Jan 26, 2022 Commissioners Court - Regular

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GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

WE DON'T HAVE A PASTOR, REVEREND RABBI, THIS MORNING.

OK. IT'LL HELP ME SETTLE, I'LL START.

DEAR, HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO GATHER HERE THIS MORNING TO DO GOOD THINGS FOR YOUR PEOPLE.

ALLOW US TO SHOW THAT THERE CAN BE UNITY IN DIFFERENCES THAT THERE CAN BE LOVE AMONG A WORLD THAT SEEMS SO DIVIDED SO OFTEN.

GUIDE US TODAY SO THAT WE MAY ACT IN A WAY THAT COMPORTS WITH THE TREMENDOUS OBLIGATIONS THAT WE FEEL, THE BURDENS THAT WE MUST BEAR, SO THAT WE MAY SAY THAT WE ARE DOING THE VERY BEST THAT WE CAN TO PROVIDE.

FOR A COMMUNITY.

WE ASK THAT YOU PLACE YOUR LOVING ARMS AROUND ALL THOSE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, ALL THOSE SO FAR AWAY FROM US PROTECTING US.

WE ASK THAT YOU HEAL THE SICK AND THAT YOU COMFORT THE FAMILIES OF THOSE THAT ARE SUFFERING AND THOSE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED RECENT LOSS.

WE ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN YOUR NAME.

AMEN. JUDGE ROGERS IS SAYING THAT THERE'S NO AUDIO.

THERE IS NO OK.

THANK YOU. WE'RE ALL GOOD NOW.

YES, MA'AM. 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.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER ONE INDIVISIBLE.

FOR THE CLERK, IT'S EIGHT FORTY THREE A.M.

IMAGINING WE STARTED JUST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT.

I CERTIFY THAT AS THE PRESIDING OFFICER, COMMISSIONER ARMADAS IS ONLINE AND JUST GIVE US THE THUMBS UP THAT YOU CAN HEAR NOW.

COMMISSIONER, I GOT THE THUMBS UP COMMISSIONER AT NON-MUSIC GONZALEZ AND CHESSANI PRESENT, INCLUDING MYSELF.

THE DATE IS JANUARY.

TWENTY SIX TWENTY TWENTY TWO.

WE ARE AT NINE OH ONE NORTH LEOPARD NUECES COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF NOYCE'S COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURTROOM.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO TIMOTHY EVEREST'S OUR RISK MANAGER AND ASK THAT HE PRESENT SAFETY BRIEFING FOR ALL OF US.

GOOD MORNING, JUDGE. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

WE'RE MEETING HERE TODAY ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE NOYCE'S COUNTY COURTHOUSE, NINE ON ONE LEPPERT STREET. RESTROOMS ARE LOCATED ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE THIRD FLOOR ATRIUM AS YOU EXIT THE COURTROOM, PASS THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE.

PLEASE NOTE THERE'S A FIRE EXTINGUISHER LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE COURTROOM.

THERE ARE ALSO FIVE ADDITIONAL FIRE EXTINGUISHERS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE THIRD FLOOR ATRIUM AREA IN THE EVENT OF A CARDIAC EMERGENCY, AND ED IS LOCATED IN AN ATRIUM WALL NEXT TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE.

PARTICIPANTS RESPONSIBLE FOR DIALING 9-1-1 IN AN EVENT OF EMERGENCY WILL BE COUNTING IN THE EVENT OF AN EVACUATION.

THE EGRESS ROUTE WILL BE DOWN TO ATRIUM STAIRS, EXCELLENT EXITING THE LAPAN STREET ENTRANCE AND ASSEMBLING IN THE PARKING LOT ACROSS THE STREET.

SHOULD THERE BE A NEED TO SHELTER IN PLACE, COURT ATTENDEES WILL REMAIN IN THE COURTROOM DEPENDING UPON THE SEVERITY OF THE INCIDENT.

THE COURTROOM TO DOUBLE DOORS WILL BE SECURED AND REMAIN SECURED UNTIL GIVING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE NARRATIONS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OR SHARE SAFETY TOPICS OR THE MEMBER APPLICATION FOR THE NOMINATIONS FOR THE TWENTY TWO TWENTY TWENTY TWO IN OASIS COUNTY LOST CONTROL COMMITTEE WILL BE DISSEMINATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IN THE COMING WEEKS.

THAT CONCLUDES MY SAFETY.

BRIEF YOUR HONOR. OK, THANK YOU SO MUCH, TIMOTHY.

[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.]

WE DO HAVE. I HAVE AT LEAST EIGHT PEOPLE ON MY LIST, AND I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY ONLINE THAT IF YOU WISH TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS RAISE YOUR VIRTUAL ICON OF A HAND AND WE WILL RECOGNIZE YOU AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.

FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE COURTROOM, THE ONLY THING WE DO IS WE CLEAN THE PODIUM IN BETWEEN SPEAKERS. IF YOU'LL JUST GIVE IT A LITTLE PAUSE AFTER I CALL YOUR NAME AND THE FIRST PERSON THAT WE HAVE IS MR. IS IT PRONOUNCED FURQAN LAWRENCE? HI, LAWRENCE, FURQAN.

WELCOME, SIR, AND YOU MAY PROCEED.

ABOUT HANDOUTS, SO.

YES, SIR, YOU CAN PROCEED, THE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS OFFICER WILL TAKE THOSE.

THANK YOU. WE'LL TAKE THEM.

AND JUST BECAUSE THERE'S NEW FACES AND NEW NAMES, I ALWAYS DO LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY HOW

[00:05:02]

BUT JUST TO REMIND YOU, I'M SORRY, YOU'LL GIVE US INFORMATION AND THEN WE WON'T STATE BACK. YES, SIR. I'M SORRY.

BUT. YEAH, THANKS.

I WAS JUST SAYING THAT THAT WE WON'T RESPOND FORMALLY IN THIS FORUM, BUT REST ASSURED, ANYTHING YOU GIVE TO THE COURT, ANYTHING YOU SAY WILL BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY AND THEN PERHAPS THERE MIGHT BE AN AGENDA ITEM WHERE WE COULD ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE PRESENTED DURING THIS TIME.

AT ANY RATE, IT'S YOUR TURN NOW.

WE'RE HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU.

MY NAME IS LAWRENCE FURQAN, I LIVE AT THIRTY SIX COUNTY ROAD, 50 REPS DOWN IN TEXAS.

I'VE RESIDED AT THIS RESIDENCE SINCE 1979 FOR FORTY THREE YEARS AND THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR WELL OVER 50 YEARS.

FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS ROAD CONDITIONS ON COUNTY ROAD, 50 AND OTHER ROADS IN MY AREA. WHEN 50 TO FIRST OPENED TO SIXTY NINE, IT PROVIDED NO ACCESS TO FORM ROAD 1889, WHICH GREATLY AFFECTED THE ROAD.

I LIVE ON COUNTY ROAD 50.

WHEN THE INVOICES COUNTY CO-OP RELOCATED THEIR BUSINESS FROM ROB DOWN TO COUNTY ROAD 52, THERE WAS NO EXCESS TO FARMER OWNED 1889.

THIS RESULTED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC REROUTING ONTO COUNTY ROAD 50 FROM NBC AND OTHER TRAFFIC COMING FROM HIGHWAY 77.

THIS WENT ON UNTIL THE ROAD WAS COMPLETED, PROVIDING FULL ACCESS TO FM 1889.

I'M STILL GETTING HEAVY TRUCK TRAFFIC FROM SOIL REMOVAL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANY RETENTION POND FROM SABBIR LANE TO COUNTY ROAD 50.

THIS TRUCK TRAFFIC HAS CAUSED MANY DEEP RUTS THAT ALSO RESULTED IN POTHOLES AND BREAKING UP OF THE ROAD EDGES.

CARNEY RHODES, FIFTY TO SIXTY NINE, FORTY EIGHT HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND RESURFACED TWICE, YET CARNEY WROTE FIFTY REMAINS WITH ONLY OCCASIONAL POOR POTHOLE REPAIRS, WHICH DETERIORATE QUICKLY.

SECOND, I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE IN THE DRAINAGE DITCHES, WHICH WHERE I LIVE CURRENT DRAINAGE PROBLEMS, WHICH I WISH TO DISCUSS, ARE LOCATED ON FORMER ROAD 1889 COUNTY ROADS, 50 TO 50 TO BE WELL WORTH THE ALL DRAIN INTO THE WEST DITCH ON COUNTY ROAD 69.

THE LARGEST POWER PROBLEM IS A DRAINAGE DITCH ON COUNTY ROAD 69 STARTING AT THE ROPS DOWN CITY LIMIT. THIS DITCH BEFORE THE PALM TREE FARM PASSES UNDER 69, HEADING EAST FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET AND THEN IT GOES SOUTH TO COUNTY ROAD.

44 DITCH ONTO THE OSO DRAINAGE THIS DITCH.

IS BEING MET ALSO FROM 1889, HAS NOT BEEN MAINTAINED FOR OVER 43 YEARS AND IS CHOKED UP WITH TREES, TRASHED BRIDGES AND GENERAL OVERGROWTH.

THERE IS NO MAINTENANCE ON THIS DITCH ON THE EAST WEST SIDE OF FARM ROAD.

1889 JUST CAUSES THE WATER TO DRAIN ACROSS FROM THE LAKES INTO DE LOOP RESIDENTIAL AREA AT COUNTY ROAD, 50 TO BE.

THIS INCLUDES FLOODING ACROSS THE ROAD AT MEMORIAL CEMETERY ONTO FARM ROAD 1889 AS WELL.

IT HAS NO WORD TO DRAIN, CAUSING TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AS WELL.

SIESTA LOOP HAS BEEN PARTIALLY DUG OUT TO RELIEVE FLOODING ALSO, BUT THE WATER STILL CONTINUES TO DRAIN FROM 1889 COUNTY ROADS, 50 TO 50 TO BE AND ON TO 69.

NO, THE ONLY DEBTS ON 16 IS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE, ONCE THIS WATER GETS DROPS DOWN CITY LIMIT, WHERE THE DITCHES ARE NOT POORLY MAINTAINED, GOOD DRAINAGE IS IMPOSSIBLE.

IT CONTINUES TO BACK UP AND FLOODING THE EAST AND WEST RESIDENTS OF BUSINESS ON FM 1889 AS WELL. IN CLOSING, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT.

I'VE MET WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO OFFER NO SOLUTION YET.

I DON'T SEE ANY CHANCES.

I DON'T NEED AN ENGINEER TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. THIS IS JUST A MATTER OF GOOD MAINTENANCE OF THE DRAINAGE DITCHES TO ENSURE THE WATER DOESN'T BACK UP AND CONTINUE TO FLOOD THE AREA AND DECENT ROAD REPAIRS TO SUBSTANTIATE HEAVY TRUCK TRAFFIC.

I'VE DONE MY PART AND I HAVE BEEN I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHED AND GIVEN THE AREAS OF CONCERN WITH YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, BARBARA CANLAS AND MELISSA MUNGUIA, GARRETT NELSON BEING THE LAST ONE US. I SPENT EXTENSIVE TIME SHOWING HIM THE PROBLEMS AND I KNOW MELISSA MUNGIU WAS

[00:10:01]

I CAN'T DIG OUT THESE DITCHES, SO I NEED YOUR HELP TO STEP UP AND.

AND HE'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THESE PROBLEMS. THAT'S BEEN CONTINUED FOR WAY OVER 43 YEARS.

I THINK IT'S TIME SOMEBODY TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM.

DITCH THAT'S BACKING EVERYBODY UP.

AND THAT'S THAT SECTION.

IF YOU LOOK OVER THERE ON THE DIAGRAM THAT I'VE SHOWED YOU IN THE PROBLEM DITCH IS WHERE IT'S AT ON THE ON THE FIRST PAGE, WHERE IT STARTS RIGHT BEFORE FORTY SIX COMES ACROSS TO SIXTY NINE AND THEN FINALLY CUTS OVER TO FORTY FOR THE STITCHES, JUST PLUMB FULL OF TREES OVERGROWTH AND TRASH.

AND I'VE GOT ON THE PICTURES AFTER THAT.

THE FIRST PICTURE SHOWS ON COUNTY ROAD SIXTY NINE.

THE CHANGE IN COLOR IS.

THE PAVEMENT IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF ROB STANDING IN THE CITY LIMITS, AND YOU CAN TELL IT'S PRETTY WELL GROOMED BY THE BY THE COUNTY BEFORE THAT.

BUT WHEN IT GETS DROPS DOWN, SAY, LIMIT ALL THE GRASS AND THE TREES GROWTH ON THE LEFT, AS IS WHERE THE CITY LIMIT BEGINS.

NEXT PAGE IS YOU CAN TELL THERE'S THE SIGN DROPS DOWN CITY LIMITS THE SHOW AND WHERE THE WHERE THE CITY LIMITS IS GOING NORTH TO FORTY EIGHT AND COUNTY ROAD 50.

SO THE CHANGE IN THE ROAD COLOR YOU CAN PLAINLY SEE AND THE SIGN WHERE ROB DROPS DOWN THE LIMITS BEGAN AND THE TRASH AND AND THE DEBRIS YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE.

IT SHOWS YOU RIGHT WHERE IT BEGINS LOOKING THE OTHER DIRECTION.

THIS IS WHERE ROCKS DOWN CITY LIMITS BEGINS ON COUNTY ROAD.

SIXTY NINE IN THE DITCH AND OLD TIRES AND TREES AND GRASS AND OVERGROWTH GO INTO THE NEXT PAGE. SAME THING.

COUNTY ROAD FOR 69 CITY LIMITS DITCH ON THE RIGHT FULL OF GRASS, TREES AND PEOPLE DUMPING. I'LL GO TO THE NEXT PAGE.

CAN CAN I JUST MATTRESSES? JUST ONE SECOND. REALLY, THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTING WORKS NEEDS TO BE HEARING ALL THIS STUFF TOO. I GO FIND THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS WENT TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS.

SO. RIGHT? ONE OF YOUR LISTENERS TO COME UP, PLEASE.

I DON'T MEAN TO. I DON'T WANT TO RESPOND, BUT I WANT THIS PERSON HERE, SIR, TO HEAR THIS.

BUT TO SAY THAT? LET ME LET YOU FINISH AND THEN GO AHEAD.

BUT I JUST SENT SOMEONE TO GET THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR BECAUSE ACTUALLY, I CAN WAIT.

NO, NO, YOU ALL GOT THIS TIME.

THAT'S OK. HE'S GOING TO NEED TO TALK TO HIM OFFLINE ANYWAY.

BUT BUT YOU CAN KEEP PRESENTING TO US.

I'M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING YOU.

WELL, THEN I'LL GO TO THE NEXT PAGE.

KIND OF ROADS. THE CITY LIMITS AGAIN, MORE TREES OVERGROWTH PLUGGING UP OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM, CAUSING THE FLOODING ON ALL THE ROADS 48, 50, 50 TO 50 TO BE IN SIESTA LOOP AND RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OF 1889 AND ALSO THE NEW HOUSING THAT IS CLOSE TO THE OASIS BOULEVARD. EVERYTHING FROM SIX 24 HAS TO GO BACK TO SIXTY NINE.

THERE IS NO WAY FOR IT TO GO UPHILL TO SIX TWENTY FOUR.

SO WE'RE WE'RE STUCK WITH THIS PROBLEM AND HERE IT IS, WHERE IT CROSSES ACROSS SIXTY NINE STILL AND DROPS DOWN CITY LIMITS COURSES UNDERNEATH THE ROAD, GOING A SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET BEFORE IT TURNS SOUTH AGAIN TO COUNTY ROAD.

44 CONTINUING SOUTH ON THIS ROAD.

SIXTY NINE.

YOU CAN RUN INTO COUNTY ROAD 44.

ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE STREET IS THE COUNTY ROAD.

SIXTY NINE AND FORTY FOUR INTERSECTION WITH A HIGH PRESSURE UNDERGROUND GAS PIPELINE.

IT'S NOT TOO FAR FROM THERE, AND YOU WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD JUST CONTINUE ON THIS DITCH. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THE HIGH PRESSURE GAS LINE IT WOULD PREVENT THEM FROM DIGGING IT THAT WAY AND GOING UNDERNEATH AND MAKING A STRAIGHT SHOT INSTEAD OF HAVING THIS.

ALL THIS DEBRIS ON THIS L-SHAPE THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR AGES, BUT STILL, IT DOESN'T NEGLECT THE DRAINAGE FROM 1889 THAT COMES ALL THE WAY TO 69 AGAIN THROUGH A DITCH THAT'S FULL OF

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SO THE NEXT PAGE BASICALLY SHOWS THE EAST SIDE OF THE DITCH AND ALL THE DEBRIS ON IT, AND I BELIEVE THE NEXT PAGE IS THE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DITCH.

YES. AND THAT'S LOOKING BACK TOWARD FARM ROAD 1889, SO TRYING TO SHOW YOU BOTH SIDES OF THAT CROSSING THAT IS JUST FULL OF TREES, GRASS AND DEBRIS, AND THEN OF COURSE, THAT'S THE OTHER SIDE.

THE NEXT PAGE IS THE DITCH ON THE ON THE ON THE WEST SIDE.

COMING FROM 1889, YOU SEE IT'S FULL OF OF TRASH.

AND IT'S IT'S CONSISTENT, IT'S ALL THIS TRASH AND DEBRIS, MUCH LESS THE TREE AND OVERGROWTH. THEN WE FINALLY THE LAST ONE IN THE PICTURES OF THE DITCH IS LOOKING AT IT FROM COUNTY ROAD 44, NEXT TO THE RV PARK, WHICH I BELIEVE IS READ RV PARK.

AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM FROM FORFOR BEFORE IT CROSSES.

WELL, THERE THE DITCH ON 44TH IS CLEAR.

BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT ALL THE WAY UP TO COUNTY ROAD, FORTY FOR FOUR WERE STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

GRASS OVERGROWTH, TREES AND TRASH DUMPING.

NEXT PAGE IS IS WHERE I LIVE MY HOUSE.

COUNTY ROAD 50, AND YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THE TIMES THAT IT'S BACKED UP, CAUSING FLOODING IN THE FIELDS. THE WATER GOING ACROSS THE ROAD.

AND THEN THE LAST PAGE, OF COURSE, IS LOOKING DOWN THE STREET TOWARDS 69.

SAME THING. IT'S WATER FLOODING THAT DITCHES COMING OVER THE ROAD, GOING INTO PEOPLE'S YARD. THAT THAT DITCH THAT L SHAPED DITCH IS CAUSING ALL THIS BACKUP.

THERE'S NO WAY FOR OUR WATER TO GET OUT UNLESS THAT'S CLEANED OUT AND EVERYBODY'S COMING IN AND CLEANING OUR DITCHES RIGHT WHERE WE'RE AT.

THAT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

THE DOWNSTREAM PROBLEM HAS BEEN THERE AND NOBODY WANTS TO TAKE ANY ATTENTION TO IT.

IT'S IN ROB STEIN CITY LIMITS.

I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHO'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.

WHO'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM? CLEAN OUT THE DITCH SO EVERYBODY CAN HAVE WATER RELIEF IN THEIR DITCHES AND NOT FLED THEIR HOMES, WHICH IS ALSO HAPPENING ALREADY OVER IT AT SIESTA LOOP.

THEY'VE BEEN FLOODED FOR REALLY BAD FOR SO MANY YEARS.

THEY'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT ON THAT.

I DON'T KNOW PRECISELY.

BUT IT STILL COMES BACK TO THE SAME PROBLEM.

THEIR THEIR THEIR WATER HAS TO GO TO COUNTY ROADS 69 AND OUT TO 44, DITCH, WHICH IS BACKING UP AND THOSE TREES AND OVERGROWTH AND DUMPING.

NOTHING'S EVER BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.

IT'S BEEN THAT WAY, I ALMOST SAY FOR OVER OVER 50 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 43.

SO I'D LIKE SOMEBODY TO STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM.

I'M TIRED OF HEARING ALL THE EXCUSES.

IT'S IT DOESN'T NEED AN ENGINEER TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.

IT JUST NEEDS TO BE CLEANED OUT.

SO NOW TODAY I'M ASKING WHO'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT? SO I JUST I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WISH THE RULES WERE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT AND DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, IF IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, YOU GET TO VISIT WITH US AND THEN WE DON'T GET TO SAY ANYTHING BACK.

BUT I HAVE A WAY THAT I THINK WE CAN CREATE A RESPONSE FOR YOU.

I COULD ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE ONLY IF YOU IN AFTER WE DO ALL OF PUBLIC COMMENT.

THERE'S A GENERAL INFORMATION AGENDA THAT I THINK IF YOU'LL.

MAYBE TAKE A SEAT.

MAYBE WE COULD ADDRESS IT INSIDE OF THERE BECAUSE DRAINAGE AND FLOODING ARE LISTED IN THE AGENDA, JENNY AS PART OF THAT.

SO MAYBE I COULD AT LEAST CREATE SOME DIALOG OR CONVERSATION AND KEEP TO THE RULES.

IF THAT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT WITH YOU.

WELL, IT'S LITERALLY LIKE THE FIRST ONE AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT.

OK? GARRETT NELSON TOLD ME THERE HAS BEEN 16 MILLION OR SIX MILLION, I'M SORRY, ALLOTTED FOR DRAINAGE DITCHES AND STUFF.

I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM, BUT I'VE HAD THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR OVER 43 YEARS

[00:20:08]

YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I INVITE YOU TO STAY.

I'M GOING TO MOVE ON.

I HAVE A FEW.

WHAT LOOKS LIKE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX FOLKS KIND OF ON THE SAME TOPIC, SO I'M GOING TO KEEP YOU GUYS TOGETHER AND I'D CALL ON BETTY SHEETS NEXT.

FOLLOWED BY RONNIE BAKER.

YOU'LL BE AFTER MISS SHEETS.

GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING, JUDGE, THANK YOU IN THE COMMISSIONERS FOR BEING HERE.

GOOD MORNING. I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING THE BINGO HALLS.

I HAVE A CHARITY. IT'S CALLED CORPUS CHRISTI BOYS FOR LIFE.

WE TAKE CARE OF THE MOTHERS AND BABIES THE YOUNG GIRLS ARE TRYING TO ABORT.

WE TRY TO SAVE THESE BABIES.

WE'VE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL.

THIS GOES BACK TO THE ABORTION DAYS WITH BISHOP RECEIPT AND REX MOSES.

IT'S BEEN THAT MANY YEARS WE'VE DONE THIS.

I ASK YOU TODAY TO HELP US.

THE BINGO HALLS WERE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY.

WE HAVEN'T HAD MONEY IN ALMOST THREE YEARS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER WE CAN GO ON.

I KNOW YOU ALL CAN'T HELP, BUT IF YOU CAN PUT SOME KIND OF REGULATIONS ON THESE GAMES OR HELP US IN SOME WAY TO GET OUR MONEY, WE USED TO HAVE THE MONEY COMING IN AND IT REALLY DID HELP US A LOT.

BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.

WE REALLY DO.

I HOPE YOU HEAR US AND DO SOMETHING FOR US TO HELP THESE GIRLS.

THANK YOU. SHE'S WITH ME.

SHE HAS A CHARITY, PEGGY, TO RUN FROM KINGSVILLE, TEXAS, AND I REPRESENT PITHANI EDUCATION FOUNDATION.

WE ALSO HAVE A ROTARY IN KINGSVILLE.

THEY GIVE SCHOLARSHIPS.

EVERY HAS IN THE PAST GIVEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT IN SCHOLARSHIPS, AND WE'RE ALL BEING AFFECTED. SO HOPE YOU WOULD JUST CONSIDER US.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

UM. MARGARET BALDWIN, I'M SORRY, RONNIE, I HAD ALREADY CALLED YOU SORRY, RONNIE.

PLEASE, PLEASE PROCEED.

MARGARET, YOU'LL FOLLOW.

WOW. WE JUST KEEP COMING BACK, JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, GOOD MORNING, MORNING.

WE'RE BACK, I'M BACK BECAUSE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR SOME TYPE OF REGULATORY PROCESS THAT WOULD REGULATE OR PRIORITIZE HELPING THE CHARITIES COMPETE AGAINST WHAT WE CONSIDER ILLEGAL GAME ROOMS. THIS PAST MEETING, WE WALKED AWAY.

I SHOWED A A STATUTE OR A REGULATION THAT CAME OUT OF BELL COUNTY THAT DID NOT REQUIRE EITHER THE SHERIFF OR THE POLICE CHIEF TO BE INVOLVED.

IT FELL ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND JUDGE, I'LL GO BACK TO SOME OF YOUR CORRESPONDENTS WHERE WE LOOKED AT PRIORITIZING PERMITS AND MAKING IT VERY ONEROUS TO HAVE A GAME ROOM AND NOT FOLLOW CERTAIN REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.

I WAS LOOKING AT THE TITLE OF THE THE AGENDA AND I CALL IT KIND OF THE DISAPPOINTING AGENDA BECAUSE WHEN WE LEFT THE MEETING LAST TIME, WE WERE VERY CONFIDENT BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE THAT SOME TYPE OF REGULATION WOULD BE PRESENTED.

TODAY, I'M I LISTEN TO THIS GENTLEMAN AND I LISTENED TO COMMISSIONER CHESNEY, ASK FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS TO COME UP AND DEAL WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL.

AND I LOOK AROUND AND I DON'T SEE SHERIFF HOOPER.

I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, MRS. DORSEY, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, ASKING, HEY, ARE WE, ARE WE ON BOARD WITH A REGULATION? AND SHE SAID YES.

SHE SAID THE SHERIFF IS SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE MEETING ON THE 26TH TO PRESENT SOME TYPE OF REGULATION THAT WOULD CREATE A PERMITTING PROCESS TO STOP THE PROLIFERATION OF WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE UNREGULATED, ILLEGAL GAME ROOMS. AND I'M I'M SLIGHTLY SUSPECT I HAVE.

I HAD A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND I'VE DONE A FEW OTHER THINGS.

BUT MOST RECENTLY IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION ON SOUTH STAPLES.

THERE'S A NEW GAME ROOM AND THERE'S A FOUR BY SIX POSTER ADVERTISING A PERSON THAT'S RUNNING FOR A POSITION HERE IN CORPUS CHRISTI.

AND I FIND THAT KIND OF INTERESTING.

I WONDER IF WE LOOKED AT WHO OWNS THE GAME ROOMS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT BASED ON THE

[00:25:05]

THEY GOT NO COMMENT AS FAR AS WHO OWNS THE GAME ROOMS. WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO VERSUS CHARITABLE BINGO, WHICH WE KNOW WHERE ALL THE MONEY GOES? THERE'S A LADY THAT'S GOING TO SPEAK AFTER ME THAT'S GOING TO SHOW YOU THE EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THAT COMES INTO CHARITABLE BINGO.

BOTH THE BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY GET A PERCENTAGE OF THEY GET NOTHING FROM THE GAME ROOMS. I PROMISE YOU THAT.

I GUESS WE'LL STOP COMING WHEN ALL THE BINGO HALLS HAVE GONE AWAY.

BUT ONCE AGAIN, WHERE IS SHERIFF HOOPER AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU ON THIS? WE WERE AT A MEETING SIX MONTHS AGO AND SHERIFF HOOPER CAME TO THOSE MEETINGS, DILIGENTLY VOICED CONCERN AND SAID AND SAID TO EVERYBODY IN THE MEETING, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'LL DO.

I WILL GO OUT.

I WILL PERSONALLY INVESTIGATE AND RAID ONE OF THE GAME ROOMS TO SEE WHAT RIPPLE EFFECT THAT IT HAS AND IT NEVER HAPPENED.

AND SO MY QUESTION IS WHY SHERIFF HOOPER AND WHERE ARE YOU TODAY? I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

PLEASE HELP US SAVE THE CHARITIES BECAUSE AS I SAID TO MARGARET, I SAID, I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE NATIONAL LITTLE LEAGUE IN.

WHOO HOO! MISS DORSEY SAID HER KIDS PLAYED BASEBALL FOR AND COME IN WITH A HUNDRED KIDS AND SAY, WE GET SHOES AND UNIFORMS FROM CHARITABLE BINGO.

WHAT DO YOU GET FROM GAME ROOMS, GUYS? THANKS. MISS MARGARET BALDWIN.

SO HE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING.

I WISH I HAD AN AGENDA ITEM WHERE WE COULD ADDRESS YOU, I CAN ONLY TELL YOU BECAUSE WE CANNOT ADDRESS YOU.

WE'RE GOING TO, OUT OF RESPECT, LET EVERYBODY FINISH.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO, UM, HAVE SOMEBODY FROM MY OFFICE COME OUT AND.

JUST SHARE SOMETHING WITH YOU.

GO AHEAD. JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, WE JUST ASKED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY ACROSS THE BOARD. WE ARE ASKING FOR REGULATIONS JUST LIKE THE BINGO HALLS ARE REGULATED.

YESTERDAY WAS MY DEADLINE TO GET MY QUARTERLY REPORTS DONE FOR THE STATE, WHICH ALSO GIVES INFORMATION TO THE COUNTY AND TO THE CITY.

AND I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE IT SHORT AND GIVE YOU SOME FIGURES.

I JUST PUT IN THE MAIL YESTERDAY A PACKET THAT WILL COME TO THE COUNTY FOR FIVE BINGO HALLS THAT THEY WILL GET FIFTY ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS.

IS THERE PART WHICH IS TWENTY FIVE PERCENT AND THE CITY WILL GET THE SAME AMOUNT? WE ARE MAKING THESE THESE PRIZE FEES.

THEY'RE NOT DONATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY TO Y'ALL.

YET THE CHARITIES AREN'T GETTING THEIR MONEY.

THEY'RE NOT. WE'RE NOT BEING ABLE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THEM TO HAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE DISTRIBUTIONS TO THEM.

WE ASK THAT IF WE ARE EXPECTED TO DO THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL GET THE MONEY, WE ARE IN THE SAME BOAT ASKING THAT WE HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY ON YOURS AND THAT WE HAVE SOME KIND OF ORDINANCE, SOME KIND OF DOCUMENTATION FROM THE GAME ROOMS. LET'S SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THEIR MONEY.

THE QUARTER REPORTS THAT I PRESENT TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW MUCH IS BROUGHT IN, HOW MUCH IS GIVEN OUT, HOW MUCH IS SPENT, HOW MUCH IS EMPLOYEES, HOW MUCH IS DISTRIBUTED.

THERE'S THERE'S WE HAVE TO BALANCE WITHIN ONE DOLLAR.

WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO Y'ALL, TO THE STATE.

WE ASK THAT THE GAME ROOMS BE ACCOUNTABLE IN THE SAME MANNER SO THAT WE CAN HELP EACH ONE OF THE CHARITIES THAT WE ARE REPRESENTATIVE WE REPRESENT.

I CAN'T EVEN GUESS HOW MANY THAT ARE IN NEW ACIS COUNTY.

I THINK THERE IS OVER A HUNDRED OF THEM THAT WE REPRESENT.

BINGO HALLS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO CALL ON KATHLEEN WHITE.

WE DON'T BELIEVE SHE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT.

OK, NO WORRIES, WE'LL MOVE ON, THIS ONE IS A LITTLE HARDER FOR ME TO READ, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE EDUARDO OR EDWARD.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS ONE DOESN'T HAVE AN ITEM NUMBER, SO I MADE AN ASSUMPTION HE WAS WITH YOUR GROUP. EDUARDO DEPUTY, WOULD YOU CHECK? OK. LET ME JUST MOVE ON TO NICK.

IS IT PELOSI? GOOD MORNING, SIR. THE COMMISSIONERS, I'M NICK COLOSSI,

[00:30:08]

WE'VE BEEN HEARING SOME OF THE BUSINESS OF WHERE THE MONEY IS NOT BEING GIVEN TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE IT GOES FOR US.

I REPRESENT THE CORPUS CHRISTI COUNCIL OF THE NAVY LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES.

IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE WOULD RECEIVE APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15000 A QUARTER TO DISTRIBUTE IN THE PAST YEAR OR TWO YEARS.

WE'VE HAD $500 WHERE OUR MONEY GOES.

WE PROVIDE THE TOTAL FUNDING FOR FOUR HIGH SCHOOL ROTC PROGRAMS HERE IN THE CITY.

WE PAY FOR EVERYTHING.

ONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS IS A NATIONAL CHAMPION DRILL TEAM.

WE ALSO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO EITHER COLLEGES OR TRADE SCHOOLS TO THESE STUDENTS FOR THE AIR SHOW THAT COMES EVERY TWO YEARS.

WE PROVIDE ALL THE MEALS FOR ALL THE VOLUNTEERS.

THERE'S A SAILOR OF THE YEAR PROGRAM AND SCHOLAR OF THE QUARTER.

GETTING THIS WOULD GIVE POINTS TOWARDS THE PROMOTION OF THE ENLISTED.

WE WOULD PICK UP THE BILL FOR THE PLAQUES, FOR THE MEALS, FOR THE CEREMONY.

THIS HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BECAUSE THE NAVY CAN'T AFFORD IT EITHER.

WE PROVIDE TICKETS FOR THE JUNIOR ENLISTED TO THE MARINE CORPS AND NAVY BIRTHDAY PARTIES.

THESE ARE GIVEN TO THE JUNIOR ENLISTED WHO NORMALLY CANNOT AFFORD A FULL DRESS, MILITARY DINNER DANCE. WE GOT TICKETS.

NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

YOU JUST SAY TO YOUR CHIEF OR YOUR GUNNERY SERGEANT, I NEED A TICKET AND WE JUST GIVE IT TO THEM. WE ALSO SUPPORT THE MWI, WHICH IS MORALE, WELFARE AND RECREATION ON THE BASE.

RECENTLY, THEY HAD A SNOW FESTIVAL.

THEY TOOK A TON OF ICE TUBES, FED THEM THROUGH A TREE SHREDDER TO PROVIDE SNOW FOR THE KIDS IN CORPUS CHRISTI.

WE HELP PAY FOR ALL OF THAT.

WE HAVE BEEN WITH THE PRODUCTION AND MONEY WOULD HAVE BEEN EITHER CUTTING BACK SEVERELY.

WE'VE BEEN LIVING ON OUR RESERVES AND OUR CHECKBOOK IS GETTING THIN.

WITHOUT YOUR HELP, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DISCONTINUE, IF NOT SEVERELY REDUCE EVERY ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I SEE NOBODY ONLINE WITH AN ICONIC HAND UP, BUT I WILL DO A DOUBLE CHECK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, CONNIE.

I SEE NOBODY DEPUTY.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY OUT THERE? I'LL CALL ONCE MORE FOR EDUARDO AND I DO APOLOGIZE.

I JUST IT LOOKS LIKE WATERLOO FOR AN AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU.

OH MY GOSH.

YOU HAVE A YOU HAVE A SIGNATURE LIKE LIKE A DOCTOR.

IT IS. IT'S ERICA CANALES.

YEAH. I'M SORRY, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A FULL PRESENTATION SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIGN UP ON PUBLIC COMMENT.

OK, BUT THANK YOU.

THAT'S WHAT IT IS. I JUST DIDN'T RECOGNIZE AND I SHOULD.

IT'S MY SAME LAST NAME, RIGHT? OK, SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS IS ALLOW THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TWO THINGS TO HAPPEN.

ONE IS A QUICK OPPORTUNITY FOR FOR US TO TALK ABOUT GENERAL INFORMATION, WHICH DOES INCLUDE FLOODING AND DRAINAGE, AND IT'S ACTUALLY LISTED ON THE AGENDA.

SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS DO THE QUICK EXCEPTION OF THE MINUTES AND GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT TO COME BACK TO RESOLUTIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS EVERYBODY.

BUT I WILL TAKE ONE RIGHT THIS MOMENT.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JANUARY? TWENTY FOUR TWENTY TWENTY TWO? YES. DO I HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU ALL.

OK. WHO DID THE MOTION? I THOUGHT I HEARD A MOTION. ALL RIGHT, I'LL TAKE IT.

I'LL DO THE MOTION A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I BUY.

OK. AND COMMISSIONER GONZALES.

JUDGE, COULD I JUST SAY THAT I MIGHT DO A PUBLIC COMMENT REAL QUICK? CAN I DO THAT REAL QUICK? OR SOMETHING THERE? IS IT ON THE AGENDA? NO, IT'S JUST I CAN'T RESPOND TO THEM, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THAT'S WHERE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE COULD DO THAT.

I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GET THERE.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY IN PUBLIC COMMENT, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY IN PUBLIC COMMENT THAT IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO PLACE THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE SECOND MEETING IN FEBRUARY AND ASK THE SHERIFF TO BE HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.

AND WITH IN REGARDS TO THE GAME ROOM ORDINANCE AND BECAUSE WE WE NEED TO DO, WE NEED TO MAKE SOME SORT OF SOMETHING ON THIS AND I KNOW ALL THE GAME ROOM PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SHOW UP TO. SO TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ORDINANCE IS OR WHAT IT ISN'T.

WE JUST NEED TO, IN MY OPINION, JUST NEED TO KIND OF VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

NO, I'M TALKING TO YOU.

I'M JUST SAYING I'D LIKE TO WRITE.

I JUST LIKE TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.

I'M JUST ASKING TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA.

NO, I'M JUST ASKING IT. BE PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR FEBRUARY TWENTY SIX.

[00:35:03]

I CAN GO TELL THEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.

CALL THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.

I'M GOING TO PASS THE GAVEL FOR JUST FIVE SECONDS, NOT FIVE SECONDS.

BUT YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY FIVE SECONDS.

NO. COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ IS GOING TO ANNOUNCE OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH WILL BE OUR GENERAL INFORMATION TO GET MY TEAM READY.

I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

JUST ONE MINUTE. SO GOING TO GENERAL INFORMATION REPORTS, NO ONE DISCUSSED DISASTER

[1. Discuss disaster preparedness and response, including matters related to COVID-19, Emergency Orders, severe weather, flooding, drainage, economic recovery, state and federal assistance, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), and infrastructure status, and other related matters.]

AND INFRASTRUCTURE STATUS AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS.

AND I GUESS TO DO THE REPORT IS.

MR. MAKE YOU FORGET IN YOUR NAME.

CURTIS RAY LEWIS, RAY LEWIS, RAY LOUIS BREAK, BILLY RAY.

OK, SO CLOSE, WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE DRAINAGE FIRST WITH THE ONE HE WANTED TO GO.

OH, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? I'M SORRY, THE MICROPHONE.

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE DRAINAGE PORTION FIRST COMMISSIONER AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK WITH THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND KOBE.

ALL RIGHT. GOT IT.

COMMISSIONER, GOOD MORNING.

MORNING ONE. THE QUESTION I KNOW.

YES, MR. LAWRENCE. I KNOW THAT HIS AREA IS WITHIN THE CITY OF ROCKS DOWN THE DRAINAGE THAT L-SHAPED DITCH IN REGARDS TO THE COUNTY GOING INTO A CITY OF ROCK SOUND.

PUBLIC WORKS CAN'T GO IN THERE AND DO ANY CLEAN OUT OF THE DITCHES.

WE CAN'T MAINTAIN THOSE DITCHES.

THOSE NEED TO BE DONE BY THE CITY OF ROTHSTEIN.

AND I'LL BE GLADLY TO MEET WITH MR. LAWRENCE REGARDING THE HILLS AREA OR ANY OF THESE AREAS THAT HE KNOWS OF, AND WE NEED TO GO IN THERE AND DO ANY TYPE OF CLEANING OR MOWING.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH HIM AFTER THIS AFTER THIS SESSION AND DISCUSS WITH THEM TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. YOU KNOW WHAT? I KNOW MOST OF IT IS IN ROUGH STONE.

NOT SO MUCH TOO MUCH DISCOUNTING.

IT'S A THE CLEAN AREA.

THEN YOU SEE ROB STONE.

YES, SIR. BUT I I'M JUST THINKING IF THE RECOMMENDATION MAY BE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, COMMISSIONERS HERNANDEZ OR COMMISSIONER MYERS CAN MAYBE DO A PARTNERSHIP WITH ROB STONE AND MAYBE THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT NUMBER TWO.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE DISHES BELONG TO THEM OR NOT, BUT IT COULD BE A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE ACTUALLY WE CAN CLEAN SOME LAST.

I'D BE MORE THAN WILLING TO GO IN THERE AND HELP OUT SEEING THAT ROB STEIN HAS A LITTLE DIFFICULTY THAT YOU HAVE TO BE A LOCAL IN THE LOCAL AGREEMENT COMMISSION.

YEAH, OK. ALL RIGHT, SIR.

AND COMMISSIONERS, ONE THING THAT I JUST WANT TO BRING UP IS THAT THIS IS A REMINDER THAT THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE REQUESTING IS FOR THESE PURPOSES AND FOR CLEANING OUT DITCHES.

AND AND HOPEFULLY I KNOW I GOT AN EMAIL EARLIER THAT WE HAVE TO GO FOR BIDS FOR THAT, I THINK. SO HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE TO SO WE CAN GET THOSE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT ASAP.

OK, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THE ONES HAVE BEEN APPROVED, THOUGH, WASN'T RIGHT.

YES, BUT I JUST GOT AN EMAIL FROM, I GUESS, FROM HAGERTY SAYING THAT I GUESS WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

SO I ARGUE WITH MICHAEL, AND I SENT AN EMAIL TO MICHAEL REGARDING HOW WE CAN DO TO EXPEDITE THAT. YES, SIR.

AND JERRY GARCIA STILL INVOLVED WITH YOU? YES, SIR. HELPING OUT, RIGHT? YES, SIR. I KNOW HE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THAT AREA.

YES, SIR. YOU'LL BE INVOLVED.

THANK YOU. YES, SIR.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU.

ONE COMMISSIONERS ONE MORNING, SO I WANT TO ADDRESS THE LAST WEEK'S WINTER STORM.

WE STOOD UP THE EOC FOR.

PARTIALLY GUILTY FOR THE COUNTY.

WE HAD EVERYBODY IN PLACE AND READY TO TO EXECUTE IT IF WE NEEDED TO BE.

I CAN BARELY HEAR YOU, LOUIS.

WE HAD EVERYONE IN THE PLACE AND WE WERE READY TO EXECUTE IF NEEDED.

FOR THE LAST WINTER STORM AND LAST WEEK WE STOOD UP R&B RICHARD AND BUSCHER FOR A WARMING CENTER, AND IT WAS A GREAT TEAM UP WITH ROB STEIN.

[00:40:03]

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

IF YOU WOULD PUT THE POWERPOINT UP, I HAVE BROUGHT TO YOU A POWERPOINT THAT IS A COMBINATION OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS NUECES COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO REPORT ON COVID FOR THE REGION AS WELL AS THE TESTING.

SECOND SLIDE, PLEASE.

NUECES COUNTY IS IDENTIFIED 25 CONFIRMED AMARCORD CASES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THE FIRST ONE WAS IDENTIFIED DECEMBER 14TH AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO OFFER VACCINES AND BOOSTERS, AND I HAVE SOME SUPPORTING FACTS OF HOW THAT IS GOING VERY WELL.

THE OMICRON IS MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN DELTA.

THERE IS ALSO SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE THERE'S A B VARIANT THAT'S SHOWING UP IN CERTAIN AREAS THAN IN EUROPE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

IT'S NOT COME TO THE UNITED STATES YET.

AS OF JANUARY 20TH, WE HAD ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE POSITIVE CASES CONFIRMED HERE IN NOYCE'S COUNTY, AND THIS SHOWS YOU THE TREND.

DECEMBER TWENTY FIRST, WE HAD 65 CASES AS A DAILY AVERAGE FOR COVID.

AS OF JANUARY, WE HAVE 824 CASES AS A DAILY AVERAGE, SO OMICRON IS HERE.

AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY CLOSE TO THE PEAK, AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TESTING.

HOWEVER, OUR RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE LIMITED.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

OK. THIS SHOWS JUST A REALLY QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES OF COVID, AND YOU CAN SEE THIS IS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CASES THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE THE BEGINNING OF COVID. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS. THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU A BREAKDOWN OF THE JUST THE JANUARY CASES, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE A LARGE PERCENTAGE IN CHILDREN.

THE ZERO TO 19 ARE DRISCOLL CHILDREN.

HOSPITAL HAS BEEN INUNDATED WITH CARE AND TREATMENT OF COVID CHILDREN, AND MANY OF THOSE ARE UNDER AGE FOR GETTING ANY TYPE OF VACCINE AT THIS TIME.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

YOU CAN ALSO SEE THIS TREND HERE COME JANUARY 3RD, THE 10TH, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A DOWNFALL IN THE WEEKLY CASES.

SO AS WE HAD PREVIOUSLY PREDICTED IN DECEMBER, WE DID HAVE OUR OUR EXPANSION OF COVID IN JANUARY, AND THAT WAS WHAT WE THOUGHT OUR PEAK WAS GOING TO BE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AND THIS IS A DAILY TREND OF THE HOSPITALIZATIONS.

NEXT SLIDE.

THERE WE GO. NO, WE'VE SKIPPED ONE, UH.

MAYBE I SKIPPED ONE, SORRY, CONNIE.

OH YES. HERE'S THE COVID DEATHS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE THIS OMICRON IS NOT AFFECTING OUR SEVERELY. WE'RE NOT HAVING THE NUMBER OF DEATHS THAT WE HAD WITH DELTA IN THE ORIGINAL COVID VIRUS.

SO WHILE IT IS MORE CONTAGIOUS, WE'VE DONE A BETTER JOB WITH THE VACCINES AND THE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF WEARING A MASK AND AND THE SIX FEET OF SEPARATION WE'VE DONE AND CONTINUING TO WASH OUR HANDS HAS HELPED US KEEP THIS NUMBER LOW.

BUT A LOT OF IT IS ATTRIBUTED TO VACCINES BECAUSE THE SYMPTOMS, WHILE THEY'RE GREAT IN SOME PEOPLE, THERE ARE LESSER IN OTHERS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

HERE'S THE HOSPITALIZATIONS.

HOWEVER YOU HAVE YOU CAN SEE HERE THERE'S A TREND OF INCREASING OF HOSPITALIZATIONS AND ICU JUST SINCE THE END OF DECEMBER, AND WE'RE AT A CURRENT RATE OF 199 HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID. AND WE HAVE HAD ALSO HOSPITALS OPENING WINGS FOR ICU.

[00:45:02]

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

HERE IT SHOWS THAT WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF THE INCREASE IN OUR VACCINATIONS HAS CONTINUED TO GO UP. SO THIS IS A VERY GOOD NUMBER.

NEXT. AND THIS SHOWS THE BOOSTERS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT 30000 BOOSTERS, SO THAT'S THAT CONTINUES TO INCREASE, WHICH IS PROVIDING SOME ADDITIONAL PROTECTION TO OUR CITIZENS.

SO WE DO REQUEST THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS SLIDE DOES SHOW WHERE OUR VACCINATION RATES ARE IMPROVING, OUR RESIDENTS 65 AND OLDER ARE INCREASING AS WELL AS AGED 16 AND OVER.

ALL OF THESE NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED, SO WE'RE DOING WELL, ESPECIALLY THE 65 AND OLDER, WHICH TENDS TO BE HAVE THE HARDEST TIME OF RECOVERY WHEN THEY DO GET COVID.

SO IT SHOWS THAT WE ARE GETTING OUR MESSAGE OUT AND DOING A GOOD JOB OF THAT.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

OK, SORRY, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT SMALL FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, IT DOES SHOW WHERE WE HAD.

IN DECEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER OF TWENTY TWENTY ONE, WE WERE ONLY TESTING ABOUT 20 PEOPLE A DAY AND THEN YOU SEE WHERE WE HAD THE SURGE.

DECEMBER 27TH THROUGH DECEMBER 30TH AND THIS WAS DURING THE TIME PERIOD WHEN THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI WAS CLOSED.

SO OUR SECTION CHIEF OF OPERATIONS EDWARD HERRERA DID A FABULOUS JOB OF PULLING OUT ALL THE STOPS.

AND IN A IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WE DID A THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT TESTS AND IT WAS IT HAD A 33 PERCENT POSITIVITY RATE.

AND THEN IN TWO DAYS AFTER THAT, WE HAD ANOTHER THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY TESTS.

AND YOU SEE HERE WHERE THE INCREASE IN POSITIVITY RATE WAS 43 PERCENT.

WE'VE ALSO DONE SOME INDEPENDENT TESTING IN ROB'S TOWN, AND IF YOU DROP DOWN TO SEE JANUARY 15TH, YOU CAN SEE A JUMP IN THE POSITIVITY RATE TO BE FIFTY FIVE POINT THREE PERCENT. SO YOU'RE HAVING OUT OF THOSE.

AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU'VE TESTED, OVER HALF OF THEM ARE COVID POSITIVE.

AND THAT SHOWS A TREND OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN YOUR POPULATION, AND THIS ISN'T EVEN WHAT I WOULD SAY, TOTALLY ACCURATE, BECAUSE THINK OF HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE THAT ARE TAKING THE AT HOME COVID TESTS THAT AREN'T EVEN REPORTING THEIR RESULTS.

SO THERE'S A LOT MORE POSITIVES OUT THERE THAN WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

AND IF YOU JUMP TO JANUARY 19TH, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A FORTY NINE POINT ONE PERCENT POSITIVITY RATE.

YOU DO START SEEING A TREND HERE ON THE 19TH OF OUR NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN AS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE APPEARING FOR TESTING.

BUT IF YOU LOOK ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, PORT ARANSAS, WE DID A A TESTING LAST WEEK, WE DID TESTING IN PUERTO REIGNS'S AND IT HAD WE ONLY DID 127 TESTS THERE, WHICH WAS A GOOD NUMBER AND IT HAD 41 PERCENT POSITIVITY RATE, WHICH MAKES OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT BELIEVE THAT PERHAPS PORT A IS A LITTLE BEHIND THE PEAK, SO WE MAY SEE SOME INCREASES.

WE'RE DOING A WE'RE SCHEDULING A ADDITIONAL TESTING IN PORT A ON FRIDAY, SO WE'RE GOING TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE POSITIVITY RATE LOOKS LIKE ON FRIDAY.

AND HERE, IF YOU LOOK ON JANUARY 22ND, WE HAVE A 59 POINT FIVE PERCENT POSITIVITY RATE.

THAT'S A 60 PERCENT POSITIVITY RATE.

SO WHILE OUR TESTING NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN, OUR POSITIVITY RATE IS GOING UP.

SO EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE DILIGENT IN WHEN THEY'RE OUT IN PUBLIC.

AND AS YOU SEE DOWN HERE ON JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH, WHICH WAS YESTERDAY WE AT MEMORIAL, WE HAD 307 PEOPLE APPEAR FOR TESTING, WHICH TO ME SHOWS A VERY SIGNIFICANCE THAT WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO OUR PEAK BECAUSE YOU CAN TELL BY THE TESTING NUMBERS.

AND HOWEVER, JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE OUR RESOURCES FOR TESTING HAVE BECOME LIMITED BECAUSE THESE LARGE NUMBER OF TESTS THAT WE'RE DOING AT THIS TIME, IT'S IT'S CAUSING ISSUES WITH GETTING SUPPLIES.

[00:50:01]

SO IT'S VERY WHILE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND MEETING THE NEEDS AND KEEPING COVID AT BAY AND KEEPING IT ON THE RUN.

BECAUSE ALL OF THIS IS NEEDED FOR AWARENESS SO THAT THESE PEOPLE THAT TEST POSITIVE CAN QUARANTINE SO THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE SPREAD OF COVID.

AND THAT'S THE KEY.

SO WE JUST HAVE TO BE VERY DILIGENT MOVING FORWARD AS THE RESOURCES, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES IN THE WORLD ARE ALL WANTING THESE SAME SUPPLIES AND THESE SAME TESTS BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AT THIS TIME.

NEXT SLIDE.

THIS IS JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT THIS WEEK'S TESTING SCHEDULE IS, WE'RE DOING MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY AT THE MEMORIAL CHRISTOPHER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND THEN FRIDAY, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, 10:00 TO 3:00.

WE ARE HAVING TESTING AT PORT ARANSAS TODAY.

WE HAVE TESTING AT RICHARD AND HAUCHARD FAIRGROUNDS.

IT IS FROM 9:00 A.M.

TODAY TO 5:00 P.M.

AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO SPECTRA, WHO IS PROVIDING US ACCESS TO SOME INDOOR SPACE THERE AT NO COST BECAUSE THEY KNOW HOW TIGHT OUR BUDGETS ARE RIGHT NOW AND THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP US OUT. SO THEIR TEAM IS IS WORKING WITH US TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND ADDITIONAL COVER BECAUSE OUT THERE IN ROB'S TOWN, THOSE WINDS GET HIGH THIS TIME OF YEAR, SO IT'S REALLY HARD FOR THEM TO TEST OUTSIDE.

SO IT'S PASSING BY THE EXHIBIT HALL B AND THEY'RE DOING THE TESTING IN THE CAR AS THEY HAVE BEEN AT ALL TESTING SITES.

SO THIS IS A SPECIAL THANKS TO SPECTRA, AS THEY WERE ALSO VERY SUPPORTIVE DURING OUR MASS. NO MASS CARE ON THIS PAST WEEK, THEY WERE VERY ELEMENTARY IN HELPING US WITH THAT AND ALMOST ODD COMMUNITY CENTER DOES ROBERTTOWN AND HERE IN THE.

AND THIS IS A WEEKLY THING THAT THEY DO EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY ON THE SIDE TESTS AT THEIR LOCATIONS.

SO IF YOU IF YOU ARE AN AMAZON PATIENT OR NOT AN AMISTAD PATIENT, YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL THERE AND GET A TEST TAKEN AND IT'S A DRIVE THRU TEST.

YOU MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND THEY COME OUT TO YOUR CAR.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF OF WHAT YOU THE CRITERIA FOR CDC IS FOR COVID TESTING AND EXPOSURE THAT HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME.

NEXT. WE ARE STILL WAITING, WAITING TO RECEIVE THE MODEL MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES.

WE'VE NOT RECEIVED ANY AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE HAD 500 ORDERED.

AND WE'VE ALSO PLACED AN ADDITIONAL ORDER TO THE STATE FOR A STAR REQUEST FOR ANOTHER FIVE HUNDRED AND NEITHER OF THOSE ORDERS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

THIS IS THIS DRUG IS VERY HARD TO COME BY NEXT.

THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE COVID VACCINATION CLINICS.

WE STILL HAVE THEM AT LA PALMER MALL IS PROBABLY OUR OUR HIGHEST NUMBER OF VACCINES ON A WEEKLY AND DAILY BASIS.

IT'S EASY ACCESS AND PROVIDES GREAT CARE.

SO A SPECIAL THANKS TO A JOINT OPERATION WITH THE MILITARY, THE NUECES COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE CORPUS CHRISTI NOYES COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT ON LAP AMEERA.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THESE ARE OUTDOOR COVID CLINICS.

THIS IS IN QSR LEGACY, THE FALLIS PARKING LOT IN THE GOODWILL STORE, AND THOSE ARE IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

SO THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THOSE YOU CAN WALK UP OR DRIVE UP TO THOSE. THANK YOU.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AND HERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SCHOOL CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE TO FILL OUT THOSE FORMS AND GIVE YOUR APPROVAL FOR VACCINES BECAUSE THEY'LL HAVE THOSE CLINICS AT THESE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU. NEXT SLIDE.

AND THE LAST AND FINAL MESSAGE THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU.

PLEASE CONTINUE IN COMBINATION WITH GETTING VACCINES.

WEAR YOUR MASK IN CONGREGATE SETTINGS.

KEEP YOUR HOME AND OFFICES WELL VENTILATED.

STAY AT HOME IF YOU ARE SICK, ANY KIND OF SICK? PLEASE STAY HOME BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD TO TELL ON OMICRON WHAT YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE.

IF IT'S A COLD, IF IT'S A SINUS INFECTION.

SO UNTIL YOU'RE TESTED, IT'S VERY HARD TO DIAGNOSE OMICRON.

[00:55:03]

WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN AND WE RECOMMEND IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED, PLEASE DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT? AND AS YOU SEE, WE HAVE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR VACCINATION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. OK. TELL US ALL ABOUT THIS, BEEN VACCINATED AND TERRY, I'VE BEEN VACCINATED AND BUT TO GET. HE CAN'T HEAR YOU IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE.

OK. SORRY. ALL THESE THE PLACES TO GO AND GET TESTED AND AND WE'VE SIGNED UP THROUGH THE INTERNET TO GET SOME THE TEST KITS OURSELVES.

BUT WHAT WHAT DOES IT TAKE? AND EVIDENTLY, WE CAN'T GO TO OUR GENERAL PRACTITIONER BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU. SO WHERE DO YOU GO AFTER YOU'VE TESTED POSITIVE? WE HAVE NUECES COUNTY AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT SUPPORT AMISTAD COVID CLINIC, AND THE COVID CLINIC CAN SEE YOU.

YOU CAN CALL THE COVID CLINIC.

NO. I CAN GIVE THAT TO YOU, SIR.

I DON'T HAVE IT READILY AVAILABLE.

IT'S THREE SIX ONE EIGHT TWO SIX.

IS IT EIGHT ZERO ONE NINE? I BELIEVE SO, I THINK THAT'S THAT'S IN MY HEAD.

I BELIEVE SO, CALL THAT NUMBER AND THEY WILL MAKE YOU AN APPOINTMENT TO GET CARE AND TREATMENT FOR COVID, AND THEY DO IT VIA PHONE VIA A PHONE CALL.

SO THEREFORE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO IN.

THEY CAN CALL YOU IN IF THEY NEED SOME ADDITIONAL WORK DONE ON.

THE STOJKOVIC CLINIC CAN ALSO PROVIDE AT HOME LABS DRAWN.

THEY CAN ALSO, IF THEY DEEM THAT YOU NEED A CHEST X-RAY OR AN X-RAY OF SOME SORT, THEY CAN HAVE A PORTABLE X-RAY COMPANY COME OUT AND GIVE YOU A PORTABLE X-RAY.

AND THIS IS ALL SUPPORTED BY AN OASIS COUNTY, AND THAT WAS THE CORRECT NUMBER.

IT'S THREE SIX ONE FOR THOSE OF YOU LISTENING EIGHT TWO SIX EIGHT ZERO ONE NINE THAT WAS THE RIGHT NUMBER, AND IT'S ALL FREE, AND THAT IS A REALLY GOOD RESOURCE FOR LAB FOR MEDICAL. THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT REALLY HAVE SEEN COVID SINCE THE BEGINNING.

THESE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND THOSE PEOPLE DECIDE WHETHER IF YOU GO INTO THE HALL, THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT.

AND WHAT ARE MORE OF THE SYMPTOMS OTHER THAN BEING BEING TESTED THAT YOU TEST POSITIVE AT WHAT LIMIT YOU KNOW OF OF YOUR HEALTH? DO YOU GO INTO THE HOSPITAL? WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET AN O2 STAT MONITOR AND YOU PUT THAT ON YOUR FINGER AND LOOK AT YOUR O2 SAT RATES.

THAT'S THE KEY THING TO YOU NEED TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TWO SET RATES STAY ABOVE NINETY TWO.

OKAY, BUT NOT WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHEN YOU GET CARE AND TREATMENT.

THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO FOR FOR THAT THE DOCTORS, LIKE AN AMAZON, CAN DO FOR YOU TO KEEP YOU AT HOME RATHER THAN PUT YOU AT THE IN THE HOSPITAL.

AT THAT POINT, EVEN IF YOU'RE O2 SATS DROP.

DON'T THINK THAT YOU IMMEDIATELY HAVE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY CARE AND TREATMENT FROM A PHYSICIAN AND YOUR O2 SATS DROP BELOW 92, THEN YOU NEED TO CALL A PHYSICIAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE OR GO TO E.R..

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER, SHE WENT.

SO CAN WE? COULD YOU ALL? WAS THERE BE A POSSIBLE? MAYBE Y'ALL COULD TALK OFFLINE BECAUSE I DON'T MEAN TO BE RUDE, BUT THERE'S WE'VE GOT TO GET GOING. THIS IS KIND OF NORMALLY HOW NOT HOW WE DO IT.

WOULD THAT BE ALL RIGHT? I MEAN, SHE'LL ANSWER ANYTHING YOU WANT ANYWHERE YOU WANT.

SHE'S GOT A LOT OF I'M SURE SHE WILL.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'M SORRY. OKAY. NO, NO WORRIES.

IT'S ALL GOOD PUBLIC INFORMATION.

ANYWAY, YOU JUST HAVE TO ADDRESS IT TO US, CATHY.

THAT'S. YES, MA'AM. OK, SO LOOK, I'M GOING TO PIVOT HERE BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME OTHER IMPORTANT PIECES INSIDE.

YOU'VE GIVEN A GREAT SLIDE DECK HERE, AND I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS TO SHARE THE SLIDE DECK IN ANY WAY THAT IT CAN BE HELPFUL TO PUBLIC MESSAGING.

BUT I'M GOING TO PIVOT REAL QUICK.

LIKE MARIA BETHEA IS ONLINE, SHE WANTS TO JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT ABOUT ERAP BECAUSE SOMETHING IMPORTANT HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEK, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.

AND THAT'S OUR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

MARIA, WILL YOU TELL US? AND THEN I'LL PIVOT STRAIGHT TO DRAINAGE AND FLOODING.

GO AHEAD. YES.

SO GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT OBVIOUSLY.

A PRESS RELEASE WENT OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK FROM THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI THAT THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE APP ON MY APPLICATION TO NEW APPLICATIONS.

THEY'RE STILL PROCESSING THE ONES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED, BUT I WANT TO ASSURE THE COMMISSIONERS COURT THAT THE COUNTY'S PROGRAM IS STILL UP AND RUNNING SO RESIDENTS

[01:00:02]

COUNTY ERAP AND APPLICATIONS WILL STILL BE ACCEPTED.

WE HAVE ALREADY DISTRIBUTED ABOUT SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND IN RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE. WE HAVE ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE THOUSAND IN APPLICATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PENDING, BUT THAT STILL LEAVES THE COUNTY ABOUT EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND TO EXPEND BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.

AGAIN, IT'S RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE.

OUR PORTAL IS STILL OPEN.

WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.

SO I WANTED TO REASSURE THE COURT THAT WE STILL HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO DISTRIBUTE TO RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS OF CORPUS CHRISTI.

YEAH. THANKS, MARIA.

I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET US MAYBE LIKE A LITTLE ONE PAGER THAT YOU CAN ALSO SEND OUT TO YOUR CONSTITUENCY.

I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I DON'T WANT THEM TO CONFUSE THE FACT THAT THE CITY IS CLOSING THEIR FUNDS WITH THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THOSE LIVING, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE THE CITY JURISDICTION.

AND OK, SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GETTING A COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW HERE.

THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT EMERGENCIES WE'RE REACTING TO AND FLOODING AND DRAINAGE IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THEM FROM THE MAY AND THE JULY FLOODS.

THAT IS WHY IT'S LISTED HERE.

AND ALTHOUGH I DO THINK WE CAN HAVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE.

DISCUSSION OFFLINE, AND I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE THAT TO HAPPEN.

REST ASSURED THAT THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU BROUGHT TO US, WHICH I THINK SOMEONE JUST, YOU KNOW, HERE THEY ARE. I'M GOING TO ASK JUST FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, LOUIS RAY, JUST TO RAISE YOUR HAND.

AND LAWRENCE, YOU'RE MR. BURKE IN YOURS.

I'M GOING TO HAND TO HIM RIGHT NOW.

OK, SO HE IS OUR GARRETT WAS OUR INTERIM EMERGENCY MANAGER.

LOUIS HAS JUST COME ON.

HE IS OUR PERMANENT ONES AND WE NOW HAVE A PERMANENT EMERGENCY MANAGER.

AND REST ASSURED, ALL YOUR INFORMATION AND ALL CITIZENS INFORMATION REGARDING FLOODING AND DRAINAGE DOES.

IT MIGHT START AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, BUT WE DO SEND IT TO PUBLIC WORKS.

AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN DOING WITH THE AID OF ALL COURT MEMBERS IS WE'VE BEEN HAVING THESE DRAINAGE WORKSHOPS AND WE ALSO HAVE A FULL BLOWN AND I KNOW YOU SAID WE DON'T NEED ENGINEERS AND YOU'RE RIGHT FOR MAINTENANCE, BUT WE'RE DOING BOTH.

WE'RE BOTH DOING THE ENGINEERING STUDY WITH THE THREE COUNTIES THAT WILL HELP US FOR EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS FOR OUR FUTURE AND DESIGNING THE RIGHT TYPES OF REMEDIATED EFFORTS, INCLUDING DETENTION PONDS.

BUT IN THE SHORT TERM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS RESULTED FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH YOU IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A RFP THAT WILL BE RELEASED VERY SOON FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION WORK.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S NEEDED.

I WILL SAY THAT THE PHOTOS AND THE PARTICULARLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PIECES, THE OLD MATTRESSES AND THE TIRES, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE THINK THAT WE COULD ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY AND LUIS NOW SHAKING HIS HEAD.

AND SO THAT MEANS HE'S ON IT WITH PUBLIC WORKS.

YOU MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN IT, BUT HE WAS STANDING RIGHT TO YOUR RIGHT EARLIER.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU NEED BOTH.

I THINK WE NEED BOTH.

AND THAT'S WHAT OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN CONDUCTING IS.

WE FIGURED OUT THAT WE'VE GOT FUNDS THAT COULD BE UTILIZED IF THE COURT WISHES IT OR WILLS IT, AND IT'S MONUMENTAL FUNDS CALLED THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.

AND THOSE FUNDS COULD BE DEDICATED IN PART TO A MAINTENANCE, A COUNTYWIDE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION CONTRACT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON TO ESTABLISH.

BUT. IN THE SHORT TERM, MY HOPE IS, IS THAT FLOODING AND DRAINAGE ISSUES LIKE THE ONES YOU'VE BROUGHT UP THAT WERE IDENTIFIED.

THIS SUMMER CAN BE ADDRESSED ON A REAL PINPOINTED EFFORT THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS, BUT ON THE LONG HAUL. WHAT WE'RE WHAT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

AND AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THE FLOODING BECAUSE THAT IS THE DISASTER THAT GIVES RISE TO THIS AGENDA ITEM. WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY PURSUING IS A COUNTYWIDE M.A.

CONTRACT TO BRING TO COURT FOR HOPEFUL APPROPRIATION AND AUTHORITY TO SAY GO THAT WHICH IS IN THE ROBERTTOWN CITY LIMITS.

I THINK, MR. RAY, IF YOU WILL VISIT WITH MR. FURQAN, WE CAN CONTACT THAT PARTICULAR DRAINAGE DISTRICT AND SEE IF THEY CAN ALSO PINPOINT THAT SPECIFIC RESOLUTION FOR THAT.

WHAT'S INSIDE THEIR LIMITS? BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME ENCOURAGEMENT THAT NOT ONLY DID WE TAKE THAT AFTERNOON WHERE GARRETT WENT OUT AND VISITED WITH YOU SERIOUSLY, IT'S RESULTED IN SOMETHING REALLY

[01:05:02]

LEE PROCURED AND WRITTEN UP CORRECTLY AND AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO GET THE COURT TO APPROPRIATE THE DOLLARS.

BUT I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY GONE A LONG WAY TO, I HOPE, HELP THE COURT UNDERSTAND THAT THESE DOLLARS WOULD BE WELL SPENT.

AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST THAT YOUR AREA, IT IS COUNTY WIDE AND IT IS MAINTENANCE.

IT'S NOT ENGINEERING, IT'S JUST MAINTENANCE.

IT'S JUST VEGETATION MAINTENANCE AND OLD JUNK THAT ARE BLOCKING THE WAY FOR THE FLUID TO FLOW IN THIS CASE, WATER.

AND THEN ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, EVEN IF IT WERE TO FLOW WITH EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS, WE NEED TO ENGINEER OURSELVES BETTER PATHWAYS.

SO I FEEL LIKE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS DOING BOTH IN RESPONSE TO THE FLOODS OF MAY AND JULY. BUT IT WAS YOUR CONVERSATION THAT REALLY TOOK US INTO A WHOLE DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

AND SO WITH THAT? THAT'S THE THAT'S THE BEST WAY I CAN RESPOND LEGALLY AT THIS MOMENT, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK IF LOUIS WILL VISIT WITH YOU.

AND AND I KNOW HE WAS HERE EARLIER, BUT THERE'S OBVIOUS THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE TO REMEDIATE FUTURE FLOODING.

AND THAT'S TAKE OUT ALL THAT OLD JUNK.

AND I THINK I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE REQUEST AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.

BUT THERE'S A THERE IS A BETTER AND BIGGER AND MORE IMPROVED PLAN AFOOT, AND IT REALLY IS GOING TO HAPPEN, I BELIEVE.

EXCUSE ME, JUDGE. YES, SIR.

MR. FERNANDES, I'VE GOTTEN TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC WORKS.

YES, SIR. WE'VE MADE PLANS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WHAT WE CALL A TYRANT ROUNDUP, AND THAT'S TO GET ALL THE TIRES OUT OF DITCHES AND COLLECT TIRES AND TAKE THEM TO THE FAR YARD.

AND THEN WE GOT A COURT, NOT A CONTRACT, BUT AN AGREEMENT WITH A TIRE COMPANY.

THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND HAUL THEM UP.

THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND HAUL THEM OFF FOR US.

SO WE'RE WE'RE STARTING WITH THAT, SIR.

AND WELL, METRICS WON'T GO TO THE TIRE PLACE, BUT BUT THEY WILL GO BE PICKED UP AND WAY OFF TRACK HERE, JUDGE. I DON'T MEAN TO BE RUDE.

I MEAN, WE'RE WAY OFF TRACK IF THIS IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

I I I'VE KEPT MINE IN THE LANE OF FLOODING.

I MEAN, WELL, I'VE KEPT IT IN THE LANE OF OF ADDRESSING HOW THE COUNTY IS ADDRESSING THE TWO DISASTERS THAT WE HAVE WITH FLOODING.

I AGREE THAT THE TIRE ROUNDUP IS IS OFF, BUT I STILL THINK IT'S GOOD.

IT'S IN THE SAME LANE. I MEAN, I KNOW I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'M JUST.

AT ANY RATE, IF MR. RAY VIEW WOULD HELP THAT WAY, WE COULD MOVE ON.

OK, THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE THAT.

SO WITH THE IRAQ, THE FLOODS.

YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT ARPA AND OTHER AGENDA ITEMS, AND SO AS WELL AS WINTER STORM URI, SO I THINK WE'LL JUST MOVE ON AT THIS POINT AND GO BACK IN TIME TO DECLARING SOME OF THE PROCLAMATIONS THAT WE HAVE.

AND I'LL ASK BELINDA.

WE'VE GOT ONE RESOLUTION AND ONE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, AND LET'S PROCEED WITH THOSE F ONE AND G ONE.

SO WE DO HAVE ONE RESOLUTION AND IT DEALS WITH A VISION ZERO, WHICH IS A A MULTINATIONAL ROAD TRAFFIC ROAD TRAFFIC SAFETY PROJECT THAT AIMS TO ACHIEVE A HIGHWAY SYSTEM WITH NO FATALITIES OR SERIOUS INJURIES INVOLVING ROAD TRAFFIC.

SO I'LL GO FORWARD AND READ THAT RESOLUTION.

WHEREAS VISION ZERO IS A STRATEGY TO ELIMINATE ALL TRAFFIC FATALITIES AND SEVERE INJURIES, STARTING WITH THE ETHICAL BELIEF THAT EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO MOVE SAFELY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHILE INCREASING SAFE, HEALTHY, EQUITABLE MOBILITY FOR ALL.

AND WHEREAS THE VISION ZERO RECOGNIZES THAT TRAFFIC DEATHS ARE PREVENTABLE THROUGH PRIORITIZATION OF PROVEN SAFETY STRATEGIES, MULTI DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION TOWARD THE SHARED GOAL OF ZERO, A FOCUS ON DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING AND A SYSTEMS BASED APPROACH.

WHEREAS THE COUNTY SUPPORTS THE VISION ZERO SAFE SYSTEMS APPROACH STRATEGY AND IS COMMITTED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL NOISELESS COUNTY PROVIDING FOR INCREASED SAFE HEALTH AND EQUITABLE MOBILITY FOR ITS CITIZENS, COMMUTERS AND TOURISTS.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT OF NOISES DECLARES NUECES COUNTY AS A VISION ZERO COMMUNITY AND REAFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO SAVE LIVES AND DECREASE ROADWAY AND WATERWAY ACCIDENTS.

THE MOVED MOTION IN A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, I I, I THANK YOU.

[01:10:05]

I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THE MPO TEXT DOT THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI.

WE'RE ALL IN THIS MOTION OF REALLY WORKING TOWARDS THESE PUBLIC SAFETY TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES. AND MAYBE LATER IN TIME, WE'LL HAVE A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE RESOLUTION PRESENTATION FROM FROM THE MPO, BUT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

LET'S DO THE RECOGNITION AT THIS TIME.

[1. In recognition of Ruth Dominguez for exemplary work related to County Tuition Reimbursement Program, presented by program recipient.]

WAS YOURS IN RECOGNITION? I'M SORRY, WERE YOUR COMMENTS ON ONE? OK, PLEASE PROCEED.

GOOD MORNING, YOUR HONOR. GOOD MORNING.

UM, I'M JUST HERE.

UH, TO RECOGNIZE.

UM? RUTH DOMINGUES, I RECENTLY WENT BACK TO SCHOOL AT SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST PRESTIGIOUS CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM TO ASSIST WITH MY CAREER IN JUVENILE JUSTICE WITH VICTIMS IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTER.

SO I ACHIEVED MY MASTER'S OF SCIENCE IN VICTIM SERVICE MANAGEMENT, AND IT'S THE ONLY MASTER'S PROGRAM IN THE NATION RIGHT NOW THAT IS SOLELY ADDRESSED FOR VICTIM SERVICES.

I WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT THE HELP FROM THE COUNTY IN THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WENT BACK IN JANUARY 20 20 RIGHT BEFORE THE WORLD WENT CRAZY, AND TO GO BACK TO COLLEGE IS ALREADY CRAZY ENOUGH.

BUT TO DO IT IN THAT TIME IS IS A BIG STRUGGLE AND I WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT RUTH DOMINGUES.

NOT ONLY WHAT SHE'S SO ACCOUNTABLE FOR MY GRADES BECAUSE YOU ARE, YOU ARE GIVEN YOUR MONEY BACK BASED ON YOUR GRADE POINT.

NOT ONLY WAS SHE SO ACCOUNTABLE, I WAS SO WORRIED NOT TO GET AN A FOR RUTH, BUT SHE WAS ALSO ENCOURAGING AND CALM AND JUST THAT BASIC SUPPORT.

SO BASICALLY, I GOT A MASTERS AND HOW TO BE AN ADVOCATE, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT I COULD TRULY RECOGNIZE THAT RUTH DOMINGUES IS SUCH AN ADVOCATE FOR HER EMPLOYEES HERE AT NOYCE'S COUNTY, AND I WANTED TO THANK HER FOR THAT.

NOW, WHEN YOU GRADUATE, THERE'S A STOL OF GRATITUDE, AND THE TRADITION IS, IS THAT YOU WEAR THIS ROLE AND YOU CROSS THE STAGE WITH IT, AND THEN YOU PRESENT THAT TO SOMEBODY WHO IS ASSISTED YOU IN THAT GRADUATION.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO TODAY.

I WANT TO PRESENT MY STYLE OF GRATITUDE TO RUTH DOMINGUES, AND IT DOES COME WITH A CERTIFICATE. HOW WONDERFUL.

RUTH. ALL RIGHT.

AND IF YOU LET ME, I'D LIKE TO READ.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.

LET IT LET IT BE KNOWN THAT RUTH DOMINGO'S DURING THE COURSE OF MY STUDY, BESTOWED THE SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING WITHOUT WHICH MY GRADUATION WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.

THIS CERTIFICATE IS HEREBY CONFERRED TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THE CONFIDENCE, GUIDANCE, WISDOM AND ASSISTANCE FREELY GIVEN HELPING ME TO ATTAIN THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN MY LIFE. I THANK YOU FROM MY HEART.

ANGELA. ANGELA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING ONE OF OUR OWN, RUTH DOMINGUEZ.

RUTH, THANKS FOR DOING YOUR JOB ABOVE AND BEYOND.

AND IT REALLY SHOWS WHAT AN IMPACT YOU CAN MAKE ON SOMEBODY'S LIFE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS? I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING IT'S IT'S A GREAT JOY TO TO HELP THESE STUDENTS IN THIS.

LAST FALL, WE HAD EIGHT PARTICIPANTS AND IT WAS IT WAS LIKE ONE OF OUR BIGGEST, YOU KNOW, SEMESTERS.

AND RIGHT NOW FOR THIS UPCOMING SPRING, WE ALREADY HAVE SIX SO FAR ENROLLED.

SO IT'S JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN JUVENILE, THEY'RE REALLY SIGNING UP THERE AND EVERYBODY'S GETTING THEIR MASTERS.

SO IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM, A GREAT BENEFIT THAT THE COUNTY OFFERS, AND IT WAS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO TALK TO ANGELA.

YOU KNOW, SHE WAS GOING THROUGH A LOT AND OUR CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKING SURE SHE GOT ALL HER PAPERWORK IN AND EVERYTHING.

BUT I KNOW SHE WORKED REALLY HARD.

BUT THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, BOTH OF YOU, LADIES.

AND WE WERE JUST COMMENTING ABOUT A WEEK AGO HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO RESTORE OUR EMPLOYEE

[01:15:05]

AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT OFFICIAL WITH MY CERTIFICATE, IT'S VERY CLEAR, RUTH, THAT YOU ARE THE JANUARY TWENTY TWENTY TWO EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, BOTH OF YOU, LADIES.

THANK YOU TO H.R.

FOR BRINGING THIS AGENDA ITEM FORWARD.

NO ACTION, JUST A LOT OF GOOD PRAISE AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO BOARD

[1. Nueces County Animal Services Advisory Committee]

I'LL REFER TO BELINDA SO THAT SHE COULD LET US KNOW WHO IS AVAILABLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT OR WHO IS AVAILABLE FOR APPOINTMENT, AND THEN WE'LL MAKE OUR MOTIONS GO AHEAD.

SO THE VACANCY YOU'LL HAVE FOR ANIMAL SERVICES WAS THE VETERINARY POSITION, AND WE FINALLY GOT A VET TO APPLY.

SO FOR WE OFFER DR.

BARBARA LYNN WHITLOCK, WHO WHO APPLIED FOR THIS POSITION.

ALL RIGHT, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

OK, GO AHEAD, BRANT.

ALL RIGHT, HE'LL TAKE THE SECOND.

WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO DR.

WHITLOCK FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR HER TO SERVE.

WE'VE BEEN WAITING A WHILE FOR A VETERINARIAN AND THIS IS REALLY GOING TO MAKE A MAJOR DIFFERENCE IF THERE'S ANY.

THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I I.

OKAY. IN ITEM NUMBER TWO, WE'VE GOT THE BEACH MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

[2. Nueces County Beach Management Advisory Committee]

SO YOU YOU HAD A THREE POSITIONS THAT WERE COMING TO A CLOSE AT THE END OF DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR IN ONE VACANCY.

YOU DID RECEIVE THREE OF YOUR, I GUESS, LETTERS OF INTENT TO TO BE REAPPOINTED, WHICH IS GABBY HILL PULLED L.J.

FRANCIS AND FREDERICK FREDERICK DOTS.

AND THEN YOU HAD THE ONE VACANCY THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY HELD BY TARA GILLESPIE.

IN ADDITION TO THOSE REQUESTS FOR REAPPOINTMENT, YOU ALSO RECEIVED APPLICATIONS FROM SHELLY WITCHER, DON BISSELL IN FLORES, TESSA JUDGE.

I WOULD NOMINATE SHELLY WITCHER.

SHE IS HAS BEEN ON BEFORE AND SOMEHOW IT THERE WAS A DESCRIPTION ON THERE, BUT SHE IS ALSO FROM PUERTO REIGNS'S AND WE HAVE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY REPRESENTATION FROM PUERTO RAMSI'S. SO ONLY ONE OPENING.

YEAH, BUT THERE'S AND THERE'S THREE REALLY GOOD APPLICANTS, BUT WE REALLY NEED SOME PORT ARANSAS REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATION ON THIS TOO, AND THAT WOULD BE MY NOMINATION.

AND I THINK THERE COULD BE OTHERS, SO IF YOU COULD HOLD THESE OTHER TWO, BECAUSE I WAS, YES, I CAN TAKE THE.

IT WOULD. COULD YOU TAKE THE MOTION AND THEN GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE THOSE THAT HAVE SUBMITTED? I WOULD MOVE.

I WOULD MOVE REAPPOINTMENT.

THE APPOINTMENT OF SHELLY WHITAKER.

SO IT'LL BE FOR LJ FRANCIS.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM, YES.

THE APPOINTMENTS WOULD BE GABRIELLE HILL PULLED LJ FRANCIS AND FREDERICK DOT'S.

AND THEN I WOULD AND THEN POINT THOSE AND THEN TO A POINT, SHELLY WITTER AND PLEASE HOLD THOSE OTHER TWO THAT WE HAVEN'T WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY FOR A WHILE.

SO I'M GLAD WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME MORE AND I THINK THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER VACANCY COMING.

AND COMMISSIONER CHESNEY, I'M GOING TO SECOND THAT.

BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SAY MAYBE WE COULD PURSUE THIS AT THE TIME THAT L.J.

SERVED. HE WAS NOT A COUNTY EMPLOYEE.

HE'S NOW ONE OF OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, IS AN ENGINEER.

HE MIGHT BE WILLING TO YIELD, GIVEN THAT HE HAS A DIFFERENT ROLE.

I LOVE HIM BEING ON THERE.

WELL, I DO, TOO. I JUST SO I MEAN.

WELL, THAT'S TRUE, TOO.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HE'S I GUESS HE STILL HAD THE LETTER OF INTENT.

CAN WE UTILIZE HIM, THOUGH, IN AN EX-OFFICIAL CAPACITY? I MEAN, THE LEVEL THAT HE IS IN THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO ME COMMANDS THAT HE BE AN INTRICATE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE.

SO I THINK WE WOULD STILL HAVE HIM AND IN ALL THE SERVICE THAT HE DOES, AND I KNOW HE'S IN SOME REALLY HIGH PRIORITY PUBLICIZED POSITIONS THAT COMPLEMENT BEING ON BEACH MANAGEMENT, BUT WE COULD GET SOMEBODY ELSE TO BE APPOINTED IN THERE AND STILL USE HIM AS AN EMPLOYEE. RIGHT.

I HATE TO BUMP HIM OUT, BUT I THINK IF WE ACKNOWLEDGE TO HIM LOOK IS NOT BUMPING YOU OUT, IT'S WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO USE YOU.

BUT BY THE WAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU HERE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT AN APPOINTMENT OR REAPPOINTMENT AND LET'S AND LET'S CONTINUE TO USE YOU.

I WOULD THINK THAT MAKES MORE SENSE.

I'M JUST NOT COMFORTABLE WITH DOING THAT AS A COMMISSIONER TO THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE MANY. WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, I'LL TELL YOU THIS.

I'M NOT COMFORTABLE PUTTING A STAFF MEMBER IN A POSITION LIKE THAT.

[01:20:01]

NO, IT'S GOING TO BE.

I DON'T WANT TO KICK OFF.

CAN I FINISH? YEAH, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY APOLOGIES.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. I'M JUST SAYING I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH ANY STAFF MEMBER WHO HAS A POSITION OF AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY, AS LG DOES.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT LG.

LIKE I SAID, I WANT YOU TO KEEP HIM.

THE POSITIONS THAT HE IS APPOINTED TO ON THE REGIONAL AND STATE LEVEL ARE PHENOMENAL.

WE WE HAVE A HOME RUN BY HAVING HIM AS AN EMPLOYEE.

I'M SAYING, LET'S PUT HIM IN A POSITION THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE WHIMS OF THIS COURT OR ANY FUTURE COURT.

AND AS LONG AS HE IS IN A POSITION WITH NOYCE'S COUNTY, HE WILL HAVE AN INFLUENCE AND A PART OF BEACH MANAGEMENT.

THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

I THINK THAT THAT CAN BE DONE IF WE MAKE HIM AN EX-OFFICIAL POSITION AND THEN ALLOW US ANOTHER FREE POSITION.

WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO BE ABLE TO APPOINT SOMEONE ADDITIONAL FROM PORT ARANSAS OR SOMEONE ELSE THAT HAS INTEREST? AND BY OPENING UP AN EXTRA SLOT? AND THEN, BY THE WAY, WE STILL KEEP LG AND STILL WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE HIM.

THAT'S THAT'S ON SUGGESTION.

THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. COMMISSIONER, YOU SAY THERE WOULD BE NO TERM, NO TERM LIMITS FOR LG THEN, RIGHT? RIGHT. IF HE'S AN EX-OFFICIO, THEN HE'S ON THERE AS LONG AS HE IS BASICALLY THE NUMBER TWO ENGINEER FOR AN OASIS COUNTY, WHICH HE IS RIGHT NOW.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING HE IS AT SUCH A HIGH POSITION WITH US.

HE'S ALREADY GOING TO BE DOING WORK BY NATURE OF THE WORK THAT HE DOES FOR US AS A COUNTY. HE'S ALREADY GOING TO BE DOING THAT.

SO IT'S ALMOST KIND OF DOUBLE DIPPING.

SO WHY? WHY DO WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT? AND THAT'S IT. MUDDLED IT UP.

LET'S LET HIM BE THERE AS LONG AS HE WANTS, AS LONG AS HE'S AN EMPLOYEE, HE'S GOING TO BE IN THAT POSITION. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

AND IT'S A GOOD POINT, AND I THINK IT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IN IN A DIFFERENT WAY BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, HE IS THE ONLY ENGINEER ON THIS COMMITTEE THAT IS A VITAL ROLE.

HAVING A VOTING MEMBER, AS AN ENGINEER, AS A VITAL ROLE.

WE DON'T HAVE AN ALTERNATE AS AN ENGINEER.

THERE WILL BE A THERE WILL BE, I BELIEVE, VERY SOON AN OPEN SPOT TO PUT ANOTHER ONE OF THESE PEOPLE IN THERE.

ONE OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO IS CURRENTLY NOT SHOWING UP.

AND SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH HOW IT IS.

HE'S THE ONLY ENGINEER WE HAVE ON THIS COMMITTEE.

THAT IS A VITAL ROLE ON THE COMMITTEE.

WE HAVE QUORUM PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES WITH THIS COMMITTEE.

WE'VE HAD QUORUM PROBLEMS. HE WILL DEFINITELY NOT BE A QUORUM PROBLEM.

SO I'M JUST SAYING I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT THIS WAY FOR NOW.

I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE POSSIBLY AS SOON AS THE NEXT MEETING WHENEVER THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A VACANCY THAT WILL BE COMING UP, NOT THE NEXT ONE.

THAT'S NEXT WEEK, BUT VERY SOON, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO PUT ONE OF THESE OTHER VERY TALENTED PEOPLE IN THERE.

SO I REALLY WANT TO KEEP AN ENGINEER ON THIS COMMITTEE.

AND I THINK HAVING SOMEONE ON STAFF THAT HAS TO THAT HAS TO GO AND WE DON'T, WE KNOW, WILL SHOW UP AND WE KNOW IS A QUALITY IS ALSO A VERY POSITIVE THING.

SO I WOULD REALLY I REALLY THINK IT'S A MISTAKE TO TAKE AN ENGINEER OFF THE BACK WHEN WE DON'T. IT'S NOT A MISTAKE TO TAKE HIM OFF.

HE WOULD BE THERE IN A NON-VOTING ROLE ADVISORY.

AND I JUST I'LL TELL YOU, LIKE I SAID, I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH ANYONE WHO IS ON A COUNTY EMPLOYEE WHO SERVES AT A HIGH LEVEL THAT THAT THEN GOES INTO AN ADVISORY POSITION FOR US IN ANY APPOINTMENT.

I HAVE A PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUE WITH THAT.

THAT'S A CONCERN.

I THINK THAT THERE'S A CHAIN OF COMMAND AND INFLUENCE AS FAR AS WHO OUR EMPLOYEES ARE AND HOW HOW THOSE THOSE DECISIONS CAN COME INDEPENDENTLY.

I THINK THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THAT.

ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS NOT ABOUT L.J..

HE IS IN A TREMENDOUS ROLE WITH THE STATE THAT WE CANNOT LET GO.

I'M JUST SAYING, HEY, LET'S TRY TO OPEN UP THE PROCESS AND BRING IN MORE PEOPLE.

BUT BUT I'VE SAID ENOUGH.

I'VE SHARED MY CONCERNS.

I'M NOT GOING TO STAND IN THE WAY OF IT, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE I THINK THIS SETS A BAD PRECEDENT.

WONDERING, I'M WONDERING WHAT WE COULD DO IS MAYBE PUT THAT FORWARD AS A POLICY GOING FORWARD BECAUSE AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T HAVE THAT AS A POLICY.

I, I AGREE.

I AGREE. LIKE I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO STAND IN THE WAY OF L.J.

AND I DON'T WANT HIM TO THINK I DON'T APPRECIATE HIM BECAUSE HIS RESUME IS IMPECCABLE.

I KNOW HE DOES. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF SCOTT, HERE HE IS.

SCOTT CROSS IS HERE.

AND YEAH.

LET ME LET ME CHIME IN HERE.

I JUST I ACTUALLY AGREE 100 PERCENT WHICH COMMISSIONER MODEST.

THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR ME WITH ANY BOARD THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE HAVE EMPLOYEE SITTING ON. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS RENDERED THEIR OPINION THAT IT'S OK.

BUT I DO AGREE WITH WHERE MY THIS IS.

MY THING IS, IS THAT WITH THIS BLACK BOARD, WE HAVE STRUGGLED SO HARD WITH CURRENT

[01:25:03]

AND I HAVE TOLD MEGAN, I SAID WE ARE CRACKING DOWN HARD ON THE ATTENDANCE POLICY THAT'S IN THE BYLAWS YOU MISS.

THREE. EXECUTIVE MEETINGS AND WE CAN COME TO THIS COURT AND WE CAN RECOMMEND WITHOUT YOUR APPROVAL THAT YOU GET REMOVED BECAUSE THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON THESE PERMITS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT.

IT'S LEGALLY BINDING AS WELL.

ONCE WE EXECUTE THAT AND THE FACT THAT THIS COURT WAS LED TO BELIEVE YEARS AGO WHEN DOING PERMITTING FELL UNDER PUBLIC WORKS, THAT YOU HAD TO HAVE AN ENGINEER, YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE AN ENGINEER. THERE'S NOTHING IN A TEXAS NATURAL RESOURCE CODE OR THE BEACH AND DUNE RULES THAT SAY YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT JUST WANT TO SET THAT RECORD STRAIGHT RIGHT NOW.

THERE IS NO OTHER DUNE PERMITTING FACTION UP AND DOWN THE TEXAS COAST WHERE THEY HAVE A PEA THAT'S VETTING THE THE APPLICATIONS.

WE HAVE TO FOLLOW STRICT STATE GUIDELINES UNDER THE TEXAS NATURAL RESOURCE CODE.

THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE IS NOT GOING TO LET US DEVIATE OUT OF THAT LANE WITH THESE MEMBERS IF IT DOESN'T COMPLY WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCES CODE.

SO MY MY BIG TAKEAWAY HERE IS THEY'VE GOT TO START MAKING THE MEETINGS AND IT'S GOT TO BE A PRIORITY IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A COUNTY EMPLOYEE ON THERE AND THEY HAVE A CONFLICT WITH THEIR DEPARTMENT AND THEIR DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? NO, THIS BACK MEETING SUPERSEDES WHATEVER I WAS GOING TO TASK YOU TO DO.

WE'VE GOT TO GET THESE QUORUMS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN MISSING TOO MANY.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE TO STAND IN FRONT OF A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR DEVELOPER WITH AN APPLICATION AND YOU HAVE TO SAY, SORRY, WE'VE GOT TO POSTPONE THE MEETING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM. THAT'S EMBARRASSING AS HELL, AND IT'S HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES.

I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST IN ORDER A TO MOVE ON FOR EFFICIENCY AND ALSO TO ACHIEVE MAYBE A GOOD GOAL IS COMMISSIONER CHESNEY.

WOULD YOU BE INCLINED MAYBE TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MEETING LITERALLY.

NEXT WEEK, COULD WE MAYBE TODAY REVISE, CONSIDER.

I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TWO TO CONSIDER REVISING TO APPROVE B MAC.

LETTERS OF INTEREST FOR FORGIVE ME, IT WAS FRED DOTS, IT WAS GABBY, GABBY HIPPEL, THE CHAIR, AND THEN THE RE AND THEN YES, AND THEN COULD WE DO A SECOND PREFERENCE AND THEN ASK OR JUST LEAVE IT OPEN ON THE SPOT TILL NEXT WEEK? SCOTT, YOU DO NOT HAVE A MEETING BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT WEEK.