Nov 12, 2024 Commissioners Court

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? IF I MAY, AS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, LET ME GO BACK TO ITEM 54, WHICH WE HAVE APPROVED,

[54. Approval of a request from County Judge Peter Sakai to appoint the following individual to the listed board]

AND THAT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST BY MYSELF, COUNTY JUDGE PETER SAKAI, TO APPOINT THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL TO THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD OF MANAGERS.

DR. MELINDA RODRIGUEZ, DR.

RODRIGUEZ. WOULD YOU PLEASE STEP FORWARD? I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE COURT AND TO THE PUBLIC.

TODAY, DR.

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 THAT MELINDA WILL BE THE FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN MEMBER OF THE US BOARD WITH A DIVERSE WORKFORCE AT UHS, INCLUDING MANY FILIPINO NURSES. I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO REFLECT THAT DIVERSITY ON THE BOARD OF MANAGERS.

SO, DR. RODRIGUEZ, I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR APPOINTMENT.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SAKAI.

COMMISSIONERS AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE VETERANS IN THE ROOM AND THEIR FAMILIES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

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 SAKAI AND THE COMMISSIONERS 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 WELL-BEING 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 HEALTH CARE MORE ACCESSIBLE, EQUITABLE, AND PATIENT CENTERED, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE 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.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU DOCTOR.

ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST WANT TO CALVERT JUDGE, I WANT TO THANK YOU ON THIS VERY SMART NOMINATION.

[01:35:05]

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT NOMINATION FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

FIRST OF ALL THE REPRESENTATION OF THE ASIAN COMMUNITY ON THE BOARD IS AN IMPORTANT ONE, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THE HUGE PROPORTIONS OF ASIAN AMERICANS WHO ARE IN MEDICAL AND HEALTHCARE RELATED CAREERS.

I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SIGNAL OF COMMUNICATION THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BROADEN IN SPEAKING TO ALL COMMUNITIES IN BEXAR COUNTY.

I THINK IT'S ALSO VERY TIMELY.

JUDGE THAT IN PHYSICAL THERAPY, BECAUSE OF OUR SILVER TSUNAMI OF BABY BOOMERS WHO ARE GOING TO NEED ASSISTANCE, NOT ONLY WITH THEIR OWN NEEDS WITHIN AGING IN PLACE IN 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 THE VISION THAT WE NEED TO LOOK FORWARD TO OF ENSURING ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH HOME HEALTH CARE FOR OUR SENIORS, AND SO THE PHYSICAL THERAPY, THE MOBILITY, THE PREVENTATIVE THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN DO SO THAT THEY ARE NOT DEALING WITH AILMENTS OR AT LEAST BETTER MANAGING THE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS TO LIVING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOUR EXPERTISE WILL HELP US TREMENDOUSLY. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, CARETAKERS WHO ARE INJURING THEMSELVES BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO HELP THEIR EITHER PATIENT OR LOVED ONE.

SO JUST, YOU KNOW, BE COMFORTABLE.

SO. YOUR UNIQUE BACKGROUND IS ONE THAT I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD REPRESENTED AT THE BOARD LEVEL, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL TAKE CHARGE, IF YOU WILL, OF THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID IT HERE ABOUT THE VETERANS.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF VETERANS HERE WHO HAVE TREMENDOUS PHYSICAL THERAPY NEEDS, AND ANY WAY WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OUR LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OUR MEDICAL COMMUNITY.

YOUR INSIGHTS WILL BE VERY, VERY VALUABLE AS WE HEAD TO A SILVER FUTURE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JUDGE.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MOODY.

I JUST ECHO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU OVER THE COMING YEARS, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DR. RODRIGUEZ.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM AGENDA ITEM SIX, FILING FOR THE RECORD OF THE FOLLOWING LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS.

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

DIRECTING THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO TAKE ACTION IF NECESSARY.

A, B, AND C, SO NOTED.

AGENDA ITEM SEVEN COMMISSIONERS COURT MINUTES FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29TH, 2024.

[7. Commissioners Court minutes for Tuesday, October 29, 2024.]

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

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

WE'LL NOW TAKE UP AGENDA ITEM EIGHT COMMUNICATION FROM CITIZENS WHO SIGNED UP TO REGISTER TO SPEAK.

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

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

THE FIRST ONE WILL BE ROBERT RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING JUDGE. GOOD MORNING.

COMMISSIONERS. CITIZENS.

CITIZENS THAT RESIDE ON 4909 BECK ROAD.

RECENTLY MAY OF MAY OF THIS YEAR WE HELD A MEETING WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMISSION, SPECIFICALLY COMMISSIONER CALVERT WAS THERE, AND DURING THAT MEETING WE SPOKE ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, SPECIFICALLY THE TRAFFIC SITUATION ON BECK ROAD, AND WHAT HAS OCCURRED IS THAT WITH THE INCREASE OF THE SUBDIVISIONS SURROUNDING IN THAT AREA, AND JUST FOR YOUR FOR YOUR GEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVE, IT'S IN THE EAST CENTRAL, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE EAST CENTRAL AREA OF EAST BEXAR COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE SUBDIVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN THAT AREA, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE TRAFFIC, SPECIFICALLY ON BACK ROADS, SPECIFICALLY ON THOSE ROADS THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY THAT RESIDES IN FRONT OF EAST CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL OR THE CAMPUS.

THE RESULTS OF THAT IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC.

THERE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OR AN INCREASE IN THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE ON THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF RESIDENTS, THEIR MAILBOXES, TREES.

I MYSELF WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE THAT WAS TRAVELING BEYOND THE 35 MILE SPEED LIMIT. SO WE HELD A MEETING.

WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING. WE HAD REPRESENTATIVES, I THINK SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE STATE WERE THERE AS WELL, AND THE PROGRESS IN TERMS OF WHAT HAS.

SO BEFORE I GET INTO THAT ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE MEETING WAS, IS THAT WE RECEIVE REGULAR UPDATES.

[01:40:07]

THE CONSENSUS OF THAT MEETING, AND I THINK I'M DESCRIBING THIS ACCURATELY, THE CONSENSUS OF THE MEETING WAS THAT A.) THE TRAFFIC ON BECK ROAD IS INCREASED TO 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.

ONE LANE GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY.

YOU HAVE MOTORISTS THAT ARE CUTTING EACH OTHER OFF, AND THEN THE TRAFFIC THAT'S FEEDING IN FROM 87.

THE TRAFFIC THAT'S FEEDING IN FROM SULFUR SPRINGS ROAD IS INCREASING THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE 18 WHEELERS, YOU HAVE ALLIES TRADESPERSONS THAT ARE AGAIN WORKING ON THE SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE NOW IN FRONT OF BECK ROAD, AND THEN, OF COURSE, IN THE OUTLYING FIELDS.

THE TRAFFIC NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND THE ASK THAT WAS PROVIDED DURING THAT MEETING WAS THAT WE NEEDED TO INSTALL SPEED BUMPS. WE NEEDED TO ABATE THAT.

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 POLE POSITIONING IT, SHOWING MY AGE HERE, THEY'RE POLE 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 SULFUR SPRINGS, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH BECK ROAD AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF IT AROUND THAT AREA, THERE'S A BIT OF A TURNAROUND. GO AHEAD AND WRAP IT UP, MR. RODRIGUEZ. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR AN UPDATE ON THIS.

THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

JUDGE, RESPECTFULLY EACH TIME I'VE HAD TO SUBMIT AN EMAIL TO GET AN UPDATE ON THIS, AND EACH TIME I GET AN EMAIL BACK BASICALLY SAYING, WE'RE WORKING ON IT. THERE'S A THERE IS 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 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 DON'T OVERLOOK THE LOGISTICS AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO FUNCTION WITH THE EXISTING ROADS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE INCREASINGLY GOING UP, MR. RODRIGUEZ, AND NOBODY IS PUTTING IT FORTH INTO THE CONSTRUCTION OF BACK ROAD, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING COLLATERAL DAMAGE.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING VEHICLE DAMAGE, AND IT'S VERY DISTRESSING, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO YOU FOR A SOLUTION TO THAT AND REGULAR UPDATES ON THIS MATTER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

LET ME HAVE JIMMY CRAWFORD.

GOOD MORNING JUDGE.

GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR TO COME UP HERE.

I'M 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, 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 A HALF A DOZEN TIMES IN 2020, 2021, 22 AND 23, AND THEN IN MAY OF 24, WE HAD A VAN RIDE ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER CALVERT, STATE REPRESENTATIVE LUJAN AND HIS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, MR. CHAPA BEFORE THAT, WHEN WE WERE ALMOST REAR ENDED ON THE ROAD IN HIS CAR, WE DEFINITELY NEED A SPEED HUMPS, WHICH IS 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 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 HIS ENTRANCE AND TURNED INTO MY

[01:45:02]

DRIVEWAY. IF I HADN'T HAVE JUMPED OUT OF THE WAY, HE WOULD HAVE 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'RE AT 75 DAYS AT THIS POINT NOW, AND SO I ASK THAT WE GET AN UPDATE FROM THE COMMISSIONERS COURT, AND MR. CALVERT, WHO'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL AT THIS UP TO THIS POINT, TO MOVE FORWARD AND GET THIS SPEED HUMPS, WHICH WE CONSIDER THE LEAST EXPENSIVE AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO SLOW THESE SPEEDERS DOWN.

OH, BY THE WAY, MR. CALVERT, THEY ADDED A THIRD ENTRANCE TO BECK ROAD DOWN FURTHER.

SO WE NOW HAVE THREE ENTRANCES AND EXITS OF MEANS OF EGRESS FROM THAT SUBDIVISION.

THE TIME HAS EXPIRED.

WRAP IT UP, MR. CRAWFORD.

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.

YEAH. THANK YOU. I CAN JUST MAKE A QUICK COMMENT.

THE STUDY WAS JUST FINISHED, AND ACTUALLY ART REINHART AND MY STAFF, WE HAVE A MEETING AT 10 A.M.

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 IT IS DONE AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR HAS SOME COMMENTS.

SO IT'LL BE HERE AT MY OFFICE AT 10 A.M..

SO WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE IT AS FAST AS WE CAN.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR PATIENCE IN DEALING WITH THIS.

THANK YOU SIR. YEAH.

TONY FUENTES.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SAKAI, COMMISSIONERS.

I'M HUMBLED TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU, ESPECIALLY TODAY HONORING VETERANS DAY, AND, YOU KNOW I'M A VIETNAM VETERAN, COMBAT MEDIC, TWO TOURS AS A COMBAT MEDIC IN VIETNAM, AND FOUR YEARS AGO, I WAS COMMISSIONED TO TAKE OVER THE SAN ANTONIO COALITION FOR VETERANS AND FAMILIES, AND AT THE TIME, IT WAS A NETWORKING OUTFIT WHERE THE VETERANS WOULD CALL THE COALITION THAT WOULD REFER THEM OUT.

WHEN I TOOK THEM OVER AS A COMBAT MEDIC, WHEN SOMEONE GETS INJURED 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 THIS WE IMPLEMENTED THIS IN 21.

I STARTED RAISING FUNDS.

OUR FIRST YEAR WE HELPED 172 VETERANS.

22 WE HELPED 172.

LAST YEAR, WE HELPED OVER 350 VETERANS AND FAMILIES WITH SHELTER, 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 THEM SEVEN DAYS.

THEN WHEN WE GET THEM UP WITH THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP THEM, WE PARTNER UP WITH THE BEXAR COUNTY VETERANS OFFICE.

WE REFER THEM THERE, WE GET THEM THERE, TRY TO GET THEM LONGER [INAUDIBLE] FROM THE GI FORUM.

FOOD INSECURITIES, WE RESPOND RIGHT AWAY.

H-E-B GIFT CARDS, UTILITY BILLS, ALMOST ANYTHING A VETERAN NEEDS WITHIN REASON, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENED IS PEOPLE HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT US THIS YEAR AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WE'RE ALREADY AT 350 VETERANS FAMILIES WITH AT THE END OF OCTOBER.

I APOLOGIZE, BUT THE NEED IS GETTING BIGGER BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE HEARING ABOUT US.

SO WHEN OUR BUDGET IS SHRINKING, THE ONLY WAY WE RAISE THE MONEY TO DO THIS IS THROUGH FUNDRAISERS, GOLF TOURNAMENTS PANCAKE FUNDRAISERS CAR SHOWS, AND WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT WE GET SOME REALLY GOOD SPONSORSHIPS THAT WE WORK REALLY HARD TO DO.

SO I JUST WANTED TO COME SHARE WITH YOU, AND IF Y'ALL GUYS WOULD LIKE, I HAVE SOME FOLDERS HERE THAT SHOWS OUR MISSION STATEMENT.

EVERYTHING THAT WE DO FOR OUR MONEY GOES THE HOTEL STAYS THE UTILITY BILLS.

IF I MAY, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ACCEPT THEM? YES. THOMAS, WOULD YOU GO? PLEASE ACCEPT IT. PLEASE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT, AND AGAIN IT'S AN HONOR TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, AND 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 BE ABLE TO HELP 500 VETERANS OF A YEAR.

SO IT'S A LOT OF WORK, AND WE HOPE THAT DOWN THE ROAD I'D LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY AND BE ABLE TO KIND OF SHARE MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND, AND GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

THANK YOU, MR. FUENTES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

TANYA JOSEPH.

[01:50:05]

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COUNCILMEN.

JUDGE, YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER ME, BUT YOU HELPED ME IN 2004.

ADOPT TWO CHILDREN OUT OF CPS.

I HAD TWO ATTORNEYS.

ONE WAS RAYMOND VALE AND ONE WAS CHARLES CAMP, 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 MINE THAT HAVE HAD NINE GIRLS BEING SHOT AND EIGHT OF THEM HAVE DIED.

MY DAUGHTER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TWO.

I'M JUST HERE NOW FIGHTING FOR 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.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, AND DR.

GUERRERO IS HERE AS WELL.

I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT WE HAVE THAT CAN HELP FAMILIES, AND SO IF WE COULD, COULD HELP HER.

THANK YOU. BENNY PRICE.

THANK YOU, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.

I'M JUST HERE IN SUPPORT OF ONE OUR RESIDENTS TO SHOW THAT THE IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE GOES BEYOND THE VICTIMS WHO ARE HARMED BY THE GUN VIOLENCE, AND WHEN SHE ASKED ME FOR SOME HELP, 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 FOR HER GRANDDAUGHTER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HER DAUGHTER WAS LOST TO GUN VIOLENCE, 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 THE RESIDENTS OF BEXAR COUNTY HELP WHEN THEY'RE EXPERIENCING THE IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BENNY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.

JUDGE, JUST REAL QUICK. BENNY, THERE MAY ALSO BE A ROLE IN OUR VICTIM ADVOCACY FAMILY CENTER HERE.

SO WE MAY BE ABLE TO CHECK INTO VICTIM ADVOCACY AS WELL.

SO WE'LL ASK THAT WE CONNECT CONNECT YOU AND THE FAMILY TO THAT SERVICE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU, BENNY.

I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES OUR CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER CITIZENS THAT SIGNED UP? AND I DID NOT CALL YOUR NAME.

OKAY, LET'S NOW GO TO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS.

[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.]

WE'LL FIRST TAKE UP ITEM 59.

DISCUSS 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 COMMISSIONERS COURT ON MARCH 12TH, 2024. DR.

ANDREA GUERRERO. THANK YOU JUDGE.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

I AM DR. ANDREA GUERRERO, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH FOR BEXAR COUNTY ARE VERY HAPPY TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU.

TODAY, WE ARE SEEKING APPROVAL OR APPROVAL TO NEGOTIATE WITH RECOMMENDED PROGRAMS. THOSE THAT RESPONDED TO OUR NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.

BACK IN JUNE OF 2017, BEXAR COUNTY AND CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CONVENED A JOINT OPIOID TASK FORCE TO DO AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF OPIOID ABUSE AND OVERDOSE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

THE SUBSEQUENT RESULT OF THAT TASK FORCE WAS THAT COMMISSIONERS COURT FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST OPIOID MANUFACTURERS ON BEHALF OF BEXAR COUNTY TO PROCURE TO SEEK SETTLEMENT DOLLARS THAT COULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY.

IN MARCH OF 2023.

SO A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE PRESENTED A SPENDING POLICY DISBURSEMENT POLICY BASED ON HHS STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES AND ASKED 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 SPEND THOSE DOLLARS AND IT RANGED FROM EVERYTHING FROM ACCESS TO CARE, EARLY IDENTIFICATION CONTINUITY OF CARE.

[01:55:06]

PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, TREATMENT, EVALUATION, ADMINISTRATION, HARM REDUCTION.

FROM THE LAWSUITS WE RECEIVED OR BEXAR COUNTY RECEIVED ALMOST $14.5 MILLION FROM FROM THOSE LAWSUITS IN FY 21 THROUGH 23, THERE WERE SOME DISBURSEMENTS MADE FROM THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND THERE.

YOU SEE, WE FUNDED THE CASA MIA PROGRAM FOR WOMEN AT $1.5 MILLION.

WE HAVE FUNDED A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER PROGRAM COORDINATOR THAT IS STAFFED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AT BEXAR COUNTY.

WE PURCHASED NARCAN THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO FIRST RESPONDERS IN BEXAR COUNTY AND TO COURT LAW ENFORCEMENT STAFF, AND WE ALSO DISPERSED A PORTION OF THE CHCS GENERAL FUND CONTRACT.

THAT WAS AN INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND SO WE USED 1.7, A LITTLE OVER $1.7 MILLION TO FUND THAT CONTRACT.

SO TO DATE A TOTAL OF 3.4 MILLION HAS BEEN DISBURSED TO THESE PROGRAMS, AND SO THAT LEFT US A REMAINING BALANCE OF A LITTLE OVER $11 MILLION GOING INTO THE NOFA PROCESS.

WE PUBLISHED THE NOFA IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR.

WE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS OF THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE THROUGH MAY AND JUNE, AND IN JULY, THAT EVALUATION COMMITTEE PRODUCED THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. WE MET WITH EACH OF YOUR OFFICES AND BRIEFED YOU ON THE SPECIFICS AND DETAILS OF EACH ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE BEEN RECOMMENDING THAT WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING TODAY AND WE'VE HAD THIS PRESENTATION READY FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

SO IF YOU APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TODAY, THEN WE'LL BEGIN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS THIS MONTH, IN NOVEMBER OF 2024 AS OPPOSED TO OCTOBER.

SO WE RECEIVED 14 RESPONSES TO OUR NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY, WE ARE RECOMMENDING 13 OF THOSE.

THE FIRST IS RICE RECOVERY AT 699,819.

THIS IS FOR THEIR PEER SUPPORT RECOVERY PROGRAM.

THAT IS A COMPLEMENT TO THEIR RECOVERY CAMPUS THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY FUNDED THROUGH ARPA FUNDS THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT.

SAN ANTONIO COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG, THAT IS SACAD.

THAT IS FOR THEIR YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM.

BRIDGE SAN ANTONIO RECOVERY CAPITAL GROUP THAT IS A MEDICATED ASSISTED TREATMENT PROGRAM.

SOUTHWEST TEXAS REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL THAT IS STRAC THAT THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE SPECIFIC TO A PROGRAM THAT WILL ADDRESS HIGH UTILIZERS THE HIGH UTILIZER PROGRAM SPECIFIC FOR OPIOID USE.

CORAZON MINISTRIES IS A HARM REDUCTION PROGRAM THAT WE'VE PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH IN THE PAST SAN ANTONIO NEXUS CONNECTION.

ALSO MEDICATED ASSISTED TREATMENT PROGRAM.

PAY IT FORWARD SA IS A RESIDENTIAL SOBER LIVING PROGRAM THAT IS LOCATED ON THE CAMPUS OF HAVEN FOR HOPE.

ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT, THAT IS ACOF.

THAT PROGRAM IS 375,000 TO SUPPORT AN IUD AND A PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIES FOLKS THAT HAVE IDD, SORRY, IDD AND A CO-OCCURRING DIAGNOSIS OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.

ALPHA HOME IS A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FOR WOMEN WHO ARE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN WITH THEM DURING DURING THEIR TREATMENT.

SAN ANTONIO LIFETIME RECOVERY.

ALSO RESIDENTIAL SOBER LIVING CROSSPOINT, RESIDENTIAL SOBER LIVING.

FREE TEXAS IS A PROGRAM THAT WILL HELP FOLKS WHO ARE OVERCOMING DRUG ADDICTION, WHO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED, AND THE THERAPEUTIC JUSTICE FOUNDATION. THAT IS A PROGRAM TO SUPPORT MATERIALS SERVICES TREATMENT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH DWI DIVERSION.

SO IN TOTAL, WE RECEIVED ABOUT $12.5 MILLION IN REQUESTS.

WE ARE WE ARE PROPOSING $7,993,364 FOR WHICH LEAVES A BALANCE OF A LITTLE OVER $3 MILLION, $3.2 MILLION 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 BEXAR COUNTY.

THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT HAS BEEN RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOFA.

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 TO ADDRESS THE REMAINING BALANCE OF A LITTLE OVER $3 MILLION OR PROBABLY CLOSER TO FOUR AFTER THIS YEAR.

[02:00:08]

WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS, WE'LL BRING THOSE CONTRACTS BACK TO COURT FOR APPROVAL.

ALL RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES YOUR PRESENTATION.

THAT IS MY PRESENTATION. IS THERE A MOTION? A MOTION TO APPROVE, JUDGE.

SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

THANK YOU FOR BRIEFING US AGAIN.

I WAS TRYING TO RECOLLECT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

I THINK IT WAS THE SUMMERTIME THAT WE GOT BRIEFED.

IT HAS. WE WERE WE WERE PRIORITIZING ARPA CONTRACTS.

OKAY. THOSE ARE TIME SENSITIVE, AND WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO DO THIS.

OKAY, AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE PART OF MY QUESTION, BECAUSE I KNOW OFTEN WHAT FRUSTRATES ME IS 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 TIMELINE AND RESTRICTIONS ON DOLLARS, SO THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS.

I THINK 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 OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

SO AFTER THIS IS APPROVED, THEN ASSUMING IT IS TODAY YOU THINK THE CONTRACTS WILL BE IN PLACE BY WHEN? AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

I MEAN, IT'S ALL UP TO LARRY AND THE DA'S OFFICE, ISN'T IT? YES. OKAY.

YES. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU. I'M SUPPORTIVE, JUDGE, AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK.

COMMISSIONER MOODY. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I APPRECIATE YOU WALKING THROUGH THE LIST HERE AND I KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AND I BELIEVE YOU HAD SAT DOWN WITH MY STAFF WITH REGARD TO THE SPECIFICS ON SOME OF THESE, THESE PROJECTS AND EVERYTHING.

I'LL BE HONEST, THOUGH, I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN LIKE A PARAGRAPH OR BULLETS FOR EACH ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUAL RESPONDENTS, LIKE IN THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL.

SO IT WAS JUST EASIER TO FIND AND GET THROUGH TO YOU.

IS IT THERE? YES, AND I BELIEVE WE SENT THIS TO YOUR OFFICE AS WELL.

THIS IS THIS IS A LOT OF DETAIL ON EACH INDIVIDUAL RESPONSE.

WELL WE'LL GO BACK AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WHERE IT WAS LEFT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO JUST LOOK AT THE 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 UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE ARE AND PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK AND EVERYTHING.

ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION AROUND DATA COLLECTION FROM RESPONDENTS.

WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ENSURE 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, IT'S DONE ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS.

SO 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 TO GET ANOTHER CHECK, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PERFORMING IN THE WAY THAT THEY PROPOSED AND SO I CAN ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE MELISSA LUCIO AND VANESSA FEARS, THEY ARE OUR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TEAM IN THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.

THEY WERE INTEGRAL TO THIS NOFA PROCESS, AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO'LL BE MONITORING THESE, AND SO WE HAVE AN EVALUATION PLAN, AND I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN OUR LOGIC MODELS.

EACH ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS WILL HAVE A LOGIC MODEL THAT WILL OUTLINE EACH OF THE OUTCOMES THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED AND WHAT THOSE LOGIC MODELS ARE.

OUTCOMES ARE REALLY WHAT CHANGED AS A RESULT OF WHAT THEY DID WITH THIS MONEY, AND WHAT THE VALUE ADD IS TO THE COMMUNITY BASED ON THEIR WORK.

OKAY, 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 GOING TO 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 PROCEDURES OUT THERE AND ACTUALLY ADDRESSING AND REFORMING OUTCOMES. SO I THINK BOTH SIDES OF THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THAT DATA COLLECTION DISCUSSION WITH RESPONDENTS.

ABSOLUTELY, AND ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TODAY IN OUR INTERNAL TEAM ARE ALL PART OF A TIGER TEAM THAT IS HOSTED BY STRAC, THAT IS FOCUSED JUST ON SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES AS WELL AS OVERDOSE AND BASICALLY REALLY JUST SUBSTANCE USE STUFF AND SO THAT TIGER TEAM MEETS ONCE A MONTH.

ALL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE SHARED WITH THAT TEAM.

THEY WILL ALSO BE REVIEWING OUTCOMES AS WE GO ALONG, SO THAT WE'RE 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 CAN HELP US INFORM BEST PRACTICES AND THE CREATION OF BEST PRACTICES, AND MAYBE IN SIX MONTHS, WE COULD COME BACK AND KIND OF REVIEW

[02:05:09]

WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT DATA AND WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITH THIS OPIOID FUNDING.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE COURT KIND OF GOING FORWARD AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S WORKING OUT THERE.

I JUST WROTE ANOTHER NOTE TO MYSELF DOWN, BUT JUST JUST OVERALL PICTURE AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THIS DATA TODAY.

THERE WAS RECENTLY AN ARTICLE WRITTEN ABOUT IT IN THE LOCAL NEWS, BUT JUST LOOKING AT OPIOID DEATHS AND OTHER DRUG RELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND THE KIND OF GROWTH DURING COVID, BUT TRYING TO BREAK THAT DOWN MORE GRANULAR TO, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT A MONTH BY MONTH BASIS, YOU KNOW, AND REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, HAVE WE TURNED THE CORNER ON ANY OF THESE OR ARE THEY CONTINUING TO GROW WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS? YOU DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW IF THOSE TRENDS HAVE PEAKED AND WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED TO MAKE PROGRESS OR NOT.

SO AND THERE MAY BE SOME SEASONALITY IN THAT DATA AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, 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 KIND OF BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE WE SIT TODAY AND OBVIOUSLY BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT GOING FORWARD AND SEE IF WE'RE ACTUALLY MAKING PROGRESS ON THIS FRONT, BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY A HUGE CONCERN TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND OUR COMMUNITY.

YEAH, I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.

WE WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

THEY ARE INTRODUCING A RESOLUTION AT CITY COUNCIL TO DECLARE OVERDOSE A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ON THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR TEXT.

WE HOPE TO BRING THE SAME RESOLUTION BACK TO THIS COURT, JUST TO SOLIDIFY OUR COMMITMENT TO LOOKING AT OVERDOSE.

WE FEEL LIKE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES, BUT 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, AND SO I THINK THEY'RE TAKING IT TO COMMISSIONERS COURT.

I MEAN, TO COMMISSIONERS TO CITY COUNCIL ON THE 21ST, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE 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 COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ALSO DECLARE, OKAY, YEAH, 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 SEE WHAT THE RESULTS ARE, BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

DR. GUERRERO.

YES, SIR. YOU AND I AND I HAVE PROVIDED A LOT OF INPUT TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF IN REGARDS TO THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING SOURCE AND THE ALLOTMENT OF THESE FUNDS AS WE ARE TO MAKE THAT DECISION VERY SHORTLY HERE.

IS THAT A CORRECT STATEMENT? YES. OKAY.

I BELIEVE I MADE IT VERY CLEAR FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS COUNTY JUDGE THAT I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ALLOCATING THESE RESOURCES, BUYING A DELIVERY OF SERVICES, SO TO SPEAK, MAKING SURE THAT THESE MONIES WE WILL BE USING SO THAT IT HAS THE GREATEST IMPACT ON THIS COMMUNITY.

IS THAT ALSO A CORRECT STATEMENT? YES, SIR, AND ALSO, TOO, I BELIEVE I MADE IT REAL CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEEDED TO REALLY LOOK AT THESE GRANT APPLICATIONS AND REALLY ASSESS IT.

IS IT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CONTRACT PROCESS WILL BE A IS IT GOING TO BE A REIMBURSABLE CONTRACT 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 YOU 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 CAN YOU GIVE US JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW? YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THE DATA, THE BETA, SO TO SPEAK, OF WHAT YOU'RE EXACTLY GOING TO DO, BUT CAN YOU GIVE US A GENERAL SENSE OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF EACH INDIVIDUAL GRANTEE? YES. IN OUR HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMING UP WITH THESE CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS TO PUT TIME BOUND RESTRICTIONS ON INVOICING AND HE ATTACHED OUTCOME AND DELIVERABLES SO THAT SO THAT BECAUSE IT IS REIMBURSEMENT THAT THE CONTRACT WOULD STIPULATE THAT FUNDING COULD BE JEOPARDIZED IF THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DOCUMENT THE RESULTS THAT THEY EXPECT OR THAT THEY'VE PROPOSED, AND YOU'LL BE MAKING THAT VERY CLEAR TO OUR GRANTEES OF WHAT EXPECTATIONS?

[02:10:06]

ABSOLUTELY. OCCASIONALLY WE SEE GRANTEES THAT HAVE NOT REALLY BEEN EXPLAINED, OR THEY JUST DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH OF THE DOCUMENTATION AND PROCESS THAT THEY NEED TO DO ON THEIR END, AND SO I WOULD JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT 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 WHEN YOU CAN, SO THAT WE CAN THEN MAKE FURTHER DECISIONS, AS WE WILL WITH THE REMAINING BALANCE OF FUNDS.

YES. RIGHT. OKAY.

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 SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

WE'LL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER 60.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[60. Discussion and appropriate action regarding Bexar County's Legislative Program for the 89th Texas Legislature.]

DISCUSSION. APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING BEXAR COUNTY LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE.

MISS SHANNON. GOOD MORNING.

JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS.

MELISSA SHANNON FROM THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

WHAT THOMAS IS PASSING OUT TO YOU NOW IS OUR PROPOSED AGENDA FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR THE 89TH SESSION.

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 GET APPROPRIATIONS FUNDING ITEMS FOR, AND THEN ALSO POLICIES AND THE POLICIES ARE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT STATEMENT THAT DIRECTS HOW I OPPOSE OR SUPPORT BILLS THAT ARE FILED.

SO THE THREE INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM VARIOUS OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS, 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 WILL BE SEEKING ASKING THE STATE TO APPROPRIATE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDING TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO GO INTO FORENSIC PATHOLOGY AND TO HELP THEM REPAY THEIR STUDENT LOANS.

SO THAT'S NOT MONEY THAT WOULD BE COMING TO BEXAR COUNTY, BUT WE'RE JUST ASKING THE STATE TO SET UP FUNDING, AND THEN LASTLY, YOU'LL REMEMBER THIS ITEM FROM PREVIOUS SESSIONS. VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE ELECTION.

WE ARE 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 TO $20, AND THAT'S WHAT FUNDS THE RMA.

ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. MELISSA, I KNOW THAT YOU AND I ARE ALSO INVOLVED QUITE A BIT WITH THE CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTIES, AND I'M CHAIRING THAT POLICY COMMITTEE THIS GO AROUND IN ADVANCE OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

I KNOW WE MEET, I THINK, NEXT WEEK IN AUSTIN, NEXT WEDNESDAY.

THOSE ARE, I GUESS EVEN THOUGH THEY THERE'S A COMMON THREAD.

THOSE ARE BROADER COUNTY WIDE ISSUES THAT RELATE TO OUR URBAN COUNTIES IN TEXAS.

I'M ASSUMING THAT, 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 THE URBAN COUNTIES ARE FOCUSING ON.

OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD CHANGE IN NOT NECESSARILY A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, BUT WITH THE ELECTION, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT PLAYERS AND WE WON'T KNOW THAT PROBABLY UNTIL LATER IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY BUT I THINK THE CORE OF THESE POLICY INITIATIVES ARE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AT THE STATE LEVEL.

YES, SIR. WITH THE OTHER URBAN COUNTIES, AND AGAIN, WE'RE MEETING NEXT WEEK TO FINALIZE THAT.

I KNOW I'VE REACHED OUT TO COMMISSIONER MOODY AND CERTAINLY WANT TO EXTEND THAT TO COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

IF THERE'S ANYTHING I WILL SEND OVER THE DRAFT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AT URBAN COUNTIES NEXT WEEK, AND IF ANYBODY FROM THE COURT HAS INPUT, CERTAINLY HAPPY TO CARRY THAT TO THE REST OF THE GROUP, BUT I THINK THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.

JUDGE, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE 89TH SESSION.

I JUST HAVE TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS.

GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN WHEN YOU SAY SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A PID TO USE A PETITION IN THE ELECTION PROCEDURES AT THE TIME OF THE PROPOSED

[02:15:04]

ANNEXATION? SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WE USE PIDS A LOT HERE.

SO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ONLY WHEN IT'S ANNEXATION OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ANY PID? PEOPLE WILL GET A VOTE WHETHER THEY GET IN THE PID.

WHICH ONE ARE YOU REFERRING TO? THIS IS ON POLICIES.

IT'S THE SECOND ONE.

POLICY, SECOND BULLET ANNEXATION, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.

IT SAYS SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A PID TO USE.

THAT IS AN ITEM THAT CAME FROM THE ESDS.

SO THE ESDS HAVE ASKED US TO INCLUDE THIS.

OKAY, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

WHAT MY QUESTION IS BASICALLY, DOES THIS MEAN THAT IF WE'RE CREATING A PID, THAT THERE'S A VOTE OF PEOPLE WITHIN THAT TERRITORY TO BE ANNEXED OR TO BE IN THE PID, SO WHAT THEY ARE ASKING IS TO ALLOW THE PID AT THE TIME OF ANNEXATION OF THAT PID, IF IF PROPERTY WITHIN THE PID WILL BE ANNEXED.

OKAY. GOT IT. THE PID WANTS TO TAKE A VOTE, WANTS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A VOTE.

IT'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC.

I SEE SO THIS IS SO THIS IS REALLY FOR MUNICIPALITIES LOOKING TO ANNEX.

YES, SIR.

THE PID 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, WHICH IS 1000FT? 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, I'M FOLLOWING.

THAT ARE THERE WHEN THE PID IS CREATED AND WHEN 30 YEARS OR WHATEVER WHEN THOSE RUN OUT.

OKAY. THEN THE PID WANTS TO AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH BEING ANNEXED AT THAT POINT.

SO THE NON ANNEXATION AGREEMENT IS WHAT THIS IS REFERRING TO 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 THIS IS A LOOPHOLE.

YEAH. SO THIS IS SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THE ESDS ARE LOSING TERRITORY BASICALLY.

YEAH. OKAY.

SO THIS GIVES THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE THERE WAS IN THE LEGISLATION A LOOPHOLE, AND SO THIS IS FILLING THAT LOOPHOLE FOR A VOTE.

OKAY. THEN THAT MAKES MORE SENSE TO ME.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE. OKAY.

THANK YOU. YES, SIR.

GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER MOODY.

I HAVE SOME COMMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE, BECAUSE I'LL SAY THERE'S MANY GOOD THINGS 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 BEHIND IT, RIGHT.

I MEAN, WE KIND OF HAVE SOME HIGH LEVEL, ONE SENTENCE KIND OF PRINCIPLES OR IDEA, BUT THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NO BILLS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY OF THIS.

IT'S REALLY JUST A REALLY HIGH LEVEL CONCEPT, AND SO IT COULD BECOME PROBLEMATIC IN TERMS OF EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR OR WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO SUPPORT. SO, I MEAN, THE FIRST THING I JUST, I THINK THAT THIS AND I KNOW YOU'RE IN A TOUGH SITUATION IN TRYING TO INCORPORATE FEEDBACK FROM THE COURT AND FIND SOMETHING THAT THERE'S AGREEMENT ON BUT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD 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? BECAUSE 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 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 DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD COMMISSIONER, BUT I DO KNOW IT'S GENERALLY TWO PAGES OF THE POLICIES. SO YEAH, WE'RE A LITTLE OVER OF WHAT WE USUALLY DO, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

OKAY, AND LET ME JUST SAY AGAIN, 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 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 IT'S HARD TO NECESSARILY KNOW WHY WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR SOMETHING OR WHY WE WANT TO ADVOCATE.

I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD THIS CONVERSATION, BUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS AS IS THIS A POLITICAL MESSAGING CAMPAIGN, OR IS IT A PRIORITIZED WORK LIST FOR OUR LOBBYIST TEAM? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ITEMS ON HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO BILLS TO DATE THAT WE CAN TIE THIS TO. THERE'S SOME ITEMS ON HERE THAT YOU KNOW, ARE FOR FOR SIMPLE TERMS, DEAD ON ARRIVAL IN THE STATE LEG'. HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, 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.

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 ADVOCATING FOR, WE'RE WILLING TO TESTIFY FOR AND TRYING TO PUSH THEM FORWARD RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, 25 KIND OF HIGH LEVEL PRINCIPLES, CONCEPTS THAT A MAJORITY OF THE COURT MAY AGREE ON.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS ON THAT.

I THINK ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, TOO, COMMISSIONER, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING.

THE ISSUE, THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS WE SEE ANYWHERE 7000-7500 BILLS PASSED OR FILED. BILL FILING STARTED TODAY.

SO IT STARTS TODAY.

SO I'LL START TRACKING BILLS.

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; THIS IS WHAT I DO AND LIKE YOU SAID, SOME OF THEM ARE DEAD ON ARRIVAL, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

SO THIS GIVES ME LEEWAY, I GUESS, IF YOU WOULD, TO KNOW WHAT THE PRIORITIES OF WHAT YOUR FULL COURT, WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE, THAT I KNOW WHAT I'VE GOT TO LOOK WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR B ECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW FROM SESSION TO SESSION WHAT WILL BE FILED.

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 KNOW WHAT THE COURT, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COURT AND, AND LISTEN, I DON'T WANT TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE HERE.

I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON ON POLICY PRIORITIES, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT I'M JUST ONE MEMBER OF THE COURT HERE, BUT I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE 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 WE KNOW ARE COMING FORWARD AND THAT WE WANT TO ADVOCATE.

YOU KNOW, AGGRESSIVELY ON, 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, BUT I JUST WANT TO AT LEAST PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM.

THANK YOU, 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'LL I'LL PRESENT A RESOLUTION FOR THE COURT TO APPROVE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ALREADY IN OUR AGENDA.

SO THIS IS NOT THE BE ALL.

END ALL. OKAY.

THANK YOU. YES, SIR.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I'VE GOT TO GET EDUCATED FROM DAVID SMITH AND LARRY ON THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.

WE'VE BEEN TRYING AS A COURT TO PUT 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 LAW THAT WAS PASSED AND OR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS ISSUING OPINIONS ABOUT THE COUNTY ISSUING 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 IT BECAME LAW.

THERE WERE A WHOLE LIST OF PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES THAT WE COULD NOT FUND

[02:25:07]

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, BUT I CAN GET YOU THAT NUMBER.

I DON'T KNOW, LARRY. DO YOU KNOW? I'LL GET IT TO YOU, COMMISSIONER.

I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO BOND COUNSEL ABOUT IT, AND IT RESTRICTED WHAT COUNTIES CAN DO WITH BOND FUNDS, BUT I CAN GET IT FOR YOU.

I NEED TO READ IT, AND WE NEED TO HAVE KIND OF A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION, BECAUSE I THINK THE COMMUNITY CAN HELP US.

I NOTICED YOUR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION POINT, WHICH IS THAT BASICALLY SPEAKING TO THAT ISSUE.

OKAY. YEAH. 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.

IT JUST WASN'T BROKE.

SO IN ANY EVENT BECAUSE YOU SO IF THAT'S WHAT THIS IS, I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF GETTING THIS FIXED.

SO I'M GOING TO SECOND COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ'S MOTION TO APPROVE THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD NIGHT. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET ME PUT ON RECORD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, BACK TO YOU.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. JUST BRIEFLY I THINK TO YOUR POINT, MELISSA, ABOUT HOW THINGS TEND TO NARROW AS WE GET, YOU KNOW, INTO SESSION, CLOSER TO SESSION.

I WAS TALKING WITH THE JUDGE ABOUT IN YEARS PAST, WE HAVE DONE KIND OF A PRE-SESSION OR EARLY SESSION HUDDLE WITH OUR YOU KNOW, DELEGATION OF BREAKFAST.

I THINK IT HELPS TO HEAR THEIR FEEDBACK AS WELL.

I KNOW IT'S HARD TO COORDINATE EVERYBODY'S CALENDAR, BUT MAYBE WE CAN VISIT ABOUT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I THINK IT HELPS CRYSTALLIZE WHAT THEY'RE FOCUSING ON.

I THINK COMMISSIONER MOODY'S POINT IT DOES, YOU KNOW, KIND OF NATURALLY GO FROM 25 TO 5 RIGHT OVER THE COURSE OF THE SESSION, BUT TO BRING IN OUR LOBBY TEAM, SIT WITH OUR LOCAL DELEGATION IF YOU CAN, MAYBE WORK ON COORDINATING CALENDARS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

WE DEFINITELY KIND OF IN ADVANCE OR THE EARLY PART OF JANUARY.

THE CHIEF WE ACTUALLY HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN THE CHIEFS MEETING.

SO WE CAN WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THE CHIEFS TOMORROW, YOUR CHIEFS OF STAFF, SO WE CAN SETTLE ON A DATE HOPEFULLY TOMORROW AND GET SOMETHING ON THE CALENDAR.

GREAT. THANK YOU. BECAUSE 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.

WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS BEFORE, AND IT'S CREATED A ROBUST DISCUSSION.

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.

WE ALSO MAY HAVE ISSUES THAT ARE COLLATERAL TO THE COUNTY, SUCH AS OUR ESDS, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A VETTING, SO TO SPEAK, TO MAKE SURE THOSE ISSUES DON'T CONFLICT WITH WHAT IS MOST IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTY.

WE ALSO HAVE MANY ISSUES THAT ARE STATED, BOTH INITIATIVES AND POLICIES, AND SO AND I REALIZE THAT WE ARE PROBABLY ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE A MINORITY DESCENT, WHATEVER WAY THAT MAY BE, IN REGARDS TO SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE BRING FORWARD.

I THINK, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, I ECHO YOUR AND SINCE YOU ARE THE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE COUNCIL OF URBAN COUNTIES AND HAVING A DIRECT PULSE WITH 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 WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS THE FORMAT OF THAT.

IF WE'RE GOING TO MEET AS A GROUP TOGETHER WITH THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, WHICH I BELIEVE.

WE GOT, WHAT, TEN 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 I WILL RAISE THAT WORD THAT PEOPLE CRINGE AT WORK SESSION.

IT SOUNDS BETTER WHEN YOU SAY WORKING BREAKFAST.

WORKING BREAKFAST, HOW ABOUT THAT? WE DID DO THAT.

COVID KIND OF PUT A DAMPER ON THAT.

WELL, 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.

SO SOME OF THESE WE'RE JUST HAVING SOME HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSIONS.

[02:30:03]

I REALLY WANT TO GET DEEPER AS TO WHAT EFFECTS THESE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE IMPOSE OR SUPPORT COULD, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PIDS THAT WE LOOK AT AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ESPECIALLY OUR UNDERSERVED AREAS.

SO 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 AND STAFF MAKE SURE WE HAVE BREAKFAST AND COFFEE FOR THAT, AND I THINK WE'LL ALL BE THERE AND MAKE SURE WE INVITE.

SO I'M GOING TO I WILL SUPPORT TODAY'S MOTION, UNDERSTANDING THAT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND I REALLY WANT TO 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 VETTING, SO TO SPEAK, OF, JUST NOT A ONE ANONYMOUS LEGISLATIVE DIRECTIVE, BUT A VERY DIRECTIVE SPECIFIC ON SPECIFIC ITEMS. SO THAT ON AS WE'VE HAD I DON'T WANT TO BE SURPRISED, MELISSA, THAT'S THE WORST THING YOU CAN PUT ME IN A POSITION OF.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS THERE, AND NOW WE'RE REACTIVE.

I'D MUCH HAVE A PROACTIVE, AND HAVING LAST YEAR'S OR THE LAST 23 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN CONGRUENCE WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE, AND THEY ARE 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 DO WE HAVE INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS AS A RESULT OF MY COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER MOODY? WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I FULLY SUPPORT THAT YOU KNOW, COMING TOGETHER WITH OUR DELEGATION AND, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATING SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE ALL COMING FROM.

WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MORE FULLY VET OUT, KIND OF 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 GOING TO LEAN INTO THAT WE THINK IS A KEY PRIORITY? SO WHETHER IT'S A WORK SESSION OR A WORKING BREAKFAST OR A BREAKFAST WHERE WE MIGHT GET SOME WORK DONE, BUT I FULLY SUPPORT IT, I THINK WE NEED TO DO IT AND IT WILL BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST AS WE GO INTO THIS NEW SESSION.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SAY BY SAYING AYE, AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? 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 GOING TO 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 I'LL PUT ON RECORD.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT, I BELIEVE THIS IS IN YOUR PRECINCT FOUR AND THAT YOU HAVE YOU AND I HAVE TALKED YOU HAVE INDICATED YOUR SUPPORT AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAD THE DISCUSSION FOR THIS THIS MORNING? ALL RIGHT, ROBERT, GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.

FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS ROBERT REINA WITH THE BEXAR 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, BEXAR COUNTY RECEIVED TWO INCENTIVE APPLICATIONS FROM OXBOW REAL ESTATE, PROPOSING TO DEVELOP TWO PROPERTIES LOCATED NORTH OF DOWNTOWN.

THESE DEVELOPMENTS AIM TO EXPAND MARKET RATE HOUSING IN A GROWING AREA AND ALSO SUPPORT DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.

BOTH PROJECTS, AS YOU NOTED, ARE LOCATED IN BEXAR COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR AND COMBINED REPRESENT A PRIVATE INVESTMENT OF $129 MILLION TO INCLUDE A I'M SORRY, IN ADDITION TO $10 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF 275 MULTIFAMILY UNITS.

NOW, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OMAR GONZALEZ, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT FOR OXBOW REAL ESTATE, WHO WILL PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS ON THESE EXCITING PROJECTS.

GOOD MORNING JUDGE. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.

APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.

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 AT THE PEARL CAMPUS AND BEYOND, AND SO TWO OF THESE FIT WITHIN THE CURRENT TAX ABATEMENT GUIDELINES.

THEY ARE MARKET RATE HOUSING IN THE CENTER CITY AND ONE IS AIMED AT 200 UNITS AND THE OTHER ONE IS AN ADDITIONAL 75 UNITS.

[02:35:01]

SO ONE IS ALONG ELMIRA STREET.

I ACTUALLY HAVE A LITTLE MAP HERE.

SO THERE'S ONE DOWN ON THE BOTTOM YOU CAN SEE IT SAYS COOPERS ROW NORTH.

COOPERS ROW IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW, AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO, THAT WE CAME TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT AND RECEIVED A SIMILAR TYPE OF TAX ABATEMENT.

SO HAPPENING IN FRONT OF THAT TOWARDS THE RIVER IS, IS COOPERS ROW NORTH AND IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THIS AREA RECENTLY, YOU'LL NOTICE TWO NEW BRIDGES.

LINK TOBIN HILL TO THINGS LIKE PULLMAN MARKET AND STABLE HALL AND GARAGE.

SO A LOT OF PROJECTS ARE HAPPENING THAT ARE NOT GETTING TAX ABATEMENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT GUIDELINES, WHICH IS FOR WHICH WHICH IS FOR MULTIFAMILY, AND THEN YSLETA IS A SECOND PROJECT, THAT'S THE 200 UNIT ONE THAT'S WEDGED BETWEEN GRAYSON AND JOSEPHINE, YSLETA AND THE RIVER.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY AMAZING TEN STORY PROJECT.

SO THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THE TWO PROJECTS I THINK WE'VE BRIEFED YOU ALL ON, SORT OF THE FINANCIAL MEASURES.

IN THE MEANTIME, I KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE AN ECONOMIC STUDY, AND THIS IS KIND OF COOL 120,000 JOBS HAVE BEEN CREATED AT PEARL OVER $210 MILLION OF ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE CITY, AND I'M REALLY PROUD THAT A LOT OF THIS IS, IS AVAILABLE AND ENJOYABLE BY THE PUBLIC OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL RESIDENTS ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON THE GROUND FLOOR ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OVER THE YEAR.

I THINK THIS RIVER NORTH WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND CONTINUED INVESTMENT, AND SO A REALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS $10 MILLION OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT. MOST OF THAT IS TIED TO THE RIVER IMPROVEMENTS, AND A LOT OF IT IS TIED TO ACCESSING IT FROM BOTH SIDES, SO THAT EVERYONE LIVING WEST OF THE RIVER CAN HAVE SIMILAR ACCESS THAT THE FOLKS LIVING EAST OF THE RIVER DO NOW.

COMMISSIONER CALVERT, THANK YOU, JUDGE, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I ASKED MY STAFF TO PULL THE AGENDA AND THE VIDEO OF OUR CONVERSATION THE LAST TIME THAT WE WERE HERE, BECAUSE THERE WAS AN IMPORTANT BALANCE THAT THE COURT PUT FORWARD FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD, WHICH WAS $25 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING 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, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME CONSENSUS ON ADJUSTING THE HOUSING POLICIES OF THE COUNTY IN THE FUTURE TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE OF THE DEMANDS ON HOUSING THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE COST OF THINGS BEING SO HIGH.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I READ IT CORRECTLY, BECAUSE I COULD HAVE, COULD HAVE READ IT INCORRECTLY, BUT I LOOKED AT THE APPLICATION AND I NOTED THAT IT SAID THAT IN 2024, THERE WERE NO NEW MULTIFAMILY HOUSING STARTS.

DO YOU RECALL THAT IN THE APPLICATION? THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.

SO A LOT OF THE HOUSING RIGHT NOW IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

USUALLY, YOU KNOW, GIVE IT ABOUT 2 YEARS, 2 TO 3 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, AND REALLY, THE EFFECTS OF THE INTEREST RATE HIKES PROBABLY AREN'T GOING TO BE SEEN UNTIL NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE NEXT YEAR MEANS YOU WOULD HAVE HAD STARTED THAT PROJECT IN 2023.

SO I KNOW NATIONALLY MULTIFAMILY STARTS ARE DOWN OVER 50%.

WE TRY TO STAY ATTUNED OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, PARTICULARLY IN OUR REGION IN THE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

I DO THINK THAT'S PROBABLY NO STARTS IN THAT IMMEDIATE VICINITY.

I KNOW WESTON URBAN HAS DONE SOME STUFF IN DOWNTOWN THAT PROBABLY STARTED IN THE 2023- 2024 TIMELINE.

OKAY. GOT IT. SO MAYBE AT THE TIME IT WAS WRITTEN, THAT WAS THE CASE, BUT IT MAY HAVE JUST A FEW STARTS, AND I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR HOW THE COURT BALANCES THINGS.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT 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.

THEY'RE FROM A RESEARCH IN THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW DO WE GET ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO DUST OFF THE IDEA THAT I PROPOSE OF A LAND BANK HERE IN THE COUNTY THAT WOULD HELP US ATTAIN LAND AT A AFFORDABLE RATE THAT WE COULD

[02:40:04]

PUT FORWARD FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS THE COUNTY.

SO, BECAUSE I THINK THE COURT HAS STRUCK A BALANCE WITH RESPECT TO BOTH INVESTMENT AND MARKET RATE AND AFFORDABLE, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS INCENTIVE OFFER.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

OMAR THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.

YES. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I KNOW IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE VISITED ABOUT THIS, SO I KIND OF HAD TO DUST OFF THE COBWEBS TO REMIND ME OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED.

I KNOW THAT AT THE TIME, AND I KNOW IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE WHILE KIND OF THE GESTATION PERIOD FOR THIS, BUT IT AT THE TIME WAS KIND OF INFORMALLY GRANDFATHERED, SO TO SPEAK, INTO THIS KIND OF THE LAST OF OUR, OUR MARKET RATE TYPE OF INCENTIVES IN THAT AREA. I MEAN, I KNOW THINGS HAVE EVOLVED IN PART LARGELY TO YOUR INVESTMENT AND WHAT'S BEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED AT THE PEARL THAT WE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, DON'T NEED TO INCENTIVIZE MARKET RATE.

I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, AND I WANTED YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT.

YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ACCESS TO THE RIVER, BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE I GUESS IS WHAT I WANTED TO FOCUS ON BECAUSE THAT IS A PUBLIC AMENITY.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE INVESTMENTS IN THIS DEVELOPMENT? YEAH. SO KIND OF A COMBINATION OF THE DEVELOPMENTS PUTS THE NEED FOR REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THAT RIVERWALK INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SO WE'VE ADDED TWO NEW BRIDGES.

WE'D LIKE TO ADD STAIRS TO THOSE BRIDGES SO THEY CAN BE ACCESSIBLE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE RIVER.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT SOME INVESTMENT INTO THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS IN THAT AREA, ADDING SOME STOP SIGNS, MAKING IT MORE MAKING IT SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS, MAKING IT A LITTLE MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, LANDSCAPING, TREES, AND THEN THERE'S THAT AREA WHERE THE BUILDING IS SORT OF NEXT TO THE RIVER. SO WE'RE ENGAGED WITH SARAH TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE DO ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING, HOW CAN WE INCLUDE BENCHES AND SEATING, JUST MAKING THAT WHOLE AREA.

RIGHT NOW, IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE IT DIES DOWN A LITTLE BIT THAT RIVERWALK 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 BECOME ENGAGED.

SO I THINK THE OVERALL KIND OF TOTAL PUBLIC INVESTMENT IS AROUND $10 MILLION, AND THEN, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW OR NOT, BUT THE TIRZ, THE MIDTOWN TIRZ THAT THE CITY IS A PART OF THAT THE COUNTY IS NOT THEY ARE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE $6.8 MILLION TOWARDS THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, AND SO ADDING UP, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THESE NUMBERS HERE ABOUT 1.3 $1.4 MILLION FROM THE COUNTY.

SO IT STILL LEAVES US A SMALL GAP, BUT I THINK EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE THAT PUBLIC INVESTMENT REALLY KIND OF CREATE SOME, SOME MORE LIFE AND VIBRANCY IN THAT AREA IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL. GREAT. THANK YOU.

OMAR, AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER CALVERT KIND OF ALLUDED TO THIS.

IT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS ITEM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR OXBOW DOES ANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN 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 GOING TO CALL ON FOLKS LIKE YOURSELVES AND OTHER PARTNERS TO HELP WITH THAT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT MIX, PARTICULARLY IN THE URBAN CORE.

SO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT AND WE CAN HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, BUT YOU GUYS ARE CURRENTLY JUST DOING MARKET RATE.

IS THAT RIGHT? CURRENTLY MARKET RATE.

I WOULD SAY WE ARE DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH THE RIGHT ENTITY TO DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

YOU KNOW, PART OF IT IS THE LAND VALUES AND THE RENTS THAT YOU CAN GET ON THE MARKET RATE, AND WE SAY SOMETIMES IT'S JUST AN ARITHMETIC EQUATION.

SURE. WITH THE RIGHT SUBSIDY LEVEL WILL GET YOU AFFORDABILITY.

RIGHT NOW THAT JUST DOESN'T EXIST IN THE CURRENT POLICIES.

YEAH, AND I KNOW THE I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE JUDGE, BUT I KNOW HE'S MADE SOME COMMENTS, AS WE ALL HAVE, ABOUT OUR ROLE FROM THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE IN SUPPORTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS A PARTNER.

I KNOW WE'VE ESTABLISHED IN THE PAST THE PFC THAT IS HISTORIC, DESIGNATED TYPE PROJECTS, BUT I THINK CERTAINLY THE DISCUSSION IF IT NEEDS TO EXPAND BEYOND THAT, WE'RE INTERESTED IN VISITING WITH PARTNERS.

SO PLEASE LET YOUR FOLKS KNOW AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

A FEW COMMENTS AND SOME QUESTIONS.

APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND ALSO THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE ANSWERED FOR US OMAR, BEFORE THIS MORNING MAYBE ON THE BEXAR COUNTY SIDE.

[02:45:01]

SO THIS POLICY IS GOING TO 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 TO YOU BY DECEMBER, AND WE HOPE TO ACCOUNT FOR FACTORS LIKE AFFORDABILITY MIX I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED THE OCCUPANCY RATE, DOWNTOWN, LOCAL TARGETING, ETC.

SO WE'LL HAVE A REVISED POLICY TO YOU HOPEFULLY BY DECEMBER.

OKAY. LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT.

YOU KNOW I HAD CONCERNS THINKING ABOUT THIS AS A TAX ABATEMENT FOR MARKET RATE HOUSING IN THE AREA THAT IT'S IN.

UNLESS, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.

AFTER GOING THROUGH THIS IN DETAIL, LOOKING AT THOSE INVESTMENTS, RIGHT, THAT WE'RE ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THAT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 40%, TEN YEAR TAX ABATEMENT THAT REALLY TOTALS ABOUT $1 MILLION IN NET PRESENT VALUE, AND, AND THIS DEVELOPMENT IS PUTTING IN $10 MILLION INTO THAT AREA WHEN IT COMES TO THE RIVERWALK, 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 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 GOING FORWARD, AS WE'VE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS HERE ABOUT WHAT OUR BUDGET SQUEEZE WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE COMING YEARS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ABLE TO FULFILL THE NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.

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 SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL REPORTED STORIES TALKING ABOUT THE VACANCIES THAT ARE OUT THERE, THE INCREASED INCENTIVES THAT ARE HAVING TO BE OFFERED TO TRY TO FILL THOSE THOSE MULTIFAMILY UNITS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

CAN CAN ANYONE SPEAK 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 SUBMARKET AROUND THE PEARL AVERAGES OUT ABOUT 96.3%.

SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT SOME OF THE MULTIFAMILY UNITS OUT THERE.

IT WAS 95% AT THE SOUTH LINE, 97% AT THE TIN TOP FLATS AND 97% AT THE SELLERS.

SO DOWNTOWN, WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE THAT MAJOR ISSUE WITH AN OVERSUPPLY.

YEAH, AND THAT MAKES SENSE, RIGHT, THERE'S A DESIRE FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO LIVE IN THAT AREA WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN THAT AREA.

BUT I DO WANT TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO PURSUE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BECAUSE WHAT WE SEE IN THE MARKET IS, IS THIS YOU KNOW, HIGHER VACANCY RATE IN THE MARKET RATE THAT HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

AND I THINK YOU COULD TIE THAT TOGETHER AND POTENTIALLY SAY THAT 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 JUST TO BREAK IT DOWN TO BE CLEAR, IF YOU MAKE 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 BECAUSE 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 WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT A LOT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF BECAUSE WE ARE ALL I BELIEVE WE ARE ALL PROPONENTS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH A LOWERCASE A.

HOWEVER, HOW WE GET THERE AND WHAT WE DO IN TERMS OF THE MARKETPLACE 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.

WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

[02:50:01]

THANK YOU JUDGE, THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD DISCUSSION.

I'M HAPPY TO HAVE IT.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN WE'RE DENSIFYING THE URBAN CORE.

SO SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR 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 HAVE PAID FOR FIREFIGHTING, BUILDINGS, AND FIREFIGHTER 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 AND SOUTH TOWN KING WILLIAM KIND OF AREAS.

I MEAN, YOU CAN HAVE ONE OFFS HERE AND THERE, YOU KNOW, BUT BUT IT IS EXPECTED THAT IN A CORE YOU CAN DO THAT, 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 MORE REVENUE, RIGHT, AND HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE THAT BALANCE OF GETTING MORE REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND? IT IS, I THINK, THROUGH INCENTIVIZING THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS.

SO I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE INVEST IN OUR CORE, WE HAVE MORE REVENUE ON OUR PERIPHERY, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, TO SPEND, BECAUSE THOSE NEW STREETS THAT WE BUILD ON THE PERIPHERY, THOSE ARE PERMANENT LIABILITIES.

THE COUNTY HAS TO KEEP UP.

WE GOT TO KEEP THOSE STREETS GOING FOREVER, BUT IF WE'RE FRANKLY DEVELOPING, THE CORE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CARRIES THAT BURDEN, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, RIGHT, AND CARRY THAT BURDEN NOT JUST IN STREETS, BUT IN FIRE AND EMS. SO IT IS IN WITH THAT THE ANNEXATION POWERS 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 IS GOING TO BE A HOT MESS FOR THE COUNTY AS WE GO FORWARD.

SO I DO THINK THERE IS A CONSERVATIVE ARGUMENT FOR DENSIFYING THE CORE THAT I DIDN'T CREATE.

THAT'S JUST KIND OF URBAN PLANNING 101, AND WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIND THAT BALANCE RIGHT BETWEEN HOW MUCH INCENTIVE YOU, YOU DO IN THE CORE AND HOW MUCH INVESTMENT YOU WANT TO MAKE ON THE PERIPHERY, BECAUSE IT WILL SUCK US INTO KIND OF A I MEAN, WE 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 WANT TO HAVE A HIGH LEVEL THOUGHT PROCESS ABOUT DRIVING INVESTMENT, WHERE WE HAVE CITY AND FIRE AND EMS AND POLICE.

SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER THOUGHT FOR THIS CONVERSATION.

THAT IS AN IMPORTANT POLICY CONVERSATION.

SO NOW, WITH RESPECT TO THE VACANCY RATES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE VACANCY RATES ARE DOWN AND 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 THE TALE OF THE TWO SAN ANTONIO'S, 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% 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 IS 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 LARGE SWATHS.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CORPORATE ENTITIES AND 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 IT WILL HELP OUR COUNTY TO THINK ABOUT THIS OWNERSHIP SOCIETY, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A COMPONENT STAIR STEP TO THAT.

SO I JUST WANT TO, AS WE COME TO DECEMBER, SET THE SET THE TONE FOR THAT CONVERSATION.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE FOR A POOR CITY, THE BIGGEST POOR CITY IN AMERICA PER CAPITA OF A POPULATION OVER A MILLION.

[02:55:01]

SO WE'VE GOT TO DO MORE TO HELP PEOPLE WITH THEIR COST OF LIVING.

THANK YOU, AND THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS PROJECT WE CAN USE THE TAX REVENUES FROM THIS PROJECT, AND WE CAN HELP STIMULATE THESE STAIR STEP PROGRAMS THAT GET PEOPLE TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THAT'S OUR GOAL.

THANK YOU, JUDGE. YES, AND ACCORDING TO THE ALAMO AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, OUR POPULATION IS SET TO INCREASE BY 60% BY 2050.

SO THIS IS ONE WAY TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS THE HOUSING NEED.

SO LET ME LET ME WEIGH IN.

ROBERT GET BACK TO THE PODIUM.

YOU KNOW THAT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THESE REQUESTS BY DEVELOPMENT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS COME IN AND THEY GET PROCESSED THROUGH YOUR OFFICE, AND THAT REALLY MEANS YOU, RIGHT.

SO YOU'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT ALL THE 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 BECOME COUNTY JUDGE.

ROBERT, I'VE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE GOT TO 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.

CORRECT. SO THE PROJECT IS IN THE 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 BRING THIS OUT FOR THE RECORD, WE GOT WHAT IT'S ALL IT'S IN THE INCORPORATED CITY LIMITS OF CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THEY'RE A TAX ENTITY. DO THEY GET AFFECTED BY TODAY'S DECISION? THEY WILL NOT. RIGHT.

WE GOT SCHOOL DISTRICT I BELIEVE IT'S SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THE JURISDICTION FOR WHICH THIS PROJECT LIES IN.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR, 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 UNINCORPORATED 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 WITH FIVE CAMPUSES HERE.

CORRECT. 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 [INAUDIBLE] SAN PEDRO CREEK MISSION TRAILS SOUTH 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 OF THE INVESTMENT MADE BY THESE PARTICULAR DEVELOPERS.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

SO THAT'S A WIN WIN. SO IT'S NOT JUST A ZERO SUM, 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 THESE PROJECTS.

CORRECT. THAT IS CORRECT.

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 LEGISLATURE LIMITS OR CAPS THE FUNDING, THE TAX REVENUES THAT THIS JUSTIFIES.

SO IT'S NOT THE FACT THAT WE'VE INCENTIVIZED AND THEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T GET 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.

IS THAT A CORRECT STATEMENT? I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.

AND 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? 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 DECIDE HOW CAN WE BEST HELP OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND I BELIEVE AND I'M SPEAKING TO MY COLLEAGUES, IT'S ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND COMMISSIONER CALVERT, YOU SAID ANOTHER WAY TO DENSIFY THE POPULATION TO BRING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO THE ESPECIALLY TO THE INNER CORE, AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT THE INNER CORE SAN ANTONIO ISD, HARLANDALE, EDGEWOOD, ALL THOSE PARTICULAR SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN THE 410 JURISDICTION ARE ALSO COUNTY RESIDENTS AND COUNTY CONSTITUENTS, AND I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT LEFT BEHIND.

BECAUSE HELP ME UNDERSTAND.

[03:00:01]

WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR SOUTHERN SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHAT SOUTHWEST ISD 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 THE ECONOMIC GROWTH AS A RESULT OF TOYOTA AND ALL THE BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES AND MANUFACTURERS, INCLUDING JCB, SOUTHSIDE 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 CALVERT WITH ESSENTIAL.

IT'S GROWING AND THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A GROWING PAINS 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, WHICH 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 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 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, BECAUSE IT COULD BE VIEWED AS WHY, GIVEN THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPER, THIS INCENTIVE, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH PROJECT, EACH 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 THAT 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 REBUILD THE INNER CORE, BRINGING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN SO THAT THEY THERE'S AN INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT, AND WITH THAT, HOPEFULLY ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

SO I GET THE ARGUMENT THAT SOMETIMES THESE PACKAGES DON'T GIVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT I UNDERSTAND 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 IN BEHALF OF YOUR CLIENTS? ABSOLUTELY I WOULD LOVE TO.

AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS PARTNER UP WITH ALL OUR TAXING ENTITIES, BE IT THE CITY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY, WHICH IS DOING WONDERFUL PROJECTS.

THEY'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO 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 DAIS.

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 SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP THE ITEMS BY EXCEPTIONS TO ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY 1.2 WE KIND OF HAD A DISCUSSION, LARRY, I'M JUST GOING TO ASK WHAT WE DID

[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]

IS CAN WOULD THERE BE UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO TAKE UP ALL THREE AGENDA ITEMS AS LATE FILED PURSUANT TO THE EXCEPTION ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY 1.2 TO AUTHORIZE THE CONSIDERATION OF THE FOLLOWING LATE FILED ITEMS 62, 63, 64, AND AFTER THAT VOTE, I WILL TAKE UP EACH INDIVIDUAL AND FOR CONSIDERATION IS THAT IS THAT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO DISCUSS ALL THREE ITEMS SEPARATELY SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

LET'S NOW TAKE UP 62A DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION TO APPROVE, AUTHORIZE AND APPROVAL OF EXECUTION OF A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEXAR COUNTY SURGICAL SERVICES, INC.

FOR DETENTION FACILITY FOOD SERVICES AT BEXAR COUNTY ADULT DETENTION FACILITY SECURED LABOR SUPPLIES, FOOD ITEMS TO PROVIDE FULL FOOD SERVICES FOR INMATES, DETAINEES, STAFF AND VISITORS, INCREASE THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT FROM $25,406,60.69

[03:05:10]

TO $30,451,596.10, AN INCREASE OF A $5,044,535.41 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.

WHO WISHES TO SPEAK.

NOBODY. IS THERE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.

SHERIFF, WHY DON'T YOU SOMEBODY COME UP HERE AND JUST FOR PURPOSES OF PUBLIC DISCUSSION.

WHAT? WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? WHAT WHAT IS WHAT DO YOU NEED IN BEHALF OF THE COURT? I CAN TELL YOU DEFINITIVELY.

SO RICO HAS DONE A GREAT JOB FOR US.

THEY'VE BEEN A GOOD PARTNER.

NOW, I KNOW THAT THERE'S THE MATTER OF SOME SOME RENOVATIONS THAT HAVE BECOME NECESSARY, AND SO I'VE GOT ASSISTANT CHIEF JOEL JANSSEN THAT'S HERE TO PROVIDE MORE BACKGROUND, MORE DETAIL.

SO I'LL, I'LL ASK HIM TO STEP UP.

CHIEF, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US A BRIEF UPDATE? SURE. SO CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE HAVE IS THE ANNEX NEEDS TO GET REMODELED.

SO DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TWO AREAS WHERE WE ACTUALLY PUSH OUT TRAYS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE THE MAJORITY OF THE OPERATIONS OVER TO THE MAIN JAIL, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THERE IS GOING TO BE AN INCREASED COST.

SO THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER MOODY? CAN WE JUST CLARIFY THIS IS A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT.

IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, THEY'RE CURRENTLY ON THEIR LAST YEAR.

SO [INAUDIBLE]. YES. OKAY.

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.

CORRECT, SIR, BUT WHAT'S CONFUSING IN HERE TO ME IS IS IT MODIFIED? I REALIZE THE COST PER MEAL IS 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 VERY CONFUSED ABOUT THE ACTUAL COST.

WELL, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS IT'S THE COST IS GOING TO BE BASED OFF OF THE INMATE THE TRAYS EACH, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE A COST OF A TRUCK TO BE ABLE TO BE RENTED TO MOVE BETWEEN BOTH BUILDINGS.

I'M NOT ARGUING.

YES. 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 $1 MILLION OR $5 MILLION? I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE JUST THE MILLION.

I BELIEVE, FROM 29 TO 30.

YES, SIR. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, 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 HAVE BEEN 29 TO 30, OR THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT SCHEDULE F, I THINK IT IS, WHICH HAS THE YEAR BY YEAR BREAKDOWN, FOUR YEARS HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED.

SO THEIR ACTUALS THAT TOTALS 23-24.

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 IS PROBABLY BEEN A LONG TIME IN COMING, RIGHT? IT'S BEEN DELAYED, CLEARLY PROBABLY KNOWING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE AN OVERAGE AND HAVE TO EXTEND THE UPPER LIMIT OF THE CONTRACT, AND SO IT'S ALL KIND OF BACKED IN OVER FIVE YEARS, AND NOW WE'RE BASICALLY GOING TO HAVE TO PAY.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS CAPPED AT 25.

WELL WE'VE BLOWN PAST THAT PROBABLY DUE TO POPULATION OR SOMETHING I'M NOT SURE.

OH YES, AND SO WE'RE FIXING THAT PREVIOUS PROBLEM IN THIS AMENDMENT BY UPPING THE TOTAL.

WE'RE ALSO SELL RICO BEGAN DISCUSSING THE PER MEAL RATE 18 MONTHS AGO.

MORE OR LESS. YES. YEAH, IT WAS A WHILE AGO.

SO WE'RE FIXING SEVERAL PROBLEMS IN ONE AMENDMENT.

SO THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THAT WAS CAPTURED.

THE DATA YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN THE 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 IF THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS

[03:10:02]

25, YOU ASSUME IT WOULD HAVE STARTED YOU KNOW IT'S IN THE BACKGROUND IT'S THE, THE 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.

OH I FOUND IT.

YEAH. SO BASICALLY, IN 2021-2022, 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.

CORRECT, AND THAT'S GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE INMATE POPULATION.

IF YOU LOOK AT BASICALLY LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, WE WERE AT ABOUT 4,200 NOW WE'RE IN THE 05,000S 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 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.

WE GOT TO FIX THAT PROBLEM AS WELL AS GET THE NEGOTIATED NEW PER MEAL RATE ENSHRINED, AND THIS AMENDMENT IS TRYING TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS. YEAH.

ALL I'M JUST FOR, FOR TO SIMPLIFY IT FOR EVERYONE.

WE'VE PROBABLY BEEN, YOU KNOW, 15 TO 30% OVER FOR THE LAST 2 TO 3 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.

RIGHT, SO INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT, WELL, IT SHOULD BE $5 MILLION A YEAR AND WE'RE ADDING $5 MILLION, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND DOUBLE THIS YEAR.

NO, WE'VE BEEN BLOWING THROUGH WHAT WAS KIND OF ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED AND PLANNED FOR FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE'RE JUST FINALLY, LIKE ADDRESSING IT TODAY. SO I GET IT.

I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR AND HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THAT ACTUAL TABLE, BUT.

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

YES. ALL RIGHT.

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

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP ITEM 64A, DISCUSSION APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING AWARDING A DELIVERY ORDER TO LAKE COUNTRY CHEVROLET, INC.

STAY RIGHT THERE.

[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.]

TO PROVIDE FOR A PURCHASE OF ALL THOSE VEHICLES AS STATED IN THE AGENDA, THE INTERLOCAL INTERLOCAL PURCHASING SYSTEMS COOPERATIVE CONTRACT 200206 AND 210907 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 271.102, AND AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASING AGENT TO EXECUTE AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE AWARD DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD APPROVAL OF THE ASSOCIATED BUDGET TRANSFER.

MOVE APPROVAL. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MOODY.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? JUST A QUICK QUESTION, JUDGE.

THESE ARE ALL ITEMS I UNDERSTAND THAT WERE BUDGETED FOR ALREADY.

WE'RE JUST IT JUST GOT ON THE AGENDA LATE, BUT THEY'RE FOR A GOOD PURPOSE.

YOU'VE GOT FOLKS WHO ARE FILLING THESE VEHICLES BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT NEW RECRUITS AND NEW HIRES.

IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR.

WE'RE. THANKS TO THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH COMMISSIONERS COURT, WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF STAFFING UP.

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE AS FAR AS THIS ITEM GOES, BUT WE'RE DOWN IN THE 80S ON VACANCIES IN THE DETENTION CENTER AS OF TODAY, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, WITH WITH MORE COPS COMES THE NEED FOR MORE COP CARS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

GREAT. THANK YOU, JUDGE. ANYTHING ELSE? CALL FOR A VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.