[00:00:14] >> [BACKGROUND] I WILL GET THIS RIGHT AT SOME POINT. GOOD MORNING AND I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO [Items 1 & 2] THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING FOR FEBRUARY 7, 2023. COMMISSIONER GRANT MOODY, MAY YOU OPEN OUR MEETING, PLEASE? >> WELL, THANK YOU, JUDGE SAKAI. IT'S AN HONOR THIS MORNING TO WELCOME PASTOR RANDY ERRORS FOR OUR INVOCATION. PASTOR RANDY, A SENIOR PASTOR AT CROSS MOUNTAIN CHURCH. HE HAS BEEN THERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS NOW. HE AND HIS FAMILY, HIS WIFE, KELLY, SONS, AUSTIN, DILLON, AND LOGAN. BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A PASSION FOR SERVING THE COMMUNITY. THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN MENTORING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERING IN OUR CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS PASTOR RANDY SERVING ON THE SAMS MINISTRY BOARD HERE. PASTOR RANDY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU. I'M HONORED TO BE HERE. LET'S PRAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS TO JUST BE REMINDED OF YOUR GOODNESS AND YOUR LOVE TOWARDS US. TO THINK THAT THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE THINKS SO HIGHLY OF US THAT HE WOULD SEND HIS SON TO DIE ON A CROSS, GOD WE'RE JUST HONORED AND THANKFUL FOR THAT. WE TAKE A MINUTE THIS MORNING TO LIFT UP THOSE IN TURKEY AND SYRIA AND GOD, JUST ASK THAT YOU WOULD PROVIDE COMFORT, THAT YOU WOULD SAVE AND RESCUE LIVES. LORD, THAT YOU WOULD JUST MOVE IN THAT SITUATION IN AN INCREDIBLE WAY. BUT LORD I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS. YOUR WORD ENCOURAGES US TO PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS AND SO I PRAY FOR THE LEADERS OF THIS COURT. I PRAY FOR OUR JUDGE, I PRAY FOR THESE COMMISSIONERS. I PRAY FOR ALL OF THEIR STAFF. VERY SPECIFICALLY GOD, I FIRST ASK THAT YOU WOULD JUST BLESS THEM AS INDIVIDUALS. BLESS THEIR MARRIAGES, BLESS THEIR HOMES, BLESS THEIR FAMILIES, BLESS THEIR HEALTH. BUT LORD I ALSO PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THEM PROFESSIONALLY. LORD, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM WISDOM BEYOND THEIR YEARS. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM KNOWLEDGE BEYOND THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THAT YOU WOULD LEAD THEM AND GUIDE THEM AND DIRECT THEM IN ALL THAT THEY DO. AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE GIVE YOU ALL THE HONOR AND GLORY TODAY IN JESUS NAME, WE PRAY. AMEN. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MOODY, I BELIEVE THE FIRST ITEM IS CEREMONIAL ITEMS I'D LIKE TO [Items 3A & 3B] RECOGNIZE AND DO THE PRESENTATION OF SERVICE PANS, RECOGNIZING EMPLOYEES FOR 25 PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE. OH MY GOSH. TAMARA STRAUSS, 30 YEARS DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. IRMA RAMOS, 25 YEARS WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WOULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD AND BE RECOGNIZED? >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> WELL, I THINK JOE GONZALEZ, OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF HIS EMPLOYEE WHO I KNOW VERY WELL AND I BELIEVE SHERIFF SALAZAR IS ALSO HERE ON BEHALF OF HIS EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU EMPLOYEES FOR SUCH DEDICATED SERVICE. I DIDN'T DO MANY YEARS. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE ANYBODY BE HERE FOR 30-25 YEARS. HOW ABOUT THAT? MR. GONZALEZ YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. >> MAY IT PLEASE COMMISSIONERS COURT, GOOD MORNING, JUDGE. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. I HAVE THE DISTINCT PLEASURE AND HONOR TO PRESENT A 30-YEAR PIN TO A TRUE PUBLIC SERVANT. IT IS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, VERY SPECIAL FOR ME BECAUSE I'VE KNOWN THIS RECIPIENT FOR ALMOST THE ENTIRE TIME THAT SHE'S BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT. I FIRST MET TAMARA OVER 30 YEARS AGO. WE WERE BOTH WORKING IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. SHE IS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A PROSECUTORS PROSECUTOR. SHE'S RISEN FROM THE RANKS, STARTING AS AN INTERN, THEN MISDEMEANOR, THEN WORKED IN DIFFERENT DIVISIONS. AGAIN, MOVING UP FROM THIRD, SECOND, AND THEN FIRST CHAIR. SHE ALSO IS A FORMER ADMINISTRATOR. SHE WAS CHIEF UNDER SUSAN REED. SHE HAS CONTINUED TO WORK IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THESE 30 YEARS BECAUSE SHE BELIEVES IN WHAT SHE DOES. SHE BELIEVES IN WORKING FOR THE VICTIMS OF CRIME. SHE'S A TRUE ADVOCATE FOR VICTIMS. [00:05:01] SHE BELIEVES IN COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY AND WORKING VERY HARD QUITE OFTEN. AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHE'S ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT STILL BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL, AS THEY SAY. IT IS WITH A DISTINCT HONOR THAT I PRESENT THE 30-YEAR PIN. BY THE WAY, JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW THE ADMIRATION THAT I HAVE FOR HER IS WE HAVE RECENTLY PROMOTED HER TO CHIEF AND SO NOW SHE IS THE CHIEF OF OUR PUBLIC INTEGRITY AND CYBERCRIME UNIT. WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HER AS PART OF OUR ADMINISTRATION. IT IS MY DISTINCT HONOR TO PRESENT TO TAMARA STRAUSS HER 30-YEAR PIN. [APPLAUSE] >> TAMARA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? >> THANK YOU JUDGE SAKAI. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, JUDGE. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEEN 30 YEARS. I REMEMBER IT SEEMS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY WHEN I HAD MY INTERVIEW TO BE AN INTERN AT THE DA'S OFFICE HERE AND I THOUGHT, WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS I'LL BE HERE. MAYBE I'LL BE HERE FOR A FEW YEARS AND SEE HOW IT GOES AND HERE I'M 30 YEARS LATER. I'M VERY GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL TO MY HUSBAND AND MY CHILDREN. THEY HAVE ENCOURAGED ME AND PROVIDED SO MUCH SUPPORT. LIKE DA GONZALEZ SAID, ON THE LATE NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS WHEN I HAVE STAYED LATE WORKING ON CASES, TAKING WORK HOME WITH ME. IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO WORKED FOR STARTING WITH DA STEPHEN HILLBIG, SUSAN REED, NIKOLA HOOD, AND NOW DA JOE GONZALEZ. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT TOO, THAT THE WORK WE DO AT THE DA'S OFFICE IS TEAMWORK. I COULDN'T BE HERE IF THE CASES, THE SUPPORT THE ADVOCATES THAT WE HAVE AT THE DA'S OFFICE, THE VICTIM ADVOCATES, THE OTHER ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, OUR INVESTIGATORS, OUR SUPPORT STAFF. WE DO THIS ALL AS A TEAM AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THEM FOR THEIR HELP. FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE 30 YEARS OF MY LIFE TO THE CITIZENS OF BEXAR COUNTY AND I HOPE TO BE HERE IN FIVE YEARS RECEIVING MY 35-YEAR PIN. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> SHERIFF WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP HERE AND THEN WE'LL TAKE PICTURES. JOE AND TAMARA WE'LL COME BACK. SHERIFF. >> GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING. I'M HERE TO RECOGNIZE MS. IRMA RAMOS FOR HER 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. IRMA'S NATIVE OF SAN ANTONIO AND GRADUATED FROM EJUATE HIGH SCHOOL IN 1990. SHE HAS TWO SONS, BENJAMIN WHO'S ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY, AND JONATHAN WHO WORKS IN CORPORATE MANAGEMENT. IRMA STARTED WITH THE BEAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ON NOVEMBER 3, 1997, IN THE CENTRAL RECORD SECTION. IN 1998, SHE APPLIED FOR AND WAS AWARDED THE OA2 POSITION IN THE CIVIL DIVISION. IN JANUARY OF 2019, IRMA WAS PROMOTED TO BAIL BOND COORDINATOR AND SIX MONTHS LATER PROMOTED TO CIVIL CLERK SUPERVISOR, AND HAS NOW WORKED IN THE CIVIL SECTION FOR 24 YEARS AND SHE LOVES WHAT SHE DOES. WHEN IRMA IS NOT AT WORK SHE MAINTAINS A VERY ACTIVE SOCIAL LIFE BY DOING VOLUNTEER WORK, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH SEVERAL NON-PROFITS LIKE HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS, CHURCH UNDER THE BRIDGE AND THE PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION. IRMA'S ALSO ACTIVE WITH HER CHURCH AS A LEADER OF THE SERVE TEAM. WHEN IRMA'S NOT VOLUNTEERING SHE'S AN AVID CYCLIST AND RECENTLY ACCOMPLISHED HER FIRST KATIE FLAT CENTURY BIKE RIDE, WHICH IS 100 MILES IN DISTANCE. WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE HERE TO RECOGNIZE THE IRMA FOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND TO THE COMMUNITY AND OF COURSE, THANK HER SONS FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH IRMA. I APPRECIATE IT. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] >> GO AHEAD. >> DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK? >> NO. >> NO? SHE SAID SHE DON'T WANT TO SPEAK. >> COME ON. [LAUGHTER] YOU GOT TO SAY A FEW MORE WORDS FOR THE SHERIFF. COME ON IRMA. >> BUT IT'S UP TO YOU. [LAUGHTER] >> WELL I WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE FOR 25 YEARS. I'VE GONE THROUGH A COUPLE OF SHERIFFS AND I JUST ENJOY WORKING FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH BEING IN THE CIVIL DEPARTMENT. I'VE TRAINED IN SEVERAL AREAS AND I JUST LOVE WHAT I DO. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]. LET'S TAKE OUR PICTURES. [00:10:10] [BACKGROUND] >> MY APOLOGIES. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I FAILED TO MENTION THAT HER HUSBAND IS HERE WITH HER. HE'S A LOCAL ATTORNEY, ELDEST STRAUSS, STRAUSS I'M SORRY. SHE'S MOTHER TO TWO CHILDREN, LAUREN AND ELLIOTT, AND THEY'RE BOTH STUDENTS AT DUKE UNIVERSITY. >> WELL, WHY DON'T WE TAKE A PHOTO, TAMARA, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE YOUR FAMILY COME UP. WE'RE GOING TO SWAP IT OUT REAL QUICK. COME ON THROUGH AND BRING YOUR FAMILY UP TO JOIN US. >> WE WELCOME ALL OF YOU. [NOISE] >> GOOD TO HAVE PRESIDENT, AMY AND COACH TRAILER IF YOU ALL WILL COME TO THE DIAS, WE HAVE A RESOLUTION FOR YOU AND ALL THE UTSA ROADRUNNER TEAM. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT RECOGNIZING UTSA IN FEBRUARY 10TH TO BE ANNUALLY RECOGNIZE AND BEXAR COUNTY AS UTSA TO A DAY. HOW ABOUT THEM APPLES. [APPLAUSE] READ THE RESOLUTION THAT OVER TO YOU, PRESIDENT AMY. >> THANK YOU. >> THE PROCLAMATION READS, WHEREAS UTSA ATHLETICS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1981, AND WHEREAS UTSA IS SAN ANTONIO'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED IN CWA DIVISION ONE PROGRAM AND WHEREAS UTSA ATHLETICS HAS EXPERIENCED RAPID GROWTH AND SUCCESS IN NUMEROUS SPORTS. WHEREAS UTSA ATHLETICS HAS CAPTURED 80 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND MADE MORE THAN 60 AND CWA, POST-SEASON APPEARANCES AND WHEREAS UTSA IS RECENT SUCCESS AND INCREASING NATIONAL RECOGNITION HAS RESULTED AN INVITATION TO JOIN THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ON JULY 1, 2023. WHEREAS THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY HAS RALLIED AROUND AND SUPPORTED UTSA SPORTING EVENTS, IN LARGE NUMBERS. WHEREAS 2.0 IS THE PRIMARY AREA CODE ASSOCIATED WITH AND IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY. WHEREAS UTSA HAS UNITED THE SAN ANTONIO BEXAR COUNTY COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS LET'S GO 2.0 RALLY CRY. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND PROCLAIMS THAT FEBRUARY 10TH WE ANNUALLY RECOGNIZE IN BEXAR COUNTY AS UTSA 2.0 DAY. I GOT IT. IT'S IN THE SCRIPT 210. [LAUGHTER] WE CALL UPON THE PEOPLE AT BEXAR COUNTY TO JOIN IN SUPPORTING UTSA ATHLETICS, WITNESS OUR SIGNATURES AND STILL HAVE OFFICES SEVENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2023, SIGNED BY JUDGE PETERSON, HIGH COMMISSIONER REBECCA CLAY FLORES, COMMISSIONER JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ, COMMISSIONER GRANT MOODY, AND MYSELF, COMMISSIONER TOMMY CALVERT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING, PRESIDENT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. [APPLAUSE] >> COMMISSIONER CALVERT THANK YOU, JUDGE SAKAI, COMMISSIONERS, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE BACK WITH YOU. I SHARE THIS STORY A LOT. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID ON THE FIRST DAY ON THE JOB BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2017 WAS MEET WITH RED MCCOMBS AND WE CHATTED ABOUT THE FACT THAT ATHLETICS AT UTSA WAS THE FRONT PORCH TO THE UNIVERSITY. TODAY, WE HAVE OVER 150,000 LIVING ALARMS BUT I HAVE TO SAY IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT OUR METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA, ALL 2.7 MILLION FOLKS WHO LIVE IN BEXAR COUNTY AND SAN ANTONIO ARE ALL ROADRUNNER FANS [00:15:01] AND WE'VE HAD SO MUCH SUCCESS AND BE HONORED THIS WAY BY YOU ALL IS VERY PROFOUND AND IMPORTANT FOR US AND OUR JOURNEY. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS OF LATE AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES. LISA IS MY WONDERFUL ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND OBVIOUSLY COACH TRAILER IS EVERYBODY KNOWS COACH AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESSIVE LATE OUR MEN'S BASEBALL TEAM HAD A FABULOUS YEAR. OUR WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM HAD A FABULOUS YEAR. OUR MEN'S TENNIS TEAM HAD A FABULOUS YEAR. OUR WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM WON THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP. IF YOU ARE AT THE CONVOCATION CENTER, THE VENERABLE CONVOCATION CENTER THE OTHER DAY, YOU WOULD'VE SEEN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL DEFEAT A RANK TEAM FROM MIDDLE TENNESSEE THAT WAS A REALLY, REALLY EXCITING GAME BUT CLEARLY, THE RESONANCE THAT WE HAVE AROUND, LET'S GO TO WINDOW HAS COME FROM OUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND THE SUCCESS WE'VE HAD AND WE'RE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE COACH TRAILER WITH US AND WHAT HE DOES AND HOW HE BUILDS YOUNG MEN INTO LEADERS AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING OUR CULTURE THAT ADVANCES THIS IS VERY POWERFUL SO I WANT TO TURN THE PROGRAM OVER TO LISA TO INTRODUCE JEFF AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE, SO THANK YOU ALL. >> AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY. AS WE THINK ABOUT, LET'S GO 210. IT'S REALLY TO HONOR THE CITIZENS OF BEXAR COUNTY AND SAN ANTONIO AND JUST RECOGNIZE THAT WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE IN OUR STUDENT ATHLETES ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF PLAYING IN FRONT OF 40 PLUS THOUSAND IN THE STANDS AND OUR OTHER SPORTS. I ALSO APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN. OUR STUDENT ATHLETES ARE OUR FUTURE LEADERS OF SAN ANTONIO OF TEXAS. NOT ONLY HAVE WE COMPETED ON THE FIELDS OF PLAY, BUT ALSO ACADEMICALLY AND I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T POINT OUT, OUR STUDENT ATHLETES JUST RECENTLY ACHIEVED AN 87% GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE, SO THEY ARE GETTING IT DONE IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN COMPETITION AND WE COULDN'T BE SO MORE PROUD. I DO WANT TO GIVE RECOGNITION TO BETTY SIRNA AND HER TEAM FOR COMING UP WITH THE LET'S GO TO I KNOW WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TEAM AND ATHLETICS OF STAFF WHO COME UP WITH THESE GREAT CAMPAIGNS AND JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THEN OF COURSE, AS DR. AMY POINTED OUT, THE EXCITEMENT HAS REALLY REVOLVED AROUND FOOTBALL AND WE'RE REALLY BLESSED TO HAVE THE BEST COACH IN THE NATION WHO NOT JUST WANTS TO WIN GAMES, BUT AS TAYLOR SAID, WANTS TO DEVELOP YOUNG MEN. HE'S DONE THAT AND WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE HE WILL BE WITH US FOR THE NEXT NINE YEARS, AT LEAST. ME AND HIM BOTH HOPE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LIKE THE TWO OTHERS AHEAD OF US AND WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING OUR 30-YEAR PINNED IN A FEW YEARS. BUT WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE COATS TRAILER HERE AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE BEST COACH OF THE NATION. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT AMY AND [INAUDIBLE] THOSE WORDS. I DO WANT TO SAY, WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT ALL OF ALL AND JUST A GUIDE FOR DOING THIS TODAY AND HOW YOU-ALL PARTNERED WITH US IT'S BEEN AWESOME. I MEAN, IT REALLY HAS BECOME A TRULY A CITY TEAM EFFORT AND JUST SO MUCH, I DO WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT OUR KIDS, WE VOTE FOR OUR SINGLE-DIGIT NUMBERS. YOU'VE GOT TO GET VOTED IN BY YOUR PEERS AND BY THE COACHING STAFF. BUT EVEN ON TOP OF THAT, THE KIDS THAT WERE THE TWO, THE ONE, AND THE ZERO, THEY GET THE MOST VOTES AND THOSE ARE THE YOUNG MAN THAT BEST REPRESENT OUR CULTURAL PILLARS. I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY OF THAT SO WHEN YOU SEE THOSE GUYS IN THE TWO, AND THE ONE, AND THE ZERO TO REMIND THEM THAT THEY UNBELIEVABLE HONOR, AND THANK YOU-ALL FOR YOU-ALL IS RECOGNITION TODAY I APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE] >> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF UTSA FOR THE WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WE'VE HAD WITH YOU. YOU'VE INVESTED IN OUR ATHLETICS PROGRAM YOU CARE DEEPLY AND WHERE WE'RE GOING AS A UNIVERSITY AND WE APPRECIATE HOW YOU SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW YOU REPRESENT UTSA. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US. [APPLAUSE] >> PRESIDENT AMY, BEFORE YOU ALL COME UP, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND TAKING UTSA TO THE TIER ONE LEVEL, WHICH WAS A GOAL OF YOURS WHEN YOU CAME IN. A VERY IMPORTANT GOAL FOR THE SCHOOLS EVOLUTION, WHICH STARTED REALLY AS A COMMUTER SCHOOL HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND HAS EVOLVED INTO OUR PREMIER UNIVERSITY WITH AN EXPERIENCE THAT IS BUILDING, I THINK, A VERY STRONG ALUMNI CONNECTION THAT WILL BENEFIT SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY AND THE UNIVERSITY FOR MANY GENERATIONS. I THINK I SHARE IN A LOT OF SAN ANTONIO AND THANKS TO YOU, PRESIDENT AMY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. LISA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP OVER THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT AND COACH TRAILER. EVERYBODY WANTS YOU TO STAY FOREVER JUST KNOW THAT WE LOVE WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THE TEAM AND THE COMMUNITY, AND WHAT YOU'VE INSTILLED IN YOUR WISDOM AND THE SPIRIT THAT HAS [00:20:04] COME ALIVE FOR A FOOTBALL CITY THAT SAN ANTONIO IS AND BEXAR COUNTY IS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED EXPOSURE OF SAN ANTONIO STUDENTS AND BEXAR COUNTY STUDENTS TO THE UNIVERSITY THROUGH ATHLETICS, GIVING THEM THAT FRONT PORCH, AS YOU AND READ TALKED ABOUT, TO HOPEFULLY ONE DAY ACCOMPLISH THEIR DREAMS AND COME BACK AND CONTRIBUTE TO SAN ANTONIO. YOU ARE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR OVERALL STRATEGY FOR KEEPING BEXAR COUNTY HAS A LEADING AMERICAN COUNTY AND THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ECONOMY. THANK YOU-ALL SO MUCH. WHY DON'T WE COME UP AND TAKE A PICTURE APPRECIATION. >> TIER ONE UNIVERSITY TIER ON ATHLETICS, TIER ONE FOOTBALL. [APPLAUSE] [BACKGROUND]. >> THANK YOU BEXAR COUNTY. >> LET'S GET BACK ON THE AGENDA. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ SAYS ASKED FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. >> THANK YOU, JUDGE. GOOD MORNING. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK REMARK, ACKNOWLEDGING THE WORK OF OUR FINANCE STAFF. WE RELY YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. WE HAVE A HUGE CAPITAL PROGRAM. WE RELY ON A REALLY DISCIPLINED DEBT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ISSUING IT'S AN OBLIGATION. THIS WEEK, ONE OF THE MAJOR RATING AGENCIES, MOODY'S, REAFFIRMED, BEAR COUNTIES TRIPPLE A BOND RATING. I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I KNOW IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT NECESSARILY VERY OFTEN, BUT AS WE RELY ON THAT PROGRAM, THE RATING IS SO IMPORTANT. IT ACKNOWLEDGES THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A STRONG ECONOMY. BUT ALSO, I'LL MENTION PART OF THE RATIONALE. I'LL READ IT FROM MOODY'S RELEASE. IT SAYS IT INCORPORATES THE COUNTY HAS VERY STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION, AVAILABLE CASH WITH A FINANCIAL HISTORY GUIDED BY AN EXPERIENCED MANAGEMENT TEAM. AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGED DAVID, TINA, TONYA, THE REST OF THE TEAM BECAUSE I KNOW THESE THINGS DON'T HAPPEN ON ACCIDENT. YOU HAVE TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS. YOU GOT TO GET THEM INFORMATION. BUT IT ALSO DEMONSTRATES OVER THE YEARS THAT WE'VE HAD A GREAT MANAGEMENT TEAM, PARTICULARLY ON THE FINANCE SIDE. AGAIN, WE REAFFIRMED AS TRIPPLE A, WHICH I THINK IS ONE OF THE RARE RATINGS AMONGST COUNTIES IN TEXAS. DAVID, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK OF YOUR TEAM. >> WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS, COMMISSIONER, AND YOUR RECOGNITION. IT DID TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK BECAUSE MOODY'S CHANGED THEIR RATING FORMULA. MY STAFF HAD TO GET THEM A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION, MANY PHONE CALLS, THEY DID A LOT OF HARD WORK TO KEEP THAT TRIPPLE A, WHICH OF COURSE GIVES US ACCESS TO THE MOST PREFERENTIAL INTEREST RATES. I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF. THEY DID A GREAT JOB. TINA. [APPLAUSE] >> THE COMMISSIONERS WANT TO MAKE ANY STATEMENTS. WE GET TO ITEM 4. [Item 4] WE NEED TO TAKE A RECESS AT THIS TIME OF COMMISSIONERS COURT, AND CONVENE AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE BEAR COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITY COOPERATION. AT THIS TIME, THE COURT WILL MEET AS THE BEAR COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION. [BACKGROUND] I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER FOR THE BEAR COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION. >> GOOD MORNING. JUDGE, MORNING COMMISSIONERS/DIRECTOR BEAR COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION. FOR TODAY'S MEETING, BECAUSE JUDGE WOLF IS NO LONGER ON THE BOARD TIMING CALVERT, [00:25:02] COMMISSIONER CALVERT, WHO IS VICE PRESIDENT, WILL BE SERVING AS THE FISH ANY OFFICER OF TODAY'S MEETING UNTIL A NEW PRESIDENT IS APPOINTED. I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET PERSONALLY WITH JUSTICE CHI IN ORDER TO WORK ON THAT TRANSITION. FOR THE TIME BEING, YOU ARE GOING TO SERVE IN THAT ROLE TODAY, COMMISSIONER CALVERT. WE HAVE AN AGENDA BEFORE US, AND THERE'S THREE ITEMS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANDY. THE FIRST ITEM, ITEM 1A IS APPROVAL OF THE NOVEMBER 29TH, 2022 BEAR COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION MINUTES. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 1B. THAT'S AN ACTION TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS RELATED TO THE FINAL MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH RESPECT TO THE SAN JOSE VILLAGE PROJECT NEGOTIATED BY THE APPROVED WORKING GROUP COMPRISED OF DAVID SMITH, DAVID MARQUEZ, COMMISSIONER REBECCA CLAY FLOORS, AND COMMISSIONER JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ. ANDY. >> RESOLVED THAT WERE BASICALLY APPROVING THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING THE SAN JOSE VILLAGE PUBLIC FACILITY INCORPORATION TRANSACTION THAT I MET WITH EACH OF THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT AND BRIEFED EVERYONE PERSONALLY. ESSENTIALLY, THERE'LL BE A PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION TRANSACTION AT THIS CORNER WILL PRESERVE SOME HISTORIC IMPROVEMENTS, WILL HAVE 300 UNITS, 150, WHICH WILL BE RESERVED FOR PEOPLE MAKING 80% OF INCOME WITH ADJUSTMENTS FOR FAMILY SIZE INCOME, AND THERE'LL BE RENTS PAID TO THE COUNTY. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENCE WITH THIS DEAL BECAUSE THE DEVELOPERS ASKED TO BE ABLE TO DO HUD FINANCING SO THEY CAN GET A 40 YEAR AMORTIZATION, MORE LOAN PROCEEDS. BECAUSE OF THAT, THERE HAS BEEN AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE RENT FROM THE OTHER PRIOR TRANSACTIONS THAT I'VE BRIEFED EVERYONE AND THIS IS PROVIDED FOR IN MORE DETAIL IN THE MOU YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR DESK TODAY. THEN I PROVIDED EVERYBODY A COPY OF. >> I BELIEVE THIS IS IN COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES'S DISTRICTS. COMMISSIONER, YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY? >> SORRY. YEAH, WE'RE EXCITED TO FINALLY HAVE SOME MARKET-RATE DEVELOPMENT IN PRECINCT 1. SPECIFICALLY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AROUND THE AREA ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT. I HAVE MET WITH THE DEVELOPER AND WITH YOURSELF, SO I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. I'LL JUST TELL YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING CHOICE THROUGHOUT BEAR COUNTY SO THAT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF CAN COME BACK AND CHOOSE TO LIVE IN THE PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANT TO BE IN WITH DIFFERENT CHOICES AND OPTIONS FOR HOUSING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> OUTSTANDING. YOU WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION? >> YEAH I MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. CONGRATULATIONS. ITEM C IS AN ACTION TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS RELATED TO THE CONTINENTAL HOTEL PUBLIC FACILITIES TRANSACTION, ANDY. >> AGAIN, I BRIEFED EVERYONE ON THE COURT ABOUT THIS PERSONALLY, BUT THIS YEAR THERE HAS BEEN INCREASING CHALLENGES TO BE ABLE TO FINANCE TRANSACTIONS. THE CONTINENTAL HOTEL TRANSACTION IS NO EXCEPTION TO THAT RULE. WHILE THE DEVELOPERS VERY CLOSE WESTERN URBAN TO ARRANGING FINANCING FOR THE PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION, THAT WILL BE MED BLOCK IN THIS THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CONTINENTAL HOTEL, THEY HAVE NOT YET SECURED FINANCING AND EQUITY FOR THE REMODELING OF THE CONTINENTAL HOTEL IN IRAN AND BUILDINGS WHICH WE'LL BOOKEND THIS PROJECT. INSTEAD OF DOING PROVIDING FOR THE FINANCING AND EQUITY, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS PROVIDE A CREDIT-WORTHY GUARANTOR. WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS DETAILS WITH EVERYONE THAT'S SIGNIFICANT 6 TIMES WHAT THE COST OF THE WORK IS. THE DEVELOPER WILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT WORK GETS DONE. ULTIMATELY, WHEN THE FINANCING MARKETS ARE BETTER FOR THESE MIXED-USE TYPES OF PROJECTS, THE BALANCE OF THE BLOCK WILL BE ACTIVATED. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL HAVE A HIGH-RISE MULTI-FAMILY TRANSACTION HERE IN THE MID-BLOCK, RIGHT NEAR THE COURT. THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE AUTHORIZING IN HERE. DAVID MARQUEZ AND I WOULD WORK OUT THE SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS TO THE TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO GO FORWARD WITH THE FINANCING WHEN THAT FINAL LENDERS SELECTED AND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH DOCUMENTS. >> VERY WELL. I BELIEVE THIS IS IN COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ OFF PRECINCT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE DEVELOPERS WANT TO SAY ANYTHING. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED JAMES LIFT SHEETS AS WELL, BUT I DON'T KNOW [OVERLAPPING] >> I DON'T KNOW. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S HERE FROM WESTERN URBAN, BUT WE DID SPEAK. I THINK AGAIN, AS YOU MENTIONED THEY ARE FULLY COMMITTED. I KNOW THE FINANCING PIECE HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE, NOT JUST FOR THEM, BUT A LOT OF FOLKS IN THIS MARKET. THEY'RE STILL PLANNING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, AGAIN, THE APARTMENTS THERE AT CONTINENTAL HOTEL. I THINK WHAT THEY ARE DELAYING IS POTENTIALLY THE ACTIVATION OF THE GROUND-LEVEL, THE OLD FACADE OF THE CONTINENTAL HOTEL. I THINK AT SOME POINT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, [00:30:01] AND I THINK THEY WILL HAVE SOME COMMERCIAL RETAIL TYPE OF ACCESS. BUT I THINK THAT PIECE IS WHAT WILL BE DELAYED A LITTLE BIT, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH CONSTRUCTION. IS THAT RIGHT, ANDY, OF THE APARTMENTS? >> THAT IS CORRECT. THEY'RE VERY CLOSE TO NARROWING DOWN TO A FINALIST FOR THE FINANCING FOR THE FACILITY CORPORATION. THEY'RE GOING TO GUARANTEE THAT THE HISTORIC FACADES OF THAT RHONDA AND CONTINENTAL BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS THE DELLA GARZA HOUSE, ARE PRESERVED AND ALL OF THAT WORK IS DONE THAT THEY'VE COMMITTED TO THE COURT. THEN IN TERMS OF ACTIVATING THE RETAIL MIXED-USE PORTIONS OF THE CONTINENTAL HOTEL AND RHONDA BUILDINGS THAT WILL FOLLOW HOPEFULLY ALONG THE SAME TIMELINE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT LESS TIME TO REHAB THOSE INTERIORS AND IT WOULD BE TO BUILD THIS HIGH-RISE BUILDING. HOPEFULLY, EVERYTHING WILL BE ACTIVATED BY THE SAME TIME, BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR EXACTLY WHEN THE GROUND FLOOR RETAIL AND OFFICE WILL BE ACTIVATED OR EXACTLY RIGHT. >> THANK YOU. I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> I JUST WANTED TO SAY BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE AT A HIGH LEVEL, COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS A REALLY, BOTH OF THESE CASES ARE GOOD EXAMPLES OF WHERE GOVERNMENT CAN HELP THE PRIVATE SECTOR CONTINUE CREATION OF JOBS, HOUSING THINGS THAT ARE IN THE PUBLIC INTERESTS BECAUSE OF THE MARKET. THE BANKS WERE SAYING THAT THESE WERE DIFFICULT DEALS TO PENCIL. BUT FOR THIS, CORPORATIONS WORK TO MAKE THESE DEALS WORK, THESE WOULD NOT BE MOVING FORWARD. IT IS A CAUTION TO THE RISING INTEREST RATES AND JUST THE RETAIL MARKET. THE SKITTISHNESS OF BANKS THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THAT FINANCE, THAT THEY'VE HAD TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT AS WE HEAR, WE GET THESE UPDATES. THIS IS HELPING TO KEEP OUR ECONOMY GOING. WITHOUT [INAUDIBLE]. >> DID MR. MARQUEZ WANT TO MAKE STATEMENTS, PLEASE? I SAW HIM STEP UP. MARCUS. >> COMMISSIONER CALVERT, I THINK YOU'RE CORRECT. WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF INQUIRIES FROM FOLKS ABOUT OUR PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION. WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING SOME OF THOSE WITH YOU. WE REALIZED THAT THIS IS STILL VERY NEW TO THE COUNTY, VERY NEW TO THE STAFF AND TO YOURSELVES AS WELL, BUT WE'RE EVALUATING ANY AND ALL OPTIONS. WE HAVE A COUPLE THAT I'LL BE DISCUSSING WITH EACH OF YOU AS THEY START TO COME FORWARD. THERE'S A NEED BASED ON THE FACTORS YOU MENTIONED, COMMISSIONER, THE RISING INTEREST RATES, THE RISING COST AND JUST THE GENERAL TENOR OF THE MARKET DOWNTOWN VERSUS OTHER LOCATIONS. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE? >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. I THINK IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, WE WILL ADJOURN AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE BEXAR COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION. >> WE'LL RECONVENE AS COMMISSIONERS COURT. [Item 5] ITEM 5, REQUESTS FOR COMMISSIONERS COURT TO IDENTIFY ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION AND TO PROVE REMAINING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS TO BE PULLED? COMMISSIONER CALVERT? COMMISSIONER MOODY? MR. RODRIGUEZ? >> ITEM 42, PLEASE. >> FORTY-TWO. COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES? THEN IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS STATED? [Consent Items 9-41 & 43-67] >> LET ME MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEM 42. >> MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE? >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. LET'S THEN GO TO ITEM 42. [Item 42] COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, DID YOU WANT TO BRING THAT TO THE COURT'S ATTENTION? >> YES, JUDGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WANTED TO HAVE SHERIFF SALAZAR COME UP. REALLY JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM AND MAYBE YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT, SHERIFF. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES GOING ON AT THE JAIL, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS YOU'VE MADE TIME AND AGAIN IS TO GET FOLKS HELP THEY NEED, WHETHER IT'LL BE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND GET THEM OUT OF THE JAIL AND INTO THOSE SERVICES. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND HOW THIS ITEM IS GOING TO HELP WITH THAT. >> SURE. QUITE FREQUENTLY, WHEN I SEE SOMEONE ON THE WAY OUT OF THE JAIL OR I CONTACT SOMEBODY IN BOOKING, I'LL SHAKE THEIR HAND, INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THEM AND HALF JOKINGLY SAY, I HOPE I NEVER SEE YOU HERE AGAIN. THEY KNOW WHAT I MEAN BY IT. THEY HOPE I NEVER SEE THEM WITHIN THE JAIL AGAIN, AND THEY HOPE IT TOO. BUT MANY TIMES THERE'S CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THEIR CONTROL THAT IT'S INEVITABLE THEY WILL END UP THERE AGAIN. THEY KNOW AND I KNOW IF SOMETHING DRASTIC ISN'T DONE. WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THIS NEW PROGRAM THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON AT THE JAIL, THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS OVER AT METROHEALTH. MR. GABRIEL AGUILAR IS HERE WITH ME TODAY. I'LL ASK HIM TO COME UP HERE SHORTLY TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IT FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE. [00:35:03] BUT WHAT IT'S GOING TO INVOLVE IS US REALLY TAKING THAT EXTRA EFFORT WITH METROHEALTH TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM COMING IN. WELL, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? YOU TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO THEM ENDING UP BACK IN. WHAT IT IS IS IT'S WE'RE GIVING THEM SOME OFFICE SPACE TO WORK THERE WITHIN THE BOOKING AREA TO BE ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE ON THEIR WAY OUT THE DOOR BEFORE THEY HEAD OUT INTO SOCIETY AND TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IS IT ONGOING HEALTH CARE NEEDS FOR A CHRONIC ILLNESS? IS IT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO BE CONNECTED WITH? HOUSING, FOOD, EVEN JOB TRAINING, AGAIN, IN HOPES THAT THESE FOLKS CAN MAKE THE TURNAROUND. IT'S GOOD FOR THE INDIVIDUAL THAT HOPEFULLY WILL TURN THEIR LIFE AROUND AND NOT END UP BACK IN THE JAIL. QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S GOOD FROM A DOLLAR AND CENTS PERSPECTIVE FOR TAXPAYERS THAT THEY WON'T BE PAYING TO HOUSE THIS PERSON OR PAY COURT COSTS. IT'S GOOD FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY AT LARGE, ALL THE BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT ARE BENEFITING FROM THESE PEOPLE COMING OUT BACK INTO SOCIETY, HOPEFULLY BEING ABLE TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AND NEVER NOT BE A DRAIN ON SOCIETY. I'D LIKE TO BRING UP MR. AGUILAR NOW TO TALK FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HEARING US TODAY. REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH BEXAR COUNTY DETENTION, ALSO UH DETENTION SERVICES TO RELAY SERVICE INDIVIDUALS ON THEIR WAY OUT. IT'S BEEN A LONG HAUL GETTING HERE, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO DO THAT AND JUST TO BE PLANNING WITH THE FOLKS AT BEXAR COUNTY DETENTION TO SERVE THOSE FOLKS AND TO HIGHLIGHT THAT NEED FOR CONTINUITY OF CARE FOR MANY FOLKS. THERE'S A LOT OF RE-ENTRY SERVICES OUT THERE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE, WHETHER THAT'S HOUSING AND JOB TRAINING, AND EMERGENCY FOOD, AND CLOTHING, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE COMING OUT OF JAIL. BUT THERE'S NOT QUITE AS MUCH OUT THERE TO LINK PEOPLE TO THAT CONTINUITY OF CARE. WE'LL HAVE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS WORKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS AS THEY'RE RELEASED IN COORDINATION WITH DETENTION AND WITH UHS DETENTION SERVICES SO THAT WE CAN GET AND IDENTIFY THOSE HIGH PRIORITY MEDICAL PATIENTS WHO HAVE THIS CHRONIC ILLNESSES, THOSE THINGS THAT IF GONE UNTREATED COULD AFFECT THEM GOING OUT BECAUSE THERE'S NO FOLLOW-UP MEDICAL PLAN THAT THEY GET AFTER THE SERVICES THAT THEY RECEIVE THERE, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CONNECTED THE PROPER CARE AND KNOW EVEN JUST HOW TO GET MEDICAL RECORDS SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE THOSE TO A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER AND FIND A MEDICAL HOME SO THEY CAN BE CARED FOR IN THAT WAY, AND JUST TO ADDRESS THAT ALONG WITH THE SOCIAL SERVICES TO REALLY AFFECT THE WHOLE PERSON. AGAIN, LIKE SHERIFF SAID, JUST TO REDUCE THAT RECIDIVISM AS WELL, WE CAN HOPE THAT IT CAN HAVE A MULTIPLYING EFFECT. THEY COME OUT HEALTHY AND WHOLE IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. THAT'S THE BASIC PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. WE'VE BEEN SETTING EVERYTHING IN MOTION AND RCHWS, OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS ARE READY TO GO AND TO GET IN THERE AND START CONNECTING FOLKS TO CARE. >> GREAT. THANK YOU GABRIEL. SHERIFF, THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND TO HIGHLIGHT THIS. AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S SHEPHERDING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. WE'VE GOT FOLKS FROM UHS THERE AND CHCS AND NOW METROHEALTH. >> YES, SIR. >> THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF LOCAL INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION. >> SURE. >> WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOPEFULLY SOME POSITIVE RESULTS FOR THE COMMUNITY. I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MOU, JUDGE. >> MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. >> SECOND. >> SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. I THINK THAT COMPLETES THE CONSENT AND THOSE ITEMS PULLED. NUMBER 6, FILING FOR A RECORD OF THE FOLLOWING LEGAL ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS AND [Item 6] DIRECTING THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO TAKE ACTION IF NECESSARY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS BY THE COMMISSIONERS? DO WE NEED IT? WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT. LET'S MOVE ON. [Item 7] ITEM 7, COMMISSIONERS COURT MINUTES FOR TUESDAY JANUARY 24, 2023. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? >> MOVED. >> MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MURDY, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD ITEM 8. I DON'T HAVE ANY SLIPS. MISS ELIZABETH. WE WILL THEN MOVE ON TO, COMMISSIONERS WHERE DO WE PICK IT UP? >> SIXTY EIGHT. >> SIXTY EIGHT. WE WILL THEN PROCEED TO THE INDIVIDUAL AGENDA ITEMS, ITEM 68. [Item 68] DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING AN APPROVAL OF [00:40:03] THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK AGREEMENT WITH THE BURN INK FOR THE NEW PRECINCT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING LOCATED AT ROCKET LANE, CONVERSE TEXAS ESTABLISHING A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE IN THE AMOUNT OF $14,700,324 AND B, FUNDING AN ADDITIONAL PROJECT CONTINGENCY IN AN AMOUNT OF 900,000 AND APPROVAL OF THE APPROPRIATE BUDGET TRANSFER. MR. KUHRT. >> THANK YOU JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS WE'RE HERE TODAY THE END OF HOPEFULLY A LONG JOURNEY. TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT BACKGROUND BACK IN 2015 BEXAR COUNTY PURCHASED THE NOTORIOUS 51 ACRES, ROCKET LANE AND 64 NEAR RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE WITH THE MAIN ATTENTIVE OF CREATING MULTIPLE FACILITIES OF THE LOCATION. THE FIRST ONE WAS THE SHERIFF SUBSTATION WHICH OBVIOUS IT WAS OPENED YEARS AGO AND THEN AGAIN THE PRECINCT BUILDING IS PLANNED FOR THAT LOCATION AS WELL. IN APRIL 2022 COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVED THE INITIAL CONTRACT WITH BYRNE CONSTRUCTION FOR OUR CMAR SERVICES FOR THE NEW PRECINCT 4 BUILDING. TODAY THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR CONSTRUCTABILITY REVIEW AND BIDDING FOR THE FULL DESIGN DOCUMENTS AND IT PRESENTED A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE TODAY WHICH WE'LL BRING TO YOU FOR APPROVAL. TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND THE GIANT NUMBER 3 THERE IS THE PARCEL WORK WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT. AGAIN, PARCEL NUMBER 1 IS WHERE THE EXISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT SUBSTATION IS. DIRECTLY NEXT TOWARD TO THAT IS WHERE THE NEW PRECINCT 4 ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING IS GOING. THAT LEAVES THE RETAINING PARCELS AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT AT A FUTURE DATE. I WILL TELL YOU THAT PARCEL NUMBER 2 IN GREEN IS RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE'VE ALREADY SOLD TO TXDOT BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING A 16 FOR EXPANSION THAT ARE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED. I WANT TO SAY, COMMISSIONER KEVIN CAN CORRECT ME, 2025 OR '26 IS WHEN THEY PLAN TO START THAT WORK. >> HOW MUCH MONEY DID WE EARN? >> I BELIEVE JUST OVER 2 MILLION OR JUST UNDER 2 MILLION. AGAIN, FORGIVE ME THESE AREN'T GREAT IMAGES. WE DON'T SHOW A LOT OF DETAIL JUST BECAUSE FOR SECURITY REASONS FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. EVEN ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS AS WE HAVE JUDGES AND WE HAVE CONSTABLE AND THOSE THINGS. THIS IS THE SITE LAYOUT AS YOU COULD SEE IT'S A GOOD SIZE BUILDING IT'S ABOUT 32,000 SQUARE FEET THAT HAS DRIVE-THROUGH LANES FOR THE TEXAS COLLECTOR. I KNOW ALBERT [INAUDIBLE] HERE TODAY. THIS WILL BE HIS LARGEST DRIVE-THROUGH LOCATION THAT WE HAVE. IT WILL HAVE FIVE LANES FOR HIM TO DO THAT, CONTACT THIS TRANSACTIONS. THE LOCATION OF PRECINCT 1 DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS EXTREMELY VALUABLE TO HIM. I'M SURE HE CAN TESTIFY TO THAT BUT THE DRIVE-THROUGH FUNCTION WILL BE SOMETHING WE'RE ADDING TO THOSE CONSTITUENT SERVICES AS WE GO FORWARD. HERE'S A LAYOUT OF THE FLOOR PLAN. THE FLOOR PLAN INCLUDES SPACES FOR THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR, THE CONSTABLE PRECINCT 4, THE JP OF PRECINCT 4 AND A SMALL SATELLITE OFFICE FOR THE COMMISSIONER AS WELL. HERE'S AN EXTERIOR PERSPECTIVE. AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MATCH A MODERN VERSION OF MARRYING SOME OF THAT RELATIONSHIP TO THE AIR FORCE BASE. I KNOW MR. RODRIGUEZ MAY REMEMBER WE DID A VISITING STUDY ON THE 51 ACRE SOMETIME AGO WITH COMMISSIONER CALVERT AND WE CREATED A DESIGN AESTHETIC AND A DESIGN STYLE FOR THAT 51 ACRES AND SO THIS MARRIES IN WITH THAT PARTICULAR VERNACULAR. AGAIN, HERE'S ANOTHER VIEW SHOWING PART OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH LOCATIONS AS WELL. IT IS AN EXCELLENT LOCATION, LOTS OF SPACE, LARGE PLAZA FOR FUNCTIONS AS WELL. I WANT TO HAVE BACKUPS AND WE HAVE SOME NEW MEMBERS OF THE COURT I JUST WANT TO REPRISE WHY WE USE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK. CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK IS A DELIVERY METHOD WHERE WE HIRE OUR GENERAL CONTRACTOR TO BE OUR AGENT AND MAKE SURE THAT VERY EARLY IN THE JOB THEY WORK WITH THE CONSULTANTS, MAKE SURE THE BUILDING CAN BE CONSTRUCTED PROPERLY. MAYBE THERE'S A WAY FASTER WAY TO DO IT OR EASY WAY TO DO IT AND THEY PROVIDE CONSTRUCTABILITY REVIEWS. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS ON LARGE PROJECTS FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS SO ANYTHING OVER 6-8 MILLION DOLLARS WE TYPICALLY ARE RECOMMENDING CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK. IT PROVIDES EXTREME CLARITY IN THE PRICING. WHAT WE GET FROM THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK IS A GUARANTEED PERCENTAGE THEY CHARGE US FOR OVERHEAD AND PROFIT AND GENERAL CONDITIONS AND WE SEE THE TRUE BID COST FOR EVERYTHING ELSE BELOW THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY IN THIS METHOD THAT'S WHY WE LOVE IT, SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE SUBCONTRACTOR PRICE FOR ELECTRICIANS IS, TILT WALL CONCRETE AND ETC. AGAIN, HAVING THEM ENGAGED EARLY HELPS THE DESIGN TEAM SOMETIME IDENTIFY EASIER, FASTER WAYS TO BUILD THE PROJECT. THIS IS THE PRE-GMP PROCESS FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK WHERE THE GREEN ARROW IS, AT THE GMP PHASE, WE WENT THROUGH DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION, DOCUMENT ESTIMATES. WE'VE ESTIMATED THE PROJECT, BYRNE CONSTRUCTION IS HERE AS WELL, TONY BATTLE, THEIR PRESIDENT, SOUTH TEXAS IS HERE AS WELL. THEY TOOK THE 100 PERCENT DESIGN DOCUMENTS FROM THE CONSULTANTS, BID THOSE ON THE STREET ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS PURCHASING ACT AND THEN PROVIDED US SUBCONTRACT TO BREAK DOWN BIDS, [00:45:02] RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BEST VALUE AND THE TOTAL PROJECT COST INCLUDING CONTINGENCIES AND OVERHEAD. SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THE GMP IT'S 14.7 MILLION DOLLARS AS IT WAS NOTED IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT. I CONCLUDE OTHER GENERAL CONDITIONS AND FEES ABOUT, 1 MILLION DOLLARS FOR CONCRETE SLABS AND TILT WALL AND $1.7 MILLION IN ELECTRICAL WORK, HALF-A-MILLION DOLLARS IN ARCHITECTURAL MILL WORK WHICH IS CABINET TREE ESSENTIALLY IN THE BUILDING, $1 MILLION IN EARTHWORK AND SITE PREPARATION, PARKING LOTS ETC. ABOUT $500,000 IN CONTINGENCIES FOR UNFORESEEN CONTINGENCY ADDITIONS, ADDED SCOPE, MARKET VOLATILITY AND THOSE THINGS. WE THINK THIS IS ABOUT A 15-MONTH PROJECT SO WE APPROXIMATE SUMMER 2024 FOR COMPLETION. WHEN THEY BID ALL THE WORK AND THEY PROPOSE THEIR GNP THEY CAME OUT WITH 30% OF THOSE COSTS ARE CERTIFIED FIRMS. AGAIN, THE COUNTY HAS A GOAL OF 30% AND THEY EXCEEDED THAT GOAL ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSED GMP. OUR RECOMMENDED MOTION TODAY IS APPROVAL OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK AGREEMENT WITH THOMAS S. BYRNE INC. FOR THE NEW PRECINCT 4 ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING LOCATED ON ROCKET LANE, CONVERSE TEXAS ESTABLISHED A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AMOUNT OF $40,700,324. >> THANK YOU, JUDGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANT TO FILL IN. WE HAVE NEW COMMISSIONERS. THIS PARTICULAR 51 ACRE CAMPUS IS A REAL MONEYMAKER FOR THE COUNTY. WHEN WE WERE FIRST LOOKING AT BLUE WING SHERIFF SUBSTATIONS IN 2014, 2015, SHERIFF PALMARIS CAME TO ME WITH THREE LOCATIONS AND THIS WAS THE BEST LOCATION FOR THE COMMUNITY. THE OTHER LOCATIONS, ONE WAS A NEAR NURSING HOME AND OUR SHERIFF'S HAVE TO TEST THEIR SIRENS AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE SENIORS WE'RE CALLING UPSET ABOUT THE SIREN TESTING AND ALL THAT THING. WE GOT THIS LOCATION JUST OUTSIDE OF RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, 51 ACRES. THE REASON WE GOT THE 51 ACRES IS BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT $3.4 MILLION TO PURCHASE 8 ACRES FOR THE SHERIFF'S SUBSTATION, BUT IT WAS ONLY 3.8 MILLION TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE 51 ACRES. WE'VE ALREADY MADE 1.6 MILLION FROM THE PURCHASE OF TXDOT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LAND ON THE RIGHT WAY FOR EXPANSION OF 1604. THE INTENT WAS ALWAYS BECAUSE WE HAVE RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, IT'S A VERY SPECIAL PROPERTY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DO AT THE COUNTY COMPLIES AND I'VE GOT A JET PILOT NEXT TO ME, HE KNOWS A LOT MORE ABOUT THIS STUFF THAN I DO. BUT WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THINGS LIKE BIRDS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE BIRDS DON'T GET INTO THE ENGINE. WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE GROUNDS VERY WELL. IF WE HAVE A RESTAURANT OUT THERE, WE DON'T WANT BIRDS COLLECTING AND BEING THERE. THE MONEY IS IN PROFITS THAT WE HAVE INVESTED, THE 1.6 AND THERE WILL BE MORE BECAUSE THE MASTER PLAN HAS ROOM FOR HOTEL AND THAT HOTEL REVENUE WILL ACTUALLY GO TO THE TAXES OF THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF CONVERSE. ONE OF THE REASONS THIS MAKES SENSE FINANCIALLY FOR THE COUNTY IS WE ARE SPENDING RIGHT NOW $362,267.28 TO RENT A PRECINCT 4 BUILDING. WE HAVE MORE THAN PAID FOR THAT PRECINCT 4 BUILDING AT RIGBY AND FOURTEN. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY NEEDS TO DO TO INVEST IN THESE PERMANENT INSTITUTIONS. THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE OFFICE AND CONSTABLE OFFICE AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE UNDER THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION ANYTIME SOON. INSTEAD OF THE COUNTY RENTING FROM ANOTHER BUILDING, WE'RE NOW GOING TO INVEST IN OURSELVES. THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR 51 ACRES, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COUNTY TO HAVE OFFICE SPACE FOR OTHER BUSINESSES TO ACTUALLY GIVE THE COUNTY RENT MONEY AND MAKE MONEY FOR THE COUNTY. I LOVE THE FACT THAT THIS PROJECT IN PARTICULAR IN PRECINCT 4 IS GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE OF THE GENERAL FUND OF THE COUNTY OVER TIME. A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS. THERE HAVE BEEN CONFERENCES WITH THE MILITARY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING. THE ESCALATION OF OVER TIME OBVIOUSLY HAS YIELDED A NEED FOR US TO MAKE SOME CONTINGENCIES. WE HAD SOME MEETINGS OVER LAST DESIGN THINGS THAT RECENTLY. THERE WERE THINGS LIKE BULLET PROOFING FOR THE JUDGES OR CANOPIES. OTHER THINGS WE NEEDED TO PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN OUR CONTINGENCY FUND TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS UP TO THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE MADE. I WANTED TO GIVE THAT BACKGROUND. THEN I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CONTINGENCY MONEY JUST IN TERMS OF THE FURNITURE FOR THE BUILDING, [00:50:06] THIS ADDITIONAL CONTINGENCY DOESN'T COVER THE COST OF FURNITURE, CORRECT? >> YEAH, SURE THE $14.7 MILLION DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY COST OF FF&E FURNITURE. IT DOES INCLUDE CONTINGENCIES AMOUNTS FOR, LIKE I SAID THE BALLISTIC RATED FABRIC FOR BUYING THE JUDGES DICE AS WELL AS WE MADE ALLOWANCES FOR THOSE THINGS BECAUSE THERE WAS A LATE ADDENDUM TO THE PLANS. WE'VE MADE ALLOWANCES FOR THOSE LATE ADDITIONS TO THE PLANTS IN THIS PARTICULAR NUMBER. WE BELIEVE IN 14.7 WE CAN ABSORB THOSE SMALL ADDITIONAL ITEMS. BUT THE FURNITURE IS NOT PART OF THE $14.7 MILLION. WE HAVE BEFORE ADDED FURNITURE TO A GENERAL CONTRACTOR SCOPE SO THAT COORDINATION OF THAT IS EASIER. >> I WANT TO MAKE SURE I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY. [OVERLAPPING] >> WE HAD BEFORE ADDED FF&E TO A CONTRACTOR SCOPE, SO THE COORDINATION OF DATA CABLING AND FLOOR BOXES AND OTHER THINGS WAS MORE SEAMLESS AND LESS BURDENSOME ON MY STAFF BUT IT'S NOT CURRENTLY IN THIS PARTICULAR JOB. WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE FOR THE FURNITURE, IT'S ABOUT $750,000, BUT WE HAVEN'T DIALED THAT IN. ITS A ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE FOR THE THE FACTORY TO SPOT ON. >>I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 850 FOR THE FURNITURE, BUT THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME BALLPARK. I THINK WE HAVE TO TALK AFTERWARDS JUST ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE BIDDING PROCESS AS WELL AS IMPORTANT TO KEEP COSTS. PUTTING THESE THINGS OUT FOR RFP TO KEEP COSTS DOWN, THE CONTRACTOR MAY NOT GET THE DISCOUNTS THAT THE COUNTY DOES BECAUSE OF CO-OPS, BECAUSE OF OUR SIZE. I WANTED TO JUST PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BY THE COURT, BUT I'LL BE PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION. >> COMMISSIONER MARIE. >> DAN, JUST A QUICK QUESTION. COMMISSIONER CALVERT MENTIONED THE LEASE COSTS AND EVERYTHING. CAN YOU JUST HELP US WITH THE CURRENT CONTRACT TIMELINE THERE AND WILL THAT SYNC UP WITH [OVERLAPPING] >> WE COORDINATE WITH THE ASSET MANAGER JOE NEWTON WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. IN EVERY LEASE THE COUNTY EVER WRITES, THERE IS A CLAUSE IN THERE THAT SAYS IF WE MOVE TO A COUNTY ON FACILITY, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT WITHIN 90 DAYS. WE'VE WORKED WITH HIM ON THE TIME FRAME FOR THIS. I BELIEVE THEIR LEASE AT THE CURRENT LOCATION IS THE END DATE FOR THAT OPTION IS 2025. WE THINK WE'LL BEAT THAT SCHEDULE. WE HAVE A TIME TO OPT OUT WITHOUT PENALTY. ANY IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE DONE TO THAT FACILITY OVER TIME HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR THROUGH THE CURRENT LEASE AGREEMENT. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GIVING THEM NOTICE AND THEN MOVING OUT. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PENALTY INVOLVED, THERE IS A POTENTIAL [INAUDIBLE]. >> THANK YOU, DAN. >> COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE]. >> YEAH JUDGE NO QUESTIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. I KNOW COMMISSIONER CALVERT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SOME TIME. I WILL HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT NOW PRECINCT 2 IS THE ONLY PRECINCT WITHOUT A FACILITY. [LAUGHTER] I THINK THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE DIFFERENT SERVICES. THE TAX ASSESSORS OFFICE AND I KNOW ALBERT SUPPORTIVE, THE JP'S ALL THE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OF THE CONSTABLE. I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, DAN, BUT LET'S FIGURE OUT A WAY WE CAN GET THAT ON TRACK. I KNOW WE WANT TO BE CONSCIENTIOUS OF THE INVESTMENT, BUT I THINK COMMISSIONER CALVERT MADE SOME GOOD POINTS WITH RESPECT TO THIS BEING A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR THE COUNTY AND AGAIN, GIVING UP SOME OF THE RENTAL EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE FOR THESE DIFFERENT SERVICES. APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS, DAN, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING AND HOPEFULLY DOING SOME GROUNDBREAKING FOR PRECINCT 2 AT SOME POINT. >> WE WILL GET STARTED IMMEDIATELY COMMISSIONER. >> I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THAT AS WELL COMMISSIONER. >> HEY COMMISSIONER, DO WE HAVE A TAX OFFICE OVER THERE IN PRECINCT 2? >> ACTUALLY, I THINK THE HISTORY PROBABLY WAS THAT THE [INAUDIBLE] TOWER IS IN PRECINCT 2. THEN OF COURSE, THESE [INAUDIBLE] IS IN PRECINCT 2, BUT I THINK WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FIGURING OUT WHERE IT COULD BE. I THINK CLOSER THE CONSTITUENTS AND AWAY FROM THE COURTHOUSE COMPLEX. >> THE NEXT [INAUDIBLE] OFFICE OF PRECINCT 2 DOES NOT PAY JUSTICE TO COMMISSIONERS. WE WANT TO OPEN UP. >> THERE YOU GO. >> COMMISSIONER CLIFFORD, I HAD A QUESTION. >> I'M HAPPY WITH MY SATELLITE OFFICE. [LAUGHTER] >> YOU GO FIRST. >> ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT OUR SWIM BEE OFFICE SMALL WOMEN MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES ARE INVOLVED IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT? >> YES. WITH EVERY PROJECT WE DO DURING THE INITIAL SOLICITATION PHASES IT INVOLVED IN THOSE IDEA THAT [OVERLAPPING] THE CONTRACT AS IT'S WRITTEN REQUIRES THEM TO REPORT TO THE CDMS SYSTEM AND TRACK THOSE PAYMENTS. THIS IS THE FIRST LARGE CONTRACT THAT WE'RE LETTING OUT POST THE NEW IMPLEMENTATION OF SWIM BEE POINT OUT. WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THOSE COORDINATES. BYRNE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THEIR PAYMENTS AS WELL AS THEIR STUFF PAYMENTS ARE TRACKED IN THAT SYSTEM. WE HAVE REALLY GOOD DATA TO SEE HOW THESE SUBS OR WHEN THEY'RE GETTING PAID, HOW MUCH THEY'RE GETTING PAID IN THE REAL DOLLARS. [00:55:02] >> COMMISSIONER KELLY, I PRESUME YOU'LL BE WATCHING IT. >> OH, YES. WE'LL HAVE ANALYSIS OF THE SWIM BEES. WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE WITH THE COURT AT ANOTHER POINT. ANY EVENT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL, THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK AGREEMENT WITH BYRNE FOR THE NEW PRECINCT FOR ADMINISTRATION BUILDING LOCATED AT ROCKET LANE, ESTABLISHING A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE IN AMOUNT OF 14734. >> MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVIN. IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR THE MOTION SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE? >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSE? MOTION CARRIES. >> ONE MORE I'D LIKE TO MOVE FUNDING OF AN ADDITIONAL PROJECT CONTINGENCY IN THE AMOUNT OF 900,000 APPROVAL OF THE APPROPRIATE BUDGETARY TRANSFER. >> MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVIN SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> I HAVE A QUESTION. WHERE DID THAT MONEY COME FROM? WHERE IS IT BEING TRANSFERRED FROM? >> IT COMES FROM ABOUT 10 OR 15 CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE EITHER FINISHED OR INACTIVE. SOME OF THE AMOUNTS IT'S THE REASON THAT SO MANY BECAUSE MOST OF THEM ARE VERY SMALL. THE LARGEST SINGLE ONE WAS A KIOSK REPLACEMENT, WHICH I DON'T THINK IT'S HAPPENING ANYTIME SOON. THAT WAS ABOUT 270. >> BUT CAPITAL PROJECT IS FROM PRECINCT 4? >> THEY'RE ALL OVER. FOR INSTANCE THERE'S FIRING RANGE. >> ANYTHING IS BEING TRANSFERRED FROM PRECINCT 1, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT IS BECAUSE IS THAT GOING TO BE A DOWNFALL FOR THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PROVED FOR MY PRECINCT? >> LET ME SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OBVIOUS ONES. FOR INSTANCE, I DON'T KNOW IF THE FIRING RANGE IS YOURS. >> IT'S OFTEN. >> IT IS PRECINCT 4. >> IT'S COVERED. >> YES, IT'S FOUR NOW. >> IT'S PRECINCT 4. IT'S MY PRECINCT. THE ONLY ONE I SEE COMMISSIONER IS $30,800 FROM THE HOT WELLS INTERPRETIVE CENTER AND PUBLIC PARK, WHICH IS AN EIGHT YEARS OLD BUDGET THAT HAS MOSTLY BEEN SPENT DOWN. THERE ARE OTHER HOT WELLS BUDGETS THAT AREN'T BEING IMPACTED FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE AND THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THIS ONE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BUDGETS FOR HOT WELLS AND THAT MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT YEARS AGO. THIS WAS 30,000 LEFTOVER. THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I SEE. >> BECAUSE IT'S NOT TAKING AWAY ANYTHING THAT I MIGHT NEED FOR THE FUTURE. >> COMMISSIONER MOODY. >> DAN, CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT THIS CONTINGENCY AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT THAT WOULD COVER AND WHAT THE ALTERNATIVES ARE? >> I'LL SPEAK TO YOU. CAN YOU SEE, INSIDE THE $14.7 MILLION IS WITH THE CONTRACTOR, BUT FOR THE $900,000, I THINK COMMISSIONER CALVERT IS BETTER EQUIPPED TO SAY WHAT HE INTENDS THAT TO BE USED FOR. IF IT'S FOR FURNITURE, SO BE IT, IF IT'S FOR OTHER IMPROVEMENTS, I'M NOT 100 PERCENT SURE. >> THERE WERE SOME MEETINGS ABOUT THE BALLISTICS FOR THE JUDGES, THE CANOPY, THE FRONTAL PART, THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING THAT WERE NOT DEFINED BY THE DESIGNER AND THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER. BECAUSE OF THOSE NEEDS TO DEAL WITH POTENTIAL BUDGET OVERRUNS, IT WAS A PRUDENT THING TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL CONTINGENCY SO THAT THOSE ISSUES COULD BE ADDRESSED. THEY'RE WORKING ON VALUE ENGINEERING AND ANYTHING THAT IS LEFTOVER WILL GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND JUST AS DAVID JUST TALKED ABOUT ALL THOSE PROJECTS. >> ONE LAST COMMENT, DAN. MAKE SURE ALL OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS OR WHOEVER IS USING THIS SPACE ARE INVOLVED IN THE SPACE PLANNING, PLEASE. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> I DON'T WANT TO SEE A BUILDING COME UP AND THEN BE TOLD THEY WEREN'T. >> PART OF THE REASON IT'S TAKEN SO LONG TO DESIGN, JUDGE, I'LL BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU, IS WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS. THE ONLY ONE CONSISTENT PERSON WE'VE HAD IN THE WHOLE PROCESS, IS PROBABLY BEEN COMMISSIONER CALVERT AND THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR. WE HAVE A NEW JP AND NEW CONSTABLE. WHEN NEW CONSTABLE CAME IN, SHE HAD SOME DESIRES AND WE ACTUALLY MADE THOSE CHANGES AFTER 75 PERCENT DESIGN. WE HOPE WE'VE GOT IT. >> WE'VE GOT A NEW JPL THOUGH. >> YEAH, [OVERLAPPING] CORRECT. >> THAT'S TRUE. >> I MET WITH HER A WEEK AGO AND IT'S A LITTLE LATE WHEN I CAME TO DO THAT, BUT I ASKED HER IF SHE HAD SOME ISSUES THAT SHE NEEDED TO BRING TO OUR ATTENTION AS [INAUDIBLE] >> JUDGE SAKAI MADE A WISE POINT BECAUSE ON OUR PRECINCT 1 BUILDING, WE HAD ABOUT A MILLION AND CHANGE ORDERS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE CONTINGENCY FOR, AS WELL AS A PRECINCT 3 BUILDING, WE HAD A MILLION DOLLARS. I THINK WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FOUR MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET ON THE PRECINCT 3 BUILDING RIGHT NOW IN THE BUDGET. IT'S ABOUT FOUR MILLION [OVERLAPPING] >> I WANT TO CORRECT YOU COMMISSIONER, THERE WASN'T A MILLION DOLLARS IN CHANGE ORDERS ON PRECINCT 1, THERE WASN'T A MILLION DOLLARS IN CHANGE ORDERS IN PRECINCT 3. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE ADDING A TAX OFFICE TO PRECINCT 3, WHICH IS A FOUR MILLION DOLLAR ADDITION. THAT BUILDING NEVER HAD IT. [01:00:02] THERE IS NO FOUR MILLION DOLLAR OVERRUN ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. EVERY PROJECT HAS CHANGE ORDERS, EVERY PROJECT HAS DIFFICULTIES, BUT YOU'RE EXAGGERATING THE AMOUNT TO THOSE PARTICULAR PROJECTS. >> I THINK THAT THE POINT IS THAT THERE IS ADDITIONAL SERVICES THE COMMISSIONERS WANTED AND WE SHOULD HAVE PLANNED FOR. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THE TAX ASSESSOR LINES AND ALL THAT STUFF. THE FOOTPRINT NEEDED TO BE EXPANDED WITH THE INPUT OF THE END-USER. WE DID THAT AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. >> YEAH. >> COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. >> DAN, I'M JUST MAKING SURE I UNDERSTAND, BUT THE 14.7, WHICH WE JUST APPROVED AND I SUPPORT IT, WAS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AS WRITTEN, EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED. THERE'S ALSO A HALF MILLION DOLLARS CONTINGENCY INCLUDED IN THAT, IF I'M CORRECT. >> CORRECT. AS THE PLANS AND SPECS ARE DRAFTED, THERE'S HALF-A-MILLION DOLLARS IN CONTINGENCIES TO COVER THOSE INCIDENTALS. LIKE I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE WAS A POST BID ADDENDUM. AFTER THE BIDS WENT TO THE STREET, THERE WAS A SMALL ADDENDUM FOR THE CONSULTANT. THEY CAME OUT AND SAID YOU NEED TO ADD BALLISTIC GLAZING HERE AND BALLISTIC FABRIC HERE AT THESE PARTICULAR LOCATIONS, WE THINK THE ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE OF THAT CHANGE IS ABOUT $25-$30,000. OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, RIZZY HAS ALREADY CATALOGED THOSE THINGS. THERE ARE SOME LANDSCAPING FEATURES THAT WE BELIEVE CAN BE BOUGHT THROUGH THAT CONTINGENCY AS WELL. WE FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THE NUMBER WE HAVE THAT IT CAN ACCOMMODATE THE PROJECT AS IT'S DRAWN. BUT AGAIN, ANY REVISIONS TO THAT PARTICULAR JOB OR ADDITIONS WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL MONEY, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THE [OVERLAPPING] >> I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. >> NO [INAUDIBLE] >> THERE IS ONE MAJOR THING, DAN, AND THAT IS THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK PUT $70,000 FOR THE BUDGET OF THE CANOPY AND THE BID FOR IT CAME IN AT 1.3 MILLION. WE ANTICIPATE THAT BECAUSE, AND LET'S BE REALLY CLEAR, THERE WERE NOT MEETINGS WITH THE DESIGN TEAM AND THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER UNTIL TWO WEEKS AGO. THOSE SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK OVER A MILLION DOLLARS TO MANAGE THIS PROCESS. I PUSHED FOR THOSE MEETINGS TO HAPPEN. THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED MONTHS AGO. BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A FABRICATOR TO GIVE A MORE ACCURATE PRICE, THEY BEGAN TO HAVE SEVERAL MEETINGS IN THE LAST WEEK TO VALUE ENGINEER. PART OF THE COMPROMISE IS BECAUSE YOUR DEPARTMENT, THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK, DIDN'T HAVE ACCURATE DETAILS ON THE FABRICATION AND MEETINGS WITH A FABRICATOR, IT MADE SENSE TO ADD ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING TO HAVE THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR, COMMISSIONER MOODY, THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE EXTERIOR AND NOT HAVING THE DETAIL FROM OUR PARTICULAR DESIGN TEAM AND OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER. THEY HAD NOT MET AND SO THERE WERE QUESTIONS. NORMALLY, YOU HAVE MEETINGS AND YOU MEET WITH THE DESIGN TEAM IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT THOSE QUESTIONS WEREN'T ANSWERED BECAUSE IT WAS LAST MINUTE AND THE CONTRACTOR WAS PUSHING US TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO HOLD HIS PRICES WITH HIS VENDORS. THE COMPROMISE THAT MADE THE MOST SENSE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MEETING WITH THE FABRICATORS, THE DESIGNERS, AND THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS, AND WE'RE STILL FRANKLY WORKING ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING DETAILS, IS TO PUT ASIDE SOME FUNDING FOR CONTINGENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN AFFORD IT, AND SO $70,000 IN THE CONTINGENCY, DAN, IS NOT ENOUGH ACCORDING TO THE MEETINGS WE'VE HAD WITH THE DESIGNERS, THE FABRICATORS, AND THE CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE, AND YOUR DEPARTMENT. >> THE $70,000 IS THE PRICE THE STEEL ERECTOR PROVIDED US. >> THE WHO DIRECTOR? >> THE STEEL ERECTOR. >> THE WHO? >> STEEL, THE PERSON WHO PROVIDES THE STEEL TRELLIS IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING. THE BUILDING IS DRAWN WITH THE PAINTED STEEL TRELLIS IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING. THE TRELLIS IS ABOUT $70,000. THE BASE BID WAS THAT TRELLIS. IT IS INCLUDED IN THIS JOB, NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. THERE WAS AN ALTERNATE ON THE PLANS WITH VERY LITTLE DETAIL AS YOU MENTIONED, TO CLOUD THAT TRELLIS IN POLISHED STAINLESS STEEL. WE HAD ZERO PARTICIPATION DURING BID DAY ON THAT PARTICULAR SCOPE OF WORK. OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER REACHED OUT TO MULTIPLE VENDORS TO SEE IF THAT WORK COULD BE DONE. THE ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE TO DO THAT WORK WAS $1.3 MILLION AFTER BID DAY. WE AS STAFF, WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ADDING $1.3 MILLION TO CLOUD THE TRELLIS IN A POLISHED STAINLESS STEEL FABRIC. WE THINK IT BRINGS NO VALUE TO THE JOB. SINCE THAT MEETING YOU SAID, TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, I WANT TO SEE DETAILS, I WANT TO SEE IF YOU GUYS CAN REFINE THAT PRICE, WHICH WE DID, WE ENGAGE, I'LL JUST SAY, YOUR DIRECTION. THE FABRICATOR WHO HAS DOLLARS AND THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER [01:05:01] AT RISK AND DIAL IT IN AS BEST WE POSSIBLY COULD THAT PRICE. THE MOST RECENT PRICE THAT I SAW THIS MORNING. THEY COULD PROBABLY MAYBE GET THAT DOWN TO $900,000. AGAIN, IF YOU WANT THAT LOOK ON THAT TRELLIS, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE A FEW COMMISSIONER, BUT IT'S CURRENTLY NOT IN THE 14.7. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT ALTERNATE IN THE JOB, WE'RE HAPPY TO FUND IT THROUGH THE PROPOSED CONTINGENCY. >> I THINK THE IDEA THAT THE 14.7 IS THE BASE CONSTRUCTION PLAN, THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME EXTERIOR ITEMS, WHETHER ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS REQUIRED. I DON'T FEEL ENTIRELY COMFORTABLE VOTING ON ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL PIECES OF CONSTRUCTION THAT AREN'T SPECIFICALLY ITEMIZED AND LAID OUT THERE. I ALSO MENTIONED BEFORE IN THE PRESENTATION, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S HALF-A-MILLION DOLLAR IN CONTINGENCIES AND OVERRUN THAT'S ALREADY BUILT INTO THE 14.7 MILLION. I'M OPEN TO A CHANGE ORDER OR SOME COMING BACK WITH THE SPECIFIC BITS AND EVERYTHING. I JUST WOULDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE RIGHT NOW SUPPORTING A CONTINGENCY FUND ON TOP OF ANOTHER CONTINGENCY FUND WHEN I DON T KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT THAT'S GOING TO COVER AND WHAT THE COST WOULD BE. >> COMMISSIONERS, ARE WE PREPARED TO VOTE OR DO WE NEED THE OTHER SIDE? >> IT'S BEEN MOTIONED AND SECONDED. >> IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. ANY OPPOSE? >> NO. >> MOTION CARRIES. NO. YOUR VOTE. COMMISSIONER? >> THANK YOU. NO. >> I'VE BEEN ASKED TO ADVANCE TO ITEM 72, [Item 72] AND IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS, I'D LIKE A DISCUSSION AND APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING AN APPROVAL AND EXECUTION OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AT GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEXAR COUNTY AND THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO INCLUDE ANY APPROPRIATE BUDGET TRANSFERS. A, EDGEWOOD INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR A PERIOD BEGINNING AUGUST 16, 2022, AND ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2026, FOR THE SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,049,025. B, NORTHSIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR APPEARED BEGINNING OF AUGUST 16, 2022, AND ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2026, FOR THE SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,504,588. C, SOMERSET INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR A PERIOD BEGINNING AUGUST 16, 2022, AND ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2026, FOR THE SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $476,750, AND D, SOUTH SIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR A PERIOD BEGINNING AUGUST 16, 2022, AND ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2026, FOR THE SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF 690,000 TO INCLUDE ANY APPROPRIATE BUDGET TRANSFER NECESSARY. COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. >> HI. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PULLING THIS UP. I KNOW THERE'S SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM SOME OF OUR ISD, SO WE KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO GET BACK TO THE STUDENTS, SARAH SO I WANT TO PULL THIS UP. ALSO, I WANT TO THANK THE COURT FOR SUPPORTING THIS. THIS HAS BEEN JUST ONE OF THE MAIN PROJECTS THAT I HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR. INITIALLY, THE PILOT PROGRAM STARTED IN PRECINCT 1 WHERE WE APPROVED $4.75 MILLION TO PARTNER WITH MORE ISDS AND NON-PROFITS TO SUPPORT MORE COUNSELORS IN OUR SCHOOLS SO WE CAN LEARN TO MAKE SURE WE DEAL WITH OUR CHILDREN'S ISSUES AT A EARLY AGE. THEN AFTER THE UVALDE SHOOTING, THE REST OF THE COURT APPROVED A TOTAL OF 20 MILLION TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT BEXAR COUNTY. OF COURSE, I HAVE THE LARGEST GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF PRECINCT 1 IN 11 SCHOOL DISTRICTS TOUCH AND MY PRECINCT, OUR STAFF REACHED OUT TO ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN BEXAR COUNTY. THESE ARE ONLY FOUR, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN COMING FORWARD. I'M SURE MELISSA, YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE DECIDED ON THIS BASED ON POPULATION AND POVERTY LEVELS AT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK WE'RE DOING. I'M EXCITED TO GET OUR STUDENTS THE HELP THAT THEY NEED AT A EARLIER AGE. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. MELISSA SHANNON, GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE. JUDGE, YOU NEED A READING CLERK TO READ OUT ALL YOUR MOTIONS THERE, [LAUGHTER] THAT'S A LOT. YES. THANK YOU., COMMISSIONER. FIRST OFF, BEFORE WE BRING THE ISDS, I FIRST OFF, WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE ARPA TEAM AS WELL AS THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM THAT'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS. MANY OF YOU HAVE MET MANUEL EL. HE'S HERE SOMEWHERE. HE'S SEATED. MANUEL EL IS THE GENTLEMAN THAT RUNS ALL OF OUR TIF, TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS. [01:10:01] BUT HE'S ALSO MANAGER IN THE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS OFFICE AND NOW HE'S ALSO HELPING THOMAS AND I MANAGE THE ARPA OFFICE SO MANUEL, HAS TAKEN ON ALL OF THE ISD AGREEMENTS. HE'S BEEN THE MAIN ARPA EMPLOYEE THAT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THOSE. AS WELL AS WE HAVE OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM BEHIND US. THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK UNDER ANDREA, GILBERT, LUTETIA, AND VICTORIA. THEY ALL WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH US ON THAT. I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THEM FIRST AND FOREMOST BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE DONE ALL THE HEAVY LEGWORK ON THIS. YES, COMMISSIONER, THESE EDGEWOOD ISD THE FIRST ON YOUR LIST THERE IS ONE THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT WE CALL YOUR PILOT FIVE. THAT GOES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL 4.75 MILLION AND THEN THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAME IN, THE THREE OTHERS THAT WE HAVE HERE CAME IN WHEN COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVED THE ADDITIONAL, I THINK IT WAS $16.3 MILLION. I'M GOING TO ASK THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAM AND MANUEL TO COME UP, AS WELL AS THE ISDS. I'D LIKE THE ISDS TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. LET'S INTRODUCE THE ISDS AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE ACTUAL PROGRAMS OF THE ISDS OR STAFF, WE HAVE EVERYONE HERE THAT CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. IF I COULD GET THE ISDS REPRESENTATIVES COME UP. >> MELISSA? >> YES. >> I BELIEVE NORTHSIDE, I GOT A CALL THAT THEY WANTED TO APPEAR AS DR. WOODS AND HIS STAFF BEEN ADVISED THAT WE'VE MOVED UP THIS AGENDA ITEM. >> I THOUGHT WE HAD NORTHSIDE. >> THERE? OKAY. >> YES, WE'VE GOT NORTHSIDE ISD HERE. YES, SIR. >> COME ON UP. DON'T HIDE. >> EDGEWOOD WANTS TO GO. EDGEWOOD IS FIRST ON THE LIST SO WE CAN JUST GO IN ORDER OF THE LIST. >> YEAH, EVERYBODY WHO'S INVOLVED WITH THIS PROJECT, PLEASE COME FORWARD. WHO WANTS TO SPEAK FIRST? PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS GEORGE GARCIA. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING AT EDGEWOOD ISD. >> IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? >> YEAH. >> MELISSA GET EVERYBODY TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES. COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE. GO AHEAD. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS KIMBERLY RIDGLEY, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WHOLE CHILD DEVELOPMENT FOR NORTHSIDE ISD. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M MARY LIBBY, THE DIRECTOR OF COUNSELING FOR NORTHSIDE ISD. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I'M IVETH PACHECO, I'M THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COORDINATOR FOR SOUTHSIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. THANK YOU. >> MY ALMA MATER, I MIGHT ADD. GO CARDINALS CLASS OF '85. [LAUGHTER]. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> GOOD MORNING. JESSICA MALDONADO WITH SOUTHSIDE ISD. I'M A SOCIAL WORKER. >> GOOD MORNING. BIANCA RAMOS, I'M ALSO SOCIAL WORKER AT SOUTHSIDE ISD. >> GOOD MORNING. MELISSA HOLGUIN, SOMERSET ISD. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ACADEMIC SERVICES. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SUSAN ARCINIEGA. I'M WITH SOMERSET. I'M THE MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR FOR THE DISTRICT. >> LIKE I MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE WHOLE TEAM HERE. IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED AT THE ISDS OR ANY OF THE AGREEMENT TERMS WE'VE GOT THE TEAM HERE. COMMISSIONER. >> ALL RIGHT. LET ME PASS IT BACK TO COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT SINCE WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVE HERE FROM THE ISDS, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU GUYS CAN SHARE WITH US LIKE SUCCESS STORIES? I KNOW I HAD ALREADY BEEN WORKING WITH SOMERSET HAD ALLOCATED SOME OUTSIDE FUNDING. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN STARTED AND SOME OTHERS. IS ANYONE WANT TO SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT HOW THIS IS IMPACTING THE STUDENTS OR THE NEED? ANYONE CAN COME FORWARD. >> PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF. >> YES. MARY LIBBY WITH NORTHSIDE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS TO ALLOW MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR STUDENTS ON CAMPUS. THEY'RE SEEN ON CAMPUS, THEY REMAIN ON THE CAMPUS. THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF THE CAMPUS REMAINS. STUDENTS' ATTENDANCE IS NOT GOING UP BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO HAVE APPOINTMENTS WHICH MAY REQUIRE A DAY OFF, A DAY AND A HALF OFF DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON. NOT ONLY ARE WE IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH, THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN JUST STAYS RIGHT THERE IN THE SAME SETTING. NOW, THIS IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO EXTEND THAT BEYOND WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE NEXT YEAR. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ANYTHING ELSE? >> NO UNLESS ANYONE WANTS TO SHARE, NO. >> THANK YOU, JUDGE. WELL, LET ME JUST SHARE IN THANKING YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES HIGHLIGHTED THE COMMITMENT THAT THIS TOOK IN TERMS OF DOLLAR AMOUNTS, BUT WE KNOW YOU'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO MAKE THAT MONEY GO AND STRETCH AS FAR AS YOU CAN. WHEN WE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS AND I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES LEADERSHIP ON THIS. IT WAS EXPEDITED IN A WAY BECAUSE WE KNEW WHAT YOU NEEDED AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL, [01:15:06] PARTICULARLY WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN LIGHT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN UVALDE AND IN SUTHERLAND SPRINGS. IT CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T TAKE THE DISCUSSION AWAY SEPARATELY ABOUT GUN CONTROL AND GUN SAFETY. BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE CERTAINLY IS GOING TO MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN NOT JUST VIOLENT EPISODES, BUT ALSO REHABILITATING PEOPLE AND REDIRECTING THEIR LIVES INTO POSITIVE WAYS. I HOPE THAT OUR FRIENDS IN THE LEGISLATURE ARE LISTENING AND WATCHING WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE PUSHING FOR MORE RESOURCES. SOME OF THEM ARE MORE RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS. I HOPE THAT ALSO TRICKLES DOWN TO OUR COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT YOU DO IS MORE THAN A FULL-TIME JOB AND IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. I KNOW THAT FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING, SOME OF THE DISTRICTS ARE USING THE RESOURCES TO INITIATE NEW PROGRAMS, AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR YEARS AND THIS IS GOING TO HELP ENHANCE YOUR EXISTING PROGRAMMING. I DON'T WANT TO DISMISS THE FACT THAT THIS IS BEEN ON YOUR RADAR FOR YEARS AND YEARS. AGAIN, I THINK MONEY HELPS, BUT AGAIN, IT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING ON THE LOCAL LEVEL AT REALLY THE FRONT DOORS IN SOME CASES OF SOME OF THESE STUDENTS TO HELP CHANGE THEIR LIVES. LISA AND YOUR TEAM, THANK YOU FOR SHEPHERDING THIS. I KNOW WE WERE ALL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE MOST IMPACT WITH THESE DOLLARS. SHE'S ONE-TIME SHOT IN THE ARM, MAYBE ONCE IN A GENERATION SHOT IN THE ARM IN TERMS OF DOLLARS AND INFUSION OF CAPITAL, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU, JUDGE. >> THANK YOU, MR. COMMISSIONER MOODY. >> THANK YOU, JUDGE. CLEARLY, THERE'S A GROWING NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND WE'RE ALL SEEING THAT. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR BEING INVOLVED AND FOR WHAT YOU PROVIDE FOR A YOUTH. CLEARLY, WE CAN HELP FACILITATE THIS FROM OUR ROLE WITH THE COUNTY, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU GUYS ARE THE FRONTLINES DOING ALL THAT WORK, AND JUST WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. >> COMMISSIONER CALVIN. >> THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS, AND CERTAINLY, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ IN HIS SERVICE AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER HAS BEEN HELPING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I WANT TO ASK ALL THOSE FROM SOUTHSIDE ISD, COULD YOU JUST STEP TO THE DIAS REAL QUICK? I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE PLAN FOR SOUTHSIDE ISD STUDENTS. WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO WITH THESE FUNDS? >> I ACTUALLY, I'M PRIVILEGED TO BE IN SOUTHSIDE. WE STARTED WITH THE BOOM OF MENTAL HEALTH WHEN THEY ESTABLISHED A POSITION FOR AN LPC, WHICH IS MYSELF, LICENSED PROFESSIONAL THERAPIST. THE NEED IS SO GREAT IN THE SCHOOLS, I THINK AS NORTHSIDE, SHARED HAVING THOSE IMMEDIATE INTERVENTIONS READILY AVAILABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS IS KEY COMPONENT. SECOND OF ALL, I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN THE SCHOOLS AND SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE SCHOOLS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY ALSO TO NOT ONLY WORK WITH THE STUDENTS BUT THE STAFF. BECAUSE OUR STAFF PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN ENSURING THAT THAT SAFETY AND SECURE AMBIANCE IS CONSTANTLY FOSTERED IN THE SCHOOL SETTING, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS THAT IMMEDIATE IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS. AS SOUTHSIDE, I HAVE TRANSITIONED NOW TO THE ROLE OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COORDINATOR. ONE OF THE BIG PUSHES THAT WE ARE WANTING TO DO IS FOSTER THOSE IMMEDIATE INTERVENTIONS MORE ON A HOLISTIC CASE MANAGEMENT TYPE OF INTERVENTION. I WILL ALSO HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST GOING INTO EACH CAMPUS FROM ELEMENTARY ALL THE WAY TO HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING. WHAT DO WE HAVE IN PLACE AND WHAT DO WE NEED? >> IS IT MORE OF AN ASSESSMENT OR ASSESSMENT AND APPLICATION OF PRACTITIONERS? >> IT'S ASSESSMENT AND APPLICATION MORE ON SHORT-TERM TYPE OF COUNSELING. THEN WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING WITH TEACH AT THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEMS AND OTHER OUTSIDE COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO DO MORE OF THE EVALUATION/MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT OF IF THERE IS A MORE OF A MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS THAT THE CHILDREN ARE BEING IDENTIFIED AND BEING PLACED IF NEED, BE IT ON A MEDICAL AND A THERAPEUTICAL TYPE OF TREATMENT AT THE SCHOOL. IT'S HARD TO PROVIDE THAT LONG-TERM THERAPEUTICAL TYPE OF TREATMENT, BUT WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND ASSESS THE STUDENTS IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THOSE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS ARISING IN OUR CAMPUSES. [01:20:03] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT THIS COURT TO KNOW IS JUST HOW DRAMATICALLY CHANGED THE ISSUE OF MENTAL HEALTH HAS BECOME IN OUR SCHOOLS IN A RELATIVELY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME IN EIGHT YEARS. I'M GOING TO BE VERY SPECIFIC. WHEN I CAME TO COMMISSIONERS COURT IN 2015, THE ATTITUDE AMONGST SUPERINTENDENTS AROUND THE STATE OF TEXAS WAS THAT THEY DID NOT WANT MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS IN SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID THAT PARENTS WOULD REBEL AND SAY, I DON'T WANT YOU TELLING ME MY KID IS BIPOLAR OR WHATEVER DIAGNOSIS. MY FIRST APPOINTEE TO OUR BEXAR COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH AGENCY, THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES WAS THE PRINCIPAL OF SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, DONNIE WHITEHEAD. I APPOINTED DANNIE TO BE A BETTER BRIDGE BETWEEN OUR SCHOOLS AND MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE THAT MANY UNDIAGNOSED MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS WHERE CAUSES POTENTIALLY FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T DEALT WITH. FOR ME TO BE HERE TO SEE THIS TREMENDOUS SHIFT WHERE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE EMBRACING CLINICIANS IT ALMOST BLOWS MY MIND TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST. NOW YOU SEE YOUNG PEOPLE ON TELEVISION CRYING OUT FOR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING. MY BIGGEST HOPE NOW THAT I'M THE NEW GUY IN SOUTHSIDE ISD IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE DOLLARS DO AS MUCH TO GET CLINICAL HELP AS POSSIBLE. LET'S NOT PUT TOO MUCH OF THE BUDGET IN THE ANALYSIS. LET'S NOT GET IN THE PARALYSIS OF ANALYSIS. LET'S GET THESE KIDS THE THERAPIES THAT THEY NEED WITH THOSE DOLLARS. PLEASE THINK VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT THAT IMPLEMENTATION PART. WE'RE READY TO HELP YOU DO THAT. THESE ARE VALUABLE RESOURCES THAT DON'T COME ALONG OFTEN BECAUSE THESE ARE PART OF THE AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN ACT. THIS IS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME FINANCIAL GRANT, AND SO WE HAVE TO BE REALLY GOOD STEWARDS AND MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS THE IMPACT THAT WE NEED. BECAUSE WE NEED OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE FUNCTIONAL. WE DON'T NEED THEM TO HAVE LIFELONG ISSUES IF WE CAN HELP THEM TRANSFORM THOSE ISSUES AT AN EARLY AGE, WE'RE GOING TO ALL HAVE MUCH BETTER ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND WORK SUCCESS, AND PEOPLE SUCCESS. THAT IS OUR GOAL WITH GETTING THESE DOLLARS, AND WE ARE VERY BLESSED AS A COMMUNITY TO HAVE PUT THESE RESOURCES FORWARD BECAUSE IT ISN'T SOMETHING NECESSARILY THE COUNTY COULD SUSTAIN OVER A LONG PERIOD. THIS MAY BE FROM THE GENERAL FUND. I CAN'T REMEMBER. WE DID SOME GENERAL FUND, WE DID SOME ARPA. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH FUND. WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF FUNDS. BUT IN ANY EVENT, WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING BY HELPING ADDRESS A BIG ISSUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, COURT FOR THE SUPPORT ON THIS. >> THANK YOU. >> I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. OBVIOUSLY, THIS ISSUE IS IN MY WHEELHOUSE AND SO LET ME JUST SAY THIS. I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO HAVE DINNER THE OTHER NIGHT WITH I THINK YOUR PIO RANDY ESCAMILLA, AND SO YOUR SUPERINTENDENT IS MR. ROBERT RAMIREZ, I BELIEVE. >> YES. >> I UNDERSTAND HE'S FROM THE VALLEY [OVERLAPPING] WHERE I ALSO GREW UP, AND SO I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO SOUTHSIDE AND NOT ONLY BEING PART OF THIS INITIATIVE, BUT DURING THE FREEZE OF LAST WEEK, WHERE I CLOSE THE COUNTY DOWN. I UNDERSTAND SOUTHSIDE OPENED UP THIS SCHOOL FOR ITS CITIZENS. >> WE REMAIN OPEN, YES. >> I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S SUPPORT OF ITS CITIZENS, AND IT'S A REMINDER THAT WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES OF NEED. NOW, LET ME ASK SOME QUESTIONS, DR. GUAJARDO COME FORWARD. MY QUESTION IS THIS, OBVIOUSLY THESE ARE RPA FUNDS THEY ARE PROBABLY ONCE IN A LIFETIME SITUATIONS. COMMISSIONER CALVERT, HOW IS THE COUNTY GOING TO INTERFACE, INTERTWINED, INTERACT WITH THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO MEASURE IT IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE NEED TO SUSTAIN THESE PROGRAMS, WE NEED TO MODIFY THESE PROGRAMS. PERHAPS WE NEED TO GIVE FURTHER FEEDBACK, THOSE ARE ALL ISSUES THAT WOULD FALL UNDER YOUR WHEELHOUSE OF THE NEW PUBLIC HEALTH ENTITY. I KNOW I HAVEN'T BRIEFED YOU ON THIS, SO I KNOW THAT YOU MAY HAVE TO GO BACK AND RESEARCH, BUT OFF THE CUFF, I KNOW YOU'RE PRETTY GOOD, SO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. >> SURE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. THANK YOU CLARKE FOR YOUR SUPPORT. WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS, AND WE DO HAVE THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE COMMITTED TO PARTICIPATING AND HAVE CONTRACT SIGN AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE OTHERS. THE YEAR PREDECESSOR CONVENED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE 16TH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SOMETIME AGO AND PLANNING BEGAN FOR THIS EFFORT, AND IT WAS DECIDED THEN THAT EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO DECIDE WHAT WAS BEST FOR EACH OF THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT POPULATIONS, UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS, DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN, GEOGRAPHY, AND SO IT WAS DECIDED THAT EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE PROVIDERS, [01:25:02] IMPLEMENTATION, PLANNING, AND METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE. EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL HAVE ITS OWN SET OF METRICS TO DETERMINE SUCCESS TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR DELTA IS, WHAT THE CHANGE HAS BEEN FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND SO WE'LL BE HELPING THEM MONITOR THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WILL REPORT THAT TO THIS COURT. IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE BASICALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH OF THOSE METRICS MEANS AND TO ALIGN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF METRICS WILL ALIGN, THE PROVIDERS HAVE A LOT OF THE SIMILAR MEASURES OF SUCCESS AND OUTCOMES, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME CONTINUITY OR SOME CONSISTENCY ACROSS WHAT WE'RE MEASURING. BUT AT THE END OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WE WILL HAVE RESULTS TO REPORT IN TERMS OF NOT JUST THE OUTPUTS, BUT OUTCOMES LIKE WHAT HAS CHANGED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS FOR EACH CHILD THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED. >> I THINK IT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THE BEST PRACTICES. I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO WORK TOGETHER, CONFER, AND DECIDE, RECOGNIZING THAT YOUR COMMUNITIES ARE UNIQUE AND YOU HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS FOR YOUR CHILDREN WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. BUT THEN I THINK WE NEED TO CAPTURE THAT BEST PRACTICES, AND I THINK I'M ASKING THE PUBLIC HEALTH ENTITY DIRECTOR HERE TO OVERSEE THAT AND REPORT BACK. THE OTHER COMMENT IS THAT I WANT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO UNDERSTAND WE MENTAL HEALTH WITH MY PREDECESSOR AND THE ENTIRE COURT HERE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TOWARD MENTAL HEALTH. MUCH IS WHAT HAS BEEN STATED WITH THE MEETING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS AND IT WILL CONTINUE, I'M SURE UNDER MY TENURE AS COUNTY JUDGE, AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE WHAT MR. GILBERT GONZALEZ WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH LOT OF OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE. I SEE JUDGE YOLANDA HUFF, OUR COUNTY COURT AT LAW, WHO RUNS THE MENTAL HEALTH DOCKET. I UNDERSTAND THOSE ARE SEPARATE BUREAUCRACIES, BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, OUR JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ALL THOSE SYSTEMS BECAUSE I'LL BE REAL BORED YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE SAME KIDS. I THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE MONEY THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN, THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER AND REALLY COME UP WITH THE BEST PRACTICE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S MADE BEXAR COUNTY UNIQUE, IS THAT WE REALLY DO WORK AND COLLABORATE AND I WANT TO JUST URGE ALL OF YOU ALL THAT THAT DOES REQUIRE WORK. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU WORK WITH OUR STAFF, JUDGE HUFF, THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT THE GREAT WORK YOU'RE DOING WITH YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS IN YOUR MENTAL HEALTH COURT, AND GILBERT, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY THERE AT THE JAIL. I REALIZE YOU ALL ARE LIKE, OH THOSE KIDS, YEAH THOSE KIDS, AND THOSE KIDS ARE IN YOUR SCHOOL TOO, SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF EVERYBODY. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE, GILBERT ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SAY FOR DR. GROTTO, GO AHEAD. >> CAN I INTRODUCE LETIZIA DOMINGUEZ, GSR, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM MANAGER, SHE'S BEEN OVERSEEING THIS PROCESS? >> YES, IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY. >> GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SAKAI, COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, I'M LETIZIA DOMINGUEZ, THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MANAGER, I'M ALSO A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, SO I DO KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE SERVICES FOR OUR STUDENTS, THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN, SO WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THOSE SERVICES AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM MANAGER, VICTORIA GOMEZ, AND SHE WILL BE MANAGING ALL THESE CONTRACTS DIRECTLY, SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ONE-ON-ONE. WE REVIEW THE CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS, WE'RE REVIEWING OUTCOMES, PERFORMANCE MEASURES, SO WE REALLY WANT THIS TO BE A SUCCESS. LIKE WE TELL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE'RE ON THEIR TEAM, WE WANT TO BE HERE TO SUPPORT THIS. WE WANT TO SEE SUSTAINABILITY. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> MS. GOMEZ, I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, [LAUGHTER] WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? >> GOOD MORNING, I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE AND TO BE A PART OF THIS INITIATIVE. I AM GOING TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS MUCH AS I CAN, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTING MONTHLY MEETINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MEASURE THOSE METRICS AND THEN BE ABLE TO REPORT THEM TO YOU ALL AND JUST SUPPORT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN ANY WAY THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN. >> THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE FROM YOUR TEAM? GILBERT? >> NO >> I HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION. >> THAT'S OKAY GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER. >> CAN YOU TELL US MELISSA, SOMEONE ON THE STAFF WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE FOUR HERE TODAY BECAUSE THESE CONTRACTS ARE BEING PASSED TODAY. WE HAVE PASSED OTHER CONTRACTS AND THERE ARE ISDS THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING IN PLACE. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THOSE ARE PLEASE? >> SAN ANTONIO, ISD, HARLAND, SOUTH SAN AND EAST-CENTRAL, YOU'LL HAVE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED THOSE AGREEMENTS. THEN STILL WE STILL HAVE SEVERAL, SO THAT'S EIGHT SO FAR THAT WE'VE DONE. >> THANK YOU. >> YES, MA'AM. >> THANK YOU, JUDGE, JUST ONE OTHER COUPLE OF OTHER THOUGHTS. [01:30:03] DR. GERHARDO AGAIN, I DON'T THINK I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO CONGRATULATE YOU FORMALLY. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS GET YOUR DEPARTMENT ALIGNED WITH THE BEST PRACTICES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S WEBSITE ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. WE'RE MISSING SOME MAJOR COMPONENTS OF WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LOOKS AT ARE COMPONENTS OF PUBLIC HEALTH. HOUSING IS NOT IN THE WHEELHOUSE PER SE, IT HAS AN IMPACT ON THE TRAUMAS, THE INSTABILITY, OR THE STABILITY OF A FAMILY, AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW THESE PARTICULAR GRANT PROCESSES, YOU'VE GOT SOCIAL WORKERS WORKING WITH YOU, AND THOSE SOCIAL WORKERS KNOW THAT IF A CHILD IS HOMELESS, IS A LOT OF TRAUMA. THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES, THAT CAN BE PART OF THESE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES TEACHES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT HOUSING HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH AND PRIMARY HEALTH. IN A SOUTHSIDE ISD, AND MANY OF THESE ISDS, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF HOUSING INSTABILITY BECAUSE THE MARKET IS VERY TOUGH ON PEOPLE RIGHT NOW. RENTS ARE VERY HIGH, PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING UP THE WAZOO AND PEOPLE ARE REALLY BEING PUSHED TO THE BRINK, ESPECIALLY AS COVID HAS CAUSED SOME FAMILIES NOT TO HAVE BREAD WINNERS IN THE HOUSEHOLD, SOME HAVE PASSED. WE HAVE ISSUES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE WHERE WE HAVE PARENTS WHO ARE AWAY OR THOSE THINGS. I WANT TO GET US IN BEST PRACTICE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE CAN TAKE THAT OFFLINE, BUT ALSO IN HOW THESE PARTICULAR GRANTS ARE ADMINISTERED AND THE OBJECTIVES AND DELIVERABLES THAT ARE THERE. REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THE INTENT OF THIS CORE AND GOING BACK AND YOU CAN REVIEW THE VIDEO OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY THIS COURT WHEN THESE RPA DOLLARS WERE PASSED WAS REALLY FOR COUNSELING SERVICES. YOU MANAGE THESE PROGRAMS AS YOU'RE DEVELOPING THE OBJECTIVES FOR THE END-USERS, TREATMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THIS COURT. THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL INTENSIVE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY TO TRY TO BREAK THROUGH BAD HABITS THAT ARE DEVELOPED, BUT THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT AN IMBALANCE IN ANALYSIS VERSUS TREATMENT, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> ABSOLUTELY, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT IN TERMS OF THE EFFECT AND THE IMPACT THAT HOUSING INSECURITY HAS ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT IT IS ALSO DEEPLY AND HOUSING INSECURITY IS ALSO CONNECTED TO EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, WHETHER OR NOT FOLKS ARE EMPLOYED, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE ABLE TO PAY THEIR LIGHT BILL AND THEIR ELECTRIC BILL AND THEIR WATER BILL. FOOD AND INSECURITY AND WE TALK ABOUT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, IT IS COMPLEX, DYNAMIC, AND MULTIFACETED. I KNOW JUST IN CONVERSATIONS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT THEY DO TAKE A WHOLE CHILD WHOLE FAMILY PERSPECTIVE WITH A LOT OF TIMES IT'S SOME WHATEVER IS AFFECTING A CHILD IS OFTEN A FUNCTION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT HOME. IN MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOMES, SOMETIMES WHERE THERE IS MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE FAMILY AND NOT JUST WITH THE CHILD OR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO'VE BEEN INCARCERATED, WHICH ALSO ADDS ANOTHER DYNAMIC. LOOKING AT AN ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD, NOT JUST A FAMILY, PEOPLE WHO ARE RELATED, BUT WHOEVER LIVES IN THAT HOUSEHOLD, AND TO UNDERSTAND, AND THAT'S PART OF THE ASSESSMENT PIECE BY GETTING TO YOUR POINT ABOUT HOW TO CONNECT THAT CHILD WITH THERAPEUTIC SERVICES. SOME THAT WAS MENTIONED THE T CHAT WHICH IS TELEMEDICINE, WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE COUNSELING ON THE SCHOOL SITE THROUGH TELEMEDICINE LINK. BUT THEN ALSO WORKING WITH PROVIDERS THAT THEY'VE CHOSEN THROUGH THEIR OWN CONTRACTS TO REFER OUT TO SERVICES SO THAT WHATEVER IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE SCHOOL SETTING WHERE THEY CAN STAY THERE IS THEN PROVIDED IN A LONG-TERM WAY. BUT YES, CONNECTING TO SERVICES, AND PART OF MY STRATEGIC PLAN ON THE PREVENTATIVE HEALTH SIDE IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, WHAT HEALTH DISPARITIES HAVE SHOWN, THEY HAVE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE VULNERABLE BY LOTS OF DIFFERENT REASONS. BUT TO LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND HOW ARE WE CREATING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE LEVERAGING AGAINST OTHER PROGRAMS WHO WERE DOING THIS WORK REALLY WELL IN THE COMMUNITY AND HOW TO BRING THOSE SERVICES IN AND ADDRESS THOSE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH METROHEALTH AND WITH UHS, AND HOW CAN WE BRING ALL OF OUR COLLECTIVE BRAINS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE. >> THANK YOU, JUDGE. >> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >> THERE'S A MOTION BY CLAY FLORES, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GELDNER, COMMISSIONER MOODY. >> JUST ONE FINAL COMMENT, AS YOU GO FORWARD WITH YOUR PROGRAMS IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS, JUST REMEMBER AND I KNOW YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS ALREADY, BUT HOW WE PARTNER WITH PARENTS, [01:35:02] HOW WE EMPOWER PARENTS. BECAUSE WE CAN PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THE SCHOOL SERVICES, BUT WE CAN NEVER REPLACE THE MILLION PARENTS AND BEXAR COUNTY THAT ARE OUT THERE IN THOSE CHILDREN'S LIVES EVERY DAY, SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU GO FORWARD. THANK YOU. >> POINT WELL TAKEN, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. CONGRATULATIONS, CARRY ON. >> CAN WE GET A PHOTO? >> YES, AND THEN THE COMMISSIONERS, I THINK WILL STAY BEHIND. >> EVERYONE HERE COULD JUST COME FORWARD. >> COMMISSIONER. >> DR. BAHADA, YOU CAN COORDINATE. [BACKGROUND] >> THANK YOU. >> YOUR WELCOME. >> I DON'T WANT TO BE TOO TALL >> NO, DON'T WORRY ABOUT US, YOU ALL NEED TO FIT IN THERE. >> PERMISSION TO SIT IN A LITTLE BIT, THANK YOU. SORRY. >> HERE WE GO. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, CONGRATULATIONS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> YOUR WELCOME [BACKGROUND] SIXTY NINE, OKAY. LET'S GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 69. [Item 69] DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE AWARDING THE CONTRACT, TO THE LOWEST AND MOST RESPONSIVE BID. SUBMITTED BY HARPER BROTHERS CONSTRUCTIONS LLC, TO PROVIDE FOR THE PURCHASE OF ROADWAY CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, OF THE SPURS RANCH PHASE ONE PROJECT IN PRECINCT ONE. IN THE TOTAL BASE BID AMOUNT OF $4,942,300 AS REQUESTED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE AWARD DOCUMENT FOR RECORD. MS. GREEN >> THANK YOU JUDGE SAKAI AND COMMISSIONERS. I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL, TO AWARD A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE SPURS RANCH ROAD PHASE 1 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. THIS PARTICULAR STRETCH OF THE ROAD GOES FROM THE CAGNON, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 90 AND IT'S JUST NORTH OF 90. IT'S LOCATED IN PRECINCT 1. THE ROAD IS ONLY A TWO-LANE ROADWAY, WITH LIMITED BIKE LANE AND LIMITED SIDEWALK, AND IT'S IN VERY BAD CONDITION. THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WILL UPGRADE THAT ROADWAY WITH A MORE ROBUST SECTION, AND A STRIPED MEDIAN ALLOWING FOR LEFT TURN MOVEMENTS MORE SAFELY, AS WELL AS BIKE LANE AND ENHANCED SIDEWALKS. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT'LL CONNECT US 90 TO NORTH CAGNON ROAD, AND IT WILL RECONSTRUCT THE EXISTING TWO LANE SECTION. THE DISTANCE IS APPROXIMATELY 1.07 MILES, AND THERE'LL BE FIVE FOOT BIKE LANES, AND CURB AND SIDEWALK. WE THINK THE CONSTRUCTION WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 14 MONTHS. THE BID WAS OPENED IN DECEMBER, AND THERE WERE 11 TOTAL BIDDERS, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD TURNOUT. THE CONSTRUCTION TOTALS YOU CAN SEE THE BEXAR COUNTY ROADWAY PORTION, WITH VERY LIMITED SAWS WATER AND SEWER RELOCATION. IF YOU HAVE NO QUESTIONS, I WOULD REQUEST A MOTION TO AWARD THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER. HARPER BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION, FOR THE SPURS RANCH PHASE 1 PROJECT LOCATED IN PRECINCT 1, IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,942,300 AS REQUESTED BY PUBLIC WORKS, AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE AWARD DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, I'M GLAD THIS PROJECT IS FINALLY STARTING. SO I MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >> THERE'S A MOTION A SECOND, THE MOTION BY COMMISIONER CLAY FLORES SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MS. GREEN. [Item 70] ITEM 70, APPROVAL OF A PAY INCREASE TO EQUAL THE MINIMUM COUNTY SALARY CALCULATED PURSUANT, TO SECTION 25.0005 SUBSECTION A OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. [01:40:04] FOR THOSE COUNTY COURT OF LAW JUDGES LISTED BELOW, WHO HAVE REACHED THE NEW TIER OF JUDICIAL SERVICE YEARS. PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE REQUIRED STATUTORY INQUIRIES, TO BE EFFECTIVE AS OF THE DATE APPROVED BY COMMISSIONERS COURT. I BELIEVE WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 JUDGES, WHO ARE IN THAT STATUTORY SCHEME OF A STEP-UP PAY. MR. RODRIGUEZ? >> THANK YOU, JUDGE. I KNOW JUDGE HUFF AND JUDGE SPEEDLIN GONZALEZ ARE HERE. THIS WAS A REQUEST THAT CAME IN LATE LAST YEAR RIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS, MAYBE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HOLIDAYS. THIS IS SIMPLY A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT. ONCE YOU REACH A FOUR OR EIGHT YEAR TERM, THE PAY RAISE GOES INTO EFFECT. TYPICALLY, I GUESS THE DEFAULT IS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR OCTOBER 1, BUT WE DO HAVE DISCRETION TO MAKE THAT EARLIER. THE MOTION TODAY, AFTER WE HEAR FROM OUR JUDGES WOULD BE, THAT WE MAKE THAT APPROVAL AS OF TODAY, JUDGE. BUT JUDGE HUFF DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> THERE'S MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ >> I WASN'T GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION UNTIL AFTER, THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. >> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SAKAI AND COMMISSIONERS. I AM JUDGE YOLANDA HUFF, I DO PRESIDE OVER COUNTY COURT 12 AND THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT. IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR THE FOLKS THAT WERE RIGHT BEFORE US. A LITTLE BACKSTORY, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW IN 2018, THAT JUDGES WOULD GET PAY RAISES ON A MORE STRUCTURED FORMAT. AFTER JUDICIAL SERVING FOR FOUR YEARS, YOUR PAY WHAT GO UP ACCORDINGLY. SO THE LAW TOOK EFFECT JANUARY 1 OF 2018, AND THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT JUDGE GONZALEZ AND I WERE SWORN IN. BOTH WE'RE ELECTED, SO WE'RE UP FOR OUR SECOND TERM OF FOUR YEARS. LIKE COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ SAID, THE LAW IT GIVES COUNTIES DISCRETION TO MAKE THIS PAY RAISE EFFECT, THAT WHENEVER THE COMMISSIONERS SAY SO. I THINK THAT IN THE LAW BECAUSE A LOT OF COUNTIES ARE POOR, LESS REVENUE. THEY GAVE THE COUNTIES I GUESS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS, EVEN THOUGH THE PAY RAISE WOULD OFFICIALLY TAKE PLACE ON THE FIRST. THAT THE PAY WOULDN'T START UNTIL OCTOBER, WHICH IS TYPICALLY THE FISCAL YEAR. BUT LARGER COUNTIES HAVE THAT DISCRETION TO START IT JANUARY 1, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE ASKING FOR TODAY. NOW TO BE CLEAR, THE ROUGHLY 54 JUDGES IN BEXAR COUNTY AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES, ALL OF THE COUNTY JUDGES, THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES, AND THE CIVIL CRIMINAL, AND THE JUVENILE JUDGES, THE COURT OF APPEAL. ALL OF THE JUDGES THAT WERE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE PAY RATE, DID INDEED RECEIVE THAT PAY RAISE ON JANUARY 1. IT WAS ONLY FIVE OF THE COUNTY JUDGES THAT ME, JUDGE GONZALEZ, AND THREE OTHERS THAT DID NOT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO ASKING FOR. I'LL LET JUDGE GONZALEZ, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK FOR A MOMENT. >> JUDGE GONZALEZ. >> THANK YOU. IF IT PLEASES COMMISSIONERS COURT NOT TO APPROVE THIS WOULD DEPRIVE US OF RETROACTIVE PAY AND A FOURTH OF THE SALARY THAT THE COUNTY RESIDENTS AND VOTERS ELECTED US TO EARN. THEY RE-ELECTED US. I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT IN A COUNTY THAT HAS THESE MUCH RESOURCES THAT THEY TAKE CARE OF THE COUNTY COURT JUDGES WHO REALLY CARRY THE HEAVIEST LOAD OF ALL THE CASES COMING IN THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS REVIEW THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT COME THROUGH THE COUNTY COURTS AT LAW AS OPPOSED TO ANY OTHER COURTS. WE ARE THE MEALS OF MAKING SURE THAT WORK GETS DONE AT THAT LEVEL, AT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE LEVEL. SUPPORTING JUDGE HUFF'S REQUEST AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE OTHER THREE THAT WERE UNABLE TO MAKE IT TODAY. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER MOODY. >> WELL, I APPRECIATE THIS ITEM AND UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO ADDRESS IT. BUT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH SOME OF OUR JUDGES, I JUST WANTED TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CURRENT STATUS OF OUR COURTS AND THE RAMIFICATIONS FROM COVID, THE BACKLOG THAT WE'VE HAD AND HOW WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT, AND WHEN YOU THINK WE'LL GET BACK TO A NEW SENSE OF NORMAL BACK TO 2019 LEVELS. SPECIFICALLY, I KNOW THAT AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY AT THE JAIL IS STILL ELEVATED AND THE ACTIVE CASELOAD IS STILL ELEVATED ABOVE 2019. SOME OF THE OTHER METRICS HAVE COME DOWN CONSIDERABLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT HOW DO YOU SEE US IMPROVING UPON [NOISE] IT AND TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THIS BACKLOG BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE, THIS COURT IS WORKING WITH THE SHERIFF AND THE JAIL AND DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION [01:45:04] TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT STAFFING AT THE JAIL IS MEETING THE DEMAND. BUT PART OF THAT IS AROUND HOW MANY INMATES WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE JAIL. A LOT OF THOSE ARE AWAITING ACTUAL THEIR DAY IN COURT. HOW DO YOU SEE US ADDRESSING THAT? >> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THE NUMBERS RECENTLY. I KEEP THAT SCREEN UP IN MY OFFICE DAILY. THE NUMBERS ARE IN REAL TIME. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, I WOULD SAY OF A MAJORITY OF THE COUNTY COURT JUDGES NUMBERS ARE BELOW 1,000, AND THAT'S BETTER THAN PRE-COVID. AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW, MY NUMBERS ARE IN THE 1,200 AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I WAS WHEN I TOOK THE BENCH IN 2018. SOME OF THE JUDGES NUMBERS, AND THIS IS COUNTY COURTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, ARE AS LOW AS 800 BACKLOG. THAT IS INCREDIBLE. THAT IS BETTER THAN 2019. I PRESIDED OVER THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT. JUDGE GONZALEZ PRESIDES OVER IS PLAY HER COURT, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT. THOSE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE JUDICIARY. I WANTED TO MEET WITH YOU, ACTUALLY COMMISSIONER MOODY. I KNOW YOU'RE NEW TO THE COURT AND I WANTED TO HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU IN THE ALL OF THE FIVE COUNTY COURTS SPECIALTY COURTS THAT PRESIDES OF SPECIALTY COURT JUDGES, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE JUDICIARY. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THE BOTTOM LINE OF ALL THOSE SPECIALTY COURTS OF HOW DO WE KEEP PEOPLE AND OUR COMMUNITY FROM CYCLING IN AND OUT OF THE JUDICIARY. IN DECEMBER, OLDER PROGRAMS HAVE A GRADUATION CEREMONY TWICE A YEAR. I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR. HER JUDGE [INAUDIBLE] PRESIDED OVER ONE OF THEIR SPECIALTY COURTS FOR OVER 20 YEARS. MY MENTAL HEALTH COURT, I GRADUATED 34 PEOPLE IN DECEMBER. NOW, WE WILL NOT SEE THOSE PEOPLE CYCLING AGAIN INTO THE JUDICIARY BECAUSE OF MY SUCCESS RATE IS OVER 90%. IF THEY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THIS PROGRAM, THIS MENTAL HEALTH COURT, I DON'T SEE THEM AGAIN IN THE JUDICIARY. JUDGE GONZALEZ, THE SAME THING. I'LL LET HER SPEAK TO THAT. >> COMMISSIONER MOODY, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR STATISTICS AND REFLECT COURT, WE HAVE 100% NON-RECIDIVISM RATE. IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM AND WE'RE YOUNG, WE'RE ONLY TWO YEARS OLD. THIS HAS BECOME AN ISSUE WITH FUNDING. BUT IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF SPECIALTY COURTS, WE HAVE TO GROW THEM. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I INHERITED A CASELOAD IN 2019 OF OVER 2,500 CASES. IF YOU PULL UP MY NUMBERS TODAY, I'M AT 900 AND SOMETHING CASES AND WE WORKED THROUGH COVID. THAT BACKLOG YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS VERY SPECIFIC TO A VERY SPECIFIC COURT. THAT PROBLEM IS NO LONGER THERE. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS DROP PRETTY FAST. IT'S ABOUT WORK ETHIC. NOW THERE'S OTHER FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE JAIL POPULATION, INCLUDING ATTORNEY WORK ETHIC, WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR CLIENTS. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ONE THING COMMISSIONER MOODY, YOU SEE A NUMBER ON THE SCREEN THAT DOESN'T DIVIDE ACTUAL BODIES IN THE JAIL AND ANKLE MONITORS, IN OTHER WAYS OF SUPERVISION. IF IT'S A WORK-RELEASE NUMBER, IT'S THROWN INTO AS SOMEONE IN THE JAIL. I CAN TELL YOU I'M PROBABLY ONE OF THE JUDGES THAT HAS THE HIGHEST USE OF ANKLE MONITORS. IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT REDUCING THE NUMBER OF BODIES AT THE JAIL, LET'S TALK ABOUT INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF ANKLE MONITORS. >> NOW, I APPRECIATE THOSE SLOTS AND I'M OPEN TO IDEAS. OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T HAVE NEARLY THE EXPERIENCE [LAUGHTER] OF SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHEN IT COMES TO THESE ISSUES. BUT AS WE GO FORWARD AND I'M NOT SPECIFICALLY TALKING TO ANY ONE COURT. I'M TRYING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THOSE BIGGER SOLUTIONS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK AT IN TERMS OF PROCESS THAT WOULD HELP OUR COURTS WORK THROUGH THAT? >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PREDATE ISSUE IS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT DID APPROVE MONEY, FUNDS FOR IT TO IMPACT COURTS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTS. SINCE THOSE COURTS HAVE BEEN UP AND RUNNING, THE NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED REGARD TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES BY 3,500. ALL OF YOU GUYS IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION OF WHAT OUR NUMBERS ARE STANDING AT. THOSE NUMBERS ARE INPUTTED IN A REAL-TIME MANNER. TODAY IS MY JURY CHILD DOCKET, IF I GET RID OF 13 CASES, THAT DROPS MY NUMBERS BY 13. NOW YOU CAN LITERALLY PULL UP THOSE NUMBERS AND SEE, I LOOK AT IT EVERY DAY AND I THINK OUR NUMBERS ARE REALLY GREAT, JUST GREAT. AS I SAID, THERE ARE 15 COUNTY COURTS AND PROBABLY NONE OF THOSE COURTS ARE UNDER 1,000 CASES. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NUMBERS AND HOW WELL WE'VE DONE AND PERFORMED THAT IS BETTER THAN PRE-COVID. ALL OF US, THE MAJORITY OF THE JUDGES WORKED THROUGH COVID. I KNOW I SHOWED UP EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT WAS JUST ME AND MY BAILIFF AND I WAS ZOOMING. I NEVER MISSED A DAY. MY CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE. I WAS THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY JUST KEEPING THE NUMBERS GOING. THANK GOD THAT OCA GAVE US THOSE ZOOMS AND THE YOUTUBE CHANNELS THAT ENABLED THE JUDGES TO KEEP WORKING THROUGH COVID. THAT'S TRULY WHAT HELPED US ALL KEEP OUR NUMBERS DOWN. [01:50:01] WE ALL WORKED THROUGH COVID ON ZOOM. >> ONE LAST QUESTION. IN-PERSON JURY QUALIFICATION, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T INITIATED HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY YET. [OVERLAPPING] THAT HAS THE DISTRICT COURT LEVEL. OKAY, I APOLOGIZE. GO AHEAD. >> JESSICA AND COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS DIANE GARCIA MARQUEZ AND I'M THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE JUDGES. I RECENTLY GOT A QUESTION FROM MY BUDGET ANALYST ON WHY OUR COURT APPOINTED FEES WERE INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY AND I DID LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. LIKE AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2021, THE COURTS HAVE DISPOSED OF ABOUT 19,000 CASES AND THEN COMPARE IT TO THE END OF 2022 IS ABOUT 29,000. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN DISPOSITIONS DURING THAT TIME PERIOD AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT. I PROVIDED THAT TO THOMAS SSR. THEN I CALCULATED THROUGH DECEMBER 2022 AND IT WAS ABOUT 34,000 THAT HAD BEEN DISPOSED OF. >> THANK YOU. >> THE COURTS ARE WORKING THEN ONCE JURY TRIALS, RIGHT NOW THEY WERE LIMITED TO FIVE PANELS PER WEEK. NOW THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO MORE IN-PERSON JURY TRIALS, THAT THE NUMBERS SHOULD CONTINUE TO GO DOWN. >> MR. CALVIN. >> THANK YOU. PHILOSOPHICALLY, I LOOK AT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT ROLE IN NON-DISCRETIONARY FUNDING AND DISCRETIONARY FUNDING. I CONSIDER FUNDING THE JUDICIARY AND THIS IS A COMPONENT OF IT AS NON-DISCRETIONARY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO. THAT'S JUST HIGH-LEVEL THOUGHT PROCESS ON THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS IN TERMS OF THE BACKLOGS IS LOOKING DEEPER AT JUDICIAL SERVICES AND VACANCIES WITHIN THOSE VARIOUS AREAS THAT ALSO MOVE CASES. PRETRIAL SERVICES HAS A LOT OF VACANCIES AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE DOING A JOB FAIR TO TRY TO GET SOME MORE PEOPLE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS SO THAT MORE THINGS CAN BE MOVED AND MORE PEOPLE CAN BE MOVED INTO DIFFERENT AVENUES AS WELL. THERE'S A LOT TO THOSE THINGS. I THINK TODAY WAS VERY HEALTHY IN TERMS OF THIS CONVERSATION, BECAUSE WE DON'T OFTEN GET ENOUGH DIALOGUE WITH OUR JUDGES. EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I LIKE THAT THE COURT IS ENGAGING YOU ALL, EVEN EXPANDING UPON JUST THE ITEM FOR PAY INCREASE AND LOOKING AT BACKLOG AND GIVING YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPORT TO ALL OF US THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT THINGS AND YOU'RE EDUCATING US UPON THE OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE THERE. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ'S EFFORT. I THANK HIM FOR HIS WORK AND THANK YOU JUDGES FOR YOUR WORK. I KNOW A LOT OF YOU ARE DOING A HECK OF A LOT OF CASES AND AT 10,000-FOOT UP LEVEL, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN A DOZEN YEARS SINCE WE'VE REALLY EXPANDED THE NUMBER OF COURTS. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE MOVED INTO BEAR COUNTY AND THAT TIME AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS IN TERMS OF MOVEMENT AND DISPOSITION BECAUSE I THINK AS A JUDGE AND ELECTED. THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH A PERSON CAN PROCESS AND A NUMBER OF CASES THAT YOU CAN PHYSICALLY DO. YOU'RE GETTING I THINK A LOT OF THE JUDICIARY FROM WHAT I HEAR IS GETTING TO THAT MAXIMUM POINT. >> JUDGE HUFF AND I ARE INVOLVED WITH ALONG WITH OTHER JUDGES THROUGHOUT THE STATE WE'RE IN OUR SECOND WEEK NOW, PARTICIPATING IN A WORKLOAD AUDIT. WE'LL BE GETTING THOSE NUMBERS FROM OUR STATE OFFICES TO SHOW THE DIFFERENT WORKLOADS THAT JUDGES AND HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR TIME ON THE BENCH AND THROUGHOUT THE DAY SO THAT, THAT STUDY ENDS AT THE END OF FEBRUARY AND WE SHOULD BE GETTING SOME NUMBERS FOR YOU ALL HOPEFULLY BEFORE SUMMER, NO LONGER THAN THE END OF THE YEAR. >> COMMISSIONER MOODY >> LET ME [NOISE] CHIME IN. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IT'S IN MY WHEELHOUSE. LET ME SAY THIS, JUDGES I THINK COMMISSIONER MOODY HAS RAISED THE ISSUE OF WHAT DO WE GET THE RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT. OBVIOUSLY, WE WANT TO INVEST IN NEW JUDICIARY, THE THIRD BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL GET STEP PAYS THAT YOU'RE ENTITLED TO. AS WE KNOW, THESE ARE STATUTORY. THIS IS NOT A DISCRETION TO WHAT IT WAS. ONLY A MATTER OF DISCRETION IS WHEN WE MADE IT EFFECTIVE. >> EXACTLY >> MAKE IT EFFECTIVE WHEN WE PASS THIS PARTICULAR NOW UNDERSTANDING THAT AND GOING FOLLOWING WHAT COMMISSIONER MOODY IS, I THINK THOSE ARE DISCUSSIONS MS. GARCIA'S ADMINISTRATOR AND OBVIOUSLY WORKED IN WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE VARGA, WHO'S ALSO ONE OF THE JUDGES LISTED AND ALSO ECHOING COMMISSIONER CALVERT, YEAH, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE OUTPUT IS. [01:55:02] I AM PUSHING FOR MORE JURY TRIALS. THOSE ARE ISSUES AT THE DISTRICT COURT LEVEL, I WILL HAVE THAT AT THAT LEVEL IN ORDER TO PUSH THE SYSTEM SO TO SPEAK. THEN I JUST NEED MS. GARCIA TO LET YOU KNOW IS THAT THESE ISSUES BECAUSE OF THE DISCRETION AND BECAUSE OF THE STATUE. I WANT TO KNOW IN FOUR YEARS THE NEXT SET OF JUDGES THAT ARE ENTITLED TO THEIR STEP. I WANT TO SEE THE OUTPUT. THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I WILL BE ASKING AS THE COUNTY JUDGE, NOT AS THE FORMER DISTRICT JUDGE. I WILL BE ASKING PERHAPS SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS OF WHY WE STILL HAVE A BACKLOG? WHY WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MOVE? JUDGE GONZALEZ, I PERSONALLY KNOW BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THE FEW JUDGES COMING TO WORK DURING COVID. WHAT ARE THE FEW JUDGES THAT WERE THERE WITH ME? I CAN ATTEST TO YOUR WORK ETHIC AND COMMITMENT. >> A JUDGE, MANY OF US KEEP OUR OWN STATISTICS I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I PRESIDED OVER 63 JURY TRIALS IN JANUARY ALONE, I'VE CALLED OVER 600 CASES. WE'VE HAD OVER 30 SOMETHING, PLEASE. WE'VE HAD MOTIONS TO REVOKE THE NUMBERS ARE CLOSE TO 15 NOW IN JUST THE FIRST MONTH. I KEEP THOSE STATS. JUDGE HUFF KEEPS THOSE STATS. THE COUNTY KEEPS THE STATS ON A LIVE WEBPAGE. WE'LL HAVE THOSE NUMBERS FOR. >> MS. GARCIA, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE OTHER JUDGES ARE DOING. >> UP TO COMMISSIONER MOODY ON THE NEWS TO THE BENCH. I WILL SAY IN CASES [NOISE] LIKE THE BACKLOG UNDER 1,000, I SAY THAT AS A REFERENCE POINT BECAUSE USUALLY, LIKE JUDGE GONZALEZ SAID, THE COUNTY COURT JUDGE WE ARE THE WORKHORSES. WE GET VOLUMES AND WORK IN VOLUMES GET SO MANY CASES. THE BACKLOGS USUALLY THE AVERAGE MAY BE 1,200. FOR NONE OF THE CASES, NONE OF THE COURSE TO BE UNDER 1,809. THAT IS REALLY GREAT WHEN IT COMES IN TERMS OF NUMBERS. THAT'S WHAT SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT THE FELONY COURTS, THE DISTRICT COURTS HAVE AND WEIRD THE ONES THAT GET THE VOLUMES OF CASES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS AND YOU WANT TO START OUT WITH A REFERENCE PART, IS THIS A GOOD NUMBER OR A BAD NUMBER? STARTED LIKE AROUND 1,200 IN ANY COURSE THAT ARE REALLY UNDER THOSE COURTS, YOU CAN TELL THOSE COURSES ARE REALLY WORKING HARD. WE HAVE MANY THAT ARE UNDER THAT NUMBER. >> THANK YOU. THERE'S A MOTION BY MR. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. >> LET ME JUST CLARIFY ON THE MOTION, EVEN THOUGH THE JUDGES WERE ELIGIBLE, I THINK IN JANUARY OR DECEMBER, WE CANNOT MAKE THIS RETROACTIVE. THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT FOR THE FIVE JUDGES THE NEW SALARY SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE AFTER THE COURT ACTION TODAY. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. >> CONGRATULATIONS >> THANK [NOISE] YOU SO MUCH [LAUGHTER] >> THANK YOU. >> ITEM 71, DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION [Item 71] REGARDING BEXAR COUNTY LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IN THE ADA SESSION OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, MS. SHANNON. >> GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. MELISSA SHANNON, GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR. JUST AN FYI. THIS WILL BE A STANDING ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I'LL COME IN AND BRIEF YOU EVERY OTHER WEEK ON MAJOR ITEMS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. I ALSO SEND OUT MY WEEKLY REPORT TO YOU AT THE END OF THE WEEK. AS OF LAST NIGHT, THERE WERE 27 ALMOST 2,800 BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED TO DATE. WE'RE TRACKING RIGHT AT 230 OF OUR INITIATIVES WHERE WE'RE SEEKING EITHER STATUTORY CHANGES OR FUNDING SOME A BILL OR A BUDGETARY ITEM. OUR INITIATIVES, INDIGENT DEFENSE IS ONE OF THE LARGER ONES WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THE TEXAS INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION FIND MORE FUNDING WITHIN THE STATE BUDGET. THEIR ORIGINAL APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST WAS CUT BACK. THEY HAVE RESUBMITTED THEIR NEW LAR SEEKING ADDITIONAL FUNDING ABOUT 11.4 MILLION. JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS DROPPED OFF DUE TO GENERAL REVENUE DROPS. THESE ARE BIENNIAL NUMBERS, ANOTHER 70 MILLION TO HELP COUNTIES BUILD OUT THEIR PUBLIC DEFENSE OFFICES, PUBLIC DEFENDERS, AND THEY'RE MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNCIL. ALSO, THEY'RE SEEKING SOME ADDITIONAL STAFFING AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 20 MILLION FOR OPERATION LONE STAR BECAUSE, THE TIDC IS DEFENDING THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INDIGENT, WHO COME ACROSS AND NEED ASSISTANCE. ADDITIONALLY, WE ALSO ARE ASKING FOR A NEW PROBATE COURT THAT IS STILL IN WHAT YOU'LL HEAR ME SAY LEDGE COUNCIL. [02:00:04] THAT'S STILL WITH, THE LAWYERS, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHO ARE DRAFTING THAT BILL. REPRESENTATIVE ALLISON HAS AGREED TO FILE THAT FOR US. THEN THE OTHER ITEM IS OUR PROMPT JUSTICE ITEM WHERE IT WOULD ALLOW THE SHERIFF TO WHEN A AGENCY WITHIN BEXAR COUNTY BRINGS AN INDIVIDUAL ON A LOW LEVEL CITATION, THEY BRING THEM INTO THE JAIL. BEXAR COUNTY AND SAPD HAVE SITE A RELEASE. SOME OTHER AGENCIES WHO BRING INDIVIDUALS INTO OUR ADC MAY NOT, AND WE ARE FORCED THEM TO TAKE THAT INDIVIDUAL IN. WE WOULD LIKE SHERIFFS ACROSS THE STATE AS THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN NOW TO ALLOW THE SHERIFFS THE ABILITY TO CITE AND RELEASE THOSE INDIVIDUALS FOR LOW-LEVEL CRIME MISDEMEANORS. THAT SENATOR MENENDEZ WILL FILE THAT FOR US AND ABOUT THAT AND THE PROMPT JUST START THAT AND THE PROBATE COURT BILL ARE STILL IN LEDGE COUNSEL. THEY'RE REALLY BACKED UP THIS YEAR, SEEMS LIKE MORE SO THAN WHAT I'VE SEEN IN PREVIOUS SESSIONS. THEN THE WEATHER EVENT LAST WEEK CLOSED AT THE CAPITAL DOWN FOR TWO DAYS, SO EVERYTHING IS JUST BACKED UP. WE ALSO HAVE THE ADDITIONAL ITEM FOR THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE ELECTION TO ASK THE ELECTORATE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO ALLOW US TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL $10 FEE ON VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS AND REPRESENTATIVE LOPEZ HAS FILED THAT BILL FOR US. THE HOUSE OF THE SENATE ARE BOTH COMING BACK IN TODAY. I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME QUICK STATS AND SOME OF THIS YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD IN THE NEWS ALREADY, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE BUDGET SURPLUS OF RIGHT AT $33 BILLION THAT THEY'LL BE WORKING ON TO ALLOCATE THAT THROUGH THE BUDGET BILLS. THE TOTAL FUNDS THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE WORKING WITH IS RIGHT AT 289 BILLION, THAT'S ALL FUNDING THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH. YOU'VE HEARD A LOT IN THE NEWS AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW YET WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THIS. BUT BECAUSE OF THAT SURPLUS, WE'VE HEARD A LOT FROM THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS TALKING ABOUT TAX RELIEF. GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAS INDICATED THAT HE WANTS TO SPEND ABOUT HALF OF THAT SURPLUS ON TAX RELIEF. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE BUDGETARY ISSUES, THEY'VE GOT CONSTITUTIONAL SPENDING CAPS ON THAT SO THE LEGISLATURE CAN'T QUITE GO TO HALF. BUT WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS. WE'RE STILL WAITING TO HEAR. WE ARE THE 7TH TODAY. MY DAYS ARE RUNNING TOGETHER. BY THIS TIME OR BY THIS WEEK, WE WOULD HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM THE GOVERNOR WITH HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS. THAT'S WHERE HE COMES OUT WITH HIS EMERGENCY ITEMS. DURING THE FIRST 60 DAYS OF THE LEGISLATURE, THEY ARE UNABLE TO ACT ON ITEMS UNLESS THE GOVERNOR DECLARES THEM EMERGENCY ITEMS SO THAT'S WHY BUSINESS HAS BEEN SLOW RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS HOUSE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS HAVEN'T COME OUT. WE'RE STILL WAITING TO HEAR ABOUT THAT. THE REASON WHY I'M TELLING YOU ABOUT THE STATE OF THE STATE IS I JUST GOT NOTICED THIS MORNING, I'VE HAD HEARD FROM HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS THAT HE WOULD DO HIS STATE OF THE STATE ON THE 16TH. IT JUST CAME OUT TODAY THAT HE WILL INDEED DO IT ON THE 16TH AND IT'LL BE A 07:00 P.M. TELEVISED EVENT, SO THEY'LL TELEVISE IT. COMMISSIONER, THAT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS. HE USUALLY DOES IT JUST THERE. THEY ALL GATHER IN THE HOUSE CHAMBERS SO THIS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I THINK HE'S GOING TO WHAT I ASSUME IS HE IS WAITING. THERE'S A REASON WHY HE'S WAITING THESE EXTRA FEW WEEKS, AND THERE'S A BIG PUNCH THAT HE'S GOING TO ANNOUNCE THEN. I DON T KNOW WHAT THAT BIG PUNCH WILL BE, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING I'M ASSUMING WITH PROPERTY TAX RELIEF. HE ALSO DID INDICATE IN HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS THAT PARENTAL RIGHTS AND SCHOOLS, SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HE MENTIONED AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN SCHOOLS. THAT TIES BACK TO, OF COURSE, THE UNFORTUNATE EVENT IN EVALUATING THE OTHER SCHOOL INCIDENTS THAT WE'VE HAD. THEN I BELIEVE THAT THE PARENTAL RIGHTS ISSUE AS HE'S TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL CHOICE, THAT'S BEEN A BIG ISSUE AT THE LEGISLATURE AND IT'S BEING PUSHED VERY HEAVILY AGAIN THIS YEAR FOR PARENTS TO HAVE CHOICE TO WHERE THE FUNDING GOES OUTSIDE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. [02:05:07] THERE'S HOUSE BILL 1 AND SENATE BILL 1, SO THERE'S BOTH BILLS ARE MOVING THROUGH BOTH CHAMBERS. THIS SESSION, THE BUDGET BILL WILL BE HOUSE BILL 1 SO THEY SWITCH BACK AND FORTH WHICH CHAMBER GETS THE BUDGET BILL. THIS SESSION IT WILL BE HOUSE BILL 1. SENATE FINANCE HAS STARTED THEIR MEETINGS. THEY STARTED LAST WEEK AND THEN WE MISS TWO DAYS BECAUSE AS WE KNEW, THE ICE STORM WAS COMING. SENATOR HUFFMAN, WHO IS THE SENATE FINANCE CHAIR, MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY AND WRAP IT UP EARLY THAT DAY AND THEN DEPENDENT ON THE WEATHER, THEY WOULD RESCHEDULE SOME MEETINGS. THE LEGISLATURE ENDED UP CLOSING EARLY TUESDAY. NO MEETINGS FOR ALL DAY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE POINT BEING AND THAT IS I HAD HOPED TO TESTIFY BEFORE SENATE FINANCE THAT DAY ON THURSDAY DISCUSSING THE FORENSIC BEDS ISSUES THAT YOU'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT, THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FORENSIC BEDS IN THE COMMUNITY. >> YOU WANTED TO FIND THAT FOR THE PUBLIC? THEY MAY KNOW WHAT FORENSIC BEDS ARE. >> WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN OUR ADULT DETENTION CENTER. THERE AREN'T ENOUGH FORENSIC BEDS IN THE COMMUNITY. THERE AREN'T ENOUGH FORENSIC BEDS IN THE STATE. WE ARE UNFORTUNATELY HOLDING THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN THE ADULT DETENTION CENTER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE FORENSIC BEDS IN THE COMMUNITY TO SEND THEM TO SO THEY CAN GET CARE TO GET THEM TO THE LEVEL WHERE THEY CAN GO THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM. >> FORENSIC BEDS ARE FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL, CORRECT? >> YES, SIR. I HAD HOPED TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE LAST THURSDAY ALONG WITH OTHERS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS NEED THAT THAT HEARING GOT POSTPONED, SO THAT WILL COME IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO SOME ISSUES THAT YOU MAY BE HEARING ABOUT THAT ARE COMING UP. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT SINCE I'VE BEEN DOING THIS JOB AT THE EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICTS. YOU ALL HAVE ESDS IN YOUR PRECINCT? THE ESDS IN BEXAR COUNTY ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WHEN THEY WERE CREATED AND IT WAS A BALLOT ISSUE WHERE RESIDENTS HAD TO VOTE TO TAX THEMSELVES. IN THE INCORPORATION DOCUMENTS, NOT IN THE BALLOT LANGUAGE, BUT IN THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT THE ESDS ARE ONLY ABLE TO GO UP TO $20,000 IN DEBT. IF THEY TRY TO GO OVER THAT, THEY HAVE TO GET THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S APPROVAL TO DO THAT. THE ESDS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS ISSUE AND I THINK IT'S ESD 5, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, HAS A LAWSUIT PENDING WITH THE STATE SUPREME COURT. I HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE HEARD THIS WEEK. I DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE THAT INFORMATION IS BUT THE ESD IS FIGHTING THAT ISSUE WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE THAT ISSUE. >> SIR, MAY I ASK A QUESTION? >> YES. >> CAN WE AS COMMISSIONERS COME UP WITH A RESOLUTION OR SOMETHING? BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE ESDS, ABOUT SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO SUPPORT. >> I CAN DRAFT ONE FOR YOU ALL TO REVIEW IF YOU WOULD LIKE. >> IF YOU COULD DO THAT AND SEND IT TO US. >> YES, MA'AM. >> THANK YOU. >> DEFINITELY. THE LOCAL ESD, SO YOU'LL HEAR THEM SAY SAFE D. I CAN'T THINK OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHAT THAT ACRONYM IS BUT IT IS BASICALLY THE ESDS STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION. THEY HAD BEEN GOING TO THE STATEWIDE ASSOCIATIONS TO TRY AND GET TRACTION. SINCE IT'S A BEXAR COUNTY ONLY ISSUE, THE ESDS HAVE FORMED THEIR OWN ASSOCIATION. THEY HAVE AN ASSOCIATION HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE AT THE STATE LEVEL IN VISITING WITH THEIR REPRESENTATIVES. OUR ISSUE IS THAT THEY ARE INDEPENDENT JURISDICTIONS OF THE STATE, SO YOU APPOINT THOSE BOARD MEMBERS, BUT THEN THE ESD BOARD IS THE ONE THAT MANAGES THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF IT. WE CAN DEFINITELY HELP. THAT WOULD THEN GIVE ME THE DIRECTION THAT I NEED TO FOLLOW THE BILLS CLOSER, AND THEN REGISTER AND SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION OF ANY THAT AFFECT THE ESD. [02:10:02] I WILL GLADLY DRAFT THAT. >> MELISSA. [OVERLAPPING] >> TO MR. CALVERT. [OVERLAPPING] >> I'M SORRY. >> JUST REAL QUICK. MELISSA, ONE OF THOSE RELATED TO ESDS AND MAYBE THIS IS WHAT COMMISSIONER CALVERT WAS GOING TO MENTION. I THINK IS HOSPITAL 1775 WHICH BASICALLY I THINK [NOISE] THOMAS AT COUNTY FILED A BILL THAT WOULD REQUIRE ESD BOARD MEMBERS TO BE ELECTED AS OPPOSED TO APPOINTED. THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON WITH RESPECT TO ESDS I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT'S COMING FROM BUT THEY'RE GROUPING THEM ALL TOGETHER. MAYBE THERE ARE SOME PARTS OF TEXAS WHERE AN ELECTION OF AN ESD BOARD IS APPROPRIATE. I DON'T THINK IT'S BEXAR COUNTY. THAT'S JUST ANOTHER ONE TO PUT ON YOUR RADAR AND I THINK YOU CAN KEEP US POSTED ON THAT. I KNOW SOME OF THE FOLKS AT ESD 7 HAVE BEEN KEEPING ME POSTED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS SOME THEME. YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. BUT AGAIN, GROUPS EVERYBODY TOGETHER. MAYBE THAT THERE'S JUST A PARTICULAR AREA WHERE THERE'S AN ISSUE. I THINK OURS RUN PRETTY EFFECTIVELY THE WAY THEY ARE. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT. >> YES, SIR. >> APPRECIATE YOUR UPDATES. >> SORRY, COMMISSIONER. >> NO, PLEASE GO AHEAD. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT THE LISTING THAT I SEND OUT TO YOU ON A WEEKLY REPORT, JUST BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING TO YOU AS THE GROUP. WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WHO I MONITOR AND I TRACK THOSE BILLS FOR. SPEAKING, OF ESD BILLS, CHRISTOPHER HERRERA, WHO WORKS IN THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, IS OUR ESD LIAISON COORDINATOR FOR THE COUNTY. I'VE BEEN MARKING ESD BILLS FOR HIM AND INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THEN PROVIDE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, THEY PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK FOR ME. WE ARE MONITORING. IF THAT ONE'S NOT ON OUR LIST, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT IS ON OUR LIST. >> MR. CALVERT. >> I HADN'T HEARD THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ELECTION OF ESDS, BUT THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE TOO MUCH TO ASK OUR CITIZENS. IT'S HARD ENOUGH FOR US TO FIND PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY SERVE ON THESE THINGS AND THEN YOU GET THEM INTO AN ELECTED POSITION, MAY COME FROM A BIG COUNTY WHERE SOMEBODY'S AT ODDS WITH THEM, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE BECAUSE I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PROBABLY IS NOT OPPOSING THE ESDS GETTING RID OF THAT LIMIT. YOU'RE SMILING BECAUSE THEY ARE OPPOSING. >> YES. THAT'S WHY THEY'VE TAKEN IT TO COURT. THE ESD TOOK IT TO COURT. >> AGAIN, IF PEOPLE THINK 10,000 FT IN THE AIR. I BELIEVE THE BILL THAT SENATOR CAMPBELL PASS, WHICH GAVE PEOPLE A VOTE TO BE ANNEXED. BASICALLY ALMOST IT'S VERY RARE THAT ANYONE'S GOING TO VOTE FOR ANNEXATION ANYMORE. JUST FOR THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE COURT, THE WHOLE REASON THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE STATE LAW HAD ALLOWED FOR A ESD OR MADE AN ESD GET PERMISSION FROM THE CITIES WAS BECAUSE THOSE CITIES MAY END UP ACQUIRING THOSE FIRE FACILITIES AND THEY WANTED TO HAVE THOSE FIRE FACILITIES BUILT TO CITY OF SAN ANTONIO OR WHATEVER CITY CODE. IT SEEMS TO ME MAYBE THIS IS AN AMENDMENT THAT YOU CAN WORK INTO THE BILL AND GET THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO BACK OFF, BECAUSE IT WOULD ASK THE ESDS TO CONSULT WITH THE MUNICIPALITY ON REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRE SERVICE SHOULD THEY BE ANNEXED. THEN YOU SOLVE THE PROBLEM, I THINK. >> FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, COMMISSIONER, AND I JUST LEARNED THIS THIS MORNING AND I KNOW THAT RUDDY RODRIGUEZ, WHO REPRESENTS US ON OUR STATE TEAM, HE ALSO IS WORKING WITH THE ESD ASSOCIATION. RUDDY HAD MENTIONED TO ME THIS MORNING THAT THE CITY IS CURRENTLY ANNEXING INTO THESE ESD TERRITORIES BECAUSE OF, I GUESS THE FORMATION DOCUMENTS WHEN THESE ESDS WERE FORMED. PLEASE DON'T ASK ME THE INTRICACIES OF IT BECAUSE I JUST HEARD ABOUT IT THIS MORNING [OVERLAPPING]. BUT I GUESS THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS ALLOW FOR THEM TO GO IN SOMEHOW AND PULL IN. >> MAYBE IT'S 1,000 FEET THE INITIAL. >> WHAT I HAVE HEARD AND DON'T QUOTE ME BECAUSE I'M NOT THE EXPERT BUT WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS THE NON ANNEXATION AGREEMENTS WITH CERTAIN PROPERTIES ON STIPULATE THAT THERE WON'T BE ANY COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE RURAL AREA IS THE CITY MONITORS THAT VERY CLOSELY. THIS IS THE EXAMPLE I WAS GIVEN. IF YOU HAVE A FIREWORK STAND THERE FOR ONE WEEK, [02:15:01] THAT'S COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY. YOU'RE ANNEXED. [OVERLAPPING] >> BECAUSE IT'S TAX REVENUE. >> THAT THEN EATS INTO THE ESDS BECAUSE THEIR PROPERTY BASE IS NOW BEING ANNEXED BY THE CITY. >> YOU MEAN THE ACTUAL PLOT OF, LET'S SAY THE FIREWORKS STAND OR JUST A REGION OR? >> IF IT'S ON YOUR PROPERTY. THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING. I HAVEN'T CONFIRMED THIS BUT THE FIRE MARSHAL COULD PROBABLY GIVE YOU A BETTER BRIEFING ON WHAT'S [INAUDIBLE]. [OVERLAPPING] >> I SEE. THAT'S A VERY CLEVER WAY THAT A LAWYER DETERMINED. BUT WHAT ABOUT HOUSING ACTIVITY? IS THAT NOW COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY. [OVERLAPPING] >> NO, IT'S STRICTLY COMMERCIAL. [OVERLAPPING] >> COMMERCIAL [INAUDIBLE]. >> ROOFTOP MEANS ACTUAL SERVICES THAT THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE POLICED AND OTHER SERVICES PROVIDED. THIS IS A VERY CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO GO IN AND GET COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT IS BRINGING IN REVENUE, [OVERLAPPING] WHICH ALSO THEIR CITIZENS. >> ALSO HURTS THE ESDS. WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT REVENUE? DOES THE ESD LOSES THE REVENUE? >> YES, SIR. >> COULDN'T THEY MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE LAW THAT ALLOWS THEM TO KEEP THE REVENUE FOR FIRE SERVICE? >> THAT'S WHAT IT WILL TAKE. YES, SIR. IS A STATUTORY CHANGE TO MAKE THIS. [OVERLAPPING] >> REMEMBER THIS IS THE BASE BILL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS THE REQUIREMENT OF THE ESD TO GET THE SAN ANTONIO'S PERMISSION INCUR MORE THAN 20,000. NOW, YOU YOU CAN'T GET A FIRE TRUCK FOR 20,000. BASICALLY, IT TAKES AWAY A LOT OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE ESD WORDS TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT THEY AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS FEEL ARE NECESSARY. I KNOW FOR ESD 5 I WAS WORKING ON A WAY TO GET AROUND THIS ISSUE. IT'S NOT MY PREFERRED APPROACH. MY PREFERRED APPROACH WOULD JUST BE TO MAKE IT CLEAN BECAUSE IT DOES INVOLVE SOME ACTION BY THE COUNTY. I TRY AND COOPERATE WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN AS MANY ISSUES AS WE CAN, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, 80 PERCENT OF ALL ITS CONSTITUENTS OR THEIR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL. >> WELL, SO I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC ESD 5, AND I DON'T KNOW WHOSE DISTRICT THAT IS. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> WELL, IN THE PAST, THE CITY HAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO ESDS IN MY AREA TO EXPAND THEIR BUILDING A FACILITY. >> RUDDY'S BEEN WORKING WITH US ON IT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN TALK MORE, BUT THERE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A NEW ESD AND WE CAN'T GET IT DONE BECAUSE OF JUST THE GOING BACK AND FORTH. >> THAT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE. >> IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE FASTEST GROWING AREA IN BEXAR COUNTY AND WE NEED A NEW ONE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. [NOISE] >> THE LIAISON YOU MENTIONED, DO THEY DO ANYTHING IN TERMS OF STANDARDIZATION ACROSS THE ESTS? I'M ASKING, WE HAVE FOUR ESTS AND PRECINCT 3 AND ALSO 20 DIFFERENT BOARD MEMBERS, BUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE EACH OF THOSE ESTS CURRENTLY ARE WHEN THEY CONTRACT OUT SERVICES, WHAT ARE THOSE EXPECTATIONS WITH THOSE SERVICES? [NOISE] I'M JUST WONDERING THEY'RE JUST TO STANDARDIZATION WITHIN MY PRECINCT BUT ACROSS ALL OF OUR PRECINCTS. IS THERE SOMEBODY WHO'S MANAGING THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT QUALITY OF SOURCES AND TIMELINESS OF SERVICES DO WE PROVIDE? >> COMMISSIONER, THERE IS. THERE IS LIAISON REPORTS TO THE FIRE MARSHAL. AGAIN, THEY'RE STATUTORILY INDEPENDENT, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE DO IS MAKE SURE THEY HAVE STANDARDIZED OR TRY AND MAKE SURE THEY ALL RECEIVED THE NECESSARY TRAINING, PERFORM APPROPRIATE ANNUAL FINANCIAL AUDITS, THAT KIND OF THING. BUT IN TERMS OF THE SERVICES AND HOW THEY'RE DELIVERED, ESTS VARY GREATLY. THERE ARE SOME RELATIVELY SMALL ONES THAT DON'T YET HAVE A LARGE PROPERTY TAX BASE, SO THEY DON'T HAVE A LARGE BUDGET. THEN IN YOUR PRECINCT AND PRECINCT 1 AS WELL, THERE'S SOME LARGER ONES THAT LOOK AND FEEL. IT'S NOT IN YOUR PRECINCT, IT'S PROBABLY IN COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ'S, BUT IF YOU DRIVE OUT [INAUDIBLE] ROAD AND YOU SEE THAT EST FIRE STATION, IT LOOKS EVERY BIT AS GOOD OPERATIONAL AS THE SAA FIRE DEPARTMENT. BUT, THAT'S AN EST FIRE STATION. >> WE JUST BUILT ONE OFF [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL, I BELIEVE IN EST 4. BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ON AT LEAST MY MIND POTENTIALLY ON MY COLLEAGUES MINDS, AS IN TERMS OF ALL THESE ESTS ARE VERY DIFFERENT, [02:20:01] HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT STANDARDIZATION? HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT MAKING SURE BEST PRACTICES ARE SHARED ACROSS THEM GOING FORWARD? >> THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT, BECAUSE ESTS [INAUDIBLE] MEETS THE ROAD DUE TO EMERGENCIES AND WE HAVE TO BE HELPING OUR COMMUNITIES DEVELOP. THERE WAS A SCANDAL THAT HAPPENED IN OUR EST'S PRIOR, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR. WE HAD TO HAVE OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE DEVELOP A CURRICULUM, IF YOU WILL, TO ONBOARD A LOT OF THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS. IT'S WORTH LOOKING AGAIN AT MAKING SURE THAT THAT CURRICULUM IS UP TO THE THINGS THAT THE COURT FEELS THAT ARE STANDARDS FOR FIRE SERVICE. I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO THE SCANDAL BUT WILL CAN TALK OFFLINE ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS IN RESPONSE TO FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT AND MALFEASANCE OF FUNDS, CORRUPTION THINGS. IN ANY EVENT, [NOISE] WE TRIED TO INTERVENE TO ONBOARD OFFICERS. I'VE MAYBE FELT THERE'S SOME MIXED RESULTS ABOUT THAT. IT'S WORTH LOOKING AT AGAIN, AND MAKING SURE IT'S UP TO THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT'S STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY READINESS THAT'S MORE OUT OF THE OEM AND THE FIRE MARSHALS WHEELHOUSE. BUT, I THINK CHRIS HERRERA IS THE LIAISON FOR THAT EFFORT. >> YES, SIR. >> HE'S A STAFF PERSON FOR US AT THE COUNTY. >> HE IS ACTUALLY ON VACATION. HE CALLED ME FROM ORLANDO THIS MORNING. I DON'T KNOW WHY HE HAD A CELL PHONE ON WHILE HE WAS ON VACATION BUT I GOT THE INFORMATION I NEEDED, SO I WAS THANKFUL HE DID. >> THEY OFTEN GO TO THOSE MEETINGS WITH ESTS AS THE COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES TO SIT IN THOSE ESTS, AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE ISN'T OTHER FUNNY BUSINESS THAT HAPPENS, BUT GENERALLY WE'RE JUST OBSERVING. >> THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I WANTED TO BRING FORTH. I'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE, BUT I WILL DRAFT A RESOLUTION FOR YOU-ALL TO REVIEW AND THEN CAN RATIFY AT YOUR NEXT MEETING. I'VE GOT TWO BILLS THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP. HB 192 BY SCHAFER. THE CAPTION IS RELATING TO THE POSSESSION OF A WEAPON IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS OF A GOVERNMENT COURT. BASICALLY WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS, ANYTIME WHEN THE PUBLIC ENTERS ANY OF OUR SECURED BUILDINGS, THEY GO THROUGH SECURITY MONITORS. YOU CAN'T BRING WEAPONS INTO OUR BUILDINGS. THIS BILL BASICALLY STATES THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO SET UP A SECURITY MONITOR AT EACH DOOR OF A COURTROOM. [LAUGHTER] BEAR COUNTY ALONE, THAT WOULD BE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR US. DALLAS COUNTY HAS ESTIMATED A 24-MILLION DOLLAR COST TO THEM ALONE. YOU THINK ABOUT EVERY ENTRYWAY INTO A COURTROOM, IT MAY NOT JUST BE THE FRONT ENTRANCE INTO THE COURTROOM, THERE MAY BE A DOOR ON THE HALL THAT ENTERS INTO THE JUDGE'S ROOM. I'VE ASKED THE BUDGET STAFF AND UNDONE STAFF TO BE ON THE READY BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE TO DO A FISCAL NOTE ON THIS. I'VE TRIED VISITING WITH THE OFFICE. DALLAS COUNTY WENT IN AND VISITED WITH THE OFFICE, BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION. THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THAT OFFICE HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY HAD DONE IN FILING THIS BILL. THEN WHEN I COME ALONG, THEN OF COURSE THE CHIEF DIDN'T WANT TO MEET WITH ME BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR MY BAD NEWS. WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT BILL DOES NOT MOVE OR IT WILL BE AMENDED SOMEHOW. I HAVE HEARD THAT WE ARE HEARING THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS COMING DOWN FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. YOU'LL HEAR, THIS IS THE GOVERNOR'S BILL OR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S BILL. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ASSUME THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS PUSHING. I DON'T HAVE ANY FACTS ON THAT YET. I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT, THAT IT'S OUT THERE AND WE'LL SEE IF IT STARTS GETTING TRACTION. THEN LASTLY, EARLY I GUESS IT WAS IN THE FALL, THERE WAS A INTERIM SENATE HEARING. >> I'M SORRY, MELISSA, TO INTERRUPT YOU. INCREASING MORE SECURITY OF THE DOORS, THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF THE LIFTS? >> EXACTLY. >> NO FUNDING FROM THE STATE? >> YES, MA'AM. NAIL ON THE HEAD. I DON'T WANT TO SAY A NUMBER YET THAT I'VE RECEIVED FROM BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONE THROUGH THE CHANNELS, IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL NUMBER, BUT IT'S IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT IT WOULD AFFECT BEAR COUNTY. THAT'S JUST TO PUT THE EQUIPMENT AND A SECURITY MONITOR AT THE DOOR. THAT'S NOT A DEPUTY. IF WE HAD TO PUT DEPUTIES AT EACH OF THESE DOORS. [02:25:05] >> MELISSA, AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND, THIS BILL IS FILED BECAUSE IT'S A TEST OF GUN RIGHTS, CORRECT? >> I ASSUME SO, YES, SIR. >> SOMEWHERE SOMEBODY FEELS, SOME LOBBY FEELS AND LEGISLATORS FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR WEAPONS INTO A COURT OF LAW. >> YES, SIR. EXACTLY. MY ASSUMPTION IS, BECAUSE THIS IS THE WAY IT USUALLY HAPPENS, A CONSTITUENT OR A COUNTY OR A CITY. >> HOW ABOUT THE MAFIA? THEY JUST BRING THEIR GUNS? [LAUGHTER] IT HAS TO STOP. >> SOMEONE HAS BROUGHT IT FORWARD, AND IT HAS BEEN FILED BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS ASKED FOR IT. YES. >> OKAY. >> I'M HEARING IT'S THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, I DON'T KNOW THAT. >> I JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE-CHECK. >> YES, SIR. YOU'RE NAIL ON THE HEAD AGAIN. YES. LASTLY, IN AN INTERIM SENATE HEARING IN FALL TIMEFRAME, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ON THIS. WE KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THIS SURPLUS FUNDING. THERE WAS DISCUSSION IN THIS COMMITTEE TALKING ABOUT THE EXPENSES THAT COUNTIES UNDERTAKE WHAT YOU HEAR US SAY "UNFUNDED MANDATES", WHAT I LIKE TO SAY, AND IT'S NOT JUST ME, BUT OTHER LARGER COUNTIES WE LIKE TO SAY "STATE AND POST TAX INCREASES", WHERE THE STATE PUSHES THE RESPONSIBILITY DOWN TO THE LOCAL OFFICIALS. THERE WAS DISCUSSION IN THAT COMMITTEE TALKING ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT COSTS ON COUNTIES, ONE OF WHICH BEING HUGE IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. TDCJ, NOT TAKING THEIR PRISONERS IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE FORENSIC BEDS, THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES. SENATOR MENENDEZ, WHO IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THOSE ISSUES WAS SPEAKING ON IT AND THE CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTIES, CUC, WAS THERE AND THEY WERE TESTIFYING ON OUR BEHALF. IN THAT HEARING, TWO OF THE REPUBLICAN MEMBERS, ALONG WITH SENATOR MENENDEZ, INDICATED THAT YES, THE STATE NEEDS TO HELP COUNTIES WITH THESE EXPENSES. SENATOR HALL, WHO IS A REPUBLICAN SENATOR OUT OF THE DFW AREA, HAS FILED A BILL, AND IT IS SB 318. IT BASICALLY STATES THAT IF TDCJ DOES NOT TAKE THEIR PRISONERS WITHIN THE REQUIRED 45 DAYS, THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY US FOR THAT. >> HOW? WHAT IS OUR REIMBURSEMENT? >> WE DON'T KNOW THE COST YET. IT JUST SAYS TO THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INCURRED BY TDCJ. TDCJ'S COSTS ARE LOWER THAN OURS, WE BELIEVE, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH SENATOR HALL'S OFFICE NOW TO TRY AND GET A NUMBER THAT WORKS FOR ALL THE URBAN COUNTIES. >> THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS, AS LONG AS THE GOVERNOR KEEPS US IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY, YOU CAN'T IMPOSE THAT. >> IS IT GA-13 OR 14? I CAN'T REMEMBER. IT'S ONE OF GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S ORDERS GOING BACK TO COVID AND THERE'S BEEN SO MANY, BECAUSE YOU'LL HEAR MIKE LOZITO SAY GA-13 OR WHATEVER IT IS, BUT YES. >> MIGHT I SUGGEST THAT YOU COULD REACH OUT TO SENATOR HALL AND SENATOR MENENDEZ TO LET SENATOR HALL KNOW THAT IF THE STATE WOULD SIMPLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF WAGES FOR ITS STATE PRISON GUARDS, THAT PERHAPS THEY COULD HAVE MORE PERSONNEL TO TAKE IN THE PEOPLE, AND MAYBE THAT'S A BETTER WAY. BECAUSE YOU'RE ACTUALLY ADDING MORE INSULT BECAUSE OUR COSTS ARE HIGHER THAN THE STATE'S COST. THE FIGURE, WELL, WE'VE JUST DISPENSED WITH THIS ITEM. WE TOOK CARE. YOU KNOW YOU REALLY DIDN'T, BECAUSE OUR COSTS ARE HIGHER. >> COUNTIES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AIR CONDITIONING IN OUR JAILS, [OVERLAPPING] AND THE STATE DOES NOT. >> STATE DOESN'T, THAT'S RIGHT. >> SO IT'S NOT A FAIR PLAYING FIELD. >> RIGHT. >> [OVERLAPPING] THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES. >> I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET WITH CUC, I'LL BE AT THE MEETING AGAIN, BUT LET'S TALK TO THE LOBBY ABOUT GETTING SENATOR HALL AND SENATOR MENENDEZ ABOUT ADDRESSING THE STATE'S ISSUE. AGAIN, WHEN I WAS IN COMMISSIONER SCHOOL STARTING OUT, WE THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE NON-DISCRETIONARY AND DISCRETIONARY THINGS, AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ITS ADMINISTRATION SEEMS TO BE PRETTY NON-DISCRETIONARY, THAT IT MUST BE FUNDED CORRECTLY. NOW, HERE'S A LOT OF GRAY AREA IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU PAY PEOPLE AND ALL THAT THING. BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THERE'S BEEN ISSUES WITH EMPLOYMENT ACROSS A NUMBER OF SECTORS AND PART OF THEIR ISSUE IS THEY [02:30:02] CAN'T GET ENOUGH PEOPLE TO WORK IN THE PRISONS. SO LET'S SEE WHAT SURPLUS COULD HELP IN THAT REGARD. THAT WOULD BE THE BEST THING FOR ALL COUNTIES, [OVERLAPPING] I BELIEVE. THANK YOU. >> YES SIR. THOSE ARE MAJOR ISSUES NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SO WE CONTINUE TO MEET CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTIES. YOU'LL HEAR ME SAY BIG FIVE, THE FIVE LARGEST COUNTIES, ALL HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF LIKE MYSELF, SO WE'RE UP THERE DURING THE WEEK IN AUSTIN AND MEETING WITH VARIOUS OFFICES AND AGENCIES AND EACH OTHER TRYING TO EITHER FIGHT OR SUPPORT THESE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT I'LL BRING FORWARD TO YOU. LIKE TODAY WITH THE ESD, THERE MAYBE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAD NOT THOUGHT OF THAT WILL COME UP AND I'LL BRING A RESOLUTION FORWARD FOR YOU ALL TO VOTE ON TO GIVE ME DIRECTION. >> JUDGE SAKAI? >> YES. ARE ALL THE COURT MEMBERS AWARE OF THE ACTION DALLAS COUNTY IS TAKING? OKAY. >> [BACKGROUND] WHICH ONE? WHICH ACTION? >> REGARDING THE STATE NOT PROVIDING SUFFICIENT FORENSIC BIDS. >> ARE THEY SUING? >> THEY'RE ON THE VERGE. THEY HAVE SENT BASICALLY, I GUESS, A LETTER OF INTENT THAT IS FORTHCOMING. >> ARE THEY ASKING US TO BE A PARTY? >> THEY WOULD [OVERLAPPING] LIKE. THIS HAS BEEN STAFF-TO-STAFF TALKING ABOUT IT, AND I KNOW THAT THIS BODY PREVIOUSLY, JUDGE WOLFF HAD MADE ANNOUNCEMENTS HERE IN OPEN COURT TO FILE SUIT AGAINST THE STATE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YES, YOU ALL, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM STAFF, IF THE COMMISSIONERS' COURT HAS SENT THE LETTER, THEN THEY WOULD DEFINITELY. >> WE'LL PROBABLY NEED AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DISCUSS THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING. LET'S TRY TO GET A BRIEFING ON THAT. >> OKAY. >> THERE ARE PROS AND CONS. THE PRO IS THE CASE HISTORY IS VERY GOOD. THERE'S BEEN VICTORIES AGAINST THE STATE IN THE PAST, AND SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE VICTORIES. I THINK IT WAS RODRIGUEZ CASE OR ALEJANDRO CASE, I CAN'T RECALL, IN THE '80S. BUT ANYWAY, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK. >> ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONERS? >> THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RELEASED THE COMMITTEES, RIGHT, OF OUR [OVERLAPPING] >> YES. SENATE COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN SET, YES SIR. >> DO YOU RECALL OUR LOCAL DELEGATION OF SENATORS, WHOSE ON WHAT COMMITTEES? OR DO YOU HAVE THAT LIST? [OVERLAPPING] >> NO, I DON'T RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY [OVERLAPPING] HEAD. THAT IS NOT SOMETHING, AND I THINK MY LAST LIST, I HAVE NOT UPDATED, BECAUSE I KEEP A LIST OF ALL OUR MEMBERS ON MY PHONE. NO, I'M NOT UPDATED TO THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS. I WAS WAITING FOR THE HOUSE COMMITTEE. I'VE NOT, THAT'S NOT IN MY MEMORY YET, THE SENATE RELEASE, AND [OVERLAPPING] I APOLOGIZE. >> WHEN THOSE BOTH COME OUT, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR THE COURT TO KNOW JUST [OVERLAPPING] WHO IN THE LOCAL DELEGATION IS SITTING [OVERLAPPING] >> ON WHAT COMMITTEE, YES, DEFINITELY. >> ANYTHING ELSE, MELISSA? [OVERLAPPING] >> NO SIR. THAT'S IT, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECORD. >> YES, SIR. THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONERS, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, CAN I GO BACK ON THE CONSENT? I JUST NOTICED I SHOULD BE A LITTLE MORE DILIGENT ON ITEM 40. COULD I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND MY VOTE TO ABSTENTION PLEASE? >> MOVE TO MARK THE COUNTY JUDGE AS ABSTAINING ON ITEM, WHAT WAS THAT? >> 40. >> 40. >> YEAH. INVOLVES THE COURT THAT I WAS INVOLVED WITH, SO I NEED TO ABSTAIN. MOTION BY CALVERT. >> I'LL SECOND. >> SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> AYE, AND I'LL ABSTAIN AGAIN. >> IS THERE [LAUGHTER] ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT. I BELIEVE NOW WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION. LET ME READ THIS INTO THE RECORD. THE COURT WILL NOW CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. [Executive Session] EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS MAY BE DISCUSSED AND ACTED UPON, IF APPROPRIATE, IN OPEN SESSION. PURSUANT TO SECTION 1551.071 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD FOR CONSULTATION WITH THE COURT'S ATTORNEY FOR ADVICE REGARDING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS. A, A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY TO THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH CHAPTER 551 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, SPECIFICALLY SUBSECTION 1. LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO A POTENTIAL AMENDMENT TO CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE CURRENT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION RELATED TO WAGES, HOURS, AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR UNIFORMED OFFICERS. LET US NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IF WE'RE PREPARED. MR. ROBERTSON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. MS. ELIZABETH, ARE WE READY TO GO? [02:35:05] THE COURT MET AND EXECUTIVE SESSION TOOK NO ACTION. ARE WE PREPARED TO ADJOURN AND THEN RECOGNITION ON ADJOURNMENT? LET'S START WITH COMMISSIONER CALVERT, THEN I'LL GO COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ IN SENIORITY. OKAY. GO AHEAD COMMISSIONER CALVERT. >> THE GREAT JOHN ALLEN, I MOVE TO ADJOURN IN HIS HONOR. DOROTHY ROBERTS. DR. HARMON KELLEY, HE WAS THE LARGEST OWNER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ART IN THE UNITED STATES. JOYCE PERKINS. LIEUTENANT COLONEL DEAN LANSING, AND MICHAEL PARKER. >> COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. >> THANK YOU, JUDGE. I WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN TODAY IN HONOR OF THE FOLLOWING: JANE MITCHELL VOLLMER, HENRY SAMUEL GARCIA, JOHN MURRIE YANTIS, AND SOPHIE [INAUDIBLE] ARCINIEGA. >> COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES. NO. COMMISSIONER MOODY. >> ALL RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND MOVE TO ADJOURN MR. THOMAS SOKOL, IT'S MARIAN SOKOL'S HUSBAND. DID YOU MENTION JANE VOLLMER? JANE VOLLMER, WHO WAS LONG-TIME DISTRICT CLERK. >> YEAH. >> SHE WAS THE CLERK WHILE I WAS A ROOKIE LAWYER. COMMISSIONER CALVERT, WITH YOUR PERMISSION I COULD JOIN IN THE RECOGNITION OF DR. HARMON KELLEY, WHO WAS OBVIOUSLY A COMMUNITY FORCE AND WELL-KNOWN OB-GYN, AND OBVIOUSLY, IT PASSES ON TO HIS CHILDREN WITH DR. MARGARET KELLEY, WHO WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH EDGEWOOD. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? [BACKGROUND] SO MOVE, EVERYBODY ADJOURNS. [BACKGROUND] MOTION CARRIES. [NOISE] MEETING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.