INTO A SEPARATE LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET THAT IT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

IT NEVER REALLY WAS IN OCA IN A IN A REAL WAY EITHER.

IT'S WE'RE MOSTLY A PASS THROUGH. IT MAINTAINS IT CONTINUES TO BE A PASS THROUGH.

OKAY. SO WHERE DOES IT GO? I THINK WE'RE GOING TO IS IT GOING TO BE 202 ITS BUDGET AND 202202 THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL SPENDING DEPARTMENT.

SO 6 MILLION. AND THAT'S COURT SECURITY OR WHAT.

THIS THAT'S THIS FACILITY, THE DOWNTOWN FACILITY.

THAT'S A LOT OF THINGS ACTUALLY. IT'S IT'S PUBLIC HEALTH HAS SOME SECURITY THERE.

MOST DEPARTMENTS PREVIOUSLY HAD AN INDIVIDUAL MOU WITH A CONSTABLE OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT PROVIDED SOME LEVEL OF PHYSICAL SECURITY AT THEIR LOCATIONS.

I THINK IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO THAT WE CONSOLIDATED THOSE INTO A SINGLE SECURITY BUDGET, AND FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS IT SAT IN OSSEO.

I COMPLAINED BITTERLY TO THE BUDGET DIRECTOR AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS ARTIFICIALLY INFLATING WHAT OUR BUDGET NUMBER WAS.

BUT AS NOT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AT THE TIME, I MY PLEAS WERE NOT HEEDED.

BUT NOW WE'RE FINALLY MOVING IT TO 202. SO YEAH, IT'S PUBLIC HEALTH.

IT'S GOT HOUSING HAS A COUPLE OF HAS A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THIS BUILDING IN PARTICULAR, THE JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS.

SO THAT'S IT'S EVERYTHING. AND IN TERMS OF COMMISSIONER, I MIGHT ADD, IN TERMS OF PROGRAMMATIC CUTS, I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE AT THE MOMENT, BUT IT'S ALMOST $3 MILLION WORTH OF PROGRAMMATIC CUTS BETWEEN CONSOLIDATING FUNCTIONS AT THE RAD TEAM THE $1 MILLION IN LANGUAGE ACCESS AND THEN 800,000 IN OTHER, NEARLY 3 MILLION IN REAL CUTS.

THAT'S CORRECT. NOT JUST TRANSFERRING, WHICH IS ABOUT 20 WHEN YOU WHEN YOU NET OUT.

THE PARTS OF OCA THAT WERE PURE PURE PASS THRUS EQUATES TO ROUGHLY 20%.

SO YOU'RE GOING AHEAD. YOU'VE INCREASED O'DONNELL 64,000 OR 40,000.

YEAH, I THINK MONITORING FEES, THE 40,000 I THINK THOSE WERE THOSE WERE CLS INCREASES.

COMMISSIONER. I THINK THEY ARE THOSE ARE THOSE ARE CONTRACTED RATES.

CONTRACTED RATES. YEAH. OKAY. WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S UNDER SCRUTINY AT THIS POINT.

YES, SIR. YOU'RE AWARE. WE'RE AWARE AND WE'VE WE'VE CONTACTED THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.

AND I DONE YES, SIR. WHY WHY DIDN'T I? I'VE STILL GOT FIVE QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER. WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS OUTSIDE OF THIS PROCESS.

OF COURSE. OKAY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. NOW PRECINCT FOUR, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. GABRIELLA FROM PRECINCT FOUR TO START WITH MR. DICKERMAN, IF YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REVOLVING ENERGY FUND AND ANY PCNS OR ANY COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN MOVED OVER ONTO THERE, AND ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE TO PUT MORE MONEY OR PEOPLE ON THAT FUND AS OPPOSED TO THE GENERAL?

[00:10:06]

AT THE TIME, WE AGREED WITH COURT THAT WE WOULD SPLIT THE SAVINGS.

I THINK I DON'T HAVE IT PULLED UP IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I THINK, LINDSAY, THIS YEAR, THE TOTAL SAVINGS IS ABOUT 1.2 1.8 MILLION THIS YEAR.

AND IT WAS SIMILAR, SIMILAR LAST YEAR. WE KEEP HALF OF THAT WITHIN THE REEF TO REALLY PAY FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THAT WORK.

CURRENTLY. UP UNTIL THIS YEAR IT WAS OUR TWO ENERGY MANAGERS, A SENIOR ENERGY MANAGER AND OUR ENERGY MANAGER WERE PAID FOR BY THE FUND OUTSIDE OF THOSE PERSONNEL COSTS. A NUMBER OF ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES TRAINING FOR FOLKS IN BOS.

REALLY, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE IT'S FOCUSED ON CONTINUING THAT WORK, AND WE GIVE ABOUT HALF BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.

THIS YEAR WE ARE MOVING THE UTILITY ANALYST POSITION, WHICH WE BROUGHT OVER MID-YEAR FROM UNIVERSAL SERVICES INTO THAT FUND.

THAT THAT POSITION, HE REALLY PAYS ALL THE BILLS AND HE TRACKS ALL THE COSTS.

SO I THINK IT'S A IT'S A FAIR NUMBER TO PUT TO PUT IN THERE.

GOING FORWARD, I THINK WE HAVE HUGE OPPORTUNITY HERE.

AGAIN, WE'RE ON TRACK TO SAVE ABOUT 1.8 MILLION.

WE HAVE EVEN GOTTEN TO WATER YET. THERE'S TONS OF WATER WASTE AND WATER SAVINGS TO BE HAD.

OUR ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES ARE REALLY ONLY IN A HANDFUL OF BUILDINGS SO FAR TODAY.

I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO RAMP UP THE ACTIVITY OF THAT TEAM, WE COULD SAVE REALLY MILLIONS MORE ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

AND THE TEAM'S VERY FOCUSED ON THAT. WE REALLY WE DON'T LIKE WASTE, AND WE WANT TO SEE SAVINGS COME BACK TO THE COUNTY.

AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT THAT'S THE ENERGY CONSERVATION TEAM, IS THE SUSTAINABILITY TEAM IS PROBABLY THE MOST SUCCESSFUL THING WE'VE DONE FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, IN THAT WE'VE ADDED ALMOST 1,000,000FT² OF FACILITIES OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND OUR ENERGY BILLS ARE ROUGHLY THE SAME. SO ON TOP OF THE KIND OF STRAIGHT SAVINGS, THERE'S ALSO THE KIND OF COST MITIGATION AS WE'VE ADDED FACILITIES TO OUR PORTFOLIO.

YEAH. AND THAT TEAM ALSO FRANK, SORRY TO COME BACK IN.

WE'RE WE'RE ALSO NEGOTIATING THE RENEGOTIATING THE ENERGY CONTRACTS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT A TIME WHERE ENERGY IS MUCH MORE VOLATILE THAN IT'S BEEN BEFORE, BUT WE'VE KEPT OUR RATES RELATIVELY COMPETITIVE.

WE'LL NEGOTIATE AGAIN NEXT YEAR ON A NEW RATE.

WE'VE GOT SOME STUFF IN THE WORKS. I HOPE TO BRING BACK SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS TO COURT ON UTILITY BILLS.

I DON'T WANT TO OVERPROMISE, SO WE'LL GET THERE WHEN WE GET THERE, BUT I HOPE TO HAVE THAT BEFORE COURT WITHIN THE NEXT 60 DAYS.

THANK YOU. AND LIKE YOU SAID, I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WAYS THAT THE COUNTY CAN FIND EFFICIENCIES ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.

COULD YOU GO OVER HOW YOUR TEAM CAME TO THE PROPOSED OFFSETS THAT YOU PUT FORWARD? WHY THOSE? IT WAS A IT WAS A TOUGH, TOUGH DECISION.

WE DO NOT HAVE A TON OF NON-LABOR SPENDING THAT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR FOR CUTS.

WE DO. WE DID REMOVE SOME, BUT BUT AS WE LOOKED AT IN THE FIRST THE 10% WE WERE ABLE TO JUST KIND OF GET RID OF ALMOST ALL OF OUR VACANT POSITIONS AND SOME NON-LABOR AND MAKE THE MAKE THE 10%.

BUT BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN, DEEPER CUTS WERE NEEDED.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO FACE THE CHOICE OF EITHER CUTTING ALL OF THE TEAMS, RIGHT, AND REDUCING ALL OF THE CAPABILITY ACROSS OUR DIVISIONS OR FOCUSING THEM IN ONE PLACE. AND WE CHOSE THE LATTER, NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T VALUE THE WORK THAT THE RAD RESEARCH TEAM DOES.

IT'S BEEN INVALUABLE OVER THE YEARS. I THINK THAT CAPABILITY WILL BE SORELY MISSED WHEN IT'S GONE.

THERE ARE THERE IS A LOT THAT WE QUESTIONS WE GET FROM COURT, QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE OURSELVES THAT INDEPENDENT RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT FOR.

BUT LOOKING AT THE OTHER TEAMS, AGAIN, WE'VE MENTIONED SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH GENERALLY IS PAYING FOR ITSELF.

THE JIT TEAM IS DOING VITAL WORK IN TERMS OF KEEPING OUR COSTS AND TRYING TO KEEP LOWER OUR JAIL COSTS.

GRANTS AND PARTNERSHIPS HAD A VERY TOUGH YEAR WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDING.

BUT BESIDES THE ARPA TEAM, I WE DO HAVE A LOT OF HOPE THAT IT WILL SAVE US SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS IN THE FUTURE.

THE OVERHEAD RATE IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT THEY CONTRIBUTED THIS THIS YEAR ALONE.

AND SO WE WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT, A LOT OF CHOICES.

AND WE ULTIMATELY CHOSE IMPACT, A SINGLE TEAM IN A LARGER WAY.

IT'S NOT MUCH, BUT TRACY, I'M HAPPY TO CEDE MY TIME TO COMMISSIONER RAMSEY IF HE NEEDS MORE.

AT THE END. THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. GOOD MORNING. SO I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

I'M GOING TO DIG INTO THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT QUESTION A LITTLE BIT MORE.

[00:15:01]

SO IF THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT BUDGET WERE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED CAN YOU SPEAK MORE ABOUT THE CORE FUNCTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MOST AT RISK? AND WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE ON THE POLICYMAKING FOR THE COUNTY AND FOR COURT OFFICES? YEAH. I MEAN, AGAIN, THIS THIS DIVISION PROVIDES RESEARCH ANSWERS ANY QUESTION.

BOTH COURT OFFICES HAD IN THE PAST, COURT OFFICES HAD LEANED HEAVILY ON THEM AND HAD PROVIDED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THEIR WORKLOAD ON QUESTIONS.

YOU KNOW, WE TALKED AT COURT ABOUT CEMETERIES.

THE RAD TEAM WORKED ON CEMETERIES VERY, VERY RECENTLY.

I DON'T HAVE A LIST OF THEIR PROJECTS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THEY'VE THEY'VE DONE WORK ON EVERY ASPECT FROM JUSTICE TO FLOOD CONTROL TO GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. I THINK FOR US, YOU KNOW, EVEN TODAY, AS WE LOOK TOWARDS GRIEVANCE HEARINGS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT THOSE THE ABILITY FOR US TO HAVE HORSEPOWER OF FOLKS WHO WHO KNOW HOW TO GO OUT THERE AND DO RESEARCH THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT POLICY CHOICES THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT IT WILL IT WILL REALLY WE WILL WE WILL FEEL IT.

WE'LL FEEL IT IN A REAL WAY, AND WE'LL FEEL IT IN A PERSONAL WAY. THESE PEOPLE I'VE WORKED WITH THE FOLKS IN THE RAD DIVISION FOR YEARS.

THEY ARE EXCELLENT PUBLIC SERVANTS, REALLY SMART, REALLY MOTIVATED.

EXACTLY THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO HAVE HERE.

AND YEAH. SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S BUSINESS, BUT IT'S PERSONAL.

ALSO, WE REALLY VALUE THE FOLKS ON OUR TEAM AND VALUE THE VALUE, EVERYTHING THEY BRING.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I WILL NOTE THAT YOUR THE RAD TEAM SENT AN EMAIL TO MID-AUGUST INFORMING COURT OFFICES DUE TO PROPOSED CUTS THAT THERE ARE 18 PROJECTS CURRENTLY ASSIGNED TO RAD THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED AND WOULD LIKELY NEED TO BE TRANSFERRED TO OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, ETC.. THAT'S CORRECT. RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH.

SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON. I'M LOOKING HERE AT THE OTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE.

SO CAN YOU ACTUALLY JUST IN GENERAL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SUCCESSES THAT HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED THROUGH OCA TEAMS AND STAFF AND ANY HINDRANCES AND NOTING THAT THERE IS STILL AGAIN, OTHER CUTS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN TO OCA.

YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESSES.

THIS WORK CAN BE HARD. IT CAN TAKE A LOT OF MEETINGS.

AS COMMISSIONER RAMSEY SAID, SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES TOO MANY.

BUT I THINK THE FIRST STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WAS PASSED LAST YEAR, WAS A BIG SUCCESS.

I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RAMSEY THAT WE ARE NOT IMPLEMENTING AS MUCH AS SORT OF GUIDING.

RIGHT. BUT WE DO SPEND WE DID SPEND SIGNIFICANT STAFF TIME TO PUT THAT TOGETHER AND MAINTAIN A LOT OF STAFF TO, TO HELP MOVE THAT PROCESS FORWARD. IT IS HEAVY.

THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT. THERE'S A LOT OF ORGANIZATION AND I THINK COURT WANTS TO BE HEAVILY INVOLVED.

SO I THINK PASSING THAT AND THIS FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION, WHERE I THINK WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS, I THINK AS WE LOOK TO NEXT YEAR, WE NEED TO LOOK AT PARING DOWN KIND OF THE APERTURE ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN A LITTLE BIT.

THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, 80 PLUS INITIATIVES, RIGHT? WE NEED TO FOCUS ON A HANDFUL THAT ARE REALLY THE MOST VITAL.

AND I THINK I'VE TALKED TO THE TEAM ABOUT THAT. I THINK THAT THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON.

GRANTS AND PARTNERSHIPS IS NEW. BUT WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THIS YEAR WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS AND HELPING US MAINTAIN A VIEW OF WHERE THOSE CUTS WERE HAPPENING, WHAT WAS AT RISK? THE DECISIONS THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO MAKE AROUND THAT.

I THINK THAT'S BEEN INVALUABLE AND INVALUABLE HELP THIS YEAR IN NAVIGATING THIS, THAT PROCESS.

LOOKING FORWARD, I THINK THAT TEAM IS PUTTING STUFF IN PLACE THAT THE GRANT MONEY WILL RETURN.

MAYBE NOT NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, BUT BUT I THINK THERE WILL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO TO BRING IN GRANTS, ESPECIALLY WORKING WITH SMALLER DEPARTMENTS THAT DON'T HAVE DEDICATED STAFF THAT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THAT UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS. THAT'S BEEN A BIG SUCCESS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'M GOING TO JUMP IN HERE BECAUSE I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, AND YOU RAISE A GREAT POINT, WHICH IS THE IMPACT THAT THE COUNTY IS FEELING WITH FEDERAL CUTS AND RIGHT, US NOT GETTING GRANTS. SO GIVING THE THE GROWING NUMBER OF DIRECTIVES AND PROJECTS OCA TEAMS AND STAFF ARE REQUIRED TO SPEARHEAD AT THE DIRECTION OF COMMISSIONERS COURT. HOW IS OCA ENSURING THAT STAFF CAPACITY IS SUFFICIENT TO EXECUTE ON THESE PROJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE PROCURE TO PAY, AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT GOALS AND INITIATIVES.

YEAH, I MEAN, WE WE JUST EVERY DAY WE PRIORITIZE.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S LARGELY WHAT LEADERSHIP IS, IS LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAVE ON THE PLATE AND PRIORITIZING THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT, THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO TO COURT, MOST IMPORTANT TO OUR FROM FROM OUR STANDPOINT.

AND MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS ARE ASSIGNED AND THAT THINGS DON'T FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS. WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME INTERNALLY REVIEWING THE PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING TIME AND EFFORT ON IN THE RIGHT PLACES.

BUT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO, AGAIN, CUT SOME STAFF.

CORRECT? CORRECT. YES. WE'RE GOING TO CUT SOME STAFF AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THOSE RAD PROJECTS OUT.

[00:20:05]

BUT AGAIN THAT WAS THE THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY THE REASON THAT WE CHOSE TO MAKE THE CUTS IN RAD VERSUS MAKING THEM ACROSS THE BOARD AND LOWERING THE CAPACITY OF ALL OF OUR DIVISIONS SO THAT WE COULD MAINTAIN WORK IN THOSE AREAS WITH WITH LESS DISRUPTION.

THANK YOU. PRECINCT ONE. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR USING THE WORD CUTS.

I DON'T THINK ALL OF THESE ARE EFFICIENCIES. AND I, PRECINCT ONE CAN ATTEST THAT TERM ON SOME OF THESE CHANGES.

CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US, DOES OCA SUPPORT THE PROPOSED HIRING FREEZE? AND HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT ON THE STRATEGIC GOALS AND PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY AS THE PASS THROUGH HELPERS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN? YEAH, I THINK THE HIRING FREEZE IS A REALLY GOOD OPTION FOR A COURT TO CONSIDER.

I THINK IN SOME WAYS IT WILL CAUSE LESS PAIN THAN ELIMINATION OF POSITIONS.

I THINK IT WILL CHANGE THE DISTRIBUTION OF THAT SIGNIFICANTLY.

I MEAN, I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE THE MOST VACANCIES.

THEY WILL FEEL THE HIRING FREEZE THE MOST. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COURT NEEDS TO CONSIDER.

I MEAN, OVERALL IT WILL BE HARD, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME DEPARTMENTS AS ATTRITION HAPPENS.

I THINK THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON.

YOU KNOW, IN TALKING TO THE LIBRARIES LAST WEEK, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF PLACES, A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS THAT AREN'T HEAVILY STAFFED.

AND SO IF THEY LOSE 2 OR 3 STAFF FROM A PARTICULAR BRANCH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT MAKING AN EXCEPTION TO THE HIRING FREEZE THERE, OR THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REDUCE HOURS AT THAT LOCATION.

I THINK WE CAN DO THAT. I THINK THE SOP THAT I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT WILL BE FLEXIBLE IN THAT WAY.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK A HIRING FREEZE, AGAIN, I WOULD RATHER KEEP THE PEOPLE WE HAVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THAN, YOU KNOW, LOSE MORE COLLEAGUES. SO I THINK THE HIRING FREEZE IS A IS A IS A GOOD OPTION.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT. GOOD, BUT IT IS AN OPTION.

IT IS A IS A BETTER OPTION THAN SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVES.

APOLOGIES. YOU'RE WELCOME TO SAY GOOD. I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S GOOD FOR THE JUSTICE INNOVATION TEAM.

I KNOW THEY'VE LOST SOME VACANCIES AND WILL EXPERIENCE SB9 AND A VARIETY OF OTHER PRESSURES.

HOW DO YOU SEE THAT IMPACT POTENTIALLY IMPACTING THEIR ABILITY TO DO THEIR WORK? I TALKED TO TANYA ALL THE TIME. SHE'S DOING INCREDIBLE WORK FOR THE COUNTY.

AND REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT SHE'S BROUGHT HERE.

WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE SHE'S ABLE TO CONTINUE THE PROGRESS THAT SHE'S MADE.

AGREED THAT WE'LL FACE NEW CHALLENGES IN THE NEW YEAR.

IF WE HAVE TO REALLOCATE TOWARD, YOU KNOW, OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE'S ABLE TO MAINTAIN AND PUSH THAT WORK FORWARD.

IT'S VITAL. I THINK THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE IS CONTINGENT ON CONTINUING TO LOWER COSTS IN THE JAIL TO TO MOVE PAST OUTSOURCING, TO LOWER INDIGENT DEFENSE COSTS. SO THOSE ARE VITAL THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO WHAT IT TAKES OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAPPEN ABOVE SOME OTHER PRIORITIES, RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE REALLY TOP PRIORITIES.

AND TANYA'S VERY INVOLVED THERE. HER TEAM IS.

AND LOOK, THE LONG TERM WORK THEY'RE DOING ON THE JAIL IS IS VITAL FOR JUSTICE AND FOR, YOU KNOW, DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE COUNTY. SO WE'RE WE WILL DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR WORK, EVERYONE WILL HAVE SOME. EVERYONE ALWAYS STRUGGLES SOME.

BUT BUT WE'LL DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WORK CONTINUES TO THE EXTENT THAT IT'S NEEDED.

THANK YOU. WITH THE LOSS OF THE LANGUAGE ACCESS FUNDS, A LOT OF COURT OFFICERS PUT A LOT OF TIME IN TRYING TO GET THAT INITIATIVE STARTED.

WE'RE VERY FAR BEHIND IN A VARIETY OF AREAS AND THIS VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

WHERE DOES OK SEE THAT HEADED? I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE HOPING THAT THE LANGUAGE ACCESS WOULD BE MORE OF A PAUSE THAN AN ELIMINATION.

RIGHT. WE WE HAVE STRUGGLED TO GET IT OFF THE GROUND WITH DISTRICT COURTS AND WITH OTHERS.

RIGHT. WE'VE HAD THE MONEY AVAILABLE FOR, I THINK, TWO FISCAL YEARS IN A ROW.

IT HAS NOT BEEN SPENT. AND SO WE'RE NOT SAYING LET'S ELIMINATE IT FOREVER, BUT BASED ON WHERE WE ARE IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, LET'S DELAY IMPLEMENTATION ANOTHER YEAR AND COME BACK NEXT YEAR.

AND HOPEFULLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WE CAN GET TOGETHER ON, ON REALLY AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THAT MONEY BECAUSE THAT MONEY HAS, HAS BEEN SET ASIDE BUT HASN'T DONE ANYONE ANY GOOD THE LAST, THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND SO IF IT'S JUST GOING TO SIT THERE AGAIN, THEN WE MIGHT AS WELL MAKE IT AVAILABLE IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS.

[00:25:03]

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. OKAY. THANK YOU. AS THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE WHOLE COUNTY GOES INTO FISCAL YEAR 26 WITH SOME REDUCTIONS. HOW DOES OCA PLAN ON MONITORING THE CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE AND REPORTING BACK TO COMMISSIONERS COURT AS THE YEAR GOES ON? IF THERE ARE SOME IMPACTS THAT WERE NOT EXPECTED? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I MEAN, LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT.

I THINK THE OTHER THING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF A HIRING FREEZE IS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO TRACK MORE CLOSELY, KIND OF HOW HOW THAT'S GOING. BUT BUT LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, THERE'S A NUMBER OF MEASURES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON.

INDIGENT DEFENSE COSTS AGAIN COST OF JAIL OUTSOURCING.

ARE WE HEADED TOWARDS MOVING OFF OF THE JAIL OUTSOURCING.

LIKE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLACES WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE AND LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE WITH THE DEPARTMENTS. DEPARTMENTS? SOME OVER, SOME SPEND MORE THAN THEIR BUDGETS OR SOME SPEND FAR LESS THAN THEIR BUDGETS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE PUT ON THE TABLE A AN EVALUATION PROCESS FOR DEPARTMENT HEADS.

PART OF THAT IS GETTING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT HEADS AND TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET SITUATIONS FOR THEIR DEPARTMENTS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE AN EYE AND THEIR CFOS HAVE AN EYE ON THE DECISIONS THAT THEY'RE MAKING THAT ARE GOING TO IMPACT THE COUNTY.

THE BIG ONE, OF COURSE, IS ALWAYS THE UNKNOWN. UNKNOWN, RIGHT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW.

AND I THINK WE HAVE LESS FLEXIBILITY THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST ON ON THE UNKNOWN.

UNKNOWN. BUT I THINK THE DECISIONS THAT WE'VE MADE AT THE BUDGET OFFICE HAS, HAS HELPED GUIDE US TOWARDS LEAVE US ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY AND ENOUGH ROOM TO TO DO THE COUNTY'S BUSINESS OVER THE COURSE OF FY 26.

OKAY. THANK YOU. WE THE COUNTY IS IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING A NEW DIRECTOR FOR OCA.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR NUMBER ONE PIECE OF BUDGET ADVICE FOR A NEW OCA DIRECTOR? WELL, NUMBER ONE, I HAVE SO MUCH ADVICE FOR THE PERSON.

ONE. TWO. THREE. I DO THINK THAT AS WE LOOK FOR A NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, WE NEED SOMEONE WHO HAS DEEP BUDGET EXPERIENCE.

DANIEL HAS DONE A GREAT JOB AS BUDGET DIRECTOR, BUT I THINK THAT IS A IT'S A BIG JOB IN A COUNTY THIS THIS BIG.

AND WE NEED SOMEONE AS A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WHO WHO CAN DO, WHO CAN SUPPORT AND WORK CLOSELY WITH DANIEL AND ALSO PROVIDE SOME INDEPENDENT INFORMATION ON, ON, ON WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE BUDGET. THAT PERSON WILL BE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE DANIEL AS, AS BUDGET DIRECTOR. AND I THINK MY ONE PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD BE WE NEED TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD.

THE WE'VE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS TRIED TO GET TOWARDS OUTCOMES BASED AND PERFORMANCE BASED BUDGETING.

WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS, BUT WE ARE NOT THERE.

WE NEED TO GET DEEPER INTO THE BUDGETS. WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES SO THAT COURT OFFICES AND THE DEPARTMENTS UNDERSTAND THEIR OPERATIONS, UNDERSTAND THEIR SERVICES AND CAN PROVIDE MORE INPUT ON THE METRICS, SHOW HOW WELL THEY'RE DOING.

WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT THE LAST FEW YEARS. WE'VE NOT IT IS NOT BEEN SOMETHING THAT I WOULD YET HOLD UP AND SAY, WE HAVE ACHIEVED SUCCESS HERE, BUT BUT TO ME THAT WE CAN'T WALK AWAY.

WE HAVE TO DIG IN AND GET FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.

AND SO THAT'S THE OTHER PIECE IS CONTINUE THAT WORK AND HELP GET US TO THE NEXT LEVEL ON PERFORMANCE BASED BUDGETING.

THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. I WILL DONATE MY TIME TO PRECINCT THREE.

THANK YOU. QUICKLY. I NOTICED ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN 2021 FROM OUR OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS, PFM, WAS THAT WE HAVE A BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE OF OF OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OF 2 MILLION. WE'RE SEVEN TIMES THAT WITH THIS BUDGET AND THAT'S REDUCED FROM LAST YEAR.

I THINK THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF US HIRING CONSULTANTS.

AND THEY DO A REPORT. WE PAY THEM MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THEN WE IGNORE EVERYTHING THEY SAY.

SO HOW MUCH OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS? YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT NUMBER, BUT WE NEED TO TRACK THAT NUMBER.

I DO NOT THINK WE'RE GETTING WHAT WE THINK WE'RE GETTING PAID FOR.

IT'S SO EASY FOR SOMEONE TO SUBMIT A A REPORT, AND THEN WE JUST IGNORE IT AND MOVE ON.

COMMENTS ON OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS. I DON'T DISAGREE AT ALL.

COMMISSIONER WE DO NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF TRACKING.

I CAN TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD OF HOW WE TRACK THAT, BUT I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE A FOCUS.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO YOU ON AND SAY, THIS IS HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT ON OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS.

[00:30:02]

BUT BUT WE NEED TO WORK TO TO THAT'S STILL CAN BE A GREAT OVERSIGHT.

ABSOLUTELY. YOU'VE YOU'VE HIRED COMPANY XYZ. THEY CAME IN FROM SOME STATE WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF.

THEY DO A CONSULTING REPORT CHARGES MILLION DOLLARS.

WE PROVIDE CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE PROMPTLY IGNORE EVERYTHING THAT'S THEY PUT ON THE TABLE.

SO OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS I THINK GOING FORWARD.

AND MY LAST POINT. OUTCOME BASED OUGHT TO BE OUTCOME BASED.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO AND I CAN SAY THESE THESE MEETINGS NEED TO BE CANDID.

IF YOU SAY IF YOU LOOK, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE JOB, THE COUNTY ENGINEER'S DOING GREAT.

A LOT OF SCOPE, A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE ABILITY TO ISSUE A PERMIT, SIMPLE PERMIT, IT'S FIVE TIMES WHAT IT WAS. AND YET WE DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.

GO AND LOOK AT WHETHER IT'S THAT DEPARTMENT OR PICK A DEPARTMENT.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN SAY, BOY, WE'VE JUST WE'VE JUST DONE A LOT BETTER JOB OF SERVING CONSTITUENTS.

SO I AGREE WITH THE OUTCOME BASED. YOU JUST NEED TO.

WE NEED TO DIG IN. WE NEED TO DIG IN. WE NEED TO GET THERE AGAIN. IT'S A IT'S A BIG COUNTY. THERE'S A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS.

THE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WE NEED BUY IN.

I THINK THE COURT HAS BOUGHT IN. I THINK OUR OFFICE HAS PUSHED IT. BUT WE NEED BUY IN FROM THE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.

DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO SEE THIS AS A GOOD THING, AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HOW MUCH VALUE THEY'RE PROVIDING TO THE COUNTY.

AND, AND THAT'S WE NEED BUY IN AS WELL FROM THERE.

BUT BUT I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP TRYING. COMMISSIONER. WE CAN'T GIVE UP ON THAT ONE. IT'S TOO IMPORTANT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER. PRECINCT ONE, YOU HAVE 29 SECONDS REMAINING.

THANK YOU. LAST QUESTION. OCA HAS BEEN AN INCUBATOR FOR SOME OF OUR MORE SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. DO YOU THINK YOU'LL STILL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT IN FISCAL YEAR 26? I HOPE SO. I HOPE SO. I THINK IT IT WILL DEPEND YOU KNOW, I THINK TO COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S POINT ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED, THE SCOPE OF OCA BY PFM WAS PROBABLY SMALLER THAN THAN THAN IT IS TODAY.

YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE SUSTAINABILITY OR GRANTS AND PARTNERSHIPS WERE NOT NECESSARILY IN THEIR SCOPE.

I THINK THOSE EFFORTS AS WELL AS JUSTICE INNOVATION, ARE BEARING FRUIT.

AND SO I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO INCUBATE THOSE AND OTHER IDEAS.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. THANK YOU. COURT OFFICERS.

NOW, ADMINISTRATOR DICKERMAN, YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

I DON'T HAVE ANY CLOSING REMARKS. IF COMMISSIONER RAMSEY OR OTHER FOLKS HAVE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS THEY WANT TO ANSWER, I DONATE THE TIME BACK TO THEM. JUST THANKING COURT FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR OCA. AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING US.

CAN YOU GIVE US WORK? IT'S HARD. THERE'S A LOT TO DO HERE, BUT I THINK IT IS VALUABLE.

AND I WANT TO THANK DEANNA RAMIREZ AND DAVE BARRY, WHO ARE MY PREDECESSORS, WHO DID A GREAT JOB GETTING US OFF THE GROUND.

AND AND TO ALL OF YOUR OFFICES. THANK YOU. OKAY.

THANK YOU, ADMINISTRATOR DICKERMAN. THANK YOU, COURT OFFICERS.

AND THANK YOU. OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.

UP NEXT, WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND DIRECTOR RAMOS, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR OPENING REMARKS,

[Office of Management and Budget]

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. COURT OFFICES, FOR TRUSTING ME TO HELP FACILITATE THIS PROCESS.

IT FEELS LIKE A LOT OF TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THROUGH THIS YEAR, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE DEFICIT, BUT LEARNING A NEW SYSTEM, INTEGRATING THE STRATEGIC PLAN, DOING BUDGETING AT THE SERVICE LEVEL, WHICH WAS A SIGNIFICANT LIFT FOR ALL PARTIES, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENTS AND MY STAFF.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE MANY HOURS ACROSS THE COUNTY THAT WENT INTO THIS ORIGINAL BUDGET.

I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IN TERMS OF OMB SPECIFIC BUDGET, ALL FOUR YEAR BUDGET CYCLES THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE REDUCED BUDGET, WE'VE REDUCED HEADCOUNT.

WE HAVE NOT AT ANY POINT INCLUDED OR REQUESTED AN ENHANCEMENT.

SO WE PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS. WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THE BEST JOB WE CAN WITH THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL TRY TO GET US BACK ON TRACK WITH TIME.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR RAMOS. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

YEAH. QUICKLY. THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A PERSON IN THE COUNTY I'VE SPENT MORE TIME WITH AND THEN OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT BUDGET.

I THINK YOU ALL DO A GOOD JOB. I, I, FOR ONE, CAN COUNT ON THE NUMBERS YOU'VE GOT.

[00:35:02]

YOURS MAY BE A FIRST INDICATION OF SOMETHING THAT MAY NEED TO BE MEASURED MORE CLOSELY.

AND I THINK WE'LL IMPROVE ON EVERYTHING WE MEASURE IF WE DON'T MEASURE IT, JUST LIKE THE CONSULTING FIRMS OR ANYTHING ELSE.

AND I REALLY LOOK TO JESSE'S POINT EARLIER. YOU'RE KIND OF IN THE CATBIRD SEAT.

YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK OVER EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING.

AND WHEN YOU SEE A TURNOVER RATE AND ONE DEPARTMENT THAT'S EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH, I OR IF YOU SEE OTHER INDICATORS THAT THAT COULD BE A PROBLEM. AND THE THE PAY IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF PAYING INVOICES THAT INITIATIVE IS, IS FLOUNDERING, NEEDS ATTENTION.

I KNOW THAT'S NOT IN YOUR BAILIWICK, BUT YOU AND JESSE OBVIOUSLY COMMUNICATE OFTEN.

AND AS THE NUMBERS DICTATE TO, I WOULD THINK JESSE, THAT'S KIND OF A A A A GOOD A GOOD PARTNERSHIP THERE, AS YOU SEE NUMBERS DRIVING THINGS UP, I'LL TELL YOU THE, THE 5 OR 6 BUDGETS I'VE DONE THUS FAR AT THE COUNTY, THERE HASN'T BEEN A SINGLE YEAR.

I HADN'T CUT SOMETHING. SO I GO INTO A NEW YEAR.

I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO USE THE WORD CUT, BUT SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE 140 PARK, EMPLOYEES, AND WE'RE TAKING CARE OF 76 PARKS. THERE'S ALWAYS REASONS TO HIRE, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A BETTER WAY TO DO IT.

AND AND NOT IMPACT SERVICE. SO I DON'T I WOULD I WOULD THINK Y'ALL WOULD DO THAT TOO.

WE GOT 20,000 EMPLOYEES. IS THERE A BETTER WAY TO DO IT? SO THE BUDGET IS A CONSTANT BATTLE. AND OBVIOUSLY THE MOST THE LARGEST NUMBER IS OUR EMPLOYEES.

AND AND BEING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE CORRECT NUMBER AND THE RIGHT, RIGHT SPOT.

SO AS YOU GO INTO THIS, WHAT YOU'RE CALLING HIRING FREEZE, I REFER TO IT LIKE I DID TWO YEARS AGO.

WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT NEW POSITIONS MORE STRATEGICALLY, AND I ELIMINATED PROBABLY HALF OF MY OPEN POSITIONS.

IT DIDN'T AFFECT ANYTHING OTHER THAN I DIDN'T BUDGET FOR HALF OF THE OPEN POSITIONS.

I THINK NOW WE'RE TAKING A MORE DISCIPLINED LOOK AT BEFORE WE HIRE SOMEBODY.

DO WE REALLY NEED ASKING A FEW QUESTIONS? DO YOU SEE COMING BACK TO COMMISSIONERS COURT IF THERE IS A NEED, IF A DEPARTMENT OR OR A GROUP NEEDS MORE DOLLARS AND IT MAKES SENSE, OR MORE POSITIONS.

DO YOU SEE COMING BACK TO COURT AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS? ABSOLUTELY. AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND COUNTY OPERATIONS, THERE MAY BE INSTANCES WHERE AND THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE TRY TO ACHIEVE WITH THE POLICY WHICH WILL BE COMING.

THE DRAFT WILL BE COMING IN YOUR OFFICES SHORTLY, IS TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW DEPARTMENTS TO BE STRATEGIC AND TO MAKE HIRES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE AVAILABLE. YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH DIRECTOR MENON, THERE MIGHT BE INSTANCES WHERE SHE HAS SOMEBODY ON CONTRACT OR SHE HAS SOMEBODY FROM A FIRM DOING THE WORK THAT COULD BE DONE IN-HOUSE FOR A CHEAPER RATE.

THAT WOULD BE A CLEAR, CLEAR EXAMPLE OF NEEDING AN EXEMPTION.

SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THE MATH WORKS OUT ON THE HIRING FREEZE IS WHEN YOU TAKE OUT SOME OF THESE CORE DEPARTMENTS.

WE HAD ABOUT $46 MILLION WORTH OF VACANCIES. WE'RE RECOMMENDING ROUGHLY A $25 MILLION FREEZE, BECAUSE WE WANT THERE TO BE SOME GREEN GRASS AVAILABLE FOR COURT TO MAKE STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS AND TO ALLOW FOR EXCEPTIONS, AS OPPOSED TO, HEY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO IF YOU LOSE SOMEBODY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BACKFILL THAT POSITION.

YEAH, I WOULD I WOULD SAY THOSE POSITIONS, THAT'S A THAT'S A POT OF MONEY, THE 46 MILLION.

AND THEN THE OTHER POT OVER, THERE'S A 50 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR PAY EQUITY.

AND AGAIN WE SHOULD DO PAY EQUITY. WE THOUGHT LAST YEAR WE WERE GOING TO DO 50 MILLION.

I THINK WE ENDED UP DOING CLOSE TO 30, 37, 37 MILLION.

SO WE SET THAT UP. BUT KNOWING WE DID 37 LAST YEAR AND DO WE REALLY THINK WE NEED TO DO ANOTHER 50 THIS YEAR? THAT IS TO BE ANSWERED, I GUESS, AS WE GO THROUGH IT.

WE WON'T HAVE THE STUDY UNTIL OCTOBER. YET WE'RE WE'RE BUDGETING, BUT.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES. GOOD MORNING. SO YOU HAD NOTED IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT THAT OMB DOESN'T ASK FOR SERVICE

[00:40:05]

CORRECT? IN THE FOUR BUDGET CYCLES, I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR.

WE HAVE NOT ASKED DURING ANY ONE OF THOSE. NOW, THAT'S NOT A POLICY.

THAT IS JUST SAYING THAT. RIGHT, RIGHT. WE YOU KNOW, WE DO OUR BEST TO DO THAT.

ALL ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS DID ASK FOR SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS THIS YEAR, AND THEY NORMALLY DO.

I WOULD SAY MOST MOST DEPARTMENTS REQUEST MADE OR REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

OKAY. AND GIVEN THE DEFICIT AND THE BUDGET ENVIRONMENT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET THOSE SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS CORRECT.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. AND ON THE SAME LINE OF QUESTIONING ONE OF OMD'S GOALS HAS BEEN TO STANDARDIZE AND UPDATE THE COUNTY'S PROCESSES AROUND DEBT, SPECIFICALLY OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT PROJECT WAS PUT ON THE BACK BURNER THIS YEAR DUE TO STAFF CAPACITY.

BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HOPE TO WORK WITH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THAT THIS YEAR.

DO YOU EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO TACKLE THAT WITH YOUR EXISTING TEAM, OR DO YOU ANTICIPATE A SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUEST IN A FUTURE YEAR? SO JUST TO CLARIFY, IT WASN'T NECESSARILY OMB STAFF CAPACITY.

THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY PRIOR TO EIGHT YEARS, 2019 THERE WAS NO PROCESS FOR ASKING FOR CAPITAL FUNDS.

SO WE HAVE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PROJECTS THAT ARE IN SOME FORM OF STATE OR SOME FORM OF APPROVED.

AND SO THE REAL WORK SITS WITH THE COUNTY ENGINEER UNIVERSAL SERVICES AND SOME OF THESE OTHER BIG INFRASTRUCTURE DEPARTMENTS TO GO THROUGH THE CURRENT LIST OF PROJECTS AND PRIORITIZE THEM. WHAT'S MOVING? WHAT ISN'T MOVING? WHAT REALLY NEEDS TO JUST BE SHELVED AT THIS POINT? AND UNTIL WE CAN GET A HOLD OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY CURRENTLY IN THE QUEUE, IT'S KIND OF IT'S DIFFICULT TO THEN TO THEN GO IN AND CREATE A PROCESS FOR WHAT COMES IN NEW, BUT THAT IS A PRIORITY. MY HOPE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN NOW AND JANUARY, WE WILL AT LEAST HAVE LAID OUT A PROCESS FOR US TO TO IMPLEMENT SOME VERSION, SOME VERSION OF A COMPETITIVE CIP PROCESS.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO OF COURSE, AS YOU ALLUDED TO, THIS BUDGET SEASON HAS BEEN INTENSE AND IT'S REQUIRED A LOT OF QUICK TURNAROUND AND HIGH LIFT DELIVERABLES FROM OMB. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOURSELF.

AND TO YOUR TEAM HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE STAFF CAPACITY DURING THIS BUDGET SEASON? I WOULD SAY THAT I BELIEVE WE'RE ABOUT THE RIGHT SIZE FOR HOW LARGE OUR DEPARTMENT IS.

YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT WE HAVE OURSELVES ORGANIZED IS THAT WE HAVE FIVE DIRECTORS, EACH OF WHICH HAVE 1 TO 2 DIRECT REPORTS.

UNLIKE A LOT OF OTHER BUDGET OFFICES, WE'RE FULL SERVICE.

OUR FOLKS DO GRANTS. THEY DO CAPITAL PROJECTS.

AND SO IT IS A LOT OF OF EFFORT, ESPECIALLY FOR FOLKS WITH SOME OF THE LARGER PORTFOLIOS.

I WOULD SAY IT'S ABOUT RIGHT. THE DIFFERENCE BEING IS THIS YEAR WE DID THE BUDGETS AT THE SERVICE LEVEL, WHICH IS OUR SMALLEST KIND OF UNIT OF MEASURE.

I UNDERSTOOD THE COURT'S DESIRE TO GET DOWN TO THAT GRANULAR LEVEL, BUT IT WAS A HUGE.

HOW MANY DO WE HAVE? 800, 900 SERVICES. WE HAD 900 SERVICES THAT HAD TO HAVE BUDGETS BUILT OUT FOR THEM.

EACH ONE OF THEM WAS SCORED DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.

SO THAT WAS A HUGE A HUGE HERCULEAN LIFT FOR OUR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

TO GET THE SERVICE DESCRIPTIONS IN AND TO DO THE EVALUATION.

SO IT WAS ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, QUADRUPLING OUR WORKLOAD BY GOING FROM THE PROGRAM LEVEL TO THE SERVICE LEVEL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF COURT OFFICES HAVE GOTTEN LATE EMAILS FROM YOUR TEAM, WEEKEND EMAILS, KNOWING THAT THEY'RE WORKING AND THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK DUE TO THE DEFICIT.

I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, OMB WELL, I WOULD NOTE THAT YOU YOURSELF, AS YOU SAID, YOU'RE TAKING A CUT THIS YEAR, AS YOU KNOW, YOU SAID YOU'VE TAKEN PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT THAT YOUR STAFF IS STILL OR NOT YOUR STAFF, BUT THAT OMB IS TAKING A CUT. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

IF I HAVE THE TIME. SO I KNOW YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS A LOWER TURNOVER RATE, BUT IF A MORE SENIOR STAFF MEMBER HAPPENS TO LEAVE THIS YEAR, DO YOU EXPECT OMB TO HAVE THE BUDGET CAPACITY TO PAY FOR FINAL BENEFITS FOR THAT PERSON? WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TO DO I MEAN, WE HAVE SOME VERY LONG TENURED STAFF.

THAT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT HURDLE IF THEY WERE TO LEAVE.

WHICH IS WHY, YOU KNOW, WE WE'VE FROM OMB STANDPOINT, NOT JUST FROM A FISCAL STANCE, NOT JUST FROM A FISCAL ANGLE, BUT ALSO FROM A WORK CONTINUITY, YOU KNOW, AN EMPLOYEE WELLNESS, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATE FOR THE WORK FROM HOME PROGRAM, BECAUSE THAT WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY LEAD TO TO A LARGE NUMBER OF MY STAFF, PARTICULARLY THE MOST VETERAN STAFF TURNING OVER.

[00:45:04]

I KNOW MY TIME IS UP. I'LL YIELD BACK. PRECINCT ONE.

YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. HOW HAS OMB BEEN ABLE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COMMISSIONERS COURT WITHOUT DISCUSSING SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT PROPOSED CUTS WITH DEPARTMENTS IN DETAIL, SO THAT EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THESE CUTS.

SO I WOULD DISAGREE WITH WITH THAT ASSESSMENT OF THE 60 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF DEPARTMENT CUTS.

ALMOST ALL OF THEM WERE WERE GENERATED FROM THEIR BUDGET SUBMISSIONS.

AND SO EACH ONE OF THOSE BUDGET SUBMISSIONS WAS REVIEWED, SCORED, DISCUSSED WITH THE DEPARTMENTS.

YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE HIRING FREEZE, THAT WAS KIND OF A LATE ARRIVAL.

AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, DURING THE LAST BUDGET HEARING THE COUNTY'S ESSENTIALLY AT A CROSSROADS AT THIS POINT.

WE CAN CHOOSE TO GO AND IDENTIFY AN ADDITIONAL $25 MILLION WORTH OF DEPARTMENTAL CUTS, KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.

I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET CONSENSUS ON THAT.

OR WE COULD DO SOMETHING MORE BLANKET. SO BUT IN TERMS OF THE OUTREACH TO THE DEPARTMENTS WE HOLD TWO TOWN HALLS FOR THE DEPARTMENTS APARTMENTS.

WE HOLD OFFICE HOURS. I'VE MET WITH ALMOST EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

MY STAFF HAS MET WITH THEM. I'M GOING TO I HEAR YOU, AND I'VE HEARD THAT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT I'VE ALSO LITERALLY HEARD DEPARTMENTS SAY WE WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS VERSION OF THE CUT BECAUSE THEY SUBMIT THINGS EARLY MAY.

AND THEN THERE'S DIFFERENT THINGS COMBINATION, I THINK IN AUGUST, THE ONES THAT THE ONES IN PARTICULAR WHERE I HEARD THE FRUSTRATION, WE, YOU KNOW, I DISCUSSED THIS AT OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING AND WE'LL CHANGE OUR PROCESSES AROUND.

THERE WAS A DESIRE FROM CERTAIN COURT OFFICES TO SEE VACANCY SAVINGS AS SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE 10% OFFSETS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.

AND SO THOSE CAME AS A SURPRISE TO SOME DEPARTMENTS, THOUGH THEY WERE SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSIONS AROUND COURT ABOUT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THESE VACANT POSITIONS. SO I UNDERSTOOD THAT.

I APOLOGIZE FOR MY PART IN NOT BEING THE MOST TRANSPARENT.

BUT AGAIN, OF THE 60 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF DEPARTMENT CUTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, A FRACTION OF THOSE WERE ONES THAT WERE NOT SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AS YOU KNOW, PRECINCT ONE HAS TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE ONE TIME REVENUE, REVENUES OR SAVINGS USED TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

EVEN TODAY IN CONFERENCE, SB TEN IS BEING HEARD.

THAT COULD FURTHER RESTRAIN THE COUNTY'S ABILITY TO ACHIEVE REVENUE.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR FORECASTS FOR FY 27 AS OMB PRESENTED.

THOSE. DO YOU HAVE THEM AND WHAT DEFICIT SHOULD WE EXPECT NEXT YEAR BASED ON THE SAME CONTINUING LEVEL OF SERVICE AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET BOOK TODAY? SO WE HAVE A MODEL THAT WE UTILIZE THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH THE COURT OFFICES.

WE HAVE AN UPDATED WITH THE VERY LATEST BUDGET PROPOSAL.

IF I HAD TO GUESS BASED ON THE ONE TIME ITEMS, TYPICALLY HOW MUCH WE GET IN REVENUE ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS, HOW MUCH OUR REVENUE GROWS IN A NORMAL YEAR, I WOULD SAY ANYWHERE FROM 60 TO $100 MILLION DEFICIT NEXT YEAR, CONSERVATIVELY. AND IT'S REALLY DEPENDENT ON WHAT DIRECTION INDIGENT DEFENSE AND OUTSOURCING TAKES US.

IN TERMS OF PAY EQUITY, SINCE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AS FAR AS WE HAVE HEARD, HR AND OMB, EVEN BEFORE THE STUDY COMES OUT, HAS IDENTIFIED PAY INEQUITIES WITHIN DEPARTMENTS AND ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.

I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR HR.

NOT NECESSARILY. OKAY. OKAY. I KNOW WE. SO THERE WAS A I THINK WHERE I HAVE BROUGHT UP THOSE INEQUITIES WAS THERE WAS AN EARLIER PAY STUDY THAT WAS KIND OF AT, AT A, AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL THAT IDENTIFIED CERTAIN CLASSIFICATIONS THAT THERE WERE PAY INEQUITIES.

I WOULD SAY THAT IN MOST OF THOSE CASES, THOSE THOSE PEOPLE WERE WERE MISCAST.

YOU MAY HAVE HAD FOLKS THAT ARE TRULY KIND OF MORE OF AN ADMIN ASSISTANT, AND THEN THERE MIGHT BE FOLKS THAT ARE MORE TOWARDS AN OFFICE MANAGER TYPE ROLE. SO THEY WERE MAKING MORE, BUT THEY WERE MISCAST.

IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC. THIS PERSON MAKES LESS THAN THAT PERSON.

I, I WOULD NOT BE THE PERSON TO ASK. OKAY. AND BASED ON THE PROJECT AT HAND AND ALL THE POSITIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE PAY EQUITY STUDY, WHAT WAS OMB'S HIGH NUMBER IF IT WAS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED?

[00:50:04]

SO WE I HAVEN'T SEEN AN UPDATED AN UPDATED VERSION YET.

OKAY. I RESERVE. THANK YOU. PRECINCT TWO. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

GOOD MORNING. DANIEL. IN YOUR EXPERIENCE WORKING IN OTHER PLACES AND WORKING WITH OTHER BUDGET DIRECTORS, IS IT AN UNUSUAL PRACTICE TO ANNUALLY ASK DEPARTMENTS TO EVALUATE THEIR BUDGETS AND COME UP WITH PROPOSED CUTS? NO, I THINK IT'S A HEALTHY PART OF THE PROCESS.

YOU KNOW, TO ME, IT'S A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP.

YOU KNOW, WE SET A BUDGET THAT IS THAT EXPECTS TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SERVICE.

IF WE DO ENHANCEMENTS, WE EXPECT A HEIGHTENED SERVICE. IF WE DO CUTS, WE EXPECT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY LOWER SERVICE. WE EVALUATE THOSE PERFORMANCE MEASURES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT THAT WE RESET THE PRIORITIES AND THEN EVALUATE THE BUDGET PROPOSALS FOR THE NEXT YEAR IN LIGHT OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LAST YEAR AND THE PRIORITIES THAT COURT SETS OUT.

SO I THINK IT'S A VERY HEALTHY. YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, WOULD MY JOB BE A LOT EASIER IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A DEFICIT? ABSOLUTELY. BUT IN EVERY YEAR THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME AMOUNT OF OF REALLOCATING FUNDING FROM LOW PRIORITY PLACES TO HIGH PRIORITY PLACES. I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT CAUGHT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR JOB IS, IS TO MAKE THOSE EVALUATIONS AND DECISIONS.

THANK YOU. AND AFTER THE CUTS AND ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE SET UP WHAT CAN THE PUBLIC EXPECT TO SEE THE CHANGES TO THEIR COUNTY SERVICES THAT THEY'RE ACCUSTOMED TO? I THINK THAT'S REALLY DEPENDENT ON THE DEPARTMENTS.

AND I'M SURE WE'LL HEAR A LOT OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT VERSIONS THROUGHOUT THESE BUDGET HEARINGS.

WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, YOU KNOW, LESS MONEY IS LESS MONEY.

YOU KNOW, THE I'M NOT NAIVE ENOUGH TO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY IS GOING TO OPERATE THE EXACT SAME WAY, HAVING LESS FUNDING FOR SOME DEPARTMENTS. WHAT I WILL SAY IS, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AND EVALUATING THE CUTS, WE LOOKED AT THEIR STRATEGIC PLANNING SCORE. WE THEN LOOKED AT WHAT THEIR HISTORICAL SPENDING IS.

WE THEN LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID THEY TELL US THE IMPACT WAS GOING TO BE AND MADE AN EVALUATION THERE.

WE THEN WE LOOKED AT THEIR VACANCIES. AND SO WHILE AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE HUNKY DORY THROUGH THROUGH NEXT YEAR, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME CHALLENGES, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME DEPARTMENTS. WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT IN GENERAL, MOST DEPARTMENTS WERE TAKEN DOWN TO WHAT THEIR HISTORICAL SPENDING LEVEL HAD BEEN.

THANK YOU. AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS THE $3 MILLION WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IN SAVINGS FOR DELAYING THE NEW COURTS.

CAN YOU WALK THROUGH EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS? SURE.

SO IN THIS SPECIAL SESSION. SO WE HAD BUDGETED FOR THE THREE NEW COURTS AS SOON AS THEY WERE SUBMITTED TO THE LEGISLATURE. THAT BILL WAS VETOED BY THE GOVERNOR AND THEN BROUGHT BACK AS PART OF THE SPECIAL SESSION, AS PART OF THE AMENDMENT PROCESS DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION.

WE THE LEGISLATURE DELAYED THE IMPLEMENTATION UNTIL NEXT SEPTEMBER SO THAT WE ARE NOT PAYING FULL FREIGHT FOR THOSE FOR THOSE THE, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT SUPPORT A COURT. SO THE DA'S, THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS, THE CLERKS, THE JUDGES, ETC., THAT'LL ALL BE PUSHED TO NEXT YEAR. OKAY.

THANK YOU. I WILL DONATE MY TIME TO PRECINCT FOUR.

THANK YOU. PRECINCT FOUR. YOU WILL HAVE SIX MINUTES AND 54 SECONDS.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR RAMOS, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE $75,000? THE. SORRY, THE PAY BUMP THAT WENT TO THOSE MAKING UNDER $75,000 EARLIER THIS YEAR.

DID THAT AFFECT OMB STAFF? HOW SO? AND GENERALLY ACROSS THE COUNTY, HOW DO YOU THINK THAT MAY HAVE HELPED US ON THE PATH TOWARDS PAY EQUITY FOR ALL POSITIONS IN THE COUNTY? SO I SO JUST TO RECAP COMMISSIONERS COURT MADE A DECISION TO SINCE WE DID NOT HAVE THE PAY EQUITY STUDY AT THE TIME TO IMPLEMENT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING? YOU KNOW, OUR RECOMMENDATION FROM OMB WAS TO MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE, TO CREATE, TO MAKE IT A FLAT ADJUSTMENT AS OPPOSED TO A PERCENTAGE.

AND SO WE ENDED UP SPENDING 30 PLUS MILLION, $31 MILLION TO BUMP EVERYBODY UNDER $75,000 UP TO UP BY 2500. THERE WAS ALSO AN ADJUSTMENT FOR EVERYONE MAKING UNDER $20 AN HOUR.

SO THAT BASICALLY GETS US TO THE 37 MILLION THAT WE SPENT LAST YEAR.

I DO THINK IT WAS A GOOD ADVANCEMENT. YOU KNOW, IT WAS A GOOD STEP FORWARD AND DID TAKE CARE OF SOME FOLKS THAT WERE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE PAY SCALE. I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, AS WE RAISE THE $20 TO $20 AN HOUR, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW,

[00:55:03]

SO THERE WILL HAVE TO BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS ONCE THE PAY THE PAY PACE STUDY GETS IMPLEMENTED TO DEAL WITH THE COMPRESSION BETWEEN THOSE POSITIONS.

AND THOSE THAT DID AFFECT YOUR TEAM FOLKS AT OMB.

THERE WERE THERE WERE THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF FOLKS THAT DID.

OKAY. THANK YOU. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE PROPOSED OFFSETS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE BUDGET FROM YOUR OFFICE AND HOW YOU ARRIVED AT THOSE? SURE. SO WE WE HAVE TWO RETIREMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THIS YEAR.

WE'RE CHOOSING NOT TO BACKFILL THEM. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LESS MONEY, LESS CAPACITY IS IS NOT A GOOD THINGS.

BUT WE DID IDENTIFY KIND OF AREAS WHERE WE COULD LEAN ON OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE NOT BACKFILLING IS OUR INTERNAL IT PERSON.

SO THAT WOULD BE YOU KNOW, IT'S A REDUCTION IN SERVICE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAN ON UNIVERSAL SERVICES TO PROVIDE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING IN-HOUSE CAPACITY.

WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO IDENTIFY ABOUT $90,000 WORTH OF INSURANCE COSTS.

THAT CAME IN LESS THAN WHAT THAT WAS ANTICIPATED.

RELATEDLY, IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO SERVICES LIKE IT, COMMS, ADMIN, HR, FINANCE, THOSE KINDS OF FUNCTIONS AND EXAMPLES WHERE, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENTS MAY DO IT WELL, AND THERE'S THE ECONOMIES OF SCALE VERSUS EACH DEPARTMENT KIND OF DOING IT ON THEIR OWN.

SURE. SO, SO FOR US, THE, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATOR DICKERMAN MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE OUR MODEL OF HAVING KIND OF A SHARED HR COMMUNICATIONS.

OUR OFFICE, YOU KNOW, COMPARATIVELY TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS, IS RELATIVELY SMALL.

WE DON'T NEED A FULL TIME COMMS DIRECTOR. YOU KNOW, WE MAY ON BOARD 5 TO 6 PEOPLE A YEAR.

SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE FOR US TO HAVE DEDICATED HR CAPACITY.

SO WE DO LOOK AND, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE ESPECIALLY SOME OF THESE SMALLER DEPARTMENTS WHERE YOU MAY NOT HAVE A PROFESSIONAL HR OR FINANCE PERSON.

YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, MORE AKIN TO LIKE AN OFFICE MANAGER THAT IS DOING THIS OR A CLERK THAT IS DOING THIS AS OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO TO KIND OF UPSKILL DEPARTMENTS IS WE'VE DONE THE ANALYST ON LOAN PROGRAM OR CFO ON LOAN PROGRAM, WHERE A DEPARTMENT CAN MAKE A REQUEST TO US AND WE'LL SEND SOMEBODY OVER FOR 30 HOURS A WEEK TO HELP JUST CLEAN UP AND GET GET TO THE BASICS. THAT'S BEEN AN IMMENSELY POPULAR PROGRAM.

I CAN TELL YOU OF THE DEPARTMENTS WE'VE DONE IT FOR, I THINK THREE OF THEM HAVE HIRED THOSE ANALYSTS ON AS THEIR CFO.

SO WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY AND UPSKILL THE FOLKS AT THE DEPARTMENT.

SO THEY'RE NOT AS RELIANT ON US TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONAL AND FINANCE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE THE EXAMPLE. DO YOU THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY GOING INTO NEXT YEAR? AND THE BUDGET FOR FY 27 TO DO THAT WITH SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND FIND ECONOMIES OF SCALE WITH THOSE KINDS OF SERVICES.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT. AGAIN, IT WOULD REQUIRE BUY IN FROM THE DEPARTMENTS.

I THINK THERE'S A COMFORT LEVEL WITH HAVING YOUR OWN STAFF, AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME INSTANCES LIKE THE COUNTY ENGINEER, WHICH IS ONBOARDING BASICALLY ALL THE TIME, CONSTANTLY FOR STAFF ACROSS ALL OF THEIR FUNDS, OR IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE THE IN-HOUSE CAPACITY.

THERE ARE SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT WHERE IT MAY, IT MAY WORK FOR THEM TO GO TO MORE OF A SHARED MODEL.

AND I KNOW THIS ISN'T SPECIFIC TO TO YOUR DEPARTMENT BUT RELATED TO THE PROPOSED HIRING FREEZE.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EXCEPTIONS AND HOW, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL OFFICES OR DEPARTMENTS THAT WOULD BE EXEMPTED FROM THERE? SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHICH DEPARTMENTS ARE COMPLETELY EXEMPTED.

LIKE I MENTIONED IN THE LAST ONES, THE ONES THAT WE'VE WE WOULD RECOMMEND AT THIS POINT IS LAW ENFORCEMENT.

BECAUSE OF THE SB 23 IMPLICATIONS, THE JAIL DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S PUBLIC DEFENDER.

AND WE WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND EXEMPTING THE TAX ASSESSOR, COLLECTOR AND THE COUNTY CLERK BECAUSE OF ONE REVENUE GENERATION, TWO, BECAUSE OF THEIR ROLES IN THE ELECTIONS THAT ARE COMING UP NEXT YEAR.

SO AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD SET UP A PROCESS, YOU KNOW, AKIN TO THE FISCAL REVIEW FORM, WHERE WHERE DEPARTMENTS WOULD SUBMIT WHAT, WHAT THIS POSITION DOES, HOW LONG IT'S BEEN VACANT, WHAT ITS PURPOSE IS GOING TO BE. AND WHAT ITS, WHAT ITS CONNECTION TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN I ASSUME MY LAST QUESTION HAVING BEEN HERE FOR SEVERAL BUDGET CYCLES NOW, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PROCESS AND THE WAY THAT THE COUNTY AND THE COURT ARE MANAGING BUDGET CYCLES AND SPEAKING TO THE PUBLIC AND THE

[01:00:03]

THE FIRST YEAR WE REALLY FOCUSED AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE DATA THAT WE COULD TRUST. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WE GOT TO PROGRAMS. THIS YEAR WE GOT TO SERVICES.

AND SO WE'RE BECOMING MORE AND MORE GRANULAR.

I THINK WE ARE AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WE'RE GETTING BETTER AT CONNECTING THE DOLLARS TO A PERFORMANCE MEASURE.

I THINK THAT WE STILL HAVE TOO MANY PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND TOO MANY INITIATIVES AND TOO MANY GOALS.

AT THIS POINT, I THINK THE COUNTY WOULD BENEFIT FROM SHRINKING TO REALLY BE HYPER FOCUSED ON, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS GOING TO MOVE, MOVE THE NEEDLE IN THE COUNTY THE, THE MOST.

I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT I GOT WHEN I GOT HERE WAS, WAS THAT DEPARTMENTS FELT LIKE THE PROCESS WAS ALWAYS CHANGING.

AND SO WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD. THE QUESTIONS MAY HAVE CHANGED, THE LEVEL OF GRANULARITY MAY HAVE CHANGED, BUT THE BUDGET PROPOSAL THAT THEY'RE SUBMITTING LOOKS AND FEELS THE SAME.

HIM AND SO ON. A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS, THEY'RE JUST HAVING TO UPDATE KIND OF THE WHAT'S NEW, WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT IMPROVEMENTS THEY HAVE MADE, AS OPPOSED TO KIND OF STARTING FROM SCRATCH, WHICH IS WHAT THEY WERE DOING ESSENTIALLY EVERY YEAR.

THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. YOU HAVE NO TIME REMAINING.

PRECINCT ONE, YOU HAVE THREE SECONDS REMAINING.

THANK YOU. I'LL FORWARD MINE VIA EMAIL. THANK YOU.

PRECINCTS TWO, THREE AND FOUR. YOU HAVE NO TIME REMAINING.

SO WITH THAT DIRECTOR RAMOS, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

THANK YOU, TRACY, AND THANK YOU STAFF THAT ARE HERE.

YOU KNOW, OUR OFFICE DOES THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE PARAMETERS THAT ARE SET OUT.

I'M NOT, AS I'VE SAID PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY TO YOU ALL, I'M NOT IN A POSITION OF GIVING A LOT OF GOOD NEWS.

BUT I DO THINK DESPITE THE BUDGET CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SUCCESSES.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE CHANGED THE LIVES OF OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY.

AND I THINK WE HAVE SET A LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND PROFESSIONALISM IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS.

DID NOT EXIST, YOU KNOW, FOR MANY YEARS IN HARRIS COUNTY.

SO WHILE MY MY ANSWERS ARE NOT ALWAYS FUN ONES OR WHAT FOLKS WANT TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, I ASSURE YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR FOLKS ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK BECAUSE WE KNOW AT THE END OF THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD OF OUR DECISIONS IS A RESIDENT THAT'S GOING TO GET A SERVICE OR NOT GET A SERVICE. SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN, DIRECTOR RAMOS.

AND TO THE ENTIRE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALSO FOR THE HARD WORK IN PUTTING THESE HEARINGS TOGETHER.

NEXT UP WE WILL HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY SUPERVISION DEPARTMENT.

GREAT. THANK.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU, COURT OFFICERS. WE WILL NOW BEGIN OUR PRESENTATION FROM COMMUNITY SUPERVISIONS.

[Community Supervision]

OFFICE OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT AND MEMBERS OF COMMISSIONERS COURT.

MY NAME IS JACKIE WERTZ. I AM AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH HARRIS COUNTY CSD AND I'M JOINED BY GORAN MARJANOVIC.

HE IS OUR FINANCE MANAGER, AS WELL AS CLAUDE CUMMINGS, WHO IS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND CHIEF OF STAFF.

BUDGET MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL DURING THIS ENTIRE BUDGET PROCESS AND WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY.

HARRIS COUNTY CSD IS COMMITTED TO USING EVIDENCE BASED STRATEGIES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS ON COMMUNITY SUPERVISION, ELIMINATE FUTURE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND BECOME PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS, WHICH IN TURN CREATES A SAFER COMMUNITY WITH FEWER VICTIMS. I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE KEY PROGRAMS WE SUPPORT AND DISCUSS THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER.

STARTING WITH THE FELONY MENTAL HEALTH COURT IT'S DESIGNED TO DIVERT CLIENTS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BY PROVIDING INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT AND FACILITATING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT AND OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

[01:05:05]

DRUG COURT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY FOR CLIENTS WITH ALCOHOL AND OR DRUG ABUSE PROBLEMS. DRUG COURT OFFERS CASE MANAGEMENT, COUNSELING SERVICES, AND PEER RECOVERY COACHING.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT PROGRAM FUNDED BY HARRIS COUNTY IS OUR STAFF AND THE RESPONSIVE INTERVENTIONS FOR CHANGE DOCKET OR RICK.

RICK CONSOLIDATES STATE JAIL AND THIRD DEGREE FELONY DRUG AND PROSTITUTION CASES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE FILED AMONGST THE DISTRICT COURTS INTO ONE DOCKET EFFICIENTLY, IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY MANAGE AND DIVERT INDIVIDUALS FROM INCARCERATION IN JAIL AND PRISON TO TREATMENT, SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION. THE CSRD SUPPORTS THE RISK DOCKET BY PROVIDING ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT AND PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION.

THE DOCKET HAS HELPED MOVE THROUGH OVER 4000 CASES PER YEAR, AIDING IN BACKLOG REDUCTION.

ADDICTION RECOVERY COACHES COLLABORATE WITH COURT REPRESENTATIVES, OFFICERS, AND CLIENTS TO IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE CLIENTS ACCESS TO RESOURCES, SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO ACHIEVE RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS OR CO-OCCURRING ISSUES WHICH WILL LEAD TO LONG TERM SUCCESS.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT SERVICE PROVIDED IS TELEPSYCHIATRY SERVICES.

THIS IS TO OUR CLIENTS IN OUR DUAL DIAGNOSIS PROGRAM.

THE BENEFIT OF THIS SERVICE IS TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES TO CLIENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES.

AGAIN, WE DO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY, AND WE WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU. EACH COURT OFFICE WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, BEGINNING WITH THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

HI. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. CAN YOU PLEASE FIRST DISCUSS WHETHER THERE ARE ANY RECENT CHANGES TO LEGISLATION THAT YOU EXPECT TO IMPACT YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY? I WOULDN'T SAY THAT AFFECT OUR SERVICES.

NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. I'D LOVE TO JUST KNOW YOUR GENERAL THOUGHTS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS IS.

WHETHER YOU FEEL THAT YOU'LL HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO MAINTAIN YOUR CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICES AND OTHERWISE MEET ANY STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IMPOSED ON YOUR OFFICE.

I CAN TAKE THAT QUESTION. THANK YOU. WE WERE WE RECEIVED THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.

IT'S CONSISTENT WITH LAST YEAR'S ALLOCATION. WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

AND OUR SERVICE LEVEL SHOULD BE CONSISTENT AS THEY WERE IN FY 25.

SO WE DON'T SEE A HUGE DISRUPTION TO SERVICES FOR FY 526.

PERFECT. THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR. AND THEN WITH, YOU KNOW, IDEAS OF A POTENTIAL HIRING FREEZE FLOATING AROUND, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW HIRING AND RETENTION HAVE BEEN FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT AND WHAT THE IMPACT OF A HIRING FREEZE WOULD BE? SURE. RIGHT NOW WE'RE WE'RE PRETTY WELL, WE'RE PRETTY WELL STAFFED.

OUR WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT WE LIKE TO BE AROUND 600 EMPLOYEES RIGHT NOW AT ABOUT 575.

HIRING FREEZE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH.

WE HAD TO IMPLEMENT ONE AS WELL. WE HAVE SOME OTHER FUNDING FROM THE STATE THAT HAD SOME SHORTFALLS AS WELL.

SO IT'S CONSISTENT WITH SOMETHING THAT WE'VE WORKED ON IN THE PAST.

SO WE WOULD BE ON BOARD IF THAT IS TO MOVE FORWARD IN FY 26 AS WELL.

GREAT. THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. I'LL YIELD MY TIME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT ONE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR PRESENTING.

SO FOLLOWING UP, YOU MENTIONED BRIEFLY ABOUT THE STATE FUNDING.

HAVE YOU LOST ANY FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDING, OR IS THERE ANY FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDING THAT YOU ANTICIPATE MIGHT BE AT RISK? WE WE HAD SMALL REDUCTIONS IN STATE FUNDING FOR SOME SOME GRANTS.

WE PARTNER WITH HARRIS COUNTY AS SUB RECIPIENTS ON APPROXIMATELY EIGHT GRANTS THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

SO WE'VE SEEN SOME SMALL REDUCTIONS, NOT NOT NOT ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT.

WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE REDUCTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN.

WE HAVE SEEN SOME INCREASES ON THE STATE FUNDING SIDE FOR OUR FROM TEXAS TECH.

SO THAT HAS BEEN A VERY POSITIVE FACTOR FOR US THIS YEAR IN FY 26.

SO THAT WAS A BIG, BIG SUPPORT. THANK YOU. AND SO JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND, DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY CHANGES IN SERVICE IN SPITE OF THE LOSS OF THAT FUNDING. THAT'S CORRECT. CORRECT. OKAY. THE FUNDING THAT HE REFERENCED FROM TDCJ WILL FILL IN ANY GAPS.

OKAY. THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR. AND THEN FOLLOWING UP ON A QUESTION FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ANSWER IS NO. BUT GIVEN POSSIBLE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES OR EXPECTED LEGISLATIVE CHANGES, IS THERE ANY CHANCE OF NEEDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS THOSE ARE IMPLEMENTED FROM HARRIS COUNTY OR FROM FROM

[01:10:06]

WE DID NOT SUBMIT A SERVICE LEVEL INCREASE REQUEST THIS YEAR EITHER.

AND THE GAP. THE SUPPORTED FUNDING FROM THE STATE WAS ABLE TO CLOSE SOME OF THE RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT GAPS THAT WE HAD.

SO THAT WAS A BIG SUPPORT FOR US. SO WE WILL NOT BE MAKING A ONE TIME REQUEST FROM HARRIS COUNTY THIS YEAR.

OKAY. WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE REQUEST A ONE TIME REQUEST FOR ANOTHER REQUEST THIS YEAR THROUGH FY 26? OKAY, GREAT. AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION AND YOU ALREADY HIT ON THIS IN YOUR OPENING, BUT IN CASE YOU WANTED TO SHARE ANY MORE, ARE THERE ANY EFFORTS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN, LIKE ONES THAT YOU MENTIONED OR THAT YOU THINK YOU COULD TAKE TO REDUCE OVERALL RELIANCE ON INCARCERATION AND INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY AND ABILITY FOR RESIDENTS TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE DO RELY ON.

I THINK AS IT STANDS, WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT FINANCIALLY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE OUR CLIENTS.

AT THE I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING LEGISLATIVELY OR OTHERWISE THAT WOULD HINDER ANY OF THAT.

NO, I THINK WE'RE GOOD. I'LL RESERVE MY TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PRECINCT TWO.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES. GOOD MORNING, AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

ARE THERE ANY RESOURCES EARMARKED IN YOUR CURRENT BUDGET TO KEEP STAFF CURRENT AND UP TO DATE ON EMERGING BEST PRACTICES AND COMMUNITY SUPERVISION AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGE. ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST TRAINING SCHEDULE.

WE HAVE ALL OF OUR NEW HIRES GO THROUGH A VERY ROBUST ONBOARDING PROCESS ALWAYS KEEPING UP WITH BEST PRACTICES, ALWAYS KEEPING OUR STAFF UP TO DATE. GREAT. AND WHAT EMERGING CHALLENGES, SUCH AS STAFFING SHORTAGES OR CHANGES IN CRIME TRENDS, POSE THE BIGGEST RISK TO FUTURE BUDGET STABILITY? I WOULD SAY WE'VE WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN SUPERVISION PLACEMENTS, WHICH MEANS THAT CASELOADS HAD GONE UP.

WE WERE STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WITH KEEPING UP WITH THAT AND OUR HIRING PRACTICES.

BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO GET OUR CASELOADS DOWN STABILIZE REDUCE RETENTION. AND JUST A FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

YEAH, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 13 NEW STAFF COMING ON NEXT WEEK.

THIS IS THEY ARE ALL PROBATION OFFICERS. SO THAT IS GOING TO SPEAKING TO THE CASELOAD SITUATION THAT SHE'S MENTIONING.

WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MANAGEABLE CASELOAD THAT HELPS WITH OUR RETENTION.

WHEN THE STAFF ARE OVERWORKED, THE CASELOADS ARE TOO HIGH. THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD IN THE EXIT INTERVIEWS AS A SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE LIKE, I NEED TO GO TRY SOMETHING ELSE. THIS IS A LITTLE TOO MUCH FOR US.

SO MANAGING THAT CASELOAD IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT TO OUR DEPARTMENT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON. AND NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE 13 COMING ON NEXT WEEK, WE'RE TARGETING AN ADDITIONAL TEN FOR THE FOLLOWING IN OCTOBER AS WELL.

AND THAT'S GOING TO PUT US IN THE PLACE THAT WE WANT TO BE AT FOR OUR CASELOADS TO BE WHERE THEY WHERE THEY IDEALLY NEED TO BE.

ALL RIGHT. AND HOW DOES YOUR BUDGET COMPARE TO OTHER COMMUNITY SUPERVISION DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE STATE? WE'RE THE LARGEST IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO WE WE I BELIEVE DALLAS IS THE SECOND SECOND LARGEST BEHIND US.

GOTCHA. AND HOW DOES THE DEPARTMENT EVALUATE WHETHER CLIENTS FEEL TREATED WITH DIGNITY DURING THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH CSC OFFICERS AND PROGRAMS? WE HAVE AN OMBUDSMAN ON STAFF. WE HAVE SIGNS ALL OVER.

IF ANYBODY FEELS ANY HAS ANY CONCERNS AT ALL, THEY'RE ENCOURAGED TO REACH OUT TO OUR OMBUDSMAN WHO RESEARCHES AND HANDLES ANY OF THOSE COMPLAINTS OR CONCERNS. GREAT.

THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. PRECINCT THREE.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES. CONGRATULATE DOCTOR AND HIS STAFF.

THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE, HE'S MUTED THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN THE MENTAL HEALTH TO ANOTHER LEVEL WITH THE USING THAT AND JUST THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING.

I'M VERY IMPRESSED AND GLAD TO SEE THAT THOSE ARE BEING DONE.

I WANTED TO ASK YOU THE THE 13 AND THE TEN THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT.

YOU HAD THOSE IN THE QUEUE BEFORE THE HIRING FREEZE CAME ALONG.

AND I'D SEEN THAT YOU HAD 58 VACANT SPOTS OF THIS.

13 WOULD COME OR 23 WOULD COME OUT OF THE 58.

THAT IS THAT IS CORRECT. THEY WERE ALREADY IN QUEUE.

AND ALSO THOSE ARE GOING TO BE EVERY ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS IS STATE FUNDED. IT WOULD NOT BE A HARRIS COUNTY IMPACT. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THAT, AND ARE THEY ALL PROBATION OFFICERS? THAT IS CORRECT, SIR.

[01:15:02]

OKAY. PRECINCT FOUR, YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. FIRST, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR OFFICE ON REENTRY AND GENERALLY AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, I THINK OTHER OFFICERS HAVE COVERED A LOT OF OUR QUESTIONS.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IN THE CURRENT BUDGET YOU DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY SERVICE CUTS, AND YOU'RE PRETTY COMFORTABLE ON BOTH YOUR HIRING SIDE AS WELL.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE SERVICES FROM FY 25.

OKAY. PERFECT. AND THEN I THINK I GUESS MOST OF THE QUESTIONS ARE ALREADY COVERED.

I DID WANT TO ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THIS BUDGET, DO YOU SEE ANY CONSTRAINTS IN TERMS OF HIRING, WHETHER IT BE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW AT SOME POINT THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SPACE. BUT IF YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT. YES.

THANK YOU. SO THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR US WILL BE NEEDING TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO PUT THE 58 OFFICERS THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO HIRE. PARTICULARLY, WE HAVE A STRUGGLE WITH OUR OFFICE THAT IS IN PRECINCT FOUR.

IT'S WE'VE OUTGROWN THAT SPACE. WE'VE HAD IT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

IN THAT SPACE, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST CASELOADS.

WE'RE AT ABOUT 220 TO 200, I BELIEVE STATE AVERAGE IS ABOUT 175 TO 150.

WE'D LIKE TO BRING THAT NUMBER DOWN. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS BY PUTTING MORE OFFICERS IN THAT SPACE AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE ROOM.

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ABOUT GETTING SOME ADDITIONAL SPACE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY.

BECAUSE WE CAN'T EXPAND THAT BUILDING ANYMORE.

AND UNTIL THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED, ARE YOU SAYING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A STRUGGLE HIRING FOR THE 58 POSITIONS, EVEN IF YOU WANTED TO? NOT HIRING BECAUSE WE NEED THOSE OFFICERS, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT, IMPLEMENT SOME DIFFERENT THINGS, SOME FLEX SPACING, MAYBE HAVING SOME OF THOSE OFFICERS REPORT FROM HOME THOSE LOWER CASE INDIVIDUALS.

BUT IDEALLY WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A LARGER SPACE SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE OFFICERS AND GET THOSE CASELOAD NUMBERS DOWN.

OKAY. GOT IT. THANK YOU. AND WE CAN TOUCH BASE ON THAT AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE.

AND I GUESS THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE CURRENT BUDGET. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND 17 SECONDS REMAINING.

NO MORE QUESTIONS. I'M HAPPY TO DONATE MY TIME IF ANYONE HAS MORE.

PRECINCT ONE. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES AND 27 SECONDS REMAINING.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO REITERATE GRATITUDE FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND YOUR EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE JAIL POPULATION AS YOU WORK WITH PEOPLE IN OTHER CONTEXTS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PRECINCT TWO. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES AND 26 SECONDS REMAINING.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. PRECINCT THREE.

YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES AND 13 SECONDS REMAINING.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. PRECINCT FOUR.

YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES AND 50S REMAINING. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COURT OFFICES. SO NOW Y'ALL WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

THANK YOU. IN CLOSING, HARRIS COUNTY CSD IS EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE COUNTY AND ALL OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE COLLABORATING ON TOGETHER.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AS WE WORK TO PROVIDE CONTINUED SERVICES TO OUR CLIENTS, AS WELL AS THE COURTS AND CONTINUING BACKLOG REDUCTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

COURT OFFICES. WE WILL NOW HAVE A BREAK UNTIL 11:45 A.M., WHEN WE WILL START BACK UP WITH DISTRICT COURTS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELCOME BACK. COURT OFFICERS.

IT IS 11:45 A.M. AND WE ARE READY TO RESUME OUR FIRST DAY OF BUDGET HEARINGS.

[District Courts]

THERE WILL BE THREE MINUTES FOR THE PRESENTATION, FOLLOWED BY FIVE MINUTES FOR EACH COURT OFFICE FOR QUESTIONS. AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

RICHARD WOODS, DISTRICT COURTS ADMINISTRATOR.

AND I'M ACCOMPANIED BY LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICT JUDGE LATASHA LEWIS PAYNE.

AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING OUT THE TIME TO HEAR OUR REQUEST FOR FY 26.

I'D LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT OUR DISTRICT COURTS COMBINED HAVE OVER 116,000 CASES, ACTIVE CASES ON THEIR CASELOAD.

SO THEY'RE EXTREMELY BUSY WORKING VERY HARD. AND I THINK THE DATA PROVES THAT.

THE FIRST ITEM THAT WE REQUESTED AS PART OF OUR SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS FOR FY 26 THAT WE LIKE TO UNDERSCORE IS THE LANGUAGE ACCESS OFFICE.

WE REQUESTED APPROXIMATELY 7.1 MILLION FOR RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO STAND THAT OFFICE UP.

THERE WAS FUNDING PREVIOUSLY SET ASIDE TO PAY FOR THE RESOURCES FOR THE LANGUAGE ACCESS OFFICE.

[01:20:01]

ALSO, I'D LIKE TO MENTION THE CRIMINAL ASSOCIATE JUDGES.

WE HAVE SIX CRIMINAL ASSOCIATE JUDGES THAT ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED THROUGH ARPA.

AS YOU KNOW, THAT GRANT FUNDING ENDS THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

AND SO WE'VE ADDED THAT TO OUR SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS AS WELL.

THEY HAVE BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US TO REDUCE THE BACKLOG FROM A HIGH OF JUST AROUND 22,000 CASES, DOWN TO ITS CURRENT AMOUNT OF JUST OVER 5000 CASES.

SO WE'D LIKE TO UNDERSCORE THAT. I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT, REGARDING THE FELONY BOARD, THAT SENATE BILL NINE, WHICH WAS RECENTLY PASSED AT THIS MOST RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, IS GOING TO ADD SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR JUDICIAL RESOURCES AND WILL POTENTIALLY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AS WELL, IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH SB NINE. NEXT, I'D LIKE TO MENTION THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE DOCKET.

THAT DOCKET IS STAFFED BY VISITING JUDGES THAT ARE PAID FOR BY REGION 11.

HOWEVER, WE'VE REQUESTED FOR THE CURRENT ARPA FUNDED POSITIONS, WHICH ARE THREE COORDINATORS AND THREE COURT REPORTERS TO BE PAID FOR OUT OF GENERAL FUNDS. THOSE RESOURCES HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING THE FELONY BOARD CLEAR UP OVER 2000 IN CUSTODY CASES SINCE FY 22, SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE COULD HAVE YOUR SUPPORT REGARDING THOSE RESOURCES.

NEXT, I'D LIKE TO MENTION OUR FAMILY OPERATIONS MANAGER.

THAT IS A REQUEST THAT WE HAVE SUBMITTED THE LAST THREE FISCAL YEARS.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE MANAGER RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPORTING ALL 24 OF OUR CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS, AS WELL AS OUR 11 FAMILY DISTRICT COURTS. THAT IS A VERY DIFFICULT TASK FOR THAT ONE PERSON TO BE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE JUDGES. REMEMBER, THAT NUMBER WILL CLIMB TO AN ADDITIONAL FIVE CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS OCTOBER 1ST OF THIS OF NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO QUESTIONS FROM COURT OFFICES.

BEGINNING WITH PRECINCT ONE. YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

JUDGE PAYNE, MR. WOODS, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THE PROPOSED CUTS WILL IMPACT THE SERVICE THAT THE DISTRICT COURTS PROVIDES, AS WELL AS THE JAIL POPULATION AND KEEPING THAT AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION AT A AT A LOWER NUMBER.

WELL, WHAT WE'VE WHILE. OH, SORRY. THANK YOU.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PROPOSED CUTS I WANT TO SPEAK WITH REGARD TO THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES AND THE IRD AS A PROPOSED CUT, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T IS NOT HAS NOT BEEN A PART OF THE GENERAL FUND.

SB NINE WILL REQUIRE THE JUDGES TO HOLD NOT ONLY THE ELECTED JUDGES TO HOLD TO BE MORE INVOLVED AT BOND DECISIONS, BUT ALSO TO HOLD MORE HEARINGS. AND THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A JUDGE TO BE PRESENT.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT SOMETHING THEY CAN DEFER OFF TO SOMEONE ELSE.

AND SO YOU NEED A JUDICIAL OFFICER. AND BY THE FACT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HOLD MORE HEARINGS IN ORDER TO RELEASE INDIVIDUALS FROM, FROM, FROM JAIL ON BOND, THEN THAT MEANS THAT THE JAIL POPULATION WILL THEN HAVE TO WAIT FOR THOSE HEARINGS TO OCCUR, WAIT FOR THOSE DECISIONS TO BE MADE. AND IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE IT'S GOING TO BE A LONGER PROCESS.

IN ADDITION, THERE THE THE THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT MAY BE VOTED ON BY THE VOTERS, IF THAT IS EFFECTIVELY PUT IN PLACE, AND THERE WILL BE A REQUIREMENT ALMOST THAT A GOOD NUMBER OF THE POPULATION WILL HAVE TO BE IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAILS. SO IT'S IT'S CRITICAL TO HAVE ENOUGH JUDICIAL OFFICERS TO HAVE ENOUGH ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF IN PLACE TO HANDLE THE WHAT WE KNOW IS COMING IS AN INCREASE IN HEARINGS AND AN INCREASE IN DEFENDANTS WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE HELD OVER IN THE JAIL.

READ IF I CAN JUMP IN. THE OMB HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH WITH THE JUSTICE PARTNERS, WE ARE PREPARED TO SET ASIDE MONEY AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE IMPACTS OF SB9 ONCE WE RECEIVE A PROPOSAL THAT'S BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD.

TO DATE, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE JUDGES.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, DIRECTOR RAMOS. MY NEXT QUESTION IS FOR YOU, AS WELL AS JUDGE PAYNE AND MR. WOODS. THE COST SAVINGS REALIZED FROM DELAYING THE NEW COURTS FROM JANUARY 1ST TO SEPTEMBER IS THAT ARE THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE REINVESTED BACK INTO THE DISTRICT COURTS AND THE THE RESPECTIVE OFFICES, OR IS THAT GOING BACK INTO GENERAL FUND? IT'S GOING BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND. AS YOU MIGHT REMEMBER, THE LAST ITERATION OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET,

[01:25:05]

SO WE STILL HAVE ABOUT $1 MILLION WORTH OF UNALLOCATED CUTS THAT WE NEED TO FILL.

WE HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW THAT WILL ULTIMATELY GET SOLVED, BUT THE ENTIRE BUDGET IS AMENDABLE, SO OF COURSE IT GIVES ME THE DIRECTION TO GO AND TO FUND, WHETHER IT BE THE AJ'S OR THE IRD'S OR SOME HYBRID OR SOME OTHER SOLUTION TO HELP DEAL WITH SB9. WE'LL COME BACK AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHERE ELSE WE WOULD TAKE IT FROM.

THANK YOU. AND I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE IRD'S THAT YOU MENTIONED.

CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE WORK THAT THOSE PERFORM AND IF THERE'S COST SAVINGS THAT YOU CAN POTENTIALLY SEE BY KEEPING THOSE IN OPERATION? AS TO EITHER INDIGENT DEFENSE COSTS AS A WHOLE OR THE JAIL POPULATION.

SURE. THE IRD'S, IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT THEY PERFORM, THEY'RE THEY'RE STAFFED BY VISITING JUDGES WHO ARE PREVIOUS OR FORMER DISTRICT COURT JUDGES. SO THEY'RE ABLE TO BE TO HANDLE TRIALS.

AND SO THEY ADD A SIGNIFICANT RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT.

THE COORDINATORS AND COURT REPORTERS ARE IMPORTANT, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE SUPPORT STAFF.

SO WITHOUT THOSE RESOURCES, WHAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT IS TRYING TO USE AN EMPLOYMENT AGENCY.

OPEN WORK IS WHO THE COUNTY IS CONTRACTED WITH IN ORDER TO STAFF THAT.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WON'T BE ANY FUNDING IN OUR FY 26 BUDGET BECAUSE THE MONEY THAT IS CURRENTLY EARMARKED FOR THE OPEN WORK SUBSTITUTE COURT REPORTERS AND COURT COORDINATORS IS ACTUALLY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.

THANK YOU. I'LL RESERVE. THANK YOU. PRECINCT TWO.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

REGARDING THE SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUEST FOR A MENTAL HEALTH COURT COORDINATOR.

COULD YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE NEED FOR THIS POSITION AND HOW IT WOULD HELP THE COURTS? SURE. SO THE MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR POSITION IS ACTUALLY A SECOND COORDINATOR POSITION.

THAT DOCKET CURRENTLY HAS AN AVERAGE CASELOAD OF OVER 1300 CASES AND IS CURRENTLY STAFFED BY ONE COORDINATOR.

WE'VE GOT THREE JUDGES THAT ACTUALLY ROTATE IN PRESIDING OVER THOSE CASES.

AND WITHOUT THAT SECOND COORDINATOR, IT JUST STALLS THE PROGRESS OF THAT DOCKET.

IT'S A IT'S A HIGH VOLUME DOCKET. UNDERSTOOD.

AND WE ALREADY COVERED THE SB9 IMPLICATIONS, SO I'LL SKIP THIS ONE.

WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT ON THE DISTRICT COURTS IF THE ARPA FUNDED ASSOCIATE JUDGE POSITIONS WERE NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE IN THEIR CURRENT FORM? WELL, I THINK THAT THE IMMEDIATE IS THAT IT'S GOING TO RESULT IN A SLOWDOWN OF THE OF THE WORK THAT COMES THROUGH THE CRIMINAL COURTS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE AN EXTRA BODY TO COME IN AND ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE WORKLOAD FOR THE ELECTED JUDGE.

AND SO I THINK YOU WILL YOU WILL DEFINITELY SEE THE DOCKETS MOVE SLOWER, WHICH MEANS IT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE BACKLOG.

YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE WORKED SO HARD TO REDUCE.

THANK YOU. AND COULD YOU BREAK DOWN FOR US HOW YOUR TEAM CAME UP WITH THE BUDGET? THE BUDGET ESTIMATE FOR THE LANGUAGE ACCESS OFFICE.

SO. OH. GO AHEAD. SO? SO THE BUDGET FOR THE LANGUAGE ACCESS OFFICE.

WE ACTUALLY WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH OMB ON THAT.

ALL THE LABOR AND THE NON-LABOR SIDE. SO WE WE LOOKED AT EXPENSES FROM THE LAST, THE PREVIOUS THREE FISCAL YEARS AND PROJECTED OUT WHERE WHERE THE VOLUME WOULD BE AND MADE SURE THAT WE USED A MODEL THAT IT'S NOT THE GOLD STANDARD, BUT IT'S A IT'S A STANDARD THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH FOR NOW, WHICH WAS HAVING TWO COHORTS SHARE A SINGLE INTERPRETER.

SO THERE ARE FOUR ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS IN THE BUDGET AS WELL.

THE NON-LABOR EXPENSES ARE JUST A SMALL FRACTION OF THE OVERALL BUDGET.

THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SAY ON THAT IS THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS LANGUAGE ACCESS, ALONG WITH WITH VARIOUS COMMISSIONERS FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET A PLAN THROUGH THAT.

WE'VE PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN AN INCREASE IN REQUESTS FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES.

AND SO WITHOUT THAT FUNDING, IT'S GOING TO PUT BOTH THE JUDICIARY BUT AS WELL AS THE COUNTY IN A PRECARIOUS SITUATION WHERE LANGUAGE ACCESS IS NOT BEING PROVIDED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT RESOURCE THERE.

SO I WOULD JUST I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.

THE PUBLIC DOES KNOW THAT WE ARE TO PROVIDE IT, AND WITHOUT THE RESOURCES, IT WILL MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DO SO.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING IN TODAY. APPRECIATE IT. THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS. PRECINCT THREE.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

IT'S NORMAL TO SEE YOU HERE AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND YOU KIND OF KEEP US INFORMED WITH WHAT'S GOING ON.

[01:30:02]

IS IT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS ALSO A JUDGE THAT HAD TO BE AVAILABLE AT INTAKE DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, ALSO DIFFERENT FROM THE JUDGE THAT'S NORMALLY THERE? YES, BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE MATTERS AS OF EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST HAVE TO BE DETERMINED BY AN ELECTED JUDGE OR THE ELECTED JUDGE OF THAT COURT. SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO WORK OUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS OF HOW ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO BE MANAGED ON A WEEKEND BASIS.

I SAY WE THE FELONY BOARD IS MEETING TO DETERMINE THAT.

BUT YES, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THE MAGISTRATE'S AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST, THERE ARE CERTAIN MATTERS THAT THEY CANNOT MAKE DECISIONS ON WITH REGARD TO BOND.

AND HAVE YOU GOTTEN A REPORT ON HOW THE WEEKEND WENT? I HAVE NOT. IF IT'S EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST. SO UPCOMING WEEKEND? YES. OKAY. UPCOMING WEEKEND. NEXT WEEKEND. OKAY.

SO. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. WELL, GOOD. I'M. I JUST WANTED I WAS THINKING THAT IT WAS AN INTAKE PROBLEM AND THAT THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE ANOTHER JUDGE THERE ALSO.

SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS.

ARE YOU SAYING THAT ALL OF THE THE DISTRICT COURTS WILL NOW HAVE A BETWEEN TWO COURTS? THEY HAVE ONE INTERPRETER THAT IS NOT THE CURRENT MODEL CURRENTLY.

THAT'S THE PLAN. THAT IS THE PLAN. OKAY. YES, SIR.

THAT'S HAVING WORKED IN THE COURTS LOOKING FOR INTERPRETERS.

THAT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY. I'M ENCOURAGED BY THAT.

IN YOUR BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED WAS AN OFFSET WAS BY MOVING 1.5 MILLION REGARDING FIVE COURT REPORTERS TO A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND. TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

SO THAT ACTUALLY THAT AMOUNT IS ACTUALLY 900,000 FOR FIVE.

CURRENTLY GENERAL FUND FLOAT POOL COURT REPORTERS THAT SUPPORT OUR FAMILY, ASSOCIATE JUDGES, THEY'RE ALSO DEPLOYED TO SUPPORT OTHER FAMILY DISTRICT JUDGES AND CIVIL DISTRICT JUDGES.

SO WE'RE LOOKING TO MOVE THOSE FIVE RESOURCES OVER TO SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.

2346. OKAY.

THAT CONCLUDES MY QUESTIONS FOR RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PRECINCT FOUR. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND MR. WOODS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. JUST HAD A KIND OF WANTED TO BUILD ON SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ALREADY ASKED.

SO FOR SB9, I IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO LEARN AS WE GO ALONG.

IS THERE A PLAN ON HOW YOU'LL PLAN TO MONITOR TRACK DATA ON ON SB9? I'M FLAGGING THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OMB WOULD REQUIRE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION TO TO DETERMINE THE RESOURCE REQUEST THROUGH THE YEAR.

SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU ALL HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE ON HOW YOU PLAN TO MONITOR AND TO ARE THERE GOING TO BE REGULAR MEETINGS WITH, LIKE ALL DIFFERENT JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS IMPACTED BY SB9, OR IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU ALL ARE THINKING? SO I WILL SAY WE ARE WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE FIRE, WHICH IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN THIS WEEKEND AND GOING FORWARD.

WE HAVE NOT SAT DOWN AND HAD A MOMENT TO SIT DOWN TO TALK ABOUT DATA COLLECTION OR OR WHAT THAT WILL MEAN.

THE SB9 DOES HAVE SORT OF A ROLE WHERE ACTIVITIES WILL BE REVIEWED, I GUESS, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

SO IT DOES HAVE THAT IN THERE. BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY DATA REQUIREMENTS SPECIFICALLY.

SO I WILL SAY JUST RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T KNOW, NO.

AND WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO TO PUT OUT THE FIRE YET.

SURE. AND THEN JUST TO GO BACK TO BOTH THE IRD'S AND THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES PROGRAM.

SO THE COST OF THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE PROGRAM, EVERYTHING COMBINED IS CLOSE TO 4.8 MILLION.

IS THAT. THAT SOUNDS. OUR PORTION IS 2.1 MILLION.

THAT'S JUST FOR SIX ASSOCIATE JUDGES AND THE COURT REPORTERS AND COURT COORDINATORS.

COULD YOU SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES WOULD COULD, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT ON THE ON SB9 VERSUS SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, CONTINUING THE IRD'S THAT IS ACTUALLY A CONVERSATION THAT THEY WILL RESUME TODAY.

THERE'S THEY'VE BEEN MEETING DAILY TRYING TO CONTINUE TO WORK OUT THE PROCESS.

SO THAT IS ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS. AND AN ABSENT ABSENT A SORT OF I GUESS ABSENT A HUGE VOTE THAT SAYS WE WILL DEFINITELY USE THEM IN THIS WAY.

THE THE CURRENTLY, THEY WORK UNDER A REFERRAL SYSTEM WHERE THE JUDGES HAVE IDENTIFIED THE MATTERS THAT COULD BE REFERRED TO THEM.

AND SO THAT'S SORT OF HOW THE WORK WOULD GET TO THEM.

[01:35:04]

GOT IT. AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION.

I KNOW WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL, FIRST OF ALL, HAVE DONE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CASE DISPOSITION. IT'S ALREADY SHOWING A HUGE IMPACT ON ON THE JAIL POPULATION. SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.

AND I KNOW OVER THE LAST YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT INITIATIVES.

YOU KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING CASE MANAGEMENT AND THOSE OTHER THINGS.

LAST YEAR I BELIEVE WE HAD CHAMPIONED, YOU KNOW, SOME SOME FUNDING FOR THE COMPETENCY BACKLOG.

COULD YOU SPEAK TO TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE NOW? AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE ANY COST SAVINGS BEEN GENERATED FROM THAT? AND WHERE IS THAT MONEY? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THAT IS ONE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF.

THE HERITAGE CENTER HAS WORKED VERY HARD, WITH THE ADDITIONAL 1.2 MILLION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO ADDRESS THE BACKLOG, AND THEY'VE REDUCED THAT FROM OVER 800 BACKLOGGED EVALUATIONS, LITERALLY DOWN TO LIKE TEN EVALUATIONS AS OF TODAY'S DATE.

SO THEY'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB. AND SO THAT WAS ABOUT 1.2 MILLION LAST YEAR.

AND NOW IT'S DOWN TO YEAH, IT'S DOWN TO TEN. HOWEVER, IN ORDER FOR US TO AVOID SEEING THAT SAME BACKLOG BE ACCRUED ALL OVER AGAIN, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE FUNDING TO TO PAY THE OVERTIME NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE EVALUATIONS.

BECAUSE OF THAT NUMBER OF EVALUATIONS EXCEEDS I THINK THEIR CAPACITY RIGHT NOW IS 168 PER MONTH.

IF IT EXCEEDS THAT, THEN THE BACKLOG STARTS TO ACCUMULATE.

GOT IT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I GUESS MY ONE FINAL QUESTION IS GOING TO BE ON LANGUAGE ACCESS.

SO THE ONE AND I KNOW OMB HAS DONE A PRETTY DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THE 1.7 MILLION A PART OF THAT WAS SORT OF FOR THE COORDINATOR AND THE DIRECTOR AND, YOU KNOW, WHO COULD HELP WITH TRACKING HOW THE PROGRAM IS DOING, YOU KNOW, OTHER NEEDS, ETC..

DO YOU DO YOU THINK A PART OF THAT REQUEST IS MORE URGENT THAN THE OTHERS, OR DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW, OR WOULD THAT IMPACT THE WAY THE PLAN IS BEING IMPLEMENTED? MAINLY YOU KIND OF WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WHAT IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE CURRENT MODEL AND IF HE WERE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, LOOK INTO HAVING A DIRECTOR IN A COORDINATOR TO BEGIN WITH AND HAVE SORT OF A PHASED APPROACH, HOW WOULD THAT PLAY OUT? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THE CURRENT MODEL CONSISTS OF THE FAMILY AND JUVENILE DIVISION.

I SHOULD SAY JUVENILE AND CRIMINAL ACTUALLY HAVE A LIST OF INTERPRETERS THAT WE HAVE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS WITH.

AND THEN FAMILY AND CIVIL HAS TO USE THE INTERPRETER AGENCIES TO SECURE INTERPRETERS.

SO THE COORDINATORS FOR EACH ONE OF THE DISTRICT JUDGES ACTUALLY WORKS TO FACILITATE MAKING THOSE REQUESTS.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

HI. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SO ACCESSIBLE AND FORTHCOMING THROUGH THE WHOLE BUDGET PROCESS.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND AND ALL THAT. YOU ALL DO.

SO YOU'VE TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT. I WONDER IF YOU COULD JUST REALLY LAY OUT FOR US HOW SB NINE AND OTHER CHANGES IN, YOU KNOW, RECENT CHANGES IN LEGISLATION WILL IMPACT YOUR COURTS AND, AND THE DEMAND ON YOUR SERVICES.

WELL, I MEAN, I THINK THAT CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, BEGINNING THIS WEEKEND, WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, I THE THOUGHT I HAD TODAY WAS MY MOM TOLD ME IN COLLEGE, THERE'S ONLY 24 HOURS IN A DAY, BUT I WAS TRYING TO SQUEEZE IN 40 HOURS IN A DAY.

AND THAT'S THE REALITY THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

THERE'S ONLY A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THESE, THAT THE JUDGES ARE ON THE BENCH AND ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES, THE JUDICIAL SERVICES, AND THE FACT THAT THERE ARE THERE'S MORE THAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED OF THE ELECTED JUDGES TO TO DETERMINE WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON ALL THE CASES THAT ARE PENDING IN THOSE COURTS.

AND, AND, AND THERE WILL BE A TRICKLE DOWN TO THAT THAT WILL IMPACT BOTH THE INDIGENT FEES, WHICH WITH REGARD TO THE NUMBER OF HEARINGS. SO THE DEFENDANTS THAT COME IN AND STEP IN, THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE MORE HEARINGS THAN THEY TYPICALLY HAD AND THAT THERE WILL BE MORE PEOPLE WHO WILL HAVE TO BE WAIT IN JAIL IN ORDER SO THAT THEY CAN GET THEIR HEARING DETERMINED.

AND THEN THERE'S AN APPELLATE PROCESS THAT BUILDS, THAT'S BUILT INTO THAT, THAT'S GOING TO DELAY THE ULTIMATE RESULT IN A, IN A PARTICULAR CASE. SO IT'S IT'S IT'S IT'S ALL INTERRELATED, BUT IT ESSENTIALLY AMOUNTS TO A HUGE AMOUNT OF DELAY IN THE SYSTEM THAT WILL THEN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO JUST THE JUDICIARY.

OKAY. AND YOU HAD MENTIONED A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? SO THERE'S A SO THE, THE THE SENATE RESOLUTION AND I

[01:40:02]

WHAT THAT WILL MEAN IS THAT AUTOMATICALLY, WITHOUT A DETERMINATION FROM THE COURT, THE JUDGES WILL BE UNABLE TO TO HAVE THAT PERSON BE RELEASED ON BOND. AND SO THAT MEANS THAT THE COURTS THAT THE JAILS WILL, FOR THOSE CATEGORY OF OFFENSES, WILL HAVE TO HOUSE WRITE THOSE DEFENDANTS? THERE'S ABOUT 4 OR 5 CATEGORIES.

IT'S A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF THE COURT'S DOCKET CURRENTLY.

BUT THAT HAS TO BE VOTED ON BY BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

SO IT HAS TO BE VOTED ON IN NOVEMBER, AND IT WOULD BE IF APPROVED AS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

AND THEN SO I WANTED TO ASK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE DOCKETS.

I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN SOME IDEAS THROWN AROUND OF MAYBE RETOOLING THESE TO FOCUS SOLELY ON LOW LEVEL FELONIES.

SO I'M CURIOUS YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT, IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF, IF YOU THINK THAT THE JUDGES MIGHT HAVE SOME CONSENSUS ON ON THAT.

SO WHILE I I'VE HEARD SOME OF THE DISCUSSION AND SPOKEN WITH THE JUDGES THAT ARE LEADING SORT OF THE DOCKET RETOOLING CONVERSATION AS I UNDERSTAND IT RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT A CONSENSUS ON WHAT THAT RETOOLING SHOULD LOOK LIKE. THERE'S I THINK THERE'S THERE'S SOME OPINIONS, BUT I DON'T SEE THAT AT LEAST THE CRIMINAL, THE FELONY JUDGES HAVE COME TO A PLACE WHERE THEY ALL AGREE, ALONG WITH THE DA, AS TO WHAT THAT DOCKET SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

SO I ANTICIPATE THAT AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT'S GOING TO BE WHAT WE TARGETED IN THE, IN THE, IN THE PANDEMIC WAS OLDER CASES THAT NEEDED TO BE TRIED SO THAT WE COULD MOVE THOSE POPULATIONS OUT OF THE JAIL AND, YOU KNOW, TO THEIR ULTIMATE DISPOSITION.

SO BEFORE WE MOVE ON FROM THAT, IF I CAN ALSO ADD THAT BECAUSE THOSE ERRED DOCKETS ARE STAFFED BY CURRENT GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS, IF THEY AREN'T MOVED OVER TO THE GENERAL FUND, WE LOSE PRODUCTION FROM THE ERDS.

AND WE'LL GO BACK TO THE OLD MODEL OF HAVING TO USE A SINGLE STAFF PERSON THAT WE HAVE TO ROTATE BETWEEN DOCKETS AND THEN TRYING TO PAY OPEN WORK FOR A CONTRACT COURT REPORTER, WHICH WE WON'T HAVE FUNDING FOR. SO WE ESSENTIALLY LOSE ALL PRODUCTION FROM THE IRD.

THANK YOU. I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION FOR OMB, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

ABOUT THE LANGUAGE ACCESS PROGRAM. I MY UNDERSTANDING, I'M HOPING YOU CAN JUST PROVIDE SOME CLARITY FOR ME.

IS THAT THE LANGUAGE ACCESS STUFF WAS KIND OF FUNDED OUTSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS.

IS THAT NOT CORRECT? SO I THINK WE'RE OUT OF TIME, BUT WE CAN CIRCLE BACK AFTER EVERYBODY GETS THEIR CHANCE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PRECINCT ONE. YOU HAVE 45 SECONDS REMAINING.

I'LL DONATE MY TIME TO THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

OKAY. PRECINCT TWO, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES AND EIGHT SECONDS REMAINING.

I'LL ALSO DO MY TIME TO THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

THANK YOU. PRECINCT THREE. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES AND 19 SECONDS REMAINING.

MOORE FOR THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. THANK YOU.

SO THEN, COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND 20S REMAINING.

ALL RIGHT. SO MY THE THE 1.7 THAT WAS IN OCA WAS, WAS PUT THERE BEFORE MY, MY TIME.

SO THAT HAS ESSENTIALLY GONE UNSPENT AND HAS BEEN CARRIED FORWARD KIND OF YEAR OVER YEAR IN TERMS OF THE CONTRIBUTION.

SO THE TRANSLATION SERVICES SIT IN INDIVIDUAL FUNDS FOR THE COUNTY COURTS AND THE DISTRICT COURTS.

CORRECT. WE MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS INTO THOSE FUNDS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

AND SO THOSE SIMILAR TO INDIGENT DEFENSE, THOSE BILLS WILL CONTINUE TO GET PAID EVEN AS THAT ACCOUNT GOES TO ZERO.

AND THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONS WHERE WE'VE GONE AND HAD TO MAKE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS INTO THEM IN TERMS OF LIKE THE FORMAL LANGUAGE ACCESS PROGRAM AND THE AND THE OFFICE AND THE KIND OF THE MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO IT.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE WAITING COURT'S APPROVAL FOR THE PLAN.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL AGAIN HAVE TO IDENTIFY OFFSETS FOR IT IN THE COMING YEARS.

BUT ONCE, ONCE THE PLAN IS APPROVED, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FUNDING.

THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARITY. I THINK THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU.

COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. AND NOW DISTRICT COURTS.

[01:45:03]

OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR WORKING WITH US.

THE DISTRICT COURTS ON ALL OF OUR INITIATIVES, WHETHER IT'S HANDLING BACKLOG OR TRYING TO GET ACCESS TO SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS THAT APPEAR IN THE COURTS.

I THANK YOU. YOUR OFFICES HAVE ALL BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL ALLOWING THE TIME THE THE HIGHLIGHTS.

ONE THING I THINK WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET TO, AT LEAST IN OUR OPENING, THAT WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE, WAS THAT OUR REQUEST LAST WEEK IS WE STILL HAVE A REQUEST TO ADJUST THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES FOR CIVIL AND FAMILY AS IT STANDS WITH THE MOST RECENT BUDGET APPROVALS FROM THE COURT.

THESE JUDGES, THESE 13 ASSOCIATE JUDGES THAT SERVE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES, ARE THE ONLY JUDGES THAT AREN'T GOING TO RECEIVE A PAY ADJUSTMENT IN THIS COUNTY.

I THINK THAT IS NOT THE RESULT THAT I THINK ANYBODY WANTS IN THIS COUNTY WITH REGARD TO PAY ADJUSTMENTS.

AND SO I ADVOCATE THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, AS A PART OF THE OUR REQUEST THAT WE MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT.

THE OTHER THING IS LANGUAGE ACCESS, SENATE BILL NINE, BUT ALSO THE OPERATIONS OF THE CIVIL AND FAMILY COURTS.

WE HIGHLIGHTED THE OPERATIONS MANAGER, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A TAX MASTER REQUEST THAT WE HAVE MADE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.

TAX MASTERS OPERATE AND WORK 8000 CASES WITHOUT A COORDINATOR, AND THAT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE FOR THE CIVIL COURTS TO ISSUE EXCESS PROCEEDS, EXCESS FUNDS JUDGMENTS, BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND SUPPORT FOR IT.

SO THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER POSITION THAT I THINK WOULD BENEFIT NOT ONLY THE JUDICIARY, BUT THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.

SO I THANK YOU AGAIN. WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE FROM THE PANDEMIC WAS THAT JUDICIAL SERVICES AND COURTS ARE ESSENTIAL, AND I THINK THEY SHOULD BE FUNDED AS SUCH. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU DISTRICT COURTS. AND THAT WILL CONCLUDE THEIR PRESENTATION FOR THE DAY.

NEXT UP WE WILL HEAR. THANK YOU. JUVENILE PROBATION.

[Juvenile Probation ]

AND THEN TWO MINUTES FOR CONCLUDING REMARKS. THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I'M HENRY GONZALEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HARRIS COUNTY JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT, SERVING IN THIS ROLE SINCE 2018. WE'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY WITH JUST UNDER 1200 EMPLOYEES AND ANNUAL EXPENDITURES EXCEEDING $100 MILLION. THE CORE MISSION OF OUR DEPARTMENT IS TWOFOLD TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO REHABILITATE YOUTH.

WE DO THIS THROUGH SUPERVISION, INTERVENTION, AND COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES THAT AIM TO PREVENT DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR.

AT OUR DEPARTMENT, WE'VE BEEN INTENTIONAL ABOUT TRANSFORMING OUR SYSTEM FROM ONE THAT HISTORICALLY RELIED ON PUNITIVE METHODS TO ONE ROOTED IN POSITIVE YOUTH JUSTICE. THIS MEANS EQUIPPING SYSTEM INVOLVED YOUTH WITH THE RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO THRIVE, NOT JUST TO AVOID REOFFENDING. BEYOND OUR TRADITIONAL PROBATION SERVICES, WE ALSO OPERATE A 210 BED JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER AND TWO POST ADJUDICATED RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES. WHAT SETS US APART IS OUR FOCUS ON EDUCATION.

WE'RE ONE OF ONLY TWO JURISDICTIONS IN TEXAS THAT OPERATES A CHARTER SCHOOL WITHIN OUR FACILITIES, ENSURING CONTINUITY FOR EDUCATION FOR YOUTH IN OUR CARE.

ADDITIONALLY, WE RUN A COMMUNITY BASED CAMPUS KNOWN AS THE OPPORTUNITY CENTER, WHICH OFFERS GED INSTRUCTION, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, JOB PLACEMENT, AND WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES.

THIS CAMPUS IS ACTUALLY LOCATED IN WHAT USED TO BE A THIRD RESIDENTIAL FACILITY, SYMBOLIZING OUR SHIFT AWAY FROM CONFINEMENT AND TOWARD COMMUNITY BASED SOLUTIONS.

WE'VE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE YOUTH INVOLVEMENT, DEEPER SYSTEM LEVELS, PARTNERING WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

FEWER THAN HALF OF OUR REFERRALS RESULT IN COURT PETITIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2024 OUT OF 5119 REFERRALS, ONLY 1527 PETITIONS WERE FILED, DOWN FROM

[01:50:06]

IN FACT, IT HELPS PREVENT IT. DETENTION ADMISSIONS DROPPED FROM 4463, AND IN 2017 TO JUST 2048 AND 2024, WITH AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION CUT BY HALF.

YOUTH PLACED IN RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES DECLINED FROM 1164 TO 288.

COMMITMENTS TO THE TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT DECREASED FROM 210 TO 56.

OVERALL, YOUTH UNDER SUPERVISION EACH MONTH ARE AT LEAST 1000 FEWER THAN SEVEN YEARS AGO.

THESE NUMBERS ARE MORE THAN STATISTICS. THEY REPRESENT LIVES REDIRECTED AND FUTURES RECLAIMED.

OUR ONGOING MISSION IS TO CONTINUE BUILDING A SYSTEM THAT PRIORITIZES YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, AND LONG TIME COMMUNITY SAFETY. LONG TERM. I'M SORRY.

COMMUNITY SAFETY. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR. NOW WE WILL GO TO COURT OFFICES FOR QUESTIONS, BEGINNING WITH PRECINCT TWO. YOU'VE GOT FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING IN TODAY.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WHAT ROLE DOES YOUR BUDGET PLAY AND YOUR ABILITY TO ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT YOUTH IN THE PROBATION SYSTEM PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN THAT. ON OUR NON-LABOR SIDE, WE WE INVEST A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY IN OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT PROVIDE. SERVICES SUCH AS ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, ADVOCACY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, COUNSELING, DRUG TREATMENT, COMMUNITY BASED SEX OFFENDER TREATMENT.

WE PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES TO TO DETENTION WITH THAT FUNDING, THROUGH ELECTRONIC MONITORING AND WITH YOUTH ADVOCATES.

THEY PROVIDE A TRACKER PROGRAM TO WHERE THEY HELP PROVIDE SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN COURT, AS OPPOSED TO BEING IN DETENTION, WAITING TO GO TO COURT.

SO IT PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THAT AND FOLLOWING UP ON THOSE ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION.

HOW DOES YOUR BUDGET REFLECT THE NEED TO DIVERT YOUTH FROM FURTHER ENGAGEMENT WITH THEIR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM? THAT THAT'S VITAL IN WHAT WE DO. LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR NUMBERS SHOW THAT DIVERSION WORKS.

IT'S NOT JUST A SLAP IN THE HAND. WE DON'T JUST USE A WHAT'S KNOWN AS A BANK CASELOAD, WHERE WE PUT FILES AWAY FOR THOSE LOWER LEVEL OFFENDERS.

AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, YOU PULL IT OUT, AND IF NOTHING HAPPENS, YOU DON'T PULL IT OUT. ALL OF OUR KIDS, EVEN THOSE THAT ARE DIVERTED OUT, GET AN ASSESSMENT. WE PARTNER WITH RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS, AND THEY HELP DO THOSE ASSESSMENTS AND DETERMINE WHAT SERVICES AND NEEDS THAT YOUTH AND FAMILY HAS, AND THEY MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GET PROVIDED FOR THEM.

WHEN WE DIVERT A KID OUT OF NOT JUST OUR SYSTEM, BUT DETENTION, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DIVERSION IS NOT DIVERSION SERVICES OFFERED BY OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S A TRUE DIVERSION AWAY FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

I TALKED ABOUT RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS.

THE HARRIS CENTER OPERATES A YOUTH DIVERSION CENTER FOR THOSE YOUTH WHO MAKE IT INTO DETENTION, BUT WE FEEL DON'T BELONG THERE. EITHER THOSE LOWER LEVEL OFFENSES OR THESE ARE SITUATIONS IN WHICH THE OFFENSE IS REALLY AN EXAMPLE OF FAMILY ISSUES. AND BY DIVERTING THEM TO THE YOUTH DIVERSION CENTER, THEN THOSE FAMILIES ARE CONNECTED TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS BEFORE OR HAVE HAD A HARD TIME ACCESSING.

AND AND AGAIN, IT'S IT'S CONNECTING THEM TO A SYSTEM THAT'S PROVIDING WHAT'S REALLY NEEDED.

AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE JUVENILE SYSTEM IS NOT WHAT THEY REALLY NEED.

ABSOLUTELY. AND COULD YOU SHARE ANY SUCCESS STORIES, MAYBE FROM LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE WHERE YOUR BUDGET ALLOCATION DECISIONS LED TO IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT. SURE. I THINK OUR BIGGEST PROJECT THAT THAT I'M REALLY PROUD OF IS OUR OPPORTUNITY CENTER.

OUR OPPORTUNITY CENTER IS IT WAS A YOUTH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, ONE OF OUR RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SHUT THAT FACILITY DOWN BECAUSE OF OUR DECREASE OF NUMBERS IN OUR SYSTEM, OUR OVERALL FOOTPRINT, REALLY. AND WE REPURPOSED THAT TO TURN IT INTO A COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM.

THAT IS WHAT WE, IN ESSENCE, DID, WAS TAKE A BUILDING THAT WAS BUILT TO LOCK KIDS UP AND TURNED IT INTO A BUILDING THAT NOW PROVIDES SERVICES, THAT KEEPS KIDS FROM GETTING LOCKED UP. SO NOW WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE ALL OF THOSE SERVICES THAT OUR JUDGES TRADITIONALLY WOULD SEND A KID TO A RESIDENTIAL FACILITY FOR,

[01:55:10]

WHAT WE WANTED TO SHOW IS THAT WE CAN TAKE THE FUNDING THAT WAS TRADITIONALLY USED TO RUN A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AND USE THAT TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY. AND AGAIN, AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION.

SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE GRADUATED CLOSE TO 100 YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE GED PROGRAM, PROVIDED THEM WITH VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENT, AND BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR SUPPORT SERVICES NEEDED NOT JUST TO THEM, BUT TO THEIR FAMILY.

AND AGAIN, WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT HAVING TO INCARCERATE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND I THINK THAT REALLY SHOWS A GOOD INVESTMENT.

YEAH. THANK YOU. AND REAL QUICK, IN THE PAST, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT COLLABORATING WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER TO BRING SOME DOGS OVER TO THE YOUTH VILLAGE. HAS THAT COME TO FRUITION YET? IT HAS. WE HAVE FOUR RESCUE DOGS THERE AND A VERY NICE DOG HOUSE THAT'S AIR CONDITIONED.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE STILL HAVE OUR TWO RESCUE HORSES THAT THAT CAME FROM THE HUMANE SOCIETY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT. TWO. PRECINCT THREE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR GONZALEZ. I HAD A QUESTION.

IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE PROVIDED.

SO FILLED VACANT POSITIONS. AND THE TOTAL FOR THAT IS 867.

AND YOU SAID YOU HAD 1200. I'M SORRY. YOU HAD NUMBER OF HOW MANY? 867, IT SAYS IS THE TOTAL OF POSITIONS IN THE DELTA.

IS THE STATE FUNDING? OH, I'M SORRY, THOSE ARE WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF COUNTY AND STATE FUNDED POSITIONS.

OKAY. AND WITH STATE, THERE ARE THERE'S TWO SEPARATE POTS THERE AS WELL.

OKAY. FROM TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN FROM OUR CHARTER SCHOOL. OKAY. ARE THERE ARE THERE POSITIONS THAT YOU WERE WANTING TO FILL THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FILL BECAUSE OF THE FREEZE? OR DO YOU HAVE STATE POSITIONS THAT YOU CAN USE IN THAT NEED? IF THERE IS A HIRING FREEZE OF ALL OF OUR OPEN POSITIONS RIGHT NOW.

YES, THAT DOES MEAN THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE POSITIONS THAT ARE DIRECT CARE STAFF AND ESSENTIAL POSITIONS THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HIRE.

WE ARE DEPENDENT ON ON THOSE POSITIONS BECAUSE THAT HELPS US MEET OUR RATIO TO MEET PREA STANDARDS.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE ABLE TO MEET THE STATE STANDARDS, WHICH ARE 12 TO 1 WITH PREA PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION ACT.

IT'S 8 TO 1 WITH THAT. IF WE HAVE A HIRING FREEZE AND I'M NOT ALLOWED TO HIRE THOSE POSITIONS, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MEET PREA STANDARDS. AND THAT'S ONE OF THOSE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE HOPE TO ADDRESS IN THE SOP.

YOU KNOW, THE COURT HAS MOVED HEAVEN AND EARTH TO HELP STABILIZE THE STAFFING MODEL.

I MEAN, PRIOR TO TWO YEARS AGO, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU WERE MEETING THE STANDARDS AT ALL.

CORRECT. AND SO I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES WHERE THE COURT WORKED TOO HARD TO GET UP TO A STANDARD FOR US TO GO BACKWARDS ON.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT MEANS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO FIND OTHER POSITIONS AND LESS CRITICAL ROLES, BUT THOSE WOULD BE ONES THAT I AT LEAST WILL BE WOULD BE RECOMMEND MOVING FORWARD WITH TO KEEP US IN COMPLIANCE.

I BELIEVE THAT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY WOULD WANT THAT ALSO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. PRECINCT THREE. PRECINCT FOUR. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

HELLO, DIRECTOR GONZALEZ AND TEAM. AND I FIRSTLY WANT TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM'S COMMITMENT TO CENTERING YOUTH AND ADVANCING EFFORTS THAT REDUCE HARM AND CREATE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR FOR ALL OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND I WANTED TO START OFF WITH WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.

LAST YEAR, YOUR VACANCY RATE SHOWED AN IMPRESSIVE TURNAROUND AND BUCKED NATIONAL TRENDS OVERALL.

SO YOUR CURRENT I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR CURRENT VACANCY RATE IS AND WHAT STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES CONTRIBUTED TO THIS AS WE JUST TALKED ABOUT? ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. LAST TIME I CHECKED, WE WERE DOWN TO 6%.

WHAT WE DID WHEN OUR NUMBERS WENT DOWN WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR FOOTPRINT.

AND THEN WITH COVID, WHAT WE DID WAS LOOKED AT SOME OF OUR POSITIONS AND ELIMINATED SOME POSITIONS AND USED THAT MONEY TO INCREASE SALARIES AT THAT TIME. ALTHOUGH WE ARE ONE OF WE ARE THE LARGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS, OUR SALARIES FOR OUR DIRECT CARE STAFF WERE MUCH LOWER THAN THE OTHER URBAN COUNTIES AND EVEN LOWER THAN SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING SMALLER COUNTIES.

AND SO WE WERE COMPETING WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES FOR STAFF.

SO WHEN WE ADJUSTED THOSE POSITIONS AND ELIMINATED SOME, WE USE THAT MONEY TO INCREASE THE SALARIES OF OUR DIRECT CARE STAFF FOR THE KIDS, AND I MEAN FOR THE STAFF IN OUR FACILITIES AND FOR OUR PROBATION OFFICERS.

[02:00:03]

THEN SUBSEQUENTLY, THE STATE OFFERED A ALL OF THE COUNTIES A SALARY ADJUSTMENT GRANT, WHICH INCREASED THE SALARIES AGAIN.

AND THAT'S HELPED US BEEN ABLE TO RECRUIT AND MAINTAIN OUR STAFF.

OKAY. THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR. AND HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WOULD YOU ESTIMATE ARE DIRECTLY BENEFITING FROM THE RECENTLY APPROVED INCREASE IN MINIMUM WAGE FOR THE COUNTY? THAT NUMBER WAS. I'M SORRY. I KNOW JANIE MORENO IS HERE WITH US.

I DON'T KNOW IF SHE CAN. YES. OKAY. YES. I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY OF ALL THE VIDEOS AND ALL OF THEM AND ALL THE RADIOS. SO, YES.

SO THAT WOULD BE ALL OF OUR AUDIO, OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS, DIRECT CARE STAFF AND A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OUR PROBATION OFFICERS.

WE'RE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THAT. AND THEN OF COURSE, A LOT OF OUR SUPPORT SERVICES, OUR SUPPORT STAFF AND WITH THE CONTRACTING CONTRACTOR RATES. DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF CONTRACTORS THAT WERE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THAT INCREASE AS WELL? NO. YEAH, THEY ALREADY HAD GOOD AMOUNTS. WONDERFUL.

AND WILL THERE BE ANY REDUCTIONS IN SERVICES FROM THE PROPOSED OFFSETS IN OUR BUDGET AND YOUR BUDGET? I KNOW THAT WHEN WE'VE SPOKEN, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE THE DISABILITY ADVOCATES HAVING BEEN A WONDERFUL ADDITION THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO FUND WITH YOUR SURPLUS.

WILL THERE BE ANY OTHER IMPACTS? YES. SO ACTUALLY, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH DISABILITY RIGHTS TEXAS TO PROVIDE THE EDUCATION ADVOCACY DURING COVID. WE SUPPLEMENTED THOSE SERVICES BY REASSIGNING STAFF TO ASSIST WITH EDUCATION ADVOCACY.

WE KNEW THAT OUR KIDS WERE GOING TO NEED THAT ADVOCACY GOING BACK INTO SCHOOL POST-COVID.

AND THEN ALSO THAT TRANSITION FROM OUR FACILITIES TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS.

SO THOSE WERE THOSE POSITIONS THAT WERE HELPING WITH THAT.

WITH OUR THE PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS, THOSE ARE THE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE.

AND THAT COMES OUT TO ABOUT TWO OF THOSE POSITIONS, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO IMPACT THE WORK THAT DISABILITY RIGHTS IS DOING TO OFFSET THAT.

WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE ARE TRAINING OUR CASE MANAGERS IN THE FACILITIES TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT ADVOCACY AND THAT TRANSITION FROM THE THE CHARTER SCHOOL BACK TO THEIR HOME SCHOOL.

THE STAFF IMPACTED WILL NOT BE LAID OFF. THEY'VE BEEN REASSIGNED TO TEACHING POSITIONS WITHIN THE CHARTER SCHOOL.

SO THEY'RE STILL SERVING KIDS. OKAY. OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

HI. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

SO YOU SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ALREADY ABOUT RETENTION.

I WANTED TO ASK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.

IN YOUR INITIAL SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS, YOU HAD INCLUDED FUNDING FOR SEVERAL POSITIONS WITHIN YOUR RESIDENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. SO WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS OF NOT HAVING THIS FUNDED RIGHT NOW? WE'RE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME. A DIFFICULT TIME HIRING OR FILL IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH.

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS ARE SALARY FOR THEM ARE STILL LOWER THAN MOST OTHERS.

IT'S HARD KEEPING UP WITH LIKE, THE HARRIS CENTER AND BEING THAT A LOT OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH STAFF WORK IN THE DETENTION CENTER AND IN OUR FACILITIES, UNLIKE OTHER PLACES, THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO WORK FROM HOME.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY CAUSING US A CHALLENGE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO TO REALLY MATCH THE THE SALARY OF THE OVERALL MARKET, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME FILLING THOSE POSITIONS AND THEN MEETING THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR FACILITIES, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT. THANK YOU. AND SO LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED BUDGET, JBD IS ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A HISTORICAL SURPLUS.

CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHERE THAT SURPLUS MIGHT COME FROM WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND JUST WHAT MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT SURPLUS? ABSOLUTELY. THAT SURPLUS IS TYPICALLY USUALLY ALWAYS COMING FROM OUR LABOR SIDE.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE AGAIN OF IT'S IT'S KIND OF JUST WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE OPERATING A RESIDENTIAL FACILITY AND HIRING THOSE DIRECT CARE STAFF WHO WORK IN A FACILITY, WHO WORK 24 OVER SEVEN HOUR SHIFTS ARE 24 OVER SEVEN.

THOSE ARE HARD POSITIONS TO KEEP AND TO TO FILL AND TO RETAIN.

BUT I WILL SAY AGAIN WITH OUR VACANCY RATE BEING AS LOW AS IT IS, WE'VE DONE, I THINK WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB IN IN BEING ABLE TO RECRUIT

[02:05:03]

AND REALLY, WHAT I THINK WHEN I LOOK AT OUR PROJECTED LABOR SURPLUS OF ABOUT 1.5, THAT'S THAT'S NOT THAT MANY POSITIONS THAT ARE LEFT UNFILLED. AND EVEN THOUGH THAT.

I'M SORRY, THIS IS DOCTOR MATT SHELTON, OUR ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EVEN THOUGH THAT OUR VACANCY RATE IS LOW, THE TURNOVER RATE IS STILL PRETTY HIGH IN DETENTION.

IT'S JUST A TYPE OF JOB AND THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THAT KIND OF GOES HAND IN HAND WITH.

THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WITH THAT, IT'S IT'S NOT JUST THAT IT'S OUR NURSES AS WELL.

AND OUR TEACHERS, AGAIN, WITH THE LESS THAN COMPETITIVE SALARIES WE HAVE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET THOSE FILLED.

AND WHAT HAVE YOU PREVIOUSLY USED THESE SURPLUS FUNDS FOR THAT HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT FOR THE OPERATIONS AND FUNCTIONING OF YOUR DEPARTMENT? A FEW YEARS AGO, WE USED THOSE TO INCREASE THE SALARIES OF OUR DIRECT CARE STAFF.

THE STAFF IN OUR FACILITIES, OUR PROBATION OFFICERS, THOSE STAFF THAT ARE PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES TO OUR KIDS AND OUR COMMUNITIES AND IN THE FACILITIES THAT THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING A FEW YEARS AGO, WE ASKED TO USE SOME OF THOSE TO CREATE A COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT FUND TO BE ABLE TO FUND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, VERY SMALL ONES THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO APPLY OR COMPETE FOR COUNTY CONTRACTS BECAUSE THEY LACKED THE CAPACITY OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO SO. WE IDENTIFIED THE MOST IMPACTED COMMUNITIES AND THEN FOUND THESE SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND HELPED FUND THEM TO HELP BUILD THEIR CAPACITY TO BETTER SERVE JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUNG PEOPLE, AND THAT WAS $2 MILLION THAT WAS INVESTED INTO THAT PARTICULAR FUND.

AND I THINK THAT WAS ALSO A REALLY WISE INVESTMENT OF THOSE FUNDS AND MAKING A REALLY QUICK, IF I COULD JUMP IN JUST BECAUSE I THINK J-P-D IS PROBABLY THE BEST EXAMPLE OF A DEPARTMENT BEING STRATEGIC ABOUT ITS BUDGET.

SO HISTORICALLY, I THINK IN 2022, JPD WAS RUNNING ALMOST A $3 MILLION LABOR SURPLUS.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT WAS THE SALARIES WERE JUST BRUTALLY UNCOMPETITIVE COMPARED.

SO WE WORKED TOGETHER ON A STAFFING MODEL THAT SAID, HEY, IF THEIR POSITIONS ARE GOING TO BE VACANT ANYWAYS, WHY DON'T WE REDUCE OUR TURNOVER BY TAKING SOME OF THOSE VACANT POSITIONS AND CONVERTING THEM INTO HIGHER SALARIES FOR THE STAFF? THEY FILLED THEIR THEY FILLED UP THEIR SLOTS, THEY GOT TO FULLY STAFFED AND CAME BACK AND SAID, WE ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH OUR STAFFING RATIOS.

HERE'S HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO GET US TO THE TO COMPLIANCE.

AND WE WORKED TOGETHER AND GOT UP, GOT AN ENHANCEMENT DONE LAST YEAR OR TWO YEARS AGO I FORGOT WHICH.

TWO YEARS AGO? YES. TWO, TWO YEARS AGO. AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE AROUND THAT.

SO LIKE FOR THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE HAD HAVE HAD HISTORICAL SURPLUSES, YOU KNOW, OMB WORKS WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO FIGURE OUT IS THERE A BETTER MODEL TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL. AND IN THIS CASE, I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST SUCCESSFUL THAT WE'VE HAD, WE'VE SEEN SO FAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT ONE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

YOU JUST MENTIONED THE YOUTH JUSTICE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT FUND.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE IMPACTS? AND THEN I SEE THAT WAS LISTED AS AN ENHANCEMENT REQUEST.

SO UNDER THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THAT FUND AND CONSEQUENTLY CONSEQUENTLY THE IMPACTS OF IT.

ABSOLUTELY. SO I THINK OUR GREATEST LOSS IS GOING TO BE THE ELIMINATION OF THE REINVESTMENT FUND.

THAT FUND WAS SPECIFICALLY ESTABLISHED TO SUPPORT THESE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND THOSE COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED.

AND WHEN I SAY MOST IMPACTED, WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT OUR NUMBERS TO SEE WHICH COMMUNITIES WERE OVERREPRESENTED BY OUR REFERRALS.

WE IDENTIFIED THOSE COMMUNITIES, AND WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES TO FIND THOSE SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO WE HAVE DONE THAT. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE FUNDING THREE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, ONE OUT IN PASADENA, BAYTOWN AREA, ONE IN THIRD WARD, AND THE OTHER IS IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF HARRIS COUNTY.

WE DID FUND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, ABOUT FOUR OTHERS.

BUT THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE NO LONGER BEING FUNDED.

THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND CONTINUE TO DO SO SUCCESSFULLY.

THEY EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS STARTED WITH A SMALLER COMMUNITY THAT THEY WERE SERVING AND NOW HAVE EXTENDED THEIR SERVICES.

FOR EXAMPLE, MY CHAPEL WAS PRIMARILY SERVING PASADENA, AND NOW THEY'VE EXTENDED TO BAYTOWN YOUNG PEOPLE IN ACTION WHEN ONE OF THE

[02:10:01]

WORKSHOP HOUSTON WENT FROM THIRD WARD OUT TO KATY WHEN WE LOST A GRANTEE THERE.

SO LOSING THIS MONEY, I THINK IS GOING TO HAVE A HUGE IMPACT IN THOSE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE COMMUNITIES, THESE ARE SOME THAT 15 YEARS AGO WERE NOT THOSE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.

AND I THINK THROUGH GENTRIFICATION IN HARRIS COUNTY, A LOT OF THOSE TRADITIONALLY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES HAVE CHANGED.

AND THOSE FOLKS LIVING THERE HAVE BEEN DISLOCATED AND MOVED TO OTHER OTHER AREAS OF TOWN.

UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE SERVICES DIDN'T FOLLOW THEM.

SO WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT THESE AREAS DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF THOSE SERVICES.

AND SO THIS FUND WAS ABLE TO HELP THOSE. AGAIN, SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED.

AND SO TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IF THE FUNDING FOR THE YOUTH JUSTICE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT FUND NO LONGER EXISTS, WILL THOSE SERVICES EITHER BE ELIMINATED OR REDUCED IN THESE COMMUNITIES? THEY'RE GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PAY THEM OUT OF OUR BUDGET.

AND AGAIN, SINCE THESE ARE SMALLER GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT HIT FOR THEM NOT TO GET THESE FUNDS.

AND THEN LONG TERM, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE IMPACTS MIGHT BE ON OUR OVERALL COMMUNITY SAFETY AND ON THOSE KIDS ENGAGEMENT? IT WILL DEFINITELY BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED. I WOULD SEE HIGHER RECIDIVISM IN THOSE AREAS.

AND AGAIN, KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE ARE HIGHLY IMPACTED AREAS.

THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR STRATEGY AND INNOVATION IN DOING THIS.

YOU ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF OTHER ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS.

AND IN LIGHT OF THIS BUDGET, WE HAVE NOT REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE SOME OF THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU HAD BEEN LOOKING INTO AND WERE HOPING TO INVEST IN, OR WOULD STILL ADVOCATE FOR, IF THE FUNDING WERE AVAILABLE? ABSOLUTELY. I THINK ONE OF THE, THE, THE KEY THINGS THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO HIT ON IS PRIORITIZING THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR STUDENTS IDENTIFIED WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION CHALLENGES.

SINCE WE ARE RUNNING A CHARTER SCHOOL, CURRENTLY, NEARLY 50% OF OUR STUDENTS FACE EDUCATIONAL DEFICITS.

TRADITIONAL METHODS SUCH AS LOWERING EXPECTATIONS, SIMPLIFYING TASKS, AND RESTRICTING ACCESS TO ADVANCED CURRICULUMS. THOSE ARE INEFFECTIVE. THOSE DON'T WORK. INSTEAD, WE NEED A STRATEGIC ROOT CAUSE APPROACH THAT PROVIDES TARGETED INTERVENTIONS AND MEANINGFUL SUPPORTS TO UNLOCK THE TRUE ACADEMIC GROWTH OF OUR STUDENTS.

OUR SUCCESS IN REDUCING THE POPULATION DETENTION CENTER AND IN OUR RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES IS GREAT, BUT IT HAS UNINTENTIONALLY REDUCED OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND CONSEQUENTLY, OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS REVENUE.

SO TO TRULY MEET THESE STUDENTS NEEDS, WE MUST SECURE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS TO SUPPLEMENT THE COST OF SPECIALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS. IGNORING THESE NEEDS, IT JUST WILL CONTINUE THE CYCLE.

OKAY. WELL, IT'S JUST GOING TO CONTINUE THE CYCLE OF UNMET EDUCATIONAL NEEDS, WHICH THEN WE KNOW CAN LEAD TO FURTHER DELINQUENCY WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.

THANK YOU. PRECINCT ONE. PRECINCT TWO. YOU HAVE NO TIME REMAINING.

PRECINCT THREE. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES AND 57 SECONDS REMAINING.

AND PRECINCT FOUR. YOU HAVE 55 SECONDS REMAINING.

I'LL WAIVE OUR TIME AS WELL. THANK YOU. COURT OFFICERS AND DIRECTOR.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT AS WE FINALIZE THE BUDGET PROCESS, OUR TOP PRIORITY REMAINS ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE ALSO CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES NECESSARY FOR THE REHABILITATION AND SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION OF OUR YOUTH.

THE INVESTMENTS WE'VE MADE IN TRANSFORMING OUR SYSTEM FROM REDUCING RELIANCE ON PUNITIVE MEASURES TO EXPANDING COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES, HAVE ALREADY SHOWN SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE OUTCOMES.

THESE RESULTS DEMONSTRATE THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE BOTH A SAFER COMMUNITY AND BETTER OUTCOMES FOR YOUTH.

WE UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS WE FACE AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND TO DO WHAT'S NEEDED WITHIN THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO MEET THESE PRIORITIES.

OUR WORK IS NOT JUST ABOUT NUMBERS, IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT THE INVESTMENTS WE MAKE TODAY ARE ONES THAT WILL CONTINUE TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY AND FOSTER LONG TERM, LONG TERM SUCCESS FOR THE YOUTH WE SERVE. I'M CONFIDENT THAT WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR MISSION BALANCE AND SAFETY,

[02:15:04]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE EFFORTS.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, AND THANK YOU TO JUVENILE PROBATION.

THANK YOU. WE WILL NEXT HEAR FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR FORENSIC SCIENCES.

GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

[Institute of Forensic Sciences]

THEN EACH COURT OFFICE WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS. GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JULIE PRUYN. I'M THE CHIEF OF STAFF AT THE INSTITUTE OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, AND I AM JOINED BY DOCTOR PENNY, WHO IS OUR DEPUTY CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER.

AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, IFS PROVIDES MEDICAL EXAMINER SERVICES AND CRIME LABORATORY SERVICES FOR HARRIS COUNTY.

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE CERTIFIED OVER 6400 DEATHS IN 2024, WITH 5200 OF THOSE COMING INTO THE OFFICE FOR EXAMINATION, WHICH AVERAGES 14 TO 15 DECEDENTS A DAY. THE CRIME LABORATORY RECEIVED EVIDENCE FOR ALMOST 23,000 CASES IN 2024. THAT IS, FROM 87 DIFFERENT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS FROM THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE.

ALL OF THOSE OFFICES ARE WITHIN HARRIS COUNTY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHO HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE FORENSIC SCIENCE LAB.

ALL OF OUR TESTING IS PROVIDED IN-HOUSE BY COUNTY EMPLOYEES.

WE HAVE NO OUTSOURCING, AND WE HAVE VIRTUALLY NO CURRENT CASE BACKLOG ON THE CRIME LABORATORY SIDE.

IN JULY 2025, THE LATEST DATA I HAVE THE AVERAGE TURNAROUND AROUND TIME FOR DRUG CHEMISTRY CASES FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN JAIL WAS 11 DAYS. FOR DWI CASES, IT WAS 16 DAYS.

OUR FY 26 BUDGET REQUEST WAS APPROXIMATELY $54 MILLION TOTAL.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE RECEIVED IS 45.5 MILLION APPROXIMATELY.

WE REQUESTED 680,000 IN CARES FUNDING AND RECEIVED 382,000.

AND WE REQUESTED 9.5 MILLION IN SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS AND DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OF THOSE.

THE LARGER IMPACT FOR US FINANCIALLY IS THAT WE ALSO HAVE A YEARLY FEDERAL GRANT OF ABOUT $1.2 MILLION THAT GOES TO PROVIDE CRIME LAB. SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS, TESTING SUPPLIES AND STAFF OVERTIME.

THAT FEDERAL GRANT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. WE WILL NOT BE RECEIVING THAT 1.2 MILLION IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS.

AND WE UNDERSTAND THE POSITION THAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE IN.

BUT WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS CLEAR THAT A REDUCTION TO OUR CURRENT BUDGET WILL NOT ONLY NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF THE FUTURE, WHERE WE ASSUME THE CASELOAD WILL CONTINUE TO GO UP.

BUT IT WILL LEAD TO CONSEQUENCES OF DELAYED TESTING, DELAYED REPORTING, AND MORE PEOPLE IN JAIL.

WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT TESTING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

EACH COURT OFFICE WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, BEGINNING WITH PRECINCT THREE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE TO TELL YOU MY PRIOR JOB WAS AS AN ATTORNEY FOR 41 YEARS IN HARRIS COUNTY.

AND TO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT WITH THE RETURN ON YOUR DRUG AND DWI TESTING, IT AMAZES ME.

I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THAT AND WANT TO KNOW IF IT THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT YOU WERE INTERESTED IN HAVING.

WOULD YOU SHARE SOME OF THOSE WITH US? SURE. THE THE LARGEST TICKET ITEM.

AND OUR TOP PRIORITY IS THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND THIS BEGAN BEFORE I STARTED WITH THE COUNTY SEVEN YEARS AGO, WE HAVE BEEN PERPETUALLY UNDERFUNDED IN OUR LABOR BUDGET FOR ALL OF OUR CURRENT POSITIONS TO BE FUNDED FOR AN ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR,

[02:20:08]

SO IF WE HAVE STAFF ATTRITION, WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT OUR VACANCIES AND SAY WHICH ONE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND AND FOCUS IN ON THAT ONE AND FUND IT.

BUT WE CURRENTLY HAVE 15 POSITIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON A 300 PERSON STAFF.

WE HAVE BUDGET MAXIMUMS FOR THOSE FOR MOST OF THOSE POSITIONS.

BUT WHAT I DON'T HAVE IS AVAILABLE LABOR FUNDING FOR THOSE.

SO ON THE LABOR SIDE, OUR BIGGEST REQUEST WAS TO TRY TO BE MADE WHOLE ON OUR LABOR BUDGET.

ON THE NON-LABOR SIDE, IT IS CERTAINLY THE THE FEDERAL GRANT THAT WE DON'T EXPECT TO RECEIVE THIS YEAR.

I'M NOT SURE HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

WE DEFINITELY WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH NON-LABOR TO MOVE IT TO LABOR.

SO I, I HONESTLY AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WILL GET THROUGH THAT PART.

WHAT WOULD THE NON-LABOR BUDGET NEED TO BE TO GET YOU WITH THE 15 POSITIONS.

THE I'M SORRY, THE LABOR BUDGET. WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE NON-LABOR BUDGET THAT YOU THE NON-LABOR WE WE MOVED MONEY OVER.

WE MOVED 1.4 MILLION, I THINK, TO COVER LABOR TO GET US THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO WE WOULD NEED THAT IN ORDER TO MOVE THAT AMOUNT.

BUT WE CAN'T, BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE THE FEDERAL GRANT THAT WE'LL HAVE TO COVER BY GENERAL FUND.

OKAY. THANK YOU. DANIEL. I'M SORRY. CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE MONEY THAT THEY'VE HAD TO MOVE FROM NON-LABOR TO LABOR AND THE LOSS OF A GRANT THAT'S OVER $1 MILLION. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE DISCUSSED WITH THEM? SO WE WORKED WITH ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS ON THEIR BUDGET SUBMISSION.

THEY DID SUBMIT THIS. SO ALL LOSS OF GRANTS GOES THROUGH THE ENHANCEMENT PROCESS.

SO IT WAS SCORED AND REVIEWED AGAIN. IF COURT WANTS TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO TO RAISE RAISE THEIR BUDGET WE'LL IDENTIFY ALTERNATE SAVINGS OPTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PRECINCT FOUR. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR COMING. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, OF COURSE, AROUND RECRUITMENT AND VACANCIES. AND I UNDERSTAND, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN ONGOING CHALLENGE. ARE THERE STRATEGIES THAT ISIS HAS IMPLEMENTED ANYTHING OVER THE YEARS THAT HAVE HELPED AND SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE PUSHING ON OR NEED TO PUSH ON MORE THAT CAN HELP WITH SOME OF THE JUST THE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, SOME OF THOSE OUTSIDE OF MAYBE BEYOND PAY INCREASES.

WELL, I'M NOT SURE. OUR PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE ATTRITION, WHAT WE'RE LOSING, OUR STAFF WHO ARE FULLY TRAINED, SENIOR LEVEL STAFF AND GENERALLY WE'RE LOSING THEM TO NEIGHBORING OFFICES.

AND SO WHEN WE REPLACE THOSE STAFF, WE'RE HIRING ENTRY LEVEL PEOPLE WHO WILL THEN NEED TO BE TRAINED.

AND THAT'S ON THE CRIME LAB SIDE. I'M GOING TO LET DOCTOR PENNY SPEAK ON THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SIDE BECAUSE IT HAS UNIQUE SORT OF ISSUES.

YES. HELLO, DOCTOR. PENNY. OF THOSE 15 VACANT POSITIONS, FOUR OF THEM ARE FOR ASSISTED MEDICAL EXAMINERS OR FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS, WHICH ARE VERY HIGHLY TRAINED, HIGHLY EDUCATED POSITION, WHICH REQUIRES 13 YEARS OF EDUCATION, INCLUDING MEDICAL SCHOOL, RESIDENCY, ETC.. FINDING REPLACEMENTS IF PEOPLE LEAVE, WHETHER DUE TO SENIORITY OR MOVING ON TO OTHER POSITIONS, IS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING GIVEN THE NATIONWIDE SHORTAGE OF FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE THANK THE COURTS FOR ALLOWING US TO HOPEFULLY KEEP THESE FOUR POSITIONS OF ASSISTANT MEDICAL EXAMINERS AS WE CONTINUE TO SEARCH.

WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE TWO IN JULY OF LAST YEAR, AND WE'RE ACTIVELY INTERVIEWING FOR ONE OF THOSE FOUR CURRENTLY, BUT IT'S A VERY SLOW GOING PROCESS. I THINK IF I CAN CUT IN, I MEAN, THIS IS THE EXACT REASON WHY WE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION TO GO FORWARD WITH A SALARY STUDY AS OPPOSED TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING MORE COUNTY WIDE HAVING MORE A MORE COUNTYWIDE COLA BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NO WAY YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, COLA YOUR WAY TO COMPETITIVE SALARIES WHEN WE'RE THIS FAR BEHIND IN CERTAIN AREAS.

[02:25:01]

ONE OF THE WAYS WE'RE TRYING TO GENERATE A LOWER CASE, A LOWER REPORT TURNAROUND TIME, IS BY UTILIZING THE CT MACHINE, WHICH WAS GRACIOUSLY GIVEN TO US BY THE TAXPAYERS OF HARRIS COUNTY.

WE HAVE JUST INITIATED THE FINAL VALIDATION OF THAT MACHINE INTO OUR WORKFLOW, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT WILL REDUCE OUR CASELOAD BY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF TIME TAKEN TO EVALUATE A CASE PROPERLY AND PROVIDE RESULTS FOR OUR REPORTS AND FOR FAMILIES.

THAT'S ONE MEASURE WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT. ON THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SIDE, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T JUST ADD STAFF EASILY AND DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH SAVINGS, SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMETHING LIKE THIS MACHINE WILL GENERATE AND THEN HOW MUCH TIME? AND ARE THERE OTHER SORT OF INVESTMENTS LIKE THAT? OTHER I MEAN, IN TERMS OF AN EXACT COST THE AVERAGE FULL EXAMINATION COSTS AROUND $3,000, INCLUDING LABOR AND NON-LABOR. AN AVERAGE EXTERNAL EXAMINATION, WHICH IS WHAT WE WOULD SHIFT TO IF WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION GENERATED FROM THE CT SCAN, WOULD ONLY COST ABOUT 15 TO 1700. GOT IT. THANK YOU.

AND I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION ON THE GRANT FUNDING CUT, WHICH YOU SAID WAS AROUND 1 MILLION.

COULD YOU SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT FUNDING COVERED? YOU KNOW, WHY WAS THAT FUNDING, WHY WAS THE FUNDING CUT AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS FACING SORT OF SIMILAR TYPES OF FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS? AND HOW ARE THEY MANAGING OTHER LABS? THE THE GRANT IN PARTICULAR IS A DNA REDUCTION GRANT.

IT IS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON OUR FORENSIC GENETICS LAB, WHICH IT COVERS SUPPLIES KITS AND OVERTIME FUNDING FOR OUR STAFF SO THAT THEY CAN STAY WITHIN THEIR TURNAROUND TIME GOALS.

WE HAVE A A STATE STATUTE THAT REQUIRES THAT SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS BE EXAMINED WITHIN 90 DAYS IN OUR OFFICE.

WE ARE CURRENTLY MEETING THAT STANDARD. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME GRANT WE'VE RECEIVED EVERY YEAR, CERTAINLY FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN AT IFS. USUALLY THAT GRANT THE APPLICATION PROCESS BEGINS IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH.

THERE WAS NO APPLICATION SUBMITTED. WE REACHED OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND WERE TOLD THAT AT THAT POINT, THEY HAD NO PLAN TO RELEASE THE GRANT IN THE COMING YEAR.

NOW, CERTAINLY, IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT KIND OF DECIDES AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, AND WE WILL APPLY AGAIN.

BUT AT THIS POINT, I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE GRANT WAS SUSPENDED OTHER THAN JUST GENERAL FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING.

GOT IT. AND THEN SO THE GRANT FUNDING APPLICATION TIMELINE IS, IS WHEN I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE IS ANY HOPE NEXT YEAR.

STILL OUT. GENERALLY, WE ARE PROVIDED THE APPLICATION IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH, GIVEN ABOUT 30 DAYS TO TO PROVIDE THE APPLICATION BACK, BUT IT WAS NOT RECEIVED NOT ONLY BY US BUT BY ANY CRIME LAB ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

GOT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PRECINCT FOUR. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

HI. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING SO FORTHCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I LOVE I WOULD LOVE IF YOU COULD JUST KIND OF REALLY LAY OUT FOR US THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF NOT ONLY THE CUTS BEING PROPOSED ON YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT THE SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS THAT YOU SUBMITTED NOT BEING FUNDED ON YOUR DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO PROCESS EVIDENCE IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND THEN HOW THAT THEN, YOU KNOW, DOMINO EFFECT IMPACTS OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENTS IN OUR COUNTY? SURE. SO WE ANTICIPATE A RISE IN RISING CASELOAD, AS WE HAVE EVERY YEAR.

AND PARTICULARLY WITH WITH AN INVESTMENT THAT THE COUNTY IS MAKING IN MORE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT WHICH WE FULLY SUPPORT THOSE COMMITMENTS WILL LEAD TO A HIGHER DEMAND FOR US, AND WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP. THAT'S THE EASY ANSWER. WE WE ARE WORRIED THAT JUST AT BASELINE THAT WITH THE CASELOAD GOING UP, THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROCESS AS MANY CASES IN A TIMELY MANNER.

BUT ON TOP OF THAT, WE ALSO HAVE A FEAR THAT OUR ATTRITION RATE WILL START TO GO UP, AS IT DID AROUND ARPA, AROUND COVID. OUR ATTRITION RATE REALLY SHOT UP.

AND OUR CONCERN IS NOT ONLY ARE WE NOT ABLE TO FILL THE POSITIONS WE CURRENTLY HAVE, BUT THAT WE WILL LOSE EVEN MORE,

[02:30:07]

SO OUR, OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS ARE THAT THAT OUR TIMING WILL BE EXTENDED FOR TESTING, WHICH WILL LEAD TO PEOPLE SITTING IN JAIL LONGER AND ALSO LEAD TO COURT CASES BEING DELAYED BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN OUR TESTING DONE IN TIME.

AND WE HAVE REALLY PRIDED OURSELVES ON THE CERTAINLY ON THE CRIME LAB SIDE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND AND TO ALSO DO ADDITIONAL TESTING AS REQUESTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

WE WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO TO DO THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND YOU TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT. I WONDER IF YOU CAN TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW HIRING AND RETENTION HAVE BEEN GOING FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT, AND WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT. IF THERE'S A HIRING FREEZE THAT PREVENTS YOU FROM FILLING POSITIONS THAT BECOME VACANT OR THAT ARE ALREADY VACANT.

WELL, I'M GOING TO START WITH THE THE VACANCIES.

SO AS I SAID, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 15 VACANCIES RIGHT NOW.

IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE FOUR FORENSIC PATHOLOGY POSITIONS, THEY'RE ALMOST ALL ENTRY LEVEL.

I COULD HIRE THEM. I COULD HIRE THEM RIGHT NOW, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE LABOR FUNDING TO DO IT.

MY OTHER PROBLEM, AS I ALREADY MENTIONED, IS WHEN WE LOSE SOMEONE TO RETIREMENT OR BECAUSE THEY GO TO ANOTHER OFFICE, IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS A SENIOR STAFF PERSON WHO CAN GO TO A NEIGHBORING OFFICE FOR LESS CASEWORK, FOR MORE MONEY, BUT I LOSE A SENIOR PERSON AND I REPLACE THAT POSITION WITH AN ENTRY LEVEL.

AND OUR ENTRY LEVEL PEOPLE HAVE TO BE TRAINED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, SOMETIMES YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE DISCIPLINE BEFORE THEY ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY DO CASEWORK. SO DURING THAT TIME, NOT ONLY HAVE I LOST A POSITION WHICH IS NOW AN ENTRY LEVEL, BUT I ALSO HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S TRAINING THAT PERSON SO THEY'RE NOT DOING CASEWORK.

SO IT JUST IS SORT OF A SNOWBALL RUNNING DOWN A HILL, IF YOU WILL.

SO SO THAT'S OUR RETENTION ISSUE RIGHT NOW. AND I'M SO SORRY I FORGOT THE REST OF YOUR QUESTION. THE POTENTIAL OF A HIRING FREEZE AND HOW HIRING FREEZE.

I'M SO SORRY. WE CERTAINLY I'M. AND I'M SURE YOU WILL HEAR THIS FROM EVERYONE.

WE CERTAINLY WOULD APPRECIATE AN EXEMPTION ON A HIRING FREEZE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HIRE BASED ON OUR PRIORITIES.

AND CERTAINLY, IF A UNICORN OF A FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST HAPPENS TO COME OUR WAY, WE WANT TO KNOW THAT THAT WE HAVE A PCN THAT WE COULD FILL RIGHT THEN.

AND OMB HAS WORKED WITH US ON ON TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WILL HAVE THAT FUNDING IF WE NEED IT, IF THAT PERSON WALKS THROUGH OUR DOOR BECAUSE IT'S SO HARD TO FIND THOSE PEOPLE.

BUT IF WE HAD A HIRING FREEZE, I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW THAT WOULD WORK.

WHAT POSITIONS WOULD BE TAKEN AWAY? BUT AS I SAID, I COULD HIRE THEM ALL.

I COULD HIRE THEM ALL BEFORE OCTOBER, I THINK.

BUT I DON'T HAVE THE AVAILABLE LABOR BALANCE TO DO IT.

THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL MY TIME. THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, PRECINCT ONE.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. HI.

THANKS FOR COMING. SO, SPEAKING ABOUT RISING JAIL POPULATION DUE TO THE ANTICIPATED DELAYS ARE THERE ANY OTHER COSTS TO OTHER JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS THE COURTS, DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IF THESE IF THESE CASES WERE TO BE DELAYED. IF YOU WERE TO DEVELOP A BACKLOG JUST COSTS OUTSIDE OF THE JAIL SYSTEM ITSELF.

YES. SO IF A, IF WE ARE UNABLE TO GET CASES TESTED IN A TIMELY MANNER, THAT PUSHES THE ENTIRE SYSTEM BACK. SO APPROPRIATE CHARGES CAN'T BE BROUGHT WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THAT SUBSTANCE IS, WHAT THAT DWI LEVEL WAS. IT ALSO MEANS THAT THE COURTS ARE HAVING TO BE DELAYED BECAUSE OF THAT TESTING NOT BEING DONE APPROPRIATELY AND, AND AS QUICKLY AS WE WOULD LIKE. AND THEN AGAIN, THE THAT'S SORT OF A CRIME LAB VERSION OF EVENTS THAT THINGS WILL GO TOO LONG.

AND I'M GOING TO LET DOCTOR COMPANY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION FROM THE ME SIDE.

YES. THE OTHER HALF, OF COURSE, IS THE EQUATION IS THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SERVICE, WHICH DEALS WITH HUMANS.

AND IT'S NOT JUST A LAB TEST. YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE A DELAY IN OUR ABILITY TO PRODUCE OUR REPORTS IN A TIMELY MANNER,

[02:35:05]

MAYBE THEY'RE WAITING ON INSURANCE OR PROBATE COURT, ETC.

WITHOUT ANSWERS FROM OUR MEDICAL EXAMINER SERVICE.

A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES DON'T HAVE ANSWERS, AND THAT WE DON'T WANT TO PROTRACT THAT ANY MORE THAN WE ALREADY HAVE WITH OUR CURRENT DEFICIT OF FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS.

THANK YOU. AND ARE THERE ANY STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS WHICH YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO MEET WITH THE CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET OR IF FURTHER CUTS WERE MADE? JUST ANY PARTICULAR THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT? I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MANY THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET AND THAT YOU ARE MEETING, BUT JUST MAKE SURE THAT BASELINE LEVEL OF SERVICE IS GOING TO BE MET.

CURRENTLY ON THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SIDE, OUR BIGGEST ACCREDITING AGENCY IS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS.

ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS THEY HAVE IS THE NUMBER OF CASES PER DOCTOR.

CURRENTLY, WITH THE USAGE OF CONTRACT PATHOLOGISTS, WHICH WE HAVE CURRENTLY BEEN ABLE TO USE IN THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, WE WERE MEETING THEIR PHASE REQUIREMENTS CALCULATING FORWARD, IF WE DID NOT HAVE THOSE CONTRACT PATHOLOGISTS, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS WE REQUESTED, WE WOULD ALREADY BE IN VIOLATION OF ONE OF THOSE STATUTES.

AND THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT BY THE END, WE WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THEIR COMPLETE LACK OF ACCREDITATION STANDARD WITH THE NUMBER OF CASES PER DOCTOR, IF WE DID NOT HAVE THOSE CONTRACT PATHOLOGISTS.

ALL RIGHT. AND SO JUST TO CLARIFICATION, SO THE 1.2 MILLION GRANT THERE'S THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO BACKFILL THE FEDERAL GRANT THAT IS ENDING FOR THAT AMOUNT.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. HOW DO YOU HAVE A OFF TOP OF YOUR HEAD OR IF YOU HAVE THIS NUMBER PREPARED, HOW MUCH? THAT WOULD BE DELAYING THE PROCESSING OF CASES THAT REQUIRE THAT TESTING OR THE COSTS THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD INCUR BY NOT HAVING THAT MONEY AVAILABLE TO YOUR DEPARTMENT? I SEE WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GET TO. I ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER YET.

I CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.

I THINK WE ARE STILL KIND OF IN A WE'RE NOT SURE.

I MEAN, WE WE HAVE A LIST INTERNALLY OF THINGS WE COULD EASILY CUT, YOU KNOW, EASILY CUT.

WE CAN CUT TRAINING FUNDING. WE CAN CUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T CUT PARKING BECAUSE WE PAY THAT TO TMC.

WE CAN'T PAY. BUT THERE ARE THINGS WE COULD CUT, TRAINING BEING THE ONE THAT'S EASIEST.

SUPPLIES WE COULD CUT BACK ON SOME OF OUR SUPPLIES.

BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD MAKE UP A $1.2 MILLION DEFICIT FOR FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE HAVE KIND OF GROWN USED TO HAVING.

AS FAR AS WHAT THAT WOULD DO TO OUR TIMING. MY GUESS IS THAT IT WOULD MAKE IT FAR MORE DIFFICULT FOR US TO MEET OUR 90 DAY REQUIREMENT THAT FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS, WE TEST WITHIN 90 DAYS. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR US TO MEET THAT DEADLINE IF WE DON'T HAVE THE SUPPLIES THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR DNA TESTING.

AND THAT REQUIREMENT IS STATUTORY TEXAS STATUTE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I WAIVE MY TIME. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT ONE. PRECINCT TWO. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. CONTINUING ON MY COLLEAGUE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LOSS OF THE FEDERAL GRANT.

I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE COULD BE SOME POTENTIAL SLOWDOWNS IN SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER AREAS WHERE YOU WOULD SEE SLOWER PROCESSING TIMES? YES. SO THAT IS PRIMARILY A DNA GRANT. BUT WE ALSO UTILIZE FEDERAL GRANT MONEY FOR OVERTIME IN FIREARMS PROCESSING AND IN TOXICOLOGY. WITHOUT THAT OVERTIME AVAILABILITY FOR OUR STAFF, THEY'RE GOING TO BE SLOWER TURNING THINGS AROUND. SO IT WILL INCLUDE TOXICOLOGY.

IT WILL INCLUDE FIREARMS TESTING. IT WILL INCLUDE DNA TO A LESSER EXTENT.

IT MAY INCLUDE DRUG CHEMISTRY JUST BECAUSE OF THE SUPPLY ISSUE, BUT AND ALSO OUR TRACE EVIDENCE.

SO IT WILL BE FELT ON THE CRIME LAB SIDE. AND YOU'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR ON HOW A POTENTIAL HIRING FREEZE WOULD IMPACT YOUR DEPARTMENT.

NOT TO PUT DANIEL ON THE SPOT, BUT IS IFS A DEPARTMENT THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO BE EXEMPTED FROM THAT HIRING FREEZE? NOT NECESSARILY EXEMPTED, BUT A TOTAL EXEMPTION.

BUT I DO BELIEVE I FEEL COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING CERTAIN POSITIONS.

[02:40:03]

OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALLOCATES 382,000 TO ACQUIRE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO ENSURE ACCREDITATION STANDARDS FOR THE INSTITUTE. IS THIS COST TO ACQUIRE NEW EQUIPMENT? BECAUSE THE OLD EQUIPMENT HAS REACHED THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE.

IS THERE NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT'S AVAILABLE, OR WHAT'S THE STORY THERE? THAT 382 WAS WHAT WE RECEIVED IN CLS REQUESTS.

SO OUR INITIAL REQUEST FOR CLS WAS 680,000 THOUSAND BASED ON VENDORS RAISING THEIR COSTS, INFLATION, FUEL PRICES, THINGS THAT WE JUST HAD NO CONTROL OVER INCREASING.

THE 382 IS WHAT WAS PROVIDED TO US FOR OUR REQUEST.

OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE COMPETING NATIONALLY FOR STAFF.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU GET THE TALENT THAT YOU NEED IN IFS.

I MEAN, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL COLLEGES TO HELP BUILD OUT PIPELINES FOR YOUR STAFF, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COMMISSIONERS COURT OFFICES CAN DO TO HELP? IN TERMS OF FORENSICS EDUCATION? THERE HAS BEEN A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT TO EMPOWER COLLEGES AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL, PEOPLE TO TRAIN TOWARD A FORENSIC SCIENTIST ROLE VERSUS JUST TRAINING IN A BASIC SCIENCE AND THEN TRYING TO SHOEHORN THAT PERSON INTO FORENSICS.

WE DO WORK WITH OUR LOCAL SAM HOUSTON STATE AND OTHER LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO FORENSICS.

ANYTHING THAT WOULD WORK IN TERMS OF IMPROVING STEM EDUCATION, BECAUSE THAT'S THE BASIC UNDERPINNINGS OF ALL FORENSICS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, EDUCATION, MATH. SO, YEAH, ANYTHING THAT COULD HELP IN TERMS OF STEM, ANYTHING TO HELP IN TERMS OF JUST FORENSIC SCIENCE AND MOVING PEOPLE INTO A PRACTICAL SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE.

THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT. TWO. PRECINCT THREE. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE AND 43 SECONDS REMAINING.

THANK YOU. AND NO OTHER COURT OFFICERS HAVE ANY TIME REMAINING.

SO WE WILL NOW MOVE TO TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

THANK YOU ALL. FOR MAKING TIME FOR US AND FOR YOUR QUESTIONS DURING THIS PROCESS AND GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO VENT, IF NOTHING ELSE, WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE POSITION THAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE IN.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR LITTLE SLICE OF THIS PIE IS OUR PRIORITY.

NOT NECESSARILY EVERYONE'S PRIORITY. AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT DANIEL AND OMB HAVE DONE TO HELP US ALONG THIS ROAD AS WELL.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, WITH LOSS OF OUR FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING PLUS THE OFFSET, WE HAVE A DEDUCTION OF 1.7 MILLION FROM CURRENT LEVELS.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE LARGER DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE MUCH BIGGER OFFSETS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH.

BUT WITH THIS BUDGET, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH CASELOAD DEMANDS IN FISCAL YEAR 26.

THERE WILL BE EXTENDED TIMES FOR TESTING AND REPORT COMPLETION, LEADING PEOPLE TO BE IN JAIL LONGER THAN NECESSARY, COURT HEARINGS BEING DELAYED, AS WELL AS A BACKLOG OF CASES WHICH COULD TAKE MONTHS OR YEARS TO OVERCOME.

WE ALSO HAVE A FEAR, AS I MENTIONED, OF ATTRITION.

WE'RE WORKING OUR PEOPLE VERY HARD AS IT IS. IF OUR CASELOAD GOES UP AND THEIR SALARIES DO NOT, I COULDN'T BLAME THEM FOR LOOKING ELSEWHERE AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO FAR.

THEY ARE OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES. THERE ARE STATE LABS.

THERE IS THE CITY LAB. THEY DON'T HAVE TO EVEN MOVE TO FIND A DIFFERENT POSITION.

AND THEN I AM LEFT WITH A SENIOR LEVEL PCN THAT I HAVE TO RECLASSIFY AS AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION AND THEN TRAIN THEM.

AND THEN THE MINUTE THEY BECOME CERTIFIED, THEY LEAVE.

SO I BECOME A DE FACTO FARM SYSTEM FOR SCIENTISTS, AND THAT DOES NOT KEEP US AT THE TOP OF THE NATION IN FORENSIC SCIENCES, WHICH I BELIEVE WE ARE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. INSTITUTE FOR FORENSIC SCIENCES. AND TO COURT OFFICES.

WE WILL NOW BREAK UNTIL 2 P.M. FOR LUNCH, WHEN WE WILL RESUME WITH A PRESENTATION FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

THANK YOU. WELCOME BACK. COURT OFFICES. IT IS 2 P.M., AND WE ARE READY TO RESUME OUR BUDGET HEARINGS FOR THE DAY. OUR FIRST PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON COMES FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

[District Attorney]

[02:45:07]

AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOOD. I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ALL ON STARTING RIGHT ON TIME.

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN. THANK YOU.

I JUST WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR THEIR COLLABORATION AND THEIR TRUST IN WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AT THE DA'S OFFICE. WE HAVE REALLY BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

I KNOW THAT THAT TANYA TALKS ABOUT THE JAIL POPULATION AND THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TO REALLY REDUCE THAT IN MEANINGFUL WAYS ALL THE TIME. AND WE'RE GOING TO GO ON WITH THE PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THAT.

BUT IT IS IN LARGE PART THANKS TO THIS COURT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO SO MUCH SO QUICKLY BY GROWING OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND DIVERSIONS BUREAU, BY REVAMPING AND GROWING OUR INTAKE BUREAU, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEFLECT PEOPLE PRIOR TO EVER GETTING INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO THE TUNE OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND LESS PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY JAIL TODAY, AS OPPOSED TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.

AND WE'RE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY. WE'RE FIXING IT SYSTEMICALLY, MEANING THE NEXT CATASTROPHIC EVENT.

WE LIVE IN HOUSTON. WE KNOW IT'S COMING. WE CAN'T BE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE WERE.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FROM THE GROUND LEVEL, BEING ABLE TO FIX IT.

AND IT'S WORKING. JAIL POPULATION IS DOWN. VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND WE ARE DOING IT MEANINGFULLY IN THE RIGHT WAY.

BUT WE CAN'T GET COMPLACENT. WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE WHAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED.

AND THANKS TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET THAT THIS COURT GAVE US, WE WERE ABLE TO AGAIN REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS AROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND GETTING THE VICTIM ASSISTANCE COORDINATORS AND THE LICENSED SOCIAL WORKERS TO REALLY HELP OUR SURVIVORS BE SUCCESSFUL AND REENTER SOCIETY IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AS WELL. SO I AM SO EXCITED THAT THAT YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN US THIS TRUST.

AND I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN AND LET MY TWO EXPERTS IN THE BUDGET ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DAR. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO QUESTIONS FROM COURT OFFICES BEGINNING WITH PRECINCT FOUR. AND MOVING ON TO THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

HI. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I WANTED TO START JUST BY ASKING YOU TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE MAJOR SUCCESSES COMING FROM YOUR OFFICE SINCE YOU WERE SWORN IN. AND THEN KIND OF A TWO PART QUESTION.

I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE ON YOUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THAT MOMENTUM, GIVEN THE CUTS BEING PROPOSED AND SOME OF THE SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS THAT YOU SUBMITTED NOT BEING INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET? SURE, I CAN TAKE THAT ONE.

MY NAME IS CHANDLER RAYNE. I'M THE FIRST ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY AT THE HARRIS COUNTY DA'S OFFICE. I WOULD TAKE UP A LOT LONGER THAN A HALF HOUR IF I STARTED HIGHLIGHTING OUR SUCCESSES SINCE SEAN'S TAKEN OFFICE, BUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR SUCCESSES HAS BEEN BASED ON THE WORK THAT OUR PROSECUTORS, PARALEGALS, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, AND INVESTIGATORS DO EVERY SINGLE DAY, BOTH IN COURT AND OUTSIDE OF COURT.

AND I WAS IN FRONT OF THIS BODY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT MOST OF OUR BUDGET IS LABOR.

IT'S THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY TO DO THE WORK THAT WE ASK THEM TO DO, AND THAT OUR COMMUNITY ASKS THEM TO DO.

SOME OF THE, I THINK, KEY HIGHLIGHTS THAT I WOULD WANT TO FOCUS ON REALLY IS THE WAY THAT WE HAVE KIND OF RETHOUGHT HOW TO ASSIST THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH REGARDS TO JAIL POPULATION AND FROM NOT JUST DAY ONE, BUT REALLY DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD WHEN WE STARTED MEETING WITH NOT JUST THIS COURT AND STAFFERS, BUT ALSO OUR PARTNERS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALIZED IS THAT THERE WAS A REAL, GENUINE PROBLEM AT THE JAIL WITH REGARDS TO THEIR POPULATION AND AND WHAT THEY COULD DO BASED ON THE REALITY OF NOT JUST THEIR BUDGET, BUT THEIR STAFF. AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THAT RESULTED IN OUTSOURCING.

I BELIEVE LAST YEAR WE HAD $54 MILLION IN OUTSOURCING THAT WAS COMING FROM THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL.

SO WE STARTED TO THINK, WHAT CAN WE DO TO NOT JUST PUSH TOWARDS COMMUNITY SAFETY, BUT ALSO PUSH TOWARDS A FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE COULD DO WHAT WE COULD DO TO HELP THIS COUNTY SAVE THAT $54 MILLION.

AND I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL.

[02:50:01]

AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT. AND WE'VE DONE IT SAFELY.

WE HAVE DONE IT IN A WAY THAT IS FOCUSED OUR RESOURCES ON DEFLECTION, ON DIVERSION, BUT ALSO ON PROSECUTING VIOLENT OFFENDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY ISN'T JUST SAFER, BUT FEELS SAFER. WHEN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS HEALTHY, THAT'S WHAT WE GET TO BRING TO THE TABLE AND WE GET TO TELL THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY.

THE NUMBERS ARE WHAT THEY ARE. CRIME IS GOING DOWN, BUT YOU STILL FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT.

AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY FEELS SAFER AS WELL. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT. ANOTHER THING THAT I WOULD WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS OUR SPECIAL VICTIMS BUREAU, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ONE OF OUR BUREAU CHIEFS, ANGELA WELTON, AND THEY HAVE TRIED OVER 100 CASES THIS YEAR OUT OF JUST THAT ONE BUREAU.

THAT BUREAU HOUSES OUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING DIVISION, OUR ADULT SEX CRIMES DIVISION, AND OUR CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN DIVISION.

THESE ARE THE WORST OF THE WORST OFFENDERS. AND THEY'VE TRIED OVER 100 CASES.

THEY HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS TIRELESS HOURS FOCUSING ON SOME OF THE MOST VIOLENT OFFENDERS IN HARRIS COUNTY.

AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL DOING IT. BUT THE MODEL THAT THEY HAVE DONE IS ONE THAT WE WANT TO TAKE TO THE REST OF THE DA'S OFFICE AS WELL.

IT IS THIS ONE ON ONE MENTORSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP WITH AN EXPERIENCED PROSECUTOR AND A RELATIVELY NEW PROSECUTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE DEVELOPING NEW PROSECUTORS INTO CAREER QUALIFIED EXPERT PROSECUTORS, BUT ALSO LETTING OUR EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS DO THE THING THAT WE PAY THEM TO DO, DO THE THING THAT THEY TOOK AN OATH TO DO, WHICH IS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.

AND WITH REGARDS TO SOME SOME AREAS WHERE I THINK THAT WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE SOME VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS IF THERE WERE POTENTIAL CUTS TO OUR BUDGET.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD WANT TO FOCUS ON IS OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND DIVERSION DESK AT THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THAT DESK, WE'RE GOING TO BE STAFFING IT OVERNIGHT.

AND SO STARTING THIS WEDNESDAY, SO THE 3RD OF SEPTEMBER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PROSECUTORS WHO ARE TYPICALLY THERE FROM 8 TO 5 ARE GOING TO BE MANNING THAT DIVERSION DESK WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM FIVE TO MIDNIGHT AND THEN INTO SUNDAY MORNING, MIDNIGHT TO EIGHT. AND THEY PLAY A HUGE ROLE IN WORKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY, ON PAPER, SEEM AS THOUGH THEY'RE A RISK TO THE COMMUNITY.

BUT WHEN YOU DIVE INTO IT, YOU SEE THAT THEY'RE REALLY A BIGGER RISK TO THEMSELVES.

AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DIVERTING THOSE CASES IN A WAY THAT KEEPS OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, BUT ALSO HELPS GET THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED IN THAT MOMENT.

THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.

IT'S NOT JUST PROSECUTING THE MOST VIOLENT CASES, BUT IT'S KIND OF REIMAGINING THE WAY THAT WE PROSECUTE CASES IN GENERAL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, MA'AM. I ALSO WANTED TO ASK ABOUT SOME OF THE SPECIFIC SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS THAT YOU ALL HAD SUBMITTED.

I'M THINKING OF THE POSITIONS FOR APPELLATE AND WRITS AND THEN ALSO CONVICTION INTEGRITY.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACT MIGHT BE OF NOT HAVING THOSE FUNDED SPECIFICALLY, GIVEN SOME RECENT CHANGES IN LEGISLATION? SURE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I JUST SPOKE ABOUT WITH REGARDS TO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IS OUR OUR SPECIAL VICTIMS BUREAU.

EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE CASES THAT RESULTS IN A CONVICTION CAN ALSO RESULT IN AN APPEAL AND ONE DAY DOWN THE LINE, A POSSIBLE WRIT. AND WHERE WE'VE GOT TO HAVE PROSECUTORS WHO HANDLE THOSE APPEALS, WHO RESPOND TO DEFENSE APPEALS IN FRONT OF THE FIRST, 14TH AND COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS, AS WELL AS HANDLING THOSE WRIT HEARINGS.

AND SO THE MORE CASES WE'RE TRYING, THE MORE FOLKS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED IN OUR POST-CONVICTION BUREAU TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON MAKING SURE THAT THE RIGHTEOUS CONVICTIONS, WHEN WE GET THEM IN COURT ARE UPHELD.

AND THEN WITH REGARDS TO OUR CONVICTION INTEGRITY UNIT, THIS IS A TEAM OF PROSECUTORS.

IN FACT, WE JUST HAD AN INTERVIEW WITH SOMEBODY LAST WEEK WHO WE'RE HOPING TO HIRE INTO THAT THAT TEAM.

THEIR JOB IS ENSURING THE INTEGRITY OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM FROM BEGINNING TO END.

THESE ARE THE PROSECUTORS WHO ARE LOOKING BACK POST-CONVICTION, SOMETIMES AFTER A WRIT HEARING, AFTER THE APPELLATE PROCESS IS GOING ON AND RESPONDING TO REQUESTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY, SOMETIMES FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT.

CAN YOU ALL GIVE THIS ONE ANOTHER LOOK? THEY'RE GOING TO BE TIMES WHEN THEY LOOK AT CASES AND THEY SAY, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS A VALID CONVICTION, BUT IT CAN MAKE ALL OF US FEEL BETTER ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE SYSTEM.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE TIMES WHEN THEY RECOMMEND TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SOME KIND OF RELIEF THAT ALSO HELPS US SLEEP AT NIGHT WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT JUST FOCUSING ON BEING ETHICAL PROSECUTORS WITH INTEGRITY ON THE FRONT END, BUT WE'RE ENSURING THE INTEGRITY OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM ON THE BACK END.

THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, PRECINCT ONE.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK. WE KNOW HOW HARD YOU AND ALL OF YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING, AND IT REALLY SHOWS. AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY SAFETY TO PROSECUTE WHEN APPROPRIATE AND NOT WHEN APPROPRIATE.

YOU MENTIONED YOUR MENTAL HEALTH BUREAU, AND I WANTED TO ASK SPECIFICALLY IF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS NOT FUNDED AT ITS CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE BUDGET,

[02:55:08]

AND WE'VE GOT, I BELIEVE, 46 RIGHT NOW. AND SO WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON EXPANDING THIS AREA OF PROSECUTION BECAUSE IT WASN'T TRADITIONALLY THOUGHT OF AS PROSECUTION.

BUT THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE'VE THOUGHT OF IT IS WHAT CAN WE DO FROM A STAFFING MODEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUR RESOURCES IN A PLACE THAT ARE GOING TO HELP A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAYBE SHOULDN'T BE INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE FRONT END. IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE MAINTAIN THE FOLKS THAT WE'VE GOT THERE.

BUT LONG TERM, WE'D LIKE TO GROW THAT AREA OF THE OFFICE AS WELL.

AND BACK IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, THIS COURT GAVE US A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET OF 7.6 MILLION.

SOME OF THOSE FOLKS WERE IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND DIVERSION BUREAU. SOME OF THEM WE'VE ALREADY BEEN ABLE TO RECRUIT, TO RECRUIT AND FILL THOSE SPOTS.

SOME WERE STILL RECRUITING FOR POSITIONS BECAUSE WE'RE BEING VERY, VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE HIRING AND THEN TRANSFERRING OVER TO THAT DIVISION, BECAUSE THE WORK THAT THEY DO IS NOT IT'S NOT TRADITIONAL PROSECUTION.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS TRIALS. IT'S NOT ALWAYS PLEAS.

SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY DIVING INTO SOMEONE'S MENTAL HEALTH HISTORY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THEM OUT OF THE SYSTEM IN A WAY THAT'S SAFE, NOT JUST FOR THEM, FOR THEIR FAMILY, FOR THEIR CAREGIVERS, AND FOR THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY THAT TAKES BODIES, THAT TAKES PROSECUTORS, PARALEGALS, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, AND INVESTIGATORS BEING ASSIGNED THERE.

OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO GROW THAT PART OF THE OFFICE.

AND I THINK THAT IT HAS PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE JAIL POPULATION DECREASE THAT WE'VE SEEN.

HAVING PROSECUTORS REALLY FOCUS ON THESE CASES FROM AN EYE OF SHOULD THEY BE IN THE SYSTEM? YES OR NO IS A WAY THAT WE HAVE SEEN THAT WE DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, NOT JUST IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, BUT IN THE JAIL. IT'S NOT JUST A DECREASE IN POPULATION AT THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL THAT WE'VE SEEN.

IT'S A DECREASE IN CASELOADS THAT WE'VE SEEN PRETTY CONSISTENTLY OVER THE LAST NINE MONTHS.

WE'RE PROUD OF IT. BUT LIKE SEAN SAID EARLIER, THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE.

A LOT OF THAT WORK WILL BE DONE IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND DIVERSION BUREAU. THANK YOU.

AND JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO KEEP THE FULL STAFFING AT THE DIVERSION DESK IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE YOUR FULL CLS BUDGET, OR IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MIGHT BE AT RISK SO THAT THE FUNDS FOR THAT COME OUT OF.

WELL, IT'S OVERTIME IS THE WAY THAT WE'RE STAFFING THAT.

SO WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE FULL TIME LAWYERS WHO HAVE A DAY JOB.

AND THEN THE WAY THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT IS WITH OVERTIME. IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY THAT WE STAFF OUR INTAKE DIVISION AFTER 5 P.M.

IS WE'VE GOT REGULAR LAWYERS, REGULAR ADMINS, REGULAR INVESTIGATORS WHO ARE SHOWING UP AT 5:00 AND WORKING THAT DESK FROM FIVE UNTIL 8 A.M. THE FOLLOWING MORNING. AND MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO STAFF THE MENTAL HEALTH DESK, AS WELL AS OUR INTAKE AND BUREAU THE WAY THAT WE'VE DONE IT NOW, BECAUSE IT HAS SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE.

GETTING BACK TO A MODEL WHERE YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS ON THE PHONE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS SHOWN THAT IT DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE ON THE PHONE WITH PROSECUTORS, AND WE ARE NOW AT A PLACE WHERE WE'RE UNDER TWO MINUTES ON A WAIT TIME FOR OFFICERS.

WE WERE HEARING COMPLAINTS FROM OFFICERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THAT THEY'D BE ON ON THE PHONE FOR 45 MINUTES, SOMETIMES AN HOUR. AND THE SAME THING WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH AND DIVERSION DESK. WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT OVERTIME MONEY IN ORDER TO STAFF THOSE DESKS.

I WORKED A LOT OF INTAKE SHIFTS AT 2 OR 3 IN THE MORNING WHEN I WAS ALIGNED.

PROSECUTOR WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT FOR FREE. UNDERSTANDABLE.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT YOUR BUDGET, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE HAD POSITIONS THAT HAD BEEN ARPA FUNDED AND THEN WERE CONVERTED, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.

YOU'VE REFERENCED THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES AT HEARINGS BEFORE. CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW, AND WHAT THE IMPACTS WOULD BE IF YOU WERE ABLE TO RETAIN THEM OR NOT? OF COURSE. SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, WE CAME TO THE COURT AND ASKED, EFFECTIVELY, HOW DO YOU WANT US TO HANDLE THE FOLKS THAT WE HAD IN ARPA? A LOT OF FOLKS IN OUR HOMICIDE BUREAU WERE WERE ON ARPA.

IN FACT, I FOUND OUT TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR THAT MY PCN WAS AN ARPA PCN WHEN I WAS A CHIEF IN OUR HOMICIDE DIVISION, AND THE COURT RECOMMENDED THAT WE PUT EVERYBODY IN GENERAL FUNDS, AND THAT WAS APPROVED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.

SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE NO ONE IN AN ARPA FUNDED PCN.

EVERYBODY ENDED UP ON GENERAL FUND. IT'S ABOUT $4.4 MILLION OF FOLKS.

AND IF THAT 4.4 MILLION IS NOT INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET, THEN IT'S EFFECTIVELY A CUT OF 4.4 MILLION.

AND WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IS REALLY FOCUS ON HOW WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE SOME VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS.

WE DO NOT PLAN TO CUT, FOLKS. I MEAN, THESE ARE THE PROSECUTORS AND THE ADMINS AND THE PARALEGALS AND THE INVESTIGATORS WHO ARE DOING THE GOOD WORK THAT WE'VE ASKED THEM TO DO.

SO WHAT WE WOULD REALLY BE FOCUSING ON IS THINGS LIKE OVERTIME, THAT THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD BE ENDING UP MAKING SOME OF THESE CUTS, OF COURSE. THANK YOU. PRECINCT ONE. PRECINCT TWO.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR THIS YEAR AND REALLY

[03:00:05]

THE CURRENT BUDGET PROPOSES, I THINK IS CLOSE TO A $4 MILLION OFFSET.

HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT YOUR DEPARTMENT? SO AGAIN, WE'RE WE'RE FOCUSING BACK IN ALL THE WAYS THAT WE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO BE INNOVATIVE AND, AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE HAVE REQUIRED OUR STAFF TO DO A LOT MORE WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT.

AND AT THE CURRENT CLS OF 145.2 MILLION, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO IT AT RIGHT NOW.

SO CUTTING THAT AND GOING TO A LESSER NUMBER WOULD STILL WE WOULD STILL BE ASKING OUR STAFF TO DO MORE WITH EVEN LESS THOUGH NOW.

AND THEY'LL DO IT. I MEAN, I'M TELLING YOU, I KNOW THESE FOLKS.

WE'VE GOT ALMOST 900 EMPLOYEES. THEY ARE, POUND FOR POUND, SOME OF THE HARDEST WORKING PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT I'VE EVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH.

AND THEY WILL DO IT, BUT IT'S GOING TO HURT. AND SO THIS COURT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF US AND OUR OFFICE AND THE MISSION THAT WE HAVE.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CONTINUING SUPPORT. ABSOLUTELY.

AND YOU MENTIONED BEING FULLY STAFFED NOW AT THE DIVERSION DESK AND THE JPC AND SO THOSE WILL BE IN PERSON STAFF.

IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY, GREAT. AND YOUR BUDGET SUPPORTS TWO MAJOR PRIORITIES FOR COMMISSIONERS COURT MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

I WANTED TO ASK YOU A QUESTION SPECIFICALLY AROUND HOW YOUR BUDGET PROVIDES SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.

COULD YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE ROLE OF THE DA'S OFFICE IN SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF DC, OF DV? OUTSIDE OF JUST PROSECUTING OFFENDERS? AND HOW DO YOU PARTNER WITH LOCAL NONPROFIT SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THAT SPACE? SURE. SO SEAN ENTRUSTED CAREER PROSECUTOR BY THE NAME OF MARY MCFADDEN TO RUN OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BUREAU.

SHE'D BEEN A BIG PART OF OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TEAM AS THE DIVISION CHIEF UNDER THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.

BUT OUR GOAL WAS TO EXPAND THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING WITH REGARDS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

AND THE NUMBERS ARE TRULY SHOCKING WHEN YOU START LOOKING INTO THE NUMBERS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATED HOMICIDES.

OUR GOAL HAS NEVER BEEN TO JUST SUCCESSFULLY PROSECUTE THOSE HOMICIDES WHEN THEY HAPPEN.

BUT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN AS MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMICIDES.

THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET TO THESE SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EARLY AND GET THEM THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO SEE A WAY OUT OF A VERY, VERY BAD SITUATION. SO TO THAT END, UNDER SEAN'S LEADERSHIP, WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS STARTED REALLY, REALLY FOCUSING THEIR TIME AND ATTENTION ON HIGH RISK OFFENDERS.

THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE KNOW HAVE SEVERAL CALLS TO SERVICE, EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE A LENGTHY CRIMINAL HISTORY.

WE KNOW THAT SOMEBODY HAS BEEN CONTACTING POLICE MULTIPLE TIMES, FOCUSING NOT JUST ON NAMES AND NUMBERS, BUT ADDRESSES TO TRY AND FOCUS IN ON. WHERE DO WE KNOW THAT THERE IS? THERE ARE STATISTICS. THERE IS DATA THAT SHOWS THIS INDIVIDUAL IS IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIP.

AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET THEM RESOURCES TO GET OUT OF THAT RELATIONSHIP? AND IT'S NOT JUST WORKING WITH WITH PARTNERS OUTSIDE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INSIDE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

BUT WE'VE REALLY KIND OF RETHOUGHT THE WAY THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT ENTIRE APPARATUS.

I MEAN, TALKING TO CONSULATES AND SAYING WHEN YOU'VE GOT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WHO ARE CITIZENS OF YOUR COUNTRY, WHEN THEY'RE COMING TO YOU AND SAYING THAT THEY'RE IN THIS SITUATION, GIVE THEM THIS PAMPHLET SO THEY KNOW THE NUMBERS TO CALL IN OUR OFFICE, SO THEY KNOW THE NUMBERS TO CALL IN OTHER IN OTHER AREAS WHERE PEOPLE ARE PROVIDING RESOURCES TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, I THINK IT IS INCUMBENT ON ALL OF US IN LAW ENFORCEMENT NOT JUST TO PROSECUTE AND INVESTIGATE THE NEXT MURDER WHEN IT HAPPENS, BUT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO STOP IT. AND WE'VE BEEN TRULY FOCUSED ON THAT FOR THE LAST NINE MONTHS.

THANK YOU. AND SPEAKING OF PARTNERING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING DIVISION, HOW DO YOU PARTNER WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND NONPROFITS TO MITIGATE THE LEVEL OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING WE'VE SEEN IN RECENT YEARS? YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN REALLY PROUD OF IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE'VE SPENT. AND I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE WORKING WITH FIFA, AS WE ALL PREPARE NOT JUST THE COUNTY, BUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES FOR WHAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO BE A VERY INTERESTING TIME WHEN THE WORLD CUP COMES DOWN HERE FOR 37 DAYS NEXT YEAR. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE SINGULARLY FOCUSED ON INITIALLY WAS HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT THERE IS A VERY LARGE PROBABILITY THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING AROUND THAT TIME? SO WHAT WE DID IS WE TOOK ONE OF THE MOST SENIOR PROSECUTORS THAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE OFFICE, AND WE REASSIGNED HER TO OUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING DIVISION WITH THIS KIND OF PURPOSE OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR OFFICE WAS PREPARED FOR WHAT WE HAVE A VERY STRONG FEELING IS COMING NEXT SPRING. AND SO JUST EVEN RETHINKING THE WAY THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING RESOURCES AND TO TRY AND GROW A PLACE WHERE WE KNOW THERE'S A NEED FOR GROWTH.

WE'VE ALSO CONTINUED TO WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO REALLY START SOME OF THESE ICAC PROGRAMS, OR INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN PROGRAMS AND STING, SO THAT WE ARE BEING NOT JUST REACTIVE TO THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING PROBLEM THAT EXISTS, BUT PROACTIVE AND ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIND THESE OFFENDERS BEFORE THEY CAN GET TO INDIVIDUALS.

[03:05:04]

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SUCH A BREATH OF FRESH AIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PRECINCT. TWO. PRECINCT THREE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. YES, SIR. MUTE. UNMUTE. I'M FAMILIAR WITH A LOT OF IT.

AND HOW VERY MUCH IT NEEDS TO BE CONTINUED. AND THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.

MENTAL HEALTH WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THE LAST TIME I WAS IN THE DA'S OFFICE THAT I WAS ABLE TO CREATE THAT DIVISION.

AND YOU HAVE TAKEN IT TO A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL, AND I'M VERY IMPRESSED.

THE 4.4 MILLION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, THAT'S THE PART THAT IS GOING TO KEEP YOU FROM DOING SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. SO THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO, TWO THINGS THAT ARE THAT ARE PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET BOOK AND ONE NOT IN WRITING.

SO IT'S THE 4.4 MILLION THAT WE MOVED FROM ARPA INTO GENERAL FUND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

AND THEN THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE JUST BRING THAT TO THE COURT DURING THIS BUDGET SEASON, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE DONE. SO THAT 4.4 MILLION HAS BEEN REQUESTED THERE.

THAT'S RIGHT. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE THE $3.5 MILLION CUT THAT OMB PROPOSED.

AND SO IT'S REALLY THOSE TWO THINGS THAT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT.

EXCUSE ME 3.2. SO IT'S THOSE TWO THINGS THAT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT.

SO IT'S JUST OVER 7 MILLION IN PROPOSED CUTS FROM OUR CLS THAT WHAT WE BELIEVE WOULD BE THE 140 5.2 AND THEN THE PROPOSAL.

AND SO WHEN WE START TO THINK ABOUT THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, WHAT WE WOULD REALLY BE FOCUSING ON IS SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET UP AND RUNNING RIGHT NOW, AND SOME OF THE SPOTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RECRUIT FOR RIGHT NOW.

AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE JDS KNOW, FOR US, HIRING IS REALLY CYCLICAL.

WE RUN WITH THE BALL. AND SO IT'S AROUND FEBRUARY AND JULY EVERY YEAR THAT WE REALLY KIND OF RAMP UP OUR, OUR ARE HIRING. BUT OUR RECRUITING RUNS YEAR ROUND, AND SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE JOB OFFERS TO SOME OF THESE YOUNG CANDIDATES RIGHT OUT OF LAW SCHOOL. OTHERWISE, THEY'RE GOING TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND SO FOR US, THE CUTS WOULD REALLY MEAN THAT WE WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO GROW THE OFFICE IN A WAY THAT WE THINK WE NEED TO IN ORDER TO FOCUS ON ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT.

DO YOU MAKE PRE OFFERS? YES, SIR. WE DO. WHAT IS YOUR NUMBER RIGHT NOW.

OUR NUMBER OF PRE OFFERS. SO WE JUST BROUGHT IN A CLASS ON AUGUST 18TH IS WHEN THEY STARTED WE HAD 25 LAWYERS START ON AUGUST 18TH.

AND THOSE OFFERS STARTED GOING OUT MONTHS IN ADVANCE.

AND SO OUR NEXT CLASS WILL BE STARTING AFTER THE FEBRUARY BAR.

SO IT'LL BE LATE FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR, AND WE'RE FULLY PREPARED TO START MAKING OFFERS TO THAT CLASS AS WELL AS SOON AS WE KNOW WHAT OUR BUDGET FULLY LOOKS LIKE IN 2026, BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE A PROMISE TO A YOUNG CANDIDATE AND NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT THREE. PRECINCT FOUR. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

GOOD AFTERNOON. TEAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

ONE I WILL JUST ECHO WHAT EVERYONE HAS SAID. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COLLABORATION AND JUST AMAZING WORK.

AND WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT THE FUNDING THAT THIS BOARD APPROVED THREE MONTHS AGO IS YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH WITH THAT.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN. I THINK MOST OF THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN COVERED.

MY ONE QUESTION WOULD BE ON SB9. AND HOW YOU SEE THAT IMPACTING YOUR OPERATIONS AND ANY RESOURCES THAT YOU ENVISION BEING NEEDED IN THE COURSE OF THE YEAR AS SB9 STARTS TO PLAY OUT OR ANY OTHER LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT IS HAPPENING ON THE STATE LEVEL? SURE. THE TWO THINGS THAT THAT REALLY STAND OUT TO ME FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE FOR THE DA'S OFFICE WITH SB9 ARE THE INTAKE PROCESS.

AND SO THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT HAVING A SECOND PROBABLE CAUSE DOCKET RUNNING ON WEEKENDS.

WE WOULD NEED TO STAFF THAT. AND SO I WOULD NEED TO HAVE A PERSON THERE FROM 5 P.M.

TO 8 A.M.. AND SO THAT WOULD BE TWO DIFFERENT SHIFTS AT OVERTIME.

SO WE WOULD NEED TO STAFF THOSE. AND THEN I NEED TO HAVE A PERSON THERE AT DAYTIME.

SO IT'S ONE EXTRA PERSON DURING THE DAY AND THEN TWO EXTRA SHIFTS EVERY NIGHT AS LONG AS THAT SECOND PC DOCKET WAS RUNNING.

AND WE CAN GET EVERYBODY THOSE NUMBERS AS TO HOW THAT WOULD BREAK OUT.

AND THE NEXT WOULD BE THE RIGHT TO APPEAL THE BAIL AND BOND DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE BY THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A COST TO THAT AS WELL. AND NOT JUST IN APPEALING BUT ALSO IN DEFENDING.

AND SO THAT WOULD GO BACK TO OUR POST-CONVICTION BUREAU AND OUR APPELLATE TEAM.

OKAY. THANK YOU. I THINK MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION WOULD GENERALLY BE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THE CURRENT FUNDING IS CONTINUED, INCLUDING, OF COURSE, WHAT WAS FUNDED BY THE COURT THREE MONTHS AGO, DO YOU WITH SB9 AND THESE OTHER CHANGES, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN MAINTAIN THE THE THE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SHOWING IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS WITH REGARDS TO SB9? I DO. WE WE HAVE THE TEAM IN PLACE RIGHT NOW READY TO GO TO DEAL WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT SB NINE WILL THROW US.

AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

AND THEY ALL KNOW THAT SB NINE MEANS WE'VE GOT TO WORK A LITTLE BIT HARDER.

I MEAN, IF YOU START RUNNING COMP AND VACATION TIMES, I THINK THE DA'S OFFICE PROBABLY HAS MORE FOLKS SITTING AT 240 THAN JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER

[03:10:06]

AND THERE'S A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO SECTION 11 OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, THEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE A NEED, I THINK, ALL OVER THE COUNTY FOR SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, NOT JUST FROM OUR OFFICE, BUT FROM THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, PRETRIAL SERVICES, THE CLERK'S OFFICE AS WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF HEARINGS IN THE AFTERNOON THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO STAFF. AND SO YOU MAY VERY WELL BE SEEING US AGAIN IN APRIL, BECAUSE THERE'S NO REAL WAY FOR US TO PREDICT THE COST OF ESSER FIVE TO HARRIS COUNTY RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE SEE WHAT THE NUMBERS REALLY BREAK DOWN AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.

GOT IT. THANK YOU. AND JUST OUTSIDE OF JUST BUDGET LEGISLATIVE STUFF, IS THERE ANYTHING FROM YOUR VANTAGE POINT THAT COMMISSIONERS SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, JUST SUPPORT YOUR OPERATIONS AND OR IF THERE ARE ANY HOLD UPS TO YOUR ABILITY TO DELIVER, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU KNOW WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT? I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THERE ARE ANY HOLD UPS IN OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER.

ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT THIS IS MY FIRST BUDGET PROCESS IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND I'VE BEEN SO IMPRESSED WITH THE COLLABORATION, NOT JUST FROM THIS COURT AND FROM THE JUDGE'S OFFICE, BUT ALSO WITH WITH WITH ADMINISTRATOR DICKERMAN AND HIS TEAM.

I MEAN, DIRECTOR MILLS, DIRECTOR RAMOS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE DURING THIS PROCESS, AND THE COLLABORATION THAT IS EXISTING IN THIS GOVERNMENT IS VERY IMPRESSIVE AND SHOULD BE COMMENDED AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS PART AND PARCEL TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN HARRIS COUNTY AS A WHOLE, TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFER.

SOMETIMES THAT MEANS PROSECUTING A VIOLENT OFFENDER TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, AND SOMETIMES THAT MEANS DEFLECTING AND DIVERTING PEOPLE.

THE DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE HAD AMONGST THESE OFFICES AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE ARE VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE.

AND I THINK LONG TERM THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY EXCITING WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, NOT JUST NEXT FISCAL YEAR, BUT NEXT CALENDAR YEAR.

ONE AREA THAT I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED GROWTH ON TO, TO REALLY FOCUS ON THAT IS IN OUR GRAND JURY AND INTAKE BUREAU.

AND WE HAVE SO MANY IDEAS ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN DECREASE THE TIME FROM CASE DISPOSITION OR, EXCUSE ME, FROM CASE FILING TO CASE DISPOSITION, BUT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE FOLKS TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE PLANS.

AND SO IF THERE WAS AN AREA THAT I THOUGHT WE COULD MAKE SOME PRETTY MONUMENTAL CHANGE TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE SEE, THAT WOULD BE THE AREAS GROWING OUR GRAND JURY DIVISION.

THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT FOUR. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. PRECINCT ONE AND PRECINCT TWO.

YOU HAVE NO TIME REMAINING. PRECINCT THREE. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES AND 31 SECONDS REMAINING.

THANK YOU. WITH THAT DA, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

I'LL SEE IF I CAN GIVE A MINUTE OR TWO BACK. BUT NO ENTITY CAN FUNCTION AND CERTAINLY NOT FUNCTION AS WELL AS AS THIS COUNTY DOES WITHOUT PEOPLE LIKE CHANDLER, WHO HAS BEEN LIVING AND DYING WITH THIS BUDGET FOR MONTHS. AND AMY L BUT YOU AS WELL, THE STAFFERS, THE LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION THAT THAT MY OFFICE HAS HAD WITH EVERY ONE OF YOU FROM OMB AND ALL OF THIS, IT'S BEEN AMAZING.

JUST LIKE CHANDLER, THIS IS MY FIRST FORAY INTO THE BUDGET.

IT IT REALLY DOES WARM MY HEART THAT THAT EVERYONE IS SO INTENTIONAL AND DELIBERATE IN MAKING SURE WE'RE DOING THIS THE RIGHT WAY.

I'M JUST EXCITED THAT MY DEPARTMENT GETS TO BE A PART OF THIS AND TO OPEN UP AND LET EVERYONE SEE WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.

AS A LIFELONG HOUSTONIAN IN HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENT, IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

THANK YOU TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE WILL NOW MOVE FORWARD WITH A PRESENTATION FROM THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

HOW ARE YOU? GOOD.

[Public Defender ]

[03:15:17]

YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR INITIAL PRESENTATION.

THEN THERE WILL BE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS FROM EACH COURT OFFICE, BEGINNING WITH COMMISSIONER BRIONES, TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR YOUR CLOSING REMARKS.

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE PREPARED REMARKS. I HAVE PREPARED REMARKS BECAUSE IF I DO AN OPENING TRIAL STYLE, WE'LL BE HERE 20 MINUTES LATER. GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS GENESIS DRAPER. I AM THE CHIEF DEFENDER FOR THE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT OUR FY 26 BUDGET NEEDS.

THE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE IS ASKING THE MEMBERS OF COURT TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BUDGET WITHOUT THE OFFSETS, BUT I'D LIKE TO SET THE FRAMEWORK FOR OUR DISCUSSION OF THIS BUDGET REQUEST.

AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW, THE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE IS A GOVERNMENT FUNDED CRIMINAL DEFENSE FIRM THAT REPRESENTS PEOPLE ACCUSED OF CRIMES IN HARRIS COUNTY.

AT THE MOMENT, WE REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY 15% PERCENT OF THAT POPULATION.

THE REMAINING 85% OF THE PEOPLE ACCUSED ARE REPRESENTED BY PRIVATE ATTORNEYS HERE IN THE COUNTY.

ON AN APPOINTMENT BASIS, WE HAVE SEEN THAT COST.

WE HAVE SEEN THE COST OF THAT REPRESENTATION INCREASE EXPONENTIALLY IN RECENT YEARS, WITH THE COST LAST YEAR MORE THAN DOUBLING.

AND SO I WANT THE COURT TO UNDERSTAND OUR BUDGET REQUEST IN THIS FRAMEWORK.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING IS FOR THE COUNTY TO SHIFT MONEY THAT WILL INEVITABLY BE SPENT ON INDIGENT DEFENSE, PAYING THE PRIVATE BAR TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE BUDGET SO THAT WE CAN HIRE ADDITIONAL LAWYERS AND SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS AND GROW OUR CAPACITY TO ACCEPT CASES.

THIS WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO BEGIN TO SHIFT ITS COSTS TO THE FIXED AND PREDICTABLE COST OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, AND MOVE AWAY FROM THE VARIABLE AND RISING COSTS OF REPRESENTATION FROM THE PRIVATE BAR.

THE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE NOT ONLY HAS WELL-TRAINED ATTORNEYS TO LITIGATE CASES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS, INVESTIGATORS, MITIGATION SPECIALISTS, IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND A HOST OF OTHER PROFESSIONALS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES THAT HELP US DELIVER THE HIGHEST QUALITY, HOLISTIC REPRESENTATION. THIS IS WHY THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE HAS CONSISTENTLY OUTPERFORMED THE PRIVATE BAR BECAUSE WE HAVE IN-HOUSE SERVICES THAT MOST ATTORNEYS DON'T READILY HAVE ACCESS TO. AND WHEN THEY DO, THE COST GETS BILLED FOR THOSE SERVICES SEPARATELY.

OUR ROBUST IN-HOUSE TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY REPRESENTATION AT A MORE AFFORDABLE AND MORE PREDICTABLE RATE TO THE COUNTY.

THE SHORT VERSION IS THAT WE PROVIDE BETTER REPRESENTATION FOR CHEAPER, AND MY OFFICE IS DILIGENTLY WORKING ON A STRATEGIC PLAN TO GROW THE CAPACITY TO DO SO.

FOR AT LEAST 50% OF THE PEOPLE ACCUSED OF CRIMES, WITH A FOCUS ON NEW RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGIES.

IN CONCLUSION, I'M ASKING THE COURT TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

WITHOUT THE OFFSETS SHIFTING MONEY THAT WILL BE SPENT ON INDIGENT DEFENSE INEVITABLY TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, SO THAT WE CAN HIRE ADDITIONAL LAWYERS AND SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS AND GROW OUR CAPACITY TO ACCEPT A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THE CASES.

THIS IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY FOR THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE THIS STATUTORILY REQUIRED SERVICE.

AND WITH THAT I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

EACH COURT OFFICE WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS BEGINNING WITH COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER JUDGE DRAPER, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND FOR TAKING THE LEAD AND THE HELM OF OUR PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. I KNOW WE HAVE TALKED QUITE A BIT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I FEEL INCREDIBLY PASSIONATE ABOUT.

WE HAVE CHARGED YOU WITH A GOAL TO TAKE THE PD'S OFFICE TO AT LEAST 50% OF THE REPRESENTATION.

CAN YOU PLEASE WALK US THROUGH THIS PLAN TO MEET THAT GOAL, AND HOW YOUR BUDGET REQUESTS KIND OF DOVETAIL TO ACHIEVE IT? SURE. SO WHAT THE GOAL IS, OF COURSE, IS TO HIRE MORE LAWYERS.

IN THE PAST, WE HAVE FOCUSED A LOT OF OUR HIRING ON LATERAL HIRES, WHICH HAS BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL AT GETTING US LOTS OF SKILLED ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE TONS OF EXPERIENCE. HOWEVER, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GROW TO THE CAPACITY WE NEED TO GROW ON THE BACKS OF LATERAL HIRES.

AND SO WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW IS SHIFTING OUR MODEL TO HIRE MORE ATTORNEYS OUT OF LAW SCHOOL, SIMILAR TO HOW THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HIRES MORE OF A PRE-COMMIT STYLE PROGRAM.

AND SO WE WILL BE BRINGING ON CLASSES OF LAWYERS SO THAT WE CAN FILL THIS PIPELINE OF LAWYERS WHO CAN THEN GO INTO OUR DISTRICT COURTS.

WE WILL STILL, OF COURSE, ALWAYS DO LATERAL HIRES, BUT WE WILL BE NOW BRINGING IN LARGER CLASSES OF LAWYERS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT PIPELINE

[03:20:04]

BUT I DO THINK THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET THERE IN A TIMELY FASHION.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THE AMOUNT OF TIME.

YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY OUR OFFICE HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, SO HAVE THE CASE FILINGS, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S HARD TO SAY, YOU KNOW. WELL, IF WE HAVE NO PANDEMIC AND IF WE HAVE NO HURRICANE AND IF WE DON'T HAVE MORE CASE FILINGS.

RIGHT. BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST RECRUITMENT STRATEGY THAT INCLUDES A NEW RECRUITMENT DIRECTOR AND A TRAINING DIRECTOR TO HELP US GET THERE.

EXCELLENT. JUDGE SCHAEFER, CAN YOU PLEASE BRIEFLY TALK US THROUGH YOUR IDEAS ON TRAINING AS WELL? SURE. AND SO WE HAVE A NEW TRAINING DIRECTOR HERE IN OUR OFFICE, AND WE ARE NOW CURRENTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR FIRST FULL TRAINING CYCLE FOR OUR NEW CLASS OF LAWYERS. WE'RE ABOUT 2 OR 3 WEEKS INTO THAT PROGRAM.

AND SO WHAT THE GOAL IS, IS TO BRING IN LAWYERS KIND OF ON A CLASS BASIS, SO THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN THEM ALL THE SAME WAY, MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE NEED FOR A HOLISTIC MODEL OF REPRESENTATION.

AND SO WE WANT ALL OF THOSE LAWYERS TO UNDERSTAND HOW EACH OF THE DIVISIONS WORK TOGETHER.

ADDITIONALLY, THE LAWYERS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE, THE TRAINING DIRECTOR WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO THEM AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST CHANGES, LIKE SB NINE THAT HIT US JUST YESTERDAY.

IF WE HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT HITS US ON JANUARY 1ST, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAND READY TO ADJUST TO ALL THE CHANGES IN THE LAW.

AND SO THIS WILL I HAVE OVER 200 LAWYERS THERE IN THE OFFICE.

AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A CENTRALIZED MODEL OF TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND PROVIDING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF QUALITY REPRESENTATION. AND JUDGE DRAPER, IN MY LAST MINUTE AND 47 SECONDS REMAINING, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE CHANGES YOU'VE ALREADY MADE AND PLAN ON MAKING AS FAR AS MY VOTE IS CONCERNED.

I'M DEEPLY COMMITTED TO FULLY FUNDING YOUR OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN MEET AND EXCEED OUR GOAL OF AT LEAST 50%.

SO WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW INDIGENT DEFENSE COSTS, NAMELY PRIVATE APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL, HOW IT'S NOT AS HIGH OF QUALITY THAT THE PD CAN PROVIDE, AND OBVIOUSLY IT COST MORE.

AND THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE KEY DRIVERS OF THE DEFICIT.

SO CAN YOU FOR EVERYONE'S KNOWLEDGE WHO MAY BE LISTENING, CAN YOU JUST QUICKLY AGAIN, LEVEL SET HOW THE INVESTMENT IN THE PD'S OFFICE WILL DELIVER A HIGHER QUALITY OF JUSTICE AT A BETTER STEWARDSHIP OF TAXPAYER RESOURCE? SURE. SO SO LET ME SAY TO MY PRIVATE ATTORNEY FRIENDS IN THE WORLD, WE HAVE EXCELLENT PRIVATE ATTORNEYS HERE IN THE COUNTY.

THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT SERVICE, THOUGH, AND WHAT WE PROVIDE IS I HAVE AN IN-HOUSE HOLISTIC MODEL.

SO I DON'T NEED TO GO AND HIRE AN INVESTIGATOR.

I DON'T NEED TO GO AND HIRE AN EXPERT IN EVERY SINGLE INSTANCE.

I DON'T NEED TO GO AND HIRE A MITIGATION SPECIALIST.

I HAVE THEM AT THE READY. I HAVE IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS AT THE READY TO CONSULT ON IMMIGRATION ISSUES, AND THAT MAKES A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE REPRESENTATION.

AND SO INSTEAD OF ME HAVING TO SEND THE COUNTY A BILL FOR MY HOURLY RATE AND THEN A BILL FOR THE INVESTIGATOR'S HOURLY RATE, AND THEN A BILL FOR THE MITIGATION SPECIALIST HOURLY RATE.

IT'S ALL ROLLED UP INTO MY BUDGET. YOU CAN COUNT THE DOLLARS IN ADVANCE.

AND SO INSTEAD OF BECAUSE WHEN THE BILL COMES DUE FROM THE PRIVATE BAR, YOU HAVE TO PAY IT, RIGHT. YOU JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO ANTICIPATE WHAT THE COST WILL BE.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. AND VERY BRIEFLY, THE CAP OF CASELOADS.

CAN YOU BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THAT? YES. SO OUR LAWYERS DO HAVE A CASELOAD CAP.

AND SO IT ALLOWS THEM TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THEIR CASES EFFECTIVELY.

THEY DON'T GET OVERLOADED, AND THEY CAN PROVIDE THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION NECESSARY TO GIVE QUALITY REPRESENTATION, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE ON THE PRIVATE BAR SIDE.

THERE ISN'T A CAP. THEY CAN BE ACCEPTING CASES HERE.

OTHER COUNTIES, OTHER FAMILY LAW CASES, ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS THAT ARE A LOT HARDER TO GET A GRIP ON.

AND SO YOU CAN MUCH MORE CLOSELY MONITOR THE QUALITY OF REPRESENTATION IN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE BECAUSE OF THE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE SET.

THANK YOU, JUDGE DRAPER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

HI. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON ON YOUR NEW POSITION.

THANK YOU. WE'RE ALL VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU'LL DO WITH IT.

AT FIRST, CAN YOU PLEASE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SPECIFIC IMPACT THAT YOU EXPECT TO SEE TO YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE DEMAND FOR SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE RESULTING FROM SB NINE? ANY OTHER RECENT LEGISLATION THAT HAS PASSED? AND OF COURSE, THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT IF THAT BECOMES LAW IN JANUARY.

SURE. SO WHAT I EXPECT, JUST AS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SAID EARLIER, WE'LL REALLY HAVE TO WORK DOUBLE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE AS SERIOUS AN

[03:25:03]

AND SO THAT MAY INCLUDE, OF COURSE, ADDITIONAL STAFFING OVER AT THE JOINT PROCESSING CENTER.

AGAIN, THAT MIGHT INCLUDE ALSO WORK ON THE APPELLATE END.

AS THESE APPEALS GO FORWARD, PARTICULARLY IF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT GOES FORWARD AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CUSTODY WITHOUT BAIL, OUR LAWYERS WILL NEED TO STAND READY TO GET UP TO SPEED ON THESE CASES.

DO THE APPROPRIATE INVESTIGATION, GO THROUGH THE DISCOVERY SO THAT WE CAN STILL HAVE TIMELY TRIALS? BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS PEOPLE TO BE IN JAIL FIVE, SIX, FOUR YEARS LATER BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET OUT AND THE CASES ARE STACKING UP.

AND SO IT REALLY WILL AFFECT EVERY DIVISION, NOT JUST THE CIVIL DIVISION, BUT ALSO OUR TRIAL DIVISIONS.

AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH AND EVERY DIVISION IS ROBUSTLY STAFFED SO THAT WE CAN KEEP UP WITH IT.

WE DO HAVE OVERTIME OPPORTUNITIES. SO FOR EXAMPLE, YESTERDAY WHEN IT WHEN THE LAW HIT, I WAS ON THE PHONE MAKING SURE, OKAY, WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT. AND I THINK WE'LL SEE MORE THIS WEEKEND WHAT SOME OF THE NECESSARY CHANGES WILL BE.

OBVIOUSLY WE STAND READY TO ADJUST QUICKLY IF WE NEED TO WITH OVERTIME SHIFTS, BUT EVENTUALLY YOU WOULD HAVE TO STAFF THAT WITH A PERMANENT POSITION.

THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME IDEAS KIND OF THROWN AROUND ABOUT REVAMPING SOME OF THE DISTRICT COURT'S EMERGENCY RESPONSE DOCKETS TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON LOW LEVEL FELONIES. I'M CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT, IF THAT IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF.

SO I ALWAYS HAVE THOUGHTS, BUT YEAH. YES. SO I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THAT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

I DO THINK THAT THAT WOULD ALLOW OUR ATTORNEYS TO GET IN THERE AND GET SOME OF THESE CASES TRIAGED QUICKLY.

THOSE CASES TEND TO HAVE A SMALLER VOLUME OF DISCOVERY.

AND SO IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THROUGH THOSE DOCKETS MORE QUICKLY.

ADDITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM A DEFENSE STANDPOINT, SOME OF OUR MORE SERIOUS CASES, IT TAKES SO MANY RESOURCES AND SO MUCH TIME.

I THINK THAT THOSE ARE BEST HANDLED IN OUR HOME COURT WHERE OUR CHIEF PROSECUTORS ARE HIGHEST, MOST EXPERIENCED DEFENDERS CAN BE THERE AND PRESENT IN THE COURTROOM WITHOUT DISRUPTING THE FLOW OF THE DAILY COURT DOCKETS IN THOSE COURTS.

SO I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF OUR LOWER LEVEL FELONIES GOING TO OUR ERD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.

SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND I MEAN COMING HERE AND DOING THIS BUDGET HEARING SO FRESH IN YOUR ROLE.

I'M VERY IMPRESSED. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

I'LL YIELD MY REMAINING TIME TO COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, PRECINCT ONE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, AS WELL AS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALL OF YOUR TEAM'S WORK.

THANK YOU. GIVEN THE ANTICIPATED GROWTH THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, ARE THERE ANY FORESEEABLE NON-LABOR COSTS THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF? AND DOES THIS BUDGET ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS AND ALLOW THE OFFICE TO GROW AS EXPECTED OR AS NEEDED FOR ITS STRATEGIC PLAN.

SURE. SO THE THE ONLY NON-LABOR COSTS I CAN THINK OF IS SPACE.

RIGHT. AND HOW THAT COST BREAKS OUT. JUST I THINK KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE, THE NATURE OF THE SPACE ISSUE.

BUT THAT'S OUR BIGGEST NON-LABOR ISSUE IS SPACE.

I HAVE LAWYERS WITH NO WHERE TO SIT THEM. I HAVE STAFF WITH NOWHERE TO PUT THEM.

AND SO WE ARE ACTIVELY OUT OF SPACE AND GROWING.

AND SO THAT IS OUR BIGGEST NON-LABOR COST AND NEED.

AND I WOULD WANT ALL MEMBERS OF COURT IN THE COUNTY JUDGE TO BE AWARE OF THAT AND KEEP THAT AS A TOP PRIORITY AS SOME OF THE SPACE PLANNING ISSUES GO FORWARD IN THE COUNTY. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW THAT YOU JUST SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, WHETHER IT'S LEGISLATION THAT'S ALREADY GONE INTO EFFECT, ANTICIPATED OR POSSIBLE LEGAL AND COURT CHANGES, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT ELSE THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF, AS IT MIGHT IMPACT YOUR OFFICE, OR JUST GIVEN THE DIFFERENT ROLES THAT YOU'VE BEEN IN, IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM IN THIS COUNTY THAT YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO AS WE LOOK AT THE NEXT YEAR AND YEARS AND IMPACTS ON COSTS AND PEOPLE? SURE. YEAH, EXACTLY. I'VE BEEN THE THE LAWYER WORKING THE OVERNIGHT SHIFT AT JCPC.

I'VE BEEN THE JUDGE PRESIDING OVER THE CASE AND NOW THE DEFENDER.

TRYING TO WORK OUT THE PROCESSES. SO IT REALLY IS, I THINK WHAT I WOULD WANT THE COURT TO BE AWARE OF IS IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE IN ADVANCE. THIS COUNTY RUNS ON A VERY LIKE THIN ERA OF MARGIN, THE VERY THIN MARGIN WHEN IT RUNS, WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT INITIAL ARRESTS AND HOW THE JPC OPERATIONS RUN.

AND SO ANY CHANGE, EVEN A CHANGE IN A FORM, CAN REALLY ADD HOURS TO THE PROCESS.

[03:30:03]

I DON'T HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SPACE TO PUT A PUBLIC DEFENDER.

WE DON'T HAVE AN ADDITIONAL DESK OVER THERE FOR THEM TO EVEN INTERVIEW CLIENTS.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET CREATIVE WITH SOME OF THE VIRTUAL OPTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN STILL APPROPRIATELY STAFF IT.

SO THERE ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS, BUT WE WILL DO OUR ABSOLUTE BEST TO MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTION TO THE COUNTY.

THANK YOU FOR BOTH THE WARNING AND THE FLEXIBILITY.

AND IT'S JUST IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED, THAT THIS COURT CAN DO TO ADVANCE THE GOALS OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE AND ALSO HOLISTICALLY, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT FOR SUPPORTING SYSTEM OPERATIONS.

OVERALL, WE WELCOME THAT INPUT AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT AND TRYING TO DO THAT.

SO IF YOU WANT TO SHARE NOW OR ANY DAY, WE APPRECIATE IT.

SURE. JUST JUST TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, CHANGES ON THE HORIZON AS WE ADJUST TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEST GROW THIS CAPACITY.

I BROUGHT MEMBERS OF MY TEAM HERE WHO HAVE REALLY BEEN INVALUABLE WITH HELPING ME, LIKE HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING.

I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE ALEX BUNIN STILL HERE WITH US.

HE POSSESSES SO MUCH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND HAS PUT IN SO MUCH WORK TO SOLIDIFY THE PRESENCE OF THIS ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTY.

AND SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT. BUT I WOULD JUST ASK YOUR CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS WE MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.

YOU KNOW, THE DA'S OFFICE COMES IN WITH A SQUAD.

WE'RE VERY TOP LEAN. AND SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW IT IS THAT WHAT THE WEIGHT OF OUR LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE WILL BE TO SUPPORT THE, THE GROWING NATURE OF THIS OFFICE.

AND SO I JUST ASK YOUR CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS WE MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.

I'LL BE MEETING WITH YOU ALL IN THE FUTURE, JUST TO KEEP YOU APPRIZED OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING AND THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT ONE. PRECINCT TWO. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME IN HERE TODAY.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND THE THREE BRILLIANT PEOPLE THAT WENT BEFORE ME ASKED ALL MY BEST QUESTIONS.

BUT I GOT A FEW MORE FOR YOU. OKAY. HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT YOUR BUDGET ALIGNS WITH THE COUNTY'S GOALS FOR JUSTICE REFORM AND REDUCING RECIDIVISM? SURE. SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THE COUNTY IS FOCUSED ON IS ONE, MAKING SURE THAT OUR MODEL IS OFFERED TO A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE IN HARRIS COUNTY THAT GET ACCUSED.

AND SO THIS BUDGET WILL ABSOLUTELY DO THAT. IT WILL ALLOW ME TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES AND GET MORE ATTORNEYS IN HERE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.

THE COUNTY IN AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM.

I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, IF YOU ARE TRYING TO ATTACK CRIME AT THE COURTHOUSE DOORS, YOU'RE WAY TOO LATE.

AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN OUR OFFICE IS WE PROVIDE HOLISTIC SERVICES.

WE DO EVERYTHING FROM HELPING PEOPLE GET THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATES.

ID HELP THEM FIND HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO REDUCE THE CHANCES THAT SOMEONE WILL ENCOUNTER THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AGAIN.

AND SO THAT'S A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO. WE HAVE AN ENTIRE DIVISION DEVOTED TO THAT.

BUT I THINK OUR HOLISTIC MODEL, MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS ROBUST IS ONE OF THE KEYS TO MAKING SURE OR THE COUNTY'S STRATEGIC PLAN TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM.

AND SPEAKING OF THE HOLISTIC MODEL, HOW DOES YOUR BUDGET ADDRESS THE ESSENTIAL NEED OF PROVIDING HOLISTIC SERVICES TO YOUR CLIENTS? SO IT ALLOWS ME TO ONE, PUT MORE RESOURCES INTO THAT DIVISION RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS, BUT I'M LITERALLY TODAY GOT AN EMAIL FOR NEED FROM THEM TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE IN THAT SPACE.

AND SO IT WOULD ALLOW US TO GROW THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT.

RIGHT NOW WE DO A LITTLE BIT IN THE WAY OF PAROLE.

WE DO A LITTLE BIT IN THE WAY OF HELPING PEOPLE WHOSE LICENSES HAVE BEEN REVOKED AFTER THEY'VE BEEN ACCUSED, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.

AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AS I GROW THIS NUMBER OF LAWYERS, THAT ALL OF THOSE LAWYERS IN THE TRIAL DIVISION WILL BE CALLING ON THE LAWYERS IN THE HOLISTIC DIVISION TO ASSIST THEM, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH LAWYERS THERE RIGHT NOW.

I HAVE 80 IN THE FELONY TRIAL SECTION IN LIKE 12 IN THE HOLISTIC DIVISION THAT SUPPORT THE ENTIRE OFFICE OF 200.

AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HOLISTIC MODEL MATCHES OUR TRIAL REPRESENTATION, OR AT LEAST IS ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT WEIGHT.

ABSOLUTELY. I THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. PRECINCT. TWO. PRECINCT THREE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU, JUDGE. GOOD TO SEE YOU AS WELL.

THE BUDGET OVERVIEW THAT I HAVE MENTIONS THAT THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR OF THE FINAL YEAR AND SAYS

[03:35:10]

WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE CLOSER TO THAT 50%? SO AND SO THIS IS PART OF WHAT I WAS DISCUSSING BEFORE.

I'M HESITANT TO SAY, OH, I'LL BE THERE TIME WISE.

RIGHT, RIGHT. I MEAN, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT? SO HOW WE PLAN TO DO THAT IS WE WILL. THE SHORT VERSION IS HIRE MORE LAWYERS.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE RECRUITING IN CLASSES.

FOR EXAMPLE, OUR GOAL FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S CLASS IS 25.

RIGHT. AND SO IF I CAN INCREASE THAT PIPELINE TO 25 LAWYERS, THAT'S 25 LAWYERS THAT WILL BECOME VERY WELL TRAINED AND BECOME PREPARED TO GO INTO OUR FELONY DIVISION, AND WE WILL DO THAT YEAR AFTER YEAR TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE PIPELINE OF LAWYERS GOING INTO OUR FELONY DIVISION.

RIGHT NOW, I HAVE 200 LAWYERS. THAT'S A LOT OF LAWYERS. IT MAKES US ONE OF THE BIGGEST OFFICES IN THE COUNTRY.

IT'S NOT ENOUGH. AND SO I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A STRUCTURE IN PLACE THAT LET REGULARLY BRINGS IN CLASSES OF LAWYERS, TRAINS THOSE LAWYERS, AND THEN DISPATCHES THEM INTO THE COURTS.

AND SO THAT TAKES A RECRUITMENT PROGRAM. THAT TAKES A TRAINING DIRECTOR.

IT TAKES A RETENTION PROGRAM. RIGHT. AND SO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE RETAIN THOSE LAWYERS.

I CAN'T BLEED THEM OUT AS FAST AS I'M BRINGING THEM IN.

BUT WE'VE DONE A LOT IN THE WAY OF THINKING ABOUT HOW TO RETAIN THOSE LAWYERS.

I WAS A LAWYER THERE MYSELF, NOT APPRECIATING THE VALUE OF VESTING.

RIGHT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LAWYERS UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THE WORK THAT WE DO, BUT ALSO THE VALUE OF WORKING FOR THE COUNTY.

AND SO WE ARE PUTTING A LOT OF WORK INTO OUR RETENTION AND OUR IN OUR RECRUITMENT PROGRAM.

THANK YOU. I I THINK THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FEBRUARY CLASS WOULD BE YOUR FIRST 25, SO WE ACTUALLY JUST. NO, WE ACTUALLY JUST DID OUR FIRST MINI CLASS.

AND WE HAD ABOUT EIGHT LAWYERS START THERE. WE WILL HAVE A ANOTHER MINI CLASS IN FEBRUARY, BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T HAVE AS MANY LAWYERS THAT GRADUATE ON THE WINTER CYCLE.

OUR MAIN CLASS WILL COME ON IN AUGUST, AND THE GOAL IS TO HAVE 25 IN THAT CLASS.

OKAY. AND WHAT IS THE CAP ON THE LAWYERS CASE FILES? I'M SORRY, NUMBER OF CASES PER LAWYER. OH, YES.

SO WE HAVE OUR MISDEMEANOR DIVISION IS 226 AND OUR FELONY IS 128.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

THANK YOU. I GIVE MY TIME TO JUDGE BRIONES ALSO.

OKAY. THANK YOU. PRECINCT THREE. COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

YOU WILL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL FOUR MINUTES. THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, FOR THE EXTRA TIME.

JUDGE DRAPER, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED THIS IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANT US TO BE AWARE OF? AND THERE'S ALWAYS AN OPEN DOOR 24 OVER SEVEN.

CALL ME, TEXT ME. BUT FOR TODAY'S PURPOSES HOW ELSE CAN THE COURT BETTER SUPPORT YOU TO GETTING TO THIS GOAL OF AT LEAST 50% OF THE CASES? SO I WANT TO REITERATE KIND OF TWO OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT TODAY IS ONE, YOUR ENGAGEMENT. WE HAVE WORKED WELL IN PARTNERSHIP IN MY 45 TO 60 DAYS THAT I'VE BEEN IN THE ROLE, BUT ALSO EVEN MY TIME AS A JUDGE. I ENGAGED WITH YOU ALL IN THAT CAPACITY.

AND SO I ASK YOUR CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT WITH ME AND MY TEAM.

THE SECOND IS SPACE. I'VE HEARD I'VE LISTENED TO OTHER PEOPLE'S PRESENTATION TODAY, AND I HEARD THEM SAYING THE SAME THING.

WE ARE IN ONE LOCATION, SO WE ARE IN 13, TEN PRAIRIE.

AND WE HAVE SEVERAL FLOORS IN THAT BUILDING, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL FLOORS THAT WE DON'T. BUT AT THIS POINT, WE ARE THE DOMINANT ORGANIZATION IN THE BUILDING.

AND SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALL NOT ONLY PRIORITIZE THE SPACE BECOMES AVAILABLE, BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN LEAN ON OFFICES THAT DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE THERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE OTHER OPTIONS, THAT YOU WOULD START TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE OFFICES SO THAT WE COULD MAKE USE OF THIS, BUT USE OF THE SPACE, BECAUSE IT WOULD GO A VERY LONG WAY FOR US TO EXECUTE THE MISSION, TO JUST START TO GET SOME OF THOSE SPACES. ABSOLUTELY.

I WAS PINGING MY TEAM, AS YOU WERE SPEAKING, IN TERMS OF US ALL LEANING IN EVEN FURTHER WITH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IS WE'RE WORKING ON SPACE PLANNING, AND I KNOW PROXIMITY TO THE COURTHOUSE IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE FOR YOU AND YOUR LAWYERS.

IS THAT CORRECT? AND THE JAIL? YES. OKAY. NOTED.

AND WE WILL BE SURE TO CONTINUOUSLY REITERATE THAT, BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE SPACE TO HIRE ALL THESE LAWYERS WHO WILL HELP US ACHIEVE THE GOAL. SO MY OTHER QUESTION IN THE REMAINING TIME, I WANTED YOUR THOUGHTS IN TERMS OF THE MAC AND

[03:40:08]

SURE. SO I KNOW THAT A NEW DIRECTOR IS ON THE HORIZON, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THAT DIRECTOR IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT BOTH OF OUR OFFICES ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO EXECUTE THE MISSION OF MAKING SURE THAT HIGH QUALITY REPRESENTATION IS OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW IT'S AT THE MISDEMEANOR LEVEL.

AND I THINK IT HAS DONE A LOT TO REALLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF REPRESENTATION ALSO.

THE LIST HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY AND WE'RE ABLE TO.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE ON THE AUDITING PORTION OF IT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON COSTS, BUT WE'VE COME A LONG WAY IN THE MISDEMEANOR SPACE, AND I HOPE THAT THE SAME HAPPENS AT THE FELONY LEVEL RIGHT THERE.

JUST THERE HAS TO BE SOME OVERSIGHT. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU CALL IT, MAC, OR THERE HAS TO BE SOME OVERSIGHT BECAUSE THE COST IS IS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL WITHOUT HAVING A GOOD GRIP ON THE QUALITY OF REPRESENTATION.

AND SO I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE DIRECTOR.

IF THERE IS ANY FELONY EXPANSION, I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH DISTRICT COURT JUDGES WHO I HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH, ON HOW I CAN SUPPORT THEM, ON WHAT IT IS THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD FIT FOR THEM.

I'M HAPPY TO DO SO. THANK YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER ON OUR INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION AND BEYOND.

AND SO JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION WITH REGARD TO MAC.

SO WOULD YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO REALLY DIVING IN FURTHER WITH THE NEW DIRECTOR MAC FUNDING.

SO I DID TAKE A LOOK AT THEIRS AND THERE IS A PROPOSED CUT.

YOU KNOW, I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE WEEDS WITH THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT ASSIGNED COUNSEL THROUGH MY PREVIOUS ROLE.

AND SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEIR OPERATIONS, AND I KNOW THE COUNTY IS IN A CRUNCH.

WHAT I CAN SAY IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT 300,000 GETS FOR THE COUNTY, BUT WHAT IT DOES TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT SOUND COUNSEL WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC.

THEY WOULD HAVE TO CUT PERSONNEL. THEY DON'T HAVE AN OPERATIONAL COST.

AND NOT ONLY WOULD THEY HAVE TO CUT PERSONNEL, THAT WOULD HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE QUALITY AND THE COST OF INDIGENT DEFENSE IN MISDEMEANOR CASES. OKAY. I AGREE. I DO RECOMMEND A CUT.

I WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO FULLY FUND MAC PDO AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

I HAVE TO PUT A PLUG IN FOR THEM. YES. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

YES. THANK YOU, JUDGE SHAPER. COMMISSIONER. WE WE'D ALSO LIKE TO REVISIT AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH DIRECTOR HARDEN.

AGREED. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR RAMOS AND JUDGE DRAPER.

WE'RE THRILLED THAT YOU'RE AT THE HELM. THANK YOU AGAIN TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BRIONES. JUDGE DRAPER, YOU WILL NOW HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS OUR NEEDS WITH YOU.

THE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE IS THE CONSCIENCE OF THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.

WE KEEP THE SYSTEM HONEST, AND WE BRING THAT SAME WATCHDOG MENTALITY TO ASSISTING THE COUNTY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF REPRESENTATION TO INDIGENT INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED OF CRIMES IN HARRIS COUNTY IN THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE.

AN INVESTMENT IN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE IS AN INVESTMENT IN ENSURING MORE JUST OUTCOMES.

AN INVESTMENT IN THIS OFFICE IS AN INVESTMENT IN REDUCING THE JAIL POPULATION, AND INVESTMENT IN THIS OFFICE IS AN INVESTMENT IN REDUCING RECIDIVISM RATES AND KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE FROM CRIME, AND ALSO GOVERNMENT OVERREACH.

REST ASSURED THAT THIS OFFICE STANDS READY TO MAXIMIZE EVERY DOLLAR OF THIS BUDGET, TO PROVIDE OUR HIGH QUALITY, HOLISTIC REPRESENTATION TO AN INCREASINGLY LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE WHO STAND ACCUSED.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME AFTER TODAY WITH ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL TO MAKE HARRIS COUNTY A MORE JUST COUNTY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

OUR NEXT PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM THE COUNTY COURTS.

THANK YOU.

OH.

[03:45:12]

[County Courts]

THEN EACH COURT OFFICE WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS TO BEGIN WITH, THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

GOOD AFTERNOON. ED WELLS, I'M COURT MANAGER FOR THE COUNTY COURTS AT LAW.

PROBABLE CAUSE COURT. JUSTICE COURTS IN THE OFFICE OF COURT MANAGEMENT.

I'M JOINED TODAY BY JUDGE ERIKA RAMIREZ, PRESIDING JUDGE FOR THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTS AT LAW.

I EXPECT TO BE JOINED BY JUDGE AUDREY LAWTON EVANS, ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE FOR THE COUNTY CIVIL COURTS AS WELL.

WE RECOGNIZE THE SERIOUS BUDGET CHALLENGES FACING HARRIS COUNTY AND THE DIFFICULT CHOICES THIS COURT MUST MAKE IN BALANCING FISCAL REALITIES WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS.

AS STEWARDS OF PUBLIC DOLLARS, WE SHARE THAT RESPONSIBILITY, AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO NAVIGATING THESE CHALLENGES RESPONSIBLY WHILE ENSURING JUSTICE REMAINS TIMELY, FAIR, AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE RESIDENTS WHO DEPEND ON IT.

WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD PROPOSALS FOR THREE TARGETED INVESTMENTS TO PROTECT THE CORE FUNCTIONS OF OUR COURTS.

FIRST IS THE LANGUAGE ACCESS. ESTABLISHING A LANGUAGE ACCESS OFFICE WILL BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ADOPTED LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN, PROVIDING TRANSLATION, INTERPRETATION AND SUPPORTS LANGUAGE IS NEVER A BARRIER TO JUSTICE.

TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT FUNDING. AN APPLICATION DEVELOPER WILL STRENGTHEN OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SECURE, USER FRIENDLY DIGITAL SERVICES, MAKING IT EASIER FOR THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS COURT INFORMATION AND RESOURCES.

AND THIRD, CYBER SECURITY. AND THIS IS THROUGH THE MULTIFACTOR AUTHENTICATION REQUIREMENT.

I BELIEVE THIS IS KIND OF A PLACEHOLDER FOR US, BUT IT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE FUNDING IN THE EVENT THAT A SINGLE ITEM IS NOT BROUGHT FORWARD THROUGH UNIVERSAL SERVICES AND THE INTEGRATED JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT.

SO WE HAD A PLACEHOLDER WITH THE COST THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT IN THE COURTS THAT WE SERVE.

WE ALSO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT COURT'S REQUEST FOR FUNDING INCREASES FOR APPOINTED JUDICIAL OFFICERS.

WE HAVE TWO ASSOCIATE JUDGES, ONE OF WHICH WILL BE GOING AWAY AT THE END OF THIS MONTH WITH THE END OF ARPA FUNDING.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE 15 COUNTY, I MEAN, 15 CRIMINAL LAW HEARING OFFICERS WHOSE SALARIES HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN TIED TO THAT OF THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES.

WE SUPPORT THAT. THEY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN JUSTICE, BOTH ASSOCIATE JUDGES AND THE CRIMINAL LAW HEARING OFFICERS.

AND COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION. COMPENSATION IS KEY TO BOTH RECRUITING AND RETAINING, WHICH HAS BEEN AN ISSUE IN THE PAST.

THOSE POSITIONS LAST YEAR, WE TALKED ABOUT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS JUDICIAL WORKLOAD STUDY.

IT CALLED FOR JURISDICTION OUR SIZE TO HAVE 27.5 CRIMINAL MISDEMEANOR COURTS, 12 MORE THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE ALSO RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR EIGHT COUNTY CIVIL COURTS, AS OPPOSED TO THE FOUR WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

WITH THE SUPPORT OF THIS COURT, WE HAVE ONE NEW COUNTY CIVIL COURT AT LAW CREATED TO START NEAR THE END OF THIS YEAR.

BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, THE NATIONAL CENTER STUDY CONFIRMED THAT HARRIS COUNTY'S.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO QUESTIONS FROM COURT OFFICES, BEGINNING WITH THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. HI. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

I WOULD LOVE IF YOU COULD START BY DISCUSSING WHETHER THERE ARE ANY RECENT CHANGES IN LEGISLATION THAT YOU EXPECT TO IMPACT YOUR, YOUR COURTS IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY. SURE. I THINK EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH SB NINE, AND WHILE IT HAS A MUCH SMALLER IMPACT ON THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTS AND MISDEMEANOR COURTS, IT DOES IMPACT THE OPERATIONS OF PROBABLE CAUSE COURT.

AND SO MY GUESS IS THAT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO BE REFINING THE PROCESSES THERE TO FIGURE OUT HOW BEST TO DELIVER WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND STAY WITHIN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW.

IT IS GOING TO CREATE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD, ESPECIALLY ON THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES OR WHOMEVER THEY GIVE THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES TO.

BUT IT ALSO MEANS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE PROBABLY SPENDING A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME IN THE JPC, A PLACE THAT'S VERY CROWDED. ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE JPC IS THAT WHEN IT WAS DESIGNED LONG BEFORE ALL OF THIS LEGISLATION, SB SIX AND OTHERS WERE CONSIDERED IT WASN'T REALLY CONSIDERED THAT THERE WOULD BE THE NEED FOR STAFF THERE BEYOND A JUDGE.

AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE.

[03:50:01]

WE HAVE COURT CLERKS ASSIGNED TO THE JP COURTS THERE.

AND NOW WE NEED TO EXPAND THOSE THINGS. RIGHT.

AND THERE SIMPLY IS NO SPACE. AND SO THAT IS GOING TO BE PROBLEMATIC IN A CHALLENGE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF YOU COULD JUST SHARE YOUR GENERAL THOUGHTS ON THE BUDGET AS IT IS CURRENTLY PROPOSED.

WHETHER YOU FEEL THAT YOU'LL HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO CONTINUE PROCESSING CASES IN A TIMELY MANNER, MAINTAIN CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICES, AND JUST MEET STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IMPOSED ON YOUR COURTS.

I BELIEVE WE WILL CONTINUE OPERATIONS AS WE HAVE.

BUT AS I STATED BEFORE, WITH REGARD TO THE CASELOAD THAT OUR COURTS FACE, BOTH THE CIVIL COURTS AND CRIMINAL COURTS, WE'RE RUNNING AT THE RAZOR'S EDGE EVERY DAY. AND THAT HAS AN OUTSIZED IMPACT ON STAFF, JUSTICE PARTNERS AND THE PEOPLE WHO COME BEFORE THE COURT.

AND SO DO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE IMPACTS.

YES. LANGUAGE ACCESS IS A BIG ONE. WE NEED A BETTER WAY OF PROVIDING THAT IN AN ORGANIZED FASHION.

THAT'S ONE PIECE OF THE LANGUAGE ACCESS OFFICE THAT WAS A PART OF THE PLAN, SO THAT WE COULD COORDINATE THAT BETTER.

EXPANDING SERVICES IN THAT AREA. BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE LANGUAGE ACCESS, WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO JUSTICE.

RIGHT. OTHER THINGS THAT ARE, I THINK, PROBLEMATIC.

FUNDING FOR THOSE KINDS OF SERVICES, INTERPRETERS, TRANSCRIPTS FOR APPEALS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE ARE ITEMS THAT WE CAN'T MANAGE WELL, THE VOLUME MUCH LIKE INDIGENT DEFENSE. RIGHT.

WE KNOW WHAT THE VOLUME OF CASES IS GOING TO BE.

WE KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGES OF CASES HISTORICALLY HAVE REQUIRED THOSE SERVICES, BUT IT CHANGES.

HARRIS COUNTY BECOMES MORE DIVERSE EVERY YEAR.

AND WE'VE SEEN THAT NEED, YOU KNOW, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, I'VE SAID THIS IN THE PAST AND IT'S MORE TRUE TODAY THAN EVER.

IN A YEAR'S TIME AT THE JPC, WE WILL GO THROUGH 100 PLUS UNIQUE LANGUAGES WHERE WE HAVE NEED FOR AN INTERPRETER.

TODAY, WITH AI AND OTHER THINGS, IT'S EASIER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LANGUAGE IS.

DOESN'T MAKE IT EASIER TO FIND THE INTERPRETER TO PROVIDE IT.

RIGHT? THANK YOU. AND THEN WITH TALKS OF A POTENTIAL HIRING FREEZE AS A WAY TO KIND OF MANAGE OUR BUDGET IN THE COMING YEAR. I WOULD LOVE IF YOU COULD DISCUSS HOW HIRING AND RETENTION HAVE BEEN FOR YOU, AND WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT IF IF THERE IS A HIRING FREEZE THAT WOULD PREVENT YOU FROM FILLING POSITIONS THAT EITHER ARE ALREADY VACANT OR BECOME VACANT.

SURE. TWO POSITIONS IN PARTICULAR. ONE BEING THE JUSTICE COURT SERVICES DIRECTOR.

THAT'S A POSITION THAT WAS CREATED A FEW YEARS AGO TO DEDICATE AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL INDIVIDUAL TO THE JUSTICE COURTS.

PROVIDING THEM BETTER SUPPORT FOR THEIR BUSINESS OPERATIONS, COORDINATION FOR THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF THOSE COURTS IN, I THINK FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, MAYBE MARCH AT THE LATEST, THAT DIRECTOR LEFT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY ELSEWHERE.

AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FILL THAT POSITION.

SO THAT IS ONE THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED AND IS A NEED FOR OUR COURTS.

THE OTHER IN PARTICULAR IS A RESEARCH ANALYST POSITION.

WE HAVE ONE POSITION THAT'S BEEN VACANT FOR A FEW MONTHS, DIFFICULT TO FIND A PHD CANDIDATE OR PHD HOLDER FOR THAT POSITION, BUT IT ALLOWS US TO DO THE RESEARCH ON PROGRAMS INTERNALLY SO THAT WE CAN DECIDE BETTER.

WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES, WHERE DO WE NEED TO PUT OUR RESOURCES FOR THE FUTURE? RIGHT. WE'RE VERY, VERY LEAN. ALL OF THE COURTS THAT WE SUPPORT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, PRECINCT ONE.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

SO AS YOU MENTIONED, THE JUSTICE COURT POSITION HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED AS AN OFFSET AND AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL HALF $1 MILLION IN OFFSETS, WHAT POSITIONS, IF ANY, ARE ARE YOU LOOKING AT REDUCING IN ORDER TO MEET THAT RECOMMENDED OFFSET.

SO A PART OF THOSE OFFSETS INCLUDE THAT RESEARCH ANALYST POSITION.

ONE OF THE JP CLERKS AT PROBABLE CAUSE. WE HAVE ONE ONE FEWER POSITION MOVING FORWARD.

IF THAT GOES THROUGH, WE ALSO HAVE SOME TEMPORARY OR PART TIME POSITIONS THAT HELP SUPPORT COURT COORDINATION IN OUR COURTS IF A COORDINATOR IS OUT.

WE HAVE SOME COORDINATORS THAT CAN DO THAT. THOSE POSITIONS WOULD BE ELIMINATED.

IN ADDITION, WE WOULD ELIMINATE SOME OF OUR VISITING JUDGE POSITIONS.

IT WOULDN'T PREVENT A VISITING JUDGE FROM BEING AVAILABLE, BUT IT WOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

AND IF A JUDGE HAS ELECTED SOMEONE THAT'S NOT IN A CURRENT POSITION, WE'VE GOT TO TERMINATE ONE VISITING JUDGE AND HIRE ANOTHER SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES

[03:55:06]

IT DOESN'T REALLY CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TO BE EXPENDED, BUT IT BUT IT CHANGES THE THE THE WORK LEVEL ON ALL OF OUR COURTS, ON THE STAFF OF THE COURTS. AND OUR OFFICE OF COURT MANAGEMENT.

SO TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT A BIT, I KNOW YOU'VE IMPLEMENTED SCHEDULING ORDERS, EFFICIENCIES.

YOU'VE DONE A LOT. TO, TO WORK WITHIN THE RESTRAINTS THAT CURRENTLY EXIST.

NEVERTHELESS, YOU'VE STILL GOT A WORKLOAD BURDEN ON YOUR STAFF AND ON YOUR JUDGES.

CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE IMPACT OF THIS OF THE STAFF WORKING AT OR BEYOND CAPACITY ON THE ACCUSED, ON VICTIMS, ON THE STAFF AND ON THE JUDGES THEMSELVES? HAPPY TO. IT DOES TAKE A TOLL. I MEAN JUDGES WORK EVERY DAY IN THEIR COURTROOMS. YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTS IN PARTICULAR, NEVER HAVE AN OFF DAY.

EVERY BUSINESS DAY. EACH ONE OF THEM HAS DOCKETS.

AND THEN AFTER DOCKET IS OVER, YOU KNOW, THE COURTROOM MAY APPEAR TO BE EMPTY, BUT JUDGES ARE IN THEIR BACK OFFICE FINISHING UP ALL OF THAT WORK, AND THAT HAPPENS EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, THE COORDINATORS ARE BEFORE DOCKET IN THE MORNING.

THEY'RE PREPARING FOR THAT DAY. THAT AFTERNOON AFTER DOCKET, THEY'RE FINISHING UP WHAT THEY HAD FROM THE DOCKET AND PREPARING FOR THE NEXT DAY.

THE CLERK'S OFFICE, THE SAME THING. CERTAINLY THE PROSECUTOR, PROSECUTORS AND DEFENSE BAR ARE DOING THE SAME, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, AND THEY'RE DOING IT AT A VOLUME THAT CAN'T BE SUPPORTED OVER TIME.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS, THE PRIMARY REASON THAT THAT NATIONAL CENTER STUDY INDICATED WE NEED MORE COURTS.

AND ON THAT NOTE, I WILL SAY THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS BESIDES FUNDING THAT'S OBVIOUS TO ADDITIONAL COURTS IS THE NEED FOR SPACE.

WE I KNOW OR HAVE BEGUN THE WORK FOR A MASTER PLAN FOR JUSTICE FACILITIES.

BUT WE'VE JUST STUCK OUR TOE IN THE WATER. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE TO PLAN FOR WHAT THE COUNTY NEEDS FIVE YEARS FROM NOW.

WHAT DOES IT NEED 15, 20 YEARS FROM NOW? RIGHT.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND THAT IS A BARRIER FOR EVERYONE.

THE COURTS, ALL OF THE JUSTICE PARTNERS, EVERYONE ELSE.

THANK YOU. I'LL RESERVE THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT ONE. PRECINCT TWO. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

GOOD AFTERNOON. IN THE DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW THAT YOU SUBMITTED, IT STATES THAT THE OFFICE OF COURT MANAGEMENT ACCOMPLISHES THEIR MISSION THROUGH CLOSE COLLABORATION. HOW DID YOU CLOSELY COLLABORATE WITH OUR OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN? SURE. SO WE HAD MEETINGS WITH COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, JUSTICE INNOVATIONS, AS IT'S REFERRED TO TODAY CERTAIN MEMBERS OF COMMISSIONERS COURT THAT HAD A BIG INTEREST IN THAT.

WE WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH THE DISTRICT COURTS AS WELL, BECAUSE THE PLAN THAT CAME FORWARD FROM THAT WAS ADOPTED BY BOTH THE DISTRICT COURTS AND THE COUNTY COURTS AT LAW. COLLABORATION EVERYWHERE WE COULD.

THEY'RE PUTTING THAT FORWARD. AND THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF IT.

I MEAN, WE WORK WITH OUR JUSTICE PARTNERS EVERY DAY, BOTH CLERK'S OFFICES, COUNTY AND DISTRICT CLERK'S, THE DA'S OFFICE, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER, THE MAC, OBVIOUSLY PRETRIAL SERVICES, ADULT PROBATION, ALL OF THOSE PARTNERS WE ARE MEETING WITH EVERY WEEK, FRANKLY.

RIGHT. AND ANYTIME THERE'S A PROPOSED CHANGE, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IF IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY, WE'RE TRYING TO PLAN THROUGH THAT TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAVE A DISPARATE IMPACT ON SOMEONE ELSE.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THE SYSTEM WORKS. AND THAT'S THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE DO ROUTINELY.

AND CONCERNING THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IRD ARE THERE TRAININGS OR EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO THE JUDGE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT DOCKET TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE THEY HAVE A TRAUMA INFORMED AND CULTURALLY COMPETENT APPROACH IN HANDLING THOSE CASES.

THERE ARE TRAININGS AVAILABLE FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL.

I WILL SAY THAT'S THE DOCKET THAT'S GOING AWAY BECAUSE IT WAS ARPA FUNDED.

WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK A PROPOSAL AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.

I KNOW THE BUDGET SITUATION BEING WHAT IT IS TO PRODUCE A DV DOCKET OR SOME OTHER CASELOAD THAT IS MORE LIKE A PROBLEM SOLVING COURT OR A SPECIALTY COURT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE REASONS YOU'VE MENTIONED.

THANK YOU. AND OUR LAST QUESTION, A KEY ASPECT OF THE COUNTY'S STRATEGIC PLAN IS TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY ACROSS THE LEGAL SYSTEM.

HOW DOES YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL AND WHAT AREAS SHOULD WE BE INVESTING IN THAT MAY NOT BE CURRENTLY RECEIVING FUNDING?

[04:00:04]

EFFICIENCY HASN'T BEEN THE ISSUE. IT IS A QUESTION OF ARE WE AS EFFECTIVE AS WE CAN BE, GIVEN THE VERY LEAN RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE? THE THE DEVELOPER POSITION THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR MULTIPLE YEARS IN A ROW IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT BEING ABLE TO OFFER BETTER ACCESS ONLINE TO COURT SERVICES AND COURT INFORMATION. WE SHARE SOME OF THAT WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE IN PARTICULAR, OFFERS A TON OF INFORMATION ONLINE, BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS SPECIFIC TO THE COURT WHERE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW HOW DO I CONTACT THE COURT? WHAT DO I EXPECT FROM THE COURT? THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

ALSO ONLINE SERVICES, LIKE AS A PART OF THE O'DONNELL CONSENT DECREE, WE OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO CONTACT THE COURT THROUGH THE WEBSITE TO REQUEST RESCHEDULING A CASE. RIGHT.

WE WANT TO ENHANCE THAT SERVICE. I MEAN, IT'S NOT THAT SOMEONE CAN JUST CALL AND PICK A DATE, BUT THEY CAN MAKE THE REQUEST AND THEN THE COURT CAN RESPOND AS THE COURT NEEDS TO.

THOSE KINDS OF SERVICES ON THE JUSTICE COURT SIDE, WE HAVE TONS OF ONLINE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

EVERYTHING FROM FINDING YOUR CASE AND GETTING INFORMATION ON ON SETTINGS FOR THE FUTURE.

THE ABILITY TO MAKE ONLINE PAYMENTS, DRIVER SAFETY COURSE, ALL KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT WE NEED TO ENHANCE THOSE. THE EXPECTATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC ARE I CAN DO EVERYTHING FROM MY PHONE, RIGHT. AND I CAN DO IT IN AN INSTANT. WELL, WE'VE GOT TO BUILD TOWARD THAT.

AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT. TWO. PRECINCT THREE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE MUTED.

YOU'RE MUTED. I'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US THE THINGS YOU WOULD LIKE US TO HEAR, AS OPPOSED TO ME ASKING YOU OTHER QUESTIONS AND SEE THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE BUDGET THAT YOU PROPOSED.

WHAT IN ORDER ARE THE WAY THAT YOU COULD GET SOME OF THOSE BACK, WHAT YOU WOULD WANT? FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD? I THINK OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

THE TWO POSITIONS, IN PARTICULAR THE JUSTICE COURT SERVICES DIRECTOR AND THE RESEARCH ANALYST, WE RELY ON THOSE A GREAT DEAL BOTH TO AGAIN GIVE ASSISTANCE TO THE JUSTICE COURTS IN THE AREAS THAT WE PROVIDE SERVICE THERE AND ALSO INTERNALLY FOR ALL OF THE COURTS THAT WE WE SERVE, COUNTY, CRIMINAL, CIVIL, PROBABLE CAUSE AND JUSTICE COURTS.

OUR ABILITY TO TO RESEARCH AND ASSESS HOW ARE WE DOING? WHERE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO PUT MORE FOCUS OR RESOURCES TO? AND THOSE TWO POSITIONS GO A LONG WAY TOWARD THAT.

THE OTHER THINGS I WILL COMMENT ABOUT ARE NOT AS DIRECTLY RELATED WITH OUR BUDGET, BUT MANY OF OUR JUSTICE PARTNERS FACED THE SAME THING.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD TODAY BOTH. I WAS HERE FOR THE DA'S AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S COMMENTS, AND THEIR REQUESTS ARE REAL. YOU KNOW, EVERYONE IS RUNNING, NOT JUST LEAN, BUT A LITTLE BIT UNDERWATER.

WE'RE TREADING WATER, BUT IT'S NOT EASY. AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT, FRANKLY, SINCE HARVEY, 2017. AND NO ONE HAS CAUGHT UP. WE'VE REDUCED THE BACKLOGS, BUT WE STILL HAVE CASELOADS IN ALL OF OUR COURTS THAT ARE TOO HIGH FOR THE COURTS.

AND THAT ALSO MEANS THAT CASELOADS FOR PROSECUTORS ARE TOO HIGH.

IT MEANS THAT IT REQUIRES MORE ATTORNEYS ON THE DEFENSE SIDE.

RIGHT. WE TALKED ABOUT CASE CAPS. I THINK THROUGH THE MAC, WE HAVE MAYBE 2 OR 3 ATTORNEYS THAT HAVE EXCEEDED THE CAP BY LITERALLY A HANDFUL OF CASES, AND THAT'S IT. BUT WE HAVE A LOT MORE ATTORNEYS ON THAT LIST BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING MORE WORK.

IT'S CASES ARE MORE COMPLEX TODAY THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE MISDEMEANOR COURTS.

CERTAINLY, THAT IS TRUE IN THE CIVIL COURTS WITH THE AMOUNT OF DISCOVERY THAT TAKES PLACE IN THOSE COURTS.

THERE ARE THE LIMITS OF THEIR JURISDICTION HAVE BEEN RAISED AGAIN IN THIS CURRENT OR THE LAST SESSION.

WE EXPECT THE VOLUME OF CASES THERE TO GO UP.

AND EVEN IN THE CIVIL COURTS WHERE WE'RE ADDING A FIFTH COURT, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE BEHIND WITH THE NUMBER OF RESOURCES THEY NEED.

AND THAT'S JUST TRUE EVERYWHERE. SO LOOKING TO THAT, REALLY STARTING THAT PLAN FOR WHAT IS THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE FOR ADDITIONAL COURTS? HOW DO WE TARGET THOSE THINGS. AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COURT START BRINGING SOME OF THOSE ONLINE.

WE HAVE THIS FIFTH COURT COMING IN PROBABLY DECEMBER, JANUARY AT THE LATEST.

WE STILL DON'T HAVE A PLACE FOR THEM. WE HAVE A PLAN FOR THEM IN THE FAMILY LAW CENTER.

BUT Y'ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT? AND ANY ADDITIONAL COURTS AFTER THAT, WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE A PLACE FOR.

[04:05:04]

BUT THOSE COURTS SHOULD BE IN THE CIVIL COURTHOUSE. SO THE JUSTICE COURTS SERVICE DIRECTOR THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT'S A POSITION THAT YOU'VE HISTORICALLY HAD, RIGHT? I'VE HAD FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. IT DID NOT EXIST UNTIL, I BELIEVE, FIVE YEARS AGO.

WE ASKED FOR IT TO BE CREATED SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE NEEDS OF THE JUSTICE COURTS HAVE INCREASED, THE NEEDS OF THE OTHER COURTS HAVE INCREASED, AND IT LEFT ME AND ONE OTHER STAFF MEMBER AS THE ONLY PEOPLE TO COVER ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THAT IS PROBABLE CAUSE IS 24 OVER SEVEN, RIGHT? SO ME AND IN PARTICULAR ONE STAFF MEMBER SEATED BEHIND ME WE GET CALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, ON THE WEEKEND, ON HOLIDAYS THAT THAT PLACE DOESN'T SHUT DOWN, RIGHT? AND WE'RE JUST SPREAD TOO THIN. AS EXAMPLES OF THAT POST.

HARVEY, ME AND SEVERAL STAFF. I WAS WORKING 100 HOUR WEEKS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME DURING THE PANDEMIC.

SAME KIND OF THING. TODAY I HAVE TOO MANY STAFF THAT ARE AVERAGING 50 PLUS HOURS A WEEK, SOMETIMES 60 AND MORE.

WE CAN'T DO THAT FOREVER. RIGHT. WE SHOULDN'T DO THAT FOREVER.

AND SO THAT'S THE NEED. THOSE TWO, THOSE TWO POSITIONS THAT I MENTIONED IN PARTICULAR HELP CUT DOWN ON THAT NEED.

HELP US DIRECT THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE BETTER SO THAT WE GET BETTER RESULTS.

AND ALL OF THAT IN ITSELF REDUCES COSTS, RIGHT? I MEAN, IF A CASE TAKES SIX MONTHS TO BE RESOLVED VERSUS A YEAR AND A HALF, THE COST TO THE COUNTY IS SIGNIFICANT.

WHAT IS THE SALARY AND EXPENSES FOR THOSE TWO POSITIONS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? THE, DEVELOPER POSITION WITH BENEFITS IS 136 950.

THAT'S THE MAXIMUM THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR FOR THE JUSTICE COURT SERVICE DIRECTOR.

IT'S 187,000, I BELIEVE, WITH BENEFITS. AND AGAIN THAT'S THE MAXIMUM.

SO 350,000 ROUGHLY. YES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

PRECINCT THREE. PRECINCT FOUR. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGES AND MR. WELLS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

I THINK A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN COVERED, BUT JUST TO GO BACK ON THE TWO POSITIONS.

SO THE RESEARCH AND ANALYST POSITION THAT'S THAT'S NOT FILLED CURRENTLY.

CORRECT. AND HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN VACANT FOR.

IT HAS BEEN VACANT FOR 7 OR 8 MONTHS NOW. VERY NEAR THE END OF THE YEAR, THE FIRST OF THE YEAR AND THE AND THE JUSTICE SERVICE, THAT POSITION IS IT YOU SAID, IS THAT FOR JUST THE JP'S OR IS THAT FOR ALL THE COURTS? IT'S FOR JUST THE JUSTICE COURT. IT'S DEDICATED JUST TO JUSTICE.

OKAY. AND I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THE DEVELOPER POSITION.

KIND OF A WEIRD QUESTION, BUT IF IT'S LIKE, IS THAT SORT OF A ONE TIME POSITION WHERE THEY CAN, LIKE CREATE SOME AUTOMATIONS, IS THAT A POSITION THAT CAN BE SHARED ACROSS DIFFERENT COURTS? IT WOULD BE A POSITION THAT WOULD SUPPORT ALL OF THE COURTS THAT WE WE SERVE.

THERE THERE ARE SOME PRIORITIES WE HAVE EARLY ON, BUT NO DOUBT WE HAVE TODAY 1 IN 1 DEVELOPER IN-HOUSE THAT IS SUPPORTING ALL OF THAT.

AND IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THE WORKLOAD IS MAINTENANCE ONLY, AND WE CAN'T REALLY DEVELOP FOR THE FUTURE NEW SERVICES, ENHANCEMENTS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. WE NEED TO BRING THAT ON.

AND WITH THAT, WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE WHO SPECIALIZE IN CERTAIN AREAS COMPLEMENT ONE ANOTHER.

RIGHT. BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT CAPACITY TODAY.

GOT IT. AND THEN DO YOU IN TERMS OF THE WORKLOAD, DO YOU THINK COMMISSIONERS SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT FUNDING FOR YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED LIKE MACEDONIA. IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT AS WE APPROACH, LIKE THE BUDGET FOR MAC OR SOME OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT WILL ALSO EASE THE WORKLOAD OFF OF Y'ALL'S, ALONG WITH OBVIOUSLY THINKING ABOUT YOUR BUDGET. YEAH.

SO SO ALL OF OUR JUSTICE PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, HAVE NEEDS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE MET TODAY WITH THE BUDGET SITUATION.

AND WE DO NEED TO CONSIDER THOSE THINGS BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCESS TO JUSTICE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIBERTIES ON THE CIVIL COURT SIDE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE COME TO THE COURT LOOKING FOR SOME KIND OF RELIEF.

BUSINESSES. AND WHAT ARE THE OTHER IMPACTS OF THAT? I'M A BUSINESS OWNER. I HAVE EXTENDED LITIGATION.

I CAN'T AFFORD IT. MY BUSINESS GOES UNDER. THE 12 PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR ME LOSE THEIR JOBS.

IT HAS AN EXTENDED IMPACT, RIGHT? THE SAME THING IN THE COUNTY CIVIL COURTS.

WHEN IT COMES TO EMINENT DOMAIN CASES. YOU'RE TAKING SOMEONE'S PROPERTY.

WE NEED THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT AND GIVE PEOPLE THE TIME.

JUDGES, STAFF, OTHERS, AND THE PARTIES TO REALLY LITIGATE IT.

[04:10:01]

WE HAVE TO BE IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IT AND PROVIDE IT TIMELY.

ABSOLUTELY. AND ONE LAST QUESTION, WHICH IS ON LANGUAGE ACCESS.

COULD YOU SPEAK TO THE CURRENT MODEL AND WHERE YOU SEE.

I KNOW THAT THE PLAN IS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT BASED ON THE CURRENT MODEL, DO YOU SEE MAYBE 1 OR 2 CHANGES THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE IN? I THINK ONE AS AMENDED. YEAH.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE IS CREATING THE LANGUAGE ACCESS OFFICE WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING LANGUAGE ACCESS, WHETHER THAT'S THE SCHEDULING OF INTERPRETERS, YOU KNOW, TRANSLATING WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED IN OUR FORMS ON THE WEBSITE, THE WEBSITES OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO PROVIDE BETTER INFORMATION.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE THAT TAKE PIECES OF THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT IT'S WAY DOWN THEIR PRIORITY LIST BECAUSE THEY ARE SO BURDENED WITH SUPPORTING DAILY OPERATIONS OF COURTS.

WE NEED THAT LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY, SPECIFICITY IN THE OFFICE.

AND WE NEED PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THE MANAGER OF THAT AREA WOULD BE A LICENSED INTERPRETER SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEMS WOULD BE WITH THE DIFFICULTIES ARE.

AND FRANKLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STILL HAS TO BE ADDRESSED IS HARRIS COUNTY PAYS BY THE HOUR FOR OUR CONTRACT INTERPRETERS LESS THAN SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS. SO SOMETIMES WE REACH OUT TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LIMITED NUMBER ON THE STATE'S LIST, BUT WE REACH OUT TO SOMEONE AND THEY REFUSE ON THE HOPE THAT THEY'LL GET WORK ELSEWHERE AT A HIGHER RATE.

THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETING INTERESTS THERE. AND OKAY, THIS ONE IS, I PROMISE.

THE LAST QUESTION ON SPACE PLANNING, THE THE FIRST, THE COUNTY CIVIL COURT AT LAW, THAT'S GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE SOMETIME IN JANUARY.

SO THE SPACE THAT'S THAT'S ALREADY FIGURED OUT THE SPACE FOR THAT.

BUT IF THERE WERE TO BE ADDITIONAL COURTS AND THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE SPACE PLANNING AND SPACE BEING THE BIGGEST ISSUE, I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL COURTS.

I FEEL VERY CERTAIN THAT PRIOR TO THE NEXT SESSION, WE WILL BE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL COURTS, AND TODAY WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE FOR THEM. SO WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT IN THE CJC WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW DO WE MOVE THINGS AROUND TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR THOSE COURTS? AND ADDITIONALLY, IN THE CIVIL COURTHOUSE, WE HAVE ONE CIVIL COURT COMING ON TODAY ONE PROBATE COURT ALREADY OPERATING AT THE FAMILY LAW CENTER.

AND WE KNOW WE HAVE THOSE FIVE DISTRICT CIVIL COURTS COMING ON NEXT YEAR.

WE'VE GOT TO PLAN FOR IT. RIGHT. IF I COULD JUST ON.

HELLO. HELLO, EVERYONE. I AM AUDREY LAWTON EVANS, JUDGE OF HARRIS COUNTY CIVIL COURT ONE, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SIT IN ON SOME OF THE SPACE PLANNING MEETINGS.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO ALSO LOOK AT THE PURPOSE FOR THE COURTS.

RIGHT. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CONSTITUENTS, WE LOOK AT FOLKS WHO ARE COMING INTO THESE COURTS.

IF YOU'RE COMING IN AS A CIVIL ATTORNEY, IF YOU'RE COMING IN FOR A CIVIL MATTER, IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE CIVIL IN THE CIVIL IN ALL ONE BUILDING.

RIGHT? AND SO, OF COURSE, WE'VE HAD TO JUGGLE AND WE I KNOW WE MOVED THE FAMILY LAW CENTER.

WE MOVED COURTS OVER TO OUR CIVIL COURT. BUT AS WE PLAN FOR EXPANSION, THAT HAS TAKEN UP LOTS OF OUR ROOM IN THE CIVIL COURTHOUSE. SO WE'RE KIND OF LEFT WITH THESE OPTIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

BUT IDEALLY WE WOULD LIKE ALL CIVIL WITH CIVIL, SO THAT IF PEOPLE ARE COMING IN TO DEAL WITH A CIVIL MATTER, THEY CAN DO ALL THINGS IN ONE COURT WITHOUT HAVING TO GO ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR SEEING FOR COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

YOU HAD NO TIME REMAINING. PRECINCT ONE. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE AND 22 SECONDS REMAINING.

WITH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, I HAVE LEFT. AND YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY.

YOU MAY FEEL LIKE YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN. IF YOU THINK YOU DIDN'T COVER IT, IF THERE ARE ANY IMPACTS TO THE COUNTY COURTS BASED ON EITHER LITIGATION THAT'S THAT'S ALREADY PASSED, THAT'S UPCOMING OR POTENTIAL LEGAL OPINIONS THAT YOU THINK IS GOING TO IMPACT THE COUNTY COURT OPERATIONS? SURE. SO WE DISCUSSED SB9 EARLIER. I THINK THE OTHER BIG UNKNOWN IS WITH THE AG'S FILING OF A MOTION TO INTERVENE IN THE O'DONNELL MATTER. WHERE THAT'S GOING TO GO? IT COULD BE EVERYTHING FROM NO CHANGE AT ALL TO IT ULTIMATELY GOES AWAY OR

[04:15:03]

BUT IT'S A BIG UNKNOWN TODAY. THANK YOU. PRECINCT TWO.

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE AND SIX SECONDS REMAINING.

NO MORE QUESTIONS, BUT THANKS FOR COMING IN TODAY. THANK YOU.

PRECINCTS THREE AND FOUR. YOU DID NOT HAVE ANY TIME REMAINING.

SO WITH THAT DIRECTOR, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I'M ERIKA RAMIREZ. I SERVE AS PRESIDING JUDGE OF THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTS AT LAW.

TRIAL COURTS AT ITS CORE ARE THE PEOPLE'S COURTS.

OKAY. WHERE CONSTITUTIONAL PROMISES, THEY EITHER LIVE OR THEY DIE, WHERE LIBERTY CAN BE PRESERVED OR LOST, AND SOMETIMES IN A SINGLE HEARING. THE CAPACITY GAP MR. WELLS HAS DESCRIBED IS NOT THEORETICAL. IT'S A STRUCTURAL RISK TO DUE PROCESS.

JUSTICE DELAYED IS NOT JUST INCONVENIENT, IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

OUR COURTS CONTINUE TO EXCEED PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND OPERATE EFFICIENTLY.

BUT DOING SO REQUIRES THAT WE OPERATE AT A VERY LIMITED CAPACITY, LEAVING LITTLE MARGIN FOR ERROR, JUST AS WAS MENTIONED BY OUR PUBLIC DEFENDER DRAPER.

EVEN MODEST PRESSURE, INCLUDING INCREASED FILINGS, ADDED DEMANDS, DISRUPTIONS, WEATHER DISRUPTIONS CAN RIPPLE ACROSS OUR DOCKETS, DELAYING CASES AND STRAINING FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING YOU TO FUND THESE CRITICAL INITIATIVES.

LANGUAGE ACCESS OFFICE SO LANGUAGE IS NEVER A BARRIER TO JUSTICE.

AN APPLICATION DEVELOPER TO STRENGTHEN OUR ONLINE SERVICES THAT GO TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND TO SUPPORT AN ENHANCED LOGIN SYSTEM TO SAFEGUARD THE JUDICIAL DATA AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE.

WE ALSO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT COURT'S REQUEST FOR SALARY ADJUSTMENTS TO APPOINT A JUDICIAL OFFICERS.

THOSE POSITIONS ARE EXTREMELY CRITICAL IN DAILY OPERATIONS.

NOW IMAGINE A HARRIS COUNTY WHERE EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT, REGARDLESS OF THEIR LANGUAGE, HAS EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE, WHERE TECHNOLOGY BRINGS THE COURTS WITHIN REACH OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHERE JUDICIAL DATA IS SAFEGUARDED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, ENSURING COMPLIANCE AND PUBLIC TRUST. THAT'S THE SYSTEM THE CONSTITUTION ENVISIONS, AND IT'S WITHIN YOUR POWER TO MAKE IT REAL.

WE RESPECTFULLY URGE THE APPROVAL OF THESE REQUESTS NOT AS A FAVOR, BUT AS A FULFILLMENT OF THE HARRIS COUNTY'S HIGHEST DUTY TO ENSURE JUSTICE IS NOT DELAYED, DENIED, OR DIMINISHED FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR AND JUDGES.

AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE OUR FINAL BREAK FOR THE DAY.

WE WILL RESUME AT 3:45 P.M. WITH A COLLECTIVE PRESENTATION FROM THE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

OKAY. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN. IT IS 3:45 P.M., AND WE ARE READY TO

[Justice of the Peace]

WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH OUR JUSTICES OF THE PEACE DEPARTMENT.

COLLECTIVELY, THEY WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR PRESENTATION AND THEN EACH COURT OFFICE, BECAUSE IT IS A COLLECTIVE PRESENTATION, WILL HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS AND THEN FOLLOWED BY TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

OKAY. SO YOU LET ME KNOW WHEN WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.

JUDGE. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

HONORABLE JUDGE. I AM JUDGE VICTOR TREVINO, THE THIRD JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FOR PRECINCT SIX, PLACE ONE, AND THE CURRENT PRESIDING JUDGE FOR THE 16 HARRIS COUNTY JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.

SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE HERE TODAY. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE JUDGE DOLORES LOZANO FROM PRECINCT TWO, PLACE TWO. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR CO PRESIDING JUDGE, JUDGE JOE STEPHENS FROM PRECINCT THREE, PLACE ONE. I HOPE I DIDN'T FORGET ABOUT ANYONE.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO. OH, I ALREADY WENT TO DO THAT.

TOGETHER, JUDGE JOE STEPHENS AND I WILL BE PRESENTING THE COLLECTIVE 16 JUSTICE COURTS IN TODAY'S BUDGET HEARING. I WANTED TO START BY THANKING YOU FOR ALLOWING US THIS TIME TO DISCUSS WITH YOU THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT THE HARRIS COUNTY JUSTICE COURTS DO. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE COURTS.

THE HARRIS COUNTY JUSTICE COURTS COLLECTIVELY HANDLE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CASES EVERY YEAR, TOUCHING ON MATTERS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO MILLIONS OF HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS.

WHETHER IT IS SOMEONE CHARGED WITH A TRAFFIC INFRACTION, A JUVENILE CAUGHT DRINKING OR VAPING, SOMEONE WHO NEEDS AN OCCUPATIONAL DRIVER'S LICENSE TO LEGALLY DRIVE, SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD THEIR VEHICLE IMPROPERLY TOWED, SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN BITTEN BY A DANGEROUS DOG.

SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN INJURED AND SUFFERED DAMAGES DUE TO ANOTHER'S CONDUCT, OR SOMEONE FACING THE SERIOUS IMPACTS OF AN EVICTION.

[04:20:01]

WE TAKE THAT ROLE SERIOUSLY, AND IT IS AN HONOR TO REPRESENT THE THIRD CO-EQUAL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT THAT IS THE JUDICIARY.

AS IS THE CASE WITH EVERYTHING IN LIFE. DOING SOMETHING WELL REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN TIME, TRAINING, AND MONEY. WE UNDERSTAND THAT TIMES ARE TOUGH.

WE DON'T ENVY THE TOUGH DECISIONS FACING THE COUNTY AND IN ALLOCATING FUNDING TO THE MANY HARRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, WE KNOW THAT RESOURCES ARE FINITE, BUT WISHES ARE INFINITE.

WE THANK THE BUDGET OFFICE AND COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR THE FUNDING WE DO HAVE IN PLACE, BUT WE ALSO STAND HERE TODAY ASKING THE COURT TO NOT FORGET THAT OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IS DEPENDENT ON HAVING AN INDEPENDENT AND NEUTRAL JUDICIARY THAT REQUIRES JUDGES WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE, ETHICAL AND DEPENDABLE, AND CLERKS WHO ARE WELL TRAINED, WELL ENCOURAGED AND WELL COMPENSATED.

WE ARE THANKFUL. I'M SORRY. OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM TODAY FACES A SERIOUS EROSION OF RESPECT FOR THE JUDICIARY.

IN RESPONSE, JUDGES MUST NOT ONLY SELF-REFLECT AND SELF-REGULATE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, MUST WORK HARDER TO PROVIDE TIMELY AND FAIRLY DISPOSITION OF CASES AND TO BE AVAILABLE AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THOSE WHO ARE CHARGED WITH A CRIME OR WHO INVOKE THE COURTS TO CORRECT A PERCEIVED WRONG.

AS WE COME OFF A LONG LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE SEE EVEN MORE RESPONSIBILITY ON JUDGES AND COURTS.

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE SECURITY FOR OUR COURTS, AS THAT IS A SERIOUS CONCERN FOR OUR JUDGES AND OUR COURT STAFFS.

WE ARE DISMAYED THAT OUR REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL POSITIONS FOR JUVENILE DIVERSION CLERKS WERE NOT RECOMMENDED OR INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGETS.

THESE CLERKS WOULD SERVE AS DEDICATED JUVENILE CLERKS TO ENSURE THAT YOUTH IN OUR COURTS ARE GIVEN THE ATTENTION AND SPECIALIZED PROTECTIONS THAT ARE BOTH REQUIRED AND DESIRED.

WE ARE ALSO DISAPPOINTED THAT FOR YET ANOTHER YEAR, OUR REQUEST FOR A LICENSED SPANISH INTERPRETER WERE DENIED, AS THIS WOULD ONLY HELP TO ENSURE THOSE SPANISH SPEAKERS WOULD HAVE MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO OUR COURTS.

WITH THAT SAID I WILL AT THIS TIME ATTEMPT TO ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE JUDGE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUDGE. EACH COURT OFFICE WILL NOW HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, BEGINNING WITH PRECINCT ONE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, JUDGE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

SO WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE JUDGES OR SOME OF THE JUSTICES OF THE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE, EXCUSE ME, HAVE PROACTIVELY WORKED TO INCREASE ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL IMPACTS OF EVICTIONS.

WHAT CAN OTHER COURTS DO TO ADVANCE ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN THIS WAYS AND IN OTHERS, IN THIS WAY.

AND OTHERS. I'M SORRY, I CAN'T. SORRY. IT DOESN'T HELP HEARING, BUT.

OH, NO. PARDON ME. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW WHAT HOW ADDITIONAL COURTS, BESIDES THE ONES THAT ALREADY HAVE WORKED ON INCREASING ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR PRO SE LITIGANTS AND REDUCING THE HARMFUL IMPACTS OF EVICTIONS? WHAT CAN BE DONE IN ADDITIONAL COURTS? SO SOME OF THE INNOVATIVE SERVICES THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF, A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION, THAT IS ACTUALLY IT'S A FUND THAT COMES FROM OUR ACTUAL CIVIL FILING FEES.

SO THERE'S A SPECIFIC DISPUTE RESOLUTION FUND FOR THE ACTUAL COURTS.

BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH OUR COURT ADMINISTRATOR, ED WILLS, AND HIS OFFICE TO START OFFERING FREE MEDIATION.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL COURTS ARE CURRENTLY DOING.

I KNOW SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE ROLLING OUT VERY SOON FOR ALL COURTS IN THE 16 JP COURTS IS OUR TEXT MESSAGE REMINDERS FOR ALL OF OUR CRIMINAL CASES.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF AND OBVIOUSLY WITH EVERYTHING IN LIFE, IT TAKES TIME AND RESOURCES AND IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK.

AND SO I KNOW A LOT OF TIME AND WORK HAS BEEN PUT INTO THAT PROGRAM AS WELL.

I THINK WITH OUR COURTS, A LOT OF US CURRENTLY WORK WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THOSE ARPA FUNDS YOU JUST REFERENCED FOR RENT RELIEF AND RELOCATION SERVICES.

I KNOW A LOT OF OUR COURTS CURRENTLY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM TO TRY TO HELP.

I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HURT FOR SOME OF OUR COURTS THAT USE THEM QUITE OFTEN. WHEN THAT MONEY GOES AWAY I THINK HOUSTON, I MEAN, BESIDES HOUSTON VOLUNTEER LAWYERS, LONE STAR, LEGAL AID, JUST A MYRIAD OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP, I THINK, INDIVIDUAL COURTS. I KNOW ONE OF OUR COURTS IN PARTICULAR SHE USES WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AT HER COURT.

I KNOW HOUSTON VOLUNTEER LAWYERS IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN IT COMES TO RULE ELEVENS HAS BEEN USED IN NOT ONLY OTHER COURTS BUT MY COURT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER INITIATIVES THAT ARE ALSO ONGOING FROM ALL THE JUSTICE COURTS.

THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. AND YOU MENTIONED INTERPRETATION.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACTS ON YOUR OPERATIONS AND ON ACCESS TO JUSTICE WOULD BE IF YOU HAD ADDITIONAL INTERPRETERS? ADDITIONAL INTERPRETERS, I THINK WOULD HELP IN TWO FRONTS.

ONE, WHAT WE'VE LOOKED INTO IN OFFERING AND WE'RE CURRENTLY AND WE'RE WE'RE KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THE TALKS WITH COMMISSIONER BROWN'S OFFICE REGARDING THE LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN. AND THAT IS BASICALLY HAVING CLERKS THAT GET CERTIFIED FOR THE ACTUAL STATE CERTIFICATION FOR INTERPRETERS.

IT'S NOT THE SAME WHEN IT COMES TO BILINGUAL PAY THAT THE COUNTY JUST APPROVED.

[04:25:01]

AND SO WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES THAT PROBABLY STILL WOULD BE OPEN FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR BILINGUAL STAFF VERSUS ACTUAL INTERPRETERS, THEY'RE USED IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES.

INTERPRETERS LICENSED BY THE STATE ARE REQUIRED WHEN IT COMES TO JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS.

YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO USE YOUR ACTUAL YOUR BILINGUAL STAFF.

NOW, OF COURSE, IN CERTAIN INSTANCES WHERE PARTIES WAIVE CERTAIN RIGHTS AND THEY ARE OKAY WITH CERTAIN THINGS AND THEY, YOU KNOW, INITIATE IT, THEN THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE PERMISSIBLE.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING THAT LICENSED INTERPRETER ALWAYS ON STANDBY AND ALWAYS WILLING TO BE THERE TO INTERPRET WHEN WE NEED THEM.

AND NOT TO MENTION BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF OUR CASES, WHEN THE INTERPRETER IS NEEDED, THEY'RE NEEDED LAST MINUTE. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS. AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR OUR COURT ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE, IT'S AN ACTUAL DIFFERENCE OF WHAT IT I THINK 60 TO $90 AN HOUR, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO IF WE ASK FOR THEM, I THINK 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE IT'S ONLY $60 AN HOUR.

BUT IF WE ASK FOR THEM WITHIN 48 HOURS BEFORE THE ACTUAL TRIAL OR BEFORE THE JUDICIAL PROCEEDING.

IT THEN JUMPS TO $90 AN HOUR. AND FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, EVEN THESE RATES ARE NOT THAT COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER COUNTIES.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, THE LICENSE INTERPRETER POSITION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ESTABLISH AT ALL THE COURTS, WHERE WE ALL HAVE NOT ONLY A CLERK THAT CAN PROVIDE THE CAPACITY OF CLERK JOBS, WHETHER IT'S CRIMINAL AND CIVIL AND EVERYTHING ELSE WE DO THERE.

BUT ON THE DAYS AND THE TIMES WHEN WE HAVE THAT DOCKET AND WE NEED THAT INTERPRETER, THEY'RE ALSO THERE TO LEND A HAND AND DO THAT AND PLAY THAT ROLE AS WELL.

AND WOULD THAT BE YOUR TOP PRIORITY REQUEST OR.

I JUST WANT TO SORT OF CLARIFY WITHIN THE RANKINGS.

I THINK RIGHT NOW UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE JP COURTS.

SOME OF US ARE, YOU KNOW, STRUGGLING TO GET BY, AND THEN OTHERS ARE LITERALLY KIND OF LIKE ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL TO GET BY.

AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, IF I HAD TO KIND OF ITEMIZE THEM, I WOULD SAY IT'S PROBABLY A FEW COURTS THAT I HAVE IN MIND. AT THE TOP OF THE LIST, THAT THEY'RE DROWNING WITH THE EXCESS OF CASES THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING AND THEY REALLY, REALLY NEED SOME HELP. AND THAT WOULD BE JUDGE JOANN DELGADO IN PRECINCT TWO, PLACE ONE, AND JUDGE ERIC CARTER IN PRECINCT ONE, PLACE ONE. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THEY'VE SEEN JUST A HUGE INFLUX IN CASES WHERE THEY'RE LITERALLY DOCKETS HAVE DOUBLED AND TRIPLED IN SIZE, AND THEY'RE UNFORTUNATELY HAVING TO DO ALL OF THIS WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES.

AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO NOT ONLY THE ACTUAL WORK LOAD THAT'S BEING PUT ON THOSE EMPLOYEES, BUT THEN THE ACTUAL RESOURCES, I KNOW JUDGE DELGADO HAS TOLD ME AND ERIC CARTER THE SAME THING WHERE THEY'RE USING THE BACKS OF FORMER NOTICES OR OWED NOTICES AND DOCUMENTS TO THEN BASICALLY PRINT NEW NOTICES AND NEW THINGS THAT NEED TO BE FILED YOU KNOW, BORROWING FROM DIFFERENT OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO, FOR, FOR ACTUAL STAMPS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE ARE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET.

YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET? MOST OF US, I MEAN, THERE'S NONE OF US UNDER 95% IS OUR ACTUAL LABOR BUDGET.

MOST OF US ARE SITTING SOMEWHERE AROUND 97 TO 99% OF OUR BUDGETS IS OUR LABOR BUDGET.

SO LITERALLY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 1 TO 3%, TOPS FOR MOST OF OUR COURTS OF A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY THAT HOW DO I USE THIS 1 TO 3% FOR PAPER, FOR STAMPS? FOR ALL THE OTHER RESOURCES FOR OUR PRINTING MACHINES, FOR EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE TO TRY TO ENSURE THOSE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, NOT LESS. SOME OF THE OTHER I DON'T WANT TO CALL THEM MORE CONVENIENT, BUT JUST OTHER NON-STATUTORY.

BUT THEY'RE STILL REQUIRED. ARE THOSE JUDGES EVER TRANSFERRING CASES TO THE OTHER PLACES WITHIN THEIR DISTRICTS OR WITHIN THEIR PRECINCTS? I'M SORRY, ARE THOSE JUDGES EVER ARE THEY EVER TRANSFERRING CASES TO THEIR COUNTERPARTS? I DON'T THINK THAT. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S EVEN ALLOWED TO TRANSFER CASES WHEN IT'S FILED IN ONE COURT, UNLESS ONE OF THE PARTIES, FROM MY KNOWLEDGE AS A PRESIDING JUDGE, WHEN ONE OF THE COURTS, WHEN ONE OF THE PARTIES HAS AN ISSUE. AND MAYBE THAT JUDGE NEEDS TO BE RECUSED FOR SOME MATTER, THEN I DO KNOW IN THOSE INSTANCES, THOSE CASES ARE REFERRED TO ME, OR WE DISCUSS WHO IS MORE APPROPRIATELY ALIGNED WHERE WE COULD POSSIBLY TRANSFER THAT CASE. BUT IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? I DON'T AGAIN, I KNOW I'M ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

I DON'T KNOW IF. JUDGE LOZANO, SINCE YOU'RE IN ONE OF THE PRECINCTS THAT WAS MENTIONED, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT AT ALL OR JUST SORT OF THAT RESOURCE ALLOCATION THERE.

BUT I ALSO KNOW I'M ALMOST OUT OF TIME. SORRY.

JUST GIVEN THAT YOU RAISED IT AS A PRIORITY CONCERN, I'D BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT FOR JUST A SECOND, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS DIFFERENT IN THE JUSTICE COURTS IS THE PARTIES THAT ARE FILING THE SUIT CHOOSE THE COURT IT'S BEING FILED IN, AS OPPOSED TO IN THE COUNTY AND DISTRICT COURTS, WHERE IT'S RANDOMLY ASSIGNED AND THERE'S AN EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF CASES.

[04:30:06]

IT NEEDS TO STAY. IF YOU JUST WANT TO. OKAY. THANK YOU.

YEAH. YEAH. SOPHIE CAN HAVE SOME OF MY TIME, TOO.

YEAH. GO AHEAD. I WAS JUST WONDERING, JUDGE LOZANO, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT PIECE SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF JUST KIND OF THAT UNEVEN COURT DISTRIBUTION OR IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER OPTIONS, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE WOULDN'T WANT TO DO IS JUST FURTHER INCENTIVIZE THAT SELECTION WHEN IF THERE ARE SO UNDER TEXAS LAW, LANDLORDS OR WHOEVER'S FILING THE CASES DOES HAVE DISCRETION TO FILE THE CASES IN WHAT PARTICULAR COURT THAT THEY WANT TO.

IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT JUDGES CAN TRANSFER THE CASES, AND WE WE CAN TALK ABOUT A LOCAL RULE SO THAT THERE'S AN EVEN NUMBER OF CASES, BECAUSE EARLIER WE TALKED ABOUT JUSTICE DENIED OR JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED.

AND SO I KNOW JUDGE DUBAL AND I ARE WILLING TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT SO THAT THERE IS AN EVEN BALANCE OF CASES, AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DISCUSS.

I WOULD LIKE TO, IF I CAN, JUST REAL BRIEFLY, WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSFERRING CASES AND ALL THAT INFORMATION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN FILED WITH A SPECIFIC COURT, I THINK IF IT WOULD BE MORE PRUDENT FOR THE COUNTY TO LOOK AT SOMETHING AS FAR AS A HOLISTIC MODEL AND SAY, BASED ON LAST YEAR'S NUMBER, IF THIS COURT IS DOING SUBSTANTIALLY MORE CASES THAN THIS COURT, IT'S SO MUCH EASIER JUST TO TRANSFER THOSE EMPLOYEES.

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO START INDIVIDUALIZING EVERY SINGLE CASE AND TRYING TO PUT ALL THAT EXTRA BURDEN AND COST TAXPAYERS EVEN MORE MONEY BY BASICALLY DOUBLE DOING WORK? IN REGARDS TO TRANSFERRING CASES, IT WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER IF WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THOSE CASES CAN STILL BE DONE EFFICIENTLY AND DONE IN A, IN A, IN A MEANINGFUL WAY TO BASICALLY STILL TO TRY TO HOW DO YOU SAY SUPPORT THE DECISION MADE BY THE PARTY THAT FILED IT IN THAT ACTUAL COURT, THEN I THINK IT WOULD BE EASIER TO TALK ABOUT TRANSFERRING DOLLARS FROM BUDGETS WHERE MAYBE THE RESOURCES AREN'T AS MUCH NEEDED AS OPPOSED TO SOME OF THOSE COURTS WHERE THEY'RE MORE NEEDED.

I MEAN, AND LET ME JUST PUT THIS OUT THERE, DISPARITY IN CASES IN BETWEEN THE 16 JP COURTS.

IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE. WE HAVE SOME OF OUR JP COURTS THAT HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY MORE CASES THAN THIS COURT, THEIR SISTER COURT. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS COURT HAS A LOT MORE EMPLOYEES IN THIS COURT.

SO IT MAKES SENSE. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. THAT'S WHERE IT MAKES SENSE. SO AND WE HAVE WE CAN GO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE ACTUAL LIST OF ALL 16 JP AND ALL EIGHT PRECINCTS.

AND THESE TWO UNFORTUNATELY YOU HAVE WHERE THE PRECINCTS AND THE, THE JUDGES AND THE DEPARTMENTS, THEY HAVE ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES.

AND THE ACTUAL CASELOAD DISPARITY IS JUST SO MUCH MORE IN THE ACTUAL DISTRICT COURTS THAN IN THEIR COURTS.

THANKS FOR YOUR PERSPECTIVE. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU BOTH. AND, JUDGE DUVAL, I SEE YOU HAVE A HAND UP ONLINE IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CHIME IN.

CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES, NOW HE CAN. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND ON THAT ONE.

THE THE VENUE SHOPPING ISSUE. GPS DO ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE RIGHT TO TRANSFER THINGS BETWEEN THEMSELVES WITHIN THAT PRECINCT.

THERE'S NO RIGHT TO A PARTICULAR JUDGE. FOR INSTANCE, IN BEXAR COUNTY.

THERE IS ONLY ONE JP FOR EACH PRECINCT OF JP PRECINCTS.

WE HAVE TWO FOR EACH. THE PLAINTIFF DOES GET TO PICK IN BOTH EVICTIONS AND DEBT CLAIMS, AND IN SMALL CLAIMS THEY CAN PICK, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO BE IN THE COURT THEY PICKED.

AND THE JP COULD EITHER ADOPT A LOCAL RULE TO SPLIT THOSE CASES EVENLY BETWEEN THE TWO COURTS IN THAT PRECINCT, OR WE COULD SHIFT CASELOADS BETWEEN EACH OTHER BY AGREEMENT.

I DON'T SEE ANY COST. WE SHIFT THEM ALL THE TIME ON CASES TO ADDRESS IMBALANCES LIKE THAT.

HE SAYS WE SHIFT THEM ALL THE TIME. IS THAT KATIE? FROM JUDGE CARTER. LIKE, SAY, WHEN HE HAS TO RECUSE HIMSELF OR THERE'S SOME OTHER ISSUE, BUT BUT THERE'S SPECIFIC, SPECIFIC ISSUES LIKE RECUSALS AND OTHER THINGS.

I'M SORRY, BUT WHEN YOU SAID ALL OF THE TIME, I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, LIKE, IF WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT AND ACTUALLY SOME KIND OF VAST QUANTITIES THAT I'VE NEVER BEEN AWARE OF. WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT DOING IT IN MASS QUANTITIES.

BUT FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE LOCAL RULES THAT BY AGREEMENT AND A LOCAL RULE PASSED BY THE GPS, ALL TOE HEARINGS GO TO CERTAIN COURTS. AND THERE'S SOME OTHER TYPES OF CASES.

BY LOCAL RULE, WE COULD EASILY PASS A LOCAL RULE TODAY OR TOMORROW.

THAT SPLIT THE CASELOADS EVENLY BETWEEN THE GPS ON CERTAIN CASES.

OR WE COULD JUST SHIFT THOSE. AND MY OFFER IS OPEN IF IF JUDGE CARTER WANTS TO SHIFT ANYTHING TO ME TO HELP EASE HIS CASELOAD, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE IT. ARE YOU AS OPEN TO SHIFTING SOME OF YOUR RESOURCES AND EMPLOYEES TO JUDGE CARTER TO HELP HIM? CERTAINLY. AND IN FACT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH OTHER GPS ON, TO SHARE THE KIND OF THINGS WE'RE DOING WITH A BUNCH OF OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND

[04:35:08]

THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THAT IN SOME COURTS. FOR INSTANCE, HOUSTON VOLUNTEERS LAWYERS, I THINK, OPERATES A YEAR COURT AND A COUPLE OTHER COURTS.

AND THAT PROGRAM WITH EVICTION DIVERSION HAS BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL.

AND IT'S IT'S NEW. IT HAPPENED IN THE PAST YEAR.

BUT THERE'S THERE'S OTHER TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT COULD BE SPREAD AMONG THE COURTS.

AND, JUDGE DUVAL, JUST WHILE YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE ABILITY TO PAY ASSESSMENTS.

I KNOW THAT YOU WERE AWARDED A NATIONAL GRANT TO HELP GET THOSE UP AND RUNNING IN YOUR COURT.

COULD YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT THAT WORK HAS LOOKED LIKE FOR YOU.

OH. SORRY YOU WERE FROZEN THERE FOR THE LAST ABOUT TEN, 15 SECONDS.

IF YOU COULD START OVER. THANK YOU. OH, SURE.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. YES, WE DID A SOLUTION SPRINT WITH FINES AND FEES, JUSTICE CENTER, AND WITH RESULTS FOR AMERICA.

WE HAD A TEAM INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DA'S OFFICE, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND VARIOUS OTHER I THINK WE EVEN HAD I THINK YOU WERE ON THE TEAM AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTY THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THAT WORK.

AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS TRYING TO FOLLOW THE LAW TO CUSTOMIZE THE FEES ON THE FINES AND FEES ON THE FRONT END TO WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY STUCK WITH A DEAL THEY'VE MADE, BUT THEY HAVE NO, THEY'VE BEEN SET UP FOR FAILURE BECAUSE IT'S WAY ABOVE WHAT THEY CAN AFFORD TO PAY THE TEXAS LAW SAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO CUSTOMIZE THOSE.

AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS INVITING THEM TO FILL OUT THIS SIMPLE FORM THAT WE RECENTLY CREATED, WHERE YOU CAN QUICKLY TELL TO SWORN FORM, AND YOU CAN QUICKLY TELL YOU KNOW, THEIR INCOME RANGE.

IF THEY'RE ON PUBLIC BENEFITS LIKE SNAP, IT'S A NO BRAINER.

THEY SHOULDN'T BE FINED THE SAME THING FOR A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR THAT SOMEBODY MAKING $100,000 A YEAR IS FINE.

AND THAT'S ALREADY INGRAINED IN TEXAS LAW. SO THE GRANT IS TO DEVELOP A VIDEO THAT CAN BE USED BY OTHER COURTS.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE UNIQUE TO OUR COURT. I WON'T BE IN IT.

NOBODY IN OUR COURT WILL BE IN IT. IT'S A TRAINING VIDEO THAT USED BY ANY JP COURT IN TEXAS.

THAT GIVES A QUICK EDUCATIONAL FIVE MINUTE LESSON ON HOW YOU GET AN ABILITY TO PAY DETERMINATION AND HOW IT WORKS.

AND WE'RE EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU ALL ON THAT AND THE DA'S OFFICE ON THAT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE LEFT? YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE AND FOUR SECONDS. OH, PERFECT.

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FROM OUR HOUSING POLICY ADVISOR AS WELL.

UNFORTUNATELY, HE WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT HE TOLD ME THAT IN JULY OF 2025, THEY SAW OVER 7000 EVICTIONS, DEFAULTS RUNNING NEAR 40%. WHAT SORTS OF PLANS DO YOU HAVE TO CUT DEFAULTS THROUGH? MAYBE TEXT OR TEXT REMINDERS OR NAVIGATORS? WELL, THE TEXT REMINDERS.

LIKE I SAID, THAT'S ONE OF OUR INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ROLLING OUT.

IN TERMS FOR CRIMINAL CASES. FIRST, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE STARTING OFF. IS THAT CORRECT? WE'RE STARTING OFF IN CRIMINAL CASES FIRST, AND THEN WE'RE MOST DEFINITELY EXCITED TO SEE HOPEFULLY WHERE THAT CAN PROGRESS DOWN THE ROAD.

AS FAR AS OTHER INITIATIVES IN REGARD, DID YOU SAY SPECIFIC TO EVICTIONS? I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY NICE IF WE DID PUT IN FOR AN EVICTION RESOURCE CLERK FOR EVERY COURT TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITIES AND HOW WE ALREADY HELP BECAUSE THE FACT IS, ALL OF OUR COURTS DO A LOT AND TRY TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY, BUT ALSO TRY TO SHARE. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. OH NO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

PRECINCT. TWO. PRECINCT THREE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

WHAT YOU WERE SAYING? OH, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT I THINK A LOT OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOMETHING I'VE LEARNED FROM ONE OF MY MORE SENIOR MENTORS IS FACILITATING THE RULE ELEVENS AND HOW, IF YOU KNOW, THE BOTH PARTIES ARE INFORMED OF HOW IT'S ADVANTAGEOUS TO BOTH OF THEM FROM THE BEGINNING.

AND THERE OBVIOUSLY IS NO EX PARTE COMMUNICATION BECAUSE WE'RE SPEAKING TO BOTH PARTIES THERE AT THE TRIAL AS IT ACTUALLY COMMENCES.

SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT THING WHEN WE GET PEOPLE LIKE THE HOUSTON VOLUNTEER LAWYERS THAT COME IN TO ACTUALLY HELP US FACILITATE THOSE RULE ELEVENS.

AND SO NOW YOU ACTUALLY HAVE AN ATTORNEY DRAFTING THEM FOR THE PARTIES INVOLVED, I THINK, LIKE I SAID, WANDA ADAMS, JUDGE ADAMS, SHE HAS THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS HELPING ON THAT FRONT IN REGARDS TO ONCE AN EVICTION IS FILED.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE AND THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT I FEEL WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WITH IN ORDER TO ENSURE

[04:40:10]

AND IF YOU READ THROUGH THE JUDICIAL CANONS, I KNOW JUDGE BRIDGEWATER, YOU REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A JUDGE, SIR, THAT LITERALLY THE APPEARANCE AND NOT ONLY THE APPEARANCE BUT THE APPEARANCE IS SECOND MENTIONED.

BUT THAT APPEARANCE OF IMPARTIALITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO BASICALLY SHOW PREFERENCE TO ONE SIDE AND ONLY ONE PARTY INVOLVED, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE US AS A COURTS AND OUR COURT STAFFS, THEY'RE ALSO SUBJECT TO THOSE JUDICIAL CANONS BY OUR ACTUAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THEM WORKING FOR US.

SO WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR US AND AND THEY'RE THERE TO FOCUS ON HELPING ONLY ONE PARTY.

MY OPINION IS THAT STARTS FLIRTING AROUND THAT WITH THAT GRAY AREA OF TRYING TO, YOU KNOW OF THAT APPEARANCE OF IMPARTIALITY ON BEHALF OF THAT JUDGE IN THAT COURT. AND AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT CAUSES AND CREATES A MASS EXODUS, EXODUS OF CASES BEING FILED IN CERTAIN COURTS.

SO, JUDGE BRIDGEWATER, I'M SORRY ABOUT CAN YOU UNMUTE YOUR MICROPHONE, PLEASE? I'M MUTED. NO. IT'S ME. TELL ME ABOUT EVICTION DIVERSION.

SO THE EVICTION DIVERSION INITIATIVE IS SOMETHING THAT JUDGE DUVAL AND JUDGE DOLORES LOZANO, THEY INDIVIDUALLY APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED A GRANT.

I THINK IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO NOW IN ONE OF THEIR FIRST YEARS IN OFFICE.

AND WHILE WELL INTENDED I THINK THERE'S MULTIPLE REASONS WHY IT'S IT'S NOT A GREAT USE OF COUNTY TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.

IT'S MOST DEFINITELY NOT A GREAT USE OF OF NOT ONLY THE RESOURCES IN THOSE COURTS, BUT EVEN IN THEORY, IF SOMEONE COULD SHOW ME THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF DATA, THAT IT WAS EFFECTIVE.

AND I DON'T MEAN ARBITRARY DATA THAT I CREATE FOR MY OWN PERSONAL COURT.

I MEAN, SOME KIND OF COUNTYWIDE COLLECTED DATA THAT YOU CAN SAY, LOOK, THIS IS A COUNTYWIDE WE COLLECT THIS DATA AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE DOING THIS RIGHT.

THEY'RE DOING THIS RIGHT THERE. AND THIS IS HAPPENING MORE AT THEIR COURT THAN YOUR COURT. BUT RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY DATA THAT WE SEE IS WHEN IT COMES TO EVICTION DIVERSIONS.

THE ONLY DIVERSIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING IS IT'S DIVERTING THOSE EVICTIONS TO BE FILED IN SOMEONE ELSE'S COURT. SO BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT TAKING THAT THAT, THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT THE LAW GIVES OUR PARTIES TO FILE IN ONE OF THE OTHER COURTS, I THINK YOU'RE JUST GOING TO RUN INTO A MYRIAD OF OTHER PROBLEMS BESIDES THE INEFFICIENCIES OF TRYING TO ATTEMPT TO TRANSFER THOSE CASES.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE DATA, THE DATA CLEARLY, I MEAN, LET'S GET INTO THE FIRST FACT THAT, LIKE I JUST TOLD YOU, ALL THE 14 OTHER JP COURTS, WE'VE BEEN DOING THINGS I MEAN, LITERALLY BEFORE WHEN I TOOK OFFICE OVER FIVE YEARS AGO.

NOW THAT TO ALREADY TRY TO, YOU KNOW, MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF EVICTIONS.

BUT MOST OF THOSE HAPPEN IN COURT IN FRONT OF BOTH PARTIES.

SO THERE IS NO APPEARANCE OF IMPARTIALITY AND MOST DEFINITELY NO EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE DATA, ALL IT SHOWS IS, LIKE I SAID RIGHT NOW, I'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEM.

BUT EVEN IF SOMEONE WAS ABLE TO SHOW ME THAT IN THESE COURTS, SOMEHOW IT'S BEING EFFECTIVE THERE, THE THIRD AND THE FOURTH, AND IT COMES TO EVICTIONS IN THIS ACTUAL COUNTY, THERE'S 14 OR, I'M SORRY, 12 OTHER COURTS THAT BASICALLY HAVE MORE EVICTIONS THAN THEM.

SO THAT TO ME IS JUST COMMON SENSE. IF IT IS AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM AND SOMEONE WANTS TO ARGUE THAT IT'S AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM, THEN IT SHOULD GO INTO AN ACTUAL PRECINCT OR AN ACTUAL COURT WHERE THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ACTUAL EVICTION EVICTIONS GOING ON TO ACTUALLY HELP THOSE PEOPLE.

AND IN THESE COURTS, I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN SUCH AN ACTUAL, LIKE I SAID, THAT DISPARITY OF CASES FILED IN OTHER COURTS WHERE I'VE EVEN HEARD THESE EVICTIONS SPECIALISTS HAVE GONE TO THE OTHER COURTS TO TRY TO SEE WHAT CAN I HELP YOU WITH HERE? BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EVICTIONS IN MY COURT.

I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHILE IT'S WELL INTENDED, LIKE I SAID, IF WE WANTED TO LOOK INTO THIS PROGRAM DOWN THE ROAD, I THINK HARRIS COUNTY HAS OUR WHAT IS IT CALLED? OUR HARRIS COUNTY HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

WE ALL WORK WITH THEM RIGHT NOW. AND OF COURSE, THAT'S MONEY.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S GOING TO BE LOSING. BUT MOSTLY ALL OF MY JUDGE'S COLLEAGUES THAT I KNOW OF WORK WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPMENT ON RENT RELIEF, RELOCATION SERVICES, ALL KINDS OF OTHER ACTUAL SERVICES THAT THEY AS AN ACTUAL COUNTYWIDE INITIATIVE, THEY ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO BOTH PARTIES TO SEE HOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THE EFFECTS OF THE EVICTION.

BUT IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONERS COURT WANTED TO LOOK INTO GOING BACK TO THE FIRST YEAR, THE I FORGOT THE GRANT FUNDING. IT SAID THEY WOULD FUND 100%.

THE SECOND YEAR IT WOULD BE 50 OVER 50 AND THEN THE THIRD YEAR IF THE COUNTY LIKED IT, THEY CAN CONTINUE IT.

THE SECOND YEAR THEY RENEGED AND SAID WE CAN'T AFFORD IT. SO THE COUNTY PICKED UP THE TAB.

SO NOW THE COUNTY IS ON THE HOOK FOR PICKING UP THAT TAB AGAIN, IF Y'ALL CHOOSE SO.

BUT WHAT I'M TELLING YOU THAT MONEY IS BETTER SPENT.

[04:45:02]

AND IT'S NOT BEING IT'S NOT AN ACTUAL EFFICIENT USE USE OF OUR TAXPAYERS DOLLARS, IN MY OPINION.

AND I WOULD SAY THE VAST MAJORITY OF MY OTHER JUDGES THAT I SPOKE WITH ON THIS ISSUE AGREE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TO BE FAIR, I DO WANT TO SAY, JUDGE, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S STILL HERE.

JUDGE DOLORES LOZANO, I MEAN, IT IS HER PROGRAM.

AND I JUST THINK, TO BE FAIR, I MEAN, I WOULD ANY OTHER TIME ALLOW HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF HER PROGRAM IF SHE'D LIKE OR JUDGE DUBOW.

YEAH, I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO RESPOND TO AND I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE.

AND SINCE I'VE GOT A BAD CONNECTION, HAPPY FOR HER TO TAKE THE LEAD IF SHE'S AT THE PODIUM.

A LOT TO UNPACK THERE. FIRST OF ALL I THINK IT'S BEEN ABOUT $400,000 TO DATE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT RENEGING ON MONEY. WE ACTUALLY GOT MORE MONEY THAN THE INITIAL TWO ROUNDS OF GRANT.

PARDON? 425,425 TO DATE. OH, IF YOU'RE AT THE PODIUM, GO AHEAD.

YOU'RE LIVE. GO THERE. GO AHEAD. DOLORES. WELL, I'LL LET YOU SPEAK AFTER JUDGE DIBBLE.

SO JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE DO HELP BOTH PARTIES.

IT'S NOT JUST TENANT SPECIFIC. THAT PERCEPTION IS WRONG.

AND I INVITE ANYONE TO COME VISIT OUR COURT TO SEE THAT THIS IS WHY THE EVICTION DIVERSION INITIATIVE IS SO IMPORTANT.

BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE ADDING CONSISTENT RESOURCES ACROSS THE COURTS.

AND SO I HAVE HAD MY FACILITATOR GO OUT TO JUDGE DELGADO'S COURT IN THE ESSENCE THAT SHE DOES HAVE MORE, MORE CASES THAT WAY SO THAT SHE CAN HELP MORE FOLKS.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WITH THIS PROGRAM, IT CAN REDUCE THE INCENTIVE OF FORUM SHOPPING.

IF BOTH PLACE ONE AND PLACE TWO PROVIDED THE SAME ROBUST SERVICES OUTSIDE OF JUST PROVIDING RENTAL ASSISTANCE, WE HAVE CONNECTED ON SITE GETTING FOLKS CONNECTED WITH SNAP MEDICAID, AND I UNDERSTAND OTHER COURTS DO THAT AS WELL.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, PEOPLE WANT TO TO HAVE THEIR RENT PAID AND PEOPLE WE ALSO DON'T WANT PEOPLE UNHOUSED.

AND SO IT'S A WIN WIN SOLUTION FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST TENANTS BUT LANDLORDS AS WELL.

WE HAVE REPEATED LANDLORDS THAT CONSISTENTLY COME INTO OUR COURT.

WE AGAIN, WE CAN'T CONTROL THE DISPARITIES OF WHO FILES WHERE.

WE CAN JUST FORMULATE NARRATIVES ON WHY, BUT I BELIEVE WE JUDGE DOABLE AND I ARE EVICTING PEOPLE.

IT'S NOT THE BEST THING TO DO, BUT WE ARE WE ARE PROCESSING EVICTIONS EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

AND I'LL ADD, WITHOUT A DOUBT, WE'RE FOLLOWING THE LAW AND FOLLOWING THE JUDICIAL CANONS.

AND I TAKE OFFENSE TO THE SUGGESTION THAT WE'RE NOT.

WE WORK WITH A TEAM OF LIKE THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY ON THESE ISSUES.

FROM NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS. THEY'VE PROVIDED US WITH TREMENDOUS SUPPORT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA THAT WE HAVE BEEN SHARING WITH COMMISSIONERS, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SHARE WITH OUR FELLOW GPS THE DATA THAT SUPPORTS THE PROGRAM AND SHOWS THAT IT WORKS. AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION AND MISNOMER ABOUT DIVERSION.

EVERY SINGLE GP AT SOME LEVEL DOES SOME FORM OF DIVERSION.

ANY TIME YOU ENCOURAGE A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH IS A WIN WIN IN MY OPINION, AND MOST PEOPLE'S OPINION WHEN THEY PARTICIPATE IN IT, THAT IS DIVERSION. ANYTIME YOU GET THE PARTIES TO COME TO SOME SOFT LANDING OR AN AGREEMENT THAT HELPS THEM STAY HOUSED AND GETS THE LANDLORD POSSESSION, IF THAT'S THE OUTCOME, THAT'S A WIN WIN.

I KNOW THAT THIS HOUSTON VOLUNTEER LAWYERS PROGRAM, WHICH GREW OUT OF OUR EVICTION DIVERSION PROGRAM, IS OPERATING NOT ONLY AT OUR COURT AND JUDGE LOZANO'S, BUT ALSO AT A61 NOW.

AND I THINK THEY'RE INTERESTED IN EXPANDING THE HOUSTON VOLUNTEER LAWYERS TO OTHER COURTS.

WE GOT THE REPORT FROM HOUSTON VOLUNTEER LAWYERS TODAY.

YEAR TO DATE, THEY'VE HAD 62 VOLUNTEER LAWYERS AND OUR COURTS AND A COUPLE OF OTHER COURTS.

DOING THESE WIN WINS, THEY SIT DOWN WITH THE PARTIES AND IN LIKE 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR THEY GET A SOLUTION THAT HELPS A PERSON STAY HOUSED OR DELAYS THE EVICTION WHILE THE LANDLORD WAITS OUT THE RENT RELIEF. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS GETTING RENT RELIEF TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THROUGH OUR COURTS.

AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT PROGRAM, BUT IT'S WORKING GREAT.

I WISH OTHER COURTS WOULD USE IT. IT'S A MODEL.

WE'VE WON LOCAL AWARDS. WE WON STATEWIDE AWARDS.

WE WON NATIONAL AWARDS. EVERY LAWYER WHO HAS VISITED OUR COURT IS EXTREMELY IMPRESSED WITH IT.

AND I ENCOURAGE OUR FELLOW JP'S AND EVERYONE TO COME DOWN ANYTIME AND OBSERVE WHAT WE'RE DOING.

IT'S ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN ACTION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

PRECINCT FOUR, YOU WILL NOW HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR BEING HERE. JUST GOING BACK TO THE TEXT REMINDERS.

I JUST WANT TO. SO THAT'S THE STATE CODE REMINDER SYSTEM.

AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT THAT'S SOME. THAT'S NOT WHAT.

OKAY. SORRY. DO YOU WANT TO WAIT? PLEASE. WE'RE DEVELOPING IN-HOUSE A TEXT MESSAGE REMINDER PROGRAM THAT WILL PIGGYBACK OFF OF THE BLACKBOARD SYSTEM THAT THE COUNTY IS ALREADY USING FOR THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTS.

AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE ACROSS ALL THE GPS.

YES. OKAY. SO ANY FOR ANY PHONE NUMBERS THAT WE CURRENTLY MAINTAIN IN OUR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

OKAY. THIS IS EXCELLENT. AND WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS. AND SO IF THERE ARE IDEAS AROUND EVALUATION LITERALLY I THINK IDEAS 42 WOULD LOVE TO EVALUATE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

[04:50:07]

AND I KNOW WE'VE KIND OF TALKED ON AND OFF ABOUT THIS.

SO SO THIS IS EXCITING TO HEAR. THEN I THINK I GUESS IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS GOING TO BE SORT OF A BIGGER CONVERSATIONS.

I THINK ULTIMATELY WE DO CARE ABOUT JUST ALL THE JP'S, YOU KNOW, BEING EFFECTIVE AND, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE A MANAGEABLE CASELOAD, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IS, IS, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLE IF TO COLLABORATE AROUND THAT.

WE WOULD LOVE TO TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.

I THINK TO YOUR POINT, JUDGE, AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OPTION IS TO TO SHIFT RESOURCES.

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY ONE WAY, I THINK, BECAUSE CASE ASSIGNMENT IS NOT REALLY IN ANYBODY'S CONTROL.

I THINK WE JUST WANT TO KIND OF BE MINDFUL OF LIKE THIS CONSTANT RESOURCE ASSIGNMENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE THING TO LOOK AT. ABSOLUTELY.

THE OTHER THING IS OF COURSE TO SEE IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY IDEAS THAT YOU CAN WORK AROUND JUST SO THAT ULTIMATELY WE CARE ABOUT ALL THE GPS HAVING A MANAGEABLE CASELOAD AND THE RESOURCES TO, TO BEST FUNCTION IS IN TERMS OF LIKE OTHER EFFICIENCIES AND COST SAVINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE IN MIND, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE ANY IDEAS THERE? WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO, I THINK A LOT OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE'VE SEEN WITH HOPEFULLY WE GOT COMING UP WITH THE TEXT MESSAGING SYSTEM.

YOU'RE MUTED SIR. OH I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. A LOT OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED, YOU JUST DISCUSSED SOME OF THOSE COMING UP THAT ARE HOPEFULLY GOING TO HELP A LOT OF OUR PARTIES BE MORE INFORMED.

I KNOW WE'VE MADE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS AND UPDATES TO ODYSSEY, SO NOW PARTIES CAN FILE A LOT MORE DIFFERENT NOTICES EASIER THROUGH ODYSSEY AND FILE.

SO I KNOW THOSE ARE KIND OF SOME OF OUR INITIATIVES THAT HOPEFULLY ARE SAVING THE COUNTY SOME MONEY AND AND SAVING ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS SOME TIME AND ON ON THAT END. I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BALANCE WORKLOADS VERSUS BALANCE RESOURCES FOR COURTS PER CASES, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY YOU SAID DOES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO SMART SAVINGS, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE WE'VE TRIED TO GO PAPERLESS WITH MANY OF OUR ACTUAL NOTICES THAT ANYTHING BY LAW AND BY STATUTE THAT WE CAN WE ARE TRYING TO KIND OF IMPLEMENT THAT AT ALL OF OUR COURTS.

I THINK I TOLD YOU ABOUT SOME OF OUR COURTS USING THE BACK SHEETS OF PAPER.

BASICALLY BORROWING FROM OTHER COURTS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS FOR POSTAGE AND STAMPS AND OTHER NECESSITIES THAT WE NEED.

THAT'S SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY, THAT WE'RE DOING. THE, THE UPDATES TO ODYSSEY THAT SAVE ON THE NOTICES THAT NEED TO BE SENT OUT THE SERVICES NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE IN E-FILE. SO I THINK THE FREE MEDIATION, THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT DUBO AND OTHER PEOPLE MENTIONED THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, WHETHER IT'S WITH LONE STAR HOUSTON VOLUNTEER LAWYERS ALL OF THESE OTHER DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, HELP WHEN IT COMES TO COUNTY, THE COUNTY NOT HAVING TO PUT UP THAT MONEY AND VERSUS AND OUR PARTIES AND HENCE OUR CONSTITUENTS GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE HIGHER QUALITY OF SERVICE IN OUR COURTS.

SO I THINK THAT ALL HELPS IN ALL THOSE FACETS.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. AND THEN I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED LANGUAGE ACCESS BRIEFLY, BUT WE'D LOVE TO CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THAT SPACE.

MOST DEFINITELY DOCTOR RON, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO AND I HOPE YOU KNOW, THAT. I DID RESPOND TO YOUR EMAIL, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE MEETINGS SOON WITH JOE JUDGE, JOE STEPHENS AND KATIE AND ALL OF US.

OKAY. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DOCTOR.

THANK YOU. PRECINCT FOUR, COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

HI. MADELEINE STECK FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

I KNOW RESOURCE ALLOCATION ACROSS COURTS HAS BEEN A HOT TOPIC, AND THIS HAD COME UP LAST YEAR.

I THINK IT WAS JUDGE GOODWIN WHO HAD MENTIONED THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN PRIORITIES FOR THE JUSTICES.

I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT BECAUSE I REMEMBER DIRECTOR RAMOS, OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR, HAD HAD EXTENDED AN OFFER TO KIND OF HELP DEVELOP A PROPOSAL.

IF, YOU KNOW, THE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE WERE, LIKE, INTERESTED IN COLLABORATING.

DO YOU KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY DISCUSSIONS THIS LAST YEAR TO AND I, I GUESS, YEAH, I MIGHT PASS IT ON, BUT I JUST WANT TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF SINCE I'VE BEEN THE PRESIDING JUDGE SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2024.

I WASN'T AWARE OF ANY OFFERS THAT WERE MADE TO COLLABORATE WITH US, SO WE COULD KIND OF LOOK AT SOME KIND OF RUBRIC OR SYSTEM THAT COULD POTENTIALLY OPTIMIZE WORKLOADS. I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT. I'M SORRY, MA'AM.

AND AND I CAN SPEAK TO THAT. DIRECTOR RAMOS AND I HAVE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS.

IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE. I THINK HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED THAT THE THE EASIEST AND MOST EXPEDIENT FIX IS ADJUSTING RESOURCES BETWEEN COURTS WHERE THERE ARE IMBALANCES BETWEEN WORKLOAD AND STAFF.

THAT'S NOT AN EASY THING. I UNDERSTAND THAT EACH JP COURT IS VERY DIFFERENT ACROSS THE COUNTY, GEOGRAPHICALLY, IN DIFFERENT PLACES. THE MAKEUP OF THE JURISDICTION, WHETHER IT'S IN AN UNINCORPORATED,

[04:55:06]

BUT WE DO HAVE COURTS THAT DO HAVE MORE, SIGNIFICANTLY MORE CASELOAD THAN THEIR CURRENT STAFFING LEVEL CAN HANDLE, AND COURTS THAT ARE IN A LITTLE BIT OF THE OPPOSITE POSITION.

AND SO WE DO NEED TO ADDRESS THAT IN A WAY. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF PARTIES BEFORE, BUT WHAT EVERY SINGLE PARTY THAT COMES BEFORE THE COURT HAS A RIGHT TO AND AN EXPECTATION FOR IS THAT THEY COME TO A COURT THAT IS FUNDED AND STAFFED IN A MANNER TO HANDLE THEIR CASE APPROPRIATELY. AND THAT'S SOMETIMES NOT THE CASE TODAY, AND THE COUNTY NEEDS TO ADDRESS IT.

I'M SORRY, MADAM, IF I COULD JUMP IN. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS THAT THE LAST BUDGET HEARING OR LAST YEAR'S BUDGET HEARING, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FROM OUR STANDPOINT TO GO AND TO TELL THESE INDEPENDENTLY ELECTEDS HOW THEY DIVVY UP THE PIE, PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY CAN REFER CASES KIND OF WITHIN THEIR IN THEIR BETWEEN THE TWO JUDGES.

AND SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A VERY CONCERTED EFFORT AND A PRIORITY OF COURT TO COORDINATE WITH THE JP'S AND THE CONSTABLES TO DO THAT.

RIGHT SIZING. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T PUT A LOT OF TIME OR THOUGHT INTO IT BECAUSE THAT IS SUCH A LARGE UNDERTAKING.

WE WOULD REALLY NEED TO SEE A COMMITMENT FROM COURT TO MOVE FORWARD.

UNDERSTOOD. AND I DO ALSO, ONE THING THAT STUCK WITH ME FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET HEARINGS WAS THE REMINDER THAT JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURTS ARE OFTEN A RESIDENTS ONLY INTERACTION WITH OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS AN EFFICIENT, AS PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE. COLLECTIVELY, THE 16 JP COURTS HANDLE A LITTLE OVER A HALF A MILLION CASES A YEAR.

THAT'S A BIG IMPACT AND CERTAINLY SEE MORE CITIZENS THAN ALL THE OTHER COURTS COMBINED.

RIGHT. AND WHILE NO COURT SHOULD EVER BE JUDGED ON THE MONEY THAT THEY GENERATE BECAUSE THAT'S NOWHERE NEAR OUR PURPOSE, WE ARE REVENUE NEUTRAL. SO WE I THINK WE BROUGHT IN $40 MILLION.

THE TOTAL OF THE JP COURTS LAST YEAR AND OUR EXPENDITURES OF ALL OF OUR BUDGETS WERE APPROXIMATELY $30 MILLION DOLLARS.

I DID HAVE A QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FOR YOU, MA'AM, OR FOR THE COURTS OR FOR MR. RAMOS REGARDING OUR BUDGETS. WE SAW A $250,000 CUT FROM EACH OF OUR BUDGETS, AND WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR BUDGETS WOULD NOT BE TOUCHED.

SO THAT. SO THERE'LL BE A BUDGET FOR EACH ONE OF THE 16.

THERE'S A BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR YOU AND THAT SPECIAL FUND, THE JUSTICE SUPPORT FUND.

SO WE WILL WORK WITH YOU TO EITHER MOVE POS OR PEOPLE INTO THAT FUND, BUT IT WILL BE YOUR BUDGET TO UTILIZE HOWEVER YOU SEE FIT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE RESOURCES INTO THAT FUND IN ORDER TO ALLOW IT TO PAY FOR IT.

CORRECT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT FUND INTO OUR BUDGETS. WE TRIED WITH THE COUNTY AUDITORS, BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE THAT WORK. UNFORTUNATELY, I'M HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND THE AUDITOR TEAM TO SEE IF THERE'S AN EASIER, BECAUSE OUR PREFERENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN THAT BEEN TO DO IT THAT WAY. AND THEN WHAT IF WORST CASE SCENARIO THAT THAT THAT FUND DOESN'T GENERATE 4 MILLION, WHICH THE 250 TIMES 16 ADDS UP TO THE GENERAL FUND WOULD BE ON THE HOOK FOR THE DELTA.

THEY WOULD BE ON THE HOOK FOR THAT. AND THEN THE COMPUTER OFFSET THAT ALSO.

THAT WAS THE OTHER CUT TO ALL OF OUR BUDGETS.

WHAT IS THAT? I MEAN, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WE DON'T USE UNIVERSAL SERVICES FOR ANY OF OUR COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY, ANYTHING THAT THEY PROVIDE. SO WE'RE MAKING AVAILABLE AN EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF BUDGET ON THE COMMERCIAL PAPER TO PURCHASE, TO PURCHASE LAPTOPS AND COMPUTERS FOR OUR COURTS.

THAT'S CORRECT. SO IF, LIKE MY COURT SPECIFICALLY SAW A5000 ISH APPROXIMATE OFFSET FOR AN ADJUSTED COMPUTER OFFSET, I'M GOING TO HAVE A $5,000 CREDIT WITH UNIVERSAL SERVICES.

KNOW THAT THAT BUDGET WILL BE ALLOCATED TO YOU TO MAKE THE PURCHASES.

SO UNIVERSAL SERVICE WILL REACH OUT TO ME, SAY, YOU KNOW, JUDGE TREVINO, YOUR SIX ONE COURT HAS A $5,000 CREDIT WITH US TO USE FOR SOME KIND OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE BASE.

AND THIS IS COUNTY WIDE, WAS 75% OF THE LAST THREE YEAR AVERAGE THAT WE COULD CONFIRM WAS SPENT ON HARDWARE.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO GET TO A THREE, FOUR YEAR, A THREE YEAR TURNOVER.

SO AT LEAST ONE THIRD OF ALL, OF ALL OF YOUR ASSETS WOULD TURN OVER EVERY YEAR.

I GOT YOU. THANK YOU. AND, MA'AM, I DON'T KNOW IF COMMISSIONERS IN THE JUDGE.

IF Y'ALL COULD HELP ME WITH THE OTHER QUESTION THAT MY MY COLLEAGUES WANTED ME TO ASK WAS REGARDING THE HIRING FREEZES.

IF THAT GOES INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST, WILL WE BE AFFECTED BY THAT AS JP'S? AND THEN LIKE, LET'S JUST SAY, AFTER OCTOBER 1ST, COME JANUARY OF 2026, ONE OF OUR CHIEF CLERKS OR ASSISTANT CHIEF CLERKS RETIRES BECAUSE THEY PUT IN THEIR 30 PLUS YEARS. NOW, IS THAT POSITION NOT AVAILABLE FOR US TO FILL, OR DO WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO COURT AND ASK FOR PERMISSION TO FILL THAT POSITION? WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE THROUGH THE DRAFT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE.

[05:00:01]

SO THE FOLKS THAT REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE ELECTED OR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

AND SO WHEN OUR COURT SAYS BASICALLY ALL OF OUR STAFF THOUGH. YEAH.

SO DOES THAT WOULD THAT SO WE'RE WORKING WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IT. AND THEN AT ANY FOR, FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IF THEIR POSITION, IF THEIR DEPARTMENT OR THEIR POSITION WAS NOT ON THE EXEMPTION LIST, TO COME AND REQUEST AN EXEMPTION FROM COURT.

OH, AND I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. OH. I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY. IT'S OKAY. I JUST I HAVE A MINUTE LEFT. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. YES, MA'AM. MY APOLOGIES.

I WANTED TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE. ABOUT WHAT? COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL LEGAL AID ORGANIZATIONS LOOKS LIKE AND NONPROFITS, AND WHAT BARRIERS THERE ARE RIGHT NOW THAT LIMIT THIS COLLABORATION.

I KNOW IT WAS ADDRESSED PARTIALLY EARLIER, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU HAVE THE QUESTION, WHAT DOES COLLABORATION LOOK LIKE WITH YOUR WITH OUR LOCAL LEGAL AID ORGANIZATIONS AND NONPROFITS? AND WHAT BARRIERS DO YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT LIMIT THIS COLLABORATION? AND I KNOW YOU ADDRESSED THIS PARTIALLY, BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM, MA'AM, IS MONEY, RIGHT? BECAUSE THESE NONPROFITS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE NOT NOT FOR PROFIT, BUT THEY GET FINANCED THROUGH SOME KIND OF GRANTS OR FUNDING.

AND WHETHER IT'S THE LONE STAR, LEGAL AID, HOUSTON VOLUNTEER LAWYERS, U OF H, LAW CENTER, SOUTH TEXAS, ALL OF THESE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, EVEN OUR OWN COUNTIES.

THE COUNTIES, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ALL OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE TO GET PAID IN ORDER TO BASICALLY TURN AROUND AND HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE INDIGENT. AND SO IT'S FUNNY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I AM PROUD OF JUDGE JOE STEPHENS, MY CO PRESIDING JUDGE, BEING A FORMER NBA PLAYER.

IT'S AN INITIATIVE THAT CURRENTLY HE'S TRYING TO IMPLEMENT WITHIN THE COUNTYWIDE WITH THE NEW YOUTH DIVERSION PROGRAM AND GETTING NBA PLAYERS TO COME AND MENTOR SOME OF OUR ACTUAL STUDENTS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

JUDGE, YOU WILL NOW HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU, HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE.

WE ARE PROUD OF THE ESSENTIAL ROLE WE PLAY IN ENSURING FAIRNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

EVERY DAY, WE PROVIDE CITIZENS THEIR DAY IN COURT, OFFER EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND OR MEANS, AND DISPENSE JUDGMENTS THAT ARE TIMELY, IMPARTIAL, AND ROOTED IN THE RULE OF LAW.

YET WE CANNOT IGNORE THE REALITY. THE DEMANDS PLACED UPON THE JUSTICE COURTS HAVE GROWN, WHILE RESOURCES HAVE NOT KEPT PACE.

WITHOUT ADEQUATE FUNDING AND STAFFING, OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE SERVING AS THE BACKBONE OF THE COMMUNITY LEVEL JUSTICE IS AT RISK.

WE RESPECTFULLY URGE THIS COURT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE JUSTICE COURTS ARE NOT JUST ANOTHER LINE ITEM IN THE COUNTY BUDGET.

WE ARE ONE OF THE COUNTY'S MOST IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS.

BY SUPPORTING US, YOU ENSURE THAT JUSTICE REMAINS ACCESSIBLE, FAIR AND EFFICIENT FOR ALL WHO CAME, WHO COME BEFORE US. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU JUDGE, AND THANK YOU TO OUR JUSTICES OF THE PEACE DEPARTMENT.

COULD I JUST ADD TO THAT LAST RESPONSE TO ADDRESS THE LAST QUESTION ABOUT COMMUNITY PARTNERS? BRIEFLY? YES, SIR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE AND 12 SECONDS REMAINING.

OKAY. WE WE DO A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE WILLING TO HELP AND TO HELP FOR FREE.

IT DOESN'T COST ANYTHING. IT'S JUST TIME AND INVESTMENT.

THE TEXAS BAR FOUNDATION RECENTLY GAVE US A GRANT.

THEY'RE PROBABLY INTERESTED IN GIVING OTHER COURTS GRANTS TO START A RESOURCE CENTER.

IT ENABLED US TO CREATE A STATE OF THE ART RESOURCE CENTER WORKING WITH ANDRE DAVIDSON, THE HARRIS COUNTY LAW LIBRARIAN.

HE AND I JUST PRESENTED AT THE POVERTY LAW CONFERENCE LAST WEEK IN AUSTIN ABOUT THAT VERY RESOURCE CENTER AND HOW IT WORKS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE IT SERVES.

ANOTHER GREAT PARTNER THAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE.

AND IT'S SO SIMPLE AND IT'S SO MUCH HELPS. ACCESS TO JUSTICE IS TEXAS LAW HELP? IT'S FUNDED BY THE TEXAS LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION.

WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A KIOSK IN OUR COURT.

I THINK JUDGE LOZANO HAS A KIOSK. THEY'RE INTERESTED IN PUTTING MORE KIOSKS IN OTHER COURTS.

THESE ARE SELF-CONTAINED UNITS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO ACCESS INFORMATION ABOUT.

I'VE GOT A LANDLORD TENANT CASE. WHAT DO I DO? AND THEY HAVE, LIKE LAYMAN'S GUIDES THAT WALK YOU THROUGH IT.

SAME FOR DEBT COLLECTION. SO WE WORK WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WHEN WE SEND NOTICES TO SEND THEM A QR CODE THAT TAKES THEM DIRECTLY TO THE PAGE FOR THE TYPE OF CASE THEY'RE DEALING WITH, SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CASE IS ABOUT AND WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE.

SHOUT OUT TO SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW. THEY JUST GOT A MOONSHOT GRANT MILLION DOLLARS.

THEY'RE DOING DEBT COLLECTION DEFENSE IN HARRIS COUNTY COURTS.

THEY'RE ALREADY OPERATING ON OUR COURT. THEY'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND TO OTHER JP COURTS.

AND IT'S SIMILAR TO THE WAY LONE STAR WORKS IN EVICTIONS.

AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND TRY AND DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THAT.

WE JUST DID A PILOT WITH TEXAS APPLESEED AND TEXAS LEGAL SERVICES CENTER, WITH THE COOPERATION OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS HAS EXPIRED.

APOLOGIES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUDGE. AGAIN.

THANK YOU. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE DEPARTMENT. OH, I'M SORRY.

[05:05:01]

COME ON BACK. LET'S BRING OUT.

THE REST. EVERYBODY ELSE HAS BEEN HERE.

[Human Resources & Talent]

THIS WILL BE OUR FINAL BUDGET HEARING FOR TODAY.

DIRECTOR, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR INITIAL PRESENTATION.

THEN EACH COURT OFFICE WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS BEGINNING WITH PRECINCT TWO.

AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.

MEMBERS REPRESENTATIVES OF COURT OFFICES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.

HUMAN RESOURCES AND TALENT IS ENDEAVORING UPON LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT IS A LONG TERM HR TRANSFORMATION AT HARRIS COUNTY.

WE ARE PRIORITIZING THAT TRANSFORMATION THROUGH MODERNIZATION, THROUGH AUTOMATION AND STANDARDIZATION.

THIS YEAR, IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT WE THE VARIOUS NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND THOSE THAT ARE STILL IN PROGRESS, AS WE THINK ABOUT LAYING THIS FOUNDATION, WE'VE HAD SOME SOME PHENOMENAL WINS, INCLUDING STANDARDIZING RECRUITMENT WITH A FULL CYCLE SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL. OUR COMPENSATION AND PAY EQUITY STUDY IS WE'RE ALMOST FINISHED, Y'ALL.

WE'RE ALMOST THERE TO THE END. BUT THAT WORK AND THE OUTCOME OF THAT WORK WILL HELP TO STANDARDIZE SALARIES AND CREATE THE COMPENSATORY INFRASTRUCTURE ESSENTIAL TO HR INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.

WE BROADENED WELLNESS AND BENEFITS PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF BOTH OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS FUTURE RETIREES.

WE'VE OPTIMIZED OUR WORKFORCE OUTCOMES WITH THE BILINGUAL PAY INITIATIVE, MANAGER FOCUSED HR BOOT CAMP, AND A TELEWORK POLICY THAT ADVANCES OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, SUSTAINABILITY AND WORK LIFE INTEGRATION.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A NAME CHANGE AND A REBRAND AS WELL.

STRENGTHEN OUR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND MODERNIZE THE HRT WEBSITE AND INTRANET.

I AM HAPPY TO TAKE ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU DIRECTOR. EACH COURT OFFICE WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, BEGINNING WITH PRECINCT TWO.

GOOD MORNING ACTUALLY. GOOD AFTERNOON. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD, THANKS. THANK YOU FOR COMING IN TODAY. YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING SO MUCH THIS YEAR.

WELL, NOT JUST THIS YEAR, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING SO MUCH.

LIMITED STAFF, LIMITED BUDGETS. TELL US YOUR BIGGEST WINS IN THIS BUDGET SEASON.

PREPPING FOR 26 AND WHAT YOU WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE THERE'S SO MUCH, SO MUCH. WE'VE HAD SO MUCH PROGRESS AND SO MUCH SUCCESS.

AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRESS THUS FAR.

THUS FAR OF COMPENSATION AND PAY EQUITY. WE'RE ALMOST TO THE FINISH LINE.

WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE. BUT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ENDEAVOR, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT IS BEING DONE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF HARRIS COUNTY.

WE DO HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT OF THE COURT.

THIS WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING WITHOUT THEM PRIORITIZING COMPENSATORY INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENSURING THAT WE ADDRESS PAY EQUITY.

SO I THINK THAT'S I THINK THAT'S HUGE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE CONTINUED TO PRIORITIZE SERVICE DELIVERY, NOT JUST WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT HOW IT IS GETTING DONE AND AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CREATING THE PROGRAMS AND PROVIDING THE SUPPORT IN AREAS THAT THEY REALLY NEED IT.

AND SO ENGAGING OUR LIAISONS AND AND OTHER MEMBERS AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL TO ENSURE THAT THE WORK THAT WE ARE ENDEAVORING TRULY IS MAKING AN IMPACT AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL AS WELL. AND THEN I THINK FINALLY IS WE'VE HAD YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE SOME I THINK MAYBE NOT HUGE,

[05:10:02]

IT'S ONLY RECENTLY TRANSITIONED INTO HRT, BUT BUT BRINGING LIFE TO A PROGRAM PERHAPS THAT HAD NOT GOTTEN ATTENTION.

I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ERIKA AND HER TEAM AROUND THE BILINGUAL PAY AND BRINGING STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONALIZING THAT AS WELL.

OUR IP TEAM, WHO CONTINUES TO TAKE THE FORWARD LOOKING PERSPECTIVE AND THINKING ABOUT OUR INTERNAL COMMS AND HOW WE'RE ENGAGING EMPLOYEES INTERNALLY. IT TRULY IS WE ARE WE ARE TRULY EVOLVING, NOT JUST THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE HISTORICALLY, BUT REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THE IMPACT IS BEING FELT ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY.

THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A LEARNING PLATFORM.

IS THAT STILL GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE FOR 26? AND CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT? SO THE AFTER I'LL TAKE A STEP BACK. AFTER THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT AT A STANDALONE RFP A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, APPROXIMATELY AROUND THE TIME I RETURNED AS THE INTERIM AND ESSENTIALLY NO ONE.

AND WHEN I SAY NO ONE, I MEAN FROM A US PERSPECTIVE AS WELL AS FROM AN HR PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS.

AND SO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, AS WELL AS US AND PURCHASING, WE'VE RESTARTED WROTE A NEW SCOPE OF WORK FOR AN END TO END SUITE, IF YOU WILL, OF HR SYSTEMS AND AND THAT RFP, WHICH IS CURRENTLY LIVE.

WELL, THE RFP IS CLOSED. BUT IN TERMS OF THE DEMOS WE'RE THAT WE'RE MOVING MOVING THAT FORWARD OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 3 TO 4 WEEKS OR SO HAS BEGUN.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE LMS IS WITHIN THAT SUITE OF OF OF HR SYSTEMS. IT'S ONE OF THE SYSTEMS WITHIN THAT SUITE. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE INVESTMENT MEMO FOR CIP HAS THAT THAT US IS TAKING THE LEAD ON.

AGAIN, WORKING WITH OMB HAS BEEN DONE. BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, BUT JUST NOT AS A STANDALONE.

YES. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW.

THANK YOU. PRECINCT. TWO. PRECINCT THREE. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND WAIVE MY TIME. SO ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS IT, WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. PRECINCT THREE.

PRECINCT FOUR. YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

YOU'RE MUTED SIR. SIR YOU'RE MUTED SIR. THERE IS THAT.

THERE IT IS. SO DANIEL RODRIGUEZ WITH THE OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER LESLIE BRIONES. SO WELCOME SIR. AND TO THE REST OF THE HRT TEAM I'LL KIND OF START OFF BY FOLLOWING UP WITH ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT MY COLLEAGUES ASKED, AND THEN I'LL ASK MY SET, BECAUSE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BIGGEST WINS AROUND SERVICE DELIVERY. SO MAYBE COULD YOU SHARE WITH ME WHAT ARE SOME OF THE METRICS THAT YOU'RE USING TO DETERMINE THAT YOU'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THAT SERVICE DELIVERY? THERE'S BEEN A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH AROUND SOME SURVEYS AND FOCUS GROUPS WITHIN WITHIN HARRIS COUNTY, WITH THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE WORK WITH AND USING THOSE AS AN INITIAL BENCHMARK.

SO THE THE INITIAL GOAL WAS TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK AND INSIGHT AROUND GAPS THAT DEPARTMENTS HAD AT THEIR LEVELS SO THAT WE COULD DESIGN A A SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL THAT IS DESIGNED TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.

SO THAT IS WHERE THAT'S OUR STARTING POINT. AND AS WE THINK ABOUT AGAIN OUR PRIORITIZATION GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR, SORRY, THIS IS FISCAL YEAR 25. THE COURT ASKED US TO PRIORITIZE SERVICE DELIVERY FOR TALENT ACQUISITION.

AND THAT THAT HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST TWO FISCAL YEARS, AND LEVERAGING THOSE SURVEYS AND THOSE FEEDBACK MECHANISMS AS AN INITIAL BENCHMARK, AS WE CONTINUE TO NOT ONLY REDEFINE OR REDESIGN SERVICE DELIVERY, BUT LEVERAGING THAT DATA AS A AS A BASELINE AND A GUIDING POINT OR GUIDING POST A GUIDEPOST, IF YOU WILL, AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD.

AND SO IF WE SAID TALENT ACQUISITION HAS BEEN THE FOCUS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE BASELINE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE DETERMINED SO FAR? WELL, I THINK ONE IS STANDARDIZATION OF THE OF THE PROCESS OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS.

ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE ALSO DEVELOPED A FULL CYCLE RECRUITMENT MODEL THAT DIDN'T EXIST A YEAR AGO.

TRADITIONALLY, IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, IT DID NOT.

AND SO AS WHEN WE THINK ABOUT YOUR TRADITIONAL HIRING METRICS, TIME TO FEEL TIME TO, TO POST, LOOKING AT APPLICANT VOLUME BASED UPON WHERE A POSITION MAY BE POSTED, DEPENDING UPON AND HOW LONG IT TAKES A HIRING

[05:15:06]

AND DANIEL, I'LL ADD THIS AS WELL. THERE'S STILL WORK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THAT WE ARE NOT I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THIS CAKE IS FULLY BAKED.

WE ARE. WE'RE WE ARE TRULY DESIGNING A PROCESS AND STANDARDIZING A PROCESS AROUND RECRUITMENT THAT HASN'T HISTORICALLY EXISTED IN THIS ORGANIZATION. BUT THE BUILDING BLOCKS ARE BEING LAID.

OKAY, I'LL GO ON TO MY NEXT QUESTION. SO WILL ANY OF THE PROPOSED OFFSETS THAT YOU'VE OFFERED SO FAR IMPACT YOUR ABILITY TO EXECUTE ON YOUR FY 26 BUDGET PRIORITIES? WE WE OUR OFFSETS WERE MADE UP OF OF ESSENTIALLY TWO TWO OPTIONS THAT WE OFFERED UP.

THE FIRST WAS THE DATA FELLOWS PROGRAM, WHICH TRANSITIONED FROM OCA TO HRT THIS YEAR.

THOSE THERE WERE FOUR POSITIONS A MANAGER AND THREE DATA FELLOWS.

THOSE WERE NOT OUR STAFF, ALTHOUGH WE FACILITATED THE PROGRAM.

AND SO THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE OFFSETS THAT WAS ACCEPTED.

AND THEN THE SECOND WAS $270,000 IN NON-LABOR DOLLARS.

AND AND WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO FILL THAT 270.

BUT I SAY ALL OF THAT TO SAY IT'S NOT IT'S NOT A GREAT POSITION TO BE IN.

WE'RE A SMALL DEPARTMENT. 90 PLUS PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET IS LABOR.

BUT WE WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A DECENT CONTINUING LEVEL OF SERVICE WITH, WITH THOSE OFFSETS. IF THOSE FOUR POSITIONS AND THE DATA FELLOWS PROGRAMS WERE WERE FILLED OR POSITIONS THAT WERE WE HAD STAFF IN IT, WOULD IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT. BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT IT'S A LITTLE IT'S A LITTLE LESS PAINFUL.

SO THE SUNSETTING OF THE DATA FELLOWS IS NOT GOING TO IMPACT YOUR ABILITY TO PERFORM.

IT WILL IT WILL NOT AFFECT OUR CONTINUING LEVEL OF SERVICE.

AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THE 270 WAS NOT ACCEPTED.

IT WAS OFFERED AS PART OF THE 10% BUT IS NOT IN OUR PROPOSED BUDGET.

OKAY. THANKS FOR CLARIFYING THAT. THE OTHER QUESTION IS STILL RELATED TO THAT IS, SO YOU'VE GOT 78 POSITIONS AND 70 EMPLOYEES RIGHT NOW WITH EIGHT POSITIONS. VACANT IS WHAT I'M SHOWING. ONE OF THEM IS THE CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER.

SO WHAT ARE THE REMAINING SEVEN? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND THEN THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT IS GOING TO BE HOW LONG HAVE THOSE POSITIONS BEEN OPEN.

SO WE HAVE TWO POSITIONS WITH THAT HAVE BEEN FILLED.

BOTH CANDIDATES STARTING ON MONDAY THE EIGHTH, SEPTEMBER THE 8TH, THE OTHER I'D HAVE TO I'D HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THOSE.

ON THOSE OTHERS. DANIEL, I'M NOT CERTAIN WHAT THOSE ARE BECAUSE REALLY, THE BECAUSE I KNOW MY TIME IS UP, BUT MY FOCUS IS HOW LONG HAVE THOSE PCNS BEEN OPEN? BECAUSE THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT IS THEN GOING TO BE, IF THEY'VE BEEN OPEN FOR LONGER THAN A YEAR, DO WE REALLY NEED THEM AT THIS POINT? WE DON'T HAVE ANY POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OPEN A YEAR.

OKAY. THANK YOU. PRECINCT FOUR, COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

HI. MADELEINE STECK FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

WE, OUR GOVERNANCE ADVISOR, COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FROM HER.

HRT HAS HAD SEVERAL KEY INITIATIVES THIS LAST YEAR, INCLUDING THE EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION SURVEY, WHERE FOLLOW UP AND IMPLEMENTATION ISN'T NECESSARILY ALREADY FUNDED.

DO YOU ANTICIPATE ANY IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES FOR EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION OR PAY EQUITY GIVEN THE CURRENT BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS? SO IN TERMS OF PAY EQUITY, I THINK I THINK THERE'S BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF CONVERSATION PUBLICLY IN COURT IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATIONALIZATION OF THAT.

ONCE THE STUDY IS COMPLETE AND $50 MILLION HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE AS A CLS FOR FOR PAY EQUITY SPECIFIC TO EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. WE DID PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THE COURT ALONG WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE COST TO OPERATIONALIZE THAT.

AT THIS JUNCTURE, I'VE RECEIVED NO FEEDBACK. SO IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT INITIATIVE AND THOSE ENDEAVORS AND THAT THAT THAT PROGRAM BEING FUNDED, IT IS NOT WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO TO OPERATIONALIZE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE PUT FORTH.

UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO HOW HR DECIDES WHEN TO USE A CONSULTANT VERSUS WHEN TO DO A PROJECT IN-HOUSE? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. AND I THINK THAT.

SO A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS. MOST OF OUR CONSULTANTS THAT WE'VE USED HAVE BEEN ON THE COMPENSATION SIDE.

[05:20:08]

WE USE OTHERS IN RECENT HISTORY. I BELIEVE THOSE ARE THE TWO MOST RECENTLY.

AND SO FOR COMPENSATION IS INCREDIBLY COMPLEX, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.

THIS IS THERE'S ALSO AN ADVISORY REAL CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH WITH A.

EXCUSE ME, WITH A COMPENSATION CONSULTING FIRM, WHICH IS VERY ROUTINE.

THAT IS TYPICAL. HAVING A COMPENSATION FIRM THAT'S AVAILABLE ON CONTRACT FOR VARIOUS AD HOC PROJECTS THAT YOU MAY NEED THEM TO DO. I SAY ALL OF THAT TO SAY WE REALLY THIS DEPARTMENT REALLY DOESN'T UTILIZE CONSULTANTS THAT MUCH.

ALSO, WE DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET RESPECTFULLY RIGHT TO TO DO IT EVEN IF WE DESIRED.

THANK YOU. THAT LEADS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION.

SO I DO KNOW THAT YOU'RE ONE OF THE SMALLER DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY.

IF YOU HAD A SENIOR OR LONGER TENURED STAFF PERSON LEAVE, DO YOU EXPECT TO HAVE THE BUDGET CAPACITY TO PAY OUT THEIR FINAL BENEFITS, LIKE PTO? NO. OKAY. WE DO NOT. THANK YOU. AND I THINK THIS WAS ASKED EARLIER, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF HIRING FREEZE WOULD HAVE ON HR. WE.

AGAIN, WE'RE A SMALL DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE TINY BUT MIGHTY FUNCTIONAL TEAMS. SHOUT OUT TO THE HR, THIS LEADERSHIP TEAM AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON.

BUT IF WE WERE IN A POSITION EVEN FOR ONE OF OUR MORE JUNIOR EMPLOYEES, IF WE WERE, IF SOMEONE LEFT OR WON THE LOTTERY AND QUIT AND WE NEEDED AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO BACKFILL THEM, IT HAS SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS TO THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.

AND THERE WOULD BE SOME FORM OF INTERRUPTION OR A DEGRADATION OF THE SERVICE, WHATEVER THAT WOULD, WOULD BE. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FAT FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE, AND WE HAVE VERY LEAN TEAMS AS WELL.

I KNOW THAT HR TRANSFORMATION HAS BEEN AN ONGOING INITIATIVE HERE IN THE COUNTY AND THAT ESSENTIALLY HR OPERATES AS LIKE Y'ALL ARE THE CORE, BUT THERE'S A BUNCH OF ESSENTIALLY SATELLITE HR TEAMS ACROSS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR HR TRANSFORMATION FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AND MEANINGFUL MILESTONES WE SHOULD EXPECT? SURE. I WILL I AGAIN WILL GO BACK TO THE TO THE TECHNOLOGY, PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONE OF ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO FOR HARRIS COUNTY IS TO BRING IN HR SYSTEMS. AND AGAIN, THEY WON'T ALL COME AT ONCE. RIGHT? THAT'S OVERWHELMING. THERE'S A VERY THOUGHTFUL AND DELIBERATE PLAN AROUND ORDER.

BUT BUT I WOULD SAY THAT'S A HUGE MILESTONE. IT IS ALSO, AGAIN, A FIRST ENDEAVOR.

ALSO WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN NOT JUST INTUITIVE AGILE SYSTEMS, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE CONFIGURED AND STANDARDIZED TO ENSURE THAT BOTH AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL, THERE'S A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FROM A CANDIDATE PERSPECTIVE, THERE'S A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, AND CERTAINLY AS A COUNTY EMPLOYEE, THERE'S AN EQUALLY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE AS WELL.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S CERTAINLY AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.

AGAIN, COMPENSATION. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND COMPENSATION AND PAY EQUITY AGAIN.

WE'LL WE'RE WRAPPING THAT UP AT THE END OF OCTOBER.

I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S A HUGE MILESTONE AND ENDEAVOR.

AND NOW THE WORK GETS DONE TO TO IMPLEMENT IT AND OPERATIONALIZE WHAT COMES OUT OF THE DATA.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, PRECINCT ONE.

YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK. WE KNOW HOW BUSY THIS COUNTY KEEPS YOUR TEAM, SO.

THANK YOU. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE HIRING FREEZE AS IT RELATES TO YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT GIVEN YOUR EXPERTISE IN HUMAN RESOURCES, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE ALREADY HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE DRAFT OPERATING PROCEDURES AND HAVE FEEDBACK ON THOSE.

OR IF NOT, IF YOU JUST SORT OF HAVE ANY GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE SHOULD BE KEEPING IN MIND AS THIS COURT CONTEMPLATES A HIRING FREEZE.

AGAIN, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE'RE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND OCA AS IT RELATES TO AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS WELL, FOR THAT MATTER, AROUND THIS. WE'VE ALREADY MET AND WE'VE REVIEWED THE STATEMENT, EXCUSE ME.

THE SOP THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED PROVIDED SOME GUIDANCE AND SOME DIRECTION AROUND POLICY AND FRAMEWORKS AND TIMING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO WE ARE VERY MUCH IN LOCKSTEP WITH OUR PEERS AS WE AND WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THIS IS NOT A LITTLE THING.

RIGHT. THIS IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT. AND THE THE SENSITIVITY AROUND IT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS WELL LAID OUT,

[05:25:09]

THANK YOU. WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE PAY EQUITY.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THAT ON AND LEADING IT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

SO EARLIER TODAY, THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS AROUND.

AND REALLY, FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS, THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHETHER THE ACROSS OR WHETHER THE $2,500 INCREASE ALREADY SORT OF TOOK CARE OF PAY INEQUITIES. AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THAT THE PAY EQUITY STUDY GOES MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT.

AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND QUESTIONS ADDRESSED IN THAT STUDY AND WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE, AND WHERE THAT $2,500 INCREASE FOR SOME EMPLOYEES DOES AND DOESN'T GET AT THE PAY EQUITY CONCERNS.

ABSOLUTELY. THE THE $2,500 INCREASE WAS AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS OUR LOWER PAID EMPLOYEES, THOSE UNDER 75,000, MANY OF WHOM WHO HAD NOT RECEIVED A SALARY INCREASE IN AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

AND SO, IN THAT REGARD, I CONSIDER I CONSIDER IT A SUCCESS.

RIGHT. WE WE'VE ADDRESSED PAY PAY INEQUITY, IF YOU WILL, FOR A GROUP WITHIN OUR EMPLOYEE POPULATION.

BUT THE COMPENSATION AND PAY EQUITY STUDY IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY AN EXERCISE IN BUILDING OUT THE COMPENSATORY STRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ANY ORGANIZATION.

BUT CERTAINLY ONE OF OUR SIZE NEEDS THAT THAT HAS IN PLACE IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT, IN THE ABSENCE OF HAVING THAT COMPENSATORY FRAMEWORK AND POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, ALL OF THAT IN PLACE, YOU KIND OF GET THE WILD, WILD WEST OF COMPENSATION.

AND IT KIND OF HAS BEEN THE WILD, WILD WEST. I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT.

AND AND THE DECISIONS WERE MADE AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL.

AND I CERTAINLY I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT THAT THAT ANYONE WHO MADE HIRING DECISIONS WAS DOING ANYTHING WRONG INTENTIONALLY.

BUT THE NATURE OF NOT HAVING STRUCTURE AND FRAMEWORKS AND POLICY, YOU KIND OF GET A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

AND SO COMP AND PAY EQUITY IS GOING. THE RESULTS OF THE THE STUDY WILL DO A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE IS GOING TO CREATE STANDARDIZATION. IT'S JUST GOING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR EVERYONE.

IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT TRANSPARENT. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU EARN.

YOU KNOW WHAT'S IN YOUR SALARY RANGE. YOU KNOW THE JOBS THAT ARE IN YOUR JOB, FAMILY.

IT'S ALL CLEAR. THERE'S NO AMBIGUITY. AND AND THAT'S AND THAT'S HUGE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, THE TRANSPARENCY AROUND IT.

AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THERE IS SOME WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS HISTORICAL PAY INEQUITY, EVEN IF IT WASN'T ON PURPOSE. RIGHT. IT JUST IT JUST HAPPENS OVER TIME.

HARRIS COUNTY HAS BEEN AROUND OVER 100 YEARS.

THERE'S SOME PAY INEQUITY. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY DELIBERATE, BUT IT IS THE BYPRODUCT OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS BOTH DECENTRALIZED, THE NATURE OF ELECTED ORGANIZATIONS, POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS.

AND SO THIS HELPS TO MAKE THIS COMPANY PAY EQUITY, BRINGS IN THE STRUCTURE THAT MAKES IT SO MUCH EASIER FOR FOR HIRING MANAGERS, FOR EMPLOYEES, FOR POTENTIAL CANDIDATES THAT ARE LOOKING FOR THEIR NEXT OPPORTUNITY.

IT IS. AND WE'RE CATCHING UP. I'D LOVE TO SAY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING STRATEGIC.

WE'RE THIS IS AN EXERCISE IN CATCHING UP. ALL OF OUR PEER ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THIS IS ALREADY IN PLACE. THIS IS ALREADY IN PLACE.

WE'RE WE'RE JUST CATCHING UP. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE AS WELL THAT THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY THAN ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION HAS DONE TO PUT THIS IN PLACE.

APPRECIATE THAT. CAN I ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION? OKAY. JUST SO WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME OUT OF THIS STUDY THAT COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT PEOPLE AT ANY PAY RANGE.

IS THAT CORRECT? IT DEPENDS. YES. TO ANSWER YES.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE COURT'S RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND PRIORITIZATION OF THE NEXT TRANCHE OF EMPLOYEES FROM A, FROM A PAY EQUITY PERSPECTIVE WILL BE CRITICAL IN THAT GUIDANCE.

YEAH. AND SOPHIE, IF I MIGHT JUST TO BE ON THE RECORD WITH THAT, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE WENT FAR ENOUGH WITH THE 2500.

IT WAS THE BEST WE COULD DO WITH THE INFORMATION WE HAD.

OMB DID. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR LIKE THIS.

YOU KNOW, BESIDES COMMISSIONER ELLIS, WHO MADE THE ORIGINAL MOTION, I FEEL LIKE I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING I CAN TO TO PUSH THIS FORWARD.

I TOLD GALLAGHER AT OUR KICKOFF MEETING. I PERSONALLY AM SUPER INVESTED, YOU KNOW, FROM BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LEVEL TO GET THIS THROUGH.

I DO THINK THAT IT WILL SOLVE SO MANY OF THE COUNTY'S PROBLEMS WHERE WE HAVE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS,

[05:30:06]

SO, YEAH, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE. JUST SOMETIMES THERE'S SORT OF BEEN THIS BIFURCATION OF LIKE PEOPLE WERE MAKING UNDER $75,000, THEN THEY ARE WE ARE DONE TALKING ABOUT THEM.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT WAS EVER THE INTENTION OR WHAT'S BEEN COMING OUT OF YOUR DEPARTMENT. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ALL STILL ALIGNED ON THAT.

THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. PRECINCT ONE. PRECINCT TWO.

YOU HAD ONE MINUTE AND SEVEN SECONDS REMAINING.

I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP. DO YOU HAVE KIND OF A DEMOGRAPHIC SNAPSHOT OF WHO OUR LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES ARE? ARE THEY MOSTLY WOMEN OR ARE THEY MOSTLY MEN? ARE THEY OF COLOR? ARE THEY WHITE? WHAT THEY THEY ARE OVERWHELMINGLY PEOPLE OF COLOR.

I DON'T HAVE THE BREAKDOWN BY BY GENDER. OKAY WE COULD GET THAT FOR YOU, THOUGH.

I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT. THANK YOU.

FOR YOU. THANK YOU. PRECINCT TWO. PRECINCT THREE.

YOU HAD FOUR MINUTES AND 50S REMAINING. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

IF IF ANY OF THE OTHER PRECINCTS NEED THE TIME, FEEL FREE.

WE'LL TAKE THEM. WE'LL TAKE THEM. OKAY. PRECINCT FOUR.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY. SO WE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE PAY EQUITY STUDY.

AND SO A LOT OF WORK IS GOING TO BE GOING IN.

COULD YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT'S YOUR CAPACITY TO CONTINUE OVERSIGHT FOR A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE IMPLEMENT AS A RESULT OF THE GALLAGHER STUDY.

GREAT QUESTION AND I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED IT. IT IS ANOTHER AREA WE WILL NEED SOME TYPE OF COMPENSATION SYSTEM, A COMP SYSTEM, A PAY EQUITY SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN THE, THE STANDARDIZATION TO KEEP US ALL ON TRACK.

TECHNOLOGY IS IS PARAMOUNT. IT IS ONE OF THE SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS IN THE FISCAL YEAR.

IN OUR FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET REQUEST, THAT IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE HR TRANSFORMATION RFP BECAUSE IT'S IT WAS IT WAS ITS OWN SEPARATE PROJECT THAT THE COURT HAD MANDATED. BUT YES, AT THE TOP OF THAT WOULD BE A SYSTEM TO AUTOMATE PAY EQUITY SO THAT WE ARE WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF THAT PROACTIVELY, PROACTIVELY AND DON'T END UP BACK IN THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE IN NOW AND KIND OF RELATED TO PAY, FOCUSING ON BILINGUAL PAY. SO I KNOW WE USE BERLITZ TO ROLL OUT THE PROGRAM.

ARE WE STILL USING THEM? YES. YES. OKAY. AND THEN HOW ARE THE DEPARTMENTS ENGAGED FOR THIS SERVICE? BECAUSE I REMEMBER YOU ALL DID A ROLLOUT CALL, BUT HOW ARE WE CONTINUING TO ENGAGE WITH THEM? AND THEN HOW MANY EMPLOYEES HAVE COMPLETED THE TESTING AND CERTIFICATION SO FAR? IF, YOU KNOW, I HAVE THAT NUMBER.

NINE. IT'S ALMOST 1200, DANIEL. AND IN TERMS OF THE ENGAGEMENT, OUR HR TEAM ON A ON A VERY REGULAR AND ROUTINE BASIS CONTINUES TO CONNECT WITH OUR OUR DEPARTMENT HR LIAISONS TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THIS OPTION.

QUITE HONESTLY, WE WE GET LOTS OF REQUESTS, MORE, MORE REQUESTS THAN WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE BUDGET FOR THE TESTING.

BUT IT IS TRULY, I WOULD SAY, A VERY LOCALIZED GRASSROOTS EFFORT OF JUST WE'RE WE'RE IN PRETTY MUCH REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH DEPARTMENTS AND HR LIAISONS. AND WE'RE SEEING INCREASED INTEREST ACROSS THE COUNTY IN THE TESTING AND IN THE PROGRAM.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. PRECINCT FOUR. WITH THAT DIRECTOR, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

I WILL BE BRIEF, AND WE CAN ALL GO HOME. JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AGAIN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HRT TEAM.

I AM PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO LEAD THIS TEAM.

WHO? WE HAPPEN TO HAVE FIVE AMAZING DIRECTORS WHO JUST HAPPEN TO BE ALL WOMEN.

BUT THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, THEIR WORK ETHIC, THEIR CREATIVITY, THEIR JUDGMENT, I TRUST THEIR JUDGMENT.

AND THEY'VE NEVER LED ME WRONG OR ANYONE WHO CALLS THEM.

AND SO ONE IS I HAVE TO GIVE JUST A MAJOR SHOUT OUT TO THIS LEADERSHIP TEAM WHO WAS HERE LONG BEFORE I ARRIVED.

AND SO MUCH OF THE GOOD WORK AND THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE IS AN INDICATION OF OF THESE WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP AND THE CULTURE AND THE CLIMATE THAT THEY CREATED IN THIS DEPARTMENT LONG BEFORE I ARRIVED IN 2021.

WITH THAT SAID, YOU, YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THE COMMITMENT OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, HRT, WILL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE TIES. MODERNIZING HARRIS COUNTY, IMPROVING THE EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE CANDIDATES,

[05:35:07]

COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT DANIEL RAMOS AND HIS TEAM.

SINDHU AND HER TEAM THE PURCHASING TEAM AS WELL.

JESSE AND OCA. THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU DIRECTOR, AND TO THE ENTIRE HUMAN RESOURCES AND TALENT DEPARTMENT.

WITH THAT, OUR FINAL PRESENTATION OF THE DAY HAS CONCLUDED.

SO WE WILL RECONVENE TOMORROW MORNING AT 10 A.M..

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.