5. Request of Commissioners Court to identity items from the Consent Agenda for additional discussion and to approve remaining Consent Agenda items.

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

REQUEST THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO IDENTIFY ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION, AND TO APPROVE REMAINING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

COMMISSIONER MOODY, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM 1856.

HOLD ON. 18.

56. AND 74.

ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THEN, LET'S TAKE UP.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA?

[CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]

MOVE TO APPROVE. REMAINING CONSENT AGENDA SECOND.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? PLEASE NOTE MY ABSTENTION ON ITEM 46.

[00:20:03]

AGENDA ITEM 46.

THE JUDGE ABSTAINS.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL NOW TAKE UP THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS.

[18. Authorizing the approval to amend the award with Thompson Business Forms, Inc. (ESBE, SBE) to provide for printing and mailing of the Employee and Retiree Benefit Guides, for an additional amount of $3,460 for an amended total annual amount of $28,930 as requested by the Bexar County Human Resource Department; and authorizing the Purchasing Agent to execute contract renewals in accordance with the terms of the original contract if provided for in each fiscal year appropriated budget; and authorizing the Purchasing Agent to execute and file appropriate award documents for record.]

NUMBER 18.

AUTHORIZING APPROVAL TO AMEND THE AWARD WITH THOMPSON BUSINESS FORMS, INC TO PROVIDE FOR PRINTING AND MAILING OF THE EMPLOYEE AND RETIREMENT BENEFIT GUIDES FOR AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF $3,460 FOR AN AMENDED TOTAL ANNUAL AMOUNT OF 28,930, AS REQUESTED BY THE BURKE COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT, AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE CONTRACT RENEWALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT, IF PROVIDED FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR APPROPRIATED BUDGET, AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE AND FILE APPROPRIATE AWARD DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD.

MR. MOODY, DID YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT? THANK YOU. JUDGE.

MY QUESTIONS HERE ARE REALLY AROUND THE CONTRACT AND JUST UNDERSTANDING WHETHER, YOU KNOW, IN 2023 WHETHER IT'S NECESSARY THAT WE, YOU KNOW, MAIL OUT HARD COPIES ON ALL THESE DOCUMENTS OR WHETHER THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO OPT IN IF THEY REALLY WANT A COPY OF IT, BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ABOUT $30,000 PER YEAR FOR THE MAILING.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, YES. YES, SIR.

YES. SO THE REASON WHY WE PRINT THEM OUT, THERE'S A COUPLE REASONS.

ONE IS OFTENTIMES THE SPOUSE IS KIND OF THE ONE THAT KIND OF MAKES THE DECISIONS ABOUT THE HEALTH INSURANCE.

AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION GETS HOME.

SO WE WE SEND IT.

WE SEND EVERYBODY AND BENEFIT GUIDE IN THE MAIL.

AND THEY WE'VE WE'VE TRIED NOT TO PRINT THEM OUT BEFORE, BUT THE LAST TIME WE DID THAT WE HAD KIND OF A REBELLION FROM THE EMPLOYEES. THEY REALLY LIKE TO HAVE IT IN THEIR HAND.

IT'S IT'S AN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS OR A COMPLICATED TOPIC.

AND SO THEY LIKE TO HAVE THE INFORMATION IN THEIR HAND.

THEY SIT DOWN WITH OUR ENROLLERS AND.

OH. I'M SORRY. OH, THEY SIT DOWN WITH THE ENROLLERS.

THEY GO OVER THE DOCUMENTS.

AND SO THEY THEY LIKE TO HAVE IT IN THEIR HAND.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE DO IT.

WELL, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GOING TO WANT TO HAVE THAT HARD COPY.

I'M JUST WONDERING IN THE FUTURE IF WE COULD THINK ABOUT AN OPT IN OR HAVE HARD COPIES AVAILABLE AT THE COURTHOUSE OR AT EVERY, YOU KNOW, LOCATION WITHIN THE COUNTY? IF FOLKS WANT TO PICK UP A COPY, THEY CAN.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD GUESS THAT THE VAST MAJORITY END UP IN THE TRASH.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS $30,000.

SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS WE GO FORWARD.

MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE THAT COST, AND MAYBE WE PRINT HALF THAT AMOUNT OR 25% OF THAT AMOUNT INSTEAD OF THE FULL AMOUNT.

BUT I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT UP TODAY.

THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 18? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER COWARD, DID YOU INDICATE AN ABSTENTION? SO NOTED. ALL RIGHT.

LET US THEN GO TO ITEM 56, APPROVAL OF CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH TYLER TECHNOLOGIES INC IN THE AMOUNT OF

[56. Approval of a contract amendment with Tyler Technologies, Inc. in the amount of $294,500 to support additional data conversion and data review activities associated with the Enterprise County Integrated Justice System (ECUS) project.]

$294,500 TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL DATA CONVERSION AND DATA REVIEW ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ENTERPRISE COUNTY INTEGRATED JUSTICE SYSTEM. ECI IGES PROJECT.

MR.. GAGER. HELLO.

AND MR. GAGER.

APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

I THINK I CAN PROBABLY GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.

WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE AND I'VE SEEN SOME EMAIL EXCHANGES.

I KNOW THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MASSIVE EFFORT TO GET EVERYONE ON NEW IT SYSTEMS WITHIN THE COURTS THAT THAT CAN TALK AND CAN REPORT FOR THIS COURT.

I THINK THE POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE ON THIS IS I'VE SEEN A LOT OF EMAIL EXCHANGES THAT I WANT TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT, KIND OF THE OVERSPECIALIZATION OF IT SOLUTIONS THAT ARE TAKING UP YOUR TIME THAT THAT ARE POTENTIALLY ADDING TO TO THESE CONTRACTS AND BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT'S, WHAT'S REALLY NECESSARY AND WHAT'S NOT.

I MEAN, I WOULD THINK THAT AN IT SOLUTION LIKE THIS THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN OUT THERE.

HOW LONG HAS HAS ODYSSEY BEEN OUT THERE IN THE MARKET? OH, I DON'T KNOW OVER TEN YEARS FOR SURE.

SO IT'S BEEN OUT THERE.

LOTS OF ENTITIES ARE USING IT.

I WOULD THINK THAT THEY HAVE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.

SO I WANT TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT NOT HAVING TO OVER INVEST IN ADDITIONAL SPECIALIZED SOLUTIONS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL COURT

[00:25:01]

OR MANAGER, ASSIGNED COUNSEL, PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND ALL OF THAT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY INITIAL FEEDBACK OR THOUGHTS ON THAT, BUT YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD REMINDER TO THE THE WHEN THIS ITEM WAS APPROVED PREVIOUSLY, THE INTENT WAS TO REPLACE THE MAINFRAME, SELECT A SYSTEM THAT COULD BE USED ENTERPRISE WIDE THAT MAY NOT BE BEST OF BREED FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL OFFICE AND DEPARTMENT, BUT COLLECTIVELY FOR THE COUNTY WAS THE BEST.

FROM AN INTEGRATED STANDPOINT.

WE GATHERED REQUIREMENTS, SO IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TO KEEP IT WITHIN SCOPE BECAUSE EVERYBODY DOES WANT THERE TO WORK THE WAY THAT IT WORKS TODAY.

THE INTENT WAS ALWAYS TO LEVERAGE THE NATIVE FUNCTIONALITY IN THE SYSTEM IS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

YES, WE WORK REALLY HARD TO KEEP THAT IN SCOPE.

SO YEAH, IT'S A GOOD REMINDER.

FOR ME PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'S THIS ITEM TODAY ISN'T ISN'T A SCOPE INCREASE ITEM, BUT IT DOES TAKE TIME WHENEVER THERE'S DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE WITHOUT CONSULTING IT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CREATE NEW REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OR NEW CONFIGURATION REQUIREMENTS.

SO THAT'S OUR MESSAGE TO THE OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS RECEIVED WELL BECAUSE FOLKS DO WANT IT THEIR WAY.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO DO FROM A SCOPE CONTROL STANDPOINT.

NO I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THAT MAKES SENSE. AND THIS MESSAGE ISN'T SPECIFICALLY FOR FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR FOR ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES, YOU KNOW, AND IF THERE IS REQUESTS FOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO INCREASE OUR COSTS, THEN I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF THRESHOLD WHERE THAT NEEDS TO COME BACK AND GET GUIDANCE FROM THIS COURT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A THRESHOLD KIND OF IN PLACE TODAY OR WHERE YOU WOULD THINK THAT YOU NEED TO BRING SOMETHING BACK.

BUT IF YOU ARE GETTING THAT PUSHBACK AND WE NEED TO WEIGH IN, PLEASE LET US KNOW, OKAY.

YEAH, WE'LL DO OKAY.

I'LL MOVE. APPROVAL. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MOODY, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THANK YOU. HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT. WE WILL THEN GO TO, I BELIEVE, THE LAST ITEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.

[74. Approval of a resolution allocating Bexar County's 645 votes to Rebecca Ruiz to serve on the Bexar County Appraisal District Board of Directors for the 2024 term.]

ITEM 74, APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION ALLOCATING BURKE COUNTY 645 VOTES TO REBECA REESE TO SERVE ON THE BURKE COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE 2024 TERM.

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS AS COUNTY JUDGE.

I BELIEVE Y'ALL WERE GIVEN.

I WAS GIVEN A LETTER THAT IS NOW BEING PASSED OUT.

I WILL PUT ON THE RECORD THAT WAS ELECTRONICALLY FORWARDED TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AS SOON AS THAT WAS RECEIVED.

I'VE GOT SOME SOME COMMENTS THAT WE DIDN'T THE OFFICERS DIDN'T GET IT.

SO I WANT TO PUT ON RECORD THAT YOU ALL HAVE NOW RECEIVED THE A LETTER FROM BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT.

THE LEGISLATURE NOW HAS CREATED AN ELECTED BEXAR APPRAISAL BOARD, AND SO NO LONGER WILL THE COMMISSIONERS COURT OR THE CITY OR INDIVIDUALS APPOINT PEOPLE TO THE BOARD.

THEY WILL NOW BE ALL ELECTED.

THE CURRENT BALLOT HAS SIX NAMES.

WE WILL HAVE TO SELECT FIVE, OR THERE WILL BE A BOARD OF FIVE WITH THREE ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBERS TO BE VOTED AT LARGE.

YET THERE'S STILL A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR AS TO WHERE WHAT ELECTION THAT WILL BE ON.

BUT THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT WILL NOW BE AN ELECTED BOARD.

SO AT THIS TIME, WHAT IS BEING ASKED UPON, ACCORDING TO STATUTE, IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION ON FILE TO SUBMIT TO BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT AS TO THE ALLOCATION OF OUR VOTES.

THE VOTES ARE ACCORDING TO THE PRO RATA SHARE OF THE TAX REVENUE AND COLLECTION THAT ARE MADE.

FOR THE RECORD, WE'RE FIFTH AMONG ALL THE TAX ENTITIES.

I BELIEVE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SYSTEM, NORTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT AND NORTH SIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE HAVE A HIGHER PROPORTION OF VOTES FOR THIS.

SO TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, THE COURT IS FREE TO APPOINT AND VOTE FOR WHOEVER THEY WANT.

I HAD SUGGESTED THAT.

EXCUSE ME THAT WE GO AHEAD AND PUT OUR VOTES.

I HAVE. EXCUSE ME.

ASKED THAT REBECA RICE FROM THE HARLANDALE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BE GET THE VOTES.

THIS DOES NOT APPOINT HER OR GIVE HER A POSITION.

THIS JUST PUTS THE VOTES OF BEXAR COUNTY BEHIND HER.

AND THE PRIMARY PURPOSE FOR THAT WAS FOR GEOGRAPHICAL DIVERSITY.

I DON'T SEE ANYBODY FROM THE SOUTH SIDE ON THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT, AND I'M FAMILIAR WITH REBECCA RICE SITTING ON THE HARLANDALE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I'M ASKING THE COURT FOR APPROVAL FOR A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THE BEXAR COUNTY VOTES.

BUT HOWEVER, I WILL YIELD TO WHATEVER THE MAJORITY OF THE COURT WISH TO DO.

[00:30:03]

I'D LIKE TO MOVE FOR APPROVAL FOR REBECCA RUIZ TO RECEIVE THE VOTES FOR BEXAR COUNTY.

AND SECONDLY, SHE'S ALSO A REALTOR.

SO OBVIOUSLY SHE KNOWS ABOUT THE APPRAISALS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION AND JUDGE.

I'LL SECOND THAT, BUT I DO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION.

OKAY. WELL, LET ME PUT ON RECORD.

IT'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ? THANK YOU, JUDGE.

AND, LARRY, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP WITH THIS BECAUSE I WAS NOT CLEAR ON THE REFORM.

THE LEGISLATURE MADE THIS, I GUESS THIS SESSION, JUDGE, THAT YOU THAT YOU MADE REFERENCE TO.

SO THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE REPRESENTATION FROM THE TAXING ENTITIES.

AND THEN JUDGE, YOU MENTIONED THERE'S GOING TO BE, I GUESS AT LARGE MEMBERS AS WELL.

SO IS IT THE I GUESS THE TOP FIVE VOTE GETTERS, SO TO SPEAK, FROM THE ENTITIES THAT ARE PART OF THE BOARD? LARRY, DO YOU DO YOU KNOW? SO, COMMISSIONER, I'M NOT EXACTLY CLEAR ON THAT LEGISLATION.

I DO NEED TO LOOK INTO IT FOR THIS YEAR.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS WOULD BE A ONE YEAR APPOINTMENT UNTIL THAT NEW LEGISLATION BECOMES EFFECTIVE.

AND I DID SOME QUICK RESEARCH.

I COULD NOT REALLY I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE NEW LEGISLATION.

YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO AND I KNOW IT'S YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE ALWAYS MAKES IT CLEAR AS MUD.

SO I GET IT.

UM, WHAT I WANTED TO ENSURE IS WHEN I LOOK AT THE BREAKDOWN HERE AND JUDGE, YOU REFERRED TO THE THE LARGEST TAXING ENTITIES, THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE THAT THEY WOULD EACH HAVE REPRESENTATION.

AND I KNOW THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ALSO HAS A PERSON ON THIS.

THE BALLOT, I WOULD ASSUME THEY'RE THE CITY IS GIVING ALL OF THEIR VOTES TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.

BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE REST OF THE OF THE BREAKDOWN.

ALBERT, DO YOU DO YOU WANT TO DO YOU WANT TO CAN YOU COME UP TO THE.

ALSO MAYBE MELISSA SHANNON IS HERE COULD HELP US ON THE LEGISLATION.

I DON'T KNOW IF MELISSA SHE CAN COME TO THE COURT.

GO AHEAD. SO FOR THE RECORD, THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR'S OFFICE DOES NOT SET PROPERTY VALUES.

THAT'S SOMEBODY'S APPRAISAL DISTRICT ANYWAY.

SO THE WAY IT'S GOING TO WORK NOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE FIVE MEMBERS THAT ARE VOTED BY THE DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT ENTITIES WITH THE MOST VOTES, WHICH THE COUNTY ALWAYS GETS AN APPOINTEE.

OKAY. IN THE PAST, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, BUT THIS TIME, IF IT GOES THROUGH, IT'LL BE MISTER RUIZ.

THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR WILL NOW BE A VOTING MEMBER OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.

SO THAT'LL BE SIX. AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE MORE THAT ARE GOING TO RUN AT LARGE.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS GOING TO BE COUNTY WIDE.

AND SO I THINK THAT ELECTION IS GOING TO BE IN MARCH.

BUT I'M NOT CERTAIN ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN THAT'LL GIVE US NINE MEMBERS.

AND SO IT'LL BE MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNTIES BECAUSE THE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN GRANTING THAT TO THE CITIZENS.

OKAY. I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL, ALBERT.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE FROM ASSUMING THE TAXING ENTITIES, THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES GIVE THEIR FULL NUMBER OF VOTES TO THEIR PREFERRED CANDIDATE.

I MEAN, I WOULD IT WOULD LOOK LIKE NORTHEAST, NORTH SIDE, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

AND I GUESS REALLY THE NUMBER, I GUESS, THE PERSON THAT WOULD RECEIVE OUR VOTES BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE HIGHEST NUMBER AFTER THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT THERE'S REPRESENTATION FROM, AS THE JUDGE MENTIONED, AT LEAST ONE PERSON FROM THE SOUTH SIDE, WHICH I THINK IS THE INTENT OF COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES MOTION.

SO, OKAY, I JUST WANTED TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A CLARIFICATION.

I APPRECIATE IT, ALBERT. YEAH, THE HISTORY HAS BEEN THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS NORMALLY GET THREE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE BOARD, AND THEN THE CITY GETS ONE AND THE COUNTY GETS ONE, SO GETS ONE.

SO WITH THIS IT'S GOING TO BE MORE.

REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING.

AND ALBERT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT.

SO THAT PUT IT ON RECORD, I BELIEVE MR. FISHER FROM THE NORTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT.

MR. GANNON FROM NORTH SIDE AND DR.

ROCCO GARCIA ARE CURRENTLY ON THE BOARD.

I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT. YES, SIR.

SO. AND THEN THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE NEW, NEWLY ELECTED WOULD BE MISS DUSEK FROM THE CITY OF OLMOS PARK, MISS RICE FROM HARLANDALE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MR. SALAS FROM SOMERSET INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.

YES. AND BOTH, YOU KNOW, BOTH OF THEM, I MEAN, ALL OF THEM ARE GOOD CANDIDATES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK MR. RUIZ IS THE ONE THAT HAS EXPRESSED AN INTEREST.

SO I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND WE HAVE SIX NOM CANDIDATES AND FOR 4 OR 5 POSITIONS, COMMISSIONER MOODY.

[00:35:10]

THANK YOU. JUDGE.

I JUST WANTED TO PULL THIS FORWARD BECAUSE AND EXPRESS SOME THOUGHTS.

I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS PERSONALLY.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE LIMITED INFORMATION ABOUT ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUND.

BUT MISS DUSEK WITH THE CITY OF OLMOS PARK, IS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND HAS SIGNIFICANT PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING AT RACKSPACE.

THE WAY I VIEW THIS IS THAT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF ISD REPRESENTATION CURRENTLY ON THE BOARD.

WE ALSO DO HAVE SOUTH SIDE REPRESENTATION AND DOCTOR ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE REPRESENTATION FROM ONE OF OUR SUBURBAN CITIES, AND MS..

DUSEK IS THE ONLY CANDIDATE ON HERE WHO WOULD COME FROM A SUBURBAN CITY, WHICH IS WHY I WANTED TO BRING THIS FORWARD.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION TO PUT MISS DISICK'S NAME IN PLACE OF MISS RUIZ AS WE PUT FORWARD. ALL RIGHT, MR. CALVERT, GO AHEAD. I MEAN, I DON'T I THINK COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES, WHO MADE THE MOTION, WOULD HAVE TO YIELD TO THAT.

SO I'LL WAIT FOR COMMISSIONER.

HER THOUGHTS. SO.

NO, I MADE A MOTION.

I HAVE A SECOND. SO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT, PLEASE.

ALL RIGHT. BEFORE THE AMENDMENT IS DENIED.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT, YOUR COMMENTS.

THANK YOU. SO I AM STILL.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ IS RIGHT.

IT IS CLEAR AS MUD I CAN'T I'M VERY CONFUSED IN TERMS OF THIS LAW AND AND WHO'S ON THE BOARD AND THE REASON THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, THE THE WEBSITE OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT STILL HAS COMMISSIONER DEBERRY ON THE BOARD.

IS THAT IS SHE STILL SERVING? NO SHE'S NOT. AND DID YOU TAKE HER PLACE, COMMISSIONER MOODY ON THE BOARD? NO. OKAY, OKAY.

WELL, THIS THIS POSITION, THIS IS A REAFFIRMATION OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.

ACCORDING TO THE STATUTE.

MISS SHANNON, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH.

IS SHE IN THE ROOM? SO A COUPLE COUPLE THINGS REAL QUICK.

IN MY THOUGHT PROCESS, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL 22 TAXING ENTITIES ARE REPRESENTED ON THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD.

AND THEN THESE WOULD BE FIVE.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY RUNNING FOR A POSITION.

NO, NOT QUITE RIGHT. THIS THIS IS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT WILL AND I THINK THEIR FUNCTION IS TO OVERSEE AS A BOARD AND ALSO TO HAVE A SAY AS TO WHO IS THE CEO.

I BELIEVE THE LAST BOARD IS THE ONE THAT HAS NOW APPOINTED THE SUCCESSOR TO MR. AMÉZQUITA. OKAY.

I THINK IT WAS THE ASSISTANT CEO THAT IS NOW.

MELISSA, DO YOU HAVE ANY DETAILS ON THE STATUTE AND NOT NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD? NO, SIR. I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND AND LIKE LARRY, REVIEW IT.

SO JUDGE THIS THIS BALLOT IS JUST FOR THIS YEAR.

IT'S NOT IT DOESN'T THE STATUTE DOESN'T IMPACT THIS NOMINATION.

I BELIEVE IT'S JUST A ONE YEAR TERM.

AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK.

I THINK THE TERMS ARE FOUR YEARS AS I UNDERSTAND.

WELL, AGAIN, MISS SHANNON, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU REALLY DIVE INTO THIS SO THAT PERHAPS THIS IS GOING TO COME UP AGAIN AND PUT A ONE PAGER TOGETHER, VOTE AGAIN IN A YEAR'S TIME, AND I PRESUME THAT THE COUNTY WILL HAVE ITS OWN NOMINATION TO SUBMIT.

AND SO I'M NOW ALERTING THE COMMISSIONERS COURT THAT WE HAVE A NEW BARRIER APPRAISAL DISTRICT PROCESS THAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO GET CAUGHT UP IN.

SO, LARRY, I NEED YOU TO PERHAPS GET A BRIEFING, LEGAL BRIEFING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IT IN A LEGAL WAY.

AND, MISS SHANNON, HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DID.

I'LL TRY MY BEST. YEAH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO MY BIGGEST ISSUE FOR OUR NOMINEE.

IT MAY VERY WELL BE MS..

RUIZ, IS THAT THE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.

LIKE WHO IS REALLY DEALING WITH THEIR TAXES.

RIGHT. AND SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I CALLED THE THEN CHAIRWOMAN OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND I SAID, WELL, WHY DON'T WE CLARIFY FOR THE VOTERS OR THE CONSTITUENTS, RATHER, WHO IS REALLY IN CHARGE OF THIS AND RENAME THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT WHAT SHOULD BE ITS PROPER NAME, THE TEXAS APPRAISAL DISTRICT OF BEXAR COUNTY, BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK THAT WE AT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE IN CHARGE OF THAT.

SO I WOULD LOVE TO MEET, I'M ASSUMING, BECAUSE SHE'S IN PRECINCT ONE.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES PROBABLY KNOWS HER.

I'M NOT SURE I DO.

OKAY. SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WHOEVER WE NOMINATE IN FUTURE YEARS HAS TO CHAMPION.

NOW, I WILL SAY THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CHAIR AT THAT TIME, I THINK THEY WERE FROM NORTHSIDE ISD, OPPOSED IT.

AND I JUST THINK THAT'S TRANSPARENCY AND HONESTY IN GOVERNMENT.

[00:40:04]

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME AND BLAME THE COMMISSIONERS, THE TAX ASSESSOR, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE COUNTY OFFICIALS THAT DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MAJORITY OF THEIR BILL.

AND IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST THAT THE PEOPLE TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE TEXAS APPRAISAL DISTRICT OF BEXAR COUNTY, AND THERE ARE SOME COUNTIES THAT HAVE IT NAMED THAT WAY. VERY, VERY FEW.

BUT THERE ARE SOME. IT'S WITHIN THE STATUTE.

BUT THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO HELPING PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND THE APPRAISAL INCREASES AND THAT IT'S NOT WE'RE NOT IN CONTROL OF IT.

ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING MEETINGS I'VE EVER HAD WAS WHEN I HELPED A 74 YEAR OLD WOMAN IN LAVACA PROTEST HER, HER, HER TAXES.

THEY DIDN'T CARE. I WAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER EVEN THOUGH I DID THE HOMEWORK ON THE COMPARABLES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I HAD PHOTOS AND RECEIPTS.

I HAD FIRE COMING OUT OF MY EARS.

I'M A TWO TIME STATE DEBATE CHAMPION, AND THEY DIDN'T MOVE A DIME FOR RETIRED 74 YEAR OLD TEACHER.

IN ANY EVENT, WE EVENTUALLY GOT $80,000 OFF HER APPRAISAL, WHICH STILL WASN'T ENOUGH.

BUT IN ANY EVENT, THAT'S MY BIG CHARGE TO OUR OUR NOMINEE.

AND I WILL BECAUSE I CAN'T DETERMINE IF THERE'S BALANCE.

I DO THINK COMMISSIONER MOODY'S RIGHT SUBURBAN CITIES SHOULD BE REPRESENTED, BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO'S ON THE BOARD.

I'M NOT CLEAR. THE WEBSITE'S NOT UPDATED.

I HAVE FOLKS THAT I THOUGHT I KNEW WERE ON THE BOARD WHO MAY BE FROM SUBURBAN CITIES.

THEY MAY NOT REPRESENT SUBURBAN CITIES ON THE BOARD, BUT I CAN'T TELL BY MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S A LEADERSHIP ISSUE.

YOU HAVE AN INTERIM DIRECTOR OR SOMETHING, BUT IN ANY EVENT, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION AT THIS TIME.

AND IN LIGHT OF THAT COMMENT, I WOULD INVITE THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, THE NEW CEO, TO COME AND INTRODUCE HIMSELF TO BEXAR COUNTY.

OR WHENEVER HE STARTS.

ALL RIGHT. I BELIEVE WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS.

NOTE THAT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. MR.. MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES THE CONSENT.

POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.

I HAVE TWO PEOPLE HERE THAT WERE ON THE CONSENT.

I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THE COURT'S INDULGENCE ALLOWING ME TO INTRODUCE ANGIE WHITE, SYLVIA ZAMORA, WHO HAVE BEEN REAPPOINTED TO THE CHILD WELFARE BOARD AS MY APPOINTEES.

JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE HER BECAUSE SHE TOOK THE TIME TO COME DOWN HERE, AND Y'ALL HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR HOW LONG? IDENTIFY YOURSELF REAL QUICK.

I'VE BEEN HERE. I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD PROBABLY ABOUT 6 OR 7 YEARS.

SO ABOUT 18 MONTHS, I THINK.

YES. ALL RIGHT.

AND I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR YOUR REAPPOINTMENT AND APPLAUD YOU AND ASK THAT AS THE BEXAR COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD, YOU CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AND LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN OF BEXAR COUNTY.

OBVIOUSLY, THE MOST RECENT YESTERDAY, WE'VE HAD A VERY TRAGIC SITUATION OF ANOTHER ALLEGED CHILD ABUSE SITUATION.

SO THE NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN ARE REALLY IMPERILED.

AND AS THE CHILD WELFARE BOARD AND THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT TO PLEASE STEP UP AND PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. HAVE A NICE DAY.

THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN OF BEXAR COUNTY.

THANK YOU. ANGIE, YOU'RE THE CEO OF CASA.

DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A PLUG FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION? OBVIOUSLY NO.

JUDGE. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE ALSO ON THE CHILD WELFARE BOARD AS WELL AS SERVE CASA.

AND OUR CHILDREN NEED BEXAR COUNTY COURT.

THEY NEED EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY TO REALIZE THESE CHILDREN ARE OUR CHILDREN, AND WE ARE ALL SHOULD STEP UP AND DO THAT.

IF YOU WISH TO DO THAT WITH CATHERINE, BE AN ADVOCATE.

PLEASE COME AND DO SO.

THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

BUT ALSO, I REALLY APPRECIATE MY SEAT ON THE CHILD WELFARE BOARD FOR THE WIDER LENS OF WHAT THIS COMMUNITY DO FOR OUR CHILDREN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I DID GIVE YOU ALL A LITTLE BROCHURE LEAFLET FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK AT.

IT'S THERE.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT.

LOOK THAT OVER QR CODE.

YOU CAN JUST GET YOU RIGHT TO OUR WEBSITE.

IT GIVES YOU A LOT OF INTERESTING INFORMATION.

THERE CAN BE A CAB TOO.

YES WE DO HAVE FOR THE FOR THE PUBLIC.

YES, YOU ALL CAN ALL DONATE BY BEING A CARE BEXAR.

CARE BEXAR CARE BEXAR.

OKAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

HAVE A NICE DAY. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO THE TIME CERTAIN AT THIS TIME.

[4.a. 9:30 a.m.: Presentation by the Department of Military and Veterans Services on FY 22-23 initiatives, activities, client services, and planned activities for the coming year to serve veterans, military, and families in Bexar County.]

PRESENTATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS SERVICES ON FY 2223.

INITIATIVES, ACTIVITIES, CLIENT SERVICES AND PLAN ACTIVITIES FOR THE COMING YEAR TO SERVE VETERANS, MILITARY AND FAMILIES IN BEXAR COUNTY.

MS.. SO, JUDGE, WE'RE GOING TO DEFER THE PRESENTATION.

KEITH WILSON COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO TODAY IS HIGHLIGHT THE VETERANS DAY ACTIVITIES GOING ON ON NOVEMBER THE 11TH.

FOR THE RECORD, NANCY TO BEXAR COUNTY MILITARY AND VETERANS SERVICES.

HERE WITH ME TODAY ARE MR.

[00:45:02]

STEVE MCKEE, OUR BENEFIT SERVICES MANAGER.

OUR NEW EMPLOYEE COMING BACK TO US, MR. LLOYD KIRKENDALL.

HE IS OUR BUSINESS RELATIONS COORDINATOR.

AND THEN MR. TODD VIVIAN, OUR SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR.

SO I'M GOING TO MOVE TO THE SLIDE FOR THE ACTIVITIES FOR THE NOVEMBER THE 11TH.

SO EVERY YEAR, NOVEMBER 11TH IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HONOR OUR VETERANS, BUT ALSO FOR US AS A DEPARTMENT.

THERE'S LOTS OF ACTIVITIES GOING ON ON THIS ON THE SAME DATE, SOMETIMES THE SAME TIME.

SO WE REALLY WORKED AS A DEPARTMENT TO SYNCHRONIZE WITH THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND COORDINATE WITH THEM SO WE COULD PARTICIPATE.

AND SO WE KIND OF HAD AN IDEA OF WHAT WAS GOING ON THAT DAY.

SO THE MORNING OF THE 11TH WILL START OUT WITH A RUN WALK BEING SPONSORED BY ENDEAVORS.

IT'S CALLED STEPS FOR VETS.

AND THAT WILL START AT THE HEMISPHERE AND THEN END IN THE KING WILLIAM AREA.

AND THAT'S AT 8 A.M..

THERE'LL ALSO BE A VETERANS DAY AT THE ALAMO FROM 9 A.M.

TO 3 P.M..

AT THE FORT SAM CEMETERY.

THERE WILL ALSO BE A VETERANS DAY PRESENTATION.

JUDGE SAKAI IS A GUEST SPEAKER THERE.

THEN STARTING AT 11 A.M.

IS THE PARADE WILL START AT THE MILAM PARK.

WE HAVE LOTS OF DEPARTMENTS JOINING US THAT DAY.

WE HAVE COMMISSIONER CALVERT WHO WILL BE THERE.

WE HAVE THE COUNTY CLERK, MS..

LUCIA ADAME-CLARK.

WE HAVE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

WE HAVE THE CONSTABLES FOR PRECINCT TWO AND PRECINCT FOUR.

LETICIA VASQUEZ AND MISS KAT BROWN.

WE ALSO HAVE 80 EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES JOINING US ON THAT DAY.

IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, ON THE COUNTY CONNECTIONS WE PUT OUT, COME ON.

ALL YOU KNOW, VETERANS, COME AND JOIN US AND YOUR FAMILY.

AND SO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HELPED US OUT AGAIN THIS YEAR AND IS PROVIDING A A TRUCK AND A TRAILER.

THE SAN ANTONIO SIGHT SCENE ALSO PROVIDED A DOUBLE DECKER BUS.

SO WE WILL BE ON BOTH OF THOSE VEHICLES.

SOME OF US WILL BE WALKING, SOME OF US WILL BE ON THE BUS, AND SOME OF US WILL BE ON THE TRAILER.

SO IF YOU CAN COME AND JOIN US ALSO ON THAT DAY, WE WILL HAVE, OF COURSE, AS YOU HEARD, THE HEMISFAIR EVENT, WE WILL BE THERE AS WELL. WE WILL HAVE STAFF ON SITE.

WE KNOW AT 4:00 OR ABOUT 430 THEY'LL HAVE THEIR CIVIL CEREMONY WHERE COMMISSIONER MOODY WILL BE SPEAKING, AND THEN WE WILL ALSO HAVE AT 130 THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS AT THE SAN ANTONIO NATIONAL CEMETERY.

SO AGAIN, JUST A DAY FULL OF EVENTS FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

SO IF YOU CAN, PLEASE JOIN US AND WE THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. MR.. ANY COMMENTS? QUESTIONS FROM THE. GOODBYES.

YEAH, I HAVE JUST A COMMENT.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND JUST WANT TO.

MENTIONED TO OUR VENTURERS WHO WORK AT BARROW COUNTY.

THE HOW APPRECIATIVE WE ARE.

AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY BROTHER WHO IS RETIRED FROM THE ARMY.

SO IS DAN HERE? I WANTED TO CALL HIM UP.

SO I HAD WE HAD A CONSTITUENT CALL US ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT IS, EVEN THOUGH HERE AT THE COUNTY WE PROVIDE FREE PARKING TO OUR DISABLED VETERANS. AND SO I HAD A CONSTITUENT CALL ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS JUST TO GET FREE PARKING.

SO, DAN, CAN YOU JUST KIND OF COME UP AND I WANT TO DIRECT THE STAFF TO LOOK INTO THE CURRENT POLICY.

WE HAVE TO MAKE IT EASIER, MORE FEASIBLE FOR OUR DISABLED VETERANS SO THAT THEY CAN I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A LACK OF ACCESS TO HAVING THE FORMS DOWNLOADED OR ALREADY PRINTED, OR HOWEVER, IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING ELECTRONICALLY SO THAT OUR DISABLED VETERANS CAN KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT.

FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE BENEFITS.

AND SO IT CAN MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR THEM TO COME AND TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS THEY NEED TO COME TO HERE AT COMMISSIONERS, HERE AT THE COURTHOUSE.

WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THAT. THE PROCESS IS CUMBERSOME RIGHT NOW.

IT REQUIRES THEM TO FILL OUT A FORM.

SOMETIMES THEY'RE FILLING THAT FORM OUT IN THEIR CAR AT THE PARKING AT THE EXIT BOOTH.

SO WE'LL GET THE WE'LL GET WITH STAFF AND THE AUDITOR TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THAT PROCESS.

OKAY. AND THEN, NANCY, HOW CAN YOUR DEPARTMENT HELP TO GET THAT INFORMATION, INFORMATION OUT SO THAT OUR VETERANS WILL KNOW THAT THEY HAVE FREE PARKING HERE.

SO OF COURSE, OUR WEBSITE.

BUT PART OF THE PRESENTATION INCLUDED A ONE PAGER THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER THAT TALKS ABOUT ALL THE SERVICES THAT BEXAR COUNTY OFFERS, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU GET YOUR YOUR YOUR PARKING PASSES, YOU KNOW, YOUR HOMESTEAD.

THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE DO AS A COUNTY THAT SUPPORT VETERANS.

SO WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A ONE PAGE SIMPLE FLIER THAT WE WANT TO DISSEMINATE TO SENIOR CENTERS, COMMUNITY CENTERS.

SO THAT WAY THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE A VETERAN FRIENDLY COUNTY.

OKAY. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

NANCY. SO DANIEL WORKED WITH MY OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT COMES ABOUT IN A TIMELY MANNER.

AND WE CAN GET THAT GET THAT OUT.

ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[00:50:01]

ANY FURTHER, COMMISSIONER MOODY? THANK YOU. I'LL JUST SAY A QUICK COMMENT.

VETERANS DAYS IS IS IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE SO MANY VETERANS HERE.

WE HAVE SO MANY ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS HERE.

AND I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE SUCH A ROBUST LIST OF EVENTS AND THINGS.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.

I THINK WE LOSE SIGHT OF IT SOMETIMES.

I CO-CHAIR THE MILITARY TRANSFORMATION TASK FORCE, WHICH IS A JOINT CITY COUNTY COMMITTEE THAT THAT SERVES OUR MILITARY COMMUNITY.

BUT ULTIMATELY, THAT'S $40 BILLION THAT'S INJECTED INTO OUR ECONOMY FROM THESE MILITARY MISSIONS.

AND IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT THAT WE WE PROTECT THEM, THAT WE RESPECT THEM, AND THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT THAT CORE OF OF MILITARY SERVICE HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY AND IN SAN ANTONIO.

SO I'M A HUGE SUPPORTER OF THAT.

WE ARE MILITARY CITY, USA, BUT WE ARE ALSO QUICKLY BECOMING, IF NOT ALREADY, MILITARY MEDICINE CITY, USA.

AND WITH ADDITIONAL DA EMPLOYEES COMING TO TO SAN ANTONIO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TO EXPAND AND BRING, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND ADDITIONAL MISSIONS HERE TO SAN ANTONIO.

AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SYNERGIES THAT COME WITH THAT.

BUT BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S HOW WE EMBRACE THAT MILITARY COMMUNITY.

AND PART OF THAT IS, IS VETERANS DAY AND CELEBRATING THEM AND THEIR SERVICE AND THEIR FAMILY SERVICE.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR DOING THAT.

THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO TAKE UP? THANK YOU. JUDGE, I WISH I THANK EVERYBODY WHO WORKS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE FOR OUR VETERANS.

OBVIOUSLY, COMMISSIONER MOODY IS CORRECT.

WE ARE MILITARY USA.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO BE MILITARY HEALTH USAA AS WE PROVIDE THE SUPPORT SERVICES THAT OUR VETERANS NEED.

SO THANK YOU ALL AND EVERYBODY WHO HAS SERVED IN OUR COUNTRY.

THANK YOU AND HAPPY VETERANS DAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE.

OKAY. ITEM AGENDA SIX FILING FOR THE RECORD THE FOLLOWING LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS AND DIRECTING THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO TAKE ACTION IF

[6. Filing for record the following legal and administrative documents and directing the Criminal District Attorney's Office to take action, if necessary: a. Letter from Walsh Gallegos and Schertz-Cibolo Universal City ISD, Re: 5025 Abbott Rd. b. Chapter 381 Grant Agreement with one (1) non-profit organization, approved May 2, 2023: i. Dreams Fulfilled Through Music]

NECESSARY FOR ITEMS A, B, AND SUBSECTION B.

I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL THERE NEEDS TO BE DONE.

AGENDA SEVEN COMMISSIONER'S COURT MINUTES FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24TH, 2023.

[7. Commissioners Court minutes for Tuesday, October 24, 2023.]

IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.

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

SO, CITIZENS, OUR FIRST CITIZEN TO BE HEARD IS, I BELIEVE, ROBERT HERNANDEZ.

ROBERT, COME ON UP.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU FOR COMING AND PARTICIPATING IN OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

SURE. UM, I'M ROBERT HERNANDEZ.

I'M A MEMBER OF THE PUEBLO OVER PROFIT COALITION.

OUR COALITION IS MADE UP OF WESTSIDE RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS FIGHTING AGAINST GENTRIFICATION AND FIGHTING FOR THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

OUR COALITION IS CLEAR IN ITS GOALS THAT PUBLIC DOLLARS AND PUBLIC ENTITIES SHOULD PROVIDE PUBLIC GOODS AND NOT BE SIPHONED OFF TO PRIVATE HANDS TO TO PROFIT OFF OF.

UM, OUR WE ARE HERE TODAY ADDRESSING A CURRENT STRUGGLE WE ARE IN WITH THE SCOBY REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AT THE BEGINNING OF 2023.

THE BOARD PASSED A DRAFT TERM SHEET WITH LOCAL DEVELOPER DREAM ON TO REDEVELOP THE SCOBY BUILDING ON NORTH MEDINA STREET.

WHILE OUR COALITION IS EXCITED FOR HOUSING AND NEW DEVELOPMENT INTO THIS UNDERDEVELOPED SPACE, WE ARE CONCERNED WITH THE PROPOSED AFFORDABILITY MAKEUP OF THE DEVELOPMENT. CURRENTLY, THE SCOBY REDEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE 110 APARTMENTS, WITH TEN UNITS BEING RESERVED FOR PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP TO 47,000 A YEAR.

44 UNITS WILL BE RESERVED FOR PEOPLE WHO MAKE 63,000 A YEAR, AND ANOTHER 44 UNITS WILL BE RESERVED FOR PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP TO $118,000 A YEAR, AND THE LAST 12 UNITS WILL HAVE NO INCOME RESTRICTION.

WHILE THIS AFFORDABILITY AFFORDABILITY MAKEUP IS CONSIDERED AFFORDABLE TO SOME, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ON THE WEST SIDE THAT LIVE AROUND THE SCOBY DEVELOPMENT EARN LESS THAN $16,000 A YEAR.

WE KNOW THE LOWEST INCOME RESTRICTED UNITS IN THIS PROPOSED PROJECT COULD HAVE RENTS AS HIGH AS $13,000, WHICH WOULD BE GREATLY UNAFFORDABLE TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA.

BECAUSE OF THIS, OUR COALITION IS DEMANDING VIA A PUBLIC ENTITY TO PROVIDE DEVELOPMENT THAT TRULY SERVES THE PUBLIC'S NEEDS.

SPECIFICALLY WITH PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS.

UNLIKE HOUSING UNITS SUITED FOR VOUCHERS OR OTHER SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, PUBLIC HOUSING IS PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNLESS IT IS SOLD OR DEMOLISHED.

THERE IS NO EXPIRATION DATE FOR ITS AFFORDABILITY.

MOREOVER, THE RENT AND THAT PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS HAVE TO PAY IS DIRECTLY BASED ON ATTENDANCE INCOME AND CAN ADJUST WITH THE RESIDENTS INCOME CHANGES, BUT WILL ALWAYS BE AT 30% OF THE TENANT'S RENTS.

[00:55:01]

FOR THIS REASON, OUR COALITION KNOWS THAT PUBLIC HOUSING IS THE BEST FORM OF HOUSING, AS IT IS THE MOST STABLE FORM OF HOUSING FOR ALL RESIDENTS THAT IT SERVES, ESPECIALLY FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, HAVE FIXED INCOMES, OR ARE TRANSITIONING FROM UNSTABLE HOUSING INSTEAD OF SERVING THE DESIRES OF PRIVATE INTERESTS VIA AND, PUBLIC ENTITIES SHOULD INVEST IN EXISTING COMMUNITIES WITH THE CONSENT OF RESIDENTS AND THE IMPACTED AREA.

BEXAR COUNTY, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND OTHER KEY PLAYERS IN SAN ANTONIO AREA SHOULD FOCUS ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, NOT BUSINESS OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR JUST BUSINESSES IN ORDER TO ADEQUATELY IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS.

THEREFORE, WE'RE DEMANDING THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT NOT PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE SCOBY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT UNTIL THE DEVELOPMENT IS ONE THAT TRULY SERVES THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. WE HAVE MADE THIS REQUEST TO THE CITY, CITY COUNCILOR OF THE AREA, THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE, AND THE FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT OUR COALITION IS ADVOCATING FOR FOR THE SCOBY REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT TO INCLUDE, WE HAVE ALSO PROVIDED A LIST OF OUR FULL DEMANDS FOR THE PROJECT, AS IT IS PLANNED TO BE A MIXED USE INCOME.

UM. THE LETTER HAS BEEN SIGNED BY PUEBLO FOR PROFIT ESPERANZA CENTER.

JUST PAUSE. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE.

I NOTICE THE NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE ALSO.

DO THEY WISH TO YIELD YOUR TIME TO YOU? I WAS JUST I'M ALMOST DONE.

WAS THAT. I'M ALMOST DONE? I WAS JUST SAYING WHO SIGNED THE LETTER.

OKAY, WELL, WHO'S SCOTT LENIHAN? DO Y'ALL WANT TO YIELD YOUR TIME TO MR. HERNANDEZ? I MEAN, I CAN THEY CAN GO.

WHAT'S THAT? WELL, ALL YOU DO.

I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF YOU WANT TO YIELD TIME.

OH, NO. I'M DONE.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. HERNANDEZ.

SKY LENIHAN.

HELLO. GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT THE PREVIOUS COALITION MEMBERS STATED.

SO THE REASON WE'RE HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE WE'RE AWARE VIA EITHER HAS ALREADY OR IS GOING TO REQUEST $250,000 FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR THIS SCOBY PROJECT.

I PERSONALLY, AND I KNOW THE COALITION MEMBERS FEEL THE SAME.

WE THINK IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE AND UNJUST TO GRANT ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY TO VILLA TO CONTINUE PRIVATELY DEVELOPING WITH DREAM ON.

THIS DEVELOPMENT IS ON TRACK TO BECOME A GENTRIFICATION PROJECT IN A HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AND UNDERFUNDED DISTRICT.

THE DEMANDS OF THE COALITION IS FOR VILLA TO END THEIR PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH DREAM ON AND TO INSTEAD PARTNER WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME TO BUILD PUBLIC HOUSING.

THE SCOBY DEVELOPMENT IS LOCATED IN ZIP CODE 2378205 WHERE, LIKE ROB HAD SAID, MOST PEOPLE DO NOT MAKE OVER $16,000, SO THEY CAN'T AFFORD THAT HOUSING.

THAT'S JUST THE TRUTH OF IT.

THERE'S ALSO A HIGH HOUSELESS POPULATION NEARBY BECAUSE THERE'S A HAVEN FOR HOPE ACROSS THE STREET.

SO I JUST WANT US TO THINK ABOUT THE EFFECT THAT A MIXED USE LUXURY HOUSING COMPLEX WOULD HAVE UPON THAT AREA.

IT WOULD MEAN PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY RESIDING IN THE AREA ARE GOING TO GET DISPLACED BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE RENT AT THAT HOUSING.

AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS AS A RESULT OF THAT EXPENSIVE PROJECT, WHICH WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE PICTURES OF WHAT THEY'RE DESIGNING FOR, THE DEVELOPMENT AT THE STAKEHOLDERS MEETING, THAT VILLA AND DREAM ON HELD TOGETHER, IT LOOKED VERY SIMILAR TO SOMETHING LIKE THE PEARL.

WHICH, IF WE CAN BE HONEST, HAS CAUSED GENTRIFICATION IN THE EAST SIDE WHERE I LIVE.

ACTUALLY, I'VE SEEN THE EFFECTS OF THE GENTRIFICATION.

THE RENT IS RISING.

MY RENT ROSE THIS PAST SUMMER, SO WE'RE HOPING THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO THE WEST SIDE.

WE'RE ALSO AWARE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE HIGHER INCOME WHEN THEY MOVE INTO WHEN THEY'RE ATTRACTED TO THIS KIND OF LUXURY HOUSING THAT IS PRESENTED AS AFFORDABLE AND MIXED USE, AND IT HAS ALL THESE KIND OF STORES AND EVERYTHING.

WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THEY START GETTING UPSET THAT THERE IS A HOMELESS POPULATION IN THE AREA, AND THEY'RE WANTING THEM TO GO AWAY.

SO WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE HOUSELESS POPULATION, WHO DOESN'T HAVE BASICALLY ANY OPTIONS RIGHT NOW BESIDES HAVEN FOR HOPE, COULD ALSO GET PUSHED OUT OR MIGHT BE FURTHER CRIMINALIZED BY PEOPLE WHO AREN'T NORMALLY IN INTERACTION WITH HOUSELESS RESIDENTS.

I DO NOT THINK THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT SHOULD BE FUNDING A PROJECT THAT WILL DISPLACE LOW INCOME, WORKING CLASS AND HOUSELESS PEOPLE AND SAN ANTONIO. SO WE'RE JUST ASKING THAT YOU GUYS, PLEASE DO NOT GRANT THIS MONEY TO THEM WHEN THEY DO REQUEST IT.

WE THINK THAT IF THEY WE THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE PARTNERING WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME INSTEAD.

AND THERE'S BEEN PROTEST RALLIES AND LOTS OF MEETINGS THAT WERE ATTEMPTING TO HAVE WITH THEM AS A COALITION TO TRY TO GET THEM TO HEAR US OUT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

DUNCAN TOWNSEND.

[01:00:05]

HELLO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I AM A MEMBER OF THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION, AND I JUST WANT TO AGREE WITH THE OTHER SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SPOKEN.

AND I'M IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OVER PROFIT COALITION.

I AM HERE TO REQUEST ALSO THAT YOU DO NOT APPROVE THIS HANDOUT TO THIS GENTRIFICATION PROJECT.

THE CURRENT PLAN IS DISASTROUS FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE.

NO PROPERTY TAXES WILL BE PAID FOR SCOBIES SINCE VILLA IS A PUBLIC ENTITY, MEANING THAT PRIVATE INVESTOR PROFITS WILL NOT GO BACK INTO PROFIT.

GOOD. THIS IS NO ACCIDENT.

THAT IS BY DESIGN. THIS CURRENT PLAN IS PUBLICLY SUBSIDIZED, PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING.

THIS IS A TRANSFER OF WEALTH FROM THE PRIVATE FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

WE WANT CITY OWNED RENT CONTROLLED HOUSING AND DEMAND FOR PUBLIC HOUSING PARTNERED WITH OPPORTUNITY HOMES.

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT.

THERE IS NO INVISIBLE HAND OF THE FREE MARKET, JUST SOULLESS CORPORATIONS WHOSE SOLE GOAL IS TO MAKE PROFIT VIA INJURY.

MOND CAN USE THE SMOKESCREEN OF DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE KNOW DOESN'T HELP THE COMMUNITY.

IT MAKES HOUSING UNAFFORDABLE TO ITS CURRENT RESIDENTS.

WHY IS IT THAT WHEN WE ASK FOR MONEY TO PAY TAXES TO BE USED FOR PUBLIC GOOD, WE'RE LAZY AND WE'RE WELFARE QUEENS AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.

BUT WHEN OUR TAXES ARE USED TO DISPLACE PEOPLE AT HOME, IT'S OKAY.

MANY VETERANS ARE.

MANY VETERANS ARE ALSO PART OF THIS HOMELESS POPULATION.

AND WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT HELPING HOMELESS VETERANS.

THAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY AS WELL TO DO THAT.

BUT NOBODY EVER WANTS TO DO THAT.

THE ONLY TRULY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS PUBLICLY OWNED HOUSING FREE OF PRIVATE INVESTMENT.

TWO THIRDS OF 78207 RESIDENTS CANNOT AFFORD MARKET RATE HOUSING.

FREE MARKET CAPITALISM EXISTS TO EXPLOIT AND STEAL FROM WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, FROM EDISON STEALING NIKOLA TESLA'S IDEAS TO THE MILLIONS AND GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES GIVEN TO THE MANCHILD WHO BROUGHT TWITTER.

APPLE DID NOT BUILD THE IPHONE.

PUBLIC FUNDING DID.

WORKERS DID. THE PUBLIC GOODS SHOULD BE USED FOR PUBLIC GOOD, NOT PRIVATE GAIN.

SO AGAIN, I'M HERE TO REQUEST THAT YOU DO NOT APPROVE OF THIS HANDOUT TO THE SCOBY DEVELOPMENT GENTRIFICATION PROJECT ON THE WEST SIDE.

INSTEAD, GIVE IT TO A PARTNER WITH OPPORTUNITY HOMES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LAST ONE IN THAT GROUP.

CAN I JUST. SURE.

JUST A JUDGE. JUST A QUICK POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.

I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE.

UM, THE COUNTY IS NOT PART OF THAT PROJECT.

I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REQUESTS FOR MEETINGS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL KNEW THERE'S NOTHING ON THE AGENDA, NOR IS THERE A FORMAL ASK FOR US AS A COUNTY TO GET INVOLVED. I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE IT IS IN MY PRECINCT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I CLARIFY THAT THERE'S NO ACTION BEING TAKEN ON THAT ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT ONE IS ROSEMARY DE HOYOS.

ROSEMARY WHERE YOU ARE.

WELL, THERE YOU ARE. GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING JUDGE, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.

I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR, JACKIE CALLAN.

THERE ARE QUESTIONS OF WHETHER THE SHE SHOULD RESIGN OR IN FACT, BE FIRED.

MY NAME IS ROSEMARY DEHOYOS, AND I SUPPORT JACKIE CALLAN AND HER EFFORTS IN RUNNING THE COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.

MY CURRENT POSITION IS THE PRIMARY MANAGER AND PRESIDING JUDGE AT THE FAIR ELECTIONS TABULATION ROOM.

I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE HARD WORK THAT JACKIE CALLAN DOES EVERY DAY, AND THE ABUSE THAT SHE RECEIVES AND NOT THE SUPPORT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT SHE SERVES. I AM HERE TO STATE THAT THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HER ARE UNFOUNDED.

EVERYTHING THAT SHE HAS DONE, SHE HAS STATED AND AND FOLLOWED THE RULES OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

SHE IS GOVERNED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE COME, COME THROUGH IS ASKING FOR A POLLING SITE AT THE JAIL THAT WOULD CREATE. THERE IS THERE IS NO WAY THAT A POLLING SITE CAN BE THERE.

IT HAS TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL VOTERS.

AND THAT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE VOTERS AND ALSO IMPOSSIBLE.

IT WOULD PUT THE PUBLIC AT RISK AND COMPROMISE THE SECURITY OF THE JAIL.

AGAIN, JACKIE CALLAN FOLLOWED THE RULES.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE HAVE A 30 DAY.

REGISTRATION PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.

COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGES.

WE LIVE IN TEXAS, WHERE THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS GOVERNED AND DOES GOVERN WHAT HER RULES ARE.

JACKIE FOLLOWS EVERY RULE.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION COMING UP THE PRIMARY IN MARCH AND THEN THE GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER 24TH.

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO CHANGE NOW? SHE HAS PULLED US THROUGH COVID.

SHE HAS MADE SURE THAT HER STAFF AND THE VOTERS HAVE BEEN PROTECTED DURING THAT TIME.

[01:05:02]

SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING, AND I REQUEST THAT WE ALL SUPPORT HER AND LET HER DO HER JOB AND RUN IT AS SMOOTHLY AS SHE CAN WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS, WHICH IS THE COMMISSIONERS THAT GIVE HER THE FUNDING AND HER STAFF AND ALSO THE ELECTION WORKERS. WE ARE LOSING ELECTION WORKERS DAILY BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

I SPEAK TO A LOT OF JUDGES.

I HANDLE A LOT OF THE JUDGES AT THE ELECTIONS, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY ARE THREATENED.

THEY THEY ARE ABUSED AND THREATENED.

I WAS AT THE ELECTIONS YESTERDAY.

PEOPLE WERE UPSET BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T VOTE YESTERDAY.

YESTERDAY WAS NOT AN ELECTION DAY.

WE ARE GOVERNED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

SHE FOLLOWS EACH AND EVERY RULE, AND I IMPLORE YOU TO LET HER DO HER JOB, BECAUSE SHE IS DOING A HELL OF A JOB.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE MY WORDS TO HEART.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

BARBARA POWELL.

HELLO. GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING. I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF SAN ANTONIO.

AND I'M HERE TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROCLAMATION IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL ON OCTOBER 24TH.

AND I HAVE PREPARED REMARKS, BUT I'M GOING TO SET THOSE ASIDE BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY FROM THE HEART.

YESTERDAY IN CALIFORNIA, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO, WHILE EXERCISING HIS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND WAVING AN ISRAELI FLAG IN CALIFORNIA, WAS KILLED BECAUSE SOMEONE VIOLENTLY REJECTED THAT EXPRESSION.

AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY TODAY IN THE UNITED STATES.

ON OCTOBER 7TH, I WAS SITTING IN MY SYNAGOGUE IN A TIME IN HISTORY WHERE WE CELEBRATE THE GIVING OF THE TORAH, AND IT'S USUALLY JOYOUS AND THERE'S DANCING AND THERE'S SINGING.

AND INSTEAD, HALFWAY THROUGH, OUR RABBI INTERRUPTS AND TELLS US THAT HAMAS HAS BROKEN THROUGH INTO SOUTHERN ISRAEL, AND YOU COULD SEE THE SHOCK SPREAD ACROSS THE SYNAGOGUE.

MOTHERS WERE CRYING BECAUSE THEIR KIDS ARE IN ISRAEL.

OTHERS HAD THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS CALLED UP TO SERVE.

WE DIDN'T AT THAT TIME KNOW THE EXTENT OF IT, BUT IT WAS HORRIBLE AND WE WERE ALL HURTING.

AND THEN LATER WE FIND OUT WHAT WAS ACTUALLY GOING ON.

GUNNED DOWN.

PEOPLE GUNNED DOWN IN THE BACK IS RUNNING AWAY.

GUNNED DOWN IN THEIR CARS, IN THEIR BEDS.

PARENTS KILLED IN FRONT OF CHILDREN.

CHILDREN KILLED IN FRONT OF PARENTS.

CHILDREN AND PARENTS TORTURED IN FRONT OF EACH OTHER.

BURNED ALIVE.

BODIES DESECRATED AFTER THEIR DEAD.

WE LEARNED ABOUT THE RAPES, AND WE KNOW THAT TO THIS DAY, 242 PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ALL ISRAELI AND AREN'T ALL JEWISH, AND SOME OF THEM ARE AMERICANS ARE HELD OVER IN GAZA. AND WE KNEW THAT THIS TIME, NOT LIKE 2014, WHERE THERE WERE A SERIES OF 11 CEASE FIRES THAT HAMAS BROKE.

BUT THIS TIME HAMAS HAD TO GO, AND WE KNEW WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO MEAN, BECAUSE HAMAS DOESN'T CARE ABOUT PEOPLE.

HAMAS EMBEDS IN CIVILIAN POPULATIONS.

THEY BUILD TUNNELS UNDER CIVILIAN STRUCTURES.

WHEN CIVILIANS TRIED TO FLEE SOUTH JUST THIS WEEK, THEY SHOT THEM IN THE STREET, THE FIRST HUMANITARIAN CORRIDOR THAT WAS OPEN.

THEY FIRED ON IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHO HAMAS IS.

AND WE KNEW THE REACTION.

WE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

WE KNEW SO MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE WERE GOING TO DIE BECAUSE HAMAS THIS TIME HAS TO GO.

AND AS JEWS, WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE.

IN TWO DAYS WE ARE GOING TO COMMEMORATE KRISTALLNACHT, WHICH WAS A TIME WHEN THE NAZIS WENT ON A RAMPAGE IN GERMANY, DESTROYING JEWISH BUSINESSES AND SYNAGOGUES, PULLING JEWS OUT INTO THE STREETS TO HUMILIATE THEM, KILLING JEWS, RAPING WOMEN AND YES, TAKING 30,000 PEOPLE AND PUTTING THEM IN A HOSPITAL IN A CONCENTRATION CAMP. AND WE KNOW WHERE THAT LED.

WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE.

AND IN TWO DAYS WHEN WE COMMEMORATE KRISTALLNACHT, THIS TIME WE ARE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE RIGHTEOUS AMONG THE NATIONS, THOSE WHO STOOD UP, THOSE WHO SAID NO.

THOSE WHO SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND SAID, HATE IS HATE AND CERTAIN THINGS JUST CROSS A LINE, THAT IT IS WRONG.

THAT NO MEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT COMES AFTER THIS THING WAS WRONG AND THEY STOOD UP.

PLEASE WRAP UP. AND Y'ALL STOOD UP.

AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR PROCLAMATION MEANT SO MUCH TO US, THAT WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THAT SOME PEOPLE IN THE FACE OF EVIL WILL STAND UP. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME DEVIATE AND SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. ARTHUR RAKOWITZ THOMAS.

MORNING, JUDGE. MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

I AM GOING TO MAKE MYSELF BRIEF.

[01:10:02]

I'VE ALREADY MADE MY LITTLE SPEECH OF MY PYRAMID.

SO IT'S ON THE RECORD.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE FESTIVITIES OF THE HOLIDAYS ARE BECOMING ON US.

AND MOSTLY I WANT TO TO EXTEND TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND TO THE COMMISSIONER COURT AND THOSE IN HERE FROM MY FAMILY. HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND FELIZ DEAD IGLESIAS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU, MR..

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP JUDGE RON HILL AS HE APPEARED.

JUDGE. WE'LL GET TO YOU, JUDGE.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP INDIVIDUAL AGENDA ITEMS.

[75. Discussion and appropriate action regarding a request of approval for 48,544 hours of paid overtime for uniformed officers who worked mandatory overtime hours (MOT) in the Adult Detention Center between October 11, 2023 and January 12, 2024.]

75 DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING A REQUEST OF APPROVAL OF 48,544 HOURS OF PAID OVERTIME FOR UNIFORMED OFFICERS WHO WORK MANDATORY OVERTIME HOURS.

MET IN THE ADULT DETENTION CENTER BETWEEN OCTOBER 11TH, 2023 AND JANUARY 12TH, 2024.

SHERIFF. YES, SIR.

GOOD MORNING. JUDGE. CHIEF JOHNSON IS COMING UP.

AND WITH YOUR PERMISSION, HE'S GOT SOME HANDOUTS FOR YOU.

ALL THAT SHOW.

WE ARE INDEED TRENDING DOWNWARD AS A RESULT OF OUR HIRING EFFORTS.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE HERE AGAIN TO ASK FOR FOR THIS OVERTIME TO BE GRANTED TO US.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM BUDGET, BUT UNFORTUNATELY AND CHIEF JOHNSON CAN GET INTO THE NUMBERS OF THAT FOR YOU.

IF WE GO WITH THAT LOWER NUMBER, I CAN PROMISE YOU WE'LL BE BACK IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS, BY OUR ESTIMATION, TO ASK AGAIN, AND I DON'T I DON'T MIND DOING THAT.

WE'LL DO IT AS OFTEN AS WE NEED TO.

WE FEEL THAT THAT THE HIGHER AMOUNT THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THE MORE APPROPRIATE.

AND AS I MENTIONED, CHIEF JOHNSON AND OUR BUDGET FOLKS ARE HERE TO TO SUBSTANTIATE THAT AS WELL, IF NEEDED.

JUDGE. YES, COMMISSIONER.

CALVERT. SHERIFF, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE I KNOW WHEN WE DID OUR COURT, 50 NEW OFFICERS, WE ROLLED IT INTO QUARTERS.

I BELIEVE IF MY MEMORY IS MAYBE 13 PER QUARTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YES, SIR. ARE WE MAKING THOSE? PARDON ME? THOSE RECRUITMENT MARKS.

ARE WE HITTING THE NEW.

SO THOSE, THOSE 50 POSITIONS, THIS, THIS OVERTIME THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TODAY IS FOR THE DETENTION SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

THOSE 50 ARE GOING TO BE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THAT WOULD. ABSOLUTELY.

BUT WELL, SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE ASKING TO TO ACCELERATE THAT SCHEDULE.

AND THE REASON BEING IS RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, I'VE GOT ABOUT 120 PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THE PIPELINE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AND SO GIVING US 12 POSITIONS HERE, 12 POSITIONS THERE WON'T NECESSARILY ALIGN WITH THE TRAINING ACADEMIES THAT WE'LL HAVE TO.

WE'D RATHER FRONTLOAD IT SO THAT WE CAN GO AND HIRE ALL THOSE PEOPLE BEFORE THEY GO FIND JOBS ELSEWHERE TO HELP.

YES, HELP ON THAT REGARD. THANK YOU.

SO I BELIEVE THAT THE EVEN THE DETENTION CENTER SIDE GOT SIGNIFICANT RAISES.

SO HOW MANY FOLKS DO WE HAVE IN THE PIPELINE FOR THOSE JOBS? WAS IT ABOUT 70 FOR PIPELINE FOR DETENTION JOBS RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY IN THE 90S, IN THE 90S? AND ACTUALLY SO INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, BECAUSE OF OUR STRAIGHT TO THE STREETS PROGRAM, WE HAD A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT PASSED THE TEST TO GO TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE WRITTEN TEST.

BUT THEN WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PASS THE PHYSICAL TEST.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE STRENUOUS TEST THAN THE ONE FOR DETENTION.

SO WE THEN TURN AND ASK THESE PEOPLE, WELL, YOU'RE NOT QUALIFIED TO GO INTO THE STRAIGHT TO THE STREETS PROGRAM, BUT WOULD YOU LIKE A JOB IN THE DETENTION CENTER? 29 HAVE SAID YES THUS FAR, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SQUEEZE OUT AN EXTRA CADET CLASS OF PEOPLE THAT THEIR GOAL IS TO ULTIMATELY GO TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN'T REALIZE THAT DREAM, BUT YET THEY'LL BE STARTING.

AND SO AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING OUR NEXT CADET CLASS AS THOSE THOSE ARE THE GREATEST NUMBERS I'VE HEARD IN YEARS.

ABSOLUTELY. SO CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU SIR. SO I THINK THAT WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT, I MEAN, FROM A TIMELINE PERSPECTIVE OF GETTING THOSE FOLKS INTO OUR POSITIONS AFTER TRAINING, I MEAN, WHAT IS IT, A TWO MONTH, A THREE MONTH, HOW LONG IS THE TRAINING? IT'S ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE DO UTILIZE THEM IN THE JAIL FOR A TIME AS CADETS TO OFFSET OVERTIME COSTS.

RIGHT. BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 100 120 NEW BODIES BY MID JANUARY FEBRUARY TIME FRAME BECAUSE OF THE ACCELERATED. AND THESE ARE DETENTION SIDE BECAUSE OF THE ACCELERATED HIRING THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THESE FOLKS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A BUNCH OF EXTRA BODIES COMING IN.

AND IF WE CAN JUST MANAGE TO RETAIN THOSE THAT WE HAVE, WHICH WE'VE SLOWED DOWN THAT THAT BLEEDING QUITE A BIT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE SITTING IN IN A BETTER POSITION, I THINK, IF YOU CAN, IN TERMS OF PROJECTIONS OF MANPOWER AND OVERTIME, WE SHOULD BE SEEING THE GRAPHS BEGIN TO GO DOWN IN THE NEW YEAR.

SO PERHAPS YOU COULD GIVE US SOME FORECAST.

YOUR TEAM COULD GIVE US SOME FORECASTS ABOUT BASED UPON THE PIPELINE, WE BELIEVE THAT THE OVERTIME SHOULD BE COMING DOWN SO THAT WE CAN SEE A LITTLE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

SO THAT'S IT. I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE TODAY.

I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CHECK IN ON THE HOW THAT TIMING WAS WORKING.

[01:15:01]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER MOODY. I THINK HE'S SURE FOR BEING HERE.

I HAD SOME QUESTIONS AND TRIED TO GO THROUGH HERE.

AND SOME OF THIS MAY BE FROM COUNTY STAFF VERSUS FROM YOUR OFFICE, BUT ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS I HAD WAS I'M LOOKING AT A GRAPH OF AVERAGE MONTHLY JAIL VACANCIES THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S CLIMBED IN THE LAST YEAR.

BUT UNLESS I'M THINKING ABOUT THAT NUMBER WRONG.

WE TALKED THE LAST COURT ABOUT GOING FROM 262 TO 10.

AND SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT.

SO WHAT WE DO IS WE BASICALLY HAVE THE ACTUAL VACANCIES.

AND THEN YOU'RE CORRECT, BUDGET DID SHOW A FORECAST MORE OR LESS ABOUT 300.

BUT LIKE WE JUST MENTIONED, WE HAVE ABOUT 94 THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE ACADEMY AND ALSO IN THE JAIL.

SO CURRENTLY AT THE ACADEMY WE HAVE 37.

BUT THEN BUDGET KIND OF MISUNDERSTANDS AND THINKS THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE IN THE JAIL AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE ACTUAL ACADEMY.

WE HAVE ANOTHER 57 THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN THE JAIL, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING ANOTHER ACADEMY IN A FEW WEEKS BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING ANOTHER INFLUX OF WHAT WE CALL THESE TEMPORARY JAILERS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE ROUGHLY ABOUT 50 THIS MONTH.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER FORECAST OF ANOTHER 50, PROBABLY FOR DECEMBER.

NORMALLY HISTORICALLY, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER ARE SLOW MONTHS.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED TO SEE THAT WE'RE REALLY PICKING UP THE STEAM ON THIS AND ACTUALLY GETTING THEM OVERTIME DOWN.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPHS AND WHATNOT, YOU ACTUALLY SEE WHERE WE WERE PEAKING AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR ABOUT OCTOBER, AND NOW WE CROSSED OVER FROM COMPARISON TO THE YEAR BEFORE, AND NOW WE'RE TRENDING DOWN AND ACTUALLY, EVEN SO, FORWARD TO SAY IN OCTOBER WE'RE DROPPED ANOTHER 200 HOURS A WEEK, WE'RE DROPPING DOWN AGAIN. SO YEAH.

AND I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF COUNTY STAFF CAN SPEAK TO IT, LIKE WHERE THE MISCOMMUNICATION IS, BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD LAST TIME WAS OUR VACANCIES AT THE JAIL WERE COMING DOWN.

I'M JUST LOOKING AT A GRAPH THAT SHOWS THEM GOING UP.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE DATA.

YEAH, THE THE STREETS, THE STREETS.

WE DID TAKE A LARGE GROUP OUT OF THE JAIL TO GET THAT 50 SUPPORTED.

SO THAT WAS A HUGE INCREASE.

COMMISSIONER, I THINK WE'RE THE I THINK I THINK WHERE THE CONFUSION IS COMING IN IS THE NUMBER THAT I GAVE YOU THAT WENT DOWN TO THE LOW TWO HUNDREDS.

THAT IS OUR UNFILLED VACANCIES.

IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S AN EMPTY SEAT COMPLETELY WITHOUT A CADET IN IT.

SO, SO THAT THAT NUMBER THAT'S HOVERING AROUND THE TWO HUNDREDS AND WE HOPE TO HAVE BELOW 200 HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT IS UNFILLED VACANCIES THAT THAT. SO IN OTHER WORDS OUR REAL VACANCIES IS A IS A HIGHER NUMBER.

HOWEVER IT'S NOT AN ACTUAL VACANCY.

IT'S A VACANCY OF A DEPUTY.

BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY A CADET SITTING IN THAT SEAT.

AND AS WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT PERSON, IT'S NOT AN EMPTY AN EMPTY SEAT, IN OTHER WORDS.

SO THE EMPTY SEATS THAT WE HAVE ARE IN THE LOW TWO HUNDREDS.

THE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE VACANCIES IN THE JAIL IS, IS EVEN A DIFFERENT FIGURE.

BECAUSE REMEMBER, EVERY TIME WE HAVE A CADET CLASS THAT THAT GOES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT'S GOING TO PULL SOME FOLKS FROM THE JAIL.

SO THAT WILL LEAVE OUR JAIL.

SO WE'RE PROBABLY DEALING WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT NUMBERS DEPENDING UPON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT.

BUT OUR UNFILLED VACANCIES TRUE VACANCIES IS IN THE LOW TWO HUNDREDS.

OKAY. THAT THAT HELPS.

YES, SIR. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS AROUND THE MANDATORY OVERTIME.

I GUESS TAKEN VERSUS PAID OUT BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE ONE.

THE THE ACTUAL HOURS ARE THE SAME.

BUT THEN ON THE PAYOUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY DECLINED IN 23.

SO I'M TRYING TO RECONCILE THOSE TWO GRAPHS AS WELL AND UNDERSTAND HOW THE OVERTIME IS STILL AT THE SAME LEVEL, BUT THE PAYOUT HAS HAS DECREASED.

AND YOU'RE CORRECT, COMMISSIONER.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IS YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS ARE ASKING FOR FLSA INSTEAD OF IN LIEU OF GETTING PAID OVERTIME.

AND THE FLSA BASICALLY ALLOWS THEM TO BUILD UP WHAT WE CALL COMP TIME TO A LEVEL OF 480.

AFTER 480, THEY MUST BE PAID.

SO THAT'S YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE OTHER CHART WHERE YOU'LL SEE THAT TREND COMING DOWN, COMING DOWN, BASICALLY SHOWING THAT LESS AND LESS PEOPLE ARE GOING FOR THE OVERTIME, WHICH I UNDERSTAND WHERE THE BUDGET OFFICE IS STATING, HEY, YOU NEED LESS OVERTIME BECAUSE WE NEED TO OFFSET THE FLSA.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT GRAPH, WE'RE STILL AVERAGING ROUGHLY ABOUT 3000, MORE OR LESS 3000 HOURS A WEEK AND RECOMMENDING ONLY 9000.

WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK HERE PROBABLY IN THREE WEEKS.

OKAY, SO HELP ME, THOUGH THAT MAKES SENSE.

HELP ME UNDERSTAND THEN, IF IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MANDATORY OVERTIME FOR 22 VERSUS 23, BECAUSE IT LOOKS PRETTY CONSISTENT, BUT IN 23 WE'VE GONE FROM 4700 JAIL POPULATION DOWN TO 4200.

AND OBVIOUSLY, THE HOPE WAS THAT THAT WOULD REDUCE SOME OF THAT MANDATORY OVERTIME.

[01:20:04]

AND THAT'S TRUE, SIR.

BUT WE COME TO THE COURT MANY OF TIMES TALKING ABOUT OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN THE JAIL.

AND WE CURRENTLY AS FAR AS INCOMPETENT INMATES, WE STILL HOUSING ABOUT 188 WAITING TO GO TO THE STATE, WHICH DOES REQUIRE MORE STAFF. AND JUST THE TOTAL MENTAL HEALTH INMATES WE HAVE IN THE JAIL IS 519.

THESE ARE NUMBERS AS OF TODAY.

SOME OF THOSE ARE 1 TO 1 OBSERVATION.

YES, SIR. 1 TO 1 OBSERVATION ARE HAVING TO OCCUR BECAUSE OF THAT.

OKAY. AND THEN JUST GOING BACK TO WHAT I THINK THE COUNTY WAS, WAS RECOMMENDED AND I DON'T KNOW, DAVID OR TINA, IF YOU CAN WEIGH IN.

I GUESS THE QUESTION IS AROUND, LIKE PAYING OUT THIS FULL AMOUNT, WHICH IS WHAT'S YOUR WHAT'S YOUR EXPECTING OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS VERSUS A SMALLER AMOUNT THAT WAS CALCULATED BY THE COUNTY? AND I GUESS, ARE WE ALSO THINKING ABOUT THAT IF WE'RE FILLING THESE ADDITIONAL SPOTS WITH THESE CLASSES THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, THEN WOULD THAT NOT DRIVE DOWN THE ACTUAL OVERTIME THAT WE HAVE OVER THE COMING MONTHS? AND YOU'RE CORRECT, SIR. THAT WOULD DRIVE DOWN THE OVERTIME WITH THE INCREASED STAFFING.

I'D BE I'D BE REMISS TO SAY THAT I PREDICT PROBABLY BETWEEN 100 TO 120, PROBABLY ABOUT FEBRUARY.

FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WILL BE ON THE FLOORS.

NO. AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT.

I GUESS ULTIMATELY, THOUGH, FOR WHAT WE'RE APPROVING TODAY, YOU KNOW, YOUR CALCULATIONS VERSUS COUNTY STAFF CALCULATIONS, HOW DO WE RECONCILE THAT BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH ADDITIONAL HIRING THAT SHOULD DRIVE DOWN THOSE OVERTIME COSTS? DID YOU FACTOR THAT INTO YOUR CALCULATION FOR THE OVERTIME BUDGET? WELL, I BELIEVE WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS BEFORE WE COME BEFORE COMMISSIONERS COURT AND HAVING TWO DIFFERENT SETS OF NUMBERS, I THINK WE NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE THAT WE BOTH COME IN AT THE SAME TIME AND JUST GIVE YOU ONE SET OF NUMBERS.

WE BOTH AGREE.

NO, I AGREE WITH THAT FULLY.

AND I THINK THAT LET'S TRY TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.

YOU KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO PAY FOR FOR OUR DETENTION OFFICERS AND OUR DEPUTIES.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T WANT TO BE CONFUSED AND IN REAL TIME, TRY TO TRY TO SORT THIS OUT.

SO IF WE COULD HAVE SOME MORE COMMUNICATION WITH COUNTY STAFF ON WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

YES, SIR. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU. JUDGE, LET ME ASK STAFF TO KIND OF WEIGH IN BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE NUMBERS CORRECT.

WE GOT A FISCAL NOTE FROM BUDGET OFFICE, AND IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS PROBABLY SOMEWHERE IN THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN YOUR RECOMMENDATION, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THE SHERIFF'S ASKING FOR.

I THINK IF YOU CAN KIND OF WEIGH IN, EITHER DAVID OR TINA ON, I THINK YOUR CALCULATION WAS ROUGHLY AROUND 9300 HOURS, AS OPPOSED TO THE 48,000 THAT'S BEING REQUESTED.

SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF A NUMBER OF FACTORS.

BUT THE NEWEST ONE THAT GETS FACTORED IN IS THE INCREASING CHOICE BY DETENTION OFFICERS TO CHOOSE THE FLSA PAYOUT ROUTE AS OPPOSED TO STRAIGHT OVERTIME.

AND SO WHEN YOU COUNT THAT IN THE AMOUNT THAT'S NEEDED FOR STRAIGHT OVERTIME, WE ESTIMATE WOULD BE MUCH LESS OKAY.

BUT IT'S ALSO A FUNCTION OF WE'RE DOWN.

I THINK LATEST CENSUS IS BELOW 4200 INMATES.

AND THE SHERIFF IS BEING MORE SUCCESSFUL IN FILLING SOME OF THE VACANCIES.

SO THOSE THREE THINGS ALL HAVE TO BE FACTORED INTO OUR ESTIMATE.

AND DAVID, WHY IS IT THAT I NOTED HERE? IT SAYS THE FLSA PAYMENTS ARE FASTER THAN OVERTIME PAYMENTS THAT THAT I WOULDN'T KNOW.

WELL, THEY HAVE TO BUILD UP 480 HOURS.

ONCE THEY BUILD IT UP, THEY GET IT ALL PAID OUT.

OKAY. AND I GUESS FLSA IN THE PAST HAS BEEN APPROVED BY COURT, BUT OKAY.

IT COMES TO YOU ONCE A MONTH AND IN.

I'LL. TWO YEARS AGO, THAT LIST WOULD HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY LAW ENFORCEMENT, SOME CONSTABLES, BUT MOSTLY SHERIFF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

NOW THERE'S A LOT OF DETENTION ON THAT LIST, AND YOU'LL SEE IT ONCE A MONTH UNDER THE AUDITOR'S ITEMS. AND FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR, WAS IT ABOUT 13 MILLION OR SO THAT WE PAID OUT IN OVERTIME? DOES THAT NUMBER SOUND RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S RIGHT, COMMISSIONER, OR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SO HOW MUCH DID WE PUT IN CONTINGENCY FOR THIS FOR FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR? 9 MILLION, I BELIEVE.

OKAY. AND SO I GUESS BACK TO CHIEF AND SHERIFF.

THESE ARE PROJECTIONS THROUGH THE MIDDLE PART OF JANUARY.

AND WHAT YOU I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY IS THAT WITH THE STAFFING NEEDS AND WHAT YOU HOPE TO FILL IS THAT THAT NUMBER

[01:25:10]

WILL GO DOWN IN FEBRUARY SUBSTANTIALLY, I BELIEVE, SIR.

OKAY. IS THE THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF THE 48,000, BASED ON CURRENT STAFFING NEEDS AS WELL AS CURRENT JAIL POPULATION.

IT'S A PROJECTIONS, THE TRENDS.

IS IT PRETTY? IS IT PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS? YES, SIR. OKAY.

SO YOU'RE NOT FACTORING IN WITH THIS ANY ANY ADDITIONAL HELP WITH STAFFING UNTIL REALLY FEBRUARY MARCH TIME? NO, SIR. IT'S BASED OFF OF THE PROJECTIONS OF WHAT THE TRENDS HAVE BEEN.

OKAY. OKAY.

THAT'S ALL I GOT FOR NOW. JUDGE CLAY-FLORES.

YEAH. DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY STATS ON RETENTION RATES NOW THAT WE PASSED THE STRAIGHT TO THE STREETS? WE COULD DEFINITELY BRING THEM TO YOU, MA'AM, BUT IT HAS BEEN IMPROVING.

I MEAN, STEADILY FROM MONTH TO MONTH.

SO YEAH, IT'D BE GOOD TO SEE MAYBE A VISUAL, A GRAPH OR SOMETHING TO SEE HOW THAT NEW PROGRAM THAT WE APPROVED, THAT WE SUPPORTED IS ACTUALLY HELPING OR NOT TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP TO WORK WITH THE OVERTIME AND OUR BUDGET.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MOODY.

JUST ONE FOLLOW ON COMMENT.

AS WE SEE A SHIFT BETWEEN MANDATORY OVERTIME PAYOUTS AND FLSA, I THINK WE NEED TO COMBINE THOSE TWO.

SO IN REPORTING.

SO WE UNDERSTAND OVERALL WHAT THE COST OF OVERTIME IS, YOU KNOW, BOTH WITH THE JAIL AND THEN SEPARATELY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT MANDATORY OVERTIME AND SEPARATELY FROM FLSA, THEN WE'RE MISSING PART OF THAT STORY.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO COMBINE THOSE TWO WHEN WE PRESENT IT, SO WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL OVERTIME COST THAT WE'RE INCURRING THAT WILL HELP US BETTER SEE LIKE OUR TRENDS AND WHERE THINGS ARE HEADED.

I AGREE, SIR, I DEFINITELY THINK AN EXERCISE SITTING DOWN WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE AND WORKING THROUGH THESE STEPS, AND WE COULD DEFINITELY GIVE YOU A MORE BROAD SPECTRUM OF EXACTLY HOW TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS IS EXPLAINED.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR A MOTION? I'M SORRY. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR.

I THINK COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ ASKED THIS.

I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. SO HOW MUCH WAS IN CONTINGENCY FOR THIS? AND LIKE APPROVING THIS THROUGH JANUARY, 9.8 MILLION FOR THE YEAR, OKAY.

FOR THE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

AND SO APPROVING THIS AMOUNT THROUGH JANUARY, WOULD THAT BE A THIRD OF IT.

IT'S ABOUT A QUARTER A QUARTER OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS.

MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. SHERIFF. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP ITEM 76, DISCUSSION, APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING A REQUEST FROM THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURTS TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE

[76. Discussion and appropriate action regarding a request from the Criminal District Courts to approve a resolution authorizing the establishment of the Felony Mental Health Pre-Trial Diversion Court as a mental health specialty court.]

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FELONY MENTAL HEALTH PRETRIAL DIVERSION COURT AS A MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALTY COURT.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE RANGEL.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SAKAI.

GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.

WE'RE PROVIDING A POWERPOINT HANDOUT.

NOW. WE DID PROVIDE THE ACTUAL DIGITAL COPY.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL ARE GOING TO PLAY IT UP ON THE SCREEN OR.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE HUFF.

GOOD MORNING. IF YOU WANT TO.

YOU WANT TO. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AMANDA HUFF, REPRESENTATIVE, COUNTY COURT.

12 IN THE MISDEMEANOR MENTAL HEALTH COURT.

DOES AVE HAVE THE POWER POINT FOR THE JUDGE? I CAN'T SEE YOU.

YOU HAVE IT NOW, OR YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.

WE'LL WATCH. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SO BASICALLY I'LL GO OVER THE POWER POINT.

NOW THE PURPOSE OF BASICALLY FOR US TO COME TODAY IS FOR THIS COURT TO ESTABLISH THE FELONY MENTAL HEALTH PRETRIAL DIVERSION COURT AS AN ACTUAL SPECIALTY COURT IN BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS.

GOING TO THE NEXT POINT.

NOW, THIS PROGRAM LAUNCHES A PILOT PROGRAM IN 2020.

THIS IS OUR THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS PAST OCTOBER.

WE'VE BEEN OPERATING EFFECTIVELY FOR THREE YEARS.

IT TOOK US A COUPLE OF YEARS TO GET IT OFF THE GROUND.

WE DID WORK REALLY HARD TO FINALLY GET IT GOING.

IT STARTED DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, SO WE STARTED DOING IT THROUGH ZOOM.

NOW, THE IDEA WAS TO TAKE THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS ALREADY BEING USED BY THE MISDEMEANOR MENTAL HEALTH COURT.

AND SO THROUGH THE BUDGET AND CONTRACTED SERVICES, WE HAD INTENDED THAT THOSE MONIES BE FLUID WHILE THIS PILOT PROGRAM WAS COMING OFF THE GROUND.

SO THE MONEY WAS MEANT TO GO BETWEEN THE TWO COURTS.

THIS IS THE ONLY SPECIALTY COURT.

THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT IS THE ONLY ONE OF ALL THE SPECIALTY COURTS IN BEXAR COUNTY THAT ACTUALLY UTILIZES MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF THE COUNTY.

[01:30:01]

SO THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, WE OBTAINED 65,000 ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO BUDGET TO SHARE WITH PROVIDERS.

DRUG TESTING BUS PASSES.

TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNTS BETWEEN THE TWO COURTS IS $764,665 A YEAR IN THE BUDGET.

GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

OUR GOALS WOULD BE TO IDENTIFY AND DIVERT THE MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS, THOSE THAT GET ARRESTED WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AT VARIOUS POINTS.

NOW IT STARTS AT ARREST.

THEN THROUGH THE BOOKING PROCESS, YOU GO TO THE MAGISTRATION AT MAGISTRATION.

THEN PRETRIAL SERVICES ASKS A SERIES OF QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY QUALIFIES FOR THIS PROGRAM.

NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM TWO POINTS IN THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, REDUCING REARRESTED PARTICIPANTS AND REDUCING MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITALIZATIONS, THOSE ARE REALLY BIG BECAUSE STUDIES SHOW THAT THESE TWO AREAS HAVE BEEN PROBLEMATIC IN BEXAR COUNTY.

OBVIOUSLY, REDUCING MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITALIZATIONS SAVES THE COUNTY TAXPAYERS A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF LONG TERM STAYS DUE TO MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL.

NOW, NATIONWIDE, WHEN YOU CONSIDER 53% OF EVERYONE THAT GETS ARRESTED FOR FELONY CASES ARE ARRESTED FOR A COMBINATION OF EITHER DRUG ADDICTION, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.

AND 70% OF CRIMES ON THE FELONY LEVEL ARE COMMITTED BY 7% OF OFFENDERS.

YOU CAN SEE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PARTICULAR DOCKET, THIS PARTICULAR SPECIALTY COURT JUDGE AND JUDGE HAVE A POINT OF INQUIRY.

JUDGE, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY OF THOSE MENTAL HEALTH FELONIES FALL INTO VETERANS? HOW MANY PEOPLE MAY BE VETERANS IN THAT COHORT? THERE IS A PERCENTAGE OF THEM THAT ARE VETERANS THAT ACTUALLY COME IN AS A RESULT OF THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.

WE DO HAVE A DEDICATED VETERANS COURT ON THE FELONY SIDE AS WELL AS ON THE MISDEMEANOR SIDE.

SO IF THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE MILITARY, THEY REQUIRE SERVICES THAT WILL BE THE FIRST PRIORITY TO PUT THEM INTO A VETERANS COURT AND NOT KNOWING THE FULL OR AT LEAST I CAN'T RECALL THE FULL PANOPLY OF PROGRAMS THAT THE VETERANS COURT ADMINISTERS.

BUT KNOWING MENTAL HEALTH TO BE A FOUNDATIONAL, IMPORTANT ONE.

DO YOU FEEL THAT THAT COURT IS ADDRESSING THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF SOME OF THE VETERANS WHO MAY BE GOING BEFORE MAYBE YOU TRANSFER THEM, I GUESS, TO THAT COURT WHEN THEY COME IN? AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENCES.

SO THE COURT THAT I WORK IN IS A PRETRIAL DIVERSION COURT.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT'S BEFORE THEY GET ADJUDICATED, SO THEY GET IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE BOOKING PROCESS.

AND THEN WHEN THEY GET INTO THE COURTS, A COURT, AN ATTORNEY, ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER COULD REFER THEM OVER TO THE COURT.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE CASE IS THEN CONTINUED AND ACTUALLY DOES NOT GET ADJUDICATED FOR AT LEAST A YEAR.

THE PROGRAM LASTS AT LEAST A YEAR.

SO IF THEY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM, THEN THE CASE IS DISMISSED BY OPERATION OF LAW.

THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR AN EXPUNCTION, WHICH WE DO DO HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

THE VETERANS COURT IS A POST ADJUDICATION COURT, MEANING THEY'RE PUT ON PROBATION.

THEY ENTERED INTO A PLEA AND THEN AS A CONDITION OF PROBATION, THEY GO THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR COURT.

DO YOU WANT TO. YES, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, IN MY MENTAL HEALTH COURT, THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT HAS BEEN UP AND RUNNING FOR CLOSE TO 20 YEARS, THE MISDEMEANOR ONE.

AND WE DO, ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE A DEDICATED VETERANS COURT, WE DO ALSO IN THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT, ACCEPT VETERANS BECAUSE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOME OF THEM JUST DO NOT WANT TO GO.

THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE VETERANS COURT FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT MAY BE, AND THEY WANT TO COME TO THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT.

THAT IS FINE WITH ME.

WE DO ACCEPT QUITE A NUMBER OF VETERANS INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS. I MEAN, I'M LOOKING OUT FOR OUR VETERAN COMMUNITY AND WANTING TO MAKE.

SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN THIS TIME WHERE THOSE FLEXIBILITIES ARE AFFORDED TO PEOPLE.

SO AS WE STATED, WE DO HAVE 14 SPECIALTY COURTS.

AND I'VE GIVEN YOU GUYS THOSE RESOURCE BOOKLETS BEFORE.

AND JUDGE RANGEL SAID VERY OF THEM ARE THE VETERANS COURT.

AND NOW THE MISDEMEANOR COURT, WHICH WE DO HAVE A DOCKET ON, ON THE MISDEMEANOR LEVEL AND POST ADJUDICATION.

BUT THERE IS BUT JUDGE RIALS IS ONLY PGD.

THANK YOU THAT I UNDERSTAND BETTER.

THANK YOU. AND JUST TO KIND OF SEGWAY OFF THAT, WE DO ALSO HAVE VETERANS THAT HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY THAT ARE IN THE FELONY MENTAL HEALTH COURT.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE DIAGNOSIS SEEMS TO BE THE MOST FACTOR, THE LARGEST FACTOR IN THEIR IN THEIR THE TREATMENT THAT THEY REQUIRE.

SO IF A VETERAN NEEDS MORE TREATMENT RELATED TO VETERANS TYPE SERVICES WITH THE VA, THEN WE'LL SEND THEM THERE.

IF IF IT'S A VETERAN THAT REQUIRES MORE MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, THEN WE'LL WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THEM IN OUR COURT.

I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING, BUT I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

YES. NO, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

ALL RIGHT. SO GOING BACK TO THE SLIDE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, ONCE WE IDENTIFY ARRESTEES, OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE GOT TO BE ELIGIBLE TO COME INTO THE COURT.

THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE AN OFFENSE THAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A FELONY OFFENSE.

THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS.

THEY'VE GOT TO BE A RESIDENT OF OUR COUNTY.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY'VE GOT TO BE HIGH RISK, HIGH NEEDS.

[01:35:02]

SO WE'RE TAKING THE HIGH RISK, HIGH NEEDS, THE 7% OF OFFENDERS THAT WE SEE IN THE SYSTEM PRETTY REGULARLY.

THE PROGRAM STARTS AT 12 MONTHS.

WE COULD EXTEND IT UP TO SIX AN ADDITIONAL SIX MONTHS.

SO IT COULD BE 12 TO 18 MONTHS.

WE TALKED ABOUT PRETRIAL DIVERSION.

IF THIS IS A CONDITION OF BOND OR BAIL WHILE THEY'RE IN THE PROGRAM.

THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU SEE THE BENEFITS OF THE PRETRIAL DIVERSION PROGRAM.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER ALL OF THEM, BUT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAS BEEN PROVIDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE THOSE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT SLIDE, IT TALKS ABOUT THE CASE BEING DISMISSED AND EXPUNGE UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION.

NOW, IF A PERSON IS DISCHARGED FROM THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION, LET'S SAY THEY'RE NOT SATISFACTORILY GOING THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

WE'VE HAD 1 OR 2 THAT HAVE BEEN IN THAT SITUATION.

THEN WE DISCHARGE THEM.

THE PR BOND THEN IS OFF BECAUSE PR BOND IS A CONDITION OF THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.

IT'S A JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAM.

THEN THEY GO BACK TO THE ORIGINATING COURT.

THE ORIGINATING COURT THEN PUTS THEM ON THE TRIAL DOCKET, AND THEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT GOING TO COURT FOR DISPOSITION AND WHATEVER MANNER THAT PARTICULAR CASE IS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, THESE ARE CONDITIONS OF BOND.

THESE ARE STANDARD CONDITIONS OF BOND.

THE TOP THE TOP POINT TALKS ABOUT SPECIAL NEEDS PRETRIAL UNIT.

THAT'S A SPECIAL UNIT THAT SUPERVISES THEM VERY INTENSELY.

YOU SEE THE REST OF IT I'M NOT GOING TO READ IT SINCE YOU ALL HAVE THE POWERPOINT.

WE DO HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT VOLUNTEER TO TAKE THEIR MEDICATION THROUGH SHOTS.

WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT RESULTS IN COUNSELING, THE PSYCHOSOCIAL REHABILITATION.

WE'RE ABLE TO INTEGRATE THEM BACK INTO SOCIETY.

MOST OF THEM SUFFER FROM SOME SORT OF TRAUMA.

SO WE DO OFFER A MORAL RECOGNITION THERAPY, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

AND THE PARTICIPANTS ARE VERY POSITIVE WITH THAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER CONDITIONS WHICH WE HAVE OTHER THAN THE ONES WHICH I LIST HERE IN THE POWERPOINT, THINGS LIKE EVERY DAY THEY GOT TO CALL THE HOTLINE, THERE'S CURFEWS, THERE'S MONITORS, THERE'S PLACEMENTS.

THEY GO RESIDE IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

SINCE 2020, THE PROGRAM HAS HAD 64 INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.

23 HAVE GRADUATED THE PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY, 28 ARE CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING.

NOW, SINCE WE GOT WIND OF THIS OCTOBER, THE 11TH OF 2023, THAT THE FUNDING WAS IN JEOPARDY FOR THIS COURT.

FOR THIS DOCKET, WE'VE HAD 23 REFERRALS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADMITTED, BUT THEY'RE ON A WAIT LIST.

SO WE HAVE 23 INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVE NOT BROUGHT INTO THE PROGRAM.

A REST POST PROGRAM ZERO.

SINCE FISCAL YEAR 2021, WE HAVE HAD ZERO ARRESTS WHEN SOMEONE HAS COMPLETED IT, WHICH IS REALLY THE TIME PERIOD THAT SOMEONE IS MOST LIKELY TO OFFEND THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS. NOW, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE GRADUATES ONLY THESE 23 GRADUATES TO DIVERT THEM INTO THE PROGRAM, WE HAVE REDUCED 7952 DAYS IN CUSTODY, $250 A DAY, WHICH IS WHAT THE AVERAGE COST IS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL.

THAT'S A SAVINGS OF 1,988,000.

THAT IS NOT COUNTING SEVEN MORE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GRADUATE NEXT MONTH.

WHEN YOU INCLUDE THOSE.

WE'VE SAVED WELL OVER $2 MILLION WITH THIS COUNTY.

I PROVIDED A LETTER HERE ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS THAT HAVE WRITTEN, AND THESE FOLKS, I BELIEVE ARE PRESENT TODAY.

MR. AND MRS. STANLEY, THE LETTER THERE SORT OF EXPLAINS THEIR EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

I HIGHLIGHTED AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE THAT WHERE THEY INDICATE THAT THE FELONY MENTAL HEALTH COURT PROGRAM WAS A GODSEND TO OUR FAMILY.

IT GAVE OUR DAUGHTER HOPE FOR A FUTURE AND A STRUCTURE TO FOLLOW.

THEY'RE HERE. THERE'S OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT COULD.

TALK ABOUT THE COURT, WHOSE FAMILY MEMBERS ESSENTIALLY THEY FEEL HAVE BEEN SAVED AS A RESULT OF THE PROGRAM.

NEXT SLIDE. NEXT STEPS.

WE NEED TO IDENTIFY FUNDING STREAMS FOR THE PROGRAM.

THAT'S BASICALLY WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.

WE NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED AS A SPECIALTY COURT IN BEXAR COUNTY TO APPLY FOR GRANTS THROUGH THE STATE.

AND WE'RE TALKING OF DEVELOPING A FELONY MENTAL HEALTH COURT, A POST ADJUDICATIVE COURT, WHICH WOULD BE A CONDITION OF SUPERVISION.

AND THE LAST SLIDE.

WELL, NEXT TO THE LAST SLIDE, YOU SEE ALL THE COUNTY FOLKS THAT WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENTS, FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT STAFF.

YOU SEE THE STAFF THERE, YOU SEE THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED.

AND THEN ON THE LAST SLIDE, IF YOU NOTE THOSE ARE ALL THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO WORK WITH.

THE COURT JUDGES DON'T GET PAID EXTRA FOR THESE DOCKETS.

COURT STAFF DON'T GET PAID EXTRA.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IT'S PART OF OUR JOB.

JUDGE HUFF IS DONE A GREAT JOB.

ON THE MISDEMEANOR SIDE, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU.

JUDGE. JUDGE RANGEL, GOOD TO SEE YOU THIS MORNING.

I GUESS TODAY IS JUST TAKING ACTION ON A RESOLUTION.

I WOULD IMAGINE WE'LL HAVE MORE DISCUSSION AS WE GET IF THIS GETS APPROVED.

UM, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY I LIKE TO GET BRIEFED ON THESE AHEAD OF TIME BECAUSE THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT, I THINK, STEP.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'LL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS LATER ON.

[01:40:02]

FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY THIS.

YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE CAN DO WITH RESPECT TO ADDRESSING THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITY, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO FUNDING, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE.

I KNOW YOU SAID YOU'RE GOING TO ATTACK POTENTIAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, BUT DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF OVERALL COST FOR SETTING THIS UP AS A SPECIALTY COURT? WELL, SO MICHELLE STARR SALAZAR IS PRESIDENT.

SHE'S BEEN WORKING WITH US WITH THE BUDGET.

I'LL LET HER ANSWER THAT. OKAY.

AND I KNOW IT'S EARLY ON, BUT IF WE CAN GET AN IDEA, NOT NECESSARILY A LINE BY LINE BUDGET, BUT IF YOU COULD ADDRESS THE COST.

SO IN TERMS OF STAFFING, IF WE LOOKED AT A COURT MANAGER, CASE MANAGER AND PRETRIAL BOND OFFICER, WHICH I THINK ARE THE THREE CORE POSITIONS THAT ARE NEEDED.

IT'S ROUGHLY, AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT FIGURES, BUT I CAN GET THEM FOR YOU, COMMISSIONER.

IT'S ABOUT A 120,000.

I WOULD SAY FOR STAFF IN TERMS OF TREATMENT, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT.

WELL, THIS PAST YEAR IT WAS 65,000.

IF WE WERE TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN OUR NUMBERS, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE UP HIGHER TO 100,000IN TERMS OF TREATMENT.

SO I WANT TO DISTINGUISH THAT THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES IS ONE OF THE PROVIDERS THAT WE WORK WITH.

THEY DO NOT PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF INTENSITY OR TREATMENT THAT OUR OTHER PROVIDER THAT WE CONTRACT WITH, WHICH IS CRYSTAL COUNSELING.

THEY ARE AN ASSERTIVE CASE MANAGEMENT PROVIDER, WHICH MEANS THEY ARE 100% IN THE COMMUNITY.

THEY ARE MEETING WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS 2 TO 3 TIMES A WEEK, SOMETIMES HOURS AT A TIME ON THEIR VISITS, DOING THE PSYCHOSOCIAL, DOING THE MEDICATION MANAGEMENT IN TERMS OF CRISES DURING.

THE THE WEEK, THE DAY THEY ARE, THEY'RE RESPONDING TO THOSE SITUATIONS, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE LEVEL OF SERVICES WE RECEIVE FROM THE CENTER.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE CASE MANAGER VISIT EVERY OTHER WEEK.

SO THOSE ARE THE SERVICES.

THAT'S THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT THESE PARTICIPANTS ARE NEEDING BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING OUT OF THE STATE HOSPITAL.

THEY'RE COMING OUT OF THE JAIL NOT MEDICATED, NEEDING TO GO INTO PLACEMENT.

AND THEY'RE THE THAT TREATMENT TEAM IS THE ONE THAT'S OUT THERE TRYING TO SECURE THOSE THINGS FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS.

OKAY. SO IN TERMS OF STAFFING, THOUGH, IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU SAID I'M.

KIND OF PARAPHRASING HERE, BUT ABOUT $200,000 ANNUALLY FOR STAFFING.

I KNOW YOU SAID THE TREATMENT IS SEPARATE, BUT YES.

IS THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT? AGAIN, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT A COURT MANAGER, A CASE MANAGER AND A PRETRIAL BOND OFFICER, THREE WHAT WAS THE LAST PRETRIAL BOND? OFFICER THREE. OKAY.

AND THAT STAFFING LEVEL IS BASED ON HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS THE CASELOAD BEST PRACTICE IS 4040.

YES, BUT FOR THE BOND OFFICER, THEY WOULD BE AROUND 40 TO 50.

FOR THE CASE MANAGER, THEY NOT ONLY CARRY THE CASELOAD OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN THE COURT, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT DO ALL THE SCREENINGS.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CARRY THE CASELOAD UNTIL THAT INDIVIDUAL IS IN THE PROGRAM.

WE DON'T WAIT TO CONNECT THEM TO TREATMENT SUPPORTS AND SERVICES WHEN THEY COME IN THE PROGRAM.

WE ARE ALREADY WORKING THOSE CASES THE MOMENT THAT WE LAY HANDS ON THEM.

OKAY. AND THEN A QUESTION, I GUESS, FOR FOR YOU, JUDGE RON HILL, IN THE PAST COUPLE OF BUDGET CYCLES, THERE'S BEEN SOME LEVEL OF DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THIS COURT AND SOME OF THE JUDGES ABOUT A LAW ENFORCEMENT POSITION FOR THE SPECIALTY COURTS.

I THINK THE COURT AND OUR LEGAL COUNSEL HAVE SAID WE ARE IN SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE, NOT HAVING A SPECIFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ASSIGNED TO EACH SPECIALTY COURT. I THINK THE JUDGES AND JUDGE HUFF HAS BEEN ONE OF THEM, WHO HAS SAID WE ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE.

I WONDER IF YOU HAVE A POSITION ON THAT TODAY.

I KNOW THAT THE GRANTS GENERALLY REQUIRE A DEDICATED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT ISSUE BECAUSE, LIKE THE COURT STAFF THAT I WORK WITH IN THE 379, THE BAILIFFS HAVE STAYED OVER TIME AND HAVE HELPED US WITH THOSE.

SO WE HAVE TWO BAILIFFS SHOUT OUT TO THEM.

DEPUTY GONZALES AND GONZALES ARE NOT BROTHERS, BUT THEY ALWAYS STAY BEHIND AND HELP US.

SO WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT ISSUE.

BUT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT GRANT FUNDING IS CONTINGENT UPON A DEDICATED SPECIALTY COURT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

RIGHT. AND I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, IF WE DO GET THE GRANT FUNDING, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRICT COMPLIANCE AND SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE, I THINK OUR LEGAL OPINION HAS BEEN WE ARE IN SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE AS WE OPERATE CURRENTLY.

YES, AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT BECAUSE THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN OFFICIAL SPECIALTY COURT, RIGHT, BECAUSE WE'RE A PILOT PROGRAM, WE HAVEN'T HAD THOSE KIND OF.

YEAH. NO, I'M JUST KIND OF LOOKING FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

IF IT DOES GET ESTABLISHED AS A SEPARATE SPECIALTY COURT.

[01:45:04]

LOOK, IN SOME REGARD, WHEN I LOOK AT THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE THE COUNTY TO GET INTO EXPANSION OF CERTAIN COURTS, THERE'S ALSO A DOWNSIDE FROM ACCEPTING GRANT FUNDING.

AND SO IF THERE ARE TOO MANY STRINGS ATTACHED, IN OTHER WORDS, I WOULD JUST RATHER, IF IT'S A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR, FUNDED OURSELVES.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COURT WILL HAVE TO GRAPPLE WITH DOWN THE ROAD.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR YOUR OPINION ON THAT, WHICH IS WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THESE SPECIALTY WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALTY COURTS.

IT'S ALL COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUNDS.

OKAY. COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

YEAH. SO JUDGE RON HALL AND JUDGE HUFF, I THINK BOTH OF YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I ADVOCATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW SUPPORTIVE I AM.

SO I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HAD A BRIEFING BEFOREHAND BECAUSE I TRY TO DO MY HOMEWORK, AND I HAVE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS THAN I WOULD NORMALLY JUST ASK AT COMMISSIONERS COURT. SO IF NEXT TIME, IF YOU ALL CAN DO THAT WITH MY OFFICE, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

SO MY QUESTIONS DO YOU ALL HAVE STATISTICS, EVALUATIONS, NUMBERS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT TO SEE THE IMPROVEMENT OR HOW THIS HAS IMPACTED BEXAR COUNTY? WELL, SO I PROVIDED THE SLIDE A LIST REGARDING THOSE GRADUATES AND THE COUNTIES, THE COUNTY FUNDS THAT WE'VE SAVED.

WE COULD GET MORE DETAILED, MORE INTO THE WOODS.

I DID BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS JUST A RESOLUTION THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN ACTUALLY ASKING FOR FUNDS.

WE WE'RE NOT COMING IN HERE ASKING FOR FUNDS.

SO BUT THE RESOLUTION WILL BE YES.

IF WE IF WE PASS THIS, THEN IF WE CREATE THIS, THEN FUNDS WILL BE ATTACHED.

RIGHT. AND NO.

THEN WE HAVE TO ASK FOR THOSE FUNDS.

SO SO RIGHT.

BUT IN THE END WILL BE FUNDS.

SO I MEAN IS THERE ANY KIND OF PROJECTIONS OF THE BUDGET AND HOW MUCH THAT WOULD COST? I THINK THAT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT HE WAS ASKING.

WELL, LET ME LET ME ASK A QUESTION MORE DIRECT WHEN YOU ASK FOR THE MONEY.

WELL, THE FIRST, FIRST STEP IS DECLARING, NO, THIS IS MY QUESTION.

WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO ASK FOR THE MONEY? YEAH. I MEAN, ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT OUT OF CYCLE OR CAN WE TRY TO WORK IT INTO THE NEXT BUDGET? YEAH, I MEAN, THAT IS SOMETHING, I GUESS, THAT JUDGE RON HELD AND THE STAFF WILL HAVE TO DECIDE LIKE THAT.

LIKE YOU SAID, PROVIDING JUST COMING HERE TODAY TO ESTABLISH A RESOLUTION OF THE COURT AND THEN.

THE MONEY IS GOING TO COME QUICKLY.

I MEAN, THE TEAM HAS TO GET TOGETHER AND DISCUSS THAT.

I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT DATE WHEN THAT WOULD BE, BUT.

BUT TO COMMISSIONER REBECA CLAY-FLORES QUESTION ABOUT THE FUNDING OF WHEN THIS BECAUSE LOOK, 14 SPECIALTY COURTS IN BEXAR COUNTY, THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT, MY COURT IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS FULLY FUNDED BY COMMISSIONERS COURT.

ALL OF THE OTHER COURTS WORK OFF OF GRANTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS, FEDERAL AND STATE SIDE, GOVERNORS GRANTS.

THERE'S MY COURT IS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS THAT WAS THAT'S FULLY FUNDED BY COMMISSIONERS COURT.

SO JUDGE REYNOLDS COURT HAS BEEN LIKE REALLY KIND OF LIKE OPERATING WITH MY FUNDS.

WE'VE JUST BEEN STRETCHING IT. THAT WAS THE BUDGET WAS 500.

IT GOT STRETCHED ABOUT 700,000, BECAUSE MY TEAM HAS BEEN BUILDING HIS PROGRAM FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND SO HE'S HERE TO ASK FOR A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF AS A SPECIAL COURT.

SO MOVING FORWARD, HE CAN START ASKING FOR FUNDS.

AND IN RESPECT TO HIS SPECIAL COURT, WHETHER THAT BE TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT OR GRANTS OR WHATNOT, WHATEVER, IT REALLY IS AVAILABLE.

THAT'S WHAT HE'S SEEKING.

JUDGE. YES. HOLD ON, COMMISSIONER MOODY, YOU'RE NEXT.

THEN I'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER. UM, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, AND THEN I WANT TO CIRCLE BACK TO THE DISCUSSION THERE.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE FELONIES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN, WHAT IS THE SCREENING PROCESS THERE? OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, ALL FELONIES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL.

AND SO HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT PROTECTING PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE YOU'RE DETERMINING WHAT THE BEST TREATMENT ROUTE FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE? WELL, THERE ARE HIGH RISK, HIGH NEEDS, MEANING THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, A LOT OF THEM ARE INVOLVED WITH ASSAULTS.

A LOT OF THEM ARE INVOLVED WITH ASSAULTS WITH POLICE OFFICERS UPON ARREST.

THERE'S SOME FAMILY VIOLENCE, ASSAULTS THAT ARE IN THERE, AND IT'S ALL RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS.

SO AT THE JAIL, WHEN THEY GET ARRESTED, PRETRIAL SERVICES INTERVIEWS THEM.

ONCE THEY IDENTIFY THEM, THEN THEY GO THROUGH A SCREENING PROCESS WITH WITH MISS MICHELLE STARR SALAZAR, TO DETERMINE, IS THIS SOMEBODY THAT WOULD BE SAFE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO WORK WITH IN THIS PROGRAM? IS IT SOMEBODY WHO WOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE LOOKING AT A JAIL TIME? AND REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF CASES THAT ARE CONSIDERED TO BE VIOLENT, THAT'S A VERY WIDE RANGE OF CASES.

SO A ROBBERY COULD BE SOMEBODY WHO PUNCHES SOMEBODY IN THE FACE AND STEALS AN ITEM FROM THEIR PERSON.

BUT IT COULD ALSO BE SOMEBODY WHO'S SHOPLIFTING AT H-E-B, A $5 PIECE OF GUM.

AND AS THEY'RE RUNNING OUT, SOMEBODY TRIES TO STOP THEM AND THEY PUSH THEM OUT OF THE WAY.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS.

ACCORDING TO THE CASE BY CASE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT FACTORS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE BEST SERVED IN OUR COUNTY, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THAT COMMIT CRIMES ARE NOT A

[01:50:05]

THREAT TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND NONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR PROGRAM HAVE BEEN A THREAT TO OUR COMMUNITY THUS FAR.

I CAN SAY THAT THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT SCREENING PROCESS IS SUPER IMPORTANT, AND SO I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT IT'S OPERATING THE WAY IT'S INTENDED TO BE.

GO AHEAD. SO, COMMISSIONER MOODY, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT OUR SCREENING PROCESS IS TO DETERMINE, YES, WE DO DO A RISK AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR INDICATORS OF MENTAL HEALTH. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR PROVIDERS FINALIZE THAT DIAGNOSIS.

THE DA'S OFFICE IS PART OF OUR TEAM.

SO THEY'RE THE ONES THAT REVIEW THE CASES.

LOOK AT THE POLICE REPORTS TALK TO VICTIMS AND MAKE A DETERMINATION IF PUBLIC SAFETY IS GOING TO BE A FACTOR IN ACCEPTING THIS INDIVIDUAL.

SO THAT'S PART OF THAT PROCESS.

OKAY. WELL BOTH PROGRAMS BOTH PROGRAMS ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

LIKE MY MENTAL HEALTH COURT.

OUR RECIDIVISM RATE, IT'S LIKE 3%.

THAT MEANS 97, 97% OF THE PEOPLE THAT COMPLETE THIS 12 MONTH PROGRAM, WE DON'T SEE THEM AGAIN.

AND WE MEASURE THAT SUCCESS BY DO WE SEE THEM REARRESTED THE FIRST YEAR, THE THIRD YEAR, THE FIFTH YEAR? SO WHAT JUDGE RONNELL WAS SAYING EARLIER THAT SINCE 2023 YEARS, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE PERSON THAT HAS COMPLETED HIS PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN REARRESTED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR.

SO VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL.

THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION.

SO I'M DOING THE MATH HERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE 13 INDIVIDUALS, DIDN'T COMPLETE THE PROGRAM AND DROPPED OUT.

WHAT WAS THEIR OUTCOME AND HOW DID THEY DROP OUT AND DID THEY COMMIT ANOTHER OFFENSE.

WHERE IS THAT IN THE SLIDE DECK? I'M JUST WHATEVER PAGE STATISTICS AND SUCCESS.

SO YES, WE'VE HAD LOOKING AT THE 64 INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM, 23 SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM AND 28 ARE CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING.

SO I WAS JUST DOING THE MATH THERE, 13 WHO HAVE NOT COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY.

WE HAD ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE MIDWAY INTO THE PROGRAM.

WE HAD TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT ABSCONDED ON US THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO LOCATE, AND THEN THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS WERE INDIVIDUALS.

BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF THE MENTAL HEALTH, THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE IN TREATMENT, COMPLY WITH MEDICATIONS FOR THEIR STABILITY, AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION, WHO AGAIN, DID NOT WANT TO FULFILL A PROGRAM FOR SUBSTANCE USE ADDICTION, WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THE PROGRAM THERE.

THEY WEREN'T READY TO TO ADDRESS THOSE ON A TREATMENT LEVEL.

UNDERSTAND? AND ULTIMATELY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET A COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE PROGRAM.

OBVIOUSLY, THE THE 23 THAT'S SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED LOOKS LIKE GREAT OUTCOMES THUS FAR, BUT ALSO JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THOSE WHO DIDN'T COMPLETE THE PROGRAM.

AND IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OR IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF RISKS THAT THAT CAME FROM THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

YES. IT'S.

IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT THAN A QUESTION.

OKAY. ONE LAST COMMENT.

THE INDIVIDUALS LIKE, IF THEY'RE ADMINISTRATIVELY DISCHARGED, THEY ARE WELCOME TO COME BACK.

SOME OF THE SPECIAL COURTS DO NOT ALLOW YOU TO COME BACK.

BUT PEOPLE HAVE COME BACK.

THEY THEY'VE COME BACK SECOND TIME AND THERE AND THEY ARE WELCOME TO DO THAT.

THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO COME BACK AGAIN.

OKAY. READY. THE OTHER THING WAS JUST AROUND AS WE GO FORWARD HERE AND WE START THINKING ABOUT LOOKING FOR GRANTS, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SOME PENT UP DEMAND FOR THIS KIND OF A TREATMENT PROGRAM.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT NOT OVERBUILDING, BECAUSE IF THESE ARE KIND OF YOUR REPEAT OFFENDERS, HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS, BUT IF THEY GET THROUGH THIS PROGRAM RIGHT, IS THERE GOING TO BE A CONTINUOUS FLOW OF THE SAME NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED THOSE SERVICES? OR AS WE DEAL WITH THAT POPULATION, THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE FEWER IN THE FUTURE THAT THAT COME THROUGH THOSE DOORS.

ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THIS IS A BIG COUNTY.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALWAYS IMAGINE THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MORE PEOPLE THAT WOULD COME IN.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE, I DO HAVE A PODCAST.

AND ON THAT PODCAST I FEATURED AS AN EPISODE ONE OF THE GRADUATES.

SO SHE SORT OF EXPLAINED HER PROCESS AND WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH.

AND WHEN YOU HEAR THESE STORIES OR THEY'RE VERY GRIPPING, THEY'RE VERY DYNAMIC.

AND SHE'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

SHE'S NOW APPLYING FOR A PHD PROGRAM AND MINORITY STUDIES.

SHE WAS A STUDENT AT UTSA WHEN SHE GOT ARRESTED FOR HER FOR HER CASE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THESE GREAT STORIES.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I MEET WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS, WE STAFF AND WHEN I MEET WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS, YOU CAN REALLY AND EVERYBODY HERE CAN ATTEST, CAN ATTEST TO THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN SEE THEM PROGRESS, YOU CAN SEE THEM GROW, YOU CAN SEE THE MEDICATION TAKE HOLD, THE SELF ESTEEM COME INTO PLAY.

THE CLASSES ARE WORKING.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE.

AND I WOULD INVITE ANY ONE OF YOU TO COME INTO THE COURT AND OBSERVE SOME STAFFING AND THEN THE ACTUAL COURT PROCEEDINGS.

IT'S JUST A IT'S JUST A IT'S REALLY WHY SOMEBODY GOES INTO THIS FIELD TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF SUCCESS IN DEALING WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE AT THE LOWEST POINTS IN THEIR LIVES, AND YOU'RE HELPING TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY SAFE.

[01:55:03]

YEAH, KID, JUST CIRCLING BACK WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT GRANT FUNDING VERSUS COURT FUNDING, ARPA FUNDING.

AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE GOING TO GET TO IT TODAY.

BUT WITH REGARD TO OUR TWO IMPACT COURTS, I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THE THE TIMING OF POTENTIALLY MOVING ONE OF THOSE IMPACT COURTS TO FELONIES AT THE JAIL.

AND I'M IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT, BUT ALSO WITH THAT OTHER IMPACT COURT, YOU KNOW, DOES DOES IT POTENTIALLY STAY PUT OR, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMING MONTHS, COULD IT TRANSITION INTO FILLING THIS GAP THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY? SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.

I HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS LAST WEEK WITH JUDGE ALITO, MELANIE LIDA, WHO I THINK OVERSEES ONE OF THOSE MISDEMEANOR IMPACT COURTS.

SHE'S ON BOARD.

SHE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH THE OTHER COUNTY COURTS AT LAW.

JUDGES MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM.

BUT THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN ISSUE WITH US TAKING OVER ONE OF THOSE IMPACT COURTS ON THE FELONY COURT SIDE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THESE HIGHER LEVEL CASES THAT ARE IN THE JAIL THAT HAVE BEEN THERE AS A RESULT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.

AND AGAIN, THE POPULATION AT THE JAIL IS LOW, LOWER THAN THAN IT'S BEEN HISTORICALLY.

IT'S RISEN A LITTLE BIT POST COVID, BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS THE NUMBERS ARE STILL FANTASTIC.

THE COURT ACTIVE DOCKETS ON THE FELONY COURT SIDE ARE THE LOWEST THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN.

IT'S THOSE HIGHER LEVEL FELONY CASES THAT NEED TO BE TRIED THAT ARE IN CUSTODY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO WE'RE LOOKING TO TRANSITION THAT WE SHOULD BE READY TO TALK ABOUT THAT AT THE NEXT COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING.

AND WE SHOULD HAVE THAT ALREADY GOING.

THAT'S GREAT. AND I'VE SAID IT PRIVATELY MANY TIMES, BUT BUT FOR THE RECORD, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IMPACT COURTS CREATE AN IMPACT ON THOSE BACKLOGS.

AND THEY HAVE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT WHEN THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH A BACKLOG.

BUT IF WE WORK THROUGH THAT BACKLOG, THEY'RE NO LONGER PROVIDING AN ROI.

IT'S TIME TO MOVE THEM TO ANOTHER BACKLOG SO THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT CONTINUED VALUE TO THE COUNTY.

AND SO I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT LENGTH, BUT I HOPE THERE'S THERE'S SUPPORT AND ALIGNMENT AROUND THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CALVERT. THANK YOU.

JUDGE. JUDGE, THANK YOU FOR BEING ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED ELECTED LEADERS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, PARDON ME, THIS DATA FROM A COST.

THERE ARE SEVERAL MEASURES THAT GOVERNMENT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT IN TERMS OF A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS, NOT JUST THE DOLLARS AND CENTS, BUT IT'S ALSO SOME OF THE INTANGIBLE HUMAN IMPACTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.

BUT FROM A DOLLARS AND CENTS AND A OTHER FACTORS PERSPECTIVE, YOU'RE YOU'RE KNOCKING OUT OF THE BALLPARK JUST LOOKING AT THE LEVERAGE.

YOU HAVE ALMOST A 3 TO 1 BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY.

AND IN TERMS OF THE DOLLAR, SAVE FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE ARE INVESTING, YOU'VE GOT OVER A TWO, TWO AND A HALF TIMES BETWEEN TWO AND A HALF TIMES IN THREE AND CRUNCH.

THE MATH COULD HAVE SAVINGS TO THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF JAIL BED DAY COST SAVINGS.

SO WE YOU'RE ABOUT $700,000 AND THEN YOU SAVE US ABOUT 2 MILLION PER YEAR, RIGHT? SO OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, YOU'VE HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS THAT THREE YEAR MARK.

AND CRIMINOLOGICAL ANALYSIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

IT YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR YOU'RE ACING IT 100%, THREE YEARS YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF, YOU KNOW, 1 OR 2 FOLKS WHO DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE. BUT I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS THE FUTURE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

THIS IS. IT SHOULD BE HEADING, AND I THINK THAT IT BEHOOVES THE COUNTY GENERAL FUND TO INVEST IN IT.

AND NOT JUST I MEAN, SURE, WE CAN DO LEVERAGE, WE CAN DO GRANTS, BUT WE ACTUALLY SAVE A LOT OF MONEY BY INVESTING IN YOUR PROGRAM.

SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING A PIONEER AGAIN.

AND WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME VISION.

THE COURT NEEDS TO GET IN LOCK STEP IN TERMS OF VISION WITH YOU, AND THE STAFF NEEDS TO GET IN LOCK STEP IN TERMS OF VISION, BECAUSE IF YOU'VE GOT VISION, YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO HEAD IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING AHEAD OF US.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS I GOT ONE.

LET ME TRY TO DISTILL WHAT I THINK WE JUST BEEN TALKING FOR, I GUESS LAST 20 OR 30 MINUTES, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES.

I'VE BEEN WHERE Y'ALL ARE AT, MAKING THE PLEA.

AND NOW I'M ON THIS LOOKING AT YOU.

SO LET ME TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN DISTILL THIS SO THAT WE CAN THEN REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE AT AND WHERE I'M AT AND WHAT WE NEED TO

[02:00:03]

DO TO MOVE FORWARD.

AS COMMISSIONER CALVERT HAS INDICATED, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE ON THE DAIS HAS ANY.

DISPUTE OR DISREGARD OR OBJECTION TO DRUG OR SPECIALTY COURTS.

THEY WORK. I RAN ONE, RAN SEVERAL, AND I'VE WORKED TO SUPPORT ALL THE DRUG AND SPECIALTY COURTS WITH THE COURT SYSTEM.

SO SOMETIMES WE GET RIGHT BACK INTO THE JUSTIFYING THE COURTS.

I THINK WHAT YOU HEARD FROM THE QUESTIONS TODAY AND THE COMMENTS IS THAT WHEN YOU MAKE THOSE REQUESTS, I THINK NOW I'M ON THIS SIDE.

YOU NEED TO HAVE A FISCAL NOTE.

YOU NEED TO TELL US HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST.

YOU'VE GOT TO TELL ME HOW SPECIFICALLY HOW MANY POSITIONS AND THEIR SALARIES ARE.

WE GOT TO CALCULATE THE BENEFITS.

WE GOT TO GET OVER THE BUDGET.

BUDGET'S GOT TO TELL ME, JUDGE, WE CAN DO IT.

WE CAN FIT IT IN AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

OTHERWISE, I THINK THESE CONVERSATIONS WILL ALWAYS REPEAT THEMSELVES OF TRYING TO.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE OF JUSTIFYING DRUG AND SPECIALTY COURTS.

CORRECT? COMMISSIONERS.

DOES ANYBODY DISAGREE WITH ME? I COULDN'T HEAR YOU. WE DON'T HAVE ANY DISAGREEMENT ON THE CREATION OF SPECIALTY COURTS, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS ARE REALLY ON POINT.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT, WHERE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM SHOULD GO AND WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

COMMISSIONER MOODY REALLY IS ASKING FOR A RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ IS TO SAY, HEY, WHERE'S THE FISCAL NOTE? AND COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES IS JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS TRULY EMBRACING AND ENHANCING THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

SO I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, BUT I THINK I'VE BEEN NOW HERE FOR ONE YEAR, AND WE TEND TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS OVER.

I THINK WE JUST NEED TO LEARN WHAT THE BUDGET OFFICE NEEDS, HOW YOU COMMUNICATE WITH THE COURT, AND HOW WE CAN THEN MOVE FASTER AND MORE MOBILE IN ORDER TO SERVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COUNTY.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU, JUDGE REINHOLD? ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT.

AND I THINK THE FINAL COMMENTS IS, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING ON THE CITY COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES BETWEEN THE VARIOUS CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, HOW DOES THESE COURTS, ESPECIALLY YOUR COURT, TIE IN TO THIS CURRENT DISCUSSION OF OUR MAGISTRATION AND HOW PEOPLE WHO ARE CHARGED WITH THE CRIME ARE PROCESSED, AND HOW DO THEY GET TO YOUR COURT? I WANT TO KNOW IN REGARDS TO THE ASSESSMENT PIECE, HOW IS IT BEING ASSESSED AT THE MAGISTRATION LEVEL AND HOW DO PEOPLE GET TO YOUR COURT? BECAUSE THAT'S THE KEY.

IF THEY DON'T, THEN THEY SIT IN OUR BEXAR COUNTY JAIL OR THEY RUN OUT IN THE COMMUNITY EITHER ON BOND OR PERSONAL BOND.

CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT.

SO HOW DO WE TIGHTEN UP? I'M LOOKING AT HOW DO WE BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT AS A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

WELL, THE ASSESSMENT PIECE IS SIGNIFICANT, AND IT CAN HAPPEN MOST EFFECTIVELY WHEN ALL ARRESTEES WITHIN BEXAR COUNTY WHO WIND UP AT BEXAR COUNTY JAIL FOR BOOKING AND MAGISTRATION TO BE BROUGHT DIRECTLY TO THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL FOR BOOKING, AND MAGISTRATION TO THEN PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ASSESSMENTS BY PRETRIAL SERVICES AND BY THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY IDENTIFY THEM AT THE ONSET AND THEY DON'T GET SHEPHERDED THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT AS BEING THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY CASES DO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FELONY MENTAL HEALTH PRETRIAL DIVERSION COURT AS A MENTAL HEALTH COURT.

SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, JUST JUST A COMMENT.

SINCE JUDGE RONALD MENTIONED MAGISTRATION.

ANY WAY Y'ALL CAN WORK THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE ONE MAGISTRATION WE NEED.

WE NEED THAT TOO.

I THINK WE'RE GETTING INTO DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.

DA JOE GONZALEZ IF I COMMENT, BUT I DON'T WANT ANY DISCUSSIONS ON ISSUES THAT MAY REQUIRE ACTION.

AND ESPECIALLY I WILL LET YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER, THAT THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT I WILL BRING IN THE FINAL REPORT AS A RESULT OF THE CITY COUNTY, AND WE WILL BE ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE RAISED BY COMMENT.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES. GOOD LUCK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 77, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE, I BELIEVE, THE LONGEST AGENDA ITEM I'VE EVER SEEN.

[77. Discussion and appropriate action regarding the following related to the development of an Arboretum to be constructed at 4226 SE Military Dr. San Antonio, TX 78222. a. A Funding and Development Agreement between Bexar County and Arboretum San Antonio for an amount not to exceed $7,300,000, for the purchase of 17.92 acres of land; and for conceptual planning, site planning, development, construction, and equipping of an approximately 185.22-acre Arboretum, including public access via a Connecting Roadway to be developed on two tracts of land to include a combination of the 17.92 acre tract and an additional 167.3 acre tract; b. A Ground and Facility Lease Agreement between Bexar County and Arboretum San Antonio for the 17.92-acre tract to be acquired and owned by Arboretum San Antonio, and for the 167.3-acre tract to be acquired by Brooks Development Authority, leased to Arboretum San Antonio, and to become another part of the Arboretum making to total it an approximately 185.22-acre Arboretum, with an approximately 18+ tract within the 167.3-acre tract to be leased initially to the County and thereafter conveyed in fee simple in the future as the site of a new Bexar County Park; c. A License and Operating Agreement between Bexar County and Arboretum San Antonio for the use, occupancy, and operation of the Arboretum for and on behalf of the County as a County recreational facility; and d. A Memorandum of Understanding between Bexar County, Brooks Development Authority, and Arboretum San Antonio regarding the initial lease and thereafter the transfer in the future by the Brooks Development Authority with the approval of the Arboretum of approximately 18+ acres of land to the County for a future County-owned Park located on a portion of the 167.3-acre tract to be owned by Brooks Development Authority.]

SO LET ME READ IT.

BUT THEN I THINK WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK THE COURT TO GET WEIGH IN.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE DISCUSSION, APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE FOLLOWING RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARBORETUM TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON 4226 SOUTHEAST MILITARY DRIVE, SAN

[02:05:10]

ANTONIO, TEXAS. 78222AA FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN BAIRD COUNTY AND ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $7,300,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF 17.92 ACRES OF LAND, AND FOR THE CONCEPTUAL PLANNING, SITE PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPPING OF AN APPROXIMATELY 185.22 ACRE ARBORETUM, INCLUDING PUBLIC ACCESS VIA CONNECTING ROADWAY TO BE DEVELOPED ON TWO TRACKS OF LAND TO INCLUDE A COMBINATION OF A 17.92 ACRE TRACK AND AN ADDITIONAL 167.3 ACRE TRACK.

BE A GROUND AND FACILITY LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BAIRD COUNTY AND ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO FOR THE 17.92 ACRE TRACT, TO BE ACQUIRED AND OWNED BY ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO, AND FOR THE 167.3 ACRE TRACT TO BE ACQUIRED BY BROOKS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY LEASE TO ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO AND TO BECOME ANOTHER PART OF THE ARBORETUM, MAKING IT AN APPROXIMATELY 185.22 ACRE ARBORETUM WITH AN APPROXIMATELY 18 PLUS TRACK WITHIN 167.3 ACRE TRACT TO BE LEASED INITIALLY TO THE COUNTY AND THEREAFTER CONVEYED IN FEE SIMPLE IN THE FUTURE AS THE SITE OF A NEW BAIRD COUNTY PARK.

SEE A LICENSE AND OPERATING AGREEMENT BETWEEN BURKE COUNTY AND ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO FOR THE USE, OCCUPANCY, AND OPERATION OF THE ARBORETUM FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY AS A COUNTY RECREATIONAL FACILITY AND A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN BURKE COUNTY, BROOKS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO REGARDING THE INITIAL LEASE AND THEREAFTER THE TRANSFER IN THE FUTURE BY THE BROOKS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE ARBORETUM FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 PLUS ACRES OF LAND TO THE COUNTY FOR A FUTURE COUNTY OWNED PARK LOCATED ON A PORTION OF THE 167.3 ACRE TRACT TO BE OWNED BY BROOKS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

I BELIEVE, MISTER CANEZ, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION.

I UNDERSTAND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS LONG AGENDA ITEM AS FOUR SEPARATE MOTIONS, AND SO I'M GOING TO DEFER TO THE COURT AS TO WHAT COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR SHOULD WE DISCUSS THIS AS A IN TOTALITY AND TAKE A VOTE ON THE FOUR MOTIONS, OR DO WE TAKE IT UP SEPARATELY BECAUSE OF THEIR SEPARATE ISSUES THAT ARE INVOLVED? WE DO IT ALL. MISTER CANEZ, MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION.

LET'S TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS.

OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING JUDGE.

COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS TONY CANEZ.

I'M WITH FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.

I HAVE KEN MCGLAMERY HERE, THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION AS WELL.

WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT AN ITEM IN SUPPORT OF THE ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO.

I WANT TO RECOGNIZE FIRST SOME MEMBERS OF PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.

MISTER TOM COURSER IS THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO.

THERE ARE SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS OF THE ARBORETUM IN IN THE AUDIENCE LEO GOMEZ, LAURA POWELL, JANE MACON, VANJIE FLORES, AND FORMER MAYOR HENRY CISNEROS ALSO HAVE ANOTHER REPRESENTATIVE FROM BROOKS, CONNIE GONZALEZ AND MISTER BILL AVILA.

OUR BOND COUNSEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

OKAY, SO A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

LAST, IN SEPTEMBER OF 22, BARROW COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVED A $680 MILLION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDED A PROJECT TO DEVELOP AND BUILD AN ARBORETUM FOR AN AMOUNT OF $7.3 MILLION.

THE PROJECT WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED TO BE LOCATED ON A PROPERTY OWNED BY THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY AND TEXAS A&M SAN ANTONIO, NEAR A A ROAD.

AROUND THAT SAME TIME FRAME, ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO WAS FORMED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING THE PROJECT, AND THEY ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO COLLABORATE WITH BROOKS CITY-BASE TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY THAT WAS FORMERLY THE PUBLIC GOLF COURSE LOCATED ON SOUTHEAST MILITARY DRIVE IN PRECINCT FOUR.

SO LAST DECEMBER, ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO CAME TO COMMISSIONERS COURT TO REQUEST SUPPORT TO COMMIT THE FUNDING FOR THE ARBORETUM TO THE TO THE NONPROFIT.

SO STAFF WAS DIRECTED TO NEGOTIATE AND FINALIZE AN AGREEMENT WITH ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING THE PROJECT.

SINCE THEN, ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO AND BROOKS HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATING LAND PURCHASES WITH THE PUBLIC GOLF COURSE AND HAVE ALSO MANAGED TO SECURE FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR A TREE NURSERY.

AND THEY'VE ALSO EMBARKED ON A SEARCH FOR A DESIGN CONSULTANT THAT WILL HELP THEM BRING THIS CONCEPT TO FRUITION.

SO, AS DETAILED IN THE FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, A TOTAL OF $7.3 MILLION WILL BE COMMITTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARBORETUM.

2 MILLION WILL INITIALLY BE USED TO PURCHASE A 17.92 ACRE PARCEL THAT SITS OUTSIDE OF THE FLOODPLAIN, WHICH WILL FURTHER EXPAND THE ARBORETUM AND PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED RECREATIONAL REAL ESTATE THAT IS DEVELOPABLE.

THE REMAINING $5.3 MILLION WILL BE USED TO HELP WITH MASTER PLANNING AND BE USED TO FUND THE PLACEMENT OF EARLY INFRASTRUCTURE, NAMELY ACCESS ROADS AND PARKING LOTS AROUND THE

[02:10:07]

PROPERTY. SO AS MENTIONED, THERE ARE SEVERAL FACETS OF OF THE PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE ARBORETUM.

IN ADDITION TO THE 1717 .92 ACRES THAT ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO WILL PURCHASE WITH COUNTY FUNDING, BROOKS IS COMMITTED TO PURCHASING A NET OF 150 8.5 ACRES ALONG SALADO CREEK THAT WILL BE LEASED BACK TO THE ARBORETUM AS PART OF THE SITE.

IN TURN, ONCE MASTER PLANNING OF THE PROPERTY IS CONDUCTED, AN APPROXIMATELY 18 ACRE PARCEL OF LAND WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE COUNTY FOR A FUTURE COUNTY PARK ADJACENT TO THE ARBORETUM. I AGAIN WANT TO HAND IT OFF RIGHT NOW TO MR. MCGLAMERY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FUTURE PARK.

MM. THANK YOU. AS SAID BEFORE, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

THE 18 ACRE PARK IS GOING TO BE AGAINST THE MILITARY.

AND RIGHT NOW, THE TERMS ARE NOT.

THE METES AND BOUNDS HAVE NOT BEEN DISPLAYED, CREATED BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS FIRST.

ONCE THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS IS COMPLETE, THEN WE CAN DEFINE THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY.

WE WANT TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ARBORETUM, AND SO TO DO SO WE CAME UP WITH THIS PLAN.

WHEREAS AN MOU THAT THE BROOKS IS GOING TO GIVE US THAT PROPERTY AND WE HAVE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ENFORCE THAT SHOULD ANYBODY NOT WANT TO DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AT THE END OF IT.

THE PARK IS ALSO GOING TO BE AN ACCESSIBLE PARK.

CAN YOU SEE IF I. SLIDE NINE.

THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO.

THIS IS A CONCEPT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

WE DO HAVE FUNDING.

WE'VE SECURED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO HELP US PLAN THIS OUT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE.

WE MAKE SURE IT'S ALL ADA ACCESSIBLE FOR FOR CHILDREN WITH COCHLEAR IMPLANTS, MOBILITY DISABILITIES.

ET CETERA. AND WE'RE GOING TO THIS.

SOME OF THIS IS GOING TO BE OUTSIDE THE FLOODPLAIN.

IF THERE'S ANY PROPERTY INSIDE THE FLOODPLAIN IT'S GOING TO BE USED FOR FLAT WORK.

SO THIS IS GOING TO COME TO FRUITION LATER ON AFTER THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS.

THE REASON WE WANTED TO DO IT THAT WAY IS.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ENTRANCE TO THIS AREA WAS SIGNIFICANT AND CONDUCIVE TO BOTH THE ARBORETUM AND TO OUR PARK.

YOU GO RIGHT THERE.

PERFECT. THANKS. THANK YOU.

KEN. SO, AS MENTIONED IN THE IN THE CAPTION, THERE ARE FOUR AGREEMENTS THAT COMPROMISE THIS TRANSACTION.

THEY'VE BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE COUNTIES BOUND COUNCIL AND ARE AS FOLLOWS.

FUNDING AGREEMENT A FUNDING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN BECKER COUNTY AND ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $7.3 MILLION.

AND THAT'S TO PROVIDE COUNTY FUNDING TO FOR THE PURCHASE OF 17.92 ACRES OF LAND AND FOR MASTER PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, PRE-DEVELOPMENT EXPENSES, AND ON APPROXIMATELY 185.22 ACRES THAT MAKE UP THE ARBORETUM.

THERE IS A GROUND AND FACILITY LEASE BETWEEN BECKER COUNTY AND ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO FOR THE 17.92 ACRES TO BE ACQUIRED, AND FOR THE 167.3 ACRE TRACT TO BE ACQUIRED BY BROOKS AND LEASED BACK TO THE ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO AND TO INITIALLY LEASE BACK TO BECKER COUNTY, AND THEREAFTER WILL BE CONVEYED IN FEE SIMPLE TO THE TO THE COUNTY AS THE SITE OF A FUTURE COUNTY PARK, A LICENSE AND OPERATING AGREEMENT BETWEEN BECKER COUNTY AND ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO THAT ESTABLISHES THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARTIES DURING THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENTS, AND GRANTING THE ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO THE RIGHT TO USE, OCCUPY, AND MAINTAIN THE ARBORETUM AND THE DUES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO OPERATE THE ARBORETUM AS A RECREATIONAL FACILITY ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY, AND A MEMORANDUM OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN BECKER COUNTY, BROOKS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, AND THE ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO THAT MEMORIALIZES THE AGREEMENT BY THE BROOKS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, WITH THE APPROVAL OF ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO, TO TRANSFER A FUTURE APPROXIMATELY 18 ACRES OF LAND FOR A FUTURE COUNTY OWNED PARK TO BE LOCATED ON A PORTION OF THE 167 ACRES PURCHASED BY BROOKS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

AND THEN WE GO BACK TO THE RECOMMENDED MOTIONS AND WE CAN PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS.

JUDGE, I'M PREPARED TO MAKE THIS EASY ON EVERYBODY.

I'D LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL OF MOTIONS A, B, C, AND D AS PRINTED IN THE AGENDA.

THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO DO IT. THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

I THINK THIS IS IN YOUR PRECINCT, CORRECT? YEAH. I'M GOOD. I'LL HEAR MY COMMENT.

QUESTIONS FROM THE OTHER COLLEAGUES.

MR. MOODY. UM, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

FIRST OF ALL, I'M LOOKING AT YOUR TIMELINE.

SO THE CITY'S ONLY PROVIDED 400,000 TOWARDS THE ARBORETUM FUNDING.

I'LL HAVE TO DEFER THAT TO THE TO THE FOLKS AT THE ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO.

BUT THAT WAS WHAT WAS SHOWN ON THE TIMELINE.

YES, BUT. THAT'S CORRECT, COMMISSIONER MOODY.

THERE ARE $400,000 IN THEIR 2024 BUDGET FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A TREE NURSERY ON THE PROPERTY.

[02:15:08]

AND THAT'S THEIR ONLY CONTRIBUTION SO FAR.

I'M SORRY. THAT'S THEIR ONLY CONTRIBUTION SO FAR.

SO FAR? YES. OKAY.

UM, AND THEN ON THE USE OF THE FUNDS, THE $2 MILLION FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE 17.92 ACRES.

WHO OWNS THAT? ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CREEK TODAY? RIGHT NOW IT'S OWNED BY REPUBLIC GOLF CLUB OWNER, THAT IS DAN PEDROTTI.

OKAY. BUT THE REST OF THE LAND IS OWNED BY BROOKS.

NOPE. SO IT'S ALL OWNED.

ALL THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS OWNED BY REPUBLIC GOLF CLUB, DAN PEDROTTI.

BROOKS IS GOING TO BUY A PORTION OF IT, ABOUT 158 ACRES OR SO.

AND USING THE COUNTY FUNDS, ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO IS GOING TO BUY AN ADDITIONAL 18 ACRES FROM DAN PEDROTTI.

WE'RE EXECUTING THOSE TWO TRANSACTIONS IN PARALLEL.

OKAY. AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE PAYING A LOT MORE PER ACRE.

THAT'S CORRECT, BECAUSE IT'S OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN.

CORRECT. BUT DO WE IS IT A PACKAGE DEAL OR WHY IS THERE THE NEED FOR THE ADDITIONAL 18 ACRES? LARGELY, THE PROPERTY THAT BROOKS IS BUYING IS IN THE FLOODPLAIN TO BUILD A PROPER ARBORETUM WITH ALL THE AMENITIES AND UNDERPINNING A BUSINESS MODEL WHICH WHICH WOULD SUPPORT THIS ARBORETUM.

YOU NEED TO BUILD FACILITIES AND THOSE HAVE TO BE OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN.

AND SO THIS IS A VERY KIND OF STRATEGIC PURPOSE FOR US, LIKE A VENUE THAT FOLKS COULD RENT.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

THE BUSINESS MODEL IS REALLY I'M SORRY.

THAT'S WHERE YOUR ROAD ACCESS, ROAD ACCESS, ACCESS OUT OF A FLOODPLAIN WITH THE ROAD ACCESS COME FROM THE WEST, THOUGH, BECAUSE WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE PARK COMING FROM MILITARY DRIVE.

YEAH. SO THE CONCEPT RIGHT NOW, WE HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH MASTER PLANNING AS YET, BUT THE CONCEPT IS, IS THAT WE'D HAVE A JOINT ENTRANCE OFF OF SOUTHEAST MILITARY FOR BOTH THE COUNTY PARK AS WELL AS THE ARBORETUM.

THE ARBORETUM WOULD CONTINUE UP TO THAT AREA.

THAT'S OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN, WHERE WE'D MOST LIKELY BUILD FACILITIES AGAIN.

I DON'T WANT TO ASSUME TOO MUCH WITHOUT GOING THROUGH MASTER PLANNING, BUT THERE COULD BE OTHER OPTIONS FOR ROAD ENTRY INTO THE PROPERTY.

BUT AGAIN, WE'LL EXPLORE THAT IN MASTER PLANNING.

OKAY, AND FOR THE MASTER PLANNING CURRENTLY IN THE RFQ STAGE, WHO OWNS THAT PROCESS I DO. OKAY.

SO IT'S IT'S NOT BEXAR COUNTY, IT'S THE SAN ANTONIO ARBORETUM IS RUNNING THAT PROCESS.

CORRECT. NOW WE HAVE PARTICIPATION FROM KEN IS ON OUR COMMITTEE TO DECIDE ON A VENDOR.

WE'VE ALSO GOT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO REPRESENTED ON THAT COMMITTEE TO HELP US DO THE RFQ RFP PROCESS TO TO CLOSE ON A VENDOR TO TAKE US THROUGH MASTER PLANNING. IT'D BE IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE THE THE CITY DOES OWN A CERTIFICATE PROPERTY ADJACENT TO THE TO THE ARBORETUM AS WELL. AND WE ALSO HAVE A SALADO CREEK GREENWAY EXTENSION THAT IT'S ACTUALLY A COUNTY FUNDED PROJECT, BUT WE WILL BE IN ON THE PROPERTY THAT BROOKS IS OBTAINING. THERE IS AN EASEMENT TO INSERT A TRAIL, AND THAT WILL ALSO BE A LEVERAGED INVESTMENT THAT WE WILL SHARE WITH THE THE ARBORETUM AND THE CITY.

SO, OKAY, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, AND ONE MORE COMMENT I'D LIKE TO ADD IS IN ADDITION TO BEING ON THE COMMITTEE, THE COUNTY IS ALSO WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF RIGHTS FOR THAT MASTER PLAN SO THAT IT HAS TO IT HAS TO WORK FOR US.

OKAY. AND YOU KNOW, THE SECOND ITEM I BELIEVE IS AROUND THIS LEASE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY KIND OF LEASE IN FRONT OF US TODAY.

SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE WAY THE LEASE WORKS IS ONCE THE PROPERTY IS BEEN DETERMINED, THE METES AND BOUNDS, THEN THERE WOULD BE A LEASE IN PLACE.

YEAH. THAT'S FOR THE THAT'S FOR THE PROPERTY.

THAT WOULD BE FUTURE. FUTURE GIVEN BY BOOK BY BROOKS.

YEAH I THINK HERE AS WELL.

AND HE HELPED HE HELPED DRAFT THESE DOCUMENTS AND HE CAME UP HERE.

MR.. AVILA, YOU'RE THE LAWYER.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS HAPPENING.

THE INITIAL 17.928 ACRES THAT IS BEING LEASED TODAY TO THE COUNTY.

ONCE THEY THEY'RE USING THE MONEY TO ACQUIRE IT.

THE ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO WILL ACQUIRE IT.

AND THEY YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU A GROUND LEASE THAT GIVES THE COUNTY A LEASEHOLD INTEREST IN THAT 17.92 ACRES, WITH THE RIGHT TO PLAN AND AND CONSTRUCT IMPROVEMENTS ON IT.

THE FUNDING AGREEMENT IS THE AGREEMENT THAT THE COUNTY SAYS WE WILL FUND THE ACQUISITION AND IMPROVEMENTS RELATED

[02:20:06]

TO THAT. AND.

BUT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW A DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

YOU SENT US. YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE PROCUREMENT LAWS.

WE ARE SUBJECT TO AND SPEND THE MONEY ON THE THINGS THAT WILL PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT 17.92 ACRES.

THEN THERE'S AND THAT'S WHAT THE 5.3 MILLION WILL BE USED FOR.

OKAY. THE AND SO THERE IS A GROUND LEASE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.

THERE IS A FUNDING AGREEMENT.

AND ALL THAT IS YOU'RE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE LICENSE AND OPERATING AGREEMENT AND THEY ARE COMMITTING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO RUN THAT.

AS FOR UNDER LEGAL PURPOSES, WILL BE A COUNTY RECREATION FACILITY.

THEY WILL AGREE TO PERFORM YOUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION TO RUN THAT.

AND THAT'S HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND THEN FINALLY, THE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND BROOKS DEVELOPMENT THAT.

WILL CONTRIBUTE THAT TO THE ARBORETUM OVERALL, AND INCLUDE IN IT AN AGREEMENT FOR BROOKS TO IDENTIFY A SEPARATE 18 ACRE TRACT THAT THEY WILL DEED TO THE COUNTY DIRECTLY IN FEE SIMPLE FOR A FUTURE COUNTY PARK.

REALLY HIGH LEVEL.

I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, BUT IT'S OBVIOUSLY COMPLICATED, AND I'M NOT SURE IF ALL THESE ITEMS, YOU KNOW, ARE LAID OUT HERE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO COME BACK TO YOU, THOUGH, I KNOW WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR, THERE WAS THE $7.3 MILLION COUNTY ASK.

BUT ULTIMATELY, I BELIEVE, TOM, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE TOTAL COST OF THE ARBORETUM BEING IN THE 30 TO $40 MILLION RANGE.

AND I WAS JUST WONDERING, HAS THAT CHANGED AT ALL AT THIS POINT? ULTIMATELY, THAT'S GOT TO BE INFORMED BY MASTER PLANNING WHEN WE WHEN WE LAY OUT THE PHASES THAT COME OUT OF MASTER PLANNING, THEY'LL COME WITH ASSOCIATED ESTIMATES OF COST, RIGHT.

SO MY PROJECTIONS WERE VERY EARLY ON TO SAY 30, 40 MILLION.

YOU'RE CORRECT. AND THAT'S WHAT I STATED.

I, I REALLY HESITATE TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER NOW, BUT IT WILL BE A DRAMATICALLY MORE THAN THE 7.3 MILLION.

AND, YOU KNOW, OUR INTENTION IS TO FUND THAT THROUGH MUNICIPAL PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS AND GRANTS AS WELL AS PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY, CORPORATE PHILANTHROPY.

SO OUR HOPE IS THAT WE WILL PUT IN PLACE THAT FUNDING STRUCTURE, THAT DEVELOPMENT STRUCTURE, TO FUND THAT OVER TIME.

BOTH, BOTH FROM A CAPITAL PERSPECTIVE AS WELL AS AN OPERATING PERSPECTIVE.

OKAY. AND TO DATE, HOW MUCH HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR? WE'VE RAISED ABOUT 650,000.

AND THEN THE WITH THE ADDITION OF THE 7.3 HOPEFULLY, AND THEN THE 400,000 THAT WE'VE GOT FROM THE CITY, WHICH HAS BEEN CONFIRMED.

OKAY. UM.

WELL, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED BACK IN DECEMBER, YOU KNOW, I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE THE DEMAND FOR AN ARBORETUM IN SAN ANTONIO TODAY.

I RESPECT EVERYONE'S EFFORTS AND SERVICE IN THIS REGARD.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC FUNDING, I JUST DON'T SEE THE DEMAND THERE TODAY.

I THINK THERE ARE OTHER HIGHER PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH AT THE COUNTY, AND I JUST DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING HERE TO TO CHANGE MY MIND AT THIS POINT. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A AND I BELIEVE YOU GUYS MAY HAVE TO CORRECT ME ON THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.

I WOULD LIKE TO DIVIDE THE QUESTION BECAUSE I DO SUPPORT THE COUNTY PARK, WHICH IS, I BELIEVE ITEM D, IF THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTED.

SURE, WE CAN ROLL CALL.

I THINK THE APPROPRIATE THING IS JUST ROLL CALL EACH MOTION AND AND THEN WE'LL BE OKAY.

IS THAT ACCEPTED BY COMMISSIONER MOODY? YES. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU. JUDGE. JUST BRIEFLY, TOM, I GUESS QUESTION FOR YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

I KNOW IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS AND WE'RE NOT AT THE FINISH LINE.

YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT FUNDING DOWN THE ROAD.

I WOULD ASSUME YOU'LL HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY ON THEIR NEXT BOND.

ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY A SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL PIECE OF FUNDING.

WE'VE ALREADY WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN STEPS TO ALIGN THAT WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AS WELL AS PARKS AND REC.

SO YES, 100%.

AND I JUST YOU KNOW, I KNOW IN CONVERSATIONS WITH SECRETARY CISNEROS, THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN IN YOUR BRAIN FOR SOME TIME.

[02:25:01]

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE VOTED ON THIS, BUT I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, AND YOU'VE TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND SEEN SOME OF THE BEST IN CLASS ARBORETUMS WHICH ONE OF WHICH IS IN MADISON, WISCONSIN, WHERE I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL, BY THE WAY.

BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COURT COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JUDGE.

MEMBERS OF THE COURT.

THIS IS A REALLY GREAT STEP FORWARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY, ELDERLY PEOPLE, CHILDREN FROM THE SCHOOLS, PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN ONE OR THE OTHER KIND OF MEDICAL TREATMENT, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN GO AND JUST FIND PEACE AND REPOSE IN THE PRESENCE OF THESE MAJESTIC.

THINGS IN OUR HUMANITY THAT WE CALL TREES.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE.

I WAS IN BOSTON TWO WEEKS AGO AND TOOK A BREAK FROM BUSINESS MEETINGS TO VISIT THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE OLDEST IN THE COUNTRY. IT'S IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.

IT'S A IT'S JUST A MAGNIFICENT.

YOU CAN IMAGINE THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH THE LEAVES CHANGING, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SPEND A FEW HOURS JUST WALKING THROUGH THE PATHWAYS AND SUCH.

SAN ANTONIO IS ONE OF THE LARGER CITIES IN THE COUNTRY NOT TO HAVE SUCH A PLACE.

IT'S DIFFERENT FROM A PARK THAT'S ACTIVE AND HAS BALL GAMES AND, AND, AND THAT SORT OF ACTIVITY.

IT'S MORE OF A PLACE OF SORT OF STUDY AND REPOSE.

IT HAS ASPECTS OF SCIENCE.

IT HAS ASPECTS OF RESPECT FOR NATURE.

IT HAS ASPECTS OF EDUCATION IN THIS ARBORETUM.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE PARTICULAR USE BECAUSE THE CITY HAS STARTED US IN THE DIRECTION OF A NURSERY THAT THEN CAN BE USED TO PLANT TREES IN PUBLIC PLACES AROUND THE CITY. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK OF THE ARBORETUM NOT SO MUCH AS JUST A PHYSICAL PLACE, BUT AS A CONCEPT.

THAT HARKENS TO SAN ANTONIO'S HERITAGE AND HARKENS TO SAN ANTONIO'S NEEDS FOR SHADE.

IN AN ERA WHERE ACTUALLY A FEW DEGREES OF SHADE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES, IN THEIR YARDS AND THEIR PUBLIC PLACES.

AND HARKENS, TOO, TO THE SCIENCE OF OF CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND SO FORTH.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF ELEMENTS TO THIS.

IT'S WHEN I MENTIONED HERITAGE, THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THIS AREA FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND WE STILL FIND EVIDENCE OF THEM ALONG THE CREEK WAYS WHERE PEOPLE FIND ARROWHEADS AND PLACES WHERE THEY CAMPED AND POTTERY SHARDS.

THEY WERE HUNTER GATHERERS, AND THEY CAME HERE BECAUSE OF THE COMBINATION OF THE CREEKS, THE WATER THAT IS OUR RIVER AND THE TREES, THE SHADE WHICH THEY USED FOR SHELTER, WHICH THEY USED FOR NUTRITION, AND A LOT OF OTHER PURPOSES.

WHEN THE SPANIARDS ARRIVED, IT'S VERY INTERESTING.

I'VE READ THE JOURNALS THAT THEY WROTE IN A BOOK CALLED YANAGUANA SUCCESSOR, AS THEY CAME ACROSS THE FORBIDDING TERRITORY OF SOUTH TEXAS IN THE HEAT OF THAT ERA, EARLY 1700.

THEY ARRIVED AT WHAT THEY DESCRIBED IN THEIR JOURNALS AS AN OASIS, AN OASIS OF CLEAR WATER, CREEKS AND MASSIVE TREES, THE CYPRESSES AND THE PECANS THAT WE ENJOY TODAY.

THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM TELLS US THAT BECAUSE SAN ANTONIO IS LOCATED IN THIS TOPOGRAPHICAL MIX OF ZONES, WE HAVE THE LIMESTONE ESCARPMENT TO THE NORTH, BLACKLAND DIRT TO THE EAST, THE GULF PLAINS DOWN TO THE GULF COAST, THE BRUSH COUNTRY OF SOUTH TEXAS THAT BECOMES DESERT AS IT GOES WEST.

BECAUSE WE'RE IN THAT UNIQUE PLACE, WE HAVE A WIDER RANGE OF HABITAT FOR THE TREES OF OUR COUNTRY, SO WE CAN DO SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL HERE. PUT SOME GREAT MAJESTIC TREES, GROW WHAT WE'VE GOT, THE SALADO CREEK COMES RIGHT THROUGH IT.

IT'S JUST ALMOST PROVIDENTIAL THAT AS WE WERE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, THE REPUBLIC GOLF COURSE WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE 180 ACRES AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF BEXAR COUNTY AND THIS REGION, 180 ACRES ALREADY WITH FAIRWAYS, ALREADY WITH TREE CLUSTERS, WITH A CREEK RUNNING THROUGH IT, WITH PATHWAYS ALREADY PUT FOR THE GOLF COURSES.

I MEAN, IT'S REALLY JUST AN OPPORTUNITY WE WANT TO WANT TO REALLY FLESH OUT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THIS IN PERPETUITY. THIS IS FOR THE HERITAGE OF THE PEOPLE OF BEXAR COUNTY AND SAN ANTONIO AND OUR REGION.

AND I PREDICT IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MORE VISITED PLACES WHEN PEOPLE COME TO OUR CITY.

IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT WILL ADD TO OUR CREEK SYSTEM, THE HOWARD PEAK CREEK SYSTEM, WHICH IS UNLIKE ANYTHING EXISTING IN ANY OTHER MAJOR CITY AT THE MOMENT.

[02:30:02]

THE RIVERWALK ITSELF, THE MISSION REACHED, IT GOES TO THE SOUTH, AND THANKS TO BROOKS CITY-BASE THE AUTHORITY AND LEO GOMEZ IS HERE TODAY VERY FORESIGHTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT BROOKS IS ITSELF SOMETHING THAT GOES BEYOND ITS PHYSICAL LIMITS.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF BROOKS WITH THE WITH THE INDUSTRY THAT'S GOING IN THERE, THE HOSPITALITY, THE, THE RETAIL AND THE HOUSING, BUT THAT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THAT WHOLE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE CITY.

AND IF YOU SAW THE FRONT PAGE AND I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS, THE FRONT PAGE OF THE EXPRESS NEWS THIS SUNDAY, IT WAS ABOUT HOW BROOKS HAS SPREAD BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE OLD AIR FORCE BASE TO BECOME A MAJOR FACTOR.

AND AND THAT SHOWS THE WISDOM THAT LEO BROUGHT TO SAYING, WE'LL INCORPORATE THE ARBORETUM.

PURCHASE IT AND GIVE IT TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT MORE PEOPLE WILL HAVE AN AMENITY THAT'S BEEN LACKING IN THAT PART OF THE CITY.

SO IT'S ALL THESE THINGS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COURT'S WISDOM AND FORESIGHT IN FUNDING IT SO THAT WE CAN GET ON THE WAY TO THE MASTER PLAN.

IT WILL COST ADDITIONAL FUNDS INTO THE FUTURE.

BUT, COMMISSIONER MOODY, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST.

WE'VE ALREADY FOUND A FUNDING AT THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR.

THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND OTHER PARTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF OF FOSTERING URBAN PARKS AND URBAN TREESCAPES.

SO. BUT IT WILL ALWAYS BE TRUE THAT IT WAS BEXAR COUNTY THAT GOT THIS STARTED.

IT WAS BEXAR COUNTY'S FORESIGHT THAT THAT CAME UP WITH THE CAPITAL FUNDS TO GET THIS GOING.

AND WE'LL BUILD FROM HERE AND DO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE PROUD OF FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

YEAH. SO I THINK BEXAR COUNTY HAS A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES.

AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.

WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE HAPPEN, WHICH I'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THAT SOME CHILDREN LIKE I WAS, DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF THESE BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES BECAUSE OF LACK OF MONEY TO PAY ENTRANCE FEES OR TRANSPORTATION.

SO, TOM, I WOULD SAY THE BUDGET THAT YOU SAID IT'S GOING TO BE BETWEEN 30 TO 40 MILLION.

I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SAY 31 TO 41 MILLION, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU GUYS AS PART OF YOUR FUNDRAISING.

ALSO FUNDRAISE FOR TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE BEING ATTACKED.

AND IT'S FINE TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FIELD TRIPS AND KIDS CAN COME IN FREE, BUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET THERE.

AND SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS PAY FOR THESE TRANSPORTATION FOR THESE FIELD TRIPS.

SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE YOU GUYS PUT THAT AS PART OF YOUR FUNDRAISING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE TRANSPORTATION FOR, FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

GREAT IDEA, GREAT IDEA.

YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED ON OUR BOARD IS THAT THE BUSINESS MODEL OF ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO IS FOUNDED ON FREE ENTRY.

SO THIS WILL BE A FREE ENTRY.

IT DIDN'T TALK ABOUT. IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE FREE ENTRY.

YES. NOW WE HAVE A BIG CHALLENGE WITH THAT ASSUMPTION OF CREATING A BUSINESS MODEL WHICH IS ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE.

THAT'S WHY WE NEEDED STRATEGICALLY.

WE NEEDED THIS 18 ACRES THAT'S OUT OF THE FLOOD PLAIN TO BUILD EVENT SPACES, TO BUILD RENTAL FACILITIES, THAT WE COULD UNDERPIN A FINANCIAL MODEL THAT COULD SUPPORT THAT ASSUMPTION.

RIGHT. BUT I THINK TRANSPORTATION IS ANOTHER LOBE ONTO THAT ACCESSIBILITY THAT THAT IS IMPORTANT.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE AREN'T GOING TO BE ANY ENTRANCE FEES, PERIOD, NOT JUST FOR LOCALS, BUT FOR ANYONE WHO COMES NOT AT THE GATE RIGHT NOW AT THE GATE ENTRY FEE TO IT.

THERE WILL BE FACILITIES ON THERE, WHICH WE HAVE YET TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT THOSE FACILITIES ARE AND THE POLICY ABOUT HOW WE'LL MONETIZE THAT, IF AT ALL.

BUT ENTRY INTO THE ARBORETUM GROUNDS WILL BE FREE.

IT SHOULD BE THOUGHT OF AS ESSENTIALLY BRACKENRIDGE PARK.

TO GO INTO BRACKENRIDGE PARK, YOU DO NOT PAY.

THIS WILL BE AN ADDITION TO OUR OPEN SPACE THAT'S FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GREAT.

SO YEAH, IF YOU INCLUDE TRANSPORTATION IN THAT.

AND ALSO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU GUYS WORK WITH RENEE WATSON OVER OUR SWIM PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT AS YOU GUYS ARE BUILDING OUT AND PUTTING OUT RFPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE INCLUDE TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL, MINORITY OWNED, WOMEN OWNED AND VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES.

I WOULD MENTION THAT IN OUR RUBRIC TO DECIDE WHO OUR VENDOR IS.

MINORITY WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESS, DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES IS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS IN OUR RUBRIC TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FIRMS THAT WE CONTRACT WITH FOR MASTER PLANNING INDEED ABIDE BY THOSE PRINCIPLES.

[02:35:03]

OKAY, GREAT. GREAT. THANK YOU.

I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, BUT SINCE I SEE LEO HERE, I NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY FROM BROOKS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND YOU PUBLICLY THAT WE NEED A VEGAN RESTAURANT AT BROOKS CITY-BASE, PLEASE.

SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT AS LEO COMES UP.

MAY I ALSO IVANJI FLORES, WHO'S A GREAT PUBLIC SERVANT.

SHE'S BEEN ACTIVE IN THE PARK FOUNDATION.

OF COURSE, YOU REMEMBER HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR PRO TEM.

SHE IS THE CHAIR OF ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO.

AND SHE'S HERE. MR. LEO GOMEZ, WHY DON'T YOU COME FORWARD? A FELLOW MCALLEN KNIGHT.

RIGHT, LEO? YES, SIR.

MUSTANGS AND BULLDOGS.

RIGHT. BULLDOGS. JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE TO WORK WITH SECRETARY CISNEROS AND THE CHAIR OF THE ARBORETUM BOARD, VANJIE FLORES, AND, OF COURSE, TOM AND ALL THE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES THAT WE HAVE ON THAT BOARD.

LET ME LET ME SAY THAT OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT BROOKS FULLY AND IMMEDIATELY SUPPORTED THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY IN COLLABORATION WITH ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE A REAL NEED FOR FUNDRAISING BEYOND THE 7.3 MILLION, BUT I WOULD OFFER TO YOU ALL, COMMISSIONER MOODY, AS I HAD CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT IT.

WITHOUT THAT BASE FUNDING FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S HARD TO PUT TOGETHER THE CASE FOR OTHERS TO CONTRIBUTE TO IT.

I'LL I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT IS WORKING AND YOU ALL CAN HELP WITH.

BROOKS APPLIED TO THE MPO FOR A TRAIL THAT WOULD CONNECT THE ARBORETUM AND SALADO CREEK TO THE EAST OF BROOKS, TO THE MISSION REACH OF THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER VIA BROOKS.

THIS IS A $10 MILLION PROJECT THAT, AGAIN, WOULD COME FROM THE ARBORETUM UNDER THE HIGHWAY ONTO BROOKS AND OVER TO THE MISSION REACH OF THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER, ABOUT WHERE MISSION SAN JUAN IS.

IT'S IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ARBORETUM, WITH THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY AND THE MISSION HERITAGE PARTNERS.

THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE MPO HAS GRADED ALL THE GRANT APPLICATIONS, AND THIS ONE WAS RANKED NUMBER TWO.

I KNOW THREE OF YOU SIT ON THE MPO AND YOU CAN HELP US, AND YOU ARE HELPING US TODAY WITH YOUR ACTION, BECAUSE THAT GAVE US THE IMPETUS AND THE FOUNDATION FOR WHICH TO SUBMIT THAT APPLICATION FOR $10 MILLION FROM THE MPO.

AND COMMISSIONER.

WE'RE WORKING ON IT.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD 12 RESTAURANTS OPEN UP IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON ONE THAT'S SPECIFICALLY LIKE YOU'D LIKE.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE WORKING ON EVERYBODY'S MENU.

THANK YOU. BUT EVERYONE ALREADY HAS ENOUGH.

BUT THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? JUDGE, IF I MAY JUST MENTION JANE MACKIN, WHO'S BEEN AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THIS TEAM.

AND SHE ALWAYS BRINGS COLOR TO THE OCCASION, AS YOU CAN SEE.

HENRY, I NEVER HAVE FAILED TO OVERLOOK THE POWER OF WOMEN.

SO I WANT MISS VANJIE TO COME FORWARD AND MISS JANE TO COME FORWARD AND OFFER THEIR THOUGHTS ON THIS, THIS PROGRAM.

THANK YOU. JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS.

IT'S A FANTASTIC DAY FOR US.

THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU'VE SEEN, COMMISSIONER MOODY, I LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO WANT TO BE PART OF, AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL COME AND TAKE A WALK THROUGH RIGHT NOW, BEFORE WE EVEN START, ANYTHING BUT THE PEOPLE OF BEXAR COUNTY HAVE BEEN VERY GENEROUS IN YOU AS THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, TO ALLOW US THIS TRANCHE OF MONEY TO GET STARTED.

THIS ARBORETUM IS INDEED SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE MUCH FOR MANY PEOPLE QUALITY OF LIFE, ECONOMY AND JUST SIMPLY RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE AND INSPIRATION.

SO I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THE PRESENTATION TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR WANTING TO DO ALL FOUR MOTIONS AT THE SAME TIME, AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE VERY SOON.

AND I'M GOING TO LET OUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBER, JANE MACKIN, SAY A FEW WORDS.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

THANK ALL OF YOU ON THIS COURT.

THIS IS SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY.

AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING US PARTICIPATE IN THIS OPPORTUNITY.

AND, COMMISSIONER FLORES, WE WILL HAVE THOSE BUSSES BECAUSE EACH OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS NOW WORK WITH AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMING, AND WE HAVE A BUS ASSIGNED TO EACH OF THOSE, AND WE'RE IN 51 SCHOOLS.

SO I THANK THE COURT AND THE JUDGE FOR MAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY POSSIBLE, NOT ONLY TO BEXAR COUNTY, BUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ALL THE CHILDREN OF BEXAR COUNTY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

ANY FURTHER COMMENT? I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS.

AS YOU ALL SEE, I DON'T SAY MUCH UNLESS TO ASSIST FOR PEOPLE TO CLARIFY, PERHAPS TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS COURT DOES AND HOW WE

[02:40:10]

SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

BUT IN THIS ONE, I'M GOING TO STATE A POSITION AND TO SAY THAT I TOTALLY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT YOUR I TOTALLY AGREE THAT THIS IS A GAME CHANGER FOR PRECINCT FOUR AND SPECIFICALLY THAT SOUTHEAST SECTOR AND HOW IT ALL CONNECTS WITH ALL THE ONGOING PROJECTS, THE CREEKS AND TRAILS.

AND I BELIEVE, HENRY, AND WHAT YOU HAVE JUST SAID IN REGARDS TO THE THE PRIVACY ASPECT, I MEAN, IF YOU KNOW AND I KNOW YOU DO KNOW THAT IN JAPAN, ESPECIALLY TOKYO, WHERE YOU HAVE THE HIGH RISE AND YOU HAVE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE, AND BETWEEN ALL THOSE HIGH RISES ARE TEMPLES THAT HAVE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF VEGETATION.

AND, AND AND IT'S.

AND IF YOU EVER GO IN THERE, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF TOKYO.

IT IS A PLACE OF PRIVACY.

IT'S A PLACE OF RESPECT.

IT'S A PRIVACY JUST TO KIND OF COLLECT YOUR THOUGHTS.

AND SO I SEE THIS PROJECT AS A WAY FOR ENTIRE BEXAR COUNTY TO SEEK REFUGE IN, IN THIS BUSY WORLD, IN THIS CHAOTIC WORLD AND HECTIC WORLD WE LIVE IN.

SO I INTEND TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE.

ACCORDING TO THE CALL FOR QUESTION, I WILL THEN IN REGARDS TO MOTION A, AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE AGENDA, I'LL ASK FOR A ROLL CALL.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

COMMISSIONER. RODRIGUEZ.

COMMISSIONER. MOODY.

COMMISSIONER. CALVERT.

JUDGE. VOTES I MOTION.

BE AS STATED IN THE AGENDA.

COMMISSIONER. CLAY-FLORES.

COMMISSIONER. RODRIGUEZ.

COMMISSIONER. MOODY.

COMMISSIONER. CALVERT.

JUDGE. VOTES. YAY! COMMISSIONER. MOTION C AS WRITTEN IN THE AGENDA.

CALL FOR A VOTE.

COMMISSIONER. CLAY-FLORES.

COMMISSIONER. RODRIGUEZ.

COMMISSIONER. MOODY.

COMMISSIONER. CALVERT.

JUDGE. VOTES I.

MOTION D IS WRITTEN IN THE AGENDA.

CALL FOR A VOTE.

COMMISSIONER. CLAY-FLORES.

COMMISSIONER. RODRIGUEZ.

COMMISSIONER. MOODY.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT AND THE JUDGE.

VOTES I ALL MOTIONS CARRY.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU. THANK YOU.

JUDGE, MAY I JUST SAY THANK YOU TO THE COUNTY STAFF THAT'S WORKED ON THIS? THESE GENTLEMEN WHO ARE HERE AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY STAFF HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.

THIS HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THIS, AND I THINK.

THEY HAVE STUCK WITH IT AND BROUGHT OUTSIDE RESOURCES, LEGAL AND OTHERWISE, TO GET THIS RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN HERE.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

[78. Awarding a contract to Geofill Material Technologies, LLC (SBE) to provide for the purchase of construction services for the Pletz County Park Recreational Project in the base bid amount of $663,210, playground allowance amount of $150,000, asphalt work in the amount of $84,109, concrete slab work in the amount of $123,871, sports court layout #4 in the amount of $69,941 and new light fixtures in the amount of $103,051, plus owner contingency amount of $100,000, for a grand total amount of $1,294,182 as requested by the Heritage and Parks Department; and authorizing the Purchasing Agent to execute and file the appropriate award documents for record.]

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER 78, AWARDING A CONTRACT TO GEO FIELD MATERIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC TO PROVIDE FOR THE PURCHASE OF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY PARK RECREATIONAL PROJECT AND THE BASE BID AMOUNT OF $663,210, PLAYGROUND ALLOWANCE AMOUNT OF $150,000.

ASPHALT WORK IN AMOUNT OF $84,109.

CONCRETE SLAB WORK IN THE AMOUNT OF $123,871.

SPORTS COURT LAYOUT NUMBER FOUR IN THE AMOUNT OF $69,941, AND NEW LIGHT FIXTURES IN THE AMOUNT OF $103,051, PLUS OWNER CONTINGENCY AMOUNT OF $100,000, FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF $1,294,182, AS REQUESTED BY THE HERITAGE AND PARKS DEPARTMENT, AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE AWARD DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD.

ALL RIGHT, MISTER, ARE YOU ALL DOING GOOD AFTER? GOOD MORNING. STILL GOING? WE CAN GET THIS THING DONE HERE.

MISTER MCGLAMERY, WE'RE HERE TO ASK FOR APPROVAL FOR EVENT 1006.

I HAVE A PURCHASING MISTER MIKE MITCHELL WITH ME TO HELP.

IF THERE'S ANY TYPE OF PURCHASING QUESTIONS.

THIS IS A GOOD PROJECT OF PETS PARK.

WE'VE ALREADY DONE PART OF IT.

WE'RE GOING TO FINISH IT UP.

YOU ALL KNOW WHERE PLETZ PARK IS ON THE.

THIS IS ANOTHER PRECINCT FOUR AREA.

IT'S ON THE EAST SIDE.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WE DID THE FRONT SIDE OF THE PARK WITH THE PAVING AND DRAINAGE, AND NOW WE'RE DOING THE BACKSIDE WITH THE PAVING, DRAINAGE.

AND ALSO WE'RE GOING TO RENOVATE THE SPORTS COURTS AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE LIGHTING OUT.

WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO CREATE SOME PICNIC SHADES.

AND WE WANT TO WE WANT TO INCREASE THE PHYSICAL, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS WITHIN THE PARK.

SO THERE EVENTUALLY IS GOING TO BE A FITNESS TRAIL THROUGH THAT AREA.

ON 17TH MARCH 2023.

WE RELEASED A RFP FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AND THE SCOPE.

THE SCOPE INCLUDES THE SPORTS COURTS, THE BASKETBALL COURTS, THE PICKLEBALL COURTS, ASPHALT PARKING, THE PLAYGROUNDS, SOFTBALL MATERIAL AND SOME SHADE STRUCTURES AND A

[02:45:02]

MONUMENT SIGN. WE DID SOME PUBLIC INPUT, AND WE FOUND OUT THAT A LOT OF THE THE PEOPLE IN THAT AREA WANT TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL.

SO WE WENT AHEAD AND MADE SURE THAT WE COULD DO THESE SPORTS COURTS WHERE THEY'RE HYBRID.

THEY CAN DO BOTH. PLUS THEY WANTED PRACTICE WALLS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO INCORPORATE THAT.

AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE ABLE TO PUT A MONUMENT SIGN OUT FRONT THAT MAKES IT LIKE THE REST OF OUR PARKS.

YOU CAN SEE THAT PARTICULAR PORT RIGHT THERE IS IN REALLY SERIOUS NEED OF REPAIR.

WE ARE GOING TO WE WE WANTED TO LOOK FOR COST SAVINGS WHERE WE COULD.

THE EXISTING LIGHT POLES, WE'RE GOING TO REUSE THOSE AND JUST CLEAN THOSE UP AND PUT NEW LED FIXTURES ON TOP.

AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T POINT THOSE INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ASPHALT IS ALSO DETERIORATING.

FOR YEARS, THE PUBLIC OUR COUNTY PARKS HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED.

AND NOW WE'RE WE'RE REALLY STARTING TO RAMP UP AND GET THESE THINGS TAKEN CARE OF.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO ADD ADA SIGNAGE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FULLY ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE.

THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO GET RID OF.

IS THAT ENGINEERED MULCH IN THE IN THE PLAYGROUNDS? WE WANT TO PUT SOFTBALL MATERIAL.

THE ENGINEERED MULCH IS A MAINTENANCE INTENSIVE.

YOU HAVE TO FLUFF IT UP ALL THE TIME FOR IT TO MEET HEAD IMPACT CRITERIA.

THE SOFTBALL IS SOMETHING THAT WORKS WELL IN A FLOODPLAIN.

IT'S GOT A GOOD LIFE SPAN OF EIGHT PLUS YEARS, AND IT SAVES THE KIDS FROM, YOU KNOW, BUSTED HEADS.

WE ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN WE DID OUR MASTER PLAN, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WANTED SHADE IN OUR PARKS.

YOU KNOW, IT GETS A LITTLE WARM HERE IN TEXAS.

SO WE CAME UP WITH A CONCEPT AND WE'RE GOING TO START DOING THAT CONCEPT.

WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A COUPLE OF THESE WITHIN THIS PARK AND AS PROTOTYPES TO SEE IF THEY'RE LIKED WELL USED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE'RE GOING TO GO PRESS FORWARD.

WE'VE GOT SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROTOTYPES THAT WE WANT TO BUILD IN THIS AREA.

YOU SEE A CONCEPT OF ONE RIGHT THERE.

THIS IS THE MONUMENT SIGN WE TALKED ABOUT.

WE HAVE THESE AT SEVERAL OTHER PARKS.

WE'RE GOING TO GET RID OF THE WOODEN SIGN AND PUT THAT CONCRETE MONUMENT SIGN THERE.

THE PROPOSED TIMELINE IS ABOUT A SIX MONTH PROJECT, GIVE OR TAKE.

HOPEFULLY THE WEATHER WILL COOPERATE WITH US AS SOON AS WE GET APPROVED.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM A NOTICE TO PROCEED, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT 1520 DAYS OF MOBILIZATION, OF SORRY, ABOUT FIVE DAYS OF MOBILIZATION AND DEMO AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET RIGHT INTO THE ASPHALT PORTION OF IT, TRY TO GET THIS DONE.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE VERY COGNIZANT OF IT'S THE PARKS GET USED A LOT ON THE WEEKENDS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO A LOT OF THIS WORK DURING THE WEEK, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK WITH OUR, OUR CONTRACTOR TO LET THEM IN EARLY OR LET THEM STAY LATE WITHOUT DISTURBING THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THERE WERE. WE HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE SHOW UP WHEN WE DID THIS, BUT WE ONLY HAD FOUR REALLY GOOD RESPONDENTS.

AND IN THE BEGINNING THE BIDS WERE KIND OF IN DIFFERENT AREAS, SO WE REALLY HAD TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION AND PURCHASING.

MIKE MITCHELL WORKED WITH US WELL ON THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID GET THE BEST VENDOR FOR THIS JOB, AND WE DID WIND UP SELECTING GEO PHIL.

THEY WERE THE HIGHEST RATED, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON.

SO WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU ALL TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TO GEO PHIL SO WE CAN GET GOING ON THIS PROJECT.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO GET US REALLY CLOSE TO FINISHING UP PLETZ PARK, AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT MOVE.

APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDED MOTION.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

COMMISSIONER MOODY, ANYTHING YOU NEED.

ANY COMMENT? QUESTIONS? NO, I THINK YOU HAVE A PLAN HERE.

I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ABOUT PARK IMPROVEMENTS AND APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING, AND I'M SURE WE'LL WE'LL CIRCLE BACK UP HERE SHORTLY. THANK YOU.

YES, SIR. WE'RE GOING TO GET ON TO PRECINCT THREE HERE SHORTLY, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

YEAH, THIS WAS ALREADY BUDGETED, RIGHT? YES, IT WAS ALREADY PUT IN THE BUDGET.

OKAY. NO. NO QUESTIONS.

AND AGAIN, I'LL SUPPORT THIS PROJECT IN PRECINCT FOUR.

CORRECT, COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S PARK.

RIGHT. WHERE'S THAT PHYSICALLY LOCATED? OH. IDEAL.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES.

GOOD LUCK. GET THAT PART.

THANK YOU. ALL GOING.

ALL RIGHT. 79.

[79. Discussion and appropriate action regarding Bexar County's Legislative Program and the 88th Special Session #3 of the Texas Legislature.]

DISCUSSION. APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING BURKE COUNTY LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM AND THE 80 SPECIAL SESSION NUMBER THREE OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.

MS.. SHANNON. DID THE SPECIAL SESSION DO ANYTHING? WELL, THEY DID GET TWO BILLS TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

THE GOVERNOR HASN'T SIGNED THEM AS OF YET, BUT SB FOUR ON CRIMINAL CONDUCT INVOLVING A STASH HOUSE HAS MADE

[02:50:02]

IT. AND THEN ALSO SB SEVEN, WHICH WAS THE COVID VACCINE REQUIREMENTS ALLEVIATING, IN OTHER WORDS, WHERE PRIVATE BUSINESS COULDN'T ENFORCE THOSE REQUIREMENTS ON EMPLOYEES.

SO THOSE TWO BILLS HAVE GONE OVER TO THE GOVERNOR.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY.

TODAY IS THE 30TH DAY.

COULD YOU REPEAT THAT LAST LEGISLATION THAT PASSED? IT WAS WHAT NOW SB SEVEN.

SO PRIVATE EMPLOYERS CANNOT REQUIRE EMPLOYEES TO HAVE COVID 19 COVID VACCINES.

LIKE I SAID, TODAY'S THE LAST DAY.

TODAY'S THE 30TH DAY.

THE HOUSE HAS ADJOURNED.

WE'RE WAITING FOR THE SENATE TO DO THE SAME.

AS OF YESTERDAY, AT ABOUT 6 P.M., THE SPEAKER HAD PUT OUT.

HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, HAD PUT OUT A MEMO TO THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE ALERTING THEM TO THE FACT THAT THEY BELIEVED THE GOVERNOR WAS GOING TO CALL THE FOURTH SPECIAL SESSION TO BEGIN TODAY, EITHER TODAY OR TOMORROW.

SO THE SPEAKER WAS ADVISING THE HOUSE MEMBERS TO STAY IN TOWN, NOT LEAVE TOWN TODAY WHEN THEY SIGN HE DIED.

SO WE'RE HEARING THAT IT WILL BE THE SAME ITEMS THAT WERE ON THE CALL FROM THE THIRD SPECIAL SESSION, BUT WE'RE JUST AWAITING THE CALL TO COME THROUGH FROM THE GOVERNOR.

SO, JUDGE, I HAVE A POINT OF INQUIRY IN TERMS OF THE REVENUE FROM THE FOR THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.

DOES THAT COME OUT OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET AND THE AND THE APPROPRIATIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE? WHERE DOES THE FUNDING COME FROM? I, I HAVE NOT KEPT UP.

I'VE SINCE I'M NOT INVOLVED IN ISDS, I'VE NOT KEPT UP OTHER THAN WHAT I'VE READ IN THE PAPERS, AND I DON'T HAVE A CHILD IN SCHOOL, SO I JUST HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH IT.

MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO FIND THEY'LL HAVE TO APPROPRIATE THAT FUNDING.

SO EITHER IT HAS TO, I GUESS, COME BACK FROM WHAT THEY'VE APPROPRIATED FOR ISDS OR THEY'VE GOT TO FIND IT ELSEWHERE.

BUT THEY WILL HAVE TO APPROPRIATE THAT BECAUSE IT'S ITS SAVINGS ACCOUNTS.

ITS SAVINGS ACCOUNTS IS WHAT THEY'RE CALLING IT, THAT THEY WOULD BE SETTING UP FOR STUDENTS.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? MR. RODRIGUEZ? MELISSA.

THE VACCINATION BILL.

I WOULD ASSUME THEY.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY MADE IT COVID SPECIFIC, BUT IT WAS PROBABLY, I WOULD GUESS, PROACTIVE IN ANY OTHER TYPE OF PANDEMIC.

IS THAT ACCURATE OR.

THE CALL SPECIFICALLY SAID COVID AND THE BILL SPECIFIC.

THE THE BILL IS SPECIFICALLY COVID 19 VACCINE MANDATES.

YES, SIR. SO WITHOUT DELVING INTO IT, I MEAN, THAT'S THE CAPTION.

SO I, I WOULD BET I'M GOING TO VEGAS ON THURSDAY.

SO I KEEP TELLING EVERYBODY I BET MONEY.

SO I WOULD BET MONEY THAT IT'S STRICTLY COVID 19.

BUT I'LL CHECK TO MAKE SURE.

OKAY. OKAY.

NO, THAT'S ALL I GOT. JUDGE.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? NO QUESTIONS.

JUST THANK YOU, MELISSA, FOR ALL THE BACK AND FORTH AND ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.

YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MISS SHANNON.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP.

FIRST OF ALL, I BELIEVE THE REST OF THE ITEMS ARE MR. JOE GONZALES. DA.

DO YOU WISH TO TAKE UP ITEM 80? BECAUSE I THINK THE REST IS EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE YOUR YOU OR YOUR OFFICE TAKE UP EXECUTIVE SESSION GO INTO TAKE THAT OUT AND THEN TAKE UP ALL THE MATTERS OF THE DA'S OFFICE AT ONCE. OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO PRESENT ON ITEM 80 AT THIS TIME? JUDGE, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT ON ITEM 80 IF I COULD.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT NOW ON ITEM EIGHT.

COURT'S GOING TO CALL AGENDA ITEM 80 PRESENTATION DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING A PROPOSAL RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY MEETINGS BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BURKE COUNTY

[80. Presentation, discussion, and appropriate action regarding a proposal related to public safety meetings between the City of San Antonio and Bexar County officials authorizing the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney to utilize unused funds in the amount of $295,428 resulting from vacant positions within the Office of the District Attorney to fund a High Risk Intake Team to aid in the identification of high risk criminal cases and assist in the reduction of Intake Division backlog.]

OFFICIALS AUTHORIZING THE BURKE COUNTY CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO UTILIZE UNUSED FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 290 295 $428 RESULTING FROM VACANT POSITIONS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, TO FUND A HIGH RISK INTAKE TEAM TO AID IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF HIGH RISK CRIMINAL CASES AND ASSIST IN THE REDUCTION OF INTAKE DIVISION BACKLOG.

MR. GONZALEZ.

THANK YOU JUDGE.

SINCE I THINK I STILL HAVE THREE MINUTES LEFT, IT'S STILL MORNING.

SO GOOD MORNING TO JUDGE SAKAI AND THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS.

I WANT TO TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG MORNING, AND HOPEFULLY I WON'T NEED ALL OF THE TIME THAT'S ALLOTTED TO ME, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS VERY

[02:55:02]

IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT IS IN THE NATURE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

FIRST, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS THANK THE COURT FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

IT IS BECAUSE OF YOUR HELP THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE ADDITIONAL PARALEGALS TO HELP IN THE CASE PREPARATION.

YOUR RECENT APPROVAL OF ALLOWING US TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE CONTRACT FOR A CONTRACT WITH THE AXON CORPORATION, THAT WILL BE A GAME CHANGER.

AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, THAT WILL HELP US WITH THE DIGITAL EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

BUT THIS ALSO THIS REQUEST THAT WE BRING YOU TODAY IS IN THE NATURE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, I BELIEVE THAT TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

SO I WOULD ASK THE COURT TO VOTE ON IT TODAY BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON.

AND JUST TO REMIND YOU, I HAVE PROVIDED EACH ONE OF YOU WITH A COPY OF THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.

I WON'T BELABOR THIS COURT WITH PROVIDING IT, ALTHOUGH I DO SEE IT UP ON THE SCREEN.

I'D LIKE TO JUST MAKE A IDENTIFY SOME HIGHLIGHTS, BUT I DID PROVIDE A COPY OF THIS POWERPOINT YESTERDAY AND AGAIN THIS MORNING SO THAT YOU COULD REFER TO IT AS YOU NEED. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS INITIATIVE THAT I BRING TO TODAY IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE JOINT COUNTY CITY COMMITTEE THAT JUDGE SAKAI AND COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ HAVE BEEN SO DILIGENTLY WORKING IN.

JUDGE SAKAI HAS ALREADY MENTIONED THAT COMMITTEE THIS MORNING, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT BOTH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE WORKED ZEALOUSLY AND HAVE COMMITTED TO DOING SOMETHING TO IDENTIFY THOSE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY DISCUSSED.

SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY THANK JUDGE SAKAI AND COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS THE CREATION OF A HIGH RISK INTAKE TEAM.

AND I VIEW THIS AS A CONCRETE SOLUTION TO SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THIS COMMUNITY.

THE GOAL IS TO USE OR TO CREATE THIS HIGH RISK INTAKE TEAM IN ORDER TO GET DANGEROUS PEOPLE OFF OUR STREETS QUICKER.

IT WOULD EXPEDITE HIGH RISK CASES, AND IT WOULD PROMOTE COOPERATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BY ALLOWING THEM TO DESIGNATE WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE HIGH RISK CASES. NOW, IF YOU'RE ALREADY ASKING, WELL, WHAT QUALIFIES AS A HIGH RISK CASE, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE THREE CATEGORIES WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED IS ANYTHING THAT IS CONSIDERED A VIOLENT CRIME, ANYTHING WHERE THERE IS A CRIME THAT IS ACCUSED OF SOMEONE WHO IS A REPEAT OFFENDER.

AND OF COURSE, THE THIRD CATEGORY THAT I'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED IS ALLOWING LAW ENFORCEMENT TO TELL US THAT THEY BELIEVE THIS INDIVIDUAL WOULD FALL UNDER THAT CATEGORY OF BEING A HIGH RISK INDIVIDUAL.

IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME, FOR EXAMPLE, CAN YOU THINK OF A CASE THAT WOULD THAT THIS PROPOSAL WOULD, WOULD ADDRESS? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THE CASE THAT COMES TO MIND.

AND YOU WOULD BE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THIS, COMMISSIONER MOODY, BECAUSE THIS CASE HAPPENED OUT OF YOUR PRECINCT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

THERE WAS AN INCIDENT WHERE A PAROLEE, SOMEONE WHO WAS PAROLED OUT FROM PRISON, WENT TO THE HOME OF A FAMILY.

THERE WAS NO ADULT IN THE FAMILY, BUT THERE WERE KIDS IN THE HOME.

THIS THIS PAROLEE WAS IDENTIFIED BY A RING CAMERA AS BEING ON THE FRONT STEPS.

HE VISIBLY HAD A HANDGUN WITH HIM, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS A CRIME.

SOMEONE WHO IS A CONVICTED FELON CANNOT POSSESS A WEAPON.

THIS INDIVIDUAL, BECAUSE OF THE THE THE GOOD WORK OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, IS IN CUSTODY.

BUT THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF DANGEROUS CRIMINAL WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE EXPEDITE AND HOLD ACCOUNTABLE FOR COMMITTING THE OFFENSE OF FELON IN POSSESSION OF A WEAPON.

THIS IS THE KIND OF CASE THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOCUS ON.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS HIGH RISK INTAKE TEAM WOULD DO IF THE COMMISSION, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, WOULD APPROVE THIS.

I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT WE HAVE HAD A HIGH RISK INTAKE TEAM IN BEXAR COUNTY.

I THINK IT'S LONG OVERDUE, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD THAT IS OBVIOUSLY NECESSARY.

AND SO THAT IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE COURT TO DO.

THE, THE, THE POSITIVE PART OF THIS.

WELL, ALL OF IT I THINK WOULD BE POSITIVE IF, IF IT WERE APPROVED.

BUT WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS IT WOULD NOT COST ANY.

ADDITIONAL MONEY. WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR MORE MONEY FROM FROM THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.

THIS IS MONEY THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE DA'S OFFICE AND OUR BUDGET.

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHERE IT COMES FROM, YOU KNOW, AND BY THE WAY, WE WOULD BE ASKING FOR WHAT AMOUNTS TO ONE HALF OF 1% OF THE BUDGET THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED THIS YEAR, ABOUT 295,000.

[03:00:02]

THAT WOULD INCLUDE BASICALLY THESE ARE THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT ARE VACANT.

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.

WE HAVE THESE VACANT ATTORNEY POSITIONS.

WHEN YOU COME TO WORK IN THE DA'S OFFICE, YOU DEAL WITH ALLEGATIONS OF VIOLENT CRIME.

PEOPLE DON'T SEE A LOT OF TIMES THE BEST OF OUR HUMANITY.

WE SEE VIOLENT CRIMES THAT IS COMMITTED AGAINST THE CHILDREN, AGAINST OUR ELDERLY AND AGAINST WOMEN.

IT TAKES A TOLL ON OUR PROSECUTORS.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IF HAPPENS AFTER A WHILE IS THAT OUR PROSECUTORS, ESPECIALLY OUR VETERANS, THEY GET BURNED OUT.

THEY MAY DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE IN THEIR CAREER.

THEY MAY DECIDE, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S ENOUGH.

I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.

AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE HAVE SEEN SOME VACANCIES THAT STARTED, I WOULD SAY, AROUND THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

CERTAINLY THIS YEAR WE'VE SEEN A NUMBER.

WE'RE ABOUT 13 TO 15 LAWYERS DOWN.

SO WE HAVE THIS MONEY THAT HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THOSE SALARIES THAT HAS NOT BEEN USED.

THAT IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING TO TAP INTO THOSE UNUSED SALARIES.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THAT IS A TEMPORARY REQUEST.

WE ARE ASKING THAT THESE FUNDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN USED BE REPURPOSED FOR THE SUPPORT OF PAYING FOR THIS HIGH RISK INTAKE TEAM. SO TO WRAP UP, WHAT THIS BASICALLY IS ABOUT IS ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED IN OUR COUNTY CITY COMMITTEE.

IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THE ROLE THAT THE DA'S OFFICE PLAYS WITH THESE KINDS OF CASES.

I COME TO YOU WITH A CONCRETE SOLUTION TO THESE ISSUES.

GETTING DANGEROUS PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS SHOULD BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN THIS COUNTY.

THIS PROPOSAL COSTS NOTHING AND WOULD YIELD A HUGE BENEFIT NOT ONLY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT FOR OUR ENTIRE COUNTY. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO APPROVE THIS PROPOSAL.

WE'RE ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO ALLOW US TO USE THOSE UNUSED FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE.

AND AND SO I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

BUT AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE ALREADY GIVEN US IN THE PAST.

JUDGE. YES, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS IS A VERY GOOD PROPOSAL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT.

YOU'RE THE MANAGER OF YOUR DEPARTMENT AND I RESPECT THE THE WAY YOU PUT THIS TOGETHER.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT PLAN.

MY OVERALL QUESTIONS ARE KIND OF SIMILAR TO WHAT I ASKED THE SHERIFF.

WE GAVE AN INCREASE IN PAY WITH OUR PAY STUDY FOR THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.

ARE YOU SEEING ANY STOPPAGE OF THE OF THE ATTRITION, OR ARE YOU PROJECTING THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY VACANCIES ROUGHLY DO YOU HAVE IN ADAS NOW, AND HOW DO YOU PROJECT THAT MAY BE FILLED IN THE FUTURE? WELL, AGAIN, WE'VE SEEN SOME ATTRITION THIS YEAR.

WE TYPICALLY WILL HAVE BETWEEN 15 TO 20 VACANCIES OF ATTORNEYS.

WE'RE AT ABOUT 13 TO 15 NOW.

I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE HAPPIEST ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE THE THIRD CHAIRS AND THE SECOND CHAIR LEVEL PROSECUTORS, BECAUSE THEY BENEFITTED THE MOST, WHO DIDN'T BENEFIT AS MUCH AS THE OTHERS ARE OUR VETERAN PROSECUTORS, OUR FIRST CHAIR, PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE TEN YEARS OR MORE.

AND WE ARE SEEING SOME OF THEM LEAVING.

AND AGAIN, IT COULD BE BECAUSE THEY'RE BURNT OUT.

IT COULD BE BECAUSE THEY DON'T SEE A LOT OF OF IN TERMS OF A RATE.

SO WE ARE SEEING SOME, SOME ATTRITION.

BUT I THINK THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS IT HAS LEVELED OFF BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN SOME PROSECUTORS THAT HAVE BENEFITED FROM FROM THE RAISES THAT YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN US, THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE HAVE CALLED THEM.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

IT REALLY HAS GONE A LONG WAY IN STOPPING THE THE ATTRITION LEVEL.

BUT WE STILL SEE SOME PEOPLE THAT THAT HAVE LEFT.

THANK YOU. MR. MOODY. THANK YOU.

JUDGE. WELL, I HAVE SOME SOME COMMENTS AND SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU, MR. GONZALES. THE FIRST THING, I GUESS, TO YOUR POINT IS ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

I THINK WE'RE ALL IN ALIGNMENT.

I'VE SPOKEN MANY TIMES ON ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOW IMPORTANT AND FOUNDATIONAL I BELIEVE IT IS.

WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT TO OUR CITIZENS.

AND SO AS IT RELATES TO THAT, I'M GLAD WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

I ALSO WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THE THE IT SOLUTION WHEN IT COMES TO EVIDENCE COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT THAT WE APPROVED.

I DON'T KNOW, A MONTH AGO, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A HELPFUL TOOL AS WELL.

[03:05:03]

I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS WE WE TRY TO MAKE THE PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT AND EXPEDITE IT GOING FORWARD.

UM, I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, THOUGH, AS IT RELATES TO THE BACKLOG.

WHAT WHAT YOU HAVE HERE SHOWS THAT THE BACKLOG YOU INHERITED WAS 8600 CASES, AND IT'S NOW DOWN TO 6000 CASES.

BUT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE GRAPH ON SLIDE TWO, IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS YOU'VE HAD MORE FELONY CASES RECEIVED THAN REVIEWED.

SO HOW DO I RECONCILE THOSE TWO IN TERMS OF WHAT THE DATA IN THE GRAPH WOULD ASSUME THAT YOU WOULD ACTUALLY BE INCREASING YOUR BACKLOG, BUT THE NUMBERS ON THE NEXT PAGE LOOK LIKE THE BACKLOG IS BEING BEING WHITTLED DOWN.

WELL, WE HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION IN THE BACKLOG, BUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY CONSIDER A BACKLOG OR CASES THAT ARE OLDER THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING IN THE QUEUE, I GUESS I WOULD SAY, VERSUS ONES THAT HAVE JUST RECENTLY COME IN.

AND SO WE ARE WE ARE REVIEWING THOSE CASES AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

AND I GUESS THE BEST ANALOGY WOULD BE A TRIAGE.

WE'RE LOOKING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE WE ATTACK THE VIOLENT CRIMES, THE ONES WHERE WE'RE RUNNING UP AGAINST A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.

THE GRAPH THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO INDICATES THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT ARE COMING INTO THE OFFICE, AND THE NUMBER OF CASES.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT WE HAVE REVIEWED.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT ALL THE CASES THAT ARE REVIEWED ARE THE NUMBER THAT HAVE RECEIVED, YOU SEE.

SO WE COULD BE REVIEWING CASES THAT HAVE BEEN THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING THERE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S A MURDER CASE AND IT'S TAKEN A WHILE TO, TO, TO, TO PUT TOGETHER.

SO, SO WHILE WHILE THAT MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, THE POINT IS WE DO HAVE A PRESENT BACKLOG OF ABOUT 6000 CASES.

AND SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THIS INTAKE TEAM, THE HIGH RISK TEAM IS DESIGNED TO ATTACK OR THE, THE HIGH RISK CASES.

YEAH. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING THOUGH LOOKING AT THE GRAPH, IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR BACKLOG WOULD BE INCREASING.

AND YOU'RE SAYING ON THE NEXT SLIDE THAT IT'S DECREASING.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOES INTO THOSE NUMBERS.

BUT BUT IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO ALIGN.

I ALSO JUST I GUESS WE TALK ABOUT HIGH RISK INTAKE.

IF A CASE IS HIGH RISK.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE SIN FAMILY TERRIBLE SITUATION.

I'VE BEEN IN THEIR HOUSE.

THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THROUGH THAT.

THAT INDIVIDUAL SHOULDN'T BE OUT THERE ON THEIR PORCH WITH A WEAPON.

PERIOD. UM, THE THOSE HIGH RISK CASES, AREN'T THEY THE CASES WHERE PRIORITIZING OR SHOULD BE PRIORITIZING? ARE WE NOT PRIORITIZING ALL THOSE TODAY? WE ARE WE ARE PRIORITIZING THOSE KIND OF CASES.

BUT BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PROSECUTORS THAT ARE HANDLING THOSE CASES.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT 25 FELONY PROSECUTORS.

WE HANDLE ON THE AVERAGE 50,000 CASES A YEAR.

AND SO IT'S HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR FOR THESE FELONY PROSECUTORS TO GET TO EVERY ONE OF THOSE CASES THAT ARE PRIORITIZED.

ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'VE CHANGED THE WAY THAT WE OPERATE OUR INTAKE SYSTEM IS EARLY IN THE YEAR, WE IDENTIFIED A HANDFUL OF PROSECUTORS TO WORK ON THOSE HIGH RISK CASES.

SO WE'RE DOING THAT NOW.

BUT BUT WE JUST NEED MORE HANDS ON DECK.

AND THIS PROPOSAL WOULD ALLOW PROSECUTORS TO PUT IN EXTRA HOURS TO HANDLE THOSE HIGH RISK CASES.

SIR, THOSE INDIVIDUALS VOLUNTEERING TODAY TO WORK ON THOSE HIGH RISK CASES.

WELL, THE ONES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT WOULD BE THE PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE WOULD BE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS FOR FOR ADDITIONAL PAY, BASICALLY AFTER HOURS AND ON THE WEEKEND, MUCH LIKE WE DO WITH THE MAGISTRATE'S OFFICE.

YEAH. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR TODAY, BUT YOU SAID IN THE PAST YOU DO HAVE INDIVIDUALS WORKING ON THE HIGH RISK CASES.

THEY'RE THEY'RE SELF-SELECTING AND THEY'RE CHOOSING TO VOLUNTEER FOR THAT.

NO, THOSE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE INTAKE DIVISION, THE 25 FELONY PROSECUTORS.

THEY ARE ASSIGNED TO THE INTAKE DIVISION.

SO THAT'S THEIR JOB TO DO TO DO THAT 40 HOURS A WEEK.

WELL, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE CLEAR AGAIN, AND THE THE HIGH RISK CASES, THEY ARE BEING PRIORITIZED, CORRECT? YES. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, RIGHT.

BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A HIGH RISK INTAKE TEAM.

BUT THOSE HIGH RISK CASES SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED TODAY REGARDLESS OF OUR RESOURCES.

THE LOWEST LEVEL OFFENSES SHOULD BE THE ONES THAT FALL OUT.

[03:10:03]

IN THAT CASE, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO TO MANAGE THEM.

LAST JUST ON KIND OF THE IMPLEMENTATION HERE YOU'RE ASKING FOR, FIRST OF ALL, I GUESS, YOU KNOW.

THE FACT OF CALLING IT REVENUE OR BUDGET NEUTRAL.

THERE'S A QUESTION MARK THERE, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN BUDGETED FOR.

BUT ULTIMATELY, IF THEY'RE NOT FILLED AND NOW WE'RE TAKING THOSE FUNDS AND WE'RE GOING TO EXPEND THEM FOR THESE OVERTIME COSTS, THEN THAT WILL IMPACT THE BUDGET.

ULTIMATELY, THE OTHER THING IS WHO DECIDES ON WHO IS SELECTED FOR THIS? I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE 30 ADAS, RAISE THEIR HAND.

ARE YOU GOING TO JUST CHOOSE THE THE FOLKS THAT ARE MOST QUALIFIED? OR HOW ARE WE GOING TO DETERMINE WHO'S WHO'S GOING TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT? WELL, LET ME ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION FIRST.

SO THIS IS A TEMPORARY REQUEST.

IT'S NOT US ASKING TO GIVE UP THOSE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE MONEY THAT WE IDENTIFIED WERE SIX PROSECUTOR POSITIONS.

WE'RE NOT ASKING TO ELIMINATE THOSE PROSECUTOR POSITIONS.

WE'RE JUST ASKING TO ALLOW US TO USE THIS MONEY THAT WAS NOT USED FOR A SIX MONTH PERIOD.

AND SO WE'LL SEE WHERE WE ARE SIX MONTHS FROM NOW.

SO IT'S NOT AN ELIMINATION OF THOSE POSITIONS.

THE SECOND PART OF THAT QUESTION IS WE'VE ALREADY ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING EARLIER THIS YEAR WHERE WE ASKED IF THERE WAS AN INTEREST, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST STEP, IS, DO WE EVEN HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO DO THIS? AND THERE WAS THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WERE WILLING TO WORK EXTRA HOURS TO TO GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED.

WE WILL IDENTIFY THE PEOPLE THAT WE BELIEVE HAVE THE MOST EXPERIENCE AND ARE BEST SUITED.

OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T WANT AN ENTRY LEVEL PROSECUTOR HANDLING A MURDER CASE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO WHO HAS ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CALLS TO TO REVIEW THOSE CASES AND, AND GET THEM READY FOR INDICTMENT. OKAY.

AND I THINK YOU KIND OF PARTIALLY ADDRESSED MY LAST QUESTION AROUND WHEN DOES IT END? SO THIS IS A A TRIAL PERIOD FOR SIX MONTHS BASED ON CURRENT POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT.

AND THAT'S THE $295,000 FOR THAT SIX MONTHS, ASSUMING THAT NO ONE'S GOING TO BE HIRED THROUGH THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS OF THE FY.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.

AND YOU COULD CALL THIS A PILOT PROJECT AS IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.

WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT A SIGNIFICANT DENT IN THE BACKLOG IF THIS IS APPROVED.

AND SO SO WE'LL SEE WHERE WE ARE SIX MONTHS FROM NOW.

YEAH I WOULD SPECIFICALLY ASK FOR THAT REPORTING AND DATA ON THE BACKLOG MONTH BY MONTH AS WE GO ALONG.

IF WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING TOWARDS OVERTIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

THANK YOU. I THINK SOMEBODY MAY HAVE BEEN HERE TO TO ADDRESS CHRISTIAN.

IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH THE THE QUESTION ON THE GRAPH.

DO YOU STILL WANT THAT ANSWER, COMMISSIONER? YES, PLEASE.

YEAH, I BELIEVE THE I'M TRYING TO FIND THE CHARTS YOU'RE REFERRING TO.

SO. YEAH.

BUT SO THE, THE, THE DATA THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, COMMISSIONER, DEALT WITH THE 2019 NUMBERS THAT WE HAD IN INTAKE.

I THINK WHAT THE ISSUE IS BETWEEN THE TWO CHARTS IS ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THE TOTAL VOLUME OF CASES THAT WERE IN INTAKE, AND THEN THE CASES THAT WERE IDENTIFYING AS BACKLOG ARE GOING TO BE THOSE CASES THAT ARE OVER 180 DAYS ON A BOND CASE OVER A YEAR ON A, ON A, ON A NET LARGE FILING.

SO THOSE NUMBERS THAT THAT YOU'RE SHOWING FROM WHEN JOE TOOK OFFICE WERE THE TOTAL VOLUME OF CASES, NOT WHAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING AS BACKLOG.

SO I MEAN, WE HAVE SEEN, AS YOU SEE FROM THE, THE, THE CHART SHOWING THE DATA FROM 2021 AND 2022, WE DID SEE AN INCREASE IN BACKLOG THOSE YEARS THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF SOME CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE INTERNALLY, BECAUSE OF SOME FUNDING WE'VE GOTTEN FOR PARALEGALS FROM COMMISSIONERS COURT, WE'RE ALMOST KEEPING UP WITH THE THE INCREASE IN, IN OR THAT WE'RE ALMOST KEEPING UP WITH THE VOLUME THAT, THAT WE RECEIVED.

THIS PLAN IS ABOUT HELPING US TO TO FUND THAT GAP FROM THE VACANT POSITIONS, BECAUSE WE'RE NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO FULLY GET IN FRONT OF THIS WHEN WE HAVE THE THE AMOUNT OF VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE.

YEAH. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN THE REPORTING TO TO BREAK THAT OUT BY YEAR, YOU KNOW, AND ALSO BREAK DOWN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, FELONIES AND OTHER CASES JUST SO WE CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE THE BACKLOGS ARE AT AND POTENTIALLY IF WE NEED TO TARGET THEM AND ADDRESS THEM.

[03:15:06]

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. MISTER, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

FIRST, I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH PETE.

DID A GOOD JOB OF BRIEFING ME ON ON THIS FROM YOUR OFFICE.

UM, AND I'M SUPPORTIVE.

I THINK YOU'RE USING RESOURCES WITHIN YOUR BUDGET TO DIRECT WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE IT MAKES THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE ALL SUPPORTIVE OF.

UM, I AM CURIOUS ABOUT, AFTER THAT SIX MONTH PERIOD, WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO BE FILLING THOSE POSITIONS PERMANENTLY.

MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW YET NOW, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS, BUT WE'D LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING A PLAN FOR THAT AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE EXPIRATION OF THAT SIX MONTH TERM. THERE IS A SLIDE.

I THINK IT'S 3 OR 4, BUT IT TALKS ABOUT INCREASES IN CASE EVIDENCE.

I WANTED TO JUST CLARIFY.

NUMBER ONE, I SEE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN DOCUMENT AND VIDEO EVIDENCE.

THE VIDEO EVIDENCE INCREASE I WOULD IMAGINE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH BODY CAM FOOTAGE.

THE PHOTO EVIDENCE INCREASE, I THINK IT'S A MAYBE A TYPO.

IS THAT 23,000% IT IS.

THE PERCENTAGE SHOULD BE TO THE VERY RIGHT.

SO IT SHOULD READ 23 000505.

CORRECT. WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT SIGNIFICANT INCREASE TO? 23,000% IS PRETTY HIGH.

UM YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? I JUST THINK THAT THE THE AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE THAT IS GATHERED AT A CRIME SCENE, YOU KNOW, BACK WHEN I AND PROBABLY WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED AS A PROSECUTOR, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD 1 OR 2 OFFICERS SHOW UP AT A, AT A CRIME SCENE AND YOU HAD A WITNESS STATEMENT AND MAYBE ONE PHOTOGRAPH.

TODAY WE HAVE SEVERAL OFFICERS THAT SHOW UP ON THE SCENE.

AS YOU SAY. THEY HAVE BODY CAM FOOTAGE.

THEY MAY TAKE CRIME SCENE FOOTAGE.

YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A SHOOTING, EVERY SHELL CASING IS PHOTOGRAPHED.

IF THERE ARE OTHER PIECES OF EVIDENCE THAT ARE PHOTOGRAPHED, THAT BECOMES PART OF THE FILE.

SO. SO I JUST THINK THAT THE NUMBER OF PHOTOS THAT WE SEE ON A TYPICAL CASE HAS JUST GROWN EXPONENTIALLY OVER YEARS.

OKAY, OKAY.

YEAH, I JUST SHOT OFF THE PAGE THAT THAT INCREASE.

BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK AGAIN, YOUR WORK, JOE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE ROUNDTABLES.

I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TRYING TO REASSURE FOLKS THAT YOU ARE WORKING AND YOUR TEAM IS WORKING ON SOLUTIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO BE REASSURED OF, IS THAT YOU ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO KEEP PEOPLE, NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMUNITIES SAFE.

AND SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF YOU FIGURING OUT INNOVATIVE WAYS TO DO THAT.

AND I THINK CERTAINLY ADDRESSING THE MOST VIOLENT OFFENDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THOSE WHO ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS HAS TO BE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY. AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS.

I'M SURE IT IS FOR YOU AND YOUR OFFICE.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THAT AND CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS.

THANK YOU JOE. COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES, SO I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER ON A PREVIOUS ITEM THAT I.

LIKE TO DO MY HOMEWORK AND BE BRIEFED BEFOREHAND.

BUT I WASN'T BRIEFED ON THIS AND I ASKED MY STAFF.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S REACHED OUT TO THE OFFICE.

MY UNDERSTANDING, COMMISSIONER, IS THAT WE FORWARDED A COPY OF THE POWERPOINT TO YOUR OFFICE YESTERDAY AND, WELL, YESTERDAY'S BEFORE THE AGENDA IS POSTED. SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT BEING BRIEFED ON THINGS THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THINGS ARE POSTED SO THAT I CAN HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

SO JUST IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU ALL CAN MAKE SURE YOU ALL DO THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE APPRECIATE THAT WE WILL.

COMMISSIONER, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

BUT BECAUSE OF THAT I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.

SO HOW MANY POSITIONS ARE YOU TRYING TO FILL? WELL, AGAIN WE HAVE 13 VACANCIES, BUT BUT THE MONEY THAT WE'RE WE'RE ASKING FOR COMES OUT OF SIX ATTORNEY POSITIONS.

SO IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE TO SET ASIDE THOSE SIX POSITIONS AND MAKE SURE WE DON'T FILL THEM BECAUSE WE'RE USING THE MONEY FOR THIS PURPOSE.

OKAY. SO BASICALLY IT'S HALF MONEY ALREADY APPROVED IN THE BUDGET.

YES. AND SO YOU SAID SIX MONTHS.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER SIX MONTHS? WELL THEN ARE THE POSITIONS NOT GOING TO BE FILLED THAT WE HAD APPROVED IN THE IN THE BUDGET THAT WE JUST PASSED TO FILL? THEN IF THOSE POSITIONS, THEORETICALLY THOSE POSITIONS ARE FILLED, THEN WE CAN'T USE THIS MONEY ANYMORE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE.

WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOME OTHER WAY TO, TO ATTACK THIS PROBLEM.

BUT THE IDEA IS TO, TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT ABOUT OUR BACKLOG NOW AND SO BUT AGAIN, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WHERE WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO

[03:20:02]

MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE CASES THAT WE HAVE NOW BY BEING ABLE TO USE THIS MONEY.

SO SO HOW MANY CASES DO YOU ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO.

CATCH UP WITH DURING THIS NEXT SIX MONTHS.

I THINK IF THIS IS APPROVED, WE CAN COMFORTABLY EXPECT TO TO BE ABLE TO TO RESOLVE 2000 TO 2500 CASES OF THE 6000.

SO, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR BACKLOG.

SO AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS.

IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE.

JUDGE. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

SO A SECOND.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS.

MOTION CARRIES.

GO TO WORK, MR. GONZALEZ.

THANK YOU. JUDGE, MAY I BE EXCUSED? ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[EXECUTIVE SESSION (DISCUSSION ONLY: CLOSED TO PUBLIC)]

THE COURT WILL NOW CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS MAY BE DISCUSSED AND ACT UPON, IF APPROPRIATE, IN OPEN SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 501 0.071 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.

EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD FOR CONSULTATION WITH THE COURT'S ATTORNEY FOR ADVICE REGARDING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED, LITIGATION OR SETTLEMENT OFFERS IN THE FOLLOWING MATTERS ONE.

RENTERIA VERSUS BURKE COUNTY TWO.

SHOT VERSUS BURKE COUNTY, ET AL.

AT THIS TIME, THE COURT WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

I HAVE THE TIME AT 1224.

JUDGE. FOR THE RECORD, WE'RE GOING TO DROP THE OTHER TWO ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED ON EXECUTIVE.

SO WE'RE JUST DROPPING THOSE.

ALL RIGHT. JUST FOR THE RECORD, SO NOTED, THE OTHER ITEMS LISTED AS ITEMS, SUBSECTION TWO AND THREE ARE DROPPED.

ARE WE READY TO GO THERE, MR. LARRY? YES, SIR.

ALL RIGHT. THE COURT IS BACK INTO OPEN SESSION.

THE TIME IS 1243.

MR. ROBERTSON, I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP ITEM 81.

[81. Discussion and appropriate action regarding pending or contemplated litigation in the matter of Edward Renteria v. Bexar County.]

DISCUSSION. APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION IN THE MATTER OF EDWARD RENTERIA VERSUS BURT COUNTY.

THANK YOU. JUDGE.

DURING EXECUTIVE.

THE COURT CONSIDERED A SETTLEMENT OFFER IN THE MATTER OF EDWARD RENTERIA VERSUS BURT COUNTY IN THE AMOUNT OF $94,927.72.

IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS. MOTION CARRIES.

ITEMS 82 AND 83 ARE DROPPED.

THIS TIME WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM 84.

[84. Discussion and appropriate action regarding pending or contemplated litigation in the matter of AlekSchott v. Bexar County, et al, Claim No: 22G62K215086.]

DISCUSSION. APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION AND THE MATTER OF SHOT VERSUS BAIRD COUNTY.

MR. ROBERTSON. THANK YOU.

JUDGE. DURING EXECUTIVE, THE COURT CONSIDERED APPROVAL OF THE PAYMENT OF BAIRD COUNTY'S SELF-INSURED RETENTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $200,000 TO INTACT INSURANCE IN THE MATTER OF ALEX SCHOTT VERSUS BAIRD COUNTY AND AUTHORIZATION FOR INTACT INSURANCE TO TAKE OVER DEFENSE AND RESOLUTION OF THE CLAIM.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS. MOTION CARRIES.

IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN OR HAVE I.

HAVE WE SKIPPED ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA? ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

NO. MR. RODRIGUEZ? YES, JUDGE.

I HAVE A FEW FOLKS HERE TO ADJOURN IN HONOR OF ENRIQUE SANCHEZ, WHO'S THE FATHER OF GRACIELA SANCHEZ FROM ESPERANZA.

KURT MORALES.