Sep 03, 2024 Commissioners Court

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

WE THEN WILL GO FOR THE RECORD.

[CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS (Part 2 of 2) ]

MAY WE NEED AN AMENDMENT THEN ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT TO REMOVE ITEM NUMBER 18 FROM.

OR IS THERE A MOTION? I GUESS WE NEED A MOTION BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED.

SO, ALL GOOD. I THOUGHT I SAID IT, BUT THERE'S A MOTION TO PULL A RECONSIDERATION OF ITEM 18.

I WILL AMEND THE MOTION.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY TO PULL ITEM 18 FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. COMMISSIONER CALVERT, ITEM 18 AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, ARPA.

[18. Authorizing the execution of an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) agreement with NAMI San Antonio to administer a program to provide mental health education to youths and the adults who care for and/or work with youths in the amount of $1,587,979, to include any appropriate budget transfer necessary, as requested by the Office of the County Manager; and authorizing the Purchasing Agent to execute and file appropriate award documents for record. ]

AN AGREEMENT WITH NAMI SAN ANTONIO FOR TO ADMINISTER A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION TO YOUTH AND THE ADULTS WHO CARE FOR AND OR WORK WITH YOUTH.

[00:25:08]

IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,000,587 $979 TO INCLUDE ANY APPROPRIATE BUDGET TRANSFER NECESSARY AS REQUESTED BY THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY MANAGER.

AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE AND FILE APPROPRIATE AWARD DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, DOC, FOR COMING UP.

AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IN THE LAST COMMISSIONERS COURT WORK SESSION, THERE WAS AN OUTCRY FROM THE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN THE CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR THEIR STUDENTS. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE BEING PUT TOGETHER IN AGENDA 18, ITEM 18, AND HOW SOMEONE MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE IN A CHARTER SCHOOL OR OTHER PLACES DEALING WITH YOUTH IN THE FAMILIES IN THIS CONTRACT.

RIGHT. DOCTOR ANDREA GUERRERO, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

SO THE BRIDGES TO CARE PROGRAM IS A FAITH BASED PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY TARGETING YOUTH TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ON AT A VARIETY OF LEVELS.

I'M GOING TO DEFER TO OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MANAGER, LETICIA DOMINGUEZ, BECAUSE SHE'S MUCH MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE INS AND OUTS OF HOW THAT WORKS.

AND WE HAVE MR. DOUG BEACH HERE FROM.

YEAH. DOUG'S HERE. DOUG, YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO COMMENT A LITTLE BIT ON THE QUESTION IF YOU NEED ME TO REPEAT IT, I'M HAPPY.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD MORNING.

ENJOYED OUR CONVERSATION LAST WEEK OR TWO, WHENEVER IT WAS.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AND TO SPEAK ON THIS.

SO OUR PROGRAM IS AIMED AT YOUTH, AND WE KNOW THAT 50% OF MENTAL ILLNESS BEGINS BY AGE 14, 75% BY AGE 24.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION.

WE KNOW THAT THE SOONER PEOPLE GET HELP, THE BETTER THE OUTCOMES, AND PEOPLE TYPICALLY WAIT OVER TEN YEARS BEFORE THEY FIRST GET HELP.

SO THIS INITIATIVE IS AIMED AT WE ARE SELECTING AND INTERVIEWING SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO GO DIRECTLY TO PROVIDE EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS. BUT WE ALSO HAVE A PORTION OF THIS PROGRAM THAT WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE SAME TOPICS TO THE PARENTS OF THOSE STUDENTS, SO THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT OCCUR IN THE FAMILIES OR OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL.

EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE.

EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUES SURROUNDING MENTAL HEALTH.

SO YOU AND NAMI HAVE DONE TREMENDOUS ORGANIZING THE FAITH BASED COMMUNITY AROUND THE DESTIGMATIZATION AND ACCESS TO CARE.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU.

SO I WOULD SAY PRIMARILY THE PORTAL OF OR THE PIPELINE OF FOLKS WHO WOULD COME THROUGH.

IT MIGHT BE THROUGH THOSE FAITH BASED INSTITUTIONS, CORRECT? WELL, BOTH FAITH BASED AND THROUGH SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT WHEN WE GO INTO A COMMUNITY THAT THAT ENGAGES BOTH FAITH COMMUNITIES, SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YWCA, YMCA, SO THAT TOGETHER THOSE FORM A PRETTY GOOD NETWORK OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT, AND WHEN THE COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER LIKE THAT, THE OUTCOMES ARE BETTER AND LAST LONGER.

SO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MANY COUNSELORS WOULD BE A PART OF THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET, OR IS IT TOPIC BASED WORKSHOPS OR IS IT THESE? THESE ARE IN PERSON.

THESE ARE WORKSHOPS WITH THE STUDENTS.

WE HAVE ABOUT EIGHT DIFFERENT CORE MODULES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS.

AND I'M SORRY THE REST OF YOUR QUESTION.

WELL, JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT THE WORKSHOPS WOULD COVER.

SO BASICALLY THE WORKSHOPS ARE GOING TO COVER.

LET ME JUST TELL YOU BECAUSE I HAVE IT HERE.

MINDFULNESS, SELF-REGULATION, SKILL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHY BOUNDARIES, HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, CYBER SAFETY, HOW TO DEAL WITH PEER PRESSURE, SELF HARM, AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS FOR TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AND YOUTH AND TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.

SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF COURSES.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID, WE'VE BEEN PILOTING THESE COURSES THIS YEAR AND WE LISTENED TO THE STUDENTS.

WE HELD FOCUS GROUPS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE BETTER EDUCATION ON? AND FOR EXAMPLE, THE TEEN DATING VIOLENCE WAS ONE OF THOSE.

CYBER SAFETY WAS ANOTHER SUBSTANCE USE WAS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WAS BIG.

SO WE'VE LISTENED TO THE STUDENTS AND WE'VE LISTENED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AND I THINK WE FOUND OVERALL JUST A TREMENDOUS LEVEL OF INTEREST ON THE PART OF THE SCHOOLS.

I MEAN, WE'RE ALL OVERWHELMED BY THIS, BY MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK THE SCHOOLS ARE READY, ANXIOUS AND WILLING TO PARTICIPATE.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM AND WITH FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

ALL RIGHT. SUPER TOPICS I AGREE.

SO IF SOMEONE FEELS LIKE THEY NEED MORE ONE ON ONE ATTENTION TO ACTUALLY SEE A CLINICIAN, WHAT IS THE PATHWAY FOR THEM THROUGH EITHER THIS

[00:30:01]

PROGRAM OR MAYBE ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WE'RE FUNDING.

WE'RE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, WHEN A STUDENT OR A FAMILY REALIZES THAT THERE MAY BE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, WHAT WE'LL HAVE THROUGH OUR THROUGH ANOTHER PROGRAM IS WE HAVE A NAVIGATION SERVICES.

WHEN PEOPLE CALL AND WHEN THEY CALL OUR WARM LINE, WE'RE ABLE TO TALK TO THEM.

A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE CALL NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE IS, BUT IF THEY'VE MAYBE HAD SOME EDUCATION AND CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, THEN WE CAN HELP REFER THEM. BUT WITHIN THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES, THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO DO IS CREATE THE CONVERSATION IN THE SCHOOL.

AND THEN THE SCHOOLS HAVE COUNSELORS IN MANY CASES, AND ALSO THE PARENTS.

THE PARENTS NEED TO GET ENGAGED AT THIS POINT AND HELP FIND RESOURCES AS WELL.

WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THIS IS A REMARKABLE IMPROVEMENT FROM A DECADE AGO WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE.

AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT YOU HAVE ORGANIZED.

AND I USE THAT WORD WITH INTENT BECAUSE IT HAS NOT BEEN JUST BY WILLY NILLY OSMOSIS.

IT HAS BEEN WORK, AND YOU ALL HAVE CLEARLY PUT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL.

SO I MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM 18.

SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES. YEAH.

JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU GUYS ON THE RECENT PATHWAYS TO HOPE AND NAMI AND THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO.

I'M GLAD I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND, AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU GUYS HAD A REALLY GREAT TURNOUT.

SO CONTINUE TO DO THE GREAT WORK THAT WE DO WITH NAMI.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU PRESENTING. AND I'M STILL FULLY, YOU KNOW, GRASPING ALL THE DIFFERENT TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

NO, I APPRECIATE YOU.

BUT I DO THINK THAT COMMISSIONER CALVERT'S POINT TO A VALID QUESTION.

AND I THINK WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE DISCUSSIONS ON IT GOING FORWARD.

AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE GAPS.

I KNOW WE PUT A LOT OF FUNDING INTO DIFFERENT ISDS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAD SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

I KNOW THERE'S SOME THERE'S CHARTER SCHOOLS OUT THERE.

THERE'RE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT LIKELY NEED THAT SAME KIND OF SUPPORT.

THEY HAVE YOUTH GOING THROUGH THE SAME ISSUES.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE'RE MINDFUL OF THAT AND TRY TO FILL THOSE GAPS AS BEST WE CAN.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. COURT'S GOING TO CALL FOR A VOTE.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS.

MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU, MR. BEACH.

GREAT CONFERENCE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT.

I BELIEVE THE NEXT ONE IN LINE WILL BE 31, 30, 31.

YOU SAID 31 AND 32.

OR DID YOU? WELL, I DON'T SEE THEY'RE ALL THE SAME.

RIGHT? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. I THINK, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, YOU ASKED THESE TO BE PULLED.

[Items 31 & 32]

I'LL CALL THEM UP FOR BOTH FOR CONSIDERATION.

AWARDING A PURCHASE ORDER TO ARAM PUBLIC PLUMBING, INC.

A RESPONSIBLE BIDDER WHO SUBMITTED THE LOWEST AND BEST BID FOR THE PURCHASE AND DELIVERY OF 339 POOLS BY SLOW FLUSH VALVES AND HANDLE ADAPTERS IN THE BASE BID OF $122,924.79, AS REQUESTED BY THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE AND FILE AN APPROPRIATE AWARD.

DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD.

32. AWARDING A PURCHASE ORDER TO ARAM PLUMBING, INC.

A RESPONSIBLE BIDDER WHO SUBMITTED THE LOWEST AND BEST BID FOR THE PURCHASE AND DELIVERY OF 1344 ACORN AC DRINKING FOUNTAIN BUBBLERS IN THE BASE BID OF $752,989.75, AS REQUESTED BY THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND AUTHORIZED PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE AND THE APPROPRIATE WORD DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU.

JUDGE. I APPRECIATE THAT. DAN.

I DON'T NEED NECESSARILY A PRESENTATION ON THIS.

I WANTED TO SIMPLY PULL IT TO RECOGNIZE REALLY THE SUCCESS OF A LOCAL MINORITY SMALL BUSINESS.

I DON'T KNOW IF ALBERT OR TRISH RAMIREZ ARE HERE.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS JUDGE BECAUSE THIS IS A AGAIN, LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESS WHO HAVE KIND OF WORKED UP THROUGH.

YEAH. PLEASE STAND. AND IF YOU WANT TO COME UP, YOU'RE WELCOME TO WORK THROUGH OUR, OUR MENTOR PROTEGE PROGRAM THROUGH RENE'S SHOP.

BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR A LONG TIME HERE SINCE 1998, IN SAN ANTONIO.

EARNED THESE CONTRACTS THROUGH, I THINK, SOME OF THEM.

LOW BID. BEST BID.

BUT WANTED TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THE SUCCESS NUMBER ONE OF THE PROGRAM THAT RENE RUNS, BUT ALSO YOU KNOW, THEY'RE A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS WHO ALSO, IF YOU RECALL, DURING THE SNOW EVENTS WHEN THINGS WERE SHUT DOWN AND WE COULDN'T FIND PEOPLE TO HELP

[00:35:07]

WITH BUSTED PIPES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THEY STEPPED UP AND HELPED OUT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SIMPLY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR COMMITMENT.

I THINK THIS IS A SUCCESS STORY THAT WE SHOULD ALL USE AS EXAMPLES OF HOW PEOPLE WHO GROW THEIR BUSINESS, WHO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEN DO BUSINESS NOT JUST WITH THE COUNTY OR THE CITY, ALSO FLOURISH IN PROVIDING JOBS TO OTHER FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO ALBERT, TRISH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I WANTED TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE I DON'T WANT THIS TO GO BY SIMPLY ON CONSENT.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR COMMITMENT TO SAN ANTONIO.

NO, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR AWARDING US THIS CONTRACT BECAUSE WE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH ME AND MY FAMILY, SO WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.

I MEAN, WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO TRY TO GET THE BEST PRICE FOR EVERYBODY, AND WE'RE JUST FAIR.

AND WE'RE JUST HERE TO SERVE BEXAR COUNTY.

THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

AND I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE BOTH ITEMS 31 AND 32.

SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

YEAH. I ALSO WANTED TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE RENEE WATSON'S PROGRAM.

AND THANK YOU GUYS.

WHEN I FIRST CAME IN AS COUNTY COMMISSIONER THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PROGRAMS THAT I CHAMPIONED, THIS [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR THAT. AND YOU GUYS STEPPED UP.

SO I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT YOU NEVER GOT TO MEET YOU.

SO JUST CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH IT AND BEING FAITHFUL.

AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE AMOUNT OF THESE CONTRACTS, THEY ARE NOT SMALL.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR STICKING WITH US, GOING THROUGH THE PROGRAM, BELIEVING IN SAN ANTONIO, BELIEVING THE WORK YOU DO.

AND AS WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT TO SUPPORT SMALL, MINORITY, WOMEN OWNED AND VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES.

THANKS. CONGRATULATIONS.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT, IF I MAY SAY A FEW COMMENTS, I JUST WANTED TO THANK ALSO THE BEXAR COUNTY PROTEGE PROGRAM THAT WE WERE A PART OF ALMOST A DECADE AGO.

DURING THAT TIME, WE'RE VERY DIFFICULT TIMES FOR OUR SMALL OWNED FAMILY BUSINESS.

AND IT WASN'T IF IT WASN'T FOR THE MENTOR PROTEGE PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTED AND ADVOCATED FOR US AND HELP US, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.

SO JUST VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY FOR THAT.

THANK YOU.

IN THAT RENEE WATSON'S DEPARTMENT.

YEAH. RENEE WATSON.

YEAH. IS RENEE IN THE ROOM? NO. NOT TODAY.

SHE'S WATCHING. I TEXTED HER TO MAKE SURE I SHOUT OUT TO RENEE WATSON, OUR SMB.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT. THANK YOU.

I'M REALLY GLAD COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ BROUGHT YOU ALL FORWARD.

WHEN I SAW IT ON THE AGENDA, I REMEMBERED I SAID, THOSE ARE THE FOLKS WHO HELPED US WITH THE BROKEN PIPES DURING THE FREEZE.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY GRATEFUL.

AS YOU KNOW, TIMES ARE TOUGH, COSTS ARE HIGH, AND WE HAD TO LEND A HELPING HAND.

AND AS YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE STILL SEEING SOME EFFECTS IN OUR PIPES TO THAT FREEZE.

WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME FOLKS WHO CAME FROM MINNESOTA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT SOMEWHERE WAY UP NORTH, WHERE THEY'RE USED TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, BUT THEY BURY THEIR PIPES DEEPER BECAUSE OF THE FROST.

SO YOU KNOW, EVEN IN MY OWN HOME, I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH SOME PIPE BURSTS THAT I THINK ARE STILL A RAMIFICATION.

THEY WARNED US THAT WE'D BE SEEING THIS MORE AND MORE.

AND YOU PROBABLY SEEN AN INCREASE IN BUSINESS BECAUSE OF THE.

WELL, WE GOT A LOT OF GROWTH HERE.

BUT IT'S ALSO I THINK THAT AFTER EFFECTS.

SO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

WE KNOW IT'S NOT EASY WHEN YOU'RE STARTING OUT AS A BUSINESSPERSON.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE THE CEO.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE THE HUMAN RESOURCES.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE THE JANITOR.

YOU GOT TO DO EVERYTHING MARKETING, BUT YOU'VE DONE IT.

SO KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.

THANK YOU. LET ME ALSO SAY THANK YOU.

BUT, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, TELL ME WHAT A DRINKING FOUNTAIN BUBBLER IS.

YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO CALL ON DAN TO EXPLAIN THAT.

I'LL TAKE THAT ONE. I'M SURE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

IT'S NOT A BUBBLE MACHINE, IS IT? SO I ACTUALLY, I WAS.

DOES THAT MEAN WE GET PERRIER? IT'S SO WE'RE PURCHASING FROM ARAM COMBINATION TOILET AND SINK FIXTURES FOR DETENTION CELLS.

AND PART OF THAT IS A IS A NOZZLE THAT IS A DRINKING FOUNTAIN AS WELL AS THE SINK FAUCET.

AND WE TRADITIONALLY CALL IT A BUBBLER COLLOQUIALLY.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE BUBBLERS ARE.

IT'S A STAINLESS STEEL SOLID FIXTURE THAT CREATES THE OUT STREAM FROM THE.

SO IT'S SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR OUR JAIL AND FOR THOSE THAT OCCUPY JAIL EQUIPMENT.

EXACTLY. AND LISTEN, I WANT TO SAY WE APPRECIATE VENDORS LIKE ARAM BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AFRAID TO DO THE HARD STUFF.

THE WORK AT THE JAIL AND THE WORK IN THAT ENVIRONMENT IS NOT EASY.

AND THERE'S VERY FEW SELECT PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO TAKE THAT TASK ON, AND THESE GUYS ARE ONE OF THEM.

SO LET ME THANK ARAM PLUMBING AGAIN.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

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

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS.

[00:40:01]

MOTION CARRIES. GET THAT JOB DONE.

THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. I BELIEVE THE NEXT ITEM IN

[54. Approval of appointment of the following individuals to the listed board: ]

LINE IS 54.

APPROVAL OF APPOINTMENT OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO THE LISTED BOARD.

ITEMS BY PREVENTIVE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.

DOCTOR GUERRERO.

COMMISSIONER MOODY, THE FLOOR.

I THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I JUST WANTED TO PULL THIS ITEM TO HIGHLIGHT IT AGAIN AND KIND OF THE CHARGE THAT I GAVE THE COURT AND STAFF WHEN WE PREVIOUSLY HAD THIS ITEM TALKING ABOUT APPOINTMENTS, OR ARE ANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD HERE TODAY? THEY ARE NOT. NO, THEY ARE NOT.

OKAY. SO ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD ABOUT AND DAN, THIS IS ALSO FOR YOU, OBVIOUSLY, WE RECENTLY APPROVED A NEW KENNEL ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY.

I BELIEVE WE APPROVED 96 KENNELS.

WAS THAT CORRECT? BUT IT WAS AT A PRICE TAG OF OVER $10 MILLION.

IS THAT BALLPARK? 9 MILLION? YEAH. TOTAL PROJECT? YES, YES. AGAIN, THE ADDITIONAL KENNELS WERE FACTORED AT ABOUT $3 MILLION.

THE ADDITIONAL 48 KENNEL ADDITIONS THAT THE COURT DIRECTED US TO ADD WAS ABOUT THE PRICE TAG OF ABOUT $3 MILLION, ALL IN, INCLUDING DESIGN FEES, CONSTRUCTION, ET CETERA.

I UNDERSTAND. SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S $100,000 PER KENNEL.

AND WE GOT TO FIND A WAY.

AND I HOPE THIS ADVISORY BOARD CAN HELP US FIND A WAY TO DO THIS AT A LOWER COST POINT FOR THE COUNTY, BECAUSE WE CAN'T BUILD ENOUGH KENNELS AT $100,000 A KENNEL TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE THE ANIMALS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

AND SO I THINK THAT THIS BOARD, I HOPE THEY'RE LOOKING AT VALUE ENGINEERING WITH YOUR TEAM, DAN, I HOPE THEY'RE LOOKING AT PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY, WITH OTHER NONPROFITS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS SPACE.

BUT I HOPE THAT THIS ADVISORY BOARD DIVES INTO THAT BECAUSE, AGAIN, I JUST DON'T THINK THIS IS SUSTAINABLE TO HAVE THOSE KINDS OF COSTS FOR OUR ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES.

ANY THOUGHTS? YES. SO THE ADVISORY BOARD IS BY STATUTE THERE TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE THAT ALL OF THE RABIES VACCINATIONS AND THE WAYS THAT THE WAY THAT THE ANIMALS ARE CARED FOR, THAT THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE STATUTE.

BUT I'D ALSO MAYBE HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT THE NEW FACILITY ABILITY ISN'T JUST KENNELS, IT IS A SURGERY CENTER.

IT'S ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES.

IT'S AN ADOPTION CENTER.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER FUNCTIONS THAT THE FACILITY WILL ACCOMPLISH OUTSIDE OF JUST BEING A PLACE FOR ANIMALS TO BE HOUSED.

SO I'LL JUST OFFER THAT. BUT ALSO, YES, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL DO WILL BE TO PUT INTO PLACE POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND TO ADVISE WITH THEIR BASED ON THEIR EXPERTISE, THE WAY THAT THE FACILITY SHOULD BE RUN.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN DESIGN PHASE.

OUR ANIMAL CARE STAFF HAS BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN MAKING SURE THAT IT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT AND THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO TO DO THE PROJECT.

OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT.

I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IT AND MAKE SURE, AGAIN, THAT WE'RE TILL HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS, BECAUSE IF THERE'S A WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS AT A MUCH LOWER COST THAN, LET'S BRING THAT BACK TO COURT AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ON IT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU I MOVE APPROVAL.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MOODIE.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

SECOND, COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

YES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

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

APPROVAL OF A REQUEST FROM ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO SCHEDULE SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES.

[56. Approval of a request from Economic & Community Development Department (ECD) to schedule Scientific Management Techniques (SMT) training for Bexar County's new Workforce Development Administrator and Manager to gain certification to instruct their proprietary manufacturing technician content. Training will not exceed $53,900. ]

LET'S GO TO ITEM 56.

SMT TRAINING FOR BEXAR COUNTY.

NEW WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR MANAGER TO GAIN CERTIFICATION TO INSTRUCT THEIR PROPRIETARY MANUFACTURING TECHNICIAN CONTENT TRAINING WILL NOT EXCEED $53,900. COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES, DO YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? HI. GOOD MORNING. DEBORAH.

GOOD MORNING.

YEAH, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS.

I KNOW IT'S COME BEFORE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COURT, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS TRAINING IS IT'S NEEDED, AND IT'S AN INVESTMENT.

THIS IS FOR A NEW PERSON WE JUST HIRED.

CORRECT? CORRECT. IT'S FOR TWO NEW INDIVIDUALS.

SO ONE WORD. SO, IT'S NOT 53 FOR ONE PERSON? NO, MA'AM. OKAY.

AND IS THERE ANY KIND OF AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS WITH, WITH HR BUT IS THERE ANY KIND OF IS THERE ANYTHING IN A CONTRACT THAT SAYS THEY NEED TO STAY HERE FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE AREN'T COMING AND GETTING TRAININGS AND THEN THEY LEAVE.

YEAH. SO CURRENTLY WE DO NOT HAVE THAT IN PLACE.

[00:45:03]

THE PREVIOUS PERSON THAT WAS IN ONE OF THOSE ROLES RETIRED.

AND THEN WE BACKFILLED THAT POSITION AND WE HAVE ANOTHER ADMINISTRATOR POSITION OPEN.

SO THEY WERE BUDGETED FOR THE TRAINING.

BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD WORK WITH HR TO SEE IF THAT IS SOMETHING OF INTEREST.

YEAH. AND IF YOU ALL CAN JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE, WHEN THEY'RE ONBOARDING, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF COMMITMENT IN THE VETTING PROCESS.

OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MOVE FOR APPROVAL OKAY.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

ANY FURTHER COMMENT OR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES ALL INDIVIDUAL ITEMS THAT WERE PULLED FOR CONSIDERATION.

IS THERE ANY ONES I MISSED? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GO BACK THEN IN THE REGULAR ORDER.

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

ITEM. AGENDA ITEM FIVE.

FILING FOR THE RECORD, THE FOLLOWING LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS.

DIRECTING THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO TAKE ACTION NECESSARY UNDER SUBSECTIONS A, B, C, D.

THE COURT WILL TAKE NOTE OF THOSE ITEMS. ITEM SIX.

[6. Commissioners Court minutes for Tuesday, August 20, 2024. ]

AND CAN I HAVE THE CITIZENS, MISS ELIZABETH? COMMISSIONERS COURT MINUTES FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 2024.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

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

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.

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

AND I UNDERSTAND WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW.

SO LET ME HELP THE GROUP.

I'M ON AGENDA ITEM SEVEN.

I'M GOING TO CALL THOSE THAT HAVE ASKED TO SPEAK UNDER SEVEN, WHICH IS CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.

ALSO NOTE THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER GROUP THAT HAS SIGNED UNDER AGENDA ITEM 66.

I'M NOT SKIPPING YOU.

I WILL CALL YOU PRIOR TO THE CALLING OF ITEM 66 AND SO 66.

I'M NOT SKIPPING Y'ALL.

I'M JUST GOING TO CALL UP THOSE THAT SIGNED UP UNDER AGENDA ITEM SEVEN FIRST.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES DANA LAMBERT OR DEANNA LAMBERT.

AND THERE'S A WHOLE GROUP.

DO Y'ALL WISH I THINK Y'ALL SPOKE AT A WORK SESSION.

DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK INDIVIDUALLY AGAIN? YES I WILL.

I WILL CEDE MY TIME TO MY COLLEAGUE RUBEN DE LOS SANTOS.

YOU SAID. WHAT NOW? I WILL CEDE MY TIME TO MY COLLEAGUE RUBEN DE LOS SANTOS.

OKAY. SO. BUT EVERYBODY ELSE WILL SPEAK INDIVIDUALLY.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WHAT'S YOUR NAME? YES. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS RUBEN DE LOS SANTOS.

ALL RIGHT, MR. DE LOS SANTOS, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JUAN DE LOS SANTOS, AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF FUTURO SAN ANTONIO.

WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM, PARENTS, EDUCATORS AND SUPPORTERS HERE TODAY WHO BRAVED THE RAIN THIS MORNING TO SPEAK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. OUR ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO CHAMPIONING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND THE OVERALL WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL FAMILIES. THREE MAJOR CONCERNS HAVE EMERGED THE NEED FOR ROBUST STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINING A STRONG AND WELL-SUPPORTED TEACHER WORKFORCE AND ENSURING CONTINUED ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

TODAY, I WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO A CRITICAL ISSUE THAT RESONATES DEEPLY WITH MANY FAMILIES IN BEXAR COUNTY.

THAT IS THE NECESSITY FOR EVERY STUDENT TO HAVE FAIR AND EQUAL ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES.

RECENT DATA REVEALS A DEEPLY CONCERNING TREND.

NEARLY HALF OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED FEELINGS OF DESPAIR AND HELPLESSNESS.

37% HAVE REPORTED THAT THESE EMOTIONAL STRUGGLES ARE SO INTENSE THAT THEY IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO FUNCTION DAY TO DAY.

24% HAVE RESORTED TO SMOKING, VAPING OR DRUG USE AS A COPING MECHANISM.

OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY FEMALE STUDENTS AND LGBTQ PLUS YOUTH, ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED.

WHILE THESE STATISTICS MAY SEEM LIKE ABSTRACT NUMBERS, THEY PAINT A PICTURE OF THE URGENT AND REAL NEEDS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

AT FUTURO, WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO MEETING THESE URGENT NEEDS, PARTICULARLY CONCERNING STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH.

WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATE THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT DECISION TO ALLOCATE OVER $20 MILLION TO MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES WITHIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

HOWEVER, IT IS TROUBLING THAT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS, WHICH SERVE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF OUR COMMUNITY, HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM ACCESS TO THIS CRUCIAL FUNDING. THIS EXCLUSION AFFECTS 25,000 STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, LEAVING THEM WITHOUT ESSENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.

PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE HOME TO A DIVERSE AND OFTEN UNDERSERVED STUDENT POPULATION, WITH UP TO 98% OF THEIR STUDENTS COMING FROM ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS.

[00:50:02]

THE EXCLUSION FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING HAS RESULTED IN A SHORTFALL OF ABOUT $2.5 MILLION IN MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR THESE SCHOOLS, AN IMPACT THAT SEVERELY HAMPERS THESE SCHOOLS' ABILITY TO PROVIDE CRITICAL SERVICES LIKE COUNSELING, TRAUMA INFORMED CARE, AND CRISIS PREVENTION.

TODAY, I URGE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ADDRESS THIS TRUSTLESS OVERSIGHT BY ALLOCATING ABOUT 2.5 MILLION SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS ATTENDING PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN OUR COUNTY.

THE FUNDING IS VITAL TO ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF SCHOOL THEY ATTEND, HAVE ACCESS TO THE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT THEY DESPERATELY NEED IN PRECINCT TWO ALONE. THE EXCLUSION HAS LED TO $768,000 IN MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING LOSS FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS, IMPACTING NEARLY 10,000 STUDENTS.

SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND WE HOPE TO COUNT WITH YOUR SUPPORT.

AND WE'LL BE HEARING FROM SOME OF OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE HERE TO SHARE THEIR SUPPORT FOR THIS AS WELL.

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE.

PRISCILLA PALERMO.

MY NAME IS PRISCILLA PALERMO, AND I'M A MOTHER OF THREE LIVING ON THE EAST SIDE.

MY YOUNGEST IS IN ISN'T DAYCARE AND MY OTHER TWO CHILDREN ATTEND IDAHO CARVER, WHICH IS ALSO ON THE EAST SIDE.

I'M HERE TODAY WITH SOME MEMBERS OF THE FUTURO SAN ANTONIO FAMILY ADVOCACY TEAM, ASKING FOR THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING FOR SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN BEXAR COUNTY.

MENTAL HEALTH IS A PERSONAL ISSUE FOR MY 12 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND JOSEPHINE, SHE STRUGGLES WITH DEPRESSION ON A BETTER DAY AND SELF-HARMING IDEATIONS ON A WORSE DAY.

LAST YEAR, MY FAMILY'S FOUNDATIONS WERE ROCKED WHEN JOSEPHINE ASKED IF I THOUGHT ANYBODY WOULD MISS HER THE NEXT DAY.

I KNEW THIS WASN'T AN EMPTY QUESTION, WATCHING HER BREAKDOWN AS I LOOKED IN HER ROOM FOR WHAT SHE WOULD CONSIDER USING TO END HER LIFE WAS HARD, BUT WE FOUND IT. I'VE WORKED IN THE PAST AS AN INVESTIGATOR WITH CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, SO I KNOW THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE FOR A CRISIS SITUATION, BUT IT'S THE AFTER THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH FINDING.

SO I, LIKE MANY OTHER PARENTS, TURNED TOWARDS THE SCHOOL FOR RESOURCES.

MISS STRONG, THE COUNSELOR THERE HAS REACHED OUT TO US.

IT WAS OFFERED SO MUCH HELP AND SOME RESOURCES THROUGH THE SCHOOLS, BUT THAT WASN'T ENOUGH.

WE ONLY HAVE ONE COUNSELOR AND SHE FOR SHE'S NOT ENOUGH FOR THE CAPACITY AT THE SCHOOL.

AS MANY STUDENTS AS THERE ARE WE WERE FORCED TO LOOK OUTWARD FOR A SOLUTION.

AFTER MONTHS OF SEARCHING AND BEING PUT ON WAITING LISTS, SHE FINALLY WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE THE COUNSELING SERVICES SHE NEEDED.

SORRY. JOSEPHINE IS IN A BETTER PLACE THIS YEAR THAN SHE WAS LAST YEAR, AND THANKFULLY SHE HAS NOT HAD ANY SELF-HARMING IDEATIONS RECENTLY.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE A LOT ALREADY TO SUPPORT BEXAR COUNTY STUDENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, BUT WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE A POPULATION OF STUDENTS HAS BEEN LEFT OUT OF THIS FUNDING.

I URGE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ALLOCATE FUNDS TO THE BEXAR COUNTY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS TO ENHANCE EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, ENSURING BETTER SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AS PART OF AN UPCOMING BUDGET.

WHILE SHE'S COMING UP, A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, COULD THEY TURN IT UP JUST A LITTLE BIT? UP IN THE.

MYRA CARRIER, JUDGE.

JUST A LITTLE BIT.

CAN YOU TURN THE MIC UP, PLEASE? A LITTLE BIT LOUDER AT THE PODIUM? JUST A TAD. THANK YOU.

WHERE? YOU GOT TO SPEAK A LITTLE YET? GOOD MORNING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. PERFECT. SO GOOD MORNING.

BUENOS DIAS. MY NAME IS MAYRA ALEJANDRA CARRIER.

I'M ONE OF THE POWERFUL PARENT ADVOCATES AT FUTURO SAN ANTONIO.

AND I'M HERE TO READ ONE OF MY COLLEAGUE'S STATEMENTS.

TABITHA STRONG, THE COUNSELOR THAT ONE OF THE MOTHERS JUST TALKED ABOUT.

GOOD MORNING. I AM TABITHA STRONG, THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT CARVER COLLEGE PREP SERVING ALMOST 700 STUDENTS.

I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ATTEND IN PERSON TODAY DUE TO SUPPORTING A STUDENT RETURNING TO CAMPUS FROM HOSPITALIZATION, I HAVE REQUESTED FUTURO SAN ANTONIO TO INCLUDE MY STATEMENT AS WE ADVOCATE FOR THE FOR THE COUNTY TO ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN BEXAR COUNTY.

AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR, I HAVE OBSERVED AN INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS INCREASED SINCE THE PANDEMIC.

STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING MORE THAN MANAGING THEIR EMOTIONS, LEADING TO HEIGHTENED PEER CONFLICTS.

INCREASED ANXIETY AND AVOIDANCE BEHAVIORS LIKE SKIPPING CLASS OR LEAVING HOME.

STUDENTS ARE RESORTING TO UNHEALTHY COPING MECHANISMS, SUCH AS VAPING OR EXCESSIVE SCREEN TIME TO NUMB THEIR EMOTIONS.

WHILE IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS INCORPORATED THEIR TIER ONE SUPPORTS LIKE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND ENHANCED STAFF TRAINING TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

WE HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS OR RECEIVE FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

LIKE OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN BEXAR COUNTY, AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL IDEA, CARVER SHOULD HAVE THE CHANCE TO APPLY FOR THESE FUNDS AND BOOST MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS.

[00:55:05]

IN JUST THE FIRST THREE WEEKS OF SCHOOL, I HAVE ALREADY CONDUCTED SEVEN SUICIDE RISKS ASSESSMENT, SEVEN SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENT ADDED 35 STUDENTS TO MY CASELOAD AND PROVIDED 168 SERVICES DIRECTLY TO STUDENTS.

AND I'M GOING TO READ THAT AGAIN.

I HAVE ALREADY CONDUCTED SEVEN SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENTS, ADDED 35 STUDENTS TO MY CASELOAD, AND PROVIDED 168 SERVICES DIRECTLY TO STUDENTS.

THERE IS A CLEAR NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND I URGE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR BEXAR COUNTY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS TO ENHANCE OUR EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

HELLO. MY NAME IS ALLISON SPARKS, AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF GRANTS AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR COMPASS ROSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

ALLISON SPARKS.

I'M HERE TODAY WITH AMANDA GARCIA, THE MANAGER OF COUNSELING SERVICES, AND ALONG WITH MANY MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO FAMILY ADVOCACY TEAM, WE ARE HERE TO ASK THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING FOR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN BEXAR COUNTY.

AS A CHARTER SCHOOL PARENT AND STAFF MEMBER, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR EQUITABLE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FUNDING FOR ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE IN BEXAR COUNTY CHARTER SCHOOLS.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH CANNOT BE OVERSTATED, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF RECENT CHALLENGES OUR CHILDREN ARE FACING.

CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SPENT KEY YEARS DEALING WITH THE ISOLATION AND UNCERTAINTY OF REMOTE LEARNING, WHICH TAKES A TOLL ON EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING.

THE PANDEMIC HAS EXACERBATED EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND CREATED NEW ONES FOR MANY OF OUR CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE SEE INCREASED RATES OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL AMONG STUDENTS.

THESE CHALLENGES DON'T DISCRIMINATE BASED ON THE TYPE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL A CHILD ATTENDS.

THEY AFFECT STUDENTS IN TRADITIONAL SCHOOL, PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS ALIKE.

I DO WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE COMMISSIONERS FOR RECOGNIZING THIS PRESSING ISSUE, AND ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO MANY STUDENTS IN BEXAR COUNTY.

THIS ACTION HAS MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON NUMEROUS LIVES.

HOWEVER, A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION OF STUDENTS THOSE ATTENDING CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THIS CRITICAL FUNDING.

THIS OVERSIGHT UNINTENTIONALLY CREATES AN INEQUITY IN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.

MANY FAMILIES CHOOSE COMPASS ROSE SCHOOLS FOR SMALLER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AS WELL AS ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.

THIS CHOICE SHOULDN'T LEAD TO LESS ACCESS TO VITAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES.

ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ATTEND A TRADITIONAL OR CHARTER SCHOOL, DESERVE EQUAL SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES.

OUR CURRENT TEAM OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL COUNSELORS WORK ENDLESS HOURS SUPPORTING THE VARIOUS NEEDS OF STUDENTS FROM PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE.

THEIR DAYS ARE OFTEN SPENT RESPONDING TO CRISIS SITUATIONS, WITH LITTLE TIME IN THEIR SCHEDULE TO PLAN FOR AND IMPLEMENT MORE PROACTIVE MEASURES WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

COMPASS ROSE STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE MORE OF THESE PROACTIVE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS, LIMITING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CRISIS.

I STRONGLY URGE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT INEQUITY BY EXTENDING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FUNDING TO BEXAR COUNTY CHARTER PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS AS PART OF THE UPCOMING BUDGET, ENSURING THAT ALL SAN ANTONIO CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO THRIVE, BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.

TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE TRAFFIC IN THIS STORM IS QUITE NICE.

TINA CRUZ CARRUTHERS.

PARDON MY LATE ARRIVAL.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE [INAUDIBLE] AND THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS TINA DE CRUZ CARRUTHERS.

I'M A PARENT IN PRECINCT FOUR.

MY CHILDREN ATTEND IDEAL WALTON PUBLIC SCHOOL.

I AM HERE TODAY WITH SOME MEMBERS OF THE FUTURO SAN ANTONIO FAMILY ADVOCACY TEAM.

WE ARE HERE TO ASK FOR THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING FOR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN BEXAR COUNTY.

FOR ME, MENTAL HEALTH HAS A PERSONAL CONCERN THAT WE MUST BE PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE TO INVEST IN OUR COUNTY'S ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND GROWTH.

MY ELDEST DAUGHTER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE IN 2019.

[01:00:01]

IT HAS AFFECTED HER MENTAL HEALTH DESPITE OUR RESILIENT SPIRIT MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER HAS BEEN STRUGGLING WITH ADHD SINCE 2020 AND THE PANDEMIC INCREASED THAT STRUGGLE.

MY SON HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.

HIS JOURNEY HAS BEEN A MENTAL AND ACADEMIC STRUGGLE, BUT HE ALSO REMAINS RESILIENT.

I AM A MOTHER WHO HAS OVERCOME ALL OBSTACLES INTENDED TO DESTROY ME MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY, BUT I HAVE FOCUSED ON A HIGHER PURPOSE AND CALLING.

RESPECTFULLY, I IMPLORE YOU ALL TO RECONSIDER AS YOU THINK OF THE SCHOLARS AND THE SCHOOLS IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT NEED MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE AND THE FUNDING ALLOCATED TO SUPPORT THAT ASSISTANCE.

ALTHOUGH I COMMEND THE COUNTY FOR ALLOCATING 20 MILLION IN MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING TOWARDS OUR ISDS, I URGE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ALLOCATE FUNDS TO THE BEXAR COUNTY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS AS WELL TO ENHANCE EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, ENSURING BETTER SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AS PART OF OUR UPCOMING BUDGET.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

NESTOR ESPARZA MAGANA.

GOOD MORNING.

JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO OUR TESTIMONY.

WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

MY NAME IS NESTOR ESPARZA MAGANA, AND I AM A PROUD RESIDENT OF PRECINCT TWO, AND I AM THE ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR TRIUMPH PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS. AT TRIUMPH, WE HAVE BEEN SERVING 100% AT RISK YOUTH IN THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.

WHEN I SAY AT RISK YOUTH, I'D LIKE TO CALL THEM OPPORTUNITY YOUTH BECAUSE THEY OFFER A LOT OF POTENTIAL.

AND JUST EARLIER THIS MONTH OR LAST MONTH, ACTUALLY A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE OPENED OUR FIRST CAMPUS HERE IN, IN SAN ANTONIO.

OUR HIGH SCHOOL MODEL ACTS AS A DROPOUT RECOVERY PROGRAM, WHICH OFFERS FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES AND SMALL CLASS SIZES.

THAT HELPS US RESPOND BETTER TO THE NEEDS OF OUR PARTICULAR STUDENT POPULATION.

TRADITIONALLY, MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR US AS WE SERVE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, 100% OPPORTUNITY YOUTH.

HOWEVER, SINCE THE PANDEMIC, THE COVID PANDEMIC, WE HAVE SEEN A SURGE IN STUDENTS DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL AND CITING MENTAL HEALTH AS A REASON TO DO SO.

OR AS A PRIMARY REASON, MANY OF THEM CITING ANXIETY IN LARGE CROWDS AS A, AS A PROBLEM, AND WANTING TO AVOID THOSE SITUATIONS LEADS THEM TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL, WHICH IS A NEW PHENOMENON THAT WE SEE IN OUR TYPE OF SCHOOLS COMPARED TO WHAT IT USED TO BE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. DURING THIS SUMMER, WE HAVE ATTENDED THE RE-ENROLLMENT DOCKETS ORGANIZED BY THE COURT NUMBER TEN. WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO TALK TO DOZENS OF FAMILIES THEY SUMMON EVERY MONTH, AS YOU KNOW, THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, THEY SUMMON HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES THAT HAVE DROPPED OUT.

AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO MANY OF THEM.

AND I WANT TO TELL YOU QUICKLY A PARTICULAR STORY OF ONE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAD WITH FAMILIES THERE.

IN JULY, THE MEETING IN JULY WE HAD A MEETING WITH ONE FAMILY WAS A DAD AND HIS TWO CHILDREN, AND HE EXPLAINED ON HOW IT HAD BEEN VERY HARD FOR THEIR CHILDREN, FOR HIS CHILDREN TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER THE PANDEMIC.

BUT THAT LAST YEAR, UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR MOTHER HAD PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER AND THAT THAT HAD JUST MADE IT.

THAT HAD RESULTED IN THEM DROPPING OUT OF DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL.

AND A FEW WEEKS LATER, THEY CAME BACK TO OUR CAMPUS TO A COMMUNITY EVENT.

THEY ENROLLED IN SCHOOL.

THEY'RE BACK IN SCHOOL, BACK ON TRACK INTO GRADUATION.

I WISH I COULD SHOW YOU THE PICTURE OF WHEN THEY CAME AND THEIR SMILE ON THEIR FACES.

BUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT THESE KIDS ARE IN OUR SCHOOL.

THEY'RE VERY SMALL CLASS SIZES.

WE CAN PROVIDE A LOT OF SUPPORT, BUT MENTAL HEALTH IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AND NEEDED FOR THEIR SUPPORT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.

THANK YOU, MISS LAMBERT.

I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. DID YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR TIME OR DID YOU YIELD? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL THE PEOPLE SIGNED UP UNDER SEVEN.

WE'RE NOW COMMISSIONER MOODY, YOU ASKED A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, AND THE COURT'S GOING TO ACCOMMODATE.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP ITEM 66, DISCUSSION, APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING GRANTING A DISCRETIONARY EXEMPTION TO THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING

[66. Discussion and appropriate action regarding granting a discretionary exemption to the competitive bidding requirements set forth in the Texas County Purchasing Act for the purpose of awarding a purchase order to Civic Government Solutions, LLC to print and mail State Voter Registration Forms, with postage paid return envelopes, to unregistered voters in location(s) based on targeting agreed to by the County, to include data and reporting in the amount of $392,700, on a discretionary exemption basis, in accordance with Texas Local Government Code §262.024(7)(a), as requested by Commissioners Court; and authorizing the Purchasing Agent to execute contract and file the appropriate award documents for record. ]

[01:05:06]

REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN TEXAS COUNTY PURCHASING ACT FOR THE PURPOSE OF AWARDING A PURCHASE ORDER TO CIVIC GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS, LLC TO PRINT AND MAIL STATE VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS WITH POSTAGE PAID RETURN ENVELOPES TO UNREGISTERED VOTERS, AND LOCATIONS BASED ON TARGETING AGREED TO BY THE COUNTY TO INCLUDE DATA AND REPORTING IN THE AMOUNT OF $392,700 ON A DISCRETIONARY EXEMPTION BASIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 262.024, SUBSECTION SEVEN, SUBSECTION A, AS REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONERS COURT, AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE CONTRACT AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE AWARD DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD.

SO LET ME ASK THE COURT TO PLEASE PAUSE.

I AM GOING TO ALLOW CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.

SO, THOMAS, ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO HELP KEEP TIME ALSO, AS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, COMMISSIONER MOODY, YOU ASK THAT JACKIE CALLANAN COME BEFORE THE DIOCESE BECAUSE OF HER TIME CONFLICT.

THANK YOU, JUDGE JACKIE.

I KNOW JACKIE HAS A TIME CONSTRAINT A LUNCHEON THAT SHE'S SPEAKING AT.

AND SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD FOR HER TO HAVE A FEW MINUTES HERE TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THIS AGENDA ITEM AND ANY OF HER CONCERNS AS IT RELATES TO THE ELECTIONS.

THAT'S FORTHCOMING.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS I'M HERE AS A RESOURCE.

I THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MOODY, FOR ARRANGING THIS.

I KNOW WE, THE ELECTIONS OFFICE ARE COMING INTO THIS AT A LATE TIME.

BUT WE DO HAVE TO STRESS A FEW THINGS I DID BRING WITH ME, WHICH I WILL HAVE TO TAKE BACK.

THERE'S ALREADY ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE REGISTERING PEOPLE TO VOTE.

THE STATE PARTIES OF BOTH PARTIES HAVE BEEN MAILING THESE OUT FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

THEY ARE PRE-FILLED WITH A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THEM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, WE'VE HAD TWO THAT ARE VERY DISTURBING TO ME.

ONE CAME IN AND I'VE WRITTEN ON THE FRONT OF IT, AND A WOMAN BROUGHT THIS IN AND SHE WAS VERY ANGRY. SHE WAS VERY, VERY ANGRY.

THIS APPLICATION IS MADE OUT FOR HER SISTER AND HER SISTER'S NAME.

HER SISTER PASSED AWAY TEN YEARS AGO.

THIS WOMAN CAME IN AND LITERALLY THREW THIS AT US.

WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE HERE.

THAT CAME DOWN TO THE OFFICE.

THESE PEOPLE WERE COMING DOWN INTO OUR OFFICE BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

THIS ONE, THE PERSON HAS LIVED AT THIS SAME ADDRESS FOR 26 YEARS AND HAS BEEN VOTING FOR 26 YEARS AND RECEIVED ONE THAT SAYS YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED.

SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.

WE ARE DOING FOR A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, MANY, MANY, MANY PEOPLE, MANY ORGANIZATIONS ARE OUT THERE REGISTERING PEOPLE TO VOTE.

WE HAVE BROUGHT IN SOME TEMP HELP TO LET US KEEP UP WITH IT SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FULFILL THE LAW.

AND I'D LIKE JUST TO TAKE FIVE MINUTES, IF I MAY.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, WHEN WE RECEIVE A VOTER REGISTRATION CARD, OUR OFFICE PROCESSES THAT CARD. AND I MEAN BY THAT WE DO THE DATA ENTRY.

THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WRAP UP ALL OF OUR WORK PRODUCT FOR THAT DAY.

AND WE'RE REQUIRED TO SEND IT UP TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

THEY TAKE THAT DATA, WHETHER IT BE 500, WHETHER IT BE 800, WHETHER IT BE 1000.

AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT CHECK THE DATA.

THEY CHECK FOR SSN.

THEY CHECK FOR TDL.

THEY CHECK BIRTHDATES AND THEY CHECK CITIZENSHIP.

IF THEY PASS ALL OF THOSE, THEY SEND IT BACK TO US WITH A VOTER UNIQUE IDENTIFIER, THAT VOTER REGISTRATION NUMBER.

WE CANNOT ASSIGN A VOTER REGISTRATION NUMBER UNTIL IT HAS GONE THROUGH ALL OF THOSE CHECKS AND BALANCES.

AND SO EVERY DAY WE GET BACK OUR LIST AND THERE'S A DECEASED, THERE'S TDL DOESN'T MATCH, SSN DOESN'T MATCH.

IT'S A NON-CITIZEN.

[01:10:02]

WE GET BACK THE LIST OF NAMES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE, AND THEN WE IMMEDIATELY CANCEL THEM IF WE HAVE TO.

OR IF IT.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I HATE TO TELL YOU, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HUMAN IN OUR OFFICE, AND SOMETIMES THEY'LL FAT FINGER OR TRANSPOSE NUMBERS.

SO WHEN WE GET ONE THAT SAYS DRIVER'S LICENSE DOESN'T MATCH, BIRTH DATE DOESN'T MATCH, WE GO BACK AND CHECK THAT CARD TO SEE IF IT WAS OURS.

IF IT WAS, THEN WE SEND IT BACK UP AND IT PASSES.

IF IT DOES NOT PASS, WE THEN HAVE TO SEND A CONFIRMATION CARD TO THAT PERSON BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE.

SO WE SEND IT TO THAT ADDRESS AND WE ASK THEM TO PLEASE COMPLETE THIS.

CONFIRMATION CARD.

AND IN REALITY, THAT'S A VOTER REGISTRATION CARD.

THEY HAVE 30 DAYS TO GET THAT BACK TO US.

WE START THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THESE ARE COMING IN.

THESE ARE TONS OF DUPLICATES.

SO WE'RE PUTTING THEM IN THERE.

ALL OF A SUDDEN IT GOES UP TO THE STATE.

THE STATE COMES BACK AND SAYS, YOU HAVE ALL THESE DUPLICATES BASICALLY.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? SO IN EVERY PIECE OF PAPER THAT WE GET IS SCANNED INTO OUR SYSTEM SO THAT WE HAVE A RECORD OF EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS GOES UP AND IT GOES DOWN.

AND AS OF TODAY, BEFORE I CAME OVER, WE HAVE 1,270,000 REGISTERED VOTERS IN BEXAR COUNTY.

AND THE STAFF IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB OF TRYING TO KEEP UP.

AND SO WHAT I'M ASKING OR MY ASK FOR YOU IS IF YOU GO FORWARD WITH THIS, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO ALSO AUTHORIZE STAFF MONEY TO PAY THE STAFF MONEY FOR POSTAGE, AS WE HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THESE PEOPLE AGAIN AND AGAIN.

I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

LET ME LET ME ASK THE COURT TO DO THIS.

WE HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE SIGNED UP, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO, BUT THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET US GET EVERYBODY HEARD.

I WANT EVERYBODY HEARD TODAY.

SO IF WE COULD I'M GOING TO ALLOW COMMENTS.

BUT UNDERSTAND THAT WE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, SO I WANT TO GET THROUGH IT.

SO I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR.

COMMISSIONER MOODY. YEAH.

JUST A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS, JACKIE.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.

AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BACKGROUND THAT THIS COURT NEEDS TO REALIZE AND HEAR DIRECTLY FROM YOU AS OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

ANOTHER THING THAT YOU MENTIONED BEFORE THE BACKLOG AS ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO TODAY.

THOSE ARE PILING UP IN YOUR OFFICE.

IS THAT CORRECT? AND YOU ALREADY HAVE TEMPS WORKING ON IT.

WHAT'S THAT BACKLOG LOOK LIKE TODAY? THERE'S PROBABLY 3 OR 4000 THAT ARE SITTING THERE TO BE TO BE DATA ENTERED.

AND THAT'S QUITE A BIT.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU KNOW THESE INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THIS TIMELINE THAT YOU MENTIONED SHOW UP ON ELECTION DAY AND THEY ARE NOT FULLY REGISTERED IN THE SYSTEM.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IT COULD BE ONE OF TWO THINGS.

IT COULD BE THAT THEY'RE MARKED THAT WE'VE PUT THEM IN.

BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE REGISTRATION AND THEY'RE MARKED AS PSV PENDING STATE VERIFICATION.

AND IF THAT HAPPENS, THEY ARE AT THE TABLE.

THEY'RE READY TO BE QUALIFIED.

IT SAYS IT'S A PSV.

THAT VOTER HAS TO MOVE TO THE SIDE WHERE THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT A STATEMENT OF RESIDENCE CARD, WHICH IN REALITY IS ANOTHER VOTER REGISTRATION CARD. AND THEN THEY'RE ALLOWED TO VOTE.

IF WE HAVE NOT EVEN GOTTEN BACK A PSV OR ANY NOTIFICATION THAT THEY SHOULD BE ON SUSPENSE, THEN THAT PERSON WHOSE RECORD HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO VOTE PROVISIONAL.

AND AT THAT POINT, WHEN WE GET THE PROVISIONAL BALLOT BACK.

THEN WE HAVE FIVE DAYS AFTER THAT TO GO SEE.

DID WE HAVE AN APPLICATION? DID WE MISS AN APPLICATION? WHAT HAPPENED? WHETHER WE CAN COUNT THAT VOTE OR NOT.

YEAH. THANK YOU, JACKIE.

AND I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH MORE COMPLICATED WE'RE MAKING THE PROCESS POTENTIALLY ON ELECTION DAY FOR YOU, FOR ELECTION JUDGES, FOR STAFF TO BE

[01:15:01]

ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE ELECTION.

COULD YOU ALSO JUST MENTION HOW MANY VOTER REGISTRARS DO WE HAVE TOTAL IN BEXAR COUNTY THAT WE HAVE UPWARDS OF 900, CLOSE TO A THOUSAND.

AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IS JUST A STELLAR GROUP.

THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB.

SO WE HAVE OVER 900 EITHER INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS THAT ARE REGISTERING VOTERS IN BEXAR COUNTY TODAY.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

AND JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HEARD YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT A LOT OF THOSE REGISTRATIONS ARE DUPLICATES.

CORRECT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE GROUPS THAT ARE OUT THERE DOING THE SAME THING, WHETHER THEY'RE PACS, WHETHER THEY'RE CANDIDATES, WHETHER THEY'RE PARTIES, THEY'RE USING SIMILAR LISTS, THEY'RE MAILING THE SAME LIST, AND PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING TO ALL OF THEM.

AND YOUR OFFICE AND YOUR STAFF ARE HAVING TO SORT THROUGH THAT.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

AND HANDLE THE PHONE CALLS.

OKAY. YEAH, I HAVE NO DOUBT.

THANK YOU, JACKIE, FOR BEING HERE AND FOR SHARING THAT BACKGROUND WITH US.

JUDGE. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU, JUDGE JACKIE.

I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF. I KNOW YOU HAVE TO RUN AND WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF FOLKS TO HEAR FROM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS CLEAR ON WHAT YOUR TESTIMONY WAS.

IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU DESCRIBED THE PROCESS THAT IN TERMS OF VERIFICATION, ONCE YOU HAD THOSE APPLICATIONS, THERE WAS SOME BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN YOUR OFFICE AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.

CORRECT. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT IT SOUNDED AS IF THE VERIFICATION, ALBEIT MAYBE YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT BURDENSOME WAS A GOOD THING IN THE SENSE THAT YOU CAN'T REALLY POKE HOLES IN THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS.

WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT? CORRECT. OKAY.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S MORE OF A RESOURCE CONCERN THAT YOU'VE GOT.

YOU'VE GOT VOTER REGISTRATION, YOU'VE GOT GROUPS THAT ARE OUT THERE DOING VOTER REGISTRATION, WHETHER THEY'RE SET UP AT A COMMUNITY EVENT OR CHURCH, WHATEVER IT MAY HAVE. YOU THE ITEM THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH LATER TODAY IS ABOUT THE COUNTY BEING MORE PROACTIVE IN VOTER REGISTRATION FOR PEOPLE THAT MOVE. AND YOUR CONCERN SIMPLY IS THAT THE WORKLOAD MAY BE TOO MUCH FOR YOUR OFFICE TO HANDLE.

IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT PART'S ACCURATE.

BUT I ALSO WILL ADD THAT.

I WANT TO PROTECT THE VOTERS.

I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE ANXIOUS.

I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE INTIMIDATED.

I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE ANGRY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE SEEING, AND I UNDERSTAND, AND I THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO DO IS MAKE YOUR JOB TOUGHER, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE, PARTICULARLY IN A HIGH TURNOUT ELECTION.

BUT LET ME ASK YOU THIS FOR RESOURCES IN ORDER TO IF THERE IS AN UPTICK AND THIS PASSES.

DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER IN MIND OF WHAT YOU WOULD NEED TO ENSURE THAT YOUR OFFICE CAN FAITHFULLY RESPOND TO THOSE ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS? AGAIN.

RIGHT. RIGHT NOW.

FULL TIME STAFF.

I HAVE FOUR PROCESSORS.

OKAY. WE HAVE TEMPS IN THERE NOW.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT TEN TEMPS, AND WE HAVE SLOTS LITERALLY FOR FOUR MORE.

OKAY. AND THEN WE'RE MAXED OUT AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE, COULD YOU? COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? TEN.

WHAT? TEN. TEN. PARDON ME, I COULDN'T HEAR.

YOU HAD FOUR FULL TIME WORKERS.

YES. AND HOW MANY TEMPORARIES.

AS OF RIGHT NOW. TEN.

TEN TEMPORARIES. YES.

AND WE CAN WE AGAIN, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE FIVE MORE.

AND THEN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE'S COMPLETED.

LIKE YOUR OFFICE SPACE, YOU MEAN? YES, SIR. OKAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. IT'S OKAY, IT'S OKAY.

COMMISSIONER THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

SO IF YOU COULD.

JACKIE AND I DON'T NEED IT TODAY, BUT IF YOU COULD GET US A NUMBER SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS WITH OUR BUDGET OFFICE HOW WE COULD GET YOU THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IF IN THE EVENT THIS MOVES FORWARD.

I JUST WANTED TO SIMPLY CLARIFY WITH YOU THAT IT SOUNDS AS IF YOU FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE VERIFICATION PROCESS, BUT IT'S MORE ABOUT THE MANPOWER WOMAN POWER TO GET THAT DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER.

CORRECT? AGAIN, PARTIALLY.

I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE VOTERS.

ABOUT WHAT? ABOUT THE VOTERS.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT UPSETTING THEM.

OKAY. AND, I MEAN, LOOK, I THINK THAT THE ITEM WE'RE DISCUSSING IS SIMPLY TO GET MORE PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS TO PARTICIPATE.

THERE IS NO DISCUSSION ABOUT WHO TO VOTE FOR, BUT IT'S SIMPLY ABOUT GETTING REGISTERED FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT REGISTERED IN THE COUNTY.

AND WOULD YOU AGREE THAT THAT IS A WORTHWHILE EFFORT TO GET MORE PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THE CIVIC PROCESS? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.

THANK YOU. JUDGE.

[01:20:01]

TO MR. CALVERT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JUDGE. AND THE TWO EXAMPLES OF MAIL THAT HAD UPSET PEOPLE.

DID I HEAR CORRECTLY? THOSE ARE FROM THE STATE PARTY MASS REGISTRATIONS OR MASS MAIL OUTS? THEY'RE FROM A GROUP THAT THE STATE HAD REACHED OUT TO CALLED THE VOTER PARTICIPATION CENTER, AND THAT WOULD BE THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

NO. WHICH THE STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

OH, OKAY. SO IT'S CALLED THE VOTER.

WHAT NOW? THE VOTER PARTICIPATION CENTER.

OKAY. THE VOTER PARTICIPATION CENTER.

OKAY. SO IT'S ONLY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, NOT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY DOING THE REGISTRATIONS.

AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS STARTED.

WE'VE STARTED TO GET SOME OF THOSE.

BUT I DIDN'T BRING ANY OF THOSE BECAUSE THEY HADN'T BEEN VETTED YET.

OKAY. SO, YEAH.

AND JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR MY RECOLLECTION OF ELECTION LAW AS WELL AS MY WORK AS A I AM HAVE BEEN A REGISTRAR AND BEEN A PRECINCT CHAIR. SO I REMEMBER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.

THE STATE PARTIES AND THE LOCAL PARTIES HAVE SPECIAL AUTHORITY THAT MANY GROUPS WOULD NOT TO DO LARGER MAILINGS OF TO VOTERS.

IS THAT BASICALLY RIGHT? CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE OF THAT.

OKAY. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.

ALL RIGHT. WE WON'T ADDRESS THAT AT THE MOMENT.

SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BACKLOG.

IT DOES CONCERN ME IN SEPTEMBER THAT WE'RE AT 3 OR 4000.

AND SO ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS, WHAT IS THE HUMAN CAPACITY TO PROCESS PER PERSON REGISTRATIONS? HOW MANY CAN A PERSON PROCESS IN A DAY? ABOUT 150 TO 200.

APPROXIMATELY 150 TO 200.

OKAY. SO I'LL NORMALLY I COULD CRUNCH THE MATH VERY QUICKLY, BUT I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF QUESTIONS AND I'LL GET BACK TO THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT THE BUDGET SHOULD BE.

SO NOW THE VENDOR THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HIRED AT THE STATE IS THAT'S NOT THE SAME VENDOR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, I GUESS, IS IT? I DON'T KNOW, SIR.

WE WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE DISCUSSIONS FOR THE COUNTY.

OKAY. THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD SAY WHILE WE HAVE YOU IS WE ARE GOING TO, I GUESS, APPROVE THE EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS ON THE 10TH NEXT WEEK.

OKAY. SO I WILL JUST SAY THAT OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A HISTORIC ANOTHER HISTORIC ELECTION AND WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT EARLY VOTING LOCATION WORK TO DO.

AND SO IF YOU COULD SEND OVER YOUR DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ALREADY, BUT DID YOU SEND THOSE ALREADY? THEY'VE BEEN OVER WITH THE AGENDA WITH THE.

OKAY. GOT IT. I MUST HAVE MISSED THAT IN MY BRIEFING.

SO MAYBE I HAD MY BRIEFING TOO EARLY.

OKIE DOKE. THANK YOU VERY KINDLY.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

JACKIE, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.

THIS SEASON THAT'S REALLY BUSY FOR YOU AND YOUR STAFF.

AND I ALSO WANT TO APPLAUD YOUR OFFICE, YOUR STAFF FOR THE ELECTIONS INTEGRITY THAT YOUR STAFF WORK WITH US TO DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

I HAD PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN TO DAVID SMITH ABOUT YOU GETTING MORE STAFF TO MAKE SURE AS WE RAMP UP FOR THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AS ALWAYS, MORE PEOPLE GO OUT TO VOTE.

IT'D BE GREAT IF THEY ALSO DID IT IN PRIMARIES AND RUNOFFS.

ABSOLUTELY. AND MUNICIPAL VOTING.

BUT WE KNOW THEY WILL SHOW UP FOR PRESIDENTIAL.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAD ALREADY BEEN SPEAKING TO THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE ABOUT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THE STAFF THAT YOU NEED.

AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE IN CARING ABOUT ALL VOTERS IN BEXAR COUNTY, AND THAT YOU WORK WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS IN TERMS OF CHECKS AND BALANCES, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO VOTE ARE VOTING.

AND WORKING WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS, I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS DO BACK AND FORTH AND CALL INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE SURE IF ADDRESSES ARE OFF AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO I BELIEVE THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUAL WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO IN TERMS OF ELECTIONS INTEGRITY HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR BEXAR COUNTY.

I'LL JUST ECHO AS WELL.

ELECTIONS OVER THE YEARS.

HOW LONG, IF I MAY ASK, HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE WITH BEXAR COUNTY? ELECTIONS? 19 YEARS? 19. YES, SIR.

SO IN THOSE 19 YEARS, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A MASS MAIL OUT FOR VOTER REGISTRATION BY BEXAR COUNTY COURT? NOT FROM THE COURT? NO, SIR, WE HAVE NOT.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL NOW START WITH CITIZENS.

[01:25:01]

JACKI. THANK YOU.

THE HONORABLE MARK LORENZO D'ORAZIO.

THREE MINUTES.

AND I UNDERSTAND SOME MAY BE YIELDING TIME.

SO IF I CALL YOUR NAME, WOULD YOU PLEASE INDICATE WHETHER YOU'RE YIELDING TIME.

AND TO WHO? REPRESENTATIVE ROSSO.

GOOD MORNING. COMMISSIONER. IT'S PRONOUNCED D'ORAZIO.

RAISE THE GARAGE DOOR.

D'ORAZIO. EXCUSE ME.

COMMISSIONERS, I'M ADDRESSING YOU TODAY IN OPPOSITION TO GRANTING AN EXEMPTION OF COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS IN CONTRACTING WITH CIVIC GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS.

GOVERNMENT RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE REMOVAL OF OVER 1 MILLION ELIGIBLE INELIGIBLE VOTERS FROM THE STATE'S VOTER ROLLS SINCE 2021.

THIS NUMBER INCLUDES THOUSANDS OF NON-CITIZENS AND CONVICTED FELONS.

MEANWHILE, ATTORNEY GENERAL PAXTON IS IN THE MIDST OF AN ONGOING ELECTION INTEGRITY INVESTIGATION THAT HAS LED TO SEARCH WARRANTS BEING SERVED IN BEXAR COUNTY AND ELSEWHERE.

ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE A COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS IS FOR THE FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP OF TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.

IT HELPS TO ENSURE THAT THE CITIZENS DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT WISELY.

THIS IS THE LAST THING WE SHOULD BE DOING RIGHT NOW IN THE MIDST OF AN ONGOING ELECTION INTEGRITY INVESTIGATION.

AND A FEW DAYS LATER, WE FIND OUT THAT THOUSANDS OF NON-CITIZENS HAVE BEEN REGISTERED TO VOTE.

AND THIS IS BYPASSING THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS.

HERE WE HAVE VERY CLEAR PROBLEMS WITH OUR ELECTION SYSTEM, WHICH IS HOW THOUSANDS OF NON-CITIZENS, WHICH IS HOW THOUSANDS OF NON-CITIZENS COULD HAVE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN TEXAS TO BEGIN WITH.

WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE TARGETING USED TO MAIL THESE VOTERS REGISTRATION FORMS WON'T INCLUDE UNQUALIFIED VOTERS, A FURTHER ABUSE OF THE TAXPAYER.

AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF REASON TO BELIEVE THAT UNQUALIFIED VOTERS WHO FILL OUT THE FORM COULD SUCCESSFULLY REGISTER.

I HAVE YET TO HEAR A CONVINCING CASE MADE FOR THIS EXEMPTION IN LIGHT OF THESE DISTURBING CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND THE QUESTION WAS ASKED A FEW MINUTES AGO.

YOU KNOW, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ELECTIONS OFFICE HAS NOT COME BEFORE THE COURT TO MAKE THIS SPECIFIC REQUEST.

SO I HUMBLY ASK YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THIS EXEMPTION.

LET ME HAVE THE HONORABLE CHRIS COONS.

OUR REPUBLICAN CHAIR.

THANK YOU. JUDGE.

COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS CHRIS COONS, AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF BEXAR COUNTY.

AND I'M HERE THIS MORNING.

AND, JUDGE, I'M SORRY, I WILL BE DESIGNATING MY TIME TO KYLE SINCLAIR.

BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, REAL QUICK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I CURRENTLY SERVE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, ON THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION AND THE ELECTIONS BOARD, AND I'M MOST CONCERNED WITH THIS ITEM NUMBER 66 ON THIS AGENDA TODAY. I'M NOT SEEING FULL TRANSPARENCY.

AND I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ANSWERED.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO KYLE ASKING ALL OF YOU THOSE SPECIFICS.

ALL RIGHT. GIVE HIM A LITTLE ABOUT 2.5 MINUTES.

KYLE SINCLAIR, I'LL LET YOU COME RIGHT AFTER THAT.

YEAH, I THINK SOME TIME.

OH, ARE YOU YIELDING TIME, KYLE, OR.

NO, SIR. I THINK THERE'S OTHER. OH, YOU GOT OTHERS AS WELL? OKAY. CAN YOU TELL ME BEFORE YOU START? CAN YOU TELL ME WHO'S YIELDING YOUR TIME SO WE CAN ROB GOWAN? ROB GOWAN.

HOLD ON. LET ME FIND.

HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.

ROB GOWAN.

I CAN'T FIND YOU.

DID YOU SIGN UP? YES, SIR. OKAY.

OH, OKAY. GOT IT.

ALL RIGHT, SO YOU'RE YIELDING TIME TO MR. SINCLAIR? YES, SIR.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WHO ELSE IS YIELDING TIME? I'M SORRY. AARON.

AARON HORN.

LINE TWO.

TWO. TWO. TWO.

AND, KYLE, YOU SIGNED UP AS WELL.

SO THERE'S THREE MINUTES FOR YOU.

RIGHT ON TOP OF THE 240.

THE CHAIR, KAREN HORN.

[01:30:01]

ALL RIGHT, SO ANYBODY ELSE? SO KYLE I BELIEVE THREE NINE.

AND THEN THE BALANCE OF CHRIS'S TIME, WHATEVER THAT IS.

JUST GIVE HIM THE TIME HE WANTS.

GO AHEAD. KYLE. YOU GOT.

YOU GOT THE FLOOR. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

JUDGE SAKAI AND COMMISSIONERS, IT'S ALWAYS AN HONOR TO ADDRESS THE COURT TODAY.

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M KYLE SINCLAIR.

I'M A RESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO SINCE 2009.

I'M ALSO THE FORMER REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR U.S.

CONGRESS, 20TH DISTRICT IN 2022, AND I'M CURRENTLY THE VICE CHAIR FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF BEXAR COUNTY.

SO I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ON NUMBER 66 FROM THE MEETING'S AGENDA.

AND THE VOTE TODAY IN BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT IS ON TAXPAYER FUNDS TO BE USED TO PRINT QUOTE TO PRINT AND MAIL STATE VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS WITH POSTAGE PAID, RETURN ENVELOPES TO UNREGISTERED VOTERS, AND LOCATIONS BASED ON TARGETING BY THE COUNTY TO INCLUDE THE DATA REPORTING THE AMOUNT OF $392,700 AND A DISCRETIONARY EXEMPTION BASIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS CODE 2620.024, AND AN EFFORT OF REREADING THAT, THERE'S A COUPLE QUESTIONS I HAVE RIGHT OFF THE BAT IS WHO IS THE COUNTY TARGETING? IS CGS OR CITY TECH SETTING THE TARGETING PARAMETERS THAT WILL BE AGREED UPON BY THE COUNTY? IS IT GOING TO BE A DEMOCRATIC VOTERS ONLY? IS CIVIC TECH GOING TO GET ANY OF THE DATA FROM CGS? AND IS TECH GOING TO GIVE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THE RESPECTIVE DATA AS WELL? AND LAST MEETING, COMMISSIONERS RODRIGUEZ AND CALVERT BOTH STATED THAT THERE'S NOTHING PARTIZAN ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION.

I BEG TO DIFFER, BECAUSE VOTER REGISTRATION MOST CERTAINLY CAN BE DONE IN A PARTIZAN MANNER, ESPECIALLY IF THE COMPANY OR THE INDIVIDUALS THEMSELVES ARE PARTISAN. AND SO MY GOAL TODAY IS TO POINT OUT EMPHATICALLY.

IN PARTICULAR, JEREMY SMITH, THE CO-FOUNDER OF CGS AND CIVIC TECH, IS EXTREMELY PARTIZAN DECEPTIVE IN HIS INTENT AND THEREFORE CGS IS NOT A PARTIZAN ORGANIZATION AND TAXPAYER FUNDS SHOULD NOT BE USED, BUT IF GRANTED, THE DATA HE COLLECTS FROM CGS WILL BE USED BY CIVTECH, WHICH IS EXTREMELY PARTISAN ORGANIZATION.

SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE COMPANY.

THE COURT WANTS TO GRANT NEARLY $400,000 OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO PREFILL 220,000 BEXAR COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS FOR A 2022 ELECTION.

BUT IN ADDITION, CGS CLAIMS THEY CAN REGISTER OVER 15,000 NEW MOVE INS PER QUARTER OF UNREGISTERED VOTERS IN BEXAR COUNTY FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS. THEY'VE CALLED THEY'VE BEEN CALLED CIVIC GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS, LLC, OR CGS FOR SHORT.

AND I WANT TO THANK A WELL DOCUMENTED RECENT ARTICLE, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER BY IAN CAMACHO, THAT WAS GIVEN THAT BROKE EXCUSE ME IN TEXAS SCORECARD THAT BROKE ON JULY 31ST THAT WE NOW KNOW CGS IS A DEMOCRATIC FRONT AND A HYPER PARTISAN ORGANIZATION.

IN THE ARTICLE, MR. CAMACHO STATES THAT THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER'S PUBLIC REPORTS, WHICH I HAVE EXHIBITS, SHOW KGS FOUNDER CEO DIRECTOR JEREMY SMITH, ALONG WITH THE DIRECTOR DAN GRAHAM AND CEO SARAH YAKEL, HOLD THESE SAME TITLES WITH A COMPANY CALLED CIVTECH, WHICH IS THE PARENT COMPANY OF CGS AS WELL AS CSI VEGAS.

COM DOMAIN INFO REGISTERED CONTACT TO CIVTECH AS WELL.

THESE INDIVIDUALS LINKEDIN ACTIVITIES AND CV TECH'S OWN WEBSITE DEMONSTRATE OVERTLY PRO-DEMOCRATIC AND ANTI BASES.

I'M GOING TO GIVE SOME QUOTES ACTUALLY FROM THEIR PERSONAL WEBSITE.

CV TECH'S WEBSITE.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS CLEAR DEMOCRATS NEED TO RAMP UP THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORTS TO WIN IN 2024.

CLOSE QUOTE. HERE'S ANOTHER QUOTE DEMOCRATS MUST ENHANCE THEIR REGISTRATION EFFORTS, FOCUSING ON EARLY CAMPAIGNS TO BOOST TURNOUT, END QUOTE.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE. AS WE APPROACH THE 2024 ELECTION, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FACES A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE.

A SUBSTANTIAL GAP OF VOTER REGISTRATION COMPARED TO CONSERVATIVES.

THIS DISPARITY IS EVEN MORE CONCERNING, GIVEN THAT SINCE THE 2020 ELECTION, THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT GAIN IN THE NUMBER OF REGISTRATION REPUBLICANS OVER THE DEMOCRATS.

STILL, THERE'S A RAY OF HOPE REGISTERING THE UNREGISTERED, LIKELY DEMOCRATIC VOTERS ACROSS THE NATION COULD BE THE KEY TO SECURING DEMOCRATIC VICTORY IN 2024. I'M GONNA REPEAT THAT LAST SENTENCE.

REGISTERING THE UNREGISTERED, LIKELY DEMOCRATIC VOTERS ACROSS THE NATION COULD BE A KEY TO DEMOCRATIC VICTORY IN 2024.

EXTREME PARTISAN.

BUT WHO IS THE FOUNDER OF CIVTECH AND CGS MR. JEREMY SMITH HIMSELF.

[01:35:02]

LET ME SHARE A COUPLE OF QUOTES FROM HIM.

NEWS. NEWS.

ROOTS NATION AUGUST 22ND, 2022.

CIVTECH PROVIDES A TOOL TO REGISTER VOTERS, RECRUIT CANDIDATES AND HELP DEMOCRATIC AND PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES WIN ELECTIONS.

CLOSE QUOTE. HERE'S ANOTHER ONE FREEDOM OVER FASCISM.

ON JUNE 2024, LITERALLY THREE MONTHS AGO, CIVTECH IDENTIFIES TOOLS FOR ACTIVISTS AND CANDIDATES TO BE ABLE TO REACH PERSUADABLE AND AGREEABLE BASE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS IN WAYS.

WE ARE NOT DOING THIS RIGHT NOW.

AND HERE'S MY FAVORITE ONE, WHICH IS IN VANDERVILLE OF MARCH 21ST OF 2023 FROM JEREMY SMITH, THE FOUNDER AND CO-FOUNDER OF BOTH THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

THERE ARE A TON OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A PRIOR HISTORY OF VOTING DEMOCRATIC IN OTHER STATES WHO HAVE MOVED SOMEWHERE BUT DID NOT REGISTER TO VOTE, DID NOT VOTE ELSEWHERE, AND COULD HAVE SWUNG THE STATE FOR US DEMOCRATS.

THEN WE BUILD SYSTEMS ON HOW TO TRY TO REACH THEM.

WE MAILED THEM THE FORM WITH A PAID PRE-ADDRESSED RETURN ENVELOPES THAT GOES RIGHT BACK TO THEIR COUNTY AND IS TRACKABLE.

SO NOT ONLY CAN WE TRACK IT BY CAYCE SO WE CAN CALL PEOPLE FOLLOW UP WITH THE DOORS, WE CAN SEE HOW MANY OF THEM REGISTERED, HOW MANY OF THEM TURNED OUT TO VOTE.

THE DATA IS USED TO EMBED MESSAGES, CANVASING, MAILERS, TEXT CAMPAIGNS AND LOOK AT ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE ON OUR SIDE.

LET ME REREAD WHAT NUMBER 66 HAS TO SAY, WHICH IS EXTREMELY INTERESTING TO ME.

CIVIC GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS, LLC TO PRINT AND MAIL STATE VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS WITH POSTAGE PAID.

RETURN ENVELOPES TO UNREGISTERED VOTERS IN LOCATIONS TARGETED BASED ON TARGETING AGREED BY THE COUNTY.

SOUNDS EXTREMELY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE COUNTY IS PROCEEDING TO DO.

BUT IN CONCLUSION, CGS SOFTWARE MIGHT BE A SOLE SOURCE DUE TO SECRETIVE PROCESSES.

BUT WHAT IS NOT SECRETIVE IS MR. SMITH OR [INAUDIBLE] INTENTION ON WHAT HE GAINS FROM CGS GETTING THIS BID AND MONEY, AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO WITH NONPARTISAN TAX FUNDS AND NONPARTISAN DATA AND ARE NOT SECRETIVE ANYMORE.

HE'S TOLD ALL OF US LOUD AND CLEAR TODAY, WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO SAY A SINGLE THING OF WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION WOULD DO.

THE PROBLEM IS, THAT IS NOT THAT MR. SMITH IS PARTISAN OR EVEN CIVTECH IS PARTISAN.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT MR. SMITH AND CGS IS BLATANTLY MISLEADING THE COURT AND BEXAR COUNTY TAXPAYERS TO USE NEARLY $400,000 OF BEXAR COUNTY FUNDS TO NEARLY REGISTER OR REGISTER NEARLY 220,000 VOTERS, WITH PRE-FILLED FORMS TO TRACK THE DATA THAT CGS IS TO USE WILL BE USED IN CIVTECH, SO CIVTECH CAN PROVIDE ACCURATE DATA, EMBEDDED MESSAGES, ACCURATE CANVASING, ACCURATE MAILERS AND TEXT CAMPAIGNS TO GET PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES ELECTED IN THE CURRENT 2024 ELECTION AND FUTURE BEXAR COUNTY ELECTIONS, AS MR. SMITH HIMSELF HAS STATED.

SO I STRONGLY URGE EACH OF YOU, COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGES TO RECONSIDER YOUR VOTES.

FOLLOW THE TEXAS ELECTION CODES, KEEP OUR TAX DOLLARS OUT OF PARTIZAN ELECTION REGISTRATION.

LEAVE IT TO THE RESPECTIVE PARTY OF THE REPUBLICAN IN BEXAR COUNTY AND DEMOCRAT PARTIES IN BEXAR COUNTY.

THEREFORE, I PRAY THAT ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY WILL JOIN COMMISSIONER MOODY AND VOTE NO TO NUMBER 66.

I ALSO ADMONISH THAT YOU LISTEN TO YOUR DULY SWORN IN AND ELECTED, EXCUSE ME, APPOINTED ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR, WHO ALSO CAME FORTH BEFORE THE COURT AND HAD ISSUES WITH THIS.

AND WITH THAT, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S TIME.

THANK YOU. LET ME HAVE THE HONORABLE FRANCISCO CANSECO.

KIKO. GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING. JUDGE.

MY NAME IS FRANCISCO CANSECO, AND I APPRECIATE BEING IN FRONT OF YOU.

COMMISSIONERS OF BEXAR COUNTY.

I AM A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT THREE, AND I AM A VERY, VERY PROUD CONSTITUENT OF GRANT MOODY AND APPLAUD WHAT HE DOES, NOT JUST FOR PRECINCT THREE, BUT FOR THE COUNTY.

I'M HERE IN ORDER TO TALK AGAINST THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT PASSING THE RESOLUTION, WHICH IS PRESENTED BY 66.

AND I WILL BEGIN BY SAYING THAT I'VE BEEN A LAWYER, TEXAS LAWYER SINCE 1975.

I'M STILL YOUNG, BUT I'VE BEEN A LAWYER THAT LONG, AND I'VE DEALT WITH MANY, MANY ISSUES IN LAW, ESPECIALLY ELECTION LAW.

[01:40:01]

IN 2020, I WAS PROUD TO SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE ELECTION INTEGRITY UNIT OF THE TEXAS PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION.

AND I WILL SAY THIS, THAT AT THAT TIME, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN ELECTION FRAUD, CONTRIBUTING TO THE IDEA THAT ELECTIONS ARE NOT FAIR, THEY'RE NOT EVENLY TAKEN CARE OF, WAS THE ISSUE OF REGISTRATION, ELECTION REGISTRATION.

AS A FORMER CONGRESSMAN AND THEN CANDIDATE FOR REELECTION OF 12 YEARS AGO, I REMEMBER GOING THROUGH THE LIST OF ALL THE REGISTERED VOTERS IN A SWATH OF WEST TEXAS COUNTIES, INCLUDING BEXAR COUNTY AND SEEING EMPTY LOTS. EMPTY LOTS THAT HAD NO SIGN OF ANYBODY LIVING ON THAT PROPERTY WITH SOME 20 MAILBOXES.

AND THOSE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE VOTING IN ELECTIONS.

THE ISSUE OF ELECTION INTEGRITY BEGINS WITH THE REGISTRATION PROCESS.

AND I WILL ALSO POINT OUT THAT ELECTION CODE, TEXAS ELECTION CODE, SECTION 276, ESPECIALLY SECTION 276 .016, SUBSECTION THREE, MAKES IT ILLEGAL TO USE TAXPAYER FUNDS IN ORDER TO SEND BY MAIL EITHER BALLOTS OR REGISTRATIONS.

AND THAT AND THOSE MATTERS, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE UPHOLD NOT JUST THE ELECTION INTEGRITY, BUT PROTECT THE TAXPAYER FUNDS THAT WERE NOT MEANT FOR PARTIZSN ISSUES.

IT WOULD BE A VERY DIFFERENT STORY IF ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD ONE SIDE OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM BEING CONSIDERED TO GO OUT THERE AND HARVEST ELECTION APPLICATIONS.

GO AHEAD AND WRAP IT UP. BUT I THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I URGE THIS BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT TO VOTE NO TO RESOLUTION 66. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. KIKO. OKAY.

THE NEXT ONE I HAVE IS LUCY TREANOR.

BUT, LUCY, I'VE IDENTIFIED KAREN JONES AND CALEB CASH.

CASH DOLLARS. CASH COW.

THAT'S YIELDING YOUR TIME.

SIR. YES, SIR.

ACTUALLY, MAY I ASK A FAVOR? COULD I GIVE KAREN JONES HER TIME? AND THEN I COULD TAKE JENNIFER HENDRICKS TIME RIGHT OVER THERE.

OKAY. SO KAREN'S GOING TO SPEAK HER THREE MINUTES.

YEAH. KAREN WILL BE SPEAKING.

OKAY. HOLD ON. AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO.

WHO'S YIELDING TIME TO YOU, IF ANY.

SO. CALEB.

OKAY. YOU'RE YIELDING TIME TO WHO? TO LUCY. LUCY.

OKAY. LUCY, YOU GOT SIX MINUTES.

GO AHEAD. AND THEN HERE'S JENNIFER.

JENNIFER. HENDRICKS. JENNIFER HEDRICK.

OKAY, LET ME FIND YOU.

ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU. SIR.

MY NAME IS LUCY TREANOR.

I'M HERE TO BE AGAINST 66.

THE SUPREME COURT HAS AFFIRMED THAT NON-CITIZENS SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN VOTING OR HOLD CERTAIN GOVERNMENTAL POSITIONS, REINFORCING THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATE VOTER REGISTRATION. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL AND POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS BEHIND OUTSOURCING VOTER REGISTRATION TO A FIRM WITH CONNECTIONS TO PROGRESSIVE ENTITIES.

WHILE THE FOUNDER OF CGS HAS CLAIMED NONPARTISAN ROOTS, HIS WEBSITE TELLS A VERY DIFFERENT STORY WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE CONTRACTED WITH IN THE PAST, INCLUDING THE DEMOCRAT PARTY, THE FLORIDA DEMOCRAT PARTY, THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRAT PARTY, THE DEMOCRAT ATTORNEYS GENERAL, TO NAME A FEW.

JERRY JEREMY SMITH, THE FOUNDER OF CGS, HAS ALSO STATED THAT HIS LLC IS MAJORITY OWNED BY NON-PROFITS WHO ARE PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL ENTITIES. WE NEED TO CARE ABOUT ALL THE VOTERS AND BEAR AND NOT JUST HALF OF US.

GIVEN THAT CGS IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE SAME TRANSPARENCY AND OVERSIGHT REQUIREMENTS AS NONPROFITS ENGAGE IN SIMILAR ACTIVITIES AS AN LLC, THERE ARE VIRTUALLY NO CHECKS AND BALANCES HERE IN THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION PROCESS.

JUST LIKE KIKO SAID, UNDER THE ELECTION CODE 276.06, IT'S UNLAWFUL TO SEND OUT UNSOLICITED APPLICATIONS FOR BALLOTS BY MAIL.

CGS AND IN THEIR ADVERTISING TO YOU ALL PROMOTE SENDING OUT APPLICATIONS FOR BALLOTS BY MAIL AND HAS HIGH.

NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACTIVITY TO PROMOTE ITS BUSINESS MODEL.

CONTRACTING WITH THIS COMPANY WOULD BE A COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR TEXAS LAW.

MOREOVER, THERE'S NO WAY TO VERIFY THESE UNREGISTERED VOTERS ARE IN FACT CITIZENS BY OCTOBER 7TH.

MOST CERTAINLY, IT WILL CONFUSE THE PUBLIC WITH SO MANY ADDITIONAL ILLEGAL MIGRANTS IN OUR COUNTY.

[01:45:05]

GIVEN THE BORDER CRISIS, MANY WILL UNKNOWINGLY FILL OUT THIS APPLICATION AND THEN PROVIDE FALSE INFORMATION TO AUTHORITIES FACING POSSIBLE CONVICTION.

CLEAN VOTER ROLLS SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR ANY LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT.

AS THIS EFFECTUATES ACCURATE AND HONEST ELECTIONS.

CITIZENS SHOULD CHOOSE OUR GOVERNMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES IN ANY GIVEN ELECTION AS THIS SETS THE DIRECTION FOR OUR FUTURE AS OUR COUNTY, OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY.

SPECIFICALLY, NON-CITIZENS ARE BARRED FROM HOLDING HIGH OFFICE, SERVING ON JURIES, AND CONTRIBUTING TO POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS, VOTING SHOULD BE NO DIFFERENT. THE SUPREME COURT HAS HELD THAT EXCLUSION OF ALIENS.

QUOTE, EXCLUSION OF ALIENS FROM BASIC GOVERNMENTAL PROCESSES IS NOT A DEFICIENCY IN THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM, BUT A NECESSARY CONSEQUENCE OF THE COMMUNITY'S PROCESS OF POLITICAL SELF-DEFINITION, END QUOTE.

THE COURT HAS ALSO HELD THAT WHILE CITIZENS HAVE MANY RIGHTS.

QUOTE, THE RIGHT TO GOVERN IS RESERVED TO CITIZENS.

END QUOTE.

THE WEB DOMAIN OF CGS SHOWS CIVTECH AS THE REGISTRANT, INDICATING DIRECT CONTROL OVER KGS, AS HAS BEEN STATED EARLIER.

JEREMY SMITH, THE FOUNDER OF CIVTECH, HAS SAID GOVERNMENTS NEED TO TAKE MORE OF AN ACTIVE ROLE IN SECURING VOTER INFORMATION, YET OUTSOURCING THIS VOTER INFORMATION TO HIS FIRM WILL FINANCIALLY AND BENEFIT AND POLITICALLY BENEFIT IS IN NO WAY SECURE.

THIS IS PRECISELY WHY THE STATE OF TEXAS EXITED ITS CONTRACT WITH THE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION INFORMATION CENTER AS OF LAST SESSION.

WE DON'T NEED TO DO THE SAME THING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, COSTING TAXPAYERS, TAXPAYERS MILLIONS OF MORE MILLIONS OF MORE DOLLARS THAN THE STATE CONTRACT ACTUALLY ALLOCATED FOR HERE.

THIS BETWEEN BEXAR TRAVIS HARRIS, THERE'S ALREADY TWO.

2 MILLION BETWEEN THREE COUNTIES AMONGST THREE COUNTIES FOR THIS TYPE OF VOTER REGISTRATION.

ERIC THAT THAT CONTRACT ONLY ALLOCATED FOR 1.5 MILLION.

SO GIVEN THESE NUMBERS WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THIS THIS VOTE THAT YOU ARE ALL DOING AND ASK THAT YOU BE GOOD STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER MONEY FOR YOUR COUNTY, FOR YOUR STATE, AND FOR YOUR COUNTRY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

LET ME SEE IF LET ME SEE IF I GOT THIS STRAIGHT.

KAREN JONES, YOU HAD INDICATED YIELD, BUT YOU WANT TO SPEAK IN YOUR BEHALF.

ARE YOU SPEAKING FOR THREE MINUTES? NO. NO.

JUST. ARE YOU YIELDING? NO. I'M SPEAKING FOR A SHORT TIME.

OKAY. AND THEN, JENNIFER HENDRICKS, WERE YOU YIELDING TIME TO KAREN? YES. OKAY, SO, KAREN, YOU GOT SIX MINUTES.

PROCEED. AGAIN, MY NAME IS KAREN JONES, A VOLUNTEER DEPUTY REGISTRAR HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

I HAVE SERVED AS A VOTER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND ALSO COORDINATED TEAMS OF VOTERS TO SERVE NON-REGISTERED VOTERS IN VARIOUS CHURCHES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AS JACKIE ALREADY CONFIRMED, THERE ARE OVER 900 VOTERS ACTIVE AND WORKING IN BEXAR COUNTY.

VOTERS THAT ARE CERTIFIED THAT ARE DOING FACE TO FACE, EYEBALL TO EYEBALL.

ALL OVER THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, VERIFYING ALL THE REQUIRED INFORMATION BEFORE IT GOES INTO BEXAR COUNTY'S OFFICE.

THE MAIL PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING DOESN'T ASSUME THAT SAME THOROUGHNESS THAT THE VR PROGRAM IN PERSON PROGRAM ACHIEVES.

THIS COURT HAS AN ARMY OF VOTERS AT ITS FINGERTIPS, VOTERS THAT COULD BE UTILIZED ON A PRECINCT BY PRECINCT BASIS TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, BUT IN A MORE THOROUGH BASIS.

THESE VOTERS ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS.

THEY'RE ALL UNPAID.

THEY'RE ALL PASSIONATE ABOUT BEING PART OF THE ELECTION PROCESS.

IT'S WHY THEY VOLUNTEERED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THEY'RE PASSIONATE TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO VOTE, AND THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT SAFEGUARDING EVERY AMERICAN'S VOTING ELIGIBILITY.

VOTING IS A PRECIOUS RIGHT AND A PRIVILEGE.

SIMPLY ADDING NAMES TO THE ROLL SHOULD NEVER BE THE OBJECTIVE.

RATHER, ENCOURAGING NEW VOTERS TO BE INFORMED AND TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS AS EDUCATED VOTERS IS MUCH MORE DESIRABLE THAN SIMPLY ADDING NAMES TO ALREADY CORRUPT ROLLS.

[01:50:06]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN HELP THESE TWO.

JENNIFER, MARY, AND DIANA RIDGEWAY.

Y'ALL BOTH SIGNED UP ON BEHALF OF BCI.

DO Y'ALL WANT TO SPEAK INDIVIDUALLY OR ONE AT A TIME? FIRST, WE'LL GO WITH JENNIFER.

MARY, IF YOU WANTED TO YIELD TO OUR TIME YIELD.

WHO ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU? OKAY. WHAT IS YOUR NAME? WHO IS YIELDING TO WHO? OH, JENNIFER. MARY.

JENNIFER IS YIELDING TO YOU.

AND YOU'RE GARY CHICK.

OKAY. AND ROBERT RIDGWAY, ARE YOU YIELDING? TO YIELD TO GARY.

OKAY, WELL, THEN LET ME GET GARY.

I'M GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO GET THEIR YIELDING THEIR TIME.

BUT THEY I'M CALLING YOU UP IN THEIR TIME SLOT.

SO DON'T GET UPSET AT ME I'M TRYING TO JUST GET EVERYBODY DONE.

SO GARY, COME UP HERE.

JENNIFER AND DIANA RIDGWAY HAVE YIELDED THEIR TIME.

YOU HAVE NINE MINUTES.

GARY CHICK.

THANK YOU. JUDGE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

ITEM 66 STATES THAT YOU WANT TO EXEMPT THIS ITEM FROM COMPETITIVE BIDDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 262.024, PARAGRAPH 7A, INDICATING THAT THE ITEMS FOR WHICH COMPETITION IS PRECLUDED IS BECAUSE OF THE EXISTENCE OF PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, SECRET PROCESSES, OR MONOPOLIES.

I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A PATENT, COPYRIGHT, OR MONOPOLY ON VOTER REGISTRATION, SO IT MUST BE THE LAST ONE LEFT.

SECRET PROCESSES.

SO IN OTHER WORDS, THEY HAVE A SECRET SAUCE.

SO WHAT IS THEIR SECRET SAUCE? INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER IAN CAMACHO FOUND A PODCAST FROM AUGUST 12TH LAST MONTH, WHERE THEY SPOKE TO THE CEO OF CGS AND OF CIVTECH, JEREMY SMITH.

THEY INTRODUCED HIM AS A TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEUR IN TEXAS, WHO HAS BECOME KNOWN FOR LEVERAGING HIS EXPERTISE INTO THE CONTINUAL DEVELOPMENT OF ONLINE PRODUCTS AND PLATFORMS THAT AIM TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT AND CIRCUMVENT THE MANY LAYERS OF VOTER SUPPRESSION. A LITTLE LATER IN THE PODCAST, CEO SMITH STATES, TEXAS IS A VOTER SUPPRESSED STATE, AND WE ARE UNIQUELY THE WORST AT IT BECAUSE WE REQUIRE VOTERS TO BE REGISTERED BY THE COUNTY.

HE FILLS THAT THAT THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE, REQUIRING A PERSON TO TAKE TRAINING AND PASS AN EXAM AND GET A SIGNED CERTIFICATE FROM THE COUNTY REGISTRAR BEFORE THEY CAN REGISTER SOMEONE TO VOTE, IS VOTER SUPPRESSION.

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE THIS WILL TURN OUT TO BE ONE OF THE MANY LAYERS OF VOTER SUPPRESSION.

HE WILL FOUND A WAY TO CIRCUMVENT EXACTLY AS HE WAS INTRODUCED BY ONE OF THE PODCAST HOSTS ON ANOTHER PODCAST FROM JULY 19TH THIS YEAR.

CEO SMITH STATES THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE, ON AVERAGE, FALLEN ROUGHLY 50,000 REGISTERED VOTERS, BEHIND REPUBLICANS IN MOST STATES. BUT HE IS QUOTED ON CGS'S WEBSITE AS SAYING, AS THERE IS A RAY OF HOPE, IF THEY CAN GET THE LIKELY DEMOCRAT VOTERS IN THEIR DATABASE ALL REGISTERED.

NOW HE BEGINS TO EXPLAIN HIS SECRET SAUCE AS HE STARTS TALKING ABOUT SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER THAT THEY DO EVERY OTHER YEAR, WHERE THEY ASK UNREGISTERED PEOPLE WHY THEY DON'T REGISTER.

HE FOUND THERE WAS CONSISTENTLY A GROUP OF ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THEM THAT SAID IT'S BECAUSE NO ONE EVER ASKED THEM.

SO THIS WAS THEIR OPPORTUNITY.

THEY BEGAN TO RUN LARGE SCALE SURVEYS OF THESE PEOPLE.

THEY FOUND THAT THESE PEOPLE WEREN'T ON ANY OF THE NORMAL LISTS THAT CAMPAIGNS AND PARTIES USE FOR GET OUT THE VOTE AND FUNDRAISING.

SO THESE PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN INUNDATED WITH CALLS AND TEXTS, AND IT TURNED OUT THAT THEY WERE QUITE EAGER TO GIVE THEIR OPINIONS.

AND AFTER, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS QUESTIONS, MANY OF THEM WOULD COMMENT HOW MUCH THEY LIKED JOE BIDEN, AND THEY WOULD EVEN THANK THE SURVEYORS FOR ASKING FOR THEIR OPINION.

PEOPLE DON'T NORMALLY ASK THEM FOR THEIR OPINION.

[01:55:01]

THEY PROVIDED THEIR PHONE NUMBERS, THEIR EMAIL ADDRESSES, AND CIVTECH COULD EASILY DETERMINE WHO WOULD LIKELY VOTE DEMOCRAT, WHO WOULDN'T, AND WHO THEY WEREN'T SURE ABOUT. THE CEO SMITH GOES THROUGH THEIR WHOLE THIS WHOLE EXPLANATION ON THIS PODCAST.

THEY HAVE BEEN BUILDING THIS DATABASE SINCE AT LEAST 2018.

ONCE THEY DETERMINE THAT SOMEONE IS A LIKELY DEMOCRAT VOTER, THEY GET THEM REGISTERED AND THEY GET THEM INTO THE DEMOCRATS NGP VAN SYSTEM, WHICH IS THEIR VOTER DATABASE.

ONCE THEY'RE IN THE NGP VAN.

THE REST OF THE DEMOCRAT GET OUT THE VOTE APPARATUS CAN START HITTING THEM UP WITH THINGS THEY HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE, AND WORK TO PERSUADE THEM TO TURN OUT AND VOTE IN VARIOUS ELECTIONS, HE SAID.

GOING AFTER THIS GROUP IN THIS WAY, THEY HAVE GOTTEN 300% BETTER RESPONSE RATES THAN PREVIOUSLY.

HE SAID THEY THINK THAT THERE IS ABOUT 70 MILLION AMERICANS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE BUT NOT REGISTERED.

THEY HAVE SOME DATA ON ABOUT 60 MILLION.

THEY HAVE GOOD ADDRESS, PHONE AND EMAIL DATA ON ABOUT 30 MILLION.

AND THEY CAN SCREEN THAT DOWN TO ABOUT 3 MILLION LIKELY DEMOCRAT VOTERS.

THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED ABOUT 250,000 IN BEXAR COUNTY, WHILE CIVTECH OR CGS, WHICHEVER NAME YOU WANT TO USE FOR THEM, IS NOT TECHNICALLY A VR BY THE LETTER OF THE LAW.

THEY SURE SEEM TO BE BY THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW.

THEY HOLD THE UNREGISTERED RESIDENTS HAND THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF GETTING THE REGISTRATION FORM SENT TO THEM, PRE-FILLED, HELPING THEM FILL IT OUT, AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND MAKE SURE THEY GET IT IN THE MAILBOX ALL THROUGH MAIL, TEXT, PHONE.

SO CEO SMITH HAS LIVED UP TO HIS REPUTATION AS SOMEONE WHO CAN USE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY TO CIRCUMVENT THIS LAYER OF WHAT HE CONSIDERS VOTER SUPPRESSION, THE TECH VOTER LAWS.

NOW, I WONDER, SINCE THEY ARE ACTING AS A VR IN SPIRIT, ARE THEY COMMITTING AN OFFENSE UNDER TECH 13.044 BY ACTING AS A FEEDER WITHOUT FIRST BEING APPOINTED AS ONE BY THE COUNTY.

AND COULD THE COMMISSIONERS HEAR THE VOTE FOR THIS BE COMMITTING AN OFFENSE UNDER TECH 13.008 THAT STATES PERFORMANCE BASED COMPENSATION FOR REGISTERING VOTERS IS PROHIBITED, BECAUSE IF CGS DOES NOT REGISTER ANYBODY FOR THEIR $392,700, THEY WILL BE PAID.

I'M SURE THE COUNTY WILL TERMINATE THEIR CONTRACT.

IF THEY REGISTER 200,000, THEY MIGHT GET AN EXTENSION.

WOULDN'T THAT BE A PERFORMANCE BASED COMPENSATION? ANOTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THEY DO SAY THEY'RE NONPARTISAN, BUT THEY FOCUS SOLELY ON AREAS THAT ARE HEAVILY DEMOCRAT AND NO AREAS THAT ARE ON MAJORITY REPUBLICAN.

OPENSECRETS.ORG SHOWS THAT CIVIC TECH HAS DONATED ONLY TO DEMOCRATS.

NOTHING TO REPUBLICANS, NOTHING TO INDEPENDENTS.

THIS COUNTY IS $2.5 BILLION IN DEBT.

AND THIS MONEY SHOULD NOT BE SPENT ON A PARTIZAN PROJECT.

EARLIER, COMMISSIONER CALVERT MENTIONED THAT TIMES ARE TOUGH AND RESOURCES ARE TIGHT, SO THE MONEY REALLY SHOULDN'T BE SPENT.

SPENT. IF YOU DO SPEND IT, MAYBE YOU SHOULD SPEND IT ON IMPROVING THE 911 SYSTEM.

WE HAD THE LADY IN HERE IN JULY WHO HER HUSBAND HAD A HEART ATTACK.

SHE CALLED 911.

SHE WAS PUT ON HOLD.

SHE HAD TO DRAG HIM OUT TO THE CAR, GET HIM IN THE CAR AND DRIVE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.

SHE HAD TO HANG UP. THEY CALLED HER BACK, I DON'T KNOW, TEN MINUTES, 13 MINUTES LATER.

SO CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THAT WAS A CHILD THAT WAS TOLD? YOU DIAL 911, THERE'S AN EMERGENCY.

SOMEBODY WILL HELP YOU AND THEY'RE PUT ON HOLD.

SO IN FINISHING, IF THIS ITEM GETS FUNDED, IT SHOULD REALLY BE CONSIDERED A CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEMOCRAT PARTY OF BEXAR COUNTY. AND IF THIS COURT DOES VOTE TO FUND IT, I DO BELIEVE THIS WILL BE A STAIN ON THE COURT.

OH, AND ONE LAST THING.

IF YOU DO OPEN IT UP TO BIDDING, I'LL DO IT FOR 300,000.

I WILL SAVE THE TAXPAYERS $92,000.

$92,700. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT POINT OF ORDER.

SO DID WE NOT? MAYBE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IT AND WE DIDN'T PASS IT.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES THIS COURT LIKES TO TALK ABOUT THINGS AND NOT PASS THEM.

SO I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WHEN PEOPLE GIVE THEIR TIME TO OTHER PEOPLE TO SPEAK, THERE'S A LIMIT OF A MAX OF SIX MINUTES.

IS THAT INCORRECT? IS THAT A PAST PRACTICE? THAT IT WAS OVER? I WONDER WHAT WAS THAT, THOMAS? IT'S A PAST PRACTICE.

[02:00:01]

SO THAT'S THE WAY IT IS FOR TODAY.

LET'S CONTINUE. OKAY. THANK YOU.

GINA CASTANEDA.

HELLO THERE.

I KNOW MANY OF YOU, AND I'VE KNOWN YOU ALL FOR A LONG TIME, JUDGE.

WHEN I SAW THE AGENDA, AND I'M HARDLY EVER HERE UNLESS I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY OR SOMETHING TO DO.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS FURIOUS WHEN I GOT ONE IN THE MAIL.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I GOT TWO OF THEM IN THE MAIL.

I GOT ONE AT MY RENTAL HOME SO I COULD HAVE REGISTERED TWICE IF I WANTED TO.

SO YOU GET WHAT WE ARE AIMING AT INTEGRITY.

INTEGRITY. WHEN I STARTED LOOKING AT THIS AND I SAW WHAT IT WAS, IT WAS A PARTIZAN PROJECT.

MOVE, TEXAS.

COMMON SENSE.

TEXAS. COME ON.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? WE ARE NOT BLIND.

WE ARE NOT STUPID.

WE ALL ARE SMART PEOPLE.

THE THING IS, IS WHY DO ALL OF YOU THAT SIT IN THE DAIS, COME BACK AND SAY, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO PASS THIS AND LET'S SEE WHAT WE ARE? MAJORITY OF YOU ARE DEMOCRATS.

MAJORITY FOUR OUT OF FIVE.

NOW WHAT IF IT WAS AROUND? WE TURNED THE TABLES AND IT WAS THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE FAIR.

I KNOW LIFE'S NOT FAIR, BUT I'M USUALLY NOT THE FIRST ONE OUT IN THE STREETS.

AND Y'ALL KNOW ME BECAUSE I'VE SEEN Y'ALL AND I'VE TALKED TO Y'ALL.

THIS IS NOT RIGHT.

YOU'RE PRETTY BLEMISH ON YOUR SITUATION IN YOUR POSITION.

DON'T DO THAT.

WE DON'T WANT TO BE ANOTHER HARRIS COUNTY.

WE DON'T WANT TO GET A LAWSUIT FROM KEN PAXTON.

AND THAT'S GOING TO COST YOU.

PARDON MY LANGUAGE.

A HELL OF A LOT MORE MONEY.

YOU'VE GOT TO THINK SMART.

AND OUR CITIZENS ARE SMARTER.

WE NEED YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THIS, BECAUSE AGAIN, THE TABLES CAN TURN.

THANK YOU, JUDGE SAKAI AND COMMISSIONERS.

CHRISTINE. NICOLE.

INITIALLY, I WAS GOING TO DO LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.

VOTER INTEGRITY IS A HOT BUTTON NOW.

AND ADDRESS THE SAME TOPICS AND SAY IT WAS PARTIZAN TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TO A KNOWN PARTIZAN COMPANY, OR THE DISTRIBUTING THE MAIL GAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE VOTERS SIGN UP THAT WEREN'T ELIGIBLE TO VOTE, OR TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN 30 DAYS OF A PROJECT DIDN'T GIVE THE REGISTRATION TIME TO BE VETTED CORRECTLY, OR THAT WE WERE SPENDING AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TAXPAYER MONEY ON A PROJECT THAT DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND BE VETTED.

BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IRRELEVANT AT THIS POINT.

AS YOU KNOW, THE LETTER THAT YOU RECEIVED YESTERDAY FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON MADE ALL OF THESE POINTS RELATIVELY IRRELEVANT.

HE HAS SAID THAT THIS PROPOSAL WILL VIOLATE THE LAW AND THAT IF YOU PROCEED WITH THIS, THAT HE WILL SUE YOU BECAUSE IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY ILLEGAL.

AND SO, IN MY OPINION, AND PROBABLY IN MOST OF THE TAXPAYERS OPINION, TO PROCEED WITH A PROPOSAL THAT HAS SO MANY INHERENTLY WRONG THINGS WITH IT THAT SO MANY CITIZENS ARE OBVIOUSLY SEEING THE FLAWS OF, AND THAT YOU'RE BEING TOLD IS FUNDAMENTALLY AGAINST THE LAW.

AND TO PROCEED ANYWAY VIOLATES THE TAXPAYERS TRUST IN YOU, VIOLATES THEIR CONFIDENCE IN YOU AND HIS FIDUCIARY

[02:05:03]

IRRESPONSIBLE. SO FOR ALL THE ABOVE REASONS, I AM HERE TO SAY I AM STRONGLY OPPOSED TO NUMBER 66 AND I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. JAMES STEWART.

YES. GOOD MORNING.

I'M JAMES STEWART.

JAMES R STEWART. I'M FROM PRECINCT.

CAN YOU SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT LOUDER? I'M JAMES R STEWART.

I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.

I'M FROM PRECINCT PRECINCT NUMBER ONE, AND I WISH TO BRING UP SOME HISTORY HERE.

I'VE READ IN THE COURSE OF MY READINGS, I'VE COME ACROSS SEVERAL TIMES A STATEMENT THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP YOUR REPUBLIC AS LONG AS YOU THEY DON'T LEARN THAT THEY CAN SPEND THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY.

SO ANY DEMOCRACY OR REPUBLIC IS GOING TO FALL BECAUSE EVENTUALLY THEY WILL FIGURE THAT OUT.

NOW THIS IS ORIGINALLY A GOES BACK TO ALEXANDER FRASER TYTLER, ABOUT 1813, SCOTTISH ENGLISHMAN LAWYER.

BUT I SAW THIS SPELLED OUT IN THE OKLAHOMA NEWSPAPER ABOUT 1951 THAT IT TALKS ABOUT THIS.

AND THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT THEY DO WITH THIS MONEY.

SOMETIMES THEY BUY VOTES BECAUSE IF THEY GET MORE MONEY TO PEOPLE, THEY VOTE FOR THEM.

AND ANOTHER WAY IS THEY STEER THIS MONEY, TAXPAYERS MONEY TOWARD THEIR PROJECTS OR THAT SORT OF THING, PEOPLE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OF SELF-INTEREST.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHOEVER THE PERSON IN CHARGE THE GOVERNMENT, THEY STEER IT TOWARD THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN THEIR SELF-INTEREST OF SOME WAY, SOMEHOW THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

WELL, CURRENTLY, YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD MANY TIMES THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE REGISTERING PEOPLE.

IN FACT, I CAN DO THAT MYSELF.

I'M A VOTER, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IT'S PUBLICIZED ON TV ARTICLES, TV SPOTS EVERYWHERE.

ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO VOTE SHOULD KNOW THAT.

AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO VOTE.

AND IT'S A SACRED RIGHT IF THEY'RE INTERESTED ENOUGH TO IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS, THEY SHOULD GO AHEAD AND REGISTER.

AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOW YOU DO THAT AND WHERE YOU DO THAT.

AND I WANT TO CONCLUDE WITH THIS.

IF YOU NEED SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT WHERE YOU MIGHT SPEND THIS, THREE WHERE YOU MIGHT SPEND THIS $392,700.

I GOT A GOOD ONE.

LUKE THREE 1604 HAS BEEN IN PROGRESS FOR 64 YEARS, AND I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT TIRED OF IT.

IF YOU GO TO PRECINCT ONE, COTTONWOOD WISEMAN, AND WHERE THAT BAPTIST HOSPITAL HAS JUST BEEN BUILT, THAT NEEDS SOME ATTENTION DESPERATELY.

SO YOU MIGHT SPEND IT THERE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, DAVID PURDY.

IS IT PURDY? MR. PURDY? YES.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IN LIGHT OF ALL THE AND ALL OF IN LIGHT OF ALL THE POINTS AGAINST THIS BILL.

I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA BEFORE YOU VOTE.

YES, THAT YOU GET A REPRESENTATIVE OF KEN PAXTON TO COME AND TALK ABOUT IT.

TALK ABOUT WHY HE WOULD FEEL LIKE THERE WOULD BE A STATE LAWSUIT.

ET CETERA. AND ALSO, I'VE SEEN COUNTYWIDE VOTING ON PROPOSITIONS FOR MOUNT SMALLER THAN 392,700, WHICH IS 92,700 MORE THAN WHAT I WAS THAN WHAT HAS BEEN PUT OUT THAT THIS BILL WAS GOING TO COST.

THIS IDEA WAS GOING TO COST.

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE 300,000.

THAT'S WHAT I SAW.

I DO THINK THAT THE AMOUNT SHOULD BE BROKEN DOWN AND JUSTIFICATION MADE FOR THAT MONEY, AND I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE VOTED ON BY BEXAR COUNTY VOTERS FOR THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO SEE HOW THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY FEEL ABOUT SPENDING THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY. BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT BEFORE YOU VOTE YES, YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE OF KEN PAXTON COME HERE AND EXPLAIN THE PROBLEMS WITH IT TOO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MELINDA ROBERTS.

HI, I'M MELINDA ROBERTS, A LOCAL CITIZEN WHO CARES ABOUT ELECTION INTEGRITY.

I TESTIFIED IN JULY REGARDING THE NEARLY 600,000 THAT YOU ALL PASSED TO LOCATE AND ALLOCATE TO A CLEARLY DEMOCRAT ORGANIZATION TO REGISTER VOTERS.

WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING.

WE WERE RED LANGUAGE, STATING THAT IT WAS THE BUSINESS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO CONDUCT THE ACTIVITY OF REGISTERING VOTERS.

[02:10:02]

THAT LANGUAGE ISN'T THERE.

BUT HERE WE ARE AGAIN, ASKING FOR TAXPAYERS MONEY TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE PARTY AND ITS CITIZENS.

AS YOU'RE AWARE, WELL AWARE, BEXAR COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST DEBT PER CAPITA IN THE NATION IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD OR BUSINESS.

IF YOUR HOUSEHOLD OR BUSINESS HAD THIS KIND OF DEBT, YOU WOULD NEVER APPROVE OF THIS EXPENDITURE.

AS YOU ARE HEARING TODAY, YOU ARE FUNDING A FAR LEFT ORGANIZATION TO REGISTER DEMOCRATS TO VOTE.

JEREMY SMITH RUNS PARTIZAN ORGANIZATIONS, AND HIS TARGETED ELIGIBLE VOTERS ARE DEMOCRATS.

HIS COMPANIES ARE TECH BASED, AND HE'S ON THE RECORD STATING THEY ARE POLITICAL.

THEY ARE PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL ENTITIES.

HIS COMPANIES AND CONNECTIONS ALL LEAD TO PARTIZAN POLITICS, AND IT'S SO OBVIOUS AND EASY TO FIND THIS INFORMATION THAT FOR THE COURT TO STATE CGS IS NONPARTIZAN IS DISHONEST, MAKING THIS COURT COMPLICIT IN PLAYING POLITICS WITH THEIR TAXPAYERS MONEY.

THERE WAS LEGISLATION PASSED LAST YEAR SPECIFICALLY DISALLOWING THE SECRETARY OF STATE FROM PARTICIPATING IN VOTER REGISTRATION, LIMITING IT TO VOTER ROLL ACCURACY, PERIOD.

AND HERE WE HAVE A COUNTY ENTITY LOOKING TO PARTICIPATE IN VOTER REGISTRATION.

WE ARE VEHEMENTLY AGAINST THIS USE OF OUR MONEY, BUT WE'RE NOT OUT BURNING DOWN BUILDINGS, JUMPING ON POLICE CARS, OR THROWING MOLOTOV COCKTAILS.

WE'RE OUT REGISTERING VOTERS.

WE ARE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT HONEST ELECTIONS AND HAVE GATHERED HERE PEACEFULLY AND RESPECTFULLY ASKING OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

THIS COURT IS TAKING A NONPARTIZAN PROCESS AND USING IT FOR YOUR OWN POLITICAL GAIN ON THE BACKS OF TAXPAYERS. WE'RE ASKING EACH OF YOU TO HAVE INTEGRITY TO VOTE AGAINST.

AGENDA ITEM 66.

THANK YOU. CARL MERKLE.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS CARL MERKLE.

I'M A RESIDENT OF BEXAR COUNTY SINCE 2012.

I LIVE I'M NOW A PRECINCT CHAIR FOR THE GOP IN PRECINCT 4096.

IT IS A PRECINCT CHAIRS JOB TO GET OUT THE VOTE.

I'VE DRAFTED A LITTLE SHORT THING TO HAND TO ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS.

I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, BECAUSE I'VE LOOKED AT THE MODELING OF JUST MY DISTINCT PRECINCT.

WE HAVE 248 HARD REPUBLICANS.

WE HAVE 228 WEAK REPUBLICANS.

WE HAVE 369 HARD DEMOCRATS, 428 HARD DEMOCRATS.

EXCUSE ME, WEAK DEMOCRATS.

SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE THERE IS THAT JUST TAKING THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED TO VOTE THERE'S MORE DEMOCRATS THAN REPUBLICANS.

BUT THE INTERESTING NUMBER THAT I HAVEN'T STATED YET IS THE SWING VOTE, WHICH IS MODELED IN ITS 1464.

SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT BETWEEN NOW AND OCTOBER, I THINK IT'S OCTOBER 7TH.

THAT IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE.

I INTEND TO SPEND MY TIME TRYING TO GET MY NEIGHBORS TO TO REGISTER TO VOTE.

AND CERTAINLY I'M GOING TO BE PUSHING FOR THE REPUBLICANS.

THAT SAID, I'M DELAYED A BIT.

I'VE BEEN IN LITIGATION NEARLY FULL TIME SINCE OCTOBER 2017.

I'VE COVERED MASSIVE WHITE COLLAR ORGANIZED CRIME HERE IN THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY AND I.

AND IF I'M OPPOSED TO THIS PARTICULAR NUMBER 66.

AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT TO PROTECT YOURSELVES, YOU SHOULD VOTE NO ON IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

VANESSA ALVARADO.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.

I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK AGAINST THE AGENDA ITEM 66.

[02:15:01]

I WANTED TO ADD THAT WHEN OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR WAS HERE EARLIER, SPEAKING ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES SHE'S ENCOUNTERED, I'VE HAD THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING DOWNTOWN WITH HER AT THE BALLOT BOARD DOING SIGNATURE VERIFICATION AND WORKING ON MAIL IN BALLOTS. AND THERE IS HUMAN ERROR.

THERE'S A LOT OF DUPLICATE ENTRIES.

THERE'S ISSUES THAT COME UP AND BOMBARDING THEM WITH EVEN MORE APPLICATIONS THAT WERE UNSOLICITED IS JUST GOING TO ADD TO A WORKLOAD.

AND THEY'RE ALREADY UNDERSTAFFED.

SHE MENTIONED THEY HAVE ROOM FOR FIVE MORE, I GUESS TEMPS TO HELP DURING THIS UPCOMING ELECTION.

SO I WOULD RECOMMEND TO YOU TO CONSIDER THAT MAYBE THOSE FUNDS BE BETTER UTILIZED GETTING THEM THE HELP THEY NEED THERE.

I DON'T THINK THEY NEED ANY MORE REGISTRANTS, BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE GOING TO GO TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT THEM, AND YOU JUST SPENT MONEY UNNECESSARILY.

THAT COULD BE PUT TO USE TO CLEAN UP OUR VOTER ROLLS AND TO HELP THEM HIRE THE PEOPLE THEY NEED TO FINISH PROCESSING THE APPLICATIONS THEY CURRENTLY HAVE.

SO IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER THAT AND OPPOSE THIS, THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, CAROL ANDREWS.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CAROL ANDREWS, AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO, AND I AM A VERY CONCERNED CITIZEN.

I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THIS PURCHASE ORDER FOR CIVIC GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS.

IT'S AN OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNT OF TAXPAYER MONEY, AND IT'S A MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE REGISTERED DEPUTY VOTER REGISTRARS TO PERFORM THIS FUNCTION OF REGISTERING VOTERS.

BUT THERE'S SOME VERY CONCERNING ASPECTS OF THIS ISSUE IN ADDITION.

IT'S BEEN FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS A CONTRACT AND WHICH CAN BE CONTROLLED IF NOT CARRIED OUT PROPERLY.

BUT IT'S REALLY A PURCHASE ORDER WHICH IS JUST AWARDING THE MONEY WITH NO CONTROLS.

THAT'S VERY CONCERNING TO ME.

AND THIS IS A HIGHLY PARTIZAN GROUP, AND THEY HAVE NO SAFEGUARDS BUILT IN THEIR PURCHASE ORDER TO PREVENT NON-CITIZENS AND ILLEGAL ALIENS, WHICH WE KNOW HAVE COME ACROSS THE BORDER IN MILLIONS FROM RECEIVING VOTER APPLICATIONS.

THIS UNDERMINES THE ELECTION PROCESS, AND IT GIVES CITIZENS A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE FAIRNESS OF THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM.

AND LASTLY, THAT PRESS RELEASE FROM THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL, KEN PAXTON, THAT WAS JUST FROM YESTERDAY, ANNOUNCED HIS LETTER TO BARON HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT THAT PLANS TO MAIL VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS TO INDIVIDUALS, REGARDLESS OF ELIGIBILITY, THAT THAT WOULD VIOLATE THE LAW.

SO PLEASE DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND DO WHAT IS LAWFUL AND DO NOT AWARD THIS PURCHASE ORDER TO CIVIC GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS.

SPONSOR. DENISE VAN DER MARK.

DENISE VANDERMARK.

YOU KNOW. SHE WAS GOING TO YIELD THEIR TIME TO ME.

WELL, WHO ARE YOU? I DON'T KNOW.

OKAY. IS SHE HERE? NO. SHE'S NOT.

I'M SORRY. SHE'S GOT TO BE IN THE ROOM.

ALL RIGHT. I'LL COME BACK TO HER.

ALL RIGHT. ROSARIO.

COUSIN. COUSIN.

ROSARIO COUSIN.

ALL RIGHT. I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. RACHEL TREVINO.

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE.

I DO STRATEGY FOR BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS.

THIS CLEARLY IS AN OVERT USE OF VOTERS AND TAXPAYER FUNDS TO A VERY POLITICIZED ENTITY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE STEPPED INTO THE COURTHOUSE.

AND CONGRATULATIONS, JUDGE ON YOUR NEW APPOINTMENT.

IT'S GLARING TO SEE THAT THIS IS A REPRESENTATION AT BEXAR COUNTY, TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO REALLY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEIR DOLLARS, PEOPLE WHO'VE ELECTED YOU GUYS TO REPRESENT THEM AND THEIR BEST INTEREST.

THIS ISN'T DOESN'T SPEAK TO THE HEART OF BEXAR COUNTY CITIZENS.

[02:20:02]

THIS IS WE'VE HEARD MULTIPLE PEOPLE SPEAK ABOUT TRIPLICATES IN VOTER REGISTRATIONS BEING SENT ABOUT DEAD VOTERS.

WE HAVE DIRTY VOTER POLL VOTER ROLLS.

AND IT'S REALLY TROUBLING TO SEE THAT EVEN KNOWING THAT KEN PAXTON HAS ALREADY ADDRESSED THIS WITH US, THAT HERE WE ARE STILL TRYING TO VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT IS A IT'S NOT $400,000.

IT'S GIVING MONEY.

IT'S TAKING MONEY FROM THE COOKIE JAR OF TAXPAYERS TO USE FOR WHAT YOUR AGENDA IS.

AND THERE'S FOUR DEMOCRATS ON THIS ON THIS PANEL, AND THERE'S ONE REPUBLICAN.

AND CLEARLY GIVING THE MONEY TO AN ENTITY THAT WE'VE PROVEN IS POLITICIZED, IS A GROSS AND OVERT GRASP AT FUNDS THAT WERE NOT ALLOCATED FOR THIS.

THIS ISN'T IF IF JACKIE HAS SAID THAT IT TAKES 150 PEOPLE, 150 PEOPLE A DAY CAN ARE EXCUSE ME.

HER TEAM OF 15 PEOPLE CAN REGISTER 150 GO THROUGH 150 BALLOTS.

THIS IS 2 OR 3 DAYS WORK FOR IF THERE'S 3000 TO 4000 BACKLOGS, THAT'S A COUPLE DAYS WORK.

THIS IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT REAL STRATEGY DOES FOR BUSINESSES FOR BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC.

SO I ASK YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS.

I ASK YOU TO NOT USE TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO SEND TAXPAYERS TO SEND VOTERS AND TAXPAYERS BACK AGAIN, BECAUSE THE LITIGATION ON THIS IS GOING TO COST US.

HOW MUCH MORE MONEY? HOW MUCH MORE TIME? LIKE, I'D LIKE TO LOOK ALL OF YOU IN THE EYE AND KNOW THAT MY PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR BEXAR COUNTY, FOR SAN ANTONIO.

WE'RE THE SEVENTH LARGEST CITY.

AND I WANT TO BE PROUD TO LOOK EACH ONE OF YOU IN THE EYE AND SAY, HEY, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO I TRUST BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WAS ELECTED BY YOUR VOTERS TO DO THE RIGHT THING, TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM, NOT BASED ON A PARTY AFFILIATION AND GIVING THIS MONEY TO CGS.

IT'S CLEAR AGAIN, WE ALL HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL CAN SEE WITH OUR EYES AND LISTEN WITH OUR EARS THAT THEY HAVE AN AGENDA AND WE DON'T. WE HAVE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THIS CAUSE.

WE DO NOT NEED TO SPEND $400,000 TO SPEND MORE, TO THROW GOOD MONEY, GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD, WHEN BEXAR COUNTY HAS ENOUGH ISSUES.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

SUSAN BAIN.

OKAY, I'LL GET BACK TO IT.

GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR TIME.

JUDGE SAKAI, COMMISSIONERS SUSAN BAIN, REPRESENTING INFUSE SA, AND MOST OF MY INTRODUCTORY REMARKS HAVE ALREADY ON THE POINTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE.

SO I WON'T USE YOUR TIME FOR THAT.

AND I'M ENDING WITH JUST SAYING NONE OF IT PASSES THE SMELL TEST.

NONE OF IT.

IT'S ILL CONCEIVED AND IT'S ILL ADVISED.

AND SO FOR ME TO ASSOCIATE YOURSELF WITH A VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS MAKES ME ASK, WHY WOULD YOU SULLY YOUR REPUTATIONS AND GET INVOLVED IN SUCH A QUESTIONABLE PROJECT? JUDGE SAKAI, YOU HAVE SAID YOU WOULD USE WISDOM AND COMMON SENSE IN SEEKING THE CORRECT COURSE OF ACTION OF ANY ACTION THAT THE COURT TAKES UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP.

AND YOU HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO OPERATE THAT WAY.

BUT NOTHING HERE SEEMS WISE OR JUSTIFIABLE AT ANY LEVEL, AND IT CONTRADICTS ALL THAT I KNOW YOU STAND FOR.

COMMISSIONER ROSZEL, MOODY AND CALVERT.

I'VE MET WITH YOU AND I AM APPEALING TO YOUR CONCERN AS WELL FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE IN BEXAR.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CLAY-FLORES AND RODRIGUEZ.

WE HAVEN'T HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING YET, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WHEN WE DO.

BUT I'M APPEALING TO YOU AS WELL.

PLEASE. THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO BE FUNDING.

WE ALL KNOW THAT.

SO I'M ASKING YOU ALL, PLEASE DO NOT PASS THIS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

JACK FINGER.

AND JUDGE SAKAI.

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.

FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER.

JUDGE, YOU'VE GOT TO ADMIT THAT ITEM NUMBER 66, AN ITEM THAT IS NUMBER 66 ON AN AGENDA, IS PRETTY FAR DOWN AND BURIED IN YOUR MEETING'S AGENDA.

I MEAN, HOW MANY PEOPLE GO AS FAR DOWN AS 66 TO LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT THEM?

[02:25:06]

YOU KNOW, AVERAGE AN AVERAGE CITIZEN JUDGE REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO.

AND YOU CAN'T EVEN FIND THIS ONLINE.

YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY GO TO ONE OF YOUR OFFICES TO FIND THIS INFORMATION SAYING, NO, NO, I TAKE IT BACK.

GRANTING A DISCRETIONARY EXEMPTION TO THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH BY THE TEXAS COUNTY PURCHASING ACT.

WHO WOULD REALLY REALIZE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE AWAY THE BIDDING, COMPETITIVE BIDDING ON THIS? YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, AVERAGE CITIZENS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO.

VET THESE COMPANIES CALLED THAT LIKE CIVIC GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS AND ITS ASSOCIATED GROUP, CIVIC TECH, CIVIC TECH, THEIR WEBSITES SAYING, QUOTE, WE BUILD THE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE DEMOCRACY.

YOU KNOW, CODE WORDS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SOCIALISTS USE.

THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO VET CIVIC GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS WEBSITE WHICH HAS QUOTE, OUR PROPRIETARY DATA SET IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL VOTERS FROM SOURCES LIKE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

MORE OR LESS. LESS LIKELY TO HAVE LIBERAL BENT PHILOSOPHIES IN THE ATTENDEES THERE, AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES LIKE TEACHERS.

ONCE AGAIN, VERY LIBERAL GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS.

YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, YOU KNOW, AVERAGE CITIZENS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ALERT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHEN THEY SEE STUFF LIKE THIS HAPPENING HERE TO, YOU KNOW, JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I ACTUALLY CAME OUT HERE LIKE I DID TODAY IN THE RAIN, LIKE ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE DID IN THE RAIN, TO ASK YOU GUYS TO ALERT YOU THAT MISS CALLINAN WAS NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW.

WE ASK YOU TO LOOK INTO THIS.

TWO OF YOU DID SAY YOU WOULD DO SO.

I HOPE YOU DID FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

SO JUDGE, IT LOOKS LIKE FRANKLY, Y'ALL GOT COURT TODAY? JUDGE, THAT IS TIME. WRAP IT UP.

20 PEOPLE CAME OUT IN THE RAIN SAYING, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS.

THANK YOU.

LINA PRADO.

BUENOS DIAS.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU.

JUDGE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS LINA PRADO.

I AM A RESIDENT OF PRECINCT ONE.

I AM A COMMUNITY LEADER, AND YOU MIGHT KNOW ME AS A CANDIDATE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP TODAY, I DON'T WANT TO GO OVER EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY BROUGHT UP.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IS I ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER TO REGISTER.

MY HUSBAND ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER TO REGISTER.

NOT ONLY AM I REGISTERED IN 2010, IN BEXAR COUNTY, I'M ALSO A CANDIDATE.

SO THAT TO ME TELLS ME THE SYSTEM IS FLAWED AND WE'RE NOT TARGETING.

AND THERE IS DATA INTEGRITY ISSUES WITH THE WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING THIS OUT WITH PACS AND SYSTEMS THAT ARE ALREADY BEING SENT OUT.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO BRING UP IS FOR ALL OF YOU.

YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY BY YOUR PEOPLE THAT ELECTED YOU FROM BOTH PARTIES TO BE FISCAL, PHYSICAL, FISCAL, RESPONSIBLE WITH OUR MONEY.

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO.

AND THIS DOES NOT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING THAT IS FISCAL, FISCAL, RESPONSIBLE AND HAS THE INTEGRITY FOR THE VOTERS.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S TROUBLING TO ME IS THE LACK OF SAFEGUARDS THAT PREVENT UNQUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS FROM RECEIVING VOTER REGISTRATION, AS I MENTIONED, THAT I RECEIVED ONE AND I COULD HAVE EASILY GONE AND REGISTERED AGAIN, BUT OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT GOING TO DO SO.

BYPASSING THIS COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS TO AWARD THIS CONTRACT NEGLECTS THE VERY PROCEDURES PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE FAIRNESS AND TRANSPARENCY.

AS A SUPPLY CHAIN LEADER, I KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WE ARE ADHERING TO ALL POLICIES AND ALL PROCESSES, AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS IS ONE THAT WE SHOULD FALL IN.

IN THIS CASE, IT OPENS THE DOOR FOR FAVORITISM, IN THIS CASE, PART OF PARTY FAVORITISM AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, NEGLECTS THE BIPARTISAN PARTICIPATION THAT IS CRUCIAL TO DEVELOPING APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES FOR TARGETING AND VALIDATING VOTER REGISTRATION.

OUR STATE RECENTLY REMOVED 1.1 MILLION PEOPLE THAT WERE REGISTERED UNLAWFULLY.

THIS WILL NOT STOP IT.

IN ADDITION TO THE FUNDS THAT YOU ARE ASKING HERE, OVER ALMOST 400,000, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO PAY ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR, AS

[02:30:02]

IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, FOR PEOPLE TO GO AND VET THIS AND TO GO THROUGH THE BACKLOG, WHICH IT WILL INCREASE THE BACKLOG.

SO FOR US TAXPAYERS, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE SEEING A BIGGER NUMBER.

THAT IS A CHALLENGE.

SO ONE THING THAT I WANT TO CHALLENGE ALL OF YOU IS YOU ALL HAVE A BIG TREASURY IN YOUR CAMPAIGN FUNDS.

IF THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE THOSE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THIS.

AND MOREOVER, I PROPOSE THAT THESE FUNDS BE REDIRECTED TO THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE EXCEEDING 4500 CASES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BACKLOGGED IN OUR CRIME LAB.

THESE ARE CASES THAT NEED ATTENTION AND ALSO ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS.

WRAP IT UP. JUST LASTLY, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, THE OVERTIME THAT THEY ARE WORKING, THIS IS MONEY THAT CAN GO TO THEM.

SO I URGE ALL OF YOU TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY THAT IS HERE AND REALLY RECONSIDER THIS AND VOTE NO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ROSARIO ZARB-COUSIN.

ALL RIGHT. SHE'S GONE.

HOW ABOUT DENISE VANDERMARK? ALL RIGHT.

NOPE. DID YOU SIGN UP TO SPEAK? I DID NOT. NOPE.

HAVE A SEAT. I HAVE ALLOWED EVERYBODY WHO IS SIGNED.

IS THERE ANYBODY WHO SIGNED UP THAT I DID NOT CALL? THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

THANK YOU. JUDGE. I GUESS THIS IS THOMAS COMING UP ON THIS ONE.

AND THOMAS. I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE.

AND I DO WANT TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, I GUESS THE VENDOR AND THE PROCESS. BUT FIRST, LET ME JUST CONFIRM WITH YOU, THOMAS, THIS IS ON AS A DISCRETIONARY EXEMPTION TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING, WHICH IS, WHICH IS ALLOWED UNDER STATE LAW.

IT'S ALSO ON AS THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT THAT I UNDERSTAND WILL BE, IF AUTHORIZED, WILL BE NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE VENDOR PURCHASING AND EITHER THE LAWYERS OR SOMEONE THAT OVERSEES THAT.

IS THAT ACCURATE? SO THE WAY THIS CAPTION READS IS IT ALLOWS FOR THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE A PURCHASE ORDER.

SO THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT WE CAN STILL WORK WITH THAT VENDOR TO STIPULATE BASED ON THE CONVERSATION HERE.

AND WE CAN TAKE THAT BACK AND DEVELOP A CONTRACT.

OKAY. SO AGAIN, I THINK YOU CLARIFIED THE QUESTION.

IT WAS REALLY RELATED TO THE WAY THAT IT IS POSTED, AND THAT IS AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT.

SO LET ME ASK THOMAS TO STEP ASIDE FOR A MINUTE.

THERE IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROPOSED VENDOR, AND I THINK MR. SMITH IS HERE FROM THE FROM CIVIC GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS.

COULD YOU COME UP, MR. SMITH? BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS TESTIFIED TODAY, AS A MATTER OF FACT IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE YOUR INTENT IS OR YOUR METHODOLOGY IS, I WANT TO FIRST OF ALL SAY THAT YOU KNOW, I CAME ACROSS YOUR INFORMATION THROUGH HARRIS COUNTY.

I UNDERSTAND HARRIS COUNTY IS STILL CONTEMPLATING THIS AS A WAY, REALLY STRICTLY TO GET MORE PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS OF VOTING.

RIGHT. SO THAT IS THE FIRST STEP.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU GOT TO GET THEM REGISTERED TO VOTE.

AND SO IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT PROBABLY SOME VERY SPECIFIC PROPRIETARY INFORMATION.

I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO SHARE THAT, BUT YOU HEARD THE TESTIMONY THIS MORNING.

THERE WAS A LOT OF TESTIMONY WITH RESPECT TO THIS BEING A PARTISAN EFFORT.

THAT WAS NEVER MY INTENT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT IS NOT YOUR INTENT.

I WANTED TO SEE IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT I GUESS THE APPROACH YOUR COMPANY TAKES WITH, FIRST OF ALL, IDENTIFYING NEW VOTERS WHO HAVE MOVED.

AND HOW THAT IS REALLY TAKING OUT THE PRISM, THE FUNNEL OF PARTIZANSHIP.

WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT GETTING MORE PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS.

SO IF YOU COULD JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND, AND MAYBE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

YES, COMMISSIONER, I AM THE INFAMOUS JEREMY SMITH.

SORRY FOR SUBJECTING EVERYONE TO MY PODCAST QUOTES.

THE GENERAL IDEA OF THIS PROGRAM IS TAKING AFFIRMATIVE OUTREACH AIMED AT ALL CITIZENS, AND OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE IT VERY EASY FOR ALL VALID CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO REGISTER AND TO BE ABLE TO VOTE.

I LEARNED THAT FIRSTHAND SERVING OVERSEAS, HAVING TROUBLE WITH BOTH ME AND MY SOLDIERS ON REMOTE BASES, HAVING EXTREME DIFFICULTY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS

[02:35:04]

IN BEING ABLE TO CAST OUR BALLOTS THE METHOD THAT WAS MOST EFFECTIVE AND THAT WE WORKED ON IMPROVING IS THROUGH THE MAIL, BECAUSE IT'S THE MOST UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE TECHNIQUE TO REACH PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR WHO MAY BE WORKING REMOTELY ON OIL FIELDS OR OIL DERRICKS, WHO'S SERVING OVERSEAS, STUDENTS WHO ARE PERHAPS GOING TO SCHOOL OUT OF STATE OR OUT OF THE COUNTY.

AND SO YOU CAN USE DIFFERENT METHODS TO REACH PEOPLE THROUGH THE MAIL, INCLUDING THROUGH THE US POSTAL SERVICE CHANGE OF ADDRESS DATABASE, AS WELL AS PUBLIC RECORDS LIKE LICENSING BUREAUS.

SO EVERY NEW LICENSED FOOD HANDLER IN BEXAR COUNTY, COSMETOLOGISTS BARBERS, LICENSED TEACHERS, LICENSED NURSES, LICENSED LAWYERS, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE MATTERS OF STATE RECORD.

AND ESSENTIALLY, BY COMBINING THOSE RECORDS TO WHICH THE COUNTY AND THE STATE HAVE UNIQUE ACCESS TO, YOU CAN ACTUALLY IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE BRAND NEWLY ARRIVED AND ASSIST THEM AT THAT MOMENT.

AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO HELP THEM REGISTER AND TO INCREASE VOTE SHARE.

IT WORKS EXTREMELY WELL IN LOCAL ELECTIONS, PRIMARY ELECTIONS AND GENERAL ELECTIONS AS WELL.

AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING, NOT MERELY WITH ALL 254 COUNTIES IN TEXAS, BUT ALSO WITH OTHER AGENCIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

SO WE DO IT WITH CITIES, COUNTIES, SECRETARIES OF STATE, AND WE'VE WORKED WITH SECRETARIES OF STATE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN ALABAMA AND OKLAHOMA AND IDAHO.

SO THE NOTION THAT THIS IS A PARTIZAN EFFORT, I THINK IS MISUNDERSTOOD.

I UNDERSTAND WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM.

I HAVE A PERSONAL VIEW ON WHO I WOULD LIKE TO WIN THE FEDERAL ELECTION.

AND THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT THE CONTRACTS THAT WE UNDERTAKE WITH GOVERNMENTS ARE IN ANY WAY PARTIZAN AND THE CONTRACTS ALWAYS STIPULATE THAT THIS MUST BE NONPARTISAN FOR EVERY ELIGIBLE PERSON WHO ARISES IN ANY OF THOSE DATA SETS, AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THOSE COUNTY GOVERNMENT SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT LOOKS THAT WAY.

OKAY, SO SO DESPITE AGAIN, WHAT YOUR PERSONAL BACKGROUND IS OR MAYBE SOME OTHER AFFILIATED ORGANIZATION OR COMPANY THE COMPANY YOU'RE NOW PRESENTING AS A POTENTIAL VENDOR WITH THE COUNTY IS LOOKING AT VOTER REGISTRATION FROM A PURELY NEUTRAL STANDPOINT.

YOU COULD BE REGISTERING YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT, INDEPENDENT.

YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT FOLKS WHO HAVE MAYBE A HIGH MOBILITY RATE THAT MAYBE NEED SOME ASSISTANCE IN GETTING REGISTERED OR REREGISTERED.

IS THAT IS THAT ACCURATE? YES, THAT'S CORRECT COMMISSIONER.

THEY MIGHT. ALL WE MIGHT KNOW ABOUT THEM IS THAT THEY ARE A NEW ASSIGNED SOLDIER AT FORT SAM HOUSTON, AND THAT'S THE ONLY BUT THAT THEY HAVE A NOW AN ADDRESS, OTHER INFORMATION THAT WE CAN KIND OF MATCH TO PREVIOUS VOTER FILES TO DETERMINE CITIZENSHIP, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN ALSO TO JUST KIND OF REASSURE EVERYONE THAT IT'S NOT ACTUALLY POSSIBLE TO REGISTER NON-CITIZENS TO VOTE.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THIS.

THE STATE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, ACTUALLY HAS A SYSTEM CALLED TEAM TO WHICH COUNTIES SUBMIT THE INFORMATION.

YOU HEARD FROM ADMINISTRATOR CALLAHAN EARLIER.

WHEN IT'S IN THAT PENDING, APPROVED AND VERIFIED STATUS, THE STATE THEN COMPARES THE DRIVER'S LICENSE OR THE LAST FOUR OF YOUR SOCIAL THAT YOU PLACE ON THOSE FORMS TO THE DATABASES THAT THEY MAINTAIN WITH THE DMV AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND THAT IS ACTUALLY WHERE VERIFICATION IS CHECKED.

AND THE COUNTIES AND VOTERS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE ACTUALLY PROHIBITED BY THE AG AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE FROM TRYING TO MAKE ANY DETERMINATION ABOUT SOMEONE'S ELIGIBILITY ON EITHER FELONY STATUS OR CITIZENSHIP.

YEAH. AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

THAT PERSON WHO IS ASSISTING WITH VOTER REGISTRATION DOES NOT MAKE A DETERMINATION AT THAT POINT WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY IS HERE IN THIS COUNTRY LEGALLY, IT'S UP TO THE PERSON WHO FILLS OUT THE FORM TO STATE THAT.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

COMMISSIONER. AND ON THE FORM IN TEXAS, THERE'S TWO SECTIONS.

THERE'S THE BOXES THAT YOU MUST CHECK THAT SAY THAT YOU ARE A CITIZEN, THAT YOU ARE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, AND THEN YOU MUST SIGN THE OATH, THE AFFIDAVIT AT THE BOTTOM, UNDER PENALTY OF LAW, THAT YOU ARE, IN FACT A CITIZEN, THAT YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE, THAT YOU ARE A RESIDENT, AND THAT YOU ARE NOT CURRENTLY SERVING ON PROBATION FOR A FELONY CONVICTION. OKAY.

AND THEN YOU ALSO PROBABLY HEARD SOME TESTIMONY ABOUT THE MULTIPLE GROUPS AND MULTIPLE MAILERS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALL GET PLENTY OF MAILERS IN PARTICULARLY CLOSE TO ELECTION TIME.

IT SOUNDED LIKE OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE WAS A CHECKS AND BALANCES, IN HER WORDS, IN TERMS OF IF THERE'S A DUPLICATIVE FORM, IF THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING IN IN ERROR OR RAISES A RED FLAG, THERE IS A CONTINUUM OF BACK AND FORTH

[02:40:05]

BETWEEN HER OFFICE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE, TO, IN FACT, DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT'S SIMPLY DUPLICATIVE OR MAYBE AN ERROR USER ERROR, SO TO SPEAK.

IS THAT WHAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING IS? YES, COMMISSIONER. THERE'RE A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON THERE.

THE MOST COMMON SOURCE OF ERROR IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE STANDING.

YOU'VE SEEN THEM AT THE MALL, AT A MOVIE THEATER, AT A RESTAURANT, AT SOME SORT OF COMMUNITY EVENT OR FAIR.

AND YOU'RE WALKING BY AND THEY SAY, HEY, ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? MAKE SURE YOUR ADDRESS IS UP TO DATE.

IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, ALL HESITANT TO FILL THIS OUT, MORE THAN HALF OF ALL THOSE PAPER FORMS THAT THE COUNTIES RECEIVE FROM VOTERS ARE DUPLICATE RECORDS.

IT IS JEREMY SMITH REGISTERING TO VOTE AT THE SAME ADDRESS AGAIN.

BUT IT IS JEREMY SMITH WHO FILLED THAT OUT AND PERHAPS FORGOT OR WAS JUST WORRIED OR DOUBLE CHECKING.

BUT THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER 12.5% OF THOSE FORMS ARE ILLEGIBLE BECAUSE OF HANDWRITING.

SO, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATOR CALLAHAN REFERRED TO THE ERRORS THAT OCCUR.

YES. THERE CAN BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, A FAT FINGER TYPO ERROR SORT OF MISTAKE, BUT ALSO SOMETIMES IT'S VERY HARD TO READ SOMEONE'S HANDWRITING.

AND SO BY SENDING THE FORMS TO THE VOTERS IN THIS WAY, YOU ACTUALLY REDUCE THAT ERROR RATE.

YOU ACCELERATE THE SPEED AT WHICH THE COUNTY CAN PROCESS THEM, AND YOU REDUCE THE WASTE IN THE VOTER FILE MAINTENANCE, BECAUSE BY CORRECTING THE RECORD FASTER, YOU ESSENTIALLY YOU REMOVE THE CONCERNS ABOUT INELIGIBLE VOTERS WHO MAY HAVE LEFT THE COUNTY OR WHO MAY HAVE PASSED AWAY AND ARE NOW DECEASED.

AND SO ONE OF THE WAYS WE TRY TO IMPROVE THAT TYPICALLY RESULTS IN ABOUT A 6 TO 8% IMPROVEMENT OF THAT, OF THAT KNOWABLE PORTION OF THE FILE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. AND WE TRY TO HELP COUNTIES CLEAN THAT UP AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.

OKAY. AND I GUESS YOUR REFERENCE TO OTHER COUNTIES, ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OTHER COUNTIES? OR HAVE YOU IN THE PAST WORKED WITH OTHER COUNTIES, SPECIFICALLY IN TEXAS OR ANYWHERE ELSE? YES, COMMISSIONER. WE WERE ACTUALLY I WAS ASKED BY THE ELECTIONS DIVISION OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO CREATE CGS BACK IN, I BELIEVE, 2019, TO ASSIST THEM ON ALL OF THESE KINDS OF VOTER FILE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES.

AND THAT'S WHY WE CREATED IT THAT WAY IN ITS BYLAWS.

IT IS NONPARTISAN IN ITS MISSION, IT IS NONPARTISAN, AND ALL OF ITS CONTRACTS ARE NONPARTISAN, VERY SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS ABOUT PUBLIC RESOURCES GOING TO THIS PURPOSE. AND IN THAT CAPACITY, WE HAVE THE SECRETARY OF STATE THEN RECOMMENDED THAT WE TRY TO REACH OUT AND WORK MORE DIRECTLY WITH THE COUNTIES AS THE BEST APPROACH.

AND SO WE REACHED OUT TO ALL 254 COUNTIES, STARTING, I BELIEVE, IN 2023.

WE ARE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF NEGOTIATION WITH ABOUT 40 COUNTIES IN TEXAS AND NUMEROUS AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON SEVERAL HERE AT THIS TIME FOR THIS ELECTION. AND WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING, I BELIEVE, WITH ADMINISTRATOR CALLAHAN'S OFFICE SINCE ABOUT MID 2023 IN VARIOUS WAYS ON DIFFERENT IDEAS AND SUBJECTS.

AND IT WAS REALLY, I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, MOVED FORWARD SOMETIME EARLIER THIS SPRING WHEN WE STARTED TO SEE TRACTION WITH OTHER COUNTIES IN TEXAS.

OKAY. ONE OF THE OTHER STATEMENTS THAT WAS, I GUESS, MADE AS A FACT, BUT I THINK IS NEEDS A CLARIFICATION IS THAT UNDER THE ELECTION CODE, A COUNTY IS PROHIBITED FROM USING RESOURCES TO MAIL BALLOTS OR VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS.

THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, A MISREPRESENTATION OF THE ELECTION CODE.

WOULD YOU AGREE? YES, COMMISSIONER.

OUR LEGAL REVIEW DOES NOT FIND THAT TO BE THE CASE.

I OBVIOUSLY DEFER TO YOUR COUNTY ATTORNEYS.

IT IS NOT.

THERE ARE SPECIFIC OFFICIALS WHO CANNOT SEND REQUEST FORMS FOR VOTE BY MAIL, AND THOSE ARE ACTUALLY VERY SPECIFICALLY LABELED.

AND FOR EXAMPLE, ALL OF YOU AND THE COMMISSIONERS COURT COULD DO THAT, BUT COULD OR COULD NOT.

YOU COULD. SO IF YOU WANTED TO SEND A FORM TO EVERY RESIDENT OF BEXAR COUNTY, YOU COULD.

THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR IS NOT ALLOWED TO, BUT THE COUNTY.

IT'S ONLY THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR WHO IS FORBIDDEN.

AND SO OUR LEGAL REVIEW IS THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY LEGAL.

AND BUT I'M NOT A LAWYER, AND I ABSOLUTELY DEFER TO YOUR COUNTY ATTORNEY.

YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE EASIEST WAY TO CLARIFY THAT IS THE COUNTY.

BEXAR COUNTY DOES CYCLE AFTER CYCLE DURING ELECTIONS, SPEND RESOURCES ON SENDING MAIL BALLOTS TO THOSE WHO MAY BE SENIOR CITIZENS, WHO MAY BE DISABLED, WHO MAY BE DEPLOYED.

THAT IS A STATEMENT OF FACT.

IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING? YOU'RE ASKING ME IF THE COUNTY SENDS MAIL FORMS PREEMPTIVELY TO SENIORS? NOT PREEMPTIVELY.

I'M JUST SAYING WE UTILIZE COUNTY RESOURCES TO SEND OUT.

YES, TO PAY FOR THOSE. AND THEY'RE MADE AVAILABLE IN VARIOUS FORMS. SO DIGITAL PAPER COPIES THAT ARE PROVIDED OUT TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHERS.

AND SO REALLY THE GOAL HERE IS IT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE 900 HOURS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT EXISTS IN BEXAR COUNTY.

AND I THINK THAT'S IT'S LIKE A WONDERFUL THING THAT PEOPLE ARE SO INVOLVED.

[02:45:03]

IT IS CHALLENGING TO REACH EVERY CITIZEN IN THE COUNTY OF THIS SIZE.

AND SO YOU TYPICALLY HAVE POLITICAL PARTIES WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A PARTICULAR ADVANTAGE IN AN ELECTION, UNDERSTANDABLY.

AND SO THEY'RE FOCUSING ON A SUBSET OF VOTERS THAT THEY THINK WILL SUPPORT THEM.

OUR VIEW IS THAT THAT LEAVES OUT A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

AND ACTUALLY A BETTER APPROACH IS TO START WITH EVERYONE AND AFFIRMATIVELY CONDUCT THAT.

AND THEN THAT WAY IT SHOULD, YOU KNOW, IT WORKS IN THE INTEREST OF EVERYBODY.

THERE ARE MORE VOTERS AVAILABLE FOR CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE TO SPEAK TO, BUT IT ALSO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES YOUR JURY POOL ROLLS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER CIVIC SERVICES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTERS.

OKAY. AND, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE MAIN THING IS, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS MADE THIS MORNING AS TO WHY WE SHOULDN'T DO THIS.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR WITH YOU THAT THE I GUESS THE ONE THING I WANTED TO CLARIFY WITH YOU IS THAT THIS THIS IS NOT A PARTIZAN EFFORT.

YOU ARE NOT LOOKING TO REGISTER MORE DEMOCRATS OR MORE REPUBLICANS OR MORE INDEPENDENTS.

IS THAT CLEAR? THAT'S CORRECT. JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE ARE A PRIVATE COMPANY.

LIKE OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO DO THE WHOLE STATE, AND WE ARE VERY EAGER AND TO DO THAT EVERYWHERE.

AND WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO EVERY SINGLE COUNTY IN ORDER TO TRY TO ENACT THAT.

OVER TIME. WE THINK THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO THAT IS VERY VALUABLE, THAT IT IS GOOD FOR SOCIETY AND THAT WE COULD MAKE MONEY OFF OF DOING MORE PEOPLE.

SO WE ARE IT'S WE UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT THAT IS MADE, BUT THE APPROACH HERE AND THAT IT IS IN THE CONTRACT, IT IS IN ALL OF THESE LIKE LEGAL STIPULATIONS THAT IT MUST BE NONPARTISAN.

AND SO WE GO TO GREAT PAINS TO ENSURE THAT THAT IS THE CASE.

AND BECAUSE WE THINK THAT STEWARDING TAXPAYER MONEY IS A CRUCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND YOU ALL ARE EXECUTORS OF THAT AND OVERSEERS OF THAT, BUT ALSO THE STAFF WHO WORK FOR YOU ARE TRYING TO DO THIS TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY AS WELL.

AND WE WANT TO RESPECT THAT AND MAINTAIN IT.

SO I COME FROM A LONG BACKGROUND IN THE US ARMY AND WENT TO WEST POINT.

GO, ARMY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

AND IT'S SORT OF INGRAINED IN US THE NOTION THAT WE NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AND MAINTAIN INTEGRITY TO THE LARGER VIEW.

SO I UNDERSTAND THE NOTION.

YES. I HAVE A PERSONAL VIEW OF WHO I WANT TO WIN THAT DOES NOT INFLUENCE THE WAY THAT A COMPANY WORKS.

YEAH. SO YEAH.

AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT, TOO, THAT, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

I DID NOT INTENTIONALLY TO MY TO MY COLLEAGUES ASK FOR A BUSLOAD OF ANYBODY TO COME AND SHOW UP.

PARTICULARLY DEMOCRATS, BECAUSE THEN IT BECOMES A PARTIZAN ISSUE.

THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.

THIS IS ABOUT DEMOCRACY WITH A LOWERCASE D AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS.

I MEAN, I'M GETTING TEXTS AS RECENT AS LAST WEEK FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY, LOOK, WE JUST MOVED INTO THE COUNTY.

WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.

DO WE HAVE TO GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE? WE WENT TO THE DRIVER'S LICENSE OFFICE AND THEY DON'T HAVE APPOINTMENTS TILL JANUARY.

AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S I THINK A NEED FOR PEOPLE TO, TO SOMEHOW HAVE A BETTER, EASIER WAY TO ACCESS THE ELECTIONS OFFICE, ALL OF THE STATE OFFICES.

AND THIS IS ONE WAY THAT I THINK WE CAN DO THAT.

AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT UP TO US TO TELL THEM WHO TO VOTE FOR OR YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE TO GO AND JOIN YOUR DIFFERENT CIVIC GROUPS. THOSE ARE INDIVIDUAL THINGS, EVEN IF THEY DECIDE TO REGISTER AND NOT VOTE.

THAT'S NOT I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE, BUT THAT'S NOT FOR US.

WE HAVE CANDIDATES AND PARTIES WHO ARE DOING THAT TO GET PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE.

THIS IS SIMPLY MAKING THEM ELIGIBLE, REMOVING THAT BARRIER SO THAT THEY KNOW WHEN IT COMES TIME TO VOTE, THEY CAN VOTE.

SO AGAIN, JUDGE, I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.

I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT.

TODAY, WITH SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

YEAH. I'D LIKE TO START JUST BY SAYING THAT I'M HEARING I'M STARTING TO HEAR SNARES IN THIS COURTROOM.

AND WE'VE SAT HERE FOR TWO HOURS LISTENING TO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, WHICH IS YOUR RIGHT.

AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY RESPECTFUL.

SO I'M GOING TO ASK FOR THE SAME RESPECT IN RETURN FOR MY COLLEAGUES.

THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH FALSE RHETORIC SPOKEN HERE TODAY.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START, BUT FIRST OF ALL, IT'S BEEN A DOG AND PONY SHOW.

IT'S THE CONTINUAL EFFORT TO SILENCE VOTER SUPPRESSION AND MAKE PEOPLE INTIMIDATED TO VOTE, WHICH IS AN AMERICAN RIGHT.

[02:50:03]

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SPOKE ABOUT ILLEGAL ALIENS.

FIRST OF ALL, MIGRANTS LOOK LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS CLASSROOM.

THEY'RE NOT FROM ANOTHER PLANET.

THEY'RE NOT FROM MARS.

SO THEY ARE NOT ILLEGAL ALIENS.

AND UNLESS PEOPLE HERE.

HOLD ON, HOLD ON. I'M GOING TO ASK FOR ORDER.

AND UNLESS. RAMP IT UP, I'M NOT GOING TO TOLERATE ANY OUTBURSTS HERE.

THANK YOU. JUDGE. CLEAR THE ROOM.

IF I HAVE TO USE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.

LET'S RESPECT THE DAIS.

PLEASE PROCEED, COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

AND I DON'T SEE ANY OF YOU WHEN I HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEERING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, EVERY SINGLE SATURDAY AT THE MIGRANT CENTER ON SAN PEDRO TO COME IN AND DO THE WORSHIP SERVICE.

SO I AM CONTINUOUSLY TALKING TO MIGRANTS, AND NONE OF THEM ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO VOTE ILLEGALLY.

THEY ARE CONCERNED WITH GETTING FOOD AND CLOTHES ON THEIR BACK.

WE DO NOT CONTROL WHAT BOTH PARTIES SEND OUT TO RESIDENTS.

I KNOW FOR A FACT PERSONALLY THAT INCLUDING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS SENDING OUT THINGS ESPECIALLY TARGETED TO SENIORS TO GET THEM CONFUSED ABOUT STUFF.

AND WHEN JACKIE COUNCIL WAS HERE, I THANKED HER FOR THE CHECKS AND BALANCES OF OUR STAFF AT THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT IN WORKING WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

WORKING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

BECAUSE EVEN IF SOMEONE GETS SOMETHING IN THEIR MAIL ASKING THEM TO REGISTER WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY REGISTERED, EVEN IF THEY GO AND TRY TO REGISTER TWICE, THEY CAN'T.

THAT'S WHAT CHECKS AND BALANCES ARE FOR.

THAT'S WHY WE SPEND SO MUCH MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

AND KEN PAXTON HAS BEEN MENTIONED TODAY.

LARRY, ARE WE DOING ANYTHING ILLEGAL HERE? WE'RE KEN PAXTON CAN SUE.

COMMISSIONER KEN PAXTON CAN SUE.

BUT I READ THROUGH THE LETTER.

I FOUND IT TO BE MISLEADING AT BEST.

FALSE RHETORIC? I THINK SO I CHECKED THE SITES AND THEY WERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE STATEMENT THAT AN ITEM IS NOT A SERVICE IF YOU REVIEW THAT SPECIFICALLY ITEM IS IN THE COUNTY PURCHASING ACT, SPECIFICALLY DEFINED TO INCLUDE A SERVICE THAT IS DIRECTLY CONTRADICTORY OF WHAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SET OUT.

SO YES, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL COULD SUE, BUT I FELT LIKE FALSE BASIS.

THANK YOU. AND MAY I REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE LIVE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND AT THE STATE LEVEL, IT'S MAJORITY REPUBLICAN, AND THEY'RE DOING SOME ILLEGAL THINGS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT AGAINST, LIKE PURGING A MILLION PEOPLE FROM THE VOTER ROLLS.

TALK ABOUT ELECTION INTEGRITY.

THE WORD INTEGRITY WAS USED IN A STATEMENT BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL REGARDING OUR VOTER ROLLS AND ENSURE THAT ONLY ELIGIBLE VOTERS CAN VOTE.

AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO PASS TODAY AND WHY I WAS PROUD TO SECOND IT SO THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE AND MAKE SURE THAT AMERICANS EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE AND QUIT BEING APATHETIC AND LETTING SO MANY IMPORTANT VOTES, SO MANY IMPORTANT ELECTIONS GO WITHOUT VOTING.

SO I'M HAPPY TO SECOND. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MOODY OR COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

THANK YOU JUDGE.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING TODAY.

IT WAS A GOOD TO SEE MANY FRIENDS AS GOOD TO HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE.

I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE ALL OF THE TESTIMONY THAT WE DID HAVE TODAY.

SO I DID TALK TO COMMISSIONER ELLIS IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND HE INDICATED THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING IT AT THIS MOMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

AND I THINK THAT HAS TO GIVE THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT MUCH MORE PAUSE.

AND I THINK THAT WHEN I LOOK AT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S STATEMENT, LARRY, HE INDICATES TEXAS COUNTIES HAVE NO STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO PRINT AND MAIL VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS, MAKING THE PROPOSAL FUNDAMENTALLY ILLEGAL.

SURE. SO CERTAINLY.

SO YOU HAVE TO COMPARE HARRIS COUNTY AND THE POSITION THEY'RE IN.

AND BEXAR COUNTY, WE HAVE AN ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

HARRIS COUNTY DOES NOT.

IN BEXAR COUNTY, A FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS OPINION, CRYER VERSUS NAVARRO WITH THE FOURTH COURT, REVIEWED THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR POSITION AND DETERMINED THAT ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR POSITION WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF BEXAR COUNTY, ALTHOUGH THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR MAY DISAGREE, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE FOURTH COURT OF

[02:55:07]

OPINION. A FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS DETERMINED, AND THAT SHE CARRIES OUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS OF BEXAR COUNTY, AND PART OF THOSE FUNCTIONS INCLUDE VOTER REGISTRATION THAT IS VERBATIM FROM THE OPINION.

FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY DISAGREE WITH THAT OPINION, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE OPINION SAYS.

THAT IS THE FOURTH COURT.

IT'S THE LAW IN BEXAR COUNTY, AND THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.

DID IT GO TO THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT OR IS IT GOING TO THE SUPREME COURT? I MEAN, IT'S AN OLDER OPINION.

IT WAS WHEN JUDGE CYNDI TAYLOR KRIER WAS THE COUNTY JUDGE.

OKAY. SO I HAVE SECTION 276 .016 REGARDING THE UNLAWFUL SOLICITATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF APPLICATION OF VOTE BY MAIL.

AND IT'S PRETTY CLEAR, RIGHT.

SO IT BASICALLY SAYS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL OR ELECTION OFFICIAL COMMITS AN OFFENSE IF THE OFFICIAL, WHILE ACTING IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY, KNOWINGLY SOLICITS, SOLICITS THE SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION TO VOTE BY MAIL FROM A PERSON WHO DID NOT REQUEST AN APPLICATION, AND TWO DISTRIBUTES AN APPLICATION TO VOTE BY MAIL TO A PERSON WHO DID NOT REQUEST THE APPLICATION UNLESS THE DISTRIBUTION IS EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY ANOTHER PROVISION OF THIS CODE, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT PART BECAUSE IT WILL TELL YOU WHAT ARE THOSE ENTITIES IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT ARE YOU'RE ATTESTING TO THE COURT THAT COMMISSIONERS CAN DO THAT? NO, I DIDN'T SAY THAT.

BUT VOTE BY MAIL IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM JUST REGISTERING TO VOTE.

THAT'S TRUE, I APOLOGIZE.

I WAS READING THE APPLICATION SO VERY DIFFERENT.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE AND THE OPINION THAT THE AG REFERENCED I WANT TO POINT THIS OUT COMMISSIONER, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THE OPINION THAT THE AG REFERENCED IN THE LETTER STATE VERSUS HOLLINS, THAT OPINION DISTINGUISHABLE ON ITS FACE, DEALT WITH APPLICATIONS FOR BALLOT BY MAIL.

VERY RESTRICTED, MAY ONLY BE REQUESTED BY THE INDIVIDUAL.

WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT APPLICATIONS TO REGISTER TO VOTE.

OKAY. NOT RESTRICTED.

SO I THINK AVAILABLE IN POST OFFICES EVERYWHERE.

OKAY. I THINK WE ALL CAN.

WE'VE SEEN THEM EVERYWHERE.

SO TWO VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.

OKAY. THAT IS A CRIMINAL PENALTY YOU'RE REFERENCING? RIGHT. THIS IS NOT.

OKAY. SO ONE OF THE CONCERNS, I GUESS, THAT HARRIS COUNTY PROBABLY HAD WAS JUST THE RIGMAROLE OF GETTING INTO A LEGAL BATTLE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

WHAT MIGHT THOSE COSTS BE TO THE COUNTY? UNPREDICTABLE. BUT KEEP IN MIND THEY DO NOT HAVE AN ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

THOSE DUTIES WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR AND TO THE COUNTY CLERK.

THOSE ARE ELECTED OFFICES.

AND PART OF THAT ISSUE WAS THAT THE COURT COULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS' DUTIES IN HARRIS COUNTY.

HERE THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR IS, BY CASE LAW, AN EMPLOYEE OF BEXAR COUNTY.

VERY DISTINGUISHABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.

OKAY, SO JUST BACK UP AND TELL ME THE STATUTORY ABILITY FOR THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR TO DO TO DO THE REGISTRATION WITH A EMPTY, I GUESS, APPLICATION, IF YOU WILL.

WELL, MAILING IT OUT.

IS THERE AUTHORITY FOR THAT? SO MY UNDERSTANDING IN BEXAR COUNTY.

THE BEXAR COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, BY STATUTE, UNDER THE ELECTIONS CODE 31.043, IS THE VOTER REGISTRAR IN BEXAR COUNTY. IT'S 31.043.

CORRECT. SECTION ONE.

AND UNDER THAT, AS YOU KNOW, THE VOTER REGISTRAR GENERALLY HAS THE DUTY TO HELP INCREASE VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGHOUT THE STATE. OKAY.

BY CASE LAW, AN EMPLOYEE OF BEXAR COUNTY.

OKAY. THEREFORE, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SOME CONVERSATION OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE BEEN HAVING THE COURT'S ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF ADDITIONAL STAFFING FOR THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR TO DO THE THINGS SHE NEEDED TO DO, WHETHER IT'S REGISTRATION, VOTE BY MAIL INCREASES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

BUT WAS THERE ANY NEW LAW PASSED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS? BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE SESSION HAS A NEW LAW IN ELECTION CODE THAT IS IN AT LEAST ON MY SIDE OF THE AISLE, MORE RESTRICTIVE TO VOTING. WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT IS NEW THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, BUT I'M NOT AN ELECTIONS LAW EXPERT.

MAYBE THIS GENTLEMAN KNOWS IT'S HIS COMPANY.

I HAVE NOT REVIEWED THIS.

I'LL ADMITTEDLY, I HAVE NOT REVIEWED THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

THIS THIS ACQUISITION, SO I DON'T KNOW.

OKAY. NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, BUT THAT'S FAIR.

WE DO NEED ELECTIONS EXPERTISE.

BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS IT WOULD BE HARD FOR ME TO PUSH A VOTE YES WHEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS SAYING IT'S ILLEGAL.

[03:00:04]

YOU KNOW, IT PUTS, IT PUTS ME AND THE COURT, I THINK, IN A VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCE.

AND I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

FAIR POINT, COMMISSIONER, BUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DID NOT CITE SUCH A LAW IN HIS LETTER.

AND I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU, IF HE FELT THERE WAS A LAW, HE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE CITED IT BECAUSE HE CITED EVERYTHING ELSE.

WELL, INACCURATELY, I WOULD ADD.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT.

TEXAS COUNTIES HAVE NO.

AND I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, BUT IN ANY EVENT.

OKAY, SO I THINK HE MISCONSTRUES BEXAR COUNTY VERSUS HARRIS COUNTY AND THE STATUS OF EACH COUNTY, BECAUSE WE'RE VERY DIFFERENT FROM HARRIS COUNTY.

UNDERSTOOD. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO THE PURCHASING ISSUES, BECAUSE I THINK THOSE ARE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS.

THE PURCHASING ISSUE, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR ME.

I AM A DEPUTY REGISTRAR.

MY FAMILY HAS BEEN REGISTERING PEOPLE FOR DECADES.

BUT IT'S HARD. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO NECESSARILY SAY THERE'S A SOLE SOURCE HERE.

I DO THINK THAT THEY'RE IN A COMPETITIVE BID ENVIRONMENT.

GROUPS THAT CAN DO THIS WORK.

I, YOU KNOW, I JUST HAVEN'T.

IT'S NOT FOR YOU, MR. SMITH, TO ANSWER, BUT THAT'S JUST MY OWN JUDGMENT THAT THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS.

AND I WILL SAY THIS IN THE ISSUE OF FAIRNESS YOU KNOW, YOU AND I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE A LOVELY WHISKEY SESSION AND CIGAR TOGETHER ABOUT POLITICS.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PROCESS, WITH RESPECT TO THE PUBLIC FEELING THAT IT'S FAIR AND NONPARTISAN, YOU KNOW, THE WAY I WAS AS AN ACTIVIST IS DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY I AM AND THE WAY I GOVERN.

I HAVE TO GOVERN FOR ALL THE PEOPLE.

AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PROCESS TO BE AS NONPARTISAN AS POSSIBLE.

AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IN THE GREATER GOOD, WHILE WELL-MEANING, WHILE STRUCTURES SET UP WHENEVER THERE ARE COMMENTARIES THAT ARE OF A PARTIZAN NATURE, IT'S A PARENT COMPANY.

IT'S CONNECTED. I MEAN, I HAVE MULTIPLE COMPANIES.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.

IT, JUST AS SOME PEOPLE SAID, DOESN'T NECESSARILY PASS THE SMELL TEST.

IF THERE WERE A COALITION OF GROUPS, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THAT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BETTER, THAT THERE WERE MAYBE MORE CONSERVATIVE LEANING OR MAYBE NOT JUST NONPARTISAN IN GENERAL.

THAT MAY IN FACT JUST MAKE A MORE TRUSTWORTHY PROCESS.

AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE HAVE TRUST IN THE WAY THAT THE COUNTY DOES REGISTRATION.

AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LESSON LEARNED THAT I THINK, FOR YOU IN TERMS OF THE WAY THE BUSINESS THAT YOU'RE IN IS GOING TO WORK. THOSE COMMENTS ARE GOING TO COME UNDER A LOT OF SCRUTINY.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY DOESN'T HAVE THEIR FAVORITES.

THEY DO THAT.

THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR FOLKS.

I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE A DEMOCRATIC HACKER OR ANYTHING.

WE'VE NEVER MET. I DON'T KNOW YOU.

I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT YOUR.

I HAVEN'T LISTENED TO THESE PODCASTS, BUT THEY'RE AVAILABLE.

YOU'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THEM TO SOME EXTENT.

WE'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THIS, OKAY? YOU KNOW, IT'S OF A CONCERN.

AS SOMEONE WHO HAS TO REPRESENT EVERYONE, THAT THIS KIND OF PROCESS ISN'T, ISN'T QUESTIONED IN THIS WAY.

SO, IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SUPPORT THIS IN LIGHT OF THE SOLE SOURCING AND THE, THE TRUST ISSUES.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT, NOT ONLY FROM A VENDOR STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO FROM A SUPPLY CHAIN STANDPOINT TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE SUPPLY CHAIN THAT WILL COME TO THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.

THERE'S PROBABLY A BETTER MOVE TO TABLE THIS AND WORK THIS OUT THAN THERE IS TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

BUT THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR I JUST CAN'T SUPPORT IT AS IT IS TODAY.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY CONSIDERATION ABOUT TABLING IT, BUT I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR.

THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR THE TIME.

WELL, THANK YOU. AND APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME TODAY TO BE HEARD.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT CITIZENS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS COME AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR FEELINGS, THEIR CONCERNS ARE KNOWN.

I'LL JUST SAY UP FRONT, I WAS HOPING THIS ITEM WOULD BE PULLED.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY GLARING CONCERNS.

MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN POINTED OUT HERE TODAY, BUT HERE WE ARE.

I'M ALSO NOT A LAWYER, BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO LAY OUT SOME CASES AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE POINTS THAT SOME OF OUR CITIZENS TO BE HEARD HAVE ALREADY MADE.

[03:05:07]

AND SOME NEW POINTS HOPEFULLY AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, IF WE CIRCLE BACK TO WHEN THIS ITEM ORIGINALLY PASSED COMMISSIONERS COURT.

APPROXIMATELY $600,000, I BELIEVE THE LANGUAGE WAS TO IDENTIFY FUNDING AND NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT WITH CGS. BUT WHAT I SAID AT THAT POINT, AND I STILL, YOU KNOW, COMPLETELY AGREE TODAY THAT IT'S NOT THE COUNTY'S ROLE.

WHAT WE HEARD FROM JACKIE CALLAHAN EARLIER TODAY IN HER 19 YEARS, THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.

WE'RE ON NEW GROUND DOING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME AGAINST OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR'S WISHES.

I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE BASED ON THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATION, BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION FROM HARRIS COUNTY BECAUSE OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR IS UNDERNEATH THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.

WELL, LISTEN TO OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

SHE DOESN'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AND BELIEVES IT'S GOING TO DAMAGE THE PROCESS AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE YOU KNOW, ISSUES WITH BACKLOGS AND DELAYS ON ELECTION DAY.

I'LL CIRCLE BACK TO THAT.

THE OTHER THING IS TAXPAYER MONEY.

WE'RE NOW DOWN TO $392,000, BUT IT'S STILL $400,000 OF TAXPAYER MONEY THAT'S BEING SPENT ON THIS ITEM.

AND AGAIN, WE HEARD FROM OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR AND FROM MANY OF OUR CITIZENS TODAY ABOUT JUST HOW MANY TIMES THESE SAME AUDIENCES ARE BEING HIT WITH THE EXACT SAME MESSAGE BY VARIOUS GROUPS WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY DOING A POOR JOB TARGETING.

BUT THEY'RE OUT THERE HITTING THESE SAME GROUPS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I WOULD ALSO JUST MENTION FOR THE PROCESS THAT THE EXPECTED RETURN ON INVESTMENT, I'LL SAY INVESTMENT HERE IS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER ANYWAY BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL THESE OTHER GROUPS.

YOU WOULD AGREE WITH THAT? CORRECT? NO, COMMISSIONER, THEY'RE NOT TARGETING THE SAME PEOPLE.

OKAY. WELL, I WOULD DISAGREE WITH YOU BECAUSE I THINK FROM A STATISTICAL STANDPOINT IT'S VERY CLEAR.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR OWN STATISTICS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE FIRST MAILING YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THE GREATEST INCREASE IN EACH ADDITIONAL MAILING IS GOING TO SEE LESS OF AN IMPACT ON THOSE AUDIENCES.

I THINK THAT'S PRETTY WELL ACCEPTED.

WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING MORE THAN ONE COMMISSIONER.

JUST ONE. OKAY.

NO, BUT I'M STILL SAYING, BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN TARGETED BY OTHER GROUPS, THE IDEA THAT WE'RE NOW CONSIDERING SENDING ANOTHER TARGETING MESSAGE THAT IS GOING TO HAVE HUGE OVERLAP WITH THOSE OTHER GROUPS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN TARGETED BY STATE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MOVE TEXAS, COMMON SENSE TEXAS VOTER PARTICIPATION PROJECT. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE MASSIVE OVERLAP WITH ALL THOSE GROUPS.

IN ALL THOSE CASES, THERE WOULD BE ZERO OVERLAP.

COMMISSIONER. OKAY.

I WOULD BE SHOCKED TO SEE THAT WE HAVE 100% FULL KNOWLEDGE ON THAT ONE.

I WANT TO REASSURE YOU.

WE REACH OUT TO THOSE GROUPS.

WE MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS TO HELP DECONFLICT AND NOT WASTE PEOPLE'S MONEY AND EFFORTS.

IS THAT THROUGH CYBERTECH OR CGS? ALL OF THE ABOVE. SO, IT WOULD BE.

IT DEPENDS ON DIFFERENT ELEMENTS.

SO SOMETIMES THAT'S LIKE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP.

AND SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST BY READING THAT SOMEONE IS SENDING OUT SOMETHING AND WE REACH OUT TO THEM AFFIRMATIVELY TO TRY TO AVOID WASTING ANYONE'S TIME OR MONEY.

WE AGREE YOU DON'T WANT TO CONFUSE VOTERS, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING PUT UPON THROUGH MULTIPLE SUCCESSIVE MAILERS SUGGESTING THAT THEY MIGHT NOT BE REGISTERED TO VOTE. THAT CAUSES CONFUSION AND CONCERN.

SO IS CYBERTECH DE-CONFLICTING WITH THOSE OTHER NATIONAL GROUPS AND STATE GROUPS? WELL, WE HAVE LIKE AN ORGANIZATION, THERE'S GROUPS WHO BASICALLY LIKE GATHER AND SHARE DATA TO HELP PREVENT DUPLICATION OF THIS WORK BECAUSE THE PUBLIC VOTER FILES ARE ALL THEY'RE ALL PUBLIC RECORD. SO ANYBODY CAN DOWNLOAD IT EVERY WEEK.

SO EVERY MONDAY WE ARE ESSENTIALLY CHECKING THE VOTER FILES IN REAL TIME.

AND THEN WE ALSO REACH OUT TO ANY KIND OF NONPROFIT GOVERNMENT GROUP OR POLITICAL GROUP.

AND WE SAY, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE ARE PLANNING TO TARGET SOME SORT OF EFFORT IN THIS WAY.

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SHARE YOUR LIST TO HELP AVOID DUPLICATION OF WORK? SO I UNDERSTAND FROM CYBERTEK STANDPOINT.

RIGHT. AND YOU ARE THE CEO OF CYBERTEK? THAT'S CORRECT. AND YOU ARE THE CEO OF CGS AS WELL, CORRECT? YES, COMMISSIONER. SO FROM CYBERTEK STANDPOINT, I OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SUPPORTING DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES, YOU'RE SUPPORTING DEMOCRAT TURNOUT. YOU DON'T WANT TO TARGET THE SAME AUDIENCE TWICE.

HOW DO YOU DECONFLICT THAT FROM CGS.

WHERE'S THE FIREWALL HERE? THE FIREWALL. YOU'RE THE HEAD OF BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.

HOW CAN YOU HAVE A FIREWALL? HARD SIDE AND SOFT SIDE ORGANIZATIONS.

YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. ALL THE GROUPS THAT YOU JUST NAMED ARE 501(C)(3).

SO THOSE ARE ALL EASILY DE-CONFLICTED WITH ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE A GOVERNMENTAL WORK.

SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT IN PRACTICE? IN PRACTICE, YOU MAINTAIN A DATABASE OF THE INFORMATION.

YOU ESSENTIALLY SCREEN IT IN REAL TIME TO.

SO THIS IS A MAJOR REASON WHY THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE IS CLOUD COMPUTING HAS REALLY JUST CHANGED THE DYNAMIC OF HOW CHEAP AND EASY IT IS TO DO THESE KINDS OF LARGE SCALE DATA

[03:10:07]

PROJECTS. AND, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, THE MAIN THING ABOUT THE VOTER REGISTRATION WORK IS WE ARE WE'RE PROPOSING A DATA SOLUTION THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION CAN BE DONE IN ANY WHICH WAY THE COUNTY SEES FIT.

MAIL IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE, BUT WE'VE PROVIDED RESEARCH ON A NUMBER OF OTHER METHODS.

BUT IT'S THAT PROPRIETARY DATA SET THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT VALUABLE.

AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE WHO NO ONE ELSE IS ABLE TO SEE BECAUSE WE WORK THROUGH ALL OF THESE PUBLIC RECORDS SYSTEMS. SO THAT KIND OF VOLUME OF INFORMATION IS THEN YOU ESSENTIALLY EVERY SINGLE EFFORT TO OUTREACH TO SOMEONE THAT EITHER SUCCEEDS OR FAILS OR THEY SAY, I'M NOT INTERESTED, THAT GETS LOGGED, AND THEN IT PREVENTS DUPLICATION OF WORK.

AND I UNDERSTAND THE POINT YOU'RE MAKING.

COMMISSIONER CIVTECH IS 80% NONPROFIT REVENUE.

THAT IS NOT POLITICAL AT ALL.

WE HAVE.

MOST OF OUR POLITICAL CANDIDATE CLIENTS ARE ALSO NONPARTISAN BECAUSE MOST RACES IN AMERICA ARE NONPARTISAN.

THERE ARE PARTIZAN CLIENTS AS WELL.

AND OF COURSE WE HAVE A TEAM THAT MARKETS, YOU KNOW, TOWARDS PARTIZAN CLIENTS.

YEAH. BUT THE APPROACH THAT WE TAKE IS THAT OUR, OUR GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE TOTAL COST AND TO FIND ANY PARTNER WHO IS INTERESTED IN REGISTERING VOTERS AND ESSENTIALLY SHARE THE LOAD.

SO BY THERE MIGHT BE A SMALL COUNTY OR A SMALL PRECINCT.

WHO'S DOING THAT? THAT'S WHY THE BID COST GOES DOWN IS BECAUSE WE'RE LETTING YOU KNOW, HEY, THESE PEOPLE ACTUALLY GOT TAKEN CARE OF, SO YOU DON'T NEED TO TRY THE SAME THING AND WASTE YOUR MONEY. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO SEPARATE THOSE TWO DATABASES.

YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY DE-CONFLICTING ON ONE SIDE, AND YET ON THE OTHER SIDE, THEY CAN'T BE.

THAT'S RIGHT. THEY CAN'T SHARED.

YOU'RE CORRECT. PARTISAN ONE IS PUBLIC WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR DE-CONFLICTING THAT WAY.

OKAY. SO THAT'S REQUIRING A LOT OF.

I WOULD GO AS FAR AS TO SAY TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN ANY OF YOUR CLIENTS TO KNOW THAT THOSE ARE SEPARATED WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COUNTIES.

CAN YOU SPEAK TO YOU SAID YOU REACHED OUT TO ALL 254 COUNTIES.

HOW MANY COUNTIES ARE YOU WORKING WITH TODAY? WE'RE IN, I THINK, DIFFERENT STAGES OF NEGOTIATION WITH ABOUT 40 IN TEXAS.

HOW MANY COUNTIES DO YOU HAVE DEALS WITH? FOR WHICH COUNTIES? DALLAS. TRAVIS.

HARRIS IS, LIKE, ON HOLD.

IT'S BEEN VOTED ON AND APPROVED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE INTERESTS THERE.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WHETHER OR NOT OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO DO THIS ON A MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY BASIS REGULARLY BECAUSE IT'S PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS.

THERE'S ALWAYS INCREASED INTEREST AROUND MAJOR FEDERAL ELECTIONS, UNDERSTANDABLY.

BUT THE REAL GOAL HERE IS TO MAKE IT A THERE'S A REGULAR VOTER FILE MAINTENANCE PROBLEM, WHICH IS JUST THAT PEOPLE ARE FLUID IN THE AREA.

SO PEOPLE ARE MOVING, THEY ARE DYING, THEY ARE TURNING 18.

THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, GOING ON DEPLOYMENTS COMING BACK.

AND ALL OF THAT AFFECTS VOTER ELIGIBILITY STATUSES.

AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT REALLY EASY TO KEEP UP SO THAT THERE CAN BE LOWER VOTER FILE MAINTENANCE COSTS.

SO THOSE ARE THE IS BEXAR THE FOURTH COUNTY.

YEAH BEXAR WOULD BE THE FOURTH THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN RIGHT NOW.

I WOULD SAY IT'S LIKE A LATE STAGE.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE A DEAL OR ANYTHING IN PLACE.

I THINK IT'S FAIR TO POINT OUT FOR THE RECORD, THAT THOSE ARE THE ONLY FOUR COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY BLUE COUNTIES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL ELECTION CYCLES.

I THINK THERE ARE SEVERAL DOZEN MORE.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT WOULD BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, ON CERTAIN ELECTIONS.

BUT THOSE ARE THE FOUR MOST DEMOCRAT COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

LIKE, I UNDERSTAND THE POINT YOU'RE MAKING, COMMISSIONER.

IT'S JUST A STATEMENT.

IT'S JUST VOLUME.

IT'S. IT'S CHEAPER AND BETTER.

ECONOMICS OF SCALE.

OKAY. WELL AGAIN, EVEN I SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT I'LL CIRCLE BACK AND JUST SAY EVEN IF THE PROCESS WAS DESIGNED TO BE NONPARTISAN AND EVEN IF EVERYONE COULD WRAP THEIR HEAD AROUND THAT, WHEN YOU ARE OPERATING IN THE MOST DEMOCRAT COUNTIES, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PARTISAN IMPACT.

I, I THINK THAT EVERYONE WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, THAT CLEARLY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PARTISAN IMPACT.

AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY WHY YOU HAVE A LOT OF VOTERS, A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS HERE TODAY WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

AND SO I'M JUST MAKING THAT POINT.

SO EVEN IF THE PROCESS IS DESIGNED AS NONPARTISAN, THE OUTCOME AND THE IMPACT WILL HAVE A PARTIZAN IMPACT.

LET ME MOVE ON, THOUGH, FROM DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POLITICS AND PARTISANSHIP.

LET'S TALK SOME MORE ABOUT PROCESS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD TODAY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MORE HAS COME TO LIGHT.

AND I THINK THE PROCESS HAS BEEN PRETTY CHAOTIC AND NONSTANDARD IN MY OPINION.

[03:15:01]

LET'S TALK ABOUT PROCESS.

SO AND PATTY, I'D ASK YOU TO ALSO BE INVOLVED IN THIS DISCUSSION.

I WANT TO UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW, HOW WE GOT WELL, FIRST OF ALL, HOW DID WE GET FROM $600,000 TO $392,000? WHO'S NEGOTIATING THIS CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF BEXAR COUNTY? WHO DO YOU WANT TO ASK THAT QUESTION OF, COMMISSIONER? I DON'T KNOW WHO HAS THE ANSWER.

WHOEVER HAS THE ANSWER.

SO THE ORIGINAL DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT THE COURT AUTHORIZED BACK IN JULY WAS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE IF YOU LOOK AT THE BACK UP HERE, LET ME TAKE A STEP BACK.

BACK IN JULY, THERE WERE ESTIMATING ABOUT 250,000 INDIVIDUALS.

THIS FIRST TRANCHE IS 210.

SO THIS HAS BEEN REDUCED BASED ON SOME OF THE DATA THAT MR. SMITH HAS, HAS PROVIDED.

ADDITIONALLY, THE WAY THE IT WAS INITIALLY PROPOSED BACK IN JULY, THE INITIAL TERM WAS AROUND 450 K, AND THEN THERE WAS ABOUT 126,000 QUARTERLY THEREAFTER.

THAT IS NOT SET OUT IN THIS IN THIS PARTICULAR PROVISION, WE'D HAVE TO COME BACK AND GET THAT AUTHORITY FROM COURT TO DO ANYTHING AFTER THE INITIAL TERM.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE DOLLAR VALUES DIFFERS, COMMISSIONER.

SO THE NUMBER WAS REVISED DOWN BASED ON A SMALLER AUDIENCE SIZE.

THAT AND THE QUARTERLY THEREAFTER.

THE QUARTERLY THE QUARTERLY AFTER WAS REMOVED.

OKAY. SO AGAIN, HELP ME.

WHO'S FROM CJ'S STANDPOINT? WHO ARE YOU NEGOTIATING WITH AT THE ACCOUNTING ON THIS CONTRACT? ACTUALLY, I'LL CORRECT MYSELF THIS PURCHASE ORDER BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GO THERE NEXT.

YOU KNOW, LIKE IT'S ESSENTIALLY LIKE WE'RE TALKING TO I BELIEVE MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF YOUR STAFFS AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION PURCHASING OFFICE, LIKE SORT OF JUST TAKING ANY QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS FOR INPUT AT THIS TIME.

I'M NOT TOTALLY CLEAR ON WHERE THE AUTHORITY OR THE DECISION LIES AND, LIKE, DEFER TO FOLLOW THE COUNTY'S GUIDANCE.

OKAY. WELL, THEN I'LL ASK COUNTY STAFF.

AND, PATTI, CAN YOU SAY, DO YOU OWN THIS IN YOUR OFFICE? I'VE SEEN A PAPER WITH YOUR SIGNATURE ON IT, BUT I KNOW WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS ON FRIDAY YOU DID NOT HAVE SOME ANSWERS AROUND WHERE THIS STOOD.

IS YOUR OFFICE OWNING THE PURCHASE ORDER? YES. SO EXCUSE ME.

AFTER AWARD. COMMISSIONER'S COURT AWARD.

ONCE IT'S AWARD.

THEN THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT PROCESSES A PURCHASE ORDER.

THEN WE BEFORE WE ISSUE THE PURCHASE ORDER, WE ADD ANY TERMS OR ANY SPECIFIC CONDITIONS OR PROVISIONS AS A NOTE. OKAY.

SO YOU'RE THE POINT OF CONTACT OR.

NO. CORRECT.

OKAY. SO WHO WAS SO BEFORE THIS ITEM CAME TO COURT BACK IN JULY, I BELIEVE.

SO IT ALREADY CAME WITH CGS.

SO WERE YOU TALKING TO CGS BEFORE JULY? NO, SIR. OKAY.

WELL, HOW DID CGS SHOW UP ON OUR AGENDA IN JULY? THAT WAS INITIATED THROUGH COMMISSIONER'S COURT, SIR, NOT STAFF DRIVEN.

I'M SORRY. THAT WAS INITIATED THROUGH THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.

OKAY. OKAY, SO IT WAS INITIATED THROUGH COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ'S OFFICE.

SO ULTIMATELY, WE WENT FROM LAST COURT SESSION.

AND WHAT'S THE LANGUAGE TO IDENTIFY FUNDING AND NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT? PATTY, IS AN AGREEMENT NORMALLY A CONTRACT? NO, SIR. A CONTRACT CAN BE A PURCHASE ORDER AS WELL.

SO IT COULD BE A PURCHASE ORDER OR AN AGREEMENT DRAWN UP BY THE ATTORNEY.

THE DA'S OFFICE.

OKAY. SO HELP ME WITH THE PURCHASE ORDER HERE.

WHAT? $400,000 SEEMS LIKE A REALLY HIGH NUMBER FOR A PURCHASE ORDER.

IS THAT CORRECT? NOT NECESSARILY, SIR.

THE PURCHASE ORDER. WHAT IT DOES IS IT WILL ALLOW THE AWARD TO GO THROUGH.

THE AGREEMENT USUALLY HAS A RENEWAL OR ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS OR RENEWAL TERMS, FOR EXAMPLE FIVE YEAR OR INITIAL TWO YEAR WITH ONE YEAR RENEWAL.

SO MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS SERVICE WAS A ONE TIME OR THE NEED WAS THE ONE TIME BASIS, NOT A RENEWAL.

[03:20:02]

THERE'S NO RENEWALS INCLUDED.

NOT SURE IF I FULLY GRASP THAT.

SO HOW DID WE GET FROM A CONTRACT TO A PURCHASE ORDER? I WASN'T INVOLVED IN THE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS, BUT WHEN I WAS APPROACHED, I WAS APPROACHED WITH A PURCHASE ORDER.

THE AGENDA WAS TO BE CREATED TO ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER TO THE VENDOR.

OKAY. WELL, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S ISSUES WITH PURCHASE ORDERS BECAUSE, I MEAN, FORGIVE THE PARAPHRASE, BUT WRITING A BLANK CHECK.

THERE'S NO CONTRACTUAL LANGUAGE TO HOLD.

YOU KNOW, AN ORGANIZATION ACCOUNTABLE.

MUCH LESS SO THAN IN A CONTRACT.

NO, I DISAGREE WITH THAT.

BUT I'LL DEFER TO LARRY.

WELL, THEN I'LL DEFER TO OUR LEGAL COUNSEL ON THAT.

LARRY, WOULD YOU MIND WEIGHING IN ON THE CONTRACT VERSUS PURCHASE ORDER? I THINK A PURCHASE ORDER IS USED FOR CERTAIN PURCHASES.

YES, BUT FOR A LIKE A ARCHITECTURE ENGINEERING, WHEN YOU HAVE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, A PURCHASE ORDER IS NOT APPROPRIATE.

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T, CAN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING WITH A PURCHASE ORDER.

I CAN'T TAKE THAT TO COURT AND DO ANYTHING WITH THAT.

YEAH. SO WITH THE CONTRACT YOU HAVE A LOT MORE CONTROL AND RECOURSE IN A CONTRACT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE IN A PURCHASE ORDER, CORRECT? YES. YOU CAN DRAFT IN CERTAIN CONTROLS IN A CONTRACT.

WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT THE COURT MAY WANT IN THIS CASE, WHICH WE CAN ADJUST THAT, I THINK.

I DON'T SEE ANY ISSUE WITH THAT COMMISSIONER MOVING FORWARD.

AND THE AGENDA ITEM APPEARS TO BE DRAFTED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE PURCHASING AGENT TO SIGN OFF ON THAT AGREEMENT, IF THAT'S WHAT THE COURT WANTS TO DO.

OKAY. WELL, I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY THAT A CONTRACT WOULD BE IN ORDER.

IN MY OPINION. IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION TO DO THAT.

ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S GO BACK TO THE AGREEMENT AS IT STANDS TODAY.

SO 200,000 MAILINGS.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ESTIMATED INCREASE IN VOTE TOTAL? YOU SHOULD SEE ABOUT 75,000 MORE VOTERS THIS YEAR.

DEPENDING ON THE EXACT TIMELINE OF HOW THIS YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TIME REMAINING UNTIL THE VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE.

AND THEN YOU WOULD SEE AN INCREASE IN YOUR LOCAL ELECTIONS OF ABOUT 3 TO 4%.

OKAY. I WAS TRYING TO DO THE MATH.

I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE 75,000 CAME FROM.

I ASSUMED THAT THERE WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 20,000 VOTERS IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, BASED ON THE AUDIENCE THAT YOU WERE MAILING.

I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF DEFINING VOTERS HERE AS LIKE VOTES.

AND THEN I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO REGISTRANTS.

SO PEOPLE NOT REGISTERED. THERE WOULD BE ANOTHER 20 TO 25,000 MORE PEOPLE ON THE FILE.

OKAY. WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT VOTES BASED ON EXPECTED UPTICK IN VOTES.

THAT'S RIGHT. WELL I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DO THE MATH IF MY MATH IS CORRECT, BECAUSE I THINK YOU BROUGHT UP A DIFFERENT STAT THERE, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE ABOUT $70 PER VOTE IN TERMS OF LIFT.

THAT'S THE CASE.

AGAIN, IT SEEMS REALLY OVERPRICED VERSUS I MEAN, I KNOW IN MY VERY EXPENSIVE PRIMARY CAMPAIGN, WE SPENT ABOUT $15 PER VOTE TOTAL IN OUR GENERAL ELECTION RACE, THAT MAY ONLY BE 2 OR $3 PER VOTE, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING $400,000 INTO.

SEE WHAT IN TERMS OF TOTAL VOTES, I THINK IT'S $7, NOT 70.

OKAY. WELL, I'LL CONFIRM MY MATH, BUT I USUALLY TRUST IT.

JUST THE 400,000 DIVIDED BY 75,000.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOLE SOURCE.

ALL RIGHT. SO BECAUSE THIS THIS IS THE AGENDA ITEM TODAY TOO, RIGHT.

LOOKING FOR AN EXCEPTION TO THE BIDDING PROCESS TO LOOK AT OTHERS.

AND WE JUST HEARD FROM OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, AND WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF CITIZENS WHO TALKED ABOUT THE MAILINGS THAT THEY RECEIVED.

SO CLEARLY, THERE ARE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS, INCLUDING THE PARTIES WHO ARE OUT THERE DOING THIS EXACT SAME THING.

NOW, WHO HAS MADE THE REQUEST FOR A SOLE SOURCE HERE AND WHY? WHO HAS MADE THE REQUEST FOR AN EXCEPTION INSTEAD OF BIDDING THIS.

SO AGAIN, JUST TO RECAP BACK IN JULY COMMISSIONERS COURT THROUGH YOUR PROCESS AUTHORIZED STAFF TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT.

WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE WENT BACK TO LOOK AT THAT QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT THIS QUALIFIED AS A SOLE SOURCE.

CSG HAS PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION BASED ON THE PROPRIETARY DATABASES THAT THEY DO QUALIFY FOR THAT, AND THEY'VE ATTESTED TO THAT.

[03:25:08]

SO AFTER COURT AUTHORIZED IN JULY, WE DID ASK CSG TO DETERMINE TO ISSUE A STATEMENT WHETHER OR NOT THEY QUALIFY.

AND THEY HAVE ATTESTED TO THAT.

HAS CGS PROVIDED THEIR DATABASE OR WAS IT THE THREE PAGER? NOT AT THIS, NOT AT THIS MOMENT.

SO, MR. SMITH THE DATABASE THAT CGS HAS.

HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN A DATABASE? THEY'RE FUNCTIONALLY THE SAME.

IT'S MY IT'S JUST VERY SIMPLY YOU MENTIONED THIS EARLIER.

IT'S A SUBSIDIARY ARRANGEMENT SIMPLY SO THAT THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF LIKE MY IDEAS AND WORK CAN MORE EASILY THREAD.

AND IT WAS REQUESTED BY THE TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE IN ORDER TO CREATE A NONPARTISAN LEGAL VEHICLE TO DO CONTRACTS WITH FOR THE VOTER FILE MAINTENANCE WORK.

AND CAN YOU JUST CONFIRM AGAIN, THEN, WITH THE LEARNINGS FROM YOUR GOVERNMENT, NONPARTISAN WORK, HOW DOES THAT NOT FLOW THROUGH TO CYBERTECH? I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THERE'S LIKE ANY LEARNINGS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING PUBLIC RECORDS, CONTACTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

THEY DECIDE TO FILL THE FORM OUT AND MAIL IT BACK TO YOUR OFFICE DIRECTLY.

THEY NEVER TOUCH US, TALK TO US.

THEY NEVER CONTACT US.

WE DON'T TALK TO THEM.

SO THERE'S NOT SOME SORT OF LIKE, PRIVATE CONVERSATION OR DATA THAT WE EVER HAVE ACCESS TO THAT WOULD GO ANYWHERE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TRACKING.

WE HAVE TRACKING. SO THERE'S TRACKING ON THE MAIL THAT'S PROVIDED TO THE COUNTY IN THE FORM OF DID THE VOTER RECEIVE A LETTER? DID THEY MAIL IT BACK? WHEN DID THE COUNTY RECEIVE IT? AND THEN WE CHECK IF THEY'RE ON THE FILE.

ALL OF THAT IS PUBLIC RECORD.

THERE'S NO THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S LIKE SOME SORT OF SECRETIVE ELEMENT.

OKAY. BUT YOU'RE GETTING IT DIRECTLY BECAUSE YOU'RE TRACKING THE MAIL FOR US, RIGHT? WE ARE. BUT ALL OF THAT IS CONTRACTUAL TO PROVIDE INFORMATION.

IT'S REALLY TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT ON ALL OF THAT.

BUT WE PROVIDE I MEAN, WE'VE PROVIDED A RESEARCH MEMO TO YOUR OFFICE AT YOUR OFFICE'S REQUEST ON HUNDREDS OF RCTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND NONPROFITS AND FOUNDATIONS.

OKAY. SO CIRCLING BACK TO WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, HOW IS CGS OPERATING DIFFERENTLY THAN MOVE MOODY, TEXAS. COMMON SENSE TEXAS VOTER PARTICIPATION PROJECT, OR THE DEMOCRAT PARTY OF TEXAS.

THERE, I MEAN. SO THOSE ARE ALL JUST LEGALLY DISTINCT ENTITIES WHO THE GENERAL METHOD THAT'S USED BY BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES AND CAMPS IS TO PURCHASE CREDIT CARD DATA FROM TRANSUNION, EXPERIAN, EQUIFAX.

THE CHALLENGE THERE THAT BOTH PARTIES RUN INTO IS THAT THAT DATA IS THEY DON'T HAVE OPT INS.

SO THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY BUYING VERY OLD DATA PRE PRIVACY LAWS.

THAT IS THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A LOT OF ERRONEOUS MAILINGS YOU'LL SEE ON THOSE MAILINGS.

THEY PROBABLY SAY CURRENT RESIDENT.

IT DOESN'T REALLY KNOW WHO LIVES THERE.

THEY'RE JUST TRYING A BUNCH OF HOMES IN PARTICULAR ZIP CODES.

AND THIS IS GENERALLY A LESS EFFICIENT APPROACH THAN LOOKING FOR ACTUAL SIGNALS OF SOMEBODY WHO MOVED HERE WITHIN THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND SENDING THEM A LETTER.

AND THE LETTER THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY PROPOSED AS A DESIGN IS RECOMMENDING LOTS OF COUNTY SERVICES.

SO IT'S WELCOMING SOMEONE AND MAKING THEM AWARE OF THE DIFFERENCES IN THIS COUNTY VERSUS WHERE THEY MAY HAVE LIVED SOMEWHERE ELSE, INCLUDING VOTER REGISTRATION.

SO IS IT ACTUALLY ACCESS TO SPECIFIC DATA THAT, IN YOUR MIND MAKES YOU PROPRIETARY VERSUS HOW YOU PULL THOSE DATA SETS TOGETHER? I'D SAY IT'S YEAH, I THINK IT'S THERE'S SKILL AROUND THE DATA.

IT'S REALLY LIKE GRIT AROUND DATA COLLECTION.

IT'S TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC RECORDS THAT HAVE TO BE GATHERED, INGESTED.

SO THERE'S DATA ENGINEERING AND DATA SCIENCE WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE AT THAT LEVEL.

AND THEN AGAIN, IT'S METICULOUS KIND OF SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO NOW HELP SOMEBODY GET REGISTERED OF, YOU KNOW, IN DIFFERENT SUBSEGMENTS.

SO I WOULD ARGUE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A COMBINATION OF WHAT YOU SEE FROM KIND OF THE MILITARY BACKGROUND THERE.

IT'S THE COMBINATION OF LOGISTICS WITH DATA WORK AND TECHNICAL WORK.

OKAY. ARE YOU GOING TO SHARE YOUR DATABASE WITH BEXAR COUNTY? YES, THAT'S PART OF THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THAT DATA AND INFORMATION, AND WE WOULD BE THEN MATCHING IT AGAINST THE COUNTY'S LOCALIZED VOTER REGISTRATION RECORD ON THE DAY THAT IT GOES OUT, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT INCORRECTLY INCLUDING ANYBODY WHO'S ALREADY REGISTERED TO VOTE.

AND THEN THE COUNTY WOULD MAINTAIN THAT AND BE ABLE TO MEASURE AT THE VERY END HOW MANY PEOPLE GOT REGISTERED AS A RESULT OF THIS? HOW MANY VOTES BROKEN DOWN BY PRECINCT, BOTH ELECTORAL AND COMMISSIONER'S PRECINCT? AND THEN YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, RUN ANY KIND OF ANALYSIS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ON IT.

OKAY. I DID WANT TO CIRCLE BACK TO SOMETHING COMMISSIONER CALVERT MENTIONED AROUND HARRIS COUNTY.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON HARRIS COUNTY? BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THEM AS ONE OF YOUR FOUR COUNTIES.

[03:30:02]

AND OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THEY HAVE TABLED THAT OR THEY HAVE CANCELED THAT CONTRACT AT THIS POINT.

OR THEY'RE NO LONGER MOVING FORWARD.

I BELIEVE YES, THEY COULD BE THAT IT COULD BE DELAYED UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION.

WE'VE HEARD BOTH. SO I, I THINK THAT OUR GOAL IS TO SOLVE A LONG TERM PROBLEM IF THERE IS INTEREST RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE ARE COMING UP ON A VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE, WE ARE WE ARE HAPPY TO LIKE, MOVE FASTER TO GET IT DONE.

BUT THE LONG TERM BENEFIT HERE IS TO REDUCE THE LIKE, INCORRECT RECORDS ON THE VOTER FILE TO MAKE IT SO THAT MANY, MANY MORE PEOPLE CAN VOTE, AND TO MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR EVERY CITIZEN TO BE ABLE TO CAST THEIR BALLOT SHOULD THEY CHOOSE TO.

SO THAT'S MY INTEREST AND THE WAY I DO.

THE WAY WE APPROACH THAT IS TO WORK WITH ANY LOCALIZED GROUP WHO IS INTERESTED IN THAT AS WELL.

SO WE TAKE A VERY LONG TERM VIEW ON THIS.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SECRETARY OF STATE ON THIS SINCE 2019.

YEAH, WE'RE MAKING STEADY STRIDES.

WE'RE PLEASED ABOUT THE PROGRESS SO FAR.

THE TEST RESULTS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY GOOD THAT DOING IT FROM SOMETHING LIKE A COMMISSIONERS COURT, IT PRODUCES A MORE POSITIVE EFFECT IN PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION OF ELECTIONS, BECAUSE GETTING SOMETHING FROM THEIR COUNTY THAT SAYS, WELCOME TO BEXAR COUNTY, WE'D LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME BEXAR COUNTY SERVICES, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET REGISTERED TO VOTE AND WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU.

PEOPLE IN SURVEYS SAY THAT THAT MAKES THEM FEEL MUCH BETTER THAN IF THEY GET PARTIZAN MAIL TELLING THEM WHAT TO THINK OR WHO TO VOTE FOR ON ANY VARIOUS NUMBER OF ISSUES.

SO EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE SO FAR SEEMS TO SUGGEST THAT THIS IS A BETTER APPROACH, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE RECOMMENDING IT, ENCOURAGING IT.

OKAY, BUT COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND I'LL QUOTE, PULLED THE ITEM FROM HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT AND SAID, QUOTE, TO IMPROVE IT, ESPECIALLY FINDING THE EFFECTIVE USE OF COUNTY RESOURCES, UNQUOTE.

COMMISSIONER, CAN I RESPOND TO THAT? SURE. BECAUSE I SPOKE WITH COMMISSIONER ELLIS THIS MORNING.

WE SERVED TOGETHER IN THE LEGISLATURE.

SO THE DISTINCTION HE MADE, FIRST OF ALL, HE PUT A PAUSE ON THAT TABLE, THAT ITEM, BEFORE THIS THREAT OF A LAWSUIT FROM THE AG. SO IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.

BUT WHAT HE TOLD ME THIS MORNING WAS THE DISTINCTION WAS AND LARRY KIND OF ALLUDED TO THIS, WAS THAT IN HARRIS COUNTY, THEY DO NOT HAVE AN ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

ELECTIONS ARE RUN THROUGH THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR'S OFFICE AND ELECTED PERSON.

AND I THINK HE WAS GETTING SIGNALS, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, THAT THAT ELECTED PERSON WAS NOT GOING TO BE COOPERATIVE IN MOVING THIS FORWARD.

SO HE TOLD ME, AND YOU'RE FREE TO CHECK WITH THEM IF YOU WANT.

IF I WAS IN BEXAR COUNTY SHOES, I WOULD MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT SITUATION.

I KNOW YOU STATED EARLIER THAT OUR E ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR IS AGAINST THIS.

I DID NOT HEAR THAT TESTIMONY THIS MORNING.

WHAT I HEARD WAS SHE SAID SHE WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO COMPLY.

HAPPY TO GO BACK AND CHECK THE RECORDS.

SO DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.

BUT THAT'S WHY IT WAS KIND OF PUT ON HOLD, ACCORDING TO COMMISSIONER ELLIS THIS MORNING.

WELL, WE'LL APPRECIATE THE BACKGROUND.

I'M VERY MUCH UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HARRIS COUNTY AND BEXAR COUNTY AND THEIR SITUATION, BUT THE FACT REMAINS AT THE PRESENT TIME, THEY'RE NOT GOING FORWARD. AND WHETHER THAT'S THE COMMISSIONERS COURT OR WHETHER THAT'S THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR OR THE COUNTY CLERK THAT IS UNWILLING TO TAKE ON THE RISK OR LIABILITY THAT COMES WITH SUCH A CONTRACT.

AND SO, I MEAN THAT THAT STANDS TODAY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER JACKIE SAID SPECIFICALLY THAT SHE'S OPPOSED TO IT.

I THINK MOST PEOPLE CAN READ THROUGH THE LINES AT THIS POINT AND UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT SHE HAS SERIOUS CONCERNS AND WHY, YOU KNOW, THIS HASN'T EVER BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD BEFORE.

LET ME WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT PURCHASE ORDER CONTRACT WITH LARRY.

LET ME JUST REITERATE A FEW THINGS ON THE ELECTION SIDE.

SO JACKIE, JACKIE, THIS MORNING, OBVIOUSLY WE WISH SHE COULD HAVE BEEN HERE.

WE COULD HAVE ASKED HER QUESTIONS DIRECTLY BECAUSE I WOULD ASK HER THAT QUESTION RIGHT NOW.

BUT SHE DID MENTION THEY HAVE A CURRENT BACKLOG.

SHE DID MENTION THAT THAT'S GROWING, AS ALL THESE OTHER GROUPS CONTINUE TO PILE ON AND SEND THESE MAILINGS.

NOT ONLY IS THE BACKLOG GROWING, BUT THE ANGRY VOTER THAT IS CALLING AND COMING INTO THEIR OFFICE IS CONTINUING TO ESCALATE.

THEY'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE OF THAT AS THIS TACTIC IS OVERUSED AND CONTINUES TO BE USED AGAIN AND AGAIN BY THESE OUTSIDE GROUPS.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE MATH EARLIER, BUT IT'S REALLY HARD.

WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MANY VOTER APPLICATIONS NOW THEY'RE GETTING PER DAY, VERSUS HOW MANY THEY CAN ACTUALLY WORK THROUGH WITH THE CURRENT STAFFING THAT THEY HAVE.

[03:35:01]

THEY ALREADY HAVE TEN TEMPS.

THEY ONLY HAVE SPACE FOR FOUR MORE.

SO AT WHAT POINT DOES THIS BECOME UNSUSTAINABLE AT OUR ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.

BETWEEN NOW AND ELECTION DAY.

SO I THINK THERE'S SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS THERE.

WE DIDN'T GET INTO IT.

YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME WITH JACKIE THIS MORNING.

BUT THERE'S ALSO THERE IS A PROCESS RIGHT AT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE TO VERIFY VOTER VOTERS BASED ON THE INFORMATION THEY PROVIDE. BUT ALL OF THESE PROCESSES DO TAKE TIME, WHETHER THEY'RE ON JACKIE'S END OR ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S SIDE.

AND A LOT OF TIMES, I KNOW THERE'S A BACK AND FORTH WHERE THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT HAS TO GIVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS 30 DAYS TO RESPOND, AND THEN BASED ON THEIR RESPONSE, THEY MAY HAVE TO GO BACK OUT TO THEM AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS.

WELL, I MEAN, WE HAVE A NATIONAL ELECTION IN LESS THAN 60 DAYS.

SO I THINK THERE'S SOME SERIOUS TIMING ISSUES HERE AS WE TRY TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

AND I HEARD YOU EARLIER, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT THERE ARE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT NON-CITIZENS CANNOT VOTE.

HOWEVER, WE ALSO HEARD FROM OUR GOVERNOR THAT THERE WERE 6000 NON-CITIZENS ON OUR ROLLS THAT WERE JUST REMOVED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

SO IT DOES HAPPEN.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT OBVIOUSLY WASN'T THE BULK OF THOSE MILLION VOTERS, BUT 6000 VOTERS IS STILL 6000 VOTERS.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THAT.

I'D ALSO JUST REITERATE OVER 900 REGISTRARS IS WHAT JACKIE SAID.

WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN BEXAR COUNTY WORKING TO REGISTER VOTERS.

WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT HAS BEXAR COUNTY EVER DONE THIS BEFORE IN 19 YEARS? JACKIE SAID, WE'VE NEVER DONE THIS IN BEXAR COUNTY.

AND I STILL WOULD JUST MAKE THE POINT THAT BECAUSE ALL THESE OTHER GROUPS ARE USING THE SAME TACTICS OR SIMILAR TACTICS TO THE SAME AUDIENCES.

OUR RESULTS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE FAR LESS ROBUST THAN WHAT WE EXPECT, OR WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN PREVIOUS GROUPS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY UNTOUCHED BY THESE TACTICS.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD DEFER TO JACKIE ON THIS AND NOT OVERRIDE HER.

I MEAN, LET ME JUST FINISH UP HERE.

I THINK WE HAVE AN ITEM HERE THAT, IN MY OPINION, HAS BEEN RUSHED.

THERE ARE A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, SOME OF WHICH WE'VE HEARD FROM CITIZENS TODAY, SOME OF WHICH WE'VE HEARD FROM STAFF TODAY.

ON A PURCHASE ORDER THAT HAS LEGAL CONCERNS THAT WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO SHIFT TO A CONTRACT, IF WE WERE TO GO FORWARD ON A SOLE SOURCE EXCEPTION THAT, YOU KNOW, I STILL DON'T BELIEVE IT'S WARRANTED.

I THINK WE'VE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT ARE DOING THESE EXACT SAME THINGS.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE TELLING US THAT YOUR DATABASE IS DIFFERENT, THAT IT'S BETTER, IT'S THE BEST MOUSETRAP OUT THERE.

BUT CLEARLY, HOW CAN WE KNOW THAT IF WE DON'T GO OUT AND PUT IT OUT FOR BID AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT ELSE IS AVAILABLE IN THE MARKETPLACE? I THINK IT WAS PREMATURE TO ASSUME THAT THIS SHOULD BE A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT.

IT'S BEEN PULLED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT, AND OBVIOUSLY AT THIS TIME THEY WOULDN'T TOUCH IT BECAUSE THE LIABILITY ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD. AND OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR SAYS, YOU KNOW, THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE.

IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE HEADACHE.

AND IT COULD CAUSE ELECTION DAY ISSUES FOR BEXAR COUNTY.

AND AS SOMEONE MENTIONED, I BELIEVE, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, IF FURTHER DIVIDES OUR COUNTY, THIS IS A VERY MUCH A PARTIZAN DIVIDE HERE THAT WAS UNNECESSARY AND I DID NOT WANT TO SEE.

I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ ON THAT.

YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THIS DIVISION HERE IN THIS COURTROOM TODAY.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE HERE.

AND THIS ITEM DOES THAT TO OUR COUNTY AND TO OUR PEOPLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T IGNORE THE FACT THAT AS OF 9 OR 10 P.M.

LAST NIGHT, WE ARE FACING THE THREAT OF A LAWSUIT, REGARDLESS OF DIFFERENT LEGAL OPINIONS ON WHAT THAT STANDS.

WE ARE ACCEPTING THE FACT THAT IF WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM TODAY, THIS COUNTY WILL FACE A LAWSUIT ALMOST CERTAINLY THAN FROM FROM THE AG'S OFFICE.

WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL THAT.

FOR WHAT? I'M A BELIEVER, YOU KNOW THAT.

YOU KNOW FIRST, DO NO HARM, FIRST DO NO HARM.

AND YOU KNOW, TO ME THIS IS A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY AND IT CREATES A HUGE SET OF PROBLEMS FOR THIS COMMISSIONER'S COMMISSIONERS COURT AND FOR OUR COUNTY THAT ARE

[03:40:01]

ABSOLUTELY UNNECESSARY AND UNNEEDED RIGHT NOW.

AND, YOU KNOW, BASED ON COMMISSIONER CALVERT'S COMMENTS EARLIER, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO TABLE THIS.

HOLD ON, HOLD ON. WE GOT ONE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

WE'LL TAKE IT UP, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE UP ANY OTHER MOTIONS AFTER OUR VOTE ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

HAVE YOU CONCLUDED, REMARKS COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES? FIRST OF ALL MR. SMITH, YOU'RE A VETERAN FROM THE ARMY? YES, COMMISSIONER. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU.

MY BROTHER SERVED RETIRED AFTER 24 YEARS.

SO GO ARMY AND TALK A LOT ABOUT SUPPORTING SMALL, MINORITY OWNED, WOMEN OWNED AND VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES.

AND NOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

SO THANK YOU.

AND SO MANY OF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS BEING PARTIZAN.

Y'ALL HAVE MADE IT PARTIZAN.

AND MAY I REMIND EVERYONE THAT A WHOLE BUNCH OF VETERANS ARE REPUBLICANS? SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SENDING THESE ALSO TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR US OVERSEAS.

YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT PARTIZAN.

THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST PARTIZAN MORNING I HAVE SPENT SINCE I'VE BEEN COMMISSIONER IN THE LAST 40 YEARS.

WITH ALL THE REPUBLICAN RHETORIC IN PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

MR. SMITH, YOU SAID YOU REACHED OUT TO 40 COUNTIES, ALL 254 AND 254.

SO, COMMISSIONER MOODY, WITH YOU EMPHASIZING THAT THE CONTRACTS ARE WITH THE LARGER COUNTIES.

THE OTHER COUNTIES THAT ARE MAJORITY REPUBLICAN, THEY COULD HAVE REACHED OUT AND THEY HAVEN'T.

WE'RE STILL VERY INTERESTED IN DOING THIS EVERYWHERE.

AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FAKE NEWS WHEN SO MUCH MEDIA HERE FOR THE DOG AND PONY SHOW.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FAKE NEWS IS NOT CONTINUED.

DO NOT PUT WORDS IN JACKIE CANEZ MOUTH.

SHE NEVER SAID SHE WAS AGAINST THIS.

I MET WITH HER. MY CHIEF OF STAFF MET WITH HER.

SHE'S NEVER SAID SHE WAS AGAINST THIS.

SO LET'S NOT PUT WORDS IN HER MOUTH.

THANK YOU. YEAH, JUST JUST BRIEFLY, JUDGE.

AND I WANT TO JUST ECHO SOME OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID.

LOOK, VERY FEW THINGS HERE AT COMMISSIONERS COURT TURN INTO A PARTIZAN FIGHT.

I DID NOT INTEND FOR THIS TO BE A PARTIZAN FIGHT.

WHEN WE BROUGHT IT FORWARD, WE SIMPLY LOOKED AT WHAT HARRIS COUNTY WAS DOING.

AND FRANKLY, JUST LOOKED AT HOW WE CAN DO THE RIGHT THING BY NOT DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS, BUT OUR CONSTITUENTS HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

AND THAT WAS TO MAKE THE REGISTRATION PROCESS EASIER.

SO I REGRET THAT IT'S THAT IT'S TURNED INTO THAT.

I STILL BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR DEMOCRACY.

IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE'RE ESSENTIALLY YOU KNOW, I KNOW, COMMISSIONER MOODY, YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS RUSHED.

I MEAN, WE APPROVED THIS VERY ITEM IN JULY 2ND MONTHS AGO.

ON A 4 TO 1 VOTE.

THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT IT BACK THEN.

I DON'T THINK MUCH HAS CHANGED.

IN FACT, I THINK WE'VE ACTUALLY DRAWN BACK AND SAID, LOOK, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO AN ONGOING PROCESS WHERE YOU UPDATE THE THE VOTER REGISTRATION QUARTERLY AT THIS POINT.

LET'S GIVE IT A TRY AND SEE IF IT WORKS.

MR. SMITH, YOU'VE COMMITTED TO SHARING THAT INFORMATION WITH THE COUNTY.

SO WE'VE DIALED IT BACK, AND IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE ENGAGED AND INFORMED AND HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.

SO I THINK AT THIS POINT A MOTION TO TABLE IS EFFECTIVELY THE SAME AS KILLING THIS BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT ALLOW ENOUGH TIME FOR THIS TO GET SET UP.

SO I'LL BE AGAINST YOUR MOTION, COMMISSIONER MOODY.

I KNOW WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER MOVING FORWARD.

THERE'S TOO MANY IMPORTANT ITEMS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO NOT.

BUT I'M GOING TO ASK THE COURT TO VOTE AGAINST THE MOTION TO TABLE AND FOR THE NEGOTIATION TO ENGAGE IN THE CONTRACT.

ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS SITE? COMMISSIONER MOODY? COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

WELL I'LL JUST SAY AGAIN THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT IN THIS COUNTY ARE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BUDGET CYCLE RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE IN THE NEXT WHAT WEEK? NEXT WEEK WE HAVE A $2.8 BILLION BUDGET WE NEED TO APPROVE.

LIKE I SAID, I WISH WE WEREN'T HERE HAVING THIS DEBATE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK A LOT OF CITIZENS OBVIOUSLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT OR THEY WOULDN'T BE HERE.

[03:45:02]

AND A LOT OF LEADERS, ELECTED LEADERS, PARTY LEADERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING FAKE ABOUT THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, HAVING YOUR VOICES HEARD.

AND AGAIN, I THINK EVERYBODY CAN READ EXACTLY THROUGH WHAT JACKIE SAID TODAY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE MEANT.

THANK YOU. LET ME WEIGH IN.

FIRST. THERE'S A COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ HAS RAISED A POINT OF ORDER.

I'LL SUSTAIN HIS POINT OF ORDER.

WE WILL TAKE UP THE MOTION TO TABLE THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE WE THEN GO TO THE UNDERLYING MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. SO THERE IS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MOODY, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT ON A MOTION TO TABLE THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE. BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET ME ASK SOME QUESTIONS.

MR. MAYOR, I'LL BE HONEST. YOU PROBABLY HAVE ANSWERED IT OVER AND OVER, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INFORMATION, NOT ONLY FROM THE PARTICIPATION OF THE PUBLIC THROUGH CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE COURT, FROM THE DAIS, FROM EACH COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND AND THEN FROM YOU.

SO AS, AS A FORMER JUDGE, ATTORNEY, I'M GOING TO REALLY ASK YOU TO PLEASE BE VERY SUCCINCT IN YOUR ANSWERS.

AND SO ONE OF THE DYNAMICS, I THINK WE ALL AND I THINK EVERYBODY'S CONCEDED IN THE ROOM, IS THIS IS A VERY PARTIZAN ISSUE. SO WE'RE PROBABLY IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT, WILL NEVER EVER GET TO SOME AGREED RESOLUTION.

WE NEED TO VOTE UP.

WE NEED TO VOTE IT DOWN ONE OR THE OTHER.

SO MR. SMITH, ONE OF THE CRITICISMS THAT HAS MADE AGAINST YOU IS WHETHER OR NOT AND YOU'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR YOU HAVE PERSONAL OPINIONS AND POSITIONS THAT YOU TAKE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. BUT AS A PRESIDENT OF CGS WHO IS SUPPOSED TO DO A NONPARTIZAN, PLEASE TELL ME IN VERY SHORT TERMS HOW YOU CAN ASSURE THE COURT THAT YOUR EFFORTS WILL BE NONPARTIZAN.

YES, JUDGE. BY FIDUCIARY DUTY.

THE BYLAWS OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND ITS MISSION STATEMENT REQUIRE US TO ACT IN A NONPARTIZAN MANNER.

EVERY CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH FEDERAL ENTITIES, STATE ENTITIES, LOCAL ENTITIES REQUIRES THAT NONPARTIZAN ELEMENT.

WE INSIST ON IT BEING THERE.

EVERY GOVERNMENT GROUP THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH INSISTS ON IT.

SO LET ME I CUT YOU OFF BECAUSE YOU MADE THAT CLEAR.

BUT I THINK IT'S A QUESTION THAT COMMISSIONER MOODY'S ASKED.

AND I'M ASKING YOU.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU'VE DONE MANY OF THESE EFFORTS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, OTHER STATES, OTHER PARTS OF STATE OF TEXAS, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO HOW HAVE YOU ASSURED THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT WAS PARTIZAN ONE SIDE OR PARTIZAN THE OTHER SIDE? HOW HAVE YOU ASSURED THEM OTHER THAN YOU'RE JUST YOUR WORD IS THEIR DO YOU HAVE ANY PROCESSES THAT WOULD ASSURE I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR PROCESSES A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I THINK COMMISSIONER MOODY MADE A REFERENCE TO FIREWALL.

THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A SITUATION THAT LAW FIRMS OR ANY BUSINESSES HAVE, THAT THEY CAN REPRESENT TWO SIDES, SO LONG AS THERE'S CLEAR DISCLOSURE, WHICH APPARENTLY THERE HAS BEEN TODAY.

AND THEN HOW CAN YOU ASSURE THAT THIS IS A NONPARTISAN WHEN YOU'RE BEING APPARENTLY ACCUSED BY SOME IN THE ROOM THAT YOU ARE PART PARTIZAN AND THAT THIS IS A PARTIZAN EFFORT? YES, JUDGE, THERE ARE CONTROLS IN PLACE WHEN DEALING WITH ANY TYPE OF ENTITY THAT REQUIRES NONPARTIZAN ARRANGEMENTS.

SO THAT'D BE 501 C3.

AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, PRIVATE CORPORATIONS THAT WE DO THIS WITH.

THERE ARE SPECIFIC CONTROLS THAT GO INTO PLACE IN TERMS OF THE DATABASES.

WHO IS ALLOWED TO ACCESS THEM, THE SQL LOGS, THE THE THE TECHNICAL LOGS THAT EXIST THAT SHOW WHAT DID THE DATA SCIENTIST PULL IS STORED AND MAINTAINED AND PROVIDED AS LIKE EVIDENCE OF THIS WAS CORRECTLY DONE IN A NONPARTIZAN MANNER WITH NO PARTIZAN SCOPING.

SO WOULD YOU SWEAR? WOULD YOU SWEAR UNDER OATH THAT YOU'RE JUST NOT CHASING DEMOCRAT VOTERS? ABSOLUTELY. AND WE ARE EVEN MORE THAN THAT.

WE'RE IT'S WE'RE A STARTUP.

WE'RE LOOKING TO LIKE, WE WE ARE TRYING TO EXPAND AND CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

IT IS IN OUR INTEREST TO INCLUDE MORE PEOPLE LIKE IT IN OUR IN OUR FINANCIAL INTERESTS AND OUR FIDUCIARY DUTY TO TRY TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE.

SO IN REGARDS TO THE COMMENT THAT OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF NOT ONLY RUNNING THE ELECTIONS, BUT ALSO IN REGISTERING THE VOTERS.

WHAT CAN YOU DO MORE THAN WHAT SHE HAS BEEN CHARGED TO DO? HELP ME UNDERSTAND. ESPECIALLY FOR ME AND THE PUBLIC.

WHAT ARE YOU. WHAT ARE WE BUYING THAT SHE CAN'T DO OR DOESN'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH OR CAPACITY TO DO AT THIS TIME?

[03:50:07]

I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS IT'S A CAPACITY ISSUE.

IT'S THERE'S SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT THAT COULD BE DONE AND LIKE HAPPY TO LIKE SUPPORT THE COUNTY IN LOOKING AT THIS AS AN ALTERNATIVE.

BUT YOU COULD THERE ARE DATABASES AND PUBLIC RECORDS TO WHICH THE COUNTY COULD GAIN ACCESS TO AND PULL THEM TOGETHER BY THE THOUSANDS AND DO THE DATA ENGINEERING WORK TO ESSENTIALLY CHECK, LIKE, DO THESE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO WHO HAVE JUST ENROLLED FOR THIS UPCOMING FALL SEMESTER? WHICH OF THEM IS ELIGIBLE AND WHICH OF THEM ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE? AND THEN THAT LEAVES YOU WITH A REMAINDER OF THAT STUDENT BODY WHO IS NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE.

THE SAME THING FOR NEWLY LICENSED HUNTERS.

NEWLY LICENSED FISHERS, LIKE LIKE YOUR FISHING LICENSE THAT PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR.

EVERY ONE OF THOSE IS ESSENTIALLY LIKE A PUBLIC INTERACTION WITH CONSTITUENT SERVICES THAT CAN BE MATCHED BACK TO THE VOTER FILE, WHICH IS ALSO PUBLIC RECORD, TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE MORE PEOPLE.

AND SO REALLY, IT'S IT'S A CAPACITY ISSUE OF THE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND THE STAFF TIME TO GO OUT AND LIKE PULL IN ALL THIS INFORMATION, MATCH IT TOGETHER AND THEN UNDERTAKE THE THE TRACKING AND THE LIKE, AFFIRMATIVE OUTREACH.

SO MY UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSE THAT YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING TO INCREASE VOTER REGISTRATION ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE NEWLY REGISTERED THROUGHOUT WHATEVER DATABASES.

THAT'S RIGHT. YOU'RE SAYING PEOPLE THAT ARE REGISTERED DRIVER'S LICENSE, PEOPLE THAT GET A HUNTING LICENSE, PEOPLE THAT REGISTER AT SCHOOLS.

ANYBODY WHO COMES AND ESTABLISHES A RESIDENCY AND THE VOTING REQUIREMENTS OBVIOUSLY 18 OR OVER, NO FELONIES, CITIZENS THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE YOU'RE CHASING.

THAT'S CORRECT. INCLUDING LIKE 18 YEAR OLDS WHO JUST GRADUATED, WHO ARE NOT GOING TO COLLEGE, WHO ARE ENTERING A TRADE OR A PROFESSION, OR THESE ARE THINGS ARE VERY CHALLENGING TO FIND.

AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS.

A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE.

THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY THEY DON'T SHOW UP IN EXISTING WORK WITH THE COUNTY.

SO HOW DO YOU REBUT THE ACCUSATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE CHASING PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT CITIZENS? VERY SPECIFICALLY, THERE ARE SOME WAYS IN WHICH WE KNOW THAT IN ADVANCE, BUT MECHANICALLY IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE CERTAIN, BECAUSE IF WE MAIL TODAY, IF WE AGREE TO MAIL SOME NUMBER OF PEOPLE TODAY, BY THE TIME IT ARRIVES ON FRIDAY OR MONDAY OF NEXT WEEK, SOMEBODY WILL HAVE MOVED AND SOMEONE NEW WILL BE IN THAT HOUSE.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD LEVY THAT KIND OF ACQUISITION ALL OF THE TIME.

WHAT WILL YOU WE DO IS WE INCLUDE A LETTER THAT EXPLAINS LIKE, WHAT IS WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.

AND THEN ON THE FORM, WE HIGHLIGHT THE BOXES THAT THE VOTER MUST CHECK AND FILL IN WITH THEIR INFORMATION AND CERTIFY THAT I AM A CITIZEN.

THEY HAVE TO CHECK THAT BOX.

THEY HAVE TO CHECK THAT THEY'RE OLD ENOUGH, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO SIGN THE OATH AND AFFIDAVIT AT THE BOTTOM.

AND SO IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY OF ANYBODY WHO REGISTERS IF THEY DO NOT QUALIFY, BUT YET TRY TO REGISTER UNDER YOUR PROCESS.

THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.

THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE CHARGED WITH A CRIME.

IF THEY LIED UNDER OATH, THEY WOULD THEY IF THEY IF THEY IF IF THAT WAS THE CASE.

YES, JUDGE. BUT IT'S IT'S NOT JUST THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.

IT'S ALSO UNDER THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT AND TEXAS ELECTION CODE.

IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

SO THERE'S YES, THE VOTER SWEARING UNDER OATH THAT THEY ARE A CITIZEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT.

THAT WOULD THAT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE.

THAT WOULD BE AGAINST THE LAW. DO YOU HAVE DO YOU DO ANYTHING TO FACILITATE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE REGISTERING THAT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BECAUSE OF SOME KIND OF IMPEDIMENT.

DO YOU ALL GET INVOLVED IN THAT, OR IS IT JUST Y'ALL SENDING OUT ALL THAT TO THIS NEW POOL OF UNIVERSE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO REGISTER? ARE YOU ASKING IF WE CHECK THEIR ELIGIBILITY AS AN IMPEDIMENT? YES, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

IT IS NOT. THERE'S NO WAY TO GUARANTEE THAT BASED ON THE MECHANICS OF THE TIME LENGTH OF MAIL GOING OUT TO WHEN IT ARRIVES, IT IS ALMOST CERTAINLY INEVITABLE THAT SOMEONE WILL MOVE IN WHO IS NOT A CITIZEN.

AND THEN IF WE FOLLOWED MISS JACKIE CALLAHAN'S COMMENTS OF THAT, SHE NEEDS CAPACITY.

ISN'T SHE DOUBLE CHECKING ALL THE AUTHENTICITY AND THE VALIDITY OF ALL THOSE NEW NEWLY REGISTERED VOTERS, MAKING SURE THERE'S NO DUPLICATES, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS? ISN'T SHE DOING THAT? AND THAT'S WHAT SHE HAS SAID.

IF WE PASS THIS, SHE NEEDS MORE HELP TO DO THAT.

YES. WHICH I THINK REALLY THE CAPACITY.

I TOTALLY AGREE THAT THE CAPACITY OF THE COUNTY STAFF ON THE PROCESSING OF THE PAPER FORMS THAT ARRIVE BACK.

THERE IS NO CHANCE OF A DUPLICATE UP FRONT, BECAUSE WE RUN IT AGAINST A WEEKLY UPDATE OF THE VOTER FILE, AND ON WHATEVER DAY IT'S GOING TO GO OUT, IT'LL BE WITH THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICES.

IMPRIMATUR OF THIS IS CORRECT.

THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT CURRENTLY REGISTERED.

SO THERE'S NO IT REDUCES THAT PROBLEM OF DUPLICATE FORMS AND WASTE.

SO LET ME MOVE ON.

LARRY, LET ME ASK.

THERE'S A BIG ISSUE TODAY OF THE LEGALITY, ILLEGALITY OF I BELIEVE OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTENTION.

[03:55:04]

YOU HAVE REVIEWED THE AG OPINION, AND YOU SAY THAT IT IS DISTINGUISHABLE IN REGARDS TO THE EFFORTS TODAY, THE OPINION THE AG RELIES ON STATE VERSUS HOLLAND'S DEALT WITH THE MAILING OF APPLICATIONS TO VOTE BY MAIL.

WE ARE DISCUSSING VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS.

SO AT THIS POINT, AS COUNSEL FOR THE COURT, DO YOU SEE ANY LEGAL IMPEDIMENTS IN THE COURT MOVING FORWARD TO APPROVE? SO, JUDGE, LET ME BE CLEAR.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CAN FILE A LAWSUIT, AND THAT'S THE COURT SYSTEM.

AND WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE RULE OF LAW.

AND IF A HIGHER COURT SAYS WE CAN'T DO THIS, WE CAN'T.

I JUST NEED TO KNOW, WITH YOUR BEST FAITH EFFORT, WE CAN AT LEAST MOVE FORWARD, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE PERHAPS HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO THE OPINION THAT HE HAS RENDERED FROM HIS OFFICE IN REGARDS TO TODAY'S VOTE.

READING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S REVIEW OF THE ISSUES, I DISAGREE WITH THE BASIS OF THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SET FORTH.

A LEGAL DISAGREEMENT.

ATTORNEY. LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEXT BIG DISCUSSION THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED ALL MORNING LONG.

THAT'S THE PURCHASING LAWS.

SO I GUESS. THOMAS.

PATRICIA. LARRY, SIR.

THIS ACT WAS APPROVED.

WAS IT APPROVED BY THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE? Y'ALL HELPED PUT THESE AGENDAS TOGETHER.

Y'ALL ARE VERY CAREFUL ON HOW THESE ACTS ARE PHRASED AND WORDED.

IT WAS THIS APPROVED WITH FROM THE COUNTY MANAGER'S.

THE CAPTION WAS REVIEWED.

WE DO APPROVE IT.

IT DOES GIVE THAT FLEXIBILITY TO TAKE SOME OF THE SPECIFICS INTO THAT CONTRACT THAT WE WILL WORK ON TO STRENGTHEN UP THOSE AREAS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE DIOCESE TODAY.

SO IT ALLOWS FOR THE PURCHASING AGENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CREATION OF THE POA.

AND THEN WE CAN WORK ON THAT CONTRACT LANGUAGE WITH.

WELL, AND I'M ASKING EVERYBODY WHO WAS IN THAT THAT THOUGHT PROCESS.

MISS PATRICIA TORRES, DID YOU REVIEW AND APPROVE THE ACF THAT'S ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY? YES, SIR. MR..

LARRY, DID YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE ACF AND APPROVE AS TO FORM.

SO, JUDGE, I REVIEW THE CAPTION FOR PUBLIC NOTICE PURPOSES.

I DO NOT PUT IT TOGETHER.

I DO NOT REVIEW IT FOR SUBSTANCE, I VIEW IT, I REVIEW IT FOR PUBLIC NOTICE PURPOSES TO MAKE SURE IT COMPLIES WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

CORRECT. SO IN REGARDS TO YOUR RENDERING, YOU SAY THAT IT'S IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

JUDGING BY THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SHOWING UP TODAY, I THINK IT CERTAINLY COMPLIED WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

OKAY. AND THEN THOMAS AND PATRICIA, YOU WOULD BE AFFIRMING ON THE RECORD THAT THIS IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING LAWS.

CORRECT, PATRICIA? YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

LET ME GO BACK TO YOU, MR. SMITH, FOR A LITTLE FOLLOW UP.

YOU'VE BEEN MENTIONING THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

I JUST NEED TO KNOW, ARE YOU JUST NAME DROPPING? IT APPEARS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

HELP ME UNDERSTAND AGAIN.

I DON'T NEED TO REPEAT EVERYTHING, BUT YOU'VE MADE ALLUSIONS OR REFERENCES TO SECRETARY OF STATE, WHICH IS AN APPOINTEE OF THE GOVERNOR.

CORRECT? YES, JUDGE.

SO WHAT? WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CORPORATION, THE NONPROFIT THAT IS BEING ASKED TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT TODAY? THE. SINCE 2018, I'VE WORKED WITH THEM IN A VARIETY OF CAPACITIES ON THIS GENERAL IDEA OF IMPROVING VOTER REGISTRATION AND WEBSITES.

WE'VE HELPED THEM IMPROVE THEIR WEBSITES AND SOME OF THEIR OFFERINGS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GO ONLINE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND REQUEST.

DID YOU GET CONTRACTS APPROVED THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE? SOME OF THOSE WERE DONE AS LIKE VOLUNTEER WORK ON THEIR BEHALF.

SOME OF THOSE ARE AGREEMENTS.

AND WE BID ON A CONTRACT THAT ENDED UP BEING, I BELIEVE, CANCELED, RELATED TO THEIR SUBSCRIPTION TO ERIC.

BACK IN 2019, THE STATE VOTED TO JOIN ERIC.

THE STATE THEN SUBSEQUENTLY VOTED TO LEAVE A FEW YEARS LATER.

HAVE YOU BEEN BANNED FROM CONTRACTING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS, OR YOU ALSO WOULD STAND UNDER OATH THAT YOU ARE CONSULTED AS AN EXPERT IN VOTER REGISTRATION? YES, JUDGE. BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

I WOULD ASSUME THERE'S BEEN AS I KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL SECRETARY OF STATE.

THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL.

WE MOSTLY WORK WITH THE ELECTIONS DIVISION OFFICE.

AND BUT WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH BE HARD FOR ME TO REMEMBER AT THIS POINT.

THREE OF THE LAST SIX.

I THINK THERE'S A BUNCH OF THEM.

I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THEM.

ALL RIGHT. SO LET ME THEN CLOSE WITH THIS.

I THINK IT'S TIME TO VOTE UP OR DOWN.

SO I'M GOING TO ASK THE MOTION TO TABLE TO GO FIRST.

[04:00:01]

HOLD ON, COMMISSIONER MOODY.

I HAVE HEARD THROUGHOUT THIS PAST YEAR, AND I THINK THIS COURT CAN TAKE JUDICIAL NOTICE.

WE ALL WERE HERE.

WE HAVE HEARD CONSTANT COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO VOTER REGISTRATION.

WE KNOW, AND I THINK THE NUMBERS TURN OUT THAT FROM THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL, I GUESS 2020 ELECTION COULD BE CONSIDERED A HIGH MARK IN VOTER TURNOUT.

BUT SINCE THEN, VOTER TURNOUT HAS BEEN ABYSMAL.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S DIRECTLY RELATED TO VOTER REGISTRATION, BUT IT JUST MAKES COMMON SENSE TO ME THAT VOTER REGISTRATION, VOTER TURNOUT HAVE TO GO HAND IN HAND.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE REGISTERED VOTERS, THEN YOU AIN'T GOT VOTERS.

AND SO I WANT TO PUT ON RECORD AND LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THIS IS AN EFFORT, MR. SMITH, AND THIS IS AN EFFORT.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, AND THE FACT THAT YOU'VE TAKEN THE LEAD ON THIS IS THAT THIS IS A NONPARTISAN WAY TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT IN THE 2024 ELECTION.

IS THAT A TRUE STATEMENT OR NOT, MR. SMITH. YES, JUDGE.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

YES, JUDGE. COMMISSIONER MOODY.

SO I JUST WANTED TO TO ASK ONE QUESTION BACK TO THE PURCHASING AGENT AND THEN MAKE ONE COMMENT.

IN CLOSING, YOU RESPONDED TO THE JUDGE ON THIS BEING IN COMPLIANCE WITH PURCHASING REQUIREMENTS.

I ASSUME YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SOLE SOURCE.

YES. WHAT IS THAT BASED ON? SO THE SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION CERTIFICATE CRITERIA IT'S BASED ON EXISTENCE OF PATENTS OR COPYRIGHT SECRET PROCESSES OR MONOPOLIES, WHICH IS THE PROPRIETARY, PROPRIETARY DATA UNIQUE OF SERVICE OF OFFERINGS FROM CGS.

AND SO THAT DECISION WAS BASED OFF OF WHAT WAS SENT BY CGS.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

AND WAS IT BASED ON ANY OTHER INVESTIGATION BESIDES WHAT CGS SENT ME.

ONCE I DID RECEIVE THE REQUEST, I MADE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT IN SEARCHING FOR OTHER SUPPLIERS TO WHO DO PROVIDE THIS, AND I DID NOT FIND THAT.

SO I MADE MY OWN RESEARCH.

I COMPLETED MY OWN RESEARCH.

I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH.

I WENT THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

I WENT THROUGH A DATABASE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THROUGH TO PROVIDE, TO ACCESS THE SAME SERVICES, A VENDOR WHO PROVIDES THE SAME SERVICES.

AND I DID NOT FIND. OKAY.

WELL THANK YOU, PATTY. I'M PRETTY SURE I COULD FIND SOMEBODY BY THIS AFTERNOON TO TO DO THIS, BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT FOR THE RECORD.

JUDGE. AND JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS I'M NOT PUTTING WORDS IN ANYONE'S MOUTH.

THIS ISN'T FAKE NEWS.

BUT I TEXTED JACKIE SINCE SHE HAD TO LEAVE, AND I SAY, CAN I SAY PUBLICLY THAT YOU ARE OPPOSED TO THIS ITEM.

SHE SAID. YES, ABSOLUTELY.

I REST COMMISSIONER CALVERT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS HAS BEEN A HEALTHY DEBATE.

THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY IS ALL ABOUT.

I KNOW IT'S GOTTEN LONG, BUT WE AT LEAST LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE WE CAN HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS SO LONG AS WE KEEP THE VOTE WITH ETHICS AND AND WE KEEP IT AND WE KEEP IT CLEAN.

I'M AN IDEALIST WHEN IT COMES TO OUR ELECTION SYSTEM.

I'M AN IDEALIST WORKING IN A IN A PROFESSION THAT ISN'T IDEAL.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, AS AS AN IDEALIST IN THIS, THIS DEMOCRATIC EXPERIMENT, SMALL D IS THAT OUR REGISTRATION PROCESS IN THE ELECTION PROCESS SHOULD BE AS NONPARTISAN AS THE VOTING MACHINES AND THE VOTING PROCESS. AND WE'VE SEEN SOME SOME ISSUES WITH VOTING MACHINES THIS YEAR GETTING INTO, I THINK, A MISINFORMATION.

BUT IN AN IDEAL WORLD, WE WOULD HAVE OUR REGISTRATION PROCESS AS NONPARTISAN AS WE GENERALLY HAVE. ARE OUR OUR VOTING MACHINE PROCESS.

THAT'S THAT'S AN IDEAL WORLD.

I DO BELIEVE THAT THE THAT THE MARKET WOULD HAVE BROUGHT US EVEN COALITIONS, JOINT VENTURES OF FOLKS WHO WOULD HAVE COME TOGETHER TO MAKE BIDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, I CAN THINK OF MANY AS A FORMER POLITICAL CONSULTANT THAT WOULD DO THAT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE ARE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, WE HAVE TO REMOVE OURSELVES FROM THOSE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

[04:05:03]

SO, YOU KNOW, IF I'M IN A, YOU KNOW, A COMPANY AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME RIGMAROLE I RECUSE MYSELF, I GIVE IT OVER TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO KEEP THE SMEAR FROM FROM HITTING.

IF MY INTENT, IF MY INTENT IS TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND BE THAT IDEALIST WHERE IT'S BEYOND REPROACH AND BEYOND CRITICISM, THEN THERE IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST POINT.

THERE IS A RECUSAL POINT THAT COULD BE TAKEN.

SO YOU KNOW, LOOK, THE SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, LOOK, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING ON X.

BUT I KNOW THAT ELON MUSK LEANS A CERTAIN WAY, YOU KNOW, AND I TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND HOW I DO BUSINESS, WHERE I DO BUSINESS, ALL THAT KIND OF GOOD STUFF.

AND SO I THINK IF WE GET A LAWSUIT, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO DELAY THIS ANYWAY.

THERE COULD BE AN INJUNCTION FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS CONTRACT.

ANYWAY, I MEAN, WHILE WE SORT IT OUT, IT COULD TAKE WE COULD FRANKLY BE JUST WALKING UP TO OCTOBER AND THEN IT'S ALL OVER.

SO IN THIS MESSY PROCESS, I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE US COME TO SOME CONSENSUS.

YOU KNOW, A CONSENSUS, EITHER IT'S A COALITION OF GROUPS DOING VOTER REGISTRATION OR OR MORE RESOURCES FOR THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.

YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED A CONSENSUS PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S THERE'S SO MUCH DISTRUST IN THE ELECTIONS.

THERE'S SO MUCH THAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY WITH WITH MISINFORMATION.

WE DON'T HELP HEAL THAT BRIDGE.

WHEN A 45, 50% OF THE COMMUNITY HAS THESE DOUBTS AND WE'VE GOT TO START DOING THAT, WE'VE GOT TO START WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE CONSENSUS. SO I WILL I BELIEVE IN REGISTRATION.

I BELIEVE THERE CAN BE NONPARTISAN REGISTRATION FROM A DEMOCRATIC COURT, BUT I'M NOT SURE THIS IS THE RIGHT VENDOR AND THE RIGHT WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.

SO FOR THAT I WILL HAVE TO ABSTAIN.

I SUPPORT THE MOTION TO TABLE TO GET THE CONSENSUS TO GET THIS RIGHT, TO WORK WITH THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, GET THE STAFFING CORRECT TO MAKE SURE THE LEGAL TRAPS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A WE HAVE A SUPERFICIAL LEGAL REVIEW.

WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU KNOW, CORRECTIVE FOR CAPTION.

BUT WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, SOME GOOD CASE LAW, BUT IT'S NOT AS DEEP AS MAYBE WE NEED TO GET.

WE COULD HAVE HAD CALLS TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.

WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS YOU'RE GOING TO SUE ABOUT ANYWAY? THERE'S GOING TO BE UNPRECEDENTED ELECTION CONTESTS.

THERE'S GOING TO BE LAWSUITS UP THE WAZOO ON THIS PARTICULAR BALLOT.

AND IF THE BALLOT IS IF WE GET SUED BECAUSE THE AG OR A CANDIDATE OR WHOEVER THINKS THAT WE HAD ILLEGAL VOTERS OR PART OF THIS, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WOULD HAPPEN, I DON'T MEAN TO.

I'M JUST SAYING IT'S LIKELY TO HAPPEN.

RIGHT. AND SO IN MITIGATING RISK AT A TIME THAT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF OUT THERE.

I THINK WE HAVE TO AS MUCH AS I YOU KNOW, I WAS SUPPORTIVE IN THE BEGINNING.

I DIDN'T KNOW SOME OF THE BACKGROUND.

I'M GRATEFUL. THAT'S WHY THIS DEMOCRACY IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY BROUGHT TO US THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO KNOW.

AND IN MY HUMBLE OPINION OUR REGISTRATION PROCESS HAS TO BE AS, AS NONPARTISAN AS OUR VOTING MACHINE PROCESS.

AND THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY ON THAT.

THANK YOU. POINT OF ORDER, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, IN LIGHT OF YOUR ABSTENTION, IS THAT IN REGARDS TO THE TABLE? IF IT IS, ARE YOU WITHDRAWING YOUR SECOND? NO, NO, I'M NOT. I'M JUST SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'LL VOTE ON THE ON THE TABLING IN JUST A MOMENT.

ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'M BRINGING THE MOTION TO TABLE CALL FOR A VOTE IN REGARDS TO THE MOTION TO TABLE.

THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACF UNDER ITEM 66.

ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SIGNIFICANT.

SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I KNOW.

HOLD ON. TIME OUT.

I NEED TO. I'M GOING TO DO ROLL CALL.

I'M GOING TO GO ROLL CALL.

LET'S LET'S BACK OUT ON THE MOTION TO TABLE.

THE MOTION 60 SIX.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

I'M AGAINST TABLING THIS.

NO. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

NO. COMMISSIONER MOODY.

YES. COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

THE JUDGE SAYS NO.

MOTION TO TABLE FAILS.

WE NOW BRING UP THE MOTION TO APPROVE.

I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? AGAIN? ROLL CALL.

COMMISSIONER CLAY-FLORES.

I WAS HAPPY TO SECOND.

I. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ I.

NO. COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

THE JUDGE VOTES I.

MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET ON TO THE NEXT BUSINESS AT HAND.

[04:10:02]

ITEM 64.

[64. Discussion and appropriate action regarding approval of an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement between Bexar County and Kerr County to house inmates meeting the minimum criteria set forth by agreements (specifically, Texas Department of Criminal Justice TDCJ paper ready inmates from Bexar County) at a per diem rate of $65 per inmate per day for two (2) month period and will automatically renew for up to five (5) two (2) month periods for a maximum term of (1) one year, to include appropriate budget transfer. ]

DISCUSSION OF APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE APPROVAL OF THE INTERLOCAL COOPERATIVE COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEXAR COUNTY AND KERR COUNTY TO HOUSE INMATES MEETING THE MINIMUM CRITERIA SET FORTH BY THE AGREEMENT, SPECIFICALLY, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PAPER READY INMATES FROM BEXAR COUNTY AT A PER DIEM OF $65 PER INMATE PER DAY FOR TWO MONTH PERIOD THAT WILL AUTOMATICALLY RENEW UP TO FIVE TWO MONTH PERIODS FOR A MAXIMUM TERM OF ONE YEAR TO INCLUDE APPROPRIATE BUDGET TRANSFER.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

SHERIFF HERE. OH, YOU KNOW YOU'RE BACK THERE.

WHAT? WHAT DID I MISS? NOTHING AT ALL. IS WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION.

IS THERE A MOTION OR DO WE NEED A FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE SHERIFF? COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU.

JUDGE. SHERIFF, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO UPDATE US ON FROM THE LAST TIME WE DISCUSSED THIS, BUT I THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE NOW GOT AN AGREEMENT BECAUSE OF THE OVERCROWDING AT THE JAIL.

YES, SIR. WITH KERR.

AND SO I DON'T I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, JUDGE.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING.

WE'VE JUST WE'VE JUST GOT SOME MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

SHERIFF, WE'VE JUST GOT SOME NUMBERS TO CLARIFY WHY.

WHY WE THINK WE'RE SO LARGE OR SO, SO POPULATED.

JOEL JANSEN. CHIEF. JANSEN.

SURE. SURE.

SO NOW WE GOT THE JAIL TRACKING REPORT BACK ONLINE.

AND SO WHAT? BASICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IS WE HAVE ABOUT ABOUT 1370 AWAITING IT.

AWAITING TO BE INDICTED.

SO HOW MANY? 1370. ARE PAPER READY? NO. NO, NO. WAITING TO BE INDICTED.

OH, WAIT TO BE INDICTED.

NO. PAPER READY IS ABOUT 307 RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. SO HAVE THEY BEEN ABLE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE? WELL, LAST WEEK WAS 77, BUT THIS WEEK IS A LITTLE BIT LOW.

IT'S GOING TO BE 35.

OKAY. WE NEED TO MAKE SOME CALLS THEN.

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MOODE. COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

GO AHEAD. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS ONE OF THE CONTRACTS THEN FOR KERR COUNTY.

IS THAT RIGHT? SO THE ONE WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY IS OR YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE VOTING ON TODAY WILL BE KERR COUNTY.

YES, SIR. YEAH. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER CONTRACT AS WELL THAT'S BEING WORKED.

YES. AND WILL BE COMING BACK IN OCTOBER FOR THAT ONE.

OKAY. SO, YOU KNOW I SUPPORT THIS.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WHEN OUR JAILS ARE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS. AND OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THAT COMES AND GOES WITH SEASONALITY.

WHAT I WANT TO REITERATE IS KIND OF GOING INTO A PLAN.

MID-TERM LONG TERM PLAN FOR, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE.

WHERE'S THE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE? YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S GOING TO GO TO, YOU KNOW, KERR COUNTY.

AND THEN OUR BACKUP IS BURNETT COUNTY.

IS THERE ANOTHER OPTION ON THE TABLE THEN? AT WHAT POINT DO WE PULL THOSE INMATES BACK TO THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL BASED ON OUR POPULATION, I THINK HOPEFULLY THIS RINGS A BELL, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS PREVIOUSLY IN COURT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KNOWING WHEN WE'RE GOING TO SEND INMATES SOMEWHERE ELSE AND WHEN ARE WE GOING TO BRING THEM BACK.

SO IF WE HAVE BEDS, WE'RE NOT DOUBLE PAYING FOR THE BEDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR JAIL AND SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE, HOW MUCH MORE THOUGHT HAVE WE GIVEN TO THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT THOSE POINTS ARE, WHERE WE WHERE WE START SHIPPING INMATES OUT AND WHEN WE START BRINGING THEM BACK.

AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER OPTIONS IN TERMS OF COUNTIES OR OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE INMATES COULD GO? WELL, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THE OTHER OPTIONS AS FAR AS OTHER PLACES TO HOUSE THEM, BUT MY COMMITMENT TO YOU GUYS IS WE'RE GOING TO BE COMING BACK MONTHLY TO GIVE YOU UPDATES AS FAR AS THE INMATE POPULATION, AND WE WILL NOT RENEW UNTIL YOU GUYS ARE GOOD WITH IT.

OKAY. NO, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE UPDATES.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.

BUT I DO WANT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE JAIL DETENTION CENTER TO DO SOME, YOU KNOW, OPERATIONAL PLANNING IN TERMS OF THINKING WHAT THOSE THOSE OPTIONS ARE AND JUST DRAW LINES IN THE SAND SO YOU CAN BRING THEM TO THIS COURT AND WE CAN APPROVE THEM, AND THEN WE'LL KNOW NEXT TIME WE HIT 4950 THAT, YOU KNOW, INMATES ARE GOING TO KERR COUNTY, YOU KNOW, OR WE HIT 5100 INMATES ARE GOING TO BURNETT COUNTY. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES, SIR. COMMISSIONER.

AND I TOTALLY GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

AND I'M WITH YOU.

I DON'T, I DON'T I'D RATHER NOT BE HOUSING OUT IF WE IF WE CAN KEEP EVERYBODY UNDER ONE ROOF.

[04:15:03]

WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY SET WATERMARKS WHERE WE HIT THIS MARK.

WE TAKE. SEND THEM OUT.

WE HIT THIS MARK. WE CAN BRING THESE BACK, BUT NOT THESE JUST YET.

TILL WE GET DOWN TO THIS WATERMARK.

THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO IS IS SET KIND OF GOALS.

YOU KNOW, FOR US, WE'RE JUST NOW HITTING THE, THE, THE WHAT TYPICALLY HISTORICALLY BEEN OUR PEAK SEASON.

SO IT MAY ACTUALLY GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.

BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, ABSOLUTELY, ONCE WE CAN AFFORD TO BRING THESE PEOPLE BACK I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A SUSTAINED ONCE WE CAN SHOW THAT WE'RE BELOW A CERTAIN LEVEL FOR A SUSTAINED AMOUNT OF TIME WE CAN START LOOKING AT BRINGING SOME OF THESE FOLKS BACK, BUT WE CAN I THINK WE CAN CERTAINLY COME UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS.

AND I THINK TO THAT ON A, YOU KNOW, QUARTERLY BASIS OR WHATEVER THAT TIME FRAME IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT CAPACITY IS AVAILABLE AT THOSE COUNTIES AND, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT WHAT SORT OF SITUATION IN BEXAR COUNTY WOULD, WOULD GO BEYOND THE EXISTING CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTED.

RIGHT? SO IF WE HAVE HOW MANY BEDS DO WE HAVE IN KERR COUNTY POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE? AND THEN BURNETT 70.

70IN KERR COUNTY, 70.

AND THEN THE OTHER COUNTY.

DO WE HAVE A NUMBER ON THAT? 120 IN BURNETT 120.

AND HOW MANY INMATES DO WE HAVE AT EACH OF THOSE TODAY? I THINK 180, 100, 189, 189 TOTAL.

SO WE'RE ALMOST AT CAPACITY WITH THOSE AS WELL.

YEAH. AND HOW MANY DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL? WAS IT 51? 50.

51. 99.

50. YEAH. 51.

99.99. I THINK THE HOUSE NUMBER IS 5000.

YOUR TOTAL POPULATION, INCLUDING KERR.

AND IS THE 5190.

OH, OKAY. OKAY.

I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY MORE THAN THAT.

IF YOU COUNT THOSE. WE'RE JUST READING GAOL TRACK.

SO WHAT THEY'RE COUNTING. WHAT THEY'RE COUNTING IS ALSO WHAT'S IN BOOKING.

KIND OF WHAT'S IN TRANSIT.

THAT'S PART OF WHAT'S WHAT'S ADDING TO THE NUMBER FOR US RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE CONFIRMATION, YOU KNOW, IS THE 5199 INCLUDING THE 180 YOU SAID IN THE TWO COUNTIES.

SORRY, A LOT OF NUMBERS.

IT IS NOT. NO, SIR.

OKAY. IT'S INCLUDING 300.

SO YOU GOT 5199.

YOU HAVE 274IN BOOKING RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. SO THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY UP IN THE UNITS ABOVE.

YEAH THAT SOUNDS LIKE A PROBLEM ALREADY.

YEP. SO AGAIN I WOULD ASK YOU KNOW I THINK YOU PROBABLY ARE ALREADY ON IT LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL CAPACITY AT THOSE COUNTIES, WHAT OTHER COUNTIES HAVE HAVE HEADROOM AND ADDITIONAL BEDS AVAILABLE BECAUSE I MEAN WE'RE ALREADY THERE.

YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE SEE THE FALL, YOU KNOW, A DECLINE IN POPULATION OVERALL.

BUT IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A TIGHT SPOT REALLY FAST, IT SEEMS LIKE.

IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? YEAH IT IS.

I BELIEVE A JUDGE FROM GARZA COUNTY, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, REACHED OUT TO JUDGE SAKAI AND OFFERED UP.

HE PUT US TOGETHER. AND SO WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY.

AS MUCH AS WE DON'T WANT TO, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF OF STRIKING UP SIMILAR DEALS WITH OTHER JAILS.

ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.

WELL, AND THEN I DON'T KNOW IF DAN'S AVAILABLE FACILITIES BACK THERE.

PROBABLY IN THE BACK.

HE WAS IN THE BACK.

MAYBE HE'LL HE'LL POKE HIS HEAD BACK OUT HERE.

THERE HE IS. THERE HE IS, PAYING ATTENTION.

HE'S AWAKE. NO, I JUST THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALSO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE.

YOU KNOW WHAT THE TRADE OFFS ARE IN TERMS OF COST.

WHEN WE'RE PAYING PER BED VERSUS ULTIMATELY AN EXPANSION AT OUR CURRENT FACILITY.

AND I KNOW WE HAD SOME DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT COST PER BED HAS BEEN OR WHAT IT MIGHT BE ESTIMATED AT.

BUT AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME SORT OF ANALYSIS IN TERMS OF WHAT WHAT WE WOULD PAY IF WE ARE HOUSING ANOTHER 300 INMATES AT SOME COUNTY, YOU KNOW, AND WHETHER WE'RE PAYING 60, 80, $100 A BED VERSUS, YOU KNOW, A BIG CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IN TERMS OF AN EXPANSION ON OUR EXISTING FACILITY.

SO DOES THAT ALL MAKE SENSE? WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMPARE THOSE OPTIONS AS WE KIND OF GO FORWARD.

ABSOLUTELY. TO US IT DOES.

AND WE'VE STARTED SOME HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ABOUT KIND OF PROGRAMMATICALLY HOW TO SCHEDULE THAT.

AGAIN, WE'LL COORDINATE WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER AND GET SOMETHING FORMAL UNDERWAY SO WE CAN PRESENT THAT TO THE COURT.

OKAY. I APPRECIATE IT.

THAT'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I THINK THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.