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THEY'LL BE SPEAKING.[Salary Grievance Meeting on September 3, 2024.]
OKAY.WELL, CONSTABLES, HAVE A SEAT.
I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A RUN OF THE SHOW TO EXPLAIN EVERYBODY.
I'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
I'M YOUR BEXAR COUNTY JUDGE, AND I'M HERE TO SERVE AS A PRESIDING OFFICER AND NON-VOTING MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE BASED, UM, SALARY GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE.
AND I WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS TODAY.
IF YOU'RE SAYING, WELL, HOW'D THIS ALL COME ABOUT? THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS MADE THIS PURSUANT TO STATE STATUTE.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY, WE ARE JOINED BY LARRY ROBERSON.
WHERE ARE YOU, LARRY? OVER THERE FROM THE CIVIL SECTION OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WHO WILL SERVE AS LEGAL COUNSEL TO THE COMMITTEE.
WE ALSO HAVE CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE COUNTY MANAGER, THOMAS GUEVARA.
WE'RE REPRESENTING THE BUDGET OFFICE AND PRESENTING SOME HISTORICAL INFORMATION TO YOU.
BOTH ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THE COMMITTEE YOU MAY HAVE, I'D FIRST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TODAY THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU ACT AS GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS.
YOUR FINAL DECISION COULD IMPACT THE BEXAR COUNTY BUDGET.
SO YOUR DECISION SHOULD BE WELL REASONED BASED ON THE FACTS AND EVIDENCE WHICH ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO YOU.
THE OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTION OF THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO REVIEW THE PURPOSE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE WITH YOU, AND THEN GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS BY LAW COMMISSIONER'S.
COURT SETS THE COMPENSATION OF EACH ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE BEAR IN BEAR COUNTY, AS WELL AS DETERMINES THE AMOUNT OF EXPENSES AND OTHER ALLOWANCES.
IF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL DOESN'T AGREE, THEY CAN FILE A GRIEVANCE, AND THIS COMMITTEE THEN REVIEWS THE GRIEVANCE AND MAKES A DETERMINATION AS TO THE MERITS OF THEIR REQUEST.
I'LL RUN UNDER THE SHOW OVERVIEW.
I WILL NOW GIVE YOU A BRIEF RUN OF THE SHOW AS TO HOW THE COMMITTEE WILL PROCEED THIS AFTERNOON.
FIRST, MR. GUEVARA WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE WILL MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION TO THE COMMITTEE TO GIVE SOME HISTORICAL CONTEXT TO THE PROPOSED SALARY.
SECOND, FOLLOWING THAT PRESENTATION, EACH ELECTED OFFICIAL WILL THEN MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SALARY THEY'RE REQUESTING.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS MAY ASK QUESTIONS OR CLARIFY ANY ISSUES DURING EACH PRESENTATION BY RAISING YOUR HAND, AND I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU, WE'LL DO THINGS ACCORDING TO THE ROBERT RULES OF ORDER.
THIRD, AFTER EACH PRESENTATION IS CONCLUDED, AND I UNDERSTAND, UM, FROM THE CONSTABLES, UH, THERE'S FOUR COUNTY CONSTABLES PRECINCT, 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR.
I UNDERSTAND THAT PRECINCT THREE IS NOT PRESENT 'CAUSE OF MEDICAL, BUT, UH, HE IS A PART OF THE GRIEVANCE, AND I BELIEVE THE GROUP WILL SPEAK IN HIS BEHALF.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CONSTABLES HAVE REQUESTED THAT THEY PRESENT AS A GROUP, ALTHOUGH YOU WILL VOTE FOR THEIR SALARIES, UH, PER THEIR DEPARTMENT.
I MEAN, YOU COULD VOTE AS A GROUP.
THAT'S SOMETHING Y'ALL WILL MAKE THAT DECISION BY WAY OF MOTION AND APPROVAL.
THE PROPOSED DECISION, THE COMMITTEE MUST BE MADE IN THE FORM OF A MOTION.
SO SOMEBODY MUST MOVE AND IT MUST BE SECONDED BY ANOTHER MEMBER.
ONCE SECONDED, THE COMMITTEE WILL VOTE ON THAT MOTION.
THE MOTION MAY SOUND SOMETHING LIKE, I MOVE THAT THE ELECTED OFFICIAL REQUESTED BE APPROVED, DENIED, ADJUSTED BLANK THE AMOUNT, AND YOU MAY INCLUDE A SPECIFIC NUMBER IN THE MOTION.
PLEASE USE THE OFFICIAL TITLE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIAL IN YOUR MOTION.
PER ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, ANY MOTION MADE WILL NEED A SECOND.
ANYONE WHO DIDN'T MAKE THE MOTION IS WELCOME TO PROVIDE THE SECOND BY SIMPLY SAYING SECOND.
IF THERE'S NO SECOND, THAT MOTION FAILS.
YOU MAY ASK QUESTIONS AS YOU NEED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, AND STAFF IS HERE TO ASSIST YOU.
ONCE WE GET THROUGH ALL THE GRIEVANCES, I WILL DISMISS THE COMMITTEE FROM SERVICE.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM BEFORE WE BEGIN.
OTHERWISE, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PRESENTATION OF THE GRIEVANCES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT I'VE BEEN ASKED, I BELIEVE THIS MATTER IS BEING LIVESTREAMED.
IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING, AND SO, UH, JUST BE BE AWARE, UH, PEOPLE MAY BE WATCHING WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
THE PUBLIC IS ENTITLED TO THAT AS A PUBLIC, UH, MEETING.
UH, AT THIS TIME, I THINK I NEED TO CALL ROLL IS WHAT I'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO.
SO IS THERE A ROLL CALL SOMEBODY CAN GIVE ME? I DON'T HAVE, OR
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DO YOU, YOU WANT ME TO SAY, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? I'LL START ON MY, MY LEFT.UM, GINA, ROGER, CAN YOU SPEAK UP? GINA GER.
NICHOLAS, I BELIEVE, DID I MISS NOAH? I THINK I MISSED THE PAGE HERE.
I WANT TO, IF I DIDN'T, I'M GONNA REPEAT IT.
YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE, DENY, OR ADJUST THE REQUEST AS YOU DETERMINE APPROPRIATE BASED ON THE FACTS AND EVIDENCE WHICH YOU'VE BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU.
I BELIEVE I DIDN'T SAY THIS, SO CORRECT IF I DID, I'M JUST REPEATING IT.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE TO AGREE ON THE OUTCOME OF EACH REQUEST.
IF SIX OR MORE MEMBERS VOTE TO APPROVE AN INCREASE, THE REQUEST IS SENT TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR THEIR APPROVAL.
IF SIX TO EIGHT MEMBERS VOTE TO RECOMMEND AN INCREASE, COMMISSIONERS MUST CONSIDER THE REQUEST.
IN OTHER WORDS, STILL COMING TO COURT.
BUT WE HAVE TO, IF THE, IF THERE IS MAJORITY BUT LESS THAN SIX, THEN WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO TAKE IT UP TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
IF ALL NINE MEMBERS VOTE TO RECOMMEND AN INCREASE, COMMISSIONER'S COURT MUST INCLUDE THE INCREASE IN THE BUDGET.
SO UNANIMITY MEANS THAT THEN YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE A MANDATE TO THE COURT.
NO OTHER ISSUES BEYOND A SALARY GRIEVANCE CAN BE CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE.
SO THAT ALSO APPLIES TO OUR WONDERFUL CONSTABLES.
SO CONSTABLES ONE SHALL STEP FORWARD, AND I BELIEVE Y'ALL WISH TO PRESENT.
I GUESS YOU WOULD STAND IN FRONT AND ADDRESS JUDGE, I THINK BEFORE THE CONSTABLES.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA GO WITH FIRST HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
SO SIR, SO CONSTABLES, I'LL COME RIGHT BACK TO YOU.
SO WHO'S GONNA GO FIRST? I THINK THOMAS, LET ME GO, LEMME GO WITH YOU FIRST.
AND DID YOU HAVE ANY HANDOUTS TO GIVE? YES.
UH, AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, THOMAS EVADO, CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE COUNTY MANAGER IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU SHOULD HAVE A PACKET THAT INCLUDES FOLKS, THE, UH, SMALL POWERPOINT THAT I'M ABOUT TO PROVIDE, AS WELL AS SOME HISTORICAL, UH, IT WAS A MEMO FROM THE ELECTED OFFICIAL SALARIES COMMITTEE, UH, THAT CONVENED LAST YEAR.
AND SO IN, IN THAT PACKET, THAT MEMO TO COURT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND, AND, AND PARTICULARLY WHAT GUIDED THEIR PRINCIPLES TO GET TO THE SALARIES THAT THEY RECOMMENDED AT THAT TIME.
SO YOU HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND IF STAFF COULD PULL UP THE POWERPOINT.
SO AGAIN, IN 2023, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT CONVENED THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ELECTED OFFICIAL SALARIES.
THE COMMITTEE UTILIZED SALARY BENCHMARK INFORMATION FROM OTHER LARGE URBAN COUNTIES IN TEXAS TO DEVELOP THAT RECOMMENDATION.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S IN THE MEMO IN FRONT OF YOU.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY INCLUDED GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO ANALYZE, WHICH ALSO INCLUDED HISTORICAL INCREASE INFORMATION FOR BEAR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS PUBLIC INFORMATION REGARDING THE DUTIES OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION WAS FOR TWO YEARS, 5%, A 5% INCREASE FOR FISCAL YEAR 20, 23, 24.
AND THEN SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, A 5% INCREASE FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS 2024.
SO LAST YEAR, COMMISSIONERS COURT APPROVED THE FIRST YEAR RECOMMENDATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 23, AND ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS RECEIVED A 5% INCREASE FOR THE SECOND YEAR.
THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPROVED A REDUCTION FROM THE 5% THAT THE COMMITTEE, UH, RECOMMENDED TO 3%, AND THAT WAS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INCREASE ALL OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE PROPOSED TO RECEIVE IN THE FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 20 25, PROPOSED BUDGET.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE JUST THE FACTS, UH, AS WE SPEAK, AS IT RELATES TO THE PERCENTAGE, UH, AS REQUESTED.
AND I'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS, SIR.
SO LET ME JUST, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. GAR GEVA FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE? IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND YOU CAN ASK
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HEARING NONE.SO THEN I UNDERSTAND WE WILL BEGIN THE APPEALS OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I BELIEVE THEN IT IS TIME FOR ALL THE CO CONSTABLES.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STEP FORWARD TO ADDRESS THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE? IS THERE ANY HANDOUTS? NOPE.
WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD, CONSTABLE TAE, I ASSUME ALL THREE OF Y'ALL WILL ADDRESS, AND YES, THIS PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND YOUR PRECINCT.
I'VE BEEN CONSTABLE GOING ON 32 YEARS.
UH, I WAS WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE 15 YEARS, SO A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 46 YEARS OF SERVICE.
UH, MY AREA IS TO THE SOUTH AND UMBRELLAS ALL THE WAY TO
WE HAVE 500,000 PEOPLE, OVER 500,000 PEOPLE IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS.
UH, WE SERVE MANY OF THE COURTS.
THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAS VOTED TO GIVE US 22 COUNTY COURT, 18 CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS, 17 CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURTS, THREE JUVENILE COURTS, THREE PROBATE COURTS, MAYOR COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, JUST IN THE PEACE PRECINCT, ONE DISTRICT CLERK OFFICE, COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, TEXAS ATTORNEY, GENERAL CHILD SUPPORT OFFICE, TAX ASSESSOR OFFICE, AND ALL OUT OF COUNTY PAPERWORK.
SO OUR DUTIES WITHIN THE YEARS, I, I WAS ELECTED IN 1992 AND I TOOK OFFICE IN 93.
SINCE THEN, MANY CHANGES HAVE COME TO OUR OFFICE.
UM, NOW THERE'S ONLY FOUR PRECINCTS IN WHICH WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, THERE WAS FIVE.
SO EACH OF US NOW HAVE 500,000 PEOPLE IN OUR AREA.
WE'RE VERY BUSY, UH, IN MY AREA, HAVE 11 SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UH, AND WE KEEP, KEEP BUSY WITH ALL THE SCHOOLS AND, AND ALL THE PAPERWORK THAT COMES TO OUR OFFICE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS GONNA BRING UP IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY BROUGHT UP.
A COMMITTEE LIKE YOURSELF, RECOMMENDED 5% AND 5%, AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT WAS DECIDED TO GET 3% THIS YEAR.
SO, AND I THINK WITH THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE DO, THE AMOUNT OF SERVICE THAT WE DO, UH, UH, IT'S, IT'S JUST TO PAY US A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND IF YOU WERE TO COMPARE IT TO ANY OF THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICES LIKE TRAVIS COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY, AND, AND BIGGER COUNTIES LIKE THAT, WE'RE WAY BELOW WHAT THEY GET PAID.
BUT ONE MENTION THAT I WAS GONNA MENTION IS ONE CHIEF DEPUTY AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE GETS PAID 166,000 ASSISTANT CHIEF, 151,000 DEPUTY CHIEF, 137,000.
AND THERE'S A LOWER DEPUTY CHIEF THAT GETS PAID 118,000.
SO IN TOTAL, TO JUST PAY THESE CHIEFS IS OVER 1,000,230 3000.
SO, UH, THEY, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE TO COVER ONE DUTY, ONE CHIEF WILL BE ASSIGNED TO THE JAIL AND AND SO ON, RIGHT? THEY HAVE THE CIVIL SECTION, THEY GOT THE, BUT NOW THEY DON'T HAVE THE CIVIL SECTION BECAUSE ALL THE CONSTABLES RECEIVED ALL THE CIVIL PROCESS.
WE ARE ALSO NEEDING MORE DEPUTIES AND, AND STAFF.
BUT, UH, WITH, WITH ALL OUR EXPERIENCES, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO FOR THE PUBLIC, IN, IN MY PRECINCT, MY RESERVES VOLUNTEER FOR EVERY CHURCH FESTIVAL AT NO COST TO THEM.
THEY SERVE THE, ANY ACTIVITY, LITTLE LEAGUE, POP WARNER, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND WE ALL ASK FOR JUST A LETTER REQUESTING IT.
SO WE PROVIDE A LOT OF SERVICE THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S JUST, UM, AND, AND MANY TIMES THEY'VE ASKED ME WHY I CONTINUE TO BE COUNSEL IS BECAUSE I ENJOY WHAT I DO.
BUT MORE SO, UH, YEARS AGO, MY WIFE, UH, TWO YEARS AGO, SHE PASSED
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AWAY FROM CANCER.SHE FOUGHT IT FOR SEVEN YEARS.
IN 2017, I WAS CONTEMPLATING TO RETIRE, BUT I NEEDED THE INSURANCE.
AND RIGHT NOW MY GOAL IS TO SERVE MY DEPUTIES BECAUSE WHEN THEY ABOLISHED MY OFFICE, SOME OF THEM TOOK THEIR, THEIR MONIES, AND NOW THEY'RE JUST GETTING TO THEIR 19TH YEAR AND, AND SO ON.
SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS I BELIEVE IN, I BELIEVE IN, IN DOING FOR PEOPLE AND, AND ALL THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I THINK FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO REFLECT ON WHAT WAS DECIDED BY THE OTHER COMMITTEE AND, UH, GO FROM THERE.
BUT, UH, OUR PAY HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY, IN COMPARISON TO CONSTABLES IN HARRIS AND TRAVIS AND AND SO ON, THEY GET PAID A LOT MORE MONEY THAN, THAN WE DO.
SO, AND WE'RE ONLY FOUR CONSTABLES IN, IN BEXAR COUNTY.
AND OF COURSE, SAN ANTONIO IS STILL GROWING.
IT'S GONNA BE WAY OVER 2 MILLION DO, UH, PEOPLE HERE IN, IN BEXAR COUNTY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.
I'LL LET, UH, CONSTABLE, WELL, LET ME, LET ME, CONSTABLE TAYLOR, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF CONSTABLE TA PROCEED? ONE, UH, JOHN MARK CONLEY.
I WOULD ASK CONSTABLE TEJEDA, HOW LARGE IS YOUR STAFF COMPARED TO THE STAFFS OF THE OTHER CONSTABLES? AND IS THAT UNIFORM ACROSS THE COUNTY? IT'S PRETTY MUCH UNIFORM, BUT GEO GEOGRAPHICALLY, MY AREA IS BIGGER.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN MY, MY AREA CONSISTS OF INNER CITY, SO DOES THE OTHER CONSTABLES.
I HAVE A RURAL AREA TO, IN THE SOUTH SIDE, THERE'S A LOT OF AREA THAT'S NOT, UH, INCORPORATED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO WE HAVE TO SERVE THOSE PEOPLE ALSO.
AND IT UMBRELLAS ALL THE WAY TO RA, WHERE THAT'S THE BUSIEST AREA IN SAN ANTONIO RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S FAST GROWING AND, AND SO ON.
SO, BUT, UH, AND THE NUMBER OF STAFF, I'M SORRY, IT'S APPROXIMATELY LIKE 24 DEPUTIES.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE TO SERVE A LOT MORE COURTS.
'CAUSE YEARS AGO WE HAD TRUANCY THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY, AND WE HAD TO START LOOKING FOR OTHER THINGS TO DO.
AND WE STARTED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S PAPERWORK AND SO ON.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO SERVE, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF COURTS THAT I MENTIONED.
MY OFFICERS TRAVEL AT LEAST 120, 130 MILES A DAY.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S TAKES A TOLL ON MY OFFICERS.
SO, BUT IF WE WERE TO HAVE MORE STAFF, THAT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE PAPERWORK DOESN'T STOP AND THE COURTS ARE OPENING UP, ESPECIALLY AFTER COVID.
EVERYTHING'S STARTING TO OPEN UP NOW.
UH, ROBERT, GUS, CAN YOU PASS? OH, GOT THE MIC.
IS IT ON? THANK YOU, UH, CONSTABLE, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT ONE OF THE LARGEST, IF NOT THE LARGEST LAND AREA, DO YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE PATROLLING, UH, THAN THE OTHER CONSTABLES? WHAT HAPPENS IS WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE ON, UH, REQUESTING OFFICERS, UM, GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
JUST RECENTLY, A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MENTAL HEALTH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, MENTAL HEALTH, THE PEOPLE FOR MENTAL HEALTH DID NOT WANT TO EXECUTE FELONY WARRANTS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
SO I HAD TO GET A TEAM OF MY OFFICERS, BUT WE WERE NOT EQUIPPED.
WE HAD TO BORROW A BATTING RAM, AND I EXECUTED BECAUSE I HAD EXPERIENCE IN WARRANTS AND NARCOTICS, AND WE TOLD THE APARTMENT MANAGER AND OWNER THAT WE WERE GONNA BUST THE DOOR IN.
HE WOULD BARRICADE HIMSELF AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
IT TOOK US 48 SECONDS TO EXECUTE THAT.
WE GOT THE INDIVIDUAL OUT, WE ARRESTED HIM, AND ALSO HE WAS EVICTED FROM THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX.
HE HAD ALREADY ASSAULTED OTHER APARTMENT, UH, TENANTS, SO EVERYBODY WAS SCARED OF HIM.
BUT THE AGENCIES THAT HAD THE EQUIPMENT WERE NOT EXECUTING.
SO I HAD TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO
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EXECUTE WHAT I HAD.SO THE THING IS, IS THAT SOMETIMES YOU, YOU HAVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT EQUIPPED FOR IT.
UM, IN PATROLLING, WE, WE WISH WE COULD PATROL MORE, BUT THE OFFICERS ARE TRAVELING FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION, SERVING PROCESS.
SO JUST, JUST THINK ABOUT, MY OFFICE IS ON 30 32 0 5, UH, 35 35 PLEASANTON ROAD, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL TO ALAMO RANCH.
SO THAT TAKES A TIME FOR THEM TO GET OUT THERE.
UH, THERE, THERE WAS A WHILE THAT COMMISSIONER'S COURT PERMITTED US TO TAKE OUR VEHICLES HOME.
AND MY OFFICERS THAT LIVED OUT THERE COULD GO STRAIGHT TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND A HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE COMING INTO WORK.
BUT OF COURSE NOW I HAVE TO HAVE ROLL CALL AT MY OFFICE AND THEN THEY DISPERSE.
SO THAT TAKES TIME AND EFFORT FROM EVERYBODY.
BUT THE THING IS, IS THAT WE COULD DO A LOT MORE IF WE WERE ALLOWED, BE ALLOWED TO, BUT, UH, IF WE HAD MORE OFFICERS, WE COULD DO MORE.
UH, AND THE ONES THAT PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICE TO THE, THE COMMUNITY, OUR RESERVE OFFICERS, AND MOST OF THEM HAVE A MASTERPIECE OFFICER LICENSE BECAUSE THEY'RE RETIRED.
SAPD, DEPUTY SHERIFFS GAME WARDENS AND SO ON.
SO THEY COME AND ALL I ASK YOU TAKE CARE OF THE PUBLIC, AND I'M, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
SO THAT'S HOW THEY GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT, UH, PATROLLING, I WISH WE HAD MORE OFFICERS TO PATROL.
UM, CYNTHIA PURCELL, OFFICER, WERE YOU GIVEN AN UNDERSTANDING OR REASON WHERE THE OTHER 2%, WAS IT GOING TO BE SPENT IN YOUR OFFICE OR WITH YOUR PRECINCT, OR WAS IT THE REASONING BEHIND? NO, THAT, UM, THAT WAS JUST FOR SALARY.
UH, RIGHT NOW, TOMORROW WE HAVE A BUDGET MEETING TO TALK ABOUT STAFF AND, AND ALL THAT.
BUT THE THING IS, IS THAT RIGHT NOW, UH, I, I THINK IN SERVING THE PUBLIC AND, AND ALL THAT, UH, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE THAT 2% IS, BUT YOU KNOW, UM, FOR WHAT WE DO, I AND MY OFFICERS DO.
I WAS AT ROLL CALL TODAY AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WORKING HARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF CONSTABLE TEDA? ALRIGHT, LEMME HAVE CONSTABLE TOO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COMMITTEE.
I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, TAKING TIME FROM YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES AND BEING HERE FOR US.
I HAVE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR 30 YEARS, 25 OF THOSE YEARS.
WE'RE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, I WAS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AWAY FROM RETIRING WHEN, UH, PRECINCT TWO HAD AN ORDEAL AND THEY ASKED FOR PEOPLE THAT WERE GOING TO RETIRE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, UH, IF THEY WERE INTERESTED IN TAKING OVER THAT, UH, MESS.
SO I WAS ONE OF THE 25 OR 26 THAT APPLIED.
AND THANKS TO GOD, I GOT THE POSITION.
UH, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF CIVIL, I HAD BEEN A CRIMINAL OFFICER ALL THAT TIME, BUT I HAD FAITH IN THE OFFICE THAT I TOOK OVER, AND I ALLOWED THE SENIOR OFFICERS THAT WERE THERE TO TAKE THAT OFFICE AND RUN WITH IT THE RIGHT WAY.
MY JOB WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, LIKE I SAID, THAT DAY THAT I WALKED IN, THE LAWS ARE WRITTEN.
I JUST, UH, SUPPORT THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING DONE RIGHT.
SO SINCE THEN, UM, I TOOK THE OFFICE AND I DECIDED TO RUN.
AND THE REASON I DECIDED TO RUN WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME PEOPLE THERE WERE TRYING TO GET BACK IN THE OFFICE THAT HAD COMMITTED SOME WRONGDOINGS.
AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL MY HARD WORK IN THOSE 15 MONTHS DIDN'T GO WASTED.
AND AGAIN, THANKS TO GOD I WON.
AND NOW I'M, UM, OCTOBER WILL BE FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE TAKEN THAT OFFICE.
IF ANY ONE OF YOU HAS BEEN FOLLOWING ME CLOSELY, YOU CAN.
YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH THAT OFFICE, NOT ME.
WE DO EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT JUST TAKING CARE OF THEM, BUT THE COMMUNITY.
UM, LIKE CONSTABLE TEELA SAID, YES, WE TOOK OVER THE CIVIL PROCESS FROM OR FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, AND THEY DID AWARD US OFFICERS TO
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DO THAT WITH.BUT, UM, YOU ALSO HAVE BEEN OUT IN THE STREETS.
UH, CRIME IS UP, ARISE, EVERYTHING IS, UM, NOT THE WAY IT USED TO BE.
SO MY OFFICER'S TRAINING COMES IN HANDY.
UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STREETS OF SAN ANTONIO ARE SAFE.
WE ARE EMBEDDED IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE, ACTUALLY, PRECINCT TWO IS THE SMALLEST PRECINCT, BUT WE ARE HEAVILY POPULATED.
WE HAVE THE MEDICAL CENTER, WE HAVE VEDA, WE HAVE, UH, BY LANIER HIGH SCHOOL, WE ARE, WE GO ALL THE WAY TO SAN PEDRO, NORTH STAR MALL.
WE HAVE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, IT LOOKS LIKE THE BUD OF ITALY.
WE ALSO HAVE, I ALWAYS SAY THAT, UM, WE, WE HAVE OVER 500,000 PEOPLE IN OUR, IN OUR PRECINCT.
IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE GREEDY, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BE MORE COMPATIBLE WITH THE, THE DECISION MAKING THAT WE DO.
WE ARE MAKING LIFE AND DEATH, UH, DECISIONS DAILY.
UM, LEON VALLEY, HEB ON FOUR 10, IT'S GONNA BE ON THE NEWS.
SO I CAN SAY IT ON, UH, FOUR 10 IN BANDERA HAD A SHOOTING.
AT FIRST WE THOUGHT IT WAS AN ACTIVE SHOOTER.
LEON VALLEY HAD ONE OFFICER OUT THERE.
THEY ARE SO UNDERSTAFFED THEMSELVES.
SO WE HAD, THEY HAD ONE OFFICER OUT THERE.
SO THE NEXT SET OF GUYS THAT ARE OUT THERE ARE, GUESS WHO MY GUYS.
SO THEN IT WAS MY GUYS ATTACKED WITH THE GUY.
IT WAS MY GUYS THAT TOOK THE GUN.
AND I'M NOT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM LEON VALLEY, IT'S JUST THAT THEY'RE SHORT STAFFED.
AND SO WHAT ARE WE TO DO? WE CAN'T TURN A BLIND EYE.
WE ARE GETTING FLAGGED DOWN ALL THE TIME, AND THAT'S PART OF THE JOB.
SO GUESS WHOSE DECISION IT IS FOR THEM TO CARRY ON IS MY DECISION.
I'M GONNA BE THE ONE THAT SAYS, CANCEL THAT CODE OR DON'T CANCEL THAT CHASE.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY, I HAVE TO DO WHAT I THINK IS RIGHT WITHIN THE LAW.
RIGHT? SO, UM, AND THEN AGAIN, ON THE WAY OVER HERE, ONE OF MY GALS WAS INVOLVED IN A FLEET ACCIDENT.
SO, UM, THIS IS AN ONGOING STRESSFUL JOB, BUT I WOULDN'T GIVE IT UP FOR ANY, I, AGAIN, I COULD HAVE RETIRED ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO, BUT I'M STILL HERE.
UH, FIGHTING FOR THE COMMUNITY, FIGHTING FOR THE COUNTY, UH, JUST TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO MAKE SURE THESE GUYS DO EVERYTHING BY THE BOOK.
AND, UH, KEEPING THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR SAFETY AT, AT ALL TIMES.
MY JOB, I TELL MY GUYS ALL THE TIME, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET HOME SAFE.
AND THEN I'VE GOT THE BEST OF THE BEST DOING CIVIL, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE, UH, TRAINING, TRAINING IS A PRIORITY.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO TRAIN, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD OFFICER.
WE HAVE OUR OFFICE HAS TO TRAIN FOR, UH, NOT JUST CIVIL, BUT WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE THE T COLE THAT WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY.
IT'S NOT JUST, UH, WORKING HERE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE SO MANY MANDATED.
AND, AND NOW WITH THE VALDI THAT HAPPENED, THERE'S ALERT TRAINING THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
THERE'S TONS OF TRAINING THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE TIME TO DO.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAVE A HEAVY WORKLOAD COMING IN FROM 57 COURTS THAT HE JUST MENTIONED.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU'LL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT, UM, WE HAVE SOME VERY GOOD CONSTABLES AND A VERY GOOD JUDGE AND, AND COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS THE BEST THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, I THINK EVER.
SO IF Y'ALL WOULD KINDLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE OBLIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO THE COMMUNITY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CONSTABLE LETICIA VASQUEZ? NO, THANK Y'ALL.
HEARING, UH, CONSTABLE PRECINCT FOUR IS COMING, BUT FOR THE RECORD, I UNDERSTAND THAT CONSTABLE PRECINCT THREE, MARK VALDI, YES, SIR, IS, UH, OUT AND UNABLE TO ATTEND, BUT HE IS PART OF THE SALARY GRIEVANCE.
UH, THE CONSTABLES HAVE ALL AGREED THAT Y'ALL WILL SPEAK IN HIS BEHALF AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IN HIS BEHALF AS BEST YOU CAN.
SO NOW WE HAVE COMM, UH, COMMISSIONER CONSTABLE KAT BROWN FROM GREAT PRECINCT FOUR.
THANK YOU JUDGE SAKA AND THANK YOU COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR, UM, HEARING OUR, OUR GRIEVANCE.
IT'S NOT, UM, ANY SECRET THAT WE'RE THE LOWEST PAID, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS PRETTY MUCH ON THE PAY SCALE OF BEAR COUNTY.
BUT YET WE ARE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD IN TERMS OF THE MANDATED COURSES THAT WE HAVE TO PARTAKE IN EVERY YEAR.
THE AMOUNT OF MANDATED COURSES THAT OUR OFFICERS HAVE TO PARTAKE IN EVERY YEAR, JUST TO KEEP OUR LICENSING.
AND MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS IF YOU'RE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD AND YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF ELIGIBILITY, THAT SHOULD FALL, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF WHAT TYPE OF SALARY YOU WOULD BE COMPENSATED WITH, BECAUSE THAT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.
CARRYING A FIREARM AT YOUR SIDE AND HAVING CREDENTIALS IN YOUR HAND, A FIREARM THAT CAN PUT SOMEONE UNDERNEATH THE GRAVE FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE AND CREDENTIALS TO PUT SOMEONE BEHIND BARS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE IS A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.
[00:30:02]
AND I JUST WANT US TO BE, UH, ACCOMMODATED AS SUCH.MY AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY IS THE NORTHEAST, EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF BEXAR COUNTY.
I AM THE SECOND LARGEST PRECINCT IN BEXAR COUNTY.
AND I HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB, JUST AS BOTH CONSTABLES HAVE MENTIONED.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, OUR OFFICE WAS A RECIPIENT OF 20 LIVE ROUNDS THAT ATTACKED OUR BUILDING.
AND THANK GOD NOBODY WAS HURT.
A YEAR AGO, ONE OF MY OFFICERS WAS SERVING A WR AND TRYING TO MANDATE THAT SOMEONE BE EVICTED AS WHAT HE'S MANDATED BY THE LAW TO DO.
AND HE WAS SHOT AT, AND THANK GOD HE WAS NOT HURT ON A DAILY BASIS.
TRYING TO AFFECT AN EVICTION CAN START UP WITH ONE INDIVIDUAL.
I HAVE ABOUT 25 PEOPLE NOW, BUT IT ENDS UP BEING ABOUT A FIVE MAN CALL BECAUSE WE HAVE IRATE CALLS, NOT TRYING TO, UM, TAKE AWAY CREDIT FROM ANY OTHER AGENCY.
'CAUSE WE ALL DO A GOOD, GREAT JOB IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
BUT AS CONSTABLES, WE GO TO AN IRATE PERSON THAT ALREADY KNOWS WHY WE'RE COMING.
AND SO WE'RE, WE ARE ALREADY MET WITH THE LEVEL OF AGGRESSION THAT YOU CANNOT IMAGINE.
AND IT, IT HURTS MY HEART TO SEE THAT HAPPEN, BUT I KNOW PER THE STATUTE THAT WE HAVE TO EXECUTE THAT EVICTION.
I ALSO, WHERE I'M AT, AT, UH, PRECINCT FOUR, WE'RE IN CHARGE, LIKE THE REST OF THE, THE, THE PRECINCTS WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MANDATE.
SO I HAVE A, A TCO RESOURCE CENTER.
'CAUSE NOT ONLY DO I HAVE TO SERVE THE PIECE, BUT I ALSO TAKE AN ASSESSMENT OF WHAT GOES ON AT THOSE EVICTIONS.
AND IF I SEE LITTLE BABIES THAT NEED HELP, I GOT A PANTRY TO HELP 'EM.
IS IT YOUR, COULD YOU BACK UP? OH, I'M SORRY.
I JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE IT'S GRUMBLY.
SO IF YOU WOULD JUST, THAT PERFECT RIGHT THERE.
YOU CAN TALK SIR LOUD, BUT IT WON'T BE A GRUMBLING
LET ME CALL MY PASSION DOWN 'CAUSE I WAS GETTING READY
BUT IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A JOB IN WHICH YES YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING, UM, I MEAN SERVING, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO PROTECT TOO.
UM, I'VE TAKEN OVER, UH, JUVENILE JUSTICE ACADEMY 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY FULL-TIME PERSONNEL.
AND I PUT MY OFFICERS OVER THERE AND THANKS TO JUDGE SAKA, HE WAS ONE OF THE VOTES THAT HELPED ME TO GET FULL-TIME OFFICERS OVER THERE.
SO I PUT MY OFFICERS OVER THERE.
I STARTED OUT WITH THE RESERVES.
NOW WE HAVE TWO FULL-TIME OFFICERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE OTHER COMFORTABLE, DID WE MENTION THE PARKS? WE NOW, MAN THE PARKS, WE PROVIDE SECURITY FOR THEM.
AGAIN, THE T COLE RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH WE ALL HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, OUR OFFICERS ARE PROPERLY TRAINED EVERY YEAR IN THE OTHER CLASSES THAT MANDATE THAT THEY KEEP THEIR LICENSING GOD, WELL, COUNSELORS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY HAVE CALLED ME AND I'VE SAT ON THAT PHONE WITH BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS THAT JUST GOT BROKEN INTO, OR JUST, YOU KNOW, WAS A VICTIM OF A FIRE.
WE WEAR MANY HATS NESTLED IN THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND LIKE BOTH CONSTABLE SAID, I WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
I'VE BEEN WITH A SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR 19 YEARS, ALSO BEEN IN, YOU KNOW, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SECTOR FOR 24 YEARS NOW.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE PROUDEST MOMENTS THAT I'VE EVER HAD IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I JUST GOT ELECTED AND, UM, THIS IS GONNA BE MY SECOND TERM AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR CONSTABLE BROWN? YES, JUDGE, I HAVE JOHN MARK, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE COUNTY MANAGER'S, UH, DESK THOMAS.
OR IT MAY BE A BUDGET QUESTION.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHO YOU GUYS CAN ALRIGHT.
SO, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE, THE 3% RAISE THAT WAS APPROVED FOR THIS YEAR OR THIS FISCAL YEAR, I SHOULD SAY, GOES TO ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES? CORRECT.
UH, JUST TO BE CLEAR, UH, THANK YOU.
SO, UH, AS PART OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE'RE RECOMMENDING 3% FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
AND WHEN IT CAME TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM COMMISSIONER'S COURT WAS TO REDUCE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM 5% FROM THE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE DOWN TO 3% TO BE, UH, EQUAL TO WHAT THE REST OF THE COUNTY STAFF WOULD BE RECEIVING IN LINE WITH THE REST.
[00:35:01]
THE PRIOR COMMITTEE, I'M SORRY.THE PRIOR COMMITTEE REPRESENTED, UH, REPRESENT RECOMMENDED 5% LAST YEAR, 5% THIS YEAR FOR APPARENT TOTAL OF 10%.
ACTUALLY A LITTLE MORE, BUT 10%.
WAS THAT, WHERE DID THE 10% NUMBER COME FROM? WAS THAT TO BRING THEM IN LINE WITH SAY, NOIS COUNTY, TRAVIS COUNTY? OR WAS THAT JUST KIND OF THROWN OUT TO SAY, OKAY, THESE, THESE OFFICIALS NEED TO BE PAID MORE.
SO AT THAT TIME, IT WAS TO TRY TO KEEP PROPORTIONATE TO WHAT OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES WERE RECEIVING.
AND YOU, YOU CAN CHECK ME IF I'M WRONG, I'M SORRY.
COUNTY EMPLOYEES CONSTABLES IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES? NO.
UH, ONE WAS TO LOOK AT WHAT COUNTY EMPLOYEES HAD RECEIVED PREVIOUSLY.
THEY, THEY TOOK THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT THEN WHAT THEY LOOKED AT WAS THE BENCHMARK ACROSS ALL OTHER URBAN COUNTIES, UH, HERE IN TEXAS.
THEY ALSO LOOKED AT A LATERAL LOOK TO SEE WHAT, UM, WHAT CERTAIN ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH SIMILAR TITLES WERE MAKING.
SO THAT WAS ANOTHER AREA THAT, THAT THE COMMITTEE LOOKED AT AS PART OF THEIR GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
AND THEN ANOTHER AREA THAT THEY LOOKED AT WAS AT CERTAIN POINTS, AND I BELIEVE THIS MAY HAVE INCLUDED A CONSTABLE AT THE TIME, BUT CERTAIN ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD FOREGO THEIR SALARIES.
AND THAT ALSO CREATED SOME INEQUITIES ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO LOOK AT THAT ACROSS ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO TRY TO GET THEM BACK UP TO, TO AN AREA TO HELP KEEP PACE ON, ON A NUMBER OF SALARIES.
ONE FOLLOW UP ON THAT ON MY QUESTION.
UM, THE 10% OVER TWO YEARS, HOW WOULD THAT HAVE RANKED OUR CONSTABLES? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
HOW WOULD THAT HAVE RANKED THEM COMPARABLE TO, AND I SAW HERE THE 10 LARGEST COUNTIES, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION UNFORTUNATELY.
AND UH, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UH, THE HR STAFF AT THE TIME DID LOOK AT THAT.
UM, AS, AS WITH ANYTHING THEY, UH, WE DON'T JUST LOOK AT THE, AT THE SALARY OF THAT, UM, COUNTY, BUT THEY, THEY, THEY MARKET THAT BACK INTO WHAT BEAR COUNTY, WHAT THE BEAR COUNTY MARKET WOULD WITH, UH, WITHSTAND.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I SAW A HAND KIND OF, I HAVE SAW A HAND RIGHT HERE.
IT, IT'S UNRELATED TO THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATION.
WELL JUST ASK AND WE'LL SEE IF IT ALRIGHT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED IS TWO OUT OF THE THREE, UH, CONSTABLES MENTIONED, UM, FACTORS OF THEIR JOB THAT I FEEL ARE MUCH MORE RELATED TO THEIR GENERAL OFFICE'S BUDGET.
UM, SIMPLY BECAUSE I FEEL THAT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER ARGUMENT FOR WHY THEY MAY NEED A GENERAL BUDGET INCREASE.
SO THEY CAN BRING ON MORE PEOPLE SO THEY CAN ENSURE THEIR PEOPLE ARE WELL TRAINED SO THEY CAN ENSURE THEY HAVE THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED SO THEY CAN ENSURE THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, JUST EVERYTHING TO LOWER THAT, UM, LEVEL OF OVERWORK, YOU KNOW.
UH, CYNTHIA PURCELL AGAIN, JUST TO ALMOST COUNTER, CAN YOU HEAR ME? UM, THERE ARE PUBLIC POSITIONS OR PEOPLE WHO SERVE THE PUBLIC WHOSE JOBS CAN'T JUST END AT FIVE OR JUST END AT SEVEN OR AFTER EIGHT HOURS OR 12 HOURS.
THEY DON'T EVEN GET A LUNCH, A BREAK.
AND I, WHAT I HEARD WAS, UM, THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN AND, AND I'M IN A POSITION WHERE I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE TO STAY LICENSED IN ORDER TO KEEP YOUR POSITION, BUT THAT FALLS ON YOURSELF, THE COST AND THE TIME.
BUT YOU WON'T HAVE THE PUBLIC SERVICE IF YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE POSITIONS, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WORK THAT, THAT CANNOT JUST STOP THEIR DAY BECAUSE OF EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO OTHER THINGS.
AND THEY ARE NOT ALL, THAT'S NOT RECOGNIZED OFTENTIMES.
AND IN BEXAR COUNTY, THE SALARIES FOR THOSE TYPES OF POSITIONS ARE USUALLY
[00:40:01]
VERY LOW COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE STATE.AND IT'S HARD TO BRING IN REALLY, AND KEEP GOOD PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THAT.
NEEDED TO SAY ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES THEN THE PRESENTATIONS.
UNLESS THE CONSTABLES HAVE ANY REBUTTAL OR ANYTHING EXTRA Y'ALL WANT TO SAY.
I'M GIVING YOUR, GIVING YOU LAST WORD.
THANK YOU MA'AM FOR IDENTIFYING THAT.
TO ANSWER, UH, THE YOUNG MAN ABOUT THE SALARIES.
UH, OF COURSE, UH, THE, THEY JUST ADJUSTED THE DEPUTY'S SALARIES NOT TOO LONG AGO.
AND WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THAT FOR MANY YEARS BECAUSE OF COURSE, AGAIN, THE DUTIES HAVE CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
BUT WHEN THEY COMPARE, UH, WE'VE BEEN COMPARED TO SOME OF THE SMALLEST COUNTIES IN TEXAS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE PAY.
SO, BUT IF YOU COMPARE TO HARRIS COUNTY, TRAVIS COUNTY, OR SOME, SOME OF THE BIGGER COUNTIES, THEN YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND.
SOMEONE ASKED ABOUT HOW MANY DEPUTIES OVER THERE IN HARRIS COUNTY, THEY HAVE I THINK ONE, ONE PRECINCT.
THEY HAVE OVER A HUNDRED DEPUTIES.
SO THERE'S, IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.
BUT LIKE, LIKE I'M SAYING, WE, EVERY 10 YEARS I'VE GONE THROUGH THREE REDISTRICTINGS.
I USED TO HAVE ALL THE WAY TO 37 AND HILDERBRAND ALL THE WAY TO ST.
CLOUD AND DONALDSON AND ALL THE SOUTH.
THEN THEY CHANGED IT AND THEY TOOK AWAY ALL THE WEST SIDE.
AND THEY GAVE ME FROM 90 TO CUDA THE FASTEST AREA IN SAN ANTONIO.
THEN IT UMBRELLAS ALL THE WAY TO THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER.
AND THEN IT COMES TO CAESAR CHAVEZ DOWNTOWN.
SO EVERY 10 YEARS THEY REDISTRICT AND THEY CHANGE YOUR BOUNDARIES AND THEY, AND IT'S CALLED POPULATION.
UH, JUST RECENTLY I WAS IN CLASS IN AUSTIN, THEY WERE CALLING ME THERE.
THEN I HAVE TO CALL MY OFFICE TO TELL 'EM TO GO DO SOMETHING.
SO IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN 93.
SO THINGS HAVE CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS TREMENDOUSLY.
AND UH, I THINK WITH THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE BRING, INCLUDING MARKOVICH, HE'S BEEN A CONSTABLE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND ALSO HE CAME FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, ALL OF US HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND WE KNOW HOW TO RUN THE OFFICE.
AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING VERY WELL.
WE'VE BEEN, AS A TEAM, WE INCLUDE EVERYBODY AND WE COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER TO TRY TO HELP EACH OTHER.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF.
UM, AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO HIRE OFFICERS AT A, WITH EXPERIENCE BECAUSE THEY EXPECT MORE MONEY, THEY'LL GO ELSEWHERE.
AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S JUST A NORMAL THING.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO MAKE MORE MONEY AND THEY BRING A LOT BY EXPERIENCE.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD SOMETIMES.
UM, I DID MENTION EARLIER, IT'S NOT ABOUT US BEING SELFISH, IT'S ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS, BUT WE DO A LOT OF STUFF FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I, MYSELF, AND I KNOW, UH, CONSTABLE BROWN AND CONSTABLE DERA, WE DO A LOT OF STUFF THAT DOESN'T EVEN APPLY TO OUR OFFICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I, MYSELF HAVE A SCHOOL DRIVE AND UH, WE DO THE TOY DRIVE AND THEN WE HAVE THE HALLOWEEN DRIVE THROUGH EVENT.
AND A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT'S THERE, I BUY OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE I CAN'T GO BUY A 10 FOOT SKELETON FROM THE BUDGET 'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA QUESTION ME
SO GUESS WHO HAS TO BUY IT OUT OF POCKET? I BUY A LOT OF STUFF OUT OF POCKET.
I'M JUST SAYING, WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING OUTSIDE? AGAIN, I'M NOT COMPLAINING.
MY PERSONAL TRUCK IS PARKED OUTSIDE.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VEHICLES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG FOR US GETTING VEHICLE.
AND LIKE I TOLD YOU THIS MORNING, JUST RIGHT NOW, UH, ONE OF MY,
[00:45:01]
UH, OFFICERS JUST GOT INVOLVED IN A FLEET.SO THAT MEANS THERE'S ANOTHER CAR GOING DOWN.
SO I'VE GIVEN UP MY BODY CAM, I'VE GIVEN UP MY VEST, I'VE GIVEN UP MY CAR SO THAT MY OFFICERS CAN GO OUT THERE AND DO THEIR JOB.
AND MY TRUCK, MY PERSONAL TRUCK IS PARKED OUTSIDE.
WHY AM I DOING IT? BECAUSE I LOVE MY OFFICE AND I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND I'M JUST TRYING TO DO THE BEST.
I AM VERY PROUD OF BEAR COUNTY.
I WEAR A DIFFERENT PATCH AND BADGE RIGHT NOW, BUT I'VE BEEN, I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THIS IS WHERE, THIS IS WHAT I'M DOING.
AND UH, THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME TO BE DOING IT.
BUT I'M STILL VERY PROUD AND I MAKE SURE THAT WHEN I SEE MY OFFICERS, I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM.
I ALWAYS GET THEM WHAT THEY NEED.
UM, AND IF THE BUDGET DOESN'T ALLOW IT, MAMA BUYS IT.
UM, I THINK WE'RE AT A POINT NOW WHERE WE'VE COME TO CLOSE OF ALL THE, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
THE QUESTION AND ANSWER, NOW'S THE TIME FOR Y'ALL.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE SCRIPTED THIS.
SO I AM NOW KIND OF USING MY EXPERIENCE AS A COURT JUDGE, DO Y'ALL NEED TO GO AND DELIBERATE PRIVATELY? UH, ARE Y'ALL PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION AND CONTINUE? IF YOU NEED DELIBERATION, THEN I WOULD SUGGEST WE HAVE Y'ALL GO TO THE SIDE ROOM.
I THINK THERE'S A CONFERENCE ROOM.
IS IT OPEN, LARRY? WELL, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DELIBERATE AND OPEN JUDGE.
SO, SO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO STAY HERE, BUT SO WE STAY HERE.
WELL, WE CAN TAKE A BREAK AND, UH, WE, THE MEETING STAYS OPEN, BUT I I I'LL BE WILLING TO LET Y'ALL JUST KIND OF CONFER, CONFER AND SEE IF YOU REACH CONSENSUS.
UH, OTHERWISE, UNLESS YOU HAVE A MOTION READY TO PRESENT.
WHAT IS THE, AND I KNOW I DON'T HAVE A CHAIR, THE COMMITTEE, BUT WHAT IS THE BY, DO Y'ALL, WOULD Y'ALL LIKE TO CONFER AND DELIBERATE OR ARE Y'ALL PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION? I'D LIKE TO CONFER FOR A LITTLE BIT.
SO AS WHAT'S BEEN ADVISED BY LEGAL COUNSEL, THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING, SO Y'ALL NEED TO STAY IN HERE.
YES, ROBERT? UH, QUESTION JUDGE.
AND I GUESS TO THE DA, WHEN WE MAKE A MOTION, WOULD THIS BE OPENING UP OUR DISCUSSION OR WE JUST MAKE A MOTION AND VOTE? WELL, NO, I'LL GO WITH ROBERT.
Y'ALL CAN DISCUSS FURTHER, HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE, WE, UH, COME TO A POINT OF FINISHING DISCUSSION AND ASK FOR A VOTE.
YEAH, NO, I WAS JUST CURIOUS ON OUR PROCESS IF IT WAS GONNA BE MOTION SECOND AND VOTE OR MOTION SECOND IN DISCUSSION IT BE MOTION SECOND.
LARRY, DO YOU HAVE ANY WORKS FOR ME?
AND THEN AFTER DISCUSSION, CALL FOR A VOTE AND HAVE A VOTE.
AND Y'ALL UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE VOTE.
Y'ALL MAKE ALL, SO I'LL TAKE A LITTLE QUICK BREAK.
Y'ALL CAN CONFER CONSTABLES, HAVE A SEAT.
PUBLIC IS STILL, THIS IS STILL A PUBLIC HEARING.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MUTE THE MIC,
[00:53:14]
I WAS GONNA, THAT THEY ALL,[00:55:50]
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT SOUNDS LIKE PRETTY MUCH IS, OR HE CAN DO THEY ALSO NEED TO STATE THE AMOUNT, SALARY, NOTHING AMOUNT, JUST A PERCENTAGE.IF Y'ALL MAY, UH, COUNSEL, UH, MR. ROBESON HAS A REQUEST AS TO THE FORM OF THE MOTION.
SO LARRY? YEAH, THANK YOU JUDGE.
BECAUSE THERE ARE FOUR CONSTABLES, UH, WE CAN TAKE THE VOTE INDIVIDUALLY FOR EACH CONSTABLE.
THAT WAY IF YOU HAVE SEPARATE AMOUNTS FOR EACH ONE, WE CAN DO EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY, OR IF IT'S THE SAME RECOMMENDATION FOR ALL FOUR, YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION FOR ALL FOUR.
IT'S UP TO YOU, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU'VE STRUCTURED YOUR, UM, RECOMMENDATION.
SO THAT'S UP TO THE COMMITTEE.
UM, IT'S EASIER IF WE DO THEM INDIVIDUALLY THAT WAY IF THE VOTE'S DIFFERENT FOR EACH ONE.
BUT WE CAN JUST DO IT FOR EACH ONE.
I THINK THERE'S, SO WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON BEHALF? WHO'S THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE COMMITTEE? YES SIR.
WHAT WERE YOU SAYING, SIR? THERE YOU ARE, YOU GOT PICKED BY DEFAULT, I GUESS I'M BY DEFAULT, SIR.
AND YOUR NAME AGAIN FOR THE RECORD? MY NAME IS JOHN MARK CONLEY.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO PRESENT TO THE YES, JUDGE.
UH, I MOVE THAT FOR, UH, CONSTABLE PRECINCT ONE.
THE SALARY INCREASE BE 5% YEAR OVER YEAR.
IT WOULD JUST BE FOR THIS YEAR.
WHAT? OKAY, FROM, FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 25, THE SALARY INCREASE, BE ADJUSTED TO 5% FROM 3%.
AND ARE Y'ALL PREPARED TO VOTE? IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? MR. CASTELLA? YES, SIR.
UH, ROBERT CASTANEDA, UM, ARE WE LIMITED TO 5%? NO, YOU ARE NOT.
WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE THAT NUMBER.
YOU HAVE TO STATE THAT FOR THE RECORD.
[01:00:01]
YOU DON'T ALL HAVE TO AGREE.IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE UNIFORM
IS THERE AN, AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION? SURE, YOU CAN.
YEAH, I, I GUESS I'D MOVE THAT OR I'D LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION.
TO RAISE THE 24 25 CONSTABLE PRECINCT.
AND THE SECOND, DO YOU ACCEPT THE AMENDMENT? I SECOND? YES.
WE GOT, WE GOT ALREADY A SECOND.
SO THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND TO INCREASE THE SALARY OF PRECINCT ONE BY 6%.
IS THAT A SUFFICIENT MOTION, MR. ROBERSON? YES, JUDGE.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SEE BY SHOW OF HANDS SO WE CAN GET THE NUMBERS RIGHT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR AND ALL? ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND OR ANY HAND? I COUNT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 UNANIMOUS.
THAT IS A UNANIMOUS 6% REC RECOMMENDED INCREASE TO THE COURT.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S HAVE A MOTION FOR PRECINCT TWO.
UM, I MOVE THAT WE RAISE THE 24 25 SALARY FOR CONSTABLE PRECINCT.
TWO 6% FOR THE 24 25 FISCAL YEAR.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND AGAIN.
UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR THE INCREASE OF PRECINCT.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR PRECINCT THREE? YES, SIR.
I MOVE THAT THE ANNUAL SALARY FOR CONSTABLE PRECINCT THREE BE RAISED.
ALRIGHT, MR. CHANA, THERE'S A MOTION TO SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL ASK FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVORS BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR PRECINCT THREE OF A 6% INCREASE.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR PRECINCT FOUR? YES, YOUR HONOR.
OR JUDGE? UM, JOHN MARK CONLEY.
I'M MOVED THAT, UH, THE SALARY INCREASE FOR CONSTABLE PRECINCT.
FOUR BE 6% FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
THERE'S A MOTION TO SECOND FOR PRECINCT FOUR FOR A 6% INCREASE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UNANIMOUS WILL VOTE FOR A 6% INCREASE FOR CONSTABLE PRECINCT.
I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES THE GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE HEARING MEETING, CORRECT MR. ROBESON? IT DOES JUDGE.
AND LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU.
UH, LET ME JUST, AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE CONSTABLES.
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THIS.
THEY COULD HAVE SAID, WELL, IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY OF WORK AND THEY COULD HAVE JUST WALKED AWAY.
BUT, UH, I THINK YOU HEARD VERY STRONGLY AND UH, THAT YOU HEARD WHAT THEIR JOBS ENTAIL AND WHAT THEIR DEPUTIES DO AND HOW BIG OF A JOB THEY HAVE.
I THINK SOMETIMES THE PUBLIC DOES NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND THE DUTIES, THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CONSTABLES.
BUT SINCE I'VE BEEN THE COUNTY JUDGE, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UH, THEY ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM, ALBEIT FROM THE ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION.
AND ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT WHETHER CONSTABLES ARE NEEDED, UH, I TAKE THE POSITION THAT THEY'RE A VALUABLE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
ESPECIALLY WHEN I HEAR THE, AND YOU'VE HEARD THAT AND I KNOW THAT THEY COVER FESTIVALS AND EVENTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE THERE AT THE SCHOOLS OFTENTIMES.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE HELPING, UH, RUN RADAR AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE SLOW DOWN IN SCHOOL ZONES.
AND OBVIOUSLY THEY HANDLE SOME REALLY COMPLICATED MATTERS THAT WERE EXPLAINED TODAY, I THINK BY CONSTABLE TEJEDA.
[01:05:01]
YOU GET A LITTLE SNIPPET OF HOW THINGS WORK IN COMMISSIONER'S COURT.UH, NOW I'VE GOT A WHOLE WORK SESSION TOMORROW AND ABOUT NEXT TWO WEEKS WRITE THOMAS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
AND SO I GOT A $3 BILLION BUDGET, 5,000 EMPLOYEES.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS, I THINK WE'VE NOW GOTTEN THE, UH, SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS LOCKED DOWN THERE, THERE, THE OTHERS DID NOT APPEAL, I BELIEVE.
AND SO, UM, I HOPE THIS WAS AN ENJOYABLE, UH, EXPERIENCE FOR YOU.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY APPLAUD COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL WERE SELECTED ACCORDING TO STATUTE.
'CAUSE YOU ARE ON THE GRAND JURY, UH, UH, LIST.
SO THAT'S, IF YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, HOW DID I GET IN THIS? THAT'S HOW WE PICTURE YOU, YOU WERE THERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.
FORTUNATELY, I THINK THE RAIN HAS STOPPED.
UH, HOPEFULLY Y'ALL WILL GET HOME, UH, AND TRY TO BEAT THE TRAFFIC AND WHATEVER, IF THERE'S FURTHER RAINS TO COME.
AND I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE TODAY.