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[1. Opening Prayer: Pastor Les Bramlett, Cleft: of the Rock Church]
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSION'S COURT MEETING FOR NOVEMBER 12TH, 2024.UH, COMMISSIONER JUSTICE RODRIGUEZ, WOULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE PASTOR BRAMLETT AND DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? YES.
AND IN, UM, COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES STEAD.
I AM THE HONOR OF INTRODUCING OUR PASTOR OF THE DAY, DR.
PASTOR, IF YOU COME UP TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE.
HE IS THE PASTOR AT CLEF OF THE ROCK CHURCH, AN AIR FORCE VETERAN WHO RETIRED FROM THE PENTAGON.
BRAMLETT HOLDS A BACHELOR'S IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FROM SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, AN MBA FROM COLUMBIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY IN EXECUTIVE EDUCATION AT THE DARDEN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.
HE ALSO HOLDS A MASTER'S OF MINISTRY FROM UNITED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.
HIS DOCTORATE FOCUSED ON CRISIS LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCY.
HIS CHURCH FOCUSES HEAVILY ON COMMUNITY SERVICE, PROVIDING MILLIONS IN VOLUNTEER HOURS AND PROGRAMS AIMED AT COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY WELLNESS, RESILIENCE, AND LITERACY.
RECENTLY, THE CHURCH OPENED A NEW MIXED USE BUILDING AND COMMUNITY CENTER FOR KIDS, FAMILIES, AND SENIORS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS SPACE WILL ALSO BE USED FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS, OUTREACH, AND SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE FAR WEST BEAIRD COUNTY CORRIDOR.
PASTOR BRAMLETT, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US IN PRAYER AND THEN REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE GOD.
EVERY DAY, EVERY YEAR THAT GOES BY, WE ARE REMINDED THAT EVERY MOMENT AND EVERY ENCOUNTER IS A GIFT.
I PRAY THAT THERE WOULD BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS TODAY AS WE TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS.
I ALSO PRAY THAT AS THE SUN IS SHINING ON US, THAT IT WILL SHINE WITHIN US.
I PRAY FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL SPIRIT OF UNITY, AN EXCEPTIONAL SPIRIT OF DILIGENCE AT GETTING THINGS DONE.
MOSTLY, I PRAY THAT LOVE WOULD ABOUND.
IT IS IN YOUR NAME THAT WE PRAY.
PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE TO OUR NATION'S FLAG.
I HAVE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, UNITED STATES AMERICA.
[3. CEREMONIAL ITEM(S)]
OUR CEREMONIAL ITEMS. WE'LL TAKE UP THREE, A PRESENTATION PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER'S COURT, RECOGNIZING THE ONGOING EFFORTS OF USAA AND THE FACE, THE FIGHT INITIATIVE IN COMBATING VETERAN SUICIDE THAT ASKED THOSE FROM USAA AND THOSE INVOLVED.I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS TO MAKE.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A PSA TO SHOW, AND THEN WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO READ OUT INTO THE RECORD.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE A COMMUNITY PARTNER IN USAA THROUGH THEIR FACE.
THE FIGHT INITIATIVE USA HAS HEAD ON BEGUN TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF VETERAN SUICIDE AS WE JUST CELEBRATED VETERAN'S DAY.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE USAA AND THE FACE THE FIGHT INITIATIVE.
I WELCOME BRANDON CARTER, PRESIDENT OF USA LIFE COMPANY AND HIS COLLEAGUES FROM USA FOR SOME BRIEF REMARKS, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'D LIKE TO SHOW A BRIEF PSA ABOUT THE FACE, THE FLIGHT FIGHT PROGRAM.
DO WE HAVE IT TEED UP? LET US WATCH WHAT'S THAT? CAN READ BACK.
I'M, I'M UNDERSTAND WE MAY HAVE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
LET US NOW READ THE PROCLAMATION AND THEN LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PSA PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS FOUNDED IN SAN ANTONIO IN 1922 BY 25 ARMY OFFICERS WHO SOUGHT TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND SOLVE A PRESSING NEED FOR AUTO INSURANCE FOR SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UNITED SERVICE AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, USAA IS A PREMIER ADVOCATE FOR VETERANS IN TEXAS AND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
AND WHEREAS FOR OVER A CENTURY, USAA HAS REMAINED
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DEDICATED TO ITS MISSION OF EMPOWERING THE MILITARY COMMUNITY, SERVING MILLIONS OF MEMBERS, AND ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES FACING VETERANS.IN RESPONSE TO THE ALARMING VETERAN SUICIDE RATE, WHICH FAR EXCEEDS THAT OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
USAA LAUNCHED THE FACE THE FIGHT INITIATIVE, A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AIMED AT PREVENTING VETERAN SUICIDES THROUGH AWARENESS AND SUPPORT.
AND WHEREAS THE FACE, THE FIGHT INITIATIVE CO-FOUNDED BY REACH RESILIENCE, THE HUMANA FOUNDATION, AND GUIDED BY THE STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP OF THE UNI UNIVERSITY, TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO AND ELIZABETH DOLE FOUNDATION HAS GROWN INTO A COALITION OF OVER 200 ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO BREAKING THE STIGMA, SURROUNDING SEEKING HELP AND PROVIDING HOPE FOR MILITARY MEMBERS AND VETERANS.
AND WHEREAS NOVEMBER, THE MONTH IN WHICH THE VETERANS DAYS OBSERVE IS A TIME TO HONOR AND REFLECT ON THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICES OF VETERANS ACROSS THE NATION.
THROUGH MEASURES LIKE THIS PROCLAMATION, IT IS IMPERATIVE WE REVIEW, RENEW OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING VETERANS RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, PARTICULARLY IN ADDRESSING THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF SUICIDE PREVENTION.
AND WHEREAS IT IS A COLLECTIVE DUTY OF TEXANS TO HONOR THE SACRIFICES MADE BY OUR VETERANS AND ENSURE THEY RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT.
NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONER COURT HEREBY RECOGNIZES THE ONGOING EFFORTS OF USAA AND HAS FACED THE FIGHT INITIATIVE IN COMBATING VETERAN SUICIDE AND COMMENCE USAA CENTURY LONG COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES AS WE CELEBRATE VETERANS DAY, THIS 12TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2024, SIGNED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE COURT, CAN WE GIVE APPLAUSE TO USSA AND THE FACE TO FIGHT INITIATIVE? OKAY.
LET'S ROLL THE PSA EVERY DAY OUR VETERANS FACE UNSEEN BATTLES.
EVERY LIFE IS WORTH LIVING AND EVERY VETERAN MATTERS.
TOGETHER WE CAN FACE THE FIGHT AGAINST VETERAN SUICIDE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, JUDGE, UH, SAKAI AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S, UH, GOOD TO SEE, UH, TWO FORMER USSA AERS HERE, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ AND COMMISSIONER MOODY.
I BELIEVE THAT TO BE CORRELATION, NOT CAUSATION.
SO, UH, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY THE CEO OF REACH, RESILIENT SONYA MADANI WILLIAMS, AND WE'LL GIVE, UH, OUR JOINT STATEMENT.
UH, TODAY FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, USA HAS SERVED THE MILITARY COMMUNITY AND WE CONTINUE THIS COMMITMENT AS WE PAUSE TO RECOGNIZE VETERANS DAY.
YESTERDAY, IT PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND AMERICANS WHY WE CELEBRATE OUR 17 MILLION MEMBER, UH, 17 MILLION VETERANS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
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TO GO BEYOND THANKS, TO SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION FOR VETERANS, INVITING THEM FOR COFFEE OR LUNCH, VOLUNTEER AT YOUR LOCAL VFW OR EVEN THE VA HOSPITAL.AND WHILE THE MAJORITY OF OUR VETERANS ARE THRIVING, SOME NEED EXTRA SUPPORT.
LAST YEAR, WE PUT ACTIONS BEHIND OUR WORDS AND LAUNCHED FACE THE FIGHT WITH FOUNDING PARTNERS, REACH RESILIENCE AND THE HUMANA FOUNDATION.
THIS MULTIFACETED INITIATIVE HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER NOW MORE THAN 250 ORGANIZATIONS, $85 MILLION DONATED TO HELP REDUCE VETERANS SUICIDE BY BREAKING THE STIGMA OF ASKING FOR HELP AND BRANDING TOGETHER TO SCALE PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES THAT OUR VETERANS NOT ONLY NEED, BUT DESERVE AND HAVE EARNED OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS FACE THE FIGHT HAS TOUCHED MORE THAN 73,000 LIVES, SCREENED NEARLY 15,000 VETERANS FOR SUICIDE RISK, PROVIDED MORE THAN 5,000 VETERANS WITH SUICIDE SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS, AND PROVIDED NEARLY 300 MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS WITH TRAINING.
THROUGH OUR DYNAMIC MODELING, WE HAVE ESTIMATED THAT THESE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS WILL SAVE MORE THAN 3,500 LIVES ON BEHALF OF OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO WAYNE PEACOCK AND OVER 37,000 USAA EMPLOYEES AND OVER 13 MILLION MEMBERS, WE'D LIKE TO THANK BEXAR COUNTY COMMUNITY FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY FOR OUR VETERAN COMMUNITY AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AS MILITARY CITY USA, WE ARE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO LEAD FROM THE FRONT AND DEMONSTRATE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES HOW TO SUPPORT AND SHOW UP FOR OUR VETERANS.
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON GENERATIONS OF MILITARY FAMILIES AND ENSURE THAT THE MOST VULNERABLE VETERANS ARE ABLE TO GET THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED.
HOLD ON BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN, BRANDON, LET ME THANK YOU.
AND, AND SONYA, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE AS WELL.
I THINK, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF THE BUSH FOUNDATION, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO.
WELL, ON, ON BEHALF OF REACH RESILIENCE, UM, WE ARE A YOUNG FOUNDATION.
WE'RE A NATIONAL FOUNDATION, UM, HEADQUARTERED IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND ACTUALLY OUR FIRST GIFT WAS ACTUALLY TO FACE THE FIGHT, UM, FOR 25 MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS.
WE ARE TRULY COMMITTED TO HELPING THIS NATIONAL CRISIS AND TO OBVIOUSLY PARTNERING, PARTNERING WITH, UM, ENORMOUS, UH, PARTNERS LIKE USA.
SO WE WANNA THANK BEXAR COUNTY, THE LEADERSHIP HERE FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, AND FOR OUR VETERANS FOR THE GREAT WORK AND SACRIFICES THEY DO EVERY DAY.
UH, JUDGE, I JUST WANTED TO THANK BRANDON AND, AND ALL THE, THE TEAM FROM FROM USAA, UH, LAURA, UH, I'VE GOT A LOT OF PERSONAL CONNECTIONS HERE 'CAUSE I, I DID GO TO SCHOOL AT, I'M, I'M SORRY, I WENT TO, IT FELT LIKE SCHOOL.
IT WAS UNDERGRAD, BUT I WAS WORKING PART-TIME DURING UNDERGRAD AT US.
IT'S KIND OF USA UNIVERSITY IT FEELS LIKE.
UH, AND I MET MY WIFE THERE, UH, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, UH, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S YOUNGER THAN ME.
SONIA AND I WENT TO GRADE SCHOOL TOGETHER, AND THEN KEVIN MATULA, WHO'S NOW THEIR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PERSON, WAS AN INTERN FOR ME WHEN I WAS AT THE CAPITOL.
SO A LOT OF CONNECTIONS HERE, BUT IT'S, UH, THE WORK THAT YOU DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THE, THE REST OF YOUR TEAM THAT MAKES, UH, SUCH A DIFFERENCE HERE IN, NOT JUST IN BEXAR COUNTY, BUT YOU SEE IT NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY IN TERMS OF THE TOUCH USAA HAS, UH, TO SUPPORT VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND SO WE JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
WE ALWAYS SAY THIS, I MEAN, VETERANS DAY IS, IS ONE DAY A YEAR, BUT IT REALLY IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO CELEBRATE, UM, EVERY DAY.
AND, AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AS COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND AS CITIZENS AND, AND CERTAINLY AS MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WE EXTEND A HEARTFELT THANKS.
WELL, I'LL JUST ECHO SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN, UH, FACE THE FIGHT.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'VE CONTINUED TO MAKE PROGRESS OVER THE, THE LAST FEW YEARS WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH WHEN IT COMES TO VETERAN SUICIDE, BUT I THINK THERE'S STILL SO MUCH MORE TO, TO BE DONE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS PERSONALLY IMPACTED ME AS A, AS A VETERAN FORMER SERVICE MEMBER.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONCE IT FINALLY HITS YOU PERSONALLY, YOU FINALLY GET IT AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT CAN AFFECT ANYBODY.
UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT THOSE WHO ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, STIGMATIZED OR WHO HAD OTHER ISSUES GOING ON.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE, THE GREATEST AMERICANS I EVER SERVED WITH A FORMER TOP GUN INSTRUCTOR, PILOT F 18, UM, OFFICER AND, AND FORMER COMMANDING OFFICER COMMITTED SUICIDE TWO YEARS AGO.
NOBODY COULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, THAT HE WOULD EVER BE ON THAT LIST OF, OF FOLKS IMPACTED BY SUICIDE.
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KNOW, AND HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THIS? 'CAUSE IT CAN IMPACT ANYONE.UM, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR INVESTMENT.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THIS TOGETHER, UH, AS A COUNTY, AS A STATE, AND AS A COUNTRY.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER COVERY.
AND LET ME THANK EVERYONE AT USAA FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THIS, UH, PROGRAM AND ALL OF OUR GUESTS HERE TODAY.
I THINK THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE THINK ABOUT SUICIDE PREVENTION.
THE PROGRAM THAT IS, UH, BEING UNVEILED TODAY IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR CREATING A CULTURE WHERE EVERY VETERAN KNOWS WE'RE HERE TO HELP.
UM, IN, IN MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, HAVING FRIENDS WHO, WHO HAVE SUCCUMBED TO SUICIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT, HAD YOU KNOWN YOU WOULD'VE DONE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WERE GOING THROUGH MENTALLY, YOU WOULD'VE DONE ANYTHING TO HELP THEM AND, AND LEAD THEM TO SERVICES OR JUST BE THERE FOR THEM.
UH, AND I THINK THAT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ONE TODAY WILL CREATE A CULTURE WHERE EVERY VETERAN, EVERY PERSON WHO MAY BE CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE, REALIZES THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP YOU.
AND SO THAT'S MY GRATITUDE, UH, FOR THIS GIFT, UH, THAT YOU ALL ARE GIVING TO OUR COMMUNITY AND MILITARY CITY, USA.
THERE IS SO MUCH TRAUMA THAT HAS HAPPENED, UH, AT THE BATTLEFIELD AND THEN SOMETIMES BACK AT HOME THAT PEOPLE FEEL HOPELESS.
BUT HOPEFULLY THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT LIGHT, THAT THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD DO ANYTHING TO HELP UPLIFT WHATEVER THAT VETERAN MAY BE FEELING.
LET'S GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STEP FORWARD TO PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION? IF WE COULD TAKE A PICTURE, KEVIN, PLEASE.
LET US CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE OUR VETERANS, AND ESPECIALLY SINCE, UH, YESTERDAY WAS VETERANS DAY, UH, COMMISSIONER MOODY PRESENTATION AND PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER'S COURT, RECOGNIZING THE SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PROC PROCLAIMING NOVEMBER 1ST THROUGH NOVEMBER 18TH, AS CELEBRATE AMERICA'S MILITARY'S DAYS.
AND, UH, JUST FOR THE RECORD, UH, I, I'D LIKE TO, UH, READ IN THE, THE NAME OF THE INDIVIDUAL I WAS REFERENCING WAS CAPTAIN JACOB ROSALES, UNITED STATES NAVY, CLASS OF 2000 UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY.
UM, YOU MENTIONED VETERAN'S DAY YESTERDAY, BUT WE ALSO HAD THE MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY THIS WEEKEND, AND WE GOT ANY MARINES IN THE HOUSE, SEVERAL FIVE MARINES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND READ A PROCLAMATION, UH, IF, IF WE COULD HAVE JEFF AND THE REST OF THE CHAMBER COME FORWARD.
SO BEXAR COUNTY PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS BEGINNING WITH THE PRESIDIO DE BEAR IN COLONIAL TEXAS, BEXAR COUNTY HAS BEEN AT THE EPICENTER OF OUR NATION'S MILITARY FOR 300 YEARS.
THE RICH HISTORY CONTINUES TODAY THROUGH JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, WHICH BRINGS IN $55 BILLION TO THE REGION, AND HAS DECIDED MANY UNIQUE AND VITALLY IMPORTANT MISSIONS FOR THE DEFENSE OF OUR NATION'S CITIZENS.
AND WHEREAS MORE THAN 80,000 ACTIVE DUTY, NATIONAL GUARD RESERVE AND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL SERVE IN BEXAR COUNTY, MAKING IT THE LARGEST MILITARY POPULATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS SINCE 1970, THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS ORGANIZED AN ANNUAL TRIBUTE TO OUR NATION'S MILITARY AS A WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO THE MEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO SERVE AND HAVE SERVED.
IT HAS BECOME THE LARGEST EVENT OF ITS KIND NATIONWIDE.
AND WHEREAS AS A SYMBOL OF OUR COMMITMENT TO SHOWING GRATITUDE TO THE PATRIOTS WHO SERVE ACTIVE DUTY, NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE, AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY LED BY THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE PAY TRIBUTE TO ALL WHO ANSWER OUR NATION'S CALL NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AT THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND PROCLAIMS NOVEMBER 1ST THROUGH NOVEMBER 18TH, 2024.
TO BE CELEBRATE AMERICA'S MILITARY DAYS.
SIGNED YOUR COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
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JEFF.COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
YOU KNOW, WE FEEL VERY BLESSED TO CALL THIS CITY, MILITARY CITY USA.
WE'VE BEEN HOLDING THIS CEREMONY FOR 54 YEARS, OUR CHAMBER'S 130 YEARS OLD.
AND SO FOR ALMOST HALF OF OUR LIFE, WE HAVE RECOGNIZED THE INVOLVEMENT OF MILITARY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS CHAMBER HAS A LONG HISTORY OF DONATING LAND TO VIRTUALLY EVERY MILITARY BASE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THE CELEBRATION WE HAVE, UH, WE CELEBRATE ON FRIDAY OUTTA SEA WORLD, CELEBRATING THE WOMEN IN THE MILITARY.
WE'VE HAD SENIOR ENLISTED, WE'LL HAVE ALL KINDS OF CELEBRATIONS, BUT BASICALLY IT COMES DOWN TO, WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
WE LOVE THE MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY.
WE OFFER THEM RESPECT, LOVE, AND OUR PRAYERS.
UH, WE EVEN CREATED A JUDGE, AND YOU WERE A PART OF IT THIS SUMMER, WE KICKED OFF A PROGRAM CALLED SUPPORTING MILITARY FAMILIES SAN ANTONIO, TO WORK ON EMPLOYMENT AND HEALTHCARE AND DAYCARE, AND PARTNER WITH OUR FRIENDS AT USAA ON FACE THE FIGHT.
WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT OUR MILITARY FAMILIES AND WE'LL PARTNER WITH BOTH THE COUNTY AND ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO STEP UP TO FACE THE FIGHT AND SUPPORT OUR MILITARY FAMILIES.
SO THANK YOU TODAY FOR RECOGNIZING US.
IF I COULD, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO COLONEL BRIAN LOGAN.
UH, BRIAN JUST RETIRED FROM THE MILITARY, UH, THREE MONTHS AGO, TWO WEEKS OUTTA RETIREMENT.
WE CONVINCED HIM TO JOIN OUR STAFF AT THE GREATER CHAMBER.
UH, HE WAS THE, HE WAS UNDER GENERAL DRIGGERS, THE NUMBER TWO AT JBSA.
AND HONESTLY, WE CONSIDER IT AN AMAZING ADDITION TO OUR TEAM.
SO I'D LIKE THE COLONEL TO SAY A FEW WORDS, IF YOU WOULD.
COMMISSIONERS, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR ALL THE SUPPORT FOR MILITARY CITY USA.
UH, WHEN MY WIFE AND I DECIDED, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE WANT TO FINISH OUR CAREER? WHERE DO WE WANT TO STAY? UH, THERE WASN'T REALLY ANOTHER CHOICE.
AND THAT WAS THE REASON BEHIND ALL OF THE PEOPLE HERE THAT'S WITH ME TODAY.
UH, THE ACTUAL GREATER SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER AND THE ENTIRE CITY.
THE SUPPORT AND LOVE THAT YOU SHOW FOR OUR MILITARY FAMILIES AND OUR SERVICE MEMBERS THROUGHOUT JOY SPAN IN SAN ANTONIO IS AS UNPARALLEL.
UH, AFTER 18 MOVES ACROSS MY MILITARY CAREER, THERE WAS ONLY ONE CHOICE.
AND, UH, I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY TO BE HERE AND I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ALL THE OTHER MILITARY FAMILIES THAT HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP SAN ANTONIO AS THE PLACE OF TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
AND, UH, AND WE ENJOY STAYING HERE BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN ON BEHALF OF US.
I DIDN'T INTRODUCE RICHARD DELGADO.
HE'S A MARINE, SO THAT'S WHY I WAS REAL SLOW.
OH, OUR, OUR CHAIRMAN FOR CAM, UH, FOR THIS YEAR, FOR 1920 FOR, UH, 2024 AND 2025.
IT'S, IT'S A GOOD, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. RICHARD DELGADO, SIR.
THE MARINES ARE ALL CLOSE IT UP.
UM, SO, SO IT
UM, AND JUST TO LET OUR COMMUNITY KNOW, YOU KNOW, GET INVOLVED WITH THE CHAMBER.
WE'VE BEEN PUSHING THE MESSAGE TO OUR MILITARY AND OUR VETERANS IS GET INVOLVED IN YOUR CHAMBER AS A, AS AGAIN, A VOLUNTEER TO HELP ORCHESTRATE AND LEAD, UM, THIS GREAT EVENT.
AND REALLY TO JUST SHOW THANKS.
UH, 'CAUSE WHEN WE TAKE OFF OUR UNIFORM, WE REALLY DON'T TAKE OFF THAT, UM, WAY OF SERVICE.
SO CONTINUE TO SERVE YOUR, YOUR COMMUNITY, THANKS TO THE CHAMBER LEADERSHIP FOR, FOR PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER.
WOULD Y'ALL COME FORWARD TO RECEIVE YOUR PROCLAMATION? AND IF WE COULD TAKE A PHOTO, JUDGE.
[4. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS ITEM(S)]
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'D LIKE TO DO A SPECIAL PRESENTATION ON THE FOLLOWING MILITARY AND VETERAN SERVICES ITEMS. ONE IN OBSERVANCE OF VETERAN STATE 2024, A CELEBRATION OF HONOR OF ALL OUR NATION'S MILITARY VETERANS TO MILITARY AND VETERAN SERVICE CENTER, FY 2324.END OF THE REPORT, END OF YEAR REPORT.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERAN SERVICES BY THE DIRECTOR, MR. KEITH WILSON.
AND I BELIEVE HE'S BROUGHT HIS TROOPS, UH, AND, UH, SOLDIERS TO THE FRONT LINES HERE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
KEITH, LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU, UH, WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THE PREDECESSOR COURT.
UH, BEXAR COUNTY HAS BEEN ALL IN TO SUPPORT OUR MILITARY
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VETERANS AND TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES AND THE, AND THE CONNECTIONS THEY NEED.AND I BELIEVE, TRULY BELIEVE THAT BEXAR COUNTY HAS BEEN IN THE FIGHT FOR ALL THOSE TIMES IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH THE UNIQUE ISSUES THAT VETERANS FACE ONCE THEY, UH, EXIT THE MILITARY SERVICE.
SO, KEITH, WHY DON'T YOU DO YOUR PRESENTATION.
GIVE US AN END OF YOUR REPORT AND RECOGNIZE THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, JUDGE.
AND I ROLL HEAVY WITH THE MOTLEY CREW, BUT WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF WHAT WE DO.
UH, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CREW THAT'S WITH ME.
I THINK THE AV GUYS ARE GONNA WORK TO ADJUST.
THIS SLIDE WILL COME UP FOR OUR SECOND PORTION OF THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
UH, WE'LL DO A VIDEO HERE SHORTLY.
MY NAME'S KEITH WILSON, JUDGE COMMISSIONERS COUNTY MANAGER.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY.
AS I SAID, MY NAME'S KEITH WILSON.
CAN'T HELP BUT MENTION THAT THE ARMY HAS MORE AIRCRAFT THAN THE AIR FORCE.
AND ASHLEY LED THE WORLD'S LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT.
SO, PRETTY PROUD TO BE A SOLDIER, BUT I'M ALSO PRETTY PROUD TO STAND AROUND THESE FOLKS BEHIND ME.
I AM THE COUNTY'S DIRECTOR OF MILITARY AND VETERAN SERVICES, AND I AM A VETERAN.
IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE TODAY TO LEAD OUR CEREMONY AS WE RECOGNIZE AND HONOR AMERICA'S HEROES, BEAR COUNTY'S HEROES, OUR HEROES.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IF YOU'RE ABLE, PLEASE RISE FOR THE PRESENTATION OF OUR NATIONAL AND STATE COLORS BY A JOINT COLOR GUARD REPRESENTING BURBANK HIGH SCHOOL, ARMY JUNIOR, ROTC, SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL, NAVY JUNIOR, ROTC, AND TOM CLARK HIGH SCHOOL AIR FORCE JUNIOR, OTC.
PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM.
PERFORMED BY ARMY LIEUTENANT COLONEL GI RODRIGUEZ.
MARK OH FOUR OTHERS LEFT A AND WE OTHERS.
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READY.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE BE SEATED.
JUDGE, WE'VE NEVER DONE A JOINT COLOR GUARD WITH JUNIOR RTC CADETS, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THESE, UH, THESE YOUNG STUDENTS WHO MAKE SOME UNIQUE DECISIONS TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE.
THOSE STUDENTS, I OFFERED 'EM A CHANCE TO STICK AROUND AND LISTEN TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
THEY CHOSE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL FOR MATH, MATH AND ENGLISH, WHICH I FULLY UNDERSTAND.
I DO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERAN SERVICES, AS WELL AS A HOST OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO OUR VETERANS AND OUR MILITARY FAMILIES.
I WON'T BE ABLE TO MENTION THEM ALL, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE GREAT TEAM FROM USAA, UH, MARK CASON FROM THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, MR. FRED ALVARADO FROM BROKEN WARRIORS ANGELS, TONY DOC FUENTES, AND ROZ HERNANDEZ.
FROM THE SAN ANTONIO COALITION FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, BETO MORENO AND JUAN PEREZ FROM EDGEWOOD DISTRICT VETERANS, DAVID ARCHULETA FROM COMBINED ARMS, WE MENTIONED THE TEAM FROM THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MATT SHEER FROM MILITARY TRANSITION ROUNDTABLE.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE MANY MORE.
THE ARRAY OF CARE, SERVICE, AND SUPPORT THAT OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES DESERVE IS ONLY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS UNIQUE ARRAY OF SERVICES AND RESOURCES.
AND FOR EACH OF THE ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY, THERE ARE DOZENS, IF NOT HUNDREDS OF ORGANIZATIONS LOCALLY ANSWERING THE CALL TO SUPPORT OUR VETERANS AND OUR MILITARY FAMILIES.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, AND I THANK THEM FOR JOINING US IN PREPARATION FOR THEIR CEREMONY.
WE ASKED A GOOD FRIEND OF THE DEPARTMENT, MR. ERIC BOWDEN, OF PORTRAITS OF A VETERAN TWO OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, HELP US CAPTURE PORTRAITS OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES WHO ONCE WORE THE UNIFORM OF OUR COUNTRY AND NOW WE'RE THE UNIFORM OF OUR COUNTY.
WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE HIM TODAY.
HE HAS ACTUALLY SET UP ALL OF HIS PORTRAITS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE COURTHOUSE AND WILL BE DISTRIBUTING THEM TO EMPLOYEES.
UH, ALL OF THIS WAS DONE AT NO COST TO OUR VETERAN EMPLOYEES.
SO AT THIS TIME, I THINK WE HAVE A PHOTO COLLAGE QUEUED UP TO SHOW THOSE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
AS I CONDUCT MY PRESENTATION, THERE ARE HEROES AMONG US.
THIS VIDEO REPRESENTS THE MORE THAN 500 BEXAR COUNTY EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE THEIR NATION IN THE UNIFORM OF ITS ARMED FORCES BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AS BEXAR COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
SOME STILL CONTINUE TO SERVE IN THE GUARD AND THE RESERVES.
WE CELEBRATE VETERANS DAY ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WORLD WAR I, A WAR THAT ENDED ON THE 11TH HOUR OF THE 11TH DAY OF THE 11TH MONTH.
IN 1918, THE FIRST VETERANS DAY, KNOWN AS ARM HIS DAY WAS DECLARED A NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE BY PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON IN 1919.
AND OVER TIME, WE'VE GONE FROM RECOGNIZING THOSE WHO SERVED IN ONE WAR TODAY, IN WHICH WE HONOR AMERICAN VETERANS FROM ALL WARS, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO SERVED IN TIMES OF PEACE AND STOOD READY TO ANSWER THE CALL OF FREEDOM.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THEM.
OUR MILITARY IS A WONDERFUL SLICE OF AMERICA.
OUR SERVICE MEMBERS COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
THEY COME FROM DIFFERENT RACIAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS.
THEY COME FROM DIFFERENT SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS.
THEY COME FROM DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUNDS.
THEY COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, AND THEY REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY OF OUR GREAT NATION.
THEY ARE SOME OF THE BEST OF US.
THE MILITARY DOES AN AMAZING THING IN BRINGING THESE MEN AND WOMEN TOGETHER, GIVING THEM EXTREMELY CHALLENGING REQUIREMENTS, OFTENTIMES THE FINITE RESOURCES AND EXPECTING THEM TO PERFORM EXCEPTIONALLY WELL AS IF THEIR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS DEPENDS UPON IT.
[00:35:01]
AND SOMETIMES IT DOES.THEY DO SUCCEED BECAUSE THEY PUT OTHERS BEFORE THEMSELVES.
THEY HAVE DEDICATION, THEY HAVE A COMMITMENT.
THEY HAVE COURAGE AND PRIDE OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY.
AND MANY ARE HERE STANDING AND SITTING WITH US TODAY, REPRESENTING THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ON AVERAGE, THEY TEND TO BE OLDER.
OFTENTIMES THEY'RE MARRIED, SOME ARE DIVORCED, SOME HAVE DIVORCED MULTIPLE TIMES.
RELATIONSHIPS, A CASUALTY OF SERVICE.
MANY HAVE CHILDREN MOST HAVE DEPLOYED TO COMBAT.
MANY HAVE DEPLOYED MULTIPLE TIMES.
SOME EXPERIENCED THE PHYSICAL TRAUMAS OF WAR.
AND SOME CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE INTERNAL DEMONS OF WAR.
THE VETERANS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN TODAY AND STANDING HERE REPRESENT THE HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO WORE THE CLOTH OF OUR NATION IN SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
AND INSTEAD OF RESTING ON THEIR LAURELS AFTER MILITARY SERVICE, THEY PURSUED OTHER ROLES OF SERVICE.
OUR VETERANS ARE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
THEY'RE CITY EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS.
THEY'RE TEACHERS, NURSES, LAB TECHS AND CLERKS.
AND ANYWAY, SOME OF THEM APPEAR AS JUST ORDINARY CITIZENS, BUT IN REALITY, THEY ARE EXTRAORDINARY CITIZENS.
THEY'RE AMERICA'S VETERANS, THEY'RE AMERICA'S HEROES, AND THEY ARE AMERICA'S FUTURE.
AND WE AS A COUNTY ARE COMMITTED TO THEIR FUTURE.
JUDGE, YOU MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, WE CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES AS A COMMUNITY TO LEVERAGE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE BENEFITS OF OUR SERVICE MEMBERS, OUR VETERANS, AND OUR MILITARY FAMILIES.
AND FOLLOWING THIS CEREMONY, I'LL PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THIS PAST YEAR TO DEMONSTRATE SOME OF THAT WORK.
OUR MILITARY IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
THEY HAVE SUPPORT, TRAINING THE BEST EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AND GREAT LEADERS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WEAR THE UNIFORM OF OUR COUNTRY OR HAVE WORN THE UNIFORM OF OUR COUNTRY, HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AND EVERY CHANCE WE GET, WE SHOULD HONOR THEM.
AND THE SACRIFICES THEY MADE, NOT JUST ON VETERANS DAY, BUT EVERY DAY.
WHAT ARE THE SACRIFICES VETERANS MAKE FOR US? WHAT DO THEY GIVE UP? THEY GIVE UP TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES SO THAT OTHERS MAY ENJOY TIME WITH THEIRS.
THEY MISS OUT ON OCCASIONS LIKE WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES, THEIR CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAYS, SOMETIMES THE BIRTH OF THEIR CHILDREN, DANCE RECITALS, SOCCER PRACTICES, THEY MISS OUT ON THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS TIME AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILY BECAUSE THEY'RE SERVING IN FAR AWAY LAND TO PROTECT OTHERS.
SO HOW CAN WE SHOW APPRECIATION? WILL SIMPLY SAY, AND THANK YOU'S AN EASY ONE WHERE WE CAN ALSO HONOR OUR VETERANS.
AND NOT JUST WHAT WE SAY, BUT ALMOST MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT WE DO.
SO IF YOU REALLY WANNA HONOR THE SACRIFICES THAT VETERANS HAVE MADE, FIND A WAY THAT YOU CAN SERVE OTHERS.
FIND A WAY THAT YOU CAN GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
FIND SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP OTHERS.
THAT'S THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO TO THANK A VETERAN VETERANS DAY SET ASIDE TO REMEMBER EVERY MAN AND WOMAN WHO STOOD UP TO DEFEND OUR COUNTRY TODAY, WE HONOR EVERY SOLDIER, SAILOR, AIRMAN, MARINE, COAST, GUARDSMAN, AND GUARDIAN WHO GAVE SOME OF THE BEST YEARS OF THEIR LIVES IN SACRIFICE TO OUR COUNTRY SO THAT WE CAN SAFELY LIVE OUR LIVES.
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ONCE SAID, A NATION REVEALS ITSELF NOT ONLY BY THE PEOPLE IT PRODUCES, BUT ALSO BY THE PEOPLE IT HONORS THE PEOPLE IT REMEMBERS OVER 156,000 VETERANS WALK AMONG US IN BEXAR COUNTY.
AND ON THIS DAY, BEXAR COUNTY HONORS THEM ALL, JUDGE, AKA, COUNTY LEADERS.
I SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND THE EMPHASIS THAT Y'ALL PUT ON THE RESOURCES, THE EVENTS, THE PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT OUR MILITARY, OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, YOUR COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IF YOU'RE A VETERAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND? MY NAME IS
[00:40:01]
KEITH WILSON.THESE ARE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND WE'RE VETERANS AND WE'RE PROUD OF IT.
THANK Y'ALL FOR LETTING US BE HERE TODAY, BUT I THINK THIS MAY BE TOO MANY TO TRY TO DO A PICTURE.
SO WE WILL, UH, WE'LL FOREGO TRYING TO GET THIS MOTLEY CREW UP THERE.
I'LL DO A QUICK, UH, TRANSITION TO MY YEAR REVIEW.
I'LL LET THEM GET BACK TO, UH, TO WORK AND WHAT THEY DO.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF Y'ALL BEING HERE TODAY.
IF WE COULD TRANSITION TO THE SLIDE DECK, PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT, JUDGE, I'LL, I'LL GO PRETTY BRIEFLY.
I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE RECEIVED THIS SLIDE DECK BEFORE AND WE BRIEF YOU AND YOUR STAFF ON SOME OF THESE.
NO SIGNIFICANT, ACTUALLY NO CHANGE TO OUR MISSION THIS YEAR.
UH, THE EMPHASIS IS ON EMPOWERING OUR VETERANS, OUR MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THREE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS, A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT TO PROCESS DISABILITY CLAIMS, A SUPPORT TO TRANSITIONING MILITARY FOCUSED ON EMPLOYMENT AS THEY MAKE THEIR TRANSITION FROM THE MILITARY INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN TO SERVE AS A HUB OF RESOURCES.
WE'VE HAD NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE THIS YEAR, THOUGH.
WE DID ADD SOME STATE FUNDED GRANT POSITIONS THAT I'LL HIGHLIGHT HERE, UH, IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES.
BUT OUR EMPHASIS, AS YOU SEE ON THE LEFT, REMAINS ON PROCESSING DISABILITY CLAIMS. AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR SUCCESS.
WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED, EVERYTHING WE DID WAS OUT OF OUR GRAYSON HEADQUARTERS CENTRALLY LOCATED IN THE COUNTY.
AND WE REALIZED THAT WE WERE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO A MAJORITY OF OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEE OR, UH, COUNTY, UH, CITIZENS.
AND SO THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS IN COLLABORATION, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO FROM ONE LOCATION TO EIGHT LOCATIONS.
WE HAVE FOUR LOCATIONS THAT ARE SET TO PROCESS DISABILITY CLAIMS AND PROVIDE BENEFIT SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
IN ADDITION, AS WE SUPPORT TRANSITIONS FROM THE MILITARY, WE HAVE LOCATIONS THAT SUPPORT DIRECTLY EACH OF OUR MAJOR INSTALLATIONS OF RANDOLPH, FORT SAM, HOUSTON, AND LACKLAND.
AND OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE ROUTINELY ON SITE TO ASSIST WITH THOSE SERVICE MEMBERS AS THEY MAKE THEIR TRANSITION FROM THE MILITARY INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WITH THE ADDITION OF OUR GRANT THIS YEAR, WE ADDED ONE ADDITIONAL LOCATION AND EXPANDED OVER AT THE WEST SIDE EDUCATION TRAINING CENTER.
THE ONE THING I'D LIKE TO NOTE IS ON, UH, ALL OF THIS TRANSITION, THE MAJORITY OF THESE HAVE BEEN AT NO COST TO THE COUNTY, IS THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS THAT THEY'VE ALLOWED US TO USE THEIR SPACE, WHICH AS YOU SAY, JUDGE HELPS US BRING THE COUNTY TO THE PEOPLE.
WE'VE CONTINUED TO EXPAND OUR VIRTUAL SUPPORT TO OUR CLIENTS AS WELL AS OFF HOURS IN THE EVENINGS AND ON WEEKENDS TO AGAIN, BE, BE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE THAT NEED OUR SERVICES.
IN ADDITION TO THESE FIXED LOCATIONS, WE OFTENTIMES GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND PROCESS, ESSENTIALLY POP UP, UH, CLAIMS, UH, PROCESSING, WHERE WE CAN EITHER PROVIDE WORKSHOPS OR ACTUAL CLAIMS. UH, WE DO THOSE AT EVERY PLACE FROM BLUE SKIES.
UM, FLAGSHIP HEALTH, THE ARMY RESIDENTS COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ON OUR CLAIM SIDE THIS PAST YEAR SPECIFIC TO CLAIMS. WE HAD 3,400 CLIENTS COME IN TO ADDRESS CLAIMS. OF THOSE ALMOST 3,200 ACTUALLY FILED CLAIMS, WHICH WAS A 91% APPOINTMENT TO CLAIM PROCESSED RATE THAT GENERATED OVER $25 MILLION IN FEDERAL BENEFITS TO OUR VETERANS AND OUR SURVIVING SPOUSES.
YOU'LL NOTE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM LAST YEAR, WE FILED JUST OVER 2200 CLAIMS AND HAD JUST UNDER 9 MILLION AWARDED IT THAT INCREASE TO THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR VSOS THAT NOW UNDERSTAND HOW TO PROCESS CLAIMS THAT ARE A ONE AND DONE, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZED BY THE VA FOR THE COMPLETION AND THE TOTALITY OF THE CLAIM, AS WELL AS THE EXPANDED ACCESS INTO THE COMMUNITY TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF WHAT WE DO.
WE'VE HAD SIGNIFICANTLY MORE SURVIVING SPOUSES THAT HAVE PROCESSED CLAIMS AND HAVE RECEIVED BACK BENEFITS FOR CLAIMS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY DENIED OR NOT AWARE THAT THEY WERE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS FOR US.
UH, WE'VE GOT ADDITIONAL DATA BREAKDOWN WE CAN PROVIDE TO Y'ALL OR YOUR TEAMS THAT GO INTO SOME OF THE DETAILS ON ERA
[00:45:01]
OF SERVICE.WE'RE SEEING MORE VIETNAM ERA VETERANS.
AGAIN, A LOT OF THAT DUE TO OUR OUTREACH, UH, AND THE SURVIVING SPOUSES ON OUR EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION SIDE, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF OUR, UH, LESS DEVELOPED, UH, SECTIONS, BUT WE'VE SEEN SOME GROWTH.
OF COURSE, WE'VE HAD 337 SPECIFIC CLIENTS.
OF THOSE 53 WERE DIRECT PLACEMENTS INTO, UH, EMPLOYMENT POSITIONS WITH AN AVERAGE SALARY OF JUST UNDER $65,000.
IN ADDITION TO THE DIRECT PLACEMENT, IN SOME CASES WE JUST PROVIDE, UH, RESUME ASSISTANCE, UH, TECHNIQUES ON, ON, UM, CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW PREP AND ON TRANSLATING YOUR MILITARY SKILLS INTO CIVILIAN TERMINOLOGY SO THAT HIRING MANAGERS UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CITY COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.
THEY OFFER A FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS WHILE THEY'RE STILL ON ACTIVE DUTY TO CONDUCT, IN ESSENCE AN INTERNSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AT NO COST TO THE COUNTY.
IT'S A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
THIS PAST YEAR WE HAD FOUR TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM.
THOSE RANGE FROM ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS TO ALMOST 17 OR 18 WEEKS, UH, OF TIME SPENT IN THE COUNTY.
IN SOME CA CASES, THOSE WERE WHAT THEY SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT.
IN OTHER CASES, WE MOVED THEM AROUND THE DEPARTMENTS.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS IS NOW A COUNTY EMPLOYEE OR IN THE CASE OF JASON UBANKS.
AND THE TOP RIGHT IS OVER AT UHS COUNTY AFFILIATED.
HE'S A LOGISTICS SPECIALIST WHO SPENT TIME IN OUR DEPARTMENT, MADE HIS TRANSITION AND WENT TO, UM, UNIVERSITY HEALTH.
UH, IN THE TOP LEFT, THAT ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, UH, DE UM, DEVELOPMENT.
UH, GREG BUTCHER IS NOW OVER AT, UH, THE TEXAS FAST TRACK AS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.
JOE ANDY IN THE MIDDLE IS OVER AT THE MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNSEL.
SHE WAS AN ARMY PARALEGAL THAT TRANSITION AND NOW WORKS OVER AT JIM BETHKE TEAM.
AND THEN THE BOTTOM RIGHT, AMY HUERTA, SHE WORKED WITH OUR DEPARTMENT AND IS NOW OUR SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR.
SO THIS JUST HIGHLIGHTS INDIVIDUALS THAT WHEN THEY CAME TO US IN THIS FELLOWSHIP ROLE, REALLY DIDN'T NECESSARILY ANTICIPATE EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COUNTY, BUT THEY FOUND THE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE.
AND THEY'RE NOT JUST SERVING, THEY'RE EXCELLING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THIS PROGRAM IN THE FUTURE.
I DID MENTION THE, UM, THE GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, SO THIS YEAR WE RECEIVED $300,000 EACH FOR OUR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND OUR PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM THAT GOES TOWARDS, UM, THE COMPENSATION, SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, COMPUTERS, ET CETERA.
BUT A LARGE PORTION OF THAT IS DIRECT SUPPORT TO OUR VETERANS FOR OUR HOUSING, AS I'M SORRY FOR OUR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, WE CAN PROVIDE HOUSING ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, AND TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE.
BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS REALLY GOT ESTABLISHED AND UP AND RUNNING IN LATE SEPTEMBER OR, OR EARLY OCTOBER.
SO WE'RE JUST STARTING TO SEE SOME OF THAT DATA.
BUT SO FAR ON FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, WE'VE PROCESSED 36 CLIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, UH, FOR JUST OVER $33,000 IN BENEFITS.
AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO PROCESS THOSE ON A DAILY BASIS.
ON OUR PEER SUPPORT SIDE, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
IN NOVEMBER, WE HAVE SEVEN VETERANS PARTICIPATING IN A GUIDED DUCK HUNT.
WE HAVE FIVE VETERANS PARTICIPATING IN A GUIDED PHEASANT AND QUAIL HUNT.
WE HAVE ONE VIETNAM VETERAN WHO'S A DOUBLE AMPUTEE.
UH, HE AND HIS WIFE, WHO IS ALSO A VETERAN AND HIS CAREGIVER WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN A BLACK BUCK HUNT IN DECEMBER.
WE ALSO HAVE WORKED WITH THE JAIL TO INCORPORATE OUR PEER SUPPORT SERVICES FOR INCARCERATED VETERANS AS THEY MAKE THAT TRANSITION FROM INCARCERATION, UH, BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY WHEN APPLICABLE.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF OUR, UH, EXCITING NEWS THIS, THIS YEAR IS WE GOT OUR, UH, NEW DEPARTMENT VEHICLE, WHICH HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PHENOMENAL RESOURCE TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, ALMOST A TRAVELING BILLBOARD, TO RAISE AWARENESS OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO.
SO THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE PHOTOS, UH, OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE'LL GO OVER ALL THESE EVENTS, BUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT PUT INTO THE RIBBON CUTTING, RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONIES, WHICH IS REALLY THE CEREMONIAL MARK OF OUR EXPANSION OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS RESOURCE FAIRS, HIRING EVENTS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS, AND MORE.
DOWN IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT, AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT HERE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
EVERY QUARTER WE CONDUCT AN UNACCOMPANIED VETERAN MEMORIAL SERVICE THAT HONORS AND RECOGNIZES VETERANS WHO PASS WITH NO FAMILY MEMBERS OR NEXT OF KIN.
AND WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GO, UM, UNRECOGNIZED FOR THEIR, THEIR SERVICES AND COMMITMENT.
AND JUDGE, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING THIS LAST QUARTER.
THIS PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF THIS PAST YEAR.
WE HONORED 29 HEROES FROM ACROSS
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MULTIPLE SERVICES AND MULTIPLE ERAS OF SERVICES.AT EACH ONE OF THOSE CEREMONIES, WE PRESENT A CLA A FLAG, UH, THAT IS FOLDED IN HONOR OF THOSE THAT WE HONOR, AND WE PRESENT THAT FLAG TO A COMMUNITY PARTNER TO DISPLAY IN A PLACE OF HONOR.
AND THEN JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND, WE HAD NUMEROUS EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY SPECIFIC TO VETERAN'S DAY.
WE HAD THE VETERANS DAY FESTIVAL WHERE OUR DEPARTMENT SUPPORTED BY THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAD TRUCKS, A TRAILER AND A BUS FROM THE OLD TOWN TROLLEYS THAT ALLOWED COUNTY EMPLOYEES WHOSE DEPARTMENTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING TO COME JOIN US.
UH, DURING THE PARADE, WE HAD A RESOURCE FAIR AND FESTIVAL DOWNTOWN.
WE HAD A GOLF TOURNAMENT, WE HAD A CEREMONY AT THE FORT SAM HOUSTON, UH, SAN ANTONIO NATIONAL CEMETERY AND MORE.
AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT AND SHOW THE VAST ARRAY OF WORK THAT THAT DEPARTMENT IS DOING IN SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THE THINGS I'M WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO CREATE AN AWARD.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S HAD LASTING IMPACT THROUGH LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY FOR OUR MILITARY AFFILIATED COMMUNITY.
WE HOPE TO GET THAT COMPLETED THIS YEAR AND PRESENT TO Y'ALL.
UH, FOR CONSIDERATION, WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND OUR TEXAS, UH, GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY TO DO MORE IN SUPPORT OF OUR VETERANS, SPECIFIC TO OUR JUSTICE INVOLVED VETERANS, AND EVEN TO SOME OF OUR ADJACENT COUNTIES THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PROVIDE SOME OF THIS SERVICE AND ASSISTANCE WHO OFTEN COME INTO BEAR COUNTY TO RECEIVE IT.
AND THEN OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, I KNOW WE'VE COVERED A LOT.
WE LOVE THOSE THAT WE SUPPORT AND WE COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER COMMUNITY TO BE DOING IT IN.
SO PENDING ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, SIR.
UH, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE TO EXPAND ON THESE PROGRAMS AND AND THAT YOU DO FOR OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND YOUR TEAM DOES, PLEASE PASS ALONG OUR THANKS TO ALL OF THEM AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, KEITH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO THAT UNACCOMPANIED VETERANS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THOSE WERE VETERANS THAT HAD NO NEXT TO KIN, SO TO SPEAK, OR ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THEIR RESPECT, UH, ON THEIR, UH, BURIAL AND FUNERAL SITUATION.
AND, UH, I REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR US AS A COUNTY AND FOR ME AS COUNTY JUDGE TO BE PRESENT.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME UNDERSTAND THAT WE SHOULD NEVER, EVER FORGET THE LEAST OF US, ESPECIALLY THOSE VETERANS WHO WERE IN THE UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE OF NOT HAVING ANYBODY THERE AT THEIR TIME OF NEED.
LET US, GIVE US A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERAN SERVICES.
ALRIGHT, LET'S DO THE PRESENTATION COMMISSIONER'S COURT BY JUDGE ERICA DOMINGUEZ, PROJECT DIRECTOR ROBERTO RIS, HIGHLIGHTING THE MILESTONE OF SUCCESSES OF THE MISDEMEANOR VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
HOW APPROPRIATE, JUDGE DOMINGUEZ, YOU ASKED TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU'RE JUST IN THE LINE OF ALL THE RECOGNITION.
THANK YOU, JUDGE
I PRESIDE OVER COUNTY COURT NUMBER SIX AS WELL AS THE MISDEMEANOR VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
JUST A LITTLE INTRODUCTION ABOUT MYSELF, SINCE WE ARE CELEBRATING VETERANS, I HAVE SERVED IN THE AIR FORCE AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO MENTION TO MY VETS IN THE PROGRAM, UM, ESPECIALLY, IS SERVICE BEFORE SELF.
AND THE CORE VALUES OF THE AIR FORCE IS INTEGRITY FIRST, SERVICE BEFORE SELF AND EXCELLENCE AND ALL REDUCED.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO PROMOTE, UM, GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
AS A VETERAN WHO SERVED FOR EIGHT YEARS IN THE AIR FORCE, I USED TO LOAD BOMBS ON THE B ONE AND THE F 15 MISSILES.
ON THE F 15, I SERVED IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM USED MY GI BILL TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL WITH ZERO STUDENT LOANS.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE MILITARY OFFERED ME THAT I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF.
I WAS PRE JUST ELECTED TO COUNTY COURT NUMBER SIX AS A JUDGE.
AND SO I'M PRESIDING OVER THAT COURT AND HELPING VETERANS IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN.
I COME FROM THE DEFENSE SIDE AS A PUBLIC DEFENDER, WORKING WITH THE SPECIALTY COURTS, MENTAL HEALTH COURT, DWI COURT AND DRUG COURT, AND BRINGING THIS PERSPECTIVE AS A JUDGE NOW AND A VETERAN HAS REALLY HELPED OUR PARTICIPANTS.
TODAY, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM ONE OF OUR PARTICIPANTS AND GIVE HIS TESTIMONY, BUT I DO WANNA MENTION OUR POWERPOINT AND THE BOOKLET THAT WAS JUST PASSED TO YOU, THAT IS FROM THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION.
THAT IS THE LARGEST GRANT THAT WE RECEIVE AT $300,000.
AND THAT ANNUAL REPORT THAT YOU, UH, THAT YOU HAD JUST RECEIVED, UM, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS FROM THAT.
THERE ARE 31 VETERAN TREATMENT COURTS HERE IN BEAR HERE IN TEXAS, IN ALL OF TEXAS.
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37 COUNTIES ARE SERVED IN THAT IN THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION THAT ARE FUNDED BY THEM.AND ON PAGE 12, YOU'LL SEE THAT BEXAR COUNTY IS THE LARGEST BEAR, UH, VETERANS TREATMENT COURT HERE IN ALL OF TEXAS.
SO IN 2023, WE SERVICED 179 VETERANS 118 SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED OUR PROGRAM.
OUR PROGRAM IS A 24 MONTH OR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION, SO SOME OF THEM WILL MOVE OVER TO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE ARE REPORTING ON.
SO 179 VETERANS WERE SERVICED IN THAT YEAR.
THIS YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT 209 VETERANS THAT WERE SERVICED, AND SO WE'RE ONLY INCREASING OUR NUMBERS FROM THERE.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR RETENTION IS 98%.
UM, WE'VE HAD, THIS IS 2023 NUMBERS, 118 SUCCESSFUL COMPLETIONS.
THAT'S 118 VETERANS IN ONE YEAR THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IN 2023 AND THREE WERE UNSUCCESSFULLY DISCHARGED IN 2023.
YOU'LL SEE THE, WE'VE BROKEN UP, UM, THE VETERANS WHO ARE IN OUR PROGRAM BY THEIR BRANCHES AND WHO WE SERVE THE MOST OF.
AND JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE 10 YEAR TREND OF REFERRALS THAT THIS COURT HAS HAD.
THIS COURT WAS CREATED IN 2010.
UM, THERE WERE OTHER JUDGES, OLIVA, OLIVA, AND JUDGE CHRISTIAN BEFORE ME FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2023.
THESE NUMBERS ARE FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2023 TO AUGUST 30TH, 2023.
THERE WERE 152 VETERANS THAT HAD BEEN REFERRED INTO THE VE THE BARETT COUNTY VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
A TOTAL OF 228 VETERANS WERE REFERRED IN 2023, WE ANTICIPATE.
AND THIS YEAR WE HAD 264 REFERRALS IN 2024.
LOOKING AT THE 10 YEAR TREND OF ENROLLMENTS, IT'S ALSO ON RISE IN 2016.
THERE HAVE BEEN A STEADY INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VETERANS ENROLLED FROM 94 NEW ENROLLMENTS TO 175.
AS OF AUGUST 31ST, 2023, IT IS PROJECTED THAT ADDITIONAL 22 VETERANS WILL BE PROCESSED AND ENROLLED IN 2023 AT THE END OF THAT YEAR, MAKING IT 197.
MY POINT IN SHOWING THESE NUMBERS IS THIS COURT IS NOT SHY OF REFERRALS.
WE FEEL THAT THIS COUNTY CAN DO MORE AS WELL AND INCREASING OUR PERSONNEL TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW MORE VETERANS INTO OUR PROGRAM SO THAT WE COMMEMORATE WITH WHAT THE COUNTY HAS IN GENERAL SINCE THIS IS MILITARY CITY USA, I DO WANNA JUST POINT OUT A FEW THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AS ENHANCEMENTS THIS PAST YEAR OR TWO THAT I'VE TAKEN OVER ON THE BENCH.
WE'VE IMPLEMENTED SCREENINGS AND ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES TO IDENTIFY THE RISK LEVELS AND THE NEED FOR EVERY VETERAN COMING INTO OUR PROGRAM.
AT THE NEW REFERRAL PROCESS, WE'RE UNABLE TO PUT THEM IN BASED OFF OF A DIAGNOSIS THAT THEY MAY HAVE AND CREATE THESE MINI DRIVEN DOCKETS, THESE LITTLE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT DOCKETS.
WE HAVE VETERANS OR CO-OCCURRING DIAGNOSIS, WHICH IS OUR CHARLIE DOCKET.
WE HAVE VETERANS WITH SUBSTANCE USE ONLY, WHICH IS OUR SIERRA DOCKET.
WE HAVE VETERANS WITH MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS, WHICH IS OUR MIKE DOCKET.
AND THEN WE HAVE A GENDER SPECIFIC WOMEN'S ONLY DOCKET, WHICH IS OUR LIMA DOCKET, WHICH ENHANCES PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY OF THE COURT EXPERIENCE FOR OUR GENDERS TO BE SEPARATED.
WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED OUR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
WE, UM, EXPANDED IT TO HONORABLE GENERAL UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS, UNCHARACTERIZED DISMISSAL, BAD CONDUCT, BAD CONDUCT, AND OTHER HONORABLE CONDITIONS.
SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE NOTICING ON THOSE THAT WERE BEING REFERRED IN IS THAT IN THE TIME THAT THEY HAD SERVED, IF THEY HAD DENIED ANY COVID VACCINES, THEY WERE GETTING DISCHARGED UNDER NOT HONORABLE CONDITIONS.
UM, WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS L-G-B-T-Q THAT WERE NOT BEING ABLE TO COME INTO THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY WERE ALSO HAVING DISCHARGES THAT WERE NOT HONORABLE.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO EXPAND THAT CRITERIA ALLOWED US TO HAVE MORE VETERANS APPLYING TO THE PROGRAM THAT WE CAN SERVICE THAT MAY HAVE A NEED BASED OFF OF THOSE CO-OCCURRING DIAGNOSIS, SUBSTANCE USE ONLY DIAGNOSIS, MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS.
AND THIS, THE GENDER SPECIFIC ONE WOULD HAVE EITHER OF THOSE AS WELL.
WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED FROM NO FELONY CONVICTIONS TO A CASE BY CASE.
I WAS NOTICING THAT STATE JAIL FELONIES, THE PG ONES LESS THAN ONE GRAMS WERE ALSO IN THE FIELD OF SUBSTANCE USE AND BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE AND ALLOW THEM TO COME INTO THE PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, UH, BY EXPANDING THAT.
ALSO, IT WAS A CASE BY CASE BASIS BASIS FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE.
WE'VE EXPANDED THAT TO INCLUDE ALL FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES NOW.
UH, WE'VE CHANGED OUR FOUR HOUR STATUS HEARINGS.
WE'VE SHORTENED THEM TO ONE HOUR TO BETTER PREVENT ANY MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL EPISODES THAT WERE TAKING PLACE IN THE COURTROOM.
UM, RECENTLY WE ALSO VOLUNTEERED TO BE A SITE LOCATION AT A NATIONAL LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT RISK ASSESSMENT SPECIFIC TO ALL THE VETERANS.
AND THAT'S THROUGH AMERICAN UNIVERSITY AS WELL.
SINCE WE ARE THE LARGEST VETERANS TREATMENT COURT, THEY ASKED TO USE OUR VETERANS TO BE ABLE TO PILOT THAT PROGRAM, AND WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
[01:00:01]
ALL RISE CONFERENCES.THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SPECIALTY COURTS HERE IS PICTURES OF US AT AN ALL HANDS ON DECK CLASS THAT WE, THAT I HOST ABOUT A QUARTER FOR OUR TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL FOLLOWING THE BEST PRACTICES, OUR INCENTIVES AND THE SANCTIONS ARE UP TO PAR.
UM, AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I, I VERY MUCH VALUE AS OUR TEAM TO ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE.
HERE WE'VE BROKEN DOWN ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS BY PRECINCT.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE IN YOUR COMMISSIONERS, WHERE IN YOUR PRECINCT OUR VETERANS ARE RESIDING.
THESE ARE CURRENT PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE IN OUR PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.
SO YOU CAN SEE COMMISSIONER TOMMY CALVERT.
WE HAVE THE MOST VETERANS THAT ARE LIVING IN YOUR PRECINCT WITH 67.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO ROBERTO RUIZ.
HE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, THE FUNDS THAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING, AS WELL AS WE HAVE A GRADUATE FROM, UM, MAY OF 2024, WHO'S GONNA BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOU AS WELL ABOUT HIS TESTIMONY.
UH, JUDGE AKA AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
GOOD MORNING JUDGE AKA AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR TO THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE THE UNIQUE BLESSING OF HAVING A VETERAN PRESIDE OVER THE LARGEST VETERAN TREATMENT COURT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, JUDGE ERICA DOMINGUEZ.
WHAT IS ALSO UNIQUE ABOUT OUR COURT IS THAT THE SMALL CURRENT STAFF MEMBERS OF THIS COURT ARE NOT VETERANS.
HOWEVER, WE ARE CONNECTED TO VETERANS, UH, THROUGH FAMILY MEMBERS AND OTHER LOVED ONES.
UH, SO SERVING OUR VETERANS IS A PLEASURE TO US AND HONOR TO US TO SERVE THOSE THAT SERVED, UH, US.
UH, THIS LAST FRIDAY, WE HAD A COMMENCEMENT WHERE WE CELEBRATED AND HONORED 49 OF OUR GRADUATES.
THESE ARE 49 GRADUATES AS OF APRIL OF THIS YEAR WHEN WE LAST HAD A COMMENCEMENT.
AND, UH, JUDGE DOMINGUEZ MENTIONED THE NUMBERS.
WE THIS FIRST QUARTER ALREADY, WE HAVE ALREADY, UH, MET THE 50% MARK OF NEW ADMISSIONS AND WE HAVE THREE QUARTERS TO GO.
UH, JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW, UH, MUCH, UH, WORK THERE IS TO BE DONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, MANY OF WHO ARE HERE, UM, THAT, UM, PARTNER UP WITH US TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WORK.
AND I, I'LL MENTION, UH, MR. TONY FUENTES, WHO IS HERE, UH, FROM THE SAN ANTONIO MILITARY AND FAMILY SERVICES AND, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, KEITH WILSON, WHOM WE HEARD OF OR FROM EARLIER.
AND MR. DAVID FRIS FROM, FROM LIFETIME RECOVERY IN D GARCIA FROM, UH, BEAR COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.
WITHOUT THESE TYPE OF PARTNERS AND THEIR SUPPORT, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE DO, UH, FOR OUR VETERANS.
UH, I DO WANT TO MENTION BRIEFLY JUST THE, THE SOLICITATION AND AWARDS OF CURRENT, UH, GRANT FUNDS THAT WE RECENTLY RECEIVED.
WE RECENTLY RENEWED OUR GOVERNOR'S GRANT, WHICH PROVIDES FOR PERSONNEL.
WE RECENTLY RECEIVED OUR VETERANS TREATMENT COURT, SORRY, THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $300,000, WHICH ALSO PROVIDES FOR, FOR THE EXISTING PERSONNEL THAT WE HAVE.
AND WE RECENTLY GOT AWARDED A $1 MILLION GRANT FROM BJA, THE FEDERAL GRANT THAT WILL BE GOOD FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO INITIATE THIS, UH, EFFORT THAT WE WANT TO, UH, UH, COMPLY WITH THE BEST PRACTICES, WHICH IS INCLUDE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENT TO BE SUPPORTIVE, UH, FOR THESE VETERANS.
SO THESE ARE ARE ALL EFFORTS THAT WE ARE ACCOMPLISHING, UH, AT NO COST TO THE COUNTY.
WE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, UH, IN ALLOWING US TO BE RECIPIENTS OF THESE, OF THESE, UH, GRANTS TO MAKE THIS WORK POSSIBLE.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE MORE TIME AWAY FROM OUR VETERAN WHO IS HERE TO SHARE HIS TESTIMONY, SO I TURN THE TIME OVER TO HIM.
I'M JOSH SCHNICK AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU, UH, JUDGE AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR HAVING ME AND TAKING THE TIME OUTTA YOUR DAY TO HEAR THIS.
FORGIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN I RETIRED ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO GET THROUGH THE VA, RIGHT? UH, THEY TAKE SO FAST OF GETTING A HOLD OF US SOMETIMES, BUT I STRUGGLED WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND, UH, I'M A RECOVERING ALCOHOLIC TODAY.
UM, AT THAT TIME, MY PTSD GOT AHOLD OF ME, UM, AND MY MENTAL HEALTH GOT THE BEST OF ME.
UM, I STARTED DECLINING VERY FAST.
AND, UH, I TRIED THREE ATTEMPTS OF SUI OF SUICIDE, UM,
[01:05:04]
WITH MY MENTAL HEALTH GOING EVERYWHERE, EVERYWHERE.THAT'S WHEN I MET ONE OF YOUR OFFICERS AT MY, MY PLACE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? UM, MY LI MY LAWYER, JOHN WINTERS, IT WAS MY HERO AT THAT TIME.
JOHN ERS INFORMED ME OF THE VETERANS TREATMENT, UH, COURT AND, UH, EXPLAINED TO ME HOW IT WAS.
SO I PUT IN MY APPLICATION AND I GOT ACCEPTED AND GOT PUT ON 12 MONTHS OF THIS PROBATION.
I WAS PRETTY NERVOUS, FIRST TIME BEING LOCKED UP ON THIS STUFF.
SO, UH, I HAD TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR MY ACTIONS.
UM, THIS IS BEFORE I MET JUDGE DOMINGUEZ AND HER GREAT, UH, BTC TEAM.
AND I'M HERE TO SAY, UH, THAT NOT, NOT, NOT ONLY DID SHE KEEP ME ACCOUNTABLE, HER AND HER TEAM WAS THE LINK TO GETTING THE VA NEEDS THAT I NEEDED.
UH, THAT YEAR WHILE ON PROBATION WAS VERY HARD FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.
NOT ONLY WAS I STRUGGLING, UH, WITH ALL THE STRESS AND STUFF COMES ON PROBATION, BUT MY DAUGHTER DIED THAT YEAR OF FENTANYL.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, UH, SAME YEAR, UH, MY HOUSE GOT ON FIRE, UM, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, CRAZY.
BUT JUDGE DOMINGUEZ AND HER TEAM CAME TO THE RESCUE THE WHOLE TIME BEING THERE, BEING SUPPORTIVE, VERY HELPFUL, AND UTILIZING THEIR RESOURCES TO REACH OUT AND HELP ME.
UM, AND SINCE THEN I'VE GRADUATED THIS PROGRAM.
SO I'M BACK IN TUNE OF MY STAR PLAYER.
ALL, ALL THE MILITARY BRANCHES KNOW THIS.
AND, UM, THIS IS WHAT HER AND HER TEAM DO.
UH, THEY PICK US UP WHERE WE FALL DOWN, AND I'M VERY PROUD THAT THEY DON'T LEAVE US BEHIND.
UH, HERO, UH, WHEN I RETIRED, THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE MY LEGACY HERO IS HELPING EVERYBODY RECEIVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
THEY ARE HELPING EVERYBODY RECEIVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND THESE VETERANS AND ACTIVE DUTY, THEY ALSO DO ACTIVE DUTY, UH, TO BE THERE AND NOT LEAVE ANY US, ANY OF US BEHIND.
UM, IT'S A BLESSING THAT THEY ARE HERE.
UM, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS VTC AND THE OTHER SPECIALTY COURTS THAT ARE IN THE COURTS, UM, IT MATTERS TO US.
AND, UM, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT KEEPING IT, KEEPING IT ALIVE AND GOING.
SO, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU JUDGE AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU FOR JUDGE, FOR HAVING ME.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR NEVER LEAVING THE SOLDIER BEHIND.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MOODY, EVERYTHING.
WELL, THANK YOU JUDGE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, THE TESTIMONY FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
UM, I, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND THE GRADUATION CEREMONY.
WAS IT LAST WEEK? I, I GET ALL MY WEEKS.
AND, UH, WONDERFUL TO, TO SEE THOSE, UM, GRADUATES COMPLETE THE, THE PROGRAM AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR LIVES.
UM, IF FOLKS HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DO THAT, I, I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE IT.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE OFFLINE.
I SAW SOME OF THE, THE CHANGES THAT YOU WERE DOING ABOUT, UH, RETURNING, UM, THE ABILITY TO, TO RETURN INTO THE PROGRAM.
I KINDA LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT EXPANSION AND ELIGIBILITY AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE DISCHARGE CRITERIA.
UM, BECAUSE I, I'M A BELIEVER IN THE PROGRAM AND BELIEVE IN THAT, THE SECOND CHANCE, UH, FOR OUR VETERANS, OBVIOUSLY, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE, THE PROGRAM'S REMAINING FOCUSED ON ITS ORIGINAL INTENT, THAT SECOND CHANCE, AND, AND THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT, UH, VETERANS HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE THE PROGRAM AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT MY STAFF UNDERSTANDS IT.
SO IF WE COULD JUST MEET OFFLINE AND DISCUSS THAT FURTHER, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
WE'LL DEFINITELY SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOU.
AND, UH, I WANNA THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONER MOODY FOR HIGHLIGHTING ALL OF THESE
[01:10:01]
MILITARY THINGS THAT THE COUNTY IS A PART OF.I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HEAR THESE GREAT PROGRAMS, UH, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THE FACT THAT THE MILITARY IS OUR NUMBER ONE EMPLOYER.
IT'S ABOUT A 51 TO $53 BILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT.
UM, BUT WE KNOW THE IMPACT OF VETERANS GO SO DEEP INTO OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS OR BUSINESS OWNERS, OR JUST THE WORK YOU'RE DOING, JUDGE, TO HELP PEOPLE THROUGH TREATMENT.
I HAD A CHANCE TO READ YOUR BIOGRAPHY LAST NIGHT, AND I WAS, UH, REALLY EXCITED TO READ IT.
UH, ONE OF MY, UH, I CALL 'EM COMMUNITY, UH, GRANDPAS, UH, WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, WORLD WAR II VETERAN WHO DID SIMILAR WORK, UH, IN, IN THE BOMBING WORLD, IF YOU WILL, UH, THAT YOU DID.
AND SO IT, IT DELIGHTED MY HEART TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN THE BATON FROM JUDGE WAYNE CHRISTIAN, WHO LED THIS EFFORT AND DONE A REALLY MASTERFUL JOB OF TAKING THAT BATON AND RUNNING WITH IT.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOUR SERVICE, UH, MANY TIMES OVER IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING TO ONE OF YOUR GRADUATIONS AND LEARNING MORE.
I DO WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT, UH, THE NATURE OF CRIME THAT YOU'RE SEEING OR OFFENSE, UH, THAT YOU'RE SEEING.
THE INCREASES OF CONCERN TO ME.
UM, YOUR NUMBERS ARE, YOU KNOW, GOING TO EXCEED WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR.
SO, WHILE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, LET, CAN YOU EDUCATE US IN TERMS OF THE BASELINE FUNDING.
I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER OUT OF MY BUDGET BOOK THAT THE COUNTY PROVIDES FOR THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT, AS YOU MENTIONED, ABOUT A $300,000 GRANT THAT, UH, COMES FORWARD.
SO JUST KIND OF BREAK DOWN TO ME, WHAT IS THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL COMMITMENT? UM, WHAT COULD WE DO TO CONTINUE TO HELP YOU DO MORE AND, AND FACILITATE THE STAFF DEMANDS THAT COME? BECAUSE A LOT OF THE TREATMENT COURTS, YOU ALL ARE DOING THINGS AFTER HOURS, UH, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A REGULAR DOCKET OF THINGS THAT YOU'VE GOTTA COVER.
AND SO THE TIME THAT YOU TAKE THE SPECIAL HANDS-ON ATTENTION THAT YOU TAKE, I KNOW, UH, DEMANDS A LOT OF TIME AND MANPOWER.
SO JUST KIND OF BREAK DOWN WHAT HAS BEEN OUR COMMITMENT.
WHAT HAVE YOU ASKED FOR? WE'RE GIVING YOU WHAT YOU NEED, IS REALLY WHAT, WANT TO WHAT? I WANNA KNOW.
COMMISSIONER COVERT, UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE COUNTY IS NOT PAYING FOR ANY OF THE POSITIONS.
WE HAVE BEEN, UH, RECEIVING GRANTS.
SO THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN US UP TO THIS POINT.
WE HAVE ATTENDED THE BUDGET TALKS IN THE COMMUNITY, ASKING FOR THE COUNTY TO FUND US UNDER A GENERAL FUND, UH, SO THAT WAY WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW.
THE ENHANCEMENT GRANT THAT WE JUST RECEIVED IN THE BJA IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND SOME OF OUR POSITIONS, THAT MILLION DOLLAR GRANT, BUT IT DOES END AFTER FOUR YEARS.
WE WOULD ASK THE COUNTY TO SUSTAIN THOSE POSITIONS AS WELL.
UH, THESE ARE VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE COME BEFORE AND WE'VE HEARD OF ALL THE VETERAN SUCCESS STORIES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH, BUT THESE ARE VETERANS THAT ARE AT THEIR LOWEST POINT.
THESE ARE VETERANS WHO ARE ARRESTED.
UM, THESE ARE VETERANS THAT WE'RE HEARING IN THE NEWS THAT ARE EITHER DOING SUICIDE BY A COP THAT ARE EITHER GETTING SHOT BY THE POLICE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A WEAPON AND THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH EPISODE AT THAT MOMENT.
AND SO THESE ARE VETERANS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT NEED THAT IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION.
AND SO WHEN THEY REFER TO OUR COURT, WE IMMEDIATELY GET THEM LINKED UP INTO SERVICES.
AND WHAT MR. NICKS IS REFERRING TO WITH THE VA, WE HAVE JUSTICE, UM, INVOLVED VETERAN COORDINATORS THROUGH THE VA THAT ARE EXACT LINKS THAT GET US INTO THE VA, GET THEM APPOINTMENTS A LOT SOONER THAN WHAT THEY WOULD IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS THE IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION THAT WE'RE PROVIDING.
UM, WE WOULD ASK THE COUNTY TO CONSIDER THE GENERAL FUNDS FOR US AS WELL, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW.
WHAT THE, THE CRIMES THAT WE ARE SEEING IS MOSTLY DWIS, FAMILY VIOLENCE AND GUN CASES.
UM, THESE ARE MAJORITY, WHAT WAS THAT LAST ONE? GUN CASES.
BUT MOST OF THE, THE PARTICIPANTS HAVE DWIS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DWI FIRST, DWI SECONDS, UM, A DWI THIRD THAT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO US, UH, FIRST OR A SECOND TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MISDEMEANOR VETERAN TREATMENT COURT.
JUDGE, I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU.
AS SOMEONE WHO SERVED IN OPERATION IRAQI IN, DURING FREEDOM IN IRAQI, UH, UH, FREEDOM THAT, UM, WE HAVE SO MANY VETERANS OF RECENT WARS THAT HAVE, UH, TRAUMA AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, UH, DIDN'T SERVE IN THE SERVICE, BUT I DID, UH, RUN A GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION.
AND I WORKED IN WAR ZONES, AND I WORKED WITH CHILD SOLDIERS.
I WORKED WITH, UH, VICTIMS OF WAR.
I WORKED WITH, UM, UH, UH, I WAS GUARDED BY A REBEL ARMY, AND I HAD TO BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT HOW DID I REBUILD THAT COUNTRY AND MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE WERE THINGS IN MY LAST MISSIONS IN THE SUDAN IN PARTICULAR.
I BEGAN TO SEE, AS WE HAD GOTTEN THE SUDAN PEACE ACT WITH PRESIDENT BUSH, I, AND THINGS WERE GONNA BECOME MORE STABLE, I BEGAN TO SEE THE SOLDIERS, UH, DO THINGS LIKE MAKE MOONSHINE, WHICH I HADN'T SEEN BEFORE.
SO THEY WERE COMING OUT OF WAR, AND THEY WERE BEGINNING TO GET INTO SUBSTANCE USE, UM, IN A WAY THAT I, THAT I HADN'T SEEN, UH, BEFORE.
SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, KIND
[01:15:01]
OF TAKE A, UH, YOU KNOW, PER, UH, CRIMINAL LOGICAL, UH, ANALYSIS OF THE COHORTS THAT ARE COMING OF AGE AFTER LEAVING WAR ZONES AND ARE RETIRING IN SAN ANTONIO.AND WHAT ARE OUR, WHAT ARE OUR SUPPORT FOR THAT? LOOK, MY COMMITMENT IS TO HELP IN THE BUDGET.
MY COMMITMENT FOR YOU IS TO ALSO HELP WITH, UM, PRIVATE FOUNDATION FUNDING TO DO RIGHT BY, UH, THE NAME OF MILITARY CITY, USA AND, AND REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THESE VETERANS AREN'T, UH, TOSSED INTO A SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'VE GONE THEIR ULTIMATE SACRIFICES AND THINGS THEY NEVER DREAMED THEY WOULD SEE.
UM, BUT THEY'RE COMING BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY WITH A LOT OF SCARS THAT NEED REAL HEALING.
SO, UM, I THANK YOU FOR A ANSWERING THAT, UH, DETAIL.
AND I WANT TO, UH, JUST DELVE INTO SOME OF THAT DATA, UH, WITH YOU AS WE TRY TO MAKE PROACTIVE PLANS BECAUSE, UH, WE ARE OBVIOUSLY SEEING, UH, CRIME RISE, AND WE NEED TO TRY AND, UH, UH, PREVENT REAL CATASTROPHES BECAUSE I MEAN, WHEN IT COMES FROM A VETERAN AND, AND WHETHER IT'S A, A MASS SHOOTING OR, OR WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, IT, UH, IT ENDS UP BEING A NATIONAL NEWS STORY THAT NONE OF US REALLY WANT TO HAPPEN.
SO WE'VE GOTTA WORK TOGETHER, PUT OUR ARMS AROUND THIS IN MILITARY CITY USA AND TRY TO GET AHEAD OF IT.
UH, JUDGE DOMINGUEZ, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
UH, I WANT TO CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHT OUR VETERAN WHO TESTIFIED TODAY, AND YOUR TESTIMONY IS VERY POWERFUL.
WHEN WE HEAR, UM, PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT HOW THESE PROGRAMS ARE IMPACTING OUR CITIZENS, PARTICULARLY OUR VETERANS, IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, COURAGEOUSLY STEPPING FORWARD.
UM, JUDGE, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE THINGS, UH, THAT I NOTICED, UH, FROM YOUR REPORT, WELL, ACTUALLY, NOT YOUR REPORT, BUT THE VETERANS, I GUESS IT IS YOUR REPORT, UM, THE NUMBER OF CASES OR THE NUMBER OF VETERANS SERVED.
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, AND IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER COUNTIES IN TEXAS, I MEAN, IN SOME CASES, PARTICULARLY IN THE MISDEMEANOR CASES, UH, YOU ARE SEEING THREE OR FOUR TIMES AS A NUMBER OF FOLKS THAN OTHER COUNTIES, UM, WHICH I THINK IS REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR STANDING AS MILITARY CITY, SA IN PART, BUT ALSO YOUR WORK.
BUT WHAT I ALSO NOTICED IS THAT, AND THIS IS NOT POINTING FINGERS AT ANYBODY OTHER THAN HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT, UH, THE MONEY WE'RE GETTING IN TERMS OF GRANT FUNDING IS NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENTATIVE OF, UH, A, A COURT THAT IS TAKING SO MANY CASES IN.
RIGHT? SO, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW THAT WE ARE TAKING UP OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA LATER TODAY.
UM, BUT WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP IN NOT JUST ADDRESSING THAT DISPARITY, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE SERVICING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FOLKS, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT IT WOULD, IT WOULD ASSIST IN ASKING FOR DOLLARS FROM BOTH THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE, THE, UM, SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS ARE CAPPED BECAUSE I SEE IN SOME CASES, COUNTIES GETTING $300,000 AND WE'RE GETTING $300,000 AND THEY'RE SERVING AGAIN, UM, HALF OR A THIRD OF WHAT WE'RE SERVING.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THAT OR, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING I WANNA HIGHLIGHT FOR OUR TEAM, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF DOING THIS, BOTH AT THE STATE AND, AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT WE CERTAINLY NEED TO ADVOCATE STRONGER, HAVE A STRONGER VOICE FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IN TERMS OF GRANT FUNDING TO HELP YOU ADDRESS SOME OF THE NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, BUT, UM, AM I ON, AM I ON A POINT THERE? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES, YOU'RE AND I DO WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.
SO, UM, EVERYONE ON MY TEAM, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT VETERANS, THEY ARE HARD WORKERS.
AND I CANNOT STRESS THAT ENOUGH, EVEN WITH MY REGULAR DOCKET, COUNTY COURT SIX, TO BE ABLE TO PRESIDE OVER THE LARGEST VETERAN STREAMING CORPS, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AWAY FROM ME.
MY FAMILY, WHEN I GO HOME, I STILL HAVE TO WORK.
IT'S BECAUSE I REALLY WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR VETERANS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S THE SERVICE BEFORE SELF COMPONENT THAT OF MY CORE VALUES WITH THE AIR FORCE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET GRANT MONEY AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE'RE FACED WITH THE GRC, THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE, WE'RE ASKED TO, TO PICK A, A, UM, POSITION, RIGHT? SO WE'LL ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL CASE MANAGER, OR WE'LL ASK FOR AN INTAKE SPECIALIST, AND IT'S, YOU COULD ONLY HAVE ONE.
AND SO WE'RE BEING LIMITED AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AS WELL TO GET THESE POSITIONS.
EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GETTING FUNDED FOR THE POSITION, WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT WE CANNOT HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL POSITION.
AND SO WE ARE LITERALLY OPERATING OFF OF ONE CASE MANAGER FOR 120 PARTICIPANTS THAT WE MAINTAIN THE WHOLE YEAR WITH THREE PROBATION OFFICERS, WHICH WE FUND THROUGH OUR TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION GRANT, ONE PROBATION OFFICER AND A HALF.
AND THE PROBATION OFFICE FUNDS THE OTHER ONE AND A HALF.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO BARGAIN AND TUG OF WAR,
[01:20:01]
THIS MONEY ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO TRY TO KEEP OUR POSITIONS TO GROW OUR CORP TO BE ABLE TO HELP MORE VETERANS, BUT WE'RE FACED WITH THE NOS AND HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THOSE POSITIONS.SO I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS.
YEAH, NO, LET'S CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE TAKE NOTICE AS A COURT THAT, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
AND IF WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN OUR VOICE, BOTH IN AUSTIN AND WASHINGTON TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING THE SUCCESS OF YOUR PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, WE WANNA BE HELPFUL.
COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE? WELL, I GOT A FEW WORDS, JUDGE.
UM, LET, LET ME WEIGH A LITTLE BIT, UH, FIRST, UH, LET ME APPLAUD YOUR VETERANS TREATMENT COURT PROGRAM, ROBERTO.
I KNOW YOU GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO JUDGE ALONZO.
I GUESS CALL HIM THE GODFATHER OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS.
UH, AND IN HIS, UH, CREATING THE MIS, UH, WHAT WAS IT, THE MISDEMEANOR DRUG COURT, UH, THAT'S STILL ONGOING NOW WITH, UH, IS IT, IS THAT JUDGE ERICA? THAT'S ME.
I'M WITH THE MISDEMEANOR VETERAN STREAM COURT.
BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CAMINO COURT, RIGHT? THE DRUG COURT IS WITH JUDGE PENA, JUDGE ERICA PENA.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD A TREMENDOUS EXPANSION OF SPECIALTY COURT.
SO JUDGE, YOU HAVE RAISED AN ISSUE THAT YOU CAME TO, I BELIEVE, ONE OF THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS THAT, UH, WE HELPED SPONSOR AND TO COMMUNICATE.
SO YOU DID AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION THERE.
YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION TODAY.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M IMPRESSED WITH IS THE FACT THAT YOU BROUGHT SOME OF THE DATA, THE METRICS, THE ANALYTICS, AND SO YOU'VE HELPED ME BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF YOUR PROGRAM.
AND SO YOU HAVE ASKED FOR SUPPORT.
UH, I WILL JUST SAY OUT LOUD TO THE COURT, UH, THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT ALL THE COURTS, SPECIALTY COURTS, UH, TO BE REAL BLUNT, I THINK I'VE KINDA LOST TRACK OF ALL THE COURTS AND ALL THE NEEDS OF EACH COURT.
AND I HEAR YOU WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE WELCOME, UH, I HEAR YOU WHEN YOU SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING FOR CERTAIN POSITIONS, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT PROBABLY GETS BALANCED WITH ALL THE REQUESTS COMING IN.
SO, UH, I AM GOING TO ASK THE COURT AND DAVID, UH, THAT WHAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO NEED TO DO STRATEGICALLY IS TO KIND OF GET A WHOLE OVERVIEW OF OUR ENTIRE SPECIALTY COURTS AND SEE WHAT EXACTLY WE'RE SPENDING.
UH, I, ALTHOUGH WE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE GENERAL REVENUE, OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE GRANT FUNDING.
AND I THINK THAT HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL MODEL FOR SPECIALTY COURTS.
IF, IF YOU WANTED IT, YOU HAD TO GO OUT AND GET YOUR GRANT, AND YOU CONTINUE TO GET YOUR GRANT.
SO YOU SHOULD, I UNDERSTAND YOU SHOULDN'T BE PUNISHED FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO SUSTAIN THOSE GRANTS.
AT THE SAME TIME, UNDERSTAND THAT, I PRESUME THERE'LL BE CONTINUED REQUESTS TO EXPAND THE SPECIALTY COURSE.
I THINK WE'RE AT A POINT NOW WHERE WE REALLY DO NEED TO LOOK, LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE.
AND WE NEED TO GET A MEASUREMENT OF THE DATA METRICS OF ALL THE SPECIALTY COURTS, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SERVED, HOW MANY STAFF YOU HAVE TO SERVE PER YOUR, UH, CLIENTS.
AND THEN DETERMINE FROM A STRATEGIC WAY, AND I'M GONNA, I'LL JUST SAY OUT LOUD, YOU KNOW, CAN SOME OF THIS BE SHARED AMONG THE COURTS? I UNDERSTAND.
I I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE TRIAL COURTS MYSELF AND ON THE CIVIL SIDE WITH FAMILY DRUG COURT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD COURT, SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT FOR JUDGES TO CONSIDER PULLING THEIR RESOURCES TOGETHER.
AND SO I THINK THE COUNTY NEEDS TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT IS VERY STRATEGIC, WHAT IS MOST COST EFFECTIVE, AND WHAT DO WE GET IN A RETURN OF INVESTMENT ON THE RESOURCES WE DO FOR THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE FROM THE COUNTY TAXPAYER.
SO I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION, I APPRECIATE THE WORK.
I APPRECIATE THE, THE DATA, THE METRICS THAT YOU PROVIDE.
AND, UH, WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO TRY PROVIDE THE BEST, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR VETERANS.
THE LAST, WELL, NOT LAST QUESTION.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS, UH, I'M IMPRESSED THAT YOUR, YOUR COURT VTC COURT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST, IF NOT THE LARGEST IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHICH IS AN IMPRESSIVE NUMBER.
IT'S, LET ME ASK THE REVERSE OF THAT.
HOW MANY MORE VETERANS DO WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN OUR MISDEMEANOR COURTS THAT WE'RE NOT SERVING? AND ARE WE, DO WE HAVE A BIGGER POOL, WHICH THEN MEANS HOW DO WE SERVE ALL? AND THEN MY QUESTION FROM A PROGRAM YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER IT, IS, ARE ALL YOUR COLLEAGUES ON THE COURT ALIGNED WITH THE SERVICES TO PROVIDE FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE VETERANS? OR DO, DO WE STILL HAVE EACH COURT KIND OF DOING THEIR OWN, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE DOCKETS RUN THE WAY THEY WANT?
[01:25:01]
I'M JUST KIND OF, I'M TRYING TO GET A DETERMINATION OF, THIS IS IMPRESSIVE, BUT HOW MUCH MORE DO WE NEED TO DO? AND WHAT'S GONNA BE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO ADDRESS THOSE UNMET NEEDS? SO THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.THANK YOU, JUDGE AKAI, WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING ALL THE NEEDS OF THE VETERANS AND THE MISDEMEANOR LEVEL.
UM, OR EVEN AT THE FELONY LEVEL.
I FEEL LIKE WE CAN, WE CAN GROW, BUT I'M VERY LIMITED AS ONE JUDGE WHO'S RESIDING OVER THE VETERAN STREAMING COURT TO BE ABLE TO GROW.
WHEN I'M AT THE MAX, WHICH IS THE EVIDENCE-BASED BEST PRACTICES OF 120 PARTICIPANTS PER COURT, AND WE MAINTAIN 120 EVERY SINGLE TIME.
IF I TURN FOUR PEOPLE, I'M BRINGING IN FOUR MORE PEOPLE.
AND SO THERE'S NEVER A, A LAPSE IN TIME THAT WE'RE UNDER THAT 120 ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN OUR PROGRAM.
UM, I KNOW I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH COURT ADMINISTRATION TO MAYBE POSSIBLY HAVE A MAGISTRATE WHO WOULD SERVE AS A COUNTY LEVEL MAGISTRATE AS JUDGE GLEN DOES ON THE FELONY LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE OVERFLOW OR NEW PARTICIPANTS IN, INTO THAT PROGRAM THAT ARE VETERANS THAT CAN BE SERVICED.
TO ANSWER YOUR OTHER QUESTION, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE PROPOSED A STRUCTURED OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS, AND WE HAVE THAT PROPOSITION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU AT A DIFFERENT TIME WHERE WHEN WE'RE WRITING THESE GRANTS, BECAUSE ROBERTO HAS NOW LEARNED HOW TO WRITE GRANTS ALONG WITH JUDGE, I MEAN, WITH DR. CASTRO, UM, BEING ABLE TO SPECIALIZE ALL OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS IN THOSE GRANTS, ESPECIALLY THE GOVERNOR'S GRANT, IT IS NOT SPECIFIC TO VETERANS.
AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT GRANT FUNDING, IT'S A, WE'RE ABLE TO GET THESE FEDERAL GRANTS AND STATE GRANTS FOR VETERANS.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SPECIALTY COURTS? MM-HMM.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE A STRUCTURED EYES, UM, ORGANIZATION WHERE SOMEONE WHO'S WRITING A GOVERNOR'S GRANT CAN SEE THAT MAYBE THE DRUG COURT NEEDS A CASE MANAGER AND DWI COURT NEEDS AN INTAKE SPECIALIST TO BE ABLE TO WRITE THAT ALL IN ONE GRANT AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE POSITIONS BASED OFF THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN EACH PROGRAM.
SO FOR US, HAVING 120 FOR EVERY 30 PARTICIPANTS WOULD BE A CASE MANAGER, A PROBATION OFFICER, AND THAT'S FOLLOWING THE BEST PRACTICES OF 30 TO 40 PARTICIPANTS PER PERSONNEL.
AND SO HAVING THAT ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE IS WHAT'S GONNA HELP OVERALL IN THE SPECIALTY COURTS TO BE ABLE TO GROW.
AND HAVING A MAGISTRATE JUDGE TO PRESIDE OVER A MISDEMEANOR LEVEL COUNTY COURT SPECIALTY COURT WOULD ALSO HELP THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT SPECIFICALLY GROW.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE 67 MORE PEOPLE.
I JUST CANNOT PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY DO THAT AT THIS TIME.
AND I THINK YOUR COMMENTS GO HAND IN HAND WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ HAS SAID, THAT WE ALSO NEED ALIGNMENT WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT OBVIOUSLY WITH THE GOVERNOR'S GRANT AND THE, UH, THE VIC, THE AGS, UH, FUNDS, UH, THE VICTIM ADVOCATE, IT WAS THE VICTIM ADVOCATES FUNDS THAT HELP SUPPORT THESE COURTS.
UH, I THINK, AND AS THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE LEGISLATURE SUPPORTS SPECIALTY COURTS.
THEY OBVIOUSLY PUT IT AS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE, WHICH CAUSES ISSUES HERE WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND, AND ASSESSING THE BUDGET.
BECAUSE THEN WE THEN HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH SPECIALTY COURT.
SO I, I APPLAUD YOUR WORDS TODAY THAT LET'S LOOK AT IT FROM A COMPREHENSIVE WAY AND A COLLECTIVE WAY OF WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER AND HOW WE CAN GET ECONOMIES OF SCALE, SO TO SPEAK, TO PROVIDE YOU AND, AND ALL THE SPECIALTY COURT JUDGES, UH, RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED.
BUT YOU'VE, YOU'VE, I THINK WE'VE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION TODAY OF HOW DIFFICULT THAT IT IS WHEN WE HAVE EVERYBODY ASKING US FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
THAT DON'T NECESSARILY GO IN ALIGNMENT.
SO COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, I WOULD ASK THAT OUR LEGISLATIVE TEAM HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OF HOW WE CAN CONSOLIDATE THE RESOURCES AND HAVE THIS INTELLIGENT AND COMPREHENSIVE CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING TODAY AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SO THAT WE CAN THEN GET Y'ALL A CONSISTENT STREAM OF REVENUE SO THAT Y'ALL CAN GROW AND WE CAN PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT IT FROM A, FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE CAN DO.
'CAUSE AS YOU SAY, YOUR REPORT HIGHLIGHTS HOW ALL THESE COURTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS AND SOME COURTS AND ON ITS FACE, YES.
ONLY SERVE A VERY SMALL NUMBER.
AND I WAS GONNA ADDRESS, AND YOU SERVE A BIG, MUCH BIGGER NUMBER.
WE ARE CAPPED WITH THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION, AND THEN PER COUNTY, YOU'RE ONLY ALLOWED SO MANY GRANTS.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THE FELONY VETERAN TREATMENT COURT ALSO RECEIVES A GRANT.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE BEAR COUNTY MILITARY AND FAMILY SERVICES ALSO RECEIVES A GRANT.
WE RECEIVE A GRANT, AND THEN WE'RE NOT ALLOWED ANY MORE GRANTS PER THE COUNTY.
I'VE ACTUALLY TALKED TO TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION AND SAY IT SHOULDN'T BE BASED OFF OF COUNTY AND THE AMOUNT IT SHOULD BE BASED OFF THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS AND THE HOPES THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND I THINK NEXT TIME THEY'RE GOING TO INCREASE IT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND INSTEAD OF AN ANNUAL GRANT, THEY'RE GONNA DO A FOUR YEAR GRANT.
SO WE'RE SEEING SOME HOPE IN THERE, BUT THE OTHER COURTS WHO ARE RECEIVING JUST THE SAME AMOUNT ARE DOING A FRACTION OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, JUDGE, I THINK YOU AND I ARE SAYING THE SAME THING, AREN'T WE? YES.
[01:30:01]
OH, BY THE WAY, IS THIS YOUR GAVEL HERE? IF IT HAS MY NAME? YES.I TAKE IT YOU WERE HERE FOR GRADUATION, RIGHT? WE WERE HERE ON FRIDAY.
I WAS JUST WONDERING WHY, WHAT UP HERE.
LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR JUDGE AMIGA AND EVERYBODY AFFILIATED WITH THE VEST TREATMENT COURT.
[5. Request of Commissioners Court to identify items from the Consent Agenda for additional discussion and to approve remaining Consent Agenda items.]
RIGHT.LET'S GET A REQUEST TO ITEM AGENDA FIVE.
REQUEST OF COMMISSIONER COURT TO IDENTIFY ITEMS FROM CONSENT AGENDA FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.
AGENDA ITEMS, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, ANY MATTERS TO PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER MOODY? COMMISSIONER CALVERT, I UNDERSTAND, UH, THOMAS, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS REQUESTED THAT ITEM 30 IN THE CONSENTED ITEM BE POOLED AND DEFERRED FOR LATER CONSIDERATION.
IS THAT A CORRECT STIPULATION? CORRECT, JUDGE.
UNDERSTAND THAT ITEM 30 HAS BEEN PULLED PURSUANT TO SHERIFF SALAZAR
[CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]
MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.I EXCEPT THE ITEM 30, UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SINGLE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? IF I MAY.
[54. Approval of a request from County Judge Peter Sakai to appoint the following individual to the listed board]
UH, AS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, UH, LET ME GO BACK TO ITEM 54, WHICH WE HAVE, UM, APPROVED.AND THAT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST BY MYSELF, COUNTY JUDGE PETER
DR. RODRIGUEZ, WOULD YOU PLEASE STEP FORWARD? I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE COURT AND TO THE PUBLIC.
MELINDA RODRIGUEZ HAS BEEN APPROVED TO SERVE ON THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD OF MANAGERS.
MELINDA RECEIVED HER DOCTORATE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY FROM BOSTON UNIVERSITY AND A SUCCESSFUL HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONER AND ENTREPRENEUR.
I'M EXCITED TO SHARE IT THAT MELINDA WILL BE THE FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN MEMBER OF THE UHS BOARD WITH A DIVERSE WORKFORCE AT UHS, INCLUDING MANY FILIPINO NURSES.
I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO REFLECT THAT DIVERSITY ON THE BOARD OF MAN MANAGERS.
SO, DR. RODRIGUEZ, I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR APPOINTMENT.
AKA COMMISSIONERS AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE VETERANS IN THE ROOM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
I AM ALSO A WIFE OF AN ARMY VETERAN, ROB RODRIGUEZ.
I AM DEEPLY HONORED TO ACCEPT THE NOMINATION TO SERVE ON THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD OF MANAGERS.
THANK YOU TO JUDGE ZAKA AND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR PLACING YOUR TRUST IN ME.
I AM EXCITED TO JOIN SUCH AN IMPORTANT INSTITUTION THAT PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AS A DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY AND HEALTHCARE BUSINESS OWNER, I HAVE SPENT MUCH OF MY CAREER FOCUSED ON IMPROVING PATIENT OUTCOMES, ENSURING QUALITY OF CARE, AND ADDRESSING THE HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF OUR UNDERSERVED POPULATION.
I AM VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING HEALTHCARE MORE ACCESSIBLE, EQUITABLE, AND PATIENT-CENTERED.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH A TALENTED TEAM AT UNIVERSITY HEALTH TO ADVANCE THOSE GOALS.
I AM PARTICULARLY PROUD TO BE THE FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN APPOINTED TO THE BOARD.
I BELIEVE THAT DIVERSITY AND DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ARE ESSENTIAL TO MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING MY EXPERIENCES AND INSIGHTS TO THE TABLE AS I TAKE ON THIS NEW RESPONSIBILITY.
I REMAIN COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR OUR PATIENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY, ENSURING THAT THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE MEET THE NEEDS OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL, AND THAT OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM REMAINS STRONG, SUSTAINABLE, AND RESPONSIVE TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF BEXAR COUNTY.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU IN THE YEARS TO CONTINUE THE EXCELLENT WORK OF UNIVERSITY HEALTH.
ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA CORRECT MR. COVER.
[01:35:01]
JUDGE, I WANT TO THANK YOU ON, UH, THIS VERY, UH, SMART NOMINATION.UM, UH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, NOMINATION FOR A LOT OF REASONS.
FIRST OF ALL, UH, THE REPRESENTATION OF THE ASIAN COMMUNITY ON THE BOARD IS AN IMPORTANT ONE, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THE HUGE PROPORTIONS OF, UH, ASIAN AMERICANS WHO ARE IN MEDICAL AND HEALTHCARE RELATED CAREERS.
AND I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, SIGNAL OF COMMUNICATION THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BROADEN.
UH, AND SPEAKING TO ALL COMMUNITIES IN BEXAR COUNTY, UH, I THINK IT'S ALSO, UH, VERY TIMELY, UH, JUDGE THAT, UH, IN PHYSICAL THERAPY BECAUSE OF OUR SILVER TSUNAMI OF BABY BOOMERS WHO ARE, UM, GOING TO NEED ASSISTANCE, NOT ONLY, UH, WITH THEIR OWN NEEDS, UH, WITHIN AGING IN PLACE.
AND, AND, BUT ALSO FOR MANY OF US WHO ARE TAKING CARE OF AGING PARENTS WHO ARE LIVING LONGER.
I'VE EXPRESSED TO MANY ON THE BOARD, UH, THE VISION THAT WE NEED TO LOOK FORWARD TO OF ENSURING ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH HOME HEALTHCARE FOR OUR, OUR SENIORS.
AND SO THE PHYSICAL THERAPY, THE MOBILITY, THE PREVENTATIVE THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN DO SO THAT THEY ARE NOT, UH, DEALING WITH AILMENTS OR AT LEAST BETTER MANAGING, UH, THE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS TO LIVING, UH, YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOUR EXPERTISE WILL HELP US TREMENDOUSLY.
UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, CARETAKERS WHO ARE INJURING THEMSELVES BECAUSE OF, UH, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO HELP THEIR EITHER PATIENT OR LOVED ONE.
UH, SO JUST, YOU KNOW, BE COMFORTABLE.
SO, UM, YOUR UNIQUE, UH, BACKGROUND IS ONE THAT I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD REPRESENTED AT THE BOARD LEVEL, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL, UM, TAKE CHARGE, IF YOU WILL, OF THE, UH, POTENTIAL TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU SAID IT HERE ABOUT THE VETERANS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF VETERANS HERE WHO HAVE, UH, TREMENDOUS PHYSICAL THERAPY NEEDS.
AND ANY WAY WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OUR LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OUR MEDICAL COMMUNITY, UH, YOUR INSIGHTS WILL BE VERY, VERY VALUABLE AS WE HEAD TO, UH, UH, SILVER FUTURE.
MR. KADI, I JUST ECHO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU OVER THE COMING YEARS, AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
[6. 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 SIX, FILING FOR THE RECORD OF THE FOLLOWING LEGAL ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS DIRECTING THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
[7. Commissioners Court minutes for Tuesday, October 29, 2024.]
COMMISSIONER'S COURT MINUTES FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29TH, 2024.MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SECOND BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTION? MOTION CARRIES.
[8. Communications from citizens who signed the register to speak.]
ITEM EIGHT, CITIZENS, UH, COMMUNICATION FROM CITIZENS WHO SIGNED UP TO REGISTER TO SPEAK.YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THE FIRST ONE WILL BE ROBERT RODRIGUEZ.
COMMISSIONERS, CITIZENS, UM, CITIZENS THAT RESIDE ON 49 0 9 BECK ROAD.
RECENTLY, UH, UH, MAY OF MAY OF THIS YEAR, UH, WE HELD A MEETING WITH, UH, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMISSION, UH, SPECIFICALLY COMMISSIONER CALVERT WAS THERE.
AND, UH, DURING THAT MEETING, WE SPOKE ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, SPECIFICALLY THE, UM, TRAFFIC SITUATION ON BECK ROAD.
AND WHAT HAS OCCURRED IS THAT WITH THE, UM, INCREASE OF THE SUBDIVISION SURROUNDING IN THAT AREA.
AND JUST FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR GEOGRAPHICAL, UH, PERSPECTIVE, IT'S IN THE EAST CENTRAL, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE EAST CENTRAL AREA OF EAST, UH, BEX COUNTY.
UH, BECAUSE OF THE SUBDIVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN THAT AREA, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE TRAFFIC SPECIFICALLY ON BECK ROAD, SPECIFICALLY ON THOSE ROADS THAT ARE, UH, ESSENTIALLY THAT RESIDES IN, IN FRONT OF EAST CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL OR THE CAMPUS.
UM, THE RESULTS OF THAT IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN, UM, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, OF TRAFFIC.
THERE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OR AN INCREASE IN THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE ON THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF RESIDENTS THERE.
MAILBOXES, UH, TREES, UM, I MYSELF WAS, UM, UH, STRUCK BY A, UM, BY A VEHICLE THAT, UH, WAS TRAVELING BEYOND THE 35 MILE SPEED LIMIT.
UM, SO WE HELD A MEETING, WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING, WE HAD REPRESENTATIVES, MR I THINK, UM, SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE STATE WERE THERE AS WELL.
UM, AND THE PROGRESS IN TERMS OF WHAT HAS.
[01:40:01]
I GET INTO THAT, UM, ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE MEETING WAS, IS THAT WE RECEIVE REGULAR UPDATES.UH, THE CONSENSUS OF THAT MEETING, AND I THINK I'M DESCRIBING THIS ACCURATELY, THE CONSENSUS OF THE MEETING WAS AT A, THE TRAFFIC ON BECK ROAD IS, UM, IS, IS INCREASED TO 35, BEYOND 35 MILES AN HOUR.
MOTORISTS ARE GOING 55 MILES AN HOUR.
MOTORISTS ARE GOING 60 MILES AN HOUR.
MOTORISTS, IT'S A ONE LANE ROAD.
SO IT'S ONE WAY GOING ONE WAY, ONE LANE GOING ONE WAY.
THE ONE LANE GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY.
YOU HAVE MOTORISTS THAT ARE CUTTING EACH OTHER OFF.
AND THEN, UM, THE TRAFFIC THAT'S FEEDING IN FROM 87, THE TRAFFIC THAT'S FEEDING IN FROM SILVER SPRINGS ROAD IS INCREASING THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE 18 WHEELERS.
YOU HAVE, UH, ALLIES, TRADES PERSONS THAT ARE AGAIN, WORKING ON THE SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE NOW IN FRONT OF BECK ROAD.
AND THEN OF COURSE, IN THE OUTLYING FIELDS, UM, THE TRAFFIC NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, AND THE ASK THAT WAS PROVIDED DURING THAT MEETING WAS THAT WE NEEDED TO INSTALL SPEED BUMPS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT IS OCCURRING IN THAT, IN THE SUBDIVISIONS ADJACENT TO BECK ROAD, YOU HAVE VEHICLES THAT ARE, THAT ARE EXITING ONE PART AND THEY'RE BASICALLY PULL POSITIONING IT, SHOWING MY AGE HERE, THEY'RE PULL POSITIONING IT, AND THEY'RE GUNNING IT ALL THE WAY TO 87 AT 60 MILES AN HOUR, OR THEY'RE GOING THE EXACT OPPOSITE WAY ON SILVER SPRINGS.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH BECK ROAD AND THE CONSTRUCTION ARE ON THAT AREA, WHAT TIME IS, THERE'S A BIT OF A TURNAROUND.
GO AHEAD AND WRAP IT UP, MR. RODRIGUEZ.
UH, SO WE'RE ASKING FOR AN UPDATE ON THIS.
THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, UH, JUDGE, RESPECTFULLY.
UM, EACH TIME, UH, I'VE HAD TO SUBMIT AN EMAIL, UH, TO GET AN UPDATE ON THIS.
AND EACH TIME I GET AN, I GET AN EMAIL BACK BASICALLY SAYING, WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
THERE'S A, THERE IS A, A, A TRAFFIC STUDY, BUT WE'RE NOT RECEIVING ANY UPDATES AS A COMMUNITY.
SO I'M, WE'RE HERE ESSENTIALLY TO PUT THIS ON YOUR RADAR AND ALSO TO MAKE THIS AWARE FOR YOUR AWARENESS RESPECTFULLY, THAT AS YOU ADDRESS THE, AS THE, AS THE HOUSING, THE HOUSING SHORTAGE, THE HOUSING SITUATION WITHIN BEXAR COUNTY IS ADDRESSED.
PLEASE, IN YOUR ROLE AS A COMMISSIONER, AS A JUDGE, PLEASE DO NOT OVERLOOK THE, UM, DON'T OVERLOOK THE LOGISTICS AND HOW THAT'S GONNA FUNCTION WITH THE EXISTING ROADS.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE INCREASINGLY GOING UP.
AND NOBODY IS PUTTING A FORTH INTO, INTO THE, INTO THE CONSTRUCTION OF BECK ROAD.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING, UH, COLLATERAL DAMAGE.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING VEHICLE DAMAGE.
UM, AND IT'S VERY DISTRESSING AND WE'RE LOOKING TO YOU FOR, FOR A SOLUTION TO THAT ON REGULAR UPDATES ON THIS MATTER.
THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR TO COME UP HERE.
I, I'M, UH, A NEIGHBOR OF ROBERT, WHO IS A VETERAN.
I MYSELF LIVE ON BECK ROAD FOR 38 YEARS.
WE HAVE NOT SEEN THIS AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC.
I MYSELF WAS GRAZED BY A TRUCK RECENTLY AND THE HIP, SO I'M, UH, YOU HAVE TO JUST GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET UP HERE.
THE INCIDENTS THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT ARE TRUE.
I STARTED CONTACTING CALVERT'S OFFICE IN JUNE OF 2020, CONTINUED TALKING TO HIS CHIEF OF STAFF HALF A DOZEN TIMES IN 20 20, 20, 21, 22, AND IN 23.
AND THEN IN MAY OF 24, WE HAD A VAN RIDE ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER CALVERT STATE REPRESENTATIVE LUHAN AND HIS DIRECTOR, UH, COMMUNICATIONS MR. CHAPPA.
BEFORE THAT, WHEN WE WERE ALMOST REAR-ENDED ON THE ROAD IN HIS CAR, WE DEFINITELY NEED A SPEED HUMP, WHICH IS THE, WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THE LEAST EXPENSIVE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
I, MYSELF HAVE A PITCHING TYPE RADAR GUN WHERE I'VE CLOCKED MOTORCYCLES DOING 92 MILES AN HOUR.
THE OTHER VEHICLES, SPORTS CARS DOING 75 TO 80.
IT IS UNSAFE TO CROSS THE STREET TO THE MAILBOXES, WHICH IS REQUIRED ON THAT SIDE OF THE STREET BY THE US POSTAL SERVICE.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR OWN HANDS TO CROSS THE STREET.
MY NEIGHBOR WAS HIT BY A, THE WINDOW OF A TRUCK WHILE SHE WAS STANDING AT HER MAILBOX.
THEY EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT CONSIDERABLY WHEN THEY COME OFF OF 87 HEAD SOUTH, WHICH BECK ROAD IS A TWO LANE CONCAVE ROAD WITH NO SHOULDER AND DRAINAGE DITCHES.
I MYSELF, WAS ALMOST HIT IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE ONE WENT TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD AND FOUND OUT THAT HE MISSED
[01:45:01]
HIS ENTRANCE AND TURNED INTO MY DRIVEWAY.IF I HADN'T HAVE JUMPED OUT OF THE WAY, HE WOULD'VE HIT ME.
INSTEAD, HE GOT THE CORNER OF MY FENCE.
WE DEFINITELY NEED SOME ACTION ON.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, ON SEPTEMBER LABOR DAY, THE TRAFFIC STUDY BOX WAS REMOVED.
WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE UP TO 90 DAYS TO REVIEW IT AND GIVE A RECOMMENDATION.
WE ARE AT 75 DAYS AT THIS POINT NOW, AND SO I ASK THAT WE GET AN UPDATE FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND MR. CALVERT, WHO'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL AT THIS UP TO THIS POINT, TO MOVE FORWARD AND GET THIS, UH, SPEED HUMPS, WHICH WE CONSIDER THE LEAST EXPENSIVE AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO SLOW THESE SPEEDERS DOWN.
OH, BY THE WAY, MR. CALVER, THEY ADDED A THIRD, UH, ENTRANCE TO BECK ROAD DOWN FURTHER.
SO WE NOW HAVE THREE ENTRANCES AND EXITS OF MEANS OF EGRESS FROM THAT SUBDIVISION.
I JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION, AND WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO GET A UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE ON THAT, SIR.
I CAN JUST MAKE A QUICK, UH, COMMENT.
AND ACTUALLY, ART REINHARDT AND MY STAFF, WE HAVE A MEETING AT 10:00 AM TOMORROW, WHICH I WILL WELCOME YOU ALL TO COME TO SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE STUDY RESULTS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT STUDY.
SO, UH, IT IS DONE, UH, AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR HAS SOME COMMENTS, SO IT'LL BE HERE AT MY OFFICE AT 10:00 AM SO WE ARE, WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE IT, UH, AS FAST AS WE CAN.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THANK PATIENCE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR PATIENCE DEALING WITH THIS.
UH, I'M HUMBLED TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU, ESPECIALLY, UH, TODAY, HONORING VETERAN'S DAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M A VIETNAM VETERAN, COMBAT MEDIC TWO TOWARDS THE COMBAT MEDIC IN VIETNAM.
AND, UH, FOUR YEARS AGO, I WAS COMMISSIONED TO TAKE OVER THE SAN ANTONIO COALITION FOR VETERAN AND FAMILIES.
AND AT THE TIME, IT WAS A NETWORKING OUTFIT WHERE IF THE VETERANS WOULD CALLED THE COALITION, WE REFER THEM OUT.
WHEN I TOOK HIM OVER AS A COMBAT MEDICAL CIRCLE, SOMEONE CONSIDERED IN COMBAT, WHO'S THE FIRST GUY THAT RESPONDS DOC, RIGHT? SO I WANTED TO CREATE THE SAME THING WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION.
SO WE CREATED OPERATION EMERGENT NEEDS AND, UH, THIS, WE IMPLEMENTED THIS IN 21.
UH, I STARTED RAISING FUNDS OUR FIRST YEAR.
WE HELPED OVER 350 VETERAN FAMILIES WITH SHELTER IME.
AND WHAT I CREATED WAS AN IMMEDIATE NEED.
WE GET VENDORS INTO HOTELS THAT ARE HOMELESS AND THEIR FAMILIES, IF NOT THE SAME DAY.
THE NEXT DAY WE GIVE 'EM SEVEN DAYS, THEN WE GET 'EM UP WITH A DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP 'EM.
WE PARTNER UP WITH THE BEAR COUNTY VETERANS OFFICE.
WE REFER 'EM THERE, WE GET 'EM THERE, TRY TO GET 'EM LONGER PLACES AGE, REFER 'EM TO GF FORUM, 'EM, UH, FOOD INSECURITIES.
UH, HB GIFT CARDS, UH, UTILITY BILLS, UH, ALMOST ANYTHING OF EVER NEEDS WITHIN REASON.
BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, PEOPLE THAT FOUND OUT WAS ABOUT US THIS YEAR, AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WE'RE ALREADY AT 350 VETERANS FAMILIES WITH, UH, UH, THE END OF OCTOBER.
I APOLOGIZE, BUT, UH, THE NEED IS GETTING BIGGER BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE HEARING ABOUT US.
SO WHEN OUR BUDGET IS SHRINKING, THE ONLY WAY WE RAISE THEIR MONEY TO DO THIS IS THROUGH FUNDRAISERS, GOLF TOURNAMENTS, UH, PANCAKE, FUNDRAISERS, UH, CAR SHOWS.
AND WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT WE GET SOME REALLY GOOD, UH, UH, SPONSORSHIPS THAT WE, WE WORK REALLY HARD TO DO.
SO I JUST WANTED TO COME SHARE WITH YOU AND, UH, IF Y'ALL GUYS WOULD LIKE, I HAVE SOME FOLDERS HERE THAT SHOWS OUR MISSION STATEMENT, UH, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO WHERE OUR MONEY GOES, THE, THE HOTEL STAYS, THE UTILITY BILLS.
IF, IF I MAKE, WOULD Y'ALL BE WILLING TO ACCEPT IT? YES.
THOMAS, WOULD YOU GO? PLEASE ACCEPT IT.
AND, AND AGAIN, UH, IT'S AN HONOR TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, WE WORK VERY HARD.
I HAVE A TEAM AND WE'RE BUILDING A FOUNDATION.
WE'VE APPLIED FOR SOME GRANTS.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO ONE DAY, UH, BE ABLE TO HELP 500 VETERANS, UH, A YEAR.
SO IT'S, UH, IT'S A LOT OF WORK.
AND, UH, WE HOPE THAT, UH, DOWN THE ROAD, UH, I LIKE TO MEET WITH Y'ALL INDIVIDUALS INDIVIDUALLY AND, AND BE ABLE TO KINDA SHARE MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND, AND, UH, GET THE WORD ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
[01:50:05]
GOOD MORNING JUDGE.AND COUNCILMAN, JUDGE, YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER ME, BUT YOU HELPED ME IN 2004 ADOPT TWO CHILDREN OUTTA CPS.
ONE NAME WAS RAYMOND VAL, AND ONE WAS, UM, CHARLES CAMPING, WHICH IS DECEASED NOW.
AND I JUST ADOPTED ANOTHER CHILD IN 2023 THROUGH CPS.
MY DAUGHTER WAS KILLED IN MAY OF 29, 2021 OF A GANG VIOLENCE.
WE HAVE HAD PERSONAL FRIENDS OF MINES HAVE HAVE HAD NINE GIRLS BEING SHOT, AND EIGHT OF 'EM HAVE DIED.
MY DAUGHTER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TWO, I'M JUST KIDDING NOW.
I'M FIGHTING FOR A GRANDPARENT RIGHTS FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTER NOW, MY PERSONAL GRANDDAUGHTER NOW.
AND I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE IF YOU CAN LEAD ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO HELP ME.
NOW, I'M JUST BEING HONEST, I'M A RECOVERING ADDICT OF 34 YEARS OFF OF CRACK COCAINE.
THAT WAS MY ONLY BIOLOGICAL DAUGHTER.
AND I'M JUST HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU WHERE DO I GO TO GET SOME HELP NOW? THANK YOU.
I'LL ASK IF THERE'S ANY COUNTY STAFF THAT CAN HELP HER, PLEASE.
AND DR. GUERRERO IS HERE AS WELL.
I THINK, UH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF, OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT WE HAVE THAT CAN HELP FAMILIES, AND SO IF WE COULD, COULD HELP HER.
AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, I'M JUST HERE IN SUPPORT OF, ON OUR, ON OUR RESIDENTS TO SHOW THAT, UM, THE IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE GOES BEYOND, UM, THE VICTIMS WHO ARE, ARE HARMED BY THE GUN VIOLENCE.
UM, AND WHEN SHE ASKED ME, UM, FOR SOME HELP, I, I DIDN'T KNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN, BUT I KNEW THAT YOU HAD PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH THESE CHILDREN AND THIS GUN VIOLENCE IS, IT'S AFFECTING THE PARENTS, THE GRANDPARENTS, AND SHE'S JUST SIMPLY NEEDING SOME HELP, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGHT, UM, FOR HER GRANDDAUGHTER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HER DAUGHTER WAS LOST TO GUN VIOLENCE.
UM, AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COURT FOR GIVING US THIS TIME AND IF THERE'S ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN GIVE NOT ONLY HER, BUT UM, THE RESIDENTS OF BEXAR COUNTY AND HELP WHEN THEY'RE EXPERIENCING THE IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
JUST REAL QUICK, BENNY, THERE MAY ALSO BE A ROLE, UM, IN OUR VICTIM ADVOCACY, UH, FAMILY, UH, UH, CENTER HERE.
SO WE MAY BE ABLE TO, UH, CHECK INTO VICTIM ADVOCACY AS WELL.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL ASK THAT WE CONNECT, UH, CONNECT YOU AND AND THE FAMILY TO THAT SERVICE.
I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES OUR CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
WERE ARE THERE ANY OTHER CITIZENS THAT SIGNED UP AND I DID NOT CALL YOUR NAME.
[59. Discussion and appropriate action to seek approval to proceed with negotiations with thirteen (13) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) respondents for the distribution of opioid settlement funds as approved by the Commissioners Court on March 12, 2024.]
LET'S NOW GO TO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. WE'LL, FIRST TAKE UP ITEM 15, 9 59, UH, DISCUSSION, APPROPRIATE ACTION TO SEEK APPROVAL TO PROCEED WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH 13 NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY, NOFA RESPONDENTS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS AS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT ON MARCH 12TH, 2024.ANDREA GUERRO, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH FOR BEXAR COUNTY.
UM, ARE, UM, VERY HAPPY TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU TODAY.
WE ARE SEEKING, UM, APPROVAL OR APPROVAL TO NEGOTIATE WITH RECOMMENDED PROGRAMS, UM, THOSE THAT RESPONDED TO OUR NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, UM, BACK IN JUNE OF 2017, BEXAR COUNTY AND, UH, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CONVENED A JOINT OPIOID TASK FORCE, UM, TO DO AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF, UM, OPIOID ABUSE AND OVERDOSE IN BEXAR COUNTY.
UH, THE, THE SUBSEQUENT, UH, RESULT OF THAT TASK FORCE, UM, WAS THAT COMMISSIONER'S COURT FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST OPIOID MANUFACTURERS ON BEHALF OF BEXAR COUNTY, UM, TO, TO PROCURE, TO SEEK, UH, SETTLEMENT DOLLARS THAT COULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY MARCH OF 2023.
SO A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, UM, WE PRESENTED A SPENDING POLICY DISBURSEMENT POLICY BA BASED ON HHS, UM, STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES, AND ASK THE COURT TO ADOPT THAT POLICY SO THAT MOVING FORWARD WE COULD RECOMMEND PROGRAMS THAT WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE WAY THAT THE COURT WANTED TO, TO SPEND THOSE DOLLARS.
[01:55:01]
FROM ACCESS TO CARE, EARLY IDENTIFICATION, UH, CON CONTINUITY OF CARE PREVENTION, INTERVENTION TREATMENT EVALUATION ADMINISTRATION, HARM REDUCTION, UH, FROM THE, THE LAWSUITS, UM, WE RECEIVED, OR, UH, BEAR COUNTY RECEIVED FOUR, ALMOST 14 POINT HALF MILLION DOLLARS, UM, FROM, UH, FROM THOSE LAWSUITS.UM, IN, UM, FY 21 THROUGH 23, THERE WERE SOME DISBURSEMENTS MADE FROM THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND.
UM, THERE YOU SEE, WE FUNDED, UM, THE CASA ME PROGRAM FOR WOMEN AT $1.5 MILLION.
WE HAVE FUNDED, UM, AN A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER PROGRAM COORDINATOR THAT IS STAFFED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AT BEXAR COUNTY.
UM, WE PURCHASED NARCAN THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO FIRST RESPONDERS IN BEXAR COUNTY AND TO, UM, TO COURT OF, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, STAFF.
UM, AND WE ALSO DISPERSED A PORTION OF THE CHCS GENERAL FUND CONTRACT.
UM, THAT WAS AN, AN INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AND SO WE'VE, UM, USED 1.7, A LITTLE OVER $1.7 MILLION TO FUND THAT CONTRACT.
SO TO DATE, A TOTAL OF 3.4 MILLION HAS BEEN DISPERSED TO THESE PROGRAMS. AND SO THAT LEFT US A REMAINING BALANCE OF A LITTLE OVER $11 MILLION GOING INTO THE, THE NOFA PROCESS.
UM, WE, UM, PUBLISHED THE NOFA IN APRIL, UM, OF THIS YEAR.
UM, WE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS OF THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE THROUGH MAY AND JUNE.
UM, AND IN JULY, UH, THE, THAT EVALUATION COMMITTEE PRODUCED THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE MET WITH EACH OF YOUR OFFICES AND BRIEFED YOU ON SPECIFICS AND, UM, DETAILS OF EACH ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE BEEN RECOMMEND THAT WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING TODAY.
UM, AND WE, WE'VE HAD THIS PRESENTATION READY FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
SO, UM, IF YOU APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TODAY, THEN WE'LL BEGIN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS THIS MONTH IN NOVEMBER OF 2024 OPPOSED TO OCTOBER.
SO, UM, WE RECEIVED 14 RESPONSES TO OUR NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING 13 OF THOSE.
UH, THE FIRST IS RISE RECOVERY AT 699,819.
THIS IS FOR THEIR PEER SUPPORT RECOVERY, UM, PROGRAM THAT IS A COMPLIMENT TO THEIR, UM, RECOVERY CAMPUS THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY FUNDED THROUGH ARPA FUNDS THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, SAN ANTONIO COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG.
THAT IS ADA, THAT IS FOR THEIR YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM BRIDGE, SAN ANTONIO RECOVERY CAPITAL GROUP.
THAT IS A MEDICATED ASSISTED TREATMENT PROGRAM, UH, SOUTHWEST TEXAS REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THAT IS RAC THAT, UH, THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE SPECIFIC TO A PROGRAM THAT WILL ADDRESS HIGH UTILIZERS, THE HIGH UTILIZER PROGRAM SPECIFIC FOR OPIOID USE.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO PROGRAM THAT'S ALREADY FUNDED BY THIS COURT, UM, FOR HIGH, HIGH UTILIZERS OF MENTAL HEALTH, UM, SERVICES.
UM, SAN ANTONIO NEXUS CONNECTION, ALSO MEDICATED ASSISTANT TREATED TREATMENT PROGRAM.
SA IS A RESIDENTIAL SOBER LIVING PROGRAM THAT IS, UM, LOCATED ON THE CAMPUS OF HAVEN FOR HOPE.
UM, ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT.
THAT PROGRAM IS 375,000 TO SUPPORT, UM, AN IUD AND, UH, A PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIES FOLKS THAT HAVE IDD, SORRY, IDD AND A CO-OCCURRING, UH, DIAGNOSIS OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
UH, UH, ALPHA HOME IS A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FOR, UH, WOMEN WHO ARE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN WITH THEM DURING, UH, DURING THEIR TREATMENT.
SAN ANTONIO LIFETIME RECOVERY.
ALSO, UH, RESIDENTIAL SOBER LIVING.
CROSSPOINT RESIDENTIAL SOBER LIVING FREE TEXAS, UM, IS A PROGRAM THAT WILL HELP FOLKS WHO, UM, ARE OVERCO OVERCOMING DRUG ADDICTION, WHO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED, AND THE THERAPEUTIC JUSTICE FOUNDATION, UM, THAT IS A PROGRAM TO SUPPORT, UH, MATERIALS, SERVICES, TREATMENT FOR, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH DWI DIVERSION.
SO, UM, IN TOTAL WE RECEIVED, UM, ABOUT 12 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, UM, IN REQUESTS.
WE ARE, WE ARE PROPOSING 7,993,364, UM, FOR, UH, WHICH LEAVES A BALANCE OF A LITTLE OVER 3 MILLION, $3.2 MILLION, UM, REMAINING IN THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND.
WE ALSO EXPECT ANOTHER PAYOUT OF ABOUT 840,000 SOMETIME THIS FISCAL YEAR, BUT I DON'T HAVE A DEFINITE DATE ON WHEN THAT WOULD BE DELIVERED TO BEAR COUNTY.
UM, THE, THESE ARE, THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT HAS BEEN RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOFA.
UM, WE WOULD COME BACK TO THE COURT FOR OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS, EITHER INTERNAL PROGRAMS OR IF YOU'D LIKE FOR US TO SUBMIT OR TO RELEASE ANOTHER NOFA, UM, TO ADDRESS THE REMAINING BALANCE OF A LITTLE OVER $3 MILLION OR PROBABLY CLOSER TO FOUR AFTER THIS YEAR.
SO OUR RECOMMENDED MOTION IS TO AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATIONS WITH
[02:00:01]
THESE 13 RESPONDENTS TO DISPERSE THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.UM, AND, UM, ONCE WE GET INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THESE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS, WE'LL BRING THOSE CONTRACTS BACK TO COURT FOR APPROVAL.
THAT CONCLUDES YOUR PRESENTATION.
THAT IS, THAT IS MY PRESENTATION.
IS THERE A MOTION? I MOTION TO APPROVE JUDGE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ? SECOND.
A, UM, THANK YOU FOR, UH, BRIEFING US AGAIN.
I WAS TRYING TO RECOLLECT 'CAUSE IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
I THINK IT WAS THE SUMMERTIME THAT WE GOT BRIEFED.
IT HAS, WE WERE, UH, WE WERE PRIORITIZING ARPA CONTRACTS.
BECAUSE THERE WAS, THOSE ARE TIME SENSITIVE AND WE, WE HAD A LITTLE MORE TIME TO DO THIS.
AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS GONNA BE PART OF MY QUESTION.
'CAUSE I KNOW OFTEN WHAT FRUSTRATES ME IS, UM, THE, THE, THE LENGTH IT TAKES TO GET THESE THINGS.
I MEAN, HERE WE ARE FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE FACT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE WORKING ON THE HIGHER PRIORITY.
I MEAN, NOT NECESSARILY IN TERMS OF NEED, BUT IN TERMS OF, UM, TIMELINE AND RESTRICTIONS ON, ON DOLLARS.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS.
I THINK, UM, YOU, YOU, YOU AND THE TEAM DID THE BEST TO STRETCH THESE DOLLARS AS, AS BEST YOU CAN TO A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS WHO DO ALL DO GREAT WORK IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO AFTER THIS IS APPROVED, THEN, ASSUMING IT IS TODAY, UM, YOU THINK THE CONTRACTS WILL BE IN PLACE BY WHEN? AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? I MEAN, IT'S ALL UP TO LARRY IN THE DA'S OFFICE, ISN'T IT? YES.
I'M SUPPORTIVE, JUDGE, AND, AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK COMMISSIONER BOOTY.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU WALKING THROUGH THE, UH, THE LIST HERE.
AND, AND I KNOW OBVIOUSLY, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, UM, OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS AND, UH, I BELIEVE YOU HAD SAT DOWN WITH MY STAFF WITH REGARD TO, TO THE SPECIFICS ON SOME OF THESE, THESE PROJECTS AND EVERYTHING.
UM, I'LL BE HONEST THOUGH, I WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN LIKE A PARAGRAPH OR BULLETS FOR EACH ONE OF THESE, UH, INDIVIDUAL RESPONDENTS, LIKE IN THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL.
SO IT WAS JUST EASIER TO, TO FIND.
WE CAN GET THROUGH, GET THAT TO YOU.
AND I, I BELIEVE WE SENT THIS TO YOUR OFFICE AS WELL.
THIS IS, THIS IS A LOT OF DETAIL ON EACH INDIVIDUAL RESPONSE.
WELL, UM, WE'LL GO BACK AND, AND FIGURE OUT WHERE, WHERE IT WAS LEFT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO JUST LOOK AT THE, UH, AGENDA ITEM AND ACTUALLY KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE RESPONDENTS.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK, BUT WE NEED TO FULLY, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE ARE AND, AND, UM, PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK AND EVERYTHING.
UM, ONE OTHER THING I WANNA MENTION AROUND DATA COLLECTION FROM RESPONDENTS.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ENSURE THAT THAT HAPPENS? WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT ARPA, BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING ON THIS SIDE FOR EACH ONE OF THESE CONTRACTS? THE OUTCOMES, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S DONE ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS.
SO, UM, CONTINUED FUNDING IS CONTINGENT ON THE FACT THAT WE RECEIVE NOT ONLY FINANCIAL INVOICES, BUT THAT WE RECEIVE THE DATA THAT IS ENSHRINED IN THEIR CONTRACT.
SO THE METRICS THAT THEY HAVE PROPOSED WITHIN THEIR PROPOSALS WILL BE PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR REPORTING, LIKE I SAID, NOT JUST FOR FOR TO GET ANOTHER CHECK, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PERFORMING IN THE WAY THAT THEY, THEY PROPOSED.
AND SO, AND I CAN ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE MELISSA LUCIO AND VANESSA FIERCE, THEY ARE OUR SUBSTANCE USE, UM, DISORDER TEAM, UM, IN THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
THEY WERE INTEGRAL TO THIS NOFA PROCESS AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO'LL BE MONITORING THESE.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE AN EVALUATION PLAN, UM, AND I'M, I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN OUR LOGIC MODELS.
EACH ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS WILL HAVE A LOGIC MODEL, UM, THAT WILL OUTLINE EACH OF THE OUTCOMES THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED, UM, AND WHAT THOSE LOGIC MODELS ARE.
OUTCOMES ARE REALLY WHAT CHANGED AS A RESULT OF WHAT THEY DID WITH THIS MONEY, UM, AND WHAT THE VALUE ADD IS TO THE COMMUNITY BASED ON THEIR WORK.
AND THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THAT.
I THINK THERE'S REPORTING IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THE RESPONDENTS ARE ACTUALLY DOING WHAT THEY SAID THEY WERE GONNA DO WITH THE GRANT THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S SUCCESSFUL IN TERMS OF TACTICS AND AND PROCEDURES OUT THERE AND ACTUALLY ADDRESSING AND REFORMING OUTCOMES.
UM, SO I THINK BOTH SIDES OF THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THAT DATA COLLECTION DISCUSSION WITH RESPONDENTS.
AND ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TODAY AND IN OUR INTERNAL TEAM ARE ALL PART OF A TIGER TEAM THAT IS HOSTED BY STRAC THAT IS FOCUSED JUST ON SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES, UM, AND AS WELL AS OVERDOSE AND, AND, UM, BUT BASICALLY REALLY JUST SUBSTANCE USE STUFF.
AND SO THAT TIGER TEAM MEETS ONCE A MONTH.
ALL OF THESE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, WILL BE SHARED WITH THAT TEAM.
THEY WILL ALSO BE REVIEWING OUTCOMES AS WE GO ALONG SO THAT WE'RE GIVING, NOT JUST GETTING THE INPUT OF THE ONES THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, BUT THE INPUT OF THE ENTIRE SUBSTANCE USE COMMUNITY AND RECOVERY COMMUNITY, THAT
[02:05:01]
THAT CAN, UM, HELP US INFORM BEST PRACTICES GOOD AND THE CREATION OF BEST PRACTICES.AND MAYBE IN SIX MONTHS WE COULD COME BACK AND KIND OF REVIEW WHERE WE'RE AT WITH, WITH, UH, THAT DATA AND, AND WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITH THIS, UH, OPIOID FUNDING.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE COURT KIND OF GOING FORWARD AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S WORKING OUT THERE.
UM, I JUST WROTE ANOTHER NOTE TO MYSELF DOWN, BUT JUST, JUST OVERALL PICTURE AND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THIS DATA TODAY, UH, THERE WAS RECENTLY AN ARTICLE, UH, WRITTEN ABOUT IT IN THE LOCAL NEWS, BUT JUST LOOKING AT OPIOID DEATHS AND OTHER DRUG RELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS OVER THE LAST, UH, FEW YEARS AND, AND THE KIND OF GROWTH DURING COVID.
UM, BUT TRYING TO BREAK THAT DOWN MORE GRANULAR TO, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT A MONTH BY MONTH BASIS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HAVE WE TURNED THE CORNER ON ANY OF THESE? ARE THEY CONTINUING TO, TO GROW? UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW IF, IF THOSE, UH, TRENDS HAVE PEAKED AND WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED TO MAKE PROGRESS OR NOT.
SO, UM, AND THERE MAY BE SOME SEASONALITY IN THAT DATA AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M JUST NOT, NOT SURE BECAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN THE DATA IN THAT FORM, BUT IF WE HAVE THAT DATA, I KNOW I'D LIKE TO SEE IT, MY STAFF WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT AND KIND OF BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE WE SIT TODAY AND, UM, OBVIOUSLY BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT GOING FORWARD AND SEE IF WE'RE ACTUALLY MAKING PROGRESS ON THIS FRONT 'CAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY A, A HUGE CONCERN TO, UH, TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND, AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND, AND OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'VE WORKED, WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THEY ARE INTRODUCING A RESOLUTION AT CITY COUNCIL TO DECLARE, UM, OVERDOSE A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ON THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR TEXTS.
WE HOPE TO BRING THE SAME RESOLUTION BACK TO THIS COURT JUST TO, TO, TO SOLIDIFY OUR COMMITMENT TO, TO LOOKING AT OVERDOSE.
WE FEEL LIKE THIS, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD, UM, ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES.
BUT, UM, TO REALLY MAKE IT OFFICIAL AND JOIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN THAT RESOLUTION, THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR US IN TERMS OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, AND SO I THINK THEY'RE TAKING IT TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT, I MEAN, TO COMMISSIONER TO CITY COUNCIL ON THE 21ST.
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE, UM, TAKING CARE OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THE URGENCY IN THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THESE DOLLARS ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT WE WILL BRING THAT DATA BACK TO YOU ALONG WITH THAT RESOLUTION AND ASK THE, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO, TO ALSO DECLARE.
IF, IF WE CAN JUST FIGURE OUT THE TIMELINE FOR KIND OF COMING BACK AND TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE DATA.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS, PROBABLY A GOOD, GOOD WINDOW TO ACTUALLY GET SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS STARTED AND, AND SEE WHAT THE RESULTS ARE.
BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD.
UH, YOU AND I AND I HAVE PROVIDED A LOT OF INPUT TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF IN REGARDS TO THIS PARTICULAR FUND AND SOURCE AND THE, UH, ALLOTMENT OF THESE FUNDS AS WE ARE TO MAKE THAT DECISION VERY SHORTLY HERE.
IS THAT A CORRECT STATEMENT? YES.
UH, I BELIEVE I MADE IT VERY CLEAR FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS COUNTY JUDGE, THAT I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE, UH, ALLOCATING THESE RESOURCES, BUYING A DELIVERY OF SERVICES, SO TO SPEAK, MAKING SURE THAT THE, THESE, UH, MONIES WERE BE USING SO THAT IT HAS THE GREATEST IMPACT ON US COM COMMUNITY.
IS THAT ALSO CORRECT STATEMENT? YES, SIR.
AND ALSO TOO, I BELIEVE I MADE IT REAL CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEEDED TO REALLY LOOK AT THESE, UM, GRANT APPLICATIONS AND TO REALLY ASSESS IT.
IS IT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CONTRACT PROCESS WILL BE A, IS IT GONNA BE A REIMBURSABLE, UH, CONTRACT YES.
SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO DELIVER SERVICES OR INCUR EXPENSES AND THEN SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE COUNTY FOR THESE PARTICULAR FUNDS? YES.
AND WHAT, IF ANY, EFFORTS HAVE Y'ALL SET UP TO MAKE THAT MEASUREMENT OF DELIVERABLES? I THINK THAT'S THE REFERENCE COMMISSIONER MOODY IS MAKING FOR A SIX MONTH REVIEW OF, UM, CAN YOU GIVE US JUST A BRIEF OVER, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THE DATA, THE, THE, THE, THE BETA, SO TO SPEAK, OF WHAT YOU'RE EXACTLY GONNA DO.
BUT CAN YOU GIVE US SAY, A, UH, GENERAL SENSE OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO SHARE THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF EACH INDIVIDUAL, UH, GRANTEE? YES.
IN OUR HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE, UM, ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMING UP WITH THESE CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS, UM, TO, TO PUT TIME BOUND, UM, RESTRICTIONS ON INVOICING AND, UH, AND, AND, AND THE ATTACHED, UH, OUTCOME AND DELIVERABLE SO THAT, SO THAT, BECAUSE IT IS REIMBURSEMENT THAT THE CONTRACT WOULD STIPULATE THAT, UM, FUNDING COULD BE JEOPARDIZED IF THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DOCUMENT, UM, THE RESULTS THAT THEY EXPECT OR THAT THEY'VE PROPOSED.
[02:10:02]
AND YOU'LL BE MAKING THAT VERY CLEAR TO OUR GRANTEES OF WHAT EXPECTATIONS.OCCASIONALLY WE SEE GRANTEES THAT HAVE NOT REALLY BEEN EXPLAINED, OR THEY JUST DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH OF THE, UH, DOCUMENTATION AND PROCESS THAT THEY NEED TO DO ON THEIR END.
AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, I'M NOT GETTING CALLS SIX MONTHS FROM NOW SAYING WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING.
SO WOULD YOU PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTED AND IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE ANY ADJUSTMENTS, BRING THOSE MATTERS BACK YEAH.
AB WHEN YOU CAN, SO THAT WE CAN THEN MAKE FURTHER DECISIONS AS WE WILL WITH THE REMAINING BALANCE OF FUNDS.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SINGLE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTION? MOTION CARRIES.
[60. Discussion and appropriate action regarding Bexar County's Legislative Program for the 89th Texas Legislature.]
WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER 60, DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION.REGARDING BEXAR COUNTY LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
GOOD MORNING, JUDGE COMM COMMISSIONERS.
MELISSA SHANNON FROM THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UM, WHAT THOMAS IS PASSING OUT TO YOU NOW IS OUR PROPOSED AGENDA FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR THE 89TH SESSION.
UM, AS YOU'LL REMEMBER FROM FROM PAST PROGRAMS, WE SPLIT IT INTO TWO ITEMS. ONE ARE THE INITIATIVES, THOSE ITEMS THAT WE WILL SEEK, BILLS TO ACTUALLY CHANGE STATUTE OR, UM, GET APPROPRIATIONS FUNDING ITEMS FOR.
AND THE POLICIES ARE THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT STATEMENT THAT, UM, DIRECTS, UM, HOW I OPPOSE OR SUPPORT BILLS THAT ARE FILED.
SO THE THREE INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM VARIOUS OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS, UM, BUILDING PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS, THE WAY THE STATUTE IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, IT'S LIMITED TO ONLY HARRIS COUNTY.
SO WE'RE ASKING THAT TO BE BROUGHT DOWN TO A POPULATION OF 2 MILLION TO INCLUDE BEXAR COUNTY IN IT.
THAT WOULD ALLOW OUR FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE TO INSPECT OUR OWN BUILDINGS FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST, LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.
WE, UH, WILL BE SEEKING ASKING THE STATE TO APPROPRIATE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDING TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO GO INTO, UM, FORENSIC PATHOLOGY AND TO HELP THEM REPAY THEIR STUDENT LOANS.
UM, SO THAT'S NOT MONEY THAT WOULD BE COMING TO BEAR COUNTY, BUT IT WE'RE JUST ASKING THE, THE STATE TO SET UP FUNDING.
AND THEN LASTLY, YOU'LL REMEMBER THIS ITEM FROM, UH, PREVIOUS SESSIONS, VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE ELECTION.
WE ARE, UH, ASKING THE STATE TO ALLOW US TO TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS TO ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD BE AMENABLE TO INCREASING OUR VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE, UM, TO $20.
AND THAT'S WHAT FUNDS THE RMA.
ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, MR. RODRIGUEZ.
UM, MELISSA, I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU AND I ARE ALSO INVOLVED QUITE A BIT WITH THE CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTIES, AND I'M, I'M CHAIRING THAT POLICY COMMITTEE.
THIS, UH, GO AROUND IN ADVANCE OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I KNOW WE MEET, I THINK NEXT WEEK IN AUSTIN.
NEXT WEDNESDAY TO FINALIZE THOSE ARE, I, I GUESS, UM, EVEN THOUGH THEY, THEY, THERE'S A COMMON THREAD.
THOSE ARE BROADER, UH, COUNTYWIDE ISSUES THAT RELATE TO OUR URBAN COUNTIES IN TEXAS.
UM, I'M ASSUMING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE KEPT THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU MAKE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT, UM, THE URBAN COUNTIES ARE FOCUSING ON.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD, UH, CHANGE IN, UM, NOT NECESSARILY A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, BUT WITH THE ELECTION, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE DIFFERENT PLAYERS AND WE WON'T KNOW THAT PROBABLY TILL, UM, LATER IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY.
UM, BUT I THINK THE, THE CORE OF THESE, UM, POLICY INITIATIVES ARE, UH, CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UM, WITH THE OTHER URBAN COUNTIES, AND, AND AGAIN, WE'RE MEETING NEXT WEEK TO FINALIZE THAT.
I KNOW I'VE REACHED OUT TO COMMISSIONER, UH, MOODY AND CERTAINLY WANNA EXTEND THAT TO COMMISSIONER CALVERT.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING, UM, I WILL SEND OVER THE DRAFT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AT URBAN COUNTIES NEXT WEEK, AND IF, UH, ANYBODY FROM THE COURT HAS INPUT, CERTAINLY HAPPY TO, TO CARRY THAT, UM, TO THE REST OF THE GROUP.
BUT, UM, I THINK, UH, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR 89TH SESSION MO MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
I JUST HAVE TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN WHEN YOU SAY SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A PI TO USE
[02:15:01]
A PETITION IN THE ELECTION PROCEDURES AT THE TIME OF THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION? SO, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.SO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ONLY WHEN IT'S ANNEXATION OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ANY PIT PEOPLE WILL GET A VOTE WHETHER THEY GET IN THE PIT? WHAT DO YOU, WHICH ONE ARE YOU REFERRING? THIS IS ON POLICIES.
UH, POLICY SECOND BULLET ANNEXATION PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.
IT SAYS SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A PI TO USE THAT.
SO THE ESDS HAVE ASKED US TO INCLUDE THIS.
WHAT I'M, MY QUESTION IS BASICALLY, UH, DOES THIS MEAN THAT IF WE'RE CREATING A PI, THAT THERE'S A VOTE OF PEOPLE WITHIN THAT TERRITORY? SO TO BE ANNEXED OR TO BE IN THE PI? SO WHAT THEY ARE ASKING IS, UM, TO ALLOW THE PI AT THE TIME OF ANNEXATION OF THAT PI IF, IF PROPERTY WITHIN THE PI WILL BE ANNEXED.
THE, THE PI WANTS TO TAKE A VOTE, WANTS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A VOTE.
SO THIS IS, SO THIS IS REALLY FOR MIN MUNICIPALITIES LOOKING TO ANNEX.
UH, THAT THE PIT WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A VOTE BEFORE THAT.
BUT NOW, CURRENTLY, THAT'S STATE LAW, ISN'T IT? THAT IF YOU'RE ANNEXING AN AREA EXCEPT WITH WHAT YOU CALL A FINGER ANNEXATION WITH, WHICH IS A THOUSAND FEET, THE WAY I, AND I THINK THE WAY I, AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE ESD ITEM, BUT I THINK THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT IS, I GUESS THERE ARE THESE NON ANNEXATION, THE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE, OKAY.
ON, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THERE WHEN THE PIT IS CREATED AND WHEN, 30 YEARS OR WHATEVER, WHEN THOSE RUN OUT.
THEN THE, THE PIT WANTS TO AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH BEING ANNEXED AT THAT POINT.
SO THE NON ANNEXATION AGREEMENT IS WHAT THIS IS REFERRING TO.
UH, BECAUSE IT WOULD BASICALLY, WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON THE TERRITORY, BECAUSE ISN'T IT THE CASE UNDER TEXAS LAW AFTER SENATOR CAMPBELL PASSED THAT AMENDMENT A FEW YEARS AGO, THAT VOTERS GET A CHOICE OF WHETHER TO BE ANNEXED BUT NOT WITH THE NON ANNEX? AH, THIS IS A LOOPHOLE.
SO THIS IS, SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THE ESDS ARE LOSING TERRITORY, BASICALLY.
SO THIS GIVES THOSE FOLKS, 'CAUSE THERE WAS IN THE LEGISLATION A LOOPHOLE.
AND SO THIS IS FILLING THAT LOOPHOLE FOR A VOTE.
THEN THAT MAKES MORE SENSE TO ME.
UH, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER MOODY.
UM, I HAVE SOME, SOME COMMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, ACHIEVE HERE.
BECAUSE I'LL SAY THERE'S MANY GOOD THINGS IN, IN THIS PROPOSAL THAT, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT, AND THERE'S STILL OTHERS THAT JUST HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT IS THE DETAIL B BEHIND IT, RIGHT.
I MEAN, WE KINDA HAVE SOME HIGH LEVEL ONE SENTENCE KIND OF, UM, PRINCIPLES OR, OR, OR IDEA, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NO BILLS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY OF THIS.
UM, IT'S REALLY JUST A REALLY HIGH LEVEL CONCEPT.
AND SO, UM, IT COULD BECOME PROBLEMATIC IN TERMS OF EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR, WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO SUPPORT.
UM, SO I MEAN, THE FIRST THING I JUST, I THINK THAT THIS, AND I, I KNOW YOU'RE IN A, A TOUGH SITUATION IN TRYING TO INCORPORATE, UH, FEEDBACK FROM THE COURT AND FIND SOMETHING THAT THERE'S AGREEMENT ON.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE LENGTH.
FIRST OF ALL, COULD YOU SPEAK TO HOW MANY NUMBERS, HOW MANY ITEMS WE'VE HAD IN PREVIOUS YEARS? 'CAUSE I THINK I COUNTED, WE'RE UP TO 27 ON, ON THIS ITEM, AND I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT.
I KNOW THAT OUR, OUR TEAM HAS PUT FORWARD SOME OF THESE ITEMS THAT I THINK ARE VALUABLE AND NECESSARY.
BUT WE ARE UP TO 27 ITEMS NOW.
YEAH, I, I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD COMMISSIONER, BUT I DO, DO KNOW, UM, IT'S GENERALLY TWO PAGES, UM, OF THE POLICIES.
SO YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE OVER, UM, OF WHAT WE USUALLY DO, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
AND LET ME JUST SAY AGAIN, I, I THINK THAT IF WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE KIND OF THE CONCEPT, IT WOULD BE NICE TO INCLUDE KIND OF THE WHY OR THE SO WHAT FOR THE COUNTY BECAUSE, UM, SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, I'M MORE FAMILIAR WITH OTHERS.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, SO WHAT IS FOR THE COUNTY.
[02:20:01]
AND, AND IT'S HARD TO NECESSARILY KNOW WHY, WHY WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR SOMETHING OR WHY WE WANT TO ADVOCATE.UM, I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, AND, AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD THIS CONVERSATION, BUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS AS, IS THIS A A POLITICAL MESSAGING CAMPAIGN OR IS IT A PRIORITIZED WORK LIST FOR OUR LOBBYIST TEAM? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S ITEMS ON HERE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO BILLS TO DATE THAT WE CAN TIE THIS TO.
THERE'S, UH, SOME ITEMS ON HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE FOR, FOR SIMPLE TERMS, DEBT ON ARRIVAL IN THE STATE LEDGE.
UM, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE WE EXPENDING RESOURCES AND TIME WITH OUR LOBBYIST TEAM VERSUS FOCUSING ON THOSE ITEMS WHERE WE THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE AND THAT OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES.
AND SO FROM MY VANTAGE POINT, I THINK WE SHOULD BE MORE FOCUSED ON THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE LATTER CASE WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE CLEAR DIRECTION TO THOSE FOLKS WORKING ON OUR BEHALF, ON YOUR TEAM, AND IN AUSTIN ABOUT THESE BILLS WE ARE, ARE ADVOCATING FOR, WE'RE WILLING TO TESTIFY FOR, AND, AND TRYING TO PUSH THEM FORWARD, UM, RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, 25 KIND OF HIGH LEVEL PRINCIPLES, CONCEPTS THAT A MAJORITY OF THE COURT MAY AGREE ON.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR, OR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
I, I THINK ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND TOO, COMMISSIONER, I, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
UM, THE ISSUE, THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS WE SEE ANYWHERE 75 7,000, 7,500 BILLS PASSED OR, UH, FILED MM-HMM.
I, I'LL GO IN IN THE MORNING AND SEE THE BILLS THAT WERE FILED, YOU KNOW, TOMORROW MORNING I'LL LOOK AT THE BILLS THAT WERE FILED YESTERDAY.
SO FROM HERE UNTIL THE END OF BILL FILING THIS, YOU KNOW, TILL MARCH.
UM, AND LIKE YOU SAID, SOME OF THEM ARE DEAD ON ARRIVAL, BUT YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
SO THIS GIVES ME LEEWAY, I GUESS, IF YOU WOULD, TO KNOW WHAT THE PRIORITIES OF THE, WHAT YOUR FULL COURT, WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE, THAT I KNOW WHAT I'VE GOT TO LOOK WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW FROM SESSION TO SESSION WHAT WILL BE FILED.
WE, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL CHOICE WILL BE ONE OF THE BIG ITEMS. SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT REALLY AFFECTS US.
SO, BUT THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT JUST COME OUT OF LEFT FIELD THAT BLINDSIDE US THAT WE'VE GOT TO WATCH FOR.
AND THIS KIND OF GIVES ME THE COVER TO, TO KNOW WHAT THE COURT, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COURT.
AND, AND LISTEN, I, I DON'T WANNA, UH, BEAT A DEAD HORSE HERE.
I, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON, ON POLICY PRIORITIES.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT I'M JUST ONE MEMBER OF THE COURT HERE.
BUT, UM, I JUST WANNA PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK AND, AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST, UH, SOME OF THE, UM, CONCERNS I WOULD HAVE AND IN TERMS OF WHERE WE GO WITH THIS AND HOW WE UTILIZE IT GOING FORWARD VERSUS THINKING ABOUT HOW WE PRIORITIZE WITH OUR LOBBYIST TEAM IN A VERY TARGETED FASHION BASED ON BILLS THAT, THAT WE KNOW ARE COMING FORWARD AND, AND THAT WE WANNA ADVOCATE, UM, YOU KNOW, AGGRESSIVELY ON.
BUT, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS ITEM TODAY, BASED ON HOW IT'S WRITTEN AND ALL THE ITEMS, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT IT.
UH, BUT I JUST WANT TO AT LEAST PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
AND JUST KNOW TOO THAT THIS IS OUR STARTING POINT.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS YOU REMEMBER, I'LL COME BACK DURING SESSION ON THOSE TUESDAYS AND BRIEF YOU ON THOSE HOT, YOU KNOW, THOSE HOT BILL ITEMS THAT COME UP.
AND WE WILL, UM, I'LL PRESENT A RESOLUTION FOR THE COURT TO APPROVE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ALREADY IN OUR AGENDA.
SO THIS, THIS IS NOT THE BE ALL END ALL.
UM, I'VE GOT A GET EDUCATED FROM, UH, DAVID SMITH AND LARRY ON THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
UM, WE'VE BEEN TRYING AS A COURT TO PUT SO FORWARD SOME THINGS THAT WOULD HELP COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AS WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.
BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE HAVE SOME SORT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL.
IT'S EITHER A, UH, A LAW THAT WAS PASSED AND OR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS, UH, ISSUING OPINIONS ABOUT THE COUNTY ISSUING, UH, BONDS FOR PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? CAN YOU EDUCATE ME? WAS THAT A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED? SOMETHING CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN THE LAST SESSION? YES, THERE WERE.
THE LEGISLATURE PASSED AND THE, IT BECAME LAW.
[02:25:01]
WERE A WHOLE LIST OF PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES THAT WE COULD NOT FUND.AND WHAT WAS THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION? I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT, DO YOU KNOW, I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP.
I TRY AND FORGET SESSION TO SESSION
LARRY, DO YOU KNOW? I'LL GET IT TO YOU, COMMISSIONER.
I MEAN, WE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO BOND COUNCIL ABOUT IT, AND IT, YEAH, IT RESTRICTED WHAT COUNTIES CAN DO WITH BOND FUNDS.
BUT I, I CAN GET IT TO FOR YOU BECAUSE I, I NEED TO READ IT AND WE NEED TO HAVE KIND OF A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE I THINK THE COMMUNITY CAN HELP US.
I NOTICED YOUR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION POINT, WHICH IS THAT BASICALLY SPEAKING TO THAT ISSUE.
SO IT'S HOPEFULLY A CLEANUP BILL.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE STRATEGIES FOR US MOVING FORWARD IS TO TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC MULTIPLIER THAT HAS BEEN STIFLED BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO COMMUNITY PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY DONE.
THIS IS, TO ME, SOMETHING THAT WASN'T BROKE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, UM, SO IN ANY EVENT, UM, I, BECAUSE YOU SO, SO IF THAT'S WHAT THIS IS, I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF GETTING THIS FIXED.
SO I'M GONNA SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ'S MOTION TO APPROVE THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
CAN I, ALRIGHT, WELL LET, LET ME PUT ON RECORD MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CICK.
COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, BACK TO YOU.
JUST BRIEFLY, UM, I, I THINK TO YOUR POINT, MELISSA, ABOUT HOW THINGS TEND TO NARROW AS WE GET, YOU KNOW, INTO SESSION, CLOSER TO SESSION.
UM, I WAS TALKING WITH THE JUDGE ABOUT IT IN YEARS PAST.
WE HAVE DONE KIND OF A PRE-SESSION OR EARLY SESSION HUDDLE WITH OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, DELEGATION A BREAKFAST.
I THINK IT HELPS TO, UM, HEAR THEIR FEEDBACK AS WELL.
UM, I KNOW IT'S HARD TO COORDINATE EVERYBODY'S CALENDAR, BUT MAYBE WE CAN VISIT ABOUT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, I THINK IT HELPS CRYSTALLIZE WHAT THEY'RE FOCUSING ON.
I THINK TO COMMISSIONER MOODY'S POINT, UM, IT, IT DOES, YOU KNOW, KIND OF NATURALLY GO FROM 25 TO FIVE RIGHT OVER THE COURSE OF THE SESSION.
BUT, UH, TO BRING IN OUR LOBBY TEAM, SIT WITH, UH, OUR LOCAL DELEGATION, IF YOU CAN MAYBE WORK ON COORDINATING CALENDARS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
WE DEFINITELY CAN, UH, KIND OF IN ADVANCE OR THE EARLY PART OF JANUARY, THE CHIEF, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN THE CHIEF'S MEETING, SO WE CAN, WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THE CHIEFS TOMORROW, Y'ALL, YOUR CHIEF'S OF STAFF.
SO WE CAN SETTLE ON A DATE, HOPEFULLY TOMORROW AND GET SOMETHING ON THE CALENDAR.
THANK YOU, JUDGE, BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE, IT'S A POSTED MEETING SINCE YOU WILL HAVE A QUORUM, MOST LIKELY.
WELL, LET ME MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
AND I'M REALLY TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE DAIS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS BEFORE AND IT'S CREATED A ROBUST DISCUSSION.
UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE A BIT OF A MORE OF A PROCESS SO THAT I BELIEVE INCORPORATES ALL THE COMMENTS MADE TODAY.
OBVIOUSLY WE WILL HAVE ISSUES THAT ARE VERY COUNTY CENTRIC AND WE REALLY NEED TO PUSH ISSUES THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT, PERTINENT TO THE COUNTY.
UH, WE ALSO MAY HAVE ISSUES THAT ARE COLLATERAL TO THE COUNTY, SUCH AS OUR ESDS, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A FEW, UH, VETTING, SO TO SPEAK, TO MAKE SURE THOSE ISSUES DON'T CONFLICT WITH WHAT IS MOST IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE MANY ISSUES THAT ARE STATED, BOTH INITIATIVES AND POLICIES.
UH, AND SO, AND I REALIZE THAT WE ARE PROBABLY ALWAYS GONNA HAVE A DISSENT, MINORITY DISSENT E WHATEVER WAY THAT MAY BE IN REGARDS TO SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE BRING FORWARD.
I THINK COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, UH, I ECHO YOUR, AND SINCE YOU ARE THE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ON THE COUNCIL OF URBAN COUNTIES, UH, AND HAVING A DIRECT PULSE WITH THE, THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FROM THE COUNTIES AT A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL, FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD REALLY WANT A PROCESS WHERE WE MEET.
AND OF COURSE, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS THE FORMAT OF THAT.
UH, IF WE'RE GONNA MEET AS A GROUP TOGETHER WITH THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, WHICH I BELIEVE WE GOT, WHAT, 10 STATE REPS, FOUR STATE SENATORS, 14 THERE, PLUS OUR STAFFS.
THAT'S A PRETTY ROBUST MEETING.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO THAT WITH THE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE LIVE BY QUORUM OR WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
SO, UH, I WILL RAISE THAT WORD THAT PEOPLE CRINGE OF WORK SESSION.
UH, BUT IT SOUNDS BETTER WHEN YOU SAY WORKING BREAKFAST.
I MEAN, I THINK IT WAS PRE COVID.
UH, COVID KIND OF PUT A DAMPER ON THAT.
SO WE CAN, I, I AM IN ORDER FOR US TO KIND OF BRING ALL THESE COMMENTS TOGETHER, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, YOU BRING UP SOME ISSUES OF WHAT IS TRULY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTY, AND ESPECIALLY THIS.
AND SO SOME OF THESE WE'RE JUST HAVING SOME
[02:30:01]
HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSIONS.I REALLY WANT TO GET DEEPER AS TO WHAT EFFECTS THESE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE IMPOSE OR SUPPORT COULD, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PIS THAT WE LOOK AT AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, ESPECIALLY OUR UNDERSERVED AREAS.
SO, UH, I'M REALLY GOING TO ASK STAFF AT YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF MEETING, AND I'M HOPING I HAVE CONSENSUS AMONG THE COURT TO HELP STAFF PUT A MEETING TOGETHER, BREAKFAST MEETING.
I HOPE THAT'S MORE PALATABLE TO MY COLLEAGUES, UH, AND, UH, STAFF.
MAKE SURE WE HAVE BREAKFAST AND COFFEE FOR THAT
AND I THINK WE'LL ALL BE THERE AND MAKE SURE WE INVITE.
SO, UH, I, I'M GONNA, I WILL SUPPORT TODAY'S MOTION UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.
AND I REALLY WANNA START DRILLING DOWN AS TO SPECIFIC INITIATIVES THAT WE WANT, SPECIFIC INITIATIVES WE DON'T WANT, AND WHETHER WE NEED TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL RESOLUTIONS AS A RESULT OF THAT PROCESS SO THAT THERE'S A, A VETTING, SO TO SPEAK, OF JUST NOT A ONE BU UH, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTIVE, BUT A VERY DIRECTIVE SPECIFIC ON SPECIFIC ITEMS SO THAT UNFOR AS WE'VE HAD, I DON'T WANT TO BE SURPRISED, MELISSA.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE WORST THING YOU CAN PUT ME IN A POSITION OF I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS THERE.
I MUCH HAVE A PROACTIVE AND, UH, HAVING LAST YEAR'S EXPER OR THE LAST, UH, 23 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INCONGRUENCE WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE DI UH, AND THEY'RE GETTING A CLEAR DIRECTION FROM THE COUNTY, UNDERSTANDING THE INDIVIDUAL VIEWS THAT MAY BE RESPECTFUL.
DOES THAT KIND OF SUMMARIZE WHAT I BELIEVE EVERYBODY SAYS, OR YES, JUDGE, DO WE HAVE INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS AS A RESULT OF MY COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER MOODY? WELL, I, I JUST WANNA SAY, JUDGE, I I FULLY SUPPORT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, COMING TOGETHER, UH, WITH OUR DELEGATION AND, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATING, UH, SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE ALL COMING FROM.
WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MORE FULLY VET OUT, KIND OF, UH, WHERE WE STAND ON SOME OF THESE THINGS.
AND ALSO TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE 27 PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE REALLY GONNA LEAN INTO THAT WE THINK IS A, A KEY PRIORITY? SO WHETHER IT'S A, A WORK SESSION OR A WORKING BREAKFAST OR BREAKFAST WHERE WE MIGHT GET SOME WORK DONE, BUT
UH, AND IT'LL BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST AS WE GO INTO THIS, UH, NEW SESSION.
TO MR. COWARD, TO MR. RODRIGUEZ.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTION? MOTION CARRIES.
[61. Presentation, discussion and appropriate action regarding permission to negotiate Tax Abatement Agreements with Oxbow Real Estate, LLC for the following projects: a. Isleta LLC - 102 E. Josephine Street b. Quincy Residential, LLC - 1200 E. Elmira Street]
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP AGENDA ITEM 61, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING PERMISSION TO NEGOTIATE TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENTS WITH OXBOW REAL ESTATE LLC FOR THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS, A AND B, UH, I'LL PUT ON RECORD.COMMISSIONER CALVERT, I BELIEVE THIS IS IN YOUR PRECINCT FOUR.
AND THAT, UM, I, YOU HAVE, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED, YOU HAVE INDICATED YOUR SUPPORT, AND, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAD THE DISCUSSION FOR THIS AF THIS MORNING? ALRIGHT, ROBERT.
GOOD MORNING, JUDGE KIND COMMISSIONERS FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS ROBERT RENO WITH THE BEAR COUNTY ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND THIS MORNING I'M FILLING IN FOR DAVID MARQUEZ, WHO HAD TO LEAVE FOR ANOTHER SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT THAT SAID ON MAY 11TH, BEAR COUNTY RECEIVED TWO INCENTIVE APPLICATIONS FROM OXBOW REAL ESTATE PROPOSING TO DEVELOP TWO PROPERTIES LOCATED NORTH OF DOWNTOWN.
THESE DEVELOPMENTS AIMED TO EXPAND MARKET RATE HOUSING IN A GROWING AREA AND ALSO SUPPORT DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.
BOTH PROJECTS, AS YOU NOTED, ARE LOCATED IN BE COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR AND COMBINED REPRESENT A PRIVATE INVESTMENT OF $129 MILLION TO INCLUDE, UH, I'M SORRY, IN ADDITION TO, UH, $10 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF 275 MULTI-FAMILY UNITS.
UH, NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OMAR GONZALEZ, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT FOR OXBOW REAL ESTATE, WHO WILL PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS ON THESE EXCITING PROJECTS.
AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER TO TRY TO UNITE TOBIN HILL WITH ALL THE EXCITING STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING, UH, AT THE PEARL CAMPUS AND BEYOND.
AND SO TWO OF THESE, UH, FIT WITHIN THE CURRENT, UH, TAX ABATEMENT GUIDELINES.
UH, THEY'RE MARKET RATE HOUSING IN THE CENTER CITY, UM, AND ONE IS AIMED AT, UH, 200 UNITS.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS, UH, AN ADDITIONAL 75 UNITS.
[02:35:01]
UM, SO ONE IS ALONG, UH, ELMIRA STREET.I ACTUALLY HAVE A LITTLE MAP HERE.
UM, SO THERE'S ONE DOWN ON THE BOTTOM, YOU CAN SEE IT SAYS, UH, COOPER'S ROAD NORTH.
UH, COOPER'S ROW IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW.
UM, AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO, THAT WE CAME TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND RECEIVED A SIMILAR TYPE OF, UH, TAX ABATEMENT.
UM, SO HAPPENING IN FRONT OF THAT, UH, TOWARDS THE RIVER IS, IS COOPER'S ROW NORTH.
UH, AND IF YOU'VE BEEN, UH, TO THIS AREA RECENTLY, YOU'LL NOTICE TWO NEW BRIDGES, UH, LINK, UH, TOBIN HILL TO, UH, THINGS LIKE PULLMAN MARKET AND, AND STABLE HALL AND GARAGE.
SO A LOT OF PROJECTS ARE HAPPENING, UM, THAT ARE NOT GETTING TAX ABATEMENTS 'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT, UH, IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT GUIDELINES, WHICH IS FOR, UM, WHICH, WHICH IS FOR MULTIFAMILY.
UH, AND THEN ISLETA IS A SECOND PROJECT.
THAT'S THE 200 UNIT ONE, UH, THAT'S WEDGED BETWEEN, UH, GRAYSON, JOSEPHINE, ISLETA, AND THE RIVER.
UH, THAT'S GONNA BE A REALLY, UH, AMAZING 10 STORY, UH, PROJECT.
SO, UH, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE TWO PROJECTS I THINK, UM, WE'VE BRIEFED YOU ALL ON SORT OF THE, THE FINANCIAL MEASURES.
UM, IN THE MEANTIME, I KNOW THAT, UH, WE'VE DONE, UH, AN ECONOMIC STUDY, UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF COOL, 120,000 JOBS HAVE BEEN CREATED, UH, AT PEARL, UM, OVER $210 MILLION OF ECONOMIC, UH, IMPACT TO THE CITY.
AND, UM, REALLY PROUD THAT, UH, A LOT OF THIS IS, IS AVAILABLE AND ENJOYABLE BY THE PUBLIC.
UM, OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL RESIDENTS, UH, ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON THE GROUND FLOOR ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, UH, CONTINUED SUPPORT OVER THE YEAR.
I THINK THAT THIS RIVER NORTH WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE, UH, WITHOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND CONTINUED INVESTMENT.
AND SO, UH, REALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS $10 MILLION OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT.
MOST OF THAT IS TIED TO THE RIVER, UH, RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, AND A LOT OF IT IS TIED TO ACCESSING IT FROM BOTH SIDES SO THAT EVERYONE LIVING WEST OF THE RIVER, UH, CAN HAVE SIMILAR ACCESS THAT THE FOLKS LIVING, UH, EAST OF THE RIVER DO.
UM, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I ASKED MY STAFF TO POOL THE AGENDA AND THE, UH, VIDEO OF OUR CONVERSATION THE LAST TIME, UH, THAT WE WERE HERE.
UH, BECAUSE THERE WAS AN IMPORTANT, UH, BALANCE THAT THE COURT PUT FORWARD FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD, WHICH WAS $25 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND SO ON THE SAME AGENDA, WE PUT TOGETHER THE LARGEST INVESTMENT THE COUNTY HAS EVER DONE IN A SINGLE VOTE FOR THROUGH OUR ARPA ALLOCATIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I THINK THAT BALANCE IS IMPORTANT IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE ONLY CURRENT POLICY THE COUNTY HAS FOR ABATEMENTS IS ON MARKET RATE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME CONSENSUS ON, UH, ADJUSTING THE HOUSING POLICIES OF THE COUNTY IN THE FUTURE TO BE MORE IN INCLUSIVE OF THE DEMANDS ON HOUSING THAT, UH, ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WITH THE COST OF THINGS BEING SO HIGH.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I READ IT CORRECTLY, 'CAUSE I I COULD HAVE, UH,
UH, DO YOU RECALL THAT IN THE APPLICATION? THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.
UM, SO A LOT OF THE HOUSING RIGHT NOW IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
UH, USUALLY, YOU KNOW, GIVE IT ABOUT TWO YEARS, TWO TO THREE YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION FOR MULTIFAMILY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PRODUCT THAT EITHER JUST CAME ON THE MARKET OR WILL BE COMING ON THE MARKET SOON.
UM, AND REALLY THE EFFECTS OF THE INTEREST RATE HIKES, UM, PROBABLY AREN'T GONNA BE SEEN UNTIL NEXT YEAR, UH, BECAUSE NEXT YEAR MEANS YOU WOULD'VE HAD STARTED THAT PROJECT IN 2023.
SO, UH, I KNOW NATIONALLY MULTIFAMILY STARTS ARE DOWN OVER 50%.
UM, WE TRY TO STAY ATTUNED OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, PARTICULARLY IN OUR REGION, IN THE, IN THE DOWNTOWN, UH, AREA.
UM, I DO THINK, UM, THAT'S PROBABLY NO STARTS IN THAT IMMEDIATE VICINITY.
UM, I KNOW WESTERN URBAN HAS DONE SOME STUFF IN DOWNTOWN THAT PROBABLY STARTED IN THE 20 23, 20 24, UH, TIMELINE.
SO MAYBE AT THE TIME IT WAS WRITTEN THAT WAS THE CASE, BUT, UM, IT, IT MAY HAVE, UH, JUST A FEW STARTS.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR, UM, HOW THE, THE COURT BALANCES THINGS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I KNOW THE COUNTY JUDGE AND I TALKED ABOUT WAS DUSTING OFF SOME OF THE POLICIES THAT I HAD DRAFTED YEARS AGO, PROBABLY TWO YEARS AGO, WITH RESPECT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICY.
THEY'RE REALLY NOT MY POLICY IDEAS THERE FROM, UH, RESEARCH IN THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW DO WE GET ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO DUST OFF THE IDEA, UH, THAT I PROPOSE OF A LAND BANK HERE IN THE COUNTY, UH, THAT WOULD HELP US ATTAIN
[02:40:01]
LAND, UH, AT A AFFORDABLE RATE THAT WE COULD PUT FORWARD FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, ACROSS THE COUNTY.UM, SO BECAUSE I THINK THE COURT HAS STRUCK BALANCE WITH RESPECT TO BOTH INVESTMENT AND MARKET RATE AND AFFORDABLE, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS, UH, INCENTIVE OFFER MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
UM, OMAR, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
I KNOW IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE VISITED ABOUT THIS, SO I KIND OF HAD TO, UH, DUST OFF THE, THE COBWEBS TO REMIND ME OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED.
I KNOW THAT AT THE TIME, UM, AND THIS IS, I KNOW IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE WHILE, KIND OF THE GESTATION PERIOD FOR THIS, BUT IT, IT, UM, AT THE TIME WAS KIND OF, UH, INFORMALLY GRANDFATHERED, SO TO SPEAK, INTO THIS, UH, KIND OF THE LAST OF OUR, UM, OUR, OUR, UM, MARKET RATE TYPE OF, UM, UM, INCENTIVES IN THAT AREA.
I MEAN, I KNOW, UM, THINGS HAVE EVOLVED IN, IN PART LARGELY TO, UH, YOUR INVESTMENT AND, AND, AND WHAT'S BEEN, WHAT'S HAPPENED AT THE PEARL THAT WE, WE'VE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, DON'T NEED TO INCENTIVIZE, UM, MARKET RATE.
I'M GONNA BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
AND I, I WANTED YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT, THE, YOU, YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ACCESS TO THE RIVER, BUT, UM, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, I GUESS IS WHAT I WANTED TO FOCUS ON, BECAUSE THAT IS A PUBLIC AMENITY.
UM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE INVESTMENTS IN THIS DEVELOPMENT? YEAH, SO, UM, KIND OF A COMBINATION OF THE DEVELOPMENTS, UH, PUTS THE NEED FOR REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THAT RIVERWALK INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO WE'VE ADDED, UH, TWO NEW BRIDGES.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO ADD STAIRS TO THOSE BRIDGES SO THEY CAN BE ACCESSIBLE ON, UH, EITHER SIDE OF THE RIVER.
UH, WE'RE, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA PUT SOME, UH, INVESTMENT INTO THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS IN THAT AREA.
UH, ADDING SOME STOP SIGNS, MAKING IT MORE, UM, MAKING IT SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS, MAKING IT A LITTLE MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, UH, LANDSCAPING TREES.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S THAT AREA, ISLETA, WHERE THE, THE BUILDING IS SORT OF NEXT TO THE RIVER.
SO WE'RE ENGAGED WITH SARAH TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT, UM, HOW CAN WE DO ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING? HOW CAN WE INCLUDE, UM, BENCHES AND SEATING? UH, JUST MAKING THAT WHOLE AREA RIGHT NOW, IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE IT DIES DOWN A LITTLE BIT THAT THE, THE, THAT RIVER WALK, UH, ESPECIALLY ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER.
AND SO JUST TRYING TO KIND OF DIAL THAT UP SO THAT BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER, UH, BECOME ENGAGED.
SO I THINK THE, THE OVERALL KIND OF TOTAL PUBLIC INVESTMENT IS AROUND $10 MILLION.
AND THEN, UM, YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW OR NOT, BUT, UH, THE, THE TURS, THE MIDTOWN TURS, UH, THAT THE CITY'S A PART OF THAT, THE, THE COUNTY IS NOT, UM, THEY ARE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE $6.8 MILLION TOWARDS THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND SO ADDING UP, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THESE NUMBERS HERE, ABOUT ONE POINT, UH, THREE, 1.4 MILLION FROM THE COUNTY.
SO STILL THIS IS A SMALL GAP, BUT, UM, I THINK EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE THAT PUBLIC INVESTMENT, UM, REALLY KIND OF CREATE SOME, SOME MORE LIFE AND VIBRANCY IN THAT AREA IS GONNA BE HELPFUL.
AND I KNOW, UM, COMMISSIONER CALBERT KIND OF ALLUDED TO THIS, IT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS ITEM, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR, UH, OXBOW DOES ANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN, UM, E EITHER IN THIS AREA OR ELSEWHERE, OR IF YOU HAVE PARTNERS THAT DO THAT.
I MEAN, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE, AND WE'RE GONNA, UH, CALL ON, UH, FOLKS LIKE YOURSELVES AND OTHER PARTNERS, UH, TO HELP WITH THAT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, TO HAVE THAT MIX, PARTICULARLY IN THE URBAN CORE.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT AND WE CAN HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.
BUT I, YOU, YOU, YOU GUYS ARE CURRENTLY JUST DOING MARKET RATE, IS THAT RIGHT? CURRENTLY MARKET RATE? UM, I WOULD SAY WE ARE DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH, UM, THE RIGHT ENTITY TO DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT'S THE LAND VALUES, RIGHT? AND THE RENTS THAT YOU CAN GET ON THE MARKET RATE.
AND, UM, WE SAY SOMETIMES IT'S JUST AN ARITHMETIC EQUATION.
UH, THE RIGHT SUBSIDY LEVEL, WE'LL GET YOU AFFORDABILITY RIGHT NOW THAT JUST DOESN'T EXIST IN THE CURRENT POLICIES.
AND, AND I KNOW THE, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE JUDGE, BUT I KNOW, UM, HE'S MADE SOME COMMENTS AS WE ALL HAVE ABOUT OUR ROLE FROM THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE IN, UM, SUPPORTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS A PARTNER.
I KNOW WE'VE ESTABLISHED IN THE PAST THE, THE PFC THAT IS, UH, HISTORIC, UH, DESIGNATED TYPE, UM, PROJECTS.
BUT, UM, I THINK CERTAINLY THE, THE DISCUSSION IF IT NEEDS TO EXPAND BEYOND THAT, WE'RE, WE'RE INTERESTED IN, IN VISITING WITH PARTNERS.
SO PLEASE LET, UH, YOUR FOLKS KNOW AND, AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU, JUDGE COMMISSIONER.
UM, A FEW COMMENTS AND, AND SOME QUESTIONS.
UH, APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND, AND ALSO THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE ANSWERED FOR US, UH, OMAR BEFORE, UH, THIS MORNING, UM, MAYBE ON THE BEXAR COUNTY SIDE.
[02:45:01]
SO THIS POLICY IS GONNA CHANGE GOING FORWARD AS FAR AS MARKET RATE TAX ABATEMENTS, IS THAT CORRECT? SO THE COUNTY'S TAX ABATEMENT POLICY BY STATUTE HAS TO BE RENEWED EVERY TWO YEARS.SO WE OWE THE COURT AN OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS GOING FORWARD, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE SOMETHING, UH, TO YOU BY, UH, DECEMBER.
UM, AND WE HOPE TO ACCOUNT FOR FACTORS LIKE AFFORDABILITY MIX.
I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED THE OCCUPANCY RATE DOWNTOWN, LOCAL TARGETING, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, WE'LL HAVE A REVISED POLICY, UH, TO YOU HOPEFULLY BY DECEMBER.
UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT.
YOU KNOW, UM, I HAD CONCERNS THINKING ABOUT THIS AS A TAX ABATEMENT FOR MARKET RATE HOUSING IN, IN THE AREA THAT IT'S IN.
UM, UNLESS, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, AFTER GOING THROUGH THIS IN DETAIL, LOOKING AT THOSE INVESTMENTS, RIGHT, THAT WE'RE ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THAT, UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 40% 10 YEAR TAX ABATEMENT THAT REALLY TOTALS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, IN NET PRESENT VALUE.
UM, AND, AND THIS DEVELOPMENT IS PUTTING IN $10 MILLION IN, INTO THAT AREA WHEN IT COMES TO THE RIVER WALK, WHEN IT COMES TO BRIDGES, WHEN IT COMES TO SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL PARKING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT, UH, FOR THE COUNTY.
BUT GOING FORWARD, I DO WANT TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THE POLICY, AND I THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE DO IN TERMS OF TAX ABATEMENTS, UH, GOING FORWARD.
AS WE'VE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS HERE ABOUT WHAT OUR, UH, OUR BUDGET SQUEEZE WILL LOOK LIKE IN, IN THE COMING YEARS, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, BEING ABLE TO FULFILL THE, THE NEEDS AND, AND REQUIREMENTS OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST AT A HIGHER LEVEL, I KNOW I'VE HAD SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF, BUT THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE SOME LOWER OCCUPANCY RATES TODAY IN MARKET RATE, AND I THINK THAT MAY ACTUALLY END UP GETTING WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF EITHER ONE OF YOU WANT TO, TO SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UM, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL REPORTED STORIES TALKING ABOUT THE, THE VACANCIES THAT ARE OUT THERE, THE INCREASED INCENTIVES THAT ARE HAVING TO BE OFFERED TO TRY TO FILL THOSE, THOSE, UH, MULTIFAMILY UNITS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN, CAN ANYONE SPEAK TO, TO THAT REPORTING AND KIND OF THE DATA BEHIND IT? SO RIGHT NOW, THE OCCUPANCY RATE IN SAN ANTONIO IS ABOUT 86%.
HOWEVER, THE OCCUPANCY RATE WITHIN THE SUB-MARKET AROUND THE PEARL AVERAGES AT ABOUT 96.3%.
SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT, UM, SOME OF THE, UH, MULTI-FAMILY UNITS OUT THERE.
IT WAS 95% AT THE SOUTH LINE, 97% OF THE TIN TOP PLATS, AND 97% AT THE SELLERS.
SO, UM, DOWNTOWN, WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE THAT, UH, THAT MAJOR ISSUE WITH AN OVERSUPPLY.
UH, AND THAT MAKES SENSE, RIGHT? THERE'S, THERE'S A DESIRE, UH, FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WANNA LIVE IN THAT AREA, WHO, WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN THAT AREA.
BUT, UM, I DO WANNA BE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT UNIN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO PURSUE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BECAUSE WHAT WE SEE IN THE MARKET IS, IS THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, HIGHER VACANCY RATE, UH, IN, IN THE MARKET RATE THAT HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND I THINK YOU COULD, UH, TIE THAT TOGETHER AND POTENTIALLY SAY THAT, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME ONLINE COULD BE CANNIBALIZING THAT MARKET RATE.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD.
AND, AND JUST TO BREAK IT DOWN TO, TO BE CLEAR, IF YOU MAKE, UM, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT THAT OFFERS THE SAME AMENITIES, BUT AT A LOWER PRICE POINT, OBVIOUSLY CONSUMERS ARE GOING TO GO TO THAT LOWER PRICE POINT, BUT THEY MAY ACTUALLY BE LEAVING MARKET RATE HOUSING 'CAUSE THEY ARE PAYING MARKET RATE TODAY, ALTHOUGH THEY QUALIFY FOR THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE 80%, AT THE 60%, WHATEVER IT IS.
AND SO THAT CAN, THAT CAN CREATE A PROBLEM WITHIN THE MARKET.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT A LOT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF BECAUSE WE ARE ALL, UM, I BELIEVE WE ARE ALL PROPONENTS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH A LOWERCASE A, UM, HOWEVER, HOW WE GET THERE AND WHAT WE DO IN TERMS OF THE MARKETPLACE, UM, WHETHER IT'S ON THE REGULATORY SIDE OR WHETHER IT'S ON THE TAX CREDIT ABATEMENT, SUBSIDY SIDE, THOSE ACTIONS WILL HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IN THE MARKET.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO JUST BE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND AWARE ABOUT WHAT THOSE ARE.
[02:50:01]
CALBERT.THIS HAS BEEN A, A, A, A, A GOOD DISCUSSION.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN WE'RE DENSIFYING THE URBAN CORE, SO SAN ANTONIO AND BEAR COUNTY, HISTORICALLY FROM AN URBAN PLANNING STANDPOINT SPREAD OUT TREMENDOUSLY, A LOT OF URBAN SPRAWL HERE.
BUT THE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE THING FOR MUNICIPALITIES AND URBAN AREAS TO DO IS TO DEVELOP WHERE YOU ALREADY HAVE STREETS WHERE YOU ALREADY HAVE PAID FOR FIREFIGHTING, UH, UH, BUILDINGS AND FIREFIGHTER, UH, STATIONS AND POLICE STATIONS, AND BRING THOSE OLDER COMMUNITIES BACK TO LIFE.
AND DENSIFY, THERE ARE VERY FEW AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY WHERE YOU CAN BUILD A 20 STORY APARTMENT COMPLEX OTHER THAN YOUR DOWNTOWN AND MIDTOWN, UH, AND, AND SOUTHTOWN, KING WILLIAM KIND OF AREAS.
UM, I MEAN, YOU CAN HAVE ONE-OFFS HERE AND THERE, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT IT IS EXPECTED THAT IN A CORE, UH, YOU CAN DO THAT.
AND, AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO THE COUNTY'S BOTTOM LINE IS A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT BECAUSE OF HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF PROPERTY, RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAVE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF PROPERTY GOING UP 10, 15, 20 STORIES WITHIN A CORE, WE ARE GETTING, UH, MORE REVENUE, RIGHT? AND HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE THAT BALANCE OF GETTING MORE REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND? UM, IT IS, I THINK THROUGH INCENTIVIZING, UH, THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS.
SO I, I, I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE INVEST IN OUR CORE, WE HAVE MORE REVENUE ON OUR PERIPHERY TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, TO SPEND.
UM, BECAUSE THOSE NEW STREETS THAT WE BUILD ON THE PERIPHERY, THOSE ARE PERMANENT LIABILITIES.
WE GOTTA KEEP THOSE STREETS GOING FOREVER.
UM, BUT IF WE'RE FRANKLY DEVELOPING THE CORE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CARRIES THAT BURDEN TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, RIGHT? AND THEY CARRY THAT BURDEN NOT JUST IN STREETS, BUT IN FIRE AND EMS. SO IT IS IN WITH THE ANNEXATION POWERS THAT, THAT THE CITY HAS, IT IS IN THE COUNTY'S BEST INTEREST TO DENSIFY THE CORE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE RESOURCES TO TAKE CARE OF A REALLY URBAN, DENSELY POPULATED, UNINCORPORATED COUNTY.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS GONNA BE A, A HOT MESS FOR THE COUNTY AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO I DO THINK THERE IS A, A, A CONSERVATIVE ARGUMENT FOR DENSIFYING THE CORE, UM, THAT I DIDN'T CREATE THAT'S JUST KIND OF URBAN PLANNING 1 0 1.
UM, AND WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIND THAT BALANCE, RIGHT BETWEEN, UM, HOW MUCH INCENTIVE YOU DO IN THE CORE, UM, AND YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH INVESTMENT YOU WANNA MAKE ON THE PERIPHERY BECAUSE, UM, IT WILL SUCK US INTO KIND OF A, I MEAN, BY STATUTE, WE CAN'T STOP A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING ON THE UNINCORPORATED, I MEAN IT'S COMING, BUT MAYBE WE WANNA HAVE A HIGH LEVEL THOUGHT PROCESS ABOUT, UH, DRIVING, UH, INVESTMENT WHERE WE HAVE CITY AND FIRE AND EMS AND POLICE.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER THOUGHT, UH, FOR THIS CONVERSATION THAT IS IMPORTANT POLICY CONVERSATION.
SO NOW WITH RESPECT TO THE VACANCY RATES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE VACANCY RATES, UH, ARE DOWN IN, IN GENERAL IN SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE THE CITY HAS BECOME TOO EXPENSIVE FOR OUR CITIZENS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COUCH SURFING AND IT'S TO TELL THE TWO SAN ANTONIOS, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE THE PROSPEROUS SELLERS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE PEARL, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, 56, 50 6% OF THE CITY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, ON THE VERGE OF BEING ON GRANDMA OR MOM'S COUCH.
SO THEY'RE NOT MAKING THE DECISION TO EVEN RENT AN APARTMENT.
AND WE'RE SEEING THAT IN THE OCCUPANCY RATES, RIGHT? AND SO THAT IS WHERE WE DO NEED TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COME IN SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SAVE FOR THE DOWN PAYMENT OF THE HOME, WHAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ABOUT.
IT'S NOT KEEPING YOU THERE FOREVER.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT IS SAVING FOR THE 30% TO 3.5% TO 30%, YOU NEED TO AFFORD A DOWN PAYMENT FOR A HOME.
AND WE NEED THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF DETERIORATING NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE NEED PEOPLE TO INVEST IN THE INTEGRITY OF PICKING UP THOSE OLDER HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE FALLING INTO RENTAL SITUATIONS.
AND IT HAPPENS IN UNINCORPORATED COUNTY TOO, IN A, IN A, IN LARGE SWATHS.
UM, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CORPORATE ENTITIES IN SOME OF OUR WORST CRIME AREAS IN THE COUNTY WHO HAVE LARGE LAND OWNERSHIP OF RENTAL PROPERTIES AND CAUSING OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO HAVE TO RESPOND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN BECAUSE THOSE, YOU KNOW, CHICAGO BASED OR WHEREVER THEY'RE AT, THEY'RE NOT HERE ANYMORE AND THEY'RE NOT LOCAL.
SO, UM, IT WILL HELP OUR COUNTY TO THINK ABOUT THIS OWNERSHIP SOCIETY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A COMPONENT STAIR STEP TO THAT.
SO I JUST WANNA, AS WE COME TO DECEMBER, SET THE, SET THE TONE FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE, UH, FOR A POOR CITY, THE BIGGEST POOR CITY IN AMERICA, PER CAPITA, UH, OF A POPULATION OVER A MILLION.
[02:55:01]
SO WE'VE GOTTA DO MORE TO HELP PEOPLE WITH THEIR COST OF LIVING.AND THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS PROJECT, WE CAN USE THE TAX REVENUES FROM THIS PROJECT AND WE CAN HELP STIMULATE, UH, THESE STAIR STEP PROGRAMS THAT GET PEOPLE TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
AND ACCORDING TO THE ALAMO AREA, UM, METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, OUR POPULATION IS SET TO INCREASE BY 60% BY, UM, 2050.
SO THIS IS ONE WAY TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS THE, THE HOUSING NEED.
SO LET, LET ME, LET ME WEIGH IN, ROBERT, GET BACK TO THE PODIUM.
UM, YOU KNOW THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MOST IF NOT ALL THESE REQUESTS BY DEVELOPMENT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS COME IN AND THEY GET PROCESSED THROUGH YOUR OFFICE AND THAT REALLY MEANS YOU, RIGHT? SO YOU, YOU, YOU'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT ALL THE, UH, HOUSING PROJECTS THAT COME IN, WHETHER IT'S MARKET RATE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR WHATEVER, SUBSIDIZED HOUSING ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND SO I BELIEVE SINCE I'VE BECOME COUNTY JUDGE ROBERT, I'VE MADE IT CLEAR THAT I, WE GOTTA MAKE SURE ABOUT, AS COMMISSIONER CALVERT AND COMMISSIONER MOODY HAVE POINTED OUT EITHER THE INTENDED OR THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND THAT I'VE ALWAYS MADE SURE THAT WHAT EFFECT, IF ANY, FALL UPON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ONE OF THE TAXING ENTITIES AFFECTED BY THESE TYPE OF POLICIES.
BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS AN ABATEMENT BY THE COUNTY, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THAT THIS IS NOT AFFECTING THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES.
SO THE PROJECT IS IN THE, UH, SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT THEY'RE NOT IMPACTED BY THIS DECISION.
WELL, BUT THE OTHER TAX, THAT'S THE REASON WHY I WANT TO, I'M BRINGING THIS OUT FOR THE RECORD.
WE GOT WHAT IT'S ALL, IT'S IN THE INCORPORATED CITY LIMITS OF CITY SAN ANTONIO.
DO THEY GET AFFECTED BY TODAY'S DECISION? THEY WILL NOT.
WE GOT SCHOOL DISTRICT, I BELIEVE IT'S SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, IS THE JURISDICTION FOR WHICH THIS PROJECT LIES IN.
AND WILL IT BE AFFECTED BY THAT? IT WILL NOT BE AFFECTED.
WE ALSO SOMETIMES FORGET ABOUT THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES SUCH AS UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SYSTEM, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A COUNTY ENTITY, BUT ALMOST AN EQUAL PARTNER, SO TO SPEAK, IN SIZE AND BUDGET, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THEY HAVE EVER INCREASING NEEDS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COUNTY RESIDENTS, BOTH IN THE INCORPORATED AND ANY INCORPORATED AREAS OF OUR COUNTY, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND THEN WHAT WE HAVE ALAMO COLLEGE DISTRICT, WHICH SUPPORTS A RENOWNED TIER ONE, NUMBER ONE COLLEGE COMMUNITY.
COLLEGE DISTRICT IN WOOD FIVE CAMPUSES HERE.
WHICH ALSO HAS OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THEY'RE ALSO NOT IMPACTED.
WE ALSO HAVE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY THAT HELPS DEVELOP THE CREEKS, DID SAN PEDRO CREEK MISSION TRAILS, UH, SOUTH AND, AND ON AND ON.
SO A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO, A LOT OF THESE TAXING ENTITIES WILL NOT BE AFFECTED AND THEY WILL GET THE INCREASE IN OF THE INVESTMENT MADE BY THESE PARTICULAR DEVELOPERS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, JUDGE.
THE COUNTY IS GIVING AWAY STUFF, WE'RE WILLING TO INCENTIVIZE THE COUNTY SHARE, BUT ALLOW THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES TO TAKE IT, TAKE THE GROWTH OF, UH, THESE PROJECTS.
NOW, WHAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR SAY, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND THIS GETS INTO SOME OF THE CURRENT DISCUSSION, IS THE FINANCING MECHANISM THAT THE STATE HAS CREATED IN THE LEGISLATOR LIMITS OR CAPS, THE FUNDING, THE TAX REVENUES THAT THIS JUSTIFIED.
SO IT'S NOT THE FACT THAT WE'VE INCENTIVIZED AND THEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T GET IT.
IT'S BECAUSE THE WAY SCHOOL FINANCES IS CREATED.
SO ALTHOUGH WE INCREASE THE VALUE CORRECT, MORE REVENUES DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY GO DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
ISN'T THAT A CORRECT STATEMENT? I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THAT, AND THAT THAT'S PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T GET THE BENEFIT THAT THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES GET.
DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING, ROBERT? CORRECT.
SO THE REASON BEING I'M GOING DOWN THIS PATH IS THEN WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND I THINK AS A COUNTY ENTITY POLITICAL ENTITY, WE THEN HAVE TO JUST, HOW CAN WE BEST HELP OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS? AND I BELIEVE THAT I'M SPEAKING TO MY COLLEAGUES, IT'S ECONOMIC GROWTH AND COMMISSIONER VER YOU'VE SAID ANOTHER WAY TO DENSIFY THE POPULATION TO BRING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO THE, ESPECIALLY TO THE INNER COURT.
AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT THE INNER CORE
AND I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT LEFT BEHIND.
[03:00:01]
HELP ME UNDERSTAND, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR SOUTHERN SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHAT SOUTHWEST I STATE THAT'S TIED TO TOYOTA, THAT'S GOT MUCH MORE INCENTIVE PACKAGE THAN THIS.THEY'RE, THEY'RE FLOURISHING WITH IN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AS A RESULT OF TOYOTA AND ALL THE BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES AND MANUFACTURERS INCLUDING JCB SOUTH SIDE ISD MAY NOT BE AT THAT STATUS, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO DEFINITELY GET AN ADVANTAGE WITH JCB NAVISTAR AND ALL THE OTHER MANUFACTURING COMPANIES THAT WILL BE IN THEIR JURISDICTION.
AND WE LOOK AT THE SOUTHEAST SECTOR COMMISSIONER CAVAL WITH ESSENTIAL, IT'S GROWING AND THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A GROWING PACE BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ANY POLITICAL ENTITY, YEAH, WE WOULD LOVE TO MAKE SURE YOU GET MORE TAX MONEY, BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE GROWTH AND BE ABLE TO THEN INVEST IT WITH, IT MEANS THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE TO BEST PROVIDE.
SO IF WE DENSIFY, IF WE'RE BUILDING, WHETHER IT'S MARKET RATE OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE'RE BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE INNER CORE, I WOULD HOPE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE, ARE COMING INTO IT, WHICH MEANS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE BEST EDUCATION AND TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAMPUSES SO THAT CHILDREN WILL GO, HOPEFULLY TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR WHATEVER MAGNET SCHOOLS OR WHATEVER, UH, SCHOOLS THEY HAVE WITHIN THEIR PROGRAMS TO MEET THE NEEDS.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS THAT'S THE REASON WHY THIS DISCUSSION, I BELIEVE IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.
'CAUSE IT COULD BE VIEWED AS WHY GIVEN THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPER THIS INCENTIVE, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH PROJECT, EACH PART, UH, UH, PROPOSAL IN INDIVIDUAL WAY.
NOW LET ME ASK OMAR TO STEP UP.
SO OMAR, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ AND I THINK COMMISSIONER CALVERT AND I WILL ECHO THE FACT I NEED DEVELOPERS TO LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE INNER CORE.
YEAH, MAYBE THE MARGINS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AREN'T AS GREAT AS YOUR MARKET RATE, BUT I BELIEVE WITH PROPER INCENTIVES WE CAN MAKE THOSE MARGINS FOR YOU.
AND THEN YOU ARE BASICALLY PARTICIPATING IN OUR EFFORTS TO RE REBUILD THE INNER COURT, BRINGING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN SO THAT THIS, THEY, THERE'S AN INCREASING ENROLLMENT AND WITH THAT, HOPEFULLY ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
SO I GET THE ARGUMENT THAT SOMETIMES THESE PACKAGES DON'T GIVE A, A SPECIFIC NUMBER TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE COMPLICATED MATH THAT OUR STATE LEGISLATOR.
BUT IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THAT'S WHAT I JUST NEED, I NEED TO KNOW RIGHT NOW, IS THAT THE COMMITMENT YOU'RE MAKING ON BEHALF OF YOUR CLIENTS ABSOLUTELY WOULD LOVE TO.
AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS PARTNER UP WITH ALL OUR TAX AND ENTITIES, BE IT THE CITY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY, WHICH IS DOING WONDERFUL PROJECTS.
THEY'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA BE OPENING UP THE BIG PROJECT ON THE WEST SIDE CREEK PROGRAM, RIGHT? COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE, THEY STILL NEED TO BE PAID.
AND SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY I WANT THE BIGGER PICTURE PUT OUT ON THE TABLE, SO TO SPEAK, AS WE ASK FOR A VOTE.
AND SO TODAY I WILL SUPPORT THIS PROJECT THAT COMMISSIONER CALVERT HAS BROUGHT TO THE DIOCESE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? I UNDERSTAND A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.
ANY FURTHER? ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I'LL ASK FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SECOND BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES.
[62. Discussion and appropriate action related to granting an exception to Administrative Policy 1.2 to authorize the consideration of the following late filed Agenda Item #62a. a. Discussion and appropriate action authorizing the approval and execution of a first amendment to the service agreement between Bexar County and Selrico Services, Inc. (HABE, MBE, SBE, VBE) for Detention Facility Food Services at Bexar County Adult Detention Facilities to secure labor, supplies and food items to provide full food services for inmates, detainees, staff and visitors; increase the not to exceed amount from $25,406,060.69 to $30,450,596.10, being an increase of $5,044,535.41 to the agreement due to the costs detailed in the amendment, as requested by the Sheriffs Office; and authorizing the Purchasing Agent to execute and file the appropriate documents for record]
WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP THE ITEMS BY EXCEPTIONS TO ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY 1.2.WE KINDA HAD A DISCUSSION, LARRY, I'M JUST GONNA ASK WHAT WE DID IS, CAN, WOULD THERE BE UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO TAKE UP ALL THREE AGENDA ITEMS, UH, AS LATE FILE PURSUANT TO THE EXCEPTION ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY 1.2 TO AUTHORIZE THE CONSIDERATION OF THE FOLLOWING LATE FILE ITEMS 62, 63 64.
AND AFTER THAT VOTE, I WILL TAKE UP EACH INDIVIDUAL, UH, AND FOR CONSIDERATION IS THAT, IS THAT ALL THREE SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COWRY.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO THE DISCUSS ALL THREE, UH, ITEMS SEPARATELY, UH, SIGNIFIED BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTION? MOTION CARRIES.
LET'S NOW TAKE UP 62 A DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION, APPROVE, AUTHORIZED AND APPROVAL EXECUTION OF A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEXAR COUNTY C RICO SERVICES, INC.
FOR DETENTION FACILITY FOOD SERVICES AT BEXAR COUNTY.
ADULT DETENTION FACILITY, SECURE LABOR SUPPLIES, FOOD ITEMS TO PROVIDE FULL FOOD SERVICES FOR INMATES, DETAINEES,
[03:05:01]
STAFF AND VISITORS.INCREASE THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT FROM 25,000,406 $60 AND 69 CENTS TO 30 MILLION 400 5000 590 $6 10 CENTS BID INCREASE OF A $5,044,535 AND 41 CENTS TO THE AGREEMENT DUE TO THE COST DETAILED IN THE AMENDMENT AS REQUESTED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD.
IS THERE A MOTION?
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
I SECOND, SECOND MY COMMISSIONER.
SHERIFF, WHY DON'T YOU, WILL SOMEBODY COME UP HERE AND JUST FOR PURPOSES OF PUBLIC YES, SIR.
WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT DO YOU NEED IN BEHALF OF THE COURT? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU, I CAN TELL YOU DEFINITIVELY, UH, SO RICO'S DONE A GREAT JOB FOR US.
NOW, I KNOW THAT THERE'S, UM, A MATTER OF SOME, SOME, UH, RENOVATIONS THAT HAVE BECOME NECESSARY.
AND SO I'VE, I'VE GOT, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF JOEL JANSEN THAT'S HERE TO PROVIDE MORE BACKGROUND, MORE DETAIL.
UH, SO I'LL, I'LL ASK HIM TO STEP UP.
CHIEF, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US A BRIEF UPDATE? SURE.
UH, SO CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WHAT WE HAVE IS THE ANNEX NEEDS TO GET REMODELED.
SO DO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TWO AREAS WHERE WE, UH, ACTUALLY PUSH OUT TRAYS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE OPERATIONS OVER TO THE MAIN JAIL.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THERE IS GONNA BE INCREASED COSTS.
SO THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER MOODY? CAN WE JUST CLARIFY, UH, THIS IS A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, THEY'RE CURRENTLY ON THEIR LAST YEAR CELL REGAL, YES.
SO HELP ME WITH THE, GO AHEAD, DAVID.
YEAH, SO THIS IS A LATE ITEM, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR A QUESTION THAT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANSWERED UP FRONT.
BUT THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT IS FIVE YEARS.
THIS MODIFIES THE LAST YEAR OF THAT AGREEMENT.
BUT WHAT'S CONFUSING IN HERE TO ME IS, IS IT MOD, I REALIZE THE COST PER MEAL'S GOING UP TO INCORPORATE SOME ADDITIONAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
ALL OF THAT I GET, BUT WHEN YOU SAY IT'S AN INCREASE OF 5 MILLION, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ONLY GOING FROM 29 TO 30.
SO I'M CON VERY CONFUSED ABOUT THE ACTUAL COST.
UH, WELL, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS IT'S, UH, THE COST IS GONNA BE BASED OFF OF THE INMATE, THE TRAYS EACH, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE A COST OF A, A TRUCK TO BE ABLE TO BE RENTED TO MOVE BETWEEN BOTH BUILDINGS.
I'M NOT ARGUING ABOUT WHETHER THERE SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, IS IT GOING UP IN THE LAST YEAR BY A MILLION OR 5 MILLION? I BELIEVE IT'S GONNA BE JUST THE MILLION, I BELIEVE FROM 29 TO 30.
BUT SO HAS 29 ALREADY BEEN SPENT ON THE OR SO WHAT? 25 HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT ON THE CONTRACT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LAST YEAR OF THE CONTRACT GOING FROM WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN 29 TO 30 OR, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT SCHEDULE FI THINK IT IS, WHICH HAS THE YEAR BY YEAR BREAKDOWN, FOUR YEARS HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED.
SO THEIR ACTUALS, THAT TOTALS 2324, THE FINAL YEAR IS AN ESTIMATE AT THIS POINT, AND IT'S ABOUT 6.6 MILLION.
SO YOU'RE GETTING UP AROUND 30 IF I'M READING IT RIGHT, MORE OR LESS, YES, SIR.
WELL, IT ALSO SEEMS LIKE THIS HAS PROBABLY BEEN A LONG TIME IN COMING.
RIGHT? IT'S BEEN DELAYED CLEARLY, PROBABLY KNOWING THAT THEY WERE GONNA HAVE AN OVERAGE AND HAVE TO EXTEND THE, THE UPPER LIMIT OF THE CONTRACT.
AND SO, SO TO GET, IT'S ALL KIND OF BACKED IN OVER FIVE YEARS AND NOW WE'RE BASICALLY GONNA HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS CAPPED AT 25 MM-HMM.
WELL, WE'VE BLOWN PAST THAT, PROBABLY DUE TO POPULATION OR SOMETHING, I'M NOT SURE.
AND SO WE'RE FIXING THAT PREVIOUS PROBLEM IN THIS AMENDMENT BY UPPING THE TOTAL.
WE'RE ALSO, SO S RICO BEGAN DISCUSSING THE PER MEAL RATE 18 MONTHS AGO, MORE OR LESS.
SO WE'RE FIXING SEVERAL PROBLEMS IN ONE AMENDMENT.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THAT WAS CAPTURED THE DATA YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN THE, UH, IN THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION, BUT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A CONTRACT LIKE THIS, IT, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE LIKE EVERY YEAR WHAT WE'VE SPENT VERSUS
[03:10:01]
IF THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS 25, YOU ASSUME IT WOULD'VE STARTED, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S IN THE A HALF AND GROWN TO FIVE AND A HALF.IS IT? IT'S, IT'S, UH, THE, THE MONTH, THE, UH, AMENDMENT ITSELF IS ONLY ONE PAGE.
THE VERY NEXT PAGE IS A NEW, I'M SORRY, EXHIBIT F, WHICH LOOKS LIKE A SPREADSHEET SORT OF THING.
SO BASICALLY IN 20 21, 20 22, WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WE WERE BLOWING THROUGH THE 25 MILLION RIGHT BY THE END OF THIS, THIS TERM WHEN WE WENT TO 5.9 MILLION AND THEN 6.6 MILLION THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THEN 6.3 MILLION AND WE'RE ESTIMATING 6.7 MILLION IN THIS FINAL YEAR.
AND THAT'S GONNA CONTRIBUTE TO THE INMATE POPULATION.
IF YOU LOOK AT BASICALLY LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME WE'RE ABOUT 4,200.
NOW WE'RE IN THE FIVE THOUSANDS.
IF YOU BREAK IT DOWN, THERE WERE ANY NUMBER OF THINGS THAT IMPACTED THIS DURING COVID COST OF DELIVERY INCREASED UNEXPECTEDLY TO US.
AGAIN, WHAT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IS AT SOME POINT LAST YEAR, WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT IN AN, AN AGREEMENT, AN AMENDMENT UPPING THE CONTRACT LIMIT.
BUT AT SOME POINT THIS FISCAL YEAR, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE WELL PAST 25 MILLION.
SO WE, WE GOTTA FIX THAT PROBLEM AS WELL AS GET THE NEGOTIATED NEW PER MEAL RATE ENSHRINED AND THIS AMENDMENT IS TRYING TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS.
ALL ALL, I'M JUST FOR, FOR TO TO SIMPLIFY IT FOR EVERYONE.
WE'VE PROBABLY BEEN, YOU KNOW, 15 TO 30% OVER FOR THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS, BUT THAT'S ALL COMING DUE AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT.
AND SO WE NEED TO ADD ALL THIS ADDITIONAL, LIKE, HEADROOM ON THE CONTRACT IN ORDER TO GET THROUGH THE REST OF THIS FY CORRECT.
SO INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT, WELL, IT SHOULD BE 5 MILLION A YEAR AND WE'RE ADDING 5 MILLION, WE'RE GONNA SPEND DOUBLE THIS YEAR.
NO, WE'VE BEEN BLOWING THROUGH WHAT WAS KIND OF ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED AND PLANNED FOR, FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND WE'RE JUST FINALLY LIKE ADDRESSING IT TODAY.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR AND, AND HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THAT ACTUAL TABLE, BUT, ALRIGHT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? YES.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SECOND BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES.
[64. Discussion and appropriate action related to granting an exception to Administrative Policy 1.2 to authorize the consideration of the following late filed Agenda Item #64a. a. Discussion and appropriate action regarding awarding a delivery order to Lake Country Chevrolet, Inc. io provide for the purchase of twenty-six (26) 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV and one (1) 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab PPV, in the combined amount of $1,505,699.00, as requested by the Sheriff’s Office; utilizing The Interlocal Purchasing Systems (TIPS) Cooperative Contract #200206 and #210907, in accordance with Texas Local Government Code §271.102; and authorizing the Purchasing Agent to execute and file the appropriate award documents for record and approval of the associated budget transfer.]
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP ITEM 64 A DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING AWARDING A DELIVERY ORDER TO LAKE COUNTRY CHEVROLET, INC.TO PROVIDE FOR A PURCHASE OF ALL THOSE VEHICLES AS STATED IN THE AGENDA, THE INTERLOCK INTERLOCAL PURCHASING SYSTEMS COOPERATIVE CONTRACT 2 0 0 2 0 6 2 1 0 9 0 7 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 2 7 1 0.102 AND AUTHORIZED THE PERSON AGENT TO EXECUTE AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE AWARD DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD AND APPROVAL OF THE ASSOCIATED BUDGET TRANSFER.
HAVE APPROVAL MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MOONEY SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? JUST A QUICK QUESTION, JUDGE.
UM, THESE ARE ALL ITEMS I UNDERSTAND THAT WERE, UH, BUDGETED FOR ALREADY.
WE'RE JUST, IT JUST GOT ON THE AGENDA LATE, BUT THEY'RE FOR, UM, A GOOD PURPOSE.
YOU'VE GOT FOLKS WHO ARE FILLING THESE VEHICLES 'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT NEW, UH, RECRUITS AND NEW HIRES.
WE'RE THANKS TO THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH COMMISSIONERS COURT.
WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF STAFFING UP, UH, NEITHER HERE NOR THERE AS FAR AS THIS ITEM GOES, BUT WE'RE DOWN IN THE EIGHTIES ON VACANCIES IN THE DETENTION CENTER AS OF TODAY.
UH, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, WITH WITH MORE COPS COMES THE NEED FOR MORE COP CARS AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
ANYTHING ELSE? CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, MOTIONS SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTION? MOTION CARRIES.
[63. Discussion and appropriate action related to granting an exception to Administrative Policy 1.2 to authorize the consideration of the following late filed Agenda Item #63a. a. Discussion and appropriate action regarding the approval of a 1 Amendment to the Design Build Agreement and Guaranteed Maximum Price with Joeris General Contractors, Lid. for Design-Build Services of the Bexar County Dual Diagnosis Recovery Facility Intake Center and Campus Renovations to provide emergency generators for the new intake center and existing residential building located at the Applewhite Recovery Facility for an amount not to exceed $1,100,000 from American Rescue Plan Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, and to reallocate funds for owner’s contingency in the amount of $1,000,000 from previously approved project budget; for a total amount not to exceed $2,100,060; and approval of the appropriate budgetary transfer.]
UH, 63 A DISCUSSION, APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING THE APPROVAL OF A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE DESIGN BILL.DESIGN BILL AGREEMENT GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE WITH GEORGE GENERAL CONTRACTORS FOR DESIGN BILL SERVICES OF THE BEXAR COUNTY DUAL DIAGNOSIS RECOVERY FACILITY INTAKE CENTER CAMPUS RENOVATION TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY GENERATORS FOR THE NEW INTAKE CENTER EXISTING RESIDENTIAL BUILDING LOCATED AT THE APPLEWHITE RECOVERY FACILITY FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,100,000 FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS TO REALLOCATE FUNDS FOR ORNO OWNERS OF CONTINGENCY IN THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION FROM PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BUDGET PROJECT BUDGET FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 2,100,000 AND APPROVAL OF THE APPROPRIATE
[03:15:01]
BUDGET TRANSFER.UH, THANK YOU JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS JUST A, A FOLLOW UP ITEM TO THE ITEM THAT WAS APPROVED THE LAST COMMISSIONER'S COURT, THE REALLOCATION OF ARPA FUNDS INTO OUR PROJECT TO SUPPORT THE INSTALLATION OF GENERATORS AT THE TWO RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AT THE APPLEWHITE RECOVERY CENTER.
ALL OF THE AMENDMENT MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVARY, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGN BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTION? MOTION CARRIES.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION (DISCUSSION ONLY: CLOSED TO PUBLIC)]
WE WILL NOW GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.UH, THE COURT WILL CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS MAY BE DISCUSSED AND ACT UPON IF APPROPRIATE AND OPEN SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0 7.
ONE OF TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD FOR CONSULTATION WITH THE FOLLOWING COURT'S ATTORNEY FOR ADVICE REGARDING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS, PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION OR SETTLEMENT OFFERS IN THE MATTERS OF ONE OSA V BERK COUNTY, GONZALEZ'S V BEAR COUNTY, AND KATE VERSUS BERK COUNTY, ED AL.
THE COURT'S BACK IN AN OPEN SESSION.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ? SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN IN THE NAME OF JOSE VEL, H SEGOVIA AND SINO HERRERA RODRIGUEZ, COMMISSIONER MOODY, COMMISSIONER CALVERT.
JUDGE, I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN IN HONOR OF KENNETH ROD HENRY CASAS JR.
AND THE FATHER OF BUDGET DIRECTOR TANYA GAAN.
JESUS GAAN, I'D LIKE TO MOVE AND, UH, TO ADJOURN ON BEHALF OF JOHN CARMEN, JACK PASCAL III.
JACK PASCAL WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED ATTORNEY WITH A 54 YEAR CAREER, GRADUATED ST.
HE SERVED WITH GREAT DISTINCTION AND HIS LAST, I BELIEVE, UH, TERM WAS DEPUTY CHIEF ATTORNEY AT CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WITH A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR COMM UH, MOTION ADJOURN SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED ANY ABSTENTION MEETING? ADJOURN.