[00:00:02]
WE ARE RECORDING. IF I COULD ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES FIRST.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
GOOD TIMING. AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE RISE FOR THE INVOCATION.AND COMMISSIONER IS GOING TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION.
AND THEN PLEASE CONTINUE STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE.
THANK YOU. OKAY. DEAR GOD, THANK YOU FOR TODAY AND FOR THIS SEASON. THANK YOU FOR THE CELEBRATION OF LIGHT AND HOPE.
THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSING OF YOUR SON.
THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY AS WE WRAP UP THE BUSINESS OF THE NUECES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT. THANK YOU FOR THE STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE COME AND FOUGHT FOR THEIR ISSUES. THANK YOU FOR GIVING THIS COURT ALWAYS A CLEAR VISION AND AN OPEN HEART, WILLING TO LISTEN AND TO SERVE GUYS TODAY DURING THESE IMPORTANT DELIBERATIONS THAT WE CAN HELP PREPARE OUR COMMUNITY FOR FUTURE APPOINTMENTS.
MAY YOUR BLESSINGS CONTINUE TO BE WITH EACH OF US AND OUR FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THIS SEASON AND THROUGHOUT THE NEW YEAR.
AMEN. AMEN. PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.
TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. IT IS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER THE 17TH.
WE ARE AT THE NUECES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT ROOM AT 901.
LEOPARD. WE HAVE ALL COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY JUDGE PRESENT.
I AM CERTIFYING THERE IS A QUORUM PRESENT.
IT IS 908 AND THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER.
DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS ON DISCLOSURE OR CONFLICTS OF INTEREST?
[D. ANNOUNCEMENT ON DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: Any Conflicts of Interest or Appearance of a Conflict of Interest with items on this agenda shall be declared at this time. Members with conflicts will refrain from voting and are asked to refrain from discussion on such items. Conflicts discovered later in the meeting shall be disclosed at that time.]
I GUESS IT'S NOT REALLY A BIG DEAL, BUT I WILL BE ABSTAINING FROM THE AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD BECAUSE MY HUSBAND SERVES ON THERE, JUST FYI. BUT IT IS AN ADVISORY BOARD, NOT ANYTHING THAT MAKES DECISIONS.THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING,
[E. PUBLIC COMMENT: This section provides the public the opportunity to address the Commissioners Court on any issues within its jurisdiction. The Commissioners Court may not take formal action on any requests made during the Public Comment period which are not on the Agenda, but can refer such requests to County staff for review if appropriate.]
AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE SIGNED UP AS BOARD APPLICANTS.I WILL BE ASKING EVERY BOARD APPLICANT IF YOU'RE PRESENT, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK. EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP, YOU'LL GET THE OPPORTUNITY.
LOOK NOT HERE ANYMORE OR WALKED OUT OR.
OKAY. KATHY FULTON. MYRA ALANIZ.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MYRA ALANIZ.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR REAPPOINTMENT OF COMMISSIONER DIANNE GONZALEZ TO THE PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI COMMISSION THROUGH HER LEADERSHIP AT THE PORT.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ HAS DEVELOPED A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF ITS OPERATIONS AND CHALLENGES. SHE HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED THE EXPERTISE, DEDICATION, AND JUDGMENT TO ACHIEVE REAL RESULTS WITH A PROVEN RECORD IN MEANINGFUL ACCOMPLISHMENTS. EQUALLY IMPORTANT, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ IS APPROACHABLE AND ACCESSIBLE. SHE ENGAGES DIRECTLY WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND INDUSTRY AND IS COMMITTED TO SERVING FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL INVOLVED. MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT HAVE OFTEN ASKED COMMUNITIES FOR ANOTHER TERM TO FINISH YOUR WORK. YOU HAVE IN PROGRESS AND TO BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM YOU HAVE CREATED.
THAT SAME PRINCIPLE APPLIES HERE.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ HAS IMPORTANT UNFINISHED WORK THAT REQUIRES CONTINUITY AND EXPERIENCE. I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU.
I KNOW THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I JUST THOUGHT IF YOU ALL ARE AWARE COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ WITHDREW HER APPLICATION. NO, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. SHE WON'T BE CONSIDERED TODAY.
THANK YOU. YES. DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT ANYTHING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? PEOPLE? YES. AND DID YOU SIGN UP? ARE YOU. DID YOU ALREADY SIGN UP? LUKE DAILEY. YES, YES.
I CALLED YOUR NAME. YOU MUST HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE. BUT. YES. NO, I WASN'T OUTSIDE.
THERE WAS A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT ON THE ISLAND ROAD,
[00:05:02]
SO WE HAD TO CHANGE OUR ROUTE COMING AROUND AND COME OVER THE FERRY, WHICH TOOK A LOT LONGER.SO YOUR NAME WAS ON THERE, BUT.
YEAH. 619 EAST AVENUE B, PORT ARANSAS.
I'M A RESIDENT VOTER, PROPERTY OWNER AND TAXPAYER.
NUECES COUNTY. I AM NOT HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
IF YOU, THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HARD WORKING CITIZENS OF NUECES COUNTY, WOULD SIMPLY DO THE RIGHT THING.
THE LOGICAL THING, THE EASY THING.
I WOULDN'T HAVE TO COME AND DARKEN YOUR DOOR, BUT RUMOR HAS IT THAT YOU INTEND TO REPLACE THE HARDEST WORKING PORT COMMISSIONER, THE ONE MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING UP THE CORRUPTION, COLLUSION, AND COERCION OF THE PAST.
YOUR PRIOR APPOINTMENT OF DIANE GONZALES HAS BEEN THE SALVATION OF PUBLIC TRUST AND RESPECT FOR THE PORT. AFTER A GRUELING EIGHT YEARS WAR DEFENDING PORT ARANSAS FROM THE FROM THE UNRELENTING ATTACKS ON OUR COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT, SHE HAS BEEN A RELIEF AND WELCOME REPRESENTATIVE FOR THOSE OF US CONCERNED WITH PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COASTAL BEND.
YOUR CHOICE OF APPOINTEE TO THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE PORT IS A DECISION THAT WILL INFLUENCE THIS ENTIRE AREA WELL INTO THE FUTURE, NOT ONLY IN PORT ARANSAS, BUT IN ALL ADJOINING COMMUNITIES.
THE PORT HAS ATTEMPTED TO BECOME THE TAIL THAT WAGS THE DOG.
MISS DALY, I SAID WHAT YOU SAID.
SHE. I KNOW HER, BUT YOU NEED TO HEAR WHAT THE PUBLIC THINKS.
USUALLY TO THE DETRIMENT OF RESIDENTS.
OUR NEEDS AND RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TREATED AS SECONDARY TO THE INTERESTS OF THE PORT.
INDEED, CHANGING THEIR NAME TO PORT CORPUS CHRISTI IS AN INDICATION THAT THEY INTEND TO BE IN CHARGE OF NOT A PART OF THIS, THAT CITY.
AND JUST TO ILLUSTRATE, THIS WOULD BE THEIR RECENT INVASION INTO THE WATER PROVISION BUSINESS.
NOW, IT APPEARS THAT YOU INTEND TO APPOINT SOMEONE WITH A VERY DIFFERENT AGENDA, ONE THAT SUPPORTS AND GROWS THE PORT'S CONTROL OVER OUR RESOURCES.
AN ATTORNEY WITH A LONG HISTORY OF REPRESENTING INDUSTRIAL CLIENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH BUSINESS IN THE PORT, WITH THE PORT, AND ON OUR SHIP CHANNEL, DOES NOT LOOK LIKE ANYTHING APPROACHING PUBLIC INTEREST. AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING THE PUBLIC INTEREST? WEREN'T YOU ELECTED TO CLEAN UP THE COLLUSION, CORRUPTION AND COERCION THAT WAS RAMPANT IN PAST COMMISSIONS? I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHY I VOTED FOR YOU, JUDGE SCOTT.
I WOULD HOPE THAT FORMER JUDGE CHESNEY WOULD KNOW THAT THE SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT APPOINTEE SURE DOES GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING.
ASK THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS APPOINTED.
I HAVE A QUESTION. I MEAN, FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENT OR ANY STATEMENT, ESPECIALLY ON TODAY, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A PROACTIVE PROCESS NOT TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO GO AND POKE HOLES AT PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED IN A PUBLIC POSITION YET.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THAT POLICY, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO ENACT A POLICY SIMILAR TO THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, BECAUSE THAT IS CONCERNING, TO MAKE STATEMENTS ABOUT SOMEONE THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YET.
I BELIEVE YOU DO HAVE YOU DO ADDRESS DECORUM IN ADDRESSING THE COURT.
SO, AND YOU ADDRESS THE COURT AS A WHOLE, NOT CALLING NAMES OUT INDIVIDUALLY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THAT'S CORRECT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MOVING ON.
WE WILL. AS WE CALLED YOUR NAME OUT AND YOU WEREN'T HERE.
KATHY, I WILL LET YOU MAKE THE COMMENT, BUT IF IT IS SIMILAR OR DISPARAGING FOR ANYTHING, DIANE HAS WITHDRAWN HER NAME.
BUT YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO USE YOUR THREE MINUTES.
AND WHAT I SEE THAT'S BEEN GOING ON IS GAMES ARE BEING PLAYED, HAVE BEEN PLAYED, CONTINUE TO BE PLAYED BY CERTAIN PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY SOME PEOPLE ON THIS COMMISSION AND REALLY TIRED OF THE GAME STUFF GOING ON.
THE PORT FINALLY HAS GOTTEN A BETTER REPUTATION, A REPUTATION THAT SOMEBODY ELSE WHO HAS, YOU KNOW, WITHDREW IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT IN MAKING THAT IMPROVEMENT.
BUT NOW WE'RE GOING BACK TO SOME OLD PRACTICES, APPARENTLY, AND WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY GET SOME OF THE SAME BAD OLD PEOPLE IN THERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO DECREASE THE TRANSPARENCY.
AND I HAVE A PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SAY THIS,
[00:10:04]
BUT WITH ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS TITLE COMPANIES WHO TOOK IN YOU KNOW, THERE'S 20 OVER $27 MILLION WORTH OF REASONS THIS YEAR ALONE THAT I WONDER WHY HE'S EVEN ALLOWED TO CAST A VOTE, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS A LEGAL OPINION, HOWEVER. 27. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT INCLUDED JUST.THAT'S JUST FOR THIS YEAR ALONE.
SO IT'S SOMETHING TO THAT I THINK MUST BE CONSIDERED.
I DID THE MATH ON IT LAST NIGHT, BY THE WAY, FROM PORT RECORDS, BECAUSE THE PORT HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET MORE TRANSPARENT BECAUSE THIS OTHER PERSON THAT'S NOT NOW A CANDIDATE.
SO I THINK EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON HERE IS WRONG.
BUT THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY IS APPARENTLY ONE CANDIDATE IN PARTICULAR, WELL, THAT LAW FIRM BRANSCOMB LAW FIRM REPRESENTS I'M GOING TO STOP YOU RIGHT THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY ADDRESSED THIS. WE ARE NOT GOING TO ATTACK OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPLIED TO IS NOT A PORT COMMISSIONER, YET SHE IS APPLIED.
ARE WE NOT ALLOWED TO EXPRESS OUR OPINION ON THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVE APPLIED BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE? WHERE I, WHERE WE SAY, WELL, I THINK THIS CANDIDATE HAS MORE QUALIFICATIONS OVER A POLICY WHERE YOU DON'T CALL PEOPLE OUT DIRECTLY.
YOU HAVE CALLED THE COMMISSIONER OUT DIRECTLY, AND NOW YOU'RE ABOUT TO CALL AN APPLICANT OUT.
SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO STOP YOU.
WE JUST ADDRESSED IT. SO IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO WHAT THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL HAS DONE, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THEM GENERIC, THAT IS FINE.
BUT WE DON'T CALL PEOPLE OUT DIRECTLY IN THIS COURT.
WELL, ACTUALLY, I CALLED OUT A LAW FIRM.
SO, MOVING ON TO OUR FIRST APPOINTMENT.
[1. Port of Corpus Christi Authority of Nueces County]
LET'S GET THIS ONE UP AND DONE.THE PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI AUTHORITY.
PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL HAVE SENT IN LETTERS OF APPLICATION AND TENT.
I THINK THE FIRST UP, I AM NOT SURE IF YOU WILL ALL BE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES AT THE PODIUM TO STATE YOUR REASON WHY YOU THINK YOU SHOULD BE THE CANDIDATE. IS MR. HENLEY HERE? YOU'RE FIRST ON THE LIST.
AND, YOUR HONOR, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
THE LIST I WAS PROVIDED STILL HAS MR. HICKS, AND I THINK HE WITHDREW MY LIST DOES NOT HAVE MR. HICKS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT LIST YOU RECEIVED.
MAYBE. I DON'T HAVE THE MOST CURRENT LIST. YOU MUST NOT.
OR GET THE OFFICE TO PRINT HIM.
ONE A CURRENT LIST. I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU WERE GIVEN, MR. HENLEY. IF HE IS NOT HERE, I WILL MOVE ON TO LENORA KEYS.
YES. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING. I AM LENORA KEYS, AND I DO LIVE AT 145 DELMAR BOULEVARD HERE IN CORPUS CHRISTI.
I FEEL LIKE I BRING A UNIQUE ASSORTMENT OF SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE TO THIS POSITION AT THE PORT COMMISSION. I'VE WORKED.
I'VE WORKED WITH THE PORT FOR THE LAST 20 TO 30 YEARS IN A DIFFERENT REALMS. I AM PRESENTLY EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT DEL MAR COLLEGE, AND I WILL BE RETIRING IN JANUARY.
SO AS I LOOKED AT THIS OPPORTUNITY, I SAW IT AS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME AND THE PORT AND REALLY THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY, AS THE PORT IS LOOKING AT MANY IMPORTANT DECISIONS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
I BRING OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT DEL MAR, WORKING AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL, MAKING DECISIONS THAT IMPACTED THE ENTIRE REGION. I HAVE MANAGED BUDGETS, CONSTRUCTION BUDGETS UPWARD TO $300 MILLION AND OPERATING BUDGETS OF $130 MILLION A YEAR.
SO I'M VERY WELL VERSED IN FINANCE.
I HAVE ALSO SERVED AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AT THE COLLEGE, AND DURING THAT TIME LEVIED $155 MILLION IN BONDS.
SO I'M VERY WELL VERSED IN FINANCE AND HOW FINANCIAL POLICY CAN IMPACT THE FUTURE OF A LARGE ORGANIZATION. WHEN WE LOOK AT POLICY AND WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE PORT.
THERE IS GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK TOWARDS WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN STRATEGICALLY AND HOW POLICY CAN INFLUENCE THE FUTURE OF THIS WHOLE REGION.
AS WE LOOK AT THE THE ISSUES THAT FACE THE PORT AND THIS COMMUNITY HAVING TO DEAL WITH WATER AND HOW DO WE MEET THOSE NEEDS? IT'S GOING TO TAKE COLLABORATION WITHIN ALL ENTITIES.
I BELIEVE THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE PORT, THE STATE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INDUSTRY, EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE TO COME
[00:15:03]
TOGETHER TO DEAL WITH THESE DIFFICULT DECISIONS.I HAVE WORKED WITH ALL AREAS OF GOVERNMENT, FROM THE STATE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I'VE MANAGED LARGE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF GRANTS, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT GOES ON WITHIN THE MARITIME AREA.
AS WE BRING THESE TOGETHER, I BRING A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE.
I'VE SERVED OVER 22 YEARS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR DRISCOLL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, AND AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD DURING THAT TIME, WE MOVED AND GREW FROM A $200 MILLION ENTITY TO A $4.5 BILLION ENTITY.
I'VE HELPED IN THOSE DECISIONS.
AND AS WE LED WITHIN A LARGE REGION OF SOUTH TEXAS, I BELIEVE THAT MY COMMUNITY SERVICE STANDS FOR ITSELF IN THOSE AREAS.
I'VE ALSO SERVED FOR THE LAST 11, ALMOST 12 YEARS ON THE CORPUS CHRISTI REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
SO I'M WELL VERSED IN WHAT GOES ON WITH INDUSTRY.
AS INDUSTRY BEGAN TO GROW INTO SAN PATRICIO COUNTY AND INTO NUECES COUNTY, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH DIFFERENT ENTITIES, PARTICULARLY EVEN DURING SITE SELECTION.
I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF THOSE ISSUES AND WHAT THEY'RE FACING, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT INDUSTRY HAS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE TO DISCUSS AND WORK WITH THESE BIG ISSUES THAT ARE FACING US AS A COUNTY.
I'M SORRY, IS THERE A QUESTION LOOKING FOR THE TIMER? OH, THERE'S NO TIMER. IT WASN'T UP.
I GUESS THEY DIDN'T START IT. I'M SORRY.
THAT'S OKAY. Y'ALL CAN TELL ME WHEN I'M ABOUT DONE.
FINISH UP. IT JUST SEEMED LIKE I LOOKED UP AND IT WAS GONE.
SO. THANK YOU. SHE FAILED TO START IT. SORRY.
THAT'S GOOD. WELL, I WAS TRYING TO SUMMARIZE MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND THEN MY COMMUNITY SERVICE AS HOW IT'S COME TOGETHER.
OVER THE LAST YEARS, I'VE WORKED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PARTICULARLY IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND AND HOW WE MEET THE NEEDS OF THIS REGION.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX AND TRAINING FACILITIES, IT'S BEEN BUILT AT DELMAR COLLEGE. I BASICALLY LED ALL THAT AND WAS ABLE TO PUT THAT TOGETHER. SO AS YOU LOOK AT THE NEEDS THAT WE GO FORWARD, I FEEL LIKE I'M WELL VERSED IN BRINGING THOSE SKILLS TO BEAR AT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.
ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, I WANTED TO SHARE THAT.
I GREW UP IN ROCKPORT ON THE WATER.
I'VE OWNED PROPERTY ON THE INTERCOASTAL CANAL.
I'VE WORKED WITH THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITIES IN MANY WAYS OF DEALING WITH THE WATER ISSUES AND DEALING WITH THE COASTAL ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT HAPPENS AND THE POTENTIAL THAT CAN HAPPEN WITHIN THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITHIN GOOD MANAGEMENT, REALLY, OF OUR COASTLINE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI, COMMISSIONERS, I BELIEVE THAT I WOULD BRING AN ADDED PIECE TO THAT GROUP.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ANY GROUP AND ANY BOARD, I THINK IT'S WISE TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT IS NEEDED, WHAT KIND OF SKILL SETS NEEDS TO COME.
AND I'M WELL VERSED IN MANY AREAS AND WOULD BE DEDICATED TO SERVE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.
I AM A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER SPECIALIZING IN PORT PROJECTS AND LIVE HERE IN CORPUS CHRISTI AT 332 PALMETTO STREET.
I'M READY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE PORT PROFESSION BY WORKING WITH FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND GUIDANCE TO THE PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO APPOINT ME TO THAT PROJECT.
YOU, THE COMMISSIONERS OF NUECES COUNTY, WILL BE DECIDING WHO SHOULD REPRESENT NUECES COUNTY AT THE PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI.
I'M SURE I'LL WANT TO APPOINT THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSON WHO WILL BE A CREDIT TO OASIS COUNTY. WHAT ARE THE ATTRIBUTES NECESSARY FOR PORT COMMISSIONER? I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE TO HAVE EXTENSIVE PORT KNOWLEDGE, BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE, AND TO BE AN EXCELLENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PORT ITSELF.
I BELIEVE I HAVE AN EXCELLENT BACKGROUND IN THE EXPERIENCE TO GUIDE THE PORT WITH THE FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO ENCOURAGE INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION, ATTRACT NEW CARGO, BUILD AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC TERMINALS, SET OPERATIONAL POLICY, AND COOPERATE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THE PORT.
MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER HAS BEEN SPENT DESIGNING PORT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE OIL AND GAS TERMINALS, RAIL INTERMODAL TERMINALS, DREDGING AND CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS AT MANY PORTS AROUND THE NATION AND THE WORLD.
I HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARING BUDGETS AND MANAGING TO THOSE SAME BUDGETS, NOT ONLY INTERNALLY AT THE COMPANY, BUT FOR THE CLIENTS THAT I'VE DESIGNED.
PROJECTS FOR THESE. WORKING WITH THESE BUDGETS HAS GIVEN ME AN IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF BUSINESS AND WHAT'S NECESSARY TO WORK EFFICIENTLY TO MEET THOSE BUDGETS. NOW, I WILL NOT BE DESIGNING THOSE PROJECTS AS A PORT COMMISSIONER,
[00:20:03]
BUT MY EXPERIENCE DOES PROVIDE ME WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THE PHYSICAL FACILITIES THAT ENABLE THE PORT TO MOVE PRODUCT ACROSS THE DOCKS. THE PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI IS THE THIRD LARGEST PORT IN THE NATION.TOTAL WATERBORNE TONNAGE, AND THOSE PHYSICAL FACILITIES ARE CRUCIAL TO MAINTAIN AND INCREASE THE TONNAGE.
BEING A CHEERLEADER FOR PORT STAFF AND REPRESENTING THE PORT WITH TENANTS AND CLIENTS AROUND THE WORLD.
COASTAL BEND AND LOCALLY IS CRITICAL.
MY EXPERIENCE IN THE PORT INDUSTRY OVER SEVERAL DECADES HAS PROVIDED ME WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THE TENANTS AND CLIENTS ARE LOOKING FOR IN PORT.
I CAN STEP INTO THIS ROLE SPEAKING THEIR LANGUAGE AND BUILDING TRUST BETWEEN THEM AND OUR PORT. I WORKED AT THE PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI BEFORE I JOINED MY CURRENT EMPLOYER, AND THIS EXPERIENCE HAS GIVEN ME AN EXCELLENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE STAFF AND HOW TO ASSIST THEM IN ACCOMPLISHING PROJECTS.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, ONE OF THE THINGS I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF AT PORT IS THAT THE STATE AQUARIUM, WHICH IS HERE IN CORPUS CHRISTI, THE WATER WITHIN THE INNER CHANNEL IS CLEAN ENOUGH THAT THAT'S WHERE IT DRAWS ITS WATER FROM THE AQUARIUM.
I INTEND TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE PORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE SAME WAY FOREVER.
I WOULD LIKE TO USE MY KNOWLEDGE OF LEADING PROFESSIONALS AND PROJECT DESIGN FOR PORT INFRASTRUCTURE TO ASSIST THE OTHER PORT COMMISSIONERS AND GUIDE THE PORT INTO THE FUTURE. INTEND TO USE MY EXPERIENCE IN LEADERSHIP AND DESIGN TO BE COMMUNICATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE WITH ALL, AND MAKE GOOD FISCAL DECISIONS.
I PLEDGED COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY TO YOU AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS IN ATTEMPTING THIS ENDEAVOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I DIDN'T SEE HER. SO. MOSES MITSUKOSHI.
GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. I'M MOSES MALAGASY.
I'M BORN AND RAISED IN CORPUS CHRISTI.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW ME, I AM A LAND DEVELOPER AND BUILDER BY TRADE.
WHAT I WANTED TO OFFER TO THE PORT WAS REALLY.
THIS IS A LAND PORT? IT DOES A LOT OF BUSINESS WITH DIFFERENT TENANTS.
RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE IT'S GOT OVER 40 DIFFERENT DOCS AND CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE EXPANSION. SO THE WAY I LOOK AT THE PORT IS IT'S A BEAUTIFUL ASSET FOR THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI AND OASIS COUNTY AND OBVIOUSLY FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BUT WHAT IT PROVIDES FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS IS OVER 800,000 JOBS, INDIRECTLY AND DIRECTLY, IN THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI AND NUECES COUNTY AND THE REGION.
IT'S ROUGHLY AROUND 50 TO 80,000, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU READ AND WHAT YOU SEE, INDIRECT AND DIRECT. BUT WHAT I WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS MORE RIGHT, MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS, OUR COUNTY, AND WHAT IT CAN PROVIDE AS FAR AS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM RIGHT, OUR PORT CAN GROW. IT'S DONE A LOT BETTER OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
OBVIOUSLY, EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S NUMBER ONE IN EXPORTS, NUMBER TWO IN LNG, NUMBER THREE IN THE WORLD.
BUT WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO IS MORE FOR THIS COMMUNITY, WHAT IT CAN PROVIDE FOR US.
RIGHT. ULTIMATELY, IT'S THE ANCHOR OF THE NUECES COUNTY AND CORPUS CHRISTI REGION.
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS HOW WE CAN EXPAND ON THAT.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE PORT DOESN'T HAVE ANY LAND DEVELOPERS OR ANYBODY THAT DEALS WITH LAND DIRECTLY. OBVIOUSLY, THE PORT ACQUIRES PROPERTY, OWNS OVER 25,000 ACRES, DOES A LOT OF REZONING, AND ALSO DOES A LOT OF LAND LEASES.
ALSO, I DEAL WITH A LOT OF BUSINESSES, NOT A LOT OF THEM, BUT THREE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT ARE BILLION DOLLAR BUSINESSES.
ULTIMATELY, THIS PORT DOES OVER $300 MILLION A DAY IN REVENUE DIRECTLY, INDIRECTLY. AND THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER, RIGHT? BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, EVEN MYSELF, HAS LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WHAT THE PORT IS AND ISN'T.
THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, EVEN IF I'M NOT ELECTED, IS SEE OUR PORT COMMUNICATING, COLLABORATING.
THE ONLY TIME YOU REALLY SEE PORT COMMISSIONERS IS EITHER WHEN THEY'RE SUMMONED HERE OR AT THE CITY OR AT THE OTHER COUNTY.
RIGHT. YOU DON'T SEE THEM AT EVENTS, YOU DON'T SEE THEM AT FUNCTIONS, WHETHER IT'S SMALL OR BIG.
HAVING THAT COMMUNITY PRESENCE, ELABORATING AND COLLABORATING.
YOU DON'T WANT TO JUST READ ONLINE THAT WE'RE THE NUMBER ONE EXPORT IN THE UNITED STATES AND NUMBER THREE IN THE WORLD.
YOU WANT THAT TO, LIKE, HAVE A LARGE RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY TOUCH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING HERE BECAUSE IT IT CAN PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY. I MEAN, THE AVERAGE SALARY FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY WITH THE PORT IS OVER $128,000.
YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF THAT? AND OBVIOUSLY WHAT IT DOES WITH THE INDUSTRY PARTNERS IS VERY KEY.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT HAS COME WITH WATER.
THAT'S THAT'S OBVIOUSLY THROUGH THE PORT IN THE INDUSTRY AND OBVIOUSLY THROUGH OUR CITY
[00:25:01]
AND COUNTY. BUT I THINK BEING A LAND DEVELOPER AND SOMEBODY THAT HAS A KNOWLEDGE OF LAND COULD BE A KEY ASSET FOR THE PORT.SO APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AMANDA TORRES. JUDGE SCOTT AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS AMANDA TORRES TIFFANY, AND I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY INTEREST IN AND WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON THE PORT COMMISSION.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS, WITH. I HAVE TWO LITTLE GIRLS HERE.
SO I WANT FOR THEM AND FOR ALL OF THE FAMILIES IN THE COASTAL BEND, A STRONG COMMUNITY WITH ROBUST ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
THE PORT IS CENTRAL TO THE ECONOMIC STRENGTH OF THE COASTAL BEND.
IT SUPPORTS GOOD JOBS AND CONNECTS OUR COMMUNITY TO THE WORLD.
I APPLIED BECAUSE I WANT TO OFFER MY PUBLIC SERVICE EXPERIENCE, MY ANALYTICAL SKILLS AND MY COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE TO ADVANCE THE MISSION OF THE PORT. DURING MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE, I HAVE LEARNED THAT COURAGE, INTEGRITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARE NOT IDEALS, BUT ARE IN FACT DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES.
A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE HAS SHAPED MY CAREER AS A PROSECUTOR, A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, A COUNTY COURT AT LAW JUDGE, AND NOW AS AN OFFICER OF THE COURT IN PRIVATE PRACTICE AT BRANSCOMB LAW.
IN MY CURRENT WORK, I ROUTINELY HANDLE COMPLEX ISSUES THAT REQUIRE CAREFUL ANALYSIS, COLLABORATION, AND ETHICAL JUDGMENT.
AS THE MANAGING PARTNER OF BRANSCOMB LAW, A LAW FIRM WITH FOUR OFFICES WITH OFFICES IN FOUR CITIES ACROSS THE STATE, I WAS CHOSEN BY MY FELLOW LAWYERS TO LEAD THIS BUSINESS, AND I WORK CLOSELY WITH THE BOARD AND MY STAFF TO ENSURE THAT THE FIRM'S BUSINESS SUCCEEDS. AND SO I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF A LEADER IS FINDING A WAY TO BALANCE THE MANY DIFFERING INTERESTS THAT ARE AT PLAY IN ANY GIVEN MOMENT. HAVING WORKED IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED EFFECTIVE AND INEFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE.
CLEAR ROLES, ACCOUNTABILITY AND EFFICIENT PROCESSES CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE.
CONVERSELY, INEFFICIENCY, DELAYS AND UNNECESSARY COSTS CAN FRUSTRATE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WHO WE ARE MEANT TO SERVE.
I ALSO BELIEVE STRONGLY IN EFFECTIVE COORDINATION AMONGST OUR LOCAL INSTITUTIONS.
THE PORT DOES NOT OPERATE IN ISOLATION.
ITS SUCCESS DEPENDS ON STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS, PORT INDUSTRIES, LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
IF APPOINTED, I WILL REMEMBER THAT I AM PART OF THE TEAM AND THAT EACH STAFF MEMBER AND COMMISSIONER OFFERS VALUE TO ADVANCING THE PORT'S MISSION.
I WILL CAREFULLY CONSIDER, THOUGHTFULLY DISCUSS, AND EXPERTLY ANALYZE THE DECISIONS OF THE PORT THAT ARE BROUGHT BEFORE ME.
I AM READY TO BRING MY SKILL SET TO THIS COMMISSION AND HELP BUILD UPON THE PORT'S MANY SUCCESSES, LEARN FROM ANY PRIOR MISSTEPS, AND PROMOTE COLLABORATION AND INCLUSION AMONGST VALUABLE STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS COMMUNITY. MY GOAL IS SIMPLY TO HELP THE PORT CONTINUE ITS RECORD OF EXCELLENCE, NOT JUST FOR TODAY, BUT FOR DECADES TO COME.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY APPLICATION.
I'M HONORED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION, WHICH IS CRITICAL NOT ONLY TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT TO THE STATE AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
AND BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH NOMINATIONS AND STUFF, I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO SAY AS WELL.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE TWO LADIES WHO PUBLIC COMMENT WHILE WE ASKED YOU BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T SHE WITHDREW HER NAME.
WE ASKED FOR THEM TO NOT BE DIRECTLY ATTACKING ANYBODY UP HERE DIRECTLY.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FINISH OUT YOUR SPEECHES, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
WE DON'T WANT TO STIFLE ANYBODY'S SPEECH.
I THINK THE IMPORTANT PART IS THAT WE KEEP THE APPOINTEE FROM NUECES COUNTY.
NOT TO HAVE PRIOR EXPERIENCE AND CONNECTIONS WITH THE PORT.
THE WOMAN FROM DEL MAR UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THAT IS ALL IMPORTANT HERE, AND I THINK SHE WOULD BE A WONDERFUL CANDIDATE. I'M SORRY DIANNE GONZALEZ HAS, YOU KNOW, REMOVED HER NAME, BUT SHE REALLY HAS, WITH HARD WORK AND A LOT OF OPPOSITION, CLEANED UP THE PORTS REPUTATION.
I THINK THE WOMAN FROM DEL MAR COULD DO THE SAME.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER HER MOST STRONGLY FOR THIS POSITION BECAUSE EDUCATION AND AS SHE MENTIONED, HER HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE, THOSE ARE THE TWO LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE AREA.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO AND THEN THE PORT ALSO IS IMPORTANT,
[00:30:03]
BUT IT IS NOT ALL IMPORTANT.IT IS NOT THE ONLY INDUSTRY HERE AND IT CAN AFFECT HEALTH AND EDUCATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
MISS ALANIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME BACK? I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT I HOPE THAT THE NEW CANDIDATE IS AS APPROACHABLE AND ACCESSIBLE AS MISS GONZALEZ WAS, AND THAT SHE WILL.
SHE OR HE OR SHE WILL LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITIES AND MAKE SOME TIME TO SPEAK WITH THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO AND I SPOKE TO MISS GONZALEZ THIS MORNING WHEN SHE WITHDREW.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT SHE HAS DONE AND THE WORK SHE HAS DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYTHING SHE DID IN PORT ARANSAS.
I WOULD LIKE TO READ SOME OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS IF YOU ALL WILL ALLOW ME THE COURTESY. DIANE GONZALEZ HAS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING PORT COMMISSIONER, LEADING THE EFFORT TO HIRE A NEW PORT CEO.
SHE SAVED THE PORT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THROUGH ETHICAL REFORMS, WORKING TO PLACE SUPPORTS.
CHECK REGISTER ONLINE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME TO ENSURE THE PUBLIC TRUST AND PROVIDE FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY. AS CHAIR OF THE AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEE, SHE LED THE EFFORT TO BUILD THE FIRST EVER CONTAINER PORT, WHICH, WHEN DEVELOPED, WILL BE THE LARGEST PORT DIVERSIFICATION IN HISTORY AND STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMY OF NUECES COUNTY.
THE COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, LED THE PORT TO ADDRESS THE DELAYED DOCK MAINTENANCE, WITH PORT NOW INVESTING $100 MILLION TO REPAIR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PORT CUSTOMERS. AND COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ ALSO LED THE EFFORT TO RESOLVE OUTSTANDING ISSUES WITH PORT ARANSAS.
AS WE HAVE STATED SEVERAL TIMES TODAY, HELP BRING THAT COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SEAWATER DESALINATION IS TAKEN OFFSHORE.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IT WILL BE OUR INSTRUCTION FOR WHOEVER OUR APPOINTEE IS, TO CONTINUE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND WORK TOGETHER DURING HER TENURE.
THE PORT ALSO COMPLETED THE LARGEST CORPUS CHRISTI SHIP CHANNEL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT IN HISTORY, THE INNER HARBOR CHANNEL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, AND COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
PROUD SERVICE TO THE PORT REPRESENTS 36 OF 100 YEARS THAT A MEMBER OF THE GALVAN FAMILY HAS SERVED ON THE PORT COMMISSION.
HER FAMILY MEMBERS WERE PART OF THE FOUNDING OF THE PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI IN 1926.
AND WE WE ALL, THE COMMISSIONERS COURT UP HERE, WANT TO EXTEND OUR SINCERE THANKS FOR HER SERVICE AND APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE TIME AND THE EFFORT AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT SHE HAS BUILT FOR US.
BUT MOVING ON. WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY AND I WILL NOW ACCEPT NOMINATIONS FROM EACH OF THE COMMISSIONERS UP HERE FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO THE PORT.
COMMISSIONER. PUZZLE. YOU ARE FIRST.
YES. YOUR HONOR. I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE A MANDATORIES.
AND I'D LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THAT NOMINATION WHEN WE'RE DONE.
COMMISSIONER MARTINEZ. AND SO, AS A REMINDER FOR US AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, IF THERE'S A NAME ALREADY SUBMITTED, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO SUBMIT.
OKAY. THEN I WILL NOT ENTER INTO NOMINATION.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, WHAT IS THE NAME OF MOSES MR.? AND COMMISSIONER CHESNEY.
JUDGE. I THINK I'M GOOD AT THIS POINT AND I THINK I AM AS WELL.
SO I WILL CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS.
THE NAMES COMMISSIONER YOU WANTED TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS? YES, YES. THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. JUST REAL QUICKLY.
AND I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK FOR THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS OR THE COUNTY JUDGE, BUT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME.
I DID IT FOR NINE YEARS PRIOR TO THIS TERM ON THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.
I DID IT FOR YEARS ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE WE ALWAYS GET REALLY GREAT APPLICANTS FOR THESE POSITIONS.
AND MANY TIMES WE ONLY HAVE 1 OR 2 POSITIONS TO FILL, AND THOSE ARE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO MAKE.
BUT WE AT THE END OF THE DAY, HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
I, I'VE KNOWN AMANDA TORRES FOR A LONG TIME.
SHE IS A VERY FINE INDIVIDUAL.
SHE SERVED HERE IN THE COUNTY AS A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS,
[00:35:01]
AND HAS ABSOLUTELY SHINED AT EVERYTHING SHE HAS DONE IN THE PAST.AND SO I THINK SHE WILL DO AN EQUALLY SUPERB JOB AS A PORT COMMISSIONER FOR THE FOR THIS AREA. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES. GO AHEAD. SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED WHY DOES THE COMMISSIONERS COURT GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS WHEN OTHER APPOINTING GROUPS DO NOT? I THINK IT IS FOR TRANSPARENCY.
I THINK IT ALLOWS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND SHARE THEIR CONCERNS IN A WAY THAT THEY, THEY CAN SUPPORT THE GENERAL TOPICS AND ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND HOW DOES THAT MATCH UP WITH WITH THESE APPLICANTS? I JUST WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ FOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE ON THE PORT.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT DECISION WAS MADE AND JUST TO UNTIL WALKING INTO COURT WHEN WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL NOTIFICATION.
SO THANKS TO HER FOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE.
FOR ME, WHEN MY PROCESS IS, ESPECIALLY IN SUCH HIGH PROFILE POSITIONS, I GO THROUGH INTERVIEWING THE APPLICANTS AND THOSE THAT ARE HERE TODAY, INCLUDING THE INCUMBENT WHO DID NOT, WHO WITHDREW MISS GONZALEZ.
I MET WITH EACH OF THEM TO SPEND TIME WITH THEM AT LEAST 30 MINUTES, IF NOT MORE. AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT JUST BECAUSE I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT I DID, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND RESEARCH AND OTHER THAN TO SWEAT A A PERFECTLY PRESENTED APPLICATION CAN PROVIDE.
RIGHT? SO FOR ME THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, WE HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS ON THE COURT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTIES AND OF THE LIST THAT WE HAVE AND THOSE THAT I INTERVIEWED, I WOULD SAY, YES, JUST PUT THEM ALL ON RIGHT NOW.
THEY ALL BROUGHT AMAZING BACKGROUNDS.
I AGREE THE WORKFORCE IS IMPORTANT.
I HOPE THAT WHOEVER IS SELECTED TODAY HEARD THE KEY POINTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY THOSE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND ALSO FROM THEIR OTHER FELLOW APPLICANTS, BECAUSE THOSE TOPICS I DON'T THINK ANY OF US ARE ALL INCLUSIVE WITH EVERY SINGLE ISSUE AT HAND THAT WE HAVE IT PERFECTLY GREAT KNOWLEDGE OF IT.
I THINK WE ALL HAVE TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
SO WHOEVER IS SELECTED, I HOPE THAT YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT FROM EVERYONE ELSE, BECAUSE EACH OF THOSE KEYS THAT EVERYONE PRESENTED TODAY ARE EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED IN A PORT COMMISSIONER.
AND I KNOW THAT WE CHALLENGE OUR CURRENT COMMISSIONERS TO THAT.
AND SO THAT'S THAT'S GOING TO BE MY MY REASONING AND THINKING WITH THIS TODAY AMAZING CANDIDATES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR TIME.
AND JUST PUTTING YOUR NAME UP FOR US TO REVIEW HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR US.
BUT I ALSO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT NO MATTER WHO IS SELECTED, WE WILL HAVE A GREAT COMMISSIONER FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL WHO APPLIED.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS YOU WISH TO MAKE? WELL, YEAH, I JUST WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ FOR THE HARD WORK SHE DID, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST TWO YEARS. SHE WENT IN THERE LIKE A BULL AND HEAD ON AND MADE A LOT OF CHANGES. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE A LONG TIME AGO AND SHE WAS A VERY STRONG CANDIDATE.
BUT YOU KNOW, AND WHAT I'VE HEARD TODAY ALSO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, OTHER OTHER STRONG CANDIDATES AND THERE ARE GOOD, STRONG CANDIDATES. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF LOT OF HISTORY, A LOT OF BACKGROUND THAT WE COULD USE IN THE PORT.
COMMISSIONER CHESNEY. JUDGE, I THINK YOU SAID IT ALL FOR THE COURT IN REGARDS TO COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ. SORRY TO SEE HER PULL HER APPLICATION OUT BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO HAVE PEOPLE COME AND PRESENT.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S DONE.
BUT AGAIN, YOU SAID THAT VERY WELL. AND I THINK YOU SPOKE ARTICULATELY ON BEHALF OF THE COURT, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE APPLICANTS FOR ALL THE BOARDS TODAY. THANK YOU. AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ADD TO WHAT EVERYBODY HAS SAID.
WE HAVE SOME AMAZING PEOPLE THAT HAVE APPLIED AND STEPPED UP AND ALL OF OUR APPOINTEES TODAY, AND THESE ARE VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE THAT, THAT I REALLY WISH THAT THESE WERE ELECTED, THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS LIKE THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT CANDIDATES, AND I'VE MET WITH MOST OF YOU AND TALKED TO YOU AND TOLD YOU MY THOUGHTS ON THAT.
BUT WE DO, AND THAT IS OUR JOB.
THAT'S WHAT WE GOT ELECTED TO DO HERE AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
SO AND MOVING FORWARD, LET ME JUST CLARIFY THAT IN THE VOTING PROCESS, EACH COMMISSIONER, WHEN A COURT MEMBER WILL BE ALLOWED EITHER 1 OR 2 VOTES FOR THE CANDIDATE OF THE HAS TO BE A SEPARATE CANDIDATE.
SO WE HAVE TWO CANDIDATES THAT MIGHT GET KIND OF TRICKY HERE, BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO USE BOTH OF YOUR VOTES.
YOU CAN VOTE FOR ONE PERSON AND MOVE ON, BUT YOU DO HAVE TWO VOTES.
SO IF WE ARE READY TO PROCEED AND NO ONE HAS ANY OTHER COMMENTS, I WILL CALL ON COMMISSIONER DOWN THERE FOR YOUR.
[00:40:03]
YES, AMANDA TORRES, COMMISSIONER MARTINEZ, AMANDA TORRES COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, GO FIRST. OKAY.THANK YOU. WE'LL GO DOWN THE LINE.
AMANDA TORRES WELL, MINE WITH MR. GARCIA, BUT I GUESS SHE'S ALREADY GOT THREE, SO I'LL TAKE A MANDATORY COMMISSIONER CHESNEY. TORRES AND MR. GASSY. SO OUR TOTAL IS YOU HAVE TWO.
YES. AND MOSES, THANK YOU AS WELL, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS ABOUT THAT AS WELL, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE VOTE IS 5 TO 2.
AND AMANDA TORRES IS OUR NEW APPOINTEE.
TO ONE WHERE THERE IS UNCLEAR.
WE'LL SEE. AND THE MEETING IF THEY DO.
YEAH. THEY DIDN'T SEND ME THE PAPERWORK, SO PROBABLY NOT.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HUSBAND BEING HERE AS WELL TOO. WE APPRECIATE
[2. Christus Spohn Board of Trustees]
IT. AND ALL THE CANDIDATES AS WELL.CHRISTA SPAHN, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND WE HAVE CINDY BARRERA COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. AND LET ME CLARIFY TO EVERYONE HERE, WHILE WE'RE ALLOWING THE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T HERE, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THAT AS THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN IT.
WE CHANGED OUR MEETING AT THE LAST MINUTE AND THIS IS THE HOLIDAYS AND PEOPLE HAD PLANS AND COULD NOT BE HERE. SO THAT IS NOT A REFLECTION OF THEIR INTENT OR INTEREST IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. SHE IS NOT HERE.
SO THERE ARE NO SPEECHES OR ANYTHING FROM ANYONE.
I GUESS WE WILL GO STRAIGHT INTO THE NOMINATIONS.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE CINDY PEREIRA.
COMMISSIONER. SAME MYSELF IS THE SAME COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ PEREIRA.
COMMISSIONER SAME. WE HAVE ONE NOMINEE, AND THERE'S NO REASON FOR THE VOTES.
SO. CINDY BARRERA BY UNANIMOUS ACCLAMATION AS WELL.
BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE WE CHANGED OUR MEETING.
FOR THE RECORD, WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ONE NOMINEE.
SO THERE'S FIVE OF US. EVERYBODY SAID THE SAME.
SO WE CAN CALL IT OUT IF YOU WANT TO DO AN OFFICIAL VOTE.
COMMISSIONER WESLEY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
I COMMISSIONER I OR THE NAME? IT'S FINE. THERE'S ONLY ONE NAME MYSELF.
YES. JUST TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL AND NO CONFUSION ANYWHERE OR ANYTHING.
MOVING ON TO THE CORPUS CHRISTI RTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
[3. Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority Board of Directors]
AND WE HAVE THREE LETTERS OF INTENT AND ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR OTHER APPLICANTS.SO I AM GOING TO START FROM THE BEGINNING.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK BEFORE WE BRING IT UP.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE JUDGE? GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS LIN.
ALISON, 410 MIRAMAR PLACE, PRECINCT THREE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I'M GOING TO GO BACKWARDS FROM FROM MY CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE IMPACT.
I FEEL AS IF THAT I'VE HAD ON THIS BOARD.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS THAT I'VE WORKED WITH.
WE'VE HAD A REALLY TREMENDOUS BOARD, HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME SOME INTERESTING TURMOIL BETWEEN COVID HAVING TO DO A NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR A NEW CEO COLLABORATE ON PURSUING SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL GRANTS AND PURSUING AN AGGRESSIVE STATE 88 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. SO REALLY WANT TO THANK THE FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS THAT I WORK WITH AND WHAT A GREAT TEAM EFFORT IT'S BEEN, AND JUST THE DIVERSITY OF OPINIONS THAT WE ALL BRING. I THINK ATTENDANCE SHOULD BE A CONSIDERATION AS BOARD SECRETARY AND AS THE BOARD APPOINTED LEGISLATOR OR THE CHAIRMAN APPOINTED LEGISLATIVE CHAIRWOMAN.
ATTENDANCE TO THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND TO THE IN PERSON REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT. AND I THINK MY ATTENDANCE RECORD STRONGLY REFLECTS THAT.
[00:45:04]
I ALSO WANT TO GO BACK AND JUST POINT OUT THE TREMENDOUS HONOR IT'S BEEN FOR ME.SO OUR CUSTOMER BASE, OUR WRITERS UNDERSTANDING THE REACH WE HAVE AND WHAT AN 880 SQUARE MILE SERVICE AREA MEANS TO MORE SO THE RURAL COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES THAN THE HIGHLY DENSELY POPULATED AREAS, THE OUTLYING AREAS THAT WE SERVE FROM THE FAR REACHES OF PORT ARANSAS TO BISHOP, TEXAS GETTING TO KNOW OUR OPERATORS AND THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPECT FOR THE HOURS THAT THEY HAVE, IN THE WAY THEY TREAT OUR CLIENTS AND OUR CUSTOMERS IS SOMETHING THAT CERTAINLY HAS RESONATED WITH ME OVER THE YEARS.
I CANNOT CLAIM TO RIDE OUR ROUTES ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT CERTAINLY HAVE LEARNED THE EFFICIENCY WHEN I'VE PARKED IN A PASSENGER FOR SPECIAL EVENTS AND THE FEW TIMES I HAVE RIDDEN ON A FIXED ROUTE.
I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
I AM REQUESTING A FINAL APPOINTMENT IN A FOURTH TERM HERE BASED ON ACHIEVEMENTS AS LEGISLATIVE CHAIRWOMAN.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, ACHIEVING NEARLY A $50 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS WAS NO SMALL TASK THAT WE'VE COLLECTIVELY WORKED ON AND HAVE A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES STILL TO OVERSEE THAT TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS EXPECTED AS AS WE FUND THE FUTURE OPERATING FACILITY MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
AND ALSO JUST TOUCHING ON THE STATE AFFAIRS PROGRAM THAT WE'VE HAD AND THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IN ACHIEVING, YOU KNOW, MORE FOR OUR WRITERS, MORE FOR OUR SERVICE AREA AND HOW TO BECOME MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO BATTLING INSURANCE RATES. I'M ALMOST OUT OF TIME, SO I COULD GO ON.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
GOOD MORNING. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M ANA JIMENEZ, AND I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING ON THE BOARD SINCE 2019.
I WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED BY MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO SERVE AS VICE CHAIR AND APPOINTED CHAIR OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
I BELIEVE TRANSPORTATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL EQUALIZER IN OUR COMMUNITY.
EVERY DAY, THOUSANDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS DEPEND ON THE CRTA TO GET TO WORK, MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS AND TO SCHOOL.
WHEN I SEE OUR BUSSES ROLLING THROUGH THE STREETS OF NUECES COUNTY, I CAN'T HELP BUT SMILE BECAUSE I SEE OPPORTUNITY IN MOTION.
STUDENTS ARE REACHING THEIR DREAMS. WORKERS SUPPORTING THEIR FAMILIES AND SENIORS MAINTAINING THEIR INDEPENDENCE.
MY COMMITMENT TO THIS BOARD IS PERSONAL.
AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN SOUTH TEXAS, I KNOW THAT RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPPORTUNITY AND ISOLATION.
WHEN WE PROVIDE FREE RIDES FOR PRE-K THROUGH 12TH GRADE STUDENTS, WE ARE NOT JUST MOVING BODIES, WE'RE MOVING FUTURES FORWARD.
AND PARTICULARLY PROUD OF OUR SUCCESS IN SECURING $46.2 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR OUR NEW BEAR LANE MAINTENANCE FACILITY REPLACEMENT.
THIS NEARLY 50 YEAR OLD FACILITY WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO A MODERN MAINTENANCE FACILITY THAT WILL SERVE OUR FLEET AND COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
LOOKING FORWARD, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND ROUTES TO CONNECT RESIDENTS WITH MAJOR EMPLOYMENT CENTERS, MEDICAL FACILITIES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
WE MUST ALSO MAINTAIN OUR COMMITMENT TO FREE AND REDUCED FARE PROGRAMS TO MAKE TRANSIT ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL. IT'S ABOUT THAT SINGLE MOTHER WHO CAN NOW ACCEPT THE JOB ACROSS TOWN BECAUSE SHE KNOWS HER CHILDREN CAN GET TO SCHOOL SAFELY.
IT'S ABOUT SEEING, A SENIOR CITIZEN WHO MAINTAINS INDEPENDENCE BECAUSE THEY CAN REACH THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS.
IT'S ABOUT THE STUDENT WHO CAN NOW ATTEND COLLEGE BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION IS NO LONGER A BARRIER. AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I WANT TO BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT MAINTAINING THE HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARDS MEANS THAT I HAVE NEVER OR WILL NEVER PURSUE, PURSUE ANY BUSINESS OR CONTRACTS WITH THE CRA WHILE SERVING ON THIS BOARD.
THIS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO ETHICS ENSURES THAT EVERY DECISION I MAKE IS SOLELY IN THE PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST, FREE FROM ANY PERSONAL FINANCIAL GAINS.
ADDITIONALLY, I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THAT I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED INTO THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-KINGSVILLE, CONTINUING MY LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION AND SERVICE.
THIS ADVANCED STUDY WILL DEEPEN MY UNDERSTANDING OF PUBLIC POLICY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ALLOWING ME TO BRING EVIDENCE BASED INSIGHTS AND RESEARCH INTO OUR BOARDS WORK. IN CLOSING, THE CSTA ISN'T JUST A TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
WE'RE A BRIDGE TO OPPORTUNITY, A PATHWAY TO INDEPENDENCE, AND A VITAL CONNECTION THAT STRENGTHENS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
I'M HONORED TO SERVE BECAUSE I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW OUR WORK CHANGES LIVES.
EVERY ROUTE WE RUN, EVERY STOP WE IMPROVE, EVERY STUDENT WHO RIDES FREE REPRESENTS OUR INVESTMENT IN NUECES COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST, YOUR SUPPORT, AND YOUR PRIVILEGE FOR SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. HAVE A BLESSED DAY.
[00:50:03]
COUNTY JUDGE. COMMISSIONERS.THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS MORNING. MY NAME IS AARON MUNOZ. I'M A LOCAL ATTORNEY AND A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
I LIVE AT 2961 RIVERCREST ROAD HERE IN CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS. AND 2022, YOU ALL APPOINTED ME TO FILL AN UNEXPIRED TERM.
I QUICKLY LEARNED THAT THE REVENUE THAT RTA RECEIVES IS PREDOMINANTLY FROM SALES TAX AND FEDERAL FUNDING, SO NOT REALLY MUCH YOU CAN KIND OF DO ABOUT SALES TAX UNLESS YOU ALL WANT TO BUY A YACHT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE YOU TO.
SO WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A BIGGER OF A BUDGET.
BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AT THE TIME.
SO I ENCOURAGE OUR CHAIRMAN AT THE TIME, CHAIRMAN LEYENDECKER, TO TO START LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE OURSELVES HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A PRESENCE IN IN DC. AND SO HE SAID, YEAH, OF COURSE YOU CAN DO IT.
IT'S A LOT OF WORK. AND SINCE IT'S A LOT OF WORK, YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE CHAIRMAN. SO THAT THAT WAS QUICKLY MY, THE, THE, THE FIRST THING THAT I WAS ABLE TO TO DO WITH THE RTA AND, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE IN DC LEGISLATORS IN AUSTIN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO YOU KNOW, PURSUE BIG FEDERAL GRANTS, YOU KNOW, CHANGE SOME, SOME LAWS THAT WERE AT THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE WE'RE OBVIOUSLY UNDER THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE. AND, YOU KNOW, DURING THAT TIME AND, YOU KNOW, I NO LONGER SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, CHAIRWOMAN ALLISON HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HER ON THAT. AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS LAST SESSION AT THE STATE OF TEXAS WAS WE WERE ABLE TO TO GET OUR CNG TAX REMOVED WHENEVER WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY. AND WE, WE, WE HELP OTHER AGENCIES OUT, WHICH IS A HUGE PLUS FOR US FROM OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT RTA IS ONE OF TWO TRANSIT AGENCIES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THAT HAS AN OFFICIAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ROLE.
US. AND I FORGET WHAT IT IS OUT OF NEW YORK CITY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE THERE RECENTLY AT THE TEXAS STATE CAPITOL, REPRESENTATIVE VILLALOBOS HELPED PASS SOME LEGISLATION THAT WAS ALSO THERE.
WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF STAVE OFF SOME OTHER LEGISLATORS THAT WANTED TO ATTACH SOME THINGS TO OUR BILL THAT COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY KILLED IT. SO MYSELF AND SOME OTHER MEMBERS WERE UP THERE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND AS HAS BEEN STATED BEFORE, IN THE LAST 15 MONTHS, WE'VE SECURED OVER $60 MILLION FOR THE RTA, $8 MILLION FOR NEW BUSSES.
I HOPE YOU'VE SEEN THEM DRIVING AROUND THE GREEN AND BLUE COLOR SCHEME, WHICH I THINK IS SUPER AWESOME.
AS WELL AS $1.9 MILLION TO FINISH OUT THE ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING DESIGN ON OUR MAINTENANCE FACILITY, WHICH I CHALLENGED OUR BOARD MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND DO. I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THAT MONEY FROM RESERVES.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE MONEY FOR THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY, WHICH WE WILL NOW HAVE A WORLD CLASS MAINTENANCE FACILITY, NOT ONLY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT FOR FOR OUR RIDERS AND AT NO NEW DEBT.
RIGHT. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE TAKING OUT ANY BONDS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND SO ALL OF THAT MONEY IS COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL HERE.
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO LET MY RECORD SPEAK FOR ITSELF.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AND I HOPE TO EARN YOUR YOUR VOTE TO BE REAPPOINTED.
AND. JAVIER HUERTA COULD NOT BE HERE.
AND HE SENT SOME COMMENTS THAT I TOLD HIM I WOULD READ.
AS I STATED BEFORE, BECAUSE WE CHANGED THE MEETING AND HE HAD A FLIGHT HE HAD TO CATCH.
SO I WILL READ HIS COMMENTS FOR HIM.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY INTEREST IN SERVING ON THE CORPUS CHRISTI REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD.
I REGRET THAT I'M UNABLE TO BE PRESENT IN PERSON TODAY, AS I AM CURRENTLY OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY CARING FOR MY MOTHER IN LAW. I APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF CORPUS CHRISTI FOR 43 YEARS AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM COLLEGE IN AUGUST OF 1996.
I HAVE DEDICATED THE PAST 29 YEARS TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
THROUGHOUT THIS TIME, I HAVE WORKED WITH CLC ARCHITECTS, WHERE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN MORE THAN 500 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE HAS STRENGTHENED MY DESIRE TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO GROW WHILE MAKING THOUGHTFUL, RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENTS IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. MY COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE INCLUDES SERVING THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI AS PLANNING COMMISSIONER FROM 2007 TO 11, DURING WHICH TIME I SERVED AS BOTH VICE CHAIR AND CHAIR.
WHILE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE DEVELOPED THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE THAT CONTINUES TO GUIDE ALL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
FOLLOWING THAT SERVICE, I WAS ELECTED TO THE LONDON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES, WHERE I SERVED FROM 2012 TO 2018.
DURING MY TENURE, I HELPED GUIDE THE DISTRICT'S TRANSITION FROM A SMALL, RURAL K-8 DISTRICT OF APPROXIMATELY APPROXIMATELY 250 STUDENTS TO A THRIVING K THROUGH 12 DISTRICT, SERVING MORE THAN 900 STUDENTS,
[00:55:04]
INCLUDING THE SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF BOND ELECTIONS FOR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS IN 2015 TO 16, I WAS HONORED TO SERVE AS VICE CHAIR OF THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS TASKED WITH REVIEWING STREET IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES AND PROCUREMENT METHODS. THE WORK OF THIS COMMITTEE RESULTED IN THE RESIDENTIAL STREET REPAIR PROGRAM THAT IS STILL IN USE TODAY.I'VE ALSO SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE CORPUS CHRISTI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FROM 2012 TO 16, DURING WHICH TIME WE WORKED COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE HISPANIC CHAMBER TO FORM THE UNITED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
CURRENTLY, I SERVE AS A BOARD MEMBER FOR AGAPE RANCH AND AS A TRUSTEE AND DEACON AT YORKTOWN BAPTIST CHURCH.
THESE ROLES CONTINUE TO REINFORCE MY COMMITMENT TO SERVICE, STEWARDSHIP, AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
I BELIEVE MY BACKGROUND IN ARCHITECTURE, URBAN PLANNING, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND BOND ELECTIONS WOULD ALLOW ME TO BRING A VALUABLE AND INFORMED PERSPECTIVE TO THE CORPUS CHRISTI RTA BOARD.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT MY EXPERIENCE WOULD ENABLE ME TO CONTRIBUTE MEANINGFULLY TO DISCUSSIONS REGARDING TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, PROCUREMENT PRACTICES, AND THE RESPONSIBLE USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
ALL IN SUPPORT OF PROVIDING THE SERVICES OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. I'D BE HONORED TO CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN THIS CAPACITY.
ROLAND LONGORIA. IS HE NOT HERE? HE DIDN'T SEND A LETTER OR ANYTHING, EITHER.
GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY JUDGE. MY NAME IS DAVID MOTTAGHI.
I'M HERE SEEKING THE APPOINTMENT FOR THE RTA BOARD.
I AM BORN AND RAISED IN CORPUS CHRISTI.
SOME OF THE PAST BOARDS THAT I HAVE BEEN ON, I WAS ON MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL BOARD AT SAINT JAMES FOR SIX YEARS. I WAS ON THE BOARD OF NATIONAL BANK AND TRUST OUT OF LAGRANGE.
AND I ALSO SERVED AS PLANNING COMMISSIONER FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS UNTIL I WITHDREW MY NAME TO RUN FOR COUNCIL.
TO ME, THE RTA IS NOT JUST ABOUT MOVING BUSSES AND MANAGING THE 30 PLUS ROUTES.
IT'S ABOUT CONNECTING PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITY AND MAINTAINING THEIR DIGNITY.
AS WE KNOW, THE RTA IS USED BY STUDENTS AND TO GO TO COLLEGE TO GO TO SCHOOL.
IT'S USED BY SENIORS TO MAINTAIN THEIR MOBILITY AROUND TOWN INDEPENDENTLY.
AND VISITORS EXPERIENCE OUR CITY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
GROWING UP HERE MYSELF, I USED RTA A FEW TIMES WHEN MY PARENTS COULDN'T PICK ME UP FROM SCHOOL AND IT WAS DEFINITELY A CAME IN CLUTCH.
MAINTAINING A RELIABLE, ACCESSIBLE AND FORWARD THINKING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL FOR ALL THOSE THAT USE RTA.
A SUCCESSFUL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM SHOULD REDUCE BARRIERS AND NOT CREATE THEM.
I WANT TO HELP ENSURE OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK MEETS THE NEEDS OF TODAY, WHILE ALSO PREPARING US FOR THE CHALLENGES OF TOMORROW. I'M MOTIVATED BY A STRONG SENSE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
EVERY DOLLAR SPENT SHOULD ADVANCE SAFETY, EFFICIENCY, AND SERVICE QUALITY FOR THOSE WHO RELY ON THE RTA.
EVERY DAY THE RTA DOES NOT OPERATE IN ISOLATION AS A BOARD MEMBER.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CITY, COUNTY, OTHER. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE PUBLIC TO MAINTAIN A TOP TIER TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. THE FUTURE SUCCESS OF THE RTA WILL RELY ON INCREASED RIDERSHIP AND LONG TERM PLANNING, SUCH AS THE NEW 85,000 SQUARE FOOT STATE OF THE ART MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, I WILL WORK ALONGSIDE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO SUPPORT A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT'S RELIABLE, EQUITABLE, AND WORTHY OF THE COASTAL BEND COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR COMMENTS FROM THE APPLICANTS.
WE HAVE ONE MORE. WE HAVE ONE MORE.
OH, SUSIE, WHY ARE YOU NOT ON MY LIST? OH, IT'S ON THE BACK. THE BACK OF THE SHEET.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SUSIE LUNA SALDANA, AND I COME TO YOU WITH A SIMPLE AND URGENT REQUEST. I ASKED IT FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO REPRESENT THE WRITERS OF CORPUS CHRISTI.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD SO MANY THINGS FOR SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE HERE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M LOOKING AT IS THAT THERE'S NO ONE THAT ACTUALLY REPRESENTS THE WRITERS. I HAVE BEEN ASKED BY PEOPLE AT HEB AND WALMART, WILL YOU SPEAK FOR US? AND YOU HAVE GOOD PEOPLE ON THE BOARD.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT THEIR FINANCES, THE BUDGETS, THE PRIORITIES.
THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR MAINTENANCE BUILDING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE CRITICAL PART MISSING.
AND THAT CRITICAL PART IS THE WRITERS, THE PEOPLE THAT USE THE BUSSES EVERY DAY.
[01:00:01]
THOSE WHO HAVE ASKED ME TO COME TO YOU AND ASK TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD, MY IDEA IS NOT TO COME HERE FOR PRIVILEGED POSITION OR POWER.I'VE SERVED ON NATIONAL STATE BOARDS.
I'VE SERVED ON ALL KINDS OF BOARDS, INCLUDING CRIME CONTROL, AND I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE THEIR PRESIDENT FOR SEVEN YEARS.
I'VE SERVED ON MANY COMMITTEES, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU WHEN YOU MAKE THE DECISION, YOU THINK ABOUT THE WRITERS AND WHAT WILL BENEFIT THEM.
YOU HAVEN'T HEARD I WROTE THE BUS TO WORK.
I STILL WRITE THE BUS SO THAT I CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM, WHERE I HEAR THEIR CONCERNS AND THE FACT THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY'RE UNHURT.
THE FACT THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING LISTENED TO.
AND LET ME TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I WASN'T VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO BE PUT ON ONE OF THESE BOARDS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT MONEY. IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE.
THE PEOPLE THAT NEED YOUR HELP.
THE PEOPLE THAT NEED FOR YOU TO MAKE A DECISION FOR THEM.
THERE HASN'T BEEN A TRUE ADVOCATE SINCE ABEL ALONSO.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER MY CANDIDACY FOR THE RTA.
I KNOW THAT THE BOATS WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE THERE.
BUT I'M ASKING YOU THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO REPRESENT THEM. I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE A BOLD STEP, AND I HOPE THAT YOU DO.
THANK YOU. AND I'M SORRY I ALMOST MISSED YOU ON THE LIST.
YES. ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME GREAT CANDIDATES HERE, AND WE'RE FACED WITH DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO MAKE, BUT THAT IS WHAT WE GOT ELECTED TO DO AGAIN.
I WILL STATE, AND I'M JUST SO HONORED AND SO PRIVILEGED, THAT WE HAVE THE CALIBER OF PEOPLE SIGNING UP AND WANTING TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY, AND IT TRULY IS A DEDICATION TO THIS COMMUNITY TO WANT TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.
WE HOPE THAT WHOEVER YOU ARE THAT WE SELECT TODAY AND ALL OF OUR CANDIDATES, THAT YOU TAKE THAT ROLE SERIOUSLY.
AND AS ONE PERSON STATED IN HER COMMENTS, YOU ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS, YOU MAKE THOSE A PRIORITY ON YOUR LIST.
BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE CHALLENGES EVERY DAY AND PRIORITIES AND FAMILY.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I HAVE MEETINGS GALORE. SO BUT WE APPRECIATE THE THE NAMES.
WE APPRECIATE THE OFFER FOR SERVICE.
AND I GUESS IF PEYTON IS READY, WE WILL START OUR SELECTION OF NOMINEES.
I HAVE A QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF PEYTON KNOWS TARA OR WE HAVE THE DEREK HERE.
OUR COUNTY POSITIONS. THOSE ARE NOT SPECIFIC, RIGHT? THE CITY HAS A DESIGNATED RIDER POSITION.
IS THAT. CAN WE GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT? THE COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC.
AND EVEN WITH THE CITIES, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS NECESSARILY FORMALITY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY THEY CHOSE TO VOTE ON AND HAVE ONE THAT REPRESENTED THE DISABLED COMMUNITY.
OKAY. MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT UP FOR CONSIDERATION AT ANOTHER TIME OR SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP. IT WAS EXCELLENT POINT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
SO COMMISSIONER ARE WE GOING TO THERE'S THREE.
DO WE JUST DO HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THE VOTE FOR TWO? WE ARE. WE ARE GOING TO COME BACK AND DO THE THIRD ONE OR WHAT WE WILL NOMINATE.
EACH OF US WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOMINATE ONE PERSON.
IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE VOTE GOES.
IF WE HAVE TIES ALL THE WAY AROUND, THE PEOPLE THAT TIE WILL GO TO THE NEXT ROUND. IF WE STILL HAVE AN OPEN POSITION, WE'LL GO TO A THIRD ROUND AND CONTINUE UNTIL WHOEVER OR HOW MANY PEOPLE GET THE THREE VOTES NECESSARY FOR THE POSITION TO BE APPOINTED. OKAY, SO WE'RE STILL DOING THE TWO.
YES, TWO. YOU HAVE TWO VOTES THAT YOU HAVE ONE NAME YOU CAN PUT ON THE BOARD, BUT YOU HAVE TWO VOTES WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR NAME TO VOTE, JUST LIKE THE LAST TIME.
RIGHT NOW YOU COULD SAY TWO PEOPLE, RIGHT? I MEAN, I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE ONE NAME YOU CAN CALL TO BE PUT ON THE BOARD.
OKAY. OH, WELL, I WAS ON A JIMENEZ THEN FOR COMMISSIONER.
YES. COMMISSIONER. DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GO NEXT THEN? SORRY. JAVIER HUERTA, JAVIER HUERTA COMMISSIONER.
KESLEY. YEAH. THIS IS DIFFICULT.
[01:05:03]
I THINK WE SHOULD ALL HAVE. JAVAD MOTTAGHI.COMMISSIONER. I HAVE TWO NAMES. WHO ARE YOU GOING TO PUT? THE NAMES ARE AARON MUNOZ.
YES. OKAY. AND THEN MY NAME IS LYNN ALLISON.
SO NOW WE GO TO THE FIRST ROUND.
WE'LL JUST GO DOWN THE LINE AND COMMISSIONER.
YOU HAVE TWO NAMES YOU CAN SELECT FROM THE LIST OF THE FIVE NAMES.
TWO. OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE BOTH.
YOU CAN ONLY SELECT ONE IF YOU WANT NAMES.
THERE'S FIVE. I CAN'T SEE THE FIFTH ONE.
CAN YOU PULL THAT UP A LITTLE BIT BETTER? YES. OKAY. OKAY, I GOT IT.
RIGHT? YES. OKAY, WELL, I'M GOING TO VOTE.
ONE VOTE FOR THE THE GUY NOMINATED, WHICH IS JOHN MONTAGUE.
HOW DID WE LET OUR POLICY GET TO THIS? WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THREE VOTES. I MEAN, YES, DO WHAT? WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THREE VOTES. I MEAN, I JUST THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. JUST IN THREE. YOU KNOW, I, I TOTALLY AGREE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THREE APPOINTMENTS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE CONFUSING AND DIFFERENT. IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING WE MAY HAVE TO READDRESS AND BRING BACK, BUT THIS IS WHAT OUR POLICY SAYS RIGHT NOW.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE VOTED ON UNINTENTIONALLY FOR EVERYONE OUT THERE.
LET ME BE CLEAR. I GUESS WE CAN DO THREE BECAUSE THERE'S MORE. THERE'S MORE THAN THREE.
I MEAN, WE HAVE THREE OR MORE.
I GUESS IF EVERYBODY CAN, WE MIGHT SPEAK INTO YOUR MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT BETTER. SO. YEAH. IS THIS GOING TO BE THE SAME THING ON THE NEXT ONE TO THE NEXT THREE? THE NEXT THREE? I GUESS IF WE WANT TO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO A SECOND ROUND.
AND I'M NOT TRYING TO CONFUSE ANYTHING OR CHANGE THINGS UP, BUT I MEAN, IF WE GO TO THREE, I DON'T I MEAN, I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO. IT'S NOT ON THERE TO ADDRESS THE POLICY.
THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WILL HAVE TO LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO IN THAT ASPECT. I AM GOING TO RELY UPON HER. I THINK THAT'S YOUR CUE.
JENNY, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WELL.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE ON THE NEXT ONE AS WELL AS WELL.
BUT NEXT THREE, NEXT THREE APPOINTMENTS.
YOUR MICROPHONE DIDN'T TURN ON JENNY.
ARE Y'ALL'S MICROPHONES NOT PLUGGED IN OR TURNED ON? YOURS WORKS. CONNIE. YES, CONNIE.
SO IN ORDER TO ADVISE THE COURT, I'M GOING TO NEED SOMEONE TO ARTICULATE FOR ME AND MY OFFICE EXACTLY WHAT THE QUESTION IS.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU DON'T BELIEVE THE SYSTEM HERE WILL PROVIDE AN OUTCOME THAT IS CLEAR? NO, IT WILL PROVIDE AN OUTCOME.
IT WILL JUST TAKE ANOTHER ANOTHER ROUND.
OKAY. WELL, I THINK THAT WAS ANTICIPATED BY THE PROCESS.
SO YOU SEE FIRST NOW WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO VOTES.
WE'RE GOING TO MENTION ONLY ONE PERSON.
SO WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TWO VOTES. NOW WE'RE SAYING WE ONLY HAVE ONE VOTE. SO NOW THAT'S FOR THE NOMINATION PORTION.
COMMISSIONER YOU HAVE ONE NOMINATION AND THEN THE VOTES ARE A SEPARATE MATTER.
YES. BUT THAT'S NOT TWO PEOPLE.
NO WE DIDN'T. NO, WE HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO NAME TWO PEOPLE.
BUT TWO VOTES. YES. WHEN WHEN YOU BOTH WERE VOTING, YOU WERE VOTING, NOT NOMINATING.
RIGHT? YES. SO YOU WERE VOTING.
YOU WERE USING YOUR TWO VOTES FOR THE TWO PEOPLE THERE.
BUT THE NOMINATIONS WERE A DIFFERENT MATTER.
WE COME TO VOTE, WE HAVE TO CORRECT? YES. WHICH YOU MUST USE ON DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
YES. OKAY. SO. BUT YOU'VE GOT THREE POSITIONS NOW INSTEAD OF TWO.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER ROUND.
[01:10:02]
IF I COME BACK AROUND AGAIN AND START OVER, YOU WILL HAVE ROUNDS UNTIL YOU HAVE A RESULT.YES. YES. COMMISSIONER DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR ARE YOU READY TO CAST YOUR VOTE OR ARE YOU? YES. AND JUDGE, I SHARED THIS WITH YOU BEFORE, BUT MY ISSUE HERE IS THERE ARE EIGHT PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS.
AND THE WAY OUR POLICY STANDS NOW, EACH OF US MAKES ONE NOMINATION.
SO IF WE ALL PICKED FIVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHICH WE JUST DID, WHICH WE JUST. WELL WE, WE JUST DID THIS THIS ROUND.
OKAY. YES. THAT LEAVES THREE PEOPLE, THAT ONE OF WHICH I MIGHT WANT TO NOMINATE.
I MEAN, THERE'S THREE POSITIONS.
IT JUST SEEMS TO ME LIKE WE OUGHT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR THE THREE PEOPLE THAT WE EACH WANT. AND THAT'S THE WAY IT'S IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE EVERY TIME I'VE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROCESS. WELL, CAN WE CAN WE MAKE A MOTION TO CHANGE THIS OR TO SUSPEND THE POLICY FOR THE THREE SINCE WE HAVE THREE? I DON'T KNOW, I WAS LIKE, BUT THIS IS THE REASON IT IS IN PLACE IS BECAUSE WE VOTED ON A POLICY THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, INCLUDING THREE. MAYBE WE NEVER FULLY IMPLEMENTED IT INTO THE POLICY.
BUT TO CHANGE THE RULES MIDWAY, I WOULD ASK THE COURT TO GIVE ME SOME TIME TO ACTUALLY RESEARCH THAT THAT IS THAT CARRIES WITH IT CERTAIN THINGS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ANSWERED. NO ONE EVER MADE A MOTION TO CHANGE THE POLICY.
WE JUST DISCUSSED IT, AND NO ONE MADE A MOTION DURING ALL THE DISCUSSION TO TO CHANGE.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. I DON'T SUSPEND AND COME BACK LATER OR WHATEVER AND THINK ABOUT IT. NEXT ONE IS THE SAME THING.
SO WE MIGHT AS WELL DO A RECESS IF YOU WANT TO GET HER TO CHECK ON THE AUTHORITY FOR THAT, BECAUSE THE NEXT THE LAST VOTE.
BUT THE REASON THIS IS IN PLACE IS BECAUSE WE VOTED ON A POLICY THE NEXT THE NEXT TWO ARE THE SAME THING. IT'LL BE THREE OF THEM. OKAY, THEN, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THAT QUESTION, I'M GOING TO NEED SOMEONE TO ARTICULATE IN WRITING, PLEASE, THE CHANGE THAT IS ANTICIPATED AND EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS AND WHAT THAT ENTAILS.
I, WE CAN'T PROVIDE YOU SUSPEND SUSPEND THE POLICY OR THE RULES AND ALLOW THE COURT TO HAVE THREE VOTES RATHER THAN 3 OR 2 NAMES.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID OR ARE THREE VOTES THAT INCLUDE NOMINATIONS OR JUST VOTE NO.
I MEAN, I'M SURE WE MADE NOMINATIONS.
I THINK THAT THAT PART IS ESTABLISHED.
BUT IN CASES WHERE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE APPOINTMENTS, MULTIPLE VACANCIES, YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT MANY VOTES.
THERE WERE TEN VACANCIES. YOU SHOULD HAVE TEN VOTES, NOT JUST TWO.
AGAIN, COMMISSIONER, IF YOU CAN FLESH THAT OUT IN WRITING WITH AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE, THAT GETS YOU THE RESULTS YOU WANT.
I THINK WHAT HE'S SAYING IS, I THINK I THINK YOU'RE SAYING THE FIVE NOMINATIONS, WE SHOULD HAVE THREE VOTES ON THE FIVE PEOPLE THAT ARE UP, RIGHT? COMMISSIONER IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING? I'M JUST ASKING. NOMINATE THREE PEOPLE.
ARE YOU ABLE TO NOMINATE UP TO THREE JUDGES? UP TO THREE PEOPLE. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT THAT COMPLETE PROCESS BE FLESHED OUT TO ITS END WITH MULTIPLE CASES WHERE YOU HAVE.
WE WON'T GET THAT DONE IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES.
OKAY. SO HOW HOW WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO WRITE? WE HAVE TO GIVE YOU DIRECTION. SO, COMMISSIONER, WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING IS. AND COMMISSIONER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT POLICY.
WOW. COMMISSIONER GOVERNMENT INACTION.
THE CURRENT POLICY AND ALLOW THE COURT.
FOR HE'S COMMISSIONER. EACH MEMBER I'LL PUT PARENTHESES.
VOTE FOR. TO NOMINATE OR NOMINATE.
NOT TO NOMINATE. WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT I THINK THAT THERE'S THREE PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR. SO YOU WANT THEM VACANCIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
YOU WANT US TO VOTE FOR ALL YOU WANT US TO VOTE FOR THREE OF THE FIVE RIGHT NOW. IS THAT RIGHT? THREE. THERE'S THREE VACANCIES. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR UP TO THREE IF WE DON'T WANT TO. IT'S LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE RACE, YOU CAN VOTE FOR ONE, 2 OR 3.
SO YOU WON. BUT WE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST UP TO JUST CHANGING THE THREE VOTES INSTEAD OF THE NOMINATIONS. IF THERE ARE THREE VACANCIES, YOU CAN VOTE FOR THREE PEOPLE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, BUT YOU COULD VOTE FOR THREE AS WHAT HE'S ASKING.
SO YOU ARE STILL CONTENT TO NOMINATE ONE PERSON? YES. YEAH. THIS IS BEYOND THE NOMINATION.
YEAH, THIS IS BEYOND. THIS COMMISSIONER DO YOU WANT THE NUMBER OF VOTES TO BE TIED TO
[01:15:07]
THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT SO THAT IT CHANGES WITH EACH VOTE, YOU KNOW, EACH YEAR, EACH NOMINATION PROCESS? YES, YES.DO WE NEED TO TAKE A RECESS WHILE YOU GO CHECK WITH.
YES, PLEASE. YES. SO EVERYBODY WE'RE GOING TO TAKE PROBABLY WHAT, 20 MINUTES? 30 MINUTES.
WE CAN AT LEAST GIVE US STATUS IN 20 MINUTES TO THE COURT.
I WOULD JUST GO IN FROM 3 TO 2 AND 2 TO 3.
YES. RIGHT. EXACTLY. AND YEAH, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
1021 AND EVERYONE, TAKE A BREAK.
STRETCH YOUR LEGS. WE WILL BE BACK IN A MINUTE.
BEFORE. AND WE ARE BACK FROM OUR RECESS.
AND I BELIEVE WE WERE ON THE RTA, I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE LIST OF THE NOMINEES UP. CAN YOU PUT THAT BACK UP FOR US, PLEASE? PAYTON. AND I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
WE MAY HAVE A MOTION FROM ONE OF THE MEMBERS TO.
YES. GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SUSPEND THE REST OF THE BOARD APPOINTMENTS AND UNTIL WE CAN ADDRESS OUR LOCAL POLICY AND PUT THEM BACK ON FOR ONE OF OUR MEETINGS IN JANUARY.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? HEARING NO SECOND, THEN.
I'M SORRY, BUT THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. I DO UNDERSTAND, I THINK THIS SOME OF THESE ARE ALREADY FAR BEHIND AS WELL.
SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANYONE. THERE'S NO SECOND DISCUSSION? NO, I MEAN DISCUSSION.
ANY OTHER MOTIONS FOR TODAY'S DILEMMA? SORRY. THEY MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONTINUE THE PROCESS, AS, YOU KNOW, ELIMINATE WHATEVER WE HAD SAID BEFORE.
WE'RE GOING TO DO AND JUST VOTE LIKE NORMALLY EVERYBODY HAS.
BUT IF THERE ARE THREE POSITIONS, DO THE VOTE.
SUSPEND THE RULES INSTEAD OF JUST TWO NAMES THAT WHILE THERE ARE THREE OPEN POSITIONS.
RIGHT. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE TO SUSPEND OUR POLICY.
SUSPEND THE RULES TO SUSPEND TO DO THAT.
YES. OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY'S ADVICE ON THAT.
I DON'T THINK SHE WANTS TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.
SO DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT MOTION? WHAT WAS THE MOTION? TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO A YES.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ AND DO WHAT? TO VOTE ON THREE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF.
SO WE'RE GOING TO VOTE THREE INSTEAD OF TWO. AND IT'S THE SAME FIVE NAMES, BUT VOTE FOR THREE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE OPEN APPLICANTS.
YES. SO THIS MOTION IS TO KEEP THE FIVE AND VOTE ON THREE INSTEAD OF TWO.
RIGHT. OKAY I SECOND. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE A WAR OVER THIS. YOUR HONOR, I PROMISED I WOULDN'T, BUT WE SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY WHEN WE HAVE OPEN POSITIONS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO TO NOMINATE. EACH OF US SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY, IF WE WANTED TO, TO NOMINATE ONE PERSON FOR EACH ONE OF THE OPEN POSITIONS.
AND AND I, I UNDERSTAND AND I ACCEPT YOUR COMMENT AND I WILL TELL YOU, JUST LIKE I TOLD YOU A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE DO I, I THINK THE THE BETTER SOLUTION FOR ALL OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN TO BRING IN A CORRECTION TO OUR POLICY. IF YOU THINK IT'S INCORRECT, RATHER THAN TO JUST STATE THAT IT'S INCORRECT. RIGHT NOW, AT THE LAST MOMENT TO BRING IT BACK I THINK IS DISINGENUOUS. SO I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
YEAH. BY SUSPENDING OUR RULES AND ALLOWING EACH OF US TO VOTE FOR THREE PEOPLE, WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING.
THEN LET'S JUST DO IT. LET'S JUST DO IT THE WAY WE HAD IT.
JUST CALL THE QUESTION JUDGE. WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. THIS WAS.
THIS WAS Y'ALL'S IDEA TO CHANGE IT.
SO IF Y'ALL WANT TO JUST LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS, LET'S VOTE. THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE ALL DAY. WE'VE NOTICED THEM.
SO WE CAN GO BACK TO THE PROCEDURE THAT WE HAD AND VOTE OUR TWO AND THEN GO INTO A RUNOFF AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE. I AGREE, BUT YOU SAID THERE IS A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
LET'S GO FOR THE QUESTION. YES, I'M CALLING FOR THE QUESTION.
WAIT WAIT WAIT. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR DISCUSSION. I ASKED TO CALL FOR THE QUESTION.
OKAY, WELL, THEN I WITHDRAW MY SECOND IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO. I MEAN, LIKE I WANTED TO HAVE DISCUSSION. HOW COME, YOU KNOW.
[01:20:02]
SO THEN I WITHDRAW MY SECOND.I MEAN, Y'ALL WANT TO LET PEOPLE HAVE SECONDS.
I MEAN, SO THEN WE HAVE NO SECOND, SO YOU HAVE NO MOTION.
SO WE HAVE A POLICY THAT STATES WE EACH GET TO NOMINATE ONE PERSON.
WE HAVE FIVE NAMES ON THE BOARD.
WHEN YOU VOTE. WHEN YOU GO DOWN THE LINE, EACH PERSON IS ALLOWED TWO CHOICES FROM THAT LIST OF FIVE, AND WE CONTINUE THAT PROCESS NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES IT TAKES, UNTIL THE THREE OPEN POSITIONS GET THREE VOTES TO BE ELECTED.
IF WE GO DOWN AND TWO PEOPLE HAVE TWO, TWO PEOPLE, THREE PEOPLE HAVE TWO, THEN THEY GO TO A RUNOFF, WHATEVER. SO WE WILL CONTINUE WITH WHAT THE POLICY STATES, SINCE NO ONE WANTS TO SUSPEND THE RULES.
AND I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
I DO THINK IN THE FUTURE THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
I AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER PRESLEY, WHOLEHEARTEDLY, BUT IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE TIMES LIKE THIS.
SO, COMMISSIONER, YOU HAVE TWO VOTES.
CAN WE GET THE LIST UP AGAIN? BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I HAVE SEEN THOSE NAMES.
YOUR HONOR, I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE AT THIS TIME.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER. YOU'RE NOT VOTING AT ALL, COMMISSIONER AND ALL ANY OF THESE SESSION MAKE YOU DO THAT? THAT'S NOT THAT'S JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
I DON'T WANT I DON'T WANT NOT TO VOTE. BUT DO YOU WANT TO VOTE IS PATENTLY WRONG.
I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT IT'S BUT IT'S COMPLETELY LEGAL.
AND IT WAS PASSED BY THIS COURT JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY IS WILLING TO I WOULD VENTURE TO ARGUE ABOUT. BUT YOU VOTED FOR IT.
I DIDN'T VOTE FOR THIS POLICY, I WASN'T HERE.
RIGHT. BUT YOU DIDN'T MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS TO CHANGE IT UNTIL TODAY. I BROUGHT THIS DISCUSSION UP 3 OR 4 MEETINGS AGO, AND I TOLD EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, AND, AND I WAS TOLD TO SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP, AND THAT'S WHAT I DID.
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF VOTING PROCESS, GUYS.
THAT'S ENOUGH. COMMISSIONER WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLACE YOUR TWO VOTES? I REALLY WOULD ENCOURAGE COMMISSIONER, BUT IF HE DOESN'T WANT TO, THAT'S HIS PREROGATIVE.
YES. SO YOUR VOTES. WOULD WISH YOU WOULD RECONSIDER COMMISSIONER.
I MEAN, I CAN'T HEAR. SORRY. I WOULD REALLY WISH THAT YOU WOULD RECONSIDER.
I MEAN, WE FOUR VOTES GOING INTO THREE PICKS IS NOT IDEAL.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND A MEETING. BUT I GET YOU, I BELIEVE IN THE SPIRIT OF IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THAT'S WHY I ASKED WAY BACK IN OCTOBER AND BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER SEVERAL TIMES. WE'VE ADDRESSED THIS ON ALMOST EVERY MEETING. I THOUGHT WE CORRECTED THE POLICY, BUT APPARENTLY WE DIDN'T.
I THOUGHT IT ACCOUNTED FOR THE AMOUNT OF VACANCIES WE HAD.
BUT I WILL I WILL VOTE FOR ALISON MUNOZ.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ. I KNOW AARON, ANA AND AARON.
COMMISSIONER. CHESNEY. ALISON AND MOTTAGHI.
SO AS FOR ROUND ONE, LYN ALLISON IS OUR APPOINTEE.
AND THEN WE NEED A RUN OFF FOR TWO.
ROUND TWO, OR WE START OVER COMPLETELY.
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? LET'S GET THOSE THREE NAMES.
WE HAVE THREE NAMES. THEN WE START OVER COMPLETELY FROM THOSE NAMES.
FROM THE NAMES. WE START OVER IN ROUND TWO.
COMMISSIONER. DO YOU WANT TO VOTE? ARE YOU CANCELING? SO, WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW? YOU CAN VOTE ON THE FOUR REMAINING NAMES.
THEY DID NOT GET THE THREE VOTES PICKED.
YOU GET TWO VOTES AT THIS POINT. RIGHT, JUDGE? IS THAT THE STILL? YES.
WE NEED TO PROBABLY CORRECT THAT IN THE FUTURE TOO. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE VOTED ON.
SO I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR HIM.
I COULDN'T HEAR WHAT HE SAID. I'M TALKING. WELL, OKAY. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY BROUGHT SOMETHING UP IN THE POLICY, AND I DID FAIL TO DO THAT.
THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT HAD A TIE AND AARON.
[01:25:02]
WE NEED TO VOTE ON THOSE TWO BECAUSE.AND WE EACH GET ONE VOTE AS PER OUR POLICY.
AND ITEM NUMBER SIX, IF THERE IS A TIE BETWEEN APPLICANTS FOR A POSITION, THE APPLICANTS AT TIED WILL BE SUBJECT TO A NEW ROUND OF VOTING BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT IF A RUNOFF OCCURS AFTER THAT.
BUT BUT IT WAS LIKE RIGHT NOW THE SECOND ROUND IS BETWEEN MOTAGUA AND MUNOZ AND THEN THE THIRD ROUND, THE THIRD POSITION WILL BE. EVERYBODY BACK ON THE LIST? OKAY. YES. SO MY MISTAKE.
SO LET'S GO BACK. YOU VOTED FOR MATAGI I THINK ALREADY.
COMMISSIONER. DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THAT? YES. YES. OKAY. MUNOZ I WILL VOTE FOR MATAGI MANA.
IT'S ONLY MUNOZ AND MATAGI RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY HAD A RUN.
SO MATAGI IS IN WITH THREE VOTES NOW.
WE HAVE THE THIRD ROUND THAT WE HAVE ANA JIMENEZ, AARON AND JAVIER COMMISSIONER.
PUZZLE. WHO DO YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR? ANA COMMISSIONER, MATAS JIMENEZ.
THE THIRD ROUND IS ANA JIMENEZ.
OH! GO BACK. SORRY. I GET TWO VOTES IN THIS ROUND.
NO. ONLY ONE. SORRY. THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR EVERYBODY.
YES I VOTE. WELL, I NOMINATED MUNOZ.
MOLINA. ANA AND COMMISSIONER MUNOZ.
SO OUR MUNOZ AARON IS OUR APPOINTEE.
WE HAD LYNN ALLISON. ROUND TWO, WE HAD MATAGI AND ROUND THREE WE HAD AARON, YOU KNOW. SO THOSE ARE OUR APPOINTMENTS FOR TODAY.
AND I APOLOGIZE AND SINCERELY APPRECIATE EVERYONE WAITING.
AND THE APPLICANTS AGAIN AS I SAY, WE HAVE GREAT APPLICANTS, PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED.
WE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE WILL VERY MUCH BE ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES, BUT IF YOU HAVE A POLICY, WE HAVE TO STICK WITH THE POLICY.
SO NOW WE ARE MOVING ON TO THE NUECES COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD OF MANAGERS.
[4. Nueces County Hospital District Board of Managers]
IF THE IF THE MEMBERS THAT WERE APPOINTED WISH TO STAY, WE ARE PLANNING, THEY WOULD ASK US TO SWEAR THEM IN AFTER OUR MEETING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY ARE WAY BACK FROM OCTOBER.SO IF YOU CAN STAY AND THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
NUECES COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD OF MANAGERS.
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THE BACK MICROPHONE TO ALL OUR APPOINTEES.
HAVE THE. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD. IT'S VERY DEAR TO MY HEART BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL AND I HOPE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. EFREN GUERRERO, JUNIOR.
THANK YOU, COUNTY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. AND LET ME LET ME GO OFF, OFF, OFF THE OFF THE ROAD HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY JUDGE THAT FOR YOUR ATTENTION FOR BEING IN ROBSTOWN, FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF THE BOYS CLUB.
THAT'S. EVERYBODY WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONERS COURT WAS PART OF IT. WE MISSED YOU, BRANT.
ANYWAY I'M AN INCUMBENT HERE AND I'M WORKING FOR FREE.
I'M EMPLOYED PEOPLE. YOU YOU KNOW, YOU YOU HAVE A SALARY.
AND I'M SAYING, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, LET ME KEEP MY JOB.
AND AND IF IT'S FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY.
WELL, YOU YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS KNOW YOU'VE SEEN OUR BUDGET.
YOU'VE SEEN HOW WE'VE WORKED, YOU'VE APPROVED OUR BUDGET.
YOU'VE APPROVED OUR. YOU'VE EVEN RECOGNIZED THAT OUR OUR INVESTMENTS WERE GREAT.
YOU'VE RECOGNIZED HOW WELL WE'VE BEEN DOING.
AND WITH ME, I'VE BEEN ON, ON THIS BOARD GOING ON FOUR AND A HALF YEARS UNDER DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY NEED FOR ME TO THERE'S ANY NEED TO SAY,
[01:30:03]
HEY, PLEASE LET ME KEEP MY JOB.BUT ONE THING I CAN SAY IS THAT FOR PEOPLE THAT VOTED FOR THAT BIG UGLY BILL UP AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL BECAUSE OF THAT BILL, IT'S IT'S GOING TO TRICKLE DOWN.
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS. THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WILL TRICKLE DOWN THE PROBLEMS. I CAN ALREADY SEE IT WITHIN THIS LAST THIS LAST SIX MONTHS.
THE PEOPLE THAT WILL NEED HELP BECAUSE THEY WERE CUT OFF.
THEIR SERVICES WERE CUT OFF. THEY WERE GOING TO NEED OUR HELP. AND SO I CAN SEE IT.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I STAY ON THIS BOARD TO HELP THERE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOW, LET PEOPLE KNOW WE'RE NOT AN OPEN BANK.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO JUST PEOPLE COME BY AND ASK FOR A LOAN.
WE WE AS A BOARD, WE'RE NOT A BOARD.
WE HAVE A FAMILY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING SO CLOSE TOGETHER.
THERE'S NO IN-HOUSE FIGHTING WHATSOEVER.
AND I HAVE I HAVE A FEELING, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. AND BY THE WAY, NO GROUP TRAINING.
NO ONE SENDS US OFF ON CONVENTIONS ANYWHERE.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVE A FEELING THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE. THE HOUSE OF CARDS AND THE COMMISSIONERS COURT MIGHT FALL. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I STAY HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS OUR FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED TO PEOPLE THAT THAT NEED THE MONEY.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP THE THE INDIGENT.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO WE'RE NOT HERE TO HELP ANY OTHER GROUP WITH THEM.
AND AND IF YOU EVER QUESTION WHY IS AN ENTERTAINER COMEDIAN DOING IN POLITICS, YOU SHOULD READ RONALD REAGAN'S BOOK.
I'M HERE TO WORK FOR A COMMUNITY.
AND BY THE WAY, I CAN RELATE TO POOR PEOPLE.
HONORABLE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.
GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M A PHYSICIAN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR ABOUT 21 YEARS, AND YOU KNOW I'M A BOARD CERTIFIED INTERNIST, AND I SPECIALIZE IN HOSPITAL MEDICINE.
MY JOB WITH THE INDIGENT CARE STARTED IN 2005, ABOUT WHEN I WAS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN PRACTICING PHYSICIAN AT THE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. AND IN THAT SPIRIT OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND CONTINUE IN THE NUECES COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD OF MANAGERS.
AND IT WAS VERY HUMBLING AND VERY HEARTWARMING AND A LOT TO LEARN.
AND I'M I WANT TO CONTINUE IN THIS ROLE IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY AND RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU FOR MY REAPPOINTMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME TO PRESENT MYSELF TO YOU.
JUST TO SAY THAT I HOPE I HAVE YOUR SUPPORT.
I HAVE VISITED WITH YOU ABOUT MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, MY COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND MY VOLUNTEER ADVOCACY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND I HAVE A STATEMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO READ.
AND IT'S ON MY RESUME THAT I HAND IT TO YOU.
AS A FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN, I BELIEVE IT IS MY DUTY TO FOLLOW JESUS TEACHING BY LIVING OUT THE PROMISES OF MY BAPTISMAL COVENANT.
I'VE PLEDGED TO SEEK AND SERVE CHRIST IN ALL PEOPLE.
TO SHOW LOVE AND COMPASSION TO ALL.
TO STRIVE FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE AMONG ALL PEOPLE AND TO RESPECT THE DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING. THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES SHAPE MY COMMITMENT TO SERVE OTHERS THROUGH COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND HEALTH CARE ADVOCACY.
I VIEW PARTICIPATION ON THE NUECES COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD OF MANAGERS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE OUT THESE VALUES BY ENSURING COMPASSION, EQUITABLE AND HIGH QUALITY HEALTH CARE FOR EVERY PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PAMELA BROWER.
GOOD MORNING, JUDGE SCOTT COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE UP HERE.
I WANTED TO SHARE JUST THREE POINTS OF WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE FOR THE COMMISSIONER AND
[01:35:04]
THE COUNTY COMMUNITY ADVOCACY.I GREW UP HERE. I'VE BEEN IN NUECES COUNTY OVER 50 YEARS.
I HAVE LIVED IN CORPUS CHRISTI AND ROBSTOWN.
WELL, ACTUALLY BETWEEN ROBSTOWN AND MANCHETE AND CURRENTLY IN THE CALALLEN, ROBSTOWN AREA. THIS IS MY HOME.
CONSUMER CHALLENGES I HAVE THE UNIQUE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING AN ADULT DAUGHTER WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. SO FOR 47 YEARS I HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONING, CHAMPIONING AND WORKING THROUGH DIFFICULT SYSTEMS BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT FOR CONSUMERS THAT HAVE THESE TYPE OF CHALLENGES TO NAVIGATE THESE COMPLICATED SYSTEMS. SO THIS IS WHERE I HAVE A PASSION ALSO TO SERVE.
I HAVE BEEN ON BOARDS IN CORPUS CHRISTI FOR MANY YEARS.
A LOT OF THEM DEALING WITH UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
AMISTAD, MACD, D, EVEN THROUGH THE COASTAL BEND COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS.
I'VE ALSO BEEN ON BOARDS FOR THE ARTS, WHETHER IT'S THE ART MUSEUM AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO EXPAND THE COMMUNITY, FOLKS TO COME IN AND THE SYMPHONY.
MY BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT I'D LIKE TO PRESENT IS MY TRUE EXPERIENCE.
I AM A 35 PLUS YEAR HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVE IN FINANCE AND STRATEGY.
I SPENT MOST OF THAT CAREER IN UNDERSERVED AREAS WHERE WE TRULY WERE THE SAFETY NET SYSTEM, WHETHER IT WAS IN CORPUS CHRISTI, LAREDO, TEXAS, AND THROUGH LAREDO WITH SISTERS OF MERCY.
I WORKED IN RURAL AREAS OF LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, OKLAHOMA AND KANSAS, ALWAYS THE SAFETY NET PROVIDER, AND IT TOOK COLLABORATION BETWEEN HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS, DEFINITELY PHYSICIANS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS.
LOTS OF NEED, LIMITED RESOURCES.
SO AGAIN, I BRING THIS EXPERIENCE.
I'VE ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT IN THE PAST.
I KNOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE THIS COLLABORATION AND GET THINGS DONE.
SO AGAIN, I BRING THE COMMITMENT TO NUECES COUNTY, THE EXPERIENCE OF DOING HEALTH CARE.
YEARS OF IT IN UNDERSERVED AREAS.
YOU HAVE MY RESUME AND APPLICATION.
YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE RESULTS AND WOULD TRULY APPRECIATE BEING APPOINTED TO THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT TO SERVE AGAIN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GLENN DUHON.
I DON'T KNOW, AND SUNIL REDDY COULD NOT BE HERE BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE AS WELL.
ARE WE WE HAVE SOME EXCELLENT CANDIDATES.
AGAIN, JUST JUST REALLY TOUGH DECISION.
COMMISSIONER. HUSTLE. ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR NAMES? YES, MA'AM. YES. I JUST WANT AGAIN.
WANT TO. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, REGISTER MY COMPLAINT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS PROCESS DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO NOMINATE THREE PEOPLE FOR THE THREE POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN. I THINK THAT IS PATENTLY INCORRECT.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN CORRECT THAT AND ADDRESS IT IN THE FUTURE.
SO I WANT TO START OUT BY NOMINATING PAMELA BAUER.
BAUER. BAUER. YES. COMMISSIONER.
VISHNU REDDY. AND MYSELF, SUNIL REDDY.
YOU'RE SLOW. YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT. SORRY.
SORRY. I'M SORRY. VISHNU WAS NEXT.
OH, YEAH. SUNIL. READY? BELINDA. BELINDA. AND COMMISSIONER.
NANCY'S MISSPELLED. YOU'RE GOOD.
IT'S BEEN AROUND. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE CANDIDATES AND YOUR APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE COME FORWARD. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVING. THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER CHESNEY, DO YOU PUZZLY.
SORRY. DO YOU HAVE YOUR TWO VOTES OR.
YES, DOCTOR. READY? AND PAMELA BROWER.
COMMISSIONER, VISHNU REDDY AND SUNIL REDDY.
[01:40:01]
SUNIL REDDY AND VISHNU REDDY.BEACHAM. AND SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE TWO THAT HAVE THREE VOTES, DO WE. AND WE WON'T, WE'LL HAVE TO REDO ANYWAY.
SO YEAH, YOU CAN PULL THE THIRD ONE.
WE WILL HAVE TO VOTE FOR THE THIRD ONE ANYWAY BECAUSE THEY WON'T GET THREE VOTES.
SO DO YOU WANT TO CAST YOUR VOTE? WE START ALL OVER FOR THE THIRD POSITION.
NOBODY WILL GET THE THREE VOTES.
THE LAST ONE, TWO, THREE PEOPLE WE HAVE, SUNIL REDDY AND VISHNU REDDY ARE IN.
THEY HAVE THE THREE VOTES CAST.
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO VOTE THERE.
AND EVEN IF HE DOES, THEY ONLY GET TWO VOTES.
WHOEVER HE VOTES FOR, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO BE ELECTED AS WHAT WE'RE SAYING. WE WOULD HAVE TO REVOTE ANYWAY LADIES.
SO AROUND TWO. SO WE GO TO ROUND TWO ON THE THREE REMAINING NAMES BROUWER, FLORES AND BEAUCHAMP. YES.
BELINDA. FLORES. COMMISSIONER.
ONE VOTE. HOW MANY VOTES? HOW MANY VOTES DO WE GET? WE GET TWO.
I THOUGHT YOU JUST WANTED TO VOTE ON ONE. I'M SORRY.
IT'S LIKE ONLY IF IT'S A RUNOFF IS WHEN WE GET ONE VOTE EACH.
BUT RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE TWO VOTES WITH THE THREE REMAINING NAMES.
YES. IF YOU WANT. AND PAMELA BROWER. BROWER AND FLORES.
AND I WILL DO BEAUCHAMP AND BROWER.
YOURS? NOTICE. AND DOES ANYBODY ELSE KNOW? COMMISSIONER. CHESNEY. SHOOT.
THOSE ALREADY IN ANYWHERE KNOW WE'LL HAVE A RUNOFF.
BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER POSITION.
YES, WE WILL HAVE ONE MORE VOTE.
I'M JUST I'M GOING TO. I'M JUST GOING TO CAST ONE FOR THIS ONE AND GO THE RUNOFF AND VOTE, VOTE CAMP ON THIS ONE.
Y'ALL ARE MAKING ME SAY HER NAME WRONG. I KNOW HOW SHE SAYS IT WRONG. BEAUCHAMP. NO, IT'S BEECHAM BEACH. BEECHAM.
YOU CAN CAST IT FOR PAMELA BRAUER OR BELINDA FLORES.
THOSE TWO ARE THE ONLY TWO NAMES ON THIS ON THE RUNOFF.
THE THIRD ROUND. SO. COMMISSIONER.
CAN WE START ON THE OTHER? SO NOW WE GET ONE VOTE.
ONE VOTE. WE'LL START ON THIS COMMISSIONER.
START ON THIS SIDE. THERE ARE ONLY TWO NAMES TO VOTE ON.
BRAUER OR FLORES. I'M GOING TO START HERE.
JUST WAIT. I'M GOING TO MAKE MY VOTE LAST.
FLORES. COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ CAST HIS VOTE FOR FLORES.
I WILL CAST MY VOTE FOR BROUWER JUST TO KEEP THINGS GOING.
ANYBODY ELSE READY TO VOTE? GOD. COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER. TRUSTEE. BROUWER.
[01:45:02]
COMMISSIONER. HUSTLING.I ASKED HIM FIRST. HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
HE'S STILL WAITING. HE WANTS TO BE LAST.
MAURICE FLORES. SO THE VOTE IS 3 TO 2.
SO OUR IS OUR APPOINTMENT AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE SUNIL REDDY, VISHNU REDDY AND PAMELA BROWN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR APPLYING AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING FORWARD.
I KNOW YOU'RE THE CHAIR AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.
WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR MOVING ON TO OUR AGENDA.
WE HAVE ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTMENTS.
[1. Nueces County Airport Advisory Board]
G ONE IS THE NUECES COUNTY AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD.YOUR HONOR. YES. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND NOMINATIONS AND APPOINT THE FOUR INCUMBENTS. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR ANYTHING ON THIS FOR THE AIRPORT? AND THIS IS ADVISORY ONLY.
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS BOARD FROM THE OTHERS.
ANY OPPOSED? THIS IS THE AIRPORT.
YES. ARE YOU ABSTAINING? I'M. OH, BUT I THOUGHT JUST TO SUSPEND THE RULES.
WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THE PEOPLE YET. SO IT'S LIKE.
EXCUSE ME, GUYS. HE MADE THE MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES.
I THOUGHT, OKAY, I THINK. YEAH. NEVER MIND. I AM ABSTAINING THEN.
THANK YOU. WHAT ARE WE DOING? DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND APPOINT APPOINT THE FOUR INCUMBENTS TO BACK TO THE AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD.
YOU. SO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AYE. AND I ABSTAIN BECAUSE MY HUSBAND IS ONE OF THOSE NAMES.
I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST SUSPENDING THE RULES, AND WE WERE GOING TO VOTE ON THE NAMES AFTERWARDS. YES. NOW MOVING ON TO G2, THE NUECES COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES
[2. Nueces County Animal Services Advisory Committee]
ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS WELL.AND CAN WE GET A MOTION TO REOPEN BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE TO REOPEN FOR REMAINING VACANCIES? YES, YES, I THINK THAT WAS THE MOTION I WAS NEEDING BECAUSE SEVERAL OF THE MEMBERS DIDN'T SEND IN THEIR LETTERS ON TIME OR SOMETHING FOR REAPPOINTMENT ON THE ON THE.
YES. SHE'S LOOKING LIKE THEY MADE A MOTION TO REAPPOINT BOTH.
AND ACUNA YOU HAVE A SECOND SINCE I SECOND AND THEN.
YES. YES TO REOPEN. THANK YOU.
THE TWO INCUMBENTS THAT ARE SERVING.
YES. AND TO REOPEN FOR THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE OTHERS.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.
MOVING ON TO REGULAR AGENDA ITEM 2A1.
DISCUSS AND CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW DIRECTOR OF IT, AND I DON'T BELIEVE WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
IS THAT CORRECT, COMMISSIONER? NO, MA'AM. WE ARE NOT GOING TO PUSH THAT TO THE FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY.
SO IS THAT A MOTION TO TABLE UNTIL THE FIRST MOTION TO TABLE TO OUR FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ALL THE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
I THINK I ALREADY SAID THAT. SORRY. WE'RE GOOD. SO UNANIMOUS.
THERE'S NO EXECUTIVE ITEM FOR TODAY.
ARE THERE ANY ADJOURNMENTS IN MEMORY? EXCUSE ME. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING? IF THERE'S NOT, THEN I WOULD ACCEPT THE MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.