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I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT BUDGET WORK SESSION MEETING FOR AUGUST 26TH, 2025.
WE ONLY HAVE ONE ACTION ITEM RELATING TO THE BEXAR COUNTY JUDICIARY.
THE REMAINING ITEMS WILL BE LISTED DEPARTMENTS TO SPEAK TO THEIR BUDGET REQUEST.
UH, AT THIS TIME, UH, THE FIRST ITEM IS COMMUNICATIONS TO BE HEARD.
LET ME DO, CONSTABLE TAYLOR, YOU'VE SIGNED UP.
DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK NOW OR DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK AT THE TIME THAT WE TAKE UP THE CONSTABLE ISSUE? CONSTABLE.
SO, CONSTABLE TELA, I'LL BRING YOU UP WHEN WE ADDRESS CONSTABLES MATTERS OF THE BUDGET.
PLEASE, YOU NEED TO SIGN UP IF YOU WISH TO BE HEARD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER CITIZENS WHO WISH TO BE HEARD? UH, THAT'S THE ONLY WRITTEN SIGNUP I HAVE.
[2. Discussion and appropriate action regarding: A. Resolution of the Bexar County Commissioners Court expressing support for maximum discretionary judicial salary supplements, expectations of collaboration, and acknowledgment of the Judiciary. B. An increase to the maximum County Supplement for District Court Judges from $18,000 to $25,000 annually, to be effective October 1, 2025, and setting the salaries of the other Bexar County judges following the salary tier consistent with their years of service as a judge, as tied to the district judge salaries; C. An increase to the maximum County Supplement for the 4th Court of Appeals Justices from $9,000 to $12,500 annually, to be effective October 1, 2025; D. The deletion of one (1) Presiding Criminal Magistrate, two (2) Full-time Criminal Magistrates, one (1) Criminal Law Magistrate, one (1) Drug Court Magistrate and thirteen (13) Part-time Criminal Magistrates and the addition of one (1) Presiding Associate Judge, four (4) Full-time Associate Judges, and thirteen (13) Part-time Associate Judges at the request of the Criminal District Courts. ]
ITEM NUMBER TWO.AND LARRY, I JUST, FOR PURPOSES OF CLARITY, I BELIEVE TWO A, B, C, D, AND IS THERE ANY, ANY OBJECTION OF HAVING THAT AS ONE MOTION AS LONG AS THE COURT VOTES UNANIMOUSLY ON ALL FOUR? BECAUSE THOSE ARE FOUR SEPARATE ITEMS. JUDGE, YOUR HONOR, I'M ALERTING THE COURT THAT I, I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER THIS ONE MOTION, BUT IF THERE ISN'T, THEN WE WILL TAKE IT UP ACCORDING TO THE ALL RIGHT.
WELL, LET'S JUST, UH, I'LL, I'LL BRING IT UP AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
SO COMMISSIONER, IF YOU'LL JUST HOLD THAT MOTION, WE'LL TAKE IT UP AND YOU CAN MOVE AT THAT TIME.
DISCUSSION, APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING A RESOLUTION OF BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR MAXIMUM DISCRETIONARY JUDICIAL SALARY SUPPLEMENTS, EXPECTATION OF COLLABORATION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE JUDICIARY.
B, AN INCREASE TO THE MAXIMUM COUNTY SUPPLEMENT FOR DISTRICT COURT JUDGES FROM 18,000 TO 25,000 ANNUALLY TO BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2025, AND SETTING THE SALARIES OF THE OTHER BEXAR COUNTY JUDGES FOLLOWING THE SALARY TIER CONSISTENT WITH THE YEARS OF SERVICE AS A JUDGE AS TIED TO THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGE SALARIES.
C AN INCREASE TO THE MAXIMUM COUNTY SUPPLEMENT FOR THE FOURTH COURT OF APPEAL JUSTICE FROM 9,000 TO 12,500 ANNUALLY TO BE EFFECTIVE.
OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 D THE DELETION OF ONE PRESIDING CRIMINAL MAGISTRATE, TWO FULL-TIME CRIMINAL MAGISTRATES, ONE CRIMINAL LAW MAGISTRATE, ONE DRUG COURT MAGISTRATE, AND 13 PART-TIME CRIMINAL MAGISTRATES.
AND AN ADDITION OF ONE PRESIDING ASSOCIATE JUDGE, FOUR FULL-TIME ASSOCIATE JUDGES AND 13 PART-TIME ASSOCIATE JUDGES AT THE REQUEST OF THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURTS.
SO AT THIS TIME, MS. TINA SMITH, WHY DON'T YOU BRING US UP TO DATE ON ITEM TWO A, BCD, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT MOTION IS BROUGHT FORTH TO THE COURT.
UM, TINA SMITH, DEAN WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO DISCUSS JUDICIAL SALARIES.
UM, THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA ON THE MOTION IS FOR APPROVAL OF A, UM, RESOLUTION TO BE SIGNED BY THE COM, THE COUNTY JUDGE, THE JUDICIARY, JUST EXPRESSING EVERYBODY'S WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CRE, THE REQUEST FOR NEW COURTS, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WORKDAY, AND ANY INCREASES ON COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY COSTS.
JUST TO ADD, JUST, JUST REQUESTING COOPERATION.
CAN I GET THE POWERPOINT PLEASE? THANK YOU.
SO, BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, UM, SENATE BILL 2 93 WAS PASSED IN THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND WHAT IT, IT DID A LOT OF THINGS, BUT, BUT THE FOCUS OF THIS ITEM TODAY IS JUST ON THE JUDICIAL SALARY PIECE.
SO WHAT IT DID WAS IT INCREASED THE BASE SALARY FOR DISTRICT COURT JUDGES FROM 140,000 TO 175,000 TO BE EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT CAUSES A RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGH THE REST OF OUR JUDICIARY, SUCH AS THE COUNTY COURTS, THE PROBATE COURTS, ASSOCIATE JUDGES, AND SO ON.
SO I'LL GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THOSE.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST PAY RAISE THAT THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES HAVE HAD SINCE 2013.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THE JUDICIARY IS NOT ELIGIBLE.
THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE ANNUAL COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCES OR ANY INCREASES SUCH AS THE ONE THAT YOU ALL APPROVED AT THE LAST MEETING FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO FOR THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES, AS I STATED, THEIR NEW STATE BASE SALARY WILL BE $175,000.
THE LAW ALSO ALLOWS THE COURT TO INCREASE THE COUNTY SUPPLEMENT, WHICH IS WHAT WILL BE PAID BY THE COUNTY FROM 18,000 TO $25,000.
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SO WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING TODAY IS COURT'S APPROVAL TO INCREASE THE COUNTY SUPPLEMENT FOR DISTRICT COURT JUDGES FROM 18,000 TO 25,000.IT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2025, AND THE ANNUAL COST OF THAT WOULD BE ABOUT $232,000.
SO FOR COUNTY COURT AT LAW JUDGES, ALL OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE JUDGES ARE PAID BY THE COUNTY.
THEIR, UH, MINIMUM SALARY IS 1000 LESS THAN THE TOTAL SALARY PAID TO A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE.
SO AUTOMATICALLY, AS PART OF THIS LEGISLATION, THAT BECOMES EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST.
THE COUNTY COURT AT LAW JUDGES WILL RECEIVE PAY INCREASES FOR A TOTAL COST OF $707,000.
BUT THE DECISION POINT HERE IS RELATED TO THE MAXIMUM SUPPLEMENT THAT I JUST SPOKE ABOUT REGARDING THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES.
SO IF THE COURT APPROVES THAT ADJUSTMENT FROM 18,000 TO 25,000, THAT THE SAME, THAT WOULD FLOW OVER INTO THE COUNTY COURT AT LAW JUDGE'S SALARIES, AND THAT WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 AT A COST OF ABOUT 129,000 FOR PROBATE COURT JUDGES, THEIR JUDGE, THEIR SALARIES ARE SET TO THE AMOUNT EQUAL TO WHAT A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE MAKES WITH COMPARABLE YEARS OF SERVICE.
SO AUTOMATICALLY EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025, THEY WILL RECEIVE SALARY INCREASES AT A COST OF ABOUT $74,000.
AGAIN, IF THE MAXIMUM SUPPLEMENT FOR THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES IS APPROVED, THEY WOULD RECEIVE THAT SAME INCREASE, WHICH WOULD BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST AT A COST OF ABOUT $26,000.
FOR ASSOCIATE JUDGES, THERE'S A STATE LAW THAT SAYS THAT THEIR BASE SALARY SHOULD BE 90% OF THE STATE, THE BASE SALARY OF A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE.
AND THIS IS JUST FOR ASSOCIATE JUDGES THAT HEAR CERTAIN MATTERS SUCH AS GUARDIANSHIP, CHILD SUPPORT, AND CHILD PROTECTION.
SO THE COST FOR THE COUNTY TO IMPLEMENT THE COUNTY SUPPLEMENT FOR, I'M SORRY, THE COST TO, TO INCREASE THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES SALARIES AT THAT 90% FOR THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES IS 231,000.
IT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025.
AND WE ARE ACTUALLY INCLUDING ALL ASSOCIATE JUDGES IN THIS JUST FOR PARITY.
SO SOME OF THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES DO NOT HEAR THOSE KIND OF CASES, BUT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THEY ALL GET THE SAME SALARY TO BE FAIR.
AND THEN IF THE MAXIMUM COUNTY SUPPLEMENT IS APPROVED FOR THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES, THE ANNUAL COST OF THAT WOULD BE ABOUT $58,000.
AND THE EFFECTIVE DATE WOULD BE OCTOBER 1ST, 2025.
UM, AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURTS REQUESTED TO RECLASSIFY THREE FULL-TIME AND 13 PART-TIME MAGISTRATES TO ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
UM, SO WE INCLUDED THAT ITEM AS PART OF THIS ITEM SINCE IT IS RELATED IN, IN TERMS OF THE SALARIES.
SO, UM, IN THE ANALYSIS WE DID INCLUDE THE DRUG COURT MAGISTRATE AND THE CRIMINAL LAW MAGISTRATE, WHICH WAS NOT IN THEIR ORIGINAL REQUEST, BUT AGAIN, WE WANTED ALL OF THE MAGISTRATES TO BE PAID EQUALLY.
AND SO THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS 332,000, AND IT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE ACTION ITEMS WE ARE REQUESTING THE COURT'S APPROVAL OF.
AND THEN ONCE THE MAXIMUM COUNTY SUPPLEMENT IS APPROVED, IF IT IS APPROVED, THE DISTRICT COURT, I'M SORRY, THE, UH, THE ADDITIONAL COST OF THAT WOULD BE 55,000, AND THAT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2025.
AND THEN FINALLY WITH THE FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS JUDGES, THE THAT SAME LAW ALLOWS THE COUNTY SUPPLEMENT TO BE INCREASED FROM 9,000 TO 12,500.
FOR THOSE JUDGES, THAT WOULD BE, UM, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 AT A COST OF ABOUT $30,000.
SO IN TOTAL, THE COST TO BE EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST WOULD BE $1.3 MILLION.
THE ADDITIONAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE, THE MAXIMUM COUNTY SUPPLEMENT WOULD BE ABOUT $500,000 FOR TOTAL COST OF ABOUT 1.8 MILLION.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M REQUESTING, UH, APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDED MOTION ON THE SLIDE 10.
COMMISSIONER CALVERT MOVE APPROVAL OF TWO A C ANDP MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CALVERT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO DO WE HAVE A SAY IN ANY OF THIS OR THIS IS JUST THE STATE SAID IT AND SO WE'RE JUST PASSING IT BECAUSE IT'S JUST WHAT THE COURT HAS A SAY IN IS THE INCREASE TO THE, THE COUNTY SUPPLEMENT FROM 18,000 TO 25,000, EVERYTHING ELSE JUST AUTOMATICALLY HAPPENS SEPTEMBER 1ST.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING WE'RE DISCUSSING OR WHAT THE MOTION WAS TO MOTION, BUT TO, FOR HOW MUCH? FIVE FOR THE MOTION THAT IS LAID OUT ON THIS SLIDE IS FROM GOING FROM 18,000
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TO 25,000.SO I'D LIKE TO DECIDE WHY THE MOTION IS FOR 25,000 AS OPPOSED TO THE LOWER END OR IF THERE IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
WELL, I'LL TAKE THAT DISCUSSION.
UH, WHEN WE KNEW THAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS CONSIDERING, WE ALSO KNEW THAT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES, AND ONE OF THE DISCRETIONARY DECISIONS THAT THIS MOTION IS PUTTING FORTH THAT I AM SUPPORTING TODAY WAS THAT WE LOOKED AT THE ENTIRE JUDICIARY AND NOT JUST AT THE CERTAIN JUDGES.
SO THAT WAY WE TOOK IN THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY PAID BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, THEY DO GET A SUPPLEMENT, WHICH IS DISCRETIONARY.
AND SO THE LEGISLATURE INCREASED THAT SPECIFICALLY TO ALLOW THE COUNTIES TO DO THIS.
TWO, WE LOOKED AT THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY COURTS OF LAW, WHICH IS THE BIGGEST SUM TOTAL OF THIS, UH, PAY INCREASE FOR THE JUDICIARY, WAS ALSO PART AND PARCEL.
AND THAT THE SUPPLEMENT WOULD ALSO BE PART OF THAT.
TWO WAS ALSO TO LOOK AT THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES WHO, BY THE WAY, I WAS A FORMER ASSOCIATE JUDGE, ONLY GET A COST OF LIVING IF AND SOME YEARS WERE EXEMPTED FROM THE COST OF LIVING.
SO THEY HAVE REALLY LAGGED BEHIND ON JUDICIARY PAY, AND THEY'RE PERHAPS AT THE LOWEST LEVEL.
SO IN REGARDS TO THE RESOLUTION, AND I'LL GO UP TO ITEM A, WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE TO HELP INCREASE THE COMMUNICATION AND THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE JUDICIARY? WE KNOW THAT THE JUDICIARY HAS CERTAIN STATUTORY RIGHTS OF SETTING ATTORNEY'S FEES, CREATING DIRECT IMPACT ON THE BUDGET WITHOUT OUR INPUT OR DISCRETION.
AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT IN THE FACT THAT THEY ORDER AN INCREASE OF COURT APPOINTED FEES.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT IT WAS WITHOUT BUDGET INPUT.
IT WAS WITHOUT BUDGET REVIEW, AND WE WERE PRETTY MUCH MANDATED.
AND I BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE.
SO IN ORDER TO AVOID THOSE SITUATIONS THAT PERHAPS CAUSE NEGATIVE FEELINGS, COMMISSIONER, I HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT WE GIVE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT AND IN RETURN, AND WE HAD A VERY GOOD MEETING WITH THE SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGES, ONE THAT WOULD BE JUDGE JACKIE VALEZ, OUR LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE AND SENIOR JUDGE OVER AT JUVENILE COURT JUDGE MELISSA VATA, WHO IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE, SENIOR JUDGE OF COUNTY COURTS OF LAW, JUDGE O ROSIE A DORADO, WHO'S THE SENIOR FORMER LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE OF THE CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS AND JUDGE
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESOLUTION, IS THAT ATTACHED TO THE PACKAGE OF INFORMATION YOU HAVE? YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE ASKED FOR THEIR COOPERATION.
WE HAD A VERY GOOD MEETING IN WHICH WE DISCUSSED SOME OF THE BUDGET LIMITATIONS.
AND I'LL BE, I'LL BE REAL BLUNT, I PUT IT OUT THAT THE ISSUE THAT IS COMMONLY RAISED IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS IS THAT THE BUDGET ANALYSTS CHANGE EVERY YEAR 'CAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE JOB OR THE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THOSE BUDGET ANALYSTS WHO WORK WITH THE JUDGES.
AND I WILL BE, I'LL BE REAL BLUNT, I WAS ON THAT JUDGE SIDE AND THE BUDGET ANALYSTS USUALLY GET THE BRUNT OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE THE JUDGES THAT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO WAS PUT A KIND OF CHAIN OF COMMAND PROCESS THAT THEY WOULD FIRST HAVE THEIR DISCUSSIONS OF BUDGET NEEDS WITH THE BUDGET ANALYST, BUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE A CHAIN OF COMMAND.
AND ULTIMATELY, I'VE DESIGNATED THOMAS EVADO, THE DEPUTY COUNTY MANAGER, THAT ANY PROCESS WILL THEN GO TO HIM BEFORE IT COMES TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICES.
THE ELECTEDS ARE FREE TO TALK TO WHOEVER THEY WANT, BUT I WANTED TO PUT A CHAIN OF COMMAND PROCESS.
AND SO IN ORDER TO HELP ACCOMMODATE THE JUDICIAL PAID, NOW REALIZE THAT DISTRICT COURT PAY FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE, THAT'S A 25% INCREASE.
UNDERSTAND THAT THE DISTRICT COURT PAID, THE STATE MANDATED COME EVERY 10 YEARS.
AND SO IF YOU AMATEURIZE THAT, THAT'S A 2.5.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE SALARY COMMITTEE DID FOR US AS ELECTEDS WAS GIVE US A 2%, WHICH WE DIDN'T ASK FOR, BUT THAT WAS WHAT THE PROCESS, UH, CREATED FOR US AS COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
SO I WANT TO DO OUR VERY BEST TO ENCOURAGE, TO GET THE VERY BEST PEOPLE TO BE OUR ELECTED JUDGES AND, AND AT THE SAME TIME RECOGNIZE THAT WE WANT TO
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VALUE THEIR SERVICES.SO COMMISSIONER, THAT'S THE REASON WHY, UH, I HAVE SUBMITTED THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT AND I ASK FOR THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPROVAL COMM OR COMMISSIONER.
CLAY FLORES, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER? NO, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE, THE MAGISTRATES TO THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
IS THAT LIKE A PROGRAM CHANGE FOR ALL OF THOSE JUDGES? YES, THAT WOULD BE, IS THERE LIKE A STEP FUNCTION? IT IS JUST A PROGRAM CHANGE THAT THEY HAD TO ASK FOR AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AND WE INCLUDED IT IN THIS PACKAGE JUST BECAUSE OF THE, THE LAW THAT WAS CHANGING EVERYBODY'S SALARIES.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONNECTED.
SO BY GOING FROM MAGISTRATE TO ASSOCIATE JUDGE, THEN THEY'D BE TIED IN WITH ALL THE OTHER CORRECT.
ALONG THE SAME LINES, UH, AM I HEARING THAT THERE WAS, UH, ANOTHER CHANGE WITH RESPECT TO MAGISTRATE JUDGES OR AT THE LEGISLATURE? NO.
IT WAS, I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT LEGISLATION, BUT IT WAS A CHANGE IN REGARDS TO, UM, IT WAS REGARDING, IF I'M WRITE JUDGE
BUT I THINK IT REGARDED WHAT TYPES OF MATTERS THEY COULD HEAR.
AND IT, IT WOULD BE MORE BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY IF THEY CHANGED THEIR TITLES TO ASSOCIATE JUDGE.
WE GOT A BENEFIT AT THE LEGISLATURE, BUT WE'LL TAKE IT WHEN WE CAN GET IT, SO, OKAY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ? NO, JUDGE.
UM, TINA, THANKS FOR THE, THE PRESENTATION.
THE, UH, I GUESS THE ONLY CLARIFYING QUESTION I HAVE ON THE PROGRAM CHANGE IS RELATED TO THE PART-TIME MAGISTRATES, THE ALL OF THE MAGISTRATES.
SO ALL OF THE ONES THAT ARE AT, UM, CM A, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO THIS, THIS ALSO APPLIES TO, TO THE PART-TIMERS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T GET THE SAME, UH, I GUESS LEVEL OF BENEFITS OR SALARY, UM, RIGHT.
BUT, BUT IN TERMS OF THEIR STATUS AND, AND TITLE, THEY'LL, THEY'LL CHANGE TO ASSOCIATE JUDGE? YES.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE CLARIFY THAT.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING COMMISSIONER THAT THE PART-TIME MAGISTRATE ARE PAID AN HOURLY THAT'S RIGHT.
AND SO THAT'S HOW WE DID THE CALCULATION.
AND THEY AM AMATEURIZE THAT ACCORDING TO THE BASE SALARY OF A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE, OKAY.
FOR WHAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO THERE'S A, IT'S ALL CALCULATION.
THE ONLY, THE ONLY TRUE DISCRETION IS THE SUPPLEMENT.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE SENSITIVE NATURE, BUT I WANTED TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT BEXAR COUNTY SUPPORTS ITS JUDICIARY.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN TODAY'S WORLD, WE GIVE THEM THE DIGNITY, RESPECT THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO, NOTWITHSTANDING OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS OR VIEWS ABOUT WHAT OUR JUDGES DO OR DON'T DO.
I HAVE FULL FAITH AND CREDIT THAT OUR LOCAL BEXAR COUNTY JUDGES WORK HARD, THAT THEY FOLLOW THE LAW, THAT THEY PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE AND THE UNITED STATES.
AND I'LL PUT MY REPUTATION AND MY WORD THAT THEY WILL FOLLOW THROUGH.
WE HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION ABOUT BUDGET ISSUES THAT I HOPE WILL BE THE RETURN FOR THIS ACT OF INCREASING BY LAW, BUT ALSO GIVING THEM THE MAX WE CAN.
SO COMMISSIONERS, IF WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE JUDGES, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO BRING THAT BACK.
AND WE HAVE AT LEAST A DOCUMENT THAT THE JUDGES HAVE BEEN BRIEFED, AND THE SENIOR JUDGES HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE APPROVAL, UH, FROM THE JUDGES.
SO THAT SHOULD MINIMIZE, HOPEFULLY, JUDGES HAVING TO SEEK EU OUT INDIVIDUALLY.
AND WE WOULD HOPE THAT MR. THOMAS GEVA IN HIS OFFICE ARE GONNA HOPEFULLY RESOLVE MOST, IF NOT ALL, OR AT THE VERY LEAST.
AND ONE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE WAS THE ISSUE WITH PAY RAISES FOR EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEMATIC ISSUE FOR THE COURT TO ALWAYS TAKE UP.
SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT THIS HAS JUST A, A ANOTHER STEP TOWARD MAKING OUR COUNTY MORE EFFECTIVE, MORE EFFICIENT, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE BEST PEOPLE SERVE IN OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT, A READY CALL, A VOTE.
COMMISSIONER MOODY, JUST A FINAL COMMENT, JUDGE.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THIS GOES TO, TO YOUR EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND.
I WANT TO DEFER TO YOU ON THAT.
UH, BUT I DO HOPE, UH, THAT OUR JUDICIARY, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT THIS USHERS IN, UH, A NEW PERIOD OF COLLABORATION PARTNERSHIP, AND THAT WHEN IT COMES TO ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS, UH, THAT, THAT WE HAVE A, UH, A BETTER SYSTEM GOING
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FORWARD WITH THAT.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MOTION, TWO, A, B, C, AND D.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES.
[3. Presentations and discussion regarding the proposed Bexar County Fiscal Year 2025-26 Operating and Capital Budgets related to appropriations and/or capital expenditures for the following County offices and departments: A. Sheriff's Office, regarding the following: I. Discussion of current and future efforts associated with Adult Detention Center Overtime/Fair Labor Standards Act and associated vacant positions. a. Authorize ten (10) Sergeants for ADC, currently in Contingencies II. Discussion of new Patrol Districts a. Add one (1) additional Law Enforcement Sergeant for improved span of control; b. Add five (5) additional Tahoe vehicles for Patrol III. Discussion about Sheriffs Conununity Oriented Response Education Hot Spots a. Add one (I) SCORE Sergeant; b. c. Add four ( 4) SCORE Deputies to dedicate to each precinct; and Add five (5) Tahoe vehicles for SCORE IV. Other Program Change Discussion Items a. Add four ( 4) Law Enforcement Investigators for Financial Crimes, Child Safe, Violent Crimes, and Animal Crimes Investigations. i. Add four ( 4) Sedan vehicles for CID b. c. d. Add one (1) Law Enforcement Sergeant for CID to improve the span of control for CID Investigators; not originally included in department budget submission Add two (2) PIU Investigators i. Add two (2) Sedan vehicles. Delete one (1) Manager of Public Safety Conununications Center position to fund one (I) new Change Management Specialist and upgrade an existing Change Management Technician to a Change Management Specialist position; not originally included in department budget submission V. Add $500,000 for Helicopter Operations; not originally included in department budget submission B. Office of the District Attorney regarding the following: I. Reclassify the following positions from A-IO to A-11 a. Deputy Chief - Family Violence; b. c. d. e. f. II. Deputy Chief - Intake; Deputy Chief - Misdemeanor; All Prosecutor V; not originally included m department budget submission; All Attorney IV; not originally included m department budget submission; and Ethical Disclosure Unit Director; not originally included in department budget submission. Retain the Prosecutor V (Administration) position which was previously requested to be reclassified to a Chief of Staff position. C. Office of the County Courts regarding the following: I. Add one (1) Drug Court Magistrate; II. III. Salary Adjustment for the proposed Chief Staff Attorney; and Modify (I) Senior Court Support Specialist to a court coordinator D. Office of the Civil District Courts regarding the following: I. Modify one (1) Senior Court Specialist to a District Court Coordinator for Presiding Court; and II. Increase contracted services in the amount of $45,000 for Domestic Violence symposium E. Office of the District Clerk regarding the following: I. Add one (1) Mental Health Clerk F. Office of Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, regarding the following: I. Modification of one (1) Lead Court Clerk to one (1) Supervisor G. Office of the Constable, Precinct 1 regarding the following: I. Add ten (10) Deputy Constables related to Senate Bill 38; and II. Add two (2) Administrative Clerk I positions H. Office of the Managed Assigned Counsel, regarding the following: I. Add one (1) Office Assistant IV for Padilla Attorney; and II. I. Add three (3) Office Assistant IV positions to process vouchers. Office of Elections Department regarding the following: I. Add one (1) Public Relations Director, Sr. Executive Assistant; and II. Modify one (I) Election Inventory Clerk to a Fixed Asset Supervisor or adjust the position salary at 5%.]
LET US NOW GO TO THREE PRESENTATION DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THE PROPOSED BEXAR COUNTY FISCAL YEAR 25 26, OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGETS RELATED TO APPROPRIATIONS AND OR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS, A SHERIFF'S OFFICE REGARDING THE FOLLOWING.ONE, DISCUSSION OF CURRENT AND FUTURE EFFORTS ASSOCIATED WITH ADULT ADULT DETENTION CENTER OVERTIME FOR LABOR STANDARDS ACT AND ASSOCIATED VACANT POSITIONS.
A SUBSECTION A AUTHORIZED 10 SERGEANTS FOR A DC CURRENTLY IN CONTINGENCY.
DISCUSSION OF NEW PATROL DISTRICTS AT ONE ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SERGEANT FOR IMPROVED SPAN OF CONTROL B SUBSECTION B AT FIVE ADDITIONAL TAHOE VEHICLES FOR PATROL.
UH, THREE, DISCUSSION ABOUT SHERIFF'S COMMUNITY ORIENTED RESPONSE EDUCATION HOTSPOTS, SUBSECTION A AT ONE SCORED SERGEANT TWO B AT FOUR SCORE DEPUTIES TO DEDICATE TO EACH PRECINCT AND SUBSECTION C AT FIVE TAHOE FOR SCORE.
FOUR OTHER PROGRAM CHANGES FOR DISCUSSION ITEMS. A ADD FOUR, LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATORS FOR FINANCIAL CRIMES, CHILD SAFE VIOLENT CRIMES, UH, ANIMAL CRIM CRIME INVESTIGATIONS.
SUBSECTION ONE, ADD FOUR SEDAN VEHICLE FOR CIDB ONE, LAW ENFORCEMENT SERGEANT FOR CID TO PROVE THE SPAN OF CONTROL FOR CID INVESTIGATORS, NOT ORIGINALLY INCLUDED IN DEPARTMENT BUDGET SUBMISSION.
SUBSECTION C AT TWO PIU INVESTIGATORS, SUBSECTION ONE AT TWO SEDAN VEHICLES D DELETE ONE MANAGER OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATION CENTER POSITION TO FUND ONE NEW CHANGE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST AND UPGRADE AN EXISTING CHANGE MANAGEMENT TECHNICIAN TO A CHANGE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST POSITION, NOT ORIGINALLY INCLUDED IN DEPARTMENT BUDGET SUBMISSIONS.
FIVE AT 500,000 FOR HELICOPTER OPERATIONS, NOT ORIGINALLY INCLUDED IN DEPARTMENT BUDGET SUBMISSIONS.
I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES THE REQUEST BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR, FOR HAVING US IN THIS MORNING FOR THE WORK SESSION.
UM, YES, THIS, THIS ASK IS DEFINITELY, WHILE WE'VE GOTTEN SOME, WE'VE MADE SOME, SOME STRIDES WITH REGARD TO STAFFING.
UH, WE, WE DO HAVE SOME ASKS ON THIS PRESENTATION ACROSS ALL THREE BUREAUS, UH, DETENTION SIDE.
IT'S NICE TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION NOW TO WHERE WE'RE WE CAN, WE CAN CONCEIVE OF AN IDEA WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY FULLY STAFFED TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN START ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, OF COURSE, WE ARE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT SOME OF THE, THE, THE MORE HOT BUTTON, UH, AREAS FOR US.
WE'RE GONNA BE ASKING FOR MORE STAFFING THERE, UH, AS WELL AS IN THE, UH, THE, THE SHARED SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.
UH, I'VE GOT RAUL, CHIEF RAUL GARZA, ASSISTANT CHIEF RAUL GARZA HERE WITH ME TODAY, AND HE'LL BE TALKING YOU ALL THROUGH THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, UH, FOR THE REMAINDER CHIEF, COME ON UP.
COMMISSIONERS, WE GET STARTED.
I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THE ADULT ADULT DETENTION BUREAU.
UH, CURRENTLY BUDGETED POSITIONS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO PROPERLY STAFF.
THE ADULT DETENTION CENTER, UH, CONSTRUCTION OF SOUTH TOWER DID NOT INCLUDE STAFF DUE TO PLAN, UH, PLANS FOR CLOSURE OF A AND B TOWERS, UH, OF THE ANNEX.
THE CLOSURES, AS YOU KNOW, DID NOT HAPPEN, UM, AND RESULTED IN A STAFFING DEFICIT WITH THE ADDITION OF SOUTH TOWER.
IN 2018, INMATE HOUSING POPULATION INCREASED BY 512 INMATES.
THE ADULT DETENTION CENTER'S BED, UH, RATED BED CAPACITY INCREASED FROM 45 63 TO 5,075 INMATES WITHOUT ANY ADJUSTMENTS OR ADDITIONS OF STAFF AND EITHER THE DT OH 1 0 2 AND OH FIVE POSITIONS.
RIGHT NOW, APPROXIMATELY 1,161 OVERTIME HOURS IS BEING UTILIZED DAILY TO PROPERLY STAFF THE ADULT DETENTION FACILITIES TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH MANDATES SET BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON JAIL STANDARDS.
OUR IMMEDIATE REQUEST, 10 DETENTION SERGEANTS DT OH FIVE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, UM, APPROPRIATE SPAN OF SUPERVISION OF THE SOUTH TOWER ADDITION TO ENSURE, UH, ADEQUATE OVERSIGHT FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF STAFF AND INMATES TO ALIGN WITH ACCEPTABLE SUPERVISORY STANDING, UH, STAFFING RATIOS, UH, AND ADDRESS INMATE MANAGEMENT ISSUES.
REVIEW AND PROCESS FACILITY INCIDENT REPORTS, INVESTIGATE REFERRED INMATE GRIEVANCES, UH, CONDUCT UNIT CHECKS, MONITOR RECORDS FOR REQUIRED DAY ROOM AND RECREATION, ACCESS OF SPECIAL MANAGEMENT INMATES, AND REVIEW INMATE FACE-TO-FACE OBSERVATION LOGS.
[00:25:01]
AND PROVIDE FOR A 24 7 SUPERVISORY STAFF AT THE, UH, SOUTH TOWER, RECOGNIZING THAT WE WOULD HAVE, UM, 70 ADDED, WHICH WAS APPROVED.UM, THEY ASK US TO RELEASE THE 10 SUPERVISORY SERGEANT SPOTS IN OCTOBER SO THAT WE CAN START USING THEM AS SUPERVISORS IN THE SOUTH TOWER.
UM, AND THAT'LL HELP REDUCE, UH, MANDATORY OVERTIME AND IT'LL FOCUS OUR RETENTION OF STAFF.
MOVING ON, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUREAU.
CURRENTLY, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUREAU COVERS THE PATROL DIVISION, BOTH EAST AND WEST SUBSTATIONS.
THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS A MAJOR CRIMES DIVISION, THE SHERIFF'S TOP OFFENDER PROGRAM, UH, WARRANTS AND EXTRADITIONS, UH, ORGANIZED CRIME DIVISION, NARCOTICS SPECIAL OPERATIONS, WHICH INCLUDES SWAT AND CAN NINE.
THE IMMEDIATE REQUEST IS FOR THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT SERGEANTS TO BE PLACED IN THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION, THE PATROL DIVISION, AND ANIMAL CRIMES ENFORCEMENT.
ONE SERGEANT WILL BE FOR CID TO BETTER ALIGN THE SPAN OF CONTROL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATORS.
ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT SERGEANT FOR PATROL TO ALIGN THE SPAN OF CONTROL FOR THE 20 NEW, UH, E DEPUTIES PROPOSED BY BUDGET.
CURRENTLY, ONLY TWO LA SERGEANTS WERE APPROVED FOR THE 20 LA DEPUTIES, UH, ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT SERGEANT FOR ANIMAL CRIMES ENFORCEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES LIVESTOCK AND ASTRAY.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE ASKING FOR FOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATORS TO BE PLACED IN ANIMAL CRIMES, UH, ENFORCEMENT, VIOLENT CRIMES, CHILD SAFE AND FINANCIAL CRIMES.
UH, ELLIE DEPUTY TO ELLIE INVESTIGATOR RATIO IS CURRENTLY APPROXIMATELY NINE DEPUTIES, UH, FOR EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATOR.
BUDGET REQUEST WAS FOR EIGHT ELLIE INVESTIGATORS.
CURRENT BUDGET REQUEST WAS FOR 11 ELLIE INVESTIGATORS.
SO IN 2025, UH, WE REQUESTED 11 LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATORS AND ONLY ONE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
ELLIE REQUEST INVESTIGATORS WERE TO BE SPREAD AMONG THE INVESTIGATIVE AREAS TO INCLUDE MISSING PERSONS, ANIMAL CRIMES, VIOLENT CRIMES, CHILD SAFE, SPECIAL VICTIMS, UNIT, FINANCIAL CRIMES, AND NARCOTICS.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS, UH, SOME OF THE CASES THAT WE WORKED THIS YEAR WITH THE ACE, THE ANIMAL CRIMES ENFORCEMENT UNIT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS A CONTINUED PROBLEM IN BEXAR COUNTY, UM, AND SOMETHING THAT WE, UH, HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY TRACKING WITH THE ANIMAL CRIMES ENFORCEMENT UNIT.
AND THOSE PHOTOS ARE HERE LOCAL, GIVE YOU A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING.
THEY, UH, UH, INVESTIGATE ABUSE, CRUELTY, AND NEGLECT CASES.
RELATED CALLS REQUIRING FOLLOWUP REMAIN HIGH.
THERE IS A GRADUAL INCREASE EACH FISCAL YEAR.
THE NUMBER OF CASES FILED HAS MORE THAN TRIPLED SINCE 20 22, 23 FISCAL YEAR.
ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIVE CAPACITY IS NEEDED TO MANAGE THE GROWING WORKLOAD AND ENSURE TIMELY CASE FOLLOW UP.
UM, YOU SEE THE STATS IN 2223, UH, 8,174 CASES, UM, MOVING UP TO, UH, 2324 8,711 CASES.
AND THIS CURRENT YEAR, 24 25, PROJECTED TO BE AT 8,885 CASES, UH, WITH 43 CASES EXPECTED TO BE FILED WITH THE DA'S OFFICE.
AS OF JULY OF THIS YEAR, VIOLENT CRIMES CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS SHOW A STEADY YEAR TO YEAR INCREASE WITH AN ESTIMATED 16% INCREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR 2223 TO THE 24 25.
UM, DESPITE IMPROVING SOLVABILITY FACTORS TO GROWING CASELOAD STRAINS, CURRENT RESOURCES AND ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATOR WILL HELP IMPROVE CLEARANCE RATES.
TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SOME STA UH, STATISTICS FROM 2223.
6,752 CASES WERE RECEIVED IN 2223, AND THAT WENT UP IN 2324 TO 7,287.
AND THIS YEAR WE'RE PROJECTED TO BE AT 7,864 CASES WITH MORE THAN 3,100 BEING, UM, TURNED INTO THE DA'S OFFICE THIS YEAR.
MOVING ON TO CHILD SAFE, CHILD SAFE, UH, INVESTIGATES PHYSICAL AND OR SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN CASES, UM, AND FILINGS ARE NOW TRACKED IN THE RMS SYSTEM.
SEPARATELY, THE TRUE VOLUME OF CASES HAS LIKELY BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDER COUNTED AND UNDER-REPORTED.
WITH CURRENT TRENDS, THE WORKLOAD IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 2223.
THESE INVESTIGATIONS ARE AMONG THE MOST DELICATE AND CRITICAL WITHIN THE AGENCY AS THEY INVOLVE VULNERABLE CHILD VICTIMS. THEY REQUIRE EXTENSIVE TIME, SPECIALIZED SKILLS
[00:30:01]
AND TRAUMA INFORMED APPROACH TO ENSURE THE SAFETY, WELLBEING, AND JUSTICE FOR THE CHILDREN AFFECTED.SOME STATISTICS ADDED YEAR TWENTY TWO TWENTY THREE, A HUNDRED THIRTY CASES RECEIVED WITH 25 CASES BEING FILED WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THAT NUMBER SHOT UP TO 210 WITH 48 CASES BEING FILED WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND THIS YEAR WE'RE PROJECTED AT 530 CASES.
UM, AS OF AUGUST 14TH, WE WERE AT THE 462 CASES RECEIVED.
AND SO FAR, 68 CASES HAVE BEEN FILED WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
FINANCIAL CRIMES ARE THE WHITE COLLAR CRIMES CASE VOLUME HAS REMAINED CONSISTENTLY HIGH OVER THE PAST THREE FISCAL YEARS.
UH, FINANCIAL CRIMES REQUIRE EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATIVE TIME DUE TO COMPLEX EVIDENCE ANALYSIS, MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL COORDINATION AND VICTIM SUPPORT.
WHILE THE NUMBER OF CASES FILED HAS SLIGHTLY DECREASED, THE WORKLOAD REMAINS STEADY WARRANTING THE ADDITION OF AN ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATOR TO REMAIN, UH, TO MAINTAIN TIMELY RESOLUTION AND REDUCE THE BACKLOG.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE SEEN A, A LOT OF, UH, CASES LATELY INVOLVING SCAM VICTIMS. THE STATISTICS SHOW THAT IN 2223, WE RECEIVED OVER 1200 CASES.
45 OF THOSE CASES WERE FILED WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND 2324, THAT NUMBER SHOT UP TO 12,000 1,266 CASES, UH, WITH 28 CASES FILED WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND THIS YEAR WE'RE PROJECTED TO BE AT 1,287 CASES.
AND SO FAR, 34 CASES HAVE BEEN FILED WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS OF AUGUST 14TH, PLAN FOR COMMUNITY GROWTH AND INCREASED LAW ENFORCEMENT STAFFING ACROSS LAW ENFORCEMENT BUREAU, UH, TO ALIGN WITH POPULATION GROWTH IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS, ADD ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPUTIES, INVESTIGATORS, AND SERGEANTS.
FOR A MORE PROACTIVE THAN REACTIVE APPROACH TO POPULATION GROWTH.
INCREASED STAFFING WILL IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND DEPUTY STA SAFETY CONTINUOUSLY EVALUATE LAW ENFORCEMENT STAFFING AS NEW DEVELOPMENT RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND APARTMENTS ARE BEING PERMITTED FOR CONSTRUCTION PATROL DISTRICTS AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUREAU, BEAR COUNTY IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR QUADRANTS, WHICH MAKE UP THE PATROL RESPONSE AREAS.
16 CURRENT PATROL DISTRICTS, A PATROL DISTRICT SERVICE BY EACH SUBSTATION.
LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, DEPUTY STAFFING DENSITY DECREASES AS NEW DEVELOPMENT RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND APARTMENTS, UH, DENSITY INCREASES.
INCREASED LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPUTY STAFFING ALLOWS US TO SUBDIVIDE EXISTING DISTRICTS IN THE MOST POPULATED DENSE AREAS OF UNINCORPORATED BEXAR COUNTY PATROL DISTRICT.
SUBDIVIDING WILL IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND DEPUTY SAFETY.
PROPOSED INCREASE IS FROM THE CURRENT 16 TO 22 PATROL DISTRICTS.
WE HAVE INCLUDED, UM, IN THE NEXT SLIDE, PHOTOS FOR YOUR MAP, UH, WITH MAPS OF THE CURRENT PATROL DISTRICTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY'RE DIVIDED BETWEEN EAST AND WEST.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE THE ALPHA 10, 20, 30, 40 DISTRICTS IN BRAVO 10, 20, 30, AND 40.
ON THE WEST SIDE, WE HAVE CHARLIE 10, 20, 30, 40 DELTA 10, 20, 30, AND 40.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THOSE ARE SPREAD OUT THROUGH THE UNDER CORPORATE BEAR COUNTIES, ENCOMPASSING ALL FOUR PRECINCTS.
CURRENTLY, THE PLAN IS TO CREATE, UH, NEW DISTRICTS 11 PATROL DISTRICTS IN THE EAST PATROL AREA OF OPERATION, ALPHA AND BRAVO SEC SECTORS.
WE WANT TO DOWNSIZE THE ALPHA 10 AND 20 AREA, WHICH IS UP IN THE NORTHERN PART OF BEAR COUNTY AND IN THE PRECINCT THREE, WE WANT TO DOWNSIZE ALPHA 30 AND 40 WITH A SPLIT IN BRAVO 10.
AND THOSE ARE IN PRECINCT FOURS.
ALPHA 30 AND 40 SEEMS TO BE THE SMALLER DISTRICTS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY, BUT REMAIN ONE OF THE HIGH CALL VOLUME AREAS, UH, ON THE EAST PATROL 11 PATROL DISTRICTS ON THE WEST PATROL AREA OF OPERATION CHARLIE AND DELTA SECTORS, WE WANT TO DOWNSIZE CHARLIE 10.
CHARLIE 10 GOES FROM JUST SIZE 6.04 ALL THE WAY TO THE COUNTY LINE TO THE WEST, UH, PETRANKO ALL THE WAY TO HIGHWAY 90.
WE WANT TO SPLIT THAT IN HALF, UH, WITH GO, UH, GROSSEN, BAER BEING THE, THE DIVIDING LINE.
WE ALSO WANT TO FOCUS IN THE ALAMO RANCH AREA.
CURRENTLY THAT'S DELTA THIRTIES DISTRICT.
WE WANT TO SPLIT THAT AND CREATE A NEW DISTRICT UP THERE, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR MORE RESPONSE, QUICKER RESPONSE TIME IN THAT, IN THAT AREA AS IT CONTINUES TO GROW.
MOVING ON TO THE SCORE STAFFING GOALS.
UM, WE'RE ASKED FOR FOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT SCORE DEPUTIES AND ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT SERGEANT.
THIS WILL PROVIDE EACH COUNTY COMMISSIONER WITH A DEDICATED SCORE DEPUTY TO ADDRESS ISSUES WITHIN, UM, YOUR INDIVIDUAL PRECINCTS.
THE IMPACT, AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME PHOTOS WE'VE ATTACHED.
UH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IN IN UNINCORPORATED BEAR COUNTY.
UH, WE'RE SEIZING MULTIPLE NEEDLES, UH, AND NOT JUST THE NEEDLES USED FOR ILLEGAL DRUG INJECTION, BUT ALSO IN NARCOTICS ITSELF.
UM, THE NEXT PICTURE YOU SEE DEPUTIES ASSESSING A HOMELESS CAMP.
[00:35:01]
WE GO TO THESE CAMPS, WE'RE NOT THERE JUST TO, UH, ASSESS.WE'RE THERE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES.
WE BRING OTHER AGENCIES WITH US, UM, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO THE INDIVIDUALS TO GET 'EM OFF THE STREETS.
ON THE THIRD PICTURE, YOU SEE, UH, WE USED A DRONE TO FLY OVER THIS LARGE ENCAMPMENT, AND YOU SEE AN INDIVIDUAL, UM, HOMELESS MAN POINTING A WEAPON AT A DRONE THAT WAS SURVEYING THE CAMP TO ILLUSTRATE THE HOW BUSY IT IS AND HOW DANGER IT HAS GOTTEN.
UH, WHEN THE SCHOOL UNIT GOES OUT TO INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINTS.
AND THESE, UH, HOMELESS CAMP ENCAMPMENTS, UM, WE'RE FINDING PEOPLE WANTED ON WARRANTS, FELONIES WITH NARCOTICS, AND, UH, OTHER ISSUES WE'RE FINDING OUT THERE.
SO THE IMPACT ON UNINCORPORATED BEAR COUNTY HAS SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN HOMELESS POPULATION.
UH, 215 CALLS FOR SERVICE THIS FISCAL YEAR BY SCORE ALONE.
UM, AND THAT NUMBER IS PROJECTED TO BE ABOUT 275 BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THE AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON SITE IS FOUR HOURS WITH AN ADDITIONAL 15 TO 20 HOURS FOR FOLLOW UP.
THE FOLLOW UP INCLUDES INVESTIGATING PROPERTY OWNERS, COORDINATING WITH OTHER RESOURCES TO CLEAN UP THE CAMP, UH, ITEMS RECOVERED, UM, NARCOTICS, STOLEN PROPERTY, FIREARMS, UM, OTHER WEAPONS, AND STOLEN ELECTRICITY AND WANTED PERSONS.
TOTAL REQUESTED FUNDS IS $500,000, $500,000 RECOVERY, A PROJECTED OPERATIONAL FUNDING GAP, UM, AFTER PURCHASE OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND WILL BE DIRECTED TOWARDS ENHANCING LONG-TERM PROGRAM.
PROOF OF CONCEPT, OPERATIONAL COSTS.
THE PROJECTED OPERATIONAL FUNDING GAP IS ABOUT $194,046 AFTER APPLYING STATE FUNDS FOR HANGAR RENTAL FUEL, ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTIONS INSURANCE, UH, CONSUMABLES AND DAILY SUPPLIES, UNSCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PARTS, UH, TRAINING PILOT FLIGHT HOUR ACCUMULATION, AND ADVANCED TRAINING, ABOUT 175,000.
THIS IS MID-RANGE, UH, OF THE ESTIMATED 100, 150 TO $200,000.
MAINTENANCE WILL COVER ISSUES SUCH AS ENGINE OVERHAUL AS WE WANT TO HAVE A RESERVE OF 134, 130,000, $154.
UM, THIS OF COURSE, IS MID RANGE, ESTIMATED TO BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 1 0 5 AND 155,000.
UM, INVESTIGATORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INVESTIGATING CRIMINAL ALLEGATIONS RELATED TO ANY COUNTY EMPLOYEES, SUCH AS ANY BEAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, EMPLOYEE, JUVENILE DETENTION, PROBATION OFFICE, UH, OR EMPLOY ANY OTHER SWORN OR CIVILIAN BEXAR COUNTY STAFF.
WE'RE ASKING FOR TWO LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATORS TO BE ADDED TO THE UNIT.
CURRENTLY, THAT UNIT IS BEING STAFFED, UH, WITH THREE INVESTIGATORS, ONE THAT IS ASSIGNED A PIU AND TWO THAT WE'RE BORROWING FROM THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.
WE LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ADD TWO MORE TO THAT UNIT SO WE CAN RETURN THOSE TWO BACK TO THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.
THE WORKLOAD HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE SINCE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNIT, UH, MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND SINCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNIT FIVE YEARS AGO, THE STAFFING LEVELS HAVE NOT INCREASED.
THAT'S ALL THE SLIDES? YES, SIR.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SPREADING IT ACROSS ALL THREE BUREAUS AND, AND AGAIN, ADDRESSING ON HOT BUTTON TOPICS.
YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT A BLANK CHECK.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT A BOTTOMLESS PIT OF MONEY.
THIS MONEY HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE, BUT THE, THE, THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE HIT, UH, YOU KNOW, SHOW WHERE WE BELIEVE THAT, THAT THESE POSITIONS WOULD MAKE THE MOST IMPACT.
SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE FOR US.
UM, I JUST WANNA START OFF BY, UM, JUST A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR RECENT GRADUATION CLASSES YOU GUYS ARE ON.
AND, UM, IF I'M NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, I KNOW FRANKIE GOES, SO YES, MA'AM.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE CONTINUING TO FILL THE POSITIONS, CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO, TO ACKNOWLEDGE Y'ALL'S WORK ON, ON THAT EFFORT.
SO THE CHILD'S SAFE, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT, UM, ARE YOU ASKING FOR POSITIONS OR ONLY VEHICLES? WE'RE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
BECAUSE ON THE AGENDA, IT JUST LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ONLY ASKING FOR VEHICLES.
SO I'M JUST CONFUSED UNLESS I'M MISREADING IT.
NO, THAT'S, UH, WE'RE ASKING FOR STAFFING AS WELL AS THE VEHICLES TO GO WITH THE NEW INVESTIGATORS.
HOW MANY STAFFING WE'RE ASKING FOR CHILD SAFE TO BE INCREASED, UM, BY ANOTHER INVESTIGATOR, WHICH WILL NEED THE, THE INCREASE FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE.
AND WHEN YOU SAY CHILD SAFE, YOU'RE JUST EXPLAINING WHAT THAT COVERS? IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE, NOT WITH THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
THEY'RE, SO, OUR, OUR DETECTIVES THAT HANDLE THOSE TYPES OF CASES ARE HOUSED AT THE CHILD SAFE CENTER OVER
[00:40:01]
THERE ON IH 10 NEAR HOUSTON.UM, THAT'S A, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, THAT FACILITY AS YOU KNOW, IS A ONE STOP, UH, FOR, FOR FAMILIES UNDERGOING, ENDURING THIS SORT OF ABUSE.
UH, AND SO, SO THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH FAMILIES TO DO INVESTIGATIONS SO THAT THE FAMILIES DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE AND TAKE THE KIDS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THERE'S, THERE'S IN, IN, IN THESE CASES WHERE INVESTIGATORS HAVE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH, WITH NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, A LOT OF THOSE NON-PROFITS ARE RIGHT THERE.
AND SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WALKING THAT FAMILY ACROSS THE HALLWAY TO TO, TO THE OTHER, TO HAND THEM OFF.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THERE NOW? HOW MANY STAFF YOU UP THERE NOW? THREE.
THREE INVESTIGATORS ARE THERE NOW, PLUS A SUPERVISOR.
WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD AT LEAST AN ADDITIONAL POSITION OUT THERE TO, TO KEEP UP WITH THE INCREASING WORKLOAD.
UM, AND THEN I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
LET ME GO AHEAD, TAKING SOME NOTES ON THE HELICOPTER.
SO THAT WAS ABLE TO BE PURCHASED BECAUSE OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE GRANT.
UH, NOW THE MONEY IS THERE, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, TYING THE, THE ENDS TOGETHER AND, AND ACTUALLY GETTING THE MONEY AWARDED.
IT'LL BE AWARDED IN AT LEAST SEPTEMBER 1ST, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
UM, BUT WHAT IT IS, IS THAT GRANT IS ACTUALLY A REIMBURSEMENT GRANT.
SO ANYTHING THAT WE PURCHASE WHILE THE $3 MILLION IS THERE, UH, WE CAN'T ACCESS IT UNTIL WE'VE PAID FOR WHATEVER IT IS I'VE USED UTILIZING COUNTY FUNDS.
AND THEN WE WOULD GO TO THE GRANT AND BE REIMBURSED FOR THAT.
AND SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET UPFRONT TO GO, TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND START, UH, BASICALLY CONSIDER THAT GAS IN THE TANK IN ORDER FOR US TO START ACCESSING THE, THE GRANT FUNDS.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THE HALF A MILLION THAT YOU GUYS ARE REQUESTING ONLY FOR, FOR THAT IS GONNA BE REIMBURSED TO THE COUNTY? IT'D BE STARTUP COST THAT WOULD BE REIMBURSED BY THE GRANT.
SO IF WE WERE TO APPROVE THE 500,000 FOR THE HELICOPTER, THAT WOULD COME BACK TO THE COUNTY? YES, MA'AM.
SO, UM, JUST SOME QUESTIONS ON THE, THE HELICOPTER.
SO WHAT KIND OF DATA DO YOU GUYS HAVE REGARDING HOW OFTEN, UM, THE USE, LIKE WHEN YOU PATCH TO, BECAUSE WHAT DO WE DO NOW? I GUESS YOU ASKED OUR PARTNERS.
SO WE HAVE DATA ON HOW, HOW OFTEN YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO YOUR PARTNERS IN THE SUCCESS OF THAT? WELL, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT ACCESS TO DPSS HELICOPTER AND OF COURSE SAP'S HELICOPTER.
AND WE, WE'D HAVE, WHAT WE'D HAVE TO DO TO, TO RECONSTRUCT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE.
WE'D HAVE TO GO PHYSICALLY EVERY SINGLE DAY AND FIGURE OUT, DID WE ASK FOR THE HELICOPTER THIS DAY? IF SO, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT? IT, IT'S EASY ENOUGH TO GO BACK AND, AND GET THAT, BUT IT WOULD, IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO EXTRACT THAT FROM EVERY SINGLE DAY OF CALLS FOR SERVICE.
BUT, SO I GUESS, I GUESS I WANNA KNOW SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A GOOD DECISION.
HOW OFTEN ARE WE, WHAT'S THE NECESS THE NECESSITY FOR THAT? IT'S EVERY SINGLE DAY, MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY THAT WE'RE RELYING UPON THESE, THESE CHOPPERS FROM THE OTHER AGENCIES TO HELP US OUT WITH REGARD TO PURSUITS, UH, SEARCHES FOR FUGITIVES IN THE BRUSH, UH, IN, IN MANY CASES, SEARCHES FOR CHILDREN THAT HAVE WANDERED OFF, OR SENIORS THAT HAVE WANDERED OFF, UH, MANY TIMES THESE SENIORS THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM DEMENTIA.
UH, AND SO IT'S, IT'S A DAILY THING WITH US.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY THESE AGENCIES HAVE TO GIVE PREFERENCE TO THEIR OWN PERSONNEL, UH, OR TO THEIR OWN MISSIONS.
SO DPS, WHILE THEY'RE EXTREMELY HELPFUL, UH, YEAH, COURSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE TIMES THAT WE NEED 'EM, THEY'RE ON THE BORDER CONDUCTING BORDER OPERATIONS.
SAPD FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, HAS TO GIVE PREFERENCE TO THEIR OWN, UH, YOU KNOW, FOLKS.
AND OF COURSE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE A AN AGENCY OF OVER 2000 OFFICERS, AND THERE'S ALWAYS A NEED FOR THEM ON THEIR SIDE OF THE HOUSE AS WELL.
DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT RESPONSE TIMES, UH, HOW IT, HOW IT EASES RESPONSE TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE A HELICOPTER VERSUS JUST A VEHICLE? WELL, WE WOULDN'T, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THOSE STATS AVAILABLE TO US UNTIL WE GET THE CHOPPER IN AND THEY ARE ABLE TO ESTABLISH PROOF OF CONCEPT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO DURING THE COURSE OF THIS GRANT TO FIGURE OUT WILL IT HAVE TO BE PICKED UP LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD, OR IS THIS A GRANT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE? YEAH, NO, I MEAN, LIKE WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU ASK OUR PARTNER HELICOPTER, DO Y'ALL CALCULATE AT ALL HOW EFFICIENT THAT IS? I'M, I'M SURE WE COULD GO BACK AND RECONSTRUCT THAT UTILIZING, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DATA THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, JUST A REGULAR CALL FOR SERVICE, WE WOULD NOT BE ASKING FOR THE HELICOPTER ANYWAY.
IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S A FUGITIVE IN THE BRUSH OR, OR WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
THANK YOU, SHERIFF, AND THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM FOR, UH, THE VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.
UM, I WANNA REMIND THE COURT THAT THE POPULATION IN UNINCORPORATED BEAR COUNTY IS AS BIG AS THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, BASICALLY.
AND, UM, NOT HAVING A HELICOPTER IS A, IS A BIG LOSS FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.
I KNOW THAT WE CAN MOVE VERY FAST, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WITH, WITH A HELICOPTER HAVING BEEN IN, UM, SOME OF THE RENTAL HELICOPTERS THAT THE COUNTY USES.
[00:45:01]
WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR THE DEPARTMENT AT THE SIZE OF OUR PATROL AREA TO HAVE THIS ASSET.UM, WE PROBABLY WILL NEED MORE THAN ONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO BE LOOKING AT THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WE'RE FACING IN, IN THAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF HIGH LEVEL THE POPULATION SIZE.
TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE 70 DEPUTIES AND HOW THAT BREAKS DOWN ON A BA BASIC LEVEL BETWEEN DETENTION OFFICERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO THE, THE 70 THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, FOR THE DETENTION CENTER WOULD BE STRICTLY DETENTION.
DE DE DETENTION CENTER DEPUTIES.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS HELP US TO APPROPRIATELY STAFF SOUTH TOWER.
WHEN SOUTH TOWER WAS ADDED, IT ADDED 500 OR SO BED, 500 PLUS BEDS TO OUR BED COUNT.
BUT YET WE WERE NOT GIVEN ADDITIONAL DEPUTIES, AS WAS MENTIONED IN COURT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE HOPE WAS THAT SOUTH TOWER WOULD BE MORE SEASONAL.
UM, AND AS IT TURNS OUT, IT'S NOT.
AND SO THE TIME HAS COME WHERE WE CAN, UH, NOT JUST ASK FOR MORE.
UH, BUT THE, THE, THE, THE STAFFING CERTAINLY JUSTIFIES IT.
I, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS AGO WE WERE AT 300 VACANCIES, NOW WE'RE DOWN INTO, INTO A HUNDRED.
SOMETIMES WE DIP BELOW A HUNDRED.
AND SO WE'RE NOW ASKING FOR THOSE 70.
THE, OF THOSE 70, ABOUT 50 WOULD BE SLICK, WHAT WE CALL SLICK SLEEVE DEPUTIES.
10 WOULD BE CORPORALS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, FIRST LINE WITH SOME SUPERVIS, SOME SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL 10 WOULD BE SERGEANTS THAT ARE ACTUAL, ACTUAL SUPERVISORY LEVEL DEPUTIES.
UH, AND THEN ON THE, ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE, FOR THIS BUDGET CYCLE, APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY OFFICERS ARE YOU REQUESTING? WHAT'S THE TOTAL NUMBER? SO WE'RE AT 31.
WE WANNA MAKE THAT 41 YOU'RE AT WITH THE ADDITIONAL, WITH THE ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATORS AND SERGEANT, SIR.
SO OVER A HUNDRED, UH, FOR THIS TOTAL CYCLE.
NOT IN, NOT INCLUDING CIVILIAN, THERE WAS SOME CIVILIAN, BUT IT, UH, POSITIONS IN THERE.
UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, LOOK, I'M, I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THE FINANCIAL CRIMES, UH, DIVISION GET SOME BOOSTS.
UH, I WAS, I THINK THE FIRST COMMISSIONER TO PROPOSE THAT MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE EVOLUTION.
IT'S SAD TO SEE THE NUMBERS RISE THE WAY THEY ARE, BUT, UH, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE A LOT OF PERSONNEL TO DEAL WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT IS, UH, THAT IS WHERE THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT IS GOING.
THEY'RE, YES, SIR, THEY'RE ABLE TO, TO CAPITALIZE ON, UH, THOSE PARTICULAR, UH, CRIMES.
AND IT'S VERY SAD WHAT IT DOES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
SO THANK YOU FOR ADVOCATING IN THAT REGARD.
MR. MOODY, UM, THANK YOU, UH, SHERIFF AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, A FEW QUESTIONS AND, UH, I'LL JUST START BY AGAIN, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE WORK OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHETHER SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR OUR CONSTABLES, YOU KNOW, IS, IS FOUNDATIONAL.
IT'S A CORE SERVICE AND IT'S A PRIORITY, UH, OF MINE.
AND, AND I BELIEVE THIS COURT, UM, BUT AS YOU SAY, STATED EARLIER RIGHT.
IN YOUR ENTRY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S, THERE'S LIMITATIONS ON, ON FUNDING.
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS SOMETIMES ABOUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE, EVEN WITHIN PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO, UM, IF WE TALK ABOUT THE DETENTION CENTER FIRST, THERE WERE 70 DEPUTIES THAT WERE, UH, PUT IN CONTINGENCY.
SO I'M SEEING THE, THE SERGEANTS AND CORPORALS.
SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT SAYING THAT OF THE 70, WE SHOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT MIX IN TERMS OF RANKS AND THE SPAN OF CONTROL.
THERE'S THAT, AND THEN 10 YOU'RE TRYING TO GET IMMEDIATELY WITH THE, THE FIRST PAGE ABOUT THE 10 DETENTION SERGEANTS AND IMMEDIATE REQUESTS.
WE'RE WE'RE ASKING, WE REALIZE THAT A LOT OF THOSE, A A LOT OF THE BOOK, THE BULK OF THOSE POSITIONS WILL HAVE TO BE PUT IN CONTINGENCY.
UM, YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA SEE OUR, OUR VACANCIES GO FROM A HUNDRED TO 170 OVER OVERNIGHT.
UH, AND SO CERTAINLY WE CAN WAIT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE SOME LEAD TIME TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO A, A REALLY, UH, LOW LEVEL OF VACANCIES.
WE'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND PULL THOSE OUT OF CONTINGENCY.
BUT UNTIL THAT TIME, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THE 10 SUPERVISORS TO, TO GO AHEAD AND BE GIVEN TO US NOW AS OPPOSED TO BEING PUT IN CONTINGENCY.
AND, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY, WITH, WITH THE, THE CURRENT MOMENTUM THAT WE HAVE WITH REGARD TO OUR STAFFING AND, AND RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, I THINK THAT WE'D, WE'D BE ABLE TO FILL THOSE.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT STILL, YOU KNOW, TROUBLES ME IN UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, THE SPAN OF CONTROL, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR SLICK SLEEVES DEPUTIES TO CORPORALS TO SERGEANTS, CAPTAINS ALL THE WAY UP THE CHAIN.
RIGHT? AND IT'S, IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THERE'S A DIFFERENCE
[00:50:01]
IN, YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THAT SPAN OF CONTROL SHOULD BE VERSUS BUDGET OFFICE.UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE CAME FORWARD AND SAID 70 AND CONTINGENCY.
WE JUST WEREN'T FACTORING IN THE SPAN OF CONTROL, OR WE HAVE DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT WHAT THE SPAN OF CONTROL SHOULD BE.
IF WE ADD 10 SERGEANTS, WHAT DOES THAT DO IN TERMS OF THE, THE CHANGES WITHIN THAT SPAN OF CONTROL.
CONTROL? THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT.
AND I, AND I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO WHETHER THERE'S DIFFERENCES AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
I MEAN, WHILE I CERTAINLY COULDN'T EVEN ATTEMPT TO WALK INTO ANYBODY'S OFFICE AND SAY, HEY, WHY DO YOU HAVE FOUR ADMIN STAFF? YOU ONLY NEED THREE.
I WOULDN'T EVEN ATTEMPT TO DO THAT.
I, I DO THINK THAT WE'RE THE, THE MOST WELL SUITED TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT EFFECTIVE SPAN OF CONTROL IS.
I MEAN, THIS AGENCY'S BEEN AROUND SINCE 1731, AND IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE, WE'VE FIGURED OUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE HARD WAY.
UH, BUT WHEN WE'RE ASKING, I CAN, I CAN ASSURE YOU IT'S NOT JUST ASKING TO ASK.
WE'RE WE'RE ASKING 'CAUSE WE'VE DONE THOSE CALCULATIONS AND WE'VE FIGURED OUT, OKAY, THIS IS, THIS IS THE SWEET SPOT, THIS IS THE MAGIC NUMBER FOR US.
I, I WANT TO, UH, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S YOUR JAIL.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO PROVIDE THAT OVERSIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS.
AND THE OTHER, I GUESS, CONCERN IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST, UM, ADDING 10 SERGEANT SPOTS THAT ULTIMATELY TURN INTO 10 PROMOTIONS, BUT WE REALLY HAVEN'T CHANGED ANYTHING IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL SPAN OF CONTROL BECAUSE WE'RE JUST MOVING BODIES INTO A DIFFERENT POSITION VERSUS ACTUALLY ADDING NEW SERGEANTS INTO THE MIX.
SECOND, WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO RIGHT SIZE THE, THE CURRENT SPAN OF CONTROL.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE GET, GET THOSE SERGEANTS READY BOOTS ON THE GROUND READY TO GO, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, SOON, HOPEFULLY SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, THERE'S GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL 50 BODIES POURING INTO THERE.
AND IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE THOSE SUPERVISORS NOT HAVING TO START FROM A DEAD STOP.
THEY'RE ALREADY OFF AND RUNNING AND, AND, AND OPERATING THE FACILITY IN ANTICIPATION OF THOSE 50 NEW DEPUTIES HITTING THE, HITTING THE, THE, WELL, 60 NEW DEPUTIES I SHOULD SAY, BECAUSE THOSE 10 CORPORALS.
SO THOSE WOULD BE HITTING THE FLOORS AND THE SUPERVISORS WOULD ALREADY BE THERE AND, AND OPERATING.
COMMISSIONER, JUST TO CLEAR IT UP, WE RECOMMENDED 70 POSITIONS.
20 OF THOSE WERE SUPERVISORY, 10 CORPORALS, 10 SERGEANTS WE'RE NOT IN DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THE STAFFING RATIO.
SO THEIR QUESTION IS JUST TRYING TO GET 10 NOW.
AND THEN 60 WOULD BE IN CONTINGENCY.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE RECOMMENDED IT IN CONTINGENCIES IS REALLY WE OUGHT TO SEE EVENTUALLY A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, IF NOT BETTER, REDUCTION IN OVERTIME FOR SOUTH TOWER.
BUT YOU ALL NEED TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
THE SHERIFF AND COMMISSIONER'S COURT CHIEF RAISES AN ADDITIONAL POINT, IF YOU MAY.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, CURRENTLY BECAUSE OF THE SPAN PATROL ISSUE, IT'S, WE'RE USING OVERTIME TO OFFSET THAT WITH, UH, SERGEANTS CURRENTLY, AS WE ARE RIGHT NOW, SERGEANTS, WHAT WE'RE USING OVERTIME FOR THE SERGEANTS.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OVERTIMES, IT'S SERGEANTS, CORPORALS, AND, UH, OFFICERS.
TO BE CLARIFIED, THAT MAKES MORE SENSE, RIGHT? BECAUSE IF THINGS WERE BALANCED AND SET, THEN YOU WOULD THINK, OKAY, IF OUT OF THE 70 WE'RE GONNA PULL 10, THEN WE SHOULD PULL ONE SERGEANT TWO CORPORALS, AND, YOU KNOW, SEVEN, UH, DEPUTIES.
BUT IF, IF THERE'S AN IMBALANCE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH, THEN OKAY, UNDERSTAND.
UM, I WANTED TO COVER THE, UH, THE PATROL DISTRICTS REALLY QUICK AND, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, I APPRECIATE THE MAP.
I'M VISUAL AND, AND LOVE MAPS.
BUT, AND, UH, I SEE THE NEW PATROL DISTRICTS AND THE CONCEPT HERE IS CLEARLY THAT YOU GET MORE PATROL DISTRICTS, A SMALLER GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, THE RESPONSE TIMES WILL INCREASE AND PROVIDE GREATER, UH, COVERAGE AND SAFETY FOR OUR CITIZENS, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
UH, YOU, IT JUST STANDS TO REASON.
IF YOU TAKE A GEOGRAPHICAL AREA THAT, YOU KNOW, USED TO BE COW PASTURE, BUT NOW IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, YOU KNOW, A A 40 SQUARE MILE PATROL DISTRICT IS NO LONGER FEASIBLE OR SAFE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOTTA CUT THAT DOWN INTO MORE MAN MANAGEABLE SIZES, UH, TO, TO ALLOW FOR, FOR ADDED TRAFFIC AND, AND, AND WHATNOT.
AND SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE, THE ADDITION OF THESE NEW DISTRICTS WOULD DO IS HELP US CUT SOME OF THOSE BIG AREAS INTO MORE MANAGEABLE, UH, SIZES.
AND ONE QUESTION FOR PRECINCT THREE, THAT THE 10 ALPHA, IS THAT LIKE A, A SUBSET OF DELTA 10? THERE'S A DELTA 10 ALPHA, WHICH IS NO, IT'S KIND OF A UNIQUE NAMING VERSUS THE OTHER ONES.
IT'S A DIFFERENT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SPLITTING IT INTO TWO, THAT'S THE TENTATIVE NAME, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAP AND YOU SEE THE ALPHA, THAT'S JUST A SMALL PART THAT KIND OF TOUCHES, UH, INSIDE OF 1604, THAT'S COUNTY,
[00:55:01]
THAT'S WHY IT SHOWS AS AN ALPHA ON THAT MAP WE'RE LOOKING AT.BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING THE DISTRICT, OR THEY'RE NUMBERED.
THAT'S PART OF DELTA TEN'S DISTRICT RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT CUTTING THAT DISTRICT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ALPHA TENS DISTRICT, UM, CURRENTLY UP IN YOUR AREA UP NORTH, YOU HAVE ALPHA 10 AND ALPHA 20, THE SERVICE IS PRETTY MUCH FROM BLANCO, ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO 35.
WE WANT TO IMPLANT ANOTHER DISTRICT UP THERE TO MAKE ALPHA 10 AND ALPHA 20 SMALLER.
UM, IT'S PROBABLY A, A DEEPER CONVERSATION THAT WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE SEPARATELY FROM COURT, BUT I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE SUBSTATIONS, AND YOU HAVE TWO SUBSTATIONS, BUT THERE'S ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF ESDS OUT THERE THAT ARE BUILDING FIRE STATIONS.
AND WHETHER THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THOSE ESDS AND THINK ABOUT SOME ADDITIONAL SPACE WHERE OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE COULD UTILIZE THAT IN TERMS OF PARKING VEHICLES OPERATING OUT OF, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE CONVERSATIONS IF THEY'RE NOT TAKING PLACE TO, TO ENGAGE IN THOSE.
BECAUSE I MEAN, I WOULD ASSUME THAT'S ACROSS ALL THESE, UH, ALL THESE DIFFERENT PRECINCTS.
BUT I KNOW IN MY PRECINCT, OUR ESDS ARE, ARE ADDING ADDITIONAL FIRE STATIONS, AND IF WE DO SOME FORWARD THINKING IN TERMS OF PLANNING, WE COULD HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL SPACE, UH, FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, IF, IF WE TALK TO 'EM YES, SIR.
AND, AND THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE GREAT AS, AS KIND OF STOP GAPS, BUT SOMETIMES IN SOME IN AREAS, THERE'S REALLY NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A FREESTANDING, UH, SUBSTATION.
UH, YOU KNOW, MUCH LIKE WHAT THE MARINES DO, Y'ALL RELY ON THE NAVY FOR, FOR SOME THINGS.
AND THEN SOMETIMES THERE'S JUST NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A DEDICATED MARINE BASE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING TO DO THE SAME THING.
AND WHILE WE'RE HAPPY TO, TO TO HOUSE, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR, WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS OVER AT THE, AT THE FIRE, UH, DEPARTMENTS, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT CRAMPS THEIR STYLE A BIT AS WELL TO HAVE US THERE.
UH, SO WE CERTAINLY AS A STOP GAP WOULDN'T MIND ENTERTAINING THAT.
AND THEN, UH, UNDER AVIATION, UM, AND I'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, WITH YOUR TEAM REGARDING THIS, GIVEN MY, MY BACKGROUND AND EVERYTHING, UH, I, I KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT TOOK PLACE WITH DPS, UH, THINKING ABOUT THE, THE SYNERGIES THERE AND, AND HOW WE CAN, UH, HAVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THESE OTHER AVIATION PROGRAMS SO WE'RE NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL, UH, OVERBUILDING, YOU KNOW, CREATING REDUNDANCIES THAT ARE UNNECESSARY.
UM, ONE, ONE QUESTION ON THE, THE TRAINING AND THE PILOT HOUR KIND OF ACCUMULATION.
OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T CUT CORNERS WHEN IT COMES TO TRAINING, BUT I'M NOT SURE, AND IT MAY JUST BE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE, THE FLIGHT TRAINING HOUR ACCUMULATION ON TOP OF LIKE OPERATIONS.
UH, WHETHER THERE'S ANY KIND OF DOUBLE COUNTING, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, YOU'RE FLYING HOURS, YOU'RE GETTING SOME TRAINING AT THE SAME TIME YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING OPERATIONS.
SO IF YOU COUNTED FOR ALL THOSE FLIGHT HOURS WITH OPERATIONS, BUT THEN COUNTED THEM AGAIN FOR, FOR TRAINING, I DON'T KNOW, BUT, BUT JUST MAYBE SOMETHING TO, UH, TO LOOK AT AND THEN, UM, ON THE ENGINE OVERHAUL, YOU KNOW, STANDARD PRACTICE, RIGHT.
IN AVIATION TO, TO SET ASIDE FUNDS FOR THAT BIG EXPENSE WHEN IT COMES TO MAINTENANCE.
BUT I'M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT SHOULD BE HOUSED AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR HOUSED, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE COUNTY BUDGET.
UH, I MEAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT, UH, THAT'S STANDARD PRACTICE THAT YOU START SETTING ASIDE FUNDS FOR WHAT WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE, PROBABLY, I'M GUESSING $750,000 OR MORE FOR, FOR NEW ENGINE.
UH, MAJOR MAINTENANCE EXPENSE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU NEED TO SET ASIDE THAT, THOSE FUNDS AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE VERSUS KEEPING, YOU KNOW, THAT IN MIND WITHIN THE COUNTY BUDGET, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE COULD FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND THAT'S DEFINITELY OUTSIDE MY PAY GRADE, BUT I, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO WEIGH IN.
UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT JUST YESTERDAY OUR NEW PILOT STARTED, UH, WE, WE HIRED ON A PILOT THAT WAS A RETIRED SAPD, UH, HELICOPTER SERGEANT AND CAME OUTTA RETIREMENT.
NOW HE'S A DEPUTY WITH US, AND HE'S, SO HE'S GOING TO BE SPEARHEADING A LOT OF THESE EFFORTS, UH, AND, AND HE'D BE THE ONE THAT CAN, HE CAN QUOTE YOU THOSE, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS IN HIS SLEEP.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'D WELCOME HIM.
WE'D, WE'D, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE HIM BE A PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS TO WHERE, UH, THESE DOLLARS NEED TO LIVE.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S GREAT WITH HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE SAPD AVIATION UNIT.
UH, AND AS YOU GUYS GO FORWARD, THE LAST THING, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT PART OF THIS REQUEST, IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR DRONES VERSUS, YOU KNOW, MANNED, UH, HELICOPTERS, UM, A LOT CHEAPER.
I I KNOW WE, WE HAVE SOME TODAY.
UH, I SAW THEIR, THEIR USAGE, UH, FIRSTHAND UP AT CURVE L.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT, THAT THAT'S A SPACE WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT,
[01:00:01]
RIGHT? BETWEEN THE BALANCE OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN THE TAHOE PATROL DISTRICT VERSUS DRONES AND, AND WHAT THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH VERSUS, YOU KNOW, A HELICOPTER AND, AND WHEN THAT'S NECESSARY.UH, BUT I THINK WE KEEP, KEEP ALL THOSE THINGS IN THE MIX AND THINK ABOUT WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE OPERATIONALLY AND IN TERMS OF COST SAVINGS.
THE, THE DRONE TECHNOLOGY IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEST.
THE ONES THAT SKYDIO AXON WAS, WAS, WAS EMPLOYING.
UH, ULTIMATELY, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE MONEY IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE TO DO THAT, BUT CERTAINLY, REST ASSURED WE DID SAVE ALL OF OUR PROOF OF CONCEPT FROM THAT, THAT TEST OPERATION AND NEXT, NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, WE HOPE TO COME BACK WITH THAT.
DRONES AS FIRST RESPONDERS PROGRAM, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE DRONE TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE TO US, BUT RIGHT NOW, I WOULD EQUATE THE CURRENT DRONE SETUP THAT WE HAVE EQUATE THAT TO A SWAT, SWAT TEAM.
THEY'RE THERE, BUT, BUT YOU ONLY BRING 'EM OUT WHEN YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED THEM.
THE, THE DRONES AS FIRST RESPONDERS PROGRAM WOULD BE MORE, MORE AKIN TO A PATROL DEPUTY.
AND SO AS WE'RE EXPANDING, THAT WOULD BE THE AREA WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND TO.
BUT AGAIN, WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT BACK NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
NO, APPRECIATE THE, THE BACKGROUND.
I, I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, AS TECHNOLOGY EVOLVES, UH, CREATES NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
SIR, WHEN IT COMES TO OPERATIONS AND HOW WE PARTNER BETWEEN, UH, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT UNITS AND EVERYTHING.
UH, JUDGE, JUST BRIEFLY, UH, SHERIFF, I KNOW WE HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT YESTERDAY.
I, I KNOW WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE HELICOPTER.
UM, I UNDERSTOOD THE, THE MONEY FROM THE STATE WAS POTENTIALLY FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE EQUIPMENT.
WE'LL STILL NEED TO PUT SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET FOR OPERATIONS.
MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I, AND I I MAY HAVE MISSPOKE ON, ON MY INITIAL POINT.
THE $500,000 WAS IN CASE THE, IN CASE THE 3 MILLION DOESN'T COVER IT FOR WHATEVER REASON.
BUT THIS WOULD BE THE, THE, THE, THE MONEY THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS AHEAD OF TIME TO, TO JUST KIND OF GET US KICKSTARTED.
AND, AND YOU AND YOU ALL ARE STILL GETTING A CLARIFICATION FROM THE STATE ON THE REIMBURSEMENT.
'CAUSE I, I, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE, THE BUDGET WRITER.
UM, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER SPEAKING TO REIMBURSEMENT, SIR.
SO I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE STILL WORKING ON THAT IF, UNLESS YOU HAVE AN UPDATE, UM, NOW, BUT, BUT I THINK YOU GUYS ARE STILL WORKING ON GETTING THAT.
IS THAT RIGHT? SIR? YOU'VE SEEN WHAT WE'VE SEEN, WHAT, WHAT YOU'VE SEEN, WHAT WE'VE SEEN AT THIS POINT, WE'RE EXPECTING THAT, THAT, UH, THE DETAIL TO HIT IN EARLY SEPTEMBER.
AND SO AS SOON AS WE DO, I PROMISE YOU WE'RE GONNA COME RUNNING OVER AND SHOW IT TO YOU.
AND, AND, UM, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO ALL MY QUESTIONS.
WE, WE HAD HER CRUNCH SOME NUMBERS AND, AND OF THE PROGRAM CHANGES YOU'RE RECOMMENDING IT'S, IT'S ABOUT $4 MILLION.
AND SO, UM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU ON FIGURING OUT PRIORITIES.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S HARD TO GET EVERYTHING OF COURSE, THAT YOU ASKED FOR OF, UM, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN REASONABLE.
I KNOW THE COURT WANTS TO WORK WITH TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES ARE.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL REAL MONEY, SO WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT YES, SIR.
HOW TO WORK WITHIN CERTAIN PARAMETERS, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK.
SHERIFF, WE APPRECIATE YOUR COOPERATION.
UH, SHERIFF, THIS IS A REAL INSIDER BASEBALL QUESTION, BUT IN TERMS OF THE, UH, STORAGE OF THE, UH, HELICOPTER, WILL THAT BE STINSON FILLED OR SOMEWHERE ELSE? NO, SIR.
UH, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE, WE COULD, IF STINSON, BUT I THINK STINSON'S FULL, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE DOING IS TALKING TO SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, UH, YOU KNOW, NAMELY OVER AT DISPATCH TO FIND OUT IF THERE'S ROOM THERE FOR US TO STORE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY CURRENTLY IS THAT AT, UH, SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT? I DON'T KNOW.
NO, OUR DIS OUR DISPATCH CENTER IS OVER, UH, QUARRY RUN OVER NEAR 1604 AND TRADESMEN.
THERE IS, THERE IS A SPOT TO LAND A HELICOPTER THERE ALREADY.
WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO IS FIND OUT IS THERE ROOM TO HOUSE A HELICOPTER THERE ONCE IT, ONCE IT LANDS.
AND SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME, SOME OF OUR PARTNER STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MY BACK OF THE NAPKIN IS THAT IF YOU JUST THINK ABOUT THE GEOGRAPHIC LAND MASSES OF UNINCORPORATED TERRITORY, STINSON IS A GOOD POINT, POINT TO GET TO BOTH WEST AND EAST.
I, I TOLD COMMISSIONER MOODY THAT, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE IT'S FURTHEST AWAY FROM THE UNINCORPORATED UP NEAR TIMBERWOOD PARK, BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO GET THERE.
BUT JUST IF, IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO LOOK AT YOUR CALLS FOR SERVICE AND, UH, DETERMINE A STORAGE SPACE CLOSEST TO DEPLOYMENT.
I MEAN, MY INITIAL GUT SAYS STINSON IS A REALLY GOOD ONE, BUT IF YOU SAY IT'S FULL, I UNDERSTAND.
SO, UH, I MEAN, MAYBE SATI DON'T KNOW.
NO, WELL, WE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, TRUST, TRUST IN THE FACT THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE BEST USE OF THAT $3 MILLION.
AND SO IF WE CAN FIND A SPOT THAT'S EASY, THAT'S CLOSER TO, TO FREE
[01:05:01]
THAN IT IS, YOU KNOW, A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY GONNA DO THAT.SO,
SO, UM, AND THERE'S, I DRIVE BACK EVERY DAY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER MOOD, DESPITE THE RUMORS, I'M JUST HERE TO HELP
UM, SO THE, UH, THERE COULD BE DIFFERENCES IN, IN COST BETWEEN HANGAR SPACE, BUT OBVIOUSLY FREE WOULD BE IDEAL.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE SAPD AND AND DPS ARE, UH, BUT NOT ONLY THE IDEA OF SHARING A HANGER, BUT THE, THE FOOTPRINT WHEN IT COMES TO MAINTENANCE AND EVERYTHING, IF YOU'RE AT A SEPARATE LOCATION, WHEREVER THAT IS, WHETHER THAT'S QUARRY RUN OR WHETHER THAT'S STENSON, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE YOUR OWN MAINTENANCE FOOTPRINT AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT IF YOU CAN, UH, MARRY THAT UP WITH, WITH A SHARED SPACE, SHARED MAINTENANCE FOOTPRINT AND EVERYTHING WITH EITHER DPS OR SAPD, IT WILL GO A LOT FURTHER.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A B, UH, OFFICE OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY REGARDING THE FOLLOWING.
UH, ONE RECLASSIFY THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS FROM EIGHT 10 TO 11, SUBSECTION A, DEPUTY CHIEF FAMILY VIOLENCE, B, DEPUTY CH CHIEF INTAKE, C, DEPUTY CHIEF MISDEMEANOR D, ALL PROSECUTOR, FIVE, NOT ORIGINAL, INCLUDING DEPARTMENT BUDGET SUBMISSION E ALL ATTORNEY FOUR, NOT ORIGINALLY INCLUDED IN DEPARTMENT BUDGET SUBMISSION.
AND F ETHICAL DISCLOSURE UNIT DIRECTOR NOT ORIGINALLY INCLUDED IN DEPARTMENT BUDGET SUBMISSION.
SUBSECTION TWO, RETAIN THE PROSECUTOR FIVE ADMINISTRATION POSITION, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED TO BE RECLASSIFIED AS CHIEF OF STAFF POSITION.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK TO YOU.
UH, IF, UH, IF YOU ALL WERE LISTENING TO THE SHERIFF'S PRESENTATION, ONE OF THESE CHIEFS TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE, THE CASES THAT ARE TO BE FILED IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE DA'S OFFICE IS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE WORK HAND IN GLOVE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, NOT ONLY THE 2000 MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT EVERY MEMBER OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU, UH, ARE CONCERNED, ALL OF YOU, I'M SURE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE BACKLOG IN THE OFFICE, AND I'M PREPARED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE TO TELL YOU THAT THAT IS TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT IF, UH, THE, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURTS GRANT THESE POSITIONS ON ONE SIDE AND NOT THE OTHER, IF YOU GRANT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO, TO GO OUT THERE AND INVESTIGATE THESE CASES AND FOLLOW 'EM WITH THE DA'S OFFICE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE PROSECUTORS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT.
WHAT THAT WILL DO IS CREATE MORE OF A BACKLOG.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONERS IN, IN THE SIX AND A HALF YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN, THE DA, I HAVE NEVER, UH, HAD THE NEED TO COME BEFORE YOU ON A WORK SESSION.
WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO, UH, UM, TO RECEIVE AND APPRECIATE ALL THE BENEFIT AND ALL THE, THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
HOWEVER, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A UNIQUE POSITION THIS YEAR.
UH, DURING THE BUDGET SEASON, WE ASKED FOR, FOR, UH, THREE ITEMS THAT WERE A PARTICULAR PRIORITY.
ONE WAS A RECLASSIFICATION OF OUR MISDEMEANOR PROSECUTORS BECAUSE WE WERE COMPETING WITH OTHER, UH, AGENCIES LIKE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.
WE ASKED FOR A RECLASSIFICATION OF OUR DEPUTY CHIEF POSITIONS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE DOING DEPUTY CHIEF WORK, BUT ONLY BEING PAID AS FIRST CHAIR.
WE ASKED FOR A STEP PLAN FOR ALL THE, FOR MOST ALL THE DA EMPLOYEES, PARTICULARLY THE NON-LAWYER POSITIONS, NONE OF THOSE REQUESTS WERE APPROVED.
NONE OF THOSE WERE RECOMMENDED.
BUT WE FIND OURSELVES IN A UNIQUE POSITION, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COURT THAT WE ARE IN, WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE A PERFECT STORM.
UM, WE HAVE SEEN THERE IS A NATIONAL PHENOMENON ACROSS THE COUNTRY OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICES, PARTICULARLY LARGE URBAN AREAS, UH, HAVING AN INABILITY TO RECRUIT DAS TO WORK FOR THEM.
AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, THE INABILITY TO RETAIN THOSE, THOSE PROSECUTORS.
UH, WHY I SAY WE HAVE A PERFECT STORM IN BEXAR COUNTY IS WE HAVE THAT PHENOMENON TO DEAL WITH.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE S SP 22, SEVERAL YEARS BACK, THE GOVERNOR GRANTED, UH, CREATED A GRANT, UH, CALLED SB 22 BACK IN 21, WHICH, UH, PROVIDES FOR FUNDING FOR RURAL COUNTIES, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND, AND
[01:10:01]
DA'S OFFICES.WE ARE SURROUNDED IN BEXAR COUNTY BY RURAL COUNTIES, UH, ON ALL SIDES THE NORTH, SOUTH, WEST, AND EAST.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THAT THE SMALLER COUNTIES ARE ACTIVELY RECRUITING OUR SEASONED, EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS, OFFERING THEM MORE MONEY.
OFTENTIMES 25,000 TO 30,000 MORE, THEY ARE LEAVING TO GO TO THE SMALLER COUNTIES FOR MORE PAY AND LESS STRESS.
UH, AND, AND SO THAT'S THE, THE CRISIS SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN.
WE ARE ABOUT 30 PROSECUTORS DOWN.
MOST ALL OF THEM ARE THE EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
UH, I PLEASE, UH, TO BE CLEAR, THIS COURT, UH, HAS, UH, PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO US IN THE, IN THE PAST YOU HAD THE SALARY STUDY OF 2023.
LAST YEAR YOU DID THE COMPRESSION RESOLUTION AND RETENTION RESOLUTION, UH, THAT WE WERE VERY GRATEFUL FOR.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT HAS NOT STOPPED THE BLEEDING.
WE STILL SEE A NUMBER OF OUR EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS LEAVING.
WHY WHEN WE PROMOTE A PROSECUTOR FROM A SECOND CHAIR TO A FIRST CHAIR, WE PAY THEM 108,000 ANYWHERE AROUND HERE, THEY, THEY GET PAID MORE.
KOUNT COUNTY IS 124,000 TO 138,000.
GUADALUPE COUNTY, 114,000 TRAVIS COUNTY UP THE ROAD IN 35, 119,000 IN HARRIS COUNTY, 149,000.
SO YOU CAN SEE COMPARED TO A, UH, 108,000, THERE'S A LOT OF INCENTIVE FOR OUR, UH, UH, VETERANS TO LEAVE OUR EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS.
UH, AND SO WE HAVE COME UP WITH A BUDGET NEUTRAL PROPOSAL.
WE DON'T HAVE A, A POWERPOINT BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE ASK, BUT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ASK.
AND WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL TO CONSIDER GRANTING THIS REQUEST THAT WE ARE FUNDING OURSELVES.
WE HAVE, OR WE WOULD BE FUNDING OURSELVES.
WE HAVE IN CONTINGENCY SIXTH POSITION THAT WE CAN RELINQUISH IN ORDER TO PAY FOR OUR REQUEST.
WE HAVE A FIRST YEAR POSITION IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION.
WE HAVE A FIRST YEAR POSITION IN THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, ADMINISTRATION DIVISION.
WE ALSO HAVE FOUR THIRD CHAIR POSITIONS.
NONE OF THOSE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN FILLED.
THERE ARE VACANCIES THAT ARE, WE ARE ABLE TO RELINQUISH THE ASK, UH, UH, COMMISSIONERS IS THAT WE RECLASSIFY 67 FIRST CHAIRS FROM A 10 TO A 11.
THE COST OF THIS REQUEST IS 688,000.
NOW, AGAIN, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE, THESE POSITIONS IN CONTINGENCY, UH, WE CALCULATE THAT THAT WOULD MORE THAN, UH, PAY FOR OUR REQUEST.
WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE SALARY AMOUNT AND THE FRINGE BENEFITS, THAT'S OVER A $700,000.
SO, SO AGAIN, THIS IS A BUDGET NEUTRAL REQUEST, BUT IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ONE.
ONE OF THE REASONS THIS IS IMPORTANT IS, I, I HEARD, HEARD YOU ALL SAY THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED, AND WE SHOULD ALL BE CONCERNED WITH THE JAIL POPULATION.
BUT, UH, WHILE WE DON'T HAVE MUCH CONTROL OVER WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE IS INDICTED OR A CASE IS FILED, BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT DEPENDS ON THE COURTS THEMSELVES AND THE DEFENDANT, HIS LAWYER, WE HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL AT THE FRONT END IN TERMS OF WHEN AND WHICH CASES WE INDICT.
BUT THE ONLY WAY WE DO THAT FOLKS, IS WITH EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS.
THE ONLY WAY WE DO THAT IS WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO CORRECTLY ANALYZE THESE CASES AND MAKE QUICKER DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT, UH, A CRIME OCCURRED AND WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN PROVE THESE CASES.
SO, SO, UH, APPROVING THIS KIND OF REQUEST, THIS KIND OF BUDGET NEUTRAL REQUEST WILL GO A LONG WAY IN HOPEFULLY REDUCING THE JAIL POPULATION.
UH, WE, WE TOOK SOME, UH, NOTES, UH, IN, IN AN EFFORT TO EX EXPLAIN WHY IT IS IMPORTANT, UH, THAT, THAT YOU ALL CONSIDER GRANTING THE REQUEST.
AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 67 FIRST CHAIR PROSECUTORS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT DO THE HEAVY LIFTING.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT MAKE THE DECISIONS ABOUT THE MURDER AND CAPITAL MURDER CASES.
THE, THE SERIOUS SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES.
YOU HEARD THE SHERIFF TALK ABOUT, UH, CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN.
THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT MAKE THOSE CALLS.
UH, THEY TRAIN OTHER PROSECUTORS.
UH, AND SO IF WE LOSE ALL THAT INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, IT HURTS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
IT HURTS LAW ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL, AND IT HURTS PUBLIC SAFETY.
THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER, UH, THIS REQUEST, BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS IS ABOUT CONTINUING TO HOLD THOSE OFFENDERS, ESPECIALLY VIOLENT OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE.
THIS IS ABOUT CONTINUING TO, UH, DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY.
AGAIN, THIS IS A REQUEST THAT WE'VE ALREADY, UH, COME UP WITH A WAY TO PAY FOR IT.
WE'RE, WE'RE ASKING, UH, THAT YOU APPROVE THE RECLASSIFICATION
[01:15:01]
OF THOSE 67 FIRST CHAIRS FROM MAY 10 TO EIGHT 11.WE HAVE, AGAIN, THOSE POSITIONS IN CONTINGENCY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, TO, UH, TO GIVE UP TO PAY FOR THIS.
UH, THAT, THAT IS MY PRESENTATION.
UH, I AM CERTAINLY WILLING TO, UM, TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT IF THIS, UH, PROPOSAL IS NOT ACCEPTED, WHAT WE DO WANNA DO IS, UH, REQUEST THAT WE TAKE BACK, UH, ONE OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE WERE OFFERING TO RELINQUISH THE FIRST CHAIR, UH, POSITION IN ADMINISTRATION.
UM, THAT WAS, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, TO REPLACE IT WITH A, A NON-LAWYER POSITION THAT WAS NOT APPROVED.
BUT INSTEAD, WE ARE BEING OFFERED A SECOND CHAIR.
WE'D LIKE TO TAKE BACK THAT REQUEST AND, AND GET BACK TO THE FIRST CHAIR IF WE CAN.
AGAIN, ONLY IN THE EVENT THAT YOU ALL, UH, ARE NOT, UH, UH, ABLE TO, TO GRANT OUR, OUR PROPOSAL, UM, BRITTANY, FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR A SOLID PRESENTATION.
LET ME JUST KIND OF LIKEN THIS, UH, REQUEST TO THE CONSTRUCTION WE HAVE AROUND, UH, WHERE EVERYBODY IS COMPLAINING THAT, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION'S TAKING SO LONG.
WELL, THE, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO LOST ITS MOST SEASONED PLANNERS AND PROFESSIONALS WHO UNDERSTOOD, UH, WHEN, UH, YOU NEEDED TO DO CERTAIN DUE DILIGENCE AND CERTAIN THINGS PROGRAMMATICALLY AND WHEN YOU DID NOT.
AND THEY, THEY WERE POACHED INTO OTHER BIGGER COUNTIES AROUND, UH, THE STATE.
AND I KNOW THAT, 'CAUSE I'VE TALKED TO THOSE BIGGER COUNTIES AND THEY TOLD ME WE POACHED YOUR BEST PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO YOU HAVE LESS SEASONED PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING LONGER TO PROCESS PUBLIC WORKS, UH, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WHAT REALLY DOES NOT NEED TO BE DONE.
AND SOME THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING ARE TAKING LONGER.
SO I, I THINK THAT YOU HAVE, UH, GIVEN US A VERY SOLID, UH, PROPOSITION THAT I CAN CERTAINLY BE, UH, ACCEPTING OF.
BECAUSE YOU'VE SAID IT'S BUDGET NEUTRAL.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE OF TRANSITION, SOME FOLKS, UH, IN THOSE POSITIONS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO REALLOCATE OR TRANSFER, UH, MAY NOT WANT TO FILL AT THIS TIME.
SO YOU'VE MADE A, A, YOU MADE THE DECISION OF THE COURT EASIER BY LOOKING AT THE REALITIES WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND FINDING US A BUDGET NEUTRAL, UH, POSITION THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, AND SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES IT BRING THE SALARIES TO WHEN YOU MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT? I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED THE OTHERS.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WILL WE, WHAT WILL WE STAND AT IF WE RECLASSIFY THESE POSITIONS FROM EIGHT 10 TO EIGHT 11? THEN IT, IT BUMPS 'EM UP 8%.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT AT ALL AT THE SAME LEVEL, BUT IS THAT 1 28? IT IT, OR ONE JUST UNDER ONE 20? IT JUST SO HAPPENS INTERESTING THAT YOU COME UP WITH THAT FIGURE.
LAST NIGHT I CALCULATED THAT THE AVERAGE, UH, SALARY FOR OUR FIRST SHARE IS ABOUT 128,000.
AGAIN, THAT'S JUST A STARTING POINT FOR ENTRY LEVEL.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE I'M PSYCHIC, IT'S JUST BECAUSE I'M AT MATH IN OTHER COUNTIES.
SO, SO IT WOULD BE 8% OF WHAT THEY MAKE NOW.
UM, SUE, JUST, UH, A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS HERE, AND I'LL BE QUICK.
UH, HOW MANY OTHER VACANCIES DOES THE DA'S OFFICE HAVE? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SIX THAT WE WOULD PUT INTO CONTINGENCY.
HOW MANY OTHERS ARE OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN STILL LIKE FILL TODAY OF THE LAWYER? VACANCIES COMMISSIONER? WE HAVE ABOUT 30.
THEY'RE NOT ALL FIRST SHERIFF VACANCIES, BUT WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 30 POSITIONS AND WE'VE BEEN ACT ACTIVELY RECRUITING.
UH, WE'VE GONE OUT TO THE LAW SCHOOLS.
WE'RE, WE'RE WAITING ON SOME, WE'VE MADE SOME PRE-COMMITMENT OFFERS.
UH, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL PASS A BAR.
HOPEFULLY THAT'LL, THEY'LL COME TO WORK FOR US AND, AND NOT GO TO THE, THE NEXT COUNTY OVER WHERE THEY CAN MAKE 20 TO 30,000 MORE.
WHAT, ACTUALLY, SINCE YOU BRING THAT UP, WHAT HAS BEEN OUR KIND OF ACCEPTANCE RATE ON OFFERS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS? HAVE WE SEEN THAT CHANGE? UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JOB OFFERS? YEAH.
UH, IT, IT, IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT WHEN WE, UH, INTERVIEW SOMEONE, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THEY COME TO WORK FOR US DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE ALSO INTERVIEWED IN OTHER COUNTIES THAT PAY MORE.
OFTENTIMES WHAT WE HEAR, UH, IS SOMEONE WHO, A CANDIDATE WHO HAS INTERVIEWED WITH US, BUT IS ALSO INTERVIEWED FOR HARRIS COUNTY OR OTHERS, UH, THAT OFFERS, UH, MORE MONEY.
WE RECENTLY HAD A, AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, GO TO ANOTHER COUNTY FOR A LESSER LEVEL, UH, POSITION, BUT MORE MONEY FOR ABOUT $25,000 MORE.
SO YEAH, IT DEPENDS ON WHERE ELSE THEY'RE INTERVIEWING.
WELL, MAYBE THAT'S A DATA POINT TO, TO LIKE TRACK AND LOOK AT.
'CAUSE THAT WILL ALSO SPEAK TO OUR COMPETITIVENESS, UH, SURE.
[01:20:01]
AND THE BUDGET OFFICE, I GUESS, DO YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK ON THE BUDGET NEUTRAL ASPECT HERE? THAT, THAT'S BEING SUGGESTED? THIS REQUEST WAS NOT WHAT, THIS IS NEW.WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL GET SOME FEEDBACK THEN IN THE, THE COMING WEEK ON THAT.
AND COMMISSIONER TO THAT, WE HAVE REDUCED OUR ASK.
THIS WAS PART OF THE LARGER, UH, PAY TABLE THAT WE ASKED, UH, THAT WOULD'VE ENCOMPASSED A LOT MORE EMPLOYEES.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS PARED IT DOWN TO, FROM ALL THE LAWYER, ALL THE EMPLOYEES, TO ALL THE LAWYERS, TO NOW JUST THE FIRST CHAIRS.
SO IT IS NEW IN, IN, IN TERMS OF WE DIDN'T SUBMIT THIS SPECIFIC REQUEST, UH, DURING THE BUDGET SEASON.
SO, AND, AND WE'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS, IS PARAMOUNT AND, AND CRITICAL, AND YOU GUYS ARE A KEY PART OF THAT, UH, IN THE DA'S OFFICE.
AND I WANNA BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW, HOW HARD I PUSH WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE JAIL AND, AND INMATES.
BECAUSE AGAIN, IF SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE IN THE JAIL, THEY SHOULD BE IN THE JAIL.
AND KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN THE JAIL.
WE'RE OVERCROWDED, WE'RE HOUSING 270 INMATES THAT SURROUNDING COUNTIES AT THE COST OF $7 MILLION A YEAR TO TAXPAYERS.
UM, AND WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE BACKLOG AND, AND THE 16, 1700, UM, UNINDICTED INDIVIDUALS IN THE JAIL.
SO I KNOW WE'VE WORKED, WE'VE AS A COURT HAVE, HAVE PROVIDED A LOT OF RESPONSES TO YOUR CONCERNS OVER TIME.
DEALING WITH ODYSSEY, UM, GETTING THE, THE CRIME LAB, GETTING THIRD PARTY SUPPORT TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT, TRYING TO WORK ON THE PAY UPGRADES.
MAYBE WE CAN APPROVE THIS BUDGET NEUTRAL REQUEST, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON, ON THE, UH, THE OVERCROWDING AT THE JAIL AND THE, AND THE BACKLOG.
AND, AND MORE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN THE COMING MONTHS.
SO I WOULD JUST, UH, JUST LEAVE IT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE A RESPONSE.
UH, UH, COMMISSIONER, I JUST WANT TO, TO TELL YOU, BECAUSE YOU'VE ASKED IN THE PAST, AND I'M SURE YOU ALL WANT TO KNOW, WE ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON OUR BACKLOG.
LAST, UH, THREE WEEKS AGO, I REPORTED THAT OUR BACKLOG WAS 400, I'M SORRY, 4,817 CASES.
TODAY IT IS 4,445 CASES, OR WE HAVE, UH, MADE CHARGING DECISIONS ON 372 CASES JUST IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS.
AGAIN, IT'S BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK.
IT'S BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE FUNDED THE, THE, THE, UH, OVERTIME, UH, PROGRAM.
UH, IT'S MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
WELL, I, I'M GLAD WE'RE TAKING STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
STILL GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY, THEY ARE DOING, UH, AROUND THOSE CASES.
COMMISSIONER CLEAR FLORES? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, I'M GOING TO JUMP OUT OF ORDER HERE.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO SUBSECTION G, OFFICE OF THE CONSTABLE PRECINCT ONE REGARDING THE FOLLOWING.
UH, CONSTABLE TE, I'M SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE CALLED YOU PROBABLY UP FIRST.
YOU'VE BEEN WAITING TILL YOU BE HEARD.
DEPUTY CONSTABLES RELATED TO SENATE BILL 38 AND TWO, ADD TWO ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK POSITIONS.
LEMME GO AHEAD AND HEAR FROM YOU.
CONSTABLE TE THANK YOU, JUDGE.
THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING FOR THE, THE 10 POSITIONS IS I WAS GOING TO ASSIGN FOUR OFFICERS TO DO WARRANTS.
OF COURSE, THAT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN, THAN JUST SAYING THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING TO GO AND WORK WARRANTS.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY DEVELOPED A SYSTEM AND WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE.
I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THE JP COURT AND TRIED TO SET UP, UH, UH, UH, ONE CASHIER TO BRING PEOPLE IN AND GO DIRECTLY TO THE CASHIER AND EITHER PAY, SET ANOTHER DATE FOR COURT OR WHATEVER.
UM, THE, IT ALSO IN, IN WORKING WARRANTS YOU, IT CAN BE COMPLICATED TO WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL MIGHT HAVE CIVIL PROCESS.
THEY MIGHT HAVE A, A FELONY WARRANT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN.
AND OF COURSE THE BIG THING IS SAFETY.
SO, UM, I KNOW I WAS ASKED TO WORK WARRANTS.
THERE'S A, A LARGE AMOUNT OF BACKLOG OF WARRANTS THROUGHOUT.
AND OF COURSE WITH REDISTRICTING, I STILL HAVE WARRANTS IN OTHER PRECINCTS BECAUSE THE CHANGE IN GE
[01:25:01]
GEOGRAPHIC AREA, UM, I, I THINK THE, THE WARRANT OFFICERS WOULD PROBABLY PAY FOR THEMSELVES.'CAUSE THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT WE CAN BRING IN.
WE'RE ALSO CONTACTING THE LINEBERGER COMPANY.
SO, SO WE CAN COINCIDE WITH THEM ALSO ON WHAT, UH, INDIVIDUALS HAVE MULTIPLE WARRANTS AND, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND ON THE OTHER FOUR, UH, OFFICERS, I WAS ASKING IT, WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSED FOR CIVIL PROCESS.
THE CIVIL PROCESS OF COURSE, IS GONNA BE CHANGING.
THE AMOUNT OF DAYS WE USED TO HAVE IS 10 TO SERVE A PARTICULAR TYPE, TYPE OF DOCUMENT.
NOW IT'S GONNA BE SHORTENED TO FIVE DAYS.
SO IN THOSE FIVE DAYS, WE HAVE TO EXPEDITE SERVE THE INDIVIDUAL AND SO ON.
BUT ONE THING THAT COMES IN, IN CIVIL PROCESS IS THE ATTEMPTS.
MANY JUDGES WILL ASK, YOU KNOW, TWO OR THREE AND POSSIBLY FOUR ATTEMPTS ON ONE PARTICULAR DOCUMENT.
THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE NOTED.
AND ALSO THE AMOUNT OF TRAVEL THAT THE OFFICERS HAVE TO TRAVEL.
RIGHT NOW, THE AVERAGE AMOUNT FOR MY OFFICE IS AROUND 200 MILES A DAY PER DEPUTY.
AND ALSO THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC, BECAUSE IN MY AREA, I HAVE INNER CITY, I HAVE RURAL, AND I HAVE THE FASTER AREA TOWARD 1 51.
SO IN, IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS, OF COURSE THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA CHANGES.
BUT, UH, IN PRECINCT ONE, WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN THE INCREASE OF PEOPLE COMING IN, THE PEOPLE BEING SERVED AND COMING IN.
UH, AND RIGHT NOW THE ONLY, UH, TIME PEOPLE ARE NOTIFIED OF WARRANTS IS THROUGH THE CARDS THAT WE SENT OUT.
BUT I'VE ALREADY DEVELOPED THIS BEFORE.
AND, UH, WE WOULD HAVE AN OFFICER GO TO, UH, WHATEVER ADDRESS, KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
IF THEY'RE NOT THERE, THEY'D LEAVE A CARD, CONTACT US.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE TO COME IN.
OF COURSE, CLASSY MISDEMEANORS ARE, YOU CAN'T BOOK 'EM AT THE JAIL AT ALL.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEVELOP AND COINCIDE WITH THE OTHER JPS, THE OTHER COURTS, UH, AND WHAT TO DO.
UH, OF COURSE WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, WARRANTS FROM A COUNTY COURT OR FROM A DISTRICT COURT, USUALLY THEY SET UP A BOND.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THE JUDGES WOULD, UH, REQUIRE A, A PERSON TO SIGN A BOND OR NOT, YOU KNOW? SO, UH, AND ALSO WITH THAT, I WOULD NEED THE, THE CLERKS TO COINCIDE TO DO THE PAPERWORK TO, IN DOING THE WARRANTS.
RIGHT NOW, UH, WE SEND YOU SOME INFORMATION BEFORE WE SHOWED YOU THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES THERE, BUT WE NEED THE HELP.
UM, I WOULDN'T BE ASKING IF WE DIDN'T NEED THE, THE HELP.
UH, RIGHT NOW, UH, I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO, UH, START COLLECTING ON THE WARRANT REVENUE AND, AND SO ON.
SO, UH, I USED TO WORK WARRANTS, UH, I WORKED 13 AND A HALF YEARS WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN DOING THAT.
BUT, AND I KNOW THE INS AND OUTS ON WHAT, WHAT TO DO THERE.
BUT, UM, I'M, I'M REALLY IN NEED OF THESE OFFICERS AND PERSONNEL.
SO, AND ALSO WITH, WITH, UH, I WANNA REFLECT THE WAY THE COURTHOUSE HERE HAS A DEPUTY SHERIFF AND TWO COURT MONITORS.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE JP COURTS.
'CAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME INCIDENTS.
AND ALSO IN MY BUILDING WE HAVE THE TAX ASSESSOR AND WE ALSO HAVE THE BIBLIOTECH AND WE HAVE THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE THERE.
AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET IRATE AND, AND SO ON.
SO WE CAN HAVE AN OFFICER GO, GO TEND TO THAT WITHOUT DISRUPTING EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, I CAN ANSWER JUDGE.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND I KNOW SAL'S HERE, UM, JUST FOR THE CONTINUAL WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO AND WORKING WITH, UM, WITH MY OFFICE.
SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND WE'LL LOOK INTO YOUR REQUEST.
COMMISSIONER COLVERT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR COMING, UH, HERE AS WELL AS TO OUR, UH, TOWN HALL.
YOU GET A CHANCE TO SAY HELLO.
[01:30:01]
UH, WORK WITH, UH, THE COMMISSIONER AND, AND THE COURT ON, ON GETTING DEEPER INTO, UH, REALLY IT'S YOUR GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL TIME, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, CAN OFTEN MAKE THE, THE NUMBERS ON CONSTABLES.UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THINGS ARE NOT EQUAL WHEN YOU HAVE LARGER TERRITORY AND YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OUR TWO PRECINCTS ARE MASSIVE.
UM, SO WE, IF THERE'S A WAY TO HONE IN ON THAT GEOGRAPHY ISSUE IN TERMS OF TIME AND PROCESSING, I'D LIKE TO, AND MAYBE YOU HAVE, I JUST NEED TO GO THROUGH THESE THINGS, BUT, UM, I ALSO WANT TO LOOK, UH, TO TRY TO HELP THE COURTS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SAFE.
UM, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE SOMETIMES WHO HAVE RESTRAINING ORDERS BECAUSE THEY HAD A DOMESTIC DISAGREEMENT OVER, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTIAL LIVING EXPERIENCE.
AND, UM, YOU'VE ONLY GOT ONE OFFICER TO DEAL WITH THAT.
AND OFTEN, UH, YOU CAN HAVE SOMETHING HAPPEN IN THE WAITING AREA OUT FRONT OR AROUND THE BEND, IF YOU WILL, FROM THE COURTROOM.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE JUST FORTUNATE THAT THERE HASN'T, UH, UH, MORE MELEES.
BUT, BUT YOU KNOW, I HAD SOME CONSTITUENTS COME AND, AND, AND GO INTO OUR JP COURT AND WE TALKED TO OUR BAILIFF WHO WAS THERE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHILE HE'S A BIG GUY AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW HE CAN HOLD IT DOWN.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S SOMETIMES JUST MORE PEOPLE THAN ONE PERSON CAN HANDLE.
SO I AGREE OUR JP COURTS ARE NOT SAFE.
UM, PARTICULARLY IN SOME OF OUR AREAS.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, OUR PRECINCTS CAN BE VERY VOLATILE IN TERMS OF THESE SITUATIONS.
SO I DO THINK WE NEED TO HAVE MORE SECURITY THERE.
UH, ALSO I'D LIKE TO MENTION ABOUT THE SQUATTER LAW.
SO THE COMPLAINT WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE AND NOT TO THE JP COURT.
SO THAT'S, IT'S GONNA BE TRIAL AND ERROR IN THE BEGINNING BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING NEW THAT, THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
'CAUSE THE COMPLAINT IS COMING STRAIGHT TO US.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO INVESTIGATE AND FIND OUT WHERE THE LOCATION IS AND, AND SO ON, AND WHAT KIND OF SITUATION THEY HAVE, UH, WITH PEOPLE INSIDE OF A HOME.
COMMISSIONER, MUDDY, JUST ONE QUICK, UH, QUICK POINT.
UM, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW KIND OF HOW SENATE BILL 38, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT REDUCED THE, THE TIME PERIOD, UH, FOR THOSE, UH, UM, VISITS, UH, WHAT THAT'S GONNA DO IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD.
BUT, UH, I THINK SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MONITOR CLOSELY BECAUSE, UH, IT COULD HAVE A REAL IMPACT ON OUR CONSTABLES GOING FORWARD.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL THAT I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE CAN OR SHOULD DO PREEMPTIVELY WRITE THIS CYCLE, BUT, UH, WHEN, WHEN DOES THAT LAW COME INTO EFFECT? JANUARY.
THE, THE SHORTEN WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS, IS THAT THE, THE OFFICERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THE THREE ATTEMPTS OR MORE WITHIN THOSE FIVE DAYS.
SO, BUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, AS SOON AS THEY FILE THE CLOCK'S TICKING, SO THEY, IT MIGHT HAVE ONLY TWO DAYS TO SERVE INSTEAD OF THE FIVE, LIKE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE 10 DAYS.
MANY TIMES THE JUDGES, UH, HAVE TO ISSUE AN ABUNDANCE OF PAPERWORK.
SO SOME OF THE PAPERWORK ONLY HAS FIVE DAYS TO SERVE ALREADY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UH, AND WE SOMETIMES CALL IT A HOT PAPER.
THE JUDGE CAN SAY, LOOK, I NEED THIS PAPER DONE TODAY, SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN OFFICER COME PICK IT UP, GO TRY TO SERVE IT THAT PARTICULAR DAY.
SO IT, IT COULD VARY ON, ON THAT ALSO, BUT IT'S WHEN THE JP OR, UH, WHEN THEY RECEIVE THE PAPERWORK, THAT'S WHEN THE, THE TIME STARTS.
CONSTABLE, YOU BROUGHT UP THE SQUATTER LAW, WHICH I THINK IS A, UH, VERY PIVOTAL, UH, CHANGE IN, IN LAW THAT YOU ARE RESPONDING TO.
MY OFFICE IS RESPONDING TO, I'M SURE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS RESPOND TO THESE CAMPS OF, UH, UH, UNHOUSED CAMPS.
UH, I THINK THAT THE COUNTY WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME SORT OF, UH, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, UH, IN INCREASE IN OUR DIVISION.
WE HAVE VERY GOOD PEOPLE IN THAT DEPARTMENT, BUT, UM, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE NOW BASICALLY UNINCORPORATED IN A POPULATION AS BIG AS ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
SO IT, IT, WE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE BASIC THINGS OR CONTRACT WITH A GROUP LIKE ACOR ZONE MINISTRIES, UM,
[01:35:01]
BEYOND JUST OUR PILOT PROGRAM.I MEAN, WE DO OBVIOUSLY FUND HAVEN IN SOME OF THESE GROUPS, BUT, UM, I THINK HOLISTICALLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THAT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR YEARS AND, AND, AND, AND, AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF ENCAMPMENTS, RIGHT? UM, AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR DEPARTMENT, WHAT, WHAT YOU CAN DO TO COLLABORATE WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THEY, THEY, UH, HAVE A LOT OF THOSE CLINICIANS THAT MAY BE HELPING.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE EVERYTHING OUT, INCLUDING GETTING TOGETHER WITH ALL THE JP COURTS, GETTING TOGETHER WITH ANY GROUP THAT CAN HELP, RIGHT? BECAUSE EVERY, EVERY SITUATION'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT.
I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE A FEW MONTHS TO KIND OF PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
AND SO, UM, BUT WITH THAT SAID, THE SAFETY ISSUE FOR OUR OFFICE IS DO I SEND ONE OFFICER? DO I SEND TWO? THAT'S THE, THE DIFFERENCE THERE.
IT MAY BE A COLLABORATION WITH OUR SMART UNIT TOO, BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT CLINICIANS AS PART OF THAT.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY I THINK THAT THE OVERALL ISSUE IS CAPACITY TO HOUSE PEOPLE IN AN AREA THAT IS NOT, UH, A PUBLIC NUISANCE.
AND, AND, UM, WE'VE GOT ASSETS AND LAND AT THE COUNTY THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, UM, THAT COULD HOUSE BOTH LOW BARRIER AS WELL AS GREATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR, UH, BUILDING.
UM, AND, AND WE KIND OF NEEDED TO DO IT FIVE YEARS AGO,
UM, BUT WE, WE, YOU KNOW, I I, WE DO A LOT OF THESE CASES IN MY PRECINCT YEAH.
AS I'M SURE YOU DO ALREADY, UM, OR YOU KNOW ABOUT ALREADY.
UM, AND SO WE'VE GOT SOME PROTOCOLS THAT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO INVITE, UH, ANYBODY IN, IN ANY CONSTABLE'S OFFICE THAT WANTS TO KIND OF MEET WITH SOME OF THE AGENCIES WE USE TO RESPOND TO CLEAN UP SOME OF THESE AREAS BECAUSE, UH, THEY ARE, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS RETRACT AND THEY, THEY HOLD FOR A LONG TIME.
YOU'VE GOT MORE POWER NOW, UH, YOU KNOW, TO DEAL WITH IT.
BUT WHAT THAT DOES TO OUR, OUR JAIL, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY FULL.
SO WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT A MAIN WAY.
WE, WE HAVE TO DEVELOP A PROCESS OF SOME KIND YEAH.
TO DEAL WITH IT INSTEAD OF JUST, UH, PUTTING THEM IN JAIL OR YEAH.
AND YEAH, PUBLIC HEALTH I THINK CAN BE A BIG PART OF THAT.
DAVID, UM, THAT WE, WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT BEFORE SEPTEMBER ONE, TO BE HONEST.
WE'LL GO BACK UP TO SUB SUBSECTION C, OFFICE OF THE COUNTY COURTS REGARDING THE FOLLOWING.
ONE, ADD ONE DRUG COURT MAGISTRATE, TWO SALARY ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE PROPOSED CHIEF STAFF ATTORNEY.
AND THREE, MODIFY ONE SENIOR COURT SUPPORT SPECIALIST TO A COURT COORDINATOR.
AKA COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, UH, COMMISSIONER MOODY AND COMMISSIONER CALVERT.
I JUST WANNA START BY THANKING YOU ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY COURT JUDGES FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THE JUDICIAL RAISES.
AND I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO WORKING TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE ON MATTERS THAT AFFECT THE JUDICIARY.
SO I WILL BE, UH, PRESENTING TWO BUDGET REQUESTS AND MY COLLEAGUE, JUDGE DOMINGUEZ WILL BE, UH, PRESENTING A THIRD.
THE FIRST REQUEST IS FOR AN AD DELETE OF THE ATTORNEY TO POSITION FOR A CHIEF STAFF ATTORNEY POSITION FOR, UH, BROOKE MCT.
SO CURRENTLY THE COUNTY COURTS HAVE TWO STAFF ATTORNEYS FOR 15 JUDGES, ONE AUXILIARY COURT, AND TWO FAMILY VIOLENCE IMPACT COURTS.
SO COLLECTIVELY, 18 COURTS WITH TWO STAFF ATTORNEYS.
UH, MS. MC DAVITT WAS HIRED IN 2013, AND OUR SECOND STAFF ATTORNEY WAS HIRED IN 2023.
PREVIOUSLY, OUR REQUEST FOR A CHIEF STAFF ATTORNEY WERE DENIED BECAUSE WE ONLY HAD THE ONE STAFF ATTORNEY.
SO NOW WITH THE CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE ADD DELETE.
UM, MS. MCTS, UM, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT SHE'S CURRENTLY PERFORMING ARE MORE IN LINE WITH THOSE OF A CHIEF STAFF ATTORNEY.
SO THE NEED FOR THAT POSITION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS TO HAVE PARITY WITH THE DISTRICT COURTS.
DISTRICT COURTS HAVE MULTIPLE STAFF ATTORNEYS, AND THEY DO HAVE A CHIEF STAFF ATTORNEY POSITION.
MS. MCDEVITT DELEGATES PROJECTS TO THE OTHER STAFF ATTORNEY.
SHE ASSISTS ON SPECIAL PROJECTS AND LEGAL RESEARCH WITH THE OTHER STAFF ATTORNEY JURY CHARGES AND OTHER LEGAL REFERENCE MATERIALS.
SHE HELPS WITH THE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS AND REVIEWS THE STATUS OF ALL RELEVANT LEGISLATIVE BILLS, WHICH IS VERY LENGTHY AND TIME CONSUMING PROCESS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, ASSISTS WITH OUR GENERAL COUNSEL WITH SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR EACH OF THE COUNTY COURT JUDGES, AND DEALS WITH ALL APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE APPELLATE, UM, COURTS AND LAST DEALS WITH THE LOCAL RULES AND HANDLES ONLINE PUBLICATIONS.
SO THE DOLLAR AMOUNT WOULD BE A PRICE DIFFERENTIAL OF $10,242.
WE ARE REQUESTING THE ADD DELETE, WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE 8%
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INCREASE FOR GOING TO A HIGHER POSITION IN LIEU OF A RECLASSIFICATION, WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR THAT.UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT ON THE FIRST AMOUNT.
LIKE I SAID, THE PRICE DIFFERENTIAL ON THAT WOULD BE 10,242, SO THAT MS. MCT IS COMPENSATED MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT SHE'S CURRENTLY PERFORMING AS A CHIEF STAFF ATTORNEY.
THE SECOND REQUEST WOULD BE FOR AN ADD DELETE FOR A SENIOR COURT SUPPORT SPECIALIST FOR A COURT COORDINATOR FOR LYDIA O'CONNELL.
SO COURT ADMINISTRATION PROVIDES COURT COORDINATOR COVERAGE FOR ALL 15 COUNTY COURTS, THE AUXILIARY COURT AND THE TWO FAMILY VIOLENCE IMPACT COURTS WHEN THE COORDINATORS FOR THE JUDGES TAKE ANY SORT OF LEAVE, WHETHER THAT'S SICK LEAVE, VACATION, ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, ET CETERA.
AND SO THOSE THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR, THE COORDINATORS ARE VERY VITAL TO THE EFFICIENCY OF THE COURTS AND HOW THEY'RE RUN.
SO OFTEN YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS LIKE LYDIA OCON O'CONNELL, WHO BECAUSE OF HER EXPERIENCE IN TENURE ARE FREQUENTLY REQUESTED.
A LOT OF THE JUDGES REQUEST HER BY NAME BECAUSE SHE ALREADY KNOWS HOW THE COURTS WORK.
UM, SHE'S BEEN WITH THE COUNTY 34 YEARS IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES, BUT SPECIFIC TO A COURT COORDINATOR, SHE'S BEEN A COURT COORDINATOR FOR 13 YEARS, EIGHT MONTHS, SERVING AS THE COURT COORDINATOR FOR SIX JUDGES, JUDGE KAZEN, JUDGE CHRISTIAN, JUDGE, UH, GARRAHAN, JUDGE LAHOOD, JUDGE DAVIS, AND MOST RECENTLY JUDGE SALDANA.
THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THAT WOULD BE A COST DIFFERENTIAL OF $13,956.
AND AGAIN, THAT WOULD PUT HER MORE IN LINE WITH THE COURT COORDINATOR, WHICH IS THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES SHE IS CURRENTLY PERFORMING.
UM, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR AT THIS TIME FOR ANY QUE QUESTIONS.
AND THEN I'LL, UM, HAND IT OVER TO JUDGE DOMINGUEZ FOR HER PRESENTATION, WHICH WILL BE ON THE REQUEST FOR THE SPECIALTY COURTS, UH, MAGISTRATE POSITION.
GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SKAY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
UM, WHAT YOU ARE RECEIVING IS A POWERPOINT THAT MR. RUIZ HAS PREPARED AS WELL AS THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION NEW ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2025.
THAT JUST CAME OUT AS I HAD APPROACHED, UM, AROUND VETERANS DAY 2024 LAST YEAR.
I'M GONNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO, AND I TAPPED IT FOR YOU, PAGE 11, WHICH OUR NEW NUMBERS HAVE COME OUT FOR BEXAR COUNTY MISDEMEANOR VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
210 VETERANS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN OUR PROGRAM THIS LAST YEAR.
THAT DOES, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE HAVE ONLY 210 IN THE WHOLE YEAR.
SOME HAVE CARRIED OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR.
THE REASON I DRAW THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION IS BECAUSE THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT IS THE LARGEST COUNTY COURT SPECIALTY COURT IN BEXAR COUNTY, ONE OF THE LARGEST VETERAN STREAM COURTS IN ALL OF TEXAS.
SO YOU COULD IMAGINE HOW MUCH WORK THERE IS INVOLVED WHEN WE HAVE CO-OCCURRING DOCKETS, MENTAL HEALTH DOCKETS, SUBSTANCE USE DOCKETS, GENDER SPECIFIC DOCKETS, AND MAINTAINING A COUNTY COURT DOCKET AS WELL.
ON TOP OF THAT WITH PRETRIAL, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPANTS, UH, PROBATION PARTICIPANTS VIOLATIONS, UM, MOTIONS TO MODIFY BONDS.
THERE'S A LOT OF MOTIONS THAT COME AROUND ON THIS ON OUR DESK AS SPECIALTY COURT JUDGES, ALONG WITH RUNNING A SPECIALTY COURT.
I'M GONNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE POWERPOINT.
THERE ARE TWO OF THREE OTHER JUDGES IN CONJUNCTION WITH MYSELF THAT ARE NEEDING AND REQUESTING THIS MAGISTRATE.
WE HAVE THE CAMINO COURT, FORMERLY THE DRUG COURT WITH JUDGE PENA TRACK D, WHICH IS THE DWI COURT WITH JUDGE STO AND THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT WITH JUDGE HUFF.
IF YOU TURN TO PAGE THREE, THE GOVERNMENT CODE 54.1803 DOES ALLOW FOR THE JUDGES OF THE STATUTORY COUNTY COURTS WITH CRIMINAL JURISDICTION IN A COUNTY WITH THE CONSENT AND APPROVAL OF THE COMMISSIONER'S.
COURT OF THE COUNTY MAY APPOINT THE NUMBER OF MAGISTRATES SET BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO PERFORM THE DUTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF DRUG COURTS.
NOW, THIS WOULD BE A VERY SIMILAR POSITION TO WHAT JUDGE GLENN IS DOING ON THE FELONY SIDE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS, AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY COURT HAS, UM, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAS CHANGED FROM MAGISTRATE TO ASSOCIATE POSITION.
THE NEXT PAGE ON PAGE FOUR DOES ALLOW UNDER THE GOVERNMENT QUOTE, 54, A 0.002 DOES ALLOW FOR AN ASSOCIATE JUDGE TOO, FOR ONE OR TWO OR MORE COURTS.
AND THIS POSITION WOULD BE IN ASSISTANCE TO TWO OR MORE COURTS.
YOU CAN SEE THERE ON THE SECOND SIDE OF PAGE FOUR, THEY DO ALLOW FOR SOME OTHER PRETRIAL MATTERS, NEGOTIATING, UM, THE PLEAS OR DOING A PLEA OF GUILTY OR NO CONTEST, BOND FORFEITURES, PRETRIAL MOTIONS, SOME OTHER THINGS.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE ON PAGE FIVE, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE SUMMARY OF WHAT I DO IN THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
PAGE SIX AND PAGE SEVEN ARE WHAT THE OTHER JUDGES ARE DOING, MOST IMPORTANTLY, UM, WITH THE VETERANS DREAM COURT ON SLIDE NINE, YOU WILL SEE THAT WE HAVE ALL QUADRANTS WE'RE ALLOWING IN OUR PROGRAM, UM, BEING ABLE TO HELP HIGH RISK AND LOW RISK OFFENDERS, UH, LOW NEEDS AND HIGH NEED OFFENDERS AS WELL, AND MAKING SURE THAT
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WE'RE ADDRESSING IN THE QUADRANT THE AMOUNT OF TREATMENT SPECIFIC TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.THIS YEAR, WE ACTUALLY HIT TWO MILESTONES.
WE HAD A GRADUATION OR COMMENCEMENT ON FRIDAY.
ON FRIDAY, AND THIS YEAR WE HIT OUR 15TH YEAR OF THE VETERAN'S TREATMENT COURT HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.
AND WE CELEBRATED OUR 1000TH GRADUATE.
AT OUR LAST COMMENCEMENT ON FRIDAY, WE HAVE HAD A TOTAL OF 1006 GRADUATES TOTAL IN THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.
UM, THOSE TWO MILESTONES REALLY SET US ASIDE FOR SOME OF THE OTHER SPECIALTY COURTS THAT ARE HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY AND MOSTLY AROUND TEXAS.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, I'M HERE JUST APPROACHING IF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WOULD ALLOW US, AND THE COUNTY JUDGE WOULD ALLOW US AN ASSOCIATE OR A MAGISTRATE POSITION THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO TURNOVER FOR THE JUDGES.
THE BEST PRACTICES, UM, REALLY ACCOUNTS FOR A JUDGE THAT IS A CONTINUOUS JUDGE WITH REELECTIONS.
THAT THERE'S, THERE'S STAFF TURNOVER, THERE'S JUDGE TURNOVER, AND THIS IMPACTS THE PARTICIPANTS WHEN THEY'RE IN THE PROGRAM.
THIS PART FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM IS AN AVERAGE OF 12 TO 18 MONTHS.
WHEN THEY ENTER THE PLEA, IT'S 24 MONTHS OR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION.
SO IT DOES LEAVE IT OPEN FOR AN EARLY TERMINATION IF THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THE APPROPRIATE GOALS IN OUR PROGRAM.
BUT THERE IS TURNOVER WHEN THERE IS A JUDGE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, IN 2026, I WILL BE UP FOR REELECTION AND I MAY NOT BE REELECTED.
AND IN THAT SITUATION, THERE COULD BE ANOTHER JUDGE TURNOVER WITH STAFF TURNOVER.
AND THAT REALLY IMPACTS THE PARTICIPANTS.
UM, THE BEST PRACTICES, LET'S NOT THAT HAPPEN, RIGHT? JUDGE
AND EVERY NEW JUDGE MUST GO THROUGH TRAINING.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COST OF EVEN TRAINING A NEWER JUDGE, AND IT MAY NOT JUST BE MYSELF, JUDGE LAKAY, BUT THERE ARE OTHER COUNTY JUDGES THAT HAVE A SPECIALTY COURT THAT ALSO HAVE OPPONENTS, RIGHT? SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COST FOR IT, TRAINING A NEW JUDGE, TRAVEL REGISTRATION FEES, ESPECIALLY ALL RISE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A THOUSAND DOLLARS REGISTRATION FEE FOR ALL THE COUNTY COURT JUDGES THAT HAVE A SPECIALTY COURT IN ADDITION TO THEIR STAFF WITH TURNOVER, IT DOES BECOME COSTLY.
SO IN AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THAT, TO HAVE A CONTINUAL JUDGE THAT'LL PRESIDE OVER DRUG COURT MATTERS, WHICH WILL BE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT, MENTAL HEALTH COURT, ANY OF THOSE EXTRA COURTS, I KNOW SPECIFICALLY FOR THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT, WE ARE SUPER BUSY.
AND WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M WORKING AFTER HOURS ON WEEKENDS, CATCHING UP WITH THINGS, WHICH I, THIS IS WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR, BUT I DO NEED HELP.
AND I FEEL THAT WITH THE AMOUNT OF VETERANS THAT WE HAVE IN BEXAR COUNTY AS MILITARY CITY USA, WE OWE IT TO OUR VETERANS TO HELP THEM IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF THOSE WAYS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HELP THEM AND WE SHOULD PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES TO THEM.
SINCE THIS IS THE LARGEST VETERAN TREATMENT COURT, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY HIGH SINCE I TOOK THE BENCH IN 2023.
THE NUMBERS HAVE BASICALLY SKYROCKETED, AND WE HAVE MAINTAINED THOSE NUMBERS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MR. RE TO SEE IF HE HAS ANYTHING ADDITIONAL THAT I MAY HAVE MISSED.
SO I THINK THE, THE SLIDE THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU RIGHT NOW, COMMISSIONERS, YOU SEE THAT THERE'S A, A 10 YEAR TREND OF THE NUMBER OF REFERRALS TO THIS COURT INCREASING WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 2013.
UM, AND WE SEE THE SAME TREND FOR 2024 AND THIS YEAR THUS FAR, UH, FOR THE NUMBER OF ENROLLMENTS, THERE'S ANOTHER 10 YEAR TREND THAT YOU SEE THERE ON THE SCREEN THAT SHOWS AN INCREASE OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM.
THE JUDGE CITED THAT CURRENTLY, UH, FOR THIS YEAR, THE 2024 REPORT THAT CAME OUT IS AT TWO 10.
SO THAT TREND CONTINUES AND WE EXPECT IT TO CONTINUE TO GROW BEING A MILITARY USA, UH, MILITARY CITY, USA, UM, THE JUDGE DID SHARE THE NUMBERS FROM THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION THAT, THAT YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN A HANDBOOK, UH, ON.
AND, UM, THE, AGAIN, THE NUMBERS JUST CONTINUE TO SHOW A GROWTH, UH, IN NUMBER OF REFERRALS AND NEW ADMISSIONS.
THIS IS THE, THE, THERE ARE 32 VETERAN TREATMENT COURTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, SERVING 41 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THE BARETT COUNTY MISDEMEANOR VETERAN TREATMENT COURT IS THE LARGEST SINGLE COUNTY, UH, VETERAN TREATMENT COURT IN, IN OUR LONE STAR STATE.
THERE ARE, AGAIN, 2024, WE SEE THE NUMBER OF VETERANS SERVED AS TWO 10, AND IT HAS A HIGH RETENTION RATE AS WELL, UH, WHICH IS, UH, 97.6 OF THE VETERANS THAT ARE COMING TO THE PROGRAM ARE BEING RETAINED WITH, WITH 93 SUCCESSFUL COMPLETIONS.
AND THE REST, UH, MOVING OVER TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR WHEN THEY DO GRADUATE, ONLY FIVE HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFULLY OR WERE UNSUCCESSFULLY DISCHARGED FROM THE PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE OR TO REITERATE THAT THE JUDGE DID MENTION THAT THERE'S A COST WHEN THERE'S A, UH, TURNOVER, UH, OF, OF JUDGES, UH, WHEN WE JUST LOOK AT THE NATIONAL TRAINING THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO GO TO.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STATE TRAINING THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO GO TO SPECIFICALLY FOR SPECIALTY COURTS, UM, IN, IN A FOUR
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YEAR PERIOD, THERE'S A MINIMUM OF $16,000 PER JUDGE SPECIALTY COURT JUDGE THAT IS INVESTED ON THAT JUDGE.AND THAT IS LOST WITH THE TURNOVER.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COSTS FOR TURNOVER AMONG TEAM MEMBERS, BECAUSE WITH THE CHANGE IN GUARD, WITH THE CHANGE IN A JUDGE, THERE'S ALSO TYPICALLY TURNOVER AMONG TEAM MEMBERS LIKE THE DIRECTOR, THE COURT MANAGER, UH, SUPERVISION OFFICERS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COSTS OF THAT TURNOVER, UM, DUE TO THE TURNOVER OF THE JUDGE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT LEAST $36,000 EVERY FOUR YEARS FOR THOSE THREE PERSONNEL.
THEN OF COURSE, THE JUDGE DID MENTION THAT THERE IS A TWO YEAR LEARNING CURVE, UH, FOR THE NEW JUDGE TO LEARN AND START PERFORMING AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE INCUMBENT JUDGE.
SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A, UM, A DECREASE IN PERFORMANCE FOR THOSE TWO YEARS.
EVERY TIME THERE'S A NEW JUDGE THAT COMES ON BOARD.
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, UM, THAT WITH THE TURNOVER OF THE JUDGE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE'S A TURNOVER OF TURNOVER OF OTHER TEAM MEMBERS.
SO WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE 15 YEAR HISTORY OF THE VETERAN TREATMENT COURT, THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR DIRECTORS IN THOSE 15 YEARS AS COMPARED TO THE FELONY MODEL THAT WE HAVE WITH JUDGE GLENN, WHERE HE'S BEEN ON A MAJESTY THREAT A ABOUT 15 YEARS OR SO.
HE'S HAD THE SAME LEADERSHIP, DIANA SANMAR, THE SAME COURT MANAGER FOR THOSE 15 YEARS, AS OPPOSED TO FOUR DIRECTORS IN THE VETERAN TREATMENT COURT.
SO HAVING STABILITY IN LEADERSHIP ALSO RETAINS THE, THE, THE, THE, THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE BELOW THAT JUDGE AND OF COURSE RETAINS AND, AND, UH, RETAINS THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE STAFF.
SO LET, LET ME, ROBERTO, LET ME ASK YOU TO PAUSE.
I GOT A QUESTION, STAFF THIS, AND I DON'T WANT TO OPEN UP A SENSITIVE ISSUE IN REGARDS TO THESE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING WITHIN THESE SPECIALTY COURTS.
ARE THEY EMPLOYEES UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE JUDGE, THE COURT? ARE THEY COURT EMPLOYEES OR ARE THEY EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE? BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT'S AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT PERHAPS I JUST NEED CLARITY FOR TODAY'S REQUEST, DAVID, TINA.
SO IT'S GONNA DEPEND ON WHAT THEIR POSITION AND IF THEY'RE FUNDED THROUGH A GRANT, BUT MOST OF THEM WOULD BE EMPLOYEES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE IF IT'S GRANT FUNDED.
SO THEY SHOULDN'T BE REPLACED IF A JUDGE NO IS, SO THAT'S A ISSUE.
I DON'T WANNA OPEN IT UP, BUT THAT IS A BUDGET ISSUE I WILL WANT BRIEFING ON.
SO JUDGES, I, I, I CLEARLY HEAR THAT ISSUE, BUT I THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED.
AND SO I WILL HAVE, I WILL ADVOCATE FOR YOU TO FACT, ONCE I GET THAT CLEARED UP, THEN I'LL TAKE A POSITION AS TO THESE BUDGET REQUESTS.
SO BUDGET, GET BACK TO ME ON THIS ONE.
I I WILL JUST ADD JUDGE AKA THAT IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT THE JUDGE IS DOING THE TURNOVER.
SOME EMPLOYEES MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE OR HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE WITH THE NEW JUDGE AND HOW THIS NEW JUDGE IS RUNNING THEIR COURT, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY COURT, UM, WHEN THEY COME OUT TO A BENCH AS A NEW JUDGE, THERE ARE TRAININGS THAT THEY SHOULD BE GOING TO, SOME MAY NOT BE GOING TO THESE TRAININGS THAT ARE LEARNING THE BEST PRACTICES.
SO WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE BEST PRACTICES THAT HAVE A COURT THAT'S ORDERLY.
NOW WITH THE NEW JUDGE COMING IN, IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY TO GET THE JUDGE UP TO PAR.
THERE IS A TWO YEAR LEARNING CURVE ON THAT FOR THEM TO GET COMFORTABLE, KNOW HOW TO DO THE INCENTIVES, THE SANCTIONS, AS YOU KNOW, YOU RAN THE SPECIALTY COURT AND SO IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE JUDGE THAT IS FIRING PEOPLE AS EMPLOYEES, BUT THE EMPLOYEES NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE WITH THIS NEW JUDGE AND THE WAY THEY'RE RUNNING A COURT.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THAT NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED, JUDGE.
YES, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE I THINK FOR PURPOSES OF THE COURT, DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT'S A GRANT FUNDED POSITION OR A GENERAL REVENUE POSITION, DOES MAKE A SIGNIFICANT LEGAL IMPACT.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY Y'ALL HAVE RAISED AN INTERESTING ISSUE THAT IS ONGOING.
AND I WANT FURTHER ASSESSMENT ON THAT.
SO DAVID AND TINA, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? RIGHT.
SO I HOPE THE COURT UNDERSTANDS THAT'S, I WANT CLARITY.
AND JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, I JUST WANTED TO SAY JUDGE STO AND ERICA PENA, WERE NOT ABLE TO BE HERE THIS MORNING, BUT THEY DO, UH, WANNA SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR THIS REQUEST, YOU KNOW, SINCE THEY'RE OFTEN AT CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, WITH 60 PARTICIPANTS, WHICH THEY'RE LIMITED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PROBATION OFFICERS THEY HAVE.
AND SO, AND THEY OFTEN HAVE MAJORITY OF DWI OFFENDERS.
SO THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS AS WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
SUBSECTION D, OFFICE OF CIVIL DISTRICT COURTS REGARDING THE FOLLOWING.
ONE, MODIFY ONE SENIOR COURT SPECIALIST TO A DISTRICT COURT COORDINATOR
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FOR PRESIDING COURT AND TWO, INCREASE CONTRACTED SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF 45,000 FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SYMPOSIUM, DISTRICT COURT CIVIL RYAN, RYAN ANDERSON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.AND FIRST LET ME START JUST ON BEHALF OF THE CIVIL DISTRICT COURT JUDGES AND THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES BY SAYING THANK YOU.
THE SUPPLEMENT AND THE RAISES TO THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES, UM, AND ESPECIALLY IN THESE DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
THESE JUDGES WORK HARD AND THE KIND WORDS WERE VERY APPRECIATED TOO.
WE'VE GOT ONE SMALL REQUEST FROM THE CIVIL DISTRICT COURT'S ADMINISTRATION, UM, LOOKING AT THE AGENDA, IT IS NOT STATED CLEARLY.
IT SAYS THAT WE'RE ASKING TO MOVE, MODIFY A SENIOR COURT SPECIALIST TO A DISTRICT COURT COORDINATOR.
THE PERSON CURRENTLY HOLDING THAT POSITION IS A COURT SPECIALIST.
SO, AND WE WERE GONNA ASK FOR IT TO GO TO COORDINATOR, BUT AS ELISA AND I WERE WORKING THROUGH IT YESTERDAY AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE LONG TERM, MOST ECONOMICAL BEST WAY TO GET THE TASKS DONE THAT WE NEEDED FROM THIS PERSON, IT REALLY IS JUST MOVING IN FROM A COURT SPECIALIST UP TO A SENIOR COURT SPECIALIST, UH, E ONE UP TO AN E THREE RATHER THAN AN E ONE, UP TO AN E FOUR.
AND THE REASON THAT I SAY THAT IS LOOKING AT THE, UH, JOB DESCRIPTION, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE, AND ALBERT'S ALREADY BEEN DOING SOME OF THIS, BUT WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT HERE IS WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE OUR PRESIDING SYSTEM.
AND THE KEY TO SAVING OUR PRESIDING SYSTEM, OR ONE BIG ELEMENT IS THEY WANT ACCOUNTABILITY.
THEY WANT A WAY IN OUR CENTRALIZED DOCKET, ALL OF THE JUDGES, EVERYONE THROWS THE INTO THE SAME POOL.
BUT WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM AUSTIN IS WE WANT YOU TO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT EACH INDIVIDUAL JUDGE IS DOING.
AND ELISA AND I HAVE WORKED OUR TAILS OFF OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND DEVELOPED A SYSTEM OUTSIDE OF ODYSSEY.
I'VE HAD MY TIMES CRITICIZING ODYSSEY.
I'M NOT CRITICIZING THEM, BUT THEY JUST WOULD MOVE TOO SLOWLY.
WE HAVE TO GET THIS DATA TO AUSTIN.
AND SO WE DEVELOPED A SPREADSHEET SYSTEM CAPTURING DATA SO WE CAN COMPILE IT INTO REPORTS TO SHOW EVEN WITHIN A CENTRAL DOCKET, THIS IS WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL JUDGES ARE DOING TO MAKE OUR OVERALL SYSTEM WORK AS EFFICIENTLY AND AS EFFECTIVELY AS IT DOES.
THAT HAS TAKEN MOST OF ELISE'S TIME OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AND SO THAT IS TAKING HER AWAY FROM, AND SHE'S GONNA STAY WITH IT UNTIL WE GET THIS FINE TUNED.
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT SEVEN WEEKS NOW.
AND WITHIN ANOTHER TWO TO THREE WEEKS WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS SET.
THE JUDGES HAVE BOUGHT INTO IT, THEY'RE RECORDING ALL THEIR DATA.
WE NEED A PERSON WHO CAN TAKE OVER FOR ELISA WITH COMPILING THE JUDGES INPUT ALL THE DATA, BUT SOMEONE'S GOTTA COMPILE IT INTO A USABLE REPORT.
THAT IS ONE OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION, THE TASKS OF THE SENIOR COURT SUPPORT SPECIALIST.
THE OTHER BIG ALREADY, YOU KNOW, THEIR TASK FOR THAT IS SERVING AS A BACKUP TO COURT COORDINATORS.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAD ORIGINALLY ASKED AS A SECOND PRESIDING COURT COORDINATOR.
AS YOU KNOW, Y'ALL APPROVED A PRESIDING COURT COORDINATOR TWO YEARS AGO.
WE'VE HAD A PERSON DOWN THERE WORKING.
I MEAN, COMPARED TO EVERY OTHER COURT IN THE STATE, WE HAVE ONE COORDINATOR FOR 14 COURTS.
I MEAN, ECONOMICALLY, THAT IS A HUGE, IT SAVES US ABOUT ALMOST TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
AND ESPECIALLY IF WE HAVE TO ADD THIS DATA COMPILATION COMING OUT OF PRESIDING, IT JUST EXTENDS 'EM TOO MUCH.
AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS USE, MOVE OUR COURT SUPPORT SPECIALIST UP TO A SENIOR COURT SPECIALIST.
THAT WAY HE'S, THE TASKS HE'LL ACTUALLY BE DOING TO HELP US KEEP PRESIDING ARE WITHIN THE JOB DESCRIPTION THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
AND I WOULD NOTE ALSO IN THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS, HE'S ALREADY DOING STUFF THAT ISN'T PART OF A COURT SUPPORT SPECIALIST DRAFTING CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE JUDGES.
HE DOES HIS JURY LETTERS FOR EVERY JUROR THAT COMES THROUGH THE SYSTEM GETS A LETTER FROM THE JUDGE.
ALBERT IS ONE OF THE TWO PEOPLE WHO IS DOING THAT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO HE HAS BEEN MAINTAINING ALL THE COURT APPOINTED WHEELS
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FOR AD LITEMS AND AMICUS ATTORNEYS THAT IS NOT PART OF A COURT SUPPORT SPECIALIST.IT'S PART OF A SENIOR COURT SPECIALIST JOB.
SO WHAT WE WOULD ASK IS THAT WE MOVE ALBERT'S POSITION FROM A PORT SUPPORT SPECIALIST, AN E ONE UP TO AN E THREE.
THAT LINE ALIGNS BETTER WITH WHAT HE IS ALREADY DOING AND WHAT WE WANT HIM TO DO.
UM, THE COST TO THE COUNTY WOULD BE ABOUT, UH, $4,200 FOR THAT FIRST YEAR.
THAT WOULD, OR PER YEAR, THAT WOULD BE HIS BUMP.
UM, THE 8% BUMP ONE ADVANTAGE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, IF WE MOVE HIM INTO A COURT COORDINATOR POSITION, THAT'LL ONLY BE A $2,000 BUMP.
THE FIRST YEAR IS PROPOSED TO 4,000, BUT THEN THAT LOCKS HIM INTO THAT STAIR STEP.
AND SO HE WOULD GET 2000 EVERY YEAR.
SO THIS IN THE LONG RUN IS A BETTER ECONOMICALLY A BETTER DEAL FOR THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, REALLY IT IS A SIMPLE RECLASSIFICATION.
IT'S BRINGING THIS POSITION MORE IN LINE WITH REALITY AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
AND WITH THE REALITY THAT WE WANT, AS WE REALLY WORK HARD TO PROVIDE AUSTIN WITH EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KEEP OUR PRESIDING SYSTEM.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER, JUDGE.
ALTHOUGH THERE'S ANOTHER ITEM LISTED HERE.
ARE YOU GONNA ADDRESS THAT OR IS THAT I WILL ADDRESS IT, JUDGE.
WELL, JUDGE DIAZ WAS GONNA BE HERE, BUT I DID PREPARE ON THE OFF CHANCE 'CAUSE JUDGES GET CAUGHT UP.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHICH Y'ALL ARE AWARE.
IT'S A COUNTY CITY, UM, CO YOU KNOW, THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND THEY PUT ON A HUGE SYMPOSIUM EVERY YEAR.
LAST YEAR THEY GOT $25,000 FOR IT.
IT ENDED UP COSTING MORE AND THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES.
BEFORE I MAKE TOO MUCH OF A MESS.
NO, I WAS JUST EXPLAINING WHY WE WERE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY FOR THE CC DV.
THANK YOU RYAN, FOR YOUR SYMPOSIUM.
I WAS JUST TELLING 'EM THAT LAST YEAR YOU HAD 25,000 AND THERE WAS A SHORTAGE AND YOU'RE GOING TO 45.
UM, SO AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE CCDV HOSTS AN ANNUAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS SYMPOSIUM.
AND WE STARTED IN 2019 AND, UH, IT HAS BEEN FULLY REMOTE UP UNTIL THIS YEAR.
UH, OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE EVERY YEAR ASKED US WHEN IS IT GONNA BE IN PERSON, WHEN IS IT GONNA BE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND IN PERSON? THIS YEAR IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE HOSTING IT IN PERSON WITH THE BUDGET THAT WE USED FOR A VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM.
SO OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A DEFICIT.
THEY WERE NOT PRE-APPROVED, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GIVE THEM TO YOU.
I WE HAVE SOME FOR STAFF AS WELL THAT EXPLAIN.
BUT ESSENTIALLY THERE'S A $20,000 DEFICIT FOR, UH, SPECIFICALLY TIED TO HOSTING THIS IN PERSON.
THAT INCLUDES, UM, TRANSLATION SERVICES FOR FOLKS TO ACCESS IT IN SPANISH AS WELL.
AV EXPENSES, UH, AND SOME SPEAKER FEES AND TRAVEL EXPENSES THAT OBVIOUSLY WE DID NOT HAVE BEFORE IN THE VIRTUAL FORMAT.
WE'VE CUT EVERY COST WE POSSIBLY COULD.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE CORRALLED PRIVATE DONATIONS TO HELP MAKE UP THE DEFICIT, INCLUDING MYSELF.
WE HAVE $5,000 FROM UNIVERSITY HEALTH THAT STEPPED UP AND ANOTHER $5,000 THAT WAS RAISED BY THE SAN ANTONIO TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION TO ASSIST US.
SO WE GOT CREATIVE AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE UP FOR THAT DEFICIT THROUGH ONE TIME DONATIONS THIS YEAR THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COUNT ON IN YEARS FORWARD.
UH, WE HAVE AN MOU WITH THE CITY, UH, TO EQUALIZE EXPENSES, UH, SO THAT WE ARE AS BEST AS POSSIBLE EVENLY SHARING THE EXPENSES OF THE SYMPOSIUM.
IF YOU WANNA SEE, UH, FLIP TO PAGE, UM, FIVE AND SIX IS WHERE WE START KIND OF LAYING OUT WHAT THE, THE DEFICIT IS AND EXPLAINING IN MORE DETAIL.
ON PAGE SIX THERE, THERE'S A CHART THAT SHOWS YOU EXACTLY WHAT OUR ACTUAL EXPENSES ARE.
UH, WHEN WE FIRST SUBMITTED OUR BUDGET REQUEST, WE WERE BASING IT ON ANTICIPATED EXPENSES.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE THAT AND FOUND A $20,000 DEFICIT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER, UH, IS, UH, HOPEFULLY FUNDING AN ADDITIONAL $20,000 ON TOP OF THE 26,000 AND CHANGE THAT YOU HAVE FUNDED IN YEARS PAST FOR OUR SYMPOSIUM.
[02:05:01]
ITEM ONE.AND THEN THE SECOND, UH, REQUEST WE HAVE, AS YOU ALL MAY KNOW, WE'VE DISCUSSED, WE HAVE THREE INTERNS THAT HELP RUN THE WHOLE PROGRAM ON TOP OF OUR COORDINATOR, HAZEL BOCKETT.
AND, UH, WE HAVE NOT BEEN HISTORICALLY ABLE TO FULLY STAFF THOSE POSITIONS DUE TO BUDGET DEFICITS THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE, UM, HAD THREE INTERNS EACH WORKING ABOUT 29 HOURS A WEEK.
UH, AND THEY, WE, THEY'RE REALLY NECESSARY TO GET THE WORK DONE.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS, UM, GRAPHIC DESIGN CONTENT, UH, HELPING WITH THE SYMPOSIUM PLANNING AND DAY OF, UH, DOING RESEARCH ON AVAILABLE EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UH, THERE'S A WHOLE LITANY OF THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING FOR US.
AND, UH, THE PROPOSED AMOUNT, UH, SUGGESTED I BELIEVE WAS $30,000, BUT OUR ACTUAL, UH, PROJECTED COSTS ARE CLOSER TO $52,000.
UM, THROUGHOUT THE, THE END OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO FIND OTHER MONEY TO PAY FOR THEM.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY SOME FUNDS FROM THE CHILDREN'S COURT, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HAS HELPED, UH, ENSURE THAT THESE INTERNS CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK AND ARE PAID.
WE'RE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING, UH, THAT THE CCDV BE ALLOCATED THOSE FUNDS TO FULLY STAFF OUR INTERN PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO IN TOTAL, WE'RE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL $40,000 ON TOP OF WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED, UH, FOR OUR BUDGET.
AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MAY HAVE.
I SEE THAT THE, UH, CITY IS DOING IN KIND THE RENTAL, IS THAT RIGHT? OF THE CONVENTION CENTER? SO HOW MANY FOLKS DO YOU TYPICALLY HAVE? SO THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME DOING IT IN PERSON.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS WE WERE ABLE TO CUT DOWN ON ON COSTS IS WE FOUND A CITY OWNED FACILITY.
UH, SO THEY COULD DO THAT IN KIND FOR US.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE CAPACITY FOR 200 PEOPLE IN PERSON.
UH, WE ARE AT TWO WEEKS OF PUBLICIZING IT AND WE ARE ABOUT FIVE SHORT OF MEETING THAT CAPACITY.
VERY HIGH FAST DEMAND FOR FOLKS TO ATTEND IN PERSON.
WE HAVE CAPACITY FOR, I THINK ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL 200 AS WELL IN YEARS PAST JUST VIRTUALLY, WE HAVE HAD BETWEEN 300 TO 500 PEOPLE PARTICIPATING JUST VIRTUALLY.
AND WE EXPECT TO BE MAXED OUT FOR THE 200 IN PERSON AND A LITTLE OVER 200 VIRTUAL THIS YEAR AS WELL.
AND IS THAT LIKE ALL DAY? IS IT ONE SINGLE ROOM CLASSROOM STYLE OR? YES.
SO, UH, IT, WE'VE CUT IT DOWN FROM A DAY AND A HALF TO A DAY, AGAIN TO CUT COSTS.
AND IT'S GONNA BE FROM 8:00 AM TO 5:00 PM THERE ARE THREE TRACKS.
SO THERE'S THREE PLENARIES THAT EVERYONE JOINS.
AND THEN IN BETWEEN THE PLENARIES THERE ARE THREE TRACKS THAT PEOPLE CAN ATTEND.
UH, SPECIFIC TO THE LEGAL PROFESSION, UH, ADVOCACY, UH, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.
SO WE HAVE THINGS THAT ARE TAILORED TO PROFESSIONS AND THEN THAT APPLY TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AS WELL.
IT'S FREE TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT AND FOLKS CAN GET CLE AND CEU CREDITS FOR FREE FOR THEIR PROFESSION.
SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHY WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH DEMAND.
MY ONLY ISSUE IS THAT 30,000 FOR AV FROM THE CITY.
THAT'S REALLY, IS THAT ALL CITY EXPENSES? THAT IS, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD NO, UM, OPTION.
WE'RE DOING THIS AT THE HENRY GONZALEZ CONVENTION CENTER AND THEY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH AN AB COMPANY.
AND SO WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ROOM TO NEGOTIATE THAT PRICE DOWN.
I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE COUNTY COULD PROBABLY GET YOU SOME SPACE FOR 200 AND WE COULD PROVIDE THE AV FOR FREE.
I MEAN, HONESTLY, I MEAN, 30,000 IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR AV.
I REALLY THINK OUR TEAM COULD HELP IN THAT REGARD.
SO I KNOW YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE IT PEGG, BUT THAT REALLY STUCK OUT TO ME.
SO I THINK WE COULD HELP UNDERWRITE THAT.
WOULD LOVE TO CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.
AGAIN, THIS WAS OUR FIRST YEAR TRYING IT AND I THINK PART OF THE COST IS BECAUSE WE'RE DOING IT HYBRID AND WE WANNA BE SURE FOLKS CAN WATCH IT IN PERSON, UH, AND ON ZOOM AT THE SAME TIME THAT INCREASED OUR EXPENSES.
CAN I JUST SAY THANK YOU T'S WONDERFUL STAFF AND YOUR BUDGET ANALYSTS AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM THAT HAVE WORKED WITH US ALSO ON THIS.
I WANTED TO THANK THEM ALL FOR THEIR GUIDANCE AND WORK AND APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK JUDGE AKA THAT YOU'RE DOING, UH, AND THE, THE COURT TO STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS FOR FOLKS LIKE US THAT ARE SEEKING YOUR HELP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD DAY, YOUR KIND WORDS.
UH, E OFFICE OF DISTRICT CLERK REGARDING THE FOLLOWING.
ONE, ADD ONE MENTAL HEALTH CLERK.
GOOD MORNING, MS. GLORIA MARTINEZ.
AS YOU KNOW, GLORIA MARTINEZ, DISTRICT CLERK, UM, WE'VE GOT A POSITION THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR NOW.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR CLERKS ONLY WORK 40 HOURS AND THIS
[02:10:01]
WHERE THEY'RE AT, WHICH IS, UH, AT THE SOUTH TOWER DAY WORK, UH, 24 7.SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS POSITION.
BUT I'M GONNA LET MR. DANIEL GONZALEZ SPEAK IN REFERENCE TO THIS.
UM, WE JUST WANT TO ADDRESS OUR NEED FOR A NEW MENTAL HEALTH CLERK POSITION.
UM, THIS IS REGARDING A, UM, A REQUEST THAT WE PUT IN THE BUDGET, BUT, UM, THEY DID RECOMMEND, UM, OR DID SUGGEST REPLACING THIS POSITION WITH A, UH, UH, A COURT CLERK, A COURT CLERK POSITION, REPLACING IT WITH A NEW MENTAL HEALTH CLERK POSITION.
BUT THE WAY, UM, A 24 7 COVERAGE ACROSS THOSE THREE SHIFTS HELP, UM, HOW DID I SWITCH TO THE FIRST? OH, OKAY.
UM, SO THE, THE COVERAGE ACROSS THE THREE SHIFTS, IT WORKS PERFECTLY IF THERE'S SIX, UH, COURT CLERKS, UM, ON EACH SHIFT.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW, UM, THIS MENTAL HEALTH CLERK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE MENTAL HEALTH DOCUMENTS THAT COME ACROSS THE CMA DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS, UM, THE MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT ESTIMATES OF 54,000 DOCUMENTS, UM, THAT SHE HAS TO SCAN, DISTRIBUTE, AND ALSO DO THE DATA ENTRY.
UM, ALSO RIGHT NOW WE'RE HAVING TO REQUIRE, UM, UH, STAFF, ADDITIONAL STAFF FROM THE CMA DEPARTMENT TO HELP WITH HER DATA ENTRY BECAUSE SHE'S JUST UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THE WORKLOAD.
UM, ALSO, UM, WHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART WE FIND IS THAT THE, THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH CLERK GET THIS DOCUMENT TO THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND TO THE DEFENSE COUNSEL.
THESE ARE THE, THESE ARE THE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE A OBLIGATION TO ADDRESS A DEFENDANT'S MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.
UM, SO WHAT THEY DO, WHAT SHE DOES BY THAT, UH, TO GET THAT TO THOSE DEFENSE COUNSEL IN THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS SHE USES BARE ICE AND UPLOADS EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT TO EVERY, EVERY NEW EVALUATION THAT COMES INTO EVERY PIN IN CASE THE DEFENDANT HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, IF A CASE IS DISMISSED OR SOMETHING THAT IT IS IN EVERY CASE THAT'S PENDING CURRENTLY.
UM, SO THIS IS A OVERVIEW OF ABOUT HOW MANY MENTAL HEALTH, UM, EVALUATIONS WE'VE BEEN GETTING.
UM, CMAC HAS SEEN A SLIGHT INCREASE OF, UM, OF THE AMOUNT OF DEFENDANTS COMING IN.
AND, UM, WE HAVE NOT ASKED FOR ANY POSITIONS.
UM, BUT THIS IS ONE WHERE, UM, UH, THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES AND JUST THE WORKLOAD IS REQUIRING OUR DIVISION CHIEF AND OUR CMAC SUPERVISORS, UM, TO ASSIST IN THE BACKLOG.
UM, UH, SOME OTHER THINGS, UM, TO CONSIDER IS THAT, UH, THIS MAGISTRATE, UH, I MEAN THIS MAGISTRATE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH CLERK, UM, MUST KEEP THESE DOCUMENTS SEALED.
THEY DO HAVE, UM, SOME LEVEL OF, UM, SECRECY TO 'EM, UH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY DON'T BECOME PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD, BUT THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE THAT DOES NEED THEM.
UM, SO BCIT HAS RECOMMENDED SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS TO HELP US WITH THIS.
UM, ONE OF THE, UM, BIGGEST IMPROVEMENTS WE HAD IS THE ABILITY TO, UM, THE ABILITY TO SCAN, UH, DOCUMENTS, UM, QUICKER.
THEY SHOWED US A WAY TO ADD AND RELATE THAT DOCUMENT TO AN EVENT A LOT QUICKER, BUT IT'S ONLY ABOUT A, UH, TIME SAVINGS OF ABOUT 10%.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, GET, WE'VE DONE OTHER THINGS LIKE, UM, GET THE MENTAL HEALTH, LIKE A NEW COMPUTER THAT WAS SUGGESTED, UH, THAT DID NOT, UM, REALLY IMPROVE THE TIME IT TAKES FOR THE DOCUMENT TO RELATE.
UM, PREVIOUSLY WE COULD, UH, DO AN EVENT
[02:15:01]
AND UPDATE AND ADD THE DOCUMENT, UM, TO OUR, UM, DATABASE, UM, ROUGHLY IN 10 SECONDS.AND NOW THIS HAS TAKEN A LITTLE OVER A MINUTE FOR EACH DOCUMENT.
UM, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S JUST EFFICIENT.
UM, ALSO WE'VE, THERE'S SOME OTHER WAYS THAT WE COULD IMPROVE THE SYSTEM, BUT THAT WOULD INQUIRE, UM, ASKING CHCS AND UHS CLINICIANS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CASE NUMBER IS ON THE, UM, ON THE DOCUMENT WHEN THEY FILE IT.
BUT, UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, UM, SOMETIMES THEY START THE PROCESS BEFORE, UM, THE DOCUMENT EVEN HAS A CASE NUMBER.
UM, ALSO I WANTED TO ADDRESS, UM, OUR PROLONGED VACANCY AT CM MAG.
WE HAVE, UM, 18 CORE CLERK POSITIONS, BUT THESE STAY OPEN FOR AVERAGE 79 DAYS.
UM, BETWEEN THE VACANCY AND THE HIRING OF THE NEW POSITION.
UM, THAT'S MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE WAY THAT WE HIRE THESE PEOPLE, UH, FROM THE POOL.
UM, THEY SEEM TO NOT BE INTERESTED IN WORKING AT THAT JAIL ENVIRONMENT WHEN THEY APPLY FOR THESE POSITIONS AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE WORKING IN A MORE OF A COURTROOM ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND WE DO TELL 'EM THAT THEY DO HAVE TO, UM, REQUIRE BACKGROUND CHECKS, PHYSICAL DRUG SCREENINGS AND, UM, DRESS CODE POLICY ENFORCED BY BCSO.
AND ALSO THINGS THAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY JUST HAVE ON YOUR PERSONS IS CONSIDERED CONTRABAND.
ALSO, UM, THAT THERE'S A SHARED, UM, WORKSTATION, UM, THAT REALLY A, A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUALS COME IN THINKING THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THEIR OWN DESK AND IT'S GONNA BE A COURTROOM ENVIRONMENT, BUT WHEN THEY DO THE WALKTHROUGH, UM, IT SEEMS THAT THE, THEY LOSE INTEREST SOMETIMES, EVEN THOUGH IT'S EXPLAINED TO HIM BEFORE IN THE PHONE INTERVIEW AND THE ZOOM SESSIONS.
UM, SO DEFENDANT VOLUME INCREASE, IT'S SLIGHTLY INCREASING.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, UH, PER INDIVIDUAL COURT CLERK, SO, UH, ASKING THEM TO HELP WITH THE DATA ENTRY OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CLERK HAS BEEN, UM, NOT, UM, NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE MET.
LIKE IT'S MOSTLY, UH, JUST THE SUPERVISORS AND THE MANAGER THAT WILL ASSIST.
UM, SO THIS CURRENT MODEL IS UNSUSTAINABLE, UM, AND ADD IN AN ADDITIONAL DEDICATED, UH, ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CLERK, UM, WOULD DEFINITELY ENSURE THAT WE, UM, REPORT TIMELY FOR OCA AND ALSO, UM, JUST ENSURE THAT WE, UM, GET THESE DOCUMENTS TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO GET 'EM.
UM, AND WE ARE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT IF WE DO GET THIS POSITION, THAT WE COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, REDUCE THE BACKLOG AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REPORTING IN A TIMELY MANNER EACH MONTH.
UM, SO THIS, UM, ADDITIONAL, UH, STAFF MEMBER IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, UM, TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS DONE BASICALLY.
THANK YOU DANIEL FOR A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.
UM, TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACT.
I MEAN, I'VE HAD TO RESPOND TO A NUMBER OF CASES WITHIN MY PRECINCT RELATED TO, UH, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND, UH, THE NOT GETTING THE PAPERWORK TO EVERYONE IN THE SYSTEM IN A TIMELY MANNER.
ARE THERE EVER CASES WHERE FOLKS MIGHT BE RELEASED AND BECAUSE THE PAPERWORK IS NOT, UH, ACROSS ALL THE PARTIES THAT NEED TO HAVE IT, THAT PERHAPS THERE COULD BE A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK? CAN YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACT OF THIS BUSINESS? SURE.
I MEAN, THIS DEFINITELY IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT COULD AFFECT PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, I THINK, I THINK MOSTLY WE'VE COVERED, WE'VE
[02:20:01]
COVERED, UH, THE PR BOND OFFICE AND THE INDIVIDUALS AT THE JAIL, THE MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS THAT DO THE, DO THE EVALUATIONS, THEY COORDINATE THAT.UM, I THINK WHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS THAT THE, UM, THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT DOES IS GET THAT DOCUMENT TO THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND THE DEFENSE COUNSEL, UM, THROUGH THE EVIDENTIARY SYSTEM, WHICH MAKES IT, UM, YOU KNOW, DISCOVER, UM, THROUGH DISCOVERY.
SO WE HAVE ASKED IF, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DAS COULD POSSIBLY USE ODYSSEY IN OUR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, BUT THEY DO THINK THAT THIS SYSTEM WORKS FOR THEM RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE WAY WE GET IT TO BOTH THE DEFENSE COUNSEL AND PROSECUTOR, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN DELAYS IN THAT SYSTEM.
THEY ARE GETTING CAUGHT UP VERY SOON.
AND I IMAGINE THESE COMPLAINTS WERE RECENT
I DID HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION RELATED TO ARTICLE 16.22, THE REPORTING NON-COMPLIANCE.
UH, ARE THERE PENALTIES TO THE COUNTY FOR, UH, NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THAT IN TIME AND, UH, IN REPORTING? SURE.
UH, I SURE, I IMAGINE THAT THERE'S GRANT FUNDS THAT COULD BE, UM, UM, HELD IF WE DON'T GET THAT REPORTED, UH, TIMELY, BUT USUALLY THEY GIVE US A DEADLINE.
UM, AND THIS ONE IS, UH, I BELIEVE THE END OF THIS MONTH.
AND AGAIN, WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES REPORTING ON TIME BECAUSE OF THE CASE.
WELL, HERE AND THE VACANCY ISSUES OR NO, SO THE GENERAL OCA HAS BEEN REPORTED, UH, TIMELY, UH, FOR ALL THE COURTS, BUT, UM, SPECIFICALLY THIS DOCUMENT, UM, THE 1622, UH, THESE MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS MAY HAVE NOT BEEN REPORTED CORRECTLY BECAUSE THE CASE SYSTEM RELIES, UH, THE CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PULLS THAT EVENT AND REPORTS IT TO, UM, THE OCA WHEN WE PULL OUR REPORTS.
SO IT'S AUTOMATICALLY REPORTED, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE EVENT THERE, UM, THEN IT'S NOT GONNA REPORT.
SO WE HAVE TO MANUALLY REPORT IT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
AND, AND LIKE I SAID, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE FOUR MONTHS BEHIND ON THOSE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT RECORDING IT CORRECTLY, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT? UH, JUST FROM A PRACTICAL LEVEL WITHIN, UH, I MEAN IT'S MAINLY A POLICY ANALYSIS AT THE STATE LEVEL AND OUR LEVEL, OR I MEAN, IS THERE OTHER IMPACT OF NOT REPORTING IT CORRECTLY? WELL, USUALLY THEY'RE PRETTY UNDERSTANDING.
OCAS BEEN UNDERSTANDING WITH US ABOUT HOW WE GET THOSE REPORTS IN BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH CASE MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS. UM, SO WHAT I, I BELIEVE IS, UM, THE IMPACT, WELL, USUALLY THEY LET US, UM, I'M SORRY, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
WHAT, WHAT WAS EXACTLY, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? UM, AND I MAY HAVE LOST MY QUESTION, BUT I THINK IT WAS BASICALLY, UM, UH, IN NOT REPORTING THESE THINGS CORRECTLY, IS THERE SOME SORT OF IMPACT THAT COULD HAPPEN WITHIN THE SYSTEM? UM, IS IT JUST MAINLY THAT OCA, UM, GETS A DELAY, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, A FOUR MONTH DELAY, OR IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT IMPACTS EITHER THE, THE COUNTY OR THE, THE POTENTIAL DEFENDANT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I IMAGINE A LOT OF THESE, UH, AND I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT I IMAGINE A LOT OF THESE MENTAL HEALTH, UM, POSITIONS HAVE GRANT A LOT OF GRANT FUNDS GOING TOWARDS THEM.
UH, NOT SPECIFICALLY THE CLERKS, BUT I GUESS THE, UH, THE EVALUATORS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THEY WOULD NEED THAT OR USE THAT INFORMATION TO, UM, SHOW HOW MANY EVALUATIONS THEY'VE DONE.
AND IF IT'S REPORTING, UM, IS UNDER-REPORTED, THEN I IMAGINE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD AFFECT IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
WE'LL GO TO F OFFICER, JUSTICE PEACE PRECINCT ONE REGARDING FOLLOWING ONE MODIFICATION, ONE LEAD CLERK TO ONE SUPERVISOR.
MORNING JUDGE SAKA AND COMMISSIONERS, I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU FOR RECONSIDERATION OF MY PROPOSAL TO ADD ONE SUPERVISOR.
SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS WE WANNA RECLASSIFY A LEAD CLERK COURT
[02:25:01]
POSITION.OKAY, SO WE WANT RECLASSIFY A LEAD COURT CLERK POSITION AND, UH, BUDGET CAME BACK AND DECLINED OUR PROPOSAL.
UH, INSTEAD THEY OFFERED US, UH, TO ADD A COURT CLERK ON ANY TWO COURT CLERK IN THE COST OF 69,278.
SO I CAME BACK AND WE PROPOSED THAT WE DECLINED THE, THE, THE COURT CLERK POSITION OF 69,278.
AND I PROPOSE TO RECLASSIFY AGAIN, THE LEAD COURT CLERK PHYSICIAN TO A SUPERVISOR WITH JUST THE COST RECOMMENDATION OF $9,874, WHICH IS A COST SAVINGS TO A COUNTY OF ALMOST $56,000, I BELIEVE, NO, $59,404.
SO ALL WE'RE ASKING IS TO RECLASSIFY ONE LEAD COURT CLERK TO A SUPERVISOR WITH A COST OF 9,874 AND DECLINE THE ADDITIONAL COURT CLERK POSITION, WHICH COSTS 69,278.
SO BASICALLY, IF YOU APPROVE IT, THEN UM, YOU WOULD BE SAVING THE COUNTY $59,404.
NEXT I HAVE THE, OUR, UH, ORGANIZATIONAL CHART AND THE COMPARISON BECAUSE WHEN I TALKED TO BUD, THE BUDGET OFFICE, UH, TO MY BUDGET ANALYST AND ASKED HER WHAT WAS THE REASONING FOR NOT APPROVING THE RECLASSIFICATION, SHE MENTIONED TO ME, IT WAS BASED ON OUR JOB DESCRIPTION.
WHEN, AS YOU SEE THERE, I GAVE YOU A COPY OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION FROM 2013, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN REVISED.
SO WHAT I DID IS I WENT AND GOT A JOB DESCRIPTION AND REVISED IT TO MEET WHAT OUR LEAD CLERK CLERKS DO, BECAUSE ON THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR 2013, IT HAS THAT THE COURT, THE LEAD COURT CLERKS, UH, ASSIST WITH BUDGET, ASSIST WITH PERSONNEL ISSUES, AND ALSO DO, UH, ON, UH, OFFSITE, UH, MEETINGS FOR, FOR THE COURT OF WHICH THEY DON'T DO, I TAKE CARE OF BUDGET, I TAKE CARE OF EMPLOYEE ISSUES, AND I DO ALL THE OFFSITE MEETINGS.
SO THEREFORE I REVISED IT AGAIN, SENT IT BACK, UH, HR APPROVED IT, SENT IT BACK TO BUDGET, AND, UH, THEY DECLINED IT AGAIN.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY, UM, TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE RECONSIDER IT'S ONLY A $9,000 COST VERSUS WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING FOR ME TO TAKE $69,000 POSITION.
NOW I REALIZE THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB AND I REALIZE THAT THEY JUST WANNA KEEP ALL THE COURTS UNIFORM AND I GET THAT.
BUT IN OUR COURT, THE VOLUME OF WORK, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, I GET DID MY RESEARCH AND I WENT INTO MY NIMO QUEUE AND IN MY NIMO QUEUE JUST FOR THE YEAR OF OCTOBER, THE SECOND TO SEPTEMBER THE 30TH OF 2024, WE'VE HAD 23,922 CONSTITUENTS COME THROUGH OUR COURT.
OKAY? JUST BETWEEN OCTOBER THE FIRST, 2024 TO JULY THE 25TH, 2025, WHICH WE HAVEN'T FINISHED OUR FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE ALREADY 24,861 OF WHICH WE HAVE EXCEEDED ALREADY FROM LAST YEAR.
NOW, I ALSO, UM, GAVE YOU AN E FILING, AND THAT'S THE REASON I'M ASKING FOR THE ADDITIONAL, UH, SUPERVISOR POSITION, BECAUSE I HAVE ONE THAT WOULD DO JUST CIVIL AND THAT ONE THAT WOULD JUST CONCENTRATE AND FOCUS ON CRIMINAL.
SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED THE ADDITIONAL SUPERVISOR RIGHT NOW, SINCE I ONLY HAVE ONE SUPERVISOR, SO SHE'LL FOCUS ONE WEEK ON CIVIL, WHICH IS, UH, E-FILING OR, OR, UH, EVICTIONS AND THEN WARRANTS STOP.
AND SO I HAVE THE LINEBARGER OFFICE CALLING ME AND SAYING, YOUR WARRANTS ARE ARE NOT TO PAR, YOU KNOW, BUT I NEED THAT OTHER SUPERVISOR BECAUSE CRIMINAL IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT, I MEAN, WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN.
OUR, OUR CRIMINAL DOCKET IS ON MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS.
NOW, LAST NIGHT WE WERE UP THERE TILL EIGHT O'CLOCK BECAUSE WE HAD TRAFFIC DOCKET.
OKAY, THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER CLAY FOR ALLOWING US, SHE HELPS US OUT A LOT BECAUSE OUR DOCKETS ARE HUMONGOUS.
WE HAVE OUR DOCKETS ON MONDAYS AND TWO AND WEDNESDAYS, AND WE HAVE LIKE 4,000 CONSTITUENTS COMING IN.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, 400 CONSTITUENTS COMING
[02:30:01]
IN.AND THE OVERFLOW, WE PUT 'EM IN, IN, IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM THAT SHE ALLOWS US TO USE FOR EVICTIONS, WHICH IS CIVIL, WE CREATED A DOUBLE DOCKET WHERE SHE ALLOWED US TO USE HER COMMUNITY ROOM.
SO WE HAVE ONE VISITING JUDGE IN ONE COURT, AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER VISIT IN OUR COURT.
SO THE TRAFFIC FLOW IS JUST, AND THIS, THIS REPORT IS BASED ON AN EKU, IT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT COME IN WHEN WE HAVE A FULL DOCKET.
LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE NEXT, I THINK THE NEXT, UH, FIVE WEEKS, I BELIEVE STEPHANIE, UH, NATALIE, I'M SORRY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, 600 PEOPLE COMING IN FOR TRAFFIC.
AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, MYSELF, THE EMPLOYEES SUPERVISOR, WE'RE OUT THERE IN THE HALLWAY TRYING TO GET PEOPLE NOT TO PULL A, A TICKET.
SO THAT'S NOT EVEN ON THIS REPORT AND HAVING TO RESET THEM.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE HAVE NO CONTROL OF TRAFFIC TICKETS BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC TICKETS ARE ISSUED BY DPS, THE BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SAPD OR WHOEVER, AND THEY COME TO US, RIGHT? SO WHEN THEY COME TO US, IT'S 600 TICKETS FOR ONE FOR A MONDAY OR 600 TICKETS FOR A WEDNESDAY.
SO THERE'S NO WAY THE JUDGE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROCESS AND HEAR 600 PEOPLE COMING IN THROUGH OUR COURT.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING TO PLEASE RECONSIDER.
I ASKED LAST BUDGET AND IT WAS DECLINED, WHICH IS FINE, I UNDERSTAND, BUT I'M TRYING AGAIN, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE E-FILING, ALSO, YOU CAN SEE, UH, E-FILING ON THE E-FILING QUEUES.
YOU CAN SEE FROM THE, FROM NOT THE FIRST TOTAL, THE FIRST TOTAL OF ENVELOPES, ENVELOPES THAT WERE OPEN JUST FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME WAS 3,267.
NOW THAT'S ENVELOPES IN EVERY ENVELOPE YOU MIGHT HAVE A HUNDRED, 200, 500 DOCUMENTS.
SO TOTAL DOCUMENTS FOR THOSE ENVELOPES WERE 5,674, OF WHICH WE ACCEPTED ONLY 3,550, AND WE REJECTED 783.
UH, HERE IS I, I'M ALSO INCLUDING MY REPORT WHERE, BECAUSE I CAN'T HAVE A SUPERVISOR JUST FOCUS ON CRIMINAL WARRANTS ARE DOWN, WE ARE BACKLOGGED ONE YEAR ON WARRANTS BECAUSE IT IS SO HARD TO JUST FOCUS ON WARRANTS AND NOT FOCUS ON ME FILING AND NOT FOCUS ON EVICTIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT COMES BEFORE OUR COURT.
AND THAT IS WHY I'M ASKING, PLEASE APPROVE OUR, UM, SUPERVISOR POSITION.
NOW I HAVE NATALIE ALMANZA HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ALSO.
UH, GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE.
I'M A LEAD CLERK AT THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE PRECINCT ONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY PERSONALLY TAKING THE TIME TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR AND SPEAK BESIDE MY COURT MANAGER, ELVA, AND PLACE THE JUSTICE COURT SUPERVISOR WHO IS UNAVAILABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.
I'M HERE TODAY TO STATE THAT I FULLY SUPPORT ELVA REQUEST AND ADDING A NEW ROLE OF JUSTICE COURT SUPERVISOR FOR OUR OFFICE.
AFTER THE IMPLEMENTED PROGRAM OF ODYSSEY AND E-FILING BEGAN THE WORKLOAD FOR OUR DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY ALONG WITH THE WORKLOAD OF THE NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS VISITING OUR OFFICE FOR ASSISTANCE HAS ALSO INCREASED.
ADDING A NEW SUPERVISOR ROLE INTO OUR OFFICE WILL NOT ONLY ASSIST IN STRUCTURING OUR OFFICE, BUT ALSO ALLOW EACH DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL TO HAVE ITS OWN SUPERVISOR TO BE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALLY.
EACH SUPERVISOR WILL BE IN CHARGE OF STATS, WORKLOAD MONITORING, BACKLOGS, AND REPORTS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE MON THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF, WITH FULL ATTENTION TO EACH DEPARTMENT, WE CAN FOCUS ON GETTING CASE BELOWS AND CIVIL MOVING LAWFULLY AND RAPIDLY AND INCREASE OUR WARRANT OUTPUT.
THE SUPERVISORS WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THIS WITH THE HELP OF ONE LEAD CLERK, ONE LEAD COURT CLERK, AND 10 CLERKS TO MAKE SURE EACH DEPARTMENT IS RUNNING EFFICIENTLY.
REFERRING TO OUR PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, WE BELIEVE THIS WILL BE THE BENEFIT TO OUR OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY, TO ASSIST OUR CONSTITUENTS AND PROGRESS THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE PRECINCT ONE, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP JUSTICE AND PEACE FOR OUR LITIGANTS.
IN CONCLUSION, OUR OFFICE IS DETERMINED TO EXCEL AND ASSIST WITH THE HELP OF THE APPROVAL OF THE NEW SUPERVISOR RULE.
WE BELIEVE THIS WILL BE THE START OF PROGRESSION.
COMMISSIONER CALVER ELVA, I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, ONE OF THE CORRELATIONS THAT I THINK, UH, PROBABLY RELATES IS THAT IF,
[02:35:01]
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE THE STAFFING TO PROCESS, UH, SOME OF THE TICKETS OR OTHER THINGS OR COURT FEES THAT COME BACK TO THE COUNTY, SO, UH, JUST THAT, THAT THAT SUPERVISORY MANPOWER TO, UH, ON EFFICIENCY MAY END UP HAVING A REVENUE BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY.IS THAT BASICALLY RIGHT? YES, EXACTLY.
WELL, VERY GOOD PRESENTATION AND, UH, MAN, WE'RE PRAYING FOR YOU GUYS.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF WORK, SO THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO.
APPRECIATE YOU COMMISSIONER CLIFF LORDS.
UM, THANKS FOR REPRESENTING PRECINCT ONE.
WHY WASN'T SHE HERE TO SPEAK? I'M SORRY? WHY WASN'T THE JP HERE TO SPEAK? OH, BECAUSE SHE IS IN A LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MOODY.
SO THE ENTIRE REQUEST IS YOU WANT TO GIVE UP A POSITION AND ONLY GET A PROGRAM CHANGED FOR ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL.
IS THAT EXACTLY CORRECT? SO, UH, YES.
SO WE WANNA GIVE UP A LEAD COURT CLERK POSITION THAT WILL COST THE COUNTY ONLY 9,000, WHATEVER THE AMOUNT IT WAS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, THE POSITION THAT THEY'RE OFFERING US IS A COURT CLERK POSITION, OF WHICH I REALLY DO NOT NEED.
AND, AND, AND I'LL, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DO NOT, IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T NEED IT.
WE HAVE NO ROOM AS OF WHAT THE CONSTABLE AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND.
I, MY, MY ONLY THING IS WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY OTHER, UH, REQUESTS TODAY THAT, UH, BRING MONEY BACK INTO THE BUDGET COFFERS.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S A DOWNSIDE, YOU KNOW, BUDGET CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BUT OBVIOUSLY FROM THAT STANDPOINT, IF IT'S NET FAVORABLE ON THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, I'M OBVIOUSLY OPEN TO IT UNLESS THERE'S ANOTHER DOWNSIDE THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF.
OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
H OFFICE OF MAG ASSIGNED COUNSEL REGARDING THE FOLLOWING.
ONE, ADD ONE OFFICE ASSISTANT, FOUR FOR PADILLA ATTORNEY AND TWO AT THREE OFFICE ASSISTANT FOR POSITION TO PROCESS VOUCHERS.
MR. JIM, BE GOOD MORNING, JUDGE.
UM, I'M JIM BETHKE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BEXAR COUNTY MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNCIL PROGRAM.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING OUR TEAM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR REQUEST, OUR BUDGET REQUEST.
YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF OUR, OUR POWERPOINT MEMO THAT WE HAD PREPARED, AND THEN A SUPPLEMENTAL PACKET THAT HAS SEVEN LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE'S ALSO A ONE PAGER OUTLINING KIND OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNCIL PROGRAM AND A PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.
FOUR YEARS AGO THERE, THERE WAS NO MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNCIL PROGRAM.
HERE, THE, THE FIRST LETTER OF SUPPORT IN THE PACKETS FROM SCOTT ALER, WHO'S THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION.
AND IN HIS LETTER OF SUPPORT, HE PRAISES THIS COURT FOR YOUR VISION, YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP FOR REALLY POSITIONING BEAR COUNTY AS A MODEL DEFENSE DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN TEXAS.
I WOULD SAY WE COULD EVEN SAY NATIONALLY THERE.
UM, ONE THING THOUGH IS THERE'S SOME CORE AREAS THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SHORE UP ON STAFFING POSITIONS.
AND SO FOR US TO REALLY KIND OF BE A MODEL AND CONTINUE BEING A MODEL, UM, WE WOULD STRONGLY URGE THE COURT TO APPROVE OUR FOUR, UM, OFFICE ASSISTANCE.
TURNING TO THE POWERPOINT, WE'VE GOT, UM, A REAL SHORT PRESENTATION, KIND OF A PROGRESS REPORT FOR 24 25.
WE WERE ASKED TO KIND OF JUST GIVE A QUICK STATE OF THE STATE AND THEN WE'LL TRANSITION INTO OUR BUDGET REQUEST.
THIS FIRST ONE SHOWS THE OVERALL WORK OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM.
WE HAVE SEVEN PERSONS, UM, NOT INCLUDING MYSELF, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND WE HAVE SEVEN LAWYERS.
IT'S A DEPARTMENT OF 15 PEOPLE.
WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING OVER 225, UM, ATTORNEYS.
THERE'S, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE ON HERE THE NUMBER BROKEN OUT BY THE VARIOUS LEVELS, SYSTEM BASED ASSIGNMENTS.
UM, THERE IS 26,502 DATE THAT IS PRINCIPALLY DONE OFF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BACKBONE OF THE COUNTY THROUGH PRETRIAL SERVICES.
[02:40:01]
DETERMINED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR COUNSEL, THEY'LL PUSH A BUTTON.OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, HOWEVER, ALSO MADE THREE OVER 3000 MANUAL CASE ASSIGNMENTS, AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AND THE LAWYERS ARE BOTH RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING AND MONITORING ATTORNEY CASELOADS.
ANOTHER CORE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING, BUT WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED ON IS THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT OUR OFFICE RECEIVES FROM THE, ON THE VARIOUS PANEL ATTORNEYS YEAR TO DATE, WE'VE HAD SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY TWO, FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX RESOLVED.
THERE'S 146 THAT ARE STILL IN PROCESS.
AGAIN, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE COORDINATE CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, AND THERE ARE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE PROVIDED THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM 3,553 PANEL ATTORNEY REQUESTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE.
WE'RE ALSO, UM, PARTICIPATING IN DOCKET OBSERVATION AND COURT SUPPORT, ATTORNEY SUPPORT, UM, AT THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTS AT LAW.
UM, THIS WAS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND REALLY LED BY, BY JUDGE SIGNS.
SHE HAS ALSO PUT IN A, A LETTER OF SUPPORT, UM, IN OUR, FOR OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, TWO OF THE POSITIONS ARE FOR VOUCHERS.
UM, CURRENTLY OUR OFFICE PROCESSES ALL OF THE FELONY VOUCHERS IN YEAR.
UM, YEAR TO DATE, I THINK WE'RE AT 10,600.
AND BY THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR, WE WILL HAVE PROCESSED OVER 12,500.
UM, PART OF HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, MANAGE SOME OF THIS IS WE'VE LEVERAGED, UM, INTERNS, UM, AND WE'VE USED INTERNS IN, IN, IN JUDGE SKAY IN THIS COURT, UM, THROUGH ALAMO COLLEGE, WHICH THEY'RE GETTING PAID.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN A VALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR TEAM.
UM, UM, YOUR OFFICE HAD ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED SOMEBODY TO COME OVER THAT HAD REACHED OUT TO YOUR OFFICE, AND THEY PLAYED A, A INTEGRAL ROLE.
THIS INDIGENT DEFENSE CASE IS DISPOSED IN FY 24 25 YEAR TO DATE SHOWS THAT SO FAR THERE'S BEEN 9,893, ALMOST 10,000 FELONY CASES.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE PRIVATE ATTORNEYS, THE APPOINTED ATTORNEYS, ARE HANDLING APPROXIMATELY 97% OF THAT VOLUME.
AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, UM, 3% ON THE MISDEMEANORS OFFICE HANDLES 94% OF THE 11,900 THAT HAVE BEEN FILED.
AND ABOUT THE PDO 6% CASE OUTCOMES, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE OUTCOMES REGARDING DISMISSALS CONVICTED DEFERRED ACQUITTALS ARE VERY COMPARABLE BETWEEN, UM, THE TWO OFFICES, BOTH MISDEMEANORS AND FELONIES.
THIS IS A VERY LARGE CHALLENGE FOR OUR JURISDICTION.
WE HAVE ALMOST 50% OF OUR PANEL OVER THE RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES PROMULGATED BY TIDC, AND THAT IS A CONDITION OF THE GRANT.
THEY'RE AWARE OF IT, THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE TAKING, UH, PROACTIVE STEPS TO, TO, UM, ADDRESS THAT.
UM, THE, UM, GOING INTO KIND OF THE AVERAGE COST PER CASE MISDEMEANOR CASES, YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR PANEL IS SLIGHTLY BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE ON MISDEMEANORS OF 460.
UM, CURRENT YEAR TO DATE, WE'RE AVERAGING 260.
THIS NUMBER HAS, HAS TRENDED UPWARDS.
UM, WE ARE NO LONGER LAST IN THE STATE AS FAR AS, UM, PER CAPITA SPENDING.
THE PUBLIC DEFENDER NUMBERS ARE HIGHER, BUT THAT'S NOT, UM, UNEXPECTED.
THIS IS VERY ANALOGOUS TO LIKE WHAT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE COST IN, IN HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, IN, IN LARGE PART, THE REASON THEIR NUMBERS ARE HIGHER IS THEY ARE ABIDING BY THE CASELOAD CAPS, WHICH IS, UM, A STATE RECOMMENDATION AND ALSO A NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE.
UM, OUR AVERAGE COST PER CASE, YOU'LL SEE A STEADY RISE, UM, SINCE, UM, 2021.
WE'RE AT 690, AGAIN, SLIGHTLY BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE OF OF 917.
AGAIN, PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, HIGHER COST PER CASE, BUT AGAIN, CASELOAD CAPS REGARDING, UM, PADILLA COMPLIANCE AS PART OF THE GRANT THAT THE STATE PROVIDED FOR OUR OFFICE, THEY, UM, PROVIDED ONE, UM, PADILLA COMPLIANCE ATTORNEY
[02:45:01]
TOOK A LITTLE WHILE TO REALLY GET THIS OFF THE GROUND AND LAUNCH.JUSTIN TU WHO'S HERE TODAY, UM, IS OUR SECOND.
AND HE HAS BEEN DOING AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE JOB.
UM, HE'S COMPLETING APPROXIMATELY 40 ADVISORS A MONTH.
UM, TODAY HE'S PROVIDED UPWARDS, ALMOST 400 ADVISAL.
HE HAS ALSO, UM, STAFFED, UM, JUDGE LARA'S COURT, UM, WHICH THERE'S BEEN, UM, 16 DOCKETS.
AND HE, THERE OFTEN WILL BE PROVIDING ADVISAL TO THE ATTORNEYS THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, HADN'T, UM, GOTTEN IT AT THAT POINT.
IN ADDITION, HE'S OFFERED NINE, UM, MAJOR TRAININGS.
AND WHEN YOU DO THE MATH, IF WE CONTRACTED OUT FOR THOSE SERVICES, THERE'S A NET COST SAVINGS OF THE, TO THE COUNTY OF 390
MOVING INTO THE BUDGET REQUEST, WE HAVE SEVEN STAFF PERSONS.
YOU CAN SEE OFFICE MANAGER, PROGRAM COORDINATOR.
UM, WE HAVE TWO OLD A FOURS, WHICH WE'RE THANKFUL THAT THE COUNTY PROVIDED US THOSE AFTER THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE.
UM, AND THAT DID HELP STOP THE BLEEDING.
HOWEVER, IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO COVER THE MISDEMEANOR, UM, FLAT FEE VOUCHERS.
THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTS, THE JUDGE SIGNED, POINTED OUT, UM, THOSE ARE BEING ADMINISTERED BY THE 13TH COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTS.
WE ATTEMPTED, UM, WE FAILED AND IT WAS A, A, A STAFFING ISSUE.
THE CORE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS OA FOUR, IT'S A, IT IS AN OFFICE ASSISTANT, UM, BUT IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, YOUR GENERAL REGULAR OFFICE ASSISTANT.
UM, THESE PERSONS HAVE, UM, TAXING JOBS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A HIGH, UM, VOLUME JURIS, UM, JURISDICTION.
AND THEY HAVE TO THINK THEY'RE NOT JUST ANSWERING THE PHONE AND, UM, MAKING COPIES, UM, AND THINGS OF, OF THAT NATURE.
SO PART OF IT, THE ATTORNEY ASSIGNMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY PERTAINING TO THE 800 PLUS COMPLAINTS WE'VE COMPLETED, IF I CAN FIND MY, WE'VE RECEIVED OVER 800, 638 RESOLVED, AND THERE'S 162 IN PROCESS.
THE REQUEST IS NEEDED TO MANAGE THE GROWING, UM, NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS RECEIVED, AND THERE'S A NEWLY IMPLEMENTED, UM, SYSTEM AVAILABLE TO INMATES AT THE JAIL, UM, THAT THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS, UM, PROVIDED.
UM, OUR PROGRAM MANAGER, STEPHANIE LUNA HERE, SHE'LL GO THROUGH THAT.
AND, AND EVEN IF A COMPLAINT HASN'T BEEN LODGED, ONE OF THE THINGS SHE'LL LOOK AT IS IF SOMEBODY HASN'T HAD A COURT SETTING IN THREE MONTHS OR FIVE MONTHS, SHE'LL REACH OUT TO THE ATTORNEY.
SHE'LL REACH OUT TO THE COORDINATOR TO GET THAT CASE SET.
BECAUSE UNLESS THE CASE GETS SET, UM, IT DOES NOT GET RESOLVED ON THE ATTORNEY REASSIGNMENTS AND REQUEST.
UM, WE HAVE A MAC INBOX WHERE THE ATTORNEYS CAN, UM, REQUEST, UM, AN APPOINTMENT ORDER AND A MULTITUDE OF OTHER ITEMS. UM, WE HAVE OUR WHOLE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM KIND OF LOOKING AT THAT BOX, AND I, WE GET PROBABLY 20 TO 30, SOMETIMES 40 REQUESTS A DAY FROM ATTORNEYS.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF TIMES WHEN OUR STAFF DOES HAVE TO, UM, MAKE REASSIGNMENTS THE VOUCHER PROCESSING.
SO REALLY THE ONE OF THE STAFF OSI HALF KIND OF ATTORNEY ASSIGNMENT, HALF FT, UM, ATTORNEY REASSIGNMENTS REQUEST, AND THEN TWO FTS ON THE, UM, VOUCHER PROCESSING AND PAYMENT CURRENT YEAR TO DAY 10,600, UM, FELONY VOUCHERS PROCESS JUST UNDER 2000, UM, MISDEMEANOR ITEMIZED VOUCHERS.
AND WE ANTICIPATE, UM, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, UPWARDS OF, UM, 2,500 VOUCHERS WITH TWO DEDICATED STAFF WHERE SOME OF THE OTHER TEAM WILL HELP AND SUPPORT.
THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE MIDDLE OF THAT, GOING FROM 1900 TO 21,400.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE AN INCREASE WHEN WE TAKE ONE OF OUR CORE RESPONSIBILITIES TO PROCESS ALL OF THE MISDEMEANOR VOUCHERS,
[02:50:01]
UM, CLOSE TO 20,000.UM, NEW VOUCHERS, JUDGE VARA, IN HER LETTER, SHE INDICATED THAT THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT, THIS WAS BEFORE I GOT HERE, STRONGLY ADVOCATED FOR THE FORMATION OF THE MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM SO THAT THIS DEPARTMENT COULD PROCESS VOUCHERS, AS IS A NATIONAL RECOMMENDATION THROUGH THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF EFFECTIVE INDIGENT DEFENSE DELIVERY SYSTEM.
WOULD YOU HAVE ANY WATER? THE PADILLA OH EIGHT FOUR CORE RESPONSIBILITY.
SO WE HAVE THREE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS THAT'LL WORK ON, UM, ATTORNEY ASSIGNMENTS, COMPLAINTS, AND VOUCHERS.
THE PADILLA JUSTIN IS WORKING AT OVER CAPACITY.
UM, THIS POSITION, UM, THE VOLUME WE'RE GETTING, UM, LEMME GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.
HE'S GETTING, WE'RE GETTING UPWARDS OF 60 REQUESTS A MONTH, WHICH WE CANNOT HANDLE.
HE'S ABLE TO COMPLETE 40 OF THEM, AND HE, WITH THE VOLUME THAT HE'S GOT, HE'S NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THOSE AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS HE WOULD LIKE TO.
UM, WHAT DOES THAT RESULT IN? IF THE CASE IS NOT MOVED AS QUICKLY AS IT CAN, IT'LL RESULT IN MORE RESETS.
SO THIS PARALEGAL OFFICE ASSISTANT BE ASSISTING HIM TO BASICALLY ENABLE HIM TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE AT HIS JOB.
AND WE'RE CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATING AN ADDITIONAL 96 PADILLA ADVISES TO BE COMPLETED.
THAT NUMBER COULD BE MORE WITH IT.
AND THE OVERALL COST FOR THAT POSITION IS WITH BENEFITS AND ALL 70,000 IN THE, UM, SAVINGS BY DOING THAT.
SO THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, AGAIN, THERE'S, THERE'S A NET GAIN, UM, ON, ON THIS.
SO, UM, WE'RE REQUESTING FOUR OFFICE, UM, ASSISTANCE AT THE ANY FOUR CATEGORIZATION.
AND, UM, ONE BEING PADILLA, THE THREE OTHERS KIND OF ASSISTING WITH OUR CORE RESPONSIBILITIES.
WHAT THE BUDGET OFFICE HAD RECOMMENDED IS TO APPROVE ONE OFFICE ASSISTANT AT A REDUCED SALARY OF ANY TWO.
SO INSTEAD OF THE 45,000, IT WOULD BE REDUCED TO, UM, 38,000.
UM, MR. ALER ALSO ADDRESSED THAT IN HIS LETTER, UM, RECOMMENDING THAT THE COUNTY AND, YOU KNOW, FUND THIS AT AT LEAST AN ADEQUATE, UM, SALARY TO BE ABLE TO, UM, RETAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FOLKS, UM, ON YOUR, ON YOUR, ON YOUR TEAM.
UM, HE SHOWED, UM, ALSO HE, THE STATE DID A STUDY LAST YEAR, UM, SHOWING KIND OF THE SALARIES FOR PUBLIC DEFENDERS ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.
AND AT THE 45,000 THAT STILL PUTS THAT POSITION, UM, ACROSS THE STATE IN THE BOTTOM, YOU KNOW, 25%, IF WE DID THE 38,000, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN BELOW THE, THE 25% QUARTILE.
SO TODAY'S CHALLENGE FOR OUR OFFICE REALLY IS CAPACITY.
THESE FOUR POSITIONS ARE NECESSARY.
WE CAN CON CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, ENSURE CONTINUED PROGRESS TOWARDS THE, GO, TOWARDS THE GOALS THAT DROVE THE CREATION OF THIS PROGRAM.
WE CAN DO IT IN A COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER AND THEN ENSURE THAT THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US HAVE A FAIR AND JUST OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR ADJUDICATION.
SO WITH THAT, I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
JIM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, COULD YOU GET US A, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A COPY OF THAT, BUT COULD YOU GET US A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION? JUST, UH, I DON'T NEED IT RIGHT NOW, BUT, BUT LATER AS WE REVIEW YOUR, YOUR REQUEST, THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOU AND, UH, YOUR TEAM FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I KNOW THAT, UM, MANY FOLKS COME THROUGH OUR SYSTEM WHO, UM, DON'T HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF, OF, UM, UH, HIRING COUNSEL, UM, WHO STILL NEED ACCESS TO JUSTICE
[02:55:01]
AND, AND, UH, YOU GUYS DO A GOOD JOB.SO WE'LL LOOK AT, UH, JUST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, WE'LL LOOK AT YOUR NEEDS.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THE, UM, AS YOU MENTIONED IN PARTICULAR THE POSITIONS THAT YOU NEED TO PROCESS VOUCHERS, UM, THAT IS HOPEFULLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALSO FIX WITH TECHNOLOGY.
UM, I KNOW IT'S KIND OF SLOW GOING, BUT IS THAT IN YOUR ESTIMATION, ONE OF THE, UH, OBSTACLES IN, IN BEING ABLE TO PROCESS THESE FASTER? I, I THINK WITH TECHNOLOGY, I BELIEVE THE EIN INVOICE WILL ENABLE, UM, US TO PROCESS VOUCHERS MORE EFFICIENTLY.
WE WILL STILL HAVE TO DO A, A CHECK ON THAT BEFORE WE PASS IT THROUGH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
SO ONCE THAT SYSTEM GETS LAUNCHED, UM, WE COULD LOOK, UM, AT WHAT THE TIME IS THAT IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT TAKE PREVIOUSLY AND NOW WHAT DOES IT TAKE WITH EIN INVOICE? AND THEN, UM, REVISIT THAT.
SO I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT IT'S, IT IS GOING TO REDUCE THE TIME AND I'M NOT SURE IT WOULD NECESSITATE THOSE POSITIONS GOING AWAY, BUT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY IT COULD BE REPURPOSED, UM, ELSEWHERE IF NOT NEEDED FOR THAT, BUT, OKAY.
UM, THE SOONER THAT WE CAN START, UM, THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTS ARE, ARE READY, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, TWO LETTERS, YOU KNOW, REALLY ADDRESSING, UM, THE VOUCHERS.
SO, AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, YEAH, THE COURT RESPONSE.
I, I APPRECIATE IT AND WE WILL, UH, TRY TO WORK WITH YOU ON SOME OF THESE REQUESTS.
COMMISSIONER MOODY, JIM, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE GRAPHS.
'CAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THESE FOR A LONG TIME AND, AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, THIS IS SPECIFIC TO, TO MAC AND, UH, WE CAN HAVE OTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH PDO.
BUT, UM, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE FELONY MAC, UH, AVERAGE COST PER CASE, IT HAS DOUBLED OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
SO HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? I KNOW WE, WE MADE A SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENT IN TERMS OF ATTORNEY'S FEES.
UM, IS THAT THE DRIVER OR ARE THERE OTHER THINGS IN PLAY THERE? THAT ONE? YEP.
UM, I DON'T SEE A A, A DOUBLING, UM, IN FACT, IN 20, THERE, THERE WAS A DROPDOWN IN 2023, UM, AND THEN 2024, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE WAS A SLIGHT BUMP.
UM, I WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO KIND OF REFER OR DEFER TO, TO CARRIE, UM, THE CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER ON, OH, NO, I WAS JUST SPECIFICALLY TALKING TO THE MAC, GOING FROM 3 43 TO SIX 90.
OH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT US? YEAH.
ON MISDEMEANORS OR FELONIES? NO, THE SLIDE YOU JUST HAD.
UM, ON OURS, IT HAS BEEN INCREMENTAL, UM, INCREASES IN THE FEE SCHEDULE.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S VERY, UM, STEER STAMPED, UM, JUDGE RON, HELL IN THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURTS, UM, ADOPTED FEE SCHEDULES TO, IN ORDER TO KEEP ATTORNEYS ON THE LIST.
UM, ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS ATTORNEYS WILL GET OFF THE LIST IS IF THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID AT LEAST AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
SO THIS, UM, AND THEN YOU ALSO HAD COVID GOING ON IN, IN, IN 2021, AND WE WEREN'T REALLY OUT OF THE WOODS TOTALLY IN, IN 2022.
AND THAT NUMBER, UM, YOU KNOW, COMPARATIVELY IS STILL SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE, THE STATEWIDE, UM, AVERAGE OF 900.
UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND OUR COSTS CONTINUING TO, TO GO UP, YOU KNOW, YEAR OVER YEAR.
NOW, I, I WANT TO STILL POINT OUT CLEARLY IN THIS GRAPH, AND IF YOU GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS GRAPH, YOU KNOW, THE THING THAT JUMPS OUT TO ME, THE, IF YOU GO BACK TO MISDEMEANORS, IS THE SIGNIFICANT COST DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE PDO OFFICE AND MANAGEMENT ASSIGNED COUNSEL.
I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE, THE CAPS IN, IN CASELOAD.
CAN YOU JUST SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY TO THAT? YY YES.
AND IF YOU TURN TO YOUR SUPPLEMENTAL PART, UM, WHICH DO Y'ALL, DID Y'ALL GET THIS YESTERDAY? WE, WE DROPPED SOME.
IF NOT, WE MAY NOT HAVE IT IN HAND.
I THINK IT'S IN THE BACKUP INFORMATION.
[03:00:01]
IT TALKS ABOUT 236 EXCELLENT, 236 CLASS B MISDEMEANORS AND 216 CLASS A, UM, MISDEMEANORS IS WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED NO MORE THAN, SO WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND CARRIE HAS PUT IN GOOD PROTOCOLS, AND THEIR OFFICE DOES NOTIFY US ONCE THEY REACH THEIR, THEIR CASELOAD CAP.SO THEY ARE ABLE TO DISPOSE, YOU KNOW, 220, 225 CASES A YEAR.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STUDY THAT WAS PROMULGATED IN 2016, AN AVERAGE MISDEMEANOR THAT DOESN'T GO TO TRIAL, YOU SHOULD BE PUTTING IN EIGHT TO 10 HOURS.
THAT IS THE AVERAGE, UM, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IN ON A, ON A MISDEMEANOR CASE THAT DOESN'T GO TO TRIAL.
THE REASON OUR NUMBERS ARE LOWER, UM, FIRST OUR FEE SCHEDULE IS LOWER THAN KIND OF THE, UM, ACROSS THAN ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, BUT, UM, WE'VE GOT ATTORNEYS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, ALMOST HALF THAT ARE WELL OVER, UM, THE RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES.
SO, WELL, I, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY I'M JUST THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR, FOR US AND FOR, FOR BUDGET TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
UM, I MEAN, YOU CAN QUESTION LIKE, IS IS THE STANDARD, UH, WITHIN THE PDO OFFICE, UH, REQUIRED, UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE MANAGEMENT ASSIGNED COUNSEL IS ABLE THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO DISPOSE OF THESE CASES AT A FRACTION OF THE COST.
AT FIRST, I WONDERED WHETHER THAT WAS LIKE, DUE TO KIND OF LIKE OVERBUILDING AN ADMIN COST, BUT IF, IF THE PDO IS STILL TAKEN ALL THE CASES THAT THEY CAN BASED ON THOSE CONSTRAINTS, THEN THAT REALLY ISN'T NECESSARILY THE CASE.
IT'S MORE SPECIFICALLY THE CASELOAD CAPS THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
IT'S, IT'S, UM, WELL, I JUST THINK THAT, THAT IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT AS, AS WE GO FORWARD HERE.
AND, UH, I KNOW THERE, THERE MAY BE A BALANCE BETWEEN HOW MUCH TIME SPENT AND, AND THE COST OF THE COUNTY AND, AND THE BUDGET AND, UH, POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS THAT COME WITH THAT.
BUT, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DATA.
'CAUSE I THINK IF WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA, WE DON'T HAVE THE GRAPHS, WE CAN'T HAVE AN INTELLIGENT CONVERSATION ABOUT THESE THINGS.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, UH, FOR THE, THE PUBLIC DISCOURSE.
ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU, JIM.
THANK, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
I BELIEVE WE'RE ON OUR LAST AGENDA ITEM I, OFFICE OF ELECTION DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE FOLLOWING.
ONE, ADD ONE PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR, SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, AND TWO, MODIFY ONE ELECTION INVENTORY CLERK TO A FIXED ASSET SUPERVISOR FOR JUST THE POSITION AT 5%.
MS. CRU, GOOD MORNING AND GOOD MORNING.
AFTERNOON, OR IT'S ALREADY AFTERNOON.
A OR ALMOST AFTERNOON, WHATEVER WE ARE.
WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, SO I'LL JUST JUMP RIGHT IN.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ELECTIONS, WE'RE ONLY THINKING ABOUT ELECTIONS THEMSELF AND VOTER REGISTRATION.
BUT THE, THE ONE POSITION I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TODAY WAS ABOUT AN ASSET CLERK WITHIN OUR WAREHOUSE.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN IN THIS POSITION, HE'S BEEN IN THERE FOR 18 YEARS.
HE IS A SECOND GENERATION BEXAR COUNTY EMPLOYEE.
HIS MOTHER RETIRED FROM BEXAR COUNTY AND HE ALSO WANTS TO RETIRE FROM BEXAR COUNTY.
SO WHEN I CAME IN, I WAS LOOKING AT ALL THE POSITIONS THAT WE HAD IN OUR OFFICE AND THIS PARTICULAR EMPLOYEE FOR BEING THERE 18 YEARS DOES NOT EVEN MAKE $20 AN HOUR.
SO, UM, I MET WITH HIM, I SAID, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP YOU IN ORDER TO RETAIN YOU HERE IN THIS POSITION? AND I WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM.
CURRENTLY HIS JOB REQUIRES HIM TO MAINTAIN AND KNOW WHERE EVERY PIECE OF OUR EQUIP, VOTING EQUIPMENT, POLL PADS, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES, WHICH IS ABOUT $20 MILLION IN ASSETS.
SO HIS JOB REQUIRES HIM TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT, WHO HAS THEM, IF THEY'VE BEEN SENT OUT FOR REPAIR, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING THAT WE PURCHASED.
ON TOP OF THAT, UM, HE WEARS MANY HATS DURING THE ELECTIONS.
HE'S ONE OF OUR TECHS THAT GOES OUT TO THE POLL SITES.
HE WORKS CLOSELY WITH OUR TRAINERS.
HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING OUR KITS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR NOTICES THAT WE SEND OUT ALL EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED TO BE IN REGARDS TO THE MOST CURRENT FORMS AND NOTICES THAT GO TO THE POLL SITES.
HE'S ALSO SECOND IN COMMAND WHENEVER OUR WAREHOUSE MANAGER IS OUT OF THE OFFICE.
ON TOP OF THAT, HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DELIVERY AND PICKUP OF ALL VOTING EQUIPMENT.
IF SOMETHING GOES DOWN IN A POLE SITE, WHETHER IT BE A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, HE'S THE GUY THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR GOING OUT THERE TO EITHER SWITCH IT OUT OR REPAIR THAT.
[03:05:01]
I MENTIONED, HE DOES WANNA RETIRE FROM BEXAR COUNTY.HE PUTS IN A LOT OF HOURS AFTER HOURS, WEEKENDS.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW AND ADD ADDITIONAL POLE SITES TO OUR, UM, ELECTION DAY AND EARLY VOTING, HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH EQUIPMENT AND THAT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING HE NEEDS.
UM, HE'S SACRIFICED A LOT OF TIME AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY DURING THE ELECTION TIME.
HE'S EXTREMELY LOYAL TO THE ELECTION OFFICE, AND IF HE WASN'T, HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE FOR 18 YEARS.
SO MY REQUEST IS FOR US TO RECLASSIFY HIM AS AN ASSET MANAGER AND MOVE HIM FROM AN NEO ONE TO AN NEO THREE.
WHEN I LOOKED AT HIS, UM, NUMBER OF YEARS IN SERVICE COMPARED TO WHAT HE MADE WHEN HE FIRST STARTED, TO WHAT HE'S MAKING NOW, IT AVERAGES OUT ANYWHERE FROM 42 CENTS TO 47 CENTS IN INCREASE PER YEAR.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER THAT.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN? ON THE, IN INCREASE PER YEAR, WHAT WAS THAT? THE INCREASE PER YEAR, OVER 18 YEARS.
IT RANGES ANYWHERE FROM 42 CENTS TO 47 CENTS PER HOUR.
SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO RE REEVALUATE WHAT HE'S DOING, APPRECIATE THE POSITION, THE WORK THAT HE'S PUTTING IN IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT HE'S CURRENTLY MAKING.
UM, JUDGE, JUDGE, OH, I'M SORRY.
UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY.
YOU SAID HE'S WORKED FOR THE COUNTY FOR 18 YEARS, BUT IS NOT AT $20 AN HOUR YET.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S REALLY BAD.
SO I AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR REQUESTS.
UM, YEAH, THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING WE SHOULD, UH, HELP, HELP WITH.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
ANYTHING ELSE, MICHELLE? NOT FOR THIS ONE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, PUBLIC RELATIONS.
SO CURRENTLY OUR, WE HAVE SOMEONE IN PLACE THAT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BEEN THE MAIN FOCUS.
I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE DATA THAT WAS PROVIDED THROUGH META AND WE HAVE JUST IN THE LAST 90 DAYS, OUR ENGAGEMENT IS UP 23% WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT VIEWS TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, SUCH AS FACEBOOK.
PRIOR TO HIM COMING ON, WE WERE LUCKY TO GET A THOUSAND PEOPLE COME TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
CURRENTLY, JUST IN THE LAST 90 DAYS, WE'RE UP FROM A THOUSAND VIEWS TO 215,000 VIEWS.
SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS REALLY TRYING TO BE MORE OUT IN THE PUBLIC TO WHERE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ELECTION OFFICE DOES.
LIKE I SAID, WHEN THEY THINK OF ELECTIONS, THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT WE'RE WORKING ALL DAY EVERY DAY.
THEY THINK WE'RE JUST THERE DURING THE ELECTION CYCLE.
SO THIS PARTICULAR PERSON, OR THIS POSITION HAS BROUGHT IN NOT JUST OUTREACH, BUT WE HAVE 64% UP OF NON FOLLOWERS.
AND THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EVEN, WHO HAVEN'T LIKED OUR PAGE, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO COME BACK AND LOOK TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ELECTIONS.
I CONTRIBUTE THE UPTICK IN THE RUNOFF THAT WE HAD IN JUNE TO THE AMOUNT OF WORK THIS POSITION IS BROUGHT INTO PLACE.
UH, OF COURSE IT'S NOT JUST SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO ATTEND ALL PUBLIC EVENTS, PUBLIC FORUMS, IN CHARGE OF OUR MEDIA, PRESS RELEASES, ATTENDING CIVIC GROUPS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
HE'S ALSO BECOME A LIAISON WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
THIS PO THIS PARTICULAR POSITION IS NOT A WANT, IT'S NOT THAT I WANT TO FILL THIS POSITION, WE NEED THIS POSITION.
WHENEVER I TOOK THIS JOB, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION WAS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT ELECTIONS? IN MY FIRST ELECTION WHEN THEY WERE INTERVIEWING VOTERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THERE WAS AN ELECTION HAPPENING.
SO WE NEED THIS AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF AS IT IS.
WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED BY HALF COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTIES OF THE SAME SIZE.
SO, BUT WE ALSO DON'T HAVE THE SPACE, RIGHT? SO WE'RE LIKE A LOT OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WE, WE HAVE A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE SPACE TO HOUSE 'EM.
SO THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN MY OFFICE, THEY BASICALLY ARE DOING THE JOB OF TWO PEOPLE.
AND FOR THAT, I, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT IN THERE.
BUT, UH, TO ADD, FOR THIS PARTICULAR POSITION, MY PREDECESSOR IN THE PAST WOULD HIRE A THIRD PARTY PR PERSON TO COME IN.
THAT PARTICULAR PERSON IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ALONE MADE $15,000 PER MONTH JUST TO DO THE EXACT SAME THING THAT I'M ASKING FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE FULL-TIME.
THIS FULL-TIME POSITION COULD SAVE US ANYWHERE FROM $60,000 A YEAR UP TO 200,000.
AND THAT WAS JUST, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS FROM THE THIRD PARTY, WHAT WAS THE LAST PART YOU SAID? THE LAST PART I SAID WAS A PREDECESSOR HIRED A THIRD PARTY PR COMPANY TO COME IN AND DO THESE EXACT SAME DUTIES.
AND IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ALONE, THEY INVOICED $15,000 PER MONTH.
QUICK QUESTION ON THAT THOUGH.
WAS THAT FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AROUND THE ELECTION OR WAS THAT, HOW LONG OF A PERIOD OF TIME WAS THAT? WELL, THE PR UM, THE THIRD PARTY COMPANY WOULD COME IN DURING AN ELECTION CYCLE.
[03:10:01]
IT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.SO IT WASN'T SOMEONE THAT WAS THERE ALL DAY EVERY DAY.
IT WAS SOMEONE THAT JUST CAME IN DURING AN ELECTION CYCLE.
YEAH, JUST, JUST WANT TO BE FAIR THAT, YOU KNOW, FOUR MONTHS AND 15,000 VERSUS A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE JUST, YOU KNOW, WELL THAT WOULD ONLY BE FOR ONE ELECTION.
SO IF YOU CONSIDER HOW MANY ELECTIONS ARE IN A CYCLE YEAR, IN AN ODD YEAR, WE COULD HAVE ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO FIVE ELECTIONS.
AND THEN ON AN EVEN YEAR WE COULD HAVE UP TO SEVEN ELECTIONS DEPENDING IF THERE WERE RUNOFFS.
SO THIS PARTICULAR PERSON, IT WASN'T JUST FOR ONE ELECTION, IT WAS FOR EVERY ELECTION IN THAT PARTICULAR YEAR CYCLE, I WAS JUST USING THE PRESIDENTIAL AS AN EXAMPLE.
SO THEY CONTRACTED 'EM FOR THE ENTIRE 12 MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
WELL, THEY WEREN'T, THEY DIDN'T WORK 12 MONTHS A YEAR, BUT THEY WERE CONTRACTED TO COME IN AND DO PUBLIC RELATIONS ACCORDING TO A SCHEDULE THAT THEY AGREED UPON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUDGET PRESENTATIONS.
IS THAT CORRECT MR. SMITH? IT DOES.
UM, WHAT WE'D LIKE BEFORE YOU ADJOURN, WHICH I ASSUME IS WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO DO BEFORE YOU ADJOURN.
YES, WE DO, DON'T WE? THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA.
WE WERE TRYING TO GET ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WHO REQUESTED WORK SESSIONS IN TODAY AT THE COURT'S REQUEST.
WE MADE REPEATED ATTEMPTS AND REMINDERS TO DEPARTMENTS TO LET US KNOW IF THEY WANTED A WORK SESSION.
BUT YESTERDAY, I THINK WE GOT TWO MORE REQUESTS, CONSTABLE TWO AND THREE.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, ASSUMING YOU WANT TO AFFORD THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY, WE COULD JUST ADD IT TO YOUR TUESDAY REGULAR MEETING AGENDA AS PART OF YOUR NORMAL, AND THEN YOU WOULDN'T NEED SEPTEMBER 3RD THAT WEDNESDAY AS A SEPARATE STANDALONE WORK SESSION.
SO IT JUST TO BE CLEAR, DAVID, IT'S JUST CONSTABLE UH, PRECINCT TWO AND PRECINCT THREE.
BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR COMMISSIONER MOODY, BUT I KNOW THAT I COULD SPEAK WITH MY CONSTABLE, MAYBE WORK WITH HER ON HER CONCERNS AND SHE WOULD BE WILLING TO DROP HER REQUEST.
UM, I MEAN, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD JUST BE TO TRY TO TIE IT IN WITH THE, THE TUESDAY.
WOULD THAT BE FINE? YEAH, THAT'S FINE.
AND, AND IF THEY DON'T WANT TO COME FORWARD, THEN THAT'S FINE TOO.
WE KIND OF, YEAH, I THINK JUST, I THINK JUST ADD IT.
IF, IF SHE HAPPENS TO DROP IT BEFORE THEN SHE CAN JUST DROP IT.
AND SO WITH THAT THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SEND OUT NOTICE THAT THE SEPTEMBER 3RD WORK SESSION IS NOT GOING TO BE NEEDED.
IS THERE A MOTION TO AD ADJOURN? MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
MOTION BY, I MEAN MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FLORES.
COMMISSIONER, UH, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ.
UH, ANY MOTIONS TO ADJOURN? OKAY.
UH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, ADJOURN AND HONOR OF, UH, DR.
UH, JANICE ADE WILLIAMS, CHARLES LETTA JACKSON.
IN REGARDS TO SAN SUZY JANUS, UM, LET ME, IF YOU MIND, LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
'CAUSE SHE WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY LADY.
MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT TEXAS MAY HAVE HEARD SUZANNE SHARE HER STORY AS A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, WHICH STRETCHES FROM FAMILY SEPARATION AND FORCED PLACEMENT IN THE GHETTOS TO BEING DEPORTED TO AUSCHWITZ.
AFTER THE ALLIED LIBERATION IN 1945, SUZANNE MET THE LOVE OF HER LIFE AND THEY IMMIGRATED TO SAN ANTONIO, WHERE SHE LIVED TO 98 YEARS OF AGE AND SAW HER CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN GROW.
SHE DEVOTED HERSELF TO ENSURING THAT THE HORRORS OF THE HOLOCAUST WOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
SHARING HER STORY WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN, CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND RECORDING HER TESTIMONY FOR THE SHOW OF FOUNDATION, HER PASSING IS A PROFOUND LOSS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE EXTEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE JOHNNO FAMILY.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR WITH THE MOTION ADJOURNED.