[00:00:01]
WE GO.IT IS NOT MORNING, IS IT? SO IT'S JUST THE OLD HABIT THAT WE MEET IN THE MORNINGS, BUT NO, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE BERK COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S BUDGET WORK SESSION MEETING FOR AUGUST 29TH, 2024.
I BELIEVE WE NEED TO CALL ROLL AT THIS TIME.
SO, COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES, ARE YOU PRESENT? I'M HERE IN PERSON.
UH, COMMISSIONER JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ.
UH, CAN SOMEBODY GIMME A STATUS REPORT ON COMMISSIONER COMM? COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ IS ON HIS WAY AND WILL BE PRESENT AND WILL NOTE FOR THE RECORD HIS, HIS PRESENCE COMMISSIONER GRANT MOODY.
CAN UH, Y'ALL, UH, PAUL, CAN YOU, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S, HE, HE IS NOT PRESENT, BUT HE HAS A STATEMENT.
WHEN DOES HE WANNA MAKE THAT STATEMENT? READ INTO THE RECORD.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S PARTICIPATING BY ZOOM.
COMMISSIONER, ARE YOU PRESENT? YES, JUDGE.
WE'RE WE'RE WORKING ON THE, WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW HOW THINGS WORK HERE IN COMMISSIONER'S COURT? YEAH, NO PROBLEM.
I WILL JUST SAY I CANNOT SEE THE, UH, COURTROOM OR THE PRESENTATIONS YET.
SO SOMETHING IS GOING ON THERE.
CAN WE CONTINUE TO WORK THOSE ISSUES OUT? WE GOT STAFF WORKING ON IT.
I CAN ACTUALLY SEE YOU NOW, SO I'M GOOD.
WELCOME AND COUNTY JUDGE PETER SKA IS PRESENT.
[1. Communications, including citizens who signed the register to speak, and reports.]
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP THE AGENDA.ITEM ONE, COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING CITIZENS WHO SIGNED THE REGISTER TO SPEAK AND REPORT.
I HAVE MY LIST, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK.
IN ORDER FOR YOU TO COME BEFORE THE COURT, UH, I HAVE THE GROUP OF CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
I'M GOING TO ASK THE GROUPS OR THE PEOPLE WITHIN A GROUP.
I, THE FIRST ONE IS, I BELIEVE FUTURO SAN ANTONIO, OR FAMILY ADVOCACY GROUP.
UH, I'M JUST GONNA CALL YOUR NAMES.
IT LOOKS LIKE DIANA LAMB BRICK, MELISSA FRANKLIN, BRADEN FEE, AND BIANCA DEL CONTE.
DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK INDIVIDUALLY, WHICH IS YOUR RIGHT, OR DO YOU WISH TO YIELD YOUR TIME? TO WHICH PARTICULAR SPEAKER? SO, WHO'S FIRST? UH, MYSELF, DIANA LANDBRIDGE, AND INDIVIDUALLY PLEASE.
AND YOU'LL SPEAK INDIVIDUALLY? UH, YES.
SO, UH, PLEASE, UH, NOTE THAT YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND WE'LL PUT YOU ON A TIMER AND YOU MAY PROCEED.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME IS DIANA LANDBRIDGE, AND I'M A RESIDENT IN BAYARD COUNTY PRECINCT TWO.
UH, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF FUTURO SAN ANTONIO.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND WE'RE DE AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ADVOCATING FOR EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AT FUTURO, WE'RE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO ELEVATING VOICES OF FAMILIES IN SHAPING THE FUTURE, THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
THROUGH A POWERFUL LISTENING CAMPAIGN, OUR FAMILIES HAVE IDENTIFIED THREE ISSUES THEY DEEPLY CARE ABOUT.
UH, ONE IS STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
TWO, A STRONG TEACHER PIPELINE AND SUPPORT.
AND THEN THREE, CONTINUED ACCESS TO QUALITY SCHOOLS AND OPTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF REVOLT OF, OF A ROBUST MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN OUR SCHOOLS CANNOT BE OVER OVERSTATED, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE PANDEMIC.
WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE COMMISSIONER CORE COMMITMENT TO COUNTIES, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY'S WELLBEING, AND PARTICULARLY THROUGH THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES WITHIN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HOWEVER, WE'RE DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED IN THIS CRITICAL FUNDING PROCESS WHILE BEXAR COUNTY'S INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE RILEY RECEIVED AROUND $20 MILLION FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
CHARTER SCHOOLS SERVING APPROXIMATELY 50 PER 15% OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
STUDENTS IN THE COUNTY HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS ALLOCATION.
THIS EXCLUSION CREATES A SIGNIFICANT GAP IN MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WHO ATTEND CHARTER SCHOOLS.
THESE STUDENTS WHO HAVE, WHO COME FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, ARE JUST AS A SERVING OF THE SUPPORT NEEDED TO NAVIGATE THE CHALLENGING TIMES.
WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT ALLOCATE AROUND 2.5 MILLION, $2,000,534, 408 IN FUNDS TO, UH, CHARTER SCHOOLS.
THIS WAS, UH, THIS WOULD ALLOCATE ABOUT $128 PER STUDENT FOR THE AROUND 19,000 STUDENTS, UM, IN THE SIXTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE, UM, GRADES FOR, FOR THIS PARTICULAR SECTOR.
UM, THIS EQUITABLE FUNDING WILL ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS IN BAYAR COUNTY, REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF SCHOOL
[00:05:01]
THAT THEY ATTEND, HAVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THEY NEED AND DESERVE.BY PROVIDING THIS FUNDING, YOU WILL BE AFFIRMING THE VALUE OF EVERY STUDENT IN BAYAR COUNTY AND ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS, WHETHER THEY ARE ISD STUDENTS OR CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS, HAVE THE ACCESS TO ADEQUATE AND NECESSARY MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING.
SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TODAY TO THIS PARTICULAR MATTER AND FOR YOUR ONGOING DEDICATION TO THE WELLBEING OF ALL BEXAR COUNTY STUDENTS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS MELISSA FRANKLIN, AND I AM HERE TODAY WITH THE MEMBERS OF FUTURO SAN ANTONIO FAMILY ADVOCACY TEAM.
WE ARE HERE TO ASK FOR THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING FOR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN BAYER COUNTY.
I AM HERE TODAY AS A MOTHER WHOSE CHILDREN HAVE ATTENDED A CHARTER FOR NEARLY THEIR ENTIRE EDUCATION.
OUR SCHOOL PROVIDED A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT, BUT WHEN MY SON, BRADEN, WHO IS BIPOLAR, BEGAN EXPERIENCING MANIC EPISODES, THE LIMITATIONS AND THE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES BECAME TRULY EVIDENT.
BRADEN'S CONDITION OFTEN WENT UNNOTICED UNTIL HE SUDDENLY STOPPED DOING HIS HOMEWORK AND MADE IMPULSIVE DECISIONS.
IT WAS HEARTBREAKING TO WATCH HIM STRUGGLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SUPPORT WASN'T READILY AVAILABLE.
WE OFTEN HAD TO PULL HIM OFF SCHOOL FOR OFFSITE COUNSELING, WHICH DISRUPTED HIS EDUCATION EVEN FURTHER.
ULTIMATELY, WE CHOSE TO HOMESCHOOL HIM TO ENSURE HE GOT THE CONSISTENT CARE HE NEEDED.
BUT I KNOW NOT EVERY FAMILY CAN MAKE THAT CHOICE.
THIS EXPERIENCE IS NOT UNIQUE TO OUR FAMILY.
CHARTER SCHOOLS IN BAYER COUNTY SERVE STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE AND UNDERSERVED BACKGROUNDS.
NATIONWIDE, 59% OF CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS COME FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
68% OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE OF COLOR GROUPS THAT ARE STATISTICALLY AT HIGHER RISKS OF MENTAL HEALTH, UH, CHALLENGES.
THE CDC HAS REPORTED THAT 31% INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH RELATED EMERGENCIES AMONG CHILDREN, AGES 12 TO 17 DURING THE PANDEMIC.
YET NEARLY 20,000 STUDENTS IN THE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN OUR COUNTY HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT FROM THE CRITICAL MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC ISDS, BUT I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO ALLOCATE $2.5 MILLION TO BAYER COUNTY CHARTER SCHOOLS TO ENHANCE THEIR MEDICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH PUB PROGRAMS. THIS INVESTMENT WOULD ENSURE THAT STUDENTS LIKE MY SON BRADEN, HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO THRIVE JUST LIKE THEIR PEERS IN THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
JUDGE, THIS POINT I JUST WANTED TO ASK MS. FRANKLIN, I I POINT PERSONAL 'CAUSE I, I'M NOT SURE IF I HEARD IT CORRECTLY.
WAS THAT THAT GOOD? A GOOD AFTERNOON.
COMMISSIONERS HERE TODAY WITH SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF FUTURO SAN ANTONIO FAMILY ADVOCACY TEAM.
WE ARE HERE TO ASK FOR THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING FOR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN BELL COUNTY.
I WANNA START BY ASKING YOU AND THOSE IN THIS ROOM TO IMAGINE FEELING LIKE YOUR WORLD IS SPIRALING OUTTA CONTROL.
WHAT THOUGHTS OVERWHELMING THAT YOU START TO BELIEVE THE ONLY WAY IS TO END IT ALL.
THAT WAS MY REALITY NOT TOO LONG AGO.
MY NAME IS BRADEN, AND AS A YOUNG AFRICAN LATINO AMERICAN, I FACED SOME OF THE DARKEST MOMENTS IN MY LIFE.
I'VE GONE THROUGH MANIC EPISODES THAT MADE ME FEEL COMPLETELY LOST.
AND THERE WERE SOME DAYS WHERE I DIDN'T THINK I'D MAKE IT, BUT I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO FIND HELP AND START ON A PATH TO RECOVERY.
RECENTLY, MY FAMILY AND I LEARNED THAT BEXAR COUNTY HAD THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS, LIKE THE ONE I USED TO ATTEND.
BUT WHEN I NEEDED THAT SUPPORT, IT WASN'T ACCESSIBLE TO ME.
INSTEAD, MY FAMILY HAD TO PULL ME OUTTA SCHOOL, RESTRUCTURE OUR ENTIRE LIVES, AND SHIFT TO HOMESCHOOLING JUST SO I COULD GET THE HELP I NEEDED.
ALL BECAUSE SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, SOMEONE DECIDED THAT FUNDING SHOULDN'T BE ACCESSIBLE TO KIDS LIKE ME.
I'M HEALTHIER TODAY BECAUSE WE MADE IT WORK, BUT IT WASN'T EASY.
THE FUNDING IS THERE, BUT IT'S NOT REACHING THE STUDENTS WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
I'M HERE TO ASK TO MAKE SURE THAT NO OTHER KID HAS TO GO THROUGH WHAT I DID.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE FUNDING IS USED WHERE IT'S NEEDED, AND THE PROCESS IS MADE EASIER SO THAT EVERY STUDENT WHO NEEDS IT CAN GET IT.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY STORY.
I HOPE IT BRINGS OUT THE, ABOUT THE CHANGE THAT SO MANY OF US NEED.
UH, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, UH, ARE YOU SIGNALING THAT YOU NEED ASSISTANCE? YES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? WE WE'RE, WE'RE WE'RE HAVING AUDIO NOW, SO, OKAY.
I GUESS THE AV GUYS, IT WAS JUST A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE ON MS. FRANKLIN.
I WAS TRYING TO DETERMINE, UH, DID SHE SAY THERE WAS A 31% INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH OUTCRY? I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
COULDN'T I? LET ME TRY TO SEE IF I CAN REPEAT THE QUESTION.
MS. FRANKLIN, COMMISSIONER CALVERT HAS ASKED WHETHER THERE'S 31% INCREASE IN THE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH REPORTS.
[00:10:01]
BIANCA DELANTE.MY NAME IS BIANCA DELANTE AND I'M A PARENT OF THREE CHILDREN AND TWO OF THEM ATTEND SCHOOL AT IDEA CARVER ACADEMY.
I AM HERE WITH FUTURO SAN ANTONIO FAMILY ADVOCACY TEAM TO ASK THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING FOR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN BEXAR COUNTY.
RECENTLY, A MOM AT MY KID'S SCHOOL REACHED OUT TO OUR PTO, WHICH I'M A MEMBER OF, AND SHARED HER SORROW OVER HER SON'S STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND PANICKED ABOUT WHAT THE TEASING HE IS EXPERIENCING AT SCHOOL MIGHT MOTIVATE HIM TO DO.
PARENTS OF OUR GROUP POURED OUT THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT, URGING THEIR KIDS TO LOOK OUT FOR HIM.
AND WHILE THAT PROVIDED HER MUCH NEEDED COMFORT IN A SCENARIO LIKE THIS, A MOTHER'S MEASUREMENT OF IS MY KID FEELING BETTER? IS BASED UPON HOW MUCH HE WANTS HER TO KNOW.
AND ANYONE WITH PRETEENS KNOWS THAT ASKING YOUR CHILD HOW THEY'RE DOING AND WHAT'S GOING ON IS NOT A DANCE, IT'S A WRESTLING MATCH.
I THINK ABOUT HER SON AND SO MANY OF MY CHILDREN'S CLASSMATES THAT ARE GOING THROUGH A HARD TIME AT SCHOOL AND MAYBE AT HOME TOO.
THINK ABOUT EVERYDAY PEOPLE IN YOUR LIVES THAT MAY BE QUIETLY STRUGGLING WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.
HOW CAN WE AS A COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO COME TOGETHER TO BE THERE FOR THEM? MY DAUGHTERS HAVE BEEN AT IDEA CARVER FOR FOUR YEARS NOW, AND THE COMMUNITY OF FAMILIES AND BEING ABLE TO LEND MY SUPPORT TO THEM IN THE SCHOOL IS WHY WE HAVE STAYED AT THIS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL.
CHARTER FAMILIES ARE BEXAR COUNTY FAMILIES, AND IT IS THESE SPURS LOVING.
HEB LOYAL SA IS THE BEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
TOTEN PEOPLE WHO DESERVE TO BE OFFERED THE SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT AS ANY OTHER FAMILY HERE THAT I AM ADVOCATING FOR TODAY, WE HOPE THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WILL ALLOCATE FUNDS TO BEXAR COUNTY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS TO ENHANCE EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, ENSURING BETTER SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AS PART OF THE UPCOMING BUDGET.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ IS NOW PRESENT, UH, SAN SAN ANTONIO LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE.
PAT FROST, ATLANTA WELLS, DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK SEPARATELY OR DO Y'ALL WISH TO YIELD TIME TO AN INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER ON BEHALF OF THIS ORGANIZATION, WE'LL SPEAK SEPARATE.
MY NAME IS ELENA WELLS AND I ON BEHALF OF THE SAN ANTONIO LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY ABOUT THE UPCOMING 2025 NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR THAT WILL BE HERE IN JUST 219 DAYS.
WE ARE EXCITED TO INVITE THE COUNTY TO JOIN OUR ORGANIZING COMMITTEE PARTNERS SAN ANTONIO SPORTS.
VISIT SAN ANTONIO, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UTSA AND UIW TO SUPPORT THE EVENT AS A MEMBER OF THE LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE OR CLOC, AS WE CALL OURSELVES.
CLOC IS A FIVE OH ONE C3 ORGANIZATION THAT IS CHARGED WITH COORDINATING AND FUNDING MAJOR SPORTS EVENTS IN OUR COMM IN OUR COUNTY THAT BRING ECONOMIC IMPACT AND MEDIA EXPOSURE.
AND IT DOESN'T GET ANY BIGGER THAN THE NCAA FINAL FOUR.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING MORE THAN $400 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT OVER THE FOUR DAYS OF THE EVENT.
WE EXPECT TO SEE JUST OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND VISITORS TO OUR AREA THAT WILL GENERATE MORE THAN 200,000 HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS WHILE THEY'RE HERE.
BASED ON THOSE 200,000 HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS, THE FINAL FOUR SHOULD CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN INCREMENTAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX DOLLARS TO BEXAR COUNTY TO FULFILL OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE NCAA AND DELIVER A SAFE AND MEMORABLE FAN EXPERIENCE, THE ESTIMATED COSTS FOR THE EVENT CONTINUE TO RISE.
AS WITH MANY THINGS, ABOUT 80% OF OUR FUNDING COMES THROUGH A STATE REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM.
WE ALSO RECEIVE BUDGET SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
AND IN ADDITION, OUR CHAIRMAN, PAT FROST, WHO IS HERE WITH ME TODAY, HAS BEEN WORKING SINCE 2017 TO RAISE THE REMAINING FUNDS THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF PRIVATE DONORS AND THE CORPORATE COMMUNITY.
BUT WITH THESE COSTS CONTINUING TO RISE, WE'RE CURRENTLY ANTICIPATING A BUDGET SHORTFALL OF $500,000 AND ARE ASKING THE COUNTY TO CONSIDER CONTRIBUTING THIS AMOUNT TO CLOSE OUR FUNDING GAP BY ALLOCATING FUNDS IN THE 2025 OR FY 25 BUDGET.
HERE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THAT IMPACT, UM, IS OUR CHAIRMAN PAT FROST.
WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU LEADING US.
TRAINED WELL BY JENNY CARNES, WHO'S ALSO HERE, THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR ENDS IN SAN ANTONIO.
[00:15:01]
ON COLLEGE BASKETBALL BROADCAST THROUGHOUT THE SEASON AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE MARCH MADNESS TOURNAMENT.THE MEDIA EXPOSURE IS IMMEASURABLE, BUT THE FINAL FOUR BRINGS MORE THAN BASKETBALL TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ON FINAL FOUR FRIDAY, THE ALAMODOME WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR FREE OPEN PRACTICES BY THE PARTICIPATING TEAMS, FOLLOWED BY A FREE ALL-STAR GAME.
WELL FROM COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAMS THAT DIDN'T QUALIFY TO GET TO THE FINAL FOUR THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.
THE FINAL FOUR FAN FEST WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH CHILDREN UNDER 12 AND ALL MILITARY HOLD ID HOLDERS RECEIVING FREE ACCESS TO THE INTERACTIVE FAN FESTIVAL.
WE'LL GIVE AWAY CLOC 3000 BASKETBALLS TO KIDS UNDER 18 AND WATCH THEM DRIBBLE THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND INTO THE FAN FEST DURING THE FINAL FOUR DRIBBLE.
AND WE'LL SHOWCASE SAN ANTONIO IN OUR OWN UNIQUE WAY BY HOSTING A RIVER RALLY, A FLOATING PEP RALLY FEATURING THE FINAL FOUR BANDS IN CHEER SQUADS.
AND OF COURSE, THERE'S ALSO THE MARCH MADNESS MUSIC FESTIVAL.
IT WILL BE HOSTED IN HEMISPHERE, FEATURING A FREE THREE DAY, UH, MUSIC FESTIVAL THAT BROUGHT US IN 2018, MAROON FIVE IMAGINE DRAGONS AND JASON ALDEAN.
HOPE SOMEBODY HERE KNOWS A FEW OF THOSE.
UM, SO I HAD TO HAVE HELP ON SOME OF 'EM.
JUST A, IF YOU WANNA WANT TO JOIN IN, IN ADDITION TO THESE GREAT FAN EVENTS THAT ALL BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN, WE'LL BE ALSO IMPLEMENTING THE READ TO THE FINAL FOUR PROGRAM FOR THIRD GRADERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO USE THE EXCITEMENT OF MARCH MADNESS TO ENCOURAGE READING IN A BRACKET STYLE COMPETITION THAT WILL REWARD STUDENTS WITH FREE BOOKS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.
AND WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE NCA TO RESTORE A LOCAL BASKETBALL COURT AT RAYBURN ELEMENTARY IN THE HARLANDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
NOW, IT TAKES A FULL ROSTER TO PULL OFF AN EVENT THIS MAGNITUDE, AND WE WOULD BE HONORED TO HAVE BEAR COUNTY AS A PART OF OUR STARTING LINEUP ON THE CLOC TEAM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
JENNY CARNES, SAN ANTONIO SPORTS.
AND THANK YOU FOR MEETING, UH, WITH US RECENTLY.
I'M JENNY CARNES, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SAN ANTONIO SPORTS, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW MY COLLEAGUES, UH, LANE.
AND I'VE WORKED TOGETHER FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.
PAT'S BEEN ONE OF MY BOSSES FOR 25 YEARS, AND ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY LEADERS IN OUR COUNTY FOR SO LONG.
UM, I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS THAT PAT JUST MENTIONED.
SOMEBODY GAVE ME A FREE BASKETBALL WHEN I WAS THE AGE OF FIVE, AND IT CHANGED MY LIFE.
IT LED ME TO MY, UM, COLLEGE CAREER AT UIW, WHERE I KNOW COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ WENT, UM, PRIOR TO ME.
AND IT HELPED ME, UM, TO BE WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW TODAY.
AND I WANTED TO FOLLOW THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO ASKS TODAY.
AND I WANTED TO REMIND THE COURT THAT THE FINAL FOUR, WHICH IS THE SUPER BOWL, THE OLYMPICS FOR SAN ANTONIO, NOTHING BIGGER EVER COMES HERE.
THE FINAL FOUR DOES NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT SAN ANTONIO SPORTS.
AND ELENA MENTIONED OUR PARTNERS, THE CITY, THE COUNTY VISIT SAN ANTONIO, OUR UNIVERSITY PARTNERS.
IT DOES NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT SAN ANTONIO SPORTS, UH, THE ORGANIZATION THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF FOR 25 YEARS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE COURT THAT WHILE WE ARE HERE TO REQUEST SOME SUPPORT TO HELP US FUND A $23 MILLION BUDGET FOR THE FINAL FOUR, THE MISSION AT SAN ANTONIO SPORTS HAS TO LIVE ON CONCURRENTLY AS A NONPROFIT, 40 YEARS AT SAN ANTONIO SPORTS, WE ARE YOUR SPORTS COMMISSION.
OUR MISSION IS TO TRANSFORM THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH THE POWER OF SPORT, WITH A VISION OF A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY.
PLACES TO PLAY IN EVENTS LIKE THE FINAL FOUR THAT IMPACT SAN ANTONIO IN THIS COUNTY.
AND THE OTHER REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, IS A FREE COMMUNITY FITNESS AND WELLNESS PROGRAM CALLED SAN ANTONIO SPORTS ACTIVATE.
THAT'S AVAILABLE TO EVERY CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTY.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S AVAILABLE IN THE UNDERSERVED AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST RATES OF OBESITY AND DIABETES.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT'S AN ISSUE IN THIS CITY.
AND WE ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO WORK OUT, GET THEIR STEPS IN, LIVE A HEALTHIER JOURNEY, AND A HEALTHIER LIFE WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
SO WHILE THIS IS GONNA BE AN INCREDIBLE EVENT FOR SAN ANTONIO IN THIS COUNTY IN 222 DAYS, I THINK ELENA SAID, UM, SAN ANTONIO SPORTS IS HERE DOING AMAZING THINGS EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, UM, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY.
UH, DOUG KING, JOURNEY OF FLIGHT.
I'M DOUG KING, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT
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BASED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT'S DEDICATED TO BOTH THE PAST AND THE FUTURE OF FLIGHT.WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS BOARD HEADED BY FELLOW NAMED JACK HEBDEN THAT I THINK MANY OF YOU KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY BY FOLKS FROM THE MILITARY, LIKE GENERAL AL FLOWERS GENERAL BRAD WEBB, THE MOST RECENT COMMANDER OF A ETC HERE.
UM, ELLEN MARTIN, RECENTLY RETIRED FROM BOEING.
BIANCA RHODES, AN ENTREPRENEUR WITH A GREAT COMPANY OUT OF PORT SAN ANTONIO, UH, BUILDING MODULES THAT YOU CAN SLIDE INTO AN AIRPLANE TO TAKE A OPERATING ROOM TO THE BATTLEFIELD.
THE POINT IS THAT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS HELP SHARE WITH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, BOTH THE PAST AND THE FUTURE OF FLIGHT.
SAN ANTONIO IS ONE OF THE GREAT, UM, HARBINGER BASICALLY OF WHAT FLIGHT WAS GOING TO BE WHEN THE FIRST FLIGHT HAPPENED HERE AT FORT SAM HOUSTON IN 1910.
THERE'S GREAT HISTORY SINCE, BUT THE POINT IN SHARING THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY IS TO HONOR THE PEOPLE THAT MADE IT HAPPEN BOTH IN INDUSTRY AND IN THE AIR FORCE OVER THE YEARS.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO INTEREST YOUNG PEOPLE IN WHAT LIES AHEAD.
I HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER WHO'LL BE MY AGE IN 2090.
I DON'T LIKE TO THINK ABOUT THAT MUCH, BUT JUST THINK OF THE WORLD THAT SHE WILL LIVE IN.
WE WILL TAKE FLIGHTS AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS AROUND OUR, OUR PRESENT WORLD.
WE WILL GET IN A, A SMALL VEHICLE AND GO UP TO AUSTIN, UM, FOR THE PRICE OF AN UBER WITHOUT HAVING TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY.
WE WILL TAKE VACATIONS IN SPACE.
AND SO THOSE INDUSTRIES AND THOSE MILITARY POSITIONS NEED TO BE FILLED HERE TO CONTINUE THE GREAT STORY FROM THE LAST A HUNDRED YEARS.
WE BELIEVE THEY CAN BE FILLED WITH LOCAL PEOPLE.
I LIVED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, IN, IN SILICON VALLEY, I LIVED IN SEATTLE, AND I SAW THOSE.
I CAN SEE SAW THOSE COMMUNITIES CHANGE RADICALLY WHEN PEOPLE CAME IN TO TAKE THOSE TECHNOLOGY JOBS.
WELL, WE THINK THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE HERE TO DO THAT ALREADY.
WE'LL BE LOCATED AT LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE AND ANOTHER FACILITY RIGHT ACROSS THE RUNWAY AT PORT SAN ANTONIO.
THEY'LL BE LINKED BY A SHUTTLE.
THEY'LL SERVE A MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR, 200,000 STUDENTS, AND THEY'LL FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON THE WEST, SOUTH, AND EAST SIDES OF TOWN TO SAY TO YOUNG PEOPLE THESE JOBS COULD BE YOURS.
AND IN SAN ANTONIO WITH SOME TREMENDOUS PARTNERS IN THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE PIPELINE EXISTS NOW.
IF YOU GET EXCITED AND INTERESTED, WE CAN SHOW YOU THAT FOR FREE.
YOU CAN GET YOURSELF READY FOR A $60,000 A YEAR JOB AT BOEING.
SO WE'RE ASKING THE, THE COURT TO HELP US WITH A $500,000 INVESTMENT TO MATCH WITH THE CITY HAS ALREADY DONE AND WHAT SOME GENEROUS DONORS HAVE ALREADY DONE.
PEOPLE LIKE THE MAYS FAMILY FOUNDATION TO SAY TO THE WORLD, SAN ANTONIO IS A PLACE TO COME AND LEARN ABOUT THIS.
TO SAY TO OUR OWN COMMUNITY, HELP US CREATE THE FUTURE.
OUR OUR VISION IS TO HONOR, TO EDUCATE AND TO INSPIRE.
AND WE NEED THE COUNTY'S HELP TO DO THAT, TO FINISH THE DESIGN FOR THE FACILITIES THAT WILL GET STARTED NEXT YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.
LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS AND MEETING WITH ANY OF YOU WHO'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE.
UH, I HAVE THE SAN ANTONIO ZOO, TIM MA, TRACY LEWAN.
DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK SEPARATELY OR DO YOU WISH TO YIELD TIME? BOTH.
Y'ALL CAN APPROACH IF Y'ALL WANT.
TRACY SAID SHE WOULD YIELD HER TIME, NOT BECAUSE SHE LIKES ME, BUT BECAUSE I TALK TOO MUCH
AKA COMMISSIONERS, UH, COUNTY MANAGER SMITH.
MY NAME IS TIM MORROW AND FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS I HAVE SERVED AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SAN ANTONIO ZOO.
I'M A PROUD RESIDENT OF UNINCORPORATED BEAR COUNTY AND WORK IN BOTH PRECINCT THREE AT SAN ANTONIO ZOO AND PRECINCT TWO AT THE WILL SMITH ZOO SCHOOL.
SAN ANTONIO ZOO IS A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT, WHICH OPENED IN 1914.
WE PROUDLY HOST OVER 1 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR AND AROUND 110,000 FIELD TRIPS ANNUALLY.
OF THOSE FIELD TRIPS, OVER 50% ARE TITLE ONE SCHOOL VISITS THAT THE ZOO FUNDS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ARE GENEROUS DONORS AND SUPPORTERS.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.
OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, MORE THAN $100 MILLION OF INVESTMENT HAS TAKEN PLACE TO MODERNIZE OUR ZOO FOR THE ANIMALS IN OUR CARE, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND TO CREATE A BETTER, MORE ACCESSIBLE AND INSPIRING EXPERIENCE.
BEXAR COUNTY HAS ASSISTED US IN TWO OF THOSE PROJECTS, INCLUDED OUR EXPANDED RHINO HABITAT IN 2019 AND MORE RECENTLY THROUGH A SARAH MANAGED WELL PUMP REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT SUPPORT.
THESE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR MILLIONS OF VISITORS HELP CREATE AN IMPRESSIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO AND FOR THE RESIDENTS OF BEXAR COUNTY.
IN FACT, IT TOTALS OVER $100 MILLION ANNUALLY AND WELL OVER $1 BILLION OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW WHILE WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE PROUDLY BEEN NAMED A TOP THREE ZOO IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE'VE BEEN NAMED THE BEST ZOO IN TEXAS FIVE TIMES OUT OF THE LAST SIX YEARS.
BUT SOME OF OUR MOST PROUD ACCOLADES HAVE INCLUDED FIVE STRAIGHT YEARS OF THE BEST PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO VISIT.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN NAMED BEST PLACE FOR STEM EDUCATION AND BEST PLACE TO SUPPORT CONSERVATION.
[00:25:02]
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE LAUNCHED A BOLD AND UNPRECEDENTED MASTER PLAN FOR SAN ANTONIO ZOO.THIS PLAN INCLUDES ZOO WIDE IMPROVEMENTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE, ACCESSIBILITY, SAFETY, AND EXPERIENCE.
THE ESTIMATE ESTIMATED COST OF THIS MASTER PLAN IS AROUND $250 MILLION OVER THE NEXT 10 TO 15 YEARS.
PHASE ONE OF THAT PLAN INCLUDES A NEW ENTRANCE, WHICH OPENED IN DECEMBER OF 2023, AS WELL AS A WORLD-CLASS GORILLA HABITAT AND SPECIAL EVENT CENTER.
THE ZOO HAS CONTRIBUTED OVER $40 MILLION TO THIS $70 MILLION PHASE THROUGH PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT, AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS ASSISTED WITH OVER $20 MILLION OF SUPPORT OVER OVERALL, THE CITY HAS CONTRIBUTED OVER 40 MILLION IN THE LAST FEW YEARS TO ZOO IMPROVEMENTS.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE ANIMALS IN OUR CARE, OUR HUNDREDS OF TEAM MEMBERS, HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OUR MILLIONS OF VISITORS REQUESTING YOUR SUPPORT FOR A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT INTO THIS INSTITUTION, WHICH SERVES OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR ASK IS FOR $5 MILLION ANNUALLY OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO CREATE NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT AND CREATION, INCLUDING DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, POWER NEEDS, WATER NEEDS, ROADS, AND GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THE FUNDING WILL ALSO HELP US IMPROVE SAFETY, SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND OVERALL IMPROVEMENTS OF OUR ZOO AND ADD JOBS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
YEAR ONE OF FUNDING WILL HELP US CLOSE OUR FUNDING GAP TO COMPLETE THE CURRENT PHASE THAT WE ARE IN.
THIS IS A ZOO LEVERAGE PROJECT.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE RAISED OVER $40 MILLION TOWARDS GENERATION ZOO PHASE ONE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO FUND RAISE FOR EACH PHASE GOING FORWARD.
BUT WE NEED THE COUNTY'S HELP.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS STEPPED UP FOR PHASE ONE AND WE BELIEVE THIS MOMENTUM WILL CONTINUE AS WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PHASE, WHICH WILL BE DEVELOPING UNTOUCHED ACREAGE ON THE WEST SIDE OF 2 81.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING UP THE RANKS FROM TOP THREE ZOO IN THE COUNTRY TO NUMBER ONE, WE UNDERSTAND OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH.
WE UNDERSTAND OUR MISSION TO CONSERVE SPECIES, INCLUDING WORK AROUND THE WORLD AND RIGHT HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY WITH SPECIES SUCH AS THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, BLIND SALAMANDER, AND THE TEXAS HORN LIZARD.
IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT 10 YEARS AGO I LEFT MY CORPORATE JOB TO COME HELP MY HOMETOWN ZOO, THE ZOO.
I HAD MY FIELD TRIPS TO THE ZOO, I BRING MY CHILDREN TO IN THE ZOO, ALL BRING MY GRANDCHILDREN TO.
SINCE MY FIRST DAY, I'VE BEEN IN ABSOLUTE AWE OF THE CONSERVATION AND EDUCATIONAL WORK DONE AT SAN ANTONIO ZOO, THE PASSION AND DEDICATION OF OUR INCREDIBLE ZOO CREW, BUT MOSTLY THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS SHOWN IN TAKING OUR ZOO TO NEW LEVELS.
I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE CONSIDER JOIN IN AND CONTINUE THIS WAVE OF SUPPORT FOR SAN ANTONIO ZOO AND ALL IT DOES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ALRIGHT, I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD THAT ARE SIGNED UP.
ARE THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT I HAVE FAILED TO CALL? AND YOU HAVE SIGNED UP.
ALL RIGHT, THEN LET'S PROCEED INTO OUR AGENDA PRESENTATION
[2. Presentations and discussion regarding the proposed Bexar County Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operating and Capital Budgets related to appropriations and/or capital expenditures for the following County offices and departments: a. Office of Criminal Justice Policy, Planning and Programs including program change recommendations and impacts to Pre-Trial Services and the Criminal Investigation Laboratory. b. Office of Emergency Management emergency preparedness planning, logistics and grant management staffing level requests for FY 24-25. c. Presentation of updated proposed FY 24-25 Capital Projects to be managed by Public Works Department, Heritage and Parks Department and Facilities Department.]
DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PROPOSED BEX COUNTY PHYSICAL YEAR 20 24, 25 OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGET RELATED TO APPROPRIATIONS AND OR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS.UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ OUT THE ENTIRE GROUP.
WE WILL HAVE THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY PLANNING AND PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PROGRAM CHANGE RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPACTS TO PRETRIAL SERVICES AND THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION LAB LABORATORY.
I BELIEVE THAT PRESENTATION WILL BE DONE BY DR.
NORMA GREENFIELD LAB B AFTER THAT WILL BE THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, PREPAREDNESS PLANNING, LOGISTICS AND GRANT MANAGEMENT STAFFING LEVEL REQUIREMENTS FOR FY 24 25 WILL BE PRESENTED BY MR. CHRIS LOPEZ.
C PRESENTATION OF UPDATED PROPOSED FY 24 25 CAPITAL PROJECTS TO BE MANAGED BY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, HERITAGE AND PARKS DEPARTMENT AND FACILITIES DEPARTMENT PRESENTED BY ART REINHARDT, KIM GLARY, DAN CURRY.
SO I'D LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A FEW, UH, OPENING REMARKS IN REGARDS TO THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
GREENFIELD ABOR, THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE OPERATIONS, HAVE AN IMPORTANT IMPACT ON PROTECTING PUBLIC SAFETY, SUPPORTING DEFICIENCIES IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, INCLUDING RELIEVING PRESSURE AT THE JAIL.
UH, I REALLY WANT TO HEAR ABOUT, UH, OUR EFFORTS.
I WANT ON RECORD THAT THE CRIME LAB AND JAIL POPULATION HAVE BEEN THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES FOR THE COUNTY.
UH, MY STAFF, ALONG WITH THE WORK GROUP THAT DR.
GREENFIELD ABOR HAS PARTICIPATED ALSO WOULD TAKE NOTE THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS BEEN INVOLVED.
I THINK, UH, CHIEF JANSEN AND SOME OTHER CHIEFS, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, I THINK, UH, RECALL EMILY ANGULO AND SEVERAL OTHERS FROM THE DA'S OFFICE HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED.
AND, UH, IT'S BEEN, UH, A REALLY, I'VE SEEN PEOPLE GO TO WORK TO HELP FIX THE ISSUES IN REGARDS TO CRIME LAB AND JAIL POPULATION.
GREENFIELD ABOR, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE
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AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL ON THOSE TASK FORCE.UM, I'M GONNA START, SINCE THERE'S TWO DEPARTMENTS YOU WANTED ME TO REPORT ON.
I'M GONNA START WITH THE, UM, WITH THE OVERALL JUST OUR, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE, OUR DEPARTMENT, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE UNDER OCJ, UH, REENTRY CENTER, UH, CRIME LAB PRETRIAL, BEXAR COUNTY DISPUTE RESOLUTION, THE SPECIALTY COURTS, UH, COURT COLLECTIONS, UH, MEDICAL EXAMINER, GA AND THE POPULATION IMPACT CONTROL.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO HAVING THESE DEPARTMENTS UNDER US, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO ARE NOT NECESSARILY TASKED WITH, BUT WE DO COLLABORATE, AS YOU SAID, WITH THE OTHER OFFICES, THE DA'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UM, PROBATION, EVEN TDCJ TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO THE OVERALL BUDGET FOR ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT I LISTED ON THE OTHER SLIDE IS 28,988,000 EIGHTY EIGHT HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE.
THIS IS OUR DIVERSION MONEY TO HELP, UH, GET PEOPLE OUTTA JAIL AND PUT 'EM IN EITHER TREATMENT OR OR HOUSING.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE SPECIALTY COURTS.
MOST OF THAT IS GRANT MONEY EXCEPT FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT, WHICH IS GENERAL GENERALLY FUND.
AND THEN THAT'S OUR TOTAL BUDGET FOR ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
FOR PRETRIAL SERVICES, WE HAVE OUR MISSION, WE HAVE OUR ESSENTIAL DUTIES, AND THE BUDGET THAT WE PROPOSED FOR THIS YEAR WAS 7,798,869.
SOME OF OUR UPCOMING PROJECTS, WHICH LATER ON IF WE NEED TO GO INTO DETAIL, I CAN.
BUT IT'S OUR UPDATING OUR CSS SOFTWARE, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM, AND OUR JAIL TASK FORCE THAT YOU MENTIONED, WHICH WE CAN GO INTO DETAIL A LITTLE BIT LATER IF YOU'D LIKE TO JUDGE.
THIS IS JUST A LITTLE BREAKDOWN OF OUR, OUR CASELOAD.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UH, ABOUT 9,945 ACTIVE PEOPLE ON PRETRIAL.
I BROKE, WE BROKE THEM DOWN AS TO THE TYPE OF SUPERVISIONS WHICH WE HAVE.
ALCOHOL MONITORING SITE AND RELEASE, DRUG TREATMENT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ELECTRONIC MONITORING, FELONY MENTAL HEALTH COURT, AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO JUST REGULAR FELONY, MISDEMEANOR AND COMMUNITY COURT AND SPECIAL NEEDS.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANNA JUST POINT OUT IS OF THAT 9,945, WE HAVE 3,384 ON PR BONDS AND 800, I MEAN 8,840 ON COMMERCIAL BONDS.
AND THIS IS JUST A LITTLE GRAPH OF THAT WHERE, UH, THE BLUE IS OUR PR BOND AND THE ONE IN ORANGE IS OUR COMMERCIAL BOND.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OCTOBER, 2023 UNTIL 8 1 24, OUR PR BONDS HAVE DROPPED A LITTLE BIT.
AND, UH, COMMERCIAL BONDS HAVE INCREASED A LITTLE BIT.
SO I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ON SUPERVISION ARE ON COMMERCIAL BONDS.
SO OUR, OUR POSITION BREAKDOWN, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 86 POSITIONS, 60 OFFICERS ON THE SUPERVISION SIDE AND 26 ARE ON THE INTAKE SIDE.
AND THOSE ARE THE OFFICERS THAT ARE AT G AT INTAKE, UH, INTERVIEWING PEOPLE FOR OR PR AND PREPARING THEIR PACKETS TO TAKE TO THE MAGISTRATE.
UH, ONE WAS FOR THE LEAD, UH, PRETRIAL SUPERVISOR.
WE WERE JUST TRYING TO BRING HER IN LINE WITH OUR MANAGER OVER AT GA.
THEY PRETTY MUCH HAVE SIMILAR DUTIES, AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT EQUAL.
'CAUSE PRIOR TO THE SUPER, THE SUPERVISOR OVER AT SUPERVISION WAS, UH, AN OH FOUR, AND THE MANAGER OVER THERE WAS A ZERO SIX, AN OH SIX.
SO WE REQUESTED THAT WE MAKE THEM EVEN.
AND IT APPEARED THAT IT DID COME OUT ON OUR PROPOSED, ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED.
OUR SECOND ONE AT PRETRIAL WAS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CLERK FROM AN N ONE TO AN N TWO.
HER DUTIES DID INCREASE QUITE A BIT, SO WE WERE ASKING TO CHANGE THAT TO A AN NE TWO.
AND IT LOOKED, IT ALSO MADE THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COURT, SOME OF OUR GEL STRATEGIES THAT, UM, SOME OF THESE THAT HAD CAME OUT FROM OUR TASK FORCE JUDGE WITH, UM, WHEN WE MET, WE CON WE STARTED TO CONTINUE TO DO OUR WEEKLY BCSO AND PCU MEETINGS.
AND THEY, IT'S WHERE THEY, THAT TEAM MEETS AND THEY LOOK AT WHO DO WE HAVE IN CUSTODY AND WHO CAN WE TRY TO WORK ON TO GET OUT, MEANING DO THEY NEED, UH, A PLACE TO STAY? DO THEY NEED A BED OR, OR WHATEVER IS IT WITH MENTAL HEALTH? SO THEN WE'LL WORK WITH THE DA'S OFFICE WITH SALLY.
SO THAT'S THE TEAM THAT ARE, THEY STARTED TO GET TOGETHER WEEKLY, AGAIN AFTER OUR MEETINGS.
AND ANTONIO, THE MANAGER OF PICU, HE, HE AND CHIEF JENSEN STARTED WORKING ON
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ADDRESSING THE OUTTA COUNTY AND OUTTA STATE CUSTODY WARRANTS IN HAVING THE OTHER COUNTIES COME AND PICK THEM UP.SO THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THOSE CASES AND WORKING ON GETTING THOSE OUT OF OUR JAIL INTO THE JAILS THAT THEY NEED TO BE IN.
ANOTHER JAIL STRATEGY IS WITH THE PRE INDICTMENT COURT DA OFFICE IN M THAT'S ANOTHER, ANOTHER STRATEGY THAT OUR MANAGERS WORKING ON ANTONIO WITH THE DA AND THE MAC PROGRAM, WITH OUR PRE INDICTMENT WITH JUDGE NAHRA.
AND THEN A COLLABORATION WITH THE DA AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR CASE REDUCTION PROCESS, A COLLABORATION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH WHEEL AND TO HELP, AND ALSO FOR THE MAC TO HELP THE ATTORNEY ATTORNEY ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE 48 HOUR HEARINGS AT THE JAIL OR OTHER HEARINGS, SOMETIMES THE APPOINTED ATTORNEY DOESN'T SHOW UP.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY PRESENT AND ALSO TO HAVE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER PRESENT SO THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH REPRESENTING THESE INDIVIDUALS.
INFIELD LATI, Y'ALL POINTED OUT IN, I BELIEVE, THE LAST WORK GROUP SESSION THAT I PERSONALLY ATTENDED.
THERE WAS AN IMPRESSIVE STATISTIC THAT YOU HAD DOCUMENTED.
DON'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE IT PART OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION, BUT AS A RESULT OF YOUR GROUP WORK, WORK, GROUP WORK, UH, I HEARD A NUMBER OF OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RELEASED SINCE THIS STRATEGIC PROCESS HAS BEEN PUT INTO EFFECT.
IS THAT, CAN YOU, DO YOU REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER? IF NOT, WAS THAT NUMBER PRETTY MUCH WHAT I HEARD? WAS THAT AN ACCURATE NUMBER? YES, IT'S, UH, 1,756.
SO I JUST WANNA LET THE COURT BE AWARE THAT THIS GROUP IS HARDWORKING.
THEY, I THINK THE LAST MEETING THAT I ATTENDED WAS AT FOUR O'CLOCK LAST FRIDAY,
AND OBVIOUSLY FOR THOSE THAT NEED TO BE IN JAIL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CASES ARE RESOLVING.
SO I WANT, I JUST WANT APPLAUD THE WORK OF THIS WORK GROUP.
WE TOOK UP A LOT OF YOUR IDEAS IN THAT MEETING TOO, JUDGE.
SO NOW, UH, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO THE BEXAR COUNTY CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION LAB.
WE HAVE OUR, OUR MISSION STATEMENT, OUR ESSENTIAL DUTIES, AND OUR BUDGET.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET THIS YEAR IS, UH, 4,000,971.
I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT IN 20 23, 20 24, THEY GENERATED FUNDS OF 2,000,888 AND 2 93.
AND I THINK OREN IS, UH, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT FOR OUR NEXT YEAR, WE WOULD BE PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OVER 3 MILLION, UH, THAT WE WOULD GENERATE IN FUNDS.
SOME OF THEIR UPCOMING GOALS AND PROJECTS IS REPLACEMENT OF FUNDED EQUIPMENT.
WE DID ASK FOR THIS EQUIPMENT IN OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR CRIME LAB, AND IT WAS PRESENTED AT, UM, AT THE BUDGET AND OF COURSE TRYING TO FILL OUR VACANCIES AND PREPARING FOR THE NEW MOVE AND THEN, OF COURSE, REDUCE OUR BACKLOG.
THESE ARE THIS POSITIONS THAT HE HAS PRESENTLY.
AND I DO WANNA NOTE THAT WE RECEIVED TWO POSITIONS THROUGH THE TASK FORCE WITH THE CITY, THE, THE TASK FORCE JUDGE THAT YOU HAD WITH THE CITY.
IN THAT, IN THAT TASK FORCE, WE WERE ABLE TO GET TWO MORE ANALYST.
AND THEN JUST RECENTLY, BECAUSE DUE TO OUR BACKLOG, WE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE TWO OUTTA CYCLE POSITIONS, WHICH WILL HELP ORRIN IN THAT BACKLOG TREMENDOUSLY.
UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO SOME FACTORS THAT CON, UH, CONTRIBUTED TO OUR BACKLOGS, SUCH AS CHANGES IN THE MARIJUANA LAW AND CHANGES IN THE DECLINATION POLICY WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, IT DID HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR BACKLOG.
AND PRESENTLY, RIGHT NOW IN OUR BACKLOG DRUGS, WE HAVE 3,647 IN OUR BACKLOG FOR DNA 503, AND IN OUR BACKLOG FOR FIREARMS 3 56.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE, SOME OF THE THINGS WE WERE DOING TO ELIMINATE THIS BACKLOG, UH, BACKLOG, WE HAVE A CASE PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DA'S OFFICE, OR ORIN RECEIVES A LIST FROM, UH, CHIEF ULA IN THE IN CUSTODY WAITING ANALYST SO THAT THOSE THAT ARE IN CUSTODY, THEY TAKE PRIORITY AND ANYONE THAT'S ON A BOND RELEASE, AND OF COURSE,
[00:40:01]
ANY OLDEST CASE SO THAT WE DO NOT GET THAT PAST THE STATUTE TIME.SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON THESE REPORTS, OF COURSE, RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF ANY NEW ANALYSTS.
LIKE I SAID, YES, WE GOT FOUR TOTAL NEW ANALYSTS.
HOWEVER, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT IT TAKES ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO TRAIN A PERSON AND THEN, UH, THEN THAT WE CAN PUT 'EM ON FULL-TIME TAKING ON THEIR OWN CASELOAD.
SO WE, AS WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT, ONCE ALL FOUR OF 'EM ARE ON BOARD, THEN THIS WILL HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE BACKLOG.
WE JUST RECENTLY, SOMETHING ELSE THAT CAME OUT OF THE TASK FORCE JUDGE THAT, UH, YOU LED IS WE DID REACH OUT TO DPS, THE STATE AND OREN IS ALREADY SENT, IS, IS COORDINATING WITH, UH, CHIEF SANFORD TO SEND CASES TO THEM.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE GONNA SEND 50 A MONTH, AND ONCE WE START GET DOING THAT, HE HAS ALSO IS GONNA REACH OUT TO SAPD AND THEN WE WILL START WORKING ON THOSE CASES AS WELL.
SO, UH, WE, I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD THING GOING HERE, A GOOD STRATEGY, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL START TO SEE THE HUGE IMPACT SHORTLY.
SO THIS TIMELINE FOR THE BACKLOG, HOLD ON.
G, JUST A, A QUICK, UM, CLARIFICATION.
SO ON THE, THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THE BACKLOG, UM, I THINK YOU MENTIONED YOU ADDRESSED THE STAFFING, UH, UNDERSTAFFING I GUESS AS PART OF THE ISSUE.
BUT I THOUGHT YOU SAID THERE WAS ALSO, I, I GUESS EITHER A CHANGE IN POLICY, UH, WAS IT, UH, MARIJUANA CASES, IS THAT ACCURATE? CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT? THE LAWS, THE LAWS THAT CHANGED IN, UM, LEMME SEE, LEMME GO BACK TO THIS.
YES, THERE WAS SOME CHANGES IN THE MARI UH, MARIJUANA LAW CHANGES, AND I THINK ORRIN CAN PROBABLY SPEAK IN MORE DETAIL TO THAT IF YOU'D LIKE, SIR.
WELL, YEAH, I GUESS YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE ENFORCEMENT OF YES.
AND THEN ALSO THE, TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH IF, IS IT MARIJUANA? IS IT, UM, OH, HERE HE IS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF CRIME LABORATORY.
CAN YOU MOVE THAT MIC UP A LITTLE BIT? THANK YOU.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE CRIME LABORATORY.
ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT OCCURRED IN THE MARIJUANA LAW IS THE DEFINITION OF MARIJUANA CHANGED FROM ANY PLANTING AS CANNABIS FROM WHICH THE RESIDENT HASN'T BEEN EXTRACTED TO AND CONTAINS GREATER THAN THREE TENTHS OF A PERCENT OF DELTA NINE TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL.
THAT'S A VERY DRAMATIC CHANGE IN WHAT WE FOUND IS MARIJUANA ANALYSIS NOW TAKES THREE TIMES LONGER TO PERFORM THAN ANY OTHER DRUG ANALYSIS WE DO.
AND THIS HAS NOT BEEN UNIQUE TO OUR LAB.
WE'RE FINDING THIS WITH THE DIRECTORS THROUGHOUT TEXAS OF ALL THE LABORATORIES.
SO IT'S BEEN A, A TREMENDOUS IMPACT, UH, TO PRODUCTIVITY.
AND WILL THE POSITIONS THAT THAT, UH, DR.
JESUS MENTIONED HELP ADDRESS THAT? OR IS, I MEAN, IN OTHER WORDS, IS THAT KIND OF A ONE-TIME SETBACK? ONCE WE GET THINGS SQUARED AWAY WITH STAFFING, WE SHOULDN'T HOPEFULLY HAVE ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT BACKLOG LIKE THIS? CORRECT.
THE AMOUNT OF STAFF WE HAVE RECEIVED, WE HAVE CALCULATED, SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THE, UH, TURNAROUND TIMES AND ANALYSIS EXPECTATIONS.
AND THEN, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A QUESTION FOR YOU OR FOR, FOR YOU, DOC.
UM, WHAT ABOUT ON, ON THE DNA, UH, BACKLOG? UH, IS THAT SIMPLY A STAFFING ISSUE? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS YOU'RE SEEING IN OTHER, UM, JURISDICTIONS AS WELL? UM, NOT TO DOWNPLAY, YOU KNOW, THE MARIJUANA CASES, BUT I MEAN, YOU KNOW, DNA IS A LITTLE BIT MORE SENSITIVE, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.
AND THEY'RE REALLY QUITE THE SUCCESS STORY.
I THINK THIS IS WHERE GETTING POSITIONS ON BOARD, GETTING THEM TRAINED, TAKING A NEW APPROACH TO HOW WE DO THINGS IS PAID OFF THEIR BACKLOG SINCE THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR HAS DECREASED 27% AND THEY ARE REDUCING THEIR BACKLOG, TAKING A 30% BY PUTTING OUT MORE THAN THEY TAKE IN BY 30% EVERY MONTH.
SO WE'VE REALLY SEEN THAT INVESTMENT IN STAFF AND TECHNOLOGY PAY OFF.
AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED, UH, DOC, THEY ARE PRIORITIZING THE BACKLOG, UH, CASES, IS THAT RIGHT? DA'S OFFICE? YES.
SO OUR CURRENT APPROACH IS, UH, TO WORK FROM THE IN CUSTODY WAITING ON ANALYSIS.
WE PULL FROM THAT FIRST DOWN TO A SET NUMBER OF DAYS.
THEN WE HAVE FROM THE DA'S OFFICE, THEY'RE OUT ON BOND THAT WE'RE WORKING OLDEST TO NEWEST TO ENSURE THAT NOTHING GETS TOO OLD.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE'RE WORKING OLDEST CASES FORWARD.
AND IN BETWEEN THAT IF A CASE IS IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING MORE
[00:45:01]
WORK OR HIGH PRIORITY OR COMES UP, THAT THEN ALSO GETS WORKED IN.WELL, AND LET ME JUDGE, I DO SAY COMMISSIONER CALVERT, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
I THINK COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ CLARIFIED QUITE A FEW OF MY QUESTIONS, BUT, UH, DR.
LTI, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE ON THE TERMINOLOGY I UNDERSTOOD WHEN YOU WERE MENTIONING ANALYSTS, IS THAT THE SAME AS THE, UH, LAPSE SPECIALISTS? SO THE CRIME LABORATORY, WHEN WE SAY ANALYST, THOSE WOULD BE THE POSITION CLASSIFICATION OF FORENSIC SCIENTIST, WHICH HAS A GRADING OF FORENSIC SCIENTIST ONE THROUGH FIVE FORENSIC SPECIALISTS ARE OUR EVIDENCE TECHNICIANS AND, AND CAN AND DON'T ACTUALLY DO ANALYSIS.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, IN TERMS OF HOW MANY CASES PER FORENSIC SCIENTIST, UH, ARE THEY HANDLING, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR BACKLOG BEING SEVERAL THOUSAND, ARE THEY EACH HANDLING YOU GOT, WELL, YOU HAVE 12, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, ARE THEY ROUGHLY HANDLING ABOUT A THOUSAND EACH? IS THAT, I MEAN, AND THEN HOW DOES THAT NEW, UH, THREE TIMES LONGER, UM, TIMELINE INTERFERE WITH YOUR AVERAGE NUMBERS? SO WHAT I HAVE CALCULATED IS OUR CASELOAD THAT COMES IN IS 590 CASES A MONTH ON AVERAGE, OR ABOUT 7,000 A YEAR.
OF THAT, 30% OF THOSE CASES CONTAIN MARIJUANA.
WE FIGURE A DRUG ANALYST CAN ROUTINELY PERFORM 25 MARIJUANA CASES A MONTH, OR 65 NON MARIJUANA CASES A MONTH IN STANDARD OPERATIONS.
SO 12 ANALYSTS ALLOWS ME TO HAVE SIX AT ANY GIVEN TIME PERFORMING MARIJUANA ANALYSTS, SIX AT ANY TIME PERFORMING POWDER ANALYSIS.
WHILE WE ARE BACKLOGGED, WE HAVE TAKEN ON A, UH, MORE AGGRESSIVE TRIAGE PRACTICE OF CASES SUBMITTED TO TRY AND LIMIT THE NUMBER OF ITEMS PER CASE TO GREATLY INCREASE THE THROUGHPUT WE CAN ACHIEVE PER ANALYST.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN IN COOPERATION WITH THE DA'S OFFICE ON OUR AND THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, BUT THEY ARE ANXIOUS FOR US TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATIONS.
LET ME, LET ME ASK YOU A, A QUESTION THAT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT MY INDUSTRY ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
ARE THERE OUTSIDE LABS THAT COULD BE CONTRACTED IN THE FUTURE OR UNDER THE LAW? UH, YES, THERE ARE PRIVATE LABORATORIES THAT PERFORM ANALYSIS.
WE DID INVESTIGATE THAT AS AN OPTION AND PRESENT IT.
UH, THE COMPLICATION WITH THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN SO MUCH ON THE LAB SIDE, BUT ON THE TESTIMONY SIDE, PRIVATE LABORATORIES GET $2,000 A DAY THAT THEIR ANALYST IS AWAY FROM THE BENCH TO TESTIFY.
IT'S A DAY'S TRAVEL IN A DAY ON THE STAND.
A DAY OUT MEANS THE DA'S OFFICE THEN RUNS INTO A $6,000 MINIMUM EXPENSE FOR EVERY POTENTIAL TESTIMONY, EVEN IF THE CASE PLEADS OUT.
UM, JUST VERY QUICKLY GOING BACK TO DR.
I I NOTED IN YOUR PRETRIAL SERVICES, FISCAL YEAR CASELOADS AND BOND TYPE, I AM INFERRING THAT MORE COMMERCIAL BONDS MADE AND LESS, YOU KNOW, BY EXTENSION LESS, UH, PR BONDS IS INFERRING THAT THERE'S MAYBE MORE VIOLENT CRIMES THAT DON'T ALLOW FOR PR BONDS.
IS THAT INFERENCE ON TRACK? UM, THAT'S SOME OF IT.
UM, CALVER, UH, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, BUT I THINK THERE'S OTHER ISSUES TOO.
DO YOU WANNA ELABORATE ON THAT? UNCLE? I'LL JUDGE COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME'S ANTONIO AL ROSAS.
I AM THE POPULATION IMPACT CONTROL UNIT MANAGER.
UM, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SURETY BONDS COMPARED TO PR BONDS, UH, YOU'RE CORRECT RIGHT IN THE SENSE THAT WE DO HAVE MORE VIOLENT OFFENDERS, UH, IN CUSTODY, UH, WHICH IS REQUIRING THEM TO, OBVIOUSLY UNDER SENATE BILL SIX REQUIRE A, A ACTUAL SURETY BOND.
ANOTHER ISSUE TOO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE RISK OF PRIOR OFFENSES, THEY MIGHT NOT BE HERE FOR VIOLENT OFFENSE, BUT YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT OF RISK OF SAFETY TO THE COMMUNITY IS BEING, UH, DEFINITELY LOOKED AT BY ALL THE JUDGES.
RIGHT? BUT, AND THAT, AND THAT RISK, UH, COMMISSIONER IS WHEN WE USE OUR RISK ASSESSMENT.
SO ALL THAT INFORMATION IS THERE FOR THE JUDGES TO, TO LOOK AT.
SO, AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA ADDRESS THIS IN ABOUT THREE OR FOUR SLIDES, SO I APOLOGIZE IF I'M ASKING A LITTLE EARLY, BUT IN TERMS OF GETTING THESE SCIENTISTS ON BOARD, I'M SURE THEY'RE HIGH DEMAND, UH, MAYBE NOT QUITE AS MANY TURNED OUT AS WE'D LIKE IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO, AND ANY KIND OF INCENTIVE PAY, IS THAT BEING RECOMMENDED? IS THAT PART OF YOUR PLAN FOR THE ANALYSTS?
[00:50:02]
YEAH.WE, WE DO HAVE, UH, A SLIDE THAT WE WERE GONNA PRESENT ON FOR, TO HELP WITH THE BACKLOG ON MAYBE PAYING THE ANALYST OVER TIME, SOMETHING SIMILAR THAT THE DA'S OFFICE DID, UH, WITH THEIR BACKLOG.
SO, UH, I WILL PRESENT ON THAT IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT AT, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.
UM, Y'ALL GO AHEAD AND ALL PROCEED.
SO WHERE ARE WE? WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, WELL, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THE ELIMINATION, THE PROCESS THAT, UM, THE TIMELINE FOR IT.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT, UM, WE'LL BE BACK AT THE 30 DAY TURNAROUND TIME BY SEPTEMBER, 2025.
BUT I ANTICIPATE WITH THESE TWO NEW ITEMS THAT WE ADDED IN WITH DPS TAKING SOME OF THE CASES WITH OUR NEW TWO OUT CYCLE ANALYSTS COMING ON BOARD, THAT WE PROBABLY WILL BE AT THAT 30 DAY TIME AROUND A LOT SOONER THAN THAT.
SO THIS IS THE SLIDE THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER THAT I WAS LETTING COMMISSIONER CALVERT KNOW THAT WE WERE GONNA BRING TO THE COURT AN IDEA THAT I WAS WORKING WITH, UH, MY, UH, THE COUNTY MANAGER.
UM, SO IN ONE OF OUR MEETINGS WITH OUR TASK FORCE JUDGE WITH YOU AS WELL, UM, WE, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CRIME LAB BACKLOG, THIS WAS ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT CAME UP AND WE WERE LOOKING AT, IF WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE THEM OVER TIME TO DO WITH THREE MONTH PERIOD, UM, THEN THAT WOULD BE A FUNDING FOR ABOUT 5,000 EACH MONTH.
NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WOULD NECESSARILY MEET THE 5,000, BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, THE ANALYST WOULD HAVE TO WANNA WORK THE OVERTIME.
UM, SO IN THOSE THREE MONTHS, ASSUMING IT WOULD BE AT THE 5,000, IT WOULD BE ABOUT 15,000.
HOWEVER, IN WORKING THOSE CASES, GENERATING AN, UH, ANOTHER 40 CASES PER, UH, PER ANALYST, WE WOULD GENERATE, UM, IN THAT THREE MONTH 36,000.
SO IN ESSENCE, IT WOULD, IT WOULD PAY FOR ITSELF IF WE WENT THAT ROUTE.
SO THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING TO HELP WITH THE BACKLOG.
OF COURSE, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, THE COUNTY MANAGER AGREES WITH, THEN I WOULD BRING IT BACK TO COMMISSIONER'S PORT, UH, COURT ASKING FOR THAT.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY PLANNING AND PROGRAM? I HAVE A QUESTION, AND MAYBE YOU ALREADY ANSWERED IT.
WHEN DID THE BACKLOGS START? IT'S BEEN LIKE THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, OR, YES.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BACKLOG, WE CAN GO BACK TO SEPTEMBER, 2022, WHERE WE START TO SEE AN INCREASE AT A DIS AT A DISCIPLINE.
IT'S 7,000 CASES A YEAR FALLING BEHIND A COUPLE OF HUNDRED A MONTH ADD UP.
THE, AND THEN THE CHANGE OF LAW JUST MADE IT WORSE.
THE, THE, THE MARIJUANA LAW MADE IT WORSE.
AND THEN WE SAW A BIG BUMP WHEN THE, UH, POLICIES CHANGED AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SEPTEMBER ONE.
AND HAVE YOU GUYS TALKED TO COLLEAGUES, UM, AROUND THE STATE? ARE THEY, ARE, ARE THEY ALSO SENDING BACKLOGS? SO THE STATE CRIME LABORATORY HAD, UH, QUITE A BACKLOG THAT THEY SOLVED BY OUTSOURCING.
UH, SO THEY, THEY, THEY TOOK A CONTRACT TO SEND THEIR BACKLOG OUTSOURCE AND WORKING VERY HARD TO TRY TO MAINTAIN A 30 DAY TIMELINE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO DEALING WITH IT, SO IT'S NOT UNCOMMON.
I'M, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR.
THEY'RE ALSO DEALING WITH IT ACROSS THE STATE, SO IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO BEXAR COUNTY.
AND THE MARIJUANA IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN TROUBLESOME FOR EVERYONE.
COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ? THANK YOU, JUDGE.
JUST A QUICK, UM, FOLLOW UP QUESTION THAT MAY REQUIRE SOME DISCUSSION, UH, LATER OFFLINE, AND IT, IT MAY REQUIRE ALSO SOME BUDGET, UH, INFORMATION ON THE PRETRIAL SERVICES.
UM, THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR, UH, BUDGET IS ABOUT 7.8 MILLION, UH, IS WHAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR SLIDE.
I'D LIKE, UM, I GUESS MAYBE SOME HISTORICAL INFORMATION ON HOW THAT, UM, TR I'M SURE IT'S TRENDED UPWARDS, RIGHT? IT'S GROWN, BUT HOW IT'S, UH, TRENDED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, UM, YOUR TRACKING OF OUTCOMES ON, UH, THE GROWTH OF PRETRIAL.
OBVIOUSLY THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SUPERVISING MORE FOLKS.
WE'RE HOPEFULLY GETTING PEOPLE MORE, UH, HELP, HOPEFULLY KEEPING PEOPLE OUTTA JAIL.
UM, I KNOW THOSE ARE ALL ASPIRATIONAL STATEMENTS, BUT IF YOU COULD GET US SOME DATA ON THAT, I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL IN, IN US MAKING DECISIONS ON HOW WE CONTINUE TO INVEST OUR RESOURCES.
UH, DAVID, YOU WANNA YES, WE, WE CAN.
I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE COURT AND THE PUBLIC THAT ONE OF PRETRIALS, IT'S A GOOD THING.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S SOMETHING, BACK WHEN I WAS A BUDGET ANALYST, I RECOMMENDED IT, BUT ONE OF THEIR BIG WORKLOADS IS SUPERVISING SURETY BOND HOLDERS.
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RIGHT? YEAH.WHICH IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
BACK THEN, MY ANALYSIS SAID, AND THIS WAS A LONG TIME AGO, JUDGE, BUT BACK THEN MY ANALYSIS SAID YOU HAD THE BEST SET OF OUTCOMES WHEN YOU USE BOTH TYPES OF BONDS ON AN INDIVIDUAL MM-HMM.
I JUST WANTED, I'M TRYING TO SEE IF YOU ALL CAN HEAR ME BETTER, BUT I, UH, WE CAN'T, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE MY SUPPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR REQUEST FOR THE THREE MONTHS OF FUNDING FOR THE BACKLOG.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE, UH, HEARD THE TESTIMONY OF A MORE POTENTIALLY MORE VIOLENT CRIME, THAT WE EXPEDITE JUSTICE AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, FOLKS WHO MAY BE A, A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC ARE ADJUDICATED, UH, IN, IN A, IN A SWIFT MANNER, UH, AND CRIMES ARE SOLVED, UH, THAT AND, AND DON'T LINGER.
SO I JUST WANNA LEND MY SUPPORT.
I'M SURE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COURT FEEL THE SAME WAY.
AND LET ME JUST KIND OF WEIGH IN, UM, TO THE GROUP, UH, DR.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE WAR GROUP HAS DONE IS ALSO HELPED EDUCATE ME IN REGARDS TO THESE COMPLEXITIES.
I'M REALLY SPEAKING TO THE PUBLIC AT THIS TIME.
THERE MAY BE JUST A, A A A A, AN OPINION OR RESPONSE IN THE DISCUSSION OF DRUG OF TESTING FOR MARIJUANA.
WHY SHOULD WE TEST MARIJUANA FIRST PLACE? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS NECESSARY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS, IS THAT FROM A PROSECUTION POINT OF VIEW, THE TESTING OF MARIJUANA IS NOT JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A MINOR POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA, BUT THE MARIJUANA IS THE PROBABLE CAUSE OR THE BASIS OF AN ARREST OF A VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDER.
OR IT'S THE BASIS IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A BIGGER CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, SUCH AS DELIVERY OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, WHICH MEANS PEOPLE WHO SELL DRUGS ON OUR STREETS TO OUR CHILDREN.
AND SO THE TESTING OF MARIJUANA DOES NOT NEED TO BE LOOKED AT IN A COMPARTMENTAL WAY OF WHY ARE WE TESTING MARIJUANA WHEN WE HAVE A DISPUTE OVER WHETHER WE SHOULD OR NOT.
WE NEED TO RESPECT THAT THE DA'S OFFICE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AND ON, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPECIFY THOSE CASES SO THAT THE DRUG TESTING THAT WE'RE CON THAT WE'RE DOING AT THIS TIME IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE BACKLOG ARE GOING TO THE MOST IMPORTANT CASES.
GREENFIELD LABOR, WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY CASES DROP ON A VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDER ON THE BASIS THAT A TESTING OF MARIJUANA WAS FAILED BECAUSE OF A BACKLOG.
IS THAT A CORRECT STATEMENT OF WHY WE'RE SO FOCUSED ON THIS ISSUE? YES, SIR.
AND THAT'S WHY THIS REQUEST IS AN ABSOLUTE NEED FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT.
AND I TOO JOIN COMMISSIONER CALVERT AND MY SUPPORT FOR YOUR REQUEST.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LET US BRING UP THE OFFICE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, PREPAREDNESS PLANNING, LOGISTICS, GRANT MANAGEMENT STAFFING LEVEL REQUEST FOR THAT DEPARTMENT.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND JUST PUT ON RECORD.
CHRIS LOPEZ, YOU'LL BE MAKING THAT PRESENTATION.
UH, I TOO, I BELIEVE THE, MY STAFF AND THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY JUDGE HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED.
ONE OF THE THINGS OF, AS A COUNTY JUDGE, I LEARNED REAL QUICK, I THINK WITHIN THE SECOND MONTH OF MY FIRST OPENING DAYS OF BEING COUNTY JUDGE, WE HAD A, I BELIEVE, A FREEZE SITUATION THAT IT NEEDED TO INVOKE, UH, THE, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND TO BASICALLY CLOSE THE COUNTY DOWN IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS.
I REALIZED QUITE EARLY THAT THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGER IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICE.
WE KNOW THAT THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH TEXAS HAS SEEN A FAIR SHARE OF EMERGENCIES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
OBVIOUSLY, EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES WINTER STORM.
URI TESTED OUR CITY, COUNTY, AND PUBLIC UTILITY EMERGENCY RESPONSES, AND THE FACT THAT THERE WERE DEATHS OF CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HURRICANE BURL JUST RECENTLY DEMONSTRATED HOW WE MOBILIZED REGIONALLY TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN HARRIS COUNTY.
UH, OBVIOUSLY FOR WHATEVER REASONS, WE HAVE AN INCREASED FREQUENCY OF THESE CATASTROPHIC EVENTS, WHICH POINT TO ONE THING WE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING OPERATIONS.
SO, UH, I BELIEVE OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTS, AND I EXPECT THAT BEXAR COUNTY WILL STEP UP AND STAFF AND BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.
MR. LOPEZ, JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING US THIS AFTERNOON, AND THANK Y'ALL FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO, TO JUST COME IN AND VISIT WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.
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HAVE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, UH, AS YOU SAID, UH, SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE TYPES AND, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, LEVELS OF EMERGENCIES THAT WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH.UM, WE GET CALLED UPON OFTEN FOR OTHER TYPES OF HUMANITARIAN REASONS, UH, TO PARTNER WITH OUR OTHER FOLKS WITHIN THE CITY, AND THEN OF COURSE OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN BEXAR COUNTY.
BUT, UH, WE HAVE, STAFFING WISE, UH, WE'VE KIND OF MAINTAINED, WE, WE'VE GOTTEN A FEW POSITIONS AS WE'VE GONE ALONG THESE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT, UH, KEEPING UP WITH THE REQUIREMENTS, THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, HAVE, HAVE BEEN A CHALLENGE.
UM, WE OFTEN SAY IN THE OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO BE ALL THINGS FOR ALL PEOPLE.
AND, UH, AND SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH BECAUSE WE CAN BE, UH, 10 MILES WIDE AND THREE INCHES DEEP, AND THAT JUST IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, WE'VE MADE THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, UH, UPWARD, YOU KNOW, BUDGET OFFICE, UH, ARE GOING THROUGH THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AND, AND WE APPRECIATE, UH, ALL THE HELP AND THE ASSISTANCE.
BUT, UH, WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, UH, WE REALLY WOULD LIKE JUST SOME ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO LET'S GET STRAIGHT INTO YOUR POWERPOINT.
SO, YES, UH, WE'LL LET MICHAEL, UH, PRESENT THE POWERPOINT AS HE IS THE DEPUTY CHIEF OVER OPERATIONS.
JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, UM, MIKE MORLIN, UH, BEX COUNTY OFFICER MANAGEMENT DEPUTY CHIEF.
UM, SO THIS PRESENTATION'S GONNA GO BASICALLY INTO AN OVERVIEW OF OUR EFFORTS, UM, OUR IDENTIFIED GAPS, UH, A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR DISASTER LANDSCAPE AND WHY SOME OF THESE GAPS ARE PRESENT.
UM, AND THEN SOME NEW INITIATIVES, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, COVERED UNDER THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO FIRST, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR MISSION FOR THE BEXAR COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS TO COMMUNICATE, COORDINATE, AND COLLABORATE WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS TO PREPARE AND MITIGATE FOR, UH, RESPOND TO AND RECOVER FROM COMPLEX COMMUNITY-BASED INCIDENTS AND EVENTS.
UM, OUR GOALS AS A, AS AN ORGANIZATION IS TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF FUTURE INCIDENTS AND DISASTERS TO REDUCE COMMUNITY RISK, ENHANCE GOVERNMENT EMERGENCY AND DISASTER RESILIENCE, UH, CULTIVATE A CULTURE OF COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS AND COORDINATE ALL PHASES OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR COMPLEX INCIDENTS, EVENTS AND DISASTERS.
UM, OUR FOCUS IS PRIMARILY, UH, THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF BEXAR COUNTY, UM, BUT WE ALSO DO COVER 18 SUBURBAN CITIES WITHIN BEX COUNTY.
UH, THIS IS THE CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL CHART THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR OFFICE.
UH, EACH EMPLOYEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A SEPARATE PROGRAM AREA.
UH, NO TWO EMPLOYEES CONDUCT THE SAME JOB FUNCTION.
ON THIS SLIDE, WE WILL, UH, OVERVIEW OF OUR CORE FUNCTIONS.
UM, AT OUR CORE, THESE ARE THE FUNCTIONS THAT WE PERFORM AS AN OFFICE.
UH, THERE'S MANY SUB, UH, FUNCTIONS THAT FALL UNDER THESE, UH, BUT IN GENERAL, THESE ARE THE UMBRELLA FUNCTIONS THAT WE, UH, OPERATE.
HERE'S A LIST OF SOME NOTABLE INCIDENTS AND EVENTS THAT OUR OFFICE HAS SUPPORTED, UM, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
UH, WHILE NOT ALL ENCOMPASSING, UH, THESE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE.
UH, SOME NOTABLE ONES TO INCLUDE ON HERE ARE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, UH, WINTER STORM URI, THE ROB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING, AND VARIOUS LARGE COMMUNITY EVENTS SUCH AS THE PGA TOUR AND THE SAN ANTONIO STOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
YOU'LL NOTE THE ASTERISK ON THE SLIDE, UH, UH, DEPICTING THAT THESE INCIDENTS HAD SOME LEVEL TYPE OF, UH, AN EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER ACTIVATION AT BROOK CITY BASE.
AND OUR STAFF CONTINUES TO DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK ON THESE INCIDENTS AND EVENTS, AND CONTINUES TO SUPPORT OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS THROUGH THEIR PROGRAM AREAS.
THESE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, UM, I'VE SEPARATED OUT INTO TWO DIFFERENT SECTIONS.
SO THIS FIRST ONE IS ON THE PREPAREDNESS AND PLANNING, AND, AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR LEVEL OF EFFORT AND OUR GAPS THAT ARE OUTLINED ON HERE.
UH, AFTER EVERY, IN, IN INCIDENT EVENT AND TRAINING AND EXERCISE, OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, UM, MY ROLE IS TO CONTINUOUSLY ASSESS, ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR OFFICE, UH, WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE OUR SERVICE DELIVERY TO, UM, TO OUR PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WHILE ENSURING THAT WE ARE COMPREHENSIVE, PROGRESSIVE, RISK DRIVEN, INTEGRATED, UH, COLLABORATIVE, COORDINATED, FLEXIBLE, PROFESSIONAL.
I DO WANNA FIRST SAY THAT, UH, THE BEXAR COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS A COLLECTIVE APPROACH, UH, TO MANAGING COMPLEX EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS.
UH, AS A COLLECTIVE BODY, OUR OFFICE IS MERELY JUST THE COORDINATING, UH, COLLABORATING AND COMMUNICATING ENTITY THAT FACILITATES THAT PROGRAM.
UM, I'VE IDENTIFIED THE, UM, IDENTIFIED GAPS IN OUR PROCESSES AND OUR CURRENT AND OUR ACQUIRED LEVEL OF EFFORT ON THE, ON THESE TWO SLIDES.
UH, FOR THE SAKE OF THE PRESENTATION, UH, THEY'RE DIVIDED.
UH, THOUGH OUR STAFF IS VERY CAPABLE AND THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AND BUDGET HAVE SHOWN, UH, FUNDING
[01:05:01]
SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS IS THE CAPACITY AND SERVICE DELIVERY WE WANT TO TRY TO IMPROVE, UH, WHICH ULTIMATELY LEADS TO A BETTER GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO DISASTERS AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.UM, I CAN'T STOP THE RAIN FROM COMING, OR WHEN ERCOT WANTS TO CONDUCT ROLLING OUTAGES, BUT WE CAN BE BETTER PREPARED TO MANAGE IT.
YOU'LL SEE ON, ON HERE THAT, UH, WE ARE PRIMARILY DISCUSSING OUR PLANNING EFFORTS, OUR OUTREACH, UH, GRANTS, MITIGATION AND RECOVERY, AND HOW WE AS AN OFFICE CAN ACHIEVE ACCREDITATION.
UH, OUR OFFICE IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSITIONING FROM DIFFERENT PLANNING MODEL TO A MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH FEMA AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THIS PROCESS ALLOWS FOR US TO MORE SEAMLESSLY COLLABORATE WITH THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RESOURCE AND SUPPORT DURING A DISASTER.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS ALLOWS US TO TAKE A STEP BACK, REVISE THE CONTENT, AND MAKE OUR PLANNING EFFORTS MORE EFFECTIVE.
UH, THIS IS DONE THROUGH ENHANCED STAKEHOLDER AND PARTNER COLLABORATION, IDENTIFYING CLEAR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER A DISASTER, AND ULTIMATELY MAKING THE PLAN SOMETHING WE CAN FUNCTIONALLY USE DURING A DISASTER.
YOU'LL SEE UNDER THOSE CORE PLANS, WE'VE IDENTIFIED 24 ADDITIONAL PLANS, UH, THAT HAVE EITHER SHOWN TO BE INEFFECTIVE OR JUST NOT DEVELOPED AT ALL.
SOME OF THOSE PLANS ARE, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE THE DISASTER DEBRIS MANAGEMENT PLAN, UH, DISASTER ASSISTANCE CENTER PLAN, TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTERING PLAN, UH, PROLONGED POWER OUTAGE, OR BLACK START PLANS, AND LOCAL DISASTER RECOVERY PLANS.
THE CORE PLANS ON THIS SLIDE, WHICH THERE ARE 21 OF THEM, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT UNDER OUR GAPS, THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS LISTED 11 OF THOSE PLANS AS BEING EXPIRED.
WE ALSO DO A LOT OF GOOD UNDER THIS SECTION, YOU KNOW, SUCH AS IMPROVING OUR ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS COMMUNITY INTO OUR PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS.
UH, CONTINUED IDENTIFICATION OF TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTERS OR WARMING COOLING CENTERS, PUBLIC OUTREACH.
THE REBUILD OF OUR VOLUNTEER BASE RECENTLY APPROVED THROUGH COMMISSIONER'S COURT, THE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
CURRENTLY, WE'RE MANAGING 13 SEPARATE GRANT PROJECTS, AS YOU'LL SEE ON HERE IN THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
AND THROUGH THE YEARS, HAVE MANAGED THESE GRANTS TO IMPROVE OUR CAPABILITIES FOR OUR OFFICE, THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTIONS.
HOWEVER, OUR CAPACITY TO APPLY FOR MORE GRANTS TO IMPROVE OUR CAPABILITIES OR PLANNING EFFORTS IS LIMITED DUE TO ONE OF OUR POSITIONS CONDUCTING BOTH FUNCTIONS.
AND LASTLY, UH, IS THE DISASTER RECOVERY AND CONTINUITY PLANNING.
OUR DOCUMENTED PROCESSES FOR HOW WE MANAGE, DOCUMENT, AND RESTORE GOVERNMENT SERVICES COMMUNITY, LONG-TERM RECOVERY, IDENTIFY DAILY DISASTER BURN RATES, AND ULTIMATELY SEEK FEDERAL DISASTER REIMBURSEMENT ARE NOT SOLIDIFIED.
WE HAVE WORKED THROUGH THE YEARS TO TRY AND IMPROVE THIS, SUCH AS GETTING A PRE-POSITION CONTRACT FOR DISASTER RECOVERY SERVICES THROUGH COMMISSIONER'S COURT, A CONTINUITY PLANNING PLATFORM, WHICH NEEDS SOME ADDITIONAL EXPANSION.
AND I'D BE REMISS NOT TO MENTION THE GOOD WORK THAT THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE HAS DONE TO, UH, FOR DISASTER REIMBURSEMENT.
BUT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR SERVICE DELIVERY AND CAPACITY THROUGH DOCUMENTED PROCESSES, TRAININGS, AND EXERCISES.
OUR NEXT SLIDE, UH, GOES OVER THE OPERATIONS AND LOGISTICS SECTION FOR US.
UH, I WANNA FIRST PREFERENCE THAT LOGISTICS IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST OUR WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS.
UM, I BE IT A LONG, UH, A LARGE PART OF WHAT WE DO UNDER THAT PROGRAM AREA.
UM, BUT THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT GO INTO IT, SUCH AS TRAINING OUR STAFF ON EQUIPMENT OPERATION, UH, MAKING SURE OUR EQUIPMENT IS READY FOR THE NEXT INCIDENT AND EVENT, WHICH INCLUDES MAJOR TECHNICAL SYSTEMS IN OUR COMMAND TRAILERS AND ANCILLARY SUPPORT ASSETS, DEPLOYING EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, PRE-POSITION, DISASTER CONTRACTS FOR GENERATORS, FOOD FUELING DEBRIS REMOVAL, UH, EOC ACTIVATION FUNCTIONS, AND DEVELOPING SUPPORT PLANS FOR LOGISTICS FUNCTIONS, AND THEN CREATING A PROCESS FOR TRACKING ALL OF THOSE.
WE ALSO HAVE A FOCUS ON OUR OPERATION SIDE, SUCH AS THE REGIONAL HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TEAM, OUR MASSIFICATION PLATFORMS, SUPPORTING INCIDENTS AND EVENTS VIRTUALLY IN THE FIELD AND IN THE EOC AND OUR COUNTY OFFICE SAFETY COORDINATOR PROGRAM, AND OUR TRAINING AND EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.
SOME NOTABLE NUMBERS ON THIS SLIDE.
UM, OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE SUPPORTED 52 DAYS OF SPECIAL EVENTS.
UH, THERE'S BEEN MANY MORE DAYS IN PREPARATION FOR THOSE, UH, MANAGED 69 SEPARATE WHEELED ASSETS, AND THAT'S VEHICLES AND TRAILERS, AND HAVE SUPPORTED AROUND 43 SEPARATE ENTITIES OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS WITH EQUIPMENT.
BUT THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE CONSUMABLES SUCH AS WATER AND PPE DURING COVID, AS YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE GAPS AND SHOWN IN OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, WE HAVE NO DESIGNATED STAFF FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND DAILY OVERSIGHT OF THE LOGISTICS PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE CONDUCTING A LOT OF THESE EFFORTS IS A CHALLENGE, BUT STILL CRITICAL TO OUR SUCCESS.
UH, WE'VE HAD A SHIFT WORK FROM OTHER STAFF TO HELP COVER THIS GAP, WHICH CREATES ADDITIONAL GAPS IN OUR DISASTER RECOVERY AND MITIGATION, LONG-TERM
[01:10:01]
RECOVERY, COOP PLANNING PROCESS AND MANAGEMENT, AND OTHER PROJECTS, UH, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN OUTLINED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.OUR OFFICE, AS YOU SAW IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, UH, DOES HAVE AN INVENTORY CONTROL TECHNICIAN, WHEREAS THAT POSITION DOES HELP WITH THE PLACE, THE PLACING OUR ITEMS INTO OUR INVENTORY TRACKING, MANAGING OUR CONSUMABLE ENT, UH, INVENTORY, AND THE YEARLY AUDITING.
HOWEVER, WE STILL DO HAVE THE GAP OF PROJECT COORDINATION, STRATEGIC PLANNING, UH, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOGISTICS SPECIFIC PLANS, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES, AND ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE.
LASTLY, ON THIS SIDE, UH, WITH THE COORDINATION OF SPECIAL EVENTS, INCIDENT SUPPORT, AND OTHER PROGRAMS, UH, WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, PROTECTION PLANNING, UH, CONDUCTING EXERCISES WITH FREQUENCY, UM, AND STRATEGICALLY, UH, DIRECTING THOSE PROGRAM AREAS.
THE NEXT, UH, I BELIEVE FOUR SLIDES ON HERE ARE, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF OUR DISASTER LANDSCAPE, UM, HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.
AND SOME NOTABLE THINGS THAT WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF.
COULD I ASK A QUESTION? YES, SIR.
WHY IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD THE, THE HIGHEST
YEAH, YOU'RE ON THE WATCH LIST.
THIS SLIDE DEMONSTRATES OUR NATIONAL RISK INDEX SCORE ON IMPACTS OF DISASTERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, IT IS SEPARATED OUT INTO EXPECTED ANNUAL LOSS, WHICH OURS HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY IS RELATIVELY HIGH.
OUR SOCIAL VULNERABILITY, UH, WHICH IS VERY HIGH, AND OUR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, WHICH IS RELATIVELY LOW, THESE TOGETHER HAVE DETERMINED WHAT OUR RISK SCORE IS AS A COMMUNITY, AS SEEN ON THIS MAP HERE.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, THROUGH THIS MAP THAT ON THE CENSUSES WE'VE RECEIVED A SCORE OF 92.28, UH, WHICH SHOWS THAT ONLY 1.72% OF THE UNITED STATES COUNTIES HAVE A HIGHER SCORE THAN WE DO.
ON THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE NUMBER OF DAYS WITH A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER INCIDENT HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY SINCE 2000.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE STEADILY INCREASING ON THIS MAP.
UM, IT DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT FOR CONTINUOUS DAYS OF WEATHER EVENTS.
SO IF WE HAD AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING THAT WAS FIVE DAYS IN A ROW, IT WOULD ONLY COUNT AT ONCE.
UM, BUT IT DOES TAKE INTO ACCOUNT 19 ADDITION, UH, 19 DIFFERENT WEATHER TYPES.
ON HERE IS OUR DISASTER DECLARATIONS BY YEAR.
UM, AS YOU'LL SEE, THERE'S 22 OF 'EM HERE.
HISTORY DOES AND WILL REPEAT ITSELF, UH, WHICH IS WHY WE MUST CONTINUE TO BE PROACTIVE.
AND IN 2008, UM, ON A NATIONAL LANDSCAPE, UH, THE FEDERAL DISASTER THRESHOLD FOR BEXAR COUNTY WAS $5 MILLION.
AND NOW ON OUR NEXT SLIDE, UH, WE'RE ALMOST AT $10 MILLION THRESHOLD, WHICH WILL LESSEN THE AMOUNT OF THESE DISASTERS THAT ARE DECLARED AND REQUIRING MORE LOCAL CAPACITY, UH, CAPABILITY TO RESPOND AND RECOVER FROM IT.
AS I MENTIONED, HERE'S THAT SLIDE THAT'S SHOWING OUR STEADY, UH, TREND OF, UH, THE THRESHOLD FOR REQUIREMENT FOR FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT.
UM, WE MUST HAVE THIS, UH, AMOUNT AND DAMAGES, UH, COMMUNITY-WIDE BEFORE WE, UH, CAN BE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
HIGHER THRESHOLDS MEAN MORE LOCAL RESOURCES ARE NEEDED TO RESPOND IN RECOVERY.
UM, AND TO WRAP UP, THESE NATIONAL TRENDS ARE SHOWING, UH, THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING MORE DISASTERS THAT ARE MORE SEVERE AND AT A HIGHER COST.
THERE WERE FIVE MAJOR DISASTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN 2000 COMPARED TO 19 AND 2024 SO FAR.
UH, COUPLED WITH MORE PEOPLE MOVING TO BIGGER CITIES, WEATHER IMPACTS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE AND OUR SECURITY LANDSCAPE INCREASES OUR RISK.
THIS SLIDE, UM, IT JUST PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF, UH, OUR, UH, FISCAL YEAR 24 25 BUDGET, UH, WHAT HAS BEEN, UH, PROPOSED IN THAT BUDGET, THOSE, UH, NEWLY FUNDED ENHANCEMENTS, UH, WORKING WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE ON, ON GETTING THOSE DONE.
UM, AND THEN SOME POTENTIAL NEEDS THAT WE'LL NEED TO TRY TO WORK THROUGH WITH ADDITIONAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES OR OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, UH, TO TRY AND, UH, SOLIDIFY THOSE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE JUST THE OVERVIEW OF THAT.
AND CHRIS, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
SO, I, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING.
G ALREADY LEFT, SO IT SEEMS THAT YOU GUYS ARE GIVING US AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENTS RIGHT? AS OPPOSED TO JUST ASKING, UM, OR EXPLAINING THE NEEDS FOR THE BUDGET.
SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED HOW, HOW DID, HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT? SO WE, AS WE, UH, BEGAN TO WORK THROUGH PUTTING THE PRESENTATION TOGETHER, IT WAS
[01:15:01]
KIND OF ONE OF THOSE TIME CONSTRAINT THINGS.YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T WANT TO SET UP HERE AND TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, ALL DAY LONG WHAT POSITION WE, WHAT POSITIONS WE NEED.
AND I KNOW WE HEARD THAT EARLIER, BUT, UH, YEAH, BASICALLY WE JUST WANTED TO KIND OF, KIND OF PRESENT TO YOU, UH, THIS IS WHAT WE FEEL LIKE ARE KIND OF THE, THE STRENGTHS THAT WE HAVE, AS WELL AS OUR KIND OF THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.
BUT NOT REALLY JUST, UH, COME UP HERE AND TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, WE NEED WAIT.
'CAUSE WE'VE ALREADY PRESENTED THE INFORMATION KIND OF TO THE BUDGET OFFICE AND SO THAT THE NEED, THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEED IS AND WE KIND OF HOPE THAT, UH, WE'D BE ABLE TO, OKAY.
SO HELP ME TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND.
UM, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU GUYS REQUEST IT THAT YOU DIDN'T GET IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET? 'CAUSE IT SAYS RIGHT HERE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO ARE THERE SPECIFIC THINGS ON HERE THAT, YEAH, SO, UM, IF, IF, CAN I INTERJECT? SURE.
COMMISSIONER, JUDGE, IF I CAN, LET ME HELP.
JUST TELL US WHAT YOU NEED, MAP, UH, UH, AND APPRECIATE THE BIG PICTURE.
I, UH, IS THAT WHAT YOU, OR IS THAT WHAT THE INFORMATION NEED? YEAH, BECAUSE THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS MUCH HIGHER.
SO IS THERE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT OR THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE SAID YOU SHOULDN'T GET THIS YEAR THAT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING US FOR? YEAH, SO, UH, WHAT'S NOT COVERED IN THAT OPERATIONAL BUDGET THAT YOU SAW WAS THE FOUR POSITIONS THAT WE HAD ASKED FOR TO INCREASE OUR, UM, CAPACITY AS AN OFFICE.
UM, THOSE FOUR POSITIONS THAT WE REQUESTED WERE, UH, TWO SECTION CHIEF POSITIONS.
UM, AND, AND I'M HAPPY TO GO INTO SOME OF THOSE DUTIES THAT THOSE POSITIONS WOULD BE DOING.
UH, OUR EM SPECIALIST TO ENHANCE OUR LOGISTICS PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN AN OA THREE, WHICH WOULD HELP WITH OUR GRANTS ADMINISTRATION SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO MORE PLANS.
HOW MANY POSITIONS TOTAL IS THAT? FOUR.
COMMISSIONER CALVERT, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THIS IS ABOUT WHERE I THOUGHT WE WERE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CANDOR.
NOW, THE, THE, THERE ISN'T REALLY A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET INCREASE FROM 20 23, 20 24 TO 20 24, 20 25.
IT'S ONLY PROPOSED $62,815 DIFFERENCE IN THOSE TWO FUNDS INTO THE, THAT DOESN'T, THAT'S NOT ANY, UH, STAFF, RIGHT? LIKE WHAT IS THAT FOR? YEAH, SO, UH, THE INCREASE FOR THIS YEAR, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMISSIONER? THE $62,815 DIFFERENCE YEAH.
IS NOT PROBABLY A STAFF PERSON.
IT'S PROBABLY MATERIALS AND OTHER PREPARATION THINGS, MAYBE TRAINING, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS, WHAT IS IT REPRESENTED IN THAT INCREASE? YEAH.
UM, IN, IF, IF YOU DO HAVE THE SLIDES, UH, IT'S ON 12, THAT NEWLY FUNDED ENHANCEMENTS INCLUDED THINGS LIKE OUR, UM, INCIDENT MANAGEMENT PLANNING AND INVENTORY SOFTWARE, OUR, UM, INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE UTILIZING, UH, FOR REAL TIME, UH, STAFFS TRAINING ON ACCREDITATION, UM, MORE ACCREDITATION STUFF.
AND WE'RE INCREASING SOME OF OUR TRAINING OUTREACH SUCH AS ESDS, UM, CPR TRAINING FOR OUR OFFICE SAFETY COORDINATOR COURSE FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, UM, JUST TO HIT SOME OF THOSE HIGHLIGHTS.
SO THERE ARE SOME FUNCTIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THERE.
COMMISSIONER I, I, I, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE SOME VERY IMPORTANT WEATHER EVENTS THAT ARE GONNA CAUSE YOUR DEPARTMENT TO GET A LOT BUSIER.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU ALREADY DON'T HAVE THE PERSONNEL THAT YOU REALLY NEED, I WOULD JUST STATE FOR THE RECORD, UM, AS A GUY WHOSE FIRST JOB OUTTA COLLEGE WAS LITERALLY WORKING IN A WAR ZONE THAT YOU, YOUR ASSESSMENT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS THAT I'VE WORKED AT THE COUNTY.
WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD AN ISSUE AND WE'VE HAD ISSUES, BUT WE, WE, WE'VE BEEN BLESSED BY OUR GEOGRAPHY, RIGHT? UM, BUT TEXAS HAS THE MOST, UH, EMERGENCY INCIDENTS IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
UM, AND SO WE ARE EITHER AS A HUB OF RECOVERY OR RELIEF FOR MANY AREAS WHO WILL BE HIT BY DISASTER OR WE'RE JUST KIND OF WAITING FOR OUR OWN.
I THINK THAT THE POSITIONS IN TERMS OF SECTION CHIEFS ALLOW YOU TO GET SOME PEOPLE PROMOTED WHILE BRINGING IN NEW PEOPLE OR ELEVATING ADDITIONAL, UH, FOLKS.
THE LOGISTICS THING IS, UH, REALLY QUITE CRITICAL.
I, I ALSO SEE, UH, THE VOLUNTEER, I WANT MY OFFICE, UH, TO REACH OUT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN, UM, BOOST OUR VOLUNTEER CORE.
UH, AND THE GRANT WRITER IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL AT A TIME THAT YOU HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION FOR THE NEXT,
[01:20:01]
UH, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO, I PERSONALLY THINK THEY'RE GONNA WIN, BUT LET'S JUST SAY THEY DON'T, AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE GRANTS IN THE EMERGENCY PREPARATION SPACE, UH, THAT YOU SHOULD BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF.SO WHAT IS YOUR, WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT GRANT WRITER? DO YOU HAVE A GRANT WRITER? DO YOU EVEN HAVE A GRANT WRITER? UH, YEAH.
SO OUR CURRENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST OVER PLANNING ADMINISTRATION IS IN CHARGE OF BOTH OUR GRANT PROGRAM AND OUR PLANNING.
UH, WHICH IS WHY SOME OF THESE PLANS HAVE SHOWN AS BEING EXPIRED IS 'CAUSE 90% OF HIS TIME HAS BEEN SPENT ON GRANTS.
SO, BUT YOU REALLY DO, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY DO NEED, AND HOW MUCH REVENUE IS ACTUALLY PRODUCED ANNUALLY FROM THE GRANTS? I KNOW WE APPROVED QUITE A FEW, BUT HOW MUCH COMES, DOES THE COUNTY TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR BUDGET ROUGHLY? WELL, IT IS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, BUT THIS, UM, LOOKING AT A SLIDE, I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE OVER 1 MILLION, UH, THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, UH, THROUGH THOSE 13, UH, DIFFERENT GRANT PROGRAMS, UH, DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, YEAH, UH, 1 MILLION, 52,000.
UM, SO, UH, SO HE, THAT GRANT WRITER ROUGHLY BRINGS IN THREE TIMES AS MUCH REVENUE AS THE COUNTY GIVES YOU, I MEAN, LET'S SAY TWO AND A HALF TIMES.
'CAUSE YOU'RE HEADED TOWARDS 400.
IS THAT BASICALLY RIGHT? YEAH, I MEAN, YEAH, WITHOUT DOING THE, THE MATH.
UM, NOT, NOT QUITE CERTAIN ON THAT, BUT YEAH.
YOU, YOU'VE GOT A 400,000 PROPOSAL, YOU'VE GOT ABOUT A MILLION THERE.
SO IT'S, IT'S TWO AND MAYBE TWO AND A QUARTER, TWO AND A TWO AND A HALF, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THEY'RE BRINGING IN DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE OUTTA ONE POSITION.
IT SEEMS TO ME, I MEAN, AT THE LEAST THE GRANT WRITER POSITION, IT, IT BUTTRESSES MY POINT ABOUT THERE BEING A LOT OF GRANTS AVAILABLE, RIGHT.
UH, THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF.
SO, UM, I GET WHY YOU'RE GETTING SOFTWARE AND TELEPHONE PROGRAMS BECAUSE YOU'RE SHORTHANDED AND YOU NEED TECHNOLOGY TO HELP YOU WHERE YOU ARE BEHIND.
BUT THERE'S A HELL OF A LOT OF IMPORTANT PLANS, SAFETY PLANNING PLANS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE UPDATED AND THEY'VE GOTTA BE UPDATED.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA MAKE AVAILABLE IS A THOUGHT PROCESS IN OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM AND OUR PLANNING FOR EMERGENCIES.
UH, THE ABILITY TO HAVE DEPLOYMENT CAPABILITIES AT THE 51 ACRE, UH, LOCATION AT 1604.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I WAS THINKING ABOUT IN YOUR PRESENTATION IS YOUR PROXIMITY TO ROADS AND HOW ROADS ASSIST WITH DEPLOYMENT OF EMERGENCY ASSETS.
UH, YOUR BASE IN SOUTHTON IN MY PRECINCT, UH, SOUTH, AND BEING, UH, IN THE MORE RURAL AREA, UH, WHERE SOMETIMES TEMPERATURES ARE COOLER, UH, OUT IN THE PERIPHERY OF OUR COUNTY COULD MEAN THAT IN AN ICE STORM, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, RESOURCES MAY BE HARDER TO GET FROM S SOUTH BEND, BUT YOU STILL, YOU, YOU STILL NEED, YOU STILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO SERVICE THOSE PERIPHERY AREAS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST THE WHOLE PLANNING PROCESS OF DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO HAVE THE OFFICE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAVE STORAGE ASSETS IN THE PERIPHERY SOUTH IN THE CORE IN THE FAR NORTH, FAR EAST, FAR WEST, NEAR EAST, NEAR WEST.
HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT, UM, ROADS ARE PART OF OUR PLANNING PROCESS WHEN THEY COULD BE AND, AND, AND OUR TIMELINESS WHEN THEY COULD BE, UM, REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, TO GETTING RELIEF TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.
SO ANY EVENT, UM, I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF THE GRANT WRITER.
I VERY MUCH BELIEVE IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS WE'LL LITERALLY HAVE SOME SORT OF EMERGENCY WHERE WE REALLY NEED THAT EMERGENCY PERSON.
UM, AND THE VOLUNTEER BASE AND THE SECTION CHIEFS ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
SO I THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE UPDATE.
UM, AND I, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO, I THINK WE'VE GOTTA LOOK TO PLACES LIKE FLORIDA FOR SOME BEST PRACTICES, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE AN ABSOLUTE BIG JOB AND UH, I WANT TO SEE YOU PROPERLY SUPPORTED.
ANY FURTHER COMMENT OR QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ? I GUESS JUST GO AHEAD, JUST BRIEFLY, JUDGE, UM, 'CAUSE I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE TAKEAWAY IS CLEAR.
THE, UM, THE, THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR THAT WAS NOT FUNDED ARE THE FOUR POSITIONS, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR.
AND TELL ME AGAIN, TWO SECTION CHIEF POSITIONS, A GRANT WRITER.
AND WHAT WAS THE FOURTH? UH, THE EM SPECIALIST OVER LOGISTICS.
[01:25:01]
OF YOUR SLIDES, YOU HAVE SOME GENERAL, UH, I THINK WHAT YOU LIST AS POTENTIAL NEEDS.UM, SOME OF THOSE ARE EQUIPMENT RELATED, WHICH I WOULD THINK IN SUB CAPACITY ARE ESSENTIAL.
UM, THE ONE I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT WAS THE FIRST ONE YOU HAVE LISTED WHERE IT SAYS EMERGENCY VEHICLE EQUIPMENT FOR FIVE EXISTING VEHICLES.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT, WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED FOR THOSE FIVE VEHICLES? YEAH, SO WE, WE DO HAVE SOME VEHICLES THAT WERE PURCHASED ON A GRANT.
UM, AND DUE TO THE RISING COSTS OF THOSE VEHICLES, UH, THE EMERGENCY VEHICLE OUTFITTING THAT WAS, UH, SLATED TO BE PAID FOR WITH THOSE, UM, THE COST OF THE VEHICLE IS MUCH MORE THAN WHAT WAS ALLOTTED FOR THE GRANT.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO WITH THOSE VEHICLES, THREE OF THEM ARE OEM SPECIFIC VEHICLES.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE A BOX TRUCK AND WE HAVE A PRIME MOVER AND THEN ANOTHER, UM, UH, TAKE HOME VEHICLE FOR ONE OF OUR STAFF.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THAT MONTH, WHAT WE'RE ASKING TO DO IS TO, UM, GET THEM THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS THAT ARE ON THOSE VEHICLES, GET THE RADIOS INSTALLED, THE PUBLIC SAFETY RADIOS ON THOSE VEHICLES.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER TWO THAT ARE LISTED ON THERE TO MAKE THE FIVE ARE OUR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE VEHICLES THAT ARE CURRENTLY STATIONED AT ESD TWO AND ESD 10.
UM, CURRENTLY THOSE VEHICLES NEED A LIGHT BAR THAT'S ON TOP BECAUSE IF THEY ENTER AN INTERSECTION, YOU CAN'T SEE THEM FROM THE SIDE, UH, WITH THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE THOSE INSTALLED AS WELL.
SO WHEN YOU LIST THAT, THAT AS A POTENTIAL NEED, DOES THAT MEAN IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR BUDGET? UH, CAN I, CAN I INTERJECT REQUEST COMMISSIONER, GO AHEAD, TINA.
YEAH, SO THAT, THOSE ITEMS ARE, THEY'RE JUST NOT IN THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
THEY'RE IN THE FLEET ACQUISITION FUND BUDGET.
SO THEY WOULDN'T SEE THAT IN THEIR, THEIR ACTUAL BUDGETS.
SO WHERE, WHERE FLEET MAINTENANCE BUYS ALL THE VEHICLES.
SO ARE THESE ITEMS THEN BUDGETED IN OUR FLEET DEPARTMENT? YES, CORRECT.
MM-HMM,
DO WE HAVE A, UM, A, A FISCAL NOTE, TINA OR DAVID OR TANYA ON THE FOUR POSITIONS THEY'RE REQUESTING? WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE A FISCAL NOTE, BUT ARE YOU ASKING WHY OR NO? WELL, I'M ASKING, HE WANTS TO KNOW HOW MUCH THEY COST YEAH.
WHAT THE COST IS, AND, AND NUMBER TWO, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS SUBMITTED.
I WOULD'VE THOUGHT THE BUDGET WOULD'VE DONE AN ANALYSIS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY WERE NOT RECOMMENDED.
SO IF WE COULD GET THAT INFORMATION AS TO WHY THEY WERE NOT RECOMMENDED AND HOW MUCH YES, 330,000 FOR, FOR NOW.
BUT WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU ON THE, UH, WHY OKAY.
330,000 IS THE REQUEST FOR THE FOUR POSITIONS? CORRECT.
SO IT WOULD BE DOUBLING THE, THEIR BUDGET? NO, I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE ON THAT SLIDE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS BUDGET BUDGET.
THEIR BUDGET IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 1.3 MILLION.
IT SEEMED LOW, BUT IS THAT IT'S JUST THE OPERATIONAL COST.
IF YOU CAN GET US THAT, THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
ALRIGHT, Y'ALL DONE? YES, SIR.
LET'S GO TO TWO C PRESENTATION.
UPDATED, PROPOSED FY 24 25 CAPITAL PROJECT TO BE MANAGED BY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, HERITAGE AND PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SO HOW Y'ALL GONNA DO IT? THANK JUDGE.
OH, SORRY, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO KICK THIS OFF BECAUSE YOU GUYS DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS ITEM.
I DID TO BE ON THE WORK SESSION BECAUSE THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS RELATIVELY LEAN IN TERMS OF NEW CAPITAL, BUT THERE WAS SOME IN THERE AND I WANTED THESE GUYS TO PRESENT WHAT THOSE NEW PROJECTS ARE.
SO ART, YOU'RE GOING TO PRESENT JUST ON BEHALF OF YOUR DEPARTMENT? THAT'S CORRECT.
YEAH, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO EVERYTHING I'LL BE TOUCHING ON IS WITHIN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
THE REALLY THE PURPOSE WAS TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR TO THE COURT AS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DEBT CONTINUE, UH, TO BE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AS PART OF THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO JUST BRIEFLY, UH, I'LL TOUCH ON EXISTING PROJECTS, UH, AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING NEEDS TO KEEP THOSE PROJECTS MOVING, UH, NEW PROJECTS BOTH, UH, IN A COUPLE PRECINCTS AS WELL AS COUNTYWIDE.
AND THEN I DID WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OUR STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM BECAUSE THERE IS SOME NEW FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO JUST QUICKLY, UH, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, YOU MAY RECALL THERE WAS ABOUT $52 MILLION OF CAPITAL REQUESTS.
ABOUT 36 MILLION OF THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH EXISTING PROJECTS WHERE WE NEED TO INCREASE THE BUDGETS TO KEEP THOSE PROJECTS GOING.
MOST NOTABLY, UH, THE REASON FOR THAT IS DUE TO COST ESCALATION FROM CONSTRUCTION.
SO I'VE NOTED HERE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE SEEN ABOUT A 55% COST INCREASE.
MANY OF THESE PROJECTS WERE ESTIMATED, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, TWO, THREE YEARS AGO.
SO THE, THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATES WERE SHORT FROM THE BEGINNING.
AND THEN I'VE SUMMARIZED ON THIS SLIDE, THE SIX PROJECTS THAT WE'RE
[01:30:01]
ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR.SO I'LL JUST BRIEFLY GO THROUGH THOSE.
THE FIRST ONE, THE BLANCA ROAD PHASE THREE PROJECT IN PRECINCT THREE.
SO WE'RE REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL $15 MILLION BEYOND JUST THE CONSTRUCTION ESCALATION.
I DID WANT TO NOTE THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WAS ACTUALLY PREPARED SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN PURSUIT OF FEDERAL FUNDS.
UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY 20 16 20 17 TIMEFRAME.
BUT JUST A REMINDER OF THIS PROJECT OVERALL, OF THE $40 MILLION BUDGET, 80% OF THAT'S REIMBURSABLE.
SO BEAR COUNTY WILL, OUR SHARE WILL BE ABOUT 10 MILLION.
SO WE NEED TO FULLY FUND THE PROJECT, BUT THEN WE WILL GET REIMBURSED MOVING ON THE NEXT PROJECT, BURNING RIDGE STAGE ROAD PHASE THREE.
SO AGAIN, BESIDES THE ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION COST INCREASE, WE DID HAVE SOME DESIGN CHANGES TRIGGERING SOME ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY NEEDS AS WELL.
SMITHSON VALLEY ROAD LOW WATER CROSSING, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE WHERE WE'RE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FUNDS ON THIS PROJECT.
SPECIFICALLY ONLY THE DESIGN PHASE WAS FUNDED IN THE PAST.
SO WE'RE REQUESTING THE, THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
AND A REMINDER ON THIS ONE, COURT'S ALREADY APPROVED TO INTERLOCAL WITH AL COUNTY FOR $1.8 MILLION.
SO OF THE NEARLY $3 MILLION IN ADDITION, 1.8 OF THAT WILL BE REIMBURSED.
THE NEXT COUPLE ARE IN PRECINCT FOUR.
SO CROWN WOODS SUBDIVISION PHASE ONE, BEYOND THE CONSTRUCTION COST INCREASE, WE ARE JOINT BENDING WITH THE RIVER AUTHORITY FOR SOME WASTEWATER IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS WAS SORT OF LATE IN THE PROCESS.
UH, SO WE WILL BE FRONTING THE MONEY.
SO THERE'S ABOUT $2 MILLION IN THAT 7 MILLION THAT'LL BE COMING BACK TO US AS WELL.
UH, VENTURA HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION, ALSO PRECINCT FOUR ON THE EAST SIDE.
UM, THIS ONE PRIMARILY, THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL STREETS ADDED TO THE PROJECT AS WELL AS UNDERGROUND STORM DRAIN LEADING TO THE ADDITIONAL COSTS.
AND THEN LASTLY, THERE'S THREE LOW WATER CROSSINGS ON ZIG MONT ROAD, WHERE BESIDES THE ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS INCREASE, WE ARE NEEDING TO ACQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE EXISTING PROJECTS THAT WE WILL BE GOING TO CONSTRUCTION NEXT YEAR, AND WE NEED THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO KEEP THOSE PROJECTS MOVING.
I HAVE THREE NEW PROJECTS TO MENTION, UH, SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN, UH, PRECINCTS.
SO THE FIRST TWO I'LL COVER ARE PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS WITH TXDOT THROUGH THE HSIP PROGRAM, WHICH IS HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN SET ASIDE FOR TXDOT FOR OPERATIONAL AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, BOTH ON THEIR ROADS AND OFF THEIR ROADS.
UH, SO THIS FIRST ONE HERE IS THE ALAMO RANCH PARKWAY EASTBOUND OVERPASS.
SO A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THE COUNTY COMPLETED THE WESTBOUND OVERPASS, SO THIS WILL BE THE EASTBOUND OVERPASS OVER WESTWOOD LOOP.
THIS PROJECT THROUGH THE PROGRAM, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DESIGN COSTS AS WELL AS 10% OF THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
SO TDOT WILL BUILD THIS, WE WILL DO THE DESIGN, AND THEN WE'LL ISSUE, UH, 10% OF THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
SO FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'RE REQUESTING THE DESIGN FUNDS ONLY.
THE DESIGN FOR THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
SO WE'LL COME BACK AND NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND REQUEST OUR 10% COST MATCH.
RIGHT NOW THE PLAN CONSTRUCTION START COULD, WOULD POTENTIALLY BE IN THE FALL OF 2027.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS BASED ON TDOT'S PROGRAM FOR THIS FUNDING.
THE SECOND PROJECT'S IN PRECINCT FOUR, THIS WAS ACTUALLY GENERATED THROUGH A SAFETY STUDY WE DID, UH, A YEAR OR SO AGO.
AND AGAIN, THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, TXDOT WILL BE FUNDING THE BULK OF THE CONSTRUCTION.
WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN.
UH, WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ARE SAFE SPOT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THOSE LIMITS, UM, PRIMARILY THROUGH THE FORM OF MEDIANS.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE NOTED SOME CRASH ACTIVITY, BOTH FROM PEDESTRIANS AND AS WELL AS VEHICLES.
UH, SO WE'LL BE ASKING FOR 500,000 IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND AGAIN, ALL OF THESE ARE WITHIN THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALREADY.
THE LAST NEW PROJECT TO HIGHLIGHT IS ONE THAT'S BEEN, UH, DISCUSSED BOTH WITH PRECINCTS TWO AND THREE.
THIS IS IN A VERY FAST GROWING PART OF THE, THE COUNTY.
UM, THIS IS ADDITIONAL ROADWAY TO HELP PROMOTE ACCESS THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR CITY OF, UH, THIS WILL ALSO ALLEVIATE CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC FROM SOME SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
AND SO WE'LL BE REQUEST, YEAH, AND THIS IS IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY, JUST OUTSIDE OF 1604, NEAR FM 1560, A COUPLE COUNTYWIDE PROJECTS, UH, ONE TYPICAL PROJECT, AND THEN THREE NEW ONES I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
SO THE FIRST ONE YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN IS OUR TRAFFIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENT.
SO THIS IS A COUNTYWIDE, TYPICALLY WE'RE FUNDED $2 MILLION, SOMETIMES IT'S BEEN ONE AND A HALF MILLION.
BUT WHAT THIS IS, IS AS WE COMPLETE STUDIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THEN IDENTIFY IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS A TRAFFIC SIGNAL OR MAYBE A SIDEWALK OR OTHER SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, WE HAVE DEDICATED FUNDING TO THEN GO FORWARD.
THE NEXT THREE PROGRAMS ARE, ARE NEW.
I'LL TALK MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT THE LATER TWO ON THE COMING SLIDES.
BUT THE SCHOOL SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM'S A NEW ONE.
UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WANTED TO DO TO HELP TRY TO BE MORE PROACTIVE AROUND OUR SCHOOLS.
SO INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND SCHOOLS IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY WITH US AS WELL AS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTNERS, BUT WANTED TO HAVE SET ASIDE FUNDS.
SO AS THINGS COME UP, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO SEE HOW CAN WE BORROW MONEY FROM A PROJECT AND, AND DO SOMETHING WITH IT.
SO THIS WOULD BE DEDICATED FUNDING.
WE'RE WORKING ON A LIST OF KNOWN ISSUES THAT WE, WE SEE AS WELL AS ONE TO WORK THROUGH YOUR OFFICES TO REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I'VE ALREADY SEEN TWO INSTANCES IN MY SEVEN MONTHS HERE OF US NEEDING TO SCRAMBLE TO, TO TRY TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, I'VE SEEN IT IN THE PAST, IN PAST ROLES.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HELP THINK WILL HELP US BE MORE PROACTIVE IN THE FUTURE.
THE NEXT TWO, I'LL JUST TOUCH REALLY BRIEFLY ON, ON THIS SIDE AND, AND I HAVE A FEW SLIDES
[01:35:01]
TO GO IN DEPTH, BUT THE FAILED STREETS, THE 1.5 MILLION THAT YOU SEE HERE IS FOR DESIGN SERVICES.AND I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT OUR PLAN, BUT THIS IS FOR OUR MOST, UH, FAILED STREETS.
SO WE LOOK AT A ZERO TO A HUNDRED SCALE, AND THESE WOULD BE ON A 40% OR LESS.
AND THEN THE NEXT PROGRAM HERE IS STREET REHABILITATION.
SO THESE ARE THE STREETS THAT AREN'T QUITE AS BAD AS FAILED STREETS, BUT NEED SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL THAN A CRACK SEAL.
SO JUST WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO GET ON MY SOAPBOX AND ENTERTAIN Y'ALL ABOUT STREET MAINTENANCE.
SO, UM, BASICALLY THERE'S STREET BASIC ELEMENTS OF STREET MAINTENANCE.
THAT'S YOUR PRESERVATION, YOUR REHABILITATION, AND YOUR RECONSTRUCTION.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY IN ANY SORT OF STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
SO THE STREETS THAT ARE IN GOOD SHAPE, WE TRY TO KEEP 'EM THERE.
THE STREETS THAT NEED MORE WORK, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THAT.
SO THE WAY WE GO ABOUT IT IS WE COLLECT THE DATA AND THEN WE ANALYZE IT.
AND SO I THINK I HAD A, A STREAK OF GOOD LUCK COMING IN RIGHT AS WE WERE FINISHING COLLECTING THE MOST RECENT DATA.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK WITH A VENDOR.
THEY HAVE A VEHICLE THAT HAS GPS, LASER SCANNERS, ET CETERA, TO MEASURE AS THE VEHICLE TRAVELS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? AS THE VEHICLE TRAVELS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THEY'LL MEASURE THE ROADWAYS RU UH, CRACKING AND RIDE ABILITY AND COME UP WITH A SCORE.
AND SO THAT WAS COMPLETED LATE LAST YEAR.
AND WE WERE IN THE ANALYZE PROCESS, UH, AS I CAME IN.
AND, UM, THE, THE WAY WE LOOK AT OUR ANALYSIS IS, LIKE I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WE, WE TRY TO KEEP OUR STREETS IN GOOD SHAPE SO THAT WHEN WE NEED TO REBUILD IT, UM, IT'S MUCH MORE COSTLY.
SO WE TRY TO DO PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO KEEP 'EM IN GOOD SHAPE.
JUST LIKE WHEN WE GO TO THE DOCTOR FOR OUR CHECKUPS, WE TRY TO STAY IN GOOD SHAPE SO WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE TWOFOLD, IS WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF THE STREET? AND THEN WHAT IS OUR PROGRAM TO COME UP WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WHEN YOU BREAK DOWN THE CONDITIONS OF OUR ROADS, AGAIN, THIS IS IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS, IT'S NEARLY 1500 MILES ACROSS THE COUNTY.
UH, IF YOU ADD UP THESE NUMBERS, IT'S 1487 CENTER LINE MILES.
AND SO THAT'S MEASURED ALONG THE CENTER OF THE ROAD.
WE HAVE, THIS WAS AT THE TIME OF THE ANALYSIS, WE HAVE ADDED MORE TO OUR INVENTORY THROUGH DEVELOPMENT, BUT ABOUT 1500 CENTER LINE MILES.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL CONDITION INDEX, AGAIN, WE MEASURE THAT ZERO TO A HUNDRED COUNTYWIDE, IT'S ABOUT A 85, WHICH WOULD FALL INTO THAT VERY GOOD CATEGORY, WHICH IS GREAT.
THAT'S BEEN OUR GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN OUR STREETS IN A VERY GOOD CONDITION, COUNTYWIDE.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE HOW IT BREAKS DOWN.
SO ABOUT 90% OF OUR ROADS ARE IN THAT GOOD TO EXCELLENT RANGE.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE HOW IT TAPERS OFF BASED ON THESE, UH, SET SCALES.
BUT KNOWING THAT WHEN YOU HAVE AN AVERAGE, THERE ARE ROADS THAT GET LEFT BEHIND BELOW THE AVERAGE, AND THERE'S PEOPLE THAT LIVE ALONG THOSE ROADS.
AND SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE DEEPER? AND SO WE BROKE IT DOWN THIS TIME BY PRECINCT, AND YOU CAN SEE HERE, SO THE TOP TABLE ON THE RIGHT THAT SUMMARIZES THE, BASICALLY THE STREET NETWORK IN EACH PRECINCT.
SO PRECINCT ONE YOU'LL NOTE HAS ALMOST 50% OF THE COUNTY STREET NETWORK IN THE PRECINCT.
SO PRECINCT ONE HAS, BECAUSE SOMEONE WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION, HAS ALMOST 50% OF THE STREETS THAT THE COUNTY MAINTAINS YOU IN.
UH, YOU'LL SEE PRECINCT FOUR THERE COMES IN AT SECOND ABOUT 21%.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE ELEMENT JUST BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE NETWORK.
YOU CAN SEE THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THAT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, AS YOU JUST LOOK AT THE AVERAGE, THAT MEANS SOME STREETS ARE HIGHER, SOME ARE BELOW.
AND SO WANTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND ABOUT THOSE POOR, POORLY MAINTAINED STREETS, OR STREETS IN POOR CONDITION, I SHOULD SAY.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE IN THOSE BOTTOM TWO CATEGORIES, THE VERY POOR AND FAILED, IT'S ABOUT 20 CENTER LINE MILES.
SO OVERALL IT'S ABOUT 1% OF THE NETWORK.
BUT IF YOU BREAK IT DOWN BY PRECINCT, YOU'LL SEE THE NUMBERS THERE.
SO, UM, WHILE PRECINCT ONE HAS ABOUT 50% OF THE OVERALL NETWORK, ABOUT 3.3% OF THEIR NETWORK ARE IN THAT VERY POOR FAILED CONDITION VERSUS PRECINCT FOUR, ABOUT 5% OF THE STREETS IN PRECINCT FOUR COME IN THAT CONDITION.
SO WITH THOSE TWO THINGS IN MIND, WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAN WE DO TO, UH, IF YOU, ONE THING I DIDN'T TOUCH ON IS IN THE TOP TABLE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CONDITIONS I MENTIONED, OVERALL WE'RE ABOUT A 85.
BUT IF YOU BREAK IT DOWN BY PRECINCT, YOU HAVE PRECINCTS ONE, TWO, AND THREE THAT ARE RIGHT AROUND THAT MARK.
AND PRECINCT FOUR IS AROUND A 79 OR 80.
AND THAT'S LARGELY A RESULT OF SOIL TYPES.
SO AS YOU GET THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND GOING INTO THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE COUNTY AND ON THE EAST SIDE, YOU MOVE INTO CLAY SOILS, CLAY SOILS ARE HIGHLY EXPANSIVE.
THEY'RE PRONE TO SHRINK AND SWELL, WHICH WREAKS HAVOC ON ROADWAYS.
AND SO THAT'S A LARGE, UH, REASON WHY THE CONDITIONS ARE LESS THAN, UH, THEY ARE IN OTHER AREAS.
SO LOOKING AT HOW DO WE IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS IN PRECINCT FOUR WHILE WE MAINTAIN ALL OF OUR OTHER PRECINCTS, AND HOW DO WE TACKLE THESE FAILED TREATS? SO WE'VE DEVELOPED A THREE YEAR PLAN, AND AGAIN, THIS IS ELEMENT OF THE PROPOSED CAPITAL BUDGET.
IT'S A LOT OF NUMBERS, BUT WHAT I'LL POINT OUT IS WHAT'S ON THE RIGHT.
SO ANNUALLY, OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, WE'LL, WE'LL BE REQUESTING ABOUT $25 MILLION FOR STREET MAINTENANCE.
NOW, IN THIS FIRST YEAR, UH, I MENTIONED EARLIER OUR FAILED STREETS COMPONENT IS ONLY THE DESIGN PART OF THAT.
UH, IT'LL TAKE TWO YEARS TO DO OUR FAILED STREETS
[01:40:01]
A YEAR TO DESIGN ON A YEAR TO BUILD 'EM, BASICALLY.BUT WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IS BREAKING IT DOWN INTO THESE BUCKETS OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, REHABILITATION, AND RECONSTRUCTION.
AND I'LL NOTE ALSO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE THAT'S IN THE ROAD AND BRIDGE FUND.
SO THAT'S NOT THE CAPITAL FUND YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT IT'S INTEGRAL TO OUR PART, UH, OUR OVERALL BUDGET.
SO AT THE END OF OUR THREE YEAR PLAN, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL PRECINCTS NEAR THAT 85 VALUE.
SO WE'LL BE MAINTAINING ONE, TWO, AND THREE AND BRINGING PRECINCT FOUR UP, AND THEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THE FAILED STREETS.
COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ? YEAH, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, BEING INNOVATIVE AND LOOKING AT HOW TO ADDRESS THIS, UM, GROWTH AND, AND UH, MAINTENANCE.
I WANTED TO JUST MENTION ON THE, UH, LET ME SEE, I THINK IT WAS THE COUNTYWIDE PROJECT SLIDE WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, UH, SCHOOL SAFETY, UH, TRAFFIC SAFETY, STREET REHAB, ET CETERA.
UM, ONE THING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ADDRESS IS, UH, LIGHTING IN COMMUNITIES.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, I KNOW COMMISSIONER CALVERT'S WORKED ON SOME OF THAT IN HIS PRECINCT, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS THESE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPER DRIVEN OR WORKING WITH CPS, BUT I THINK, UM, THAT'S CERTAINLY WE'RE HEARING FROM A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS IN OUR PRECINCT ABOUT, PARTICULARLY AROUND SCHOOLS, A LACK OF LIGHTING.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A PLAN OF HOW TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, AND, AND IT BE PART THE PUBLIC WORKS INFRASTRUCTURE AT, AT THE COUNTY.
I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY SOLUTION, BUT AGAIN, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT A WAY, WHETHER IT, AGAIN, IT'S WORKING WITH CPS OR MAKING, UM, SOME DEMANDS ON THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, BECAUSE THAT IS A US AS, YOU KNOW, A, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, UH, JUST AS IT MU AS MUCH OF IT IS A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE, RIGHT? JUST HAVING ADEQUATE LIGHTING, PARTICULARLY AROUND SCHOOLS WHERE KIDS ARE BIKING AND WALKING TO AND FROM.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT I KNOW, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN'T GET IT SOLVED THIS BUDGET CYCLE, BUT I THINK IF WE START, UH, COMING UP WITH A PLAN ON HOW WE CAN ADDRESS IT, HAPPY TO, TO VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT THAT MORE.
BUT I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH COMMISSIONER MOODY AND I ON THE BEN CANYON PROJECT.
THAT IS ONE THAT WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY FUNDED, BUT BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH OUT THERE, RIGHT? IT'S UP, UP KIND OF NEAR THE HE LOTUS, UM, CITY LIMITS.
THERE'S, UH, A LOT OF ISSUES WITH EGRESS AND INGRESS OF, UM, KIND OF IMPACTING MY, MY, UH, MY PRECINCT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN HIS.
BUT, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND IF, AND IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN ACCELERATE THAT, UM, I KNOW YOU'LL DO YOUR BEST TO DO THAT, BUT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT THERE'S AT LEAST SOME RELIEF COMING.
UM, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT, UH, JUST WASN'T REALLY ON THE RADAR UNTIL MAYBE, YOU KNOW, 18 MONTHS AGO WHEN WE STARTED GETTING SOME ISSUES, UH, AND COMPLAINTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT ART, WE APPRECIATE IT.
AND, AND, UH, THAT'S ALL I GOT, JUDGE.
SO COMM UH, COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES.
SO ART, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR GOING QUICKLY THROUGH IT.
UM, AGAIN, SIMILAR TO MY PREVIOUS QUESTION, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE RE WHAT ARE THE REQUESTS IN THIS AND HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT? IT, IT'S NOT, WE'RE SIMPLY HIGHLIGHT.
SO, UH, EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS WITHIN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
THE PURPOSE FOR TODAY TO TALK CAPITAL IS BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DEBT ISSUANCE.
SO I WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED SHOULD DISCUSSIONS HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE ABOUT NOT ISSUING NEW DEBT, THE MORATORIUM, BUT ALL THIS IS ALREADY IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
COMMISSIONER, I ASKED THEM TO COME BRIEF COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FUTURE DEBT AND THIS IS A RELATIVELY LEAN BUDGET IN TERMS OF NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS, BUT I DID WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO SEE INDIVIDUALLY WHAT THE PROJECTS WERE.
AND IF I COULD, I'LL POINT OUT THAT ARTS LIST OF PROJECTS IN PARTICULAR MAKES A PRETTY COMPELLING CASE FOR THE, UH, USE OF REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTIONS AS OPPOSED TO UPFRONT ISSUING THE DEBT BECAUSE HIS PROJECTS ARE GONNA TAKE YEARS TO, TO DELIVER.
OUR, UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND.
WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE IN FOUR? OR IS IT PLANNING TO USE THE REHABILITATION RECONSTRUCTION FUNDS FOR FOUR MORE BECAUSE FOUR MENTIONED? YEAH, SO JUST I'LL REPEAT THE QUESTION 'CAUSE IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO HEAR.
ESSENTIALLY YOUR QUESTION IS ABOUT WHAT'S OUR
[01:45:01]
APPROACH FOR PRECINCT FOUR? AND SO THAT'S, UH, TO DO EVERYTHING.SO IT'S TO INVEST IN PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE TO KEEP THE STREETS IN PRECINCT FOUR THAT ARE IN A HIGH CATEGORY HIGH.
THERE WILL BE THE REHAB COMPONENT WHICH CONSISTS OF YOUR, YOUR OVERLAYS AND YOUR FULL DEPTH REC RECLAMATIONS.
AND THEN WE ARE GONNA BE MORE SPECIFIC IN HOW WE TARGET OUR FAILED STREETS.
SO, UH, THAT'S ONE THING THAT, THAT COULD BE A CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE WHEN THERE MAY BE A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS 10 STREETS, BUT ONLY THREE OF THOSE ARE ONES THAT ARE FAILED, THOSE ARE THE THREE WE'RE GONNA TACKLE VERSUS, UM, YOU KNOW, GOING IN AND REDOING THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE WANT TO REALLY DIG INTO THESE FAILED STREETS, AT LEAST IN THIS FIRST THREE YEARS TO MAKE A DENT IN THOSE.
UH, SO TO, JUST, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, AGAIN, IT'LL BE A COMBINATION OF ALL THREE, UH, PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR STREET MAINTENANCE.
IS THAT FOR ALL PRECINCTS? I'M JUST WONDERING WHY WAS PRECINCT FOUR NOT MENTIONED IN PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE? UH, IT WASN'T, UM, NOT MENTIONED FOR ANY SPECIFIC REASON.
SO WE, WE, WE MANAGED A COUNTYWIDE LEVEL, BUT WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE DO WE NEED TO O OVERINVEST TO, OR WE WANTED TO UNDERSTAND DO WE NEED TO OVERINVEST IN AREAS IF, UM, THE, THE O THE CONDITION WASN'T THE SAME, IF THERE WAS SOME DISPARITY.
AND SO THROUGH OUR ANALYSIS WE DID SEE THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'LL BE OVERINVESTING TO BRING THE CONDITION UP FROM THAT 79 TO ABOUT A 85 WHILE WE'RE KEEPING THE OTHER PRECINCTS AT THAT 85 LEVEL AS WELL.
SO THERE ARE STREETS THAT WILL RECEIVE FOG SEALS, CRACK SEALS, ET CETERA IN PRECINCT FOUR, BUT THEN YOU'RE GONNA SEE MORE STREETS THAT ARE GONNA GET THE REHABILITATION AND THEN MORE SPECIFICALLY THE, THE RECONSTRUCTION IN THOSE FAILED AREAS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, BUT IT WASN'T IN THE WRITING, SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
UH, I, I WANNA APPLAUD COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ'S THOUGHTS ON THE LIGHTING.
UH, I I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, THE COUNTY TO TRY TO LOOK AT AREAS WHERE WE CAN DO THAT.
THERE IS A BIG, UM, THERE IS A BIG EFFORT THAT COULD BE PUSHED, IF YOU WILL, UH, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT A LOT OF TOOLS AS WELL ARE BIG, UM, AREA OF NEED FOR THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA MENTION, UM, AS YOU PUT THE DESIGN TOGETHER FOR FOSTER ROAD IS, UM, HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANY DATA OR WORKSHOPS ON HOW VEGETATIVE MEDIAN CAN ASSIST WITH, UH, DECREASES IN CRIME OR WITH RESPECT TO IMPROVEMENT OF PROPERTY VALUES? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THE WOOD, EXCUSE ME, ON THE FOSTER, YEAH, THE FOSTER ROAD WOODLAKE AREA PROJECT, THAT, THAT THERE'D BE SOME SORT OF ZERO SCAPING AS PART OF THOSE PLANTS.
NOT JUST THE CONCRETE, BUT UH, KIND OF LIKE YOU HAVE IN STONE OAK, THE MEDIANS WITH THE TREES AND THE ZEROSCAPE, UH, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE.
BUT WE, WE'VE GOT SOME PROGRAMS WHETHER THROUGH AG EXTENSION THROUGH THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR THROUGH THE BARE BRANCHES FOR, UH, VEGETATION.
BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE IN THE RFP VEGETATIVE MEDIANS FOR THAT PARKWAY.
THOUGHTS ABOUT, UM, ANY DATA RELATED TO VEGETATIVE MEDIANS? SO I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA SPECIFIC TO VEGETATIVE MEDIAS, UH, MEDIANS IMPROVING PROPERTY VALUES OR DECREASING CRIME.
UH, I MEAN I THINK GENERALLY AS YOU IMPROVE AREAS YOU'LL SEE CO-BENEFITS, RIGHT? UM, I KNOW THE ONLY CHALLENGE WE'VE SEEN WITH VEGETATION WITHIN THE STREET IS THE MAINTENANCE OF IT.
SO SOME AREAS LIKE THE MEDICAL CENTER OR YOU MENTIONED STO OAK, THEY HAVE SET ALLIANCES THAT, THAT MAINTAIN THAT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING AS WE GO THROUGH THE DESIGN, UH, SPECIFIC TO ZERO ESCAPING, MAYBE THAT'S A TACTIC LIKE YOU MENTIONED WHERE THERE'S LESS MAINTENANCE REQUIRED.
UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THROUGH THE DESIGN AND YOUR OFFICE WILL BE ACTIVE IN THAT.
AS, AS YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES MEDIANS ARE, ARE A CHALLENGE TO INSTALL BECAUSE IT LIMITS ACCESS, BUT THERE'S A HUGE SAFETY BENEFIT TO THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE? LEMME HAVE DAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION AND IT, IT REALLY DOESN'T APPLY TO ART, BUT AS IN REGARDS TO SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT THE COURT JUST TOOK IN APPROVING THE VIA SILVER LINE MM-HMM.
WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE, THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THESE TYPE OF ROAD PROJECTS THAT ART MAY BE COMING IN FUTURE YEARS? AND BALANCING THAT WITH THE FACT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE ON DEBT MANAGEMENT, OBVIOUSLY, UH, STREET MAINTENANCE IS SOMETHING WE CAN'T PUT OFF, BUT WE GOTTA FIX THOSE FAILED
[01:50:01]
STREETS.WE GOTTA STAY ON THE PREVENTIVE SIDE TO KEEP STREETS FROM GOING TO A FAILED STATUS AND WE GOTTA CONSTANTLY MAINTAIN THE REHABILITATION AND SO THAT WE DON'T POSE ANY DANGER.
SO I WOULD LIKE A TIMELINE FROM WHEN YOU BELIEVE THE FUND TO GET THE ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT DONE, AND WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THOSE MONEY SO THAT WE, SO THAT ART CAN THEN START UNDERSTANDING AND THE COMMISSIONERS, I'M SURE WILL BE ASKING ART AND HIS DEPARTMENT TO TAKE CARE OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT COME TO THEIR ATTENTION.
SO FIRST OF ALL, JUST TO REMIND THE COURT THE USE OF THAT, THOSE SALES TAX DOLLARS HAS TO FALL WITHIN THE A TD STATUTE.
SO HE'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO USE IT FOR STREET MAINTENANCE.
BUT WHAT HE CAN USE IT FOR, AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I BELIEVE YOU'LL BE TALKING ABOUT BUDGETING OUR USE OF THOSE FUNDS NEXT BUDGET.
SO A, A YEAR FROM NOW, AND WHAT WE ARE ALREADY WORKING ON TOGETHER IS A LIST OF MAJOR THOROUGHFARE POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN EITHER MPO OR TDOT WHERE WE COULD USE THOSE A TD FUNDS.
BUT, AND JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THREE OF THE PROJECTS I MENTIONED, ONE EXISTING, WHICH IS THE BLANCO MPO FUNDED, AND THEN THE TWO TXDOT, THOSE ARE BOTH EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS THAT COULD IN THE FUTURE BE LEVERAGED WITH A TD BECAUSE THERE'S A LEVERAGED FUNDING RESPONSIBILITY.
AND COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES, YOU'RE THE CHAIR OR GOING TO BE THE CHAIR OF THE MPO? I'M VICE-CHAIR, SO I'LL BE, UM, CHAIR IN A YEAR AND A HALF.
AND SO WILL THE MPO BE ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY TO LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS FOR WHATEVER CAPITAL PROJECTS WE NEED? YEAH, ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO TRANSPORTATION.
THE, THE NEXT CALL FOR PROJECTS IS SLATED FOR THIS FALL.
SO WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH A PROCESS TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL PROJECTS.
AND SO COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES, I'M ASKING THE NPO TO STEP UP AND ALL THOSE ARE INVOLVED WITH THE NPO TO BE FULLY INVOLVED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT PROJECTS AND LEVERAGE OFF THOSE FUNDS.
IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT? WELL, IT'D BE GREAT IF ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE ON THE NPO FOR BEXAR COUNTY WOULD VOTE TOGETHER AND SUPPORT BEXAR COUNTY STUFF.
SO NOTED ALL ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT.
WHO'S NEXT? DAVID, WHO ELSE DID YOU WANT? PARKS AND FACILITIES.
PARKS IS SHORT AND SWEET, SO WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP, KEN.
OH, YOU GOT A COAT AND TIE ON TODAY,
I DON'T, I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU.
OH, THAT MEANS HE DOESN'T HAVE TO DO REAL WORK TODAY,
SO NEXT TIME WE HAVE A, UH, MOW THE PARK, WE'LL, Y'ALL ALL GET AN INVITATION.
WELL, UH, DAVID'S BEEN OUT THERE AND HE, HE MOWS PRETTY WELL.
HE'S SLOW, BUT HE'S VERY, VERY THOROUGH.
I'D LIKE TO TALK TO Y'ALL TODAY.
I'M KEN GLARY, DIRECTOR FOR PARKS RECREATION.
I'D LIKE TO TALK TO Y'ALL ABOUT, UH, TREE AND SHRUB REPLACEMENT THAT WE, UM, WE HAVE FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS, UM, WE'VE HAD PERSISTENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS SINCE LATE 2020.
THE SECOND DRIEST YEAR WAS 2022.
WE ONLY HAD 11 AND A HALF INCHES OF RAIN.
UM, THAT REALLY HURTS OUR TREES.
UM, AND ALSO WE'RE STARTING TO REALIZE THE FREEZE DAMAGE FROM, UH, SNOWMAGEDDON BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 2021.
IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, WE'VE LOST 199 TREES.
AND WE HAVE A PLAN TO PLANT SOME NEW ONES, BUT THAT'S ABOUT 1,060 TREES.
UM, IN 2022 TO 2023, WE'RE EXPERIENCING A 33 INCH RAIN DEFICIT.
OUR AVERAGE RAINFALL IS 29 TO 33 INCHES ALONE.
SOME OF THE, UH, ALSO ANOTHER, UM, FACTOR IS THAT A LOT OF OUR TREES ARE GETTING OLDER.
UM, THE AVERAGE, A LOT OF OUR TREES, THEIR LIFE EXPECTANCY IS BETWEEN 115 200 YEARS.
UH, IT'S BEEN 188 YEARS SINCE THE ALAMO.
SOME OF THESE TREES WERE AROUND WITHIN THE PARKS DURING THAT TIME.
SO THEY'RE JUST SIMPLY GETTING OLDER AND DYING.
UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS HELP PUSH THAT ALONG A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW, UH, HACK BEARING SYCAMORES AND THOSE DIE QUICKLY FROM DROUGHT.
UM, AND THEY'RE SUSCEPTIBLE TO MANY DISEASES.
THE PECANS AND OAKS, UH, THEY, UH, FREEZE DAMAGE IS WHAT GETS THEM.
THE REPLACEMENT TREES WE WANT TO, UH, USE ARE GONNA BE THE MONTEREY OAK, WHICH IS A VERY, IT'S UH, IT'S VERY DROUGHT RESISTANT.
IT DOESN'T GET OAK WILT VERY EASILY.
[01:55:01]
STREAMS THAT HAVE WATER IN 'EM YEAR ROUND THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO USE FOR STREAM BANK, UH, STABILIZATION RED BUD CREEK MYRTLES AND TEXAS MOUNTAIN LAUREL, DEPENDING ON LOCATION, THOSE, UH, THE, THE SHRUBS ARE ALSO, WE WANT TO USE THEM AS POLL.UH, THE POLLINATORS LIKE TO GET TO, AND BUTTERFLIES AND BEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
DURING THIS PROJECT, WE WILL CONSULT WITH TREE EXPERTS, SUCH AS THE BEAR BRANCHES ALLIANCE, THE AGRILIFE EXTENSION OFFICE ON THE LOCATIONS, THE STEM DENSITY AND SPECIES.
WE DON'T WANNA PUT TOO MANY IN ONE PLACE, OR THE ONES THAT WON'T GROW IN THAT AREA.
WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS A 40% TREE CANOPY THAT'S THE SAME AS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND THAT THE DENSITY, THAT'S TO REDUCE THE HIGH HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
IF YOU'RE OUT IN THE COUNTRY, IT'S ABOUT 10 DEGREES COOLER OUT IN THE COUNTRY THAN IT IS HERE IN THE CITY BECAUSE WE'VE GOT ALL THE ASPHALT IN THE BUILDINGS AND STUFF.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS USE THESE TREES NEAR PICNIC TABLES FOR NATURAL SHADE OVER PARKING LOTS TO HELP REDUCE THAT HEAT DIAL.
IN EFFECT, THE COST TO PUT IN A TREE IS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 150 TO $1,500, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE AND THE TYPE AND WHO DIGS THE HOLE.
UM, AND A MATURE TREE CAN PRODUCE, ON AVERAGE, 274 LITERS OF OXYGEN PER DAY.
THAT'S ABOUT HALF OF WHAT A HUMAN NEEDS.
AND WHEN I SAY A MATURE TREE, THOSE ARE TREES THAT ARE FAIRLY LARGE THAT ARE ALREADY GROWN.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE SOME TREES.
UH, A MAJORITY OF THE TREES THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY BE PLANTING, UM, IN OPEN AREAS WOULD BE AT MISSION, MISSION PARK, AND OF COURSE, WOODLAKE.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF OPEN AREAS, UH, SOME AT RODRIGUEZ AT, AND ALL THE PRECINCTS.
WE DID LOSE THE MOST TREES OUT IN OUR NORTH PARKS, LIKE AT BULLS, WE LOST 10 JUST TO THE FREEZE ALONE.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS? KEEP GOING.
I, THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL I HAD.
SO ALL THE FUNDING TO, TO PLANT MORE TREES, THAT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET THEN? YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THAT.
COMMISSIONER CALVERT, WHAT IS THE AMOUNT YOU'RE SITE? WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT YOU REQUESTING? UH, 250,000.
I JUST WANNA APPLAUD YOU FOR YOUR VISION.
JUST WANNA APPLAUD YOU FOR THE GREAT VISION ON THE PRE-PLANNING, A VERY GOOD AND IMPORTANT VISION, KEEPING US INFORMED OF A GREAT NEED.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
AND OBVIOUSLY WITH, WITH WOODLAKE, YOU CAN PLAN A LOT MORE AS YOU CAN.
I HOPE YOU'LL I'M GOOD, JUDGE.
COMMISSIONER CALVERT, UH, IT WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE, UH, TOWN HALL BUDGET, UH, TOWN HALL MEETINGS THAT WE HAD IN ALL FOUR PROCEEDS THAT I HOSTED ALONG WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
AND I WANT TO THANK AGAIN, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR EACH PARTICIPATING IN THEIR PRECINCT.
UH, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER COWARD, I THINK PRECINCT FOUR CLEARLY ARTICULATED, UH, FROM A QUESTION THAT THEY WANNA SEE MORE.
AND I THINK PRECINCT TWO ALSO RAISED THE ISSUE.
SO THE COMMUNITY, AT LEAST IN OUR BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETINGS, INDICATED THEY WANTED TO SEE A STRATEGIC, UH, PLANNING AND STRATEGY THAT THE COUNTY HAD AND TO DEAL WITH FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE HEAT ISLAND HEAT, UH, EFFECTS, UH, ON THESE HEAT ISLANDS THAT WE HAVE, AND THE USE OF NATURAL VEGETATION TO NEUTRALIZE THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF THE OPPRESSIVE HEAT.
SO, UH, MR. GLARY, I EXPECT THIS PROJECT TO REALLY MAYBE GO TO ANOTHER LEVEL AND TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL IN ALL PRECEDES, AND ESPECIALLY BE STRATEGIC TO IDENTIFY THOSE HEAT ISLANDS.
UH, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE METRICS THAT GO INTO THAT, BUT I THINK I WANNA STRATEGIC PLANNING AS OPPOSED TO JUST SAYING, WELL, WE'RE PLANTING SOME TREES AND THAT WAY I WANT TO BE ARTICULATE.
AND WE KNOW THAT FROM THIS BUDGET PROCESS, WE'RE VERY MINDFUL OF EQUITY TO MAKE SURE THAT PERHAPS WE DEAL WITH THE AREAS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE MOST IN NEED, ESPECIALLY FROM A SOCIOECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, MR. GLARY? YES, I DO.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS FOR PARTNERING WITH, UH, LIKE THE BARE BRANCHES ALLIANCE, THAT THEY HAVE A TREE EQUITY MAP, UM, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HITTING THE PLACES THAT WE NEED TO GET TO.
AND THEN, UM, PLANTING THOSE TREES OVER WHERE THEY WILL SHADE THOSE ASPHALT AREAS TO REDUCE THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
AND IF POSSIBLE, USING, UH, GOING TO A, UH, REINFORCED TURF TYPE PARKING LOT PARKING.
AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE AN UPDATE EITHER INFORMALLY THROUGH STAFF TO STAFF, OR PERHAPS QUARTERLY BI-ANNUALLY REPORTS TO THE COURT ON THE SPECIFIC EFFORTS.
I THINK WOULD THE COURT APPRECIATE THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
THANK, WHO'S NEXT? DAVID? FACILITIES.
[02:00:06]
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CURRY.OBJECTION IF ONLY IT WAS THE LAST ONE.
I'VE GOT SOME PEANUT GALLERY COMMENTS.
THAT'S WHY HE'S STILL SITTING IN THE BACK.
ALRIGHT, SO AGAIN, SO IN THE, IN THE, WE REQUESTED SEVERAL PROJECTS THROUGH THE BUDGET.
UH, 11 OF THEM WERE FUNDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
PRIMARILY OUR CONCENTRATION IS MAKE PRESERVING ASSETS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS AND, AND REGULATIONS, UH, FOR COMPLIANCE FOR ORGANIZATIONS.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS PRETTY SIMPLE.
IT'S A GENERATOR FOR A TOWER AT THE JAIL.
WITHOUT BACKUP POWER, WE DON'T COMPLY WITH JAIL STANDARDS.
SO THAT IS A 750 KILOWATT GENERATOR.
SO IT'S THE SIZE OF THE SMALL SCHOOL BUS, AND IT IS 37 YEARS OLD.
IT'S ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE BUILDING.
SO WE'VE ABLE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP IT ON CPR FOR A WHILE, BUT THE MULTI-YEAR LOAD TESTS THAT WE DO ON IT, WE WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE SIGNS THAT IT'S NOT GONNA, IT'S NOT GONNA MEET STANDARDS AS WE GO FORWARD.
SECOND ONE IS THE A DC INMATE LIVING UNIT RAILING.
SO, AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, THE JAIL, UH, POPULATION IS, IS CHANGING TO A DIFFERENT TYPE OF INMATE.
UH, ONES WITH POTENTIALLY MORE MAYBE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OR BEHAVIORAL ISSUES AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE, THE POPULATION AS THEY CALL IT, IS HARDENING.
UH, THIS RAILING IS GONNA BE ADDED TO THE UPPER TIER OF THE TWO TIERED HOUSING UNITS TO ALLOW THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY IN HOUSING INMATES THAT MAY BE IN SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
SO AGAIN, IT'S A, IT'S A SAFER SITUATION AND THIS PRIMARILY IS GONNA BE, AGAIN, AN A TOWER OF THE JAIL TO PROVIDE THEM FLEXIBILITY TO HOUSE THOSE INMATES, WHICH WITH CLASSIFICATION ALLOWS THEM TO CON TO PUT MORE INMATES IN ONE SPACE RATHER THAN HAVING TO SPREAD 'EM OUT WITH, CREATES ADDITIONAL POSTS, ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS AND OTHER THINGS.
SO IT'S AN EFFICIENCY FACTOR FOR THEM, I'M SURE.
UH, A DC LIGHTING PHASE TWO, YOU GUYS, SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN HERE A LITTLE WHILE MAY REMINDER, REMEMBER THAT WE REPLACED EVERY LIGHT IN THE CELLS OF THE JAIL YEARS AGO FOR ABOUT THE TUNE OF ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO LED FIXTURES AND REMOVED THEM OUT OF THE WAY FROM THE INMATES FROM MANIPULATING THEM.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY REDUCED OUR WORK ORDER ACCOUNT FOR LIGHTS OVER 90% IN THE JAIL AND SAVED US, UH, KILOWATT HOURS ON OUR UTILITY BILL.
NOW, WE DON'T REALIZE FULL DOLLAR COST SAVINGS OF THOSE BECAUSE CPS RATES HAVE INCREASED OVER THAT TIMEFRAME, BUT IT'S BEEN A HUGE WIN FOR US.
SO THIS PHASE TWO WILL IMPLEMENT THAT LED FIXTURE IN THE DAY ROOMS, WHICH IS THE LARGE OPEN AREAS OUT THAT THE, THE INMATES, UH, CONGREGATE IN DURING, WHEN THEIR TIME OUT OF THEIR CELLS.
SO THIS IS MULTIPLE REPLACEMENTS.
AGAIN, FIRE PANELS ARE REQUIRED TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NATIONAL FIRE CODE AND MAKE SURE THERE'S ANNUNCIATOR PANELS.
AND IF THERE'S, IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, IT DIALS THE CORRECT APPROPRIATE LOCATION AND NOTIFIES THE, THE USERS TO EVACUATE THE BUILDING.
SO, COURTHOUSE ANNEX, FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER, VISTA VERITY ARE ALL KIND OF BATCHED UP IN THAT ONE FIRE PANEL REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
UH, JUSTICE CENTER ELEVATORS, AGAIN, THE JUST CENTER IS ONE OF OUR MOST HIGHLY TRAFFICKED BUILDINGS FROM A COURT STANDPOINT.
THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE 32 COURTS IN THAT BUILDING, AND IT DOES THE PUBLIC IN THERE CONSTANTLY.
UH, THE, THE, UH, MACHINES AND CONTROLLERS, THE GUTS OF THOSE ELEVATORS IN THE PENTHOUSE HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SINCE THE, THE FACILITY WAS BUILT IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, SO IT'S TIME TO REPLACE THEM.
WE DID CAB FINISHES A COUPLE YEARS AGO AS A COSMETIC UPGRADE, BUT THIS WILL BE THE GUTS OF THE MACHINES AND CONTROLLERS.
UM, THE, THESE PARTS AVAILABLE FOR THESE, UH, ELEVATORS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
UH, SO IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO SORT THOSE AND PUT THOSE BACK INTO SERVICE QUICKLY.
UH, JUVENILE PROBATION, HVAC REPLACEMENT.
THIS PROJECT REPLACES A CENTRALIZED UNIT FOR THEIR INTAKE FACILITY, WHICH IS THEIR MOST HIGHLY TRAFFICKED AREA AT 600 MISSION ROAD.
UM, THAT UNIT NEEDS TO PERFORM 24 7 365.
AND SO DURING AFTERNOONS AND OTHER OFF TIMES, SOMETIMES WE HAVE STRUGGLE WITH KEEPING UP WITH TEMPERATURES.
THIS ALLOWS US TO SATISFY THOSE NEEDS.
SO THE, THE PEOPLE WORKING IN THAT BUILDING, UH, WERE SATISFIED FROM AN HVAC STANDPOINT.
UH, THE NEXT ONE IS KIND OF A COMBINATION PROJECT FOR CRIER.
AGAIN, YOU GUYS KNOW CRIERS OUR TREATMENT FACILITY POST ADJUDICATION FOR THOSE, UH, JUVENILES.
UM, IT INCLUDES THE A AND B BUILDING.
ROOFS ARE IN PRETTY ROUGH SHAPE, SO WE'VE WAITED AS LONG AS WE CAN WITH PATCHES TO DO THOSE, THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED.
SO IT'S ABOUT A $500,000 PROJECT.
UM, AND THEN REPLACING THE LOCKS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS CAN'T MANIPULATE THE LOCKS AND THAT THEY, UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME MAINTAINING THEM AND REPLACING THEM FROM A LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA PUT A HEAVIER DETENTION GRADE LOCK IN THAT FACILITY.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S ABOUT A $500,000 PROJECT AS WELL.
SO THOSE TWO, TWO TOGETHER IS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, THE NEXT ONE I WILL CALL ATTENTION THAT MY, UH, OUR, UH, OUR, UH, COURTROOM, UH, TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST, UH, AV MANAGER NICK LAWSON, HAS BEEN WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE CIVIL DISTRICT AND THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT JUDGES ON THIS PLAN TO UPGRADE ALL OF THE COURTROOM TECHNOLOGY THROUGHOUT THE COURTHOUSE COMPLEX.
SO THIS IS JUST ONE PIECE OF IT.
[02:05:01]
ASK FOR ONE YEAR OF FUNDING.'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S THIS, WE'RE NOT GONNA WORK THROUGH THIS SUPER FAST, BUT THIS $1.4 MILLION IS PART OF A LARGER, ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR INITIATIVE.
WE WANNA DO, IF WE'RE MULTI MULTIPLE YEARS, PROBABLY A THREE YEAR RUN IN, UH, TO REPLACE THAT AND MAKE SURE THE ELMOS WORK DOCUMENT CAMERAS THAT THEY CAN DO ALL THE ZOOM HEARINGS AND EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO MAXIMIZE THE USE IN THOSE COURTROOM TECHNOLOGY.
I KNOW, JUDGE, AKA YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM THAT EXPERIENCE, UH, AND KNOW THAT SOME OF THAT EQUIPMENT IS IN THIS COURTHOUSE IS AGED.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA CONCENTRATE ON THIS BUILDING FIRST.
THE COURTHOUSE WILL BE THE FIRST LEG AND THEN JUSTICE CENTER AND OTHER LEGS WILL COME AS FUTURE YEARS ALLOW, UH, THE NEXT THREE, UH, THE BCSO TRAINING ACADEMY RENOVATION.
SO I KNOW THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR HIM, HAS, HAS, HAS PURSUED SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO CREATE A FORMAL TRAINING ACADEMY.
UH, WE WANT TO HELP HIM OUT BY, BY LEVERAGING A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT HE'S CURRENTLY USING AS AD HOC AS A TRAINING FACILITY.
UH, IT'S, WE INTENDED, WE BUILT, UM, 2016 INTENDED TO USE A NEW WORK RELEASE FACILITY.
AGAIN, THE WORK RELEASE FACILITY WAS INTENDED TO BE FOR INMATES THAT ARE, WE CALL 'EM PART-TIME INMATES, RIGHT? THEY'RE THERE DURING THE EVENINGS, BUT THEY GO TO WORK DURING THE DAY.
I BELIEVE THAT, UH, PROGRAM WAS COLLAPSED BY THE SHERIFF.
AND SO WE HAVE A FACILITY THAT INCLUDES MULTIPLE HOUSING UNITS THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA LEVERAGE FOR WORK RELEASE IN LONG TERM.
SO WE COULD BELIEVE WE CAN TAKE THAT BUILDING, WHICH HAS A BRAND NEW ROOF ON IT.
'CAUSE WE JUST FINISHED THAT CAPITAL PROJECT AND EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE TO CREATE A FIVE TO SIX CLASSROOM TRAINING ANNEX OR FACILITY FOR HIM THAT WILL GET HIM FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD AND MAKE SURE THAT HE CAN GRADUATE THOSE DETENTION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CLASSES QUICKLY.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE LEVERAGING EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE HAVE MAKING MINOR MODIFICATIONS THAN GETTING HIM, UH, THAT SOLUTION QUICKER THAN WE BELIEVE A GROUND UP FACILITY WOULD BE.
LONG TERM BIBLIO TECH SOUTH RENOVATION, AS WE KNOW THAT IT WAS OUR FLAGSHIP ORIGINAL FACILITY, 2013.
IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST HEAVILY TRAFFICKED BIBLIO TECH THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND IT NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF TLC.
UH, THERE'S A PARTICULAR PORTION WE HAD ORIGINALLY WHEN THE IPAD FIRST CAME OUT.
THIS IS HOW AGED THE, THE FACILITY IS.
SO WE HAD A BAR TOP FULL OF IPAD STATIONS WHERE PEOPLE COULD STAND AND USE THE IPAD.
THAT'S NOT BEING LEVERAGED CURRENTLY.
SO THERE'S OTHER PLACES WE CAN, UH, REPROGRAM THAT SPACE.
AND LO HAS A PLAN TO REPROGRAM THAT TO ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, PCS FOR PEOPLE AND, AND, UH, OTHER, UH, FUNCTIONAL SPACE FOR HER PROGRAM.
UH, THE LAST ONE IS A MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE RENOVATION.
SO, UH, AS NORMA GREENFIELD LAB BOARD SAID, WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT NOW GONNA BRING YOU THE AWARD FOR THE CRIME LAB, UH, CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT PROBABLY IN SEPTEMBER, UH, HOPEFULLY, MAYBE, PROBABLY MAYBE OCTOBER, UH, TO AWARD THAT CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION.
THAT CONSTRUCTION'S GONNA TAKE 12 MONTHS.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THE, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S DESPERATE NEED OF OFFICE SPACE FOR ADDITIONAL DOCTORS AND FORENSIC, UH, UH, ANTHROPOLOGISTS.
SO THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW US TO NOT TOTALLY RENOVATE AND GUT THE BUILDING, BUT TO DO SOME VERY SMALL AND DISTINCT RENOVATIONS TO MULTIPLE FLOORS TO GIVE THEM THAT NEEDED OFFICE SPACE SO THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT SERVICE AND THAT SPACE, UH, SO THEY CAN MAKE SURE TO STAY UP WITH THEIR NAMI STANDARDS THAT'S REQUIRED BY THEIR CERTIFYING AGENCY.
SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE 11 PROJECTS THAT WERE FUNDED IN THE BUDGET.
AGAIN, WE HAVE A GREAT COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE.
THEY KNOW WHEN SOMETHING'S ON FIRE, WE TELL 'EM IT'S ON FIRE AND IT'S USUALLY INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
WE LOOK ABOUT THREE YEARS AHEAD FOR STUFF THAT WE THINK ARE SPEED BUMPS.
UH, AND WE'RE, WE'RE PLEASED WITH WHAT WE'VE PROVIDED IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.
QUESTION? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT QUICK QUESTION.
UM, THE TRAINING ACADEMY RENOVATION? MM-HMM.
IT'S WHERE THE CURRENT TRAINING RIGHT.
THEY'RE LEVERAGING THAT SPACE NOW.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT USING IT FOR WORK RELEASE INMATES, SO WE'VE MOVED THE TABLES AND CHAIRS OUTTA THE WAY AND THE BUNK BEDS ARE STILL IN THE BACKGROUND AND THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE USING FOLDING TABLES AND CHAIRS.
WE, WE JUST BELIEVE THAT, UH, A LONGER RANGE SOLUTION FOR BCSO FOR A TRAINING FACILITY MAY BE A HORIZON THAT'S 5, 6, 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SOME SPACE BECAUSE WHEN I TOOK A TOUR, I THOUGHT I REMEMBERED SEEING CLASSROOMS. YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE NO CLASSROOMS? THEY'RE NOT FORMAL CLASSROOMS AGAIN.
THEY'RE THEY'RE HOUSING MAKESHIFT CLASSROOMS. YEAH, THEY'RE HOUSING.
SO YOU'RE GONNA REFIT THEM TO BE BETTER.
SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP, WE'RE GONNA KEEP THE LOCKER ROOMS FOR THEIR USE AND THEN SUBDIVIDE SOME OF THE WHAT WAS SLEEP INMATE SLEEPING AREAS AS DEDICATED CLASSROOMS FOR 2030 OCCUPANTS.
COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, DAN THE ME'S OFFICE.
UM, I KNOW THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE, UM, OBVIOUSLY DESPERATE NEED OF SPACE, LIKE A LOT OF FOLKS.
UM, WHEN DOES THIS RENOVATION PROJECT START? IS IT GONNA BE DONE IN THIS FISCAL YEAR OR NO? NO.
SO USUALLY OUR PROJECTS TAKE ABOUT 24 MONTHS TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS, AND AGAIN, THIS ALL DEPENDS ON THE LONG-TERM DEBT STRATEGY OF THE COURT.
WE WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY START DESIGN ON THIS
[02:10:01]
IMMEDIATELY AND GET THIS, THIS DESIGNED.UM, AND WE KNOW THAT I CAN'T REALLY ACTUALLY SWING A HAMMER UNTIL THE CRIME LAB MOVES OUT, WHICH IS PROBABLY A YEAR FROM NOW.
TO DESIGN THE SOLUTION AND HAVE IT READY LIKE IN MY BACK POCKET.
SO AS SOON AS THEY MOVE OUT, I BID IT AND WE START CONSTRUCTION, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT SPACE.
DID DID YOU SAY THERE'S A YEAR AND A HALF BEFORE THE CRIME LAB MOVES OUT? UH, NO.
I, I THINK THE, THE PROPOSALS WE HAVE SHOW 12 MONTH CONSTRUCTION DURATION FROM WHEN WE AWARD IT.
SO IF I WERE IT IN MARCH, IT'LL BE MARCH THE FOLLOWING YEAR WHEN THE CRIME LAB WILL BE MOVED.
THE RENOVATIONS, UM, THAT WE'RE DOING THEN AT THE EMMY'S OFFICE, THAT'S A, THAT'S A LEASED FACILITY, IS THAT RIGHT FROM, UM, IT, IT, IT IS UT HEALTH OR IT IS ON THE UT HEALTH CAMPUS.
SO I KNOW THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION, I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR IT GOT ABOUT WHETHER WE NEED A, A NEW FACILITY DOWN THE ROAD FOR THE ME OR WHETHER OR NOT, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO LEASE.
UM, I I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO SOLVE THAT TODAY.
NO, BUT, BUT IS THAT STILL A CONSIDERATION? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE PUTTING MONEY IN, SO I I WOULD IMAGINE WE'RE GONNA BE THERE FOR AT LEAST A LITTLE WHILE, BUT YEAH.
WHAT'S, WHAT, WHAT IS THE, THE TERM OF THAT LEASE AT THIS POINT? IT'S 10 YEARS STILL.
COM COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, LET ME, I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING I DID LAST YEAR, DAVID, UH, THAT WE RENEWED A 10 YEAR LEASE WITH UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AND WE GET 10 YEARS, WE DO NOT PAY RENT, BUT WE DO PAY FOR MAINTENANCE.
WHAT WAS THAT? WE PAY ONLY FOR UTILITIES.
SO IT WAS A CONTINUATION OF A PAST TENURE YEAR LEASE.
UH, THERE WERE SOME INTENSE NEGOTIATIONS.
I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT TO START ALERTING.
AND I GUESS DAN AND DAVID, YOU'RE WELL AWARE THAT WE MAY HAVE TO, UM, LOOK AT OUR FUTURE OPTIONS, BUT AT, AT THIS TIME, WE, WE, WE GOT ANOTHER 10 YEARS, BUT I THINK WE NOT, WE NEED TO START LOOKING, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE KNOW, AND I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT I WILL START TALKING TO THE PRINCIPALS ON THE UTSA UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER MERGER, AND I'M PREDICTING FOR THE COURT AND FOR THE PUBLIC THAT WE WILL PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A VERY DEFINITE LONG RANGE STRATEGIC PLAN TO FIND SOME SPACE FOR OUR MEDICAL EXAMINERS AND CRIME LABS.
IS THAT A, DAVID, IS THAT A GOOD STATEMENT OR NOT? YES, SIR.
YOU GOT US 10 YEARS, BUT THE GOOD THING IS BECAUSE THERE'S NO LEASE PAYMENT INVOLVED.
IF WE WERE READY TO MOVE OUT EARLIER THAN THAT, WE COULD MAKES SENSE.
THA THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION, JUDGE.
I COULDN'T REMEMBER, UM, THE, THE LENGTH OF THAT, BUT IT MAKES SENSE IF WE'RE GONNA PUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN, WE'RE GONNA BE THERE AT LEAST FOR, UH, A DECADE.
WE, WE, WE, AGAIN, THE, I WANTED TO, I, I KIND OF GLANCED THROUGH IT, BUT I WAS SAYING THAT THIS ISN'T A FULL GUT OF MULTIPLE FLOORS OF THIS BUILDING.
SO WE LOOKED VERY HARD AT WHAT EXACTLY WALLS WE HAD TO TAKE DOWN.
WHAT DID WE HAVE TO DO TO CREATE THOSE OFFICE SPACES? WE WANT TO DO A REALLY DISTINCT, UH, PRUDENT RENOVATION TO GET THEM THE SPACE THEY NEED WITHOUT, LIKE I SAID, INVESTING MONEY IN A FACILITY THAT MAY OR MAY NOT RETAIN, UH, THROUGH THE FLIGHT.
COMMISSIONER COT, YOU STILL WITH US? THERE HE IS.
THE COURT? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, DAN, I'M GONNA RAISE SOMETHING THAT'S TOTALLY NOT ON YOUR, UH, LIST HERE, BUT IT'S A CONSTANT QUESTION I GET.
WHEN ARE WE GONNA FIX THE BATHROOMS IN THE HISTORIC COURTROOMS AND MORE PARTICULARLY THE BATHROOMS FOR WOMEN? UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING A STRATEGY WHERE WE'RE GONNA DO THE FOURTH FLOOR FIRST.
SO THE FOURTH FLOOR RESTROOMS, UM, ARE WE'VE AWARDED AN AGREEMENT TO DEMOLISH AND ABATE ANY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IN THOSE RESTROOMS. UM, THERE IS, I WANNA BE CLEAR, THERE IS NO HAZARD TO THE, THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW, BUT BEHIND THE WALLS THERE IS SOME STUFF WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF FIRST STATE REQUIREMENTS AND THE TIMELINE FOR THAT.
SO WE BELIEVE THE DURATION FOR ABATEMENT AND DEMOLITION IS ABOUT 21 DAYS.
SO WE THINK THAT'S ABOUT A MONTH FROM NOW.
AND THEN WE'RE WORKING WITH PURCHASING ON ISSUING THE BUILD BACK BID, UH, AND ISSUING THAT SOLICITATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO, SO WHEN I GET THAT QUESTION, I'M GONNA HAVE, I'M GONNA, UH, UH, SHOW HIM THIS VIDEO.
THAT, OR GIVE HIM MY PHONE NUMBER.
I'M SURE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTION.
NO, I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT TO YOU.
I'M JUST GONNA TELL HIM THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.
[3. Presentation and discussion related to Bexar County Department of Economic and Community Development FY 24-25 staffing levels and management and development of future Bexar County affordable housing initiatives.]
TO AGENDA ITEM THREE, PRESENTATION DISCUSSION RELATED TO BEXAR COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FY 24 25, STAFFING LEVELS AND MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE BEXAR COUNTY AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES.[02:15:01]
SO WHO'S GONNA PRESENT? I WILL GIVE THE FIRST PART OF THE PRESENTATION, JUDGE, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DAVID MARQUEZ.GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AKAI AND COMMISSIONERS FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS ROBERT REYNA WITH THE BEXAR COUNTY ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
TODAY I PLAN TO PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE REGARDING THE COUNTY'S ONGOING EFFORTS TO TACKLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CHALLENGES AND EXPAND HOUSING OPTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ADDITIONALLY, I PLAN TO REQUEST COURT CONSIDERATION OF A NEW FULL-TIME POSITION TO FURTHER SUPPORT THESE CRITICAL EFFORTS.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, BEXAR COUNTY OPERATES UNDER DYLAN'S RULE, WHICH LIMITS OUR POWERS TO THOSE EXPRESSLY GRANTED US BY THE STATE.
UNLIKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH BROADER HOME RULE AUTHORITY, TRADITIONALLY HOUSING ISN'T WITHIN A COUNTY'S DIRECT AUTHORITY.
OUR ROLE HAS FOCUSED MORE ON INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND OTHER FUNDAMENTAL SERVICES.
HOWEVER, TODAY'S CHALLENGES, NAMELY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, HOMELESSNESS, AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, EXTEND BEYOND CITY LIMITS, REQUIRING US TO THINK BEYOND OUR TRADITIONAL ROLES AND TAKE A MORE ACTIVE APPROACH IN ADDRESSING THESE REGIONAL ISSUES.
AS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTIES IN THE NATION, BEAR COUNTY FACES INCREASING PRESSURE ON ITS HOUSING MARKET, MAKING INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, CRUCIAL FOR MAINTAINING COMMUNITY STABILITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.
OUR RAPID POPULATION GROWTH HAS DRIVEN HOME PRICES, DRIVEN HOME PRICES UP MORE THAN 20% OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, OUTPACING WAGE GROWTH AND MAKING HOUSING INCREASINGLY UNAFFORDABLE FOR MANY RESIDENTS.
ADDRESSING THIS CHALLENGE IS VITAL FOR ENSURING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
ACCORDING TO THE US CENSUS BUREAU, 45% OF RENTERS IN BEXAR COUNTY ARE COST BURDENED SPENDING MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING.
ADDITIONALLY, NEAR THE 15% OF THE COUNTY'S POPULATION, OVER 300,000 PEOPLE LIVE IN POVERTY.
THIS FINANCIAL STRAIN SEVERELY LIMITS THEIR ABILITY TO AFFORD ESSENTIALS SUCH AS HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, AND TRANSPORTATION DIRECTLY IMPACTING THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
THE ISSUE IS THE CURRENT MINIMUM WAGE IN TEXAS, WHICH STANDS AT 7 25 AN HOUR.
AT THIS WAGE, A FULL-TIME WORKER EARNS JUST OVER $15,000 ANNUALLY, MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO AFFORD ADEQUATE HOUSING WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL STRAIN.
SO BY INVESTING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BEAR COUNTY ALLEVIATES MARKET PRESSURES AND FOSTERS MORE STABLE, VIBRANT COMMUNITIES.
AFFORD HOUSING, IMPROVES PUBLIC HEALTH BY PROVIDING SAFER LIVING CONDITIONS AND ENHANCES EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN BY ENSURING THEY HAVE A STABLE HOME ENVIRONMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING GENERATES SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, INCLUDING JOB CREATION, INCREASED CONSUMER SPENDING, AND HIGHER PROPERTY VALUES IN SURROUNDING AREAS.
SO WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT ALLOCATED $20 MILLION IN CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVE.
THESE DECISIONS REFLECT THE COUNTY'S ONGOING DEDICATION TO ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING CHALLENGES, PARTICULARLY IN RESPONSE TO ISSUES EXACERBATED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
OUR FUNDS WERE STRATEGICALLY ALLOCATED ACROSS THREE PRIMARY AREAS, $8 MILLION FOR MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING, $5 MILLION FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING, AND $7 MILLION FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
OUR
BY DIRECTING OUR RESOURCES TOWARDS THESE LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES, WE AIM TO DELIVER A RANGE OF HOUSING OPTIONS THAT ADDRESS THEIR DIVERSE NEEDS, WHETHER IT'S SECURING AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING, MAINTAINING HOME OWNERSHIP, OR PROVIDING SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS WITH A DISABLING CONDITION.
OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE AND RESILIENT HOUSING LANDSCAPE THAT ENSURES ALL RESIDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME, HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING.
SO OUR INVESTMENTS IN MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE CREATION OF OVER 1200 UNITS ACROSS ALL FOUR PRECINCTS.
THE PANDEMIC EXACERBATED CHALLENGES FOR DEVELOPERS, INCLUDING SEVERE SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS, ESCALATING CONSTRUCTION COSTS, AND VOLATILE INTEREST RATES, RENDERING MEN RENDERING MANY OF THESE PROJECTS ECONOMICALLY UNFEASIBLE.
SO WITHOUT THE COUNTY'S STRATEGIC INTERVENTION, MANY OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS WOULD NOT HAVE COME TO FRUITION.
BEXAR COUNTY ALSO INVESTED $5 MILLION IN SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING
[02:20:01]
INITIATIVES, RESULTING IN 89 NEW AND PRESERVED UNITS.THIS INCLUDES $4.5 MILLION ALLOCATED TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY FOR 76 HOMES IN, UM, PRECINCTS, ONE IN FOUR.
ADDITIONALLY, 500,000 WAS USED FOR OWNER OCCUPIED HOME REPAIRS THROUGH MERCED HOUSING, TEXAS, AND OUR COSTS US RESIDENT COUNCIL ADDRESSING 13 UNITS ACROSS ALL PRECINCTS.
THESE INVESTMENTS EXPAND HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND HELP MAINTAIN STABLE LIVING CONDITIONS BY PRESERVING EXISTING HOUSING.
LASTLY, BEXAR COUNTY COMMITTED $7 MILLION TO SUPPORT HOMELESS INITIATIVES AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THIS INCLUDES SIGNIFICANT FUNDING FOR TWO SIM MINISTRIES PROJECTS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT HAVEN FOR HOPE, AND A PILOT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS STREET OUTREACH.
THESE EFFORTS AIM TO EXPAND HOUSING OPTIONS AND ENHANCE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, PROACTIVELY ADDRESSING THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE ACCESSING TRADITIONAL SERVICES.
SO AS WE CONTEMPLATE THE END OF ARPA, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO REASSESS OUR STAFFING LEVELS TO ENSURE WE ARE ADEQUATELY PREPARED TO MANAGE FUTURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES IF THE COURT DEEMS IT APPROPRIATE.
THAT SAID, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DAVID MARQUEZ, TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS REGARDING OUR STAFFING PROPOSAL.
BEFORE WE, UH, THANK YOU, ROBERT.
CAN I ASK A WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, ON THE SLIDE, UH, WE DO HAVE THE, UH, UH, ARPA FUNDED STAFF.
UH, WE'VE BEEN, UH, STRATEGICALLY MANNING THE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN BOTH ARPA FUNDING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT AND HUD FUNDING THAT WE USE AS WELL, AND SOME LIMITED GENERAL FUNDS AS WELL IN THAT STRATEGY.
UH, YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, SLIDE NINE, UH, THAT THIS TEAM, AS YOU WELL KNOW, MANAGES A VERY ROBUST WORKLOAD.
UH, THERE ARE SEVEN, UH, PROFESSIONALS ON THE TEAM.
UM, WE HAVE LEFT TWO OF THOSE POSITIONS STRATEGICALLY VACANT.
UH, THIS, THESE SKILLS ARE VERY, UH, SPECIALIZED AND DIFFICULT TO SOURCE, UH, PRIMARILY OWING TO THE REQUIREMENT TO BE VERY PROFICIENT WITH, UH, CFR 200 AND OTHER FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
IN FACT, AS ROBERT AND I WERE TALKING BEFORE THE MEETING, UM, WE DIDN'T MENTION IN HERE THAT WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING STAFF SUPPORT FOR THAT TYPE OF, OF, UH, SPECIALTY, UH, KNOWLEDGE IN FEDERAL REGULATIONS FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS THEY DEPLOY SOME OF THEIR GRANT FUNDING.
AND THAT WORKLOAD FALLS ONTO THIS STAFF AS WELL.
UH, BUT OUR, OUR GOAL IN LEAVING THOSE POSITIONS VACANT IS TO BE ABLE TO TRANSITION, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE ARPA FUNDING.
ONCE THOSE FUNDING PERIODS END BACK TO POSITIONS THAT ARE, UH, FUNDED THROUGH MORE STABLE FUNDING LIKE CDBG.
UH, THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO BE NIMBLE AND ADAPTABLE AND ENSURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THOSE PROJECTS EVEN AFTER ARPA FUNDING ENDS.
SO AT PRESENT, WE'RE NOT ONLY OVERSEEING THE 14 ARPA FUNDED PROJECTS THAT ROBERT OUT, UH, LAID OUT FOR YOU, BUT WE ALSO ADMINISTER 63 CONTRACTS THROUGH THIS DEPARTMENT THAT SPAN ACROSS SIX DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. THE PROGRAMS ARE VERY DIVERSE.
THEY COVER EVERYTHING FROM LITERACY INITIATIVES, STREET INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND NEW INITIATIVES LIKE THE STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM THAT WE, UH, UH, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COLLABORATIVELY DEVELOP WITH THE CITY OF LEON VALLEY AND, UH, HAVEN FOR HOPE.
THESE SCOPE AND COMPLEXITY OF THESE PROJECTS ARE VARIED, UH, BUT THEY OFTEN INVOLVE, AGAIN, THESE INTRICATE FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT REQUIRE CAREFUL, CAREFUL ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND COMPLIANCE.
UH, SO GIVEN THE COMPLEXITY AND THE BREADTH OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES, HAVING THIS HIGHLY TRAINED STAFF IS CRUCIAL.
UH, OUR CURRENT TEAM OPERATES WITH THE IMPRESSIVE LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY, BUT AS THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO EXPAND ON THESE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ADDITIONAL STAFF, UH, WE BELIEVE IS NECESSARY, UH, THESE WOULD ENSURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER ON THE HIGH QUALITY OUTCOMES, MANAGE THE EXPANDING PORTFOLIO PROJECTS, AND EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT YOUR VISION FOR CONTIN, UH, CONTINUED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, UH, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.
COMMISSIONER CALVERT, GO AHEAD.
I WANT, I WANNA THANK, I WANNA THANK OUR TEAM.
PHENOMENAL TEAM THERE, UH, WORKING ON HOUSING AND I SUPPORT THIS HIGHLY.
YOU'RE, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU, COMMISSIONER.
SO MY, MY QUESTION IN SHORT IS AROUND THE MERCED HOUSING SINGLE FAMILY OWNER OCCUPIED
[02:25:01]
REHAB, I NOTICED THAT OUR COSTAS RESIDENCE COUNCIL DID 10 HOMES AT, UH, WELL, I GUESS FOR 300,000, BUT MERCED DID THREE AT 200,000.AND I'M NOT PICKING ON MERCED.
UM, I RECALL THE WORK THEY DO, THEY'VE BEEN OUR LEAD PARTNER ON REHAB.
BUT JUST IN TERMS OF EFFICIENCY OF GETTING, I MEAN AT LEAST A HOME IN EVERY PRECINCT, UM, IS IT TIME THAT WE KIND OF EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE, THAT PARTICULAR AMOUNT OF MONEY AND OR LOOK AT THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIP THAT WOULD BE DEVELOPED TO HELP, UH, WITH VENDORS WHO COULD HELP US TRICK OUR DOLLARS AND SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTORS WORKING WITH A GROUP LIKE, UH, WHICH THEY DO, BUT I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, 200,000, THREE HOMES, 67,000 PER HOME.
OBVIOUSLY THAT INCLUDES THE STAFFING COSTS, BUT WHY SO FEW HOME? YES, COMMISSIONER, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
UM, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB PROGRAM AT MERCED AND OUR COSTAS RESIDENT COUNCIL IS ONE IS A MINOR, UH, REHAB PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE A THRESHOLD OF, I THINK $25,000 PER HOME.
AND THE OTHER IS A, UH, MAJOR REHAB, UH, PROGRAM.
SO THAT EXPLAINS WHY WE HAVE A LOT LESS, UM, HOMES BEING RENOVATED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, YEAH, I, OH, MR. CLIFFS, I HAVE A QUESTION, KIND OF LOOK FOR WHERE IT'S AT.
SO IT SAYS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION, WHO'S OVER THAT? UH, THAT'S MYSELF.
COMMISSIONER, YOU'RE OVER THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION.
SO THERE'S SEVEN PEOPLE IN THAT.
COMMISSIONER THERE WE HAVE SEVEN TEAM MEMBERS.
AND IS HOUSING, UH, PART OF THAT OR HOUSING IS SEPARATE? UM, HOUSING IS, UH, TECHNICALLY PART OF THAT.
SO SEVEN IS ALL ENCOMPASSING TO INCLUDE OUR TWO ARPA TEAM MEMBERS AS WELL AS THAT INCLUDE YOU.
UM, THAT ALSO INCLUDES MYSELF.
SO IT SAYS TWO POSITIONS ARE STRATEGICALLY LEFT VACANT, SO TWO POSITIONS ARE LEFT VACANT, WHICH, WHICH I UNDERSTAND 'CAUSE YOU HAVE PEOPLE, WE HAVE ARPA DOLLARS THAT ARE PAYING FOR SOME OF THE TEAM MEMBERS AND THEY'RE LEFT VACANT.
BUT IF THE TWO, UM, POSITIONS THAT ARE LEFT VACANT, IF THERE ARE POSITIONS THAT THE BUDGET ALREADY ALLOCATED TO YOU GUYS, SO IS THERE SOMETHING THAT'S, ARE THERE SOME NEEDS THAT AREN'T BEING MET BECAUSE THEY'RE LEFT VACANT? NO.
SO THE REASON THAT THEY'RE LEFT VACANT IS BECAUSE THEY'RE FUNDED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.
AND SO THEY HAVE TO FOCUS ON OTHER HUD INITIATIVES.
WE CAN'T DEPLOY THEM FOR, UM, UH, ARPA PROJECTS.
UM, SO THEY'RE FUNDED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.
UM, ARPA IS A SEPARATE PROGRAM ALTOGETHER FUNDED BY THE US TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE CAN'T INTER LAB, SO IF THEY'RE FUNDED THROUGH CBDG, WE DON'T HAVE TO USE THAT FUNDING FOR THIS YEAR.
WHAT YOU DO OFTEN SAY, COMMISSIONER IN RESPONSE TO THAT? YOU DO? DAVID? DAVID, I'M SORRY, JUDGE.
I THINK COMMISSIONER CLIFF FLORES ASKED EARLIER QUESTION I THAT I'M GONNA REPEAT.
WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR TODAY? I, I APPRECIATE THE POWERPOINT, BUT WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR IN THIS BUDGET WORK SESSION TODAY THAT YOU'RE EITHER OUR, OUR BUDGET REQUEST IS HERE INCLUDED, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF USING THE PUBLIC FINANCE CORPORATION TO FUND IT FULL TIME.
WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR? ARE YOU ASKING FOR A POSITION, FULLTIME POSITION FROM THE PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION.
ALRIGHT, WHAT ELSE? THAT WAS IT FOR THIS, THAT'S ALL FOR THIS, FOR THIS PROGRAM? YES, SIR.
WELL, WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR YOUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT? OR IS ARE YOU GONNA BREAK YOUR PRESENTATION UP, DAVID? IT'S THE DISCUSSION THAT WAS AGENDIZED WAS FOR HOUSING.
SO THERE MAY BE OTHER REQUESTS FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND FU OTHER WORK SESSIONS.
UM, I WASN'T QUITE, UH, CLEAR JUDGE ON THAT, WHETHER I NEEDED TO BRING THAT FOR YOU TODAY OR FOR A FUTURE MEETING.
NO, I'M JUST, JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION.
ARE YOU GOING TO BRING OTHER BUDGET REQUESTS FOR NEXT MEETING? TALKING ABOUT, SO THIS, I GET IT.
THIS IS FOR ONE POSITION, RIGHT? FOR THE HOUSING SPECIFICALLY POC.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THE BIGGER PICTURE WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT'S ASKING FOR.
WE'RE WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THE BUDGET ANALYST BECAUSE THERE WERE A COUPLE OF ITEMS IN OUR BUDGET THAT WE THINK WERE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED.
UH, NOT RELATED TO HOUSING THAT WE NEED TO RECONCILE THOSE WITH THEM IN OTHER, SO YOU HAVE OTHER REQUESTS THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE MAKING, BUT, BUT WE HAVEN'T COMPLETED OUR DISCUSSION WITH OUR BUDGET ANALYST.
NO, THAT'S, THAT'S SO PENDING THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE HAVE A NEED FOR FURTHER OR NOT.
SO WHEN DOES BUDGET THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE CLARITY TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SO THAT THEY CAN KNOW WHAT
[02:30:01]
THEY WANT TO ASK? I, I THINK WE COULD DO IT TOMORROW.AND WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE COMING BACK THEN? IT WOULD COME, IT WOULD BE ANOTHER WOULD COME BACK.
IT WOULD COME BACK THE MONDAY BEFORE YOU ADOPT.
WELL, AND, AND I JUST, I'M MAKING THIS REMARK.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS MUCH WORK OF THESE WORK SESSIONS IN SO THAT WE DON'T GET, EXCUSE THE TERM, SLAMMED BY LAST MINUTE BUDGET REQUEST.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE YET TO COME.
SO I'M TRYING TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING EVERYBODY COME AT THE LAST MINUTE.
SO WOULD Y'ALL PLEASE GET THOSE ISSUES SO THAT WE'RE CLARIFIED SO THAT THE DEPARTMENTS KNOW WHAT THEY NEED.
BUT TODAY YOU JUST, YOU'RE JUST ASKING FOR ONE POSITION.
COMMISSIONER CALVER, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD ON AFTER THAT CONVERSATION? NO, JUDGE.
ALRIGHT, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES WE HAVE NOW
[EXECUTIVE SESSION (DISCUSSION ONLY: CLOSED TO PUBLIC)]
CLOSED SESSION.SO LET ME RECESS THE OPEN SESSION AND READ INTO THE RECORD THAT THE COURT WILL NOW CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I BELIEVE THERE'S CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT NEED TO REMAIN, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS MAY BE DISCUSSED AND ACT UPON IF APPROPRIATE IN AN OPEN SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.089 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD FOR DELIBERATIONS REGARDING SECURITY DEVICES OR SECURITY AUDITS.
SPECIFICALLY A, A DISCUSSION BY BEXAR COUNTY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RELATED TO NETWORK SECURITY INFORMATION ASSESSMENTS AND OR NETWORK SECURITY INFORMATION AS DESCRIBED BY SECTION 5 51 0.89, SUBSECTION ONE THROUGH SUBSECTION THREE.
THE COURT IS NOW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'LL ASK FOR THOSE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THOSE MATTERS TO PLEASE REMAIN AND THE COUNTY STAFF THAT NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS, PLEASE REMAIN.
OTHERWISE, I'LL ASK EVERYONE ELSE TO PLEASE EXCUSE THEMSELVES AND THEN WE'LL IMMEDIATELY REOPEN PRESUMABLY TO ADJOURN, PRESUMABLY.
WE'RE BACK IN THE OPEN SESSION.
THE TIME IS 4:31 PM IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RICK RODRIGUEZ? SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? SECOND BY SAYING AYE.
WHEN'S OUR NEXT MEETING WORK SESSION, THOMAS, WE HAVE WHAT NEXT TUESDAY, WHICH IS THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY.
WE HAVE A WORK SESSION ON WEDNESDAY.
WE HAVE A WORK SESSION NEXT WEDNESDAY ALL DAY.
MY BIRTHDAY ON MY, AND IT'S ON COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ'S BIRTHDAY, SO PLEASE MAKE NOTE.