Sep 05, 2025 FY2026 Budget Hearings

[00:00:07]

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. IT IS 10:00 A.M. AND WE ARE READY TO BEGIN OUR FOURTH AND FINAL DAY OF BUDGET HEARINGS FOR HARRIS COUNTY'S FISCAL YEAR 2026.

AND BEFORE WE BEGIN, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE DIRECTOR RAMOS AND HIS TEAM AGAIN FOR PUTTING THESE MEETINGS TOGETHER AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATOR DIGGERMAN AND LUCINDA ON OUR TEAM AND FOR KEEPING THE TECHNOLOGY RUNNING, OUR FANTASTIC DEPUTIES FOR KEEPING US ALL SAFE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY CORE OFFICES

[Harris County Resources for Children and Adults ]

WITH THAT, WE WANT TO WELCOME OUR FIRST DEPARTMENT FOR THE MORNING, THAT IS HARRIS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS.

AND A REMINDER, ON THE FORMAT FOR TODAY, SO EACH DEPARTMENT WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES FOR AN INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATION, THEN EACH COURT OFFICE WILL BE ALLOCATED FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, AND THEN DIRECTOR, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WHEN YOU'RE READY.

>> GOOD MORNING, JOEL LEVINE, HARRIS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF THE COURT OFFICES, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.

AND, FIRST, LET'S START ON A POSITIVE NOTE IN THAT WE JUST RECENTLY OPENED OUR HAYES CENTER CAMPUS WITH THE 50 APARTMENTS. THIS WAS IN THE PLANNING FOR OVER TEN YEARS AND JUST THANK THE COUNTY COLLABORATION, WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER, THIS WAS AN EFFORT BETWEEN HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ENGINEERING, PURCHASING, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, EVEN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY THAT HAS LIBRARY IN THE APARTMENTS, SO, THANK YOU TO ALL THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND SUPPORT AND OMB AND OCA WITH THEIR HELP WITH HAYES CENTER CAMPUS. LOOKING AHEAD, WE ARE ADDRESSING SEVERAL LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.

ONE, OF COURSE, WITH THE COMMUNITY- BASED CARE THAT WILL SHIFT THE MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATION OF CERTAIN FOSTER CARE SERVICES FROMFROM OF PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO THE CHILDREN'S CENTER THAT WILL SERVE AS THE SINGLE SOURCE CONTINUING CONTRACTOR TO SET UP THE NETWORK FOR THIS REGION.

AND THEY WILL GO LIVE THIS SPRING AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH AS WE'LL BE THE PRIMARY PARTNER IN THE DELIVERY OF THESE SERVICES. AND HOUSE BILL 3186 FROM THE 88TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WAS EFFECTIVE THIS PAST JANUARY 1ST, THAT IS ABOUT DIVERGING STRATEGIES FOR CLASS C TICKETS IN MUNICIPAL AND JUSTICE COURTS AND WITH OUR COURSE CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING HOUSE BILL 3186, WE HAVE ALREADY SERVED OVER 86 FAMILY YOUTH IN THESE DIVERGENT STRATEGIES.

AND WE DID RECEIVE OUR BUDGET OFFSETS AND WE ARE -- DO HAVE A PLAN FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THOSE OFFSETS THAT WE PRESENTED TO OUR HARRIS COUNTY RESOURCE CHILDREN AND ADULTS, CHILD WELFARE BOARD THIS PAST THURSDAY. AND THAT WILL INVOLVE SHIFTING SOME OF OUR GUARDIANSHIP CASE MANAGEMENT POSITIONS TO OUR GUARDIANSHIP SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.

IT WILL INVOLVE ELIMINATION OF THE CLOTHING VOUCHERS AS WELL AS ELIMINATION OF MY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT POSITION THAT IS CURRENTLY VACANT. WE DO HAVE SOME SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS THAT ARE CRITICAL AND THOUGH WE WERE NOT LOOKING AT SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS I UNDERSTAND IN THIS BUDGET ROUND, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL OFFSETS THAT TO COVER SOME OF THESE ENHANCEMENTS, AND THAT WILL INVOLVE, OF COURSE, THE HOUSE BILL -- DIVERGENT COORDINATOR FOR HOUSE BILL 3186. IT WILL INVOLVE WITH OUR ADULT LIVING PROGRAM WITH CUTS TO THE FEDERAL TRANSITION LIVING BUDGET, AND ALSO WITH ROLLOUT COMMUNITY- BASED CARE AS WELL AS A PSYCHOLOGIST FOR THE CLINIC AND A TEACHER FOR THE EMERGENCY SHELTER. SO, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. EACH COURT OFFICE WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, BEGINNING WITH PRECINCT 3.

>> OH. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR OFFICE DO. JUST QUICKLY WANT TO KNOW

[00:05:03]

>> IT WILL HAVE A VERY DEEP EFFECT ON OUR OPERATIONS.

AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE YET. I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT IT AND WHAT POSITIONS BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE A DIRECT SERVICE, CLIENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT, SO ALL BUT ABOUT 2 MILLION OF OUR BUDGET IS ALL IN PERSONNEL.

AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAVE TURNOVER IN OUR GUARDIANSHIP PROGRAM, WITH -- AND THAT'S A PROGRAM WHERE BECAUSE OF THE STRESS OF THE WORK, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE, BECAUSE YOU'RE DEALING WITH WARDS WHO YOU ARE THE GUARDIAN FOR THEM, YOU ARE -- YOU ARE COMPLETELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR FISCAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, HOUSING, AND RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE'RE FULLY STAFFED OF IN THAT PROGRAM, THE CASE LOAD IS 29. IDEALLY WE NEED TO HAVE A CASE LOAD OF 20. THE NATIONAL GUARDIANSHIP ASSOCIATION ACTUALLY RECOMMENDS 14. WE FEEL WE CAN DO 20 IS THE SIZE THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE PERSONAL SERVICE WE NEED, THE ATTENTION THAT EACH ONE OF OUR WARDS NEEDS.

SO 29 IS ALREADY A CHALLENGE. WE HAVE TO FREEZE, AND THEN WE GO UP TO 30, 31, 32, THAT BECOMES ALMOST UNMANAGEABLE. AND ALSO IT IS A PUBLIC PROGRAM SO THE PUBLIC STANDARDS, WHEN -- IF WE GET TO 40, ON A CASE LOAD, WE HAVE TO REPORT THAT TO THAT STATE OFFICEOFFICE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.

SO, THAT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF ONE PROGRAM WHERE THE HIRING FREEZE WOULD HAVE THAT KIND OF IMPACT. YOU LOOK AT OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS, OF COURSE, THE SHELTER, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN MINIMAL STANDARDS. WE HAVE VERY CHALLENGING YOUTH IN THE SHELTER. SO WE GO ABOVE MINIMAL STANDARDS. SO, IF WE HAD TO FREEZE THERE, WE WOULD HAVE TO RELY PROBABLY BRING IN OUR RELIEF STAFF, OUR TEMP STAFF, TO HELP COVER.

OF COURSE, OUR WORK IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS CONTRACTUAL WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A FUNDING PARTNERSHIP, THAT WOULD NOT ONLY IMPACT OUR CONTRACTS, BUT THE SERVICES TO THE STUDENTS. WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE TO START HAVING WAIT LISTS. SO, IT WILL HAVE A REAL EFFECT BECAUSE WE ARE A CLIENT- FACING DEPARTMENT.

>> THANK YOU. I RESERVE MY

TIME. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 3.

PRECINCT 4, YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR

QUESTIONS. >> GOOD MORNING, JOEL.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GETTING TO KNOW THE BOARD MEMBERS, ATTENDING THE BOARD MEETING, SO MUCH NEEDED WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.

FOLLOWING UP ON POSITIONS AND RETENTION ISSUES, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES BENEFITED FROM THE $20 MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE AND THE $2500 INCENTIVE?

>> I DON'T HAVE THAT SPECIFIC NUMBER OFF-HAND.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE -- WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU.

IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, BECAUSE PRETTY MUCH ALL OUR CASE MANAGERS ACROSS GUARDIANSHIP, ACROSS THE ASSESSMENT CENTER, JUSTICE MANAGERS, THEY'RE ALL PRETTY MUCH UNDER $75,000.

SO I WILL SAY IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE AGENCY. BUT I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER. I'LL HAVE TO GET THAT FROM MY HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.

>> AND DO YOU THINK THAT HAS HELPED RETENTION? OR IS IT TOO SOON TO --

>> I THINK IT IS TOO SOON. ONE THING WE HAVE TO REALIZE, I WAS GOING TO -- THIS WILL -- I ALWAYS SAY THIS IN MY CLOSING EVERY YEAR IS THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN ONE OF THE LOWER PAID DEPARTMENTS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD ON DOWN IN TERMS OF THE SALARY ADMINISTRATION PLAN, THE SALARY STRUCTURE, AND THEY SEE THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS PAY MORE AND SO THAT'S IMPACTED US. SO WE'RE REALLY HOPEFUL THAT THE EQUITY STUDY, ONCE THAT IS THE RESULTS ARE IN FOR THE EQUITY STUDY AND COMMISSIONERS COURT DOES MAKE SOME DETERMINATIONS ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PROCEED, THAT OUR DEPARTMENT WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST DEPARTMENTS THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

YOU MENTIONED TEMP STAFF, HOW OFTEN DO YOU GUYS USE TEMP AGENCIES?

>> WELL, WE -- IT IS MOSTLY IN OUR TWO 24- HOUR PROGRAMS THAT WE USE TEMP STAFF AND THAT'S -- IT DEPENDS ON TURNOVER AGAIN, THE TIME IT TAKES TO FILL

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BUT WE USE IT FOR THE SHELTER. WE USE IT FOR OUR 24- HOUR JUVENILE DIVERSION INTAKE THAT WE DO AT THE YOUTH SERVICES CENTER WHERE WE'RE THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECEIVING YOUTH 10 TO 17, CONDUCT, THEY NEED SUPERVISION FROM THE 50 PLUS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN HARRIS COUNTY. AND SO WE DO USE THAT TO -- FOR OUR 24- HOUR PROGRAMS WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE PERSONNEL AVAILABLE. WE ALSO HAVE USED TEMP STAFF FOR OUR GROUP PROGRAMS IN TERMS OF FACILITATORS.

>> THANK YOU. CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE FOUNDATION AND HOW THE FUNDS RAISED BY THE FOUNDATION HELP FUND PROGRAMMING OR ANYTHING AT THE DEPARTMENT?

>> YES. WE -- WE HAVE ACTUALLY SEVERAL NONPROFITS, BUT THE HARRIS RESOURCES FOUNDATION THAT STARTED BACK IN 19 87 WAS A FOUNDATION THAT HELPS SUPPORT THE WORK OF HARRIS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS, IT WAS STARTED WHEN -- BEFORE WE BECAME A COUNTY DEPARTMENT IN '95 WHEN WE WERE HARRIS COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD AGENCY.

AND WE HAVE NOT HAD A SIGNIFICANT FUND- RAISER, SO WE'RE STILL UTILIZING FUNDS FROM FUND- RAISERS WE HAD IN 2016 AND 2018. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING A FUND- RAISER IN NOVEMBER, AND THEN HOPEFULLY A FUND-RAISER NEXT YEAR BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME NEW ENERGY WORKING WITH THAT BOARD, SOME NEW -- AND THEY ARE -- BUT WE DID SUCCESSFULLY USE THE FUNDS AS WE HAVE IN PAST SUMMERS TO FUND SUMMER PROGRAMMING FOR OUR COMMUNITY YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE USED IT FOR POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR LEADERSHIP WEEKENDS AND , YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE WE ALWAYS -- THROUGH EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE WANT TO TAKE YOUTH TO AUSTIN FOR THE STATE WIDE YOUTH IN ACTION DAY, SO THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE AND HOW THAT WORKS AND WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE 19 STUDENTS TO AUSTIN, RENT A BUS, FEED THEM, SPEND THE DAY -- SO WE USE IT FOR ACTIVITIES LIKE THAT. WE ALSO HAVE BEEN USING IT FOR EMPLOYEE WELLNESS, BECAUSE THAT'S -- ESPECIALLY WITH OUR RETENTION, EMPLOYEE WELLNESS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR CULTURE AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE -- EVERY YEAR WE TRY TO HAVE A MAJOR EMPLOYEE WELLNESS EVENT, OCTOBER 30TH THIS YEAR, AND THE FOUNDATION BOARD PAYS FOR THAT. SO WE DON'T -- THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN USE OUR GENERAL FUND FOR, OF COURSE.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

I YIELD MY TIME.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 4. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> GOOD MORNING, MADELEINE STACK FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

FOLLOWING UP ON THE LINE OF THOUGHT, COULD YOU PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDING RESOURCES THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT USES EACH YEAR?

>> WE HAVE OUR GENERAL FUND AND WE DO HAVE GRANTS, MOSTLY FROM DEPARTMENT AND FAMILY PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, AND FEDERAL GRANTS FROM SAMHSA AND OUR YOUTH SERVICES AREA.

AND OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE, DELINQUENCY PREVENTION THAT HELPED US BRING OUR PROGRAM BACK. NOW WE DO HAVE FUNDS FROM -- AS WE SAID, WE SET UP NOT ONLY HARRIS RESOURCES FOUNDATION IN 1997 WHEN WE FORMED OUR CPS KIDS PROGRAM, WE FORMED THAT WITH -- ALONG WITH A COMMITTEE GROUP THAT WAS SETTING UP A NONPROFIT AND SO WE -- THAT'S BECOME A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, WHERE THE COUNTY PROVIDES THE STAFF AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE÷÷ PROGRAM, BUT THE FOUNDATION RAISES THE MONEY FOR ALL THE GOODS AND SERVICES THAT WE USE FOR THE PROGRAM. AND THE HAYES CENTER WHERE WE ESTABLISHED THAT IN 2005, WE RECOGNIZED AFTER THE FEDERAL FUNDING WENT AWAY THAT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THIS PROGRAM, WE NEED THE STATE FUNDING THAT WE GET THROUGH GRANTS AND THE COUNTY FUNDING WAS IN THE GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THIS POPULATION.

SO, WE SET UP A 513C IN 2015, THE HAYES CENTER FOUNDATION, AND SO THEY HELPED THE STAFF -- ALL STAFF OF HARRIS COUNTY AND WE SUPPORT THE HAYES CENTER FOUNDATION DOES SUPPORT SOME OF OUR ACTIVITIES AT THE HAYES CENTER, THEY HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE CAMPUS, AND THEY SUPPORT SOME OF OUR ACTIVITIES SUCH AS OUR ACADEMIC COACHING PROGRAM AND THE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTERS.

SOME OF THE -- SOME OF THE FUNDING FOR OUR

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>> THANK YOU.

>> AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR COMMUNITY÷÷ SERVICES PROGRAMS, FUNDING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WE TRY TO -- WE NEED EVERY PENNY OF GENERAL FUND AND MORE. BUT WE DO TRY TO LEVERAGE WHAT WE HAVE. AND WE HAVE A GOOD HISTORY OF THAT AND WE REALLY WORKED ON THAT.

>> THANK YOU. AND ARE ANY OF THOSE GRANTS OR FUNDING SOURCES ONES YOU CONSIDER TO BE AT RISK THIS YEAR?

>> YES. AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT NUMBER ONE WE'RE VERY WORRIED ABOUT OUR BIG FEDERAL SAMHSA GRANT THAT PROVIDES STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AND THEY TOOK -- THEY DEFUNDED THE TNTA GRANT AND THE EVAL VALUATION GRANT AND FORTUNATELY WE'RE STILL GOOD AND THE JUVENILE OFFICE OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. THE STATE GRANTS, THE ADULT LIVING PROGRAM, IS FEDERAL CHAFEE PASS THROUGH DOLLARS, CHAFEE FOSTER CARE ACT FROM THE '90S, AND WITH THAT GRANT WE HAVE LOST SIGNIFICANT FUNDING AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS WHAT I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE SOME ADDITIONAL OFFSETS TO COVER THAT BECAUSE JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, IN 23- 24, WE WERE CUT BY $83,904 IN OUR ALLOCATION.

AND JUST LAST WEEK WE WERE CUT ANOTHER $20,000 IN OUR 25- 26 ALLOCATION. AND CHAFEE, THE STATE, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY PROTECTIVE SERVICES, THE REASON FOR THE STATE WIDE CUTS THAT WENT TO ALL PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE, NOT JUST US, IS BECAUSE CHAFEE BASED THE ALLOCATION ON THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE AND THOUGH THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN COMING INTO FOSTER CARE IS GOING DOWN, THE CHILDREN WHO ARE IN FOSTER CARE STAY LONGER, THEY DISPLAY MORE CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS, AND WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF YOUTH AGING OUT.

WE STILL HAVE 200 AGING OUT A YEAR.

JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, IN 23- 24, WE HAD 115 WHAT THEY CALL LIFE SKILLS ASSESSMENT IS REQUIRED TO DO AT 14 AND 15 YEARS OLD AND THEN WE TRAINED 296, 16 AND 17-YEAR- OLDS IN THE PREPARATION FOR ADULT LIVING LIFE SKILLS MODULES. AND LAST YEAR, THAT NUMBER WENT UP TO 345 THAT WE TRAINED. AND 154 ASSESSMENTS.

SO, OUR NUMBERS ARE STILL GOING UP EVEN THOUGH THE FEDERAL CHAFEE DOLLARS, BASED ON THEIR FORMULA, IS GOING DOWN. SO, THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COVER.

>> SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGING YEAR.

THANK YOU.

>> YES.

>> THANK YOU, COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. PRECINCT ONE, YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR LEVINE. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND CONGRATULATIONS ON OPENING THE HAYES CENTER, WHICH WE'RE SO HONORED THAT'S IN PRECINCT 1. I WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK TO DISCUSSING THE STAFF CUTS YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE.

IS IT CORRECT THAT YOU ALL WILL HAVE TO CUT 22 POSITIONS, 12 WHICH ARE FILLED AND 10 WHICH ARE VACANT, TO ADDRESS THE COUNTY'S DEFICIT?

>> WELL, THAT'S -- WE HAD TO OFFER $3. 2 MILLION IN OFFSETS, WHICH IS 10% OF OUR BUDGET, A LITTLE OVER 3. 2, YET WE DID HAVE THAT NUMBER THAT YOU -- THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CONSEQUENCE.

>> GREAT.

>> SO, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT THAT WOULD HAVE TO THE GUARDIANSHIP PROGRAM.

CAN YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND ALSO THE CLINICAL SERVICES THAT YOU OFFER TO YOUTH?

>> WELL, RIGHT NOW, GIVEN WHERE THE OFFSETS ARE RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS BEING ACCEPTED, IT WON'T HAVE AS DEVASTATING EFFECT AS IT WOULD HAVE HAD IF WE HAD TO GIVE ALL THAT BACK. BECAUSE WE HAD TO GIVE ALL THAT BACK, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO REDUCE THAT -- WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO ELIMINATE OUR CLINIC HOURS, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO REDUCE THE HOURS OF PSYCHIATRY AS WELL AS OUR CLINIC HOURS IN GENERAL.

WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO REDUCE THE CONTRACT HOURS OF CERTAIN PROVIDERS OR ELIMINATE THEM.

IT WOULD HAVE CREATED A WAITING LIST.

IT WOULD HAVE CREATED TIMES WE HAD TO CLOSE THE WAITING LIST OR INCREASE THE TIME OF ACCESS TO SERVICES. AND SO -- AND IT COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY MEANT THAT WE COULD NOT FULFILL SOME OF OUR CONTRACTS WITH COMMITTEE YOUTH SERVICES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE WE HAD TO PUT SOME OF OUR VACANT POSITIONS IN OUR OFFSET LIST, WHICH WOULD

[00:20:02]

SO, RIGHT NOW WITH WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW, KNOCK ON WOOD, THAT'S WHERE IT IS GOING TO STAY, IS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO CUT TWO FIELD AND ONE VACANT POSITIONS THAT SEVERAL MOVE INTO THE GUARDIANSHIP SPECIAL REVENUE, AND THE VACANT EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, BUT WILL ALSO HAVE TO CUT CLOTHING VOUCHERS.

>> SO, CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT'S PRIORITIES WOULD HAVE BEEN IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRADE ADDITIONAL OFFSETS TO FUND CRITICAL SERVICE NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN THE SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUEST?

>> ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S -- I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT PREPARATION ADULT LIVING AND THE NEED FOR LIFE SKILLS TRAINING, CASE MANAGEMENT AT THE HAYES CENTER.

WE ALSO NEED IN TERMS -- I TALKED ABOUT HOUSE BILL 3186, ABOUT DIVERGENT STRATEGIES AND THIS BILL FROM THE 88TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS ABOUT THE NEED TO CREATE DIVERGENT STRATEGIES FOR FINE ONLY YOUTH OFFENSES AND JUSTICE AND MUNICIPALITY COURTS. IT WAS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO BRING STATUS, THE RIGHTS OF YOUTH TO DIVERSION ALTERNATIVES INSTEAD OF PAYING A FINE IN THESE COURTS. AND THE WAY THEY WOULD HAVE HAD MORE OPPORTUNITY IF THEY COMMITTED A HIGHER LEVEL OFFENSES.

SO WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REFERRALS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, FOR THESE AND WE HAVE TO THEN DEVELOP A DIVERGENT STRATEGY, OUR JUSTICE COURT CASE MANAGER, WITH EACH OF THE REFERRALS. WE ALREADY HAD 86 JUST SINCE JANUARY, WHEN THIS LAW WENT INTO EFFECT.

AND SO WITH THAT WE NEED A COORDINATOR TO REALLY OVERSEE THIS WORK, BECAUSE THIS ISIS OUR JP COURT STAFF IS DOING ON TOP OF THE DOCKETS THEY HAVE TO WORK IN THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURTS. AND SO THIS COORDINATOR WILL HELP US MANAGE THIS RISE IN VOLUME AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THE REFERRALS. THEY WILL HELP US COORDINATE WITH THE JUSTICE COORDINATORS AND STAKEHOLDERS, ENSURE OUR COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF HOUSE BILL 31 86, HELP US TO ENGAGE MORE DIRECTLY WITH FAMILIES AND ALSO DEVELOP OUR PROCEDURESPROCEDURES PROTOCOLS FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO ROLL OUT HOUSE BILL 3186 AND, OF COURSE, COLLECT AND ANALYZE PERFORMANCE DATA.

WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE THAT DIVERGENT COORDINATOR TO COME WITH HOUSE BILL 3186 AND OUR JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURT PROGRAM. AND WE ALSO NEED, OF COURSE, WE OUR SHELTER, WE DO SCHOOLING IN THE SHELTER, WE USE THE PROBATION SCHOOL TO DO THAT AND JUVENILE PROBATIONPROBATION INFORMED US THEY CANNOT COVER THE COST OF THE FULL TIME TEACHER WE HAVE IN THE SHELTER THIS YEAR.

SO, OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO HAVE FUNDING FOR THE TEACHER FOR THE SHELTER SO WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THE YOUTH.

>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, PRECINCT 1.

>> OKAY.

>> PRECINCT 2, YOU'LL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR

QUESTIONS. >> HI, JUST WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AT THE HARRIS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS FOR ALL THE VERY CRITICAL WORK YOU GUYS DO.

MY FIRST QUESTION WAS, I WANTED TO KNOW HOW YOU GUYS WENT ABOUT PROPOSING THE OFFSETS INTERNALLY.

>> WELL, AS YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS FOR US BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE, AS I SAID AGAIN, WE ARE A CLIENT- FACING DEPARTMENT AND SO ALL BUT LITTLE OVER 2 MILLION IS ALL PERSONNEL. THERE IS -- THERE IS NO WAY OF DOING IT WITHOUT TOUCHING PERSONNEL.

AND SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT IS THE LEAST IMPACT.

WHAT IS THE MINIMAL DISRUPTION TO SERVICES.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE CAME UP WITH THINGS LIKE MY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, YOU KNOW. I LIKED TO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, BUT WE FELT THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DIVIDE UP SOME OF THE RESOURCES, SOME OF THE ROLE. WE HAD PEOPLE IN PLACE THAT COULD FILL IN IF WE MOVED THINGS AROUND.

AND IT WAS BETTER TO DO THAT THAN TO TAKE AWAY A DIRECT SERVICE STAFF. THE CLOTHING VOUCHERS, THE OTHER BIG TICKET ITEM, $450,000, IS -- THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A CHILD WELFARE BOARD, WE HAVE DONE HISTORICALLY, BUT -- AND IT IS REALLY BEEN APPRECIATED BY THE CAREGIVERS WHO MANY OF THEM DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO CARE FOR THE CHILDREN THAT IN

[00:25:02]

AND ALSO WE DO HAVE THE CHILD RELATED EXPENSES FOR EMERGENCIES, SO WE FELT THERE WAS SOME OPPORTUNITIES OF FOSTER PARENT REALLY NEEDED HELP. SO WE REALLY LOOKED AT THAT FIRST, BUT BUT IT WAS HOW CAN WE NOT PULL ANY DIRECT SERVICE POSITIONS, BUT WE REALLY SWEATED IT OUT.

THE ONE THING THAT I KNOW I TALKED TO SOME OF YOUR OFFICES ABOUT, WE REALLY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WAS PUTTING OUR GUARDIAN -- OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT TEAM ON THE LIST FOR OUR GUARDIANSHIP PROGRAM BECAUSE -- WE REALLY FELT WE HAD TO SAVE THAT AT ALL COSTS BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T DO THAT, NOT ONLY WERE WE GOING TO ASK CASE MANAGERS WITH THE CASE LOAD ALREADY OF 29, AND ALSO THE CASE -- ALSO WITH THE 29, BUT ALSO ABOVE THE SKILL LEVEL -- OUTSIDE THEIR SKILL SET TO DO THINGS LIKE SELL CARS AND HOUSES. WHEN WE GET A WARD IN, BECAUSE WE'RE INDIGENT PROGRAM, WE HAVE TO DO AN INVENTORY, AND IF THERE IS ANY REAL PROPERTY, WE HAVE TO SELL IT.

AND THAT MONEY GOES INTO THE WARD'S ACCOUNT THEN.

SO, WE HAVE A TEAM THAT KNOWS HOW TO DO INVENTORIES, ALSO HOW TO DO -- SET UP BANK ACCOUNTS, FIND OLD BANK ACCOUNTS, AND SO WE CANNOT -- THAT WOULD HAVE PUT THE WHOLE PROGRAM AT RISK, IF WE LOST THAT TEAM.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU. MY NEXT QUESTION IS -- WHILE SOME OF THE PROPOSED CUTS ARE IN AREAS YOU FLAGGED AS HIGH PRIORITY, COULD RE- EVALUATING YOUR BUDGET AND MAKING TRANSFERS HELP ADDRESS THESE IMPACTS?

>> YES, AS I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT TO -- FOR THE CRITICAL SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS THAT WERE NOT -- WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY ENHANCEMENTS COMING FROM COMMISSIONERS COURT.

WE'RE ALWAYS HOPING THEY'RE GOING TO RECONSIDER THAT, BUT TO HAVE TO REPRIORITIZE TO MEET THESE ENHANCEMENTS THAT I'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IN TERMS OF THE DIVERSION COORDINATOR, THE PSYCHOLOGIST FOR THE CLINIC, THE TEACHER FOR THE SCHOOL AND IN TERMS OF OUR PREPARATION FOR ADULT LIVING PROGRAM LIFE SKILLS. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY COME THROUGH TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MEET THESE FOUR CRITICAL NEED AREAS.

>> OKAY. AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS WHAT KEY METRICS DO YOU USE TO ASSESS HOW RCA IS FULFILLING ITS MISSION TO EMPOWER, CHILDREN, YOUTH, FAMILIES AND VULNERABLE

ADULTS? >> WE HAVE A ROBUST IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. PART OF IT, WE'RE ACCREDITED BY THE COUNCIL OF ACCREDITATION, A NATIONAL ACCREDITING BODY. WE'RE REQUIRED EVERY YEAR TO HAVE ALL OUR -- OUR OUTPUTS, OUR OUTCOMES, WE DO QUARTERLY DASHBOARDS REPORTS WHICH ARE SIX PAGES LONG OF -- ACROSS ALL OUR 19 PROGRAMS WITH -- WHERE WE CAN SEE RED, YELLOW, GREEN, WHAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION, WHAT WE NEED TO WATCH, WHERE OUR OUTCOMES ARE GOING WHERE THEY SAY THEY ARE.

SO, NO, WE DO HAVE A VERY ROBUST PROGRAM THROUGH OUR IMPROVEMENT TEAM AND WE ALSO HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ALL THE STANDARDS OF THE COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 2. WE WILL NOW CYCLE BACK FOR ANY REMAINING TIME. PRECINCT 3, YOU HAD 2:13

REMAINING. >> NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

I'LL YIELD MY TIME TO PRECINCT

4. >>

OKAY. >> PRECINCT 4, YOU HAVE 2:16 REMAINING.

>> JUST ONE CLARIFICATION QUESTION, SO AS OF TODAY, THE BUDGET OFFSETS WILL ONLY CUT TWO VACANT POSITIONS AND THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT POSITION?

>> WELL, IT WILL CUT -- YES. TWO FILLED, ONE VACANT, IN THE GUARDIANSHIP THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE SPECIAL REVENUE, AND THEN THE VACANT EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT POSITION.

>> OKAY. SO THREE IN

TOTAL. >> I THINK THAT'S FOUR.

>> FOUR.

>> THREE IN GUARDIANSHIP, ONE IN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

THAT'S IT.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 4. NO OTHER OFFICE HAD ANY TIME REMAINING. SO WITH THAT, DIRECTOR, YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING

REMARKS. >> FIRST OF ALL, WE DID GET THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, 279 EMPLOYEES OF OUR 400

[00:30:07]

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND IN CLOSING, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. I REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE VISITED ALL YOUR OFFICES THIS SUMMER.

WE MET WITH MANY OF YOU. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. WE PROVIDE VERY VALUABLE SERVICES FOR THE VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND YOUTH AND ADULTS OF HARRIS COUNTY.

WE HAVE 19 PROGRAMS ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN, SOMETIMES I KNOW PEOPLE SEE US AS THE BEST KEPT SECRET, WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD TO GET THE WORD OUT THERE ON ALL OUR SERVICES AT NO COST TO THE CITIZENS AND TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO BE INNOVATIVE IN THAT. BUT -- AND AS I SAID, I ALWAYS SAY AT THE END, AND I ALREADY -- I KNOW WE ALREADY BROUGHT IT UP, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REALLY WORKED VERY HARD ON OUR CULTURE IN OUR DEPARTMENT AND BUILDING A POSITIVE CULTURE.

I THINK WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY OVER THE PAST NINE PLUS YEARS I'VE BEEN DEPARTMENT HEAD.

I'VE BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OVER 27 YEARS, BUT LITTLE OVER NINE NOW IS DEPARTMENT HEAD.

BUT WE ARE ONE OF THE LOWEST PAID DEPARTMENTS. AND SO WE REALLY DO HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN THE EQUITY STUDY THAT IT WILL SEE THAT.

AND THAT HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP US WITH OUR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. SO, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. AND THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE HARRIS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS DEPARTMENT. OUR NEXT PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM THE VETERANS SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> OKAY.

[Veterans Services]

>> GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO THE VETERANS SERVICES DEPARTMENT. A REMINDER, ON THE FORMAT, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND EACH COURT OFFICE WILL BE ALLOCATED FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

I'M DAVE LEWIS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HARRIS COUNTY VETERANS SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THIS IS JASON WILLIAMS, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, WELL KNOWN TO MOST MEMBERS OF THE COURT HERE. OUR MISSION IN VETERANS SERVICES IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR HARRIS COUNTY VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND I'M REALLY HONORED TO WORK FOR THE 29 HARD WORKING AND DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM.

29 MEMBERS, 16 OF WHICH ARE GENERAL FUND, 13 OF WHICH ARE GRANT FUNDED. AND WE HAVE INTENTIONALLY AND STRATEGICALLY LEVERAGED OUR GENERAL FUND POSITIONS WITH A MILLION AND A HALF, $1. 5 MILLION IN GRANTS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF VETERANS WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR FOUR SERVICE LINES AND WHAT WE DO. THE FIRST IS STATUTORY.

IT IS CLAIMS AND BENEFITS FOR VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS.

ALWAYS FREE OF CHARGE. THIS YEAR TO DATE OUR TEAM FILED OVER 4,300 CLAIMS FOR VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS AND WE ALSO INCLUDED MONTHLY EVENTS IN PRECINCTS 1, 3 AND 4 IN OVER 60 TOTAL EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY IN A GOAL TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MEETING THE VETERANS WHERE THEY ARE, NOT GETTING THEM TO COME DOWN TO OUR LOCATION.

THE OTHER THREE SERVICE LINES WE FILL IN THE GAPS.

WHEN I SAY THAT, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT THE VA CANNOT OR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO AND SO THERE IS A LOT OF GAPS, ESPECIALLY FOR VETERANS IN NEED. FIRST IS OUR EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE GRANT FROM THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION. WE HELP OVER 200 VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS EVERY YEAR WITH UTILITIES AND RENT, PREDOMINANTLY.

WE SUCCESSFULLY PREVENTED A NUMBER OF EVICTIONS AND UTILITY SHUTOFFS THROUGH THAT PROGRAM. I WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT OUR SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM.

WE HAVE A GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT VA.

SUICIDE PREVENTION FOR US IS JOB ONE.

VETERANS MAKE UP 3% OF THE HARRIS COUNTY POPULATION, BUT 11% OF THE SUICIDES.

WE STILL LOSE A VETERAN TO SUICIDE EVERY SIX DAYS IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND LET ME PUT THAT INTO CONTEXT. SINCE 9/11, WE LOST NEARLY 7,000 BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS IN COMBAT- RELATED FATALITIES, DURING THAT SAME PERIOD WE LOST 156,000 VETERANS TO SUICIDE.

THAT'S NATIONWIDE. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH IFS, THE VA AND THE HOUSTON AREA SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNCIL.

WE'RE AN INTEGRAL PART OF A NEWLY FORMED SUICIDE MORTALITY

[00:35:03]

WE KNOW THAT ACCUMULATED TRAUMA OVER A LIFETIME INCLUDING MILITARY SERVICE PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN VETERAN INCARCERATION.

WE BELIEVE NEARLY 3,000 VETERANS PASSED THROUGH THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL EACH YEAR AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BRINGING BETTER FIDELITY TO THESE DATA THANKS TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH OCA AND TONYA'S TEAM.

WE CREATED 910 RE- ENTRY PLANS, EXECUTED 160 OF THOSE UPON INMATE RELEASE. RESIDDISM IS AT 15% FOR THAT POPULATION. WE WORKED CLOSELY -- I'M ALMOST DONE, WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE, THE TWO VETERAN TREATMENT COURTS AND OUR CASE MANAGER ING STAFF ATTORNEY WORKED WITH NUMEROUS JUDGES AND THIRD PARTIES TO USE WORKABLE SOLUTIONS FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILY.

WE'RE ENSURING POSITIVE JUSTICE OUTCOMES. WE'RE INTEGRATED WITH THE CORE AND CERT TEAMS TO BRING CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND NEXT DAY SOLUTIONS FOR VETERANS STRUGGLING IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. EACH COURT OFFICE WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, BEGINNING WITH PRECINCT 4.

>> GOOD MORNING, DIRECTOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES. I WANTED TO START OFF BY ASKING HOW MUCH OF YOUR BUDGET IS FUNDING DIRECT SERVICES VERSUS OPERATIONAL COSTS?

>> SO, WE REALLY HAVE TO BREAK THAT DOWN BASED ON HOW MUCH OF OUR GRANT -- WE ARE NOT LIKE A MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER. WHAT WE DO IS WE COORDINATE MOSTLY, WE BRING PARTIES THAT CAN PROVIDE THOSE.

SO ALMOST EVERYTHING WE DO IS FOCUSED ON ING, FINDING THE VETERAN CLIENTS, GETTING THEM TO THE POSITION THEY ARE, WE DO HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS AND OTHER LICENSED PEOPLE ON STAFF, BUT WE'RE NOT PROVIDING A LOT OF DIRECT SERVICES IF THAT HELPS ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. SO, ALMOST EVERYTHING WE DO IS BASED ON FINDING AND ASSESSING AND GETTING THEM TO THE RIGHT POINT.

>> AND THEN, WOULD ANY OF THE FUNDING CUTS AFFECT THAT COLLABORATION OR REFERRALS THAT YOUR TEAM DOES?

>> IT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT THAT, AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT LENGTH. WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS LEVERAGED WITH THE COUNTY FUNDED LEADERSHIP POSITION AND THEN GRANT FUNDED WORKERS UNDERNEATH THAT COUNTY FUNDED.

IF WE WERE TO HAVE TO TAKE THE 10% TO BUDGET CUT, WE WOULD LIKELY LOOK AT OUR CLAIMS AND BENEFITS TEAM, WHICH WOULD BE DIFFICULT.

WHICH STRETCHES OUT THE LINE FOR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR CLAIMS AND BENEFITS IN A TIMELY MANNER, IT WILL STRETCH OUT OR REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TOTAL DOLLARS THAT COME INTO HARRIS COUNTY FROM AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE.

>> THANK YOU. AND OUT OF THE 16 POSITIONS THAT ARE GENERAL FUNDED, HOW MANY BENEFITED FROM THE $20 MINIMUM WAGE OR THE $2500

INCENTIVE? >> TEN OF THE 16 BENEFITS FROM THE $2500 PIECE. SO I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAD ANYBODY THAT WAS MAKING UNDER $20 AN HOUR.

WE HAD SOME THAT WERE RIGHT CLOSE TO THAT, BUT 10 RECEIVED THAT $2500, MUCH APPRECIATED.

>> THANK YOU. I YIELD MY TIME.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 4. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> YOUR MIC, PLEASE.

>> THERE WE GO. GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU DO. I, FIRST, WANT TO ASK IF -- DO YOU ANTICIPATE ANY IMPACTS TO GRANT- FUNDED POSITIONS OR PROGRAMS IN 2026?

>> IT IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION. WE WERE NERVOUS ABOUT OUR VA'S SUICIDE PREVENTION GRANT, THE NEW VA SECRETARY PUT A HIGH PRIORITY ON SUICIDE PREVENTION. SO WE LOOK -- WE BELIEVE -- WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE FINAL PAPERWORK, BUT EVERYTHING WE HAVE SEEN LINES UP, WE BELIEVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT GRANT OVER THE NEXT YEAR. THAT'S NINE POSITIONS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT. AND IT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT IF WE LOST THAT. ON THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION SIDE, WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO RECEIVE SEVERAL GOOD GRANTS, WE HAVE BEEN RENEWED FOR BOTH OF THOSE GRANTS FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR. SO WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING.

AND THEN AS A SIDE NOTE, WE DO HAVE A VETERANS LEGAL SERVICES GRANT IN THERE TO AUGMENT OUR STAFF ATTORNEY THAT YOU ALL GRACIOUSLY FUNDED FOR US LAST YEAR.

THERE IS A LEGAL SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE VA, WHICH WOULD ALLOW US TO BRING ON A COUPLE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS FOR OUR LEGAL SERVICES TEAM TO WORK LEGAL ISSUES IN SUPPORT OF HOMELESS VETERANS AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WAS ABSENT FROM OUR PORTFOLIO, WE DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME THERE. HOWEVER, THERE IS A GIANT NEXUS BETWEEN JUSTICE- INVOLVED VETERANS, HOMELESS WHEN

[00:40:01]

SO WORKING THOSE LEGAL SERVICES WILL BE IMPORTANT.

SO WE'RE HOPEFUL IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS WE'LL FIND OUT IF WE GET

THAT GRANT AS WELL. >> GREAT, THANK YOU.

AND WHAT SERVICES PROVIDED BY YOUR DEPARTMENT ARE IN HIGH DEMAND BY COUNTY RESIDENTS AND IS YOUR DEPARTMENT MEETING THIS DEMAND?

>> CLAIMS AND BENEFITS, 4,300 OF THEM AND YOU'LL NOTICE I SAID 1, 3 AND 4 BECAUSE PRECINCT 2 HAS THEIR OWN CLAIMS AND BENEFITS VETERANS PROGRAM. THAT IS CONSTANTLY IN HIGH DEMAND FOR US. THEY WORK THEIR TAILS OFF.

WE GET LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF PHONE CALLS EVERY YEAR.

PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START.

SO, HIGH DEMAND THERE. SUICIDE PREVENTION IS HIGH DEMAND, BUT IT IS A DIFFICULT PROCESS, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO FIND THE VETERANS, TYPICALLY THEY'RE ISOLATED.

THEY ARE NOT, EVEN THOUGH THE VA GREAT PROGRAMS, WE HAVE TO GO FIND THEM, WE KNOW BASED ON THE NUMBERS THERE IS A HIGH NUMBER OF NEED -- HIGH NUMBERS OF VETERANS IN NEED, SO WE TAILORED A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMS TO TRY TO REACH WHAT WE CALL THE EYES -- THE CLOSE IN FAMILY MEMBERS, THE CLOSE IN FRIENDS TO BE ABLE TO GET US TO THE VETERAN THAT IS IN NEED. SO WE SEE HIGH DEMAND ACROSS ALL OF OURS. HOMELESS, I WISH WE HAD THE RESOURCES TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN THE HOMELESS VETERAN POPULATION.

>> YEAH, THANK YOU. AND SO, SEVERAL OF THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT SUBMITTED INCLUDED FUNDING FOR A VETERANS SMALL BUSINESS, DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS, AND STAFFING ENHANCEMENTS TO SUPPORT CRISIS INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION SERVICES.

COULD YOU PLEASE SHARE MORE ABOUT THE RATIONAL BEHIND THESE ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS AND WHAT CHALLENGES YOU MAY FACE WITHOUT THESE SERVICES?

>> ABSOLUTELY. IF YOU ALL REMEMBER A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WE HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS POSITION FOR VETERANS TO BE ABLE TO GET IN CONTACT. WE ASKED FOR THAT POSITION, WE ASKED FOR THREE OUT OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

FOUR OUT OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS NOW TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WITHOUT THAT FUNDED POSITION, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH. THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS, MAYBE A YEAR FROM NOW, IF TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION IDENTIFIED THE NEED, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOME GRANT FUNDING TO BRING THAT ON.

OTHER THAN THAT, WE KNOW WITH THE HIGH DEMAND FOR VETERAN CLAIMS WE ASKED FOR TWO ADDITIONAL CLAIMS OFFICERS, AND THROUGHOUT WE BRING IN ABOUT $10 MILLION PER CLAIMS OFFICER, $10 MILLION OF REVENUE, AND NOT INTO THE COUNTY COFFERS, BUT ECONOMIC IMPACT INTO THE COUNTY. AND THEN THE LAST THING WE ASKED FOR BASED ON THE VA POTENTIAL FOR STAFF CUTBACKS IS VETERANS JUSTICE OUTREACH POSITIONS TO HELP US IN OUR VETERAN TREATMENT COURTS.

WE ARE BARELY SKIMMING THE SURFACE.

I SAID ALMOST 3,000 GO THROUGH THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL EVERY YEAR.

WE PUT ABOUT 40 PER YEAR INTO OUR VETERAN TREATMENT COURTS. WE'RE JUST BARELY SKIMMING THE SURFACE THERE AND THERE IS A LOT -- ALSO, THAT'S OUR HIGHEST SUICIDE RATE CURRENTLY IN THE COUNTY, OUR PEOPLE THAT ARE IN A SPECIALTY COURT AND SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY. WE ASKED FOR ENHANCEMENTS IN THAT AREA AS WELL.

>> GREAT, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

PRECINCT 1, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. YOU ALL HAVE SEVERAL STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, BUT YOU GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THIS.

AND ONE EXAMPLE IS YOUR WORK WITH THOSE ,000 JUSTICE INVOLVED VETERANS.

IS IT CORRECT THAT YOU HAVE TO REDUCE TWO OF THOSE VETERAN JUSTICE COORDINATOR POSITIONS WITH THESE CUTS?

>> IT WOULD BE AN OPTION, EITHER THAT OR -- WE DO NOT HAVE A -- WE HAVE TWO COUNTY- FUNDED POSITIONS, A CASE MANAGER SUPERVISOR AND STAFF ATTORNEY.

IT WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO OUR PROGRAM TO CUT THOSE TWO, SO REALLY WHAT WE HAVE SAID IS OUT OF OUR SIX PERSON CLAIMS TEAM, WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT TWO PEOPLE THERE INSTEAD.

BUT THAT WOULD ALMOST BRING THAT TO A STAND STILL.

>> JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE ARE NO RECOMMENDED CUTS IN THE VETERANS SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> OKAY. SO, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR CONTINUAL PURSUIT OF JUSTICE INVOLVED VETERANS IN THE DOCKET? WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A STAFF ATTORNEY AND A SMALL TEAM THAT HELPS YOU CARRY OUT THIS WORK.

WHAT OTHER SUPPORTS ARE NEEDED TO ADDRESS AND GROW THE POPULATION OF VETERANS IN THE

JAIL? >> SO, WE LOOKED AT A SIX- PRONGED APPROACH TO TAKING CARE OF THIS.

BETTER UPSTREAM INTERCEPTS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THAT'S WHY WE'RE INVOLVED WITH THE CORE AND THE CERT TEAMS. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A VETERAN BEFORE THEY GO TO JAIL, RATHER THAN FISH THEM OUT OF THE COUNTY JAIL. WE DISCOVERED OUR NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE MISDEMEANORS THAT NEVER SPEND A DAY, THEY COME THROUGH THE JPC, BUT NEVER GO INTO THE JAIL THEMSELVES.

AND SO WE GOT OUR STAFF ATTORNEY, THAT STAFF ATTORNEY DOES NOT DEFEND PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR

[00:45:02]

WE HAVE TO WORK ON BETTER RE-ENTRY.

I KNOW THAT'S A BIG THING ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY. BUT IF WE CAN CATCH THEMTHEM THEY COME OUT, WE HAVE A GOOD RE-ENTRY PLAN AND WE KNOW HOW TO EXECUTE THAT, GET THEM THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.

THEN OUR THREE-PRONGED APPROACH TO THE JUSTICE SIDE, BETTER DIVERSION OPPORTUNITIES, IDENTIFYING VETERANS AS THEY COME IN, SO BETTER DIVERSION OPPORTUNITIES, HIGH RISK, HIGH NEED AND THE TREATMENT COURTS THEMSELVES AND THEN WE BELIEVE A DOCKET SIMILAR TO THE RIC DOCKET WOULD BE A MODEL FOR HOW WE COULD -- MIGHT BE ABLE TO HANDLE OTHER VETERANS WITHIN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO DO THAT AND A LOT OF INTERESTED PARTIES TO TRY TO BE ABLE TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH, BUT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE RESULTS AND WE'RE SAVING JAIL BED DAYS AND GETTING THE RIGHT

OUTCOMES. >> THANK YOU, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 1. PRECINCT 2, YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MURTS TO MINUTES

FOR QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA WANTS ME TO PASS ALONG, HE'S VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK YOU DO FOR THE COUNTY PRECINCT 2 AND ALL VETERANS.

A VETERAN MYSELF, I OFFER MY THANKS AS WELL.

ALL OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.

I'M NOT A BIG BELIEVER IN TALKING FOR NO REASON.

SO ONE FINAL QUESTION, CAN YOU DESCRIBE SOME CORE KPIS YOUR DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR?

>> WHEN I LOOK AT THAT, WE LOOK AT LEADING INDICATORS AND LAGGING INDICATORS. HOW MUCH DEMAND FOR SERVICE DO WE HAVE AND WHAT OUTCOMES DO WE GET? WE PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO THE SUICIDE -- THE SUICIDE RATES. WE TRACK VIA COURTESY OF IFS, WE TRACK EVERY SUICIDE IN HARRIS COUNTY AND CALL OUT THE VETERAN SUICIDES. WE'RE COGNIZANT OF THAT PARTICULAR THING. THAT'S WHERE WE THINK WE'LL MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE. THE SURGE IN DEMAND, AS YOU'RE FAMILIAR AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, WITH THE P.A.C.T. ACT CAUSED A LOT OF SURGE IN DEMAND IN BENEFITS FROM VETERANS THAT WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY BEING SERVED. WE'RE COGNIZANT OF THAT.

AND THEN I TELL PEOPLE, WE TURN OVER ROCKS FOR A LIVING AND FIND A LOT OF STUFF INTERESTING IN THE JAIL.

I ALWAYS SAY IT IS NOT A GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD JUST BECAUSE YOU SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY. BUT YOU STILL HAVE IT WITHIN YOU FOR THE MOST PART TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK UP ON STEP.

THAT'S WHERE WE CAN DO THAT, PROVIDE CULTURALLY COMPETENT RESOURCES TO GET THEM BACK UP ON STEP.

SO, WE'RE WATCHING HOW MANY VETERANS GO THROUGH THE JAIL, WE'RE WATCHING THE SUICIDE RATES, WE'RE WATCHING DEMAND FOR CLAIMS AND BENEFITS, AND THEN WE ALWAYS HAVE A LIST OR LONG LINE OUT THE DOOR FOR OUR EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE GRANT, QUITE FRANKLY.

>> ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

LIKE I SAID, MOST OF THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, BUT I WILL ALLOW YOU TO SPEAK UPON WHAT ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, I GUESS, FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY THREE MINUTES.

I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

>> WELL, WE'RE IN THIS BUSINESS FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS. AND I THINK WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO GET LOST THROUGH THE CRACKS.

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL VA SYSTEM. WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM, BUT AS YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH, SOMETIMES IT IS EASIER TO USE SIDE DOORS INTO THE VA THAN, YOU KNOW, A VETERAN THAT GOES DOWN -- YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND AN HOUR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PARK THERE BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ANY PARKING RESOURCES, AND THEN ONCE YOU GET IN THE DOOR, THE CHALLENGES ON HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET ENROLLED, ELIGIBLE, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

WE SPEND A LOT OF OUR TIME CONNECTING PEOPLE THROUGH SIDE DOOR ENTRIES, IF YOU WILL. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP. THEY HAVE TREMENDOUS RESOURCES, WE DO NOT. BUT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM, THEIR SUICIDE PREVENTION COORDINATORS, WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM, THE CHIEF OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM RECENTLY REFERRED A VERY DIFFICULT VETERAN CASE TO US BECAUSE THE VA DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES.

SO, WE SCRATCH OUR HEAD AND GO, I GUESS WE'LL FIGURE THIS OUT, SO, WE TELL EVERYBODY, WE'RE A ONE STOP SHOP. IF YOU'RE NOT SURE WHERE TO START, FAMILY MEMBER, FRIEND, WHATEVER, START WITH US.

WE'RE PROUD OF THAT WORK.

>> THANKS SO MUCH, COLONEL. APPRECIATE

IT. >>

MY PLEASURE. >> THANK YOU, CINCT 2.

PRECINCT 3, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> GOOD MORNING, DIRECTOR. THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO, PROTECTING THOSE WHO SACRIFICED SO MUCH TO PROTECT US.

AND IT IS SUPER IMPACTFUL AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY IS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK YOU DO AS WELL.

I JUST WANTED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOUR WORK, OR VETERAN

[00:50:02]

>> THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE FORMED THAT RELATIONSHIP A LONG TIME AGO. WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IS POSITION OURSELVES NOT TO BE THE CRISIS RESPONDERS, WE HAVE PLENTY OF THAT IN HARRIS COUNTY. WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO POSITION OURSELVES IS WHAT IS THE NEXT DAY LOOK LIKE? WE GET TO SOMEBODY THAT IS IN CRISIS, I SAY WE, COLLECTIVELY, THE COUNTY, THE CORE AND THE CERT TEAMS GET TO SOMEBODY IN CRISIS AND THEN WE ARE ON THEIR IPAD PROGRAM, THEY HAVE A SEPARATE ROOM IN THERE AND THEY CAN CONNECT TO SOMEBODY 24/7. AND WE SAY, OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT DAY LOOKS LIKE. SO WE GOT THAT CRISIS DE- ESCALATED, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO JAIL, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GO EMERGENCY DETENTION OF SOME SORT.

SO WHAT IS THE NEXT FEW DAYS LOOK LIKE? AND THAT'S WHERE WE CAN THEN UNPACK THE BASIC NEEDS THEY MAY HAVE, WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT GRANT PROGRAMS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR AND SO THAT HAS WORKED VERY WELL. 17 DIFFERENT DID LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WE WORK WITH THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, WE HAVE LOOKED AT -- WE HAVE NOT CONNECTED FULLY YET WITH THE HEART PROGRAM. WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO DO THAT AS WELL. BUT CORE AND CERT ARE WORKING WELL FOR US. NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, WE ONLY TAKE ABOUT ONE, MAYBE TWO CALLS A WEEK FROM THEM, BUT THOSE ARE IMPORTANT CALLS WHEN YOU GOT SOMEBODY THAT IS NOT QUITE SURE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND WHERE THE SERVICES ARE.

AND THAT'S OUR EXPERTISE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

>> THANK YOU. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 3. WE WILL NOW CYCLE BACK FOR ANY REMAINING TIME. PRECINCT 4, YOU HAD 2:58 REMAINING. PRECINCT 4? THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, YOU HAD 20 SECONDS REMAINING.

>> NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. PRECINCT 1, YOU HAD 2:15

REMAINING. >> YES, I WOULD LIKE TO CIRCLE BACK TO SOME OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO HELP VETERANS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR ARE HOUSING INSECURE. YOU MENTIONED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, BUT I'M ALSO CURIOUS TO KNOW IF YOU COORDINATE WITH ANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS LIKE THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT OR EVEN OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY WITH SOME VOUCHERS.

>> WE DO WORK CLOSELY WITH VOUCHERS AND MOSTLY FOR VETERANS, THE VA HAS A GREAT VOUCHER PROGRAM, SO VOUCHERS VERY MUCH VALUED PIECE, WE WERE BORN FROM FORMALLY CSD AND HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NOW. SO WE DO HAVE THE CONNECTIONS IN THERE AND WE'RE STILL TIED IN ELECTRONICALLY WITH OUR DATA TRACKING SYSTEM AND THE WAY WE COULD CHECK.

WE HAVE MADE AN INTENTIONAL DECISION NOT TO SPREAD OURSELVES TOO THIN BECAUSE OF ALL THE RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED THROUGH ALL THE VARIOUS FUNDINGS, ARPA FUNDS, ET CETERA.

WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT CHALLENGE MAY GO UP FOR OURSELVES WITHIN THE COUNTY AND WE MAY HAVE TO RELOOK SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS.

>> NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 1. PRECINCT 2, YOU HAD 1:51 REMAINING.

>> NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE, AGAIN, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 2. PRECINCT 3, 3:12

REMAINING. >> NO

FURTHER QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU.

WITH THAT, DIRECTOR, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING

REMARKS. >> THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS LETTING ME OFF A LITTLE EASY TODAY. I LOVE TO COME AND TALK ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS. IN PARTICULAR, I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR RAMOS, HIS STAFF, AND HIS TEAM, ALL THE COURT MEMBERS, ALL THE OFFICES WHO SUPPORT US AND SOMETIMES IT ISN'T OVERLOOKED, BUT A VERY CRITICAL MISSION AND WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW COUNTIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS TAKEN AN AGGRESSIVE PIECE TO THIS. AND THAT PAYS BIG DIVIDENDS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHEN WE DO THAT.

THESE ARE VETERANS THAT GOT THROUGH BOOT CAMP, BASIC TRAINING AND STILL HAVE IT WITHIN THEM, WE GET THEM THE RESOURCES, GET THEM BACK UP ON STEP AND THEY'RE PREDICTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY. IN A LITTLE OVER FIVE YEARS SINCE OUR CREATION, WE HAVE GROWN FROM THREE EMPLOYEES TO 29 AND I'M PROUD OFOF THAT. WE WORK ON BEHALF OF THE LARGEST VETERAN POPULATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, 11% OF THE VETERANS LIVE HERE IN OUR COUNTY.

AND THAT'S ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF THE MARINE CORPS.

WE HAVE THE THIRD LARGEST POPULATION OF VETERANS IN THE COUNTRY AND FOR COMPARISON SAKE, OUR CLOSEST PEER WOULD BE LOS ANGELES COUNTY, BY THE WAY, THEIR BUDGET IS $23 MILLION FOR THEIR VETERANS DEPARTMENT. JUST THOUGHT I WOULD THROW THAT OUT.

BUT BOTTOM LINE HERE IS FOR WHAT WE DO, WITH OUR GRANT LEVERAGING, AND THE GRACIOUS FUNDS THAT YOU ALL IN THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT HAVE PROVIDED TO US, WE BELIEVE WE PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT VALUE TO OUR COUNTY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. AND THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE VETERANS SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

>> THANKS.

>> OUR NEXT PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

[Housing & Community Development]

[00:55:21]

>> WELCOME BACK. AS WE CONTINUE OUR BUDGET HEARINGS FOR THE MORNING, WE WANT TO WELCOME THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. DIRECTOR, AS A REMINDER OF THE FORMAT FOR TODAY, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND THEN EACH COURT OFFICE WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

>> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

THAO COSTIS, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY SUPPORT TEAM, WONDERFUL TEAM HERE, OUR CFO, CRAIG ATKINS, OUR CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER TORRE SULLY AND DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PARTNERSHIPS, AMANDA ROCHA. SO, HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, OUR MISSION IS TO INVEST IN AND PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT COME TO US THROUGH FEDERAL AND OTHER RESOURCES INTO REPAIRING AND BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, MULTIFAMILY HOMES, REPAIRING THEM AS WELL AS PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICES THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS, ESPECIALLY OUR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

OUR STRATEGIES ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE COUNTY'S STRATEGIES ARE.

WE WANT TO TACKLE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, WE WANT TO END HOMELESSNESS, WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT AND THE CONNECTIONS AND RESOURCES OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS IN ORDER TO THRIVE. DURING SUNNY DAYS ANDAND THOSE DISASTROUS MOMENTS. SO, WE GO ABOUT THAT BY BUILDING A TEAM WITH AN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND STRUCTURE THAT CAN SUPPORT IT WITH THE RIGHT EXPERTISE, AND THE SKILLS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN OUR LONG- TERM PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S THE THING ABOUT OUR WORK, WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOUSING, IT IS NOT IMMEDIATE, IT IS LONG-TERM.

SO, WE NEED TO INVEST TODAY FOR THE FUTURE.

REGARDING OUR BUDGET, THIS FISCAL YEAR '26, WE'RE PLANNING FOR A BUDGET THAT IS OVER $288 MILLION. MOST OF THAT IS THROUGH OUR FEDERAL FUNDS, HUD, DISASTER RECOVERY, WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDST OF FINISHING OUT DR HARVEY, WHICH WE ANTICIPATE WILL HAPPEN IN FEBRUARY 2026. WE ARE IN THE THROES OF DEPLOYING OUR ARPA DOLLARS, RELATED TO THE HOUSING PORTFOLIO. AND, OF COURSE, WE ARE UTILIZING AND MAXIMIZING THE IMPACT OF OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.

GENERAL FUNDS, WE ARE ANTICIPATING A $20. 9 MILLION BUDGET, FROM GENERAL FUNDS.

SO, DOING THE MATH, THAT MAKES UP 7% OF THAT $288 MILLION TOTAL BUDGET. SO GENERAL FUNDS IS A SMALL BUT VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR BIG BUDGET. WITHIN THAT $20. 9 MILLION GENERAL FUND BUDGET, MORE THAN $8 MILLION OF IS DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING OUT TO DIRECTLY SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

MORE THAN $2 MILLION IS GOING TO BEREAVEMENT SERVICES.

THESE ARE BURIAL SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY IS LEGISLATIVELY OBLIGATED TO SUPPORT. MY TIME'S UP?

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR.

>> YOU GET THE GIST.

>> EACH COURT OFFICE WILL NOW BE ALLOCATED FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, BEGINNING WITH THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.

>> GOOD MORNING, MADELEINE STACK FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. I WANTED TO START BY THANKING YOU FOR THE VERY THOUGHTFUL BUDGET PROPOSALS THIS YEAR. I WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU COULD WALK US THROUGH YOUR SERVICE ENHANCEMENT REQUEST FOR THE HOUSING TRUST FUND AND HOW IF APPROVED THAT COULD HAVE HELPED ADVANCE STRATEGIC PLANNING GOALS.

BUILDING OF MULTI FAMILY PROPERTIES, PROVIDING GAP FUNDING BECAUSE, AS WE KNOW, IN TODAY'S MARKET, THE CAPITAL DOLLARS ARE DIFFICULT TO COME BY, INTEREST RATES ARE HIGH, DEVELOPERS ARE TO MAKE THE MATH. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IS A CRISIS , NOT JUST THROUGHOUT THE NATION BUT RIGHT HERE IN OUR

[01:00:01]

>> THANK YOU. YOU HAD MENTIONED A COMPARISON OF HARRIS COUNTY TO OTHER REGIONS. DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW OUR GENERAL FUND INVESTMENT IN HCD COMPARES TO OTHER PEER COUNTY HOUSING

DEPARTMENTS? >> I DO NOT KNOW THAT. BUT WE

CAN LOOK THAT UP, AND FIND OUT. >> I THINK THAT COULD BE GOOD

FRAMING FOR US NEXT YEAR. >> GOOD TO KNOW.

>> I THINK MY LAST QUESTION FOR NOW, IF A MORE SENIOR STAFF MEMBER HAPPENS TO LEAVE THIS YEAR DO YOU EXPECT TO HAVE THE BUDGET CAPACITY TO PAY FOR THEIR FINAL BENEFITS LIKE PTO?

>> YES. WE SHOULD BE OKAY. OUR DEPARTMENT HAS REALLY TRIED TO SCRUTINIZE OUR OPERATIONS, THE USE OF OUR DOLLARS FOR PROGRAM SUPPORT, SO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONLY 4% OF OUR BUDGET, OUR BID BUDGET, IS UTILIZING BUT IT IS A CRITICAL ELEMENT THAT FUNDS PEOPLE , LIKE THIS TEAM, PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THE HOUSING FIELD, IN THE STRUCTURE FIELD, IN THE GOVERNMENT DOLLAR FIELD.

THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR OPERATIONS.

>> PERFECT, THANK YOU, I'LL RESERVE THE REST OF MY TIME.

>> THANK YOU, COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. PRECINCT 1, YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. CAN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF OUR LONG-TERM STRATEGIC HOUSING GOALS? AND WHAT ARE YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR ? I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION ABOUT THE HOUSING TRUST FUND, WHICH IS A BIG MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR US THIS YEAR, BUT, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE PRIORITIES AND HOW DOES YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR

SUPPORT THOSE PRIORITIES? >> YES. OUR GOALS, OUR STRATEGIC GOALS FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, IS VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH WHAT OUR CORE COMPETENCY AND FOCUS IS. AND IT IS ABOUT LONG-TERM HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. WE ARE WORKING TO BUILD FLEXIBLE FUNDS, LIKE THE HOUSING TRUST FUND, WE HAVE A BIG GOAL TO INCREASE THE INVENTORY OF HOUSING, PERIOD, THAT IS WHAT IS NEEDED THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES, AND MULTIFAMILY HOMES ARE BOTH CRITICAL RESOURCES AND ASSETS THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS. SO, USING DR FUNDS AND ARBOR FUNDS IS HOW WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE MAJOR INFUSIONS THESE LAST FEW YEARS. THE CONFIRMED FOR US IN THE FUTURE IS THAT FEDERAL FUNDS MAY BE REDUCED SIGNIFICANT WAY. WHEN FUNDS ARE DONE, WE'RE DONE.

CAN WE CREATE PROGRAMMING, REGIONAL RATES, SOME OF THESE DOLLARS THAT WE ARE PUTTING INTO OUR PROGRAMMING SO THAT WE CAN REINVEST DOLLARS FOR MORE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES IN THE FUTURE, OR OTHER MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENTS. THOSE ARE WHERE THE BIG DOLLARS ARE BEING INVESTED, OUR GENERAL FUNDS IS HELPING US WITH CREATING SOME OF THE PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THESE BIG FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS, AND INFUSION. BUT YEAH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS EARLIER, IN ANOTHER CONVERSATION AROUND THE BUDGET, IS, IF WE COULD UTILIZE THE SAVINGS THAT OUR DEPARTMENTS FIND, HAS FOUND, HOW WOULD WE DO THAT? AND IT WOULD BE PUTTING IT INTO A HOUSING TRUST FUND, IT WOULD BE PUTTING IT INTO SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE STRATEGICALLY ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, BUILD MORE HOUSING. WHETHER IT'S MULTIFAMILY OR SINGLE-FAMILY,

[01:05:02]

AND CREATE MORE INVENTORY. >> THANK YOU. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE EFFICIENCIES CONSOLIDATIONS AND OFFICE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS MADE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS TO IMPROVE OVERALL OPERATIONS, AND HOW DID THAT IMPACT YOUR ABILITY TO MAKE

THE 10% CUTS THIS YEAR? >> YES. WHEN I STARTED IN 2023, WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO ASSESS OUR DEPARTMENT. AND HOW DO WE GO ABOUT DOING IT WITH MAXIMUM IMPACT, WITH THE MOST LIMITED RESOURCES? WE KNOW THAT OUR RESOURCES ARE LIMITED. SO, FROM THAT YEAR, IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS, NOW. WE HAVE MADE EFFICIENCY CUTS, IN FACT, 50 GENERAL FUNDED POSITIONS HAVE GONE AWAY. OVER THESE LAST TWO YEARS. MAKING UP ONE THIRD OF ALL OF OUR GENERAL FUND POSITIONS OVER THESE PAST TWO YEARS. WE HAVE ADDED SOME POSITIONS THAT WE NEEDED, WHERE EXPERTISE WAS NEEDED. OUR CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER, HE HAS DEEP KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE IN HOUSING THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE. SO WE FOUND WAYS TO COMPLEMENT AND CREATE THE TEAM THAT CAN MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF OUR STRATEGY. THIS LAST YEAR, WE LOOKED AT OUR BUDGET AGAIN, FOR MORE EFFICIENCIES, AND ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE 10% CUT. FUTURE YEARS? IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT. BECAUSE OVER THESE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE GONE FROM A $24 MILLION BUDGET, NOW, DOWN TO LESS THAN 21. FOR US TO BE ABLE TO KEEP MAKING CUTS, IT WOULD BE CUTTING INTO DIRECT SERVICES. SO, EVEN WITH THE 21 MILLION, MORE THAN EIGHT OF IT IS DIRECT SERVICES GOING OUT THE DOOR. IT IS NOT WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT TO HOLD.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 1.

PRECINCT 2, YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THE MORNING, THANK YOU FOR COMING, THANK YOU FOR PREPPING AND WORKING WITH PRECINCT 2. AND TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, EVERYONE'S ALWAYS ASK ME, FRANCISCO IS NOT IN THE OFFICE THIS WEEK, THAT'S WHY I AM HIS POOR SUBSTITUTE IN THE HOUSING HEARING. HE DID GENERATE QUESTIONS FOR ME.

>> OF COURSE. >> SO WE STARTED TO GET A PEEK AT THE NUMBERS THAT HAVE COME IN FOR 2025. WITH THE BUDGET THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT FOR 2026, HOW WILL THE COUNTY SUSTAIN THE OUTREACH AND REHOUSING CAPACITY TO AVOID ANY KIND OF PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS WITH HOMELESSNESS, ESPECIALLY IN OUR FLOOD WAYS AND TOLLROAD CORRIDORS?

>> RIGHT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE AVOIDED DOING WITH THE 10% CUT THIS YEAR WAS REALLY TO STAY AWAY FROM ANY CUTS TO OUR DIRECT ASSISTANCE. WE FUND ALMOST $4 MILLION FROM GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. INTO HOMELESS SERVICES, AND IT IS HOUSING, IT IS PAYING FOR RENTS, IT IS PAYING FOR CASE MANAGEMENT, AND THE SUPPORT THAT FORMERLY CHRONIC HOMELESS PEOPLE NEEDED. AND STILL NEED. SO, WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO THAT STRATEGY, ALSO, THAT PRIORITY OF ENDING HOMELESSNESS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND WE ARE WORKING IN TANDEM WITH OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, THE CITY AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS, PHILANTHROPY, NONPROFITS, TO BE ABLE TO KEEP MAKING PROGRESS IN THAT AREA. AND, YES. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT ON THE STREETS , HOW CAN WE TAKE THAT DOWN? NOT JUST WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, BUT ALSO IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE FAR REACHES OF OUR COUNTY? SO, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH FLOOD CONTROL, OUR UNIVERSAL SERVICES TEAM, AND OTHERS WITHIN OUR COUNTY, TO BE MORE DELIBERATE, COORDINATED, AND INTENTIONAL SO THAT WE CAN TARGET THE AREAS THAT ARE NEEDED, HELP PEOPLE MOVE EFFECTIVELY OFF OF THOSE PROPERTIES, AND INTO HOUSING.

BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO JUST MOVE PEOPLE FROM PLACE TO PLACE, THAT IS NOT THE ANSWER. THE ANSWER IS HOUSING. HOW CAN WE DO THAT WITH THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE, THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, AND THE CHALLENGING AREAS THAT ARE PRIORITY? WE ARE ON

THAT MISSION RIGHT NOW. >> FABULOUS, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA SPONSORED AN ITEM THIS YEAR ADDRESSING HOME

[01:10:02]

POLICY? >> THIS IS A TRUE PARTNERSHIP EFFORT. WE ARE FACILITATING THIS WITH OUR OTHER COUNTY PARTNERS AND APARTMENTS, SO AMANDA IS OUR DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PARTNERSHIPS, WHO IS LEADING THAT EFFORT VERY, VERY SEAMLESSLY, AND METICULOUSLY. SO, AT THIS POINT, AS LONG AS WE DON'T CUT AMANDA, WE WILL BE OKAY. YES, SO, I KNOW THAT OTHER TEAMS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS DO NEED RESOURCES IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE . SO, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE WRESTLING WITH. AS WE TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY, GIVEN THE LIMITATIONS THAT WE HAVE. BUT, YES, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO US, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT HOUSING AND PEOPLE'S HOMEOWNERSHIP TO BE

LOST, OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL. >> THANK YOU, I'LL STOP FOR NOW

WITH MY 54 SECONDS. >> PRECINCT 3, YOU WILL HAVE

FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. >> GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO IN THE COMMUNITY. I JUST WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE STAFFING MODEL THAT Y'ALL HAVE ADOPTED, I BELIEVE IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO, AND THE IMPACT THAT YOU'VE SEEN

THAT HAVE ON YOUR DEPARTMENT. >> YES, THANK YOU. SO, YES, THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND THE CULTURE THAT WE ARE BUILDING AND CONTINUE TO BUILD IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US AT THE SENIOR TEAM LEVEL. WE HAVE BEEN VERY METICULOUS ABOUT HAVING PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT SEAT, DOING THE RIGHT JOBS, THAT PEOPLE ARE PAID APPROPRIATELY, AND CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT THE STRATA OF THE ORGANIZATION, WHEN I CAME, THERE WERE SOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS, AND DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PAY FOR SIMILAR WORK.

SO, WE'VE DONE MULTIPLE THINGS , FROM DEFINING OUR CULTURE, OUR VALUES, AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO SHOW UP EVERY DAY, DEFINING A PAY STRUCTURE THAT CLEARLY OUTLINES THE STEPS BASED ON JOBS, JOB DESCRIPTION, ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND EXPERIENCE SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. AND THAT WHEN PROMOTIONS ARE MADE, PAY CHANGES ARE MADE, IT IS CLEAR AND UNDERSTOOD BY EVERYBODY. SO THERE'S NOT A HIM A WHAT ABOUT ME? BUT, HERE IS THE STRUCTURE, AND HERE IS WHY. WE ALWAYS WANT TO START WITH WHY AND CLARIFY FOR PEOPLE THE REASONS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND.

I KNOW THAT, WHEN WE PASSED THE $20 MINIMUM WAGE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD ALREADY INSTALLED TWO YEARS PRIOR. THAT WAS BEFORE ME, I CAN'T CLAIM CREDIT FOR THAT, I THINK THIS DEPARTMENT WAS ALREADY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT SOME OF OUR STAFF, AND WHAT THEY NEEDED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO LIVE. THE 2500 INCREASE RECENTLY, WAS WONDERFUL. AND THAT BENEFITED 90 OF OUR 250 OR SO STAFF. SO, YES. PAY, CULTURE, HAVING PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT SEATS DOING THE RIGHT JOBS, AND TRUSTING THEM. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL PIECES WE PUT IN PLACE, AND THEN WE TRUST OUR PEOPLE TO DO THE JOB, BUT WE ALSO CHECK. CHECK, BUT VERIFY, TRUST AND VERIFY. WE CONTINUE TO TWEAK AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR EFFICIENCIES WHERE WE CAN. AND, YES, CHANGE WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR. SO THAT WE CAN STAY RELEVANT , INNOVATIVE, AND KEEP DOING BETTER.

>> THANK YOU. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 3. 364, YOU WILL NOW HAVE FIVE MINUTES

FOR QUESTIONS. >> GOOD MORNING, DIRECTOR. TAKE YOU FOR BEING HERE, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM DOES. IN TERMS OF HOUSING, WITH SOME NUMBERS THAT YOUR TEAM SHARED IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE'VE CREATED 315 MULTI FAMILY

[01:15:01]

WE ARE SUPER GRATEFUL FOR THAT. WITH A BUDGET THAT WE HAVE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THIS PROGRESS AND THIS RATE OF SUCCESS. THAT IS OUR HOPE AND GOAL. AND YES, I KNOW ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT IS ON THE TABLE ARE ARPA FUNDS CUTS THAT MAY AFFECT SOME OF THESE, AT LEAST THE RATE OF THESE IMPACTS, TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BENEFITING FROM OUR HOMEOWNERSHIP COUNSELING, AND LEGAL ASSISTANCE. THE HOME REPAIR IS ONE AREA THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, AS A PLACE THAT COULD REDUCE SOME. BUT, THIS IS ALSO USING A PROJECTION BASED ON A MAXIMUM PER HOUSEHOLD DOLLAR. PERHAPS WE'LL SPEND LESS THAN $60,000 PER HOUSEHOLD, AND THEREFORE WE CAN STILL HELP MORE THAN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE PLAN FOR. WE WILL FIND EVERY WAY THAT WE CAN TO SERVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN, AGAIN, THIS IS A CONSTANT BATTLE FOR US. THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH RESOURCES TO SERVE EVERYBODY. SO HOW CAN WE BE THE MOST JUDICIOUS, BE THE MOST EXPEDIENT, AND EFFICIENT WITH OUR DOLLARS TO MAKE THE

MOST IMPACT? >> THANK YOU. FOLLOWING UP ON A QUESTION PREVIOUSLY ASKED ABOUT STAFF, I KNOW YOU GUYS RECENTLY HAD A LEADERSHIP RETREAT, I LOVE THAT. WHAT IS YOUR RETENTION

RATE, CURRENTLY? >> I THINK WHEN WE SEND THAT OUT, NOW I CAN'T REMEMBER. 12%? CURRENT VACANCY IS 12%. SO YEAH, I THINK WE HOVERS SOMEWHERE AROUND 10% VACANCY TO 12.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU. AND, WHAT ARE THE KEY PRIORITIES OR SIGNATURE INITIATIVES YOU'LL BE PRIORITIZING IN FISCAL YEAR

2026? >> ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE BIG PROJECTS, THAT TORI IS HELPING US TO SHEPHERD IS A PLAN ON HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. WE ARE WORKING ON OUR CITY COUNTERPARTS, AND PHILANTHROPY, AND OTHERS TO DO SOME REFRESHING OF DATA TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE STAND AS A COMMUNITY. OF HOUSING INVENTORY, HOUSING NEEDS. AND WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES ? POLICY -WISE, FUNDING -WISE, PARTNERSHIP -WISE, THAT WE CAN BUILD, AND HAVE A COLLECTIVE GOAL TO ACHIEVE OVER THE NEXT

FIVE TO 10 YEARS. >> LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, THANK

YOU. NO MORE QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 4. WE WILL NOW CYCLE BACK FOR ANY REMAINING TIME. COUNTY JUDGES OFFICE, YOU HAD ONE MINUTE 47 SECONDS REMAINING.

>> CONSIDERING THE 10 TO 12% VACANCY RATE, DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS WITH THE PROPOSED HIRING FREEZE?

>> WE HAVE SPOKEN TO OUR FRIENDS AT THE BUDGET OFFICE, AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO, HOPEFULLY, HIGHER THE POSITION, FILL THE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE. MOST OF OUR BUDGET IS GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS. SO WE ONLY HAVE FIVE VACANCIES THAT ARE GENERAL FUNDED POSITIONS RIGHT NOW. OUT OF THE ALMOST 190 OR SO POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE GENERAL FUNDED. WE ARE MOVING FAST TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS. SO THAT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY KEEP OUR OPERATIONS GOING IN ANTICIPATION OF, AGAIN, DR HARVEY IS ABOUT TO FINISH AT THE END OF EVERY, AND I THINK ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE IS THAT WE WILL LOSE PEOPLE . PEOPLE WHO HAVE GREAT KNOWLEDGE, EXPERTISE, AND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS FOR THEM WE CAN'T KEEP THEM. WE ARE WORKING MADLY TO CAPTURE AUDITS, WHATEVER THAT TERM IS. DESK MANUALS, POLICIES PROCEDURES, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE CAN INSTITUTIONALIZE THE KNOWLEDGE. BECAUSE WE KNOW ANOTHER DISASTER IS IN THE FUTURE. SO, HOW DO WE STAY AS QUICK TO RESPOND , AND NOT BE

[01:20:04]

>> THANK YOU. I THINK I'M OUT OF TIME.

>> THANK YOU, COUNTY JUDGES OFFICE. RECENT ONE, YOU HAVE 11

SECONDS REMAINING. >> I HAVE MANY MORE QUESTIONS, I WILL SAVE THEM, SINCE IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO ASK OR ANSWER IN 10 SECONDS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 1. PRECINCT 2, YOU HAD 64 SECONDS

REMAINING. >> I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, ACCORDING TO MY LATINO HOMEOWNERSHIP IS ONLY 47%, BLACK HOMEOWNERSHIP IS JUST 42% COMPARED TO 74% FOR WHITE HOUSEHOLDS. WHAT TARGETED STRATEGIES WILL YOU GUYS DO IN 26 TO HELP CLOSE THAT GAP, ESPECIALLY FOR HARD-WORKING

LATINO FAMILIES IN PRECINCT 2? >> WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF FINISHING UP A DEVELOPER RIGHT NOW WITH DR HARVEY FUNDS, AND ONE OF THEM IS IN PRECINCT 2, SO, WE WILL BE DEFINITELY LEARNING AS WE MARKET , SPECIFICALLY, TO THIS COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA, FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE HOMES AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE, HERE. I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT PRECINCT 1 AND TWO ARE ONES THAT TYPICALLY HAVE THE POPULATION THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO IDENTIFY A DIFFERENT WAY TO APPROACH THEM. WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 2.

PRECINCT 3, YOU HAD TWO MINUTES AND TWO SECONDS REMAINING.

>> I'LL YIELD TO PRECINCT 1. >> OKAY. PRECINCT 4, YOU HAD ONE MINUTE AND 38 SECONDS REMAINING. THANK YOU, PRECINCT 4, AND THEN PRECINCT 1, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES AND TWO SECONDS

REMAINING. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 3.

PRECINCT 4 TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE ARPA IMPACTS FROM THE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENTS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE TOWARD HOUSING STABILITY. THE REALITY IS, WE'RE HAVING TO CUT ARPA. SO, IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE IMPACTS IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF HOMES THAT CAN'T BE REPAIRED OR HOMEOWNERS WHO WON'T BE ABLE TO RECEIVE LEGAL ASSISTANCE, OR CLEAR THEIR TITLES, THAT WILL BE THE RESULT OF HAVING TO MAKE SOME OF THE ARPA CUTS TO COVER THE BUDGET DEFICIT?

>> IT IS UNFORTUNATE, WE ARE LOOKING AT A $5 MILLION TOTAL BETWEEN THE TWO PROGRAMS. SO, FOR THE REHAB, OR REPAIR, THIS IS A $3 MILLION CUT. ESSENTIALLY, WE WOULD BE REDUCING THE NUMBER BY ALMOST TWO THIRDS. IF WE WERE TO MAXIMIZE THE DOLLARS BEFORE, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP 66 HOUSEHOLDS AT THAT $60,000 MAX PER HOME. SO NOW, WE'RE REDUCING IT BY 39 WITH THE $3 MILLION CUT. SO THAT 27 HOUSEHOLDS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE SERVED THROUGH THIS REPAIR PROGRAM.

AGAIN, IF WE HAVE FUNDS LEFT OVER, BECAUSE THESE HOMES DON'T REQUIRE THE ENTIRE 60,000, THAT NUMBER COULD BE HIGHER. ON THE HOME COUNSELING, THE HOMEOWNER EDUCATION AND COUNSELING, IT'S 970 PEOPLE FEWER . SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP 830, BUT, THAT'S MORE THAN HALF. THAT WE'RE HAVING TO REDUCE, SO EDUCATION IS ONE THAT WE CAN DO AS A GROUP, SO, THAT'S WHY WE'RE ABLE TO SERVE A HIGHER NUMBER, BUT, IT WILL STILL BE A SACRIFICE. AND SPECIFIC LEGAL COUNSELING, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP 148 FEWER. THE TOTAL WOULD HAVE BEEN 365, BUT, 217 AT THE END OF THE DAY WILL BE ABLE TO BE HELPED.

>> THANK YOU, THESE ARE REAL IMPACTS, WE APPRECIATE YOU

SHARING. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 1, THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE COURT QUESTION SECTION. AND WITH THAT, DIRECTOR, YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

>> I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH ALL OF THE OFFICES OF COURT. WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR FUTURE IS TENUOUS, AS FAR AS FEDERAL FUNDS, DISASTERS, IT'S UNPREDICTABLE. AND WHAT OUR DEPARTMENT ATTEMPTS TO DO IS

[01:25:06]

>> THANK YOU DIRECTOR, AND TO THE ENTIRE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. AT THIS TIME WE WILL TAKE OUR MORNING BREAK UNTIL 11:45 A.M. AT WHICH TIME WE WILL RESUME

>> GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME BACK. IT IS 11:45 A.M. AND WE

[Universal Services]

AS A REMINDER, ON THE FORMAT, DIRECTOR, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR OPENING REMARKS, THEN EACH CORE OFFICE WILL HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR

CLOSING REMARKS. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS COURT MEMBERS. AND THE TEAM THAT'S PRESENT, HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS BUDGET ON BEHALF OF UNIVERSAL SERVICES. AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOUR OFFICES , OMB, OCA, THE OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS, WHO HAVE WORKED WITH US, IN BRINGING US TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN PRESENT THIS BUDGET. THE PROCESS WAS, THE PROCESS WAS PAINFUL FOR US, BECAUSE WE ARE A VERY LEAN DEPARTMENT AND WE SUPPORT A REQUEST FOR OUR SUPPORT HAS INCREASED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. AS AN EXAMPLE, WE HAVE OUR HELP DESK TICKETS HAVE INCREASED THE PERCENTAGE BY AROUND 20% EVERY YEAR. AND, THE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THOSE REQUESTS, FOR US. WITH THAT, UNIVERSAL SERVICES, AS YOU ARE AWARE, IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE COUNTY. WE ARE SPREAD ACROSS SEVERAL DIVISIONS WHICH INCLUDES INFORMATION-TECHNOLOGY FLEET, RADIAL SERVICES, RECORDS MANAGEMENT, AND 311. WE PROVIDE MISSION CRITICAL SUPPORT TO COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO VARIOUS DEGREES, INCLUDING, NOT LIMITED TO, LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUSTICE, AND THE STRUCTURE DEPARTMENT, CODE OFFICERS, AND THE RESIDENTS OF HARRIS COUNTY. I WANT TO START OFF WITH TOUCHING BASE A LITTLE BIT ON THE INTERNAL SERVICES FUND, IT SUPPORTS FLEET OPERATIONS THAT MANAGES MORE THAN 5000 OF THE COUNTY'S FLEETS, AND ALSO IS EMBARKING US ON THE SUSTAINABLE FLEET BACK. ANOTHER INTERNAL SERVICES FUND IS OUR RADIO SERVICES FUND WHICH SUPPORTS NOT JUST THE LAW ENFORCEMENT HARRIS COUNTY, BUT ALSO SEVERAL PARTNERS ACROSS THE REGION, AND THEY ARE MOST USED AROUND THE DISASTER SITUATIONS.

OUR GENERAL FUND, MOVING ON TO OUR GENERAL FUND WHICH IS THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION TODAY, PRIMARILY SUPPORTS OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, SERVICES, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WHICH INCLUDES BOTH ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY SOME OF THE KEY DEPARTMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INNOVATIONS, RECORD MANAGEMENT, 311 SERVICES, AND MANY CONTRACTS THAT SUPPORT OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WHICH USE TECHNOLOGY. SOME OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS FROM LAST YEAR INCLUDES , WE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED OUR SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTER WHICH WILL MAKE US MUCH STRONGER WHEN IT COMES TO BOTH BEING PROACTIVE IN CASES OF ADDRESSING SECURITY RISKS. WE ALSO HAVE LAUNCHED OUR NETWORK OPERATING SYSTEM CENTER WHICH

[01:30:01]

THE ROLE OF AUTOMATED INVOICING PROCESS LAST YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OCA, AND DEPARTMENTS AS WITH THE AUDITORS DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY , I COULD USE ONE MINUTE OF MY

CLOSING REMARKS? >> GO AHEAD.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. OFTEN VOICE PROCESSING, AND THE SYSTEM DISINTEGRATION THAT EXISTED BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT SUCCESSFULLY. WE HAVE ALSO ROLLED OUT AS YOU ARE AWARE, ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM WHICH IS GENERATED A SAVING OF APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION FOR THE COUNTY. WE HAVE, THROUGH OUR OFFICE OF INNOVATION, WE HAVE ALSO ROLLED OUT DRONE POLICY, A NUMBER OF DRONE POLICY, THANK YOU FOR THE CODE OFFICE ESPECIALLY PRECINCT 2, THE SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVED ON THAT. AND IN THE UPCOMING YEAR, WE PLAN TO STRENGTHEN OUR DATA INFRASTRUCTURE, REBUILDING OUR DATA MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, SO THAT THE GENERATIVE A.I. AND FUTURE ORIENTED PROGRAMS CAN BE BUILT ON A STRONG BACKBONE. SO, THAT IS OUR GENERAL FUND, A QUICK INTRODUCTION ON ACHIEVEMENTS FROM OUR GENERAL FUND. A FEW OTHER ITEMS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE FOCUS IS OUR GENERAL FUND, THE WAY WE DIVIDE AND USE OUR GENERAL FUND IS IN DRAMATIC FASHION, WE DIVIDED INTO THREE BUCKETS. ONE IS KEEP THE LIGHTS ON WHICH IS MAINTENANCE, MAKE SURE THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK OR WORKING. AND THE SECOND ONE IS THE ENHANCE IMPLIES THE CURRENT CAPABILITY MAKING IT FOR EXAMPLE, IF A NEW FEATURE IS COMING OUT, ROLLING OUT THOSE FEATURES, THAT'S ENHANCEMENT. THE THIRD ASPECT IS MOVING THE COUNTY FORWARD WHICH IMPLIES ANY OF THE INNOVATION AS AN EXAMPLE GENERATIVE A.I. HAS BECOME EXTREMELY HIGH DEMAND FOR US.

MOVING THOSE KIND OF LAUNCHING NEW PROJECTS, SUCH THINGS FALL UNDER MOVE THE COUNTY FORWARD INITIATIVE. OUR GENERAL FUND IS USED IN THESE MANNERS, AND, IT IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS, LABOR AND NON-LABOR. LABOR IS VERY MUCH HEAVY CONCENTRATION OF OUR NONLABOR GENERAL FUND IS ON CONTRACT. WE MANAGE OVER 231 CONTRACTS THAT CAN BE CALLED ENTERPRISE, AND MULTIPLE SMALLER CONTRACTS FOR THE COUNTY. SO, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY. TECHNOLOGY, WE SUPPORT SUCH AS CAD RMS, WE SUPPORT THE JUSTICE, AND WE HAVE LAUNCHED TWO INITIATIVES, ONE OF THEM IS KEEPING OUR CURRENT ENVIRONMENT STABLE, AND, MODERNIZATION JOURNEY, WHICH WE WILL BE EMBARKING OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR. THAT'S KIND OF A VERY HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF OUR GENERAL FUND. WE ALSO HAVE ILA WITH THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, IT HELPS US MANAGE OUR SERVICES, AND PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVICES EXPECTED BY FLOOD CONTROL. THERE ARE SOME IN PLACE AS WELL WHICH HELPS US ALSO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES REQUESTED, SPECIFICALLY BY CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. WITH THAT, WE WILL BEGIN OUR COMMISSIONERS COURT QUESTIONS A SEGMENT BEGINNING WITH A PRECINCT 1, YOU WILL HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. SO, TO BEGIN, UNIVERSAL SERVICES DOES A LOT TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY WITHIN THE COUNTY, REALLY THE BACKBONE MAKING SURE THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE , EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS RUNNING AS EFFECTIVELY, AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. ARE THERE ANY PROPOSED OFFSETS IN THE CURRENT BUDGET AS PROPOSED? WOULD YOU EXPECT WE'LL EITHER DELAY OR HOLD YOUR DEPARTMENTS ONGOING EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, AND ALSO

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS? >> IN ALL HONESTY, IT WILL IMPACT OUR OPERATIONS TO SOME EXTENT, AND I'LL BE VERY SPECIFIC, AS I MENTIONED, OUR GENERAL FUND IS DIVIDED INTO THESE CATEGORIES WHICH IS KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, ENHANCE, AND INNOVATE. THOSE ARE THE THREE CATEGORIES THAT WE DIVIDE OUR FUNDS IN. WE ARE DOING OUR BEST EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MAINTENANCE EFFORTS AREN'T IMPACTED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT KEEPS THE COUNTY RUNNING TODAY. OUR ENHANCEMENT EFFORTS MIGHT BE DELAYED, AND INNOVATION EFFORTS DEFINITELY WILL BE IMPACTED.

THAT'S A VERY HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY ON , AND THERE IS ANOTHER ONE AS I MENTIONED. OUR CONTRACTS, WE ARE VERY HEAVY ON OUR CONTRACTS AS FAR AS GENERAL FUND IS CONCERNED. SOME OF THE VENDORS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY MIGHT BE INCREASING THEIR

[01:35:02]

WE MAY HAVE TO COME BACK FOR THE AMENDMENT IN SUCH CASE IF THEY PRESENT THOSE INCREASES TO THE CONTRACT.

>> IS THERE ANY RISK OF THESE OFFSETS COSTING THE COUNTY MORE

IN THE LONG RUN? >> THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION FOR ME TO ANSWER, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE IS RISK IN EVERY DECISION THAT WE TAKE, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TO MANAGE, AND ALSO STABILITY OF THE APPLICATION. THERE ARE APPLICATIONS THAT NEED TO BE MODERNIZED WITHIN OUR ENVIRONMENT, SO, ON THE LONG RUN, WE ARE TRYING TO MODERNIZE THAT IN A SYSTEMATIC FASHION THROUGH MULTIPLE WAYS, AND IF WE ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT, THE RISK WOULD BE MINIMAL. HOWEVER, IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO ACHIEVE

THAT, THE RISK WOULD EXIST. >> ALL RIGHT. AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER FUNDING MECHANISMS WHICH CAN BE ADOPTED TO SUPPORT YOUR

OPERATIONS? >> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

I WOULD LEAN ON OMB TO HELP US ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT THERE ARE SOME FUNDING MODELS AVAILABLE. TEST PRACTICE FUNDING MODELS AVAILABLE IN THE INDUSTRY THAT WE COULD EXPLORE IN COLLABORATION WITH DIRECTOR RAMOS AND HIS TEAM.

>> WE WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INTO AN INTERNAL SERVICE MODEL, WHERE DEPARTMENTS ARE ESSENTIALLY PROVIDING A SERVICE TO ALLOW US TO REALLY , TO INCENTIVIZE DEPARTMENTS, TO MANAGE THEIR REQUEST INTERNALLY, RIGHT NOW WE GET BOMBARDED WITH REQUESTS, YEAR-ROUND. NEW SYSTEMS, NEW INTEGRATIONS, NEW UPDATES, NEW TECHNOLOGY WHERE THIS REALLY SHOULD BE A MORE DELIBERATE PROCESS, AS PART OF A CIP PLANNING PROCESS. WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET, IN OUR SYSTEM, PUBLIC SAFETY WHICH IS THE LARGEST USERS OF THE FLEA SYSTEM, ONE OF THE LARGEST USERS OF TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM WHEN YOU PUT MONEY IN THERE, YOU CAN'T DICTATE TO THEM HOW IT'S USED, AND YOU CAN'T GET IT OUT AFTER, IT MAY NOT BE A MODEL THAT WE CAN ADOPT NECESSARILY, HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY. WE ARE LOOKING AT, THE IDEA IS TO RATIONALIZE IT SO THAT DEPARTMENTS HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME IN TERMS OF NOT THROWING THINGS AT THE WALL AND HOPING THEY STICK, OR THERE'S ALSO COST CONTROL ON THE UNIVERSAL SERVICES SIDE AND A CLEAR PRIORITIZATION OF WHAT PROJECTS WE TAKE NEXT.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. AND YOU ALREADY TOUCHED ON THIS TO AN EXTENT, SPEAKING OF ADJUSTMENTS TO COST ON CONTRACTS, IF THE PROPOSED OFFSETS ARE ADOPTED, DO YOU EXPECT YOUR DEPARTMENT MAY NEED TO COME BACK LATER IN THIS FISCAL YEAR WITH AN ADDITIONAL

BUDGET REQUEST? >> I WOULD SAY, IF THE CONTRACT SCENARIO POSES A NEED FOR US TO COME BACK, AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE HEARD IS THERE MIGHT BE AN INCREASE IN CERTAIN CONTRACTS. IN SUCH A CASE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN OUR BUDGET, SO WE WILL HAVE TO COME BACK, AND IF THERE ARE NEW PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING DOWN THE PIPE WHICH WILL HAVE AN OPERATIONAL IMPACT, ALSO WE WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE CODE

AND REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDING. >> OKAY. CAN YOU PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE VACANT POSITIONS OMB IS PROPOSING TO ELIMINATE FROM UNIVERSAL SERVICES, AND DO YOU RECOMMEND THE ELIMINATION OF OTHER VACANCIES INSTEAD OF THOSE POSITIONS? THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THE HIRING FREEZE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THAT AS WELL, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S RELEVANT TO THIS CONVERSATION.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE THE VACANCIES WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION FOR 1.9 MILLION. WE WORKED WITH OMB TEAM TO IDENTIFY THOSE POSITIONS, MOST OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE FROM OUR PMO OFFICES, THEY WOULD BE AN IMPACT AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECTS THAT THEY MANAGE AND WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT. BUT MOST OF THOSE, WE HAVE WORKED WITH OMB IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY THOSE KEY POSITIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE THE MINIMAL IMPACT. THERE WOULD BE SOME

IMPACT THAT WOULD BE MINIMAL. >> AND ARE THERE ANY POSITIONS WHICH , ANY POSITIONS WHICH COME TO MIND WHICH YOU WOULD REQUEST BE EXEMPT FROM THE HIRING FREEZE?

>> I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION VERY MUCH, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE SERVE AS A BACKBONE FOR MOST OF THE COUNTY'S TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS. WE SUPPORT THE COUNTY'S TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, SOME FORM OR FASHION ACROSS THE BOARD. SOME USE OUR DATA CENTER SERVICES, SOME USE OUR NETWORK SERVICES, SOME USER

[01:40:04]

>> THANK YOU. I RESERVE MY TIME. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 1.

PRECINCT 2, YOU WILL HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, THANK YOU FOR THAT COMPLEX WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT DO THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. IT'S VERY COMPLEX. THE FIRST QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU SEE THE USAGE OF GENERATIVE A.I. SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF COUNTY OPERATIONS , INCLUDING THE

BUDGET IN THE COMING YEARS? >> THAT'S, AGAIN, A COMPLEX QUESTION. THE DEMAND FOR A.I. HAS INCREASED, AS YOU HAVE SEEN IN DISCUSSIONS DURING THESE BUDGET HEARINGS, THERE WERE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS THAT DID COME UP, ESPECIALLY ENGINEERING BROUGHT IT UP . DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING BROUGHT IT UP.

YESTERDAY, WHEN THEY SPOKE ABOUT USES OF GENERATIVE A.I. DURING TO IMPROVE THEIR EFFICIENCY OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS. THERE ARE USE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED WITHIN OUR OFFICE OF INNOVATION LAB THAT WOULD GENERATE THOSE SAVINGS AS AN EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE USE CASES WITHIN THE INDUSTRY WE SEE THAT IT IS USED FOR GENERATIVE A.I. IS USED FOR CONTRACTS. INTO DEVELOPING THE CONTRACTS, THERE IS A NEED FOR US TO VALIDATE THE INFORMATION, SO WE DO SEE THE USAGE OF GENERATIVE A.I.

DEVELOPING THOSE EFFICIENCIES WITHIN THE OPERATIONS OF THE COUNTY. THE ROLLOUT OF GENERATIVE A.I. WILL DEPEND ON OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE DEPARTMENT, YOUR SUPPORT, AND ALSO THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AN EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION WITH MANAGEMENT BUDGET AND GOING BACK TO THE FUNDING MODELS THAT CAN BE ESTABLISHED FOR US TO ROLL THOSE

SOLUTIONS OUT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT ANSWER. NEXT QUESTION, WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE COUNTY'S OPERATIONS , EXCUSE ME, WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE COMMISSIONERS COURT CAN BE SUPPORTIVE OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE COUNTY'S OPERATIONS THAT MAKE DIGITAL SERVICES EASIER TO ACCESS FOR OUR RESIDENTS?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. ADDITIONAL TRANSFORMATION, I THINK, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF EMBARKING ON A JOURNEY, WE HAVE EMBARKED IN CERTAIN AREAS WHILE OTHERS, HR TRANSFORMATION COMES TO TOP OF MIND. OUR TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY COMES TO TOP OF MIND. THERE ARE FEW INITIATIVES IN THE PIPELINE IS GOING TO SUPPORT CYBERSECURITY CONTINUES TO BE THE TOPMOST CONCERN FOR US. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, AND I HAVE HEARD THAT FROM THE COMMISSIONERS AS WELL THROUGH MULTIPLE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH YOUR OFFICES. AND WITH THE COMMISSIONERS, THE CYBERSECURITY CONTINUES TO BE THE TOPMOST DEMAND FROM US. I DO NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT CENTRALIZATION BUT CONSOLIDATION OF A LOT OF THOSE PRACTICES WOULD HELP.

UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER'S BUSINESS AND MAKING SURE THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS ARE FOLLOWED. WE APPRECIATE YOU APPROVING 16 POLICIES, WE WOULD LIKE TO EMBARK ON THE JOURNEY TO IMPLEMENT THOSE 16 POLICIES. YOUR SUPPORT WOULD BE NEEDED IN THOSE, THOSE JOURNEYS, SO, CYBERSECURITY, THE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION, AND CONSOLIDATION OF THOSE, THE CONTRACT , MAKING IT MORE ENTERPRISE THAN THE INDIVIDUAL

OPERATIONS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. ONE FINAL QUESTION FOR NOW, WITH THE SALARY STUDY DUE IN OCTOBER, HAVE YOU BEEN ENGAGED IN PROVIDING A REVIEW IN INFORMATION PERTAINING TO COMPETITIVE I.T. SALARIES?

>> WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETINGS THAT WE WERE ASKED TO

[01:45:06]

>> AND NO QUESTIONS FOR NOW. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 2, PRECINCT 3 YOU WILL NOW HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SEEING YOUR TEAM, I WANT TO GET INTO THE WEEDS A LITTLE BIT. THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT HEARINGS WE HAVE BEEN HEARING, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING INTO NEW TECHNOLOGY , NEW SOPHOMORES, NEW AVENUES TO LEVERAGE A.I. IN DIFFERENT TOOLS. SO, FIRST, WHO IS MAKING THE FINAL CALL ON THESE? IS IT UNIVERSAL SERVICES THAT'S DECIDING WHICH SOFTWARES WILL BE EMPLOYED? ARE THESE DEPARTMENTS COMING TO YOU AFTER HAVING DONE A TRIAL RUN AND SAYING THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY NEED?

>> IT'S BOTH. BOTH OF THOSE SCENARIOS DO EXIST, WE HAVE A PROCESS IN WHICH WE ARE WORKING WITH PURCHASE DEPARTMENT, THROUGH WHICH THE TECHNOLOGY IS COMING INTO THE COUNTY OR EVALUATED AND THE RISK PERSPECTIVE, AND THE ROLLOUT PLAN IS PUT IN PLACE. SOME DEPARTMENTS DO A GREAT JOB OF ENSURING THAT THEY FOLLOW THE PROCESS, WHILE THERE ARE SOME GAPS IN OTHER AREAS. THE PURPOSE OF OFFICE INNOVATION IS TO HELP SUPPORT BUILDING THOSE USE CASES, SO THAT WE CAN EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY , AND SAFELY ROLLOUT THESE A.I.

SOLUTIONS. OUR GOAL IS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, AND ENSURE THAT THEY CAN MAKE USE OF THESE A.I. TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE WANT TO USE. WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE ROLL IT OUT AS AN EXAMPLE, THERE ARE A.I. TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH A FULL RISK ASSESSMENT. AS A RESULT OF THAT, IT PULLS A RISK IF ROLLED OUT TO THE COUNTY, SO WE TALKED TO THE DEPARTMENT AND TRY TO STOP THEM. THERE ARE SOME SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE CHALLENGES, BUT OTHERWISE MOSTLY DEPARTMENTS

WORK WITH US. >> I NOTICED THAT ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, THE TECHNOLOGY IS VERY SILOED. DO YOU GUYS HAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY DIFFERENT SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS ARE BEING USED ACROSS THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW?

>> AROUND 800. >> WITH TWO ZEROS?

>> WITH TWO ZEROS. THAT'S APPROXIMATE. WE CONTINUE TO ONBOARD TECHNOLOGY ACROSS THE BOARD. ON A REGULAR BASIS, SO

THAT NUMBER VARIES. >> SO, IDEALLY, THE PLAN FOR CONSOLIDATION. IS THIS MORE SO JUST MINIMIZING THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS? IS THERE INTEREST IN POTENTIALLY MOVING OVER TO AN ERP SYSTEM THAT CAN HANDLE ALL THIS?

>> WE ARE TAKING A VERY THOUGHTFUL APPROACH ON THAT.

I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT , ERP, THERE ARE SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN PLACE, WE HAVE CONTRACT LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND SOME OTHER APPLICATIONS WHERE WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH OUR I.T. GOVERNANCE BOARD TO BUILD THE LOGIC AROUND WHICH CAN BE , WHICH APPLICATIONS CAN BE, THE ERP ROAD MAP. ALONG WITH APPLICATION RATIONALIZATION, SO, AS AN EXAMPLE, WE WORKED LAST YEAR SUCCESSFULLY, MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS . WE HAD SILOED APPROACH EARLIER, GOING IN PROCURING THEIR OWN, WE HAVE CENTRALIZED THAT, NOW, THROUGH THAT EFFORT, A SAVING OF APPROXIMATELY 50,000 WAS GENERATED. IT HELPED US ADDRESS SOME OF THE RISK THAT DEPARTMENTS WERE INHERENTLY UNDERTAKING AS A RESULT OF SIGNING UP FOR THE THINGS THAT WERE NOT VETTED THROUGH THE RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS. SO, WE ARE TAKING A VERY FOCUSED APPROACH THROUGHOUT ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WE HAVE NOW CONSOLIDATED THE MODEL OF LAPTOPS INTO THREE MAJOR ONES, YES, THERE ARE EXCEPTION PROCESSES IN PLACE, WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME UNIQUE NEEDS, THEY MIGHT BE UNIQUE NEED FOR A DIFFERENT MODEL, WE ACCOMMODATE THOSE PROCESSES, BUT WE WANT TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER. OUR ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM WOULD BE THE CENTRALIZED WAY OF ADDRESSING , THESE REQUESTS THAT COME IN. IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO STANDARDIZE THAT, OF THE ACCEPTED STANDARDS ACROSS THE

COUNTY. >> AND EARLIER, YOU MENTIONED

[01:50:04]

>> IT'S BOTH. I WOULD SAY THAT I DON'T HAVE THE RATIO RIGHT NOW, IN FRONT OF ME. I WOULD SAY THAT THE SYSTEMS AS THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED WITH THE TECHNOLOGY TO REQUIRE SUPPORT. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN SYSTEMS GO DOWN, THOSE ARE PART OF THE TICKET. WE LOOK AT THINGS FROM A PROBLEM MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU HAVE TICKETS THAT ARE COMING AS A RESULT OF ONE OF THE SYSTEMS BEING DOWN, WE TAKE THAT EFFORT IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THAT. OUR PROCESSES THAT WE FOLLOW WITHIN OUR SHOP, WHICH IS INFORMATION-TECHNOLOGY LIBRARY . IT'S A BEST PRACTICE FRAMEWORK THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, AND WE HAVE ADOPTED IT SINCE TWO YEARS AGO. WE HAVE STRENGTHENED THE ADOPTION OF IT SINCE TWO YEARS AGO. RIGHT NOW OUR TICKETS FALL UNDER THREE PACKETS WHICH IS, I HAVE ISSUES WITH LOGIN, THE USER CHALLENGE, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TURN THE COMPUTER ON, FOR EXAMPLE. OR MY DOCKING STATION, THOSE TICKETS EXIST, THE SYSTEM IS NOT RUNNING. CAN YOU TAKE CARE OF THAT, COULD YOU ADD, I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE VENDOR THAT THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL FEATURE, COULD YOU ADD THAT ADDITIONAL FEATURE TO IT. IT FALLS UNDER THE THREE CATEGORIES.

>> THANK YOU, I'LL RESERVE THE REST OF MY TIME.

>>, PRECINCT 3. YOU WILL NOW HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR

QUESTIONS. >> GOOD MORNING. GOOD AFTERNOON.

WE ARE NOW IN THE NOON HOUR. DIRECTIVE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND FOR ENSURING THAT ONLY BEING RESPONSIVE TO OUR REQUESTS, AND BEING HERE TODAY TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS. TO START, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S THREE FUNDS A SPECIFIC UNIVERSAL SERVICES OVERSEAS, LOOKING AT OUR CONTRACT OR OUR AGREEMENTS THAT MAY COME OUT OF THAT, AS WELL AS OUR UTILITIES AND LEASES BUDGET, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT. CAN YOU SHARE CAPTURED OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMART SAVINGS THAT HAVE HELPED US COMBAT INFLATION IN OUR USED TO GENERATE CHARGES? I NOTICED A 2.3 INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, FOR THOSE. IF YOU CAN SHARE THAT WITH US.

>> SURE. OUR SERVICE LEVEL , WE HAVE RENEGOTIATED SERVICE CONTRACTS, WHICH HAS GENERATED A SAVING OF APPROXIMATELY 3.173.

WE HAVE ALSO CONSOLIDATED SOME OF OUR UTILITIES AND LANDLINE UTILITIES, WHICH HAS GENERATED A SAVING OF APPROXIMATELY 8.6.

8.6, NOT MILLION, 80 6K. 860 K APPROXIMATELY, AROUND THAT. AND THEN, THE EFFICIENCIES THAT WE HAVE FOUND , NOT JUST UTILITIES,

IS ABOUT 2.516. >> THANK YOU. UNIVERSAL SERVICES IS A KEY PARTNER WITH OCA AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN DELIVERING ON SEVERAL OF THE COUNTY'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND OPERATIONAL IMPERATIVES. WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THOSE TODAY INCLUDING EFFORTS TO MODERNIZE DATA AND TECHNOLOGY ARCHITECTURE ACROSS THE COUNTY LEGAL SYSTEM. AND ACROSS DEPARTMENT INITIATIVES LIKE PROCURE TO PAY, HR TRANSFORMATION, THE FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THE HIGH POINTS AND KEY LEARNINGS OVER THE PAST YEAR FROM THIS WORK?

>> SURE. THOSE ARE I THINK, THE THREE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED MORE THAN 48 PROJECTS IN THE LAST YEAR. AND WE HAVE 69 ACTIVE PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING. THE KEY LEARNINGS AROUND THAT, NOW SINCE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE FORMALIZED OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE. WE FOLLOW A VERY SYSTEMATIC PROCESS THAT HELPS US NOT JUST MAKE SURE THE STAKEHOLDERS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD, WE ARE ALSO FOLLOWING THE COMMISSIONERS DIRECTIVE IN AN ACCURATE FASHION ENSURING THAT EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE. ENSURING WE ARE PUTTING IN THE RESOURCES IN AN ACCURATE FASHION, AND ALSO MOVING THE PROJECT TO THE CLOSURE. INITIALLY TWO YEARS AGO THE PROJECTS WERE BEING HANDLED AS AN OPERATIONAL INITIATIVE, AS IN THEY WOULD GO FROM YEAR TO YEAR TO YEAR, WITH NO CLOSURE TIME.

THROUGH THE FORMALIZATION OF A PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE, AND

[01:55:03]

CHALLENGES. >> THANK YOU. AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION, ACCORDING, THIS IS ABOUT STAFFING . WE UNDERSTAND AND THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION , PRECINCT 1, RELATING TO THE TYPES OF POSITIONS THAT YOU MAY BE SEEKING ANY EXEMPTIONS, IF THERE IS A HIRING FREEZE THAT'S ADOPTED. WE WOULD LIKE THAT SPECIFIC INFORMATION, WORKING WITH OMB WE APPRECIATE THAT BEING PROACTIVE, THERE. CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S BEEN SIGNIFICANT VACANCIES AND THERE'S BEEN CHALLENGES FACING THE DEPARTMENT TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TALENT.

CAN YOU ADVISE OF THE TOP THREE CHALLENGES, TO YOUR STAFFING AND HOW THE DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED TO ADDRESS THE YEAR-OVER-YEAR

VACANCIES? >> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

THE TOP THREE REASONS WHY WE HAVE A TURNOVER IN OUR DEPARTMENT, BEFORE I START, THERE, I WOULD SAY THAT INDUSTRY TURNOVER FOR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING GENERAL FUND AND TECHNOLOGY, HERE. THE INDUSTRY AVERAGE IS ABOUT 18%. SO, IT'S BETWEEN 12 TO 18%. AND WE ARE FROM A TURNOVER RATE PERSPECTIVE 12 TO 15, WE'RE IN THE RANGE, THERE. THREE REASONS WHY WE HAVE TURNOVER IS, I'LL GIVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE, HERE. WE HIRED INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICERS, SOME OF OUR POSITIONS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND. GETTING THOSE RESOURCES, GOOD RESOURCES IN THOSE PLACES ARE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US WITH A COMPENSATION MODEL WE HAVE IN PLACE. I'LL GIVE THE INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER. WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE ONE OF VERY TALENTED INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER, TWO MONTHS INTO HER JOB, HER PRIOR COMPANY COUNTERED OUR OFFER BY 100 K. THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD MATCH THAT. THAT'S ONE OF THE TOPMOST THAT WE SEE.

THE OTHER ONE WE SEE IS REMOTE WORK. THERE ARE SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS TODAY THAT OFFER 100% REMOTE WORK. TECHNOLOGY IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS WHERE YOU SEE THE MOST REMOTE WORK. IT'S AMONG THE TOP. SO, THAT'S ANOTHER REASON. THE OTHER ONE IS BECAUSE WE ARE A DEPARTMENT THAT'S TRANSFORMING THE DEMAND FOR CERTAIN RESOURCES INCREASES THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESS WE LOSE CERTAIN RESOURCES. THOSE ARE THE TOP THREE REASONS WHY WE ARE SEEING THE TURNOVER RATE. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO ADDRESS THAT? WE HAVE BUILT PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COLLEGES UNIVERSITIES, WE HAVE HIRED INTERNS WHO ARE BROUGHT IN DURING THE SUMMER, AND ALSO, PARTNERING WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS A SOCIETY OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, AND TO HELP US SPREAD THE WORD WHEN WE SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME KEY POSITIONS THAT REQUIRE EXPERIENCE. WE'VE ALSO WORKED, PRECINCT 4, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN THE TEAM MEMBER FROM EMPOWER, AND WE ARE BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL TEAM MEMBERS. SO, THOSE PARTNERSHIPS ARE HELPING US . WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE, I SAY A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR THE TALENT, BUT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE A CHANGE IN TERMS OF OUR HIRING. OUR QUALITY CANDIDATES, AS A RESULT

OF THOSE PARTNERSHIPS. >> THANK YOU, I'LL RESERVE THE

REMAINDER OF MY TIME. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 4, COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE, YOU WILL HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> I WANT TO START BY THANKING YOU AND THE ENTIRE UNIVERSAL SERVICES TEAM, YOU HAVE SUCH A COMPLEX AND LARGE DEPARTMENT TO BE IN CHARGE OF, FIRST, UNIVERSAL SERVICES HAS A 2024-2027 STRATEGIC PLAN, COULD YOU HIGHLIGHT YOUR TOP TWO TO THREE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, AND HOW

[02:00:02]

>> THAT IS A VERY DIFFICULT QUESTION, BECAUSE I HAVE A LIST OF PROJECTS, AND IT SPANS ABOUT 24 OF THEM. TWO HIGHLIGHT, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO MAKE SURE NONE OF OUR SYSTEMS GO DOWN. DISASTER RECOVERY, CYBERSECURITY, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL OF THIS TOGETHER FORMS ONE PROJECT, SO DATA CENTER STABILIZATION IS PART OF IT. THAT'S ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES. I TALKED ABOUT FOUR INITIATIVES IN ONE BUT, THAT IS ONE OF OUR TOPMOST PRIORITY. WHAT WE HAVE OBSERVED IS ANYTIME A SYSTEM GOES DOWN IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR CUSTOMER BASE INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS. OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS STABLE, AND HAS A DISASTER PLAN BUILT INTO IT. THE SECOND INITIATIVE I WOULD BRING UP WOULD BE , WE ARE EMBARKING ON THE JUSTICE MODERNIZATION, AND ERP MODERNIZATION JOURNEY. SOME OF THESE MODERNIZATION JOURNEYS, AGAIN, I CAN BRING MULTIPLE PRODUCTS INTO THAT INITIATIVE, BUT THAT'S THE OTHER ONE.

ENHANCING AND MODERNIZING WOULD BE THE SECOND ASPECT OF THOSE PROJECTS SINCE YOU ASKED FOR TWO.

>> THANK YOU. SWITCHING GEARS TO ONE OF YOUR COMMUNITY FACING PROJECTS. THE DIGITAL NAVIGATORS PROGRAM HAS HAD A GREAT COMMUNITY IMPACT. CAN YOU SHARE DATA ON HOW MANY RESIDENTS YOU'VE HELPED THIS FAR AND WHAT LEVEL OF FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO EXPANDING THIS PROGRAM, OR MAINTAINING THE CURRENT LEVEL OF

SERVICE? >> THE FEDERAL FUNDING, LAST YEAR, IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR US, TO MAINTAIN THAT PROGRAM. THE DIGITAL NAVIGATORS ARE PART OF OUR GENERAL FUND, SO, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THEM STAFFED, OUR GOAL IS TO TRY OUR BEST TO STAFF THAT PROGRAM. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR OFFICES HELPS US GET TO THE COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY, THROUGH VARIOUS ENGAGEMENTS. AND ALSO THROUGH THE BROADBAND TASK FORCE THAT WOULD BE BUILT, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD BE ADDRESSING IS ONGOING SUPPORT, AND SHAPING THAT PROGRAM FOR US. THROUGH THAT TASK FORCE HE WOULD SEE MORE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS GETTING INITIATED. AS OF NOW IT'S PART OF OUR GENERAL FUND, FUNDED THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE, WE HAVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, A VERY STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND WE THANK THEM FOR THAT. THOSE ARE GOING TO HELP US KEEP THE PROGRAM ALIVE. FOR THIS YEAR, AND AS THE TASK FORCE COMES FORWARD WE WILL PROVIDE YOU BETTER IDEA ON HOW

TO MOVE THAT FORWARD. >> THANK YOU. HOW IS UNIVERSAL SERVICES BALANCING IN-HOUSE EXPERTISE, AND EXPERIENCE VERSUS VENDOR CONTRACTS, AND HOW DO THESE VENDOR CONTRACTS IMPACT

UNIVERSAL SERVICES FINANCIALLY? >> SO, VENDOR CONTRACTS, WE HAVE TWO KINDS, THREE KINDS OF VENDOR CONTRACTS. ONE IS SERVICES CONTRACTS, SOME OF THE VENDOR CONTRACTS HELPS US IMPLEMENT CERTAIN PROJECTS, AND THOSE ARE PART OF THE CAPITAL FUNDING. WE CAN CAPITALIZE THOSE. THEN WE HAVE STAFF AUGMENTATION, WHICH IS OUR KEEP THE LIGHTS ON FUNCTION, THAT IS MOSTLY THE GENERAL FUND , FUNDED POSITIONS, AND THE THIRD ASPECT IS PROJECTS. AS IN, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INITIATIVES, THOSE ARE THE THREE BUCKETS IN WHICH WE HAVE THE VENDOR CONTRACTS. THE ONES THAT ARE FUNDED BY THE CAPITAL FUND, WE ARE NOT CONCERNED SO MUCH ABOUT. THE FUNDS, SOME OF THE OFFSETS THAT WE HAVE PUT ON THE TABLE INCLUDES THE CONTRACT RESOURCES, AND OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WHO CAN TAKE OVER THAT STAFF AUGMENTED TASK.

>> THANK YOU. I KNOW WE'VE SPOKEN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE INNOVATION LAB, CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE WORK IT DOES, AND, GIVEN THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, WE ATTEMPTED TO LAUNCH MORE GENERATIVE A.I. FEATURES IN PART OF LAST YEAR, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE CONSTRAINTS THAT YOU SEE IN IMPLEMENTING THE THINGS THAT THE INNOVATION LAB TRIES TO DO?

>> OUR INNOVATION LAB HAS BUILT SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. WE HAVE BROUGHT IN USE CASES, WE ARE TESTING USE CASES. OUR GOAL WAS TO KEEP, BECAUSE IT'S INNOVATION, IT'S NEW TECHNOLOGY, WE TRIED TO KEEP THE GENERAL FUND IMPACT TO THE MINIMUM. LAST YEAR, THE DEMAND HAS INCREASED, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A SENIOR MANAGER AND AN

[02:05:05]

DEVELOPER FOR US. WITH TWO RESOURCES WE ARE TRYING TO SUSTAIN THE OPERATIONS OF THE INNOVATION LAB. THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE SEEING IS THE DEMAND FOR INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY GENERATIVE A.I. TECHNOLOGY PACIFICALLY, SUCH AS COPILOT, HAS INCREASED. WE DON'T HAVE FUNDS WITHIN OUR BUDGET TO SUPPORT THOSE ROLLOUTS. SO, THEY MIGHT BE A NEED FOR US TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR FUNDING IF WE SEE THAT THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE DEMAND FOR COPILOT OR ANY SUCH TECHNOLOGY.

>> THANK YOU, I'LL RESERVE MY TIME FOR NOW.

>> THANK YOU, COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE. WE WILL CYCLE BACK FOR ANY REMAINING TIME. PRECINCT 2, YOU HAD 22 SECONDS REMAINING.

SORRY, PRECINCT 1, APOLOGIES. >> THANK YOU. YOU MENTIONED THAT COPILOT COULD RESULT IN SAVINGS, I WAS WONDERING WHAT THE COST ESTIMATE YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE VERSUS THE ESTIMATED SAVINGS THAT WOULD COME FROM THAT FOR THE MORE BASIC USE CASES, NOT MORE COMPLEX ONES, I KNOW YOU ARE STILL DEVELOPING.

>> COST SAVINGS, AS SOON AS INITIALLY, TO PURCHASE COPILOT, YOU WILL NOT SEE ANY COST-SAVING, BECAUSE THAT'S THE INITIAL INVESTMENT. THE SAVINGS COMES OVER YEAR TWO, THREE, AND FOUR, THE SAVINGS COULD BE SIGNIFICANT. I DON'T HAVE A

NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 1.

PRECINCT 2, YOU HAD FOUR MINUTES 12 SECONDS REMAINING.

>> THANKS SO MUCH. WHAT ARE SOME CORE KPIS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR?

>> AS I MENTIONED, WE LOOK AT OUR GENERAL FUND FROM THREE DIFFERENT ANGLES, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON. WE ARE LOOKING AT SYSTEM AVAILABILITY, WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR DATA CENTER USAGE, WE ARE LOOKING AT , I'LL START ON THOSE THREE. THE FIRST BUCKET BEING KEEP THE LIGHTS ON. AND ALSO, THE HELP DESK TICKET RESOLUTION TIMES, THOSE OF THE TOP FUNDS FOR OUR KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, AND THEN MOVING THE COUNTY FORWARD, INCLUDES THE PROJECTS, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECTS ARE IN A TIMELY FASHION, AND IT IS WITHIN THE BUDGET, AND MEETS THE SCOPE.

SO, TRACKING THOSE KPIS IS HELPING US MOVE THE COUNTY FORWARD IN TERMS OF INNOVATION, INNOVATION PROJECTS THAT WE INTAKE AND THE NUMBER OF INNOVATION PROJECTS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DELIVER. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE KEY KPIS, THIS INCLUDES KEY PROJECTS AS, I JUST TRANSFORMATION, KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON ALSO INCLUDES THE KEY SYSTEMS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS. STAYING UP AND RUNNING. WE'RE BUILDING OUR NETWORK OPERATIONS CENTER, OUR DATA CENTER INITIATIVES, AND OUR CYBERSECURITY OPERATION CENTER, ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO HELP US BRING THIS TO A BETTER POSITION THAN WE ARE TODAY.

>> THANKS SO MUCH, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 2. PRECINCT 3, YOU HAD ONE MINUTE

AND 47 SECONDS REMAINING. >> REALLY QUICKLY, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT A LIFT AND SHIFT APPROACH IS A BIBLE GIVING THE COUNTY'S DATA RETENTION POLICIES AND HOW BIG THE REPOSITORY IS. DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT SHIFTING OVER TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES , AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE DATA IS STILL

SAFE? >> CONCERNS WOULD NOT BE THE WAY I WOULD SAY IT. I WOULD CALL, THERE IS A RISK TO THAT. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT J LAB EXTENSIVELY IN THE PAST IN TERMS OF THE ARCHITECTURE THAT WAS USED, AND SOME OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WITHIN THAT ENVIRONMENT. LIFT AND SHIFT FOR SUCH SYSTEMS IS NOT A ONE-DAY JOB, IT WOULD REQUIRE US TO HAVE THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF HOW THE SYSTEM WAS BUILT, HOW IS IT STRUCTURED BEFORE REMOVED. THAT APPLIES TO ALL THE SYSTEMS ACROSS THE BOARD WITH EXCEPTION TO THE NEWER SYSTEM. WE HAVE INVESTED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS TO ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE BUILT THAT PROGRAM WITHIN UNIVERSAL SERVICES IS TO AVOID , TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND TO AVOID ANY ISSUES OR CHALLENGES THAT MIGHT COME UP AS A RESULT OF THE MODERNIZATION

JOURNEY THAT WE MIGHT EMBARK ON. >> THANK YOU. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. IF I HAVE TIME I'LL YIELD IT TO PRECINCT 4.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 3. PRECINCT 4, YOU WILL HAVE 56

SECONDS REMAINING. >> THANK YOU. ONE FINAL QUESTION. AS IT RELATES TO THE COST SAVINGS AND ADOPTING OF THE

[02:10:03]

LIKE? >> SURE. I WILL USE ONE OF THE POLICIES, THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT POLICY. THAT'S ONE OF THESE MAJOR POLICIES THAT WILL HELP US BECOME STRONGER TOGETHER. CHANGE MANAGEMENT POLICY WITHOUT GOING INTO TOO MUCH TECHNOLOGY, CHANGE MANAGEMENT POLICY PRETTY MUCH SAYS THAT IF YOU'RE CHANGING ANYTHING IN YOUR SIDE OF THE HOUSING, SO THAT THINGS DON'T BREAK. THERE'S A HANDSHAKE BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS. OUR JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS PARTICIPATE IN OUR INCIDENT MANAGEMENT, IN OUR CHANGE MANAGEMENT, CHANGE CONTROL BOARD. WHERE OUR CHANGES ARE COMMUNICATED ACROSS THE BOARD, THROUGH THE BOLD THAT WAS STOOD UP, WE ALSO COMMUNICATE THOSE CHANGES WITHIN THAT BOARD.

AND WE RECEIVE SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT THEY ARE MAKING ON THEIR SIDE OF THE HOUSE. IT'S A MATURING PROCESS, MAYBE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO BUILD THAT POLICY STRONGER. THEY ALSO ENGAGE IN PROVIDING THEM AND ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS , ALL OF THIS IS PART OF THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND INCIDENT MANAGEMENT POLICY. THERE ARE STEPS BEING TAKEN TO MAKE SURE WE ARE COMMUNICATING, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM THROUGH VARIOUS DISCUSSIONS, AND ALSO IN TERMS OF TRAINING, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING THOSE TRAININGS. THE POLICIES ARE BUILT WHERE THEY'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT.

THEY'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE POLICY NEEDS TO SERVE THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST ONE STAKEHOLDER. SO, WE DO TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE'S INPUTS.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NOTHING FURTHER.

>> THANK YOU. COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE? YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES,

ONE SECOND REMAINING. >> DIRECTOR, I KNOW YOU AND UNIVERSAL SERVICES LIKE TO PLAN AHEAD FOR ANYTHING THAT CAN COME YOUR WAY, BUT, ARE THERE ANY MAJOR SYSTEMS REACHING END OF LIFE THAT WILL REQUIRE PLACEMENT OR LARGE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN

THE UPCOMING YEAR? >> SOME OF THE SYSTEMS THAT, AS I MENTIONED, I TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT, BECAUSE WE ARE EMBARKING ON THAT MODERNIZATION JOURNEY, AND WE ARE IN LUCK STEP WITH OUR JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS, THANKS TO HELP, SO WE ARE PUSHING THAT INITIATIVE FORWARD. ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE THAT THE FUNCTIONING, THERE ARE THOSE STABILIZATION AND MODERNIZATION EFFORTS IN PLACE. ERP IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW PEOPLESOFT HAS ANNOUNCED , SO WE ARE TRYING TO BE AHEAD OF THAT GAME ON THAT. THERE ARE SOME OTHER SYSTEMS, WHERE WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH ENGINEERING, ON OUR TEAM WORKS ON CONSTANT MODIFICATIONS OF THOSE SYSTEMS. 311 IS NOT A MODERNIZATION JOURNEY, IT'S MORE OF A PRODUCT THAT WILL CONTINUE UNTIL WE HAVE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THAT. A COUPLE OF OTHER PROJECTS THAT COME TO MIND IS OUR DATA CENTER DISASTER RECOVERY, INITIATIVES, THAT WE HAVE EMBARKED ON, WHERE NOT ONLY ARE PRIMARY DATA CENTER, WE ARE LOOKING AT BUILDING THE BACKUPS IN BOTH STRATEGIES, SO DEPENDING ON THE SYSTEM AND THE SENSITIVITY OF THE DATA. SO, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN MOTION, SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE ITEMS CONCERNED GENERAL FUND.

>> NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. DIRECTOR, UTILIZING YOUR CLOSING REMARKS TIME FOR YOUR INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATION, WITH THAT WE WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE ENTIRE UNIVERSAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

FOR YOUR PER DISSIPATION. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A SHOUT OUT TO MY TEAM. AT UNIVERSAL SERVICES FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THEY DO. WE HAD A VERY BUSY YEAR, AND THEY MADE IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

[Public Health Services]

[02:18:48]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT. OUR NEXT PRESENTATION WILL COME FROM DIRECTOR LEAH BARTON, AND MIGHT I SAY CONGRATULATIONS. TO REVIEW THE FORMAT , DIRECTOR, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATION , THEN EACH COURT OFFICE WILL BE ALLOCATED EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, BEGINNING WITH COMMISSIONER GARCIA , AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS. WHEN YOU'RE READY, DIRECTOR.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'M GLAD TO HAVE HAD MORE TIME TO PREPARE THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR, AND, SOME OF OUR STORY IS VERY SIMILAR. LAST YEAR WE WERE FACING SIGNIFICANT HEADWINDS AND THOSE OF ONLY BEEN EXACERBATED THIS YEAR. WE'RE FACING ANTICIPATED ROELOFS IN COVID GRANTS, ARPA FUNDING, AND UNANTICIPATED ROELOFS OF STATE GRANTS AND OTHER FUNDING AS WELL AS UNCERTAINTY IN OUR FUNDING PICTURE, MORE BROADLY. A REMINDER THAT A THIRD OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND, THAT'S OUR MOST STEADFAST, OUR MOST FLEXIBLE FUNDING, TWO THIRDS OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM GRANTS AND

[02:20:04]

>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. EACH CORE OFFICE WILL NOW HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, BEGINNING WITH COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> THANK YOU GOOD MORNING, DIRECTOR. CONGRATULATIONS, I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR NEW ROLE. I KNOW YOU WILL DO WELL, YOU'VE BEEN PHENOMENAL THUS FAR, SO CONGRATULATIONS. PUBLIC HEALTH IS SOMETHING THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT TO ME, AS I OFTEN TELL PEOPLE, I'M A PUBLIC HEALTH BABY. GOT MY TEETH WORKED ON, MY SHOTS, AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. HAVE A GREAT DEGREE OF RESPECT FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT WORK IN YOUR DEPARTMENT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO YOUR BUDGET IS COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IS THAT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT?

>> IN TERMS OF THE LOSS OF OUR ARPA FUNDING AND HEALTH AND

SERVICES COVID GRANTS. >> SO AS WE LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE WITH THOSE RESPECTIVE IMPACTS, ARE THERE ANY STRATEGIES THAT YOU'RE CONTEMPLATING OUTSIDE OF THE GENERAL FUND THAT MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO REPLACE THOSE WITH THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED TO CONTINUE THAT

PARTICULAR WORK? >> THERE IS NO SOURCE THAT RIVALS THE SIZE AND POWER OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE GRANTS AND PARTNERSHIP TEAM TO WORK FOR PHILANTHROPIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM IS LOOKING AT POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, TO HELP SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD NUISANCE ACTIVITIES, OUR ROBERT BRANDON AND HIS TEAM HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB, TOGETHER FROM DR. BROWN IN OPTIMIZING OUR SERVICE ACTIVITY MEDICAL BILLING, THAT WORK TO GET MORE PEOPLE CERTIFIED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID AND CHARITY REIMBURSEMENT IS ONGOING. THAT'S NOT GOING TO REACH THE LEVEL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COULD PROVIDE.

>> I KNOW YOUR ENTIRE LEADERSHIP TEAM IS VERY INNOVATIVE AND

[02:25:04]

HARRIS COUNTY? >> WE'VE IDENTIFIED THESE OFFSETS WITH A GOAL OF MINIMIZING IMPACT , FIRST AND FOREMOST HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS AND ALSO OUR STAFF. WE HAVE OVER 500 EMPLOYEES IN THE GENERAL FUND RIGHT NOW, WE DO SEE 18 POSITIONS IMPACTED USING THIS SET OF OFFSETS. THERE WILL BE IMPACT, PARTICULARLY IF THESE RESIDENTS FACING COMPONENTS HEALTH PREVENTION VECTOR PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS WIND UP IN THE FINAL BUDGET, BUT WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO IDENTIFY EFFICIENCIES, AND CHOOSE OFFSETS

THAT WOULD MINIMIZE IMPACT. >> GOOD DEAL. I'LL SPEAK FOR MY OFFICE, IF THERE'S ANYWAY, I KNOW THAT MY OFFICE IS LOOKING AT SUSTAINING SOME OF THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT THAT ARPA WAS PROVIDING, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO IMPACTFUL, WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING THAT. THERE'S OTHER WAYS THAT MY OFFICE CAN COLLABORATE WITH YOU, PLEASE LET US KNOW, AND WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS PROGRAM AND THE OFFICE, ANYWAYS THAT WE CAN SHARE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU AND YOUR STAFF CONTINUE THEIR WORK AS WE ALL TRANSITION THROUGH THIS NEW REALITY OF REDUCED FEDERAL FUNDING, TO OUR COMMUNITY. LASTLY, WITH YOU STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE, WHAT ARE YOUR THREE TOP PRIORITIES THAT YOU WILL SEE GOING FORWARD TO HELP DEMONSTRATE TO THE PUBLIC AS THE SAYING GOES, THERE'S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN. SO, BUT, THE IDEA OF THE POSSIBILITY OF REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE'RE AT, I TOLD MY TEAM, THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO BETTER, AND MONEY DOESN'T NECESSARILY DRIVE ALL IMPROVEMENTS, SO, IN SPITE OF THE IMPACT THAT WE'RE FACING, WHAT DO YOU FORESEE AS YOUR TOP THREE PRIORITIES WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO

TAKE A NOTCH UP? >> THERE MIGHT BE A NEW SHERIFF BUT WE HAVE THE SAME LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP TEAM OVER HERE, EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD. WE'RE CONTINUING ON OUR MISSION TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CARE, THAT WILL HAPPEN THROUGH THE EAST HARRIS COUNTY HUB, THE RIVERSIDE HOSPITAL, RENOVATION, AND WE'RE TRYING TO BRING THAT MOBILE HEALTH INTO AREAS THAT HAVE NOT AS MUCH ACCESS, MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET THE CARE THEY NEED, CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPANDING, THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAM ACROSS ALL FIVE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DISTRICTS, AND CONTINUING TO REALLY UPGRADE OUR SYSTEMS, OUR PROCESSES, EPIC WILL BE A FOCUS THIS YEAR, WE NEED HARRIS HEALTH PARTNERSHIP ON THAT, AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY AND THE STRUCTURE IS KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES. AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE FOCUSED ON DIVERSIFYING REVENUE SOURCES, PREPARING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT, AND IN OUR ROLE AS PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGIST, DELIVERING RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY LIKE THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH REPORT, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES DASHBOARD, ACCESS TO CARE REPORT, SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER MORE EFFECTIVELY AS YOU DESCRIBED.

>> GOOD DEAL, YOU SPARKED THE THOUGHT, WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH ACCESS HARRIS, AND, MR. RAMOS, HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR

ACCESS HARRIS? >> COMMISSIONER, I'M GOING TO NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON THE NUMBER. WE HAD 4 MILLION IN TERMS OF CAPITAL COSTS, WHICH ARE TRANSFERRING OUT OF ARPA INTO CIP, BUT IN TERMS OF OPERATING , DO YOU HAVE THAT?

>> SO, WITHIN THE HEALTH PREVENTION AND COORDINATE CARE

[02:30:01]

I'M NOT SEEING? >> IT'S 3.7 MILLION IN THE

GENERAL FUND. >> AS YOU LOOK AT THAT, I KNOW THAT REALLY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE MAJOR OUTPUT WAS A DEGREE OF DATA COLLECTION. AND FROM MY CONVERSATIONS WITH DR.

PORSA, NOW THAT WE'RE ALL INTERCONNECTED WITH EPIC, THAT'S WHAT SPARKED MY THOUGHT. IF THERE IS A NEED TO APPROACH ACCESS HARRIS DIFFERENTLY. THAT WOULD BE LESS CASH INTENSIVE. I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONTEMPLATE THAT, AND SEE IF THAT BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY. IF NOT, YOU HAVE IT BUDGETED AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO

MOVE FORWARD. REGULATIONS. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. PRECINCT 3, YOU WILL NOW HAVE

EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, LEAH. AND AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT, THE BEST COUNTY DEPARTMENT THAT I'VE WORKED WITH. YOU DO A GREAT JOB. TWO PIGGYBACKED ON COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S COMMENT ON NEIGHBORHOOD NUISANCE ABATEMENT, THE CONSTITUENTS IN PRECINCT 3 LOVED THAT PROGRAM. IT'S A PROGRAM WHERE THE CONSTITUENTS , CONSTITUENCY IMMEDIATELY SEE RESULTS WHEN YOU CLEAN THE LOT UP TO DEMOLISH A BUILDING. IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, DO YOU FORESEE ANY MORE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT DEPARTMENT? OR IS IT GOING TO BE

GRANTED BASED? >> SO, THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION HAS ALWAYS HAD A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUNDING, SUPPORTING DOUBLE-DIGIT, 12, 15 ABATEMENTS PER YEAR. WE WERE ABLE TO DRAMATICALLY EXPAND THAT UNDER ARPA. ARPA FUNDING HAS ENABLED OVER 1000 VIOLATIONS TO BE ABATED. THIS YEAR WE'LL ABATE OVER 400, AND IT TOOK $1.4 MILLION TO DO THAT THIS YEAR.

THE BARE MINIMUM THAT WE NEED, AND THIS IS A VALUE THAT'S NOT IN OUR BUDGET IS CURRENTLY PROPOSED, IS 300,000 TO SUPPORT THREE STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STILL HAVE THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS OF ISSUING CITATION AND DOING INSPECTIONS, AND AT LEAST GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELF RESOLVE.

THERE ABATEMENTS. WHAT WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO RIGHT NOW IS THAT NONLABOR FUNDING TO FUND THE CONTRACTORS WHO CAN PICK UP THE TRASH, DEMOLISH THE BUILDINGS, CUT THE WEEDS, AND SECURE THOSE UNSAFE STRUCTURES, ET CETERA. SO, REALLY ANY AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE CAN ALLOCATE, FIRST AND FOREMOST TO STAFF AND SECONDARILY TO CONTRACTORS WOULD BE TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL TO

CONSTITUENTS. >> OKAY. HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND

SOME MONEY. >> WE LOOK TO YOU FOR SUPPORT.

>> ILL HAVE MY SUPPORT. IN REFERENCE TO FEVER. ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THOSE POTENTIAL COSTS AS WE DON'T KNOW WHAT

THEY ARE RIGHT NOW? >> WE ARE PREPARING, AND ALLISON HARRIS WHO LEADS OUR PREPAREDNESS DIVISION IS MEETING VERY REGULARLY, WITH PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTY, TWO ELEMENTS THAT WE ARE WORKING ALREADY, DR. STANLEY HAS PLACED A LARGE NUMBER OF MOSQUITO TRAPS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT BASELINE LEVEL DISEASE AND MOSQUITO SPECIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE AREAS AROUND, AND THE EAST AND, WHERE WE EXPECT THE MOST PEOPLE TOGETHER. WE ARE ALSO PREPARING, AND THIS IS A SAD PREPARATION TO HAVE TO DO, WE ARE PREPARING TO RUN A FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTER IF WE HAVE TO RUN A FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND A RE-UNITE PEOPLE WITH ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE BECOME DECEASED IN A MASS FIDELITY INCIDENT. THOSE ARE OUR CORE RESPONSE ABILITIES RIGHT NOW, WE ARE ENGAGING CLOSELY WITH THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS IN OPERATION. WE HAVE SUBMITTED POTENTIAL COSTS FOR POTENTIAL REIMBURSEMENT BUT, DON'T HAVE ANY VISIBILITY INTO THE EXTENT TO WHICH THOSE MAY COME BACK.

>> IN REFERENCE TO THE REFUGEE HEALTH SERVICES, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HARRIS COUNTY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT PROVIDES THAT SERVICE, CORRECT?

>> IN THIS REGION, YES. >> IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT THERE IS SUPPORT FROM THE 41 SITTERS THAT ARE WITHIN HARRIS

[02:35:01]

COUNTY? >> THIS IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM, WHEN PEOPLE ARRIVE. TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE THAT THEY FIND A MEDICAL HOME, THAT WE CONNECTED TO ANY NEED IMMEDIATELY. AS WELL AS IF THEY HAVE THE RIGHT CERTIFICATION AS THEY MOVE INTO, AND A NATURALIZATION PROCESS, THERE IMMIGRATION JOURNEY, THIS IS LARGELY SEEN AS A FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY, OUR MOST CRITICAL ASK IS THAT THE PROGRAM BE RENEWED. CURRENTLY THAT CONTRACT GOES THROUGH SEPTEMBER, WE ARE ANTICIPATING POTENTIAL NO-COST EXTENSION THROUGH DECEMBER, BUT WE NEED TO SEE RENEWAL. WE THINK THAT'S CRITICAL, BOTH FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ARRIVING AS WELL AS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY.

>> OKAY. ONE LAST QUESTION, WHAT, COURT OFFICERS DO TO HELP

YOU AND YOUR TEAM? >> BUDGET AMENDMENT DAY IS TUESDAY. WE'RE REALLY SEEKING TO PRESERVE THOSE RESIDENTS FACING SERVICES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN OUR OFFSETS AS WELL AS TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE THOSE CORE CAPABILITIES THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED THROUGH GRANT FUNDING. BUT, HAVE REALLY BEEN RECOGNIZED AS FUNDAMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS. MATERNAL CHILDHOOD HEALTH IS A FUNDAMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING FOR IT IN THE GENERAL FUND. DISEASE PREVENTION, CHRONIC DISEASE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH. WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE WAS A CAPABILITY THAT WE LACKED THAT WE DEVELOPED AND JUST BECAUSE THE COVID SITUATION IS NOT EMERGENT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE IS NO NEED TO CONTINUE LOOKING FOR THOSE DISEASES. CERTAINLY WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT, FOR THOSE RESIDENTS FACING SERVICES AND THE PROPOSED ENHANCEMENTS.

>> THANK YOU. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 3, PRECINCT 4, YOU WILL HAVE EIGHT

MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU. PUBLIC HEALTH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST BENEFICIARIES OF THE LIVING WAGE INCREASES OVER THE PAST YEAR. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WERE IMPACTED BY THESE INCREASES, AND WHAT'S THE RESULTS BEEN SO FAR?

>> OUR TEAM IS APPRECIATIVE OF THOSE. WE WERE BELOW-MARKET IN SEVERAL VERY CRITICAL ROLES, AND AS WE NOTED BEFORE, WE HAVE ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN THE $2500 INCREASE AND THE $20 MINIMUM INCREASE, THAT WE ARE TAKING ON IN THIS NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ISN'T IN THIS BUDGET, INFLATION CONTINUES TO RISE. SO, WE DO SEE POSITIONS STAY OPEN, PROBABLY LONGER THAN THEY SHOULD, WHEN WE'RE NOT OFFERING COMPETITIVE SALARIES. THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO STAY ON TOP OF, WE'RE EXCITED FOR THE WORK TO CONTINUE BUT WE NEED TO SEE

CONTINUED PROGRESS IN THAT AREA. >> GREAT. OF THE $3.6 MILLION IN OFFSETS THAT YOU PRESENTED, CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH HOW DID YOU PRIORITIZE THESE OVER OTHERS WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT?

>> WE REALLY WANTED TO FIRST, MINIMIZE IMPACT ON RESIDENCE, SECOND, MINIMIZE IMPACT ON STAFF, AND THEN OF COURSE, BE GOOD STEWARDS OF FUNDS AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE EFFICIENCIES WE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY. SO, IN THAT CATEGORY OF LIMITED IMPACT WE LOOKED AT AREAS WHERE WE MAY HAVE HISTORICALLY HAD SURPLUSES WHERE WE COULD RIGHT SIZE THE BUDGET, WE LOOKED AT POSITIONS THAT COULD BE MOVED INTO ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES LIKE GRANT FUNDS, OR FUNDS FOR FOOD NUTRITION, WE LOOKED, THEN, AT ADMINISTERED OF SUPPORT, OUR FINANCE HR PLANNING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FUNCTIONS ARE CRITICAL, BUT NOT AS CRITICAL AS OUR RESIDENT FACING ONES. EVEN THEN, WE COULDN'T GET TO 3.6 WITHOUT

HAVING IMPACT ON RESIDENCE. >> SO, I'M LOOKING HERE AT THE MACEDO AND VECTOR CONTROL, IT'S THREE FTES, AND PREVENTION ACTIVITIES, IF THE PROPOSED BUDGET GOES THROUGH AND THESE ARE ACCEPTED, WITH THAT IMPACT TO MOSQUITO CONTROL OR SPRAYING

IN ANY WAY? >> IT WOULD NOT. IT WOULD IMPACT DISEASE OVER THE LONG RUN, WE THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO LOOK FOR THAT STANDING WATER.

THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM BITES. SO, WE DO EDUCATION WITH A PURPOSE AND THAT WOULD HAVE LONGER-TERM

IMPACT. >> OKAY. BUT THE SPRING STILL

GOES ON. >> YES.

>> A COUPLE COURTS AGO, FOR HARRIS HEALTH TO WORK WITH HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH TO IDENTIFY AREAS FOR PARTNERSHIP, AND POTENTIALLY TO HAVE THEM ASSUME THE COST OF DUPLICATE OF SERVICES. DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THAT?

>> WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH HARRIS HEALTH. ONE OF THE THINGS IN FINDING THE RIGHT FIT, IS THAT ANY WORK THAT THEY WOULD

[02:40:02]

PARTNERSHIP. >> JUST TO ADD, THEIR ABILITY TO FUND THESE THINGS IS DEPENDENT ON WHAT TAX RATE COMMISSIONERS

COURT ULTIMATELY ADOPTS. >> GREAT, THANK YOU. THE NEXT QUESTION I HAD WAS YOU TALKED ABOUT THE SPECIAL REVENUE BILLING, WHAT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AND ARE YOU UTILIZING THEM TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE? CAPTIONERS TRANSITIONING ] 12 MILLION THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 12 MILLION AVAILABLE IN CASH, SO THAT HELPS TO BUFFER THE INCREASED EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE SEEN BUT THE CHALLENGE IS IT IS CAPPED AT THE STATE LEVEL, AS MORE DEPARTMENTS JOIN IN, WE FACED A REDUCTION OF 20% THIS YEAR SO OUR ANALYSIS, WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE ABOUT 12 MILLION ANNUALLY, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE DOING HIGHER BILLING.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FUNDS AVAILABLE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT?

>> SPECIFICALLY REVENUE, WE DO, WE HAVE THE POOL FEES, AND A MORE CONTROLLED BPH FEES THAT THEY RECEIVE.

>> GREAT, THANK YOU. YOU HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS, OVER THE LAST YEAR, DOES THE BUDGET FULLY FUND TO CONTINUE ITS CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE ACROSS ALL THE UNINCORPORATED DISTRICTS?

>> IT DOES. >> AND THE SAME GOES FOR MOBILE HEALTH, DOES IT CONTINUOUSLY FUND THOSE LEVELS OF SERVICE?

>> IT DOES, WE HAVE MOVED FOOD SUPPORT INTO ARPA GIVEN THAT REALLOCATION OF THE COMMISSION PROSPERITY.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> COUNTY JUDGES OFFICE, YOU WILL HAVE EIGHT MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR LEAH BARTON, GIVEN THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE, ENSURING THAT OUR LOCAL HEALTH APARTMENTS ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO CARRY OUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE COULD BE DOING RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE BUDGET CYCLE TO REALLY ENSURE OUR COMMUNITIES REMAIN HEALTHY, SAFE AND RESILIENT. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL GRANTS THIS YEAR AND I KNOW THAT PUBLIC HEALTH HAS ALREADY HAD TO RECONFIGURE ITS OPERATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR THOSE FEDERAL GRANTS TO ROLL OFF. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE UNEXPECTED FEDERAL GRANT CHANGES YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST YEAR THAT MIGHT SPEAK TO THE UNCERTAINTIES AROUND FEDERAL FUNDING RIGHT NOW?

>> I THINK WE ARE SEEING REALLY THREE OR FOUR CATEGORIES OF CHANGES, OF COURSE THE FIRST CHANGE WE EXPERIENCED WAS CESSATION OF REFUGEE HEALTH PAYMENTS. AND AFTER IT WAS SUCCESSFUL, THOSE WERE ABLE TO RESUME, WE THEN SAW EARLY CANCELLATION OF COVID GRANTS AND THERE HAS BEEN A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION RESTORING THOSE, NOT RESTORING THEM FULLY, RESTORING THEM FROM A POINT AFTER THE LUMINARY INJUNCTION SO THE OFFICE IS SEEKING SOME JUDGMENT THERE. WE HAVE SEEN SHORTER RENEWAL PERIODS. WE ARE ALL LOOKING FOR A POTENTIAL RESOLUTION BUT WE KNOW IT COULD CREATE A SHUTDOWN SO MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK WE ARE SEEING GREATER NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY, SO WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE FEDERAL IMPACTS HAVE IMPACTED FOOD ASSISTANCE, AND HAVE IMPACTED MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY SO WE ARE SEEING, ANTICIPATING A GREATER NEED FOR

[02:45:03]

>> THANK YOU. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROPOSED ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS, I APPRECIATED THE HANDOUT BY THE WAY, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS SOME OF THE REQUESTS WERE INTENDED TO ENABLE THE CONTINUATION THROUGH 2026, A NUMBER OF GRANT PROGRAMS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE ENDED MUCH

EARLIER. >> THAT IS TRUE. AND THREE OF THEM WHICH ARE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO END IN JUNE, THE FUNDING IS REALLY COMING TO AN END NOW.

>> CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE CHALLENGES THAT WERE FACED BY THE COMMUNITY THAT INITIATED THESE PROGRAMS IN THE FIRST PLACE? I KNOW YOU SPOKE ABOUT THIS EARLIER, AS WELL AS CHRONIC DISEASE, CAN YOU SPEAK ABOUT THE KINDS OF OUTCOMES AND IMPACT YOU HAVE HAD WITH THESE GRANT PROGRAMS TO DATE?

>> WITH MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, WE IN HARRIS COUNTY HAVE ELEVATED RATES OF MATERNAL VITALITY, INFANT MORBIDITY, THROUGH THE PROGRAM WE HAVE HOME VISITATION, WE CONNECT PEOPLE TO MEDICAL COVERAGE, WE HAVE PRENATAL AND POSTNATAL VISITS, CONNECTING PEOPLE TO PRENATAL AND POSTNATAL CARE, LACTATION CONSULTANTS, EDUCATION AND IN ADDITION TO IMPACTING OUR PARTICIPANTS DIRECTLY, THAT TEAM IS ALWAYS OUT AND ABOUT SHARING THE MATERNAL HEALTH BILL OF RIGHTS, HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY DO, HOSTING COMMUNITY BABY SHOWERS AND JUST REALLY CREATING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE AS MUCH SUPPORT AS THEY SHOULD. SO, THAT TEAM HAS DELIVERED MORE THAN 1800 HOME VISITS JUST THIS YEAR AND WE REALLY THINK THAT IS SO CRITICAL IN SUPPORTING THE PARTICIPANTS AS WELL AS ELEVATING THE VISIBILITY OF THIS ISSUE ACROSS THE COUNTY. THIS IS AN AREA THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER ON AND THIS IS A CORE PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHICH THERE IS NO FUNDING IN THE GENERAL FUND.

>> AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THESE ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS ARE SEPARATE FROM THE OFFSETS THE TEAM HAS ALREADY PREPARED AS A PART OF THE BUDGET CYCLE FROM OTHER DIVISIONS, SO THESE ARE REALLY AN EFFORT TO CONTINUE THE SERVICES. EVEN IF -- IF THEY ARE NOT GRANTED, THESE BUDGET PROGRAMS THAT HAVE SUCH GREAT IMPACT AND IMPORTANCE IN THE COMMUNITY, THESE WILL CLOSE ONCE THE BUDGET HAS ENDED, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT IS TRUE. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT YOU INDICATED THIS ON THE HANDOUT BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SPEAK TO THEM, SO IN ADDITION TO THE GRANT PROGRAMS RUNNING OUT, HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT YOUR STAFFING AS THOSE PROGRAMS RUN

OUT AS WELL? >> WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF DEDICATED STAFF WHO HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO DEVELOP THESE PROGRAMS, WE THINK IT IS CRITICAL TO RETAIN THAT EXPERTISE ACROSS THE FULL PROGRAMS, WE WOULD LIKE TO RETAIN 14 PEOPLE IN CHILD HEALTH, 13 IN CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION, SEVEN IN WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE AND THREE IN THE

NEIGHBORHOOD. >> THANK YOU, SO SEPARATE FROM THE ENHANCEMENTS, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CUTS ON THE TABLE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, I NOTICED THERE WAS GREAT EFFORT TO PRESERVE STAFF AND SERVICES, I KNOW THAT MANY OF THESE ARE NONLABOR BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO SPECIFY A LITTLE BIT MORE WHAT THAT MEANS.

I THINK THAT NONLABOR IMPACTS LABOR AND THEIR ABILITY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH TO DELIVER SERVICES SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE OFFSETS AND CUTS ON YOUR BUDGET.

>> THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY ELEMENTS OF NONLABOR, THE FIRST IS MEDICAL SUPPLIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIVISION, THAT IS AN AREA THAT HAS HISTORICALLY SEEN A SURPLUS BUT WITH IMPACT OF TARIFFS WE BELIEVE WHETHER GOODS ARE PURCHASED INTERNATIONALLY OR LOCALLY, WE PLAN TO DO THAT WITH GREATER INFLATION, SO THIS HINDERS OUR ABILITY TO KEEP UP WITH INFLATION AND BY THE SUPPLIES WE NEED FOR THOSE CLINICS. WE ALSO HAVE AN ELEMENT WITHIN MOBILE HEALTH, $400,000 IN NONLABOR THAT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN USED FOR FOOD, WE ARE FUNDING THAT OUT OF ARPA BUT AT SOME POINT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE FOOD AND NUTRITION SUPPORT WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND AGAIN AND WITHIN VIOLENCE PREVENTION, WE HAVE HISTORICALLY HOSTED A FANTASTIC TWO DAY CONFERENCE AS WELL

[02:55:48]

[02:55:50]

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU PRECINCT 1, WE WILL CYCLE BACK TO ANY REMAINING TIME, PRECINCT 3, YOU HAVE 2:27

REMAINING. >> THE PH, WHILE THAT SEEMS TO BE ON A HAMSTER WHEEL, CAN'T SEEM TO GET OFF OF IT AND IN THE BUDGET ARE THE PLANS TO ENHANCE THE DEPARTMENT, FUND THE DEPARTMENT OR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET

TO GET OFF THE HAMSTER WHEEL. >> THANK YOU TEAM, THEY DO A TREMENDOUS JOB IN THE NEED IS VERY GREAT, WE HAVE A VERY LARGE STRAY ANIMAL POPULATION, WE HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE BEING VICTIMS OF DOG BITES, YOUR PRECINCT HELPED IN EXPANDING ANIMAL CONTROL EFFORTS THIS YEAR AND THAT ALSO BROUGHT MORE DOGS INTO THE ANIMAL SHELTER. SO, OUR TEAM IS WORKING REALLY HARD AT PREVENTION, AT EDUCATION, AT SPAY AND NEUTER ACTIVITIES, PRINCIPALLY WHAT WE NEED MORE THAN ANYTHING IS TO GET MORE ANIMALS OUT OF THE SHELTER SO ANY HELP WE CAN SEE IN TERMS OF FUNDING FOR RESCUE AND ADOPTION EFFORTS AS WELL AS ONGOING MOBILE WELLNESS, GETTING THE ANIMAL MICROCHIPPED HELPS THEM GET RETURNED TO THEIR OWNER INSTEAD OF RETURNING TO THE SHELTER, BEING VACCINATED PROTECTS THE HEALTH OF ANIMALS AND THE COMMUNITY. SO CERTAINLY THAT TEAM IS NOT APPEARING HERE ON THE OFFSETS, WE HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD NOT TO REDUCE THE FUNDING BUT THEY CAN ABSENTLY BENEFIT FROM ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

>> BASED ON THAT, THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF FUNDING, CONTEMPLATING

LOOKING INTO THE PRIVATE? >> THEY DO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM PARTNERS BUT IT IS PRIMARY GENERAL FUND FUNDED AS WELL AS RECEIVING SOME FEES THROUGH THOSE LOW-COST WELLNESS SERVICES, BUT THIS IS REALLY A DEPARTMENT THAT RESTS IN LARGE

PART ON THE GENERAL FUND. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 3.

PRECINCT 4, YOU HAVE 1:52 REMAINING.

>> THANK YOU, I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON THE QUESTION THAT ERICA HAD, WHICH IS THE HIRING FREEZE AT HEART. GENERAL, CAN YOU DESCRIBE I GUESS BASED ON THE CURRENT HIRING FREEZE, WITH THE EXEMPTION PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, IS IT JUST A SPECIFIC POSITION, AS IT CLASSES OF POSITIONS, DEPARTMENTS?

>> WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS OF A LIST OF DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS A FEW SPECIFIC CLASSIFICATIONS, WE SEND THE DRAFT PROPOSAL OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, WE'VE GOTTEN FEEDBACK IN SOME OF THE COMPELLING CASES, FOR CLASSIFICATIONS TO BE EXEMPTED, ASSISTANT MEDICAL EXAMINERS FOR EXAMPLE. I HAVE SEEN FROM SOME COURT OFFICES, THE DESIRE TO EXEMPT THE PREVENTION WORK AT PUBLIC HEALTH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THE COURT OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS AND BRING FORTH THOSE OPTIONS AND ULTIMATELY COURT IS GOING TO ADOPT THE POLICY AS PRESENTED OR AMENDED.

[03:00:02]

>> GREAT, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 4. COUNTY JUDGES OFFICE, YOU HAVE 1:25 REMAINING.

>> CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW MANY VACANCIES YOU HAVE?

>> CURRENTLY ABOUT 50 VACANCIES BUT JUST ABOUT HALF OF THOSE ARE

IN VIOLENCE PREVENTION. >> THANK YOU AND HOW MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR OVER A YEAR?

>> VERY FEW. >> GREAT, THANK YOU, I YIELD THE

REMAINDER OF MY TIME. >> PRECINCT 1, YOU HAVE 2:22

REMAINING. >> THANK YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A POSITIVE QUESTION BUT I'M TRYING, I KNOW PUBLIC HEALTH HAS A LOT OF VISION AND THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED OUR MOST INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS SO IF THERE WAS SOME MAGICAL FUNDING, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO

[HC Toll Road]

>> WELCOME BACK COURT OFFICES, IT IS 2:00 P.M. AND WE ARE READY TO RESUME OUR FINAL BUDGET PRESENTATIONS FOR THE DAY, RIGHT NOW WE WELCOME THE HARRIS COUNTY AUTHORITY AND DIRECTOR AS A REMINDER ON THE FORMAT, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR AN INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATION AND EIGHT COURT OFFICE IS ALLOCATED FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR

CLOSING REMARKS. >> ROBERTO TREVINO, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND I'M JOINED BY MY CHIEF OF STAFF , BUDGET MANAGER, AND AS FAR AS THIS PRESENTATION GOES, EASY QUESTIONS GO OVER HERE AND DIFFICULT QUESTIONS GO OVER THERE. BUT TALKING ABOUT THE HARRIS COUNTY TOLL ROAD BUDGET,

[03:05:03]

WITH THAT, WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU

HAVE. >> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, EACH COURT OFFICE WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS BEGINNING

WITH PRECINCT 3. >> DIRECTOR, THANK YOU FOR COMING OVER HERE TODAY, REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE HARRIS COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY HAS DONE, I CAN HARDLY THINK OF A SINGLE PROBLEM I HAVE HAD WITH YOU OR YOUR AGENCY IN THAT TIME PERIOD. THAT BEING SAID, HARRIS COUNTY IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTIES THAT THERE IS, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ARE YOUR PRIORITIES, ESPECIALLY RELATIVE TO THE CORRIDOR FOR THE NEXT

UPCOMING THREE YEARS? >> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HEMPSTEAD, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT PROJECT AND GETTING IT OFF THE GROUND, WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH SOUND FINANCIAL THOUGHTS IN MIND, THERE IS GOING TO BE A LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT AT 30+ MILES, WE DO DEEM IT IS GOING TO BE A VERY WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT TO IMPROVE MOBILITY IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY. WE ARE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF BRINGING ON THE TALENT THAT WE NEED TO DETERMINE A COST ESTIMATE FOR THAT PROJECT AND TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT MEETS THE TOTAL REVENUE PROJECTIONS. BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT WITHIN THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE WILL BRING ON THE TALENT TO GET THAT PROJECT OFF THE GROUND WHICH HAS BEEN LONG AWAITED FOR THE REGION.

>> THAT IS GREAT TO HEAR, THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT HECK OR FUNDS, WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO USE, ABOUT MOBILITY FUNDS OR OTHER ENTITIES, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT PRECINCT AND HOW THEY ARE USING IT, HAVE YOU BEEN GETTING READY TO DO AN AUDIT ON THE PRECINCT FUNDS AND MAKING SURE EVERYBODY IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO

THAT GOING FORWARD? >> ABSOLUTELY, WE WANT A VERY TRANSPARENT PROCESS WE CAN POST ON OUR WEBSITE, AS THE MOBILITY DOLLARS ARE SPENT, WE CAN DISPLAY TO THE PUBLIC WHAT IT IS WITHIN THE STATUTES AND PER DEFINITION OF MOBILITY. WE HAVE STARTED THAT PROCESS. WE WILL IN SHORT ORDER, PROBABLY MONDAY OF NEXT WEEK, WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH THE PRECINCT OFFICES TO SCHEDULE A TIME BECAUSE WE CREATED A PRESENTATION AND A TRAINING PROCESS TO WHERE WE DON'T ACTUALLY CHANGE THE WAY PURCHASE ORDERS ARE CUT THROUGH THE PRECINCTS OR ASK FOR THE PRECINCTS, WE WILL BE ASKING TO CODE DIFFERENTLY IN TWO DIFFERENT FIELDS SO THAT WAY WHEN WE GET ASKED FOR THE AUDIT AND A NUMBER, WE CAN ACTUALLY VERY QUICKLY AGGREGATE IT INTO A SCHEDULE OF COST CATEGORIES THAT ARE MOBILITY RELATED AND ALL THOSE FUNDS ARE AUDITABLE. THANKS.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THE UPCOMING WORLD CUP TO HOUSTON NEXT YEAR, WE HAD TO START COORDINATING WITH OTHER AGENCIES ON A LOT OF THINGS THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO TO GET READY, THE MOWING AND DEBRIS AND NOTHING ELSE, WHAT IS IT YOUR AGENCY IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO TO GET READY?

>> WE ARE EVALUATING THE APPEARANCE OF HARRIS COUNTY, OBVIOUSLY IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOLLROAD, IT IS AN ENTRYWAY AND GATEWAY INTO HARRIS COUNTY SO WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT THE CLEANLINESS, WE ARE TAKING A LOOK IF THERE IS SIGNAGE WE CAN PUT UP, ALL WITH COURT APPROVAL OBVIOUSLY, SIGNAGE OR EVEN SOME AMENITY IMPROVEMENTS TO WHERE AS PEOPLE COME INTO HARRIS COUNTY, IT IS VIEWED VERY POSITIVELY BUT NOT JUST ON THE HARDY, WE ARE EVALUATING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AS WELL AS CLEANING FREQUENCIES, SWEEPING FREQUENCIES, SO NOT JUST THE WORLD CUP BUT EVEN BEYOND THAT, WE CAN SUSTAIN THOSE FREQUENCIES AND AS THE TOLLROAD IS VIEWED VERY HIGHLY FINANCIALLY, WHEN YOU TRAVEL THE SYSTEM AS WELL, IT HAS THAT SAME PERCEPTION.

[03:10:04]

>> I'M GOING TO RESERVE THE REST OF MY TIME, THANK YOU.

>> PRECINCT 4 , YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT AND EVERYTHING, IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED. WE VALUE THE PARTNERSHIP, SO LOOKING AT YOUR BUDGET, WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON EMPLOYEE PAY. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE NEW LIVING WAGE, $20 PER HOUR AND THAT 2500 PAY INCREASE FOR THOSE MAKING LESS THAN 70 5K IMPACTED SOME HECTOR EMPLOYEES, CAN YOU SPEAK ON THAT AND WHETHER YOU THINK SUCH INCREASES CAN HELP IMPROVE RETENTION?

>> ABSOLUTELY, I THINK HECTOR IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHERE ADJUSTING THE LIVABLE WAGE ACTUALLY SAVES THE MONEY COUNTY.

ONE GREAT EXAMPLE WAS THE CALL CENTERS WERE NOT WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE, WE WERE PAYING WHAT I CONSIDER LESS TO BE MARKET VALUE IN THE PAST. I THINK THERE WAS A POINT TO WHERE WE WERE HIRING PEOPLE AND LOSING THEM AT A FASTER RATE SINCE WE COULD NOT KEEP THAT. SINCE WE INCREASED THE PAY TO A LIVABLE WAGE, THE RETENTION RATE IS IN THE 90S AND THE SERVICE LEVEL IS ABOVE 99% NOW. THAT IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE THAT YES IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE PAYING MORE BUT WHEN YOU PUT THAT WITH HIRING COSTS, TRAINING COSTS AND RETENTION COSTS, THEN YOU ARE SAVING MONEY BY MAKING THIS A PAY ADJUSTMENT.

>> NEXT QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH INFLATION AND TARIFFS, HAS INFLATION BEEN PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT THIS YEAR AND DO YOU EXPECT TARIFFS TO HAVE AN IMPACT ?

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY. AS WE START DOING CAPITAL PROJECTS, THERE'S A LOT THAT ARE ALREADY APPROVED BY THE COURT, THE CHANNEL BRIDGE IS A BIG EXAMPLE, WE HAVE THE BARRIER FREE PROGRAM THAT WE ARE STRIVING TO REMOVE THE CASH BOOTHS. ALL OF THOSE HAVE TO GET ADJUSTED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS, WHICH WE HAVE TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF STARTING TO PLAN THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS. BUT JUST LOOKING AT TXDOT, THE COST HAS INCREASED BY 75%. THAT IS THE COST OF LABOR AND TO DO CAPITAL PROJECTS, THAT IS WHERE IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO MAKE SURE THE CASH FLOW IS PROPER SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN A STEADY PROGRESS AND AVOID ANY POTENTIAL

DOWNGRADES IN THE CREDIT RATE. >> THANK YOU, NEXT QUESTION, WHAT ARE YOUR TOP PRIORITIES FOR HECTOR GOING INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT HEMPSTEAD BUT ALSO SOME

OTHER PRIORITIES, TOO. >> THE BIGGEST PRIORITY WE HAVE IS TO JUST RUN A SOUND BUSINESS, HECTOR HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES RECENTLY, WE REMOVED THE CASH BOOTHS, NOW WE PARTNERED WITH TXDOT THROUGH A TOLL SERVICE AGREEMENT, ALL THESE THINGS CHANGE THE WAY YOU BUDGET, THE WAY YOU PROJECT AND RUN THE AGENCY. SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO AND NOW WE ARE ON THE BACKSIDE OF THAT, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO START STABILIZING AND GETTING BETTER WHAT WE DO WITH THE NEW REALITY OF NOT HAVING THE CASH BOOTHS AVAILABLE WITH TXDOT IN THE MIX AND START GETTING BETTER AT WHAT WE CONSIDER NOW AS THE CORE BUSINESS BECAUSE THIS IS THE WAY IT IS GOING TO BE GOING FORWARD.

THAT IS THE HIGHLIGHT ON THE OPERATING SIDE, ON THE CAPITAL SIDE, OBVIOUSLY THE EXCITEMENT OF THE HARDY DOWNTOWN CONNECTOR PROJECT, IT IS A PROJECT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF HEMPSTEAD WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE A GENERAL ENGINEERING CONSULTANT IN PLACE TO GET THAT PROJECT GOING, WHILE QUICKLY GETTING HEMPSTEAD GOING AS WELL. ON A PARALLEL TRACK.

>> OKAY, MY NEXT QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH JUST FUNDS. HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT THE MOBILITY FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED EQUITABLY AND TO ADDRESS THE MOST CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN HARRIS

COUNTY? >> WHEN IT COMES TO MOBILITY FUNDS, WE SUPPLY THE DOLLAR AMOUNT AND WE TRANSFER IT OVER AND IT IS A POLICY DECISION THAT COMES TO COURT BUT, WE ARE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP, WE MAKE SURE OUR BONDED INTEREST IS MET AND THE DEBT COVERAGE IS MET, THERE'S A SET AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT COMES OVER AND AFTER THAT IT IS A POLICY DECISION THAT

HECTOR DOES NOT DETERMINE. >> THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION, YOUR MISSION STATEMENT HAS THE WORD SUSTAINABLE IN IT, WHAT SPECIFIC SUSTAINABILITY OR GREEN INITIATIVES IS HECTOR CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING OR PLANNING TO IMPLEMENT? AND DO THESE EFFORTS SUCH AS REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS, IMPACT OVERALL BUDGET

[03:15:01]

AND PROJECT PRIORITIZATION? >> AS WE DO ANY PROJECT NOW, WE MAY NOT -- I DON'T ENVISION THIS IS A BIG THING WE WANT TO TAKE OVER, WE ARE GETTING THE PRACTICES AND PRINCIPLES AND VISION AND WE ARE INCORPORATING THAT INTO EVERYONE OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS. WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE FACILITIES, WHICH IS BEING DONE COUNTYWIDE. AND AS FAR AS DRAINAGE AND THE WAY WE MAINTAIN OUR SYSTEM, WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT EVERY ASPECT OF THE CAPITAL DOLLARS AND I THINK SOME CREDIT TO THE TEAM, EVERY DOLLAR THAT HECTOR HAS SPENT, IT IS TIED BACK TO THE HARRIS COUNTY ACTION PLAN. SO, WE ARE PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AND WE CAN GET THAT TO YOUR OFFICE SO YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE

EFFORTS. >> THANK YOU PRECINCT 4.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU. WELL FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOUR TEAM IS DOING, NICOLE, THANK YOU AND DURING THIS LAST SESSION, I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSTANT PRESENCE TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT, AND THAT YOU ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH IGA IN THAT REGARD. I THINK COLLECTIVELY, YOU HAVE HELPED TO DO A LOT OF GOOD AND ENSURE THAT OUR MOBILITY DOLLARS STAY WITH THE MOBILITY PROJECTS, SO THANK YOU.

THAT BEING SAID, THE MOTION PASSED TO WORK ON AN AREA THAT CAME UP, THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION WHERE WE HAVE THE SHERIFF HANDLING ALL THE MAJOR EVENTS, ALL THE MAJOR CRASHES AND FATALITIES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND THE PROGRAM TO REIMBURSE ANY OF THE ESD'S THAT PARTICIPATE AS WELL, HOW IS THAT

COMING ALONG? >> IT IS GOING VERY WELL, COMMISSIONER. A LOT HAVE A GOVERNING BOARD THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH, WE WANT IT TO GO REALLY FAST BUT THEY HAVE TO RUN THE AGREEMENTS THROUGH THEIR BOARDS AS WELL, SO WE ARE SUBJECT TO THE TIMING OF THE SCHEDULING OF THEIR BOARD. A COUPLE HAVE GONE TO THE BOARDS, WE DID RECEIVE COMMENTS BACK SO WE WILL HAVE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO JUST MAKE SURE IT IS IN LINE WITH THE COURT DIRECTION. BUT WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED THOSE DISCUSSIONS, THAT HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF EXECUTING ALL THESE

AGREEMENTS. >> GOOD DEAL AND I HEARD YOU MENTIONING HEMPSTEAD AS I WAS WALKING IN, THANK YOU FURTHER LOOK INTO THAT. WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE CONVERSATION THAT WE SHOULD BE CONTEMPLATING AFTER HEMPSTEAD, WHAT DOES THAT

30 YEAR HORIZON LOOK LIKE? >> WELL, HEMPSTEAD IS A VERY LONG CORRIDOR SO HOPEFULLY WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT IT IN 20 YEARS, BUT THEY DO HAVE SOME CONSTRAINTS AS YOU GET FURTHER INTO TOWN BUT THE ONE THING WE ARE LOOKING AT IS WHAT IS THAT LONG-TERM VISION AND OVERALL PLAN. SO OBVIOUSLY IN YOUR PRECINCT, THE SHIP CHANNEL BRIDGE HAS TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS. THE DOWNTOWN CONNECTOR HAS TO GET DONE, AND AS AN AGENCY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A VISION THAT GOES BEYOND THAT, JUST LIKE YOU SAID. WE HAVEN'T STARTED THAT CAPITOL VIEW. ANOTHER THING WE TALKED ABOUT, WHAT IS A LONG-TERM PLAN FOR WASHBURN TUNNEL AND THE FAIRIES. SO AS WE GET THE HARDY DOWNTOWN CONNECTOR GOING AND HEMPSTEAD GOING, THE NEXT ACTION ITEM FOR THE AGENCY, AS A CIP FOR THE NEXT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS IS SET, WHAT IS THE LONG-TERM VISION THAT YOU ARE REFERENCING TO AND WE WILL LIKELY TAKE A PLANNING EXERCISE SO WE KNOW THE NEXT STEPS. SO WE ARE NOT STANDING STILL, ALWAYS MEETING

THE NEEDS OF THE REGION. >> VERY GOOD, PLEASE, LET'S HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO DO IN THIS ROLE IS TO TRY TO PUT THINGS IN MOTION THAT I WILL NEVER GET TO SEE , BECAUSE YOU ARE ENSURING THAT THE NEXT GENERATION HOPEFULLY WILL GAIN SOME VALUE, AND I ALWAYS LOOK TOWARDS HOW THE FOREFATHERS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, 100 YEARS AGO, THEY GOT ALL WATER RIGHTS, 100 YEARS AGO, THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS. SO THAT IS WORK I WANT TO CHALLENGE US TO DO IN TERMS OF ENSURING THAT WE PAY ATTENTION TO MOBILITY. IT IS A QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUE, BUSINESSES THINK ABOUT IT AS THEY CONTEMPLATE COMING HERE. FAMILIES MADE DECISIONS WHETHER

[03:20:02]

WITH THAT BEING SAID, MR. ROBERTO TREVINO , THE COLLABORATION WITH METRO AND TXDOT, HOW ARE THOSE

CONVERSATIONS COMING ALONG? >> THE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING REALLY WELL, I WOULD SAY, I GUESS JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO, DISCUSSIONS WITH THE HIP PROJECT, THERE PROBABLY WAS NO RELATIONSHIP AT THAT TIME. WITH SUPPORT OF THE BACK OFFICE AND PROJECTS THAT BASICALLY HELP EACH OTHER, TRAFFIC INTO DOWNTOWN ON THE HARDY, HEMPSTEAD, THOSE PROJECTS ARE IN THE TXDOT FREIGHT PLAN SO WHEN WE START PARTING WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS LIKE TXDOT, LIKE YOU SAID, IT IS THE VISION FOR THE REGION. I THINK WE ARE WELL ALIGNED WITH TXDOT. THEY ARE NOT IN THE ROOM, BUT I WILL SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT THE RELATIONSHIP IS REALLY GOOD. WITH METRO, IT IS THE SAME, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH METRO WHERE WE SAVED THEM SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY TO WHERE HECTOR IS COMING IN, PROVIDING THE TOLL MAINTENANCE OF THEIR EQUIPMENT, UNDER OUR CONTRACT WHICH HAS BETTER TERMS, WHERE WE HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP WORKING. AND OBVIOUSLY GOING BACK TO THE HARDY DOWNTOWN CONNECTOR, TRANSIT FROM THE AIRPORT INTO DOWNTOWN HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NEED FOR THE REGION. ANY BIG EVENT, IT IS LIKE THE HOLDUP TO HOUSTON, WHERE THE HARRIS COUNTY REGION IS DO YOU HAVE TRANSPORT TO DOWNTOWN? AND I THINK THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTNERSHIP IN THE PROJECT BECAUSE IT IS THE FASTEST ROUTE INTO DOWNTOWN AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH AND SEE HOW WE CAN MAXIMIZE

TRANSIT. >> WONDERFUL, I KNOW MY TIME HAS EXPIRED BUT DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE THE PORT OF HOUSTON IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS. WONDERFUL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

>> COUNTY JUDGES OFFICE, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR

QUESTIONS. >> SEVERAL OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED AND ANSWERED SO I WILL KEEP THINGS SIMPLE. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THE PROGRESS ON VISION ZERO GOALS AS WELL AS SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE IN THE NEXT

YEAR? >> WE HAVE THE BARRIER FREE PROJECT GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND ORIGINALLY STARTED OFF WITH THE CASH BOOTHS BUT WHEN YOU REMOVE THOSE AND STRAIGHTEN OUT THE ROADWAY, THE SPEED OF TRAFFIC START TO INCREASE AND WHAT WE REALIZED IS, THE ACCESS MIGHT NOT BE IN THE RIGHT LOCATION SO WE DID A FULL ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC AND WHAT WAS DETERMINED IS THERE IS A LOT OF INTERSECTIONS ALONG THE TOLLWAY, I THINK 131 IN TOTAL THAT NEEDED SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, SO AS A PART OF THE BARRIER FREE FROM THEM, WE HAVE HIRED CONSULTANTS, THE DESIGN IS ALREADY IN PLACE SO WE CAN PROVIDE VERY GOOD PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE ACCESS THAT IS A LOT SAFER. WHEN THE TOLLROAD WAS BUILT, NONE OF THE DEPARTMENT WAS AROUND IT, SO IT IS BEHOLDEN ON THE AGENCY TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS SO IT IS SAFER FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED AROUND THE TOLLROAD. THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON. THERE'S SOME EARLY WINS IN THE DOWNTOWN CONNECTOR PROJECT THAT AS WE START EVALUATING A PROJECT AND WHAT WE COMMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY WAS, YES, HECTOR IS A TOLLROAD BUT WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO GET FIRST IS SAFE ACCESS THROUGH THAT AREA AND THEN WE WILL BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE LAST. WE ARE PUTTING THE COMMUNITY AND SAFETY FIRST, THEN WE WILL FOCUS ON THE LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE AFTER THAT.

>> THANK YOU, I WILL YIELD THE REMAINDER OF MY TIME TO

COMMISSIONER GARCIA. >> THANK YOU. ROBERTO, ON THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PORT AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED WASHBURN TUNNEL, I WAS WITH THEM RECENTLY, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND THE CONVERSATION OF WASHBURN DID COME UP AND I KNEW THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A SLIGHT CLEARANCE TO THE BASE OF THE SHIP CHANNEL TO THE ROOF OF THE TUNNEL. I DID NOT FULLY REALIZE THAT THEY ARE MAKING CONSCIENTIOUS DECISIONS ABOUT WIDENING AS A CONSEQUENCE OF IT. THAT THEY DO WANT TO GO FURTHER IN ON THE PROJECT BUT THEY CAN'T BECAUSE OF WASHBURN. WHEN DO YOU THINK WE WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF

[03:25:07]

WASHBURN? >> WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT BRINGING SOMEBODY ON AT THE BEGINNING OF 2026, SOMETIME IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, THAT CLEARANCE AS YOU ARE REFERENCING TO IS 1 1/2 FEET, THE TOP OF THE WASHBURN TUNNEL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LARGE SHIPS THEY PLAN ON BRINGING THROUGH, THAT IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION, SO WE ARE PLANNING ON BRINGING SOMEBODY IN SPRING OF NEXT YEAR TO START TAKING EVALUATIONS. WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THAT, WHAT MAKES THE TAKING EVALUATIONS. WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THAT, WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.

>> WHAT CAN WE BE DOING TO ENSURE YOUR SUCCESS?

>> THE COURT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT SUPPORTIVE AND IN THE DIRECTION IT IS GIVEN IN THE WAY WE WANT TO ADDRESS THE ITEM, MY ONLY RECOMMENDATION, KEEP SUPPORTING US AS YOU HAVE BEEN, THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL REQUESTS BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD NO ISSUES AND YOU HAVE MADE OUR JOB VERY EASY BY SUPPORTING US SO MUCH WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE AGENCY IS GOING.

>> GOOD DEAL, AND I KNOW I SOUND LIKE A PREACHER, BUT ONE MORE THING. I KNOW THAT WE WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PROJECTIONS VERSUS COLLECTED REVENUE, HAS THAT BEEN RESOLVED?

>> YEAH. SO, JUST TALKING ABOUT THE TOPIC, SO HISTORICALLY, HECTOR WAS NOT IN A CONSTRUCTION MODE AND IT WAS COLLECTING CASH, 96% OF REVENUE WAS CAPTURED AT THAT POINT IN TIME TO WHERE YOU PROJECTED HOW MUCH REVENUE YOU ARE GOING TO GET, YOU PROJECT CLOSE TO 100% BECAUSE YOU HAD IT IN THE BANK. BUT, AS COURT HAS DIRECTED, DON'T BE PREDATORY WITH YOUR PRACTICES. SO NOW, WE HAVE TWO INVOICES BEFORE HE GOES TO COLLECTIONS. SO WHAT THAT DOES, YOU ARE GOING TO CAPTURE YOUR REVENUE, IT MAY NOT BE THAT POINT IN TIME TO WHERE WE ACTUALLY MAKE A COMMITMENT TO CORE THAT WE ARE GOING TO TRANSFER MONEY, IT IS ACTUALLY IN THE BANK. SO WE WILL GO OFF ACTUAL CASH RECEIVED AS OPPOSED TO PROJECTED CASH RECEIVED BECAUSE WE ARE PROJECTING IT BY CASH AND WE VERY LIKELY WILL GET IT BUT WHEN WE TRANSFER IT OVER AND IT IS OBLIGATED FOR THE PRECINCT NEEDS, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT YOU GET IT AND I THINK THAT WE WORK TO RESOLVE THAT MODEL AND HOW IT IS GOING TO BE DETERMINED IN THE FUTURE AND WITH THE GOAL OF STABILIZING THE VALUE TO WHERE COURT CAN DEPEND ON EVERY YEAR THAT THIS IS COMMITTED AND IT IS COMING BECAUSE AS WE ENTER THIS AREA OF CONSTRUCTION, THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE INCREASING, WE HAVE TO BE DILIGENT IN MAKING SURE IT DOESN'T IMPACT THE NEEDS OF YOUR PRECINCT. SO WE HAVE A GOOD PROCESS IN PLACE AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN A STEADY TRANSFER WHILE ALSO MEETING THE OBJECTIVES OF

HECTOR. >> WONDERFUL, THANK YOU VERY

MUCH. >> THANK YOU, PRECINCT ONE, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR RUNNING THIS BEST IN CLASS SERVICE, AS A MODEL FOR THE COUNTRY. I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS, FIRST WILL THE CONSTABLE AND SERVICE OFFICE DEPUTIES BE USED

ON THE PATROL SYSTEM? >> THE PAY RAISES ARE PART OF OUR BUDGET AND THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE 420 WE ARE RECOMMENDING FROM COURT. THE M.O. YOU IS MORE RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED, THERE'S NO DOLLAR RELATED, IT WAS JUST CLARITY AS TO WHO PROVIDES SUPPORT . WITH THE CONSTABLES THAT HANDLE THE BULK OF RESPONSES ON OUR SYSTEM AND SUPPORTED ON SPECIAL INSTANCES WHERE THE SHERIFF NEEDS TO COME IN, IT'S JUST TO CLARIFY THOSE

[03:30:02]

ACCOMMODATED. >> IT IS ALSO REFLECTED ON THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE SIDE AS WELL, SO THAT IS A PART OF OUR PROCESS, ADJUSTING FOR NEXT YEAR'S COSTS.

>> OKAY. THE SECOND QUESTION, ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIRECT LABOR EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE COSTS FUNDED BY THE TOLLROAD THAT COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE GENERAL FUND CUTS?

>> I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY IMPACTS. HCTR HAS TO BE RUN WITH TOLL REVENUE, SO I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY ACTIVITIES IN THE GENERAL FUND TO BE IMPACTED BY THE CUTS THAT ARE PROPOSED.

>> THANK YOU. >> WE WILL NOW CYCLE BACK FOR ANY REMAINING TIME, PRECINCT 3 ?

>> WE HAVE HEARD A LOT FROM DIRECTORS THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT A.I. AND THE PATH FORWARD AND WHERE WE ARE GOING SO THIS IS A TWO PART QUESTION JUST TO BE MINDFUL OF TIME, WHERE ONE IS HCTR , LOOKING AT THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE BASE, WHAT YOU ARE DOING ONLINE VERSUS THE CALL CENTER AND TWO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY TO DO MORE IN THE FIELD AND BE MORE

PROACTIVE IN THE FIELD? >> I'M GLAD YOU ASKED, WE ARE ALREADY LEVERAGING A.I., THERE ARE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. EVERY PERSON THAT GOES THROUGH THE TOLL PLAZA THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN EZ TAG, THAT LICENSE PLATE HAS TO BE REVIEWED. WE ARE DOING MILLIONS PER YEAR NOW, USING A.I. WE ARE GOING TO CUT THAT COST TO I THINK 3 CENTS PER IMAGE. THEY ARE USING AN A.I.

SOFTWARE THAT CAN QUICKLY GO THROUGH THE LICENSE PLATE. AND WE ARE ALSO TAKING A LOOK AT A.I. WHERE REVENUE CAPTURES THE DIFFICULT PROCESS BUT, USING A.I., WE COULD STRATEGIZE WHAT THE INVOICE AND PRACTICES ARE TO MAXIMIZE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CUSTOMER THAT IS LIKELY TO PAY SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. SO WE ARE USING A.I. TO THE MAX EXTENT POSSIBLE TO LOWER OUR COSTS AND CAPTURE OUR REVENUE SOONER.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 3. PRECINCT 1, YOU HAVE 1:13

REMAINING. >> I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME.

>> DIRECTOR, YOU HAVE YOUR CLOSING REMARKS.

>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE PRECINCT OFFICES, AS I SAID BEFORE, YOU ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF HCTR AND OUR INITIATIVES. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO MYSELF AND ANY OF MY TEAMMATES AND THE SECOND THING IS GOING BACK TO THE MOBILITY TRANSFERS, I WILL BE REACHING OUT TO ALL THE OFFICES TO SCHEDULE A TIME WITH YOUR OFFICES TO WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WHICH WE CAN BE MORE TRANSPARENT, THAT ALL OF THE MOBILITY DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT, SO WE WILL CIRCLE BACK TO YOU ON THAT AND WE APPRECIATE

THE COLLABORATION. >> THANK YOU DIRECTOR AND TO THE ENTIRE HCTR TEAM, OUR FINAL PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM THE HARRIS CENTER.

[The Harris Center for Mental Health]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE HARRIS CENTER, AND A

[03:35:03]

CLOSING REMARKS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, I DO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU INDICATED THIS IS THE LAST PRESENTATION OF THE WEEK SO WE WILL TRY TO BE BRIEF ANSWER SYNCED BUT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. I REQUEST TO MAINTAIN THE ALLOCATED FUNDING OF 24 MILLION, THOSE FUNDS TYPICALLY ARE USED IN TWO WAYS, ONE IS AS A MATCH TO BRING DOWN THE STATE DOLLARS WHICH IS A PART OF THE COMMITMENT THAT WAS MADE IN THE 60S THAT CREATED THE HARRIS CENTER AND THE COURT AS OUR SPONSORING ENTITY . THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL POOL OF FUNDS THAT I LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE UP JUST SO THERE'S NO CONFUSION OF CONTRACTED SERVICES, WHERE WE DELIVER SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY WHERE YOU CONTRACT FOR THEM, THOSE CONTRACTED SERVICES ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT $33 MILLION, NOT INCLUDED IN THIS BUT CERTAINLY WITHIN THE BUDGET, FOR THOSE VARIOUS OFFICES. AND THAT IS THE PORTION OF THE OVERALL BUDGET, SO THE PRIMARY FUNDING FOR THE HARRIS CENTER COMES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AT THE STATE LEVEL. WE ALSO RECEIVE ABOUT 20% OF OUR FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH VARIOUS CONTRACTS AND DIRECT PAYMENT PROGRAMS AND MODELS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. I WILL ALSO JUST TAKE A MINUTE TO RECOGNIZE A COUPLE OF OUR ACCOMPANIMENTS BEFORE WE GET INTO QUESTIONS, LAST YEAR THE HARRIS CENTER SURVEYED OVER 96,000 PEOPLE HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND OUR CHARGE IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AS A PROVIDER OF LAST RESORT. SO ALMOST EVERYONE WE SERVE HAS VERY COMPLEX NEEDS AND VERY LIMITED RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM. WE HIT THE 14,000 MARK FOR THE JAIL DIVERSION MARK, AND WE DIVERTED 157 YOUTH THROUGH OUR JUVENILE CENTER SINCE IT OPENED IN 2023, WE DID COMPLETE THE ACQUISITION OF SOME SUPPORTIVE LIVING BEDS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY OPERATED BY THE CENTER THAT WERE FUNDED IN PART BY CITY AND COUNTY THROUGH THE FEDERAL FUNDS. IT CREATES CAPACITY OF TRANSITIONAL LIVING SPACE FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, I'M MORE EXCITED ABOUT THAT TRANSITION. THE CITY'S 911 CENTER HAS HAD ALMOST 1500 CRISIS CALLS THAT WE DIVERTED, AND THE PSYCHIATRIC CENTER WHICH IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE AS COUNTY FUNDS TO SUPPORT HAD OVER 12,000 PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY VISITS LAST YEAR. WE DID SECURE FUNDING FOR A FACILITY TO SERVE CHILDREN WITHOUT PLACEMENT THAT IS INVOLVED IN THE DGBS SYSTEM, AND WE GOT SEVERAL CONTRACTS COMPLETED, ALL OF YOUR OFFICES HELPED. I WILL ANSWER ANY

QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. >> GOOD TO SEE YOU AND HAPPY FRIDAY TO EVERYONE, I WANTED TO ASK HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE CURRENTLY WORKING FOR THE CLINICIAN AND OFFICER REMOTE EVALUATION, OR CORE PROGRAM AND IF THIS PROGRAM HAS SEEN ANY

REDUCTIONS. >> SO, COURT DOES HAVE SOME CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, IT IS ARPA FUNDED AND THOSE FUNDS ARE PROJECTED TO EXPIRE I BELIEVE IN OCTOBER. I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER OF CLINICIANS, SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF EIGHT TO 10, BUT THAT IS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I CAN FOLLOW UP AND GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER.

>> JUST CURIOUS WHY THIS PROGRAM WASN'T FLAGGED FOR POTENTIAL

ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS. >> I THINK THE ENHANCEMENT THAT WE DID REQUEST WAS RELATED TO SECURITY FOR 6160, THAT REQUEST HAS NOT MADE IT THROUGH THE PROCESS THE LAST TWO YEARS AND I TRIED TO BE VERY FOCUSED ON WHAT WE MADE REQUESTS FOR. I WILL ALSO SAY THAT WE HAD TWO LOCAL BUDGET WRITERS THAT WERE IN CONSIDERATION, WE ALSO HAD TWO STATEWIDE WRITERS THAT THE ASSOCIATION PUT THROUGH AND BOTH OF THOSE HAD FUNDS THAT WOULD PROVIDE ONGOING FUNDING FOR CORE PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE OTHERS, THE YOUTH DIVERSION CENTER AS A GOOD EXAMPLE. I DID WANT TO MAKE A REQUEST WHILE THAT BUDGET PROCESS WAS STILL GOING ON, ULTIMATELY NONE OF THOSE FOUR MADE IT THROUGH, IT WAS NOT A GREAT LEGISLATIVE SESSION. SO THAT WAS THE OTHER PART OF IT.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU, DOES THE HARRIS CENTER BUDGET

[03:40:01]

DON'T RELAPSE UPON RELEASE? >> THERE IS A POTENTIAL PLAN TO CREATE CONTINUITY FOR THOSE, SOME OF THEM ARE ALREADY OUR CLIENTS, THOSE WHO ARE NOT WE TRY TO CONNECT WITH US. BUT WE HAVE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF FOCUS ON TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS LEADING ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT. IF I CAN JUST GO BACK AND CLARIFY REAL QUICKLY, THE CORE THAT LOST ARPA FUNDING IS NOT THE CORE THAT RESPONDS TO THE COUNTY CALLS, THAT IS THE CORE THAT RESPONDS TO THE CITY, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT CALLS. JUST TO CLARIFY ON THAT PIECE. THE CORE COUNTY FUNDS ARE STABLE IN THIS BUDGET AND WILL CONTINUE AS PLANNED. IT WILL NOT IMPACT THE COUNTY COURT CALLS IN RESPONSE

TO THEM. >> GIVEN THE FLAT FUNDING AND JUST CURIOUS, WE KNOW IT WASN'T A GREAT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR TOP PRIORITIES ARE TO ENSURE FAMILIES CAN STILL GET ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN HARRIS

COUNTY. >> FOR ME, IT IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MAINTAINING OUR CRISIS SYSTEM SO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE MOST HIGHEST NEED, WE TRY TO ENGAGE AND IDENTIFY THEM AND ALSO TO MAINTAIN THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE DONE THAT, THE LOSSES WE WILL EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR, WE EXPERIENCED LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR AND INTO NEXT YEAR ARE GOING TO BE ALL ARPA RELATED. IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT THOSE THINGS THAT WERE REALLY IMPACTFUL AND INNOVATIVE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN CONTINUED. ULTIMATELY, WE ARE FUNDING AROUND $28-$29 MILLION PER YEAR. IT IS A LITTLE PAINFUL NOW, IF WE HAD FORGONE THOSE FUNDS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING NOT TO HAVE THOSE DOLLARS IN OUR SYSTEM

EACH YEAR. >> AND WE HEARD ABOUT THE RISING COST FOR INPATIENT BEDS, AND THIS YEAR, THE HARRIS COUNTY COURT IS COMMITTED TO BRIDGE THOSE COST GAPS, HAVE ANY OTHER ENTITIES COMMITTED TO HELPING WITH THAT?

>> SO, THE THINGS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO BE A PART

[03:45:16]

SERVICES. >> THANK YOU, IT IS CHALLENGING, WITH SUCH A HIGH POPULATION AND SO MANY MINISTRIES OF REQUIREMENTS. CAN YOU ALSO SPEAK ABOUT RECENT CITY OR STATE POLICY AND/OR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT YOU ANTICIPATE MIGHT HAVE IMPACTS ON YOUR PATIENT VOLUME YOU MIGHT SEE AND THE SERVICES THAT ARE GOING TO BE DEMANDED IN THE NEXT YEAR?

>> TYPICALLY, THE POLICY CHANGES THAT WILL IMPACT THE PATIENT'S ARE THE ONES I MENTIONED MOST LIKELY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE STATE HASN'T MADE ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES, OBVIOUSLY THEY MAKE SURE WE COMPLY BECAUSE THE CONTRACT FOR THOSE DOLLARS IS BETWEEN THE REST OF THE STATE. THE STATE WILL BE THE ONE WHO CREATES ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT, I THINK WE ARE INCREASINGLY CONCERNED, I THINK IT IS GREAT, THE STATE HAS PUT FORWARD A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN RELATED TO 988. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, IT IS A THREE DIGIT LINE THAT YOU CAN CALL FROM ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY AND YOU WILL END UP AT SOME CENTER LIKE OURS PERHAPS, IF YOU DIAL IT FROM ONE OF THE AREA CODES THAT COVER ABOUT HALF THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU WILL END UP IN OUR CALL CENTER LOCALLY, SO THEY ARE DOING THE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AROUND THAT BUT THEY DID NOT ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO REQUEST THAT COMPONENT. SO WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT AN INCREASE OF CALL VOLUME AND OUR ABILITY TO ANSWER THOSE CALLS WITHIN THE STATE. AND ALWAYS WHEN YOU STAY FLAT FROM A FUNDING PERSPECTIVE AND HAVE A RISING POPULATION INCREASE,

THERE'S ALWAYS PRESSURES. >> THANK YOU, CAN YOU ALSO SPEAK ABOUT, THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY THAT HARRIS CENTER COLLABORATES WITH INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE COUNTY AND GIVEN THAT YOU RUN SO MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND REFER PATIENTS TO SO MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS FOR CONTINUING SERVICES BOTH WITHIN AND IN YOUR CURRENT FACILITY , CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT CONTINUITY OF CARE AND HOW THEY MIGHT RECEIVE THAT CARE THROUGH OTHER PROGRAMS, HOW DO YOU BASICALLY SUPPLIED -- SUPPLY THE

SUPPORT? >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, I THINK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE LOOK AT US AND THEY PROBABLY THINK OF US LIKE YOU THINK ABOUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, IF YOU ARE TO GO AND RECEIVE COUNSELING OR SEE A PSYCHIATRIST, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE IN OUR SYSTEM THAT THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM DOESN'T IS CARE COORDINATORS, SO WE HAVE PEOPLE WHOSE JOB IS TO TRY TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE GET CONNECTED WITH OTHER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEMS OR OTHER SYSTEMS OF CARE, OR WHEREVER THEY MIGHT INTERSECT. SO THE CAMPUS IS FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INTERSECTING CRIMINAL SERVICES, AND SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH. THERE'S A LOT OF THAT COMPONENT WITHIN OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THE COMPLEXITY OF OUR PATIENTS NEEDS ARE NOT WELL-SUITED TO JUST SAY GO CALL THESE INDIVIDUALS OR GO TO THAT SYSTEM, SO WE DO A LOT OF

CONNECTEDNESS. >> THANK YOU COUNTY JUDGES OFFICE. PRECINCT 1, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, MR. YOUNG, AMANDA, AND THE WHOLE TEAM. AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ARPA FUNDS, I WANT TO GET A PICTURE OF WHICH PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO BE NOT CONTINUING ENHANCEMENT AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOUR VACANCIES AND HIRING?

>> THE ARPA FUNDS IS CHALLENGING, YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TERMINATED ARPA FUNDS, I KNOW THAT IMPACTED COUNTY FUNDS AS WELL BACK IN MARCH, APRIL TIMEFRAME. THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN CLOSED, THOSE EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN TRANSITIONED, THAT WAS ABOUT 60 TEAM MEMBERS . THAT WAS FOCUSED ON SOME HOSPITAL HOME EXPANSION, SOME INDIVIDUALS AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER, SOME SPECIALTY CARE DOLLARS. WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PROCESS SINCE THAT HAPPENED OF TRYING TO FIND OTHER SOURCES AND IN SOME CASES WE FOUND DIRECT FUNDS, LIKE THE NAVIGATION CENTER, THE CITY STEPPED UP TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THAT, THE HOSPITAL HOMES, THE STATE GAVE US ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR HOSPITAL STEP DOWN. THE CITY IS WORKING ON A CONTRACT TO CREATE SIMILAR BEDS SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OFFSETTING COMPONENTS TO THAT BUT IN TERMS OF THE DETOX PROGRAM, THOSE 55 INDIVIDUALS, OUR PRIORITY WHENEVER WE HAVE THAT IS TO MOVE AS MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS INTO OTHER OPEN

[03:50:03]

THAT. >> RELATING TO THAT NOTE, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, IF WE HAVE A HIRING FREEZE, HOW WOULD A TWO-MONTH DELAY AFFECT THE WORK OR SERVICE LINE?

>> SO IT HAS REALLY BEEN FOR EXTERNAL HIRING, SO WE WOULD NOT GO AND MAKE AN OFFER WITH OUR LEFT HAND FOR A NEW EMPLOYEE INTO THE HARRIS CENTER, WHILE ON THE RIGHT HAND WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE WHO WAS QUALIFIED FOR THAT JOB. SO THE FREEZE IS ABOUT NOT DOING EXTERNAL HIRING AND TRYING TO FOCUS ON INTERNAL HIRING AND PRIMARILY ON CLINICAL POSITIONS. IF YOU ARE A CARE COORDINATOR, WE OFTEN HAVE THOSE OPEN AND I HAD A LEADERSHIP MEETING YESTERDAY AND MADE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD THAT WAS MY EXPECTATION TO DO THAT. SOMETHING LIKE COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, WE DON'T HAVE MANY OF THOSE, THERE'S PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR OF THOSE FOLKS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. SO WE MAY NOT BE AS READILY ABLE TO DO THAT, OR LIKE WE ARE LOOKING FOR A CONTROLLER, WE KNEW WE DIDN'T HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WAS QUALIFIED TO BE THE CONTROLLER IN HOUSE. AND THEY CERTAINLY WEREN'T GOING TO COME OUT OF THE CLINICAL PROGRAM SO IN THOSE CASES, WE HAVE OPENED UP HIRING FOR THOSE BUT IT HAS BEEN IN THAT TRANSITION PIECE THAT WE HAVE DONE THE FREEZE IF YOU

WILL. >> AND MY LAST QUESTION IS WITH CHARITY CARE, IF THOSE FUNDS RUN OUT, DO WE PAY THE GENERAL FUND AND THE REGULAR BUDGET, AND ON TOP OF THAT, WHAT ARE THE POPULATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED WITH THESE PAYMENTS THAT WE ARE SEEING?

>> RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT EXPECTING A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE DIRECT TO PAYMENT PROGRAM. OBVIOUSLY I DON'T THINK THEY ARE LOOKING AT CUTTING MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT LEVELS, IT WILL BE WHO IS ELIGIBLE. WE ARE NOT IN THE HABIT OF TURNING PEOPLE AWAY. IF YOU SHOW UP IN CRISIS, WE ARE GOING TO SUPPORT YOU NO MATTER WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THE INTERESTING THING, WE ARE THE PROVIDER OF SERVICES, THE MAIN THING WE PAY FOR TYPICALLY IS THE BEDS. SO THERE'S A FEW OTHER PIECES, SO FOR US THE RISK ISN'T THAT WE WON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES BECAUSE WE WILL PROVIDE SERVICES THROUGH THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES. IT BECOMES, DO WE END UP WITH A WAITING LIST AT SOME POINT? THAT IS THE RISK WE HAVE. WE HAVEN'T HAD A WAITING LIST IN THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, I DO THINK THERE IS A CHANCE THAT COULD HAPPEN AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR.

>> THANK YOU, PRECINCT 2, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR

QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP , IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU AND ALONGSIDE YOUR TEAM, WE TRULY VALUE THE COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE HARRIS CENTER. I WILL GO INTO MY QUESTIONS, IN TERMS OF STIGMA, WHAT IS THE HARRIS CENTER DOING WITH THE FISCAL YEAR 26 RESOURCES TO ENSURE THEY HAVE EQUITY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY LIKE

PRECINCT 2? >> WE HAVE A PROCESS WHERE WE TRY TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE ARE SERVING A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS BELOW WHAT WOULD BE EXPECTED JUST BASED ON REGULAR PREVALENCE RATES. SO THE LAST STRATEGIC PLAN, IT WAS RELATED TO INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE OF SERVICES IN THOSE AREAS, WE ACHIEVED THAT GOAL. SO WE LOOK INTENTIONALLY AROUND

[03:55:01]

>> ON A DIFFERENT NOTE, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE CUTS YOU ARE SEEING FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL AND WHAT IMPLICATIONS THEY ARE HAVING ON YOUR SERVICES, IF ANY?

>> I COVERED SOME OF THOSE, THE ARPA FUNDS ARE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST IMPACT RIGHT NOW, THE STATE HAS NOT CUT FUNDS, THEY JUST INCREASED. I WILL GIVE AN EXAMPLE, ONE OF THOSE POLLS OF ARPA FUNDS THAT WAS CANCELED BACK IN MARCH, IT WAS FOR OUTPATIENT EXPANSION. THE STATE, PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC HAD A PRETTY SOLID TWO OR THREE SESSION HISTORY OF INCREASING INCREMENTALLY OUTPATIENT FUNDS TO SUPPORT EXPANSION. WHEN THE ARPA FUNDS WERE AVAILABLE, THEY NO LONGER ALLOCATED STATE FUNDS TO THAT EXPANSION AND RIGHTFULLY SO, IT WAS COVERED AND THE FUNDS WERE DOING WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. THOSE FUNDS GO AWAY, IF THE STATE DIDN'T REPLACE THEM, WE GO BACK TO FUNDING LEVELS THAT WERE A FOUR-YEAR STACK. THAT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE, WE HAVE MANAGED MOST OF THAT THROUGH VACANCY POSITIONS AND ELIMINATING VACANCY POSITIONS. THAT IS WHERE I THINK THE RISK IS FOR THE WAITLIST BECAUSE WE ARE GOING BACK TO SERVICE LEVEL FROM ABOUT 2000. THE ARPA PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT NORMALIZED, A LOT OF THE FUNDING, THE COUNTY SUPPORTED SOME OF THAT BUT THAT WAS ALSO RELATED TO PUBLIC FUNDS, THE YOUTH CENTER, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION TYPE SERVICES , SO AS THOSE GO AWAY, IT'S NOT LIKE WE WILL NOT HAVE SOME SERVICES, THEY JUST WON'T BE AS SUBSTANTIAL OR ROBUST OR QUICKLY AVAILABLE. THE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER DETOX, WE CLOSED THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE IT WASN'T SUSTAINABLE WITHOUT THOSE FUNDS.

THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE MAIN ONES.

>> THANK YOU, AND COULD YOU DISCUSS SOME SIGNATURE INITIATIVES YOU ARE PROUD OF THAT TOOK PLACE IN FISCAL YEAR 25, AND WHAT PROJECTS YOU ARE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO?

>> I'M EXCITED ABOUT MPC, IT HAS NOT BEEN RENOVATED IN DECADES AND AS I SAID, MOST OF THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT, A LOT OF IT COMES FROM THE COUNTY, COMES FROM THOSE ALLOCATED FUNDS THAT WE ARE REQUESTING YOU MAINTAIN. SO OUR BOARD PAID OUT RESERVES FOR THAT RENOVATION, IT WAS EXCITING BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENT OF CARE OFTEN CAUSES PEOPLE TO EQUATE QUALITY WITH WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT LOOKS LIKE AND IN THE OLD ENVIRONMENT, IT DID NOT AFFECT QUALITY. THERE ARE SOME ANECDOTAL SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO PERHAPS HANDLE IT, THE CHALLENGE HAS DECREASED, IT IS MORE COMFORTABLE WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE SPACE.

>> THANK YOU. PRECINCT 3, YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR

QUESTIONS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON DIRECTOR YOUNG, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU ARE DOING. REALLY QUICKLY, I WANTED TO ASK WITH THE ARPA FUNDS RUNNING OUT, ARE THERE ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO DO COLLABORATIVE WORK WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE COUNTY

[04:00:02]

>> WE DO HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH A LOT OF THEM ALREADY, BOTH OF THOSE WITH PUBLIC HEALTH, WE HAVE SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE WORK WITH THEM ON BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, THE AREAS THEY HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON OVERLAP WITH OURS AND OFTEN TIMES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS A PRETTY STRONG INDICATOR THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY OTHER THINGS, THAT ARE SOMETIMES NEGATIVE IN NATURE. WE HAVE MULTIPLE PROGRAMS, WE HAVE A QUARTERLY MEETING, WE MET A COUPLE WEEKS AGO TO TALK ABOUT THE COLLABORATION. THE YOUTH DIVERSION CENTER IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. WE PROVIDE THE CLINICAL SERVICES THAT THEY HAVE AN INTEGRATED CARE CLINIC SO WE TAKE OUR YOUTH OVER TO THEIR CLINIC FOR THEIR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, WE HAVE WONDERFUL FOOD AT THE SHELTER, SO THEY PROVIDE FOOD FOR US. THERE'S A LOT OF COLLABORATIONS THAT HAPPEN ROUTINELY AND WE ARE STRONGLY CONNECTED BUT CERTAINLY ALWAYS OPEN TO LOOKING WHERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT BE. I KNOW THAT JUVENILE PROBATION FOR EXAMPLE IS ASSERTIVELY LOOKING FOR GRANT OPTIONS THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE FOR THE YOUTH DIVERSION CENTER BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY WOULD END UP BACK AT JUVENILE PROBATION, SO THEY ARE ACTIVELY HELPING US LOOK AT FUNDING OPTIONS AND TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO KEEP THAT

OPERATIONAL. >> THANK YOU, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO BRAG ABOUT THE PROGRAMS YOU ARE DOING, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

>> I WILL MENTION THE CAMPUS, THE APARTMENTS ARE GREAT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CLINICAL SPACE. SOME OF YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THOSE ARE STRICTLY PROVIDED DOLLARS, THERE WILL BE A CLINICAL BUILDING ON THE CAMPUS, THEY WILL TEAR DOWN THOSE OLD BUILDINGS THAT ARE FRANKLY NEEDING TO BE TORN DOWN, THEY DON'T NEED TO EXIST ANYMORE.

THEY HAVE PROVIDED A REALLY NICE SPACE FOR US TO DO THAT. WE DID NOT EXPAND MPC WHEN WE RENOVATED IT, WE JUST CREATED 30 NEW BEDS, THE OLD SITE HAS BEEN VACANT, WE MOVED EVERYBODY OUT. I DID GET ABOUT $8 MILLION TO RENOVATE THAT OLD SIDE, SO LOOKING TO THIS COMING YEAR, WE ARE RENOVATING THAT SPACE AND WHENEVER I CAN FIND OPERATING FUNDS, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SUPPLIES OVER THERE AND WE ARE BUILDING ON THE NEW NORTHEAST CLINIC THAT IS SET TO BREAK GROUND IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THE CLOCK, SO I'M GOING TO STOP FOR A LITTLE BIT.

>> THANK YOU, WE WILL CYCLE BACK FOR ANY REMAINING TIME, WHICH THE ONLY COURT OFFICE IS PRECINCT 4, YOU HAVE 41 SECONDS

REMAINING. >> YOU ARE ALWAYS INCREDIBLY COLLABORATIVE, I RECOGNIZE HOW DIVERSE THE STAKEHOLDERS ARE AND HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO WALK THAT LINE BUT WE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR HELP AND FOR BEING WITH US ON A FRIDAY AND LATE IN THE AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONER BRIONES AND PRECINCT 4 IS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS FACILITY. SO I INVITE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT AND SEE IT WHEN HE GETS BUILT, HOPEFULLY,

AND THANK YOU. >> WITH THAT, DIRECTOR YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

>> WHEN I FIRST STARTED, I DID NOT INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUES WHEN I STARTED TODAY, AMANDA JONES AND STAN ADAMS HAS BEEN THE CFO NOW FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS, PRIOR TO THAT HE WAS DOING A CONSULTING ROLE, SO KUDOS TO HIM. WE DID GET OUR BUDGET PASSED LAST MONTH, IF YOU DID NOT HEAR ABOUT THAT, THAT WAS THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO BRAG ABOUT. THE BOARD MEETINGS ARE STREAMED ONLINE RIGHT NOW, SO IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO CHECK AND SEE WHAT IS GOING ON OR IF YOU CAN'T GET THERE IN PERSON, YOU CAN CHECK THAT OUT ONLINE AS WELL. THAT IS ALL I HAVE, I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND THE SUPPORT OF ALL OF YOU.

>> THANK YOU DIRECTOR AND THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE HARRIS CENTER FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO. WITH THAT, COURT OFFICES, I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUDGET HEARINGS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY AGAIN FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. HAVE A GREAT

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.