[00:00:18]
>> LET US PRAY. DEAR LORD, WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF YOU ALLOWING US TO GATHER TODAY. WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE AND THANKFUL THAT COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ HAS REJOINED US AND WE HOPE HIS HEALTH CONTINUES TO IMPROVE. WE ARE ASKING YOU TODAY FOR GUIDANCE AND TO WATCH OVER US AND TO WATCH OVER ALL THE CITIZENS OF NUECES COUNTY AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND ALL THE PROCESSES THAT WE ARE DOING, AND HELP US ALL TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE HERE, LORD, TO SERVE YOU AND ALSO HERE TO SERVE THOSE THAT WE REPRESENT. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST, WE ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO RAIN YOUR BLESSINGS UPON US IN JESUS' NAME WE ASK THESE THINGS AND PRAY. AMEN.
>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG÷÷FLAG OF 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 THEE, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
>> THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED.
THIS IS NOT A, I GUESS, OFFICIAL MEETING.
IT'S JUST A WORKSHOP SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY RECORD KEEPING, IT LOOKS LIKE, DONE.
IT IS 9:13, JUST FOR OUR RECORDS, TO SHOW WE'RE BEGINNING
[4. BUDGET WORKSHOP: The Court will discuss matters related to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/2026 Budget.]
JUST A LITTLE BIT LATE. AND JOHNNY, I THINK WE HAVE YOU UP FIRST.GET YOU IN HERE TO PRESENT YOUR ITEMS. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS.
I WAS A LITTLE LEERY OF BEING IN FRONT OF Y'ALL FIRST THING MONDAY MORNING, BUT I'M HERE.
THANK YOU ALL, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK THROUGH THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT BUDGET.
WE'VE DISTRIBUTED COPIES TO YOU ALL, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE THEM IN THEIR PACKET. IT'S A THREE- PAGE DOCUMENT.
>> I THINK YOU WILL GO TO YOUR NOTEBOOKS UNDER TAB B.
YOU'LL SEE THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT BUDGET.
SORRY. >> SO, ANYWAY, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO FIRST, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, IS JUST SORT OF DO A HIGH- LEVEL SUMMARY AND THEN IF Y'ALL WANT TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND GET OUT INTO THE WEEDS A LITTLE BIT, WE CAN DO THAT.
LET ME START BY SAYING THAT OUR BUDGET THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED FOR FY26 HAS BEEN THROUGH THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT'S FINANCE COMMITTEE. THEY'LL LOOK AT IT ONE MORE TIME AND THEN CONSIDER IT FOR APPROVAL ON AUGUST 26TH AT NOONTIME.
THE BUDGET FULFILLS OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATIONS TO PROVIDE CARE FOR THE INDIGENT AND NEEDY, RESIDENTS RESIDING IN THE COUNTY. OUR BUDGET PROPOSES NO NEW TAXES AND NO NEW REVENUE RATE. THE BUDGET CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE COUNTY EXPENDITURES THAT ARE SHOWN ON PAGE 3.
THE BUDGET PROVIDES SUPPLEMENTS, CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTS FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE BUDGET INCLUDES THETHE DISTRICT'S CONTINUING PAYMENT OF THE GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION EMERGENCY MEDICINE PROGRAM. IT'S A BOND THAT WE STARTED.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING FROM THE SECOND YEAR TO THE THIRD YEAR. I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT'S BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY NEW OR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION. WE WORKED IN THE LEGISLATURE TO TRY TO GET FUNDS TO DO THAT, AND TO SET UP A MECHANISM TO DO THAT, AND THE LEGISLATURE HAD OTHER PRIORITIES.
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE WITH IS THAT OUR BUDGET BEGINS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN TERMS OF PERSONNEL THAT ARE NEEDED TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT THAT TOOK PLACE IN WASHINGTON. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THE BILL DID AND DIDN'T DO THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A NEED FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT TO INCREASE AND THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY, PROBABLY THE MORE IMPORTANT THING OF ALL OF THEM, IS THAT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT'S REVENUES, ONLY 30% OF OUR REVENUES COME FROM TAXES. THE OTHER 70% OF OUR REVENUES COME FROM NONTAX SOURCES.
SO, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, I CAN GO FURTHER WITH TALKING ABOUT SOME THINGS BUT I I STOP ANY TIME YOU HAVE FOR QUESTIONS. WITH REGARD TO THE PACKET,
[00:05:03]
THE INSERTS WE HAVE THERE, PAGE ONE, THE ONE WITH THE COLORED COLUMNS, IS THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET.PAGE 2 IS A ROLL- UP OF ALL THE FUNDS OF THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT FOR FY26, AND AT THE BOTTOM, THEY INCLUDE THE DISTRICT'S OPEN AND CLOSING BALANCES FOR ALL OF THOSE FUNDS AND FOR TOTAL FUNDS. AND THE LAST ONE, AND PROBABLY THE ONE YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN MOSTLY, IS PAGE 3.
THAT'S THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT'S CONTINUING LIST OF COUNTY HEALTH CARE EXPENSES THAT WE COVER.
AND IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE, I CAN JUST WALK THROUGH THOSE.
SO, THIS IS ON PAGE 3. SECTION ONE IS THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT WE FUND. THAT AMOUNT IS GOING DOWN BECAUSE MHID RECEIVES STATE FUNDING TO COVER THOSE SERVICES. WE HAVE BEEN COVERING THEM FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW, AND MHID, THROUGH SOME WORK THAT'S BEEN SLOWLY EVOLVING IN AUSTIN, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS. ROW TWO, ON PAGE THREE, ARE OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT EXPENSES AND WITH REGARD TO THOSE, IF YOU MAY NOT RECALL, THESE ARE FUNDS THAT WE REIMBURSE THE COUNTY FOR, FOR YOUR ROLE IN THE CITY/COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THE AMOUNT OF $1,800 IS ROUGHLY JUST A ROUNDING THING TO MAKE THE NUMBER EASIER TO WORK WITH, BUT OUR COMMITMENT TO --
>> IT IS MONDAY. I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> IT'S $1.8 MILLION, AND THAT CONTINUES OUR SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND INCLUDES CONTINUING FUNDING FOR THE MOBILE CLINIC.
ON ROW THREE, THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, TYPICALLY THE ONES PROVIDED IN THE ESD AREAS AND ALSO IN TWO CITIES THAT ARE IN THE COUNTY. IN ROW THREE, WE ADDITIONALLY ADDED THE CITY OF PORT- ARANSAS THIS YEAR. THEY DON'T MAKE A LOT OF CALLS BUT THEY DO GET CALLED IN TO OTHER AREAS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT AND AS LONG AS THEY'RE IN NUECES COUNTY, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR COVERAGE THOSE THINGS. THESE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PAYMENTS ARE ONES WHERE THEY GET PAID ONLY IF THEY MAKE A CALL. THESE ARE NOT JUST MONTHLY PAYMENTS OR ANYTHING. YOU GET A CALL, IT'S INSIDE THE COUNTY, WE GO THROUGH AND DO THAT.
OUR FUNDING FOR JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER HEALTHCARE SERVICES CONTINUES. THAT'S ON ROW FOUR.
ROW FIVE, WE CONTINUE OUR FUNDING FOR THE HEALTHCARE AND COUNTY JAIL. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT THE AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE IN THERE, THE $8.5 MILLION FOR OUR BUDGET 2026, IS AN ESTIMATE. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE CONTRACT WITH WEXFORD ENDS IN DECEMBER, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING THROUGH AN RFP.
AND Y'ALL HAD THAT, I THINK, ON YOUR AGENDA FOR WEDNESDAY TO DO A CONDITIONAL AWARD. SO, THE AMOUNT THAT WE USE IN OUR BUDGET HERE IS SIMPLY THE AVERAGE OF THE TWO HIGHEST BIDS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
THERE WERE THREE BIDS, AND THIS IS THE AVERAGE OF THE TWO HIGHEST.
SO, WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER TO WORK WITH.
AND JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, ON ROWS SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, AND REALLY JUST SOME THINGS WE WORK WITH THE COUNTY ON. THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT THE MAIN ITEMS BUT WE DID CONTINUE FUNDING THERE. THE DIABETES PROGRAM ON ROW SEVEN, WE DID PUT AN ADDITIONAL $10,000 IN THAT, AND THAT WAS DONE AT THE REQUEST OF -- AND I HATE TO ADMIT THIS -- DONE AT THE REQUEST OF SOMEBODY, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER WHO. I COULDN'T FIND IT IN MY NOTES OF WHAT THAT WAS.
WE ALSO HAVE AN INCREASE IN ROW EIGHT FOR HALO FLIGHT, AN ADDITIONAL $750. AND THEN, WE HAVE IN ROW NINE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH GRANTS, AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT HERE IS THAT THEY CONTINUE AT THE SAMESAME AMOUNT, EXCEPT THERE ARE TWO CHANGES.
WITH THE AMISTAD COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, WE HAVE ALLOCATED $85,000 FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS TO THEM. AND THEY HAVE NOT REQUESTED IT.
>> SO, WE HAVE GIVEN THEM NOTICE, AND WE HAVE PUT A ZERO THERE. WE CAN EASILY ADD IT BACK,
[00:10:04]
BUT THEY HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES THAT THEY HAVE AMOUNTS THERE THAT THEY NEED TO INVOICE US FOR. I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO PROVE TO FOLKS THAT THEY CAN STAND ON THEIR OWN AND DO THINGS ON THEIR OWN, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.BUT THE MONEY COULD BE ADDED BACK.
THE ONLY OTHER ADDITION THAT WE HAVE HERE IN ROW NINE IS A $90,000 FOR OR MEDI- VAN FOR THE JAIL. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY CAPTAIN BUSTAMANTE AND A COUPLE LIEUTENANTS THAT WORK IN THE JAIL, THERE IS A NEED TO GET PEOPLE TO HOSPITAL THAT ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS, AND RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE TO LIFT THEM. TWO DEPUTIES HAVE TO LIFT THEM UP INTO A VAN.
WE'VE PUT MONEY IN THE BUDGET. WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS GET SHERIFF TO GIVE US A LETTER SUSTAINING THAT AND THAT THEY WANT TO DO IT. AND ALSO, COMMISSIONERS, WE'D LIKE FOR THE VAN TO BE PURCHASED BY THE COUNTY SO THAT YOU HAVE IT AND WE HANDLE IT AS HAVE A VEHICLE.
AND WE WILL REIMBURSE YOU ALL FOR THAT BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN POSITION OF OWNING ANOTHER VEHICLE. COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGE, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.
>> ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE HE SITS
THANK YOU, JOHNNY. WE DON'T SEE YOU AS OFTEN.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
SO, LOOKING AT THE SHEET YOU PROVIDED US ON PAGE THREE, ITEM FIVE, COUNTY JAIL HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
SO, IS THAT A -- AM I READING THIS CORRECTLY? A $3.3 MILLION INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET TO THIS YEAR?
>> COMMISSIONER, THAT'S CORRECT. THE BIDS ARE MUCH HIGHER. THAN THEY WERE BEFORE.
SO, WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH IS A SITUATION WHERE OUR CURRENT CONTRACT WITH WEXFORD WAS DONEDONE ON EMERGENCY BASIS.
Y'ALL MADE A DETERMINATION IN THAT AFTER TWO YEARS.
AND AN RFP WAS ISSUED. I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR OUT HERE BECAUSE Y'ALL STILL HAVEN'T TAKEN ACTION, BUT THERE WERE THREE BIDS RECEIVED.
AND AS I SAID A WHILE AGO, OF THE THREE BIDS THAT WE RECEIVED, THE AMOUNT WE PUT IN THE BUDGET WAS THE AVERAGE OF THE TWO HIGHEST BIDS. NOW, THE AMOUNT THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO END UP SETTLING ON IS GOING TO BE LESS THAN THIS. BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THOSE AMOUNTS BECAUSE Y'ALL HAVEN'T ACTED ON IT AND I DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP ANY NEGOTIATING POSITION WE HAVE, BUT THAT NUMBER, COMMISSIONER, YOU ARE CORRECT TO CIRCLE THAT. IT'S PADDED A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING WITH A SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T HAVE AN RFP YET THAT'S BEEN ISSUED, A CONTRACT. AND SO, WE'RE TRYING TO PLAY IT SAFE BY HAVING A HIGHERHIGHER THERE, BUT COMMISSIONER, THE FINAL NUMBER WILL BE -- THE INCREASE WILL BE LESS THAN THE 3.3, BUT IT WILL BE HIGHER.
THAN WHAT THE ORIGINAL NUMBER WAS.
>> OKAY. WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT UPDATE.
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO, KEEP TRACK OF, AND SEE HOW THAT IMPACTS EVERYTHING.
I KNOW IT'S YOUR OWN BUDGET, BUT IT'S A BUDGET THAT WE GOT TO APPROVE, BUT $3 MILLION IN THE DAY AND AGE WHEN WE'RE TALKING $10,000 IS A BIG DEAL FOR SOME DEPARTMENTS, THAT'S -- THAT'S A BIG CHUNK TO SWALLOW. SO, WE'LL BE ACTIVELY MONITORING THAT. BUT THANKS FOR YOUR UPDATE ON THAT. THE OTHER ITEM I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
SO, $650,000 TO GO TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE LISTED THERE BELOW. AND IT'S NOT MY PRECINCT, BUT IT WAS AT ONE POINT, SO I'LL ASK, WHY IS DRISCOLL NOT LISTED ON THERE?
>> THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T PUT THEM THERE, COMMISSIONER. THEY HAVE TO -- WELL, LET ME JUST USE THE CITY OF PORT ARANSAS AS AN EXAMPLE.
EVERYONE ON THE LIST, OTHER THAN THE CITY OF PORT ARANSAS HAS AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
THAT INCLUDES THE CITY OF ROBSTOWN.
THIS YEAR, WE'RE ADDING THE CITY OF PORT ARANSAS THERE AND IF THE CITY OF DRISCOLL IS IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY OPERATE AN EMS SYSTEM AND MAKE CALLS INTO THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY, THEN WE CAN MAKE PAYMENTS TO THEM, BUT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE TO SOMETHING I SAID PROBABLY TOO QUICKLY. WITH REGARD TO THE PAYMENTS IN ROW THREE, THIS PAYMENT ONLY GOES OUT IF IT OCCURS.
SO, IF YOU HAVE AN AMBULANCE CALL, AND IF THE AMBULANCE CALL IS UNDER THE GIS SYSTEM THAT
[00:15:02]
THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR USES, FALLS IN THE COUNTY BUT OUTSIDE OF THE JURISDICTION OF A CITY OR AN ESD, THEN THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT WILL PAY WHATEVER ENTITY THAT DOES THAT.BUT I DID NOT REALIZE THE CITY OF÷÷OF OPERATED AN EMS SYSTEM, BUT IF THEY DO, WE CAN ADD THEM IN HERE.
IN ORDER TO BE ON THIS LIST, THOUGH, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARANSAS, THEY'LL HAVE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY, ONE THAT D OPERATES FOR ALL OF THE FIRE AND EMS IN THE COUNTY.
SO, I HOPE I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION.
>> I JUST DIDN'T SEE THEM ON THERE AND I KNEW THEY WERE ON THERE. I WASN'T SURE IF WE TOOK ANY ACTION TO CONSOLIDATE OR ELIMINATE ANYONE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY'RE STILL ON THERE, THEY GET THAT, BUT TO A BIGGER QUESTION THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER, AND THIS MAY BE MORE OF A POLICY QUESTION FOR US, AS A COURT. WE AS THE COUNTY, ALL 330,000 CITIZENS, ARE SUBSIDIZING FIRE CALLS, EMERGENCY CALLS FOR PEOPLE IN THESE COMMUNITIES? IS THAT THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT?
>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT FIRE CALLS, COMMISSIONER, BUT WITH EMS, WHAT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT IS DOING IS PAYING ROUGHLY 300 TO $350 PER CALL.
THAT'S BEEN VALIDATED BY THE COUNTY'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, THAT FALL WITHIN AREAS OF UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
>> I GET IT. MY OFFICE, UP UNTIL ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, WERE THE ONES THAT WERE DOING ALL THIS, AT LEAST FOR THE ROBSTOWN AREA, SO WHEN YOU SAY CITY OF ROBSTOWN, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CITY. WE HAVE A PART OF ROBSTOWN WE CALL ROBSTOWN, BUT TECHNICALLY IT'S NOT IN THEIR CITY LIMITS, IT'S COUNTY. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT, COMMISSIONER.
AND I SAY THE CITY OF ROBSTOWN ONLY BECAUSE THEY WERE ON THE LIST.
BUT WE DO NOT PAY FOR CALLS IN THE OF ROBSTOWN BUT IF THE CITY OF ROBSTOWN GETS CALLED IN TO WHAT THEY USED TO REFER TO AS NO MAN'S LAND OUT IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTY, AND THEY DO MAKE A LOT OF -- THEY'RE THE ONE WHO GET THE CALL FROM THE DISPATCH CENTER OR EMS SERVICES IN THAT
AREA. >> YEAH, WE REFER TO IT.
IT'S LIKE COUNTY AND CITY, RIGHT? COUNTY PART OF ROBSTOWN, CITY PART OF ROBSTOWN.
THERE'S LITERALLY A ROAD IN ROBSTOWN CALLED WESTERN, SO EVERYTHING WEST OF WESTERN IS PRETTY MUCH COUNTY, AND EVERYTHING ON THE EAST SIDE IS ACTUALLY CITY PROPER.
>> SO, COMMISSIONER, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU BUT I DID WANT TO ADD AN ADDENDUM TO THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. WE ALSO SUBS IDIZE, AND IT'S NOT ON HERE, BUT THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI.
THEY DO ALSO MAKE CALLS INTO UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY, AND WE GET A FAIRLY LATE BILL.
I SAY LATE, MAYBE A COUPLE OF YEARS IN ARREARS FOR MAKING CALLS INTO THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
>> AND YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS THE PART THAT GOES MORE TO POLICY, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFICULT, CHALLENGING, TO ACCOUNT FOR FUNDING THAT IS EMS SERVICES THAT ARE ON THE WESTERN PART, THE COUNTY PART OF ROBSTOWN, WHEN LITERALLY IT'S ACROSS THE STREET. WE KNOW THEY DO MUTUAL AID AND WE GOT CHIEF MARTINEZ HERE AND PRECINCT FIVE THAT ARE HERE AND THEY COVER ALL OF THEIR AREA, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU SEE PD GOING TO COUNTY AREAS. IF THERE'S A CALL, YOU GOT BACKUP, IT'S CITY OF ROBSTOWN PD. JUST LOOKING THAT AS A BIGGER PICTURE ISSUE, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AS EFFICIENT PARTNERSHIP AS POSSIBLE? MAYBE THE CITY OF ROBSTOWN TAKES IT ON AND WE CAN STILL HELP SUBSIDIZE THAT PART, BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE THE ACCOUNTING PART OF IT. I REMEMBER SANDRA, WHO I USED TO HAVE AS MY ASSISTANT, AND PRISCILLA, HAVING TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME OF THEIR DAY ACCOUNTING FOR THIS, AND I'M THANKFUL THAT DEE HAS THAT RESPONSIBILITY NOW. I FEEL BAD FOR HER THAT IT'S ON HER, BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT. BUT MAYBE THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IN THIS NEXT YEAR TO HOW CAN WE BRIDGE THAT TO WHERE IT'S ALL SERVICES, BASICALLY, ARE PROVIDED, AND THERE'S MORE OF A MUTUAL AID THAT WE CAN HELP MAYBE SUBSIDIZE SO IT ALL GOES THROUGH ONE ACCOUNTING÷÷ACCOUNTING BOOKS RATHER THAN TWO? IT'S JUST ALWAYS PERPLEXED ME, COMING IN, WHY WE DO IT THAT WAY. AND I UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY, YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY ON THE GEOGRAPHY ITSELF. SO, IT MAKES SENSE.
BUT LITERALLY, THAT WAS PROBABLY BACK IN THE DAY WHERE THERE'S PROBABLY A FEW STREETS OR A LITTLE BIT OF DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM.
[00:20:02]
THEY'RE RIGHT THERE. THEY'RE RIGHT UP NEXT TO EACH OTHER. YOU GOT ONE SIDE IS THE CITY, ONE SIDE IS TECHNICALLY THE COUNTY. SAME THING, EVERYTHING ON WESTERN, SO, IT'S JUST -- THOSE ARE THINGS I'M TALKING OUT LOUD THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD, AND ALL THESE OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED. THESE ARE UNINCORPORATED AREAS MAINLY, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DESCRIBED AS THE CITY'S. THEY'RE MAINLY PEOPLE OUT IN NO MAN'S LAND THAT DON'T HAVE A CITY PROPER THAT REPRESENTS THEM, AND THEY RELY MAINLY ON THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, ON OUR CONSTABLES, WHATEVER CONSTABLE AREA THEY'RE IN AND OF COURSE THE ESD THAT HAS EMERGENCY EMS SERVICES. JUST ONCE AGAIN, TALKING OUT LOUD, I THANK YOU FOR THIS BUDGET. I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH IT BUT I WANTED TO NOTE SOME OF THOSECONCERNS. >> COMMISSIONER, IF I COULD JUST CLOSE ON THAT ITEM WITH YOU, WE'LL BE GLAD TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY IN WHATEVER SYSTEM EVOLVES HERE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT Y'ALL, LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST, AND I WANT TO CLOSE WITH THIS COMMENT.
I BELIEVE THE $650,000 THAT WE CONTRIBUTE TOWARD EMS AND THE COUNTY, IF YOU WENT TO PROVIDING A COUNTYWIDE, COUNTY- OPERATED EMS SYSTEM, THIS $650,000 WOULD BE A DE MINIMUS NUMBER. AND I THINK THAT GIVEN WHAT WE HAVE HERE NOW AND THE WAY THAT WE OPERATE, IT'S SOME TIME, COMMISSIONER, IT PROBABLY DOES NEED TO BE TUNED UP, BUT THIS SYSTEM IS COST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT RIGHT NOW.
>> AND NOT TO SAY -- IN THE SPIRIT OF, WE KNOW THERE ARE SOME ESDS IN OUR COUNTY THAT ARE NOT BEING OPERATED BECAUSE OF -- THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP. THEY DON'T HAVE A CHIEF THERE FOR EMS OR FIRE.
THERE'S ISSUES OF BEING ALREADY INCORPORATED INTO A CITY PROPER. THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT WE, I THINK, NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT. AND SO, IT'S A MATTER OF EFFICIENCY, AND WHEN WE ASK YOU TO÷÷ -- GIVE YOU THE CHARGE OF FUNDING, THAT CAN HELP REDUCE THE OVERALL FUND THAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING, EVEN THOUGH, SAY, 70/30 SPLIT, IT'S SOMETHING THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING. I JUST SAY IT AS A MATTER MORE OF EFFICIENCY, AND I GOT TO SAY BECAUSE IT IF I DON'T SAY IT OUT LOUD, I'LL FORGET AND WE'LL KEEP MOVING ON AND A FEW YEARS LATER, WE'LL BE LIKE OH YEAH, WE'RE HERE AT THAT SAME POINT.
OR THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE'LL SAY, HERE WE ARE AGAIN.
LET'S LOOK, LET'S STUDY IT. WE GOT TIME GOING INTO THE FUTURE. I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD THIS BUDGET UP, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH STARTING THOSE CONVERSATIONS IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN STARTED ALREADY.
>> THEY HAVE. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO ADD.
DEE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN WORKING WITH THE ESDS AND HOSPITAL DISTRICT, WORKING WITH THE CITIES AND STUFF, SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE BEING HAD, SO THAT'S A GOOD POINT. I THINK IT WILL --
THANK YOU. >> DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU. JOHNNY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THESE SHEETS, SO -- AND YOUR HONOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK.
IF WE TAKE THESE HOME AND HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, HOW ARE WE GOING -- ARE WE GOING TO ASK THAT THEY COME BACK AT A FUTURE BUDGET HEARING?
>> THEY WILL BE HERE WHEN WE VOTE ON THE TAX RATE AND WE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS. THEY WILL DEFINITELY BE HERE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. AND EACH OF YOU WITH THESE SHEETS, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU REACH OUT TO MR. HIP AS WELL BEFORE THEY PASS THEIR BUDGET IF YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON IT.
>> COMMISSIONER, I THINK YOU HAVE MY CELL PHONE
I WASN'T EXACTLY SURE -- AND I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN A WHILE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE PROCESS HAS OR HAS NOT CHANGED.
>> IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK,
I'M GLAD TO BE BACK. SO, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO START OFF BY ASKING IS, WHEN I WAS HERE BEFORE WE NEGOTIATED A 15- YEAR CONTRACT WITH SPAUN HOSPITAL.
WHERE ARE WE AT IN THAT CONTRACT?
>> IT'S, WELL, IT WASN'T 15 YEARS, BUT THE CONTRACT ENDS IN 2036. AND SO, WHATEVER NUMBER --
>> THE ORIGINAL ONE I WAS A PART OF WAS 15 YEARS.
>> NO, SIR. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN -- IT STARTED IN 1996, AND IT GOES THROUGH 2036. SO --
>> NO, WE -- WE RENEGOTIATED -- WELL, OKAY.
THAT'S WHY THIS IS DIFFICULT, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THIS.
BUT ANYWAY, THERE WAS A DIFFERENT AGREEMENT THAT WAS NEGOTIATED BACK AROUND 2010.
>> THERE HAVE BEEN AMENDMENTS,
YES. >> WHERE WE WERE -- THE NUECES COUNTY WAS GOING TO BE -- WHEN WE
[00:25:03]
RENEGOTIATED IT, BASICALLY, WE WERE GOING TO PAY A FLAT RATE EVERY YEAR FOR THEM TAKING CARE OF OUR HEALTHCARE -->> THAT'S THE WAY THE AGREEMENT STARTED, COMMISSIONER, AND IT'S BEEN THROUGH SOME ITERATIONS, BUT THE CURRENT ITERATION, THE WAY OUR MECHANISM WITH SPAUN WORKS NOW, IS THAT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT, UNDER THIS CURRENT AGREEMENT, SPAUN TAKES CARE OF OUR INDIGENT AT NO COST TO THE DISTRICT OR THE COUNTY.
SO, WE DON'T PAY ANYTHING FOR THAT BUT THE TAX REVENUES THAT WE WOULD APPLY TO CARE FOR THE INDIGENT ARE USED TO BENEFIT ALL THE HOSPITALS IN NUECES COUNTY BY PROVIDING FUNDING FOR THEM TO DRAW DOWN SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
>> AND THAT USED TO BE AROUND $10 MILLION. WHAT IS IT NOW?
>> IT'S HUGE, COMMISSIONER. I WOULD JUST SAY, IN ROUND NUMBERS, ABOUT $125 MILLION. THE PAYMENTS THAT WE MAKE.
SO, LET ME JUST CLEAR THAT UP, BECAUSE OUR TAX REVENUES ONLY BRING IN ABOUT $30 MILLION A YEAR. THE OTHER AMOUNTS THAT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT USES ARE FROM FEES THAT WE COLLECT FROM ALL HOSPITALS, CALLED AN LPPF FUND, BUT WE ASSESS A 6% FEE ON EVERY HOSPITAL DURING THE FISCAL YEAR TO÷÷TO FUNDS TO HELP DRAW DOWN THOSE PAYMENTS FOR EVERYONE IN THE CITY.
>> THAT'S DRISCOLL, THE COLUMBIA HOSPITAL OR THE HCA HOSPITALS AND CERTAINLY SPAUN.
>> WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THE POINT OR WE'LL BE HERE ALL DAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, PLEASE, JOHNNY.
>> SURE, WE HAVE A SCHEDULE, COMMISSIONER, WE'D BE GLAD TO SHARE WITH YOU, WE GIVE OUR BOARD EVERY MONTH THAT SHOWS THE FLOW OF ALL THOSE FUNDS.
>> YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. OKAY, I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE -- WHAT WE USED TO CALL THE CITY- COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
ITEM TWO HERE ON THE PAGE THREE, YOU'VE GOT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO $1. 8 MILLION. THAT'S TO FUND OUR CONTINUING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI FOR THE CITY- COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT, COMMISSIONER. AND AGAIN, THIS NUMBER WAS A 1.765. WE JUST ROUNDED IT UP FOR EASE OF WORKING WITH THE NUMBER, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AMOUNT IS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO ARRIVE AT WITH THE COUNTY BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT AGREEMENT TOTO RENEW WITH THEM IS IN THE WORKS.
>> THIS IS THE AMOUNT FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
THEY WANT TO READDRESS IT NEXT YEAR. THIS IS THE AMOUNT MOVING FORWARD.
>> I WAS TOLD $1.7 MILLION AND SOME
CHANGE. >> 1.765, BUT THEY ROUNDED IT UP TO 1.8.
>> IN THE BUDGET COLUMN, COMMISSIONER, THE THIRD ONE OVER, BUDGET 2025, THAT WAS THE NUMBER. BUT JUST FOR EASE OF WORKING WITH THE NUMBER IN THE FIRST COLUMN IN BUDGET 2026, WE BUMPED IT UP TO $1.8 MILLION.
>> OKAY. AND UNDER THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, THE $650,000, SO, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS EACH ONE OF THE ESDS IF THEY HAVE -- IF THEY DO EMERGENCY SERVICE, AMBULANCE, PICKUP OR WHATEVER, THEN THEY INVOICE YOU BACK ON AN AS- NEEDED BASIS?
THE PROCESS IS WE RECEIVE THE INVOICE, ALL THE DETAILS, THE ADDRESSES, ET CETERA. THAT INFORMATION IS GIVEN TO DEE, AND DEE BASICALLY GOES THROUGH THE GIS SYSTEM AND ELIMINATES CALLS THAT WERE NOT PROPER IN TERMS OF GEOGRAPHY AND IN TERMS OF WHETHER THEY MADE A CALL AND JUST STOOD AROUND OR MADE A CALL AND TOOK SOMEBODY TO THE HOSPITAL. SHE CLEANS ALL THAT UP FOR US AND AFTER THE CLEAN- UP, THAT INVOICE DOES STAY WITH THE DISTRICT IN THE ADJUSTED AMOUNT. WE PAY TO THE ESDS AND THE CITY.
>> OKAY. DO WE -- WHO DETERMINES WHETHER THESE FOLKS HAVE INSURANCE OR NOT THAT COVERS AMBULANCE SERVICE?
>> THAT'S A SITUATION FOR THE ESD AND THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT THAT YOU ALL HAVE. AND SO, THAT IS PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT IS ON A CHECKLIST OF THINGS THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT, BECAUSE I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
IF THERE IS A CAR ACCIDENT, TWO DIFFERENT VEHICLES INVOLVED, THERE'S TYPICALLY GOING TO BE INSURANCE AND A LAWYER IN THE BACKGROUND, SO IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND YOU INJURE SOMEBODY, THEY'RE TYPICALLY
[00:30:03]
COVERED BY SOMEBODY'S INSURANCE, BUT COMMISSIONER, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE BILLS AND STUFF THAT ARE COMING TO US FROM THE ESDS ARE NET OF THOSE PAYMENTS OR IF THERE ARE ANY OF THOSE PAYMENTS. I BELIEVE THAT THE AMOUNT THAT WE GET IS THE AMOUNT THAT THE ESDS WERE UNABLE TO COLLECT BUT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE DETAILS BECAUSE, COMMISSIONER, IT'S A COUNTY AGREEMENT. IT'S A AGREEMENT THAT COUNTIES HAVE WITH THE ESDS AND OUR ROLE IS SIMPLY TO STEP UP WITH THE FUNDS BUT WE WOULD BE GLAD TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO WORK THROUGH YOUR QUESTION. WELL, WE PROBABLY -- IF IT'S A COUNTY ISSUE, THEN WE NEED TO PROBABLY ADDRESS THAT ON OUR END. WE DID THAT AT THE CITY HERE RECENTLY, WHEN I WAS WITH THE COUNCIL, AND IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY EVERY YEAR THAT THE CITY WAS NOT RECOVERING. OKAY.SO, WHAT WAS -- WHAT YOU'RE PROJECTING -- WHAT WAS THE EXPENDITURE FOR LAST BUDGET YEAR UP TO THIS POINT FOR THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES?
>> COMMISSIONER, WE'VE -- DO YOU HAVE THAT NUMBER? WE'RE GOING TO PROJECT THAT THAT NUMBER FOR THIS -- FOR FY25, IS GOING TO BE VERY CLOSE TO THE $650,000. THE PROBLEM WE CAN'T GIVE YOU A NUMBER, COMMISSIONER, IS BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN FY25.
THESE BILLS ARE, AS I MENTIONED, THEY'RE A COUPLE OF MONTH IN ARREARS, AND SO I CAN PROBABLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION IN DECEMBER FOR YOU, BUT I CAN ONLY ANSWER IT FOR ABOUT THE FIRST EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SO FAR.
AND THE COUNTY JAIL HEALTH SERVICES, THE $3.3 MILLION THAT YOU'RE ESTIMATED IT IS GOING TO BE ABOVE THIS CURRENT BUDGET YEAR, IS THAT COVERED IN YOUR GENERAL FUND?
>> THAT AMOUNT WILL BE COMING OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND, YES.
>> OKAY, AND WHAT LINE ITEM IS THAT GOING TO BE?
>> IF YOU'LL FLIP OVER TO, COMMISSIONER, TO THE COLORED COLUMN ONE, AND IT WILL BE INCLUDED AS A PART OF ROW 12.
SO, ROW 12 IN THE YELLOW COLUMN IS BASICALLY THAT NUMBER THAT'S IN THAT CELL MATCHES THE NUMBER THAT'S AT THE BOTTOM OF THE COUNTY EXPENDITURES PAGE.
AND SO, BY THE FACT THAT THIS NUMBER÷÷NUMBER ON THE GENERAL FUND PAGE, IT GETS PAID OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND.
AND MOVING DOWN TO LINE ITEM EIGHT, THE HALO FLIGHT FUNDING, SO, WE'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT TO THE TUNE OF $15,750?
>> COMMISSIONER, I BELIEVE THAT THAT AMOUNT IS A MATCH AMOUNT FOR WHAT THE COUNTY'S GOING TO DO. I BELIEVE, IN THIS COMING --
>> WE NORMALLY DO 15. IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THEY CAME TO US AND ASKED FOR THE $750 ADDITION. Y'ALL WENT AHEAD AND DID IT.
IT'S ON OUR LIST ON DISCUSSIONS WHEN ITIT TO INCREASE TO $15,750.
>> SO, WHATEVER WE DO, COMMISSIONER, IN THIS COMING YEAR, WILL BE AN IDENTICAL AMOUNT TO WHAT YOU ALL DO THIS YEAR.
>> TOTAL WAS -- >> SO, $32,000, ROUGHLY. OKAY. DO OUR EMPLOYEES AT THE COUNTY, WHAT IS THEIR BENEFIT OF THAT?
>> I BELIEVE, JUDGE, THERE IS A -- A PROGRAM THAT HALO FLIGHT PROVIDES. I DON'T KNOW THE TITLE OF IT.
BUT THERE'S A PROGRAM WHERE THEY PROVIDE A CARD TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING AT.
>> IT'S NOT ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES.
IT'S EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES THAT ARE COVERED IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS OUTSIDE THE COUNTY.
>> OKAY, GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE
SURE. >> I THINK WHAT IT IS, COMMISSIONER, IS IF THEY GET AIRLIFTED, THERE'S NO CHARGE IF YOU'RE A COUNTY EMPLOYEE OR FAMILY MEMBER.
>> AND UNDER ITEM NINE OF THE MEDIVAN, SO, THERE'S NO CONTRACTUAL SERVICES IN THE COUNTY THAT WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INSTEAD OF US OWNING A VAN?
>> COMMISSIONER, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A QUESTION THAT WOULD GO THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. BUT WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH IS A REQUEST BY THE JAIL CAPTAIN TO DO THAT. NOW, WHETHER THEY'VE EXPLORED ALL THOSE AVENUES BEFORE SHE CAME TO US, I DON'T KNOW. AND AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS LINE ITEM IS ONE THAT'S BEEN UNDER DISCUSSION FOR A WHILE, BUT WE STILL NEED A LETTER FROM SHERIFF HOOPER STATING THE NEED AND
[00:35:01]
THE NECESSITY OF THE VAN.ALL RIGHT. OKAY. JOHNNY, THAT'S ALL I HAD RIGHT NOW. ONCE I HAVE ANAN TO LOOK THROUGH THESE MORE IN DEPTH, I MAY HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU.
DID ANY OTHER -- DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ?
>> I HAVE ONE. I'M STILL CONCERNED ON THIS PAGE HERE THAT -- AND I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS PRETTY LENGTHILY, ABOUT THE VECTOR CONTROL. JOHNNY, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ROUND IT OFF TO 1.8, AND THAT -- I KNOW WE'RE TAKING THE $200,000 FROM 1.8 TO PAY FOR VECTOR CONTROL AT ONE TIME WAS PAYING FOR THE CITY- COUNTY MONEY THAT WE USED TO GIVE THE CITY- COUNTY DISTRICT AND THEN IT WAS SENT BACK TO US, SO WE'RE PAYING FOR IT.
BUT I THINK THAT, AGAIN, THIS ITEM HERE, VECTOR CONTROL, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ITEM THAT'S ON THERE, AFFECTS NOT ONLY, FOR SOME REASON IN THAT DISTRICT DECIDED NOT TO DO IT BECAUSE IT WASN'T A COMMUNITY -- THIS AFFECTS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. KIDS ARE WAITING AT A BUS, GETTING BIT BY MOSQUITOS. GETTING KINDS OF DISEASES, TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. I THINK IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY IN THE WESTERN DISTRICT THAT DOESN'T HAVE WHAT SOUTH DISTRICT HAS. SO, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT BECAUSE I THINK IT WILL BE A WIN- WIN SITUATION, KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOSPITALS, THE KIDS, MISSING SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WHEN IT RAINS, THEY'RE OUT THERE FIGHTING MOSQUITOS AND THERE'S NO SHELTERS OUT THERE. SO, I THINK IT'S NOT A -- LIKE AN INDIVIDUAL THING. IT'S REALLY A COMMUNITY PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS ENTIRE FAMILIES.
SO, I DON'T KNOW IF IT BELONGS ON NUMBER NINE OR NUMBER TWO, BUT I THINKTHINK REALLY NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT TO SEE HOW CAN WE GET THIS VECTOR CONTROL IN
THERE. >> COMMISSIONER, I DON'T KNOW IF VECTOR CONTROL WAS PAID OUT OF THE COUNTY'S $1.8 MILLION. I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, BUT IF THE QUESTION IS, CAN THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT PAY FOR VECTOR CONTROL, THE ANSWER IS NO. WE TOOK THAT AMOUNT OUT OF THE BUDGET LAST YEAR, AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHY WE CAN'T PAY FOR IT. THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT CAN ONLY PAY FOR WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS PERSON-TO- PERSON SERVICES. SO, VECTOR CONTROL IS NOT A PERSON-TO-PERSON SERVICE.
IT IS PROBABLY ONE-TO- MANY SERVICES BUT IS NOT ONE-TO-ONE. AS I SAID LAST YEAR, THE AMOUNT FOR VECTOR CONTROL IS OUTSIDE OF THE FENCE, IF YOU WILL, OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN PAY FOR.
AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE BUDGET LAST YEAR, AND IF THE QUESTION WAS, WE HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR IT IN THE YEARS PAST, WE HAVE, BUT IT WASN'T PROPER.
>> I THOUGHT WE PUT IT BACK IN OUR BUDGET LAST YEAR. I THINK IT'S IN OUR BUDGET.
>> I THINK SOMEONE PAID -- THEY USED ARPA MONEY.
WE HAVE IT ON OUR LIST OF ITEMSITEMS PUT IT BACK IN OUR BUDGET DID IT WITH ARPA LAST YEAR? NOW YOU'RE SAYING, JUDGE, YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IT BACK INTO OUR --
>> AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, COMMISSIONER. BUT I STILL -- I MEAN, I STILL THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THIS REAL SERIOUSLY, JOHNNY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN ONE ON ONE WHEN THE KIDS GO TO THE HOSPITAL OR THE CLINIC. WHEN THEY GET TO THE HOSPITAL, IT'S ONE ON ONE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A POPULATION HERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT, WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE, THAT OTHER THAN -- AS I GO DOWN THE LINE HERE, I DON'T SEE A ONE ON ONE ON EVERYTHING THAT'S ON HERE. I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THIS. AND WE COME BACK WITH SOME OTHER AREAS SO WHEN I TRY TO UPGRADE THIS VECTOR CONTROL THING AND I KNOW WE HAVE TO DO -- A POLICY WHO PAYS FOR IT.
>> LET ME BACK UP. I THINK IF YOU GO DOWN THE LIST, EVERYTHING THAT'S ON THAT LIST, MAYBE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HALO FLIGHT, THE ONE THAT GOES THROUGH RESULTS IN A ONE-TO- ONE RELATIONSHIP, THE PAYMENTS THAT ARISE FROM A ONE-TO-ONE. SO, IF THE ISSUE IS WHETHER THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT CAN DO VECTOR, THAT'S PROBABLY AN ISSUE THAT CAN BE TAKEN UP IN AUSTIN.
BUT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT CAN ONLY PROVIDE SERVICES THAT ARE ONE-TO- ONE SERVICES AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE LAW SAYS THAT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT IS RESPONSIBLERESPONSIBLE MEDICAL AND HOSPITAL SERVICES FOR THE INDIGENT AND NEEDY INHABITANTS OF THE COUNTY AND BY THAT STATEMENT, BY IMPLICATION, IT SAYS SAYS A ONE-TO- ONE SITUATION.
IT DOESN'T SAY THAT THE HOSPITAL
[00:40:02]
DISTRICT NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF PUBLIC DISEASES OR NUISANCE DISEASES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.SO, COMMISSIONER, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THAT, AND SO I THINK IF THE DESIRE IS TO FIX THE LAW SO THAT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT CAN COVER THOSE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, THEN WE'D PROBABLY NEED TO PUT FOR NEXT YEAR. FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
>> THERE'S ALWAYS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT.
YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK THAT THERE'S A BIG NEED IN THE WESTERN AREA, AND --
>> I UNDERSTAND IT COMES OUT OF OUR BUDGET TOO BUT YOU GOT A BIGGER BUDGET THAN WE DO, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO -- ON THINGS THAT'S NOT GOING ON A ONE-TO-ONE THING THAT WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON. BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY, IF WE CAN LOOK AT THIS -- I'M CONCERNED ON THE OUTER AREAS OF THE CITY.
THE COUNTY. WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY ARE AFFECTED. AND KIDS ARE -- KIDS MORE THAN ADULTS, RIGHT? SO, I JUST -- THAT'S MY CONCERN.
>> WELL, COMMISSIONER, I THINK THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD CITIZEN.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE'RE SPENDING ON THIS PAGE.
>> THEY'VE BEEN GREAT. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT.
IT'S BEEN GREAT. AND I'VE ALWAYS SUPPORTED THAT, ALWAYS SUPPORTED YOU. I'M JUST -- THIS IS KIND OF MY PERSONAL THING, I GUESS, MAYBE. I THINK I'VE BEEN OUT THERE, I'VE SEEN IT.
AND I JUST THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WHETHER IT BE US OR YOU, JUST I FIGURE THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT SHOULD BE THE ONE TO DO IT, BUT YOU SAY YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK INTO IT FOR NEXT YEAR MAYBE.
>> OKAY. AND I THINK THEY'RE SAYING THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, IF YOU CAN PULL THAT CLOSER.
>> THANK YOU, JOHNNY, FOR BEING
HERE. >> COMMISSIONER, WE'LL WORK WITH YOU ALL TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT
I THINK THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> LET ME -- SO, WHAT IS -- ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE TOTAL FUNDING FOR VECTOR CONTROL, FOR THE COUNTY? SO, WHAT WAS IT?
>> AND HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN PAID OUT OF THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET?
>> THEY PAID FOR IT LAST YEAR. THEY TOOK IT OUT.
WE HAD SOME ARPA FUNDS THAT WE PAID FORFOR ONE YEAR.
THIS YEAR, IT IS IN MY LIST OF PRIORITIES FOR THE COUNTY COUNTY GO AHEAD AND PICK UP AGAIN. YES.
>> BUT BEFORE THAT, WAS IT PAID BY THE CITY-COUNTY?
>> IN THE YEARS PRIOR TO LAST YEAR, IT WAS INCLUDED.
>> THROUGH THE SAME FUNDS THEY GET NOW, THE
YES. >> DID WE ASK THE CITY- COUNTY TO TAKE IT OUT OF THEIR BUDGET?
TOO. >> THEY CAN'T HAVE IT IN THEIR BUDGET BECAUSE THEY PAY FOR IT, AND THEY CAN'T USE THEIR FUNDS TO PAY FOR IT.
>> THAT'S WHY IT WAS PULLED OUT. OKAY.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK YOU'RE FINALLY DONE. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY, ALL THE QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION. THANKS.
>> OKAY, JUDGE, I'LL JUST CLOSE BY SAYING, I'M GLAD CONSTANCE IS HERE.
>> WE ARE TOO. >> AND WE'RE GLAD TO WORK WITH HER AND APPRECIATIVE OF HAVING HER HERE AND Y'ALL KEEPING HER
HERE. >> SHE'S TEMPORARY OVER THERE, LET'S BE CLEAR.
>> I UNDERSTAND. SHE'S IN A DIFFERENT CHAIR NEXT
>> THANK YOU ALL. WE'LL SEE Y'ALL ON WEDNESDAY, THEN? OKAY.
>> THANK YOU, JOHNNY. >> THANK YOU.
>> HOW ABOUT NEXT UP, CONSTABLE FIVE, DEPUTY MARTINEZ, ARE YOU GOING TO PRESENT? YES? DO YOU HAVE SOME -- OH, IS THIS MINE? YES.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING FOR LATER.
>> THEIRS ISN'T A TAB. THEY BROUGHT THEIR PRESENTATION.
THIS IS JUST A WORKSHOP. THE REST OF THESE BACK HERE, THEY WANTED TO BRING A PRESENTATION OR WE'LL JUST LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
WE ASKED THEM TO BRING MULTIPLE COPIES. YES.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, COUNTY JUDGE.
[00:45:02]
THE NUECES COUNTY PRECINCT FIVE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE IS THE -- REQUESTING OR TRYING TO GET ACCEPTANCE FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT PROPOSAL TO OUR DEPARTMENT WITH THE NUECES COUNTY PRECINCT FIVE OFFICE. WE'RE PLEASED TO SUBMIT THE PROPOSAL FOR THE SERVICES OF HAVING NUECES COUNTY CODE ENFORCEMENT COMBINED TO IMPROVE SATISFACTION BY PROVIDING A STRONGER OUTCOME IN THE AREA WHERE IT IS MOST NEEDED. WE HAVE DETERMINED HAVING THE CODE ENFORCEMENT UNDER OUR COMMAND, OUR DEPARTMENT, WOULD GREATLY REDUCE THE COST ANNUALLY AND RESPONSE TIME AS WELL. THE OBJECTIVE.THE NEED IS TO IMPROVE RESPONSE TIME FOR CALLS FOR SERVICES AND QUESTIONS THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE.
NUMBER TWO. IMPROVE BETTER OUTCOMES, CREATE MORE CASES, AND PROSECUTIONS. AND LASTLY, BETTER TRAINING FOR STAFF IN NEW STATE AND LOCAL LAWS PERTAINING TO ENVIRONMENTAL CODES. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THIS IS TO TRAIN ALL KOEZ ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND MAINTAIN PROFICIENCY. SECOND GOAL IS TO INTEGRATE OLD WAYS OF CODE ENFORCEMENT WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND METHODS. AND THE THIRD GOAL IS TO MONITOR PREVIOUS ISSUES AND CREATE WAYS TO BETTER SERVE THE PUBLIC AND THEIR CONCERNS.
RECOMMENDATIONS. STAY AHEAD WITH NEW WAYS TO ENFORCE THE GROWING ISSUES IN THE COUNTY.
IMPLEMENT PLANNING SOLUTIONS TO HELP MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF CONSEQUENCES AND ILLEGAL DUMPING.
LASTLY, FOCUS ON HAVING CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPUTIES BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. OUR PROPOSAL, NUECES COUNTY PRECINCT FIVE CONSTABLES OFFICE HAS BEEN A PRECINCT THAT IS UNDERSTANDING WHEN THE PUBLIC HAS ISSUES OR COMPLAINTS, AND CONSTABLE OSCAR MENDOZA HAS TAKEN OFFICE BACK IN 2021.
ONE GROWING CONCERN IS THE ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT OCCURS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. PRECINCT FIVE HAS MADE IT A POINT TO HELP THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY ILLEGAL DUMPING. WE UNDERSTAND HAVING NEIGHBORHOODS WITH TRASH DUMP MAKES THE PUBLIC UPSET AND WANTS SOLUTIONS RATHER THAN EXCUSES.
BY ADDING THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, ATTACHED TO THE PRECINCT FIVE CONSTABLES OFFICE, WE WILL HELP WITH THE GROWING ISSUES IN THE COUNTY WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSIGNED IN PRECINCT FIVE, WE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO COVER ALL NUECES COUNTY WITH MINIMAL ISSUES.
ANOTHER BENEFIT WOULD BE THE FUEL COSTS, AND EACH IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET. CODE ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE IN THE AREAS WHERE MOST ILLEGAL DUMPING OCCURS.
THERE WOULD BE LESS TRAVEL TO GET TO THOSE AREAS.
IF WE LOOK BACK AT ALL THE REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN GENERATED, FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING, MOST CASES HAVE BEEN IN THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY.
LASTLY, THE UNITS WHICH ARE ASSIGNED TO CODE ENFORCEMENT HAVE PRECINCT FIVE LOGOS ALREADY.
WITH CONSTABLES LETTERERING WHICH WOULD REDUCE THE COST OF HAVING TO REDO ALL THE GRAPHICS, POTENTIALLY COSTING THE COUNTY MORE MONEY. THE RATIONALE IN ALL THIS, RESEARCH SHOWS IT'S BEEN BENEFICIAL TO HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT TO ASSIGN TO PRECINCT FIVE FOR QUICKER RESPONSE TIME, BETTER TRAINING, PUBLIC AWARENESS, AND COMMUNICATION. EXPECTED RESULTS WITH THE PRECINCT FIVE HAVING CODE ENFORCEMENT IS STRONGER CASES TO BE FILED WITH THE D.A. , BETTER PUBLIC RELATIONS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, CLEANER AND SAFER FOR THE HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES. AND I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
>> ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK?
>> I HAVE A COUPLE. >> GO AHEAD.
>> SO, YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT OR NOT DEPARTMENT BUT THE WHOLE CODE ENFORCEMENT BE UNDER PRECINCT FIVE?
>> SO, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF IT WAS FOUR OFFICERS AND TWO UNDER FIVE AND TWO UNDER
ONE. >> I'M OPEN TO ANYTHING THAT THE COUNTY COULD SAVE MONEY, BETTER RESPONSE TIME.
>> THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE YOU TALK ABOUT CAR TIME, TRAVEL TIME, GAS TIME.
EITHER WAY, IT'S THE SAME THING.
ONE DOES IT, TWO DO IT, SOMEBODY'S GOT TO DO
CORRECT. >> COMES OUT TO THE SAME THING. THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, UNFORTUNATELY, AND I LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT YOU LISTED HERE, IT'S A LOT MORE THAN JUST WHAT'S HERE. I MEAN, IF YOU, IN MY AREA, THIS IS WHERE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED. MY AREA, PRECINCT
[00:50:03]
THREE, PRECINCT ONE, HAVE REALLY BEEN THE DUMPING GROUNDS FOR THIS -- FOR PEOPLE JUST -->> NO, NOT CARELESS PEOPLE. PEOPLE THAT DON'T CARE.
PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE DUMP.
IT'S NOT ABOUT CARELESS. IT'S A CRIME.
IT'S CRIMINAL. SO -- AND YOU SAID ABOUT GOING TO THE D.A. YOU THINK THE CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATIONS SHOULD ALL GO TO THE
D.A.'S OFFICE? >> A LOT OF IT IS BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF THE TRASH AMOUNT, AND I'LL BRING UP A SITUATION WHERE WE HAD JUST RECENTLY WHERE WE HAD A BUILDER DUMP ALL HIS ROOFING MATERIALS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OFF OF ONE OF THE COUNTY ROADS, AND IT EXCEEDED WELL OVER INTO THE FELONY AMOUNT CHARGED.
WE FILED THE CASE WITH THE D.A.D.A.
THE D.A. WAS GLADLY ON BOARD WITH IT.
WE ARRESTED THE GENTLEMAN AT HIS RESIDENCE.
AND HE'S GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE DID.
>> AND I REMEMBER THAT CASE VERY WELL, BUT ALSO, ON CODE ENFORCEMENT, BASICALLY, THE FIRST LINE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE OR JUDICIAL IS THE JPS, REALLY, RIGHT? SO, YOU DIDN'T MENTION THE JPS.
IT'S REALLY THE JPS THAT HANDLE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATIONS.
>> CORRECT, AND THE REASON WE WENT THROUGH THE D.A. 'S OFFICE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WAS BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT, THE WEIGHT, WHICH WAS LEANING MORE TOWARDS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, RATHER THAN THE JP COURTS, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A MISDEMEANOR.
>> AND I ADMIRE THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN THIS BECAUSE IT'S A COUNTYWIDE, WE
START TAKING AN INTEREST. >> DEFINITELY.
AND WE'RE READY TO TAKE ON THAT
RESPONSIBILITY. >> THE COUNTY'S NOT LOOKING VERY GOOD RIGHT NOW.
AND ESPECIALLY -- I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MY AREA AND WHEN IT SAYS, PRECINCT TWO AND PRECINCT FOUR, TWO OFFICERS CAN WORK THAT AREA.
PRECINCT THREE AND ONE, TWO OFFICERS CAN WORK THAT AREA, SO WE'RE COVERING THE WHOLE COUNTY.
WHEN YOU PUT FOUR UNDER ONE UMBRELLA, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO WHO'S GOING WHERE OR WHAT.
AND I'M LOOKING -- I'M ALSO LOOKING ON EXPERIENCE, ON REPORTS, ON GRANTS. ARE YOU EXPECTING GRANTS?
>> OUR DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY HAS TWO DEPUTIES WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH GRANT SCHOOLS AND THEY ARE AWARE OF WHAT IT TAKES TO GET GRANTS THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IN THE PAST, WHERE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT WAS HELD UP WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS, THEY STILL HAD TO TRAVEL 15, 20 MINUTES JUST TO GET TO ONE SPOT.
AND AGAIN, I'LL REITERATE, A LOT OF THE CASES THAT GENERATE THROUGH NUECES COUNTY HAVE ALL BEEN ON THE WEST SIDE, WHICH IS DRISCOLL, AGUA DULCE, BISHOP.
THE RESPONSE TIME IS A LOT QUICKER. WE CAN GET TO THOSE AREAS AND FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION, RATHER THAN FINDING OUT THAT THE TRASH HAS BEEN THERE FOR THREE, FOUR DAYS AND NOT KNOWING.
SO IT'S BETTER FOR THE INVESTIGATION PART OF IT, RATHER THAN -- AND I SEE YOUR POINT WHERE YOU WANT TO BRING ONE FROM PRECINCT TWO AND FOUR, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE UNIFORM.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO TWO, THREE, AND FOUR, I MEAN, WE MAY HAVE TO DO ONE FOR EVERY AGENCY SO THAT THE RESPONSE TIME, YES, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, IT MAY BE QUICKER, BUT IF YOU BRING A PRECINCT TWO CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ALL THE WAY TO SANDY HOLLOW, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME AND THE FUEL COSTS AND HOWEVER LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE THAT GENTLEMAN TO BE OVER THERE TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUES AND GO BACK TO PRECINCT TWO OFFICE. YOU'RE LOOKING AT OVERTIME COSTS. I THINK OF THE BIG PICTURE, AND AGAIN, I SAY THESE THINGS ONLY BECAUSE OF WHAT IS BROUGHT BEFORE ME AS FAR AS THE CASE REPORTS, THE COMPLAINTS.
THE DUMPING SITES ARE ALL ON THE WEST SIDE.
SO, HAVING THAT SAID, I THINK IT'S BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THEM CLOSER TO WHERE THE AREAS ARE MOST NEEDED.
>> YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS CODE ENFORCEMENT, NOT SO MUCH -- THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR THOSE OFFICERS.
SERVING -- >> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT. >> AND REALLY, I DIDN'T SEE THIS HERE, BUT I THINK THAT THE PRIMARY WORK OF THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WOULD BE CODE ENFORCEMENT.
>> YOU KNOW, AND IN KNOWING THAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THOSE TRASH BAGS, GOING THROUGH CLEAN- UP AND BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST HAD SOMEBODY IN ONE OF MY AREAS THAT HAD TO PAY EXTRA BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. SO -- BUT ANYWAY, IT'S JUST
[00:55:04]
WHAT I -- I'M JUST THROWING A QUESTION OUT BECAUSE THIS IS GREAT AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THIS AND TAKING INITIATIVE.I THINK IF WE ALL WERE TO DO THAT, IT WOULD BE A LOT BETTER. I THINK TWO AND TWO WOULD WORK REAL GOOD BECAUSE WE CAN DIVIDE WHERE, YOU KNOW, TWO WILL WORK IN PRECINCT TWO AND FOUR, AND THE OTHER ONE WILL BE PRECINCT ONE AND THREE.
ABSOLUTELY. >> BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR AT LEAST TAKING THE INTEREST IN
>> I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ FOR HELPING START THIS DISCUSSION A COUPLE MEETINGS BACK. I KNOW WE HAD TO DELAY AND FINALLY WE HAD THE PRESENTATION AND TO ME, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE OF WANTING TO CHOOSE WHO THIS GOES TO, LIKE, DOES ONLY ONE DEPARTMENT GET ACCESS? WE RECOGNIZE THIS IS A COUNTYWIDE ISSUE THAT WE ALL, ALL FOUR PRECINCTS, ALL COMMISSIONERS GET CALLS ON, EVEN ON THE ISLAND. THERE'S ILLEGAL DUMPING ISSUES THERE. I JUST HAD ONE LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON THAT CAME IN, AND THANKFULLY, TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS, THEY'RE STILL WORKING IT AND I CALLED AND LET JUAN KNOW, AND HE WAS GOING TO GET HIS OFFICERS ON IT. SO, WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT NEED AND I THINK COMMISSIONER, DO WE TRY TO EXPAND? DO WE GET EVERY OFFICE AT LEAST ONE OR TWO, THOSE THAT WE KNOW HAVE A HIGH CONCENTRATION, MAYBE? BECAUSE EARLIER, WE WERE TALKING THAT EAST AND WEST SIDE OF ROBSTOWN, YOU SEE IT, CHIEF, THE ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT WE HAVE IN BLUE BONNET BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO DUMP. WE HAVE EMPTY LOTS OR THE WAY THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS, IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE SIDEWALKS SO IT'S EASY TO GO SHOVE DEBRIS AND IT STARTS SLOWLY COLLECTING.
IT MAY NOT BE INTENTIONAL BUT SOMEBODY SEEING A PILE, OH, THERE IT IS, AND THEY START ADDING.
WE GOT ONE ON COUNTY ROAD, OH GOSH, I FORGOT WHICH ONE IT IS. IT'S OFF 44 TOWARDS CLARKWOOD IN THAT AREA IN MY PRECINCT AS WELL. SO, WE HAVE A LOT OF ILLEGAL DUMPING GOING OUT TO THE COUNTY PARK OUT THERE. AND SO, WE HAVE BUSINESSES WHO ARE CALLING. THESE COMPANIES ARE BRINGING IN INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS TO THEIR COMPANY, AND THEY WANT IT TO BIT NICER SOSO AN ISSUE THAT'S COMING UP.
HOW DO WE ADDRESS IT? WE HEAR YOUR REQUEST. I HEAR IT, I FEEL IT.
I'D LOVE TO GET A QUICKER RESPONSE.
IS IT GIVING EACH CONSTABLE THEIR OWN? IS IT GOING TO THE SHERIFF? IS IT KEEPING IT AS- IS WITH PUBLIC WORKS? I'VE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE WITH PUBLIC WORKS. I'VE REACHED AND THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE IT. THEY WERE ON IT.
THERE WAS NEVER AN ISSUE WHERE I CALLED THEM DIRECTLY. BUT MY PERSPECTIVE IS ALWAYS WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE OFFICERS, WHOEVER THEY MAY BE, HOWEVER THEY MAY BE, GET INCLUDED IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
THAT'S NOT EVEN AN ISSUE THAT'S ON MOST PEOPLE'S RADAR FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE INCREASES THERE ARE IMPACTED BY THE INCREASES THAT ARE NEGOTIATED. SO, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE PART TO IT BUT THAT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING I TYPICALLY BRING UP YEAR AFTER YEAR. BUT I THINK WE ALL SEE IT, WE FEEL IT. I'D LOVE A FASTER RESPONSE TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE JUDGE HAS PLANNED ON THIS. I WILL FOLLOW WITH HER LEAD ON THIS. I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO GET LAW ENFORCEMENT TOGETHER TO KIND OF COME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN OF HOW TO DO THIS.
I THINK FINDING, MAYBE, INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS FOR EACH PRECINCT OR THOSE WITH THE MOST NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST --
>> AND THEN MAYBE THOSE THAT DON'T --
>> AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE COURT --
>> I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT OTHER COUNTIES.
I'M GOING TO START DOING THAT TO SEE, IS IT A HYBRID MODEL, STAND-ALONE? DOES IT FALL UNDER CONSTABLES, SHERIFF? I'M ABOUT BEST PRACTICE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO BE RESEARCHING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS UNTIL WE GET TO VOTE ON OUR TAX RATE ON WEDNESDAY AND AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THIS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> I'LL END WITH THIS.
IF PRECINCT FIVE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE IS CONSIDERED TO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CARRY THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, I ASSURE YOU WE WILL USE THEM FOR NOTHING BUT CODE ENFORCEMENT AND NOT HAVE THEM DO ANYTHING ELSE. FOR EXAMPLE, SERVING PAPERS. OKAY?
>> IN GENERAL TERMINOLOGY, AND I -- I WANT TO FOLLOW THE JUDGE'S LEAD ON THIS IN REGARDS TO WHAT SHE PROPOSES AND MOVE FORWARD, BUT I WANT TO SAY, FOR THE RECORD, I'M NOT IN GENERAL SUPPORT OF ADDING OR RECLASSIFYING THIS YEAR
[01:00:02]
BECAUSE I WANT TO FOCUS ON OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND GETTING THEM THE BIGGEST POSSIBLE RAISE THAT WE CAN. SO I'M SAYING THAT, ANYBODY THAT'S WATCHING THAT WANTS TO ASK FOR NEW POSITIONS OR RECLASSIFICATIONS, I'M NOT LOOKING AT THAT AS MUCH AS I AM JUST GETTING THE BIGGEST RAISE POSSIBLE FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT.AND ALL OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES. SO, THAT'S WHERE WHATEVER EXTRA FUNDS I HOPE WE HAVE, NOT THAT WE HAVE EXTRA, BUT WHATEVER WE WANT TO SPEND, THAT THAT'S WHERE WE FOCUS ON. SO, I DON'T LIKE THE EXPANSION IDEA AT ALL, BUT I'M GOING TO -- I'M NOT GOING TO WEIGH IN ON YOURS OR CONSTABLE DORR OR ANYBODY ELSE RIGHT NOW. I THINK WE OUGHT TO FOCUS PURELY ON THE BIGGEST RAISE POSSIBLE WE CAN FOR OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND TAKE CARE OF THOSE PEOPLE FIRST. THAT WOULD BE JUST A GENERAL COMMENT.
AND I'LL SAY THAT FOR THE WHOLE REST OF THE
DAY. >> THAT'S WHAT I HAVE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THAT'S WHAT MY BIGGEST INTENT IS TO GET A SALARY INCREASE FOR CURRENT EMPLOYEES BY ALL MEANS.
I WILL SECOND THAT, BUT I'VE BEEN SAYING IT EVERYWHERE I GO. THAT'S MY FOCUS THIS YEAR.
BUT BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I HAVE A QUICK
>> WE HAVE HAD SOME QUESTIONS COME UP, AND THIS IS OFF OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.
THIS IS, DO YOU GUYS STILL HAVE THE RESOURCE OFFICER?
>> YES. >> THERE'S AN ISSUE THERE.
HAVE YOU BEEN MADE AWARE OF THAT?
>> IT WAS JUST BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. LIKE, 7:00.
SO, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO GET WITH
COUNTY ATTORNEY. >> IS THIS -- YES.
AND PROBABLY TERESA AND OUR OFFICE AS WELL.
BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN SEARCHING TO SEE WHEN THAT WAS APPROVED.
IS THAT A REGULAR EMPLOYEE IN YOUR OFFICE, OR WAS IT ONLY AN ARPA- APPROVED EMPLOYEE?
>> SO, IT WAS AN ARPA EMPLOYEE, BUT THEN WHEN THAT WENT AWAY, THE BANQUETA ISD TOOK OVER AND THEY WERE WILLING TO MAKE THAT CHANGE OR THE PAYMENT OR THE --
>> SO, WE AREN'T FUNDING THAT POSITION?
>> NO. THEY'RE FUNDING EVERYTHING.
THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGED IS THE
LANGUAGE. >> AND WE DON'T HAVE A CURRENT
CONTRACT. >> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING
ON. >> WE'RE LIKE EIGHT MONTHS BEHIND OR SOMETHING, I'M TOLD.
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR BACK, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I AM GOING TO TACKLE.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT LANGUAGE COMPLETED AND
THIS WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION FROM ANOTHER MEETING, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, JUDGE.
>> REAL QUICKLY, CONSTABLE, I WANTED TO SHARE PUBLICLY MY THANKS FOR YOUR INVESTIGATIVE WORK AND ARREST OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO DUMPED THE ROOFING TILES OUT ON OUR COUNTY ROADS. THAT WAS A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I KNOW Y'ALL WENT OVER AND ABOVE IN INVESTIGATING THAT AND MAKING AN ARREST.
>> HAT'S OFF TO OUR INVESTIGATOR, WHICH IS RIGHT BEHIND ME. HE'S RIGHT BEHIND ME, SERGEANT AGUILAR. HE'S THE ONE THAT HAD THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND TOOK OVER AND WAS ABLE TO CLOSE THE CASE WITH A CONVICTION OR NOT A CONVICTION BUT WITH AN ARREST.
>> WELL, EVERYBODY INVOLVED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CONDENSE THIS. >> I AM READY TO CONDENSE IT.
THAT'S WHAT I DID. IT'S JUST THE SLIDES ARE REALLY LONG, JUST TO GET A FEEL FOR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SLIDES.
>> ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS. I SUPPORT MOVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT FROM PUBLIC WORKS TO PRECINCT ONE'S CONSTABLE'S OFFICE TO PLACE DEPUTIES WITHIN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT.
LET'S GO WITH THE NEXT SLIDE. ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT IS CURRENTLY HOUSED WITH PUBLIC WORKS, A DEPARTMENT BUILT FOR MAINTENANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
DEPUTIES PERFORM LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES WHILE CLASSIFIED AS CIVILIANS.
THIS LIMITS COMPENSATION, RAISES LEGAL CONCERNS, UNDERMINES CREDIBILITY, AND EVEN MORE, AFFECTS MORALE. NEXT SLIDE. THE TITLE, CONSTABLE, PUBLIC WORKS, CONFUSES THE PUBLIC AND OBSCURES ACCOUNTABILITY. ALTHOUGH CONSTABLES HOLD THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT CREDENTIAL, HOUSING THEM UNDER PUBLIC WORKS RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS OF WHO IS LIABLE. LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES
[01:05:02]
OVERSIGHT AND MANDATED REPORTING.OVERSIGHT BY A PUBLIC WORKS CREATES LEGAL AND OPERATIONAL UNCERTAINTIES.
TRANSFERRING ENSURES LEGAL CLARITY, PROPER AUTHORITY, AND OPERATIONAL INTEGRITY.
WHY PRECINCT -- OKAY, NEXT SLIDE.
I'M SORRY. NEXT SLIDE. WHY PRECINCT ONE? THE CONSTABLE AND CHIEF BRING YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE. CONSTABLE'S OFFICE HAS COUNTYWIDE JURISDICTION AND INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS, RELOCATING THE UNIT CORRECTS MISALIGNMENT AND GIVES DEPUTIES THE BENEFITS THEY DESERVE.
CASE WILL BE HANDLED WITH INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
EXPECTED OF SWORN OFFICERS. THIS MOVE STRENGTHENS ENFORCEMENT, ENFORCING HIGH-PRIORITY AREAS, BEING USED TO JP 13 WILL ENABLE SMARTER DEPLOYMENT, LEVERAGE EXISTING SYSTEMS AND IMPROVE COLLABORATION ACROSS THE COUNTY.
IT BOOSTS COVERAGE AND SPEEDS RESPONSE TIME AND IMPROVES COVERAGE AND RESOURCE EFFICIENCY COUNTYWIDE.
NOW, ON THE NEXT SLIDES, I JUST WANT THE INDIVIDUAL RUNNING THE SLIDES JUST TO GO FROM 6 THROUGH 15 AND THEN WE'LL JUST -- AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IT, THESE ARE ALL AREAS FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S PRECINCTS, AND THE PAST COMPLAINTS ACROSS THE COUNTY AND GO WELL BEYOND ILLEGAL DUMPING.
THEY INCLUDE VIOLATIONS OF TEXAS WATER CODE, HEALTH AND SAFETY, TEXAS COMMISSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY RULES AND ADMINISTRATIVE, TEXAS RAILROAD COMMISSION, OUTDOOR BURNING, TRAFFIC, CIVIL, CRIMINAL, NUISANCE, ABATEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
ILLEGAL DUMPING VARIES ACROSS FMS, HIGHWAYS, COUNTY ROADS AND AREAS UNAFFECTED BY CITY ANNEXATION.
SLIDE 17. ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT.
ADDED OVERSIGHT BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT AND THE COUNTY JUDGE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE.
ENSURING TRANSPARENCY AND UPHOLDING THE UNIT'S ORIGINAL CREATION.
DEPUTIES WILL FOCUS SOLELY ON ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT.
THE CONSTABLE AND CHIEF ARE WELL VERSED IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND CAN ASSIST IN CALLS.
THIS ISN'T A REASSIGNMENT. IT'S A STRATEGIC UPGRADE AND ENHANCES PROTECTION, BOOSTS EFFICIENCY, AND REINFORCES PUBLIC SAFETY.
NOW WE GET INTO -- NEXT SLIDE. NO ADDED COST FOR VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT, OR OFFICE SPACE. BUDGET AS ALLOCATED FROM 5220, BOTH DEPUTIES ARE SEASONED DEPUTIES WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF COUNTY SERVICE.
SO, THIS KIND OF BRINGS THE TOTAL COVERAGE OF THE RETENTION, LONGEVITY AND CERTIFICATION TO A LITTLE OVER $19,000. PUBLIC WORKS CAN CONTINUE THE CLEAN- UP EFFORTS WITH COST RECOVERABLE THROUGH COURT REIMBURSEMENT SO, THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE, JUDGE. I CONDENSED THIS FAST.
>> YOU DID GOOD. I'M IMPRESSED.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL.
NOW, THE CONSTABLE SOLUTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE, IF NOT WANTING TO REMOVE FROM PUBLIC WORKS, OKAY? ONE IS THE -- ONE OPTION IS RECLASSIFYING THE ROLES TO CODE COMPLIANCE. AS WE KNOW, CODE ENFORCEMENT UNDER PUBLIC WORKS, THERE'S A LOT OF REPORTS THEY'RE NOT DOING MANDATORY UCRS, THEY'RE NOT DOING ANY OF THAT. IT'S MANDATED UP TO, I GUESS, THE INDIVIDUAL TO REPORT, BUT TECHNICALLY, IT'S A CIVILIAN ENTITY.
THAT'S WHERE THE CONFUSION GOES AND AS FAR AS I THINK I HEARD EARLIER, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC WORKS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
BY RECLASSIFYING TO CODE COMPLIANCE, OTHER AGENCIES OR NOT OTHER AGENCIES, OTHER COUNTIES DONE THE SAME THING.
THEY HAVE LISTED THEM DOWN AS CODE COMPLIANCE, REMOVING LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES AND SHIFTING AWAY LIABILITY FROM THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.
HOW HOWEVER, THIS LIMITS CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT, REQUIRING CERTIFIED OFFICERS FOR CITATIONS AND ARRESTS.
IT WAS SOMETHING NEAR AND DEAR TO ME IS BRINGING THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO HIRE ONE MORE ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, PLACING ONE ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT DEPUTY WITH THE COMMISSIONERS' PRECINCTS
[01:10:03]
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAD BROUGHT UP.WITH THIS, THIS CAN HANDLE, COMMISSIONERS' PRECINCT- SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS WHICH BETTERS ADDRESSES THE COUNTY SIZE AND WORKLOAD RATHER THAN RELYING ON TWO INDIVIDUALS TO HANDLE THE WHOLE COUNTY, BECAUSE I KNOW, THE CHIEF KNOWS, IT'S TOO MUCH FOR TWO PEOPLE TO HANDLE.
SO, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I HAVE RIGHT HERE. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I'LL JUST STATE AGAIN, OUR FOCUS THIS YEAR, HOPEFULLY, IS GOING TO BE ON PAYING BETTER SALARIES TO THE EMPLOYEES WE HAVE BEFORE WE INCREASE.
IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO, BUT I THINK OUR PRIORITY HAS TO BE FOCUSED ON RETAINAGE AND KEEPING THE GOOD EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE AND THE LAST TWO YEARS, WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH WITH US AND THAT'S GOING TO BE MY PUSH EVERYWHERE WE GO WHEN ANYONE ASKS FOR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES. SO, STATED AGAIN, JUST LIKE SAID BEFORE, BUT ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU. >> I GOT SOMETHING, THOUGH.
WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT OUT OF THE PAY RAISE.
>> MINE IS FOR EVERYBODY ACROSS THE BOARD.
>> THEY WON'T BE LEFT OUT IF I GET MY PLAN.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. SO, CONSTABLE, I NOTICED A COUPLE OF YOUR PICTURES, LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE VIOLATIONS OF SEPTIC SYSTEM WHATEVER.
>> WATER. >> AND IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, IN MY PAST LIFE AS COUNTY COMMISSIONER, A COUPLE OF OF THINGS, VIOLATIONS OF THE SEPTIC SYSTEMS WAS HANDLED BY THE CITY-COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW WHEN I WAS HERE BEFORE, IF WE HAD SOMEBODY REPORT THAT, THEY WOULD HAVE ME CALL THE CITY-COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEY WOULD HANDLE IT.
>> MUST HAVE BEEN BEFORE ME. I DON'T
HAVE A CLUE. >> THEY USED TO DO THE INSPECTIONS.
>> CORRECT. THEY WERE DOING THE INSPECTIONS.
WE WOULD ISSUE THEM CITATIONS UNDER THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET IT FIXED BUT THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET IT INSPECTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT FIT COMPLIANCE.
>> PASSED MUSTER. I KNEW THEY WERE INVOLVED
SOMEWHERE. >> IT WAS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO GET IT FIXED, THEN AND THERE.
>> OKAY. >> AND THEN AFTER THAT, AFTER THEY FIXED IT, THEY WOULD NEED TO GET IT
INSPECTED. >> I THINK NOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE STATE INSPECTION. NOT JUST CITY.
THAT WAS ONE. THE OTHER ONE, AND THIS MAY BE MORE OF A QUESTION FOR JUAN, BUT WHEN I WAS HERE BEFORE, WE USED TO GET, I THINK, MONTHLY REPORTS FROM THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FOR EACH PRECINCT, LISTING OUT THE CASES THAT THEY HAD INVESTIGATED OR WHATEVER, AND DO WE NOT GET THOSE ANYMORE?
>> DOES ANYBODY -- DO ANY OF Y'ALL RECEIVE A REPORT FROM YOUR PRECINCTS?
>> I THINK WE ALSO USED TO GET A LIST OF HOW MANY CASES HAD BEEN FILED AND WHAT COURTS.
>> I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
>> THAT'S PROBABLY A QUESTION FOR --
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER
GONZALEZ? >> COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS I THINK THAT WHEN YOU SAY ONE IS NEEDED, I SEEM TO AGREE WITH YOU, BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONERS COURT FOR THINKING THE WAY I'VE BEEN THINKING FOR, WHAT, 14 YEARS. TAKE CARE OF EMPLOYEES.
ABSOLUTELY. >> BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, I HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE TO ONE OTHER THING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT IS ONE OF THOSE. SO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD -- THIS IS A TRANSFER. IT'S NOT SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. IT'S A TRANSFER WITH THAT.
I'M SURE THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME ADDED BECAUSE EQUIPMENT IS THERE.
>> OH, YES, MY QUESTION ABOUT THAT WAS THE ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT. THE TRANSFER IS NOT IT -- THAT WOULD BE A ZERO INCREASE.
>> YEAH, ADDITIONAL ONE EMPLOYEE WHO CAN START -- I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO WORK IT OUT, JUDGE, AGAIN, TO ME, BUT DEFINITELYDEFINITELY I WE'RE ALL -- I MEAN, I KNOW EMPLOYEES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TOTEM POLE AND IT'S TIME TO BRING THEM UP. BUT I THINK THAT ALSO, WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, WE NEED TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE HAVE THAT CAN SOMEWHERE -- SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
WE NEED TO KEEP OUR COUNTY CLEAN AND LOOKING BETTER.
WE GET CALLS ALL THE TIME. SO, ESPECIALLY THOSE AREAS AROUND WHERE YOU HAVE THE SITES, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE CITY
[01:15:05]
DUMP, COUNTY, THE ONE IN ROBSTOWN. THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF STUFF IN THOSE AREAS BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET THAT FAR.BUT MY CONCERN IS ALSO EMPLOYEES BUT ALSO TRYING TO KEEP OUR COUNTY CLEAN.
SO, IF YOU WERE TO -- IF YOU WERE TO HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE AS A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, AND I KNOW TRAVEL TIME, I KNOW YOU HAVE AN OFFICE.
>> THE OFFICE IS BEING UTILIZED? >> CORRECT.
>> YOU GOT THREE JPS IN YOUR AREA. PRECINCT THREE. JUDGE SANTANA AND BENAVIDES.
>> THOSE ARE THE ONES YOU WOULD BE FOLLOWING I GUESS? FOLLOWING THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THEY GOT FOLLOWED AND PROCESSED.
>> AND THAT'S BEEN THE CASE, JUDGE, A LOT OF TIMES, WHERE THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE JPS AND SIT THERE FOR A LONG TIME. AND I'VE CALLED THE JUDGES SEVERAL TIMES, AND SAID, HEY, CAN WE GET THIS GOING? WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER HERE WITH THE JUDGES AND TRY TO GET THOSE CASES THAT ARE FOUND FORWARD. AGAIN, TO HAVE SOME RESULTS. WHEN THEY SIT THERE FOR A YEAR, PEOPLE AFTER A WHILE SAY, WHO CARES? THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
I THINK A LOT OF THE THING HAS TO DO NOT ONLY WITH OURSELVES, NOT ONLY OUR CONSTABLES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT ALSO JUDGES.
HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP TO MAKING SURE THE CASES ARE BEING PUSHED AND BEING FOLLOWED AND BEING PROCESSED. SO, I APPRECIATE THE FACT, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU WANTED TO REFLECT SOMEONE AND SAY, WE CAN SHARE.
>> DEFINITELY. I'M -- LIKE I STATED FROM THE PAST, US AND THE REST OF THE CONSTABLES, WE'RE ALL ON BOARD, SAME TEAM, I SHOULD SAY.
>> WELL, ALSO, THE OTHER CONCERN THAT I HAVE THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVE TOO, AND THAT'S MAKING SURE THAT THOSE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE UNDER THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, I GUESS, STIGMA, SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO BE TREATED LIKE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND BE IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
>> SO, IS THERE A -- YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE CIVILIANS BUT THEY'RE PEACE OFFICERS, SO WHAT DRAWS THE LINE?
>> WHAT DRAWS THE LINE IS WHO THEY'RE UNDER.
SO, SINCE THEY'RE UNDER A CIVILIAN ENTITY, THEY ARE CONSIDERED CIVILIANS FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES. BUT FOR US, AS WE HAVE STATED IN THE PAST, YES, THEY CARRY GUNS.
THEY CARRY A BADGE. TO US, THEY'RE CONSIDERED LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT ON PAPER, THEY'RE CIVILIANS.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CLOSE, IF I CAN, PLEASE, MA'AM.
>> THERE'S NO BETTER THING THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO DO THAN TO BRING THEM UNDER GUIDED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, AND KNOW HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> APPRECIATE YOU COMING. >> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE CONSTABLE 4, MR. ALLEN? ARE YOU GOING TO BE -- OR YEAH, OKAY.
SNIP I'M NOT >> I'M NOT ASKING FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
I AM ASKING FOR SOMETHING SIMILAR, THOUGH.
WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE MAN. I SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT THIS ALREADY, JUDGE. WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE MAN THAT FALLS UNDER PUBLIC WORKS.
AND THEY HAVE CONTROL OF HIM, EVEN AS FAR AS WHAT HE DOES AT OUR BUILDING, BECAUSE HE'S DEDICATED TO OUR BUILDING IN PORT ARANSAS IN OUR
DEPARTMENT. >> HE DOES MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING, THOUGH, DOESN'T HE?
>> A LITTLE BIT OF MAINTENANCE, MAINLY JUST CLEANING.
>> MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING. OKAY.
>> AND SO ANYWAY, WE WANT TO TRANSFER HIM UNDER OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH HIM.
>> AND DO YOU KNOW IS THERE ANYWHERE ELSE -- ARE THEY UTILIZING HIM FOR ANYTHING ELSE? OR IS THAT JUST -- GO AHEAD.
>> OKAY, SO, THE PROBLEM WE RAN INTO IS THAT APPARENTLY THE ISLAND IS COASTAL PARKS, SO PUBLIC WORKS DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR COASTAL PARK AREAS, SO WE HAVE A BUILDING THAT BELONGS TO COASTAL PARKS, THAT WE PURCHASED A ROOM, ABOUT A 12 BY 12, THAT'S OURS, THAT NEEDS TO BE MAINTENANCED, CLEANED, AND SO FORTH. WELL, APPARENTLY, PUBLIC WORKS WON'T ALLOW HIM TO GO TO THAT BUILDING BECAUSE IT BELONGS TO COASTAL PARKS.
SO, WE'RE HAVING AN ISSUE TRYING TO -- WHERE THIS GUY CAN GO. WE'RE GOING TO GET THE
[01:20:02]
NEWER BUILDING IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, SO IT'S A BIGGER FACILITY. HE ALSO WORKS WITH THE JPS, SO HE CLEANS HIS OFFICE PLUS OURS AND SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE OTHER ROOM.SO, APPARENTLY, THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH HIM COMING TO ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS THAT BELONGS TO THE COUNTY.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE'S A NUECES COUNTY EMPLOYEE, THEY WON'T ALLOW HIM TO GO IN THERE.
THEY'RE REAL SPECIFIC ON HIS CLOCK-IN TIME, THEY MANAGE HIM AND IT'S MORE LIKE KIDS. YOU BELONG TO US, YOU DO WHAT WE SAY. WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID THAT.
HE GOES UNDER THE CONSTABLE AND THE CONSTABLE REGULATES WHERE HE GOES. IT'S A PART-TIME POSITION, ONLY 20 HOURS. THERE MAY BE SOME -- WHEN HE COMES TO OUR DEPARTMENT, WE MAY HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE HIM FULL- TIME WHERE YOU COULD WORK WITH COASTAL PARKS OR ANYTHING THAT MR. CROSS MIGHT NEED. SO, IT'S A POSSIBILITY.
>> IF HE WENT UNDER Y'ALL, WOULD HE THEN, IN A MONTH OR TWO, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S ON OUR LIST OF THINGS TO DISCUSS NEXT WEEK OR SOMETIME, ON THE NEW BUILDING, HE WOULD THEN HAVE THE JP AND THE COURT AND YOUR BUILDING TO ALL DO?
>> THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND -- BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KEEP HIM -- IF HE GOES TO YOU, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KEEP HIM JUST CLEANING YOUR CONSTABLE OFFICE AND NOT ALLOW HIM TO CLEAN THE JP? HE'S DOING ALL OF THOSE ALREADY. IF HE WENT UNDER YOU, HE WOULD STILL CONTINUE TO DO THOSE.
>> THAT'S SOMETHING LATER ON DOWN THE LINE.
>> HE WOULD BE JUST TRANSFERRED OUT OF -- THEY'RE ASKING TRANSFER THE BUDGET, THE PART-TIME PERSON OUT OF PUBLIC WORKS INTO THEM AND HE WOULD ONLY HANDLE PORT ARANSAS, THEIR STUFF, AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT HE DOES AND WITH THE NEW BUILDING IN THE BIGGER AREA, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE TIME BECAUSE YOU JUST COMMENTED THE SMALL SPACE YOU'RE IN.
I BELIEVE THE NEW SPACE EVERYONE'S GOING TO IS A LITTLE BIT LARGER, HOPEFULLY A LOT
SOON. >> SOMETHING WILL NEED MORE TIME AND EFFORT.
>> BUT HE DOES MAINTAIN THE JUDGE'S
OFFICE. >> AND THAT WOULD CONTINUE IF YOU GOT HIM PART-TIME?
>> WE JUST CAN'T HAVE HIM -- WE HAVE A SOUTH SIDE OFFICE, LIKE I SAID, THAT OF COURSE REGULATING IS -- THEY GPS HIM. IF HE'LL STOP AT THE SOUTH SIDE, THEY MADE A BIG ISSUE ABOUT IT.
THEY DON'T DO ANY MAINTENANCE WORK, AND HE IS ALSO LIKE OUR MAINTENANCE MAN FOR LIGHT BULBS, MINOR REPAIRS FOR THAT BUILDING.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ANYONE? GO
>> I HEAR YOU. IT'S DEFINITELY AN ISSUE OF CLOSER CONTROL IS HELPFUL WHEN YOU HAVE ISSUES LIKE THIS COME UP, AND IN MY -- ALL I COULD USE IS IN MY EXPERIENCE, SO I HAVE AN OFFICE IN ROBSTOWN, MY PRECINCT OFFICE IS BASED THERE, SO WE HAVE US, ANIMAL SERVICES, AND PUBLIC WORKS ALL IN ONE YARD. AND SO, WE HAVE THREE SEPARATE BUILDINGS, BUT PUBLIC WORKS STILL COMES THERE.
BUT THE SAME INDIVIDUALS THAT IF I'M THERE AT THE OFFICE AND GO LATER ON, SAY, TO THE LIBRARY AND OTHER FACILITIES, OR TO THE CALDERON BUILDING IN ROBSTOWN AND I'M USING THEM BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST EXAMPLE CLOSEST TO PORT A., WE HAVE THERE HE AT LEAST THREE COUNTY FACILITIES, WE'LL HAVE A FOURTH. I SEE THE SAME COUPLE OF PEOPLE FROM PUBLIC WORKS THAT ARE HOPPING AROUND. THAT WORKS THERE.
OBVIOUSLY, SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A STRUGGLE THERE.
THIS IS THE TIME, REALLY, TO, I FEEL, DEBATE AND DISCUSS THIS BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE'RE HEARING THIS.
I WISH WE WOULD HAVE PUBLIC WORKS HERE TO SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MAKE UP MY MIND AS FAR AS WHAT WE CAN OR SHOULD DO. BEING SO FAR AWAY, IT MAYBE MAKES MORE SENSE TO GIVE SOMEBODY THAT CAN HANDLE THAT JOB DUTY BUT STILL BE UNDER A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT. SO, THAT MAY MAKE MORE SENSE.
I'M NOT GOING TO DISPUTE THAT. A FEW WEEKS AGO, I WAS ON THE ISLAND FOR AN ENTIRE WEEKEND, AND I MEAN, IT'S A DRIVE. I MEAN, I CAN'T IMAGINE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO WORK THERE THAT DON'T÷÷DON'T IN PORT A. OR THAT GENERAL AREA. IT'S A DRIVE TO GET OUT
THERE. >> IT'S HARD TO FIND SOMEONE TO COME OUT THERE. NOW HE'S THERE.
JUST RECENTLY, IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE BECAUSE THEY CALLED HIM INTO THE OFFICE TO DISCUSS ISSUES THAT THEY'RE FINDING OUT. BEFORE, WHEN BOBBY SHERWOOD HAD ONE, NOBODY BOTHERED HIM, AND HE HAD HIS 20-HOUR GUY THERE AND NOBODY QUESTIONED IT.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, NOW, IT'S GETTING QUESTIONED WHEN WE TOOK OFFICE THAT, WHY ARE YOU CLEANING THAT BUILDING? IT DOESN'T BELONG TO US. AND I LEARNED THAT BECAUSE I HAD AN AIR CONDITIONER THAT WAS BROKEN IN THERE AND I CALLED PUBLIC WORKS AND THEY SAID, NO. SCOTT CROSS OWNS THAT BUILDING. I SAID, WHAT DOES HE OWN? IT'S COASTAL PARKS. AND THEN, APPARENTLY, WE PURCHASED THE 12 BY 12 AND MADEMADE INTO A RESTROOM FROM
[01:25:03]
THAT SECTION, AND HE SAID, NO, IT'S A LIABILITY. IF HE GETS HURT, HE'S NOT COVERED. HE'S A COUNTY EMPLOYEE. IT'S ONE OF THOSE.WE'RE HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THAT.
IF HE JUST COMES TO US, WE'RE MORE THAN GLAD TO
SHARE. >> I'M SURE THE JUDGE CAN WORK THIS OUT. MAYBE THE
JUDGE CAN GET WITH -- >> THAT'S WHAT I WAS LEADING TO.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE GOT AT LEAST A FEW DAYS BEFORE WE PUT ON A TAX RATE, WHICH IS, I THINK, WHY WE'RE HAVING ALL THIS DISCUSSION, AND SO IF WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE BEST PLAN, I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT.
I THINK CLOSER CONTROL HELPS. BUT WHEN WE START FARMING OUT SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES, LIKE, THAT BECOMES AN ISSUE, AND I FEEL THAT WE'RE DOING THAT ON SEVERAL FRONTS, NOT JUST THIS DISCUSSION, BUT SEVERAL ISSUES. CODE ENFORCEMENT IS ONE OF THEM.
SO, WE GOT TO DECIDE, AS A COURT, YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS AND CERTAIN FUNCTIONS TO BE DONE OR TO TRANSFER OVER OR TO KEEP I IT AS-IS? I'M NOT ONE TO SAY, KEEP IT AS-IS. I'M NOT THAT PERSON.
BUT I'M NOT THE PERSON TO SAY, CHANGE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CHANGE. I THINK WE GOT TO DO IT INDIVIDUALLY. IF IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE AND IT CHANGED FROM THAT TRANSITION BEFORE YOU GOT ON, CONSTABLE, THEN MAYBE THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO FIX IT. BUT IF WE CAN WORK ON THIS THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, JUDGE, IF YOU FEEL WE HAVE A BIGGER TIME FRAME TO WORK ON -- TO WORK THIS OUT.
>> I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO CHECK WITH COASTAL PARKS AND SEE WHO CLEANS THEIR BUILDINGS AND WHY.
I DON'T THINK COASTAL PARKS, YOUR BUILDINGS ARE YOUR BUILDINGS. I THINK THEY'RE ALL NUECES COUNTY BUILDINGS SO I DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD BE A DISCUSSION TO BEGIN WITH.
>> WELL, WE TRANSFER MONEY INTO THEIRS TOO.
>> I THINK THE BIGGER ISSUE IS, WE'RE ALL ONE COUNTY. THIS IS NUECES COUNTY.
I THINK THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THIS.
>> THUS THE NEED FOR THE COUNTY JUDGE TO BE INVOLVED.
>> I'M GLAD YOU'RE THE NUECES COUNTY JUDGE SO YOU CAN TAKE THAT ON.
>> WHEN PUBLIC WORKS GETS WORD, HE'S ON PROBATION, BUT WE WANTED TO ADDRESS IT QUICKLY AND SEE IF
WE CAN TURN -- >> I THINK THIS CONVERSATION IS PROBABLY ALREADY GOTTEN BACK TO HIM ALREADY, AND WE WILL BE TALKING TO HIM. SO, IT'S GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> HAVE WE EVER LOOKED AT FARMING THIS OUT TO A PRIVATE SERVICE?
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO CHECK WITH SCOTT AND SEE WHO DOES HIS AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS.
>> AHI. BUT THEY'RE -- THEIR PERFORMANCE IS NOT THAT GREAT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. AND SO, WE'RE ALWAYS HAVING TO GO BEHIND THEM AND, YOU KNOW, CLEAN WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO CLEAN OR FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.
YOU GET ON TO THEM, THEY STRAIGHTEN UP FOR ABOUT A WEEK, AND IT'S RIGHT BACK TO THE SAME OLD SONG AND DANCE.
AND BEFORE THAT, WE DID IT ALL, AND AHI WAS A LIFESAVER FOR US BECAUSE ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER SEASON, YOU GOT MAINTENANCE CREWS THAT ARE DOING NOTHING BUT JANITORIAL FOUR TO FIVE HOURS A DAY.
INSTEAD OF DOING MAINTENANCE. THAT'S HOW WE DO IT.
AND I'M WILLING TO HELP HOWEVER I CAN HELP THEM. I'LL HELP THEM.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK WE'LL LOOK FURTHER INTO THIS AND CHECK TO MAKE SURE IF HE'S DOING ANYTHING ELSE AND THAT IS A VERY GOOD REQUEST.
>> SCOTT CROSS, I THINK YOU ARE UP.
>> YEAH, WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT NEWS TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS TODAY.
HAND THOSE OUT FOR ME, MONICA, AND IF YOU HAVE AN EXTRA ONE, GIVE TO IT TERESA OR CONSTANCE.
COMMISSIONER PUSLEY, YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT MY REVENUES.
COMMISSIONER CHESNEY, YOU HAD ASKED TOO.
I BROUGHT YOU A REPORT ON MY REVENUES FROM 2016. THE COVER PAGE IS A SUMMARY.
ALL THE BACKUP DETAIL STUFF IS IN THE BACK BUT THIS WILL SHOW YOU WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF THE PARKS. WE'RE LOOKING TO DO 25 RV SITES AT IVY MCGEE, TEN TENT CAMPING WITH THE CURRENT GRANT WE HAVE, 30 RV SITES AT PADRE AND TEN TENT CAMPING OVER THERE. AND THOSE ADDITIONAL SITES COMBINED, WE RAN THE NUMBERS, BASED ON OUR OCCUPANCY RATES, THEY'RE GOING TO BRING YOU IN JUST UNDER $500,000 MORE REVENUE ONCE THEY'RE OPENED UP AND GOING.
NOW, YOU ADD BOB HALL PIER ON TOP OF THAT, YOU SEE WHAT BOB HALL PIER IS AVERAGING AND I'M GOING TO GO CONSERVATIVE. I'LL SAY YOU'LL SEE BETWEEN 8 TO $900,000 ADDITIONAL REVENUE ONCE EVERYTHING'S OPERATIONAL EVEN THOUGH BOB HALL PIER IS GETTING YOU JUST OVER $500,000 ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. YOU SEE IN 2020, IT DROPPED
[01:30:02]
BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE HANNAH. WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING, LOOK AT PADRE IN 2020. $671,000, AND THE REASON WHY? WE DIDN'T CLOSE. WE WERE OPEN THE WHOLE TIME DURING COVID WHEN ALL OTHER RV PARKS WERE CLOSED AND WE WERE KILLING IT. TWO-WEEK MAXIMUM STAY, MIND YOU.SO, ANYHOW, IN THIS -- AND THIS DOES NOT REFLECT BEACH PARKING STICKER MONEY, AND IT DOES NOT REFLECT WHAT THE PIER IS ACTUALLY GOING TO PRODUCE WITH THE NEW RESTAURANTEUR UP THERE OR THE CONCESSION SPACE AT HORACE CALDWELL.
WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE CONCESSIONS SPACE BUILT AT BOB HALL SO UNTIL WE GET THE RFP OUT THERE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE IS GOING TO BE.
SO, THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL MORE REVENUE. I MEAN, IT COULD PROBABLY -- I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF IT'S ABOUT A MILLION.
SO I'M AT A $3.2 MILLION BUDGET.
JUST THINK IF I CAN GET AN ADDITIONAL MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE, AVERAGING $2 MILLION A YEAR ALREADY, I'M ONLY ASKING YOU FOR $200,000.
SO, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF GOOD FOR THE
COUNTY. >> WHAT WAS YOUR TOTAL BUDGET? SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN
>> 3.2, I THINK IT WAS, THIS PAST YEAR.
>> SO, WE CAN CUT IT IN HALF NOW, RIGHT?
>> DON'T GIVE COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ ON OPENING.
>> HEY, SCOTT, HOW COME HORACE CALDWELL DOESN'T HAVE REVENUE IN THE CATEGORY BELOW? IT STOPS AT 20.
>> WE LOST OUR CONCESSION AREA BACK THEN. NOW, I DO HAVE RUNE EVENUE COMING IN RIGHT NOW.
WE SET THAT UP, MYSELF AND THE BOARD, BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS AT THE TIME TO INVEST IN A POINT OF SALE AND PUT A PERSON UP THERE AND THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO LET ALL THAT PIER TRAFFIC GO ON THERE WITHOUT COLLECTING REVENUES FROM IT.
>> ARE YOU NOT COLLECTING REVENUE FROM JUST THE PIER PART OF IT?
>> I AM RIGHT NOW. I DON'T HAVE THAT REFLECTED IN THERE. I JUST HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO PUT THAT TOGETHER.
>> SO, THAT NUMBER IS SHORT, BASICALLY, TOO.
>> YEAH. THAT NUMBER'S THERE. I MEAN, SEAN, WHO IS OUR TEMPORARY RIGHT NOW, I WAS TALKING WITH HIM ON FRIDAY, AND HE'S GETTING HIS NUMBERS UPDATED FOR ME.
HE JUST TOLD ME THIS YEAR IS BETTER THAN LAST YEAR, SO IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, PIER GATE FEES, STUFF÷÷ LIKE
THAT. >> AND THE $535,981, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE CONCESSION AREA?
>> YEAH, THAT WAS OUR PERCENTAGE.
IT WAS, I THINK WE NEGOTIATED -- I WANT TO SAY IT WAS EITHER -- IT WAS A MINIMUM OF $2,000 A MONTH OR A CAP OF 12.
THEY WERE SMART WHEN THEY CAPPED HIM AND WE WEREN'T SMART WHEN THEY AGREED TO THAT, BECAUSE WHEN THEY WANTED TO RENEW, WE COULDN'T RENEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT TERMS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET INTO THAT SITUATION
AGAIN. >> THE 535 REPRESENTS THE COST GO ON TO THE PIER AND THE
REVENUE FROM THE RESTAURANT. >> BUT THE REVENUE ON THE PIER IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE
CONCESSION SPACE. >> WELL, SURE.
I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR TO THE COURT THAT THAT'S A COMBINED NUMBER, RIGHT? SO, THAT NUMBER SHOULD BE SIMILAR GOING FORWARD AND THEN WHAT I'M -- AND I HATE TO SEND YOU BACK, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE '21 THROUGH '25 REVENUE IS ON HORACE CALDWELL PIER.
IF YOU COULD ADD THAT BACK TOO SO THAT WE CAN -- BECAUSE WE WEREN'T GETTING NO REVENUE ON THAT PIER.
WE JUST WERE GETTING NO REVENUE FROM THE
CONCESSIONER. >> IN 2021, THERE WAS A TIME YOU WEREN'T GETTING ANYTHING BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE PLANS, THE SPECS, TO RENOVATE THE SPACE, GOING
THROUGH ALL THAT. >> WHEN THEY WERE GETTING ON THE PIER, THEY WERE STILL PAYING.
>> FOR A LITTLE WHILE, THEY WEREN'T.
PART OF 2021, THERE WAS NOBODY MANNING THE GATE THERE.
>> WE HAVE HAD SOMEBODY THERE.
>> WHATEVER THE NUMBERS ARE, JUST PUT THEM BACK IN, PLEASE. AND THIS IS GREAT INFORMATION. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >> AND YOU CAN DIVE INTO THE BUDGET DETAILS IN THE BACK OR THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT CONSTANCE WOULD LIKE TO DO BUT I DON'T MESS WITH THE DETAILS.
>> AND HOW MUCH DO WE GET YEARLY FROM THIS? FOR THE GENERAL BUDGET?
>> HOW MUCH DID WE GET FOR THE GENERAL BUDGET OR A YEARLY
BASIS? >> JUST A LITTLE OVER A MILLION.
>> THE BUDGET IS $3.2 MILLION, AND THEY BRING IN ONE-POINT SOMETHING, WHATEVER IT IS.
>> I GOT YOU $2 MILLION WORTH OF LAST YEAR, AND YOU SUPPORTED ME WITH 1.2.
THAT WAS LAST YEAR. >> SO, YOU'RE SAYING $2 MILLION CAME TO THE GENERAL FUND?
>> IT'S MONEY WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GIVE HIM TO OPERATE THE STUFF, SO YES.
YEAH. >> IT GOES TO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR SO I CAN OPERATE WITH IT.
>> EVERYTHING YOU COLLECT GOES INTO THE GENERAL
[01:35:02]
FUND. >> WELL, IT GOES IN COASTAL PARKS FUND. WHERE THEY KEEP IT UNTIL THEY ALLOT IT TO ME.
>> IF INLAND PARK'S BUDGET IS $3 MILLION, WE PAY ALL OF THAT.
IF COASTAL PARKS IS $3 MILLION, WE PAY 1 OF THAT.
REVENUE THAT -- >> YEAH, BUT THEY HAVE -- BECAUSE THEY HAVE A WAY TO GENERATE THE --
>> ABSOLUTELY. AND HE'S TRYING TO GENERATE
>> RIGHT. SO THAT THE REQUEST IS LESS FROM US. THEY'RE TRYING TO GET TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT TO WHERE THEY GENERATE REVENUE TO OFFSET THEIR EXPENSES.
>> I WANT YOU TO HAVE 5 TO 10% SKIN IN THE
POINT. >> THAT WAY, Y'ALL GOT A REASON TO LISTEN TO ME.
>> AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE HAD WE NOT HAD TWO
HURRICANES. >> YEAH, THAT'S -- IT'S THE HURRICANES. COVID DIDN'T HURT US AT ALL. IT HELPED US. BUT YOU SEE '18 AND '19 AND IVY MCGEE,÷÷ YOU DIDN'T GET ANY REVENUE. THAT HURT WHAT IT COST US TO REBUILD BUT COMPOUND THAT WITH THE REVENUE WE LOST.
WASN'T A GOOD YEAR. YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO SEE IB MCGEE TICK UP OVER PADRE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY DEED RESTRICTIONS THERE. I DON'T HAVE A TWO-WEEK MAXIMUM. WE FEEL LIKE THIS NEXT WINTER OR GOING INTO THIS WINTER COMING UP, WE'RE COMPLETELY SOLD OUT.
ALL THE WINTER TEXANS HAVE GOTTEN THEIR BOOKINGS AND THERE'S NO ROOM UNTIL WE MAKE MORE ROOM.
>> SHERIFF, DID YOU WANT TO DO ANY -- I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN SITTING THERE AND I DIDN'T ASK YOU BEFOREHAND.
I'M SO SORRY I LEFT YOU SITTING THERE WITHOUT ASKING BEFORE. THANK YOU.
I ASSUMED YOU MIGHT JUST BE OBSERVING.
AND NEXT, WE HAVE DANIS. I SAW HER COMING IN THE DOOR ON OUR PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS UP ON OUR SCREEN, SO WHENEVER YOU GET
GOOD MORNING. SOME OF THIS WILL LOOK SIMILAR.
I WAS HERE WITH YOU ON JULY 10TH, SO THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A FOLLOW-UP.
BUT I DID ADD IN SOME THINGS, AND WANTED TO ANSWER SOME OF THE OVERALL QUESTIONS THAT HAD COME UP IN JULY.
SO, I WANT TO STARTSTART BY EMPHASIZING WHAT IT IS WE DO.
WHAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS IS IMPROVING INDIGENT DEFENSE IN NUECES COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY EFFECTIVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE POOR.
EFFECTIVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION HELPS PREVENT EXCESSIVE SENTENCES, MINIMIZING FUTURE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM. WE ALSO ARE WORKING TOWARDS BETTER WAYS OF CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT ALREADY EXIST AND HAVE THEIR OWN FUNDING OUTSIDE THE COUNTY.
TO HELP OUR CLIENTS WITH STABILITY AND ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME AND PREVENTING FUTURE OFFENSES.
THIS OFFICE IS YOUR INVESTMENT IN IMPROVING THOSE SERVICES AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU STEPPED OUT THERE TO DO THIS, AND IT IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE TO ME AND MY WHOLE TEAM THAT WE GET TO BE PART OF IT.
WE DIDN'T INVENT THE MODEL. YOU DIDN'T INVENT THE MODEL, BUT YOU STEPPED OUT THERE IN 2022 AND TOOK THIS INNOVATIVE STEP, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE ONE OF MORE THAN 28 COUNTIES IN THE STATE THAT HAS ADOPTED THE PUBLIC DEFENDER MODEL. SO, MOVING FORWARD, THE ORIGIN OF INDIGENT DEFENSE, AGAIN, WE DIDN'T CREATE THIS. WE DIDN'T COME UP WITH THIS AS A NICE OPTION. THIS STARTED ALL THE WAY BACK
[01:40:03]
WITH THE CONSTITUTION, WITH THE SIXTH AMENDMENT, THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT HAS ALSO MANDATED IT, AND HERE LOCALLY, IN TEXAS, THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE. STARTING FIRST, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE SIXTH AMENDMENT, THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS YOU WHAT THE TEXT OF THAT IS, WHERE IT RECOGNIZES THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL. I DIDN'T EVEN ADD IN HERE, BUT THE FIFTH AMENDMENT, WITH THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE, IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO CRIMINAL CASES AS WELL. ANYONE ARRESTED IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNLESS THEY ARE ULTIMATELY PROVEN TO BE GUILTY.SO, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT. WHEN THERE'S -- I GUESS IT'S PROBABLY 85% OF THE PEOPLE IN THE JAIL ARE STILL PRESUMED INNOCENT RIGHT NOW. THEY ARE PRETRIAL. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CONVICTED.
SO, YOUR FIFTH AND SIXTH AMENDMENTS GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE ORIGIN OF THE COUNTRY WITH RECOGNIZING THESE REAL, IMPORTANT RIGHTS. NEXT, THE SUPERIOR COURT IN 1963, WITH GIDEON VERSUS WAINWRIGHT, THIS WAS A LANDMARK CAUSE BASE MR. GIDEON WAS A 51-YEAR- OLD POOR MAN WITH AN EIGHTH GRADE EDUCATION. HE WAS ACCUSED OF BREAKING AND ENTERING, I BELIEVE, INTO A POOL HALL, AND EITHER STEALING SOMETHING OR DAMAGING SOMETHING. SO, HE WAS ARRESTED, AND HE ASKED THE JUDGE TO APPOINT HIM A LAWYER, AND HIS JUDGE SAID, NO. SO, HE HAD TO GO TO TRIAL ON HIS OWN. HE WAS CONVICTED. BUT HE DID NOT GIVE UP. SO, MR. GIDEON TURNS INTO A VERY UNLIKELY HERO BECAUSE HE FOUGHT HIS CASE ALL THE WAY TO THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, AND THE SUPERIOR COURT CAME DOWN VERY CLEARLY ON THE SIDE OF THE FACT THAT POOR PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO HAVE COUNSEL. AND MY FAVORITE PART OF IT IS TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THAT SCREEN, THAT THE GOVERNMENT HIRES LAWYERS TO PROSECUTE AND DEFENDANTS WHO HAVE THE MONEY HIRE LAWYERS TO DEFEND ARE THE STRONGEST INDICATIONS OF THE WIDESPREAD BELIEF THAT LAWYERS IN CRIMINAL COURTS ARE NECESSITIES, NOT LUXURIES. THE RIGHT OF ONE CHARGED WITH CRIME TO COUNSEL MAY NOT BE DEEMED FUNDAMENTAL AND ESSENTIAL TO FAIR TRIALS IN SOME COUNTRIES, BUT IT IS IN OURS. SO, THEN, MOVING ON TO THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE. THIS IS THE LAW OF THE LAND IN TEXAS. AND I LAID IT OUT FOR YOU IN YOUR PRINTOUT OF THE POWERPOINT, BASICALLY, HOW THEY ADDRESS IT HERE IN OUR STATE. SO, FIRST, THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ANY INDIGENT DEFENDANT IS ENTITLED TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY APPOINTED TO REPRESENT THEM IN ANY ADVERSARY PROCEEDING IF IT WOULD RESULT IN PUNISHMENT BY CONFINEMENT.
THE NEXT SECTION, WHICH IS THE NEXT SLIDE, I BELIEVE.
WE'VE MOVED INTO ARTICLE 26, IT SAYS THAT IT'S THE JUDGES OF THE COUNTY COURTS AND DISTRICT COURTS THAT TRY CRIMINAL CASES TO ADOPT THE PROCEDURES FOR APPOINTING COUNSEL, AND THEN THE NEXT SECTION TALKS ABOUT HOW COUNSEL WHO IS APPOINTED, EXCEPT FOR A PUBLIC DEFENDER, IS ENTITLED TO BE PAID A REASONABLE FEE FOR PERFORMING THE SERVICES TO INDIGENT DEFENDANTS.
AND THEN, THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT HOW THE JUDGES HAVE TO SET A SCHEDULE TO PAY THOSE ATTORNEYS THOSE FEES, AND THOSE FEES WOULD BE PAID OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
SO, THAT'S WHERE YOU COME IN. SO, PRIOR TO THE PAYMENT, IT'S THE JUDGES THAT SET THE SCHEDULE.
IT'S THE JUDGES THAT COME UP WITH THE APPOINTMENT PROCEDURES WHEREBY ATTACHING A LAWYER TO A CASE PROVIDES THAT REPRESENTATION.
SO, THE NEXT SLIDE IS ESSENTIALLY JUST SHOWING YOU WHAT CASE COUNT TRENDS HAVE LOOKED LIKE. I HAD THE DATA FOR EVERY YEAR, BUT I JUST PICKED EVERY THREE YEARS TO NOT HAVE TOO MANY SLIDES.
SO, YOU'LL SEE THERE, THE BLUE BAR SHOWS YOU THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES THAT ARE CLOSED PER YEAR, AND THE ORANGE ARE THE NUMBER÷÷NUMBER THAT TOTAL THAT RECEIVED AN APPOINTED LAWYER, AND THEN THE SMALLER GREEN BAR ARE THE NUMBERNUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HIRED THEIR OWN LAWYER.
SO, THE TWO NUMBERS ADD UP TO THE BLUE BAR. SO, IN 2013, IF YOU START THERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES ACTUALLY WENT DOWN IN 2016 AND WENT SIGNIFICANTLY UP IN 2019. WENT SIGNIFICANTLY DOWN IN 2022.
WE WERE DEALING WITH THE COVID BACKLOG, OF COURSE, AT THE TIME, SO THAT EXPLAINS SOME OF THE REDUCTION.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT THE RETAINED CASES, THE ONES WHERE
[01:45:02]
PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR A LAWYER, WENT SIGNIFICANTLY DOWN IN 2022. THAT ALSO TRACKS WITH THE ECONOMIC ISSUES WE FACED AFTER COVID. THE POINT IN SHOWING YOU THIS IS TO SHOW YOU THAT THE NUMBER OF CASES IS NOT STATIC. IT CHANGES.AND IT HAS CHANGED EVERY SINGLE YEAR. IT IS NOT GOING TO REMAIN THE SAME. YOU AND I DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THAT.
IT IS WHAT IT IS. SO, FROM 2022 MOVING FORWARD, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS IN 2025 ARE GOING TO BE UNTIL THE YEAR CLOSES OUT.
>> BUT IT INDICATES IT'S NORTH OF 50% EVERY YEAR.
>> NORTH OF 50% OF WHAT? THE APPOINTED VERSUS THE RETAINED?
>> IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT? YES. WELL, NO. THAT, PLUS THE TOTAL NUMBER.
>> IT'S GONE UP AND DOWN ON HERE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BLUE BAR.
>> YEAH, BUT IF YOU TAKE YOUR ORANGE BAR, RELATE IT TO YOUR BLUE BAR, IT'S ALWAYS EITHER AT OR NORTH OF 50%.
YOUR INDIGENT POPULATION IS GOING TO BE THE BIGGER SECTION OF THE TOTAL NUMBER.
>> THE INDIGENT DEFENSE MODEL. SO, RECALL THAT THE LAW REQUIRES EVERY POOR PERSON TO RECEIVE A LAWYER IF THEY ASK FOR ONE. BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT MODELS, AND THE TRADITIONAL MODEL THAT NUECES COUNTY USED BEFORE OUR OFFICE WAS STARTED IS YOUR PRIVATE ATTORNEY. WE USED DIFFERENT WORDS FOR IT.
YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY -- YOU'VE HEARD OTHER PEOPLE SAY THE WHEEL, THE PANEL, ALL THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
THIS IS THE TRADITIONAL MODEL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE USED BEFORE US.
THIS INVOLVED ATTORNEYS THAT ARE EACH SELF- EMPLOYED, THEY'RE BASICALLY AN ISLAND UNTO THEMSELVES.
THERE IS NO COUNTY OVERSIGHT OR ACCOUNTABILITY OF EACH ONE OF THOSE LAWYERS. THEY ARE THEIR OWN BOSS.
THE STRUCTURE OF THEIR PAYMENT INCENTIVIZES A HIGH VOLUME OF CASES WITH AS LITTLE TIME AS POSSIBLE ON EACH ONE.
AND I'LL GET INTO THAT MORE SHORTLY.
IT ALSO CREATES A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH THE JUDGES APPROVING THE FEES.
THIS IS WHAT I MEAN. WHEN I WAS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, AND ON THE COURT APPOINTMENT LIST OR THE WHEEL OR THE PANEL, I WOULD RECEIVE AN APPOINTMENT SAYING, HEY, YOU REPRESENT JOE SMITH. I WOULD DO THE WORK ON THAT CASE, AND AT THE END OF THE CASE, THAT'S WHEN I'M ASKING TO BE PAID.
AND I WILL SHOW YOU THE FEE APPLICATION THAT WE HAVE TO USE IN PRIVATE PRACTICE.
YOU SUBMIT THAT FEE APPLICATION TO YOUR JUDGE IN THAT CASE.
YOUR JUDGES ARE MOTIVATED BY DIFFERENT THINGS THAN A CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY.
THEY HAVE TO MOVE THEIR DOCKET. THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP THINGS MOVING. CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY, WE'RE MOTIVATED BY MAKING SURE WE DO THE BEST WORK WE CAN ON EACH CASE.
YOU ARE THINKING, I HAVE TO ASK THIS PERSON TO PAY ME. SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THERE CAN BE AN INHERENT CONFLICT WHEN YOU ARE WORKING ON A CASE TRYING TO FULFILL YOUR ETHICAL OBLIGATIONS AND ASKING THE PERSON WHO WANTS YOU TO HURRY UP TO PAY YOU FOR THAT WORK. BECAUSE OF THAT AND THE STRUCTURE INCENTIVIZING THE HIGH VOLUME OF CASES , THAT IS WHERE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER MODEL CAME FROM BECAUSE IN A PUBLIC DEFENDER MODEL OVER TO THE RIGHT WE ARE NOT ASKING THE JUDGES TO PAY US. WE ARE PAID THE SAME REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG IT CASE TAKES. THAT IS THE WHOLE SALARY BENEFIT. WE ARE ALSO COUNTY EMPLOYEES SEND HAVE A MANAGEMENT HIERARCHY WITH ACCOUNTABILITY AND AN INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT GROUP . SO RATHER THAN BEING SELF-EMPLOYED LIKE I WAS BEFORE AND MANAGING MY OWN CASELOAD , TAKING MYSELF TO TRAINING, DECIDING HOW MANY CASES I WAS GOING TO TAKE , NOW I ACTUALLY SUPERVISE OTHER LAWYERS AND I ANSWER NOT ONLY TO YOU BUT ALSO TO THE OVERSIGHT BOARD AND TO T IDC. THERE IS A LOT OF ACCOUNTABILITY BUILT INTO THIS MODEL. WE ALSO HAVE A STRUCTURE THAT INCLUDES SUPPORT STAFF . INVESTIGATORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS THAT HELP US DO IN-DEPTH CASEWORK AND HELP US ON BASICALLY AN ECONOMY OF SCALE STRATEGY TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH OUR CASEWORK. WE ALSO HAVE TRAINING AS PART OF OUR CULTURE
[01:50:04]
BASICALLY. WE HAVE A TRAINING BUDGET FROM TIDC AND WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT BUDGET TO TRY TO BECOME MORE PROFICIENT IN THE MENTAL HEALTH LAWS. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO MODELS. AND WHEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE , THERE IS A CITATION UP THERE FROM THE TIDC PLANNING STUDY THAT YOU ALL RECEIVED THREE YEARS AGO THAT REMIND US ALL THAT RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCE HAVE SHOWN THAT PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICES CAN IMPROVE INDIGENT DEFENSE QUALITY, YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLIANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND YOUR BUDGET PREDICTABILITY. THEY CAN ALSO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE COSTS FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, INCLUDING JAIL AND COURT OPERATIONS. SO THAT FIRST SEGMENT I THINK IS REALLY THE SECRET SAUCE HERE. THE JAIL TIME AND THE COST . BEING PRESENT IN THE BUILDING ALLOWS US TO INITIATE THE FIRST CONTACT WITH OUR CLIENTS IN A VERY TIMELY MANNER. WE ARE REQUIRED UNDER LAW TO DO SO BY THE END OF BUSINESS THE DAY AFTER WE ARE APPOINTED . WE DON'T HAVE ISSUES DOING THAT BECAUSE WE ARE RIGHT HERE AND WE HAVE SUPPORT STAFF. SO EVEN IF ALL OF OUR LAWYERS ARE TIED UP IN COURT, WE CAN ASK THE INVESTIGATOR, THE SOCIAL WORKERS, OR OFFICEMANAGER TO DO A QUICK VISIT. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. I WISH YOU COULD DO ALL THE CASES. I WISH WE HAD A PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. YOU ARE LIMITED IN YOUR SCOPE OF THE CASES YOU CAN TAKE,
CORRECT? >> WE ARE. AND THE PRIMARY LIMITATION IS THAT THERE'S ONLY NINE OF US THAT OUR LAWYERS.
THAT'S NOT ALL CASES. >> THE FORMAT OF THE GRANT WAS BASICALLY HALF OF OUR CASELOAD IS SUPPOSED TO BE MENTAL HEALTH.
THE OTHER HALF ARE NOT MENTAL HEALTH. IN REALITY , WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHEN THEY COME IN WHETHER THERE IS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. SO SOMETIMES SOME OF THEM COUNT AND GIVE THE WRONG COLUMN.
>> BUT I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE HERE ALSO AUTOMATICALLY GO TO JAIL YOU ARE MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE TAKING CARE OF CASES. YOU ARE NOT FOCUSED ON PRIVATE PRACTICE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> THAT BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT.
WHAT PRECLUDES OTHER THAN -- THAT IF WE SAID, OKAY , 20 CALLS FROM APPOINTED LAWYERS, IF WE SAID, OKAY, THIS OFFICE IS GOING TO DO ALL APPOINTED CASES AND ALL THE ATTORNEYS FEES THAT WE ALLOCATE TO THE JUDICIARY SHIFTED TO THIS OFFICE, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE, ET CETERA. WHAT PRECLUDES THAT FROM HAPPENING ?
>> JUST ONE THING. WE MAY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN A PARTICULAR CASE. SO IF THERE IS A CRIME WHERE TWO PEOPLE ARE ACCUSED , SAY, OF ROBBING A BANK , WE CAN'T REPRESENT BOTH BECAUSE THEIR DEFENSES MIGHT BE ANTAGONISTIC TO ONE ANOTHER. WE CALL THAT A CONFLICT PANEL. YEAH. I MEAN, IT CAN BE A
>> I WOULD SAY PROBABLY BANK ON 5 TO 10 . BUT THERE ARE COUNTIES -- IN FAR WEST TEXAS THEY HAVE FIVE COUNTIES THAT COVER BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T ANY LOCAL ATTORNEYS. SO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE HANDLES EVERYTHING. AND THEN IF THEY HAVE A CONFLICT, THE JUDGES HAVE TO REACH OUT TO NEIGHBORING COUNTIES. THEY ARE, LIKE , THE SIZE OF MARYLAND.
>> YOU COULD SAY TO -- OKAY, LET'S SAY IT IS 10 AND WE ALLOCATE -- I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT IT IS A LOT -- FOR POINTS ATTORNEYS FEES.
EVERYWHERE. CPS CASES. THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT ONE. BUT LET'S SAY THE OTHER 13 COURTS OR HOWEVER MANY WE HAVE AND YOU SAY WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ALL THE 10% OF ATTORNEYS FEES. BECAUSE AT SOME POINT TO KEEP THIS WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP IT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL THAT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THIS NICE GRANT. AND THEN IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
>> IT CANNOT ONLY HAPPEN BUT TIDC ALLOWS YOU TO ASK FOR MORE GRANT MONEY TO GROW AN EXISTING OFFICE. YOU CAN ASK FOR THEM TO HELP WITH INCREASING YOUR OFFICE SIZE.
>> SO THEN, TO ME, -- AND I'M ONE PERSON . BUT TO ME , YOU KNOW MY CONCERN. I HAVE BEEN VERY HONEST ABOUT IT. WHAT IS THE BUDGET FOR YOUR OFFICE RIGHT NOW?
>> 1.779779 . >> WHICH IS GOING TO GROW. AT
[01:55:05]
THE END OF THE DAY, YOU ARE ALL GOING TO GET IF THE JUDGES PLAN GOES THROUGH. IT'S GOING TO BE A $2 MILLION A YEAR OFFICE BEFORE THIS GRANT IS OVER THAT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR. SO AT SOME POINT, I WOULD THINK THE BIG PICTURE PLAN SHOULD BE, A, WE NEED TO REALLY GO HEAVY WITH THE GRANT REQUEST . AND , B, YOU NEED TO START HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR JUDGES UPSTAIRS BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT TO BUY INTO THIS TOO. I DON'T MIND GETTING CALLS FROM APPOINTED ATTORNEYS, BUT I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THE COST FROM THE JUDGES. BUT START LOOKING AT THAT KIND OF LONG-TERM THING TO SAY, OKAY, JUDGES, THIS MAY REQUIRE YOU SIGNING OFF ON A LOT OF YOUR ATTORNEYS FEES BEING SHIFTED OVER TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE EXCEPT FOR THAT 10% THAT IS CONFLICT. AND PROBABLY -- AND I KNOW THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HANDLES THAT SORT OF THING. SO THAT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT. THE JUDGE BRINGS A GREAT POINT UP . SHE PROMPTED ME TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX ON THIS. WHILE WE HAVE SOME TIME AND DON'T HAVE TO SUCK ALL OF THIS UP AT ONE TIME BECAUSE ITHINK ANOTHER 300,000. >> 270.
>> ALMOST 300,000. >> THAT DOESN'T FACTOR IN THE
COLA. >> ANOTHER 300,000 WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE TO EAT THIS YEAR. >> WITH THE MATH THAT YOU HAVE.
>> EVENTUALLY IT WILL INCREASE. BUT YOU CAN ABSORB IT THIS YEAR.
>> IT DOES INCREASE THE OVERALL .
>> FOR THIS YEAR. >> YEAH. TIMES WILL CHANGE.
>> BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL OF IT. SO I'M JUST SAYING WE'VE GOT TO USE THE TIME WE HAVE ON THIS GRANT TO REALLY BE CREATIVE BECAUSE IT IS REALLY HARD FOR THIS COUNTY TO ABSORB A $2 MILLION THING , AND I GET THAT THE REASON THE GRANT IS DONE THE WAY IT IS DONE IS BECAUSE YOU CAN TIME A LITTLE AT A TIME. BUT LET'S BUY SOME MORE TIME. LET'S GO TO TIDC AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO THERE AND TALK TO THE JUDGES AND SAY -- BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONE WHO PITCHED THIS. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO CAME TO US AND SAID, WE BELIEVE IN WHAT IS RIGHT. THEN IF YOU DO, THEN DO WE BELIEVE IN IT ENOUGH TO START SHIFTING YOUR ATTORNEYS FEES OVER TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE TO
TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THIS. >> I THINK IT IS A GREAT POINT.
AND YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. THE TIMING. THEY BUILT IN THE STEP DOWN GRANT TO GIVE THE COUNTY A CHANCE TO TRANSITION INTO IT.
AND WE ADJUST TO THE NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS. AND OUR EFFORTS ARE TO STREAMLINE THINGS OVERALL AS WELL. WITH THAT NEW COMPETENCY DOCKET WE ARE ACTUALLY STARTING TOMORROW. WE HOPE TO LIMIT SOME OF THIS DAYS PEOPLE ARE HAVING IN THE JAIL.
THAT'S RIGHT. SO THAT IS THE POINT OF THE TIME.
>> YOU SAID SOMETHING. HOLD ON. WE ARE ELIMINATING THE TIME IN THE JAILS, BUT HERE RECENTLY, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE.
SHERIFF RUNS A GREAT JAIL, BUT HE CANNOT CONTROL WHEN THEY GET DISMISSED. AND THOSE NUMBERS HAVE GONE UP. HE IS KIND ENOUGH TO GET HIS OFFICE TO SEND US EVERY DAY THE JAIL NUMBERS. I ACTUALLY LOOK AT THOSE EVERY DAY. THEY WERE IN THE LOW 80S.
AND NOW THEY ARE IN THE HIGH 90S. THAT'S NOT THE TEMPERATURE. THAT IS THE JAIL THING. SOMETHING IS NOT WORKING.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT IS YOU, BUT SOMETHING IS NOT WORKING WELL WITH THOSE CASES MOVING BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT'S SPIKED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. IT HAS GONE FROM LOW 80S TO HIGH 90S. THAT IS SOMETHING. SOMETHING IS NOT WORKING. AND I
DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. >> YOU ALSO LOOK AT -- WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE I STARTED TRACKING OUR USE OF OUTSIDE
ATTORNEYS. >> OKAY. I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT
THAT. >> WHAT ABOUT THE SENATE BILL THAT IS GOING TO HELP CREATE A BIGGER MESS THAT IS GOING TO
KEEP PEOPLE IN JAIL . >> THAT WILL COMPLICATE THINGS FOR SURE. TO THE JAIL NUMBERS, I THINK WE COULD ALL PROBABLY BRAINSTORM WHY THAT IS HAPPENING. ONE OF THE REASONS IS BECAUSE IT IS SUMMER AND IT IS HOT. IT MAKES PEOPLE GRUMPY.
THEY DO THINGS. WE OBVIOUSLY DON'T REPRESENT EVERYONE IN THE JAIL. OUR SINGULAR FOCUS EVERY DAY IS TO MAKE SURE IT ONE OF OUR CLIENTS IS NOT THERE THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE THERE. OF OUR COMPLETE TOTAL PENDING CASELOAD, LESS THAN 10% OF OUR CLIENTS ARE OVER THERE RIGHT NOW . SO MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE
[02:00:02]
JAIL I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. IF WE INCREASED OUR CAPACITY, THEN, YES, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE. BUT I CANNOT ADDRESS THE ONES THAT WE DON'T REPRESENT. AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL, COMMISSIONER PUSLEY, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE QUAINT -- COURT-APPOINTED LIST, I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE TWO DIFFERENT MODELS. WHEN I WAS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE -- AND THIS IS THE WAY IT IS STILL DONE -- IF YOU WANT TO DO COURT-APPOINTED WORK, YOU GO TO OFFICE AND SAY, I WANT TO DO CRIMINAL INDIGENT DEFENSE. AND YOU ARE APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF JUDGES DEPENDING UPON YOUR QUALIFICATIONS. AND THE LAWYER HAS THE OPTION OF WHICH LIST TO BE ON. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS IF A PERSON IS CHARGED WITH A FIRST-DEGREE FELONY, THAT IS AS HIGH AS THEY GET . YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE FIRST-DEGREE. EVEN IF YOU ARE QUALIFIED. SO I ASKED EMILY I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK. AND I THINK SHE SAID THERE'S ABOUT 25 LAWYERS ON THE FIRST-DEGREE LIST COULD THAT'S NOT VERY MANY. THAT MEANS THAT PERSON IS GETTING A NEW CASE EVERY 25 ARRESTS FOR FIRST-DEGREE CRIMES.AND THEN THERE IS A SECOND LIST FOR SECOND AGREES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE MISDEMEANORS. THE MISDEMEANOR LIST IS THE BIGGEST. THERE ARE 40 SOMETHING ON THAT LIST. THERE IS SOME OVERLAP AND SOME PEOPLE ARE ON EVERY LIST. BUT THOSE LAWYERS HAVE THE OPTION OF GOING ON OR OFF THE LIST. IT'S NOT A DECISION THAT THE JUDGES MAKE. THEY CAN'T MAKE PEOPLE BE ON
THE LIST. >> I REALIZE THAT. BUT I'M NOT LOOKING AT THAT AT ALL.
WHAT I'M LOOKING AT. THE MAGIC ANSWER FOR ME IS -- I'M SORRY.
>> GO FOR IT, MAN. >> THE MAGIC ANSWER FOR ME IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE THING WE DO IN THIS COUNTY IS JAIL POPULATION. IS THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE GOING TO HELP US DO THAT? OKAY. IF THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, WE WILL JUST SWITCH ALL THE MONEY WE PUT OUT FOR THIS AND SEND ALL OF THE DEFENSE LAWYERS TO HIS OFFICE. BUT WE WILL JUST SAY WE ARE GOING TO DO PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE IN THIS COUNTY AND THAT'S IT. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THOSE THAT HELP US
REDUCE OUR JAIL POPULATION? >> WELCOME I CAN TELL YOU FROM OUR CASELOAD , YES. LIKE I JUST SAID, THE ONES THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING -- WE MINIMIZE THEIR JAIL TIME. BUT WE CANNOT REPRESENT EVERYONE BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY NINE LAWYERS.
REPRESENTING SOMEONE TAKES A LOT OF WORK AND INVOLVES DIRECT REPRESENTATION OF THE HUMAN BEING. WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP . SO WE CANNOT HANDLE ALL 1100 PEOPLE IN A JAIL WITH THE NINE OF US. OF OUR CASELOAD, WE HAVE ABOUT 800 PENDING AND WE HAVE ABOUT 75 IN THE JAIL. THE REST OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE STILL OUR CLIENTS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT IN JAIL. THEY ARE WORKING THOSE CASES IN ADDITION TO THE JAIL CASES. IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, WE TALKED ABOUT THESE CASE STUDIES LAST TIME, SO I WON'T GO THROUGH THE FAX
SUPER DETAILED. >> IF WE COULD SKIP THROUGH
THOSE, I LOVE THOSE. >> YEAH. THIS IS THE SHOW.
>> I'M GOING TO FOCUS AND TO SLIDE 19 AND 20 . VALUE TO DATE AND GRANT TERMS. THOSE ARE IMPORTANT TO ME. YOU GET HOW YOU OPERATE AND YOU JUST DON'T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES SOMETIMES . AND WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER REALLY HIT ME IN THE HEAD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING WITH THIS WOOD ANALOGY.
BUT ANYWAY. THE FACT THAT WE ARE SPENDING PUBLIC MONEY TO PROSECUTE BUT WE ARE NOT PUTTING PUBLIC MONEY OR HOW MUCH TO HELP ENSURE SOMEONE HAS A FAIR TRIAL AND FAIR REPRESENTATION -- THAT IS BIG FOR ME. SO IN THE END I THINK YOU HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THIS PROCESS. I'M GOING TO HEAVILY STRESS ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORTERS IN ME . WITHIN THIS NEXT YEAR, I WANT YOU TO REALLY WORK HARD WITH OUR GRANTS TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TRY TO RECOUP ADDITIONAL GRANTS TO HELP US SUBSIDIZE SOME OF THIS AND TO REALLY WORK WITH THOSE JUDGES AS COMMISSIONER CHESNEY MENTIONED AND THAT WE HAVE BUY IN AND THAT WE DO REALLY SHOW THE DATA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON SLIDE 19. AND INTO SLIDE 20. BECAUSE THAT IS HOW YOU JUSTIFY IT. ASSUMING
[02:05:02]
THIS IS ALL CORRECT , THEN THE TOTAL FEES PAID FOR PRIVATE ATTORNEY VERSUS AN IN-HOUSE ATTORNEY CAN BE CHEAPER FOR THE TAXPAYER OVERALL. THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE CHARGED ARE INSURED JUSTICE. HOWEVER THE COURT DECIDES. BUT THAT THEY ARE INSURED JUSTICE. THAT IS BIG TO ME. SO I WANTED TO FOCUS ON THOSE SLIDES . ALSO SLIDE 20 BECAUSE OF THE GRANT ISSUE. SO THAT IS JUST WHERE I'M COMING FROM. I BELIEVE IN THIS PROGRAM.I GET IT. TIMES ARE REALLY GETTING TOUGH. BUT IT'S GOING TO BE -- IT TOOK YOU ALMOST A FULL YEAR TO GET BEFORE US BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT LAST YEAR PROCESS WAS ALREADY MOVING ALONG. YOU TRY TO JUMP ON A TRAIN YOU COULDN'T GET ON. HERE WE ARE THIS YEAR. A MORE THOROUGH EXPLANATION .
JUSTIFICATION. THAT IS WHAT WE NEED. AND SO THAT WILL HELP US WHEN WE EXPLAINED TO THE COMMUNITY . MAKING CHANGES THAT WE ARE IF WE DO TAKE ANY CHANGES. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT FUNDING IN PLACE. GOING TO HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT BUY IN FROM ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
WE CANNOT PUT IT ON YOU. I DO LIKE SOCIAL WORKERS BEING INCLUDED BECAUSE IT IS BIG -- IT DOES TAKE PEOPLE WITH THOSE LEVELS BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO BE BACK AGAIN. THEY ARE GOING TO BE BACK IN THE SHERIFF'S OVERSIGHT WITHIN A FEW DAYS, WEEKS, OR MONTHS. HITTING THAT PROBLEM AND TRYING TO RESOLVE THOSE. THAT'S SOME OF HOW YOU ARE WORKING TO DEVELOP THAT. SO I'M ALL ABOUT MAKING THIS HAPPEN. I'M ALL ABOUT PRESERVING, PROTECTING THIS BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I NEVER THOUGHT GOING BEFORE SOME GREAT JUDGES AND NOT SO GREAT CPS JUDGES.
>> GRANT WAS NEVER THE JUDGE WHEN I WAS THERE.
>> I WASN'T LISTENING AS USUAL TO YOU, JOHN.
>> NEVERTHELESS, YOU DON'T SEE IT THAT WAY. YOU ARE PUTTING MONEY TO ENSURE THE COMMUNITY IS SAFE BY CHARGING PEOPLE. YOU
NEVER GIVE A FAIR CHANCE. >> DESPITE THE CONSTITUTIONAL
REQUIREMENT. >> DON'T HAVE THE MEANS. DON'T HAVE SOMETIMES THE MENTAL CAPACITY OR THE SOCIAL NETWORK TO SUPPORT THAT. THAT IS KEY. I HOPE THAT YOU GET TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT, ONE, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET THAT YOU NEED FOR THIS YEAR . BUT THAT IMMEDIATELY START WORKING FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND GETTING SOME OPPORTUNITIES AND JUSTIFYING THESE NUMBERS BECAUSE IF WE HAVE TO COME NEXT YEAR AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY GRANT MONEY -- SAVINGS. AND EVERYONE IS BOUGHT IN. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IT'S GOING TO SUCCEED. HELP ME
HELP YOU FOR NEXT YEAR. >> THANK YOU. THAT'S GREAT. IF WE COULD GO BACK TO 15, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID -- I TOLD YOU THE STORIES ABOUT LENNY AND CHARLIE, WHO ARE THE FOLKS THAT KIND OF GOT FORGOTTEN IN THE JAIL. AND I DID NOT ATTACK --
>> GIVING THIS PRESENTATION. I REMEMBER THAT. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE JUST OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS A GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND GETTING BACK TO WHAT WE'RE DOING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS WELL. SO WE ALL HAVE THE SLIDES IN FRONT OF US. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING THEY NEED MORE QUESTIONS ON OR CONCERN? I KNOW YOU POINTED OUT -- COMMISSIONER MAREZ. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE DETAIL
ON? >> 15 JUST GIVES YOU -- I DID NOT TELL YOU THIS . I WOULD LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT THAT. IT SHOWS YOU BECAUSE OF ALL THE TIME, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT CHARLIE SPENT IN THE JAIL. AND I JUST USED THE $56 A DAY RATE, WHICH IS ON THE LOW END OVER THERE. THAT COST YOU $76,000 SITTING IN THE JAIL.
HIS LAWYER WAS PAID 2400 . SO THE TOTAL COST OF THAT TIME WAS $78,700 EVEN THOUGH THE ATTORNEY FEE -- SO THE POINT IS IT IS NOT JUST THE ATTORNEYS FEES . AS YOU HAVE ALL POINTED OUT, THE JAIL IS A CRITICAL POINT IN ALL OF THIS. ONCE WE GOT INVOLVED , THERE'S NO ATTORNEYS FEES BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE GRANT. BUT WE ALSO LIMITED HIS JAIL TIME SO THAT THAT WAS ONLY $4000. AND HE IS THE ONE WHO IS NOW LIVING IN A NURSING FACILITY WHERE HE BELONGS BECAUSE HE HAS A DEGENERATIVE BRAIN DISORDER. AND
THEN -- >> HOLD ON. YOU'RE GOING TO
[02:10:05]
KEEP TALKING ME OUT OF THIS. SO YOU CANNOT PUT IN THERE THAT THERE IS NO ATTORNEYS FEES. THAT'S NOT A FAIR ANALYSIS.THERE ARE ATTORNEYS FEES BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING THOSE FEES. YOU ARE DOING THESE CASE STUDIES AND ANALYSIS. YOU CAN'T SAY THERE'S NO ATTORNEYS FEES BECAUSE THERE ARE. WE PAY YOUR
SALARIES. >> WELL, THIS WAS LAST YEAR.
>> RIGHT. BUT I'M JUST SAYING YOU CANNOT SAY -- THERE'S STILL ATTORNEYS FEES BECAUSE YOU ARE REPRESENTING HIM. THERE STILL FEES ASSOCIATED WITH EVERYTHING. THERE IS NOTHING FREE IN THIS BECAUSE THE GRANT IS PAYING FOR IT. AS YOU ARE GOING TO PUT THIS CASE STUDY IN, THEN YOU HAVE TO BE FAIR AND TO SAY THERE IS ZERO ATTORNEYS FEES IS NOT A FAIR REPRESENTATION. YOU SHOULD HAVE SKIPPED THIS SLIDE FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS GOING THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THE JUDGE DID TRY. YOU HAVE TO PUT IN WHAT THE COSTS ARE. WHETHER IT IS THE 438 PER CASE OR WHATEVER YOUR
AVERAGE IS . >> YEAH. AND I THINK THAT WOULD SHOW YOU WHAT A GREAT VALUE YOU HAVE RECEIVED THESE PAST THREE YEARS BECAUSE WE HAVE CLOSED, I THINK , OVER 3000 CASES. AND THE COUNTY HAS NOT PAID FOR THAT AT ALL. TIDC HAS PAID, BUT YOU HAVE RECEIVED 3000 CLOSED CASES YOU WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE PAID
ANOTHER ATTORNEY TO DO. >> AGAIN, EVENTUALLY WE HAVE TO
PAY FOR IT. >> EVENTUALLY IT WILL BE ON US, SO IT WILL BE THE COUNTY PAYING. WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY IS CORRECT, BUT I DO BELIEVE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SAID. A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTROL COSTS INSTEAD OF HAVING
EXPONENTIALLY MORE COSTS. >> MORE PREDICTABLE. AS YOU KNOW, THE CASE NUMBERS ARE NOT PREDICTABLE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT IF FOR EXAMPLE WE HANDLED ALL OF THEM AND THEY GO UP 500 CASES NEXT YEAR, YOU WOULD STILL HAVE THE SAME OFFICE WITH THE SAME BUDGET HANDLING THOSE CASES.
>> THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS OUR JAIL IS GOING TO BE RUNNING -- AND I WANT TO REITERATE THIS AGAIN. I THINK IT IS A GREAT PROGRAM . I SUPPORT WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO. FOR ME, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE OUT OF THAT JAIL? THE MOST EFFICIENTLY AND FASTEST WAY POSSIBLE. WITHOUT ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> AND HOW DO WE DO IT BY NOT INCREASING OUR COSTS ? BECAUSE IF THE ATTORNEYS FEES AS COMMISSIONER PUSLEY HAS REPRESENTED HAS TICKED BACK UP AND WE ARE STILL PAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR OFFICE . SO THE WHOLE PITCH BY THE JUDGE S WAS, THIS IS GOING TO SAVE THE COUNTY MONEY OVER TIME AND MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT. AND IF ALL IT DOES IS DRIVE OUR COSTS UP AND THE JAILS ARE FULL, THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT IS NOT WHERE WE SHOULD BE BECAUSE WE ARE JUST SPENDING MORE. BECAUSE WE DO SPEND MONEY TO DEFEND. MAYBE BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING FOR ALL OF THESE INDIGENT, WHETHER IT IS THROUGH YOUR OFFICE AND A GRANT, WHICH IS TAXPAYER MONEY, OR IT IS THROUGH THE JUDGES AND WE ARE PAYING FOR IT THROUGH COUNTY MONEY. IF AT THE END OF THE PERIOD OF ANALYSIS -- WHEREVER WE DECIDE TO PUT THE HARD-LINE IN, IF AT THE END OF ANALYSIS WE ARE CLEARING THE SAME AMOUNT OF CASES BUT PAYING MORE FOR THEM AND THE JAILS ARE FULL, I DON'T
KNOW WHERE THAT GETS US. >> WELL, LIKE I SAID --
>> I HAVE THROWN IN SOME IDEAS FOR YOU TO WORK ON. YOU DON'T HAVE TO. BUT I'M JUST SAYING , WE CAN LOOK AT SOME THINGS TO SHIFT IT BECAUSE AS COMMISSIONER PUSLEY SAYS, IT IS A GREAT PROGRAM. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UP HERE DISAGREES WITH THAT.
JUST GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT THE MOST EFFICIENT COST WISE AND AS WELL FOR THE PEOPLE WE ARE REPRESENTING. AND THAT IS A HARD BALANCE WE HAVE TO DO EVERY DAY UP HERE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. IT COMES DOWN TO MAKING SURE WE HAVE BEEN EFFICIENTLY MANAGED DEPARTMENT. STARTING FROM SCRATCH. ALL THE BURDEN IS PUT ON YOU. BUT I SUGGEST LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICE. IF WE ARE 28TH COMING IN -- AND THAT SEEMS TO ALWAYS BE OUR NUMBER. IT IS INDICATIVE OF NUECES COUNTY . WHEN I TALK ABOUT BUDGET STRUGGLES, WE ARE ALWAYS AT NUMBER 28 WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE FACT WE ARE 28TH IN THE STATE TO COME IN WITH PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE IS A LITTLE CONCERNING. IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT WE TEND TO DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT SLOWER. I'M THANKFUL THE LAST 2 TO 3 YEARS THAT THIS PRIOR COURT TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
IT'S GOING TO BE ON YOU TO HELP PROVIDE AND MANAGE THE DEPARTMENT WITH ALL THE WORK THAT IS NEEDED. REACH OUT TO YOUR COLLEAGUES. SEE HOW THEY DO IT. NUMBERS 27 UP TO NUMBER ONE.
[02:15:01]
SEE HOW THAT BUDGET LOOKS AND HOW THAT COMPARES TO US. HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS THE BEST PROCESS ? BECAUSE I HATE FOR IT TO BE TURNED AWAY BECAUSE THE NUMBERS CANNOT JUSTIFY. BECAUSE THE NEED IS STILL GOING TO BE THERE. WHETHER YOU ARE THERE OR NOT.THE NEED IS GOING TO BE THERE. COST OF JUSTICE GOES UP. THAT IS ONE OF OUR MAIN CHARGES HERE IN THE COUNTY. AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT OTHER COUNTIES. PARTNERSHIPS. GREAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT HELPS YOU . AMAZING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION AS WELL. SO WHILE I'M DOWN TO HELP YOU GET THAT -- BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO FIND TO NEXT YEAR. WE ARE TALKING NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. ALREADY LOOKING THAT FAR AHEAD AND BEYOND. SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL DO THAT AND COME BACK AND GIVE US A STATUS UPDATE. MAYBE WITHIN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE NEW FISCAL YEAR SO WE CAN SEE WHERE YOU ARE AT. BY THEN YOU ALREADY HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF PROGRESS READY TO GO. ANOTHER THREE MONTHS YOU'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING TOGETHER A VERY BASIC DRAFT BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR'S CYCLE. SO MAYBE JANUARY. THAT YOU CAN OR SHOULD COME.
>> SHE DOES A REPORT ALREADY THAT SHE HAS TO PRESENT AND SHE USUALLY BRINGS THAT REPORT TO US. INSTEAD OF JUST ATTACHING
WHEN I DO THE PRESENTATION. >> I DO A QUARTERLY REPORT TO THE OVERSIGHT BOARD AND ACTUALLY A MONTHLY REPORT TO TIDC. SO I TRY TO COME HERE QUARTERLY. WE WILL SEE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU
GUYS. >> OVERSIGHT FROM US AS WELL. IF WE ARE GOING TO BUY IN, WE HAVE TO HEAR YOUR EARLY ENOUGH. WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE BUSY. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE GOING IN THE DIRECTION THAT I WANT BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY
WAY I CAN HELP SUPPORT YOU. >> SURE.
>> WANTS TO MAKE A COMMENT TOO.
>> DAN HAS MADE THIS PRESENTATION TO TERESA AND MYSELF EARLIER. ONE THING I TOOK AWAY FROM IT IS THAT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE PROVIDES ADDITIONAL VALUE TO THE DEFENDANTS. THEY DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEFENDANTS AND TRY TO HELP THEM SO THEY DON'T DO THE DEFENSES AGAIN. TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE THE ATTORNEYS CHECK THE BOX AND THEY ARE DONE AND MOVE ON. THE BALL MAY END UP IN THE SYSTEM AGAIN. THAT IS ONE THING THAT I TOOK. THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP THE PEOPLE BETTER THEMSELVES SO THEY DON'T END UP IN JAIL AGAIN.
>> THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE THE SOCIAL WORKERS. THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. THE ATTORNEYS DON'T HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS, SO THEY JUST GET RID OF THEM. REVOLVING DOOR. GOING TO COME BACK . EIGHT OUT OF 10. WHATEVER. I THINK BY DOING SOCIAL WORK AT THE END OF
IT HELPS A LOT . >> ABSOLUTELY. THE HOLISTIC
APPROACH. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> ARE YOU CURRENTLY FULLY STAFFED?
>> LAST LAWYER WILL START NEXT MONDAY. SO THEN I WILL BE. YES.
>> OKAY. >> AND I JUST WA KNOW AS WELL SHE HAS A PUBLIC DEFENDER AND AS A GRANT SHE COMES TO ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT HAD MEETINGS AND REALLY SHARES THIS INFORMATION . THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THAT INFORMATION WHEN WE GET TO NOTICE THE JAIL THEY TURN AROUND AND TELL HER . TELL EVERYBODY WE NEED TO WORK ON IT. SO SHE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH EVERYBODY AND SEEING HOW WHAT I HAVE SAID FROM DAY ONE COMING IN THAT SHE DOESN'T REALLY ANSWER TO US OTHER THAN THE DEPARTMENT IN THE CORE -- COUNTY COURTHOUSE. EVERYBODY EFFECTS AND OF THE DEPARTMENT. EVERYBODY AFFECTS SOMEBODY ELSE.
COMMUNICATING AND WORKING TOGETHER TO THE END RESULT.
THINGS HAPPEN SO MUCH BETTER. SO I WANT TO APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.
YOU HAVE DONE THAT FROM DAY ONE. SO WE REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR
SUPPORT AND PATIENCE. >> THAT IS THE BENEFIT OF THIS MODEL BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE ME TO TALK TO. AND I'M ENGAGED WITH WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE COUNTY WHEREAS THE PRIVATE LAWYERS DON'T HAVE A BUY IN FOR THAT PART. THEY ARE COMMITTED TO THEIR CLIENTS BUT NOT NECESSARILY HOW THAT WORKS WITH THE REST OF THE SYSTEM OR THE JAIL POPULATION. THEY ARE NOT
CONCERNED WITH THAT IMPACT. >> THANKS AGAIN. YES.
>> DARRELL, YOU ARE UP NEXT. ARE YOU WANTING TO PRESENT. DID YOU GET CLARIFICATION OR ARE YOU WANTING TO STILL WAIT? I SEE YOU IN HERE, SO I'M ASSUMING YOU ARE WANTING TO TALK.
>> WE CAN GO EITHER WAY. IF IT CAN GO EITHER WAY, I WOULD SIT
DOWN IF I WERE YOU. >> I'VE GOT SOME HANDOUTS HERE.
[02:20:02]
>> TALK TO STAFF AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
>> I SPOKE WITH FRANCISCO THIS MORNING. HE TOOK ALL THE NOTES HE NEEDED TO TAKE. IF I COULD, I WILL GO AHEAD AND HAND THIS OUT.
AT THE VERY LEAST GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU. >> THIS THE SAME THING YOU GAVE
>> THIS IS THE SAME THING. YOU GAVE TWO COPIES. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME THING. I HAD THIS IN MY OFFICE TOO.
>> NO. ACTUALLY THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS. WE ONLY DISCUSSED THE RECLASSIFICATION . THE OTHER ONE IS ACTUALLY A REQUEST FOR AN ADDITIONAL POSITION THAT WOULD NOT BE UNTIL THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE. JUST FOR CONSIDERATION.
>> I HAD MENTIONED THIS MORNING -- BRIEFLY VISITED . I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT IF HE AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THESE AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK TO THE COURT .
>> I THINK IF YOU LEAVE WHAT YOU HAVE THERE, IT MIGHT BE BETTER.
AND THEN TALK TO COMMISSIONER PUSLEY SO YOU'RE NOT WANTING
HIM TO PRESENT THIS YET. >> I WOULD PREFER NOT TO DO THAT. UNTIL WE HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT.
>> OKAY. WE WILL HAVE THE INFORMATION. ANYONE CAN REACH OUT TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL. AND I THINK I'M GOING TO BE IN ON THAT MEETING WITH YOU AFTERWARDS TOO. OKAY.
>> AND MARY ESTHER IS THE PRIMARY ATTORNEY AND COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I DID SPEAK WHEN SHE WAS TIED UP HERE.
>> PROBABLY EVEN BETTER WE ARE GOING TO WAIT FOR YOU TO HAVE A CHANCE TO GET WITH MARY ESTHER TOO.
>> IF ANYBODY BRIEF SIT AND LOOKS AT IT, I DID SPEAK WITH
THAT ONE POSITION. >> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT. I JUST SAW YOU BACK THERE SO I THOUGHT YOU WERE READY. I'M SORRY. WE JUST -- WE HAVE -- IT IS A LOT -- DOES ANYONE NEED A BREAK ? OR DO WE NEED TO JUST MOVE ON? BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION. AND THEN WE WILL CLOSE UP . SO WE HAVE ENTERPRISE RENTAL PROGRAM . WE ASKED FOR PRESENTATION ON
THAT . >> YES. OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM ENTERPRISE FLEET IS HERE TO SPEAK TO THE COURT TODAY. THE COURT HAD REQUESTED AN UPDATE ON THE FLEET PROGRAM . AND SHE IS GOING TO MAKE HERSELF AVAILABLE. SHE HAS A FEW SLIDES TO RUN
THROUGH. >> CAN YOU HOLD ON FOR TWO MINUTES ? I KNOW THE COMMISSIONER IS THE ONE WHO REQUESTED IT. HE SAID HE WILL BE RIGHT BACK. I'M SORRY TO KEEP TALKING OVER YOU. YEAH. . SO TH ACTUAL NUMBERS WILL COME IN SLIGHTLY LOWER. SOME OF THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE ASKING FOR VANS OR EXPLORERS, WHICH ARE LESS THAN THE TRUCK RATES. AND THEN FOR SHERIFF , THEIR INFORMATION IS ALL THERE. IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN WE GOT FOR THE LAST YEAR. WE HAD NOT ADDRESSED ANY OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS FOR GOING ON THREE YEARS. SO JUST FELT IT WAS TIME TO SHARE THE WEALTH A LITTLE BIT.
>> QUICK QUESTION. MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN EARLIER . A LOT OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE COME IN AND SAID THEY HAVE WAITED ALL YEAR AND HAVEN'T GOTTEN THESE VEHICLES. SO IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, ARE WE ABLE TO GET VEHICLES? QUICKLY? THE TIME TO RECEIVE THEM ? ARE WE ORDERING A VEHICLE THAT WE ARE SETTING A BUDGET ALL YEAR LONG AND WE NEVER GET TILL THE END OF THE
YEAR ? >> THE MODEL YEAR 2025 IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED BY SUPPLY CHAIN , PANDEMIC. ALL OF THOSE THINGS. THESE THINGS TOOK A BIT LONGER
[02:25:03]
BUT RIGHT NOW IT IS ABOUT 20 TO 24 WEEKS.>> SO YOU ANTICIPATE THEM COMING IN.
>> MUCH MORE REGULARLY. THAT IS ALSO A CONSIDERATION IN THE FUTURE OF ONCE BUDGET IS ADOPTED AND WE KNOW FOR SURE THIS IS SET, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT -- ONCE WE KNOW BUDGET IS SET EVEN IF IT HASN'T BEEN ADOPTED, WE CAN STILL ORDER BEFORE HAND.
>> SIX MONTHS. >> YES, SIR. LET'S SAY YOU HAVE IN AUGUST PREMATURE BUDGET OUTLINE AND YOU WANT TO PROCEED WITH ORDERING VEHICLES. WE WOULD STILL ENSURE THEY DELIVER AFTER THE NEW FISCAL. BUT WE BASICALLY JUST PLAN FOR IT TAKES ABOUT FIVE MONTHS FOR THEM TO COME IN. IT IS ONE OF THE REASONS I START THAT FLEET PLANNING PORTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CALENDAR YEAR BECAUSE DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU WANT THEM TO LAND, WHETHER IT IS FISCAL OR NEXT FISCAL, IT GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, A LITTLE MORE MONEY THIS YEAR. LET'S ADD IT IN. OR MAYBE WE NEED TO ENSURE. AGAIN, IF I GIVE Y'ALL THE DATA, YOU ARE ABLE TO PLUG AND PLAY THE WAY THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO . MY JOB IS TO GIVE YOU ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN CREATE.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IS WHAT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ALL ALONG. AND I'M GLAD WE ARE FINALLY HERE TO BE ABLE TO HELP US BECAUSE IT IS PROVING TO BE EFFICIENT PROGRAM AND PROCESS OF HAVING VEHICLES. FINALLY ALL COMING TOGETHER. THANK YOU.
>> MICHAEL, HAVE YOU TALKED TO CONSTABLE FIVE ABOUT THAT VEHICLE I BROUGHT UP ? HAVE THEY COME TO YOU ABOUT THAT?
>> YES. ABOUT THE REPAIR? YES. LIKE I SAID, WHAT HAPPENS IS THERE IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT GETS BROUGHT UP. IT IS KIND OF LIKE IF YOU EVER DEAL WITH WORK AT THE DEALERSHIP . THE PEOPLE HAVE TO CALL THE WARRANTY OFFICE TO MAKE SURE TO DO THAT REPAIR. AT THE SAME TIME ENTERPRISE GETS ALERTED, THEY WILL ALERT ME AND THEN I WILL TALK TO STACY AND SEE, CAN WE DO ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS WHEN YOU COME BACK AND PRESENT THOSE OPTIONS AND MAKE THE DECISION. LAST TIME WAS PUBLIC WORKS AND THE DECISION WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS.
>> COMMISSIONER CHESNEY. >> GOING BACK TO WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT ON THE DIFFERENT TRUCKS . WHAT JUSTIFIES WHAT PEOPLE ORDER? DO THEY JUST PICK WHAT THEY WANT? OR DO WE HAVE SOME STANDARD? F-150, F-250, F-350, SILVERADO.
>> THOSE ARE JUST SOME GENERIC NUMBERS TO USE FOR BUDGETING PURPOSES, COMMISSIONER, BUT EACH DEPARTMENT -- WE DO A FLEET SURVEY WITH EACH OF THEM AND WE IDENTIFY WITH THEIR OLDEST OR MOST HIGHLY MILEAGE VEHICLES NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR IF THEY'VE GOT A UNIT THAT IS GOING TO CAUSE A PROBLEM.
>> HOW DO WE PICK WHAT THEY GET? IN OTHER WORDS, EVERY CONSTABLE SHOULD GET THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE.
>> CERTAINLY. ALL THE CONSTABLES IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE GET THE SAME TYPES OF UNITS. EITHER A TRUCK OR A FORD INTERCEPTOR.
>> OKAY. SHE WAS SAYING THERE'S DIFFERENT PRICES . I CANNOT FIND
THAT SLIDE. >> ALSO UPDATING CURRENT INFORMATION. YOU DO THE BUDGET PLANNING BEFORE I EVEN PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION TO YOU ALL. THE PURCHASING SERVICE THAT THEY DO.
WE'RE GOING TO TWEAK THAT A LITTLE BIT. PROCESS IS GREAT.
HOW WE ASK THE INFORMATION. I HAD AN ENTITY THAT ORDERED A TRUCK. THE PERSON ORDERING IT --
>> HOLD ON. ALL I'M ASKING IS -- I DON'T NEED TO KNOW -- LIKE, ARE WE PICKING WHAT EVERYBODY GETS SO THAT WE ARE GETTING THE MOST EFFICIENT SERVICE FOR THEIR NEEDS ?
>> YES. >> OKAY. THAT'S ALL I NEED TO
KNOW. >> YEAH. WE ARE GETTING MODEL TS WHEN POSSIBLE. ANY COLOR YOU WANT AS LONG AS YOU WANT.
>> AND THESE LEASE PAYMENTS. IF WE ARE LEASING YOUR SIX MONTHS IN, DO THOSE PAYMENTS NOT START UNTIL THAT OCTOBER OR WHEN THE
VEHICLE GETS HERE? >> WHEN THE VEHICLE IS
DELIVERED. >> SO WE SHOULD HAVE SAVINGS ALL
LAST YEAR WITH EVERYTHING. >> CORRECT. I BELIEVE THE HISTORY WAS THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE BASED ON WHEN THEY THOUGHT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHOW UP THEY WOULD START A BUDGET AT SOME POINT . SOMETIMES IT WOULD BE ON OCTOBER 1ST. IT WOULD BE A 12 MONTH BUDGET. SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE A JANUARY 1ST BUDGET.
BUT ALL THE CASES -- WE ALWAYS HAVE EXTRA MONTHS THAT DID NOT
GET USED. >> JUST MAKING SURE WE ARE NOT PAYING FOR SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK WE ARE ALL GOOD. MOVING ON. I THINK COMMISSIONER PUSLEY. YOU WANTED TO BRING ONE THING UP .
[02:30:10]
>> I WANTED TO TALK JUST A MINUTE ABOUT OUR FAIRGROUNDS .
THERE'S BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION SINCE I HAVE RETURNED ABOUT THE USE OF THE FAIRGROUNDS AND HOW IT GETS TO THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE ON THE FAIRGROUNDS IT HAS ALMOST BECOME TOO EXPENSIVE FOR LIVESTOCK SHOW AND FOR AGE GROUPS TO UTILIZE. IN FACT, LAST YEAR AND ALMOST THIS YEAR , THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE THEIR YEARLY FUNDRAISER INSTEAD OF HAVING IT IN OUR SHOW BARN. SO WE TALKED IT OVER AND MET WITH THEM AND GOT THEM TO REDUCE THE RATE TO WHERE THEY CAN AFFORD TO HAVE IT BACK OVER THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M PULLING OUT THE CONTRACT AND STARTED READING THROUGH THE CONTRACT . ESSENTIALLY WE PAY 145,000 A YEAR OR 12,000 A MUCH FOR THE MANAGEMENT FEE TO THE OPERATING COMPANY . THEY ARE ABLE TO EARN AN ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE FEE AND BONUS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR . AND THEN THE REST OF ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE EXPENSES ARE PAID EITHER BY THE MONEY THAT IS GENERATED OR THAT WE HAVE TO PUT IN AT THE END OF THE YEAR. AS FAR AS I KNOW , WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING MONEY INTO THE BUDGET AT THE END OF THE YEAR FOR FAIRGROUNDS SINCE WE TOOK -- I THINK. SO I JUST -- I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO CONTINUE -- THIS CONTRACT RENEWS IN SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR. JUST LIKE ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL CONTRACT. WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO CONTINUE THIS OR WHETHER WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT MANAGING THE FAIRGROUNDS ARE SELF.
>> AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONTRACT IN FRONT OF US. SO I THINK IF YOU COULD SHARE YOUR REDLINES AND NOTES ON THAT, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT START FOR THE DISCUSSION.
>> IT IS JUST THAT I JUST THINK IF WE GOT IN THIS SITUATION -- AND I HAD A LONG TALK WITH -- WHAT DOES HE CALL THE MANAGER OF THE FORAGE GROUP ? LAST FRIDAY EVENING . HE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF USING IT. THIS WEEKEND THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE LEADERSHIP TRAINING DEAL TO UTILIZE THE QUESTION CENTER AND OBG IS GOING TO CHARGE $1200 TO USE OUTSIDE.
AND SO HE SAID , I CAN GO TO SAM PACK COUNTY OVER THERE FOR FREE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. I MEAN, THAT FACILITY WAS BUILT FOR THE LAST PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY. AND WE HAVE NOW ALMOST PRICED IT TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO USE IT. SO I JUST THINK AT SOME POINT WE MIGHT WANT TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS WHAT WE WANT TO DO WHEN WE GO FORWARD AND WHETHER WE WANT TO CONTINUE. AND THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MR. -- I THINK SHE DOES A FINE JOB. SHE IS VERY ACCOMMODATING. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. I JUST THINK -- SO WE HAVE A FINE LINE TO WALK HERE. WE CHARGE THEM WITH KEEPING THIS FACILITY -- THIS CONTRACT CHARGES THEM WITH KEEPING THAT FACILITY AS MUCH IN THE BLACK AS POSSIBLE. SO WE CAN'T ON THE OTHER HAND TURN AROUND AND SAY, HEY, YOU NEED TO START THIS AND EVERYTHING. WE ARE TRYING TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING A PROFIT.
SO THERE IS A FINE LINE WE WALK HERE. AND I GUESS WE JUST NEED TO DECIDE WHICH SIDE OF THE LINE WE WANT TO BE ON. SO, ANYWAY. I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT UP. I WILL BE HAPPY TO -- LIKE I SAID, I HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS CONTRACT. I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL CONFIRMATION FROM TERESA AND CONSTANCE BEFORE I SHARE THIS SO I CAN ALSO PROVIDE THAT. WHAT OUR PAYOUTS
[02:35:05]
WERE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO THIS FACILITY. AND WHAT INCENTIVE FEES WE HAVE PAID BACK TO VG AND THAT SORT OF THING SO WE HAVE A BETTER LOOK AT WHAT THE EXACT COSTS WERE FOR OPERATING THE FACILITY. BUT THERE IS A CLAUSE IN HERE THAT SAYS THE MANAGER MAY SCHEDULE EVENTS THAT MAY NOT GENERATE SUBSTANTIAL DIRECT REVENUE TO THE FACILITY BUT GENERATE EITHER A SIGNIFICANT AT THE COMIC COST OR OTHER BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY OR OTHERWISE SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST OF THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY MAY SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY OF FACILITIES DIRECT THE MANAGER TO SCHEDULE THOSE EVENTS. SO AS LONG AS THEY DON'T INTERFERE SCHEDULED PREVIOUSLY. SO WE DO HAVE THAT BUILT IN. BUT AGAIN, IT GETS DOWN TO TRYING TO HOLD THIS COMPANY ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING IT AS PROFITABLE AS POSSIBLE. IT MAY BE TO THE POINT NOW WHERE IT IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE FOR WHAT WE ORIGINALLY DESIGNED THAT FACILITY TO BE UTILIZED FOR.ANYWAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER
MAREZ. >> I THINK WE ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY. THEY HAVE STAYED THE SAME THANKFULLY EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE ACTUAL COMPANY OWNERSHIP. OVG BOUGHT OUT THE PRIOR COMPANY. SO THAT IS HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT. THE LOCAL MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO TRANSFER OVER THE YEARS. OF COURSE WE HAD BEFORE THAT JASON GREENE, WHO DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB AND SAW A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT COMPANY NAME CHANGES.
HE WAS THERE. THANKFULLY SHE TRANSITIONED ONCE JASON WENT BACK HOME TO NEW YORK AFTER 10, 15 YEARS AT LEAST. SO I'M GLAD YOU ARE SAYING THAT . BUT I AGREE. IT IS SOMETHING WORTH LOOKING AT THAT WE CAN START THAT CONVERSATION KIND OF LIKE WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT OUR PUBLIC DEFENDER ISSUE . ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THIS IN MY EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE LEARNED IN WORKING WITH PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. THAT IS BASICALLY WHAT THIS IS. WE ARE A PUBLIC ENTITY WITH A PRIVATE MANAGING FIRM THAT HAS TO SOMEHOW MAKE A PROFIT AND YET MANAGE A PUBLIC RESOURCE BASED ON TAX FUNDING . THAT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE. SO THERE'S CERTAIN SITUATIONS THAT THAT WORKS.
MANAGEMENT OF ENTERTAINMENT. WE HAVE SEEN THAT AT THE CITY LEVEL. WASN'T SURE IF THAT WOULD COME OVER HERE OR NOT AS FAR AS SCRUTINY. I THINK WE ALWAYS NEED TO HAVE SCRUTINY.
THE FACT WE POTENTIALLY COULD LOSE OUT ON THESE COMPANIES -- SORRY, ON THESE EVENTS COMING TO OUR OWN FACILITY IS CONCERNING BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE NUECES COUNTY 4H HOSTED IN SAN PATRICIO COUNTY. THAT WOULD BE REALLY BAD, RIGHT?
>> YES. EXACTLY. >> BUT I'M GLAD THAT THE LEADERSHIP THERE REACHED OUT TO YOU BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I KNOW WE HAVE ALL PROBABLY CONTACTED AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER WITH VARIOUS ENTITIES AND ONCE AGAIN IT IS THAT FINE LINE OF BALANCING . THIS WAS CREATED TO BRING QUALITY OF LIFE.
IMPORTANT, KEY GROUPS TO US. TRYING TO GET SOME GUARANTEES FOR ANNUAL EVENTS THAT WE HOLD AT OUR FAIRGROUNDS AND COMMIT THEM TO LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS AND CONTRACTS SO THAT WE CAN BE DECLARED THE HOME OF THIS OR THAT. AND SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO DO SOME WORK ON THAT. SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS WILL BE POSITIVE. OFFER MYSELF TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT DISCUSSION.
CONSTANCE, NOT TO PUT YOU IN -- ON THE SPOT. INTERIM AUDITOR.
GOING TO TAKE OFFICIAL ACTION ON WEDNESDAY. BUT IT IS SUCH A DIFFICULTY FOR CITIES AND/OR COUNTIES THAT ARE MAINTAINING FACILITIES LIKE THIS. SEEING SAN ANTONIO HAVING A BILLION-DOLLAR ARGUMENT OVER WHAT TO DO IN DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO . THEIR PROPOSED ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. SOME CHANGES THERE. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE IN TRYING TO BALANCE THAT? CITY COUNCIL OR SMG . THOSE ARE TRICKY THINGS TO MANAGE. ARE THEY BLACK AND WHITE ? ARE THEY PRETTY MUCH CUT AND DRY AS FAR AS WHAT NUMBER ?
>> NO. THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE BECAUSE YOU WANT THEM TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING , BUT TYPICALLY THEY ARE NOT SELF-SUSTAINING. I KNOW FOR THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI THE CONVENTION CENTER ALWAYS HAD A SUBSIDY FROM THE CITY. AND THE
[02:40:02]
ARENA STARTED OUT TO BE -- THE THOUGHT WAS FOR HER TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING. BUT I'M NOT SURE IF IT IS ACTUALLYACCOMPLISHED THAT OR NOT. >> AND THAT IS JUST ONE THING. I FIGURED THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE ANSWER. I THINK WHAT COMMISSIONER IS BRINGING UP IS TOTALLY LEGITIMATE. LET'S SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE THRIVING. ARE THEY DIFFERENT THAN US? ONLY HAPPENING IN LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS. IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO ALWAYS CONSTANTLY STRUGGLE AND HAVE TO HELP SUBSIDIZE A LITTLE BIT ? THAT IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE AS WE GO FORWARD .
BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THIS IS WORTHWHILE EXPLORING AND WE SHOULD DO THIS EVERY 5 TO 10 YEARS AT LEAST JUST SO WE CAN REMIND THE COMMUNITY THIS IS WHY WE ARE PAYING FOR IT. WE DON'T WANT TO PRICE OUT 4H OR THE LIVESTOCK SHOW COME JANUARY.
>> MAYBE WE CARVE OUT SOMETHING. >> THEY APPROACHED ME LAST YEAR ABOUT BUYING A TABLE AT THE YEARLY FUNDRAISER. I SAID, OKAY.
I'M IN. WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE? THEY SAID, SAN PAT COUNTY. I SAID, WAIT A MINUTE. I SAID, OKAY. I'M GOING TO DO IT THIS YEAR. BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS CURRENT YEAR, I SAID, I'M NOT DOING THIS AGAIN. Y'ALL NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT. ANYWAY, THEY FINALLY MADE A DEAL OVER HERE . IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IN SAN PAT COUNTY. AND I APOLOGIZE? COMMISSIONER. I SHOULD HAVE COME AND TALK TO YOU BEFORE. IT IS IN YOUR PRECINCT. I'M VERY RESPECTFUL OF THAT. AND I JUST WANT US TO LOOK AT THIS. AND YOU ARE CORRECT. CONSTANCE IS CORRECT. NONE OF THESE EVER MAKE A PROFIT. I DON'T CARE WHO OWNS THEM. CITY, COUNTY. WHATEVER.
BUT THEY DO PROVIDE A VALUABLE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. THESE KIDS WOULD NOT HAVE A PLACE TO GO IF IT WEREN'T FOR THEM . ALL OF YOU GO TO THIS EVERY YEAR AND SEE WHAT A MAGNIFICENT PROGRAM IT IS FOR THE YOUTH IN THIS COMMUNITY. IT IS SOMETHING I HAVE NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER SUPPORTING. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING IT TO THE POINT WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR THEIR BUCK.
>> I THINK AT THE VERY LEAST WE CAN TALK ABOUT CARVING OUT SOMETHING PREFERENTIAL FOR THEM. THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE BUILDING. SO, YES. TO OUR CONTRACT IF NOTHING ELSE.
>> JUDGE, JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT. I HAD SOMEONE IN MY PRECINCT CALL ME. SAME SITUATION. THEY HAD A DEAL WITH SAN PAT COUNTY AND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO OVER THERE. WE GOT ON THE PHONE. VERY AMENABLE TO WORKING WITH US. THEY ENDED UP HAVING THE EVENT. IT BASICALLY MATCHED THE SAN PATRICIO PRICE FOR IT. BUT IT WAS A NUECES COUNTY GROUP AS WELL. AND I THINK I ECHO WHAT CONSTANCE WAS SAYING. I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL WHEN WE BUILD THE AMERICAN BANK CENTER. AND WE DID NOT DESIGN IT THINKING IT WAS GOING TO MAKE MONEY. WE DESIGNED IT BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY SAID, WE NEED AN EVENT CENTER THAT WE CAN BRING BETTER CONCERTS AND BETTER EVENTS. AND IT HAS DONE THAT. BUT IT HAS NEVER MADE MONEY. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO HEMORRHAGE MONEY LIKE IT HAS DONE. SOME OF THAT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OVER THERE. THAT WE EXPERIENCED AT OUR PLACE TOO. IF THAT IS THE CASE. BUT I THINK THAT IS RIGHT. YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER GONZALES -- GONZALEZ WHISPERED SOMETHING TO ME. I'M GOING TO SAY IT OUT LOUD. WE CAN ALWAYS SELL NAMING RIGHTS TO DIFFERENT THINGS. AND I'M NOT KIDDING YOU. BELIEVE ME. I TEXTED -- I KNOW YOU WERE ONLY JOKING. I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM JUDGE ORCHARD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ON FACILITIES THAT SOMETIMES DON'T MAKE US MONEY. NAMING RIGHTS ARE AVAILABLE OUT THERE . AND I GET IT. IT IS A CONTROVERSIAL THING.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT THE TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS IS MUCH AS WE CAN. WE KNOW THAT PLACE IS NEVER GOING TO MAKE US MONEY. IT NEVER, EVER, EVER IS GOING TO EVEN BE A BREAKEVEN OUT THERE. AND WE JUST HAVE TO GET THAT OUT OF OUR HEAD THAT IT IS EVER GOING TO BE BECAUSE WE ARE PROVIDING A COMMUNITY SERVICE WHETHER WE SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T OF 20 YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS BUILT IS BEYOND -- WE CAN'T HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ANYMORE BECAUSE IT IS BUILT . AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE GOT. WE ARE ALREADY HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE BALLPARK GOING A DIFFERENT DIRECTION BECAUSE THAT IS JUST KIND OF A FACILITY THAT HAS NO FUTURE. WELL, THE FAIRGROUNDS DOES HAVE A FUTURE AND IT NEEDS
[02:45:06]
TO HAVE A FUTURE AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION. SO I THINK IT IS A GREAT POINT TO BRING UP. AND WE HAVE TO DISCUSS IT BECAUSE YOU ARE RIGHT THAT CONTRACT SAYS THEY HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN. AND IT SHOULD. IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO RUN IT, WE WANT TO GET AS MUCH AS THEY CAN FOR IT BUT WE DON'T WANT TO RUN PEOPLE OUT OF NUECES COUNTY . ALTHOUGH, THEY DON'T -- NEAR THE FACILITY WE HAVE EITHER. BUT THAT MAY NOT BE WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY. I GET IT. SO, GREAT CONCEPTS. THEY WERE VERY GOOD FOR THE ONE TIME I HAD A CALL AND THEY WORKED WITH US.THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE SCHEDULED AND THEY MATCHED WHAT SAN PATRICIO COUNTY WAS DOING AND IT WORKED OUT.
>> THEY HAVE DONE THAT EVERY TIME. GREAT POINT. BUT MOVING ON TO OUR LAST PRESENTATION , CONSTANCE , I BELIEVE IT IS YOUR
TURN. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY AND BEGIN DISCUSSION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET FOR NUECES COUNTY. AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW.
>> EXPERIENCE THESE DAYS. OLD-TIMER.
>> I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE STAFF FOR HELPING PUT ALL THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER TODAY . I ESPECIALLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE RIGHT HERE, FIRST ASSISTANT, FOR ALL OF HER HELP IN GETTING THE NOTEBOOK TOGETHER ALONG WITH DAILY , WHO IS OUR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE SUPERVISOR. AND OF COURSE I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT THINK TERESA FROM THE COUNTY OFFICE FOR ALL HER EXPERTISE IN HELPING US TODAY. THANK YOU.
>> FROM THE COMMISSIONER COURT. >> YES. SO THE NOTEBOOK YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU HAS 20 TABS . TABS A THROUGH T. ANDY WILL BE HAPPY TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT PLANNING ON GOING THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE TABS. BUT I WOULD ASK IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH THE MALL -- I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT MYSELF OR TERESA OR DEONNA. I WILL BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND GO OVER THE INFORMATION. I WOULD LIKE TO RESTART WITH TAB A, WHICH IS THE BUDGET CALENDAR. I WANT TO POINT OUT A FEW KEY DATES THAT ARE COMING UP. SO AFTER TODAY'S WORKSHOP , WE WILL BE HAVING A MEETING ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO START DISCUSSING THE PROPERTY TAX RATE . AND AT THAT MEETING, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO VOTE ON A TAX CEILING. SO JUST AS A LITTLE PREVIEW, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE VOTE OF APPROVAL FOR THE GENERAL FUND . ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS THE TAX RATE AND TO GO OVER THE PROPOSED '26 BUDGET. FOLLOWED BY A PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 10TH TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED BUDGET. AND THEN AT THAT SAME MEETING WE WILL BE ASKED TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE. THIS YEAR WE WILL BE CHANGING THE ORDER ON THE VOTE TO COINCIDE WITH BEST PRACTICES FOR OUR STATE. WE WILL BE ASKED TO FIRST NOTE ON THE BUDGET AND THEN WE WILL BE ASKED TO VOTE ON THE PROPERTY TAX RATE. SO NOW IF I CAN TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO TAB C. THIS IS A GENERAL FUND OVERVIEW. AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE AGAIN THAT I HAVE BEEN AT THE COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE FOR ONE WEEK NOW. THE NUMBERS BEFORE YOU TODAY ARE THE BEST INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AS OF TODAY. THEY ARE UNAUDITED. AND I KNOW WE HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH OUR SOFTWARE SYSTEM , BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO CLOSE THE BOOKS ON FRIDAY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024. AND WE ARE EXPECTED TO BALANCES TO THE EXTERNAL AUDITORS EITHER TODAY OR TOMORROW. AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING THE 24 EXTERNAL AUDIT SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 30TH . SO ON THIS PAGE WE ARE STARTING WITH THE LAST AUDITED BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND. AND THIS WAS AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH , 2023. THIS IS FROM OUR ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT. IT IS $27,782,284.
>> WHICH PLAN. I'M SORRY. WHICH PLANET ARE YOU ON?
>> I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES. 29 MILLION. TAB C AS IN CHARLIE.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. >> TAB C. OKAY.
>> AND THEN FOR FISCAL '24, WE ARE SHELVING $113.9 MILLION FOR REVENUE AND $119.4 MILLION FOR EXPENDITURES WITH AN ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE OF $20.2 MILLION. AND PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THESE ARE UNAUDITED BALANCES AS OF TODAY. AND THESE ARE THE BEST FIGURES THAT WE HAVE THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU. WE ALSO HAVE BEEN CONCENTRATING ON THE GENERAL FUND THIS LAST WEEK THAT
[02:50:04]
I HAVE BEEN THERE. BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE OTHER FUNDS AS WELL. AND THAT MAY HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUND. SO THAT IS TO BE DETERMINED. BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU.>> WE APPRECIATE IT. >> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THE ENDING FUND BALANCE DOES INCLUDE CLEANUP ITEMS THROUGH OLD RECEIVABLE BALANCES TOTALING $4 MILLION. WHEN YOU TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT, THE ENDING FUND BALANCE IS IN LINE WITH ESTIMATED FISCAL YEAR '24 FUND BALANCE WE HAD IN OUR ADOPTED
BUDGET. >> SO THAT IS THE 22 MILLION
569. YOUR ENDING FUND BALANCE. >> FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 WE ARE
LOOKING AT $20.2 MILLION . >> AND THEN 25.
>> CORRECT. WE START WITH THE ENDING FUND BALANCE. $20.2 MILLION. WE'RE GOING TO ADD OUR ESTIMATED ACTUALS THROUGH AUGUST THE 11TH OF 127.3 MILLION . WE ARE PROJECTING $6.3 MILLION THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR. AND THIS IS VERY CONSERVATIVE LIKE I SAID. OUR ACTUAL EXPENDITURES THROUGH AUGUST 11TH ARE $101 MILLION . AND WE ARE PROJECTING $30.3 MILLION. AND AGAIN , THIS IS VERY CONSERVATIVE . TO COME UP TO AN ENDING FUND BALANCE THROUGH THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR OF 2025 OF 22 MILLION 569
>> THESE ARE PRELIMINARY. WE HAVE NOT SENT THEM OFF. WE HAVE NOT DONE AN AUDIT. THESE ARE FOR VERY NEW NUMBERS.
>> SO DON'T GET EXCITED IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. WELL, THEN IT IS REALLY NOT CONSERVATIVE. CONSERVATIVE WOULD MEAN YOU FEEL
LIKE IT COULD BE BETTER. >> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> WELL, YES. IT STARTED OUT BETTER. IT IS AT 22 MILLION
RIGHT NOW. >> THEY HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THE HEALTHCARE AND THEY HAVE NOT ADDRESSED GRANTS.
>> EMERGENCY DISASTER. >> WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT
AS WELL. >> SO THIS IS GENEROUS. THIS
COULD GO DOWN. >> IT COULD GO DOWN. IT COULD GO
DOWN. >> IT COULD POTENTIALLY. WE ARE HOPING IT DOESN'T. THIS WOULD BE AMAZING IF THIS IS IT. I'M JUST SAYING DON'T GET EXCITED BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO
DO. THIS IS ONE WEEK. >> AND THESE HAVE NOT BEEN AUDITED AS WELL. WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT TODAY OR TOMORROW FOR '24. AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AS OF RIGHT NOW.
>> OKAY. SO IF WE COULD TURN TO THE NEXT TAB, TAB D IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE BUILDING THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON. THERE'S TWO PAGES. NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE . IF YOU CAN SEE KIND OF TOWARD THE MIDDLE, WE ARE ANTICIPATING IT WILL GENERATE ABOUT 3.1 MILLION ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. AND THEN THE NEXT PAGE WE HAVE THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE, WHICH WE ARE ANTICIPATING WILL GENERATE 11.582 MILLION ADDITIONAL
PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. >> AND THOSE ARE FROM OUR TAX WORKSHEETS. THESE ARE ACTUAL NUMBERS THAT YOU CALCULATED
BEFORE YOU WENT IN. >> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> YOU FEEL -- THESE NUMBERS ARE --
>> I'M VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE. ONE CHANGE YOU ARE MAKING THIS YEAR THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE IN THE PAST IS WE ARE EXCLUDING THE REMEDIES FOR THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCE INVESTMENT ZONES. BUT IT IS NOT REVENUE BECAUSE IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI. THAT IS ONE THING I DID CONFIRM.
>> BUT ARE YOU INCLUDING -- >> THE BASE VALUES.
>> NO. ARE YOU INCLUDING THE PART OF THE REVENUE YOU'RE GETTING BACK NOW? THAT ONE IS GOING DOWN.
>> IT WILL NOT BE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR. IT WILL BE FOR '27.
>> EVEN THOUGH WE DID THAT A YEAR AGO.
>> WHICH ONE WAS A YEAR AGO? >> THE ISLAND.
>> OKAY. EVERYTHING LAST YEAR WILL BE REFLECTED .
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE THAT DID CHANGE.
>> THAT COMES FROM THE TAX COLLECTOR.
>> NO, NO, THAT IS DIFFERENT. >> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> SO WE SHOULD START SEEING SOME REVENUE.
>> CORRECT. >> SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN WITH THAT ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAD SOUGHT IN TAB C OF THE 22,569,768. TO THAT, WE ARE GOING TO ADD IN ESTIMATED REVENUES OF 126.8 MILLION
[02:55:03]
DOLLARS . TRANSFERS IN OF $6.8 MILLION. FOR TOTAL, THIS IS OUR PROJECTED REVENUES OF $133.6 MILLION.>> ESTIMATED REVENUES. THOSE WERE CALCULATED AT RECEIVING
97%. >> THAT IS GOING TO BE -- THAT IS PART OF THE $11.5 MILLION. THAT IS THE PROPERTY TAX
>> AND SO WHEN YOU ADD THE 11 MILLION OF OUR ADDITIONAL REVENUE WE ARE ANTICIPATING WITH THE TOTAL REVENUES WE HAVE ABOVE 133, WE ARE LOOKING AT TOTAL REVENUES PROJECTED OF 145 MILLION $254,727. HAVE I LOST Y'ALL YET ? AND THEN IF YOU ADD IN YOUR FUND BALANCE , THE $167.8 MILLION.
>> 167. >> HOW DID YOU GET ONE 45 ?
>> STRICTLY REVENUE MONEY COMING IN. AND THEN WHEN YOU ADD THE
>> WHICH ONE ARE YOU DOING? YOU ARE ON THE SECOND ONE.
>> YES, SIR. >> SHE IS ON THE VOTER APPROVAL
SIDE. >> JUST A LITTLE PREVIEW. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE . AND SO RIGHT BELOW THE TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE, WHICH IS THE 167 MILLION, THE PROPOSED EXPENSES ARE 121,707,774 . TRANSFERS OUT 9,000,618 126. TWO TOTAL -- $325,900. NOW, THE ITEMS LISTED BELOW THAT ARE CHANGES OR ADDITIONS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO ADD TO THE BUDGET. MOST OF THESE ARE STATE-MANDATED . AND OTHERS ARE ITEMS THAT I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER ON THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES COST-OF-LIVING INCREASE THEY HAVE NOT SEEN IN A WHILE. AND THE REASON WE HAD TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THIS AS WELL TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT IS BECAUSE WE ARE ALSO REQUIRED BY LAW -- TERESA HAS JUST SENT THE LETTERS OUT TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS. AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THE STATE INCREASED THE SALARIES OF OUR DISTRICT COURT JUDGES, WHICH IN TURN INCREASED THE SALARIES OF OUR COUNTY COURT JUDGES THAT WE HAVE HAD TO MAKE UP . AND THEN THE D.A. AND SUPPLEMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WE FELT IT PRUDENT TO INCLUDE EVERYONE IN THE INCREASE WHILE SOME OF THEM GOT OVER 25% OR 25% BECAUSE OF THE LIMITS AND AMOUNTS WE HAD TO GET, WE FELT LIKE 10% WAS THE AMOUNT THAT I WAS COMFORTABLE ASKING FOR ALL EMPLOYEES , ELECTED S, HOURLY, SOURLY -- SALARY. THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN ROUGH ON OUR EMPLOYEES HERE. I KNOW EVERY DEPARTMENT COMES TO US AND ASKS FOR EVERYTHING. SO THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WE SHOULD PROCEED WITH. AND TERESA WILL BE SENDING
LETTERS OUT. >> THAT IS THE 10%. THAT WOULD
BE ACROSS THE BOARD. >> ACROSS THE BOARD. EVERY
COUNTY EMPLOYEE. >> EXCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT.
>> LAW ENFORCEMENT IS DOWN FURTHER ON THE PAGE. YES. THESE NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE BIT OFF. I THINK THESE NUMBERS ARE CALCULATED BY SOMEONE ELSE FOR US. SO THEY MAY CHANGE A LITTLE BIT . COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT. BUT WE WANT TO VERIFY . SO WE KEPT THEM IN THERE. LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN HERE THAT NEED VERIFYING. BUT WE BASICALLY WENT BY -- WE WERE OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE IF WE CHOOSE TO GO FORWARD WITH -- WE FELT LIKE WE COULD DO THIS MOVING FORWARD.
>> THEY DON'T GET THE C.O.L.A.. IF THEY MOVE FORWARD, THE LETTERS GO OUT THIS FRIDAY. THE ELECTED OFFICIAL LETTERS.
>> BUT WE CANNOT TAKE A VOTE ON THIS. SO IF ANYONE HAS A PROBLEM
-- WE CAN'T AS A GROUP DECIDE. >> ON THAT PRACTICE, WE WERE
SENT LETTERS AFTER WE PASSED. >> IT IS PRIOR TO AND THEY HAVE
[03:00:07]
SEVEN DAYS. >> SO THAT IS WHEN WE HAVE DONE
IT BEFORE ? >> I THOUGHT IT WAS RIDICULOUS.
HOW DO YOU DECIDE? IF WE VOTE DOWN THIS , ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL GET A RAISE AND NOBODY ELSE WILL. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. FIND INCREASE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THAT IN WRITING TO THE COUNTY AUDITORS INTO THE BUDGET OFFICE SO WE CAN MAKE
SURE THE LETTERS GO OUT CORRECT. >> OKAY.
>> I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WAS CLEAR. >> I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THIS WAS OUR STARTING POINT FOR THE BUDGET THIS YEAR. WE CAN GO ONE BY ONE IF YOU WOULD LIKE. FIRST WAS COST-OF-LIVING. THE CONTROLLED BUDGET . INCREASING UTILITIES. COFFEE MACHINES, GASOLINE, INSURANCE. WE ALREADY VOTED APPROVED IN COURT,
SO WE HAVE TO PAY THESE. >> AND FOR JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER , WE NEED TO INCREASE THE MEALS 500,000. METRO COMP GROUP IS GOING UP JUST SLIGHTLY. THE NEXT IS COST-OF-LIVING.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. THIS IS JUST BEGINNING. SO THIS IS NOT AN AMOUNT SET IN STONE. THE A HOLDING PLACE HERE. WE HAVE OUR NUECES COUNTY APPRAISAL WENT UP SLIGHTLY. PRISONER TRANSPORT WE ARE RECOMMENDING INCREASE OF 100,000. PUBLIC DEFENDERS. THIS IS THE PROGRAM THAT DAN SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER THAT THE GRANT IS GOING DOWN INCREMENTALLY. SO THIS IS OUR SHARE FOR FIST YEAR '26. THE RETIREMENT PLAN. GOING DOWN ACTUALLY BEGINNING IN JANUARY. SO THIS IS A SLIGHT SAVINGS FOR THE COUNTY. AND THEN THESE ARE OUR STAT TUTORIAL INCREASES THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO. WE ARE RECOMMENDING SUPPLEMENTAL FAMILY DRUG COURT POSITION. SO WE ARE INCREASING -- RECOMMENDING AN INCREASE OF 20,000 FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
>> AND THIS IS JUDGE MCCOY'S DEAL. I THINK IT IS 23 HE TOLD ME OR SOMETHING LIKE THIS. HE SAID THIS MORNING. I TOLD HIM IT
WAS ALREADY ON OUR LIST. >> THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR REQUESTING AN INCREASE IN THEIR POSTAGE, WHICH OCCURS EVERY OTHER YEAR. WE ARE INCLUDING VECTOR CONTROL IN OUR LIST, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER. AND THEN THE VOTER FOCUS STATUTORILY REQUIRED SOFTWARE WE NEED FOR THE ELECTIONS.
>> ELECTIONS AND THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR BOTH UTILIZED THIS . APPARENTLY THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE PROVIDER THEY HAVE BEEN USING HAVING TO CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. THIS IS THE REASON IT IS ON THIS LIST IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING -- EMERGENCY ITEM. I'M NOT SURE IF WE CAN FIND OTHER FUNDS THAT WE CAN PAY FOR IT OUT OF, BUT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WE HAVE TO HAVE IT. THAT'S WHY WE PUT IT ON THIS
LIST. >> SO AGAIN, THESE NUMBERS ARE JUST OUR FIRST STAFF AND PROPOSED BUDGET. WE ARE GOING TO BE FINDING THESE NUMBERS FROM NOW UNTIL SEPTEMBER 4TH WHEN WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND SEPTEMBER 10TH WE HAVE THE VOTE ON THE BUDGET TAX RATE. SO AT THIS POINT, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT BACK TO JUDGE SCOTT. OPEN IT TO DISCUSSION IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL ITEMS YOU WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER.
>> I THINK THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME. AND ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO BRING SOMETHING FORWARD, I KNOW WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE LIST TO VOTE ON. I HAVE COPIES OF SOME TO PASS OUT JUST INFORMATION OF THE REQUEST. THIS HAS THE INCLUDED . AND IT HAS THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS TO HANDOUT. JUST SOME MORE INFORMATION. BASICALLY WHAT WE WENT THROUGH AND THEN SOME OF THE OTHER REQUESTS. BUT WE WILL BE GOING. NO. I'M GOING TO GIVE IT TO YOU NOW. IF YOU WANT TO PASS IT DOWN. IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO TALK TO TERESA , MYSELF -- ANY OF US. BUT THE FIRST PAGE HAS -- WHAT SHE JUST WENT THROUGH BASICALLY THE REQUIRED PURCHASE. IT WAS A REQUIRED COST WE ARE LOOKING AT. ON THE BACK OF THE SECOND PAGE
[03:05:04]
IT HAS ADDITIONAL BUDGET DISCUSSIONS. I THINK WE WENT THROUGH THIS LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE. ITEM FOR ITEM. AND THEN A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING. THERE IS A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS ON DEPARTMENTS TO TRY TO CUT COSTS AND MAYBE UTILIZE MORE SERVICES . SO WE WILL BE HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS MOVING FORWARD SINCE WE HAVE HAD ANOTHER MEETING . I THINK WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING IS IN LINE WITH WHAT THE FORENSIC AUDIT TOLD US. MOVING HR OUT OF THERE AND INTO THE -- MOVING PAYROLL OUT OF THE AUDITORS OFFICE INTO HR AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS AN ATTORNEY GENERAL THAT SHOWS THAT THAT IS A LIKELY PLACE THAT IT CAN MOVE TO . AND THEN WE HAVE ALREADY VOTED ON THE BUDGET OFFICE COMING TO THE COMMISSIONERS COURT ON THIS ITEM WHEN WE GET CONSTANCE BACK AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THERE'S SOME OTHER SUGGESTED CHANGES POTENTIALLY WITH SAVING MONEY. BUT THOSE WILL BE DISCUSSED . I THINK THIS IS A STARTING POINT. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIRECTORS . TWO FOR SURE THAT WERE BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION. AND ONCE WE LOOK THEM UP, THEY FOR ALL OF OUR DIRECTOR POSITIONS. THEY ARE SORELY UNDERFUNDED. AS A DIRECTOR, I THINK WE HAVE ONE AIRPORT MANAGER OUT FOR APPLICATIONS AND HAD NO ONE QUALIFIED. SO WE KNOW WE SHOULD ADDRESS THAT. IT WAS LOWER THAN I THINK MOST OF OUR EXECUTIVE SECRETARY AND STUFF LIKE THAT. WELL, WE WANT THAT AIRPORT OUT THERE TO GROW , WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A PERSON IN THERE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THEM A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THAT TO MOVEFORWARD. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> ONE MORE THING. BACK TO TAB D. I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THE INITIAL REVENUE WE ARE ANTICIPATING FROM THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE WAS THE $11.5 MILLION. AND THE LIST WE HAVE BELOW FOR ANY ADDITIONS IS $12.2 MILLION. SO ANYTHING MORE WE ADD TO THE BUDGET WILL BE OUR FUND BALANCE. AND OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD OUR FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND TO BE 25% OF OUR ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS. WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY SAID REVENUE. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT AND WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE POLICY. SO THAT IS JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE REALLY DON'T
HAVE THAT MUCH TO WORK WITH . >> WE DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SPEND AFTER WE DO OUR STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND DOING THE 10%.
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF REQUESTS IN FRONT OF US. A LOT OF RECLASSIFICATION. LET ME REMIND EVERYONE, A RECLASSIFICATION IS IN AND OF ITSELF A RATE. AND WE WANT TO GIVE EVERYONE RAISES. RECLASSIFICATIONS REALLY ARE HARD TO DO IF WE GIVE THIS ACROSS THE BOARD. SO WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. I KNOW WE HAVE HAD DEPARTMENTS COME TO US. CREATE A HIGHER PAID ONE IF IT IS ZERO COST. THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT. BUT WE ARE TRYING TO GUIDE PEOPLE INTO FINDING THE FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN DO THIS C.O.L.A. THIS YEAR. AND WE KNOW WE HAVE HAD CHALLENGES AND WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A LOT IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. WE KNOW WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A LOT . FOURTH AUDITOR BEFORE THE YEAR IS OVER WE WILL BE WORKING ON NUMBER FIVE PROBABLY. SO TO SAY THE LEAST, THERE IS SOME CHALLENGES AHEAD. BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO SOLVING THOSE CHALLENGES. AND I THINK WITH THE PROPERTY MOVING FORWARD, THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING -- I THINK THE COUNTY LOOKS RIGHT AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A BETTER YEAR NEXT YEAR. SO LET'S GET THROUGH THIS ONE. KEEP OUR HEADS DOWN AND DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE. SHOW OUR APPRECIATION TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE HELPED US GET THROUGH THE LAST TWO YEARS BY ALL MEANS. AND LET'S WORK THIS OUT. THANK
YOU. >> THEY ARE THE ONES THAT KEEP
THE COUNTY GOING. >> ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.
>> WHEN IS YOUR FIRST -- I KNOW YOU CANCELED THE MEETING WITH THE NUECES COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE LAST WEEK.
>> THERE IS ONE SCHEDULED FRIDAY. THIS WEEK. YES. I'M SURE THEY PROBABLY ALREADY HEARD US TALKING ONLINE ABOUT THIS.
BUT THERE IS NO WAY. >> THEY WANTED A NUMBER.
>> EXACTLY. >> YOU GAVE THEM A NUMBER. JUST
SITTING HERE THINKING THAT. >> WE HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS. IT IS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO I'M WAITING UNTIL THEN TO GET SOME
CLARIFICATION . >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. >> THIS IS GREAT. ALL OF YOU PUT
[03:10:03]
IN A GREAT DEAL OF WORK PUTTING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER WITH SOME SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES . AND, JUDGE, I KNOW YOU HAVE WORKED ON THIS FOR COUNTLESS HOURS UP HERE THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS. I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE ALL YOU HAVE PUT INTO THIS. AND I WOULD LIKE -- NEEDS TO GIVE US A ONE-PAGE REPORT EVERY YEAR THAT SHOWS WHAT OUR TAX LEVY WAS GOING TO BE. IN THE WAY OF PEOPLE WHO GET HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS. ALL THE DIFFERENT EXEMPTIONS . DO YOU STILL HAVE -- COULD WE RE-CREATE THAT?>> IF YOU LOOK AT TAB D -- HOPEFULLY THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT.
IT SHOWS -- WELL, THIS IS THE VALUATIONS AND IT SHOWS THE EXEMPTIONS. IS THAT WHAT IT IS? YELLOW ON THERE.
>> I JUST TOOK THE YELLOW OUT. >> I WILL GO THROUGH IT.
>> THERE IS ONE FOR GENERAL FUNDS. TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND LET ME KNOW IF WE NEED SOMETHING ELSE. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS
THURSDAY. >> GREAT WORK. THANK YOU.
>> AND I THINK IN HINDSIGHT IT MIGHT BE CLOSE TO SEPTEMBER . I GUESS IF THERE IS NO ONE ELSE -- SHERIFF, YOU HAVE SAT HERE ALL DAY. YOU SURE YOU DIDN'T WANT TO PRESENT ANYTHING?
>> CONCLUDE OUR ME
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.