Sep 05, 2023 Commissioners Court

[00:00:03]

ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING.

[1. Opening Prayer: Pastor Jonathan Mussett, Westover Hills Church]

I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT LABOR DAY WEEKEND.

I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORK, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT SERVE BEXAR COUNTY AND FROM THE PEOPLE THAT HELP CLEAN THE COURTHOUSE TO THE PEOPLE THAT SIT UP HERE.

I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ALL DO TO MAKE BEXAR COUNTY A BETTER PLACE.

AND I AM DOING MY VERY BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SUPPORT ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF BEXAR COUNTY.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL ASK COMMISSIONER REBECA CLAY-FLORES TO INTRODUCE THE PASTOR WHO WILL DO THE INVOCATION.

AND, COMMISSIONER, IF YOU WOULD, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

GOOD MORNING. IT'S A PLEASURE FOR ME TO INTRODUCE PASTOR JONATHAN MUSSETT.

PASTOR JONATHAN, HIS WIFE SERVE AS THE LEAD PASTORS AT WESTOVER HILLS CHURCH IN MY PRECINCT.

PASTOR HAS A PHD IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY, AND HE ALSO SITS ON THE BOARD OF THE NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CARE COMMITTEE OF THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD.

YOU GUYS KNOW HOW IMPORTANT MENTAL HEALTH IS FOR ME, SO IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY.

PASTOR THE TIME IS YOURS. PLEASE STAND.

ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE COURT, COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

I INVITE YOU TO BOW YOUR HEADS AND CLOSE YOUR EYES AS WE PRAY.

HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU THIS MORNING THANKING YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO BE ALIVE.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE AND TO SERVE.

I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD AFFORD TO EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COURT WISDOM, GUIDANCE, DISCERNMENT AND CAPACITY AS THEY EVALUATE THE MATTERS THAT COME ACROSS THEIR DESK AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT US IN THIS COUNTY.

I PRAY, LORD, YOU GIVE THEM THE WISDOM THAT THEY NEED.

GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO DISCERN THE WAY FORWARD.

BLESS EACH PERSON AS THEY COME BEFORE THIS COURT.

MAY THEY HAVE WISDOM AND MAY THEY HAVE PEACE.

WE ENTRUST THIS TO YOU IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF YOUR SON, JESUS.

AMEN. AMEN. AMEN.

AMEN. THANK YOU, PASTOR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

[3. Request of Commissioners Court to identify items from the Consent Agenda for additional discussion and to approve remaining Consent Agenda items.]

ANY MATTERS TO BE PULLED? COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

YES. COMMISSIONER MOODY.

40. ITEM 40 WITH DR.

GUAJARDO. BE PREPARED.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSION THERE.

MR. CALVERT. ALL RIGHTY.

OKAY. AT THIS TIME.

JUDGE, CAN I MOVE TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF CONSENT MINUS ITEM 40.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

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

LET US NOW TAKE UP THE INDIVIDUAL ITEM 40.

[40. Approval of submission of an electronic grant application to the Department of Energy (DOE) for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program for the Bexar County Environmental Services Department's GHG Emission Inventory and Assessment project which includes a federal request of $464,940 with no match required of the County, for a two-year term, and acceptance of funds upon award.]

COMMISSIONER MOODY, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO OPEN WITH, OR DO YOU WANT DR.

GUAJARDO TO DO THAT? IF YOU'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE ITEM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS IS A FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM, CORRECT? THAT'S GOING TO PROVIDE US AN ASSESSMENT.

OKAY. YES. SO THIS IS APPROVAL OF JUST TO APPROVE THE SUBMISSION OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FOR TWO IT'S BASICALLY TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. IT'S A TWO PHASED GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $464,940.

THE FIRST PHASE IS TO EMPLOY A CONSULTANT TO PERFORM THE ASSESSMENT.

AND THEN THE SECOND PHASE WOULD BE TO EMPLOY A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CONSULTANT TO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION.

I HAVE FOLKS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES HERE IF YOU HAVE MORE DETAILED QUESTIONS.

OKAY, THANK YOU. AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE NEED TO GO INTO TOO MUCH MORE DETAIL THERE.

I THINK I JUST WANTED TO CALL OUT THERE'S A VALUE HERE FOR THE COUNTY WHEN IT COMES TO ENERGY SAVINGS, ENERGY EFFICIENCY THAT COULD BE GLEANED FROM SUCH AN ASSESSMENT.

BUT I WANT TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS AS WE GO FORWARD AND WE GET THIS ASSESSMENT BACK THAT WE AVOID ANY KIND OF MANDATES THAT ARE GOING TO

[00:05:01]

BUT THAT WOULD BE MY FOCUS WITH SUCH AN ASSESSMENT.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.

RIGHT NO I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND VALID CONCERNS, AND I THINK THAT'S THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A TWO PHASED APPROACH IS THAT THE FIRST PHASE WOULD BE COMPLETELY FOR ASSESSMENT AND NOT NECESSARILY TO EXPLORE MANDATES, BUT TO SEE WHAT IS POSSIBLE AND WHAT STRATEGIC OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE UNDER THAT ASSESSMENT.

AND THEN THE NEXT PHASE WOULD BE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIES.

AND THERE WOULD BE ONE FTE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE.

OKAY. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, DR.

GUAJARDO AND TEAM FOR APPLYING FOR THIS GRANT.

THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS A PACE LIKE I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE PACE PROGRAM, WHICH IS FOR HOMEOWNERS TO GET HOME, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND THEY'RE ABLE TO LOAN IT OUT, AMORTIZE IT OVER A MANAGEABLE PAYMENT, AND IT'S GOT TO BE GUARANTEED THAT THE RENOVATIONS ACTUALLY WILL SAVE THE HOMEOWNER. THEY HAVE MORE THAN WHAT THEY PUT OUT FOR THE NEW ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

THEY HAVE A SIMILAR PROGRAM FOR GOVERNMENTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD OF THAT PROGRAM YET.

I CAN'T THINK OF THE NAME OF IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

BUT ANYBODY HEARD ABOUT THAT ONE? BECAUSE THIS GRANT COULD BE UTILIZED TO HAVE THE CONSULTANT ANALYZE THAT PROGRAM AND HOW IT HELPS GOVERNMENTS LOW INTEREST RATE LOAN.

YEAH, I BELIEVE I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT, COMMISSIONER, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I COULD COLLABORATE WITH TCEQ TO SEE WHAT THAT PROGRAM CAN PROVIDE FOR US TO ENSURE THAT WE APPLY THAT TO THE EMISSIONS INVENTORY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT HINDERING SMALL BUSINESSES AND WHATNOT.

WELL, LET ME LET ME JUST SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT CLIMATE CHANGE HAS ALREADY HAD IN TEXAS.

TEXAS HAS LOST $9.9 BILLION DOLLARS BECAUSE PEOPLE BELIEVE IT'S TOO HOT TO COME HERE.

PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO RESTAURANTS, PEOPLE AREN'T COMING TO HOTELS.

SO I BELIEVE THAT THESE ENERGY EFFICIENCIES OF CAPPING GREENHOUSE GASES ARE GOING TO END UP HELPING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT IN ADDITION TO THE JOBS THAT ARE CREATED FROM THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S BEING BUILT AROUND ENERGY SAVINGS.

ENERGY SAVINGS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT WE'RE NOT GOING BACKWARDS.

WE'RE ONLY BECOMING MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT.

THE LESS MONEY THAT THE COUNTY PAYS IN BILLS FOR UTILITIES, THE BETTER.

AND I'M REMINDED THAT IN THIS LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, IN AUGUST, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE GOOD HEART OF H-E-B TO GO ON BACKUP GENERATOR POWER, WE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY HAD A STATEWIDE GRID LOSS IN TERMS OF POWER.

THEY TOOK THE GOOD MOVE WITH OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS COMMAND TO GO ON BACKUP GENERATOR POWER, AND THAT SAVED US.

SO I THINK THESE KINDS OF MOVES ARE REALLY CRITICAL UNLESS WE HAVE A DISASTER.

SO I LOOK AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAT THIS ACTUALLY WILL HELP KEEP OUR ECONOMY STRONG, BECAUSE IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO ALL WE WANT WITH CREATING A DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT FOR OUR HOTEL AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, WHICH I REPRESENT.

BUT SO LONG AS PEOPLE DON'T EVEN WANT TO COME HERE BECAUSE IT'S TOO HOT, IT WILL BE ALL FOR NOT.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. THANK YOU.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? IS THERE A MOTION? MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS.

MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL GO TO ITEM FOUR, FILING FOR RECORD THE FOLLOWING LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS DIRECTING THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO TAKE ACTION NECESSARY.

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

[5. Commissioners Court minutes for Tuesday, August 22, 2023 & Tuesday, August 29, 2023.]

IS THERE A MOTION? MOVE APPROVAL.

SECOND. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

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

COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS WHO SIGNED THE REGISTER TO SPEAK.

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

I HAVE A YEHENTER.

I BELIEVE IT'S TU.

T U. ARE YOU STILL HERE? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HE IS REPRESENTING THE DEAF ADVISORY FOR DISABILITIES CITIZENS.

[00:10:06]

IT'S WELL, I'M GOING TO CLEAR THE RECORD.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRANSLATOR WAS NOT AVAILABLE THIS MORNING.

SO MR. TU WAS ADVISED ACCORDINGLY.

AND I HOPE THAT HE WILL RETURN SO THAT WE CAN HEAR FROM HIM.

ALSO, A REMINDER TO REMIND THE COURT AND THE STAFF THAT IN REGARDS TO PEOPLE WHO WISH TO SPEAK, WE NEED TO PROVIDE ACCESS, WHICH MEANS LANGUAGE DISABILITIES.

AND SO WE GOT TO MAKE SURE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO BE HEARD IS HEARD.

AND SO ALSO TO THE RESPONSIBILITY ON OUR CITIZENS TO BE HEARD IS YOU NEED TO ALERT US AHEAD OF TIME.

AM I CORRECT THAT IF WE'RE TO BRING IN TRANSLATORS, INTERPRETERS, WE DO WE WOULD NEED ADVANCED NOTICE IN ORDER TO BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WITH SIGN INTERPRETATION, WE HAVE TO, I THINK, GET PEOPLE FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS, AS I UNDERSTAND, THAT'S THE PROCESS IN THE DISTRICT COURTS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR COMMISSIONERS COURT AND IS THERE A PROCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION? I CAN JUDGE YES, WE DO ASK THAT INDIVIDUALS CONTACT US.

OUR INFORMATION IS ON THE AGENDA AND WE CAN MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT CLEARER AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ADVERTISED IN A VARIETY OF AREAS.

BUT WE DO ASK THAT THEY PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO US SO THAT WE CAN HAVE EITHER THE TRANSLATOR OR THE APPROPRIATE ACCOMMODATIONS.

THANK YOU. MR. GUEVARA.

AS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO ADVANCE ITEM NUMBER 51.

OH, SHE'S NOT HERE.

OKAY, WELL, LET ME KNOW.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

I WILL ACCOMMODATE IT AND JUST ALERT THE COURT THAT I WILL TAKE UP ITEM 51 WHEN THAT PARTICULAR PERSON IS PRESENT FOR A SPECIAL PRESENTATION TO ACCOMMODATE THAT PERSON'S SCHEDULE.

SO. Y'ALL ARE GOING AHEAD OF ME.

SO LET'S GET TO THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. LET'S SEE NOW.

ITEM NUMBER 15 PRESENTATION DISCUSSION.

[50. Presentation, discussion, and appropriate action regarding the Workforce Solutions-Alamo 2023-2024 program year budget.]

THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, I HAVE ADRIAN HERE FROM WSA, WHO'S THEIR CEO, WHO WILL BE PRESENTING THE BUDGET TO YOU ALL.

AS YOU KNOW, THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE COMMITTEE, COMPRISED OF COMMISSIONER MOODY AND COMMISSIONER REBECA CLAY-FLORES HAS ALREADY APPROVED THIS.

SO ADRIAN.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING THIS MORNING? I'M DOING GOOD. GOOD.

SO AS WE CELEBRATE THE LABOR DAY AND OF COURSE, WORKFORCE MONTH, WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE TO PRESENT ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

SO NEXT SLIDE.

SO JUST A RECAP OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON OVER THE COURSE OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, FY 23, WE'VE SERVED APPROXIMATELY 100,000 PEOPLE IN THE 16 CAREER CENTERS THAT ARE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE 13 COUNTY REGION.

WE ALSO HAD ABOUT 24,000 REGISTERED JOBSEEKERS.

TODAY WE SAID ABOUT 4.2% UNEMPLOYMENT, WHICH IS A BIT HIGHER THAN JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, WHICH IS ABOUT 3.5%.

BUT WE'RE STILL DOING GOOD IN TERMS OF ADDING FOLKS TO THE LABOR FORCE, BUT ADDING JOBS AT A FASTER RATE.

OVERALL, WE'VE SEEN ABOUT 8400 JOB PLACEMENTS AND ON A DAILY BASIS, WE HAVE ABOUT 12,000 KIDS THAT ARE IN CHILD CARE THAT ARE ALLOWING MOM, DAD, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, TO GET TRAINED OR TO BE EMPLOYED.

NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS JUST A REAL QUICK SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF OUR FOLKS THAT ARE REGISTERED IN OUR PROGRAM.

SO NOT ALL 100,000 PEOPLE THAT GO TO OUR 16 CAREER CENTERS ACTUALLY REGISTER WITH OUR PROGRAMS. BUT THIS IS A SNAPSHOT PROBABLY ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO, ABOUT 3700 FOLKS THAT ARE PART OF OUR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. WE HAVE ABOUT 30 FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE MANAGE AND OPERATE AS PART OF ABOUT $160 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN THAT AMOUNT.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET IN SOME MORE DETAIL.

I HAVE ANGELA BUSH WHO WILL MAKE THE PRESENTATION, BUT BEFORE I PASS ON TO HER, I JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY APPRECIATION FOR COMMISSIONER MOODY AND COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT ON THE COMMITTEE OF SIX.

[00:15:02]

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS A BRIEF SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE IN 2023 VERSUS 2024 AND OUR EXPENDITURES, SOME OF OURS AS YOU CAN SEE, WE EXPECT TO SPEND 92% OF OUR BUDGET.

THE MONIES THAT DON'T SPEND MAJORITY, THEY CARRY OVER TO FY 24.

MOST OF OUR FUNDING IT DOES NOT FOLLOW OUR FISCAL YEAR.

EACH OF THOSE 30 FUNDING SOURCES CAN HAVE THEIR OWN PROGRAM YEAR.

SO WE'RE AT 90% CURRENTLY.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESERVE.

THE RESERVE IS DIRECT CHILD CARE THAT WILL CARRY OVER.

SO WE WILL CARRY THAT $4.6 MILLION INTO FY 24.

CHILD CARE GOES.

THERE'S ONE THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT CONTRACTS.

ONE CONTRACT GOES THROUGH OCTOBER.

THE OTHER CONTRACTS GO THROUGH DECEMBER.

WE SPEND ABOUT $3 MILLION DOLLARS A MONTH IN CHILD CARE SERVICES.

LOOKING AT THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET, WE HAVE AN INCREASE ABOUT 10.26%, WHICH IS ABOUT $17 MILLION DOLLARS.

A BIG PART OF THAT INCREASE IS IN SERVICE DELIVERY FOR READY TO WORK.

READY TO WORK IS A MULTI YEAR PROGRAM.

THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST YEARS THAT WE SEE FOR READY TO WORK TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF BEXAR COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

WE HAVE $26 MILLION BUDGETED THIS YEAR.

OVERALL, IF YOU LOOK AT PROJECTS, PROJECTS ARE SHOWING A REDUCTION.

WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE MORE PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND A MAJORITY OF THE PROJECTS DID GET MOVED INTO SERVICE DELIVERY.

THIS YEAR WE'RE TRACKING FUNDS, COUNTY BY COUNTY BASED ON THE STATE ALLOCATIONS.

SO SOME OF THOSE BIG PROJECTS ARE TEACHER EXTERNSHIP, WHICH WE DID RECEIVE AN EXTRA $100,000 IN FY 23, WHICH WE ARE HOPING WE GET THAT EXTRA BOOST IN FY 24 TO SERVE AN EXTRA 100 TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR EXPENSES, OUR SALARIES AND PERSONNEL COSTS ARE ABOUT 3%.

YOU DO SEE A LARGE INCREASE IN STAFF TRAVEL THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THROUGHOUT THE 13 COUNTY AREAS, AND THAT WILL RESULT IN ADDITIONAL MILEAGE EXPENSES IN THE RURAL AREAS THAT WILL BE CHARGED ACCORDINGLY TO THE COUNTY RECEIVING THE DIRECT BENEFIT.

AND OTHER COSTS SALARIES AND WAGES.

IT'S A 9% INCREASE.

THAT INCLUDES A 4.6% INCREASE IN [INAUDIBLE], WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH STATE INCREASES AND MARKET VALUES AND STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT.

WE DO HAVE A SMALL INCREASE.

WE DO HAVE SOME ATTRITION AND THAT WILL REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING, DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT FOR NEW STAFF THAT COME ON BOARD.

I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON. YES, MA'AM.

CAN WE JUST GO BACK AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE PASSED IT AT THE COMMITTEE OF SIX BOARD MEETING.

I JUST WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN THE CHILD CARE, BECAUSE WITH SO MUCH DEMAND FOR CHILD CARE AND THE PRICE IS GOING UP.

AND MR. CABALLERO IS HERE FROM MADONNA CENTER, WHO'S IN MY PRECINCT.

AND WE JUST ALLOCATED SOME FUNDING FOR THEM FOR THEIR CHILD CARE.

SO CAN JUST CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT THE SAME QUESTION I HAD? SURE OF COURSE. OF COURSE. ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES THERE AND WHY AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THAT.

YEAH. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

SO A CHILD CARE IS WHAT WE DO IS WE IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER OF EACH YEAR WE GET SLOTS FROM TWC AND WE HAVE TO STAY WITHIN 95 TO 105% OF THOSE CONTRACTED MEASURES.

SO WE EVEN LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU SEE THAT RESERVE AND YOU'RE LIKE, WHY CAN'T YOU PLACE MORE KIDS? WELL, WE CAN'T EXCEED 105%.

IN PRIOR YEARS WE WERE AT 108% AND WE HAD ATTRITION DOWN.

THAT'S WHY WE ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE THAT RESERVE, BECAUSE ONCE A CHILD IS ENROLLED IN CARE, THEY'RE IN CARE UNTIL THEY'RE NO LONGER NEED CARE OR DO THEY INCOME OUT OF CARE.

SO SPEAKING OF CHILD CARE, SO WE HAVE TO STAY BETWEEN THAT 95 AND 105% FOR PERFORMANCE MEASURES SO WE DON'T GET PUT ON A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN WITH TWC, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE ON A CAP, THEN YOU WON'T BE SUBJECT TO SPECIAL INITIATIVES AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

ADDITIONALLY, WITH CHILD CARE, WE HAVE A WAIT LIST, BUT THE WAIT LIST IS IT'S PRETTY HIGH RIGHT NOW.

I THINK IT'S AT ABOUT 7000.

BUT THE WAIT LIST IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, IT WAS PRETTY LOW.

SO IN OCTOBER, WE'LL START OPEN ENROLLMENT AGAIN AND WE'LL GET AS MANY PEOPLE ON THAT WAIT LIST PLACED AS POSSIBLE.

AND AS THE ALLOCATIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN THEIR COUNTY FIRST, WE HAVE PRIORITY GROUPS.

SO IN THE RURAL AREAS, IF THEY DON'T USE ALL THEIR FUNDS, THEN WE PLACE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE URBAN AREA USING THOSE FUNDS BECAUSE OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS TO SERVE THE ENTIRE REGION AND THEN TO STAY WITHIN OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES WHILE ALSO SERVING OUR PRIORITY GROUPS.

AND COMMISSIONER, IF I COULD, I HEARD A LOT OF INFORMATION, AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, CAN YOU PLEASE BREAK THAT DOWN, UNPACK EVERYTHING YOU SAID, BECAUSE PERHAPS I DIDN'T PICK IT UP.

[00:20:01]

PERHAPS MR. LOPEZ WANTS TO.

I LOOKED THAT HE'S MOVING IN.

SO ALL I WANT TO DO IS IF YOU WOULD JUST BREAK THAT DOWN AS TO WHAT ARE THE FLAWS OR WHAT ARE THE CRACKS IN THE SYSTEM IN REGARDS TO DAYCARE, BECAUSE I'VE GOT COMMENTS, TOO, BUT I WANT TO LET COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES FINISH HER QUESTION, BUT HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BECAUSE YOU SAID A LOT.

AND I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL ANYWAY.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NOT NOT AT ALL JUDGE.

SO IN A NUTSHELL, I THINK WHAT THE CENTRAL QUESTION PROBABLY IS, IS HOW COME YOU HAVE SO MUCH MONEY IN RESERVE AND YOU HAVE 7000 KIDS ON THE WAIT LIST.

SO THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT WE'RE MANAGING AS IT RELATES TO THESE CONTRACTS.

WE'RE MANAGING THE DOLLARS, RIGHT? THOSE FUNDS THAT YOU SEE IN THE BUDGET AND THE EXPENDITURES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

BUT WE'RE ALSO MANAGING THE PERFORMANCE.

SO IF TWC SAYS HERE'S YOUR TARGET, IT'S 12,000 KIDS OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER IT MAY BE, YOU CAN GO, YOU GOT TO BE BETWEEN 95% AND 105% OF THAT GOAL.

SO TODAY WE SAID APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 106%.

SO WE'RE EXCEEDING THE 12,000, BUT WE CAN'T GO FURTHER THAN THAT BECAUSE THE STATE THEN WILL THEN PENALIZE US BECAUSE THEY SAY, HEY, YOU'RE EXCEEDING YOUR TARGET, RIGHT? SO WE'RE MANAGING THE DOLLARS BASED ON THE TARGET THAT'S PROVIDED TO US.

SO HOW CAN WE INCREASE THE CAPACITY? IS THAT A STATE ISSUE, LEGISLATURE ISSUE? YEAH. SO THE STATE BASICALLY FIGURES OUT THE DENOMINATOR FOR US EVERY YEAR OF WHAT THE DOLLARS CAN SUPPORT.

YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTION.

I KNOW WHO I HAVE TO COMPLAIN TO.

[LAUGHTER] OKAY. JUDGE.

NO, I JUST WANTED TO JUST EXPAND ON THAT BEFORE WE LEFT THIS.

BUT I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT CHILD CARE, SO I'LL HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS.

YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES, FOR BRINGING THIS ISSUE UP.

IS THERE ANY WAY SO THIS IS FREE.

THIS IS JUST CHILD CARE.

IS IT FREE OR LOW COST? IT'S A LOW COST, SO SO THERE IS EXPENDITURES ON THE FAMILY SIDE.

SO THE AVERAGE AMERICAN FAMILY SPENDS ABOUT $11,000 A YEAR ON CHILD CARE AND I WONDER IF WITH THE RESERVE, COULD WE MAKE IT A NO COST CHILD CARE WHERE WE USE SOME OF THAT MONEY TO BASICALLY MAKE IT FREE? SO UNFORTUNATELY. IS THAT PERMISSIBLE? THE RULES ARE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT TWC IS, IS ASKING US THERE IS THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FROM THE FAMILY SIDE.

ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE FIX.

I THINK THAT WE NEED TO COLLABORATE MORE WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ETCETERA, ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE TO TAKE THAT FINANCIAL BURDEN OFF OF FAMILIES.

IT IS OBSCENE WHAT IT COSTS TO HAVE CHILD CARE IN AMERICA TODAY.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOBBY TOGETHER, COLLABORATE TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE HELP OUR WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE QUALITY CHILD CARE? THANK YOU, JUDGE. COMMISSIONER WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY DATA ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. COMMISSIONER MOODY.

JUST SINCE THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL COST OF THE CHILD CARE IS CURRENTLY COVERED TODAY? SO. SO THE AVERAGE COST FOR A FAMILY IS PROBABLY A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS BASED ON SORT OF, YOU KNOW, THE COST THAT WE LOOK AT.

SO I WOULD SAY PROBABLY ABOUT AN 80, 20%.

BUT WE CAN GET YOU SOME MORE SPECIFIC NUMBERS.

YEAH, I ASSUMED IT WAS REALLY HIGH.

I THOUGHT IT WAS PROBABLY EVEN MORE THAN THAT BASED ON JUST THE CALCULATIONS AND MATH I WAS DOING IN TERMS OF STUDENT SERVED VERSUS THE OVERALL BUDGET.

BUT I THINK WE SHOULD JUST BE CLEAR IN TERMS OF THIS IS HIGHLY SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE AND FOLKS ARE PAYING FAIRLY LITTLE OUT OF POCKET. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT.

YEAH, THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

NOT ALL CHILD CARE IS EXACTLY THE SAME IN TERMS OF THE COST.

THERE ARE SOME CENTERS THAT ARE CONSIDERED TEXAS RISING STAR, WHICH MEANS THE TEXAS STANDARD ASSOCIATED WITH QUALITY CHILD CARE.

SO AS MORE STARS GET ACHIEVED, THERE'S MORE EXPENSE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CHILD CARE SLOT.

THERE ARE FAMILIES THAT CHOOSE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO CHILD CARE CENTERS THAT ARE NOT TEXAS RISING STAR, AND THEREBY THE COST MAY BE ACTUALLY CHEAPER.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS ASSOCIATED.

AND IF I CAN ADD THE COST, IT'S BASED ON THE FAMILY'S INCOME.

THERE'S A CALCULATION THAT'S DONE AND WE CAN PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.

SO NOT EVERY FAMILY PAYS THE SAME.

IT'S BASED ON INCOME REQUIREMENTS.

THEN THEY'RE REVIEWED ON A REGULAR BASIS.

SO THEIR COSTS MAY GO UP OR DOWN BASED ON THEIR RESOURCES.

BUT ALSO, JUST TO COMMENT ON WHAT YOU SAID, YOU SAID SOME FAMILIES DON'T CHOOSE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO TEXAS RISING STAR, WHICH IS AN ACCREDITATION.

THERE'S OTHER ACCREDITATIONS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR, BUT I WOULD BEG TO SAY IT'S NOT THAT FAMILIES DON'T NECESSARILY CHOOSE TO SEND THEIR KIDS THERE.

THERE AS OFTEN IS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF BEXAR COUNTY THAT I REPRESENT, THERE IS A LACK OF CENTERS, PERIOD,

[00:25:02]

SO NOT TO SAY THEY CHOOSE NOT TO BECAUSE THERE'S FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT INTO TO DO THAT.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, COMMISSIONER.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS OF WHAT FAMILIES CHOOSE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.

COMMISSIONER MOODY. JUST ONE FOLLOW UP, SINCE WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE SUBSIDY THERE, COULD YOU PROVIDE A BREAKDOWN OF THE TOTAL FUNDING? RIGHT.

AND INCOME WINDOWS AND THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES SERVED AND THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN SERVED.

AND BASICALLY WHAT THAT SUBSIDY LOOKS LIKE ACROSS THAT INCOME SPECTRUM? I THINK THAT WOULD BE JUST HELPFUL FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROGRAM.

YES, WE WILL GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. HOLD ON, GUYS.

I GOT SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT DR.

GUAJARDO. COME ON UP HERE, DOCTOR.

Y'ALL STAY RIGHT THERE. JUST MOVE A LITTLE BIT.

SO, DOCTOR, I'M GOING TO HAVE SOME COMMENTS FOR DOCTOR G.

IT'S OKAY IF I CALL YOU DOCTOR G, RIGHT? SURE. DR.

A. DOCTOR GUERRERO GUAJARDO.

OKAY, DOCTOR GUAJARDO, YOU AND I HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS IN REGARDS TO THE NEW PUBLIC HEALTH ENTITY FOR WHICH YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR, CORRECT? I AM. OKAY. YES, WE HAVE.

CORRECT? YES, SIR. AND AS COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES HAS ASKED, WE'LL HAVE AN EMPHASIS ON MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND ACCESS TO.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO FOCUS IN ON DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT.

AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.

AND WHAT WAS THE LAST THING I ASKED FOR YOU TO CONSIDER ON YOUR BUDGET THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW? CHILD CARE. THERE YOU GO.

YES. YEAH. HEALTHY FAMILIES, HEALTHY CHILDREN AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO ME WHEN I.

ABSOLUTELY, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

EVERY WORD.

AND WHAT WAS THE POINT THAT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE WITH YOU IS THAT I THINK CHILD CARE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF WELLNESS FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES . BECAUSE IT'S INTERCONNECTED TO THE REST OF THE FAMILY, THE PARENTS ABILITY TO HAVE EMPLOYMENT, FOR THE FAMILY TO THRIVE, TO MAINTAIN THEIR INCOME, TO MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT, WHICH IS EXACTLY THE PURPOSE OF THE CHILD CARE PROGRAM AT WSA.

AND DID I ALSO TELL YOU, HAVING WORKED IN THE CHILDREN'S COURT, THAT IN REGARDS TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT, ESPECIALLY CHILD DEATHS AS A RESULT OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT, ARE OFTEN WORKING MOMS WHO ARE WORKING THEIR HARDEST TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN, BABIES, IN FACT, AND THAT THEY'RE USING THEIR BOYFRIENDS SIGNIFICANT OTHERS THAT ARE NOT THE BIOLOGICAL PARENT TO THE CHILD.

AND THOSE, AS THE RESULTS HAVE SHOWN IN CHILD REVIEW DEATHS, THAT THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GETTING INJURED, SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED AS A RESULT.

AND I PRESUME AND I WOULD LIKE YOUR OPINION, ISN'T THAT A DIRECT RESULT OF THE LACK OF ACCESS FOR CHILD CARE, ESPECIALLY FOR WORKING MOMS WHO ARE NON-OFFENDERS? IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'RE SUPPORTING THE FAMILY AND THE DE FACTO CHILD CARE IS A NON BIOLOGICAL PARENT TO THE CHILD.

PARENT OR GUARDIAN. YES. I MEAN, YOU DID TELL ME ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAD ON THE CHILDREN'S COURT.

AND YES, THAT IS A FACTOR SOMETIMES IN FAMILY VIOLENCE AND CHILD ABUSE.

AND I THINK THE AVAILABILITY AND ACCESS TO CHILD CARE IS A STABILIZING FACTOR IN ALMOST EVERY SITUATION.

AND WHEN IT BECOMES UNSTABLE, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE OF EMPLOYMENT OR BECAUSE SOMEONE WHO HAS A PROPENSITY TO ABUSE OR NEGLECT THEIR CHILDREN, YES, IT ABSOLUTELY BECOMES ESSENTIAL.

AND I THINK COMMISSIONER CALVERT HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WHEN IT REGARDS TO COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION.

AND SO MY LAST COMMENT TO YOU AND TO I'LL BRING MR. LOPEZ BACK UP HERE IS I EXPECT A THOROUGH EVALUATION OF THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCE DOLLARS WE HAVE.

CAN WE INCREASE THE CAPACITY, CAN WE INCREASE THE ACCREDITATION FOR MORE CENTERS? AND CAN WE JUST SIMPLY IN THE MOST SIMPLEST LANGUAGE, PROVIDE AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE GET THE DAY CARE THEY NEED? WILL YOU AND MR. LOPEZ AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE PARTNER UP ON, WILL YOU PLEASE LEAD THAT CONVERSATION INITIATIVE? ABSOLUTELY. MR. LOPEZ AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER BEFORE.

WE KNOW EACH OTHER PRETTY WELL. THEN, MR. LOPEZ, LET ME ASK YOU TO COME BACK HERE.

HE USED TO BE MY BOSS. AND JUST YOU'VE HEARD THE COMMENTS.

YES. AND MY DIRECTIVES.

WHAT SAY YOU? SO THE THERE'S TWO FUNCTIONS TO THE CHILD CARE DOLLARS.

ONE IS THE ACTUAL SUBSIDY THAT COMMISSIONER MOODY WAS MAKING REFERENCE TO.

[00:30:01]

SO WE ARE WORKING WITH HUNDREDS OF CHILD CARE CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE 13 COUNTIES TO BE ABLE TO PUT THEM ON A PATH TO ACTUALLY INCREASE THEIR QUALITY AND GET INTO THE TEXAS RISING STAR.

I BELIEVE TODAY WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 130 OR SO TEXAS RISING STAR CENTERS THAT WE WORK WITH, AND WE GOT ABOUT 80 IN A COHORT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON TO HOPEFULLY PUT THEM IN A POSITION TO ACTUALLY HAVE TEXAS RISING STAR.

NOW, I WOULD SUGGEST ANOTHER POLICY CONSIDERATION, JUDGE, WHEN WE WORK WITH WITH CHILD CARE CENTERS, ULTIMATELY, THESE ARE SMALL BUSINESSES. MANY OF THEM ARE MOM AND POP BUSINESSES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME OF THE LARGER ONES LIKE COUNTRY HOME AND OTHERS.

RIGHT. THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF A LARGER OPERATION.

THESE ARE SMALL MOM AND POP BUSINESSES.

IF YOU LOOK AT SORT OF WHAT THE CITY DID IN REGARDS TO PRE K FOR SA, WHAT THEY DID BASICALLY IS THEY ALLOWED TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO FUND BRICKS AND STICKS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

IT TOOK THAT COST AWAY FROM THAT ORGANIZATION TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CHILD CARE SO THEY COULD FOCUS ON QUALITY FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN PROMOTING, CHILD CARE IS NOT AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD NECESSARILY EDUCATION INITIATIVE, BUT THAT IT'S AN ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. SHORT OF BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE ENOUGH SLOTS, THEN YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET FOLKS BACK TO WORK AND ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU WERE MAKING REFERENCE TO.

SO THE POLICY CONSIDERATION THAT I WOULD OFFER UP IS, IS THERE A WAY TO BE ABLE TO HELP FUND BRICKS AND STICKS ASSOCIATED WITH CHILD CARE PROVIDERS TAKING THAT COST SO THEY CAN THEN DIVERT THOSE COSTS TO, SAVINGS OR AND OR TO INVESTMENTS INTO QUALITY AND POTENTIALLY EXPANSION.

BUT YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT I THINK ALSO HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESSES, AS YOU CALL THE MOM AND POP, WHICH I THINK IS ONE OF THE BACKBONES OF OUR ECONOMY, WHICH OFTEN IS UNDERSERVED AND THEY HAVE NO ACCESS TO RESOURCES.

SO YOU RAISE AN INTERESTING QUESTION WHERE INCREASING THE ACCESS, OPENING ACCESS TO PARENTS, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO ACCESS THE SMALL BUSINESSES? THEY'RE EMPOWERED AND GIVEN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THEY CAN HELP THEIR EMPLOYEES.

AND WE PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES TO THE MOM AND POPS, AS YOU JUST SAID.

SO I WILL ADMIT THAT THAT WORK IS IN PROGRESS AND IT'S BEEN VERY LIMITED.

PART OF THAT IS CHANGING THE CULTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT RATHER THAN LOOKING AT THIS AS A SOCIAL SERVICE THAT IT'S A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICE.

SO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, WHICH IS WE'VE HIRED SOME BUSINESS COACHES TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY DIRECT SERVICES TO CHILD CARE PROVIDERS SO THAT THEY CAN BUILD BUSINESS PLANS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, RIGHT, BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SOPHISTICATED.

WE'VE ALSO HAD AN INITIATIVE WHERE IT'S CALLED A SHARED SERVICES, SO WE GET A COLLECTION, FOR EXAMPLE, A COHORT OF 20 CHILD CARE PROVIDERS TO FUND THINGS THAT COMMONLY THEY ALL NEED THINGS LIKE TAX SERVICES OR THINGS LIKE ACCOUNTING SERVICES OR HR SERVICES, AND THEREBY REDUCING SOME OF THE COSTS.

THAT'S PROBABLY STILL NOT ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE MAJOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RUNNING A CHILD CARE CENTER.

BUT WE WOULD DEFINITELY BE OPEN TO FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD THOSE BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESS TOOLS OR TOOLBOX FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO OFFER SOME BETTER SERVICES.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I'M GOING TO PULL JORDANNA BACK UP TO MAKE THIS COMMENT JORDANNA THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN VERY ENLIGHTENING AND I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS AND THE EFFORTS BY EVERYBODY TO MAKE CHILD CARE MORE ACCESSIBLE.

BUT I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX.

WE NEED TO RESTRUCTURE THE SYSTEM AND LIVE WITH THE RULES WE LIVE WITH, LIVE WITHIN THE BUDGET WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH.

BUT I NOW SEE QUITE CLEARLY NOW A PATH WHERE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FROM A COUNTY PERSPECTIVE AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INTERSECT AND IT INTERSECTS ON THIS SPECIFIC HOW CAN WE HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND HOW CAN WE HELP THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORKFORCE IS TRYING TO REACH.

AND THEN HOW CAN WE MAKE A BETTER AND WELL COMMUNITY DR.

GUAJARDO.

SO I GIVE YOU A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT CONVERSATION.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I THINK WE GOT A FEW MORE SLIDES.

OKAY. I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, YOU'RE DONE.

BUT I'LL BE BRIEF.

I DON'T WANT TO CUT YOUR SHOW OFF.

NOPE. I'LL BE VERY BRIEF NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS JUST SHOWS YOU WHERE OUR BUDGET HAS GONE.

AND SO THE IMPACT WE COULD MAKE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

IN 2019, OUR BUDGET WAS $104 MILLION, AND I KNOW WE HAD SOME HUGE INITIATIVES DURING COVERT TO GET EVERYONE BACK TO WORK AND TO ASSIST THE

[00:35:07]

SO WE DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN CHILD CARE THIS YEAR AND WE'RE EXPECTING OUR SLOTS TO INCREASE.

SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO SERVE MORE INDIVIDUALS.

THAT'S OUR PROJECTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO SHOW THIS SO WE CAN SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WHERE WE CAME FROM OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO IF WE LOOK AT OUR SERVICE DELIVERY BUDGET, IF YOU SEE 72% OF OUR BUDGET, $117 MILLION IS IN CHILD CARE SERVICES, WE HAVE ANOTHER 12% IN TWC DIRECT SERVICES AND 16% OF THE BUDGET IS IN READY TO WORK.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE AND LOOKING AT THE INCREASES, READY TO WORK IS A LARGE PORTION OF THE $14 MILLION INCREASE.

WE DID GET AN INCREASE IN YOUTH FUNDING THIS YEAR BY $628,000 AND WE GOT AN INCREASE IN ADULT BY $332,000. AND AS I WAS JUST STATING, WE EXPECT TO INCREASE OUR CHILD CARE TARGETS BY 10% THIS YEAR.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE RESERVE FOR A SECOND, BECAUSE AS WE TALK ABOUT RESERVE, IT MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO CHILD CARE.

SO CHILD CARE, AS I WAS TALKING EARLIER, IT GOES IT DOESN'T GO FROM OCTOBER TO SEPTEMBER THAT THE FIRST $2.5 MILLION, THAT'S CARRYOVER FUNDS THAT WILL GO THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST OF 2024.

WE ALSO HAVE RESTRICTED FUNDS FOR CHILDREN THAT ARE DIRECTLY PLACED FROM DFPS, AND THE MATCH IS A LOCAL MATCH OF $7.5 MILLION THAT IS USED FOR DIRECT CARE ONLY.

AND AS WE WERE TALKING EARLIER, DIRECT CARE IS AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT $3 MILLION PER MONTH.

SO WHEN YOU SEE IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY WHEN YOU'RE SPENDING $3-$4 MILLION A MONTH ON DIRECT CARE SERVICES.

IT GOES REALLY QUICKLY.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO IF WE LOOK AT THE PROJECTS, AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, WE HAVE THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE JOB FAIR.

WE HAVE ABOUT $40,000 FOR.

WE ALSO HAVE RATHER THAN JUST HAVING ONE YOUTH CAREER FAIR, WE ARE HAVING FOUR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT WE DO RECEIVE SOME PROJECT FUNDS, YOUTH COVERS THE REST OF THAT.

WE DO HAVE SOME FOSTER YOUTH CONFERENCE AND WE DO SUPPORT THE VETERANS WITHIN THE WORKFORCE CENTERS.

[INAUDIBLE] SO THAT COMPLETES MY PRESENTATION.

AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT QUESTIONS ABOUT CHILD CARE TODAY.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LETTING ME PRESENT THE BUDGET.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT THANK YOU, JUDGE.

LET ME JUST KIND OF KEY IN ON SOMETHING YOU GUYS PROBABLY HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT.

I MAY SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM, THE READY TO WORK PROGRAM AT THE CITY HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT ENROLLMENT CHALLENGES.

I ENDORSED THE CONCEPT AND CAMPAIGNED FOR IT, BUT FELT THAT THE GOALS WERE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE WHAT THE PUBLIC WOULD GET AND I WAS RIGHT.

WHEN THIS CAMPAIGN BEGAN, THE VOTERS WERE PROMISED 40,000 ENROLLMENT.

IT WAS JUST RECENTLY WRITTEN THAT THERE WAS ABOUT 2,000 PEOPLE OR 3,000 IN THE PIPELINE.

ONLY 440 HAVE ENROLLED THIS YEAR AND 164 HAVE ACTUALLY ATTAINED JOBS.

THERE'S GOOD METRICS WITH RESPECT TO IMPROVING THE INCOME FROM $17,000 FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON TO ABOUT $37,000.

WE'RE PROUD OF THAT. BUT I WANT TO MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR.

I HAVE SAID TO FOLKS IN WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT THE REASON PEOPLE PART OF THE REASON THAT PEOPLE DON'T PARTICIPATE IN A TRAINING PROGRAM IS THEY HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIZED IN OUR SCHOOLS.

THEY'VE BEEN TRAUMATIZED IN OUR SCHOOLS IN PART BECAUSE LEARNING DISABILITIES ARE UNDIAGNOSED OR UNDERDIAGNOSED.

WE HAVE 25% OF THE ADULT POPULATION IN THIS COUNTY THAT READS AT A FIFTH GRADE LEVEL, NOBODY TALKS ABOUT ADULT LITERACY.

WE UNDERFUND GROUPS LIKE EACH ONE, TEACH ONE AND FREED TEXAS, WHICH FOCUS ON ADULT LITERACY.

I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT IF THE CITY'S PROGRAM WORKFORCE, THE COUNTY HAD A GREATER FOCUS ON ADULT LITERACY.

AND THE REASON IS THERE'S TWO KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.

WE CATECHOL EVERYONE INTO A GED CLASS.

AND THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS YOU CAN'T HAVE SOMEONE WHO READS AT A 10TH GRADE LEVEL IN THE SAME CLASSROOM AS SOMEONE WHO READS AT A 5TH GRADE LEVEL.

AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK UNDER THE HOOD OF WHAT THE PASSAGE RATE FOR OUR GED IS, IT'S ONLY 25%.

[00:40:05]

AND NOBODY TALKS ABOUT THAT AND THEY FAIL BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT OF ONE ON ONE ATTENTION TO TAKE AN ADULT FROM THE 5TH GRADE LEVEL TO THE 6TH GRADE LEVEL TO THE 10TH GRADE TO THE 11TH AND 12TH GRADE LEVELS OF READING.

AND THEN THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE WORKFORCE PROGRAM.

THEY CAN'T THEY CAN'T CONCEIVE OF THEMSELVES GOING THROUGH THE TRAUMA OF NOT HAVING A GOOD EXPERIENCE IN TRAINING AND WORK BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT IN THEIR CHILDHOOD AND IN THEIR ADOLESCENCE.

SO WE HAVE A PROBLEM IN TEXAS WHERE 1 IN 5 YOUNG PEOPLE HAS A LEARNING DISABILITY AND TEXAS HAS NO PLAN WHATSOEVER FOR ENSURING THAT IN EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT THERE ARE TEACHERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE CERTIFIED TO TEACH TO DYSLEXIA AND OTHER LEARNING DISABILITIES. THIS IS A MAJOR CRISIS.

WE'VE TINKLED AROUND THE EDGES WITH PILOT PROGRAMS. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND THE TEXAS HOUSE HAPPENED TO HAVE CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCED THEM.

BUT IT SHOULD BE SYSTEMIC.

WE HAVE EXECUTIVES AT RACKSPACE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WHO'VE HAD TO CREATE A SCHOOL IN AUSTIN TO TEACH THE LEARNING DISABILITIES BECAUSE THERE ARE REALLY NO SUCH THINGS.

THIS IS THE CRAZINESS OF THE OVERALL PLAN.

PEOPLE ARE NOT CONNECTING THE DOTS.

SO WE HAVE ALL THIS MONEY, $150 MILLION FOR WORKFORCE TRAINING, AND PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING IN THE WAYS THAT WE PROMISED THE PUBLIC, OR AT LEAST THE CITY PROMISED.

I DIDN'T PROMISE. THE CITY PROMISED.

BUT I BELIEVE THERE'S ENOUGH RESOURCES TO DO SOMETHING INNOVATIVE HERE.

AND SO THE CHALLENGE, THE BAR IS NOT TO JUST PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK WITH WE'RE DOING SOMETHING IN THAT ADULT LITERACY WORLD, COMMISSIONER CALVERT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING IN THAT WORLD FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES.

WHATEVER WE'RE DOING IS NOT ENOUGH.

IF THERE ARE OTHER EXIT SURVEYS ABOUT WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT STAYING IN THE PROGRAM, WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM, WE NEED TO GET ON DOORSTEPS AND START ASKING PEOPLE WHY THEY ARE NOT GETTING INTO THESE PROGRAMS. SO IN ANY EVENT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS.

I JUST HAD TO STATE IT FOR THE RECORD.

NO, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER.

I JUST WANT TO OFFER THIS UP, WHICH IS THAT THAT BY THE TIME FOLKS ARE LARGELY COMING IN THROUGH OUR DOORS, THEY'VE GONE IN THROUGH MANY OTHER DOORS. RIGHT? SO WHETHER IT'S EARLY CHILDHOOD, YOU KNOW, K-12, MAYBE EVEN THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.

AND SO ALL OF THAT TO EXPLAIN THAT WORKFORCE IS AN ACTUAL ECOSYSTEM AND NOT SORT OF JUST KIND OF WHAT THE WORK OF EITHER WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, ALAMO OR ALAMO COLLEGES OR READY TO WORK.

IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN SYNC.

I THINK YOU BRING UP AN EXCELLENT POINT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF UNDERSTANDING THE POPULATION THAT WE ARE SERVING AND THE BARRIERS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

LARGELY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BARRIERS FOR OUR FOLKS, THERE ARE EVERYTHING FROM LACK OF BASIC SKILLS, SCHOOL DROPOUTS, FOLKS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, FOLKS WHO ARE EXTREMELY POOR.

I MEAN, IN SOME INSTANCES, FOR EXAMPLE, I BELIEVE IN THIS COUNTY, THE AVERAGE PERSON THAT WE ARE SERVING PROBABLY HAS AN AVERAGE FAMILY SIZE OF ABOUT THREE, BUT MAKING ABOUT $16,000.

THAT IS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY POOR.

AND SO THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT I THINK THAT GO INTO IS I THINK WHAT THE JUDGE WAS REFERENCING IN REGARDS TO INTERSECTIONS WITH NOT ONLY WITH CHILD CARE AND HOW THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IS THE RIGHT SORT OF CONVERSATION TO BE HAVING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CHANGING THE SYSTEM.

LASTLY, ON THAT POINT, AS IT RELATES TO CHILD CARE AND THE AVAILABILITY OF CHILD CARE FOR THE TYPES OF JOBS THAT WE ARE PRODUCING IN THIS COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S VERY LIMITED CHILD CARE IN THE EVENINGS OR AT NIGHT, WHICH LIMITS THE POSSIBILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO SECURE SOME OF THE JOBS THAT YOU ALL ARE INCENTIVIZING, SUCH AS IN MANUFACTURING AND OTHERS.

RIGHT. WHETHER IT'S A 24/7 OPERATION.

RIGHT. BUT IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

BUT I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS.

I CAN ASSURE YOU FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WORKING A LOT CLOSELY WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS THE VERY POPULATIONS TO YOUR REFERENCING.

JUDGE, IN CONCLUSION, WE NEED SOME SORT OF TASK FORCE TO REALLY BORE INTO THIS.

I DON'T CLAIM TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY THE GAP THAT WIDE IN TERMS OF SERVICE USE IN A WORKING CLASS CITY LIKE OURS, WHERE EDUCATION SEGREGATION HAS CAUSED A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL DEFICITS.

WE'VE JUST GOT TO GET IN THE ROOM AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES OF A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE'VE PUT TOWARDS THIS.

THERE'S ENOUGH TO, YOU KNOW, PRACTICALLY BUY EVERYBODY A HOME WITH WITH WHAT WE PUT OUT, BUT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO FULFILL THE TAXPAYER COMMITMENT.

[00:45:08]

THAT'S MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT SAN ANTONIO'S UNDERBELLY OF AN ECONOMY IS GOING TO HAVE A TOUGH TIME ALREADY IS.

THERE'S SOME NEW INFORMATION THAT'S COME OUT ABOUT THE AUTOMATION AND THE VARIOUS TECHNOLOGY THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING US.

AND I DON'T WANT US TO WIND UP LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A CRUSHED INDUSTRIAL CITY, A RUST BELT PLACE, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET AHEAD OF THE TSUNAMI OF TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE.

WE KNOW THAT WE NEED PEOPLE TO FIX THOSE ROBOTS MECHANICALLY, HANDS ON PEOPLE.

WE KNOW WE NEED PROGRAMMERS TO PROGRAM THOSE COMPUTERS AND THOSE ROBOTS.

BUT THAT MESSAGE, EVEN ON A MARKETING PERSPECTIVE, HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN TOLD.

I DON'T SEE ANY ADS.

I MEAN, SOME OF THE MONEY THAT IS PART OF THIS ECOSYSTEM THAT YOU REFERRED TO COULD BE UTILIZED TO REALLY KEEP PEOPLE UP AND GET THEM READY FOR THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, I MAKE A JOKE.

EIGHT YEARS AGO, I BEGAN CAMPAIGNING AND TALKING ABOUT THIS TRANSITION TO INFORMATION AND THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ECONOMY.

AND I LITERALLY SAID ONE DAY YOUR QUARTER POUNDER WITH CHEESE AT MCDONALD'S IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO YOU BY A ROBOT ARM.

AND GUESS WHAT? THAT HAPPENED, I THINK IN PLANO OR UP IN THE DALLAS AREA.

EXACTLY WHAT I TOLD PEOPLE.

SO THINK ABOUT ALL THOSE SERVICE JOBS THAT ARE GOING TO BE GONE, JUST LIKE WE SEE AT THE MOVIE THEATER JOBS THAT WE ONCE HAD, YOU KNOW, PATHWAY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. IT'S ALL ON YOUR PHONE AND A KIOSK.

THAT'S ALL YOU GET OR YOU'RE STREAMING IT AT HOME.

SO ARE WE REALLY READY? HAVE WE PROPERLY TOLD THE TRUTH TO OUR CITIZENRY? I'M NOT SO SURE WE HAVE.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY HONEST ABOUT THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY ON THE IMPACT OF OUR WORKFORCE.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

YEAH. I JUST WANT TO ASK, CAN YOU BREAK DOWN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT WE SPEND THAT FROM TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION ON CHILD CARE FOR BEXAR COUNTY ALONE? BECAUSE THIS BUDGET IS FOR OUR ENTIRE REGION, INCLUDING THE RURAL AREAS.

HOW MUCH DO WE SPEND FOR BEXAR COUNTY? WE SPEND ROUGHLY 80% OF THE FUNDS IN BEXAR COUNTY.

WHAT'S THE DOLLAR AMOUNT? WE'D HAVE TO GET THAT NUMBER, I CAN GET THAT TO YOU.

I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT BETWEEN $105 AND $108 MILLION.

OKAY.

BUT WE'LL GET THAT INFORMATION.

CAN YOU GET THAT TO GIORDANO? AND GIORDANO WILL GET THAT DIRECTLY TO ME.

THANK YOU. MOVE FOR APPROVAL.

SO JUST MAYBE I CAN ANSWER THIS.

NOT ON THE DOLLAR SIDE. HOLD ON.

MR. LOPEZ GOT A MOTION HERE, SO I'M TRYING TO MOVE THIS ALONG.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND COMMISSIONER.

A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO MR. LOPEZ. GO AHEAD, MR. COMMISSIONER MOODY. I MAY HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES OF OPINION AROUND WHAT THE DRIVERS ARE HERE AND THE SOLUTION SET, BUT SOMETHING DID RESONATE.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST THROWING MORE MONEY AT PROBLEMS, RIGHT.

IT'S ABOUT HOW WE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT A STRATEGY, AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY THAT'S EFFICIENTLY USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

AND SO WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, WHETHER IT'S MENTAL HEALTH, WHETHER IT'S HOMELESSNESS, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO MORE WITH THE DOLLARS THAT ARE INVESTED BECAUSE WE ARE INVESTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THESE SPACES.

AND WE WE HAVE TO EXPECT AND GET MORE OUT OF THOSE DOLLARS.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS FOR THE RECORD.

FINAL COMMENTS. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'M GOING TO LET YOU FINISH OUT, MR. LOPEZ, AND LET ME TAKE A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED, MOTION CARRIES.

MR.. LOPEZ YEAH.

JUST TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES QUESTION, YOU DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET, BUT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT WERE SERVED, 18,979 FOR THE WHOLE REGION, 15,150 ARE BEXAR COUNTY ALONE.

SO THAT GIVES YOU SORT OF..

BEXAR COUNTY.

15,150 OUT OF THE 18,979.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THAT'S ANNUAL, RIGHT? THAT'S FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AT THE MOMENT.

YEAR TO DATE. SO, MR.

[00:50:01]

GUAJARDO, GUESS WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK NEXT YEAR WHEN YOU ALL COME BACK WITH THIS BUDGET? YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY.

THANKS, JUDGE. YOU'RE WELCOME.

[51. Special Presentation on behalf of Pepsi Co. discussing Uplift Scholarships in Bexar County.]

I UNDERSTAND THIS IS COMMISSIONER CALVERT AND COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

YEAH. I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES FOR CO-SPONSORING REBECCA ACUNA HERE FROM PEPSICO.

SHE IS THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND POLICY COMMUNICATIONS FOR PEPSICO.

NOW PEPSICO TEAM HAS A BIG GROUP OF BRANDS THAT WE ALL LOVE, EVERYTHING FROM TOSTITOS TO FRITO-LAY, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN MY PRECINCT ACTUALLY BY A FAMILY, THE FRITO, THEIR GATORADE AND LIPTON AND QUAKER OATS. SO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS.

BUT WE WERE IN NEW MEXICO AND MISS ACUNA MENTIONED SOME OF THE WORKFORCE AND COLLEGE TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE PEPSICO FOUNDATION.

AND I WANTED TO HAVE THE COURT JUST BE AWARE OF THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE HAPPENING.

AND WE'RE JOINED BY OUR FRIENDS FROM THE ALAMO COLLEGES.

CHANCELLOR COULDN'T BE HERE THIS MORNING, BUT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE ALAMO COLLEGE FOUNDATION, BART SIMPSON, IS HERE.

AND STAFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

THEY'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THIS PRESENTATION.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND THE IMPACT YOU'RE MAKING IN SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY AND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION, COMMISSIONER.

GOOD MORNING, COUNTY JUDGE COMMISSIONERS.

IT IS A REAL HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE.

I'M A SOUTH TEXAS GAL, GREW UP IN LAREDO, TEXAS.

BOTH OF MY PARENTS WORKED IN RESTAURANTS.

MY MOTHER WAS A WAITRESS AT DENNY'S AND SHE EVENTUALLY MOVED ON UP AND WHERE SHE RETIRED AS A CASHIER FROM HOME DEPOT.

I WAS THE FIRST IN MY FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE.

I DID THAT WITH THE HELP OF SCHOLARSHIPS, AID, PRIVATE LOANS AND MY NOW MY SISTER AND I, THANKS TO THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND TO MY PARENTS SACRIFICE.

WE'RE BOTH AT FORTUNE 50 COMPANIES.

I'M PROUD TO BE HERE ON BEHALF OF PEPSICO.

AND WE REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF A HIGHER EDUCATION, NOT JUST FOR INDIVIDUALS BUT FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THINKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE, AS COMMISSIONER CALVERT MENTIONED, I'D LIKE TO CALL OURSELVES A TEXAS COMPANY.

FRITO-LAY WAS FOUNDED RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND OUR HEADQUARTERS IS IN PLANO, TEXAS.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT 16,000 EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND WE HAVE, I WANT TO SAY AROUND 800 RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

WE HAVE A FRITO-LAY MANUFACTURING SITE, A PEPSICO HEADQUARTERS, AND ALSO A FOOD FOR GOOD PROGRAM IN WHICH WE DELIVER MEALS TO STUDENTS FROM UNDERSERVED ZIP CODES WHEN THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL.

SO WHEN WE WERE THINKING ABOUT, HEY, WE REALLY WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE LIVE AND WORK IN 2020, OUR FOUNDATION THOUGHT THAT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT WAS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES, WHICH SOMETIMES GET OVERLOOKED.

AND WE CAME UP ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS, WITH WHAT WE ARE CALLING THE UPLIFT SCHOLARSHIPS, WHICH OFFER STUDENTS IN AND CREATIVE PATHWAYS TO HIGH GROWTH AND HIGH DEMAND SECTORS.

AND THESE ARE FOR THINGS FROM CERTIFICATES THAT COULD TAKE THREE MONTHS OR UP TO FOUR YEAR DEGREES WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS.

WE REALLY LOOK, WE HAVE GOT 20 PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT WE LOOK AT EVERY UNIVERSITY, AT EVERY COLLEGE INDIVIDUALLY AND WORK WITH THEM TO CREATE THE BEST PROGRAM FOR THE CITY. AND I WANT TO SAY ALAMO COLLEGES AND ALAMO COLLEGES FOUNDATION, THEY HAVE BEEN OUR BEST PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.

THEY CREATE PROGRAMING ACROSS THE YEAR AND MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE GOT ABOUT WE HAVE 20 PARTNERS.

YOU CAN SEE THEM ALL ON THE LIST HERE.

OUR AIM IS ABOUT 4000 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

BUT WE'RE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

AND I KNOW WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SAN ANTONIO.

SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THANK YOU.

IN SAN ANTONIO, FOR ALAMO COLLEGES, WE'VE DISPERSED, THEY'VE DISPERSED ABOUT $400,000 TO DATE FOR 160 STUDENTS. THESE ARE FOR STUDENTS PURSUING TWO YEAR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREES.

WE'RE FOCUSED ON HIGH DEMAND, THINGS LIKE IT, MANUFACTURING, TRANSPORTATION AND BUSINESSES.

IT ALSO PROVIDES FOR WRAPAROUND SERVICES.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT THE COLLEGES NEGOTIATED WITH US THAT SOME OF THE FUNDS GO TO EMERGENCY GRANTS OR EMERGENCY DOLLARS.

[00:55:02]

THIS CAN BE TRANSPORTATION, IT COULD BE CHILD CARE.

IN ONE INSTANCE I HAD A STUDENT TELL ME THAT HE WAS GOING TO SCHOOL AT NIGHT AND HIS HE MADE HIS HE MADE MONEY.

HE WAS A HANDYMAN, AND THAT SOMEONE BROKE INTO HIS TRUCK, STOLE HIS TOOLS, AND HE WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT HOW HE WAS GOING TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND USED THE EMERGENCY FUNDS THROUGH THE SCHOLARSHIP TO BUY ANOTHER SET OF TOOLS.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

IT'S A VERY HOLISTIC APPROACH.

AND THE SUPPORT ALSO FOR THE STUDENTS ALSO INCLUDES FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, WEBINARS, SOFT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, ENGAGEMENT WITH PEPSICO LEADERSHIP AND ASSOCIATES.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO SET UP MENTORS AT OUR COMPANY THAT CAN HELP THESE STUDENTS AS THEY DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AND I COULD TELL YOU THAT THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM.

BUT AGAIN, ALAMO COLLEGES AND THE FOUNDATION HAVE DONE A TERRIFIC JOB.

YOU GO ON THEIR WEBSITE, YOU CAN REALLY HEAR THE DIFFERENCE THAT THIS HAS MADE FOR STUDENTS RIGHT HERE.

FOR RUSSELL, HIS PART OF HIS TESTIMONY, HE SAID HE WAS HELPING HIS DAUGHTER APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND HE SAW THIS ONE AND APPLIED FOR IT AS WELL.

HE IS NOW ONE OF OUR RECIPIENTS.

AND THEN WE HAVE DANA WHO DECIDED TO STUDY IT BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE SAW THAT THERE WERE SO FEW WOMEN IN IT THAT SHE WANTED TO PURSUE THAT CAREER HERSELF.

THAT'S THE WORD.

AS COMMISSIONER CALVERT MENTIONED, WE'RE REALLY BELIEVE IN THIS AS A PARTNERSHIP.

AND WHILE WE ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE ARE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR WORKFORCE.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO GROW IN THIS STATE AND OUR PARTNERS IN CREATING THE WORKERS THAT WILL GET GREAT JOBS.

AND WE HOPE THAT THEY WILL COME WORK FOR US OR ANYWHERE ELSE AT SOME POINT.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

NOW, PART OF THAT ENRICHMENT THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO, IT'S NOT JUST A CHECK FOR THE STUDENTS, BUT AGAIN, IT'S REALLY ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT WITH INTERVIEW SKILLS, TIME MANAGEMENT, AND WE LOOK FOR MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES.

WE'VE ALSO DONE IN SOME MARKETS, TOURS WHERE WE BRING IN THE SCHOLARS TO OUR FACILITIES SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT A MECHANIC AT PEPSICO DOES, WHAT IT AT PEPSICO DOES, PROCUREMENT.

IT'S ONCE YOU CAN ENVISION WHAT YOU CAN BE DOING WITH THAT DEGREE AND LOOKING AT HOW MUCH YOU CAN MAKE STARTING OFF THAT REALLY INSPIRES STUDENTS TO FINISH.

AND THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO THE WE HAVE AN UPCOMING WE DON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM AS MUCH AT ALAMO COLLEGES BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A GREAT PARTNER.

BUT IN SOME OF THE MARKETS WE NOTICED SURPRISINGLY NOT AS MANY STUDENTS AS YOU WOULD THINK APPLY.

SO WE ARE FOCUSED ON GETTING THE WORD OUT, ENCOURAGING MORE STUDENTS TO APPLY.

WE HAVE AN EVENT, OUR NEXT EVENT, WHICH I HOPE YOU ALL CAN SHARE WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

WE'LL SHARE A FLIER IS ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH.

THE EVENT ITSELF STARTS AT ONE, 3:30, IS THE PUBLIC SPEAKING PROGRAM.

BUT WE'RE PROMOTING IT.

WE'RE GOING TO BE AWARDING NOT TO EVERYONE, BECKY G.

CONCERT TICKETS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO CONCERT.

WE'RE USING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP, BUT ALSO SHOW UP AND HELP THEM WITH HEADSHOTS, RESUME BUILDING, PROFESSIONAL MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS AND OTHER MENTORSHIPS.

THIS IS AGAIN, ONE OF 20 MARKETS, MY PERSONAL FAVORITE ONE.

AND WE JUST REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE TO GIVE BACK TO SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS SO THAT IN THE FUTURE, ONE OF THOSE SCHOLARS WILL BE UP HERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR INVESTMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR THE COLLABORATION AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT PEPSICO AND YOU PERSONALLY HAVE MADE TO MAKE THIS WORK.

I WANT TO INVITE BART UP.

BART IS A CELEBRITY IN THE HOUSE, NOT JUST BECAUSE HE HAS A FAMOUS NAME, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IN SAN ANTONIO, BECAUSE HE IS A RECENTLY FORMER KING ANTONIO.

AND WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF I WAS ON THE RAFALE COURT FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND.

AND YOU, OF COURSE.

WERE ALONGSIDE ME AND ACTUALLY HAD I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW I BROUGHT MY RIFLE CUP THIS MORNING.

BUT YOU WANT TO SAY ANY WORDS ABOUT THIS COLLABORATION? JUST LIKE TO THANK PEPSICO.

AND UNIVERSALLY, WHAT I LOVE ABOUT BEING AN ALAMO IS THAT YOU CAN ASK ALMOST ANY ONE OF US AND WE'LL TELL YOU.

OUR GOAL IS TO END POVERTY IN SAN ANTONIO.

AND THIS HELPS TAKE US THAT DIRECTION.

SO WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE TO PEPSICO AND THEIR EFFORTS TO DO JUST THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND ALL OF THE BOARD OF THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO MAKE THESE PARTNERSHIPS CONNECT.

[01:00:05]

I'LL PLANT WITH YOU, BART, FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES FUTURE ON THE FOUNDATION WORK AND THE COLLEGE DISTRICT WORK, I SEE A HUGE NEED IN TERMS OF THE BUILDING OF DORMS AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT LEVEL IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE SO MANY FOSTER CHILDREN AND JUST THE ECONOMIC INSTABILITY OF BEING A OF A STUDENT AGE, WHICH MAKES A VERY FRAGILE TRANSITION AND THAT HOUSING YOU KNOW, I'M I'M LITERALLY WORKING WITH CONSTITUENTS IN THE COLLEGE DISTRICT WHO ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I WORKED ON THAT WHEN I WAS AT TUFTS UNIVERSITY IN BOSTON AND GOT A NEW DORM BUILT.

BUT I CAN SEE A PARTNERSHIP NOT ONLY WITH THE COLLEGE DISTRICT BOND, BUT ALSO WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND OTHER THINGS THAT THE COUNTY COULD BE A COLLABORATOR WITH PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS, PEOPLE LIKE PEPSICO TO STABILIZE THE LOT OF YOUR STUDENTS IN TERMS OF THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE AND TO STUDY.

BUT I JUST WANT TO PLANT THAT SEED.

I THINK THAT'S A DOT THAT WE NEED TO CONNECT FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE OR AND NOT JUST YOUNG PEOPLE, EVERYBODY USES THE COLLEGE DISTRICT.

I MEAN, WE HAVE STUDENTS OF EVERY AGE THAT ARE GOING BACK TO GET TRAINING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR ENLIGHTENING US, PARTNERING WITH US, BEING THERE FOR OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE.

AND I LOVE THE GOAL OF HELPING TO END POVERTY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN SAN ANTONIO.

THE JOBS THAT YOU PROVIDE, HUNDREDS OF JOBS WILL WILL WORK VERY HARD TO GET EVEN MORE HERE.

SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

HI. CAN YOU TELL US HOW MANY OF THESE SCHOLARSHIPS GO TO BEXAR COUNTY AND WHAT ARE THE AMOUNTS OF SCHOLARSHIPS? SO DO YOU HAVE THAT AMOUNT? WE HAVE. I'M GOING TO BRING AMY [INAUDIBLE] UP, OUR CONTENT EXPERT WHO MANAGES SCHOLARSHIPS DISTRICT WISE.

SMART TO BRING HER WITH YOU.

SO THE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE 2000 PER STUDENT PER ACADEMIC YEAR, SO 1000 PER SEMESTER.

AND THEY'RE ALL FOR BEXAR COUNTY STUDENTS.

SO WHAT'S THE AMOUNT THAT GOES TO BEXAR COUNTY? IT'S 160,000 PER ACADEMIC YEAR.

160. OKAY. BECAUSE HERE IT SAID 400,000, BUT I ASSUME THAT'S NATIONAL.

THAT'S FOR TWO YEARS THIS HAS BEEN A TWO YEAR PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP.

AND THEN, AS REBECCA MENTIONED, PART OF THE FUNDS ON TOP OF THAT HAVE GONE TO EMERGENCY AID FOR THOSE STUDENTS.

SO THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE 2000 THAT THEY GET TOWARDS.

OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU.

YOU BET. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU. JUDGE. JUST BRIEFLY, I WANT TO THANK REBECCA, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME.

SHE WAS A STAFFER IN THE LEGISLATURE AND NOW HAS WORKED HER WAY UP.

AND SO NOT JUST AT THIS LEVEL, AT THE MACRO LEVEL WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BUT I KNOW IN MY PRECINCT, WE'VE PARTNERED IN THE PAST ON HELPING THE GOOD SAMARITAN CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH SOME COMPUTER LABS.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT.

I MEAN, THESE THINGS OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT IS HERE TO TRY AND OFFER SOLUTIONS AND HELP PEOPLE WITH A LEG UP.

BUT OFTENTIMES IT'S BETTER WE'RE BETTER OFF AND WE ARE ABLE TO LEVERAGE DOLLARS WITH COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE PARTNERS.

AND SO PEPSICO HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER.

IT'S BEEN A THRILL TO SEE YOUR WORK THERE.

AND WE APPRECIATE THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH ALAMO COLLEGES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S PLANTING THAT SEED.

AND I THINK A LOT OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE BOARD, NOT JUST YOUNG PEOPLE, ARE GOING TO GO ON AND MAKE QUITE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT SEED THAT YOU'RE PLANNING FOR FOLKS TO BETTER THEMSELVES AND ALSO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR COUNTY.

SO THANK YOU, REBECCA. APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. ANYTHING ELSE? I GOT A QUESTION.

FIRST OF ALL, LET ME THANK PEPSICO AND LET ME THANK THE ALAMO COLLEGE DISTRICT AND ALL THOSE THAT HAVE HELPED MAKE THIS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM COME TO BE AND TO HELP THOSE THAT ARE MOST IN NEED.

OBVIOUSLY, IT IS A FOCUS AND A ASK WHAT I WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE EMPOWERING ALL THE STUDENTS THAT WE CAN DO.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE FOCUSING PERHAPS ON THE STUDENTS THAT ARE MOST IN NEED.

SO MY ONLY QUESTION GO BACK TO THAT LAST SLIDE.

THAT LAST SLIDE. WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE CONCERT? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.

I HAVE A QUESTION. DO WE HAVE.

DO WE HAVE THAT LAST SLIDE OR NOT? IF NOT, THERE YOU GO.

THERE IT IS. I GREW UP IN THE VALLEY, AND SO I SEE CHEETOS.

DEJA TU HUELLA.

YEAH. YES.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT LAST WORD.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT'S, TU HUELLA MEANS LEAVE YOUR MARK.

SO IT MEANS LIKE YOUR PRINTS, YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR PRINTS.

AND SO IT IS A MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT WE'RE USING DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEAVE THEIR MARK IN THEIR COMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS. BUT IT TRANSLATES LEAVE YOUR MARK, ITS FINGERPRINTS.

[01:05:04]

AND AS YOU CAN HEAR, I USE THE SPANISH PRONUNCIATION.

CHEETOS. CHEETOS.

SO IS THERE ANY ACTION WE NEED TO TAKE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET BACK.

[52. Discussion and appropriate action authorizing negotiation of agreements with American Gateways and Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) providing for the purchase of Immigration Legal Services for Bexar County through Request for Proposal (RFP) Event#1008. Contingent upon successful negotiations, the agreements will be brought to Commissioners Court at a later date for consideration and award.]

APPROPRIATE ACTION AUTHORIZING NEGOTIATION AGREEMENT WITH AMERICAN GATEWAYS AND REFUGEE IMMIGRANT CENTER FOR EDUCATION LEGAL SERVICES, OR RAICES, PROVIDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES FOR BEXAR COUNTY THROUGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP EVENT 1008.

CONTINGENT UPON SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS, THE AGREEMENTS WILL BE BROUGHT TO COMMISSIONERS COURT AT A LATER DATE FOR CONSIDERATION AND AWARD.

YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE.

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JOSE CHAVARRIA SPEAKING.

OH, GOOD MORNING, JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS JOSE CHAVARRIA.

I'M A BUYER CONTRACT SPECIALIST WITH THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.

AND TODAY WE BRING YOU OUR RFP EVENT 1008 AUTHORIZED TO NEGOTIATE.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO ON JULY 12TH OF 2022 COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVED AGENDA NUMBER EIGHT.

I'M SORRY, CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC? OH, THANK YOU. ON JULY 12TH, COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVED AGENDA NUMBER 86, THE 1 MILLION IMMIGRATION LEGAL DEFENSE FUND RESOLUTION MOVING FORWARD TO MARCH 7TH OF 2023 COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVED AGENDA NUMBER 49 AUTHORIZING THE ADVERTISEMENT OF RFP SORRY, IMMIGRATION LEGAL DEFENSE FUNDS RESOLUTION.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE SCOPE OF WORK CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING.

PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO INDIGENT IMMIGRANTS IN DETENTION, FACING REMOVAL OR IN DANGER OF LOSING THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS, WHO RESIDE IN BEXAR COUNTY OR TEND TO RESIDE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

ON APRIL 7TH OF 2023, THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT RELEASED RFP 1008.

IT WAS RELEASED TO 1118 SUPPLIERS THROUGH THE BEXAR COUNTY SUPPLIER PORTAL ON MAY 26TH OF 2023 RFP 1008 RESPONSES WERE DUE. WE RECEIVED FOUR LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS RESPONDENTS.

THE RESPONDENTS INCLUDED AMERICAN GATEWAY, JUSTICE FOR ALL IMMIGRANTS, NEIGHBORHOOD DEFENSE SERVICE INC AND REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND LEGAL SERVICES.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE CONSISTED OF ONE PERSON, ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FOLLOWING MANAGER ASSIGNED COUNSEL DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

BUDGET OFFICE AND GRANTS OFFICE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THROUGH THE MONTHS OF JUNE AND AUGUST OF 2023, THE EVALUATION PHASE OCCURRED.

EACH REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE INDIVIDUALLY REVIEWED AND SCORED FOR APPLICANTS ON JUNE 20TH OF 2023 CLARIFICATIONS WERE OBTAINED . JULY 19TH OF 2023, IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH ALL FOUR LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS.

ON JULY 20TH OF 2023, THE BEST AND FINAL OFFERS WERE OBTAINED BY ALL FOUR FIRMS. ON AUGUST 2ND OF 2023, EVALUATIONS COMPLETED.

THE HIGHEST RANKS WERE AMERICAN GATEWAY AND REFUGEE AND IMMIGRATION CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND LEGAL SERVICES.

THANK YOU. THE FINAL COMPOSITE EVALUATION FORM HAS SHOWN THAT AMERICAN GATEWAY AND REFUGEE AND IMMIGRATION CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND LEGAL SERVICES SCORED AT THE TOP. THE CRITERIA D BUDGET WAS SCORED BY THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE BUDGET'S OFFICE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

ON AUGUST 15TH OF 2023, THE LETTER OF INTEREST SUBMITTED TO VERO SAFE NETWORK MEMBERSHIP AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE THE OBJECTIVES OF PROGRAM ARE MET EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

IDENTIFYING THE DEFINING RIGHT DATA METRICS TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST AND IMPACT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM.

AND THAT BRINGS US UP TO TODAY FOR SEPTEMBER 5TH OF 2023, THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT REQUESTS AUTHORIZATION TO COMMENCE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.

UPON APPROVAL, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THIS PROCESS WILL TAKE BETWEEN 2 TO 3 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO OUR RECOMMENDED MOTION TO AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE AGREEMENT OF AMERICAN WITH AMERICAN GATEWAY AND REFUGEE, AMERICAN CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND LEGAL SERVICES, PROVIDING THE PURCHASE OF IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES OF BEXAR COUNTY THROUGH THE REQUEST EVENTS.

TEN ZERO EIGHT CONTINGENT UPON SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS.

THE CONTRACT EXTENSION DOCUMENTS WILL BE BROUGHT TO COMMISSIONERS COURT ON A LATER DATE FOR CONSIDERATION AND ACTION.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. COMMISSIONER MOODY OR GO.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I APPRECIATE THAT. JIM, CAN YOU COME UP?

[01:10:02]

BUT I WANTED TO JUST CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING WITHIN THE BEXAR COUNTY INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT YOUR OFFICE MANAGER ASSIGNED COUNSEL, WE'VE GOT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

BOTH DEPARTMENTS HAVE TALKED ABOUT, I GUESS, ASSISTANCE OR STANDING UP A INTERNAL IMMIGRATION RESOURCE.

RIGHT. WHETHER IT'S A PERSON OR A DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DISTINCT FROM THAT.

AND I WONDERED IF YOU COULD TALK THROUGH THAT BECAUSE AND I'LL KIND OF SET IT UP.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IN MY ESTIMATION, THIS PROGRAM IS FOR FOLKS WHO REALLY FOR FOR NO OTHER REASON MAY HAVE MISSTEPPED IN TERMS OF HAVING AN INVALID VISA.

AND THEY'RE HERE IN OUR COUNTRY OR THEIR VISA EXPIRED OR PERHAPS THEY CAME FLIGHTING FROM SOME SOMETHING BAD IN THEIR COUNTRY RIGHT.

I MEAN, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOME KIND OF REFUGE.

THAT'S WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS KIND OF STOOD UP FOR, WHICH IS, I THINK, SEPARATE AND APART FROM THOSE WHO ARE INTERFACING WITH OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BECAUSE OF AN ALLEGATION OF A CRIME.

IS THAT PRETTY ACCURATE? OKAY. YES, GREAT. SOME COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, MEMBERS OF THE COURT, JIM BETHKE, DIRECTOR OF THE MANAGER SIGN COUNSEL PROGRAM.

GREAT QUESTION, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN CONFUSION ON THIS.

THIS PROGRAM IS 100% OUTSIDE REALLY THE SCOPE OF MY OFFICE AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, BECAUSE THESE SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED IN IMMIGRATION COURT, WHICH IS ON THE FEDERAL SIDE.

NEITHER ONE OF OUR OFFICES ARE PERMITTED TO PROVIDE THAT TYPE OF SERVICE.

PLUS IT'S A CIVIL SERVICE.

THERE IS A LARGE CAMPAIGN A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO SHOWING THE VALUE THAT THIS WOULD BRING TO OUR OUR THE PEOPLE OF BEXAR COUNTY.

I WAS ASKED TO ASSIST IN THIS BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D WORKED ON WHEN I WAS IN HARRIS COUNTY.

SO MY ROLE IS KIND OF LIKE A PROJECT FACILITATOR.

THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT REALLY LED ALL THE INITIATIVES TO PULL THAT TOGETHER.

I REALLY JUST KIND OF WORKED WITH THE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND ALSO WORKED ON THE SAFE CITIES APPLICATION.

THERE'S ABOUT I ASKED SARAH MAY, THE PUBLIC IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY OVER AT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, TO JUST RUN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

THERE'S ABOUT IN JULY I THINK THERE WERE JUST OVER 200 PERSONS THAT WERE ARRESTED AND THAT WERE NON CITIZENS.

THIS LAST MONTH THERE WERE 190 PERSONS WHO WERE ARRESTED THAT WERE NON CITIZENS.

THIS THIS PROPOSAL DOESN'T ADDRESS THAT.

THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THE PERSONS WHO ARE FACING DEPORTATION AND WILL BE IN IMMIGRATION COURT.

OUR OFFICE HAS ONE PADILLA IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY.

THAT PERSON'S PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO DO, PADILLA ADVISES, AS IS REQUIRED BY PADILLA VERSUS KENTUCKY HANDED DOWN IN 2010.

SO THOSE 190 200 PEOPLE ARE REQUIRED TO GET AN ADVISORY ON THE IMMIGRATION CONSEQUENCES.

WE'VE HAD A LITTLE STRUGGLE.

I DIDN'T LOOK THIS MORNING, BUT WE'VE BEEN POSITION OPENED UP.

WE LOST THE PERSON TO HIRE PAY AND TRAVIS COUNTY FOR THEIR PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

SO WE HAVE ONE PERSON.

OCEAN DEDICATED PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE CURRENTLY HAS ONE, BUT THEY DID GET A GRANT FROM TDC TO EXPAND THAT.

SO I THINK THEY HAVE THREE THREE PERSONS TO ADDRESS THAT ROLE.

WHAT OUR ROLE IS AS FAR AS TO MANAGE ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM, ALL WITH THE CASES GOING THROUGH OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

WE WE'RE OVERSEEING THE ASSIGNMENTS AND WE'RE NOW OVERSEEING THE PROCESSING OF VOUCHERS.

WE'RE NOT IN THE JUVENILE JUVENILE ARENA YET.

THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE HANDLE PROVIDES DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES, AND SO THEY ACTUALLY REPRESENT THAT PERSON FROM START TO FINISH. THEY'RE THERE AT THE FIRST APPEARANCE DOCKET.

WHAT WE OVERSEE ARE THE 300 PLUS ATTORNEYS WHO ARE ON THE PANEL.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.

I MEAN, IT HELPS CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION DOWN THE ROAD AS PART OF THE BUDGET, BUT ALSO MID-YEAR ABOUT THOSE DISTINCTIONS, SEPARATE AND APART FROM IMMIGRATION ON MAC AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

I DON'T WANT TO VEER TOO OFF TRACK HERE WITH RESPECT TO THIS RFP AND THE TWO PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.

[01:15:08]

RIGHT. AND IN SOME CASES, YOU KNOW, REUNITING FAMILIES AS WELL, MAKING SURE FAMILIES STAY TOGETHER.

SO THERE IS, I THINK, AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE, EVEN THOUGH I SEE IT REALLY AS THE COMPASSIONATE THING TO DO.

I THINK THERE'S ALSO AN ECONOMIC ARGUMENT TO BE MADE AS WELL, THAT THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE PAYING TAXES, THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO THIS IS ABOUT HELPING THEM NAVIGATE THAT SYSTEM IN A COUNTRY THAT IS IN SOME WAYS FOREIGN TO THEM.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE LEGAL SYSTEM IS TOUGH ENOUGH AS AS SOMEONE WHO'S FROM HERE AND A LAWYER, BUT TO HAVE NO BACKGROUND IN EITHER LANGUAGE OR THE BASICS OF THE LAWS HERE, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

IT'S ABOUT CONNECTING THESE FOLKS WITH RESOURCES SO THAT THEY CAN GET THEIR LIVES TOGETHER AND ON TRACK AND BECOME LEGAL IN SOME CASES, IN MOST CASES IF THEY QUALIFY.

ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE 100% CORRECT.

OKAY. AND I KNOW MY MY COLLEAGUES MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AS WELL, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS JUDGE.

SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

COMMISSIONER MOODY.

WELL, I HAVE A FEW THINGS CONCERNS I WANT TO BRING UP HERE, AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL KIND OF FOLLOW.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS CONTRACT IS FOR ONE YEAR FOR $1 MILLION.

IS THAT CORRECT? ONE YEAR? YES, SIR, FOR 1 MILLION.

OKAY. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE HAS 1.9 MILLION.

IS THAT CORRECT? OF COURSE, THERE'S A COST SHARE WITH THE STATE THAT CHANGES OVER TIME, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S 1.9 IS THAT? I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OVERALL BUDGET IS, BUT.

OKAY. YEAH.

WELL, AND AND I WANT A BROADER SENSE, RIGHT, BECAUSE I'LL GET BACK TO KIND OF THIS CONCERN FOR DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS, BUT TAKING A STEP HIGHER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MAC VERSUS THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, CAN YOU GIVE ME A BACKGROUND? WHEN WHEN DID MAC TAKE OFF? WHEN DID IT FORM? MAC BEGAN IN JANUARY OF 2022.

IT WAS A GRANT.

THE COURT ACCEPTED THAT GRANT BACK IN 2021.

IT WAS REALLY PREDICATED UPON A STUDY THAT THIS COURT COMMISSIONED IN 2020.

TEXAS A&M PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE CAME THROUGH AND IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF SHORTCOMINGS AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.

AND ONE OF THE BIG AREAS WAS THE LACK OF OVERSIGHT ON THE COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS.

THERE WAS A MULTITUDE OF OTHER ISSUES AS WELL IN THAT REPORT.

BUT WE OUR OFFICE BEGAN OPERATIONS IN 2022.

AND AGAIN, IT WAS A BRAND NEW OFFICE.

OKAY. AND DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING IN COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS PRIOR TO MAC BEING FORMED? YES, THERE'S THERE'S DATA GOING BACK TO 2002 THAT I COULD GET YOU EACH YEAR, AS WELL AS LIKE THE NUMBER OF CASES. OKAY.

AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, CAN YOU GIVE ME THE HISTORY THERE ABOUT WHEN IT FORMED THE.

PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE WAS ORIGINALLY FORMED HERE IN 2005, AGAIN WITH A GRANT FROM THE STATE.

AT THAT POINT, IT WAS LIMITED SCOPE ON ON APPEALS FOR A YEAR OR TWO.

IT EXPANDED TO THE FOURTH ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, HANDLING ALL OF THE APPEALS.

HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF SOME CHALLENGES WITH SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES, IT BACKED OFF IN 2014 OR 2015 IS WHEN THEY EXPANDED THEIR OPERATIONS IN MENTAL HEALTH, ALSO TAKING FELONY CASES AND MISDEMEANOR CASES.

AGAIN, THEIR HAND, THEIR THE ABILITY OF THAT OFFICE TO HANDLE, THEY'RE ABLE TO HANDLE BETWEEN ABOUT TEN AND 14% OF THE CASES GOING THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

SO ALL OF THE OTHER CASES ARE ASSIGNED COUNSEL OR MANAGE ASSIGNED COUNSEL, WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL IT.

OKAY. SO I DON'T KNOW AND I HAVEN'T SEEN I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LOOK AT THE OVERALL COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS, TOTAL COST, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK OVER THE LAST 15 TO 20 YEARS AND SEE WHAT THAT'S LOOKED LIKE.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS TODAY IN OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, THE ANNUALIZED COST WOULD BE FOR MAC WOULD BE 5 MILLION.

[01:20:02]

AND I BELIEVE AND I KNOW THAT THE FEES FOR BOTH THE MISDEMEANOR CASES AND FELONY CASES WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THAN 5 MILLION.

SO THAT ONE I'M GOING TO NEED.

MAYBE COUNTY STAFF CAN HELP.

YES. EXCUSE ME.

SO THE BUDGET FOR THE MAC, JUST THE MAC ITSELF AND THE STAFF IS ABOUT 1.7 MILLION IS WHAT WE HAVE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

BUT THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY COSTS.

SO AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.

AND IS THE 1.7 FOR SIX MONTHS OR FOR 12 MONTHS? ITS FULL YEAR FULL YEAR COST..

FOR THE FULL YEAR. AND WHAT ARE THE COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS COSTS FOR THE MAC? SO THE TOTAL COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY COSTS THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 25.5 MILLION.

THAT INCLUDES THE 1.7 FOR THE MAC AND THAT INCLUDES ABOUT 4.5 FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.

AND THEN THE REST OF IT JUST GOES TO COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS.

OKAY. AND DOES THE 25 MILLION INCLUDE THIS ADDITIONAL 1,000,000 AND 1.9 MILLION FOR THE PDO? NO, IT DOES NOT.

OKAY. SO ULTIMATELY, YOU'RE TALKING OVER $28 MILLION IN COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS COSTS, CORRECT? CORRECT. SO THERE'S MULTIPLE LAYERS HERE.

FIRST OF ALL, WHEN IT COMES TO THE MAC VERSUS PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, THIS IS NOT MY WHEELHOUSE.

I'M CONTINUING TO LEARN, BUT THERE SEEMS LIKE THERE COULD BE REDUNDANCIES AND DUPLICATIVE EFFORTS.

AND I WANT TO DIVE INTO THAT AND BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT.

I THINK YOU KNOW GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL WILL PROVIDE FUNDING FOR SIX MONTHS, IT'LL GIVE US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO HAVE MORE THOROUGH DISCUSSION AND ANOTHER SIX MONTHS THERE.

BUT THAT'S MY FIRST CONCERN.

SECOND CONCERN AND THIS GETS INTO THE THE ACTUAL SERVICES WE'RE PROVIDING.

I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE INDIGENT CARE.

HOWEVER, IN THIS SITUATION, THE ASKING TAXPAYERS TO PAY THE LEGAL FEES OF IMMIGRANTS OR NON CITIZENS FACING DEPORTATION BECAUSE THEY'VE COMMITTED SOME KIND OF CRIME OR INFRACTION IS JUST..

THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE ON THE THE IMMIGRATION IMMIGRATION LEGAL DEFENSE FUND, WHICH IS HERE TODAY, IS TOTALLY SEPARATE AND APART FROM WHAT OUR TWO RESPECTIVE OFFICES DO.

THIS IS ALL CIVIL, CORRECT? IT'S ALL CIVIL. AND IT'S ON THE FEDERAL SIDE.

WE'RE ON THE STATE AND ONLY CRIMINAL.

SOME OF THE PEOPLE GETTING THE SERVICES THROUGH THAT IMMIGRATION LEGAL DEFENSE FUND MAY HAVE A CRIMINAL CASE OR THEY MAY NOT HAVE A CRIMINAL CASE.

SO THESE TWO AREAS ARE 100%.

WHAT KIND, BE MORE SPECIFIC.

WHAT KIND OF CASES ARE THEY DEALING WITH IN THE CIVIL SIDE? THESE ARE DEPORTATION CASES.

SO A FAMILY, IT'S DISCOVERED, YOU KNOW, THE DAD'S A NON-CITIZEN, MAYBE THE MOM IS A CITIZEN.

THEY HAVE 3 OR 4 CHILDREN.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE FATHER IS FACING DEPORTATION, MAYBE A CRIMINAL CASE, MAYBE NOT A CRIMINAL CASE.

SO THAT'D BE A TYPE OF SITUATION WHERE AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY, OTHERWISE THAT PERSON WOULDN'T HAVE SOMEBODY TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THROUGH IMMIGRATION COURT.

BUT LET'S BE CLEAR.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CIVIL CASE ON THE IMMIGRATION SIDE.

YES. THE FACT THAT THEY'RE FACING THAT CIVIL CASE ON THE IMMIGRATION SIDE IS BECAUSE THEY INTERFACE WITH OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM LIKELY, RIGHT. IT NOT SURE IF IT'S LIKELY OR NOT, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE.

WELL, I KNOW WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION LAST TIME.

AND I JUST WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN.

YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF ARE THERE ANY LIMITATIONS ON WHEN WE WOULD PROVIDE SERVICES DEPENDING ON WHETHER THERE WAS A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND OR A CRIME COMMITTED, A SERIOUS CRIME COMMITTED.

AND NOW ON THE IMMIGRATION SIDE, WE'RE PROVIDING SUPPORT AND FUNDING FOR.

THERE'S POSSIBILITY THAT A PERSON COULD BE EVEN CHARGED WITH A SERIOUS.

THAT IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE WORKED OUT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.

WE'VE AGREED TO KIND OF UNIVERSAL REPRESENTATION ON IT, BUT THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT GETS WORKED OUT IN THE DETAILS WITH THE TWO LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT WE HAVE.

THE COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED.

WELL, I KNOW THIS IS AN UNCOMFORTABLE REALITY, BUT WE DID ASK THIS QUESTION SIX MONTHS AGO OR WHENEVER THIS LAST CAME TO COURT AND THERE WAS NO CLEAR ANSWER.

[01:25:02]

AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THERE WAS DISCUSSION.

SO IT WASN'T LIKE ANYTHING WASN'T THERE WAS SOME PROPOSALS SUBMITTED SAYING, OH, WE'LL NOT HANDLE THIS, AND IT GOT TABLED.

SO THIS WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE PROVIDER.

UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, I CAN'T BE UNEQUIVOCALLY CLEAR ON WHAT WILL OR WILL NOT BE HANDLED.

WELL I HOPE WE WILL AT LEAST CONSIDER THOSE SENSITIVITIES IN SIGNING THAT CONTRACT AND PUTTING BOUNDARIES AND CONSTRAINTS ON WHAT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO WHO.

I'LL JUST CLOSE OUT MY MY COMMENTS WITH AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE HIGH LEVEL DUPLICATION OR POTENTIAL DUPLICATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND MAC, BUT THE 1.9 MILLION THAT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE ASKING FOR IMMIGRATION SERVICES AND NOW THIS IS ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS FOR FOR MAC AGAIN LOOKS LIKE POTENTIAL DUPLICATION.

THIS IS NOT $1 MILLION FOR MAC.

I VOLUNTEERED TO HELP OUT ON THIS RFP.

OUR PROGRAM.

THE ONLY THING I'M GETTING OUT OF THIS IS KIND OF ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES.

THIS MONEY, THIS 1 MILLION, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR MANAGER ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM.

NOTHING. OKAY, WELL, I'M NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS.

AND I THINK I'VE MADE MY COMMENTS AND CONCERNS KNOWN.

AND AGAIN, I HOPE THE COURT WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL DUPLICATION AND ALSO SOME OF THE CONSTRAINTS IF THEY GO FORWARD IN APPROVING IT.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.

WELL, JUST A COMMENT.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO USE THESE SERVICES, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY HAVE INTERACTED NECESSARILY WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

IT MEANS THEY HAVE SOME KIND OF INTERACTION WITH IMMIGRATION.

AND SO THAT'S WHY.

YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

AND SO WHAT IS THIS? WHO'S ACTUALLY GOING TO MANAGE THIS IF IT'S NOT UNDER YOU? IT IS UNDER YOU? RIGHT NOW UNDER THE RFP, IT'LL BE OUR OFFICE.

SO YOU'RE JUST SAYING IT'S SEPARATE FROM THE MAC IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT THING, BUT YOU ARE HELPING TO MANAGE IT.

I WILL BE HELPING ADMINISTER THIS HELP SET UP THE DATA METRICS.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR MANAGING IT.

THANK YOU.

JUDGE I JUST WANTED TO..

COMMISSIONER CALVERT. I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ ON HIS GOOD WORK LEADING THIS INITIATIVE.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING FOR, I THINK, FAMILIES TO STAY TOGETHER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND THIS IS A CIVIL MATTER THAT IS HELPING TO DO THAT.

AND IT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE CONVERSATION WE HAD WITH RESPECT TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.

AND THE MORE LIKELIHOOD THAT THERE ARE.

WELL, IT'S A IT IS BECAUSE OF A CRIMINAL ISSUE IN THAT IN THAT AREA.

SO THAT'S WHERE I DIFFERENTIATE IN THESE TWO INITIATIVES.

WE'VE CHOSEN TO OUTSOURCE THAT THIS PARTICULAR CIVIL PROCESS TO AGENCIES THAT HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH DEALING WITH THIS. AND SO I WILL BE SUPPORTIVE.

AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS.

THE VERA INSTITUTE AS V-E-R-A.

MY ACCENT MAY HAVE GOTTEN IN THE WAY, HAS INDICATED ARE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF LOCAL, LEGAL AND ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES.

SO BECAUSE OF THAT SUPPORT OF DATA, THAT IS THAT IS WHY I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, I'VE GOT SOME COMMENTS, MAYBE QUESTIONS.

LET ME UNPACK THIS OR HELP UNPACK THIS.

FIRST, LET ME ESTABLISH WHERE I'VE COME FROM AND HOW I CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THIS DISCUSSION.

SAT ON THE DISTRICT COURT COURT FOR 26 YEARS.

ALTHOUGH I'M NOT BOARD CERTIFIED IN IMMIGRATION, THIS ISSUE CAME ACROSS MY JURISDICTION IN THE CIVIL COURTS HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY IN REGARDS TO WHAT THEY CALL CI CASES, SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE CASES.

AND IT WAS MY DUTY TO DETERMINE WHETHER UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES. AND SO I HAD TO GET INVOLVED WITH LEARNING IMMIGRATION LAW.

I'M NOT BOARD CERTIFIED, WHICH MEANS I'M NOT AN EXPERT.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE PRESENTED AT IMMIGRATION LAW CONFERENCES.

SO I THINK I GOT A LITTLE BIT OF CRED IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE.

SO LET ME UNPACK THIS FOR MY COLLEAGUES.

[01:30:01]

SO MY QUESTION TO STAFF IS AND I'M GOING TO ASK MR. SMITH OR MR. SMITH IF THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT CAN ANSWER MY QUESTION, WHO IS GOING TO LEAD THE DISCUSSION? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR.

I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT MAK PUBLIC DEFENDER OR ANYBODY ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SIDE, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT COMMISSIONER MOONEY AND I SHARE SOME OF THE OPINIONS AND COMMENTS THAT COMMISSIONER MOODY THE MORE WE KIND OF MIX THE PROCESS, THE MORE CONFUSION THERE APPEARS TO BE.

AND IF THERE'S CONFUSION AMONG STAFF AND DEPARTMENTS, THEN IT CERTAINLY HAS GOT TO BE CONFUSING TO THE PUBLIC. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THIS INITIATIVE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO SET IT UP RIGHT.

AND I WAS NOT INVOLVED WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE TO START THE APPROPRIATION OF MONEY.

I AM HERE TO MOVE THIS INITIATIVE AND THIS AGENDA ITEM FORWARD, BUT WE'VE GOT TO DO IT RIGHT.

AND SO MR. SMITH HELPED ME UNDERSTAND WHO IS LEADING THE DISCUSSION FROM YOUR OFFICE IN REGARDS TO HOW WE SET THIS UP.

I THINK YOU AND I HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS AS TO HOW THINGS GOT SET UP AND OCCASIONALLY THERE PERHAPS WASN'T A LOT OF THOUGHT AS TO HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN SET UP.

AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE DO THIS AND IT HAS MAJORITY SUPPORT AND I RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES CANNOT AGREE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TAXPAYERS UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE GETTING A RETURN AND THAT AS COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ AND CLAY-FLORES HAS PUT OUT, THIS IS A ISSUE THAT OBVIOUSLY HAS A LOT OF SENSITIVITY.

BUT I SEE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF THIS ECONOMY HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

AND IF WE CAN TIE THEM INTO THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO EARLY, EARLIER THROUGH SCHOLARSHIP OR WORKFORCE, THEN I SEE THIS AS A WIN WIN.

SO, MISTER SMITH, HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THE COUNTY IS TRYING TO SET THIS UP, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE, A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND I DON'T SEE A LOT OF CLARITY RIGHT NOW.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANYONE WHO PARTICULARLY BRINGS EXPERTISE IN IMMIGRATION LEGAL PROCEEDINGS TO THE TABLE.

WE CAN CERTAINLY TRY AND GET THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS ANYONE WITH THAT KIND OF EXPERTISE SINCE WE ARE DEALING WITH LEGAL SERVICES HERE.

SO LET'S ASK LARRY, DO WE HAVE ANY EXPERTISE IN THE DA'S OFFICE? NOT IN MY OFFICE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY EXPERTISE IN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE? NO, SIR. WE HAVE AN EXPERTISE IN PURCHASING.

DON'T WE HAVE AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY, THOUGH? OKAY. LET ME MOVE THIS THING FORWARD.

I'M NOT HERE TO TRY TO KEEP THIS PROCESS FROM MOVING FORWARD.

WHAT I'M TRYING TO INDICATE TO THE COURT, MY COLLEAGUES, TO THE STAFF, TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN TASKED TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, WE NEED A LITTLE I THINK WE NEED MORE DISCIPLINE ON PROCESS.

SO IN ORDER TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, I'LL VOLUNTEER TO HELP.

I WILL DO MY VERY BEST TO PROVIDE DIRECTION IN REGARDS TO THIS INITIATIVE IN ORDER TO ADDRESS COMMISSIONER MOODY'S CONCERN ABOUT DUPLICATION, ABOUT THE EFFICIENT USE OF TAXPAYER MONEY AND ALSO THE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THIS AGENDA ITEM BRINGS TO OUR COUNTY.

SO, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, I ALSO RECOGNIZE YOU AS AN ATTORNEY.

SO DO YOU HAVE EXPERTISE? I DO NOT JUDGE. AND I THINK IF I COULD JUST ADD TO YOUR COMMENTS, I THINK THERE SAGE COMMENTS, I THINK AT THE TIME THAT WE GAVE SOME DIRECTION ON MOVING THIS FORWARD, YOU KNOW, JIM WAS RELATIVELY NEW.

IT KIND OF MADE SENSE.

AND PART OF IT BEEN MAY HAVE BEEN MY OFFICE'S DIRECTION TO GET HIM INVOLVED.

THE REALITY IS WE HAVE KIND OF SUBCONTRACTOR TO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.

RIGHT. I GET IT. IT'S STILL TAXPAYER MONEY.

WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY HOW WE ADMINISTER THAT FROM THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE, JIM, IT MAY NOT BE.

AND I'M OPEN TO YOUR SUGGESTION, JUDGE, ON HOW WE DO THAT.

I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS IS SOME GENERAL OVERSIGHT, SOME DATA GATHERING.

BUT THE THE YOU KNOW, THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND ARE THE FOLKS THAT WERE HIRING THE NONPROFITS TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK WHO

[01:35:08]

SO WE YOU'RE RIGHT, WE MAY NOT HAVE ONE INTERNALLY, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF KIND OF EXTERNALIZING THIS.

BUT AGREE, JUDGE, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY WITH SOME OVERSIGHT INTERNALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE DATA BACK, THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE WHEN WE REFLECT ON THIS A YEAR FROM NOW. SO I'M WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU, JUDGE, ON FIGURING OUT HOW THAT LOOKS.

BUT I THINK AT THE TIME, JIM WAS KIND OF THE GUY THAT DREW THE SHORT STRAW AND IT MADE SENSE.

I THINK HE EVEN ADMITTED TODAY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT THE BEST SETUP.

BUT AGAIN, WE'VE GOT FOLKS WHO ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS DOING THE WORK, WHICH I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

BUT I THINK THE DATA AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY ADMINISTRATION WE CAN FIGURE OUT.

SO, MR. BETHKE, OUT OF FAIRNESS TO YOU AND YOUR OFFICE, YOU DO YOU HAVE AN EXPERTISE IN IMMIGRATION? I DO NOT. OKAY.

I DO NOT. AND THAT'S QUITE OKAY, BECAUSE DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE COMMENTS I'M MAKING IN REGARDS TO HOW WE SET THIS UP? ABSOLUTELY. DO YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES OR AM I MISSING ANYTHING? I WELCOMED THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE WE ARE, WE'VE GOT A LOT ON OUR PLATE.

I WANT TO SEE THIS SUCCEED, TOO.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT INITIATIVE.

AND ONE ADDITIONAL PIECE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AND SUBMITTED BECAUSE IT WAS IN THE RFP IS THAT LETTER FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM VERA SAFE CITIES.

AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, ALTHOUGH I'M VERY GOOD ABOUT DELEGATING.

I WILL VOLUNTEER TO CREATE MY OWN TASK FORCE.

HOW ABOUT THAT? ALL RIGHT.

SO JUST A FINAL COMMENT.

YES, COMMISSIONER.

UM, JUST TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE SUPPORT AT THE COUNTY THAT WE DON'T HAVE EXPERTISE ON, AND THAT'S WHY WE HIRE OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS.

THAT'S WHY PATRICIA AND HER STAFF, ALONG WITH JOSE AND THE PURCHASING AND BIDDING PROCESS, BID OUT TO PEOPLE WHO CAN DO THE WORK FOR US.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

I'M GLAD SOMETHING WE'RE SUPPORTING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.

SO MR. SMITH, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU CONFER WITH ME AND WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE IT OUT AND TRY TO GET THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE TO THE TABLE, AND I'LL OFFER MY $0.02 FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH.

IT PROBABLY COULD BE ONLY WORTH A FEW CENTS.

ALL RIGHT. FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE HAVE A MOTION, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

ANY FURTHER COMMENT? OH, THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED.

SO NOTED.

MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

[53. Discussion and appropriate action awarding a delivery order to Motorola Solutions, Inc. to provide for the purchase of 320 AP Next XN portable radios and accessories, for the P25 Public Safety Radio System, in the combined amount of $3,110,679, through DIR-TSO-4101, in accordance with Texas Local Government Code §271.102; and authorizing the Purchasing Agent to execute and file the appropriate award documents for record.]

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 271 .102 AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXERCISE AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE AWARD DOCUMENT FOR RECORD. GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE.

GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.

SO THIS ONE SHOULD BE PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD, BUT A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.

IN 2018, THE COUNTY ENTERED INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND CPS ENERGY TO PROCURE A NEW PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM.

SO THAT INCLUDED MULTIPLE TOWERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY, AS WELL AS THE PURCHASE OF RADIOS.

AT THE TIME, FIRE RADIOS WERE THERE WAS A CARVE OUT IN THE CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF FIRE RADIOS BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE SOME MORE EXTENSIVE TESTING AND THERE'S DIFFERENT SAFETY REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE FIRE RADIOS.

SO WE'VE SINCE IMPLEMENTED THAT THAT RADIO SYSTEM.

AND WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE NEED TO PURCHASE THE RADIOS FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE AS WELL AS SOME OF THE ESDS.

SO IT'S A RUGGEDIZED DESIGN.

IT MEETS THE RADIO IS A RUGGEDIZED DESIGN THAT MEETS OR EXCEEDS FEDERAL STANDARDS.

IT PASSED THOSE FEDERAL STANDARDS, BUT IT FAILED.

LET ME BACK UP. THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT RADIOS.

THERE'S A HARRIS RADIO AND THERE'S A MOTOROLA RADIO THAT WE WERE COMPARING.

THE HARRIS RADIO FAILED IN HOUSE TESTING WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S FIRE DEPARTMENT.

THE MOTOROLA RADIO PASSED.

SO WE HAD WAITED NUMEROUS YEARS BECAUSE HARRIS WAS DEVELOPING A FIRE RADIO THAT WE WANTED TO TEST.

IT TOOK THEM NUMEROUS YEARS TO DO IT.

SO THE TESTING ON THAT HAPPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR.

SO WE WANT TO ALIGN WITH WHAT THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT.

I MEAN WITH YEAH, SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT'S USING.

I'VE ALSO BEEN MADE AWARE THAT 25 OF NOW THE 25 LARGEST FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES USE THE MOTOROLA RADIO.

[01:40:05]

SO THE COST IS I THINK YOU HAD MENTIONED IT IN YOUR CAPTION 3,110,679.00.

EACH RADIO IS $9,720.87.

IF WE EXECUTE THIS PURCHASE BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH, WE'LL RECEIVE $198,000 DISCOUNT.

SO THE RECOMMENDED MOTION IS AWARDING A DELIVERY ORDER TO MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC.

FOR THE PURCHASE OF 320 AP NEXT XN PORTABLE RADIOS AND ACCESSORIES FOR FOR THE P25 PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO SYSTEM AND THE COMBINED AMOUNT OF $3,110,679 THROUGH DIR-TSO 4101.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 271.102 AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE AWARD DOCUMENTS FOR THE RECORD.

HOW MUCH OF A DISCOUNT WILL WE GET? YOU SAID IF WE ORDER IT BY? WE SAVE $198,000, IF WE EXECUTE THE PURCHASE ORDER BY THE END OF THE MONTH.

SO IT'S A BULK. WELL, I MOVED TO APPROVE IN THAT CASE.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION, A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ? JUST A CLARIFICATION.

YEAH. MARK, ON THE I THINK YOUR SECOND SLIDE OR ACTUALLY THE FIRST ONE, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON SOMETHING THAT DATES BACK TO 2018.

I GUESS IT WAS THE INTERLOCAL WITH THE CITY AND CPS.

SO THAT IS THAT A DIFFERENT CONTRACT OR IS THIS IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS KIND OF A PIECE OF THAT CONTRACT MORE SPECIFIC TO FIRE AND ESD.

SO IN 2018 YOU GUYS APPROVED THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, WHICH IS THE JOINT RADIO SYSTEM.

YOU ALSO APPROVED A CONTRACT WITH DAILEY AND WELLS AS PART OF THAT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.

AND THAT CONTRACT, IT STIPULATED THAT THERE WAS A SHARED COST 56% TO THE CITY, 22% TO THE COUNTY, 22% TO THE CPS FOR THE SHARED RADIO SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE BACKBONE.

AND EACH INDIVIDUAL ENTITY HAD THE RIGHT TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN RADIOS.

SO YOU ALSO APPROVE THE BUDGET FOR THAT BACK IN 2018.

AND THE CARVE OUT WAS EVERYBODY WAS GOING TO PURCHASE THE HARRIS RADIOS FOR PD AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS WELL AS PUBLIC WORKS AND STUFF.

BUT THERE WAS A CARVE OUT TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW MORE EXTENSIVE TESTING FOR THE FIRE RADIOS.

SO IF THAT MAKES SENSE, YOU GUYS APPROVED THE OVERALL BUDGET AND THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO EXECUTE THE RADIO PURCHASE.

OKAY. SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO TO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE 2018 WAS RIGHT BEFORE I GOT ON COURT.

SO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HERE AND I ASSUME CONSTABLES HAVE A DIFFERENT RADIO SYSTEM OR A DIFFERENT VENDOR, THEY'RE USING THE HARRIS RADIO, WHICH IS THE MANUFACTURER THAT WE PURCHASED THROUGH DAILEY AND WELLS, AND THAT WAS CONTRACTED UNDER THE RADIO CONTRACT.

OKAY. SO THIS IS SPECIFIC TO FIRE AND ESD? RIGHT, HARRIS DIDN'T HAVE A FIRE RADIO AT THE TIME THEY WERE DEVELOPING IT, WHICH IS WHY WE HAD THE CARVE OUT.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RECEIVED IT, TESTED IT AND COMPARED IT TO MOTOROLA.

ARE THE NUMBERS COMPARABLE FOR THIS THIS PIECE OF THE CONTRACT AND THE HARRIS CONTRACT? AND HARRIS RADIOS, IF WE WERE TO PURCHASE THE SAME NUMBER NOW WOULD BE $3.3 MILLION.

SO IT WOULD BE MORE EXPENSIVE.

OKAY. GOT IT.

OKAY. THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

I JUST HAD A RANK AND FILE KIND OF QUESTION.

I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS, BUT THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATIONS, PARTICULARLY FROM FIREFIGHTERS, ABOUT KIND OF THE RADIO AND THE WAY IN WHICH THEIR FIRE EQUIPMENT WENT ON WAS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO PUSH SOME OF THE BUTTONS.

I KNOW THAT THESE KINDS OF THINGS ARE UPDATED IN TERMS OF MODELS ALL THE TIME.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY, I DON'T KNOW, INNOVATION FOR THAT PIECE? SO I'LL LET STEVEN SAMPLES HERE.

HE'S OUR RADIO EXPERT.

HE WORKS FOR IT, BUT HE ALSO SUPPORTS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE FIRE MARSHAL.

OKAY. GOOD MORNING, SIR.

GREAT QUESTION. YES.

THIS THIS RADIO, THE XN IS AN EXTREME DUTY RADIO THAT IS DESIGNED TO WORK WITH THE THICK FIRE GLOVES AS WELL AS ALSO HAVE VOICE CONTROLS.

SO THE FIREFIGHTER COULD ACTUALLY WAS THE SECOND CONTROLLER.

SORRY, VOICE CONTROL.

WHAT'S THAT VOICE? VOICE CONTROL IT. JUST THINK OF IT LIKE SIRI, WHERE YOU ASK YOUR PHONE TO DO SOMETHING.

YOU CAN ALSO ASK THE RADIO TO DO SOMETHING GOOD.

OKAY, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

WELL, THAT'S, THAT IS A NEW INNOVATION.

YES, SIR. RIGHT. FOR THIS MODEL. SO GREAT.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? I HAVE ONE.

SO HAVING HEARD THE DISCUSSION WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT RADIO SYSTEM, IS THERE A NEED FOR THESE TWO SYSTEMS TO BE INTERCONNECTED AND ARE THEY INTERCONNECTED?

[01:45:03]

IT IS A SHARED SYSTEM AMONGST ALL PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES WITHIN BEXAR COUNTY.

SO SAN ANTONIO POLICE, FIRE, BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFFS, AS WELL AS BEXAR COUNTY FIRE ALL SHARE THE SAME BACKBONE.

THEY ALL SHARE THE SAME TOWERS.

THE DIFFERENCE IS WHAT THEY DECIDE TO PUT IN THEIR HAND TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE ON THAT SYSTEM.

THE FIRE GUYS WERE BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY REQUIRE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE RUGGEDIZED.

THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE SELECTING AN IPHONE VERSUS AN ANDROID WHENEVER YOU GO TO AT&T OR SPRINT OR WHEREVER.

SO THEY'RE ALL PHONES SO EVERYBODY CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER, EVEN THOUGH EVERYBODY'S GOT SEPARATE TYPES OF PHONES.

YES, SIR. YES, SIR.

I GET THAT.

OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT. WHO MADE THE MOTION? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES? OH, COMMISSIONER MOODY.

A SECOND. SECOND.

ALL RIGHT. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

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

THANK YOU. OKEY DOKEY.

MOVING ALONG. ITEM 54, DISCUSSION APPROVAL OF BEXAR COUNTY 2024 CALENDAR YEAR REQUIRED CONTRIBUTION RATE,

[54. Discussion and approval of Bexar County's 2024 calendar year required contribution rate, basic benefits, provisions, and any plan changes for the County's Retirement Plan with Texas County and District Retirement System (TCDRS).]

MR. LEO CABRERA.

GOOD MORNING HONORABLE JUDGE SAKAI, HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS COURT.

FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS LEO CALDERA, COUNTY AUDITOR.

AND WITH ME I HAVE DIANA AGUILA AND SHE IS OUR PAYROLL RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATOR.

AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TAXES PLAN ASSESSMENT, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION RATE.

HERE ON THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE SOME BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT OUR CURRENT RETIREMENT SYSTEM.

7% MANDATORY PORTION TAKEN OUT OF EACH PAYROLL CYCLE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.

WE EARN A 7% COMPOUNDED INTEREST ANNUALLY AND CURRENTLY OUR REQUIRED PAYROLL RATE, WHICH WE'RE PAYING, IS 15.42.

WE'VE GOT A TWO FOR ONE MATCH UPON RETIREMENT AND CURRENTLY OUR FUNDED RATIO IS 84.8%.

HERE ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THROUGHOUT THE 2000, THAT'S A RECORD HERE OF WHAT COMMISSIONERS COURT HAS ALLOCATED TO RETIREES IN THE FORM OF DIFFERENT COLAS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, FOR LAST YEAR, 2023, WE GAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST EVER COLAS AT 5% AT A FLAT FEE AT A COST OF A LITTLE MORE THAN $45 MILLION.

I'D JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT TAKES APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 15 YEARS TO PAY THAT TOTAL AMOUNT OFF.

ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE COMPARISONS TO OTHER COUNTIES FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, HARRISON DALLAS FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS HAS OPTED NOT TO GIVE ANY RETIREE COLAS.

AND THEN THE OTHER EXTREME TO THAT, YOU HAVE TARRANT COUNTY, WHICH ALMOST GIVES A COLA OUT EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE FOR TARRANT COUNTY, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY A REALLY HIGH FUNDED RATIO OF 90.2%.

AND I BELIEVE ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS POINTED OUT, TARRANT DOES HAVE A LOT OF MONEY OUT THERE, SO WE'RE MORE COMPARABLE HERE.

BEXAR AND TRAVIS, THROUGH LAST TEN YEARS, WE'VE GIVEN APPROXIMATELY ABOUT FOUR COLAS, AS YOU CAN SEE, OFF TO THE LEFT HERE.

CURRENTLY, LIABILITY, WE HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT 2 BILLION AS FAR AS ASSETS GO, 1.7.

SO THAT LEAVES THE REMAINING LIABILITY OR UNFUNDED AMOUNT OF $297 MILLION.

ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE JUST KIND OF A HISTORY HERE.

BEXAR COUNTY REQUIRED PAYROLL RATES VERSUS ELECTED RATES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE PAST.

AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT THE COLA AND THAT FUNDED RATIO.

HOW MUCH WE HAVE FUNDED CURRENTLY IS 84.8.

THERE WAS A DROP DUE AGAIN TO LAST YEAR DUE TO THE 5% COLA THAT WAS GIVEN.

HERE WE'VE GOT SOME MORE COMPARATIVE COSTS.

FLAT RATE VERSUS CPI COSTS, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE.

THE FLAT RATES ARE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE AND CPI IS BASICALLY TIERED PER RETIREE AND IT'S BASED ON REPLENISHING LOST REVENUE DUE TO INFLATION RATES.

[01:50:02]

USUALLY MORE COST EFFECTIVE.

BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE JUST HOW THE CHANGES AFFECT TO THE FUNDED RATIO.

AND HERE I REALLY WON'T GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL ON THIS, BUT THIS GIVES A GOOD OVERSIGHT ON HOW THE IMPACT ON A MONTHLY INCREASE, DIFFERENT DIFFERENT OPTIONS OF FLAT COLAS VERSUS CPI BASED COLAS.

AND THERE IN GREEN, YOU CAN SEE THE ESTIMATED MONTHLY INCREASES THAT WOULD AFFECT EACH RETIREE BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF YEARS THEY'VE BEEN RETIRED.

AND THEN ON THIS LAST SLIDE HERE, COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE THE OTHER RETIREMENT INCOME.

A LOT OF EMPLOYEES DO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

WE HAVE FOUR 457 PLANS WITH NATIONWIDE MISSION SQUARE AND A IG AND THEN JUST WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT SOCIAL SECURITY.

MOST OF OUR RETIREES ARE ON SOCIAL SECURITY ELIGIBILITY AT 62 YEARS OF AGE.

AND LAST YEAR, SOCIAL SECURITY GAVE AN UNPRECEDENTED 8.7% AND IT'S LOOKING LIKE A 3% INCREASE WILL BE GIVEN ON SOCIAL SECURITY BASED ON THESE FACTORS.

IT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT WE TAKE THE REQUIRED RATE OF 15.8% AND DO NOT GIVE A COLA THIS YEAR TO RETIREES.

AND THAT'S MY PRESENTATION.

ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU, JUDGE LEO.

THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I WANTED TO JUST MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND MAYBE ASK A QUESTION.

SURE. UM, FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY RARE ANYWHERE, EVEN IN TEXAS, WHERE WE HAVE SOME PRETTY DECENT RETIREMENT FUNDS THAT ANY FUND IS IS 100% FUNDED, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU DON'T I DON'T THINK THERE IS ONE OUT THERE.

TYPICALLY IN THAT WORLD, IF YOU'RE OVER 80, 85% FUNDED, THAT'S A PRETTY HEALTHY, PRETTY HEALTHY FUND.

AND I THINK WE'RE RIGHT AT 85%.

I THINK SO.

SO I THINK WE'RE GOOD IN THAT REGARD.

I KNOW THAT WE GAVE THAT COLA LAST YEAR AND I THINK PRIOR TO THAT, I THINK THE LAST ADJUSTMENT OR COLA WAS 2018.

IS THAT RIGHT? YES, YOU'RE YOU'RE CORRECT.

ON SLIDE TWO, PAGE TWO, THERE'S THE HISTORY.

TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER, LAST YEAR WAS A 5% FLAT.

2018 WAS A 10%.

AGAIN, THAT'S BASED ON THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX.

THEN 2014, 2% FLAT, 2013, 2% FLAT.

OKAY. AND AND THIS IS IN NO WAY A NARRATIVE ON WHAT OUR RETIREES DESERVE BECAUSE WE APPRECIATE VERY MUCH WHAT THEY'VE GIVEN TO THE COUNTY.

AND WE KNOW WE'RE KIND OF IN UNPRECEDENTED INFLATION TERRITORY.

BUT BUT MY SUGGESTION IS WE GO WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION.

THAT'D BE MY MOTION, JUDGE, THAT WE GO WITH THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, THAT WE KEEP IT FLAT.

NO COLA THIS YEAR, OBVIOUSLY.

I DON'T KNOW.

PRECEDENT'S BEEN THAT.

IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY 5 OR 6 YEARS OR SO WE LOOK AT A COLA.

I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE STICK TO THAT BECAUSE OF THE THE RISING INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT AND INFLATION, BUT I THINK FOR THIS YEAR IT MAKES SENSE TO KEEP IT FLAT.

AND AND LET'S LOOK AT HOW THINGS PLAY OUT NEXT YEAR AND KIND OF KIND OF TAKE IT ON A YEAR BY YEAR BASIS.

BUT I THINK THAT WE HEARD A LOT FROM OUR RETIREES LAST BUDGET CYCLE.

I THINK IT WAS GOOD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THE 5% COLA.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK THIS YEAR MY MOTION IS THAT WE KEEP IT FLAT AND WE GO WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND TAKE A TAKE A LOOK AT IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

I JUST WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT TO YOUR POINT ON Y'ALL'S VOTE, PARTICULARLY YOU, COMMISSIONER, LAST YEAR WE DID GET A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK FROM TORRES THAT WERE REALLY HAPPY WITH THE 5% COLA.

ALL RIGHT. WE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOONEY.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT. I DO HAVE A QUESTION WITH RESPECT TO OUR COST OF LIVING ANALYSIS.

SO SURE. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT KIND OF THE LONG TERM LOOK AT OUR COST OF LIVING? I KNOW WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO THE COURT, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THERE HADN'T BEEN MUCH INCREASE FOR THE RETIREES IN A WHILE.

WE KIND OF PICKED THE PACE A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK IN ONE OF YOUR SECOND LAST SLIDES, YOU'RE SHOWING THE SOCIAL SECURITY DID A COLA THAT WAS 8.7%.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID THAT AND OF COURSE A 5.9% PRIOR TO THAT.

AND ANOTHER 3% IS ESTIMATED THIS YEAR.

YES. SO WAS THERE A STUDY DONE? WAS THERE WHAT KIND OF ANALYSIS ECONOMICALLY WAS DONE ABOUT OUR YOUR RECOMMENDATION NOT TO HAVE A COLA? YEAH, COMMISSIONER, GOOD QUESTION.

[01:55:01]

OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE UP SEVERAL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR.

THAT'S AFFECTED US LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S 5% COLA AND THEN JUST THE SHEER COST OF THAT, USUALLY A FLAT, FLAT COST RATE WELL OVER IN THE 40 MILLIONS AND AGAIN TAKES US OVER 15 YEARS TO DO THAT.

SO A COMBINATION OF THAT AND WE DO DO SOME RESEARCH HERE ON ON, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SOME ARTICLES.

AND TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER, THAT 8.7 WAS JUST UNPRECEDENTED DUE TO ECONOMIC FACTORS.

SO SOCIAL SECURITY FELL THAT IT WAS THEY REALLY HAD TO STEP UP.

AND JUST LIKE YOU ALL DID COMMISSIONERS COURT LAST YEAR ON THAT VOTE, THAT 5%, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE CLOSE TO 25 YEARS AND THAT'S THE HIGHEST BY FAR ANYONE EVER GIVEN. BUT AGAIN, GIVEN THE THE FACTORS OF THAT COST TO THE COUNTY, OUR BUDGET GOING FORWARD LONG TERM, STRATEGICALLY AND AGAIN, JUST LAST YEAR, AGAIN, THE HIGH AMOUNT OF 5%, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BASED ON.

SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS IN IN FAVOR OF YOUR PROPOSED MOTION AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS NOT IN FAVOR OF IT.

WHAT'S IN FAVOR OF IT IS THE FACT THAT THROUGH THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, THERE ARE A LOT OF COST SAVINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD TO HELP PEOPLE WITH COSTS, IN PARTICULAR SENIORS, NEGOTIATION OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN THERE AND MORE THINGS PROBABLY COMING.

SO THAT MAY HELP.

A LOT. BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS THE MAIN CONSIDERATION WAS OUR OVERALL BUDGET NEEDS.

WHAT I THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT IN THIS IS THE HUMAN ASPECT OF OUR RETIREES.

I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME ANALYSIS IN THE FUTURE ABOUT INFLATION IN OUR LOCAL MARKET WITH RESPECT TO RETIREES, BECAUSE MEDICAL COSTS CAN BE REALLY PRESSING PEOPLE.

FOOD COSTS ARE REALLY PRESSING PEOPLE.

AND IT MAY BE A COMBINATION OF PACKAGES WE PUT TOGETHER, FOR EXAMPLE, TO NEGOTIATE EVEN FOOD PACKAGES FOR OUR RETIREES TO HELP WITH THE HIGH COST. SO BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THE ANALYSIS HAS ENOUGH LOOK AT WHAT REALLY IS THE COLA IMPACT FOR OUR RETIREES, I WOULD HAVE TO VOTE NO BECAUSE THAT'S MY THAT'S MY THAT'S MY PRIMARY CONCERN.

HOW HOW ARE THE PEOPLE DOING? I THINK WITHIN OUR BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF RESERVE.

WE HAVE BIG CARRYOVER BALANCES.

WE HAVE ROOM TO LOOK AT PROGRAMS THAT WON'T HAPPEN AND READJUSTING THOSE THINGS.

AND SO IT MAY BE THAT WE COULD AFFORD THAT.

AND AS YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, I THINK THE OVERALL PHILOSOPHY OF THE COUNTY SHOULD BE CONSISTENT INCREASES RATHER THAN, OH BOY, WE JUST ARE CATCHING UP BECAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T DO IT RIGHT.

SO SO MY MY WHOLE PHILOSOPHY IS CONSISTENT INCREASES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A LARGER ONE DOWN THE ROAD.

SO ANYWAY, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT ON THIS.

I RESPECT THAT, COMMISSIONER.

AND I WILL SAY I'M MORE OF A NUMBERS PERSON AND IN PART ON THAT I AM LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY RETIREMENT OVERALL STRICTLY, I LOOK MORE AT THE NUMBERS AND I WOULD LIKE TO PRESERVE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I'M PARTICIPATING IN THIS AND YOU WILL TOO, BUT ALSO TO PRESERVE THESE PLANS.

AND THAT'S WHY I LOOK CLOSELY AT LONG TERM FUNDED RATIO RATES, WHICH ARE BIG.

I MEAN, ESPECIALLY YOU, YOU'RE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE OUTSIDE THE COUNTY.

CALIFORNIA HAD SEVERAL OR SEVERAL PROGRAMS GO UNDER, AND LOTS OF TIMES THEY'RE VERY GENEROUS AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO HELP RETIREES.

I DO ALSO.

BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S COST FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MOODY.

YES, JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND A COMMENT.

SURE. SURE. I'M LOOKING AT THE 2023.

I THINK THIS IS PAGE FOUR OF THE PRESENTATION.

BUT YOU MENTIONED THE 5% COLA LAST YEAR AND THE 15 YEAR PAYOUT.

THE COLA COST WAS 45 MILLION.

SO AM I SAFE TO ASSUME THAT YOU'RE JUST PAYING 3 MILLION PER YEAR? BASICALLY, YES.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH RIGHT ON, COMMISSIONER.

YES. TO COVER THAT OVER THE 15 YEAR PERIOD.

YES. OKAY.

IS AN INCREASE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION EVERY YEAR.

YEAH. AND OBVIOUSLY THESE THESE COLA COSTS AS IF THERE WERE MULTIPLE COLAS THAT WERE CONTINUING TO BE FUNDED OVER 15 YEARS, THAT COST ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WOULD JUST CONTINUE TO BUILD AND BUILD.

I JUST THINK IT'S OBVIOUSLY WE APPRECIATE OUR OUR RETIREES AND HOPEFULLY ONE DAY ONE OF THEM.

BUT THE.

YOU GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.

THANKS, JUDGE. I DO THINK, THOUGH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALL, THAT 2 TO 1 MATCHING IS UNPRECEDENTED AND REALLY RICH AND FAR EXCEEDS ANYTHING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

[02:00:03]

AND SO AS LONG AS AS WE TAKE THOSE INTO ACCOUNT AND EVERYTHING AND THINK ABOUT THIS AS A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN RATHER THAN THAN SOMETHING ELSE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR RETIREES WITH THIS, AND THAT'S WHY I WANT TO SUPPORT IT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

ALL RIGHT, LEO, I GOT I JUST HAVE A COMMENT.

QUESTION. SURE.

YOU CERTAINLY HAVE AN EXPERTISE IN THIS, RIGHT? LEO I TRY.

OKAY. WELL, NO, NO, YOU GOT YOU GOT TO BE.

IS THAT A YES OR NO? YES, SIR. THERE YOU GO.

IN DISCUSSION OF THIS AGENDA ITEM, FIRST, LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I SUPPORT THE RETIREES.

THEY PAID THEIR DUES.

THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T GET PAID AS MUCH AS THEY COULD HAVE IN THE OPEN MARKET AND PERHAPS EVEN WITH THE OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.

BUT THEY STUCK IT OUT, PAID THEIR DUES.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD ALWAYS GIVE THEM DIGNITY AND RESPECT BY CONSIDERING COLAS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO PROTECT THE COUNTY AND ITS TAXPAYERS.

YES, SIR. I HEARD A TERM THAT I'M STILL TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND.

THAT'S CALLED CEREAL COUNTIES IN REGARDS AS IT APPLIES TO THESE COST OF LIVING.

IS IT MY UNDERSTANDING OR MS. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT UP OR MR. SMITH OR MISS TINA.

WHAT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? FIDUCIARY BASICALLY, IT'S THE IMPACT TO OUR FUNDED RATIO AND THE ACTUARIALS IF.

WE AWARD TOO MANY COLAS CONSECUTIVELY.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN MONEY WISE? YEAH, IT'S A REPEATING COLA DESIGNATION, COMMISSIONER.

I'LL LET MY MY REALLY EXPERTISE HERE.

THE ADMINISTRATOR KIND OF TALK ON THAT.

ALL RIGHT. I NEED TO UNDERSTAND ALL THESE NUMBERS.

SO JUDGE MY NAME AGAIN, DIANA AGUIRRE, RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATOR.

SO IF THE COUNTY WERE TO PASS A COLA EVERY THREE YEARS, WE DO GET THAT DESIGNATION JUST BASICALLY HITS OUR LIABILITIES AND IT REFLECTS AND THAT CAUSES, I THINK, THE RATING FOR THE COUNTY TO GO DOWN.

BASICALLY, THEY THEY START CHECK ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT BASED ON PAST YEARS DISCUSSIONS, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF YOU AWARD COLAS TOO FREQUENTLY FROM AN ACTUARIAL BASIS AND FROM A FUNDING PERCENTAGE CALCULATION BASIS, THEY ASSUME THAT YOU'RE GOING TO AWARD COLAS INTO THE FUTURE.

AND THAT THEN BRINGS DOWN YOUR FUNDED RATIO AND YOUR ACTUARIAL.

AND YOU GOT TO EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.

ALL THAT FUNDED RATIO.

AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN COST? YES. SO SO COMMISSIONER OR COUNTY JUDGE ON THEIR ON FUNDED RATIO.

JUST FOR EXAMPLE, ON PAGE THREE RIGHT THERE, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'RE 85.3%.

THAT MEANS THAT IF WE HAD TO PAY UP TOMORROW, WE WOULD HAVE TO COVER THE REMAINING, WHAT IS IT, 15, 15% ROUGHLY.

SO THAT MEANS FUNDED RATIO.

THAT'S HOW MUCH WE'RE FUNDED, HOW MUCH WE'VE GOT TO COVER.

SO WE'VE GOT OUR VALUE OF ASSETS AT 1.7 BILLION, BUT WE STILL HAVE OWE UNFUNDED AND THE LIABILITY IS $300 MILLION. AND ON THAT CONSECUTIVE I'VE, IF WE WERE TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER TO DO THAT CONSECUTIVELY, IT'S ACTUALLY A GAAP RULE, AN ACCOUNTING RULE THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO PUT THAT IN OUR BOOKS.

AND I BELIEVE I THINK IT WAS DAVID OR DIANA THAT MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE AND WE HAVE TO SEND OFF CERTAIN PORTION OF THIS EVERY YEAR TO OUR ACTUARIES TO GET THEM TO REALLY TWEAK THE NUMBERS OR GET INTO THE NUMBERS.

BUT IT REALLY AFFECTS OUR OUR STATEMENTS BALANCE SHEET BECAUSE IT'S PROJECTING THAT OUR COST BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT'S ONE OF THE HIGHEST COSTS THAT WE HAVE AS A COUNTY IS A RETIREE SYSTEM, HEALTH BENEFITS, OPEB OVERALL.

SO AND SO THAT'S OUR FUNDED RATE.

AND THEN THERE A RECOMMENDED FUNDING RATIO TO BE ACTUARIALLY SOUND.

IS THERE WE SHOULD WE HAVE IT HIGHER OR LOWER? OH, I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO BE HIGHER IF WE DO A REQUIRED RATE BECAUSE A REQUIRED RATE, AGAIN COMES FROM TCRS AND THEY'RE RECOMMENDING.

SO WE CAN'T GO BELOW THE 15.8 CONTRIBUTION RATE, BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS OPT TO GO HIGHER, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, AGAIN ON SLIDE THREE.

TARRANT BUT THEY DO HAVE A LOT OF MONEY THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE FUNDED AT A REALLY HIGH AMOUNT, 90%.

THEIR MINIMUM ELECTED RATE IS 12%, BUT THEY'RE OPTING TO GO HIGHER, 19.5.

[02:05:02]

AND HAVEN'T WE THIS PAST YEAR, TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING NOW? ISN'T THAT WHERE WE'VE REALLY PUT STRONG EMPHASIS, MISS TINA? YES, YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

AND WE'VE ALSO STILL CONTINUING, RIGHT? YES. YES, SIR.

ALL RIGHT. JUST WANT TO LET THE COURT KNOW WE GOT SOME TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ONE ONE ABSTENTION.

SO NOTED. ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. ALL RIGHT.

ITEM 55, PRESENTATION DISCUSSION, APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING A PROPOSED PUBLIC COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM TO INCLUDE AUTHORIZATION TO RELEASE THE

[55. Presentation, discussion, and appropriate action regarding a proposed Bexar County Public Health program to include authorization to release the Preventative Health and Environmental Services Request for Proposal (RFP) for programs and/or organizations that address the community-identified priorities of Healthy Child and Family Development, Healthy Eating Access, Active Living, and Behavioral and Mental Weil-Being, utilizing $31 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds.]

IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES OF HEALTHY CHILD AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHY EATING ACCESS, ACTIVE LIVING AND BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL WELL BEING.

UTILIZING 31 MILLION FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT ARPA FUNDS.

DOCTOR GUAJARDO. HI.

GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE.

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS DOCTOR ANDREA GUERRERO.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH FOR BEXAR COUNTY.

AND TODAY I WANT TO PRESENT TO YOU THE PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGY THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN CREATING AND ASK FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO RELEASE AN.

RFP TO ALLOCATE THESE FUNDS THAT YOU JUST REFERENCED.

SO IN LOOKING AT WHERE WE'VE BEEN, WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHEN THE COMMISSIONERS COURT CREATED THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AT BEXAR COUNTY LAST YEAR AND I WAS CHOSEN TO LEAD IT, WE WERE GIVEN THE THE DEPARTMENT WAS GIVEN THESE THREE EXISTING DEPARTMENTS, THAT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AND AGRILIFE. AND WE'RE ALSO CHARGED TO CREATE THE DEPARTMENT OF PREVENTATIVE HEALTH, SPECIFICALLY WITH A FOCUS ON THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF BEXAR COUNTY TO LOOK AT PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND THEN ALSO ALL OF THE OTHER PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES WITHIN THE EXISTING DEPARTMENTS.

SO IN THIS PRESENTATION, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER A REVIEW OF SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS AND OUR METHODOLOGY FOR HOW WE ARRIVED AT THIS STRATEGY THAT WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT. I'LL PRESENT SOME SUMMARY DATA FOR PUBLIC HEALTH INDICATORS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

WE'LL PROVIDE A REVIEW OF BEXAR COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT WERE ALREADY IN EXISTENCE BEFORE WE CREATED THIS STRATEGY.

I'LL PRESENT THE COMMUNITY, IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES AS WE SEE THEM FROM AS THEY'VE BEEN COMMUNICATED TO US FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN ASK FOR RECOMMENDATION TO RELEASE THAT RFP. SO SOME OF THE DATA SOURCES THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DATA SOURCES IS THAT FROM THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE, WHICH IS THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WAS RELEASED EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND IT'S A THREE YEAR NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR 2022.

THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE WAS CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CREATION OF THIS COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN THE EARLY 2000.

AND ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN HAVE STANDING BOARD MEMBERSHIP THERE.

I REPRESENT BEXAR COUNTY IN THAT SEAT, BUT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT INCLUDES UNIVERSITY HEALTH, IT INCLUDES THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ALL OF THE MAJOR HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, UT HEALTH, COMMUNITY FIRST HEALTH PLANS AND SOME OTHERS.

FROM THAT COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WHICH WE ALSO CALL THE TNA FOR SHORT.

THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES THAT THE TNA PUTS FORWARD ARE THOSE OF BEHAVIORAL, MENTAL WELL-BEING, HEALTHY CHILD AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING, SAFE COMMUNITIES, SEXUAL HEALTH AND HOUSING SECURITY.

WE USE THIS AS A STARTING POINT FOR A DEEPER DIVE INTO SOME DATA RELATED TO THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF BEXAR COUNTY.

BUT THROUGH THE THROUGH THIS TNA, THROUGH THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND THEN ALSO WITH OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, LOOKING AT QUALITATIVE CONVERSATIONS OR QUALITATIVE DATA THAT CAME UP THROUGH THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

THE OVERARCHING THEMES THAT WE'RE SEEING WITHIN THESE COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES ARE THOSE RELATED TO INCOME AND POVERTY, ACCESS TO CARE IN ALL OF ITS FORMS, SAFETY AND SECURITY AND HOUSING.

SO WE TOOK WE APPROACHED THIS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN ORDER TO LOOK AT EACH OF THE PRECINCTS EQUALLY.

WE TRIED TO LOOK AT EACH OF THE ZIP CODES IN EACH OF YOUR PRECINCTS THAT HAD THE AREAS OF MOST NEED, MEANING HEALTH INDICATORS THAT INDICATED A HIGH DEGREE OF NEED OR LACK OF ACCESS.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE FIRST COLUMN FOR EACH PRECINCT.

AND WE LOOKED AT THE ON THE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE LOOKED AT ALICE THRESHOLDS AND I'LL GET INTO SOME OF THESE DEFINITIONS.

[02:10:02]

AND AS WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH THESE, WE NOTICED THAT WE COMPARED LOOKING AT JUST THE AREAS OF MOST NEED, TAKING THE THREE HIGHEST ZIP CODES OF MOST NEED IN EACH OF YOUR PRECINCTS, AND WE COMPARED THOSE.

IF WE TOOK ALL OF THE UNINCORPORATED, ALL THE ZIP CODES AND THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AND WE REALLY WE REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WHETHER WE WERE LOOKING AT THE MOST THE MOST NEEDY ZIP CODES OR WE WERE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE ZIP CODES IN YOUR IN YOUR AREA.

SO FOR MOST OF THE INDICATORS, THE DATA THAT YOU'LL SEE WILL INCLUDE ALL OF THE ZIP CODES FOR YOUR PRECINCT THAT ARE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.

AND YOU'LL SEE WHERE WE COMPARED THEM TO BEXAR COUNTY AS WELL.

SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE LOOKED AT WAS THE ALICE THRESHOLD.

SO WHAT ALICE IS IT'S AN ACRONYM FOR HOUSEHOLDS THAT EARN MORE THAN THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, BUT LESS THAN THE BASIC COST OF LIVING FOR BEXAR COUNTY.

SO YOU SEE HERE A COMPARISON OF WHAT IT TAKES FOR A SINGLE ADULT FOR TWO ADULTS, TWO ADULTS, TWO CHILDREN, TWO ADULTS AND TWO CHILDREN IN CHILDCARE.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A TOPIC THAT WE ALREADY DISCUSSED TODAY.

BUT THE BASIC SURVIVAL BUDGET, THIS IS CALLED STABILITY BUDGET OR SURVIVAL BUDGET.

SO THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT A FAMILY CONSISTING OF THESE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS WOULD NEED TO SURVIVE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

SO YOU'LL SEE FOR JUST FOR AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON, THEY WOULD NEED AN HOURLY WAGE OF ALMOST $25 AN HOUR, WHICH IS KIND OF HARD TO COME BY IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OR COMPARISON OF THE PERCENT OF TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS BELOW THE THRESHOLD. SO THESE ARE THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR MAKEUP IN EACH OF YOUR PRECINCTS, IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS THAT FALL BELOW THAT THRESHOLD.

SO THEY'RE ABOVE THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, BUT STILL MAKING BELOW WHAT IT TAKES TO SURVIVE ON A BASIC BUDGET.

SO FOR PRECINCT ONE, 51.3%, FOR PRECINCT TWO, 22.05, 23.35 FOR PRECINCT THREE AND PRECINCT 445 .65.

COMPARED TO ALL OF OUR COUNTY, A 51% AND ALL UNINCORPORATED AT 41%.

THIS IS A GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THAT SAME INFORMATION.

SO BASICALLY, THE LARGER THE ORANGE DOT THAT YOU SEE, THE MORE THE LARGER THE PERCENT OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE BENEATH THE THRESHOLD.

AND THIS WAS THE MOST AVAILABLE OR THE MOST AVAILABLE CURRENT AVAILABLE DATA, WHICH WAS 2018.

WE ALSO LOOKED AT TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS DUE TO COVID.

SO THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN DATA AS OF NOVEMBER 2022.

SO THESE ARE ABSOLUTE NUMBERS AND THEN AVERAGE OF THE NUMBER OF DEATHS IN EACH OF YOUR ZIP CODES.

SO WHEN WE SAY 64.38, IT'S NOT A PERCENT.

THERE WERE AN AVERAGE OF 64.38 PERSONS WHO DIED DUE TO COVID IN PRECINCT ONE, AN AVERAGE OF 65.5% IN ALL OF THE ZIP CODES IN PRECINCT 217. IN PRECINCT 381 IN PRECINCT FOUR.

IN ALL UNINCORPORATED AREAS, THE AVERAGE WAS ABOUT 60.

AND FOR ALL OF BAER, IT WAS ABOUT 80.

AND FOR ALL OF BAER, IT GETS A LITTLE HIGHER, EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T YOU KNOW, IT INCLUDES THE ENTIRE COUNTY BECAUSE OF POPULATION DENSITY.

THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE THAT LIVE INSIDE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

SO THE AVERAGE IS GOING TO BE HIGHER BECAUSE THESE ARE ABSOLUTE NUMBERS.

THESE ARE NOT A RATE.

AGAIN, A GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION.

YOU'LL SEE THERE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS INDICATED IN PURPLE.

AND FOR ALL OF THESE MAPS, THE RED DOT THAT YOU SEE THERE IS UTSA.

I LIKE TO PUT THAT THERE. JUST FOR REFERENCE.

IT KIND OF HELPS US NAVIGATE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW WHERE THE MAIN CAMPUS IS.

BUT AGAIN, THE LARGER THE DOT, THE PINK DOT, THE NUMBER OF TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS ON AVERAGE FOR THE AVERAGE OF ALL THE ZIP CODES FOR YOUR PRECINCT.

AND AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT MANY OF THESE SLIDES, ESPECIALLY THE MAPS, ARE GOING TO SEEM REALLY, REALLY SIMILAR.

AND IT IS BECAUSE THERE IS A PRETTY A PRETTY CONSISTENT DISTRIBUTION OF NEED ACROSS THE COUNTY.

THE AREAS OF MOST NEED ARE GOING TO BE IN PRECINCTS FOUR AND PRECINCTS ONE WITH POCKETS OF NEED IN PRECINCT TWO AND THREE, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO LOOK AT THOSE AREAS OF NEED IN EACH OF THE PRECINCT.

AND WE CAN PRETTY MUCH TAKE ALMOST ANY HEALTH INDICATOR.

THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF ACCESS AND POVERTY AND SAFETY AND HOUSING AND EDUCATION.

BUT REALLY THE STORY IS PRETTY CONSISTENTLY THE SAME NO MATTER WHAT HEALTH OUTCOME THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO THIS IS A PERCENT OF ADULTS WHO HAVE LESS THAN A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.

TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, THIS HAS TO DO WITH LITERACY.

IT HAS A DIRECT CORRELATION WITH SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO GET A JOB WHICH IS TIED TO HEALTH INSURANCE AND TIED TO CHILD CARE AND LOTS OF OTHER HEALTH INDICATORS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE DOWNSTREAM.

[02:15:04]

THIS IS A COMPARISON FROM 2015 TO 2021.

THERE HASN'T BEEN MUCH CHANGE IN TERMS OF THIS, DESPITE ALL OF OUR BEST EFFORTS FOR ALL OF THE THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING WITH OUR PARTNERS.

BUT FROM 20 FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, SIX YEARS, IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN MUCH CHANGE IN EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AS FAR AS AS FAR AS A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA GOES.

THEN WE LOOKED AT THE OVERALL DEATH RATE PER 100,000.

SO THIS IS A RATE. SO THIS IS COMPARING MORE STANDARDIZED RATE BY PRECINCT.

SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS IS 665 PEOPLE PER 100,000.

COMPARING PRECINCT 2018 TO 2021, MAJOR CAUSES OF HEART DISEASE IN 2018 WERE I'M SORRY OF DEATH WERE HEART DISEASE, COPD, ISSUES OF LUNG BRONCHIAL.

AND OBVIOUSLY IN 2021 WE SAW THIS UPTICK MOSTLY DUE TO COVID, BUT THEN ALSO WE SAW MANY SECONDARY CAUSES, CO-MORBIDITIES OF ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE WERE DYING FROM, LIKE HEART DISEASE, LUNG PROBLEMS. OBESITY WAS A BIG ONE AS WELL.

DOCTOR GUAJARDO, DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON FROM DROP OUTS ABOUT THE CAUSES FOR THEM DROPPING OUT CAUSES OF DROP OUTS? I DON'T HAVE IT IN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY GET IT FOR YOU.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE SLIDE THAT'S TALKING ABOUT WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY CHANGE, RIGHT? AND THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF MY CRITICISMS SINCE I GOT ON THE COURT WAS WE'VE NOT HAD A REAL AUDIT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS OF HOW THEY HELP US ACHIEVE WHATEVER GOALS WE SET FORWARD.

WE HAVEN'T HAD A REAL STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS WITH RESPECT TO WHAT THOSE GOALS SHOULD BE.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ECONOMY, HAVING PEOPLE NOT DROP OUT IS A VERY IMPORTANT OF HIGH SCHOOL IS A VERY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE THAT PROBABLY ALL COMMISSIONERS SHARE, HAS A REALLY IMPORTANT LONG TERM EFFECT ON OUR COMPETITIVENESS AS AN ECONOMY.

SO IF YOU COULD BRIEF THE COURT IN A FUTURE WORK SESSION ABOUT DATA RELATED TO DROP OUTS SO THAT WE CAN I MEAN, IT WOULD REALLY BE BEST BEFORE WE GO INTO THE BUDGET FINALIZATION BECAUSE THOSE CAUSES WE SHOULD EARMARK TOWARDS ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP US ADDRESS OR MAYBE WE NEED TO RESHAPE IT IN TERMS OF RFP, BUT THAT COULD BE DONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

YEAH, DEFINITELY. AND AS AS WE ARE RAMPING UP OUR OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHOOL BASED MENTAL WELLNESS, WE'RE SOLIDIFYING OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

WE ARE COLLECTING DATA FROM THEM RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH, A NUMBER OF EXPULSIONS, NUMBER OF DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS, NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT ARE REFERRED TO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACADEMY. AND NOT EVERY DROPOUT IS RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH.

BUT I SAY THAT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT THAT $20 MILLION INVESTMENT HAS GOTTEN US.

AND OUR PROGRAM MANAGER WAS HERE EARLIER TODAY.

BUT EVEN IF WE'RE LEVERAGING THAT RELATIONSHIP, IF WE'RE FUNDING GED PROGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR OTHER WORKFORCE PROGRAMS, THERE COULD BE A SURVEY THAT'S INCLUDED ABOUT OR A CONVERSATION WITH A HEALTH COLLABORATIVE STAFF PERSON ABOUT WHY DID YOU DROP OUT SO THAT WE CAN TRIAGE THOSE PARTICULAR.

AND THAT'S PROBABLY DATA I CAN GET FROM ADRIAN LOPEZ, WHO WAS HERE BEFORE BECAUSE THEY DO WORK WITH YOUTH.

A LOT OF THEIR OPPORTUNITY, YOUTH PEOPLE HAVE DROPPED OUT AGES FROM 16 TO 24, AND THAT'S DATA THAT THEY COLLECT.

SO YES, I CAN DEFINITELY BRING THAT BACK.

OKAY. THE NEXT INDICATOR THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS DEATH DUE TO COVID.

THIS IS ALSO A RATE.

SO FOR COMPARING 2021 2022, WE DO SEE HOW BASICALLY THE SAME DISTRIBUTION IN TERMS OF IMPACT IN EACH PRECINCT IS CONSISTENT.

AND WE SEE THE DROP OFF IN IN DEATHS DUE TO COVID FROM 2021 TO 2022, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF VACCINE AND BECAUSE OF MASKING AND BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS THAT GOT US TO THIS POINT TO BE ABLE TO DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OVER, BUT STILL BEING VERY COGNIZANT AND TRACKING THIS INFORMATION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT STROKE, AMONG LOTS OF OTHERS.

DR. GUAJARDO, IS VACCINE USE A BIG INDICATOR IN TERMS OF I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY MAPS THAT OVERLAY THE PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS, LET'S SAY JUST MY PRECINCT, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THIS HIGH DEATH RATE, I WOULD IMAGINE BECAUSE I HAVE SUCH A LARGE RURAL AREA, BECAUSE I HAVE A VERY CONSERVATIVE FARMING FAMILY. EXCUSE ME. WELL, SURE, THEIR FAMILY COMMUNITY THAT MAY NOT HAVE ADOPTED VACCINE USE, THAT THE DEATH RATES MAY BE HIGHER IN MY RURAL AREAS.

WE CAN DEFINITELY OVERLAY THAT.

AND JUST AS A POINT, WHEN I SPOKE WITH MANY OF YOU OR YOUR STAFF, THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

BUT WE WE DO PLAN ON DOING A DEEP DIVE FOR EACH OF THE PRECINCTS AND GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON THE DATA THAT YOU REQUESTED, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE OF DIABETES OR SOME OTHER ISSUE

[02:20:04]

IT COULD ALSO BE DUE TO INFORMATION WARFARE BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO THE DISEASE.

IT COULD BE AND WE'RE ALSO SEEING A BIG DROP OFF IN CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS AS WELL, BECAUSE KIDS WERE OUT OF SCHOOL FOR SO LONG AND A LOT OF KIDS GET THEIR STAY ON THEIR CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF COMPLIANCE WITH SCHOOL REGULATIONS.

AND SO WE ARE SEEING A DROP OFF IN THAT.

SO WE COULD SEE AN UPTICK IN SOME OTHER TYPES OF CHILDHOOD AFFLICTIONS THAT ARE VACCINE PREVENTABLE, THAT INFORMATION WARFARE HAS TO HELP INFORM POLICY AND DOLLARS.

SO IF THERE IS, WHICH I KNOW THERE IS, YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MISINFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, THEN PERHAPS SOME OF THE SET ASIDE FOR THESE DOLLARS NEEDS TO GO TOWARDS MARKETING, TO THESE RURAL COMMUNITIES AND INSTILLING BETTER TRUST BETWEEN MEDICAL PROVIDERS OR UTILIZING MEDICAL PROVIDERS WHO ARE TRUSTED IN THE FAMILY TO BE A CONDUIT FOR BETTER HEALTH CARE DECISIONS.

SURE. AND YOU'VE ALL SEEN, OBVIOUSLY, THE HUGE EFFORT THAT UHS PUT TOGETHER TO PROVIDE TESTING AND VACCINES FOR THE COMMUNITY AND CROSSROADS AT THE WONDERLAND OF THE AMERICAS.

SO, YEAH, DEFINITELY COULD BE A CONSIDERATION.

YEAH. ONLY THING IS, YOU KNOW, WONDERLAND IS, YOU KNOW, AND UHS IS A LONG WAY FROM ELMENDORF AND WHERE I'VE SEEN YOUR MAPS HERE INDICATING IN THESE RURAL AREAS THEY'RE HIGHISH, HIGH HEALTH CARE, NEGATIVE ISSUES.

SO WE JUST WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT SOMETIMES WE'VE GOT TO GET QUITE LOCALIZED TO AFFECT BEHAVIOR.

YES, SIR. THIS IS A GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION, AGAIN, SHOWING THE INCREASE FROM 2021 TO DECREASE FROM 2021 TO 2022 AND DEATH RATES DUE TO COVID.

WE LOOKED AT PERCENT OF UNINSURED RESIDENTS BECAUSE, AS I SAID, ACCESS TO HEALTH COVERAGE, WHETHER IT'S MEDICAID FOR CHILDREN, WHETHER IT IS HEALTH BENEFITS THAT YOU GET THROUGH YOUR EMPLOYMENT.

OBVIOUSLY, TEXAS IS NOT A STATE THAT'S EXPANDED MEDICAID.

SO THERE IS A HUGE GAP IN FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE IF YOU WORK AT A JOB THAT DOESN'T OFFER BENEFITS OR IF YOU'RE A PERSON WHO IS UNEMPLOYED, YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE. AND SO IT HASN'T THERE HASN'T BEEN MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2015 TO 2022, DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS.

I MEAN, I THINK ONE OF THE DATA POINTS THAT I HEARD FROM THE ENROLL COALITION WAS THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT ARE ENROLLING IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE, BUT IT HASN'T REALLY IMPACTED BEXAR COUNTY IN THIS WAY, ACCORDING TO THESE DATA.

AGAIN, YOU'RE UNINSURED.

PERCENT OF UNINSURED RESIDENTS SHOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2015 TO 2021.

FOOD INSECURITY.

OUR SCHOOL BASED MENTAL WELLNESS PROGRAM MANAGER, VICTORIA GOMEZ, MEETS WITH ALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE 13 DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT RECEIVE FUNDING THROUGH THAT INITIATIVE.

THE COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES SPEARHEADED.

SHE MEETS WITH THEM MONTHLY AND TALKS ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST HEALTH INDICATORS THAT THEY'RE OUR BIGGEST NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY CITE OTHER THAN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THEIR KIDS, IS FOOD INSECURITY.

SO PERSON IS DEFINED AS BEING FOOD INSECURE IN AN URBAN AREA.

IF THEY ARE BOTH LOW INCOME AND MORE THAN A MILE AWAY FROM A GROCERY STORE, A PROPER GROCERY STORE, NOT NECESSARILY JUST A CONVENIENCE STORE AND MORE FOOD WHO ARE LOW INCOME AND MORE THAN TEN MILES THAT THEY LIVE IN IN RURAL AREA.

SO FOR THE UNINSURED, THIS, THIS THESE TWO GRAPHS ARE FOR ALL OF BEXAR COUNTY.

WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND A GOOD DATA SOURCE FOR JESSE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, BUT WE SEE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY AND WE'LL CONTINUE LOOKING FOR IT.

BUT IF YOU LIVE IN A RURAL AREA, YOU WOULD EXPECT THESE GRAPHS TO BE MUCH, MUCH HIGHER IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE FOR TOTAL POPULATION AND FOR CHILDREN.

DR. GUAJARDO, A THOUGHT FOR OUR FUNDING AGRILIFE FALLS UNDER YOUR PURVIEW, AND THE URBAN FARM CAN BE A REAL SOURCE OF FOOD FOR OUR FAMILIES IN NEED. JUST ON AN ACRE, WE GAVE AWAY 25,000 POUNDS OF FRESH VEGETABLES, SUPER GREENS THAT CAN HAVE DYNAMIC HEALTH CARE BENEFITS AND BETTER OUTCOMES. I'D LIKE TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT IT IS VERY KEENLY UNDERSTOOD AT THE COUNTY LEVEL THAT THE URBAN FARM IS NOT A PRECINCT FOUR PROJECT.

IT IS A COUNTY WIDE PROJECT AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FOOD THAT GOES INTO EVERY SINGLE PRECINCT AND IF THERE ARE LARGE DESERTS IN PRECINCT ONE OR ANYWHERE ELSE, WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE CAN THROUGH FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN ACT TO AMPLIFY THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES EVERYWHERE.

I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT.

[02:25:02]

THEY JUST HELD A GREAT EVENT AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLACE ON THURSDAY, WHICH WAS A HEALTHY COOKING SCHOOL THAT INCLUDED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

BUT THANK YOU FOR FOR INCLUDING THAT IN YOUR COMMENTS.

PART OF SAFETY AND SECURITY.

WE WERE LOOKING AT FAMILY VIOLENCE.

THIS IS THIS IS THESE ARE SOME DATA THAT WE PULLED FROM THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TASK FORCE IS CURRENTLY BEING HEADED BY THE CITY JUST LOOKING AT FAMILY VIOLENCE REPORTS AND COMPARING THEM FOR 2021.

FAMILY VIOLENCE IS THIS IS DEFINED, INCLUDES AGGRAVATED FAMILY VIOLENCE, DEADLY CONDUCT, INDECENCY WITH A CHILD INJURY TO A CHILD, INJURY TO ELDERLY PEOPLE, KIDNAPING, PROTECTIVE ORDER VIOLATIONS, STALKING THREATS, THESE TYPES OF THINGS.

SO THIS WOULD THIS WOULD BE AN ALL ENCOMPASSING DEFINITION OF WHAT FAMILY VIOLENCE MEANS.

AND SO IN LOOKING AT THESE, WE AND THEN LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND MAPPING THEM OUT IN THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WE NOTICED THAT A GOOD DEAL OF THAT DATA WAS JUST FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WHEN WE IDENTIFIED A NEED TO PARTNER WITH THE BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND HAD BEEN WORKING WITH CHIEF SANFORD TO GET PATROL DATA, CALL DATA SO THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THESE FAMILY VIOLENCE REPORTS ARE THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO A POLICE REPORT OR SOMETHING ACTUALLY HAPPENS WITH IT.

WITH THE NEW DATA SET THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH OUR DATA MANAGER THAT JUST CAME ON BOARD, WE HOPE THAT WE WOULD GET A MORE COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF THE TYPES OF CALLS AND THE AND THE REAL MAGNITUDE AND SCOPE OF WHAT FAMILY VIOLENCE LOOKS LIKE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF OUR COUNTY.

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE RESEARCH.

SO I MENTIONED AS PART OF THE FAMILY VIOLENCE REPORTS, CHILD ABUSE WAS ONE OF THOSE AND OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR CONCERN FOR BARROW COUNTY.

WE TOOK THIS INFORMATION FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

THIS IS THE PREVALENCE.

THESE ARE CONFIRMED VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE FROM 2017 TO 2022 PER 1000 CHILDREN THAT LIVE IN THAT PRECINCT. AND I THINK ONE OF THE BIG TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS SLIDE IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE 2022 DATA IS PROBABLY VERY MUCH UNDERREPORTED BECAUSE KIDS WERE NOT IN SCHOOL. AND SCHOOL IS A NUMBER ONE REPORTER OF INVESTIGATIONS OR NUMBER ONE REPORTER OF SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.

SO FOR FUTURE FUTURE TRENDS, WE PROBABLY WILL SEE THIS INCREASE WHERE IT LOOKED LIKE IT MIGHT DECREASE, BUT IT WILL PROBABLY INCREASE IN FUTURE YEARS.

AS A GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION, LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2017 AND 2022.

SO AGAIN, WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT DECREASE? NOT NECESSARILY.

FOR A COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES REQUEST, WE STARTED TO LOOK AT SOME PEDIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS DUE TO ASTHMA BY ZIP CODE.

WE WERE NOT ABLE TO PUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CITY LIMIT ON THIS GRAPHIC, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE DARKER THE COLOR OF THE MAP, THE MORE HOSPITALIZATIONS THAT OCCUR.

HOSPITALIZATIONS FROM THAT POPULATION, FROM THAT ZIP CODE THAT OCCURRED DUE TO PEDIATRIC ASTHMA.

PEDIATRIC ASTHMA IS AN INDICATOR OF SAFE HOUSING.

IT'S AN INDICATOR OF SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.

KIDS THAT LIVE IN HOUSING THAT IS NOT UP TO CODE.

IT'S NOT A STANDARD DIRTY HOUSING, AND THEN A LOT OF ILLEGAL DUMPING OR UNSAFE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THAT EXIST HAVE MORE A GREATER PROPENSITY FOR HAVING PEDIATRIC ASTHMA.

DR. GUAJARDO, I WANT TO I JUST WANT TO THOUGHT TO CONNECT A FEW DOTS ON THE THE MAPS AROUND CHILD ABUSE AND AND FAMILY VIOLENCE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE MIGHT WANT TO DO IS AN ASSET MAP OF WHERE THE COUNTY HAS PHYSICAL PRESENCE OR SERVICE AND OR OUR NONPROFIT SECTORS ARE LOCATED. BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CLEAR, BASED UPON THE GEOGRAPHY OF THESE CIRCLES THAT YOU HAVE WHERE HIGH INCIDENTS ARE HAPPENING, MY BACK OF THE NAPKIN IS THERE ARE NOT ANY COUNTY BUILDINGS, SERVICES, CLOSE, NONPROFITS CLOSE.

MOST OF THE NONPROFITS TEND TO CENTER IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY IN DISTRICT ONE, AND IT'S A DESERT IN TERMS OF THINGS FOR SERVICES FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN THESE PERIPHERAL AREAS WHERE THE COUNTY IS GOT THE MOST EITHER UNINCORPORATED OR, YOU KNOW, MORE SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE A POINT THAT FROM A RESOURCE ALLOCATION PERSPECTIVE, PART OF THE DEFICIT, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE HIGH OCCURRENCE COULD JUST BE A LACK OF EASILY ACCESSIBLE SERVICES AND AN ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE INNER CITY PER SE INTO SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE ARE IN CHARGE OF.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT.

THANK YOU. A BAR CHART OUTLINING THE SAME DATA THAT YOU JUST SAW.

[02:30:02]

PRECINCT ONE OBVIOUSLY IS THE HIGHEST 125.

AND THEN THE THE SAME SORT OF DISTRIBUTION THAT WE SEE, ALTHOUGH PRECINCT TWO HAS SOME HIGH SOME HIGH NUMBERS.

BUT OF COURSE, THIS IS THIS IS ALL OF THE PRECINCT, NOT JUST THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.

SO IN LIGHT OF ALL OF THESE DATA AND IN LIGHT OF THE CHARGE THAT I WAS GIVEN IN TERMS OF HAVING A FOCUS FOR THE DEPARTMENT ON PREVENTATIVE HEALTH, ON THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY, LOOKING TOWARD A FRAMEWORK OF WHAT IT MEANS TO GO UPSTREAM OF SOME OF THESE HEALTH INDICATORS.

SO THIS THIS GRAPHIC IS IT'S IN THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT THE THAT THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE PUTS OUT.

IT'S CALLED THE BAY AREA REGIONAL HEALTH INEQUITIES INITIATIVE.

BUT IT'S A FRAMEWORK THAT'S BEEN USED ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR MANY, MANY DECADES.

HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMPLOYS IT IN MASSACHUSETTS, COLORADO.

IT'S WIDELY ACCEPTED AS A PRETTY GOOD REPRESENTATION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO GO UPSTREAM.

HOW HOW ARE WE DOING TO PREVENT THINGS FROM HAPPENING BEFORE THEY GET DOWNSTREAM TO THINGS LIKE DISEASE AND INJURY, WHERE WE'RE TREATING PEOPLE WHO ARE DIABETIC AS OPPOSED TO HAVING ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD.

AND SO WE'RE PREVENTING SOMEONE FROM BECOMING A DIABETIC IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO, DR. GUAJARDO, ON THAT NOTE, I WAS LOOKING AT THE PRECINCT TWO INCREASE IN ASTHMA FOR FOR CHILDREN.

AND YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT THE WINDS BLOW FROM OUR COAL POWERED PLANT AT CALAVERAS IN MY PRECINCT TOWARDS THE MEDICAL CENTER IN PRECINCT TWO.

AND THAT THE THE AIR POLLUTANTS BAKE AND THE MEDICAL CENTER AND MAYBE YOU KNOW, LEADING TO THAT.

IS THERE ANY ARE YOU HAVE YOU STUDIED THAT TRADE WIND ANALYSIS? I HAVE NOT.

IT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH HOUSING.

THE AGE OF HOUSING STOCK.

PRECINCT TWO HAS A HIGHER AGED HOUSING STOCK.

COULD BE AIR QUALITY, COULD BE LOTS OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I THAT I SUGGESTED.

BUT YES, THERE ARE A LOT OF I WANT TO JUST WIN THAT THAT TIP BECAUSE OF THAT STARK DIFFERENCE THAT THAT IS EMANATING THERE.

SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE ASK STEVEN TO LOOK INTO AS WE APPLY FOR THAT.

GRANT YEAH, AIR QUALITY INITIATIVE, VERY IMPORTANT FOR THAT.

ABSOLUTELY. SO SO ALSO LOOKING AT THIS GRAPHIC, WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT AS A DEPARTMENT THAT IS FOCUSED ON PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT PREVENTION AS A MAIN STRATEGY, BUT THEN ALSO PARTNERING WITH FOLKS AT IHS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BEEN CALLED BOOTS ON THE GROUND, SHOTS IN THE ARMS. THEY'RE MORE DOWNSTREAM, ALTHOUGH THEY DO HAVE A FOCUS ON PREVENTION AS WELL.

BUT UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM AND ESPECIALLY THE INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH THAT THEY'VE JUST CREATED, THEIR STRATEGY IS REALLY LOOKING AT THEIR PRIMARY CARE PROVISION AND PREVENTION IN AS MUCH AS THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT CARE TO THEIR TO THEIR PATIENTS IN THEIR EXISTING CLINICS.

SO AFTER LOOKING ALL THESE DATA AND THEN TAKING A LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PRIORITIES THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE LEFT HAND COLUMN, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, HEALTHY CHILD AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING.

AND THEN THE REST OF THEM I'VE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE CENTER COLUMN THE BEXAR COUNTY PROGRAM AREAS THAT ALREADY EXIST.

SO IF WE NEVER SPENT ANOTHER ARPA DOLLAR, IF THERE WERE NO MORE FUNDING, THESE WERE ALL FUNDED IN THE GENERAL FUND AND THINGS THAT WERE ALREADY GOING ON WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HOUSING. BUT I'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A SECOND.

THIS IS HOW BEXAR COUNTY IN THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT UNDER MY OVERSIGHT IS ADDRESSING PUBLIC HEALTH.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY IT'S NOT BEING DONE IN OTHER PLACES LIKE VETERANS SERVICES AND IN THE COURTS AND IN OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE COULD CALL PUBLIC HEALTH. BUT AS FAR AS MY DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR HOUSING SECURITY, ALTHOUGH IT HAS.

AND SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE FIRST THREE, I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THOSE IN ONE COLOR BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE CANNOT BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON ARE WIDE ENOUGH THAT WE CAN MAKE THE MOST IMPACT.

AND THERE ARE ALSO THERE ARE ALREADY THINGS HAPPENING RELATIVE TO SAFE COMMUNITIES IN THE AREA OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT, WHERE WE DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE THE FOCUS SHOULD BE, BUT IT IS STILL A PRIORITY.

SEXUAL HEALTH. THE THING THAT WE DO RELATED TO SEXUAL HEALTH, THE RYAN WHITE HIV CARE AND PREVENTION, WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY JUST PREVENTION OF OR JUST RELATED TO SEXUAL HEALTH, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY HIV IS A MUCH BIGGER ISSUE THAN JUST RELATED TO SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE AND THEN HOUSING SECURITY, HUGE PRIORITY, BUT ALSO BEING VERY SIGNIFICANTLY ADDRESSED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DAVID MARQUEZ LEADERSHIP.

SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IT IS OUR INTENT TO FOCUS ON THE TOP THREE THE HEALTHY CHILD, THE HEALTHY EATING AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND MENTAL WELL-BEING.

OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE AN ENTIRE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND MENTAL WELLBEING.

[02:35:04]

AS OPPOSED TO SAFE COMMUNITIES? NO, NOT AS OPPOSED AS A PROGRAM AREA.

AS A PROGRAM AREA.

YEAH. HOW DO FOOD AND JOBS AND HOW DO THEY FIT INTO THE? SUBSTANCE, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS CONTRIBUTE..

SUBSTANCE USE WOULD BE UNDER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND MENTAL WELL-BEING.

THAT IS A PRIORITY THAT WAS IN THERE.

AND I HAVE A SLIDE LATER THAT GIVES YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT WOULD FIT HERE.

BUT FOR HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING, OBVIOUSLY THAT IS FOOD SECURITY, ACCESS TO GARDENS, COMMUNITY EDUCATION AROUND HEALTHY EATING, BUT THEN ALSO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, FITNESS, THOSE TYPES OF PREVENTATIVE STRATEGIES FOR HEALTHY CHILD AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.

AND THAT'S ONE, IT'S AN INTENTIONAL THING, ESPECIALLY WHERE THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE IS CONCERNED, IS TO MAKE THESE CATEGORIES BROAD ENOUGH SO THAT SMALL NONPROFITS WHO SAY, I'M ONLY FOCUSING ON FOOD SECURITY OR I'M ONLY FOCUSED ON CHILDHOOD ASTHMA OR I'M ONLY FOCUSED ON DIABETES MANAGEMENT STILL CAN FIT WITHIN ONE OF THESE PRIORITIES AND STILL BE WITHIN OUR STRATEGY AND ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING.

AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE THEM TOO STRICT AND PUT THE GUARDRAILS TOO TIGHT.

WE WANT TO MAKE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE BROAD SO THAT WHEN FOLKS RESPOND TO AN RFP, THEY'LL THEY'LL BE QUALIFIED.

I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH IT'S LISTED HERE AS ONE OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED NEEDS, IT IS SIGNIFICANT FOCUS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOR BEXAR COUNTY.

I'VE BROKEN IT OUT HERE ON THIS SLIDE AS A DETENTION BASE.

SO THOSE THINGS THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING OPERATED INSIDE OF THE JAIL, INSIDE THE BEXAR COUNTY ADULT DETENTION CENTER.

THE MIDDLE COLUMN ARE THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING SUPPORTED EITHER THROUGH MOST OF THESE ARE THROUGH ARPA.

A COUPLE MIGHT BE OPIOID, BUT THAT ARE COMMUNITY BASED.

SO THEY EXIST EITHER FOR TREATMENT OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF PROGRAM OR INITIATIVE THAT EXISTS IN THE COMMUNITY.

BUT THEY ARE OFTEN A RESULT OF HAVING RECEIVED A REFERRAL FROM THE DETENTION BASED SERVICES AND THEN THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE SMART TEAM IMPLEMENTATION.

SO THAT'S GENERAL FUND, THE SMART TEAM EXPANSION MOVING TO 24/7 COVERAGE THAT WAS ARPA FUNDED CONNECT AND PROTECT IS PROVIDING MENTAL WELLNESS SERVICES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEN THE CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING AND THEN SMART EXPANSION.

THERE'S SOME TRAINING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

SO THIS IS THIS IS NOT BY ANY MEANS A DEEP, DEEP DIVE.

AND HAPPY TO GIVE YOU AN INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS ON THE STATUS OF EACH OF THESE THINGS.

BUT JUST WANTED TO SHOW JUST HOW MUCH WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED TO THIS TOPIC AS A AS A FOCUS AND HOW MUCH MORE WORK THAT WE'RE PREPARED TO DO, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF FORENSIC AND COMPETENCY RESTORATION.

SO TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY HEALTH OR COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES, HEALTHY CHILD, HEALTHY EATING, IF WE IF YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE ARE THAT WE ARE TO RELEASE AN RFP FOR THESE FUNDS, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO RECEIVE PROPOSALS FOR.

THIS IS MORE OR LESS LIKE INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO.

BUT THESE ARE THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. AND I'VE ALREADY HAD LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES.

AND SO I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT AND ROBUST PROPOSALS THAT WE COULD EXPECT THAT WOULD TARGET VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THE DATA THAT WE'VE SEEN TODAY.

PART OF OUR PLAN TO IF FOR RESPONDENTS TO AN RFP WOULD BE TO DO A DEEP DIVE INTO EVALUATION.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT THAT THESE DOLLARS HAVE, WHICH MEANS REALLY HELPING THEM TO PLAN OUT WHAT ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES THEY'RE PUTTING INTO THE PROGRAM, COUNTING THE NUMBER OF OUTPUTS, SORT OF COUNTING HEADS, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED, BUT THEN GETTING TO THE OUTCOME, WHICH IS THE REAL IMPACT.

WHAT CHANGED AS A RESULT OF HAVING INVESTED THESE DOLLARS IN THEIR PROGRAM? AND THEN ALSO INCLUDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WHERE WE CAN DO A REALLY GOOD HAVE A REAL UNDERSTANDING OF ECONOMIC INDICATORS.

BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, WHEN FOLKS ARE HEALTHIER AND A WORKFORCE IS HEALTHIER, JOBS ARE RETAINED.

MORE OFTEN WHEN CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO CHILDCARE, THEIR PARENTS HAVE GREATER SUSTAINABILITY AND INCREASED WAGES.

AND THIS ALL CONTRIBUTES TO THE ECONOMY, TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT SOMETHING JUST AS SIMPLE AS A FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM, IT REALLY CAN HAVE AN ECONOMIC IMPACT. BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO TO HAVE THAT CAPACITY TO DO THAT.

SO THE RECOMMENDATION I WOULD ASK FOR YOU TO WOULD FOR A MOTION TO RELEASE THE RFP FOR PREVENTATIVE HEALTH.

[02:40:06]

THAT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS REQUEST.

SO IT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 31 MILLION.

OKAY. SO SO THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ALREADY HAS 21 MILLION THAT THEY'RE HOLDING.

IT WAS REMEMBER, BEFORE YOU WE HIRED DR.

G., BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WAS UNDER CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS ALLOCATED FOR IS FOR 21 FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

NOW, THAT'S PART OF HER DEPARTMENT.

AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S PART OF THIS RFP.

OKAY. SO IT'LL BE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REALLY THEN.

SO 10 MILLION IN PREVENTATIVE HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND 21 MILLION IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

OKAY. SO WHAT ABOUT THE MARKETING AND OUTREACH TO ORGANIZATIONS? SOME PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES CAN BE HELPFUL AND MANY NONPROFITS CAN BE HELPFUL.

DO YOU HAVE A DATABASE FOR THE OUTREACH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS OUT TO I MEAN, I'LL GIVE YOU A FOR EXAMPLE.

YOU KNOW, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT FOOD INSECURITY.

THERE'S GREAT NONPROFITS LIKE GARDOPIA, WHICH IS IN THE INNER CITY, WHO COULD BE CONTRACTED TO WORK WITH AND BUILD CAPACITY IN OUR MORE RURAL AREAS.

WHERE SOME OF YOUR CIRCLES I DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE GROUPS LIKE GARDOPIA AS PART OF, YOU KNOW, THE OUTREACH OR HOW ARE WE DOING THAT, HOW WE WOULD COMMUNICATE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

RIGHT. OH, YEAH, DEFINITELY.

I MEAN, WHEN WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE AND WHO THEY'RE ALL CONNECTED TO, MY PERSONAL NETWORK, I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, I'VE IT'LL BE A YEAR THAT I'VE BEEN HERE IN NOVEMBER AND ONE OF MY BIGGEST PUSHES HAS BEEN TO CREATE THESE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THAT I KNEW WOULD PROBABLY ORGANIZATIONS WOULD BE ABLE TO EITHER RESPOND OR RECOMMEND AND ESPECIALLY NONPROFITS, BECAUSE ONE OF THE YOU KNOW, JUST ONE OF THE APPROACHES THAT WE WANT TO TAKE AS AS A DEPARTMENT IS TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF SMALLER NONPROFITS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE GRANT WRITERS AND, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT FOLKS AND, YOU KNOW, EVALUATORS ON TAP, WE'VE PLANNED A COUPLE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WEBINARS.

SO FOR ANYONE WHO RESPONDS.

SO ONCE WE PUSH IT OUT, YES, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE A NETWORK OF COMMUNICATION TO MAKE IT WIDELY PUBLICIZED.

BUT THEN ALSO FOR FOLKS WHO DO RESPOND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDED TO WRITE THE GRANT OR WRITE THE PROPOSAL, SUBMIT THE PROPOSAL TO TO OVERSIGHT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE WITH THESE BEING ARPA DOLLARS IS SIGNIFICANT.

YES. AND WE HAD TALKED WE DIDN'T MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION AS A COURT BEFORE.

WE CAN STILL DO THAT.

BUT ONE OF THE IDEAS I HAD WAS KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, SMALL ORGANIZATION, SMALL BUSINESS KIND OF ASSISTANCE SERVICE TO HELP WITH THE REPORTING AND THE OTHER FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.

THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT YOU CONSIDER TAKING A LITTLE SLIVER OUT FOR.

I WANT AMY AND MY STAFF TO GIVE YOU A LIST OF NONPROFITS WHO HAD REQUESTED MONEY FROM THE COUNTY.

MANY OF THEM DIDN'T GET IT.

I THINK MANY OF THEM ARE VERY WORTHY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO GET THIS NOTIFICATION FOR FUNDING.

SO WE'LL GET YOU THAT LIST AS WELL IN OUR OFFICE.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

I MOVE FOR APPROVAL. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT MOTION SECOND.

SO, COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

IN MANY WAYS, THIS PRESENTATION TO ME IS REALLY SAD.

I MEAN, IF WE LOOK AT ALL THE DATA THAT YOU GAVE, PRECINCT ONE IS ALMOST NUMBER ONE IN ALL OF THEM, WHICH IS REFLECTIVE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR AND TALKING ABOUT OVER AND OVER HOW THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF BEXAR COUNTY HAS SIMPLY BEEN LEFT BEHIND.

AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, SO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU LISTED BASICALLY FALL INTO SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, LACK OF EDUCATIONAL ACCESS, FOOD DESERTS, LACK OF HEALTH CARE ACCESS.

AND THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THESE ISSUES KNEW THAT AND OBVIOUSLY COVID BROUGHT A LIGHT TO IT.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE AT THE COUNTY PUSHED SO MUCH MONEY.

NOW IT'S 31 MILLION TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

AND PREVENTATIVE HEALTH JUST ENCOMPASSES EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES.

SO WHEN WE GO BACK WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT PRIORITY AREAS AND YOU LIST, YOU LIST LIKE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT PREVENTATIVE HEALTH THAT I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, I'M ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT HEALTHY EATING EXERCISE.

I TRY TO WALK EVERY ABOUT SIX TIMES A WEEK.

AND IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE SOUTH SIDE, I DON'T GO WALKING BECAUSE OF ALL THE STRAY DOGS.

AND SO I GET IN MY CAR AND DRIVE TO THE PARK.

IT HAS LESS STRAY DOGS.

AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SAFE COMMUNITIES AND VIOLENCE, WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

AND SO ON THE LIST OF RHPS.

I'D ALSO HOPE THAT YOU ALSO REACH OUT.

[02:45:02]

FOR EXAMPLE, I GAVE SOME FUNDING TO GOD'S DOGS TO HELP WITH THAT.

AND THEN, TANYA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE AN ANSWER TO THIS, BUT I KNOW MY STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT AND ANIMAL CONTROL, AND I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. WE'RE BUILDING ANOTHER LARGER ANIMAL CONTROL TO HELP.

WE ALREADY HAVE ONE IN PRECINCT FOUR, BUT NOW WE'RE BRINGING BUILDING ONE OFF OF CAMDEN ON THE SOUTHWEST PART.

SO THAT'S GOING TO HELP TO ALLEVIATE SOME THINGS.

AND WE CAN PARTNER WITH SOME OF THE SMALLER TOWNS LIKE VON AMI.

BUT I KNOW THERE'S SOME REQUESTS IN THE BUDGET LIKE FOR A TRANSPORT VEHICLE BECAUSE APPARENTLY IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY THEY HAVE LESS DOGS.

LIKE DO WE KNOW HOW WE'RE DOING IN THAT AREA OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON? YEAH, WE HAD WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL REQUEST TO INCREASE STAFF FOR ANIMAL CONTROL.

YES, AND A TRANSPORT VEHICLE.

FOR ANIMAL CONTROL SPECIALISTS.

AND THEN A VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT? YES. THAT'S BEING FUNDED AS WELL? YES. OKAY.

OKAY. SO I HOPE THAT WITH THIS $31 MILLION THAT WE'RE PUTTING ON PREVENTATIVE HEALTH, WE CAN START TO SEE SOME DECREASES IN THESE STATS AND NUMBERS AND GET SOME REAL HARD CORE EVIDENCE OF NUMBERS OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING SO THAT WE CAN HELP TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, NAMELY IN PRECINCT ONE, BUT WILL AFFECT BEXAR COUNTY OVERALL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

DR. GUAJARDO, THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.

I KNOW WE HAD A DISCUSSION, I THINK, LAST WEEK.

UM, AND COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES IS RIGHT.

I MEAN, IT'S DEPRESSING WHEN YOU SEE THE WORK AHEAD OF US.

AND IT'S EVEN MORE DEPRESSING WHEN YOU CONSIDER THIS IS JUST THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.

SO A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT WE REPRESENT, UM, AND I THINK OF MY PRECINCT WHICH IS LARGELY OVERLAPPING WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE NUMBERS ARE PROBABLY EVEN THERE'S MORE OF AN UPHILL BATTLE, RIGHT? WITH RESPECT TO THE POPULATION AND HISTORICALLY THE DISPARITIES IN, IN PUBLIC HEALTH RESOURCES.

SO I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION RELATED TO THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS THE DIRECTION WE GAVE, RIGHT? PRIORITIZE UNINCORPORATED AND SUBURBAN CITIES, BUT TO WHAT DEGREE ARE YOU COLLABORATING WITH THE CITY AND METRO HEALTH IN MAKING SURE THAT COMMUNITIES AS A WHOLE ARE BEING ADDRESSED RIGHT? I KNOW YOU CAN'T WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT THE CITY DOES, BUT I WOULD HOPE YOU'RE HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW THE RESOURCES CAN BE LEVERAGED TO MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PRIORITIES THAT I HAD WHEN I CAME ON, WAS TO MEET WITH DR.

CLAUDE JACOBS, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF METRO HEALTH, AND CAROL HUBER, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND SHE AND HE AND I HAVE MET SEVERAL TIMES, WE'VE STARTED SOME WORK ON PUTTING TOGETHER AN INVENTORY, BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS DUPLICATE SERVICES TO YOUR POINT, DON'T WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BUILD THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT AT BEXAR COUNTY, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE IMPACT BASED ON THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR THOSE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IS TO LOOK AT, OKAY, ARE WE WORKING UPSTREAM, YOU'RE WORKING DOWNSTREAM, SOME OF US ARE WORKING A LITTLE BOTH LIKE LIKE UHS AND METRO HEALTH, WHICH DOES DO DIRECT SERVICES, BUT THEY ALSO DO A LOT IN PREVENTION.

SO REALLY THAT'S GOING TO TAKE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WHICH WE'VE ALL COMMITTED TO.

WE ESPECIALLY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEIR DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

THEIR CHIEF MENTAL HEALTH OFFICER, JESSIE HIGGINS, WORKS WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AROUND ALL OF THE ISSUES RELATED THERE.

AND WE SERVE ON SEVERAL TASK FORCE TOGETHER.

SO YES, TO YOUR QUESTION, THE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING.

THEY WILL BE ONGOING, BUT IT'LL JUST BE A DIALOG THAT HAS TO CONTINUE.

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S REALLY JUST THE ONLY COMMITMENT WE CAN ASK, RIGHT, IS THAT WE CONTINUE THAT.

AND I WILL SAY THEY HAVE LIKE METRO HEALTH HAS THEIR SA FORWARD PLAN.

THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WORKING ON A THIRD YEAR OF A FIVE YEAR ACCREDITATION.

THE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AT UHS IS WORKING ON A DATA ASSESSMENT LIKE THIS.

BUT FOR THE GEOGRAPHY SOUTH OF 90 AND THEY'RE COMMITTED TO SHARING THAT DATA WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT IT CAN INFORM WHATEVER ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE DOING WHEN IT'S READY.

SO YEAH, THERE'S THERE'S LOTS OF OPEN COMMUNICATION THERE.

OKAY. WELL, AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT ANY MORE PRESSURE ON YOU, DR.

GUAJARDO, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE BUILDING OUT A GOOD TEAM AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN RELY ON GOOD PARTNERS WHEN IT COMES TO THE RESPONSES TO THIS RFP.

YOU KNOW, THIS COURT HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT AND I WOULD SAY HISTORIC INVESTMENT OUT OF ARPA DOLLARS IN PUBLIC HEALTH IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE HISTORIC INEQUITIES AND WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT TOGETHER.

I GET IT, IT'S NOT IT'S NOT JUST ON YOU, BUT IT'S SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES.

AND I KNOW THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL WHEN OR IF THE NEXT PANDEMIC HITS.

BUT I THINK PART OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT COMING OUT OF COVID IN THAT PANDEMIC WAS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITIES MORE RESILIENT?

[02:50:03]

AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS.

I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNERS.

BUT BUT AGAIN, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSCORED THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC OCCURRED.

AND AS WE AS WE CAME OUT OF THAT AND WE DELIBERATED AS A COURT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE PUT THESE RESOURCES TO WORK? THE SINGLE BIGGEST FACTOR THAT WE CAME UP WITH IN TERMS OF BUILDING OUT A MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITY WAS INVESTING IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTATIVE RESOURCES AND MENTAL HEALTH. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR COMMUNITY IS COUNTING ON MAKING SURE WE FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON IT.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. COMMISSIONER MOODY.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. I WAS TRYING TO.

I KNOW YOU SAID SOME NUMBERS THERE.

COULD YOU GO BACK AND GIVE ME THE BREAKDOWN OF THE 31 MILLION AND HOW THAT'S SPREAD ACROSS AND ALSO THE PREVENTATIVE HEALTH VERSUS PUBLIC HEALTH VERSUS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, HOW THAT ALL FITS TOGETHER? SURE. IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF NOMENCLATURE.

I THINK JUST KIND OF THE WAY YOU SAY, SO WHEN THE DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED, THEY NAMED IT THE DEPARTMENT OF PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT CUMBERSOME AND NOT SOMETHING THAT IS SUPER CLEAR.

SO BASED ON GUIDANCE FROM COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND FROM JUDGE SAKAI, WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO REFER TO IT AS THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, BECAUSE IT'S CLEAR WHAT THAT IS. AND WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT ARE THE FOUR SMALLER DEPARTMENTS PREVENTATIVE HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, AGRILIFE AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

THOSE ARE THE FOUR SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS WHO EACH HAVE THEIR OWN ORG CHART.

AND THEN MY MY PERSONAL OVERSIGHT FOR ALL FOUR OF THOSE AS THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND SO THE BREAKDOWN FOR THE FUNDING WOULD BE THE 10 MILLION THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR PROGRAMING RELATED TO PREVENTATIVE HEALTH, WHICH IS A LOT OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT HERE. AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL 21 MILLION WHICH WAS ALLOCATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WHEN IT WAS AT OCJ AND NOW NOW THAT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HAS MIGRATED UNDER MY OVERSIGHT, THE FUNDING MIGRATED WITH IT.

OKAY. AND SO DO YOU STILL SEE THE SAME ALLOCATION FROM THESE RFPS INTO TEN AND 21, OR IS IT GOING TO BE A BROADER, YOU KNOW, SPREAD LOAD ACROSS ALL THESE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES? JUST WILL THERE BE MULTIPLE RFPS WITH A CERTAIN FUNDING AMOUNT TIED TO EACH ONE OR..

I ANTICIPATE ONE RFP WITH TWO MAJOR CATEGORIES PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

I WOULD ARGUE THAT YOU COULD INTERMINGLE BOTH OF THEM, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE A FOCUS ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME PRIORITIES RELATED TO SUBSTANCE USE AND FORENSIC BEDS. AND SO SOME OTHER THINGS.

SO SORRY, WHAT I MIGHT SUGGEST IS LET'S SEE WHAT WE GET.

IF YOU GET A COMPELLING LIST OF 15 MILLION FOR PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY, LET'S LOOK AT THAT SPLIT AGAIN.

OKAY? ALL OF THESE RESPONSES WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU FOR APPROVAL.

OKAY. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS AND THIS IS JUST SOMETHING I NEED TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE AND GET SMARTER ON, BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HOW YOU INTERACT WITH US AND WITH METRO HEALTH AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE SYNERGIES ARE THERE.

AND OBVIOUSLY, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CITY HAS MADE INVESTMENTS THERE AS WELL.

CAN YOU MAYBE HELP ME WITH WITH THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THOSE BODIES? SURE. AS I MENTIONED, THE DIRECTOR OF METRO HEALTH IS DR.

CLAUDE JACOB. THE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AT HHS IS DR.

CAROL HUBER. WE'VE ALL BEEN MEETING TOGETHER SINCE I CAME ON BOARD ALMOST SINCE THE FIRST MONTH, AND WE'VE HAD ONGOING DIALOGS ABOUT WHAT THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN LOOKS LIKE, FUNDS AVAILABLE TO THEM, WHAT HAS WHAT THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN IS, IN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT THEY'RE DOING FOR FOR THE UNINCORPORATED AREA SOUTH OF 90 AND THEN WHAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN HOPES TO BE AND HOW WE'RE GUIDING THESE THESE ARPA DOLLARS SO THAT WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES, WE CAN LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS AGAINST EACH OTHER. BUT ALSO BEING VERY COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DUPLICATE SERVICES.

SO BY DOING THE EXERCISE WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THAT IS GOING OVER AN INVENTORY LIKE WHAT PROGRAMS ARE YOU WORKING ON? WHAT WHAT INITIATIVES ARE YOU SPEARHEADING? HOW DO THEY ALIGN WITH WHAT THEIR COUNTY IS DOING? HOW DO THEY ALIGN WITH US? HOW CAN WE PARTNER ON THINGS WHETHER FORMALLY OR INFORMALLY? OKAY. IT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE COMMUNICATING AND LINES OF COMMUNICATION ARE OPEN.

I DO THINK WE SHOULD STILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE WHETHER THERE'S ANY KIND OF REDUNDANCIES BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT GROUPS, HOW WE CAN BETTER PARTNER,

[02:55:04]

BUT I DO WANT TO JUST POINT OUT THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE AND WHAT OUR STRATEGY IS IN THIS SPACE ONCE WE GET THOSE RFP APPLICANTS.

BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, A PEANUT BUTTER SPREAD OF MONEY JUST SPREADING THE MONEY AROUND BETWEEN NONPROFITS IS NOT GOING TO BE THE BEST STRATEGY FOR THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE REALLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHO'S BEST CAPABLE TO PROVIDE A SERVICE AND THEN MAYBE THAT.

THAT'S THE PLACE WHERE WE NEED TO INVEST HEAVILY.

AND THERE MAY BE OTHER NON-PROFITS THAT JUST AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN THE PROGRAM.

LAST THING I JUST WANT TO MENTION IS I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S YOUR CURRENT OVERALL ACCOUNTING BUDGET FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE GENERAL FUND? OH, GOSH, I'M LOOKING AT THE COUNTY MANAGER.

WE'RE LOOKING AT IT OUT.

SHE INHERITED MOST OF IT.

THE PREVENTATIVE HEALTH SIDE WAS PRE FUNDED WITH THE 10 MILLION FROM ARPA DOLLARS.

BUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, THEY'RE NOT ALL JUST GENERAL FUND EITHER, BUT.

SO THE OVERALL BUDGET TO INCLUDE ALL THE DIVISIONS IS ABOUT $8.9 MILLION.

THAT'S JUST THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING TODAY THAT'S IN ARPA FOR THAT FUND AS WELL FOR THAT DEPARTMENT.

OKAY. SO EIGHT AND NINE IN THE BUDGET AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 31 MILLION FROM ARPA.

CORRECT. OKAY.

AND I ASSUME THE 31 MILLION THE TENTATIVE PLAN WOULD BE YOU SPREAD THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE THE 2626 CUT OFF.

SO THE 8 TO 9 MILLION THAT WOULD COVER GO BACK TO THE SLIDE WHERE I SAID IF WE DON'T SPEND ANY OTHER ARPA DOLLARS ON THESE PROGRAM AREAS, THAT'S THE GENERAL FUND FUNDING THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING EXPENDED IN SUPPORT OF THOSE PROGRAM AREAS.

SO THINGS LIKE ANIMAL CONTROL AND AIR QUALITY AND THOSE TYPE IN AGRILIFE EXISTING GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.

OKAY. AND AND THIS IS A SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT, BUT I DO THINK IT'S A POTENTIAL STRATEGY AS WE LOOK DOWN THE ROAD AND WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ARPA CLIFF RIGHT AT THE END OF 26, ALL THESE FUNDS HAVE TO BE EXPENDED.

BUT YOU KNOW, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL ABILITY TO HOLD BACK AND RESERVE SOME GENERAL FUNDS AND BASICALLY LEAVE THESE ARPA DOLLARS, USE THEM TODAY TO FUND PUBLIC HEALTH AND PROVIDE FOR THOSE RESOURCES, BUT THEN MAKE THAT CLIFF LESS PAINFUL BY RESERVING SOME OF OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS FOR FUTURE YEARS.

SO I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT, BUT IT MAY BE SOMETHING AS WE GO FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS, WE SHOULD TAKE A TAKE A LOOK AT.

THAT'S THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HAVE HAD TALKS WITH THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AT UT, UTSA COLLEGE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND POLICY AND SOME OTHER UNIVERSITIES.

UIW HAS A HAS A COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS WELL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING FROM A HEALTH POLICY STANDPOINT WHICH PROGRAMS HAVE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT, WHICH ONES HAVE POSITIVE ECONOMIC INDICATORS, WHERE THEY ARE SAVING TAXPAYER DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BEING SPENT ON ACUTE CARE DOWNSTREAM, WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO THE HOSPITAL. BUT WE'RE INVESTING IN PREVENTION AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

AND SO IF WE'RE ABLE TO PROVE OUT SOME OF THOSE POSITIVE ECONOMIC INDICATORS, IT COULD BE A GOOD GUIDEPOST FOR WHAT WE WOULD RESERVE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS FOR WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA, WHAT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO REINVEST IN TERMS OF PUBLIC HEALTH? YEAH. AND OBVIOUSLY THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT AS WELL, AND HOW THOSE DOLLARS PLAY INTO FUNDING IN THE SPACE.

BUT APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT THAT OUR PARTNERS HAVE STRATEGIC PLANS, BUT THROUGH THESE STRATEGIC PLANS OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVEN'T SEEN SUBSTANTIVE, SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE.

AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THE PANDEMIC AND WHY THIS PRESENTATION YOU GAVE US SHOWS SUCH RIDICULOUSLY HIGH RATES OF HEALTH AND JUSTICE IN PRECINCT ONE.

AND THAT'S WHY WE AS A COURT PUT SO MUCH MONEY FROM ARPA INTO CREATING OUR OWN PREVENTATIVE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE WOULD NO LONGER BE OVERLOOKED.

[03:00:01]

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, SEEING THE STATS AND REALLY HAVING SOME IMPACTFUL CHANGE.

YOU TALKED ABOUT HAVING TWO SEPARATE RFPS, SO ONE WITH THE PREVENTATIVE HEALTH MEASURES.

I'D LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT WITH WITH YOUR STAFF, HOPEFULLY TO PUT THE MAJORITY OF THAT IN MENTAL HEALTH BEDS.

SO IF WE CAN DIRECT STAFF TO WORK ON THAT RFP FOR THAT, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO RELEASE ONE RFP THAT IS COMBINING THE 10 MILLION AND THE 21 MILLION INTO ONE RFP BECAUSE THERE COULD BE A LOT OF OVERLAP, TOO.

I THOUGHT YOU JUST SAID THERE'S GOING TO BE TWO SEPARATE ONES.

NO, THERE'S JUST TWO SEPARATE ALLOCATIONS OF MONEY.

TO MISTER SMITH'S POINT, IF WE IF WE WERE TO GET $15 MILLION.

YEAH, NO, YOU GUYS CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.

BUT TWO, THE TWO BASIC BUCKETS, HOWEVER YOU'RE DIVIDING IT FOR PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND FOR MENTAL HEALTH BEDS IS WHAT I'M REQUESTING.

THANK YOU, MR. CALVERT.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK.

THIS IS A KIND OF DATA MASH UP, IF YOU WILL, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, THAT WE'VE NEEDED A LONG TIME AT THE COUNTY.

SO I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS PRESENTATION, BUT THIS IS, FOR ME, A REAL RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD IN TERMS OF WHAT DRAINS COUNTY RESOURCES AND KEEPS US KIND OF STAGNATED AS A COMMUNITY AND WHAT KEEPS US FROM BEING WHERE WE SHOULD BE.

THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT KEEP US FROM WHERE WE SHOULD BE.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE FOR THE FOR THE FOR THE BRILLIANCE AND PUTTING ALL THIS TOGETHER, I HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE TEAM.

BRANDON FLORES, WHO'S A PHD CANDIDATE, UTSA IN DEMOGRAPHY.

VERONICA FLORES, WHO'S OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER, PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS PRESENTATION..

CLEARLY. SO ONE OF THE MAPS I'D LIKE TO GET IN RELATION TO STRAY ANIMALS, I WOULD LIKE OUR GIS MAPPING SYSTEM TO WORK WITH MY STAFF TO SHARE WITH EVERY MEMBER OF THE COURT A OVERLAY OF WHERE THE CALLS FOR STRAY ANIMALS AND DANGEROUS ANIMALS HAVE COME FROM.

IF YOU CAN DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THOSE TWO MAULING AND A AND JUST STRAY.

BUT IF WE COULD HAVE THAT OVERLAID WITH BOTH THE CITY AND COUNTY CALLS.

SO BECAUSE THIS IS THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS IT COULD BE PARKED IN ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FOR A MINUTE.

BUT YOU HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE DOD VETERINARY CLINIC, ALL THE VETERINARY CLINICS AROUND THE COUNTY COULD IN PARTICULARLY IN OUR FAR REACHING UNINCORPORATED AREAS, THEY COULD BE GIVEN FUNDS TO HELP US WITH CLINICS FOR STRAYS IN AND NEUTERING AND SPAYING IN THESE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE PARTICULARLY HIGH CALLS. BUT ANIMALS, AS YOU KNOW, VENTURE, THEY DON'T SEE THE BORDERS, SO THEY'RE GOING TO VENTURE WHEREVER.

BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT GETTING OUR VETERINARY VETS INVOLVED IN SOME OF THAT STRAY ANIMAL CONVERSATION AND AND FIGURING OUT IF THEY HAVE CREATIVE PROPOSALS.

TO THAT END, I THINK YOUR LIST OF OUTREACH SHOULD INCLUDE OUR VETS FOR THE GRANTS.

THAT WAS I THINK THAT WAS IT.

THAT WAS THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS ON THAT OBSERVATION.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. DR.

GUAJARDO GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD AFTERNOON. I HAVE NO QUESTIONS FOR YOU AT THIS TIME.

WOW. BUT I WILL.

I KNOW YOU WILL.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

I THINK WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.

GET TO WORK. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. WELCOME.

AT THIS TIME, THE COURT WILL NOW CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[EXECUTIVE SESSION (DISCUSSION ONLY: CLOSED TO PUBLIC)]

EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD FOR CONSULTATION WITH THE COURT'S ATTORNEY FOR ADVICE REGARDING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS A DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION RELATED TO PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION OR SETTLEMENT OFFERS IN THE MATTERS OF ONE RENTERIA VERSUS BEXAR COUNTY, RODRIGUEZ VERSUS BEXAR COUNTY AND YBARRA VERSUS BEXAR COUNTY.

AT THIS TIME, THE COURT WILL TIME IS 1206 AND GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE'RE READY TO GO. ALL RIGHT.

AT THIS TIME, THE COURT MET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND TOOK NO ACTION.

ALL RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND. WE WILL NOW.

WE HAVE FINISHED ALL BUSINESS AND WE'LL MOVE TO A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.

BUT POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, IF I MAY, MY COLLEAGUES, I WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLY NOTE THAT A PERSON WHO HAS DONE MUCH PUBLIC SERVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR BEXAR COUNTY, HAS PASSED AWAY.

[03:05:04]

AND I THINK YOU WILL HOPEFULLY RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S BEEN NO NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE PASSING OF THIS INDIVIDUAL.

AND SO I ASK THAT YOU ALL PLEASE RESPECT THE FAMILY, ALTHOUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFICIALS HAVE PUT IT THROUGHOUT.

SO AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE JUDGE ROBERTO TEJEDA, FORMER JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, A PRECINCT ONE FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER OF PRECINCT ONE, AND A LONG TIME PUBLIC SERVANT AND A DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT.

AND HE WAS A FRIEND AND MENTOR TO ME.

AND HE WAS A SPOUSE TO LYNN TEJEDA AND A FATHER TO ALL HIS CHILDREN AND PART OF THE SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITY.

SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON RECORD AND JUST ASK THAT WE PUT HIS FAMILY INTO PRAYER AT THIS TIME.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

YEAH, I TOO JUST WANT TO ADJOURN IN BOBBY TEJEDA'S MEMORY, AS MY FORMER MY FORMER COMMISSIONER, AS A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT ONE AND MY FORMER JP, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE WAS A POLITICAL ALLY AND HE WILL HE'LL BE MISSED.

MR. RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I CERTAINLY JOIN IN THE PRAYERS.

THOUGHTS FOR TEJEDA FAMILY.

I ALSO HAVE PRECINCT TWO RESIDENTS WHO PASSED, AND I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN IN THEIR NAME AS WELL.

EDNA PAULINE DUNN, ILA MAE HUTZLER AND SANTOS M AGUILAR.

COMMISSIONER MOODY. COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

I JOIN THE COURT IN ACKNOWLEDGING ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, FORMER MEMBERS, COMMISSIONER TEJEDA, WHO ALSO WAS A SUPPORTER.

JUDGE TEJEDA AND HIS FAMILY, THEY'RE IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HONORABLE CARMELINE SQUIRES, THE FIRST FEMALE MAYOR OF UNIVERSAL CITY AND A FORMER CHAIR OF THE ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.

SOPHIA MUCCIO.

SOPHIA IS A 17 YEAR OLD STEPDAUGHTER OF BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICER PATROL OFFICER DAVID LUNA.

CATHY LITTLE PASSIONE.

BUD LITTLE, MANY MAY REMEMBER FROM WOAI AND FAY LITTLE'S DAUGHTER, CHARLES FRANKIE, SANDRA STOLHANSKE, JOSEPH TERRELL, ILA HUTZLER AND JAMES VELTRI.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION TO ADJOURN.

HEARING NONE. MEETING ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT.

WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.