[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:13]
>> WE ARE CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER.
[A. Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America and Texas Flags.]
WE HAVE A SHORT AGENDA. WE WILL START WITH ME LETTING YOU KNOW IT IS 9:39 AM AND I ASKED EVERYONE TO PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES AMERICA ANDOUR TEXAS FLAGS. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. UNDER THE TEXAS FLAG, I PLEDGE
[B. County Judge will call roll, note date, time, and location of meeting, and certify a quorum is present.]
ALLEGIANCE TO THE, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE ANDINDIVISIBLE. >> I WILL NOTE FOR THE RECORD IT IS JANUARY 14, 2022. WE ARE IN THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ROOM, THIRD FLOOR OF THE NUECES COUNTY COURTHOUSE AT 901 N. LEOPARD AND I DO CERTIFY WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER HERNANDEZ IS HERE, COMMISSIONER GONZALES IS HERE, MYSELF, COMMISSIONER CHESNEY AND MAREZ, PLEASE NOTE SINCE
[C. 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.]
YOU ARE ONLINE. >> PRESENT.> PRESENT.
>> ALL COMMISSIONERS ARE PRESENT AND THEREFORE A QUORUM HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. CAN YOU SEE IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? COME FORWARD.
CONNIE, ANYONE ONLINE? [INAUDIBLE] WONDERFUL WE WILL MOVE TO TIM. I DON'T SEE ANYONE IN THE COURTROOM.UST DOING A QUICK CHECK, THANK YOU CONNIE.
SHE WILL CHECK THE HALLWAY. TIM, WELCOME THIS MORNING.
YOU MAY PROCEED. >> THANK YOU JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
FIRST, LIKE TO AGAIN COMMEND YOU FOR THE PROCESS USED TO ADOPT A REDISTRICTING MAP IN REAL TIME.
I LIKE TO LEAVE WITH THE VOTERS GIVING YOU A WELL STANDING OVATION THAT NIGHT. WHEN WE LAST VISITED WE TALKED ABOUT SETTING UP AN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.
I LIKE THE COURT TO CONSIDER DOING THAT AGAIN.
THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR DOING THAT.
WE TALKED TO LAST IN NOVEMBER, WE ASK THAT YOU PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE LAST JANUARY MEETING, THE CREATION OF COMMISSION TO DRAW THE LINE FOR NEXT TIMES IT OCCURS.
THE WAY WE LEFT IT WAS THAT IF YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THE MAP THAT WAS ADOPTED NOVEMBER 2021, THIS YEAR WE KNOW THAT THOSE WILL BE DONE TO REDISTRICT IN 2031 AFTER THE 2030 CENSUS COMES OUT. THE COMMISSIONER THEY WILL HAVE THE EFFECT OF THIS COURTS WORK AND HAVING AN ACTIVE PROCEDURE WHICH WE DID NOT HAVE BEFORE. FOR HOW TO DO THIS CRITICAL WORK THAT HANDLED POORLY. AND RESULTS IN THE EXPENSE OF LITIGATION AND/OR DISCONTENT FOR MEMBERS OF THE COURT OR WITH THE PUBLIC. IF YOU'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE MAP THAT HAD TO BE DRAWN IN NOVEMBER 2021, ALTHOUGH I AM HAPPY WITH IT AND I HAVE NOT HEARD COMPLAINTS ABOUT ELSEWHERE. PLEASE SET UP AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION SO THAT NEW LINES FOR FINAL APPROVAL BY THE COURT CAN BE DRAWN BEFORE THE NEXT COMMISSIONERS COURT ELECTION 2024. WHAT I'M REQUESTING TODAY IS FIRST, TO PLACE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS JANUARY 26. MAKING THE DECISION ABOUT SETTING UP THE COMMISSION. AND SECOND, DURING THE TIME UNTIL NEXT MEETING, PLEASE CONSIDER IF YOU WANT TO DRAW NEW LINES IN 2024 IN THAT ELECTION OR FOR LATER ELECTIONS. THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY COMMENTS, AND HOPE TO DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU AT THE NEXT
MEETING JANUARY 26. >> THANK YOU MR. DOWLING.
[1. Discuss and consider Order Adopting County Election Precincts, specifically division of Voting Precinct 125 into Voting Precincts 125 and 128, resulting from recent redistricting of County Commissioner Precincts.]
HAVING A CHART BROUGHT TO ME AND SAYING NOBODY SIGNED UP, AND NOBODY ELSE ONLINE I WILL PROCEED TO REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS. AND AGAIN, TODAY IT IS ONLY ONE, LISTED AS 3A1 IN THE POCKET.IT IS 2A1 IN THE PACKET TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ORDER ADOPTING COUNTY ELECTION PRECINCTS ONE, TWO, FIVE AND TWO 125 AND 128 RESULTING FROM THEIR RECENT REDISTRICTING OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCTS. WHILE I WILL OU-- KIRA, YOU CAN RUN THIS OUT. GIVE US THE BACKGROUND FOR THE PUBLIC PURPOSE IS WHY WE ARE THAT IS A GOOD ONE, KEEP YOU
[00:05:02]
THE WAY THIS CAME UP, WE WERE TRYING TO SET UP THE R REGISTRATION, NEW CARDS AND GET SET UP AND THE LOCAL SYSTEM, WE WERE UNABLE TO SPLIT THE PRECINCTS.WE DID NOT KNOW I WASN'T ALLOWING US TO DO O DO IT AND RALPH, OUR DIRECTOR OF A VOTER REGISTRATION, HAD A MOMENT I THINK I REMEMBER FROM 11 YEARS AGO YOU COULD NOT SPLIT A PRECINCT. SO WE EMAILED THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO ASK AND YES IT WAS, YOU CANNOT HAVING TWO COMMISSIONERS SERVING ONE PRECINCT SO YOU CANNOT SPLIT THOSE. THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO CREATE AN ADDITIONAL PRECINCT. IF IT WAS OVER THE POPULATION LIMITS. AND SO I ASKED THEM TO SEND US THE STATUTE WHICH WE FORWARDED TO YOU AND THAT'S HOW WE CAME
TO WHERE WE ARE AT NOW. >> OKAY SO KUDOS TO RALPH FOR REMEMBERING THAT IT IS NOT LEGAL TO SPLIT TWO PRECINCTS AND SO, THEN GOES TO CARA WHO CAN ADD COMMENTS ABOUT HOW WE DETERMINED THE NUMBER AND A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AS TO THE MAPS THAT ARE BEFORE US TODAY.
>> THANK YOU TO RALPH. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR MOVING ON THIS QUICKLY. WE HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP, THE PRIMARY AND WE NEED TO GET MOVING ON THAT.
SO YEAH, THEY HAVE TO BE NUMERIC, SO REDUCING 125 IS PRETTY SIMPLE. PRECINCT 125 RIGHT NOW IS IN COMMISSIONER FOUR AND COMMISSIONER TWO.
AND VOTING PRECINCT 125. ALL YOU WILL DO IS USE REDISTRICTING MAP WHICH IS OVER THE PAST WHICH TAKES THE PORTION OF VOTING PRECINCT 125, THE COMMISSIONER PRECINCT TWO IS LOCATED IN. YOU WILL RENAME THAT 128.
>> JUST GO AHEAD AND USE NAMES SO THAT, COMMISSIONER NUMBER
TWO, >> AM SORRY COMMISSIONER JOE A.
GONZALEZ AND THEN COMMISSIONER BRENT CHESNEY IS COMMISSIONER NUMBER FOUR. SO 125 WHICH IS ALWAYS BEEN IN COMMISSIONER PRECINCT NUMBER FOUR, COMMISSIONER 10 WILL STAY AS 125. SO REALLY, HALF OF THE VOTERS IN 125 WILL ONLY BE AFFECTED AS TO HE ENTIRE.
ALL YOU ARE DOING G IS MAKING NEW PRECINCT TRANSFER THEY'VE ALREADY PAST THE BOUNDARIES. WITH THE NEW MAPS.
AND I ASKED A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND YOU WERE TO ANSWER THEM FOR ME BUT I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC.
ANYTIME WE DO SOMETHING WHERE WE CHANGE YOU WANT TO HAVE ALL PARTIES CONTACTED AND THE ANSWER WAS YES.
THEY ARE AWARE THAT THEY WILL MESSAGE, THAT THEY HAVE A NEW
NUMBER, 128. >> AND KEVIN'S OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARDS, THE VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS.
THOSE WILL GET IN THE MAIL WITH THE NEW PRECINCT.
>> CURRENTLY HAVE 125 AND 128 AND THAT IS SO THAT WHEN THE SPLIT OCCURS WE COULD BE LEGAL EAGLE.
IS THAT CORRECT? >> JUDGE ROAD MAKE A MOTION FOR
>> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. DID ANYONE CHECK LEGALLY WITH THE REDISTRICTING LAWYERS, NO THERE IS A SYSTEM WE HAVE HERE
IF YOU DON'T MIND. >> SO THAT THE PERSON WAS IN TOUCH WITH THE REDISTRICTING WAS E ONE, EVERYBODY'S FINE.
> OKAY WE HAVE CHECKED ON THE FRONT OF THE ACTUAL ACTUAL VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE, THAT WILL BE KEVIN, WE CHECKED ON ELECTIONS, MS. KARA SANDS. IT IS ACCURATE AND SO HAD WE NOT DONE IT, WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN OR CAROL? IT IS NOT A LEGAL REDISTRICTING?
OR IT IS NOT A LEGAL PRECINCT? >> PRECINCT.
>> REDISTRICTING IS LEGAL. IT IS JUST THE PRECINCT ITSELF.
>> OKAY. AND YOU CONCUR WITH THAT? OKAY. I DON'T KNOW! IT DOES NOT SEEM THAT WAY TO ME BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND WE NEED TO DO THIS IN ORDER TO GET VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS. BUT I DO THINK INDICATES WE DIDN'T DO SOMETHING RIGHT AND WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLAGGED BY REDISTRICTING LAWYERS.
AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLAGGED BY US AND WE NEED TO BE MORE MINDFUL BECAUSE WHAT TRANSPIRED, WHICH I ASKED IF WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING TO UNDO, I WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT VOTED NOT TO GO WITH THAT. MAYBE I SHOULD SAY THE OTHER
[00:10:03]
WAY, I WAS THE PERSON THAT VOTED TO NOT HAVE THAT SPLIT AND NOW THAT SPLIT HAS CAUSED US AN ILLEGAL TRANSACTION HAS TO BE CORRECTED IN 125 AND 128. I MEAN, WE'VE NO CHOICE BUT TO DO IT, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN BECAUSE OF NATURE. IT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF ACTIONWE DID. >> JUDGE, I DON'T BELIEVE HE VOTED AGAINST THIS. THIS WAS THE REDISTRICTING PLAN THAT WAS A 5-0 VOTE. [INAUDIBLE]
>> EXCUSE ME. THE SECOND TIME, I HAD A MOTION THAT FAILED. [INAUDIBLE]
>> JUDGE TRENT FOR QUITE SOME TIME LISTENING TO COMMISSIONER
BRENT CHESNEY. >> THINK YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO FINISH MY TALK. WHAT YOU VOTED AGAINST WAS MOTION TO CHANGE PRECINCT 3 VOTING PRECINCT 3 THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.HAT WAS SIMPLY A MOTION MADE TO AMEND THAT FAILED. I THINK THE RECORD IS TO CLARIFY YOU VOTED FOR THE REDISTRICTING PLANS.
HE VOTED AGAINST THE AMENDMENT OR VOTED FOR THE AMENDMENT THAT WE ALL VOTED AGAINST. THAT YOU MADE TO ATTEMPT TO PUT PRECINCT THREE BACK INTO MIND. I THINK WE NEED TO CLARIFY THE RECORD ON THAT. YOU VOTED FOR THE REDISTRICTING PLAN. WE VOTED AGAINST THE AMENDMENT YOU MADE TO ATTEMPT TO BRING PRECINCT 3 BACK INTO MIND, OTHERWISE -- I THINK IF WE ARE CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT LET'S GET THE MINUTES ON THIS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO POLLUTE THE RECORD. I DON'T THINK YOU'RE STATING
CORRECTLY. >> WHAT I WAS STATING WAS THAT THE 125, THE PRECINCT 125, WAS MESSED WITH BASICALLY.
AND THAT I WAS NOT, ONCE WE DID VOTE FOR A REDISTRICTING PROCESS, THAT WE THOUGHT WAS FAIR AND TRANSPARENT.
AND THEN WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS AN AFFECTED SITUATION, YES, I BROUGHT THAT UP SO WE CAN MAKE THE AMENDMENT. AND THAT DID NOT PASS.
THAT IS WHAT THE RECORD REFLECTS.
>> BUT YOU DID NOT VOTE AGAINST THIS 125 THING HE VOTED FOR IT AND THEN YOU VOTED FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO ATTEMPT TO PUT
PRECINCT 3 MOVED AROUND. >> THAT IS CORRECT.
NOBODY'S DEBATING THAT, I'M NOT DEBATING THAT AT ALL.
I'M SAYING THAT THE 125 WAS AN ISSUE.
>> NO. >> AT ANY RATE, WE WILL HAVE TO CHANGE IT OTHERWISE WE WILL NOT GET VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS OUT. AND AGAIN, I WILL BE VISITING WITH OUR REDISTRICTING LAWYER SO TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE ARE THE ONES FIGURING THAT OUT AND NOT THEM AND I DO NOT THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM ON THIS MATTER OTHER THAN THAT I AM LETTING YOU KNOW THAT JENNY SAID WE ARE GOOD.
>> ALSO IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS GOING TO PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE TO HAPPEN ANYWAY BECAUSE OF THE ROAD TO PRECINCT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG OR NOT, THIS WAS GOING TO HAVE TO OCCUR BECAUSE THE PRECINCT WAS GETTING SO LARGE ANYWAY, IS NOT RIGHT?
AM I MISTAKEN? >> YOU ARE CORRECT.
>> YOU ARE CORRECT. >> THIS IS GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN ANYWAY. CERTAINLY THE REDISTRICTING THE ATTORNEYS I SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS BUT WE COULD HAVE ADJUSTED THEN AND CREATED ANOTHER PRECINCT RIGHT THEN AND WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. YOU'RE RIGHT WE HAVE TO CHECK THE LAWYERS TO FIND OUT WHY THEY DID NOT CATCH IT BUT WHERE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THIS ANYWAY BASED ON SIZE.
>> BUT NOT RIGHT THIS MINUTE. >> WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE --
>> IN OTHER WORDS WHY ARE WE DOING IT RIGHT NOW? WE ANTICIPATED IT.HIS WAS AN EMERGENCY TO GET THIS DONE TODAY. I WAS TOLD YOU HAD TO GET TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND LOOK AT THE PRECINCT.
HE SAID HE WOULD DO IT AND IT NEVER CAME UP.
>> IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. >> IT SHOULD'VE BEEN DONE.
>> LIKE IT'S ALL ABOUT MAKING PROCESSES BETTER.> THAT'S YELLS PROCESS. WE CAN GIVE THE INFORMATION BUT IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO DO IT, DON'T BRING OUR OFFICES INTO.
>> I AGREE WITH YOU. >> BECAUSE WE ARE HOPING TO
CLEAN THIS UP . >> DO WE KNOW WHAT OUT OF POCKET MONEY WE ARE OUT?> I HAVE NO BETS.
>> I DON'T -- >> THE PRECINCT IT DOESN'T -- IT'S NOT OUT OF POCKET MONEY HERE.
>> ALL RIGHT. >> KEVIN WOULD LET US KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING. HE MAY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK ABOUT IT. >> THERE IS NO OUT-OF-POCKET MONEY ON THIS. THE ONLY THING WAS DOING WAS WE COULD NOT, WE CANNOT SEND VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS OUT UNTIL THIS MATTER IS CORRECTED AND IT HAS BEEN DONE SO WE BEEN SITTING AND WAITING ON THIS AND THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE SENSE
[00:15:08]
OF URGENCY ON THIS. AS FAR AS BEING EXPENSIVE, NO.BUT I DO AGREE WITH YOU. WE THINK THE LANGUAGE FROM, THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE SENT US, IS NOT LEGALLY IS IS VERY PLAIN AND SIMPLE. YOU CANNOT SPLIT A PRECINCT SO YEAH, THE ATTORNEYS DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE.
>> THEY SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT. I'M SAYING IT DOESN'T MATTER AT THIS POINT. WE JUST NEED TO GET IT DONE.
>> WE HAVE TO GET IT DONE AND MOVE ON.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. ALL SIGNIFY.
AND THERE'S AN EXECUTIVE SESSION BUT THERE IS NO AGENDA ITEMS AFTER IT AND I DO NOT THINK WE HAVE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO CONCLUDE OR TO CONDUCT.
I'M LOOKING, NO FURTHER BUSINESS.
ANY ADJOURNMENT IN MEMORY TODAY? HEARING NONE, WE ARE ADJOURNED. THE TIME IS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.