[00:00:01]
COMMENTS. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS FOR YOU OR FOR TANYA, AND THANK YOU, BY THE WAY, FOR PRIORITIZING THESE.
I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO PICK YOUR FAVORITE CHILD, BUT IT HELPS US IN TERMS OF WHEN YOU LET US KNOW IN TERMS OF PRIORITY ORDER, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.
SO WHAT YOU'VE LISTED AS PRIORITY NUMBER ONE IS THE PARALEGAL, AND IN YOUR NOTES I SEE IT'S ADDING THAT POSITION AND DELETING TWO PART TIME INTERN POSITIONS.
TANYA, ON YOUR PRESENTATION, IF I'M LOOKING AT THIS CORRECTLY, PAGE THREE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE PART TIME EMPLOYEES AS OPPOSED TO TWO.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE BASICALLY SAYING TODAY YOU'RE OKAY WITH WELL, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT, AND LISTEN, ON MY POWERPOINT IS THREE EXISTING POSITIONS, THREE EXISTING ONES TO GET RID OF TWO KEEP ONE AND OUT OF FULL TIME PARALEGAL, AND I THINK WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING, ANA, IS THAT IF YOU HAD TO GIVE UP THE THIRD ONE, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH THAT IF YOU GET THE PARALEGAL FULL TIME POSITION.
THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THEY ARE. THEY RUN THROUGH AND THEY'VE GOT PRIORITIES THAT ARE SEPARATE.
OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR MY OWN KNOWLEDGE, AND ALSO THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THESE THINGS ARE ABOUT COMPROMISE AND TRYING TO MEET IN THE MIDDLE.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT, JUDGE.
I DON'T KNOW IF TANYA OR TINA, YOU CAN LOOK UP AND LIVE TIME AND GET BACK TO US.
THE MONIES WE EXPENDED ON THE ALAMO COLLEGES PROGRAM FOR INTERNSHIP, HAVE ALL OF THOSE BEEN EXPENDED BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE MONIES COULD POTENTIALLY GO TOWARDS THE REQUEST FOR INTERNS HERE.
SO BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A COMPLICATED IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED, BUT IT'S JUST THE WAY IT'S ADMINISTERED; THEY'RE PROBABLY INVOICING US FOR THE INTERNS THAT DO COME TO THE DEPARTMENTS. YEAH, I THINK HOW THAT ONE WORKS.
[2. Recess Commissioners Court 10:30 a.m.: Convene as Board of Directors, Bexar County Public Facility Corporation (Presentation Time: 5 minutes) (Board) Reconvene Commissioners Court]
I'M SORRY TO CROWD YOU.I THINK THAT HOW THAT PROGRAM WORKS IS WE, THE OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS APPLY, THEY POST IT AND I BELIEVE THEY GET PAID BY THE SCHOOL AND SO WE'RE JUST UTILIZING IT FREE ESSENTIALLY, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO GET INTERNS SPECIFIC TO THAT, BUT WHAT I RECALL IS WE ALLOCATE, WE SET ASIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY.
I CAN'T REMEMBER. IS THAT WRONG? IS MY MEMORY WRONG? LET ME CHECK, COMMISSIONER, I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU THE WRONG INFORMATION.
SO LET'S CHECK ON THAT, AND THE OTHER ONE IS, OF COURSE, IS OUR REGULAR COUNTY INTERN PROGRAM AND WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE DOLLARS EXPENDED AS WELL AND PEG IT TO THE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S ALL.
LET'S LOOK AT THOSE. WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN'T HELP, BECAUSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECRUIT FROM THE LAW SCHOOL, I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT ONE IN OUR WORLD BECAUSE WE AREN'T NECESSARILY THE HIGHEST PAYING LEGAL OPTION.
THEY TALK ABOUT BEING SPOILED.
THEY GET HERE, THEY LOVE CRIMINAL LAW.
THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD THAT EXPOSURE OTHERWISE.
SO I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT SENTIMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MOODY, JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ SAID.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU, MISS ANA.
I'M GOING TO EXERCISE MY DISCRETION.
LET'S GO TO JUVENILE DISTRICT COURTS NEXT.
TIME OUT. CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS.
[00:05:01]
IT WASN'T I WASN'T DOING IT ON PURPOSE.OKAY. SO CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS, Y'ALL MAY MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR SITTING PATIENTLY, COMMISSIONERS.
IF I MAY ASK FOR JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION OR CLARIFICATION FIRST, BASED OFF OF THE SLIDESHOW THAT WAS PRESENTED BY MS. GAITAN, IS IT MY UNDERSTANDING THEN THAT BUDGET IS APPROVING OUR REQUEST TO HAVE THE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LISTED IN ITS OWN ACCOUNTING UNIT, AND THAT YOU ARE ALSO THEN RECOMMENDING THE ADDITIONAL COST OUTSIDE OF OUR SALARIED ONE EMPLOYEE POSITION THAT YOU HAD REQUESTED.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THAT THERE.
MISS TANYA, CAN YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION? SO TO CLARIFY, NO, WE DON'T HAVE A NEW BUDGETED ACCOUNTING UNIT SPECIFIC TO THAT AND THE SECOND QUESTION WAS WHAT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. WELL, BECAUSE ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT WE HAD MADE AS IT RELATES TO THE CCDV WAS TO APPROVE ALL THE ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES IN ADDITION TO THE SALARIED EMPLOYEE, AND I THINK IF I SAW CORRECTLY FROM OUR ANALYST THAT IT WAS JUST THE EMPLOYEE POSITION, THE SALARIED POSITION THAT WAS GOING TO BE APPROVED AND NOT THE ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR TRAINING SUPPLIES, INTERNS.
YEAH, I THINK WE'RE UTILIZING THE EXISTING BUDGET.
OKAY. SO THEN I MAY HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT THEN WITH THE COURT AS WELL.
THANKS FOR THAT POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
SO, JUDGE SAKAI, AND TO OUR ESTEEMED COMMISSIONERS, JUST HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY REMIND EVERYBODY WHAT THE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS, AND FOR SHORT PURPOSES, I'M GOING TO REFER TO IT AS THE CCDV.
IT IS A JOINT COUNTY CITY COLLABORATION THAT WAS FORMED BACK IN 2019.
BY ORDER BY THEN, OUR LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE SAKAI, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, AND IT CONVENES LEADERS OF ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STAKEHOLDERS TO IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE BASED STRATEGIES THAT PREVENT AND REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING AS THE CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS IS THAT THE COUNTY'S PART OF THE CCDV JOINT INITIATIVE WITH THE CITY BE ASSIGNED ITS OWN ACCOUNTING UNIT. THIS WOULD ENABLE THE COUNTY TO BETTER TRACK THE CCDV EXPENDITURES, WHICH WOULD BE USEFUL IN EVALUATING THE COUNTY'S RETURN ON ITS INVESTMENT.
CURRENTLY, THE CCDV FUNDING IS INCLUDED WITHOUT DISTINCTION IN THE CHILDREN'S COURT BUDGET, WHICH PLACES AN UNNECESSARY BURDEN ON OUR CHILDREN'S COURT ADMINISTRATION TO PARSE OUT THAT BUDGET EACH YEAR.
THE CCDV IS NOT PART OF THE CHILDREN'S COURT, BUT IT'S TREATED AS SUCH FOR BUDGETING PURPOSES.
THE CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS ARE HAPPY TO KEEP THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE CCDV UNDER ITS ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISION UNTIL A MORE SUITABLE COUNTY DEPARTMENT IS IDENTIFIED, BUT THE ACCOUNTING SHOULD BE SEPARATED, AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR COUNTY CO-CHAIR, JUDGE MONIQUE DIAZ, HAS BEEN HAVING SOME HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE COUNTY CONCERNING FINDING A MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO HOUSE THAT BUDGET.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS DO YOU HAVE THE SLIDES? DID YOU GIVE THAT TO THEM? OKAY.
SO I THINK WE HAVE CLARIFICATION NOW THAT THOSE OTHER EXPENDITURES WEREN'T APPROVED, AND SO I'M JUST MAKING SURE IT WAS JUST THE EMPLOYEE SALARY.
RIGHT? ALL THOSE OTHER ITEMS, THEY'RE NOT ANYWHERE ELSE IN CHILDREN'S COURT BUDGET.
SO YOU CAN SEE IN THE SLIDE THAT WE HAD PRESENTED TO YOU AT NUMBER FOUR, WHAT WAS RECEIVED, WHICH IS THE SALARY OF MR. NOAH FUENTES, WHO IS OUR CCDV COORDINATOR WITH THE COUNTY VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE REQUESTED, AND WE ARE ASKING, IN ADDITION TO SEPARATING OUT THE CCDV INTO ITS OWN ACCOUNTING UNIT, WE ARE ALSO ASKING FOR FUNDING FOR THE SUPPLIES, TRAINING TECHNOLOGY AND THE INTERNS THAT ARE LISTED THERE ON THE SLIDE AS WELL, AND SO YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION VERSUS THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION IN THAT SLIDE, AND I ALSO HAVE PRESENT WITH US OUR CCDV COORDINATOR, MR. NOAH FUENTES. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS SPECIFIC REQUEST, SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ISSUE? ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?
[00:10:01]
CAN YOU ELABORATE? THANK YOU, JUDGE. CAN YOU JUST ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THE ERVICES AND THE MEDIA AND THE TECHNOLOGY? JUST WHAT IS THAT GOING TOWARDS, IF I MAY DEFER TO MR. FUENTES, BECAUSE, AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH IT FALLS UNDER THE CIVIL COURTS HEADING, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THAT.SO, MR. FUENTES, IF YOU'LL PLEASE COME FORWARD.
YES. SO THE SERVICES I DON'T KNOW IF.
SO GENERAL SUPPLIES LIKE PRINTING COST, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, OFFICE NEEDS THAT COME UP.
WE YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO THAT AS FAR AS TRAVEL AND TRAINING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
MY COUNTERPART ON ON THE CITY IS I MEAN, HE HE GOES TO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT TRAININGS TO BECOME TRAUMA INFORMED, TO BE AWARE OF BEST PRACTICES THAT WE CAN BRING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO ATTEND THOSE TRAININGS AS WELL, BECOME TRAUMA INFORMED MYSELF, BRINGING BEST PRACTICES BACK TO THE COUNTY AND UTILIZE ME AS AN ASSET HERE.
SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT IS.
THE CITY HAS BEEN GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO PICK UP A LOT OF THAT COST AS WELL AS US, THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO SORT OF EXPAND ON THIS EVERY YEAR, I THINK THAT IT'S PRUDENT THAT WE SORT OF BUILT THAT IN AS WELL, THE TECHNOLOGY.
[1. Communications, including citizens who signed the register to speak, and reports.]
OH, AND THE TECHNOLOGY, YES SO TECHNOLOGY, COMPUTERS, LAPTOPS THAT I NEED TO RUN WITH THE INTERNS THAT I HAVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.WE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE BLACK AND WHITE PRINTER.
IT'D BE GOOD TO PRINT IN COLOR IN TERMS OF THE COMPUTERS.
YOU'RE SAYING THAT FOR YOUR SUPPLEMENTAL INTERNSHIP STAFF, THERE'S NONE FOR THEM.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? CURRENTLY I DO HAVE TWO, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE BORROWED.
THANK YOU. THAT'S UNDER THERE AS WELL.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MOODY.
COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.
ANYTHING ELSE? I HAVE SOME MORE. KEEP GOING.
THIS IS A PROGRAM CHANGE THAT WILL COST THE COUNTY APPROXIMATELY $4,000.
THE EMPLOYEE AT ISSUE IS PERFORMING TASKS WELL BEYOND HIS CURRENT JOB DESCRIPTION.
HAVING GROWN BEYOND THIS ENTRY LEVEL POSITION, WHICH IS FAR MORE IN LINE WITH THE RESPONSIBILITIES HANDLED BY THE PROPOSED POSITION THAT WE HAVE, AND JUDGE SAKAI, THE EMPLOYEE THAT I'M REFERRING TO, IS ALBERT CHAVEZ.
HE'S IN ADMINISTRATION UNDER RYAN'S OFFICE.
SO I'D LIKE YOU TO PLEASE REFERENCE SLIDE DECKS, NUMBERS TWO AND THREE, WHICH COMPARES THE POSITIONS AND SHOWS THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE EMPLOYEE IS PERFORMING BEYOND HIS CURRENT JOB DESCRIPTION.
I WOULD SAY THAT HE'S DOING MORE WITH NO RESULTING RESULTING INCREASE IN POSITION AND COMPENSATION, AND SO FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, THE REDUNDANCIES BETWEEN THE TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED THERE FOR YOU, AND I THINK THAT THIS MAKES THE A PRETTY COMPELLING ARGUMENT FOR THE REQUESTED CHANGE.
FURTHER, WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY PROVIDED AN EXPLANATION FROM BUDGET FOR NOT APPROVING THE RECOMMENDED CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO THE WHAT WAS PRESENTED JUST MOMENTS AGO ON THE SLIDE DECK FROM BUDGET.
I HAVE A NOTATION HERE THAT THE ANALYSIS WAS BASED ON THE PROPOSED JOB DESCRIPTION, NOT HIS CURRENT JOB DESCRIPTION IS WHAT WE DID AND SO ADDITIONALLY IN ADDITION AND YOU'LL SEE THERE ON THE SENIOR COURT SUPPORT SPECIALIST COLUMN THAT HE ALSO DOES BACKUP COORDINATION TO OUR RECENTLY ADDED PRESIDING COURT COORDINATOR, AND SO WHEN OUR PRESIDING COURT COORDINATOR IS NOT THERE, IS ON VACATION, ON LEAVE, ON SICK LEAVE, OR SOMETIMES IS INUNDATED WITH A FULL DAY OF PRESIDING, HE DOES PROVIDE ALSO BACKUP COURT COORDINATION AS WELL, AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, THIS IS WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR THE PROGRAM CHANGE FROM COURT SUPPORT TO SENIOR COURT SUPPORT.
[00:15:03]
ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.ONE MORE, AND THIS IS OUR THIRD REQUEST IS TO CREATE A NEW COUNTY OFFICE DISTINCT FROM THE CURRENT STAFF ATTORNEYS THAT COULD GO FARTHER IN ASSISTING SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS AS THEY TRY TO WORK THROUGH THE LEGAL SYSTEM.
IT WOULD BE CALLED THE SELF-REPRESENTED REPRESENTED LITIGANT HELP CENTER, AND SO I'D ASK THAT YOU REFERENCE SLIDES FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN, PLEASE.
AS WE'RE SEEING, AND THIS IS AT SLIDE SIX, WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEING A SUBSTANTIAL RISE IN THE NUMBER OF SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS, ESPECIALLY IN FAMILY LAW MATTERS INVOLVING CHILDREN. THESE ARE MOSTLY LOW INCOME FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE COURTS, AND SIMPLY PUT, THE SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS ARE NOT PREPARED FOR COURT DUE TO INSUFFICIENT PLEADINGS AND A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE COURT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE REQUESTED RELIEF.
EITHER WAY, A FAMILY, OFTEN WITH SMALL CHILDREN, DOES NOT OBTAIN THE CLOSURE THAT THEY NEED.
ADDITIONALLY, THE OTHER LITIGANTS AND ATTORNEYS AT THE COURTHOUSE ARE DELAYED IN GETTING THEIR CASES RESOLVED, AND THEY WAIT FOR THE SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANT HEARINGS TO CONCLUDE. NOW, WE BELIEVE THAT CREATING A SEPARATE OFFICE THAT CAN PROVIDE BASIC LEGAL ADVICE TO SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS WILL INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE COURTHOUSE AND BRING MUCH NEEDED RELIEF TO SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE SEGMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR CURRENT MODEL OF UTILIZING THE STAFF ATTORNEYS AND THEIR INTERNS TO MEET ONLINE WITH SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS TO ANSWER BASIC QUESTIONS IS NOT SUFFICIENT BECAUSE THAT OFFICE IS PROHIBITED FROM GIVING LEGAL ADVICE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE AN EXTENSION OF THE JUDICIARY.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING BY CREATING THIS DEPARTMENT IS DEVELOPING A WALL BETWEEN THE JUDICIARY AND THE HELP CENTER, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS IN LOOKING AT THE SLIDES THAT BUDGET HAD PUT UP THERE, IS THAT WE CANNOT GIVE OUR STAFF ATTORNEYS THAT ARE EMPLOYED FOR PURPOSES OF THE JUDICIARY CANNOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE TO SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS.
WE WOULD BE CREATING THIS WALL.
WE WOULD BE ASSIGNING OVER ONE OF OUR STAFF ATTORNEY POSITIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT WOULD BE A DEDICATED POSITION TO THAT OFFICE AND THEY COULD PROVIDE NOT NECESSARILY EXTENSIVE LEGAL ADVICE, BUT LEGAL ADVICE THAT COULD HELP SELF [INAUDIBLE] I'M SORRY, RSLS.
THERE WE GO. IDENTIFY THE PLEADINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE THEIR OBJECTIVES, IDENTIFY THE EVIDENCE NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THEIR REQUESTS, AND BASICALLY HOW TO PRESENT IT IN COURT AND THE BASICS OF APPEARING IN COURT AND PRESENTING THEIR REQUESTS.
I DO HAVE PRESENT WITH US MR. JIMMY ALLISON.
HE IS HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS EFFORT.
SO HE'S HERE AS WELL, AND SO, LIKE I SAID, WE INTEND TO ASSIGN OVER ONE OF OUR CURRENT STAFF ATTORNEY POSITIONS TO THE HELP CENTER, AND THE LAW LIBRARY WILL USE UNFULFILLED POSITIONS TO HIRE PARALEGAL AND SUPPORT STAFF.
NOW, I DID SEE THE PRESENTATION UP THERE.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE BUDGET OFFICE CAME UP WITH THEIR NUMBERS WITH RESPECT TO THE 341,115.
SO WHAT WE ARE CALCULATING A COST OF IS APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 50,000? 30,000 TO TRANSFER THE EXISTING POSITIONS FROM THE CIVIL DISTRICT COURT, ADMIN BUDGET AND THE LAW LIBRARY BUDGET, AND ALSO FOR OFFICE SUPPLIES AND MINIMAL TECHNOLOGY FOR USE IN THE OFFICE.
SO WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR FROM YOU ALL IS FIRST AND FOREMOST AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THE NEED IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY AND THAT WE NEED YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT FROM ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS DEPARTMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? YES, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
THANK YOU, JUDGE. JUDGE, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANT PROGRAM FOR A MINUTE.
[00:20:02]
COMING BEFORE YOU WITH THEIR MOTIONS, THEN IT'S GOING TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER, I THINK, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO KIND OF GO THROUGH AND CORRECT THINGS OR SELF-CORRECT THINGS ON THE FLY AND LOOK, IF YOU HAD COME AND SAID, HEY, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S $30,000, I THINK IT'S ALMOST A NO BRAINER, BUT I WANT TO ASK STAFF ABOUT THAT DISCREPANCY BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, YOU KNOW, 341,000.I DON'T KNOW TANYA, EITHER EITHER TODAY OR IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO IF YOU CAN GET US WHAT T HAT AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW, ARE YOU PREPARED TO SAY SOMETHING TODAY ABOUT IT? OKAY. SO THE COST OF THE POSITIONS WOULD HIT THE LAW LIBRARY FUND, AND THAT'S THE COST OF THE THREE NEW POSITIONS, I THINK WITH THE CIVIL DISTRICT COURT WHAT THE JUDGE IS REFERRING TO IS THAT THEY WANTED TO DELETE TWO POSITIONS FROM THE LAW LIBRARY.
WELL, THEY WOULD COME FROM THE LAW LIBRARY.
MR. ALLISON, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? SO AS HE'S COMING UP, YOU'RE MAKING HIM GET UP AND WALK? WELL, WHAT I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST, JUDGE, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS WORTHWHILE TO EXPLORE.
THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT ARE IN.
THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT ARE IN EXISTENCE AND SO WE HAVE TWO UNFILLED POSITIONS IN THE LAW LIBRARY FUND, AND THEN WE HAVE AN UNFILLED STAFF ATTORNEYS POSITION CURRENTLY IN THE CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS.
WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS UTILIZING THOSE POSITIONS IN THE CREATION OF THIS DEPARTMENT AND THEN FUNDING ADDITIONALLY THE NEED FOR THE SUPPLIES AND THE OPERATIONS FACET OF IT.
OKAY, DAVID, WE'LL DO THE HOME [INAUDIBLE] SOME OF THE DISCREPANCY OR SOME OF THE DIFFERENCE IN CALCULATION MAY BE THAT THE LAW LIBRARY FUND DOES NOT BREAK EVEN.
IT IS SUPPORTED BY THE GENERAL FUND.
SO AS YOU FILL POSITIONS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN VACANT EXCUSE ME, VACANT A WHILE, THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE A NEW COST BUT WE'LL DO THAT MATH AND GET BACK.
YEAH, IF YOU CAN. THAT'D BE GREAT.
MR. ALLISON, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? YEAH, COMMISSIONER, WE THOUGHT ABOUT STARTING KIND OF SLOW WITH THIS PROGRAM AND SEE HOW IT GOES.
MISS SUZANNE DEWALT, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARY, HAS DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH IN THE STATE ABOUT OTHER PROGRAMS. SOME HAVE LAWYERS VOLUNTEER TO DO IT, SOME HAVE STAFF, PARALEGALS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO START WITH, TWO PARALEGALS WITH THEIR FRINGE BENEFITS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE PUT THEM NOW BECAUSE THERE'S CHILD SUPPORT.
COURT IS GOING ON TO THE FIFTH FLOOR NOW, BUT WE'LL WORK THAT OUT.
OKAY, BUT WE HAVE AT LEAST 20 TO 30 PARALEGAL LITIGANTS A DAY COME TO THE LIBRARY WITH ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS, ALL KINDS OF PAPERWORK THEY NEED, AND EVEN OUR COUNTY CLERK OVER THERE, SHE COULD USE SOME HELP, TOO, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY WE WANT TO START OUT SLOW, SEE HOW THE PROGRAM IS GOING, BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING LITIGANTS FROM ALL FOUR PRECINCTS TO THE FIFTH FLOOR.
MAYBE WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME AGAIN, COMPROMISE, BUT I THINK IT IS WORTH THE EFFORT.
COMMISSIONER CALVERT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I JUST WANT TO GET BACK TO THE STAFFING HERE.
SO THESE THESE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN BUDGETED BY THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S BUDGET AND I SAID WITH A PLURAL YEARS, RIGHT? YES, AND SO THEY'VE BEEN UNFILLED, UNFILLED FOR AT LEAST A YEAR OR A COUPLE MONTHS OR WHATEVER.
SO THE STAFF ATTORNEY POSITION, I THINK, HAS BEEN UNFILLED FOR ABOUT FOUR SINCE JANUARY.
AS FAR AS THE TWO POSITIONS WITHIN THE LIBRARY, I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S BEEN MULTIPLE YEARS IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO HOW MANY YEARS HAS THE COUNTY FUNDED, THE STAFF ATTORNEY AND HOW MANY YEARS THE LAW CENTER? WELL, THE STAFF ATTORNEYS POSITION THAT WE HAVE HERE, I THINK THIS ONE WAS FUNDED NOW AT LEAST THREE YEARS.
THIS IS DANICA'S POSITIONS LONG BEFORE I GOT HERE.
I THINK I THINK THAT POSITION WAS IN EXISTENCE AT LEAST 3 TO 4 YEARS PRIOR TO THIS REQUEST NOW.
OKAY, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE LAST ONES WE ADDED HEARD ME.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU HOW LONG HAVE WE FUNDED THOSE LAW POSITIONS? SINCE BEFORE COVID. OKAY, SO WE'VE GOT A FEW YEARS OF LEAD UP.
[00:25:03]
SO IN TERMS OF THE NET TO THE COUNTY.THOSE THOSE WERE ALWAYS OBLIGATIONS WE COMMITTED TO.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS VERY SMART AND SAYING THE DEMAND IS SO HIGH AND THE I THINK THE STAKES ARE SO HIGH IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THESE CASES THAT THE SYSTEM MERITS AN INNOVATIVE RESOURCE CENTER, THIS SRL CENTER, AND I LOVE I LOVE THE INNOVATION THAT YOU ALL HAVE COME UP WITH AND THE SOLUTION YOU'VE COME UP WITH IS, TO ME, ALMOST REVENUE NEUTRAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE.
SO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING US.
I MEAN, I SEE IT AS EXISTING COSTS, JUST RESHUFFLING DOLLARS THAT WE ALREADY HAD SET ASIDE.
SO THAT'S JUST GREAT WORK, I THINK, ON YOUR PART, AND I WILL ALWAYS SAY THAT, THIS SOLUTION IS NOT THE MOST CONVENIENT SOLUTION FOR PEOPLE COMING TO THE COURTHOUSE, BUT DO KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT POTENTIAL SPACE ON 51 ACRES OF LAND THAT THE COUNTY OWNS FOR RESOURCE CENTERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IT'S AT, YOU KNOW, NEAR THE [INAUDIBLE] AND OUR SHERIFF'S SUBSTATION BY RANDOLPH, BUT IN TERMS OF SPACE ISSUES, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS SHOULD UNDERSTAND WE HAVE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONSTRUCT FACILITIES THERE AND PROBABLY OTHER PLACES CLOSER TO THE COURTHOUSE, BUT WE CAN WORK WITH YOUR YOUR INNOVATION.
SO THANK YOU, JUDGE, VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. LET ME ANY OTHER COMMENTS? LET ME ASK SOME QUESTIONS JUDGE ALVARADO.
PROBLEM IS, I PROBABLY KNOW TOO MUCH.
SO LET ME MAKE THIS COMMENT FIRST TO THE COURT.
GUARANTEE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO COURT.
THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT HAS MADE THAT VERY CLEAR FROM THE US SUPREME COURT.
SO IN THAT REGARD, I'M IN SUPPORT OF ANYTHING THAT HELPS PROVIDE ACCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE UNDERSERVED, THE INDIGENT, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DISABILITIES, PEOPLE THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO HIRE ATTORNEYS, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY IS A VERY EXPENSIVE PROCESS.
NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, THOUGH, I THINK THE CURRENT COURT ISN'T AWARE, BUT I'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH. I THINK MR. ALLISON HAS BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH AND DAVID HAS BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH.
THIS WAS ATTEMPTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WHAT, MAYBE TEN YEARS AGO, THIS SAME PROJECT THAT GOT REALLY DETRACT OR FELL OFF THE TRACKS BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE JUDGES AND THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT, AND SO I THINK IT'S TIME HAS COME BACK. IT IS SOMETHING I'M ASKING PERHAPS NOT IN THE BUDGET YEAR, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING, BUT WE HAVE SPACE ISSUES.
WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S HOPEFULLY BUDGET NEUTRAL OR CLOSE TO BUDGET NEUTRAL SINCE WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE LIBRARY FUND, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATELY FUNDED BY ALL THE LAWSUITS PART OF THAT MONEY.
IT'S NOT A BURDEN, SO TO SPEAK.
THERE WILL PROBABLY BE GENERAL REVENUE FUND THAT WILL FALL ON THE TAXPAYERS, AND SO THAT'S THE REASON I'M SAYING WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT, BUT I WANT TO GET BACK TO THAT DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD, I DON'T KNOW, TEN YEARS AGO, 15 YEARS AGO.
DAVID, IT WAS LONG TIME AGO, AND UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KIND OF TALK OUT ALL THE ISSUES, IT JUST KIND OF BLEW UP IN THE COURT, IF I RECALL AND SO I THINK THIS PROPOSAL IS TIME TO COME, AND SO LET US LOOK AT IT, DAVID, TINA, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT CONVERSATION AND ALONG WITH THE JUDGES AND JUST GET ALL THE LOGISTICS OUT.
COMMISSIONER, YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT.
WE'VE GOT COUNTY FACILITIES, BUT THE PROBLEM IS ARE WE GOING TO PUT FOUR CENTERS OUT THERE OR ARE ALL OF MY COMMISSIONERS GOING TO BE SATISFIED THAT WE PUT IT IN ONE PLACE? THE OTHER DISCUSSION POINT FOR THE JUDGES IS THIS FALLING UNDER YOUR BUDGET OR IS IT GOING TO FALL BACK ON THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT BUDGET OR IS IT GOING TO BE A SELF FUNDED ENTITY ALL BY ITSELF? THOSE ARE QUESTIONS I'M COMING TO REALIZE WHO'S HOLDING THIS DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE.
CAN YOU ANSWER THAT AT THIS TIME? AND OBVIOUSLY THAT COULD BE A DISCUSSION POINT BETWEEN THE JUDGES AND THE COMMISSIONERS.
I THINK THAT'S A DISCUSSION POINT FOR THE FUTURE.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT'S A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS AND THE LIBRARY FUND, BUT THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT CHANGES IN THE FUTURE BASED OFF OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE AND ALL OF YOU, BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD I'LL SHIFT NOW SO THAT YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING.
THE CCDV, THE CLOUD COMMISSION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
YOU HAVE NOW PUT ON THE TABLE THAT THE JUDGES WOULD LIKE IT TO BE MOVED OUTSIDE OF THE JUDICIARY, WELL, IN PART, AND EITHER BECOMES ITS OWN DEPARTMENT OR AND I'M LOOKING AT DAVID AND
[00:30:08]
TINA, WE'RE CREATING ANOTHER BUREAUCRACY AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, DO WE PULL IT IN? IS IT EFFICIENT TO PULL IT OVER, PUT IT ONTO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT? THOSE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT I JUST WANT TO SAY BEYOND THE SIMPLE BUDGET REQUEST TODAY, I THINK WE HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT ISSUES TO DISCUSS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. FINALLY, I'M GOING TO ASK THIS SOMETHING I LEARNED TODAY.EVERY TIME EVERYBODY ASKS FOR A PAY RAISE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY'S PAY RAISE, BUT THERE'S A NEW WORD TODAY: COMPRESSION.
EVERY TIME WE BUMP SOMEBODY UP, IT CAUSES COMPRESSION, WHICH MEANS EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE SAME LINE GETS TO SAY, HEY, WHY DIDN'T I GET A PAY? SO I WANT TINA TO HELP EXPLAIN TO YOU, IS THAT AN ISSUE IN THIS BUDGET REQUEST OR IS THAT REALLY BECAUSE IN THE OTHER COURT REQUEST YOU MENTIONED THAT COMPRESSION, WHICH MEANS EVERYBODY IN THE LINE OF DUTY, JOB DESCRIPTIONS GETS TO SAY, HEY, WHERE'S MY PAY RAISE? YEAH.
SO THERE IS GOING TO BE COMPRESSION BECAUSE THE COURT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS IN THIS SET OF COURTS IS GOING TO THEN COMPARE THEMSELVES TO THE COURT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS IN THE OTHER COURTS, AND THAT HAPPENS BUT THEN AS THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THAT WE ARE ASKING THE COURT'S APPROVAL TO ADDRESS COMPRESSION IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET, AND SO THAT SHOULD HELP WORK OUT SOME OF THE SOME OF THE COMPRESSION ISSUES YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE ADJUSTMENT OF PAY FOR EVERYBODY IS STILL ONGOING BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FINISHED GIVING OUT MORE PAY, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
ARE WE STILL ADJUSTING TO THE BAKER TILLY PAY STUDY? YES, WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE COURT'S APPROVAL OF IS TO ADDRESS THE COMPRESSION THAT RESULTED FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BAKER TILLY STUDY AND TO HELP THE DEPARTMENTS THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THEIR HR REQUIREMENTS ARE.
PERHAPS THAT WASN'T IN YEARS PAST, BUT FROM THIS POINT ON, AT LEAST UNDER THIS COURT, WE NEED TO TIGHTEN THINGS UP FROM AN HR PERSPECTIVE, MAKE SURE THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS FIT THE PAY INCREASES THAT YOU ALL WANT.
OKAY. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES. YES. DID I GET IT? YES, SIR. THANK YOU.
JUDGE, DO YOU GET IT? I DO. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. THAT'S MY PLEDGE TO YOU ALL.
WELL, THANK YOU, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND YOUR SUPPORT.
YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
AGAIN, I'M GOING TO PUBLIC DEFENDER YOU WERE NEXT ON IT, BUT LET'S GO TO JUVENILE DISTRICT COURT.
DON'T KNOW IF ANY JUDGES ARE HERE.
COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO I'M JUST HERE IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
LET ME JUST SAY JUDGE VALDEZ AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE TWO NEW JUDGES OVER THERE.
WE HAVE JUDGE SOSA AND JUDGE...
SHAW. OH, JUDGE SHAW, AND SO OBVIOUSLY, Y'ALL, WE'VE HAD SOME TOUGH BUDGET YEARS, ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS ON THE JUDGES' SIDE, AND YOU ALL HAVE ALWAYS ACCOMMODATED THE COUNTY AND ADJUSTED YOUR STAFFING ISSUES.
THE JUVENILE COURTS ARE A LITTLE BIT IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, JUDGE, YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAD NEEDS.
YOU ASKED ME TO COME OUT TO THE JUVENILE FACILITY BECAUSE OF LET'S NOT PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.
ALL RIGHT, BUT YOU HAD ISSUES AT YOUR DETENTION FACILITY, AND I AND MY STAFF WENT OVER THERE AND WE FIXED IT, DIDN'T WE? WE DID, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
PROBATE COURT JUDGE KAZEN, JUDGE VASQUEZ, COME UP TOGETHER.
WE'RE GOING TO BE JUST LIKE HER.
LOOK HOW WE FINISHED THIS DAY.
WHO WISHES TO GO FIRST? WE'VE WORKED WITH OUR BUDGET ANALYST, THOMAS, AND WE'RE GOOD WITH EVERYTHING.
THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH YOUR BUDGET ANALYST AND WORKING IT OUT.
WE WENT BACK AND FORTH AND LET ME COMPLIMENT BUDGET ON THEIR EFFORTS.
[00:35:03]
THEY WERE A PARTNER IN THIS, AND I APPRECIATED THAT.WE NEED TO KNOW WHO THIS EXEMPLARY BUDGET ANALYST IS BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE].
YEAH, WE PROVIDED HIM WITH A TON OF INFORMATION AND HE REVIEWED IT ALL.
ANY QUESTIONS HE HAD? HE TALKED TO US.
IT'S DIVERTING FROM BUDGET, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO KNOW THE COURT TO KNOW WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO COMING UP WITH A SELECTION PROCESS ON THE PROBATE COURT.
SO AS YOU KNOW, WE APPOINTED WHAT I CALL A BLUE RIBBON TASK FORCE, WHICH INCLUDED FIDEL RODRIGUEZ AS THE CHAIR AND THE HONORABLE JUDGE POLLY JACKSON SPENCER, RETIRED PROBATE COURT JUDGE.
I BELIEVE THEY HAVE REALLY NARROWED THE LIST DOWN.
I THINK YOU'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH MISTER DAN CURRY.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S STILL IF HE'S HERE.
YEAH. DAN, YOU'RE GOING TO GET HIM A NEW COURT, RIGHT?
[3. Discussion and appropriate action regarding the proposed Bexar County Fiscal Year 2023-24 Operating and Capital Budget to include: a. Justices of the Peace b. County Courts -At- Law c. Criminal District Courts d. Civil District Courts i. Children's Court e. Public Defender's Office f. Juvenile District Courts g. Probate Court (Presentation Time: 1 hour)]
DAN AND SO, BUT UNDERSTANDING, I THINK AND WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION LAST TIME THAT OBVIOUSLY THERE HAS TO BE CERTAIN DOMINOES THAT FALL. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF OTHER COURTS.CHILD SUPPORT HAS TO GET OUT AND GO SOMEWHERE.
FIFTH FLOOR NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH.
SO PLEASE BE PATIENT IN REGARDS TO THAT.
ALL RIGHT, AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH WITH LUCY'S OFFICE AND SHE'S GETTING IT ALL TOGETHER.
OH YOU WERE TALKING WITH LUCY? YEAH. THANK YOU, LUCY.
ALL OUT. WE HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK, AND WE'RE ALL.
WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. HEY, I'M GOING TO THROW YOU ALL A BOMB.
ARE Y'ALL PAPERLESS OR HOW CLOSE? WE ARE PAPERLESS. WE'VE BEEN PAPERLESS ALMOST SINCE COVID.
WE WERE THE FIRST TO ADOPT ODYSSEY [INAUDIBLE].
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 2 OR 3 YEARS, AND WE LOVE IT.
YEAH. SO IT WAS COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE COURT AND THE CLERK? YES, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH.
WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT LUCY.
YEAH. DO YOU THINK THEY COULD HELP THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS? CAN WE GET A GOLD STAR? DOES THAT MEAN WE GET MORE MONEY? [LAUGHTER] WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT JUDGE.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
I THINK LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I BELIEVE WE HAVE PUBLIC DEFENDER MS. LAMERSON. YES.
IS THAT OUR LAST ITEM FOR TODAY? IS THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.
OKAY. MS. LAMERSON, DO YOU HAVE A POWERPOINT TO PASS OUT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
GOOD AFTERNOON. SORRY FOR THE LONG DAY.
THANK YOU. I WANTED TO ADDRESS TWO ISSUES WITH OUR BUDGET.
THE FIRST BEING THAT CURRENTLY THE PROPOSAL IS TO FUND US FOR ONLY SIX MONTHS AND TO READDRESS OUR BUDGET AT THAT TIME. AS FAR AS I KNOW, INDIGENT DEFENSE IS THE ONLY CATEGORY BEING TREATED THIS WAY, AND I WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION REGARDING THAT.
MY OTHER ITEM THAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS TODAY WOULD BE TO ADD FIVE NEW ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDERS.
THERE ARE FIVE MISDEMEANOR COURTS THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE US ASSIGNED TO THEIR COURT.
TWO OF THOSE COURTS HAVE SPECIALTY COURTS.
ONE WAS JUDGE ERICA DOMINGUEZ'S VETERANS COURT.
WE ARE CURRENTLY STAFFING VETERANS COURT, BUT WE ARE PULLING ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDERS FROM OTHER COURTROOMS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, WHICH CREATES CHAOS AND LEAVES THE OTHER JUDGES HANGING FROM THAT WE'RE PULLING FROM, AND JUDGE VARA'S COMMUNITY COURT AS WELL.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE SECOND SLIDE THAT EXCUSE ME, THAT WHICH COURTS ARE REQUESTING WHERE WE ARE, AND THEN I HAVE IN PARENTHESES THE SPECIALTY COURTS THAT WE COVER.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER CALVERT HAD CITED THE LITERATURE CALLING AN INEFFICIENT, NONPRODUCTIVE DEFENSE DELIVERY SYSTEM, THE NEW JIM CROW, AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES IS VERY PASSIONATE AGAINST WORKING AGAINST THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE, AND I THINK THAT OUR OFFICE WORKS TOWARDS THOSE GOALS AND HELPS ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS.
[00:40:01]
WE ADD VALUE WITH OUR HELP IN THE SPECIALTY COURTS.GREENFELD, HELPING WITH ANYTHING SHE NEEDS WITH THE JAIL POPULATION CONTROL AND MENTAL HEALTH.
MY ATTORNEYS BEING MY EMPLOYEES, I'M ABLE TO CONTROL THEIR WORK PRODUCT SO I'M ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE, IN FACT FILING MOTIONS, THAT THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO BE DOING, THAT THEY ARE GETTING IN THERE AND REVIEWING THAT DISCOVERY, SETTING MOTIONS WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED AND YOU'LL ALSO SEE INCLUDED ON MY SECOND SLIDE IS WE'RE GETTING MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
SAPD IS ADDING 117 NEW UNIFORM POSITIONS AND BCSO HAS 12 RIGHT NOW AND IS POTENTIALLY ADDING MORE PATROL POSITIONS IN THE FUTURE.
IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT THAT, SAY LET'S CALL IT 130 NEW OFFICERS ON THE STREET PATROLLING AND THAT THEY WORKED 50 HOURS, LET'S SEE THAT THEY WORKED U TEN HOUR SHIFTS PER WEEK WITH TWO WEEKS OFF GIVING US 50 WEEKS, THAT'S 200 ARRESTS PER OFFICER PER YEAR, AND WHEN YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY THE 130 CONSERVATIVE, CONSERVATIVELY NEW OFFICERS, THAT'S 26,000 NEW ARRESTS THAT I THINK WE CAN ANTICIPATE THIS YEAR, WHICH WHEN WE ADD ONE SIDE TO KEEP A BALANCED AND FAIR JUSTICE SYSTEM, WE NEED TO ADD TO THE OTHER, AND LASTLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE PROVIDES IS BECAUSE WE WORK IN THESE SPECIALTY COURTS, WE KNOW ALL ABOUT THEM. WE'RE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THEM TO OUR CLIENTS, WE'RE ABLE TO GET THEM IN AND HOLD THEIR HAND THROUGH THAT PROCESS, AND WE ALSO HAVE TWO CASE MANAGERS AND ONE LICENSED MASTER SOCIAL WORKER TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES WITH OUR CLIENTS, SUCH AS HOMELESSNESS OR EVEN LACK OF ID PREVENTS JOBS BEING ABLE TO SECURE A JOB, AND SO WE DO THESE SIMPLE THINGS TO SET OUR CLIENTS UP FOR SUCCESS AND HOPEFULLY BREAK THE REVOLVING DOOR THAT YOU SEE ON THAT PAGE.
ON MY NEXT PAGE, IT TALKS ABOUT OUR POSITIVE RESULTS.
WHAT IS A POSITIVE RESULT? IT IS NOT PROBATION.
IT IS A DIVERSION, ACQUITTAL OR A DISMISSAL.
SO YOU CAN SEE OUR RESULTS ABOUT A QUARTER, ABOUT THREE QUARTERS, RATHER, ALMOST JUST SHY OF THREE QUARTERS OF OUR CLIENTS ARE IN THAT POSITIVE RESULT CATEGORY, EITHER BEING DIVERTED INTO A SPECIALTY COURT, DISMISSED OR PLED TO A LESSER OFFENSE.
IN OUR MISDEMEANOR SECTIONS, I MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S FILING MOTIONS.
WE HAVE FOUR STANDARD MOTIONS THAT WE FILE IN EVERY CASE.
ALL OF MY ATTORNEYS DO THIS, AND WE REQUIRE THAT WE VISIT OUR CLIENTS WITHIN TWO DAYS, TWO BUSINESS DAYS OF AN APPOINTMENT, AND I TRACK THAT VERY CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY ISN'T SITTING IN OUR JAIL WONDERING, WHERE'S MY ATTORNEY AND WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO GET HERE? OUR LAST SLIDE IS OUR COST PER CASE.
I KNOW JUDGE DOMINGUEZ HIT ON IT A LITTLE BIT.
WHEN WE'RE ASSIGNED TO A COURT, WE CAN ALSO HELP IF SOMEBODY COMES IN OFF THE STREET WITH QUESTIONS, AM I GOING TO HIRE? I DON'T HAVE AN ATTORNEY. AM I GOING TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY? IT PUTS I KNOW JUDGE SAKAI, YOU KNOW THAT IT PUTS THE JUDGE IN AN AWKWARD POSITION BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE LEGAL ADVICE.
YOU CAN'T GIVE LEGAL ADVICE RATHER.
SO TO HAVE SOMEBODY ASSIGNED TO YOUR COURT THAT YOU KNOW THAT CAN PERFORM THOSE FUNCTIONS OR IF A JUDGE WANTED TO DO A COMPLIANCE HEARING, EITHER ON PRETRIAL RELEASE TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT THEY'RE HAVING OR DURING PROBATION, THE ASSIGNED PUBLIC DEFENDER CAN STAND IN AND NOT COST THE COUNTY AN ADDITIONAL MONEY, BUT ALSO HAVE THAT PERSON'S RIGHTS PROTECTED.
[00:45:08]
WANT US ASSIGNED TO THEIR COURTS.COMMISSIONER CALVERT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION MS. LAMERSON. I WANT TO JUST SAY THAT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE IS ONE OF THE BEST DEPARTMENTS WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY.
YOU ALL DO OUTSTANDING WORK AND YOU'VE HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
YOU'VE HELPED JUSTICE BE RIGHT FOR PEOPLE, AND I'VE SEEN THAT CASE AFTER CASE AFTER CASE FOR ALL THE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY I DON'T SEE A REASON TO PUT YOUR BUDGET.
EXCUSE ME. YES. YOUR BUDGET INTO A HALF YEAR, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE YOU HAVE MADE JUSTICE SO MUCH BETTER FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AND YOU'VE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH BAR GRAPHS AND OTHER DATA AND FINANCIAL DATA HOW WELL YOU HAVE HELPED THE SYSTEM IMPROVE.
YOU'VE IMPROVED OUR SYSTEM, WHICH WAS SUBJECT OF STATEWIDE HEARINGS AND OPPROBRIUM FROM LEGISLATORS ABOUT THE WAY BEAR COUNTY USED TO HANDLE INDIGENT DEFENSE AND MENTAL HEALTH AND MANY OTHER AREAS.
YOU KNOW, TO THAT END, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE RAMIFICATIONS ARE OF THE ADDITIONAL COURTS THAT WILL NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO STUDY THAT, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND SAY TO THE COURT, IT WOULD BECAUSE OF HOW SLOW IT IS IN TERMS OF GETTING MONEY AND THINGS ON THE AGENDA.
I THINK IT'S A BIG MISTAKE FOR US TO ASSUME THAT ALL OF THAT WILL WORK ON TIME AND THAT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON RETENTION IN YOUR DEPARTMENT. IF PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK FOR A NEW JOB BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE FUNDING TO GET ON THE PAYROLL, THAT WORRIES ME, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMETHING THAT HAS OPERATED AT AMONG THE TOP THINGS THAT WE DO, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT TO ALL OF YOU WHO'VE WORKED SO HARD, IT HASN'T GONE UNNOTICED, AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JUDGE.
LET ME WELL, YEAH, I'LL RAISE MORE POINTS LATER.
THANK YOU, JUDGE. YEAH, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE TALKED TO YOUR DEPARTMENT ABOUT IN THE PAST.
I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
ALL RIGHT. I NEED TO MAKE A COMMENT.
I WILL TELL YOU, I'M THE ONE THAT HAS ASKED FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS BECAUSE I WANT A THOROUGH REVIEW OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN, WHERE WE'RE OUT NOW AND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH CRIMINAL INDIGENT DEFENSE, AND SO AS YOU COME WITH BUDGET INCREASES, IT'S NOT THAT I CAN ASSURE YOU, YOUR JOB IS NOT GOING TO END IN SIX MONTHS.
I WILL DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THE DEFINITION OF SUCCESS OR SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES.
I'D MUCH RATHER FOCUS FROM A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE, DID THAT INDIVIDUAL GET THE SERVICES HE NEEDS IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN OUR SOCIETY? WE HAVE TOO MANY CRIMINAL JUSTICE CASES WHERE, ONE, THEY'RE WRONGLY INCARCERATED.
TWO, THEY SIT IN JAIL BECAUSE THEY'RE INDIGENT OR THREE, AND THIS IS A REALITY.
THEY'RE THERE BECAUSE OF MENTAL HEALTH.
SO YOUR SITUATION I WANT TO WRAP INTO A STRATEGY FOR FORENSIC BEDS WE'RE BUILDING OUT APPLEWHITE I THINK THE STATE APPROPRIATED SOME INCREASED FORENSIC BEDS.
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THE COUNTY IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET IT FOR DIVERSION PURPOSES.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY I WANT IT.
I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT MY EXPECTATIONS ARE.
I KNOW THAT MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES MAY NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH ME, BUT I'M JUST MAKING IT CLEAR WHAT I WANT, AND SO I'M GOING TO INVITE YOU TO TALK WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE, AND IF YOU HEARD, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY'LL AGREE WITH YOU AND SOMETIMES THEY'LL GET ALONG WITH YOU AND RECOMMEND.
SO I'M ALSO LOOKING AT BUDGET.
I NEED YOU ALL TO DO DEEP DIVES INTO OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
[00:50:05]
AND I DON'T THINK WE ARE BECAUSE I THINK OF THE QUALITY OF SERVICES YOU PROVIDE, BUT I WANT TO I WANT TO SEE THE DATA TO SPEAK TO THAT.AS A FORMER JUDGE, YOU'VE GOT A TOUGH CRITIC HERE TO SPEAK TO THAT, AND JUDGE, WE HAVE BEEN UTILIZING THE ODYSSEY PLATFORM SINCE EARLY FEBRUARY.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO TRACK ANY OF THE METRICS THAT HAVE COME TO US FROM BUDGET.
WHAT DO YOU NEED? I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, BUDGET GIVE HER THE ABILITY TO CREATE DATA.
SO WHAT DO YOU NEED, MS. LAMERSON? ODYSSEY IS NOT ABLE WE WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE EVEN SEARCHING ODYSSEY.
WHAT THE COURTS. SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU DON'T USE ODYSSEY? NO, WE'RE USING IT, BUT IT IS NOT AS WE'VE LOST FUNCTIONALITY FROM OUR PREVIOUS SOFTWARE JUDGE, WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM IT HERE.
MAYBE I'M NOT TRYING TO OPEN THIS UP SO Y'ALL JUST WAIT.
WE'LL SEE WHETHER WE NEED YOU OR NOT.
I WANT TO HEAR MS. LAMERSON. THIS IS WHERE I THINK THIS BUDGET WE'RE CLOSING ON A REALLY POSITIVE NOTE.
YOU'RE TELLING US, JUDGE, WE NEED HELP.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR OTHER NEEDS, BUT THIS IS A SPECIFIC NEED.
I'M LIKE, YEAH, I WANT TO HELP YOU RIGHT NOW.
GET THIS ODYSSEY SYSTEM UP AND RUNNING.
SO WHAT DO YOU NEED? TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED. YOU NEED A DATA SPECIALIST? YOU NEED A PROGRAMMER? DO I NEED BCIT? THAT'S WHY I'LL PROBABLY COME BACK TO BCIT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY'S WORKING HARD, BUT I HEAR IT'S ONLY PARTS OF THE SYSTEM.
WE HEARD PROBATE'S ALL ON BOARD.
I'VE HEARD SOME OF THE OTHER COURTS ARE GETTING THERE, JP SAID THEY'LL GET THERE, BUT THERE'S A FUNCTIONALITY THAT THEY'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO OPEN UP THE DIALOG AND GET THIS THING DONE.
SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT DO YOU NEED? I DO HAVE A MEETING WITH ODYSSEY TOMORROW, SO I MIGHT HAVE A CLEARER PICTURE.
HOWEVER, WE'VE ASKED FOR A REPORT TO RUN EACH ATTORNEY CASES OPENED PER MONTH, CASES CLOSED WITH THAT DISPOSITION AND IT'S TAKEN FROM FEBRUARY TO JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO TO GET THAT ABILITY TO RUN THAT REPORT.
I'LL BE HONEST, WE CAN'T HAVE THAT.
SO LET ME HAVE, I THINK BCIT, I THINK I'D LIKE YOU TO COME UP.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS IN REGARDS TO THE NEEDS OF ALL THE COURTS? I'M NOT TRYING TO. I MEAN, I'D LOVE TO FIX THIS ISSUE NOW, BUT IT PROBABLY WILL REQUIRE FURTHER DISCUSSION.
SO MR. GAGER, I THINK YOU'RE PRESENT.
SO, MISS LAMERSON, JUST STEP TO THE SIDE AND LET YOU'VE HEARD THE, AND I THINK YOU'RE AWARE THAT I'VE RAISED THIS ISSUE OF ODYSSEY, AND I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY, AND IT'S A MAJOR OVERHAUL OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
I'VE ALREADY SAID IT'S CHANGING A FARM TO MARKET ROAD TO A FREEWAY RIGHT WITH FLYOVERS.
IS THAT A FAIR COMPARISON? YEAH, TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, JUST MY IT TEAM HAS SPENT 220,000 HOURS ON THIS PROJECT OVER THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
THE COUNTY STAFF OUTSIDE OF US HAS SPENT ANOTHER 220.
WE'RE AT LIKE 450,000 HOURS, ANOTHER 80,000 TO GET TO GO LIVE.
SO IT'S NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT EFFORT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE WORK, BUT THEN YOU RAISE THE ISSUE, WHAT'S THE RETURN ON THE MONEY RIGHT NOW? WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT IS, BUT WE NEEDED TO MOVE BECAUSE THE MAINFRAME IS OLD AND AGING AND IT WASN'T COMPLETELY INTEGRATED, MORE SO NOT INTEGRATED BETWEEN THE VARIOUS OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS.
WE DON'T HAVE A JAIL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT INTEGRATES WITH THE ATTORNEY'S SYSTEM OF RECORD, THAT INTEGRATES WITH CASE MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHAT ODYSSEY WILL DO.
JUST TO ECHO SOME OF THE STATEMENTS, AND I'VE HEARD A LOT OF WHAT'S TALKED ABOUT AT PREVIOUS COURT AND THIS COURT WHEN WE FIRST SELECTED THIS SYSTEM, THE IDEA WAS THAT IT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME AS THE MAINFRAME AND THAT WE WOULD TRY AND ADAPT AND CONFORM TO THE PROCESSES OF ODYSSEY TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, TO USE NATIVE NATIVE FUNCTIONALITY WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
NATIVE REPORTS, BUT THE COUNTY IS VERY PROGRESSIVE AND THAT DIDN'T ALWAYS WORK RIGHT, AND SO PART OF THE DELAYS HAVE BEEN WE CAN'T FORGET THAT COVID HIT. RIGHT, AND THAT REALLY DERAILED THIS PROJECT.
SO WE'RE DEVELOPING OVER 600 CUSTOM REPORTS FOR THE VARIOUS OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS THAT AID IN THEIR DECISION MAKING FROM A DATA PERSPECTIVE THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE OUT OF THE BOX REPORTS THAT COME WITH THE SYSTEM.
[00:55:02]
NUMEROUS CUSTOM DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS TO HELP IT WORK OUT OF THOSE 600.ALSO TOO DO WE HAVE 600 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OR WHATEVER REQUEST THAT ARE ALL DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE, WHICH THEN PUTS A STRESS ON YOUR STAFF AND ODYSSEY BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT WANTS ONE THING AND THIS DEPARTMENT WANTS ANOTHER THING AND MISS LAMERSON NEEDS ANOTHER THING.
I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT DO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO AS COMMISSIONERS COURT TO HELP YOU SUCCEED? I THINK WE'RE WE'RE TURNING THE CORNER.
SO WE RECEIVED THE LAST RELEASE FROM ODYSSEY OR FROM TYLER.
WE HAVE TO TEST THAT ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO HALF OF THE COUNTY USES THIS SYSTEM AS THEIR THEIR DAILY SYSTEM.
SO THAT'LL GET US TO JANUARY ISH/FEBRUARY.
MAYBE BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED, BUT IT WASN'T IN THE ORIGINAL SCOPE.
IT WASN'T IN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
WE KNOW THAT ONCE WE GO LIVE, THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE WORK TO DO.
IT'S A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORT.
SO THE THOUGHT IS AS SOON AS WE GO LIVE, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP AT IT.
RIGHT. WE'LL KEEP MEETING WITH THE OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS.
THEY'LL HAVE CHANGES AND REPORTS.
THEY'LL HAVE CHANGES IN DATA NEEDS.
IT'S REALLY COMPLEX, AND I GET THAT, AND THE REASON WHY I'M CIRCLING BACK IS BECAUSE WE HEARD THE JP SAY WE NEED MORE STAFF JUST TO GET ODYSSEY RUNNING, AND SO TO ME, I'M LIKE, WE BOUGHT THIS STATE OF THE ART AND I GOT TO HIRE MORE STAFF TO GET TECHNOLOGY, AND I UNDERSTAND WE MAY NEED TO, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY JUST WANT COURT CLERKS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE I NEED DATA PROGRAM, I NEED DATA TECHNICIAN.
I NEED GIVE YOU INCREASED MONEY FOR TRAINING SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS, YOU KNOW, THIS SYSTEM IS NOT AS DIFFICULT OR COMPLEX AS WHAT THEY MAY THINK IT IS. [INAUDIBLE] GO AHEAD.
WHEN YOU FIRST GO LIVE, THERE IS A LEARNING CURVE.
THEY'VE ALSO SOME OF THESE OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS ARE TAKING ON NEW BUSINESS PROCESSES.
IT'S A COMPLETELY NEW BUSINESS PROCESS, NOT JUST THE TECHNOLOGY TO DO THAT WORK, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEARNING A NEW JOB AS WELL AS WORKING IN THE SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE WITH THE JP'S, BUT THAT'S ALSO HAPPENING ACROSS THE BOARD.
YOU HAVE ROLES AND SECURITY PERMISSIONS THAT ARE DIFFERENT.
WE WANT TO CONSTRAIN THAT NOW, AND NOW WE WANT TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO DO IT WELL.
THEY'RE GOING TO LEARN A NEW JOB THE SAME TIME THEY LEARN A NEW SYSTEM.
YOU ALSO HAVE A LOT OF MANUAL PROCESSES THAT ARE JUST QUITE SIMPLY EASIER MANUALLY.
I CAN DO SOME THINGS MANUALLY THAT ARE A LOT SIMPLER THAN I CAN DO IN A SYSTEM, BUT DRAWING STICK FIGURES AND COUNTING IS, BUT DOING THEM IN A SYSTEM GETS YOU THE DATA, RIGHT? AND SO WE'VE TAKEN SOME MANUAL PROCESSES AND NOW AUTOMATED THEM.
I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF WORKLOAD.
IT'S EVERYTHING IN THE [INAUDIBLE].
THIS IS A MONUMENT TO PUSH, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT, AND I DON'T WANT TO DEVALUE OR DENIGRATE ANY.
ANYTHING THAT YOU OR THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE.
IT'S JUST I CAN'T HAVE YOU COME A YEAR FROM NOW AND FIND OUT IT HASN'T MOVED.
I EXPECT A YEAR FROM NOW YOU'RE GOING TO SAY JUDGE, IT'S HUMMING AND SO JUST UNDERSTAND THOSE ARE MY AND WE MAY WELL HAVE THE SAME TALK A YEAR FROM NOW OF WE'RE STILL WORK THROUGH IT.
WE'RE STILL WORKING. I THINK IT'LL BE A LOT BETTER.
WELL, THEY WENT LIVE TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
[01:00:02]
WE WERE ABLE TO GO LIVE WITH CIVIL, SIMPLER OR EASIER OR QUICKER THAN WE WERE WITH CRIMINAL.YOU'RE SITTING IN JAIL WHERE THEY CAN'T WRITE A LITTLE BIT OF A POINT OF ORDER.
WE'RE GETTING OFF OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND WE'RE GOING INTO A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT OFFICES, AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS, BUT IF WE CAN GET THERE ARE SOME THINGS I THINK WE CAN HELP MOVE THE BALL WITH RESPECT TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, IF I COULD JUST ASK A FEW QUESTIONS.
ONCE YOU'RE DONE, JUDGE, I JUST WANT TO BE CAREFUL, AND IF I COULD JUST COMMENT ON WHAT I HEARD PUBLIC DEFENDERS, AND THEN SO BEFORE YOU DO, MARK, BECAUSE I THINK YOU CAN YOU CAN, BUT WHAT WHAT MISS LAMERSON HASN'T BEEN GIVEN THE TIME TO EXPLAIN IS YOU SAID SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
YOU SAID THE METRICS BUDGET IS ASKING US TO BE ANALYZED ON.
NOW I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT, BUT WHAT ARE THOSE METRICS AND THEN, MARK, YOU CAN RESPOND TO HER METRICS AND HOW DOES ODYSSEY OR WHATEVER WORK GO AHEAD.
I DIDN'T BRING THE LIST TO ME, BUT TINA HAD GIVEN ME A LIST OF ABOUT 10 OR 12 ITEMS COST PER CASE, HOURS PER CASE.
YOU KNOW, TIME SPENT ON THE CASE.
HOW MANY RESETS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT, AND LIKE I SAID, OUR ORIGINAL FUNCTIONALITY THAT WE HAD WITH OUR LAST CASE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, WE WERE ABLE TO RUN PER ATTORNEY, OPEN CASES, PER ATTORNEY, CLOSED CASES, AND WE USUALLY DO THEM BY MONTHS AND LOOK AT THOSE DISPOSITIONS, WHICH IS WHERE WE CREATE OUR PERFORMANCE STATISTICS THAT I'VE PROVIDED TO THE COURT. WE HAVE NOT HAD IT LOADED IN WHERE WE CAN ACCESS IT UNTIL LIKE TWO WEEKS AGO, AND THIS IS FROM FEBRUARY 5TH GO LIVE. OKAY.
SO IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO JUDGE ANYONE FOR A YEAR'S WORTH OF WORK OR A YEAR'S WORTH OF ANALYSIS, AND THEY'VE ONLY GOT TWO WEEKS TO GET IT, MAYBE TOGETHER IF THE SOFTWARE EVEN ALLOWS.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE REAL CLEAR THAT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT SOMETIMES PUTTING PEOPLE, SETTING THEM UP FOR FAILURE IN TERMS OF THE ANALYSIS, AND THAT'S MY EXACT FEAR, COMMISSIONER, IS THAT I'LL BE BACK HERE IN SIX MONTHS OR WHOMEVER THE PERMANENT IS IF IT'S NOT ME AND THEY'LL HAVE HAT IN HAND, NOTHING TO SHOW YOU AND THAT YOU'VE GOT THINGS TO SHOW, RIGHT? BUT IT'S NOT WHAT HAS BEEN THE OUTLINE THAT WE ARE BEING.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE APPLES TO APPLES, RIGHT? SO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET TO THE SPECIFICS, AND SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO ACTUALLY BELABOR IT HERE IN COURT PER SE.
YOU AND MARK CAN GET TOGETHER AFTER COURT AND HELP US SEE IF THERE'S A SWITCH OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT CAN DO IT OR IF BUDGET HAS THE PROGRAM, LET THEM GIVE IT TO YOU.
YEAH, AND IF THEY DON'T, THEN MAYBE IT'S NOT THE RIGHT METRICS AT THIS POINT.
I AGREE, BUT I CAN'T HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR SOMETHING YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DO IN TWO WEEKS.
ANYWAY, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, JUDGE.
YEAH MARK, I WAS WONDERING WHAT YOU WERE DOING HERE.
WHAT YOU'RE DOING ALL DAY IN COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
SO IS THIS A TRAINING ISSUE VERSUS OR A SYSTEMS ISSUE? IT'S A SYSTEMS ISSUE.
WE'VE NOT HAD THE ABILITY TO RUN THAT REPORT.
OH, NO, NO. I [INAUDIBLE] FOR YOU. I'M ASKING MARK.
NO, NO, I'M FINE. I THINK IT MAY BE BOTH.
SO JOHNNY GORDON, HE'S BEEN OUR PROJECT MANAGER.
YOU CAN STEP UP IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING.
YES, MA'AM. I WOULD AGREE WITH MARCUS.
BOTH, I THINK, CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC, SIR? MA'AM? LIFT UP THE MIC.
SURE, SURE. YEAH. MY NAME IS JOHNNY GORDON.
I'M THE SENIOR PM ON THE PROJECT, AND [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY EMPLOYEE.
I AM NOT. OKAY, SO WE'RE GOING TO MEET TOMORROW MORNING.
SO MY GUESS IS THAT THIS IS PROBABLY A CUSTOM REPORT THAT HAD TO BE BUILT.
I'LL KNOW MORE TOMORROW AS WE HAVE A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION BUT AT LEAST I GOT THE LIST OF METRICS THAT WAS BEING REQUESTED.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE TOO DIFFICULT FOR US TO GET THERE, BUT TO YOUR POINT, THEY JUST WENT LIVE IN FEBRUARY, RIGHT? WE HAD A TRANSITION, AND IF THIS IS A CUSTOM REPORT DUE TO SOME OF THE COMPLEXITIES THAT MARK SPOKE ABOUT, IT JUST TAKES A MINUTE TO GET THAT KIND OF STUFF BUILT.
[01:05:01]
OFFICE IS GOING TO GET A WHOLE LOT EASIER.RIGHT? YOU HAD TO DO THAT STUFF MANUALLY, RIGHT? SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE COMING.
JUDGE, TO YOUR POINT, THERE IS SOME RELIEF THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING ONCE WE GO LIVE, AND THEN TO REITERATE WHAT MARK SAID EARLIER, WE'VE GOT TO BE READY FOR A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT APPROACH BECAUSE YOU DON'T FLIP ON A BIG SYSTEM LIKE THIS AND JUST MAGICALLY EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE GOOD.
JUST GO THROUGH THE GROWING PAINS? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU.
ABSOLUTELY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK MISS LAMERSON. DID YOU WANT TO OR MR. GAGER, JUST FOR THE RECORD, WHEN YOU ASK IF HE'S AN EMPLOYEE, HE IS A CONTRACTOR FOR BCIT; HE DOESN'T WORK FOR TYLER.
SO I DIDN'T WANT THERE TO BE A FOR THE VENDOR.
SO HE WORKS FOR US AS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.
SO. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
MISS LAMERSON, DO YOU WANT TO CLOSE JUST IN CLOSING, JUDGE, BASED ON WHAT YOU'VE SEEN US DO AND WHAT WE ARE PREPARED TO DO IN THE FUTURE TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF BEAR COUNTY, WE ASK THAT WE BE FUNDED FOR THE YEAR, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF MY CONCERNS REGARDING OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE METRICS ASKED OF US, AND ALSO TO GIVE THE JUDGES WHO ARE REQUESTING US A ASSIGNED PUBLIC DEFENDER, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE TWO THAT HAVE THEIR SPECIALTY COURTS, BECAUSE WE ARE PULLING ATTORNEYS OUT OF ONE COURT TO GO RUN OVER TO SPECIALTY COURT.
ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE'RE ABOUT READY TO ADJOURN, BUT WE HAVE ONE MORE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
MR. BENAVIDES, YOU GOT THREE MINUTES.
GOOD AFTERNOON. I JUST HAVE EIGHT WORDS.
I WANT PERMISSION TO DOCUMENT THE TORTURE AT THE COUNTY JAIL, THE INTAKE, THE MENTAL PEOPLE THERE, THE MENTALLY CHALLENGED AT THE INTAKE, THEIR TORTURE, NOT ABUSE, TORTURE, AND SO I WANT PERMISSION TO GO IN THERE AND DOCUMENT THAT.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION, MR. BENAVIDES. ALL RIGHT.
I'M THE GUY THAT PRESENTED THIS IN DECEMBER.
GIVE IT GIVE IT TO THE. GIVE IT TO THE DEPUTY.
THANK YOU, AND HE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.
ANY ANY COMMENTS? I JUST HAD ONE LAST COMMENT.
WE'RE DONE, SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'LL GET TO YOU. DO I GET AN ANSWER ON THIS OR HOW DO I GET AN ANSWER TO GO THERE TO THE COUNTY JAIL AND DOCUMENT THE TORTURE? THE SHERIFF RUNS THE JAIL.
HAVE YOU FIRST APPROACHED HIM? WHO? SHERIFF JAVIER SALAZAR.
YOU'RE WELCOME. JUDGE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT IS THE SPEED AT WHICH OUR CONTRACTS MOVE IN THE CIVIL SIDE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO STAFFING THERE OR A STRUCTURAL ISSUE THAT THE COURT COULD HAVE ATTORNEYS TO HELP WITH SOME OF THOSE CONTRACTS, I THINK AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO GET SOME CLARITY ON THEIR METRICS OF DISPOSITION OF THOSE CONTRACTS BECAUSE WE HAVE PROMPT PAYMENT.
SO IN ANY EVENT, I JUST WANTED THE COURT TO CONSIDER FUTURE DISCUSSION RELATED TO THAT MATTER.
IS THERE ANY FINAL COMMENTS? FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY, OBVIOUSLY TO STAFF AND THE COURT FOR KIND OF HANGING IN HERE.
THIS IS ONE I REALLY WOULD HAVE PROBABLY PREFERRED TO TAKE LUNCH, BUT WE WORKED THROUGH LUNCH.
I HOPE THAT THE PUBLIC RECOGNIZES IT'S MY EFFORT TO BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT.
I THINK I'VE ASKED TOUGH QUESTIONS.
I THINK I'VE GIVEN DIRECT FEEDBACK TO OUR STAFF, ESPECIALLY THE BUDGET STAFF.
I'VE SOME EXPECTATIONS ON THEM TO OUR BCIT.
I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY AND HOW HARD THEY'RE WORKING AND OBVIOUSLY ALL THE JUDICIARY.
I KNOW THAT THE PROBATE AND THE CIVIL SIDE AND THE JUVENILE COURTS HAVE DONE ACCORDINGLY TOO.
SO I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES MOVE TO ADJOURN? COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ YES, JUDGE.
[01:10:01]
JOIN MY WINGMAN OVER HERE IN ADJOURNING WING WOMAN IN ADJOURNING IN THE NAME IN MEMORY OF BELINDA [INAUDIBLE], WHO WAS THE MOTHER OF PAUL BAZALDUA.HE'S A VIA APPOINTEE BY THE COUNTY.
HIS MOTHER PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK.
COMMISSIONER CALVERT. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GO GET SOMETHING TO EAT, STAFF.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.