* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. ALL [00:00:01] RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT BUDGET WORK SESSION ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH, 2026. UH, WE WILL GO THROUGH CERTAIN BUDGET ITEMS TODAY AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AT FUTURE WORKSHOPS SESSIONS. SO, AGENDA ONE [1. Communications, including citizens who signed the register to speak, and reports.] IS COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING CITIZENS ASSIGNED TO SPEAK. UH, I HAVE BRIANNA MIDGET. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. SCOTT ELLERS. YOU'LL BE AFTER THAT. STEPHANIE STEVENS. YOU'LL BE AFTER THAT. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MM-HMM . UM, GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AKAI AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS BRIANNA MIDGET AND I AM A DISABLED VETERAN, A CRIME VICTIM, AND A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF THE WATSON PRESNA WHO FOUNDED THELMA TEXAS AND THE MIDGETS OF CHICO OMO, THE LEGACY FAMILIES OF THE US COAST GUARD. I AM HERE TO REQUEST ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT REGARDING A YEAR LONG DISCONNECT IN OUR CO COUNTY'S COURT ADMINISTRATIVE AND VICTIM SERVICES THAT HAS LEFT MY ELDERLY FATHER AND MY MYSELF COMPLETELY UNPROTECTED. A CIVIL COURT GRANTED ME A PROTECTIVE ORDER, BUT COURT STAFF COMMITTED TWO SEVERE PROCEDURAL ERRORS. FIRST, THE CLERIC FAILED TO TRANSMIT THE ORDER TO MY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PRECINCT, OR TO ME THE VICTIM UNTIL I EXPLICITLY DEMANDED IT. SECOND, STAFF ACTIVELY REFUSED TO LIST THE TARGETED PROPERTY ADDRESS OR MY FATHER ON THE DOCUMENTATION, DESPITE MULTIPLE DIRECT REQUESTS. WORSE, WHEN MY FATHER APPLIED FOR PROTECTION AT THE DIRECTION OF THE STAFF, HIS APPLICATION WAS DECLINED. THIS ADMINISTRATIVE OMISSION ALLOWED THE PERPETRATOR TO LIVE DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR TO THE TARGETED ESTATE, COMPLETELY EXPOSING HIS PROPERTY AND PROTECTED PERSONS TO 10 MONTHS OF UNCHECKED HARASSMENT AND PROPERTY LOSS. WHEN WE ATTEMPTED TO BUILD A PERIMETER FENCE FOR SECURITY, THE PERPETRATOR RETALIATED WITH DIRECT THREATS AGAINST MY LIFE AND FAMILY LAW ENFORCEMENT DECLINED TO ENFORCE THE PROTECTIVE ORDER OR TEXAS PENAL CODES TREATING THIS CRIMINAL CON AS A CIVIL FAMILY MATTER. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS TAKEN A SEVERE EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, AND PHYSICAL TOLL ON MY FAMILY. WHILE LEFT COMPLETELY EXPOSED, THESE ADMINISTRATIVE FAILURES DIRECTLY CAUSED FOR THE DISMISSAL OF MY CRIMINAL CASE, BLOCKED OUR ELIG ELIGIBILITY FOR CRIME VICTIMS' COMPENSATION, AND CAUSED SEVERE FINANCIAL DISTRESS. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE BEEN UNJUSTLY ICED OUT FROM THE ENTIRE JUSTICE SYSTEM SIMPLY FOR POINTING OUT THESE FAILURES. WEEKS AGO, I SENT SEPARATE DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND VICTIM SERVICES DIRECTOR. NEITHER OFFICE HAS RESPONDED. FURTHERMORE, THE SHERIFF'S OPEN RECORDS DIVISION HAS HELD MY PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST IN PROGRESS FOR MONTHS WITHOUT SEEKING AN ATTORNEY. GENERAL EXCLUSION AND NOTARIZED INTERNAL AFFAIRS COMPLAINT REMAINS COMPLETELY UNADDRESSED TO THE, UH, BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. UM, THIS HAS INADVERTENTLY DELAYED OUR ACCESS TO THE NECESSARY CAS AND BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE OR ANY JUSTICE FOR THAT MATTER BECAUSE THE TEXAS PENAL CODE ALLOWS FOR RETROACTIVE PROSECUTION. I ASK THAT YOU USE YOUR DIRECT AUTHORITY OVER COUNTY FUNDED OPERATIONS TO ORDER AN IMMEDIATE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF THE VICTIM SERVICES, DIVISIONS AND COURT CLERK ROUTING PROCEDURES. I ALSO ASK THAT YOU EXERCISE YOUR BUDGETARY OVERSIGHT TO ADDRESS THESE PUBLIC RECORDS AND INTERNAL AFFAIR DELAYS WITH THE SHERIFF, AND URGE THE JURISDICTION ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO EVALUATE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT RECORDS SO THIS MATTER CAN BE REVIEWED FOR RETROACTIVE FILING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND TIME TODAY, MS. MIDGE. MS. MIDGE, WOULD YOU ALLOW MY STAFF TO REACH OUT TO YOU? YES, SIR. I WILL HAVE MY STAFF REACH OUT TO YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, SCOTT ELLS, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UH, JUDGE SAKA COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I'M SCOTT ALER. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION. TIDC FUNDS OVERSEAS AND IMPROVES INDIGENT DEFENSE FOR ALL 254 COUNTIES HERE IN TEXAS. FOR BAYER COUNTY, TIDC HAS PROVIDED OVER $40 MILLION IN GRANTS SINCE 2002 TO HELP IMPROVE INDIGENT DEFENSE IN THE COUNTY. UH, THAT INCLUDES, UH, IMPROVEMENT GRANTS TO ESTABLISH A REGIONAL PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE, EXPAND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE, AND WE'VE INVESTED OVER $3 MILLION TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE THE MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNCIL PROGRAM. AND, UH, THAT'S THE PRIMARY REASON WHY I'M HERE TODAY TO, UH, SPEAK IN [00:05:01] FAVOR OF, UH, THE MANAGED IN CONTINUING THE MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNCIL PROGRAM'S FUNDING OUR $3 MILLION INVESTMENT IN THE MA IN THE MAC WAS MATCHED BY BEXAR COUNTY BECAUSE BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE STATE BELIEVED THAT THE M WOULD IMPROVE REPRESENTATION, COURT EFFICIENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THE M UNDER JIM BETHKE LEADERSHIP HAS ACHIEVED THESE GOALS AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE COUNTY'S FUNDING SUPPORT. IN TERMS OF IMPROVING QUALITY, THE MAC IS PROVIDING INVESTIGATORS, SOCIAL WORKERS TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP, UH, PROVIDING IMMIGRATION CONSEQUENCES, ADVICE AND LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO THE 237 PRIVATE ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING DI DEFENDANTS TO POOR TO AFFORD A LAWYER. NONE OF THESE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR CLIENTS AND THEIR ATTORNEYS ATTORNEYS EXISTED BEFORE. THE M ATTORNEYS MUST APPRECIATE THIS SUPPORT BECAUSE, UH, MANY MORE ATTORNEYS HAVE A JOIN HAVE JOINED THE MISDEMEANOR APPOINTMENT LIST BEFORE THE MAC. THERE WERE ONLY 68 ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING INDIGENT MISDEMEANOR DEFENDANTS. TODAY, THAT NUMBER IS ALMOST DOUBLE TO 127. UH, THE COUNTY IS ALSO TO BE COMMENDED FOR IMPROVING MISDEMEANOR, UH, COURT APPOINTMENT RATES, WHICH I ALSO BELIEVE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH WHY YOU HAVE MORE ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THOSE DEFENDANTS. THE MAC HAS IMPROVED COURT EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. RATHER THAN 28 DIFFERENT JUDGES APPOINTED ATTORNEYS AND APPROVING PAYMENTS, YOU NOW HAVE ONE COUNTY DEPARTMENT THAT MAINTAINS APPOINTMENT LISTS, APPOINTS COUNSEL AND APPROVES PAYMENTS TWO LAWYERS AND THE MAC IS ALSO MONITORING THEM TO ENSURE GOOD REPRESENTATION IS BEING PROVIDED. THE M IS ENSURING THAT DEFENDANTS ARE APPOINTED COUNSEL TIMELY AND THAT MENTALLY ILL DEFENDANTS ARE NOT LANGUISHING IN THE JAIL WITHOUT A LAWYER, WHICH IS A MAJOR LIABILITY TO THE COUNTY. AS PART OF THE STATEMENT OF GRANT AWARD, BEAR COUNTY SIGNED FOR TCS MAT GRANT, THE COUNTY AGREED THAT FUNDING FOR THE OFFICE WILL BE APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT PROVIDED IT IS ESTABLISHED THAT THE OFFICE CAN RUN IN A COST EFFICIENT MANNER WHILE MAINTAIN QUALITY REPRESENTATION FOR INDIGENT DEFENDANTS. BEAR COUNTY HAS BEEN LIVING UP TO ITS AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE BY PAYING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COST OF THE MAC SINCE JANUARY 1ST. AND WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE MAX FY 27 BUDGET, YOU CAN CONTINUE TO HONOR THAT AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE AND KEEP REAPING ALL OF THE BENEFITS THAT THE MAC BRINGS TO BEAR COUNTY. THANK YOU. TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, STEPHANIE STEVENS. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. I AM A CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY AND I TEACH AT ST. MARY'S LAW SCHOOL FULL-TIME, BUT I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY AS THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNSEL ADVISORY OVERSIGHT BOARD. WE ARE A SEVEN PERSON BOARD AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE WORK OF THE MAC. AS I KNOW THIS COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS IN JANUARY OF 2020. YOU MADE A DELIBERATE COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHEN THE QUALITY OF INDIGENT DEFENSE REPRESENTATION IN BEXAR COUNTY BY ESTABLISHING THE MAC AND THE OR INITIAL GOALS WERE TO IMPROVE THAT QUALITY OF REPRESENTATION TO HOLD ATTORNEYS ACCOUNTABLE AND TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY WITH APPOINTMENTS. AND HAVING SERVED ON THE ADVISORY BOARD SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE MAC, I CAN SAY THAT THE MAC HAS NOT ONLY MET THOSE GOALS, BUT THEY HAVE CLEARLY UNEQUIVOCALLY EXCEEDED THEM. THE MAC HAS MADE SURE THAT ATTORNEYS HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO REPRESENT PEOPLE OF BEXAR COUNTY WHO DO NOT HAVE FUNDS TO HIRE LAWYERS. THEY PROVIDE FOR LAWYERS WITH HELP IN REPRESENTING CLIENTS WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OR IMMIGRATION ISSUES. THEY MAKE CERTAIN TO PROVIDE CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION FOR LAWYERS TO IMPROVE THAT QUALITY. THEY, OF COURSE, HAVE HELPED WITH PROVIDING TRIAL ATTORNEYS RESOURCES IN THE COURTROOM. LIKEWISE. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE BOARD WHO MEETS REGULARLY REVIEWS THE WORK OF THE MAC UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTS THIS, THIS CONTINUED PROGRAM. AND WE, OF COURSE, UNANIMOUSLY REQUEST THAT THE COURT CONTINUE TO FUND AND SUPPORT THE MAC AND THEIR CORE OPERATIONS. THANK YOU, AMANDA THOMAS. UM, I HAVE SOME LETTERS OF SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT MM-HMM . GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE [00:10:01] SAKA AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS ANANDA THOMAS. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ACT FOR SA, SAN ANTONIO'S LEADING CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ORGANIZATION. WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT HAS RECOMMENDED PLACING MORE THAN 90% OF THE MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNSEL OFFICE BUDGET AND CONTINGENCY. WE URGE THIS COURT TO REJECT THAT RECOMMENDATION. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A NEW PROGRAM. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR AN EXPANSION. WE'RE ASKING YOU TO CONTINUE FUNDING AN EXISTING PROGRAM THAT HOLDS THE LINE BETWEEN JUSTICE AND INJUSTICE IN BEAR COUNTY. THE MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNCIL OFFICE IS A SAFEGUARD THAT KEEPS INDIGENT DEFENSE IN BEAR COUNTY FAIR, EFFECTIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE. IT PROTECTS THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS. IT SUPPORTS OUR COURTS. IT UPHOLDS PUBLIC TRUST IN A JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT HAS HISTORICALLY FAILED THE PEOPLE IT CLAIMS TO SERVE. FOR MORE THAN FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, THE TEXAS INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSIONS $3 MILLION INVESTMENT IN BEX COUNTY HAS PRODUCED WHAT TIDC ITSELF CALLS IMPRESSIVE RESULTS. TIDC HAS NAMED THE MAC OFFICE A STATEWIDE MODEL. THE GRANT ENDED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, BUT THE PROGRESS CANNOT END WITH IT. ACT FOR SA HAS STOOD ALONGSIDE THE MAC TO BUILD WARRANT CLINICS, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN TEXAS. THESE CLINICS CONNECT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH ACTIVE LOW LEVEL MISDEMEANOR WARRANTS TO LEGAL COUNSEL TO RESOLVE CASES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE END AN ARREST AND JAIL TIME. NONPROFITS ACROSS TEXAS ARE NOW WORKING TO REPLICATE THIS MODEL. HAYES COUNTY AND THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY ARE STUDYING HOW TO BUILD THEIR OWN MAC OFFICES AFTER WATCHING WHAT BEARER COUNTY HAS DONE. WHAT WE HAVE BUILT HERE IS THE BLUEPRINT FOR THE ENTIRE STATE. EVEN WITH A WORKLOAD THAT FAR EXCEEDS ITS STAFFING, MAC PROCESSES MORE THAN 21,000 ADDITIONAL MISDEMEANOR VOUCHERS EACH YEAR. IT SUPPORTS MORE THAN 230 INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND PANEL ATTORNEYS ON WHAT FRANKLY I CALL A SHOESTRING BUDGET. THAT'S EFFICIENCY. IF CONTINGENCY STRIPS THOSE RESOURCES, THE DAMAGE WILL NOT STAY INSIDE THE OFFICE. VOUCHER, PROCESSING WILL SLOW. ATTORNEY SUPPORT WILL ERODE. COURT EFFICIENCY WILL BE STRAINED. COMMUNITY MEMBERS WAITING ON FAIR REPRESENTATION WILL PAY THE PRICE AND COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE TO NAME WHAT'S AT STAKE. THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL IS ALREADY ONE OF THE DEADLIEST IN IN TEXAS. IT'S OVERCROWDED OUTTA COMPLIANCE. PEOPLE ARE DYING INSIDE OF THIS JAIL WHEN OUR NEIGHBORS WAIT IN A CELL. FOR AN ATTORNEY THAT NEVER COMES AND SIT BEHIND BARS FOR DAYS OR WEEKS LONGER THAN THEY EVER SHOULD, WE ARE FAILING THEM. CUTTING THE MAC DOES NOT SAVE MONEY. IT PUSHES MORE OF OUR PEOPLE INTO A SYSTEM THAT IS ALREADY FAILING TO KEEP THEM ALIVE. THIS IS A LIFE OR DEATH DECISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO MOVE THE MAX FULL BUDGET INTO THE REGULAR OPERATING BUDGET. PROTECT THIS OFFICE, PROTECT OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. OUR COMMUNITY CANNOT WAIT. THANK YOU. TIA GIBSON. TIA GIBSON. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD. I COME TO YOU TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UH, THE MACK. MY NAME IS TIA GIBSON AND I'M A MEMBER OF TEXAS ORGANIZ ORGANIZATION PROJECT. I'M ALSO A PROMINENT ADVOCATE, UM, AND MEMBER OF MY COMMUNITY. UH, IF TWO PEOPLE ARE ACCUSED OF THE SAME OFFENSE, THE QUALITY OF JUSTICE THEY RECEIVE SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON THE VALUE OF THE THEIR POCKETS. IT SHOULDN'T MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT, BUT THERE'S TOO MANY FAMILIES THAT MONEY DETERMINES EVERYTHING. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE FAILS AND THEY FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS? THEY SIT IN A, IN A JAIL CELL WAITING FOR AN ATTORNEY. THAT NEVER SHOWS UP WHEN IT COMES TO MAC. THEY TAKE THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE THEIR, THEIR PROJECTS. THEY TAKE THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH SO THAT THEY CAN HELP THEM TO, TO VIEW THE CASE MORE ACCURATELY. RIGHT? BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OTHER LEGAL SYSTEMS, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN THAT WAY. A JUSTICE SYSTEM CANNOT BE FAIR IF POVERTY DEPENDS ON SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. BEXAR COUNTY HAS ALREADY MADE PROGRESS TOWARDS IMPROVING, UH, REPRESENTATION. AND NOW THAT IT'S TIME, IT'S NO TIME TO RETREAT, WE'VE ALREADY DONE IT. WE'VE MADE A MODEL. WE'VE MADE A MODEL THAT OTHER CITIES ARE LOOKING AT TO CHANGE, RIGHT? SO THEN WHY WOULD WE TURN AROUND AND TAKE IT BACK? WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE DO IN SAN ANTONIO AND IN BEXAR COUNTY [00:15:01] THAT WE START AS A, AS A, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GONNA JUST TRY THIS AS A PILOT, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS? IT DOES GOOD AND IT GOES AWAY. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL WAITING FOR US? THE PEOPLE THAT DEPEND ON US, THE PEOPLE THAT TRUST US WHEN WE WALK UP HERE, WE DON'T WALK UP HERE JUST TO SPEAK. WE WALK UP HERE TO CREATE CHANGE. UM, IT'S 2.1 MILLION INVESTMENTS. AND IN THAT INVESTMENT, IN FAIRNESS, FAMILIES AND THE BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT EVERYONE DESERVES MEANINGFUL REPRESENTATION, TOP MEMBERS ARE ASKING YOU TO FULLY FUND MAC. WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO TURN BACK. WE HAVE A JOB TO DO, AND OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN A SITUATION ARE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THESE SITUATIONS. AND SOMETIMES IT JUST DOESN'T TAKE A CONVERSATION. THEY CAN'T JUST WALK INTO THE COURT AND BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THEIR SITUATION WITHOUT PROPER REPRESENTATION. AND THAT'S WHAT THE MAC DOES. AND WITH THAT MODEL BEING A MODEL THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS TAKING UP, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD FULLY INVEST IN IT AND BE THAT LEADER THAT WE'VE ALREADY BECAME. THANK YOU. HOLD ON. MS. LEE. GIVE GIBS, UH, I GOT JAMES HAMILTON AND MICHAEL NHI. ARE Y'ALL YIELDING YOUR TIME TO, YOU SAID THAT'S CORRECT. ALRIGHT. MS, DO YOU WANT ANY, DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING FURTHER? MS. GIBSON, YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE YIELDING THEIR TIME TO YOU. ABSOLUTELY. GO AHEAD. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. LEMME GET MY PHONE. YOU GOT, YOU GOT ANOTHER THREE MINUTES? OKAY. THAT'S BEAUTIFUL. SORRY. THIS WILL BE THE TIME THAT MY NOTES DON'T WORK ON FOR THE RECORD. THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE HERE. IF YOU'RE YIELDING TIME, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTED IT ON YOUR WRITTEN, UH, FORM, PLEASE. YOUR YIELDING TIME OF WHEN I CALL YOU. OKAY. THE MAC EXISTS WITHIN BEXAR COUNTY INDIGENT, UM, DEFENSE SYSTEM TO HELP ENSURE THAT PEOPLE FACING A LOST OF LIBERTY RECEIVE EFFECTIVE CLIENT-CENTERED REPRESENTATION. THE COUNTY, UM, ITSELF DESCRIBES THE MAX MISSION IN THOSE TERMS. SO BEFORE THE COURT DECIDES TO, TO PULL FUNDING, I'M ASKING YOU TO LOOK BEYOND THE SPREADSHEET. LOOK AT THE HUMAN BEING BEHIND THE CASE NUMBER BECAUSE WHEN YOU REMOVE A RESOURCE FROM POOR PEOPLE, YOU DON'T CREATE EFFICIENCY. YOU CAN CREATE ANOTHER BARRIER BETWEEN A VULNERABLE PERSON AND JUSTICE. AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT, UH, A LEGAL CONVERSATION ABOUT LEGAL AID VERSUS MAC. THIS IS ABOUT CHOICE, ACCOUNTABILITY, OUTCOMES, AND ACCESS. IF ONE PRO, UM, PROGRAM CAN IDENTIFY A PROBLEM THAT ANOTHER PRO, PRO PROGRAM, SORRY, CANNOT, WHY WOULD WE ELIMINATE THAT OPTION? IF THE MAC IS HELPING ATTORNEYS NAVIGATE DIFFICULT CASES, PROVIDING SUPPORT, OVERSIGHT, TRAINING AND RESOURCES, THEN LET'S MEASURE THAT WORK. HONESTLY, LET'S ASK, ARE THE PEOPLE RECEIVING BETTER REPRESENTATION? ARE CASES BEING HELD EFFECTIVELY? ARE VULNERABLE PEOPLE GETTING A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD? IF THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT PERFORMANCE AND DEMAND, BETTER PERFORMANCE, IF THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT MONEY AND DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY, IF THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT DUPLICATION AND THE STUDY OF, OF THE DUPLICATION, BUT DON'T SOLVE A BUDGET PROBLEM BY TAKING AWAY A SAFETY NET FROM THE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER ONE. THIS COMMUNITY HAS BLACK FAMILIES, LATINO FAMILIES, WOMEN WORKING FAMILIES, WHITE FAMILIES, PEOPLE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WALKING INTO A COURTROOM WITH MONEY, CONNECTIONS, OR EVEN A LAWYER ALREADY WAITING FOR THEM. I STAND HERE BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE DESERVE A VOICE. I'M THEIR VOICE AND I WANT EVERY COMMISSIONER SITTING HERE TO REMEMBER SOMETHING. THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THESE SERVICES ARE NOT NUMBERS. THEY'RE NOT YOUR BUDGET. THEY'RE YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT VOTE FOR YOU. THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT PUT YOU IN PLACE. THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT TRUST YOU. THEY'RE THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THIS COUNTY. THEIR PARENTS RAISING CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTY, THEIR GRANDPARENTS, THEIR VETERANS. THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS. AND WHEN THEY WALK INTO THE COURTROOM, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WONDER WHETHER THEIR ABILITY TO DEFEND THEMSELVES DEPENDS ON WHETHER THEY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY OR THEY SURVIVE. THEY SURVIVE THROUGH A BUDGET PROCESS. SO TODAY, I'M JUST ASKING ONCE AGAIN TO THE COURT, DO NOT MAKE THIS EITHER A DECISION OR NOT. JUST MAKE A DECISION TO FUND THE MAC, MEASURE ITS OUTCOMES. HOLD EVERY, UM, PROVIDER ACCOUNTABLE. IF YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE YOU WANT TO DO, JUST REALLY LOOK AT THE OPTIONS. NOT ONLY JUST THE OPTIONS, NOT LOOKING AT JUST THE BUDGET, BUT LOOK AT THE OUTCOMES. LOOK WHAT HAS COME OUT OF THE MAC BEING THERE, AND [00:20:01] IF THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE NECESSARY, MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS. BUT DON'T DISMANTLE A RESOURCE BEFORE YOU HAVE PROVEN THAT THE PEOPLE IT SERVES WILL BE, UM, EQUALLY OR BETTER PROTECTED WITHOUT IT. BECAUSE JUSTICE JUST ISN'T JUST, THIS IS JUSTICE ONLY FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT. AND IF, UM, BEXAR COUNTY TRULY BELIEVES TO EQ AN EQUAL JUSTICE, THEN WE MUST FUND THE SYSTEMS THAT GIVE POOR PEOPLE THE FIGHTING CHANCE TO RECEIVE IT. THANK YOU, IRENE MOR. IRENE MORTA. GOOD MORNING JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS IRENE MORA. I'M A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT AND THE STRATEGIC ADVISORY COUNCIL AND OUR COUNTY LEADERSHIP TEAM. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE DECISIONS MADE INSIDE OUR CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM HAVE CONSEQUENCES THAT FAMILIES CARRY FOREVER. THREE YEARS AGO, I LOST A LOVED ONE, SORRY, WHILE HE WAS INCARCERATED IN THE BEAR COUNTY JAIL. THAT EXPERIENCE HAS CHANGED MY FAMILY. AS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED UNIMAGINABLE ANGUISH. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I CONTINUE TO CARRY IS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED DIFFERENTLY IF HE HAD RECEIVED STRONGER LEGAL ADVOCACY AROUND BAIL AND RELEASE? AN ATTORNEY IS NOT SUPPOSED TO SIMPLY PROCESS A PERSON THROUGH THE SYSTEM. A DEFENSE ATTORNEY SHOULD KNOW THEIR CLIENT, UNDERSTAND THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, CHALLENGE UNNECESSARY DETENTION, AND ADVOCATE FOR THAT PERSON'S FREEDOM WHEN RELEASE IS APPROPRIATE. THAT IS WHY PROGRAMS LIKE THE MANAGER SIGNED COUNCIL MATTER FOR FAMILIES LIKE MINE. INDIGENT DEFENSE IS NOT AN ABSTRACT BUDGET ITEM. IT CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE SITTING IN JAIL AND RETURNING HOME TO THEIR FAMILY WHILE THEIR CASE MOVES FORWARD. CUTTING THE MAX BUDGET TO SAVE A FRACTION OF THE 166 MILLION JUDICIAL ALLOCATION WILL ONLY WORSEN COURT BOTTLENECKS, WORSEN JAIL OVERCROWDING, AND HIDE IN THE DANGER INSIDE THOSE WALLS. I URGE YOU TO LOOK PAST THE SPREADSHEETS AND SEE THE HUMAN LIVES ATTACHED TO THESE DECISIONS. ADEQUATE LEGAL COUNSEL IS A CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE, NOT AN OPTIONAL PROGRAM. THE M PROGRAM ENSURES BEXAR COUNTY FULFILLS THIS LEGAL OBLIGATION RESPONSIBLY, TRANSPARENTLY, AND COST EFFECTIVELY. PLEASE PROTECT THE M FUNDING TO PROTECT BOTH OUR CONSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY AND OUR COUNTY'S BOTTOM LINE. TOP MEMBERS FOUGHT FOR THE CREATION OF MAC BECAUSE A PERSON'S ACCESS TO QUALITY LEGAL REPRESENTATION SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE. NOW THAT THE INITIAL GRANT FUNDING IS, IS ENDING, BEAR COUNTY HAS A CHOICE. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW THE PROGRESS WE FOUGHT FORWARD TO DISAPPEAR. I AM ASKING COMMISSIONERS COURT TO PROVIDE THE FULL 2.1 MILLION NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN MAC. WE CANNOT CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY, BUT WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS TODAY THAT MAY PREVENT ANOTHER FAMILY FROM EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCING A LOSS LIKE OURS. I URGE YOU ALL TO FULLY FAN FUND MAC SO WE CAN BRING ACCOUNTABILITY, EFFICIENCY, AND BASIC HUMAN DIGNITY TO BEXAR COUNTY'S JUSTICE SYSTEM. THANK YOU. JOHN VALDEZ. JOHN VALDEZ. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JOHN VALEZ. I'M A MEMBER OF TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. I'M HERE WITH A SIMPLE MESSAGE. WE FOUGHT FOR MAC AND WE'RE HERE TO PROTECT IT. TOP MEMBERS HAVE SPENT YEARS ADVOCATING FOR A STRONGER AND FAIR INDIGENT DEFENSE SYSTEM IN BEXAR COUNTY MANAGE ASSIGN COUNCIL FOR REPRESENTS PROGRESS. NOW THE INITIAL, NOW THE INITIAL FUND GRANT FUNDING IS COMING TO AN END. AND THE QUESTION IS WHETHER BEXAR COUNTY WILL SUSTAIN WHAT IT HAS BUILT. OUR ANSWER IS YES. WE'RE ASKING THE COUNTY TO INVEST THE FULL 2.1 MILLION NEEDED TO CONTINUE MAC. THIS ISN'T JUST ANOTHER LINE IN THE BUDGET. THESE DOLLARS MEAN ATTORNEYS, THEY MEAN REPRESENTATION. THEY MEAN SOMEONE STANDING BESIDE A PERSON WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO HIRE THEIR OWN LAWYER, AND THEY CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNNECESSARY INCARCERATION AND REMAINING WITH YOUR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. YOU LISTEN WHEN THE COMMUNITY ASKS FOR A BETTER SYSTEM, WE'RE ASKING YOU [00:25:01] TO LISTEN AGAIN, DON'T BUILD, PLEASE DON'T BUILD REFORM WITH TEMPORARY DOLLARS AND THEN ALLOW THE REFORM TO DISAPPEAR. MAKE MAC PART OF BEXAR COUNTY'S LONG TERM COMMITMENT TO INDIGENT DEFENSE. FULLY FUND THE 2.1 MILLION PROTECT M, PROTECT THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JOSE VELA. I'M HERE WITH THE TOP PROJECT. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S BEEN A QUESTION ABOUT WHY BERK COUNTY NEEDS BOTH A PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND A MANAGER ASSIGNED COUNSEL. BUT I THINK THE BETTER QUESTION TO ASK IS WHAT INDIGENT DEFENSE SYSTEM GIVES BERK COUNTY RESIDENTS THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE REPRESENTATION? THIS SHOULD BE A EITHER OR CONVERSATION. OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES A PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES A BETTER MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM. PEOPLE ACCUSED OF CRIMES DO NOT ALL HAVE IDENTICAL CASES, CIRCUMSTANCES, OR LEGAL NEEDS. HAVING MULTIPLE STRONG INDIGENT DEFENSE OPTIONS CREATES THE CAPACITY AND GIVES BEXAR COUNTY TOOLS TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AFFORD ATTORNEYS STILL RECEIVE MEANINGFUL REPRESENTATION. WE SHOULD BE STRENGTHENING OUR INDIGENTS DEFENSE INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT FORCING SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS TO COM TO COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR SURVIVAL. THE STATE GRANT HELPED BEXAR COUNTY ESTABLISH MAC. NOW, BEXAR COUNTY MUST DECIDE WHETHER THIS REFORM WAS TEMPORARY OR WHETHER QUALITY INDIGENT DEFENSE IS A PERMANENT VALUE. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO MAKE IT PERMANENT. PLEASE PROVIDE THE FULL 2.1 MILLION FOR MAC. THANK YOU, DONNA. IS IT ENOS, DONNA OR DOMINIQUE? DOMINIQUE. RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DOMINIC NELS AND I'M AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. I FIRST BECAME INVOLVED IN THIS WORK THROUGH A PROBATION VISIONING SESSION BECAUSE THESE ISSUES ARE PERSONAL TO ME. I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH APPOINTED ATTORNEYS AND WITH BEING PLACED ON PROBATION, LOOKING BACK AT MY OWN CASE, I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN EXPLORED. THE CASE POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED OR RESTITUTION COULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED INSTEAD OF PLACING ME ON PROBATION. BUT WHEN YOU ARE THE PERSON STANDING IN COURT, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND ALL YOUR OPTIONS. YOU DEPEND ON YOUR ATTORNEY. THAT'S WHY QUALITY REPRESENTATION MATTERS. A PLEA AGREEMENT MAY RESOLVE THE A CASE THAT DAY, BUT PROBATION CAN FOLLOW SOMEONE FOR MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS. THERE ARE FEES, REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, CONDITIONS, AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT A TECHNICAL VIOLATION CAN PUT YOU IN JAIL. SO THE QUALITY OF DEFENSE ON THE FRONT END MATTERS TREMENDOUSLY. AN ATTORNEY SHOULD HAVE THE TIME, RESOURCES, AND END WELL MOTIVATION TO INVESTIGATE THE CASE, EXPLORE EVERY OPTION, AND ADVOCATE FOR THE LEAST HARMFUL, APPROPRIATE OUTCOME. THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT BAYER COUNTY'S MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM. TOP IS WORKING TO REDUCE UNNECESSARY INCARCERATION FOR TECHNICAL PROBATION VIOLATIONS. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO ASK PEOPLE, ASK HOW PEOPLE ARE ENTERING PROBATION IN THE FIRST PLACE. COMMISSIONERS DON'T ALLOW A FUNDING GAP TO TAKE US BACKWARDS. PLEASE MAKE THE FULL $2.1 MILLION INVESTMENT IN MAC SO THAT INCOME DOES NOT DETERMINE THE QUALITY OF JUSTICE SOMEONE RECEIVES. THANK YOU, PRISCILLA CHACON. PRISCILLA CHACON. UM, GOOD MORNING, UH, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS VILLA CHACO AND I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT AND A FORMAL CANVAS MANAGER. I'M HERE NOT ONLY AS AN ORGAN ORGANIZER, BUT AS A MOTHER. MY DAUGHTER HAD EXPERIENCED A COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY THAT LEFT OUR FAMILY DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY AND PROFESSIONALISM OF THE REPRESENTATION SHE RECEIVED FROM OUR FAMILY EXPERIENCE. PRIVATE INFORMATION ABOUT HER CASE WAS SHARED WITH FAMILY MEMBERS IN WAYS THAT WE BELIEVE VIOLATED THE TRUST THAT SHOULD EXIST BETWEEN ATTORNEY AND CLIENT. WE ALSO EXPERIENCE CONDUCT THAT WE BELIEVE CROSS APPROPRIATE PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES. WE, WHEN YOU ARE POOR OR CANNOT AFFORD A PRIVATE ATTORNEY, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT WHATEVER REP REPRESENTATION YOU HA YOU HAPPEN TO RECEIVE AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. THE CONSTITUTION MAY GUARANTEE AN ATTORNEY, BUT MEANINGFUL JUSTICE REQUIRES EFFECTIVE, INDEPENDENT, AND ACCOUNTABLE REPRESENTATION. THIS IS WHY BEAR COUNTY NEEDS MANAGED DESIGN COUNSEL. WE NEED A SYSTEM THAT IS FOCUSED ON THE QUALITY OF REPRESENTATION AND GIVES APPOINTED ATTORNEYS THE INDEPENDENTS NECESSARY TO [00:30:01] ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CLIENTS AND WANT. I WANT, AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT ABOUT CHOOSING BETWEEN A PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE AND MAC. DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT CASES MAY NEED DIFFERENT FORMS OF REPRESENTATION. A STRONG INDIGENT DEFENSE SYSTEM CANNOT HAVE MORE THAN ONE TOOL. BEXAR COUNTY HAS ALREADY INVESTED TIME AND RESOURCES INTO BUILDING MAC. THE COMMUNITY FOUGHT ALONGSIDE YOU FOR THIS PROGRESS. DO NOT DISMANTLE IT WHEN THE GRANT ENDS. I'M ASKING YOU TO FULLY FUND MAC AT 2.1 MILLION AND MAKE QUALITY INDIGENT DEFENSE A PERMANENT COMMITMENT OF BEAR COUNTY. THANK YOU. JEAN MOLINA. IS IT JEAN? OH, THERE YOU'RE GOOD MORNING JUDGES AND COMMISSION NURSE. MY NAME IS JEAN MOLINA AND I'M A MEMBER OF TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. EVERY BUDGET TELLS US WHAT A GOVERNMENT VALUES. TODAY YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT BEXAR COUNTY VALUES FAIRNESS, CONSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATION, AND KEEPING FAMILIES TOGETHER. THE MANAGED ASSISTANT COUNCIL PROGRAM BEGAN WITH OUTSIDE FUNDING, BUT GRANT FUNDING WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO REPLACE THE COUNTY'S LONG-TERM RESPONSIBILITY FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE. THE COMMUNITY SHOWED UP, ATTORNEYS SHOWED UP AND THE PROGRAM WAS BUILT. NOW THE COUNTY NEEDS TO SHOW UP. WE ARE ASKING FOR THE FULL 2.1 MILLION, NOT A PARTIAL INVESTMENT THAT LEAVES THE PROGRAM STRUGGLING TO DO ITS JOB. IT WAS CREATED TO DO. TOP MEMBERS WILL CONTINUE SHOWING UP BECAUSE WE BELIEVE ACCESS TO QUALITY LEGAL REPRESENTATION SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON SOMEBODY'S BANK ACCOUNT. COMMISSIONERS PROTECT THE INVESTMENTS ALREADY MADE, PROTECT THE PROGRESS OUR COMMUNITY FOUGHT FOR, AND DEMONSTRATE THAT BEAR COUNTY IS SERIOUS ABOUT BUILDING A FAIRER CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM. FUND THE MAC FOR 2.1 MILLION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE THAT SIGNED UP THAT DIDN'T CALL? YOUR NAME IS ANYBODY ELSE. ALRIGHT, [2. Presentations and discussion regarding the proposed Bexar County Fiscal Year 2026-27 Operating and Capital Budgets related to appropriations and/or capital expenditures for the following County offices and departments: A. Managed Assigned Counsel, regarding the following: i. A program change request in the amount of $1,859,010 to maintain the Managed Assigned Counsel Office, which is responsible for administering an independent indigent defense appointment system in Bexar County, including 16 positions, following the conclusion of the grant requirements set forth by the Texas Indigent Defense Commission. B. Public Defender’s Office, regarding the following: i. Status update on progress, activities and effectiveness of the office on the provision of representation to indigent criminal defendants in Bexar County. C. Domestic Violence Impact Courts, regarding the following: i. A program change request in the General Fund for an additional amount of $1,932,953 to fund two (2) Domestic Violence Impact Courts, currently funded through December 31st, 2026, with the American Rescue Plan Act grant funding; the additional funding will be for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2026-27, specifically January 1st, 2027 through September 30th, 2027. Requests per department are as follows: a) County Courts: $741,254 b) County Clerk: $192,389 c) District Attorney: $999,310. D. County Courts, regarding the following: i. A program change request in the General Fund for an additional amount of $178,381 to fund one (1) Associate Judge Post-ARPA, originally funded to assist the Domestic Violence Impact Court and currently funded through December 31st, 2026; the additional funding will be for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2026-27, specifically January 1st, 2027 through September 30th, 2027; and ii. A program change request in the General Fund amount of $73,319 for one (1) Office Assistant IV to assist the Veterans Treatment Court and misdemeanor criminal cases pending in County Court at Law No. 6; and iii. A program change request in the General Fund amount of $118,282 for one (1) Court Manager to assist the Veterans Treatment Court; and iv. A request to create two statutory County Courts at Law in the 90th Texas Legislative Session. E. Department of Public Safety, regarding the following: i. A salary adjustment request in the total amount of $11,926 for two (2) Office Assistant IV’s.] LET US START THE WORK SESSION. WE'LL GO TO AGENDA ITEM TWO, A PRESENTATION DISCUSSION REGARDING PROPOSED BEXAR COUNTY FISCAL YEAR 26 27 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS RELATED TO APPROPRIATIONS AND OR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS. A MANAGE TO SIGN COUNSEL REGARDING THE FOLLOWING. SUBSECTION ONE, A PROGRAM CHANGE REQUESTING THE AMOUNT OF $1,000,859 $10 TO MAINTAIN THE MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNSEL OFFICE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATING AN INDEPENDENT INDIGENT DEFENSE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM IN BE COUNTY, INCLUDING 16 POSITIONS FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH BY THE TEXAS INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION. MR. BEKE, DO YOU HAVE THE FLOOR JUDGE, JUDGE, AKA MEMBERS OF COMMISSIONERS COURT. UM, THANKS FOR GETTING UP THE PRESENTATION WITH ME. I, UM, JUDGE RYAN HILL. MM-HMM . AND ALSO HALEY PEACE, OUR TRIAL DIVISION DIRECTOR. UM, NEXT SLIDE. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TALK ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WHAT TOOK PLACE PRIOR TO THE FORMATION OF THE MAC IN 20 18 20 17. 2019. THERE WAS A SERIES OF ARTICLES IN THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS IDENTIFYING SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES IN OUR INDIGENT DEFENSE SYSTEM. UM, THE TITLE WAS CALLED UNEQUAL JUSTICE AND TOP WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTITUDE OF THOSE ARTICLES AFTER THOSE ARTICLES. OH, WE GOT HERE. THANK YOU. NICE. UM, TECHNOLOGY. ALRIGHT, GET A SEE IN THAT. UM, BEAR COUNTY RESPONDED TO THAT. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE PICTURE IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER, A GROUP OF BE COUNTY OFFICIALS, JUDGE RONELL, JUDGE SHANKI, JUDGE RAHMAN, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS POLICY AND PLANNING. UM, AND OTHERS WENT TO LUBBOCK, SPENT THREE DAYS TO REVIEW THE PRIVATE DEFENDER. IT WAS WHILE I WAS STILL THERE. THEY CAME OUT, THEY COME BACK, UM, COME TO Y'ALL. AND THEN THE COURT GOES AND CONTRACTS WITH THE TEXAS A AND M PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN 2019 OR 2020. IT'S ABOUT 180 PAGE REPORT, IDENTIFYING MANY AREAS WHERE BEAR COUNTY CAN IMPROVE ITS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE BIGGEST RECOMMENDATION IN THAT REPORT WAS TO FORM A MAP. BEXAR COUNTY DIDN'T STOP THERE. AFTER THAT, THEY GOT WITH THE TEXAS INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION AND ASKED FOR A PLANNING STUDY, HAD A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND REFERENCE TO THAT. AFTER THAT CAME BACK TO THE COURT. THE COURT IN THE SUMMER OF 21 APPLIED FOR A GRANT TO ESTABLISH THE PROGRAM. AFTER TIDC AWARDED THAT GRANT, I WAS IN HOUSTON, JUDGE RON, HELL HAD CALLED AND SO DID THE DIRECTOR OF THE, [00:35:01] UM, TEXAS INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION TO ASK IF I WOULD THROW MY NAME IN THE HOPPER. MY WORK IN HOUSTON, I GUESS IT NEVER ENDS, BUT IT WAS AT A GOOD STOPPING POINT. I SAID, YES, I'D BE HONORED TO THROW MY NAME IN, IN THE HOPPER PART OF WHAT THE GRANT HAD, IT DID HAVE 10 OBJECTIVES. IT HAD 10 OBJECTIVES, AND WE'RE GONNA HIT THAT AT THE VERY END AND SHOW THAT WE'VE HIT UPON EVERY ONE OF THOSE. BUT THIS CHART SHOWS WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE FOUR AND A HALF YEARS THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS. AND I THINK IMPORTANTLY, AND WHAT GETS LOST IN TRANSLATION IS REALLY, WHAT IS IT YOUR OFFICE DOES? WELL, THE THREE THEMES ARE SUPPORTING LAWYERS IN AND OUT OF THE COURTROOM, STRENGTHENING OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. AND IT WAS SAID SO ARTFULLY AND ELOQUENTLY BY ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. UM, AND INVESTING IN THE ATTORNEYS, THE 237 I WE'RE, I DON'T KNOW, WE'RE OVER 200 OR MAYBE JUST UNDER 200 WHEN WE STARTED, BUT INVESTING IN THEM SO THAT THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO STAND ALONE. NEXT, ON THE TOP, YOU'LL SEE THE LITTLE FLAGS. AND I GOTTA GIVE LISA WOOD CREDIT FOR THIS. WHEN WE PUT THIS TOGETHER, SHE'S WAY MORE ANALYTICAL AND THOUGHTFUL AND SAID, HEY, DO IT SO FOLKS CAN UNDERSTAND IT. BUT IT HIT LIST THE, THE MILESTONES ACROSS THE TOP. UM, NEW TECHNOLOGY, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, CASE REVIEWS, BETTER VOUCHER PROCESSING, OVERSIGHT, ATTORNEY TRAINING AND SYSTEM THAT SIMPLY DID NOT EXIST BEFORE THE MAC AND ONE MILESTONE THAT WE'RE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF. AND COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU AND FCA. EACH YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN HERE ON MARCH 18TH, YOU AND THE COURT HAVE DEDICATED MARCH 18TH IS GIDEON DAY, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK CASE THAT SAID, YOU SHOULDN'T BE BROUGHT INTO COURT IF YOU'RE TOO POOR TO HIRE. YOU NEED TO HAVE ONE ASSIGNED. AND THAT'S REALLY THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. SO THOSE RESOLUTIONS REALLY DO MATTER AND IT, AND IT REMINDS THE COMMUNITY AND OTHERS ABOUT EQUAL JUSTICE IN FAIRNESS. AND END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT THIS. BUT PROGRAMS SHOULD NOT JUST BE DONE OR JUDGED BY THE, THE BOXES, UM, THAT THEY CHECK. THEY SHOULD BE JUDGED WHETHER THE INITIATIVES ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS SHOW YOU KIND OF HOW THAT INVESTMENT LOOKS NOW AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE OF THE COURT APPOINTED CASES GOING THROUGH OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM. 94% GO THROUGH OUR OFFICE. THAT EQUATES TO OVER 32,000. AND THEN THE 237 ATTORNEYS THAT WE MANAGE AND OVERSEE, THAT IS THE SCALE OF OUR PROGRAM. AND WE'RE DOING THIS EFFICIENTLY. OUR AVERAGE COST PER CASE IS AROUND $692 FOR FELONIES, 332 PER MISDEMEANOR CASE. AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT BELOW THE OVERALL STATE AVERAGE. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MAC, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOME SMALL PROGRAM OPERATING ON THE MARGINS OF INDIGENT DEFENSE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORTING THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF ALL CASES GOING THROUGH OUR SYSTEM, AND WE'RE DELIVERING THAT AT A VERY COMPETITIVE PRICE. THIS IS A RELATIVELY SMALL INVESTMENT SUPPORTING A VERY LARGE PART OF OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND COMMISSIONER MOODY, UM, PAUL AND I APPRECIATED MEETING WITH PAUL AND FCA AHEAD OF TIME AND IT'S ABOUT KIND OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE M THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE, UM, ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. UM, CARRIE KNOWS THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, FRONTWARD BACKWARD. WE KNOW THE MAC, BUT AGAIN, IF YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH IT EVERY DAY, IT IS, IT IS CONFUSING. SO THIS, THIS CHART SHOWS THE ROLE OF THE MAC. WE PROVIDE THE OVERSIGHT, ACCOUNTABILITY, THE TRAINING, THE SUPPORT TO THE PRIVATE PRACTITIONER, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. ON ANOTHER HAND, IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MODEL. THEY PROVIDE DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES ALL FROM THE START TO THE FINISH. THEY'RE ONE OF THE FEW JURISDICTIONS IN THE STATE THAT HAS COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE. THEY ARE AT THE SPECIALTY COURT IN 2015. THEY, I THINK SCOTT EHLERS MENTIONED THEY SECURED A GRANT TO, UM, REALLY MAKE A ROBUST MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST PUBLIC DEFENDER PROGRAMS BACK WHEN I WAS STILL AT THE STATE IN 2005. IT WAS A REGIONAL APPELLATE PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVING THE FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS. AFTER A FEW YEARS, I THINK FOLKS GOT A LITTLE ANNOYED AT HAVING TO TRY TO DO ALL THE INTERLOCALS AND THE GRAND STUFF, SO THEY PEELED IT BACK TO ONE. BUT THEY'VE GOT AN INCREDIBLE APPELLATE DIVISION. AND SO THAT'S AN INVESTMENT [00:40:01] TOO THAT THE STATE WANTS TO, UM, CARRY FORWARD. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS OUR TRIAL DIVISION DIRECTOR, SHE'S THE ONE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE ATTORNEYS. ALL OF THE ATTORNEYS KIND OF REPORT UP THROUGH HER. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS WE GO INTO THE CASE OUTCOMES IS TURN IT OVER TO OUR TRIAL DIVISION DIRECTOR, HAILEY. PEACE. THANK WELL THANK YOU JIM AND JUDGE AKA COMMISSIONERS. ALTHOUGH I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING AND WORKING WITH MOST OF YOU. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS HAILEY PEASE. I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE TRIAL DIVISION DIRECTOR AT THE MANTO SIGNED COUNSEL OFFICE. MY ENTIRE CAREER I'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON CRIMINAL LAW AND MORE SPECIFICALLY IN CRIMINAL DEFENSE. I'VE WORKED AS A PRIVATE PRACTITIONER AND AS A COURT APPOINTED LAWYER. I STARTED AT THE MAC IN 2022 AS A TRIAL DIVISION ATTORNEY AND HAVE WORKED MY WAY UP ALL THE WAY INTO MY CURRENT POSITION. I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ATTORNEYS HIRED TO OUR TEAM AT ITS INCEPTION. AND I TAKE A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL PRIDE IN THE SYSTEMS THAT WE'VE BUILT, THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE, THE OUTCOMES WE'VE OBTAINED, AND THE SERVICES THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TO OUR PANEL LAWYERS. THE ROLE OF THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY IS TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THE, IS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THEIR CLIENT. THE GOAL IS TO ALWAYS REDUCE HARM TO THE ACCUSED AND PLACE A CHECK ON THE POWER OF THE GOVERNMENT. AS A PROGRAM CHARGED WITH THE OVERSIGHT OF PANEL ATTORNEYS, LOOKING TO CASE OUTCOMES IS A GOOD WAY TO MEASURE THE ATTORNEY'S PERFORMANCE AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. ON THIS SLIDE, WE'VE BROKEN DOWN CASE OUTCOMES SIMPLY BY CASES ENDING IN EITHER A CONVICTION OR NO CONVICTION. BUT FOR CLARITY, THOSE LABELED AS NO CONVICTION INCLUDE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED. A NOT GUILTY VERDICT HAS BEEN REACHED, UH, PRETRIAL DIVERSION WAS ENTERED INTO DEFERRED AJU OR A PLEA OF DEFERRED ADJUDICATION WAS OBTAINED. OUR PANEL ATTORNEYS HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE IMPRESSIVE RESULTS AVERAGING ABOVE 50% OF THEIR CASES, ENDING IN NO CONVICTIONS ON MISDEMEANORS AND FELONIES. THESE ATTORNEYS ON OUR PANEL ARE OFTEN OPERATE AS SOLO PRACTITIONERS WITH LITTLE TO NO ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT OR STAFF. OUR OFFICE WORKS TO PROVIDE THESE ATTORNEYS WITH SUPPORT ON THE LEGAL SUBSTANCE AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE NEEDS OF EACH CASE. THIS TYPE OF SUPPORT ASSIST OUR PANEL ATTORNEYS WITH ACHIEVING THESE IMPRESSIVE OUTCOMES. LOOKING AT THE LAST TWO YEARS ALONE, MAC PANEL ATTORNEYS HAVE PERFORMED COMPARATIVELY WITHIN A 3% MARGIN FOR CASE OUTCOMES COMPARED TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE, WHICH HAS A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT PER CASE. THIS SPEAKS NOT ONLY TO THE COMMITMENT OF OUR PANEL ATTORNEYS, BUT TO OUR INTERNAL STAFF'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING THE BEST POSSIBLE SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WHEN THE MAC WAS INITIALLY PUT INTO PLACE, ONE OF THE MAJOR GOALS IDENTIFIED WAS TO GROW THE WHEEL. WE INITIALLY FOCUSED OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS TO THE MISDEMEANOR PANEL BY COORDINATING WITH COUNTY COURT ADMINISTRATION AND THE JUDICIARY. IN 2023, WE PUBLISHED THE MISDEMEANOR FEE STUDY, WHICH ASSISTED IN SECURING A FEE INCREASE LATER THAT YEAR. NOW TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER, THE MISDEMEANOR PANEL HAS NEARLY DOUBLED IN SIZE. OUR FELONY PANELS CONTINUE TO SEE STABILITY OR IN SOME AREAS SLOW GROWTH. WE REMAIN FOCUSED ON RECRUIT RECRUITING QUALITY ATTORNEYS WHILE ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT HAVE LONG SERVED AS A DETERRENT FOR PARTICIPATION. AS WE MOVE INTO THE COMING YEAR, OUR GOAL IS TO FOCUS ON GROWING OUR FIRST DEGREE PANEL. WE HAVE SPENT TIME COLLECTING FEEDBACK FROM THE PANEL LAWYERS AND HAVE LAID OUT SEVERAL PLANS INTERNALLY WITH OUR STAFF TO RESPOND. OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIVE LEGAL SUPPORT TO THE ATTORNEYS ON OUR FIRST DEGREE PANEL WITH THE IDEA THAT THIS WILL ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORKLOAD AND ALLOW THE ATTORNEYS TO FOCUS ON THE SUBSTANCES OF THE CHARGES TO WHICH THEY'RE ASSIGNED. WE ALSO HAVE A PLAN TO EXPAND MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO ASSIST YOUNGER ATTORNEYS WITH BECOMING ELIGIBLE TO ACCEPT HIGHER LEVEL OFFENSES. AND ON THE BOTTOM HALF OF THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT CASELOAD MONITORING CONTINUES TO BE A MAIN PRIORITY FOR THE MANAGE ASSIGNED COUNCIL OFFICE, BUT WE HAVE TO BALANCE THE GUIDELINE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE GROWING NEED TO GROW THOSE WHEELS. SO EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A CHALLENGE, WE ARE SEEING SOME STABILIZATION FOR THE ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY OPERATED ABOVE THE RECOMMENDED CASELOAD GUIDELINES. IN OCTOBER, WE INTEND TO DO A LARGE SCALE REVIEW OF ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE BEEN OVER TWO AND A HALF TIMES THE GUIDELINES FOR ONE YEAR OR LONGER. AND THOSE IDENTIFIED ATTORNEYS WILL BE REQUIRED TO COME IN AND REVIEW THEIR PERFORMANCE METRICS AFTER DISCUSSION AND REVIEW. EACH ATTORNEY THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED WILL BE OFFERED TAILORED SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE UNTIL THEIR CASELOAD REACHES A MORE MANAGEABLE LEVEL. WE'RE ONLY IN THIS POSITION TO IMPLEMENT THESE CHANGES NOW TO THE IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR PROGRAM. LOOKING INTERNALLY TO OUR STAFF AND THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. THIS YEAR ALONE, THE M HAS ADMINISTERED 30,060 SYSTEM BASED ATTORNEY ASSIGNMENTS, 1,143 MANUAL CASE ASSIGNMENTS, REVIEWED AND PROCESSED, 17,333 MISDEMEANOR AND FELONY VOUCHERS, AND RESPONDED TO 3,570 ATTORNEY REQUESTS. WE'VE ALSO RESOLVED 1,528 COMPLAINTS, AND OUR TEAM HAS ACCOMPLISHED ALL OF THIS WHILE PROCESSING INVESTIGATOR [00:45:01] APPLICATIONS, MAINTAINING A LIST OF QUALIFIED INVESTIGATORS, MANAGING ACCESS TO THE LANGUAGE LINE FOR OUR PANEL ATTORNEYS, AND CONDUCTING IN-PERSON COURT CHECK-INS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THESE INSTANCES ARE MORE THAN ADMINISTRATIVE TRANSACTIONS OF ONE PROGRAM. EACH ONE REPRESENTS A PART OF AN OPERATION NECESSARY TO MAKE A LARGE SCALE PRIVATE APPOINTED COUNSEL SYSTEM ACCOUNTABLE, RESPONSIVE, AND EFFECTIVE. THE M OFFICE SIMPLY DOES NOT ASSIGN LAWYERS. WE SUPPORT THEM. WE MONITOR THE SYSTEM, AND WE WORK EVERY DAY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF REPRESENTATION THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING TO BEXAR COUNTY CITIZENS. AND WHILE THE LAST SLIDE SHOWED THE ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM WORKLOAD, THIS SLIDE TALKS SHOWS Y'ALL THAT OUR WORK GOES WELL BEYOND ADMINISTRATION. THE RESOURCE ATTORNEYS AND I ARE ACTIVELY SUPPORTING APPOINTED COUNSEL ON REAL BEAR COUNTY CASES. THIS YEAR. WE HAVE REVIEWED 1,291 FELONY CASES AND PROVIDED DIRECT LEGAL SUPPORT IN 222 CRIMINAL CASES. WE HAVE PROVIDED FIVE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO, FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO, EXCUSE ME. PADILLA ADVISES, UH, TO INDIVID TO ATTORNEYS WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO REPRESENT NON-CITIZEN DEFENDANTS. OUR LEGAL TEAM HAS ALSO COORDINATED OR OFFERED 18 CLES FOR PANEL ATTORNEYS AND ASSISTED WITH THE APPOINTMENT OR PAYMENT OF INVESTIGATORS IN AT LEAST 79 INSTANCES. WE ALSO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED SUPPORT IN JUVENILE CASES, ATTEND AND STAFF SPECIALTY COURTS, AND PROACTIVELY REACH OUT TO PANEL ATTORNEYS WHEN WE SEE A CASE WHERE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE OUTCOME. WE DO NOT REPLACE THE WORK OF OUR PANEL LAWYERS. WE MAKE SURE THAT EACH PANEL LAWYER DOES NOT HAVE TO STAND ALONE. WHEN WE STRENGTHEN THE PANEL ATTORNEY, WE STRENGTHEN THE REPRESENTATION THAT EACH CLIENT RECEIVES. AND ALTHOUGH OUR MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION IS STILL COVERED BY THE GRANT FUNDING FOR TWO MORE YEARS, I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT THIS PART OF OUR TEAM PROVIDES. THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION IS A GREAT TEAM, AND THEY'RE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT BECOMES POSSIBLE WHEN YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZED INDIGENT DEFENSE SYSTEM. AFTER THE MAC WAS ESTABLISHED, WE WERE ABLE TO LEVERAGE AN ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING AND CREATE A DEDICATED MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION TO BRING NEW RESOURCES TO BEXAR COUNTY'S COURT APPOINTED SYSTEM. THE WORK OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM IS VERY PRACTICAL. WE PROVIDE DIRECT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES MITIGATION SUPPORT. WE HELP ATTORNEYS IDENTIFY CLIENTS WHO MAY QUALIFY FOR SPECIALTY COURTS. WE CONNECT CLIENTS WITH HOUSING, TREATMENT, EMPLOYMENT, AND CONNECT WITH OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF PROVIDING CONTINUITY OF CARE. THIS YEAR ALONE FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM, THAT HAS INCLUDED DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES TO 145 CLIENTS, 282 HOURS OF MITIGATION SUPPORT ON CRIMINAL CASES AND 107 DIRECT REFERRALS TO VARIOUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE RESULT IS BETTER SUPPORT FOR THE ATTORNEY, BETTER INFORMATION FOR THE COURT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, BETTER SUPPORT FOR THE CLIENTS. THAT IS THE VALUE OF HAVING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE. IT ALLOWS BEXAR COUNTY TO SECURE OUTSIDE RESOURCES AND TURN THOSE RESOURCES INTO BETTER REPRESENTATION AND BETTER OUTCOMES FOR THE RESIDENTS FOR OUR RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND FINALLY, COMMISSIONERS, I LEAVE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE GROWING DEMAND OF THE MAJOR SERVICES THAT OUR OFFICE PROVIDES. MORE CASES ARE BEING PROCESSED THROUGH THE COUNTY THAN IN YEARS BEFORE. MORE CASES MEANS MORE VOUCHERS. AND WITH THE EXPECTED LAUNCH OF THE INVOICE THIS FALL, OUR OFFICE IS GOING TO SEE A WORKLOAD INCREASE OF OVER 50% ON VOUCHER PROCESSING ALONE. THE DEMAND FOR OUR SUPPORT IS NOT ONLY ADMINISTRATIVE, AS WE HAVE FOUND OUR PLACE IN THE COUNTY, OUR PRESENCE HAS BECOME MORE ACCEPTED AND UTILIZED BY PANEL ATTORNEYS AS WELL. THE GRANT FUNDING HAS CONCLUDED, BUT THE NEED FOR THE WORK THAT WE PROVIDE HAS ONLY INCREASED. COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME. I'M GOING TO HAND IT BACK TO MR. BETHKE FOR FINAL REMARKS. THANK YOU, HALEY. ONE LAST SLIDE. BEFORE I DO, I DO WANT TO THANK SCOTT ER'S, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT TIDC FOR DRIVING DOWN FROM AUSTIN THIS MORNING TO SHARE HIS COMMENTS. OUR FRIENDS WITH THE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT ACT FOR SAN ANTONIO AND OTHERS THAT HAVE TESTIFIED. I THINK REALLY THAT'S EXHIBIT ONE FOR US, THE BROAD BASED, AND WE'RE, AND WHEN I FINISH THIS, I'D LIKE TO HAND IT OVER TO JUDGE RON HILL, BROAD BASED COMMUNITY SUPPORT FROM THE STATE TO THE LOCAL LEVEL. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, I TALKED ABOUT THE 10 OBJECTIVES. UM, THOSE ARE THE 10 OBJECTIVES. I'M NOT GOING TO TO READ THROUGH 'EM. WE'VE MET AND EXCEEDED ALL, AS SCOTT HAD NOTED, I THINK ANANDA HAD MENTIONED. UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT HALEY AND THE TEAM DID IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AFTER GETTING GRILLED IN SOME OF OUR EARLIER PRESENTATIONS WITHOUT REAL GOOD DATA. I'M GRATEFUL FOR OUR SENIOR RESEARCH DATA ANALYST WHO'S HELPED US TO PULL THIS TOGETHER. SO WE WEREN'T TOTALLY BUMBLING WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS, BUT I'D LIKE TO CLOSE WITH A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE THIS YEAR MARKS AN IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARY. IT WAS 25 YEARS AGO THAT GOVERNOR RICK PERRY SIGNED IN LAW, THE FAIR DEFENSE ACT OF, OF 2001. [00:50:01] IT DIDN'T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL, UM, 2022, UM, 2002. BUT HE SIGNED INTO LAW. IT WAS THE MAJOR, IT WAS THE BIGGEST CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IN TEXAS. HI HISTORY. AND IT WAS LED BY ONE OF OUR MUTUAL FRIENDS, SENATOR RODNEY ELLIS AND, AND CHEWY OSA WAS ON THE STATE SIDE. AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE STATE STEPPED UP AND PROVIDED SOME FUNDING. THEY REQUIRED SOME, UM, STATEWIDE REPORTING. THEY PROVIDED A LITTLE BIT OF STRUCTURE. THEY SAID ATTORNEYS HAVE TO DO SOME OF THESE BASIC THINGS. AND THEY LAID IT OUT IN STATUTE WELL OVER THOSE 25 YEARS. AND, AND, AND SCOTT MENTIONED THIS, UM, TIDC THROUGH THE FORMULA GRANTS AND THE, UM, THE, WE USED TO CALL 'EM DISCRETIONARY, NOW THEY'RE CALLED IMPROVEMENT GRANTS. HAS INVESTED WELL OVER 40 MILLION. BEAR COUNTY WILL CONTINUE RECEIVING FUNDING FROM TIDC AND THROUGH THE FORMULA. I KNOW AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK, THE NUMBER, UM, WENT UP. SO IT'LL PROBABLY BE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT OVER A MILLION YOU'LL FIND OUT, UM, IN DEC DECEMBER. SO THE GRANT OBJECTIONS WERE THEIR PROMISES WHEN, WHEN THE GRANT BEGAN. UM, WE'VE DELIVERED ON THOSE PROMISES. YOU'VE SEEN THE DATA, THE 32,000 CASES, 237 PRIVATE ATTORNEYS, STRONGER OVERSIGHT, GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY. AND IT'S OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS OVERSEEING 95% OF THIS. SO THE GRANT DID WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. I ASKED FOR Y'ALL TO MOVE THE MONEY FROM CONTINGENCY INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN ALSO WHAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT. AND Y'ALL RECEIVED MY RETIREMENT LETTER BACK IN JUNE. I'M STEPPING DOWN IN SEPTEMBER 30. I SPENT A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND FAMILY AND MAYBE EVEN GET TO GO DO A LITTLE HUNTING AND FISHING. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, CONTINUITY OF LEADERSHIP IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. AND NOT THIS COURT, BUT PREVIOUS COURTS, WHEN THE FIRST PUBLIC DEFENDER RESIGNED, IT TOOK THREE YEARS TO REPLACE THAT PARTICULAR PERSON. HECK, EVEN WHEN MICHAEL YOUNG STEPPED DOWN, IT WAS ALMOST, IT WAS OVER A YEAR AND A HALF, ESPECIALLY WITH A YOUNG PROGRAM. THE CONTINUITY OF LEADERSHIP IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. OUR BOARD MET, UM, EARLIER THIS MONTH. THEY HAD RECOMMENDED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPOINT HALEY PEACE IS THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. SHE'S EARNED THAT. THAT'S COMING BEFORE Y'ALL ON SEPTEMBER ONE. AND THEN THE OTHER ITEM IS TO GO AHEAD AND POST THE POSITION FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALLOW MY BOARD, WHICH IS CAPABLY HEADED AND RUN BY PROFESSOR STEPHANIE STEVENS AND THE OTHER MEMBERS THAT Y'ALL HAD APPOINTED AND CONFIRMED BACK IN, IN 2001. LET THEM GO FORWARD WITH IT BECAUSE THIS, THIS ISN'T A BRAND NEW PROGRAM ANYMORE. NOW, I THINK WE'VE GARNERED SOME STATEWIDE. I KNOW WE'VE GARNERED STATEWIDE AND WE'VE GARNERED SOME NATIONAL ATTENTION. UM, I THINK HAYLEY'S GOING TO BE VERY COMPETITIVE IN THAT ROLE, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME REALLY STRONG CANDIDATES. SO I ASK FOR YOU TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN A PROGRAM THAT IS, YOU KNOW, PART OF ME AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO WORK AND SERVE FOR Y'ALL. AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO JUDGE RYAN. HELL, BECAUSE IF I HADN'T GOTTEN THE PHONE CALL FROM HIM, I WON'T EVEN BE HERE. THANK YOU, JIM. THANK YOU JUDGE SAKA. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER'S COURT. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I KNOW YOU'RE IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION. YOU HAVE DIFFICULT WORK AS IT RELATES TO BUDGETS AND ESPECIALLY IN THESE AUSTERE TIMES AND DETERMINING, UH, WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WON'T TAKE UP MUCH TIME. I'M BASICALLY HERE TO SUPPORT, UM, THE MAC PROGRAM. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS PROGRAM AS WELL. THE TWO PROGRAMS REALLY WORK WELL TOGETHER. THEY'RE COMPLIMENTARY. UM, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT, UH, THAT I WAS THE APPLICANT TO THE STATE. GOT TO WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH SCOTT EILERS AND HELPING TO CREATE THE MAC HERE. AND, UH, BRINGING IN JIM AND ALSO BRINGING IN CARRIE MALLON, WHO'S REALLY DONE A LOT TO BRING THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE FORWARD. UM, I DID PROVIDE A LETTER OF SUPPORT, UH, THAT IS THERE FOR Y'ALL. YOU DEFINITELY ARE WELCOME TO READ THAT. AS IT RELATES TO A COMBINATION OF COST EFFICIENCIES AND QUALITIES OF REPRESENTATION, WE REALLY CAN'T GET BETTER. UM, THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE TRANSPARENCY. WE DON'T HAVE JUDGES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHOOSING WHO GETS TO BE ON THE COURT APPOINTMENT SYSTEM. WE DON'T HAVE JUDGES WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SIGNING VOUCHERS TO LAWYERS, UH, TO EXPERTS, TO INVESTIGATORS. UH, WE, WE DON'T HAVE JUDGES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE SO MUCH FOR THE QUALITY REPRESENTATION AS THE M NOW HANDLES ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND SO AS IT RELATES TO MAKING SURE THAT ATTORNEYS PERFORM ADEQUATELY, UH, THEY PROVIDE CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION, UH, REALLY PROVIDES TRANSPARENCY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO LOOK AT THE INDIGENT DEFENSE SYSTEM AND TO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE SYSTEM IS WORKING ON THEIR BEHALF. AND AGAIN, IF YOU, IF YOU REVIEW THE LETTER THAT I PROVIDED, I THINK YOU'LL SEE ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT OUR INDIGENT DEFENSE SYSTEM IN BEXAR COUNTY IS DOING. WE ARE A MODEL FOR THE STATE. I GET CALLS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, SOMETIMES OUTSIDE OF THE STATE TO ASK ON HOW WE'RE DOING THINGS. AND IT COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU [00:55:01] DO. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE DAY. THANK YOU, JUDGE. JIM. JIM, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND, AND, UM, MAYBE SOME QUESTIONS FOR BUDGET STAFF. UM, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME, LET ME THANK YOU, JIM. I, I KNOW WE WERE INVOLVED EARLY ON IN DISCUSSIONS OF SURE. UH, THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS PROGRAM. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE HEARD THIS MORNING, BOTH FROM, YOU KNOW, JUDGE RON HILL, UM, OUR FRIENDS FROM TOP AND OTHERS, UM, IS NOT HYPERBOLE. IT REALLY IS A, UM, A MODEL. YOU KNOW, I'M INVOLVED WITH THE, THE CONFERENCE OF URBAN COUNTIES AND, AND MEET WITH THOSE FOLKS REGULARLY. AND OFTENTIMES I GET QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THIS PROGRAM, HOW WE SET IT UP. AND, UM, IT HAS BECOME A MODEL FOR THE STATE AND MAYBE EVEN, UH, THE REST OF THE, OF THE COUNTRY. UH, SO JIM, I KNOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE HEADING OUT, UM, TO, UH, DO SOME THINGS YOU MIGHT ENJOY A LITTLE BETTER THAN, THAN BEING WITH US. IMAGINE THAT I, I CAN'T IMAGINE BETTER COMPANY THAN YOU HAVE HERE AT BEXAR COUNTY, BUT, UH, THE GRANDKIDS USUALLY WENT OUT. I GET THAT. UH, BUT, BUT I WANNA JOIN YOU AT THE END OF THE YEAR, JIM. OKAY. . THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JUDGE . YEAH. YOU HAVE A FISHING BUDDY. YES. UH, BUT, UH, THE, YOU, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD IS WHAT I WANNA SAY OF, OF THE WORK. AND I KNOW, UH, JIM, YOU'RE PRETTY, PRETTY HUMBLE. YOU'RE GONNA GIVE CREDIT TO OTHERS. AND, AND HAILEY, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW AS WELL AND THE WORK THAT SHE DOES WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR PROGRAM. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK OFTENTIMES, UH, JUST INDIGENT DEFENSE IN GENERAL IS OVERLOOKED AS, UM, A, A WANT AND NOT A NEED. BUT IT IS CERTAINLY A NECESSITY, UH, NOT JUST, UH, BECAUSE OF, UH, THE, THE STAKES, UH, THE, THE WHAT'S AT STAKE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT, WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTA DO IT. AND I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PROUD TO DO HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY. UM, SO I'M, I'M CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROGRAM. JIM, YOU KNOW THAT HALEY, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION. UM, LET ME ASK STAFF, UH, JUST REAL QUICK ON, UH, 'CAUSE 'CAUSE WE HEAR, UH, ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND THINGS GET PUT IN CONTINGENCY SOMETIMES, UH, THAT IS, UH, MISCONSTRUED AS BEING, UH, UNDER THE CHOPPING BLOCK. UM, I, I THINK BECAUSE OF THE, THE GRANT FUNDING, MUCH LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE DISCUSSIONS, UH, EITHER TODAY OR IN THE FUTURE ABOUT THE ARPA DOLLARS. UM, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN, I DON'T KNOW, TANYA, IF YOU COULD COME UP AND JUST, UH, GIVE REALLY AN EXPLANATION ABOUT THE RATIONALE FOR, OR WHAT, I GUESS CLARIFY WHAT BUDGET STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS AT THIS POINT. UM, SO FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE HAD RECOMMENDED PLACING, UM, THE POSITIONS IN CONTINGENCIES. UH, WE ARE, UM, THIS WAS AN AGENDIZED ITEM. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE DATE, BUT THE COURT APPROVED TO FUND, UH, THE, THE MAC A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. SO WHAT WE DID, UM, TO PREPARE FOR THAT, AND WE HAD ASKED THE MAC AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, IS TO COME TO COMMISSIONERS AND PROVIDE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS, ESSENTIALLY SAYING, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. THIS IS WHAT THE PROGRAM WAS, UH, BEFORE THE MAC EXISTED. THIS IS THE PROGRAM NOW. SO THIS WAS JUST PLACING AS WE USUALLY DO WITH A LOT OF GRANTS, RIGHT. UH, WE'LL PLACE THEM IN CONTINGENCIES, UH, TO EVALUATE TO SEE IF WE NEED THE POSITIONS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHAT'LL HAPPEN WITH MOST GRANTS IS WE'LL END THE GRANT AND THEN THEY'LL APPLY FOR ANOTHER GRANT AND THEN THEY CAN FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING. SO IT'S JUST WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AS WELL. YEAH. AND, AND I GUESS JUST TO CLARIFY TOO, FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC, IT'S, IT'S REALLY BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS A POLICY DECISION FOR THE COURT, UH, BUDGET STAFF LOOKS AT JUST DOLLARS AND WHEN THOSE DOLLARS RUN OUT, AND, UH, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THAT KIND OF FUNDING, YES, YOU NEED POLICY DIRECTION FROM THE COURT, RIGHT? YES. OKAY. SO TO CLARIFY, RIGHT NOW, UM, THE M OFFICE IS FUNDED THROUGH THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, IS THAT I BELIEVE SO, YES. OKAY'S THE, THAT, THAT'S THE LAST TIME THE COURT BROUGHT AND EXTENDED THEIR GRANT THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. OKAY. OKAY. UM, AND, AND THE AMOUNT, UM, THAT I IS AGENDIZED IS 1.859 MILLION. AND THEN I HEARD SOME REFERENCES TO 2.1 MILLION. CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT? I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, 1.9 MILLION, UH, THAT INCLUDES ALL THE POSITIONS IN THE MAC OFFICE THAT WERE ON THE GRANT, AS WELL AS THE TWO OFFICE ASSISTANTS THAT WERE IN THE GENERAL FUND. SO IT'S JUST THE WHOLE OFFICE WITHIN THE WHOLE OFFICE. MM-HMM . OKAY. UM, OKAY. THANK YOU TANYA. I APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH, THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. 'CAUSE I, I THINK PEOPLE FEEL, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, AGAIN, OUR FRIENDS FROM TOP BEING HERE AS ADVOCATES BECAUSE, UM, IT'S RARE THAT YOU HAVE BROAD BASED SUPPORT, UH, FROM ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY. UM, I, AND I KNOW YOU, WE MENTIONED, UH, THE FOLKS HERE FROM AUSTIN, UH, CERTAINLY [01:00:01] THOSE THAT SERVE ON THE, UH, COMMITTEE AND THE BAR, UH, THOSE FOLKS. UM, I, YOU KNOW, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF CONTINUING THIS PROGRAM. AND I THINK THAT, UM, IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION AS A COURT ABOUT FUNDING IT FULLY IN THE, IN THE, UM, THE NEW BUDGET, I THINK IT PROVIDES CERTAINTY FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN THE OFFICE. UM, WHEN YOU WANT TO RECRUIT GOOD PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME DEGREE OF CERTAINTY THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE HERE BEYOND, UH, DECEMBER. SO THAT WOULD BE MY, MY PREFERENCE IS IF WE FULLY FUND THIS, I THINK IT'S BEEN A HUGE, UH, SUCCESS NOT JUST BY, UH, THE NUMBERS PRESENTED, BUT BY, UH, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, WHICH I THINK IS, UH, SOMETIMES, UH, PRICELESS. SO, UH, APPRECIATE JIM, YOUR WORK. TANYA, THANKS FOR STEPPING UP HERE AND, UH, HALEY, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL. THANK YOU, JUDGE. COMMISSIONER MOODY. WELL, THANK YOU JUDGE. AND JIM, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. I, UH, I APPLAUD THE, UH, ADDITIONAL DATA AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE INCORPORATED HERE. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, UH, RELATED TO THAT THOUGH, IF, UH, MAINLY TO SLIDE FOUR AND THEN 11, BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT SLIDE FOUR, UM, AND AGAIN, I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS DATA BEFORE, SO I'M JUST, THE, THE FACT THAT 86% ARE COURT APPOINTED IS THAT SEEMS REALLY HIGH. I GUESS HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO PREVIOUS YEARS AND OR OTHER LARGE URBAN COUNTIES? GREAT QUESTION. UM, AND IT WAS A QUESTION WHEN I WAS AT THE STATE IS LIKE, WHAT LEVEL OF PEOPLE GOING THROUGH OUR SYSTEM ARE TO PORT A HIGHER COUNCIL? WE HAVE MUCH BETTER NUMBERS ON THAT. THE STATEWIDE AVERAGES ON, FOR MISDEMEANOR CASES, IT'S AROUND 60% ON FELONIES, IT'S ABOUT 80%, AS Y'ALL ARE AWARE. UM, BEAR COUNTY OF THE MAJOR URBANS IS THE POOREST OF THE MAJOR URBANS, SO OUR SOCIOECONOMIC IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT LOWER. UM, SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN, THAN THE STATE AVERAGE. UM, AND IT'S PROBABLY LIKE RIGHT AROUND THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, BUT AGAIN, LIKE WITH STATISTICS, THEY CAN BE MANEUVERED AROUND, BUT THAT NUMBER, UM, IS NOT, NOT ALARMING TO ME. THE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN ALWAYS BE DONE THOUGH, IS TAKING A LOOK AT THE INITIAL SCREENING. I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD SCREENING, BUT THAT'S WHERE THAT HAPPENS. UM, I THINK PRETRIAL SERVICES DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB AND THEY, THEY GO THROUGH AND ASK THE QUESTIONS AND THEY'RE ALL AWARE AS WELL. IF SOMEBODY DOES GO THROUGH, UM, AND THEN THEY DO HAVE ABILITY TO, TO PAY AFTER, UM, THE RESOLUTION OF THEIR CASE. UM, THERE'S ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNTY TO, TO RECOUP THOSE FEES. NOW, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT. UH, IT'S JUST ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, BUT OBVIOUSLY I'VE HEARD A FEW STORIES AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST A, A SELF-REPORTED SCREENING, RIGHT? SOMEBODY JUST, UH, SAYS THAT THEIR INCOME, THEIR ASSETS AND, AND THAT'S THAT, OR IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE IN THAT PROCESS. OH, THERE IS. IN THE LOCAL INDIGENT DEFENSE PLAN, BOTH FOR THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTS, THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURTS, AND THE JUVENILE COURTS. NOW, I DIDN'T REVIEW IT, BUT I, WE DID HELP WHEN THE COURTS PUT THAT TOGETHER. THERE IS A VERY, UM, DETAILED PROCESS. AND, AND SO THIS ONE IS NOT EVEN ANECDOTAL THAT BEAR COUNTY DOES GO THROUGH AND I'VE GOTTEN CALLS FROM PRETRIAL SERVICES WHEN THERE MAY BE SOMEONE THAT THE MEDIA WOULD THINK, HOW IS THIS PERSON GETTING COURT APPOINTED COUNSEL? THEY'VE GIVEN ME A CALL, WHICH I APPRECIATE IT. SO WHEN THE PRESS CALLS ME, IT DOESN'T MAKE US LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT, BUT THEY GO THE, THEY ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THAT VERY METHODICALLY AND SERIOUSLY. AND, AND I KNOW, I THINK DR. G AND LETTY AND HER TEAM, THEY DO OFFER TRAINING ON THAT. OKAY. UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE BREAKOUT THERE IS, IS GREAT TO SEE KIND OF, UH, THE FACT THAT MAC, UH, COVERS THE VAST MAJORITY, RIGHT. OF THOSE COURT APPOINTED CASES. AND THEN GOING BACK TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SLIDE, YOUR, UH, MAC COST PER CASE, UH, FELONY MISDEMEANOR VERSUS PDO. AND WHAT I, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HERE. I GUESS THE FIRST THING IS ENSURING THAT THERE'S AGREEMENT ON THE DATA THAT'S PRESENTED HERE. AND I GUESS THAT'S KIND OF A CASE QUESTION FOR COUNTY STAFF AND OR THE PDO OFFICE, BUT THERE'S AGREEMENT ON THE DATA, MAYBE SOMEWHAT. WELL, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND LIKE THE HUGE DISPARITY THERE. UNDERSTAND THAT PDO HAS FULL-TIME STAFF WITH BENEFITS, RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE MORE, UH, OVERHEAD ON THAT FRONT, UH, BUT THE, UH, JUST LOADED SALARY WITH, [01:05:01] WITH BENEFITS AND WHAT COMES WITH THAT. BUT IS IT IS, YOU KNOW, I STILL JUST DON'T SEE, I GUESS WHY IT'S LIKE THREE X OR FOUR X, RIGHT? YEAH. SO IS IT THE FACT THAT THEY'RE TAKING FEWER CASES OR THEY'RE TAKING HARDER CASES OR DIFFERENT TYPE OF CASES? ALTHOUGH THESE ARE, I MEAN, YOU BOTH HAVE FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SUBTYPES THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE GOING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE DISPARITY THERE IN, IN COSTS. AND, AND I'D RATHER HAVE, LIKE CARRIE, SPEAK TO THE PDO CAL CALCULATION AND I DO HAVE OUR RESEARCH DATA ANALYSTS, HOW WE CAME UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS. ACTUALLY OUR COST PER CASE I REALLY FEEL WOULD BE A, A A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHAT WE PROJECTED. 'CAUSE WE PUT ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST INTO IT, DIVIDED IT. UM, AND THEN THE NUMBER THAT WE REPORTED FOR THE PDO IS WHAT THE TEXAS INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION REPORTS OUT. BUT I'D REALLY RATHER DEFER TO CARRIE ON, UM, HOW, IF THERE IS, WE DID MEET WITH HIM LAST WEEK TO SEE, BECAUSE LAST TIME THERE WAS A LOT OF DIVERGENCE BETWEEN THE TWO PRESENTATIONS, AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT WOULD, NEITHER OF US THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD. WOULD, WOULD THAT BE IN ORDER TO ASK PDL QUESTION? NO, LET'S GO ON FINE AND WE'LL GET TO . OKAY. WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT. UM, JUST A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS. IF WE GO BACK TO SLIDE 11. SO HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN COMPLETED THE CALENDAR YEAR, BUT WE'VE HAD 30% INCREASE IN CASES DISPOSED, 45% INCREASE, FELONY CASES, 14%, LIKE MASSIVE INCREASES, RIGHT? POPULATION GROWTH, 2%. SO HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT THIS? IS THERE'S SOME SORT OF BACKLOG HERE? ARE PEOPLE LIKE, YOU KNOW, GETTING THREE, FOUR CASES FUNDED? UH, BECAUSE INSTEAD HISTORICALLY THERE WAS ONE OR TWO AND NOW THERE'S LIKE THREE OR FOUR THAT COME WITH INDIVIDUAL CASE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO, HOW TO RECONCILE THAT. IT, I THINK YOU, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD AND, AND WHENEVER YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO PRAISE ANOTHER ELECTED OR DEPARTMENT, UM, THE HAMMER YOU KIND OF BROUGHT DOWN IN THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THEY HAVE REALLY MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO REDUCE THAT BACKLOG. AND THAT'S HAD KIND OF A PRETTY BIG, UM, IMPACT ON, ON OUR OFFICE. UM, DRILLING DOWN, BE, UM, BELOW THAT, I'D JUST BE SPECULATING AND I'D RATHER LEAVE IT TO THE EXPERTS THAT ARE, CAN KIND OF REALLY DRILL INTO THE, BUT REALLY THE, THE BIG AREA IS THAT CONCERTED EFFORT TO REDUCE THE BACKLOG AND THE RESOURCES THAT Y'ALL PUT IN TO THE DA'S OFFICE, UM, TO ADDRESS THAT. OKAY. JUST THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD, UH, LOOK INTO MORE AND MAYBE LOOK AT PREVIOUS YEARS CHANGES, BUT, UM, IF WE SEE THAT MANY MORE CASES, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S GONNA BE THAT MANY MORE, UH, ATTORNEY ASSIGNMENTS AND THAT MUCH MORE IN TERMS OF BUDGET AND, UH, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF, IF THOSE ARE JUST ULTIMATELY BECOMING MORE COST PER INDIVIDUAL WE'RE SERVING OR WHETHER, UH, THERE'S, IT'S ALL BACKLOG OR MULTIPLE FACTORS THAT ARE KIND OF DRIVING THAT. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR THE ANSWERS AND FOR THE DATA. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. APPRECIATE IT. COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT. UM, I, IF WE CAN GO BACK TO SLIDE NUMBER FOUR. SO I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION ON THIS, UM, BECAUSE IT SAYS FISCAL YEAR TO DATE, IT SAYS AMOUNT PAID FOR FELONY IS 10 MILLION, CORRECT? YES. UM, AND ALEX, SO THAT WOULD ADD UP TO 14 MILLION, WHICH, GO AHEAD. SO CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT, BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING THAT THE BUDGET IS AROUND 2 MILLION, AND ALEX, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE 8.5 MILLION, UM, 5 MILLION 26, 2 39, AND THEN THE PARENTHESES, THE 10 MILLION, THE 10.5 MILLION IS WHAT'S BUDGETED FOR THE YEAR. AND THEN THAT 8.5 MILLION IS WHAT'S BEEN EXPENDED SO FAR YEAR TO DATE. OKAY. BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE TOTAL, LET'S SAY THE TOTAL IN THE PARENTES IS 14 15 MILLION. UM, TANYA, MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN THIS. SO WHERE'S THAT IN THE BUDGET WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET IS AROUND 2 MILLION. SO WE'RE NOT, LET'S BE CLEAR, THE MA YOU WILL STILL PAY FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE WHETHER THERE'S A MAC OFFICE OR NOT. WHAT JIM IS CITING IS THE TOTAL COST WE PAY FOR COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS. AND THAT COMES FROM, I DON'T KNOW IF HIS NUMBER INCLUDES THE COST OF HIS OFFICE OR NOT. [01:10:01] IT DOES. SO IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A MAC, YOU WOULD STILL BE PAYING RIGHT? FOR COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY TO THE TUNE OF OVER $10 MILLION. BUT WHERE'S THAT FUNDING COME FROM? I, I JUST WANT THIS TO BE CLEAR FOR EVERYONE HERE. UM, I APPRECIATE TOP MEMBERS COMING, TAKING OUTTA YOUR TIME TO SPEAK AND COME. SO I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE CLEAR FOR EVERYONE. SO WHERE IS THIS FUNDING COMING FROM? IT'S PROVIDED BY COMMISSIONERS COURT WITH A VERY SMALL, LESS THAN 10% REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE. OKAY. SO ABOUT THIS 15 MILLION WE'RE STILL GONNA BE PAYING ANYWAY, UM, BUT THE 2 MILLION IS FOR THE WHOLE PROGRAM TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. I JUST WANT, I JUST WANT FOR CLARITY AND I MISUNDERSTOOD KIND OF THAT'S OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR. UM, AND I WANNA THANK THE TOP MEMBERS FOR COMING. SO IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO SIGN UP TO SPEAK AND IT GOES THROUGH SO EFFICIENTLY. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING PREPARED. THANK YOU FOR WRITING OUT YOUR STATEMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING EFFICIENT. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING THE, CONTINUING TO DO THE ADV ADVOCACY THAT, UM, YOU GUYS DO IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I AM A HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORTIVE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND THE MAC, AS YOU BOTH KNOW, I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH YOUR DEPARTMENTS, SO I AM SO HAPPY TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE APPROVED THE MAC AND IT WAS A PILOT AND WE GOT ALL THESE GRANTS TO SEE THE DATA THAT WE DO NEED IT TO SEE THE DATA THAT IT HAS BEEN HELPING, UM, AND WE NEED SO MUCH MORE TO DO. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR PRESENTATION FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND UM, THANK YOU MR. CALVERT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, I WANT TO THANK JUDGE ELL AND THE TEAM THAT FIRST WENT TO GET YOU, JIM, UH, BECAUSE WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE. UH, WHEN I WAS CHECKING UP ON THE PROGRAM, UH, IT WAS SAID THAT, UH, WE SEND PEOPLE THERE AND IT, AND IT'S HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR A POPULATION THAT IS, UH, SO OVERBURDENED IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. WE, WE HAVE PROBABLY SIX, 700,000 PEOPLE IN BEXAR COUNTY WHO'VE BEEN THROUGH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND, UH, THIS FIVE YEAR, I THINK WE'RE FIVE SIX YEAR PROGRAM PROGRAM, UH, IS A GAME CHANGER, ESPECIALLY IN, IN LIGHT OF HISTORY AND HOW THE JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS BEEN, UH, JIM CROW, UM, A NEW JIM CROW TO HOLD PEOPLE BACK FROM ENFRANCHISEMENT EN VOTING ENFRANCHISEMENT IN THE WORKPLACE. UM, AND I WANT TO THANK, UM, SCOTT, THANK YOU FOR COMING FROM AUSTIN. WE APPRECIATE YOUR WISDOM. THANK YOU FOR THE FUNDING. WE APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL. AND, AND, UH, ALL THE, THE GOVERNOR AND ALL THE OTHER LEADERS THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF, UH, YOUR BOARD. UM, THANKS TO EVERYONE TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT. BRAVO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICES. UM, YOU KNOW, THE WORKING CLASS AND THE POOR ARE CATCHING HELL, UH, RIGHT NOW IN AMERICA AND IT'S, IT'S VERY RARE THAT WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE REPRESENTING THEM, AND WE ALL KNOW THE ABILITY TO FORWARD A LAWYER, UH, TODAY IS EXTREMELY, UH, THIN FOR A HUGE POPULATION OF OUR POP, UH, A HUGE AMOUNT OF OUR POPULATION AS IS EVIDENCED BY THE SLIDE THAT'S UP RIGHT NOW. UM, SO I'M, I'M SUPER EXCITED THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE, UH, EXPRESSED SUPPORT TO MOVE THIS, UH, OUT OF CONTINGENCY AND INTO THE BUDGET. UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM. THANK YOU FOR THE WISDOM YOU GAVE US ON THE, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR APPOINTMENT. I'D LIKE TO, UM, ASK STAFF TO POST THAT AND GET THAT PROCESS MOVING SO WE DON'T DO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WHICH IS DRAG THIS THING OUT. UM, THERE'S NO, NO SENSE IN DOING THAT. YOU'VE GOT A VERY CAPABLE ADVISORY BOARD WHO IS VERY, UH, INTEGRAL TO YOUR SUCCESS AND WE THANK THEM AS WELL FOR THEIR SERVICE. THANK YOU PROFESSOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY GOOD THINGS. SO THANK YOU COURT. ALRIGHT, LET'S NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM B, PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE REGARDING THE FOLLOWING, STATUS, UPDATE ON PROGRESS ACTIVITIES, EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OFFICE ON THE PROVISION OF REPRESENTATION, INDIGENT CRIMINAL DEFENSE IN BEXAR COUNTY, MS. MAILER. GOOD MORNING, JESSICA. HI, MORNING COMMISSIONERS. I'M CARRIE MALLON, CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER. WITH ME TODAY IS STEVEN GILMORE, MY DEPUTY CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER, WHO HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS HELP SINCE WE, YOU CREATED THAT POSITION FOR ME. SO THANK YOU. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE THE COURT WITH INFORMATION ON THE STATE OF THE BEXAR COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. OUR GOAL IS TO GIVE YOU A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT WE DO AND WHO WE ARE [01:15:02] TODAY. WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS THE POSITIONS WE HAVE IN OUR OFFICE, THE COURTS WE SERVE, THE CASE CAPS, WHICH HAS BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE. I'LL EXPLAIN THAT IN MORE DETAIL. UM, MR. GILMORE IS GONNA TALK ABOUT THE STATISTICS, OUR DETERMINATION OF COST PER CASE, AND THE OTHER BENEFITS THAT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE PROVIDES FOR THE COUNTY. THE POSITIONS WE CURRENTLY HAVE IS A CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER, A DEPUTY CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER, AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. WE HAVE SIX OFFICE ASSISTANT, FOUR POSITIONS, A SOCIAL WORKER, TWO CASE MANAGERS, TWO INVESTIGATORS. WE HAVE 10 PD ONE POSITIONS, EIGHT OF THOSE ARE AT MAG TWO. AT THE TRIAL OFFICE. WE HAVE SIX PD TWO POSITIONS. FIVE OF THOSE ARE IN THE MISDEMEANOR TRIAL DIVISION. THE SIXTH ONE IS OUR PADILLA ATTORNEY. WE HAVE 13 PD THREE POSITIONS. THE SUPERVISOR AT MAGISTRATION IS A PD THREE. OUR FAMILY VIOLENCE SUPERVISOR IS A PD THREE, OUR APPELLATE DIVISION. OUR ONE APPELLATE ATTORNEY IS A PD THREE. WE ALSO HAVE TWO MENTAL HEALTH CIVIL DIVISION ATTORNEYS. THEY'RE ALSO PD THREES. THE SEVEN FELONY TRIAL LAWYERS WE HAVE ARE PD THREES. AND THEN WE DO HAVE A MISDEMEANOR TRIAL ATTORNEY WHO WAS A PD THREE. HE WAS THE FIRST ATTORNEY HIRED AS A PUBLIC DEFENDER BACK IN 2008 BY THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMUNITY RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. WE COVER ALL 13 MISDEMEANOR COUNTY COURTS AND THE TWO MISDEMEANOR IMPACT COURTS. WE HAVE DEDICATED PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND SIX OF THOSE COUNTY COURTS. THAT WOULD BE COUNTY COURT 1, 7, 11, 12, 13, AND BOTH FAMILY VIOLENCE IMPACT COURTS. WE COVER ALL 10 CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURTS AND THE TWO PRE INDICTMENT COURTS WITH DEDICATED PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND SIX DISTRICT COURTS. THE ONE 44TH, THE ONE 86TH, THE TWO 26TH, THE TWO 90TH, THE STREET, THREE 79TH AND THE FOUR 37TH. NOW, ALTHOUGH WE ONLY HAVE DEDICATED PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND SIX COUNTY COURTS AND SIX DISTRICT COURTS, WE DO TAKE APPOINTMENTS IN ALL THE COURTS, THE COUNTY COURTS, AND THE DISTRICT COURTS. WHEN SOMEONE IS, WHEN A JUDGE IS IN URGENT NEED, THEY TYPICALLY CALL US. AND I WOULD BET THAT MOST OF THEM BELIEVE THEY HAVE A DEDICATED PUBLIC DEFENDER IN THEIR COURT. BECAUSE WE DO SERVE ALL THE COURTS, WE TEND TO GET CALLED ON THE MORE COMPLICATED CASES, THE MORE DIFFICULT CLIENTS, THE PRO SE DEFENDANTS WHO SHOW UP AND DECIDE THAT THEY DO NEED AN ATTORNEY, A PANEL ATTORNEY WHO HAPPENS NOT TO SHOW AFTER MULTIPLE TIMES. THAT'S WHEN WE GET CALLED TO COME COVER CASES THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN APPOINTED TO, WHICH WE ALWAYS DO. NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AS THE CASE CAPS. THE CASE CAPS COME FROM THE TEXAS INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION. THEY'RE GUIDELINES FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE CASELOADS. AND I DID PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL ONE PAGER FOR THE COURT TO LOOK AT IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION. THE STUDY ITSELF IS 118 PAGES, SO I DON'T THINK YOU REALLY WANNA DIVE INTO THAT. BUT, UM, THE ONE PAGER I PROVIDED DOES, UH, SUMMARIZE THE GUIDELINES PRETTY WELL. IN JANUARY OF 2 20 15, UM, THE STUDY WAS PUBLISHED. THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED WORKLOAD STANDARDS TO ENSURE INDIGENT DEFENSE ATTORNEYS HAD ENOUGH TIME TO PROVIDE CONSTITUTIONALLY EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION. AND IT WAS A COMPREHENSIVE TIME AND MOTION STUDY MEASURING THE AMOUNT OF ATTORNEY TIME REQUIRED TO HANDLE CASES OF VARYING DEGREES, VARYING SEVERITY. THE TEXAS GUIDELINES FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE CASE LOADS IS WHAT WE GO BY IN OUR OFFICE. THEY WERE DESIGNED TO ENSURE ETHICAL, CONSTITUTIONAL, AND EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION. THE CASELOADS ARE BASED ON WEIGHTED CASE VALUES, REFLECTING COMPLEXITY AND TIME REQUIRED FOR THE CASE. THE RECOMMENDED ANNUAL RANGES BY TIDC FOR MISDEMEANORS IS 216 TO 236. AND FOR FELONIES IT'S 77 UP TO 174 CASES. THE REASON THERE IS THAT WIDE RANGE IS BECAUSE THE STUDY BROKE DOWN THE GUIDELINES BASED ON THE LEVEL OF CASE. SO FOR MISDEMEANORS CLASS A MISDEMEANORS, THEY SUGGEST 216 PER PER YEAR. CLASS B, IT'S 2 36. [01:20:02] IT VARIES DRASTICALLY AMONG THE FELONIES. FOR STATE JAIL, IT'S 174 THIRD DEGREES, 1 44, SECOND DEGREES 1 0 5. AND FOR FIRST DEGREES, THEY RECOMMEND ONLY HAVING 77 CASES FOR THE YEAR IN THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, SORRY, WE ASK OUR MISDEMEANOR LAWYERS TO PICK UP 19 TO 20 CASES PER MONTH. THAT ENDS UP BEING 228 TO 240 CASES PER YEAR. I CAN TELL YOU IN THE TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, EVERY ATTORNEY IN THE OFFICE IS OVER THEIR CASE CAP. EVERY SINGLE ATTORNEY, WE NEVER TURN DOWN A BENCH APPOINTMENT. WHENEVER THE COURT CALLS WE GO. AND IF THERE IS A COMPANION FELONY CASE AND OUR MISDEMEANOR LAWYER IS OVER THEIR CAPS, WE ABSOLUTELY WILL TAKE THAT CASE. WE WILL NOT TURN DOWN A CLIENT IN NEED, NO MATTER IN THE SITUATION. FOR OUR FELONY ATTORNEYS, THEY OPEN 11 TO 12 CASES PER MONTH ACROSS ALL NON-CAPITAL FELONY LEVELS. THAT ENDS UP 132 PER YEAR WITHIN THE GUIDELINES. AGAIN, WE NEVER TURN DOWN A BENCH APPOINTMENT. AND THE SAME FOR THE FELONY LAWYERS. IF THERE'S A COMPANION MISDEMEANOR CASE, EVEN IF THE FELONY LAWYERS AT THAT CAP, WE WILL STILL TAKE THE CASE. AND AGAIN, OVER THE TWO YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THE LAWYERS ARE CONSISTENTLY OVER THEIR CASE CAPS, BUT I, WE DO GIVE INCREDIBLE REPRESENTATION AND WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THAT. ANOTHER REASON THE CASE CAPS ARE SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE UNDER THE BEXAR COUNTY INDIGENT DEFENSE PLAN, IT'S ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS CHIEF TO ESTABLISH CASELOAD STANDARDS FOR THE LAWYERS. AND WE DO THAT BECAUSE THAT ENSURES QUALITY, EFFECTIVE CONSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATION. AND ALSO IT HELPS US MAINTAIN ATTORNEYS. IF THE CA, IF THE ATTORNEYS IN OUR OFFICE ARE CONSISTENTLY UNDERWATER AND OVERLOADED, THEY'RE GONNA BURN OUT AND WE'RE GONNA LOSE THEM. SO I TAKE PRIDE IN HAVING AN OFFICE WHERE THE, THE CULTURE, EVERYBODY'S HAPPY, THEY ENJOY WHAT THEY DO, AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE CASE CAPS THAT WE HAVE AND THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE CONSISTENTLY OVERLOADED AND DROWNING. I'M NOW GONNA TURN, I'M GONNA COME BACK, BUT RIGHT NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MR. GILMORE, WHO IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT CASE STATISTICS AND OUR COSTS PER CASE AS WE DETERMINE THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT TO THE COURT THOUGH, THAT MR. GILMORE AND I ARE TRIAL ATTORNEYS. WE DON'T HAVE AN ANALYST IN OUR OFFICE. I WOULD LOVE ONE, BUT OUR WHEELHOUSE IS NOT NUMBERS AND STATISTICS, BUT I THINK YOU'LL FIND THE PRESENTATION VERY HELPFUL AND INFORMATIVE. BUT THAT'S NOT TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO. WE REPRESENT CLIENTS AND WE TRY CASES. SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. GILMORE. SURE. AND SO, LIKE, THERE'S NOT A SLIDE ON THIS, BUT IT OCCURRED TO ME AS MS. MALLON WAS TALKING. UM, SPEAKING OF BOTH BEING A TRIAL LAWYER AND CASE CAPS, I KNOW SHE SAID THAT WE ALWAYS ACCEPT CASES, APPOINTMENTS FROM THE BENCH OR FROM THE MAC. UH, IF THEY ARE DIRECT APPOINTMENTS TO US, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE ARE AT OUR CAP, WE ABSOLUTELY DO THAT. AND TO ILLUSTRATE THAT POINT, IF YOU GO ON THE TEXAS INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION'S WEBSITE, AND YOU LOOK AT THE ATTORNEY ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH THE MOST RECENT ONE THAT'S PUBLISHED ON THERE, I THINK IS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023. AND YOU LOOK AT BEXAR COUNTY SORT BY FELONIES AND SORT BY, UM, UH, THE AMOUNT OF FELONY CASES CLOSED, WHETHER BY TRIAL, BY DISMISSAL, BY CONVICTION, YOU'LL FIND THAT I CLOSED THE THIRD MOST AMOUNT OF FELONIES IN BEXAR COUNTY IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, SOME 196, UH, FELONY CASES. AND I WAS PREDOMINANTLY IN A SINGLE COURT, THE ONE 44TH, THE OTHER TWO ATTORNEYS THAT CLOSED MORE CASES THAN ME, THEY WERE GETTING CASES FROM ALL OF THE DISTRICT COURTS. SO WE DO TAKE CASES OVER AND ABOVE OUR CAPS IN ORDER TO SERVE, UH, THE INTERESTS OF BOTH THE COURT, THE MEC, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE CLIENTS. AND SO, UM, TO COMMISSIONER MOODY'S POINT ABOUT SOME OF THIS DATA, THE SPEAKING ABOUT THE TEXAS INDI INDIGENT DEFENSE COMMISSION'S, UM, UH, FISCAL YEAR REPORTING, THAT'S WHERE ALL OF THIS DATA KIND OF COMES FROM. AND SO THESE ARE THE AMOUNT OF CLOSED CASES THAT WE HAD FOR FISCAL YEAR, UH, 2025, I BELIEVE THIS IS ABOUT CO-EQUAL WITH WHAT, UH, MR. BETHKE, UH, HAD, HAD SHOWN Y'ALL. BUT THERE ARE A FEW ADDITIONAL POINTS THAT, UH, ARE WORTH NOTING. UH, IF YOU SEE THERE, THAT DARK BLUE UP THERE, THOSE ARE CASES WE REFER TO AS HAVING OTHER DISPOSITIONS. AND SO WHEN A PERSON HAS A MOTION TO REVOKE PROBATION, OR IF WE GET APPOINTED TO A CASE AND WE WORK ON IT FOR A YEAR, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY HIRE AN ATTORNEY, WE HAVE TO COUNT THAT CASE INTERNALLY [01:25:02] AS A CLOSED CASE. BUT WE DON'T GET TO TELL TIDC THAT THAT'S A CLOSED CASE BECAUSE TIDC ISN'T, ISN'T SEEING THE AUDITOR TELL THEM THEY PAID MONEY FOR US TO HANDLE THAT CASE. AND SO THAT'S WHY OUR CLOSED CASE NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WHAT ACTUALLY GETS REPORTED TO TIDC BECAUSE NOBODY'S WRITING A CHECK FOR THOSE PARTICULARIZED CASES. SO, UM, ANOTHER THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS I KNOW IN, UM, MR. BETHKE AND HAILEY'S, UM, UH, PRESENTATION, THEY PUT UP THE, THE SLIDE ABOUT, UM, UH, CASE OUTCOMES VERSUS CONVICTION VERSUS NO CONVICTION. ONE ADDITIONAL DATA POINT I'VE GIVEN Y'ALL HERE IS, UM, WE, WE DON'T COUNT DEFERRED ADJUDICATION AS A POSITIVE OUTCOME. UM, THE ONLY POSITIVE OUTCOMES WE COUNT ARE PRETRIAL DIVERSION, DISMISSALS AND ACQUITTALS. UM, IF YOU WERE TO INCLUDE, UH, I, I DIDN'T KNOW THE SLIDE WAS GONNA SHOW THAT, BUT IF WE WERE TO INCLUDE DEFERRED ADJUDICATION IN OUR POSITIVE OUTCOMES, THAT WOULD INCREASE OUR, UM, POSITIVE SUCCESS RATE BY ABOUT 10% ACROSS THE BOARD. UH, AGAIN, TIDC DOESN'T COUNT MOTIONS TO REVOKE PROBATION TOWARD CLOSE CASES, UH, NOR WHEN THE, WHAT A CLIENT HIRES AN ATTORNEY, UM, THE AVERAGE CASELOAD THAT THE M PRESENTED OF 126 PER PDO, UH, AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THOSE ADDITIONAL CASES AS WELL. SO IT'S A LITTLE UNDERREPRESENTED, UH, JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE RELYING ON THE DATA THAT TIDC HAS. UM, BUT TIDC DOES COUNT FOR THOSE CASES WHEN A PANEL ATTORNEY IS IN THE SAME SITUATION. SO WHEN THE PANEL ATTORNEY HANDLES A MOTION TO REVOKE PROBATION, OR WHEN A PANEL ATTORNEY HAS TO FILE A VOUCHER BECAUSE ANOTHER ATTORNEY GOT HIRED, TIDC STILL COUNTS THAT BECAUSE THAT'S STILL A CHECK PAID TO THE PRIVATE ATTORNEY THAT RECEIVED THAT APPOINTMENT, WHEREAS YOU DON'T GET THAT WITH US. UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. WE WERE AT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 BY OUR OWN, UH, INTERNAL CALCULATIONS. UM, UM, SWITCHING NOW TO 2026. UH, AND THERE'S ONE THING I WANNA POINT OUT HERE. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE, UH, MISDEMEANOR, UH, CASE, UH, NUMBER OF CLOSED CASES, THERE'S QUITE A BIT SMALLER THAN IT WAS IN THE PRIOR YEAR AND IN EVERY PRIOR YEAR. AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE DISCOVERED, UH, WITH THE HELP OF THE MAC A, UH, A GLITCH IN ODYSSEY THAT WAS CAPPING OUR FAMILY VIOLENCE MISDEMEANOR UNIT, UH, AND THEREBY CAUSING A CAP TO APPLY TO THE ENTIRE MISDEMEANOR UNIT. AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE DISCOVERED THE GLITCH, WE'VE IMPLEMENTED FIXES AND, AND WE'VE, UH, ALSO ADJUSTED OUR MISDEMEANOR CASE CAPS, UH, ACCORDINGLY SO THAT WE CAN TRY AND WORK TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE IN CLOSED CASES BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. BUT, BUT THAT SMALLER MISDEMEANOR NUMBER, UH, IS THROUGH THROUGH NO FAULT OF OF, OF ANYONE IN THE COUNTIES. IT WAS JUST A UNIQUE QUIRK OF ODYSSEY. OUR FELONY NUMBERS ARE ABOUT ON TRACK. UM, THOUGH WE DO HAVE A HIGHER POSITIVE DISPOSITION, UH, WITH RESPECT TO, UH, BOTH DIVISIONS. UM, I, I I'M INCLUDING, UH, THIS COST PER CASE FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 CHART. I'M NOT GONNA LINGER TOO LONG ON IT, BUT I WANTED Y'ALL TO HAVE THE DATA AND ALSO AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY SOME OF THE INFORMATION IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE MAC PRESENTED. AND THAT'S BECAUSE ONE, AGAIN, THE MAC IS RELYING ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY TIDC AND WE HAVE ADDITIONAL METRICS INTERNALLY THAT, THAT WE CAPTURE THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL WERE AWARE OF. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, WE NOTICED SOME LARGER DISCREPANCIES WITH OUR DATA AND WHAT WAS REPORTED TO TIDC. AND SO WE REACHED OUT TO THE AUDITOR AND ACCOUNTS PAYABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHO WAS REPORTING THE DATA TO TIDC AND, AND UNDER WHAT CRITERIA. AND WE FOUND OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, BECAUSE NONE OF OUR PREDECESSORS EVER TOOK THE TIME TO DO THIS, BUT WE SAT DOWN WITH THE AUDITOR AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS THAT WERE GETTING REPORTED TO TIDC THAT ARE PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE, UM, UH, UH, CONSIDERED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING A COST PER CASE. FOR INSTANCE, MS. MALEM TALKED ABOUT, UM, OUR TWO CIVIL MENTAL HEALTH, UH, ATTORNEYS. THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE. UH, THOSE TWO ATTORNEYS DON'T WORK ON CRIMINAL CASES. THEY HANDLE CASES, UH, OUT OF OR ARISING OUT OF THE STATE HOSPITAL AND THE PROBATE COURT ON EMERGENCY DETENTIONS AND ON EXTENDED COMMITMENTS INTO THE STATE HOSPITAL. THEY DON'T WORK FELONIES OR MISDEMEANORS. AND SO THEIR SALARIES PLUS FRINGE DON'T APPLY, SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BEING APPLIED TO THE TOTAL COST PER CASE WHENEVER THAT DATA GETS REPORTED TO TIDC. SO WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT AND WE ARE NOW HAVE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO KIND OF HELP, UM, TO KIND OF HELP, UH, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THE DATA IS BEING REPORTED MORE ACCURATELY GOING FORWARD. UM, ONE THING THAT, UH, I DO WANNA POINT OUT ANOTHER DISCREPANCY BETWEEN [01:30:01] OUR DATE AND WHAT THE MAC PRESENTED IS THE MAC WAS ONLY COUNTING THE ATTORNEY FEES PER CASE. SO WHEN THEY PUT UP THAT NUMBER, I THINK IT WAS LIKE 660 SOME ODD FOR FELONY CASES THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE, UM, INVESTIGATOR EXPENSES WHEN THE COURT APPOINTS AN INVESTIGATOR OR, UH, OTHER EXPERT. UM, AND SO WHEN YOU DO INCLUDE THOSE ADDITIONAL FUNDS, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, MS. MALLON AND I AREN'T NECESSARILY TALKING ABOUT OUR COSTS VERSUS THE MAX COST, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE TOTAL INDIGENT DEFENSE COST. MR. SMITH POINTED OUT EARLIER THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE PAYING RIGHT, TO PROVIDE INDIGENT DEFENSE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT A MAC EXISTS OR A PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE EXISTS. YOU'RE GONNA BE PAYING IT NO MATTER WHAT. AND SO WHAT WHAT WE THINK IS A BETTER METRIC IS DETERMINING WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE OR THE MAX OFFICE PER SE, UH, WHAT IS THEIR IMPACT TOWARDS THE TOTAL COST OF PROVIDING INDIGENT DEFENSE IN BEXAR COUNTY? AND THAT'S WHAT THIS, UM, IF YOU LOOK HERE, UH, THIS IS THE DISTRIBUTION OF CLOSED CASES FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, YOU'LL SEE THAT, UM, WE ARE A RELATIVELY SMALL PORTION OF THAT, UH, OF THAT OVERALL EXPENSE FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE AND THE NUMBER OF CASES CLOSED IN FISCAL YEAR 25. UH, AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COST PER CASE, THERE, THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT AREN'T CAPTURED HERE. ONE IS IT DOESN'T CAPTURE ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL WORK THAT WE DO THAT, UH, ISN'T BILLED BY OR PERFORMED BY A PANEL ATTORNEY. AND I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND. BUT THE OTHER REASON IS BECAUSE 8% OF CASES IN FISCAL YEAR 25 IS A PRETTY SMALL SAMPLE SIZE. AND THIS SPEAKS TO A A POINT THAT YOU WERE MAKING MR. UH, COMMISSIONER MOODY IS THAT FOR A PANEL ATTORNEY, SAY YOU TAKE TWO ATTORNEYS AND EACH HAD A HUNDRED FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR CASES OF EQUAL SEVERITY ACROSS BOTH ATTORNEYS AND ATTORNEY, A, HE'S GONNA ITEMIZE EVERY SINGLE VOUCHER, BUT ATTORNEY B IS ONLY GONNA SUBMIT A FLAT FEE VOUCHER FOR ALL OF THOSE CASES. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE ATTORNEY WHO'S WILLING TO ITEMIZE ALL THOSE VOUCHERS MAKES VERSUS THE ATTORNEY WHO'S GET, WHO'S ONLY COLLECTING A FLAT FEE FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE VOUCHERS. AND IN EITHER EVENT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A VERY ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF THE MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNSEL'S COST PER CASE OR IMPACT TO THE TOTAL COST TO PROVIDING INDIGENT DEFENSE. AND SO THAT'S, UH, SO THIS IS THE TOTAL COST OF INDIGENT DEFENSE. YOU'LL SEE THE COST FOR FELONIES IS, IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT. THIS IS NOT JUST INCLUDING ATTORNEY'S FEES. THIS IS INCLUDING ALL OF THOSE OTHER LITIGATION EXPENSES, UH, EXPERT WITNESSES, INVESTIGATORS, AND THE LIKE. UM, AND SO THIS IS THE TOTAL COST THAT THE COUNTY IS GONNA BE PAYING. UH, BUT WHEN YOU CONSIDER INSTEAD THE IMPACT TO COST PER CASE, THE TOTAL COST PER CASE, UM, ACROSS THE BOARD, ACROSS ALL WHAT, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE, THE, UH, UH, THE PANEL ATTORNEY FEES, ALL OF THE EXPERT WITNESS FEES AND INVESTIGATOR FEES, ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD, THIS IS WHAT THE COST PER CASE, AT LEAST FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, WAS ABOUT 300 BUCKS FOR A MISDEMEANOR AND ABOUT EIGHT HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX THIRTY $7 FOR A FELONY. AND THEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT OUR ACTUAL IMPACT, OUR PROPORTIONATE IMPACT TO THAT OVERALL COST PER CASE. AND FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, IT ENDS UP BEING $54 AND 50 CENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AT LEAST FOR FELONY FOR MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES, AND $31 AND 21 CENTS, UH, ON A PER CASE BASIS FOR FELONY OFFENSES. UM, THE, UH, THE, THE OTHER REASON THAT, THAT I SPOKE OF EARLIER, WHY YOU CAN'T JUST THINK ABOUT COST PER CASE IN A VACUUM, WHY THE PROPORTIONATE IMPACT IS A MORE, UM, HELPFUL NUMBER, UH, IS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF THE OTHER SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE THE COUNTY THAT THE PANEL'S NOT BILLING FOR. AND THAT REALLY, YOU WOULD HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME QUANTIFYING ANYWAY. AND I, I THINK THAT, UM, THIS, UH, THIS NEXT POINT IS KIND OF EMBLEMATIC OF THAT, OF THIS, UH, COST SAVINGS THE COUNTY GETS FROM OUR OFFICE THAT CAN'T REALLY BE PROVIDED ANYWHERE ELSE. SO, UM, THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL, UH, HOUSES INMATES WHO ARE OF COURSE CHARGED WITH CRIMES IN BEXAR COUNTY, BUT THEY ALSO HOUSE INMATES WHO DON'T HAVE A CASE IN BEXAR COUNTY, BUT HAVE A CASE IN SOME OTHER JURISDICTION, SOME OTHER COUNTY, AND THEY'RE JUST HELD SOLELY ON THAT OUTTA COUNTY OR OUTTA STATE WARRANT. AND BY STATUTE, UH, UNDER THE, UH, UM, UH, THE EXTRADITION UNIFORM EXTRADITION ACT, WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS THE COUNTY WILL HOLD THAT PERSON. LET'S SAY I'M BEING HELD IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL ON A GUADALUPE COUNTY WARRANT, RIGHT? IN THEORY BY STATUTE, AFTER [01:35:01] 10 DAYS, IF GUADALUPE COUNTY HADN'T COME TO GET ME, I'M SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASED. THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC PROCESS. SOMEBODY HAS TO ASK FOR IT. SOMEBODY HAS TO FILE SOMETHING CALLED A WR. OUR OFFICE IS THE ONLY ONE FILING THOSE WRITS. AND SO IN FISCAL YEAR 25, WE FILED 450 WRITS, THAT'S A WRIT PER CHARGE PER OUTTA COUNTY WARRANT THAT COVERED 317 INMATES THAT WERE BEING HELD IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL. UH, THAT NUMBER IS AT 244 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026. UH, WE KNOW THAT THE HOUSING COST PER INMATE PER DAY IS $87 AND 17 CENTS. AND SO WE DON'T FILE THOSE WRIT UNTIL THEY'RE AT THE 10 DAYS, WHICH MEANS THE COUNTY SPENT 276, MY IS THE ESTIMATE IF YOU DO THE METH, $276,328 TO HOUSE INMATES WHO DID NOT HAVE A CASE IN BEXAR COUNTY WHO WERE JUST HERE BECAUSE SOME OTHER COUNTY DIDN'T COME GET 'EM. AND THEN WE FILED THAT WRIT TO GET 'EM OUT OR TO FORCE THE OTHER COUNTY TO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, HIT THE BRICKS AND HURRY UP AND COME GRAB 'EM. RIGHT. IF WE DIDN'T FILE THAT WRIT, I, I, I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT THAT AMOUNT WOULD END UP BEING. SO HOW MANY PEOPLE GOT OUTTA JAIL? EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM? YEAH. WELL, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF 'EM EITHER GOT OR GOT OUT OF THE JAIL, NOT NECESSARILY HIT THE STREETS , BUT BUT THEY GOT OUT OF OUR JAIL AND BECAME SOMEBODY SOMEBODY ELSE'S EXPENSE, RIGHT? UM, EXACTLY, EXACTLY. SO, SO, SO WE KNOW THAT THE COUNTY WAS, UH, SPENT ABOUT THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, UH, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE COUNTY WOULD'VE SPENT WITHOUT US FILING THOSE RITZ IS PROBABLY ASTRONOMICAL. UM, UH, I WANNA TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT OUR MAGISTRATION DIVISION. WE ARE ONE OF, I BELIEVE, THREE COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT PROVIDES, UH, DIRECT REPRESENTATION AT THE POINT OF MAGISTRATION LIMITED REPRESENTATION, BUT STILL DIRECT REPRESENTATION, UH, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SUPREME COURT'S OPINION IN ROTH GARY V. GILLESPIE COUNTY IN FISCAL YEAR, UH, 2024, WE, UH, MAGISTRATED 48,992, UH, INMATES. UH, AND THEN THE NUMBER WENT UP IN 25 TO 49,270. UH, TAKING, UM, THE AMOUNT OF HEARINGS CONDUCTED, UH, ACROSS THE ENTIRE SALARY OF OUR MAGISTRATION DIVISION, THAT WOULD COME OUT TO ABOUT $19 AND 75 CENTS PER HEARING. UM, THE CLOSEST EQUIVALENT, UH, TO THAT ON THE PANEL SIDE WOULD BE THE, UH, UH, WHAT'S CALLED THE AUXILIARY BOND HEARING THAT'S REFLECTED IN THE, UH, I BELIEVE THE MISDEMEANOR VOUCHER. AND THEY WOULD BILL AT SEVEN, AT $100 PER DEFENDANT. UH, AND SO YOU CAN IMAGINE IF THE PANEL ATTORNEYS WERE PROVIDING THAT SERVICE, UH, HOW MUCH THAT WOULD BE, UH, THAT WOULD END UP COSTING THE COUNTY. UM, WE ALSO STAFF ALL OF THE MISDEMEANOR SPECIALTY COURTS, UH, AND THE, UH, FELONY, UM, MENTAL HEALTH COURT AS WELL. UH, OVER THE COURSE OF FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE REPRESENTED OVER 500 PARTICIPANTS ACROSS ALL THOSE COUNTY COURTS, UH, ACROSS ALL SEVEN OF THOSE SPECIALTY COURTS. UH, AND TO PROVIDE THAT REPRESENTATION, WE HAVE TO ATTEND ALL OF THE STAFFING SESSIONS, WHICH WORKED OUT TO ABOUT A LITTLE OVER THREE, 3000 HOURS PER FISCAL YEAR. WE ALSO HAVE TO ATTEND THE GRADUATIONS, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE OFF DOCKET APPEARANCES WHENEVER THERE'S, SAY, A PROBLEM WITH ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS, AND THE COURT HAS TO BRING THEM IN OUTSIDE OF ONE OF THE REGULAR COURT SESSIONS. UH, WE ALSO WORK WITH, UH, THE, THE PANEL ATTORNEYS AND EVEN PRIVATE RETAINED ATTORNEYS TO ENCOURAGE REFERRALS TO THESE SPECIALTY COURTS SO THAT DEFENDANTS IN BEXAR COUNTY, UH, ARE GETTING, UH, MORE TARGETED, SPECIALIZED, UH, TREATMENT AND DIVERSION FROM, UH, FROM CONVICTIONS AND, AND FUTURE RECIDIVISM. UH, AND WE DO ALL OF THAT AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE COUNTY, AND THEY DON'T COUNT WITH THEIR NUMBERS. SUBSTITUTE, UH, MANAGED ASSIGNED COUNSEL IN SPECIALTY COURTS OR THERE TWO ATTORNEYS AS THE CLIENTS GO THROUGH THE SPECIALTY COURTS. SO THE, THE PRIVATE ATTORNEY HAS THE ABILITY, IF THE PRIVATE ATTORNEY, I'M, I'M SORRY, THE PANEL ATTORNEY HAS THE ABILITY, IF THEY SO CHOOSE TO, UH, CONTINUE THE REPRESENTATION, THE, THE, YOU MEAN THEY GOT TWO ATTORNEYS AND THE SPECIALTY COURT? WELL, SO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY THAT, TO DO THAT IF THEY WANT TO. THEY DON'T TYPICALLY ELECT TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SUBMIT A VOUCHER IF THEY DON'T TURN OVER THE REPRESENTATION, BUT THEY COULD, IN THEORY, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SEE HAPPEN. OKAY. UM, AND THESE NUMBERS, THESE, THESE 500, THE ESSENCE OF SPECIALTY COURTS IS TO REALLY HAVE A TRAINED, AND I ASSUME Y'ALL ARE TRAINED FOR THOSE SPECIALTY COURTS, SO THAT'S RIGHT, JUDGE. WE GO TO THE, UH, THERE'S A TRAINING EVERY YEAR THAT I THINK WHAT COMMISSIONER MOODY'S GONNA FOCUS ON IS THE DUPLICATION. SO JUST LET BRINGING IT TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION. SURE. UH, [01:40:01] WE ALSO DON'T COUNT ANY OF THOSE NUMBERS, THOSE 500 PARTICIPANTS, THEY DON'T COUNT TOWARDS OUR CASE CAPS. I MEAN, THAT, THAT IS OVER AND ABOVE, UH, THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY. UH, WE ALSO STAFF THE, UH, SITE AND RELEASE PROGRAM, UH, OVER AT THE, UH, BEXAR COUNTY REENTRY CENTER. UM, THESE ARE FOR VERY LOW LEVEL CLASS B OFFENSES, UH, THAT ARE A DIVERSION FROM GOING INTO THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL AND HAVING TO POST A BOND AND GO TO COURT, UH, SAPD AND THE OTHER PARTICIPATING AGENCIES CAN GIVE, UH, CITATIONS FOR LOWER LEVEL, UM, SHOPLIFTING AND POSSESSION OF, UM, OF MARIJUANA TYPE CASES. UH, AND THEY CAN COME OVER TO THE BEXAR COUNTY REENTRY CENTER, WHERE WE STAFF 14 HOURS A WEEK, 728 HOURS A YEAR, UH, TO SIGN THEM INTO EFFECTIVELY A PRETRIAL DIVERSION CONTRACT WITH THE BEXAR COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND SO THE NUMBER I HAVE THERE, $54,600 IN COST SAVINGS, THAT'S AN EQUIVALENT HOURLY RATE FOR WHAT A PANEL ATTORNEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO CHARGE BASED ON WHAT'S ON THE VOUCHERS, UM, VOUCHER FORM THAT THEY'VE PROMULGATED. UH, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE AMOUNT OF ACTUAL PRETRIAL DIVERSION CONTRACTS THAT WERE ENTERED INTO WITH OUR OFFICE AND THE DA'S OFFICE THROUGH SITE AND RELEASE, WHICH THE PANEL ATTORNEYS WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO BILL FOR ABOUT $300 PER CONTRACT. UM, AND I, AND I'M SURE AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE DA'S OFFICE, SITE AND RELEASE IS A HUGE SUCCESS AND, UH, MARK OF PRIDE FOR BEXAR COUNTY, UH, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THAT SERVICE. UM, NEXT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY AWARE OF, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING DIRECT REPRESENTATION, UH, FOR OUR OWN CLIENTS, WE GET APPOINTMENTS FROM THE COURTS, WHAT WE CALL BENCH APPOINTMENTS FROM DIRECTLY FROM THE JUDGE TO ASSIST IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL. SOME OF THE, AND, AND MANY OF THESE AREAS ARE, ARE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE PANEL ATTORNEY, IF THEY HAD BEEN APPOINTED, WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, BILL FOR THAT TIME. UM, AND, AND ONE OF THE THING I, YOU KNOW, I I I, I THINK THAT THE MACK DID A REALLY GREAT JOB, UH, WITH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR POINT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT AND, AND I WISH THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT IT MORE, IS I, I THINK THEY BROUGHT UP THAT THEY RESOLVED LIKE 1500 ATTORNEY CLIENT DISPUTES. I I, THAT THAT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE TO ME. UM, I, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE M DOES WHEN THEY'RE RESOLVING THOSE DISPUTE, IF THEY FIND THAT THE ATTORNEY IS AT FAULT, UH, AND THAT THERE'S A PATTERN OF CONDUCT BY THAT ATTORNEY, THEY'LL REMOVE THAT ATTORNEY FROM THE WHEEL. THAT ATTORNEY WON'T, THAT WILL MAYBE GO ON A PROBATIONARY STATUS OR THEY'LL GET REMOVED FROM THE WHEEL, OR AT A MINIMUM THEY'LL GET REMOVED FROM THE CASE WHERE THAT'S A PROBLEM. AND IF WE DIDN'T EXIST, THAT WOULD GET REAPPOINTED TO A PRIVATE ATTORNEY WHO WOULD THEN GET TO START BILLING ALL OVER AGAIN AND GET CAUGHT UP AGAIN. THE MACK MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, REACHES OUT TO US TO TAKE OVER THOSE CASES SO THAT THE COUNTY DOESN'T GET DOUBLE BILLED FOR THAT WORK. AND THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE ACCEPTING, UH, DIFFICULT, OFTEN DISGRUNTLED CLIENTS JUSTIFIABLY, PERHAPS, UH, BUT WE HAVE TO ENGAGE IN A SPECIALIZED TOUCH WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR, UH, SCENARIO WHERE THE MAC HAS STEPPED IN AND HELPED THEM OUT AND REAPPOINTED THEM DIRECTLY TO OUR OFFICE. WE ALSO GET APPOINTED TO BE STANDBY COUNSEL FOR MATERIAL WITNESSES. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE PRIVATE BAR, THE VOUCHERS DON'T REALLY CONTEMPLATE IT, BUT, UH, BUT COULD HAVE BILLED FOR IT IF THEY WERE DOING IT. AND WHAT STANDBY COUNSEL IS, IS WHEN THERE'S A PERSON WHO'S TESTIFYING, WHO, UM, IS AT RISK OF INCRIMINATING THEMSELVES OR DIDN'T OBEY A SUBPOENA AND HAS BEEN, UH, UH, WHAT, WHAT WE CALL ATTACHED, MEANING THEY CAN BE HELD IN CUSTODY UNTIL SUCH A TIME AS THEY TESTIFY, THOSE PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO AN ATTORNEY. AND THE, AND THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES AND THE COUNTY COURT JUDGES WILL APPOINT US TO REPRESENT THAT PERSON TO EITHER GIVE THEM ADVICE ABOUT THEIR TESTIMONY, UH, THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF CONTINUING TO TESTIFY, UM, THE, UH, UH, OBEDIENCE TO THE SUBPOENA. AND ONE OF THE, UH, THE EXAMPLES THAT I WOULD POINT OUT IS, UM, A FEW YEARS BACK UNDER THE PREVIOUS DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S ADMINISTRATION, UH, THERE WAS THE LEGISLATURE PASSED, UH, JENNY'S LAW, WHICH MANDATES APPOINTED COUNSEL FOR PEOPLE IN THAT SCENARIO. AND THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION SENT AN ATTORNEY UP TO ARGUE AGAINST THE PASSAGE OF JENNY'S LAW, AND IT PASSED IT ANYWAY. AND SO WE'VE GOT AN OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE THAT REPRESENTATION, AND OUR OFFICE DOES SO AT NO ADDITIONAL COST OR CONTRIBUTION TO OUR CAPS. ANOTHER EXAMPLE, UM, I I'M SURE YOU ALL REMEMBER THE, UH, THE VERY HIGH PROFILE CASE THAT HAPPENED, UH, A FEW MONTHS BACK OF THE OFFICERS WHO WERE CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR IN CAUSING THE DEATH OF MELISSA PEREZ. [01:45:02] I GOT REPRESENTED TO REPRESENT, TO, I GOT APPOINTED TO REPRESENT ALL OF THE TESTIFYING OFFICERS WHO WERE PRESENT. THIS WAS A 20 DAY TRIAL. I GOT APPOINTED TO REPRESENT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF THEIR TESTIMONY, AND WHETHER THEY MIGHT INCRIMINATE THEMSELVES, UH, TO HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE AS STANDBY ACROSS A 20 DAY TRIAL WOULD'VE BEEN AN ASTRONOMICAL EXPENSE FOR A PANEL ATTORNEY TO THEN BUILD THE COUNTY. I DID THAT AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE COUNTY, OR NO CONTR AND NO CONTRIBUTION TO MY PARTICULAR CASELOAD. WE ALSO GET APPOINTED, UH, TO ASSIST THE PANEL ATTORNEYS AS SECOND CHAIR COUNSEL. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT BEFORE, UH, A LOT MORE OF THE PRIVATE ATTORNEYS WOULD ASK FOR. PANEL ATTORNEYS RATHER WOULD ASK FOR, WOULD ASK FOR, I WOULD LIKE A SECOND CHAIR APPOINTED JUDGE. AND IF THE COURT ACQUIESCED IN THAT REQUEST, THAT MEANS TWO ATTORNEYS GOT TO BILL FOR THAT CASE. NOW, MOST OF THE COURTS JUST APPOINT US IF THEY FIND IT NECESSARY TO APPOINT A SECOND CHAIR ATTORNEY. AND I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE. THERE WAS ANOTHER VERY HIGH PROFILE BABY DEATH CASE, AND RIGHT BEFORE JURY SELECTION, ABOUT 20 PLUS HOURS OF AUDIO RECORDINGS WERE DUMPED ON DEFENSE. AND DEFENSE WANTED A CONTINUANCE, AND THIS CASE HAD BEEN LINGERING FOR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, I THINK, AT THAT POINT. AND JUDGE VILLA MEZA NOW, JUSTICE MEZA, UH, SHE DECIDED RATHER THAN DELAY JUSTICE ANY FURTHER AND GRANT DEFENDANT'S CONTINUANCE SO THAT THEY COULD REVIEW THAT EVIDENCE, JUDGE MEZA CALLED DOWN TO MYSELF AND BRITTANY DURHAM, AND SHE ASKED US TO START REVIEWING THESE, THIS AUDIO SO THAT IT DIDN'T DELAY BOTH THE DEFENDANT AND THE FAMILY OF THE DECEDENT'S, UH, RIGHT TO A SPEEDY TRIAL AND TO JUSTICE. UH, AND WE CAME IN AND AGAIN, DID THAT AT NO ADDITIONAL EXPENSE TO THE COUNTY AND NO ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO OUR CAPS. I, I THINK THAT THE COURT, IF, IF, IF ANY OF YOU RECOGNIZE ME, YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE ME FROM, UH, A, A, A FEW NOTORIOUS AND HIGH PROFILE CASES THAT I HAVE MYSELF RIGHT NOW. UM, IF, AND THOSE CASES CAME, UH, AT THE REQUEST OF JIM BETHY AND THE MANAGER ASSIGNED COUNSEL BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT IF THOSE CASES HAD GOTTEN APPOINTED TO, THERE WAS NO PANEL ATTORNEY, MOST OF WHOM ARE SOLO PRACTITIONERS, THERE IS NO PANEL ATTORNEY THAT COULD HAVE ACCEPTED THOSE CASES, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE ACCEPTING OTHER CASES BECAUSE OF HOW DISCOVERY INTENSIVE THOSE CASES ARE. UH, BECAUSE OF THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE THAT NO PRIVATE SOLO PRACTITIONER PANEL ATTORNEY HAS, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE A LEVEL OF, OF SERVICE NECESSARY TO THAT CLIENT WITHOUT BRINGING THE, THE, ALL OF THE REST OF OUR CLIENTS' RIGHTS TO SPEEDY TRIAL INTO JUSTICE, TO A HALT. UM, AND THOSE CASES COUNT AS, AS ONE FOR US. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THERE'S 600 HOURS OF BODY CAM AND AUDIO RECORDINGS, UH, FOR SOME OF THESE HIGH PROFILE DISCOVERY INTENSIVE CASES, THAT'S STILL ONE CASE TO THE CAP, UH, AND WE PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO THE COUNTY JUST A LITTLE MORE OF YOUR TIME. UM, I JUST WANT TO DRIVE HOME THIS POINT THAT ALL OF THE EXTRAS THAT WE DO, THE SPECIALTY COURT SITE AND RELEASE SECOND CHAIRS, NONE OF THOSE COUNT AS NUMBERS FOR US. SO WITH THE CASE STEVEN'S TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE THREE LAWYERS ON THAT CASE, TWO INVESTIGATORS AND A SOCIAL WORKER. BUT IT COUNTS AS ONE CASE FOR MR. GILMORE. THE OTHER TWO LAWYERS WORKING ON THE CASE DO NOT GET TO COUNT THAT AS A CASE STAT. AND RIGHT NOW, THE CASE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR TWO, ALMOST TWO YEARS. AT THE END OF THAT CASE HASN'T, IT'S NOT EVEN GONE TO TRIAL YET. AT THE END, IT WILL STILL COUNT AS JUST ONE CASE STAT, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS GONE ON FOR OVER TWO YEARS. AND THAT HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY IN OUR CASES, WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE TIME AND THE RESOURCES TO PUT IN TO THESE CASES. JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A FIRST DEGREE ENTRY TO A CHILD CASE THAT WAS DISPOSED OF. I ASKED OUR LAWYER TO CALCULATE THE HOURS SHE SPENT ON THAT CASE, AND IT ENDED UP BEING ABOUT A HUNDRED HOURS. AND THE CASE NEVER EVEN GOT TO TRIAL. IT WAS DISPOSED OF WITH A PLEA AT $110 AN HOUR, THAT WOULD BE A VERY LARGE EXPENSE FOR THE COUNTY. AND ON THE FELONY VOUCHER, WE NOTICED THAT OVER 30 HOURS, THE PANEL HAS TO GET APPROVAL FOR BILLING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAS TO BE OVERSIGHT ON THAT, BUT I I, IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO FIND A FIRST DEGREE FELONY IN OUR [01:50:01] OFFICE WITH 30 HOURS PUT INTO THE CASE. UM, WITH MISDEMEANORS, IT'S THE SAME WAY. UM, THEY CAN ONLY ITEMIZE ON DWIS AND ASSAULT CASES, AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT THEY HAVE TO HAVE OVERSIGHT, BUT CRIMINAL TRESPASS CASE, WE HAVE A CRIMINAL TRESPASS CASE IN OUR OFFICE. THE LAWYER WORKING THAT CASE HAS 59 BODY CAM VIDEOS, AND SHE HAS THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO WATCH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE VIDEOS. AND THERE'S NO INCENTIVE TO JUST TAKE A PLEA AS WE CAN TRY THE CASE. WE HAVE THE TIME AND THE ABILITY TO TRY THE CASE WHEN NEEDED. I'D LIKE TO TALK QUICKLY ABOUT OUR SUPPORT STAFF BECAUSE THAT NUM THEIR SALARIES ARE INCLUDED IN OUR OVERHEAD COSTS. FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. OUR TWO INVESTIGATORS HAD 642 CASES TO DATE, 486 CASES. I AVERAGED THE COST PER CASE. AND AT FIRST WHEN I, THE NUMBER'S $249, WHEN I LOOKED AT THAT, I THOUGHT, OH, THAT'S KIND OF HIGH. BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, ONE THAT DOESN'T IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, TALK ABOUT THE HOURS THAT THE INVESTIGATOR PUTS IN $249, MAYBE CHEAP FOR A CRIMINAL TRESPASS CASE. IT'S A BARGAIN FOR A FIRST DEGREE MURDER CASE, AND IT DOESN'T. SO $249 PER CASE IS NOT IN ANY WAY DESCRIBE THE AMOUNT OF WORK OR HOURS THAT ARE PUT IN BY OUR INVESTIGATORS. UM, OUR SOCIAL WORKERS AND CASE MANAGERS WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO. THEY'RE A CRITICAL PART OF OUR OFFICE. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, THEY HAD 311 CLIENT REFERRALS, BUT 2,542 DIRECT SERVICES FOR OUR CLIENTS FISCAL YEAR 2026 TO DATE, 284 REFERRALS, BUT 1,613 DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES. THAT'S COUNSELING, THAT'S SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING, THAT'S ANGER MANAGEMENT, THAT'S HELPING WITH HOUSING, THAT'S HELPING WITH TRANSPORTATION. UM, THE, UH, THE VALUE THAT THEY ADD TO OUR OFFICE IS INCREDIBLE AND WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO BRAG A LITTLE BIT HERE. UM, THE SAN ANTONIO CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS ASSOCIATION THIS YEAR NAMED MR. GILMORE, THE DEFENDER OF THE YEAR, AND KELLY FERNANDEZ, WHO'S ALSO IN OUR OFFICE AS THE YOUNG LAWYER OF THE YEAR. IT'S THE FIRST TIME A BEAR COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER HAS EVER WON EITHER AWARD, AND OUR OFFICE AS A WHOLE HAS WON AN AWARD. MS. FERNANDEZ IS HERE IN THE BACK TOO. I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. UM, OUR OFFICE ACTUALLY WON AN AWARD, THE WARREN BURNETT AWARD. WE WERE AWARDED THIS BY THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS. THIS IS THE PRESS RELEASE PUT OUT BY THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS THROUGH COURT. ITS COURTROOM EXCELLENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY DEFENSE MODEL, AND DEDICATION TO SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENT. THE BEXAR COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE EXEMPLIFIES THE PER THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD, ITS ATTORNEYS, INVESTIGATORS, CASEWORKERS, AND SUPPORT STAFF COLLECTIVELY STRENGTHEN CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS AND MEANINGFULLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF REPRESENTATION PROVIDED TO INDIGENT TEXANS. SO WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT AWARD. IN CLOSING, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT NUMBERS MATTER, CASE LOADS, DISPOSITIONS, TIMELINES, EFFICIENCY ARE IMPORTANT MEASURES OF ACCOUNTABILITY. BUT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN CASE STATISTICS. MUCH OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT WORK WILL NEVER APPEAR ON A SPREADSHEET. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU SOME REAL WORLD EXAMPLES OF HOW THIS OFFICE MAKES A DIFFERENT DIFFERENCE. EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE'S LIVES WHO WERE CHANGED BECAUSE A PUBLIC DEFENDER TOOK THE TIME TO LOOK BEYOND THE CHARGE, TO SEE THE PERSON IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AND FIND A SOLUTION. THESE STORIES DO NOT REPLACE STATISTICS, BUT THEY GIVE THE STATISTICS MEANING. SO I HOPE YOU WILL SEE VALUE NOT IN JUST HOW MANY CASES WE HANDLE, BUT THE QUALITY OF JUSTICE WE PROVIDE, THE LIVES WE IMPACT, AND THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE IN OUR COMMUNITY. BECAUSE THE TRUE MEASURE OF A PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE ISN'T SIMPLY HOW MANY CASES WE CLOSE, BUT HOW MUCH JUSTICE WE DELIVER. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CLOSE WITH A FEW SHORT STORIES, IF YOU WILL INDULGE ME. OUR LAWYER IN THE DWI COURT CAME ACROSS A 24-YEAR-OLD WOMAN. SHE HAD TWO DWIS. THE COURT WAS GETTING READY TO KICK HER OUT OF THE COURT BECAUSE SHE WASN'T DOING WHAT SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. THE CASEWORKER, THE PROBATION OFFICER, NOBODY COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. BUT OUR LAWYER TOOK THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH HER. SHE TOOK THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW HER. AND BY DOING THAT, THIS WOMAN OPENED UP TO HER. SHE HAD A MENTAL ILLNESS THAT HAD NEVER BEEN TREATED. SHE WAS FIGHTING FOR CUSTODY OF HER CHILD. SHE WAS [01:55:01] BARELY MAKING ENDS MEET, AND SHE WAS SCARED AND OVERWHELMED. AND BECAUSE OUR LAWYER TOOK THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW HER, SHE WAS ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR HER. AND THAT WOMAN IS STILL IN DWI COURT AND DOING VERY WELL IN REJO COURT. THERE WAS A 55-YEAR-OLD GENTLEMAN. REJO WAS HIS FOURTH TIME AT GETTING SOBER. WITH THE HELP AND THE SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER AND THE TREATMENT COURT, HE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET SOBER AND STOP METHADONE COMPLETELY. HE HAD BEEN AN ADDICT FOR OVER 20 YEARS. ONCE HE GOT SOBER, HE WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT THE RELATIONSHIP HE WAS IN, THE ONE THAT LED HIM TO REJO COURT WAS TOXIC AND HE WAS ABLE TO LEAVE. HE'S NOW BEEN SOBER FOR OVER TWO YEARS, AND HE'S OPENING HIS OWN SHOP. WE HAD A CLIENT, THE STATE IN FELONY COURT. THE STATE WANTED TO SEND TO PRISON BASED ON MULTIPLE PENDING CASES AND A SIGNIFICANT SUBSTANCE ABUSE HISTORY. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR SOCIAL WORKER, THE LAWYER AND THE SOCIAL WORKER DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE MITIGATION PLAN FOR SENTENCING THE CLIENT. THEY ADVOCATED SUCCESSFULLY FOR PROBATION AND PLACEMENT IN DRUG COURT. THE CLIENT ULTIMATELY COMPLETED DRUG COURT, WAS RELEASED FROM PROBATION EARLY AND HAS INCURRED NO NEW OFFENSES SINCE 2022. HE ACHIEVED NOT ONLY THAT, HE ACHIEVED HIS CERTIFICATION AS A SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR AND NOW WORKS FOR LIFETIME RECOVERY. HE'S ALSO MARRIED AND PURCHASED A HOME. THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE, THE ADVOCACY FROM THE OFFICE AND THE EFFORT THEY PUT IN TO GETTING TO KNOW THE PERSON AND ADVOCATING FOR A JUST OUTCOME. HE HAS COMMITTED NO, NO NEW OFFENSES, AND HE IS A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY. THE LAST STORY I'LL SHARE IS ABOUT THE MISDEMEANOR MENTAL HEALTH COURT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT IS VERY LABOR INTENSIVE. IT REQUIRES A LOT FROM THE PARTICIPANTS, AND THEY CAN BE DIFFICULT CLIENTS. THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. THEY OFTEN HAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES ON THAT. UM, THERE WAS A YOUNG KID WHO WAS IN THE PROGRAM, WAS DIFFICULT FROM THE BEGINNING, ENDED UP BEING PLACED IN INPATIENT TREATMENT THAT HE COMPLETED, AND ULTIMATELY HE COMPLETED THE PROGRAM. OUR LAWYER TALKED ABOUT SEEING THIS YOUNG MAN IN HIS CAP AND GOWN WITH HIS MOM AND DAD, THEM SMILING AND BEAMING, AND HE SAID, IT'S A MEMORY HE WILL NEVER FORGET. BUT I'D LIKE TO SHARE THIS EMAIL WITH YOU THAT HE SENT TO OUR LAWYER. I JUST WANT TO APOLOGIZE AND SAY THANK YOU FOR OUR TIME TOGETHER. WHILE I WAS A PARTICIPANT IN THE MENTAL HEALTH COURT, I'M SORRY FOR ANY GRIEF I CAUSED YOU WITH YOUR TEAM AND YOUR WORK. I HEARD MANY TIMES IN PASSING HOW MUCH YOU FOUGHT FOR US BEHIND THE SCENES WHEN THOSE COURT DOORS DIDN'T OPEN UNTIL THREE 30 INSTEAD OF TWO 30. I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR PART IN TAXING AND UNFORGIVING ROLE AS A PUBLIC DEFENDER. I SEE YOU DO IT WITH LOVE. I STILL THINK OF THAT PHONE CALL. YOU SAID I'D GET ONE DAY BECAUSE I MADE IT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY. YOU FIRST SAW ME IN ORANGE, SCARED AND CONFUSED WITH WHAT I HAD DONE IN MY LIFE TO GET WHERE I WAS. I WANT YOU TO KNOW I'M DOING MUCH BETTER NOW IN LIFE AND IN MY ASPIRATIONS. I REALLY HOPE I AM ONE OF MANY THAT SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS WITH MISREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES AND FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE IN MY LIFE. I'D LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU IN PERSON TO THE ENTIRE TEAM. IF THERE'S EVER A CLIENT YOU THINK I COULD JUST SIT DOWN AND HAVE COFFEE WITH I'M GAME, I COULD GO ON AND ON WITH STORIES ABOUT DIFFERENCES WE'VE MADE INSIDE THE COURTROOM AND OUT ANYBODY WHO SHOWS UP AT OUR DOOR, WE HELP. THEY HAVE A WARRANT, THEY NEED COURT CLOTHES. THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO. DISTRAUGHT PARENTS, WE ARE ALWAYS, ALWAYS THERE TO HELP. SO ON TOP OF BEING A VALUE TO THE COUNTY, WE DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST. AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US, AND THAT'S WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO. THANK YOU. I WILL TRY TO, TO BE BRIEF HERE. UH, I TOOK DOWN SOME NOTES, BUT MAY JUMP AROUND HERE. UH, FIRST OF ALL, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE THE, THE PERSONAL STORIES AND, AND THE WORK YOUR OFFICE DOES. UM, AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, YOUR LAWYERS AND NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, DATA ANALYSTS, BUT, UM, JUST A FEW THINGS I I THINK WE DO NEED TO TALK ABOUT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL QUESTIONS IN MY MIND, YOU KNOW, AROUND THE REDUNDANCIES. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE, AND HOW WE CAN BE BETTER ALIGNED IF, IF WE'RE, IF WE HAVE A MAC AND A PDO, THEN HOW CAN WE WORK BETTER TO ELIMINATE THOSE REDUNDANCIES AND, AND WORK TOGETHER? I WOULD SAY CLEARLY HERE, YOU KNOW, JUST HIGH LEVEL, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NOT ALIGNMENT ON THE COST PER CASE, RIGHT? BETWEEN THE, THE TWO OFFICES. UM, AND, AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE, UH, STAFFING AND, AND TRYING TO DECONFLICT, UH, BETWEEN YOUR, [02:00:01] YOUR TWO OFFICES. AND I, I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AND MAYBE COUNTY STAFF CAN HELP WITH THAT, UH, WORKING WITH, WITH BOTH OFFICES. UM, YEAH, AS I HEARD MORE AND MORE, I, I THINK I, I GET SOME OF THE PIECES HERE THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO UNPACK THE, THE NUMBERS PIECE, RIGHT? THAT THERE'S THESE OTHER SERVICES THAT PDO IS PROVIDING. IT'S NOT EASY, BUT I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO TEASE THAT OUT, PULL THAT OUT OF YOUR HOURS AND YOUR OVERALL COST, AND THEN TRY TO GET MORE TO AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON. UM, AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED KIND OF THE VOUCHERS IN ACCOUNTING, RIGHT? HOW THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT. BUT THEN AS WE WENT ALONG HERE, I ALSO THINK THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF HOW WE, THE SERVICE PROVIDED FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE UNDER MAC VERSUS PDO AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT DISPARATE, RIGHT, AND THAT THERE'S NOT A, A PREMIUM SERVICE AND, AND A GENERAL SERVICE, RIGHT? AND I JUST WANT TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK PDO, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, RIGHT, YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE THE SAME RESTRICTIONS, WHEREAS MAC IS TRYING TO LIKE EFFICIENTLY WORK THROUGH THE VAST MAJORITY OF CASES, AND ALL OF THOSE ATTORNEYS HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIMITED TIME, WHATEVER, BASED ON A CASELOAD AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO, TO DEDICATE. BUT OBVIOUSLY I THINK THERE, THERE'D BE A CONCERN, RIGHT? IF SOMEBODY'S LIKE, WELL, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA GET ASSIGNED TO MAC, I WANNA GET ASSIGNED TO PDO SO I CAN GET, YOU KNOW, EXTRA TIME OR EXTRA SUPPORT. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT, BUT IT IS A CONCERN I THINK, IN MY MIND. UH, SURE. SO, UH, I, I THINK IN TERMS OF LIKE OUTCOMES, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A MASSIVE DISPARITY BETWEEN OUR POSITIVE OUTCOMES AND THE PANEL ATTORNEYS. I THINK THAT WE MAYBE ABOUT 10% GREATER CHANCE OF WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER A POSITIVE OUTCOME WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. BUT I MEAN, THAT CAN CHANGE YEAR TO YEAR. AND BASED ON THE, THE CHARGE AND OFFENSE AND LEVEL OF PROOF, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY HARD TO TALK ABOUT OUTCOMES AND SAY, YOU KNOW, ONE NEEDS TO GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE OTHER. BUT WITH RESPECT TO, UH, SOME OF THE, THE, THE FEES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, AND, AND JIM, CORRECT ME IF I'M, IF I'M WRONG, BUT THE MAC IS ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THE VOUCHER THAT GOES TO THE ATTORNEY, WHICH IS WHY THEY PUT UP THE NUMBER THAT THEY PUT UP, THE MONEY THAT GETS, UH, PAID TO THE, UH, INVESTIGATOR THAT THE PANEL ATTORNEY GOT APPOINTED, AND THE, UM, THE, UH, PSYCHOLOGIST THAT THE PANEL ATTORNEY GOT APPOINTED, THAT GETS APPROVED BY THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGE AND THE COUNTY COURT JUDGE, UM, YOU KNOW, AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED X, RIGHT? AND SO THAT WOULDN'T, THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT THE MAC CONSIDERS ITS COST PER CASE, WHICH IS WHY I WAS TRYING TO SHOW THE TOTAL COST OF INDIGENT, UH, DEFENSE SPENDING RATHER THAN JUST A PER COST BASIS, MAC VERSUS PDO. BECAUSE THERE'S NOT REALLY A WAY TO GET TO AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON BECAUSE THE MAC DOESN'T PROVIDE DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES. THEY DON'T PROVIDE DIRECT REPRESENTATION. SO I HEAR YOU, BUT YOU DO HAVE THOSE EXPENSES IN YOUR CALCULATIONS, RIGHT? FOR MAC, YOU HAVE AN INVESTIGATOR EXPENSES, EXPERT WITNESS EXPENSES, OTHER LIT EXPENSES, RIGHT? YES. OKAY. SO YOU'RE JUST SAYING THEY MAY NOT HAVE INCLUDED THAT IN THEIR CALCULATIONS. YOU TRIED TO INCLUDE IT IN YOUR CALCULATIONS. RIGHT, BECAUSE THE, IT'S, IT'S INCLUDED BECAUSE I'M INCLUDING WHAT THE COUNTY AND DISTRICT COURT JUDGES ARE APPROVING AS EXPENDITURES. THAT'S FINE. BUT IT'S NOT PART OF WHAT THE MAX SPENDS. OKAY, THAT'S FINE. I UNDERSTAND. JUST TRYING TO, AGAIN, MAKE SURE WE CAN GET TO APPLES TO APPLES AND, AND ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. UM, I GUESS LAST THING, I'LL, I'LL JUST SAY, WELL, TWO THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, I, I DO DISAGREE, UH, RESPECTFULLY WITH YOU ON THE, UH, PROPORTIONATE IMPACT. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF CASES THAT ARE AT A HIGHER COST VERSUS THE VAST MAJORITY OF CASES GOING THROUGH MAC. SO TRYING TO ADD ON, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, UH, AVERAGE COSTS ACROSS THE COUNTY, I DON'T THINK THAT, THAT THAT'S THE, THE RIGHT WAY TO VIEW IT. BUT THE, UM, I MEAN, I GUESS MY, UH, AND THIS GETS BACK TO THE OTHER SERVICES VERSUS, UM, YOU KNOW, LEGAL SERVICES, AND CLEARLY THERE'S VALUE IN SOME OF THOSE OTHER SERVICES THAT YOU LAID OUT, RIGHT? THE, THE WRITS AND ENSURING THAT WE, WE ARE NOT, UH, HOLDING INMATES FROM OTHER COUNTIES, BUT PDO HAS FIXED COSTS, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAXIMIZE THE VALUE ADD ACTIVITIES, YOU KNOW, AND THOSE CAN BE WITH, UH, CASES, THOSE CAN BE WRIT, THOSE COULD BE OTHER THINGS, RIGHT? BUT, UH, IT IS A FIXED [02:05:01] COST EVERY SINGLE HOUR, EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE. AND SO TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THE, I'VE HEARD THE TERM JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY. I DON'T KNOW IF DEFENSE EFFICIENCY IS A, IS A SEPARATE TERM, BUT LOOKING FOR THAT, AND THEN ALSO LOOKING FOR BALANCE BETWEEN THE SERVICES THE, THE MAC HAS PROVIDED ON THE LEGAL SIDE, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO ATTORNEY REPRESENTATION, THAT THERE'S BALANCE BETWEEN THE MAC AND, AND THE PD O2. UH, SO WE'RE NOT, UH, HAVING DISPARATE LEVELS OF, UH, LEGAL CARE AND SERVICE. UM, I, I WILL LEAVE IT THERE, BUT I DO WANT TO LIKE, LOOK TO COUNTY STAFF TO HELP US BRIDGE THE GAP HERE IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THE, THE, THE NUMBERS BETTER AND UNPACKING THE OTHER SERVICES THAT, THAT YOU ALL DO PROVIDE AND PULLING THAT OUT SO WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE AND HAVE A CLOSER APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON. UM, SO IF WE CAN HAVE COUNTY BUDGET WHO ARE DATA ANALYSTS AND NUMBERS, PEOPLE HELP WITH THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE VALUABLE TO THE COURT. THANK YOU. I THINK I CAN HELP A LITTLE BIT, UM, BEING THAT YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK. UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS, UH, HAS BEEN A GREAT UPDATE. UM, JUST VERY SIMPLY, UH, IF MEMBERS OF THE COURT WANT A ANALYSIS OF COURT COSTS, YOU CAN DO THAT BY JUST TAKING OUT THE INVESTIGATORS AND THE OTHER SUB, YOU KNOW, ANCILLARY COMPONENTS. OF COURSE. YEAH. AND, AND, AND THAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO GET THERE. UM, SO PARDON ME, I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO ADD. UM, I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE INFORMATION AND, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOU ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CLAY FLOORS. YEAH, I'LL BE, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A LONG MORNING ALREADY, SO I'LL BE QUICK. I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR STATS OBVIOUSLY SHOW THAT YOU HAVE A MUCH SMALLER NUMBER OF INDIGENT CASES, BUT NONETHELESS, THOSE, THAT SMALL NUMBER IS VERY NECESSARY. I KNOW MS. MORA WAS IRENE ARE IRENE MORA, YOU STILL HERE? SO, YOU KNOW, SHE, UM, CAME THIS MORNING TO SPEAK ABOUT THE DEATH OF HER BROTHER. SO EVERY CASE IS SOMEONE, SIBLING, SIBLING, SOMEONE'S MOTHER, SOMEONE'S SISTER. SO TO THAT FAMILY AND THAT COMMUNITY THAT THEY IMPACT, IT MEANS THE WORLD. SO I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT I AM TOTALLY FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER AND THE MAC, UM, CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE CAN FIGURE THIS OUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM C. I WANT TANYA GUY TO PLEASE COME FIRST AND THEN WE'LL ALLOW THE PRESENTATION FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IMPACT COURTS REGARDING THE FOLLOWING. UH, ONE, A PROGRAM CHANGE REQUEST IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF $1,932,953 TO FUND TWO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IMPACT COURTS CURRENTLY FUNDED THE DECEMBER 31ST, 2026 WITH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT GRANT FUNDING. THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING WILL BE FOR THE REMAINDER FISCAL YEAR 26 27, SPECIFICALLY JANUARY 1ST, 2027 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027. REQUEST PER DEPARTMENT AS FOLLOWS, COUNTY COURTS $741,254 COUNTY CLERK, $192,389. DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, 999, 300 $10. MS. GATAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, JUDGE. AND THEN I BELIEVE, UH, JUDGE, UH, VATA, RIGHT, AND HER STAFF WILL BE MAKE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, JUDGE, AGAIN FOR THE RECORD. TANYA GATAN, BUDGET AND FINANCE DIRECTOR. AND JUST AS A REMINDER FOR THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AS WELL AS FOR THE PUBLIC IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE ARE FUNDING THREE MONTHS THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER 31ST. ALL THE POSITIONS THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TODAY AND THE REMAINING NINE MONTHS HAVE BEEN PLACED IN CONTINGENCIES. AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS SPECIFICALLY TODAY. SO WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS POST OFFER REQUEST FROM THE COUNTY COURTS INVOLVES, UH, COUNTYWIDE OFFICES TO INCLUDE THE COUNTY CLERK, THE COUNTY COURTS AT LAW, AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. THERE ARE 22 POSITIONS, INCLUDING OUR VISITING JUDGES, WHO SUPPORT OR LEAD THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTS FOR A TOTAL COST ANNUAL COST OF $1.9 MILLION. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION FROM THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT DOES NOT RECOMMEND, UM, MOVING FORWARD AND FUNDING THE IMPACT COURTS. UM, INSTEAD WITH THE CASES THAT ARE STILL PENDING IN THE DA'S OFFICE, AND BASED ON WORKLOAD, WHICH I'LL GO OVER IN DETAIL IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THEY ABSORB THOSE CASES IF THEY DO INFLUX ACROSS THE COUNTY COURTS, WHICH THEY HAVE DONE IN PREVIOUS YEARS PRIOR TO THE IMPACT COURTS BEING AUTHORIZED. UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT THE COUNTY COURTS DO HAVE, UM, IS [02:10:01] THAT THERE ARE UNFILED CASES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES, SPECIFICALLY OF ABOUT 1100 CASES IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS THE, AS OF THE END OF JUNE. THESE CASES WERE FILED ALL AT ONCE, AND IT ONLY LANDED WITH THE, UH, TWO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTS FOR SEVEN AND 13. THIS WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING, AS THEY HAVE DONE PREVIOUSLY, DISTRIBUTE THOSE CASES ACROSS ALL OF THE CRIMINAL COURTS, THIS WOULD INCREASE THEIR CASES BASED OFF OF THE NUMBER PROVIDED AT THE END OF JUNE OR ABOUT 88 CASES. SO, AS A REMINDER, COMMISSIONER'S COURT, UH, PROVIDED THE IMPACT COURTS, UH, AT THE END OF 2021. AT THE TIME, THE BACKLOG WAS ABOVE 6,000, AT 6,328 C CASES. UM, SINCE THEN, THE COURTS HAVE BEEN SUCCESS SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING THAT BACKLOG. AND AS OF THE END OF JUNE, THERE ARE ABOUT A 4,500 PENDING CASES, UH, WHICH IS AT A NORMAL LEVEL COMPARED TO THE OTHER CRIMINAL COURTS. AND I'LL SHOW YOU A GRAPH IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF PENDING CASES FOR ALL THE OTHER COUNTY COURTS IS ABOUT 2300, UM, WHICH IS AGAIN ABOUT THE SAME FOR THOSE TWO, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTS. AND BETWEEN OCTOBER AND JUNE COUNTY COURT SEVEN RECEIVED ABOUT 618 NEW CASES, AND COUNTY COURT 13 RECEIVED ABOUT 414 NEW CASES, WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE AVERAGE COMPARED TO THE OTHER CRIMINAL COURTS, WHICH THEY AVERAGE AROUND 950 NEW CASES. SO THIS GRAPH, UH, IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE DATA THAT I JUST EXPLAINED TO YOU. UH, WHAT THIS SHOWS IS A COMPARISON OVER EACH CRIMINAL COUNTY COURT. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CIVIL COURTS. THE BLUE BAR REPRESENTS THE PENDING CRIMINAL CASES AS OF JUNE, 2026. THE ORANGE BAR INCLUDES YEAR TO DATE, NEW CASES FROM OCTOBER TO JUNE, AND THEN OUR YEAR TO DATE DISPOSITIONS FOR THE SAME TIME PERIOD IN THE GREEN. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING COUNTY COURT SEVEN AND 13, WHICH ARE DESIGNATED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTS. THIS INCLUDES THE CASES THAT ARE SEEN BOTH BY THE IMPACT COURT AS WELL AS THE STATUTORY COURT. AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE DARK BLUE, AS I MENTIONED, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEIR PENDING CASES ARE PRETTY NORMAL LEVELS COMPARED TO WHAT THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY AT. UM, AS WELL AS TO THE OTHER CRIMINAL COURTS, UH, ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER CRIMINAL COURTS ARE THE NEW CASES. AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, COUNTY COURT SEVEN IS AT AROUND 600 AND THAT, UH, COUNTY COURT 13 IS AROUND 400, WHERE YOU SEE OTHER CRIMINAL, UH, COURTS, THEY'RE ABOVE A THOUSAND OR HOVERING AROUND A THOUSAND. THE LAST SIGNIFICANT THING IS THE DISPOSITIONS FOR EACH OF THOSE COURTS. UH, THEY HOVER AROUND THREE TO 400, UH, WITH COUNTY COURT SEVEN AND COUNTY COURT 13, THEY'RE BETWEEN, UH, 293, UM, AND WITH COUNTY COURT 13 218. SO BACK IN JANUARY, UH, THE COURT HAD APPROVED AN ANALYSIS THAT WAS LED BY GUIDEHOUSE, UM, ON THE DATA AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE POST ARPA PROGRAMS, WHICH INCLUDED THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, IMPACT COURTS. WHAT THIS, UH, CHART REPRESENTS IS AN ANNUAL COMPARISON YEAR OVER YEAR SINCE 2021, UM, ACROSS DIFFERENT COUNTIES, OTHER SIX COUNTIES, WHICH INCLUDE COLIN DALLAS, HARRIS TART, AND TRAVIS WITH BEXAR COUNTY BEING IN THE GREEN. AS YOU CAN SEE, COMPARED TO 2021, THE CASES FILED HAVE DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM 2021 TO 2025 AT THE TIME OF THE ANALYSIS. WE ALSO UPDATED THE CURRENT DATA TO THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE ESTIMATING ABOUT 1500 CASE FILINGS FOR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTS. THE NEXT CHART ALSO PROVIDED BY GUIDEHOUSE, UH, IS THE DISPOSITION VOLUME. THESE ARE THE CASES THAT EXIT, UM, THE COURT ONCE IT'S REVIEWED BY THE COURTS. AS YOU CAN SEE, BA BAYAR COUNTY RANKS THE LOWEST AND DISPOSED CASES INDICATING THAT THE BACKLOG IS NOT BEING REDUCED EFFECTIVELY. EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NEW CASES ENTERING INTO THOSE TWO COURTS, THEIR NUMBER OF DISPOSITIONS HAVE DECREASED AS WELL. SO IN 2021, IN COMPARISON TO THIS YEAR, THERE WERE ABOVE 5,000 CASES DISPOSED OF. NOW WE ARE REC, WE ARE ESTIMATING ABOUT 776 CASES BEING DISPOSED IN 2026. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE WITH GUIDE HOUSE'S DATA, IT WAS HOVERING JUST ABOVE, UH, 1000 IN THE NUMBER OF DISPOSITIONS FOR THOSE CASES. THE NEXT THING I WANNA DISCUSS IS THE OUTCOME OF THOSE DISPOSITIONS. UH, WHAT GUIDE HOUSE FOUND IS THAT THE NUMBER OF DISPOSITIONS, UM, WELL LET ME EXPLAIN THE GRAPH FIRST. SO THIS LINE GRAPH INCLUDES THE, WHERE THE DISPOSITIONS GOT CATEGORIZED. IT INCLUDES GUILTY PLEAS AND VERDICTS, DEFERRED ADJUDICATION DISMISSED AND NOT GUILTY. AND YOU'LL SEE HERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DISPOSITION IS THOSE THAT WERE DISMISSED, UH, [02:15:01] FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES. ABOUT 76% OF THE DISPOSITIONS ARE DISMISSED BY THE, UM, COURT SYSTEM. THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION JUST TO PROVIDE YOU DATA. AGAIN, WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING TO CONTINUE THE IMPACT COURTS. INSTEAD, WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO UTILIZE THE EXISTING STATUTORY COURTS TO MAINTAIN THE VOLUME FOR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTS. I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MAY HAVE. GO AHEAD, PLEASE. OKAY. WOULD THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IMPACT COURTS, WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? THE JUDGE OR I SEE LUCIA DIAMOND CLARK, THE SIGNED, OR IN JOE GONZALEZ, IF YOU WISHES. GOOD MORNING AND GOOD MORNING JUDGE. AKA COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, COMMISSIONER MOODY, AND COMMISSIONER CALVERT. UM, I'M GONNA SPEAK FIRST ON, UH, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IMPACT COURTS, THEN THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE POSITION WE ARE REQUESTING. AND LASTLY, THE CREATION OF TWO NEW COURTS. AND THEN JUDGE DOMINGUEZ WILL BE SPEAKING REGARDING HER REQUEST FOR THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. UH, OBVIOUSLY I'LL PAUSE IN BETWEEN TO GIVE THE COUNTY CLERK AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO SPEAK WITH RESPECT TO THE IMPACT COURTS. SO THE COURTS ARE REQUESTING THE CONTINUED FUNDING OF THE TWO FAMILY VIOLENCE IMPACT COURTS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2027 THROUGH JANUARY 30TH, 2027. THIS IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR REQUEST FOR TWO NEW COURTS THAT WOULD HAVE AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2027 IF IMP IF APPROVED BY BOTH COMMISSIONERS. AND OBVIOUSLY THE LEGISLATOR COUNTY COURTS CURRENTLY HAVE THE TWO IMPACT COURTS THAT ARE HANDLING PREDOMINANTLY FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES, WHICH WILL BE ARPA FUNDED THROUGH DECEMBER OF 26. WE WILL CONTINUE TO NEED THESE COURTS TO ASSIST IN THE DISPOSITION OF FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES UNTIL THOSE NEW COURTS CAN BE LEGISLATIVELY CREATED. UM, AT THIS POINT TO, UM, ONE OF THE POINTS MS. GATAN MADE, UH, ABOUT IN THE PAST, THE JUDGES HAVE AGREED TO HEAR FAMILY VIOLENCE CASE, BUT I JUST WANNA REMIND COMMISSIONERS THAT SEVEN AND 13 ARE LEGISLATIVELY, THEY'RE LEGISLATIVELY WRITTEN IN THE SENSE THAT THEY HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE, MEANING THE REST OF THE COURTS AGREE TO TAKE THESE CASES, DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO TAKE THESE CASES, RIGHT? AND NOT ALL JUDGES ARE GONNA AGREE TO TAKE THE CASES, AND OF COURSE SOME WILL. AND THAT WILL KIND OF BE AN ISSUE IF WE'RE TRYING TO GO ABOUT IT THAT WAY. WITH RESPECT TO THE CURRENT STAFF, COUNTY COURT IMPACT STAFF INCLUDES TWO VISITING JUDGE POSITIONS, TWO COURT COORDINATORS AND TWO COURT REPORTERS. ADDITIONAL POSITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE IMPACT COURTS FALL UNDER THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, AND PRETRIAL SERVICES. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO UTILIZE THE EXISTING CONFERENCE ROOM SPACE WHERE THESE IMPACT COURTS ARE CURRENTLY HOUSED FURNITURE AND THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY THAT IS BEING USED. I'D LIKE TO DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO SLIDES FOUR THROUGH SIX, AND DIDI CAN EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT, UM, THE DISCREPANCY I THINK BETWEEN MS. HAN'S, UH, FIGURES AND OUR FIGURES WITH RESPECT TO HOW THINGS ARE ENTERED. UM, AND I'LL GIVE THAT, I'LL GIVE DEEDEE THAT OPTION HERE IN A SECOND, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO LOOK AT, FOR INSTANCE, UH, THE SLIDE AND, AND ON FOUR, THE TOP CHART WHERE WE HAVE UNFILE CASES PERCENTAGE PER COURT. AND YOU LOOK AT COUNTY COURT SEVEN, WE HAVE A 60% ON FILE CASE RATE. YOU LOOK AT COUNTY COURT 13, WE HAVE 64%, UH, UNFILED CASE RATE, HOW FAMILY VIOLENCE DIFFERS FROM THE OTHER NON-FAMILY VIOLENCE COURTS, WHICH AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THAT CHART, HAVE MUCH LOWER UNFILED CASE PERCENTAGES. IF YOU LOOK TO SLIDE NUMBER FIVE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MONTHLY CASES ASSIGNED FOR JULY OF 2026, YOU'LL SEE THAT COUNTY COURT SEVEN AND COUNTY COURT 13 ARE ASSIGNED MORE CASES THAN THE OTHER COURTS. COUNTY COURT SEVEN WAS ASSIGNED 250 CASES. COUNTY COURT 13 WAS ASSIGNED 252 CASES. AND YOU SEE THE MAJORITY OF THE OTHER COURTS ARE UNDER THE 200 CASE, UM, ASSIGNMENT. THE OTHER THING TO FACTOR IN IS WE WILL HAVE A NEW DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN JANUARY OF 2027. WE DO NOT KNOW HOW THAT NEW DISTRICT ATTORNEY WILL PROCEED WITH FILING THESE CASES OR WHEN THOSE CASES WILL BE FILED. SO IF YOU'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING AT 60%, UM, TO 64% UNFILED, THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT COULD THEORETICALLY HAPPEN IF ALL OF THOSE CASES WERE FILED AT ONCE. I DO HAVE JUDGE LITA HERE, COUNTY COURT SEVEN, AND JUDGE ALICIA PEREZ HERE, UM, THAT CAN SPEAK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY EXPERIENCE DAY TO DAY IN THESE IMPACT COURTS AND WHY THEY FEEL THE NEED FOR THEM TO CONTINUE. JUDGE LITA. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, JUDGE, AKA, MY NAME IS JUDGE MELANIE LITA, AND I'M THE JUDGE OF COUNTY COURT AT LAW NUMBER SEVEN. WHEN I ENTERED INTO THIS COURT, WE DID HAVE A SIGNIFICANT BACKLOG, UM, OF CASES RANGING FOR OVER FIVE PLUS YEARS. UH, WHEN THESE ARPA FUNDS WERE GRANTED PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL ON THE BENCH, UM, TO JUDGES, JUDGE SHANKI AND JUDGE ROMAN, UH, WERE OVERSEEING THOSE IMPACT COURTS AND BUSTLING THROUGH THOSE AT, UH, [02:20:01] PHENOMENAL RATE, WHICH IS PRECISELY WHY MS. HAN'S NUMBERS FOR 2021 COMPARED TO 2025 WILL SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFER. THERE WAS A DROP IN THE MIDST SOMEWHERE AROUND 2024. THE DA'S OFFICE MADE A SHIFT IN CHANGE IN HOW THEY HANDLED THEIR INTERNAL REVIEWS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES AT THE INTAKE LEVEL. THEY WERE ABLE TO GAIN MORE STAFFING ON THAT, UH, FRONT END AND MAKE MORE CONTACT WITH COMPLAINING WITNESSES UPFRONT, WHICH THEN HELPED UTILIZE IF THEY WANTED TO PROCEED MOVING FORWARD TO FILING THE CASE. WHAT WE DID SEE IN OUR COURT WAS A HUGE INCREASE OF AN UNFILED CASES THAT DRAMATICALLY WENT UP TO ABOUT 20% ALL THE WAY UP TO CLOSE TO I THINK A LITTLE OVER 90% AT SOME POINT LAST YEAR. UM, THAT MEANT 90% OF THE CASES SITTING IN FRONT OF ME. I COULD DO NOTHING WITH OTHER THAN WHAT, WHAT'S WITHIN MY MAGISTRATE POWERS, WHICH IS BOND CONDITION CHANGES WARRANTS. AND OF THOSE NATURES, I COULDN'T PUSH THESE CASES TO TRIAL. I COULDN'T FORCE ANY KIND OF PLEA DEALS, ANYTHING TO HAPPEN. THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT IN MY POWER TO DO. IN THE MIDST OF THAT, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. STAFFING ISSUES HAVE COME, UM, I GUESS TO ASSIST THEM. AND NOW WE'VE SEEN THAT DROP DOWN TO CLOSE TO 60%. OUR FEAR IS THAT MOVING FORWARD INTO THE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE YEAR, WE'RE NOT GONNA KNOW WHO'S COMING INTO THE DA'S OFFICE, WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS ARE. RUMORS HAVE CIRCULATED AND THERE IS DISCUSSIONS OF ALL THESE CASES BEING FILED. IN ADDITION TO IT, SOME FORMS OF PLEA NEGOTIATIONS THAT ASSIST IN MOVING THESE CASES BEING REMOVED FROM THE TABLE. IF THAT DOES HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THE CONSEQUENCES THAT COME WITH FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES, THE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES SUCH AS REMOVAL OF FIREARMS AND ALSO CUSTODY ARRANGEMENTS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CHILDREN, THIS MAKES OUR JOB A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT THAN SAY A DWI, CRIMINAL TRESPASS OR A DRUG CASE. IN ORDER TO DISPOSE OF THOSE CASES, DEFENDANTS ARE LESS LIKELY TO TAKE THOSE PLEAS. SO WHAT THAT'S GONNA CAUSE IS ANOTHER, UM, BACKLOG. AND WHEN I SAY BACKLOG, I'M NOT SAYING CASES OVER SO MANY YEARS. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT A GOOD AMOUNT WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR CASES ARE WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS. HOWEVER, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THAT CASE WILL DRAG ON. SO WHAT WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY IN COUNTY COURT SEVEN, WE'VE NOW SEEN THAT WHEN IT WAS TAKEN, UH, NINE MONTHS AT LEAST, TO FILE A CASE WHEN THAT CASE FINALLY GETS FILED. NOW IT GETS PLACED ON MY TRIAL DOCKET, BUT THAT'S ALONG WITH ANOTHER, I THINK MY CURRENT TRIAL NUMBERS ARE OVER 200 WHERE THE MAJORITY OF MY FILED CASES ARE ACTUALLY WAITING A TRIAL DATE. AND I'M TRYING TO WORK WITH THE DA'S OFFICE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BY NOT OVERLOADING THEIR PROSECUTORS. I'M SURE THEY WOULD BEG TO DIFFER. WE ARE THE BUSIEST COURT OUT OF ALL THE COUNTY COURTS, BUT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH I CAN DO. I WANNA BE ABLE TO MAKE THINGS MOVE AND MOVE FORWARD. WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE IMPACT COURTS, THAT'S GONNA DOUBLE. I'M GONNA HAVE TO REABSORB EVERYTHING WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF HOW QUICKLY THINGS ARE GONNA GET FILED. MOVING INTO THE NEW YEAR, THAT CREATES A SIGNIFICANT STRAIN ON OUR STAFF, ON THE DA'S OFFICE THAT'S ALREADY GOING TO BE FIGURING OUT THEIR STAFFING SITUATIONS, WHO'S STAYING. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT INCOMING, UM, ATTORNEYS ARE GONNA BE AT WHAT THEIR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE ARE AT. SO OUR COURT IS GOING TO SUFFER. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT WE DO ALSO TAKE COMPANION CASES, WHEREAS BEFORE, THAT WASN'T THE SITUATION IN COUNTY COURT SEVEN. SO IF YOU'RE ARRESTED WITH A FAMILY VIOLENCE, IN ADDITION, AN EVADING ARREST OR A CRIMINAL TRESPASS, THOSE CASES USED TO, UM, BE SPLIT AMONGST MULTIPLE COURTS. WHAT I'VE DONE IS BRING THOSE CASES INTO ONE COURT, UH, ALLOWING EFFICIENCY FOR ONE COURT DATE FOR BOTH THE ATTORNEY AND THE DEFENDANT TO RUN EVERYTHING. UM, AND WE DON'T SEND OUR CASES OUT. WHEREAS FOR OTHER COURTS AND CTD FOR THE CRIMINAL TRIAL DIVISION, IF THEY'RE SWAPPING CASES, THEY KIND OF SWAP THE COURTS FOR ONE, FOR ONE. WE MAINTAIN ALL OF THAT WORKLOAD, UM, AND WE DON'T SEND OUR CASES BACK OUT TO ANY OTHER COURT FOR EFFICIENCY PURPOSES. IT DOES KEEP US RATHER BUSY. THOSE PROCEDURES STAY AMONGST BOTH MY COURTS OVER IMPACT AND ALSO THE, THE PRIMARY COURT, WHICH IS MINE, UM, AND SEVEN. SO AGAIN, BEING ABLE TO SEE PROJECT WHERE WE ARE, I THINK HAVING THAT NINE MONTH CUSHION WOULD ALLOW ENOUGH SUFFICIENT TIME FOR US TO SEE WHERE THE NEW OFFICE IS, GIVE US ENOUGH OF FORESIGHT OF THEIR PLANS ON IMPLEMENTING FAMILY VIOLENCE. IF THEY'RE GONNA CHOOSE TO FILE EVERYTHING UPFRONT OR CONTINUE WHAT WE'VE SEEN WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS, UH, MORE REVIEW UP AT THE UPFRONT BEFORE FILING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY PROVE UP THEIR CASES. THAT IS A, A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE. UM, BETWEEN TWO STRATEGIES FROM DA'S OFFICE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA SEE AND IF WE SEE THE LATTER OR THE FORMER ACTUALLY THEN WE'RE GONNA BE SITTING WITH WELL OVER 2000 ACTIVE CASES AT ANY TIME AND A MUCH SLOWER DISPOSITION RATE, WHICH I WOULD FORESEE THAT WILL PROBABLY END UP IN THE 4,000 CASE NUMBERS BY THE END OF 2027, UM, EACH COURT, SO THAT THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY DIFFICULT TO SUSTAIN FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. UM, JUDGE PEREZ, I'M PROUD AND HONORED TO BE HERE WITH JUDGE LIRA, OUR ADMIN, JUDGE VARA, DIDI, AND ALL OF OUR OTHER JUDGES. I'M GRATEFUL TO BE SERVING THIS COURT. [02:25:01] I ECHO THIS IDEA OF THE WISDOM OF A CUSHION BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. I CAME AND REPORTED TO NUMBERS WHEN I CAME ASKING FOR MY JOB. UM, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS CHART, BOTH, UH, JUDGE LEAR AND I HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING OUR FILED CASE NUMBERS DOWN FROM OVER 500 WE BOTH HAD AT THE TIME I CAME. AND NOW WE'RE BOTH IN THE MID THREE HUNDREDS. SO WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PUSH THE CASES WE HAVE. THAT'S WHAT WAS FELT, UM, DISORIENTING ABOUT THE OTHER EARLIER NUMBERS. WE ARE PUSHING THEM AS FAST AS WE CAN, AND THAT'S WHERE I WANNA REITERATE MY SUPPORT FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE DA'S OFFICE. WE CAN ONLY DO WHAT OUR DAS CAN HANDLE. HOWEVER MANY DAS ADAS WE GET IS HOW MUCH WORK WE CAN GET DONE. AND, UM, THEY NEED TO BE FULLY FUNDED AND SUPPORTED IN OUR FAMILY VIOLENCE COURTS. NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO CUT OUR SUPPORT FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE WORK IN BEXAR COUNTY. SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR IT. UM, AND AT THE VERY LEAST, A CUSHION NOW UNTIL WE FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO MY 353 FILED CASES, I HAVE 668 POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE FILED CASES. AND WHAT NUMBER IS NOT IN HERE IS I HAVE OVER 800 OUTSTANDING WARRANTS. SO THAT MEANS I HAVE OVER 800 ADDITIONAL CASES YOU'RE NOT SEEING HERE, BUT COULD POP UP ANY DAY AT ANY TIME. THOSE WARRANTS NEED TO GET EXECUTED. THOSE CASES NEED TO GET IN COURT BECAUSE WE CAN'T LET BE LETTING PEOPLE WHO WE SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY ARE COMMITTING FAMILY VIOLENCE TO BE RUNNING AROUND OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE NEED SUPPORT ON ALL OF THESE LEVELS. WE NEED TO BE SUPPORTING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, AND OUR ADAS BECAUSE WE'RE ALL WORKING AS A TEAM HERE. UM, AND WE CAN'T LET THESE FAMILY VIOLENCE ISSUES GO UNADDRESSED. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR FUNDING AND REALIZE ARE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN WHERE WE'RE AT, UM, AND WE ALL CAN WORK TOGETHER TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE. THANK YOU. MR. DOMINIC. IS JUDGE WADI, DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE? DID YOU WANT I JUST WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING. OKAY. DIDI JUST WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING IF SHE CAN BRIEFLY. HELLO COMMISSIONERS, JUDGE SAKA. SO YEAH, JUST TO POINT OUT THAT IN 2021 WHEN THE IMPACT COURTS WERE CREATED, AND THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CRISIS WITH ALL THESE BACK, THE BACKLOG OF FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES, THOSE WERE FILED CASES THAT WERE REALLY DATED FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. AND SO, UM, WHEN THEY WERE DISMISSED, IT DID SHOW A SIGNIFICANT 'CAUSE. THERE WERE OVER 6,000 CASES AT THAT TIME. SO BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE CASES ARE PRE-FILE CASES WHERE THERE'S NO INFORMATION FILED WHEN THEY'RE CLOSED, THOSE ARE CONSIDERED STATISTICAL CLOSURE. SO THEY DON'T SHOW UP ON THE SAME WAY ON STATISTICS. LIKE THEY DON'T SHOW UP THE SAME WAY A DISMISSAL WOULD. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT, THAT POINT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. IS MS. ADAM CLARK HERE OR ANYBODY FROM THE CLERK? THIS IS THE DENISE. THEN, UH, JOE, I SEE. YOU'RE, YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE HELLO, JUDGE RENO MAD REPRESENTING THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE. WE'RE ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THE ADDITIONAL, UH, COUNTY CLERK, UH, EMPLOYEES THAT WE WOULD HAVE IF THESE COURTS WERE TO CONTINUE ON. UH, AS YOU KNOW, THE COURTS REQUIRE CORRESPONDING CLERKS FOR THE PROCESSING OF ORDERS, JUDGMENTS, ENTERING DISPOSITIONS, AND OTHER ENTRIES THAT AFFECT STATE REPORTING FROM DPS TO OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION. WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, OUR OFFICE DOES SUPPORT, UH, THE REQUIRED CLERK COVERAGE FOR THESE COURTS AS WELL. THANK YOU, MR. GONZALEZ. GOOD MORNING COURT. UM, GOOD MORNING. I WAS, UM, INVITED TO, UH, TO APPEAR LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON, UH, NOT TO SPEAK, BUT TO, UH, TO APPEAR IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST TO APPROVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UM, OF THIS, OF THESE DOMESTIC, UH, VIOLENCE IMPACT COURT. AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED. UM, UM, I'M A SHORT TIMER. I WILL BE LEAVING AT THE END OF THE YEAR, SO I, I'M NOT HERE SPEAKING FOR THE NEXT DA, WHOEVER THAT IS. UH, BUT I HAD, I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE, UH, THE COURT'S REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. UH, I HEARD THE, THE, UH, THE STATISTICS THAT WERE, UM, THAT WERE OFFERED BY THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, OR THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. BUT I WILL, I WILL SUGGEST THAT THE REASON THAT THE NUMBERS ARE WHERE THEY ARE IS BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF THE IMPACT COURT'S STAFF, PUN INTENDED. I, I BELIEVE THAT, THAT THE WORK THAT, UH, THAT OUR PROSECUTORS AND STAFF ARE DOING IN THESE COURTS, UH, CONTRIBUTE TO KEEPING THE BACKLOG DOWN AND KEEPING THESE CASES MOVING. UM, AND SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT, UH, FROM THESE, THESE JUDGES IS, IS ACCURATE IN TERMS OF THE NEED TO CONTINUE FUNDING THESE IMPACT COURTS, AT LEAST UNTIL THE, UH, THE END OF, UH, NEXT YEAR'S FISCAL YEAR. [02:30:01] SO I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THAT. AND AGAIN, IF, UH, IF ANY ANYBODY HAS ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I'M, I'M CERTAINLY WILLING TO, TO RESPOND TO THOSE. BUT, BUT, UH, WELL, THAT'S THE REASON FOR MY PRESENCE HERE TODAY. SO, MR. GONZALEZ, DO YOU HAVE VACANCIES IN YOUR INTAKE, SPECIFICALLY IN THIS PARTICULAR DOCKET? YES, JUDGE, WE'VE, WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH STAFFING SHORTAGES FOR SEVERAL YEARS. UH, AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE FAMILY VIOLENCE DIVISION, UH, OUR, UH, DIVISION HAS WORKED, UH, AT, UH, AT A, UH, UM, AT A HANDICAP BECAUSE, UH, WHERE WE MAY HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, TYPICALLY SIX TO EIGHT PROSECUTORS HANDLING THE INTAKE OF THESE CASES. WE ONLY HAVE THREE OR FOUR THAT ARE DESIGNATED TO REVIEW THESE CASES. SO, SO YES, WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH A, WITH A STAFFING SHORTAGE. UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE. AND SO WE ARE, UH, AGAIN, UH, WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP THE, THE BACKLOG DOWN. AND BY THE WAY, I HEARD A NUMBER THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD BY, FROM THE OUTGOING DIVISION CHIEF, THE FAMILY VIOLENCE INDIC CHIEF INDICATED TO ME BEFORE SHE LEFT THAT THE BACKLOG WAS LESS THAN 300, NOT THE THOUSANDS THAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IN THE PAST. BUT I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT SPEAKS TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DEDICATED TO MOVING THESE CASES. AND SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO FUND THESE IMPACT COURTS. DID YOU OFFER THE OVERTIME PAY THAT WE AUTHORIZE TO YOUR INTAKE LAWYERS IN ORDER TO, 'CAUSE THAT WAS, I THOUGHT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MOVED THE, UH, FELONY CASES SO WELL, BECAUSE THE, BECAUSE THE, THE, THE APPROVAL WAS FOR THE HIGH RISK FELONY INTAKE BACKLOG, UH, THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE HIGH RISK PROGRAM. UNDERSTOOD. OKAY. MR. RODRIGUEZ, UH, JOE, COULD YOU SPEAK TO, AND MAYBE, MAYBE YOU JUST EXPLAINED THE REASONING FOR THIS, BUT, UM, THE, UH, I GUESS THE HIGHER PERCENTAGES OF THE UNFILED CASES IN THOSE COURTS IN PARTICULAR, IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE, THE SHORTAGE IN, UH, PERSONNEL? UH, NO, AND, AND I APOLOGIZE. I I LOST MY VOICE OVER THE WEEKEND, BUT I'LL, I'LL TRY AND DO THE BEST I CAN TO, UH, TO EXPLAIN. SO WHAT HAPPENED IS, IS I DISCOVERED SOMETIME IN EARLY 2025 THAT WE HAD A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF CASES THAT WERE DISMISSED IN COURT. THE REASON FOR THAT COMMISSIONER IS THAT WE SAW THAT A NUMBER OF FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES WERE FILED, UH, AND THEN THE PROSECUTOR THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO COURT HAD TO MAKE A DISMISS A DECISION TO DISMISS THE CASE OR TO GO TO TRIAL WITHOUT THE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE. THAT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE CASES, UH, ARE, UM, CASES WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS MAKING A DECISION TO ARREST AND, AND PERHAPS RIGHTLY SO, TO REMOVE THE PERPETRATOR FROM THAT ENVIRONMENT. BUT THAT THERE ISN'T SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO GO FORWARD. AND IT ISN'T UNTIL OUR PROSECUTORS TAKE A DEEP DIVE AND CONTACT THE, THE COMPLAINANT AND REVIEW WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO GO FORWARD, CAN WE MAKE THAT DECISION. SO WHAT WE DID IS I MANDATED THAT DIVISION TO SLOW DOWN ON THE REVIEW OF THESE CASES SO THAT IT TOOK LONGER TO, TO MAKE, UH, CHARGING DECISIONS. AND THAT, UH, RESULTED IN THE INCREASE OF THE RED FILES THAT JUDGE LITA, UH, ALLUDED TO. SO NOW, UH, WE ARE TAKING A, A, A GREATER AMOUNT OF TIME TO REVIEW THESE CASES. UH, BUT THAT HAS RESULTED IN THE, IN A LESSER AMOUNT OF, OF DISMISSALS ON TRIAL CASES. UH, BUT THAT'S THE, THE RESULT OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN OFFICER MAKING A, A DECISION TO ARREST BASED ON PROBABLE CAUSE AND US MAKING A DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN PROVE A CASE BEYOND THE REASONABLE DOUBT. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. YEAH, I, I THINK I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. UM, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE, THESE ARE, THESE ARE TOUGH DECISIONS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK ON ITS FACE, YOU COULD LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH WE DID THIS, UH, TO HELP ADDRESS THE BACKLOG, WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS AT THAT POINT, UM, A TEMPORARY, UM, FIX IN A SENSE TO GET THOSE, UH, NUMBERS DOWN. UM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE, UM, OBJECTIVE WAS MET IN A SENSE THAT, THAT THE IMPACT COURTS HAD AN IMPACT, RIGHT. THAT THAT'S, UH, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR. UM, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, UH, KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A, UH, DEFINITIVE POINT AT WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISION, UM, IF, IF YOU HAD, I GUESS ANY, UH, ANY PERSONNEL OTHER THAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE, UH, SOME ISSUES WITH, UM, [02:35:01] JUST RECRUITING I, I, I GUESS FOLKS ON, ON SPECIFICALLY IN THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, AREA. IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU STATED EARLIER? THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT. COMMISSIONER. THE REASON IS WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING, UH, CHALLENGES WITH RECRUITMENT FROM, UH, FROM THE LAW SCHOOLS AND, AND OTHER ATTORNEYS, UH, THAT MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN APPLYING TO THE DA'S OFFICES. AND REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE MISDEMEANOR COURTS, THESE ARE ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS. YEAH. UH, AND SO THOSE, THAT'S THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE IS WE'RE COMPETING WITH OTHER, UH, OTHER OFFICES IN THE AREA. WE'RE COMPETING WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY, UH, THAT PAYS MORE. SURE. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, UH, BE BEFORE. YEAH. UH, THAT THE CHALLENGE IS WE JUST CAN'T, UH, UH, KEEP ANY INTEREST BECAUSE OF THE LOW LEVEL OF PAY THAT WE OFFER IN, IN OUR OFFICE. OKAY. UM, LET ME ASK TANYA TO COME BACK UP, TANYA, ON YOUR SLIDE, I GUESS YOUR FIRST SLIDE THAT, THAT, UM, KIND OF OUTLINES THE POSITIONS. SO THIS IS ABOUT, ABOUT $2 MILLION IN POSITIONS, RIGHT? UM, YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE A FOOTNOTE THAT SAYS IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE JUDGES, UM, VISITING JUDGES IN THAT BUDGET? UH, NO, IT ACTUALLY DOES. I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE, UH, MISLEADING. SO WHAT WE MEAN IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AU, WHAT WE CALL AUTHORIZED POSITION, ACTUAL FTES MM-HMM . THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE LISTED IN THE BUDGET. THESE ARE CONSIDERED TEMPORARY POSITIONS 'CAUSE THEY SWITCH OUT THE VISITING JUDGES, BUT THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THAT 22 AND INCLUDED IN THAT 1.9. SO. SO RIGHT NOW IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, YOU, YOUR OFFICE BUDGET OFFICE IS, UH, RECOMMENDING FUNDING THROUGH THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. AND THE REST OF IT'S IN CONTINGENCIES? THE REST IN CONTINGENCIES, YES, SIR. OKAY. SO IT'S IN THE BUDGET NOW, NOT IN CONTINGENCY, BUT IN THE BASE BUDGET FOR FUNDING FOR THE IMPACT COURTS THROUGH DECEMBER? THAT'S CORRECT. COMMISSION. OKAY. SO, UH, SO WE ARE ESSENTIALLY FACED WITH, UM, AT SOME POINT, WHETHER IT'S NOW OR BY DECEMBER, WHETHER TO TAKE THE REST OF THAT MONEY OUT OF CONTINGENCY AND PUT IT INTO THE BUDGET FOR THE, FOR THE REST OF THE FISCAL YEAR. IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT, COMMISSIONER. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS CLEAR. SO, UM, JUDGE VDA, CAN YOU COME BACK UP REAL QUICK? I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. SO, UM, I WANTED TO CLARIFY REAL QUICK ON YOUR, ON YOUR REQUESTS. UM, SO I, I GUESS THE SIMPLEST WAY TO ASK THIS IS BEYOND, ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET CURRENTLY. UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER POSITIONS YOU'RE REQUESTING AS PART OF THIS, UM, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IMPACT COURT ITEM THROUGH SEPTEMBER, 2027? NO. OKAY. SO YOU'RE, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ENCOMPASSES THE, LET ME GET TO THIS SLIDE. THE VISITING JUDGE POSITIONS, THE COURT COORDINATORS AND THE TWO COURT REPORTS. OKAY. I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME OTHER, UH, ITEMS THAT YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. I WON'T GET INTO THAT NOW. OKAY. BUT I JUST WANNA CLARIFY ON THIS, UM, YOU'RE JUST REQUESTING THAT WE CONTINUE THE FUNDING AS IT EXISTS NOW FOR THE IMPACT COURTS, CORRECT? IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY. AND I THINK SPECIFIC TO JUST THE COURTS NOT CONSIDERING THE COUNTY CLERK OR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, IS THAT FIGURE THE 741,254 AMOUNT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? ONE LAST QUESTION, TIME PLEASE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THE NUMBERS FROM Y'ALL'S OFFICE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THE NUMBERS FROM THE COURTS, DA'S COUNTY CLERKS. I DON'T, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE. I NEED TO BE BRIEFED AS TO WHY THE, THE NUMBERS. ARE Y'ALL APPLES TO APPLES? ARE Y'ALL APPLES TO ORANGES? I JUST NEED, AND IT GOT, GOES FOR THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION FOR THIS MORNING. SO I JUST WANNA PUT THE COURT ON NOTICE. I NEED TO DO A DEEPER DIVE BEFORE I MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS. ALRIGHT? OKAY. YES, JUDGE. WELCOME JUDGE. GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER. I JUST WANTED TO ECHO, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ'S COMMENTS I HEARD WHILE I STEPPED OUT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE STILL HAVE, HAVE SOME TIME HERE, BUT, UH, WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED IS THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS, RIGHT? THE, THE IMPACT COURTS WERE STOOD UP 'CAUSE THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT BACKLOG. I BELIEVE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT BACKLOG HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. IF I, I'M SEEING THROUGH THE DATA, THE DIFFERENT DATA THAT WE'VE, UH, SEEN HERE, UM, UNDERSTAND THERE'S STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY WHEN IT COMES TO A NEW, UM, UH, DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHICH MAYBE WE CAN GET MORE CLARITY ON IN, IN THE COMING MONTHS. BUT, UM, [02:40:01] THE, THE FUNDING WAS OBVIOUSLY ADDRESSED AND THOSE COURTS WERE STOOD UP TO DEAL WITH A BACKLOG. AND IF THAT BACKLOG HAS BEEN REMOVED AND THERE IS NOT A IMMINENT THREAT OF A NEW BACKLOG, THEN YOU KNOW, I I THINK WE NEED TO, UH, TO, TO PULL THAT BACK AND, AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST A, A TOUGH BUDGET, RIGHT? IF WE HAD, IF WE HAD MORE FUNDS AVAILABLE, THEN MAYBE WE COULD, UH, MOVE SLOWER IN TERMS OF, UH, ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE THINGS. BUT I, I THINK THAT GIVEN THE ENVIRONMENT, GIVEN ALL THE OTHER HARD DECISIONS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UH, TO BE VERY, VERY MINDFUL OF WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE GOING FORWARD. UM, BUT ANYWAY, I, I STILL WANT TO SAY, LIKE I, I STILL SEE IT AS A SUCCESS STORY REGARDLESS, BECAUSE WE, WE SAW A NEED, UH, WE STOOD UP TO IMPACT COURTS, WE FOUND FUNDING FOR THAT, AND THEN THOSE IMPACT COURTS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING THAT BACKLOG. SO, UM, IN THAT REGARD, I THINK WE SHOULD BE, BE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE AS WE GO FORWARD. WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO SEE WHETHER THERE'S REALLY A IMMINENT RISK OF A BACKLOG, UH, POPPING BACK UP OR NOT. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON. D COUNTY COURTS. YOU'RE STILL THERE, TANYA, I NEED YOU TO COME BACK AND THEN, UH, JUDGE VADO, WE'LL GET YOU BACK UP. D'S 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR. GO AHEAD. I THINK I LOST THE LITTLE REMOTE. UM, SO THEY CAN HELP ME CHANGE THE SLIDES PLEASE. UM, SO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE REQUEST FOR THE MISDEMEANOR VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. UM, SO THERE'S TWO, UH, REQUESTS. UM, CAN I HAVE THE NEXT POWERPOINT? UM, I'LL MOVE ON. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE COPIES JUST FOR, UM, TIME'S SAKE. UM, SO ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING IS TO ADD AN ASSOCIATE JUDGE AND ONE OFFICE ASSISTANT FOR THE MISDEMEANOR SPECIALTY COURTS AT A COST OF ABOUT $251,000. AND THE SECOND IS TO FUND A PREVIOUSLY GRANT FUNDED POSITION, UH, COURT MANAGER IN CONTINGENCIES FOR A TOTAL COST OF $118,000. THESE ARE BOTH RELATED TO THE SPECIALTY COURTS, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. SO THE FIRST PROGRAM CHANGE IS THE REQUEST FOR THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE IN THE OH EIGHT FOUR. UM, SO THE COUNTY COURTS ARE REQUESTING TO ADD THESE POSITIONS TO HELP, UM, WITH THE SPECIALTY COURTS. AND AS, UH, THE MAC AND THE PDO PRESENTED, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SPECIALTY COURTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE COUNTY COURTS, WHICH INCLUDE THE CAMINO COURT, THE, WHICH IS THE ADULT DRUG COURT, THE COMMUNITY COURT, WHICH, UH, IS FOR, UM, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ISSUES WITH HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH COURT, REJO COURT, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT. AND THEN THE TRACK D COURT, FORMERLY KNOWN AS A DWI COURT, AND THEN THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. SO BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE'VE GATHERED, UM, WE, UM, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE COUNTY COURTS, WE, UH, USED THE, THE DATA THAT THEY HAVE, UH, ASSISTED WITH, UM, BECAUSE OF THE REQUESTS OF THE ALL THE SPECIALTY COURTS, THERE'S REALLY NOT A, UM, AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS ASSOCIATE JUDGE AND THIS OA FOUR WOULD SUPPLEMENT OR EITHER TAKE AWAY THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CURRENT JUDGES FOR SPECIALTY COURTS OR IF IT'S GOING TO BE AN OVERFLOW COURT. BUT WHAT THIS, UM, UH, THIS TABLE, EXCUSE ME, REPRESENTS IS A COMBINATION OF ALL THE SPECIALTY COURTS. UH, AND SOME OF THE WORKLOADS MEASURES ARE THE ACTIVE CASELOAD, THE REFERRALS, WHICH ARE WHAT GETS TO THE COURT, THEIR INTAKE, UM, ACCEPTED CASES, REJECTED CASES, AND THEN PENDING REFERRALS. UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, IT DEPENDS ON WHICH COURT, BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WORKLOAD BETWEEN ALL THE SPECIALTY COURTS. UM, SO WE ARE STILL A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR ON THAT. SO, UM, BASED ON THE WORKLOAD TO ADD TO FULL-TIME POSITIONS, WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND DOING THAT BASED ON THE, THE DATA PROVIDED. UM, SO THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT, AGAIN, DOESN'T RECOMMEND THESE POSITIONS FOR THE SIX SPECIALTY COURTS. AND JUST BASED ON THE WORKLOAD, AGAIN, IT DOESN'T JUSTIFY THE WORKLOAD FOR TWO FULL-TIME POSITIONS, UM, WHICH INCLUDE THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE AND THE OH EIGHT FOUR. AND THE TOTAL COST, I WANNA REMIND YOU IS TWO, ABOUT 251,000 FOR THESE POSITIONS. THE NEXT REQUEST I WANNA DISCUSS IS THE COURT MANAGER POSITION. THIS WAS A GRANT FUNDED POSITION THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION GRANT. AND IN FISCAL YEAR 27, THEY UPDATED THE GRANTOR, UPDATED THEIR SCORING CRITERIA. AND THIS IS, UH, IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS ALL GRANTS, IS THAT THEY WANT US TO PRIORITIZE LESS ON PERSONNEL AND MORE ON DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES. UM, SO TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE, THE OFFICE, THE COUNTY COURTS, THEY OPTED TO INCLUDE A, UH, ONLY THE POSITION FOR, I BELIEVE IT'S A CASE MANAGER, ALTHOUGH IT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE GRANT AND HAS BEEN FUNDED THROUGH THE GRANT, THEY DECIDED [02:45:01] TO REMOVE THAT COURT MANAGER POSITION FROM THAT REQUEST. UM, THEY DID GET THE GRANT AWARD OF $400,000, WHICH CONTINUES TO FUND THE CASE MANAGER POSITION. AND THEN THEY FUND CONTRACTED POSITIONS, WHICH ARE SORT OF LIKE CLINICIANS. SO THEY'RE STILL FUNDING TYPES OF POSITIONS, JUST ONE'S CONTRACTED AND ONE'S, UH, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT WITH THE COUNTY. SO A VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. ONE THING THAT I WANNA POINT OUT THAT IT'S UNIQUE TO OTHER STRUCTURES OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS ACROSS THE COUNTY IS THAT MORE, MOST SPECIALTY SPECIALTY COURTS HAVE COURT MANAGERS. BUT THIS ONE'S VERY UNIQUE BECAUSE IT HAS A PROJECT DIRECTOR. UM, THE INTENTION OF THIS POSITION, AND THIS WAS CREATED WHEN THE VTC WAS FIRST CREATED YEARS AGO, UH, WAS TO ACTUALLY RAISE MONEY AND FUNDRAISE TO SUPPORT THE COURT. UM, BUT IT ALSO HAS SOME ABILITY TO OVERSEE THE COURT MANAGEMENT FOR THAT SPECIALTY COURT AS WELL. UM, SO WITHIN THAT SCOPE OF THE DIRECTOR, AND THE REASON I WANNA POINT THIS OUT IS BECAUSE I'M GONNA OFFER SOME OPTIONS FOR THE COURT'S CONSIDERATION, IS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO PLAN, DIRECT, MANAGE AND OVERSEE THE VTC. UM, THEY ALSO HAVE FULL MANAGE RESPONSIBILITY OVER ALL OF THE POSITIONS THAT ARE WITH THIS WITHIN THE SPECIALTY COURT. SO IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, UH, THE GRANTS DIVISION HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY COURTS ON THE FUNDING FOR THIS POSITION. AND WE HAD OFFERED TWO OPTIONS FOR THE COUNTY COURTS. UH, THE FIRST ONE, WHICH THE COURT, THE COUNTY COURTS HAVE AGREED TO, THEY'RE GONNA SUBMIT A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT WITH THE CURRENT BJA GRANT, UM, TO COVER THE COURT MANAGER POSITION, WHICH IS, UH, CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW. UH, THE SECOND OPTION, IF THAT DOES NOT WORK OUT, IS TO UTILIZE WHAT WE CALL PROGRAM INCOME. THIS IS FEES THAT ARE PAID BY THE PARTICIPANTS AND IT'S A FUND THAT THEY CAN USE DIRECTLY FOR THE SPECIALTY COURTS. AND THIS IS AVAILABLE TO MOST OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS IN THE COUNTY. IN THE EVENT THAT THESE, BOTH OF THE, THAT ADJUSTMENT IS DENIED, THE COUNTY COURTS ARE REQUESTING THIS POSITION TO BE FUNDED IN CONTINGENCIES. SO IF THE DEPARTMENT, UM, DOES NOT, UM, I'D SAY IT DOES NOT WORK OUT AND THE BJA GRANT DOES NOT APPROVE THE POSITION, OR IF THE OFFICE DOES NOT WANT TO USE THE PROGRAM INCOME FUND, THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT WILL THEN RECOMMEND TO DELETE THE COURT MANAGER POSITION AND ASK THEM TO UTILIZE THE PRO, UH, PROJECT DIRECTOR. I'M SORRY, YES, THE PROJECT DIRECTOR POSITION WHO CAN OVER, UH, OVERSEE THE STAFF AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THE COURT MANAGER HAD. THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, OF COURSE I'M AVAILABLE. COMMISSIONER KELLER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, TANYA. UM, I GUESS I'D LIKE TO HEAR, UH, FROM THE JUDGE ON THE, ON THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR POSITION, UH, UH, YEAH, COME ON UP, JUDGE. GOOD TO SEE YOU. UM, SO WHEN TANYA MENTIONED THAT THE POSITION WAS, UH, TO FUNDRAISE, UM, CAN YOU ELABORATE? IS THAT, ARE YOU, DOES THAT PERSON JUST DO GRANTS OR THEY DOING PRIVATE SECTOR STUFF? 'CAUSE I CAN'T RECALL ACCEPTING A DONATION. SO WHEN THIS POSITION WAS CREATED, GOOD MOR GOOD MORNING ON COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE AKA I APOLOGIZE. UM, JUDGE DOMINGUEZ WITH COUNTY COURT NUMBER SIX AND THE VETERAN STREAMING COURT, I BELIEVE WHEN THIS POSITION WAS CREATED, AS A JUDGE, WE ARE NOT TO SOLICIT FUNDS. THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUDGES CANNOT DO. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A PROGRAM THAT IS JUST STARTING OFF WITH GRANTS, AND MIND YOU, NONE OF THE POSITIONS IN THE VETERAN STREAMING COURT ARE ON GENERAL FUNDS. SO ALL THIS COURT HAS BEEN OPERATING ON IS GRANTS. SO AS A PROJECT DIRECTOR GOING OUT AND SOLICITING GRANTS, UH, MR. REESE, OUR PROJECT DIRECTOR, WRITES ALL OF OUR GRANTS. HE MANAGES ALL OF OUR GRANTS, ALL OF THE MONTHLY REPORTS. UM, AS YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER SPECIALTY COURTS LOST THEIR GOVERNOR'S GRANT BECAUSE THE BEST ASSESSMENT WASN'T COMPLETED. WE WERE ONE OF THE COURTS THAT DID DO THE BEST ASSESSMENT AND HAD THAT COMPLETED MR. RE STAYS ON TOP OF ALL OF OUR GRANTS AS WELL AS MANAGING, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE OUTINGS THAT WE'RE DOING. HE ALLOCATES THE MONEY FOR THE BUDGET AS WELL. HE DOES ALL THE BUDGET MEETINGS. I KNOW WE'VE MET WITH TANYA BEFORE, UM, AND THOMAS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COURT. AND SO HE IS THERE AS THE FOREFRONT AS MY RIGHT HAND PERSON TO BE ABLE TO ASK AND SOLICIT THOSE FUNDS. SO HE'S MANAGING ALL OF OUR GRANTS AND WRITING EVERYTHING FOR THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT SPECIFICALLY. OKAY. HOWEVER, WE DID, WE DID LET MR. GUDO KNOW WHEN WE MET WITH HIM THAT THERE IS AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART THAT WE WERE TRYING TO PROMOTE, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OVERSIGHT ON THE SPECIALTY COURTS IN GENERAL. SO AS A PROGRAM DIRECTOR COULD OVERSEE ALL OF THE COURT MANAGERS IN EACH COURT MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COURT MANAGERS ARE BEING ABLE TO, UM, MANAGE THEIR COURTS, THE ASSESSMENTS ARE BEING COMPLETED, YOU KNOW, GRANT WRITING FOR ALL OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS, BECAUSE GRANTS CAN BE WRITTEN ACROSS ALL OF THE COURTS INSTEAD OF OPERATING IN SILOS WHERE WE'RE EACH COMPETING FOR FUNDS FOR A SAMHSA GRANT OR A DIFFERENT GRANT, A GOVERNOR'S GRANT. GRANTS CAN BE WRITTEN TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THE COURTS AND THE POSITIONS AND POSITIONS CAN BE REALIGNED WHERE THAT NEED IS. SO THE COUNTY SHOULD BE MOVING IN A POSITION THAT THERE IS AN OVERSIGHT SECTION [02:50:01] WITH THE PROJECT DIRECTOR TO MANAGE ALL OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS AND THEIR STAFF, SO THAT WAY WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE GRANTS ARE BEING FUNDED, THAT THEY'RE WRITTEN, UH, THEY'RE MANAGED, AND ALL OF THE ASSESSMENTS ARE BEING COMPLETED. SO ALL OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS CAN BENEFIT FROM FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE THROUGH GRANTS, AND WE'RE NOT HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, BE ON THE GENERAL FUNDS. I, YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT EXPLANATION. I GUESS, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT, UM, I MEAN, IT, IT'S IN THE POSSIBILITY OF, OF A PROGRAM THAT HAS FUNDRAISING AS PART OF IT IS AN EXPANSION OF, OF THE TYPES OF FUNDS THAT ONE RECEIVES. I THINK PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF A VETERANS TREATMENT COURT, THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT POTENTIALLY, UH, IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR BEYOND WHAT WE TYPICALLY SEE. LIKE SAMHSA GRANTS, THE GOVERNOR, UM, YOU KNOW, ET CETERA. UM, SO IT'S NOT BEEN IN, IN THE BAILEY WICK THUS FAR FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, A-U-S-A-A GRANT OR A, I MEAN, THERE THERE HASN'T BEEN, YOU KNOW, A, A PETER HOLT GRANT OR, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF PRIVATE PERSONS HAS THERE. I HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH SOME PRIVATE SECTORS, UM, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY OFFER GRANT MONEY TO THE COUNTY. HOWEVER, BECAUSE WE ARE FUNDED THROUGH OTHER GRANTS, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FRUITFUL IN DONATING TO THE VETERAN STREAM CORP FAIR. ALL RIGHT. WELL, YOU KNOW, UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO GET FUNDING IN, IN THAT SECTOR. FOR EXAMPLE, UNITED WAY HAS A COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN WHERE PEOPLE CAN GIVE WORKPLACE GIVING. UM, THERE'S, THERE'S JUST ANY NUMBER OF WAYS. AND IT MAY BE THAT THROUGH, UH, I DON'T KNOW, THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE OR SOME PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AREA FOUNDATION, WE CAN STRENGTHEN THAT FUNDRAISING COMPONENT. I, I WOULD SAY IN THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT, IT'S A, IT'S A LOW HANGING FRUIT, UH, BUT AS YOU KNOW, YOU SOLICIT 10, YOU MIGHT GET NONE. YOU, YOU KNOW, SOLICIT 20, YOU MIGHT GET ONE. UH, IT JUST, IT JUST REALLY DEPENDS ON THE ENVIRONMENT. UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE US TRY TO STRENGTHEN THAT BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, TO HELP THE FINANCES OF THE COUNTY AND THE, AND THE COURTS AS WELL. I AGREE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO SOME ADVOCATING AS WELL, UH, WITH THE VA, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'VE HAD AN UPTAKE OF SUICIDES AT THE VA HOSPITAL. I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THE VA, UH, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN COORDINATE TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES, YOU KNOW, FOR VETERANS, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY. BUT ALSO JUST ADVOCATING FOR VETERANS IN GENERAL AND, YOU KNOW, NETWORKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO WOULD SUPPORT VETERAN GROUPS LIKE THIS, LIKE THE VETERAN STREAM COURT AND SEEING IF THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO OFFER THINGS. UM, I THINK A LOT OF IT MAY ALSO BE THE COMPLEX OF BECOMING A VENDOR TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, EITHER DONATE AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT PROCESS IS. SO I, I DEFINITELY WOULD BE OPEN TO FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN RECEIVE OTHER FUNDS FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. SEE, THE GRANT PROCESS IN GENERAL IS A AREA WHERE I BELIEVE THE BUDGET OFFICE AND THE COUNTY JUDGE'S OFFICER TRYING TO REORGANIZE, NOT, IT'S NOT REORGANIZED, BUT IT'S REALLY TRIED TO GET SOME MORE CLARITY IN THE PROCESS, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, JUDGE. CORRECT. I, I, I WANNA PUT ON RECORD PERHAPS IN THE PAST AND THAT PRIOR TO ME BEACON COUNTY JUDGE, BUT DURING MY FOUR YEARS NOW, IT JUST SEEMS THAT, AS I HEARD THE JUDGE, IT'S, IT'S BEEN, IT'S FRAGMENTED AT TIMES. IT'S SILOED. THE LEFT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT HAND IS DOING. MM-HMM . IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, SINCE I GET ALL THE NOTICES, AND I'M FORMER BOARD MEMBER ON THE STATE COURT OF SPECIALTY COURTS, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH GRANTS. AND SO IT, I BELIEVE THE VETERANS, UH, THE MONEY GRANT MONEY UNDER THE VETERANS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ROBUST AND VERY SUPPORTED BY THE STATE. SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, DID WE GET CUT FROM THE STATE AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY THERE'S A REQUEST THAT THE COUNTY PICK UP, PICK UP THE DEFICIT? OR IS THIS AN ADDITIONAL REQUEST BEYOND THE RE THE REGIONAL GRANT PROPOSAL? I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT DYNAMIC. SO OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I WOULD HAVE TO GET THE ACTUAL NUMBERS, JUDGE, BUT, UM, OVERALL THE GRANTS HAVE BEEN BEING REDUCED. UM, BUT I THINK, LIKE YOU SAID, WE, WE'VE RECEIVED $400,000 FOR THE GRANT. I THINK NOW THEY'RE SWITCHING ON HOW THEY WANNA PRIORITIZE AWARDING THOSE GRANTS. UM, THE LAST YEAR WE HAVE SEEN JUST GENERALLY, UH, GRANTS BEING DENIED, AND SO THE COURT IS GONNA BE RECEIVING A LOT MORE REQUEST. SO DID, SO LET ME JUST CUT TO THE CHASE. HOW DID WE LOSE GRANTS THEN? UM, WE HAVE TO TALK TO THE GRANTOR. WHAT'S THAT? THEY, THE GRANTOR, IT'S THEIR DECISION. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE TO TALK TO THEM AND SEE WHAT WE DID. SO WAS IT UNDER [02:55:01] THE VETERAN'S, UH, POT OR WAS IT UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE MONEY? WAS IT THE JAG MONEY? SEE, I, I KNOW THIS GRANT PROCESS, SO JUDGE, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THESE CUTS ARE. 'CAUSE THEN THAT CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHERE, WHERE THE COUNTY HAS TO MAKE IT UP OR ARE THERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THAT WE CAN HELP OUR COURTS GET THE GRANTS. AND THAT, THAT, AGAIN, GOES RIGHT BACK TO WHERE I STARTED. WE NEED TO HELP PROVIDE THE SUPPORT. SO I GET EVERYBODY'S LIKE, I NEED STAFF, BUT I WANT TO BE SMARTER AND MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT TO SERVE ALL THE SPECIALTY COURTS. OTHERWISE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE EVERY JUDGE WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WELL, THIS IS WHAT I NEED. AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO TOUGH. UH, YOU GET IT. I UNDERSTAND, JUDGE. YES. SO I THINK THE BUDGET OFFICE, WE NEED TO GET BETTER COORDINATION, BETTER COMMUNICATION, AND ULTIMATELY BETTER SUPPORT. NOW DOES THAT MEAN I CAN, WE CAN FIND THE MONEY? WELL, THIS FINE COURT'S GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE THAT ONE OUT, BUT DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? YES, JUDGE. YES, SIR. THOMAS, DID YOU, YOU YOU POPPED UP. WANT TINA WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING? UH, OR TINA, THANK YOU, JUDGE. OR TINA, TINA WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING. OKAY. WHO, WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? SO I'M, I'M PUTTING IT BACK ON THE BUDGET OFFICE TO HOW WE CAN HELP THE COURTS. OTHERWISE, EVERY BUDGET YEAR WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THIS. YEAH. THAT, THAT'S ONE THING I'M NOT GOING TO MISS. OKAY. SO, SO NOW THAT WE, HOW ARE WE GONNA, HOW ARE WE GONNA FIX THIS BEFORE I LEAVE? NOW THAT WE HAVE REORGANIZED THE GRANTS PROCESS AND WE HAVE THE NEW POLICY, WE HAVE OUR GRANTS MANAGER, THAT'S ALL SHE'S DOING NOW IS WORKING ON GOING OUT, LOOKING FOR GRANTS, LOOKING FOR PRIVATE GRANTS, JUST 100%. THAT'S WHAT SHE'S DOING. SO THAT'S THE WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SOME. UM, I THINK THOUGH IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, THE BUDGET OFFICE, AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE GRANT PROCESS, DID RECOMMEND THAT THEY INCLUDE THIS COURT MANAGER IN THAT GRANT. BUT THE COUNTY COURT OF LAW DECIDED NOT TO. SO THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION. UNDERSTAND WE DON'T NEED TO YES. SAY WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON. NO, IT WAS, IT WAS A DECISION AND WE'RE MOVING ON. RIGHT. OKAY. SO WHAT, WHAT ELSE? SO LET ME GET, LET ME GET THOMAS. THOMAS, DID YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER DIRECTION? I I, I WANT TO, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TECHNICALLY Y'ALL SHOULD BE DOING ALL THE TALKING. RIGHT. BUT I'M HAVING Y'ALL TALK TO EACH OTHER RIGHT NOW. SO GO AHEAD, TINA SUMMED UP WHAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS. GOT IT. THANKS. JUDGES. DO YOU WANT TO COME BACK AND IF WE CAN, SO I WANNA ADD THE NEW MOVE FORWARD. YES, JUDGE, THE NEW POLICY THAT WAS CREATED AND ADOPTED IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR WAS THE GRANT POLICY COMMITTEE IN ADDITION TO THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE. AND SO WE ATTEMPTED TO SUBMIT A SAMHSA GRANT TO COVER OUR COURT MANAGER POSITION, UH, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN A $2 MILLION GRANT, FIVE YEAR GRANT THAT WENT THROUGH THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE. THAT PASSED THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE. BUT WHEN IT WENT BEFORE THE GRANT POLICY COMMITTEE, IT WAS THEN REJECTED AND WE WERE TOLD WE COULD NOT SUBMIT THE APPLICATION. AND SO MR. RUIZ HAD WORKED ON THAT APPLICATION FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS TRYING TO MAKE SURE IT WAS TIP TOP SHAPE ONLY FOR THE COUNTY TO TELL US WE COULDN'T EVEN APPLY FOR THE GRANT. AND IT WASN'T EVEN THE SAMHSA ORGANIZATION THAT HAD TOLD US THAT WE WERE DENIED. OKAY. AND SO WE'RE NOT SEEING THE SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY WITH THIS RESTRUCTURING OF THE GRANT POLICY COMMITTEE OR EVEN THE GRANT SITUATION THAT'S GOING ON TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE SPECIALTY COURT SUBMITTING THEIR OWN GRANTS ON THE, ON OUR BEHALF. YOUR, YOUR COMMENT IS NOTED FOR THE RECORD. YES. AND THIS IS A LESSON FOR ALL OF US. OKAY. IF WE DON'T WORK TOGETHER, GUESS WHAT? THEN IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHO WINS AND WHO LOSES. AND ULTIMATELY THE PEOPLE WE SERVE, THE CLIENTS IN YOUR COURTS ARE THE ONES THAT SUFFER. AND THAT SOUNDS, AND SO I WOULD ASK AND ASK BEFORE I LEAVE, IF THERE'S ONE THING WE CAN DO, CAN WE COMMUNICATE BETTER? CAN WE COORDINATE BETTER? CAN WE COLLABORATE AND CAN WE FIGURE THIS THING OUT SO THAT WE DON'T COME TO THESE HARD DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE? COMMISSIONER CALVER, DID YOU WANT TO ADD IN? SO, UH, TINA, I MEAN, I SIT ON THAT GRANTS COMMITTEE, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER VOTING ON THIS. BUT WHEN WE CREATED THIS NEW PROCESS, IT'S BIFURCATED FROM WHAT I RECALL. YES. SO YOU HAVE LIKE, UH, WHAT IS IT, WHAT, WHAT IS A STAFF GROUP FIRST OR SOMETHING? YES, IT'S A STAFF GROUP. AND THEN THE GRANT POLICY COMMITTEE IS MYSELF, THE COUNTY AUDITOR, THOMAS GUEVARA, AND THEN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS EX OFFICIO. OKAY. BUT I THINK IT, IS IT MYSELF AND COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ ON THE, ISN'T THERE? NO, SIR. NOT ON THAT. I'M NOT EVEN SURE THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WAS AWARE THAT WE WERE ATTEMPTING TO SOLICIT THIS GRANT. NO, THERE ARE YOU SAYING YOU GOT RID OF THE, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT REPRESENTATION ON THE, THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE THERE? 'CAUSE THERE WAS, THERE WAS IN THE PAST. REPRESENTATION FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WASN'T THERE? I DON'T, I [03:00:01] DON'T THINK SO. I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE. ANYWAY, I'LL GO BACK IN THE RECORD. I'VE, 'CAUSE I'VE ATTENDED, I'VE ATTENDED THE MEETINGS IN THE PAST. BUT ARE YOU VOLUNTEERING COMMISSIONER? YOU CAN DO WHAT, DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. I DO THINK THE GRANT, THE WHOLE GRANT PROCESS, THE WHOLE, THAT, THAT WHOLE THING NEEDS HELP. UM, I'VE WITNESSED ALL OF THE DENIALS OF OUR GRANTS OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO AND IT CONCERNS ME. UM, SO I'LL FIGURE OUT HOW WE HELP IN THAT REGARD. BUT, UM, ANYWAY, MAN, MAYBE IT'S, MAYBE IT'S ANOTHER LIFE. I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER WORK SESSION. LET'S MOVE ON. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE JUDGES, IN REGARDS TO THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM? YES, JUDGE VATA, OR I THINK, GO AHEAD. SO IF I CAN HAVE, WITH RESPECT TO THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE POSITION, WE DO HAVE, OBVIOUSLY JUDGE DOMINGUEZ HERE WITH VTC COURT, COUNTY COURT SIX. WE HAVE JUDGE PENA HERE, COUNTY COURT 11, WHO OVERSEES CAMINO COURT. JUDGE JIMENEZ, WHO IS NOW OVERSEEING LEJO COURT IN COUNTY COURT FOUR AND JUDGE HELEN PETTO COUNTY COURT ONE WHO HANDLES OUR DWI COURT. ALRIGHT, SO COLLECTIVELY WE'RE ASKING YOU, THIS IS THE, UH, THE SECOND TIME WE'VE ASKED FOR THIS ASSOCIATE POSITION. WHEN WE SPOKE WITH BUDGET, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS LIKE, WELL, WHY CAN'T YOU GUYS UTILIZE THE IMPACT COURT JUDGE? RIGHT. FAIR QUESTION. THE IMPACT JUDGE CHANGES EVERY WEEK. SO YOU HAVE A VISITING JUDGE IN THAT IMPACT COURT DIFFERENT EVERY WEEK. YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE A VISITING JUDGE WHO WANTS TO SIT IN THERE FOR ONE MONTH, TWO MONTH, ET CETERA. RIGHT? SO WITH THESE TYPES OF SPECIALTY COURT CASES, IT INVOLVES A LOT OF HANDS-ON SPECIFIC, KNOWING YOUR PARTICIPANTS, KNOWING THEIR NEEDS. YOU KNOW, JUDGE, YOU, YOU HANDLE A SPECIALTY COURT, YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF PERSONALIZED CARE GOES INTO THESE CASES. AND SO THAT'S WHY THE IMPACT JUDGE AND HAVING A VISITING JUDGE WHO IS NOT ALWAYS GONNA BE THE SAME JUDGE HEARING THESE CASES IS PROBLEMATIC. WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT ASSOCIATE JUDGE TO ASSIST IN THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS AND ALSO TO ASSIST WITH THE OVERFLOW. OBVIOUSLY BASED ON THE DATA THAT Y'ALL SAW, ALL THE COURTS ARE DIFFERENT AS FAR AS THEIR PARTICIPANTS. ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS' NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT. SO WE WOULD OF COURSE HAVE THAT ASSOCIATE JUDGE IN THE AREAS WHERE THEY'RE MOST NEEDED. RIGHT. IF WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, VTC OR WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH COURT, DWI COURT, WHOEVER IT IS IN ANY PARTICULAR WEEK, ANY PARTICULAR DAY, DEPENDING ON THEIR DOCKET AND THEIR PARTICIPANTS, THE NEED WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY TO HAVE THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE POSITION IN THOSE COURTS THAT NEED IT THE MOST AT THE TIME THAT THEY NEED IT. RIGHT. THE OTHER THING IS, WE'D ALSO WANT TO HAVE THAT COLLECTIVE DECISION ON WHO WE HIRE IN THIS POSITION, BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S SOMEONE WHO IS FURTHERING THE NEEDS OF OUR PARTICIPANTS AND SOMEONE WHO GETS THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIALTY COURTS. UM, THE OTHER THING IS WITH RESPECT TO THE SPACE, RIGHT? SPACE WE ALL KNOW IS A COMMODITY HERE. WHERE WOULD WE PUT IN THEORY THIS ASSOCIATE JUDGE? SO DAN CURRY HAD GIVEN US, UM, A FLOOR PLAN, ESSENTIALLY OF THE SPACE THAT WOULD BE UTILIZED IN THE BASEMENT FOR OUR SPECIALTY COURT STAFF. COLLECTIVELY, WE BELIEVE THAT WE COULD FIND A SPACE THERE WHERE THAT ASSOCIATE JUDGE COULD HAVE THEIR OFFICE AND OBVIOUSLY BE AMONGST ALL OF THE SPECIALTY COURT STAFF THAT THEY WOULD THEORETICALLY BE ASSISTING WITH. AND SO I KNOW THAT THE DISTRICT COURTS HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THEIR TWO PRE INDICTMENT JUDGES. THEY HAVE OBVIOUSLY, UM, YOU KNOW, MAGISTRATES THAT ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR WORKLOAD. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THE PARITY WITH THE DISTRICT COURTS. UM, WITH RESPECT TO THAT, UM, I OPENED THE FLOOR. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING. JUDGE, YOU, YOU RAISED AN ISSUE. I, I GOTTA, I GOTTA OPEN THAT DOOR OR THAT, UH, ON THE POSITION TO IMPACT THEN THE ALLOCATION FOR THE JUDGES OR NOT FOR A FTE JUDGE, ASSOCIATE JUDGE, YOU'RE ASKING FOR VISITING JUDGE MONEY, CORRECT? NO, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE TO BE FUNDED. UH, NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT, I'M GOING BACK TO THOSE TWO IMPACT COURTS. OH, I'M SORRY, YES, FOR THE IMPACT COURTS. THOSE WE WOULD CURRENTLY, BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE BASICALLY ROTATING CON CORRECT. SO WHY CAN'T I HAVE MY GOOD FRIEND JUDGE HARL TAKE IT OUT OF HIS BUDGET? JUDGE WHO? JUDGE HARL. OH, JUDGE HARL. YEAH, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD QUESTION FOR HIM. WELL, NOT FOR ME. . WELL, Y'ALL CAN ASK. ALRIGHT, NO SET. AND SO, UM, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THAT. OKAY. I, I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND I THINK WE'RE KIND OF JUMPING BACK AND I THINK WE'RE JUMPING BACK AND FORTH A LITTLE BIT, BUT I KNOW THOMAS WAS GONNA COMMENT TO SOMETHING EARLIER. SO I WANT TO ASK, UM, JUDGE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WANT TO ASK THOMAS. YEAH, THANKS COMMISSIONER. UH, JUST FOR THE RECORD ON THE GRANT MANAGER ON THE, WELL, WHAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE GRANT POLICY, JUST FOR THE RECORD, UH, THE GRANT POLICY COMMITTEE DID NOT RECOMMEND MOVING THAT FORWARD BECAUSE IT LACK, UH, WORKLOAD MEASURES WHICH, AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES, WHICH WE THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT. WE DID ASK THE COURTS TO, AND THERE WAS A TIMING ISSUE. SO WHEN WE COMMUNICATED BACK TO THEM, WE ASKED THEM IF THEY WERE TO SUBMIT THAT INFORMATION, THE, THE COMMITTEE WOULD RECONVENE IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE COULD MEET THOSE, UH, THAT QUICK DEADLINE. WE DIDN'T HEAR BACK, SO [03:05:01] I JUST, FOR THE RECORD, WE DID COMMUNICATE. I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON RECORD FOR COURT. JUDGE JIMENEZ? NO, . I WAS JUST GONNA TALK ABOUT THE COURT MANAGER. THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A PRESENTATION AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE JUMPING AROUND. COMMISSIONER CLAY IS BECAUSE, UH, JUDGE BARTO IS GONNA DISCUSS THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE WITH ALL THE JUDGES. AND THEN I WAS GONNA DISCUSS THE OFFICE ASSISTANT AND THE COURT MANAGER SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERAN TREATMENT COURT. OKAY. SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONFUSION. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE POSITION DEI WANTED TO ADD? JUST SO THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE POSITION THAT IT WAS LISTED BY MY BUDGET PERSON, IRIS, IT WAS LISTED SEPARATELY FROM THE IMPACT COURTS. SO THE IMPACT COURTS HAD THE TWO, UM, VISITING JUDGE POSITIONS, WHICH LIKE, LIKE SHE MENTIONED, THEY ROTATE ON A WEEKLY BASIS. BUT THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE POSITION WAS CREATED IN 2022 AND IT WAS CREATED, I THINK FOR JUDGE ROMAN, BUT IT WAS NEVER FILLED. SO WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS AN ARPA FUNDED POSITION, BUT IT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE, IT JUST HASN'T BEEN FILLED. SO THAT ASSOCIATE JUDGE POSITION IS, HAS A POSITION NUMBER AND EVERYTHING. AND, UM, I THINK ALSO YOU WANTED THE INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS MM-HMM . SO EACH JUDGE HAS YEAH. INDIVIDUAL VISITING JUDGE BUDGETS, UM, BASED ON THEIR YEARS OF SENIORITY. SO LIKE SOMEBODY LIKE JUDGE DAVID RODRIGUEZ WILL HAVE ABOUT 12,000 PER YEAR TO HAVE, UM, A VISITING JUDGE FOR LIKE 15 DAYS. SO HE CAN ATTEND CONFERENCES OR, OR WHEN HE'S OUT SICK OR WHEN HE NEEDS COVERAGE OR, UM, ANY OF THE SENIOR JUDGES WILL HAVE MORE THAN, UH, LIKE A JUDGE THAT HAS JUST, UH, BEEN ON THE BENCH ONE TO FOUR YEARS. SO, WHICH IS ABOUT, I THINK 11,000. BUT THAT'S TO THE POINT JUDGE OF HAVING A VISITING JUDGE HANDLE IT. EACH JUDGE HAS A VERY SMALL BUDGET FOR THAT. SO THAT WOULD BE WIPED OUT PROBABLY IN A WEEK OR TWO. GOT IT. JUDGE, LET'S GO. WHO'S NEXT? ALRIGHT, SO THE BEXAR COUNTY VETERAN STREAM COURT IS A SPECIALIZED JUDICIAL PROGRAM SERVING VETERANS IN ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL ACROSS BEXAR COUNTY. VTC IS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM AND WE ARE TRAINED PRACTITIONERS IN OUR RESPECTIVE ROLES TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE USE, MENTAL HEALTH, TRAUMA AND REINTEGRATION CHALLENGES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT. WE ARE THE HEART AT DIVERSION AND IF THE COUNTY IS SERIOUS ABOUT REDUCING JAIL DIVERSION AND UTILIZATION, IMPROVING OUTCOMES, EXPANDING DIVERSION, UM, THEN ADEQUATELY FUNDING THE COURTS THAT ARE ALREADY PRODUCING THESE RESULTS IS A MUST FOR THAT STRATEGY. WE ARE HERE TODAY, NOT TO EXPAND, BUT JUST TO MAINTAIN, WE HAD THREE POINTS OF DISCUSSION. OUR FIRST POINT IS THE COURT MANAGER POSITION. AS, UH, TINA MENTIONED IT WAS HISTORICALLY FUNDED BY THE TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION. HOWEVER, THEY ARE OPERATING ON A POINT SYSTEM AND THEY SPECIFICALLY SAID WE WOULD NOT BE FUNDED FOR OUR CURRENT ROLE APPLICATION THAT WE HAD SUBMITTED LAST YEAR. WE WOULD NOT BE FUNDED FOR THAT. THAT WE MUST CHANGE THE, THE CRITERIA THAT WE WERE SUBMITTING FOR THAT GRANT. AND MR. RE CAN SPECIFICALLY GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION BECAUSE IT IS NOW OPERATING ON A POINT SYSTEM AND THEY WANT MORE DIRECT SERVICES. SO THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR COURT IS AT RISK WHEN THESE GRANTS ARE CHANGING THEIR OWN PARAMETERS EVERY YEAR. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE APPLY FOR THE SAMHSA GRANT AS I MENTIONED. UM, BUT THE GRC COMMITTEE SAID NO, THAT WE COULD NOT, OR THE, THE GRANT POLICY COMMITTEE SAID NO, THAT WE COULD NOT SUBMIT THEM. UM, THEN WE ALSO HAVE MODIFIED OUR BJA GRANT. UM, AND SO WITH OUR BJA GRANT, WE'RE CURRENTLY WAITING FOR AN ANSWER TO SEE IF WE CAN MODIFY AND ADD THAT COURT MANAGER POSITION IN THERE, WHICH NOW MAKES US REMOVE TREATMENT FUNDS FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS, TRAVEL FUNDS FOR US TO ATTEND TRAININGS, UH, OUR STAFF AND THEN SUPPLIES. WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THE GRANT REVIEW OR FROM THE, UM, BJA GRANT YET ON REGARDS TO IT BEING ACCEPTED OR NOT. THEY DID HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ASKING ABOUT TREATMENT BEING COMPROMISED SINCE WE'RE REMOVING THAT FROM THE GRANT. HOWEVER, WE DO PARTNER WITH SOME COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE THE VA ENDEAVORS, AMERICAN GI FORUM AND CROSSPOINT THAT DOES PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES. UM, SO WE HAVE RESPONDED TO THAT QUESTION IN HOPES THAT THAT WILL BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO MODIFY THAT GRANT. HOWEVER, IF THAT IS NOT APPROVED, THEN WE ARE HERE TO ASK FOR THAT POSITION TO BE, UH, FUNDED UNDER GENERAL FUNDS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY WE DO, WE ARE AWARE THAT THE COUNTY IS FUNDING SOME SPECIALTY COURT POSITIONS THROUGH THE CONTINGENCY FUNDS THAT WE UNDERSTAND WERE LOST IN THE GOVERNOR'S GRANT DUE TO NOT MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BEST ASSESSMENT. HOWEVER, VETERAN STREAM COURT DID COMPLY WITH THE BEST ASSESSMENT. UM, WE DID SUBMIT AN OFFICE OF GOVERNOR GRANT, HOWEVER, WHEN WE INCLUDED THE COURT MANAGER, WE WERE NOT AWARDED THE FULL AMOUNT THAT WE REQUESTED. SO WE HAVE EXHAUSTED TO THIS POINT ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO TRY TO APPLY FOR GRANTS NOT BEING ABLE TO SUBMIT THEM OR EVEN MODIFIED GRANT TO WHERE WE'RE AT THE POINT THAT IF IT DOESN'T GET MODIFIED THROUGH THE BJA GRANT, WE ARE HERE TO ASK THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO FUND THE COURT MANAGER POSITION. UM, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A NEW POSITION ON OFFICE ASSISTANCE. WE BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE SOME ALREADY COUNTY FUNDED OFFICE ASSISTANTS THAT ARE IN THE SPECIALTY COURTS. WE'RE ASKING TO REALIGN [03:10:01] THOSE POSITIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SPECIALTY COURTS THAT DON'T HAVE AN OFFICE ASSISTANCE. AND I'M ALWAYS GONNA ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS AS YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE CERTAIN COURTS THAT ARE, HAVE AN WHO HAVE AN OFFICE ASSISTANT AND SOME THAT DON'T, WE CAN JUST SPREAD THEM ACROSS INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR A NEW POSITION AND ANOTHER COURT ASKING FOR A NEW OFFICE ASSISTANT, WE CAN SHARE THEM. THEY'RE ALREADY THERE. WE JUST NEED TO REALIGN. SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE SHOWING OFF. JUDGE, WITHOUT DUE RESPECT, JUDGES SIGN OFF ON SHERRY. JUDGES DON'T HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE DUTY ON THE SPECIALTY COURTS HIRING AND FIRING. WE ARE ADMINISTRATIVE TO OUR COURT REPORTER AND OUR COURT COORDINATOR. SO, NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS OFFICE THAT YOU WANT. WILL ALL THE JUDGES SIGN A AN AGREEMENT TO SHARE? I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WOULD. OKAY. I'M LOOKING AT THE GREATER CONS OF BEING ABLE TO SHARE POSITIONS WHEN THE POSITIONS ALREADY EXIST INSTEAD OF ADVOCATING FOR NEW POSITIONS OF, DON'T WANNA SHARE. SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF Y'ALL WOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE. WELL, I THINK SHE'S, SHE'S PROVIDING, UM, AN ANALYSIS THAT BUDGET COULD POTENTIALLY USE IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE THE STATUTORY OVERSIGHT LIMITS OF THE JUDGES. AND SO IT MAY, IT MAY WE THE THE BUDGET STAFF, THE LEGAL STAFF, WE MAY FIND THAT IT'S NOT IN THEIR DISCRETION FOR THOSE OFFICE ASSISTANT POSITIONS. 'CAUSE YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE, UH, COMMITTED TO THE COORDINATOR AND THE, UH, WHATEVER OTHER POSITION. THE COURT REPORTER AND THE COURT COORDINATOR COURT. RIGHT, RIGHT. CORRECT. RIGHT. SO THAT WOULD, AT LEAST, THAT WOULD BE ONE WAY FOR THE BUDGET, I THINK TO CONSIDER IF THE, IF THERE'S SHARED, BUT WE CAN'T, WE JUST CAN'T HAVE EVERY COURT COMING EVERY YEAR SAYING, WELL THIS IS WHAT I WANT. SO I'M JUST, I'M GIVING Y'ALL FEEDBACK AND THESE ARE TAKEN FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH. AND THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT ARE ALREADY UNDER GENERAL FUNDS. MM-HMM . THAT BELONG TO EITHER THE OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION OR THE OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE MM-HMM. WHO ARE SUPERVISED BY EACH OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS. SO THOSE SUPERVISION AUTHORITIES AND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT CAN MAKE A DECISION ON WHERE POSITIONS ARE REALLOCATED BASED OFF OF NEED AND PERFORMANCE NUMBERS. THAT'S RIGHT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. I I DO WANNA SHOW THE SLIDE ON THE FIRST PAGE. UM, SB 29 38 WAS, UM, CREATED IN THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SEPTEMBER, 2025. AND THAT IS, UM, ACKNOWLEDGING BEXAR COUNTY NEEDS TO SUBMIT VETERAN NUMBERS FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL. AND WE HAVE NOW KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE NUMBERS OF THE VETERANS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL. THIS GOES UP TO JUNE 17TH. THIS IS WHEN I ASKED FOR THE REPORT THAT IS COMPILED WEEKLY. UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE AVERAGE IS CLOSE TO ABOUT 215 VETERANS WHO ARE LOCATED IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL. UM, OUR NUMBER OF ENROLLMENTS CURRENTLY TODAY ARE ABOUT 137 VETERANS IN THE PROGRAM. AND WE HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED VETERANS THAT ARE PENDING REFERRALS. SO WE'RE SEEING THESE NUMBERS AND YOU CAN SEE IN MAY 249, THAT'S ABOUT HOW MANY VETERANS HAVE BEEN APPLYING TO THE PROGRAM OR CURRENTLY IN THE PROGRAM. SO WE DEFINITELY SEE A COMMUNITY NEED AND THE VETERANS ARE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WE ARE NOT, UM, SEEING THE NUMBERS VERY LOW. SO WE'RE SEEING THE DEMAND IS THERE. I DO WANNA TAKE YOU TO THE NEXT SLIDE WAS, WHICH IS OUR REFERRALS. HERE YOU CAN SEE 165 REFERRALS THAT WE'VE HAD FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR, 24 TO 25. UH, THE NUMBERS ARE ONLY INCREASING, WE CAN SEE IN 2020. THAT WAS A DIP, BUT THAT'S 'CAUSE OF COVID. NEXT ONE IS OUR NUMBER OF ENROLLMENTS. UM, BEST PRACTICES, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL STANDARD OF ALL RISE SAYS THAT A JUDGE LOSES EFFECTIVENESS AFTER 125 PARTICIPANTS. WE ARE ALWAYS OVER CAPACITY. UH, RIGHT NOW, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE 137 PARTICIPANTS. UM, AND YOU CAN SEE HERE LASTLY, WE'RE AT 133. THE NEXT SLIDE IS VERY TELLING, AND THIS IS WHERE I DESCRIBED TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT THAT REALLOCATING POSITIONS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS HERE. I ASK COURT ADMINISTRATION TO PUT TOGETHER A CHART OF ALL OF THE SPECIALTY COURT MONTHLY ENROLLMENTS, UM, FROM JUNE, JUNE OF LAST YEAR TO JUNE OF THIS YEAR. AND THIS WAS SENT ON JUNE 12TH. SO THIS WOULD ONLY BE EFFECTIVE UNTIL JUNE 12TH. BUT YOU CAN SEE THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT IS THE GREEN AND WE ARE ALWAYS SURPASSING ALL OF THE OTHER SPECIALTY COURTS IN THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE ENROLLMENTS. BUT YOU CAN SEE WHERE POSITIONS COULD BE SHARED. EACH COURT DOES HAVE A COURT MANAGER, AT LEAST A CASE MANAGER. SOME MAY HAVE AN OFFICE ASSISTANT, SOME DON'T. BUT IF WE'RE ALLOCATING POSITIONS TO WHERE THE NEED IS, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THAT NEED IS BASED OFF OF THIS CHART. AGAIN, WE'RE NOT ASKING TO FUND NEW POSITIONS, WE'RE SIMPLY ASKING TO REALIGN EXISTING POSITIONS TO COVER THAT OFFICE ASSISTANT. UH, LAST PRIORITY WOULD BE THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT ASSOCIATE JUDGE. AS I HAD MENTIONED WHEN I MET WITH MS. GAAN, UH, REGARDING THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS THAT WE HAVE, THAT'LL JUST PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, JUDGE OVERSIGHT. AND IN YOUR PACKET YOU'LL SEE THERE THE SPECIALTY COURT PARTICIPANTS. UH, SINCE THIS ONLY WENT TO JUNE, I HAD THE ONE FOR JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST PUT INTO YOUR SLIDE. SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE NUMBERS RECENTLY. AND FOR THE JUDICIAL OVERSIGHT FOR THE ASSOCIATE POSITION, UM, RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT ABLE TO MEET THE CURRENT DEMANDS OF THE COMMUNITY BASED ON THE [03:15:01] VETERANS WHO ARE CURRENTLY, UM, IN THE BARAR COUNTY JAIL. AND JUST OUR NUMBER OF REFERRALS. WE HAVE 115 REFERRALS. ON THE WAIT LIST, WE HAVE A COMMENCEMENT, WHICH YOU ALSO RECEIVED AN INVITATION TO OUR COMMENCEMENT IN YOUR PACKET. THAT'LL BE THIS FRIDAY IN THE JURY ROOM. WE ARE GRADUATING 44 PARTICIPANTS AND I HAVE A PLEA DATE SET ON MAY 5TH TO LET IN 44 MORE PARTICIPANTS. SO WE ALWAYS STAY AT MAX. THERE IS NEVER A DOWN PERIOD WHERE WE'RE UNDER A CERTAIN NUMBER. UM, SO WE ARE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, NEEDING THAT THE CURRENT ASSOCIATE JUDGE POSITION WOULD ALLOW FOR JUDICIAL SUPPORT. AS I MENTIONED, UM, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THIS JUDGE CAN TAKE TWO OF THE FIVE DOCKETS. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT SHARING THAT ASSOCIATE POSITION. MAYBE THEY CAN HELP ON A PERCENTAGE OF, YOU KNOW, SO MANY DAYS WITH ONE OF THE SPECIALTY COURTS AND THEN MAJORITY WITH US. UH, THEY WOULD PRESIDE OVER STAFF MEETINGS, NEW ADMISSION ENROLLMENTS. UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE I'M HERE TODAY, I HAD TO GET AN ASSOCIATE, I HAD TO GET A VISITING JUDGE COVER MY DOCKET BECAUSE I NEEDED TO MEET, BE HERE. UM, COUNTY COURT SIX CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE ANY MORE DOCKET DAYS BECAUSE IN THE SPECIALTY COURT FOR VETERAN STREAMING COURT, I PRESIDE OVER BOTH. I'M IN THE VETERAN STREAMING COURT, WHICH MEANS I'M NOT IN THE COUNTY COURT SIX DOCKET. AND I HAVE SIX DAYS OF THE SPECIALTY COURT THAT I HANDLE A, A MONTH. AND SO THAT ALLOWS SIX TO SEVEN SESSIONS THAT I DON'T HAVE A COUNTY COURT SIX DOCKET, UM, AND PRESIDING OVER OTHER VETERAN TREATMENT COURT MATTERS. OFF DOCKET MATTERS THAT JUDGE WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST IN THE NEXT. UM, THE FORM THAT I ALSO PROVIDED IN YOUR PACKET IS AUGUST COUNTY COURT FILED CASELOADS. AND YOU CAN SEE I AM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO HANG IN THERE IN MAINTAINING MY COUNTY COURT SIX DOCKET AND THE LARGEST SPECIALTY COURT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS OF THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. SO I AM AROUND THE FIFTH HIGHEST CASELOAD. ALTHOUGH I AM THE FOURTH HIGHEST IN DISPOSING CASES. I DO NOT ASK FOR ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT FROM THE OTHER COURTS. I DON'T ASK FOR LESS CASES. I DON'T ASK FOR NOT TO PRESIDE FOR ONE MONTH OF THE YEAR. I DO ALL THE SAME THINGS ALL THE OTHER COURTS DO. I GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF CASES EVERY MONTH. I TRY TO DISPOSE AS MANY AS I CAN, BUT I'M ALSO RUNNING THE LARGEST VETERAN STREAMING COURT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO THIS ASSOCIATE POSITION WOULD ALSO HELP WITH THE JUDICIAL SUPPORT THAT I HAVE IN BEING ABLE TO MANAGE BOTH THAT SOME OF THE OTHER COURTS MAY NOT HAVE. THERE IS A ONE PAGE, UH, FORM THAT I SUBMITTED TO YOU, THE INFO SHEET, AND IT DOES HAVE A NUMBER. AND I, I WANTED TO PRESENT THIS TO COMMISSIONER MOODY 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT HE LIKES TO TALK ABOUT THE COST. AND SO, UM, THE BARAR COUNTY MISDEMEANOR VETERANS STREAMING COURT HAS SAVED THE COUNTY $3.1 MILLION THUS FAR. AND THAT NUMBER IS CALCULATED, UM, BY EACH GRADUATE WHO'S AVOIDED A 32 JAIL STAY IN BARAR COUNTY JAIL. SO THAT 32 NUMBER COMES FROM THE, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF IT OFF MY HEAD. IT'S THE REPORT THAT WAS DONE BY THE READY TO WORK DONE BY THE CITY. IT WAS THE BEXAR COUNTY OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE 2023, FISCAL YEAR 22 TO 23 INMATES HELD IN JAIL FOR 32 DAYS AND THE REPORTER DID A, AN A ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS OF 87 17 PER INMATE PER DAY. SO IF WE LOOK AT THE GRADUATES THAT ARE COMING OUT ON FRIDAY, OUR TOTAL NUMBER OF GRADUATES IS 1,121 TIMES 32 DAYS FOR 87 AND $17 A DAY. WE'RE LOOKING AT 3.1 2 6 9 6 2, UM, $3 MILLION THAT WE'VE SAVED THE COUNTY FOR SOMEONE NOT BEING INCARCERATED IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL AND BEING LINKED INTO TREATMENT, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, RESTORING THEIR LIVES, KEEPING THEIR JOBS. AND I DO WANNA SHARE IN CLOSING A, A LETTER THAT AN EMAIL THAT WAS PROVIDED TO OUR COURT FROM A RECENT GRADUATE. AND THIS IS A LETTER THAT HE SUBMITTED TO HIS ATTORNEY. HELLO. I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I GRADUATED THE VETERANS STREAMING COURT PROGRAM ON FRIDAY AND MY CASE HAS BEEN DISMISSED. THIS IS FROM OUR LAST COMMENCEMENT. EXPUNGEMENT PAPERWORK IS IN THE WORKS. IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING PROGRAM THAT I WAS SO LUCKY TO BE ACCEPTED. THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THE VTC STAFF PROVIDES TO EACH INDIVIDUAL VETERAN PARTICIPANT IS MIND BLOWING. THE PROGRAM ISN'T EASY. THEY HOLD VETERANS TO A VERY HIGH STANDARD AND KEEP THEM ACCOUNTABLE. IF YOU EVER COME ACROSS ANOTHER VETERAN, THINK OF VTC PROGRAM OPTION, I HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO STAY ON WITH THE PROGRAM AS A VETERAN MENTOR. I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PREDICAMENT I CAUSED MYSELF TO BE IN, WAS ABLE TO HEAL, RECOVER, AND NOW I AM TRULY THRIVING. I'M HAPPY TO SAY MY TOP SECRET SECURITY CLEARANCE HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS AND MY FUTURE IS EXTREMELY BRIGHT. I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT YOUR DEDICATION TO MY DEFENSE. AND HE SENT THAT TO HIS ATTORNEY. I'LL SEE YOU, UM, SOON. AND THEN THAT ATTORNEY DID FORWARD IT TO OUR PROGRAM. IN CLOSING, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, TO MENTION INVEST IN THE COURT THAT HAS THE GREATEST NEED AND WE KNOW THAT BY THE NUMBERS JUDGE. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? YES, JUDGE DOMINGEZ, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I WANT TO MEET WITH YOU, UH, AFTER COURT AT SOME POINT SOON JUST TO TALK ABOUT, UM, MAYBE A TASK FORCE TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE RESOURCES YOU'RE ASKING FOR. I JUST WANT TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED. UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. ASK MY STAFF TO, UH, COORDINATE THAT MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [03:20:01] ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONER MARTY? JUDGE, JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS WITH, UH, OUR VETERANS AND EVERYTHING. IT, UM, IS ADMIRABLE. IT DOESN'T, UH, GO UNNOTICED. UH, OBVIOUSLY DECISIONS WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE AROUND BUDGET AND WHAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT, UH, JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RODY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JUDGE. THERE'S SOMETHING THAT MR. RE WANTED TO CORRECT ME ON. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME FOR LISTENING TO OUR PRESENTATION. MY NAME IS ROBERT TO RUIZ. I SERVE AS THE PROJECT DIRECTOR TO THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. IT IS MY PRIORITY TO, UH, ENSURE THAT THIS COURT CONTINUES TO BE FUNDED AND THAT THERE ARE VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY PERSONNEL GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED. UM, IN REGARDS TO THE SAMHSA GRANT APPLICATION, I DO WANT TO MAKE A CORRECTION ON THE RECORD. YOU WERE INFORMED JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO THAT AFTER THE DECISION FROM THE GRANT POLICY COMMITTEE WAS, WAS NOT TO RECOMMEND THE SUBMISSION FOR THE GRANT THAT WE WERE, YOU WERE LED TO BELIEVE THAT WE WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERN ABOUT, UH, NOT BEING CLEAR ON THE PERFORMANCE METRICS. I WANT TO, I WANT TO STATE THAT I WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT AND, AND THEIR GRANT WRITER IN MAKING SURE THAT THIS SAMHSA GRANT MET THE STANDARDS AS THE, OF, OF THE, THAT WOULD ALLOW US THE, THE, IN THE LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING THE GRANT AWARDED. WE FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE WHEN IT CAME TO PERFORMANCE METRICS. WE FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE THAT'S ON THEIR WEBSITE. SO WE FELT THAT WE WERE IN LINE WITH THAT REQUIREMENT. THE GRANT POLICY COMMITTEE MET ON A WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, WAS, IS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND WE DID NOT HEAR BACK FROM, UH, REGARDING THEIR DECISION UNTIL THE VERY NEXT DAY WHEN I FOLLOWED UP BY, WITH AN EMAIL ASKING FOR THE DISPOSITION OF, OF THE COMMITTEE'S, UH, DECISION. IT WAS ONLY THEN THAT WE WERE INFORMED FORMALLY WITH THIS LETTER, UH, STATING THAT, THAT WE WERE, THEY WAS NOT RECOMMENDED TO SUBMIT, WE WERE NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK, UH, AND, AND, AND ADD THE ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION FOR THE METRIC REPORTS. I THINK THAT WAS MISINFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU A FEW MINUTES AGO BY OUR COUNTY DEPUTY MANAGER. AND I JUST WANT TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD THAT BTC DID NOT RECEIVE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO COURSE CORRECT OR TO ADD ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION ON THE PERFORMANCE METRICS. IN FACT, THAT MORNING I HAD, I WAS, I WAS IN CONVERSATIONS WITH BUDGET ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS AND I EVEN ASKED, CAN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET FURTHER CLARIFICATION AS TO WHAT THE GPC COMMITTEE IS ASKING FOR? AND WE WERE TOLD, NO, IT'S TOO LATE. THERE'S NO TIME TO REVIEW. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. VERY WELCOME. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, LET'S GO TO, I BELIEVE THE LAST AGENDA ITEM. IS IT THE E DEPARTMENT? PLUG SAFETY REGARDING THE FILE? JUDGE. JUDGE HAVE JUDGE VA DID YOU OH, JUDGE VA. ARE WE STILL, WE, I DON'T KNOW. WE NEED WHAT ELSE? THE CREATION OF THE TWO COURTS. WHAT ELSE? OH, THE CREATION OF THE COURT. WHAT JUDGE YOU WANNA HEAR FROM TANYA FIRST ON THIS ONE OR FROM ME? THIS IS FOR THE CREATION OF TWO COURTS. OH, OKAY. GO, GO CONTINUE. OKAY. OH, OKAY. I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK, Y'ALL. OKAY. UH, WE ARE REQUESTING THE CREATION OF TWO NEW STATUTORY COURTS IN THE UPCOMING 90TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION. ONE OF THE COURTS, WE WOULD HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE. THE SECOND WE'D BE ASKING BE A DUAL HY UH, A HYBRID, EXCUSE ME, CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURT. UH, 2023 WEIGHTED CASELOAD STUDY BY THE TEXAS OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION SUPPORTED THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL COUNTY COURTS BASED ON CASELOAD TRENDS OVER A SPAN OF FIVE YEARS. DIDI CAN SUPPLEMENT THAT TO THE COURT, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN TAKE A, A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT. SHOULD YOU CHOOSE. THE JUDGES AGREE THAT THE NUMBER OF CASES WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS THE POPULATION GROWS IN BEXAR COUNTY AND WANT TO ENSURE THAT THAT ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE CONTINUES TO BE PROMPT AND EFFICIENT. I'D, I'D, UH, REMIND THE COURTS, SO THE 14 AND 15 WERE THE NEWEST COURTS CREATED. THOSE WERE CREATED SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2009. SO ABOUT 17 YEARS AGO BEFORE WE'VE HAD ANY NEW, UH, COUNTY COURTS CREATED BACK THEN. 2009, THE POPULATION WAS ROUGHLY 1.6 MILLION PEOPLE TOWARD TODAY. 2026 WERE AT 2.1 MILLION PEOPLE. UM, WITH RESPECT TO, I KNOW COMMISSIONER MOODY, YOU HAD MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WITH RESPECT TO THE BACKLOG AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVING THAT TASK THAT WE SET OUT FOR, AND I DO COMMEND THE FAMILY VIOLENCE JUDGES AND THE IMPACT COURT JUDGES AND EVERYONE COLLECTIVELY, UM, ATTACKING THAT BACKLOG. BUT I THINK WHEN, WHEN THE COURTS SEVEN AND 13 ARE STILL OPERATING AT UNDER 50%, THERE'S NO TRUE WAY TO GIVE AN ACCURATE LOOK AT HOW EFFICIENT OR HOW THAT BACKLOG'S REALLY GONNA LOOK. 'CAUSE BACK IN THOSE SLIDES WHERE WE HAD 60 AND ONE COURT, 63% UNFILED, MEANING THEY'RE NOT, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE OPERATING AT LESS THAN 50% OF WHAT CASES COULD, UM, EVENTUALLY, EXCUSE ME, BE FILED. AND SO WE THINK BASED ON POPULATION TRENDS, BASED ON GROWING POPULATION, BASED ON THE FAMILY VIOLENCE NUMBERS CONTINUING TO RISE, THAT [03:25:01] A FAMILY VIOLENCE, A THIRD FAMILY VIOLENCE COURT DESIGNATED LIKE SEVEN AND 13 IS NOW IS WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR BEXAR COUNTY. UM, WHERE WOULD WE HOUSE THESE COURTS? RIGHT? THAT'S A BIG QUESTION. AND WE WOULD UTILIZE THE, THE IMPACT COURT SPACE THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING UTILIZED FOR SEVEN AND 13 ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE TOWER. OBVIOUSLY AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO ADDRESS BASE AS, AS OUR COUNTY CONTINUES TO GROW. BUT IN THE INTERIM, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THESE IN CONJUNCTION ASKING FOR THE FUNDING OF THE IMPACT COURTS UNTIL SEPTEMBER, UH, 2027. AND THEN WITH THE BLESSING OF COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND WITH THE LEGISLATOR, UH, APPROVAL AS WELL, CREATING THOSE TWO NEW COURTS. SEPTEMBER ONE, UH, 2027. UM, AND THEN I'LL OPEN, UM, TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COURT MAY HAVE. JUDGE , I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. ARE YOU REQUESTING THAT IN, UH, MELISSA SHANNON'S, UH, DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY MAKE A, UH, RECOMMENDATION FOR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR THE COUNTY, ARE YOU SUGGEST, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT WE INCLUDE THAT? BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS GRANTING ADDITIONAL COURTS. SO YES, THEY, THEY HAD APPROVED IT ON THE LEGISLATIVE END, BUT BASICALLY SAID WE WANT COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPROVAL. SO BASICALLY AN ALL OR NOTHING TYPE THING, RIGHT? EITHER COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND THE LEGISLATOR AGREE LEGISLATOR AGREED TO IT FOR THESE TWO NEW COURTS TO BE CREATED. IF NOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF DEFER TO WHAT COMMISSIONER'S COURTS SAY. WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN THAT LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL, NOW IT'S JUST NEEDING THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPROVAL. OKAY. SO THAT, OKAY, SO THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. THAT'S NOT FOR THE MELISSA SHANNON PART, THAT'S EITHER A RESOLUTION OR THE FUNDING OR BOTH. CORRECT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? THANKS, JUDGE. I HAVE TWO MORE POINTS, JUDGE DOMINGUEZ. TWO MORE POINTS. UM, I'M ONE OF THE UNIQUE SPECIALTY COURTS THAT HAS THE MAC AND THE PDS OFFICE IN THE SPECIALTY COURT. SO I WANTED TO BE AVAILABLE TO ASK ANY QUE OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. SO I HAVE A RETIRED JAG OFFICER WHO'S AN ARMY RETIREE WHO IS ON THE MAC COURT APPOINTMENT SYSTEM WHO PRESIDES OR DOES THE DEFENSE WORK FOR OUR VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. AND THEN I ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC DEFENDER WHO'S ASSIGNED TO OUR COURT FOR THE VETERAN STREAMING COURT. SO I HAVE TWO DEFENSE ATTORNEYS IN OUR PROGRAM, BUT THE JAG OFFICER IS UNIQUE BECAUSE HE OFTEN GETS A PHONE CALL FROM THE AREA DEFENSE COUNSEL, WHILE THE ACTIVE DUTY MEMBER IS STILL IN THE MILITARY. AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT LETTERS. SOMETIMES IF SOMEONE IS ARRESTED FOR A DWI, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY'RE, THEY LOSE THEIR RESTRICTIONS TO DRIVE ON BASE. UH, THEY'RE MANDATED TO SERVICES, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO HE'S THE LIAISON TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE IN TREATMENT, THAT WE HAVE AN INTERLOCK IGNITION INSTALLED THAT WE'RE DRUG TESTING FREQUENTLY AND RANDOMLY AT THESE TWO TIMES A WEEK, ET CETERA, TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT TO THE MILITARY SIGN. AND HE'S ABLE TO DO THAT, UH, BEING A RETIRED JAG OFFICER. SO HE IS ONE THAT IS COURT APPOINTED, UM, THAT WE DO PAY THROUGH THE WHEEL. AND THEN I HAVE A PUBLIC DEFENDER IN THAT COURT AS WELL. AND HE DOES ALL OF OUR EXPUNGEMENTS FOR ALL OF OUR GRADUATES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE UNDER THE PRETRIAL DIVERSION. UH, HE ALSO PROVIDES THE LEGAL SERVICES IN THERE. SO IT'S A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND THEY BALANCE EACH OTHER OUT ON THE NEEDS OF VETERANS, SPECIFICALLY IN THE VETERANS TREATMENT COURT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER SPECIALTY COURTS HAVE BOTH. SO I WANTED TO JUST SO YOU KIND OF UNDERSTOOD THE ROLE THAT THEY PLAYED FOR PD AND THE MAC. ALSO, WHEN YOU, WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT COURTS, UH, POSSIBLY NOT BEING FUNDED. JUDGES HAVE AN OPTION TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ON ADDITIONAL CASELOADS, CIVIL CASES, AND IN THIS CASE, FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES. I'M ALREADY STRETCHED THIN. I DO NOT TAKE CIVIL CASES. I HAVE ENOUGH WITH THE CRIMINAL CASES AND THE VETERAN TREATMENT. SO TO HAVE AN OPTION TO TAKE ON FAMILY VIOLENCE CASES, I WOULD PROBABLY WANNA BE ONE OF THE COURTS THAT SAY I'M ALREADY STRETCHED THIN. I'M NOT ABLE TO TAKE ON THOSE CASES. NOW IN REGARDS TO OTHERS, UH, JUDGES, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE OTHER JUDGES WOULD DO, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THAT A POINT SO THAT IT IS A CONSIDERATION THAT I WOULD TAKE AND TAKE ADDITIONAL TASKS THAT I'M ALREADY, YOU KNOW, STRETCHED THIN ON. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, AND JUST TO KIND OF SPEAK TO THAT, I KNOW I MENTIONED THE SECOND COURT WOULD BE A HYBRID OF THE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL. CURRENTLY THE CIVIL COURTS, THERE'S TWO OF THEM THAT HEAR, UH, THESE COUNTY COURT CIVIL CASES. I ASSIST THEM IN THOSE CASES AND HAVE IT IN THE PAST FOR SEVERAL YEARS. UM, AND THEY'RE CAPPED AT ABOUT 50 CASES A DAY. THEY ONLY HAVE DOCKETS ON THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS. SO AN ADDITIONAL COURT WOULD ASSIST IN BEING ABLE TO RAISE THOSE CAPS AND MAYBE HAVE DOCKETS MORE DAYS, UH, THAN JUST THE THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS BECAUSE THE OTHER DAYS THOSE JUDGES UTILIZED FOR JURY TRIALS, BENCH TRIALS, THINGS OF THE LIKE. UM, AND TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER CALVERT, DIDI JUST, UH, REMINDED ME, TREY MARTINEZ FISHER WANTED THE RESOLUTION FROM COMMISSIONER'S COURT BEFORE PROCEEDING FOR THE CREATION OF THE T NEW COURTS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK FOR YOUR TIME, JUDGE SKAY AND COMMISSION. MM-HMM . THANK YOU JUDGE WA. ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO TO FINAL PRESENTATION E DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY REGARDING THE FOLLOWING, A SALARY ADJUSTMENT REQUEST AND A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $11,926 FOR TWO OFFICE ASSISTANCE FOR MS. LEIA. [03:30:01] TANYA HAN, A BUDGETED FINANCE DIRECTOR. UM, SO THE NEXT AND FINAL, UH, ITEM TODAY IS A REQUEST FROM THE DPS HIGHWAY PATROL, UH, TO DO SALARY IN ADJUSTMENTS TO MIDPOINT FOR TWO OFFICE ASSISTANT FORCE. HI, I'M TANYA . I'M GONNA DO THE QUICK PRESENTATION, THEN YOU COME UP. OKAY. UM, THE TOTAL COST OF THIS REQUEST IS 11,926 FOR TWO OF THE OFFICE ASSISTANT FORCE. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO WANNA REMIND THE COURT, UM, IS THAT WE ARE NOT DOING ANY SALARY ADJUSTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY FOR ANY RE UH, PROGRAM CHANGES OR OF COURSE, THE COST OF LIVING A ADJUSTMENTS AS IT IS PROPOSED, UH, THIS PAST TUESDAY. SO, UM, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HR WHO REVIEWED THIS, UM, FOUND IS THAT THIS SALARY INCREASE WOULD IN, UH, CREATE PARITY CONCERNS ACROSS THE COUNTY FOR OTHER OFFICE ASSISTANT FORCE WHO ARE NOT RECEIVING, UM, THIS SALARY ADJUSTMENTS. AND SINCE 2021, THESE SPECIFIC EMPLOYEES HAVE RECEIVED AN AVERAGE OF A 33% PAY INCREASE SINCE 2021. THIS INCLUDES MARKET, UM, AS WELL AS COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS. AND JUST TO REMIND THE COURT THE HISTORY OF THESE TWO POSITIONS, THESE POSITIONS WERE SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED TO MANAGE THE CRIMINAL CASES THAT DPS WAS UM, HANDLING HERE FOR BEXAR COUNTY. UM, WHEN WE RECEIVED THE REQUEST, WE FOUND THAT THEIR, UH, RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE EXPANDED MORE TO OFFICE ASSISTANT ROLES, UM, AND INCLUDES ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS FOR THE OFFICERS. UM, MANAGERIAL PER MANAGING PERSONNEL RECORDS, CORRECTING TIME, UM, SHEETS, DOING VARIOUS PERSONAL RELATED WORK. AND THAT IS NOT THE INTENTION OF THE THE POSITIONS. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY CITED WAS WORKLOAD HAD INCREASED FOR THEM. WE ARE SAYING THAT THEY NEED TO MINIMIZE THE WORK TO WHAT THE INTENDED POSITIONS WERE MADE FOR, AND THAT'S JUST TO MANAGE THE CRIMINAL, UH, CASES THAT THE DPS PROVIDES FOR BEXAR COUNTY. I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MAY HAVE. SO WHAT DEPARTMENT DO THEY FALL UNDER? ARE THEY, ARE THEY STANDALONE? UM, THEY'RE STANDALONE. THEY DO NOT, THEY'RE NOT UNDER A SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT. UM, THEY, THEY ARE JUST POSITIONS THAT SUPPORT DPS, BUT THEY'RE COUNTY EMPLOYEE. YEAH. THIS IS ONE OF THE, SO THIS PREDATES EVEN ME AT THE COUNTY, AND IT'S A VERY UNUSUAL ARRANGEMENT WHERE SOMETIME BEFORE I GOT HERE, COMMISSIONER'S COURT DECIDED TO PROVIDE TWO TPS, WHO OF COURSE GETS THEIR FUNDING FROM THE STATE TWO OFFICER ASSISTANTS. AND THE LOGIC WAS THAT IF THESE ASSISTANTS, I THINK THERE WERE CLERKS BACK AT THE TIME, IF THESE CLERKS RECEIVED THE TICKET PAPERWORK FROM THE TROOPER AND PROCESSED IT, THE TROOPER COULD GET BACK ON THE STREET MORE QUICKLY AND THEREFORE PR WRITE MORE TICKETS. MM-HMM . WHICH THEORETICALLY RESULTS IN MORE REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY. THAT WAS THE LOGIC OVER WELL BEFORE 1997 AGO. SO WHEN THE DINOSAURS ROAMED THE WORLD, THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE FEATURE, COUNTY GOVERNMENT. SO WHERE DO THEY WORK? WHERE, WHERE, WHERE IS THAT, ARE YOU FROM THE DPS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY? WE DON'T BITE. COME ON UP. YEAH. TELL, TELL ME WHAT Y'ALL DO. HI. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. UH, MY NAME IS LAURA LAJA AND I'M A COUNTY EMPLOYEE. OH, OKAY. WHO WORKS AT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. UM, MY SUPERVISOR IS SERGEANT COLBY MUSIC AND MY COWORKER BELINDA CORTEZ, WERE UNABLE TO BE HERE TODAY. UM, I'M HERE TO HUM. UH, LEY REQUEST A PAY INCREASE TO THE MIDPOINT WAGE FOR THE POSITION OF OFFICE ASSISTANT FOUR AT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY REGIONAL OFFICE. I'VE BEEN EMPLOYED WITH BERK COUNTY FOR 13 YEARS, AND MY COWORKER HAS BEEN EMPLOYED WITH BEXAR COUNTY FOR OVER 20. WE HAVE THREE TROOPER AREAS IN SAN ANTONIO. I MANAGE THE OFFICE FOR SIX C OH ONE, WHICH CONSISTS OF, UH, 11 STATE TROOPERS. AND I ALSO ADMINISTRATIVELY SUPPORT SIX C OH SIX, WHICH IS OUR CANINE AREA, WHICH CONSISTS OF FIVE, UH, STATE TROOPERS. ALSO COMBINED. MS. CORTEZ AND I SUPPORT 191 TROOPERS STATEWIDE, WHO WHILE PASSING THROUGH SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY, UH, OFTEN, UH, ISSUE CITATIONS AND MAKE ARRESTS. UM, HE IS CORRECT. THESE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 30 YEARS. WE DO NOT HAVE, UH, COUNTY SUPERVISORS. UM, WE'VE KIND OF BEEN BOUNDED BACK AND FORTH. NOBODY WANTS TO, UH, BE RESPONSIBLE FOR US BECAUSE WE SIT, UH, IN A, UH, STATE, UH, OFFICE. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, READ A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM, UH, OUR SERGEANTS FROM, UH, THE DPS UH, OFFICE, MORE SPECIFICALLY HIGHWAY [03:35:01] PATROL. ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS HIGHWAY PATROL, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST A SALARY ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR OFFICE ASSISTANT FOR, UH, PERSONNEL TO THE ANNUAL MIDPOINT OF $53,256 UNDER THE E FOUR OFFICE ASSISTANT FOR PAY LEVEL. IN RECENT YEARS, THEIR JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY EVOLVED. THE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD ASSIGNED TO THEM HAS INCREASED CONSIDERABLY. I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF RIGHT NOW. SO I MANAGE, UH, TWO SERGEANT AREAS, 6 0 1 6 0 6. UM, I PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO A TOTAL OF 16 TROOPERS, AND I CONSISTENTLY WORK TO ENSURE THEIR OUTPUT, UH, MEETS THE DEADLINES SET BY BEAR COUNTY DPS. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, SHE ALSO ASSISTS IN, SHE ALSO ASSISTS AN EXTRA 191 TROOPERS EACH NIGHT FROM NEIGHBORING COUNTIES. THIS IS PARTLY A RESULT OF COLLABORATIONS WITH THE OPERATION LONE STAR TASK FORCE, THE VIOLENT CRIME TASK FORCE IN AUSTIN, AND THE AUSTIN CAPITAL TASK FORCE, WHICH WORK ALONGSIDE AUSTIN PD, SAPD, AND THE BEAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. IN ADDITION TO OUR RESPONSIBILITIES, I HAVE ASSUMED THE POSITION OF OFFICE MANAGER DURING THE ABSENCE OF MY SUPERVISOR, SERGEANT COLBY. UH, SHE CONSISTENTLY EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS TO GUARANTEE THAT HER TROOPER AREAS REMAIN ORGANIZED, MANAGING PAPERWORK AND ADHERING TO DEADLINES THERE, THEREBY ENABLING THEM TO REMAIN OPERATIONAL AND UPHOLD PUBLIC SAFETY. MS. LEIA COLLABORATES WITH A DIVERSE RANGE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE A-T-F-F-B-I-C-I-D, HOMELAND SECURITY, SAPD, BEXAR COUNTY DETECTIVES, AS WELL AS STATE AND FEDERAL PER PAROLE AND PROBATION OFFICES. UM, WE COLLABORATIVELY AND EFFECTIVELY OVERSEE THE SAN ANTONIO REGIONAL OFFICE AS WELL AS THE TAG OFFICE. WE SERVE AS THE PRIMARY CONTACTS BETWEEN PERSONNEL IN BEXAR COUNTY AND THE BEXAR COUNTY COURTS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. WE ARE TRULY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THESE WOMEN BACK IN OUR OFFICE, THEIR DILIGENT WORK ETHIC AND OUTSTANDING EXPERTISE REGARDING THE DPS HIGHWAY PATROL AND BEXAR COUNTY PROCEDURES SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANTLY ALLEVIATE THE RESPONSIBILITIES WE FACE AS SERGEANT AND THE TROOPERS OPERATING IN THE BEXAR COUNTY AREA. UM, IT USED TO BE THAT THE, UM, CITATIONS ISSUED AND THE ARREST MADE HERE, THE REVENUE WAS USED TO PAY OUR SALARIES. I WAS ADVISED THIS YEAR THAT THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE. SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHEN THAT CHANGED. WE ARE OFTEN NOT, UH, ADVISED OF, OF THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, MS. CORTEZ AND I DO WORK DILIGENTLY TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT OUR TROOPERS ARE ON THE ROAD SO THAT THEY CAN, UH, GUARANTEE THE SAFETY OF, YOU KNOW, BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS. UM, WE, ASIDE FROM COST OF LIVING, UH, UH, INCREASES IN OUR PAY, WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED AN ACTUAL RAISE. WE ASK EVERY YEAR AND EVERY YEAR IT'S DENIED. AND, UM, WE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE BEEN TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT OR THAT ANYBODY HAS BEEN TO, UH, COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO SPEAK ON, ON OUR BEHALF. UM, WE'RE NOT ASK ASKING FOR THE MAXIMUM SALARY, UH, INCREASE, BUT AT LEAST THE, THE MIDPOINT AND, UM, MS. GAAN HAD SPOKE OF US, YOU KNOW, UM, OR THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO COMPLETE THE DUTIES ASSIGNED TO OUR OFFICE. THE, THIS IS A, UH, THIS IS THE, UH, ADVERTISEMENT, THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR OUR POSITION. THESE ARE THE ACTUAL DUTIES THAT, UM, THAT WE PERFORM. THIS IS LIKE TWO PAGES THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR. HOW DO WE, UH, WE'RE CONSTANTLY CALLED BY, UH, THE COUNTY COURTS BY THE ADA'S OFFICE. I AM MORE OF A POINT OF CONTACT THAN MS. CORTEZ BECAUSE I'VE BEEN, UH, IN THAT POSITION LONGER. HOW DO WE SAY NO TO THE REQUEST? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO UPLOAD EVIDENCE. UM, WE HAVE THE, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE D DUTIES ON THE STATE SIDE THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO, UM, PERFORM. SO I, I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO ADHERE TO ONLY WHAT IS LISTED ON THAT PAGE. SO THAT IS WHY, UM, WE ARE REQUESTING A SLIGHT INCREASE IN PAY FOR OUR POSITIONS. THANK YOU MR. FLORES. YEAH, I JUST HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. SO WHERE ARE, HOW MANY PERSONNEL ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? TWO. IT'S WE, YES, IT'S TWO INDIVIDUALS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. AND WHERE ARE YOU GUYS HOUSED? I AM HOUSED AT THE REGIONAL OFFICE ON, UH, AT, IT'S THE, UH, DRIVER'S LICENSE OFFICE ON SOUTH NEW BRAUNFELS. MS. CORTEZ NEW BRAUNFELS IN MILITARY? UH, YES. OKAY. PECAN VALLEY, UH, [03:40:01] MS. CORTEZ'S OFFICE AT, UH, THE TAG OFFICE. UM, IT'S NOT REALLY PUBLICIZED. HER OFFICE IS A LITTLE BIT LOWER KEY, BUT IT'S UH, OKAY, THAT'S FINE SIDE. YES. AND THEN HOW MANY TICKETS DO Y'ALL PROCESS AND HOW'S THIS SUPPOSED TO HELP THE REVENUE OF BE COUNTY? I'M, THAT'S CONFUSING APPARENTLY. AND OR MAYBE SOMEONE NEEDS TO JUMP IN. YEAH, ALL I, ALL I WAS TOLD, AND AGAIN, THIS WAS YEARS BACK, WAS, UM, THAT ALL REVENUE IS GOES TO BEXAR COUNTY BECAUSE THEY ARREST IN BEX COUNTY AND THEY GIVE CITATIONS IN BEAR COUNTY. I TRIED TO GET, UM, THE, THE ONLY STAT THAT I HAVE IS, UM, THAT THEY, THE REVENUE FROM CITATIONS WAS, UH, LET ME SEE. DO Y'ALL KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT? DAVID, TANYA, TINA NO ONE KNOWS. OKAY. THE REVENUE FROM CITATIONS WAS $764,062. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, I'M SORRY. HOW MUCH? $764,062. BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY FIND IT. KEEP IN MIND THAT TICKET REVENUE GETS DISPERSED IN BEAR COUNTY, BUT TO THE STATE AND OTHER AGENCIES. OKAY. WE HAVE THE SAME DISCUSSION WITH YOUR CONSTABLES WHEN THEY ALSO RIGHT. CITE REVENUE. AND I DID, UH, I I TRIED TO GET THE REVENUE, UH, FROM ARREST, BUT, UM, NOBODY COULD GIVE THAT TO ME. OKAY. SO I I DON'T HAVE THAT. SO WE'RE NOT CUTTING THESE POSITIONS, RIGHT? WE'RE JUST NOT GIVING 'EM A COLA LIKE THE REST OF US. IS THAT CORRECT? WE'RE NOT CUTTING. THE RECOMMENDATION FROM BUDGET IS NOT TO CUT THESE POSITIONS, JUST SAYING THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET A COLA, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION FOR ALL THE REST OF THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES. CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE, COMMISSIONER GOVER. THANK YOU. UH, YEAH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE HAD THIS PARTNERSHIP, BUT OBVIOUSLY I CAN UNDERSTAND. UH, IT STARTED A LONG TIME AGO. SO WHAT, WHAT IS THE DON'T START TEXAS TASK FORCE, UH, LONE STAR. IT, UH, WE HAVE TROOPERS. UH, DID YOU SAY LONE STAR OR DON'T START? LONE STAR. OKAY. SO THE LONE STAR IS THE BORDER. ISN'T THAT THE BORDER? IT USED TO BE. AND NOW, UM, THERE'S CERTAIN, UH, AREAS IN SAN ANTONIO THAT UM, ARE AT RISK FOR LIKE HIGHER CRIME WHERE TROOPERS WILL GO WORK THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS. AND WHAT, WHAT THEY DO IS THEY, IT'S NOT JUST BEAR COUNTY TROOPERS. THEY HAVE TROOPERS THAT THEY ASSIGN FROM THE, UH, OUTLYING AREAS LIKE OSA COUNTY, SEIN, UM, FLORESVILLE THAT WILL COME TO SAN ANTONIO TO, TO WORK THOSE TASK FORCE ON CERTAIN DAYS. OKAY. SO IF YOU COULD GIVE US PHOTOCOPIES OF THE DESCRIPTION AND THEN THE ACTUAL DUTIES THAT YOU POINTED OUT. I DON'T THINK I HAVE A COPY OF THAT. OR I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COURT, WE CERTAINLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT. UM, AND KIND OF LOOK, I THINK IN TOTALITY AT EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING. SO IN TERMS OF THE, UM, THE REVENUE, MAYBE THIS IS A STAFF, UH, COUNTY DAVID SMITH QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THAT IT IS DISPERSED BY INTO MULTIPLE ENTITIES. SO YOU'RE SAYING WHO, WHO ARE THOSE MULTIPLE ENTITIES AND WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE SPLIT? I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I'D HAVE TO FIND OUT. IS IT 3, 4, 5 2? I MEAN, HOW MANY ENTITY? I KNOW IT'S THE STATE. I KNOW IT'S SEVERAL AGENCIES AT THE STATE, BUT IT DEPENDS ON WHO'S WRITING WHAT KIND OF TICKET. IT VARIES. YEAH, THAT'D BE VERY HELPFUL TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE TO THE COUNTY. 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS, PER SE, OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE THING. BUT, UM, SO THE OVERALL BUDGET FOR THE TWO EMPLOYEES IS ROUGHLY HOW MUCH NOW ARE WE SPENDING IN THAT 160,000? OKAY. UM, SO JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR THE RECORD, I, I DON'T THINK WE'VE WORKED ENOUGH ON THE CONCEPT OF WAGES IN, YOU KNOW, GETTING A COLA FOR OUR EMPLOYEES IN GENERAL. SO I JUST THINK I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, I'M STILL IN FAVOR OF IT. IT'S HARD, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND, UM, WITH THE ECONOMIC TIMES THAT WE'RE IN, HOW DO WE NOT GIVE AN EMPLOYEE COLA? UM, WHEN WE HAVE SOME EXPENDITURES THAT ARE QUITE DISCRE DISCRETIONARY, UM, THAT WE'RE, UH, RECOMMENDING. AND EVEN, EVEN THE, UM, SEVEN OR $10 MILLION WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF, UH, THE, THE BASEBALL PARK THAT'S BEEN DEFERRED A YEAR. SO WE OUGHT TO BE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT BEING DEFERRED, COULD WE USE SOME OF THAT, UH, FUNDING OR EVEN THE ISSUE OF REPLACEMENT, UH, AXON, WE, WE ALREADY HAVE REPLACEMENT UNITS THAT GO TOWARDS AXON AND [03:45:01] THE YEAR USAGE. UM, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE TRULY AN AUDIT OF, IS A UNIT A BODY CAMERA ACTUALLY NOT WORKING? YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY NEED VERSUS WANT, RIGHT? UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SIX, 12 UP TO 40 PLUS MILLION DOLLAR EXPENDITURE, RIGHT? WE, WE NEED TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE MICROSCOPIC. SO I THINK THAT THERE ARE, UH, QUITE A NUMBER OF SPENDING DECISIONS THAT RELATE BACK TO EVEN CARRYOVER EXPENSES THAT WE HAVEN'T FULLY GONE THROUGH THAT WE COULD GO THROUGH. I EVEN THINK SOME OF OUR SURPLUSES, RIGHT? SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ON THE STORM WATER SURPLUS, SO WE'RE USING THE MAX THAT WE COULD TO PAY FOR SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS AND COULD WE TAKE SOME OF THAT AND PUT IT BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND FOR WAGES OVERALL FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES? I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO SCRUB THE BUDGET AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A COLA, UH, FOR OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. AND WE ARE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO I THINK A BIT MORE AS A COURT TO SCRUB THE BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? NO. ALRIGHT. I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES THE AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION AJOUR? MOTION TO, TO ADJOURN MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLAY FLORES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ. ALL IN FAVOR SECOND BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED NA ATTENTION MEETING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.