10. Acceptance of an FLS A summary report regarding non-exempt County personnel that have accrued FLSA hours in excess of 199 but less than 240, and law enforcement personnel FLSA hours in excess of 439 but less than 480 as of the month ending May 2023. Notification of payment to those employees who have accumulated hours in excess of the FLSA maximum level for an estimated amount of $815,476 and approval of the appropriate budget transfers in the amount of $384,309.

[10. Acceptance of an FLS A summary report regarding non-exempt County personnel that have accrued FLSA hours in excess of 199 but less than 240, and law enforcement personnel FLSA hours in excess of 439 but less than 480 as of the month ending May 2023. Notification of payment to those employees who have accumulated hours in excess of the FLSA maximum level for an estimated amount of $815,476 and approval of the appropriate budget transfers in the amount of $384,309. ]

NUMBER TEN, ACCEPTANCE OF AN FLSA SUMMARY REPORT REGARDING NONEXEMPT COUNTY PERSONNEL THAT HAVE ACCRUED FLSA HOURS IN EXCESS OF 199 BUT LESS THAN 240, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL FLSA HOURS IN EXCESS OF 439, BUT LESS THAN 480 AS OF THE MONTH ENDING IN MAY 2023, NOTIFICATION OF PAYMENT TO THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE ACCUMULATED HOURS IN EXCESS OF THE MAXIMUM LEVEL FOR AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF $815,476 AND APPROVAL OF THE APPROPRIATE BUDGET TRANSFERS IN THE AMOUNT OF $384,309.

COMMISSIONER MOODY, YOU HAD ASKED FOR CONSIDERATION.

WELL, THANK YOU, JUDGE. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE WHICH QUESTION SHOULD BE DIRECTED AT STAFF VERSUS THE SHERIFF, BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A RECURRING ITEM THAT COMES UP.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE SEE IT FROM FROM TIME TO TIME AS WE GO FORWARD.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTIONS THAT THAT MY STAFF WAS TRYING TO GET ANSWERED, I DIDN'T SEE IN THE BACKGROUND ITEMS, BUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF THE HISTORICAL DATA HERE, WHERE THE TRENDS ARE GOING, YOU KNOW, WHAT ACTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN TO ADDRESS THIS, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT US TO GET TO A POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OVERTIME IS THE NEW NORMAL.

RIGHT? AND WE'RE JUST KIND OF NUMB TO IT BECAUSE WE SEE IT SO.

MANY TIMES. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS BACK UP AND FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF REPORTING WE CAN SEE WITH THIS ITEM IN THE FUTURE SO WE CAN KIND OF SEE

[00:25:01]

WHERE IT'S BEEN FOR THE LAST FOUR QUARTERS, EIGHT QUARTERS AND SEE THAT WE'RE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, OR IF WE'RE NOT TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WHAT ACTIONS ARE KIND OF BEING TAKEN TO ADDRESS IT GOING FORWARD? SO THAT WAS KIND OF MY COMMENT AND QUESTION.

YES, SIR. WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TO SHOW WHATEVER FIGURES Y'ALL WOULD NEED.

YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IT'S JUST A SYMPTOM OF US TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH URBAN SPRAWL, RISING CRIME, RISING, RISING GUN CRIME.

CERTAINLY WE'VE HAD SEVERAL HIGH PROFILE AND VERY CONCERNING INCIDENTS IN AND AROUND OUR SCHOOLS, WHICH PROMPTED US TO STAND UP THE SCHOOL SAFETY TASK FORCE.

NOW, WE DID THAT WITH EXISTING RESOURCES, BUT I THINK THIS IS JUST A SYMPTOM OF TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH WITH THE RISING CRIME, YOU KNOW, IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, AS MUCH AS WE DON'T LIKE TO ADMIT IT, OVERTIME IS AN EVENTUALITY OF WHAT WE DO NOW.

YOU TRY TO MITIGATE IT WHERE YOU CAN.

BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T THINK IT'LL EVER BE ELIMINATED ALTOGETHER.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TRYING TO MANAGE IT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE KEEP ASKING EVERY YEAR WE'VE ASKED AND WE'LL ASK AGAIN THIS YEAR, IS TO TRY TO GET A BUDGETED AMOUNT INTO OUR OUR BUDGET TO TO TO KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH REGARD TO OVERTIME.

THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF CLAWING BACK OUT OF ALREADY BUDGETED ITEMS TO TO PAY FOR THE OVERTIME BILL THAT WE KNEW AHEAD OF TIME WAS GOING TO BE COMING IS DIFFICULT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO CLAW BACK FROM EQUIPMENT, FROM THINGS LIKE OUR EQUIPMENT BUDGET THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN BUDGETED.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE ALREADY EXPRESSED A NEED FOR.

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'VE SURPASSED THAT AMOUNT FOR THIS YEAR AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE COMING AT THIS POINT TO TRY TO GET IT, YOU KNOW, COVERED.

OTHERWISE, NO, THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND I THINK THAT JUST IN TERMS OF REPORTING, IF WE CAN HAVE MORE OF THAT INFORMATION, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, LIKE YOU SAID, SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ELIMINATED. BUT IF WE CAN MANAGE IT AND WE CAN ALSO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU JUST HIGHLIGHTED THAT WILL YOU KNOW, 500 OF THESE HOURS WERE DUE TO THIS EVENT AND ANOTHER THOUSAND WERE DUE TO THIS EVENT.

AND I THINK AS WE HAVE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS AROUND RIGHTSIZING, YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE QUESTION, TOO, RIGHT? I MEAN, AS WE DO ADDITIONAL HIRING, BUT WE STILL HAVE THESE INCREASING AMOUNTS OF OVERTIME BECAUSE THERE IS A DEMAND FOR PUBLIC SAFETY THAT CAN BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

BUT WITHOUT MORE DATA AND KIND OF HISTORICAL INFORMATION, IT'S REALLY HARD TO KIND OF TEASE THAT OUT.

SO I WOULD JUST ASK FOR A LITTLE MORE MEAT ON THE BONE AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS KIND OF REPORTING.

WE'RE HAPPY TO PRESENT WHATEVER WE CAN FROM OUR FROM OUR SIDE.

COMMISSIONER. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, SHERIFF? I GOT SOME QUESTIONS FOLLOWING.

COMMISSIONER MOODY.

THIS AGENDA ITEM DOES NOT TAKE INTO THE OVERTIME AT THE JAIL.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

THIS IS LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

TWO DIFFERENT BUCKETS, JUDGE.

YOU HAVE REPRESENTATED TO THE COURT THAT IF YOU COULD FILL POSITIONS THAT A LOT OF THE OVERTIME ISSUES MIGHT BE ADDRESSED OVER AT THE JAIL.

IS THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCE HERE ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO FILL POSITIONS, THIS MIGHT ALLEVIATE THE NEED FOR OVERTIME? YES, SIR. PART OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT.

PART OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OVERTIME.

SORRY. THIS MICROPHONE CUT OUT.

PART OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OVERTIME THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IS BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLKS AND THEN HELPING TO COVER SOME VACANCIES AT THE JAIL, FOR EXAMPLE, JAIL PERIMETER TRANSPORTS TO AND FROM THE HOSPITALS.

THOSE ARE TYPICALLY DONE BY DETENTION SIDE PERSONNEL.

BUT IN ORDER TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE MANPOWER ISSUES IN THE JAIL, WE WILL TAKE AND FILL THOSE ROLES WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPUTIES.

AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF WHAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THIS.

SO ABSOLUTELY, IT STANDS TO REASON THAT IF WE'RE ABLE TO MORE EFFECTIVELY AND WITH A, IN A LASTING WAY, FILL THOSE DETENTION SIDE VACANCIES, WE WON'T HAVE TO PULL PEOPLE OVER FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE TO FILL THOSE ROLES.

THIS YEAR, THE COURT HAS RELEASED 12 ADDITIONAL DEPUTIES, I BELIEVE, ON LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE, AND WE'VE COMMITTED TO 50 MORE.

CAN YOU GIVE US A STATUS REPORT ON HOW MANY OF THOSE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN FILLED OR NOT FILLED AT THIS TIME? WELL, I KNOW THAT WE JUST GRADUATED A CADET CLASS RECENTLY, A PATROL CADET CLASS.

WE'VE JUST STARTED ANOTHER ONE ABOUT ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

HOW BIG WAS THAT? IT'S IN THE PROCESS.

HOW BIG ARE? 11. AND THEN HOW BIG WAS THE ONE THAT GRADUATED? EIGHT, A CLASS OF EIGHT GRADUATED.

THIS, THE LAST CLASS THAT GRADUATED WAS EIGHT.

THE ONE THAT JUST STARTED IS 11.

SO WE ARE WORKING WITH SOME CURRENT VACANCIES.

I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, JUDGE, BUT WITH THE ADDITIONAL 50 POSITIONS, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO FILL, LOOKING TO TRY TO FILL.

THOSE ARE THE STRAIGHT TO THE STREETS PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO YOU ALL ABOUT.

[00:30:02]

A LOT IS TRYING TO GET THAT GOING TO GIVE US A BETTER WAY, A MORE EFFICIENT WAY OF FILLING THOSE VACANCIES ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE WITHOUT FURTHER UNNECESSARILY DEPLETING THE DETENTION SIDE OF THE HOUSE, WE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY HIRE FROM THE OUTSIDE INTO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE.

OBVIOUSLY, OUR DETENTION PEOPLE WOULD STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CROSS OVER WITH PREFERENCE POINTS AWARDED, BUT THIS WOULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY WE HIRE INTO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TIER AND LIGHT OF THE STEPS.

THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAS TAKEN.

THIS IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET YEAR, HAS THE TURNOVER ISSUE ABATED ITSELF TO SOME EXTENT, OR ARE WE STILL DON'T HAVE A FIRM HOLD ON THAT WE STARTED A SLOW DOWN.

THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING ON, IT GOES MONTH TO MONTH, JUDGE AND WE HAVE GOOD MONTHS AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A BAD MONTH.

AND A LOT OF WHAT'S STILL CONTRIBUTING TO IT IS NOT NECESSARILY YOUNG DEPUTIES LEAVING TO GO SEEK EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE.

IT'S STILL THE RETIREMENT TSUNAMI THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH EVERY MONTH.

WE STILL HAVE A FAIR NUMBER OF DEPUTIES THAT ARE RETIRING.

I BELIEVE THAT ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF THE HOUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, AT ANY GIVEN TIME, 30 TO 40% OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT TIER IS ELIGIBLE TO COME IN TODAY AND TURN IN THEIR PAPERWORK. NOW, WE DON'T THINK THAT'LL HAPPEN, BUT IT COULD.

AND IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO FILL VACANCIES.

SINCE WE'RE GOING TO THE FOURTH QUARTER, IS THERE ANY PROJECTION ON WHAT THE OVERTIME MAY BE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OR THE JAIL? WELL, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALWAYS HOPING TO BRING IT DOWN, JUDGE.

BUT I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE THE TREND.

I MEAN, I KNOW THAT MANY TIMES WHEN WE COME TO COURT TO ASK FOR MORE OVERTIME FOR THE JAIL.

OTIS HUTCHINSON, OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, DOES SOME PROJECTIONS AND HIS PROJECTIONS ARE USUALLY, IF NOT SPOT ON, THEN THEN HE ACTUALLY OVER ESTIMATES TO THE POINT WHERE WE COME IN UNDER THE WIRE ON A LOT OF THESE THINGS UNDER HIS ESTIMATES.

SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT HE'S GOTTEN PRETTY GOOD AT OVER THE YEARS THROUGH NECESSITY OF COURSE.

BUT I WOULD EXPECT THE CURRENT TREND TO CONTINUE.

HOPEFULLY THE JAIL POPULATION WILL CONTINUE TO TREND DOWNWARD.

AS WE KNOW, GOING INTO THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS.

THAT'S, THAT, I MAY BE, YOU KNOW, WISHING FOR TOO MUCH.

BUT WE SHALL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT.

EXACTLY. COMMISSIONER, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? JUDGE, I WAS GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FOR THIS.

BUT IT'S KIND OF TIMELY TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

THERE IS A, I THINK A SENATE BILL 252 THAT I KNOW.

SHERIFF, YOU WERE A CHAMPION OF TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE MAZE OF THE LEGISLATURE, BUT IT PASSED AND IT'S RELATED TO BEING ABLE TO HIRE VETERANS WHO HAVE LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENCY STATUS.

SO CONGRATS TO YOU FOR CHAMPIONING THAT.

BUT I THINK IT RELATES TO OBVIOUSLY YOUR STAFFING NEEDS.

AND I WONDER, FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU CAN COMMENT ON THAT.

AND THEN ALSO MAYBE IF YOU'VE ALREADY DONE A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF HOW MANY OF THOSE POTENTIAL FOLKS ARE OUT THERE THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RECRUIT INTO YOUR DEPARTMENT.

ABSOLUTELY. YES, SIR.

SENATE BILL 252 WHAT I DID WAS I TOOK AN OLD PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WAS HAD BEEN PRESENTED WITHOUT SUCCESS FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS CONSECUTIVELY, AND I EXPANDED UPON IT.

WHAT I DID WAS I KIND OF REWROTE THE PART WHERE TCOL AT PREVIOUSLY TCOL, OUR LICENSING AUTHORITY IN THE STATE, HAD ONLY BEEN ALLOWED TO LICENSE A US CITIZEN, NATURALIZED US CITIZEN AS A AS A PEACE OFFICER.

I TOOK AN EXPANDED THAT TO SAY LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SERVED HONORABLY IN THE MILITARY CAN BE LICENSED AS EITHER A PEACE OFFICER, A JAILER OR A TELECOMMUNICATOR, WHICH ALL THREE OF THOSE LICENSING CATEGORIES BY TCOL.

WE'VE WE NEED WE HAVE A HUGE NEED FOR IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

SO I WENT AND LOBBIED A LOT.

I TESTIFIED A LOT IN SUPPORT OF IT ON BOTH SIDES AND THANKFULLY IT GOT REALLY GOOD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR HERE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. SO I'M ECSTATIC TO SAY THAT THAT OPENS US UP TO A WHOLE NEW DEMOGRAPHIC OF APPLICANTS THAT WE DIDN'T WE JUST COULDN'T SIMPLY COULDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO.

THESE ARE FOLKS THAT HAVE HONORABLY SERVED THEIR COUNTRY THROUGH THE US MILITARY AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE SELLING POINTS FOR FOR US ANYWAY IS WHEN I WAS TALKING TO THE LEGISLATORS THAT WERE KIND OF ON THE FENCE ABOUT IT IS THAT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY AND OUR OTHER VETERAN CEMETERIES ARE CHOCK FULL OF PEOPLE OF THIS SAME CATEGORY.

SO IF THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY GOOD ENOUGH TO SERVE OUR OUR COUNTRY, TO DIE IN THE SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY, THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY GOOD ENOUGH TO HOLD A A TCOL LICENSE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND THANKFULLY, THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR AGREED ON ON THAT.

SO WITH REGARD TO THAT, COMMISSIONER, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND OF FOLKS THAT THAT FIT THIS CATEGORY.

NOW, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GOING OUT AND GETTING THEM.

AND I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT OUR FIRST RECRUITMENT POST TARGETED TOWARD THAT AUDIENCE WILL BE PUT OUT LATER TODAY.

[00:35:04]

WELL, CONGRATS ON THAT, SHERIFF.

I THINK AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE ARE THERE ARE FOLKS, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED THIS COUNTRY AND NOW TO BE ABLE TO TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT ON THE UNIFORM TO SERVE BEXAR COUNTY, I THINK IS LONG OVERDUE.

SO THANKS FOR CHAMPIONING THAT AND CONGRATS.

HOPEFULLY WE GET A FLOOD OF FOLKS WHO WHO WANT TO COME IN AND DO THAT.

WE APPRECIATE THAT.

AND IT'LL HELP ADDRESS NOT JUST YOUR OVERTIME NEEDS, BUT I THINK SOME OF THE NEEDS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT JUST IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND PRESENCE IN COMMUNITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. WE'RE TRYING VERY HARD GOING TO THE NATIONAL SHERIFFS CONFERENCE RECENTLY, THE TEXAS SHERIFFS CONFERENCE.

THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE PAIN FELT BY BY SHERIFFS ACROSS THE BOARD IS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

WE'RE ALL SEEING THE SAME ISSUE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE ALSO ALL COMPETING FOR THE SAME APPLICANT POOL.

SO SO WITH THIS, I HOPE TO GIVE TEXAS THE UPPER HAND.

I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, EXCELLENT JOB ON THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION.

I JUST WANT TO ECHO COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

VERY INSIGHTFUL STUFF AND YOU'RE TO BE COMMENDED.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. APPRECIATE IT, SIR.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? THERE'S A MOTION.

I'LL MOVE APPROVAL.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[56. Approval and execution of the American Rescue Plan Act Grant Agreement between Bexar County and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center for a period beginning upon contract execution and ending September 30, 2026, in the amount of $300,000 and appropriate budgetary transfer. ]

THE OTHER ITEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION OF CONSENT 56 APPROVAL AND EXECUTION OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEXAR COUNTY AND THE ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER FOR A PERIOD BEGINNING UPON CONTRACT EXECUTION AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026, IN THE AMOUNT OF 300,000 AN APPROPRIATE BUDGET TRANSFER.

BUDGETARY TRANSFER.

MR. GUEVARA. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

COMMISSIONERS, FOR THE RECORD.

THOMAS GUEVARA OFFICE OF THE COUNTY MANAGER.

THIS AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF 300,000 IS WITH THE ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER IN PARTICULAR.

THIS IS FOR THE BEXAR COUNTY.

ARPA FUNDS WILL SUPPORT THE ESPERANZA COMMUNITY LAND AND TRUST DEMOLITION EMERGENCY FUND TO WORK WITH HOUSEHOLDS WHOSE HOMES ARE AT RISK OF DEMOLITION.

THE TRUST WILL ALSO ACQUIRE AND RENOVATE OLDER WEST SIDE HOMES AND RENT AND RESELL THEM TO PERSONS AT OR BELOW 30% AMI.

THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND DEMOLITION PREVENTION MODEL IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN SAN ANTONIO IN PARTICULAR, OUR PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.

BY SEPTEMBER OF 2026, THE ESPERANZA COMMUNITY AND LAND TRUST WILL RENOVATE AND RENT NINE HOMES TO FAMILIES USING THE FUNDING SOURCE THAT THE COUNTY IS PROVIDING, AS WELL AS RENOVATING A TOTAL OF 42 HOMES.

I'M AVAILABLE AND STAFF'S AVAILABLE FOR ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU, THOMAS, FOR PROVIDING THE OVERVIEW THERE.

SO THESE HOMES, THEY ARE THEY ARE HOMES THAT ARE BEING PURCHASED BY ESPERANZA AND THEN BEING RENOVATED AND THEN RESOLD BY THEM.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

MORE THAN LIKELY, THEY WILL RENT THOSE HOMES BACK TO THOSE FAMILIES TO KEEP THEM AFFORDABLE TO THOSE FAMILIES.

BUT THAT IS THE MODEL.

OKAY. AND WHERE ARE THEY PURCHASING THEM? IS THAT OUT OF FORECLOSURE OR IS THAT PRIOR TO DEMOLITION? THEY'RE AT RISK OF DEMOLITION.

BUT IS IT A FORECLOSURE? NO, MY NOTES DON'T SHOW FORECLOSURE YET.

JUST AT RISK OF DEMOLITION.

OKAY. POOR CONDITIONS.

AND DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THEY'RE SELECTING THOSE HOMES OR.

THAT I DON'T KNOW.

COMMISSIONER, I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.

OKAY. AND THEN I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE PROJECT BUDGET HERE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE AT THE TOP, THE SPENDING REQUEST, THE 300,000, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST THING THAT KIND OF STANDS OUT TO ME IS THE STAFF SALARIES ARE GOING TO BE 30% OVERHEAD FOR THE BUDGET FOR WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.

YEAH. AND THE PROGRAM BUDGET BELOW.

IS THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING? EXISTING WORK.

ABSENT THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE TOTAL BUDGET COMMISSIONER OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE 210 AS PART OF THE COUNTY'S PORTION? SO AT THE TOP OF THE PROJECT BUDGET, WE HAVE THE SPENDING PLAN FOR THE FUNDING REQUEST, WHICH IS 100,000 PER YEAR.

AND THEN BELOW THAT, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A PROGRAM BUDGET THAT IS 231,000 PER YEAR.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS COMING FROM OTHER SOURCES.

OTHER SOURCES? YES, SIR.

DIRECTED TO THESE NINE HOMES AS WELL, CORRECT? NO TO THEIR TOTAL PROGRAM.

THE NINE HOMES THAT I'M REFERENCING IS ONLY COMMITTED TO THE COUNTY'S PROGRAM.

[00:40:04]

AND CAN YOU JUST HELP ME WITH WHAT KIND OF OVERSIGHT WE'RE PROVIDING WITH AN ENTITY LIKE THIS THAT'S PURCHASING HOMES, SELLING HOMES, RENTING HOMES, RENOVATING HOMES AND HAS A HIGH OVERHEAD? YES, SIR. AGAIN, AS WITH ANY OF OUR AGREEMENTS, THESE ARE ALL BASED ON REIMBURSEMENT.

THE REIMBURSEMENT MODEL, WE DO HAVE STAFF IN THE ARPA OFFICE THAT DOES GO OUT THERE TO, ONE, EVALUATE THEIR INVOICES.

BUT TO GO OUT IN OUR AGREEMENTS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO OUT TO INSPECT THOSE HOMES, MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY IS GOING IS BEING ISSUED PROPERLY.

OKAY. SO IT'S TWOFOLD, COMMISSIONER.

OKAY. WELL, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS.

I JUST HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN GET INTO ALL OF THEM HERE.

AND JUST QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THESE SORTS OF ENTERPRISES AND INVESTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY OBVIOUSLY SEEMS LIKE A WORTHY GOAL, BUT A LOT OF RISKS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION.

AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I'M JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ABSTAIN ON THIS ITEM.

JUDGE, IF I MIGHT? YES.

YEAH. IF I COULD? THOMAS, THANKS FOR THE OVERVIEW.

THIS IS SOMETHING I KNOW WE WORKED ON LAST YEAR.

I KNOW COMMISSIONER CALVERT WAS VERY HELPFUL IN KIND OF PROMOTING THIS LAND BANK, BUT IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THROUGH PROSPER WEST, I WAS OUT AT CASA BELLA THEIR PROGRAM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHERE THEY'VE DONE THE SAME THING.

AND IN FACT, I WOULD I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, USING ARPA FUNDS, THERE'S PROBABLY EXTRA LAYERS OF OVERSIGHT.

AND BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TREASURY GUIDANCE AND WHATNOT.

SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR.

I KNOW STAFF IS ON TOP OF IT, BUT MUCH LIKE THAT PROGRAM THROUGH PROSPER WEST, IT IS PROVIDING PEOPLE NOT JUST ON THE WEST SIDE, BUT I THINK PART OF THE FOCUS IS ON THE WEST SIDE HOMES THAT WOULD ORDINARILY BE DEMOLISHED TO TO KEEP THEM IN THE HOUSE AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE.

AND SO IT'S REALLY IN SOME WAYS PROVIDING A PUBLIC BENEFIT TO NOT JUST THAT FAMILY, BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SUSTAINABILITY OF HOUSING.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER.

I WOULD MOVE APPROVAL, THOUGH.

I THINK THIS IS A WORTHY INVESTMENT.

I WILL. SECOND, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A BIT OF A MENTION ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT.

I READ A LOT OF ARPA APPLICATIONS AND THIS WAS THE ONE THAT MOST EXCITED ME BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN ACT.

AND OF ALL THE FAMILIES THAT ARE HARDEST HIT, I THINK THOSE IN THESE LOWER INCOME STRATA ARE REALLY STRUGGLING BECAUSE OF THE COST OF EVERYTHING.

INFLATION IS JUST EVERYTHING IS VERY EXPENSIVE.

AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IS AT HOME STABILITY, THE OWNERSHIP OF A HOME HELPS THE WHOLE STABILITY OF THE FAMILY AND THE OUTCOMES ARE IMPROVED GREATLY.

THE INCOME LEVEL FOR FOLKS IN THIS CATEGORY MAKING, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, BUT LESS THAN 30% OF AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME IN SAN ANTONIO, BEAR COUNTY IS ABOUT $59,000 A YEAR.

SO 10 TO 30% WAS THE TARGET.

NOBODY, HARDLY ANYBODY IS TARGETING THAT CATEGORY FOR HOUSING.

SO THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE MAKING BETWEEN $5,500 A YEAR AND $16,500 A YEAR.

NOW, TO THINK THAT THEY'RE NOT WORKING WOULD NOT BE TRUE.

THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING IN HOUSEKEEPING.

THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING AT SEA WORLD.

THE AVERAGE WAGE OF SOMEONE AT SEA WORLD IS BETWEEN 16.5 AND $24,000.

SO THEY MAY ALSO BE WORKING AT FIESTA, TEXAS.

SO. IN ORDER TO LIVE COMFORTABLY IN BEXAR COUNTY AND SAN ANTONIO.

ACCORDING TO MIT, THEY TALK ABOUT A SINGLE PERSON WITH NO CHILDREN HAVING TO MAKE ABOUT $59,000 A YEAR.

SO THESE FOLKS OFTEN ARE ELDERLY, DISABLED, SEVERELY DISABLED.

AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, I THINK, PARTICULARLY ON THE WEST SIDE, WHERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT IS BEEN THE MOST PUNITIVE IN THE STATE, ACCORDING TO UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LAW SCHOOL.

WE HAVE MORE FOLKS WHOSE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN LISTED FOR DEMOLITION THAN ALL OF THE MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS COMBINED BY A LONG SHOT. IT'S A BIG PROBLEM HOW DANGEROUS PREMISES ARE USED.

NOW, PART OF THAT IS THE LONG TERM POVERTY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU TALK TO CHRISTINE DRENNAN.

DR. DRENNAN AT TRINITY UNIVERSITY, SHE WILL TELL YOU THAT THE QUALITY OF MATERIALS USED FOR OLDER HOMES IN SAN ANTONIO AND THAT WEST SIDE AND THE AREAS I REPRESENT, LIKE ALTA VISTA, BEACON HILL, THE QUALITY OF THE MATERIALS OF WOOD WAS LESS THAN, LET'S SAY, BOSTON, WHERE I LIVED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND SO IT'S DETERIORATING.

[00:45:01]

BUT WE ALSO HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT THAT HAS CAUSING INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS.

SO I THINK THIS STABILITY IS A WORTHY GOAL.

I WISH THEY WERE DOING IT IN MY IN MY PRECINCT, TOO.

BUT I'M HAPPY FOR COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ THAT THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE LAND BANK DONE.

AND MAYBE ONE DAY WE'LL EXPAND IT BECAUSE MY COMMUNITY HAS SIMILAR NEEDS.

BUT THIS IS, I THINK, GOING TO BE STABILIZING FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES.

AND THE LAND BANK ISSUE IS ONE WE SHOULD HAVE DONE A LONG TIME AGO BECAUSE NOW THE COST OF BUYING PROPERTIES IS REALLY, REALLY HIGH BECAUSE WE'RE COMPETING.

46% OF THE PROPERTIES ARE BEING BOUGHT BY CORPORATIONS.

SO THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

I SECOND THE MOTION.

ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.

I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE ITEMS PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.

ALL RIGHT. THE COURT WILL NOW TAKE UP.

[6. Filing for record the following legal and administrative documents and directing the Criminal District Attorney's Office to take action, if necessary: ]

ITEM SIX, WHICH IS FILING FOR RECORD THE FOLLOWING LEGAL ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS AND DIRECTING THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO TAKE ACTION IF NECESSARY, FOR THOSE ITEMS LISTED THROUGH A THROUGH G AND OF COURSE, TAKE JUDICIAL NOTICE OF THOSE MATTERS.

COMMISSIONER AGENDA ITEM SEVEN COMMISSIONERS COURT MOTION MINUTES FOR TUESDAY, MAY 23RD, 2023.

[7. Commissioners Court minutes for Tuesday, May 23, 2023; Tuesday June 6, 2023; and Tuesday June 13, 2023. ]

TUESDAY, JUNE 6TH, 2023.

TUESDAY, JUNE 13TH, 2023.

MOVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

SECOND. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

[8. Communications from citizens who signed the register to speak. ]

I WOULD. WE'RE GOING TO DO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.

YOU HAD ALERTED ME THAT MAYOR WILLIAMS IS HERE.

HE HAS ASKED TO SPEAK ON THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.

DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT UP AT THIS TIME? SURE. MAYOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? THANK YOU FOR COMING. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AS ALWAYS.

UNIVERSAL CITY MAYOR WILLIAMS HERE.

THANK YOU FOR COMING, JUDGE.

GOOD MORNING. GREAT TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.

I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING WITH THREE OF YOU EXCUSE ME, ON THE BOARD AS AS WE KNOW.

SO WE GET A CHANCE TO GET TOGETHER AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.

BUT I'M HERE JUST TO PRIMARILY SAY THANK YOU.

ITEM 61 ON THE AGENDA IS RELATED TO CDBG MONEY.

AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU AND THE COMMISSIONERS COURT HOW PROUD WE ARE TO BE PARTNERS WITH YOU ON THIS VENTURE BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THE STREETS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IN UNIVERSAL CITY WITHOUT THE CDBG SUPPORT COULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED AND IT NEVER WILL HAPPEN.

SO OVER THE YEARS, NOT ONLY JUST NOW, BUT IN THE PAST, WE HAVE BEEN REALLY GREAT PARTNERS WITH YOU AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND THERE'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY FOR $300,000 FOR STREET REPAIR, A COMPLETE STREET WORK.

AND IT'S SO DESPERATELY NEEDED IN OUR ONE PARTICULAR PARTS OF OUR CITY.

AND SO I REALLY WANTED TO COMMEND ALL OF YOU.

I WANTED TO COME DOWNTOWN AND SAY THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING OUR EFFORTS.

AND IT DOES NOT GO ON FALSE EARS.

AND WE ARE VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF BEXAR COUNTY.

THANK YOU. I'M GLAD TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS EVERYBODY HAS THAT.

WE'LL TAKE UP 61 AND A BIT.

MAYOR. THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

OKAY. THE NEXT CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, IT APPEARS THAT THEY ALL COME FROM THE SAME ORGANIZATION.

MARY ARCHULETA, JUAN HERNANDEZ AND FRANK VILLANI.

DO YOU ALL WANT TO COME UP AS A GROUP AND COMBINE YOUR TIME? YES. ALL RIGHT.

AND Y'ALL ARE HERE FOR DREAMS FULFILLED THROUGH MUSIC.

I THINK Y'ALL WERE HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WEREN'T YOU? YEAH. JUDGE THEY WERE HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO.

JUDGE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

I'M FRANK VILLANI. SOME OF YOU I WORKED WITH WHEN I WAS THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

SOME OF YOU KNOW ME NOW AS THE CEO OF MAGIC THEATER, BUT I'M ALSO CHAIRMAN OF DREAMS FULFILLED THROUGH MUSIC NOW.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO BRING FORWARD, AND THIS WAS A GREAT TIME TO BE HERE BECAUSE YOU HAD T MOBILITY EARLIER THIS MORNING AND YOU HAD THE AUTISM SOCIETY. AND I REALLY BECAME INVOLVED WHEN I WAS WITH THE CITY BECAUSE I REALIZED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM.

SOMETIMES WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ARTS GROUPS AND YOU TALK ABOUT GROUPS THAT ARE HANDLING THINGS WHICH ARE HUMAN HUMAN SERVICES.

I SHOULD TAKE A SECOND TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE ARPA FUNDS FOR THE ARTS.

BOTH MAGIC AND DREAMS ARE GETTING THEM.

BUT IN DREAMS' CASE, 90% OF WHAT IT DOES IS WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE IN DAY HAVE CENTERS THE INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY CENTERS.

THERE ARE 38 OF THEM IN THE COUNTY AND CURRENTLY DREAMS IS WORKING IN THREE.

UNFORTUNATELY, DREAMS IS ONE OF THOSE VERY, VERY SMALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT MARY KAY IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE ORGANIZATION.

[00:50:02]

SHE'S ALSO THE MUSIC DIRECTOR.

WE DON'T. SHE'S AN ADAPTIVE MUSIC SPECIALIST.

WE DON'T HAVE A PROFESSIONAL MUSIC THERAPIST ON STAFF THAT WOULD COST $75,000.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET ACROSS IS THAT ALTHOUGH DREAMS FULFILLED DOES WORK THAT ARE GOING TO BE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES, THE WORK THAT IT'S REALLY DOING IS WITH THOSE CLIENTELES THAT ARE DISABLED THAT NEED MUSIC TO HELP THEM COME ACROSS AND SEE SOME OF THE VALUE THAT IS IN THEIR LIFE. IT BRINGS JOY TO THEM.

IT GIVES THEM SELF-ASSURANCE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID NOT REALIZE UNTIL I WENT ON, MARY KAY'S BOARD, IS THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON THAT'S GETTING ASSISTANCE HAS LESS THAN $35 A WEEK TO SPEND ON A MONTH, EXCUSE ME, TO SPEND ON ADDITIONAL OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES.

A WEEK AGO WE DID A BENEFIT CONCERT AT MAGIC THEATER.

I WAS ABLE TO DONATE THE THEATER TO TRY AND GET PEOPLE MORE AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS CRITICAL NEED IN THE COMMUNITY.

AGAIN, I CAN SAY AS A GRANDFATHER WITH A CHILD WITH AUTISM, ONE OF THE THINGS I SEE IS THAT MUSIC HELPS HIM BEGIN TO DEVELOP.

AND CLEARLY WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BEGIN TO DO IS GET TO THE COUNTY THE SAME AS WE'RE GOING TO TRY WITH THE CITY AND MAKE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS ART. BUT IT REALLY IS ABOUT WORKING IN THE INDIVIDUAL AND DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.

AGAIN, THERE ARE 38.

WE'RE IN ONLY THREE.

NOBODY ELSE IS DOING THE WORK.

NONE OF THOSE CENTERS CAN AFFORD TO HAVE A MUSIC THERAPIST OR A MUSIC SPECIALIST ON STAFF.

AND THAT LITTLE BRIGHT LIGHT, I CAN SAY FROM HAVING WITNESSED SOME OF IT, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH IT NOW, THEY WORK WITH A SOUND CESSATION PROGRAM. IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN IN THE LONG RUN.

IT'S ABOUT HELPING THEM SEE THEIR COGNITIVE ABILITIES AND CONTINUING TO GROW THOSE ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE BOARD.

SO WE WANT TO PUT TOGETHER A BUSINESS PROPOSAL THAT WOULD BEGIN TO MAKE SENSE BECAUSE I THINK WHAT DREAMS IS DOING IS SO VITAL TO THE CORE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SOME OF THEM YOU SAW TODAY AND WE COLLABORATE WITH THEM.

BUT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE.

AND I WILL SAY THAT AS THE CHAIRMAN FOR THIS LADY OR THIS ORGANIZATION TO CONTINUE TO EXIST WITHOUT ADDITIONAL STAFF SUPPORT, AND JUAN HERNANDEZ OVER HERE, HE ACTUALLY WORKED FOR ME AT THE CITY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE, RETIRED FROM THE CITY AND NOW IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF PERSON AT A VERY MINIMAL RATE BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

AND I THINK THE ONE THING THAT I WILL SAY THAT THE COUNTY CAN BE PROUD OF IS THE FACT THAT WE TURN NO ONE AWAY.

EVERYBODY WHO NEEDS THAT SERVICE, IT GETS DONE.

AND IT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE MARY KAY'S BELIEF AND SHE'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR ALL THOSE YEARS IS THAT IT IS A POPULATION THAT IS SO SEVERELY UNDERSERVED AND IT'S ONE THAT IS A SILENT POPULATION.

I LOVED WHAT THE PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SAID.

THEY FINALLY BEGAN GETTING TOGETHER AND COLLECTIVELY THE WORD IS GETTING OUT.

AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO COME TODAY AND SAY THAT THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS GOING TO BE ASKING FOR SUPPORT.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A LOT.

BUT WHAT IT DOES WITH THE MONEY THAT IT CURRENTLY HAS IS UNBELIEVABLY AND TRANSFORMATIONAL.

AND IF WE CAN DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF GROUPS FROM 3 TO 6, YOU KNOW WHAT WILL? BEGIN TO HAPPEN. THERE ARE ONLY FIVE PEOPLE IN A CLASS, BUT AS THOSE FIVE GRADUATE, THEY GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND EACH TIME YOU SEE A LEVEL GOING ON, YOU SEE AN INCREDIBLE VALUE GOING ON.

AND I KNOW MY TIME IS UP AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A 10:00 MEETING, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT.

ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.

YOU SAID THERE'S HOW MANY LEARNING CENTERS? 38. IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN GET A MAP TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED IN THE COUNTY? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THANK YOU.

MR. VILLANI, HAVE YOU MADE AN ASK OF THE COUNTY? NO, WE HAVE NOT AS OF YET.

I REALLY WANTED TO JUDGE PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER THAT WOULD MAKE FISCAL SENSE.

AND WE COULD JUSTIFY FROM THE POINT OF THE ORGANIZATION WE ARE.

I KNOW THAT MONEY IS TIGHT.

AND CERTAINLY AS WE LOOK AT THESE THINGS ACROSS THE BOARD, WE REALIZE THAT EVERY DOLLAR THAT YOU SPEND, WE HEARD THE SHERIFFS AND EVERYTHING, BUDGETS ARE TIGHT.

WE WANT TO SHOW THAT EVERY DOLLAR YOU SPEND IS GOING TO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE RIPPLE EFFECT, NOT ONLY IN A RETURN ON THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE CENTERS BECOMING MORE PRODUCTIVE AS HUMANS, HAVING WORK AND BEING LESS ON A SYSTEM, BUT ALSO FROM A VALUE OF QUALITY OF LIFE.

THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YOU GUYS WERE HERE LAST WEEK.

WEREN'T YOU HERE LAST WEEK WITH YOUR DAUGHTER? SHE WAS HERE TWO WEEKS AGO. HERE?

[00:55:01]

LAST COMMISSIONERS COURT. MY DAUGHTER WAS ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT BEGAN THE PROJECT THROUGH HER GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD PROJECT, OKAY? AND THAT ULTIMATELY BECAME DREAMS FULFILLED THROUGH MUSIC.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. GET YOUR PROPOSAL IN.

SOONER YOU GET IT IN SOONER, WE'LL CONSIDER IT.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, INDIVIDUAL, IS IT 10:00? WE'LL GO TO TIME. CERTAIN.

PERFECT TIMING, MISS SCHAEFER.

SHE STEPPED OUT AGAIN.

OH, MAN.

OH, WELL, SHE'S USED TO THE TIME LAG, I GUESS.

MIGHT BE BETTER IN THE HALLWAY. THAT'S TRUE, TOO.

IT'S. YEAH.

THEY FORGOT TO TURN IT IN.

TURN ON THE AC OVER THE WEEKEND.

IS SHE COMING, JIM? ALL

[4.a. 10:00 a.m.: Presentation of the College Bound Docket program, founded 5 years ago to create a first of its kind in the Nation to help former and current foster youth be successful in college. The program exists to help remove the barriers that so often get in the way of attending college. ]

RIGHT. WE'RE DOING OUR TIME.

CERTAIN FOR 10 A.M., MS. SCHAEFER. LET ME SEE.

WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE COLLEGEBOUND PROGRAM FOUNDED FIVE YEARS AGO TO CREATE A FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION TO HELP FORMER AND CURRENT FOSTER YOUTH BE SUCCESSFUL IN COLLEGE. THE PROGRAM EXISTS TO HELP REMOVE THE BARRIERS THAT SO OFTEN GET IN THE WAY OF ATTENDING COLLEGE.

MS. SCHAEFER, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU.

ABSOLUTELY. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

AND JUDGE. MY NAME IS BARBARA SCHAEFER, CHILDREN'S COURT ADMINISTRATOR FOR OUR DIVISION AND PROGRAMS. OKAY, HOLD ON. IS THAT YOUR GROUP? THAT'S MY CREW. WE'LL GET THEM UP HERE.

IS THAT YOUR TRIBE? YEAH.

LET'S GO. COME ON.

AND, PEGGY, AMY IS RUNNING A LITTLE BIT LATE.

WHAT NOW, PEGGY? AMY'S RUNNING A LITTLE BIT LATE.

OKAY, WELL, COME ON UP.

I PRESUME THEY'RE THE RECOGNIZED.

GROUP. YES.

AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO TODAY IS TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THREE PEOPLE AND THREE PARTNERS THAT MAKE THIS PROGRAM EXCEPTIONAL.

ONE OF THOSE IS OUR COLLEGE BOUND ADVOCATE.

HER NAME IS MJ JONES.

SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND ME.

HER POSITION AND THAT IDEA CAME FROM I STARTED THINKING ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND I THOUGHT, WHAT DOES A FOSTER CARE YOUTH NOT WANT? AND THEY DON'T WANT ANOTHER SOCIAL WORKER.

THEY DON'T WANT ANOTHER PARENT.

THEY DON'T WANT ANOTHER CASEWORKER THERE TELLING THEM HOW TO FEEL ABOUT AN EXPERIENCE.

AND SO WE DECIDED TO HIRE A YOUTH OR CONTRACT WITH A YOUTH THAT HAS LIVED THAT EXPERIENCE.

AND SO YOU'LL HEAR HER STORY IN A MINUTE.

THE OTHER IS THE HONORABLE CHARLES MONTEMAYOR.

HE HEARS THE COLLEGE BOUND DOCKET AND THE LAST PERSON WILL BE PEGGY AMY, FIRST LADY AT UTSA, AND SHE'LL BE HERE MOMENTARILY.

LET ME TURN IT OVER TO JUDGE MONTEMAYOR.

GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING US.

WE HAD OUR GRADUATION FRIDAY, AND I SAID AT THAT CEREMONY THAT THIS HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY TIME IN CHILDREN'S COURT.

THIS HAS BEEN UNBELIEVABLE.

AND I REALLY NEED TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND ONCE AGAIN, BEAR COUNTY HAS STEPPED UP FROM BAPTIST CHILDREN'S HOMES, CASA OF SAN ANTONIO, UTSA, TEXAS A&M, SAN ANTONIO, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT HAVE INCREDIBLY STEPPED UP.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HERE IN THIS DOCKET EVERY DAY I'VE HAD THE LEAD ADMINISTRATORS COME IN ON BEHALF OF FOSTER CARE.

CHILDREN ADVOCATE FOR THEM, GET THE LITTLE PROBLEMS, SET FINANCES, HOUSING, MEAL PLANS, AND THEY'RE JUST TAKING CARE OF THE LITTLE THINGS THAT THESE FOSTER CHILDREN DON'T HAVE, PARENTS FIGHTING THEIR BATTLES.

SO THE COLLEGE BOUND DOCKET STEPPED UP TO THAT ROLE.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS.

WE'RE STARTING. WE'VE SENT 20 KIDS OFF TO COLLEGE AT THIS LAST CEREMONY.

WE'VE HAD SOME GRADUATES.

WE STARTED IN 2019.

WE ALREADY HAVE A COUPLE OF COLLEGE GRADUATES AND A LOT MORE BEHIND IT.

ALL OVER THE STATE. TEXAS STATE, TEXAS TECH, TEXAS A&M, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UTSA, TEXAS A&M HERE, CORPUS CHRISTI A&M, ALL OVER THE STATE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF OUR COLLEGE BOUND DOCKET FOSTER CARE STUDENTS.

AND THIS IS IN RESPONSE, I THINK, TO THE NUMBERS WE SAW EARLIER, WHERE FOSTER CARE CHILDREN, A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE, I BELIEVE ABOUT 3%, WERE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE COLLEGE TUITION BEING PAID FOR.

AND BEAR COUNTY STEPPED UP AND STARTED THIS PROGRAM.

AND NOW WE'RE SEEING A DRAMATIC INCREASE.

AND IT STARTS EARLY FROM FRESHMAN, SOPHOMORE YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL.

WE START GIVING THEM COLLEGE TOURS.

WE START INTRODUCING THEM TO THE CONCEPT OF COLLEGE AND AND FOLLOWING THROUGH IN OUR HEARINGS ABOUT CURRICULUM, ABOUT WHAT COURSES TO TAKE TO MAKE THEM COLLEGE PREPARATORY

[01:00:08]

READY, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THEY'RE TAKING THE RIGHT COURSES.

AP AND EVEN GIVING THEM THE ADVANTAGES.

A LOT OF OUR CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE, SUCH AS CTE COURSES AND PREP COURSES.

SO THEY THEY HAVE A CHANCE WHEN THEY APPLY.

AND WE'RE FINDING THEY'RE DOING MORE THAN SUCCEEDING.

THEY'RE EXCELLING. THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THIS TIME TO RECOGNIZE.

JUDGE MONTEMAYOR, COULD YOU JUST TELL THE COURT, WHEN YOU SAY A DRAMATIC INCREASE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WELL, WE GET 3% TAKING ADVANTAGE BEFORE AND WE ARE SEEING.

IN THE HUNDREDS NOW THAT WE'VE PUT IN SINCE 2019.

SMALL HUNDREDS. THAT'S GREAT.

AND WE JUST GRADUATED 20 THIS FRIDAY.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ABOUT MORE OR LESS APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 20 WITH EACH CLASS DATING BACK TO FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, STARTING THEM THEN AND THEIR NEW ADVOCATES NOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

SO THAT'S GREAT. AND WE ALSO HAVE A POST HIGH SCHOOL.

EVEN WHEN THEY AGE OUT OF FOSTER CARE, THE COMMUNITY REMAINS THE SAME.

IN FACT, THEY FORMED THEIR OWN COMMUNITY ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUSES WHERE THEY SUPPORT EACH OTHER.

AS FORMER FOSTER YOUTH AND AGAIN, OUR PARTNERS IN UTSA, TEXAS A&M AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT HAVE BEEN NOT ONLY GETTING THEM TO COLLEGE, BUT FOLLOWING THEM THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE GETTING THE TUTORING AND FRANKLY, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SOMETIMES AS IT CAN BE A CULTURE SHOCK FOR ANY OF OUR CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY, CHANGING FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE, MUCH LESS FOSTER CHILDREN WHO COME WITH A HISTORY.

SO, JUDGE, WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE YOUR TRIBE THERE? ALL RIGHT. WELL, MJ, OF COURSE, IS OUR PEER COORDINATOR.

SHE'S GREAT. KIMBERLY MORRISON.

SHE'S THE COURT MANAGER FOR THE COLLEGE BOUND DOCKET AND EAGLES AND PEARLS, WHICH IS KIND OF BEEN PARTNERING WITH COLLEGE BOUND DOCKET AND HELPING OUR OUR YOUTH KIND OF TRANSFER IN. I'M GOING TO LEAVE SOME OF THE CASA OF SAN ANTONIO.

ANGIE WHITE HAS BEEN AMAZING AND HER STAFF, THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE.

ELLIE MATA OVER THERE WHO'S THE WHO RUNS OUR COURT AND HE RUNS THE DOCKET AND MAKES SURE EVERYTHING'S OKAY.

I'M LEAVING SOMEONE OUT. I KNOW I'M NOT GOOD AT THIS.

IS THAT DR.

MEGAN FIELD RESEARCHER AND GIVES US THE DATA AND GIVES ME THE NUMBERS.

UT HEALTH HELPING US WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.

I'M SORRY, KIM. YOU'RE PROBABLY BACK THERE.

SO, MS. SCHAEFER, YOU SAID SHE HAS SOME STORIES TO SHARE.

YES, SIR. I'D LIKE TO ASK MJ TO COME UP AND SHARE HER STORY AND THE IMPACT THAT THIS DOCKET HAS MADE FOR OUR YOUTH.

COME ON UP. HELLO.

HERE WE GO. SO, MY NAME IS MIRANDA JONES.

MOST PEOPLE KNOW ME AS MJ AND I MOVED HERE TO SAN ANTONIO IN NOVEMBER OF 2019.

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

SO AT THE AGE OF 14, I WAS REMOVED FROM MY MOM BY CPS.

SHE HAD ME WHEN SHE WAS 14 YEARS OLD.

SO THAT'S ALREADY A PROBLEM NUMBER ONE THERE.

AND I WAS PLACED INTO A FOSTER HOME SPLIT BETWEEN MY SIBLINGS, LIKE WE WERE IN DIFFERENT HOMES.

LUCKILY, I HAD A FAMILY MEMBER THAT WAS ABLE TO COME THROUGH AND TAKE US IN AFTER ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS.

AND SO THAT MOVED ME TO THE STATE OF ARKANSAS WITH MY AUNT.

AND SO I WENT TO A GOT TRANSFERRED TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL, WHICH WAS VERY DIFFERENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

AND I KNEW I ALWAYS WANTED TO GO TO COLLEGE.

AND MY FRIENDS WERE ALL GOING TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL IN ARKANSAS CALLED HARDING UNIVERSITY, AND I KNEW I HAD THIS TUITION FEE WAIVER.

BUT THE IDEA OF MOVING BACK TO TEXAS FOR SCHOOL WAS JUST MORE STRESSFUL THAN JUST TAKING OUT LOANS IN ARKANSAS.

SO I COULD STAY WITH THE PEOPLE THAT I KNEW AND FELT COMFORTABLE WITH.

AND SO I DECIDED TO APPLY TO HARDING UNIVERSITY, AND I STARTED SCHOOL THERE AND DID ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.

AND I WAS TRYING TO GET A CROSS COUNTRY SCHOLARSHIP.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS BETTING ON.

BUT IT DIDN'T WORK OUT THAT WAY.

IT WASN'T GOING TO FULLY COVER THE TUITION ANYWAY.

BUT AFTER MY SECOND SEMESTER, THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE SAT ME DOWN AND THEY WERE LIKE, YEAH, YOU'RE GOING TO OWE OVER $100,000 IN DEBT IF YOU DO A FOUR YEAR LIKE DEGREE HERE.

AND I JUST WAS SOBBING AND I WAS LIKE, I GUESS I HAVE TO MOVE TO TEXAS, YOU KNOW, LIKE I JUST HAD NOWHERE TO GO.

SO I DECIDED TO CALL MY DAD, WHO I NEVER LIVED WITH IN MY LIFE, BUT I WAS 19 YEARS OLD.

AND I SAID CALLED HIM UP AND I SAID, HEY, CAN I COME LIVE WITH YOU? AND HE LIVED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.

HE'S LIVED THERE MY WHOLE LIFE.

AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S LIKE, SURE, YEAH, LET'S GO.

AND IT WAS LIKE A HONEYMOON PHASE.

AND A SIDE NOTE OF THAT IS THAT.

A LOT OF KIDS IN THIS PROGRAM, YOUNG ADULTS, THEY TURN 18 AND THEY WANT TO GO SEE THEIR FAMILY LIKE THEIR BIO PARENTS, AND THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO BE.

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY HOPE FOR? TO HAVE A PARENT SUPPORT THEM.

AND IT DID NOT WORK OUT THAT WAY.

I WAS AT MY DAD'S FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, ABOUT TWO YEARS, AND I WENT TO SCHOOL AT UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, TRANSFERRED THERE, HANDED THEM MY WAIVER, WHICH THEY DID NOT KNOW

[01:05:06]

WHAT THE WAIVER WAS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING, BUT STARTED SCHOOL.

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.

AND THEN.

AFTER THINGS GOT CRAZY WITH MY DAD, HE KICKED ME OUT.

AND I WAS I HAD MOVED IN WITH A FAMILY FROM CHURCH, WHICH.

WAS A BETTER, LIKE, PHYSICAL LIVING SITUATION, BUT MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.

NOT THE GREATEST SITUATION FOR ME.

BUT I CONTINUED DOING SCHOOL.

I WORKED FULL TIME AT STARBUCKS AND I WAS LIKE REALLY SCRAPING BY LIKE EVERY DAY WAS.

WHO LITERALLY ONE SECOND AT A TIME DURING THIS TIME AS WELL.

WHEN I MOVED TO HOUSTON, I STARTED SOME INTENSIVE THERAPY ADDRESSING THINGS THAT I JUST HADN'T WORKED THROUGH IN MY PAST.

AND SO THAT WAS AT TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, AND I HAD A WHOLE TREATMENT TEAM THERE THAT MOST AMAZING PEOPLE, JUST SUCH A GREAT TEAM.

AND. I GOT TO A POINT IN THE YEAR 2019 WHERE I WASN'T SURE LIKE I DIDN'T I WENT TO THERAPY LIKE VERY CERTAIN THAT I WASN'T GOING TO BE ALIVE THE NEXT DAY.

AND I WAS KIND OF BEATING AROUND THE BUSH WITH MY THERAPIST AND SHE KNEW SHE COULD SEE IT RIGHT, RIGHT THROUGH ME.

YOU KNOW, SHE'S LIKE, PLEASE, CAN YOU GO DOWN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM WITH ME AND LET'S JUST GET YOU EVALUATED? AND I WAS LIKE, NOPE. LIKE, I'M GOOD.

I'M FINE. I CAN HANDLE THIS.

AND SHE HAD TO GO.

SHE HAD ANOTHER APPOINTMENT. SHE SAID SHE ASKED ME, CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE MY SOCIAL WORKER A CHANCE? AND I, IT WAS LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO ANOTHER STUPID SOCIAL WORKER.

THAT IS THE LAST THING I NEED.

I REMEMBER BEING SO MAD AT HER AND I JUST SOMETHING TOLD ME, JUST GIVE HER GIVE THIS LADY A CHANCE BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE'S AWESOME.

LIKE SHE'S ONE OF MY BEST SOCIAL WORKERS.

SHE'S AMAZING.

SO, LO AND BEHOLD, I'M SITTING THERE.

ABOUT TEN MINUTES LATER, A SOCIAL WORKER NAMED BECKY COMES IN REBECA, AND SHE'S GOT TO BE A GOOD PERSON.

SO WHAT'D YOU SAY? SHE'S GOT TO BE A GOOD PERSON FOR HER.

OH, YEAH. SHE'S SUPER COOL LADY.

LIKE, COMES IN FULL ENERGY.

AND I WAS ALREADY LIKE, OKAY, YOU KNOW, LIKE, THIS IS A LOT.

SHE SITS DOWN AND IT ONLY TOOK A FEW MINUTES FOR ME TO REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH HER.

LIKE I FELT VERY OPEN AND SAFE WITH HER AND SHE JUST WAS SO REAL.

SHE WAS LIKE, WHAT'S UP? LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON? TALK TO ME. AND.

I SWEAR, LIKE TWO HOURS HAD PASSED BY.

AND LIKE, BY THE END OF THAT CONVERSATION, WE HAD ESTABLISHED, LIKE, A SAFETY PLAN, A PROMISE TO BE BACK THE NEXT DAY.

AND WE WERE GOING TO MEET AT 8 A.M.

IN THE MORNING, BUT BY THE END OF THAT CONVERSATION.

SHE ASKED ME, DO I HAVE PERMISSION TO CALL MY SISTER, AKA BARBARA SCHAEFER? DO I HAVE PERMISSION TO CALL MY SISTER AND JUST TELL HER ABOUT YOU? AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY.

YOU KNOW, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY STRANGE.

BUT I WAS LIKE AT A POINT WHERE I WAS LIKE, I DON'T CARE.

LIKE, DO WHATEVER.

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT SHE WAS GETTING TO.

BUT THE NEXT DAY I FOUND OUT.

SO THIS RANDOM SOCIAL WORKER THAT I GAVE A CHANCE THAT I ALMOST WALKED OUT ON CALLS.

BARBARA TELLS HER ABOUT ME, AND I WALK IN THE NEXT MORNING AT TEXAS CHILDREN'S AND SHE LOOKS AT ME AND GOES, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT MOVING TO SAN ANTONIO? AND I WAS LIKE, LIKE, WHY WOULD I MOVE TO SAN ANTONIO? I WAS LIKE, THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THAT.

I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY HERE.

AND SHE STARTED TELLING ME ABOUT THIS PROGRAM THAT WAS BEING DEVELOPED LIKE IT WASN'T OFFICIAL YET, BUT IT WAS IN THE MAKING.

AND THIS WAS IN THE IN JULY OF 2019.

SO YOU GUYS WERE GETTING IT READY.

AND I HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS AT THAT POINT.

AND IT WAS AT A POINT WHERE, LIKE, I HAD NOTHING ELSE TO LOSE.

SO I WAS LIKE, SURE, LET'S DO IT.

AND A FEW DAYS LATER, I'M ON A THREE WAY CALL WITH BARBARA AND HER SISTER, BECKY.

AND BARBARA WAS GIVING ME THE VISION OF WHAT SHE WANTED, LIKE WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO TRY AND DO TO CREATE THIS POSITION FOR ME.

AND ULTIMATELY, LIKE IT CAME TOGETHER, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKED OUT THIS WAY, BUT IT JUST DID AND BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM.

SO THIS PROGRAM.

SO BARBARA WAS ABLE TO TAKE A PORTION OF THIS GRANT MONEY THAT THIS PROGRAM RECEIVED AND CREATE A CONTRACT POSITION FOR ME WHERE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I ACTUALLY HAVE LIKE CONSISTENT, LIKE STABLE INCOME LIKE THAT, LIKE, I KNOW I'M GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH TO, LIKE, LIVE.

BASICALLY. I WAS ABLE TO GET MY LIKE FIRST TIME AT SEA, 22, 23 YEARS OLD, STABLE HOUSING IN MY LIFE.

MY FIRST THREE MONTHS WORKING AS A PEER ADVOCATE.

THEY COVERED MY RENT FOR ME SO I COULD GET ON MY FEET AND I WAS ABLE TO PUT THAT MONEY BACK AND SAVE.

AND HOUSING STABILITY IS NUMBER ONE WITH THAT.

LIKE IF YOU DON'T HAVE HOUSING STABILITY, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL CRUMBLE.

[01:10:04]

AND THEN I TRANSFERRED TO UTSA WHEN I MOVED HERE AND I FINALLY GRADUATED IN THE SPRING OF 2022.

YEAH. SO LAST YEAR AND.

IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO FINISH SCHOOL.

AND THAT'S I'M ACTUALLY NOT FINISHED.

I'M IN GRAD SCHOOL NOW, BUT.

I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS.

OKAY. SO ONE IS LIKE.

HAD I HAD A PROGRAM LIKE THIS WHEN I WAS 19, RIGHT? I WAS I WAS IN ARKANSAS. I WAS LIKE, I WANT TO MOVE TO TEXAS.

I WANT TO START SCHOOL.

BUT I HAVE THIS WAIVER. BUT HOW AM I GOING TO AFFORD EVERYTHING I WASN'T ELIGIBLE FOR? SO NOT EVERY KID IS ELIGIBLE FOR.

THERE'S ALL THESE LITTLE WORDS, PMC AND PCA.

I DON'T KNOW. I'M LEARNING. I'M STILL LEARNING LIKE WHAT ALL THIS STUFF MEANS.

BUT I DIDN'T.

YEAH, I JUST WASN'T ELIGIBLE FOR THAT.

AND IF THIS PROGRAM HAD EXISTED AND I KNEW ABOUT IT OR SAY LIKE HARRIS COUNTY HAD A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.

GOSH, THE AMOUNT OF HEARTACHE THAT.

WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED JUST HAVING A PLACE LIKE A PROGRAM TO GO TO THAT I CALL IT LIKE A BACKBONE.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE A PROGRAM.

IT'S LIKE A SUPPORTIVE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WILL.

LIKE KIND OF FILLING A ROLE, ALMOST LIKE AS IF YOU HAD PARENTS.

NOT REALLY FULLY PARENTS LIKE THAT ROLE, BUT JUST.

LIKE JUST YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT LIKE IS THERE FOR YOU.

LIKE, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE IS LIKE CONSISTENCY.

SOMEONE LISTENING.

HELP WITH.

YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE WHAT WE CAN FINANCIALLY HELP WITH, LIKE LAPTOPS, BOOKS.

I WAS ABLE TO USE, YOU KNOW, MY FAFSA MONEY, PELL GRANT TO PUT BACK OR USE TOWARDS OTHER THINGS LIKE LIKE FUN MONEY.

I THINK YOUNG ADULTS, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED FUN MONEY.

YOU NEED TO GO OUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF MY CLOSE FRIENDS WHOSE PARENTS WILL VENMO THEM ONCE A MONTH AND THEY'RE LIKE 25 YEARS OLD AND STILL GETTING MONEY FROM THEIR PARENTS TO GO HAVE FUN WITH THEIR FRIENDS. I'VE NEVER RECEIVED ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN MY LIFE LIKE AND THAT'S JUST THINGS PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED.

AND IT'S LIKE LITTLE THINGS, BUT IT REALLY MEANS A LOT.

AND. SO.

OKAY, I'LL, LIKE, WRAP THIS UP.

SO LIKE THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN PERFECT HERE.

LIKE, IT WASN'T LIKE I MOVED HERE AND WAS LIKE, EVERYTHING'S RAINBOWS AND BUTTERFLIES.

BUT THIS, LIKE EVERY TIME I HIT A LOW POINT THE LAST FEW YEARS, THESE PEOPLE HAVE MY BACK.

THEY COULD HAVE GIVEN UP ON ME AND LIKE PEOPLE HAVE AND JUST BEEN LIKE, YEAH, SHE'S NO GOOD.

LIKE, SHE'S JUST GOING TO CONTINUE IN THIS CYCLE OF, YOU KNOW, BEING IN THERAPY AND NEEDING HELP AND ALL THAT.

BUT EVENTUALLY.

LIKE I GOT TO WHERE I AM NOW AND I'M FINALLY LIKE, I'M REALLY ON TOP.

I'M DOING REALLY BIG THINGS.

AND I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE IN THIS PLACE IN MY LIFE.

LIKE, IT'S JUST INSANE.

OH, MY GOSH.

YEAH. SO ULTIMATELY, THIS OPPORTUNITY, IT GAVE ME HOPE, PURPOSE, STABILITY.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A PERSON LIKE ME IN THIS PROGRAM IS, LIKE IT JUST WOULDN'T BE THE SAME NOT HAVING A PERSON THAT GETS IT.

LIKE SOME OF THESE KIDS I TALKED TO IN THE PROGRAM, LIKE THEY'LL ALL THEY HAVE TO SAY IS LIKE.

LIKE THEY JUST MOVED TO COLLEGE AND THEY MOVED INTO THEIR DORM AND THEY'RE LIKE, I'M LONELY.

AND IT'S LIKE THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO ELABORATE WHAT THAT MEANS BECAUSE I FULLY GET IT.

I GET THE WHOLE PICTURE AND.

OH, IT'S JUST REALLY. IT'S REALLY SPECIAL AND IMPORTANT.

SO. YES, I HOPE THAT WAS HELPFUL AND I'M WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY.

SO WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS? MY PLAN? SO CURRENTLY I'M IN THE PROCESS OF, OKAY, SO I GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY.

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK WITH PEOPLE, HELPING PEOPLE, SPECIFICALLY MENTAL HEALTH AREA AND.

I ALSO HAVE HAD A VERY SPECIAL INTEREST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OR JUST EVEN FBI AROUND ANYTHING IN THAT REALM.

BUT I DECIDED TO APPLY FOR SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT IN MARCH, AND I MADE IT THROUGH THE ENTIRE APPLICATION PROCESS.

AND I'M JUST WAITING ON A CALL OF WHETHER OR NOT I MAKE IT INTO THE ACADEMY AND I'M STILL COMPLETING GRAD SCHOOL.

SO I'M DOING A MASTER'S OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND I'M GOING TO GET MY, LIKE, FEET WET WITH SAP.

AND THEN.

WHO KNOWS WHAT'S NEXT AFTER THAT.

BUT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE GOING.

HEY, BEXAR COUNTY HAS SOME OPENINGS, SO ONE MORE TIME.

ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS OF MJ? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PERSISTENT AND FOR GIVING BACK TO THE KIDS WHO GET IT.

[01:15:05]

SO MY BACKGROUND'S IN EDUCATION AND MENTAL HEALTH, SO I REALLY CONNECT WITH YOU.

AND GLAD THAT REBECA IS AROUND THE WORLD.

ARE HERE FOR YOU. YES, THERE'S IT TAKES A GOOD PERSON, LIKE JUST SOMEONE TO LISTEN AND JUST GIVE A CRAP, LIKE SIT DOWN AND LISTEN AND JUST BE THERE.

THAT'S ALL. LIKE PEOPLE REALLY NEED OR WANT.

LIKE, JUST THAT.

THANK YOU, GUYS. CONGRATULATIONS.

AND JUDGE, I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR SHOWING THE COURAGE TO BE HERE TODAY.

YOU KNOW, WE MAKE DECISIONS UP HERE ALL THE TIME AND IT IT'S HELPFUL TO PUT IN CONTEXT WHEN THESE PROGRAMS ARE HELPING REAL PEOPLE.

AND WE HEAR THEIR STORIES.

SO I KNOW SOME OTHER JUDGES WALKED IN AND JUDGE MONTEMAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK.

I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONG TIME, SINCE I WAS A BABY LAWYER.

I REMEMBER. BUT BUT BUT AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO COME.

UM, KNOWING THAT IT'S A, YOU KNOW, THE LINE TO SUCCESS IS NOT ALWAYS STRAIGHT.

IT'S A WINDING ROAD AND YOU'RE THERE.

AND TO STICK WITH IT DESPITE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES SHOWS A LOT OF PERSEVERANCE AND BRAVERY.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU, GUYS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

MR. CALVERT. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.

THANK YOU, BARBARA, FOR DOING THAT.

MJ, I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW INSPIRING YOUR WORDS WERE AND JUST SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE HELPING OTHER FOSTER YOUTH THROUGH WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH.

AND IT'S GREAT THAT THE PROGRAM CARVED OUT THE POSITION FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS THE EXPERIENCE TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOUNG ADULTS ARE GOING THROUGH AS THEY AS THEY AGE OUT OF FOSTER CARE AND ALL THE SUPPORT THAT THE PROGRAM BRINGS.

IT'S EXCITING TO SEE WHERE YOUR FUTURE GOES.

AND YES, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU AT BEAR COUNTY BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS, WHETHER IT'S THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR OTHER PLACES.

BARBARA, LET ME JUST ASK YOU ABOUT KIND OF THE FUNDING THAT THE COURT SO IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME JUST FOR A FEW MINUTES.

FIRST LADY PEGGY IS HERE.

SHE'S THE FIDUCIARY.

WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE. WE'LL GET THERE.

I'M SORRY, BUT SHE HAS THE MONEY PART, SO.

OKAY. WELL, I JUST WANT TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND BEXAR COUNTY'S FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO THIS PROGRAM.

I THINK ON A HIGH LEVEL, OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE SOME DOTS THAT HAVE TO BE CONNECTED.

TEXAS HAS ONE OF THE WORST FOSTER CARE SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD.

AND IT IT IS FAILING FOSTER YOUTH AT SHAMEFUL PROPORTIONS.

I MEAN, THERE ARE JUST NO WORDS FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THESE YOUTH.

SO THE BASELINE QUESTION IS, WITH THE MONEY THAT WE ARE CONTRIBUTING, WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT AMOUNT LOOK LIKE? AND WHAT IS THE DOT THAT NEEDS TO BE CONNECTED AT THE LEGISLATURE TO SPREAD PROGRAMS LIKE THIS TO HELP OTHERS BECOME SUCCESSFUL AROUND THE STATE? SO LET'S START AT THE BUDGET.

IT'S INTERESTING YOU ASK THAT BECAUSE IN THIS IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE'S A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY THEIR UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT SEEM TO MIMIC TWO OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN BEAR COUNTY.

THIS ONE IS ONE OF THEM.

AND WORKING WITH GETTING ADVOCATES AND GETTING FOLKS AND GETTING FOLKS COLLEGE READY, THE OBVIOUSLY THE OTHER COUNTY ARE UPSET BECAUSE IT'S UNFUNDED.

WE'RE LUCKY THAT WE'RE FUNDED OUT OF SENATE BILL ONE, SAY THAT.

I'M SORRY, I'M A LITTLE HARD OF HEARING.

SO JUST SAY THAT LAST THING ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT UNFUNDED MANDATE.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE OTHER COUNTIES THAT ARE GOING TO TRY TO REPLICATE THIS PROGRAM.

IT'S AN UNFUNDED MANDATE FROM THE LEGISLATURE.

THE SECOND ONE IS A PMC PROJECT.

THEY MANDATED THAT THOSE COUNTIES OPEN UP THIS COURT BUT DIDN'T PROVIDE ANY FUNDING FOR IT.

YES, SIR. AND MS. SCHAEFER, YOU YOU WORK WITH ME A LONG TIME, RIGHT? YES, SIR. YOU HAVE AN ANSWER.

QUESTION HOW MUCH MONEY IS THE COUNTY PUT IN AND WHAT DO WE GET OUR RETURN? HOW MUCH MONEY DOES THE COUNTY ACTUALLY PUT IN? ACTUALLY PUTS IN NO MONEY FOR THIS PROGRAM EXCEPT YOUR IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM MYSELF, JUDGES, THAT KIND OF THING.

BUT WE ARE COMPLETELY RUN OUT OF UTSA, THE FIDUCIARY AT A SENATE BILL, ONE IN THE 87TH LEGISLATURE, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE US A PART OF THEIR BASELINE BUDGET EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

OKAY, SO UTSA HAS INVESTED HOW MUCH? I THINK 1.3 MILLION.

LET'S LET ME INTRODUCE THE FIRST LADY, MISS PEGGY.

AMY, THE BETTER HALF OF DR.

TAYLOR. AMY, WELCOME.

THANK YOU, JUDGE SAKAI.

AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, FIVE YEARS AGO, I CAME TO SAN ANTONIO ACTUALLY GOING ON SIX.

I'VE WORKED IN CHILD WELFARE.

LESS THAN 3% OF KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN IN FOSTER CARE WILL GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE.

AND WE KNOW WHAT THOSE TERRIBLE OUTCOMES ARE.

AND IF IT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID, BEAR COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF KIDS IN FOSTER CARE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE LARGEST NUMBER WHO WILL AGE OUT EVERY YEAR 140.

[01:20:01]

LAST YEAR I WANTED KIDS, 140 KIDS AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE IN FOSTER CARE.

AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THERE WERE 4029 KIDS.

THAT'S ALMOST 2000 MORE THAN HARRIS AND DALLAS.

SO THE NEED WAS GREAT.

AND FOR THE KIDS WHO AGE OUT IN PARTICULAR THE MOST VULNERABLE, THE OUTCOMES FOR THOSE KIDS ARE NOTHING THAT YOU WOULD WANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN.

MY CHILDREN. ANY KID IN BEAR COUNTY, I BELIEVE HIGHER EDUCATION IS THE BEST PATH FORWARD, OUT OF POVERTY, OUT OF THE INTERGENERATIONAL CYCLE OF INVOLVEMENT WITH CHILD WELFARE.

SO INITIALLY I STARTED OUT TO JUST START A PROGRAM AT UTSA.

I KNEW THERE WERE LESS THAN 100 KIDS ON OUR CAMPUS WHO HAD BEEN IN FOSTER CARE.

AND THE STATE OF TEXAS PROVIDES A TUITION AND FEE WAIVER, MEANING FREE TUITION, FREE FEES, NO HOUSING.

AND BY THE WAY, IT'S AN UNFUNDED MANDATE.

SO THE UNIVERSITY PROVIDES THAT FUNDING, IF YOU WILL.

AND BY THE WAY, CAN YOU JUST TELL ME HOW I MEAN, DID YOU FUNDRAISE FOR IT? DID YOU HAVE? OH, I'LL TELL YOU, I GOT INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE.

ONE OF THE FIRST MEETINGS I TOOK WAS WITH JUDGE SAKAI, JUDGE MONTEMAYOR AND THEIR COLLEAGUES, AND I SHARED WITH THEM THIS IDEA.

I KNEW WHAT I WANTED TO DO ON OUR CAMPUS, HAVE A CAMPUS BASED SUPPORT PROGRAM, WHICH WAS JUST FOR KIDS IN FOSTER CARE, PROVIDE THEM ANYTHING THAT THEIR PARENT MAY PROVIDE.

BUT IF WE WANTED.

TO INCREASE THAT 3%.

I KNEW WE HAD TO START WORKING WITH KIDS WHILE THEY WERE STILL IN FOSTER CARE.

SO I CAME DOWN, I MET THESE WONDERFUL HUMAN BEINGS.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT, AND WE AGREED THAT WE HAD A COMMON PHILOSOPHY.

AND THAT'S THAT KIDS WHO ARE IN FOSTER CARE, YES, HAVE ALL KINDS OF SPECIAL ISSUES, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE THESE INCREDIBLE STRENGTHS.

THEY'RE SELF-RELIANT, THEY'RE SMART.

THEY KNOW HOW TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS.

THEY KNOW HOW TO WORK THROUGH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, AND THAT POSITIONS THEM REALLY WELL FOR COLLEGE.

SO WE KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO START WORKING WITH KIDS WHILE THEY WERE IN CARE AND GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT THAT YOU OR I WOULD GIVE TO YOUR KIDS.

I'M A FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN.

I'M A FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT.

MY PARENTS KNEW NOTHING ABOUT GETTING US INTO COLLEGE, BUT THEY PARDON MY LANGUAGE DAMN WELL SET AN EXPECTATION THAT ALL EIGHT OF US WERE GOING TO GO AND IMAGINE BEING IN FOSTER CARE AND HAVING NO ONE HELP YOU WITH THAT.

SO THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE DELEGATION, PARTICULARLY SENATOR MENENDEZ AND SENATOR FLORES, I WENT UP TO AUSTIN WITH WITH PROFESSOR MEGAN PEEL AND ONE OF OUR STUDENTS WHO HAD AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE.

AND TO MY GREAT AND CONTINUING SURPRISE, WE WERE FUNDED TO START SOMETHING CALLED THE BEAR COUNTY FOSTERING EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS PROJECT.

AND WHAT THAT WAS IN THE FIRST BIENNIUM, THE 85TH BIENNIUM WAS MONEY WITH A SIMPLE MANDATE.

IT WAS A SPECIAL APPROPRIATION TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT, RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES AND AND THE CRITICAL AND INCREASING THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO WERE IN FOSTER CARE WHO UNDERSTAND THAT COLLEGE IS ACHIEVABLE AND EXPECTED.

SO WE STARTED WITH THE CHILDREN'S COURT.

WE STARTED WITH THE COLLEGE BOUND DOCKET.

UTSA, AS BARBARA SAID, IS A FIDUCIARY AGENT, MEANING WE GOT THE MONEY.

WE CREATED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHILDREN'S COURT, A&M, SAN ANTONIO, THE ALAMO COLLEGES, CASA CPS, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMING ON ALL OF THOSE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES THAT I JUST DESCRIBED IN COLLEGES, THAT CAMPUS PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY FOR KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN IN FOSTER CARE AND THEN THE COLLEGE BOUND DOCKET.

SO WE PROVIDED SOME COST SHARING WITH THE COUNTY, AND THAT COST SHARING WAS TO FUND MJ'S POSITION AND TO HELP PROVIDE FOR EMERGENCY SUPPORT AND THINGS LIKE YOU PAY FOR YOUR KIDS, ACT PREP, TUTORING CAPS AND GOWNS, ANYTHING THAT A KID NEEDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

SO WE'VE MOVED FORWARD IN THAT PROJECT.

SO FAST FORWARD TO THE 87TH.

THE GOVERNOR SIGNED HB ONE LAST NIGHT, WHICH IS UTSA'S BUDGET, VERY, VERY GRATEFUL TO MY HUSBAND.

HE HAS MADE THIS AN INSTITUTIONAL PRIORITY FOR UTSA, MEANING NOT A SPECIAL APPROPRIATION, A PART OF THE UNIVERSITY'S BUDGET.

SO WE HAVE NOW FAST FORWARD AND I WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO YOUR TIME.

WE HAVE THE CHILDREN'S COURT, WHICH AND JUDGE, I MAY BE REPEATING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, BUT WE'VE WE'VE PROVIDED SUPPORT TO 150 KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN IN FOSTER CARE THROUGH THE DOCKET, AND THEY'VE ENROLLED AT UTSA, ALL OF THE A&M CAMPUSES, TEXAS TECH, TEXAS STATE, UT ARLINGTON, OUR FIRST COHORT, IS GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE.

WE HAVE A KID APPLYING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL.

AND THIS IS ALL POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THAT INTENSIVE SUPPORT THAT THEY RECEIVED.

NOW, ON THE BIGGER PICTURE IN BEAR COUNTY, THE FOSTERING EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS PILOT PROJECT THAT I TALKED ABOUT, THOSE CAMPUS BASED SUPPORT PROGRAMS HAVE CONTINUED, THE DOCKET HAS CONTINUED, BUT WE'VE ALSO FOCUSED ON HOUSING, WHICH MJ DESCRIBED AS REALLY CRITICAL.

[01:25:03]

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD, YOU CAN'T GO TO COLLEGE.

SO WE HAVE THE UNIVERSITY ITSELF HAS BECOME WHAT'S CALLED A SUPERVISED INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM.

SO A KID CAN EXTEND FOSTER CARE AND LIVE IN OUR DORM LIKE ANY OTHER KID.

NOT A GROUP HOME, NOT A FOSTER HOME.

NO ONE ON THEIR FLOOR KNOWS THAT, THAT KIDS IN FOSTER CARE, BUT THAT THAT IS FUNDED BY CPS.

SO THAT'S A TERRIFIC MODEL.

THE OTHER IS I'M SO PROUD THAT AT 18 OR 18 TO 21, YOU CAN EXTEND TO 21 WHAT OUR GAP IS BECAUSE SO MANY OF THESE KIDS HAVE HAD HAVE HAD CHALLENGES IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.

NOT EVERY KID IS GOING TO GET OVER THE FINISH LINE TILL 21.

SO I'VE GOT THAT GAP OF KIDS WHO I'VE GOT TO GET TO GRADUATION WITH.

DR. PEEL'S INCREDIBLE WORK.

WE WERE THE FIRST UNIVERSITY IN THE COUNTRY TO GET A HUD GRANT.

WE STARTED A PROGRAM CALLED HOUSING FIRST, AND IT PROVIDES MARKET RATE, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN FOSTER CARE AND ARE HOMELESS OR NEAR HOMELESS.

WE'VE HOUSED NEARLY 50 YOUNG PEOPLE, 30 OF THEIR KIDS.

IT'S MISSION CREEP.

ONE OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE IS ENROLLED AT UTSA.

BUT WE'VE HAD, I THINK, SEVEN KIDS GET THEIR GED.

WE'RE MOVING THEM THROUGH THE PIPELINE.

BUT THAT OTHER PIECE, WHO AREN'T DON'T.

FIT THE HUD GUIDELINES WHO CAN'T GET EXTENDED FOSTER CARE.

EVEN THOUGH WE CONTINUE TO GET THIS FUNDING FROM THE STATE.

I'VE STILL GOT A GAP.

I'VE GOT A PROGRAM THAT CAN HOUSE THOSE KIDS, BUT FUNDING IS NEEDED FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL KIDS WHO DON'T GRADUATE BY 21.

SO 1.3 MILLION CAME IN A SPECIAL APPROPRIATION OF 83.5IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS.

YEP, 3.5.

AND THAT'S BEEN REPEATED.

WE'LL GET THE THIRD TRANCHE IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS FISCAL YEAR AND HB ONE RIGHT NOW.

YES, THROUGH TSA'S BUDGET.

SO OTHER COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND A&M, ARE THEY ALSO DOING SIMILAR INITIATIVES? OH, YEAH, WE FUND IT.

I MEAN, MORE THAN 60% OF THE MONEY THAT UTSA GETS GOES OUT THE DOOR.

OKAY. IT GOES YOU'RE SPREADING IT TO THE OTHER IT GOES TO A&M, SAN ANTONIO.

THE BIGGEST CHUNK GOES TO THE ALAMO COLLEGES.

I THINK IN TOTAL, WE'VE HAD ABOUT $650,000.

THAT HAS HELPED TO FUND THE CHILDREN'S COURT, BUT IT'S VERY STAFF INTENSIVE WORK.

SO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE PEOPLE LIKE MJ AND ALL OTHER KIND OF STAFF ON OUR CAMPUSES TO SUPPORT THOSE KIDS.

AND I WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO YOUR TIME, BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THIS WORKS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS UNIQUE.

NOBODY ELSE IN THE COUNTRY HAS GOT THAT TRUE PIPELINE FROM FOSTER CARE ALL THE WAY THROUGH GRADUATION.

AND BY THE WAY, IT'S A RESEARCH PROJECT.

THAT WAS OUR PROMISE TO THE LEGISLATURE.

WE'RE FOUR YEARS IN.

WE WILL PUBLISH ON THIS.

THE CHILDREN'S COURT WILL BE PART OF THAT BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WORKS.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT COULD TAKE A LOOK AT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 4000 FOSTER YOUTH.

RIGHT. AND THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN COMPOUNDED FOR, YOU KNOW, DECADES.

RIGHT. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ARE THOSE LIVING IN POVERTY HERE? RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, AND THE JUDGE IS OR WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WHO ARE IN POVERTY ARE FOSTER YOUTH IS REALLY WHAT I'M GETTING AT AND WHAT I YEAH IT'S A SIGNIFICANT PORTION.

AND EVERY KID WHO IS BEFORE THE COURT, THEY'RE FAMILY DEALS.

SO I THINK THAT THE LEVERAGE POINT THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO RALLY AROUND IN THIS IS THE FACT THAT THROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND THEIR BONDS AND THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, STATE SYSTEM AND THROUGH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S BOND AND THE COUNTY'S BONDING CAPACITY, THERE COULD BE A LEVERAGE POINT WHERE NOT EVERY ONE OF THE ENTITIES WOULD HAVE TO DIVIDE THE COST OF STUDENT HOUSING.

AND I WOULD I WOULD ENCOURAGE A CONVERSATION OF COLLABORATION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING VOTERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE IN THE NEXT BOND OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND WHATEVER OTHER APPROPRIATIONS YOU'RE SEEKING, BOTH A&M AND UTSA FOR DORM EXPANSION, BECAUSE RESIDENTIAL ACCESSIBILITY AND LIVING IS ANOTHER RECRUITMENT PIECE, QUITE FRANKLY, FOR GETTING THE PIPELINE THAT YOU'RE THAT YOU'RE DOING AND STABILIZING THE FAMILIES AND PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS.

SO I JUST WANT TO HATS OFF TO YOU ALL FOR AN INCREDIBLE EVOLUTION THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE A LONG TIME AGO.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION HERE NOW IS OBVIOUSLY THESE PROGRAMS WILL HAVE A FINITE, YOU KNOW, JOB OPPORTUNITY FOR MJ'S.

BUT I DO THINK THIS THIS COURT, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT THE SHERIFF TALKED ABOUT, AN INCREASE IN YOUTH VIOLENCE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT NOT JUST SUMMER INTERNSHIPS, BUT YEAR LONG WORK STUDY LEVERAGE.

RIGHT. THE COUNTY COULD PARTICIPATE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, COUNCILMAN WARRICK, WHEN HE WAS COUNCILMAN IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ALLOCATED $500,000 OUT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S BUDGET FOR SUMMER JOBS PROGRAMS.

[01:30:11]

JOBS PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

A LOT OF THE RESTAURANT COMMUNITY HAS A HALF OF THEIR WORKFORCE, COMES FROM 16 TO 24 YEAR OLD YOUTH WHO ARE WORKING IN A RESTAURANT.

AND WE COULD HELP THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES UNDERWRITE SOME OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND OTHER CORPORATE BUSINESSES TO GIVE THAT EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS GOING TO KEEP NOT ONLY A LITTLE MONEY IN THE POCKET, BUT GET SOME ADDITIONAL MENTORS FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND GIVE SOME VISION THAT THERE IS A PATHWAY AFTER THIS, MAYBE LONG, DARK TUNNEL.

SO I JUST WANT TO I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT AS WE LOOK AT BUDGET, THAT WE OUGHT TO WE OUGHT TO COLLABORATE TO DO A YEAR ROUND, SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TOWARDS FOSTER YOUTH BECAUSE THEY ARE SUCH A DISPROPORTIONATE PORTION OF OUR OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. ABSOLUTELY.

LET ME ASK ANGIE WHITE REAL BRIEFLY, MISS ANGIE, WOULD YOU COME UP HERE AND SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF CASA? GOOD MORNING, JUDGE. MORNING, EVERYBODY.

YES, MA'AM. YES, SIR. DO YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? JUST EYE FOR US.

AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I RUN CASA, BUT I HAVE TO SAY, ALISON'S HERE.

SAM IS HERE. JENNIFER CRIPPIN.

THEY ARE THE MAINSTAYS OF THIS FOR CASA.

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW US IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM, I ENDED UP PUTTING MYSELF THROUGH SCHOOL.

THIS IS AMAZING.

I REALLY.

I BUY INTO THE HOUSING PIECE OF IT.

CASTLE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS.

WE ALSO SUPPORT CHILDREN THROUGH OTHER DIRECT FUNDS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE CAN'T GET ALL THE FUNDS, SO WE DO IT OURSELVES AS WELL BECAUSE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS IS CRITICAL TO THIS COMMUNITY.

HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND WHAT CASA DOES FOR THIS PROGRAM.

SO AS CHILD ADVOCATES, WE WILL HAVE AN ADVOCATE WORKING ALONGSIDE A CHILD, A VOLUNTEER ADVOCATE, AND THEY WILL BE IN THE COURT AND THE COLLEGE DOCKET SYSTEM AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THOSE CONNECTIONS STAY TOGETHER WITH THE CHILD, WHETHER IT'S IN COLLEGE DOCKET, WHETHER IT'S GOING INTO SCHOOL, FILLING IN APPLICATIONS, MAKING SURE THEY KNOW EVERYTHING THEY'RE ENTITLED TO BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A PARENT THAT'S GOING TO DO THIS.

HOW MANY SUCCESSES DO YOU HAVE ANY SUCCESS STORIES? WE HAVE LOTS OF SUCCESS STORIES.

BUT IF I MAY, MS. CRIPPIN, I'M GOING TO HAND THIS OVER TO JEN.

SHE IS THE LINCHPIN OF THIS, AND I THINK YOUR STORIES ARE BETTER.

I LOVE ALL MY TEAM PLAYING SHORT STORY.

YES, SO BRIEFLY.

WE HAD A YOUTH THIS YEAR AND WE COULDN'T DO THIS ALONE WITH CASA, WITH UTSA, WITH CHILDREN'S COURT, WITH A&M, SAN ANTONIO.

BUT WE HAD YOUTH THAT GRADUATED AT SEMESTER AND BARELY GOT THROUGH.

I MEAN, HE WAS CUTTING IT CLOSE, BUT THE ADVOCATE WAS RIGHT THERE NEXT TO HIM THE WHOLE TIME.

LIKE, WHERE ARE YOU AT WITH YOUR WORK? WHERE ARE YOU AT WITH CREDITS? ARE YOU PASSING YOUR CLASSES? THAT YOUTH IS NOW LIVING IN THE DORM ON THE A&M SAN ANTONIO CAMPUS AND HAS DONE WELL THIS SEMESTER.

AND BECAUSE OF EVERYBODY TOGETHER.

CHECKING IN WITH JUDGE MONTEMAYOR DURING DOCKET DAYS, JUDGE MONTEMAYOR ASKING HIM, WHERE ARE YOU AT? ARE YOU CLOSE TO GRADUATION? HOW ARE YOU DOING? AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE YOUTH THAT WAS CELEBRATED RECENTLY AT THIS GRADUATION, EVEN THOUGH HE GRADUATED AT SEMESTER, IS ALREADY ATTENDING CAMPUS.

BUT THIS YOUTH IS SO GRATEFUL.

AND TO SEE HIM COME OUT OF HIS SHELL ALONG THE WAY TO, YOU KNOW, HIS SELF ESTEEM, HIS CONFIDENCE WAS SO LOW.

BUT BECAUSE OF ALL THESE PEOPLE BEHIND HIM, ENCOURAGING HIM, TELLING HIM, YOU'VE GOT THIS, WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU THERE, HIS SELF ESTEEM AND HIS PERSONALITY HAS JUST COME OUT OF HIS SHELL. AND IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO SEE.

AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE STORIES THAT WE HAVE.

ALL RIGHT, COLLEAGUES, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT WE ALL STAND AND GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

MJ, CONGRATULATIONS.

CHILDREN'S COURT. GET BACK TO WORK.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

[4.b. 10:30 a.m.: Consideration and appropriate action regarding a Homestead tax exemption of five percent (5%) for Bexar County Hospital District d/b/aUniversity Health ad Valorem taxes, beginning with the 2023 valuations.]

THE NEXT TIME CERTAIN IS CONSIDERATION OF APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING HOMESTEAD TAX EXEMPTION OF 5% FOR BURKE COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, DBA, UNIVERSITY HEALTH AD VALOREM TAXES BEGINNING WITH THE 2023 VALUATIONS.

GOOD MORNING, MR. HERNANDEZ.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE. GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS.

COMMISSIONERS COURT. JORGE HERNANDEZ, CEO AT UNIVERSITY HEALTH HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS TO REQUEST THE COURT POSITIVELY CONSIDER A 5% HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT TAXES.

JORGE, CAN YOU.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES. GO AHEAD.

YEAH, GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. OH, I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK IF YOU CAN GO OVER THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS OF HOW MUCH THE EXACT NUMBERS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND TO AFFIRM IT'S JUST FOR HOMES AND NOT FOR CORPORATE.

OUR ESTIMATE FOR THE FOR THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION VALUE IS ABOUT $17.4 MILLION.

AND DO YOU KNOW, JORGE, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER SAVINGS GUESS IN THAT IT SINCE THE PERCENTAGE COMMISSIONER SO IT'S 5%

[01:35:03]

WOULD BE GREATER FOR A MORE EXPENSIVE HOME SO SURE ABOUT $40 PER HOME IS WHAT COMMISSIONER MOODY HAS DONE SOME ANALYSIS BASED UPON, I GUESS, THE AVERAGE HOME PRICE, RIGHT? YEAH.

OKAY. HIS CALCULATION GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.

17 BUCKS. THAT'S GOOD.

THAT'S GOOD. IS IS THIS IN RESPONSE TO I KNOW CITY COUNCIL WAS CONCERNED ABOUT REPRESENTATION ON USF'S BOARD.

I THINK PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE INTEND TO DO THE CITY COUNCIL.

IT HAD TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE'VE NOTICED, JUST LIKE I THINK THE COURT HAS NOTICED, I DON'T THINK HIS MIC IS ON UP IN THE BOOTH HERE.

YEAH, THAT APPRAISALS HAVE GONE UP AND THE BOARD WAS CONCERNED AND WE WERE CONCERNED AND WE WANTED TO BRING SOMETHING FORWARD TO THE COURT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. WELL, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS.

WE'VE WE'VE GOT TO TAX BREAKS, IF YOU WILL, AT THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, ONE ON THE SENIORS FOR SENIORS.

AND MAYBE YOU CAN JUST ACCENTUATE WHERE THAT IS AT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER.

AND NOW THIS ONE FOR EVERYBODY.

RIGHT? SURE. AND COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS.

BACK BACK WHEN WE HAD THE OVER 65 EXEMPTION, THAT IS AT $30,000 FOR FOR FOLKS OVER 65.

RIGHT. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE VERY PLEASED.

IT'S MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO LEAN ON YOU.

OBVIOUSLY, $17.4 MILLION IS A LOT OF FOREGONE REVENUE, BUT YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF BRILLIANT WORK WITH YOUR TEAM TO LOOK AT THE OVERALL DEFICITS THAT YOU FACE AND TRY TO MAXIMIZE REVENUE THROUGH OTHER OTHER MEANS.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AT THE SYSTEM.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ YEAH.

THANK YOU, JORGE.

THANKS FOR YOU AND THE BOARD'S LEADERSHIP.

I KNOW THAT THESE THINGS ARE TOUGH BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS THAT ALSO LOOK FORWARD WITH RESPECT TO THE GROWTH OF THE COMMUNITY AND YOUR OWN, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL PLAN FOR EXPANSION, RIGHT? THE TWO HOSPITALS AND CLINICS.

UM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

I THINK YOU I'VE VISITED WITH REID AND THE REST OF YOUR TEAM JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING OURSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE A GROWING NUMBER OF NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. PARTICULARLY, YOU'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN NOT JUST PHYSICAL HEALTH, BUT MENTAL HEALTH.

AND SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT I WANTED TO ASK YOU AND I HAD A BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT KIND OF THE ESCALATING COSTS OF ATTRACTING AND RETAINING TALENT WITHIN THE PUBLIC HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE SPACE.

IS THIS GOING TO TO HURT OR LIMIT YOU IN SOME WAY TO BE ABLE TO PAY COMPETITIVE WAGES FOR THOSE THAT ARE THAT ARE IN THAT INDUSTRY? WE WE THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT ALL HEALTH CARE IS ENCOUNTERING RIGHT NOW IS PROFESSIONAL TALENT.

IT IS HARD TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN NURSES, RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS, OTHER OTHER TEXTS.

THAT IS IN LARGE PART A PERFECT STORM BECAUSE OF BABY BOOMERS RETIRING AND PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF HEALTH CARE AFTER THE PANDEMIC.

AND SO TALENT IS AT A PREMIUM.

BUT WE THINK THAT THIS 5% IS WHILE IT'S SIGNIFICANT, THE $17.4 MILLION, WE THINK WE CAN ABSORB THAT INTO OUR BUDGET AND NOT IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TALENT.

AND THAT WAS A MAIN CONSIDERATION.

I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMISSIONER MOODY ON THAT SAME TOPIC BECAUSE OF THAT AND.

OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE NICE BUILDINGS YOU WANT, BUT UNLESS YOU HAVE THE STAFF THERE TO RUN THEM AND TO CARE OF PEOPLE, THEN IT'S REALLY FOR NOTHING.

SO. OKAY.

YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE AND I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN YOUR LEADERSHIP THERE THAT WE'RE NOT HAMSTRINGING OURSELVES TO TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE.

UM, LIKE I SAID, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DID THE 20% LAST YEAR HERE AT THE COUNTY.

I KNOW THE CITY IS, IS EITHER ADOPTING OR HAS HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DOING SOMETHING WITH THEIR EXEMPTION.

AND ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE CUMULATIVE.

WE KNOW THERE ARE FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHEN THEY SEE THE SHOCK VALUE ON THEIR APPRAISALS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING TO TRY AND HELP.

SO I THINK THIS IS CERTAINLY A GOOD STARTING POINT, A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND SO I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

JUDGE. COMMISSIONER MOODY? HOLD ON, COMMISSIONER. A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

I'LL SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

COMMISSIONER MOODY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

WELL, THANK YOU, JUDGE.

AND THANK YOU, GEORGE, FOR FOR BEING HERE AND BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

YOU KNOW, I FULLY SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR UNIVERSITY HEALTH, AND I HOPE THAT OTHER TAXING ENTITIES IN BEXAR COUNTY DO

[01:40:05]

THE SAME. I THINK THAT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS A COUNTY.

AS COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAX BURDEN AS APPRAISALS CONTINUE TO RISE.

I THINK THAT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM'S TIME AND KIND OF HELPING EXPLAIN SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED WHEN IT COMES TO STAFFING AND SOME OF THE INCREASED COSTS THERE AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, AS I TOLD YOU, MY ONLY DESIRE WAS I WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD GET THIS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AT A HIGHER LEVEL TO GET STARTED, AS MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS GOING TO GO AHEAD WITH A 20% HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION GOING FORWARD HERE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO OTHER WAYS, OTHER LEVERS THAT WE CAN USE.

THERE'S EXEMPTIONS, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE TAX RATE.

AND SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT WHEN IT COMES TO ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND THOSE APPRAISALS AS THEY COME BACK AND MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOR SOME FURTHER TAX RELIEF.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I DO.

YOU KNOW, AS WE GO FORWARD, I KNOW THERE'S HOPES THAT THAT WE CAN KIND OF CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH, THAT THIS IS JUST THE START.

I DO WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND THE BOARD TO TO LEAN INTO THAT IN THE COMING YEAR.

I THINK YOU'VE DONE GREAT WORK IN GROWING UNIVERSITY HEALTH AND DIVERSIFYING THE REVENUE STREAMS FOR THE HOSPITAL.

BUT BUT NOW I THINK IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY AS WE'VE SEEN APPRAISALS JUST SKYROCKET TO REALLY FIND A WAY TO DIAL BACK AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME OF THAT TAX RELIEF TO TO TAX PAYERS.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND HOPE THAT WE CAN KIND OF CONTINUE TO GROW THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

MR. CALVERT JUDGE, I JUST FORGOT THAT THERE COULD BE A PIPELINE OF TALENT THAT'S OPENED WITH THE CONVERSATION WE JUST HAD WITH RESPECT TO THE FOSTER YOUTH AND THE GRADUATION. SOMETIMES, AS YOU KNOW, IN THE ECONOMY, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER JUST KIND OF CHECKING OUT OF THE LABOR FORCE IN KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, PERMANENT RUT, IF YOU WILL.

AND I THINK THAT WITH THE SUPPORTIVE PROGRAM THAT'S DEVELOPED FROM UTSA AND THE OTHER COLLEGES, ALONG WITH LIKE THE PROJECT QUEST OF THE WORLD, SURE, IT MAY JUST BE A MARKETING THING WITH OUR HR AT HHS TO MAKE A PITCH TO FOSTER YOUTH, TO THINK ABOUT UNIVERSITY AS A WE HAVE A JOB FOR YOU, RIGHT? WE HAVE A WE HAVE A PLACE IF YOU GET THIS EDUCATION.

ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT? NO, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PROJECT QUEST AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER FOR THE SAME REASON.

AND BUT THERE'S ALSO A METHOD TO THE FACT THAT WHERE WE PLACE, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR SOUTH SIDE HOSPITAL NEXT TO TEXAS A&M BETWEEN TEXAS A&M AND PALO ALTO, BECAUSE AND WE HAVE AND ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, I SPENT THE MORNING AT PALO ALTO LOOKING AT ALL THEIR ASSETS.

WE THINK THAT LEVERAGING THOSE COLLEGE CAMPUSES, BOTH A&M AND AND THE ALAMO COLLEGES, IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

SO I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE EARLIER IN THE PRIOR PRESENTATION.

WELL, I THINK IF IF YOUR TEAM AT THE HR CAN WORK WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER AND THE COURT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A PATHWAY PROGRAM FOR THESE YOUTH AND AND, YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE ABLE TO MANY TIMES ITS THAT NICHE THAT ISN'T OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT THAT WILL BE MORE LOYAL. IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE FORMERLY INCARCERATED OUR BUSINESS PEOPLE HAVE FOUND THAT THOSE WHO ARE FORMERLY INCARCERATED ARE RETAINED LONGER, DO A REALLY GREAT JOB.

SO I WANT TO JUST KIND OF THINK ABOUT MARKETING THESE GAPS, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY WITH SOME OF THE FOSTER YOUTH, BUT IT PROBABLY REQUIRES US TO GET IN THAT COURT AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE MARKETING MATERIAL THAT CAN COME FROM HR FOR BOTH ENTITIES, COUNTY AND SHERIFF.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO PLUG THAT.

YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, ON TAXES.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT 21 BILLION.

I HEARD A BRIEFING LAST WEEK THAT THE LEGISLATURE DIDN'T SPEND 21 BILLION OF ITS SURPLUS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY MAKING A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE BANKERS WHO WILL RETAIN THE MONEY, WHO MAY BE CONTRIBUTORS TO SOME PEOPLE IN THE STATE.

BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.

BUT OR MAYBE IT IS.

BUT I THINK THAT THE TAX RELIEF THAT LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE DOING IN COMPARISON TO THE STATE IS DECISIVE, IS WITHIN OUR BUDGETARY TIMEFRAMES.

WE AREN'T GOING TO SPECIAL SESSIONS TO DO THESE THINGS.

WE'RE GETTING THESE THINGS DONE.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE BOARD FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE COURT.

AND WE CAN CALL THE VOTE JUDGE.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, GEORGE, AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD OF MANAGERS HAS APPROVED THIS INITIAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION OF 5%? YEAH. THEY APPROVED FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE COURT.

THE RECOMMENDATION.

[01:45:01]

WAS IT A UNANIMOUS? YES. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. JUST YEAH, JUST A FINAL QUESTION.

UM, CAN WE CONFIRM IF CONSTITUENTS HAVE TO APPLY FOR THIS OR IF IT BECOMES AUTOMATIC IF THEY HAVE A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION ALREADY? THIS APPLIES AUTOMATICALLY.

NOW, IF THEY'VE NEVER HAD A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, IT WILL HAVE TO APPLY FOR IT.

BUT IT'S GOING TO BE AN AUTOMATIC APPLICATION.

SO IF YOU APPLY FOR A ANY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, YOU GET ALL OF THEM.

OKAY. SO BUT I DO BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO APPLY OR AT LEAST CONFIRM THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE IT.

YES. OKAY. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GOOD DAY, MR. NANDES. ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO GO TO INDIVIDUAL AGENDA ITEM 61 DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE PRELIMINARY SELECTION OF PROJECTS TO BE FUNDED WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT

[61. Discussion and appropriate action regarding the preliminary selection of proj ects to be funded with Community Development Block Grant ($2,470,541), HOME Investment Partnerships ($745,092), and Emergency Solutions Grant ($209,147) Program funds for the 2023-2024 Program Year. ]

$202,470,541. HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS $745,092 AND EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT $209,147.

PROGRAM FUNDS FOR THE 2023 2024 PROGRAM YEAR.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONER REYNA.

ROBERT REYNA, BEXAR COUNTY ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

SO MY TEAM ADMINISTERS THREE GRANTS TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM AND EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT.

IN PROGRAM YEAR 2022, WE RECEIVED $3.3 MILLION IN HUD FUNDING, AND IN PROGRAM YEAR 2023, WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE $3.4 MILLION FROM HUD.

OUR FIRST GRANT IS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT OR CDBG.

WE USE THIS GRANT TO DEVELOP VIABLE URBAN COMMUNITIES AND EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME PEOPLE.

CDBG ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC SERVICES.

SO EARLIER LAST MONTH, WE CONVENED A NEUTRAL THIRD PARTY SCORING COMMITTEE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CDBG FUNDING, AND THESE ARE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE FIRST IS $40,000 FOR THE SOMERSET SENIOR CENTER.

THE SECOND IS $35,000 FOR GRASP, $30,000 FOR RESTORE EDUCATION, $80,000 FOR EACH ONE.

TEACH ONE AND 100 $100,000 FOR THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF $285,000.

WITH RESPECT TO CDBG INFRASTRUCTURE, THE SCORING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED $300,000 FOR THE CITY OF SANDY OAKS, $117,280 FOR THE CITY OF SOMERSET.

$582,720 FOR THE CITY OF BALCONES HEIGHTS $246,900 FOR THE CITY OF LEON VALLEY, $300,000 FOR THE CITY OF UNIVERSAL CITY AND $144,533 FOR MERCED HOUSING TEXAS.

OUR SECOND GRANT IS A HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM.

WE USE THE HOME PROGRAM TO EXPAND THE SUPPLY OF DECENT, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES EARNING NO MORE THAN 80% OF THE AREA.

MEDIAN INCOME FOR HOMEOWNERS AND 60% AMI FOR RENTERS.

HOME ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HOUSING, REHABILITATION OF EXISTING UNITS AND DEMOLITION OF DILAPIDATED STRUCTURES.

AND THE SCORING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS AN ALLOCATION OF $670,583 FOR NRP GROUP IN PRECINCT ONE.

PRECINCT FOUR. AND THEN FINALLY, OUR LAST GRANT IS THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT.

WE USE OUR ESG GRANT TO ASSIST PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS TO REGAIN HOUSING STABILITY.

ESG ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE EMERGENCY SHELTER.

WE CAN FUND THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION, RAPID REHOUSING AND STREET OUTREACH.

OUR SCORING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS $193,461 FOR SAM MINISTRIES, WHICH BENEFITS ALL PRECINCTS.

JUDGE. YES.

I JUST WANT TO ASK ROBERT, WE RAN OUT OF ESG MONEY EARLY THIS YEAR.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF GET A SENSE OF THE AMOUNT REQUESTED VERSUS THE AMOUNT BUDGETED.

HOW MUCH OF A DELTA IS THERE BETWEEN THE REQUEST AND THE ACTUAL ALLOCATIONS? IT'S SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER OFF HAND.

ACTUALLY, I MIGHT.

I THINK THE TOTAL ASK FOR.

FOR ESG WAS $800,000.

[01:50:03]

AND WE HAVE HOW MUCH? BECAUSE THERE'S MONEY NOT INCLUDED IN IN THIS ALLOCATION.

SO WE HAVE $193,000, AND THAT'S THE ENTIRETY OF OUR ESG GRANT.

IT'S RELATIVELY SMALL.

OKAY. SO SO OKAY.

SO I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS THAT SMALL.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE SO.

COURT LET ME JUST SAY THIS.

I SEE OUR FRIENDS FROM THE DEPUTY SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION IN AND I THINK THAT IF WE LOOK AT MAP OF OUR HOT ZONES IN CRIME AND OUR CDBG ELIGIBLE AREAS, YOU WILL SEE THEM OVERLAP.

AND THE MORE RESOURCES WE CAN HAVE TO SHORE UP FAMILIES TO KEEP THEM FROM CRIME, THE LESS THE LESS PROBLEMS THERE ARE IN THESE AREAS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE OF GROWTH IN CRIME IN THE COUNTY UNINCORPORATED AREAS, AND THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE ARE THE PRIMARY SERVERS OF SERVICES, WE NEED TO DO A 10,000 FOOT ANALYSIS REALLY, I THINK COULD BE DRIVEN BY YOUR DEPARTMENT AND A FEW OTHERS THAT HAVE IMPACTS ON FAMILIES THAT ARE IN POVERTY AND IN OUR HIGH CRIME AREAS.

WE REALLY NEED TO GO INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AS A COUNTY IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES WE PUT IN, BECAUSE IT'S URBANIZING.

IT'S URBANIZING IN A WAY THAT IS CATCHING UP OR HAS CAUGHT UP WITH US.

WE MAY BE A BIT BEHIND SO THAT THAT BEHIND THIS IS AN INFRASTRUCTURE OF ORGANIZATIONS, RIGHT? SO WE'RE WE'RE FUNDING SOME ORGANIZATIONS.

WE'RE TRIAGING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S POVERTY FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.

AND THAT'S GOING TO GROW BECAUSE THE SILVER TSUNAMI IS CAUSING MORE AND THE HIGH COST OF FOOD IS CAUSING MORE SENIORS TO SEEK OUT NUTRITION.

OUR LEVELS OF FUNDING HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE SEE IN THE ORIGINAL OR SECOND OR THIRD SLIDE THAT LAST YEAR IN CDBG WE HAD 3.3 MILLION AND IT INCREASED BY ABOUT 108,000.

BUT WHAT WAS THE INCREASE IN DEMAND? RIGHT. SO SO TO BE SURE, WE ARE FOUR TIMES MORE THAN FOUR TIMES UNDER THE REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE.

AND YET WE WONDER WHY THERE'S HOMELESSNESS.

WE LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS IN TERMS OF HOMELESS CAMPS ALL AROUND AND WE ARE UNDERFUNDING THAT ASSET.

SO LET'S THINK ABOUT THE BUDGET AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN INCREASE FOR STABILIZATION AND KEEPING PEOPLE FROM IT.

THAT'S THE MAIN POINT I WANTED TO MAKE AND CONNECT A FEW DOTS ON OUR BUDGET.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. COMMISSIONER MOODY.

JUST ONE BRIEF COMMENT.

YOU KNOW, AS WE GO FORWARD HERE, AND I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES COMMENTS, I DO THINK WE HAVE TO THINK, THOUGH, ABOUT HOW THESE THESE PROJECTS RELATE TO OTHER COUNTY FUNDING THAT WILL BE IN THE BUDGET GOING FORWARD.

RIGHT. SO THESE ARE RATHER SMALL INVESTMENTS, YOU KNOW, GOING LEVERAGING FEDERAL HUD DOLLARS.

BUT HOW DO THEY COMPLEMENT THE OTHER PRIORITIES AND THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND NOT CONFLICT? I ALSO THINK INTERNALLY WITHIN SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO THINKING ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NORTHEAST BEXAR SENIOR CONGREGANT MEAL PROGRAM, BUT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK AND SENIOR MEAL DISTRIBUTION, WHICH COUNTY IS ALSO SUPPORTING, AS WELL AS MEALS ON WHEELS AND OTHER PROGRAMS. RIGHT. SO HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT THAT IN THE ENTIRETY AND POTENTIAL CONFLICTS AND MAKE SURE WE'RE PARTNERING AND DE-CONFLICTING DE-CONFLICTING THESE PROGRAMS KIND OF GOING FORWARD? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

AND WE'LL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LEVERAGE FUNDING WHERE POSSIBLE WITH WITH THE COUNTY AND AND MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING THOSE PROGRAMS MOVING FORWARD.

OKAY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MOODY'S POINT.

I THINK IN A WORK SESSION IT COULD BE VERY VALUABLE, PARTICULARLY WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH RESPECT TO FAMILIES AND CONNECTING THOSE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOK INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDING OVERALL AND CATEGORIZE BY FOOD, BY SENIORS, BY HOME OR OTHER KINDS OF CATEGORIES OF PUBLIC SERVICE GIVING, IF YOU WILL, COMMUNITY GROUP GIVING.

YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, WHAT IS THE DEMAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE NEED, YOU KNOW? SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE JUDSON SCHOOL DISTRICT TRUSTEES COME TO ME AND SAY, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A 10% INCREASE IN POVERTY IN THE. IN SCHOOL DISTRICT AREA BECAUSE THE GENTRIFICATION ON THE EAST SIDE IS PUSHING FAMILIES INTO THE NORTHEAST AREAS.

[01:55:06]

AND SO THE HOMES ARE MORE AFFORDABLE AND THEN INCORPORATED COUNTY.

AND SO WE ARE SOMETIMES LESS.

OUR BUDGET IS LESS MARRYING WHERE THE CITY IS LITERALLY PUSHING POVERTY IN UNINCORPORATED.

I REMEMBER THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ASKED ME TO PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE HOUSING DEVELOPERS TO DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA, AND I DID NOT PARTICIPATE BECAUSE I THINK THAT WHILE WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ALL KINDS OF COMMUNITIES, THE MESSAGE WAS WE DON'T WANT THE DEVELOPERS IN THE CITY, WE WANT THEM IN THE COUNTY.

AND THAT WAS A VERY I DON'T KNOW, THAT WAS A VERY NEFARIOUS THING.

TO ME, THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON WHAT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DOES AND WHAT THE BUDGET IS GOING TO BE FOR THIS FOR THIS AREA.

SO THAT THAT DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT ALREADY HAPPENED.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST KNOW THAT THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LOT OF MOVEMENT THERE AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM IF WE DON'T KEEP OUR BUDGET COMMENSURATE WITH IT.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MERCED HOUSING AND THE KIND OF WORK THAT THEY DO? SO MERCED HOUSING IS OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB, AND THAT'S FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO EARN 80% OR BELOW THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.

SENIORS ARE PRESUMED TO QUALIFY.

BUT IF YOU NEED A NEW ROOF FOUNDATION, ELECTRICAL WORK OR PLUMBING.

MERCY HOUSING, TEXAS CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT FREE OF CHARGE.

AND SO HOW ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE, HOW DO THEY HEAR ABOUT SERVICES LIKE THIS? SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO APPLY THROUGH MERCED HOUSING, TEXAS.

BUT IS MERCED DOING ANY KIND OF OUTREACH OR THEY DO OUTREACH.

BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE CAN IMPROVE.

OKAY. SO IF WE GET CONSTITUENT CALLS OR SOMETHING ABOUT THINGS, THEN WE CAN REFER THEM TO YOU OR TO MERCY.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY.

AND WHEN IT SAYS ALL, IT'S TALKING ABOUT ALL FOUR OF THE PRECINCTS.

ALL FOUR PRECINCTS, NOT JUST THREE.

RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THANKS FOR THE WORK.

AND GOING BACK AND EDITING SOME OF THE SLIDES THAT WE DISCUSSED.

APPRECIATE THAT. ANY FURTHER? IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVE FOR APPROVAL.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM 62 DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEXAR COUNTY AND SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION

[62. Discussion and appropriate action regarding approval of an agreement between Bexar County and the San Antonio Housing Trust Public Facility Corporation for the provision of funding which will be utilized to fund a loan in the amount of $3,000,000 to the Alamo Area Mutual Housing Association, Inc. d/b/a Alamo Community Group for the construction of Cattleman Square Lofts, which represents an increase from the initial request for funding due to increased costs in the amount of $1,000,000 to include the appropriate budgetary transfer. ]

FOR THE PROVISION OF FUNDING WHICH WILL BE UTILIZED TO FUND A LOAN IN THE AMOUNT OF $3 MILLION TO THE ALAMO AREA MUTUAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION INC.

DBA, ALAMO COMMUNITY GROUP FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF CATTLEMAN SQUARE LOSS, WHICH REPRESENTS AN INCREASE FROM THE INITIAL REQUEST FOR FUNDING DUE TO INCREASED COSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION TO INCLUDE THE APPROPRIATE BUDGETARY TRANSFER.

JUDGE. THAT'S MY ITEM IN.

I DON'T KNOW IF MICHAEL JOSE, YOU WANT TO COME UP AND JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE WITH KIND OF PUTTING.

I KNOW THE FUNDING HAS BEEN CHALLENGING, BUT I UNDERSTAND WITH THIS COMMITMENT FROM THE COUNTY, YOU GUYS ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND LET ME JUST SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT THE ABOUT THE PROJECT, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH YOU GUYS.

I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY AS WELL TO TRY AND GET THIS THIS PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.

AND IT IS TRULY AN AFFORDABLE PROJECT.

IT'S IN MY PRECINCT ON THE ON THE NEAR WEST SIDE, PROBABLY THE FIRST TRANSIT ORIENTED TYPE DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY OR CITY BECAUSE IT'S NEXT TO THE HUB THAT IS THE WEST SIDE VIA TRANSIT CENTER.

BUT ANYWAY, MICHAEL, I DON'T WANT TO STEAL YOUR THUNDER.

IF YOU CAN KIND OF JUST GIVE US A LITTLE QUICK BRIEFING ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS.

MICHAEL, WOULD YOU GO AHEAD, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND TELL WHO DO YOU REPRESENT? SURE. MICHAEL SHACKLEFORD, DIRECTOR OF POLICY WITH THE ALAMO COMMUNITY GROUP.

AND I HAVE JOSE GONZALEZ HERE.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY I'VE HAD TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU, JUDGE SAKAI.

AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR YEARS AT THE BEXAR COUNTY COURTHOUSE.

YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. AND YOU COULD SEE THE EFFECTS THAT YOU HAD ON THE CHILDREN IN SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNTY MANAGER DAVID SMITH.

DAVID MARQUEZ, ROBERT AND LAURA MONTANEZ AND ALL THE FOLKS AT THE COUNTY HAS REALLY BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AND HELPING US IDENTIFY SOME FUNDING.

THIS PROJECT STARTED ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.

IT'S AT THE CORNER OF HOUSTON AND FRIO.

WE PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY ROUGHLY ABOUT SORRY, THE MIC WENT OUT.

DO I KEEP GOING? OKAY. WE PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY ABOUT 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO FROM THE ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT.

IT USED TO BE THEIR HR AND IT DEPARTMENT.

THEY'VE SINCE MOVED ON TO ANOTHER LOCATION, AND THIS WAS PRIME BECAUSE WE SAW WHERE THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WAS GOING AS FAR AS DEVELOPMENT.

AND WE BELIEVE THE THE DOWNTOWN WEST SIDE IS THE NEXT AREA.

[02:00:02]

AND SO IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO ATTAIN THIS PROPERTY AT A MUCH LOWER COST.

HAD WE WAITED A FEW YEARS FROM THEN, I WILL TELL YOU, THIS IS A 100% AFFORDABLE PROJECT.

OKAY? WE WILL BE SERVING FOLKS AT THE 30% TO 60% ZERO MARKET RATE.

ZERO. WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY 100% UNITS.

TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A REAL QUICK BREAKDOWN, A STUDIO APARTMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA WILL LEASE FOR AS LOW AS 399 AT A 30% AMI A ONE BEDROOM, 755, A TWO BEDROOM, 503, AND AS HIGH AS 1055 IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THIS IS A 4% TAX EXEMPT BOND.

WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST.

BUT WHAT THIS LOAN WILL DO IS WE'LL HELP FILL THE GAP THAT WE HAVE, BUT IT'S NOT A GRANT.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE PAYING BACK TO THE COUNTY 100% AFTER A 15 YEAR PERIOD.

THIS WILL STAY FOREVER AFFORDABLE AND PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO INDIVIDUALS EARNING 725 TO $15 AN HOUR.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU.

I DO WANT TO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, COMMISSIONER MOODY AND COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES FOR MEETING WITH US AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, FOR PRIORITIZING THIS PROJECT AND FOR HIS STAFF, FRANCESCA CABALLERO FOR TAKING LEADERSHIP IN THIS PROJECT.

YEAH, GO AHEAD. I'LL SAY YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? JOSE GONZALEZ I'M ACTUALLY THE FINANCIAL CONSULTANT TO ALAMO COMMUNITY GROUP I OFFICE WITH THEM, BUT I'M NOT A STAFF MEMBER OF THEIRS.

THIS TO SPEAK TO COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ'S COMMENT ABOUT TIMING.

WE'RE USING PRIVATE ACTIVITY, TAX EXEMPT BONDS AND A 4% LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT EQUITY.

THE TAX EXEMPT BONDS AND THE STATE OF TEXAS HAVE A HARD CLOSE DATE.

ONCE YOU GET YOUR RESERVATION OF BONDS, YOU HAVE TO CLOSE WITHIN 180 DAYS.

IF YOU DON'T CLOSE, YOU'RE OUT OF LUCK.

OUR HARD CLOSE DATE IS SUNDAY, JULY 16TH.

THAT MOVES US.

WE LOSE DAYS, SO IT MOVES US UP TO JULY 14TH IS OUR DROP DEAD DATE.

WE CURRENTLY ARE WORKING WITH PIPER SANDLER AS OUR UNDERWRITER AND AND THE HOUSING TRUST, AS MICHAEL MENTIONED.

SO WE ARE LOOKING TO PRE CLOSE BECAUSE WE HAVE A HUD INSURED MORTGAGE WHICH RATES THE TAX EXEMPT BONDS ON JULY 10TH AND THEN CLOSE ON THE BONDS ON JULY 11TH.

SO WE ARE HERE REALLY AT AT THE LAST STAGES OF GETTING THIS PROJECT.

CLOSED AND BUILT.

AND AND AS MICHAEL MENTIONED, WE RECOGNIZE THE ALAMO RECOGNIZES THAT THE REAL NEED FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND FIXED INCOME EARNING, YOU KNOW, $9 OR LESS, THAT CANNOT FIND HOUSING THAT IS AFFORDABLE TO THEM.

SO WE INTENTIONALLY ELECTED TO PUT UP A FOUR STORY BUILDING ACROSS FROM PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO REVERSE COMMUTE, ALLOW PEOPLE TO BE CLOSE TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT WITH PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DEEP AFFORDABILITY THAT, YOU KNOW, IS COMING OUT OF THE GROUND RIGHT NOW.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, JOSE. IN JUDGE, THANK YOU AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR LISTENING.

IT'S BEEN, AS YOU MENTIONED, A LONG TIME COMING.

BUT I THINK, TOO, AS WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LOAN, BUT EVEN IF IT WAS A GRANT, YOU THINK ABOUT INVESTMENTS THAT ARE WORTHWHILE.

AND WE TALK OFTEN ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND COMMISSIONER CALVERT KIND OF HIT ON THIS.

IT'S NOT JUST POLICING THAT'S PUBLIC SAFETY.

IT'S CREATING AFFORDABLE, STABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY NEED IT.

RIGHT. AND IT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT'S ALL PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL.

AND SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD INVESTMENT, HAPPENS TO BE A LOAN, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD INVESTMENT EITHER WAY.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE AND JUDGE, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

I'LL SECOND. THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE IN TERMS OF FINAL CONSTRUCTION MOVE IN? GREAT QUESTION. WE WILL BREAK GROUND AFTER WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE JULY 11TH TIMELINE AND IT IS A 18 MONTH CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE.

OKAY. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

YES, COMMISSIONER, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ ON PULLING THIS TOGETHER AND ALAMO COMMUNITY GROUP, OR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, IS AN INCREDIBLE BRAIN TRUST OF GREAT SERVANTS REALLY IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP US WITH POLICY AND HELP US WITH GREAT PROJECTS.

[02:05:08]

ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THE COURT INVESTING IN A PROPERTY THAT'S NEAR DOWNTOWN LIKE THIS IS IT DOES PROVIDE SOME COMPARABLE ALLEVIATION TO GENTRIFICATION, TO THE PRESSURE OF RISING RENT AND RISING REAL ESTATE.

WHEN YOU HAVE A PROJECT LIKE THIS THAT HAS THE 30 TO 60% ELEMENTS OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, YOU'RE DRIVING DEMAND TOWARDS THOSE LOWER RENTS, WHICH ARE REALLY IN LINE WITH OUR WAGES, RIGHT? THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING AT BILL MILLER'S.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING AT NORTH STAR MALL OR WHEREVER AROUND THE COMMUNITY DOWNTOWN AT OUR HOTELS.

SO YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT.

AND IT ALLEVIATES A LOT OF CONGESTION BECAUSE YOU DID THE DENSITY.

BUT THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES AND HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS TODAY.

WE NEED TO INFUSE THE MARKET WITH ADDITIONAL I YOU KNOW, I REALLY ALMOST CALL IT MARKET RATE HOUSING.

I KNOW YOU CALL IT AFFORDABLE BECAUSE IT IS SPEAKING TO WHAT OUR MARKET REALLY NEEDS.

IT IS SPEAKING TO THE WAGES THAT OUR MARKET HAS AND ARE UNFILLED TODAY.

LET ME ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION, MICHAEL.

WE HAD A THIS IS A THE COURT HAS ALLOCATED, I THINK, $1.7 MILLION FOR THE HYMER ROAD EAST SIDE NEAR HAY STREET BRIDGE. I'M SORRY, THE HAY STREET BRIDGE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO TO HAVE.

WE WE HELD A MEETING WITH SOME OF THE BANKERS TO SEE HOW THE GAP FINANCING WOULD WORK.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY PROGRESS MADE WITH RESPECT TO THOSE OFFERS OF THAT DAY? IN RESPECT TO HAY STREET, WE'VE BEEN IN TALK AND PROVIDING SOME GAP FUNDING TO TIE UP THE LAND BUT NOT FULLY SECURED IT.

WE ARE WORKING ON ON DOING THAT AND LOOKING AT THE FUNDING CYCLE AT THE 4% OR 9% WITH THE STATE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO PUT ON THE RADAR OF THE COURT IS I'D LIKE TO INCLUDE IN OUR BUDGET THE GAP FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.

AGAIN, LIKE THE CATTLEMAN SQUARE, IT IS A PROJECT THAT IS IN THE EAST SIDE, WHICH IS HEAVILY GENTRIFYING.

AND THE THING THAT PEOPLE MOST GET UPSET ABOUT THE TAXPAYERS IS THEY SEE THE COUNTY AND THE CITY INVESTING IN A LOT OF MARKET RATE THINGS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, APARTMENTS AND CONDOS THAT THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN.

BUT WHEN YOU INVEST IN IN WHEN THE COUNTY AND CITY INVESTS IN ALAMO COMMUNITY GROUPS, PROJECTS, THEY CAN SEE THEMSELVES MOVING INTO A NICE PLACE.

AND I THINK THAT BALANCE IS A REALLY IMPORTANT BALANCE IN THE CONVERSATION AROUND INCENTIVES, BECAUSE WHEN THE POLITICIANS DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE FEELING LIKE THEY CAN HAVE A SHOT AT IT.

THEN THERE IS A TREMENDOUS ANGER ON THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT MANY PEOPLE IN THE INNER CITY HAVE ASKED FOR.

RIGHT. THEY HAVE ENDURED CRIME AND BLIGHT AND WANT THE THINGS THAT OTHER PARTS OF TOWN HAVE, BUT THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO STAY AND ENJOY IT AND NOT FEEL LIKE THEY'RE EXCLUDED.

SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT, WHAT, A $2.3 MILLION, MAYBE A 3.3 MILLION, 3.3 ON THAT.

IT'S ABOUT A $4 MILLION PURCHASE ON THAT.

IS THAT WHERE THAT GAP IS? IN TERMS OF THE EAST SIDE, IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT 4.8.

WE HAVE ABOUT 1.7 FROM YOU THROUGH THE ARPA FUNDING.

SO IT'S ABOUT A 3.3.

SO AND THIS IS FOR ALL THE ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE FUNDED IN ARPA FOR HOUSING, WE WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT OVER PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK ON THAT BECAUSE INTEREST RATES ROSE, MATERIALS COSTS HAVE GONE IN AND INFLATED AND THERE IS A NEED TO FILL IN THE GAP IF WE CAN, IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET FOR A NUMBER OF THESE PROJECTS OR REALLOCATING SOME OF THE FUNDS THAT HAVE GONE UNSPENT OUT OF ARPA TOWARDS MAKING THESE DEALS ACTUALLY HAPPEN BECAUSE WE CAN'T TAKE CREDIT UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY GET BUILT.

SO I JUST WANT TO RAISE THAT FOR OUR BUDGET.

AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO FINISH TODAY'S COMMISSIONER'S COURT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING BECAUSE A COUPLE OF ITEMS REALLY PULLED AT MY HEART BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER HAS AUTISM.

IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THAT.

AND WHAT MJ ALSO SAID FROM CASA, SHE SAID, WITHOUT STABILITY OF HOUSING, EVERYTHING CRUMBLES.

SHE WAS ADVOCATING FOR CASA, BUT SHE UNDERSTOOD HOW HOUSING WAS SO IMPORTANT.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND WE DID APPROACH THE FIRST LADY OF UTSA AND SAID, HOW CAN WE PARTNER TO PROVIDE THAT HOUSING? I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP IN THE FUTURE FOR OTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

SO THANK YOU. BRING THAT PROJECT BACK.

THANK YOU. THANK PUT IT TOGETHER.

I GOT A QUESTION. YES, SIR.

THIS IS A LOAN, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. WHAT'S THE IS THERE AN AMORTIZATION TO THIS PAYBACK? HUD REQUIRES THAT ALL THE LOANS BE COTERMINOUS WITH THEIR AMORTIZATION SCHEDULE AND IT'S A 40 YEAR AMORTIZATION.

[02:10:04]

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO IT WOULD BE PLUGGED INTO Y'ALL'S ANNUAL BUDGET.

YES. YES.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. 63 REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF BUDGET TRANSFER IN THE AMOUNT OF $375,360 TO REPLENISH THE COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY

[63. Request for the approval of a budgetary transfer in the amount of $375,360 to replenish the Court Appointed Attorney funding for the Criminal District Courts for the month of June.]

FUNDING FOR THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE.

MS. DEAN SMITH.

DEAN. YES, SIR.

WE ARE REQUESTING COURT'S APPROVAL OF A BUDGET TRANSFER TO MOVE FUNDING FROM CONTINGENCIES INTO THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT BUDGET TO REPLENISH THE BUDGET FOR COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY COSTS.

THIS $375,000 WILL GET THE COURTS THROUGH JUNE, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS BUDGET AND BRING BACK FUTURE BUDGET TRANSFERS AS WE GO THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO THEY'VE ALREADY RAN OUT OF MONEY.

CORRECT. DOES THAT TAKE CONSIDERATION OF ANY FEE INCREASES? NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

OUT OF FAIRNESS TO THE COURTS, THEY GOT THEY BASICALLY WENT UP.

BUT MARCH BACK TO OPEN.

I THINK IT WAS MAY 1ST.

YEAH. SO I DON'T THINK OF THE INCREASE.

I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE BILLS THAT WE'RE PAYING RIGHT NOW ARE FROM CASES FILED.

SO WE GOT A BIGGER BILL COMING NEXT TIME.

THAT'S WHAT WE THINK. YES.

ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER MOODY? WELL, CAN YOU JUST SAY I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE MICROPHONES, BUT CAN YOU JUST SPEAK A LITTLE MORE TO THE DRIVERS? I MEAN, IS THIS BECAUSE THE COST OF THOSE ATTORNEY FEES PER HOUR ARE GOING UP OR IS IT BASED ON I THINK THE FACT THAT THERE IS MORE CASE THROUGHPUT OR WHAT'S DRIVING IT? YEAH. SO IT'S PROBABLY A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE IS THE COURTS ARE WORKING ON THE BACKLOG FROM COVID FROM THE TIME WHEN COVID 19 WAS AFFECTING THE OPERATION OF THE COURTS.

AND WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME CAPITAL CASES, CAPITAL MURDER CASES.

THOSE ARE USUALLY A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE.

SO I THINK REALLY IT'S ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE COVID 19.

YEAH, COMMISSIONER, I MEAN, STARTING IN MARCH, THE COURTS CALLED JURIES BACK AND SO THEY STARTED ADDRESSING THAT BACKLOG. SO.

TYPICALLY LAW FIRMS OR ATTORNEYS IN PARTICULAR ARE A LITTLE SLOW TO BUILD.

SO YOU'RE PROBABLY SEEING THE EFFECT OF THE COURT'S, YOU KNOW, PACE OF OPERATIONS INCREASING FROM MARCH, AND WE'RE JUST NOW GETTING BILLED FOR IT. I BELIEVE THEY VOTED IN A INCREASED RATE BACK IN MAY 1ST.

I THINK IT CAME I THINK IT WAS EFFECTIVE MAY 1ST.

SO IT BECAME EFFECTIVE MAY 1ST.

SO YOU WILL SEE THE EFFECT OF THAT IN FUTURE BILLS.

FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE COURTS BELIEVE THIS WILL BE TEMPORARY BECAUSE IT'S ADDRESSING A SURGE IN CASES.

AND ONCE THE BACKLOG IS CLEARED, IT WILL RETURN TO MORE NORMAL BILLING RATES.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHY WE DIDN'T BRING A BUDGET TRANSFER FORWARD TO GET US THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, BECAUSE THE COURTS HAVE TOLD US THEY THINK THAT IN AFTER JULY IT WILL SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO, TINA.

LET ME ASK OR DAVID OR ON THE BUDGET.

DID THE AMOUNT OF ATTORNEYS FEES FOR THIS CURRENT BUDGET YEAR GET BUMPED UP FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, OR DID YOU ALL ADJUST DOWN BECAUSE OF COVID? AND IS THAT IS THAT POSSIBLY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE DID INCREASE THE BUDGET OVER LAST YEAR? I WANT TO SAY BY $1 MILLION OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

WE BUDGETED ABOUT 6 MILLION THIS YEAR.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE ESTIMATING SEVEN ABOUT 8.5 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES.

AND THAT'S GOING UP, ISN'T IT? YES. AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDING ALL THE OTHER COURTS, IS IT? THAT'S CORRECT. THIS IS JUST THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURTS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH ALL THESE ATTORNEY'S FEES FROM ALL THE SYSTEMS ARE GOING TO COST THE COUNTY IN TOTAL? NO, NOT NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW, SIR.

WE SHOULD TRY TO GET THAT NUMBER SHOOTING.

WE? YEAH, WE WILL.

ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION? SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUES.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE? AYE. ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ITEM 64 DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE BEXAR COUNTY LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IN THE 88TH SESSION OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, MS.

[64. Discussion and appropriate action regarding Bexar County's Legislative Program and the 88th Session of the Texas Legislature.]

[02:15:02]

SHANNON JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS MELISSA SHANNON GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR.

SO THE DATE THAT WE WERE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING WAS SUNDAY.

THAT WAS THE LAST DAY FOR THE GOVERNOR TO VETO BILLS.

AND IF YOU'VE KEPT UP WITH THE NEWS ON THAT, HE DID VETO QUITE A BIT, 76 BILLS TO BE EXACT, COMPARED TO THE 20 THAT HE DID LAST SESSION. SO SOME ARE SAYING THAT THIS IS RETRIBUTION FOR NOT DOING SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT HE WANTED DONE DURING THE REGULAR SESSION, SCHOOL VOUCHERS AND IS ONE OF THEM THAT WE'RE TOLD THAT WE'LL GET CALLED OR THAT ITEM WILL BE CALLED BACK UP IN SEPTEMBER.

SO WE'RE IN SPECIAL SESSION NOW ON TAXES.

SCHOOL TAXES IS THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FIGHTING ABOUT, PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS AND THEN THE COMPRESSION.

BUT THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE ARE FIGHTING THOSE TWO ISSUES OUT.

SO ANYWAY, SUNDAY WAS THE BIG DAY THAT WE'RE WAITING ON.

I HAVE ONE LAST I NEED TO RUN THROUGH OUR LIST ONE LAST TIME TO MAKE SURE I'VE GOT EVERYTHING CORRECT.

AND HOPEFULLY BY TONIGHT OR TOMORROW I WILL SEND THE SUMMARY OF ALL NEW LAWS THAT AFFECT BEXAR COUNTY.

I'LL SEND THAT OUT TO EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY, AND I'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE ITEMS. I KNOW I WENT THROUGH IT LAST TIME, BUT WE WERE BEFORE YOU DO THAT, A LOT OF THE TAXPAYERS ARE WONDERING ABOUT KIND OF WHAT WHAT WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TAX RELIEF PROGRAMS THAT THE HOUSE AND THE GOVERNOR WANT TO DO VERSUS THE SENATE? DO YOU RECALL THE EXEMPTION DIFFERENCES OR THE FUNDING DIFFERENCES? METHODOLOGY DIFFERENCES.

SO WHAT THE HOUSE WANTED TO DO IN THE CURRENT SPECIAL SESSION THAT WE'RE IN NOW, WHAT THE HOUSE WANTS TO DO IS USE THE BUDGET SURPLUS TO TAKE TO COMPRESS COMPRESSION.

SO TO BUY DOWN THE SCHOOL TAXES.

THE SENATE WANTS AN EXEMPTION.

SO A PERMANENT EXEMPTION.

AND I THINK AND AND THIS IS OFF OF SCHOOL TAXES.

SO DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS BECAUSE I HADN'T KEPT UP WITH IT ENOUGH SINCE IT WAS SCHOOLS.

I THOUGHT THE SENATE WANTED $100,000 EXEMPTION.

IS THAT OKAY? SO THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHERE THE THE DIFFERENCE IS WHAT IS IT? SO I THINK THE HOUSE VERSION AND GOVERNOR WAS ALIVE WITH A LOT ALIGNED WITH THE HOUSE.

IT'S AROUND 50 OR 60,000 ON THE BUYDOWN, IF YOU WILL.

BUT IT IS IT IS ALSO A IT'S A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

I THINK, IS IT NOT? IT'S A HOME FOR YOUR SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX.

OKAY. SO, IS IT A 5060? AM I ON THE RIGHT TRACK OR? I'D HAVE TO LOOK, I'VE NOT KEPT THAT IN MY MEMORY.

OKAY. SO THEY BASICALLY WHEN YOU SAY BUY IT DOWN, DO YOU MEAN GIVE MORE MONEY TO THE SCHOOLS SO THAT THE PROPERTY TAXES CAN BE LOWER? OKAY. AND SO THEY ARE THEN OPENING UP FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO OFFER A LARGER EXEMPTION.

CORRECT. SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE TO RAISE THEIR TAX RATES.

THEY CAN LOWER THEIR IF MORE MONEY COMES IN FROM THE STATE, THEN THE SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE TO RAISE AS MUCH FROM THE HOMEOWNERS PROPERTY OWNERS.

OKAY. YES, SIR.

SO IN THE REGULAR SESSION, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BRIEFLY LAST TIME, HOUSE BILL ONE, WHICH IS THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, $321.3 BILLION AND QUITE A FEW FUNDING INTO MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP US HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE REPORT.

SB 30 WAS THE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET THAT THE SENATE DID.

THAT'S A $15 BILLION BUDGET.

THAT IS WHERE THE MAXIMUM SECURITY FACILITY AT THE STATE HOSPITAL WILL BE FUNDED FOR A 40 UNIT MAXIMUM MAXIMUM SECURITY BEDS.

$15 MILLION FROM THE STATE FUND SO THAT AN EXTRA 40 BEDS WE'RE GOING TO GET HERE IN BEAR COUNTY.

YES, NOT NECESSARILY FOR BEAR COUNTY RESIDENTS BECAUSE WE TAKE FROM THE REGION.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU. SO THAT WAS IF YOU REMEMBER, THAT WAS OUR REQUEST, OUR BUDGET REQUEST.

WE WERE ASKING FOR THE COUNTY TO GET THAT FUNDING AND THE STATE TOOK IT.

AND THE STATE, HHS, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BETTER THAN NOTHING.

EXACTLY. EXACTLY.

YES, MA'AM. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MELISSA, YOU KIND OF TOUCHED ON SEPTEMBER, BUT IF YOU COULD, THE DIFFERENT SPECIAL SESSIONS THAT ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT.

SO THIS SESSION ENDS WHETHER THERE'S A DEAL OR NOT.

30 DAYS. WHAT DOES JULY, AUGUST LOOK LIKE? AND OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S ALSO THIS ISSUE OF A IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IN THE SENATE.

[02:20:01]

SO CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO WHAT THE REST OF THE SUMMER LOOKS LIKE? SO THE SO THE SPECIAL SESSION THAT WE'RE IN NOW, SPECIAL SESSION ONE HOUSE CAME IN THE FIRST DAY, PROPOSED THEIR BUYDOWN OF TAXES FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND THEN THEY ADJOURNED.

THEY LEFT TOWN, SAID TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT SENATE.

SO THE SENATE HAS CONTINUED TO MEET AND THE SENATE IS ACTUALLY MEETING TODAY.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS NOW, BUT THEY WERE GOING TO START AT 11 A.M.

TO TALK ABOUT THEIR RULES FOR THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

SO THAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.

THIS SPECIAL SESSION ONLY LASTS.

IT CAN ONLY LAST 30 DAYS.

SO THE REGULAR SESSION IS 140 DAYS.

EVERY OTHER YEAR THE GOVERNOR CAN CALL SPECIAL SESSIONS, BUT THEY'RE ONLY FOR 30 DAYS.

NOW, HE CAN CALL AS MANY SPECIAL SESSIONS AS HE WANTS, AND I ASSUME THAT'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN UNTIL WE CAN UNTIL THEY CAN COME TO SOME SORT OF AN AGREEMENT ON THE SCHOOL TAX ISSUES.

THE THAT'S ALL THAT I'VE HEARD RIGHT NOW IS THERE'S RUMOR THAT ONE WILL BE CALLED IN SEPTEMBER FOR THE SCHOOL VOUCHER ITEMS TO COME BACK UP.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IF THEY DON'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION, IF THEY'LL WAIT UNTIL SEPTEMBER.

I'VE NOT HEARD ANY KIND OF RUMORS ABOUT ANOTHER SPECIAL COMING UP UNTIL SEPTEMBER.

MELISSA, I HAVE A QUESTION FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT.

THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS AND THE TAX OFFICES.

ALL THROUGH THE STATE HAVE TO HAVE INFORMATION WELL IN ADVANCE IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT IT FOR THE UPCOMING TAX YEAR.

AUGUST 20TH.

I DON'T KNOW. SO IF YOU WERE.

I'LL REFRAIN FROM MAKING EDITORIAL COMMENTS AT THIS POINT.

AND DAVID, I THINK WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THAT IS I THINK WHATEVER THEY DO THIS SUMMER, IF THEY GET TO SOME AGREEMENT, WON'T BE EFFECTIVE UNTIL THE NEXT TAX YEAR, IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND, JANUARY OF 25.

YEAH, BUT DAVID, FEEL FREE TO MAKE EDITORIAL COMMENTS AGAINST THE STATE.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO.

SO I'LL PROVIDE THOSE IN PRIVATE.

ALL RIGHT. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

SO IN A NUTSHELL, REPORT IS COMING OUT.

HOPEFULLY I CAN GET IT FINISHED UP TODAY.

SEND IT OUT SO YOU'LL SEE ALL THE BILLS THAT AFFECT BEAR COUNTY.

THERE'S A NEW STATEWIDE BUSINESS COURT THAT WILL BE SET UP THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE JUDICIAL REGIONS IN THE STATE.

SO WE THE FOURTH COURT REGION, WILL GET A BUSINESS COURT HERE IN OUR REGION.

THE LOCATION OF THAT COURT IS UP TO THE JUDGE.

AND AND THIS REGION IS ONE OF THE REGIONS AND I DON'T REMEMBER I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT MY NOTES, BUT I KNOW THE FOURTH REGION WAS ONE WHERE AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE, WHICH IS SEPTEMBER OR SEPTEMBER 1ST, THE GOVERNOR WILL APPOINT A JUDGE TO THAT TO OUR REGION.

AND THEN IT'S UP TO THAT JUDGE WHERE HE WANTS TO BE LOCATED.

I WOULD ASSUME DAN AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, WE ASSUME MAYBE IT WOULD BE HERE WITH THE FOURTH COURT BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE A COURTROOM.

BUT DON'T KNOW, MELISSA.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE GOT QUORUM, DO WE, MR. SMITH? WE MAY HAVE TO RENT A TRAILER.

WE CAN PUT IT IN A ANNEX.

MELISSA IN LIGHT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BEING REMOVED FROM OFFICE TEMPORARILY, WHO IS THE INTERIM ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS RIGHT NOW? YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY STEIN, AND IT'S SMITH.

IT TOOK ME A SECOND. YES.

AND THAT IS A JOHN SCOTT, RIGHT, DEPUTY? LIKE A LIKE A NUMBER TWO OR SOMETHING.

OR IS THIS AN APPOINTMENT THAT HAS AN APPOINTMENT AS AN APPOINTMENT MADE BY THE GOVERNOR OR.

OKAY, SO THERE'S AN APPOINTMENT MADE BY THE GOVERNOR.

SO WE HAVE A JOHN SCOTT.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO, MISS SHANNON, THIS PAST SESSION, WE WANTED WE WERE HOPING TO GET 300 MILLION FOR THOSE FORENSIC BEDS AND WE GOT 15.

AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THAT.

SO WHAT'S OUR STRATEGY FOR THE NEXT SESSION? ARE WE GOING BACK OR IS THAT ALL THAT'S GOING TO BE? AND WE MOVE ON.

WE. WHO KNOWS? WHO KNOWS? I IF I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT WOULD TELL US.

BUT DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT $15 MILLION IS GOING TO GO TO? THAT $15 MILLION WILL GO FOR 40 MAXIMUM SECURITY BEDS AT THE STATE HOSPITAL.

DOES THAT IS THAT A RENOVATION OR IS THAT A NEW BUILD, A RENOVATION OF THE ALAMO FACILITY? IT'S IT'S THE BUILDING THAT WE PROPOSED.

OKAY. YES, SIR.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

ANY FURTHER COMMENT? THANK YOU. YES, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, MR. ROBINSON, DO WE NEED TO GO TO EXECUTIVE OR CAN WE TAKE UP THOSE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA?

[EXECUTIVE SESSION ]

EXECUTIVE ALL RIGHT.

SO I'M SIGNALING THAT WE ARE NOW CONVENING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.

[02:25:04]

ITEMS MAY BE DISCUSSED AND ACTED UPON, IF APPROPRIATE, IN OPEN SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 551 .071.

THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD FOR CONSULTATION WITH THE COURT'S ATTORNEY FOR ADVICE REGARDING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS A DISCUSSION OF APPROPRIATE ACTION RELATED TO PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION OR SETTLEMENT OFFERS IN THE MATTERS OF ONE NOTICE OF POTENTIAL CLAIM.

WISCONSIN INSTITUTE FOR LAW AND LIBERTY INC.

TO JULIO GONZALEZ VERSUS BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS THREE STACY GOMEZ VERSUS BEXAR COUNTY.

FOR ALEX SHAH VERSUS JOEL BABB, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY FOR ADVICE REGARDING 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 CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH CHAPTER 551 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, SPECIFICALLY ONE LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPUTY SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION OF BEAR COUNTY ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 174 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.

WE'LL MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THEN WE'LL. ALL RIGHT.

COURT'S BACK INTO OPEN SESSION, MR. ROBESON. DO YOU WANT TO TAKE ANY ACTION OR PUT ON RECORD ANY ACTION BY THE COURT? THANK YOU, JUDGE. ITEM 65 JURY EXECUTIVE.

[65. Discussion and appropriate action regarding a professional services agreement with Langley & Banack, Incorporated for certain representation related to a claim in the matter of Julio Gonzalez v. Bexar County, Texas. ]

THE COURT CONSIDERED AN AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN THE MATTER OF JULIO GONZALEZ VERSUS BARROW COUNTY BY LANGLEY AND BACK, AND CONSIDERATION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY JUDGE TO EXECUTE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WAIVER LETTER.

IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE? AYE. ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES? ITEM 66 JUDGE DURING EXECUTIVE OF THE COURT CONSIDERED SETTLEMENT IN THE MATTER OF STACEY GOMEZ VERSUS BARROW COUNTY IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000.

[66. Discussion and appropriate action related to pending or contemplated litigation or a settlement offers in the matters of Stacy Gomez v. Bexar County, et al.]

IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

I DON'T HAVE ANY NAMES WHEN I MOVE TO ADJOURN.

MR. RODRIGUEZ? YES, JUDGE.

I MOVE TO ADJOURN IN THE NAMES AND HONOR OF ALFRED DIETRICH, MARJORIE MASTERY, TONY PATINO, JUNIOR, FRED LOZANO, SHIRLEY CHALKER MARSHALL BIANCHI AND SISTER EVELYN.

OH, FLATTERY.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT.? I MOVE TO ADJOURN IN HONOR OF CAROL LEE YOUNGBLOOD, ROGER LUCA, AUTHOR MOCZYGEMBA ALVIN RAMZINSKI, CHARLES TERRELL AND WALTER WYRICK.

ALL RIGHT, I MOVE TO ADJOURN.

I WAS NOT ON THE DAIS AT THE TIME OF CONCLUDING MEMORIALS LAST WEEK AND I APPRECIATE, I BELIEVE, COMMISSIONER KAREN CALVERT SHARING THE NAMES I PROVIDED.

I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE SOME OF THOSE NAMES ARE ON THE RECORD.