Aug 01, 2023 Commissioners Court Work Session

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WE READY? ALL RIGHT, ELIZABETH, WE READY? WE'RE READY.

OKAY.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

[1. Communications, including citizens who signed the register to speak, and reports. ]

AT THIS TIME, UH, I WILL OPEN THE AGENDA FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE ARE NONE AT

[2. Discussion and appropriate action regarding amendments to Article 9, Wages and Benefits, and Article 25, Transfers into Law Enforcement, in the contract between Bexar County, the Sheriff of Bexar County, and the Deputy Sheriffs Association of Bexar County (DSABC) to allow for the implementation of the "Straight to the Streets" program and adjustments to the Step Pay Plans for Law Enforcement and Adult Detention at an estimated annual cost of $9.6 million to be implemented the first full pay period after the execution of the contract amendment. ]

ARTICLE 25 TRANSFERS INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE CONTRACT BETWEEN BEXAR COUNTY, THE SHERIFF OF BEXAR COUNTY AND THE DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION OF BEXAR COUNTY, B SS A B C TO ALLOW FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRAIGHT TO THE STREETS PROGRAM AND ADJUSTMENTS TO THE STEP PAY PLANS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ADULT DETENTION AT AN ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST OF 9.6 MILLION TO BE IMPLEMENTED THE FIRST FULL PAY PERIOD AFTER THE EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT AMENDMENT.

MS. DE SMITH, WERE YOU GOING TO BRIEF US? YES.

JUST VERY QUICKLY, UM, TINA SMITH, DEAN WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO REQUEST COURT APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION OF BEXAR COUNTY.

UM, I HAVE A TWO SLIDES JUST TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOUR APPROVAL FOR.

UM, I GUESS I'LL JUST GO.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, SO DURING THE SUMMER, UH, BAKER TILLY COMPLETED A MARKET STUDY AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OVER THE PAST, UH, TWO OR THREE MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT THAT.

UM, SO WHAT THIS AMENDMENT DOES IS IT WILL PLACE ALL MEMBERS OF THE D S A B C ON THE NEW STEP PAY PLAN, ON THE STEP THAT CORRESPONDS WITH THE RANK THEY HOLD AND THE TIME IN THAT RANK, THE DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION WILL FOREGO THE 2.5% INCREASES IN YEARS THREE AND FOUR OF THE CONTRACT, AND WILL ALSO FOREGO THE US TWO PROVISION, AND THE SHERIFF WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THE STRAIGHT TO THE STREETS PROGRAM.

THE ANNUAL COST OF THE AMENDMENT IS $9.6 MILLION.

UH, THE PAY INCREASES WILL BE EFFECTIVE, THE FIRST FULL PAY PERIOD AFTER THE CONTRACT IS FULLY EXECUTED.

SO I'M ASSUMING THAT WILL BE AUGUST 31ST, IS WHEN EVERYBODY WILL SEE THE PAY RAISES IN THEIR PAYCHECK, AND THE AVERAGE INCREASE IS ABOUT 9%.

AND SO THAT'S A SUMMARY.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY THE SHERIFF'S HERE OR THE D S A B C WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING.

CAN I HAVE THE SHERIFF AND THE UNION REPRESENTATIVES? PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND IF YOU WISH TO ADDRESS THE COURT, YOU ARE FREE TO DO SO.

GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE.

COMMISSIONERS.

UH, YOU'LL PARDON ME.

I CAN'T WIPE THE SMILE OFF MY FACE EVEN AT THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS HAPPENING, UH, TODAY.

THIS IS HISTORIC, UH, IN THE HISTORY OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, NOT JUST THE PAY RAISE, OBVIOUSLY, THAT, THAT, THAT PUTS US IN A MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE, UH, BRACKET TO COMPETE HEAD TO HEAD WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN THE AREA AND ACROSS THE STATE.

BUT ADDITIONALLY, THIS, THIS NEW CAREER TRACK TO COME INTO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

UH, NEVER IN MODERN HISTORY.

AND I'VE GOT SOME, SOME, SOME FOLKS THAT ARE HERE, UH, WITH ME THAT ARE PRETTY LONG IN THE TOOTH.

THEY'VE BEEN IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR, FOR A COUPLE OF DECADES NOW.

AND, UH, THEY CAN'T RECALL A TIME WHEN ANYBODY WAS EVER ALLOWED TO TEST INTO THE AGENCY AND GO STRAIGHT TO PATROL WITHOUT HAVING WORKED IN THE JAIL FIRST, WHICH HAS, HAS BEEN AN IMPEDIMENT IN SOME CASES.

WHY, WHY COVER IT UP? UH, IT'S BEEN AN IMPEDIMENT IN SOME CASES.

SO THIS CREATES ANOTHER CAREER TRACK, THE TRADITIONAL WHERE SOMEONE COULD COME IN, SAY AT THE AGE OF 18, WORK IN THE JAIL FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND THEN TEST OVER TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THAT'S AN OPTION.

UH, COMING IN AS AN OUTSIDE PEACE OFFICER AND TAKING A SHORT TRAINING ACADEMY, THAT'S AN OPTION.

BUT ADDITIONALLY, NOW THROUGH THE STRAIGHT TO THE STREET STREETS PROGRAM, SOMEBODY WALKING IN THE DOOR AS A CIVILIAN, AND THEN 34 WEEKS LATER, UH, WALKING OUT AS A, AS A FULL FLEDGED PATROL DEPUTY, WE'RE JUST SO FULL OF OPTIONS THAT, THAT I CAN'T THINK OF ANOTHER AGENCY IN THIS AREA THAT'S GOT THAT, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE, THE GENEROUS, UH, PAY RAISE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO I JUST APPRECIATE YOU ALL CONSIDERING THIS, AND I STRONGLY URGE YOU ALL TO SUPPORT IT ALL TODAY.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT.

TOOK YOU WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF D SS B A C? WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU ALL, UM, VERY MUCH.

UH, OBVIOUSLY JUDGE, UH, WHEN YOU GOT ON HERE, UM, YOUR BIGGEST DEAL WAS TURNING THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT INTO A TEAM.

AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE DID, UH, IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH THE SHERIFF, WITH THE ALL, WE'RE ALL PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE FIX THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF TRYING TO THROW MONEY AT IT AND HOPING AFTER DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, IT'LL CHANGE.

SO FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

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IT'S NOT THE AT AND T CENTER OR SOON TO BE FROST OR WHATEVER IT IS, OR THIS BUILDING.

IT'S OUR EMPLOYEES, UM, FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.

AND IT'S, UM, AMAZING THAT WE REALIZE THAT NOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN.

AND THIS IS A HUGE LIFELINE TO THE JAIL AND TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ITSELF.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

IS THERE A MOTION JUDGE? I'D LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS, UH, PAY COMPROMISE AND AMENDMENT MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MOODY, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER MOODY? WELL, I'LL JUST JUST SAY A FEW WORDS, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GREAT WHEN THE SYSTEM ACTUALLY WORKS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S SLOW, BUT I THINK WE, UH, WE GOT TO A GREAT PLACE WITH, UH, WITH THIS COMPROMISE.

UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

UM, THEY, THEY SACRIFICE SO MUCH FOR ALL OF US.

UH, THEIR FAMILIES SACRIFICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, WE TAKE CARE OF THEM WHILE THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF US.

AND I THINK THAT THIS COMPROMISE DOES THAT.

UM, PUBLIC SAFETY, AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES, UH, FROM, FROM THIS DICE IS FUNDAMENTAL.

AND IF WE DON'T HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR COUNTY, IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.

AND SO I THINK THAT THIS, THIS IS A GOOD COMPROMISE, AND IT'S A WIN-WIN.

IT'S A WIN FOR BEXAR COUNTY IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND ALSO THE IMPLEMENTATION THAT'S NOT GONNA BREAK THE BANK.

UH, BUT IT'S A WIN FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD THE SHERIFF, WE'VE HEARD D S A B C SPEAK, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT THE CHALLENGES IN, IN RECRUITING, IN HIRING AND RETAINING, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DETENTION OFFICERS, BECAUSE OUR PAY STRUCTURE WAS, WAS NOT AT THE LEVEL THAT THE MARKET DICTATED.

AND SO I THINK WITH THIS PAY STUDY, AND THEN ULTIMATELY WITH THIS, UH, WITH THIS AMENDMENT TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, WE FOUND A, UH, A GOOD PLACE WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY HIRE AND RETAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DETENTION OFFICERS.

AND THAT IS GONNA MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER GOING FORWARD.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COURT AND, AND EVERYONE WHO HAD A PART IN THIS, UH, AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS A WIN FOR EVERYONE, AND I'M GLAD WE GOT THERE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR HAVING SOME MIC ISSUES, BUT I'LL SPEAK UP.

UM, LET ME ALSO THANK, UH, THE, THE FOLKS WHO ARE PART OF OUR NEGOTIATING TEAM.

I KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO COME OUT OF THESE THINGS AND FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY WON OR EVERYBODY LOST.

AND I THINK THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE, UM, IT IS A WIN-WIN.

AND, AND I THINK NO MATTER, UM, MY TIME ON CITY COUNCIL OR HERE, UM, OUR CONSTITUENTS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS ALWAYS PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND, AND, UM, I THINK BY DOING THIS TODAY, WE ARE PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE PUTTING GOOD OFFICERS ON THE STREET AND ALSO TAKING CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

UM, SO THANK YOU, UH, SHERIFF AND YOUR TEAM.

UM, I, I KNOW THE, THE COURT COLLECTIVELY WAS OBVIOUSLY A PART OF MAKING THIS HAPPEN, A BIG PART OF THAT.

BUT I WOULD TELL YOU, UH, SHERIFF, UH, SOME OF THE, THE BEST ADVOCATES YOU HAD WERE THE FOLKS, UH, BEHIND YOU, UH, D S A B C AND PRESIDENT TOOK, AND RENEE AND DEREK AND, AND FOLKS WHO I HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TOOK CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

AND, AND I THINK BY DOING THAT, UM, THE, THE, THE WIN-WIN IS OBVIOUS, BUT ALSO TOO SHERIFF, IT PUTS A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE ON YOU.

ABSOLUTELY.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD YOU HERE A NUMBER OF TIMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN ONE IMPEDIMENT AFTER ANOTHER IN TERMS OF FILLING POSITIONS.

AND I THINK BY REMOVING SOME OF THOSE IMPEDIMENTS PAY AND ALSO THE STRAIGHT TO THE STREETS, UH, NOW YOU GOTTA GO OUT AND FILL THOSE POSITIONS.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT.

UM, AND SO, UH, I, I'M JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, PROUD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS.

UM, HOPEFULLY THIS GOODWILL, UH, TAKES US, UH, OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

'CAUSE I KNOW THIS CONTRACT EXPIRES IN A COUPLE YEARS, BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD STEP FORWARD TO SHOW, UH, BOTH SIDES ARE DEALING IN GOOD FAITH.

WE'RE LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE'RE LOOKING OUT FOR THE COMMUNITY OF BEXAR COUNTY AND, AND THE FOLKS WHO LIVE IN IT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JUDGE.

AND LET ME THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR SUPPORT TODAY.

BUT I THINK, UH, THE UNION DESERVES AN AWFUL LOT OF CREDIT.

CREDIT PRESIDENT.

RON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR TEAM, UH, IN THE UNION.

SHERIFF, THANK YOU FOR ADVOCATING AS WELL FOR THE RANK AND FILE, UH, TO GET, UH, THEIR WAGES.

AND I

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UH, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE HE HUNG TOUGH AS WELL IN TERMS OF BRINGING THIS BACK TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

UH, AND YOU'RE TO BE COMMENDED, COMMISSIONER, THIS IS A BIG STEP FORWARD IN A BOOKMARK, A BOOKEND OF THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY.

WE'VE CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF HISTORY THAT, UH, ONCE, UH, CAME OVER THIS COUNTY.

AND THIS WAS A COUNTY THAT USED TO SELL ITSELF AS, UH, CHEAP LABOR.

BOTH THE POLITICAL AND THE, AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY OFTEN SOLD OURSELVES SHORT AS A TOWN WHERE YOU HAD, UH, CHIEF LABOR.

WHEN I LOOK AT THE WAGES THIS COURT IS HELPING TO PUT TOGETHER TODAY, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING RESPECTABLE THAT IS, UH, MOVING THE BALL FORWARD IN TERMS OF, UH, RESPECTING THE WORK THAT PEOPLE PUT IN, UH, COUNTLESS HOURS TO MAKE HAPPEN.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE BECAUSE THE WORKFORCE HAS CHANGED.

IT'S CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY.

THEY WANT FLEXIBILITY, THEY WANT OPTIONS.

THEY WANT A GOOD PAY.

SO WE ARE KEEPING UP WITH WHERE THE HUMAN RESOURCES ENVIRONMENT IS IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET.

WE'RE NOT JUST COMPETING WITH PUBLIC SECTOR, WE'RE COMPETING WITH PRIVATE SECTOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE AS WELL.

SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT STROKE FOR RETENTION, UH, WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.

I FINALLY FEEL IT SOME PEACE, UH, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE, THE, WELL, FRANKLY, 30 YEARS OF STARVATION THAT OFTEN WAS A HISTORY OF, UH, THE WAGES OF THE, OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

AND IT STARTED OUT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL DISAGREEMENTS AND IT'S ENDING BECAUSE OF POLITICAL WORKING TOGETHER.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR TURNING A GREAT CHAPTER, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT HOMAGE TO THIS NEW COURT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE BY 50, THE NUMBER OF DEPUTIES, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THE WAGES, UH, DESERVING OF A TOP-NOTCH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

THANK YOU, JUDGE.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES.

YEAH, CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE, EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS.

SPECIFICALLY, I WANNA CONGRATULATE PRESIDENT TOOK, UM, UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, THIS IS A, A BIG DEAL TO PUT A FEATHER IN YOUR, IN YOUR CAP.

SO CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING THIS DONE.

UM, I KNOW, UM, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, RENEE TO HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA BE SCHEDULING A TOUR SOON AND OFF.

ALSO, SHERIFF, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, HOPEFULLY GETTING THAT SUBSTATION IN NORTHWEST PART OF MY PRECINCT DONE NOW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE, UM, ABLE TO DO THIS.

AND SO WHAT IT MEANS FOR MY COMMUNITY AS ONE OF THE LARGEST, UM, FASTEST GROWING AREA ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF PRECINCT ONE IS THAT WE CAN GET PATROLMEN AND WOMEN OUT QUICKER TO THE STREETS.

UM, I DO WANNA ASK HOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR PEOPLE WHO, I THINK THERE WAS A TWO YEAR COMMITMENT TO WORK IN THE JAILS BEFORE THEY GOT TO THE STREETS.

SO LET'S SAY, UM, THERE'S SOMEONE WHO'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT TERM.

LET'S SAY THERE'S A YEAR NOW.

DID THEY HAVE TO FULFILL THAT YEAR OR CAN THEY GO TO THE STREETS? CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? THEY CAN GO IMMEDIATELY.

UH, COMMISSIONER, WE HAVEN'T IN, IN FACT THE, THE TOP SCORER ON THE, ON THE LI ON THE CLASS, THIS LAST TEST THAT WE GAVE FOUR STRAIGHT TO THE STREETS.

SO SHE'S ONE OF THE LEADING CADETS GOING INTO THE STRAIGHT TO THE STREETS PROGRAM.

SHE WAS ACTUALLY A DETENTION CADET AT THE TIME.

SHE TOOK THAT TEST AND SHE OVERCAME ALL OF THE PREFERENCE POINTS THAT THE PEOPLE ALREADY WORKING IN THE JAIL GET.

SHE OVERCAME THAT.

SO SHE IN ESSENCE, WAS COMING IN AS A CIVILIAN AND SCORED NUMBER ONE ON THAT TEST.

AND SHE'LL BE COMING IN A BRILLIANT YOUNG WOMAN THAT THAT'S COMING IN.

AND SO, SO NO, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ANY PERIOD OF TIME IF THEY CHOOSE TO STAY IN THE JAIL FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND, AND A CREWE SOME PREFERENCE POINTS TOWARD THEIR TEST SCORE, THEY CAN ABSOLUTELY, BUT IF THEY WANT TO TAKE IT IMMEDIATELY, THEY CAN DO THAT AS WELL.

SO DO YOU THINK THAT'S GONNA REFLECT AT ALL IN TERMS OF HAVING LESS OR MORE OF A NEED IN TERMS OF PEOPLE WORKING AT THE DETENTION CENTER? NOT NECESSARILY.

'CAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT, THAT DON'T WANT ANY PART OF PATROL.

THEY DON'T WANNA WORK PATROL.

THEY, THEY, THEY WANT TO JUST COME IN AND WORK IN A, IN A MORE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT LIKE THE JAIL.

NOT TO MENTION WE HAVING LOWERED THE AGE TO 18 A FEW YEARS AGO, THAT WE WOULD HIRE, UM, 18 YEAR OLDS ARE TOO YOUNG TO TEST OVER TO PATROL ANYWAY, SO THEY CAN'T TEST UNTIL THEY'RE 20 AND A HALF.

SO THEN THAT WOULD BE A GREAT TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME IN, GET THEIR FEET WET, GET STARTED WITH THE AGENCY AT THE AGE OF 18, WHEN THEY'RE 20 AND A HALF, THEY TEST OVER TO PATROL AND THEN THEY, THEY GO, BUT THAT'S AN AGE REQUIREMENT, NOT NECESSARILY A TIME IN THE JAIL REQUIREMENT.

SO ALL THIS DOES IS CREATE ANOTHER OPTION FOR US.

AND NOT TO MENTION, UH, IF WE DO THIS RIGHT, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT POSITIONS WILL BE FULL MOST OF THE TIME.

AND SO IF YOU WANNA DO THAT, THEN, THEN IT WOULD BEHOOVE YOU IF TO GO AHEAD AND COME GET YOUR JOB, COME START WORKING IN THE JAIL, AND THEN THE NEXT TEST THAT'S AVAILABLE, TAKE IT AND THEN YOU CAN TEST OVER AT THAT POINT.

BUT AT THAT, AT THAT POINT, AT LEAST YOU'RE ALREADY WORKING HERE, YOU'RE ALREADY WEARING THE PATCH AND YOU'RE ALREADY ACCRUING POINTS THAT THAT'LL, THAT YOU'LL USE ON THE TEST LATER.

WELL, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF MENTAL HEALTH.

SO I'M HOPING THAT WITH THESE CHANGES THAT ARE GONNA GO INTO EFFECT, IT REALLY HELPS THE MORALE AND THE CULTURE, UM, OF THE UNION AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.

SO, UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY IN THAT MANNER.

UM, SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO HEAR SOME SUCCESS STORIES ABOUT HOW YOU'RE FEELING THE MORALES GOING AND HOW IT'S IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH.

[00:15:01]

SO THANK YOU FOR THIS.

I THINK THIS HELPS TO ADDRESS THE COMPRESSION ISSUES, UM, WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

SO TINA, I'D LIKE TO DIRECT YOU TO LOOK AND SEE HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE REST OF REST OF OUR COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY THE REST OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

UM, WE HAVE OF COURSE, THE CONSTABLES AND WE ALSO HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND TO SEE HOW WE CAN ALSO ADDRESS THEIR COMPRESSION ISSUES.

SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, LEADING THIS WAY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UM, DO AS WELL FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.

SO CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? THEN I'LL HAVE THE LAST WORD.

UH, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM.

UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO THANK MY AUDIO PEOPLE RIGHT NOW FOR THIS MIC'S GOING IN AND OUT.

EITHER THAT OR WE, UH, COMMISSIONER COLE, WE NEED TO GET SOME NEW EQUIPMENT IN HERE SO WE CAN'T, CAN STAY ONLINE, SO TO SPEAK.

BUT LET ME SPEAK TO EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM.

OBVIOUSLY I'M THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK.

I'M THE NEW COUNTY COURT JUDGE, AND I PROMISE TO BRING CERTAIN CHANGES TO THIS COURT AND I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THAT THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE, WHAT I HOPE TO BRING AND MANY MORE TO COME.

AND THAT IS BE ABLE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

AND I'LL JUST SAY, QUITE FRANKLY, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE.

NOW I'M CERTAINLY GONNA MISS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN.

FIRST, DAVID SMITH, TINA SMITH, DEAN, ON BEHALF OF THE, UH, COUNTY.

LEMME SAY THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK AND PUTTING THE NUMBERS TOGETHER, SHERIFF AND YOUR CHIEFS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TO COURT.

AND I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S YOU, YOU GOTTA STAND ON THAT PODIUM.

YOU GOTTA EXPLAIN THINGS AND YOU'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM TIME TO TIME.

AND I AM GONNA ASK QUESTIONS OF HOW THIS THING IS GOING AFTER ITS EFFECT.

I'LL BE COMING BACK.

I WANT TO KNOW, ARE WE RETAINING OUR DEPUTIES? ARE OUR DEPUTIES STAYING? HOW'S THE MORALE OF THE DEPUTIES OR CAN WE MAKE IT BETTER? WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO DO? AND AS COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ POINTED OUT, I CAN'T MAKE ANY PROMISES THAT WE CAN GIVE ANYMORE, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS TRY TO WORK HARDER TO GIVE DIGNITY AND RESPECT TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WEAR THE UNIFORM.

PRESIDENT TOOK VICE PRESIDENT S SPANGLER, RENEE OCHOA, THANK YOU FOR THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE CREATED AND MAKING SURE THAT THE DEPUTIES, AND I ASSURED YOU THAT I WANTED THE VOICE OF THE DEPUTIES IN THIS ROOM.

AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS REFERENDUM PASSED WITH NEARLY 95, 90 6%.

SO IT CLEARLY SHOWS THIS IS WHAT THE DEPUTIES WANT AND THIS IS WHAT THE DEPUTIES ARE GOING TO GET.

AND SO, HULK, THAT'S BEEN THOROUGHLY EXPLAINED TO DEPUTIES, THERE'S ANYTHING I DON'T LIKE IS PEOPLE COMING BACK AFTER THE FACT COMPLAINING.

AND SO WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE GOT AND WE ALL KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING.

AND FINALLY, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES.

Y'ALL MADE IT HAPPEN.

UH, COMMISSIONER MOODY, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES.

I HOPE, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS THE SIGN OF MANY THINGS TO COME AND MOVING BEAR COUNTY FORWARD.

THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MOODY, A SECOND BY COMM COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

I.

ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THIS MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYBODY AND THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK Y'ALL DOING.

LET'S GIVE EVERYBODY A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA, UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS OTHER WORK FOR US TO DO.

NO, I THINK MY COMMISSIONERS ARE READY TO, TO MOVE ON.

IS THERE A, A MOTION TO ADJOURN? WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES.

MOVE TO ADJOURN.

UH, YES, JOE, JUST BRIEFLY.

I I WANTED TO MENTION, UM, SPECIAL CALLED MEETING CALLS FOR AN ADJOURNMENT IN THE NAME OF A SPECIAL PERSON.

UM, RECENTLY WE LOST ISABELLE ORTIZ BE ORTIZ.

UH, SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING IN HER HONOR.

SHE'S OF COURSE THE MATRIARCH OF THE SAN MIGUEL FAMILY.

SENATOR VAN DEPU, UH, MOTHER.

UH, SHE ALSO LEAVES BEHIND A, A LEGACY OF, UH, ESTABLISHING BACK IN THE DAY, THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL BALLOR PROGRAM AND THE FIRST FULL HIGH SCHOOL MARIACHI PROGRAM AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL.

SO WE SEND OUR PRAYERS TO BELLA ART'S FAMILY, AND I'D ASK THAT WE ADJOURN IN HER NAME AND MEMORY.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

I

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COMMISSIONER MOODY NONE, COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO ADJOURN SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

MOTION ADJOURNED HERE.

ALRIGHT.

IS THIS THE QUICKEST MEETING WE'VE EVER HAD? THANK YOU.