Nov 13, 2025 Commissioners Court

[00:00:11]

>> COLLEAGUES , WE ARE GOING TO GET STARTED TODAY, I KNOW WE HAD A NUMBER OF SPECIAL REQUESTS, I HAVE TO LEAVE AT 5:45 AND COMMISSIONER BRIONES HAS TO LEAVE AT 5:30 , WE WILL TRY TO MAKE SURE WE GET EVERYTHING WE CAN DONE, I WILL BE PRESIDING IN JUDGE HIDALGO'S SPACE TODAY, OCA REQUESTED TO TAKE ITEM 272, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MATTER AFTER PUBLIC SPEAKERS, THAT WILL BE EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND THEN I THINK ITEM FOR CONSTRUCTION SAFETY WILL COME UP AT REQUEST OF PRECINCT FOUR. AND 273 BETWEEN 11:00 AND 12:00 AND COUNTY CLERK IS ASKING TO TAKE UP ITEM 237 AT 2:00 P.M. TODAY, WE WILL GET STARTED, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR JOINING TODAY. IT IS 9:05 AND NOW WE

[Pastor Terrance Johnson of Higher Dimension Church in Houston introduced by the Commissioner of Precinct 4.]

>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ELLIS, WE ARE HONORED TODAY WITH A ROLE MODEL, COLLEAGUE, FRIEND AND INSPIRATION TO OUR COMMUNITY, PASTOR TERRENCE JOHNSON, WHO LIVE -- I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF WORKING WITH OFTEN, HE IS A PASTOR, COMMUNICATOR, RECOGNIZED LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY. HE IS THE FOUNDER AND PASTOR OF HIGHER DIMENSION CHURCH SOUTHWEST HOUSTON AND IN KATY AND HE HAS WORK AS A PIONEER IN THE UNDERSERVED AREAS TO HELP MEET THE ECONOMIC NEEDS OF ITS PEOPLE, HE IS NATIVE TO HOUSTON TEXAS AND HE HOLDS A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN BIBLE AND SOCIOLOGY.

THEY HAD THREE SONS AND A DAUGHTER AND THEY REALLY ARE A TREMENDOUS BLESSING TO OUR COMMUNITY, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH PASTOR JOHNSON FOR BEING HERE AND BEING SUCH A GREAT PARTNER.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING.

AND TOLD THE COMMISSIONERS, WE THANK YOU AND ESPECIALLY AS WELL, LET US PRAY. LORD, WE PAUSE FOR A MOMENT, FIRST OF ALL, TO THANK YOU THAT OUR GOVERNMENT HAS REOPENED. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE SHUTDOWN CREATED REAL PRESSURE ON REAL PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY FAMILIES IN OUR COUNTY WHO RELY ON SNAP, MANY OF THEM FELT UNCERTAINTY THESE PAST WEEKS WONDERING HOW THEY WOULD PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, BUT FATHER, WE LIFT THEM TO YOU TODAY, SURROUND THEM WITH PROVISIONS, STABILITY AND HOPE.

AS THE LEADERS OF HARRIS COUNTY GATHER, I ASK THAT YOU BREATHE FRESH CLARITY AND COURAGE INTO EVERY DECISION THAT IS MADE AND GIVE THEM DISCERNING MINES AND COMPASSIONATE HEARTS, EMPOWER THEM TO LEAD IN A WAY THAT LIFTS BURDEN, PROTECTS THE VULNERABLE AND STRENGTHENS THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BLESS EVERY COMMISSIONER, EVERY STAFF MEMBER AND EVERY PUBLIC SERVANT REPRESENTED IN THIS ROOM. THANK YOU FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY, OFTEN WITHOUT APPLAUSE. OFTEN UNDER PRESSURE. REWARD THEIR FAITHFULNESS, GUIDE THEIR CONVERSATION, ALIGN THEIR ACTIONS WITH JUSTICE AND THE COMMON GOOD, LORD AS WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THE SHUTDOWN, HELP US NOT TO FORGET THOSE WHO WERE IMPACTED THE MOST. HELP US TO USE THIS MOMENT TO REMIND US THAT LEADERSHIP IS STEWARDSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP IS SERVICE. LET YOUR PEACE REST IN THIS ROOM TODAY. LET UNITY BE OUR PASTOR, WISDOM BE OUR GUIDE AND COMPASSION BE OUR MOTIVE. AMEN.

>> AMEN, THANK YOU PASTOR JOHNSON.

>> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR INVITING HIM, NOW TO DO OUR PLEDGES. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE, TEXAS, UNDER

[Appearances before court]

[00:05:01]

GOD, AND ONE NATION. >> OKAY, WE WILL START WITH OUR

PUBLIC SPEAKERS. >> FIRST IS AMY SUCHMEYER ON PRECINCT 2, LINDA ON PRECINCT 2, DAVID HOPKIN ON ITEM 4, EACH

HAVE ONE MINUTE. >> HI, I'M AMY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES POLICY RESEARCH, LUCKILY THIS POLICY DOESN'T REALLY REQUIRE A LOT OF RESEARCH BECAUSE IT IS FULL OF COMMON SENSE, SO I CAN EASILY FIT IT INTO MY MINUTE. COMMON SENSE SAYS THAT YOU JUDGE PEOPLE BY WHAT THEY DO AND NOT JUST WHAT THEY SAY AND IT'S DEEPLY IMPORTANT THAT WORKSITE SAFETY POLICIES INCLUDE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS SO IT'S ABOUT ACTION AND NOT JUST WORDS, THIS POLICY DOES JUST THAT. ADDITIONALLY, IT IS COMMON SENSE THAT HARRIS COUNTY IS HOT AND HEAT IS DANGEROUS. BUT I'M PLEASED THAT THIS POLICY DOES SHOW A GOOD COMMON SENSE AND REALLY DOES ADDRESS THE DANGERS OF HEAT IN HARRIS COUNTY TO PROTECT WORKERS. HOWEVER, IF ANYONE HERE NEEDS THE PROOF, I HAVE LOTS OF RESEARCH THAT I CAN PROVIDE YOUR OFFICES SO THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANT IMPACT OF THIS POLICY, THANK YOU SO

MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING, LINDA MOREL IS WITH THE GOLF COURSE AREA, WE REPRESENT SEVERAL UNIONS, I'M GOING TO SHARE THE REMARKS MADE YESTERDAY BY ONE OF OUR CONTRACTORS, WHO HAPPENS TO BE A UNION CONTRACTOR, WHILE THE POLICY IS ABOUT WORKERS, THE ONUS IS ON THE CONTRACTORS, THIS SHOWS THAT HARRIS COUNTY IS SERIOUS ABOUT PREDICTING WORKERS AND ENSURING THAT TAXPAYER FUNDING PROJECTS ARE DONE RIGHT BY THE BOOK AND WITHOUT CUTTING CORNERS, THIS POLICY PUTS RESPONSIBILITY WHERE IT BELONGS.

WHERE THOSE MANAGING THE WORK, LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTORS, THIS POLICY PROTECTS LIVES AND REINFORCES WHAT GOOD CONTRACTORS ALREADY PRACTICE, SAFETY FIRST, PRODUCTION SECOND, UNION CONTRACTORS HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT SAFETY, TRAINING AND TRANSPARENCY ARE THE HALLMARKS OF A PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE. HARRIS COUNTY IS SETTING THAT STANDARD AND WE ARE PROUD TO STAND WITH YOU ALL.

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

>> HELLO, GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS DAVID, I'M THE POLICY DIRECTOR WITH WORKERS DEFENSE PROJECT, WE ARE AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS NUMBER LEAD, WE WORK ALONGSIDE OUR MEMBERS TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, RESPECT AND DIGNITY FOR ALL WORKERS, WE WORK WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STAKEHOLDERS. TO IMPLEMENT TO PROPOSE REALLY GOOD POLICY AND WHAT WE HAVE TODAY IS JUST THAT, IT IS REALLY COMMON SENSE POLICY THAT CAN BE LIFESAVING TO THE WORKERS OF HARRIS COUNTY WHO ARE BUILDING OUR HOMES, WHO ARE BUILDING OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTAINING IT AND WHO JUST LIKE ALL OF US DESERVE THE RIGHT TO GO HOME SAFELY TO THEIR FAMILIES AT THE END OF THEIR SHIFT. SO I JUST WANTED TO COME UP AND SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS POLICY FORWARD, THANK YOU FOR VALUING THE HUMAN LIFE AND THE WORK THAT GOES INTO BUILDING THE BUILDINGS JUST LIKE THE ONE WE ARE IN TODAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THIS, HARRIS COUNTY HAS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE A LEADER IN

THIS REGARD TODAY. >> THANK YOU SIR, YOUR TIME IS

UP. >> NEXT IS JOHN MARTINEZ ON ITEM 4 OF PRECINCT 2, JERRY HAAS ON ITEM 234 OF PRECINCT 1, ALEXANDER COLON OF PRECINCT 4, EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> MY NAME IS JOHN MARTINEZ WITH THE REGIONAL HISPANIC CONTRACTORS, AND WE SUPPORT THIS, TO BECOME OWNERS, THEY ARE USUALLY A WORKER FIRST, I DON'T KNOW ONE HISPANIC BUSINESS OWNER WHO DIDN'T START AS A TRADE WORKER THEMSELVES, SO SINCE OUR INCEPTION, WE HAVE PARTNERED TO MAKE SURE SAFETY IS FIRST. I SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE THAT HELPED DEVELOP THIS AND THERE WERE DEGREES OF DISAGREEMENT BUT THEY WERE VERY MINOR, EVERYONE ON THEIR KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY AND WAS APPRECIATIVE OF THE BOLD MOVE THAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE TAKING TODAY.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS

[00:10:07]

FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. >> THANK YOU.

>> JERRY HAAS ON ITEM 234 OF PRECINCT 1, TAMMY AND MISHA CASEY ON ITEM PRECINCT 234. YOU EACH HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> HELLO COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS JERRY, I WORK IN HOUSTON FOR THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM, WE SERVE 3500 SENIORS THROUGHOUT HARRIS COUNTY DAILY WITH A WARM MEAL AND FRIENDLY VOICE. WE ARE HERE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING UP WITH THIS IDEA OF ENHANCING THE CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH YOU THAT WILL HELP US WORK WITH THE TEXANS FEEDING TEXANS FUNDING SOURCE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MEALS AND HELP US DURING OUR CASH CRUNCH IN WAKE OF THE RECENT CUTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

>> THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS TAMMY MAYBERRY, OF CONSULTING GROUP, AND I'M HONORED TO SHARE A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE HARRIS HUB FOUNDATION GRANT PROGRAM, THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN A LIFELINE FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND MYSELF, BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE BUILDING, GROWING AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES . YET OFTEN LACK ACCESS TO TRADITIONAL CAPITAL. WHAT MAKES THIS PROGRAM SO IMPACTFUL IS THAT IT DOESN'T STOP AT PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT, IT OFFERS EDUCATION, RESOURCES AND TOOLS THAT EMPOWER SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR OPERATIONS IN SCALE WITH CONFIDENCE. SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE TRULY THE BACKBONE OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR CITIES. WE HIGHER LOCALLY, WE SERVE LOCALLY AND WE REINVEST IN NEIGHBORHOODS WE LIVE IN.

WITH PROGRAMS LIKE THE HARRIS HUB SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM, THEY DON'T JUST HELP BUSINESSES, THEY HELP THE ENTIRE

COMMUNITIES, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> GOOD MORNING, I'M ANNE VAN HORN, COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTOR FOR THE HEALTH CLINICS WHERE WE PROVIDE FREE HEALTHCARE TO CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY AT AGES 13 TO 24 AND A LOT OF IT IS THANKS TO THE SUPPORT FROM THIS COURT. AT THIS TIME I WANT TO DISCUSS THE FOOD PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE INSTITUTED WITH THE FOOD BANK THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF THE CT POWER FOUNDATION, MATTHEW HOUSTON IS HERE WITH THAT FOUNDATION AND THE FOUNDATION FOR TEEN HEALTH, IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY SOME SCHOOLS THAT WE SERVE THAT THEY WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENTS. I MENTIONED IT TO THE BAUER FOUNDATION AND WITHIN 72 HOURS, THEY DONATED $2 MILLION TO ALDIE ISD, HOUSTON ISD AND THE FIFTH WARD AND THIRD WARD TO MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN WERE FED THROUGH THIS SHUTDOWN AND BEYOND, SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT YOU HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN TO THE TEAM CLINICS AND I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO THINK THE BAUER FOUNDATION FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

>> JUST REAL QUICK, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I HAD THE HONOR AND PLEASURE OF KNOWING BOTH TED AND RUTH BAUER AND I KNOW THEY WOULD BE VERY PROUD ON HOW THE FOUNDATION IS HELPING SO MANY

FAMILIES. >> THANK YOU.

>> I KNOW MOST OF THE FUNDING WENT TO OUR TWO PRECINCTS, BUT IT IMPACTED ALMOST THE ENTIRE COUNTY, AND IT MEANS A LOT, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FROM ALL OF US.

>> WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE

[00:15:02]

BAUER FOUNDATION. >> NEXT IS JUAN RUBIO, OF PRECINCT 4, NON-AGENDA SPEAKER, VANNY HOUSTON, YOU EACH HAVE ONE

MINUTE. >> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS JUAN RUBIO WITH WORKERS DEFENSE PROJECT , WE REPRESENT MANY OF THE WORKERS ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE WORKSITE SAFETY POLICY, SO TEXAS REMAINS THE DEADLIEST STATE IN ANY NATION FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND MANY OF THE INJURIES WE HEAR ABOUT LOCALLY STEM FROM ISSUES THAT ARE ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE LIKE REST BREAKS, INADEQUATE HEAT PROTECTION, MISSING PPE, MULTIEMPLOYER WORKSITES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SO THIS WORKSITE SAFETY POLICY ADDRESSES THOSE GAPS DIRECTLY, AND IT INCLUDES REQUIREMENTS FOR DAILY INSPECTIONS, WEEKLY AUDITS, DOCUMENTED SAFETY MEETINGS, OSHA TRAININGS, IMPROVED APPLIANCES TO WORKERS, TO GIVE WORKERS TOOLS TO RECOGNIZE HAZARDS BEFORE THEY BECOME PREVENTABLE INJURIES. THE COUNTIES PLAN TO CONDUCT INSPECTIONS WILL ALSO --

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

>> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS BONNIE HOUSTON, I HAVE LIVED IN HARRIS COUNTY FOR MANY YEARS, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE MY PROPERTY WAS STOLEN AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET HELP AND JUSTICE SINCE 2017, THIS IS CAUSING A LOT OF STRESS AND HARDSHIP, I HAVE GONE THROUGH EVERY CHANNEL THAT I KNOW BUT I STILL HAVEN'T GOT MY PROPERTY BACK. I'M ASKING THIS COURT TODAY TO HELP TO LOOK INTO MY CASE AND MAKE SURE MY PROPERTY IS RETURNED AND MADE RIGHT. NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO FIGHT THIS LONG JUST TO KEEP WHAT BELONGS TO THEM. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> MA'AM, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN, I WILL HAVE SOMEONE FROM OFFICE VISIT WITH YOU, WE DO HAVE A TASK FORCE LOOKING INTO SITUATIONS LIKE THIS SO MAYBE WE CAN LEARN FROM YOUR SITUATION AND MAYBE WE ARE ABLE TO HELP YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR COMING.

>> HI, GUYS, THIS LETTER IS FROM THE STATE REP DISTRICT 137, HE SAYS I HOPE THIS LETTER FINDS YOU WELL, I WANTED TO SEND YOU MY WARMEST GREETINGS AND LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE JOY AND ENERGY YOU BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY. YOUR CONSTANT ENTHUSIASM INSPIRES THOSE AROUND YOU AND WE LOVE TO SEE YOUR PRIDE IN HOUSTON. I ALSO WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT OUR STAFF NOTICES YOUR DEDICATION BY ATTENDING HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONS COURT AND HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, HE EVEN ATTENDED ONE OF MY TOWN HALLS OF CONGRESSWOMAN [INDISCERNIBLE] AND IT IS CLEAR HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT OUR CITY AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR LIGHT, --

>> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP. >> YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO

REACH OUT. >> [INDISCERNIBLE]

>> OH, YES, BLESS YOU. >> BLESS YOU.

>> NEXT IS NON-AGENDA SPEAKERS, HANNAH WELKER OF PRECINCT 1, JOSEPH BENSON OF PRECINCT 1 AND ALEXI SWIRSKY OF PRECINCT 3.

>> HELLO, I'M HANNAH WELKER, I'M SURE YOU ARE FAMILIAR , IT IS YOUR BIGGEST VOTING SITE, BUT WE ARE ALSO A REC CENTER FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THIS IS ONE OF OUR ATHLETES, WE HAVE A HUGE EVENT COMING UP AT THE GEORGE BROWN CONVENTION CENTER FOR THE FIRST WEEKEND IN DECEMBER AND WE INVITE YOU ALL TO COME AND ALSO SHARE THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR OTHER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A WHOLE MILITARY DIVISION THIS YEAR, THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR WITH THE MILITARY DIVISION, WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM WOUNDED WARRIOR SERVICES, ACTIVE DUTY WARRIORS COMING TO COMPETE. THIS IS OUR 14TH YEAR, AND WE ARE LOOKING TO CREATE AWARENESS NOW, IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY WITH A

[00:20:01]

>> IF YOU GIVE THOSE TO THE OFFICER, WE WILL PASS THOSE OUT FOR YOU. JUST GIVE THEM TO THE OFFICER.

>> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JOSEPH BENSON, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER FOR THE HOMELESS OF HOUSTON, AND I HAVE COME TO TELL YOU ABOUT DOCUMENTATION THAT IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE IN THE CITY, WE PROVIDE HEALTHCARE, MENTAL HEALTH, WE HAVE THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY THAT RUNS WITHIN 610, WE HAVE A STREET MEDICINE PROGRAM ALSO, BUT WE HAVE A HOLIDAY THIS DECEMBER, DECEMBER 21ST WHICH IS HOMELESS MEMORIAL DAY AND I'M HERE TO INVITE YOU OR ANYONE FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION TO COME OUT BECAUSE ON THE 17TH OF DECEMBER AT THE BEACON FROM 6:00 TO 8:30 WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE WE MEMORIALIZE THOSE INDIVIDUALS. WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT COMES UP IN JUNE ON THE SUMMER SOLSTICE THAT WE CALL HOMELESS SUCCESS DAY, THIS IS WHEN WE GET INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY HOUSTON HAS HELPED TO

BECOME SUCCESSFUL. >> THANK YOU, SIR, YOUR TIME IS

UP. >> COMMISSIONER ALICE, THANK YOU FOR HELPING THIS PAST 10 YEARS, FROM YOUR OFFICE, FORGETTING US

THE CERTIFICATES. >> THANK YOU.

>> DURING TROPICAL STORM ALLISON, AT HOME WE HAD JUST MOVED OUT OF, FLOODED, LATER I ATTENDED A LOCAL MEETING ABOUT THE FLOODING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH I STILL LIVED IN . WHEN I ASKED THE SPEAKER FROM THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WHY IT WAS FLOODING MORE, HE SAID IT WAS JUST RAINING MORE. THAT WAS NOT TRUE, MY HUSBAND LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD HIS WHOLE LIFE, WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS THAT NEW CENTERS BEING BUILT NORTH OF US AND IN LIEU OF BUILDING THE RECOMMENDED RETENTION PONDS, THE DEVELOPERS WOULD JUST DONATE, NOT DONATE BUT GIVE A SUM OF MONEY TO THE COUNTY. THE RETENTION PONDS WERE NOT BUILT AND WHEN IT RAINED, THE WATER WOULD NOT COLLECT IN THE RETENTION PONDS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT THERE, BUT INSTEAD RUSHED ONTO THE GULF OF MEXICO, FLOODING HOMES ALONG THE WAY. I HAVE NOT TRUSTED THE COUNTIES FLOOD CONTROL MANAGEMENT, I DO TRUST TOM RAMSEY, AS WELL AS HAVING HIGH INTEGRITY, HE IS AN ENGINEER WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PLANNING WATERWAYS. PLEASE LISTEN APPROPRIATELY ON WHAT HE

RECOMMENDS. >> CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR

NAME FOR THE RECORD. >> ALEXI SWIRSKY.

>> THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS, COMMISSIONER.

>> THANK YOU, WE ARE GOING TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION, I'M GOING TO ANNOUNCE THAT IN A SECOND, AND CAN WE TAKE A CONSTRUCTION SAFETY ITEM UP AFTER THAT? YOU SAID BEFORE 1:00 BUT DO YOU NEED

MORE TIME? >> COMMISSIONER, I DON'T THINK WE DO, THAT MIGHT BE FROM COMMISSIONER BRIONES'S OFFICE.

[Executive Session (Part 1 of 6)]

>> OKAY, I WILL CHECK, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, WE MAY TAKE THAT UP AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. OKAY, MAKE SURE WE GET THIS SCRIPT RIGHT, ON PAGE 35, ITEM 272 , THIS IS A REQUEST FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551-087 TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS RELATED TO COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM A BUSINESS PROSPECT RELATED TO ITS LOCATION AND EXPANSION. SO, IT IS NOW 9:28 AND WE WILL PROCEED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WHEN WE

[Departments (Part 1 of 7)]

>> YOU AND I WORKED VERY CLOSELY ON THIS. ALL THE OFFICES WERE INVOLVED. EVERY WORKER DESERVES TO COME HOME SAFE AT THE END OF

[00:25:02]

>> YES. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU TO YOUR PRECINCT ONE TEAM AND TO MY PRECINCT FOUR TEAM AND ALL THE COURT OFFICES FOR WORKING TOGETHER WITH THIS AND ALL OF OUR LABOR PARTNERS. WORKERS' DEFENSE PARTNERS. ALL OF THE CONTRACTORS AND CONTRACTING AGENCIES THAT CAME TOGETHER TO FIND A WIN, WIN, WIN FOR HARRIS COUNTY WORKERS AND FOR HARRIS COUNTY BUSINESSES. I'M VERY PROUD THAT TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO STRENGTHEN THE POLICIES AND REALLY STANDARDIZED PRACTICES. BECAUSE AS COMMISSIONER ELLIS JUST STATED, TEXAS LEADS THE NATION IN CONSTRUCTION WORKER DEATHS. AND LEADS, WE'RE THE WORST. I WANT TEXAS TO BE LEADING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS, AND SO TODAY HARRIS COUNTY IS TAKING YET ANOTHER STEP TO LEAD FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. AND SO I'M HAPPY THAT WE ARE STRENGTHENING AND AMPLIFYING THE RECORD POLICYING AND LAUNCHING FOR THE FIRST TIME THE WORK SITE SAFETY POLICY TO HAVE REALTIME INSPECTIONS TO KEEP OUR WORKERS SAFE AND NOW ADDING A HOT LINE FOR WORKERS TO MAKE SURE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE REPORTING ISSUES. ESTABLISHING A WORK SITE SAFETY COMMITTEE TO HAVE ONGOING STAKE HOLDER MEETINGS TO TRACK THE DATA TOGETHER AND FINDING WAYS TO OPTIMIZE THE POLICY AND THE PROCESSES. THE WAY I THINK OF SOMEONE WHO GREW UP CHECK TO CHECK, THIS IS WONDERFUL FOR OUR WORKERS. AND AT A TIME WHERE AFFORDABILITY IS SUCH AN ACUTE ISSUE. MAKING SURE THAT WORKERS CAN GO HOME AND BE ALIVE AND GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. BUT ALSO SO WE'RE LESSENING THE RISK FOR INJURY AND TIME OFF OF WORK. AND CHECKS THEY WILL NOT BE RECEIVING. BECAUSE WE WANT FAMILIES HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY TO THRIVE. AND IT'S ALSO A WIN FOR RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS OWNERS.

YOU WANT THE STEADY WORK FORCE. THE CONSISTENT WORK FORCE. YOU DON'T WANT MISSED DAYS BECAUSE YOUR WORKERS HAVE BEEN INJURED AND THIS CONSTANT RESOLVING DOOR OF TALENT. FROM A QUALITY PERSPECTIVE AND CONTINUITY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A WIN FOR BOTH SIDES. I LOVE HOW WE'RE ABLE TO COME ACROSS. WE MAY DISAGREE, SHARE DIFFERING OPINIONS, BUT THEN WE FIND COMMON PURPOSE. COMMON GROUND, AND WE TAKE ACTION. SO, SAFETY FIRST SHOULD BE NONGAUCHABLE FOR ALL. I'M PROUD WE'RE TAKING ACTION, AND THIS WILL BE MOVING FORWARD, AND WE ENCOURAGE OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND OTHER ENTITIES TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. AND HELP GROW AND STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMY BY GROWING A SAFE, STRONG WORK FORCE. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND TO EVERYONE. I SEE MANY OF THE CHAMPIONS OUT HERE IN THE AUDIENCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. I'M VERY PROUD TO LIVE AND REPRESENT HARRIS COUNTY. TODAY AND ALWAYS, BUT ESPECIALLY TODAY.

>> THE JOINT MOTION FOR ELLIS AND BRIONES WILL BE TO APPROVE THE POLICY AS PRESENTED. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

>> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK GROUP. I THINK THAT WAS OFF TO A WHAT I WOULD CALL A GOOD START. I THINK SAFETY IS IMPORTANT. BEING A PERSON THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN ON JOB SITES. ACTUALLY BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR, IF YOU WILL, MONITORING WHAT GOES ON ON THOSE SITES. CLEARLY SAFETY IS A BIG DEAL. AND OUR CONSTRUCTION COMMUNITY AND OUR ENGINEERING COMMUNITY. IN OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT COMMUNITY. I WOULD JUST TELL YOU THIS IS RUSHED. ANYTHING THIS IMPORTANT SHOULDN'T BE RUSHED. ANYTHING THIS IMPORTANT WE SHOULD ASK PEOPLE THAT KNOW TO GET INVOLVED. WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT.

[00:30:04]

CONSTRUCTION. OR THEY'VE BEEN, OR THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH LABOR UNIONS AND OTHER THINGS. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT. IF WE THINK WE'RE SOLVING ALL THE JOB SITE SAFETY ISSUES TODAY, THIS ISN'T GOING TO DO IT. WE SPENT ONLY A MONTH WORKING ON THE SITE SAFETY POLICY. WHERE THE REAL IMPACT WOULD BE. I THINK WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES WHAT IS THE TIMELINE? WHY DO WE WAKE UP A MONTH AGO AND SAID WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS DONE IN A MONTH? WELL, IF WE STARTED TWO YEARS AGO AND WORKED ON IT, OKAY. THAT WOULD BE IT. WE DIDN'T DO THAT. THE WORK RECORD POLICY ADDED LANGUAGE THAT REQUIRES A NATIONWIDE LOOK AT CONTRACTOR OSHA VIOLATIONS. THAT MEANS IF SOMEONE HAD A PAPER CUT IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE THAT'S AN OSHA VIOLATIONS, NOW THEY GOT AN OSHA VIOLATION AND WOULD PRECLUDE THEM FROM BIDDING IN TEXAS. I RESPECT OTHER STATES, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT GOES ON IN CALIFORNIA. NOT IN NEW YORK. NOT IN OTHER STATES THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT GUIDELINES THAT SOME DAYS, TO ME, DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE. TEXAS IS A STATE WHERE IT'S NOT MANDATORY TO BE IN A UNION. WHY WAS THE PREFERENCE TO LABOR UNIONS THROUGHOUT THE DISCUSSION? CERTAINLY THEY NEED TO BE AT THE TABLE. CERTAINLY WE WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR LABOR UNION LEADERS, BUT WE NEED TO HEAR FROM OTHER FOLKS, TOO. NEARLY EVERY COMMENT THAT WAS MADE RELATIVE FROM A CONTRACTOR TO THIS, ANY INPUT, WAS PRETTY MUCH IGNORED. THROUGH THE PROCESS. I THINK THERE WAS AN URGENCY PROPOSED HERE THAT IS NOT NEEDED. WHEN I TALKED TO INDUSTRY LEADERS AND LIKE DOUG, PROBABLY ONE OF THE LEADING CON INSTRUCTORS IN THE AREA, I THINK HIS OBSERVATION OF THIS WOULD BE THIS IS A DISASTER. IF WE DON'T TAKE THE TIME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS ON THE CONSTRUCTION SITE. IT SHOULD NOT BE A BUREAUCRATIC CHECK THE BOX PROCESS. IT SHOULD BE LET'S GET ON A PIECE OF PAPER ALL THE THINGS THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY WRITE DOWN AND ASK OUR INDUSTRY LEADERS TO RESPOND. THE BURDEN ON SMALL CONTRACTORS WHO DO NOT HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE CAPABILITIES. THE BURDEN ON THEM, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP UP. EITHER THEY'LL IGNORE IT, OR THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THE JOBS. I THINK SMALL FAMILY RUN COMPANIES, THIS IS JUST BEYOND THEIR ABILITY TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED TODAY. THE COST, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COSTS ARE. JESSE, IT'S NOT JUST THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. I KNOW YOU SENT OUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. THE COST I'M TALKING ABOUT IS WHAT IS THE COST IN THE INDUSTRY? DO WE UNDERSTAND THE CLEAR BENEFITS? OF COURSE WE'RE FOR SAFETY. OF COURSE WE WANT TO DO THOSE THINGS TO MAKE THE JOB SITE SAFER. BUT WHEN YOU'RE PROPOSING SOMETHING, YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE IMPACT AND REALLY WHAT'S THE REAL BENEFIT WHEN YOU IMPLEMENT SOMETHING. I THINK A LOT OF WORK STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE. THERE'S A REASON WHY TEX-DOT, WHICH I CONSIDER THE GOLD STANDARD OF SAFETY IN THIS STATE. I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON THEIR SITES. I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I'VE READ THEIR CONTRACTS. I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE PROCESS. WHEN THEY'RE NOT DOING THIS, YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF, I WONDER WHY TEX-DOT ISN'T DOING THIS? THERE IS, THERE'S MERIT TO HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH MAJOR ENTITIES IN THIS STATE THAT DO A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION.

I'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THE PORT OF HOUSTON SAID. I'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT TEX-DOT WOULD SAY. A LOT OF THE OTHER, I THINK, PUBLIC ENTITIES THAT DO A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION.

SO I THINK WE, IF YOU SET UP MILESTONES FOR A FULL POLICY TO DELIVER AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WE'VE STILL GOT TO GO TO THE

[00:35:04]

DON'T IGNORE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT JOB SITE SAFETY. LET'S HEAR FROM THEM BEFORE WE ADOPT SOMETHING IN A

RUSHED, INAPPROPRIATE MANNER. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA. >> THANK YOU. I WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO WAS INVOLVED WITH THIS. I WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS IN LABOR IN PARTICULAR FOR SHARING YOUR VOICE AND URGING THAT WE COME UP WITH SOMETHING. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY MAY HAVE A POINT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A PERFECT POLICY, BUT I DON'T THINK ANY POLICY IS ULTIMATELY PERFECT WHEN WE'RE STARTING. SO WE'RE GOING TO LEARN FROM ALL OF THIS. I WILL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE BEEN AT WORK SITES. ALBEIT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I'VE HAD TO SEEN AND INVESTIGATE SOMEONE LOSING THEIR LIFE BECAUSE A LACK OF OSHA STANDARDS. OBVIOUSLY A COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR SAFETY.

AND I WOULD JUST HATE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE AND THEN TOMORROW SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENED ON A COUNTY FUNDED PROJECT. THAT WOULD JUST TEAR ME APART. FOR THAT REASON, I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD EVERYONE. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO BE THOUGHTFUL AS TO WHAT OUR TRUE LEGAL AUTHORITY IS. I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IMPLICIT IN OUR POLICIES. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT OVERREACHING THE HELP THAT ULTIMATELY HURTS THE POLICY ITSELF. I'LL LEAVE THAT TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE TO MAKE SURE IT MOVES IN THE RIGHT WAY. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I GO TO A MEMORIAL EVENT FOR WORKERS AND SEE LESS AND LESS BOOTS THAT YOU GUYS DISPLAY. THAT'S A POWERFUL THING TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND. AND FOR ANYBODY WHO HAS NOT SEEN THAT, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO THAT PARTICULAR EVENT, AND YOU WILL SEE FOLKS DOING THAT A HARD DAYS' WORK FOR AN HONEST DOLLAR. AND THEN ULTIMATELY LOSE THEIR LIVES JUST BECAUSE THERE WAS NO THOUGHT GIVEN TO SOMETHING THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US ALL. AND THAT'S OSHA STANDARDS. AND SO, I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THOSE FAMILIES WHO MAY HAVE LOST PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON WHO WAS THE PROVIDER FOR THOSE FAMILIES. AND SO I JUST WANT TO KEEP THOSE FOLKS IN OUR THOUGHTS AND CONTINUED THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, BUT SIMPLY TO SAY WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO SAY WE WANT JUST LIKE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. I WANT EVERY ONE OF THOSE GUYS AND GALS TO GO HOME EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, AND WE WORK HARD NOT TO PINCH PENNYS ON THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED, THE VESTS THAT KEEP THEM ALIVE. THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL HELP THEM BE SAFER BUT DO A GREAT JOB. THIS IS THE SAME THING FOR ANOTHER AREA OF GOVERNMENT WORK. SO I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM. AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS. INCLUDING MY

TEAM. >> JUST A BRIEF CLOSING COMMENT.

[00:40:02]

>> COUNTY ATTORNEY, IS THIS LEGAL? EVERYTHING IN THIS

DOCUMENT IS LEGAL? >> YEAH. I WANT TO SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND NEIL WHO IS HERE HAS BEEN WORKING DAY AND NIGHT ON THIS. THE POLICY IS CURRENTLY DRAFTED DOES NOT CAUSE ANY CONCERNS FOR US.

>> OKAY. MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY ELLIS AND BRIONES, SECOND BY GARCIA. THREE AYE'S AND ONE NO. THE ITEM DOES PASS.

>> COMMISSIONER JUST TO VERIFY, IT'S A MOTION BY YOU AND

SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA? >> ELLIS AND BRIONES TRY TO DO IT TOGETHER. PUT AN EB AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

IS THAT ALL RIGHT? >> YEAH. THAT WORKS,

COMMISSIONER. >> MAIN THING IS THE THREE TO

PASS IT. >> IT PASSED.

>> IF IT'S COMPLICATED, MOTION BY BRIONES, SECOND BY GARCIA.

LET'S JUST GET IT DONE. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM, COMMISSIONER

[Executive Session (Part 2 of 6)]

>> DO WE NEED TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION?

>> YOU WANTED IT BEFORE 11? >> HARRIS COUNTY CIVIL COURT AT

LAW NUMBER FIVE. >> ONLY IF YOU HAVE DISCUSSION

YOU NEED TO HAVE. >> I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD.

COLLEAGUES? DO WE NEED TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON IT? COMMISSIONER GARCIA? COMMISSIONER RAMSEY?

>> ANOTHER REASON TO BE PROUD TO LIVE IN HARRIS COUNTY. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO HAVE A HARRIS COUNTY CIVIL COURT LAW NUMBER FIVE. THIS IS A NEW COURT, AND I WANT TO THANK THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE FOR PASSING THIS COURT. WE WORKED COLLABORATIVELY TO GET THIS COURT DONE. AS A FORMER HARRIS COUNTY CIVIL LAW JUDGE MYSELF, THIS MAKES ME INCREDIBLY HAPPY WE HAVE THIS NEW COURT. AND IT MAKES ME SO PROUD TO APPOINT CURRENTLY ASSOCIATE JUDGE, FUTURE JUDGE JERMAINE THOMAS TO BE THE JUDGE OF THIS COURT. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR DEAR COLLEAGUES, JUDGE JIM KOVACH AND MONICA SING WHO ARE HERE. JUDGE THOMAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME? THE BOTTOM LINE IS JUDGE THOMAS EMBODIES A FIERCE COMMITMENT TO FAIRNESS. A FIERCE COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE. HE IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE I HAVE SEEN ON THE BENCH.

SOMEONE WHO IS THOUGHTFUL, SMART AND A FIERCE UNWAIVERING COMMITMENT TO FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE. IT HONORS ME, AND I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU. I BELIEVE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE THOMAS FAMILY ARE HERE. COULD YOU PLEASE STAND AS WELL. BECAUSE THIS IS A FAMILY AFFAIR. AND PLEASE JOIN JUDGE THOMAS. AND I MUST SAY, JUDGE THOMAS THAT YOUR INVEST TO BECOME AN ASSOCIATE JUDGE, THAT WAS THE MOST POWERFUL SPEECH I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE. WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU ON THAT BENCH. I LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY UNANIMOUSLY MAKING THIS A

PERMANENT FOR COURT FIVE. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS, COMMISSIONER BRIONES. IF I MAY. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS AND MEMBERS OF OUR HARRIS COUNTY FAMILY. I AM DEEPLY HONORED AND GENUINELY

[00:45:02]

PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SNAP BENEFITS AND A TEENAGE MOM. I AM ALSO THE KID WHO GREW UP TO BE THE LAWYER OF THE FOR THE OWNER OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS HE ONCE LIVED IN. I AM A PROUD GRADUATE OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY. WHERE I WAS A TEXAS LEGISLATIVE INTERN. AND A SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW GRADUATE. IN MY 24 YEARS OF PRACTICE, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT OF OUR COURTS. THE IMPACT OUR COURTS CAN HAVE ON OUR PEOPLE'S LIVES.

TO NOW BE ENTRUSTED TO LEADING THIS IN CHAPTER IN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS BOTH AN INCREDIBLE HONOR AND A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE.

TO MY WIFE, FIRST OFF, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MRS. THOMAS. >> THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BE SO LOVING AND SUPPORTIVE. TO MY KIDS AND MY NIECES AND NEPHEWS, I PRAY THIS MOMENT INSPIRES YOU TO DREAM BIG, TO WORK HARD AND TO NEVER GIVE UP. AND TO THE REST OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, THANK YOU FOR STANDING BY ME THROUGH THIS, THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THIS JOURNEY. YOUR LOVE, PATIENCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT HAVE CARRIED ME HERE TODAY. TO MY FELLOW JUDGES, AND THE DEDICATED COURT STAFF OF HARRIS COUNTY, ESPECIALLY KAYLA GOMEZ AND SARAH GRAY, YOU INSPIRE ME. I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOUR EXAMPLE. YOUR WORK ETHIC, YOUR COMPASSION AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE. TO MY FIFTH FLOOR FAMILY, THANK YOU FOR MAKING A PLACE AT THE TABLE FOR ME. AND WHEN YOU THOUGHT THE TABLE WASN'T BIG ENOUGH, YOU WENT TO COMMISSIONERS COURT AND THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE TO BUILD A BIGGER TABLE. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE ALL OF YOU AS WE CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WITH INTEGRITY AND WITH HEART. AS WE BEGIN THE WORK OF HARRIS COUNTY COURT NUMBER FIVE, I PLEDGE TO SERVE WITH FAIRNESS, RESPECT, AND HUMILITY. EVERY PERSON WHO COMES BEFORE THIS COURT DESERVES TO BE HEARD. TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND TO KNOW THAT JUSTICE IS BEING DONE. THAT WILL BE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF THIS COURT, AND IT WILL BE MY PERSONAL PROMISE TO HARRIS COUNTY. IN CLOSING, I CANNOT LET THIS MOMENT PASS WITHOUT PAYING A RESPECT TO THE MEMORY OF MY MOTHER, YVETTE MARIE THOMAS AND TO MY MENTOR, MR. TURNER. BOTH OF WHOM POURED SO MUCH LOVE INTO ME. I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBUTION OF ANOTHER MENTOR. MR. BARRY BARNS. HE WAS THE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL MENTOR TO ME. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS TREMENDOUS HONOR. AND FOR BELIEVING IN ME. I'M READY TO GET TO WORK AND SERVE THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY. THANK YOU.

I'M INTERNALLY GRATEFUL. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

>> CAN YOU STAY, PLEASE? >> I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW PROUD I AM. I'M SO GLAD YOU MENTIONED LATE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER. I REMEMBER WHEN I PLACED YOU IN HIS OFFICE AS AN INTERN. HE SAID I'LL HELP YOU RAISE MONEY IF YOU HAVE MORE LIKE THIS ONE.

HE'D BE SO PROUD OF YOU. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

>> THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU. IT WAS A PLEASURE VISITING WITH YOU, AND I LOVED HEARING YOUR STORY. THE CAR WASHING WAS VERY, VERY POWERFUL. AND I, YOU KNOW, WOULD HOPE THAT EVERYONE ASSUMES PUBLIC OFFICE WOULD HAVE, WOULD HAVE HAD TO STEP THROUGH LIFE A LITTLE HUMBLY. I THINK IT HELPS ONE DO THEIR JOBS BETTER. AND TO UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVE THAT PEOPLE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHY THIS WORK IS SO IMPORTANT.

AND I, TOO, APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING MAYOR TURNER. AND

[00:50:05]

>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

>> JUDGE THOMAS, THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO SERVE.

>> THANK YOU. >> NOT EVERYBODY IS WILLING TO STEP UP. BUT IT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE THOSE THAT WILL. YOU'VE

GOT A LOT OF FANS OUT THERE. >> THANK YOU, SIR.

>> I'VE HEARD FROM MOST OF THEM.

>> TELL THEM TO KEEP TALKING TO YOU, SIR.

>> BUT IT SPEAKS WELL OF YOU. IN TERMS OF THE BROAD PERSPECTIVE YOU BRING TO THE COURT. THE PEOPLE THAT NOTICE WHAT A GOOD JOB YOU DO. THE FAIRNESS THAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE BENCH.

YOUR EQUAL SENSITIVITY TO THE VICTIMS. AND IT'S A HARD JOB.

NOT EVERYBODY IS GOOD TO CUT OUT TODAY IT. I THINK YOU'RE JUST PERFECT TO TAKE THAT BENCH AND SERVE THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER

BRIONES. >> I'M SO THRILLED. I ALSO, I KNOW THERE ARE TWO OTHER JUDGES IN DOCKET. JUDGE WILLIAMS AND JUDGE LOTEN EVANS. I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE.

THE FIFTH FLOOR FAMILY AND MY FORMER BAILIFF. TO ALL THE BAILIFFS, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE COURTS SAFE. SO WITH THAT, THERE'S THREE MOTIONS RELATED TO THIS ITEM. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MRS. THOMAS. I'M SURE THIS IS A BIRTHDAY YOU'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER. TO YOUR MOM IN HEAVEN, JUDGE THOMAS I KNOW SHE'S LOOKING DOWN WITH IMMENSE PRIDE. KEEP UP WITH THE UNWAIVERING COMMITMENT TO FAIRNESS AND INJUSTICE AND INTEGRITY YOU'VE ALWAYS EXHIBITED. YOU'RE A PHENOMENAL PERSON AND JURIST AND WE'RE HONORED THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO SERVE IN THIS NEW

COURT. >> IT'S MY HONOR, COMMISSIONER.

>> YOU MUST BE SO PROUD OF YOUR DAD. THERE'S THREE MOTIONS THAT I AM BEYOND THRILLED TO MAKE. MOTION TO APPOINT ASSOCIATE JUDGE JERMAINE THOMAS AS JUDGE OF HARRIS COUNTY CIVIL COURT AT LAW NUMBER FIVE. EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 4, 2025.

>> CAN WE DO THEM ALL TOGETHER? WE NEED THEM SEPARATELY?

>> IT'S UP TO YOU. >> YOU CAN READ THEM ALL.

THEY'RE ALL GOING TO PASS UNANIMOUS.

>> MOTION TO WORK WITH HUMAN RESOURCES AND TALENT AND OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS TO COMPLETE ALL ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE APPOINTMENT AND MOTION TO DIRECT THE COUNTY OF ENGINEER IN COORDINATION WITH THE OFFICE OF BUDGET, THE COUNTY CIVIL COURTS AT LAW, THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS TO CONVENE AND FINALIZE A PERMANENT SPACE FOR COUNTY CIVIL COURT AT LAW NUMBER FOUR. I'M USED TO SAYING FOUR. I APOLOGIZE. ALTHOUGH, ALWAYS HELP COURT FOUR. LET ME START AGAIN. FINALIZE A PERMANENT SPACE PLAN FOR COUNTY CIVIL COURT AT LAW NUMBER FIVE

NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 25, 2025. >> THREE MOTIONS MADE BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES. THREE MOTIONS SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA. ALL VOTE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

>> THANK YOU. LET'S GO TO CONSENT AGENDA. JAY, YOU WANT TO

[Departments (Part 2 of 7)]

>> LET'S SEE. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS NEED MINOR CHANGES DUE TO

[00:55:05]

IT'S THE BROAD LEGISLATIVE DISCUSSION ITEM. PAGE 18, PAGE 137, DISTRICT COURTS HAVE REQUESTED NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM. PAGE 26, ITEM 189, DEO HAS REQUESTED NO ACTION. PAGE 27, ITEM 194, THERE'S A CORRECTION. REMOVE IN THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF $10,000,130,000 AND REPLACE THE CURRENT PARTICIPATION 5.74% WITH MDWE CURRENT PARTICIPATION 5.16%. PAGE 27, ITEM 195, CORRECTION, REMOVE IN THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF $9,000,100,000. PAGE 30, ITEM 216. C.J. O HAS REQUESTED NO ACTION ON THE ITEM. PAGE 31, ITEM 226. THERE'S A CORRECTION.

REPLACE IN HOTEL OCCUPATION. EXCUSE ME, IN HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. HOT WITH PUBLIC ART. CORRECTION. ADD -- I'M SORRY.

PAGE 30, ITEM 222. REQUEST FOR APPROVAL TO EXECUTE AN INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS OF KEITH WISE LOCATION AND PRECINCT TWO.

THAT'S NO ACTION. PAGE 30, ITEM 223, REQUEST FOR APPROVAL TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR THE MANAGEMENTS AND MOODY PARK LOCATED IN PRECINCT TWO. THAT'S

[Executive Session (Part 3 of 6)]

[Emergency/Supplemental Items (Part 1 of 8)]

>> GOOD. COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHERS? >> I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. 12 WAS NOT PUT ON THE NO ACTION LIST. RIGHT?

>> I'M SORRY. WHAT WAS THAT, COMMISSIONER?

>> 12 WAS NOT ONE OF THEM? >> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> THAT'S ON THE CONSENT

AGENDA. >> IS 124 NO ACTION?

>> NO. IT IS NOT. THAT IS, 124, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT, COMMISSIONER. IS THAT THE CONTRACT WITH ABHR?

>> IT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

>> OKAY. YOU WANT TO RUN THROUGH THE CONSENT AGENDA?

[Executive Session (Part 4 of 6)]

>> BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, SHALL WE DO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION REVIEW, COMMISSIONER? SO, WE'VE GOT A FEW ITEMS HERE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY NEED TO GO BACK. PAGE 34 ITEM 264.

THAT'S A REQUEST BY OCA FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF ARUSHA DABWA.

PAGE 34, ITEM 265. AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER APPOINTMENT FOR THAT SAME COMMITTEE OR A DIFFERENT COMMITTEE.

>> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >> PAGE 34, ITEM 266 REQUEST BY THE OCA FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT OF CHRISTOPHER VALDEZ. PAGE 34, ITEM 267, IT'S FOR THE

REAPPOINTMENT OF JENNIFER MOTT. >> NO NEED.

>> PAGE 35, ITEM 268. IT IS FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF LAUREN SPELL.

>> NO NEED TO GO BACK. >> PAGE 35, ITEM 269 FOR THE

REAPPOINTMENT. >> NO NEED TO GO BACK.

>> PAGE 35, ITEM 270 FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT OF ZION ESCOBAR.

>> NO NEED TO GO BACK. >> PAGE 35, ITEM 271 FOR THE DISCUSSION RECOMMENDATION OF DR. WINN.

>> NO. >> PAGE 35, 272. WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT ONE. PAGE 35, 273. ALREADY DONE THAT ONE. PAGE 35, ITEM 274. UNLESS YOU DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS, WE DON'T NEED TO GO

[Emergency/Supplemental Items (Part 2 of 8)]

BACK. >> I DO NOT.

>> PAGE 36, ITEM 275. >> THAT'S GOOD.

[01:00:01]

>> THAT IS FOR THE RECOMMENDATION FOR FATIMA. OKAY.

PAGE 38, 295. REQUEST FOR THE FIRE MARSHALL OFFICE FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.

>> DOES SHE NEED TO GO BACK? >> YOU WANT TO GO BACK? OKAY.

THAT GOES BACK.

PAGE 41. ITEM 318 OFF THE SUPPLEMENTAL. IT'S AN UPDATE ON THE O'DONNELL AND FROM, YES. REGARDING LEGAL. YOU WANT TO GO

BACK? >> YES, SIR.

>> JUST TO CONFIRM, THE APPOINTMENTS WILL BE APPROVED AS

PRESENTED. CORRECT? >> YES, MA'AM.

>> OKAY. THOSE ARE ALL OF THE ITEMS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND NOW WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION ITEMS IN REVIEW. SO THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE BEEN, YOU WANT ME TO READ THEM?

[Departments (Part 3 of 7)]

>> YES, SIR. >> ALL RIGHT. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS NEED TO GO BACK. I'M SORRY. ARE ON THE DISCUSSION END. ITEM 1, THE REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION RELATED TO THE

STRATEGIC HIRING POLICY. >> I'M OKAY WITH IT.

>> PLEASE. >> YOU NEED TO HOLD IT? YEAH, WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT. YOU NEED TO DISCUSS IT, COMMISSIONER BEE

ONS? COMMISSIONER BRIONES? >> LET'S KEEP IT THEN.

>> SO STAY ON DISCUSSION FOR ONE?

>> YES, SIR. >> ITEM TWO, THE DISCUSSION OR APPROVAL OR UPDATES TO COURT RULES.

>> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY? >> I'M GOOD.

>> I'M FINE WITH CONSENT. >> DID YOU SAY YOU'RE GOOD WITH

IT? >> I'M FINE WITH CONSENT.

>> ITEM FOUR IS THE -- OH, NO, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT. ITEM 12. I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T SEE THREE ON THERE. ITEM THREE. FROM OCA REQUEST TO CONSIDER AND ADOPT AN ORDER, PROVIDE REQUIRED NOTICES TO A SALVAGED HEARING DATE OF NOVEMBER 20TH.

>> WE NEED TO TALK YOU SAID? OKAY.

>> ITEM FOUR FROM OCA REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION POTENTIAL APPROVAL. YEP. ALL RIGHT. ITEM 12. THE COUNTY ENGINEER. PLAN TO

USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. >> YES, WE NEED TO DISCUSS.

>> OKAY. ITEM 14. >> JAY, ON ITEM FOUR AND TO THE COURT, AND I THINK THERE WAS A FISCAL NOTE THAT WAS ADDED VERY LATE. AND SO I THINK WE'RE OKAY TO DISCUSS THAT. BUT I'D ASK THAT THE COURT, OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE COURT NOT TAKE FISCAL ACTION ON IT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FISCAL NOTE

PROVIDED UNTIL YESTERDAY. >> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT OR WAIT UNTIL IT COMES BACK WITH A

FISCAL NOTE? >> ITEM FOUR?

>> PAGE 12, ITEM 5. >> ITEM 12.

>> JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. >> OKAY.

>> PAGE 14, ITEM 92 FROM FLOOD CONTROL. THIS IS AN ILA WITH

TECHNICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE. >> PLEASE.

>> OKAY. PAGE 14, ITEM 100. FROM HECTRA. THE RETAINAGE REDUCTION.

>> WE'LL DISCUSS IT. >> THIS WAS PULLED BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> NO DISCUSSION. KEEP IT ON DISCUSSION.

>> OKAY. PAGE 14, ITEM 107. THIS IS THE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC

FACILITY CORPORATION. >> YES. WE NEED TO DISCUSS,

PLEASE. >> PAGE 14, ITEM 109. THIS IS

13.8CDB&G MITIGATION. >> YES.

>> PAGE 15, ITEM 112. VETERANS' SERVICES.

>> COMMISSIONER BRIONES? >> PLEASE.

>> PAGE 17. ITEM 132. PROBATE COURTS.

>> YES. 132, 133, 134, 135, 136. >> OKAY. PAGE 24, ITEM 175 FROM PURCHASING. THIS IS THE RENEWAL OF A1. ADD A STAFF, ET CETERA.

>> YES. >> PAGE 24, ITEM 177.

>> YES. >> PAGE 31, ITEM 228.

[01:05:03]

>> YES. PLEASE. >> PAGE 31, ITEM 234.

>> YES, PLEASE. >> PAGE 32, ITEM 245. IT'S TRANSMITTAL OF THE COUNTY ENGINEER'S SUBDIVISION

DRAINAGE. >> THAT'S YOU, COMMISSIONER

BRIONES. >> YES, PLEASE.

>> PAGE 32, ITEM 248. >> YES.

[Executive Session (Part 5 of 6)]

>> PAGE 36, ITEM 276. >> YES.

[Emergency/Supplemental Items (Part 3 of 8)]

>> PAGE 41, ITEM 317. >> YES.

>> PLEASE. >> PAGE 42, ITEM 320.

>> YES. >> PAGE 42, ITEM 324.

>> YES. >> YES.

>> PAGE 42. >> I DID NO ACTION ON THAT ONE.

>> THERE'S NO ACTION ON 324? >> 322.

>> 322. >> 322, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. NO

A. I PULLED IT. >> ON 322.

>> I'M SORRY, 322 NO ACTION. >> 324 IS ON DISCUSSION. IS THAT RIGHT? 322 HAD NO ACTION. 324 STILL HAS.

>> YES. >> 325?

>> YES. >> AND 326?

>> YES. >> ANY ADDITIONS?

>> THERE'S ALSO A SERIES OF RESOLUTIONS THAT WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF ORDER AT THAT TIME FOR DISCUSSION. IT'S PAGE 42, ITEM

[Emergency/Supplemental Items (Part 4 of 8)]

PAGE 42, ITEM 331. PAGE 43, ITEM 332.

>> AND I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER BRIONES LEAVES AT 530. I'LL LEAVE AT 5:45. I THINK WE HAVE TO GET TIME.

[Departments (Part 4 of 7)]

>> WE HAVE ITEMS FOR VOTE ONLY. NO DISCUSSION. DO YOU WANT TO DO

THOSE AND DO CONSENT? >> YEAH.

>> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, I THINK YOU FLAGGED CERTAIN ITEMS THAT YOU WERE OKAY WITH TAKING A VOTE ON WITH NO DISCUSSION. PAGE 17,

ITEM 132 ON THE PROBATE COURTS. >> 17.

>> THAT WAS 132, 133, 134, 135, 136. THOSE WERE THE ITEMS THAT

YOU SAID. >> THOSE, IT'S THE SAME ISSUE I

GUESS IS MY POINT. >> OKAY. YOU WANT TO VOTE ON IT?

>> WE JUST NEED TO VOTE. >> I'LL MOVE THEM. AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA SECONDS THEM. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY

AYE. >> THE REASON I'M OPPOSED TO THOSE, TO ME THAT'S A BONUS. I DON'T THINK WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT. BUT IT'S A CREATIVE INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW, I GUESS IN TERMS OF CREATING BONUS. I VOTE NO ON ALL OF

THOSE. >> OKAY.

>> JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE RECORD, MR. FUMBON, DO YOU HAVE

LEGAL CONCERNS? >> I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THESE. IT'S UP TO THE COURT.

>> YOU HAVEN'T REVIEWED THEM. >> CAN WE BRING THEM BACK,

PLEASE, ON DECEMBER 11TH? >> NO ACTION. THAT'S 132, 133,

134, 135 AND 136. CORRECT? >> CORRECT.

>> NO ACTION. >> SO NO ACTION ON THOSE ITEMS. ITEM 177. IT'S A PURCHASING ITEM.

. >> IS THAT ONE YOU WANT TO VOTE

ON COMMISSIONER RAMSEY? >> 177.

>> YES, SIR. >> ON PAGE 24. RC WARNER

CONSULTING. >> LET'S JUST VOTE.

>> I'LL MOVE IT. COMMISSIONER GARCIA SECONDS IT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THREE AYE'S, ONE NO. WHAT'S THE NEXT ONE?

>> THOSE ARE ALL THE OTHER ITEMS. SO THERE ARE THREE ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE DISCUSSION LIST. BUT I THINK NEED A DIRECT

MOTION. >> OKAY.

>> PAGE 16, 122, IT'S A REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF THE HARRIS COUNTY ACTIVE THREAT EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION AND RESPONSE POLICY.

>> I'LL MOVE IT. COMMISSIONER GARCIA SECONDS IT. ALL IN FAVOR

[Emergency/Supplemental Items (Part 5 of 8)]

SAY AYE. 4AYE'S, NO NAY'S. >> AS PRESENTED?

>> AS PRESENTED. >> PAGE 36, ITEM 278 IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO PROVIDE A MONTHLY UPDATE ON THE OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE FOR FEDERAL GRANTS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDED CAP OF $100

[01:10:03]

MILLION. >> THAT'S NO ACTION, JAY.

>> NO ACTION? OKAY.

THEN NO ACTION THEN. ALL RIGHT. SO THEN WE JUST TO CONSENT

AGENDA. >> IS THERE A MOTION FOR THE

CONSENT AGENDA? >> SO MOVED.

>> MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA. FOUR AYE'S, NO NAY'S. IT PASSES. OKAY. WE'LL GO BACK.

[Departments (Part 5 of 7)]

FIRST ITEM? >> FIRST ITEM IS NUMBER ONE.

>> AND COMMISSIONER BRIONES, YOU PULLED THAT ONE. I PULLED MINE.

>> I DID. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY HAS A COMMENT, TOO. BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTIONS, WOULD YOU PLEASE UPDATE US ON THE RECOMMENDATION,

PLEASE. >> YEAH. DO WE HAVE THAT? DO WE HAVE THAT, THE PRESENTATION?

>> YES. LET ME PULL IT UP. >> THANK YOU.

DANIEL AND I WILL TAG TEAM ON THIS. CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? WE'VE BEEN SORT OF TEASING THIS ONE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF COURTS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME COMING BACK WITH NUMBERS ON THE HIRING FREEZE LAST STRATEGIC HIRING INITIATIVE. WE REALLY HAVE ORGANIZED THIS INTO THREE SEPARATE CATEGORIES. THE FIRST REPRESENTS THE CURRENTLY FROZEN POSITIONS. JUST CONTEXT, FOLKS KNOW THAT COURT ASKED FOR THIS PROGRAM TO SAVE ESSENTIALLY $25 MILLION OVER THE COURSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR. AND SO WE'VE CUT THAT INTO THREE PIECES. ONE, THE CURRENTLY FROZEN POSITIONS. $16MILLION IS WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN TERMS OF FROZEN. WE'LL ACCRUE THOSE FUNDS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR BY NOT FILLING THOSE POSITIONS. AS WE'VE DONE UP THERE, WE'RE SHOWING YOU IN Q1, Q2, Q4, WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS. I THINK DANIEL AND I BOTH HOPE TO END THIS PROGRAM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SO THAT OFFICES, DEPARTMENTS HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THE HIRING THAT THEY NEED. THE SECOND CATEGORY IS POSITIONS THAT COURT EXEMPTED. EITHER BY CLASSIFICATION OR INDIVIDUALLY. THOSE POSITIONS, DEPARTMENTS CAN HIRE BUT WHERE THEY HAVEN'T HIRED YET. WHERE THERE'S VACANCY SAVINGS, THE POLICY ALLOWS BUDGET TO SWEEP THE SAVINGS. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE START OVER THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR ABOUT $3.2 MILLION A QUARTER GOING DOWN TO $2.8 IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR. THAT'S ABOUT 141 POSITIONS.

>> JUST TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR, THEY'RE COMPLETELY AT LIBERTY TO HIRE FOR THE POSITIONS, THEY SIMPLY HAVEN'T?

>> CORRECT. THEY'RE UNFROZEN. WHILE THEY'RE OPEN, THEY'LL ACCRUE VACANCY SAVINGS THAT WE THINK SHOULD GO TOWARDS THE COUNTY WIDE SAVINGS THAT COURT DIRECTED. NOT JUST BACK TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO SORT OF DO WHAT THEY WILL. FINALLY, THERE'S AN ATTRITION CALCULATION HERE. I THINK WE SAW ALREADY IN THE FIRST COUPLE PAY PERIODS SEPARATIONS. 50 SEPARATIONS IN THE FIRST TWO PAY PERIODS. SO LOOKING AT WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WHERE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN OPENED. ASSUMING SOME OF THOSE GET REFILLED. BUT WE CONTINUE TO SEE PEOPLE LEAVING THE COUNTY. THOSE POSITIONS BEING OPEN FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE THEY'RE HIRED. THE POLICY SAYS THAT IF A POSITION, IF SOMEONE LEAVES THAT POSITION DOES BECOME FROZEN. WE ARE ANTICIPATING MANY OF THE POSITIONS THAT WILL BECOME OPEN, DEPARTMENTS WILL COME TO COURT. DEPARTMENTS ARE COMING TO COURT EVERY TIME ASKING FOR POSITIONS TO BE UNFROZEN. WE DO ANTICIPATE SOME OF THE COURT SAYING YES TO SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE THINK SOME TIME IN THE THIRD QUARTER WE'LL HAVE HIT THAT $25 MILLION NUMBER, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO END THIS PROGRAM. BUT THE MORE EXEMPTIONS THAT COURT AGREES TO, THE LONGER THAT IS GOING TO TAKE. I'LL ASK DANIEL IF HE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD

THERE. >> NO. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THIS AS PAINFUL AS POSSIBLE AND HAVE THIS END AS QUICKLY AS OUR FINANCIAL SITUATION ALLOWS. SO WE'LL BE CHECKING IN AGAIN AFTER WE DO FIRST QUARTER PROJECTIONS IN JANUARY. AND THEN AGAIN IN APRIL WHEN WE PRESENT THE QUARTERLY PROJECTIONS. IF THE PICTURE LOOKS BETTER THAN WHAT WE INITIALLY ANTICIPATED, THIS IS OUR FIRST DUE IN TERMS OF GETTING THIS LIFTED. AGAIN, I THINK I'M STARTING TO HEAR WHISPERS ABOUT FOLKS ASKING FOR SUPPLEMENTALS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ESSENTIALLY WE WOULD

[01:15:02]

GETTING TO BALANCE. >> THANK YOU FOR THESE UPDATES AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SO THOUGHTFUL. AS WE CRAFTED THE OPERATING PROCEDURE. AND NOW AS WE'RE IMPLEMENTING. I REALLY APPRECIATE THESE NUMBERS. FOR TODAY'S AGENDA, I SEE THERE WERE 26 REQUESTS SUBMITTED AND 18 RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. IS

THAT CORRECT? >> YES. THAT'S CORRECT,

COMMISSIONER. >> THESE ARE FOR PRETRIAL

SERVICES. >> YES, THE RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THESE ARE POSITIONS CONTRACTED WITH THE ISD'S. THEY'LL PAY FOR HALF OF THE COST OF THE POSITIONS. SO WE'LL FRONT THAT COST, AND THEN THEY WILL PAY US BACK. WE PREVIOUSLY WERE UNDER CONTRACT WITH ISD. WE THOUGHT, AND IN TALKING TO JOEL, DIRECTOR LEVINE, THESE ARE POSITIONS THE ISD'S REALLY NEED AND THEY'RE PLAYING FOR AND PLANNED AROUND.

FOR PRETRIAL SERVICES, WE, THE COURT HAS MADE A LOT OF INVESTMENTS TO MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH THE SYSTEM IN TALKING TO DIRECTOR MCLEADYS, WE THINK THESE ARE IMPORTANT POSITIONS FOR HER TO CONTINUE HER WORK. SHE'S MAKING SACRIFICES AS WELL. SHE HAS A NUMBER OF OPEN POSITIONS. AND WHAT WE'VE TALKED TO HER ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, LEAVING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF POSITIONS OPEN AS MUCH AS SHE CAN. WE'LL CONTINUE TO REVISIT WITH HER. WE DID NOT APPROVE ALL OF THE POSITIONS SHE ASKED FOR, BUT WERE IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH PRETRIAL AND I THINK WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION.

>> AND I'M COMFORTABLE. I APPRECIATE. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, FOR THE RECORD, YOU WERE EXPLAINING THE RATIONAL. THIS IS VERY MUCH A FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES MAKE YOUR CASE.

BEING THOUGHTFUL AND FAIR. I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THESE SUPPORTS OF RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. MY NEXT QUESTION ALSO FOR LEVEL SETTING CLARITY PURPOSES IS ARE APPROVED BY COURT SOP FOR THIS STRATEGIC HIRING. IT DOES GIVE OCA THE AUTHORITY TO GRANT EXCEPTIONS FOR URGENT NEEDS WITHOUT COMING

TO COURT. CORRECT? >> YES, MA'AM.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE MORE POINT. SOME OF THE POSITIONS WE DID NOT RECOMMEND WERE THINGS AROUND BUDGET AND FINANCIAL SERVICES POSITIONS AND SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS. SO ADMIN AND ADMIN POSITIONS. AS OTHER DEPARTMENTS LOOK AND ASK FOR EXEMPTIONS, WE'RE TRYING TO DRAW THE LINE ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS.

ESPECIALLY THINGS THAT HAVE DIRECT IMPACT TO SERVICES. I THINK WE'RE RECOMMENDING WHEN NEEDED, BUT ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HOLD A MUCH HARDER LINE ON.

>> WE DO GIVE THE DEPARTMENTS MULTIPLE BITES OF THE APPLE TO COME AND EXPLAIN TO US. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULT POSITION IS THE HATE CENTER. THAT WENT BACK AND FORTH, YOU KNOW, REALLY EXPLAINING WHAT ROLE THEY HAVE IN THE HAY CENTER. COURTS HAVE INVESTED TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO HAVE IT EMPTY.

>> AGREE. >> WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO ALIGN WITH THE INVESTMENTS THE COURT HAS MADE.

>> I AGREE 100% AND APPRECIATE HOW THOUGHTFUL AND STRATEGIC AND DISCIPLINED YOU'RE BEING AS YOU IMPLEMENT THIS. I'LL BE

SUPPORTING NUMBER ONE. >> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

>> QUICK QUESTION. GOOD JOB IN TERMS OF MANAGING THIS INITIATIVE. I'LL CALL IT AN INITIATIVE. $25MILLION SAVINGS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO MEET THE BUDGET. LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE PROJECTING 37. AS YOU GO THROUGH QUARTER ONE, QUARTER TWO, QUARTER THREE, YOU'LL BE PROJECTING. AT SOME POINT, AS YOU SAY, YOU CAN PROBABLY PROJECT WE CAN FINISH AND DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO COME TO COURT EVERY TIME. THE LEVEL OF ANALYSIS YOU ALL DO. AT SOME POINT, DO YOU FORESEE NEEDING TO COME TO COURT IF YOU'RE NOT CLEAR ON WHETHER WE SHOULD CUT 11 POSITIONS OR 15 POSITIONS? YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S MERIT. IF YOU NEED THE COURT TO HELP PARTICIPATE IN THAT, I ASSUME

YOU WOULD? >> YES, SIR.

>> SO THESE ARE PRETTY CLEAR AND OBVIOUS THAT 11 APPROVAL OF 10 OUT OF 17 FOR IN ONE CASE AND 8 OUT OF 11 FOR ANOTHER. THAT WAS PRETTY CLEAR ON WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.

>> I WOULD ARGUE THAT THOSE POSITIONS PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THAT INITIAL ROUND OF EXEMPTIONS. FOR THE RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS, THEY WERE POSITIONS THAT ARE PARTIALLY FUNDED BY OTHER SOURCES, WHICH THE POLICY MAKES AN EXEMPTION FOR. AND THEN ON THE PRETRIAL SERVICES, IT'S REALLY, IT WAS REALLY OUR BAD. THE PRETRIAL SERVICES HAS KIND OF ESSENTIALLY SPLIT THEIR FUNCTIONS BETWEEN CASE MANAGERS AND CASEWORKERS. OFFICERS. FUNCTIONALLY, THEY'RE THE SAME.

THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR IN CLASS AND ARE ACHIEVING THE SAME GOAL, WHICH IS KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL BY USING THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING. WE THINK BOTH OF THOSE WOULD HAVE PASSED. WOULD

[01:20:04]

>> IT'S REFRESHING TO GET AN UPDATE AND NOT ASK FOR IT. SO

THANK YOU. >> PLEASE MOVE NUMBER ONE. AS

PRESENTED. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> I'M SORRY. >> YES. JUST REAL QUICKLY.

JESSE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS AND DANIEL AS WELL. I DO ASK THE DIRECTORS THAT CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US. I APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYBODY IS DOING WITH WHAT WE HAVE ALL HAD TO USE OR WORK WITH IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET SEASON. BUT I DO ASK OCA AND BUDGET TO NOT HAVE A TINT EAR TO SOME OF THESE NEEDS.

CYBERSECURITY GIVES ME A FEW STANDING HAIRS ON MY NECK. SO JUST CONTINUE TO BE THOUGHTFUL WITH PARTICULAR AREAS OF WORK THAT ARE CRITICAL TO US ALL. AND IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SOME URGENT NEED, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL JUST LISTEN TO THE DIRECTORS BEYOND, IT'S NOT THE TIME TO SUBMIT. AND CONTINUE TO HEAR HOW THOSE NEEDS MAY IMPACT US ALL.

>> COMMISSIONER, WE ABSOLUTELY, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION WHEN A DEPARTMENT NEEDS SOMETHING.

IT'S AN OPEN DIALOGUE. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION?

>> YES. SO MOVED. >> AS PRESENTED. MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA. 4AYE'S, NO NAY'S. ITEM THREE. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, YOU PULLED THAT ONE.

>> QUICKLY. THIS IS A LOT OF WORK IN TERMS OF GETTING ALL THE PRECINCTS REORGANIZED. IDENTIFYING CHAIRS. WHO IS GOING TO SIT IN THESE PARTICULAR POSITIONS. PRECINCT ONE HAD 25 ELECTION PRECINCTS IMPACTED. PRECINCT TWO, 29. PRECINCT THREE, 22. PRECINCT FOUR, 29. I'LL JUST SAY THERE'S PROBABLY, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL JUST IN MY AREA, ROUGHLY HALF THE PRECINCT CHAIRS ARE NOT FILLED. SO, THESE DEADLINES OF DECEMBER 8TH, I JUST WONDER IF THERE'S ANY FLEXIBILITY ON THOSE DEADLINES TO GIVE MAYBE INTO JANUARY TO GIVE THEM TIME

TO FILL SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS. >> THE CHALLENGE IS THE REDISTRICTING THAT JUST HAPPENED THIS YEAR. AND MAKING SURE OUR PRECINCT LINES ARE IN LINE WITH THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAPS. THEY HAVE TO BE ESSENTIALLY IN EFFECT ON JANUARY 1ST. BUT I KNOW THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO WORK WITH THE PARTIES AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.

THERE CAN BE SOME TWEAKS MADE TO THE MAPS TO MAKE SURE THEIR

ISSUES ARE BEING CONSIDERED. >> ANY HELP? ANY RELIEF?

>> WE'LL TRY OUR BEST. >> GET TO DECEMBER 8TH? IT'S KIND OF HARD TO FILE FOR SOMETHING IF YOU'RE NOT SURE

WHAT THE PRECINCT LINES ARE. >> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> WHAT THE LINES ARE. ANY KIND OF HELP TO THE PARTIES IN TRYING

TO GET THE FILLS. >> WE'LL DO OUR BEST,

COMMISSIONER. >> OKAY.

>> OKAY. >> I'LL MOVE ON THE ITEM.

>> SECOND. >> MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA. 4 AYE'S AND NO NAY'S.

ITEM PASSES. PAGE 3, ITEM 12. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY. AI.

SOFTWARE IMPROVEMENTS.

>> YEAH. IF I COULD TAKE THIS ITEM WITH ITEM 324. WHICH ITEM 324 IS A DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION ON IMPLEMENTING METRICS IN OUR PERMITTING DIVISION. ITEM 12, WE'RE TAKING NO ACTION. IS

THAT IT? >> YES, SIR.

>> WHAT WE'D ASK. SORRY, COMMISSIONER? WHAT WE'D ASK IS I KNOW CHIEF PENNY IS HERE. THE ITEM WAS FINE. IT HAD A LATE FISCAL NOTE THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO CONSIDER. CAN WE REMOVE THE FISCAL NOTE AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ITEM? IF ENGINEERING IS OKAY, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.

>> WE CAN WORK WITH THEM IF THERE'S A FUNDING NEED TO SEE WHAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY COME OUT OF.

>> IT'S GOOD TO SEE CHIEF. I CALL YOU CHIEF. OLD HABITS ARE HARD TO GET OUT OF. UNDER ITEM 12, THIS IS REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION ON PLAN TO USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AI AND OTHER SOFTWARE IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE PERMITTING PROCESS FASTER, MORE ACCURATE AND EASIER. A FEW COMMENTS RELATED TO THAT ITEM. IS UNIVERSAL SERVICES, HAVE THEY

[01:25:04]

BEEN INVOLVED? >> YES, SIR. WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH UNIVERSAL SERVICES ON EVERY ASPECT OF

THIS. >> SO THEY'VE BEEN FULLY

INVOLVED AT THIS POINT ON THIS? >> NO. THIS IS, AGAIN, THE CONVERSATION IS WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH UNIVERSAL SERVICES. WE HAVEN'T FULLY IMPLEMENTED THE ASSESSMENT NEEDED. THIS IS PART OF THE WHOLE PLAN THAT WE'RE DELIVERING. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, IF YOU WOULD LIKE.

>> OKAY. WELL, OBVIOUSLY I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT AS YOU RECOGNIZED. THE IMPACT ON THE PERMITTING PROCESS. IN TERMS OF MAKING IT BETTER. MY ITEM 324 HAD TO DO WITH IMPROVING OUR TIME. IN TERMS OF PERMITS. WE'RE GIVING OUT. DRIVEWAY PERMITS IN TEX-DOT. I THINK COMMISSIONER ELVIS HAS PROPERLY RUN AROUND TOWN BRAGGING ABOUT HOW QUICKLY YOU COULD DO A DRIVEWAY PERMIT.

I WOULD LIKE TO BRAG ABOUT HOW QUICKLY WE ARE DOING THE PERMITTING. I KNOW WE HAVE ISSUES AND I KNOW YOU'RE FOCUSED ON IT. THE OVERALL COST OF THE SOFTWARE FOR IN ITEM 12, THAT'S THAT FISCAL ITEM. WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO. CAN YOU

TELL ME TODAY WHAT THAT IS? >> YES, SIR. WE'RE BASING OUR ESTIMATE ON WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS USING. THEY HAD $1 MILLION INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION FEE FOR PROGRAMMING AND LICENSING. AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING THE SIMILAR, A SIMILAR STARTUP FEE FOR OUR PURPOSES.

>> HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE PERMITTING METRICS, TIMING IN AUSTIN? THEY'RE DOING AN A DOUBLE PLUS. IT'S EXTRAORDINARY

HOW WELL THEY'RE DOING OR WHAT? >> YES, SIR. WE DID LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING. DOCTOR WILL SPEAK MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT THAT.

BUT RIGHT NOW, WHAT THEIR MAIN FOCUS IS, IS ON THE AUTOMATED PRESCREENING. FOR THE PERMITS. WHICH WILL ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO KNOW IF THERE ARE DISCREPANCIES IN THE PERMITS BEFORE IT GOES TO AN ACTUAL REVIEWER. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW. WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE INITIAL PHASES FOR OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF AI TO FOCUS ON SIMILAR ASPECTS.

>> AGAIN, THEY'RE PERMITTING TIMES. HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THEM TO ISSUE PERMITS IN TERMS OF WHAT COUNTIES TYPICALLY DO.

YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE DOING EXTRAORDINARY JOB?

>> YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER. I AM THE NEW CHIEF OF PLANNING IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR OC. SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE PERMITTING TIME FOR THEM RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT 20 DAYS.

FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE USE OF AI SOFTWARE HAS REDUCED THEIR

REVIEW TIME BY 50%. >> SO, IT'S REDUCED IT, AND WE'RE SAYING 20 IS GREAT? WE KNOW THAT? I SAY THAT. THAT'S REALLY A PART OF 12. PART OF WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT TODAY, DO YOUR HOMEWORK IN TERMS OF WHAT IS AN A PLUS. IS 20 AN A PLUS OR IS FIVE DAYS AN A PLUS? THEY MAY BE A 20, AND THEY MAY BE HALF OF WHAT THEY USED TO BE. BUT IT STILL MAY NOT BE NECESSARILY, NECESSARILY GREAT. I WOULD EVEN SAY THAT ABOUT US.

SO A COUPLE OF THINGS TO NOTE. IF WE JUST SIMPLY UPDATE OUR CURRENT VISUAL INTERFACE OF E-PERMITS, THAT HASN'T CHANGED IN 15 YEARS. THAT'S NOT AI. THAT'S JUST, TO ME, THAT'S LOW HANGING FRUIT. IT'S EASY. SO BEFORE YOU MOVE INTO THE NEXT LEVEL OF FIXING, MAYBE IF WE COULD JUST GET, UPDATE THE VISUAL INTERFACE. MODERNIZE THE EXTERNAL FACING COMPONENTS TO MAKE IT EASIER. MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY. IT'S KIND OF COMPLICATED AT THIS POINT. THAT'S THE FEEDBACK I'M GETTING. MOBILE CAPABILITY ACROSS DEVICES. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. I'LL SEND YOU THIS, DOCTOR. IN TERMS OF SOME OF THESE COMMENTS, BUT THE SMS NOTIFICATIONS FOR REALTIME. SO, AGAIN, I'M GLAD THAT THERE IS A RECOGNITION THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE THE TIMELINES ON IT. MY ITEM 324 IS PERMITTING IS THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT I GET IN MY PRECINCT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE GETTING CALLS LIKE I'M GETTING CALLS. SO KNOWING THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT FROM COMMISSIONERS' COURT, I WOULD HOPE IT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE AROUND THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON TO GET THAT. BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T PROCESS

[01:30:03]

WE'RE FIXING TO REALLY GET THIS IMPROVED. SO THE SPECIFICS, I THINK, MATTER WOULD BE IN GENERAL WHAT I WOULD SAY ABOUT

THIS. >> YES, SIR. IF I MAY, COMMISSIONER. FIRST OF ALL, SAM WITH THE OFFICE OF COUNTY OF ENGINEERING HERE ON BEHALF OF DR. RAMON AND HE'S OUR NEW CHIEF OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. WE DO HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION. JUST A FEW MINUTES TO DISCUSS THE AI ASPECT, COMMISSIONER. YOU BROUGHT UP SOME GOOD POINTS. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR STAFF THIS MORNING. WE PROVIDED A RESPONSE TO THEM. WE UNDERSTAND THE PINCH POINTS.

RIGHT? I'D LIKE TO TAKE JUST A FEW MINUTES TO DISCUSS THE AI.

BUT TO DO IT IN A BROADER PERMITTING IMPROVEMENT CONTEXT.

BECAUSE THIS WAS ONE OF THE ASKS THAT WAS PART OF THE DELIVERABLES THAT COMMISSIONERS COURT REQUIRED BACK IN SEPTEMBER. IF WE CAN. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. JUST NEXT. RIGHT HERE. THIS IS JUST THE BACKGROUND. THESE WERE THE MOTIONS THAT WERE REQUIRED OF US BY COMMISSIONERS COURT BACK IN SEPTEMBER. IMPROVE OR ADOPT THE NEW FEE THAT WAS APPROVED AND TO DO SO, TO HAVE IT GO LIVE BY OCTOBER 1ST. THE SECOND ONE WAS THE AI PLAN TO COME BACK TO COMMISSIONERS COURT WITH A PLAN AND DISCUSSION ON AI AND TECHNOLOGY USE. THE THIRD ONE WAS TO COME BACK IN A YEAR FOR THE NEXT PHASE IN THE FEE INCREASE. AND HAVE A DISCUSSION BEFORE THAT IS IMPLEMENTED. THE FOURTH ITEM WAS TO ESTABLISH QUARTERLY WORKING GROUPS WITH STAKE HOLDERS. THE FIFTH ITEM WAS TO DO AN INTERDEPARTMENT INTEGRATION TO FOCUS ON A PUBLIC FACING DASH BOARD. WE'RE WORKING WITH PUBLIC HEALTH, FLOOD CONTROL. GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE FIRE MARSHALL'S OFFICE TO INCORPORATE ONE PUBLIC FACING DASH BOARD. THE SIXTH ITEM THAT WAS REQUIRED WAS TO DETERMINE A PENALTY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO, WHAT I CAN SAY IS BOTTOM LINE, WE ARE ON TRACK ON THE DELIVERABLES. THE FEE WENT LIVE OCTOBER 1ST. IT'S WORKING AS DESIGNED. WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE COLLECTION OF THE FEES AND THAT ASPECT OF IT. THE SECOND ASPECT WAS THE AI AND DOCTOR WILL FLUSH THIS OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE. AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE ESSENTIALLY AN AUTOMATED COMPLETENESS SCREENING FOR THE PERMITS BEFORE IT GOES TO A PERSON TO DO THE ACTUAL REVIEW. WE'RE HOPING THAT IT CUTS DOWN IN THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE GO BACK AND FORTH WITH THE APPLICANT. TO ENSURE IT'S COMPLETE. THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE BEFORE WE REVIEW IT.

THE NEXT ONE IS THE, AND MY EYESIGHT IS FAILING ME. THE QUARTERLY WORKING GROUPS. THAT'S ON TRACK. WE MET IN OCTOBER ON THE FIRST TIME. THE DISCUSSION WAS THE PLATTE DELEGATION AUTHORITY. THERE WASN'T MUCH CONSENSUS ON THAT.

SO, WE ARE TAKING IT OFF THE BURNER FOR NOW. BUT WE ARE LOOKING INTERNALLY AT OTHER PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN DO TO SHORTEN THE TIME THAT WE HANDLE THOSE PLATTES. THE NEXT ONE IS THE PUBLIC FACING DASH BOARD. THAT IS LIVE NOW. IT IS WITH YOUR OFFICES FOR FEEDBACK. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THE KPI'S, COMMISSIONER, TO YOUR POINT. WHAT ARE WE MEASURING? WE WORK WITH INDUSTRY. THE GREATER HOUSTON, GHBA, BUILDER'S ASSOCIATION IN THE RUN UP TO THE FEE ADJUSTMENT. THEY REQUIRED CERTAIN PERFORMANCE METRICS. IN ORDER FOR THEM TO SUPPORT ANY INCREASE. WE ESTABLISHED THOSE AS KPI'S THAT WERE TRACKING ON THE DASH BOARD, WHICH IS LIVE. I HAVE SCREEN SHOTS LATER IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM. I CAN SAY, WE ARE TO THIS POINT, IN THE TIME WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING. WE ARE TRACKING THE 90TH PERCENTILE. WE'RE NO LONGER PRESENTING AVERAGES TO YOU ALL OR THE DASH BOARDS. IT'S THE 90TH PERCENTILE ON OUR

[01:35:03]

WE ANTICIPATE QUARTER ONE TO BE WHEN EVERYBODY IS INCORPORATED INTO THIS DASH BOARD. AND THE LAST ONE IS THE PENALTY FRAMEWORK. THE QUARTERLY GROUPS WILL BE MEETING TO DISCUSS ITEMS. THIS IS NEXT ON THE AGENDA. TO FLUSH OUT WHAT A PENALTY WOULD LOOK LIKE. WHO WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THAT, AND HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK. SO, I'M GOING TO DEFER NOW TO DR.

ATIENNE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE AI ASPECT. THEN WE'LL COME BACK

FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU, CHIEF AND GOOD MORNING AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS. SO, AGAIN, I'M NEW TO THE COUNTY. I WAS A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OVER PLANNING DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I'M DELIGHTED TO BE HERE. I HAVE TO SAY THAT COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, YOU ARE CORRECT. PERMITS IS ALWAYS A NUMBER ONE ISSUE IN COMMUNITIES. HOW FAST CAN WE PROCESS PERMITS? BUILDING PERMITS? I CAN TELL YOU THAT THAT'S THE TOP PRIORITY FOR ME.

WITH OCE. THAT'S THE TOP PRIORITY. IN FACT, I AM DOING, CURRENTLY A DEEP DIVE OR AN AUTOPSY ON EVERY PERMIT TYPE. TO SEE HOW WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT. HOW WE CAN DO IT FASTER. SO, A FRIEND OF MINE SAID MIKE, YOU NEED TO DO AN AUTOPSY. AND I THINK THAT WAS COMMISSIONER GARCIA. I AM DOING AN AUTOPSY ON EVERY PERMIT TYPE TO SEE HOW WE CAN DO IT FASTER.

WITH REGARDS TO AI, COMMISSIONERS, YOU KNOW THAT AI IS AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY. EVERYWHERE YOU GO NOW, EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT AI. EVERY COMMERCIAL IS ABOUT AI. HARRIS COUNTY IS GROWING VERY FAST. WE ARE GROWING AT ABOUT 100,000 RESIDENTS PER YEAR. SO WE THINK USING AI COULD HELP SPEED UP THE PERMITTING PROCESS, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY HELP MEET THE HOUSING DEMAND AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO OCE'S PLAN IS TO USE AI ULTIMATELY TO MAKE SURE OUR PERMITS PROCESS IS FASTER. IS ACCURATE. AND IS EASY FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE. SO, OUR PLAN CONSISTS OF FOUR KEY STEPS. STEP ONE IS TO CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT PERMITTING PLATFORMS THAT WE HAVE. LIKE YOU SAID, COMMISSIONER, OUR E-PERMITS COULD BE IMPROVED. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THE E-PERMIT SOFTWARE WE HAVE TO MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY, BETTER INNER FACING WITH THE PUBLIC. WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT. WE ARE LOOKING WITH THE U.S. TO CONDUCT THAT AUTOPSY. TO DO A COMPLETE ASSESSMENT OF OUR TECHNOLOGY, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE BEFORE WE DEPLOY ANY AI SOFTWARE. WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR AI. SO THAT'S THE VERY FIRST STEP. SO THE SECOND STEP THAT WE DID, COMMISSIONERS. IS TO CONDUCT BEST PRACTICE RESEARCH. WE WANT TO SEE WHAT ARE THE OTHER CITIES OR COUNTIES DOING? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? SO WHAT WE DID, WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT L.A. COUNTY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN WERE THE LEADERS IN THE USE OF AI FOR PERMITTING. THOSE TWO LOCALITIES WERE THE MAIN ONES. SO, WE TRAVELED TO AUSTIN, MET WITH THEIR STAFF TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THEY ARE USING THE AI. SO, THEY HAVE A SOFTWARE CALLED E CHAT. THAT SOFTWARE ESSENTIALLY IS USED TO DO PRECHECK. IT ONLY PRECHECKS. IT PRECHECKS THE BUILDING PLAN AND SAYS DOES IT PASS OR FAIL? IF THE PLAN IS GOOD, PER THE AI, THEN IT GOES TO A HUMAN OR A PLAN REVIEWER TO REVIEW. SO THERE IS A MISCONCEPTION THAT AI WILL ELIMINATE STAFF POSITIONS. THE ANSWER IS NO, CURRENTLY.

CURRENTLY, LOCALITIES LIKE AUSTIN, THEY'RE USING AI FOR PRECHECK. TO PRECHECK THE BUILDING PLAN. IT'S LIKE A

[01:40:01]

IT'S FUNDED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN. AND THEIR BUDGET IS $1 MILLION PER YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS. SO THE TOTAL BUDGET IS $5 MILLION AND IT'S A PILOT FOR FIVE YEARS. AND OUR NEXT STEP, OUR FINAL STEP IS TO COLLABORATE WITH U.S., UNIVERSAL SERVICES TO ESSENTIALLY COME UP, OR IDENTIFY A PILOT OF A RECOGNIZED SOFTWARE. WE WANT TO PILOT A RECOGNIZED AI SOFTWARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH U.S. SO THAT IS OUR PLAN. IN TERMS OF HOW WE WANT TO EMPLOY THE AI. WE DO NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC BUDGET YET. AS CHIEF MENTIONED, THE BUDGET WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHAT AUSTIN SPENT. SO THEY'RE SPENDING ABOUT $1 MILLION FOR STARTUP.

AND THEN A MILLION FOR THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS. DID I MISS

ANYTHING? >> COMMISSIONER, SO THAT'S THE AI ASPECT. WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED. THE PUBLIC FACING SOFTWARE. RIGHT? AND THE EASE OF USE. STAFF IS, RIGHT NOW, COLLABORATING WITH U.S. AND DEVELOPING, THEY'RE IN DEVELOPMENT OF AN APP THAT IS MOBILE FRIENDLY. THAT FOLKS WILL BE ABLE TO GO ON THERE AND TRACK THEIR PERMIT. THE STATUS OF THEIR PERMITS AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THOSE TYPES OF TOPICS. BUT IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS. WE KNOW WE'RE BEHIND THE BALL. THE E-PERMITS IS WHAT WE WANT TO BOLT THIS AI COMPONENT ON TO. WE NEED TO ENSURE, AS DR. ATIENNE MENTIONED, THAT U.S. DOES AN ASSESSMENT THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING A FRANKENSTEIN WHEN WE BRING IN EXISTING SOFTWARE ON TO AN EXISTING PLATFORM. WE HAVE TO BE READY TO RECEIVE IT. THAT ASSESSMENT IS FOUNDATIONAL TO MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY AI SOFTWARE THAT WE WOULD

IMPLEMENT. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER BRIONES.

>> FIRST OF ALL, CHIEF, THANK YOU. DR. ATIENNE, WELCOME TO HARRIS COUNTY. HAPPY TO HAVE YOU. I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RAMSEY'S COMMENTS FROM EARLIER. IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PAIN POINTS IN THE COUNTY IS OUR PERMITTING PROCESS AND THE PLATTING PROCESS. WE GET CALLS DAILY WITH COMPLAINTS. TO ME, IT BOTHERS ME SO MUCH. NOT ONLY BECAUSE I HATE INEFFICIENCY AND WASTING TIME AND LACK PATIENCE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY BECAUSE ALL THAT TIME COSTS HOMEOWNERS MORE, ULTIMATELY. IT COSTS BUSINESSES MORE. AND WE NEED TO UP OUR GAME. IT SEEMS LIKE WE ALL HAVE ALIGNMENT ON THAT. I WOULD ASK, I RECOGNIZE IT'S A PILOT BUT ALSO CONSIDERING THE PLATTE REQUEST AS WELL. GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH IN HARRIS COUNTY AND PRECINCT FOUR HAS APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE PLATTE REQUEST. WE GET A LOT OF CALLS.

I WANT TO THANK DAN AND RAY AND SO MANY OF MY TEAM MEMBERS WHO FIELD THEM. MY QUESTION TO YOU. I'M SORRY IF I MISSED IT. WHAT YEAR IN THE PILOT PROCESS ARE IN AUSTIN AND L.A.?

>> AUSTIN IS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION.

>> L.A. IS IN THEIR SECOND YEAR. >> OKAY. WHAT DATA. I'M A BOTH AND TYPE OF PERSON. I BOTH WANT US TO BE THE MORE EFFICIENT AND THE MORE EXCELLENT. ACCURACY IS A FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE AND --

DO WE HAVE DATA? >> NOT AT THIS TIME. WE MET WITH THE L.A. STAFF AND THEY ARE STILL GATHERING DATA. AND AGAIN, L.A.'S AI WAS DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO THE FIRES. SO, I BELIEVE THEY HAD 7,000 HOUSES OR STRUCTURES BURNT. SO THEY MOVED FORWARD WITH AI TO HELP REBUILD THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY LOST.

AT THIS TIME, THEY DO NOT HAVE SPECIFIC DATA YET.

>> OKAY. WELL, I ASK, PLEASE, THAT FIRST OF ALL, AND I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS. PLEASE MAKE SURE WHEN YOU BRING SOMETHING TO COURT WE HAVE A FISCAL NOTE AND GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS AND PROCESSES SO WE'RE WORKING AS A TEAM AS A COUNTY. UNIVERSAL SERVICES, I'M HAPPY YOU'RE TALKING NOW. I WANT US TO BE TRULY BUILDING ON THOSE SYNERGIES AND WORKING TOGETHER FROM THE OUTSET. I'M HAPPY NOW THAT'S THE CASE.

WE'RE ONE TEAM. I WANT TO DO SOMETHING, LET'S GO BIG. LET'S

[01:45:03]

YOU. >> COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU DOCTOR AND CHIEF. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. DR. RAMON AS WELL. I HOPE HE'S ON THE MEND QUICKLY. BUT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING ON THIS. THIS IS A PILOT PROJECT. WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST ON THE STUDY. I THINK THE STUDY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE COME OUT MORE EXPENSE THAN WHAT THE PILOT COULD BE. BUT JUST TO SAY THAT, THE SUCCESS THAT OTHERS ARE DEMONSTRATING, I JUST WANT THAT TO BE THE FLOOR. I WANT US TO REALLY KNOCK THIS OUT OF THE PARK. AND THEN ALSO LET ME ALSO JUST RESTATE THAT PERMITTING IS THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT I GET. HOWEVER, THE COMPLAINTS ARE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THEY ARE NOT FROM THE COUNTY, NECESSARILY. I DON'T GET THEM ANYWHERE NEAR AT THE LEVEL I GET FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. BECAUSE MAYOR TURNER AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF MERGING PERMITTING. OBVIOUSLY AT THE TIME I SPOKE WITH DR. RAMON ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THAT, IT WAS, IT WOULD HAVE DONE IT.

WHEN YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE AI, AS A CONDUIT TO THE PRESS, I THINK IT MAKES THE IDEA OF IT BETTER.

AND LET'S JUST MOVE THIS FORWARD. LET ME KNOW WHAT I NEED TO DO WITH THE FISCAL NOTE ASPECT OF THIS BUT I DON'T WANT TO DELAY THE PROGRESS, THANK YOU SIR.

>> WAS IT LA CITY OR LA COUNTY YOU ARE REFERENCING?

>> COUNTY. >> AND HOW MUCH DID THEY SPEND?

>> THEY WERE $12 MILLION. I WOULD SAY THE $12 MILLION, COMMISSIONER, CAME FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR. IT WAS GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S FOUNDATION AND AMAZON PAID FOR IT. $12 MILLION.

>> I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S ENOUGH.

>> THE MILLION AGAIN, WE ARE BASING IT ON WHAT AUSTIN HAS. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE DEMAND HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY. IT'S A BIGGER PROGRAM, BUT WE ARE ESTIMATING JUST THE START OF COST TO BE THAT INITIAL MILLION DOLLARS.

>> BUT COMMISSIONERS IT'S JUST AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED. WE DON'T THINK IT'S AN ESTIMATE FOR DOLLARS IN THE DEPARTMENT TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

>> THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY?

>> JUST ONE FINAL COMMENT. THE OBJECTIVE HAS TO DO WITH ISSUING PERMITS TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY , THE CONSTITUENTS OF FOLKS OUT THERE. IT'S NECESSARY TO MAKE OUR JOBS EASIER. I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. I JUST WANT TO BE REAL CLEAR, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE OUR SERVICE BETTER. NOTHING IS MORE FRUSTRATING TO ME THEN TO CALL A BUSINESS AND I GET A RECORDING, I GET AN AI SOMETHING AND THEY TAKE ME OFF INTO THE TWILIGHT ZONE AND I NEVER GET BACK . SO JUST BE SURE THAT AT SOME POINT THERE'S AN OFFRAMP TO A REAL PERSON AND OUR AI INITIATIVE CERTAINLY CAN SAVE TIME, WE CAN BE SMART ABOUT IT, BUT JUST BE SURE THAT WE DON'T MAKE IT EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO SIMPLY GO OUT THERE AND BUILD SOMETHING.

>> YES, SIR, AND WE UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONERS, HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO YOU ALL AND TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR EVERYBODY AND CERTAINLY A PRIORITY FOR DOCTOR AND HIS TEAM. WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS IN

[01:50:03]

>> ANY OBJECTION TO THE UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? HEARING NONE IT CONTINUES. ONE QUICK QUESTION. IT IS INTERESTING THE TWO BIGGER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN OUR REASON HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY OUTSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON . ARE YOU HAVING ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY?

>> NO I HAVE NOT. >> YOU MIGHT RUN WANT TO REACH OUT. FOR GOING TO SPEND $1 MILLION, I KNOW THERE'S FISCAL PROBLEMS BUT THERE MIGHT BE SOME SYNERGY BECAUSE IT IS INTERESTING. THE TWO BIGGEST ONES THAT WE KNOW ABOUT IN MANY OF US HAPPEN TO HAVE PICKED AREAS RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CITY BECAUSE THE CITY IS HERE, OBVIOUSLY. INC. HARRIS COUNTY.

WHAT IS THE MOTION? >> I DID WANT TO MAKE THIS POINT. DANIEL AND JESSE AS YOU WORK ON THE FISCAL NOTE ASPECT OF THIS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MY SELFISHNESS IN THIS IS TWO THINGS. ONE, THAT WE MAKE THE PERMITTING PROCESS MUCH MORE SEAMLESS FOR INDUSTRY FOR EVERYBODY APPLYING WHETHER THEY ARE PUTTING IN A CARPORT OR BUILDING A COMPLICATED PROJECT.

SECONDLY IS THAT THE FASTER THE PERMITTING PROCESS GETS, ULTIMATELY, AND ESPECIALLY FOR DEVELOPMENT JOBS LIKE ELI LILLY , THE GOAL IS THE OCCUPANCY PERMIT. ONCE THAT OCCUPANCY PERMIT , GOVERNMENT GETS TO COLLECT MORE PROPERTY TAXES. SO WHATEVER INVESTMENT WE ARE MAKING INTO THIS WILL PAY FOR ITSELF SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THAT IN MIND. IT'S NOT JUST A PROJECT THAT WE WANT TO KEEP YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A BIG END GOAL AT THE END OF THE LINE ON THIS AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE POTENTIALLY FACING. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THINGS A LOT MORE EASIER FOR US BY SUPPORTING ENGINEERING ON THIS.

>> WE ARE READY TO SUPPORT. >> DO REACH OUT TO THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S MOSTLY THE COMPLAINTS WE GET , FOR INNER-CITY SO THERE MAY BE SOME SYNERGIES AND THEY COULD BENEFIT FROM WHAT THEY ARE DOING EVEN IF THEY DON'T PUT ANY MONEY IN.

>> WHAT'S YOUR MOTION? >> SECOND.

>> SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES , IT PASSES.

>> DID YOU HAVE A MOTION ON YOURS?

>> THERE'S NO MOTION ON MINE. >> ON 12.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> COMMISSIONER, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD 277 IS CONSIDERED NO ACTION, AND THEN A REMINDER THAT ITEM 327 THE CLERK WANTS TO SPEAK AFTER 2:00 O'CLOCK ON THE CANVAS OF THE NOVEMBER 4 ELECTION. IT WASN'T PUT ON THERE SO I WANTED TO VERIFY.

>> DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT NOW? >> NO, AFTER 2:00 O'CLOCK.

>> OKAY, THE NEXT WHEN I HAVE IS FLOOD CONTROL ITEM 92 , IS THAT

CORRECT? >> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY YOU PULLED THAT ONE, I THINK

>> MY QUESTION, I SEE THE DIRECTOR BACK THERE BUT THIS IS A $350,000 ASSIGNMENT TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND SUPPORT OF INFORMATION OF RESILIENCE PROGRAMS AND POLICIES FOR FLOOD CONTROL . MY QUESTION, DIRECTOR, IS HOW IS THIS CONNECTED TO THE

[01:55:02]

PROVIDED UNTIL 2027? >> GOOD MORNING OR GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M NOT SURE WHAT TIME IT IS. MY NAME IS TINA PETERSON AND I'M HERE WITH THE CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER FOR THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT. COMISSIONER RAMSEY, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF WORK THAT IS GOING TO BE COMPLETED IS COMPLEMENTARY TO THE FLOOD RESILIENCE PLAN BUT IT IS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED. WHEN I CAME ON BOARD AT THE DISTRICT WE CREATED A FLOOD RESILIENCE TEAM WITH THE FOCUS TO ADVANCE THE PLAN BUT ALSO STAND UP FLOOD RESILIENCE ACTIVITIES AT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT. UNDER THE STRONG DIRECTION OF PRIYA WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE WE ARE READY TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND BEGIN TO REALLY ADVANCE THE WORK NOT JUST OF THE FLOOD RESILIENCE PLAN BUT OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT CAN BE DOING WHILE THE PLAN IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT. WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT INTO THE PLAN IS COMPLETED.

THERE IS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY, A LOT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT, A LOT OF PILOT EFFORTS THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO LOOK AT TO MOVE FORWARD. REALLY THE ONLY CONNECTION I WOULD SAY , COMISSIONER RAMSEY, THAT THIS HAS TO THE FLOOD RESILIENCE PLAN IS NUMBER ONE, HELPING US ADVANCE THE WORK AHEAD OF THE PLAN, BUT ALSO THERE'S A POTENTIAL THEY COULD PROVIDE SOME OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE ON SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE AT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WILL BE DEVELOPING. THERE ARE STRATEGIES THAT WILL GO INTO THE PLAN BUT THIS WILL NOT BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE WORK OF THE CONSULTANT WHO HAS THAT CONTRACT

RIGHT NOW. >> IS THERE A GEO TECHNOLOGY ELEMENT TO THIS OR IS THAT JUST THEIR NAME?

>> THAT IS THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE HOUSTON AREA RESEARCH CENTER

ACTUALLY. >> AND THE PROCESS, OBVIOUSLY THIS WENT THROUGH A SELECTION PROCESS.

>> BECAUSE IT'S AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THERE ARE SPECIAL RULES THAT GOVERN THE PROCESS THAT WE WORKED WITH COUNTY ATTORNEY ON AND GTR I AND HARK IS UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS EXPERTISE. THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS ACROSS THE GULF COAST AND THEY BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY RELATED TO GRANTS WITH USDA WHICH ALSO PROVIDES A REALLY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE FOR US

THAT WE LIKE TO BUILD OFF OF. >> OKAY. I MOVE ON THE ITEM.

>> MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY COMISSIONER RAMSEY AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES ITEM PASSES.

>> THE NEXT. PAGE 14 . I HAD PRECINCT 3 ON HERE.

>> ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM I WANT TO FIRST THINK THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROBERTA TREVINO FOR HIS CONTINUED GOOD WORK AND THIS PARTICULAR ITEM CAUGHT MY ATTENTION FOR A DIFFERENT REASON AND I JUST WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HELPING ME CATCH THIS. FIRST OF ALL, RETAINAGE IS INTENDED TO SAFEGUARD OWNERS ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FROM SUBSTANDARD, INCOMPLETE AND DEFECTIVE WORK AND A PORTION OF THE PAYMENTS DUE TO CONTRACTORS IS CONSEQUENTLY WITHHELD. THE WITHHELD PAYMENT IS KNOWN AS RETAINAGE. RETAINED PAYMENTS SERVE TWO PRIMARY PURPOSES. INCENTIVIZING PROJECT COMPLETION. THEY CREATE AN INCENTIVE FOR CONTRACTORS TO COMPLETE PROJECTS TO THE REQUIRED STANDARDS AND ON TIME INCLUDING ADDRESSING FINAL PUNCH LIST ITEMS. SECONDLY, ENSURING FINANCIAL SECURITY. THEY PROVIDE A CUSHION FOR PROJECT MANAGERS TO REMEDY ANY DEFECTS OR BRING IN OTHER CONTRACTORS TO FINISH THE WORK IF THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTOR DEFAULTS. TEXAS LAWS GOVERNING RETAINAGE ARE PRIMARILY FOUND IN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODES. THESE STATUTES MANDATE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR RE-HOLDING, SECURING, AND RELEASING FUNDS AND CANNOT BE MODIFIED BY CONTRACT. THE STATUE REITS -- STATUTE READS IF THE TOTAL VALUE OF PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACT IS LESS THAN $5 MILLION, A GOVERNMENT ENTITY MAY NOT WITHHOLD RETAINAGE IN AN AMOUNT THAT EXCEEDS 10% OF THE CONTRACT PRICE AND THE RATE OF RETAINAGE MAY NOT EXCEED 10% FOR ANY ITEM IN A BID SCHEDULE OR SCHEDULE OF VALUES INCLUDING MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT DELIVERED ON-SITE TO BE INSTALLED. SECONDLY, IF THE

[02:00:01]

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MOTION SUPPORTS SMALL BUSINESSES.

THAT'S WHERE MY EYE IS ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. IT ALSO ENSURES COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW. IT REDUCES CASH FLOW BURDENS WHICH, BESIDES PERMITTING, IS THE SECOND MOST COMMON COMPLAINT THAT I GET FROM SMALL BUSINESSES. AND, IT PROVIDES CONSISTENT PROTECTION AND EXPECTATION FOR VENDORS AND THE COUNTY AND DIRECTS ENGINEERING, FLOOD CONTROL TO WORK TOGETHER FOR A COUNTYWIDE SOLUTION MODELED ON PROVEN STANDARDS.

[02:05:06]

AND SMALL VENDORS. >> SECOND.

>> I HAD A QUESTION. I APPRECIATE THE INITIATIVE , TRYING TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE FOR THOSE GOOD CONTRACTORS WHO ARE PUT IN A FINANCIAL BIND DUE TO THESE PERCENTAGES. THERE ARE CASES, THOUGH, WHAT HAPPENS OF A PROJECT IS IN DANGER OF LIQUIDATING DAMAGES AND WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT GET INTO THAT POSITION, WE SEE IT DEVELOPING IN TERMS OF RETAINAGE. WOULD THEY BE DISQUALIFIED FROM EARLY RETAINAGE ? THAT'S WHERE YOU TAKE THAT OUT OF AND I THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE AN ELEMENT IN THE POLICY. YOU ARE PROPOSING TODAY THEY COME UP--

>> YOUR FEEDBACK WOULD BE VALUABLE , COMMISSIONER.

>> THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THEM. AUDITORS REVIEWING THE POLICY, WE ARE PROPOSING WE PUT ONE TOGETHER THAT HAS THESE

ELEMENTS? >> CORRECT. AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO COURT AND WE WILL REVIEW THE POLICY.

>> MOTION MADE. >> COMMISSIONER WILL YOU CONSIDER 60 DAYS FROM RIGHT NOW? WE HAVE A LOT OF HOLIDAYS AROUND

THE NEXT 60 DAYS. >> 90 DAYS.

>> MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GARCIA. THE NEXT ONE IS ITEM 107 AND WE ALL TAGGED THAT ONE. THAT

IS ONE THAT I PUT ON. >> COMMISSIONER CHEMICAL BACK TO 100 AND DID YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO ALSO APPROVE THE ITEM?

>> YES, WE DIDN'T DO THAT? THE MOTION WAS TO A BROADER POLICY BUT WE NEED TO APPROVE THIS SPECIFIC REDUCTION FROM 5% TO

3:00 -- TO 3%. >> TOM ARE YOU ALL RIGHT WITH THAT ONE? ITEM PASSES. NEXT IS ITEM 107 AND WE ALL CALLED THAT ONE. I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR THE WORK SHE DID ON THIS ACCORDING TO THE STATE OF HOUSING REPORT , HARRIS COUNTY ADDED ROUGHLY 15,000 NEW HOUSING COST BURDEN RENTERS IN ONE YEAR ALONE . IT IS A TREMENDOUS PROBLEM. WE CAN USE PFCS AS AN EQUITABLE TOOL TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WHAT THIS ITEM WILL DO IS SIMPLY DIRECT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO COME BACK TO US WITH A POLICY. I KNOW THAT STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON IT AND WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IN PART , WHO WILL SIT ON THE BOARD. MY STRONG SUGGESTION IS THAT AS MANY OF US AS POSSIBLE , AND HAVE IT MEET THE SAME DAY WE MEET. I DON'T THINK THAT MANY ITEMS WILL COME FORWARD BUT WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT AND I WILL LET YOU DO YOUR

PRESENTATION. >> I HAD THE CHIEF OFFICER WHO HAS BEEN HELPING US AS THE EXPERT AND GUIDING COURT STAFF ALONG WITH US TO MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION. AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC GOALS AND PRIORITIES, HARRIS COUNTY WANTS TO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THIS IS ONE CRITICAL TOOL THAT WE HAVE NOT UTILIZED BUT IS BEING USED IN OUR COMMUNITY SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE ADOPT AND CREATE A PFC.

>> FIRST OF ALL I JUST WANT TO THANK YOUR STAFF WHO HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND DISCUSSION AS WE WORK THROUGH POLICY QUESTIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY. THE RESOLUTION TODAY REALLY DIRECTS US TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP . THE PSC DOESN'T FORMALLY GET CREATED UNTIL THE ARTICLES ARE FILLED OUT AND SUBMITTED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE WITH NOMINATIONS FOR THE INITIAL DIRECTORS AND I THINK WE CAN STOP THERE AND JUST TAKE QUESTIONS.

>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ARE DOING AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AND

[02:10:03]

>> COMMISSIONER, THE SECOND MOTION I THINK IS FINE BUT ON THE FIRST MOTION OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS AS WELL AND I THINK TODAY THE ASK IS TO REALLY ALLOW THE CREATION OF IT AND COME BACK WITH BYLAWS AND A RECOMMENDATION ON THE BOARD NOMINATION. IF I COULD SUBSTITUTE, I THINK COMMISSIONERS BRIONES AND ELLIS HAVE A MOTION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO USE AND THE SECOND MOTION THAT YOU READ I THINK IS A PROBE IT SO IF I CAN READ THE FIRST MOTION , THAT IS TO DIRECT THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO RETURN TO COURT ON DECEMBER 11, 2025 WITH COMPLETED BYLAWS, BOARD NOMINATIONS AND ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION FOR THE HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION FOR COURT APPROVAL.

>> MY QUESTION WOULD BE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AND I THINK THERE'S ALREADY BEEN CONVERSATION AS TO WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO START TO APPOINT PEOPLE ARE NOT. I WANT TO ELIMINATE THAT SO THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME THE STOPPING POINT . WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT A LITTLE LATER BUT THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE FIRST MOTION. AS WE CREATE THE BYLAWS AND ALL THAT, ESTABLISH THAT COMMISSIONERS COURT INITIALLY

WOULD BE-- >> COMMISSIONER I THINK WE CAN REVISE YOUR LANGUAGE AND WE ARE ALL DOING THIS LIVE AS THE LANGUAGE COMES IN. MOVED TO DIRECT HCD TO PREPARE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS INCLUDING ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS FOR THE PFC WHICH AT A MINIMUM ENABLES COMMISSIONERS COURT TO DESIGNATE ITSELF AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN MEETINGS OF THE PFC BOARD AND COMMISSIONERS COURT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT THAT WAY WE ARE NOT EFFECTUATING IT TODAY BUT YOU'VE TELEGRAPHED

CORRECTLY. >> SO MOTION MADE BY BRIONES AND

SECONDED BY GARCIA. >> I THINK THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH HAVING THIS BODY SERVE AS THE BOARD FOR THAT AND I GUESS THAT'S PART OF IT. I'M NOT INTERESTED AT ALL IN SERVING SO IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A VOTE TO PUT ME ON THE BOARD I GUESS I

RESIGNED TODAY. >> WERE NOT APPOINTING YOU

TODAY. >> YEAH BUT YOU ARE SAYING YOU ARE SENDING THE SIGNAL THAT THIS IS WHERE THEY ARE HEADED.

>> THEY WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO A VOTE.

>> I'M SENDING THE SIGNAL I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH

IT. >> WHAT DOES THE STATUTE

REQUIRE? >> WE ARE LOOKING AT --

>> YOU HAVE X NUMBER OF ELECTED OFFICIALS.

>> THREE AT A MINIMUM. >> SO IF SOMEONE DID NOT ONE TO BE IN THE BYLAWS WE COULD CRAFT A FRAMEWORK SO THAT HE COULD APPOINT, OR THE BOARD COULD VOTE BY MAJORITY OR SOMETHING LIKE

THAT. WE CAN CREATE OPTIONS. >> THAT SOUNDS LIKE A QUORUM.

>> THAT'S WHY WE DO IT ON THE DAY WE MEET.

>> TO HAVE THE MEETINGS DURING COMMISSIONERS COURT . IT'S ALSO OKAY IF IT'S A QUORUM OF A SEPARATE BODY BECAUSE YOU WOULD

[02:15:02]

>> DOES THAT GIVE YOU SOME COMFORT LEVEL?

>> NO. >> COMMISSIONER WE WILL ONLY 25 A YEAR SO MAYBE WE CONSIDER WHEN IT COMES UP --

>> IT WILL BE A THING IN PROGRESS.

>> SO A MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?

>> THREE EYES AND ONE NAME. HE WON'T BE ON THE BOARD. MOTION

PASSES. >> SECOND MOTION? HE IS SAYING TO HOLD THAT UNTIL IT COMES BACK?

>> THE SECOND MOTION IS FINE . >> AND ANY PROBLEMS WHETHER IT'S ANNUAL OR QUARTERLY? MOTION MADE BY GARCIA AND SECONDED BY ELLIS. FOUR I'S NO NAYS, ITEM PASSES.

>> THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE PAGE 14 ITEM 109 AND COMMISSIONER RAMSEY YOU PULLED THAT ONE. REQUEST FOR AGREEMENT WITH THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ENGINEER FOR $13,800,000 --

>> JUST A QUESTION I GUESS. THIS IS REQUEST FOR APPROVAL FOR $13 MILLION -- $13,000,800 . FUNDING FOR PLANNING STUDIES. ONE OF THESE STUDIES IS GOING TO BE A MASTER-- PLAN AND I DON'T THINK FLOOD CONTROL IS INVOLVED IN THE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN AND I FIND

THAT ODD. >> WE WILL HAVE TO TALK TO

ENGINEERING ABOUT THAT. >> HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEER.

>> ACTUALLY FLOOD CONTROL IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS. WE SET UP A STAKEHOLDER GROUP WHICH ALL THE PRECINCTS ARE GOING TO BE A PART OF. WE DID NOT INVITE THEM TO THE FIRST ONE BECAUSE KICKOFF WAS WITH THE PRECINCTS BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SCOPE OF EACH PRECINCT. THEY WILL BE ONE OF THE FUNDING PARTNERS AND IRONY HAVE THE PERSON'S NAME THAT WILL BE PARTICIPATING.

>> WHILE THE DIRECTOR DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. REALLY, THIS IS THE KIND OF COMMUNICATION THAT NEEDS TO BE VETTED BEFORE THIS COMES TO COURT. TO ME THAT'S SO OBVIOUS. IT'S HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT , NOT INVOLVED IN THE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE YOUR INTENT, THE NUMBER OF MASTER DRAINAGE PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN THIS COUNTY THE LAST 20 YEARS HAS BEEN AT LEAST 8 , SO ALL OF THEM LED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT . I THINK THERE'S CLEAR BENEFIT TO Y'ALL TALKING TO EACH OTHER ON THESE GRANTS AND SCOPES OF

SERVICES AND WHO YOU INVOLVE. >> YES COMMISSIONER, WE ARE AWARE OF THE STUDY THEY DID WITH ANOTHER GRANT AND WERE GOING TO EXPAND OFF OF THAT INFORMATION AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.

>> I'M SAYING THE DIRECTOR DIDN'T KNOW, AND SHE PRETTY WELL KEEPS UP WITH WHAT OUR PEOPLE DOES. YOU CAN ARGUE WITH

ME OR NOT. >> I HAVE EMAILS THAT SHOW THAT

CONTACT. >> SO YOU ALL WILL TALK.

>> SO MOVED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE I.

>> AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE 100% WITH THE COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO COLLABORATION NOT ONLY ON THIS PROJECT BUT GENERALLY SEEING OURSELVES AS ONE TEAM AND OVER COMMUNICATING. RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO GET WHERE WE ARE COLLABORATING ACTIVELY BUT IF WE OVER COMMUNICATE THERE IS INHERENT SYNERGIES AND IF WE ARE GROWING IN ONE DIRECTION ALIGNMENT WOULD BE INFINITELY MORE EFFECTIVE SO PLEASE, WE SEE THIS THEME POP UP OFTEN. LET'S

STOP IT. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE I.

VOTE NO? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE I. ITEM PASSES. I SAID THOSE IN FAVOR OF US NOT FLOODING. THE ANNEXES PAGE 15 ITEM 112, YOU PULLED THAT ONE, COMMISSIONER BRIONES, VETERAN SERVICES.

>> YES I DID . WE HAVE A FIRST -- A SHORT PRESENTATION BUT I WILL SAVE MY COMMENTS. WITH DEEPEST GRATITUDE AND RESPECT FOR EVERYTHING OUR VETERAN SERVICES DIVISION DOES AND THIS WEEK OF COURSE WE CELEBRATED VETERANS DAY BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE ONE DAY THAT WE CELEBRATE OUR VETERANS. WE SHOULD SHOW THE RESPECT AND HONOR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THE WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING AND HOW YOU'VE GROWN THE SERVICES IS JUST DEEPLY

APPRECIATED. >> THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON

[02:20:02]

[02:25:04]

I WATCH OUR TEAM WORK HARD EVERY DAY BUT OVER 2600 HARRIS COUNTY VETERANS SERVED 2700 INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS CASES FILED ELECTRONICALLY AND ALSO THE SAME TEAM DOES 65 IN PERSON EVENTS EVERY YEAR IN MANY OF YOUR PRECINCTS AND THREE OF FOUR AND I RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S TEAM DOES THEIR OWN THING THERE AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY DO BUT OVER 5000 ACTIONS AND FOLLOW-UPS AND I WANT TO BRAG ON A COUPLE OF OUR FOLKS. THIS STARTED AS A CONVERSATION IN CHURCH WITH ONE OF HER FELLOW CONGREGATION MEMBERS . A SURVIVING SPOUSE THAT SAID I THINK I AM DO BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT. IT HAD BEEN MANY YEARS SINCE SHE EVEN INVESTIGATED . WORKING HARD PULLING DOWN THE DATA SHE NEEDED TO AND NOT ONLY GOT THIS LADY A MONTHLY PENSION OF $1600 BUT ARE RETROACTIVE , LIFE-CHANGING $231,000 BENEFIT PAID. NEXT SLIDE. WE HAVE THREE OTHER GREAT STORIES AND THEY GO ALONG THE SAME LINES. AGAIN WORKING WITH A SURVIVING SPOUSE, GOT HER A MONTHLY PENSION AND AGAIN, LIFE-CHANGING AMOUNTS OF DOLLARS THAT WERE OWED TO THESE FOLKS. A VETERAN THAT HAD A CLAIM AND WORKED WITH MANY OTHER VETERANS SERVING ORGANIZATIONS TO TRY TO GET HIM WHAT HE WAS DUE, FINALLY GOT THAT PAID AND HE GETS A $1400 A MONTH BENEFIT AND 131 RETROACTIVE. 100% VETERAN SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN HERE NOW RECEIVES $4000 A MONTH AND A $62,000 RETROACTIVE PAYMENT.

THESE ARE FOLKS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND JUST FILING PAPERWORK AND SAYING GOOD LUCK. THEY ARE GO IN THERE DIGGING INTO RECORDS, FINDING CLEAR AND UNMISTAKABLE ERRORS AND DOING GREAT THINGS.

EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANT, IT'S A SMALL GRANT THAT WE SERVE 230 VETERANS. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT EVICTED, THESE ARE UTILITIES THAT ARE NOT SHUT OFF, VEHICLES ENABLING THEM TO GET TO WORK AGAIN. THAT LINE GOES OUT THE DOOR AND WE TELL THEM ALL THE TIME WE COULD USE 10 OF THESE AND THEY LAUGH AT ME AND GIVE US ONE EVERY YEAR BUT WE DO GOOD WORK WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST AREAS WE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD HERE. OVER 3500 VETERANS GO THROUGH OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM EVERY YEAR. WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT THIS WE GET 75% RECIDIVISM AND IT'S A REVOLVING DOOR GOING IN AND OUT OF OUR JAILS. A LOT OF REASONS WHY WE ARE THERE AND I'D LOVE TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS. WE'VE GOT FULL-TIME PEOPLE, THEY ARE IN THE JAIL EVERY DAY AND IN THEIR RIGHT NOW FINDING VETERANS GETTING REENTRY PLANS WORKED. WE'VE GOT A TEAM LEAD WORKING ACROSS THE BOARD, WE ARE WORKING WITH CERT AND METRO DOING SOME GOOD STUFF HERE IN TWO YEARS AGO YOU FUNDED A STAFF ATTORNEY FOR US AND THE VETERANS LOVE THIS INSIDE THE JAIL. THEY ALL WANT HER TO REPRESENT THEM. WE SAID SHE'S NOT GOING TO DO DEFENSE COUNCIL BUT WHAT SHE DOES IS GREASE THE WHEELS OF JUSTICE.

SHE'S WORKING WITH COURTS DOING ALL KINDS OF GOOD STUFF AND WE ARE SAVING THE COUNTY DOLLARS BY FUNDING THAT POSITION. OUT OF THAT $3500 WE FOUND 650 REENTRY PLANS FOR THEM. WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH 148 OF THEM WHEN THEY CAME OUT OF JAIL AND RECIDIVISM RATE STANDS AT 17% RATHER THAN 75 PERCENT FOR THOSE

[02:30:03]

IF I COULD HAVE-- >> MOTION TO EXTEND.

>> ANY OBJECTION TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE WE WILL

CONTINUE. >> WORKING WITH NOW THAT DISTRICT COURTS ARE STARTING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR STAFF ATTORNEY CAN DO, GOING TO HER FOR RECOMMENDATIONS AND SHE HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET 14 VETERANS SPECIFIC TREATMENT OPTIONS THAT NOW ENABLES US TO GET THEM TO THE RIGHT PLACE WHETHER IT'S TEMPLE, WACO, SAN ANTONIO , AGAIN SAVING THE COUNTY DOLLARS.

JUST A PICTURE. WE TRY TO BRING ALL THE VETERAN TREATMENT TO OUR OFFICE SO WE CAN WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH THEM TO TRY TO DEVELOP AND TAILOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS WHETHER IT'S HOUSING NEEDS OR SUBSTANCE TREATMENT OR WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. VERY BRIEFLY, A GOAL OF REDUCING VETERAN JAIL POPULATION. WE KNOW THAT IT'S A BIG COST DRIVER AND WE'VE WORKED ON HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING THIS. WE BELIEVE THERE ARE SIX AREAS.

THAT ARE OF STREAM INTERVENTIONS SO THEY NEVER WIND UP IN JAIL TO BEGIN WITH, BETTER ACCESS TO COUNCIL -- BETTER ACCESS TO COUNSEL, FIGURING OUT BETTER WAYS TO DO REENTRY, THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF THAT AND KNOWING WHEN WE ARE GOING TO GET SOMEBODY WHEN THEY POP OUT OF JAIL AND WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT THREE OPTIONS. THE HIGHEST RISK AND HIGHEST NEED FOR LONG IN TREATMENT COURTS. MANY COULD BE DIVERTED AT THE FRONT-END AND WE'VE GOT PEOPLE AT THE FRONT END OF THE JAIL NOW. IN BETWEEN, WE BELIEVE A VETERANS DOCKET. SOME ARE LESS FORMAL THAN TREATMENT COURT BUT STILL SOME SUPERVISION AND WORK WITH US IN HARRIS COUNTY VETERANS SERVICES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. WE THINK WITH ACCESS TO ALL OF THOSE PIECES WE CAN CONTINUE TO REDUCE COSTS AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR VETERAN POPULATION.

>> WE LOSE A VETERAN TO SUICIDE IN HARRIS COUNTY EVERY SIX DAYS.

WE ARE 3 1/2% OF POPULATION BUT 11% OF SUICIDES IN ONE OF ONLY TWO COUNTIES NATIONWIDE THAT HAS THIS VERY GOOD GRANT FROM VETERANS AFFAIRS. AS WE ALL KNOW, OR SHOULD KNOW THERE ARE SICK FORGET RELATIONSHIPS ROUTINE VETERANS THAT ARE HOMELESS AND VETERANS THAT ARE JUSTICE INVOLVES, AND VETERANS WHO DIE BY SUICIDE. IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND WE TRACK EVERY ONE OF THESE IN PARTNERSHIP, WE LOSE BETWEEN 600 AND 650 PEOPLE IN HARRIS COUNTY EVERY YEAR. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT. THAT IS $1 BILLION OF ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM PEOPLE WHO DIE BY SUICIDE IN OUR COUNTY. 74% OF TEXAS VETERANS USE A FIREARM. WE CAN'T HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT FIREARMS. WE'VE CREATED A VERY NICE PROGRAM GAINING STATE AND NATIONAL ATTENTION CALLED THE TEXAS TWO-STEP. THERE'S THE WEBSITE. IT IS SECURE THE MEANS, REACH OUT FOR HELP. THEN WE GIVE PEOPLE A VARIETY OF WAYS AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT 988 BECAUSE I STILL HEAR PEOPLE SAYING WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO OR WHAT TO DO. IF YOU KNOW OF SOMEONE THAT IS SUICIDAL ANYBODY CAN CALL 988 INCLUDING ON BEHALF OF SOMEBODY ELSE. PLEASE PICK UP THE PHONE, DIAL 988, GET THE RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE. WE GET A LOT OF REFERRALS FROM 988. IF YOU'RE A VETERAN PRESS ONE AND IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE VETERAN SUICIDE HOTLINE. HERE'S OUR FOX PREVENTION GRANT. IT IS FEDERALLY FUNDED. WE HAD TO HAVE A RURAL COMPONENT IN THIS GRANT SO WE INCLUDED ALL THE COUNTIES THAT TOUCH HARRIS COUNTY EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THERE'S A RURAL COMPONENT OF HARRIS COUNTY ITSELF. BY THE VA RULES IT DOESN'T COUNT. IN THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER THIS IS ONE OF THE BILLBOARDS WE PUT UP FOR OUR TEXAS TWO-STEP. WE'VE GOT SOME PRETTY GOOD SUCCESS OUT OF THIS.

SIMPLE MESSAGE AND WEBSITE AND SAYING IT'S TIME TO SECURE MY WEAPON, WHAT CAN I DO? OUR TEAM HAS SCREENED OVER 2000 INCOMING CALLS, WE ENROLLED 162 PARTICIPANTS THIS YEAR, THAT'S 162 PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT LOOKING TO DIE BY SUICIDE RIGHT NOW AND THEY SPEND AN AVERAGE OF 173 DAYS IN THE PROGRAM. IT'S VERY

[02:35:01]

PIECES. >> HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU HAVE?

>> WORKING REALLY HARD ON THE LETHAL MEANS STORAGE. JUSTICE PROGRAMS I'VE DESCRIBED, WE DESCRIBED OUR VETERAN OWNED BUSINESS PROGRAM AND SOMETHING I WOULD HOPE TO BRING TO THE NEXT COURT. SUICIDE AND MORTALITY REVIEW COMMITTEE. THIS IS DEEP DIVES INTO SELECT SUICIDES OF . WE ARE GOING TO START WITH VETERANS BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE DATA ON THEM BUT SUICIDE AND MORTALITY REVIEW COMMITTEE WILL BE A COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS THAT TAKES A LOOK AT ANYTHING WE CAN LEARN TO DO UPSTREAM INTERVENTIONS . THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE ALLOWS UNDER CHAPTER 672 A COMMISSIONERS COURT TO BASICALLY SPONSOR ONE OF THOSE . WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. WE THINK THE HOUSTON AREA SUICIDE PREVENTION COALITION IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO HOUSE THAT AND THAT'S MY PRESENTATION AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

>> TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM THANK YOU. I'M SO PROUD OF THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND THAT WE BEEN ABLE TO GROW YOUR TEAM AND THE SERVICE LINES SO TREMENDOUS WORK. AND THESE OUTCOMES WE SEE HOW WE ARE HONORING OUR VETERANS. GRANTED THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO DO SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO ACTIVELY PARTNERING IN EVERY WAY ESPECIALLY ON THE SUICIDE NUMBER. THAT IS STAGGERING THAT THEY ARE THREE POINT FIVE -- 3.7% OF THE POPULATION OF THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO ELEVATE AND BE A NATIONAL MODEL. MY TEAM AND I ARE THE PROUD GRANDDAUGHTER OF VETERANS. TWO VETERANS ARE KEY LEADERS ON MY TEAM SO THAT COMMITMENT TO SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE INSPIRES ME EVERY DAY AND I AM NAMELY TALKING ABOUT JAMAAL SMITH MY DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF AND SO MANY OF THE OTHER VETERANS IN PRECINCT 4. AS WE THINK ABOUT HIRING CHIEF TALENT OFFICER , TO ME HIRING A VETERAN AND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE FINDING THESE SYNERGIES AND CROSS COLLABORATION BECAUSE WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS TREMENDOUS AND I HAVE DEEP RESPECT SO THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM. AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA WHAT YOU DO INTERNALLY IN PRECINCT 2 IS A MODEL FOR THE STATE AND COUNTRY.

ONE DAY I HOPE TO GET THERE. >> YOU WILL. COLONEL, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING. COUNT US IN. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR VETERAN COMMUNITY SO WE'VE GOT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CONTINUE TO GIVE THOSE MEN AND WOMEN OUR ENTIRE SUPPORT. SO COUNT US IN AND WE LOVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU TO SEE WHAT OTHER ENDEAVORS ARE IN FRONT OF US TO HELP OUR VETERANS. IN THAT VEIN I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR TALKING TO THE OTHER OFFICES ABOUT WAYS TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM. I THINK THAT IS A SMART WAY TO APPROACH THINGS AS WELL SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO AND WE

CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. >> THANK YOU COLONEL, GOOD JOB.

TO GIVE YOU A REPORT WE HAD OVER 800 VETERANS ATTEND OUR DINNER LAST WEEK AND HAD THE SAME CADETS FROM TEXAS A&M. JUST TO SPEND TIME WITH OUR VETERANS AND HAVE THOSE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS. WE HAD SOME NONPROFITS. CAMP HOPE, TUNNEL TO TOWERS. THEY BOTH HAVE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FACILITIES WITHIN OUR AREA. I'M ASSUMING YOU WORK WITH--

>> VERY CLOSELY WITH BOTH OF THEM. IN FACT WE HAVE A TEAM AT

CAMP HOPE RIGHT NOW . >> THEY HAVE REACHED OUT AND

[02:40:05]

WILL BE WORKING THROUGH. >> THANK YOU, COLONEL.

>> PAGE 24 ITEM 125. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY YOU PULLED

THAT ONE. >> IT'S TEMPORARY STAFFING AND I KNOW WE ARE GOING THROUGH STRATEGIC HIRING OVER HERE AND MANAGING THAT VERY CLOSELY. HOPEFULLY WE DON'T FIND OURSELVES CIRCUMVENTING THAT PROCESS WITH TEMPORARY STAFFING.

YOU LOOK AT THE $33 MILLION THAT WE ARE FIXING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND. THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.

I'VE EXPRESSED CONCERN WITH THE TAX ASSESSOR IN THE NUMBER OF TEMPORARY STAFF GOING ON TWO YEARS SO AT SOME POINT MAYBE THERE NEEDS TO BE , MY MOTION WOULD BE TO CONSIDER HUMAN RESOURCES AND TALENT TO COME BACK IN FEBRUARY 2026 WITH A RECOMMENDATION ON A POLICY TO LIMIT THE TIME THAT A POSITION CAN BE FILLED WITH TEMPORARY STAFFING AND WAYS TO MONITOR IT.

>> SO THE MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM?

>> COMMISSIONER WE CAN DO THAT. THE WAY THAT WE ARE MANAGING THE BUDGET IS THAT BY SWEEPING CASH OUT FROM VACANCY SAVINGS THERE IS LESS ROOM FOR DEPARTMENTS TO KIND OF USE THIS SERVICE TO REPLACE THOSE SO WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.

>> WE ARE WORKING ON-- ALONG WITH THE COUNTY PROCUREMENT OFFICER AND I THINK COMMISSIONER GARCIA ONE OF YOUR CONCERNS WHEN WE STARTED DISCUSSING THIS WAS PUTTING CONTROLS THERE SO WE ARE MONITORING IT CLOSELY AND YOU'VE HEARD ME COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RELIANCE ON TEMPORARY STAFFING AND IT WAS PART OF OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN. FOR THE BIG USERS OF IT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH TO

FIGURE OUT A DIFFERENT MODEL. >> I COULD NOT AGREE MORE WITH COMISSIONER RAMSEY AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS . TO ME FIVE YEARS IS TOO LONG. I LOVE THAT OUR -- WHAT OUR TAX COLLECTOR RAMIREZ HAS DONE IN ONE YEAR AND YOU GET BETTER RESULTS AND YOU BECOME BETTER STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER RESOURCES AND YOU HAVE THAT CONTINUITY AND TRAINING. I'D RATHER INVEST IN HUMAN CAPITAL AND NOT PAY EXTRA TO A STAFFING AGENCY TO HAVE A REVOLVING DOOR SO I WILL SECOND THAT MOTION.

>> I DID GET IT AND WILL BE PRESENTED AS THE MOTION.

>> ALWAYS IN FAVOR, I. >> NEXT IS ITEM-- PAGE 31.

>> SO THIS WOULD BE VERY BRIEF BUT I AM SO THANKFUL TO THE GROUP FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN HOUSTON. THIS WILL BE A PARTNER COMING INTO SEVERAL HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT FOR COMMUNITY CENTERS AND THERE WILL BE NO COST TO THE COUNTY, NO COST TO FAMILIES OR TAXPAYERS BUT THIS IS A NONPROFIT THAT HAS WANTED TO PARTNER WITH PRECINCT 4 AND OUR TEAM BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND HOW WE CAN DO MORE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. WITH FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN HOUSTON THEY CONNECT CHILDREN WITH MENTORS DEDICATED TO THEIR SUCCESS AND THEIR MODEL IS TO PARTNER WITH THEM FROM THE ENTRY POINT THROUGH THEIR ENTIRE SCHOOL CAREER SO IDEALLY FOR 12 YEARS . THEY HAVE GREAT OUTCOMES AND I WILL JUST NAME A COUPLE. 83% OF YOUTH EARNED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR GED AND 93% REMAIN FREE FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT. AS A FORMER TEACHER WITH UNFORTUNATELY MANY OF MY KIDS INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND AS A MOM I AM SO THANKFUL TO FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN HOUSTON AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE COMING INTO MY PRECINCT AND ALL OF OUR PRECINCTS TO HELP AMPLIFY WHAT THE COUNTY CAN DELIVER. WITH THAT I MOVE ITEM 228 IS

PRESENTED. >> ITEM PASSES. NEXT IS PAGE 31 ITEM 234 . COMMISSIONER BRIONES? INTERFAITH MINISTRIES.

[02:45:03]

>> THAT IS ANOTHER ONE I WANT TO THANK MY TEAM BECAUSE THEY REALLY HAVE STEPPED IN. WELL, I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS ON THIS BUT THE AMOUNT OF HUNGER AND POVERTY IN OUR COMMUNITY IS SADDENING AND UNACCEPTABLE, ALWAYS. I'M HAPPY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOW IN MOTION AGAIN BUT TO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE LONGEST FEDERAL SHUTDOWN IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY HAS CAUSED IMMENSE PAIN TO MILLIONS AND 200S OF THOUSANDS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY OF HARRIS COUNTY. SO FROM FEDERAL WORKERS TO SNAP RECIPIENTS TO THOSE SEEING HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS SKYROCKET, ESPECIALLY HERE WHERE WE HAVE A HUNGER CRISIS AND 40% OF RESIDENTS FACING FOOD INSECURITY, THIS IS ALWAYS-- WHICH, IT WAS EXACERBATED RECENTLY BUT 40%. THREE TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AND SUCH A PROSPEROUS COUNTY, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I'M THANKFUL BECAUSE INTERFAITH MINISTRIES IS A LIFELINE FOR SENIORS AND THEY WERE FACING A $500,000 SHORTFALL DUE TO BROADER FEDERAL CUTS.

THIS SHORTFALL WOULD HAVE FORCED THEM TO STOP MEALS FOR HUNDREDS OF SENIORS SO THANK YOU TO MY TEAM WHO FLAG AND SEE THESE GAPS AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN TO TAKE ACTION. THANKS TO PHILANTHROPIC REMINDED FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY THEY RAISED $450,000 OF THE $500,000 SHORTFALL SO TODAY I AM PROUD , THIS ITEM IS WITH REGARD TO THE LAST 50,000 BECAUSE WE WANT TO STEP UP TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE SO THAT HOMEBOUND SENIORS ARE NOT GOING WITHOUT MEALS. THANK YOU TO INTERFAITH MINISTRIES OF GREATER HOUSTON FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO ALL THE TIME TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND ON OUR WATCH, WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET THIS STAND IN THE WAY OF OUR SENIORS. WITH THAT, I THANK MY TEAM AND I KNOW THAT PRECINCT 2 IS ALSO STEPPING UP AS THEY DO TIME AND TIME AGAIN. I WANTED TO SEE IF YOU WANTED TO SHARE BUT I APPRECIATE OUR TEAMS WORKING TOGETHER. I KNOW THAT WE REACHED OUT TO ALL OF THE TEAMS BECAUSE WHERE WE CAN WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT , AGAIN THE NEED BROADLY IS TREMENDOUS BUT WHERE WE CAN KEEP TAKING STEPS FORWARD WE ARE HAPPY TO DO SO.'S E GOOD DEAL. COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM AND ABSOLUTELY THE CHALLENGES THAT SNAP RECIPIENTS ARE FACING IS VERY DISHEARTENING AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE BANDWIDTH THAT YOU HAVE GOING FROM INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS WHO ARE UNDERSERVED ARE RECEIVING APPROPRIATE ATTENTION SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WANT TO MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE PRECINCT 2 FOR 50 THOUSAND DOLLARS AS WELL. AND I WAS JUST BLOWN AWAY AT THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS. THAT CONTRIBUTION WILL PROVIDE 200,000 MEALS FOR FOLKS IN PRECINCT 2 SO I AM IMMENSELY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

>> COMMISSIONER RAMSEY? >> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE BECOME THOSE TRUSTED PARTNERS ON ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES. I KNOW IN THE LAST MONTH WE HAVE ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES, NORTHWEST, CHURCHES UNITED , CARING FOR HAVEN, AND METRO NATIONAL WILL BE PACKING 50,000 KIDS MEALS FOR THANKSGIVING SO THE NONPROFITS THAT OPERATE IN HARRIS COUNTY ARE EXTRAORDINARY.

IF WE CAN LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER THAT'S GREAT.

>> COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. WE HAVE REPROGRAMMED MONEY TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $1,000,002 AND BREAD OF LIFE WE GAVE THEM HALF $1 MILLION AS WELL.

>> I HAVE A COUPLE WHO ARE COMING HERE WITH SO MUCH NEED A THANK YOU ALL OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. FRIENDLY AMENDMENT , ADDITIONAL $50,000, DID YOU GET THAT

>> I THINK WE ARE AMENDING THE AGREEMENT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE

[02:50:01]

AFTERWARDS. >> WE CAN KNOCK OUT ONE MORE ITEM IF I CAN. WHAT ABOUT PAGE 32 ITEM 245?

>> THAT ONE IS A BIT LONGER , COMMISSIONER.

>> ARE Y'ALL

>>> SO COLLEAGUES, IT IS NOW 2:06 AND WE'RE BACK IN SESSION.

I KNOW THE CLERK IS ON A QUICK TIME

FUSE. >>

YES. >> OKAY.

AND CLERK, YOU'RE ON SHOWTIME. YOU TELL ME YOU HAVE TO GET

[Emergency/Supplemental Items (Part 6 of 8)]

BACK. >> I DO.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. TODAY I AM BRINGING FORTH TO YOU ALL, AND IF I CAN GET SOMEONE TO HAND OUT THE CANVAS REPORTS TO YOU ALL.

JUST THROW THEM AT US.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

TODAY BEFORE YOU YOU ARE RECEIVING THE CANVAS REPORT AND A THUMB DRIVE OF THE CANVAS FOR THE NOVEMBER 4TH GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS.

AS A REMINDER, THE MAIN ITEM THAT YOU ARE CANVASSING TODAY IS THE STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND THE D-18. AS FOR THE POLITICAL JURISDICTIONS, THEY WILL CANVAS THEIR OWN RESULTS.

THIS IS A FORMALITY THAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW AND IF I CAN GET A MOTION AND EXCEPTION, WE HAVE COUNTED AND OFFICIALIZED EVERYTHING FOR THIS ELECTION.

>> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> SECOND BACK. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

IT PASSES. WE'LL LET COMMISSIONER GARCIA VOTE WHEN HE GETS HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

>> MIGHT I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO GO GET THE GRAND TOUR OUT OFF THE ELECTION? SHE REALLY KNOWS HOW TO GIVE A GOOD TOUR. THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON OUT THERE. HOW MANY HAVE COME OUT THERE BESIDES ME?

>> SO HE'S PULLING ME RIGHT IN TO TEASE YOU ALL.

OTHERS HAVE CONFIRMED AND HAD TO RESCHEDULE AND I UNDERSTAND LIFE EVENTS. WHEN YOU'RE READY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR

SUPPORT. >> I'M

SORRY. >> THROW ME RIGHT UNDER THE BUS.

I WAS RIDING AROUND THE BUILDING ON A BICYCLE AND THEY WOULDN'T LET ME IN.

>> IT IS VERY WELL PROTECTED AS YOU WANT YOUR ELECTIONS TO BE. STAY WORD AND WE'LL GET YOU IN.

THERE IS A RUN- OFF FOR HOUSTON CITY COLLEGE THAT WILL TAKE PLACE DECEMBER 13TH. EARLY VOTING WILL BEGIN DECEMBER 1ST. AND WE'RE RIGHT ON TO THE NEXT ELECTION. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

>> THANK YOU FOR DOING A GREAT JOB.

AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA SAID UNANIMOUS CONSENT SO HE CAN BE SHOWN VOTING YES.

>> ALL RIGHT. RIGHT ON TIME.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR SERVICE.

>> THANK YOU. YOUR CLERK IS RUNNING TO RUN ALL THE NEXT ELECTIONS COMING

[Departments (Part 6 of 7)]

UP. >> THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. WE APPRECIATE

IT. >> NEXT ITEM IS 245. IT'S A TRANSMITTAL.

>> IF WE CAN JUST APPROVE IT AS PRESENTED.

UNFORTUNATELY, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK. I DON'T THINK WE CAN BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT'S CONSTRUCTED. AN INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT.

I JUST, I TALKED IN YOUR OFFICE AND WE TALKED TO HDC.

THEY SAID IT MAKES SENSE TO BRING IT BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING AND IT WILL DEFINITELY GET ON.

>> THANK YOU. THE MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES. ITEM PASSES.

AND NOW WE GO TO 245, CORRECT?

>> 245.

>> THAT IS THE HARRIS COUNTY SUBDIVISION DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. BEFORE I START WITH MY QUESTIONS, WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE SOME KEY UPDATES ON THE PROGRESS BEING MADE.

>> I'M WITH THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ENGINEER. CURRENTLY, WE WENT THROUGH THIS STATUS UPDATE IN MARCH AND WE HAVE TEN PROJECTS REMAINING TO BE COMPLETED OF THE 57 OF THAT COMPONENT. OF THOSE, FOUR OF THOSE ARE READY TO BE BID. WE HAVE PROJECTED TO HAVE THEM IN BID BY SUMMER. THE THREE ARE GRANT PROJECTS AND THEY'RE HELD UP BY THE SHUTDOWN OF THE GOVERNMENT AND SOME COMPLICATIONS BY GETTING THE GRANTS SECURED.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH IGA. THEY'RE POISED AND

[02:55:05]

HIGHLAND RIDGE, HIGHLAND ESTATES, WE WORKED OUT AND PRECINCT 3 CONFIRMED WITH THAT LAST WEEK.

AND THE OTHER TWO, WE'RE POISED AND READY ON THE EDGE OF THOSE GRANTS TO GET THOSE GOING AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE THE LAST FOUR OF THE 57 PROJECTS.

WE HAVE 40 COMPLETE OF THE 93. 22 IN CONSTRUCTION AND THE REMAINDER IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

>> SO YES. CAN YOU JUST PLEASE REPEAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PROJECTS COMPLETED --

>> 40 ARE COMPLETED. 39 ARE IN THE 57.

ONE IS OUTSIDE THE 57 AND THE REST ARE 22 IN CONSTRUCTION, AND WE WILL HAVE MORE BECAUSE THERE'S SOME ADVERTISING GOING ON.

AND THEN ALL THE PROJECTS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BY SECOND QUARTER OF '27. PENDING WHEN WE GET THESE.

>> SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS, I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THE FUNDING GAP MONTHS AGO.

AND I KNOW COST ESCALATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WRESTLING WITH. AS WELL AS INCREASED COSTS.

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOUR VANTAGE POINT WHAT THE TOTAL FUNDING GAP CURRENTLY IS.

>> TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THAT IS A LITTLE EARLY AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN CONSTRUCTION AND WE COULD HAVE CHANGE ORDERS.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE BEEN, FROM THE NUMBERS WE GAVE KNEW MARCH, WERE APPROXIMATELY $6 MILLION LOWER THAN WHAT WE PROJECTED IN THE AWARDS. BUT THERE COULD BE CHANGE ORDERS AND SOME OTHER COSTS THAT WE'RE KIND OF MONITORING. IF YOU REMEMBER, HE WITH GOT 99 OF THE REQUESTED. I WON'T KNOW FOR ANOTHER SIX TO NINE MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN WE GET MORE OF THE PROJECTS COMPLETE. WHEN WE COMPLETE THEM, WE GO INTO AN AUDIT AND CLOSE OUT THOSE ACCOUNTS.

>> SO IS EACH PROJECT CURRENTLYCURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION CURRENTLY FUNDED?

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> CAN THE ENGINEERING TEAM PLEASE PROVIDE OUR OFFICES WITH PROJECT LEVEL BREAKDOWN OF THE PROJECTS, OF THE FUNDING SOURCES, AS WELL AS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT ENCUMBERED FROM EACH OF THE RESPECTIVE SOURCES.

IF SO, WHEN?

>> THAT WAS ACTUALLY GIVEN BACK IN MARCH.

>> THE UPDATED ONE?

>> WELL, WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS MOST OF THE NUMBERS HAVE NOT CHANGED EXCEPT FOR THE AWARDS.

THE NUMBERS REALLY HAVEN'T CHANGED THAT MUCH SINCE THE AWARDS.

BUT WE WERE PLANNING, WE CAN GIVE THAT UPDATE.

THE ISSUE WAS THAT THERE WERE LIKE TEN FUNDING SOURCES THAT MADE THAT MONTHLY STATUS REPORT REALLY WIDE, AND THE COURT ACTUALLY REQUESTED WHAT WE PROVIDED. SO IT WOULD BE MORE READABLE.

SO I'M NOT SAYING NO. I'M JUST SAYING IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE LOOT OF FUNDING SOURCES. WE DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

WE DID PROVIDE IT BACK IN MARCH AND IT HASN'T CHANGED SINCE

THEN. >> OKAY.

WE APPRECIATE THESE REGULAR UPDATES.

AND WE ALSO APPRECIATE YOU WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR OFFICES. BECAUSE LIVING IN HARRIS MANY AND COUNTY, ALL. US ARE CENTER.

WE WANT TO DELIVER ACROSS THE COUNTY AND WE NEED TO BE LASER- FOCUSED AND AS SOLUTIONS- ORIENTED AS POSSIBLE MOVING FORWARD.

>> WE WANT TO DELIVER THESE FORFOR YOU. THE BIGGEST ONE IS THE THREE- GRANT PROJECTS AND WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO SECURE THAT FUNDING.

>> CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN ALL OF THESE WILL BE COMPLETED

BY. >> WE'RE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED PENDING THE GRANTS COMING THROUGH SECOND QUARTER OF '27.

>> THANK YOU.

>> QUICKLY, I KNOW IN 2021, PRECINCT 3 HAD TEN PROJECTS BEING FUNDED UNDER THIS PROGRAM.

JUST TO REPORT TO YOU, WE SAW A PATH FORWARD ON EIGHT OF THOSE THROUGH OTHER MEANS AND METHODS AND WHATEVER.

SO THAT IS JUST A MATTER OF CONTINUING TO PURSUE OTHER OPTIONS.

>> YES. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT AND I'M REALLY EXCITED. YOU ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.

JUDGE DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER GARCIA?

>> KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES BUT KEEP YOUR NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE, MAN. THANK

[03:00:02]

YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS IS A TRANSMITTAL SO THERE IS NO ACTION BUT THANK YOU.

>> THE NEXT ONE IS 248. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY.

THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC EQUITY AND

OPPORTUNITY. >> QUICKLY, THIS HAD TO DO WITH NONPROFITS WORKING WITH A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES IN THE AREA. I KNOW BANKERBANKER IS ONE OF OUR NONPROFITS WORKING ON THIS.

IT IS WORKING WITH DEVELOPING WORKING WITH SMALL BUSINESSES, WORKING WITH THEM, PARTNERING WITH THEM. BENEFICIARIES IT, 21% WERE IN PRECINCT 1. 21% IN PRECINCT 2.

11% IN PRECINCT 3 AND 20% IN PRECINCT 4.

THE REASON IT IS SO LOW IN PRECINCT 3, THERE WAS ZERO OUTREACH FROM BANKER RIPLEY IN THE PRECINCT.

YOU CONTRAST THAT WITH CONSULTING CHG DID SIMILAR THINGS. THEY HAD AN OUTREACH AND THE NUMBERS FROM PRECINCT 3, 220, 317, SO A LITTLE OUTREACH IS HELPFUL. AND YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FROM PRECINCT 3 IS LOWEST AMONG ALL FOUR PRECINCTS. I'M JUST ENCOURAGING OUR FOLKS THAT HEAD THIS UP TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT. PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.

MANAGE THE NONPROFITS ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY. AND BE SURE THAT WE'RE PURSUING OPPORTUNITIES IN ALL FOUR PRECINCTS EQUALLY.

THIS IS A TRANSMITTAL. THERE IS NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

JUST AN OBSERVATION.

[Emergency/Supplemental Items (Part 7 of 8)]

>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.

THE NEXT ONE IS ITEM 276.

>> JUST TO LEAD OFF, I APOLOGIZE TO THE COURT FOR HAVING THIS AS DISCUSSION ONLY. WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK ININ WITH THE ACTION ORIENTED ONE. ESSENTIALLY, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS GUIDANCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONTRACT PATROL AS IT RELATES TO THE PAY PARITY THE COURT HAS VOTED TO IMPLEMENT.

FOR CONTEXT, WHEN THIS CAME UP DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, ORIGINALLY, AROUND THIS TIME LAST YEAR, COURT ADOPTED CONTRACT PATROL RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 OF 124,000. POST THE PARITY BEING IMPLEMENTED, THE REAL COST IS $154,000.

WE CAME BACK DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.

WE PRESENTED TWO OPTIONS. ONE WAS ACTUAL COSTS WHICH WOULD BE THAT $154 AS WELL AS AN OPTION TO PHASE IN THE INCREASES AT THE TIME, GIVEN THE SB 23 CONCERNS OF CONTRACTS LEAVING FROM THAT POINT, WE'RE IN A VERY DIFFERENT WORLD NOW, THANKS TO OUR STATE LEGISLATURE WHICH ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS THE CONSTABLES TO SET WHATEVER RATE AT WHAT IS SPLIT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CUSTOMER THAT THEY CHOOSE.

SO IT REALLY IS ON US TO WORK WITH THE CONSTABLES TO SEESEE THEY CAN DO THIS AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE PAYING AS CLOSE TO WHAT MARKET RATE IS AS POSSIBLE.

SO THERE IS NO ACTION ON THIS ONE.

WE WILL BRING THIS BACK IN DECEMBER.

>> SO IF I MIGHT, THIS IS A RESULT OF AN ITEM II ON THE AGENDA. WHEN I MADE THE MOTION, I SIMPLY AM I WANT US TO FOLLOW THE LAW.

NO IF'S, AND'S OR BUT'S ABOUT IT.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE OUGHT TO FOLLOW THE LAW. THE LAW IS REAL CLEAR.

I THOUGHT WE ALL AGREED. THAT MEANS WE NEED TO SET A RATE THAT COVERS THE ACTUAL COST OF LABOR. AND AS WE ALL KNOW, WE SIGNIFICANTLY RAISED LAW ENFORCEMENT SALARIES IN FISCAL YEAR 26. SO THE COST OF THE CONTRACT HAS GONE UP AS WELL.

UNDER THE LAW, WE MUST CHARGE A RATE THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR COSTS. AND I THOUGHT WE WOULD ALL AGREE TO THAT. BUT IS OMB LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN FOLLOW THE LAW? IS THIS THE LAW?

[03:05:04]

>> COMMISSIONER, IT WE WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THETHE LEGAL PART OF THIS, WE SHOULD HAVE AN EXECUTIVE

SESSION. >> DO WE WANT TO DO THAT

NOW? >> PLEASE.

>> COMMISSIONER, WE HAVE FIVE ADDITIONAL ITEMS AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO TO EXEC SESSION FOR TWO

MORE. >> WE'LL DO THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME. SO YEAH.

I WANT TO PAUSE ON THIS AND DO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND COME BACK. I'M SORRY.

>> I DO HAVE A MOTION. I KNOW WE'LL GO BACK TO SOME OTHER ISSUES. I DO HAVE A MOTION.

I KNOW THIS IS A DISCUSSION ONLY ITEM.

AND, BUT IS IT BROAD ENOUGH FOR ME TO MAKE A MOTION TO?

>> DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ITEM.

>> UNDERSTOOD. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT HAS BEEN POSTED AS JUST, ESSENTIALLY YOU CAN ONLY TALK ABOUT IT. WE CAN'T TAKE ANY ACTION ON IT.

IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD RELATE IT TO DIRECTING OCA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU CAN DO THAT.

>> SO INSTEAD OF A MOTION, I WANT TO GIVE OCA AND OFFICE OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT DIRECTION TO CREATE A DASHBOARD.

I THINK IT WILL HELP US ALL UNDERSTAND HOW MANY CONTRACTS WE'VE GOT, WHO HAS GOT THEM, AND THE IMPACT TOWARD THE BUDGET. WE'RE ONLY ACCEPTING CONTRACTS ONCE A YEAR, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> SO WE DO TAKE CONTRACTS MID YEAR. THE POLICY THUS FAR HAS BEEN THAT THEY CAN ONLY BE AT 100%. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A 70% CONTRACT, YOU HAVE TO WAIT.

>> ONLY 100% CONTRACTS ARE SECOND MID YEAR.

>> THAT'S THE CURRENT POLICY WITH.

THE NEW LAW TAKING EFFECT IN DECEMBER, THE CONSTABLE AND THE SHERIFF DON'T NEED TO COME TO COMMISSIONERS COURT.

>> I WANT TO UNDERSTAND, IF ANY OF THAT DOES HAPPEN, I DON'T THINK IT WILL. I HOPE IT WON'T.

IF IT DOES HAPPEN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A RUNNING TOTAL OF THE NEGATIVE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE.

>> WE HAVE ALL THAT DATA THAT WE SHOULD GET THAT DONE IN

DECEMBER. >> GOOD.

THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER BRIONES?

>> SO I HAVE VARIOUS COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS IT AFTER WE COME BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE PAY PARITY WE ACHIEVED. MY PRECINCT, MY CONSTITUENTS ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE CONTRACTS THEY HAVE WITH THE CONSTABLES AND THE SHERIFF AND I'VE BEEN WORKING VERY COLLABORATIVELY WITH MY THREE CONSTABLES SO MORE ONLY LATER AND MORE ON WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST ACTION GOING FORWARD BUT I'LL DISCUSS IT AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

>> LET ME JUST MAKE AA COUPLE COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION. I UNDERSTAND WHAT JUST LOOKING AT THE CHART THAT WAS PROVIDED THAT SUPPORTED THIS, CURRENTLY, THE NEIGHBORHOODS PAY 124,440 FOR A DEPUTY. I'LL USE THAT AS THE BASE.

THE PLAN WAS IN FISCAL YEAR 26, WE WOULD CHANGE THAT TO

135,400. >> IF COURT WERE TO ADOPT THE FEES TO PROVIDE, COURT CHOSE TO PROVIDE THE OPTION FOR NEIGHBORHOODS TO PAY A HIGHER RATE THIS YEAR AND AVOID ESSENTIALLY A DOUBLE CHARGE NEXT YEAR.

>> YOU GOT THE FISCAL YEAR. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS MAYBE ININ SESSION. YOU GOT TARGETED FOR THAT DEPUTY TO GET, THE CHARGE FOR THAT DEPUTY WOULD BE 146,620.

THAT WOULD BE FISCALIER 27, WHICH WOULD BE OCTOBER 1ST, 2026.

>> THAT'S CORRECT. IF COURT WERE TO ADOPT IT.

>> THAT'S INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD, THAT YOU WOULD GO UP 8. 3%, WHICH WOULD BE 135,400. SO THIS YEAR, TODAY, IT'S 124,440. WE GO UP 8. 8%, GOT TO GET IT UP TO 135,400. THE ONLY QUESTION IS, AGAIN WE CAN SORT ALL OF THIS OUT AS WE FIGURE OUT WHAT DIRECTION WE'RE GOING TO HEAD.

YOU HAVE ONON CHORE 16% HIGHER THAN WHAT I UNDERSTOOD TO

[03:10:03]

>> SO COMMISSIONERS COURT WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE LAW CAN SET, CAN CHOOSE WHATEVER RATE WE, INITIALLY WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM AS PART OF THE BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER, WE HAD FROM POSED AN 8% A YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS TO GET TO THAT 186,000 WHICH WOULD BE THE 2030 NUMBER AFTER WE FULLY IMPLEMENT THE RAISES WHICH WAS SET OUT. IF COURT CAN CHOOSE TO DELAY THAT ONE YEAR --

>> I'M JUST SAYING WHAT WAS UNDERSTOOD, TRYING TO DEFINE WHERE WE ARE. WE'LL COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND BE SOMEPLACE.

THE OTHER KEY POINT AS WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROGRAM TO THE TUNE OF $112 MILLION. AND IF WE CHOOSE, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE DO, IF THERE ARE CONTRACTS WE DON'T HAVE, WE GET TO PAY 100% OF THAT.

CORRECT?

>> I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION TO BE ANSWERED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

>> OKAY. I THINKS THE BEEN SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED, WHICH THIS CHART WHICH YOU PROVIDED AS BACK- UP IS INSTINCT WITH WHAT HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED AT THIS POINT.

>> OKAY.

>> THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE 41.

>> THAT'S 317, COMMISSIONER.

>> SO COLLEAGUES, I HAVE A MOTION TO A JOINT COMMISSION COMMISSION LETTER HAVE APPRECIATION TO THE CT BOWER FOUNDATION, A GENEROUS DONATION DUE TO THE PAUSE AND SNAP BENEFITS.

THEY WERE SO GENEROUS. THIS HAPPEN SO QUICK.

OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL SIGN IT BUT I'M HOPING WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LETTER, I THINK OTHER COLLEAGUES WILL SIGN THE LETTER AS WELL. SO THAT'S THE MOTION ON 317.

>> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SIGN IT.

>> ANY CONCERNS?

>> MOTION MADE BY ELLIS, SECONDED BY GARCIA. ITEM PASSES. AND THE NEXT ONE IS ITEM 320. AND ON THAT ITEM, A NUMBER. STATES STEPPED UP TO HELP DURING THE SHUTDOWN. ALTHOUGH IT HAS ENDED, IT WILL TAKE A WHILE FOR IT TO GO IN PLACE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE END OF THIS CONTINUING RESOLUTION.

IF WE'LL BE IN THE SAMESAME AGAIN. THIS IS ON THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE GOVERNOR, ASKING TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS LIKE IN OTHER STATES SUCH AS

LOUISIANA. >>

SECOND. >> MOTION MADE.

SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR VOTE AYE.

>> WHO WAS SECONDED?

>> GARCIA.

>> ALL AYES AND NO NAYS. ITEM PASSES.

WHAT IS OUR NEXT ONE HERE?

>> 324.

>> OKAY.

>> WE TOOK THAT WITH ITEM 12.

>> I MEANT 325.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND RAMSEY.

325, PAGE 42.

>> WHY DON'T YOU START? I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME TECHNICAL POINTS ON THIS AND I'LL OFFER A COUPLE OTHERS.

>> WE HAVE KNOWN THAT FEMA IS GOING TO AT SOME POINT ISSUE NEW CLUB PLAN MAPS FOR HARRIS COUNTY. AND WEWE HERE WAITING FOR FEMA TO RELEASE THESE. AND AGAIN. THIS IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM.

THEY'RE DOING THE MAPS. I THINK THERE HAS BEEN SOME MISUNDERSTANDING IN THE PUBLIC THAT THEY THINK SOMEHOW FLIGHT CONTROL IS WITH HOLDING THIS INFORMATION.

I THINK THAT COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

THE FACT IS WE CAN'T RELEASERELEASE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY FEMA MAPS.

IF WE RELEASE THEM AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, OR AHEAD OF WHEN FEMA, THEN WE GET TO TAKE ALL THE, WE GET TO TAKE ALL THE QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT.

SO ON THE ONE HAND, FEMA NEEDS TO RELEASE THE MAPS.

[03:15:07]

THEREFORE, WE'LL HAVE FEMA MAPS IN HARRIS COUNTY MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE FEMA MAPS IN THE ADJACENT COUNTIES AND ALL THE SURROUNDING.

SO THIS IS JUST MORE OF AN AWARENESS THAT WE'RE WAITING ON FEMA. WE NEED THEM TO RELEASE THEM.

THE SOONER WE GET WITHWITH FOLKS, THE SOONER WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR FOLKS THE DIFFERENCE.

THIS WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN WHAT YOUR CURRENT, YOUR EXISTING FLOOD PLAIN IS. THE EXISTING 500- YEAR FLOOD PLAN WILL BE THE 100. AND WILL THAT HAS INSURANCE IMPACTS, COST IMPACTS. IT'S JUST A TREMENDOUS POINT IN THE HISTORY OF HARRIS COUNTY. THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, AND I KNOW THE DIRECTOR HAS BEEN DOING EVERYTHING IN HER OFFICE POSSIBLE TO GET THIS OUT. BUT THAT WAS MORE OF AN AWARENESS. I DON'T HAVE A PARTICULAR MOTION TO MAKE AT THIS POINT. AND OTHER THAN JUST TO SIMPLY SAY, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM WE NEED FEMA TO ADDRESS IT.

>> COMMISSIONER GARCIA?

>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP. AND IT HAS BEEN A CONCERN.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH, THIS IS BE MY FIRST RODEO RELATED TO MAPS AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT -- IT WILL BE TOUGH ENOUGH WHEN FEMA RELEASES THE MAPS ON US. WE'LL FIND PROPERTIES WILL BE CUT IN HALF. WE'LL FIND DEVELOPERS HOLDING PROPERTY THAT NOW WILL POTENTIALLY BE UNDEVELOPABLE.

ALL KINDS OF THINGS. TO THAT END, I WANT TO OFFER, I AM THE CO-CHAIR OF THE DISASTER REFORM TASK FORCE AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IGA AND YOU, DR.

PETERSON, IF WE COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM TO SEE HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT TASK FORCE TO MAYBE HELP FEMA OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MOVE THIS ITEM ALONG.

IT IS IN LIMBO. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NUMBER ONE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO OWN THIS.

AND THEY NEED TO DO THEIR PART. AND THEN WE CAN WORK IT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

>> SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL FLIP MAP

RELEASE DATE? >> COMMISSIONER, I COULDN'T TELL YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

>> I THINK THE MIDDLE OF 2022?

>> YEAH. OKAY.

YES. >> AND DO WE HAVE A NEW RELEASE DATE?

>> WE ARE ESTIMATING RIGHT NOW, EARLY 2026 FOR THE DRAFT MAPS.

THE DRAFT FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAPS.

AND THAT'S DEPENDENT ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS.

ONE THING I CAN SAY IS IN AUGUST WHEN COURT HAD AA AROUND MAP NEXT, IGA WAS DIRECTED TO DRAFT A LETTER TO FEMA AND COPY THE DELEGATION.

SINCE THAT TIME, WE AT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH FEMA.

THE SHOWDOWN DID SLOW THINGS DOWN A LITTLE BIT BUT I'M HOPEFUL THE COLLABORATION WILL HELP IT PROCEED. THIS STARTED OUT AS A PARTNERSHIP WITH FEMA. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN BEEN VISIONED FORM. THERE WAS A THOUGHT AT THE BEGINNING. THE SPOPTS RESPONSIBILITIES OF FEMA HAS ALWAYS BEEN CLEAR.

>> WHAT WOULD BE THE DOWN SIDE OF US RELEASING WHAT WE HAVE BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW WE HAVE SOMETHING, AND ADDING A DISCLAIMER AND ADDING, BUT THAT DRAFT AND THAT PRELIMINARY, IT'S NOT FEMA'S.

ANYONE ELSE RELEASING IT?

>> THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE ON THESE MAPS IS REALLY UNPRECEDENTED. SO THE COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE WITH FEMAFEMA TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WE ARE GENERATING GO FROM THESE MODELS IS ACCURATE. AND SO THAT'S WHY IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THE WORK. WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS THAT WE SET OUT AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE BY DO

[03:20:04]

WE BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN TESTED AND PROVEN ACROSS THE NATION. GIVEN THE RELATIVELY POTENTIAL, WE BELIEVE IT IS BETTER TO

WAIT. >> IF SOMEONE DID, WOULD WE HAVE TO RELEASE IT?

>> THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN DRAFT.

>> I JUST THINK IT'S SO LONG. PEOPLE BLAME US.

THEY BLAME WHOEVER THEY CAN GET TO. THEY CAN'T QUITE GET TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUT THEY CAN GET TO US.

>> YEAH. THE REALITY IS THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT WORK, COMMISSIONER. WE TAKE OUR RESPOND.

WE AT THE COUNTY AND THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT STEPPED UP TO REALLY EXCEED THE STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN APPLYING ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE NATION.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE HERE THAT HARRIS COUNTY IN 2019 TOOK A VERY IMPORTANT STEP BY ESTABLISHING A PROXY FOR THETHE FLOOD PLAIN REGULATIONS.

AT THIS TIME, AS COMMISSIONER RAMSEY NOTED, THE 500- YEAR FLOOD PLAN WE HAVE CURRENTLY IS A VERY GOOD PROXY FOR THE 100 YEAR. THE DEVELOPMENT RULES THE FLOOD PLAIN REGULATIONS ARE USING THAT PROXY. ALTHOUGH THE PROCESS IS ONGOING, HARRIS COUNTY IS HOLDING THAT HIGHER STANDARD FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY.

>> LAST QUESTION. WHAT IF WE SPENT THE DATA THAT WE HAVE AND WHERE DID THE MONEY COME FROM?

>> IT IS A PARTNERSHIP TWEN FEMA AND FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.

I WOULD HAVE TO ASK. WE CAN GET YOU THAT NUMBER.

THERE WAS MONEY SET ASIDE IN THE BOND PROGRAM SO THERE IS A LINE I'M THERE.

>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA. IT'S SO CRITICAL.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION WE PROVIDED.

JUST TO RECAP. FEMA IS THE ENTITY THAT SHOULD AND WILL BE RELEASING THE MAPS, CORRECT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> SO SINCE THAT AUGUST 26TH LETTER THAT WE ALL SIGNED THAT WE SENT TO FEMA, COULD YOU PLEASE GO INTO WHAT UPDATES ON TIME LINE OR FEEDBACK WE'VE RECEIVED SINCE THEN?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SINCE THAT TIME, SEVERAL MEMBERS TRAVELED TO DENTON TO MEET WITH REGION SIX STAFF. FOR HOW WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. AT THE TIME, THE GOAL WAS TO BLEET THE END OF YEAR RELEASE.

OBVIOUSLY THE WORK PAUSED ABOUT THE LAST MONTH BUT I EXPECT THE TEAM WILL JUMP BACK WORKING TOGETHER. AT THE SAME TIME, REALLY SINCE THAT UPDATE, FEMA WAS ALSO WORKING AND REALLY WHERE FEMA IS AT NOW IS ALL OF THE DATA THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED FROM THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAS BEEN REVIEWED. AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY WORKING TO DEVELOP THE DRAFT FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAPS. SO WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS EVEN SINCE AUGUST. I KNOW IT IS TAKING LONGER THAN WE WANT. I THINK THE PROGRESS IS HAPPENING EVEN IF IT IS SLOW.

>> THANK YOU. SO WHAT IS HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT'S EXACT PLAN TO MAKE SURE WE'RE INFORMING AND ENGAGING THE PUBLIC ONCE THE DRAFT MAPS ARE RELEASED BY FEMA?

>> WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST COMMUNICATIONS PLAN THE MAKE SURE ALL THE INFORMATION --

>> MOTION TOTO EXTEND.

>> ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST COMMUNICATIONS PLAN THAT INVOLVES NOT JUST THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, NOT JUST THE COUNTY, BUT ALL OF THE FLOOD PLAN ADMINISTRATORS WANT HARRIS COUNTY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECALL THAT WHILE THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAS BEEN THE ONE LEADING THE WAY, THE IMPLEMENTERS OF THE FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAPS ARE ACTUALLY THE 34 BLOOD PLANE ADMINISTRATEORED. WE HAVE BEEN CLOSELY COORDINATING WITH THEM. AS THE PRELIMINARY MAPS ARE RELEASED EARLY, SEVERAL, I THINK IT IS A MONTH OR TWO LATER, THERE WILL BE A WIDESPREAD EFFORT OF COMMUNICATION AS WELL AS OPEN HOUSES.

[03:25:01]

COMMUNITY. >> WE ARE ALL IN IN MAKING SURE WE'RE SUPPORTING YOU SO THAT WE CAN GET THE INFORMATION OUT AND WORK AND SUPPORT AS STRONG AS AS POSSIBLE. I APPRECIATE YOUR COLLABORATIVE APPROACH AND I HOPE FEMA WILL CONTINUE WORKING CLOSELY WITH US, NOW THAT THE SHUTDOWN IS OVER. HOPEFULLY WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER AS BEST IS POSSIBLE.

I'M VERY THANKFUL, DR. PETERSON, FOR YOU AND YOUR EXCELLENT WORK.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ANY MOTIONS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.

THANK YOU. WHAT DO YOU HAVE NEXT?

>> I HAVE 326.

>> THIS IS A FOLLOW- UP TO 318. AND AGAIN, I HAVE, I WILL NOT MAKE A MOTION TODAY. IT IS MORE OF A COMMUNICATION IN GENERAL RELATED TO THE IMPACT OF SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS. AS I SAID EARLIER, COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY OTHER COUNTIES.

HE THE DON'T HAVE THE SAME CRITERIA AS WE DO.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BRING THAT UP.

I HAVE I'VE TALKED TO OUR LEGISLATORS AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COMMUNICATION ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO REGIONALLY.

I WANT TO START WITH EVERYBODY ADOPT THE SAME CRITERIA.

I THINK IT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE ADMIT ADMIT. THEY ARE COMING IN.

THEY COULD HAVE DEVELOPERS ADOPT THE SAME CRITERIA AS WE DO.

BRING THIS TO THE COURT'S ATTENTION.

THERE MAY BE SOMETHING MORE WE WANT TO DO AT SOME POINT, PARTICULARLY AS WE HEAD TO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I'VE MENTIONED THIS TO, RECENTLY, I MESS WITH COMMISSIONER BUCKINGHAM.

I MADE MENTION OF THIS TO HER. THERE IS NOT A SINGLE COUNTY OFFICIAL FROM OTHER COUNTIES THAT I DON'T BRING THIS UP TO. SO I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE CLEAR WHERE WE ARE. I WON'T MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SHOULDN'T PARTNER WITH ANY OF OUR ADJACENT COUNTIES UNTIL THEY GET THE FLOOD CRITERIA. I'M GETTING REAL CLOSE TO THAT.

I WANT TO WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.

THEY WANT TO ADOPT THE SAME CRITERIA AS WE HAVE, I THINK THAT'S ALMOST NEGLIGENT.

SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK THIS ISSUE, TOO, AS THEY, IN FACT, AS MAP NEXT COMES OUT, THAT WILL BE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH OUR FLOOD MAPS BEING MUCH MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN OUR ADJACENT NEIGHBORS. AND THE OTHER THING TO POINT OUT, WHILE I'M COMPLAINING. HARRIS COUNTY IS LITERALLY SPENDING BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ADDRESS AN JRUE. AND I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER JURISDICTIONS INVOLVED IN TERMS OF THAT. THEY GO TO STATE, THEY GO TO OTHER AGENCIES. SO I WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE EFFORT ON OUR SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS. BOND ISSUES ARE HARD BUT THEY'LL PASS 80% OF THE TIME IF YOU CAN ALLOW GOOD PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO VENT. I FEEL BETTER.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, COMMISSIONER RAMSEY, I SHARE YOUR SENTIMENT ENTIRELY. AND DR. PETERSON, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE STANDARD. AND I HOPE TO, AND MY TEAM AND I HAVE TALKED VERY MUCH. WE'RE IN INITIAL DISCUSSIONS ON POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS AND WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT. I HAVE TOTAL FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IF YOUYOU HOPE WE CAN DO THIS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE KEEPING OUR REGION AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

>> I DID GO BEFORE, AS A FINAL VOTE, BEFORE THE BEFORE THE YESTERDAY AND MADE THEM AWARE THATTER OUR GUARDIANS OF THE GROUND WATER. WHEN PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO COUNTRY.

IT WILL CAUSE FLOODING. THERE IS A LOT OF AREA THAT FOOT

[03:30:01]

THAT'S WHAT THE REST OF OF US FBL DOING IT FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.

>> THE GOOD GOOD IS MOST IN THE HOUSTON AREA HAVE ADOPTED IT.

THE BIG HOLEOUTS WOULD BE WALLA, LIBERTY COUNTY, AND BOTH ARE HAVING SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN THE AREA. AND AT SOME POINT, I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO SOMETHING. FOR ME, I WOULD BE HARD- PRESSED TO DO ANY ROADS WITH THEM.

AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY BORDERS THE NORTHERN PART OF THAT I -- IT WOULD BE A, THAT MAJOR OPERATION WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A REAL STRONG CASE TO ME, AT LEAST WITH THE MONEY I HAVE DISCRETION OVER, I WON'T BOIT.

I KNOW IT WILL LEAD THE PROBLEMS AT SOME POINT.

IF WE HAD A UNIFIED POLICY ON IT, I THINK IT WOULD HELP. YOU WERE RIGHT TO RAISE IT.

YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT A WHILE. STAY MAD.

I THINK IT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

YOU AND I SHARE THAT. AS A BIG PROJECT UP THERE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

[Executive Session (Part 6 of 6)]

>> COMMISSIONER, WE HAVE THREE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS. 276, 295 AND 318. SO AT THIS TIME --

>> AT THIS TIME WE'LL GO TO EXECUTIVE

[Emergency/Supplemental Items (Part 8 of 8)]

>>> OKAY. WE ARE BACK IN SESSION. IT IS 3:37.

NO ACTION ON THE ITEMS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

FIRST RESOLUTION IS THE ONE FROM THE JUDGE'S OFFICE.

AND THAT IS PAGE 42, ITEM 3 -- WHICH IS THAT?

>> ITEM 328.

>> SURE. IF YOU WOULD.

>> I WILL. REQUEST BY THE COUNTY JUDGE FOR APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING DECEMBER 1ST, 2025, AS WORLD AIDS DAY IN HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS. IT IS OBSERVED THROUGHOUT HARRIS COUNTY SERVICE AS A TIME TO HONOR THOSE AFFECTED BY HIV/AIDS AND RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT HIV PREVENTION, TESTING AND TREATMENT, AND WHEREAS IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, NEARLY 33,400 RESIDENTS ARE LIVING WITH HIV AND OVER 6,000 ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE UNAWARE OF THEIR POSITIVE HIV STATUS. WORLD AIDS DAY IS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY SERVING THOSE AND HONORING THOSE AFFECTED FOR TESTING AND TREATMENT.

THE HIV PROGRAM IS ALLEVIATED BARRIERS TO HIV CARE BY TREATING -- EXCUSE ME, BY INTEGRATING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, PSYCHIATRY, HEALTH INSURANCE AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

TO ITS END TO END THE EPIDEMIC.

>> CAN WE JUST PAUSE UNTIL COMMISSIONER BRIONES COMES IN. WE'LL JUST TAKE A PAUSE.

>> I WILL WAIT.

>> AND WE'LL HEAR FROM THE TWO SPEAKERS. DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM?

>> WE HAVE A QUORUM. WE CAN HEAR FROM SPEAKERS.

AT WHAT POINT -- OR DO YOU WANT ME TO

READ THAT AGAIN? >> NO, NO.

>> CAN WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS? IF YOU JUST SAY YOUR NAME, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> HELLO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.

HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY ARE HOME TO OVER 3,000 PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV. APPROXIMATELY 15,000 OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS RELY ON THE SERVICES FOR ESSENTIAL MEDICAL CARE. LIFESAVING MEDICATION FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR MEDICARE.

FOR MANY IN THIS PROGRAM, IT IS NOT JUST HELPFUL BUT A CRUCIAL LIFE LINE, STEPPING IN WHEN NO OTHER PAYMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE.

SUCH AS MEDICAID, MEDICARE, PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE.

THE PROGRAM NOT ONLY IMPROVES THE OUTCOMES BUT PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN PREVENTING FUTURE

[03:35:01]

THIS IS UNDETECTIBLE EQUALS UNTRANSMITTABLE, HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE --

>> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS

UP. >> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> AND WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER? OKAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> COMMISSION ELLIS, VERY BRIEFLY, JOSH, MICAH, I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND ALL THE PLANNING COUNCIL FOR WHAT YOU DO.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY, FOR EVERYTHING DO YOU TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, FIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO THANK HARRIS HEALTH, HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH.

WE HAVE FREE HIV TESTING. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US GET THE WORD OUT. ONE DAY WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMPLETELY ERADICATING HIV BUT I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE. I REMEMBER AS A LITTLE GIRL IN THE 80S, FAMILY FRIENDS PASSING AWAY. HIV/AIDS WITH YOU A DEATH SENTENCE BACK THEN. WE'VE MADE PROGRESS BUT THERE IS STILL SO MUCH WORK TO BE DONE.

I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY.

>> THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE THE JUDGE PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA?

>> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. ALWAYS APPRECIATE RECOGNIZING THIS RESOLUTION AND SUPPORTING IT.

WE'VE COME A LONG WAY FROM, AS COMMISSIONER BRIONES ALLUDED TO. THOSE WHO DIDN'T SURVIVE, TO NOW LIVING WITH, MAYBE ONE DAY WE'LL FINALLY GET TO WHERE WE CAN CURE IT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.

APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU. WE'LL TAKE PICTURES.

THE NEXT ONE IS 329. COMMISSIONER GARCIA.

>> THANK YOU. THIS IS THE OPERATION GREEN LIGHT FOR VETERANS AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE DANIEL AURIBE. IF YOU WILL MAKE YOUR WAY DOWN.

THIS IS THE FIFTH YEAR THAT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY VETERAN SERVICE OFFICERS INVITE THE NATIONS OVER 3,000 COUNTIES, PARISHES ANDBOROUGHS TO SHOW SUPPORT BY LIGHTING OUR BUILDINGS GREEN FROM NOVEMBER 4-11.

AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY, I THINK DANIEL AND THE DOCTOR WILL TOUCH ON IT.

I'VE GOT THREE FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN GREEN-LIGHTED. I'M PROUD THAT THE DOCTOR HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET THIS BUILDING, THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING, GREENLIGHTED, ALONG WITH THE CIVIL COURTHOUSE, THE JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTER, THE JURY ASSEMBLY, THE 1910 COURTHOUSE, THE FAMILY LAW, AND IT'S 2 AND 44 THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER, AND 84 AND ANEX 48. ALL ARE GREEN LIGHT BUILDINGS.

I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY IT. BUT I AM JUST SO PROUD OF HARRIS COUNTY PARTICIPATING IN THIS.

AND DANIEL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

YOU HELP WITH OUR VETERAN SERVICES PROGRAMS. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. AND I JUST APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE OUR VETERANS NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE.

SO THANK YOU GUYS. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTS. I PROUDLY SERVE AS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT AND VETERAN SERVICES AT VB RAMSEY. I'M A RETIRED VETERAN WHO SERVED OUR NATION FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND I STAND BEFORE WITH YOU THE PRIDE AND DEEP RESPONSIBILITY.

AGAIN, AS THE COMMISSIONER STATED, THIS MARKS THE FIFTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF OUR GREEN LIGHT FOR VETERANS WHICH IS A NATIONAL EFFORT ASKING COUNTIES TO LIGHT THEIR BUILDINGS GREEN FROM NOVEMBER 4-11.

ON THE SURFACE IT MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL GESTURE BUT TO A VETERAN, IT IS IMPORTANT. IT MEAN WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.

MANY OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS RETURN HOME NAVIGATING COMPLEX SYSTEMS FOR HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT.

THROUGH THE CONTINUED INVESTMENT, WE CAN ENSURE THOSE BATTLES AREN'T FOUGHT ALONE. SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS IS MORE THAN A PART OF MY JOB.

IT IS A CALLING. EACH TIME A VETERAN WALKS THROUGH OUR DOORS AND LEAVES WITH HOPE, WE FULFILL A PROMISE. LET THIS LIGHT NOT ONLY SHINE THROUGH DOORS --

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH OUR VETERANS TODAY AND EVERY DAY.

>> WONDERFUL. WHAT BRANCH?

>> ARMY.

>> ARMY. ARMY STRONG.

ALL RIGHT. YOU'VE HAD YOUR BIRTHDAY. ARE YOU GOING TO HELP CELEBRATE THE MARINES AND THE NAVY?

>> OF COURSE. WE ARE ALL BROTHERS IN ARMS.

>> GOOD DEAL. THANK YOU.

DANIEL, ANY WORD FROM YOU?

>> I THINK HE SAID IT PERFECTLY, SIR.

[03:40:01]

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

>> TO ALL OUR VETERANS. GOD BLESS YOU, THANK YOU AND I'M SO PROUD OF HARRIS COUNTY FOR PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION GREEN LIGHT.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

WE HAVE ONE MORE.

>> YES, SIR. THIS NEXT ONE IS A RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE TRANSGENDER REMEMBRANCE DAY. I'M SO PROUD TO CONTINUE TO BRING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD AND TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY DARREN, PRESIDENT AND CEO.

IT'S BASED IN HOUSTON. AND WE WELCOME YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES. HE IS HERE TODAY TO TELL US MORE ABOUT TRANSGENDER REMEMBRANCE DAY. WHAT IT MEANS TO THE COMMUNITY AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR ORGANIZATION IS HOLDING A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL HERE IN HOUSTON. IF YOU CAN GIVE US DETAILS ON WHERE AND WHEN THAT WILL BE. AND THEN ALSO, JUST TO RECOGNIZE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DARREN. HE IS CUBAN- BORN, LATIN X LEADER HERE IN HOUSTON.

HE CREATES SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR TRANS MEN, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN, AND- OR SPANISH SPEAKING, HE WAS NAMED MEL IDENTIFYING GRAND MARSHAL FOR PRIDE HOUSTON.

CONGRATULATIONS. AND IN HOUSTON, 365, IN 2025.

RECOGNIZED IN THE OUTSMART MAGAZINE FOR FOUNDING TME AND ADVANCING TRANS MASCULINE VISIBILITY. THANK YOU. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THIS. THERE'S AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF HATEFUL VIOLENCE THAT OUR TRANS COMMUNITY IS A VICTIM OF.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE FOR ALL YOU DO TO KEEP ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS ARENA.

>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'M THE FOUNDER OF TRANS MENMEN EMPOWERMENT, A HOUSTON- BASED ORGANIZATION TO HELP THE TRANS MEN AND WOMEN.

IT IS A SOLEMN DAY WHEN WE HONOR THE LIVES OF THE TRANSGENDER PEOPLE. IT IS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF THE WORK STILL NEEDED TO ENSURE SAFETY, DIGNITY AND RESPECT FOR ALL TRANS PEOPLE. THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS DAY, FOR PRESENTING THIS RESOLUTION. YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TRULY MATTERS TO OUROUR COMMUNITY. WE WILL HAVE A TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE VIGIL TOMORROW. THIS WILL START AT 7:00 P.M. AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO JOIN US AND AS WE HONOR OUR LOVED ONES AND CONTINUE BUILDING A SAFE AND COMPASSIONATE FOR HOUSTON. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

WE'LL TAKE PICTURES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER BRIONES?

>> I HAVE TWO RESOLUTIONS TODAY. FIRST IS FAMILY LITERACY MONTH RESOLUTION. WOULD ALL OUR GUESTS PLEASE COME UP. SO THIS MAKES ME VERY HAPPY BECAUSE MY FAVORITE PART OF MY DAY WHEN I'M ABLE TO GET HOME IN TIME IS TO READ TO MY LITTLE GIRL. MY MOM AND DAD ARE ALWAYS WATCHING FROM LAREDO, TEXAS, THEY'RE BOTH ENGLISH TEACHERS.

FOR LITERACY AND READING, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.

ALL JOKES ASIDE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT DO YOU TO IMPROVE LITERACY IN HARRIS COUNTY.

THE STATISTICS ARE NOT GREAT. ONE IN THREE ADULTS IN HARRIS COUNTY STRUGGLE WITH LOW FUNCTIONAL LITERACY. MEANING THAT THEY LACK THE READING, WRITING, AND COMPREHENSION SKILLS TO THRIVE AT WORK AND HOME IN A DAILY LIFE. WE HAVE WORK TO DO AS A COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOSSERING THE LITERACY SINCE EARLY, EARLY AGES.

AS A MOM, I WAS AN ENGLISH TEACH, HE TOO. AS A MOM AND FORMER ENGLISH TEACHER, I CARECARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND I'VE BEEN THANKFUL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN HELPING US CREATE SMALL LIBRARIES AT DIFFERENT COMMUNITY CENTERS IN PRECINCT FOUR AND I'M SO THANKFUL TO THE HARRIS COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM, AND JUST, AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO BUT WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS. I ESPECIALLY LOVE THE MOBILE LIBRARY UNITS THAT GO INTO THE COMMUNITY AND READ TO OUR KIDS. WE NEED TO DO MORE OF THAT.

IF ANY OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE HAVE BOOKS THAT YOUR FAMILIES NO LONGER NEED, PLEASE DONATE THEM SO WE CAN GET THEM INTO THE HANDS OF KIDS AND FAMILIES WHO DO. SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE SEVERAL GUESTS. AND I AM JUST REALLY HAPPY

[03:45:02]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BOOKS BETWEEN KIDS. AT BOOKS BETWEEN KIDS, WE DESERVES TO BE A BOOK OWNER.

OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL. TO CREATE BOOK OWNERS BY DISTRIBUTING BOOKS TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO OTHERWISE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD THEM.

WE OPERATE OUT OF A 13,000 SQUARE FOOT WAREHOUSE AND PRECINCT 4. WE'RE MORE THAN 400 VOLUNTEERS HELP US SORT AND PREPARE BOOKS EVERY YEAR. WHILE OUR HOME BASE IS IN PRECINCT 4, WE REACH OVER 70,000 KIDS IN HOUSTON EVERY YEAR. WE KNOW READING CHANGES LIVES.

FOR. FAMILIES, BOOKS ARE A LUXURY.

SCAT. ACCESS MATTERS AND OWNERSHIP MATTERS. WE'RE MAKING SURE EVERY CHILD CAN ENJOY CHOOSING AND CHERISHING THEIR VERY OWN BOOKS. THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO BE HERE TODAY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

MY NAME IS BRITTNEY AND IN ADDITION TO MY SERVICE IN PRECINCT 4, I AM ALSO A CO- CHAIR OF THE HOUSTON BAR ASSOCIATION'S LAWYERS FOR LITERACY COMMITTEE. ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, WONDERLAND HUDSON WHO SERVES AS CO-CHAIR. UNDER THE LEADERSHIP, OUR COMMITTEE WORKS ACROSS THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA TO PROMOTE LITERACY AND ACCESS TO BOOKS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH OUR ANNUAL BOOK DRIVES AND SCHOOL READING PROGRAMS LIKE THE CONSTITUTION READING DAY.

ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE EFFORTS IS THE LITTLE FREE LIBRARY'S INITIATIVE. THESE ARE SMALL COMMUNITY- BASED LIBRARY THAT'S WE INSTALL AND REGULARLY STOCK WITH DIVERSE, BILINGUAL AND AGE APPROPRIATE BOOKS. I'M PROUD THAT ON DECEMBER 15TH WE WILL BE INSTALLING OUR LITTLE FREE LIBRARY AT PRECINCT 4'S SENIOR EDUCATION CENTER, HELPING TO CONNECT, IF I MAY CONTINUE?

>> YOU MAY.

>> HELPING TO CONNECT GENERATIONS THROUGH READING. IN ADDITION THIS FALL AS, OUR 2025 FALL DAY OF SERVICE, THE HBA VOLUNTEER AT BOOKS BETWEEN KIDS WHICH WE HEARD FROM THEIR LEADERSHIP TODAY WHICH IS A DYNAMIC ORGANIZATION THAT IS LOCATED IN BRING SINGT 4. THEY HELP TO GET BOOKS INTO THE HAMPBDS CHILDREN WHO NEED THE MOST AND FORM CELEBRATION PARTIES WE LEARNED ABOUT. THIS YEAR THEY GAVE OUT THEIR 3 MILLIONTH BOOKS. WE'RE SO EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH BOOKS BETWEEN KIDS IN THE SPRING FOR OUR DAY OF SERVICE. THESE EFFORTS REFLECT OUR SHARED COMMITMENT IN PRECINCT 4 FOR LITERACY EQUITY AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY WITH HEART, HUSTLE, AND HIGHER STANDARDS. THANK

YOU. >> THAT'S AMAZING.

I WANT TO THANK YOU AND MISS HUDSON, MISS LANDERS, THANK YOU FOR THAT GENEROUS DONATION OF THE LIBRARY THAT WE WILL BE HAVING.

WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL. AND THEN BOOKS BETWEEN KIDS, 3 MILLION BOOKS. THAT'S FANTASTIC.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOU DO. LET'S ALL DO WHAT WE CAN TO PROMOTE READING.

>> THANK YOU. MY NEXT ONE.

ITEM 332 --

>> REAL QUICKLY, IF I COULD ASK YOU AS A FORMER TEACHER, WHAT KIND OF -- EVERYBODY HAS A MARCH TEACHING STYLE. HOW DID YOU GET YOUR KIDS, YOU KNOW, ALL RAMPED UP AND EAGER TO LEARN?

>> I TRIED TO MAKE MY CLASS AS INTERACTIVE AS POSSIBLE AND CONSTANTLY PROJECTS, STANDING UP TO SPEAK, GOING OUTSIDE. I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN -- I LOVED IT. I LOVED TEACHING SO VERY MUCH.

I WAS AN ADJUNCT AT U OFOF LAW CENTER RECENTLY UNTIL I BECAME COMMISSIONER.

I DO LOVE TEACHING. ONCE IT IS IN YOUR BLOOD, IT'S IN YOUR BLOOD.

>> I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN IT.

MY SECOND AND FINAL IS RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER AS FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I FIND SO BEAUTIFUL AND THE TRUTH IS, IT WEIGHS ON ME PERSONALLY AS MY PARENTS GET OLDER I AND LOVE THEM SO DEARLY.

THEY'RE PROBABLY WATCHING AND WONDERING WHAT I WILL SAY. THEY LIVE SIX HOURS AWAY IN SOUTH TEXAS, LAREDO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'LL DO BECAUSE I'M NOT THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THERE ARE 63 MILLION AMERICANS WHO CARE FOR A SPOUSE, AN ELDERLY PARENT, RELATIVE, A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD. AND THAT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE PROVIDING DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

AND APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THOSE WHO ARE PROVIDING THIS ESSENTIAL CARE ARE WOMEN. AND IF YOU DIG INTO THE DATA,

[03:50:05]

I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING IT AND PARTNERING WITH NONPROFITS ACROSS THE COUNTY AND AARP AND SO MUCH GIANTS IN THIS SPACE THAT ARE MAKING IT EASIER. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A NATIONAL ISSUE THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE LASER FOCUSED ON FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE. IN THE MEANTIME, IN OUR OWN PERSONAL LIVES, CHECKING ON FAMILY MEMBERS AND ELDERLY NEIGHBORS.

WE SEE IT IN STORMS AND AFTER STORMS, IF WE CAN TAKE IT INTO OUR DAY TO DAY, I THINK THIS WOULD BE AN EVEN BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.

I'M VERY THANKFUL TO THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO START. THE FREE SUMMER CAMPS, AMPLIFYING SENIOR PROGRAMMING.

ALL FOUR OF OUR PRECINCTS FOCUS ON THIS.

THERE'S MORE TO DO. WITH YOUR PARTNERSHIP WE'RE ABLE TO IFY WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

WE HAVE SEVERAL GUESTS AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THEM. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M JENNIFER WITH AARP TEXAS. ON BEHALF OF AARP NEARLY 2.

5 MILLION MEMBERS IN TEXAS, WE THANK COMMISSIONER BRIONES AND THE ENTIRE COMMISSION.

WE'RE RECOGNIZING FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH.

AS SOMEONE WHO IS PART OF THE SANDWICH GENERATION, I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES FAMILIAR CAREGIVERS FACE EVERY DAY.

THE TOLL IS HEAVY FINANCIALLY, PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. 63 MILLION AMERICANS INCLUDING 5. 3 MILLION IN TEXAS ALONE STEP UP AS FAMILY CAREGIVERS.

THEY PROVIDE 2. 9 BILLION HOURS OF CARE EACH YEAR, WORTH $41 WELL IN UNPAID LABOR. THANK YOU FOR SHINING A LIGHT ON FAMILY CAREGIVERS THIS NOVEMBER. MORE ACTION IS NEEDED.

THAT'S WHY AARP IS PUSHING FOR COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS THAT HELP CAREGIVERS SAVE MONEY, TIME, AND PROVIDE HEALTH --

>> PLEASE CONTINUE.

>> MORE SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO

MUCH. >> THANK

YOU. >> THANK

YOU. >> I'M VERY PROUD.

WE HAVE THE TWO LARGEST AARP CHAPTERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WHO JUST SO HAPPEN TO BE IN PRECINCT 4.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I NOW REPRESENT THE HARRIS CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND IDD.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE. THE ROLE OF A CAREGIVER FOR SOMEONE WITH AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY INCLUDING AUTISM IS FILLED WITH UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND PROFOUND REWARDS. CAREGIVERS TIRELESSLY NAVIGATE THE COMPLEXITIES OF HERRING, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS, ALL WHILE CREATING ENVIRONMENTS THAT FOSTER GROWTH, INDEPENDENCE AND INCLUSION TO ENSURE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THRIVE, EXPERIENCE JOY, AND LIVE WITH DIGNITY AND PRIDE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, FOR ALLOWING ME TO LEND A VOICE TO UNSUNG HEROES WHO OFTEN PATIENTLY WORK BEHIND THE SCENES WITH GRACE AND HUMILITY, ACCEPT THE JOB TITLE OF ADVOCATE ON AN EVERSINGLE DAY.

THANK YOU FOR ROGING THIS MONTH TO RECOGNIZE THEIR COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE. THANK YOU.

>> ANY OTHER SPEAKERS WHO SIGNED UP? MISS RODRIGUEZ?

>> HELLO, COMMISSIONERS. I'M A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK WE ARE PROGNOSIS, A DIMENSION SUPPORT. MY FATHER PASSED AWAY FROM VASCULAR DIMENSION IN JANUARY 2021. HIS LAST YEAR WAS FILL WITH PAIN, CONFUSION AND FEAR. AS HIS CAREGIVERS, MY MOTHER AND I CARRIED THE WEIGHT OF HIS ILLNESS TOGETHER ALONE.

I'M SORRY.

>> IT'S ALL RIGHT. TAKE YOUR

TIME. >> CAREGIVING IS AN ACT OF LOVE BUT ALSO OF ENDURANCE. WHEN THERE ARE NO REAL SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO SUPPORT, IT BECOMES AN ACT OF SURVIVAL.

38 MILLION PEOPLE ARE PROVIDING UNPAID CARE FOR AGING OR DISABLED LOVED ONES. HERE WE PROVIDE NEARLY 3 BILLION HOURS OF CARE WORTH ABOUT $41 BILLION AND MOST DO IT QUIETLY, OFTEN SACRIFICING THEIR OWN AND THEIR OWN STABILITY. PROPOSITION 14 GIVES US HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. BUT FAMILIES DO NEED HELP RIGHT

NOW. >> YOU CAN

CONTINUE. >> SO I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO COMMIT TO FURTHER SUPPORT CAREGIVERS THROUGH

[03:55:02]

>> THANK YOU. WE'RE SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.

I KNOW YOUR DAD IS SMILING DOWN WITH PRIDE.

>> ANYONE ELSE? I THINK THAT'S ALL.

HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS PROUD TO RECOGNIZE NOVEMBER AS FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH.

>> THANK YOU ALL. WOULD YOU MAKE A MOTION FOR ALL THE RESOLUTIONS?

>> SO MOVED.

>> MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA. ALL IN FAVOR VOTE AYE. IT PASSES.

YOU CAME UP TO TAKE PICTURES. I'M GOING TO ADJOURN BUT WE'LL TAKE PICTURES WITH YOU.

WELL, ANY OTHER BUSINESS?

>> NOT FOR ME. ANY OF THE COURT MEMBERS -- ARE YOU ALL ALL RIGHT?

>> OKAY. IT IS NOW 4:00 P.M.

NO OTHER VOTES NEEDED. A SECOND TO JUST CONFIRM.

LET ME MAKE SURE WE GOT EVERYTHING HERE.

[Departments (Part 7 of 7)]

>> I WAS WONDERING, CAN WE PLEASE TAKE ITEM 2 UP AGAIN?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO READ A MOTION. A MOTION TO AMEND THE ROLES OF PROCEDURE AND CONDUCT AT MEETINGS ADDING SECTION 4 C 1.

AT THE REQUEST OF TWO MEMBERS OF THE COURT, AN ITEM MAY BE TAGGED FOR ONE MEETING. IF AN ITEM IS TAGGED, NO ACTION MAY BE TAKEN ON THE ITEM. TELL ITEM WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE PLACED FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE NEXT REGULARLY CALLED

MEETING. >> I'LL SECOND

IT. >> MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER BRIONES. THREE AYES AND NO NAYS.

THE ITEM PASSES. ANY OTHER BUSINESS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE PICTURES AND WE'LL ADJOURN. WE'RE SO

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.