[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
>> WE ARE CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
WE ASK EVERYONE TO RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IT'S APRIL 20, 2022. WE'RE ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE
[D. SAFETY BRIEFING]
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS -- WE'RE IN NUECES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURTROOM. CERTIFY A QUORUM IS PRESENT.I ASK YOU TO UNMUTE SO WE CAN CHECK WITH HIM, SEE HIM.
WHEN SOMEBODY NOTICES, WE'LL MARK HIM DOWN.
FOR NOW THERE'S FOUR OF US HERE. I DO CERTIFY THAT A QUORUM HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. WE'LL MOVE STRAIGHT INTO OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY WHICH IS PRECEDED BY THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON DISCLOSURES OR CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
AND SO IS THERE ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA, IT NEEDS TO BE DECLARED AT THIS TIME. MEMBERS WITH CONFLICTS ARE ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM VOTING AND CONFLICTS DISCUSSED LATER IN THE MEETING CAN BE DISCLOSED AT THAT TIME AS WELL.
OKAY. NO CONFLICTS EITHER ON ANY OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE. OKAY.
WE'LL MOVE TO THE SAFETY BRIEFING.
JUST GIVE US A BRIEF SAFETY BRIEFING.
>> GOOD MORNING. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS. WE ARE MEETING HERE TODAY IN THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE NUECES COUNTY COURTHOUSE.
THE REST ROOMS ARE LOCATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE THIRD FLOOR ATRIUM PAST THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE.
PLEASE NOTE THERE'S FIRE EXTINGUISHER LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE COURTROOM. THERE ARE ALSO FIVE ADDITIONAL FIRE EXTINGUISHERS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
IN THE EVENT OF A CARDIAC EMERGENCY, THERE IS A PLACE.
IN THE EVENT OF EVACUATION, YOUR BEST ROUTE WILL BE DOWN THE ATRIUM STAIRS AND ASSEMBLING IN THE PARKING LOT ACROSS THE STREET. SHOULD THERE BE A NEED TO SHELTER IN PLACE, ATTENDEES WILL REMAIN IN THE COURTROOM DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE INCIDENT.
COURTROOM'S DOUBLE DOORS WILL REMAIN SECURED UNTIL GIVEN FUR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.
>> IS THERE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANY ONLINE BUT WOULD ASK IF THERE IS ANY. PLEASE DESIGNATE YOUR VIRTUAL HAND ICON NOW. OKAY.
SEEING NONE IN THE COURTROOM, HALLWAYS OR ONLINE I WILL NOTE
[1. Discuss and consider amended Work Authorization No. 8 related to Emergency Rental Assistance with Hagerty Consulting, providing for increase in the not to exceed amount and time extension; discuss and consider amended Hagerty Work Authorization No. 10 with Hagerty Consulting related to American Rescue Plan Support.]
COMMISSIONER IS HERE. REGULAR AGENDA ITEM 2A1 DISCUSS AND CONSIDER THE WORK AUTHORIZATION NUMBER 808 PROVIDING FOR INCREASE IN THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT AND TIME EXTENSION. DISCUSS AND CONSIDERING THE AMENDED WORK AUTHORIZATION IN RELATION TO THE SUPPORT.I'LL JUST TURN THIS OVER. >> YES, JUDGE.
SO THIS IS JUST TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROGRAM WITH THE CITY.
THIS IS JUST NECESSARY TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
>> ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO GET THIS WORK AUTHORIZATION GOING SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES? I KNOW THERE ARE --
>> SO MOVED. >> I HAVE A DISCUSSION.
>> MOTION AND SECOND FOR THE CLERK.
>> I'M REALLY NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE EXTENSION OR HAVING TO PAY $20,000 MORE. BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, IS IT WRITTEN ANYWHERE OR DO WE HAVE TO DO LIKE AN AGREEMENT BEYOND THIS TO SAY, WE'RE NOT GOING BEYOND $24,000. ONCE THAT $24,000 GETS USED, IT STOPS. I DON'T WANT TO SAY, WELL, WE USED IT AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO RATIFY IT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT STOPS AT 24,000.
>> WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM. THIS IS JUST TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES.
>> OKAY. PROVIDING SERVICES FOR $24,000
>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE GOT THE NUMBER, BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT IS
[00:05:03]
THE ACCURATE NUMBER. >> YES, IT IS.
>> JUST TO REMIND ME, THAT NUMBER COMES FROM ERAP.
WE'RE NOT PAYING IT. >> I KNOW WE'RE NOT PAYING IT.
>> IT'S COMING FROM THE PROGRAM. >> ERAP IS PAYING FOR IT.
>> RIGHT. >> THE MONEY WE WILL PAY TO ERAP IS JUST TO ERAP. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT
STOPS THERE. >> THAT'S THE ESTIMATED TO SPEND
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WANT TO MAKE SURE, I KNOW WE HAVE PEOPLE ONLINE. SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE. IF THAT IS NOT ACCURATE, THIS IS THE TIME TO SAY SO. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY
>> OKAY. WE'VE GOT REGULAR AGENDA ITEM 2A1 WHICH IS -- SORRY. 2A2, A SPECIALTY SET ITEM.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AT 5 P.M. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THERE
[1. Approve Monthly Financial Report for the month of September 2021.]
BECAUSE IT'S NOT 5:00 YET. SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR RIGHT NOW? WE HAD SOME CORRECTIONS THE LAST TIME.WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO HEAR OUR MONTHLY.
>> YES, WE ARE. UNFORTUNATELY LAST TIME IT DIDN'T INCLUDE THE P CARD TRANSACTION.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT NOW WITH YOUR PROCESSES.
SORRY FOR DELAY. WE WANTED TO GET AS CLOSE AS ACCURATE TO OUR ANNUAL EXPENSE REPORT, WHICH WE DID.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME SMALL SCENARIOS AND SHOW YOU WHERE YOU'RE AT. IF YOU GO TO PAGE 4 AND 5, THAT SHOWS YOU OUR BALANCE SHEETS FOR ALL THE FUNDS, MOST LIKELY SERVICE FUND, DEBT FUND. IF YOU SEE AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF OUR GENERAL FUND, THE BALANCE THAT WE WILL BE PRESENTING TO YOU ON THE 27TH IS THIS, 25,940,572 AN INCREASE OF LAST YEAR RIGHT AROUND $900,000. WE'LL HAVE THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR YOU WHEN WE PRESENT THE INFORMATION TO YOU.
IF WE GO TO PAGE 10 AND 11, WE SEE OUR INSURANCE FUND.
THIS IS WHERE WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR ISSUES FOR OUR WORKER'S COMP LIABILITY AS WELL AS GROUP HEALTH.
AS Y'ALL REMEMBER, WE DID DO A TRANSACTION LAST YEAR TO COME UP WITH A DEFICIT IN OUR GROUP HEALTH ACCOUNT.
AS YOU SEE NOW, OUR FUND BALANCE 161,925.
REST ARE RIGHT AROUND $100,000. FOR A TOTAL OF INVESTMENT -- INTERNAL SERVICE FUND OF $365,000.
WE NOW GO TO PAGE 16. THIS IS WHERE WE START SHOWING YOU THE AMOUNT OF OUR REVENUE THAT WE COLLECTED AND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 9/30/21, WE COLLECTED 98.1% OF OUR REVENUE.
AS YOU CAN SEE AT THE VERY TOP, OUR TAXES ARE A LITTLE BIT LOW.
LOT OF THAT IS COVID RELATED AS WELL AS SOME OTHER ISSUES.
AS YOU SEE, SOME OF THEM ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THEY WERE, THAT WE BUDGETED FOR. THERE'S A GREAT NUMBER TO SEE.
WE NORMALLY COME IN AROUND 99% TO 100%.
WE'RE SLIGHTLY DOWN ON THAT. HOPEFULLY, THAT WILL TURN AROUND ONCE OUR COURT GETS RUNNING AS IT SHOULD.
NOW WE GO TO OUR BUDGET SECTIONS WHICH STARTS ON PAGE 21.
NORMALLY I WOULD TELL YOU ABOUT NEGATIVE BALANCES.
THERE ARE NO NEGATIVE BALANCES. WE TOOK CARE OF THOSE IN A TRANSACTION THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. WE GO TO PAGE 61.
PAGE 61 SHOWS YOU OUR TOTAL GENERAL FUND BALANCES.
BALANCES, WE HAVE A TOTAL REMAINING OF 8.4%.
THAT MEANS WE HAVE SPENT 91.6% OF OUR BUDGET THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2021. THAT IS DOWN FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. NORMALLY WE'RE AT 92%, 93%, SOMETIMES 94%. SO WE SEE OUR DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, HAVE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO CONTROL THEIR EXPENDITURES.
WE'RE 91.6%. THAT IS A GOOD NUMBER TO SEE.
ON PAGE 7, JUST SHOWS YOU OUR TRANSFERS IN, TRANSFERS OUT.
TRANSFER MONEY TO OR FROM. BIGGEST ONE IS OUR GENERAL FUND GOING OUT. YOU SEE OUR TOTAL TRANSFERS FOR FISCAL YEAR WAS $13,638,304. LAST PAGE ON THE REPORT IS OUR BALANCES FOR OUR CAPITAL FUNDS. THIS IS WHERE WE SHOULD ALWAYS TELL YOU, WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE OUTSTANDING.
THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO TRY TO START SPENDING EVERY BIT DOWN.
WE STILL HAVE ABOUT $66,000 SINCE 2004.
LUCKILY WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT $11,000 OF 2007.
AND YOU SEE 2015, 2.8, 9.3. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THESE FUNDS
[00:10:02]
HAVE PROBABLY ALREADY BEEN APPROPRIATED.THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SPENT. WE NEED TO START WORKING ON GETTING THESE BALANCES SPENT. TOTAL CAPITAL PROJECTS WE HAVE $102,407,874 REMAIN TO BE SPENT. REMAINING BALANCE WE SHOW IS OUR P CARDS FOR THE YEAR FOR PERIOD OF SEPTEMBER WE SPENT 314,213 ON PAGE 83 OF THE DOCUMENT I JUST HANDED YOU.
YOU MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED THIS. SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THIS ON AN E-MAIL. ON PAGE 167, TOTAL AMOUNT OF P CARD TRANSACTIONS FOR THE YEAR IS 4,139,284.
WE DO GET A REBATE FROM OUR P CARD SYSTEM.
I BELIEVE LAST YEAR IT WAS AROUND $35,000, $40,000.
MICHAEL WILL BE WORKING ON COMING TO YOU AT A LATER POINT OF TIME TO REDO THAT CONTRACT. I BELIEVE IT'S COMING UP TO EXPIRATION. HOPEFULLY, WE CAN INCREASE THOSE RATES. THAT IS OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE BALANCES AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.
AS I SAY WHEN I BRING THE BALANCES TO YOU NEXT COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THEY WILL DUPLICATE THESE NUMBER. THAT'S THE INFORMATION I HAVE FOR YOU FOR FINANCIAL REPORT FROM SEPTEMBER.
>> HOW COME WE ARE SO FAR BEHIND ON THIS THING HERE? IS IT NORMAL? I NEVER REALLY PAID MUCH ATTENTION TO THE DATE ON TOP OF IT.
>> WE LIKE TO TRY TO GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE. IF WE WOULD HAVE GIVEN THIS TO YOU A MONTH OR TWO BACK AND BROUGHT TO YOU THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THERE WOULD BE QUESTIONS AS TO WHY THERE WERE
DIFFERENCES. >> WHEN WE APPROVE THE FINANCIAL REPORT BEFORE, WAS IT ALL CAUGHT UP AT THAT TIME? I KNOW WE APPROVED SOME OF THE FINANCIAL REPORTS BEFORE.
>> WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE YOU ONE EVERY MONTH.
>> EVERY MONTH WHEN WE APPROVE THAT ONE, IT'S BEHIND?
>> YES. >> NOT REALLY A TRUE FINANCIAL
YOU'D NEVER GET ONE. THE NUMBERS ARE NEVER ACCURATE UNTIL THE VERY END. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME IT'S 100% ACCURATE. WE'RE SIX MONTHS BEHIND.
>> THIS IS ACCURATE RIGHT NOW? >> THIS WILL MATCH MY ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT THAT YOU RECEIVE NEXT WEDNESDAY.
AUDIT STATEMENTS. THIS WILL MATCH IT 100%.
>> WE'RE NOT BEHIND AFTER THAT? >> ONCE WE START THE NEXT MONTH, STARTING OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY.
THEY'LL ALWAYS BE BEHIND UNTIL WE DO THE FINAL REPORTS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. OUR P CARDS, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD A P CARD TRANSACTION SYSTEM, LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T RECONCILE THEIR P CARDS SO THEIR P CARDS ARE ANYWHERE FROM A MONTH TO TWO
MONTHS BEHIND. >> I UNDERSTAND THE P CARDS BEHIND. I WAS JUST WONDERING THE FINANCIAL REPORT THAT WE APPROVE.
IT'S NOT A TRUE REPORT BUT CLOSE, I GUESS.
BUT WE APPROVE THAT ONE, WE'RE STILL BEHIND SEVERAL MONTHS, I
IF I GIVE YOU ONE, WE'RE WORKING ON THE ONE FOR COMING UP FOR MARCH COMING UP TO YOU. SOON AS WE GIVE IT TO YOU, THE NUMBERS WILL BE WRONG BECAUSE THE NUMBERS CHANGE CONSTANTLY UNTIL SEPTEMBER. THAT'S WHEN THEY ARE SET IN
>> THAT WOULD BE TRUE FOR ANY STATEMENTS YOU RECEIVE.
>> FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS, TOO, RIGHT?
>> YES. >> JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
ON THE P CARDS, REMIND ME HOW THAT WORKS, AS FAR AS, DO WE GET
MONEY BACK ON THE P CARD USE? >> YES.
OUR CURRENT AGREEMENT WITH WELLS FARGO IS WE GET A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF A REBATE FORM. I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER.
I BELIEVE LAST YEAR WE WERE IN THE $30,000 TO $40,000 RANGE.
I KNOW MICHAEL IS BRINGING POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING THE P CARD BACK TO YOU FOR ANOTHER APPROVAL.
WITH THAT, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL POSSIBLE ADDING WHERE WE CALL WHAT THEY CALL A VIRTUAL P CARD. WHAT THAT MEANS, CURRENTLY WE STILL ISSUE A LOT OF CHECKS. WE'LL WORK WITH THE VENDORS.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SEE THE P CARD, YOU GET AS A CREDIT CARD TRANSACTION, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT OFFICIALLY A CREDIT CARD, BUT THAT WOULD INCREASE OUR REBATES.
>> THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION. HOW DO WE INCREASE THE REBATE POTENTIAL SO THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING OUR DOLLARS?
>> I DO KNOW WELLS FARGO SAID WHEN WE RENEGOTIATE THE CURRENT CONTRACT, THEY WILL BE INCREASING OUR READINGS.
>> OKAY. AND THEN GOING TO THESE VENDORS
TO SAY, WILL YOU ACCEPT, RIGHT? >> BASICALLY IT'S LIKE A CREDIT
CARD. >> I WOULD SAY IT'S ON AUTO DRAFT. THEY WOULD LOVE IT.
>> ONLY REASON SOME WILL NOT IS BECAUSE SOME ARE SMALLER AND IF
[00:15:01]
YOU DO IT THROUGH A P CARD LIKE A CREDIT CARD, THEY GIVE YOU CREDIT CARD FEES. THEY DON'T GET THE FULL AMOUNT THAT WE'RE PAYING THEM. SOME VENDOR, THAT MEANS A LOT.>> I AGREE. MICHAEL WILL BRING US SOMETHING.
HOPEFULLY THAT'S GOING TO INCLUDE SOMETHING REGARDING POTENTIAL MORE USE OF THE P CARD.
HOW DO THE P CARDS GET DISTRIBUTED?
>> YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH MICHAEL AND HIS OFFICE.
YOU HAVE TO SEND IN AN APPLICATION TO MICHAEL AND HIS STAFF. THEY GO OVER THE BALANCE WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT HEAD. THEY VERIFY THAT.
THEY ESTABLISH CREDIT LIMITS. THEY DETERMINE WHAT THE.
THEY TALK WITH THE CREDIT CARD COMPANY, ISSUE THE CARD.
BEFORE THE CARD IS ISSUED, THEY GIVE TO IT THE PERSON AND THEY
GET TRAINED. >> HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU THINK IN THE COUNTY DO WE HAVE THAT USE P CARDS?
>> WE HAVE A LOT. I WOULD SAY IN THE THOUSANDS.
>> AND IF WE -- HOW DO WE MONITOR WHETHER OR NOT IT'S APPROPRIATE USE OR NOT APPROPRIATE USE?
>> MY STAFF GETS A TRANSACTION OF EVERY TRANSACTION EVERY DAY.
GOES TO MY OFFICE. GOES INTO OUR SYSTEM.
GOES DOWN TO PURCHASING. THEY MONITOR IT TO MAKE SURE IF THERE'S ANYTHING. MY STAFF GOES THROUGH EVERY TRANSACTION. SAYING, IS THIS A QUALIFYING EXPENSE? THE PERSON THAT DID THE CREDIT CARD IS REQUIRED TO ATTACH THE RECEIPT TO THE TRANSACTION, THEN WE HAVE A COPY OF THE RECEIPT THAT WE CAN VERIFY EVERYTHING MATCHED. IF SOMETHING DOESN'T WORK OUT, WE WORK WITH MICHAEL AND WE WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEAD AS WELL AS THE PERSON SAYING THIS WAS AN INVALID TRANSACTION AND THIS IS THE PROCESS WE HAVE TO DO TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.
>> SOME POINT, NOT ANY TIME SOON -- I KNOW WE GOT A LOT ON OUR PLATE. IT WOULD BE NICE TO REVIEW WHO'S GOT CARDS. WHY THEY NEED THE CARDS?
>> WE CAN DO THAT PRETTY SOON. WON'T BE ON THE 27TH BUT MAYBE THE FIRST REPORT OF MAY WE'LL WORK WITH MICHAEL TO PROVIDE YOU THAT. SHOWING YOU WHO HAS CARDS, WHAT THE CREDIT LIMITS ARE AND WHAT THEIR NORMAL HISTORY IS.
>> ACTUALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE P CARD STATEMENTS HERE, YOU
ACTUALLY SEE WHO DID IT. >> RIGHT.
I SAW THE DEPARTMENT HEAD. >> SO IF YOU GO TO PAGE -- LET
ME GET THERE REAL QUICK. >> PAGE 87 SHOWS THE TOTAL
AMOUNTS PER DIFFERENT FUNDS. >> GO TO PAGE 100.
>> YEP. >> YOU'LL SEE VERY BEGINNING IS A FEW FROM MY STAFF AND COMING FROM MY STAFF HAS THOSE FOUR.
MEAL SERVICES. OUR COPY MACHINE.
YOU'LL SEE EVERY ONE THAT DOES A TRANSACTION, NAME IS HERE.
>> SO WE CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHO DID WHAT, HOW IT WAS DONE.
WE CAN DEFINITELY TELL YOU WHO HAS CARDS.
THIS GIVES YOU A LIST OF WHO DID EVERY TRANSACTION.
IT'S UP TO PAGE 113. THAT'S JUST FOR SEPTEMBER.
WE CAN BRING YOU A REPORT EVERY TRANSACTION PER YEAR BY EMPLOYEE. IT WON'T BE AN ISSUE.
>> GOTCHA. >> THE ONES THAT GOT NAMES ON THEM, IS THAT THE PERSON WHO USED THE P CARD?
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE NAMES ON THEM, IS IT A BUSINESS? IT WAS CHARGED TO THAT BUSINESS,
RIGHT? >> THEY ALL HAVE NAMES OF THE VEN VENDORS.
>> WE SHOW THE BUSINESS BUT NOT WHO ACTUALLY ORDERED -- YOU SHOW THE BUSINESS, THE AMOUNT, BUT NOT WHO REQUESTED IT.
>> YOU CAN SHOW THE PAPERWORK. PAGE 100, VERY BOTTOM.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION, HOTEL, $118 TRANSACTION.
IT WAS DONE BY OUR HR DIRECTOR. HER NAME IS HERE, SHOWN THAT SHE PUT THE CREDIT CARD IN. IT WAS HER CREDIT CARD THAT WAS USED. JUST LIKE ON PAGE 101, YOU SEE THE CARD, MOST LIKELY ADVERTISING, FROM THE SHERIFF FOR $5.18. WE CAN TELL YOU WHO DID WHAT AND WHO THEY BOUGHT IT FROM. MIGHT NOT TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT THEY PURCHASED WITHOUT GETTING A RECEIPT.
WE HAVE RECEIPTS ON EVERY TRANSACTION.
[00:20:01]
>> TRANSACTION COUNT AS HOW MANY TIMES THEY USE IT OR WHAT?
>> I KNOW IT'S GOING TO SOUND LIKE I'M PICKING ON IT BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. THERE'S ONE ON HERE, FOR EXAMPLE FROM MAGGIE FOR $6,473 AT THE SOUTH SHORE LINE.
WHAT IS THAT ONE FOR, FOR EXAMPLE?
>> I'D HAVE TO PULL A RECEIPT FOR THAT ONE AND FIND OUT WHAT
>> OKAY. >> WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT IT, SINCE YOU ARE BEING PICKED ON.
AND, DALE, WHY DON'T YOU DO THE SAME.
SEND A TEXT TO SOMEBODY SO WE CAN GET SOME INFORMATION ON IT.
>> IF YOU WANT -- I KNOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THAT INTERVIEW AT 1:30. I DON'T WANT TO KEEP THOSE
PEOPLE WAITING EITHER. >> I SEE AMOUNT FOR DOMINO'S FOR $253, AS WELL AS THE SHORE LINE. I DON'T SEE ONE THAT SAYS $6,000
SO -- PAGE 105. >> LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT I SEE.
>> DALE, CAN WE PAY FOR FOOD WITH THE P CARD?
>> NO. ONLY A FEW DEPARTMENTS ARE ALLOWED TO. THEY GET THE CREDIT FROM MICHAEL. MICHAEL IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN AUTHORIZE FOOD PURCHASE. ONLY THREE, FOUR EMPLOYEES THAT
HAVE THAT AUTHORIZATION. >> THERE ARE FOOD PURCHASES ON
MICHAEL HAS A LIST OF WHO THEY ARE.
MAJORITY OF THE EMPLOYEES CANNOT.
>> DO YOU WANT TO MOVE ON? >> I HATE TO MAKE THESE LADIES
SIT HERE. >> WE HAVE TO DO THE INTERVIEWS.
CAN WE TABLE IT UNTIL WE HAVE MORE? OH, OKAY.
>> IT'S FROM LAST SEPTEMBER. SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2021.
>> DALE, THERE WAS ALSO FROM MARCO'S LUNCH CLUB ROMEO
RAMIREZ. >> WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO THROUGH THEM AND HIGH LIGHT ANY ONE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW IN THIS ENTIRE ONE AND WE'LL ALL DO THE SAME. WE CAN HOLD IT UNTIL YOU GET ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. HOW'S THAT?
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE GOT SOME, TOO, HERE. >> OKAY.
IT WOULDN'T BE ON THE P CARD UNLESS THE AUDITOR HAD ALREADY LOOKED AT IT, IS THAT CORRECT? AND ALREADY MADE INQUIRY?
>> GO THROUGH THE LIST AND WE MAKE INQUIRIES.
THE FINAL INQUIRY GOES THROUGH PURCHASING.
>> SO IT'S NOT LIKE ANYBODY'S NOT VETTING ANYTHING THAT'S ON
[00:25:06]
HERE, IS THAT CORRECT? >> THE DEPARTMENT MUST VERIFY
THE TRANSACTION WAS ACCURATE. >> YES.
ANYTHING ON HERE HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY YOUR DIVISION THAT IT'S ACCURATE. BUT IN THE INTEREST OF LET'S SEE WHAT THAT PARTICULAR ONE IS THAT HE'S HE'S I.D.ED, WE'LL GET THE INFORMATION.
WE'LL MOVE ON. THANKS FOR POINTING IT OUT OUT
OF HOW MANY THOUSANDS. >> THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF THEM. >> THIS IS FOR A WHOLE YEAR.
>> THIS IS FOR SEPTEMBER. THIS IS JUST FOR SEPTEMBER,
>> THIS IS HOW MANY. >> IT SAID YEAR END.
I MUST HAVE READ IT WRONG. >> RIGHT?
>> SEPTEMBER. >> JUST FOR SEPTEMBER.
>> 114 IS THE WHOLE YEAR. BUT IT WILL TELL YOU AT ANY POINT. WE SPENT 4,139,000.
IT DOESN'T SAY BY EMPLOYEE. IT SAYS BY VENDOR.
>> 114? >> STARTING ON PAGE 114.
>> THIS SAYS FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDING.
I'M ASSUMING 4 MILLION WAS A TOTAL NUMBER FOR THE YEAR.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> SO IT WAS THE WHOLE YEAR?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> THANK YOU.
>> WHO IN YOUR OFFICE SHOULD WE WORK WITH SO THAT WE CAN PULL THAT SINCE IT'S BEEN SO LONG AGO?
>> WORKING WITH MY STAFF. IF YOU GIVE ME A LIST, I CAN
PULL EVERY RECEIPT WE HAVE. >> OKAY.
[1. Discuss and consider selection of an applicant to fill the position of the Grants Administrator.]
ALL RIGHT. >> WE ARE GOING TO NOW MOVE INTO HUMAN RESOURCES, WHICH IS C1 WHICH IS DISCUSS SELECTION OF THE APPLICANT TO FILL THE POSITION OF THE GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE TO GO
[3. EXECUTIVE SESSION: PUBLIC NOTICE is given that the Commissioners Court may elect to go into an Executive Session anytime during the meeting to discuss matters listed anywhere on the Agenda, when authorized by the provisions of the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code. To the extent there has been a past practice of distinguishing items for public deliberation and those for executive session, the public is advised that the Court is departing from that practice, and reserves the right to discuss any listed agenda items in executive session when authorized by law to do so. In the event the Commissioners Court elects to go into Executive Session regarding an agenda item, the section or sections of the Open Meetings Act authorizing the Executive Session will be publicly announced by the presiding officer. In accordance with the authority of the Government Code, Vernon’s Texas Codes, Sections 551.071, 551.072, 551.073, 551.074, 551.0745, 551.076, 551.086, 551.087, the Commissioners Court will hold an Executive Session to consult with attorney(s) including matters related to litigation; deliberate regarding real property, prospective gift(s), personnel matters, including termination, county advisory bodies, security devices, and/or economic development negotiations and other matters that may be discussed in an Executive Session. Upon completion of the Executive Session, the Commissioners Court may in an open session take such action as appropriate on items discussed in an Executive Session.]
INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DO SO. SO I WILL GIVE NOTICE THAT COMMISSIONERS COURT MAY GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.WE DO SO IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT CHAPTER 551 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE VERNON TEXAS CODE 55107172737475, 86 AND 87. COMMISSIONERS COURT WILL CONSULT WITH PERSONNEL MATTERS INCLUDING TERMINATION, SECURITY DEVICES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATION AND ANY OTHER MATTERS THAT MAY BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UPON COMPLETION OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE COURT MAY COME BACK INTO OPEN SESSION AND TAKE SUCH ACTION AS APPROPRIATE ON ITEMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE WILL DO THAT NOW.
TIME IS 2:04 P.M. WE WOULD ASK EVERYBODY TO CLEAR THE COURTROOM AND FOR THOSE APPLICANTS THAT WE INTEND TO INTERVIEW, WE'LL COME AND CALL YOU ONE AT A TIME.
SO IF YOU ALL WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO MOVE OUT.
>> THE TIME IS 4:39 P.M. FOR THE CLERK.
WE ARE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE DO HAVE SOME ACTION TO TAKE.
ONE OF THE ITEMS WAS JUST A CONSULT ONLY.
AND THE NEXT ONE HAS TO DO WITH OUR APPLICANTS FOR POSITION OF GRANT ADMINISTRATOR. JUST WANT TO GIVE A HEADS UP, AFTER WE TAKE THIS VOTE, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A RECESS AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK ON THE RECORD AT 5:00, AS IF WE WERE STARTING THAT, CONVENING THAT AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE IT'S NOTICED FOR 5, SO I FEEL THAT'S APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME. AND SO LET ME JUST PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT, EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE YOU'RE HAPPY BECAUSE YOU RECOGNIZE THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS YOU HAVE SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY.
THAT HAPPENS TO BE THE CASE TODAY.
IT NEVER FAILS THAT WHEN THERE'S ONLY ONE SLOT, YOU ALWAYS FEEL LIKE YOU'VE LEFT SOMETHING BEHIND WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH QUALIFIED PEOPLE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE, AGAIN, ALL THE APPLICANTS.
WE HAD MANY APPLICANTS. WE HAD TWO PEOPLE THAT WE INTERVIEWED HERE TODAY. AND WE'RE GRATEFUL BECAUSE THEY BOTH HAPPEN TO BE NUECES COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
SO IT JUST SHOWS YOU THE APPLICANT POOL CAME FROM WITHIN AND IT CAME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, HIGHLY QUALIFIED.
[00:30:03]
JUST VERY GOOD QUALIFICATIONS. SO WITH THAT, THE HARD DECISION MUST BE MADE AND, THEREFORE, I WILL LOOK TO A MOTION.>> LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ELECT -- VELASQUEZ AS NEW GRANT ADMINISTRATOR. ALSO ELEVATE THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR TO A HIGHER POSITION, TO BE DONE ON THE
>> OKAY. I HAVE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY
TIME 4:42 P.M. WE ARE GOING TO KIND OF RECESS HERE UNTIL 5 P.M. 4:42 P.M.
SINCE IT'S JUST US, WE'RE RECESSED, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.
OKAY. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.
WE ARE -- WE WERE ON A RECESS. WE'VE BEEN IN COURT THIS AFTERNOON, AN WE TOOK A SMALL RECESS AND NOW WE'RE BACK ON THE RECORD FOR THE CLERK AT 5:13 P.M.
SO MANY -- THANK YOU. SO MANY NEW FACES HERE.
I'M BARBARA CANALES, NUECES COUNTY JUDGE.
WE HAVE A FULL QUORUM. WE ARE ALL HERE.
WE ARE GOING TO PROCEED. WHEN WE LAST LEFT OFF, THERE WAS ONE ITEM WITH THE AUDITOR'S FINANCIAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 2021.
THE DECISION OF THE COURT I THINK IS TO PASS, OR TABLE,
COMMISSIONER? >> I'M SORRY, YES.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO TABLE. >> MOTION TO TABLE.
I'LL TAKE A SECOND. >> SECOND.
>> TO THE 27TH. MOTION TO TABLE AND SECOND AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. >> THAT DOES CONCLUDE THE
[2. SPECIALLY SET ITEM AT 5:00 P.M. Discuss and consider adoption of Game Room Regulations in accordance with Chapter 234 of the Texas Local Government Code.]
BUSINESS, AS I HAVE IT, ON MY AGENDA, EXCEPT FOR ITEM 2A2 DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ADOPTION OF GAMEROOM REGULATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.OH, WAIT. BEFORE I GET INVOLVED WITH THAT, MOST OF YOU WERE NOT WITH US EARLIER.
AND SO JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW FOR SAFETY, WE ALWAYS DO A SAFETY BRIEFING AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
IF THERE WERE TO BE A NEED TO EVACUATE THE PREMISES, PLEASE FOLLOW THE LEAD OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
USE THE STAIRS. AND WE MUSTER OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT ON THE PALM STREET. WE HAVE AN AED DEVICE ON THIS FLOOR. WE HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT CPR CERTIFIED. I'LL JUST ASK OUR DESIGNATED 911 CALLER IF NEEDED. THAT'S YOUR SAFETY BRIEFING.
SO JENNY, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO TURN TO YOU AND SAY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR THE COURT, REGULATIONS THAT WERE DRAFTED FROM BEST PRACTICES.
THEY'VE BEEN POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE HAVE RECEIVED GOOD COMMENTS. I KNOW I HAVE RECEIVED SOME PERSONALLY. WHAT OUR PLAN IS, IF YOU WROTE TO US AND ARE NOT HERE, WE'RE GONNA PRINT THEM AND WE ARE GOING TO PUT THEM IN THE RECORD OF TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS.
OKAY? SO JUST REST ASSURED ALL OF YOUR REMARKS WILL BE READ AND WILL BE A PART OF TODAY'S RECORD.
SO WITH THAT, JENNY, MAYBE JUST GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND AS TO HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY AND THEN I PROMISE, I HAVE A LAUNDRY LIST HERE, FULL LIST, OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR COMMENT.
I THINK THAT IT'S OUR DUTY TO LISTEN, SO WE'RE GONNA CALL UPON YOU SHORTLY. I'LL TALK ABOUT HOUSEKEEPING FOR THAT. BUT LET'S JUST GET A LITTLE BIT OF GROUNDWORK LAID AND WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU, JUDGE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE POSTED THE CURRENT DRAFT. I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL E-MAIL, CALLS AND VISITS FROM BOTH GAMEROOM ADVOCATES AND BINGO ROOM ADVOCATES. WE HAVE LISTENED.
WE HAVE PUT SOME COMMENTS TO USE.
WE ARE PROVIDING OPTIONS TO THE COMMISSIONERS SO THAT THEY MAY MAKE THOSE POLICY DECISION AND WE WILL PUT THEM INTO AN ORDINANCE. NOTHING WE DO BY ORDINANCE CAN CHANGE WHAT IS IN THE CONSTITUTION FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO WE WILL ADDRESS THAT.
WITH THAT, WE WELCOME -- ARE WE READY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS?
[00:35:06]
>> I THINK WE ARE. THEY ARE DOING A FEW MORE SIGN-INS HERE. THE ON THING I WANT TO REMIND YOU ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT, IF YOU'VE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO KNOW HOW EACH POLITICAL JURISDICTION HANDLES IT. WE HAVE AN ELECTRONIC TIMER THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ON THE SCREEN.
WE HAVE COURTROOM POLICIES THAT THIS COURT HAS ADOPTED.
AND THEY BASICALLY ALLOW FOR THREE MINUTES.
NOW YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT ONE MORE SILLABLE, I'M NOT GONNA CUT YOU OFF. PLEASE KNOW OUT OF RESPECT FOR EVERYBODY HERE, TRY TO ADHERE TO THAT CLOCK.
IT WILL MAKE THINGS GO BETTER FOR ALL OF US HERE TODAY.
AND I WILL ALSO JUST CALL IN THE ORDER THAT YOU SIGNED UP.
SO TWO THINGS TO REMEMBER. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A DIGITAL CLOCK AND ALSO WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO ANNOUNCE WHO YOU ARE.
THE CLERK DOES GET THE ROSTER, BUT SOMETIMES IT HELPS HER IF SHE HAS THE AUDIO IN CASE YOUR HANDWRITING IS MORE LIKE MINE.
AND I'M READY FOR IT. YES, SIR? MAGGIE, JUST GIVE ME SHEET ONE AND TAKE SHEET TWO OUTSIDE.
COMMISSIONER WANTS ME TO REMIND YOU IN PUBLIC COMMENT, WE AS COMMISSIONERS DON'T TYPICALLY RESPOND.
HOWEVER, THIS IS AN AGENDA ITEM, SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE DISCUSSION. OKAY? BUT THE WAY FOR EFFICIENCIES, COMMISSIONER, TYPICALLY YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT IF IT'S AN AGENDA ITEM, THERE IS THE ALLOWABLE DISCUSSION. BUT FOR EFFICIENCIES, LET'S GO IN ORDER. COMMISSIONER, IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO RESPOND, JUST LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL CALL UPON YOU AND WE'LL TRY TO DO THIS AS ORDINARILY AS POSSIBLE.
THE FIRST PERSON IS GREG SMITH. >> YOUR HONOR, MAY I COME UP?
>> ABSOLUTELY, YOU MAY APPROACH. WE CAN GIVE THEM TO THE CLERK.
ARE THE NOTES FOR US, SIR? >> YES, PLEASE.
>> OKAY. WE'LL HAVE HER PASS THEM OUT.
>> IF YOU'LL GIVE ME ONE MOMENT. >> THANK YOU.
>> MAGGIE, IF YOU WOULD JUST STEP OUT OF THE WAY THERE SO I CAN SEE HIM. OKAY.
YOU'VE GOT A CLEAR SCREEN NOW. GO AHEAD.
>> YOUR HONOR, MY NAME IS GREG SMITH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WAS IN ATTENDANCE ON THE MARCH 30TH MEETING. I HAD OBSERVED AND LISTENED, MADE A FEW NOTES. I HAVE PRESENTED MY NOTES TO Y'ALL IN THIS DRAFT. A FEW THINGS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN MY MIND IS, THERE IS A PROPOSED 1500 FOOT SETBACK FROM ALL RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
YOUR HONOR, AS I STUDIED THE MAP IN CORPUS, THAT'S EVERYTHING.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE COMMISSIONERS CONSIDER USING COMMERCIALLY ZONED AREAS PLUS A 500-FOOT SETBACK FOR CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS VERSUS 1,500 FOOT FROM EVERYTHING.
THAT'S IN MY RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU.
AND PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, I HAVE A FEW THINGS THERE FOR Y'ALL TO LOOK AT. SOME SOLUTIONS TO FINANCIAL MANA MANAGEMENT WHICH, IN A NUT SHELL, WOULD BE AS A PERMIT IS ISSUED TO AN OPERATOR, THE FINANCIAL SIDE, INSTEAD OF ALL THIS BANKING STUFF, THE OPERATOR WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT TO THE GAMEROOM MANAGER FOR THE CITY A COPY OF THEIR IRS TAXES FOR THAT YEAR AS A REQUIREMENT TO GET A RENEWAL FOR THAT PERMIT.
THAT PUTS TEETH IN IT, HOLDS THE OPERATOR ACCOUNTABLE, SEPARATES FUNDS WITHIN THE OPERATION AS DEFINED BY THE IRS TAX REQUIREMENTS. SIMPLE STUFF.
SECURITY. IT'S A CALL FOR ALL THESE ARMED OFFICERS AND SECURITY AND THIS AND THAT, AND BUILDING CODES.
MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE BUSINESSES HAVE CAMERA SYSTEMS. REQUIRE THAT AND GIVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT 24/7 ACCESS.
[00:40:01]
THE PEOPLE FEEL MORE SAFE, WHICH IS THE ENTIRE PURPOSE, AND CRIMINALS AREN'T HAPPY ABOUT BEING ON CAMERA.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> AND I LOOK FORWARD TO Y'ALL -- YOUR DECISIONS, AND BEST OF LUCK.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM, IS IT CLARA RAMOS?
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CLARA RAMOS AND I'M COMING FROM VICTORIA, TEXAS. I AM HERE BECAUSE, FIRST OF ALL, I NEEDED TO ASK THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ABOUT WHAT IF SOMEONE FROM OUT OF TOWN IS INTERESTED IN COMING TO CORPUS TO TRY TO OPEN UP A BUSINESS, AS FAR AS LIKE A GAME ROOM OR BINGO PARLOR OR SOMETHING. WILL THERE BE ADEQUATE ANNOUNCEMENT, AS FAR AS AN APPLICATION PROCESS ON HOW THE PROCESS IS GOING TO WORK SO THAT WE WON'T MISS OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY? THAT, YOU KNOW -- I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT MAY SHOW INTEREST IN THIS.
BUT I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT SO THAT WE CAN GO BACK HOME AND KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE. NOW, I KEEP HEARING FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT THE CRIME. THE CRIME, AS FAR AS GAMEROOMS, 95% OF THE CRIME IS NOT FROM A GAMEROOM.
THAT COMES FROM EARLY MORNING TO AFTERNOON TO IN THE EVENING, OKAY? YOU'RE RIGHT, IN THE BACKYARDS OF SOME RESIDENTS. GAMEROOMS ARE REALLY A SAFE PLACE FOR A LOT OF THE ELDERLY. YOU MAY NOT BELIEVE IT, BUT IT IS.
>> EVERYONE, I REALLY WANT TO HEAR EVERYTHING.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS FUNNY, BUT WE'RE OLD, RIGHT? IT'S HARD FOR US TO HEAR. SO I'M GLAD YOU'RE SUPPORTIVE, AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG. I'M NOT GONNA TAKE THE TIME AWAY. YOU'LL GET YOUR TIME BACK.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU SAYING -- I SUPPORT MS. RAMOS' COMMENT. THE APPLAUSE MAKES ME MISS WHAT SHE'S SAYING. IF YOU DON'T MIND, HANG ON.
>> THANK YOU, JUDGE. >> YOU CAN COME WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN AND SAY, I SUPPORT HER. GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, JUDGE. ANOTHER THING, ALSO, WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT THE BINGO PARLORS. WELL, THE BINGO PARLORS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN A GAMEROOM. GAMBLING IS GAMBLING.
I DO KNOW FOR A FACT THERE WAS A PERSON FROM VICTORIA, TEXAS, WHO CAME TO LOBBY TRYING TO SHUT THE GAMEROOMS DOWN.
HE SUCCEEDED IN VICTORIA. OKAY.
NOW WHY DID THAT HAPPEN? I'M NOT SURE.
BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU, THERE WAS A GENTLE MAN RIGHT BEFORE ME THAT GAVE YOU A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS ON WHAT TO DO. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN VICTORIA. THAT SAME MAN ACTUALLY WROTE THE ORDINANCE FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THEY WENT FOR IT. OKAY? LET'S NOT LET THAT HAPPEN HERE. YOU, AS COMMISSIONER, OKAY, SHOULD HAVE AN ATTORNEY TO HELP YOU TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO HAVE THE REGULATIONS DONE AND THEN GO FROM THERE.
BUT TO HAVE SOMEONE TELL YOU, OR GIVE YOU SUGGESTIONS.
YES, SUGGESTIONS ARE GREAT. THEY ARE.
BUT DON'T LET THEM INFLUENCE YOU.
I'M JUST SAYING THIS BECAUSE WE HAD THIS PROBLEM.
BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY, MAINLY, IS TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN. ONE PERSON, ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THAT PERSON DID MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE IN VICTORIA. THAT'S WHY WE ARE HAVING TO REACH OUT ELSEWHERE. TAKING OUR REVENUES OUT OF VICTORIA TO TRY TO BRING THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. IT SHOULDN'T, BUT IT DID.
I'M JUST HOPING WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, THAT WE HAVE THE INFORMATION AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT YOU CAN GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT.
IF THE PERMITS ARE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, HANDED OUT.
THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY. BUT I REALLY DO WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING THIS KIND OF MEETING BECAUSE, AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT IT. THEY WANT IT HERE IN CORPUS.
I APPLAUD THEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO ENTERTAINMENT FOR PEOPLE LIKE US. THIS IS IT.
SO LET'S HOPE THAT EVERYTHING GOES IN THEIR FAVOR.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU.
[00:45:06]
OKAY. NEXT WE'LL HAVE REYNALDO.JUST TO PREPARE, IT LOOKS LIKE ROSE GONZALEZ WILL BE FOLLOWING.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. >> MY NAME IS DR. REY.
I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF A GROUP OF OWNERS AND VENDORS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL TOPICS THAT, ON THE PROPOSAL, THAT THEY DON'T AGREE WITH. I'M HERE TO POINT OUT SEVERAL OF THEM. FIRST OF ALL, THE HOURS OF OPERATION. EVERY BUSINESS, EVERY BUSINESS OWNER SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE OR OPERATE THEIR OWN HOURS.
POINT NUMBER TWO. THERE'S A SECTION IN THERE WITH LANDLORD RESPONSIBILITY. IS THAT CONSTITUTIONAL? WOULD OUR OTHER LANDLORDS BE LIABLE FOR THEIR TENANTS? IF I SELL MY HOUSE, OR RENT MY HOUSE, AM I GOING TO BE LIABLE FOR THE TENANT, WHAT THEY DO THERE? JUST DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT. IT DOESN'T SEEM FAIR TO PUNISH GAMEROOM OWNERS ON THAT TOPIC. NUMBER THREE, REDUCING THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT. SOME GREAT IDEAS HAVE COME UP, ESPECIALLY HIRING OFF DUTY OFFICERS AS SECURITY ON EVERY GAMEROOM. MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT, OKAY? THE OTHER GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE HAD A GREAT POINT.
WHETHER THE GAMEROOMS ARE OPERATING 24 HOURS A DAY OR 12 HOURS A DAY. WHATEVER THE HOURS ARE, MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY HAVE OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICERS WORKING THERE. TOPIC NUMBER FOUR, SECTION 4.1, FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS, SUBSECTION A, SUBSECTION B, C.
SOUNDS COMPLETELY UNREASONABLE. WHAT OTHER BUSINESSES DO YOU REQUIRE THIS OF? NONE THAT I CAN THINK OF.
EACH GAMEROOM HAS, OR EMPLOYS THEIR OWN CPA OR ACCOUNTANT TO HANDLE ALL THEIR FINANCIAL AFFAIRS.
AND WHAT THE CITY -- WHAT THE COUNTY WANTS TO DO ON THAT SUBSECTION OR SUBSECTION DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT AT ALL.
THE WAY THIS PROPOSAL IS, IN ITS FORM, NEEDS TO BE REVISED OR P POSTPONED.
THE WAY IT IS NOW, SOME OF THE SECTIONS, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, SEEM UNCONSTITUTIONAL. I WOULD HATE FOR THERE TO BE A LAWSUIT OR MULTIPLE LAWSUITS ON THIS PROPOSAL THAT WOULD DELAY EVERYTHING. WHAT I THINK SHOULD HAPPEN IS THAT WE SHOULD SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS SOME OF THESE TOPICS SO THAT IT'S MORE FAIR ESPECIALLY THE GAME ROOM OWNERS.
THE WAY IT IS NOW, I LOOKS LIKE THE BINGO PEOPLE GOT EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANTED IN THIS ORDINANCE AND THE GAME ROOM
PEOPLE GOT NOTHING. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
>> NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM ROSE GONZALES.
>> I'M SORRY ROSS FORGIVE ME. >> I'M ROSS GON GONZALES A PROUD ARMY VETERAN HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF GAME ROOM OWNERS AND OPERATORS. I GOT A CHANCE TO READ THE DRAFT OUTSIDE OF THE LOBBY AND THE VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH REALLY STRUCK ME. IT REALLY DISTURBED ME.
WE ARE GOING BASED ON HEARSAY AS FAR AS CRIME, THEFT, PERSONAL PROPERTY, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED THAT IN ANY GAME ROOMS, NONE. SECONDLY THERE WAS MORE CRIME AND MORE VIOLENCE AND THEFT COMMITTED IN OUR SCHOOLS HALLS ON A DAILY BASIS, EVERY DAY F FACT.
WE CANNOT ARGUE THAT. THERE ARE WAYS IT HAS BEEN PROVEN BY GAME ROOMS -- SORRY -- THERE ARE WAYS, IT IS BEEN PROVEN PER GAME ROOMS OPERATE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. AND TO PROVIDE SAFE ENTERTAINMENT. I'VE BEEN TO GAME ROOMS WHERE YOU HAVE CAMERA SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT.
YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF THE 180 V VIEW, SOMETIMES 360 VIEW OF THE ESTABLISHMENT, YOU HAVE SECURITY 100% OF THE TIME WHETHER IT'S OPEN FOR 12 HOURS, 24/7, WHATEVER.
[00:50:03]
YOU HAVE SECURITY AROUND-THE-CLOCK.I THINK, READING THE PROPOSAL, THE DRAFT, I THINK IT IS FAIR THAT THE GAME ROOM OWNERS AND OPERATORS BE AFFORDED THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SAME RIGHTS THAT THE BINGO HALL OPERATORS GOT. YOU REQUIRE THEM TO DONATE TO CHARITY, SOME OF THE PROFITS THEY HAVE TO SHARE AND GIVE TO CHARITY. I BELIEVE THE GAME ROOM SHOULD BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
I THINK THAT IS FAIR AND I THINK IT IS JUST AND WHETHER YOU TAX THEM, WHICH I'M IN FAVOR OF. I WOULD RATHER YOU TAX THEM THEN TAX ME ANYWAY. MY POINT BEING I BELIEVE A LOT OF THIS TAX MONEY CAN BE HELPED. IT'S GOING TO GO BACK TO A CITY IT'S GOOD TO GO BACK TO ACCOUNTING IT CAN HELP WITH THE FIRST RESPONDERS IN OUR TEACHER PAY, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, SHARES THE PERMIT, WHOEVER IT IS THAT IS NOT THE CASE AND THEY DECIDE TO GIVE TO CHARITY, THAT IS FINE I WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH THE BASEBALL SCENE WITH CORPORIS FOR MANY YEARS.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME OF THAT MONEY GO TOO THE PARKS OR THE SPORTS FACILITIES IN TOWN, I THINK IT WOULD BE SO BENEFICIAL AND THE YOUTH COULD USE A LOT OF THAT MONEY PUT BACK INTO HER COMMUNITY FOR OTHERS TO BENEFIT FROM.
THAT IS ALL I THINK SHOULD HAPPEN.
I BELIEVE YOU GUYS SHOULD SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CIVIL DISCUSSION AND I BELIEVE THERE IS A BETTER COMMON GROUND THAN WHAT IS ON THIS PROPOSAL, I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT, GIVE THEM THE TIME, GIVE THEM BOTH YEARS AND LISTEN TO THEM.
HEAR THEM OUT, DO IT CIVILLY AND HASH SOMETHING OUT, SOMETHING BETTER THAN THIS. THIS RIGHT HERE LIKE THE DOCTOR SAID PRIOR TO ME, ONCE I GOT EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANTED THE OTHERS I DIDN'T. ALL I ASK IS TO BE FAIR.
WERE ALL CONSTITUENTS. I THINK WE ALL DESERVE THE SAME
KIND OF RESPECT AND RIGHTS. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
>> THE NEXT PERSON WE WILL HEAR FROM IS SUSIE.
FOLLOWING SUSIE WILL BE -- IS IT RONNIE BAKER? OKAY YOU WILL BE FOLLOWING RONNIE.
>> 4710. I PASSED THIS TO YOU WILL AND I SEND THEM THROUGH E-MAIL AS FAR AS OUR SUGGESTIONS ARE FOR THE REGULATIONS FOR GAME ROOMS. LET ME TELL YOU ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN SAID HERE THAT IS THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH.
BINGO GOT WHAT THEY WANTED BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET RID OF THE GAME ROOMS. WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT THEY GIVE EVERYTHING TO CHARITY, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OTHER MARKETPLACES BECAUSE A LOT GOES TO ADMINISTRATIVE COST, NOT TO THE CHARITIES. TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
THAT IS THE GOSPEL TRUTH. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT CRIME IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE CRIME THERE IS MORE CRIME IN CORPUS CHRISTI THAN ANY OF THE GAME ROOMS AND YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF IT. THE GAME ROOMS HAVE COME INTO EXISTENCE LATELY. LET ME TELL YOU.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PLAY HERE IN TOWN.
I TRAVELED TO EAGLE PASS AND WINDSTAR AND I TRAVELED TO LOUISIANA, WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO DO THAT IF I GAMBLE HERE.
AND MY MONEY STAYS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WHY? THAT IS NO REGULATION, NO ONE HAS DONE ANYTHING TO TAKE IT. I AM LOOKING AT FIVE PEOPLE UP THERE THAT WE ELECTED TO REPRESENT US.
LET ME TELL YOU WE SENIOR CITIZENS, ONE THING YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT US, WE VOTE, WE REALLY VOTE, WE ARE SENIOR CITIZENS, WE LIKE TO KEEP UP WITH THINGS. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
WE ARE PLANNING TO HOLD EVERYBODY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR VOTES. LET ME TELL YOU WHY, I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU GIVE US THE RIGHTS THAT WE DESERVE.
YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO TELL ME HOW TO SPEND MY MONEY.
YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO LIMIT THE TIME THAT I GO SOMEWHERE, ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME NEXT THAT I CAN ONLY GO TOO THE MOVIES BETWEEN TEN AND 2:00 O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON BECAUSE I'M A SENIOR? MY GOD, YOU HAVE ANOTHER THING COMING IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT TO ME.
THAT IS NOT RIGHT. YOU CANNOT DO THAT TO US AND TRIED TO TELL US THAT YOU'RE DOING IT FOR OUR OWN GOOD.
OUR OWN GOOD IS FREE YOU TO GIVE US THE RIGHT TO MAKE THAT DECISION OURSELVES. WE HAVE A RIGHT TO GO TOO THE GAME ROOMS WE HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE READ WE HAVE A RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT OUR FAITH IS. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO PROTECT US
[00:55:02]
AS YOUR CONSTITUENTS. REMEMBER THAT, WE ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND TRUST ME WE WILL BE LOOKING HOW EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU BOTH. THAT IS NOT MEANT AS A THREAT THAT IS MEANT AS A FACT. HAVE A GOOD DAY.>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM RONNIE BAKER. AND TO BE PREPARED TJ LEDBETTER YOU WILL BE NEXT. MR. BAKER.
>> JUDGE CANALIS, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU.
FOR THREE YEARS, I REPRESENT CHARITABLE GAMING.
I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF ASSERTIONS THAT I FIND INTERESTING, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS I THINK WHAT A SPEAKER SAID BINGO IS NO DIFFERENT THAN GAME ROOMS, THEY ARE REGULATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS WITH OVER 300 REGULATIONS. WE GET BACK HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND HAVE SINCE 1983 THERE'S NEVER BEEN A MAJOR FELONY COMMITTED INSIDE CORPUS CHRISTI.
ANOTHER LADY SPOKE AND SAID ONE MAN CLOSE DOWN ALL THE GAME ROOMS IN VICTORIA TEXAS AND WROTE THE ORDINANCE AND GOT IT PASSED. THAT IS INCORRECT THAT WAS WRITTEN BY AN ATTORNEY OUT OF AUSTIN, TEXAS WORKING WITH A VARIETY OF NONPROFITS. CHARITABLE BINGO DID NOT GET WHAT THEY WANT THEY CAME HERE TO ASK FOR A FAIR PLAYING FIELD WHICH IS WE ARE REGULATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE HAVE OPERATING HOURS, OR DISPERSIONS OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE GIVE AWAY MANDATED BY THE STATE. WE CAN ONLY PLAY THREE SESSIONS PER WEEK, NOT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. ALL WE ASK IS FOR A FAIR PLAYING FIELD, YOU CONSIDER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT WE SUBMITTED THAT IT BEEN ENACTED IN SEVERAL COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AND IS AS IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A BUSINESS LIKE ALL BUSINESS, YOU ARE REGULATED AND THAT IS FAIR BECAUSE CHARITABLE BINGO IS NOT HERE AND I PICKED UP THE PAPER AND I READ WHAT WAS GOING ON, CHARITABLE BINGO IS TRYING TO CLOSE DOWN GAME ROOMS, THAT IS NOT TRUE, THAT IS THE UNTRUTH THAT HAS BEEN POSTED TO GET A LOT OF PEOPLE UPSET.
THIS LADY THAT SPOKE, IF SHE WANTS TO GO GAMBLE, THAT IS FINE GET REGULATED TO GET YOUR PERMITS AND PUT YOUR MACHINES IN AND HAVE THE PEOPLE COMPLY, THANK YOU.
>> NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM TJ LEDBETTER WHO.
MS. BETTY SHEETS YOU WILL FOLLOW.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS. RONNIE PRETTY MUCH SAID WHAT SOME DO BUT I WANTED TO SAY. I'M A LOCAL CPA IN A REPRESENT SEVERAL CHARITIES THAT BENEFIT FROM BINGO.
WE ARE NOT AGAINST THE GAME ROOMS. WE JUST WANT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
WE WANT THEM TO BE UNDER CERTAIN RULES, WE HAVE OVER 300 ROLES, THEIR 27 THAT YOU ARE MANDATING. WE JUST ASKED FOR A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. IT BE GREAT IF THEY HAD TO DONATE SOME OF THE MONEY THAT WOULD BE FABULOUS.
, IF YOU DON'T PASS THE ORDINANCE THEY WILL PROBABLY NOT BE CHARITABLE BINGO WHICH AFFECTS YOU ALL.
AND I VOTE TOO. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM.
NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM BETTY SHEETS AND FOLLOWING BETTY IF YOU WILL BE PREPARED, MS. MARGARET BALDWIN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I HAVE BEEN TOO THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS AS YOU ALL KNOW, FIRST OF ALL FROM THE COMMENTS TODAY I'M GOING TO TELL YOU.
YOU JUST TOLD THESE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DON'T DEPEND ON YOUR THOUGHTS, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
THOSE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SITTING UP THERE HAVE DONE THEIR JOB AND THEY ARE DOING THEIR JOBS AND I SUPPORT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, YOU ARE CARING ABOUT NOT ONLY BINGO, THEY CARE ABOUT YOU ALL, WHAT IS THE MATTER HERE, THERE IS A PROBLEM, THERE IS AND AS FAR AS CHARITABLE FUNDS, I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU FOLKS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE OF YOU TELL ME THAT YOU HELP THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD WHO NEEDS MEDICINE, NOT WITH YOUR BINGO MONEY YOU HAVEN'T. THAT MONEY GOES TO YOU ALL, OURS IS 100% GOING TOO A CHARITY. 100%, WE DON'T POCKET EVEN AND
NICKEL. >> WE WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF
EVERYBODY. >> LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE WOULD
[01:00:04]
LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU WHILE SOMEHOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE. I HONESTLY DON'T.WHATEVER IT TAKES FROM THIS JUDGE IN THESE COMMISSIONERS I KNOW IT WILL DO THEIR JOBS. THANK YOU.
>> NOW MS. MARGARET BALDWIN FOLLOWED BY THE BEST NAME EVER MARK ANTHONY. BOTH --
>> GOOD EVENING JUDGE IN COMMISSIONERS MY NAME IS MARGARET BALDWIN. WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT REGULATIONS AND HOW MANY PAGES AND HOW MUCH IT TAKES.
THESE ARE THE REGULATIONS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED THAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT. BINGO REGULATIONS ARE LIKE THIS WE OPERATE UNDER MORE REGULATIONS THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE AND THEY SAY WHEN, WHERE AND HOW MUCH AND HOW MUCH WE HAVE TO DISTRIBUTE AND HOW WE HAVE TO DO IT.
WERE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN WE ARE NOT ALREADY DOING OURSELVES IN THE HALLS.
WE DO HAVE TO DONATE TO CHARITIES.
THEY ARE THE ONES RUNNING THE HALLS, CHARITIES ARE THE ONLY ONES I HAVE A BINGO LICENSE TO CONDUCT BINGO.
OR THE CHARITIES, THEY ARE RUNNING THE HALL USING THEIR MONEY TO HELP MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE DFW, LITTLE LEAGUE, HALO FLIGHTS HELPING TO PAY FOR FLIGHTS THAT PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOST PETS.
THERE IS SO MUCH THAT DIFFERENT CHARITIES DO, WE ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THE REGULATIONS, LOOK OVER THEM.
YOU ALREADY HAVE MY NOTES THAT I SENT SHE AND HOW I FEEL, YOU KNOW SINCE I BEEN COMING HERE. I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER WHAT IS BEFORE YOU AND MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR WHAT IS BEFORE YOU.
[APPLAUSE] NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM MARK
ANTHONY. >> GOOD EVENING COUNTY JUDGE IN THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS MARK ANTHONY PUBLIUS, I AM AN OWNER AND OPERATOR OF A GAME ROOM AND CORPUS CHRISTI.
I AM GOING TO HAVE TO SPEAK QUICK BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT TO SAY IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I WANT TO GIVE A BACKGROUND OF MYSELF. I ATTENDED VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATED IN 2019 I PLAYED HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY SOCCER ALL FOUR YEARS OF VETERANS MEMORIAL AND WENT TO PLAY SEMI PRO WITH CORPUS CHRISTI FC AND I WENT ON TO PLAY COLLEGE SOCCER IN ABILENE TEXAS WHERE I WAS MAJORING IN BUSINESS AND MINORING IN ACCOUNTING. I DECIDED TO INCLUDE THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A BIASED AND A PERSONA OF GAME ROOM OWNERS AND OPERATORS THAT ARE NOT TRUE.
WE ARE NOT BAD PEOPLE. I'M A 20-YEAR-OLD YOUNG MAN COMING ON. INTO ADULTHOOD AND SIMPLY LOOKING TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY.
AND TO HELP CREATE A LIVING FOR MY EMPLOYEES.
THE GAME ROOM THAT I OPERATOR ALL CONSIDERED FAMILY WILL CARE FOR EACH OTHER AND STRIVE TO BRING A POSITIVE AND FUN ATMOSPHERE FOR ANYBODY WHO VISITS US.
WE HAVE A LICENSED SECURITY COPY THAT GIVES ANYONE WHO ENTERS THE BUILDING PEACE OF MIND IN A SAFE ATMOSPHERE.
DURING OUR TIME OF OPERATION WE HAVE ONLY HAD TWO CALLS TO SEE CPD FOR CRIMES THAT OCCURRED OUTSIDE OF OUR BUILDING.
I BELIEVE THAT CRIME IS BEING PINNED ON GAME ROOMS UNFAIRLY, NEWSCHANNEL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE INCIDENTS AND USE THEM TO CREATE A BAD NAME FOR GAME ROOMS WHEN IN REALITY THERE IS GAME ROOMS WITHIN OUR TWO YEARS OF OPERATION.
WE ARE ONE OF MANY GAME ROOMS AND CORPUS CHRISTI BUT WE ARE STRICTLY A GAME ROOM AND NO AFFILIATION WITH ANY BAD STEREOTYPES AT THE ASSISTANT DA HAS TO PUBLICLY SUCH AS PROSTITUTION, GANGS, DRUGS, ET CETERA.
I BELIEVE THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTIE IN NUECES COUNTY IS ADOPTING DOWN SOUTH TO NORTH AND ALLOW GAME ROOMS TO OPERATE FOR YEARS AND TAX DOLLARS FOR THE COUNTY AND COUNTLESS JOBS FOR MANY PEOPLE MANY DEPEND ON THESE JOBS TO PAY RENT, BILLS, MORTGAGES, CAR PAYMENTS AND TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
AS A GAME ROOM OWNER I LOVE THE EMERGENCY MAN I'M ABLE TO PROVIDE. ICM OUT OF TIME.
>> THE CLOCK DID NOT RESET PROPERLY.
KEEP GOING. >> I LOVE THE ENTERTAINMENT THAT I'M ABLE TO PROVIDE TO PEOPLE AND I LOVE MANY PEOPLE AND CORPUS CHRISTI LOVE THE ENTERTAINMENT THAT I PROVIDE THEM WITH TWO. WE AS GAME ROOM OWNERS AND THE PLAYERS THAT HAVE COME TODAY UNDERSTAND THERE IS A NEED FOR REGULATION TO BE PUT IN PLACE. WE ASK THAT YOU LOOK AT US AND MAKE DECISIONS CAREFULLY LOOK AT OTHER COUNTY REGULATIONS THAT HAVE ALLOWED GAME ROOMS DOWN SOUTH AND UP NORTH.
WEBB COUNTY, ACTOR COUNTY, WINKLER COUNTY, THESE COUNTIES
[01:05:09]
INCLUDE ODESSA, KERMIT, LEIFER, SEBASTIAN AMBER LEE.EXTRA TAX DOLLARS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT STREETS, HIGHWAYS AND PROVIDING MORE OPPORTUNITIES OF EMPLOYMENT UNDER CERTAIN PROVISIONS. THE 28 PAGE REGULATION THAT WAS PRESENTED WILL PUT GAME ROOMS AND CORPUS CHRISTI OUT OF BUSINESS. WE BELIEVE AS A WHOLE WE CAN WORK ON THIS PROPOSAL, WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD BENEFIT SUCH AS A NONPROFIT, THE COUNTY, THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE OF CORPUS CHRISTI AND ALL THE GAME ROOM OPERATORS.
WE ALSO ASK AS A WHOLE THAT YOU DON'T LET BINGO HALLS TAKE AWAY WHAT MANY PEOPLE WANT PUSH UNCONSTITUTIONAL REGULATIONS FOR NOTHING BUT PERSONAL GAIN. WE ASK THAT YOU DELAY THIS PROPOSAL AND ALLOW ALL OF US TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT WILL SATISFY ALL PARTIES. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT ATTENDED TODAY IN THANK YOU COUNTY JUDGE IN COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR TIME AND ALLOWING OUR VOICES TO BE HEARD.
>> I WANT TO SEE ALL OF YOU BACK WITHOUT ENTHUSIASM LUISA ATTACKS RAY. I WANT TO SEE EVERYBODY RIGHT HERE WITH THIS TYPE OF PUBLIC ENTHUSIASM WHEN WE ARE HANDLING THE COUNTY'S BUSINESS, A LOT OF GREAT THINGS TO WORK ON TOGETHER AND THOSE WERE GOOD FINAL WORDS OF WORKING TOGETHER IS THE RIGHT ATTITUDE. I'M GOING TO POLLOCK MS. KATHLEEN WHITE. FOLLOWING MS. PRUITT.
I WILL BE WATCHING THE CLOCK. I THINK SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT RESET. WE ARE GOOD NOW.
>> ALLOW COUNTY JUDGE AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
I MADE SOME NOTES FROM THE COMMENTS I HAVE BEEN HEARING TONIGHT. ONE OF THEM WE NEED TO WORK ON THIS AND SPEND SOME TIME, WE HAVE BEEN ON THIS FOR THREE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN COMING TOO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT WE'VE BEEN COMING TOO THE LEADERSHIP FOR THREE YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT. THIS IS NOT AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS WRITTEN BY THE BINGO HALL OWNERS THIS IS AN ORDINANCE BY OTHER COUNTIES. WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IN THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE JUDGE HAVE LOOKED TO OTHER COUNTY ORDINANCE THAT A BEEN IMPLEMENTED ALREADY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THIS IS A PRODUCT PULLED FROM THE ORDINANCE. THEY SAY THAT THE FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS ARE ONEROUS. I SAY THEY'VE NEVER SEEN THE BINGO ENABLING ACT. IT IS 300 PAGES LONG, EVERY CHARITY THAT PLAYS ONE GAME OF BINGO REPORTS EVERY DOLLAR THAT COMES IN THE DOOR, EVERY EXPENSE THAT IS PAID OUT, THEY HAVE LIMITS ON HOW MUCH THEY CAN PAY AND EXPENSES ON EVERY LEVEL AND 100% OF THE NET PROFITS IS REQUIRED TO NOT ONLY GO TOO THE CHARITY BUT MUST BE SPENT INSIDE THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THEY HAVE TO REPORT HOW THEY SPEND THOSE PROCEEDS AFTER THEY GET MOVED FROM THE BINGO ACCOUNT TO THE CHARITY.
THERE IS A LOT OF MISCONCEPTION ABOUT THIS.
HOURS OF OPERATION. THEY ARE COMPLAINING BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE HAS FROM NINE OR 12 HOURS A DAY THERE IS NO BINGO HALL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT CAN BE OPEN FOR 12 HOURS A DAY.
OUR REGULATIONS ARE FAR MORE ONEROUS, 300 PAGES COMPARED TO 30 LIMITING HOURS, LIMITING EVERYTHING AND EVERY PENNY HAS TO GO TO CHARITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE TALK ABOUT HOW FAR THEY HAVE BE AWAY FROM CHURCHES IN PLACE PLACES LIKE THAT. IT'S FAR MORE DIFFICULT TO BEING A LICENSE TO OPERATE A BINGO HALL THEN ANYTHING THAT IS CONSIDERED IN THIS ORDINANCE TO OPEN UP A GAME ROOM.
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO STOP THE GAME ROOMS, TRYING TO STOP ILLEGALITY IN GAME ROOMS SOMEONE SAID I WANT THE RIGHT TO GAMBLE.
UNFORTUNATELY GAMBLING IS JUST NOT LEGAL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THAT IS WHY PEOPLE HAVE TO GO OUT OF STATE TO GAMBLE.
THE GAME ROOMS CAN OPERATE BUT THEY HAVE TO OPERATE WITHIN THE STATE OF THE TEXAS LAW. EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THEM BEING THE SIMILARITIES, THEY ARE GROSSLY DIFFERENT AND BINGO IS REGULATED AND HAS BEEN REGULATED SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS ALMOST 30 OR 40 YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND TIME. [APPLAUSE]
>> NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM PHYLLIS PRUITT.
[01:10:04]
VIOLA GONZALES, YOU WILL BE N NEXT.>> THANK YOU JUDGING COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
I DO APPRECIATE YOU ALL DOING THIS.
I SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE THAT SAYS 50 MACHINES IN A GAME ROOM IS ENOUGH. I JUST WONDER HOW MANY GAME ROOMS GIVE TO CHARITIES, THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
>> THANK YOU. >> WE WILL HEAR NEXT FOR MS. GONZALES. AM I CORRECT? IS IT VIOLA? LET ME LOOK AGAIN.
VIOLA GONZALES. >> SHE LEFT YOUR HONOR.
>> FOLLOWING MS. GONZALEZ -- [INAUDIBLE] A KIND OF ALREADY IN TOGETHER. MS. CAN SOLACE WELCOME.
>> I AM FOR THE GAME ROOM I AM NOT AGAINST THE GAMER.
>> PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT CRIMES, CRIMES HAPPEN EVERY DAY 24 HOURS A DAY IN SCHOOLS, YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, GROCERY STORES, GAS STATIONS. WE HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEND OUR MONEY WHERE WE WANT TO GO AND SPEND OUR MONEY.
WE DON'T WANT TO DRIVE TO LOUISIANA.
WE CAN STAY HERE AND EVERYBODY MAKES MONEY PARKS, SCHOOLS, POLICE, EVERYBODY. PLEASE, PLEASE, I BEG YOU REGULATE THE GAME ROOMS, LET US OPERATE AND IN PEACE.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE]
THE NEXT PERSON PLEASE. >> I CAME TO VOICE FOR THE SENIORS THAT GO TOO THE GAME ROOM, THEY ENJOY GOING TOO THE GAME ROOM IT IS QUIET IN THE MORNINGS, IT IS SAFE IN THEIR SECURITY IN THE GAME ROOM. AT NIGHT IT IS TOO LATE FOR THEM TO GO TO BINGO. THEY'RE IN THE FIXED INCOME WHERE THEY CAN GO TOO THE GAME ROOM FOR A LITTLE WHILE AGO HOME, THEY LIKE IT THEY SAY THERE IS BREAD AND COFFEE AND THEY GET TO MEET OTHER SENIORS AND THEIR AND ENJOY THEIR TIME.
WE ARE VOTING FOR GAME ROOMS. THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT PERSON PLEASE. HERE HE COMES.
FOLLOWING HIM WILL BE JENNIFER. IF YOU WILL GET READY.
>> BARBARA AND COMMISSIONERS, I SUPPORT THE GAME ROOMS AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW IT IS AN ENJOYMENT FOR THE ELDERLY.
IT IS A PLACE FOR THEM TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND ENJOY THEMSELVES LIKE I ALWAYS SAY ENJOY THE MOMENT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE NOTHING WITH US SO ENJOY THE EVENING AND LET THEM HAVE A GOOD TIME. I AM FOR AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO REGULATE IT AND I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN MOTELS, HOTELS. I'M SURE THE CITY MAKES THE SALES TAX ON THAT THERE IS REVENUE COMING IN YOU GUYS HAVE TO SEE THAT ALSO THIS DAY FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AND LEAVE ON MONDAY. IF YOU GUYS WERE TO GO TO MANAGEMENT OF THE HOTEL AND MOTEL AND GET THE TAX INTERBREEDING AND SEE HOW MUCH MONEY CORPUS CHRISTI IS MAKING OUT OF THIS. IT IS A WIN-WIN.
I WANT TO FINISH OUT THERE IS NO TIME LIKE PRIME TIME.
>> WE ARE NOW GOING TO HEAR FROM JENNIFER FOLLOWED BY
MS. DESTINY. >> I AM JENNIFER, I WORK AT A GAME ROOM. EVERY DAY I SEE THE ELDERLY, THEY LOVE TO GO EVERY MORNING, SIT THERE AND HAVE THEIR COFFEE AND PLAY THEIR GAMES AND SOCIALIZE.
THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE BECAUSE THEIR SECURITY THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF AND THEY SAY THEY WOULD RATHER GO THERE THEN GO TO LOUISIANA. I LOVE TO GAMBLE.
I GO TO KICKAPOO IN LOUISIANA. I WOULD RATHER LEAVE MY MONEY HERE THAN SOMEWHERE ELSE. I AM SO FOR THE GAME ROOMS.
THE NEXT PERSON WILL BE ALLIE. >> HELLO I AM DESTINY TREVINO.
[01:15:05]
AS SOMEBODY THAT WORKS IN A GAME ROOM YOU SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE COME IN EVERY SINGLE DAY AND YOU FORM THESE CONNECTIONS WITH PEOPLE. I SAY OUR GAME ROOM IS ONE OF THE SAFEST GAME ROOMS I'VE EVER WORKED AT OR BEEN INSIDE.ONE OF THE CLEANEST GRADE I'M NOT AGAINST BINGO.
ALL I WANT TO SAY IS LET'S COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND REGULATE OUR
GAME ROOMS. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THE NEXT PERSON THAT WE HAVE IS ALI.
>> HI, I AM ALI. I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS.
I MYSELF WORK AT PRIME TIME, I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST BINGO OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, LET US HAVE OUR JOBS AND BE FREE VOTING ON GAMING. OUR MONEY, OUR CHOICE, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO GAMBLE.
PLEASE LET THIS GO IN LET THIS REGULATE.
I AM A GAMBLER AND I DO GO TO BINGO ALSO BUT I AM A SLOTS PERSON. I ENJOY SLOTS.
LET'S REGULATE THIS. I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS AGAIN BUT PLEASE VOTE FOR GAME ROOMS. [APPLAUSE]
>> WE WILL HEAR FROM ALEXIS TREVINO.
YOU ARE NEXT FOLLOWED BY MS. TOSHA DAVIS.
>> MS. TREVINO. >> MY NAME IS ALEXIS TREVINO.
I VOTE FOR GAME ROOMS. I LOVE PRIME TIME.
THANK YOU. >> OKAY, THANK YOU.
AGAIN MS. TOSHA DAVIS. FOLLOWING TOSHA IS GOING TO BE
MS. YVONNE. >> MS. DAVIS, WELCOME.
>> I AM TEIXEIRA. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST BINGO OR GAME ROOMS I AM HERE FOR PRIME TIME, IT'S ONE OF THE BEST JOBS THAT I HAVE HAD, WE SHOULD COME TO AN AGREEMENT I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE WHAT ARE THE BEST JOBS THAT I HAD.
I MADE MORE CONNECTIONS AT PRIME TIME COMMUTING WITH ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE. FINALLY GETTING A CIRCLE OF PEOPLE. I WORK FOR ONE OF THE BEST PEOPLE IN PRIME TIME. I WORK FOR ALI, EVERYBODY AT PRIME TIME AS A FAMILY. WE LOVE BINGO, WE LOVE GAME ROOMS WE SHOULD COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND FINALLY VOTE WITH GAME ROOMS, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT WE WORK IN THE BEST EVER AND WE ARE ONE OF THE SAFEST PLACES OUT HERE.
WE HAVE SECURITY 24/7. OUR SECURITY PERSONNEL IS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL, YOU CALL FOR SECURITY ANYWHERE IN PRIME TIME, THEY ARE THERE IMMEDIATELY.
THERE IS NO CRIME IN EVERY GAME ROOM, NOT AT ALL.
I SAY WE SHOULD VOTE FOR GAME ROOMS 100%.
I NOTICED THE CLOCK. >> SORRY.
>> FOLLOWING MISSY YVONNE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE -- YOU GONNA TEACH
ME THE PROPER LAST NAME. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. MY NAME IS YVONNE.
MY MAIN REASON FOR BEING HERE IS MORE PERSONAL.
I HAVE AN 81-YEAR-OLD FATHER. HE IS IN THE FIRST STAGES OF DEMENTIA. MY DAD CAN NO LONGER TRAVEL TO LOUISIANA AND TO WINSTAR TO GO DO WHAT HE LOVES.
>> THIS IS WHAT HE LOOKS FORWARD TO EVERY DAY.
I GET A PHONE CALL FROM HIM, HE NO LONGER DRIVES I HAVE TO PICK HIM UP AND TAKE HIM TOO GO PLAY. HE SITS NEXT TOO AN 82-YEAR-OLD WOMAN NAMED LORRAINE AND THEY SIT THERE AND THEY REMINISCE AND THEY PUT ON MUSIC, THE OLDIES FOR THEM.
THEY SIT THERE AND REMINISCE AND HAVE A GREAT OLD TIME.
I UNDERSTAND THERE NEEDS TO BE REGULATIONS.
I AM ALL FOR THAT BUT THEY NEED TO BE FAIR TOO THE GAME ROOMS AS WELL. THEY CANNOT BE ONE-SIDED.
THEY NEED TO BE FAIR. THERE IS A LOT OF POINTS ON THEIR THAT I THINKING TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN.
ALL I AM ASKING THAT WE PROPOSE A REVISION OR AT LEAST TIME TO
[01:20:07]
LOOK OVER AND MAKE AN AMENDMENT TOO THE ORDINANCE.AGAIN, I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS OUT THERE.
I KNOW PEOPLE SAY THEY ARE TAKING THEIR MONEY AND THEIR MORTGAGING THEIR HOUSE, THIS AND THAT.
THAT IS NOT THE CASE. THE WAY I SEE IT, THEY WORKED THEIR ENTIRE LIFE TO EARN AND ENJOY THEIR RETIREMENT THEY WANT TO SPEND 40, 50, $3 AT THE GAME ROOM, LET THEM GO DO IT.
IF THEY WANT TO DO IT AT BINGO, LET THEM GO DO IT BUT LET THEM HAVE THE CHOICE. LET US HAVE THE CHOICE.
>> NOW I HAVE EDDIE. FOLLOWING, I AM STRUGGLING WITH THE SCRIPT BUT IT LOOKS LIKE HAYWARD ROAD ON NO.
>> JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU'VE GIVEN US. THE FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY.
I AM NOT AGAINST GAME ROOMS. THE PROBLEM IS, GAMBLING IS ILLEGAL IN TEXAS. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO, WE TRIED TO GET DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT AND WE CANNOT DO THAT UNDER THE RULES WE ARE UNDER. THEY MADE AN EXCEPTION AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR BINGO. IT HAS TO BE 100% GOING TO CHARITIES, WE PAY TAXES TO THE STATE TO THE COUNTY INTO THE CITY. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PASSED BY STATE LEGISLATION AT THE COUNTY LEVEL YOU CANNOT HAVE GAMBLING. I TRIED WHEN I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THOFTHE BOARD ASSOCIATION. WE COULD SEE WHAT WE CAN GET AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND STATE LEVEL TO HAVE THAT WHERE WE CAN HAVE A GAME ROOM IN ONE PART OF THE HALL AND STILL HAVE BINGO.
BUT IN TEXAS, THAT IS ILLEGAL. THAT IS WHY WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING THAT STAYS WITHIN THOSE REGULATIONS NO MATTER HOW MUCH PEOPLE WANT TO GO AND HAVE A LOCAL CASINO FOR GAMBLING.
UNTIL THAT IS PAST THE LEGISLATURE HAS SAID NO TO THAT.
THAT IS THE ISSUE HERE, ALL OUR PROFIT GOES I TALK TO PEOPLE WITH A DIFFERENT GAME ROOMS, THEY SAID THEY ARE NOT PAYING CASH OUT. THEY HAVE A WORKAROUND.
I SAID IF YOU ARE GOING TOO A STAND WHERE YOU CAN CASH IN A CREDIT CARD OR SOMETHING AND GET CASH FOR THAT IS GAMBLING IN TEXAS AND TOTALLY ILLEGAL. THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT ARE NOT JUST FACING US. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE WAYS FOR IT TO HAPPEN IN THE STATE BUT UNTIL THE LEGISLATURE DOES SOMETHING WE CANNOT DO IT AT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY LEVEL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> AGAIN EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK.
LET'S JUST HOLD OUR THOUGHTS UNTIL IT IS YOUR TURN AS IT IS ANNOUNCED BY MYSELF. PLEASE CONTINUE.
>> JUDGING COMMISSIONERS I AM AN ATTORNEY FROM LONGVIEW TEXAS, MY CLIENT ASKED ME TOO BE HERE TODAY TO GO OVER YOUR ORDINANCE THAT I THINK NEED TO BE CORRECTED.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE AWARE OR READ THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE BUT SECTION 234.143 ONLY LIST THREE THINGS THAT THE COUNTY IS ALLOWED TO REGULATE GAME ROOMS ON.
THIS ORDINANCE THAT YOU PREPARED IS BASICALLY A REGURGITATION OF THE ONE THAT HARRIS COUNTY CREATED ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO.
ALTHOUGH IT HAS NOT BEEN CHALLENGED, IT IS SIMPLY BECAUSE NOBODY HAS COME FORWARD THAT WANTS TO CHALLENGE IT.
I AM CURRENTLY CHALLENGING SEVEN OF THESE ORGANS IN OTHER COUNTIES. ONE THING I WANTED TO COVER IS THE DISTANCE REQUIREMENT THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR ORDINANCE.
YOU HAVE IT DONE TO 1600 FEET BUT THE OCCUPATIONS CODE ONLY ALLOWS A CITY TO REGULATE UP TO 300 FEET.
MOST OF THESE GAME ROOMS ARE IN THE CORPORIS CITY LIMIT.
YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CITY NOT BEING ABLE TO REGULATE ACCORDING TO THE TERMS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR ORDINANCE.
MY SUGGESTION YOU CORRECTED TO 300 FEET.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE RAN INTO IS TRANSPARENT AND UNCOVERED WINDOWS THAT YOU HAVE AN ORDINANCE AT SECTION 3 .5.
[01:25:04]
LET'S SAY WHETHER THE GAME ROOMS IS THAT A STRIP CENTER, THERE IS NO WAY THEY COULD PUT A WINDOW ON THE SIDE THAT BELONGS TO SOMEBODY ELSE'S BUSINESS. THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND CORRECT. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT HAVE A SET UP SO THERE HAS TO BE A WINDOW IN THE BACK.I'VE SEEN SEVERAL OF THESE COUNTIES INSTITUTED THAT AND IT'S A PERFECT PLACE FOR SOMEBODY AFTER THE BUSINESS IS CLOSE TO BREAK-IN AND ROB THE ESTABLISHMENT.
THE NEXT THING IS THE HOURS OF OPERATION.
I BELIEVE YOU HAVE 10:00 A.M. UNTIL 9:00 P.M.
THE BINGO FOLKS HAVE COME HERE AND SAID WE WANT SOMETHING THAT IS FAIR. I NOTICED I'M NOT FROM CORPUS CHRISTI BUT I NOTICED ONE OF THE BINGO HALLS IS OPEN UNTIL 2:00 A.M. IF THAT IS OKAY FOR THE BINGO HALL, IT SHOULD BE OKAY FOR THE GAME ROOMS TO STAY OPEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER UNTIL 2:00 A.M. THE LAST THING WAS ON THE EXEMPTIONS THAT YOU HAD FOR THE DISTANCE REQUIREMENT.
I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS IS INTENDED TO BE THE WAY THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAD IT. THE FIRST THING, YOU CANNOT PUT IN A GRANDFATHER CLAUSE FOR THE GAME ROOMS HAS A DATE THAT IS BEYOND THE DATE THAT YOU ACTUALLY PASSED THIS ORDINANCE.
IN OTHER WORDS YOU CONNECT BACK TO JANUARY 1 AND SAYS ANY GAME ROOM THAT WAS NOT IN EXISTENCE BEFORE JANUARY 1 CANNOT GET A LICENSE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT SET UP, THE DAY YOU PASS THIS ORDINANCE IS THE DAY THE GRANDFATHERING IN OTHER WORDS TAKES PLACE. THE WAY YOU HAVE IT WRITTEN IN HERE YOU BASICALLY CREATE A SITUATION -- I AM OUT OF TIME.
YOU CREATE A SITUATION THAT WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE TRYING TO APPLY. >> THANK YOU YOU'RE WELCOME TO SUBMIT ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS. [APPLAUSE]
>> I THINK WHAT I READ. COULD THIS BE ALANA?
>> IT IS A LAURA. I AM A LAURA.
I'M REQUESTING THE CITY ALLOWS FOR GAME ROOMS TO BE OPEN AND CONSIDER THE PROPOSED REGULATION.
THE GAME ROOMS HAVE PROVIDED SAFER WAY TO ENTERTAIN THE CITIZENS INSTEAD OF BEING AT BARS AND CLUBS.
I KNOW A LOT OF US ARE FOCUSING ON THE SENIOR CITIZENS.
BUT LATE AT NIGHT WILL WE ONLY ALLOW SERVING TWO BEERS AT PRIME TIME THERE IS A LOT OF YOUNG GUESTS AS WELL.
I SEE THAT AS A BENEFIT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OUT ON THE STREETS GETTING DRUNK AT THE CLUBS IN THE BARS.
WITH THE PROPER REGULATION AND PROTOCOL GAME ROOMS CAN BRING TOURISTS AND REVENUES FOR AREA PLEASE CONSIDER THE PROPOSAL SO WE MAY HAVE ENTERTAINING GROWTH TO CORPUS CHRISTI.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] NEXT MR. ROBERT FLOREZ FOLLOWED BY OMAR MENDOZA.
>> MR. ROBERT FLOREZ. HE IS COMING? HERE HE COMES. WELCOME.
IF YOU WOULD JUST GRAB THE MICROPHONE, IT HELPS US ONLINE
AS WELL. >> HELLO MY NAME IS ROBERT FLOREZ, I AM AN ATTORNEY I AM A GENERAL COUNSEL AND THE COMPLIANCE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE TEXAS GAME ROOM OWNERS ASSOCIATION. WE ARE A 5O1C3 PROFIT ORGANIZATION. WE ARE THE PREMIER DUE DILIGENCE COMPLIANCE REGULATORY AND BUSINESS IMPACT DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IN THE GAME ROOM INDUSTRY.
WE HAVE A STRONG TRACK RECORD OF REPRESENTING GAME ROOMS, OPERATORS AND PROTECTED THEM THROUGH SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS. WE ALSO ASSIST CITIES AND COUNTIES WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART COMPLIANT ORDINANCES THAT WORK FOR BOTH SIDES. I ONLY PUT MYSELF ON THE LIST.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH YOUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AND TOLD HER WHAT OUR SERVICES ARE. THEY ARE AT NO CHARGE TO THE COUNTY. I WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF FORMALLY TO EVERYONE. I'M A COUPLE OF YOU WILL.
WE ARE THE ONES THAT BRIDGE THE GAP.
[01:30:03]
>> THANK YOU MR. FLOREZ. [APPLAUSE]
>> MR. OMAR MENDOZA FOLLOWING MR. MENDOZA WILL BE MARIA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON JUDGE. >> AFTERNOON AND COUNTY COMMISSIONER. I AM HERE TO ADDRESS THE ORDINANCE AT THE CITY WANTS TO PROPOSE OR IMPOSE ON EVERY GAME ROOM AND CORPUS CHRISTI. FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY OR THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE LISTENING. EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO AN OPINION, AS FOR THE GAME ROOM ARE CONCERNED.
I'VE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY OF THE GAME ROOM OPERATIONS FOR 23 YEARS. NOT ONLY AS AN EMPLOYEE BUT AN OPERATOR. IRAN ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GAMES AND CORPUS CHRISTI AND BROWNSVILLE FOR A PERIOD OF A YEAR END A HALF. WHEN JIM WAS SHERIFF, HE TRIED TO SET AN ORDINANCE BUT NOTHING EVER CAME OF IT.
THE YEAR OF 1999, WE GOT TO AUSTIN IN THE SUPREME COURT.
BY OUR ATTORNEY FROM SAN DIEGO. HIS WIFE WAS ONE OF THE LEADING OPERATORS FOR GAME ROOMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
NOT ONLY HAVE THE GAME ROOM -- I LOST MY PLACE MANY OPINIONS ARE BEING EXPRESSED AND TRULY I WILL TELL YOU WHAT.
AS AN OPERATOR OF THE GAME ROOM AND CORPUS CHRISTI NOT ONLY ARE WE LOOKING AT THE NEGATIVE THINGS TOO A GAME ROOM BUT NOW I WANT TO SPEAK ON THE THINGS THAT GAME ROOMS IN GENERAL BRING TO THE COMMUNITY. MORE REVENUE, NOT JUST FOR THE GAME ROOM, GAS STATIONS, RESTAURANTS, ET CETERA.
WE WORKED IN SAN DIEGO, DALLAS, TEXAS, THE MAIN BRINGING A BRIDGE OF NUECES COUNTY, THEY NOT ONLY GOT A DUMP TRUCK, THEY ALSO RECEIVED FROM THE CITY THAT WE HAD TO PAY.
WE TESTED THE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR MACHINE.
THEY GOT TO BUILD THE PARK, MANY OF OUR STUDENTS NOT THE SCHOLARSHIPS THEY DESERVE. WE WERE GIVEN THE GRADUATES, NOT ONLY THE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WHAT THEY DESERVE BUT OUT OF 650 LETTERS THAT WE RECEIVED, THE LESS FORTUNATE ENDED UP PROFITING FROM IT WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
WE WANT TO BE REGULATED. WE WANT THE CITY TO SEE THAT WE ARE NOT BAD PEOPLE OPERATING. IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAX US, WE ALREADY PAY TAX TO THE TAX ASSESSOR FOR THE STICKERS.
EVERY GUMBALL MACHINE IN THE CITY PAYS TAXES.
AND THAT'S A GUMBALL MACHINE. LET US DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND LET US HELP THE CHARITIES THAT NEED HELP BECAUSE WE'D NEVER BEEN GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY. IN 1999 WE GOT SO CLOSE AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT HE PASSED AWAY.
CAN YOU GIVE ME ONE MORE SECOND? YOU ARE PROPOSING ORDINANCE.
I SAY AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BOOM ME ON THIS.
I THINK IF WE ARE GOING TO OPERATE, NO ALCOHOL BEVERAGES SHOULD BE SOLD. THAT KEEPS THE CUSTOMERS THEY ARE PLAYING LONGER WHEN I THINK BY SERVING DRINKS YOUR KEEPING THEM THERE TO SPEND MONEY. LET THEM COME IN, PLAY WHAT THEY
WANT TO PLAY AND THEN GO HOME. >> WITH THAT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING MY COMMENTS. HOPEFULLY WE GET IT DONE.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL RECOGNIZE MS. MARIA FOLLOWING MARIA WILL
BE BRIAN GOMEZ. >> HELLO JUDGING COMMISSIONERS,
HOW ARE YOU THIS EVENING. >> THE REASON I AM HERE I LIVED
[01:35:07]
HERE ALL MY LIFE AND NUECES COUNTY, CORPUS CHRISTI.GOOD CITY. THE GAME ROOMS ARE FUN, THEY ARE SAFE AND THEY KEEP US AWAY FROM OUR CHILDREN FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
IT IS A FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT FROM US, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT AGE YOU ARE, ALL OF US HAVE KIDS. AND.
IT GETS US AWAY WHETHER YOUR GRANDPA OR APPARENT, IT KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM THAT. A LOT OF THE GAME ROOMS ARE SAFE. CRIME IS EVERYWHERE JUST LIKE A RECAP FROM WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SAID CRIME IS EVERYWHERE YOU CAN WALK INTO THEY BROKE INTO A DOLLAR GENERAL AND A ROBBERY WITH A HANDGUN. CRIME IS EVERYWHERE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. I JUST THINK THE GAME ROOMS, I READ SOME COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SPEND THEIR CHILDREN'S COLLEGE FUND AND THEY WANT TO SPEND THEIR MORTGAGE, THAT IS HER CHOICE. IF THAT IS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO FOR A FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT, LET THEM DO IT, LET THEM HAVE FUN.
WERE ONLY ON THIS EARTH FOR A VERY SHORT TIME, BELIEVE ME I LEARNED THAT. I LEARNED IT THE HARD WAY.
ANOTHER THING YOU DON'T TAKE ANYTHING WITH YOU WHEN YOU DIE.
LET US HAVE FUN. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT AGE YOU ARE, LET US HAVE FUN, PEACE AND QUIET, MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE AND DID YOU MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE ALL AGES AND ALL RACES.
IT DOES NOT MATTER THE GAME ROOMS DO NOT DISCRIMINATE.
ANYBODY CAN GO WHEN. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL. I HOPE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMISSIONERS AS WELL, MAYBE YOU SHOULD LET YOUR HAIR DOWN AND GO VISIT A GAME ROOM. BECAUSE YOU MIGHT ENJOY IT.
I AM JUST SAYING, IT IS JUST A THOUGHT.
LET YOUR HAIR DOWN, WEAR A MASK, NOBODY WILL KNOW IT IS YOU.
[APPLAUSE] MASKS ARE THE NEXT BEST THING RIGHT NOW, JUST WHERE IT, GO IN THERE INCOGNITO, NOBODY WILL KNOW IT IS YOU BUT YOU WILL SEE IT FIRSTHAND.
YOU KNOCK IT HERE THEY SAID THIS OR THEY SAID THAT, YOU WILL SEE IT FIRSTHAND. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME, I HOPE THIS GETS PASSED AND RESOLVED. WE ARE ALL ADULTS, WE ARE NOT CHILDREN, WE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE, THIS IS AN ADULT SITUATION. LIKE I SAID WEAR A MASK AND GO IN THERE. [APPLAUSE]
>> MR. BRIAN GOMEZ. >> HOW ARE YOU DOING I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE GAME ROOM OPERATORS AND OWNERS.
I'VE BEEN IN CORPUS CHRISTI 40 YEARS NOW.
I'VE GOT TO SAY ONE THING THAT IS INEVITABLE AS THE CITY IS CHANGE. CORPUS CHRISTI HAS NEVER BEEN REALLY GOOD TO TAKE INTO THAT. THE ONE THING THAT REALLY BOTHERS ME THAT I'M GOING TO ADDRESS WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THE REAL SITUATION EXPOSED FAKE PEOPLE.
AS I WAS GROWING UP MY WHOLE LIFE THE PERSONA OF A BINGO HALL I THOUGHT OF THESE NICE LADIES BUT I THINK THE MEDIAN EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM CAN SEE WHO HAS BEEN DISRESPECTFUL THE WHOLE TIME WE'VE BEEN UP YOUR SPEAKING, SAYING THINGS UNDER THEIR BREATH, I PERSONALLY HAVE DONATED OVER $5000 TOO THE HOPE HOUSE, THE ART FOR KIDS, TO THE PURPLE DOOR, I WORKED VERY CLOSELY THAT RUNS THE ART FOR KIDS, I DONATED TWICE FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS AND FOR YOU GUYS TO MAKE ALLEGATIONS TO THE PEOPLE OF CORPUS CHRISTI THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING GO DROP MY NAME RYAN GOMEZ, THEY KNOW ME VERY WELL.
I PERSONALLY DONATED A LOT OF MONEY.
I HAVE SEEN NOTHING BUT RESPECT FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROOM WHILE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING. GOING BACK TO THE 50 MACHINES THAT THEY PROPOSED THAT CAN BE MORE THAN 50 MACHINES.
MY TAKE YOU WE REGULATE HOW MANY BINGO CARDS THEY CAN BUY WHEN THEY GO IN THERE? IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO BUY A HUNDRED CARDS, BY ALL MEANS THEY WILL TAKE ALL THEIR MONEY.
THE OTHER THING IS, CHARITY. BY ALL MEANS, LET'S HELP THE CITY. WE HAVE SEEN ON THE NEWS OVER 80 GAME ROOMS, THAT IS OVER 400 JOBS IF NOT MORE IN THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI FOR PEOPLE. THERE IS ALSO 80 BUILDINGS THAT ARE BEING LEASED BY LANDLORDS. TIMES ARE TOUGH COVID HAS HIT
[01:40:04]
PEOPLE HARD THIS IS GOOD FOR THE CITY AND COMMUNITY.LET'S MAKE IT GOOD FOR EVER EVERYBODY.
MAKE IT A REGULATION TO HELP OUT CHARITIES.
I AM ALL FOR THAT I'VE BEEN DOING THAT, WE ALL NEED TO DO THAT. TAXES SOMETHING WITHIN REASON TO FIX THE STREETS I HEARD HOOPER SAY THE OTHER DAY TO PUT A TASK FORCE TOGETHER HE WAS GETTING $446,000 TO BUST THE GAME ROOM, LET'S USE $446,000 TO HELP CORPUS CHRISTI.
I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THE HALL OWNERS.
THE ONLY PROBLEM I DO HAVE, THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AND THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. THERE IS A SIMILARITY.
THEY PAY OUT CASH PRIZES, BOTTOM-LINE.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE OF SOMEONE GOING IN THERE.
YET MULTIPLE PEOPLE WINNING ALL THE TIME.
WHEN YOU GO TOO A BINGO HALL YOU HAVE ONE OR TWO OWNERS OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT BUY THOSE TICKETS.
MONEY IS BEING PAID BACKWARD TOO THE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY THEN THERE IS IN A BINGO HALL.
[APPLAUSE] >> WE HAVE ABOUT SIX MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE SIGNED UP. I JUST WENT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. IF YOU'RE WONDERING HOW MANY MORE BEFORE WE GET ENGAGED THE NEXT PERSON I HAVE IS EDDIE AND DJ. FOLLOWING EDDIE WILL BE FILM KNUCKLES. IF YOU WILL PREPARE, WELCOME.
>> GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONER, I AM AN OWNER AND OPERATOR AT THE GAME ROOM IN TOWN. I WAS DOUBTING SHOULD I SPEAK OR NOT SPEAK BUT WHAT THE HELL, LET'S SPEAK.
EXCUSE ME BY MY WORD. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS HONESTLY, THE PEOPLE BEFORE ME HAVE SAID WHICH I AGREE WITH.
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I DEFINITELY DISAGREE WITH THE 27 PAGES I HAVE SEEN AND READ AND READ OVER AND OVER.
I NEED TO GIVE THAT TO THREE DIFFERENT ATTORNEYS TO FIGURE OUT. I DO AGREE WITH THE BINGO PEOPLE 300 PAGES. THEY COULD WORK WITH THE 300 PAGES, REGULATED FOR THEM TO OPERATE 27 PAGES THAT WE HAVE WE CAN OPERATE, DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY YOU CAN GO TO PRIME TIME YOU COULD HAVE LUNCH FROM MIDNIGHT WE SERVE THE ENTIRE TIME YOU CAN EAT AND LEAVE NO QUESTION ASKED YOU CAN COME AND EAT AT ANY GIVEN TIME OF THE DAY YOU CAN HAVE SAWDUST, CHIPS, WHATEVER YOU WANT. ALL OF THAT, NOBODY TALKED ABOUT. I HATE TO BRAG ABOUT WHAT WE DO, I'VE BEEN DOING THAT IN THE GAME ROOM IN THE RESTAURANT.
IF YOU GO TO CORPUS CHRISTI, I WRITE THE CHECK ON A MONTHLY BASIS. SINCE COVID HIT THEY WERE ABOUT TO CLOSE THE SWIMMING POOL FOR OUR BLUFF.
AND I SUPPORT THE KIDS AND GO THERE TO FOR THE BINGO PEOPLE, YOU GUYS THAT YOU DON'T DO CHARITY, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT'S A LIE, YOU CANNOT JUDGE ANYONE OF THE SAME WORD.
I COME THERE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE 300 PAGES WHICH I GAVE AN ATTORNEY TO LOOK AT, HIS ANSWER TO ME SAID 99% OF THE TIME THE BINGO PEOPLE THAT IT CREATED THE 5O1C THAT HAVE THEIR OWN CHARITIES THEY DO THE PAYROLL AND THE REST GIVEN TO THE CHARITY. HOW MUCH OF THE PAYROLL GOES TOO THE CHARITY, WERE NOT HERE TO POINT THE FINGER, WE ARE HERE TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER. I DO WANT IT TO BE REGULATED, I VOICE SO MANY TIMES THE CITY AND THE COUNTY NEED TO NET PROFIT OUT OF THAT, IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT HONESTLY I ENCOURAGE THAT BUT I THINK THEY NEED TO PAY TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
ON THE TOP OF THE 70 PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OUT OF TOWN IN SAN ANTONIO AND HOUSTON IN THE VALLEY, THE USE OF RESTAURANT AND SHOPPING WHAT THEY BRING TO TOWN IS VALUABLE.
[01:45:06]
>> WE WILL HEAR FROM PHIL NICHOLS PLEASE.
WELCOME SIR. >> I HAVE TO GO OVER THERE AND LET THEM KNOW HOW I FEEL. I.
FOR A BUNCH OF POSITIONS BUT I NEVER WON.
THAT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. NEVER GIVE UP.
>> IT IS STILL DAYLIGHT. MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT GO OUT AND DON'T GO OUT IN DAYLIGHT HOURS, THEY GO OUT AT NIGHT.
I THINK MAYBE THE HOURS SHOULD BE CHANGED TO A LATER HOUR.
I HAVE BEEN SAVING MY MONEY, A LITTLE BIT.
THE THING IS THIS I WAS PLANNING ON GOING TO VEGAS FOR MY 80TH BIRTHDAY. I THINK I WILL STICK AROUND BECAUSE THIS LOOKS VERY GOOD. I HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS ALL MY LIFE. NOW THAT I RETIRED I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO. MAYBE I SHOULD GO INTO THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS. I HAVE BEEN TO LAS VEGAS MANY, MANY TIMES SINCE 1967 WHEN I JOINED.
I DEFINITELY HAVING SOME TYPE OF REGULATION.
DON'T BE SO TOUGH THAT NOBODY WANTS TO GO INTO THE BUSINESS.
I THINK CORPUS CHRISTI IS GROWING.
CORPUS CHRISTI COULD BE THE NEXT VEGAS OF THE USA.
LET'S LOOK FORWARD TO IT AND TO JOIN THE BANDWAGON AND GET INVOLVED. I THINK IT'S A POSITIVE THING AND PEOPLE ARE COMING TO CORPUS CHRISTI.
IN OUR PROGRAMS WE ALWAYS SAY REGISTER TO VOTE AND GO OUT AND VOTE. ENDED W DECISION BY VOTE, WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE. WE HAVE ALWAYS.
LET'S GO FORWARD. >> NOW WE WILL HAVE RAUL JUNIOR.
>> MARY HELEN, IS THAT CORRECT? >> GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO COME SAY OUR PEACE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO US, OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN.
IT IS IMPORTANT WHAT WE DO WITH OUR TIME.
I THANK YOU ALSO CONSIDER. THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER WITH LAW, LEGAL AND ALL THESE THINGS.
ALSO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OR CAN WE STAY WHERE WE ARE. PEOPLE ARE LEAVING CORPUS CHRISTI. WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO.
VERY FEW THINGS TO DO IN CORPUS CHRISTI.
PLEASE LISTEN TO EVERYBODY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAME FORWARD.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY CRITICAL TO ALL THE CITIZENS OF CORPUS CHRISTI. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I DON'T WANT TO BE REPETITIOUS, YOU KNOW WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR.
SHE HAS LEFT. I WENT THROUGH ALL MY SHEETS
[01:50:03]
THAT REPRESENTED PUBLIC COMMENTS.CONNIE I AM GOING TO ASK FOR YOU TO LOOK ONLINE AND SEE IF ANYBODY ONLINE PARTICIPATING NEEDS TO RAISE THEIR VIRTUAL HAND. WE WANT TO GIVE EVERYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY. I WILL MAKE A FINAL ASK, IS ANYBODY OUTSIDE OR ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE AND DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO SIGN UP, THIS IS YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR CHECKING.
ONE LAST ONE. IF YOU WOULD IDENTIFY YOUR NAME
I WILL WRITE IT DOWN FOR YOU. >> I WROTE IT DOWN BUT I DIDN'T
GET CALLED. >> GOOD EVENING JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. I WANTED TO SAY I AM FOR GAME ROOMS IT'S AN ADULT ARCADE. IT'S A LOT OF FUN.
WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN. WERE DOING NOTHING WRONG AND AS FAR AS BINGO EVERYBODY HAS DIFFERENT FOLKS FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS. IF THEY WANT TO GO TO BINGO OR THE GAME ROOM I THINK WE HAVE A CHOICE.
IF WE WANT TO SPEND OUR MONEY I THINK WE SHOULD SPEND OUR MONEY WHERE WE HAVE FUN INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO OUT OF TOWN OR OUT OF STATE TO GO TO THIS. THE MONEY STAYS HERE BECAUSE PEOPLE COME IN FROM OUT OF TOWN. THEY LOVE TO GO TOO THE GAME ROOMS. WHY SO FAR WE CAN LEAVE HER MONEY HERE AND GO HOME AFTER THAT.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[APPLAUSE] >> THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF OUR
PUBLIC COMMENTS. >> YES, PLEASE.
>> MY NAME IS LIZ GOOD TERRORISTS, I AM A BOARD MEMBER.
I AM HERE BECAUSE OF THE GAME ROOMS. I ACTUALLY HEARD ONE OF THE DAS SAY THAT THE GAME ROOMS CAUSE PROSTITUTION, DRUGS, THAT IS NOT TRUE.
YOUR BARS ARE THE ONE THAT DO THAT.
REMEMBER THE PERSON THAT KILLED THE POLICE OFFICER WAS DRUNK.
AT THE GAME ROOMS YOU DO NOT SEE THAT.
I SHOULD HAVE A CHOICE OF EITHER GOING TOO THE GAME ROOM, GOING TOO THE BINGO OR GOING TOO THE BAR, THAT IS MY CHOICE IN MY MONEY. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DEREGULATING IT BUT WE GO TO LOUISIANA AND EAGLE PASS AND ALL OF THOSE PLACES GIVE MONEY TOO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE THESE GAME ROOMS HERE THAT COULD EASILY HELP OUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, HELP UP THE ECONOMY HERE AND CORPUS CHRISTI AREA. I AM JUST SAYING NOT EVERYBODY OUT THERE, NOT ALL THE GAME ROOMS ARE BAD.
I FREQUENT RE-OR FOUR OF THEM, I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM, PEOPLE ARE FRIENDLY, THEY ARE VERY CLEAN. I SAY I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK AT IT VERY CAREFULLY BECAUSE THIS WILL HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SCHOOLS IF YOU REGULATE SOME WAY BECAUSE THAT MONEY GOES TOO
[APPLAUSE] >> YES BM, WOULD YOU GO TOO THE PODIUM WOULD YOU IDENTIFY AND GIVE ME YOUR ADDRESS SO I CAN WRITE IT DOWN, I MISSED HER ADDRESS.
>> THANK YOU TO JUDGE IN THE COMMISSIONERS.
ANYWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I AM 77 YEARS OLD, BEEN TOO THE BINGO'S, I ENJOYED MYSELF, WHATEVER THE RIGHT THING IS, GOD BE WITH YOU. [APPLAUSE] I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR PARTICIPATING COMING TO YOUR COMMISSIONERS COURT AND HAVING YOUR VOICES HEARD.
I HOPE YOU FOUND IT'S A GOOD EXERCISE.
I ALSO FELT EVERYBODY CONDUCTED THEMSELVES VERY WELL.
AND IT WAS AS IT SHOULD BE. I'M SORRY IF ANYBODY HEARD SOMETHING DIFFERENT MY ADVANTAGE POINT, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU AND LEARNED AND LISTEN. NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO ENGAGE IN THIS DIALOGUE IN THIS
[01:55:01]
DISCUSSION. I WILL SAY WE ARE REPRESENTED WELL HERE TODAY. BY MULTIPLE ATTORNEYS, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE ATTORNEYS THAT HAVE SPOKEN BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WHO IS THE DULY ELECTED COUNTY ATTORNEY IS HERE WITH MEMBERS OF HER STAFF AND SHE IS THERE WAVING TO YOU UPFRONT. THERE WAS A REFERENCE TOO THE FACT THAT WE HAD DIALOGUE FOR THREE YEARS.I NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT IS ACCURATE.
WHAT I MEAN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE, NOT THIS ONE BUT THE ONE BEFORE THAT IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION FOR THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A STATUTE THAT WAS PASSED, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE STATUTE THE COUNTY DURING CONFERENCES EMBARKED IN THE CONVERSATION OF THE LEGISLATURE. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY MADE IT EASIER FOR US. UNDER THE GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 234.133. CAN A COUNTY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY IT HAPPENS TO BE ALL THE TIME WE INTERCHANGED THE WORD CITY AND COUNTY, I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY IT'S A POLITICAL JURISDICTION THIS IS THE COUNTY AND WERE ONLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND HOW IT APPLIES TO US AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. KIND OF A CLARIFICATION.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE OPERATIONS ARE DEFINED FOR REGULATION, FROM THE LEGISLATURE.
WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING THAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES NOT GIVE US THE POWER TO DO. ONE THING THAT I WANT TO BE SUPER CLEAR ABOUT, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY MADE IT CLEAR TO US EARLIER TODAY. WE ARE NOT HERE TO REGULATE ANYTHING THAT IS ILLEGAL. IF THERE IS SOMETHING ILLEGAL GOING ON, VIOLATION OF WHAT IS CALLED THE TEXAS PENAL CODE.
WE DON'T REGULATE THAT. THAT MAKES SENSE, THERE IS NO REGULATION OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY BECAUSE THERE CANNOT BE, THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE. WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DO TODAY IS TO HAVE A DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE COMMISSIONERS AND PERHAPS SOME OF YOU AND OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY. WE ASKED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SIX MONTHS THAT WERE MEMBERS OF BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE GAME ROOMS AND BUSINESSES FROM CHARITABLE AND PLAYERS AT THE GAME ROOM. AND A LOT OF WORK OVER THE COURSE OF TIME MAYBE 2 - 3 WEEKS AGO, SHE AND HER STAFF AFTER WORKING ON THEM AND AFTER LISTENING TO MANY OF YOU POSTED ONLINE FOR TODAY'S EVENINGS CONVERSATION.
IN SPECIAL COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING.
SHE DRAFTED -- ALL GET RIGHT TO YOU.
SHE DRAFTED THESE REGULATIONS. WE COULD HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS THAT ARE LEGALLY ALLOWED.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT I HEARD MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I WILL ASK IN QUESTION FORM.
IN REGARDS IF WE WERE TO PASS GAME ROOM REGULATIONS, THERE IS AND ALLOWABLE DOLLAR AMOUNT, A MAXIMUM THAT IS SET BY TEXAS STATE LAW, THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS FOR THE GAME ROOM.
>> IT IS $1000, THAT IS THE MAXIMUM THAT WE CAN DO.
>> IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT ARE PRE-THERE IS SOME DISCUSSION, WE HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS THAT EACH GAME ITSELF MIGHT HAVE THE ABILITY TOO HAVE 25% OF THE ALLOWABLE FEE THAT THE COMPTROLLER CHARGES PER GAME TO BE COLLECTED IF WE SO CHOSE. THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO OPPORTUNITIES BY LAW THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US.
AGAIN, WE LOOK TO THE STATUTE ANOTHER FANCY WORD FOR LAW THAT THE LEGISLATURE GIVES TO US TO TELL US WHAT WE CAN AND WHAT WE
[02:00:01]
CANNOT DO. THE GOAL TODAY HERE IS TO HAVE A DISCUSSION. I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAD YOUR HANDS UP, IT'S KIND OF FUNNY BECAUSE WE NORMALLY DO NOT DO THIS. I WILL HAVE YOU APPROACH THE MICROPHONE. I DO WANT TO GIVE MY COMMISSIONERS A CHANCE TO START DIALOGUE.IF YOU WANT TO APPROACH THE NET MICROPHONE AND ANNOUNCE WHO YOU ARE AND I'LL TAKE IT AS ANOTHER COMMENT.
YOU CAN MAYBE POSE A COMMENT OR QUESTION.
>> I NAME IS RODNEY, I OPENED THE GAME ROOM AND APPLIED FOR THE PERMIT IT WAS A GAME ROOM AND $75000 INTO THIS BUILDING AND HAVE THIS MEETING TELL ME I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN UP.
WHY WOULD YOU ACCEPT MY MONEY AT THE CITY KNOWING IT WAS A GAME ROOM TO TELL ME I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN MY BUSINESS.
WHAT I DO IS REFER YOU TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
>> THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, YOU MIGHT'VE DONE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, MS. DORSEY IS INFORMING US THAT THERE IS NO PROCEDURE, PERMIT OR PROTOCOL AT THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI.
>> THAT IS A BUILDING PERMIT. >> THAT IS DIFFERENT.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, JUST BECAUSE OF THE ONLINE BUT THE GENTLEMAN IS SAYING HE PAID A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY PERMIT AND THAT IS DIFFERENT. THAT IS TO OPERATE A BUSINESS OR TO HAVE -- THEY CHARGE ME AN EXTRA $200.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU, WE COULD REFER YOU AND GIVE YOU A CONTACT TO TALK TO AT THE CITY.
WE ARE ALSO HERE TO FACILITATE FOR YOU.
I WILL MAKE CERTAIN WE ARE COLLECTING NAMES.
YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP, WE CAN GIVE YOU A CONTACT AT THE CITY.
I CANNOT SPEAK FOR CITY POLICIES OR PROTOCOLS.
WHAT MS. DORSEY HAS JUST TOLD US AND I BELIEVE WHAT SHE SAYS TO BE TRUE, THEY HAVE NO CURRENT GAME ROOM PERMITTING PROCESS AT ALL. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I AM AWARE OF N U.S. IS COUNTY TO DISCUSS ANY REGULATORY ACTION.
YES, SIR. >> WOULD YOU BE SETTING THE REGULATIONS OF THE THOUSAND DOLLARS? IS THAT $1000 A YEAR OR THOUSAND DOLLARS PER MACHINE.
>> IS THAT THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR?
>> IT WOULD LAST ONE YEAR UNLESS THE COMMISSIONER DECIDES TO MAKE IT A DIFFERENT LENGTH OF TIME BUT THE YEAR IS THE STANDARD IN
THE STICKER PER MACHINE. >> EVERY ADDRESS OF A GAME ROOM WOULD BE ALLOWED UNDER TEXAS LAW FOR THE REGULATION, REGULATORY BODY, MAINLY COUNTIES TO COLLECT $1000.1000 ONLY.
>> IF THERE IS 100 GAME RESULTS $100,000.
WHAT I AM ASKING THE THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO COLLECT FOR THE YEAR IS NOT JUST TO OPEN? IT IS THAT JUST THE PERMIT IS THAT A FLAT FEE OR PER MACHINE.
>> LET ME SAY THE PROPOSED, IT IS A PROPOSED APPLICATION FEE.
WERE GOING TO GET INTO THAT DISCUSSION IN A MOMENT.
WE ARE HERE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
WHAT YOU DID, MANY OF YOU SAID I'M GOING TO TALK TO A LAWYER.
WE SAID WERE GOING TO TALK TO HER LAWYER.
>> A LOT OF US HAVE ATTORNEYS ON RETAINERS BUT THAT'S AFTER THE
FACT. >> YES, OF COURSE SOMEBODY KNEW NO WHAT WE DID AND WHAT WE DO OFTEN, WE CONSULT.
>> YOUR HONOR, I THINK DOING BY WHAT YOU WILL DO, REGULATING THEM IS FINE. WHENEVER THEY RATE US THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO GET THE ONE LUMP SOME OF MONEY AND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DESTROY THE MACHINES. WHY NOT LET US OPEN UP CHARGES QUARTERLY, MONTHLY, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, GIVE US OPPORTUNITY.
WE GOT SO CLOSE. IF THIS IS THE COUNTY MEETING AND WE HAVE TO PAY THE CITY WHAT IF WE FALL IN BETWEEN THE GAP OF COUNTY AND CITY AND HE WAS GOING TO DO THE REGULATORY PROCESS.
>> WERE GONNA GET INTO MORE DISCUSSION IF YOU DO NOT MIND BUT YOUR QUESTIONS I WILL TRY TO ANSWER THEM AS BEST AS I CAN AND ALSO REFER TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
SOMETIMES IF YOU SAY IT DIFFERENTLY YOU WILL HEAR IT BETTER. THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE ANY MECHANISM RIGHT NOW IN PLACE FOR PERMITTING, NONE.
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN, OTHER COUNTIES DO AND WHAT WE HAVE
[02:05:01]
ASKED OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY TO LOOK AT IS THE TEXAS LAW.IT ONLY ALLOWS FOR AN APPLICATION FEE, CALL IT A PERMIT FEE ONCE A YEAR IS WHAT SHE SAID THE STANDARD IS.
AS I SAID EARLIER IN MIGHT BE POSSIBLE SHE HAS ADVISED THE COURT THAT THERE MIGHT BE A SMALL FEE PER MACHINE THAT IS ALLOWED BUT THAT IS IT, AND OTHER WORDS THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
I DON'T SEE THIS. I DON'T SEE THIS AS A MONEYMAKING OPERATION FOR THE COUNTY.
WHAT I SEE IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET FORTH THE REGULATIONS THAT YOU HAVE ASKED FOR MANY OF YOU.
ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT TONIGHT ALMOST EVERYBODY SAID WE WISH TO BE REGULATED. I FOUND THAT VERY INTERESTING THAT IS THE FIRST COMMON GROUND THAT WE START FROM.
THAT'S WHAT I'M BUDDY DO NO I BELIEVE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY ADVISING US THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THOSE DOLLARS AND THOSE DOLLARS ONLY. FORGIVE ME BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GIVE A CHANCE FOR COMMISSIONERS TO DIVE IN AND WILL TRY TO BE RESPECTFUL OF ALL OF YOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS ME BUT I AM HEARING A REALLY BIG ECHO.
IS IT THE TV OUT THERE? >> MAYBE JUST A LITTLE LOWER.
>> COMMISSIONER? >> I THOUGHT YOU WERE MOTIONING.
>> I AM HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY OF YOU BUT JUST LET ME KNOW WHO
WOULD LIKE TO START. >> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TO TAKE THIS IN CHUNKS THERE ARE SEVERAL BIG PARTS THE BIGGEST ISSUE OF THE NIGHT LIKE THE JUDGE INVITED YOU OUT TO BE A PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AND I TRULY AGREE WITH THAT, THE MORE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY SHOWING INTEREST IN PRETTINESS UNDER A MICROSCOPE IS WHAT YOU DESERVE FROM YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS BUT I THINK THE MAIN ISSUE OF THE NIGHT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUDGETS IT TAKES US OR THE MEDIA TOO REALLY DECIPHER BEFORE WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT DID WE VOTE ON, REALLY THAT SURPRISES YOU, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY, IT IS LIKE THAT EVERY TIME.
ESPECIALLY FOR GOVERNMENT. WHAT WE OF THE PEOPLE TODAY IS TO BE ABLE DISCUSS ON THE FIRST ITEM.
DO WE WANT OR SUPPORT A GAMING ROOM ORDINANCE ORDER.
SO PEOPLE WILL KNOW YES OR NO. MAYBE IT INVOLVES A BUNCH OF TENTACLES THAT ARE NOT CONSIDERED I THINK WE COULD DECIDE RIGHT NOW EITHER YES OR NO AND THAT IS THE MAIN ISSUE OF THE NIGHT PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW YES OR NO WHAT IS HER COMMITMENT THEN WE CAN GO TO OUR NEXT POINT AS APPLICATION FEES AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT MAY TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME. IN THE MEDIA CAN HELP US GET THE WORD OUT IF THAT IS WHAT OUR INTENTION IS TO DO I GUARANTEE YOU ONCE WE VOTE ON EVERYTHING YOU'RE GOING TO WONDER DID I PASS OR NOT AND WHAT ARE THE FEES IN THE OTHER PARTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED AND VOTED ON AND MOTIONS.
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF THAT GOING ON.
FOR CLARITY FOR EVERYONE LET'S DETERMINE WHAT IS THE ISSUE AT HAND ARE WE MOVING FORWARD ON THIS OR NOT AND IF NOT THEN WE ARE DONE BUT AT LEAST IT DOES NOT HOLD US HERE FOR THREE OR FOUR HOURS OR MORE I DON'T MIND PUTTING IN THE TIME BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THE FIRST ITEM.
>> I MOVE THAT WE SUPPORTED ONLY TO REGULATED.
>> I ALSO THINK WE SHOULD SUPPORT IT AND REGULATE IT THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE PAST THREE HOURS.
[APPLAUSE] AS FAR WHERE THE MONEY IS CONCERNED THIS IS WHERE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY COMES IN, SHE LAID DOWN SOME RULES AND NUMBERS.
AND WE NEED TO COME TO CONSENSUS OF THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER WAS AT A GUESS?
>> WHENEVER YOU ARE READY. >> I'M READY.
>> I THINK IT IS A GOOD POINT. I CERTAINLY SUPPORT SOME SORT OF
[02:10:01]
ORDINANCE, I THINK THAT IS A VALID POINT.WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS DIG INTO SOME OF THE PARTS THAT I HAD QUESTIONS ON WHENEVER THE COURT IS READY AND START DISSECTING YOU BECAUSE THERE ARE PARTS I WOULD LIKE TO TWEAK AND HAVE MORE DISCUSSION ON AND GET MORE INPUT ON.
LIKE YOU SAID THE COMMON THEME IN THE ROOM EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE OKAY WITH THE REGULATION BUT WHAT IS THE TOLERANCE FOR THE REGULATION. THAT'S WHAT WE GOTTA GET THE
MEAT OF. >> I WENT AS JENNY, FOR ME AS A LAWYER THE WORDS MATTER SO THE WAY THAT YOU STYLED THE DOCUMENT IS PROBABLY THE BETTER WAY TO ARTICULATE WHICH IS OASIS COUNTY GAME ROOM REGULATION. IS THAT THE PROPER WAY TO TALK ABOUT THE MOTION -- I THINK SO TOO.
THE MOTION, WHO MADE THE MOTION? >> COMMISSIONER GONZALES WOULD YOU CONSIDER AMENDING YOUR MOTION TO USE THE TITLE NUECES COUNTY GAME ROOM REGULATION. WHAT IS THE NOTION.
>> THE MOTION AS I'M HEARING Y YOU.
>> IT IS AND PROPOSE FOR GAME ROOM REGULATION FOR NUECES
COUNTY. >> I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE START WE SUPPORT PROPOSE GAME ROOM REGULATIONS.
>> THE MOTION IS TO MOVE FORWARD TO CREATING AND ADOPTING SOME GAME ROOM. THESE ARE BABY STEPS.
AT ANY RATE. THERE IS A MOTION, IS THERE A SECOND? I'M IN A CALL FOR A DISCUSSION.
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY GAME ROOMS OPERATORS ARE HERE NOW AT THE DOLLARS PER YEAR IN A PROPOSED TAX PER MACHINE.
UNDERSTANDABLY THAT WE DO PAY THE STICKERS THAT COME ON THE MACHINE THAT ARE $86 TO $100 EACH.
THAT BEING SAID WE WANT TO HELP AS WELL, I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO THROW IT OFF. BUT THE FUNDING FOR $500 MILLION JAIL, LET US HELP YOU GUYS TAKE THAT BURDEN OFF OF THE CITIZENS OF CORPUS CHRISTI TOO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
EVEN IF IT'S PUTTING ATTACKS ON US.
>> THAT IS A WHOLE ANOTHER DISCUSSION.
IF YOU WILL ALLOW ME WOULD YOU YIELD TO MR. C MISS.
>> JUDGING COMMISSIONERS, I AM WONDERING IF YOU CAN GET A COMMITTEE. YOU HAVE COMMITTEES FOR THE DISASTERS AND EVERYTHING. WHAT IF YOU GET A COMMITTEE TOGETHER OF NOT ONLY GAME OWNERS BUT REGULAR CITIZENS AND COME UP WITH THE FOLLOWING OF WHAT YOU HAVE AND WE CAN TWEAK IT THAT WAY BUT EVERYBODY HAS A COMMITTEE.
I DON'T HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE A NEW COMMITTEE.
I PATRONIZE THESE PLACES. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COMMITTEE GET TOGETHER TO HELP YOU ALL TWEAK ALL OF THIS AND LET IT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE GAME ROOMS TO STAY OPEN.
AND LIKE HE SAYS IT HELPS THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE WILLING TO HELP THE COUNTY.
I SAY HELP THE EDUCATION. IF THEY WANT TO HELP THE COUNTY THAT IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU COULD HAVE A COMMITTEE OF A WAY OF GOING.
>> THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. I THINK WE NEED TO VOTE ON TO
MOVE FORWARD. >> I JUST CALLED FOR A DISCUSSION AND THEN I HONOR THE FACT.
>> WE GET IT FIGURED OUT. >> THE PROBLEM IS SO MANY GOOD DISCUSSIONS. I'LL LET YOU GO QUICKLY AND THEN I NEED TO MOVE US. OTHERWISE WE WILL NOT GET US
WHERE YOU WANT US TO GET. >> THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO SAY WHEN I WAS APPEAR LAST. IF THIS IS NOT CONSIDERED THEN THIS IS ALL FOR NOTHING IN A BIG WASTE OF TIME.
FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE GAME ROOMS AND COMING UP WITH THE REGULATION BUT WHAT WE
[02:15:01]
ARE ASKING IF WERE NOT ALLOWED TO OPERATE AS THE BINGO HALL OWNERS ARE ALLOWED TO OPERATE AND PAY OUT CASH PRIZES THAT ISTHE DIAMOND BUSINESS. >> I HAVE GOT TO JUMP IN.
>> WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT CASH PRIZES.
WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY. I THINK THERE'S A HUGE MISCONCEPTION TOO THE ROOM ALL THESE PEOPLE SAID WE WANT TO GAMBLE, WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
>> PLEASE LET ME FINISH. WE CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT THAT.
THAT IS STATE LAW. LET ME TELL YOU FOR THE RECORD IT MAY NOT MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. I SUPPORT A STATE LAW THAT PUTS GAMBLING ON THE BALLOT. I THINK THE VOTERS SHOULD VOTE FOR THAT. THAT IS A LEGISLATURE ALL WE CAN DO IS GAME ROOM REGULATION TO DEAL WITH WHAT WE COULD DO WITH IT WE ALL GO GET A FAIR SHAKE, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE OF WHY THE BINGO HALL OWNERS ARE ABLE TO PAY OUT CASH PRIZES IF THAT
IS A STATE LAW. >> THEY HAVE AN EXCEPTION IN THE STATE LAW, THEY ARE REGULATED BY THE BINGO COMMISSION AT THE STATE LEVEL. FOR WHATEVER WEIRD REASON.
I'M GONNA SAY THIS, WHATEVER WEIRD REASON THE LEGISLATURE GAVE US TO THE COUNTIES TO COME UP WITH THE GAME ROOM REGULATION
DOING IT AT THE STATE LEVEL. >> THEY SUPPORTED AT THE STATE
LEVEL. >> TOO THE BINGO OPERATORS HAVE A 300 PAGE RULES AND REGULATION THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS, DAVID BINGO COMMISSION, THEY HAVE ALL THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW ALL IN THE STATE DOES
THAT. >> WE ARE NOT THAT IMPORTANT.
>> I THINK EVERYONE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROOM AND MYSELF ARE GETTING COMPLETELY EXCITED. THERE IS HONESTLY NOTHING TO BE EXCITED ABOUT. WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE. NOBODY IS GOING TO PLAY AN ADULT CHUCKY CHEESE OR RADIO AND A PAIR OF AIR PODS.
IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THIS IS A BIG WASTE OF TIME.
>> THE PEOPLE YOU SHOULD TALK TO IS THE STATE LEGISLATURES.
>> IS A BIG WASTE OF TIME. >> TO BE HONEST.
DO YOU MIND IF I OFFER. >> IS IN MAKING INTERESTING PERSON I HOPE YOU WILL HEAR ME OUT.
GETTING INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS AND UNDERSTANDING THE LEGALITY AND THE LAWS OF THINGS IS NEVER A WASTE OF TIME.
BY CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, WHEN WE VOTE, WERE ABOUT TO HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL ELECTION ON MA. IT IS ABOUT YOUR TAXES, YOU SHOULD CARE. THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
[02:32:19]
CLEARLY. I EVEN TALK NOW WITH[02:32:22]
. >> I'D LIKE TO FINISH THE TRAIN
[02:32:24]
OF THOUGHT, TOO. >> ARE YOU DONE? I WAS LISTENING TO COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ AND WRITING DOWN SOME NOTES.
COMMISSIONER HERNANDEZ, WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE? AND I'D ASK EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE TO BE RESPECTFUL.
>> MY FEELING IS WE'RE ALL ADULTS HERE, I THINK THESE PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE, I BELIEVE. THE ONES THAT ARE OPERATING LEGALLY. I'M LOOKING AT FROM -- BY THE TIME YOU CLEAR OUT YOUR PREMISES, IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO DO THAT.
>> COMMISSIONER MARES. >> I DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING CLEAR TODAY AS FAR AS THE TIME. 2:00 A.M., I THINK WAS MR. GOMES OR SOMEONE ELSE SAID HEY, KEEP IT AS LONG AS THE BINGO HALLS. I WOULD SAY LET'S TRY TO MIRROR THE BINGO HOURS. SOMETHING LIKE
>> I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR IT. 2:00 A.M. IS THE CLOSE. THIS DEMOCRACY IN ACTION, I HOPE THE MEDIA CAN GET A PICTURE OF THIS. WE'RE SEEING FINGERS HELD
UP. >> HOW LATE DO YOU ALL STAY?
>> WE'RE ALLOWED FOUR HOURS PER SESSION PER TOTAL.
>> WE'RE ALLOWED TO OPERATE FOUR HOURS PER SESSION. MOST OF THEM TWO HOURS. TWO OF THEM A DAY. WE'RE ALLOWED TO BE OPEN EIGHT
HOURS A DAY. >> SO I'M GOING TO MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS. HAS EVERYBODY HAD THEIR SAY? COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ. I'M SORRY, YOU SAID THAT. COMMISSIONER CHESSNY.
>> I'M LOOKING FOR A CONSENSUS. >> I MIGHT OFFER THERE'S ALWAYS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEEK DAYS AND WEEKENDS. MAYBE WE CAN OFFER BETTER HOURS THAT ARE MORE REASONABLE ON THE WEEK DAYS.
WHILE THE WEEKENDS MAY HAVE A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. THAT MIGHT BRING US TO A LITTLE MORE CONSENSUS. IF YOU LIKED 11:00 TO 11:00, THAT MIGHT BE GOOD. AND THEN YOU KNOW, MAYBE FRIDAY, SATURDAY, YOU KNOW. DEPENDS WHAT YOU THINK A WEEKEND IS, I SUPPOSE. GIVE ME JUST ONE SECOND.
>> FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS AT MIDNIGHT, 1 O'CLOCK.
[02:35:08]
>> I'M NOT HERE TO PRETEND THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT PERFECT FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM. THE IDEA HERE IS YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER THAT THE SPIRIT OF TONIGHT IS TO GET US FARTHER THAN WE WERE YESTERDAY NIGHT. ALL RIGHT.
>> JUDGE, WHAT ABOUT MIDNIGHT ON WEEK DAYS AND 2:00 A.M. ON THE
>> WHAT'S THAT? >> FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, RIGHT?
>> THE OTHER THING IS WHEN WOULD YOU START? SO A LOT OF THEM, SO LIKE SOMEBODY HAD SAID 11:00 TO 11:00.
>> THAT'S FINE, TOO. THAT'S THE 12-HOUR PERIOD. IS THAT WHAT YOU
>> YEAH. BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE LONGER THAN 12 HOURS.
>> I THINK THE BINGO PEOPLE'S, I THINK THEY GOTTA GO BACK TO TEXAS BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE GETTING CLOSED ON YOUR HOURS. YOUR HOURS ARE HORRIBLE. YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO BE OPEN MORE. I'LL GO SUPPORT THEM. YOU SHOULD BE OPEN MORE HOURS. I'M ALL FOR DOING THIS ORDINANCE. Y'ALL UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO CLOSE LIKE Y'ALL HAVE TO CLOSE. YOUR HOURS ARE RIDICULOUS. AND I'LL GO TO AUSTIN WITH YOU AND TELL LEGISLATURE THEY'RE RIDICULOUS.
>> BUT THEN EVERYONE SAYS THE BINGO HOURS FOR THE LATE NIGHT.
BUT [INAUDIBLE]. >> I'M SAYING WE NEED TO GO GET YOUR HOURS MORE. AND I'LL GO TO AUSTIN WITH YOU.
>> FOR 25 YEARS. >> USE A MIC IF YOU'RE GOING TO TALK. [INAUDIBLE]
>> WE JUST GOTTA VOTE, GUYS. [INAUDIBLE]
>> JUDGE, SERIOUSLY. >> SO LET ME ASK IF THERE -- COMMISSIONER, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOUR MOTION WAS. BUT I THINK IF WE WERE TO DO WEEK DAYS, HOW ABOUT WEEK DAYS 11:00 TO 11:00
AS A MOTION. AND THEN 11:00 -- >> NOON TO MIDNIGHT.
>> NOON TO MIDNIGHT FOR -- >> MY THOUGHT WAS --
>> WHAT WAS YOUR MOTION? >> I'LL MAKE IT AS A MOTION.
NOON TO MIDNIGHT ON WEEK DAYS AND WHATEVER TO, 2:00 TO 2:00 ON
WEEKENDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> 2:00 TO 2:00 IN.
>> YEAH. THAT'S A MOTION. >> SECOND.
>> THE WAY IT WORKS IS THAT WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO HEAR AND WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO DISCOURSE. IT WILL GO FASTER AND YOU WON'T GET A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, CURMUDGEON TOP
CONVERSATION. >> WHAT WAS THE MOTION?
>> MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. >> NEED TO BE QUIET.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. >> SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WOULD BE IN MY MOTION WOULD BE NOON TO MIDNIGHT. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WOULD BE 2:00 P.M. TO 2:00 A.M.
>> THAT KEEPS IT TO THE 12 HOURS.
>> SECOND THE MOTION. >> WAS SUNDAY INCLUDED?
>> SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. >> SUNDAY, I'M SORRY. I HEARD
MONDAY. >> SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
>> SECOND. >> I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. SO SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WOULD BE UNTIL MIDNIGHT. NOON TO MIDNIGHT IS WHAT YOU SAID, COMMISSIONER? AND THEN THE FOLLOWING IS 2:00 TO 2:00. WHAT DID YOU SAY? I HEARD
HIM SAY 2:00 TO 2:00. >> YES, MA'AM THAT WAS THE MOTION. NOBODY IS GOING TO LOVE ALL OF THIS. I GET IT. IT SUCKS FOR US TO HAVE TO DO IT. I DON'T LIKE DOING THIS. LEGISLATURE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT. I'M TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S REASONABLE FOR EVERYBODY. I HATE THE BINGO HOURS. BINGO HOURS NEED TO BE BETTER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY LEGISLATURE WON'T
BUT GAMBLING ON THE BALLOT. >> COMMISSIONER CHESNEY MADE THE
MOTION. COMMISSIONER JAG. >> THAT'S WHAT I HAVE ON RECORD.
>> NOW THAT WE HAVE THE MOTION AND THE SECOND. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION HERE? OKAY. GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER.
>> LIKE MANY OF US SAID ALREADY, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT
[02:40:01]
TONIGHT. BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T CHANGE. ESPECIALLY AS YOU ALL START OPERATING AND THIS GOES THROUGH, WE'RE GOING TO FIND A LOT OF HICCUPS. I CAN'T IMAGINE THIS THING BEING PERFECT. THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR CHANCE TO COME BACK AND GIVE US FEEDBACK AND LET US KNOW WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT WORKING.PERHAPS, JUDGE, IF WE CAN GET A COMMITTEE CREATED THAT CAN GO AND COME BACK IN SIX MONTHS OR THREE MONTHS OR SOMETHING TO GIVE US MORE FEEDBACK. I MEAN, THEY CAN COME BACK AT ANY TIME BUT IF THERE'S A WORKING GROUP THAT'S WORKING WITH THEIR STAFF, MAYBE YOU OR YOUR OFFICE AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AS WELL, THAT CAN HELP REALLY FIX IT BETTER FOR EVERYONE. BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LEAVE BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT IDEA OF HOW IT SHOULD BE RUN, HOW IT SHOULD OPERATE.
LET'S LEAVE TODAY WITH SOMETHING.
GIVE US SOMETHING TO CHEW ON. >> THIS IS NOT A LIFETIME
COMMITMENT, GUYS. >> YEAH, THIS IS NOT LIFETIME.
>> I THINK THE OTHER THING WE NEED TO CONTEMPLATE FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IS THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF SOME OF THESE. REMEMBER THIS DOCUMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE CODIFIED. SO WHATEVER DECISIONS WE MAKE, WE NEED A DOCUMENT. AND ALSO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP AN OFFICE TOMORROW TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS. OKAY. SO WE NEED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE. 30 DAYS IN ORDER TO GET THIS PROPERLY ON WEBSITE. PROPERLY PROCESSED.
PROPERLY MESSAGED. YOU KNOW. SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW WHAT THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT ARE. AND THEN AS COMMISSIONER MAREZ SAID, THERE COULD BE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. IF WE KEEP GOING DOWN THIS AISLE OF NOT MAKING DECISIONS, THEN YOU WON'T BE BETTER OFF. TODAY WE VOTED REGULATIONS. AND IT'S GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. IT WON'T BE PERFECT BUT IT CAN BE A BEGINNING.
>> JUDGE, IN THAT NUMBER THREE THAT'S ON YOUR DOCUMENT, I THINK
THAT WORDING IS NOT CORRECT. >> WHICH DOCUMENT?
>> THE DOCUMENT OF THE GAME ROOM WHERE IT SAYS THAT THE GAME ROOMS STAYING OPEN CREATES ASSAULTS AND MURDERS AND ALL THAT. I THINK THAT'S INCORRECT. MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT GO TO THE GAME ROOM RARELY DO YOU SEE YOUNG PEOPLE. IT'S RARELY -- RETIRED PEOPLE, OLDER PEOPLE. YOU DON'T SEE 18-YEAR-OLDS AND THAT. YOU SEE ADULTS.
THE OLDER PEOPLE. AND I THINK THAT IF EVERY -- BINGO IS EVERY DAY. EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED -- OR I DON'T HAVE A GAME ROOM. BUT ALL THE GAME ROOM OWNERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE OPEN EVERY DAY. IF THEY'RE OPEN FROM 11 O'CLOCK TO 2 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING EVERY DAY, I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S MOSTLY ADULTS THERE.
>> MA'AM, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE MOTION WE JUST MADE.
>> I HEARD. BUT YOU'RE GOING TO DO 11:00.
>> BUT EVERY DAY. JUDGE, SERIOUSLY.
>> OKAY. I JUST HOPE THAT YOU ALL GET A COMMITTEE TOGETHER.
BUT THE BINGOS ARE WRONG ALSO. >> OKAY.
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> WE KNOW THEIR HOURS. MACHINES.
>> HOW ABOUT THE GEOGRAPHIC RESTRICTIONS.
>> HOW ABOUT THE MACHINES? >> MACHINES.
>> WHICH PAGE? >> PAGE 23 ON THE MACHINES.
>> 23. WHAT'S THE QUESTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO PASS THAT.
>> SECOND. >> I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO READ IT INTO THE RECORD. >> MAKE A MOTION TO PASS 3.13 MAXIMUM NUMBERS OF MACHINES AS WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE.
>> 200. >> 200. 200 PER LOCATION.
>> YOU MIGHT HAVE TO -- DEPENDS ON THE LOCATION.
>> BUT IT'S NOT SET IN STONE EITHER. WE CAN ALWAYS MODIFY IT.
>> YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PUT 200 MACHINES IN ONE PLACE YOU CAN'T EVEN MOVE. THE CHANGE IS OKAY BUT I THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY RESPECT THE PLACE. THERE'S NOT ROOM FOR 200 MACHINES.
>> BUT THAT'S IN HERE. THEY HAVE TO GIVE US A SPACE PLAN.
>> THEN THAT'S FINE. >> YEAH, IT'S GOTTA HAVE A SPACE
PLAN. >> IT'S GOTTA HAVE A CAPACITY.
>> IT'S IN HERE, TOO. IT SAYS THEY HAVE TO GIVE US A SPACE
PLAN. >> SECOND. SOMEBODY MADE A
MOTION? >> YEAH, WE HAVE A SECOND.
>> ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AND THEN AGAIN, CITE THE
PARAGRAPH TO READ BACK. >> COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY
[02:45:01]
DISCUSSION? >> I'VE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY. THAT ONE'S GOING TO STAY AS WRITTEN.
>> AYE. OKAY. AND THE NEXT MAJOR PRESEPT.
>> WHICH ONE? >> THE COST PER MACHINE.
>> THE TAX PERMIT PER MACHINE. THAT IS THE SECTION RIGHT ABOVE,
3.12. SECTION B, SUBSECTION. >> OCCUPATION CODE SECTION
2153451. $15 PER MACHINE. >> DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION
TO ACCEPT, JOHN? >> IS THAT THE ONE WE'RE ON?
>> YES. >> YES, THAT WOULD BE MY MOTION.
PAGE 23 OF THE DRAFT DOCUMENT. IT'S ON THE SCREEN.
>> PUT THAT UP. THANK YOU. THAT'S UP.
>> ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ANY
DISCUSSION? >> $15 PER MACHINE.
>> $15. >> IT'S THE AMOUNT THAT'S ALLOWED BY LAW. IT'S NOT 5-0. IT'S THE AMOUNT.
>> 1-5. >> IS THAT CORRECT, JENNY? DO
YOU WANT TO CLARIFY THAT? >> YES, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE OCCUPATION CODE. WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE TAX RATE FOR THESE -- I HAVE $60 PER YEAR. AND SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO 25% OF THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE $15 PER MACHINE.
>> WHAT SECTION ARE WE ON? BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.
>> IT SAYS 25% OF THE ALLOWABLE AMOUNT. SO IF THE ALLOWABLE AMOUNT CHANGES, THEN IT WILL STILL BE 25%. IT MAY BE A
DIFFERENT AMOUNT. >> SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. THERE'S ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? IT SEEMS VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD. IT'S WHAT'S ALLOWED UNDER THE LAW AND NO MORE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. >> WHAT ABOUT THE RESTRICTIONS
THAT ARE IMPORTANT. >> WHAT PAGE?
>> IN THE DISTANCE. >> WITH REGARDS TO DISTANCE.
THERE WAS A CONCERN RAISED ABOUT RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. THE REMEDY ON THAT WAS THAT THE SETBACKS BE APPLIED, I BELIEVE HE SAID TO THE COMMERCIAL ZONING IS WHAT HE WAS SUGGESTING.
>> WHAT PAGE, JUDGE? SORRY. >> I SAW IT ON PAGE 17. IN OTHER WORDS, I CAN ASK LAW ENFORCEMENT. BUT THE REASON YOU
SEE 1500 FEET. >> [INAUDIBLE].
>> THAT'S ALWAYS THE WAY IT IS. >> CAN I ASK A QUESTION OF OUR
COUNTY ATTORNEY ON THIS, JUDGE? >> GO AHEAD.
>> I'VE HEARD SOME RESIDENTS HAVE APPROACHED ME ON THE ISSUE OF WHERE THE RELIGIOUS, PLACE OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND THAT'S RECOGNIZED FOR MANY OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT ARE OUT THERE. IS THERE ANYTHING IN THIS PLACE, WHAT IF SOMEBODY ALREADY HAS THEIR PROPERTY THERE AND THEN SOMEBODY DECIDES TO OPEN UP IN A STRIP MALL RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND MOVES RIGHT NEXT TO THEM. DOES THE GAMING ROOM OPERATOR GET BUMPED OUT BECAUSE SOMEONE DECIDES TO LEASE NEXT DOOR TO THEM THAT ISN'T A HOUSE OF WORSHIP? I THINK THAT COULD
HAPPEN VERY EASILY. >> YOU COULD PROVIDE FOR THAT.
>> IT'S IN THERE. >> WOULDN'T THEY BE
GRANDFATHERED IN? >> GRANDFATHERED IN.
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S MADE PUBLIC.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'LL WANT TO ADDRESS THEN IS THAT A
MOTION, JOHN? >> I SUPPORT THE ITEM ON THE
DISTANCING MOTION. >> MOTION TO ACCEPT 3.2 AS
>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> AS WRITTEN.
>> OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. >> HOW ABOUT SECURITY?
>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> SHE NEEDS TO TALK INTO A MIC.
>> WE'LL HAVE TO GET YOU TO -- IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT OR
>> WE'VE GOT TO HAVE YOU ON THE MIC, MA'AM.
>> WE'VE GOT TO GET YOU ON A MIC.
>> WE CAN'T HEAR UP HERE. >> ARE WE TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT?
>> I GUESS. >> WHAT WILL BE HELPFUL IS WE'LL
[02:50:01]
LET YOU DO THIS, BUT IF WE WANT TO GET THROUGH SOME OF THE MAJOR PRE PRECEPTS.>> I UNDERSTAND BUT YOU'VE BEEN STANDING UP MAKING COMMENTS AS
>> IF WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THE DISTANCE RESTRICTIONS OF A BAR, THEN WHY CAN'T WE OPERATE THE HOURS OF A BAR?
>> ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THEY DID THE WEEK DAYS AND THE WEEKENDS. AGAIN, THAT WAS THE MOTION AND IT PASSED. THIS IS MY OWN PHILOSOPHY, IF YOU WILL ALLOW THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THINGS STARTED, IT'S BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE. WHICH IS THAT WITHOUT ANY REGULATIONS, YOU'RE NOT PROTECTED AS A GOOD BUSINESS AT ALL. AND SO AT LEAST IT ALLOWS FOR THE PROCESS TO START.
IT MAY NOT BE WHERE IT ENDS. BUT AT LEAST GIVES SOME FRAMEWORK OF THAT 12 HOUR, 12 HOUR. I WILL TELL YOU WHEN THESE PARAMETERS STARTED, THEY WERE A LOT LESS. I THINK THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD STAND UP HERE AND BE A LOT MORE ONEROUS ON WEEK DAYS AND WEEKENDS. ALL I WANT TO TELL YOU IS I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO EMAIL US OR GIVE US THE COMMENTS. BEFORE YOU GET A REAL REGULATION, IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY PUT TOGETHER.
THIS IS JUST AS THEY SAY. >> IT WAS JUST A QUESTION.
>> NO, I HEAR YOU. >> THANK YOU.
>> JOHN, YOU GOT ANOTHER ONE? >> I THINK ONCE WE DO SECURITY.
LET'S GET SECURITY OUT OF THE WAY, JOHN.
>> WHAT PAGE? >> PAGE 27. PEACE OFFICER OR LICENSED SECURITY OFFICER. IT HAS TO BE A LICENSED SECURITY
OFFICER. PAGE 27. >> OH, 27, SORRY.
>> LICENSED POLICE OFFICER OR LICENSED SECURITY OFFICER.
>> MAKE A MOTION. IF YOU LIKE IT, MAKE THE MOTION.
>> I MOVE. POLICE OFFICERS OR A LICENSED SECURITY OFFICERS.
>> ARE YOU OKAY WITH 3.2 AS WRITTEN?
>> RIGHT. AS WRITTEN. >> OKAY.
>> SORRY, MA'AM. >> HE'S MAKING A MOTION ON 3.2.
HIS MOTION IS TO ACCEPT 3.2 AS WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE. THAT WAS COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ'S, AND I THINK ANOTHER.
>> AS LONG AS THEY'RE LICENSED. >> ARMED?
>> ARMED OFFICERS. >> AS WRITTEN.
>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO TALK ABOUT THE LIABILITY ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET LIABILITY INSURANCE ANYWAY.
>> THAT'S GOING TO COME UP LATER, SIR, BELIEVE ME. THANK
YOU. >> MOTION AND SECOND, JUDGE.
>> OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY OTHER?
>> IF DOESN'T SAY. IT JUST SAYS A PEACE OFFICER CERTIFY. SO DO YOU WANT TO AMEND THAT TO SAY ARMED?
>> YEAH, I'D LIKE TO AMEND IT TO SAY ARMED. MOSTLY LICENSED
POLICE OFFICERS ARE ARMED. >> THEY ARE. SECURITY GUARDS
THAT ARE LICENSED. >> SO LEAVE AS IS?
>> JUST ADD IT ON. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE COVER IT.
>> PUT THE WORD ARMED ON BOTH OF THEM.
>> OKAY. SO AS WRITTEN THEN. THAT PROVISION STAYS AS WRITTEN
WITH REGARDS TO SECURITY. >> BUT WE ADDED THE WORD ARMED,
JUDGE. >> I'M SORRY, WE'RE ADDING ARMED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. >> WHAT'S ANOTHER PRESEPT YOU
WANT TO DISCUSS, COMMISSIONERS? >> CAN I GO BACK TO MINE?CEPT Y
WANT TO DISCUSS, COMMISSIONERS? >> CAN I GO BACK TO MINE?
>> LIABILITY. WE TALKED ABOUT LIABILITY EARLIER. WHERE THE OWNER OR THE OPERATOR OF THE BUILDING WILL HAVE LIABILITY. IF NOT, THEN IT WOULD BE UP TO [INAUDIBLE] TO HAVE LIABILITY.
>> WHERE'S THAT ONE, JENNY? >> IT'S NOT IN THERE YET.
>> WHERE THAT LIABILITY COMES IN, THE VENDORS WOULD HELP US PAY HALF. THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING LIABILITY WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO GO THAT WOULD ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS. AND AT THE SAME TIME, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS, IT NEEDS TO BE.
>> THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO REQUIRE LIABILITY.
>> RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING. I THINK THE MOTION IS
THAT -- >> DIRECT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
[02:55:02]
>> THAT THE LANDLORD DOES NOT REQUIRE LIABILITY INSURANCE IN THEIR LEASE, THEN THE GAME ROOM OWNER HAS TO GET THAT.
>> LESSEE OR THE OPERATOR. >> IF YOU SAY THEY MUST PROVIDE PROOF OF, THEN IT'S COVERED EITHER WAY.
>> HOWEVER YOU WANT TO MAKE IT. MOST LANDLORDS REQUIRE IT ANYWAY, BUT IF THERE'S NOT ONE, THEN WE WANT A REQUIREMENT THAT
>> WHATEVER THE NORMAL LIMITS ARE IN THE LEASES. I THINK IT'S 1 MILLION AND 2 MILLION AGGREGATE IS PROBABLY EASILY.
AND THAT'S A MOTION, I GUESS. OR I'LL SECOND IT. HOWEVER YOU DO
>> IS THAT CLEAR, CARRA? >> NO. I'LL GET IT.
>> MOTION FOR -- SOMEONE HAS TO PROVIDE LIABILITY INSURANCE.
>> IT'S NOT ALREADY PROVIDED. >> IF IT'S NOT ALREADY PROVIDED.
OR YOU CAN DO WHAT JENNY SAID WHICH IS JUST PROVE LIABILITY.
PLEASE PRODUCE. >> AS LONG AS IT'S THERE.
>> LIABILITY WITH THE SECURITY OFFICERS AS WELL OR THE COMPANY THAT WE HIRED. WOULD THEY HAVE THE LIABILITY FOR THE ARMED
OFFICER? >> I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THAT LEGAL ADVICE. BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS CLEARLY DELINEATE IT. SHE'LL BE ABLE TO WRITE IT IN A CLAUSE AS TO WHAT YOU WOULD NEED TO PRODUCE ALONG WITH MOST LIKELY
IN THAT APPLICATION PROCESS. >> THANK YOU, JUDGE.
>> JUDGE, DOES THAT HAVE TO BE THE GAME ROOM AND THE --
>> IT HAS TO BE ONE OF THEM. >> THE GAME ROOM AND THE GUARDS COMPANY BOTH HAVE TO HAVE LIABILITY OR JUST ONE?
>> WELL IF THEY'RE A POLICE OFFICER, IF THEY'RE OFF DUTY. I THINK THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN IT WOULD BE BIFURCATED, RIGHT,
JENNY? >> YES. THE GUARDING COMPANY OR THE OFFICER, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR OWN.
>> RIGHT. >> IF THEY'RE CERTIFIED.
>> WHOEVER THEY WORK FOR WOULD HAVE THAT LIABILITY.
>> THE OFFICER IS ALLOWED TO WORK OFF DUTY. HE'S GOT LIABILITY. HE'S COVERED. THE SECURITY OFFICER, THEY SHOULD
COVER IT. >> BUT THAT'S WHAT THE LIABILITY IS FOR. THE PREMISES LIABILITY COVERS IT.
>> THE PREMISES SHOULD HAVE ONE FOR THE PEOPLE THERE.
>> I'VE ALWAYS CARRIED LIABILITY INSURANCE. I'VE ALWAYS USED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OFF DUTY OFFICERS. LAST YEAR MY INSURANCE COMPANY REQUIRED A COPY OF THEIR CERTIFICATE. THEY DO NOT CARRY INSURANCE. SO I HAD TO SWITCH TO A COMMERCIAL COMPANY WHO HAD
INSURANCE. >> AND WE HIRE BORDER PATROL WHO COME IN TO US. THEY SAY HEY, CAN WE WORK FOR YOU. WE COME UP WITH A NUMBER. AND THE BORDER PATROL COMES IN AND THEY WORK IN FULL UNIFORM. THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING, IF THEY HAVE THEIR LIABILITY AND THEY'RE COVERED, I MEAN, THEY'LL BE COVERED UNDER US AS WELL.
>> RIGHT. >> BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE
IN OUR ESTABLISHMENT. >> YOU'LL HAVE A BUILDING
LIABILITY. YES. >> YEAH. AND THEN THE CAMERAS
>> WHAT OTHER -- I DON'T KNOW IF WE VOTED ON THAT OR NOT.
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. I THINK THERE WAS A MOTION AND A SECOND, KARA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR REGARDING THE CLAUSE ON LIABILITY, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. >> ANY OTHERS BEFORE I GO BACK
TO MINE? >> COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, ANY
OTHERS? >> YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE FUN PART AT THE END. CAN WE ADD OR MODIFY SOMETHING TO THIS. I KIND OF MENTIONED EARLIER AND I DO THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA NOT BECAUSE I SAID IT BUT BECAUSE OTHERS CAME UP WITH IT. BUT IF WE CAN BE SPECIFIC ON WHEN WE'RE GOING TO REVISIT THIS.
>> REVISIT WHAT? >> I THINK WE NEED TO REVISIT
>> OR WE CAN CREATE A COMMITTEE THAT CAN COME BACK AND REPORT TO US SO THAT WE CAN REFINE IT. THERE'S GOING TO BE CONSTANTLY BE SOME CHANGES TO IT. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET EVERYTHING WE CAN TONIGHT. BUT IF WE CAN SAY SIX MONTHS OR SO, MAYBE A YEAR, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT TIME. BUT I JUST THINK IF WE CAN PUT THAT IN HERE OR AT LEAST LEAVE HERE UNDERSTANDING WITH ALL OF US AGREEING OR AT LEAST A CONSENSUS AGREEING TO REVISIT THIS AT A FUTURE DATE ONCE ALL THE PARTIES
HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO -- >> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DO AN ASSESSMENT IN SIX MONTHS PROBABLY.
>> I'M JUST TRYING TO GET IT IN PLACE.
>> I GOT YOU. I GOT YOU. I'M JUST SAYING I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ADD THAT ON AT THE VERY END.
>> I THINK WE CAN DO THAT AS DIRECTION.
>> I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE 30 DAYS. IS IT GOING TO BE READY IN
30 DAYS? >> THERE'S NO WAY THIS IS GOING TO BE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHAT'S THE EFFECTIVE DATE BECAUSE THE REALITY IS HOW DO WE -- WE GOTTA -- WE HAVE TO HAVE TIME TO PUT ALL THIS IN PLACE. NOT A LONG TIME BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME TIME THAT'S REALISTIC.
[03:00:04]
>> ONCE IT'S EFFECTIVE, THERE'S A DEADLINE FOR THE APPLICATION BEING COMPLETE. AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THAT SET UP. WE CAN'T
SAY, GUESS WHAT, KARA. >> WE'VE HAD A PLAN IN PLACE AND
THERE'S BEEN A BAIT AND SWITCH. >> WHAT'S A BAIT AND SWITCH?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? >> IT MEANS THAT WE HAD DELINEATED HERE WITH THE SHERIFF THAT THE FIRE MARSHAL WOULD BE THE ENFORCEMENT PIECE OF IT. NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PERHAPS CODE
ENFORCEMENT. >> SO YOU DIDN'T MEAN ANY NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS ABOUT BAIT AND SWITCH?
>> I JUST MEANT THAT WE HAVE DOCUMENTS THAT SAID ONE THING
AND WE SAID SOMETHING ELSE. >> YOU KNEW IT WAS COMING BECAUSE YOU ANNOUNCED IT EARLIER TO US.
>> FORGIVE ME. >> THIS ISN'T NEGATIVE.
>> IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ME. >> THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING
WAS GONE WRONG. I'M JUST ASKING. >> LET ME EXPLAIN.
>> OKAY. GO AHEAD. >> COUNTY CLERK AND I HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HER OFFICE TO BE INVOLVED ADMINISTRATIVELY. THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHER PIECE OF IT, WHICH IN MOST COUNTIES WORKS WITH FIRE MARSHALS BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAVE FOR INSPECTIONS. OF HOW THAT WORKS.
>> BAIT AND SWITCH IS A TERM THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH A FORM OF FRAUD. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU USE THAT TERM, IF YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO OFFEND ME OR THE PEOPLE HERE IN IMPLYING THERE'S SOME SORT OF FRAUD GOING ON, THEN I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE CLEARING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT IS NOT A TERM THAT IS A POSITIVE TERM IN ANYBODY'S VERNACULAR. AND I DON'T APPRECIATE JUST THROWING THAT STUFF OUT. BECAUSE THERE'S NO BAIT AND SWITCH. YOU KNEW THIS WAS COMING BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME ABOUT IT AND I WENT AND ASKED WHAT ARE WE DOING. THAT WAS THE THING I STARTED WITH WAS TO HAVE CHIEF COOK STAND UP HERE AND TELL ME. I DON'T KNOW WHO IS BAITING IT AND SWITCH. ALL I WAS TRYING DO WAS TO GET CHIEF COOK TO EXPLAIN WHAT HIS PROPOSAL IS AND THE -- SHOULD BE THE ONE WHO RECOMMENDS HOW TO ENFORCE THINGS, IN MY OPINION. I GOT NO TOLERANCE FOR THIS BAIT AND SWITCH STUFF IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ACCUSING US OF. I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO CHIEF COOK AND SAY WHAT -- AND GO BACK INTO WHAT EXACTLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK IF IT'S GOING TO WORK. I'M THRILLED THAT THE SHERIFF IS
INVOLVED. >> OUR PEACE OFFICERS, THEY'RE CERTIFIED. SO WHY WOULDN'T THEY DO IT?
>> AT ANY RATE, ARE YOU FINISHED?
>> NO, I'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO CHIEF COOK.
>> I WAS THE ONE THAT SUGGESTED WE SPEAK ABOUT AN EFFECTIVE DATE SO WE CAN EFFECTIVELY GET THE PORTAL OPEN, A PROCESS AND A BUSINESS PLAN PUT FORTH FROM YOUR OFFICE. AND THAT WAS SHERIFF HOOPER CALLED ME EARLIER TODAY AROUND LUNCH AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA AND I SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT THAT. AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE PIECE OF IT THAT WE CALL THAT THE COLLECTING OF THE DOLLARS AS WELL AS THE MINISTERIAL PIECE OF IT. AS FAR AS THE OTHER ENFORCEMENT, THERE IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW BEST PRACTICES, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT TODAY. AND THOSE BEST PRACTICES ARE OUTLINED BY A LOT IN THIS DOCUMENT WITH REGARDS TO HOW THE INSPECTIONS OCCUR. HOW THE APPLICATIONS GET INTERVIEWED. AND SO WITH THAT, I HAD SPOKEN WITH THE SHERIFF AND THE SHERIFF WAS THE ONE THAT WENT TO FIRE MARSHAL YBARES AND DISCUSSED THAT. WHEN I SAID THAT, IT'S BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF A DIFFERENT COMPLETE, HOW THE PROCESS WOULD BE DONE. MOST OF THE CLAUSES IN HERE HAVE TO DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU COME IN TO THE PREMISES. AND SO THAT IS PART OF THE DETAILS THAT COMMISSIONER MARES WAS SPEAKING TO EARLIER. WE HAD A PLAN. THE SHERIFF CAME UP WITH A PLAN. AND I'M HEARING ABOUT A LITTLE DIFFERENT PLAN HERE TONIGHT. HAVING SAID THAT, PART OF THE PLAN IS ONE THAT I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA. HALF OF IT WHICH IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE.
BUT IF THE SHERIFF WANTS TO TAKE IT UNDER HIS OFFICE, BUT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE THE ENFORCEMENT CODE FOLKS REPORT TO A CIVILIAN.
AND THAT'S MY CONCERN. SO YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT INSPECT NOT HAVE A BOSS THAT WAS NOT A LICENSED POLICE OFFICER. SO WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
THAT'S WHAT I MEANT BY IT. AND THAT'S INTERESTING ON THE WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY. BUT WE FISH AND SO WHEN WE CHANGE BAIT, WE SAY WE'RE BAITING AND SWITCHING. SO THAT'S ALL I MEANT BY IT. YOU TOOK IT IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
LET'S GET BACK ON TRACK AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PREMISES AND
[03:05:02]
THE PRECEPTS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH. THE NEXT ONE WAS -- GOAHEAD, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ. >> I'M JUST -- I DON'T KNOW WHEN SHERIFF HOOPER CAME UP WITH ALL THIS STUFF EITHER. BUT YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT EITHER. TO ME, IF YOU'RE GOING TO REGULATE ANYTHING, YOU'RE GOING TO INTERVIEW ANYBODY, YOU'RE GOING TO INSPECT, YOU GOT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF LICENSE. SOME KIND OF SECURITY LAW ENFORCEMENT CERTIFICATION IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT AT THE ESTABLISHMENTS. YOU KNOW. AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE WORKING FOR KARA, I DON'T THINK. THEY'LL PROBABLY BE WORKING UNDER THE LAW ENFOR ENFORCEMENT. REPORT TO THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT AGAINST ANYTHING THEY FIND. EITHER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT GOES OUT THERE AND THEY DECIDE WHAT NEEDS
>> RIGHT. THIS IS WHY I THINK SOMEBODY THAT REALLY HAS THE POWER, THE AUTHORITY, YOU KNOW, ALREADY A CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICER. AND THAT'S THEIR JOB ANYWAY. THEIR JOB IS TO OBSERVE, TO GO AND TO ENFORCE. I JUST LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION IF I HAVE TO, TO DO IT THE WAY WE JUST HEARD COOK SAY WITH THE CODE ENFORCING OFFICERS WORKING UNDER THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
>> SO I JUST SPOKE WITH SHERIFF HOOPER AND THEY WOULD NOT BE WORKING UNDER THE CLERK'S OFFICE. THEY WOULD BE WORKING IN THE SO'S OFFICE FOR A WARRANT CAPTAIN.
>> GOOD. >> JUST SO YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF IT. AGAIN, THAT DETAIL I DON'T THINK IS GOING TO GET SORTED OUT TONIGHT. BECAUSE I'D LIKE FOR OUR SHERIFF
TO EXPLAIN IT TO US. >> CHIEF COOK IS RIGHT HERE.
>> CAN I MAKE A MOTION? IS IT A MOTION?
>> I SECOND THE MOTION. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WE'RE TRYING TO GET AN ORDINANCE PASSED. WE HAVE TO BE HERE, WE'VE BEEN HERE ALL AFTERNOON TRYING TO GET AN ORDINANCE WORKED OUT. IF CHIEF COOK IS HERE REPRESENTING THE SHERIFF AND YOU JUST TALKED TO THE SHERIFF AND THE SHERIFF SAID THE PERSON IS GOING TO WORK UNDER A WARRANTS OFFICER. I AGREE WITH YOU.
>> WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THOSE -- AND BE A PART OF LAW ENFORCEMENT UNDER THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. THERE'S A LOT IN THERE. IF YOU'LL REPRESENT THAT TO THIS COURT, CHIEF COOK, THAT WILL BE FINE. AGAIN, I MEAN, THAT'S A SURPRISE I WISH WE WOULD HAVE HAD THAT IN ADVANCE. BUT IF YOU'RE HERE TO REPRESENT THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT TO BE SWITCHED TO YOUR OFFICE, WELL SO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THEIR SUPERVISOR WOULD THEN BE A LICENSED PEACE OFFICER, I THINK THIS COURT COULD ENTERTAIN THAT. BUT I HAVE TO ASK YOU HOW MUCH TIME WOULD THEY BE DEVOTING TO THAT VERSUS THEIR REGULAR
DUTIES. >> JUDGE, YOU SAID YOU TALKED TO
THE SHERIFF, CORRECT? >> I JUST TEXT HIM AND SAID, HEY, THIS IS NEW. TELL ME ABOUT IT. AND HE SAID, THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THEY WOULD WORK HIS CONCEPT IS. I THINK IN FAIRNESS TO HIM, HE WOULD WANT LAY FORTH THE PLAN TO US.
>> WHY CAN'T WE JUST DESIGNATE THE SHERIFF AS THE GAME ROOM PERMANENT ADMINISTRATOR IN CONJUNCTION WORKING WITH THE COUNTY CLERK AND WORK OUT THOSE DETAILS LATER.
>> I'M FINE WITH THAT. I'M FINE WITH THAT.
>> THAT'S A MOTION. >> SECOND.
>> AND THEN WE CAN WORK ON THAT. I'M FINE WITH THAT. BUT IT NEEDS TO BE THAT. AND I'M CERTAIN YOU WOULD AGREE. THAT A LICENSED PEACE OFFICER HAS TO BE SUPERVISING LICENSED PEACE
>> AGREE, JUDGE. >> HOLD ON A SECOND.
>> PAPERWORK ASPECT OF IT. >> GO AHEAD.
>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> I DIDN'T SAY WORKING. I SAID
WORKING WITH THE SHERIFF. >> HOW ABOUT JUST COLLABORATING.
>> YOU CAN BOTH BE IT IF YOU WANT TO BE.
>> JUST COLLABORATING. GO AHEAD. >> THE PAPERWORK AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE, HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE PEACE OFFICER PART. I DON'T CARE WHAT WE CALL Y'ALL. I JUST WANT TO GET AN ORDINANCE
PASSED. >> I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT BEFORE WE WORK OUT THE DETAILS AND I'M COMMITTED TO THIS, THERE NEEDS
[03:10:01]
>> ABSOLUTELY. AND WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
>> THAT'S THE CONTINGENCY PART. >> BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO DO
THIS. >> RIGHT. THAT'S THE CONTINGENCY
PART. >> SO MAKE THE MOTION CONTINGENT UPON THE AGREEMENT OF THE COUNTY CLERK.
>> THERE'S GOING TO BE AN AGREEMENT.
>> THERE WILL BE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY CLERK'S AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WILL HELP WITH THAT
>> AND THERE IS A SECOND. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> YOU HAD SECONDED IT. >> I AGREE.
>> DID YOU WANT TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS?
>> THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO TALK NUMBERS EARLIER. THIS STUFF IS NOT SO IMPORTANT. IT'S MORE KIND OF THE TECHNICAL INTERWORKINGS.
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. >> NOW WE KNOW THAT SHERIFF AND CHIEF COOK WILL HELP WORK THIS AGREEMENT OUT. AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT AS SOON AS IT'S REASONABLE TO
BRING IT TO US. >> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING THIS BACK TO SEE ALL THESE AMENDMENTS WE MADE IN FINAL FORM
ANYWAY. >> OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONERS? THAT YOU WANT TO BRING UP TONIGHT?
>> JUDGE, JUST SOME TECHNICAL STUFF ON PAGE 6. THE GAME ROOM
ADMINISTRATOR NOW. ANY OF THE -- >> ANY REFERENCES WILL BE
CHANGED. >> THAT WOULD NEED TO CHANGE. SO MY MOTION WOULD BE ANY REFERENCES IN REGARDS TO DEFINITIONS OR ANY REFERENCES TO GAME ROOM ADMINISTRATOR WOULD NEED TO CHANGE ACCORDING TO WHAT WE JUST DID AS WELL.
>> SECOND. >> THERE'S SEVERAL LIKE THAT
THAT WILL HAVE MULTIPLE ENTRIES. >> AGAIN, LET'S LET THE SHERIFF MAKE THOSE CHANGES. HE WILL HAVE SOME GUIDELINES THERE. HE MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO EXPAND HIS REALM. HE MAY NEED NOER THAN WHAT WE'VE JUST ARTICULATED HERE TODAY.
>> SO THE 60 DAYS THAT WE VOTED AND APPROVED, COUNTY ATTORNEY, I KNOW YOU MAYBE WON'T GIVE LEGAL ADVICE TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE OPERATORS. BUT TO THIS COURT, DOES EVERYTHING STAY AS IS UNTIL WE GET THIS OFFICIALLY IN PLACE AS FAR AS THE PROPER PAPERWORK AND THE FILINGS AND ALL OF THAT? DOES ALL THIS KIND OF JUST STAY OPERATING AS IS NOW? OVER THE NEXT 60 DAYS.
>> AS IS. ANY BUSINESS THAT'S OPERATING LEGALLY OR ANY BUSINESS OPERATING ILLEGALLY RISKS A BIG PROBLEM.
>> WE CAN'T GIVE THEM PERMISSION TO OPERATE.
>> REALITY IS THOUGH WHEN WE PASS THIS TODAY, UNTIL WE SEE THE FINAL ORDINANCE, WHICH SHOULD BE VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE THESE ARE TWEAKS. I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING IN PLACE OTHER THAN A VERBAL ORDINANCE, RIGHT? AND THEN PLUS WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE ORDINANCE.
>> WITH YOUR EFFECTIVE DATE YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO GET THE
APPLICATION IN. >> THIS HAS 30 DAYS TO APPLY.
BUT WE GOTTA COME UP WITH A DATE OF HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE KARA AND THE SHERIFF TO WORK. THE ORDINANCE WOULDN'T BE TODAY. IT CAN'T BE. THIS IS A HUGE FIRST STEP AND WE'RE GOING TO PASS AN ORDINANCE AND WE OUGHT TO HAVE THE TWEAKS BACK PRETTY QUICK. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF TO DO.
BUT THAT'S GOING TO -- >> THAT'S MY CONCERN. BECAUSE WE TOOK SOME ACTION AND STEPS TODAY THAT THE PUBLIC WILL NOW RECOGNIZE GAME ROOM REGULATIONS WERE PASSED BY NUECES COUNTY.
BUT DON'T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL AT LEAST 60 TO 90 DAYS. WE CAN MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE MEDIA, TO THE PUBLIC. OPERATORS THAT ARE HERE TODAY ARE GOING TO SAY WELL THESE ARE THE RULES TO FOLLOW.
NOT NECESSARILY, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SHOW UP TOMORROW MORNING AND FILE YOUR PERMITS. THE HOURS OF OPERATION ARE PROBABLY NOT IN EFFECT RIGHT NOW. SO THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS, THEN ALL THIS GOES INTO EFFECT. THAT'S ALL I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, NO PROBLEMS WITH THAT. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE COULD GET CONFUSED WITH IT.
>> I THINK IT SHOULD BE A TIME FRAME WHERE WE SAY 90 DAYS THE MAX. WE SHOULD BE READY. AGREE? YOU WON'T BE READY IN 90 DAYS?
>> THERE'S A GENTLEMAN THAT'S BEEN WAITING.
>> THANK YOU. I'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS: ONE, CAN THE GAME ROOMS THAT ARE OPERATING NOW OPERATE LIKE THEY ARE OR WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN NOW AND THE OTHER?
JUST SO IT'S CLEAR. >> MUCH BETTER SAID THAN WHAT I
WAS TRYING TO GET TO. THANK YOU. >> SO WITHOUT US PASSING A FINAL FORM,IT'S EVERYTHING IS STATUS QUO.
>> WE CAN'T GIVE ANYBODY PERMISSION ANYWAY.
>> UNTIL WE SIGN AN ORDINANCE, IT'S NOT AN ORDINANCE.
>> THE OTHER QUESTION IS TO BE LEGAL GAME ROOMS THERE COULD BE NO CASH SALES BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE
THAT. HOW IS THIS GOING TO GO? >> YEAH, SO WE'RE NOT --
[03:15:06]
>> IT'S GOING LIKE IT'S GOING RIGHT NOW.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
>> I'M JUST SAYING, ARE WE GOING TO BE ENFORCING THE STATE LAW IF
THEY'RE GIVING OUT CASH? >> ASK THE POLICE. WE DON'T DO
THAT. SERIOUSLY. >> SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. ALL
RIGHT. >> AND THE POLICE. LIKE CCPD AND THE SHERIFF RIGHT NOW WITHOUT THIS ORDINANCE, LIKE WITHOUT THIS ORDINANCE, THEY CAN DO THIS STUFF NOW IF THEY FIND ILLEGAL
STUFF. >> I UNDERSTAND. I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE ALL THE GAME ROOMS SOME GUIDANCE OF WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING EVEN IN THE MEANTIME UNTIL THIS IS GOING.
>> YOU ANSWERED THE QUESTION. >> LET ME FINISH. BECAUSE IF THEY ARE GIVING OUT CASH. NOW IF THEY'RE GIVING A CERTIFICATE AND THEY WALK OVER HERE AND CASH IT FOR THEM, THAT'S ILLEGAL IN THIS
STATE. >> YEAH. I THINK THE BEST WAY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS TO REFER YOU TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLKS. BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF THAT ENFORCEMENT. I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT TO GO BACK TO. NOTHING WE DO TODAY CHANGES THE TEXAS PENAL CODE. IT EXISTS. SO IF THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING ILLEGAL, THAT'S GOING TO GET CALLED ON. IF THEY'RE NOT, THEN THESE REGULATIONS
SHOULD BE JUST FINE. >> I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE GUIDANCE SO THE GAME ROOMS DON'T GET IN TROUBLE IN THE MEANTIME.
UNDERSTAND THEY CAN'T BE DOING THAT.
>> SIR, WE CAN'T TELL THEM TO DO ANY DIFFERENT. SO EVERYTHING STAYS THE WAY IT IS. WE'RE NOT REGULATING ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.
WHEN WE KICK IT OFF, THAT'S WHEN WE GET INVOLVED. RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST -- THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO. IT'S THEIR CALL. THEY GET IN TROUBLE. THEY GET IN TROUBLE. IT'S UP TO LAW ENFORCEMENT TO TAKE CARE OF IT. WE'RE NOT SUPPORTING IT. WE'RE NOT ASKING THEM TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT.
>> EXCUSE ME, JUDGE. >> YES, MA'AM.
>> JUST ONE THING YOU MIGHT CHECK WITH THE CITY WHEN THEY JUST STARTED REGULATING THE SHORT TERM RENTALS. THEY GAVE EVERYBODY A TIME FRAME THAT IT HAD TO BE IN. IT WAS LIKE 30 DAYS. DURING THAT TIME, EVERYTHING WAS STATUS QUO. THAT DIDN'T MEAN YOU WERE GOING TO GET IT ISSUED IN 30 DAYS BUT YOU JUST HAD TO HAVE YOUR APPLICATION IN. YOU MIGHT LOOK IN TO THAT WITH THE CITY WITH SHORT TERM RENTALS.
>> THAT'S WHERE I STARTED OFF WITH THE WHOLE 30 DAYS. I'M FLEXIBLE IN THAT I WANT TO WORK WITH OUR SHERIFF. I WANT TO WORK WITH THE CLERK. I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO SIGNAL TO ME HERE THAT THEY NEED MORE TIME. BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS NOT ANYTHING TOO LONG AND I THINK YOU WOULD APPRECIATE THAT, TOO.
>> THIS IS TODAY. LET ME MAKE SOME CALLS AND GET SOME BEST
>> WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S A BIG HELP TO HAVE YOUR OFFICE BE ABLE TO JUMP IN.
>> THERE WAS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT CAME UP EARLIER ABOUT TRANSPARENCY ON WINDOWS. I UNDERSTAND THE PUBLIC POLICY BEHIND IT. IF YOU'RE DOING NOTHING WRONG, YOU DON'T MIND HAVING SOME TRANSPARENCY. I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I HAVEN'T STUDIED ALL THE WIDTHS AND THE HEIGHTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK WE CAN AGREE THE TRANSPARENCY ON THE WINDOWS IS FINE. THERE WAS A COMMENT EARLIER MADE. IF THERE'S NO WINDOW, OR IF YOU HAVE A WINDOW THAT'S ADJACENT TO ANOTHER BUSINESS. MAKE IT LOGICAL AND MAKE IT COMMON SENSE. JUST
THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THAT. >> WELL I JUST PAID $4,000 TO COVER UP ALL MY WINDOWS. AND THE THING IS, WE HAVE THE ENTRANCE AND THE FIRE EXIT. AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE FIRE MARSHAL WOULD CALL ON. AND THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE NEED TO HAVE ANY WINDOWS PERIOD. I THINK IT WAS A PROTECTION OF OUR CUSTOMERS HAVING SOMEONE JUST DRIVE BY AND SHOOT. YOU NEVER KNOW. BUT TO THE FIRST QUESTION THAT THIS GENTLEMAN SAID, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK. DO WE CONTINUE OPERATING AS YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 90 DAYS, AND 30 DAYS TO DO THE APPLICATION?
>> SO WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, I CANNOT GIVE YOU LEGAL ADVICE.
BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT --
>> IF I'M OPERATING LEGALLY. >> IF YOU'RE OPERATING LEGALLY, YOU'RE OPERATING STATUS QUO. IF YOU'RE OPERATING ILLEGALLY, LET ME JUST GIVE YOU FRIENDLY ADVICE, STOP. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS ONCE WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IN A LONG TIME COMING THAT WE ARE NOW PREPARED TO GET IT IN TO A FORM WHERE WE CAN PUBLISH IT ON OUR WEBSITE AND WRITTEN AND DO SO IN A WAY THAT GIVES EVERYBODY CLEAR NOTICE THAT THIS IS THE PROCESS TO APPLY FOR THESE APPLICATIONS. HERE'S WHAT WHERE YOU GO. HERE'S HOW YOU DO IT. HERE'S A NUMBER TO CALL. AND
[03:20:05]
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS TRANSPARENT.>> SHOULD THE GAME ROOM OPERATORS GET TOGETHER AND FORM
A COMMITTEE? >> WELL LOOK, THE ONE THING ABOUT OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AND SHE WAS MORE INDULGENT WITH YOU GUYS THAN SHE PROBABLY HAS BEEN ON ANY OTHER ISSUE. SHE'S
LISTENED TO YOU ALL. >> YES, MA'AM.
>> EVEN AFTER TONIGHT, I BET, I CAN'T PROMISE I'M NOT HER, BUT I BET SHE'LL LISTEN TO Y'ALL. BUT WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU RECOGNIZE AS I'VE SAID, WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR A LONG TIME. I HOPE IT FEELS GOOD TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING. AND IT MAY NOT BE EVERYTHING YOU WANT. BUT AT LEAST YOU HAVE CERTAINTY.
YOU HAVE A START AND YOU HAVE SOME CERTAINTY. BECAUSE WITHOUT CERTAINTY, YOU MAY GET SOMETHING YOU DON'T LIKE AT ALL.
>> THAT'S TRUE, JUDGE. >> SO IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP, I'M SURE SHE'D BE WILLING TO MEET WITH YOU. AS TO WHETHER TO FORM A COMMITTEE, WE HAVE TO JUST AGREE THAT MAYBE IT'S FOR ANOTHER DAY. BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO TALK AMONGST YOURSELVES AND GET BACK TO US. IS THERE ANY OTHER ISSUES HERE
THAT YOU SEE FOR TONIGHT? >> NO.
>> WELL I HAD ONE THAT WE HAD BROUGHT UP. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HERE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. WE'VE DOUBLED, TRIPLED, QUADRUPLED. I STOPPED DOUBLING HOW MANY DOUBLES YOU CAN GET ON HOW MANY GAME ROOMS THERE ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY. COULD YOU POINT TO THE AREA WHERE YOU ADDRESS THAT?
>> NUMBER OF GAME ROOMS. >> HOW MANY GAME ROOMS?
>> I KNOW IT'S A HUNDRED SOMEWHERE. HOLD ON.
>> JUST SO YOU KNOW WE CAME UP WITH THAT BECAUSE WE ASKED FOR GUIDANCE. THERE'S NO REAL CENSUS AROUND THEM.
>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> Y'ALL HAVE TO --
>> THIS ONE IS DEAD. >> JUDGE, MY QUESTION TO YOU ON
THIS ONE, THOUGH. >> OH, IT'S NOT IN THERE YET.
>> COUNTED A HUNDRED. >> HANG ON, SIR. IF THESE ARE LEGALLY OPERATED DEALS, DO WE NEED TO PUT A LIMIT ON THEM IF THEY'RE LEGAL AND NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG? SO I'M JUST
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. >> SO YOU COULD ASK LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR THEIR GUIDANCE. BUT THEY WOULD TELL YOU THAT THEY BELIEVE THERE'S MANY THAT ARE NOT DOING IT RIGHT.
>> WELL THAT'S -- >> THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE TOLD US IN COURT BEFORE. SO PUTTING A NUMBER ON IT WILL AT LEAST STOP
THE DUPLICATION OF -- >> THAT'S WHY WE'RE PASSING AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE SURE THEY DO IT RIGHT. LIKE I WOULD LOVE FOR SOMEONE TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT MY COMPETITION CAN PUT UP. BUT IF THEY'RE LEGAL AND THEY'RE OPERATING LEGALLY, THEN WHY WOULD ANYBODY WANT TO LIMIT A LEGAL BUSINESS IS THAT
I'M TRYING TO GET TO. >> WOULD YOU PUT A CAP ON IT?
>> HOLD ON, SIR. >> I THINK THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION LIES IN THE GUIDANCE WE'VE BEEN GIVEN BY CHIEF MARKLE. AND THAT GUIDANCE WAS 100. I'M BACKING THE BLUE ON
THIS ONE. >> WHAT'S TO SAY OUT OF THOSE
100, WE GREW 25. >> WELL THEN I THINK THAT THE CLERK COMES TO US AND SAYS, COMMISSIONERS, I HAVE 25 SOLID
APPLICATIONS -- >> SOMEONE SAYS THERE'S 140
ALREADY. >> OUT OF THE 100, UNFORTUNATELY, WE GET 20 THAT ARE BAD. WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT. SO I THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE IT OPEN. AND THOSE THAT ARE ILLEGAL, SOONER OR LATER THEY'RE GOING TO GET WEAVED OUT.
>> SOMEONE SAID THERE'S 140 ALREADY. SO WE'RE GOING TO KICK THOSE 24 OUT THAT ARE IN BUSINESS? WE CAN'T DO THAT. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. IF THEY'RE LEGAL AND WE'VE NOW PUT A VERY STRONG REGULATION ON THEM.
>> LET'S SEE HOW MANY ACTUALLY APPLY AND FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE, AND THEN YOU CAN REVISIT IT. I THINK YOU SHOULD PUT A --
>> CHANCE TO FOLLOW UP. >> YOU SHOULD PUT A CAP ON IT.
>> AT LEAST PUT THE CAP ON THE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE.
>> DO 124. >> IF WE KNOW THERE'S 124.
>> BUT I MEAN TO NOT PUT A CAP IS NOT TO HELP WITH THE PROBLEM
THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE. >> MOTION FOR 130.
>> THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> JUST GAVE HER A LITTLE TIME.
THEY JUST SAID SIX MORE. >> SIX MORE.
>> WE CAN COME BACK. IT'S NOT LIFETIME.
>> 130 IS FINE. I SECOND IT. >> I LIKED 100 WHERE I WAS.
>> I THINK A LOT OF THEM ARE GOING TO GO AWAY. I DON'T THINK
IT MATTERS. >> GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. >> I'LL JUST OBSTAIN ON THAT ONE
[03:25:02]
BECAUSE I LIKED MY FIRST NUMBER. AND IT PASSED. AGAIN, YOU GOTTA LOOK FOR GUIDANCE HERE. AND I WISH WE HAD ALL THE ANSWERS AND I WISH THAT WE WERE EVERYTHING. REMEMBER IN GOVERNMENT WHEN THEY SAID THERE'S THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT. REMEMBER THAT? WELL IT TURNS OUT THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT CONCEPT. THAT LEGISLATIVE BRANCH IS WHERE MOST OF THESE ANSWERS LIE. AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO REMEMBER THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO. ALLRIGHT. >> WHAT DID WE DECIDE ON THE
EFFECTIVE DATE? >> WITH EDID NOT. -- WE DID NOT.
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER CLAUSES THAT ARE IN HERE, JENNY. AND THEY RANGE FROM CIVIL REMDYS AND PENALTIES IF YOU'VE HAD VIOLATIONS ALL THE WAY TO REAPPLICATION. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE. I MEAN, I'M INCLINED TO LEAVE EVERYTHING THERE.
>> IF THAT'S A MOTION. >> JUDGE, I'M READY TO PASS EVERYTHING NOW UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE HAS ANOTHER CHANGE THEY WANT TO PROPOSE AND LET'S JUST GET THIS PASSED. IF KARA NEEDS A LITTLE TIME TO GO TALK TO THE SHERIFF, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO.
>> THE EFFECTIVE DATE. >> THERE'S NOT ONE.
>> THERE'S NOT ONE ON HERE. OKAY.
>> OKAY. JUST LEAVE IT ALONE. >> LEAVE IT ALONE.
>> OKAY. BUT THEN THE 30 DAYS CAN'T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL THE EFFECTIVE DATE. THAT'S A LITTLE AMBIGUOUS.
>> IT'S 30 DAYS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE WHATEVER THAT MAY
BE. >> IS THAT WHAT THAT SAYS IN
>> LET'S CLARIFY THAT. BECAUSE THAT WILL CLARIFY.
>> NOTHING SHOULD GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL IT STARTS.
>> THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.
I'M HOPING THIS COMES BACK AS QUICKLY AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.
>> I'VE GOT A COMMENT HERE. AND I'LL LET YOU MAKE THAT MOTION.
WELL HE SORT OF MADE IT, KARA. >> SECOND.
>> MOTION AND A SECOND. NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM YOU.
>> ASKED FOR ONE MORE CHANGE IN PAGE 24. UNDER 3.15. B. THE CHARITABLE BINGO EXEMPTION THAT WE REMOVE THE 5-YEAR WAITING
>> OKAY. GIVE US JUST A SECOND TO CONSULT. JENNY, I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU ADDRESS THAT. THERE WAS A FIVE-YEAR WAITING PERIOD ON
THE CHARITABLE BINGO EXCEPTION. >> IT SAYS THE BINGO SESSIONS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED AT THE LOCATION ON OR AT LEAST A WEEKLY BASIS FOR THE LEASE 5 YEARS PRIOR TO THE APPLICATION. WE ASK
THAT THE FIVE YEARS BE REMOVED. >> I GOTTA THINK ABOUT THAT ONE.
WHAT'S THE AFFECT OF THAT ONE? >> IF THEY WANT TO FILE FOR A
GAME ROOM. >> IF THE BINGO HALL.
>> IT PUTS EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM ON A FAIR PLAYING FIELD.
>> IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR?
>> THAT'S UP TO THE COURT. >> JENNY, BUT THEY CAN'T BE ON THE SAME PREMISES, CAN THEY? THE BINGO AND THE --
>> THERE'S AN EXEMPTION HERE FOR THAT.
>> THERE'S AN EXEMPTION THAT SAYS YOU CAN BE ON THE SAME PREMISES. BUT IS THAT ALLOWED BY LAW IN THE STATE LAW? I DON'T
KNOW. I'M ASKING THAT. >> YES, THERE IS.
>> I THOUGHT YOU SAID EARLIER THEY COULDN'T BE IN THE SAME.
>> EXCUSE ME. I'LL GO AHEAD AND EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU REAL QUICK.
STATE LAW ACTUALLY SAYS YOU CAN'T HAVE TWO GAME OF CHANCE AT THE SAME TIME. SO YOU CANNOT RUN ANY OF THE MACHINES AT THE SAME TIME THE BINGO HALL IS OPEN FOR A BINGO GAME. IF IT'S CLOSED FOR BINGO, REMEMBER, FOUR HOURS A DAY, THEN THAT WOULD ALLOW THE BINGO HALLS ALSO ALLOWED TO HAVE THE MACHINES IN THERE. INSTEAD OF 5 YEARS, WHY DON'T YOU SAY THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN EXISTENCE WHEN THE STATUTE IS IN EFFECT. IF THEY'RE ALREADY OPEN AND RUNNING BINGO GAMES TO CHARITIES, THEN IT SEEMS NOT VERY FAIR TO EXEMPT THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SAME ENDEAVOR THAT EVERYBODY ELSE.
>> I GUESS THEY COULD DO BINGO IN THEIR PLACE IF THEY WANTED
TO, IS THAT RIGHT? >> ACTUALLY IT'S NOT SO EASY.
ONLY CHARITIES CAN RUN A BINGO GAME. SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET A BINGO LICENSE. THE LESSOR HAS TO GET A BINGO LICENSE. AND THE CHARITIES HAVE TO GET A BINGO LICENSE. TO GET A BINGO LICENSE, THE CHARITY HAS TO HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR THREE YEARS AND OPERATING FOR THREE YEARS AND PROVIDE PROOF DURING ALL THOSE THREE YEARS OF THEIR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES. THEY CAN'T JUST GO AND GET A LICENSE TO HAD. IT TAKES TIME. YOU KNOW ALL THESE
[03:30:02]
CHARITIES, ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE ASKING FOR THIS GAME EXEMPTION ALREADY HAS BEEN OPERATING AS A CHARITY FOR OVER THREE YEARS.>> SO ARE YOU ASKING TO GO FROM FIVE TO THREE?
>> NO, WE'RE ASKING FOR ANYBODY THAT'S OPERATING AT THE TIME THE RULES BECOME EFFECTIVE COULD HAVE THE GAME ROOM.
>> I MEAN, I CAN'T ARGUE FREE ENTERPRISE ON ONE THING AND NOT ARGUE FREE ENTERPRISE ON ANOTHER. THAT SEEMS FAIR TO ME.
I CAN'T, I MEAN, IT'S NOT -- >> DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION?
>> SECOND. >> I HEARD SOMEONE SAY THAT FROM THE AUDIENCE. SO THIS IS PERMISSIBLE? IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER, IS THAT --
>> THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY'RE OKAY.
>> THEY HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ALL OF THEIR BINGO RULES REGARDLESS.
BUT I BELIEVE YOU CAN ALLOW FOR THEM TO PUT IN GAME ROOMS AS ALLOWED BY THEIR STATUTES AT ANY POINT.
>> BUT WE HAVE THAT SAY TODAY? THEY OPERATE UNDER STATE.
>> STATE REGULATION IS NOT -- THE FIVE YEAR PART IS NOT FROM
THE STATE. >> THAT'S THE PART. THAT'S THE
>> DON'T -- DON'T. DON'T TELL THE COPS THAT RIGHT NOW.
>> NO, REALLY. IF YOU GO DOWN HERE. I'M NOT PUTTING ANYBODY ON THE SPOT. I GO THERE TO PLAY MYSELF. AND YOU GOTTA PAY CASH AND THEY GIVE YOU A NUMBER THAT YOU PUT IN THE MACHINE. SO THEY HAVE LIKE ABOUT 40 MACHINES. BUT THEY DON'T OPERATE DURING BINGO HOURS. THEY OPERATE WHENEVER THEY'RE CLOSED. SO HOW IS THAT,
YOU KNOW, EVEN FAIR? >> ALREADY DOING IT.
>> OKAY. LET ME HEAR FROM MS. WHITE AND WE'LL TAKE THIS ONE UP. WE MAY HAVE TO GET SOME MORE GUIDANCE ON THIS FROM AUSTIN. GO
AHEAD. >> TEXAS LOTTERY COMMISSION ALLOWS BINGO HALLS TO OPERATE OTHER BUSINESSES WHEN THEY'RE
NOT OPERATING BINGO. >> GOT IT.
>> THEY LICENSE US FOR SPECIFIC HOURS OF EACH DAY OF THE YEAR.
WE CANNOT HAVE ANY OTHER GAMES GOING ON DURING THAT TIME. IF THERE ARE -- THERE MAY BE BINGO HALLS IN CORPUS CHRISTI THAT ARE OPERATING GAME ROOMS JUST LIKE THERE ARE 124 OTHERS. I DON'T KNOW. I JUST KNOW THAT MOST OF THE BINGO HALLS, THE PEOPLE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS DON'T OPERATE GAMES OTHER THAN BINGO. BUT ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES THAT HAVE PASSED THESE ORDINANCES SAY SINCE EVERY EMPLOYEE, EVERY WORKER, EVERY LANDLORD HAS ALREADY UNDERGONE HIGH SCRUTINY REGARDING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, EACH OF OUR EMPLOYEES IN THE BINGO HALL HAS TO BE APPROVED INDIVIDUALLY BY THE STATE OF TEXAS. OKAY. SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SAYING BECAUSE BINGO IS SO HIGHLY REGULATED, THEY CAN HAVE A LEGAL GAME ROOM OUTSIDE THE HOURS OF BINGO JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BUILDING. AND THE LOTTERY COMMISSIONERS AGREE TO THAT.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT NOW. IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT
TO DO IT ANYWAY. >> IF THEY GET IN PROBLEMS WITH
THE STATE, NOT WITH US. >> RIGHT. JUST REMOVE ANY EXTRA LAYER THAT WE CREATED, AND LET THE STATE KEEP TO THE STATE LAWS. AND THAT WAY WE DON'T -- WE'RE NOT GIVING AS THEY SAY, THOU SHALL NOT GIVETH, AND THOU SHALL NOT TAKETH AWAY.
>> TWO PLACES, DID YOU VOTE ON THAT?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE REMOVAL OF THE EXEMPTION.
>> NO. YOU'RE REMOVING THE FIVE. >> SORRY, THE FIVE YEARS.
FORGIVE ME. THE FIVE YEARS MENTIONED IN THE CHARITABLE BINGO EXEMPTION CLAUSE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. >> I HAVE ONE MORE ISSUE. I NEED TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ON THE EXTRA BURDEN THAT WE'RE PUTTING ON PROPERTY OWNERS. SO TELL ME WHAT WE'VE DONE THERE SO I UNDERSTAND THAT. BECAUSE I MEAN, THAT SEEMS LIKE AN EXTRA ONUS. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A LANDLORD BEING RESPONSIBLE. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE PUT IN SOME STUFF HERE ABOUT --
>> WHAT PAGE? >> IT'S TALKING ABOUT -- AND I MAY BE MISREADING IT. THE ONE I'M GETTING ON IS NUMBER 9 WHERE THE GAME OWNER LEASES THE PROPERTY, THEY ALSO HAVE TO SIGN THE APPLICATION. THEY HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEY COULD BE LIABLE FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. IS THAT EVEN LEGAL?
[03:35:02]
>> YOUR COUNTY ATTORNEY DRAFTED IT.
>> THIS IS A CONGLOMERATION OF OTHER STATUTES. AND IN A WAY, IT'S PROTECTION FOR THE LANDLORD IF THE SHERIFF COMES IN AND
LOCKS IT UP. >> PROTECTION HOW? I'M ASKING.
>> BECAUSE SOME LANDLORDS MAY NOT WANT TO HAVE THAT BUSINESS IN THEIR PROPERTY AND IF THEY DON'T WANT -- IF THE COURT DECIDES YOU WANT TO GO DOWN THIS ROUTE, AND THE LANDLORD SAYS I'M SORRY, I DON'T WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU, YOU CAN'T RENT HERE, THEN IT'S NOT THE LANDLORD'S COMPLETE DISCRETION THERE. IT'S A PENALTY THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY.
>> BUT IF THEY, UNDER THIS, IF THE SHERIFF COMES IN AND SHUTS DOWN SOMEBODY THAT THE LANDLORD DIDN'T KNOW IS DOING ANYTHING WRONG, AREN'T WE ADDING SOME LIABILITY TO THAT LANDLORD? RIGHT. SO I MEAN, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, IT COULD HELP THOSE LANDLORDS WHO DON'T WANT THEM THERE. BUT IT COULD ALSO
PUT THEM IN JAIL? >> NO. IF YOU HAVE A FORFEITURE
SITUATION. >> THEY COULD FORFEIT THEIR PROPERTY FOR SOMETHING THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT? THIS IS A PROPERTY RIGHTS STATE. THAT'S PRETTY ROUGH. IF THEY KNOW ABOUT
IT, THAT'S ONE THING. >> HOW DO WE KNOW THEY KNOW
ABOUT IT? >> YOU'RE MAKING SURE HERE THAT
THEY KNOW ABOUT IT. >> THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. I'M OKAY WITH THEY HAVE TO SIGN SOMETHING THAT SAYS I KNOW I'M GETTING A GAME ROOM. IF WE SHUT DOWN AN ILLEGAL GAME ROOM AND YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT, AND WE COULD SEIZE YOUR PROPERTY OVER IT? COME ON, THAT'S A LITTLE ROUGH. IF THEY KNOW ABOUT IT. I THINK WE'RE ADDING -- MAYBE I'M NOT READING THIS RIGHT. BUT TO ME IT SOUNDS LIKE WE COULD BE.
>> HIRE HIS OWN SECURITY TO WALK.
>> I GOT TO FIND IT BUT -- >> I'M FINE WITH THE INTEREST OF EFFICIENCIES AND TIMES, WHY DON'T YOU.
>> LIKE THE SEIZURE PART. >> THAT PART CAN, YOU CAN BRING BACK THAT PART AFTER A LITTLE BIT MORE DUE DILIGENCE IF YOU'D LIKE. IT WOULD GIVE EVERYBODY A LITTLE MORE TIME.
>> WASN'T THERE SOME SEIZURE LANGUAGE IN THERE, JENNY?
>> YES. >> CAN YOU HELP ME FIND THAT? I JUST WANT TO FINISH MY THOUGHT ON THIS. I JUST THAT ONE GOT ME.
AND THEN I CAN'T REMEMBER. >> I MEAN --
>> THAT'S WHERE IT SAYS IF THE GAME ROOM. BUT WHERE WAS THE SEIZURE LANGUAGE? DID I JUST DREAM THAT?
>> NO. [INAUDIBLE]. >> JUDGE CANALES.
>> I'M NOT SEEING IT YET. >> SHE WANTS TO GET YOUR
ATTENTION. >> WHAT DID Y'ALL APPROVE?
>> I'M SORRY. >> ITALICS. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
[INAUDIBLE]. >> I DON'T HAVE PROBLEMS MAKING SURE SOMEONE KNOWLEDGES IT'S A GAME ROOM. BUT I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THEIR PROPERTY SEIZED OVER IT IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS
>> THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS VALID BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SHERIFF IS GOING TO OR WHAT ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IS GOING
TO FIND AS THEY -- >> I JUST DON'T WANT TO --
>> NO, IT'S UP TO THEM TO DECIDE WHETHER HE KNEW OR NOT.
>> AGAIN, THE TEXAS PENAL CODE IS ACTIVE HERE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT US FILING THE LAW. THE LAW EXISTS. CHIEF, YOU
WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING. >> I WAS JUST DISCUSSING THIS WITH CHIEF GREENE. AND WE BELIEVE WE'RE NOT -- WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT IT. HE'S STILL RESEARCHING IT AS WELL AND WILL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. BUT IF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE CONDUCTING A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, AND WE COULD PROVE THAT THE LANDLORD WAS INVOLVED IN A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, HAD ACTUAL
[03:40:04]
KNOWLEDGE, THEN WE COULD PROBABLY SEIZE THAT PROPERTY. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS PARTICULAR SECTION IS THAT IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF WE DO THE INVESTIGATION AND WE CAN PROVE THE CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, THEN WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS SEIZURE. IF WE CAN'T PROVE THE CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, THEN THE LANDLORD IS PROTECTED. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IF YOU TAKE OUT THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF IT. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE COUNTY ATTORNEY FEELS ABOUT>> SO IT'S A NOTICE PROVISION. IF DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THERE.
>> IF THEY'RE GOING TO HANDLE IT WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE IN THERE.
>> IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN THERE FOR US TO ENFORCE THE LAW
IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. >> DAVID LOEB OWNS A LOT OF REAL PROPERTY, A LOT OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY HERE IN CORPUS CHRISTI.
HE TOLD ME HE RENTED TO A GAME ROOM. HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS AND WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THERE. WHEN HE FOUND OUT, HE WANTED TO GET RID OF IT BUT HE COULDN'T GET RID OF IT. AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND HE MET ALONG WITH CCPD AND HE HAD TO GET THOSE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED TO MAKE SURE HE GOT THE GAME ROOM OUT OF THERE WITHOUT ANY REPERCUSSIONS. SO I THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR THE LANDLORD. DAVID WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE KNOWN MORE ABOUT WHO HE WAS RENTING TO AND IT WOULD NEVER GOTTEN HIMSELF IN THAT BIND. AND HE REPORTED THAT AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
>> BUT THAT DOESN'T -- >> BUT HE WOULD KNOW WHO HE WAS
RENTING TO. >> HE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS A GAME
ROOM? >> HE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS A GAME
ROOM. >> THE LANDLORD, YOU TELL
[INAUDIBLE]. >> IF WE WANT TO PUT SOMETHING IN THERE THAT SAYS THE LANDLORD HAS TO SIGN SOMETHING THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IS A GAME ROOM, FINE.
>> LET THE LAW STAND FOR THE LAW AND GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT
STIPULATION. >> RIGHT. SO I WOULD MOVE THAT WE CHANGE ITEM 12 ON PAGE 9 TO BE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY THE LANDLORD THAT SIMPLY STATES HE OR SHE KNOWS THEY ARE RENTING TO
A GAME ROOM. PERIOD. >> SECOND.
>> EVERYTHING AFTER PROPERTY GONE. CORRECT?
>> YEAH. I WOULD JUST START THE WHOLE THING OVER, HONESTLY.
>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S RIGHT, JENNY. I THINK PUT A PERIOD AFTER 12 AND THE REST OF IT GOES. THAT MEANS THEY HAVE TO SIGN SOMETHING THAT THEY KNOW THEY'RE RENTING.
>> OKAY. >> THAT SHOULD TAKE CARE OF IT.
>> CHIEF GREENE, DOES THAT SOUND GOOD?
>> OKAY. >> ALL RIGHT. OKAY. SO CLERK HAD JUST SAID TO ME EARLIER, ARE WE NOW AT A POINT WHERE YOU CAN
ADOPT -- YES, MA'AM? >> YOU NEED A VOTE.
>> 3.3, 3.9. >> WE GOT TO VOTE ON THE ONE I
JUST DID. I'M SORRY. >> YOU'VE GOT THE MOTION.
>> SECOND. >> AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN
FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE.
>> NOW I'M SORRY. >> I'M SORRY. THE REFERENCES ON
3.3 FOR THE GUN SIGNS. >> 3.3?
>> YES. 3.9 I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S AUTHORITY.
>> WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT THAT?
>> NEEDS TO BE REMOVED. >> OKAY. BASED ON LEGAL ADVICE I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE 3.3.
>> YOU CAN'T PUT A SIGN OUT THERE?
>> YOU CAN'T REQUIRE IT. THE BUSINESS OWNER CAN MAKE THAT
>> TEXAS LAW. >> AND THAT TIES TO 3.9 OR NO?
>> YES. >> IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FIREARM
>> YES. >> SO THE MOTION IS --
>> HOLD ON. >> NOT THE GAME ROOM. JUST THE
[03:45:02]
>> IT WAS THE REQUIREMENT OF THE SIGNS.
>> FIREARM ONLY. >> WHICH PART?
>> C, THE GAME ROOM SHALL HAVE THE OUTSIDE DOOR MARKED WITH A
SIGN THAT SAYS -- >> THE LAW DOES NOT ALLOW US TO
>> I WOULD AMEND MY MOTION TO 3.3 C ONLY BE REMOVED.
>> SECOND. >> IS THERE A SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR FOR THE DELETION TO COMPORT WITH TEXAS LAW SAY
>> 3.9, WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR THERE?
>> I DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN REQUIRE THE FIREARMS THING. I THINK IT'S ALL OF IT. I'M STILL READING IT.
>> NO PART. REMOVE THE WHOLE THING.
>> SECOND. >> REMOVE THE WHOLE THING.
>> LEGAL COUNSEL'S ADVICE THAT WE CANNOT HAVE THAT IN THERE, I
MOVE TO REMOVE 3.9. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY
>> PASSAGE OF THE -- SUBJECT TO THE REVIEW OF THE FINAL
ORDINANCE BY THE COURT. >> SECOND.
>> MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. >> WE HAVE ANOTHER COURT ON THE 27TH THAT'S PROBABLY WAY TOO SOON TO BRING BACK A CLEAN COPY.
BUT I BELIEVE THE NEXT COURT MIGHT BE OKAY.
>> 11TH? >> PLEASE AIM FOR IT. LET US KNOW IF THAT'S NOT A POSSIBILITY.
>> THE ONLY HANG UP ON THAT ONE -- YEAH, AIM FOR IT IS FINE.
>> I THINK I'VE SAID IT WHERE THERE'S FLEXIBILITY.
>> YES, MA'AM. >> AND SO HAVING SAID THAT, IT'S NOT QUITE BUT ALMOST 8:30, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TO THE COURT THAT WE DO ADJOURN SIMPLY BECAUSE WE'VE MADE GOOD PROGRESS. SOMETIMES ALLS WELL THAT ENDS. YOU JUST NEED TO STOP AND TRY TO GET US TO THE NEXT PART AND POINT. I WILL SAY THAT WHEN YOU SEE A FINAL DOCUMENT, DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT NEED SOME EDITING.
>> TWEAKING. >> THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. WE EDIT DOCUMENTS ALL THE TIME. I ALSO WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO BY WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE SHERIFF AND THE COUNTY CLERK SO THAT MAYBE ON MAY 11TH, WE CAN MAKE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT WHAT WE'VE GOT PLANNED. IF WE GET ANYTHING EARLIER, YOU'LL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW AND TO HEAR. AGAIN, THE COURTROOM GOT THIN FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT STAYED THE WHOLE TIME, OUR THANKS.
>> THANK YOU. >> FOR THE MEDIA THAT'S HERE, THAT'S A LOT TO PROCESS. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK BEFORE YOU PRINT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, SEEK OUT THE COUNSEL OF THE CITY ATTORNEY BECAUSE SHE TOOK NOTES. OUR INTENTION IS TO GET A CLEAN COPY TO YOU SO THAT THERE'S NO DOUBT. IF I HAD TO SUM UP TODAY, I THINK WE LISTENED TO ALL SIDES AND WE RESPECTED ALL SIDES' VOICES. WE DEALT WITH THE PRECEPTS OF REGULATIONS. THAT WE HOPE THIS AIDS THOSE THAT GO TO GAME ROOMS WHERE THEY BELIEVE THEY'RE HAVING FUN AND DOING LEGAL ACTIVITIES. I HOPE THAT ALSO HELPS LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR THOSE THAT ARE DOING ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. AND FOR ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS THAT STAYED, IT'S TIME TO ADJOURN. MAY I SUGGEST THAT WE DO ADJOURNMENTS IN MEMORY ON ANOTHER DAY WHERE IT'S MORE PROPER. I'LL SAVE MINE. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS WEEKEND IS THE SERVICE OF AUGUSTINE "GUS" RIVERA. HE WAS A BAILIFF IN OUR COURTHOUSE OVER 20 YEARS. I WILL HONOR HIM MORE APPROPRIATELY AT OUR NEXT COURT.
BUT SINCE SERVICE IS HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND, PLEASE KEEP THE RIVERA FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS. THE TIME IS 8:31 AND WE DO STAND ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.